Allen St. John Allen St. John has been a senior product editor at CR since 2016, focusing on digital privacy, audio devices, printers, and home products. He was a senior editor at Condé Nast and a contributing editor at publications including Road & Track and The Village Voice. A New York Times bestselling author, he’s…
As a true candle lover myself, I can attest to how expensive they can get, and every time I put a match to a wick, it feels too much like lighting money on fire. And if you’ve ever awakened in the middle of the night to find a burning candle, as I have, then you…
Rad Power Bikes has refused to agree to a voluntary recall. It told the CPSC that to offer full refunds or replacements for all batteries would be financially ruinous. In a statement on the company’s website, Rad Power Bikes said that it “firmly stands behind our batteries and our reputation as leaders in the e-bike…
So what does all this new technology—the voice commands, the on-screen help, the file sorting—actually mean for you? The promise is one of convenience: a smarter computer that can save you time, simplify complex tasks, and help you find information more naturally. This brings us to the ultimate question: Is a new computer actually required…
Will a carpet cleaner be worth it for you? Our carpet cleaner recommendations range in price from about $100 to a little over $500. Although the initial cost of buying a carpet cleaner can be higher than a one-time rental or service, after a few uses owning a carpet cleaner generally ends up being more…
Main theme: This week, the podcast panel opens the mailbag to answer your pressing questions about car buying, maintenance, safety, and the auto industry. We even bring in some special guests! Audience Questions• Should I get a new car if my really old car still works fine?• Does the “don’t buy a new car in…
Huckberry, purveyors of finely curated clothing and gear for the sort of person equally at home in the woods and the city, has started its holiday sale. Huckberry’s Black Friday sale covers a wide range, from the company’s own house brands to favorites from the likes of GoRuck and Peak Design. We’ve tested and love…
HBO Max may not have the shine it once did, but the streaming service (previously just Max) is still home to some of the best TV shows of the past 25 years, from The Sopranos and The Wire to Game of Thrones and The Leftovers. Whether you’re a longtime fan of the “it’s not TV” cable network or an HBO…
We rate refrigerators based on their thermostat performance, temperature uniformity, noise output, ease of use, energy efficiency, crisper performance, and icemaker performance (if they have one). Every refrigerator we test gets wired with 15 temperature sensors. We then monitor those thermocouples for more than a month in one of three temperature-controlled chambers, collecting more than…
Compatibility can include the option to stack a pair of machines using a special hardware kit. It could also mean machines sync up with each other to optimize performance. “Pairs come in a variety of styles,” says Allie Chilicki, a CR market analyst. “Most pairs have similar cycles, so if the washer has a casual…