Lit candles can be a fire hazard. Just ask fictional teacher Barbara Howard, of ABC’s Abbott Elementary, or pop stars Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams. Between 2018 and 2022, candles started 4% of home fires, according to the National Fire Prevention Association, and 21% of those fires started from an “unattended, discarded, or otherwise misused”…
Mel Plaut/NYT Wirecutter As pets age, their joints often get creaky, and they aren’t able to move around as well as they used to. For both dogs and cats, it can become much harder to walk, jump, and even bend to eat. “In the senior pet population, mobility ends up being one of the biggest…
Brent Butterworth/NYT Wirecutter Top pick This rock-shaped Bluetooth speaker is incredibly easy to set up and use. It doesn’t sound as full as our other picks, but it’s great for casual outdoor listening. The Victrola Rock Speaker Connect is the easiest way to set up a music system in your backyard. You don’t need to…
Lanolin’s thick consistency and ability to trap moisture make it a good option for all kinds of dry-skin issues, including chapped lips, rough elbows, and ragged cuticles. Rose Maura Lorre/NYT Wirecutter At the risk of alienating Carrie Coon and ejecting her from my (imaginary) friend group, I must fact-check her statement about lip and nipple…
Located in the vast expanse of South Africa’s Great Karoo, Samara Karoo Reserve is a model of conservation and environmental restoration. Samara’s story is a distinctive one, a passionate rewilding project that began back in 1997. Samara’s founders, Sarah and Mark Tompkins, were inspired by tales of a long-lost Karoo, a wilderness in which millions…
To try a new mattress in a store, sit and lie on it, just as you would if it were in your home. Emily Hlavac Green/NYT Wirecutter Whether you’re shopping in a store or trying out a mattress you purchased online, assess the comfort by asking yourself the following questions. (If you answer “yes” to…
From opulent trains crossing golden deserts to ultra-exclusive island retreats, our latest round-up of luxury travel news includes pioneering brands that are pushing boundaries in the world of luxury travel.Saudi Arabia’s Dream of the Desert marries Arabian heritage with contemporary elegance, while Bvlgari makes a dazzling Caribbean debut. Superyachts, bespoke supercars and legendary hotel brands…
Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter Top pick These meals are lightweight, portable, and easy to store and prepare. The brand’s 30-year guarantee leads the category, and these meals compared well in our taste tests. The meals in the Mountain House Just in Case 3 Day Meal Kit have an ultra-long shelf, and they’re convenient, versatile, and have…
With over 700 vineyards within a two-hour drive of Cape Town, deciding which one to visit can pose a challenge. Fortunately, the estate closest to Cape Town’s airport is a destination in its own right – and after visiting twice, it’s time to share this hidden gem. The welcome Driving through the gates of Vergenoegd…
Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter This single-piece, stainless steel trowel slices through dirt like a soil knife, but it scoops a better-than-average amount of dirt. This indestructible, razor-sharp Wilcox trowel is a garden workhouse, ideal for planting, weeding, and breaking up soil. In truth it’s a multi-tool, working as a hand shovel when you’re backfilling transplants, a…