When it comes to the mobile app heavyweights, few can beat WhatsApp. It’s estimated that around 3 billion people now use the cross-platform messaging tool at least once a month. And it’s important to remember there are only 8 billion or so people on the planet, so there are no signs of its popularity waning anytime soon.
Beyond being a hugely successful app, it’s also packed with features. You can use it to chat, make voice and video calls, share files, broadcast your location, and more. Even if you’ve used WhatsApp for years, you might not have discovered everything it’s capable of—which is where these tips come in.
1. Set a timer for messages to disappear
You don’t necessarily want everything you say on WhatsApp to be remembered forever, and the app includes a timer feature that will automatically expunge messages in a chat 24 hours, 7 days, or 90 days after they’re read, unless you specifically keep them. This is set on a chat-by-chat basis, and affects everyone in a conversation.
To change the setting for one of your chats, tap the contact or group name at the top of the screen, then pick Disappearing messages to select your time limit. This is applied until you turn it off or select a different period, but doesn’t affect the conversation history.
2. Lock away your most sensitive chats
Put certain chats behind a lock. David Nield
Another way of protecting sensitive information in chats is to add an extra lock to specific conversations. Even if someone should gain access to your phone and your apps, they won’t be able to see your locked chats.
From inside a conversation, tap the contact or group name at the top, then pick Chat lock (Android) or Lock chat (iOS). You can then use a specific PIN code to block access to the conversation, or use the same biometric scan technology (such as Face ID) that already protects your phone at the lock screen.
3. Edit a message after sending it
Have you noticed you can edit messages after sending them? It’s handy for those typos you only spot after dispatching a message—long-press on whatever you just sent, then tap the three dots and Edit (Android), or just Edit on the pop-up menu (iOS). Modified messages have an ‘Edited’ label visible to everyone in the chat, but they won’t be able to see what the original message said.
4. Stop specific contacts from seeing when you’re active
Take control of who sees your activity on WhatsApp. David Niel
WhatsApp can tell your contacts whether you’re currently using the app and when you were “last seen,” but this might not be information you want to share with everyone. As well as disabling the feature entirely, you can also turn it off for specific contacts.
Open the You tab, then tap Privacy > Last seen and online, then select My contacts except … under the Who can see my last seen heading. You can then pick the contacts you don’t want to give this information to, and set the Who can see when I’m online option to match the same list.
5. Pin important messages you need to refer to or remember
Important details can quickly get lost in WhatsApp conversations, especially in busy group chats. But there is a way to pin specific messages to the top of the chat so they’re easy to get back to—someone’s address or the start time of an event, for example.
To pin a message on Android, long-press on it, then tap the three dots (top right) and Pin. On iOS, long-press a message and choose More > Pin. You can have up to three pinned messages per conversation, and select from three options for how long they’re pinned for: 24 hours, 7 days, or 30 days.
6. Give contacts their own notification sound
Your contacts can have their own alert sounds. David Nield
WhatsApp lets you assign specific notification sounds to specific contacts, which means you know who’s calling or messaging without picking up your phone. It gives you a better idea of whether something needs attention right away or can be safely ignored for a while.
Tap the group or contact name at the top of a chat, then pick Notifications and Notification tone or Ringtone to make changes. You can also select Vibrate to customize vibrations for each chat, though there are only four options here.
The option to mute the conversation is on the same screen—you can set mute separately for calls and messages.
7. Message yourself with notes and reminders
Not all messaging apps let you have a conversation with yourself, but WhatsApp does. This might seem like a rather pointless (and lonely) way of using the messaging app, but it can be really useful for jotting down things you need to remember on the go, leaving yourself voice notes of ideas and thoughts, and so on.
From the main conversation list, go to start a new chat, then search for “you” as the contact (or just enter your own username or phone number).
In my eyes, the best gift is a practical one. It’s useful and won’t rot in the back of someone’s closet for years; they’ll think of you whenever they use it; and you get major brownie points for introducing a magical, miracle product into their life. And what’s better than being known as someone who reliably gifts reliable products? I may still get made fun of by family for my history of wanting practical gifts (including lead refills for my mechanical pencil), but the gifts I treasure most often get the most use in my home. These are some of the best practical gear you can give to friends and family members who value utilitarianism over flash and fluff.
The OLIGHT Baton4 Pro rechargeable flashlight is a $63 flashlight that’s well worth the cost. They’ll never need another flashlight, and they’ll struggle to find one as bright and powerful as this. This torch clocks in at 1600 lumens, and its beam reaches 200 meters long, with a cool white color that cuts through the darkest sky. Dual switches—a side switch and tail switch—allow for one-handed mode selection (choose from high, turbo, and momentary on). Use it hands-free with an included L stand that sticks to metal surfaces, and know it will stay cool and comfortable in hand, even in Turbo mode. Charge it with the included magnetic charger, or unscrew the tailcap to reveal a USB-C port for universal charging anywhere. Your next power outage, camping trip, and attic exploration mission will thank you for this gift.
Best multitool: LEATHERMAN Wave Plus 18-in-1 Multi-Tool
Carry an entire box’s worth of tools in your hand with this $130 LEATHERMAN Wave Plus 18-in-1 Multi-Tool. Standouts and crowd-pleasers include regular pliers, needle-nose pliers, replaceable wire cutters, knives, a saw, a can opener, a bottle opener, spring-action scissors, and three driver sizes. This multitool is made to be portable, reliable, durable, and multifunctional, all ingredients for one practical gift.
Best oil for phenol-menal flavor: Primis Imports Early Harvest EVOO – Koroneiki, Messenia Greece
Primis Imports Early Harvest Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Koroneiki, Messenia Greece $35
Made from 100 percent Greek Koroneiki olives, this single-varietal, cold-extracted, early harvest extra virgin olive oil adds zest to whatever you love best. From a bowl of simple greens to artisan bread, grilled fish to wood-fired vegetables, you’ll love the grassy, sassy brightness it brings. And that’s how you also know it’s packed with plenty of polyphenols, so you can fight free radicals—reducing inflammation while elevating taste. Combine it with basil and black olives for the kind of flavor the foodies in your life will want to put on a pedestal (not included).
Best aromatherapy with attitude: Hand-crafted candles by FRET12
Hand-crafted candles by FRET12 $12 – $48, plus graphic tees $36
Being backstage at a show is a vibe. Sometimes weird, sometimes wild, but always an interesting mix of calm and chaos. Chicago’s FRET12 brand aims to capture the smell of decompression and anticipation and bring it home with its hand-poured “Green Room” candle, which blends birch, bark, fig, and bergamot into something restful and ripe you can gift the joint audiophile-aromaphile in your orbit. For something more after-hours and intimate, try “Deep Cuts,” or spark up “Campfire Acoustic” and bask in wafts of sweet, warm smoke and vanilla. Available in 3-, 8-, and 10-ounce sizes. And while you’re at it, pick up a custom-designed and -printed T-shirt and other garb for that special member of your personal road crew who wants to celebrate their love of all things analog while they shop for some M&M’s (no brown ones) and white tube socks.
Best golf accessories: Mileseey GenePro G1 Touchscreen Rangefinder & GeneSonic Pro Golf Speaker + GPS Handheld
The Mileseey GeneSonic Pro and GenePro G1 give you what you want for a casual round with friends, and what you need if you still want to know that carry number or feel confident before you even swing a club in more serious competition. The IP65 GenePro G1 delivers accuracy on par with top-of-the-line rangefinders on the market today, while also giving you a full view of the hole. It offers front/center/back yardages, Ball-to-Pin distance, 600-yard flag-lock, SmartSlope compensation, and more. And the IP67 magnetically mounted GeneSonic Pro speaker delivers quality sound and a built-in detachable GPS with 43,000+ preloaded advanced course views for those pesky cart path-only days. Plus, it’s a 30W power bank, so you can get out and continue to jam out, no matter what the weather brings or how you swing. Whichever one suits your game, you can’t go wrong, and they make a great gift for the golfer in your life.
I’ve sung the praises of this $98 Levoit Core300-P air purifier for years. It’s one of our best budget air purifiers, and there are currently two of them in my home: one in the primary bedroom and another in the living room. The replaceable filters aren’t prohibitively expensive, and they’re whisper-quiet at their lowest speeds. I’ve tested many air purifiers, and this one easily beats its more expensive competitors. My asthmatic cat loves this air purifier, my fiancé, who hasn’t gotten sick in years, loves it, and I love it. I’d buy it for all my friends if I could.
