To determine the best dryers, we spent hours researching top-rated units, considering factors like capacity, features, efficiency, price, and more. We also consulted Grant Pill, head of appliances at Wayfair, and Jessica Petrino, educator and appliance expert at AJ Madison, for recommendations on choosing the best dryer for your lifestyle. In purchasing a dryer, Petrino advises you to consider a variety of factors, particularly “one’s space, budget, fuel type, and design preferences....

“Consumers may compare power usage when selecting the best model for their needs,” says Lane Dixon, Vice President of Operations at Aire Serv, a Neighborly company. “One should also consider how individual models should be ventilated and drainage systems maintained.” Dixon notes that if a model has a drain pan that must be manually emptied, you’ll need to check on it every few hours to see that it doesn’t overflow....

We tested 28 hose nozzles in our Lab to determine the best for every purpose. We assessed each hose nozzle on ease of use, features, effectiveness, durability, and value. Our top pick is the Dramm One Touch Revolution Spray Gun for its nine spray settings, which are clearly marked on the nozzle, strong spray, and comfortable handle. Read on to learn more about our top picks and how to choose the best hose nozzle for your home watering needs....

To find the best brooms, we spent hours researching the various options on the market, considering factors like broom style, bristle material, handle design, and overall value when coming up with our picks. We also spoke to two cleaning experts—Renee Kraus, CEO of Renee’s Cleaning Services, and Johnny Pallares, owner of De La Rosa House Cleaning—for advice on how to choose the best brooms for different cleaning tasks and surface types....

To compile this list of the best garden hoses across all different types, we tested 30 garden hoses in our Lab, evaluating them on design, ease of use, durability, and value. For expert advice on what to look for in a garden hose, we turned to Erin Schanen, creator of The Impatient Gardener, as well as Gary McCoy, store manager at Lowe’s. “There is no perfect hose for every application,” says Schanen....

While there are many small tweaks you can make to minimize sedentariness, one powerful way to combat workday woes is to use a standing desk (sometimes called an “adjustable height desk” or a “sit-to-stand desk”). These desks can be lifted and lowered, allowing you to shift seamlessly between sitting and standing positions. Doing so can help you to change posture and stretch more throughout the workday, which can increase “mindfulness, alertness, and circulation,” says Heather White, master ergonomist for the Ergonomics Center at North Carolina State University....

“The two most common types of sheet weaves are percale and sateen,” says Byron Golub, director of product and merchandising at Saatva. “Of the two, percale is the more breathable option. Here’s the technical reason why: percale uses a one-yarn-over, one-yarn-under design. It produces a fabric with a matte finish that allows for excellent airflow between the threads.” To find the best percale sheets, our in-house testers evaluated more than a dozen different percale sheet sets at our lab in Des Moines....

And while the terms are often used interchangeably, duvet inserts and comforters are technically two different things. The main difference is that a duvet insert is meant to be used with a cover while a comforter is meant to be used alone. However, many products marketed as “comforters” are designed to be used the same way as a duvet insert—and they come with loops to attach a cover. “One of the best reasons for going with a duvet over a comforter is it allows you to swap out your bedding, whether for seasonal shifts or decor preferences,” says Derby....

When looking for the best leaf blowers, you’ll need to decide between a gas-powered or electric leaf blower. While gas leaf blowers tend to be the most powerful, they’re quite loud, expensive, and they can require a lot of upkeep that makes them less suited for small- to medium-sized yards. Instead, we recommend electric leaf blowers, which are quieter, more maneuverable, and come in either corded or cordless models. “Cordless blowers are the best options for almost all of your blower needs,” says Nicole Durden, senior merchant at The Home Depot....

“In general, vacuums for tile floors must remove soil without the use of an agitator—as when cleaning carpet—to prevent the vacuum from marring the surface,” says Allen Rathey, director of the Indoor Health Council. “That said, airflow and suction are very important factors, and canister vacs with a suction-only wand and floor tool, and stick and upright vacuums that offer a suction-only option, are great at cleaning smooth floors.” A soft roller head brushbar is also ideal for cleaning and polishing tile floors without scratching them....

