Our testers consisted of 7 people with vaginas, ranging from their early 20s to mid-30s, & were a mix of people who identify as queer, heterosexual, & bisexual. Some factors evaluated were effectiveness, ease of cleaning, battery life, & waterproofness.
Virtually all testers said the Magic Wand was the only toy in our test group that could consistently bring them to an intense climax. Academic research studies have also found that prescribing it is one of the most effective therapies for women who struggle w/ chronic anorgasmia.
It’s official: Prime Day, Amazon’s annual deals extravaganza, will kick off on June 21 and 22 this year.
We expect to see a huge variety of discounted items, many of which will be available at the best prices we’ll see until Black Friday (if not better).
PSA: This is a truly terrible deal on a cowboy hat for dogs that a number of our staff has bought, knowing full well that it is a bad deal. Rubie’s Black Cowboy Hat for Pets (S/M) for $7. Guys, please:
In light of recent reports about the security of Ring devices, we’re suspending our recommendation of Ring products & updating affected guides as soon as possible. Ring owners should turn on 2FA & update their passwords with a new, previously unused one.
iPhone privacy tip
#12
: Change your default search engine & tweak Safari settings. Head to "Settings" >"Safari" > "Search Engine".
We suggest
@DuckDuckGo
, which doesn't track you or target ads.
No one asked but here's an unofficial thread of Wirecutter picks that are basically "buy-it-for-life":
The
@LandsEnd
Waxed Canvas Duffle is the toughest bag we could find that's also consistently available, and its lifetime warranty has you covered, too.
Amazon’s new free service, Sidewalk, will be automatically enabled on many Echo smart speakers, smart displays, and some Ring devices today.
If you’re concerned about your privacy and security, you can turn Sidewalk off. Here’s what you need to know:
Convection toaster ovens:
• quieter than air fryers
• have a larger capacity, which means they can cook more food more evenly
• easier to clean since pans can go directly into the dishwasher, while air fryer accessories have nonstick coating that should be washed by hand
us: Why is our old 2017 post "What’s the best water gun for long-distance water fights? suddenly trending in *checks notes* winter 2020?
*checks TikTok*:
"Every Keurig machine we tested brewed watery, flavorless coffee that paled against every other kind of coffee we’ve made at home. At its best, Keurig coffee tastes like diner coffee. At its worst, it tastes like hot brown water."
The
@Razer
BlackWidow Tournament Edition Chroma V2 gaming keyboard is our top pick thanks to a variety of switch types, programmable macros, and delightful lighting effects.
The pandemic and a major computer chip shortage have extended PS5 stock issues for almost a year.
If you're trying to get ahold of a console ahead of the holiday season, you'll need to do a little prep work before the next restock 🧵
(Fun fact mini-thread) We found evidence that most countertop microwaves sold in the US are manufactured by just one company. Here’s why we think Midea probably made the microwave in your kitchen, your friend's kitchen, & your parent's kitchen:
So, what deals will we see this year? Expect to see great prices on:
✔️ Echo speakers, Fire tablets, and Kindle ebook readers
✔️ Small kitchen appliances
✔️ Vacuums
✔️ Laptops
✔️ Wireless Bluetooth headphones and earbuds
✔️ Baby gear (car seats + more)
Cleaning tips:
•Generally you don’t need to disinfect toys only 1 person uses or that stay covered w/ condoms
•Some non-motorized toys can go into the dishwasher w/o soap for steam-sanitizing
•You can boil most nonporous, non-motorized toys in hot water
"I get frustrated. I decide it is hopeless and I am done with puzzling forever. I manage to put one piece in its proper place, and the flush of excitement is just enough to keep me from giving up." —writer and novelist
@rgay
(THREAD) A common and unfortunate outcome of searching for the best of the best: discovering the worst of the worst
Keep these ineffective and unnecessary things out of your shopping cart:
Before re-wearing your used respirator mask, leave it in a paper bag for a few days first.
The coronavirus has an expected survival time of about 72 hours—so, after you leave your mask in a bag for at least that long, it should be safe to reuse.
Let's be clear: It’s not possible, due to how they work, for different HDMI cables to have better picture or sound quality. More expensive HDMI cables will not offer any performance advantage over cheap cables. They either work or they don’t work.
We asked librarians and teachers—all Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC)—to share books that they’ve found can help kids understand race and racism.
After our story broke yesterday, Google reached out to let us know they'd be pushing through an update. We've since tested and confirmed that their Nest fix works—but we still think buyers and sellers of *any* used smart home gear need to be cautious.
I can only imagine the level of coordinated effort and editorial systems that allow the folks
@wirecutter
to pull off their Prime Day coverage. I’d love to go behind the scenes over there sometime to learn how they do it.
