ReportWire

Tag: Buying Guides

  • Don’t Fall for Sketchy iPhone VPNs—Here Are the Only 3 You Should Use

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    iPhone VPNs, Compared

    You might be surprised how similar the three VPNs I chose are when you break down their features, but that’s not an accident. Given how restrictive I was with who made the final cut, there’s a pretty high bar for inclusion. Although there are some minor differences, I designed this list in a way that you can choose one of my picks without reading a single word and still come out the other side with an excellent VPN for iPhone.

    Other iPhone VPNs We Tested

    Surfshark

    Courtesy of Surfshark

    Surfshark: Surfshark was a strong contender for the main list. Even its Starter plan comes with extra features like a masked email generator. Features like ad and tracker blocking, as well as unlimited simultaneous connections, come standard across plans. However, it was a bit slower than my top picks, dropping around 20 percent of speed on average, compared to around 15 percent for the top options.

    Mullvad: Mullvad is a favorite among privacy enthusiasts, and for good reason. It doesn’t fuss with multi-year discounts or referral programs, and you don’t even need to provide an email to sign up for an account. You can even pay the static monthly fee by mailing Mullvad cash. It’s a great service if privacy is your top priority, but it trades speeds and features in the process. VPN services like Nord and Proton have quickly grown into full privacy and security suites, while Mullvad is more focused on making a robust VPN. In the context of an iPhone, the scales tip more toward those security suites, but Mullvad is still a great privacy-focused option to keep in mind.

    ExpressVPN: By the numbers, ExpressVPN should be at the top of the list. It has a ton of servers, a featureset that can go toe-to-toe with Nord, and speeds only a touch below Proton. However, ExpressVPN has found itself in a spiral of increasing controversies over the past four years, and the brand has yet to get back on solid footing. After being purchased by Kape Technologies—the company behind the infamous adware company Crossrider—former US intelligence official Daniel Gericke took over at CTO and continued in that role for two years, even after being fined over $300,000 by the US Department of Justice for hacking activities on behalf of a foreign government. Gericke left in 2023, but that same year, ExpressVPN experienced a large swath of layoffs, and Kape, its parent company, was delisted from the London Stock Exchange. The vast majority of shares went to Unikmind Holdings Limited, a company owned by Israeli billionaire Teddy Sagi, who got his start by creating gambling software Playtech. That’s an extremely condensed version of what ExpressVPN has gone through over the past few years. The company hasn’t done anything nefarious, but the revolving door of executive control tied to controversial names doesn’t inspire confidence.

    Private Internet Access: Private Internet Access, or PIA, is also owned by Kape Technologies, and it followed a similar playbook as ExpressVPN and CyberGhost, which Kape also owns. After the acquisition and community backlash, there’s been very little transparency about what’s going on in the company. A connection to Kape definitely raises questions, but that doesn’t immediately disqualify a service from being included. Unfortunately for PIA, it had much slower speeds than any of the other VPN services I tested, so regardless of ownership, it isn’t a top pick for iPhone VPNs.

    iPhone VPNs to Avoid

    X-VPN: X-VPN is one of many different VPNs that show up high in the search results on iPhone. There’s a desktop app, but X-VPN mainly targets mobile users with its free plan. It was featured in a Tech Transparency Project report about VPNs with ties to the Chinese government, alongside apps like TurboVPN. I haven’t tested TurboVPN, but X-VPN has issues. Even without questionable ties, X-VPN doesn’t have the best speeds, and it lacks basic features like split tunneling, all while charging the same price as top VPNs like NordVPN and Proton VPN.

    Hola: Hola is an infamous name if you’ve been around the VPN space long enough. Around a decade ago, Hola fell under fire. It owns a data collection company known as Bright Data (formerly Luminati), and that network is made up of users who use Hola. This network was used for a public distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack. Even a decade on, Hola still logs user data, including your IP address, and it still sells access to its peer-to-peer network, meaning you could become an exit node without knowing.

    EventVPN: EventVPN comes from the same team behind ExpressVPN, but it takes a very different approach to privacy. It’s free, and it’s only available on iPhone and Macs, but most importantly, it’s supported by ads. EventVPN says it’s able to leverage an ad-supported model with Apple’s advertising privacy features, which allows for tailored ads without giving out personally-identifiable information. That’s the story, at least, but as you can read in our iPhone privacy guide, Apple’s privacy-focused advertising model still shares some critical information, including your zip code. Further, the pervasiveness of ads in EventVPN makes it hard to recommend. You have to wait through a 30-second video each time you connect or disconnect from a server, and a banner ad lives at the top of the app at all times. EventVPN has a paid plan to remove ads, but at that point, you might as well pick up ExpressVPN. And, on the free end, there’s ProtonVPN and Windscribe, both of which I’d recommend over EventVPN.

    How We Tested

    To earn the best iPhone VPN title, a service needs to satisfy three criteria. It needs to be secure, fast, and easy to use. That may seem straightforward enough, but there’s a little more that goes into it. For ease of use, I only looked at VPNs that offer a one-tap connection. If you need to configure anything, that’s a disqualification. That still encompasses a lot of the most popular VPNs on iPhone, so I narrowed the field further by focusing on apps that balance usability with power. You should have all the relevant features in the iOS app that are available in the desktop app, and organized in a way that they don’t disrupt that one-tap experience.

    Speed testing is where I focused a lot of my testing time. Speed testing is highly variable, and trying to come out with one singular number to encompass the speed of thousands of servers is a fool’s errand. The numbers I gathered for this guide are the result of 20 tests I ran for each VPN, then averaged.

    I tested five locations for each VPN, measuring my unprotected speed immediately before testing and running three passes before averaging. Each location was tested at a different time of day, and I removed any outliers before averaging. For this guide, that meant if there was greater than a 10 percent deviation between two of the three passes. After averaging the speed drop for each location, I gathered all of those numbers together and averaged them for a final speed drop.

    Finally, security. The traditional wisdom with a VPN is that you, at some point, have to put some faith in the company that its privacy policy is accurate and it isn’t lying about its logging practices. That didn’t do it for me. Again, I set a high bar for inclusion.

    Every VPN I’ve included here has not only been independently audited, but also been forced to uphold its no-logs policy in legal proceedings. You indeed need to put some trust that the VPN provider you’re using is telling the truth, but the options I included all have rock-solid track records when it comes to transparency.

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    Jacob Roach

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  • Go Beyond 20/20 With These WIRED-Tested Smart Glasses

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    Other Smart Glasses We’ve Tested

    We’ve tested several more pairs of smart glasses—some good and some bad.

    Even Realities G2

    Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

    Even Realities G2 for $599: We have not fully reviewed the Even Realities G2 yet—we have spent a little time with the hardware but are awaiting a prescription model for proper testing. There are a few bugs with the software, but Even Realities’ second-gen glasses are impressive. Thin, light, and easily passable for standard glasses, these don’t have a camera or speaker; instead, they focus on extending your smartphone with the display and microphone. The projected screen is 75 percent larger than the original G1, and you can thumb the R1 smart ring (separate purchase) to navigate the interface. You can see your notifications, translate real-time conversations, see navigation instructions, pin to-do lists, and talk to the company’s Even AI assistant about anything. There’s also a teleprompter function to convince people you’re a natural at public speaking. Again, the hardware is impressive, but we need to put these glasses through their paces; stay tuned for our full review soon. —Julian Chokkattu

    Image may contain Accessories Sunglasses and Glasses

    Photograph: Simon Hill

    RayNeo Air 3s Pro for $299: TCL-owned RayNeo offers many models, and I’ve tested several. The latest Air 3s Pro glasses boast a 201-inch virtual screen (1080p, 120 Hz, 1200 nits), but the 46-degree field of view lets it down a little. Both color vibrancy and brightness offer major upgrades over previous releases, like the Air 2s and the older TCL RayNeo Air 2 XR Glasses, and you can just about see the whole screen clearly (even after adjusting, I had to slide them down my nose a little to avoid blurring at the bottom). You will also need the lens shade to use them in brighter environments. While they are cheaper than our other virtual screen picks, I found them inferior in design, fit, and comfort. Rayneo has added some more on-device options, including spatial sound, but it didn’t work well for me, though the standard sound is fine. RayNeo’s software, required for 3 DoF, is still buggy and unpolished. This is a good virtual screen for the money, and perfectly suitable for watching movies and light gaming, but if you want more from your smart glasses, I’d pick a different pair.

    Chamelo Music Shield for $260: With a cool touch-control tint capability that enables you to adjust for the conditions, and built-in Bluetooth speakers for music, the Chamelo Music Shield could be up your sporty street. You can take these dimmable glasses from 17 to 63 percent light transmittance (almost clear to mirrored) by sliding your finger along the right temple. The sound quality is decent for glasses, but even cheap wireless earbuds sound better, and these are on the pricey side for their limited functionality.

    Image may contain Accessories Glasses Sunglasses Goggles Blade Razor and Weapon

    Photograph: Simon Hill

    Lucyd Reebok Octane for $199: Designed in partnership with Reebok for cyclists and runners, these lightweight Bluetooth sunglasses feature silver polarized lenses, good quality speakers, and 8-hour battery life. I enjoyed listening to music and podcasts while hiking, and I like that you can hear the world around you. The sound leakage isn’t too bad, so you won’t bother the people you pass. They also have physical controls that are much easier to use than touch controls, even when your hands are wet (they’re water-resistant, too). You can take calls, get directions, and ask your preferred AI assistant questions. Lucyd has been making Bluetooth sunglasses for several years now and offers a wide range of different styles. We also tried the Lucyd 2.0 Bluetooth Sunglasses a couple of years ago.

