Lifehacker

Scammers love to prey on taxpayers by pretending to represent the IRS and using their authority" to acquire sensitive personal information and steal your money. These criminals use any means necessary to contact and bully you into downloading a tax document, sharing your bank account number, or verifying other...Read more...

Pork butts and briskets tend to dominate the smoked meat conversation space, but smoked chicken is a real delight. The low, aromatic heat renders the bird supple and juicy, with tons of flavor and very little work. All you need is chicken, salt, fire, wood, and time.Read more...

Vitamix blenders are an investment" in that you give all your money to Vitamix, then see a return on your investment by way of crushed ice, super smooth soups, and perfectly blended beverages. (Some might say this is not a real investment," and they're probably right; I am bad with money.)Read more...

The secret service this week found a small bag of cocaine at the White House. This is a big deal-any mysterious powder found near the president would be, and if the Biden administration is secretly a coked-up bacchanal instead of a bunch of center-left technocrats, we'd all have the right to be alarmed or impressed....Read more...

This week, Meta launched its new social media app, called Threads. This Twitter-like network lets users post short text blurbs along with images and videos. It's an obvious move to win over Twitter's fractured user base, which overwhelmingly opposes many of the changes Musk has made since he took over the Bird App in...Read more...

There is too much streaming content these days. There, I said it. For all the handwringing about Max canceling this movie and Paramount+ erasing that show from human memory, the onrush of new entertainment still outpaces our ability to take it all in. Your backlog is probably already huge-and those are just the movies...Read more...

There are two reasons to make umeboshi, the sour pickled plums that mellow out the longer you keep them. There's the plums themselves, but you'll also be rewarded with umeshu, a salty, plum-flavored violet liquor that you get as a byproduct of the process. I value them equally, and I'm going to explain two ways to...Read more...

Whether you're trying to get someone to reply for the third time or you're sending out a consequential piece of potential job correspondence, when you send that important email may be just as vital as what you say in it. Here's what to know.Read more...

While cannabis may be some form of legal in 40 states, legal is a relative term, as federal legalization is not yet the law of our increasingly pot-loving land.Read more...

Since taking over as the head of Warner Bros. Discovery in mid-2022, David Zaslav has done well at tanking his brand's goodwill with movie-loving audiences as quickly as possible. He started by announcing plans to blow up HBO Max (which I once named among the best streaming services for classic movie lovers) and...Read more...

Designed to grip your floors and stop your rug from sliding around, the latex rubber that backs a lot of area rugs works really well-until it starts to fall apart and degrade. This can be caused by a lot of things: the cleaning agents you use, moisture and humidity, or simple wear and tear. And when that latex rubber...Read more...

For veteran readers, you know at this point here at Skillet, we're big fans of savory oatmeal. Bring on the eggs, meatballs, and MSG, please. And why stop there? Oats are your canvas, and today, we're painting with pizza.

Binoculars are great for birdwatching and sightseeing-but what if you could also record or snap a photo of everything you see through them? That's what you get with these 12x zoomHD Camera Binoculars, and now through July 14, you can pick up a pair of them for 50%-or right around $100-with free shipping.Read more...

If you're someone wondering how to afford housing, healthcare, and all the essentials of life, you're probably happy to hear about new financial tips that can help you spend less and save more. So here's one of the best money hacks you'll ever hear: You should never, ever buy a new car.

If you're a fan of explosive diarrhea, summer is a great time to catch it. Between Cryptosporidium, which can survive in chlorinated swimming pools, and cyclosporiasis, which recently sickened at least 20 people in an outbreak linked to contaminated broccoli, you have plenty of opportunities.

Many smartphones can connect to other monitors, but carrying around a full-sized monitor may not always be practical. If you want something that blends the portability of a tablet with the accessibility of a plug-and-play monitor, check out the UStream F22 15.6-inch 1080p FHD Portable Second Monitor. This portable...Read more...

