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A cast iron skillet is one of the few pans that can last for generations. It holds heat better than most cookware, which gives steaks a deep crust and cornbread a crisp edge. It moves from stovetop to oven to campfire without complaint, and with regular use its seasoned surface becomes more slick over time....

A hose-end sprinkler is the simplest way to keep a lawn green and a garden healthy without installing an in-ground system. Set it up, turn on the water, and let it cover the yard while you do something else. The trick is choosing a sprinkler that fits the size and shape of your lawn and...

A musty smell in the basement, fogged windows in the morning, towels that never quite dry: these are all signs that the air in your home is holding too much moisture. A dehumidifier pulls that water out of the air and collects it in a tank or sends it down a drain. It is one...

A portable Bluetooth speaker turns any spot into a place for music: the back porch, a picnic table, the beach, a campsite, or the kitchen while you cook. Today's speakers pack surprising sound into small bodies, shrug off splashes and dust, and run for hours on a charge. With so many options, it helps to...

The cabinet under the sink is one of the hardest spaces in the house to keep tidy. Pipes run through the middle, a garbage disposal may take up a corner, and the floor of the cabinet is often just a pile of spray bottles, sponges, and bags that tip over every time you reach for...

A baby monitor lets you keep an eye and ear on your little one while you cook dinner, fold laundry, or finally sit down for a few minutes. For many new parents, it brings peace of mind during naps and overnight, and it makes it easier to tell a quick fuss from a real wake-up....

A good lantern changes how a campsite feels after dark. Instead of juggling a flashlight while you cook, look for the tent zipper, or dig through a bag, you get steady light that fills the space around the picnic table or the inside of the tent. The same lantern also earns its keep at home...

Dogs spend a large part of the day asleep or resting, so the spot where they do it matters. A good bed gives your dog a place of their own, keeps them off a cold or hard floor, and can save your couch from a lot of fur. The wrong bed ends up ignored in...

Anyone who has climbed into a car after it sat in a sunny parking lot knows the feeling: a scorching steering wheel, a seat belt buckle too hot to touch, and a dashboard that seems to radiate heat. A windshield sun shade is a simple, low-cost way to cut down on that. It blocks direct...

A good pair of kitchen shears is one of the most used tools in many kitchens, even though it rarely gets the attention a chef's knife does. Shears snip herbs straight into a pot, trim fat off meat, cut pizza and flatbread, open stubborn packaging, and break down a whole chicken faster than most people...

Jewelry has a way of ending up in a tangle. Necklaces knot together in a dish, earrings lose their partners, and rings roll to the back of a drawer. Beyond the frustration, pieces that knock against each other can scratch, bend, or break. A jewelry organizer gives each piece a place, makes it easy to...

The right pot does more for a houseplant than make it look nice on a shelf. It controls how much water stays around the roots, how quickly the soil dries out, and how much room the plant has to grow. A plant in a pot that is too big, too small, or has nowhere for...

A good pair of trekking poles can change how a hike feels. They give you two extra points of contact on loose gravel, wet rock, and stream crossings, help you keep a steady rhythm on long climbs, and give your arms a way to share some of the work on steep descents. They also double...

Bike lights do two jobs. A front light helps you see the road, potholes, and debris after dark, and both lights help drivers, walkers, and other riders see you. Even on a short ride home at dusk, lights can make the difference between being noticed early and being noticed late. The National Highway Traffic Safety...

A charcoal chimney starter is a steel tube with a handle, a grate near the bottom, and holes around the base. You fill the top with charcoal, put crumpled newspaper or a fire starter underneath, and light it. Hot air rises through the tube and lights the coals from the bottom up. In about 15...

A space heater is an easy way to warm up one room without turning up the heat for the whole house. It can take the chill off a home office on a cold morning, make a drafty bedroom more comfortable before bed, or help a basement workspace feel usable in late winter. Used the right...

Hand pruners are the garden tool most people reach for first. They deadhead flowers, shape shrubs, cut back perennials, harvest herbs and vegetables, and trim small branches. A good pair makes clean cuts with little effort, while a dull or poorly matched pair crushes stems, tires your hand, and leaves ragged wounds on plants. This...