Best dehumidifier: Midea Cube 20 Pint Dehumidifier
Good things come in small packages, including this $180 Midea dehumidifier, which is two feet high and a little over a foot wide. This small dehumidifier holds 3.2 gallons of water and can cover 1,500 square feet, making it perfect for apartments, bathrooms, and even damp walk-in closets. Control it via app or voice, or use the built-in buttons. A side window shows when it’s time to empty the water tank, and a handle makes it easy to carry. The dehumidifier is also on wheels, so you don’t even have to carry it in some cases.
Best humidifier: Carepod One Stainless Steel Humidifier for Large Room
Carepod One Stainless Steel Humidifier for Large Room $279
Other humidifiers quickly get gross and grody. The Carepod One is a splurge at $279, but this high-end humidifier stays mold-free thanks to a sterilizable, dishwasher-safe stainless steel basin. It has only three parts to clean: the white wand, stainless steel water tank, and stainless steel inner lid. The humidifier runs for up to 30 hours and includes a built-in timer for hassle-free use. It’s Restriction of Hazardous Substances-certified, meaning it’s free of hazardous substances like lead and mercury.
Best handheld vacuum: Shark Cyclone PET Handheld Vacuum
Sometimes, a mess isn’t messy enough to warrant breaking out the big, heavy vacuum, and there is no other pleasure like having a tool for a very specific task. This $80 handheld vacuum from Shark is excellent for cleaning pet hair off couches or collecting the crust from your car. An extra-large dust cup means you can clean all these small messes in one go or have extra room for pet hair when the couch gets particularly fuzzy.
Regardless of water bottle allegiance, the $20 Kuppy Silicone Water Bottle Drying Rack helps reusable bottles of all sizes, wine glasses, and even silicone snack bags dry thoroughly to prevent odor from trapped water. They’re stackable for storage in the water bottle section of a kitchen (Everyone has a Water Bottle Kingdom somewhere in their home). Best of all, they take up less space than traditional dish racks.
Best shower filter for clean freaks: Aquabliss SF100 Daily Revitalize Shower Filter
This $37 Aquabliss SF100 Daily Revitalize Shower Filter is for the person in your life who has a codependent relationship with their Brita pitcher. This budget shower filter fits standard fittings and works with fixed, rain, handheld, and combination shower heads. It also adds three to four inches to an existing shower arm and maintains water pressure for cleaner water without weaker streams. The filter cartridge takes two minutes to replace and lasts three to six months depending on water quality.
Best electric toothbrush: Philips Sonicare Prestige 9900
The Philips Sonicare Prestige 9900 is a $380 rechargeable toothbrush that provides dentist-level cleaning every day. Sonic technology and multi-angle bristles remove plaque regardless of brush technique. SenseIQ Technology automatically adjusts intensity and flashes when it detects too much pressure. This toothbrush comes with five modes, plus three intensity levels. The Oral-B iO Series 3 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush is a cheaper option that’s still just as giftable.
Best water flosser: Waterpik Aquarius Countertop Water Flosser
A water flosser is the bedrock of a well-rounded oral care routine. The Waterpik Aquarius Countertop Water Flosser is a $100 countertop water flosser that’s more like a power washer for mouths. Choose from 10 settings for extra pearly whites, including a massage mode that helps stimulate gums. Although it’s not a replacement for floss, it’s excellent for getting the job done after a late night. I personally use mine after flossing and add a bit of mouthwash to the reservoir to get fluoride where my teeth need it most.
The Nori Press Travel Steam Iron is a $120 handheld iron that resembles a giant hair straightener. If your gift recipient is like me and has ironed out my polo collars with a hair straightener, this iron should feel familiar. Two heated plates iron the front and back of a garment at once, removing wrinkles without an ironing board. The compact iron also includes a built-in steamer to remove wrinkles from more delicate fabrics. At 14 inches long and weighing a little under 1.5 pounds, it’s packable for clothing emergencies.
Best hair dryer: Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer
The Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer is a $450 hair dryer designed to maintain healthy hair and a healthy scalp. It’s also engineered to reduce flakes and shedding and balance hair oils. This smart hair dryer reduces airflow and deactivates the heater when set down; a Hall sensor recognizes each attachment as it’s used and automatically adjusts settings based on the attachment; and intelligent heat control monitors airflow to prevent hair damage. It also dries hair fast, a plus for practical friends who hate going to bed with wet hair.
Best head shaver: Wahl Baldscaper Head & Body Shaver
Your most practical friend is most likely a Virgo or Capricorn. Popular Science’s resident Virgo and Managing Editor, Gear & Commerce, enjoys using this Baldscaper to keep his head smooth without causing physical/emotional damage to himself and his loved ones. Four floating shaver heads contour to the head, face, and body for a smooth shave, cutting it close sans nicks and razor burn. It’s fully waterproof, rinses clean with just water, and can be used wet or dry. A powerful motor and 90-minute battery life cut through coarse hair without dying halfway through a head shave.
The TUSHY Classic 3.0 Bidet is a $124 starter bidet that helps your gift recipient feel cleaner than using toilet paper alone. It includes all materials needed for installation, which takes less than 10 minutes. A Schmutz Shield (actual name for this feature) blocks grime from escaping past the toilet lid, and a self-cleaning nozzle means this bidet won’t cause more cleaning-related headaches your practical friend may experience daily.
Best cordless vacuum: Shark PowerPro Flex Reveal Plus Cordless Vacuum
Shark PowerPro Flex Reveal Plus Cordless Vacuum $380
Shark makes some of the best cordless vacuums, and this $380 option includes some of our favorite features in a vacuum cleaner, including a MultiFLEX wand that makes it infinitely easier to reach under furniture, a light that reveals missed spots, and Floor Detect technology that adjusts brushroll speed depending on the surface. It also doubles as a handvac and comes with tools for crevices and upholstery. With 50 minutes of runtime, HEPA filtration, and an anti-allergen seal, dust busting won’t involve a sneezing fit.
Give the gift of a fully connected home with the $130 Aeotec Smart Home Hub2, which can be used as a SmartThings Hub and supports Zigbee and Matter Gateway protocols. It’s also compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Wi-Fi. Although it’s not Z-Wave compliant, it offers wider device compatibility and stronger security than some competitors.
Best electric blanket: Westinghouse Electric Blanket Heated Throw
The best electric blankets provide warmth without turning up the thermostat. This $50 electric throw blanket from Westinghouse is reliable and heats evenly. Plus, it protects itself from overheating and includes an auto-off function for peace of mind when a nap strikes. A weighty smart digital controller cycles through six heat settings and a timer up to 10 hours. Throw it in the washing machine and hang it to dry between seasons.
Best outdoor blanket for sports fans: Rumpl Gametime Puffy Blanket
The Rumpl Gametime Puffy is a $100 2-in-1 stadium accessory made for overtime, any time. It packs a full-size 50×70″ insulated blanket into a TPU-laminated storage case featuring an adjustable, removable shoulder strap and an integrated 1-inch insulated foam pad to sit on when you pull the blanket out (and it’s an extra-padded 4” cushion with the blanket in). The shell and case have a PFAS-free water-repellent finish, and the blanket keeps you warm down to 45 degrees, making it great for football games, soccer matches, and club tournaments.
Best drill: Greenworks Pro PowerAll 24V 530 in-lb Drill Driver & 2,200 in-lb Impact Driver Combo Kit
I’ve assembled my fair share of furniture from a multinational home furnishings store, and let’s be real: Sometimes those Allen wrenches don’t cut it. Enter the Greenworks Pro PowerAll 24V Drill Driver and Impact Driver Combo Kit, a $169 bundle that gives you two handy tools for the price of one. The drill driver and impact driver use brushless motors and 24-volt batteries, and run 20% longer than 18- and 20-volt counterparts. It’s compact, lightweight, and easy to use in tight spaces, making it an excellent gift for DIY-minded friends and family.
Best glass containers: Anyday 4-Piece Medium Glass Food Storage with Lids
Anyday 4-Piece Medium Glass Food Storage with Lids $65
The $65 Anyday 4-Piece Medium Glass Food Storage system is made for microwaving or cooking directly in the oven, thanks to sturdy borosilicate glass that’s stronger and better resists extreme temperature changes than soft glass. The glass dishware is even freezer-safe. A glass lid prevents splatters in the microwave; lay-flat knobs vent food while cooking or create an airtight seal when it’s time to store any leftovers.
