Lifehacker

Whether you rent or own your home, a good plunger is essential: You don’t want to be stuck in the middle of the night waiting for a plumber to fix an overflowing toilet or unclog a drain, whether you’re responsible for the repair or not. But you can’t just grab any old plunger off the shelf—there are actually…Read more...

We all want to do our part to limit the catastrophic consequences of climate change, even if that’s as simple as making more environmentally conscious decisions when we buy our clothes, groceries, and cleaning supplies. Unfortunately, many companies know that consumers are looking for “eco-friendly” options these…Read more...

Apple prides itself on being a privacy-first company, and when it comes to devices like iPhone and Mac, that’s true. But Apple’s iCloud backups were tangled in a mess of different encryption standards. Some things on iCloud, like your health data and passwords, are end-to-end encrypted. But a lot of stuff, like your…Read more...

In the colder weather, especially when the days get shorter, lighting a fire indoors can be a cozy relief from the elements. If you have a wood stove, you could be using it as your primary or secondary source of heat, so keeping a fire burning is not only pleasant but necessary. But all that dry heat from the fire can…Read more...

As unlikely as it is to happen, every parent can imagine the horror and helplessness they would feel if they discovered their child had been kidnapped. The rush of emotions you’d experience—especially if you received a call from your child begging you for help—might overwhelm you, leading you to act rashly and do…Read more...

This week’s look at the secret world of kids and teenagers sees us examining a dubious TikTok orthodontic trend, singing songs about poop, and enjoying the absolutely delightful teen show Wednesday. Strap in.

Snow days almost bring as much joy to a child as Christmas morning. And as kids and parents anxiously watch the news to see if the weather might cause a school day cancelation, there are two measurements you might hear that sound the same: snowfall and snow depth. But you might have different numbers for each. Let’s …Read more...

When it comes to tricking yourself into saving more money, think like a squirrel. Just like squirrels bury nuts to prepare for winter, we can squirrel money in order to prepare for economic dry spells. And while we’re taking money lessons from squirrels, they crucially don’t store all their bounty in one place.Read more...

I bought my first food processor while I was still in college, working towards a chemistry degree that would get far less use than the appliance. One of the first things I made was a batch of Easy Oreo truffles, which impressed all of my lab mates and required a mere three ingredients—cookies, cream cheese, and some…Read more...

With winter holidays and the new year quickly rolling in, I think it’s safe to say, it’s officially party time. Whether you’re hosting or contributing snacks, these occasions require a strong rotation of hors d’oeuvres. For December holidays, and beyond, savory choux puffs are an easy and versatile appetizer,…Read more...

Long gone are the days of driving to the mall, battling crowds, and fighting tooth and nail for the last toy on the shelf. Holiday shopping is all online now, and that presents new varieties of stress. How do you know if you’re getting the best deal? Has this item been cheaper in the past? Are you missing out on extra…Read more...

You probably know space heaters can be dangerous and have to be used very carefully, so the appeal of a TikTok hack for making your own heater might stem from an interest in avoiding a fire hazard. Unfortunately, the DIY heater is dangerous itself and after a fire in England was attributed to the trick, fire officials…Read more...

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is voluntarily recalling about 62,000 Jeep Wrangler 4xe electric hybrid SUV vehicles for an unknown engine shut-down issue, according to a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

If you’re road-tripping this holiday season and really want to get in touch with America, forget about the “approved” attractions along the way—your Mount Rushmores, your Yellowstones—and hit up these 11 strange and wondrous tourist spots instead. Each wonder offers a unique, not-officially-sanctioned look into a…Read more...

Read more...

You probably don’t look forward to cleaning the dripped mashed potatoes, gravy, and soup from your poor fridge. But there’s a way to make that clean-up a lot simpler, and all you need is cling wrap.

With Airbnb’s ridiculous fees these days, most travelers are eager for some kind of alternative for their next homestay. The most underrated option, so long as you’re willing to earn your keep, is house sitting. But how do you go about finding someone who needs a house-sitter at your dream destination? Here’s what…Read more...

