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Popular Mechanics •

Leaf Blowers are Versatile All Year, No Leaves Needed.

While leaf blowers may see the most use in the fall, these handy yard machines aren’t just for clearing autumn's glory off your lawn. I regularly use a leaf blower in spring and summer to blow grass clippings off my walkways and driveway after each mowing. A leaf blower is also my go to tool for cleaning debris off my garage floor. I even use one in the winter to clean powdery snow off cars and walkways.Handheld leaf blowers are ideal for small to moderate leaf clearing efforts and convenient fo...
Bob Vila •

Skil Jobsite Table Saw Review: It Came, It Sawed, It Conquered

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More › Adding a table saw to your workshop can be a pretty significant investment—unless you’re willing to compromise performance and build quality. But with the Skil 10-inch job site table saw, no such compromise is needed. It’s about half the price of a premium table saw, yet it has enough cutting power and durability to make it onto a pro jobsite. It’s portable enough for one person to lo...
Bob Vila •

The Best Ryobi Drills of 2024 for Your Budget and Needs, Tested

There’s a reason so many DIYers have a Ryobi drill or two in their arsenal of power tools. An in-house brand of The Home Depot, Ryobi offers a great mix of performance and affordability that makes them a popular choice for weekend warriors. We recently tested 10 of the best Ryobi cordless tools, including cordless drills, brushless impact drivers, and heavy-duty hammer drills. We found that our favorite of the bunch, the Ryobi ONE+ 18V ½-Inch Cordless Drill/Driver Kit, offers great speed and tor...
Bob Vila •

The Best Dual Coffee Makers, According to Our Testing

Dual coffee makers, also known as two-in-one or two-way coffee makers, typically produce full carafes of coffee along with single servings of drip coffee, instant coffee, espresso, and tea. They’re a great solution for households with a variety of coffee preferences.


While choosing the best dual coffee maker might seem like a simple decision, there are actually a number of considerations to weigh. We’ve tested some of the top dual coffee makers on the market and reviewed them here so you can...
Bob Vila •

How to Clean Pewter

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›Pewter is used in everything from jewelry to kitchen utensils to the classic tankard. This metal remains popular with artisans and craftspeople because its malleability makes it easy to work. Since it won’t rust like iron or tarnish like silver, pewter is an excellent low-maintenance alternative to iron or silver.


All that said, pewter still needs cleaning and polishing from time to...
Bob Vila •

The Best Cordless Drills Under $100 for Your DIY Projects

Cordless drills are essential for any respectable home workshop, but that doesn’t mean you need to overspend on a drill designed for pros. There are plenty of quality cordless drills under $100 that will handle a DIYer’s demands. 


Having completed dozens of projects on various homes throughout the years, I’m very familiar with how to use a drill and what specs one needs to pay attention to when shopping for one of these power tools. I used my own experience, along with hours of research, to s...
Bob Vila •

The Best Home Thermostats for Efficient Heating and Cooling, Tested

Home thermostats have come a long way from those early models with manual temperature dials that may or may not accurately reflect a room’s actual temperature. Today’s home thermostats are highly efficient. Many are programmable. Some even connect with smart-home systems for remote control via a smartphone app.


We decided to test a variety of home thermostats to see which ones were a step above the rest. Keep reading to discover why these models are among the best home thermostats on the mark...
Popular Mechanics •

Cleaning Up After Winter Storms is Easier With the Right Chainsaw

In recent years, the once-cavernous divide in power between electric and gas chainsaws has narrowed dramatically, to the point where you can expect similar performance from both options in all but the largest saws. As a result, most homeowners who need a chainsaw for only occasional branch or log breakdown should start by looking at electric saws.Electric chainsaws offer similar cutting speeds, are far easier to start, run more quietly, and don’t produce exhaust. They also produce less vibration...

Tech

SFGATE •

The best multi-tools to keep you prepared for anything, anywhere

I used my decades of experience with these tools to help inform my initial selections. From there, I used each tool. Since multi-tools are designed to replace many full-sized hand tools, I used them to tackle a variety of tasks. I cut rope, tightened and loosened screws, filed metal, cut paper, trimmed small branches, loosened bolts, and cut wire. Along the way, I evaluated various characteristics for each multi-tool, including ease of access and use for each tool, overall build quality, size, w...
SFGATE •

The best home generators to get you through the next power outage

When a disaster strikes and the grid goes down, you don’t have to be left in the cold and dark watching the food in your fridge go to waste. A home generator can keep the lights on, your heater (or AC) going, and your fridge cooling. With advancements in battery and dual fuel technology, you have more options than ever when it comes to buying one. Home generators include gas powered portable models for keeping the essentials up and running, futuristic looking power stations that operate in near...
CNN Underscored •

Are solar panels worth it? | CNN Underscored

Rising energy costs may have you thinking of going solar, but are solar panels worth it? Home solar panels can save you hundreds of dollars annually on your electric bill. And with new federal tax rebates that allow you to save 30% on the cost of a solar panel system, it seems there’s no better time to take advantage of solar.



