I’m a theme-park journalist. (Yes, that’s a real job, and no, it’s not all cotton candy and roller coasters!) I spend my days wondering about how Butterbeer was created, sharing breaking news, and flying to Florida a bit too often to report stories for magazines, websites, and my podcast, Very Amusing with Carlye Wisel.
Modesty aside, the Wirecutter staff probably accounts for a lot of postal deliveries—and not just because we buy things like bulk boxes of Sour Patch Kids and tiny cowboy hats for tiny dogs. We review a lot of stuff, and with all of those packages coming and going, it’s no surprise we’ve lost a few to thieves. This flavor of theft is a growing problem: One 2021 study found that 30% of Americans (nearly 100 million people) have had a package stolen—up from 18% in 2020. Rather than leave fate to chance this holiday season, here are a few strategies you can use to prevent your parcels from falling into the wrong hands.
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, who until recently was the director of educational programs at the Thinkery, a children’s museum in Austin, Texas.
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.
Robot vacuums never get bored or distracted, and they don’t mind cleaning every day. So with very little effort on your part, your floors can stay constantly tidy. We’ve tested dozens of robots, from cheap models that bump around randomly to fancy machines that empty themselves and (usually) steer around dog poop. First, consider the strong, durable, smart-enough iRobot Roomba i3 EVO.
It's not really fall without all the necessities to put you in an autumnal mood, including bonfires, apple-picking, leaf-peeping, and, of course, any and all things cozy. We’ve rounded up a list of deals to help you enjoy this season to the fullest—whether that means wrapping yourself up in a cozy robe or throw and putting on a pot of tea, or slipping on some sneakers and leaping into a pile of crisp leaves.
If pulling out the iron feels like a slog or you want to give your hand-washed delicates a professional finish, a wrinkle-busting steamer can polish your look in minutes. And because they smooth without scorching, steamers are better for delicates like silk and wool. We’ve tested dozens of steamers since 2016, and our current favorite is the Conair Turbo ExtremeSteam Garment Steamer. Its powerful blasts of steam, comfortable grip, and smart features make it the one we grab over and over.
