Best Patio Coolers

Patio coolers are larger-capacity coolers on wheels that can be kept outside throughout the summer season. CR has reviewed small coolers and wine fridges and regularly tests full-sized refrigerators, so we decided to evaluate outdoor cooler carts, too. After setting up three patio coolers in our lab, recording the temperature inside each cooler for 26…

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When’s the Best Time of Day to Buy Gas in Your Town?

While the air temperature between fillings varied by up to 12° F, the fuel in our underground tank stayed at a steady 62° F. As a result, we found that after the first few gallons were pumped, the fuel temperature coming out of the nozzle varied very little between morning and afternoon. At both morning…

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4 Best Smart Scales (2026), Tested and Reviewed

Other Smart Scales Renpho MorphoScan Photograph: Chris Null Renpho MorphoScan for $150: The Renpho MorphoScan full-body scanner looks surprisingly similar to the Runstar FG2015, including a near-identical display attached to the handlebars. Well, spoiler alert, they are basically the same scale. They even use the same app to collect data (and you can even use…

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Welcome to Big Tech’s ‘Age of Extraction’

Growing up in Toronto, Tim Wu had a classmate who was the progeny of Communist parents. His name was Cory Doctorow. Yes, the same guy who just published a book about enshittification. Though they shared a general world view, the boyhood pals also had arguments, with Wu typically taking a less radical stance than his…

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Sorry MAGA, Turns Out People Still Like ‘Woke’ Art

As this year’s Oscar nominations rolled out this morning, I told my boyfriend that Sinners, with 16 noms in total, had made history. “Woke is back,” he replied. He was joking (don’t come for him!), but his quip highlights a pretty stark dichotomy. Last year, as everyone from President Donald Trump down harped on about…

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Meta Has Already Won the Smart Glasses Race

There’s a reason the first successful smart specs look like they’re from the 1950s. That extra thickness isn’t just retro flair, it’s hiding a processor and a battery. But that technical constraint creates a creative opportunity: In the right frame, smart tech can disappear. And transforming functional, medical-grade eyewear—like prescription glasses—into stylish, mass-market fashion accessories…

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Best Beach Tents

Pop-up beach tents are designed for those who lack the time, patience, or confidence to build one. Companies market them as easy to assemble and disassemble in mere seconds. Spoiler alert: They’re all lying.  To help you choose the best beach canopy for your needs, we evaluated four best-selling beach tents so that you don’t…

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Protein Powders and Shakes Contain High Levels of Lead

Prior to publication, CR contacted the manufacturers of all 23 products we tested and shared our results and methodology with them. Five companies have not responded to our requests for comment: BSN, Dymatize, Jocko Fuel, Muscle Milk, and Owyn. Optimum Nutrition declined to comment, and Huel did not respond to questions about the amount of…

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