When it comes to house chores, vacuuming has got to be the one task that I often do (and find weirdly satisfying).

And since I review the best vacuum cleaners for a living, I’ve got the bonus of testing out the latest models on my hardwood, tiles, and carpet to see which one can ultimately get my floors spotless and dust-free in no time.

From bagged and upright to cordless and air-blasting handhelds, I’ve tested them all. But when the Shark BlastBoss came my way, I found a new use for it altogether – and it wasn’t for cleaning.

Despite looking like a retro hair dryer, the BlastBoss is exactly that — it’s a powerful, air-blasting system that can be used to blast away cobwebs, dustballs, or loosen debris and leaves in seconds.

In fact, the adjustable-speed trigger can ramp up the airflow up to an eye-watering 190mph. What's more, it comes with attachments including a broom brush for scrubbing outdoor surfaces.

But while it serves as an impressive cleaning tool for shifting ingrained dirt, this has surprisingly become my gardening must-have.

Here’s how I’ve put my handheld BlastBoss to use outdoors.

Blowing grass clippings

If there is one outdoor task that I find particularly tedious, it’s raking the lawn after a fresh mow — especially the struggle of catching those stray clippings that always seem to end up on my paved patio.

I simply switched the setting to ‘Outdoor’ and was literally blown away by its sheer power. It effortlessly cleared the clippings in seconds, allowing me to gather everything into a single pile for a far more efficient clean-up.

Just bear in mind that you’ll need dry conditions for this to work effectively, as it won’t shift wet or soggy clippings.

Or if you really want to put your clippings to good use, check out why you should be leaving grass clippings on your lawn after mowing.

A handy leaf blower

At the back of my garden, the overgrown trees are often shedding foliage — resulting in a messy carpet of leaves scattered across the patio and lawn.

Rather than investing in a bulky, expensive leaf blower, I found the BlastBoss works as a surprisingly good alternative for clearing away my fallen leaves.

I was able to blast them into a tidy heap where it was easier for me to dispose of them in my compost bin. What's more, this task was quick and fuss-free, which is always a bonus.

Clearing debris/ weeds

Similarly, this powerful gadget proved brilliant for corralling stray weeds and general outdoor detritus.

After the arduous job of pulling out weeds from between my front paving stones, I used the powerful airflow to blast the remnants into a single heap for a far easier clear-up.

Not only did this make sure that all the weeds were in one spot (easy for me to spot), but made it a far more tidy-looking space.

For more weeding tips, I asked professional gardeners how to get rid of weeds from my lawn permanently — and they all say this one thing.

Gardening essentials we love

More from Tom's Guide

• Can I keep my used potting soil for spring, or should I throw it out? Here's what you need to know
• 7 rain-loving plants that will thrive in soggy soil
• 5 benefits of composting and how it can enrich more than your yard

There is nothing better than stepping into a crisp, cool house after a hot afternoon in the sun. But that refreshing indoor relief comes with a catch. While we tend to worry about dampness during winter's rainy months, summer is actually the prime season for indoor moisture issues.

Think of it as the summer paradox: when that hot, humid outdoor air collides with our cool, air-conditioned interiors, it creates a subtle dew point right inside our walls, closets, and basements. Suddenly, our indoor spaces become the ultimate incubator for mold.

To protect your home, furniture, and air quality, you have to look past basic dusting. It takes a simple, proactive defense to eliminate hidden moisture traps and keep your home fresh, dry, and breathable.

The science behind the seasonal surge

Mold thrives on a specific biological checklist consisting of moisture, warmth, and stagnant air. While winter brings external dampness, summer brings high relative humidity and micro-condensation.

When we run air conditioning or trap humid air inside, invisible moisture settles into the most vulnerable corners of the home, particularly bathrooms, basements, and laundry rooms.

If the indoor humidity level climbs above 50%, mold spores don't just land; they multiply. This seasonal surge establishes itself as a powdery gray, white, or dark film across surface areas like grout, window sills, and shower walls.

The moment moisture is allowed to linger on these surfaces, the clock starts ticking, making immediate environmental control your first line of defense.

Disrupted airflow and environmental control

Stagnant air is mold's best friend, and bathrooms and laundry rooms easily trap steam long after you have finished using them.

If your home features an exhaust fan, you should run it for a minimum of 20 minutes after every shower or load of laundry to actively pull the heavy, moisture-laden air out of the room.

When a fan is not an option, opening a window for at least an hour forces a necessary air exchange. You should never leave a damp, unventilated room closed off on a particularly humid day.

Controlling the atmosphere also means managing what you cannot see, as basements and sub-levels naturally trap humidity during July and August.

Running a dehumidifier in these naturally damp spaces to keep the indoor humidity strictly below 50% is one of the most effective ways to prevent mold from taking root.

Because basements and attics hold onto the season's peak moisture, you should also avoid storing sensitive, porous materials like linens, books, cardboard boxes, or upholstered furniture in these zones during the summer months.

Eliminating the daily moisture traps

Mold needs standing water or consistent dampness to take hold, and in high summer, this happens faster than most homeowners realize.

You can eliminate this risk by refusing to let water evaporate naturally off shower walls, doors, and tubs. Taking 30 seconds to squeegee these surfaces after a shower removes the vast majority of the ambient moisture that spores rely on to survive.

Managing fabrics requires the same level of discipline. You should never let wet swimsuits, damp towels, workout gear, or damp cleaning rags sit in a hamper, gym bag, or closet.

Summer storms and shifting humidity levels can expose hidden vulnerabilities in your home's infrastructure, making it necessary to regularly check under sinks, around toilets, and near washing machine connections for low-level leaks.

More from Tom's Guide

• Stop mold from spreading through your home via AC this summer
• How to clean mold from bathroom caulk permanently — without using household bleach
• I recommend these 5 easy tips to keep your shower curtain mold-free

The Dualit Classic Kettle is a decent option for anyone looking to buy one of the best electric kettles and who wants a sleek design in their kitchen. It’s very quick to boil water and has great heat retention. The shape of the spout means that pouring is always reliable too, which is a real perk if you’ve ever experienced the annoyance of spilt boiling water.

However, it’s a bit pricey, and paying $249 for a kettle when you can pick one up for less than $30 from Walmart is a tall order. I also found the chrome finish picked up all kinds of watermarks and fingerprints, which was annoying, and it’s heavy to hold when pouring.

To find out more about my experience during testing, you can keep reading this full Dualit Classic Kettle review.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Specs

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Price & availability

The Dualit Classic Kettle is available from Amazon U.S. for $249 and from Amazon U.K. for £159. The kettle comes in a variety of colors, including Chrome, Sandstone, Sage, Matt Black, Brass, Copper, Eucalyptus, Evergreen, Shadow and Damson. To check out all of these colors, you can head to the Dualit online store.

This kettle is on the pricier side, but it boils water impeccably quickly and has an undeniably sleek look. The Cosori Electric Glass Kettle is nearly ten times cheaper at $27, but it struggles with leaks while pouring, which the Dualit does not. I think it’s worth spending more on a kettle you know will be reliable to avoid any spillages.

If you want more control over your boiling to get the perfect temperature for your tea or coffee brewing, check out the Ninja Precision Temperature for $89. And for more control when pouring for things like pour-over coffee when using a Chemex, the $165 Fellow Stagg EKG gooseneck spout kettle is the way to go.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Design & features

The Dualit Classic Kettle is more of a fashion statement than a home appliance. It’s incredibly eye-catching because of the intense shine from the polished chrome finish. But you need to love looking at yourself because while watching the water boil, I had a very clear reflection for company.

It measures 11.1 x 9.3 x 6.1 inches, so it’s the size of a traditional kettle, but a little taller than the Cosori Electric Glass Kettle. The Dualit weighs 3.5 pounds, which doesn’t sound like a lot, but when it’s filled with water, it gets heavy to hold.

The hinged lid at the top is very sturdy and takes a bit of a pull to open it. I didn’t experience any issues with leakage around the lid when pouring. The plastic window on the side is BPA-free and is clearly denoted with measurements in cups on one side and in Liters on the other.

The pour spout has a removable, washable limescale filter on the inside to make cleaning a little easier. There’s also a useful downward-facing lip to prevent drips from running down the body and making a mess.

The base of the kettle has a 3-foot power cord, which is a great length as it doesn’t get in the way on the counter. The base itself is quite chunky but looks very cohesive with the rest of the kettle. To prevent overheating, the kettle has a boil-dry safety cut-off.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Performance

Overall, I was impressed with the performance of the Dualit Classic Kettle — you’d like to think so too, given the $249 price tag. The kettle has patented Whisper Boil for quieter operation, but at 63dB, it was around the same volume as the Fellow Stagg EKG and the Ninja Precision Temperature.

I was impressed by how quickly the kettle boiled water. When compared with the Cosori, it was much quicker. I tested the U.K. version of the Dualit Classic Kettle, which is rated at 3kW power, but the U.S. version is rated at 1.5kW, so boiling time may vary across the regions.

Immediately after boiling, the temperature read 210ºF/99.3ºC, just shy of the 212ºF needed for brewing a good cup of tea. I also took a reading of the water 30 minutes after boiling and was impressed by the 172ºF/78ºC result. This means the kettle can hold heat, so it requires less energy if you need to reboil soon after your initial use.

The kettle is accurate when pouring, and the shape of the spout avoids any drips or splashes. However, I found the kettle hard to hold when full, so it was a little difficult to manage when pouring, but when filled with only two or three cups, it wasn't too bad.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Storage & maintenance

The Dualit is generally easy to maintain. You’ll often find yourself wiping down the exterior of the Dualit Classic Kettle with a cloth, since the polished chrome finish shows every fingerprint and watermark. I found this annoying as it made the kettle look a little unkempt.

If you live in a hard water area, you’ll also need to clean limescale out of the kettle regularly. You can use descaling tablets for this, or take a more natural approach with lemon juice. The limescale filter of the kettle is removable and washable, making it easy to clean regularly.

Dualit Classic Kettle review: Verdict

The Dualit Classic Kettle is a decent option for anyone with a modern kitchen looking for a fast way to boil water with a sleek design. The spout shape also means every pour is reliable with zero spills. I appreciate the heat retention of the kettle too, as it means I use less energy and spend less time waiting around if I need to reboil.

But some people (well, most people) are going to be put off by the $249 price tag when you can get comparable kettles that perform just as well for under $100, like the Cosori Electric Glass Kettle, so you’re paying for looks with the Dualit. Then again, those looks aren’t all that since you’ll spend a lot of time cleaning it because the chrome marks so easily.

The Moccamaster is one of my favorite coffee makers. No, I'd actually say it's my favorite. It has everything I like: a cool vibe, easy functionality, and consistent taste. Oh, and the best part? The lifetime repairs and 5-year standard warranty. Honestly, there's nothing I don't like about the Moccamaster.

But I know some of you have questions about the Moccamaster, and I'm here to answer them! I got tons of comments on TikTok, so I'm answering the three most-commonly asked questions.

So, if you want to know how I'd fix the Moccamaster having "too much plastic," the Moccamaster's "horrible water distribution," or the Moccamaster "hot plate burning the coffee," buckle in.

1. You said the Moccamaster has "too much plastic"

I both agree and disagree! Yes, it has a lot of plastic, but due to E.U. regulations, the Moccamaster only uses virgin, BPA-free, phthalate-free plastic, so none of this plastic will leach into your coffee. You also need to remember that Technivorm makes the Moccamaster in the Netherlands, and shipping a completely glass/metal coffee maker across the Atlantic would cost a pretty penny... and the Moccamaster already costs a pretty penny.

However, if you want as little plastic in your kitchen as possible — I don't blame you — then you might be a little more interested in the Simply Good Coffee Plastic-Free Brewer. I reviewed this coffee maker a month or so ago and I loved it. As it has a bloom feature, it makes a juicier, fruitier coffee, more attuned to what I'd describe as "coffee-snob coffee".

Although the SGC Brewer still has silicone and plastic on the exterior to prevent burns, it's much less plastic than the Moccamaster.

2. You said the Moccamaster has "horrible water distribution"

I also agree and disagree with this one. The Moccamaster does tend to "funnel" — where the water goes down the center of the filter basket and the coffee grounds climb up the side, resulting in overextracted and underextracted flavors.

However, this is less a Moccamaster issue and more a drip coffee maker issue. If you want drip, it's an occupational hazard. I've yet to use a drip coffee maker with zero funnelling. Even the "coffee-snob-approved" SGC Plastic-Free Brewer doesn't manage to distribute the water as evenly as a well-poured pour-over.

You can easily mitigate this, though. You need to grind all your coffee evenly using a good grinder. I'd recommend something like the Baratza Encore ESP if you can afford $199 or the Timemore Chestnut C2s if you don't mind hand grinding and you only want to spend $60.

Next: make sure your grind isn't too fine or too coarse. A coarser grind may be more inclined to funnel as there's more surface area for the water to burrow under. Too fine will create blockages.

Finally, this is what I would do after exhausting all other options. When you brew, don't put on the filter basket lid. Manually "bloom" the grounds. This means add a little bit of water, then stir, ensuring the water has saturated the grounds. Then, let the machine drip as normal. See the difference?

You said the Moccamaster hot plate "burns the coffee"

And I agree with you! The hot plate does burn the coffee. I never use the hot plate feature on mine. I always make a half batch if I'm brewing just for me, or make sure everyone gets a cup while it's fresh.

If you want to keep your coffee hot without burning, I'd recommend checking out Technivorm's thermal carafe, which is $84 from Amazon.

So, that's everything you asked me this week! Next week, I'll be answering more questions about the Moccamaster.

I release new episodes of The Coffee Lab every Friday on our TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and also here on Tom's Guide.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried the new Nespresso summer flavors — here's my favorite
• Non-plastic coffee makers are trending — and this low-plastic Ratio model is my favorite for coffee snobs
• I tried Lelit's brand-new 'entry-level' espresso machine — and I wish I had $2,000 so I could buy it

Following the recent wildfires in Canada and Minnesota, much of North America has been battling the surge of wildfire smoke. And with air quality alerts active in over 20 states, local leaders are urging many households to stay indoors.

Not to mention that it’s coupled with extreme weather — many places are seeing temperatures in the high 90s and low 100s.

In fact, one of our Tom’s Guide editors living in New York reported a strong smell of burning in the air, while another colleague reported an “orange haze in the sky”.

Needless to say, any outdoor pollutants will inevitably affect our indoor air quality, even if we don't venture outside.

Wildfire smoke in particular is packed with dangerous particulates and toxic gases, which can lead to respiratory issues or trigger existing health conditions.

Thankfully, there are simple ways to safeguard your home from wildfire smoke and pollutants, helping you breathe easily. Here’s what you need to do right now.

1. Close windows and doors

While we may be tempted to crack a window open to get rid of smoke, ensure that you keep all doors and windows closed where possible. And if there is one area in particular that is affected, the CDC advises choosing a room you can close off from outside air to keep the smoke out. Then set up a portable air purifier or filter to ensure the air is clean.

Another tip is to install weatherstripping to seal any gaps/cracks around windows or doors. Taking these steps prevents outdoor pollutants from seeping into your living space and polluting your indoor air quality.

2. Invest in a good air purifier with top-rated filters

Investing in a top-rated air purifier with an advanced filtration setup is an effective way to purify your home’s environment. When shopping, always verify the specific filter grades and the CADR (clean air delivery rating) to ensure optimal performance.

Most air purifiers have a four-stage filtration system, with a high-quality HEPA (particulate) filter that can capture particles as small as 0.3 microns. Since wildfire smoke particles typically measure between 0.4 and 0.7 microns, using high-quality HEPA filters provides an efficient way to keep your indoor air clean.

Just be sure to know what size air purifier you need for your room before buying to get the most out of it.

3. Use fans and A.C to stay cool

According to the EPA, use fans and set your A.C to a recirculation setting to help clean the air. Plus, if you have central HVAC units, it is advisable to utilize high-efficiency filtration. Ideally, you should opt for MERV 13-rated filters or better, provided your equipment is compatible.

“If you have a central HVAC system, find out if it has a fresh air intake,” states the EPA. “If it does, learn how to close it or turn the system to "recirculate" mode.

"Make sure the HVAC filter is in good condition, fits snugly in the filter slot, and is replaced at the frequency recommended by the manufacturer. Consider upgrading to a MERV 13 or higher-rated filter if your system can accommodate it.”

For more top tips for beating the summer heat, check out keep your home cool for less: The ultimate guide to summer AC settings.

4. Keep tabs on local air quality

Another top tip is to check your local air quality daily via the EPA’s AirNow.gov. You simply put in your zip code and city, and this will instantly give you the air quality index in your area.

Typically, anything from 0-50 on the index is good (Green). Yellow is ‘Moderate’, Orange is ‘Unhealthy for sensitive groups’, Red is ‘Unhealthy’, Purple is ‘Very Unhealthy’, while Maroon is ‘Hazardous’ — which is from 301-500 on the index.

What's more, if you have a top air purifier, it will give you real-time air quality readings, like this Dyson HushJet Air Purifier.

5. Consider purchasing N95 respirator masks

Similarly, the EPA recommends buying a supply of N95 respirator masks to protect your family from inhaling harmful toxins.

“You should also consider keeping a supply of N95 respirator masks on hand,” advises the EPA. “You can often purchase these masks in hardware stores or drugstores. The Protect Your Lungs from Wildfire Smoke or Ash fact sheet and this infographic will help you choose the correct mask and wear it effectively.”

It’s also recommended to look for masks marked NIOSH with N95 or P100. Also, remember to read the guidelines on how to use such masks properly.

It's important to note that if your local authorities tell you to evacuate, you must do so immediately.

More from Tom's Guide

• 7 air purifier tips to get cleaner air at home
• Five reasons why your room is still dusty, even if you have an air purifier
• 7 ways to get more out of your air purifier

Having covered the Cuisinart’s Clearview air fryer when it was first released in May, I was keen to get my hands on the new release to see whether it’s as smart as it looks. With a clear bowl and open viewing window at the top, it’s no surprise how the company came up with the name.

However, my first thought wasn’t how well it would cook, but how dirty the clear bowl would get with regular use. If the appliance is kept on your countertop, which is bound to be the most common scenario if you use an air fryer regularly, would it start to look grimy after a few uses?

So far, it hasn’t been a concern, and I’ve really valued having a clear view of what’s going on inside the bowl without needing to pause to check.

Here I delve deeper into the Clearview’s performance and give you my verdict on how it stacks up.

Cuisinart Clearview review: Price and availability

I tested the Cuisinart Clearview 4-quart air fryer, which costs $139 at Amazon. You can also pick it up for $139 direct from Cuisinart. Cuisinart also produces a 9-quart version, but it has a slightly different design, and the cooking drawer only has a clear front. However, despite its larger capacity, it is a mere $20 extra, selling for $159 at Amazon.

How does the price compare with the Ninja Crispi? Although the MSRP is $179, you can currently pick up the Cyberspace Gray and Sage colorway versions of the Ninja Crispi for $159 at Amazon. That’s a pretty good deal, since you also get an extra 6-quart bowl included in the box.

The Clearview is still more expensive than the Cosori 9-in-1 Turboblaze Air Fryer, which is currently discounted to $89 at Amazon and features a 6-quart bowl and plenty more functionality.

Cuisinart Clearview review: Design

Although I have previously compared Cuisinart’s Clearview with the Ninja Crispi, they're not exact duplicates. Apart from the sloping front on the top, the Clearview takes on a similar form to most air fryers — you slide the basket inside. By comparison, the Crispi's heating pod is placed on top of the cooking bowl.

Glass basket
The air fryer comes with a square glass bowl with two handles on either side. I found having two side handles, rather than one central handle (like most air fryers), made it easier to manage when sliding and removing it from the base unit.

A PFAS-free ceramic nonstick crisper plate sits neatly at the bottom of the bowl, but it can be removed if you’re heating something like a pasta bake or using it to store leftovers.

Of course, if you use your air fryer every day and also tend to store leftovers, you might need to invest in another glass bowl. Although spare bowls aren’t available right now, Cuisinart has told me you'll be able to pick one up in August.

Controls and functionality

Controls and functionality
The digital control panel is pretty intuitive to use and easy to access. It doesn’t have as much functionality as other air fryers, but offers air fry, roast, grill, bake, recrisp and keep warm, which is enough for most standard needs.

However, I did miss the preheating and proofing functions I enjoyed using with the Cosori TurboBlaze air fryer. Although it lets you set two favorites, the temperature doesn’t go below 212º F (100°C), which is too high to proof dough.