After testing 11 boxed chocolate brands, we were surprised to discover that high price doesn’t necessarily translate to great quality. But we found
@Recchiuti
chocolates, on the other hand, to be totally worth the money:
Let's get one thing straight: The best way to reduce fogging on glasses while wearing a face mask is to improve the seal between the top of the mask and your skin.
But if you still experience fogging, anti-fog drops might help. (So might soap or spit.)
"Take it from nearly 70 of my co-workers, who tested three very different pens: You may not think you have an opinion on what makes the best pen for you, but you do."
(🕵️♀️THREAD) A lot of "deals" aren't actually deals: It's really common for retailers to slowly increase prices in the month before a big deal event & then "drop" them...back down to its regular price.
👎 Here are The Worst Of The Worst Deals we’ve found so far
:
If you really want an air fryer, we found that the Philips Avance Collection Airfryer HD9641/96 is better than most (though not great)
But since air frying is really just convection baking, we think you'd be better off w/ a convection toaster oven.
them: Noo you can't just use a slightly out-of-date meme format as the Twitter copy to promote our guide to the best coffee grinders
us: haha burr grinder go burr
Yeah sex is great, but have you ever worn a pair of dependable, lightweight, waterproof, under-$40 footwear with socks to maximize comfort & avant-garde sartorial elegance?
You may not like it, but this is what the ideal sitting position in your office chair looks like.
Here’s how to set up a workspace that fits and supports you best:
Keurigs:
•A Nespresso machine offers the same brewing experience, but w/ better flavor & smaller environmental impact
•Every other basic coffee-brewing method—a pour-over setup, French press, or regular old coffee maker—gives results that taste worlds better w/ minimal effort
Unless you're sick & trying to prevent spreading germs to others, you don't need a surgical mask. Unless you're a health-care worker or taking care of someone who is sick, you don't need an N95 respirator. They’re also pretty much not available.
The best games to play when you're trying to zone out and unwind:
🎁Animal Crossing
⛰Firewatch
🏰Monument Valley
🚫Untitled Goose Game
🍩Donut Country
Read:
Yep. A few years ago, we said that all printers suck.
In 2021, we're still saying that. Instead of finding the "best" printer, it comes more down to finding the "least-terrible" printer.
So here's a mini-thread on why all printers suck:
@FeministInTexas
Well, it’s been a while since I had to shop for a hammer, as thankfully it’s one modern item that has not become disposable. I love my Estwing, made in 🇺🇸, and I’m tickled to see these professional nailers agree:
We tried 24 non-alcoholic beverage options to find the most unique, mature, & delicious ones, & we made detailed tasting notes to help you choose based on what you like.
Whatever your preferences, these are foolproof to serve & stunning to look at.
📚Thread: Amazon is offering $5 off $20 or more on print books with code NOVBOOK18 (when applied at checkout, one-time use) until the 25th, with free shipping too. Some of our favorite books to use it on:
We’ve evaluated dozens of paid and free password managers and tested four, and we think 1Password offers the best combination of features, compatibility, security, and ease of use.
If you bought the N95 respirators we recommended during wildfire season, consider donating them. Look up locations near you at:
or see if your hospital, fire station, or police station has info on drop-offs
We tested the best air fryer we've used vs. the best toaster oven (air fryer = left side, toaster = right side).
Spoiler alert: The toaster oven matched or beat the air fryer in nearly every test.
Everyone should have a basic set of supplies handy and packed in case something unexpected happens.
Here's a list of all the emergency gear we recommend packing:
*taps mic* Is this thing still on? It's Friday evening but here are some friendly weekend reminders:
•Eat your fruits and veggies
•Drink lots of water
•Citronella candles undergo zero EPA testing, unlike DEET or picardin, & have no proven effectiveness
PSA: Before buying something new to fix a problem or improve your home, always check to see if anything you already own might be able to be repurposed first.
Here are some DIY alternatives in our guides that are almost as good (or in some cases, just as good) as our picks:
Last Prime Day, which Amazon held in October, we saw some of the best prices of 2020 on plenty of Wirecutter-approved items—everything from our top blender pick to Echo smart speakers.
Gus was adopted in the Caribbean, where he chased coconuts. Here in NYC, it's plush squirrels. He has trouble paying attention to squeaky toys for more than a few minutes, but the more challenging setup of squeaky squirrels in a tree-trunk-shaped pouch keeps him going for hours.
@rvcx
Can't answer this without:
12 weeks of testing,
11 days of research,
10 expert interviews,
9 peers reviewing,
8 panels testing,
7 rounds of edits,
6 rewrites pending,
fiiiiive google spreadsheetssss
4 editors
3 photoshoots
2 social posts
and a pick that's the best for most people
"Every Keurig machine we tested brewed watery, flavorless coffee that paled against every other kind of coffee we’ve made at home. At its best, Keurig coffee tastes like diner coffee. At its worst, it tastes like hot brown water."