As is fitting for someone who hosted Top Chef for 19 seasons, Lakshmi is interested in flavor-enhancers that also add a little something special to the look of a dish. “One tool that will be really useful for adding those kinds of flourishes — that will take any dish from being something tasty to being…
Best for… Duck boots lace tighter to your foot than rubber boots, so they’re not as easy to slip on and off. However, they perform in both wet and muddy conditions. Also, they’re cute. My Rollneck Sweater is long since donated, but 38 years later, my L.L.Bean Bean Boots are still a closet mainstay. Their…
In this edition of The Gift, our resident white-elephant expert shares the gifts that have historically dominated her swap. There is something you should know about me: I am ruthless when it comes to white-elephant parties. I once made a 3-year-old cry and felt no remorse. (In my defense, the outdoor blanket he was clutching…
Hanna Andersson Offering extra-durable organic-cotton fabric and an impressive variety of seasonal prints, these pajamas are beloved by kids and parents alike. We’ve long recommended Hanna Andersson’s high-quality, extra-durable cotton long-johns-style PJs in our guides to pajamas for kids and adults. The classic kids set comes in about 30 cheerful prints (several more of them…
According to Herman Miller, the Aeron chair was designed as an antidote to the overstuffed, low-seated recliners that aging bodies often spent hours in at home. The designers, Don Chadwick and Bill Stumpf, noticed that such chairs were difficult to get in and out of, to operate, and to use for long periods of time….
Chances are good there’s someone in your life who sets the temperature at 75 ºF and still wears multiple layers into the early weeks of June. If you’re looking for a gift that they’ll want to reach for whenever they shiver—from plush robes and toasty slippers to heated blankets and thick flannel sheets—these Wirecutter picks…
We took the towels camping to see how well they performed. Kyle Fitzgerald/NYT Wirecutter After surveying online reviews, forums, and user ratings, and asking people what type of towel they preferred for their own outdoor activities, we narrowed our field to 19 packable towels, then threw in a standard cotton towel as a plush baseline….
Signe Brewster/NYT Wirecutter Top pick Smart Circuits offers the best combination of interesting projects, thorough instructions, and real learning. Our testers loved using the kit to build noisemakers and conduct quick experiments. The SmartLab Smart Circuits kit offers the best overall experience for total beginners who want to start working with electronics and are willing…
Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter A Kindle that’ll delight all book lovers What we like: Our top pick for the best e-reader for most people. Affordable price, portability, bright display, 16 GB of base storage, and USB-C charging compatibility check the most important boxes. Pocketable 6-inch display. Excellent battery life. USB-C support. Other things to know: Not…
Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter Top pick This scratching post’s durable woven sisal lasts longer than carpet and is better for your pet than rope. This scratcher is also one of the tallest we tested, so your cat can stretch out. If you have a cat, and you value your furniture, you need a cat scratcher or…