Noise
For each cooking mode, I selected the highest temperature setting and monitored the noise output. The top temperature for air fry, roast, grill, and bake was 400ºF (200°C), and 300ºF (150°C) for keep warm.

The average noise level for air fry and roast was 67 dB (72 dB max), reducing to 64 dB for recrisp, and 56 dB for grill and bake. Keep warm measured an average of 41 dB.

I don’t think the Cuisinart Clearview air fryer is particularly noisy, and it sits in a similar range to the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1, which takes the top spot in our buying guide.

Let there be light
There is one standout element about this air fryer that really captured my interest and got my husband talking. Having a clear view of what’s cooking cancels out my grumble about the lack of settings. There’s no need to keep pulling out a basket to check how your food is cooking and wasting heat since you can instantly see the progress.

What’s more, apart from the almost panoramic view of the bowl, you can also view through the top window and illuminate everything. Press the 'light bulb' button, and the internal light will stay on for 45 seconds, unless you remove the basket.

Apart from the standard food selections I cooked in this air fryer, I also baked cupcakes (I’ll be reporting on this soon), and it was here that the viewing window and clear basket really made a difference.

Cuisinart Clearview review: Performance

Meatballs

Meatballs are a regular on my family’s meal plan and are easy to cook in an air fryer. I placed 17 meatballs into the glass basket and selected ‘Air Fry’ mode on the control panel. On my U.K. model, it automatically sets to 180°C (350ºF) and 12 mins, but you can adjust the temperature and time by pressing the buttons on the left and right. The temperature can be altered in 5°C increments, and the time by one-minute increments.

You’ll also notice that the ‘Shake Reminder’ lights up and beeps when the cook is halfway through; if you’d prefer not to use it, just press the button to turn it off.

I adjusted the time to 10 mins, but kept the temperature at 180°C. I gave the meatballs a shake at five minutes, and they looked quite cooked, so I put them back in and adjusted the time to three minutes. I then checked their internal temperature with my Thermoworks meat thermometer to ensure they were cooked through, and then changed the setting to ‘Keep Warm’ until my pasta and sauce were ready.

Croissants

There’s nothing worse than a soft croissant, so I placed three decent-sized croissants in the basket and selected ‘Recrisp’. The automatic setting is 10 minutes at 180°C, but I reset it to three minutes to avoid a charred mess.

When the three minutes were up, I noticed slight charring on the tops of the croissants, but they were perfectly crispy and even more delicious when I added a generous helping of butter!

Crispy potatoes and fries

Potatoes are one of the regular carbs that I cook in an air fryer. With my first batch, I cut the potatoes into small chunks, leaving the skin intact, then lightly coated them with sunflower oil. I then placed them in the basket and selected ‘Air Fry’, leaving them to cook at the automatic setting — 180°C (350ºF) for 12 minutes.

At halftime, I gave them a shake and noticed that they still had some time to go; it was only at nine minutes that I saw that they’d started to crisp. After 12 minutes had passed, they were still uncooked, so I increased the temperature to 200°C (400ºF) and cooked them for a further six minutes. At this point, they still lacked the extra crispiness that I prefer, but they were cooked inside.

It’s a case of adjusting the setting to suit your preferences. I do also think that preheating the air fryer would help to speed up the cooking.

I also cooked some frozen fries, straight from the freezer. For these, I followed the cooking results on the food packet and set the air fryer to 200°C for 15 minutes, giving them a shake midway through. The fries came out hot and perfectly crispy.

Having become more accustomed to how the air fryer works, I decided to preheat it to 200°C before cooking some chicken pieces coated in breadcrumbs. And this was exactly what the cooking instructions suggested. I then set the air fryer to ‘Air Fry’ at 180°C for 12 minutes. There was no need to increase the timing, and I could see the benefit of preheating

Roasted vegetables

Just in case you’re worried about my diet and think I only eat carbs and protein, I chopped up some zucchini and peppers. I then gave them a light coating with oil and placed them in the air fryer on ‘Roast’ for 10 minutes at 200°C — the standard setting is at 180°C for 25 minutes.

I gave them a shake at 5 minutes and, at the 10-minute mark, added an extra two minutes of cook time. They came out slightly charred and soft without being overcooked.

Cuisinart Clearview review: Verdict

Having eyes on what you’re cooking is the standout feature of this air fryer, and it’s not just a gimmick. It really helps you check on the progress of what you’re cooking without constantly removing the bowl, releasing heat and interrupting whatever else you’re doing in the kitchen. I also loved the light that illuminates your food, and while it’s not intentional, it added a bit of fun to using the air fryer.

If you have a family, you may find the bowl too small for your needs. If so, you can size up to Cuisinart’s 9-quart ClearView, but the sightline isn’t quite the same. However, overall, it’s a good little air fryer. And despite my early reservations about keeping the bowl clean, it’s been easier to keep spotless than my standard air fryer basket. It may not be as cute as the Ninja Crispi, but it gets the job done.

Sometimes the best things in life are the simplest. Black coffee. A good cast iron. A classic kettle BBQ — maybe, say, the Weber Master-Touch. Do you need any more?

Where I live, in the U.K., with our tiny gardens, small houses and very reserved cuts of meat (the spirit of rationing lives on), at least compared to the States, the classic kettle is the default grill. Obviously, in the land of eagles, pick-up trucks and Traegers, everything is a little larger: bigger gardens, houses and, of course, grills. On the ‘freedom’ scale, the Weber Master-Touch might look like a “my first BBQ”.

But what if you only have a small amount of space and need a compact BBQ? Could Weber’s latest kettle, with its reasonable price and fairly small cooking surface, still be the best grill for you? I think so. Keep reading my full Weber Master-Touch review to find out more.

Weber Master-Touch review: Specs

Weber Master-Touch review: Price & availability

The Weber Master-Touch is a fairly affordable grill, starting at $289 / £289 for the base 22-inch (57cm) model. The larger 26-inch (67cm) model, meanwhile, starts at $499 / £475. So, if you can’t afford to splurge $2,000 on our favorite charcoal grill, the Kamado Joe kettle, the Master Touch will still give you the bare essentials at a fraction of the cost.

You do literally get the “bare essentials” though. There’s no app, no electricity, no automated temperature control, no temperature food probes included. It’s simple and honest, and I find that kinda fun. I actually prefer using the Master-Touch to my tricked-out Weber Searwood XL 600 ($1,199) precisely because I have to do everything myself — plan heat zones, keep tabs on temperature, and carefully manage grill space. It feels like actual cooking, not just waiting for something to do the cooking for you. Still, if you do want more features, the Masterbuilt AutoIgnite Series 545 is only a dollar more expensive than the 26-inch Master-Touch, at $500.

Customization

A neat feature of the Master-Touch is the ability to customize it at checkout. You can choose from a range of different colors, including slate blue (which I chose) and a gorgeous burnt orange, among others.

You can then customize the color of the ash tray (or “One-Touch” cleaning system, to give its glorified name), which is a waste of money if you ask me; add premium stainless steel grates with a 5-year warranty (I tested these); and bolt on some accessories like a low-n-slow kit, accessory hangers, chimney starters, and more. I like that you can make the Master-Touch your own, especially as Weber kettles are so common where I live. It’s not something we see from other brands, like Kamado Joe or Traeger (although, in fairness, those grills come loaded with everything in the first place).

Weber Master-Touch review: Fuel

The Master-Touch is a charcoal grill, so fueling is pretty simple. Load up some briquettes or lumpwood charcoal according to your desired heat zones, fire up, and 20-minutes-or-so later you’re cookin’. I’ve also been adding small wood logs for extra smokiness.

While it lacks the immediacy of gas/electric or the fancy-pants-ness of pellets, charcoal is much cheaper than both. But it has one other key advantage, especially here in the U.K. — it’s incredibly easy to source. If you run out of fancier fuels, it can be tough to get more at short notice. I’ve run out of pellets mid-cook before on long smokes, leading to a nervous wait for an Amazon next-day delivery. And, recently, I had to do a frantic dash around several local gas stations to get propane for an upcoming pizza oven review (there are often summertime propane shortages where I live).

Charcoal, meanwhile, can be bought from every gas station, large grocery store or garden center here in Britain. That means, if the sun comes out suddenly and you find yourself without fuel, you can quickly grab some from down the street for an impromptu BBQ.

Weber Master-Touch review: Design & features

The Weber Master-Touch uses the classic round kettle design. I tested the 22-inch / 57cm barbecue, which is fairly compact versus larger, rectangular grills and smokers. This means it’ll fit on a moderately-sized balcony or in a small yard. I was able to position the Master-Touch in a small space between my lawn and shed, where it fit perfectly and didn’t overload our already tech-filled patio. 22 inches gives you easily enough space for at least a family of four, although I’d buy the larger 26-inch model if you’re planning on bigger cooks.

The main kettle lid features a slide-back rail, allowing you to flip the lid 90 degrees while cooking, to turn food or let off some heat if things are too hot. In the lid is an old-school analog thermometer giving you ambient temperature readings, although for more accurate measurements (especially when smoking or grilling large cuts of meat) you’ll want to invest in food probes. The upper handle features a heat shield, which is a nice safety feature, while the front handle has inlaid notches for hanging accessories — very useful.

Under the main kettle sits an ashtray, which employs a sliding vent system. This is called a “One-Touch” cleaning system, although it’s far from single-touch. The vent has two benefits: it’s part of the ventilation system for controlling your heat and flames, but also helps sweep fallen ash into the tray below. Under that is a storage shelf that doubles as a brace for the legs and wheels — I put my weatherproof Weber storage box under there, where I keep my probes, cooking utensils and heatproof gloves.

Build quality is mostly pretty good. The kettle itself, handles and trim, grates, and ashtray all use premium metal and black plastics, which feels high-quality and sturdy. The legs are made from lightweight aluminum, but they don’t feel weak at all.

The only things letting the Master-Touch down are the wheels. They’re super light and cheap-feeling, and don’t attach as securely to the legs as I’d like. They shake and bend a lot when wheeling the grill, meaning the Master-Touch is actually quite difficult to move over anything but perfectly smooth terrain. I get this grill is in Weber’s budget range, but the wheels still feel way too cheap for me — like something from a crappy $30 grocery store grill.

Assembly

You’ll need to assemble your Weber Master-Touch once it arrives. Mine arrived well packaged — the grill was free of marks or damage even though the box had been dented and squashed by the courier.

The assembly took me around 45 minutes, although I was going slowly as I was constructing outside during a heatwave here in the U.K., in 102°F / 38°C. Everything was clearly labelled and the instructions were very easy to follow. There’s a plastic hex key included, which will essentially cover your whole build. It’s a bit slow, so I got out my motorcycle tool kit and used a ratchet. Weber advises against using power tools, as these make it very easy to overtighten and ruin nuts/bolts.

Weber Master-Touch review: Controls

The Master-Touch is a basic BBQ with equally basic controls, so it’ll suit newcomers to grilling. You’ve got a vent on top and a vent at the base, which you use to control airflow and heat. It’ll take a bit of trial and error to figure out how to use these for consistent heat, and a lot of that will be down to fueling, but that’s all part of the fun. As I mentioned above, there’s an ambient temperature gauge on top which is extremely useful for regulating heat. The temperature dial is very responsive too, and moves quickly as the internal heat changes.

Unlike other Weber grills, like my Searwood XL 600, the Master-Touch has no electrical components and therefore no wireless connectivity and heat control. This is the one thing I really missed. I love controlling my Searwood from inside the house or, yes, the pub, using Weber’s fantastic companion app. But the Master-Touch simply isn’t that kind of grill.

Weber Master-Touch review: Performance

The Master-Touch is a kettle grill, and it performs like, well, pretty much every other kettle grill. It’ll happily get up to 750F/400C or higher if you fuel it accordingly, making it a monster for those quick, powerful sears.

If you’re just cooking on high heat, it’s a very straightforward and competent grill. The 22-inch cooking surface was enough space for me to simultaneously cook around 2lbs of chicken wings, several slices of pork belly, two burgers, two veggie skewers and two corns. Admittedly, space was a little tight — I had 4.5lbs of chicken in total, which had to be done in two batches — but I managed.

I arranged the fuel half-and-half for direct/indirect heat underneath the cooking grill. I had direct heat on one half at around 480-525F / 250-275C, with a lower indirect heat on the other half to slowly cook through the riskier meats. The fuel grate is positioned at the ideal level below the main grate — you only need a single layer of charcoal to get to 480F / 250C and higher under the cooking grate, enough for strong sears.

22 inches is (just) enough cooking space to let you get creative with your charcoal layout and create different heating zones. This is especially important for smoking, where you can use various layouts (like the charcoal snake method) to channel the fuel burn along a route, creating lower heat and smoke for longer. If you’re going to be smoking more, the 26-inch model will give you more space for your layouts, and is what I’d recommend.

The ambient temperature dial on the top of the kettle is also a great help for smoking, letting you keep an eye on temperature, although again, you’ll want meat probes to smoke accurately.

For any serious smoking, though, I would advise investing in a dedicated smoker like the Searwood XL 600, Kamado Joe, or Traegar Woodridge Pro ($999). Although pricey, these have features to make smoking much more accurate and consistent, while giving more control over taste — I’m talking real-time handling of fuel burn, smoke levels and temperature, etc. They also have apps, so you can control everything from afar. However, if, like me, you only smoke food occasionally, but mostly use a grill for searing, the Master-Touch is more than adequate.

Weber Master-Touch review: Storage & maintenance

As I mentioned earlier, as far as grills go, the Master-Touch is fairly compact, making it easy to stash away in a neat spot on your patio, or under cover in your shed or garage. Weber gear is designed to withstand being kept outdoors, and indeed my Searwood has lived outside, uncovered for around a year, with only a modicum of rust showing up. Ideally, though, you’d want to store the Master-Touch (or any grill) under a cover to shield it from the elements.

The Master-Touch benefits from Weber’s generous warranty: 10 years on the bowl and lid; 5 years on the ash tray system and plastic components; and 2 years on everything else. Opt for the upgraded stainless grates, though, and those come with a 5-year warranty.

Maintenance is easy — another benefit of small grills. Clear the fuel out, dump the ash using the “One-Touch” system (which you’ll need to slide back and forth… around 10-15 times), then remove and clean the grills with BBQ cleaner, before repeating on the kettle and lid. I use Weber’s wire brush to remove large debris from the grill, then give it a good spray and wipe. For tougher-to-shift muck, I’ve put the grills in my dishwasher, which they can stand up to due to being stainless, but will discolor them over time (I don’t care, though, as they get blackened during cooking anyway). It took me around 10-15 minutes for a quick clean when I knew I was cooking again the next day, and around 30 minutes for a deeper clean.

Listen, I’m not moaning, because this was an easy grill to clean. But as you can see, to call it “One-Touch” is incredibly ambitious, to say the least.

Weber Master-Touch review: Verdict

Like I said earlier, there’s value in simplicity. The Weber Master-Touch is a simple kettle grill with a few quality-of-life features. That means it’s not going to wow you with modern features, but it also makes it difficult to go wrong.

The Master-Touch cooks great, is customizable, and easy to both store and maintain. It gives you just enough space to get creative with fueling, allowing different temperature zones and smoking. And it gets super hot to put beautiful sears on food. Sure, the wheels feel a little flimsy, but the rest of the grill is built extremely well, and besides, the Master-Touch is an affordable grill.

I've been using the Master-Touch all summer here in the U.K., where we've had a heatwave (reaching up to 102F). Cooking inside in such conditions is awful (we don't have AC in our homes here), and I've really appreciate having the Master-Touch — its small size, quick heat up and ease-of-cleaning has let me cook al-fresco quickly and easily.

If it’s a compact, affordable but quality grilling solution you’re after for this summer, the Weber Master-Touch comes highly recommended by me.

We’ve all been there: you spot a bizarre, brightly colored bug crawling on your tomato plants or a strange, furry moth hovering near your flowers, and you want to know what it is right now. But rather than typing desperate, vague descriptions into a Google search bar, there’s a much faster way to decode your backyard.

Hidden directly inside your iPhone's standard Photos app is a remarkably powerful machine learning tool that turns your camera roll into an instant nature scanner.

I’ve spent the last week or so pointing my camera at every leaf and brick wall in my yard to see just how accurate this built-in feature really is. Here is how to find the button on your phone, and the wildest garden bugs it's helped me identify so far this summer.

How the feature works

The next time you snap a crisp close-up of a creature or plant, simply open that image in your Photos and look closely at the action bar running along the bottom of the screen.

If your iPhone recognizes a subject in the frame, the standard information circle icon will automatically transform, signalling that Visual Look Up is ready. Tap that, then hold the answer to have Siri pull up more information about your snapped subject.

The best part about this is that it isn't just a dead end. Once Siri identifies the insect, you don't have to stop there. Because iOS now supports conversational continuity, you can actually get into a back-and-forth chat with Siri about the specific thing you’ve found.

You can ask follow-up questions like whether it's dangerous to your tomato plants, what its lifespan is, or how to encourage more of them to visit, allowing you to learn much more without ever leaving your photo library.

Identifying my garden neighbours

Once you know how to trigger it, your photo library essentially becomes a real-life Pokédex. I’ve spent the summer pointing my lens at the grass and garden walls to see how many 'rare spawns' I could find, and I’ve cataloged a bizarrely brilliant cast of characters that I used to walk right past.

My absolute favorite find was a frantic, hovering blur near my lavender. A quick scan unmasked it as a Hummingbird Hawk-Moth, an insect that mimics a bird so perfectly I thought I'd stumbled upon some rare phenomenon, but I was soon schooled about the day moth's lore.

Suddenly, every morning (and evening) became a game of hunting down new species. I used the tool to log a tiny, striped Zebra Spider, spot a Scarlet Tiger Moth hiding by the nettles, and a Red-veined Darter dragonfly.

By the time I had logged everything from grasshoppers to metallic beetles, my perspective on my yard had completely shifted. Thanks to this one iPhone feature, I now see my garden for what it is: a beautifully complex, thriving ecosystem.

Why don't you have a go at scanning your own backyard. Just don't blame me when your camera roll is completely taken over by bugs.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tried the new Siri AI features: here's 3 you'll actually want to use every day
• Apple hid a perfect 'dumb phone' feature inside your iPhone that's great for kids — here's how to turn it on
• The price of new phones is skyrocketing — 8 habits to make your current one last for years

There is nothing better than a warm summer evening spent relaxing in the garden. You've got the patio lights on, a cold drink in hand, and the perfect setup to unwind... until the buzzing starts.

Within minutes, a relaxing night outdoors turns into a frantic battle against mosquitoes. But before you douse yourself in sticky chemical sprays, look up at your patio lights. You might inadvertently be throwing an open-house party for every biting bug in the neighborhood.

To find out why our backyards are suddenly crawling with pests, I spoke to Jon Saeed, managing director of outdoor lighting specialist Lighting Legends.

According to Saeed, the warm summer evenings we love also bring along more mosquitoes who thrive in humid environments. But the real culprit behind your itchy ankles might actually be your choice of lightbulb.

Fortunately, you don't have to sit in the pitch black. Here are the simple mistakes you might be making right now, and how to fix them to reclaim your garden this summer.

More from Tom's Guide

• How to mosquito-proof yourself this summer — 7 simple tips
• Banish mosquitoes from your home with one natural ingredient — and it also smells great
• How to stop a flying ant invasion using a single item from your spice rack

If you live anywhere in the Northeast, you've probably already noticed the hazy skies and lingering campfire smell when you step outside. This is due to the unfortunate wildfires currently happening in Canada.

With smoke continuing to drift into the region, there's now an air quality alert in effect in many areas. This can be extra concerning for those with allergies or respiratory issues — which is why I've been on the hunt for the best air purifier deals to keep indoor air as clean as possible.

Our team of home experts have tested some of the best air purifiers on the market — and many of our top picks just so happen to be on sale at Amazon now. In fact, popular brands like Blueair, Shark and Coway have deals starting at just $74. Plus, you can get a free Coway Aim ($149 value) when you purchase an eligible air purifier at Coway. Keep scrolling to check out our favorite air purifiers that can help you breathe a bit easier.

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon air purifier deals
• Coway Aim: free w/ select Coway purchase @ Coway
• Levoit Core Smart Air Purifier 200S-P: was $89 now $74
• BlueAir Blue Pure 511i Max: was $139 now $99
• Shark Never Change Air Purifier: was $179 now $148
• Coway Airmega AP-1512HH: was $229 now $168
• Shark Clean Sense Air Purifier MAX: was $329 now $229
• Windmill Air Purifier: was $399 now $299
• Blueair Blue Signature: was $449 now $337

Best Air Purifier Deals

More Deals

Is there anything better than that first morning cup of coffee? A great cup of joe will wake you up and get you ready for the day ahead, all while tasting delicious. But if you're a serious fan then you'll know how borderline impossible it is to get a decent cup from shop-bought instant coffee.

