This year we celebrated our 10th anniversary as a company (and our fifth as part of The New York Times). Because of the pandemic, however, we did it virtually.
We’ve come a long way since Brian Lam created Wirecutter, in 2011. Our catalog of recommendations has grown exponentially since then, and our staff has tripled in size since 2016, when we joined the Times.
If you want to start your holiday season off right, then you need to end last year’s holiday the right way, too. And that means cleaning up your decorations in a way that sets your future self up for success. Nothing kills that festive winter mood like having to fight with tangled nests of string lights or finding that the paint has flaked off all of your favorite ornaments because you didn’t store them right.
If you’re an aspiring aerial photographer or videographer, a drone is your ticket to the sky. After test-flying 19 models, we think the DJI Mavic Air 2 is the best drone because it combines a high-end camera with the latest autonomous technology for less than $1,000. We also recommend the DJI Mavic 3 and the DJI Mini 2. Pilots of all skill levels will find that DJI’s drones are exceptionally reliable and easy to fly.
You might choose to walk or run inside on a treadmill for any number of reasons: inclement weather, dark conditions, unwelcoming terrain, commitments that keep you at home. Whether your goal is a couple of no-frills miles or a full-blown immersive workout, a treadmill can be a useful and convenient training tool. After walking and running on 24 treadmills over the past five years, we think the NordicTrack Commercial 1750 is a great choice for people who are looking for a dependable, versatile treadmill with a smooth ride and a sturdy build. Its straightforward design is easy to navigate, and it has a color touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity, and an optional subscription to on-board workout content if you need an extra dose of motivation.
Whether you’re a glued-to-your-screen smartphone owner who can never make it through a day on a full charge—or someone who just needs an occasional battery boost—USB power banks are a panacea for low-battery anxiety. After putting in 21 hours of research and 55 hours of testing, we’ve found the best portable power banks to meet a wide range of needs, chargers that offer you peace of mind whenever wall outlets are out of reach.
Ask Wirecutter, an advice column written by Annemarie Conte, explores the best approaches to buying, using, and maintaining stuff. Email your biggest product-related problems to askwirecutter@wirecutter.com.
In my parents’ house, every day is a day worth celebrating. Whether they’re throwing an effervescent party or quietly cuddling while watching Parts Unknown, my parents always have flutes of bubbly in hand. They have a seemingly endless supply of Champagne stowed away, just waiting for an occasion—any occasion!—to be opened. You’d think they’d go broke with this kind of behavior. But, no, they’ve found the ultimate loophole: Costco.
Do you like exercising, hiking, or playing outdoors in the cooler months? How about working in the yard or going for walks? Do you do fieldwork, fish, or hunt? Go to sports practice or play in the snow? Chances are, there’s some outdoor activity you do in the winter months, and if so, a set of comfortable, functional base layers—lightweight pieces of clothing to wear under sweaters or jackets or pants—is a worthwhile investment.
At its most basic, a care package is an assortment of little treats and pleasing non-necessities, gathered together and sent by post. Care packages are sent to acknowledge life transitions, from joyous occasions, such as engagements and births, to difficult trials, like divorce or illness. Yet sending someone a care package shouldn’t depend on whether you have time to run to multiple stores, bundle up a handful of trinkets, and ship it all out. A care-package service will help you assemble the optimum assortment, while eliminating the logistics. We assessed 13 such services and tested five to find those with the best-quality items, the widest selection, and the most seamless ordering process.
Rapid antigen tests offer a quick and easy way to screen for COVID-19 at home, detecting active infections, including in asymptomatic individuals, in about 15 minutes. Often called just “rapid tests” or “at-home COVID tests,” more brands of at-home tests are now available, and they can be a valuable tool for managing life during the pandemic.
A good stool can be the keystone of your home. Once you have one, it seems to make everything else in your space click into place, even if “everything else” isn’t that much. When I was in my 20s, I arranged entire homes around a sturdy wooden stool that I’d had as a child. In various apartments I used it as a bedside table, a makeshift bookshelf (its rectangular seat was the perfect size and shape for stacking books), a mini media console for watching TV on my laptop, a planter stand, and a side table. At some point, I gave the stool to a friend who was moving to an apartment with no furniture at all. “You’ll need a stool,” I said. As do you—if you don’t own one already. They’re cute, they’re practical, and they’re delightful.
Virtual reality can be an arresting way to step into engaging virtual worlds, even if it’s still a new technology that remains far from being a “most people” purchase. We think the Meta (formerly Oculus) Quest 2 is the best headset for most people because it’s the easiest to use and offers access to the widest range of games and experiences. However, because Meta makes the Quest headsets, you’ll need a Facebook account to use a Quest 2.
When you carry a multi-tool, a whole world of problem-solving and empowerment opens up. 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. Over the past few years, we’ve tested 23 multi-tools in rural New Hampshire—fixing fences, slicing hay-bale twine, even assisting in the birth of a lamb on a cold March morning. And the Leatherman Skeletool CX stood out as the best. It has a sleek, lightweight design and a minimal lineup of well-executed essentials. So this multi-tool 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.
A dishwasher’s job is pretty simple in theory—spray a bunch of hot water and detergent at the dishes until all the food comes off.
Contrary to popular belief, your aching back doesn’t need a firm-as-a-plank mattress. In fact, there is no specific mattress that’s best for back pain.
A good cutting board is a workhorse in any kitchen. Above all, it should be large, providing ample space for carving or chopping, and relatively easy to care for. We recommend the OXO Good Grips Carving and Cutting Board for those who want a plastic board, and the Teakhaus Edge Grain Professional Carving Board with Juice Canal (15" by 20") for those who want wood. Both boards feel good under a knife, and they stood up to many sharp cuts, dark stains, and strong odors better than the competition. Plus, after years of long-term testing, neither board has split or egregiously warped from misuse.
