Let’s be honest: Most earbuds priced under $50 are junk. They’re uncomfortable, cheaply constructed, and terrible sounding. But the 1More Piston Fit BT defied our assumptions about how good an inexpensive pair of Bluetooth earbuds could sound. Plus, the earbuds are comfortable and solidly built, and they coil up for easy storage. Buy them—and don’t tell 1More that it could be charging more.
There is a little ritual I do before every run. After the required prelude of lacing sneakers, applying Body Glide, and patting pockets to confirm the custody of keys, I put in my earbuds, close my eyes, take a deep breath, and press play. In that moment, I shrug off the worries and responsibilities of the day. For the time being, there is only me, the music, and the movement. The act of propelling your body forward through space can have significant benefits to your physical and mental health, but the hardest part is taking that first step.
Few things will kill your workout vibe faster than a pair of ill-fitting, hard-to-use headphones. The Jabra Elite Active 75t wireless earbuds are the best headphones for working out at the gym because they fit comfortably and will stay secure and out of your way even during rigorous workouts. The controls are easy to use, and the earbuds are resistant to sweat and water. Plus, they sound great for both music and phone calls.
Mounting a TV on a wall not only looks nice but also frees up space and prevents your TV from tipping over. If you just need a simple, non-swiveling mount to securely hold your TV in place, we recommend the Sanus VMPL50A-B1 tilting mount for its solid steel construction, easy tilting mechanism, post-install leveling, and ample supply of included hardware. If you’re seeking more mobility to position your TV toward a specific seat or even point it into another room, we like the Sanus VLF728-B2 full-motion mount.
There are messes and then there are messes. For the latter, your best bet is to break out a wet dry vac. These heavy-duty vacuums suck up water, sawdust, nails, and screws with equal vigor. We’ve been using them for years, and our favorite is the Ridgid 12-Gal. NXT Wet Dry Vac HD1200.
If you’re looking to play games with unparalleled graphical fidelity on a huge 4K TV screen in the comfort of your own home, then Microsoft and Sony have powerful, expensive video game consoles to do that. But if you’re looking for a game system with a big library of party games, indie titles, and outstanding exclusives that is also portable, you can’t beat the Nintendo Switch.
If you’re coveting the sleek look of a blowout from the comfort of your bathroom, you may have the Dyson Airwrap on your wish list. The luxury tool certainly looks intriguingly futuristic, with a slim silver handle and a bevy of cute, pink-accented attachments that Dyson says can dry, smooth, and curl hair. But considering the whopping $550 price tag, and the added challenge of even trying to find one in stock (which is quite difficult), we think most people would be happier with an excellent hair dryer like the one we recommend from Rusk. The Rusk W8less is on sale this weekend for $58, so you can get your hair just as dry—and keep nearly $500 in your pocket.
Rusk W8less Hair Dryer (with code HOLIDAYREADY)
Deal price: $58; street price: $80
Read our review of the best hair dryer.
I’ve owned the same W8less dryer for more than six years, and it’s just as powerful and versatile as the day I bought it. In fact, I used it twice this weekend: once to dry and style my hair for Thanksgiving dinner, and again to defrost the malfunctioning ice-maker filter in my freezer. Try doing that with an Airwrap.
The W8less is so light—under 2 pounds—that my arm doesn’t turn to jelly before I’ve finished my styling, unlike other hair dryers I’ve owned that required me to follow a training regime to have enough strength to get through a blowout. When I want a smooth style, I roughly dry my entire head until it’s slightly damp, which cuts way down on overall dry time, and then I use the included nozzle and a paddle brush to finish my blowout in sections. The Airwrap’s dryer attachment can also rough dry, except it doesn't include a nozzle so its airflow is less concentrated and leaves the hair more tangled. Then you need to stop and swap to the brush attachment before tackling the final, smoothing step.
Dyson tries to justify the Airwrap’s price by touting its ability to dry and curl hair at the same time. Guess what? I can do that with my Rusk dryer, too: I wrap each section of my damp hair around a $6 round brush while I dry it. Dyson offers different barrels for “clockwise” and “anti-clockwise” curls. I just turn my brush around to achieve the same curl variety with less fuss.