This $160 waterproof, compact carry-all from RUX works like an everyday tote, then converts to a roll-top dry bag to protect against rain and random liquids. It fits a laptop, lunch, and any layers, while internal and external pockets keep keys, a phone, and wallet within reach. Grab it by the handles, or wear it crossbody with the included shoulder strap on a two-hands kind of day. Exterior lash points connect pockets and panels (sold separately) for added storage and organization if your gift recipient desires a gift that keeps on giving.
Best pens: uniball JETSTREAM RT, 0.7 mm Ballpoint Pen
Practical people definitely have plenty of pen opinions—I know I do. And this $6.50 pack of uniball Jetstream pens is a favorite thanks to its smooth, opaque, quick-drying ink that’s water- and fade-resistant. Choose the .7 millimeter option for a finer line, or the 1 millimeter thickness for those who prefer a more robust script.
Best notebook: LEUCHTTURM1917 A5 (Medium) Notebook
My $26 LEUCHTTURM1917 A5 notebook holds my journal ramblings, my to-do lists, and random neurotic notes I need to get out of my head and onto a page. Numbered pages, two page markers, and a blank table of contents help organize all my jumbled thoughts. I personally go for a hardcover notebook with ruled paper, but LEUCHTTURM1917 also sells softcover journals in every color of the rainbow, with square grid ruling, dotted ruling, or blank pages.
The Ember Mug 3 is the latest generation of the popular smart mug that can keep hot drinks at a precise temperature all day long. Each 14 oz mug includes a sliding lid that extends battery life up to three hours on a single charge (it’s 80 minutes without the lid). And a charging coaster recharges your mug after your daily dose of bean juice (or maintains the temperature indefinitely if you keep the mug on it). Customize your preferred temperature in the app, or set it manually with a button on the mug. It’s also top-rack dishwasher safe.
This $35 leakproof travel mug from BrüMate is for those who don’t mix their coffee with their electronics. A ceramic lining preserves flavor while preventing staining and leftover odors, and triple insulation keeps drinks hot or cold for hours. It’s cup-holder friendly for caffeinating on the go, and a magnetic, OctaLock lid prevents spills while running errands.
Best bag carrier: Click & Carry Ergonomic Grocery Bag Carrier Handle & Bag Holder
Click & Carry Ergonomic Grocery Bag Carrier Handle & Bag Holder $14
The Click & Carry Ergonomic Grocery Bag Carrier Handle & Bag Holder is a $14 gizmo that saves trips and reduces hassle when unloading groceries. It’s gentle on joints, reduces hand strain, and its ergonomic design lowers injury risk. The bag carrier has a 100-pound weight capacity but weighs just under three ounces. The friend who always tests the boundaries of bringing everything inside in one trip will thank you.
Socks are a well-liked practical gift, and this $25 two-pack of merino wool, COOLMAX EcoMade polyester, REPREVE recycled polyester + nylon socks from Gordini uses fine-gauge and ultra-lightweight yarns to keep feet dry and supported with Linear Wicking Channels that move away moisture and Quilted AirForms that distribute shock and cushion impact. These OrbitFit anatomically mapped 3D zones create a purpose-knit performance fit that keeps you comfortable at home, on a walk, or while running or hiking. If cotton socks are on the gift list, we’re fans of the HUE Women’s Mini Crew Sock and the Men’s Casual Ribbed Crew Socks, which are breathable and comfortable.
The Garmin Venu 4 is a $550 multisport watch that blends style and function. A bright 1.4-inch AMOLED display clearly shows health and fitness stats like sleep tracking and time needed for workout recovery, along with on-screen workouts. A smart wake alarm helps with waking up at an optimal time, and a built-in LED flashlight illuminates dark morning walks. This watch supports running and triathlon, strength training, jet lag recovery, and more. Data-obsessed friends and family members will be pleased with all the numbers and stats they can pull from this watch.
This $50 OtterBox Symmetry Series Case has protected my iPhone 13 for years: the only blemish is a dent in the aluminum bumper from when I took it out of its case and immediately dropped it on my concrete porch. I’ve learned my lesson and never forgo a phone case. The OtterBox Symmetry Series Case is sleek without being too flimsy and protects without bulk. It’s on my repurchase list and should be on yours, too, especially if you’re looking at one of the new iPhone 18s.
Best noise-canceling headphones: Bose QuietComfort Headphones (2nd Gen)
These newly refreshed noise-canceling headphones from Bose are essential for quiet commutes and tuning out the airport chaos while traveling. Bose makes some of our favorite noise-canceling headphones and earbuds thanks to thoughtful design and helpful tech in each pair. We’re particularly fond of the comfortable pill-shaped earcups, 24-hour battery life, Immersive Audio, QuietControl noise cancellation, and updated ActiveSense Tech to smooth sound spikes in Aware Mode.
This practical gift is also personal. Every pair of these $249 orthotics from Stride is custom-made from a 3D scan of someone’s foot and a gait video with just their smartphone required, no doctor’s visit necessary. Take a short quiz about pain areas, activity levels, goals, and shoe preferences; provide the digital data; and podiatrists in Germany customize the orthotics and print them on durable TPU (personalized for the recipient) before they arrive at your doorstep in just 10 to 15 days. And they go well beyond arch support. It’s hard to convey the initially odd and then quickly invigorating sensation of an insole that considers each unique contour of the ball of your foot, but we guarantee your achiest friend or family member will appreciate a custom gift that addresses a big pain point, literally.
Best gloves for cyclists and beyond: Hestra CZone Bike Mistral – 5 finger
I hate when gloves hinder my range of movement. These $85 bike gloves from Hestra have a flexible but durable outer fabric and stretchy polyester on the palm. Primaloft Gold synthetic insulation, a fleece lining, and a membrane that stops rain and slush without making hands clammy keep your fingers warm. And the Lycra-clad slit makes the glove easy to put on and take off. Even if we don’t ride, these gloves could be our ride or die.
Best work boots: Danner Bull Run Chelsea and Classic Moc Boots
Danner Bull Run Chelsea and Classic Moc Boots $239 – $259
Style and practicality can go hand-in-hand. The Danner Chelsea boot is just that: Proudly assembled in the company’s Portland, Oregon factory with signature stitchdown construction, it slips on and is made of full-grain leather. The nonconductive (Electrical Hazard Certified) outsole is oil- and slip-resistant and is comfortable and durable even after climbing on ladders or standing on unforgiving surfaces like wood, tile, or concrete. Even better, the boots are Danner Recraftable, meaning they are eligible for part replacements, leather care, and restitching (paid services), so you are investing in someone’s ongoing comfort. If your gift recipient is good with laces, the Bull Run Moc Toe is another top choice for both looks and stability.
Best post-workout recovery shoes for athletes: Nike x Hyperice Nike Air Zoom Hyperslide
These $249 Nike slides are a collab with recovery company Hyperice, known for its wellness and recovery technology (we’re currently testing the Normatec dynamic air compression massage legs to positive effect). The comfortable slides combine heat, vibration, and responsive cushioning to make every step feel lighter. They’re like giving a pair of heated slippers a friar-like tonsure.
Best microphone for aspiring podcasters and musicians: RØDE NT1 Signature Series
The Rode NT1 Signature Series is a $159 workhorse. This cardioid condenser microphone has warm bass, a detailed midrange, and glistening highs for exceptional performance when recording bedroom melodies and harmonies, instruments, voiceovers, and a podcast episode that may never see the sun. Choose from eight vibrant colors, including red, green, blue, cobalt, and orange, or stick with black. Keep us updated on the views and streams! And if you’re looking for an extremely versatile mic and willing to pay a little more, the AKG C114 Large Diaphragm Multi-Pattern Condenser Microphone is a 2026 release we’ve seen used to record an entire band to a greatly immersive effect.
Best tuner for guitarists: Snark ST-2HPT High Precision Rechargeable Tuner
Snark ST-2HPT High Precision Rechargeable Tuner $25.99
Gifting gear or a gadget related to someone’s hobby will always be a hit. If someone in your life recently got an acoustic guitar, a clip-on tuner is a present that keeps giving. This high-precision tuner blocks room noise for faster, easier tuning. Strummed chords ring out in tune, and songs sound infinitely better for it. If an electric guitar and a pedalboard are part of the gear setup, consider adding a tuner pedal like the TC Electronic POLYTUNE 3.
