Dana, 46, and Calista, 43, are two women in Florida who turned to the subreddit as they reckoned with the possibility of being evicted due to prolonged unemployment. Calista tells WIRED that she has applied to more than a thousand full-time positions since losing her remote job in February 2024 but can’t seem to land…
If you’ve seen signs advertising hearing aid shops while driving around town, you might be lulled into thinking these specialized storefronts are the only way to buy them. Not so. In 2022, the US Food and Drug Administration paved the way for hearing aids to be sold over the counter, which means consumers now have…
Ready for the 2026 World Cup final? You might think you are, but your body is going to have to be prepared to put in some work—especially if your favorite team makes it. Research shows that watching high-pressure matches can raise your heart rate, increase your stress levels, and put extra strain on your cardiovascular…
For the first time, every CR Top Pick is either a hybrid (or available as one) or an electric vehicle. While you can’t go wrong with any version of our picks, the hybrid option is often quieter and more refined at speed, and its improved fuel efficiency usually saves you money in the long term….
What it is: A microscopic fungus that lives both outdoors and in, mold spreads via tiny airborne spores that can grow on almost any damp surface. Over a thousand types have been found in U.S. homes, according to the nonprofit National Center for Healthy Housing. Some mold (and mildew, another type of fungus) can cause…
Manufacturers report a model’s noise level in decibels, averaging the readings over the dishwasher’s full cycle. But that isn’t necessarily the best indicator of noise output. So CR’s panel of judges sits and listens to each dishwasher tested through its entire cycle, even if it takes 3 hours. “People remember a noise when it’s at…
Even if you aren’t dealing with heavy messes, glass and ceramic cooktop surfaces can be scratched if you use something too abrasive to clean them. Opting for a product specifically formulated for these appliances is your best bet to keep them looking new. To find the best cooktop cleaner for your glass and ceramic cooktops,…
Apple has taken the second approach with caveats. Rumors suggest the iPhone 17 Air’s battery capacity will sit around 2,900 mAh, a steep drop from prior iPhone models, especially at the 6.6-inch screen size. But the company is supposedly making up for it with power-saving tricks to make sure battery life remains similar to other…
We ask our members about the products they own, and we use that data to make projections about how new models from a given brand will hold up over time. In a previous survey, CR members told us that they expect to use their blenders for about eight years, and 92 percent of all blenders…
With certain gift cards that are widely accepted—think Visa, American Express, or Amazon—this might not be an issue because it’s easier to deplete balances. On the other hand, brand-specific gift cards, which limit consumers to a single establishment, can be a slippery slope to overspending. An annoyance to shoppers, it’s a beneficial outcome for merchants…