If you were an adventurous" eater during the early-to-mid 2000s, you probably got your fill of bacon, or at least grew weary of creative bacon applications. The strips of cured pork were in and on everything, from cocktails to dessert, like a kind of menu SEO, whether it made sense or not. I'm not blaming bacon; it...Read more...

This past weekend was replete with backyard barbecues and grilling in the park. While others focused on flambe-ing flag cakes and connecting with family, I remained vigilant for food hacks. Before I knew it, I was eating some great trash. Whether you're vegan, dairy-sensitive, or just happen to notice someone abandoned...Read more...

Whether you're looking for a portable streaming device for a friend who travels or a functional and affordable iPad for a young student, the Deal Days Sale may be your chance to secure a low-cost tablet. You can get a refurbished Apple iPad Air (first-generation) that also comes with a case, stylus, and Beats Flex...Read more...

There is a section of the produce department where curious produce lives, full of gnarly root vegetables and endless greens. I am on a mission to try them all, find their sweet spots, and when I can, grow them at home. This month, you're likely seeing early summer kohlrabi, and these satellite-looking orbs are more...Read more...

Giving birth is a confusing time, even in the most ideal of circumstances. During the early hours following birth, doctors will be doing a number of additional measures to keep everyone healthy, one of which includes administering a vitamin K shot to the newborn. Although the vitamin K shot has been routinely...Read more...

It's that special time of year when 10 a.m. greets you with a temperature of 84F and 79% humidity, at least that's the case here in New York City. There's nothing in the world that could make me put a steaming hot breakfast into this already sweaty, still-indoors body. What I'm craving is the full-body relief of a...Read more...

From the discovery of fire to the invention of car headlights so bright they nearly vaporize everything in their path, the history of humanity has always been a battle against the darkness. And yet most of us aren't using one of the most flexible and powerful tools in our arsenal against it: Luminous paint.

Historically speaking, I am rarely around babies, or people who have babies, so I rarely think about or purchase baby stuff. But now my sister has a baby, and I like this baby very much, and I'll find myself pausing in the infant and toddler section of various big box stores, wondering, Would the baby like this?"...Read more...

The truRelief Impact Therapy Percussive Massage Gun is an electric pulse massageron sale for only $29.97 (reg $299) until July 14. While it's not a viable replacement for the magical hands of your masseuse, it may be enough to weather you until your next appointment.Read more...

Composting is a great way to get free fertilizer for your garden. If you're brand new to composting, the idea is simple: You use clippings, leaves, and food scraps that you would ordinarily throw away and allow them to naturally decompose to make a rich soil enhancer. For gardeners with efficiency and exacting...Read more...

Q drops, deep state campaigns, 9/11 intelligence failures, mysterious internet videos, and stories from the fringe: To be American is to constantly be bombarded by the new conspiracy theories. Which ones are dangerous? which ones are worth giving a second thought? Which ones are just bizarre?

Anyone can carry a battery backup to recharge their phone-but what if you're looking for a battery-powered generator that can power almost anything, from your laptop and tablet to appliances?Read more...

No matter how simple a DIY home repair or project initially seems, there are times when you realize you don't have the one tool needed to complete the job. Sometimes this means a frustrating third trip to the hardware store while the house remains in disarray-but sometimes you can get by with a little creativity and...Read more...

Often called the other side of leadership," followership is an important factor in career success. This is to find value in someone else's vision, follow it, question and challenge it, but also ultimately support it-even if you don't agree with it. A follower asks questions, listens well, and offers guidance and...Read more...

Cocktails have gone off the deep-end with torched garnishes and smoke-brimming cloches, but you can still explore the world of fancy drinks at home without any special equipment. Take, for example, the float. Simple yet elegant, and clearly involving some know-how, adding a float, or layers, to your libations is often...Read more...

We talk a lot about broth here on Lifehacker, and we are universally fans of a certain brand of bouillon. What we don't talk about often is the umami-rich broth known as dashi, a staple in Japanese cuisine.

For a variety of reasons-including the environmental impact-there has been more of an emphasis on growing native wildflowers, herbs, and other plants in mainstream gardening over the past several years.Read more...

