Best Smartphones of 2025

Our testing shows that you have lots of great options. The top six phones in CR’s ratings are separated by just 1 point in Overall Score. And even the most basic models represent a leap in technology from a decade ago. That means you don’t have to buy the No. 1-rated phone to get a…

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How to Use Ice Melt Without Damaging Outdoor Surfaces, Plantings, and Your Pet’s Paws

Underneath flashy brand names or packaging, most ice melts feature blends of the same ingredients: sodium chloride, calcium chloride, or magnesium chloride. “They’re all salts,” says David P. Orr, director and senior engineer of the Cornell Local Roads Program. And any salt will seep into porous pavement, potentially causing problems. We spoke with Orr, veterinarians,…

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How to Disable Music Videos in Spotify

Spotify, it’s fair to say, has made some weird user-experience choices. There are a number of panels in the app, and the layout is confusing. The service constantly tracks your activity. The app also seems to have an odd hostility to playing actual albums. This all works to create a general feeling that Spotify’s designers…

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Best Cars of the Year: 10 Top Picks of 2026

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….

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