Ideally, the composite decking you choose will look good, and remain solid and safe, for many years. Consumer Reports’ performance tests evaluate these factors. We use specialized instruments to test each decking sample for resistance to flexing. That ensures that boards won’t bow or bend if you’re entertaining a crowd or if you park a…
Using heat pumps can be one of the most efficient ways to cool and heat your home. Compared with other heating and cooling devices, they are eco-friendly and could save you money. In cooling mode, they work like air conditioners, extracting heat from the air inside and releasing it outside. In heating mode, they do…
ROG Strix is Asus’s performance-focused subbrand. This is where the company’s thicker, more conventional gaming laptops are found. Pricing can range widely, as it includes affordable options like the ROG Strix G16 with the RTX 5050, which starts at just $1,300. TUF Gaming is the company’s entry-level gaming laptop subbrand. These TUF gaming laptops used…
If your water test report indicates the presence of PFAS, or if you just want some peace of mind, a home water filter can be worth considering. Most water filters that CR tests are designed to improve taste and reduce odors (two of the biggest consumer complaints) by removing common contaminants in tap water. Many…
They’re also typically free of other potentially harmful substances like laureth-6, laureth-7, C12-16 pareth, and polyethylene glycol (PEG). While those chemicals aren’t dangerous on their own, their production can form 1,4-dioxane, he says. “Parents should try to choose detergents that don’t have these chemicals, or choose detergents that have been tested and found to be free…
Google I/O is imminent. This is the annual developer event and product showcase where Google shows off all the shiny new updates to its Android operating system and other platforms, as well as new features and improvements to its artificial intelligence models. The big announcements at Google I/O usually come in the form of a…
Compare Top 6 Travel Totes More Travel Totes I Recommend Longchamp Large Le Pliage Tote for $180: This bestseller is the equivalent of a classic white tee: timeless, versatile, and built to be passed down for generations. Inspired by origami, Le Pliage folds down small when you need to pack it, but it’s also roomy…
The Trump administration lifted export controls on Anthropic’s Claude Fable 5 AI model after the company agreed to extend an existing guardrail to prevent users from trying to access certain restricted capabilities, according to two people familiar with the matter. The safeguard means any users trying to unlock those capabilities will be notified that their…
That’s not to say that all of the mowers we’ve tested are great or even all that similar. Trezza notes that scores differ quite a bit when it comes to the convenience features each mower and tractor offers, the level of noise each makes, and their battery life (for electric mowers). “Mowers and tractors also…
We evaluated both single-boiler and dual-boiler espresso machines. Each one operates a little differently. All of these models require you to pack coffee grounds into a portafilter, which you lock into the machine to brew espresso (as opposed to coffee makers that take pods or espresso machines that dispense the beans themselves), and they all…