That's where investing in a coffee machine comes in. A good espresso machine or drip coffee machine is an instant upgrade. They're also a great way to save money that you'd otherwise spend at your local coffee shop.

If you're looking to add one to your kitchen, then now is a great time to buy. De'Longhi is one of the best brands on the market and loads of its machines are on sale right now at Amazon. Check out the nine picks below, from good value budget offerings all the way up to feature-packed high-end models.

The entryway is often the very first thing people see when entering your home. But if, like me, you have a tiny or narrow hallway, this can quickly become an unsightly mess. In fact, my own entryway had frequently turned into a messy dumping ground for everyone's footwear, bags, and even shopping packages that were left forgotten.

And just when I thought I’d have to spend a fortune on (even more) clunky storage, I came across this cheap, organizing gem from IKEA that ticked all the boxes.

IKEA’s FLÅDIS Basket for $17 is a stunning seagrass basket that can hide all your unsightly clutter in seconds, and add a stylish touch to your entryway. Best of all, this costs less than $20, which won’t break the bank.

So if you want to keep your space organized and impress your guests, here’s why I’d snap one (or two) up right now.

Why I love the FLÅDIS Baskets

I have a real weakness for practical organizing solutions that complement my interior style, and these seagrass baskets do just that.

These attractive containers keep all my items organized in seconds, serving as a stylish way to hide unsightly clutter. Another thing I love is the basket’s design versatility — you can either pull the handles upward to keep your belongings hidden or tuck them in to showcase your contents.

Plus, these are small enough to tuck in a corner or fit into a compact space — without looking out of place.

What’s more, this multipurpose storage is so versatile that you can use it to store various items in any room of your house.

Not bad for just $17, which is a bargain, and I’m tempted to buy more for every room in my home.

More from Tom's Guide

• I’ve just found 12 IKEA storage ideas that are perfect for my tiny entryway — all under $20
• I just found this clever IKEA hack that turns a classic storage staple into a stylish coffee bar
• 5 IKEA outdoor essentials for your yard this summer that are so underrated

Last Halloween, I had both a 12-foot Home Depot skeleton and a 20-foot inflatable Lowe's skeleton in my front yard, and the inflatable proved to be the more popular decoration.

This year, however, Home Depot's new 12-foot Skelly may retake the crown, as it's being updated to include more lighting, sound effects, and the ability to move, which should really thrill and delight the trick-or-treaters in my neighborhood.

Here's a look at what the new 12-foot skeleton — which goes on sale today for $379 — can do.

A "smart" Skeleton

The new Skelly is Bluetooth-enabled and can be controlled via an app, which will let you save up to 30 different sounds and control the movement of its head and jaw.

The app will also let you switch its LED eyes between 30 different options, pick from five pre-recorded sounds, and change the color of the lighting in its ribcage. Plus, motion sensors in the Skelly will also trigger its movements when it spots trick-or-treaters coming to your door.

If that's not terrifying enough, a "live" mode will also let you control the Skelly in real time, and have it speak whatever you say with voice-changing effects. I can see having a lot of fun with that.

Home Depot will also continue to sell the non-app controlled 12-foot Skelly for $299.

More things wicked this way come

In addition to the new Skelly, Home Depot is also launching about two dozen new animatronic Halloween decorations, including:

• An 11-foot Giant-Sized LED Mummy ($299) with posable shoulders, LED lights in the eyes and chest, and three sound effects
• A 9-foot Wicked Woods Giant-Sized LED Dry Rot Dennis ($299) that has color changing LED lights in the eyes, mouth and chest
• A 3-foot animated Disney Stitch ($199) with servo motors in its head, can say 5 Stitch phrases, and comes with both Halloween and holiday costumes
• An 8-foot long LED Zombie Velociraptor ($299), which is motion-sensor activated and can move, make noises, and has LED lights
• A 4-foot animated Flying Monkey from "Wicked" ($199) that has flapping wings, lunging torso, tilting head and moving mouth, in addition to five sound effects.

All of the new products go on sale today (July 16), which seems really early for Halloween — talk about holiday creep — but if the past is any indication, the new Skelly should prove popular. Some of the products, such as the new Skelly, will only be available as in-store purchases.

Time to clear out more space in your garage!

I’m a single mom with a toddler and a dog in the house — keeping things clean is a full-time job, and that’s before I sit down to write about fitness for Tom’s Guide. Recently, I swapped my cordless Dyson V8 for the corded Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex cleaner, and I’m never going back.

The Dyson V8 is a cordless vacuum, which is often on sale for $589 in the US, but you can often find it on offer for a lot less. The Miele Guard M1 is a bagged canister vacuum, which is around the same price in the US. I put the two head-to-head over a month of testing

5 reasons I’m not going back to my Dyson after testing the Miele Guard M1:

It’s so much more powerful

While the Dyson V8 is fantastic for nipping around the house and giving it a quick clean, it has always struggled with the excessive amount of pet hair on the floor. The suction power of the Dyson V8 is 150 Air Watts (AW) in the Power mode, and I found I had to use the vacuum in Max mode to pick up all of the hair, especially on carpet.

When I compare this to the Miele Guard M1, there’s a clear difference. The Miele Guard M1 has a suction power of 1,200 AW, and I noticed the difference immediately. I tested the Cat and Dog version, which comes with an extra air-driven turbo brush that works well on both hard floors and carpet. The M1 has four different suction levels, which can easily be adjusted using the buttons on the front of the vacuum.

I don’t have to worry about it running out of charge

Dyson says the Dyson V8 has a maximum run time of 60 minutes, but when you have to keep switching to Max mode, it definitely doesn’t last even half as long. In fact, if you only use the vacuum in Max, it lasts seven minutes. I’d struggle to deep clean my relatively small two-bed house with my Dyson, especially if I wanted to vacuum the skirting boards and stairs. The vacuum charges from empty to full in four hours, but if it dies mid-clean, this can be frustrating.

Without stating the obvious, the cordless design of the Miele Guard M1 removes this race against the clock when it comes to a deep clean. It’s a no-brainer if you have a larger house or pet hair to fight against.

It’ll last me longer

Lithium-ion batteries, like the one in the Dyson V8, degrade over time, and a common complaint is that within five years, the battery life will noticeably drop. The Miele Guard M1 doesn’t have this issue. My mom has the same machine and has been using hers for 20 years without any issue. The German motor inside the Miele Guard M1 is built to last.

I actually find it more comfortable to use

The reason I originally opted for a cordless design when buying a vacuum a couple of years ago was that I thought it would be lighter and more comfortable to use. While the Dyson V8 wasn’t uncomfortable, I did find it heavier than expected, especially as, by design, the weight is entirely in your hand/wrist. I also wished the vacuum had a button to keep it turned on, as during a longer clean, holding it down made the handle dig into my hand.

By contrast, the weight distribution of the Miele Guard M1 was mostly on the floor, making it more comfortable to vacuum for longer periods. Even when vacuuming the stairs, I didn’t find the Miele Guard M1 particularly heavy to manoeuvre around. Oh, and that cord I was dreading is 7.5 meters long, with an 11-meter operating radius, so I never had to stop to move it to a different plug socket, as I was able to reach every room in my house with ease.

It’s great for the car

The Miele Guard M1 comes with three different attachments, which are stowed in the front of the machine. I found these extremely useful for vacuuming small spaces and tackling the pet hair and crumbs that inevitably build up in the car. The constant high wattage helped remove embedded dust and pet hair that the Dyson couldn’t touch.

More from Tom's Guide

You don't have to spend a fortune to create a magical patio and garden this summer. In fact, I'm putting that theory to the test. I've been scouring retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Wayfair and more for affordable outdoor items. The verdict? With just a $100 budget, you can give your backyard a complete refresh.

If I had $100 to spend, I could easily buy patio cushions, string lights and an umbrella and still have money leftover. I could even afford a cheap patio set like the Flamaker All-Weather Rattan Outdoor Set for just $89 at Amazon.

If you're ready to upgrade your outdoor spaces without spending a fortune, keep scrolling to check out my favorite affordable patio and garden finds starting at $24.

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon outdoor deals
• Sterno Tabletop Fire Pit: was $49 now $24 @ Walmart
• Abba Patio Outdoor Patio Umbrella: was $49 now $29 @ Amazon
• Solar-Powered Globe String Light: was $69 now $42 @ Wayfair
• Best Choice 3-Piece Patio Bistro Set: was $119 now $49 @ Amazon
• Folding Adirondack Chair: $199 now $59 @ Target
• Flamaker All-Weather Rattan Outdoor Set: was $109 now $89 @ Amazon

Amazon Outdoor Deals Under $100

I have a strong feeling that how we use microwaves is about to change forever — and when I mention the name Ninja, you probably won’t be surprised.

The brand, known for dominating our countertops with some of the best air fryers, blenders and coffee machines, has never entered the microwave market, that is, until now.

Today, Ninja is once again shaking up modern cooking with the U.S. launch of the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer, available for $449 at SharkNinja. It’s the anchor product behind the brand’s new summer product lineup, which also introduces the Ninja Crispi DualZone and Ninja Multipot.

Putting an end to "soggy" microwave meals

It’s a significant leap for Ninja and one that I’ll be closely watching to see how it impacts the microwave market, including whether other kitchen appliance brands follow suit.

To put my interest into context, I’m a child of the ‘70s. I vividly remember my family’s awe when we got our first microwave. While my mom tried to cook everything in this ‘miracle’ oven, including roast chicken and meringue. I can clearly recall the artificial browning she used to color the pale chicken and the black carbon bottoms of her failed meringues.

Unsurprisingly, I’m far more conservative with my microwave adventures, and like most of us, I use it for simple tasks, such as defrosting, softening butter and warming up food.

But according to Ninja, those days are over, and the “soggy microwave problem we’ve accepted for years has officially been solved,” without sacrificing speed or texture.

The tech behind the appliance

The secret behind Ninja’s appliance is FusionCrisp Technology — combining microwave speed with superheated, cyclonic air at temperatures up to 450°F.

So how exactly does this work? The Ninji Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer starts by microwaving the food from the inside, then switches to air frying to produce a crisp texture, resulting in a cooking time 50% faster than a conventional oven.

Apart from giving crisp results, it offers 14-in-1 functionality. The 8 microwave presets include popcorn, potato, defrost, beverage, soup, frozen dinner, frozen vegetable, and soften butter. There are a further 5 air fry presets, including max crisp, crisp, air roast, air bake and air broil, each with FusionCrisp Technology.

Ninja ditches the traditional turntable

Instead of the traditional rotating turntable, Ninja opted for a flatbed design, which it claims offers 40% more space than a standard turntable microwave. That’s plenty of capacity to hold the 5.5-quart glass basket that comes with the appliances, which is capable of holding an 8lb chicken, four pizza slices or a 9 x 11-inch casserole dish, feeding up to 8-10 people.

Although the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer is now available in the U.S., U.K. readers will have to wait until mid-August for it to land.

I’m looking forward to testing and reviewing the Ninja Crispi Microwave and Air Fryer and will report back as soon as I get my hands on it.

In the meantime, I’ll have to rely on those of you in the U.S. to see how this exciting new product performs and whether you think it will shake up the microwave market. If you've tried one, leave a comment below with your thoughts.

More from Tom's Guide

• I tested the Ninja Crispi for a week and it made me rethink everything I knew about air fryers
• The Ninja Creami makes it so easy to make ice cream, it’s dangerous
• Best microwaves in 2026

Everyone, including me, seems to be opting for a cordless vacuum cleaner these days. Yet in a world of robot vacuums, the Miele Guard M1 is reliably excellent, and so much more powerful than any vacuum cleaner I’ve ever tested.

The model I tested is specifically designed for homes with animals, as it comes with an extra air-driven turbo brush. To find out more, I tested the Miele Guard M1 for a month, during which my dog shed as much hair as ever, and my toddler wreaked his usual havoc around the house. Read my full Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex review below to find out more.

Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex review: Price and availability

The Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex was released in March 2025 and is widely available in the US and UK from Miele and third-party retailers. Right now, it costs $649/£359, but it can be found on sale elsewhere.

Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex review: Design

The Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex is, by design, a bagged cylinder vacuum with four different cleaning modes, which are controlled by buttons on the front of the machine. The powerful suction is adjusted to suit whatever you’re cleaning, whether that be cut-pile carpets and rugs, loop-pile carpets, hard floors, or curtains and textiles. The Cat and Dog version comes with a Turbobrush floor head for ingrained pet hair and dirt.

The Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex comes with three different attachments, which can be stowed in the vacuum itself, and make it easier to clean in hard-to-reach areas. The bags are easy to remove and dispose of, and there’s a replaceable Air Filter, which neutralizes odors — ideal for pet owners.

The Guard M1 has a 25-foot (7.5m) power cord, so despite any reservations you might have, you won’t feel like you’re stuck to a wall when vacuuming. The vacuum has a 33-foot (11-meter) operating radius.

The downside, compared to cordless vacuums like the Dyson V12 or the best robot vacuums, is the weight. The Miele Guard M1 comes in at 16 pounds (7.3 kg). I didn’t find it overly heavy, and actually found it more comfortable to use than my Dyson V8, as the weight wasn’t resting on my hand. Still, it’s not nothing, especially if you’re cleaning a house with a lot of stairs.

Unboxing the Miele Guard M1 was extremely easy and just involved slotting the vacuum hose together. The retractable handle can be extended at the press of a button, making this convenient for users of all heights. I found it extremely easy to set up and was ready to go in minutes. I wish the vacuum came with an extra dust bag or two for the price, but I did find a QR code in the box to get an additional one for free.

I tested the Miele Guard M1 in the ‘Black Obsidian’ colorway, which looked beautiful, but unfortunately has gotten pretty scratched in the month I’ve been testing it. This could be my fault, however, as it’s been stored in a cluttered under-stair cupboard.

Talking of my cluttered under-stair cupboard, the vacuum can be stowed upright or vertically. It’s definitely bigger than a stick vacuum, but it doesn’t take up too much space.

Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex review: Performance

I tested the Miele Guard M1 for a month to see how it performed in various settings. I added challenges like sprinkling oatmeal on my jute rug and trying to pick up small gravel stones on hard floors. I used the Universal Floorbrush, as well as the Turbobrush, to see how both compared.

What is it like to use on carpet?

I tested the Miele Guard M1 on two rugs downstairs, one of which is jute, as well as my low-pile carpet on the stairs and in the bedrooms. The carpets are cream, which is a nightmare with a dog and a toddler, but it does make it easy to spot dust, hair and debris left behind.

I found the suction power incredible on carpet, especially when using the Turbobrush. The Miele Guard M1 has a suction power of 1,200 AW, which I found extremely powerful, especially compared to the 150 AW of my Dyson V8. I was able to make those satisfying lines in my carpets, even if they only lasted until my toddler got home from daycare.

The Universal Floorbrush was also excellent on carpets, and I found the smaller attachments useful on the stairs.

What is it like to use on hard floors?

Did I mention how powerful the Miele Guard M1 was? The suction power is extremely impressive on hardwood floors, which I have downstairs in my Victorian terrace. I sprinkled various debris on the floor, including oatmeal and a mix of flour and sugar, to determine how well the Miele Guard M1 coped. As expected, the vacuum had no trouble sucking up all of the debris in one to two passes.

The suction power was also a resounding success on pet hair. Any dog owner will be used to spotting small furballs in the corners if you’ve skipped a few days of cleaning — especially in the summer, when my spaniel seems to shed more than usual. The suction power seemed to pull the pet hair towards the floorhead before even touching it.

I found it super easy to switch between the modes as the controls are pretty much all foot-powered, meaning you don’t have to stop and bend down mid-clean.

The Miele Guard M1 extremely easy to move around. The castor wheels swivel in all directions, and the cord was long enough for me to reach all areas of my home without having to unplug and move the plug socket.

Noise levels

The Miele Guard M1 wasn’t overly noisy, but I definitely found the Turbobrush was loud. I was so impressed with the results that I didn’t mind at all, but I probably wouldn’t vacuum upstairs while my toddler was napping.

What are the hand attachments like?

The Miele Guard M1 comes with three different attachments:

• An upholstery nozzle, which I used to get dog hair and debris off the sofa where he sleeps.
• A dusting brush, which is a round brush that I use to dust the top of my bookshelves. This is probably the attachment I’d use the least, but I think if you need to clean shutters or around the top of your door frames regularly, it’s a handy one to have.
• The crevice nozzle, which I typically use to catch all the crumbs under the TV stand, or in hard-to-reach corners. This wasn’t particularly mind-blowing, but it’s a super useful tool you’ll probably use every clean.

I loved the fact that you can stow the attachments in the front of the machine, as I can’t tell you how many times I’ve lost my Dyson’s attachments.

Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex review: Ease of cleaning

I found the Miele Guard M1 extremely easy to empty, thanks to the mess-free ComfortFit bag system, which keeps the bag secure, so none of the dust escapes when you’re emptying it.

After a month of testing, I didn’t need to swap the bag out, but I wanted to for this review. How long the bag lasts obviously depends on how often you use the vacuum. The Miele Guard M1 comes with a handy dust bag indicator on the top of the device, so you’ll be able to see at a glance when you need to swap it out.

The dust bags are an extra cost, but in my mind, you don’t have to worry about charging the vacuum, so it’s a small price to pay! For the Miele Guard M1, you’ll also have to swap the Exhaust Filter, which Miele says lasts for around 50 operating hours, or about a year’s worth of use.

The only downside I found from a cleaning perspective is that my long hair did get wrapped around the Turbobrush, and after a month, I had to cut it out. That said, I’ve found this happens with every vacuum cleaner I’ve ever used.

As mentioned above, after a month of testing, the vacuum itself got pretty scratched up, although I blame the mess in my cupboard, not Miele, for this. If you’re super fussy, it does also show a lot of fingerprint marks, but I wouldn’t let this put you off.

Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex review: Comparisons

If you’re a fan of the brand but want more tech on board, it’s worth looking at the Miele Guard L1 Comfort XL. The most basic option of the Guard vacuums is the Miele Guard S1, priced at a very reasonable £199. However, it doesn't have all the added features or bells and whistles.

Another option for pet owners is the Shark Rotator Pet, which we rated 4.5 stars for its ability to remove stubborn hair.

Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog Flex review: Verdict

If you own a pet and you’re looking for a powerful, high-quality cylinder vacuum, I don’t think you can go wrong with the Miele Guard M1 Cat and Dog. The suction power is incredible, and the two different floorheads make keeping your home clean a doddle.

If you’re thinking of making the switch from a cordless vacuum, I wouldn’t let the cord put you off. The cleaning power makes up for the seconds it takes to pull out and retract the cord. Plus, with an 11-metre zone, you’d be hard-pressed to find an area of your home you can’t reach, even if you do have to swap plug sockets one or twice.

The vacuum itself is easy to maneuver, and it’s lightweight enough to hold in one hand as you vacuum the stairs. I swapped to the Miele Guard M1 from my Dyson V8, and I’m never going back.

There's no denying it, we're having a heatwave heavy summer in the U.K. But, while we're all struggling to keep cool, there's something else we need to worry about in this heat — our fridges.

I do my weekly online shop at Tesco, but I recently noticed I wasn't able to get some items because the fridges weren't working. And I'm sure I'm not the only one that's noticed the melting chocolate bars on the shelves. So, if the supermarkets aren't coping, how are our fridges going to keep up at home?

Well, if you've got an older fridge, it might be bad news. According to Dr Alan Foster, a refrigeration expert who spoke with the BBC, a lot of appliances were: "designed decades ago in a much cooler world."

Most were manufactured to cope with temperatures of up to 32C, and with temperatures rising, they're struggling to function. Some owners may even find their fridges stop working entirely.

If the current weather has got you considering a replacement fridge, here are the three things you should consider, according to an expert.

3 things to consider when buying a new fridge

Buying a new fridge can be a pretty overwhelming purchase. There are so many to choose from and what works for your household might not work for someone else's. Fortunately, we spoke to Ilaria Castagnoli, Product Trainer at SMEG USA to find out her top tips for buying a replacement.

1. Check the energy efficiency

Unsurprisingly, if you're buying a replacement because your fridge can't handle the heat, you'll want to prioritise whether a newer model is Energy Star rated. Castagnoli says: "These units will be the most energy efficient options on the market, not only decreasing your energy use but also helping you save on your utility bill in the long run."