Best durable down jacket: Stio Hometown Down Jacket
After many frigid Pittsburgh winters, I’ve learned that investing in a down jacket always pays off. I’m a fan of Stio’s $449 Colter Down Jacket, but the Hometown style is an even more budget-friendly down jacket. A recycled nylon ripstop outer with a PFAS-free DWR shields from the elements. It’s insulated with HyperDRY water-repellent goose down that offers 800-fill warmth even in wet snow. Other helpful features include pockets for hand warmers and valuable tech, and low-profile cord locks for a customized fit. We also think this limited-edition anniversary denim print shown above is just darling.
A central air system is the final boss for home battery backup systems. The AC’s compressor pulls a big surge of current at startup, which trips many battery inverters. EcoFlow says its new TITAN Series flagship, the TITAN 5000 Plus, can start and run a compatible 3-ton central AC unit without extra hardware, using a single 5kWh battery.
All three TITAN models are available to reserve at Early Bird pricing starting today through EcoFlow’s website. Standalone units land in the $2,000 to $3,000 range, and EcoFlow says exact prices arrive November 3. It’s a big step up from portable power stations like the EcoFlow DELTA 3 series we tried last year, with a wall-mounted transfer panel and room for up to 30kWh of storage.
Rooftop solar owners get the most out of this one. Its two charge controllers accept up to 8kW of panels, and PV Boost lifts output from 7.2kW to 10kW while the sun is out. It’s also the model EcoFlow rates to start a 3-ton central air conditioner without a soft starter, and it’s the only TITAN with a 50-amp L14-50 outlet.
How a 5kWh battery puts out 7.2kW
Home batteries typically sell on capacity, the kilowatt-hours that decide how long the lights stay on. Output, the kilowatts that decide what can run at once, tends to scale with it, so a household that needs a well pump and an AC unit running together often ends up paying for more storage than it would use. TITAN separates the two.
The TITAN 5000 and TITAN 5000 Plus each hold about 5kWh and are rated for 7,200 watts of continuous 120/240V output. EcoFlow credits its 40160 lithium iron phosphate cells, which are large cylindrical cells rated at 2C. That means each cell can discharge its full capacity in half an hour, and that headroom is what lets a modest pack swallow a compressor’s startup spike.
On the Plus, a feature EcoFlow calls PV Boost raises output to 10kW while solar panels are feeding the system. Capacity grows in 5kWh steps with stackable TITAN batteries, each about 83 pounds, to a maximum of 30kWh per unit. That ceiling is roughly what the average US home buys from the grid in a day.
A transfer panel that skips the main panel swap
Each TITAN pairs with EcoFlow’s Smart Home Panel 10, a wall-mounted box that sits alongside your existing breaker panel and any rooftop solar you already have. It backs up 10 selected circuits at up to 50 amps. EcoFlow says it flips to battery within 20 milliseconds, though it tells owners of medical equipment to check that device’s own backup requirements.
Installation is where EcoFlow is pushing hardest. The company pre-wires the panel and installs the breakers at the factory, and it claims that cuts on-site labor by up to 80 percent, to about two hours of work. The seven-day install it advertises comes with an asterisk, since EcoFlow counts business days starting after permits are approved and limits the service to certain ZIP codes.
Day to day, EcoFlow’s OASIS 3.0 software charges the batteries when time-of-use rates are low and draws them down during peak pricing. The TITAN 5000 spec sheet lists its grid connection as no-export, so it won’t sell power back to the utility. Any savings come from buying less peak-rate electricity, and EcoFlow’s own savings estimate assumes a 15kWh system, 4kW of solar, and a San Diego rate plan.
TITAN 5000 Plus vs. TITAN 5000 vs. Classic
The Plus and the standard TITAN 5000 share the 7.2kW output and 5kWh battery, and the difference is solar. The Plus takes up to 8kW of panels across two charge controllers, double the standard model’s 4kW, and it adds PV Boost and a 50-amp L14-50 outlet. Both pair with the 240V version of Smart Home Panel 10.
The TITAN 5000 Classic is the budget model, and its limits matter more than its price. It puts out 4kW at 120V only, takes 3.2kW of solar, and pairs with a 120V version of the panel. Central air conditioners, electric dryers, and many well pumps run on 240V, so the Classic is better suited to keeping the fridge, lights, and outlets going.
The bigger TITANs also undercut EcoFlow’s own DELTA Pro Ultra, which pairs the same 7,200-watt output with 6kWh of storage and lists at $5,799 for an inverter and one battery. EcoFlow had that bundle marked down to $4,199 and it sold out as of October 13. The TITAN 5000 gives up about 1kWh of storage and lands in the $3,000 range.
How to reserve an EcoFlow TITAN
EcoFlow is taking reservations now with a $50 coupon that knocks 5 percent off eligible TITAN gear and adds two free 220W portable solar panels during the launch sale. The purchase has to go through by December 31, or EcoFlow refunds the $50. Shipping is free everywhere except Alaska, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.
Bundles with the Smart Home Panel 10 and professional installation run in the $7,000 range for the TITAN 5000 and TITAN 5000 Plus, and in the $5,000 range for the Classic. EcoFlow says final prices for every configuration, including the add-on batteries, post on November 3.
Think of the standard TITAN 5000 as the Plus with half the solar input. It keeps the 7.2kW of 120/240V output and the 5kWh battery, takes up to 4kW of panels through one charge controller, and adds USB-C and USB-A ports that EcoFlow doesn’t list on the Plus. Its IP20 rating means it belongs indoors or in a garage, not out in the weather.
Households that mostly care about the fridge, the router, and the furnace blower during an outage can drop a price tier here. The Classic puts out 4kW at 120V, takes 3.2kW of solar, and pairs with a 120V version of Smart Home Panel 10, so 240V appliances stay dark. It still expands to 30kWh with the same add-on batteries as its siblings.
Just when you think Sony’s 2026 product parade is over, there’s one more thing for audiophiles to add to their Christmas wishlist. While the first half of the year focused on playback devices (flagship true wireless earbuds, powerful party speakers), and just last week there was a spatial microphone for content capture, now there’s something to bridge the gap: The Walkman. But this isn’t the portable cassette player of the ’80s and ’90s, even though those are so haute right now. No, these Walkmen are digital audio players (DAPs), with optimized signal paths and DSP that make all your streaming services and downloaded music (up to 384 kHz/32-bit PCM) sound extra expressive (and you can even display a cassette tape screensaver or use a “Vinyl Processor,” if you’re analog maxxing).
Kicking off the next-generation refresh, the NW-ZX900 has new premium parts, including an ultra-low-noise LDO regulator and crystal oscillators shared with the higher-end models for stable voltage to the audio block. The chassis is a mix of milled aluminum and press-formed oxygen-free copper (OFC) components. Most obvious is the updated 5″ 1920×1080 TFT color display, offering larger, clearer album art and a responsive way to control the Android 16-based system. As for the audio, with its 20-40,000 Hz frequency response, the 11.2MHz DSD Remastering Engine and S-Master HX digital amp technology, plus a balanced 4.4mm output with 250mW+250mW High Gain Mode (a distinct improvement over the previous, power-capped ZX700), deliver the best sound from your wired headphones or in-ear monitors. And a battery life of up to 40 hours of lower-bitrate MP3 playback, or up to 35 hours with the streaming service apps, ensures you’ll make it through that playlist.
Step up to the 425g NW-WM1AM3, and you get a new low-resistance oxygen-free chassis for stronger grounding, as well as a 5.5″ 1920×1080 Full HD screen. The elevated materials extend to a direct OFC audio power supply, OFC cable at the headphone output, and OFC copper-wound large coil. In addition, there are dual large solid polymer capacitors, Gold vapor-deposited ultra-low phase-noise clocks, 10-layer low-dielectric PCBs, and a higher-performance low-power SoC to run the DSD Remastering Engine, newly developed look-ahead Noise Shaper with Light / Balance / Deep modes, 10-band equalizer, C Phase Linearizer, Dynamic Normalizer, and DSEE Ultimate signal enhancement of whatever you play off the 128GB internal storage, microSD slot, or streaming services. The power-supply architecture, battery figures, and audio processing are shared with the flagship (showcased below), so you get the best balance of performance and value for those flagship wired headphones (but there’s no shame in a little Bluetooth 5.4 LDAC action with the 1000X The ColleXion headphones, or LC3/AAC/aptX Adaptive with another top pick).
