My mom is the opposite of materialistic — she wants everything to be useful, and she already has too many T-shirts, mugs, and books. She’s not girly at all. Here’s what she does like: coffee, Star Trek, planes, the space program, old cars, baseball, cats, being Jewish, travel, and NYC. But I want to avoid…

Brenda Stolyar/NYT Wirecutter Brenda Stolyar/NYT Wirecutter Brenda Stolyar/NYT Wirecutter If you want a crossbody that’s more vibrant than it is sleek, this Sonix x Monchhichi collab is a solid choice. In addition to your phone, you can store your keys, cards, and other belongings. While it feels like the rest of the world is obsessed…

Wearing a bra can be a futile endeavor. It’s often painful and uncomfortable. Sure, there are bras that defy this stereotype — Wirecutter has tested some truly great bras over the years — but the quest to find one that fits well, supports effectively, and slides invisibly under a shirt can be an odyssey. So…

Clear plastic toilet stools Our DIY stool (left), made from a $50 acrylic display case and grip tape, has a similar aesthetic to the Proppr Acer in Clear (right) for about half the price (and five minutes of effort). Rozette Rago/NYT Wirecutter Because the translucent Proppr Acer reminded us of an acrylic display shelf, we…

I started with Proof’s shirt, which is made of 87% merino wool and 13% nylon. It was light and breezy on my body, and it fit well in my normal style rotation. It’s also machine-washable. Because it is literally called the “72-Hour Merino T-shirt,” I decided that three days should be the bar for testing…

Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter When narrowing down what types of mayonnaise to try, we focused on the following criteria: We avoided regional white-label brands. We wanted to try mayonnaise that would be relatively easy for most people in the US to find at major grocery chains or online. For that reason, we ruled out regional white-label…

Marki Williams/NYT Wirecutter Top pick This headset offers a cord-free design and convincing hand tracking, with the added option to plug it into a PC to access more-powerful games. The Meta Quest 3S makes VR easier—and fun enough to be worth it—compared with headsets that require cables and expensive PCs. At $300, it’s also a…

Welcome to Ask Wirecutter, where deputy editor Annemarie Conte helps you figure out how to make the most of your stuff in real life. If you have a shopping conundrum for our advice columnist, submit it using this form. Dear Wirecutter, My husband’s cell phone addiction is out of control. And my late-night social media…

Big Bud Press is a small Los Angeles–based clothing company that specializes in unisex, workwear-style clothing that is as size-inclusive as it is cheerful; imagine Rosie the Riveter’s jumpsuit in colors such as swamp green or Mustang red. The company offers sizes from XXS to 6XL in nearly all of its designs, as well as…

Doug Mahoney/NYT WIrecutter Top pick With the most durable frame and latch we tested, this all-metal gate isn’t the cheapest of its kind — but it’s the best value. Opening it is easy for adults, and it’s easier to securely install (in more situations) than its competitors. Of all the gates we tested, the Cardinal…