2. Look at different configurations

A fridge isn't one-size-fits-all and if you're combining it with a freezer, you've really got to think about what works for you and the other people in your household. "It's also important to think about the type of food you buy and the layout of the unit that will be easiest for you to manage on a daily basis," Castagnoli advises.

This means taking into consideration whether a bottom or top freezer works best for you, whether you'd prefer a side-by-side unit for easier access, or as Castagnoli also recommends: "Families who like to include ice in every beverage, or access filtered water regularly, should opt for a side-by-side or bottom freezer French door configuration." It all comes down to personal preference and needs.

3. Prioritise features for food freshness

If you're replacing an older fridge, chances are it hasn't got the features that are available on today's market, which are abundant especially when it comes to food freshness.

Castagnoli recommends: "Crisper drawers that offer independent temperature and humidity controls are an important consideration because fruits and vegetables often require higher humidity than the main cavity of the refrigerator provides, and different types of produce require different levels of humidity."

Additional features Castagnoli suggests looking out aside from food freshness include LEG lighting, adjustable shelving, and even whether a model offers a holiday mode.

More from Tom's Guide

• Fridge struggling in the heat? Homeowners urged to make one change to stop food from spoiling
• Beat the heat: How to stop your fridge from overheating this summer
• People are putting a piece of paper in their fridge to see if their home is heatwave-ready — and it makes more sense than you think

I don’t find cleaning therapeutic, but I do get a dopamine high when I see the results — especially when it comes to rescuing grimy kitchen and bathroom grout.

While the effort is worth it to cook and bathe without staring at stains and mold, there has to be an easier way. To save us all from endless scrubbing, I asked top cleaning experts how to get sparkling grout in a fraction of the time.

Know your stain

According to the cleaning pros, the secret of cleaning less is knowing what you’re fighting against. Once you’ve identified the culprit, you can use the right method without wasting time.

The most common grout stains fall into four categories.

1. Mold and mildew
“Mold and mildew are the top offenders in bathroom environments, creating a black, dark green, or gray color which most people associate with dirty grout,” says Reanato Cruz, cleaning expert and professional organizer at Coastal Maid San Diego.

And for mold and mildew to exist, she says there needs to be moisture present and poor ventilation, which is why it’s usually worse in shower areas.

2. Soap scum
Soap scum, which also includes shampoo and body wash, is another culprit that clings to grout, and is present in bathrooms.

3. Limescale
You may also spot white, chalky, limescale deposits if you live in an area with hard water. These marks will be noticeable in any area where water is present in your home.

4. Grease
“Grease and cooking oil are the primary stain-causing agents in kitchen grout where they penetrate into the pores of the grout and continue to darken it over time,” says Cruz.

These stains can also sink into kitchen floor grout, unless spills are cleaned up promptly.

For light clean ups

Before applying any liquid solutions to the grout stains, Sara Aparacio, resident cleaning expert at Homeaglow, explains it’s best to take a light approach.

“I usually use a vacuum cleaner to pick up any light, loose grime. Often, grime can cause grout to come loose or consist of loose grains that, if you scrub too hard, will scratch and damage the surface of other parts of the grout.”

It’s only once Aparacio has got a head start with one of the best vacuums and has checked that the surface is dry, that she uses a product.

“I tend to apply a dedicated grout cleaner, like Zep, and work it in with a scrubbing brush or an old toothbrush to help it reach any cracks or crevices, then rinse it and let the grout air-dry.”

Top tip
Like Aparacio, I regularly use toothbrushes around my home for cleaning. They are excellent at cleaning around taps and other tight bathroom corners. I even use a toothbrush to clean the limescale off my showerhead. If you don’t have a spare toothbrush around, you could try OXO’s Good Grips Grout Brush for $7 on Amazon.

Mold and mildew

For stubborn stains and marks from mold and mildew, Aparacio uses hydrogen peroxide: “I’ll spray it onto the grout and scrub it with a toothbrush or similar to work it into the grout surface. After leaving it for roughly 10 to 15 minutes, I’ll then rinse and wipe down the surface.”

She adds, “Some people apply hydrogen peroxide as a foamy solution after mixing it with baking soda, but I find that you’re often doing more work than is necessary.”

However, baking soda does have a place, and she tends to use it for what she describes as "super-targeted" applications.

Cruz isn’t quite so reserved about using baking soda with hydrogen peroxide and recommends a ratio of 2 parts baking soda to 1 part hydrogen peroxide for cleaning grout.

Deep mold
When battling mold that has had time to grow and is not just on the surface level, Cruz recommends using an oxygen bleach solution instead of chlorine bleach. She says, "It will break down mold at a molecular level rather than simply whitening the surface."

To do this, she combines oxygen bleach powder with enough water to form a paste, then applies it to the grout lines. She recommends leaving it to sit for 15 minutes before giving it a scrub and rinsing the surface.

Kitchen grease

Cruz’s solution of using two parts baking soda and one part hydrogen peroxide can be slightly adjusted when cleaning kitchen grease or other areas where grease accumulates on grout. In this scenario, she suggests adding a dash of dish soap to the cleaning solution.

Whether you’re using it with or without the dish soap, she says, “This combination is my first choice due to the fact that it is both effective in removing most stains and non-abrasive on the grout structure itself; produces no hazardous fumes; and can be used on most tile types without fear of damaging them.”

Dwell time

The key issue with most cleaning methods is rushing the "dwell" time, which Cruz describes as the amount of time allowed for the product to set.

"I let mine sit for at least 10-15 minutes depending on how badly stained the grout is. On extremely bad cases or neglected grout, I let mine sit for 30 minutes.

"During this time I check on it periodically to ensure it remains moist rather than dries out. Then, after the time has passed, I begin to gently scrub in a circular motion with a stiff bristle nylon brush."

She advises against using a back-and-forth motion, as this pushes material back into the pores rather than pulling it out.

Finally, she finishes by rinsing the area, as any remaining paste within the grout lines will attract dirt far faster than clean grout.

Stay away from bleach and vinegar

There are two products that both experts warn against using when cleaning grout: Bleach and vinegar.

Bleach
Aparacio explains, “I know some people claim [bleach] it’s a cure-all; it doesn’t really do the job you want it to. Given the smell, potential health risks, and damage it can cause to grout, it’s just not worth it, in my opinion.”

Cruz adds, “Chlorine bleach is good at killing surface mold and whitening out stained areas, but it also damages and degrades the grout sealer with repeated use.”

She also adds that it can fade colored grout and doesn’t resolve mold issues that have developed deep within the pore structure.

Vinegar
Aparacio also prefers to pass on using another cleaning staple. “Vinegar is another solution I’m not a fan of; while yes, it is a natural cleaning method for most grout stains, it’s not nearly as effective as hydrogen peroxide.”

Cruz agrees, saying vinegar isn’t suitable for alkaline cement-based grout. “Acidic solutions such as vinegar will break down and dissolve the cementous particles rather than simply cleaning them. Repeated usage will weaken the grout structure over time and contribute to accelerated degradation, which is not immediately apparent but quite real.”

She also shares that white vinegar is incompatible with natural stone tile, such as marble and travertine, and will permanently etch their surfaces.

Be cautious before you use any product
Whatever product you choose, Aparacio says you must check whether it’s safe for your surface, adding, “You don’t want to use a cleaning solution on the grout that could mark or damage the surrounding area.”

The best tools for cleaning grout

Although wire brushes and metal scrubbing pads appear more abrasive than other options available and therefore more likely to be successful, Cruz warns against using them.

“They will scratch tile surfaces and expand existing grout pores even further, creating additional susceptibility to future staining rather than reducing it. “

Instead, she recommends using stiff nylon brushes, which deliver sufficient mechanical action for effective scrubbing while minimizing damage. And if you don't have a specialist brush at hand, a toothbrush will do the job.

How to prevent grime taking over your grout

Seal out the grime
Both experts agree that you can't go far wrong with applying a grout sealant to reduce the need to deep clean grout. "It helps prevent stains from seeping into porous grout surfaces, making future cleaning far easier and helping prevent permanent staining," explains Aparacio.

Cruz adds, "Cement-based standard grout is extremely porous and will soak up whatever comes in contact with it unless there is a sealant protecting its pores."

She recommends sealing newly installed grout after it has fully cured and reapplying the sealer every 6-12 months in high-traffic, high-humidity areas, such as bathroom walls and floors and kitchen backsplashes.

Maintain good habits
Even if you do use sealant on the grout, the next best solution is prompt cleaning of messes and wipe-downs of grout surfaces.

Cruz also suggests running your exhaust fan for at least 20 minutes after showering to prevent excess moisture from collecting in your grout. Using a squeegee on your shower walls after showering will remove water and soap residue before they can penetrate further.

She also recommends quickly wiping up spills on kitchen tiles to minimize potential damage from grease or acidic foods, such as tomato sauce, which can easily penetrate unsealed or worn-out grouting.

And to keep your grout in good shape, she recommends giving it a regular light brush with a pH-neutral cleaner to reduce the need for aggressive treatments.

Cleaning essentials we love

More from Tom's Guide

• Ditch the bleach: The common bathroom mistake that’s silently destroying your sealant
• Not vinegar — I just discovered an unusual hack to get rid of hard water stains on glass, and I can't wait to try it
• I tried everything to banish limescale from my toilet, but the solution was this cheap household item I already had in my cupboards

As summer temperatures soar, we aren’t the only ones suffering — your best smart home devices are feeling the heat, too.

This is especially the case when they are exposed to extreme temperatures for long periods of time. While many assume it’s just our door/security cameras affected, you’d be mistaken.

According to a tech expert, many of our common smart home gadgets are prone to overheating in the summer.

From smart hubs, plugs, and indoor cameras, these can all affect their overall performance, and you might even notice things are running significantly slower or not at all!

Luckily, there are a few simple things we can do to minimize the risk of overheating and get the most out of our smart home gadgets this summer.

1. Keep smart devices out of direct sunlight

If any of your devices are placed near windows, be sure to move them out of direct sunlight.

“Devices placed near windows or in direct sunlight are most at risk, as glass can intensify heat significantly indoors,” advises Michael Fernandes, tech expert at Tapo.

“Similarly, hubs and plugs positioned in warm spots, like near radiators or in the kitchen, can struggle in the summer months even without direct sun.”

In addition, use window treatments such as blinds/curtains during peak sunlight to reduce excessive heat and maintain a cooler space.

2. Make sure you have adequate ventilation

Another top tip is to avoid tucking your tech into cramped or small spaces — without proper airflow, heat builds up quickly as it has nowhere to ventilate and spread.

What’s more, this will likely cause your smart device to overheat quickly and start to malfunction.

“When a device overheats, you might notice reduced performance like running slower, disconnecting from Wi-Fi, or restarting unexpectedly,” adds Fernandes. “As well as affecting performance, heat can also accelerate battery degradation and can shorten their overall lifespan.”

For more top tips, be sure to check out these 6 easy ways to create a smart home.

3. Always switch off and unplug when not in use

While it’s quite common for us to leave our electronic devices on Standby, you should always switch them off and unplug during a heatwave.

Not only will this prevent overheating, but it can also preserve battery life as it puts less strain on the device.

“Smart home devices are built to handle a reasonable range of temperatures, but a little extra care during a heatwave, like keeping devices shaded and in well-ventilated spaces, can help reduce the risk of performance issues and support their long-term reliability,” adds Fernandez.

“We also recommend checking the specified operating-temperature range for your particular device.”

So if you want to ensure your smart gadgets are on top form during the summer heatwave, follow these 3 expert steps right now.

More from Tom's Guide

• 7 smart home gadgets under $50 that will make your life easier
• The best smart plugs in 2025
• The best smart lights

Air fryers are an increasingly essential addition to any kitchen. Compact and versatile, these miniature convection ovens are ideal for everything from roasting vegetables to cooking fries, and reheating food. And because they need less oil than conventional fryers they can be a – slightly – healthier option too.

If you've been planning to buy one then we have some good news for you: there are loads on sale at Amazon right now. For this article I've concentrated on bigger brands. Most of these air fryers are from Ninja, Instant Pot, and Chefman. These are top-rated products that you can rely on – and they've all got great savings attached to them, with reductions of up to 39% off.

Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale preview is live! The annual savings event doesn't officially start until July 18, but card members can get a head start on shopping now. If you're not a member you can sign up for a Nordstrom credit card and get early access — or you can do what I'm doing and create your wishlist ahead of time so you're ready when the sale opens.

The event takes place each summer and offers unbelievable discounts on some of the top luxury brands. And I must admit, this year's deals are super impressive and surprisingly affordable — especially for top brands like Birkenstock, Le Creuset, Vuori and more.

Below, I've rounded up everything I'm adding to my wishlist and it's going to take all my willpower not to buy them all come Saturday. Here's what I recommend shopping from Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale.

Ooni is strengthening its position in the stand mixer market with the imminent launch of its second mixer — the Halo Core. Look out, KitchenAid, you’ve got some serious competition!

The brand behind some of the best pizza ovens is once again treating pizza lovers to an all-round experience by developing technology to make the perfect dough.

Having just launched the debut Halo Pro in April 2025, I can only imagine the engineers at Ooni were back on the case as soon as the brand’s first stand mixer left the factory.

Perfecting dough for home bakers

So, what’s so special about Ooni’s stand mixer offer, and how does the Halo Core differ from the first rendition?

Rather than the stand mixers we’ve become accustomed to, which use a planetary mixing design, Ooni has developed a spiral mixing technique traditionally reserved for professional kitchens and artisan bakeries. But what does this really mean?

Rather than the bowl staying put and the attachments spinning, Ooni’s bowl rotates.

Ooni claims the engineering “delivers exceptional gluten development and dough quality, helping bridge the gap between everyday baking and bakery-quality results.”

And Ooni adds: “Home bakers have blamed themselves for dense loaves and failed rises. The real culprit is the mixer. Planetary stand mixers, largely unchanged since their invention, were never built for dough. They stall, overheat, and can’t develop the gluten structures that separate a good bake from a great one. Ooni Halo Core changes that.”

KitchenAid has some tough competition

When you see the stand mixer for yourself, you’ll instantly notice its professional look and heft! Although it’s not the size of a mixer you’d find in a professional kitchen, despite its pro appeal, it’s surprisingly compact. When I placed it next to the KitchenAid Artisan Pro, there was little difference in size; in fact, the KitchenAid is taller.

And that’s where the Halo Core differs from its older sibling, the Halo Pro: It’s 20% smaller and 30% lighter. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s easy to maneuver; it’s still 23.2 lbs.

What’s more, where the Halo Pros aimed at serious bakers and semi-professionals, the new Halo Core is targeted at home bakers.

Breadmaking and more besides

The price is still on the high end, at $599 (£499), hitting the exact spot where the KitchenAid Artisan Pro sits in the market, but you are getting an exceptional machine — which I’ll be reviewing over the coming weeks.

But what exactly does the Halo Core offer? You get a 4.7-quart stainless steel bowl with a silicone lid and pouring shield, 20 speed levels with up to 300 rpm and 1,000 rpm when using the geared whisk, an LED speed indicator and LED bowl lights.

And with all of that comes a spiral dough hook and removable breaker bar to create a dual-kneading action that stretches and develops dough for a strong gluten structure.

But even though the Halo Core is designed to mix over 6lbs of dough, enough for 10 12-inch pizzas or three large sourdough loaves, it's not only designed by bread makers. It also comes with whipping and beating attachments.

But before you get too excited and race out to buy the Ooni Halo Core, it won’t be dropping in stores until 4 August, although you can join the waitlist to ensure you don't miss out.

More from Tom's Guide

• KitchenAid vs Cuisinart: Which stand mixer is best?
• Smeg’s newest retro stand mixer gives KitchenAid a run for its money — here’s why it won me over
• I tested Ooni's new Rotating Stone — and it's your ticket to perfect pizza at home

From smarter tracking to habit observing, the notion of the best robot vacuum that can fit into your daily life is certainly an appealing one, and the Narwal Flow 2 promises a lot.

It offers "unlimited object recognition" alongside smart obstacle avoidance, and even throws in strong suction power and mop functionality with it. But, to get all those nifty little features, Narwal is asking for a lot of cash for its smart robot vacuum, so it has to outperform its cheaper competition.

I've now spent a few weeks with the Flow 2 making its way around my house (not consecutively, the battery isn't quite that good), and I can say I'm both a little impressed with it and yet paradoxically, underwhelmed. Like the AI you'll find on your phone every day, it is pretty clever, and clearly has the infrastructure to back it up, but I'm not fully convinced it's better than the traditional methods.

It's a little unproven in its features and too expensive to get the stamp of approval from me, even though I quite like it. Here's how my time with the Narwal Flow 2 went.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Price and availability

The standard Narwal Flow 2 is priced $1499.99 on Amazon.

What's more, there’s a smaller version with an autofill and drainage system that you connect to the water in your house that fetches $1599.99 on Amazon.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Setup

The Narwal Flow 2 is very easy to set up, even though it’s quite bulky and relatively heavy. Simply take the robot vacuum out of the box, plug the base in, take the extra bits that are stored in the base out, and get it on charge.

It does come with detergent in the box, so you can pop that in the base for the mop mode. From here, get the app downloaded and let the Flow 2 map your apartment. It managed to pretty much nail the mapping of my apartment on the first go, navigating around chairs, doors, and even human beings.

From the app, you can tell the Flow 2 to go around, with either the vacuum or mop function, and you can watch it go from room to room, monitoring its progress as it goes. The benefit of this is that you can catch any spots it missed or any locations that have been blocked off by items. The base station holds debris for up to 120 days and has a self-cleaning water tank.

Set up is pretty smart in a lot of ways. Once you've sent the mop around, the base station will dry it with internal heating to prevent any mould. It's relatively low maintenance, outside of keeping the detergent bin topped up.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Design

The Narwal Flow 2 has a lot going for it. The AI functionality helps it spot debris and map the home, but it's also used in voice controls, which means you rarely have to control it from the app if you don't want to. That AI functionality also makes the Flow 2 swap between a loud or light vacuum depending on the surface and the level of cleaning each surface needs.

Oddly, you can entirely control the robot vacuum from your phone, using its built-in webcam. This is a decent way of keeping track of the home while you're away, and its speakers mean you can actually talk to people through it. This mostly ended in me chatting to my partner from afar, but I can see some practical uses here, like chatting to pets, or even just checking if you've left the oven on.

It has a pet mode for finding your pets, and you can cycle through vacuum power intensities, should you feel a more thorough clean is needed. It's very neat, though very niche.

The Flow 2 sells itself on being effortless, and this is partially done in how it deals with waste, but also in some smart software. It has systems to reduce battery wear over time (which is certainly welcome with the 1-2 hours of battery life), and it can technically recognise an infinite number of obstacles, which is an infinite amount higher than the 200 the Flow can pick up.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Performance

This is the most important part of using a robot vacuum, and, unfortunately, performance is pretty mixed for me when considering the price.

In our testing suite, it entirely failed to pick up many Cheerios scattered around a confined space. It would regularly push them around the floor or crush them under its wheels. A few of them got stuck behind the wheels, and I’m not entirely convinced I’ve got them all out even now.

This means similarly sized debris simply won’t be picked up by the Flow 2. It’s not entirely uncommon that you would drop a piece of cereal while moving with a bowl or any other food, and the Flow 2 is more likely to squish it into the floor than pick it up.

I'm not entirely sure if this is a physical problem in how it picks up debris between its brush or with the AI tracking failing to register that it needs to give extra juice to the engine at the right point, but my money is on the latter.

When it comes to picking up hair, it does decently. On a low-pile carpet, it needs to go over the same patch multiple times to pick it up, and it won’t necessarily do so naturally, which means having to send it around again. I have managed to get it to pick up everything in a single go, but there's no magic touch here. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't

On tile or otherwise flat floor, its 31,000 PA suction power is more than enough to get up any dirt that gets into its path. If you’re thinking of getting a Flow 2 for a very tile-heavy apartment, it will likely perform to your expectations, and its mop mode is solid too.

It's intuitive and looks after itself. I did find it a little better at getting specific stains than just generally mopping an area, though, which I think is partly what the vacuum is going for in the first place.

Kitty litter was picked up absolutely fine in a single go, and with no issues. For everyday dirt, the Flow 2 does just fine.

Using it week to week, the Flow 2 certainly cuts down on the amount of manual vacuuming I have to do, but it’s also significantly more expensive than equally viable performers, even at its discount price.

I also found the mapping system to be good, but it struggled occasionally with finding its own base. When I moved it ever so slightly, the Flow 2 vacuum struggled to make adjustments to find its new home (just inches across).