As for the cost-no-object NW-WM1ZM3 flagship, it’s all about mechanical construction. This 670g investment gets you a 99.99% (4N) OFC precision-milled main chassis with a precision-machined (not press-formed) OFC rear chassis that uses 99.96% pure OFC with direct gold plating to further enhance ground stability. It’s all held together with low-resistance, direct-coupled gold-plated screws for a lower-resistance mechanical path, plus 4-wire braided KIMBER KABLE is implemented in the balanced output. The promise of this reinforced architecture and isolated circuitry is a wider soundstage, stronger low-frequency presence, and clearer fine detail for a more analog character. In addition, internal storage is doubled to 256GB.
A caveat for all three models: Despite there being a USB-C port, it is not intended to be used as an audio out. Just power and file transfer. Though it can be used as an external DAC for a PC. Listening, however, is done only via the 3.5mm/4.4mm ports or wireless codecs.
The death of the disc has been greatly exaggerated. Whether your preferred platters are shiny or groovy, companies are producing new … spins … on how to play CDs and LPs. Just this week, NAD Electronics announced a CD player, while Cambridge Audio and Andover Audio have turntables. Meanwhile, Focal-Naim elevates its immersive connected audio hub, for those audiophiles who have embraced an all-in-one system with expressive Dolby Atmos. Below you’ll find more information on all these discerning digital and premium analog audio accessories.
The C 569 is NAD Electronics’ mid-tier CD player in its Classic Series, featuring a combination of proprietary refinements to get the most from Rush remasters to Olivia Rodrigo. Dynamic Digital Headroom purports to eliminate inter-sample clipping, for more expressive transients. QRONO d2a refines the timing of PCM and MQA-encoded music. And it all runs through an ESS SABRE DAC if you want to use the low-noise, detail-rich analog outputs with any system featuring an RCA in, or utilize the TOSLINK or COAX digital outputs if you want to pair with an even more premium DAC, like that in the new NAD C 359S Class AB integrated amplifier with built-in BluOS streaming and more. The C 569 will be available late November through NAD dealers/website and Amazon at $999 USD. The NAD C 359S amplifier is available today through NAD dealers for $1,299.
If you’re getting into vinyls, the Cambridge Audio Spira is a ready-to-play, belt-drive, Bluetooth-equipped 33/45 turntable that can work with a traditional two-channel components stack, active speakers, or wireless speakers/headphones. It comes with a pre-fitted and aligned Audio-Technica AT3600L cartridge (upgradeable later to an elliptical stylus), plus a built-in phono stage to ensure it’s plug-and-play. But you can also bypass the phono stage if you want to upgrade to a more refined preamp. The steel platter and adjustable tracking/anti-skate give you stability and control no matter how it’s connected. And it comes in five colors that correspond to the Cambridge Audio L/R powered speaker series. The Cambridge Audio Spira will be available from the brand and partners priced at $499.
Looking for a step up? The Andover-One DD is a direct-drive turntable that brings together lots of top-notch components in a flagship system. The digitally controlled direct-drive motor supports 33 1/3, 45, qand 78 rpm playback with fractional wow and flutter. It’s a foundation engineered to eliminate high-frequency motor vibrations that impede detail retrieval. Further damping vibrations is the straight tonearm with a carbon-fiber armtube and support for cartridges weighing 2.5g to 6.2g, and it comes fitted with an Audio-Technica AT-VM520xEB moving-magnet cartridge. Tracking force, anti-skating, and vertical tracking angle controls complete the flexible setup, which sits by the cast-aluminum platter on a matte black MDF plinth. The Andover-One DD Turntable is available now for $999. Pair the turntable with the Andover-One SB (as shown above) for a high-fidelity, feedback-free, compact cabinet of clarity.
The first Naim Audio product to get the premier Utopia designation, the latest Mu-so hi-fi audio hub features the most powerful Naim amplifier ever developed for this type of form factor. Inside, 720W of Class D and A/B power push 15 speakers (7 on the front, 2 on each side, 4 on the top). This 7.1.2 capacity of 3″ ‘M’-shaped drivers and PRISM tweeters (both by Focal) allows for ultra-detailed, no-distortion Dolby Atmos, as well as Sphere Music, Sphere Movie, Sphere Video Game, and Sphere Podcast modes that expand stereo content with ADAPT technology that takes into account your room’s configuration. (And, having heard a demo of the sibling Mu-so Hekla at Audio Advice Live in Raleigh this past August, I can confirm it works wonders.) There’s the Naim Pulse Platform for DSP and high-resolution streaming up to 384 kHz / 32-bit (good for Qobuz Connect, though there’s plenty of Google Cast, AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, etc. support). TOSLINK allows you to plug in, say, a CD player or a TV, though the HDMI eARC is the preferred input for folks who are going to pair the Mu-so Utopia with a cinematic setup, which it will render well. Also, it’s pretty. The Naim Audio Mu-so Utopia will be available in January 2027 for $6,500 USD, exclusively through the Focal Powered by Naim network of authorized retailers.
People tend to hang onto their Patagonia gear, which can make it tricky to find second-hand. You flip through thrift racks, squint at blurry tag photos on eBay, or check WornWear.com, the separate storefront Patagonia has run its resale business through since 2017. That used shop is moving. As of October 14, Worn Wear’s used inventory lives on Patagonia.com, where secondhand garments and new ones share a cart, a checkout, and sometimes a shipping box.
It’s the same site that runs Patagonia’s end-of-season clearance sales, so used gear now reaches far more shoppers than a standalone resale site ever did. Sam Brown, Patagonia’s head of resale, told PopSci the company is one of the first in the U.S. to sell used and new items together at this scale. Worn Wear sold nearly 160,000 items in fiscal 2026, good for about $13 million in net sales, according to Patagonia.
Tim Davis for Patagonia
How Worn Wear went from pop-up to Patagonia.com
Patagonia has repaired customers’ clothes since the 1970s, but selling used gear took longer to figure out. When the online resale shop opened in 2017, it worked like a pop-up, according to Roos VanDeWeerd, who handles Worn Wear marketing. Inventory took so long to build that the shop would sell out and go quiet until enough trade-ins came back in.
The site now carries around 40,000 items at a time, Roos said. Patagonia also pulled warehousing, shipping, and customer service back from an outside vendor and into its own warehouse in Reno, Nevada. Worn Wear’s team of more than 40 associates processed over 230,000 items last year. Moving the storefront onto Patagonia.com is the last piece of that in-house shift.
Resale is an awkward fit for retail software. Every listing is a one-off with its own size, color, condition, and photos, so Patagonia had to build back-end systems that work differently from the ones behind its new stock. Owning the whole chain lets the company control how buying used feels, from inspection to the box on your porch.
How Patagonia grades Worn Wear gear
Tim Davis for Patagonia
About two-thirds of Worn Wear’s stock comes from customer trade-ins, Brown said, and roughly a third comes from returns and warranty claims. Patagonia employees check every piece for authenticity, condition, function, and cleanliness. Brown called the grading relatively strict. Items that pass get one of three grades (Excellent, Great, or Good), and listings spell out flaws like faint to moderate pilling.
What happens after checkout is the bigger difference from Depop or eBay. Patagonia says used items get the same returns process and Ironclad Guarantee as new ones, so a jacket that disappoints goes back to Patagonia instead of to a seller who stopped answering messages. When we compared Worn Wear to a carmaker’s certified pre-owned program, Roos said that’s how the team describes it internally.
Gear that has been through the program carries a mark on its tag. Older pieces have “WW” written on the label, and Patagonia is moving to a stamp. Brown said the QR codes Patagonia has started putting in new products should make secondhand pieces much easier to identify once they start coming back in about five years.
Worn Wear restocks every Wednesday
Jackets are among the most popular items in the program. Tim Davis for Patagonia
Used gear gets its own Used section on Patagonia.com, with filters for sport, function, gender, and size. The selection is shallow but wide, since a given jacket might exist in a single size and color. It reaches back about 20 years, Brown said, so styles that left the new catalog long ago can turn up whenever someone trades one in.
