An iPad can do almost everything a laptop can, but to truly replace a computer, you need a great physical keyboard, too. We’ve tested more than 100 iPad keyboard cases over the past few years, and we’ve found that Zagg Pro Keys is the one you should get for any non-Pro iPad. The Pro Keys is as pleasant to type on—and more like a typical laptop as any of the competition, and it provides thorough protection.
A white T-shirt is a blank canvas. You can wear it solo, splash it with accessories, cover it with a sweater, or, if you’re the protagonist of a certain André Aciman novel, toss it on the dock when you go for an impromptu swim in Italy circa 1983. There are literally hundreds of white T-shirts out there. These five are our favorites—high-quality, stylish shirts in a number of fits, at prices suited to most any budget.
A jaunt with your dog in cold, wet weather can be chilly for your best friend. A warm, waterproof jacket will ensure they remain comfortable and dry, no matter if they’re outside for a pee break or an extended session at the dog run. To find the best winter coat for your dog, we tested 10 dog jackets for insulation, waterproofing, warmth, and comfort. The WeatherBeeta 300D Deluxe Reflective Parka is the best cold-weather dog coat because it’s waterproof, well-insulated, durable, easy to put on, and adjustable enough to fit dogs of many different shapes and sizes.
A GPS pet tracker can save your cat’s or dog’s life if it ever escapes home. After spending more than 25 hours researching and testing four trackers, including having Wirecutter staffers take them all on a trip around Manhattan and a 35-mile bike ride, we’ve found the Whistle 3 GPS Pet Tracker & Activity Monitor to be the best tracker for most pet owners. Not only is the Whistle 3 as quick and accurate at tracking as any other model we tested, but it also has the longest-lasting battery by far. This means the battery is more likely to have juice if Fido does get out, and you’ll have a better chance of tracking him.
This may seem shocking, but unless you’re an accountant or archivist, you probably don’t need a traditional scanner—today’s smartphone scanning apps are simply that good. After spending more than 35 hours researching 20 scanning apps and testing seven of them, we’ve determined that our favorite is the lean and efficient Adobe Scan (for Android and iOS). It’s dead simple to use, capable of beautiful scan quality, and equipped with excellent text-recognition capabilities. Best of all, it’s totally free—even for iPhone owners.
After washing hundreds of dollars’ worth of fabric stained with pig blood and body oils of mysterious origin, visiting some washer brands’ quality-testing labs (and one factory), investigating the sorry state of appliance reliability, and trying to unravel some urban legends about laundry, we’ve found a handful of great washing machines to suit different budgets and ways of washing clothes (and the best dryers to match). At the top of our list: the LG WM3900H front-loader.
When you’re looking to add a little more warmth but also want more freedom of movement than a jacket would allow, a vest is the perfect cozy addition. We sent 22 adventurers with 18 vests to nine states and two countries to find the best insulated vest for keeping you warm during your most active days. After all those adventures, we think the Outdoor Research Transcendent Down Vest Men’s and the Patagonia Down Sweater Vest Women’s are the best down vests both for technical performance and for everyday commuter or office use.
