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(THREAD) A common and unfortunate outcome of searching for the best of the best: discovering the worst of the worst
Keep these ineffective and unnecessary things out of your shopping cart: https://wrctr.co/2YlRDDV
Keep these ineffective and unnecessary things out of your shopping cart: https://wrctr.co/2YlRDDV
If you’ve ever eaten a $1 apple pie from McDonald’s, I trust that you know higher cost does not always mean higher quality.
Some items that aren't worth your money:
• Molekule air purifiers
• Apple charging cables
• Expensive cables in general, tbh
Some items that aren't worth your money:
• Molekule air purifiers
• Apple charging cables
• Expensive cables in general, tbh
As our senior staff writer discovered the hard way, the $800 Molekule turned in “the worst performance on particulates of any air purifier, of any size, of any price, that we have tested in the 7 years that we've been producing our air purifier guide" https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-air-purifier/
Apple's charging cables:
•flimsy
•overpriced
•1.5/5 rating on Apple's own site at one point
Anker charging cables:
•Apple-certified
•sturdier housing
•multiple length options
•hook-&-loop ties
•lifetime warranties
•& even 3-in-1 cables https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-lightning-cable/
•flimsy
•overpriced
•1.5/5 rating on Apple's own site at one point
Anker charging cables:
•Apple-certified
•sturdier housing
•multiple length options
•hook-&-loop ties
•lifetime warranties
•& even 3-in-1 cables https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-lightning-cable/
Expensive cables in general:
An increase in price technically gives you better quality, but the difference is so fine that it’s impossible to notice. It’s like reducing the sound of the buzz of a mosquito at 100 yards away. Is it less noise? Yes. Can you hear it? Nope.
An increase in price technically gives you better quality, but the difference is so fine that it’s impossible to notice. It’s like reducing the sound of the buzz of a mosquito at 100 yards away. Is it less noise? Yes. Can you hear it? Nope.
Next section: Ineffective kitchen gear
After years of testing, we think it’s better to invest in a few good tools that can do many things rather than in single-purpose devices.
Hyped appliances that aren't worth the buzz:
•Air fryers
•Keurig machines
•baby bottle warmers
After years of testing, we think it’s better to invest in a few good tools that can do many things rather than in single-purpose devices.
Hyped appliances that aren't worth the buzz:
•Air fryers
•Keurig machines
•baby bottle warmers
Keurigs:
•A Nespresso machine offers the same brewing experience, but w/ better flavor & smaller environmental impact
•Every other basic coffee-brewing method—a pour-over setup, French press, or regular old coffee maker—gives results that taste worlds better w/ minimal effort
•A Nespresso machine offers the same brewing experience, but w/ better flavor & smaller environmental impact
•Every other basic coffee-brewing method—a pour-over setup, French press, or regular old coffee maker—gives results that taste worlds better w/ minimal effort
Baby bottle warmers:
• In theory, we would have great things to say about bottle warmers. But in practice, we were only lukewarm on them (pun intended)
• Even the very best ones we tested were only slightly more convenient than warming a bottle in a bowl of hot water
• In theory, we would have great things to say about bottle warmers. But in practice, we were only lukewarm on them (pun intended)
• Even the very best ones we tested were only slightly more convenient than warming a bottle in a bowl of hot water
Moving on: Bad pest control concepts
The worst ways we’ve encountered to keep pests away:
• Essential oil bug repellents
• Sticky bug traps
• Bug zappers
The worst ways we’ve encountered to keep pests away:
• Essential oil bug repellents
• Sticky bug traps
• Bug zappers
Essential oil bug repellents:
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to know how effective they actually are, or for how long, which don't undergo EPA testing. Choose verified science (and EPA testing) by buying a picaridin bug repellent instead. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-bug-repellent/
Unfortunately, it’s impossible to know how effective they actually are, or for how long, which don't undergo EPA testing. Choose verified science (and EPA testing) by buying a picaridin bug repellent instead. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-bug-repellent/
Sticky bug traps:
We previously recommended a few sticky bug traps, but after spending more time on long-term testing, we found problems in removing adhesive from surfaces (also, a dead-fly-coated sheet of paper probably won't complement your home decor) https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-bug-killing-gear/
We previously recommended a few sticky bug traps, but after spending more time on long-term testing, we found problems in removing adhesive from surfaces (also, a dead-fly-coated sheet of paper probably won't complement your home decor) https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/the-best-bug-killing-gear/
Bug zappers:
They work *too* well: They kill bugs by the thousands, but they kill the wrong bugs. If you don’t want to also fatally starve your neighborhood birds, disrupt pollination, & wreak havoc on the environment, stick to a picaridin bug repellent https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/lists/bug-control-gear-that-actually-works/