I have fine hair, and I worry about damage, so I use my Rusk on its lowest heat setting, and it still delivers excellent results. Dyson says the Airwrap doesn’t use “extreme heat,” which is smart for anyone looking to keep their hair healthy, but I think that taking two seconds to toggle the settings on my hair dryer is a no-brainer.
The Airwrap is certainly a good-looking and, I’ll admit, compelling piece of machinery. But it doesn’t do much that I can’t achieve with my trusty Rusk dryer with similar effort at a fraction of the price.
The first several hours of Black Friday are behind us. And while our writers and editors are still hard at work looking for the best deals, we’ve already gotten a clear sense of what readers are most interested in. Among the many Wirecutter-approved things that we think are worthy buys this Black Friday, a select few have risen to the top. These are the 20 most popular deals so far.
If you have a new Lego set at the top of your shopping list this Black Friday or Cyber Monday, we’ve got good news: We’ve found some very intriguing Lego deals.
Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box
Deal price: $24; street price: $28
Read our review of the best Lego sets for kids.
If you need a variety of brick shapes and colors to help you complete your next Lego creation, stocking up on the Lego Classic Medium Creative Brick Box for just $24 isn’t a bad idea. The set includes 484 pieces that’ll help you take your next Lego creation to new levels.
Lego City Advent Calendar Building Kit
Deal price: $24; street price: $30
Read our review of our favorite Advent calendars.
The Lego City Advent Calendar Building Kit combines the anticipation of opening an Advent calendar with a memorable opportunity for quality time. With easy-to-follow instructions that make assembly a breeze, this set, each day of the month, delivers a piece, and all of them slowly come together into a holiday scene and play set. With the price back down to $24, this is a great opportunity to snag a gift that will serve as a festive activity for you and your little one to enjoy together.
Both of these sets are great for kids over the age of 3 or adult Lego lovers, and they’re an excellent way to spend quality time with your loved ones this holiday season.
If you’re looking for other specific sets, we’re seeing many Black Friday sales on Lego sets from retailers such as Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Lego.com.
It’s always good to give back, no matter the time of year—but it feels especially important during the holiday season. Giving can take many forms, from donating cash to volunteering your time to passing along new or gently used items to organizations that need them. Here at Wirecutter, we test a lot of products, and we donate many of the items after we test them. Our staffers also donate personally to many nonprofits that they love. This Giving Tuesday, we’re sharing with you some of our favorite charities that are doing truly amazing work.
Kohl’s Black Friday sale is offering steep discounts to casual shoppers and store cardholders alike across a few categories, including smart home tech and kitchen gear. Just keep in mind that Kohl's has a $75 free-shipping threshold, so you'll want to make sure you meet the minimum to avoid a shipping fee (or select store pick-up if your order is available locally). And this year, Kohl’s is unrolling self-returns—so folks can shop worry-free, knowing they’ll be able to skip the lines and make returns themselves. Here are the best deals we’ve spotted from Kohl’s so far.
Thanksgiving is a day spent cooking and surrounded by loved ones—not as one spent mopping and scrubbing. Getting dinner on the table already requires enough effort. Don’t set yourself up to expend even more energy on cleanup. We’ve gathered a list of the best cleaning tips to make your post-meal routine a little easier and less stressful.
Carrying a multi-tool opens up an entire world of problem solving and empowerment. It’s like keeping a flashlight in your pocket: If you don’t carry one, you can’t imagine ever using it, but once you have it, you use it seven times a day. We spent three weeks fixing fences and cutting hay bale twine in rural New Hampshire with 19 multi-tools, and the Leatherman Skeletool CX was the best tool for most jobs. Its minimal lineup of well-executed essentials and sleek, lightweight design is easier to use and carry because it’s unburdened by an abundance of rarely used tools. In fact, the Skeletool’s pliers, knife, screwdrivers, and bottle opener were all we ever needed to deal with minor fixes and get on with our day.
