After spending three full summers testing solar pool covers across our team’s own backyard pools, I can tell you the difference between a good one and a bad one comes down to two things: thickness and how well the bubbles are sealed. The best solar pool covers in raise water temperature by up to 15 … Read more
Spending evenings around a fire is one of the simple joys of having a backyard, but traditional fire pits come with one annoying problem: the smoke. It burns your eyes, clings to your hair, and follows you inside on your clothes. After testing a dozen models over the past season, our team put together this … Read more
I’ve spent the last three weekends rotating between fire pits in my backyard, on the patio, and at a friend’s campground, and I can tell you this: not all wood burning fire pits deliver the same experience. Some choke you out with smoke, others rust after a single wet season, and a few manage both … Read more
Summer heat hits differently when you live in Arizona, Nevada, or anywhere the humidity drops below 30%. Traditional air conditioners gulp electricity and dry out the air. I have spent the last three summers testing cooling gear across the American Southwest, and the best evaporative coolers keep delivering comfort for roughly 25% of the operating … Read more
I spent the last three months running whole house fans in two test homes, a 1,800 sq ft ranch in Colorado and a 2,400 sq ft two-story in Northern California, to find the best whole house fans for . I wanted real numbers, not marketing claims. So I measured CFM with a hot-wire anemometer, tracked … Read more
Looking for the best multi zone mini splits to cool and heat several rooms without installing ductwork? I have spent the past three months testing multi-zone ductless systems in real homes, including a 1,800-square-foot colonial, a converted garage apartment, and a basement workshop. What I found surprised me. A few budget-friendly models outperformed premium brands … Read more
I spent the last 90 days running 12 different large room air purifiers through my 600 square foot living room and open floor plan, measuring how fast each one cleared smoke, dust, and pet dander from the air. I’ve owned and tested air purifiers for nearly a decade, and I’ve watched this category explode with … Read more
When my daughter started wheezing every time we ran the heat, I went down a 90-day rabbit hole testing whole house air purifiers in our 2,400 sq ft open-concept home. I measured PM2.5 with a laser particle counter, logged noise with a decibel meter at the head of our bed, and tracked filter life across … Read more
Last summer I hosted a backyard cookout for 14 people, juggled a propane tank that was dying faster than the food was cooking, and learned a hard lesson: the best grill side burners are not just a luxury. They are the difference between a chaotic evening and one where everything hits the table hot and … Read more
If you have ever tried juggling raw burgers, tongs, and a dripping sauce bottle on a wobbly patio side table, you already know why the best grill carts are no longer optional. I have spent the last three summers testing rolling prep stations next to gas grills, Blackstone griddles, and a small pizza oven, and … Read more