They work *too* well: They kill bugs by the thousands, but they kill the wrong bugs. If you don’t want to also fatally starve your neighborhood birds, disrupt pollination, & wreak havoc on the environment, stick to a picaridin bug repellent https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/lists/bug-control-gear-that-actually-works/
Next section: Dumb smart gear
Sometimes going “smart” is actually dumb: Adding Wi-Fi connectivity & automation features to certain things can make them clunky to use & tack on unnecessary expense
•automatic litter boxes
•smart toothbrushes
•pet cameras
•smart feeders
Sometimes going “smart” is actually dumb: Adding Wi-Fi connectivity & automation features to certain things can make them clunky to use & tack on unnecessary expense
•automatic litter boxes
•smart toothbrushes
•pet cameras
•smart feeders
Smart toothbrushes:
• We admit they can be fun to use, but they can cost >$200 & really only monitor that you’re brushing for at least 2 min & reaching all your teeth. An electric toothbrush w/ a built-in timer is a better deal for most people https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-electric-toothbrush/
• We admit they can be fun to use, but they can cost >$200 & really only monitor that you’re brushing for at least 2 min & reaching all your teeth. An electric toothbrush w/ a built-in timer is a better deal for most people https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-electric-toothbrush/
Pet cameras:
• Even Amazon’s best-selling pet camera was a dud in our tests. For most people, just a standard security camera will do the trick. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-security-cameras-for-your-home/
• Even Amazon’s best-selling pet camera was a dud in our tests. For most people, just a standard security camera will do the trick. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-security-cameras-for-your-home/
Automatic pet feeders:
• They suffer from the same accuracy errors as their dumb counterparts, have confusing app designs, can’t be controlled without an app, and are even more expensive. Pass. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-automatic-feeder-for-cats-and-small-dogs/
• They suffer from the same accuracy errors as their dumb counterparts, have confusing app designs, can’t be controlled without an app, and are even more expensive. Pass. https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-automatic-feeder-for-cats-and-small-dogs/
LAST BUT NOT LEAST: Stuff that just doesn’t work as well as other stuff
It just doesn't:
• tower fans
• washer-dryer combos
• antivirus software
• gas-powered lawn gear
It just doesn't:
• tower fans
• washer-dryer combos
• antivirus software
• gas-powered lawn gear
Tower fans:
• After years of testing, we’ve found that tower fans are rarely as powerful as standard room circulators, and they are exceptionally difficult to clean. Buy a traditional fan or circulator instead https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-fan/
• After years of testing, we’ve found that tower fans are rarely as powerful as standard room circulators, and they are exceptionally difficult to clean. Buy a traditional fan or circulator instead https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-fan/
Washer-dryer combos
• The washing aspect is fine, but drying takes hours longer than it would in a separate machine, and that’s only at half capacity https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-washer-dryer-combo/#why-were-skeptical-of-all-in-one-combos
• The washing aspect is fine, but drying takes hours longer than it would in a separate machine, and that’s only at half capacity https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-washer-dryer-combo/#why-were-skeptical-of-all-in-one-combos
Antivirus software:
• Our experts spent months researching software, reading reports from independent testing labs, & consulting experts on safe computing to find that most people shouldn't pay for a traditional antivirus suite or use a free program https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/best-antivirus
• Our experts spent months researching software, reading reports from independent testing labs, & consulting experts on safe computing to find that most people shouldn't pay for a traditional antivirus suite or use a free program https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/best-antivirus
Gas-powered lawn gear:
Friends don't let friends buy gas models when battery-powered/electric models have caught up in efficiency & cost about the same (even less after factoring in long-term costs) while eliminating nuisances of regular maintenance, messy fuel, & stinky exhaust
Friends don't let friends buy gas models when battery-powered/electric models have caught up in efficiency & cost about the same (even less after factoring in long-term costs) while eliminating nuisances of regular maintenance, messy fuel, & stinky exhaust
sneaking in my personal reaction to when someone says they're thinking about getting a gas-powered model of lawn gear while everyone is in a company meeting rn
That's it! Unless you know they’ll meaningfully make your life easier, we think you should pass on these things.
Full info in our guide
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/worst-things-for-most-people
Full info in our guide
https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/blog/worst-things-for-most-people