Many independent sellers are working hard to stay afloat post-pandemic. So supporting small businesses may be more essential than ever—whether you do so on Small Business Saturday or at any other time during the holiday shopping season. To help, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite picks that you can purchase directly from the companies making and selling them.
Apple offers a slew of great bands for the Apple Watch, but so do many other companies—often for much lower prices. We searched through hundreds of third-party Apple Watch bands and tried 30 for ourselves, with help from watch experts and our discerning staff. A watch band is a personal style choice, and there’s no single option that’s best for everybody, but we found picks across a variety of styles and prices that should suit most tastes.
My grandmother taught me never to waste food. She passed away early last spring, but whenever I feel her watching over me as I cook, I reach for my GIR silicone spatulas—indispensable tools for dodging Nainai’s “tsk tsk.” The Ultimate spatula helps me scrape the frosting bowl clean (and conveniently fits straight into my mouth). And the Mini spatula helps me get every last drop of ginger scallion sauce from the jar into my preschooler’s rice bowl. Both clean like a dream.
This is it—the end of Cyber Monday is nearly upon us. If you’re just starting to look for something, though, don’t sweat it. We’ve been searching high and low since Black Friday to find the best deals on the things that you’d actually want. And within that very selective group, our readers have whittled down the top deals even further by highlighting their own favorites. Here are the 20 most popular deals from Cyber Monday.
This Cyber Monday, great deals on Dyson products are harder than usual to come by, due to widespread, ongoing issues with the global supply chain. If you’ve been waiting all year for a solid discount on one of Dyson’s excellent (and pricey) cordless vacuums, you may need to be patient. On Black Friday, we found just one good deal, which is now expired, on a refurbished Dyson V11 Animal cordless stick vacuum. And today, we found a Dyson V10 Animal+ Cordless Stick Vacuum at Costco (full details below).
We’re mostly seeing some small sales on Dyson stick vacuums, though they’re more expensive than last year. If you have your heart set on one, you can net additional savings by taking advantage of Target’s extra 5% discount for RedCard holders, or any other credit card promos you might have available. Also keep an eye out for refurbished models, which can be a great way to get a discount on good-as-new products. Make sure any refurbs you buy are directly from the manufacturer and backed by a decent warranty and return policy. We’ll also post any deals we find on reliable refurbs to our Deals page.
If you’re not totally set on Dyson and just want a good vacuum, check out all the other great deals we’ve found on vacuums ranging from Roombas to handhelds.
Dyson V10 Animal+ Cordless Stick Vacuum
Deal price: $360; street price: $500
Read our review of the best cordless stick vacuum.
A cousin of our upgrade pick, the V10 Animal+ provides most of the power and cleaning features of the V11 but for a couple hundred dollars less. Although it’s almost as effective as the V11 on rugs and bare floors, it lacks the auto suction detection mode and the helpful LCD indicator of the more expensive model. Unless these feature omissions are dealbreakers for you, this is a great chance for Costco members to save on this cheaper option.
You wanna know what’s fun? Things that are methodically, rigorously tested and proven to be fun. We played the stuffing out of these toys, games, and kids crafts to confirm with absolute certainty that they are all fully capable of brightening those long, dark days spent cooped up at home with super-fun quality time you’ll soon cherish as holiday traditions. You can also find all of the best offers on our Deals page and in our roundup of the best Cyber Monday deals.
Everything, from milk to gas, is expensive these days. So it’s especially rewarding to find steep discounts on great gifts, housewares, and other necessities. We’ve combed through thousands of deals to find the absolute steepest price cuts—of 50% or more—on Wirecutter-approved picks, including an Instant Pot, smart speakers, and super-cozy flannel sheets.
So you’ve waited until after Thanksgiving to start buying holiday gifts. Don’t worry: It’s not quite the eleventh hour yet. In fact, right now is actually a great time to snag some deals on gifts we’ve recommended. Whether you’re in need of a white elephant gift or you want to find something for Mom, here are the Wirecutter-approved gifts that also happen to be great Cyber Monday deals.
