The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning of dangerous lead levels associated with certain Chinese-made faucets sold online and is advising consumers to double-check that any faucet they buy meets U.S. safety standards. Last week the agency announced the recall of 100,000 kitchen faucets sold under the names Basdehen, Kicimpro, and Vfauosit due to what…
The MSI Titan is not for the faint of heart—it never has been. It’s an 18-inch behemoth, fitting into that “desktop replacement” class of gaming laptop. This one in particular is meant for PC gamers who want not just top performance but also some bling. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a gaming laptop with this…
You can read our initial impressions of the EX30 below as long as you’re a CR member. Once we’re done putting it through more than 50 tests at our Auto Test Center, including empirical tests of acceleration, braking, handling, and usability, we’ll share our final verdict and publish an Overall Score. If you’re not a…
Compromise isn’t great for your principles but it’s essential for portable Bluetooth speakers. JBL’s Flip strikes the perfect compromise between mobility and sound quality, offering clean detail with plenty of punch in a durable, droppable, and utterly portable package. The Flip 7 (9/10, WIRED Recommends) provides new goodies like increased water resistance, an easy-release strap,…
Honorable Mentions Photograph: Parker Hall There are a lot of great soundbars out there, and we don’t have room to feature them all. Here are some others you might want to consider. LG’s S95TR for $1,000-1,500: LG’s 9.1.5-channel soundbar (8/10, WIRED Recommends) doesn’t perform as well as Samsung’s flagship Q990 series, but it could be…
Honorable Mentions Aeezo 9-inch frame $90: This frame will do the job, but the app—the Frameo app, rather than a dedicated Azeeo app, which we’ve seen on other cheap frames as well—isn’t nearly as streamlined as pricier counterparts. They’re better that other cheap options we’ve tested, but, like Cozyla, they cross the $100 threshold. If…
Yellow jackets can sting and cause allergic reactions, and ants can potentially damage your house. Here are tips from CR’s insect repellent expert, Chris Regan, and from Jody Gangloff-Kaufmann, PhD, associate director of Cornell University’s Community & Urban IPM Program, on how to banish a variety of bugs from your yard and home. To reveal…
If you want your dishwasher to be stink-free, you can’t skimp on regular cleaning and maintenance. Jones says you should clean your dishwasher’s filter once a month. First, empty the filter of any debris and rinse it with hot water. If food particles or soil are still stuck to the filter, try soaking it in…
A Handheld vacuum may not be the most essential household appliance, but they sure are convenient. You don’t have to mess with heavy, cumbersome (and expensive) vacuums that require a plug-in and hazardous cords. Sure, there are cordless vacs to mitigate this problem, but those are also large and can be expensive. The handheld vacuum—compact,…
Fjällräven’s hiking pants—er, sorry, trousers—are legendary, and having now spent most of spring in a pair of these Abisko Trail trousers, I understand why. If Dad is a hiker, or spends any time at all outdoors, these are a great gift. They’re light but surprisingly warm and especially good at blocking the wind. The G-1000…