New listings go live every Wednesday, and the Just Added section has been the most popular part of the shop, according to Roos. Collectors should keep expectations in check. Brown recalled spotting a Rhythm Hoodie in the photo queue in Reno, a piece he estimated trades for about $1,000 on eBay, though Roos stressed that finds like that rarely happen.
Demand isn’t the hard part. Brown said Worn Wear sells pretty much everything it takes in, which makes supply the main limit on growth. The two items that move fastest are Nano Puff jackets and Black Hole duffels, and those are the ones he’d most like people to send in.
How to trade in Patagonia gear for credit
Trade-ins made the jump to Patagonia.com about a year ago. You can bring gear to a U.S. Patagonia store, where Brown said credit comes instantly, or mail it in after an online quiz estimates its value. Patagonia’s trade-in page says most items earn around 20 percent of MSRP, with jackets ranging from $10 to $200 and $7 deducted from mail-in credit for shipping.
Mail-in credit typically shows up 7 to 10 business days after Patagonia receives the box. Items need their size and care tags, and Patagonia won’t take T-shirts, baselayers, shoes, or anything with holes or broken zippers. Rejected pieces come back free or get recycled, your choice. Brown said Patagonia doesn’t send any of the rejected gear it keeps to a landfill.
Thrashed gear has a separate route. Roos said Patagonia employs about 80 repair technicians in Reno, and they’ll go a long way to keep a piece wearable, including patching the same boardshort seam over and over. A fully delaminated shell may be evaluated for a warranty replacement. For gear past saving, Brown said the Reno team finds an end-of-life solution, keeping it out of the waste stream that cheap clothing feeds.
My home runs on Apple’s smart-home platform, but it’s cobbled together like an automated Frankenstein’s monster. The brains live in an Apple TV and a HomePod on a shelf. The cameras, locks, and thermostats came from whoever bothered to support HomeKit. Apple HomeView is the company’s own answer: a $299 smart display with a square 7-inch screen, an A18 chip, and a camera that recognizes up to six people in the house by face.
Three other announcements came with it. A fourth-generation Apple TV 4K moves to an A19 chip at $299; HomePod mini 2 gets an S10 chip and a glowing top at $149; and the new Apple Home Collection puts cameras, a smart lock, and thermostats built by LG and Schneider Electric on Apple’s store shelves in December. Apple now sells something for nearly every spot in the house where smart-home devices usually go.
Product
Starting price
On sale
Apple HomeView
$299
Nov. 13
Apple HomeView (Wall Mounted)
$299, plus mount from $59.95
Nov. 13
Apple TV 4K (4th generation)
$299
Nov. 13
HomePod mini 2
$149
Oct. 30
Apple Home Collection
$39.95 to $399.95
Starting December
Prices are U.S. list.
1. Apple HomeView is a speaker with a square screen on a hinge
The tabletop HomeView sits on a domed speaker base, with the display attached by a stainless steel hinge that tilts it toward whoever’s looking. Overall, it’s giving miniaturized iMac G4. For a more contemporary reference, the face looks like a giant Apple Watch or a real-world embodiment of an iOS widget. The 7-inch Liquid Retina panel runs 1,088 by 1,088 pixels at 220 ppi. That square shape suits photo albums, camera feeds, and widgets better than movies. Brightness drops as low as 0.3 nits, so it shouldn’t light up a dark bedroom at night.
Two full-range drivers sit in the display, while the base holds a down-firing woofer and two force-canceling passive radiators, and the whole setup supports Spatial Audio. The tabletop model weighs 2.1 pounds and needs wired power from the included 30W adapter. It’s a kitchen-counter fixture like a typical smart screen.
HomeView (Wall Mounted) costs the same $299, drops the base, and weighs 286 grams. It uses two drivers tuned for wall placement and hangs from one of three Schneider Home power mounts, all sold separately: a plug-in USB-C wall connector from $59.95, a hardwired AC version from $79.95, and a hardwired Power over Ethernet version for $129.95 that arrives in early 2027. Unlike the tabletop model, it doesn’t come with a USB-C cable or power adapter, and Apple calls for an adapter of at least 20W, so the real price lands well above $299.
The 12MP Center Stage camera is what separates HomeView from a HomePod with a screen bolted on. It recognizes up to six people by face and gives each a personal Home Screen with their own apps and widgets, while shared photo albums and music stay open to everyone, guests included. When nobody’s using it, the screen shows one of Apple’s faces, including Calendar, Weather, a Home Camera face that streams up to nine live feeds, and a Snoopy face whose animations follow the weather, sports, and holidays.
2. HomeView’s Siri AI shows personal info only when your iPhone is nearby
Apple
HomeView ships with Siri AI, the rebuilt Siri that holds a conversation and understands what’s on the screen, as a beta in HomeView software 27.2. Anyone in the house can use it for general questions and music discovery. Personal requests, like checking a calendar or reading a text, require a paired iPhone or iPad that supports Apple Intelligence.
The privacy rules warrant a close read if a camera in the kitchen has kept you away from smart displays. HomeView surfaces personal content from apps like Messages and Calendar when it recognizes an enrolled face and that person’s paired iPhone or iPad is on the same Wi-Fi network and was recently unlocked. Apple’s fine print carves out one exception, for a phone that recently dropped off the home Wi-Fi but stays on cellular in the same location. The A18 handles camera and microphone data inside Secure Exclaves, which Apple says isolate that data from the rest of the system.
As a home controller, HomeView runs cameras, thermostats, lights, locks, and blinds by touch or voice, and it listens for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms and sends an alert when one goes off. With a supported iCloud+ plan and compatible cameras, it can identify faces, pets, packages, and vehicles in camera footage. Apple won’t sell HomeView in the European Union because Siri AI isn’t available in iOS there.
3. Apple TV 4K (4th generation) adds an A19 chip and far-field mics at $299
Apple
The new Apple TV 4K listens without the remote. Three far-field microphones with echo cancellation handle hands-free “Hey Siri,” which helps when a movie is playing loud and the remote is somewhere in the couch. Apple rates the A19 chip at up to 50 percent faster CPU performance and up to 2x faster GPU performance than the previous generation, and it adds an AV1 decoder for the efficient video codec more streaming services are adopting.
Pair two HomePod mini 2 or HomePod (2nd generation) speakers up front and two more in back, with each pair made of matching speakers, and Apple TV 4K runs four-speaker surround sound. There’s just one available configuration for the Apple TV, with 128GB of storage, Wi-Fi 7, Gigabit Ethernet, and a Thread radio. The outgoing lineup’s cheaper model left Ethernet and Thread off, so every new unit can serve as a full home hub.
The new Siri Remote charges over USB-C and works with Find My, including Precision Finding with a supported recent iPhone. It also works with Apple TV HD and earlier Apple TV 4K models, and it’s sold separately. You don’t need new hardware for Siri AI, which arrives as a beta on Apple TV 4K models back to the second generation. Searching for something to watch opens a full-screen Siri interface, and questions asked mid-show get answered in a compact overlay on top of what’s playing.
The price has gone up. Apple TV 4K launched at $129 in 2022, and Apple raised that starting price to $199 in June amid a memory chip shortage. The 128GB model with Ethernet, the closer match to the new box, went from $149 to $249 at the same time. At $299, the new model costs about twice as much as the Google TV Streamer, which went to $149.99 on August 31.
4. HomePod mini 2 gets an S10 chip and a top that glows with the music
The original HomePod mini launched at $99 in 2020 and stayed largely the same for six years, aside from new colors and a temperature and humidity sensor Apple switched on with a 2023 software update. HomePod mini 2 moves to Apple’s S10 chip, which runs computational audio that adjusts dynamic range and loudness to the music in real time.
The visible change is Sound Glow. The top of the speaker pulses in time with bass and treble using colors pulled from the album art, and it can play ambient soundscapes like rain. HomePod mini 2 comes in pink, green, blue, white, and midnight, stands 3.3 inches tall, and weighs 335 grams.
Persistent low-latency Wi-Fi 6E, Thread, and an Ultra Wideband chip make HomePod mini 2 a capable home hub, and one or two can serve as the default speaker(s) for a Mac with Wi-Fi 6E or later. Four of them make a surround system with the new Apple TV 4K, with automatic calibration based on where each speaker sits. Apple’s comparison chart lists Spatial Audio and room sensing only for the full-size HomePod (2nd generation), so those stay on the bigger speaker, though you can match a pair of those with a pair of the mini 2 for your home theater.