    Rokid Max 2 Glasses for $429: The Spider-Man style lenses give these comfortable smart glasses a bit of character, though they won’t be to everyone’s taste. They project a 215-inch screen (1080p, 120 Hz, 600 nits, 50-degree FoV) and boast diopter dials for focus adjustments, but I struggled to eliminate blurring around the edges, and instead of stylish electrochromic dimming, there’s a clip-on plastic blackout shield. I also tried the Rokid Station 2, which adds an Android TV interface to access entertainment apps, but also a trackpad and an air mouse for easier control. The original Rokid Station was a more basic portable Android TV.

    Don’t Bother

    Here’s the eyewear that fell short.

    Halliday Glasses for $499: While these could almost pass for chunky regular glasses, with a clever ring controller and a tiny unobtrusive display, I can confidently say they are not the future of smart glasses. After spending several uncomfortable hours trying to adjust the display to be readable, all I got was a headache. The ring seemed like a smart idea, but it’s big, ugly, plastic, laggy, and frustrating to use. The eavesdropping AI is slow, and squinting up to try and see the screeds of useless text it churns out is actually painful. The sound quality and battery life are equally awful.

    Amazon Echo Frames for $300: The Amazon Echo Frames (3/10, WIRED Review) are a bit old now, but you can still purchase them. Too bad they don’t do much. They work as sunglasses, filter blue light, and are IPX4-rated. Tech-wise, they have a speaker and microphone in each temple, and you can use them to query or command Alexa, as you would with a smart speaker, but there are no cameras here, making them far less capable than the similarly priced Ray-Ban Meta glasses.

    Image may contain Accessories Glasses Sunglasses and Scissors

    Photograph: Simon Hill

    Asus AirVision M1 for $399: I was excited to see Asus launch smart glasses, but the lack of fanfare was a red flag. My first impressions of the lightweight design were promising, and the M1 offers up to a 100-inch virtual display and impressive 1,100 nits brightness. Designed to plug into your phone, laptop, PC, or handheld gaming device, like the ROG Ally, via USB-C, the M1 also features built-in speakers and a microphone. Sadly, the refresh rate maxes out at 72 Hz and is limited to 60 Hz unless you employ the Airvision software, which also enables you to select different modes (working, gaming, infinity), tweak screen position, and set interpupillary distance (IPD). I found the in-focus sweet spot was small, and most of my virtual screen was blurry, no matter how I tweaked the settings, making them uncomfortable to use, especially for work. There’s also a basic plastic shield to block light, rather than electrochromic dimming, and the speaker quality is decidedly average, leaving me puzzled about why the price is so high.

    Solos AirGo Vision for $299: With a built-in AI assistant powered by ChatGPT, the Solos AirGo Vision adds a camera on top of the Bluetooth-connected speakers in the rest of its range. Grant it unfettered access to your location and photo library, and it can describe what you are seeing. The most obvious use cases are translation and navigation, though I’m not convinced about the accuracy of its suggestions. The design is interesting, with chunky temples housing the smarts and interchangeable frames. There’s no virtual screen or HUD, but you can get prescription lenses, and they look relatively normal. Sadly, the photo and audio quality are horrible, and the touch controls are frustratingly finicky. The app is also power hungry and demands too many permissions. The Ray-Ban Meta glasses do the same things better.

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    Simon Hill

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  • Keep Your Kids Entertained With These Adorable Screen-Free Speakers

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    With a lovely mix of music, stories, and sounds, all available in eight languages, this speaker successfully combines fun and education. It is durable, has its own handle, and is simple enough for toddlers to operate. Timio is for kids aged two years and up. There’s no need for a screen, app, or internet connection, as your child can play content by selecting one of the plastic discs and slotting it on top. You get five discs in the box covering classical music, farm animals, vehicles, lullabies, and bedtime stories. Each disc looks like a clock face with pictures at each hour, and kids simply press the one they want. Additional sets of discs are $22 and cover all sorts of topics, from dinosaurs to learning colors.

    The speaker sounds surprisingly good, and there’s a 3.5-mm audio port for kids’ headphones. Timio is a great way to introduce your kids to other languages or for multilingual households (you can press and hold the language button to switch between English, Spanish, French, German, Dutch, Chinese, Italian, and Portuguese). There’s also a quiz mode, with prompts like find the police car, identify numbers, or select a specific shape. Timio does require three AA batteries, and when you screw open the back panel, you will also find the SD card that holds the content. We recommend rechargeable batteries, as you will change them often if Timio proves popular with your kids. Although they are large and you get a bag to keep them in, there is a risk that discs will go missing.

    For kids aged 2+ years.

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    Simon Hill

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  • Brace for Cold Nights With the Best Down Comforters We’ve Tried

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    Compare Our Top 11 Down Comforters

    More Comforters We’ve Tested

    If you want a warm blanket but you don’t want traditional down, consider a down alternative, or a comforter made with eucalyptus or bamboo.

    Buffy Breeze Comforter

    Courtesy of Buffy

    Buffy Breeze Comforter: The Buffy Breeze Comforter has been on my bed for years. It’s made with a eucalyptus fiber fill and has a eucalyptus fiber cover, which lends it a silky feeling and excellent temperature regulation. It keeps me warm in the winter, but in the summer it doesn’t get too hot or feel too stifling. There are cute duvet covers available that I don’t entirely love—the comforter shifts around inside quite a bit—but if you want a duvet cover, this one is decent and made out of similar materials so it won’t detract from the comforter’s cooling features. The best part is that the Buffy Breeze is pretty affordable, and it goes on sale during basically every shopping holiday.

    The Company Store Legends Luxury Luxe Royal Down Medium Warmth Comforter: For the price, I admit I was expecting this to be about as high-end a down comforter experience as one could get. And indeed, the RDS-certified Legends Luxury Luxe Royal looks nice, with a silky embossed basketweave design on the cover, but it didn’t have the same loft or fluffy feel as the brand’s Legends Hotel line. Which is strange, as it has a higher fill power than my favorite Legends Hotel comforter, the Premium Alberta (700-750 to Alberta’s 600-650). And it’s not just me—during testing, I lent the Legends Luxury Luxe Royal to my teen son, who had previously been trying the Alberta, and he only made it three days before asking for the Alberta back. —Kat Merck

    11 Best Down Comforters Tested in Our Homes in Every Season

    Photograph: Kat Merck

    LaCrosse Premium Down Medium Warmth Comforter: From the Company Store’s flagship LaCrosse collection, this RDS-certified comforter hits all the brand’s high points: loops for comforters that have ties; 600-650 fill power; combed cotton sateen cover. However, it is around the same price as the Legends Hotel Premium Alberta, above, which is considerably fluffier. —Kat Merck

    Image may contain Plant Blanket Home Decor Cushion Pillow Bench and Furniture

    Courtesy of Brooklinen

    Brooklinen Airweave Cotton Quilt: This fluffy quilt is made of a waffled, textured fabric that feels lightweight, airy, and fluffy but still manages to keep heat in. It’s a wonderful blanket for summer months or afternoon naps, and I love the punchy colors. (I tested it in Marigold, a vibrant orange that brings me joy every time I see it.) My tester blanket did have a couple of loose threads, but careful snipping took care of them.

    Utopia Bedding Down Alternative Comforter: If you’re on a tight budget, this affordable down alternative comforter offers great value for the price. It’s quilted and lightweight, but it’ll still keep you warm despite not being particularly heavy. I wasn’t a huge fan of the outer fabric—it’s microfiber that I found to be a bit scratchy and rough. But the comforter is available in a wide array of colors (there are 11 to choose from), and it has corner loops so it’ll work with a duvet cover. It’s also well-constructed—I didn’t find a single loose thread or stitch, unlike some other affordable comforters I’ve used in the past.

    Eden Om Bamboo Comforter in white draped on a bed.

    Eden & Om Bamboo Comforter

    Photograph: Louryn Strampe

    Eden & Om Bamboo Comforter: This blanket is silky-soft and quite thin. It’d be a great option for a summer blanket since it’s naturally cooling, though conversely, you might want to have a warmer comforter around for cooler nights. Even in the Extra weight, it doesn’t completely block the chill from my box fan, let alone keep me warm enough in the brutal winter months. But on nights when it isn’t dreadfully chilly outside, this blanket reminds me of the Buffy Breeze comforter (above)—it helps regulate my body temperature without making me too warm or too cold. It’s also pretty breathable so on the off chance I do sweat, I don’t wake up feeling trapped and overheated.

    Ikea Fjällbräcka: I used this Ikea comforter for several years. It’s not even 100 percent down (they cut it with duck feathers), it tends to get a little lumpy, and it’s not especially lofty, but it does have a 252-thread-count shell that prevents feather leakage. The biggest downside is that the added duck feathers give this comforter a little more of a “poultry smell” than white goose down feathers would. However, this comforter is also machine washable and sturdier than a lot of quilts I’ve used at this price point. —Martin Cizmar

    Comforters We Don’t Recommend

    White Noise Goose Down and Feather All Season Comforter a white padded blanket draped on a bed with a grey rug...