The holidays are a time for big emotions. The weather’s extreme (in many places), there’s too much to do, and family gatherings offer up wild swings of intense feeling: joy, excitement, apprehension, annoyance, exhaustion. The movies (and life) teach us that any holiday meal with a sufficient number of guests must…Read more...

Whether you love or hate Apple, we can all agree on one thing: Their products are expensive. Apple’s iPhones can easily cost over $1,000, and MacBooks require a mortgage just to look at them. The thing is, you don’t need to buy these devices new in order to get the perks of buying new.

Real Christmas trees don’t work for everyone. You might have destructive pets, toddlers, a small apartment, or a small budget. You might have allergies to trees or the mold spores they can bring in with them. You might just like to do things differently. Whatever the reason, there are lots of ways to craft your own…Read more...

Soccer is a game of passion and loyalty. Therefore, when suggesting gift ideas for the soccer enthusiast in your life, I will refrain from recommending any that are specific to a particular team or player (that’s not the sort of thing you want to get wrong, and I’m not about to set you up for failure). However, some…Read more...

Tofu scrambles are often the only vegan option on a brunch menu, and to be perfectly honest, they don’t do that much for me. A pile of barely-cooked tofu rubble seasoned with nutritional yeast, turmeric, way too much dried oregano (why is it always oregano?), and nowhere near enough salt may be a nutritionally…Read more...

The best pot pies are homemade ones, but lazy pot pies are the best answer to cold weather and low energy. You have every right to eat thick meat stews in pie form, but not everyone has the gumption to toil away for hours. There is a way to have it all. Summon up your inner Sandra Lee: This hearty dish is made with…Read more...

Many of us think we need a defined career plan—a strategy of sorts that puts our career on an upward trajectory, like a line graph that moves forward and up in responsibility, salary, and satisfaction, resulting in success. And we think that if we don’t have that plan, if we are uncertain about what to do or what the…Read more...

We all have the songs we have to sing along to—whether they pop up on the radio, a streaming playlist, or the Sonos speaker in the office bathroom, when that track hits your ears, you’re grabbing the imaginary mic. And now, if you have Apple Music, you actually have a free karaoke machine in your pocket at all times,…Read more...

Buying a home in the colder months is often a smart move, but this year is a bugger. A new report from real-estate firm Redfin shows that on average, a record 2% of the homes for sale on the U.S. market were pulled from listings every week in the 12 weeks leading up to Nov. 20. For buyers and sellers alike, that might…Read more...

Read more...

Nothing beats the scent of a real Christmas tree in the living room. But what those pine tree needles could be used as a general cleaner? Pine disinfectant is a popular, old-timey DIY that’s perfect for the season. Here are a few ways to make it.Read more...

The true gift of White Elephant is the element of surprise. It’s the promise of possibility, the anticipation of your gift recipient’s shock and awe upon opening your carefully curated gag gift. For those of us who like to toe the line of what makes an “appropriate” gift, White Elephant is our time to shine.Read more...

I find muesli and other untoasted granolas upsetting and bland. The nutritional benefits are a plus, and everyone appreciates dried fruit, but I have a hard time dealing with that dusty, raw, powdery coating. As a result, I tended to leave barely tapped bags sitting in my cupboard for months, until I discovered an…Read more...

Metallica is ending what will be a seven-year hiatus with the release of their new studio album 72 Seasons, set to release Apr. 14, 2023. Fake YouTube videos have been circulating the web in the midst of the release announcement, claiming to be a new interview with the band members promoting their new album, according…Read more...

If you’re like me, trying to find a single Chrome tab amongst dozens of open sites is damn near impossible. I end up searching Google for the site I was looking for, and then adding a duplicate tab to the ever-growing pile. Searching for bookmarks and through your history isn’t perfect, either—both require you to go…Read more...

The season of giving can be…a lot. As much as you want to do all the things (buy all the presents, go to all the light displays, attend all the parties), if you do, you risk burn out. In addition, you are likely doing a lot of things for others, often, (but not always) if you are a female. “Human-giver syndrome,” a…Read more...