Siri AI comes to HomePod mini 2 in a future software update rather than at launch, and it will recognize up to six household voices. At $149, HomePod mini 2 costs $50 more than the original did at launch and $20 more than Apple charged for the original after its June price increase.
5. Apple Home Collection brings LG and Schneider cameras, locks, and thermostats to Apple Stores
Apple
LG Electronics and Schneider Electric make the Apple Home Collection hardware, designed in collaboration with Apple, and Apple sells it on apple.com, in the Apple Store app, and in its stores. Every device sets up with one tap on an iPhone and runs in the Home app with no separate app or account, which skips the step where a new doorbell asks you to make yet another login.
Apple Home Collection device
Price
LG Video Doorbell Wired
$249.95
LG Floodlight Cam
$399.95
LG Outdoor Cam Plug-In
$299.95
LG Indoor Cam Plug-In
$199.95
LG Smart Deadbolt Lock
$349.95
LG Smart Thermostat
$199.95
LG Temperature Sensor
$39.95
Schneider Home Smart Thermostat
$199.95
Schneider Home Room Sensor
$39.95
Prices are U.S. list. C-wire power adapters ($24.95) and a Schneider Home trim plate ($14.95) are sold separately.
The LG Smart Deadbolt Lock unlocks over Ultra Wideband as you walk up with an iPhone, supports Matter and the Aliro door-access standard, and keeps working without an internet connection. A PIN pad and a backup key slot cover a dead phone. The LG Video Doorbell Wired pairs a 2.5K front camera with a second, full HD camera on the bottom of the unit, plus a built-in spotlight and chime.
Every device in the Home Collection runs on Thread, and the cameras keep recording to built-in storage if the Wi-Fi drops. Video history requires iCloud+, which keeps 10 days of events. The 50GB plan covers one camera, 200GB covers up to five, and 2TB covers unlimited cameras. Some features also need a home hub, which can be HomeView, a HomePod, a HomePod mini, or an Apple TV 4K.
Apple Home Collection availability begins in December, and select accessories follow in early 2027, though Apple hasn’t said which ones. Apple Retail also offers professional installation from ADT in the U.S. starting this fall, for an extra charge.
6. Where to preorder Apple HomeView, Apple TV 4K, and HomePod mini 2
Apple HomeView, HomeView (Wall Mounted), and Apple TV 4K (4th generation) are $299 apiece; preorders are open now at apple.com and in the Apple Store app, and they arrive November 13. HomePod mini 2 is $149 and reaches stores October 30. The Apple Home Collection doesn’t take preorders yet. Availability begins in December, with select accessories following in early 2027.
Start with the base, which holds a down-firing woofer and two force-canceling passive radiators under the screen. The square 7-inch screen, 12MP Center Stage camera, and A18 chip recognize six people by face and give each one a personal Home Screen. It comes in silver, starlight, rose pink, and space gray, and the $299 Wall Mounted version comes in silver and space gray with mounts sold separately.
Hands-free “Hey Siri” through three far-field microphones is the change you’ll notice first, and the A19 chip is the one you won’t see. Every unit ships with 128GB of storage, Wi-Fi 7, Gigabit Ethernet, and Thread, so there’s no stripped-down model to accidentally buy. The included Siri Remote charges over USB-C and shows up in Find My, which should end the search through the couch cushions.
Watch the top of this one. Sound Glow pulses with the music in colors pulled from the album art, while the S10 chip tunes dynamic range and loudness in real time. It doubles as a Thread and Wi-Fi 6E home hub with a temperature and humidity sensor, and four of them build a surround system around the new Apple TV 4K. Siri AI arrives in a later software update.
My desk drawer contains a small stack of stickers that I have collected over the years. I like all of them, but I lack the commitment required to actually stick them on anything. After all, what if I stick them somewhere now and then find a more perfect place later? I’m working through those commitment issues with some help from the new StickerPix Print + Cut, which makes high-quality stickers from whatever graphic I choose, then cuts out custom shapes without the need for an extra tool or time spent with a pair of scissors.
Cricut built its reputation on cutting machines that turn sheets of vinyl and cardstock into crafts. The StickerPix Print + Cut adds a printer to that formula. It’s a compact dye-sublimation machine that prints a full-color sheet and then cuts your designs into custom-shaped stickers as simply as printing a document. I’ve been using it for the past week, and I’m impressed with the output quality, especially compared to the extremely shallow learning curve.
This product has earned a Popular Science Proven award from our editors. For more information on what that means, read our explainer.
The StickerPix is small enough to live on a desk full time, and it looks nice sitting there. It measures 8 by 11.3 by 4.1 inches and weighs 6.6 pounds. The paper tray stows away when you’re not printing, so it doesn’t jut out into your workspace between jobs. You will need roughly 6 inches to either side of the machine during use, as the paper actually sticks out during the process. Because the machine is so compact and only requires a power cord for connection, I have been storing the printer itself in a drawer and taking it out when it’s time to print.
There’s only a single button on the machine itself, which tells you how much of the experience lives in the software.
Setup took me less than 10 minutes from the moment I opened the box. You drop in the ink cartridge, download and install Cricut’s Design Space software, load paper into the tray, and you’re basically ready to go. The printer connects over Bluetooth, and the software requires an internet connection.
Design Space runs on iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows, so printing from a phone or a computer is easy. I prefer working from my computer because it gives me more control over sizing and placement. The software is friendly to casual users, and it offers tons of backgrounds, layouts, and designs to get users started.
Cricut has also built in a batch of AI-powered creative tools. I overwhelmingly prefer to add my own graphics, so I only dabbled in the actual AI creation tools, and they work as promised. If that’s your thing, you’ll almost certainly feel satisfied with the depth of options. If you’re staunchly anti-AI, you’ll appreciate that you can avoid it entirely if you want. Some of the image library sits behind Cricut Access, a subscription that starts at $9.99 per month, though you can print your own photos and artwork without it.
Printing and cutting
Stan Horaczek
The StickerPix prints like a standard dye-sub photo printer. The sheet moves back and forth through the machine as it lays down each color layer, and you can watch the image build up as it goes. It’s actually fun to watch, which is good if you plan to use this with kids or at events.
Once the print finishes, the machine cuts the shapes. Cutting is Cricut’s specialty, and it shows here. The blade kiss-cuts through the sticker layer and leaves the backing intact, so each sticker peels away cleanly. It did a great job following my designs, even when I didn’t give it any border to work with. I fed it the bird logo for my vintage clothing business and it cut precision shapes every time, even around the pigeon’s toes.
Print quality depends on what you feed it. When I gave it a high-res image, the stickers came out bright and sharp. If you upload lower-res images, the software does what it can to mitigate the lack of resolution or bad quality, but it can only do so much to help. When in doubt, give it the best version of the images you have.
Applying the stickers is simple. Peel them off the sheet and slap them onto a flat surface. The adhesive isn’t particularly thick, so they’ll work much better on a flat, smooth surface than anything with texture. I got one to stick to the back of my textured iPhone case, but it took a bit of careful smoothing to make sure it was fully adhered.
Stan Horaczek
The prints are tougher than I expected. Cricut says the stickers resist water, scratches, and fading, but running one through the dishwasher isn’t something you’re supposed to do. I did it anyway by accident when a mug with one of my stickers on it went through a full cycle, and the sticker came out looking just fine.
Getting them off is a different story. The stickers can be tricky to peel away cleanly, and they tend to leave some white residue behind. That’s common with stickers in general, but it’s worth knowing if you’re making them for kids who might put them on furniture or walls.
You have to buy Cricut’s materials
The StickerPix only works with Cricut’s own materials. Each pack pairs an ink cartridge with a matching number of sheets, so the dye and the paper run out at the same time. The Essential bundle that ships with the machine covers 18 sticker sheets measuring 4 by 7 inches and 18 sheets of 4-by-6-inch glossy photo paper. A replacement Essential pack costs about $25, which works out to roughly 70 cents per sheet with the ink included.
If you just want to print photos, you can buy a package with two cartridges and 72 sheets of photo paper for $37.99. It’s cheaper, obviously, because it doesn’t have to be sticky.