Still, solar panels cost thousands of dollars, and their savings depend on the weather, which seems more unpredictable than ever. Given these pros a...
SFGATE •

EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 review: A portable back-up power station for the whole home

When bad weather strikes and the lights go out, you can fire up a gas generator or turn to something quieter and cleaner like the EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3 to keep your lights on and fridge running. The latest release in EcoFlow’s line of portable power stations, the futuristic looking EcoFlow DELTA Pro 3, is one of the highest capacity portable power stations we’ve seen.

When bad weather strikes and the lights go out, you can fire up a gas generator or turn to something quieter and cleaner like the...
Bob Vila •

Is Schlage’s Premium Smart Door Lock Worth the Money? We Tested It to Find Out

We may earn revenue from the products available on this page and participate in affiliate programs. Learn More ›As far as smart locks go, Schlage’s Encode is certainly one of the most imposing, boasting the highest American National Standards Institute (ANSI) security rating, classy looks, and a bevy of automation features. However, the Encode is also one of the priciest smart locks on the market, which begs the question: Is it worth it? During our testing of the best door locks, we tested the E...
SFGATE •

The best solar generators to keep the lights on during outages and camping trips

The EcoFLow River 3 offers plenty of power in a compact form. It has a 245Wh capacity with a max sustained output of up to 300 watts and an X-boost that allows it to deliver up to 600 watts of surge power. This means you can use it to charge devices, power a PC, keep lights on and even watch TV. Despite all of that, it’s compact and weighs under 8 lbs, making it easy to tote to wherever you need it. It comes equipped with one DC output, two USB-A and one USB-C outputs, one three prong AC plug an...

Outdoor Recreation

Bob Vila •

We Tested the Best LED Lanterns, Our Favorite Lasts Up to 12 Hours on One Charge

If you don’t want to risk being left in the dark during a power outage, after a severe weather event, or while on an outdoor adventure, it’s smart to have an LED lantern at the ready. Even if you have a flashlight under your sink or in your car, it might be better to have a light that allows you to use both hands for cooking, changing a flat, or gathering essentials.


Still, choosing an LED lantern fit for such a variety of potential uses isn’t as simple as it sounds. To help you determine whi...

The Best Rain Boots (2024 Review) | Field & Stream

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Best Overall

Xtratuf Performance Series Ankle Deck Boots

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Summary

Xtratuf boots are comfortable to wear, easy to pull on and kick off, and have a sole that provides great traction in wet weather.

Best Women’s

Hunter Original Short Adjustable Rain Boots

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Summary

Crocs is a well-known brand for making reliable—and super comfortable—footw...
SFGATE •

The best folding electric bikes for commuting and navigating your neighborhood

I narrowed in on the top foldable e-bikes through a mix of research and hands-on testing. I road tested the MOD City+ for more than a week, taking it through urban roads and even on a few gravel paths, evaluating its power, ride, and range. For those bikes that I didn’t test, I conducted extensive research, carefully comparing specs for each bike while also scouring through dozens of user reviews. In making my picks, I considered many factors, including weight, power, portability, and price. Sin...
Futurism •

The Best eBikes of 2023 - Futurism

Since eBikes emerged onto the scene some 20 years ago, they’ve only grown in popularity as people look to abandon their cars for greener and healthier alternatives to commuting. Improvements to battery technology have made these power-assisted bikes lighter while improving their range. Batteries and motors have also become smaller, allowing them to fit into sleeker-looking bike frames, making eBike technology suitable not just for commuter bikes but road bikes and mountain bikes as well.

eBikes...
SFGATE •

The best camping stoves for cooking like a pro outdoors

If you’re planning an upcoming car camping trip, then you’ll need one of the best camping stoves to cook your backwoods vittles. These portable cooking devices have two burners and fold up into a small metal box that’s about the size of a suitcase for easy transport. They’re powered by small one-pound propane canisters that are powerful enough to boil a large pot of water in as little as four minutes. Make sure you've also got a solid camp cookware set to go with it. We tested four of the top ca...
SFGATE •

The best multi-tools to keep you prepared for anything, anywhere

I used my decades of experience with these tools to help inform my initial selections. From there, I used each tool. Since multi-tools are designed to replace many full-sized hand tools, I used them to tackle a variety of tasks. I cut rope, tightened and loosened screws, filed metal, cut paper, trimmed small branches, loosened bolts, and cut wire. Along the way, I evaluated various characteristics for each multi-tool, including ease of access and use for each tool, overall build quality, size, w...
SFGATE •

The best hiking backpacks for outdoor adventures

When you hear the call of the wild and make plans to venture into nature for a day of hiking, make sure you take the right backpack with you to carry the water, snacks, raincoat, and other essentials you’re going to need. When it comes to finding the right hiking backpack, you’ve got a lot of options to choose from. There are small lightweight models for short hikes or work commutes, larger 20-liter packs with internal frames for more ambitious hikes, and even packs designed for trail running. I...