    Courtesy of Wayfair

    White Noise Goose Down and Feather All Season Comforter: This all-season medium-weight comforter is breathable, balanced, and suitable for all seasons, with between 2 and 3 inches of 600-fill power thickness. The outside material is soft but feels sort of weird to the touch because it’s made of polyester and nylon—although this helps with noise reduction and is quieter than the others I’ve tested. It’s machine washable and struck a great balance between being thin and light enough for warmer weather while having enough thickness to still feel cozy. However, the comforter came with a really weird, pungent odor that smelled like grass and sweat. I washed and dried it two times to make the stench bearable to sleep with, but every once in a while during testing I could still smell the odor faintly. This is a solid all-season down comforter that strikes a good balance and has a great price point. I just wish it hadn’t smelled so gross. —Molly Higgins

    Down is the layer of fluffy feathers between a bird’s outer feathers and its skin. It’s a great insulating material—just think of all those birds that manage to stay warm and dry all year long. Down is efficient, it’s more eco-friendly than some alternative materials, and it’s breathable despite keeping things so warm. Down holds up well over time with proper care, so your initial investment will last for years. A down comforter is especially worthwhile if you live in a cold climate. Blankets made with down alternatives or other types of materials can be good, too, but if you’re looking for a warm blanket that’ll last decades, down is probably what you want. We have an article dedicated to helping you decide.

    How Do You Choose a Down Comforter?

    Look for a cover thread count between 230 and 500. Fabrics with these thread counts are “down-proof” and minimize the chances of feathers poking through.

    Fill power vs. fill weight: Fill power is a measurement of how much space, in cubic inches, an ounce of down takes up—for instance, a fill power of 600 means one ounce of down will take up 600 cubic inches. A higher fill power means fluffier, more efficient down. Fill power doesn’t necessarily translate to warmth, but it’s an indication of the quality of the down and how much the down compresses. Fill weight, on the other hand, is the amount of down inside the product. If something has high fill power but low fill weight, it won’t necessarily be warmer than if something has low fill power and high fill weight. It’s a little confusing. The most important factor is how the down is distributed. Look for baffle-box or sewn-through construction in your comforters for an indication that down will be distributed evenly and keep you warm throughout the night. Baffle boxes keep down lofty but need to be shaken sometimes to reallocate the down inside, whereas sewn-through keeps things in place but often results in a slightly less fluffy comforter.

    Goose vs. duck down: Goose down has a higher fill power than duck down, so it’s fluffier and loftier. It’s also less smelly and generally more hypoallergenic. On the other hand, duck down is usually more affordable. We think goose down is best unless you’re on a very tight budget. Two common types of goose down are Hungarian and Hutterite. Both are considered to be top-notch based on the large down clusters typical of birds that come from the cold regions of Hungary and Canada. Hutterite tends to be more affordable. You likely wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between the two. Hungarian down can be a bit loftier, and Hutterite down can be a bit softer, but ultimately neither of these factors should make or break your decision to purchase a comforter. When it comes to the types of birds the down comes from, however, you should look for all goose down or at least a blend of goose and duck. That will cut back on odors and allergens and offer a fluffier, more high-quality blanket.

    Down comforter care tips: If you’re investing in a comforter, you might want to consider getting a duvet cover, which can help protect the comforter and also usually improves the look (unless you’re into plain white). When it comes to washing the comforter itself, you want to follow the instructions on the care tag, and wash it as infrequently as you can. You can do it at home if your washer is big enough; otherwise, head to local laundromat to use their bigger machines. Use a delicate wash cycle with high spin speed to get as much moisture out as possible, and avoid using fabric softener, which can degrade the down’s fluffy texture. You should also use a small amount of detergent—err on the side of less, not more—and consider an extra rinse cycle to ensure that all the soap is rinsed out. Make sure that your comforter is fully dry using a low-heat setting. It might take a few cycles. Fluff the comforter between rounds to ensure efficient drying and maximum loft. I like using wool dryer balls to help make drying more efficient.

    How Does WIRED Test Down Comforters?

    For each comforter we tested, our testers slept with our respective picks for at least seven nights in locations around the US—our testers included folks living in Portland, Oregon; northern Illinois; New York City; and Kansas City, Missouri. Every comforter in this list has at least been tested during autumn, though most have been tested during every season. We looked for comforters that struck a balance between price, efficiency, and quality, and sought out different fill weights, fill powers, and materials to ensure our recommendations met a variety of reader needs. We assessed how we felt as we fell asleep, slept, and woke up. We paid careful attention to details such as whether a comforter was noisy while settling in for the night, or whether any feathers poked through. We’re always testing new down comforters, especially during the colder months. We are also testing more down alternative options which will be featured in a separate story.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.

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    Louryn Strampe

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  • We’ve Spent Months Testing and Retesting to Find You the Best TV Antennas for Free TV

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    Other Antennas Worth Considering

    Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    Mohu Leaf (Passive) for $40-$45: After multiple scans and adjustments, I was able to get the latest passive version of the Leaf to receive nearly as many channels as our top picks. It’s a viable option if you don’t want to plug in, and it easily receives all my core channels, but it’s less consistent in both scanning and operation than our favorites at a similar cost. Barring a hot sale, it makes more sense to grab one of our top options, especially for rural areas.

    One For All Amplified a spherical antenna beside a charging cord both sitting on a white tablecloth

    One for All Amplified (16662)

    Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    One for All Amplified (16662) for $100-$120: This sphere-shaped antenna isn’t bad, just surprisingly expensive. The first time I scanned for channels it found nearly all available, including multiple Nextgen channels, and offered clear and stable reception. It proved slightly inconsistent upon channel rescan, but its main limitation is the high price.

    Antennas to Avoid

    Image may contain Electrical Device Microphone Adapter and Electronics

    Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    HIDB Electronics TV Antenna for $20: This tiny antenna tower is a top seller on Amazon, and I really hoped for a good showing given its negligible size and price. Unfortunately, though I was able to get it to scan plenty of channels, it proved highly inconsistent over multiple days of testing, with several dead channels showing up between scans. If you’re willing to gamble, it could get the job done on a budget, but it’s likely to leave multiple channels on the table even in urban areas.

    Image may contain Electronics Phone and Mobile Phone

    Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    Mohu Vibe Amplified for $50: I’ve had bad luck with the more stylish pad and wand-style antennas, and this rather pricey model from Mohu is no exception. It proved inconsistent in testing across multiple TVs, dropping major channels like my local CBS, NBC, and PBS affiliates, along with plenty of lesser-used channels.

    Image may contain Accessories Home Decor Wristwatch Arm Body Part and Person

    Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    Mohu Versa for $30: I wanted to like the stylish and simple Versa, one of the few antennas you’ll find these days that doesn’t include an optional amplifier. Unfortunately, it was one of the worst at pulling channels, including several that were scanned and listed on the TV but showed no signal.

    Clearstream Flex Amplified antenna a white panel and wrapped cords on a striped tablecloth

    Clearstream Flex Amplified

    Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    Clearstream Flex Amplified for $60: This massive antenna struggled some with channel reliability in scanning, even after multiple rescans. It was one of the few models we tested that failed to pick up our local ABC affiliate, along with a few other channel bands.

    One For All Suburbs Ultimate Antenna a long black device and charger cord on a striped tablecloth

    One for All Suburbs Ultimate (14426)

    Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    One for All Suburbs Ultimate Antenna (14426) for $50-$60: This thin black bar has stylish looks, but it was among the least consistent models we tested. It repeatedly pulled in fewer channels than similar models, leaving out wide channel bands, including major station affiliates.

    One For All Suburbs Ultimate antenna a white rectangular device sitting on a striped tablecloth

    One for All Suburbs Ultimate (14450)

    Photograph: Ryan Waniata

    One For All Suburbs Ultimate (14450) for $30: Another rather stylish and unique-looking model from One for All, this antenna is a bit janky to set up (especially its stand legs) and had more trouble bringing in multiple channels, including some major affiliates, than the top antennas we tested.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.

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    Ryan Waniata

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  • These 40 Tempting Tech Gifts All Cost Less Than $100

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    Gift shopping on a budget is stressful. Prices sometimes soar around the holidays, making it tough to find genuine bargains. To help, we spent countless hours testing all manner of gizmos and gadgets to bring you expert advice on what is worth buying. These gifts are sure to bring a smile to your loved ones’ faces without breaking the bank too badly, though we know $100 isn’t exactly cheap, either.

    For more ideas, the WIRED 101 is full of things (sometimes expensive) that are sure to impress. If you don’t mind spending more, check out our Best Tech Gifts guide, and if money is tight, we’ve also made a list of the Best Gifts Under $25. For giftees with a particular passion, you can find tailored options, like gifts for audiophiles, coffee fans, book lovers, and more.

    Updated November 2025: We’ve added several new gadgets.

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    Simon Hill

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  • Yes, Chef! Win Your Own Culinary Challenges With These WIRED-Tested Chef’s Knives

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    Compare Our Picks

    Honorable Mentions

    Photograph: Molly Higgins

    New West Knifeworks Joy Bauer 6-Inch Chef Knife for $225: Like my New West Knifeworks pick above, this luxe knife is absolutely gorgeous, with a bold red-and-white handle and an accompanying embossed leather sheath. Created in collaboration with nutritionist and TV personality Joy Bauer, this 6-inch knife is a Japanese Santoku-style knife with a downward blade and a sturdy top slope, made from American-made 440C stainless steel. I found that food stuck to the sides of this blade, and it dragged more with starchier foods, but it is absolutely gorgeous and better for smaller tasks.

    Henckels Classic Precision 7-Inch Santoku Knife for $80: I’ve found this Santoku-style knife’s flat blade and straight edge are most effective for slicing and tap-chopping, with the low point and flat blade being effective for easy sliding and transport of chopped vegetables. This Spanish-made knife’s blade is made of German stainless steel with a satin finish, which also has divots to reduce food sticking to the sides. The Mannkitchen Santoku model below is a bit sturdier, but this is a more affordable, lighter Santoku option of those I’ve tested.