It’s crunch time for holiday shopping, and if your kids haven’t started writing their letters to the North Pole’s most famous resident yet, there’s a good chance your favorite brick-and-mortar store won’t have what they really want (or worse, your online retailer is selling it for twice the price because of low…Read more...

For many of us, the holiday season brings added responsibilities, obligations, and the unspoken pressure of perfection. “The most wonderful time of the year” can be an especially anxious time for those with high-functioning anxiety.

Winter is coming, and like any red-blooded American, I plan to spend it hibernating and playing video games. But not just any video games. I’m into single-player narrative games that last a long, long time. These stand in contrast to narrative-free (or narrative-lite) video games that you can basically play forever,…Read more...

Confetti and empty champagne bottles aren’t the only things headed for the trash in the New Year—so could your relationship. January is unofficially known as National Breakup Month, with the first Monday of the month known as “Divorce Day.” So what’s with all the heartbreak? Blame it on the fresh starts and…Read more...

People are very into their boards at the moment. I’m not going to comment on the viral butter board, except to say that it is a perversion of the butter board I came up with last year, and that mine is a better, more sanitary concept. But enough about that. The best boards are made of meats and cheeses, artfully…Read more...

Friends, this is the story of Cocaine Bear; a coke-lovin’ carnivore who ran wild circa 1985.

There have never been more different types of vegan milk to choose from, which is great news for people who don’t (or can’t) drink cow’s milk, and it’s a double-edged sword for vegan cooks and bakers. Variety is great, but it means every new alt milk is a gamble; I’ve had oat milk with the texture of half and half,…Read more...

Whether it’s a last-minute “gotta get ‘em something” present, or you’re shopping for someone who is extremely online, digital gifts don’t have to be thoughtless and generic.

We are in peak gift-card-buying season as the holidays rapidly approach—which means that scammers are also in their peak season of trying to trick us into buying gift cards that those on our list won’t actually be able to use. We’ve previously covered how scammers pretend to be from the IRS or other figures of…Read more...

In my household, I am the cook and keeper of all things kitchen-related. But a few weeks ago I broke my entire foot, so my partner has taken over, well, everything. He is doing a great job keeping the pets alive and the house clean, but I do wish he’d pay closer attention to snack storage, for my crackers and chips…Read more...

Smartphones have been the camera of choice for years, not only because of their convenience, but because of their excellent photo and video quality. Most of us like that about them. But if you’re online enough, you might have noticed something odd: More and more young people are choosing older point-and-shoot cameras…Read more...

You’re on vacation and stop by a liquor store to get some wine before you head back to the hotel room. You’re hanging out with your friends late into the night and decide to open a bottle of the good stuff. You have a first date at a BYOB restaurant and pick up a bottle on the way. Any of these could seem like a…Read more...

Gather round, podcast listeners. I want to tell you a story. Many stories, the best stories, all assembled from the best storytelling shows available via a good wifi or cellular connection.

Kraft Heinz Foods Company is recalling about 2,400 pounds of ready-to-eat ham and cheese loaf products due to possible cross-contamination with under-processed products, according to a report from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The products were produced on…Read more...

While the idea of “passive income” sounds great, the term is usually misleading, as establishing passive income streams often requires a lot of work. While most passive income schemes involve starting a business or sinking some capital into investments, there are also ways to leverage your creative and artistic…Read more...

If you have noticed a wobble in your toilet seat, you might think you need to have a lot of experience to fix it, but it’s easier than you might think to do it yourself. All you’ll need is a few simple tools and some elbow grease. All you need is a screwdriver, an adjustable wrench, and some gloves.Read more...

When Valve released Portal in 2007, it was a revelation. Critics and gamers alike praised the first-person shooter/puzzler for its inventive gameplay, the deadpan wit of GLaDOS (the artificial intelligence that antagonizes you throughout your mission), and its unique approach to storytelling. But 2007 was a long time…Read more...