First, the Residential Clean Energy Credit, in place since 2022, provides incentives for clean-energy investments for your home. You can subtract up to 30 percent of the cost of a new clean-energy system—such as solar panels, solar-powered water heaters, geothermal heat pumps, fuel cells, wind turbines, or battery storage technology—from your end-of-year tax bill. You…
There are a few things to keep in mind when you’re shopping for USB flash drives, and we also have some tips for using them. Capacity: To decide on the capacity you need, first check the size of the folders or files you want to copy. Each USB drive in our guide has a stated…
“A home standby generator does a great job of supplying backup power during an outage,” says Dave Trezza, the test engineer who heads CR’s generator testing program. “But standby generators aren’t cheap, and the installation can be complex and expensive—not a DIY job. That’s why you need a properly sized, top-performing model from our tests…
The Helio AirBroom is a three-piece set with a broom, dustpan, and a Helio Mini designed to clean up upholstery or small messes from counters, windows, and shower doors. I evaluated the Helio Mini only as a window squeegee but found it helpful when transferring debris into the dustpan because it’s small and easier to…
Clear away combustibles. Keep flammable materials at least 5 feet from your home and 30 feet from decks, overhangs, and wood piles. Avoid outdoor furniture that easily catches fire, like wicker or untreated hardwood. For more ideas, check out this CalFire guide on creating a defensible space. Keep the yard clean. Regularly remove dead leaves, pine needles,…
Whether you’re worried about the open network at your local coffee shop or want to get around geo-restrictions when you’re traveling, NordVPN can help. A virtual private network (VPN) is like a protective tunnel, keeping your data safe from prying eyes. VPNs aren’t perfect protection (you need to trust your VPN provider), but they’re always…
To help you decide on the best bottle warmer for you, Dana Keester, a Consumer Reports usability specialist assessed seven popular models. Each bottle warmer was evaluated in our lab for warming speed and ease of use. We also evaluated the top bottle warmers for overheating to find out whether they exceed 104° F, which…
Home security systems differ in ways you can’t see, such as the reliability of their sensors and their tech support services. These differences came to light in our first-ever survey on home security systems owned by more than 11,000 Consumer Reports members. We used those results to create our first home security system satisfaction ratings….
You can digitally search for tags, genres, and locations at the top, and I recommend you do so if you’re looking for something specific. It can be helpful if you are trying to buy something from your home town, for example. Screenshot courtesy of Wired As with anything collectible, you can find good deals (and…
10. Using Magic Eraser Sponges on Stainless Steel When you realize how well a magic eraser sponge handles a variety of surfaces, like walls, baseboards, bathroom tile, and even sneakers, it’s tempting to try and put it to work on every surface that’s annoying to clean. Stainless steel dishwashers and fridges, we’re looking at you….