    Henckels Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife for $70: This 8-inch, Spanish-made Henckels knife has a classic German-style blade made from German stainless steel. It just feels like a heavy-duty workhorse knife. The finely honed blade transitions to an ergonomic triple-rivet handle. Although only 0.28 pounds, this knife feels heavier than the comparable Zwilling, in part because of this handle, which is less comfortable with more severe, squared edges than some others I tested. The blade was super sharp and I quickly cut most produce with ease, although it wasn’t as clean a cut on denser foods like potatoes. Plus, the starchier produce seemed to stick a little more to this knife than others.

    Image may contain Blade Knife Weapon and Cutlery

    Photograph: Molly Higgins

    Männkitchen 7-inch Santoku MK71S for $130: This Santoku Japanese-style knife feels a bit heavier than the majority on this list, although the triple-beveled handle is ergonomically designed and easy to hold, despite its large size. The hefty handle seamlessly blends into the stainless steel knife, and despite being heavy, I felt in control while cutting. This heavy-duty knife has a lower point, which makes it easier to dice and chop quickly without too much arm/shoulder movement or exertion. The blade is also wide and thick, making it feel a bit sturdier and easier to transfer veggies from the cutting board. This isn’t going to be my go-to for everything I cut on the reg, but I especially loved it for quicker, rougher dicing and chopping of things like herbs and garlic cloves.

    Hast Selection Series Japanese Carbon Steel 8-inch Chef Knife for $79: This sleek Hast knife is made of Japanese carbon steel (see above for more about carbon materials) from renowned steel maker Koike. It overall feels lightweight and svelte, and the ergonomic handle was very easy to grip, although it got a bit slippery (and potentially dangerous) when wet. Overall it doesn’t feel as heavy-duty as others tested, and flip-flopped a bit while cutting more dense foods like potatoes. It was able to make super smooth cuts on softer foods, and I felt able to control it easily while mincing garlic. This is a remarkably affordable option for a Japanese carbon steel chef’s knife that excels in making more precise cuts.

    Image may contain Weapon Blade Knife and Dagger

    Photograph: Molly Higgins

    Material the 8-Inch Knife for $105: This hefty, beautiful knife from Material has quickly become my go-to large knife for bigger cutting tasks. I noticed vegetables don’t stick to the side as much as other models, and it was surprisingly able to make ultra-thin cuts with control despite its large size. It’s a little longer, at 13.5 inches total, making it bigger and sturdier to use than the smaller styles I tend to go for. Each knife is hand-polished, heat-treated at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, and cryogenically tempered at -250 degrees to make the steel harder and more durable. The blade is made of sturdy Japanese high-carbon and stainless steel, with an oval-shaped, grippy, and matte composite handle, and the blade extends into the handle so weight is distributed more evenly. Plus, you can personalize this knife for a fun upgrade.

    Misen 8-Inch Chef’s Knife 2.0 for $94: This chef’s knife is made from Japanese high-carbon stainless steel with a high chromium content to resist rust, and features a long blade over 8 inches. The handle has an ergonomic rounded spine, which is sturdy, but wasn’t the grippiest or easiest to hold from those I’ve tested. This knife works excellently if you need longer, more precise cuts (I would imagine it’d be good for making scoring cuts or filleting a soft fish), but things tended to stick on the sides, and the sheer length of the blade made things less fast as I dealt with drag.

    I tested the only way I knew how: fumbling, cutting, slicing, and dicing in the kitchen, with a knife of the week, a cutting board (I used both wooden and plastic boards), and a variety of foods. I used each of these knives for a week while I made all of my meals, using them to do big tasks like cut through thick root vegetables, thinly slice cucumbers, roughly chop herbs, mash garlic, and even open plastic packaging. It’s also important to know how to do a few essential knife skills in the kitchen to make best use of your knives.

    I’m vegan, so I had some of my carnivorous friends and colleagues use these knives to also carve beef and cut up a whole chicken, to make sure the blades could withstand all types of textures. As stated earlier, the best knife is a sharp one, and each of these came out of the package deadly sharp. I cut myself more than once in the process, all for the greater good to find which chef knife belongs in your kitchen. (But a lesson was learned: Be extra careful when using a new, super sharp chef’s knife for the first time.)

    Let’s get this out of the way: The best knife is one that’s sharp. After duking it out in the kitchen for hours on end, I’ve found that what makes a knife truly great is a seriously sharp edge. A dull knife is dangerous—you’ll need to apply more pressure as you’re cutting, which means that when your knife slips, you cut yourself more deeply. Plus, a dull knife isn’t as precise or quick with cuts.

    Especially with a pricier knife, you’ll want to make that investment last as long as possible. That means regular sharpening to keep it in tip-top slicing shape. Unfortunately, there isn’t One Sharpener to Rule Them All. Different blade materials and shapes require different sharpening techniques. For example, many stainless steel blades are too hard to effectively be sharpened by traditional water stones. Former chef and current WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson recommends water stones for carbon steel and loves these Shapton stones.

    The majority of chef’s knives can be (relatively) easily sharpened when needed, which is typically done with a whetstone at around a 15 to 20 degree angle, followed by honing rod or leather for the smoothing knife’s edge. I’ve always used popular (and easy-to-use) pull-through sharpeners, which are more precise than steel and sharpen quicker than whetstones. But they are generally not recommended, especially for Serious Chefs™, because they shed quite a bit of metal in the process, weakening the durability over time.

    Most home chefs will only need to sharpen their knives around twice a year and use a honing steel to keep the blades in shape at other times. Although a few years old, we keep going back to this article from Epicurious on how to sharpen a knife the right way in order to keep your knives in the best shape for as long as you can.

    Should You Buy a Knife Set?

    In a word: no. Despite what the door-to-door salesman or your MLM-loving cousin says, knife sets are usually not a good investment. You just need a few good knives. An 8-inch chef’s knife will work best for most tasks in the kitchen. I have a smaller hand, so I also like a small paring knife for some tasks, and a serrated knife for bread, in addition to the chef knife. Knife sets often cost double or triple as much as buying just one good chef knife. Not to mention, the wooden storage blocks also take up useful counter space, especially if you live in a tiny New York apartment like me. We recommend you save your money by skipping a set and investing in a solid chef’s knife instead. (Plus, one or two others if you want a bit of variety.)

    What Makes a Knife a Chef’s Knife?

    As said earlier, it’s multipurpose tool used used to cut meat, dice vegetables, chop nuts or smash garlic. A chef’s knife, generally, is made of many layers of forged steel and has a sharp end point and a prominent edge with a sloping curve, which helps with the fast rocking motion that allows chefs to cut food quickly.

    A chef’s knife is among the most versatile knives in the kitchen and can be used for anything from chopping to cutting. Common uses for a chef’s knife include cutting meat, dicing vegetables, slicing herbs, and chopping nuts. The flat side of the knife can even be used to crush garlic. The versatility of this multipurpose knife makes it a must-have in any kitchen. It’s important to avoid any hard surfaces that would render the blade dull. In addition, learning how to hold a knife is an important first step to ensure the best results when using it.

    There’s also the material the blade is made out of to consider—these days, most blades are made from carbon or stainless steel.

    Stainless steel: This material is resistant to moisture, can hold a razor-sharp edge for longer, and is more flexible than carbon, making it more effective at absorbing impact. However, stainless steel takes longer to re-sharpen, which makes it more difficult to maintain without a professional sharpening system.

    Carbon steel: This material has a high carbon content, which makes it a very hard steel, and edges out stainless when it comes to general sharpness. Most often, they also hold an edge for longer and are easier to re-sharpen. Carbon steel is more sensitive to elements like humidity or water, so they require more timely and thorough cleaning and maintenance.

    All of the knives on our list are measured in the Rockwell rating/measurement, referred to as HRC of the steel. HRC measures how much of a mark a diamond point can make in the metal with the amount of weight; so, the smaller the mark is, the harder the steel, and visa versa.

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    Molly Higgins

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  • The Best French Presses for a Full-Bodied Cup

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    The French press is an unassuming piece of coffee-making equipment. It doesn’t require electricity, yet experts agree that it can brew a richer and more full-bodied cup of joe in comparison with its more technologically advanced peers. For example, natural oils that would otherwise be filtered out in a drip coffee maker remain fully intact, making the coffee aromatic and robust.

    The French press method of making coffee is straightforward, cost-effective, easy to do, and hard to mess up. The device also doesn’t take up too much counter space, especially if you’re using our top pick, the Espro P3 ($40). Once you have your measurements down, it’s a quick process of steeping coarse coffee grounds in near-boiling water.

    We tested these models using the James Hoffmann French press technique, in which he uses 30 grams of coffee to 500 grams of water, waits for four minutes, and stirs through the crust. Whether you choose a French press made from glass or stainless steel, a few factors make a difference based on your personal coffee needs.

    Want to make the process even easier? Take a look at our guides to the Best Aeropresses, Best Electric Kettles, and Best Coffee Subscriptions.

    Updated November 2025: We’ve added new French presses from Barista Warrior, DHPO, Yeti, Pure Over, and Aarke, moved some picks to Honorable Mentions, and ensured links and prices are up to date.

