If your grandparents already drink their coffee from mugs bedecked with your mug, if they eat off of placemats adorned with blurry photos of your cousins, if they pencil in bridge nights on a calendar of family photos — all while being lit up by a Dutch-master–like beam of light streaming from a digital picture…

Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter Top pick This inexpensive model has two remote-controllable receptacles, includes real-time energy monitoring, and is Matter-compatible. Compatibility: Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Matter, SmartThings The TP-Link Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Outlet P210M has two remote-controllable receptacles that can monitor the energy of whatever is plugged into them, both in running time and kWh. It…

Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter Top pick With an abundance of the essentials, a lot of useful extras, and a durable case, this is the best all-purpose set (even if its bits are no better than those in other sets we’ve tried). The Ryobi 300-Piece Drill and Drive Kit is the most versatile drill bit set we’ve…

NICK: I remember when I got cast as the bad guy in Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, I got a small but nice chunk of change and I thought, “Oh, instead of spending this on an indiscretion or an indulgence, I’m going to buy a really nice bandsaw.” CHRISTINE: I’m Christine Cyr Clisset. CAIRA:…

“When you drive a nail successfully, you feel like an absolute superhero. It’s incredible.” This is Nick Offerman delivering an endearingly earnest sermon, over videoconference, about a hammer — an Estwing, to be exact, but we’ll get to that. We’re chatting on the occasion of his latest book, Little Woodchucks: Offerman Woodshop’s Guide to Tools…

Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter Top pick With a unique design that’s easier than any other tree stand to set up—even working solo—the Krinner has been our pick since 2012. We think the Krinner Tree Genie XXL is still the best Christmas tree stand available. With a unique, easy-to-use, and quick tree-clamping mechanism that operates by a…

The Forever Peeler by Material is awkward to hold because it lacks finger indentations on the handle. The blade is quite sharp but it only comes with one replacement blade and you can’t purchase more separately (so it won’t last forever as its name implies). The Victorinox Straight Edge Star Peeler was universally disliked by…

The best way to think about who should get an artificial Christmas tree is to compare the benefits and drawbacks of fake versus live trees. On the plus side, artificial trees are: Durable: A good artificial Christmas tree can last a decade, whereas live trees last a single season. Cost-effective over the long term: Up…

Hannah Schwob for NYT Wirecutter Luscious formula for face and body: CeraVe Moisturizing Cream This rich cream is a top pick in both our body moisturizer and facial moisturizer guides. Although it’s fragrance-free, it still imparts a faint, slightly medicinal scent. The frosting-thick CeraVe Moisturizing Cream is loaded with hardworking hydrators including glycerin, ceramides, and…