One place the Flow 2 really does struggle is with corners and edges. The robot vacuum is pretty big and doesn't have edge-to-edge coverage, so you will likely have to go over these yourself. This is a tad disappointing for such a smart vacuum, though not entirely unheard of.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Verdict

I really like the Narwal Flow 2 - in concept. It is definitely smart, and it has tonnes of niche little features I think are just plain neat.

However, when you're approaching north of $1,000, neat doesn't quite cut it, especially when it struggles with some of the fundamentals.

As an additive tool to my regular hand vacuuming, the Flow 2 certainly fits in a good spot, and I didn't find my flooring to be very dirty after a few weeks of using it, but there are cheaper options that get similar results.

The Flow 2 is certainly a bit better than budget robot vacuums I've tried, but is it three times better? No, not nearly. That doesn't mean it doesn't do its job; it's just not offering a price-to-dollar ratio that is as smart or efficient as its software.

Peace lilies are forgiving houseplants until they're not. They tolerate neglect, bounce back from underwater watering, and look elegant in corners where other plants struggle.

But they have one non-negotiable requirement: regular feeding. Without it, those glossy green leaves start losing their shine, blooms become sparse, and your plant quietly declines into a sad, pale version of itself.

Get the timing and amount right, and your peace lily rewards you with vibrant foliage and those signature white flower spathes appearing constantly. Here's how to feed your plant so it actually thrives.

More from Tom's Guide

• Where to put a peace lily so it actually flowers — 5 ideal spots in your home
• Peace lily outgrowing its pot? Here's when and how to repot it
• Your peace lily needs dividing if you see these signs — here's how to do it

One of the best ways to enjoy the sun without getting burnt to a crisp is with a day by the pool. Relaxing in or by the water is a great way to stay cool and you can switch things up across the day by taking a brisk swim, relaxing with your toes in the water and by playing some fun games.

For this article, I've pulled together nine items that are ideal for your pool day. It's a selection of budget-friendly essentials that start at just $7, and covers everything from sunscreen, inflatable toys, a waterproof speaker to blast the tunes and lots more besides. What's more, quite a few of these products have money off at Amazon, making now a great time to buy.

Upgrading your backyard for summer doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, I've been scouring Wayfair's summer sale and the stylish home retailer has tons of great patio and garden finds. Even better? Many items are under $50.

Whether you’re looking for new cushions for your outdoor seating areas, string lights to add ambiance to your patio at night or some accessories for your garden, there are plenty of great deals to shop right now at Wayfair and the discounts are up to 70% off.

Not sure where to begin? Don't worry — I've already plucked out my favorite affordable finds in Wayfair's summer sale. Keep scrolling to check them out.

Quick Links

• shop Wayfair's summer sale
• Weatherproof Bird Feeder: was $99 now $28
• Round Metal Outdoor Side Table: was $41 now $33
• Solar Lanterns Outdoor Waterproof: was $44 now $35
• Outdoor Seat Cushion (Set of 4): was $41 now $37
• Solar-Powered Outdoor Globe String Light: was $69 now $42
• Birdbath with Solar Light: was $57 now $44
• Outdoor Inflatable Ottoman: was $149 now $49

Wayfair Outdoor Deals

It's been several years since I lived in a dorm — but if I were shopping for back to school season today, I'd be super excited about the latest appliances from Ninja and Shark. From portable smoothie makers and misting fans to cordless vacuums and multifunctional hair tools, these space-saving essentials make dorm life simpler.

If you're gearing up for the new semester, I recommend grabbing some Shark and Ninja appliances — especially right now since Amazon is knocking up to 40% off select models. For instance, the Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo is currently over $50 off and is perfect for keep you cool while hanging out, studying or sleeping in the dorm.

There's plenty more convenient devices for back to school season below — and they start at just $79. Keep scrolling to check out all my favorite Shark and Ninja appliance deals on Amazon.

Quick Links

• shop all SharkNinja deals
• shop all SharkNinja deals at Amazon
• Shark Steam Pocket Mop: was $99 now $79
• Ninja Blast Max: was $99 now $79
• Ninja Iced Coffee Maker: was $129 now $99
• Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo: was $149 now $99
• Ninja Mega Kitchen System: was $219 now $149
• Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer: was $179 now $159
• Shark FlexStyle: was $349 now $259

Ninja/Shark Deals

We're halfway through summer, but the best days of the season are still ahead of us! Now's a great time to upgrade your outdoor space, and there are tons of ways to do so without breaking the bank. Walmart is offering patio and garden upgrades for under $50.

One of my favorite finds is this pretty Rose Pink Handled Ceramic Planter on sale for $11. Plus, this Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer for $6 is always handy to keep around.

My favorite Walmart discounts are listed below! To find out more ways to save, also take a look at our Walmart promo codes page.

Quick Links

• shop all Walmart deals
• Shark/Ninja appliances: from $16
• Summer home accents: furniture and decor from $4
• Patio and garden event: up to 50% off
• Self-Watering Plant Pots 5-Pack: was $28 now $16
• BN-LINK Solar Lights Outdoor: was $29 now $21
• Tabletop Fire Pit: was $49 now $24
• Best Choice Raised Oval Garden Bed: was $93 now $29
• Patio Umbrella w/ Crank: was $93 now $39

Editor's Choice

Over the years, I've found myself returning to IKEA any time I'm kitting out a new place, doing a home refresh, or looking to upgrade on some home essentials. Not only does it offer affordable furnishings, but they're also fun to make (if you like building flat-pack, like me). But, how about if you could also pack them back up when it's time to move?

IKEA's newest collection is specially designed with movers in mind. KOMPISHÄNG is an 11-piece collection for "a growing generation of young city dwellers and college students who move often and settle in quickly."

I used to move a lot and I had a tendency to just leave the furniture behind, rolling my two suitcases away unencumbered. IKEA's new collection aims to eliminate the need to start over, crafting items that are both portable and multifunctional. It launches online on August 15, but you can also find it exclusively in stores from July 13 to August 14. Here's a sneak peek at what's on offer.

For life in transit

IKEA's no stranger to curating collections with a purpose. Its SOLUPPGÅNG range is geared towards those who love exploring the great outdoors. Its DOFTRIPS collection is for those who love to grow and nurture plants. And now, the KOMPISHÄNG collection is designed for those who tend to move around, whether for work, travel, study, or another life purpose.

IKEA's newest collection wants to make sure you can pick up pieces for your residence that are still purposeful without breaking the budget. And more importantly, they're pieces that travel incredibly well when it's time to go again.

Made from solid pine, powder-coated steel and durable canvas, this entire range has been designed to be packed, carried and set up again in a new location with ease. But, it'll still look as good when you finally move it into a home you want to stay in. You just won't have had such a hard time getting it there.

And IKEA has done its research. Spending time with young adults aged 20-28 in London, it wanted to find out patterns and needs for its newest collection. As Dora Ding, Product Developer at IKEA explains: "Even if you move often, you don't want your home to feel temporary. We saw how carefully people chose the things they carried with them from place to place, and that insight shaped the collection. We want the collection to be portable but still have a permanent look, people should feel settled and [their space] considered."

Curated for convenience

So, what is included in the 11-piece collection? Well, it's composed of a solid pine desk, stools that fit together like a puzzle, a hanging wardrobe organizer, solid pine mirror frames, a shopping bag on wheels, side table, door hangers (one pine, one canvas), a triangular back cushion, jute plant pot and red metal bookend.

Each of the 11 pieces has been designed with portability in mind. The solid pine desk, available for $99.99, is one of the pieces I'm most excited about. Not only does it require no tools or assembly time to set up, just two pulls and two clicks, but it even has a built-in handle under the tabletop making it incredibly easy to move around.

The hanging wardrobe organizer is another interesting design, converting from wardrobe to carry bag with a single zip that can be worn on your back. That means you can leave your clothes inside, zip it up and move to the next place without the stress of packing and unpacking.

And the side table can easily turn into a shoulder table in seconds, folding completely flat and making it easy to fit anywhere. As David Wahl, Designer at IKEA explains: "This table isn't just a temporary solution. It's designed to accompany life's transitions – equally at home in a first apartment, a family house, or even a retirement space."

I'm already thinking about what I'll pop in my basket when the KOMPISHÄNG collection launches. I just wish it had existed when I was still living the nomad life.

More from Tom's Guide

• IKEA's new wireless charger looks like a donut and costs $9, but it's surprisingly capable
• I just upgraded my home with these 5 IKEA items
• How to paint your IKEA furniture for a flawless finish — decorating experts share their top tips

It's officially summer hosting season — and if you're planning some pool parties or backyard barbecues, now’s the time to get your home ready for company. Luckily, Home Depot currently has tons of great deals to help you get the job done right, and they start at just $3.

In the market for some new outdoor cooking gear? The Home Depot has deals from top brands like Weber, Blackstone and more starting at $99. The sale also includes markdowns on patio furniture, appliances, lawnmowers, power tools and much more.

Below, I've rounded up my favorite outdoor deals to shop for summer. Keep scrolling to check them out! Plus, check out our guide to the best Home Depot promo codes.

Quick Links (The Home Depot)

• shop all Home Depot deals
• Bathroom upgrades: up to 40% off
• Appliance sale: up to 40% off
• Smart home: up to 40% off
• Patio furniture: up to 50% off
• Outdoor grills: deals from $99
• Tools and power equipment: up to $150

Quick Links (Other Retailers)

• YETI: deals from $17 @ Amazon
• Adidas: deals from $6 @ Amazon
• Amazon: up to 50% off Sony, Blink, Apple
• Skechers: deals from $16 @ Amazon
• REI: 50% off Arc'teryx, Patagonia, more @ REI
• Crate & Barrel: up to 60% off home decor
• Ninja: appliances from $69 @ Amazon
• Nectar mattresses: up to 50% off @ Nectar
• We Made Too Much: top picks from $9 @ Lululemon

Editor's Choice

Outdoor Cooking Deals

Outdoor Furniture Deals

Appliances

There’s nothing quite like the taste of homegrown tomatoes. And if you enjoy picking these straight from the vine and into your dishes (or mouth), it can be a letdown when your crop misses that bold, juicy flavor you had hoped for.

However, even though it looks ripe and ready for the picking, you’ll need to know the best stage of ripeness for picking a tomato.

What’s more, tomatoes on the vine are constantly at risk of damage from weather extremes, pests, and disease. Which is why identifying the ideal time to harvest is crucial for securing a high-quality, delicious yield.

So if you want to avoid a bland and disappointing crop, here are the three tomato picking stages — to ensure they are bursting with the juicy flavor you crave.

1. When your tomatoes are fully ripe and red

This is when your tomato crops have reached their full size, red color, and are firm in texture. These signs indicate that your harvest is ready for consumption, and experts suggest eating or using them immediately after they are picked for maximum flavor.

However, after harvesting, be sure you consume them within a day or two to enjoy them before their peak flavor begins to fade.

It’s also worth noting that the kind of tomato plant you select is vital for its final flavor.

“The variety of tomato can determine flavor,” states Jessica Mercer, Ph.D, horticulturist at Plant Addicts. “Some tomatoes are bred for shipping ease, firmness, disease resistance, or high yield. Others, like cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, and many heirlooms, are known for good sugar-acid balance and aroma.”

Before choosing which seeds to sow, you should investigate which particular cultivars align with your preferred flavor profiles.

For top tips, check out Tom's Guide to tomatoes for everything you need to know about growing a juicy harvest.

2. The ‘color break’ or turn stage

As the name suggests, this is the point at which the fruit begins to get color, about the size of a dime on the blossom end.

While it’s tempting to pluck and eat the fruit at this stage, you may be disappointed with the overall taste, as it hasn’t yet fully ripened.

A top tip is to place them on a countertop at room temperature for three days, and the tomato should ripen — ready for your tasty dishes.

Of course, if you want to keep them for longer, store them in the fridge for a few days.

3. Mature green stage

This is when your plant has a lighter green color but no pink/red showing yet on the blossom end. Typically, this indicates that your tomatoes are not quite ready to harvest, and usually takes about a week to fully ripen.

However, you can pluck and store them in the fridge for a few weeks at this stage of development. In addition, gardeners usually harvest mature green crops as the season ends to protect them from frost.

Top tip for tasty tomatoes

Although the heatwave might encourage more frequent watering, overwatering your plants can actually wash out the bold flavor you desire.

To avoid diluting those essential sugars and acids, a good tip is to water only once the upper two inches of soil feel dry to the touch.

“Too much water, particularly when fruit is ripening, can dilute the sugars and acids that give tomatoes their flavor,” explains Mercer.

“Water deeply and consistently when the top inch or two of soil begins to dry. Check the soil for dryness before watering again.” What’s more, overwatering tomatoes, especially before a harvest, can make a real difference to their sweetness.

Plus, you’ll need to ensure your soil is kept in a healthy condition, free from disease or root rot, often triggered by overwatering.

Add a rich, organic fertilizer like a good fish fertilizer. This contains all the essential plant nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium — which are all vital for healthy development and full flavor.

For more top tips, check out when to fertilize tomatoes: the 3-step schedule for a bountiful harvest

More from Tom's Guide

• How often should you water tomato plants and when should you do it?
• 3 ways to tell that your tomatoes are ready to harvest
• 7 ways to increase the yield from your tomato plants

A popular bathroom cleaning habit could unintentionally be costing you through repair bills and even product replacements, according to experts.

Specialists warn that heavy use of bleach on bathroom seals may contribute to gradual wear over time, potentially leading to cracks, brittleness and reduced performance in areas such as shower screens, baths and windows.

While bleach remains one of the most commonly used products for tackling mold and keeping bathrooms hygienic, experts say it should be used with care around rubber and silicone materials. I need to listen up!

Don't blitz your sealant with bleach

According to Guy Chapman, director at United Silicones, most homeowners are unaware of the long-term impact cleaning habits can have on seals.

“Bleach is something a lot of people rely on to keep bathrooms looking clean and mold-free, which is completely understandable.

“But seals are often exposed to it again and again over time, and while you won’t see damage overnight, repeated exposure can contribute to them drying out or becoming less flexible,” explains Chapman.

Although he explains that bathroom seals are designed to be durable, he says they are still subject to wear and tear from both use and cleaning.

“Shower seals, bath seals and window seals are constantly exposed to moisture, heat and cleaning products. If bleach is used frequently, especially in higher concentrations, it can add to that natural aging process.”

And he says one of the biggest issues is that damage tends to build up gradually, meaning homeowners often don’t realize there’s a problem until leaks or mold start to appear.

“You don’t usually notice a seal failing until water starts escaping or mold becomes persistent in certain areas. By that point, the material has often already degraded over time.”

He adds that small changes in cleaning habits can help extend the lifespan of seals and reduce unnecessary replacement costs.

“I’m not suggesting people stop using bleach altogether, but it’s worth being mindful of how often it’s applied directly to seals.”

Swap to a milder alternative

In most cases, a simple solution of warm water and a small amount of mild dish soap is more than enough for routine cleaning of bathroom seals.

“It helps remove everyday grime and soap residue without exposing rubber or silicone materials to harsh chemicals that, over time, can contribute to wear,” he explains.

Keep an eye out for wear and tear

Chapman also recommends regular visual checks as part of general home upkeep.

“It takes less than a minute to run your finger along a seal and check for cracks, hardening or areas that have started to pull away. If it’s still flexible and sitting properly, it’s doing its job. If not, it may be time to replace it before it leads to leaks or further issues.”

Cleaning essentials we love

More from Tom's Guide

• Forget bleach — this vinegar hack deep cleans the grimiest part of your toilet and makes it smell fresh too
• Damaged caulking invites a summer mold surge during heatwaves (here's what to do about it)
• This common houseplant will help prevent bathroom mold — and it cost less than a coffee

With intense heat and sparse rain, your biggest gardening dilemma right now is probably how to keep your lawn alive in a heatwave. And when your pristine, lush patch of green transforms into brittle yellow straw, your first response is most likely to panic-water it back to health.

Spotting a distressed lawn isn’t hard. Just looking at it change from a vibrant green to a blue-gray, then to yellow, before it enters dormancy to conserve water, is a clear indication that heat and lack of water have had a significant impact.

While you can always revive a scorched lawn after the damage is done, the smartest move is to take a proactive stance. Building deep drought resilience gives your grass every chance of survival before the next scorcher hits.

Here, lawn care experts share how to get your lawn prepared for another bout of heat.

Why lawns struggle during heatwaves

Firstly, it helps to understand what happens to a lawn when it’s heat-stressed. Much of its energy goes into coping with the heat, causing it to slow down and even enter dormancy. It also starts to lose water faster than it can obtain it.

But it's not over, as the energy gets directed to the roots to help them survive. Then, once the weather becomes milder, it will emerge from its dormant stage and turn green once more.

How to prepare your lawn for future heatwaves

1. Aerate

Aeration is one of the key ways to build resilience in your lawn, with Luke Taylor and Marc Kerr, founders of So & Mo, and authors of Lawns: An Uncomplicated Guide, sharing that “well-aerated lawns perform better under severe conditions of drought and waterlogging.”

So what does aeration involve, and do you need a special tool?

“Aeration is the process of creating lots of small holes, which act as channels of air all over your lawn,” explained Taylor and Kerr, adding, “It helps break down compacted soil and facilitates the penetration of water, oxygen and nutrients into the ground, which in turn increases the beneficial microbial environment and strengthens the root system,” they explain.

Aeration can be done using two methods: either using hollow tines to remove plugs of earth from the ground, or using solid tines, which push the soil down, compacting it below.

I favor using hollow tines to remove the soil, rather than compacting it further. You could try Yard Butler’s Manual Lawn Coring Aerator ($48 at Amazon), or, if you’d prefer to use a tool you already have, a garden fork will also do the job.

2. Ditch the fertilizer

Rather than adding extra nutrients to your lawn in a heatwave, Allison Koenig, lawn and garden expert at Tractor Supply, says it should be avoided.

“Fertilizer will scorch your grass in extreme heat and damage its root system. Your lawn is already trying to conserve water during a heatwave, so extra stress will only compound the damage,” Koenig explained.

Craig Elworthy, founder at Lawnbright, also advises against applying fertilizer, as it can further stress the lawn and cause disease. Instead, he recommends using a natural alternative that strengthens grass roots systems and improves drought resistance. He advises, “Consider applying liquid sea kelp or humic acid to help the lawn deal with heat stress.”

3. Get into the habit of deep watering

“It may be tempting to water your lawn for a short period each day, but these short, frequent waterings cause the grass to develop a shallow root system or lead to overwatering, which can cause disease,” explained Koenig.

And it’s this shallow root system that makes the turf vulnerable to burning out during periods of stress, such as heat and drought.

Instead, she advised, “If watering is needed in any season, prioritize long, deep, infrequent waterings. This will allow the water to get down deep into the root system, which encourages the deeper root growth needed to adequately store the nutrients and water it needs to survive high temperatures.”

The time of day you water your lawn will also affect how much water is absorbed and whether water droplets scorch and damage the grass. The best time of day is always in the early morning.

Gardening essentials we love

More from Tom's Guide

• Want to keep your lawn alive in a heatwave? This clever landscaping trend could be the answer
• Don't let the heatwave destroy your plants — expert shares 3 top tips to do right now
• Why is my grass patchy after seeding? I asked the experts how to fix it

We just got a new puppy — her name is Nelly, and she’s not yet housebroken. That means we’re cleaning up puppy puddles pretty regularly. In the past, that would mean getting out the swiffer or the mop. But the Dreame Aero Pro Steam does a better job more quickly and with less fuss.

It’s not just for those easy little puddles either. The Aero Pro Steam can tackle sticky messes in the kitchen, like the maple syrup and honey I drizzled all over my vinyl plank flooring during testing.

While it’s a pricey unit, the Aero Pro Steam offers tons of versatility and an efficient, quick clean that makes it worthwhile. Plus, the long runtime means you can mop up the whole house, too — which are all the qualities needed in a best vacuum cleaner. Find out what happened when I put it to the test.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Price and availability

The Aero Pro Steam costs $600 and is available for purchase now on Dreame’s website. You’ll get free shipping within 2-5 business days of purchase, along with a 30-day return policy. Additionally, Dreame offers a 2-year warranty on the Aero Pro Steam, too.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Design

Visually, the Aero Pro Steam closely resembles the standard Aero Pro model. While the latter lacks the steam functionality, this steam-enabled version takes on a slightly more substantial profile, though it remains impressively compact given the added tech.

There are four modes: Smart, Steam, Suction, Turbo, and Eco. If you’re unsure which one to use, simply switch to Smart and let the Aero Pro Steam decide for you. It does not use cleaning fluid, just a clean water tank, and that water gets heated up for cleaning.

