In this edition of The Gift, we talk about the best way to approach get well soon gifts. Plus: the best wrapping paper and a set of gorgeous Japanese watercolors. In 2023, doctors discovered a brain tumor the size of a small plum on my right frontal lobe. One week after my MRI, I went…

Affixed to the bottom half of the window, the stick-on film helps block peering eyes. Zoe Vanderweide/NYT Wirecutter Easy to install and easy to remove, window cling film creates an inexpensive privacy screen. Inexpensive, a cinch to install, and no maintenance? Yes, please. Privacy film quickly adheres to glass and will last a long while….

Top pick This smoke alarm has been ETL-certified to meet the current UL fire-safety requirements. We love the wireless interconnection feature and the voice-based warning system. That stamp of approval means that a smoke alarm has been certified by an accredited testing lab — typically either UL itself or Intertek, the lab behind the ETL…

Escape the Crate: An escape room at home Photo: James Austin Top pick Simple boxes that are full of escape room type puzzles. Light on narrative but with plenty of tricky clues to decipher. Difficulty: easyAges: early teens and above Trying to put a whole escape-room experience in a box is a tough proposition, but…

Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter Top pick This hefty desk helps anchor a room’s overall look, especially if you’re into ’80s aesthetics. Why it’s great It’ll leave a big impression. Many of our picks were selected in part for their ability to blend in with existing room designs, but the Article Baarlo 58.5” Desk demands full attention….

Caleigh Waldman for NYT Wirecutter Top pick This electronic telescope can find objects in the night sky automatically, saving you the effort of reading star charts and manuals. The Celestron NexStar 5SE Computerized Telescope, a Schmidt-Cassegrain model, is our top pick due to its superior ease of use and solid image quality. Its primary 5-inch…

Backing up your iPhone photos to an external storage drive that you simply plug into your phone’s USB-C port and snap to the back of your device might seem like a no-brainer, but unfortunately, it’s not as easy as it sounds. We found that using a portable SSD for iPhone photo backup is tedious for…

Here’s what to think about first when you’re choosing the best induction cooktop for you. A 36-inch cooktop typically has five heating elements. Miele A 30-inch cooktop usually has four heating elements. Miele A 24-inch cooktop is most likely to have three heating elements. Miele A 36-inch cooktop typically has five heating elements. Miele The…

Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter Top pick This Bluetooth-enabled treadmill is easy to set up and offers a smooth ride—but it has only a 90-day warranty. The Goplus 2 in 1 Under Desk Treadmill provides a comfortable and safe ride. But, like all of the under-desk treadmills we tested, it lacks the more-robust features of a traditional…

This is not a comprehensive list of everything we tested in previous iterations of this guide, just what’s still available. The Alo 7/8 High-Waist Airbrush Legging felt soft and thick to the touch but scratchy on the body, and multiple testers had complaints (too tight in the thigh, too hot even when sitting around). The…