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    Tyler Shane

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  • The Best WIRED-Tested Nut Milk Makers, for Everything From Almonds to Oats

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    When Andrew Watman tested, he made three types of milk with each. For almond milk he used unroasted, unsalted almonds. For cashew, he used unroasted, unsalted cashews. For macadamia, he used dry roasted, unsalted macadamia nuts. I used old-fashioned rolled oats, unsalted raw almonds, and unsweetened coconut shreds.

    For the machines, we looked for a well-engineered products that will last a long time, as well as ergonomic and intuitive design. Many of these required the machine’s parts to be separated and cleaned thoroughly, especially because the mushy plant matter can have a tendency to stick. Any machine that had a thoughtful design with cleaning was rated higher.

    I also considered the length of time it took to produce the milk, as well as the simplicity of using the product (and ease of cleaning it). We also examined the taste and smoothness, comparing it to each other and store-bought milks. I also added additional sweeteners like agave, dates, and lavender simple syrup to see how the flavors changed with each machine.

    These freshly made plant-and nut-based milks are all going to have a shorter shelf life than plant milks you buy at the store (typically about five days) because of the lack of added preservatives. We looked for machines that weren’t just blenders, but specifically curated for making the best plant milk possible.

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    Molly Higgins

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  • Best Travel Pants for Women Who Go Places (2025)

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    Travel pants that are tough enough to handle hangry moods and unplanned delays.

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    Boutayna Chokrane

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  • Our Favorite Online Gift Cards and Digital Presents

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    Trawling through busy retail stores seeking gifts is a daunting task. Shopping online can be just as time-consuming, and you may run into delivery delays. Even if you successfully secure a haul of presents, many will wind up in closets or charity stores. It’s time to try an online gift. Digital presents and online gift cards are easier. Shop from your comfy sofa or cozy bed—no need for gift wrapping or shipping. We have a virtual smorgasbord of delicious digital gift ideas for you.

    You might also be interested in the Best Subscription Boxes for Gifting, the Best Gift Subscriptions for Kids, or one of our many other gift guides.

    Updated November 2024: We’ve added new entries in several sections, including food and restaurants, online teaching courses, and travel and experiences, and we removed discontinued services or gift options and updated existing entries to reflect the latest changes and prices.

    Table of Contents

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting that’s too important to ignore for just $2.50 $1 per month for 1 year. Includes unlimited digital access and exclusive subscriber-only content. Subscribe Today.

    Photograph: Amazon

    They may not be all that imaginative, but electronic gift cards let your loved ones choose what they actually want, and it’s never disappointing to receive one (assuming it’s at a place you like). Gift cards are everywhere—you can also look beyond the retail giants to find highly rated independent stores near your giftee.

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    Simon Hill

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  • I Keep Cooking Thanksgiving! Here’s the Best Holiday Meal Delivery

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    Making a full Thanksgiving feast for guests can be daunting, for some perhaps even terrifying. The world, and especially Hallmark movies, is full of holiday disaster stories: burnt turkeys, failed desserts, steamed hams. But I’m not bragging when I say that the first Thanksgiving dinner I prepared for my extended family—a little early, this year—was an unmitigated success.

    My aunt couldn’t stop talking about the black pepper in the biscuits and the sage on the carrots. My uncle went in for the turkey and the apple-sausage stuffing. My father didn’t speak at all, unless prompted. He just ate and ate. This was a compliment.

    But of course, I had cheated. I had ordered my Thanksgiving in the mail—one of the new breed of Thanksgiving meal kits.

    The meal was genuinely home-cooked, of course, prepared mostly from scratch. But the entire seven-platter feast—its ingredients and recipes—had arrived two days before, in a box large enough to house a primal cut of beef. It was Thanksgiving in a box: a $200 “Chef’s Table Thanksgiving” meal kit available from sister meal delivery plans Sunbasket and Gobble.

    The spread from Sunbasket was vast and generous. The table contained a nearly 3-pound roast of turkey, mounds of mashed potato, pebbled cranberry compote, roasted carrots dressed in miso-sage butter, brussels sprouts dappled with pecorino romano and pancetta, an endless platter of fennel-apple-sausage-stuffing, Gruyère black-pepper biscuits caked more than an inch tall, a tureen of deep brown turkey gravy, a ginger apple crisp waiting in the wings.

    Sunbasket is among a new bounty of meal kit companies that aim to ease the stress of the holidays by doing the planning and the shopping for you—big meal boxes tailor-made for those who still want to make a home-cooked meal but for whom the prospect of planning a vast and complicated feast is prohibitive. In fact, two weeks later I cooked another Thanksgiving meal from Blue Apron, this time for my sister’s family.

    Here was my experience with Sunbasket and Blue Apron—and some of the other Thanksgiving meal delivery options to get your whole Thanksgiving meal delivered to your home.

    Update Nov. 18, 2025: Added a review of the Blue Apron Thanksgiving and holiday meal kit dishes, after preparing an eight-dish meal. Also updated prices, ordering deadlines, and offerings throughout.

    Want meal kits for more everyday occasions? See WIRED’s guides to the best meal delivery services, and the best plant-based meal delivery kits.

    The Blue Apron à la Carte Thanksgiving (and Holiday) Meal Kit

    Available till December 29. Order by November 19 to ensure delivery by Thanksgiving.

    • Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

    • Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

    • Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

    • Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

    Blue Apron

    Thanksgiving and Holiday Meal Delivery

    Blue Apron, one of the OG meal kits in the US, has undergone a wholesale transformation this year. One of the biggest changes is that subscriptions are no longer required, and à la carte meal ordering is possible—indeed, it’s now my favorite no-subscription meal kit offering. What this means is that for this Thanksgiving, you can order individual Thanksgiving recipe kits to prep fresh at home, without ever setting foot in a crowded grocery store.

    That means roasted grape and goat cheese salad ($12), a big ol’ turkey breast with gravy and cranberry sauce ($50), rosemary herb stuffing ($15), a truly excellent casserole worth of truffle-oiled Southern mac and cheese ($20), almond apple crumb pie ($15), brown butter mashed potatoes ($8), challah rolls with maple ($8) and roasted brussels sprouts with pistachios, ($10). I made all of these recipes for my sister’s family and our parents, a little early this year—and it was a surprisingly delicious feast fit for at least eight people. Probably even 10, if you add an extra order of mashed potatoes.

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    Matthew Korfhage

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  • I’m a Heavy Sleeper, so I Tried 6 Extreme Alarm Clocks That Shock and Roll

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    Extreme Alarm Clocks to Avoid

    Photograph: Molly Higgins

    Flying Alarm Clock for $18: The idea behind this alarm is funny—when the alarm goes off, a propeller ejects from the top and the sleeper is forced to get up, find the propeller, and place it back on the top to get the alarm to stop beeping. However, during the week I used it, the alarm did not stop beeping when the propeller was placed back on the top, when the snooze button was pressed, or when the alarm button was switched off. The only way to get it to stop was to find a screwdriver and take out one of the five required AA batteries (not included). By the end of the week, I had my screwdriver handy in the mornings. At least it kept me up, but not for the right reasons.

    Alarm Clock App (In-App Purchases): This is a puzzle-style alarm app similar to the Alarmy app, but it has fewer features and is buggier. The alarm lets you hit snooze three times before it forces you to actually complete a task, which wasn’t helpful for a chronic snoozer like me. The biggest issue, though, was that the alarm didn’t sound when my phone was in vibrate or silent mode. For this reason, I had to have a backup alarm throughout the majority of the week I tested. When I did remember to turn on the ringer, the app glitched almost every morning and either froze or shut down the app entirely.

    EC Vision Lock N’ Load Gun Alarm Clock for $28: This is another gimmicky clock meant to be a fun, interactive alarm. You set it up across the room, the alarm sounds off, and a target springs up—the sleeper must then shoot the target with a toy gun to activate the snooze feature. However, shooting the alarm just controls the snooze; to turn off the alarm, the sleeper has to press an actual button on the alarm clock—making the whole shooting part ultimately unnecessary to the clock’s functionality. Even by placing the alarm on the other side of the room and using the aiming and shooting element, this clock didn’t really force me out of bed as effectively as some of the others on this list.

    Which Extreme Alarm Is for You?

    Well, that all depends on your problem with getting out of bed.

    If you are a chronic snooze-pusher, opt for alarms that physically make you get out of bed. Many types incorporate movement to get your blood pumping and shake off some of that sleepy grogginess—like Clocky, the alarm on wheels, or an alarm clock that requires you to shoot a target to turn it off.

    If you are hard of hearing, some of these alarms have adjustable pitch and volume, which are useful for hearing loss in certain ranges. Some of these alarms also have a vibration pad, which can be inserted between the mattress and box spring or under the top sheet, that wakes the sleeper via vibrational movement. There’s even a wrist clock that shocks the sleeper, which can be helpful for those sleeping with partners who don’t want to be disturbed by noises.

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    Molly Higgins

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  • The Best Organic Mattresses—All Certified, All Actually Tested

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    Organic bedding brand Coyuchi recently launched its own organic mattress, combining cotton, wool, and Dunlop latex atop individually wrapped coils. While Coyuchi’s linen sheets are excellent, I was a little nervous to try the company’s first mattress effort. Bedding is not a mattress, after all, and expertise does not always transfer across endeavors. In this case, though, it did. Coyuchi’s organic Natural REM Mattress is wonderfully firm without being too firm and perfect for those of us who lack a sleeping style and tend to sleep every which way—side, back, stomach. I was never uncomfortable.