I was impressed at how quickly it heated up to 716 degrees Fahrenheit, thanks to the high-power instant boiler. When using the steam mode, that steam is powered through 6 outlets at 300mg/min. The SaunaClean design lends a 392-degree steaming temperature during cleaning.

That’s complemented by 28,000 Pa of suction, which Dreame says is industry-leading. Between those functions, the Aero Pro Steam provides a 100% allergen reduction in the rooms you clean.

To recognize various mess types, the Dreame Aero Pro Steam uses multispectral sensors, which identify gunk and goo through color temperature and brightness. Should hair get wrapped around the roller, the TangleCut 2.0 Resilient Scraper ensures you don’t have to get your hands dirty removing it.

The 3.88-inch Ultra-Slim Body is low-profile enough to get under the furniture or in tough-to-reach spaces. Plus, the Aero Pro Steame also has a 180-degree lay-flat body, so you can lower it all the way to the ground to get well underneath the trickiest chairs in the house. The body also features Triple Edge Coverage, which means the roller cleans all the way to the sides and front of the body.

Once you’re done cleaning, you can put the Aero Pro Steam back on the dock and engage the hands-free self-cleaning function. You can do a 5-minute quick dry of the roller after that, or a 30-minute deep-dry to ensure you get no odors emanating from the unit. The 203-degree hot wash removes all residues, and the steam function gets rid of other messes without hassle and in short order.

You’ll control the unit from the two-button LED display on top of the handle. It’s super easy to use and to navigate between modes. Plus, you can activate or deactivate a voice prompt that lets you know what mode you’re in, too.

Accessory-wise, the Aero Pro Steam comes with a cleaning brush and replacement filter.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Performance

The first time I used the Aero Pro Steam, I stuck with the Smart mode and gave the kitchen and living room a scrubbing. Those two rooms get the most traffic in my house, as well as the most messes.

With the new puppy around, the Aero Pro Steam got a lot of workouts, cleaning up accidents in the kitchen and living room and easily gobbles up wet messes. But unlike the Aero Pro, the Aero Pro Steam does not use any cleaning solvents.

During this use, using the Aero Pro Steam was akin to using the regular Aero Pro, which, in my mind, is a good thing. It’s simple to use, cleans effectively, and makes quick work of polishing up my vinyl plank flooring.

I don’t have to think about anything; I just run the vac and swab away. It’s easy to get underneath the kitchen table, and even the living room chairs, since the Aero Pro Steam folds down completely.

I did find the voice prompts annoying, though, and I ended up turning them off. I did the same thing when I tested the regular Aero Pro. For context, the voice is loud, but sometimes difficult to understand, and it’s just as easy to use this vacuum without it.

This is both a pro and a con. The pro is that you don’t need to use any harsh chemicals to get a deep clean. Just let the steam do the work. The con is that if you’re not using the steam setting, you’re relying only on water to do the cleaning, and that can leave some residues and odors behind.

Such is the case with the dog puddles I found myself cleaning. In the Smart cleaning mode, the Aero Pro Steam cleaned up the puddles easily and quickly, but sometimes there was a smell left behind.

This is, of course, easily solved by using the Steam mode. The high-temperature water does a deeper clean than the other settings, and I didn’t notice any smell after cleaning up dog puddles in this mode.

In fact, the Steam mode really makes this wet dry vac shine. It does a great job cleaning up all sorts of messes; we had used a puppy pad for early potty training, which uses adhesive strips to secure itself to the floor. When I removed the pad, the strips had left adhesive messes on the vinyl flooring that I couldn’t easily mop up by hand. The Steam mode on the Aero Pro Steam vac removed it with just one swipe forward and back.

Next, I dumped several condiments on the floor to see how the Aero Pro Steam stacked up. I used Hoisin Sauce, honey, maple syrup, and vegetable oil. The Aero Pro Steam gobbled it all up pretty quickly, though it did end up spreading around a bit before I got it all cleaned. The steam mode made sure to leave no stickiness behind, too.

Overall, the Aero Pro Steam cleaned up every mess I made with ease. It does leave some streaks behind, but the level of clean you get from it is pretty impressive, and it’s super easy to use.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Ease of cleaning

Perhaps one downside after cleaning is getting a pretty gnarly smell — but it wasn’t from the roller. It was from the dirty water tank. You’ll want to make sure you empty and clean that tank after every use, or every other use. Once you’ve sucked up enough muck and filth, the tank will start stinking even if the roller doesn’t.

Fortunately, if you leave the voice prompts on, you’ll be reminded to empty the tank after you perform a self-clean. That process takes about five minutes, but then the base will dry the roller for up to 30 minutes.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Accessories

There aren’t really any accessories to use with the Dreame Aero Steam beyond what’s included in the box — the base, the cleaning brush, and the extra filter.

However, you can order replacement parts, like rollers, but otherwise, everything you’ll need is already included.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Competition

There are several Wet/Dry Vacuums with steam functions, most of which easily best the Dreame Aero Pro Steam on price. But those competitors also tend to be larger, with more accessories to contend with, and with only middling self-cleaning results.

One such competitor is the Bissell CrossWave HydroSteam. It costs $350 and offers a steam cleaning feature. It also uses various detergents to clean, unlike the Aero Pro Steam.

But online reviews state that despite using the instructed cleaning procedures, the Bissell can still give off a musty odor, whereas the Dreame does not, as long as you use the self-cleaning mode and empty the dirty water tank regularly.

In terms of usability, the Dreame is also smaller and lighter, and will clean underneath furniture more effectively.

Dreame Aero Pro Steam Wet Dry Vacuum review: Verdict

Dreame has so far impressed me with their wet-dry vacs I have tested so far. The Dreame Aero Pro Steam is compact, easy to use, offers great run time, and picks up just about any mess I could throw at it with ease.

Plus, the self-cleaning function means no musty smells — as long as you’re mindful about emptying the dirty water tank regularly.

While it does leave some streaks after cleaning on my vinyl plank flooring, I was still impressed overall with the results. The steam cleaning function is ideal for tough stains, and the auto function is great for simple set it and forget it cleaning. It doesn’t use any detergents to clean your floors, but if you’re looking for a unit that can do that (or for a clean scent), I’d recommend the Dreame Aero Pro without the steam function.

Summertime means spending more time outside — and if you want to make the most of your patio, deck or backyard this season, it might be time for a little refresh. That might sound expensive, but thanks to Amazon's patio and garden sale, giving your outdoor space an upgrade is more affordable than you might think.

From must-have gardening tools and patio furniture to genius storage hacks and eye-catching outdoor decor, I've rounded up tons of Amazon items that will help transform your backyard into a 5-star resort. The best part is, every item is under $50.

Here's everything you need to make your outdoor spaces a little more magical this summer (without breaking the bank).

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon outdoor deals
• Miracle Gro All Purpose Plant Food: was $15 now $13
• Brightech Outdoor String Lights: was $47 now $21
• Keboe 50ft Stainless Steel Garden Hose: was $39 now $29
• Abba Patio Outdoor Patio Umbrella: was $49 now $29
• VIVOHOME Bird Bath: was $42 now $37
• Best Choice 3-Piece Patio Bistro Set: was $119 now $49

Amazon Outdoor Deals Under $100

Shop more deals

When summer temperatures start to climb, it's tempting to crank the air conditioner all the way up. But on the hottest days, blasting the AC often does little to cool your home faster — it just sends your electric bill soaring.

Staying safe and cool is always the main priority during a heatwave. That's why I've been on the hunt for some cooling gadgets that actually work and I've found a bunch of affordable fans on Amazon that ship fast. For instance, I've been testing out the Aecooly Slim Portable fan, and for just $9, you'll get a tiny gadget with powerful cooling results.

If you're looking for ways to beat the heat, don't wait any longer — pick up a few of these deals (at all different price points) to help you stay cool, calm and collected during this heatwave and beyond.

Quick Links

• shop all Amazon deals
• Aecooly Slim Portable Fan: from $9
• HandFan Misting Fan: was $23 now $17
• JisuLife Portable Neck Fan: was $33 now $27
• Dreo Smart Fan: was $79 now $62
• Shark FlexBreeze HydroGo: was $149 now $99
• Dyson HushJet Mini Cool: from $99
• Dreo Oscillating Fan: was $159 now $127
• Shark ChillPill: from $149

Best Heatwave Deals

I’ve never known a summer when my garden has struggled as much as it has this year. My lawn has gone into dormancy and resembles straw rather than a lush green carpet, and my plants are drooping from a long stint of high temperatures and lack of rainfall.

What’s more, my region has just announced outdoor water-use restrictions. Although I am allowed to keep my homegrown fruit and vegetables watered, I’m banned from getting out my hose pipe.

So, with ongoing intense heat and a lack of rainfall, I’ve been considering a shift in what I plant. And it just so happens that one of my favorite gardeners, Adam Kirtland, who shares his gardening knowledge on his Instagram account @viewfromthepottingbench, has three top plants he recommends that will thrive in hot weather.

1. Lavender

It's probably no surprise that lavender makes it into Kirtland’s top three plants for a hot, dry climate. I can personally vouch for how well it performs in intense sunlight and with limited water. What’s more, it’s a great space-filler and smells divine, especially when you brush past it.

Kirkland describes this shrub as “an absolute classic” and “a must-have in every garden," adding, "We all know about lavender, but this really is one plant that we all need. "

He suggests buying a large plant or a smaller one and giving it time to grow on. It’s also best planted in dry, free-draining compost and loves full sun.

2. Echinacea

Kirtland’s next recommendation is the show-stopping Echinacea, commonly known as the coneflower. This daisy-like beauty is a long-lasting perennial that thrives in full sun.

Although it’s available in a wide range of colors, he has chosen a pink version. But if pink isn’t your thing, you can choose anything from soft coral to bright yellow and fiery red.

Apart from being a top performer in the heat, Kirtland says, “Pollinators absolutely love echinacea from bud to flower to dried seed head; this is a flower that looks amazing all year round.”

3. Agapanthus

I have to admit to having a soft spot for agapanthus. This plant never fails to stop me in my tracks, as I admire its striking flowerheads.

What’s more, it looks great whatever size your garden is. “Whether you’ve got a small garden or a sprawling estate, this is a plant for you,” says Kirtland.

However, he doesn’t believe in being shy about how many you plant. “The trick with this is to plant a few, not just one and repeat it throughout your garden.”

As an added benefit, he explains it has an amazing root system, which means it is perfect for dividing and splitting in your garden — making it an excellent choice for a plant that keeps on giving.

How is your yard changing shape in the heat?

With high temperatures and less rainfall, are you changing what you plant in your yard? I’d be interested to know what extra steps you are taking to care for your plants in these extreme conditions, and whether you are opting for more drought-tolerant plants that will survive the heat. Please leave your thoughts in the comments below.

Gardening essentials we love

More from Tom's Guide

• Don't let the heatwave destroy your plants — expert shares 3 top tips to do right now
• How to keep your lawn alive in a heatwave — 4 expert tips to help it survive
• Can you plant in a heatwave? The survival guide to planting in July

Back to school season will be here before we know it — and if you're moving into a dorm room, now is the perfect time to start stocking up on essentials. Luckily, Amazon is full of clever dorm room finds that can instantly upgrade your space while adding a ton of style.

Whether you're looking to maximize a a small space, stay organized or add some cozy touches to make your dorm feel like home, I've out together a list of dorm room must-haves from Amazon. Plus, with items starting at just $9, these finds prove that you don't have to spend a fortune to create your dream dorm room.

Check out these 15 affordable items I'd recommend for any college student.

I bought my first hydrangea this year. And despite everyone I know (well, my mom and grandma) telling me to plant it in the ground, I decided to defy the odds and keep it in my lovely garden pot. And it worked for approximately two months until it totally died. Or so I thought it did.

I took a few snaps of my once-pink and beautiful hydrangea and asked AI to help me bring it back to life. To my surprise, there were several things I was doing wrong, all of which definitely contributed to its rapid decay.

Now? It's showing some signs of regrowth, and I didn't even have to spend any money. Here's hoping that next year will bring some of these beautiful blooms back again.

Yes, there is a chance that you can save your potted hydrangea if it's looking a little sad because of the heat.

So whether you are battling parched patches or fragile stems, here is my personal process—and the expert-backed steps you should implement—before you give up and toss everything into the compost heap. After all, a little effort can go a long way!

1. You need to trim it back (trust me!)

One of the worst things that you can do if your hydrangea is dying is leave it to wilt and die.

Instead, you need to chop away the dead bits to make way for new life. Start by removing dead leaves and then focus on the dead stems.

A good way to test the stems is to scratch them slightly. If they are green underneath, they are alive, but brown means they're dead.

I had to trim back my entire hydrangea in the end, and I really wasn't feeling hopeful afterwards, to be honest. But I did manage to find a good few stems showing slithers of life.

2. It definitely needs a good drink

You might think that just watering your hydrangea with your watering can is enough. And most of the time, it is.

But when it's looking really sad or maybe almost dead, then it's time for a sink bath. Simply use your plug and fill your kitchen sink with water, place your pot in there, and let it have a really good drink.

A good way to check if your hydrangea needs a sink bath is to use a finger and poke it into its soil. If it's soggy or musty 2-3 inches down, it's been overwatered, or there might be poor drainage. If it's totally dry, in the sink it goes.

I left mine in the sink for 30 minutes. I then let it fully drain afterwards, before walking it back through my house and to my garden.

3. It probably needs to be moved

My garden is south-facing, which you think is great until it hits the summer months and being barefoot outside is no longer an option.

So, watering your plants three times a day becomes a chore and a necessity. All jokes aside: a south-facing garden is a little bit of a nightmare. And it's also probably the reason why some of your plants aren't surviving! After I moved my hydrangea from one side of my garden to the other, I saw a difference.

Simply moving its position from all-day sun to only morning sun and afternoon shade gave this plant a little bit of a break.

Now, it lives in the one spot in my garden that gets shade first, and it's loving it.

4. Feed it coffee

Just like yourself, your hydrangea plant thrives when given a coffee (or five!).

I have a bean-to-cup coffee maker, and I've been feeding this plant the spent grounds and water for around six weeks.

I don't overdo it, but a little does definitely help! There are so many good uses for coffee when it comes to gardening.

Top tip

You might find that a few weeds start growing in your potted hydrangea as you're trying to encourage new growth.

This is normal, but you should definitely remove these from the root as soon as possible. These weeds will be taking away any nutrients from your hydrangea, and as we know, it desperately needs all of the nutrients it can get right now.

The end results

Six weeks later, I can finally see new life coming back to my hydrangea plant. There's no chance of blooming flowers just yet, but it is showing promising signs of regrowth thanks to its obviously new and green leaves in the center of its pot.

And I even asked AI to confirm this for me, in case it was wishful thinking. I told it my location, and it assessed the photo I sent.

The roots are definitely still alive, and it's starting to reshoot from the base, which is what hydrangeas do after a severe dieback.

If yours is looking the same, then it recommends leaving it for another 2-3 weeks without pruning, as the current stems will protect new growth. After this, you can decide which stems are finally dead and which ones are showing positive signs. In this time, keep it moist but don't let it sit in lots of water.

Gardening watering essentials we love

More from Tom's Guide

• How often should you water tomato plants and when should you do it?
• 3 ways to tell that your tomatoes are ready to harvest
• 7 ways to increase the yield from your tomato plants

With summer finally here, it's my absolute favorite time of year for outdoor entertaining, whether that means cooking up a storm on my best grill or soaking up the sun with friends.

And so there’s nothing more frustrating than seeing a trail of ants taking over my patio and dining area. In fact, I’d thought I’d finally cleared the rogue few from my kitchen, but it looks like the real source of the problem was my backyard all along.

While I’ve tried various methods to eliminate ants—ranging from white vinegar and citrus peels to boiling water—these hacks typically offer only a short-term fix.

However, everything changed when I discovered a natural powerhouse that effectively wiped out the infestation for good. Here is why diatomaceous earth has become my new go-to solution.

What is Diatomaceous Earth?

Despite its name, Diatomaceous Earth (DE) is not actually earth, or soil, the way that we know it. This substance actually consists of microscopic remains from ancient sea life, making it a completely organic and natural solution.

Similar to baking soda, DE appears as a white powder, and the food-grade version is safe for humans to handle. It’s also a great, non-toxic alternative, as it’s free from harsh chemicals.

Once pests make contact with the powder, it essentially drains the fluids from their outer shells, leading to their eventual dehydration and demise. Making DE an effective, natural pest repellent in your yard.

How I used diatomaceous earth in my backyard

With this in mind, I got to work trying to banish the ant invasion that was taking over my yard — and it was grim. The sight was overwhelming; hundreds of them — and I am not exaggerating — were streaming from the crevices of my patio pavers, scaling the walls, and swarming my garden plants. They were quite literally everywhere I looked.

I sprinkled a generous amount of DE into the cracks of the paving stones, steps, and any spot where they all seemed to be congregated.

Granted, the trails of white powder everywhere didn’t look appealing, but I was at my wits' end and wanted to get rid of these tiny critters once and for all.

To my surprise, the swarming masses had already begun to thin out, leaving only a scattered few behind. And within just 15 minutes, the entire infestation had vanished completely. I was impressed.

Given the scorching, hot weather we’ve had recently, I decided to reapply a fresh layer of the powder. A week later, and I haven’t spotted even a single rogue ant in my yard.

Forget white vinegar; diatomaceous earth has now become my go-to pest repellent. So if you ever want to get rid of ants quickly and hassle-free, you might want to keep DE on standby this summer.

More from Tom's Guide

• How do I know what kind of ants I have in my home and why it matters? I ask the pest experts
• Pest experts warn you should never squash ants in your home — here’s why
• 5 steps to stop carpenter ants before they infest your home

I’ve been a gamer for as long as I can remember but when it came to my home office setup, I just couldn’t imagine using a gaming chair over an office chair.

While gaming chairs typically have racing bucket-style seats with a faux-leather finish, the best office chairs come in a wider variety of designs and styles. From task chairs without headrests to ergonomic ones with dedicated lumbar support and my favorite, full-mesh office chairs with plenty of airflow, there are plenty of options to choose from.

Back when I first set up my home office, I wanted it to look as professional as possible. This meant a clean setup with few distractions. That’s why I opted for one of the best standing desks and a nice ergonomic chair with a mesh backrest to go with it. Over the years, I’ve built countless desk setups while trying out dozens of different desks and chairs.

Still, I had yet to try a ‘true’ gaming chair, even if I did test out a few hybrid ones like the Herman Miller Vantum. That all changed recently when I reviewed the new Razer Iskur V2 NewGen gaming chair. Although I’ve always considered myself an office chair purist, Razer’s latest finally won me over. Well, mostly.

A gaming chair with an ergonomic twist

The Iskur V2 NewGen sits right at the top of Razer’s lineup as its flagship gaming chair, and for good reason. Alongside an upgraded EPU leather finish, this is the company’s most adjustable chair to date — and that’s exactly what drew me to it in the first place.

Compared to office chairs, gaming chairs often get a bad rap when it comes to their adjustability and fit. While many office chairs are engineered to conform to your spine’s natural curve and dynamically move with you as you shift throughout the day, a lot of gaming chairs feel rigid and stiff by comparison.

Although the original Iskur from 2020 suffered from these design flaws, Razer has since taken massive steps to completely overhaul its design and comfort. This started by completely reimagining the backrest and the adaptive lumbar support mechanism housed within it.

Instead of being static, the Iskur V2 NewGen’s lumbar support system now actively swivels and moves with you, while still allowing you to manually tweak it to your liking. A knob on the left side of the chair lets you move the mechanism up and down to align perfectly with the small of your back, while the knob on the right side allows you to control how far it extends out.

Not only is this a first for a gaming chair, it’s a feature you typically only find on premium office chairs — and even then, it’s not one I see all that often. What’s great about this updated system is that you can dial the lumbar support forward to keep your spine supported if you're leaning in close to your desk to focus. Then, when you want to sit back in a more relaxed position, you just turn the knob on the right to retract it so you can sit straight with plenty of lower back support.

Dead simple adjustments (and recline)

One thing I’ve noticed with some of the higher-end office chairs I’ve reviewed is that their manufacturers often make them overly complicated — especially when it comes to their adjustments. The Iskur V2 NewGen, on the other hand, keeps things simple with a hand-brake style lever to adjust the chair’s recline and a series of buttons for its armrests.

These 4D armrests can be moved up/down, forward/backward, closer/further away from you and angled inward or outward. There’s nothing worse than having your chair’s armrests move on their own after you’ve painstakingly adjusted them to your liking, which is why I really like how the buttons on either side keep these ones from moving.