To buy: $32 (was $39); amazon.com. Made with polyester, the flowing skirt is breathable, so you could wear it right now as we close out summer and later in fall with tights on your legs and a pumpkin spice latte in hand. Even though it’s lightweight, shoppers say it is not too thin. And while several swear it is not sheer, a few claim it is, so if you’re concerned, consider wearing a liner....

The EZ Off Jar Opener does exactly what its name implies: It quickly opens any lid, even if it’s factory sealed, child proof, or just stuck. And if you’re wondering how it works on any size lid, look at the gadget’s smooth and gripping V-shape design. It becomes smaller as you move toward the center, which means the opener can grip everything from pasta sauce lids to something as small as nail polish....

The set includes five machine-washable cloths that slip onto the three blades on the sturdy plastic handle. The dusting sleeves do all the work without using any kind of cleaning product, but you can also wet them to remove stuck-on grime. Since the cloths are reusable, you don’t have to worry about constantly buying new cloths or producing lots of waste. To buy: $8 (was $13); amazon.com. The blades are able to dust both sides of two blinds at once, helping you save time cleaning with this duster....

Plants for Creating the Tough-as-Nails Garden Plan 4 Lavender cotton (Santolina chamaecyparissus): Zones 5-10 4 English lavender (Lavandula angustifolia ‘Munstead’): Zones 5-8 1 Yarrow (Achillea ‘Moonshine’): Zones 3-9 6 Garden phlox (Phlox paniculata): Zones 4-8 3 Russian sage (Perovskia atriplicifolia): Zones 5-9 3 Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea): Zones 3-9 5 Firecracker penstemon (Penstemon eatonii): Zones 4-9 5 Pineleaf penstemon (Penstemon pinifolius): Zones 4-10 5 Catmint (Nepeta × faassenii): Zones 3-8...

Quince is a direct-to-consumer brand that offers products at more affordable prices by cutting out the middleman that many other brands rely on. But before you think that means that quality is tossed out the window, think again. Quince stands behind its mission to provide luxurious, sustainably produced pieces—and it delivers. There are plenty of products with thousands of reviews on the Quince best-seller list, and on a personal note, I can’t stop wearing my Quince joggers (nor can I believe the quality for the price)....

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But what’s the story behind the song? And what’s with all the birds? Get all the answers to the Twelve Days of Christmas mystery you’ve probably been seeking. What are The 12 Days of Christmas gifts? There have been some variations over the years (at first, the calling birds were sometimes canary birds or colley birds, meaning blackbirds), but the current common list of gifts are: Day 1: A partridge in a pear treeDay 2: Two turtle dovesDay 3: Three French hensDay 4: Four calling birdsDay 5: Five golden ringsDay 6: Six geese a-layingDay 7: Seven swans a-swimmingDay 8: Eight maids a-milkingDay 9: Nine ladies dancingDay 10: 10 lords a-leapingDay 11: 11 pipers pipingDay 12: 12 drummers drumming...

Average Frost Dates A “frost” date really means when temperatures fall to 32°F or lower, which is cold enough to damage leaves or kill young, tender plants. In the most basic sense, your “growing season” is essentially the time between when the last freeze happens in spring and the first time temps get to freezing later in the year, known as the first fall frost date. Those events don’t happen on the exact same days each year, of course, but you can get a pretty good idea of the timeframe based on when they have occurred in the past....

But why does pins and needles happen, and what can we do to make it go away? Is it a sign of something more serious—or just an unpleasant inconvenience? We talked to a few health experts to find out. Most of the time, you’ll feel pins and needles in your hands, arms, feet, or legs. But technically, you can feel them anywhere. “We feel paraesthesias in the hands and feet because they’re further from the spine than anywhere else, and therefore there’s a greater length of nerve that can get pinched,” Dr....

There’s so much to explore in the storefront, including pre-loved designer bags and accessories and sections to shop party dresses, fan-favorite items, and more. But our favorite part of the storefront is the Gifts Under $50 page, where you’ll find all kinds of amazing gifts at equally as awesome prices. Plus, all the items in the Gifts Under $50 section are actually nice, so no one will even suspect they were so inexpensive....