    The design starts with encased coils on a wool pad and then, like a Midwestern dip, layers in smaller coils, latex, and then wool, and tops it off with an organic cotton cover. There’s surprisingly good edge support considering the distance between the coils and the top, and the mattress provides good motion isolation as well. Coyuchi says the Natural REM can be used with or without a box spring. I tested it for a few months on a box spring and then spent a week with it just on the floor and did not notice a difference. At 11 inches deep, there’s room for a topper, though I did not feel the need.

    The cotton and wool layers are GOTS-certified organic, while the Dunlop latex carries the GOLS certification. The material is undyed, which is great for anyone bothered by industrial dyes. As with most of these organic options, the Coyuchi is made without chemicals, foam, or glues. Coyuchi’s Natural REM organic mattress is made to order in the United States and comes with a 100-night trial, which means you can get a full refund if it doesn’t work for you. —Scott Gilbertson

    Coyuchi Natural REM ranges from $1,400 for a twin to $2,400 for a California king.
    Mattress type Hybrid
    Materials Organic latex, organic wool, organic cotton, (no dyes)
    Sizes available Twin, full, queen, king, California king
    Firmness options Medium firm
    Certifications GOTS, GOLS, Oeko Tex Standard 100
    Trial period 100 nights
    Return policy Free for 100 days
    Shipping Free
    Delivery options In-home setup for $100
    Warranty 25 year limited

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    Scott Gilbertson, Julia Forbes

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  • I Made My Kids Build Robots and Read Books to Test the Best Subscription Boxes for Kids

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    My kids’ appetite for stickers is endless. I find them constantly, on the mirrors in our house, on their school planners and water bottles, and occasionally stuck to the back of my chair or in the car. Stickers are also an accessible way of supporting independent artists. Maybe you can’t buy a painting or a T-shirt, but a sticker only costs a few dollars and you can display it everywhere.

    For $12 a month, Stickii Club offers three different sticker styles—Cute, Vintage, or Pop—along with a storage sleeve and three stationery items, like a notepad, card, or stamp. The club works with independent artists and illustrators (no AI-generated art yet) to produce sheets of original designs. We tried the Pop subscription. These stickers are marvelous. There’s a huge variety in the sheets sent. Some are vinyl, some are transparent, but all are high quality and intricately detailed. The artist is also noted on each corner so we can look them up ourselves. My kids were delighted and traded them with each other like currency. I am now investing in Stickii folios (from $18) in the hopes that I can keep these just a little bit more organized (and sticking a few on my laptop while I’m at it).

    ★ Alternative: You can’t pick the style of box with a Pipsticks Kids Club sticker pack ($20), but with such a big selection, there are bound to be stickers that your child or children will love. It includes 15 sheets of Pipstickers, collectible stickers, a postcard, an activity book, and more. I have two kids who love stickers, and even we found the classic pack to be a bit much; Pipsticks also has a petite pack option for $14.

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    Adrienne So

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  • I Tested 30+ Lip Balms and These Are the Top 5 I Swear By

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    Compare Top 5 Lip Balms

    Honorable Mentions

    Photograph: Boutayna Chokrane

    Eos 24H Moisture Super Balm for $6: I’ve been a fan of Eos’s egg-shaped balms since middle school. The 24H Moisture Super Balm feels like the grown-up version. There are some solid ingredients like shea butter, avocado oil, and castor seed oil. It’s also free of parabens, phthalates, silicones, and synthetic dyes. It’s glossy, cushiony, and comes in delicious scents like Coconut Milk, Mango Melonade, and Watermelon Frosé. The one catch is that it’s not fragrance-free, so those with sensitive lips may not love it. The texture is also sticky, meaning your hair will find its way onto your mouth on a breezy day. And despite the 24-hour moisture claim, expect to reapply every hour or two.

    Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm for $4: If you’re ingredient-conscious, Burt’s Bees has probably been in your tote at some point. The original formula blends beeswax, coconut oil, sunflower seed oil, and peppermint oil. There’s no petroleum or parabens, and you can find it just about everywhere. That said, the beeswax forms a solid barrier but is not the most hydrating, especially during the dead of winter. The balm coats but doesn’t penetrate, which means it won’t do much for lips that are already cracked. The peppermint oil can also be a little too spicy for sensitive lips. Still, if you’re in a pinch and standing in front of the CVS self-checkout, it’s a smarter purchase than Blistex (more on that later).

    Glossier Balm Dotcom for $16: The Glossier Balm Dotcom walked so the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask could run. It’s a multipurpose salve that blends lanolin, castor oil, and beeswax for ultimate moisture retention. Plus, it comes in a handful of sheer tints that play well with no-makeup makeup days. But the thick, waxy texture can feel a bit clumpy, especially if you’re layering over flaky lips.

    5 Best Lip Balms to Try in 2025 All Tested in Tough Conditions

    Photograph: Boutayna Chokrane

    Goop Beauty Nourishing Lip Repair Mask for $30: This buttery lip mask from Goop is loaded with ceramides to help restore your lip barrier, along with fig seed oil and acai fruit that smells just as tropical as it sounds. While it’s free from silicones, parabens, and synthetic fragrances, those botanical oils and fruit extracts can still trigger a reaction. Patch test first. Also, at $30 for just 0.3 fluid ounces, it’s not the most cost-effective balm on my list.

    Omorovicza Budapest Perfecting Lip Balm for $46: Omorovicza’s Perfecting Lip Balm’s texture leans gritty, almost like a lip polish or a micro-exfoliator. There are some goodies in here, like hyaluronic acid and omega fatty acids. But, there are also some unnecessary (potentially irritating) extras—eucalyptus oil, perfume, and benzyl alcohol.

    Avoid These Lip Balms

    Nivea Dewy Lip Care with Hyaluronic Acid: Nivea’s Dewy Lip Care with Hyaluronic Acid is packed with emollients, humectants, and antioxidants—like shea butter, glycerin, and vitamin E (to name a few)—that sound promising. Unfortunately, there are also a couple of unnecessary additives, particularly geranoil fragrance and “flavor,” which could include any mix of synthetic or natural compounds. Nivea’s tinted balms aren’t much better; they leave a greasy film and rely on synthetic pigments for shimmer and color. There are many better balms available that provide lasting hydration without the excessive shine.

    Blistex Lip Medex: It gives you that instant tingle thanks to menthol and camphor, plus a cocktail of synthetic flavors and fragrances, but that sting is a red flag. A general note: “Medicated” lip balms often do more harm than good.

    Carmex Classic Lip Balm: For similar reasons to Blistex, skip Carmex. It contains camphor and benzocaine, which are ingredients that can irritate the skin and make cracked lips worse over time.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What Causes Chapped Lips?

    There are a lot of triggers, and here are some of the most common causes of chapped lips:

    • Cold weather and dry air: Both cold and dry air zap moisture from your skin and stiffen keratin, which is the protein that keeps your lips moisturized.
    • Lip licking: The more you lick, the drier they get. Licking your lips breaks down your lip’s natural barrier, leading to irritation and even hyperpigmentation.
    • Allergic reactions: Some lip balms contain ingredients that trigger allergic reactions, making dryness and peeling worse. Usual suspects include castor oil, fragrance, dyes, and preservatives.
    • Sun exposure: Your lips are thinner and have less pigment than the rest of your skin, which means less protection from UV rays. Unprotected exposure can lead to painful dryness or precancerous spots called actinic cheilitis.
    • Tobacco smoke: If you smoke, your lips are at a higher risk for a condition called glandular cheilitis, which causes swelling, rough texture, and cracks. It can also raise your risk for infections and lip cancer.
    • Medications: Certain meds come with dry mouth as a side effect, including but not limited to retinoids, antihistamines, antidepressants, and benzodiazepines.
    • Underlying conditions: Autoimmune conditions like lupus, eczema, or lichen planus can all show up on your lips first. If your symptoms don’t budge after trying the usual suspects, talk to your dermatologist.

    What Ingredients Should You Look for (and Avoid) In Lip Balms?

    Here’s what to look for on the label:

    • Emollients: These are moisturizing ingredients that help repair and smooth flaky, chapped lips. Some common ones include:
      1. Castor oil: Thick, nourishing, and packed with ricinoleic acid that helps smooth rough texture. It is ever so slightly comedogenic, meaning it can clog pores. 
      2. Cocoa butter or shea butter: These rich butters toe the line between emollient and occlusive. They hydrate and help rebuild the lip’s natural barrier without clogging pores. 
      3. Coconut oil: Naturally anti-inflammatory, but if you’re acne-prone, it can be too much for the skin around your lips.
      4. Jojoba oil: Mimics the skin’s natural sebum. Super lightweight, nongreasy, and unlikely to clog pores.
    • Occlusives: These ingredients form a protective barrier to seal in moisture and block out environmental aggressors. Look for petroleum jelly (aka petrolatum), a tried-and-true moisture sealant, or beeswax for a natural alternative.
    • Humectants: These ingredients attract water to keep lips plump and hydrated; they work best when paired with emollients and occlusives to trap moisture. The standout is hyaluronic acid, which hydrates without leaving a greasy residue, but you’ll also benefit from glycerin, aloe vera, or honey.
    • Antioxidants: Ingredients like vitamin E, vitamin C, niacinamide, and polyphenols help defend against free radicals and aid in repairing damaged skin cells over time.
    • SPF protection: Lips are especially vulnerable to sun damage, so opt for mineral sunscreens utilizing zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. They’re effective, gentle enough for sensitive skin, and don’t leave a white cast.

    Here’s what to avoid:

    • Synthetic fragrances and flavors: Yummy scents, including but not limited to peppermint, cinnamon, and citrus, can irritate your lips, especially if you have sensitive skin.
    • Menthol, camphor, and other cooling agents: These make dryness worse over time.