Many kids are notoriously picky about their undies, and for good reason: Irritating wedgies, itchy tags, chafing trims, and scratchy fabrics make a lot of underwear no fun to wear. We spent four months testing 37 styles from 15 different brands. And we’re confident that the soft, durable undies from Hanna Andersson are the least likely to have your child whining about what’s covering their behind.
Weeding through the endless foam-mattress options online can feel as exhausting as suffering through a bad night’s sleep. But we’ve tested dozens of mattresses since 2016 so you don’t have to.
If you want a 4K TV that supports all the latest video and gaming technologies but doesn’t cost a fortune, we recommend the TCL 5-Series. Although it can’t match the image contrast and brightness of the best LCD TVs and OLED TVs, the 5-Series still delivers a great-looking 4K picture, and it comes in 50-, 55-, 65-, and 75-inch sizes to fit most rooms. Plus, it’s available with either the Roku TV or Google TV streaming platform built in, so you can choose the system that you prefer.
Just like regular bikes, electric bikes experienced a pandemic boom—and have become equally hard to find in stores. That’s why adding a motor to the bike you already have can often be easier than finding a new ebike. How do I know? Let me tell you.
After more than 70 collective hours of research and testing since 2014, we still think the tri-ply All-Clad Stainless 12″ Covered Fry Pan is the best skillet for the money. It’s a durable pan that heats extremely evenly. No other pan gets the kind of raves the All-Clad receives from professionals, enthusiasts, and home cooks alike. Yes, it’s expensive, but we think it’s worth the money considering it will last a lifetime.
Don’t underestimate the ability of flowers to turn someone’s day around. Whether you’re sending a bouquet to mark a holiday, celebrate a milestone, or make nice after an argument, we think UrbanStems is the best flower delivery service. Of the nine companies we tried, its stylish arrangements were the most beautiful, the freshest, the most well packaged, and the easiest to order.
They’re fussy to change, but a duvet cover is essential for extending the life of your comforter (or, duvet). Swapping the cover can easily transform your bedding—a heavier fabric will boost your duvet’s warmth, a luxe cover will instantly elevate its style. We spent a combined 95 hours researching duvet covers and testing 15 to find nine well-made and comfortable options for a range of climates and tastes.
At age 3, the gift-giving game changes. Many kids are more likely to know what they want. Lots of them will have more opinions, interests, and language to express their excitement than they had in the past. But that doesn’t negate the thrill of a good surprise. “Often the idea of receiving a gift is what’s exciting for them, not necessarily what the gift is,” said Heather Singh, associate director of school and gallery education at the Thinkery, a children’s museum in Austin, Texas.
Friends are the family you choose, the platitude goes. And likewise, co-workers are the family chosen for you by the mysterious forces of capitalism. Whether you’re back to seeing your teammates in person or still taking meetings on Zoom, show the people you work with that they’re special, valued, and more than just “work friends” with these gift ideas.
Many 4-year-olds are learning to master their environments—and to negotiate boundaries, push limits, and question everything. Some of the best gifts for 4-year-olds engage their endless curiosity, rapidly developing physical skills, and desire to understand everything around them.
Whether you’re celebrating your granddad, your dad, or your favorite “zaddy,” you may need some gifting inspiration. Sure, Dad may insist—firmly—that he “doesn’t want anything,” but we all know that doesn’t mean you can skip the holiday. Even if you can’t pry it out of him, you can still get him something he’ll appreciate. Send him one of these great, Wirecutter-recommended gifts for dads—none of which is another boring tie.
Keeping up with the developing skills and interests of a 2-year-old can feel like a sprint—at times literally—or a guessing game. “Play is how they start to understand the world,” said Heather Singh, associate director of school and gallery education at the Thinkery, a children’s museum in Austin, Texas.
When it comes to presents, many 1-year-olds aren’t picky. In fact, they may be as excited by the packaging as they are by what’s inside. (Be sure to save those boxes.) Others have already begun to develop their own unique preferences, personalities, and abilities. By investing in the right toys and gifts, you can set your child up for years of fun.
Mothers come in all shapes, sizes, ages, and attitudes. Some moms run marathons, others run companies, and still others run around town, ferrying offspring from their violin lessons to tae kwon do classes to softball practice. Some still have a house full of kids; others are now empty nesters. But these mothers all have something in common: They have at least one person (be it a child, a co-parent, or an admirer) who owes them a great big thank-you—coupled with a thoughtful gift—for everything they do. Perhaps that person is you? If so, it’s time to get on it.
Whether your family is the nuclear unit you come home to every night, the far-flung loved ones you see only a few times a year, or the chosen group you’re so grateful to have found, the right holiday gift can spark fun and foster chances to connect. Child development and behavior specialist Betsy Brown Braun said the best gifts are “memory makers”—items that are a joy to open and that act as a catalyst for spending more time together. To help you create holiday rituals for many years to come, we’ve found great gifts for remote family bonding as well as ones that kids can actually unwrap.
There’s technically no winner at a white elephant gift exchange, but the most successful Dirty Santa soiree sees everyone leaving with a fun holiday gift that’s not only entertaining but also, ideally, useful. (The environmental impact of a totally useless gift surely outweighs the charm of the gag.) For this guide, we asked Wirecutter staffers to recommend the most hilarious, Yankee-Swap-worthy gifts under $25 that made them smile. We think they’ll make you smile too.
