In fact, the most expensive ranges are not always the best buy, according to our tests. “We often find that price is no indicator of performance,” says Kenneth Sutton, who leads CR’s range testing. “We have some in the mix for $1,000 that perform better than models costing $5,000.” And that applies to those pro-style…
Every time I slip on a rain jacket, I give thanks that we no longer have to wrap ourselves in thick, smelly sealskin to stay dry. The best rain jackets today are more comfortable and watertight than ever, thanks to advances in weatherproof textiles and apparel design. But depending on the climate and your level…
If you want Apple’s most budget-friendly option, the iPhone 16e is for you. That model is a refresh of the iPhone SE (2022), which is no longer sold by Apple, with some hardware upgrades. It has a 6.1-inch display that our testers say is excellent quality, with smooth scrolling and crystal-clear images. Ditching the Home…
Honorable Mentions Photograph: Kat Merck Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo for $100: I love the original Shark FlexBreeze (above), so I was very excited to see Shark had released a rechargeable portable fan in seven colors, including ones not normally seen in fans, like Lilac and Honeydew. Shark says it can run 30 minutes with the mister…
Jimmy Kimmel returned to ABC this week. Sort of. About a quarter of ABC’s usual audience couldn’t see the talk show host this week after two major owners of ABC affiliates, Sinclair and Nexstar, refused to carry the show. Those right-leaning companies apparently felt that Kimmel’s joke—which included some disputed facts—was so unpardonable that they…
This holds true for more than just household finances. Thanks to extra power, value, and customizability, desktop PCs remain the top choice for serious gamers, photo and video editors, and anyone who wrangles large spreadsheets for work. At Consumer Reports, we group models into three main categories: all-in-one, mini, and tower. Below you’ll find a…
Think of it like “Where’s Waldo?” for the anti-Trump movement: Last Saturday, as some 7 million people filled American cities for the latest “No Kings” protest, many of them showed up wearing inflatable frog costumes. The amphibians were easy to spot in the sea of signs, and their inspiration seemed clear: They’d seen images of…
Starbucks opened its first store in China in 1999, when drinking coffee in a Western-style café was still a novel idea to many locals. But in the years since, homegrown coffee and bubble tea brands like Luckin Coffee, Heytea, Chagee, and Mixue have gradually chipped away at Starbucks’ share of the Chinese market. Now, they…
“Research shows that consumers say doing laundry takes too much time,” says Allie Chilicki, Consumer Reports’ market analyst for washers and dryers. “Manufacturers have been trying to address this problem with machines that have bigger capacities, shorter speed cycles, built-in pretreat features, or smart technology.” To offer even more convenience, manufacturers are also equipping newer…
2. A Tight-Fitting Mattress Any bassinet that you buy should come with a snug-fitting mattress. When the mattress is centered in the bassinet, you should see no gaps between the edge of the mattress and the bassinet walls any larger than one-half inch, or about a finger-width. “A mattress that doesn’t fit tightly may shift…