    When to See a Dermatologist

    According to the American Academy of Dermatology, if your lips are still chapped after two to three weeks of consistent balm use, you should consult your dermatologist. A professional can help you figure out if there’s something more serious going on—like an allergic reaction or fungal infection—and treat it before it exacerbates.

    My lip balm obsession started sometime around 2006 with a Fanta Lip Smacker, but for this story, I got more methodical. Over the past eight months, I put 30 balms to the test across a variety of climates and conditions: dry Chicago winters, Florida heat, airplane air, etc. I judged each against a checklist of factors:

    • Ingredients: I scanned every balm for moisturizing ingredients and flagged substances that can irritate lips instead of helping them, like synthetic fragrances, menthol, and camphor. I also prioritized clean or vegan picks when possible.
    • Texture: I evaluated how each formula went on, how it wore throughout the day, and how buildable it was under lipstick and other lip products. Anything too waxy, too greasy, or that disappeared in five minutes got a hard pass.
    • Packaging and application: I tested squeeze tubes, tins, and twist-up sticks. I rated each on portability, hygiene, and overall user-friendliness.
    • Range: This guide includes drugstore staples and luxury lip treatments, tinted and high-shine options, and SPF picks.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.

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    Boutayna Chokrane

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  • I Tested 17 Aluminum-Free Deodorants to See Which Ones Actually Worked

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    Compare Our Top 11 Natural Deodorants

    More Natural Deodorants We Tested

    Photograph: Louryn Strampe

    Kopari Performance Plus Deodorant for $20: This deodorant smells great—like a floral, beachy coconut. It’s more fresh than sweet, and I’d say it’s unisex-leaning-feminine. It goes on clear and smooth, and it didn’t stain my clothes at all. However, it didn’t last me through a workout without reapplying, unlike some other brands I tried. I think it’s fine, but I wouldn’t call it a “performance deodorant.” If you’re looking for a clear formula and you don’t mind reapplying, it might be worth a shot.

    Curie Clean Deodorant (two-pack) for $28: This formula smells good when first applied, but quickly fades away after an hour or two. It also stained my clothes more than some others I tried. During my second use, it caused some irritation, so I discontinued it. I didn’t notice myself sweating more or less compared to other kinds of natural deodorant. However, the brand does have a great Detox Mask that can help with the transitional period when switching to natural deodorant. It’ll be featured more prominently in an upcoming guide.

    Dove Aluminum-Free Deodorant for $11: Dove’s deodorant is mostly fine, and I like how affordable it is. But the texture is really smooth and leaves my underarms feeling strangely sticky, even after letting them dry. The fragrances aren’t powerful or long-lasting enough for my own personal preference. They also all have a powdery undertone that I was not a fan of. I did notice some BO partway through the day during my testing. Since this is so subjective, your mileage may vary. The packaging also came taped shut, and the tape left behind sticky residue on the outside of my deodorant that was impossible to remove without rubbing alcohol.

    Lume Whole Body Deodorant (three-pack) for $40: This pricey deodorant smelled terrible to me. I received the Invisible Cream formula in Minted Cucumber, which smelled like pool chlorine and hand soap. I refused to put it on my body. I also received the Clean Tangerine Smooth Solid formula, which initially smelled marginally better but still had a weird hand-soap element to it. It left white marks all over my clothes and oddly smelled like cheese once applied. I washed it off and called my testing done. Reader, I love you, but I’m not going to smell like cheese all day just to see if the smell magically transforms after a few hours. Senior commerce editor Kat Merck also tried the Lavender Sage Invisible Cream, and she said it reminded her of laundry that was left overnight in the washing machine—and that the deodorant made her smell worse than she would have had she not worn any in the first place. Lume does have many fans across the internet, so again, this may be something that can be boiled down to personal preference. I suggest smelling it in a store before purchasing.

    Bite Refillable Deodorant for $44: I like the minimalist aesthetic of this refillable deodorant. The sleek metal case is almost miniature, and the entire setup is completely plastic-free. However, it’s easy to push the deodorant stick up too high, which can be messy if the temperatures are warm. In fact, I found the formula too soft in general, and it tended to get gunky and gummy throughout the day, both on my armpits and on the case. I also didn’t love the neroli scent. I think this could work well if you want the most minimalist, nondescript natural deodorant possible, but there are other refillable options that smell better and last longer.

    Best Natural Deodorants Bit Brand with tin packaging

    Photograph: Louryn Strampe

    Saltair AHA Deodorant for $13: I was initially really impressed by the scent I tried from Saltair. Pink Beach smells like a summer sunset on the ocean. Unfortunately, despite my best efforts to make it work, I couldn’t apply this formula without my armpits feeling sticky and irritated. I used it on clean, dry, hairless skin, and I let my armpits dry fully before lowering my arms. But I had this constant feeling of tacky, sweaty irritation that eventually led to a rash, so I discontinued testing.

    How Does WIRED Test Natural Deodorants?

    I‘ve been wearing natural deodorant since 2020. I wore each of these deodorants at least seven times—including at least once during a calm day at home and at least once during a workout at the gym. I also tested whether they stain by putting on a black T-shirt after application. I test each on freshly showered and shaved skin, and by reapplying it at least once on a day that I haven’t showered. Next I’ll be testing liquid AHA deodorants and aluminum-free deodorant from Schmidt’s.

    What Ingredients Make Natural Deodorant Work?

    Here’s an explanation about some of the ingredients you may see in your research.

    Aluminum: Natural deodorants (usually) mask odor and don’t emphasize sweat reduction. Antiperspirants (usually) mask odor and prevent sweat. The sweat prevention comes from aluminum salts, which block sweat ducts under your arms. There were a few studies that talked about elevated breast cancer or Alzheimer’s disease risks from using aluminum, but there’s no definite link between them (according to the FDA, the American Cancer Society, and the National Cancer Institute, among others). It’s probably fine to use antiperspirants with aluminum in them. Some people with kidney disease are advised to avoid aluminum, and others want to “play it safe” and avoid aluminum. As for me, I sort of feel better when I sweat? In any case, that’s the lowdown on aluminum. TL;DR: The science says it’s fine for most people.

    Parabens: Parabens are preservatives that have been shown to mimic estrogen in the body, but at much lower rates than the body’s natural estrogen. Parabens are somewhat common ingredients in food, medicine, and beauty products, though they’re less common as more people try to avoid them. Some parabens are banned in the EU until more research can be done. The FDA has concluded that parabens are safe. It’s relatively easy to avoid parabens if you choose to. Most antiperspirants don’t contain parabens; most natural deodorants don’t, either.

    Phthalates: Phthalates make plastic more flexible and durable, and they can also be used in some beauty products as stabilizers. Some studies have concluded that they’re safe; others suggest links between phthalates and skin irritation, cancer, or early death. But those links were not causal. Phthalates do have a California Proposition 65 warning. The recommended deodorants in this guide are phthalate-free. Many antiperspirants do contain phthalates, but not all of them.

    Baking soda: Some natural deodorants use baking soda as an absorptive agent to prevent sweat and as an antibacterial agent to prevent odor. Some people can develop a rash from using baking-soda-based formulas, due to the reaction between the baking soda and their body’s natural pH balance. It’s hard to tell whether or not you’re sensitive to baking soda until you try it, but if you typically have sensitive skin, you may want to try a formula without baking soda. (We recommend some in this buying guide.)

    What Is the “Transition Period”?

    When you make the switch from antiperspirant to natural deodorant, you might go through a transition period lasting from one to four weeks. Long story short, after years of not sweating while using antiperspirants, you might find yourself sweating a whole lot more as your body adjusts when switching to natural deodorant. It’ll level out eventually, but for me personally, I smelled like a gym full of teenage boys for two weeks. Some people don’t have a transition phase at all. I also developed a heat rash from sweating so much during the middle of summer—my skin was irritated, which meant I couldn’t use deodorant at all, therefore raising the Stink Factor. Now, though, I sweat less than I ever did while using antiperspirants.

    Be prepared to stick it out. I have an issue with the term “detox,” because our bodies already have a detoxifying process (called the kidneys). However, a clay mask like the Curie Detox Mask can be helpful in drawing out excess moisture and calming down irritated skin that you might experience during the transition period. Otherwise, just keep your underarms dry and be gentle on your skin. It won’t last forever.

    What the Tables in This Guide Mean

    It’s hard to empirically test deodorant. Scent preferences vary from person to person, and they can change based on your body chemistry. Some people might prefer a different formula, some people shave and some don’t, and some people care more about sweat absorption than scent. Do you shower every single day? Do you work out frequently? Do you naturally sweat a lot or a little? All of these things can factor in to whether or not you’ll like a deodorant. Here’s what the tables in this guide mean.

    Available scents: How many scents you can choose from as of press time.

    Free from: These ingredients are not in the deodorant.

    Scent strength: “Strong” lasts all day. “Medium” fades halfway through the day. “Faint” means it faded fast or was barely noticeable in the first place.

    Sweat level: “Low” means I didn’t notice any sweat. “Medium” means I noticed some wetness but didn’t feel the need to reapply the deodorant. “High” means I sweat a lot and felt the need to reapply throughout the day.

    Clothing stains: “None” means it didn’t stain my clothes. “Few” means it might show up on a black T-shirt. “High” means it will absolutely show up on your clothes, regardless of color.

    Functional ingredients: A list of the main ingredients that help absorb sweat and prevent odor.