Sometimes, it’s the little things that can bog a person down, like a lunch box that leaks or an umbrella that breaks in a downpour. At Wirecutter, we specialize in finding everyday items that are actually well designed and a joy to use. We’ve discovered that these things can make us feel lighter, happier, and more focused on what really matters. Here are the best Cyber Monday deals we’ve spotted on essentials—from razors to spatulas—that will elevate your day-to-day.
If you’re coveting the sleek look of a blowout from the comfort of your bathroom, you may have the Dyson Airwrap on your wish list. The luxury tool certainly looks intriguingly futuristic, with a slim silver barrel and a bevy of cute, pink-accented attachments that Dyson says can dry, smooth, and curl hair. But considering the whopping $550 price tag, and the added challenge of even trying to find one in stock (which is quite difficult), we think most people would be happier with an excellent hair dryer like the one we recommend from Rusk. The Rusk W8less is on sale this weekend for $58, so you can get your hair just as dry—and keep nearly $500 in your pocket.
Rusk W8less Hair Dryer
Deal price: $58; street price: $80
Read our review of the best hair dryer.
I’ve owned the same W8less dryer for more than six years, and it’s just as powerful and versatile as the day I bought it. In fact, I used it twice this weekend: once to dry and style my hair for Thanksgiving dinner, and again to defrost the malfunctioning ice-maker filter in my freezer. Try doing that with an Airwrap.
The W8less is so light—under 2 pounds—that my arm doesn’t turn to jelly before I’ve finished my styling, unlike other hair dryers I’ve owned that required me to follow a training regime to have enough strength to get through a blowout. When I want a smooth style, I roughly dry my entire head until it’s slightly damp, which cuts way down on overall dry time, and then I use the included nozzle and a paddle brush to finish my blowout in sections. The Airwrap’s drying nozzle essentially does the same thing, except it holds a only small section of hair at a time so it doesn’t have the same capacity to roughly (and quickly) dry your hair before tackling the final, smoothing step.
Dyson tries to justify the Airwrap’s price by touting its ability to dry and curl hair at the same time. Guess what? I can do that with my Rusk dryer, too: I wrap each section of my damp hair around a $6 round brush while I dry it. Dyson offers different barrels for “clockwise” and “anti-clockwise” curls. I just turn my brush around to achieve the same curl variety with less fuss.
I have fine hair, and I worry about damage, so I use my Rusk on its lowest heat setting, and it still delivers excellent results. Dyson says the Airwrap doesn’t use “extreme heat,” which is smart for anyone looking to keep their hair healthy, but I think that taking two seconds to toggle the settings on my hair dryer is a no-brainer.
The Airwrap is certainly a good-looking and, I’ll admit, compelling piece of machinery. But it doesn’t do much that I can’t achieve with my trusty Rusk dryer with similar effort at a fraction of the price.
There's so much to love about Costco, but especially their deals. We've seen some fantastic Black Friday deals that are still going strong, as well as Cyber Monday deals that are starting to drop. Remember, all of these deals require a Costco membership, which starts at $60 annually.
When we first tested air fryers in 2017, most models were pod-shaped appliances that looked more at home in a sci-fi movie than on a kitchen counter. They used the same technology as convection baking under the guise of a trendy new term: “air frying.” Since then, to stay on trend, some manufacturers have started calling their convection toaster ovens and electric ranges “air fryer ovens.” The Cuisinart Chef’s Convection Toaster Oven TOB-260N1 predates the air-fryer craze (so you won’t see that buzzword on the box), but we think it yields better results than any pod-shaped air fryer we’ve tested.
Black Friday has only just ended, but Cyber Monday is already around the corner. Contrary to popular belief, Cyber Monday isn’t just about tech. While we expect to see plenty of discounts on the usual suspects like smart-home gear, in the past we’ve also noted deals in other categories, like kitchen appliances and bedding. Here are the best early Cyber Monday deals we’ve found so far.