You don’t get a built-in footrest like with the Hinomi X1 or the Hbada X7 I reviewed, nor is there a separate one like on the LiberNovo Omni, but I still really enjoyed leaning back in the Iskur V2 NewGen. With the lever in hand, you just lean back as far as you want and when you let it go, the chair’s backrest stays locked in place. When it’s time to get up, you just grab the lever again and sit up.

With a max recline of 152 degrees, the Iskur V2 NewGen is great for kicking back, but it’s not really the kind of chair you’d want to take a nap in, especially without a built-in footrest.

Super supportive but not quite mesh cool

Now don’t get me wrong, I found the Iskur V2 NewGen’s backrest to be incredibly supportive — which makes sense given it’s a lot thicker than the backrests on the office chairs I routinely test. And while the cooling tech embedded in its EPU leather did help somewhat, it just couldn’t beat the airflow you get with a mesh office chair.

While a mesh backrest may be good enough for some people, I actually prefer an all-mesh chair that has a mesh seat too like the high-back version of the Steelcase Karman pictured above. Since I live in Houston, Texas where it gets both hot and humid, I need as much airflow as possible year-round.

If you still prefer a gaming chair with a racing-style seat, there are things you can do to mitigate the extra heat that comes with a faux-leather finish. For instance, while testing the Iskur V2 NewGen, I had a tower fan pointed at me at all times. However, when I moved it into a smaller room with an overhead fan, that really did the trick.

Now after two months, would I daily drive a gaming chair? I still don’t think I would, given I live in a hotter climate. However, when the sun goes down and it finally gets cooler, kicking back in the Iskur V2 NewGen to play some games has been an absolute delight. It might not be the ideal work-from-home chair — at least for me — but it is an excellent chair to game in.

More from Tom's Guide

• I made one of the best gaming chairs even better by turning it into a recliner — here’s how
• I tested The Folding Gaming Chair and now I may never go back to the couch
• I just sat on my dream gaming chair, and now I’m fighting the urge to take a nap to tell you about the Cougar Arker

Now that summer has arrived, the scorching temperatures often take their toll on our previously lush and green grass. It’s disheartening to see unappealing yellow patches or spots on your lawn, particularly when you have gone the extra mile to seed bare spots.

In addition, you’re probably wondering why grass grows at a faster rate in some bare spots and not in others. Luckily, I’ve called on the lawn care experts to reveal why my grass is still patchy after seeding and to share tips on how to fix it.

What causes lawn to be patchy after seeding?

Essentially, overseeding is when you spread a thin layer of grass seed that matches your existing lawn type and climate zone. Experts usually suggest this method to fix bare spots, naked turf, or overrunning weeds, which are clear signs of density issues.

But why does your grass still look a little patchy even after you’ve seeded? According to experts, there could be several reasons for this — from birds swiping seeds off the ground to the breeze blowing some away.

“It’s quite common for the first go at seeding to come up slightly patchy,” adds Chrissie Handley, lawn care specialist at Online Turf. “You tend to lose some seed either from the birds picking some off the ground, or through wind blowing it away, or heavy rain can also wash some away, giving you a sparse regrowth.”

Although it’s advisable to sprinkle the seeds by hand to tackle those smaller areas, you may be spreading it too thin in certain areas — leading to patchy turf after seeding.

“Sometimes, the area can appear sparse and patchy if you’ve seeded by hand, as sometimes there will be a higher concentration of seed in certain areas, depending on the way it fell when sown,” adds Handley.

“You can simply top up these areas with additional seed once you begin to notice the sparse areas. If you do this when the seed is just beginning to germinate, you’ll have a better chance of it blending together quickly.”

How do I fix my patchy lawn?

So what can I do to fix unsightly patches? Experts advise the best solution is to reseed the affected areas, using lawn repair products or a good fertilizer.

“Proper fertilization also encourages dense turf, effectively crowding out weeds and minimizing bare patches, reducing soil erosion and promoting overall lawn stability,” states Allison Koenig, lawn and garden expert at Tractor Supply.

“Good fertilizing practice can help ensure you grow greener, healthier grass with a strong root system to combat heat, cold, drought, mowing, and foot traffic.”

For top tips, check out how often should you fertilize your lawn and when to do it.

Of course, prevention is key, and there are top tips you can do before seeding to ensure you get lush, revived grass for the summer. These include things sowing at the right time of day or adding a layer of topsoil afterwards.

“There are ways to try and counteract this with the way that you sow – always factor in extra, it’s always better to overseed to over-prepare for any that may be lost, as well as covering the seeded area,” Handley suggests.

“Add in a thin layer of topsoil afterwards. This can help stop the birds from picking it off, and also helps the seed make good contact with the ground, improving your germination rate.

“Make sure it’s a light covering of topsoil so that you’re not smothering them, and try to sow on a mild day where temperatures are forecast to be consistent for a while for a better yield. You should also keep the area consistently moist but don’t overwater — if you’re getting a lot of rain, hold off on watering.”

Typically, you should ensure your lawn gets the recommended one to two inches of water each week, but during hot, dry spells, you may need to double the duration. Additionally, watering deeply every three to four days rather than daily helps promote stronger, more drought-resistant roots.

For more top tips, check out how to tell if your lawn needs overseeding, especially if you want to maintain healthy grass all year round. Or if you just want a lush lawn, try these 11 secrets to a lawn that’s greener than your neighbor's.

Lawncare essentials we love

More from Tom's Guide

• 7 common lawn care mistakes you’re probably making right now
• 9 ways to get the most out of your lawn mower
• 5 plants that will keep wasps out of your yard

We're now into July, which means we've done six full months of testing here at Tom's Guide in 2026. From coffee machines, through to vacuums, gaming handhelds, laptops and phones — not only is it our job to put tech through its paces, it's what our journalists, editors and contributors love to do.

I'm Pete, Senior Reviews Editor here at Tom's Guide, and I head up our reviews coverage on site. My team of dedicated reviews writers alone have lab tested and reviewed hundreds of products already this year, with the wider Tom's Guide editorial team having testing dozens more. If you've not had your finger precisely on the pulse of the latest tech this year, well, I don't blame you — it's hard to keep tabs on everything. That's why we exist.

To help, I've gathered the Tom's Guide team's favorite products from 2026 so far. Obviously, I can't fit everything into a single article, so I asked our subject experts across the site to give me their top picks, too. I've also curated the top five highest scorers, which stand above the rest. Every product on here has been tested by us, hands-on, as part of a full, extensive review.

Read on to see the tech Tom's Guide loved in the first half of 2026.

Tom's Guide's Top 5

Every product on this list has scored at least four stars, earning our TG Recommended or Editor's Choice badges. But there are five products on this list that scored our full five stars after testing. These are the best of the best so far this year. To save you some time, here are the links to our reviews.

• DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review ★★★★★
• 007 First Light review ★★★★★
• KitchenAid Artisan Plus review ★★★★★
• Gozney Dome XL Gen 2 review ★★★★★
• Samsung S95H OLED review ★★★★★

Keep reading to see the rest of our top tested picks for 2026.

AI

Rokid Glasses

After 5,000 miles in the Rokids, we were seriously impressed
Score: ★★★★☆

The best smart glasses without a display are cool and all, but their features are usually rather limited to just asking questions about what you see. The Rokid Glasses proved to me that adding a screen turns that superpower into an ambient computing platform — offering features only when you need them and disappearing into the background in some stylish specs.

With that display, you get real-time conversation translation with text subtitles so you’re not having to try to listen to your smart glasses talk over the person in front of you. And the multi-modality unlocked by asking a question and just getting answers you can see makes them much more subtle. Not to say they’re perfect — the camera quality for snapping pictures suffers in low light and some features are very China-specific (like Alipay). But arm these with Google Gemini in setup, and they’re a genuinely helpful companion on your face for a decent price.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read Jason's full Rokid Glasses review

Cameras & drones

GoPro Mission 1 Pro

GoPro's return to form in the action camera game
Score: ★★★★½

After years essentially re-releasing the same Hero cameras with minor tweaks, GoPro has finally pushed itself. The Mission 1 Pro is pricey, but it’s the first GoPro I’ve been excited about in a while. It seriously impressed me with its powerful and versatile video credentials in testing, namely open gate 8K and a wealth of shooting features that make it ideal for its target market: professionals. Thanks to revised processor architecture and a shiny new battery, I managed to extract unparalleled battery life and thermals versus other action cameras in my standardized battery tests. GoPro is back!

Pete Wolinski, Senior Reviews & Cameras Editor
Read Pete’s full GoPro Mission 1 Pro review

DJI Osmo Pocket 4

The best all-around tool for content creation
Score: ★★★★★

I awarded the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 our full five stars in my review, and that’s because I literally couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Aside from the fact that it’s not available in America (yet?) due to tariffs and DJI’s ongoing feud with the U.S. government. The Osmo Pocket 4 improved on its predecessor in every single way that mattered: video, stabilization, storage, thermals, battery life, and more. If you’re after a single tool for professional-looking content creation, I really can’t think of anything better to recommend.

Pete Wolinski, Senior Reviews & Cameras Editor
Read Pete’s full DJI Osmo Pocket 4 review

DJI Avata 360

Although a little late to the 360 party, DJI absolutely smashed it
Score: ★★★★½

The DJI Avata 360 does exactly what you want a drone to do: make flying fun. It stakes its claim as the best 360° drone around (granted, there are only two at the time of writing, but still!) and its twin lenses capture every single angle in 8K at 60fps. 120MP hi-res stills, user-friendly editing software, and exceptional build quality make it the drone to buy today. It also undercuts its main competitor, the Antigravity A1, and with dual ways to fly (FPV and with a standard controller), the Avata 360 is versatile and oh-so-powerful. Every day I still think about it — and as someone who’s tested many, many quadcopters, that’s saying a lot.

Nikita Achanta, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Nikita’s full DJI Avata 360 review

Computing & gaming

MacBook Neo

Our favorite budget laptop, literally ever
Score: ★★★★½

Value for money in laptops has become a bit of a running joke this year (thanks, RAMageddon). But of all the companies building notebooks, I didn’t anticipate it would be Apple to deliver the goods and give you an honest-to-god well-priced system. Yes, there’s been a $100 increase recently, but even with that, the premium aluminum build quality, great display, tactile keyboard and zippy performance of that A18 Pro makes for a great system for the day-to-day essentials.

I must admit, to see Apple actually having fun with colors in its MacBooks is a refreshing change from the blacks and silvers of its more expensive lineage. All of this comes together into a laptop that has terrified the budget Windows laptop market, and the best ultra portable we’ve tested this year.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read our full MacBook Neo review

Asus Zenbook Duo (2026)

Dual OLED panels = chef's kiss
Score: ★★★★½

Yes, this is a dual-screen OLED beauty of a premium laptop; Asus has really paid attention to the design and ergonomics of a system like this. But the real superpower is what lies inside that shell. Intel Core Ultra Series 3 (codenamed Panther Lake) has been a truly generational moment for Team Blue in its Windows laptops, and it comes down to huge updates to both the performance and power efficiency.

Those new CPU cores and efficiency architecture they’re built onto gives this a gargantuan battery life that would make a MacBook blush, while the superpowered GPU (alongside XeSS 3) gives this some serious gaming laptop chops too. Usually, you had to be considerate of just what you wanted to do with your Windows laptop and decide on the strengths and compromises around that. With anything that sports an X9 chip like this, though, that’s no longer a compromise you have to make.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read Jason's full Asus Zenbook Duo (2026) review

MSI Claw 8 EX AI+

A true next-gen gaming handheld
Score: ★★★★☆

The MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ delivers the performance jump I’ve been waiting years for. With Intel’s new Arc G3 Extreme chip, games are pulling a 20 to 30+ FPS advantage over AMD Z2 Extreme handhelds. Battery life gets a big boost too. I could hit the same performance as the Z2 Extreme at half the power consumption. Combine that with its major redesign bringing more Xbox-like controls, better haptics, and its large 8-inch 16:10 display, and you’re getting, in my opinion, one of the best handheld gaming consoles of 2026.

Paul Antill, Video Producer
Read our full MSI Claw 8 EX AI+ review

007 First Light

Forget GoldenEye: this is the best Bond game ever
Score: ★★★★★

Gamers are being treated to a licensed games renaissance right now. The days of cheap cash-ins launched to coincide with a new blockbuster movie are over. But even in this golden era for video games based on popular media franchises, 007 First Light surpasses expectations.

Forget GoldenEye, First Light is the best James Bond game ever. With its ludicrously cinematic gameplay, compelling narrative that focuses on a younger Bond (played by Patrick Gibson), and deep commitment to authenticity, 007 First Light is easily the best thing to come out of this long-running spy series in 20 years, movies included. There’s a reason it was only the second video game I’ve given the full five stars. Whether you’re a longtime Bond fan or a newcomer, 007 First Light is quite simply unmissable.

Rory Mellon, Senior Entertainment Editor
Read Rory's full 007 First Light review

Epomaker Glyph

Nikita's dream keyboard
Score: ★★★★½

I’ve tested close to 100 keyboards in my time as a reviews writer, and it isn’t often that I get to proclaim, “I’ve found my dream keyboard.” Ever since I tested the Epomaker Glyph, it hasn’t left my desk, and it’s my daily driver when I’m at the office. Typewriter-like aesthetics, a return lever that acts as an Enter or Backspace key, beautiful RGB lighting, a creamy sound profile, and a typing experience that’s nothing short of stunning — all of these characteristics come together to deliver what’s probably the best mechanical keyboard I’ve used for typing. I’m a speed demon when I’m bashing out 109 words per minute of this thing.

Nikita Achanta, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Nikita’s full Epomaker Glyph review

(A note from Nikita's editor, Pete: "I can confirm, the Glyph genuinely hasn't left her desk!")

MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36

Pro performance for under $1,000
Score: ★★★★½

It’s no secret that MSI knows how to make a great gaming monitor, and its MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 is one of the most beautiful displays I’ve ever tested. Blistering 360Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time for buttery smooth gameplay? Check. Ridiculously accurate colors and wide color coverage? Yep. AI sleep and wake features that are actually useful and not just a gimmick? Oh yeah. And all of this is packed into a sleek design with plenty of ports. Not much to complain about here, really.

Nikita Achanta, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Nikita’s full MSI MPG 341CQR QD-OLED X36 review

Viture Beast AR glasses

Beast by name, beast by nature
Score: ★★★★½

I’ve traveled the world testing all of this year’s biggest AR glasses releases, and Viture Beast stands head and shoulders above the pack as the best I’ve used this year (so far). There’s three reasons why: picture quality, comfort and features. Viture’s color science and fidelity really shines in those micro-OLED displays with a massive 58-degree field of view. There’s a little edge fringing on the sides, but given the massive vision field, it’s unlikely you’ll notice it. And this is packed into a nice-feeling pair of glasses with a soft-touch coating that sits gently on your ears with optimal weight balance. Cap it all off with plenty of customization built in, plus the SpaceWalker app for multi-monitor home office setups, and the Beast are…well…pretty beastly for work and play.

Jason England, Managing Editor, Core Tech
Read Jason's full Viture Beast review

Fitness

Fitbit Air

The best Whoop alternative, and subscription-free
Score: ★★★★☆

The Fitbit Air is my fitness tracker of the year so far. Discreet and distraction-free (no screen), this is a fitness tracker that's easy to use, lightweight, and oh-so-comfortable. Just $99 and subscription-free for core features, it offers a week of battery life and covers all the holistic metrics you'd expect from a modern device, like heart health, sleep quality, daily movement, and workouts. For most people, this is the best screen-free fitness tracker you can buy, and the new Google Health companion app makes viewing all your health data a dream.

Jane McGuire, Managing Editor, Fitness
Read our full Fitbit Air review

Salomon XT-6

Hike, shop or relax in comfort and style
Score: ★★★★½

The Salomon XT-6 shoes have become a staple in my closet. Whether I’m heading to the store or hitting up a challenging trail on the weekend, I know I’ll be supported. I wore these hiking sneakers on a city break, where I clocked over 93,000 steps and didn’t have a single complaint. Not only that, the multidirectional lugs kept me stable on even the trickiest terrain, as I hiked in mud, over rocks, and through water.

On top of their technical ability, the XT-6s are a fashion statement, worn all over New York by fashion-forward celebs; these shoes have earned a coveted spot in my daily rotation — although you’ll find me cleaning the mud off them after each adventure.

Ashley Thieme, Staff Writer
Read Ashley’s full Salomon XT-6 review

Homes

Dyson V16 Piston Animal Cordless

A powerful cordless Dyson that's perfect for pet owners
Score: ★★★★☆

I’ve tested my fair share of Dyson vacuum cleaners in my time, but I must say that the V16 combines all of my favorite features in one cleaner. First, its upgraded ‘Fluffy Cones’ head is designed to be used on both carpets and hard flooring without the need to swap over attachments. This is a great time-saver, and lets me quickly zip around my home without pausing. Perhaps my favorite feature is the dust-detecting green light which reveals those hidden dustballs lurking underneath furniture and in corners. Plus, it’s lightweight and easy to store, which is why it’s now my go-to for daily maintenance, and why I awarded our Editor’s Choice badge.

Cynthia Lawrence, Homes Editor
Read Cynthia’s full Dyson V16 Piston Animal Cordless review

KitchenAid Artisan Plus

The latest version of KitchenAid's legendary mixer, and the best one yet
Score: ★★★★★

I got to test KitchenAid’s newest stand mixer, the Artisan Plus, and it’s even better than I imagined. I’d been happily using KitchenAid’s Artisan stand mixer as my go-to appliance for a good few years, and I really didn’t see how it could be improved, but it has. It may only seem like a few tweaks, but they have made a big difference. From the sliding speed control that just glides, to the in-bowl light, which illuminates the mix — and let's not forget the double-edge flex beater that cleans the bowl as it sweeps past— I loved it so much during testing that I gave it a 5-star rating.

Camilla Sharman, Staff Writer
Read Camilla’s full KitchenAid Artisan Plus review

Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2)

The undisputed king of pizza ovens
Score: ★★★★★

If you’re a dedicated — and I mean dedicated — at-home pizza maker, the Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2) is the closest you’ll come to actually building a pizza oven from scratch. It can run on either gas, wood, or charcoal, has dual temperature probes, and is big enough to fit a 16-inch pie with room to spare. I loved its easy-to-ready displays, and the design of the oven is just gorgeous, too. Yes, it’s huge and it’s expensive (I’ve made equally good pizzas in much cheaper ovens), but this is the oven that’ll signal you’re the real pizzaiolo in your neighborhood.

Mike Prospero, U.S. Editor-in-chief
Read Mike’s full Gozney Dome XL (Gen 2) review

Fellow Espresso Series 1

Beginners or pros, coffee snobs or otherwise — this one is for everyone
Score: ★★★★½

When Fellow designed the Espresso Series 1, it looked at the other espresso machines out there and thought, “I’m going to do something different.” And different the Espresso Series 1 is. When I tested this machine, I loved that it provided coffee-snob-approved features while still being usable for complete beginners. On top of having a litany of customization options on the machine itself, I loved having the app, which walked me through how to make every type of coffee ever invented. You may think this is too ambitious, but for me, the Espresso Series 1 hits all its marks and comes out victorious.

Erin Bashford, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Erin’s full Fellow Espresso Series 1 review

Phones

Apple iPhone 17

A surprisingly solid update over the previous generation
Score: ★★★★½

Apple launched more new phones than in any previous year, but the iPhone 17 remains my favorite for several reasons. One thing that makes it stand out is that it finally got a long-overdue upgrade to a 120Hz refresh rate, making its screen look even more fluid than before in testing. On top of that, I really love how it didn’t get a price hike and still managed to get double the starting storage.

John Velasco, Senior Phones Editor
Read John's full iPhone 17 review

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra

The phone that'll get better over time
Score: ★★★★½

When it comes to Android phones, nothing caught my eye more than the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Samsung’s flagship received all the iterative updates it deserved, but one particular new feature stood out most: the Privacy Display. It works like magic, making the screen look dark when someone tries to peek at it from the side. You can even customize it to block out specific parts of the display — like when you’re messaging someone. This exclusive feature is what sets it apart from everything else.