    Formula details: Is it vegan? Is it a stick, cream, or roll-on? I’ll let you know here.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.

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    Louryn Strampe

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  • I’m a Smart-Home Writer and This Is How I’m Automating My Holiday Parties

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    There’s an automated solution, though. For my latest parties, I brought the HP Sprocket Photo Booth Machine ($600), and it was a hit. It’s a 21-inch-tall, portable photo booth that both automatically prints 3 x 4-inch pictures and lets you download digital versions via a QR code. I love that you can create events on the device and set up customized filters—mine had the word “Soupsgiving” on the bottom, though it was in an incredibly small font compared to the regular filter designs—and you can also add settings like how many prints of one picture guests can print. We left the default setting of two on for the soup-themed Friendsgiving, but I think I’ll bump it up to at least three for future gatherings. Make sure to stock up on HP’s Zink paper packs ($40 for 50) for the photo booth to print with, especially if it’s a big gathering. It will need both Wi-Fi access and a power outlet.

    HP

    Sprocket Photo Booth Machine

    Sprocket Zink Photo Paper

    How to Automate Your Appetizers

    Feeding a crowd is hard. Feeding a crowd that includes some serious allergies and dietary restrictions doesn’t make it any easier. In the spirit of automating everything I could, I turned to ChatGPT to come up with my appetizer for a group that featured two vegetarians and someone whose allergies include avocado, beans, shellfish, and eggs. (Getting those two sets of friends their protein needs at the same time has a singular overlap in the Venn diagram of what they can all eat: tofu.)

    ChatGPT did a good job brainstorming some possible options, and when I asked for a holiday angle, it came up with new options that were nice and seasonal. I chose to go with the lowest-lift option—pomegranate and ricotta crostini—but the baked brie bites were a big contender too. I was able to have this digital conversation and get the recipes all on ChatGPT’s free tier, but you can hit the paywall when you ask too many questions or ask things that need more research from the artificial intelligence.

    How to Automate Your Cooking

    Fellow WIRED reviewer Matthew Korfhage is currently testing two different robots that will cook your dishes for you, but in the meantime, the closest I’ve found is the 10-in-1 Ninja Foodi PossibleCooker Pro ($119). You can choose from options ranging from sear and slow cook to sous vide and even bake. It turned my broccoli-cheddar soup experiment (I was on a quest to replicate my favorite Panera soup for Soupgiving) into a one-pot dish where I could sauté my onions, stir up my béchamel, and then mix in all my ingredients and let it simmer until done. It even comes with an integrated utensil.

    It was really helpful to use in an already busy kitchen, and I imagine it would be indispensable for big, Thanksgiving-style dinners where the stove and oven are monopolized. While I still had to do the cooking, I was able to hang out in my own little spot and let the PossibleCooker help me. It has a timer in the front to help remind me how long I’ve been cooking on a setting, though I do wish there were a medium setting (your choices are low and high for the cooktop settings).

    Photograph: Nena Farrell

    Ninja

    Foodi PossibleCooker Pro

    Automate Your Food Disposal

    There are a lot of food scraps when you’re cooking for events like Thanksgiving and holiday dinner parties. I really loved grabbing the canister from the FoodCycler and bringing it next to where we were cooking soups so everyone could throw their food scraps in as we went. When it’s full, just set it in the machine and it will grind-and-dry the scraps (or leftovers!) into a sort of nutrient-rich meal that can be mixed in with potting soil or sprinkled on your lawn. I have the new FoodCycler Eco 5, and WIRED reviewer Kat Merck recommends the FoodCycler Eco 3 as one of her favorite home food recyclers.

    FoodCycler

    Eco 3 Compact Kitchen Food Recycler

    What Else I’m Testing This Holiday Season

    The holiday season is only just starting, and I’ll be testing more gadgets and gear all season long. Here’s some of what I’m testing next:

    The Bartesian Cocktail Maker ($349): This cocktail maker promises to be the Keurig of cocktail machines, with capsules for cocktail mixes instead of coffee. You’ll need to bring your own liquor, but once you fill up the included containers with the liquid, the machine should be able to take it from there. I’ll be testing some of the fun holiday cocktails too.

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    Nena Farrell

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  • We Tried and Tested the Best Gifts for Plant Lovers With Our Own Green Thumbs

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    Ostensibly, plant lovers should be the easiest to shop for. Just get them a plant, right?

    Wrong. (Well, most of the time.) I review indoor hydroponic gardens for WIRED and have been a proud plant parent for almost 30 years, so I can say that even if you have a running mental catalog of all your recipient’s houseplants and know which ones they don’t yet have, you may not know what they have space for, or what kind of substrate or pot they’d like to be using.

    In general, the best gifts remind them of the plants they do have, or that will help them care for them. However, suppose you know beyond a shadow of a doubt your recipient would indeed like a plant. In that case, we’ve included a couple of mail-order options from companies we’ve tried and recommend, including a lucky jade plant and a fruit tree that bears edible fruit.

    For more gift ideas, check out our other gift guides, including Gifts for Bird Lovers, Gifts for Coworkers, Gifts for Book Lovers, and the Best Flower Delivery Services.

    Updated November 2025: We’ve added new gifts from LeafyPod, Growstar, and Goha, updated our listing for Via Citrus, and ensured accuracy of links and prices.

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    Kat Merck

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  • We Traveled All Over the World to Test These Carry-On Bags

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    Compare Top 13 Carry-On Suitcases

    Honorable Mentions

    We try a lot of bags! Here are others that just did not earn a place in our top picks.

    Photograph: Martin Cizmar

    Carl Friedrik Carry-On for $645: This British brand positions itself as a quiet luxury bag. It has a distinctive appearance, with leather accents and typical high-end features like smoothly rolling Hinamoto wheels, a built-in lock, and well-functioning latches. This is what you get if you want a classy appearance but don’t want disgruntled baggage handlers to target your Rimowa.

    Aer Carry-On for $299: Aer’s carry-on has very nice Hinamoto ball bearings as well as wheel locks, for when you’re taking the shuttle to the car rental office.

    Casetify Bounce Suitcase for $699: Casetify’s phone cases always earn a spot in our phone case roundups because they’re cute and customizable. So is the company’s first piece of luggage, which is adorable and which you can monogram. Unfortunately, it’s also smaller and much more expensive than most of our other picks.

    Small rectangular rolling luggage case with rounded corners and a long metal handle extended upward

    Courtesy of Beis

    Beis Carry-On Roller for $268: WIRED reviewer Nena Farrell tried the viral Beis suitcase and loved its sleek looks, variety of colors, and extras like a built-in weight gauge and a retractable strap that lets you clip a backpack or duffel to the front.

    Amazon Basics Expandable Hardside Carry-On for $52: Getting on a plane in two days and need a functional roller bag you don’t have to drop a lot of money on? This Amazon Basics bag will totally do the trick. The wheels certainly don’t roll like a Rimowa and the zippers far too often snag, but it’s very light and the textured ABS shell doesn’t scuff easily.—Martin Cizmar

    Samsonite Outline Pro Carry-On for $210: This is a hard-side, four-wheeled spinner carry-on made from an outer shell of durable polypropylene. The interior fabric is made from 100 percent recycled plastic bottles, and it has a “WetPak” storage pocket for keeping damp items separated from the rest of your luggage.

    FAQs

    Are you a recent convert to the carry-on life? Let us help you out.

    What Is the 3-1-1 Rule for Carry-Ons?

    The 3-1-1 rule is an easy mnemonic (supposedly) from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) that refers to what liquids you can in a carry-on. You can bring liquids that are smaller than 3.4 ounces in one, clear, quart-sized bag, with one per person. I usually fit mine inside my toiletry bag, but many people put theirs in the external toiletry pocket for quick extraction if TSA needs to check.

    Should I Get a Softshell or a Hardshell Suitcase?

    Truthfully, quality hardware matters much more than the material. Any spendier suitcase with a better warranty will last you longer than a cheaper suitcase. Softshells usually have front pockets and they’re softer and easier to expand and squish into smaller compartments. However, the fabric can be permeable to water, and they’re easier to slash open. Hardshells are usually lighter, but you’re a little less flexible with regards to storage. I prefer softshells, but I don’t ever leave my luggage unattended.

    What Size Suitcase Can I Bring?

    If you take one tip away from this guide, let this be it: Save yourself the aggravation at the airport, check the size requirements for your airline, and grab a tape measure. If you’re in doubt, pick a soft-sided bag so you can squeeze it into the airline’s sizer box when you’re about to board. Each airline has different requirements; we’ve included several airlines here.

    Airline Size Requirements
    American 22 x 14 x 9 inches
    Ryanair 22 x 16 x 8 inches
    Delta 22 x 14 x 9 inches
    EasyJet 17.7 x 14 x 7.8 inches
    Alaska 22 x 14 x 9 inches
    Frontier 24 x 10 x 16 inches
    JetBlue 22 x 14 x 9 inches
    Air Canada 21.5 x 9 x 15.5 inches

    Members of the Reviews team have taken at least two flights with each of the bags in this roundup. Each bag has different features, and we look at materials, weight, and size. We test the durability of the materials by stuffing bags into overhead bins and under seats. We check how well and how smoothly the wheels glide; if the handle feels sturdy and if it accommodates a wide range of heights; whether the straps are durable and can fit our hands; and if the zippers will stand up to frequent overstuffing.

    Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. Get best-in-class reporting and exclusive subscriber content that’s too important to ignore. Subscribe Today.

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    Adrienne So

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