I have always wanted to learn an instrument, and the ukulele looked like the friendliest place to start. For two weeks I practiced daily with the Ranch concert ukulele beginner kit and four similar ukuleles, working through the included online…
My desk sits far from the nearest outlet, and for years I lived with a tangle of short cords and a power strip that slid off the desk every week. I tested five SuperDanny extension cords side by side, from…
My bedroom wall was blank and boring, and I wanted something calm that did not cost a fortune or need a drill. I spent a week living with the Zussun misty forest mountain tapestry in sage and four similar forest…
I roast a lot at home, from weeknight chickens to holiday turkeys and trays of vegetables, and my old roaster had a warped base and a coating that stuck to everything. For this test I cooked with the Circulon Total…
I have a home gym corner with a yoga mat, a foam roller, and a basket of bands, and for two weeks I put stretchy bands through every workout I normally do, from warmups and physical therapy moves to leg…
I cook with wooden spoons every day, from stirring sauces to serving salads, and I got tired of spoons that cracked, stained, or scratched my nonstick pans. I spent two weeks with wooden spoons and four close alternatives, cooking soups,…
I heat leftovers in the microwave almost every day, and I got tired of scrubbing splattered sauce off the walls and ceiling after every meal. I spent two weeks with the aidacom microwave splatter cover and four close alternatives, heating…
I started juicing at home this year, and I got tired of plastic containers that stained, smelled of yesterday's smoothie, and left me wondering what was leaching into my juice. I spent two weeks with glass juice bottles and four…
I eat oatmeal most mornings, and I got tired of packets that turned gluey, canisters that took forever, and flavors that tasted more like sugar than oats. I spent two weeks with quaker quick minute oatmeal and four close alternatives,…
I drop my phone more than I would like to admit, and I got tired of replacing cracked screen protectors and scratched cases separately. I spent two weeks with a case with screen protector and four close alternatives, carrying them…