John Velasco, Senior Phones Editor
Read our full Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra review

Sleep

Saatva Zenhaven Mattress

What you should be sleeping on in 2026
Score: ★★★★½

The Saatva Zenhaven latex mattress blew our socks off during testing, thanks to its naturally cooling and supportive sleep feel for eco-conscious shoppers. Handcrafted in the US from (mostly) organic materials, the Zenhaven boasts a flippable design with a different tension on each side: Luxury Plush and Gentle Firm. We appreciated how one side boasted more cushioning for side sleepers, while the unyielding feel of the firmer side best-suited back and stomach sleepers. At $3,549 at full MSRP it’s a splurge, but cheaper during Saatva mattress sales. However, it’s worth noting that latex mattresses can last up to 20 years, so we think it’s worth the investment.

Nicola Appleton, Sleep Editor
Read our full Saatva Zenhaven Mattress review

Fitnexa SomniPods 3

If you struggle sleeping, these earbuds are for you
Score: ★★★★☆

The Fitnexa SomniPods 3 are compact sleep earbuds that helped me sleep better in even the most disruptive environments (like my neighbor's son playing basketball at unsociable hours). Fitted with built-in white noise, excellent active noise cancelation, plus sleep tracking features, they’re an easy recommendation for any troubled sleepers. But the real stand-out feature for me is the Fitnexa app. Here, your own AI coach waits for you, ready to provide personalized advice based on your sleep tracking data, activity logs and food diaries. The info isn’t quite on par with a qualified sleep professional but thanks to the wealth of data to draw from, it was pretty spot on in testing, helping take the SomniPods from sleep earbud to all-round sleep enhancer.

Ruth Jones, Senior Sleep Writer
Read Ruth's full Fitnexa SomniPods 3 review

Smart home & security

Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+

A fantastic way to improve security on a budget
Score: ★★★★☆

Blink has long been one of our favorite budget smart home brands, and its newest battery-powered video doorbell furthers its reputation as a value leader. The Battery Doorbell 2K+ delivered very good 2K video in our testing — not the tops, but for a sub-$100 device it was more than acceptable. And, while it runs on AA batteries, they’ll last up to two years on a charge. You can also use this video doorbell without a subscription (you’ll need to purchase a separate adapter), but Blink’s subscription price is relatively affordable.

Mike Prospero, U.S. Editor-in-chief
Read our full Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ review

TV & Audio

Samsung S95H OLED

Supreme picture quality, even in bright rooms
Score: ★★★★★

I’ve tested countless TVs, but the Samsung S95H is the first unit in several years that truly surpassed all my expectations. It completely shatters the familiar rules of OLED, obliterating ambient glare and delivering an unprecedented, jaw-dropping brightness in the self-emissive category. Even the floating metal bezel (a design choice I fully assumed I'd hate) adds a striking, premium presence I grew to love. Between its breathtaking performance and how seamlessly it transitions into a decor piece via Samsung Art Store support, this is a flagship that stands as a definitive standard-bearer.

Kate Kozuch, Managing Editor
Read Kate's full Samsung S95H OLED review

AirPods Max 2

Everything is dialed up to 11
Score: ★★★★½

It’s impossible to be a tech lover and not have strong opinions about Apple’s new AirPods Max 2. Some people love them, some people hate them, but I’m firmly in the first camp. The AirPods Max 2 are headphones that know what they’re about, and they’re not apologizing for it. With gorgeous anodized aluminum ear cups and an all-metal headband, they’re not the lightest cans in the world, but the sound more than makes up for it.

Every detail is clear, mids are melodic and vivacious, and the bass is balanced, rich, and warm. Of course, you’ve also got industry-leading smart tech features like Live Translation and integrated Siri, but Apple users looking for the best headphones need look no further than Apple’s own.

Erin Bashford, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Erin’s full Apple AirPods Max 2 review

Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO

Open earbuds that make no sacrifices
Score: ★★★★½

The Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO have completely changed the way I think about open-earbuds (and I’ve tested a lot). Up until testing the ZEROs, I’d accepted that if I wanted ambient awareness, comfort and stability while working out, I’d need to sacrifice sound quality — but they prove that’s not the case. They provided me with the detailed listening experience I love from Beyerdynamic’s other headphones, without compromising bass performance, delivering perfectly balanced sound. I wear them when I’m working, running, or hiking in the rain (thanks to IP54 durability). They’re the only open earbuds I’ve tested with no compromises.

Ashley Thieme, Staff Writer
Read Ashley’s full Beyerdynamic Amiron ZERO review

JBL Xtreme 5

The party speaker for summer 2026
Score: ★★★★½

The JBL Xtreme 5 came, it saw, and it conquered. JBL really understood the assignment with the surprise follow-up to 2024’s Xtreme 4. Everything about the Xtreme 5 oozes confidence: the deft, controlled bass that’ll have your floorboards shaking and your bones quaking; the literally unbeatable IP68 rating that protects it against rain, sand, and drops; the gorpcore, utilitarian design; and of course the rugged 24-hour battery life. This is the party speaker of 2026. I’ve tested hundreds of audio products and Bluetooth speakers, but the Xtreme 5 is a special one.

Erin Bashford, Senior Reviews Writer
Read Erin’s full JBL Xtreme 5 review

More from Tom's Guide

• See all Tom's Guide Reviews coverage
• Find deals fast with the Tom's Guide Savings Squad
• Check out all of our Best Picks pages

Basil is fussy about conditions. It comes from warm tropical environments where it thrives in heat, bright light, and consistent care. When basil starts turning yellow, it's essentially waving a flag. Something in its environment has shifted.

Once you understand what basil needs, diagnosing the problem becomes straightforward. In most cases, yellowing basil leaves signal one of three fixable issues. Here's how to identify which one and get your plant back to thriving.

1. Your basil is too wet

Overwatering causes about 80% of basil yellowing problems. Basil hates sitting in waterlogged soil. When soil stays damp, roots suffocate and can't absorb nutrients or oxygen. The plant essentially drowns from the inside.

Look at the lower leaves first. If they're turning soft and mushy yellow while the soil feels damp or smells stale, you're watering too much. The fix is immediate: stop watering completely. Let the top 1-2 inches of soil dry out entirely before you water again.

Also, make sure your pot has drainage holes. This is non-negotiable for basil.

Going forward, water when soil feels dry to the touch, not on a schedule. Basil would rather be slightly underwatered than oversaturated.

2. It's living in the shadows

Basil is a sun worshipper that needs 6-8 hours of direct sunlight daily to maintain its green color. Without it, the entire plant looks pale and yellowish. You'll also notice the stems getting long, thin, and stretchy as they reach desperately toward the nearest light source.

Move basil to your absolute sunniest window, preferably south-facing. If indoor light is genuinely limited, a cheap LED grow light makes an enormous difference. Even a few hours under a grow light daily revives pale, yellowing basil remarkably fast.

Outdoor placement works too, if weather allows. Exposure to full sun transforms basil plants within days.

3. The soil has nothing left to give

Basil grows aggressively and depletes potting soil nutrients within 4-6 weeks. Nitrogen deficiency is usually the culprit behind yellowing leaves. Unlike the mushy yellow from overwatering, nutrient-starved basil stays firm. The entire plant just looks pale and stunted.

Give it a drink of balanced, water-soluble fertilizer mixed at half strength — tomato or herb fertilizer works perfectly. One feeding usually restores color within a week or two. If you're using basil heavily for cooking, consider fertilizing every 2-3 weeks to keep nutrients available.

More from Tom's Guide

• Is your basil plant wilting? 5 causes and quick fixes to revive it
• Why are my tomato plant leaves turning yellow? 5 steps to save your harvest
• The timeless gardening wisdom your grandparents swore by — and why it still works today

This summer has been hot, with record-breaking temperatures all across the globe. Europe was baking with 100-plus-degree heat, while back here in the U.S., we weren't doing much better. At least we have air conditioning!

Unless we're suddenly plunged into another ice age, summers are only going to get hotter — and our bills will continue to rise — so we need to find better, and more efficient ways of keeping our homes cool without emptying our 401(k)s.

Over the past few years, I've tested a number of smart air conditioners, smart thermostats, and fans, so I've found a few things that really help to keeping myself, my family, and my house at a comfortable temperature.

In the house

Keeping cool for the summer

My house doesn't have central air, so we rely on window air conditioners to keep things cool during the summer. It offers me an excellent opportunity to test the best smart air conditioners; I've been using the LG Dual Inverter window air conditioner for about seven years now, and it's shown no signs of stopping.

Even though I don't have central air, I do have an Ecobee Premium smart thermostat, which controls the heat in the winter. However, during the summer months, I can still put it — and its remote sensors — to use, by creating a smart home routine to activate my window air conditioners if things get too hot.

For example, my attic doubles as my office, so there's a lot of electronics up there. If I'm not around, I want to make sure things don't overheat, but I don't want to use a ton of energy cooling it to what I would consider comfortable. So, I created a smart home routine that will cool my attic to around 85 degrees F, but only if no one is up there.

Of course, you can use lots of different devices to act as remote temperature sensors, such as the Amazon Echo Dot. My colleague, Anthony Spadafora, has even used one to monitor the temperature in his garage to keep it cool.

You can also use a less expensive sensor, like the $9 IKEA Timmerflotte. The latter is even Matter-compatible, and while others have had difficulty in connecting IKEA's new smart home devices, I was able to add them pretty easily to my Apple Home setup. I tried all of IKEA's smart home devices, and two really stood out to me.

Wife check

The biggest issue with the LG air conditioner? It's super-heavy (around 90 pounds), so I need my wife's help to put it in the window, and then take it out in the fall. To ease her (and my) burden), I decided to test the Dreo 740S portable air conditioner — the first portable model I've tested.

I've had it installed since early June, and it's seen us through a couple of heat waves, where the outside temperature was in the upper 90s. But while I've been pleased with its performance (and the fact that I can simply wheel it around), my wife pointed out that its hoses not only take up a ton of space, but they don't really look great, either.

Yes, it's far easier to install, and it's one of the most efficient portable air conditioners, but aesthetics do matter. It's not something I might have noticed on my own, which is why it's been great to have a second opinion.

Making your yard work

What about staying cool outdoors? Last summer, I put two smart coolers to the test, and the Anker Solix Everfrost 2.0 came out on top for its rollable design and much longer battery life.

I'm still using it this summer; I recently hosted an outdoor watch party for a World Cup soccer match, and filled the cooler with beer and other beverages for my neighbors. Just make sure not to leave it out in the rain; I did that once, and messed up one of the charging ports. Fortunately, the rest of the cooler was unaffected, but I do wish it was a little more weather resistant, given its price.

Kid-tested

My kid doesn't always like her air conditioner on — she says it makes too much noise — but what she does like is a small portable fan right by her bed. She's been using the Switchbot Circulator fan, which is surprisingly silent, even at its maximum speed. The fan can oscillate and tilt, be set on a timer, and even has a nightlight.

The fan can be plugged in or run on battery power depending on the model that you get, and can be controlled either by pressing buttons on the fan's base, using the remote, or via Switchbot's app (she's already lost the remote).

And, because it's a connected device, I can also use it in smart home routines to turn on automatically if the temperature in a room gets too hot. Just note that to use the smart features, you also have to buy a Switchbot hub, which will run you an extra $50.

Pet corner

Keeping the pets cool

As the owners of 2.75 pets — two cats and a dog with a missing leg — we like to find ways to keep them happy and healthy, while making less work for us.

I've been using the Petsafe Drinkwell water fountain now for six years, and it's mostly held up. Both the cats and the dogs have been using it with no complaints, though I have had to make some modifications to it over the years.

Inside the fountain, there's a pump at the bottom which connects to a filter, and then to a pipe which pumps the water up to the top of the fountain. After a few years, the connection between the filter and the pipe loosened a bit, which meant that water did not flow upwards as easily.

As a result, the water did not flow out the top of the fountain with as much force, so the waterfall was more like a dribble, and when it landed below, it didn't hit the diffuser. Instead, it hit the water in the basin, which makes a ton of noise — it's like when your kid leaves the faucet running.

I tried a few things to fix this. First, I hot-glued the connection between the pipe and the filter, but that only worked temporarily. I ultimately just cut a piece of a plastic milk carton and taped it to the top of the fountain, so that the water would hit the right spot. It's not pretty, but it works.

Petsafe no longer makes the fountain I tested, but the Petsafe Oasys looks to be the closest successor. It comes in multiple sizes; the 2-gallon model works for both cats and dogs.

Have your say

Do you have any questions about what devices you should get, or how to best use them in your home? Are there any topics you'd like to see me cover? Let me know by dropping me a line.

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Cleaning my oven is one of those jobs I always put off. It just seem so laborious that I end up delaying cleaning it at all, which only makes it so much worse. I've found myself staring at oven cleaning products, unsure which one to choose and worrying about how toxic they are or how much elbow grease I'll need to put in to actually achieve results I'm pleased with. Unsurprisingly with all this overthinking, I end up giving up before I've even started.

But, then I saw a TikTok hack that suggested I would only need to use two items which I already happen to own (and it's likely you do too). With just a bottle of Cif and some cling wrap to hand, it seemed like a very affordable way to get my oven clean and the video I saw also made it look so simple. But... is it really that easy? Here's what happened when I tried it.

How does it work?

TikTok page, @cleanipedia_uk, posts expert cleaning hacks and tips by Unilever to its almost 70k followerss. But, it's this specific oven cleaning hack (featured above) that really caught my eye.

Using just Cif and some cling wrap, both of which are budget-friendly, it demonstrates that your oven can go from caked in built-up grease to completely clean (apparently). And all it takes is just five simple steps.

To follow this hack, you can:

• Apply Cif Cream to your oven door
• Cover with cling wrap and spread the cream underneath
• Wait for around an hour
• Remove the cling wrap and scrub with a non-abrasive sponge
• Wipe away everything with a damp microfibre cloth

While users in the comments were worried that the Cif would leave a smell, Cleanipedia replied: "Just make sure you wipe and rinse properly!" And some users suggested you should just be cleaning your oven whenever you use it.

For me, as much as I want to be a person that remembers to clean their oven every time it gets used, I'll never remember to go back after it's cooled down. Inevitably, my oven just keeps getting dirtier. So, a hack like this seems like a good alternative.

Here's what happened when I tried it

Armed with my bottle of Cif, some cling wrap and a dream, I thought I'd give it a go. Now, I'm aware that my oven is a bit of a mess, hence needing a TikTok hack like this to hopefully save me. And following five steps seemed simple enough – and it was.

I applied my Cif Cream and covered it in cling wrap, which took about 1 minutes (2 when wrestling with the cling wrap tube) and I decided to leave it for an hour, as recommended.

After an hour, I went back to my oven and I was a little concerned that it didn't look like the Cif was infiltrating the grease the way the video had shown. As Cleanipedia suggests though, the longer you leave it the better, so I left it for another hour before returning to give it a scrub.

I'll start by saying I was surprised about how much elbow grease was still needed to clean off the grease, but I was ultimately still impressed that it took away a lot of the grease from the main part of the door.

As you can see from the picture above though, it didn't tackle the caked-on grease nearly as well as I'd hoped. But, I'm not done trying this method. I'll leave it on for much longer next time and I'll make sure my sponge is a little more ready to scour.

It's definitely something I'll be trying again and I loved how easy it was. I also felt more comfortable leaving the Cif on the oven door for a length of time when I knew it was covered up. It was easy to forget about and if I'd forgotten about it for longer, maybe I would've gotten better results.

More from Tom's Guide

• Skip the baking soda and vinegar — I used this non-toxic substance to clean through my oven's grime, and I'm speechless
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While their distinctive black-and-white coats are easily identifiable, skunks are rarely welcomed as backyard friends. Instead, they are often dismissed as garden pests.

Their reputation for being stinky creatures far outweighs their striking appearance, an annoyance only amplified by the mess they make digging up lawns in search of grubs.

How to tell if a skunk’s been in your backyard

Even if you don’t spot a skunk in broad daylight, they leave clear signs behind. Brandon Runyon, entomologist at Swat Pest Management, says, “You may see signs of digging, knocked-over trash cans, and even smell that a skunk’s been about.”

According to Angelika Zaber, lawn care specialist and gardening expert at Online Turf, skunks typically dig 3-4-inch holes in lawns as they scratch around for grubs. And she also warns that the animals’ unpleasant sulfur-like spray can penetrate clothing or furniture that’s left outside.

If you keep livestock in your backyard, keep an eye on your coops. Zaber adds that skunks will target poultry and eat their eggs — a crime you can detect by an eggshell opened at one end, with the edges crushed inward.

What do skunks eat?

Runyon explains that these black-and-white creatures are omnivores, obtaining energy and nutrients from both plant and animal matter. This leaves a whole host of opportunities for skunks in your backyard.

Apart from devouring fallen nuts and fruit in your yard, he says they’ll also knock over trash cans to find food and will wreak havoc on your lawn, digging up Japanese beetles, beetle grubs and earthworms.

What’s more, if you leave out cat and dog food for stray animals or your pets, you’re inviting skunks to tuck in.

Where do skunks shelter?

While the skunks are causing havoc in your yard, rooting for food, they may also be looking for a suitable den. “This could be under your deck, your shed, your porch, or any other place where they can burrow, such as thick brush, wood piles and leaf piles,” explains Runyon.

To deter them, Zaber recommends fixing any spaces that they can call home.

Skunk deterrents

There are natural repellents you can use at home to deter skunks, although Runyon says they’re not long-term fixes. Instead, both experts recommend the following measures.

1. Stop skunks from entering
Place a big defender around your fence line to keep skunks from digging into your yard.

2. Cover up your trash
Keep the lids on your trash cans and secure them with locks if practical. If your trash can is knocked over, the contents won’t spill out if the lid is securely in place.

3. Reduce potential den sites
Tidy up your backyard and remove any wood piles and leaf litter where skunks can make a den. Then, secure any other potential hideouts by closing up gaps beneath sheds and houses.

4. Protect your lawn
Newly laid lawns are particularly attractive to skunks, as they are often well-watered and have plenty of grubs. To reduce both skunk and grub activity, apply a grub treatment and water your lawn correctly.

5. Keep pet food inside
Avoid leaving pet food outside for any length of time, and if you can feed your animals inside your house.

Friend or foe?

While you might prefer to banish skunks from your yard, Back to the Wild, a wildlife sanctuary in Ohio, recognizes what skunks have to offer.

In an Instagram post, the sanctuary shares, “These nocturnal neighbors help control insect and rodent populations, and they actually help protect lawns, gardens and native plant life.

"They’re shy, peaceful animals that would much rather avoid you than confront you. So if you spot a skunk wandering through your yard, don’t panic! You may have a tiny pest-control specialist working the night shift.”

Lawncare essentials we love

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If you're planning to move into a dorm this semester, you might already have an idea or two of what you want to furnish or decorate your dorm with. Sometimes your college will give you a basic list to start you off, other times you get personal recommendations from family and friends who've lived the dorm life before, and sometimes you might head to the internet to find even more ideas — all in the name of creating the best dorm you possibly can.

I'm not going to dive into the best dorm essentials or ways to make your dorm room more relaxing or entertaining. Instead, I'll show you how easy it is to transform the boring, practical things you have to buy into fun, whimsical things you want. Opt for printed sheets, a green gooseneck electric kettle that looks like a statement piece, and a reed diffuser that'll keep your dorm smelling wonderful without the fire risk of candles, which are usually banned in dorms.

Basically, any time you're shopping on Amazon for something for your dorm room, take a second to ask yourself, "Is there a cuter version of this?" More often than not, there is. Scroll on to see which 12 practical dorm buys I found fun versions of.

We're deep into BBQ season — and if your current outdoor cooking setup is in need of an upgrade, now's the time to grab a new grill, griddle or smoker.

Luckily, retailers like Home Depot, Amazon, Walmart and Lowe's are currently rolling out summer sales with everything you need to get grilling. Popular brands like Weber, Traeger, Charbroil, Ninja and more are knocking up to 43% off best-selling models at Amazon as we speak.

If you're ready to throw some hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill and enjoy a backyard barbecue, you've come to the right place. Keep scrolling to check out my favorite outdoor cooking deals.

Quick Links

• Amazon grill sale: deals from $39 @ Amazon
• Home Depot grill sale: deals from $99 @ Home Depot
• Lowe's grill sale: up to 25% off @ Lowe's
• Walmart grill sale: deals under $50 @ Walmart
• Weber Spatula: was $21 now $18 @ Home Depot
• Weber Jumbo Joe Grill: was $99 now $89 @ Amazon
• Coleman Roadtrip 225: was $364 now $209 @ Amazon
• Ninja Woodfire Pizza Oven: was $399 now $299 @ Amazon
• Weber Spirit II E-210 Propane Grill: was $549 now $399 @ Amazon
• Kamado Joe Classic Joe Series II: was $1,499 now $1,200 @ Amazon

Editor's Choice Sales

Best Outdoor Cooking Deals