Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter Compared with a bait-casting or fly-fishing setup, a spinning setup is not only more forgiving but also more comfortable to use and usually easier to repair; it requires less finesse to cast, as well. If you’re a beginner, a spinning outfit is much easier to pick up than any other outfit, and…
We don’t want ants in our homes, either. But if you try to kill household ants the wrong way, you can actually split the colony—and make the problem worse. That won’t happen with Terro T300 Liquid Ant Baits, a favorite among homeowners because they’re simple to use, widely available, and filled with an effective, slow-acting…
Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter Top pick For home offices and households, the Royal 14MC 14-Sheet Micro Cut Paper Shredder is the best value for a paper shredder. It has a high capacity for its price, and it can handle (almost) anything you may throw at it. This 14-sheet shredder can handle nearly twice as much paper…
Baggu Sure they’ve got a backpack, and they’ve lightly got a suitcase, but how about a perfect overnight bag that they could discretely bring to work or even out to dinner? The lightweight, relatively inexpensive Baggu Small Cloud Carry-On is small enough to stow under the seat, but large enough to hold headphones, hydration, extra…
Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter Top pick The Ikarao Shell S1 10.1-inch Smart Karaoke Machine is the only karaoke machine we’ve tested that has absolutely everything you need to get a party going, all in one convenient carrying case that doubles as a speaker. And we do mean everything: The Ikarao even comes with a built-in touchscreen…
We compared Quince’s classic percale sheets with Brooklinen’s classic percale sheets. Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter and Dana Davis/NYT Wirecutter Our take: Quince’s sheets are closer to Target-quality, and our Brooklinen pick is better. Most textiles arrive from the factory with chemical coatings to make them feel softer. Following our expert Jackie’s instructions, I washed the Quince…
Conventional wisdom usually dictates that you hang a piece of art by finding a stud in your wall and drilling into it. But studs are typically spaced 16 inches apart from center to center, with about 14.5 inches of empty space in between, according to Doug—so even if you find one where you want your…
If you like your economic games with a side of auctioneering: Power Grid (now being sold as the Recharged edition) is a classic. This engine-building economic game has you play as a utility company trying to power the most cities in either Germany or the USA. Players have to balance buying power plants, paying for…
Mounting clips are easier to remove, and they work well on different surfaces, as well as in corners. Rachel Cericola/NYT Wirecutter There are meaningful differences between different strip-light models, especially when it comes to the quality of lighting and attractive features. Know your acronyms. Strip lights are made using a few technologies. RGB strips can…
In this edition of Clean Everything, we share a few small upgrades that can make a big difference in your home—from revamping your grout to replacing your showerhead. Plus: a tiny brush we love. Whether you’re brightening up old grimy spots or refreshing an outdated color palette, touching up the grout between your tiles is…