Smoke and carbon dioxide detectors serve an important, potentially life-saving function, and should be located throughout every home. In addition to installing them in the right places, you should also take the time to check the instruction manual that came with yours to learn the meanings of the various types of...Read more...

Considering that the places we typically store our tools-like basements, garages, and sheds-are often a bit damp, it's not surprising when those made of metal start to rust. While there are ways to clean rusty tools, an even better (and more convenient) option is to prevent them from rusting in the first place. One...Read more...

Modern refrigerators do more than keep food chilled: They also come with ice makers, water dispensers and filters, and features that help you keep contents organized.Read more...

No one wants to get into their car on a really hot day and turn on their air conditioning for some relief, only to wait for a refreshing, cool breeze that never comes. Or, maybe some semi-cool air manages to get through the vents a few minutes into your drive, but is too warm and too weak to make much of a difference....Read more...

Over the past few weeks, gardeners on the east coast and other parts of the country have been experiencing their first wildfire season. This means that even people who have been gardening for years may not be familiar with how to help their outdoor plants recover from the exposure to the smoke, and possibly even ash,...Read more...

Even people who love going to the beach have to admit that dealing with the sand that inevitably ends up in your shoes, towels, bags, hair, and eventually, home, is a pain.Read more...

The Black Friday of the summer-aka Prime Day-is quickly approaching. This year it falls on Tuesday, July 11th and Wednesday, July 12th. If you plan to shop the two days of epic deals" (Amazon's words), you may want to take advantage of one or more of the following opportunities to get credit to spend during the...Read more...

Inflation continues to impact a range of everyday expenses, including the cost of sending mail. Beginning next week, the price of a Forever stamp, as well as other types of postage, is set to increase, according to the United States Postal Service (USPS). Fortunately, there's still time to stock up on stamps at their...Read more...

As we've learned over the last few weeks, wildfire smoke is no longer a problem primarily confined to the west coast, and is also likely to be a regular occurrence in the rest of the country moving forward.Read more...

Even though gas prices are down from last year, the cost of fuel is still high, and constitutes a major expense when driving long distances. So, with electric vehicles (EV) becoming increasingly available through several national car rental chains, you may be thinking about taking one on your next road trip.Read more...

Air travel may be a mess right now, but according to the American Automobile Association (AAA), people driving to their Fourth of July destination should be prepared for at least some traffic, during what the agency predicts will be a record-breaking long weekend.Read more...

The slow pace of summer is giving us all time to notice subtle differences in screenings of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse, plan a ridiculous double-feature of Barbie and Oppenheimer, and roll some bottles down the stairs. It would be idyllic...if Grimace wasn't still terrorizing everyone with his mysterious...Read more...

I've been writing about viral TikTok myths, but today we'll dig into something a little different: a viral meal. On the surface, it's a weird combination of flavors, but underneath is a reasonably healthy and possibly actually good-tasting meal. And then beyond that-well, that's where it gets really weird.Read more...

There is no wrong way to eat a watermelon, but the slicing and dicing can be tailored to suit your needs and desires. If you're enjoying the melon by yourself, go ahead and slice it in half to create a bowl," then scoop out the insides with a spoon. But if you're feeding a crowd-particularly a young crowd-consider...Read more...

On Friday, the Supreme Court ruled against President Joe Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. This means student debt will still have a chokehold over millions of Americans who previously had a glimmer of hope of seeing up to $20,000 in relief. For anyone benefiting from a pause on their payments since March 2020,...Read more...

When white Americans refer to pickles," they are usually talking about vinegary, sour cucumbers, but that's a narrow, ahistorical understanding of fermented vegetables. Pickles originated in the East as a form of food preservation. One of the prime purveyors of pickles you may not be thinking about? Japan.

My relationship with s'mores is muddled. Setting them on fire tickles my pyro-bone, but I get frustrated with the cloying sweetness of the marshmallow and questionable Hershey's chocolate. One Friday evening I was pondering salted meats and it dawned on me: S'mores need bacon.