For now, the material choices stop at white glossy sticker sheets and photo paper. I hope Cricut adds foil or metallic sheets so there are more creative options. I’d also like to see larger refill packs for people who want to print in volume. Cricut does sell the machine with a bigger Ultimate Plus bundle for $379, but heavy users will want bulk packs they can reorder on their own.
StickerPix Print + Cut vs. StickerPix Print
Stan Horaczek
Cricut also sells the StickerPix Print for $169. It uses the same dye-sub printing, but it relies on pre-cut sticker sheets, so you’re limited to the shapes Cricut has already punched out. The Print + Cut costs $130 more and adds the blade that cuts whatever outline you design. The two machines use different materials, so you can’t share packs between them.
In my opinion, the custom cutting is worth the upgrade. It’s the feature that makes the stickers feel like your own designs rather than photos dropped into a template.
So, should you buy the Cricut StickerPix Print + Cut?
Cricut’s StickerPix Print + Cut is extremely fun and easy to use. Setup takes minutes, and the cutting is precise enough that I stopped worrying about borders. If you want custom stickers on demand in shapes you designed yourself, this is the one to get.
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale ended last week, but Greenworks has kept a big batch of its battery-powered yard tools marked down with some discounts even eclipsing the shopping holiday’s savings. The best of the bunch for most yards is the Greenworks 40V 135 CFM leaf blower at $74.99, its lowest price of 2026 on Amazon’s price chart. The Greenworks 24V brushless drill is down to $49.99, the lowest it has sold for in the past year, and the Greenworks 24V pole saw is at the lowest price camelcamelcamel has on record for it. We checked 52 Greenworks deals on Amazon Monday morning, October 12, from that $49.99 drill to a $529.99 self-propelled mower, and every one is sold by Amazon.
The Greenworks 40V 135 CFM leaf blower on sale for $74.99 is a compact sweeper for porches, decks, patios, and short driveways. Greenworks rates it at 150 mph, and a variable speed dial turns the airflow down when you get close to flower beds. The kit includes a 2.0Ah battery and a charger. It isn’t built for a whole lawn of wet leaves, so bigger yards should look at the 48V and 80V blowers further down.
Greenworks 24V 8-Inch Cordless Pole Saw: $99.99 (was $159.99)
Greenworks 24V 8-Inch Cordless Pole Saw $99.99 (was $159.99)
8-inch pole saw with about 11 feet of reach, 38% off
At $99.99, the Greenworks 24V 8-inch pole saw is at the lowest price camelcamelcamel has recorded for it. Its three-piece aluminum shaft extends to 9 feet, and Greenworks says that works out to about 11 feet of reach from the ground. An automatic oiler keeps the bar and chain lubricated. The included 2.0Ah battery also runs Greenworks’s other 24V tools.
The Greenworks 24V brushless drill/driver sat around $80 for most of 2026, according to Amazon’s price chart, and it’s down to $49.99, its lowest price in the past year. Greenworks lists 310 inch-pounds of torque, two speeds, and an 18-position clutch, which covers furniture assembly, shelves, and pilot holes. A 2.0Ah battery and charger come in the box. For $5 more, the newer Greenworks 24V 400 inch-pound drill adds torque and a battery that charges over USB-C.
Greenworks 3000 PSI Brushless Electric Pressure Washer: $309.99 (was $499.99)
Greenworks 3000 PSI Brushless Electric Pressure Washer $309.99 (was $499.99)
3,000 PSI brushless washer, lowest price in a year
The Greenworks 3000 PSI brushless pressure washer costs $309.99, which is $20 less than it did in September and the lowest price on Amazon’s chart for the past year. Greenworks says an independent lab tested its 3,000 PSI and 2.0 GPM ratings for the Pressure Washer Manufacturers’ Association. It comes with a metal spray gun, a 25-foot kink-resistant hose, and five nozzles. That’s enough to clean a deck, siding, or a driveway before winter.
Best Greenworks leaf blower deals
The 40V 135 CFM blower is covered above. The 48V 600 CFM blower runs on two 24V batteries at once and is at its lowest price since it showed up on Amazon in February. Our guide to the best battery-powered leaf blowers explains how much airflow your yard needs.
Best Greenworks string trimmer and hedge trimmer deals
These run on Greenworks’ 24V, 40V, 60V, 80V, and 82V batteries, so match the voltage to any tools you already own. Our guide to the best weed whackers covers the basics of picking a string trimmer.
The 24V pole saw is covered above. The 24V 10-inch chainsaw is at its lowest price since it showed up on Amazon in February, and it’s sized for storm limbs and small firewood rounds.
Wandering around Milan, you come across two kinds of power: the kind you can observe and the kind you can only feel. That first one is obvious, all incense-soaked architecture and ascendant liturgies. The second, though, is more understated in pauses, glances, murmured blessings, and other hushed, huddled choreography.
Pinnacles and pulpits look down on the penitent holding their rosaries. Beyond the gargoyles’ gaze, an equally adorned set of transformation seekers do the same to the so-last-season. Because, wandering around Milan, you come across another kind of power both manifested and metaphysical: the power of fashion.
It’s July 2025, and I’m in Milan at the invitation of EssilorLuxottica. I’m here to learn how the world’s largest eyewear company designs frames and lenses that help everybody, from the fashionable to the far-sighted, see and be seen. And where else but the Italian capital of fashion? Here, at the intersection of spirit and spirituality, faith and fit, this vertically integrated multinational predicts and produces trends years before they hit retail. But more interesting even than shapes and shades are the developments in microelectronics and med-tech that turn frames into smart systems, into something powerful you can witness and wear.
[Disclosure: EssilorLuxottica provided travel accommodations during the creation of this story.]
Our tour begins at the Oakley Milano flagship, a two-story space styled like a brutalist bunker that cloisters current attire alongside retired accessories from the ’90s and early aughts, displayed like relics in a cathedral. Oakley is just one of EssilorLuxottica’s many, many proprietary brands, licensed luxury labels, and, with the Oakley HSTN and Vanguard Performance AI models, a part of the company’s push to take smart glasses from concept to category.
We see the Prizm Interactive Wall, where we compare simulations of different Oakley lenses. Placed on a platform, a screen shows how a lens’s selective wavelength tuning and “noisy” light filtering boost specific colors and contrast, whether you’re on a shady trail or out to sea. Then there’s the Performance Chamber. A stationary bike sits in a simulator where you pedal through adjustable wind and lighting conditions to experience how different eyewear (and helmets) ride.
The next stop on our photopic pilgrimage is the Luxottica Digital Factory and its Tortona Experience Center, a striking building full of workspaces and high-end industry showrooms. Here, in the Zona Tortona design district, we work our way back to the future, to where teams study economics, demographics, technology, fashion, and interior design to inform storylines that won’t hit retail for 18–24 months.
Nina Esteves, senior trend & foresight manager at EssilorLuxottica, walks us through the future of frames, where AI and 3D printing widen structural possibilities to far more far-out. At the extreme, they’re alien eyes, or maybe that’s alienized. And, temporarily, that’s how I feel. I feel like Andy Sachs just starting at Runway, out of my element but eager to dive into the deep end of fashion.
I see magma hues and intentionally ruined chrome finishes. I see the renewal of ovals and chunky curves, informed by international datasets of face-shape fittings (it pays to own thousands of LensCrafters and Sunglass Hut locations, etc.). I see what (under)tones of green, clear, and white will become neo-neutrals. I see how cat-eyes become more sci-fi. Slowly, I start to understand the curve as silhouettes and innovation cascade from runway to bargain bin.
We’re in a period when plain-lens and barely-there frames are expression, not just function. They may be interchangeable, worn like earrings. And tinted lenses are similar. For those looking to occupy both worlds, the company’s Transitions lenses use reactive molecules that adapt to light, forming complex shapes to block UV from the sun and filter blue light from our screens.
When I was growing up, these eyepieces were slowly shifting, tobacco-brown photochromics. But these ain’t your grandpa’s glasses. The clustered cones embedded in Transitions Gen S come in eight hues, snap to dark sunglasses in around 25 seconds, and reverse back to clear in under 2 minutes. You can blend or clash tones with your frames without sacrificing clarity. An XTRActive variant even has dynamic polarization.
[EssilorLuxottica’s push is for Transitions to go from “must-wear” to “love-wear.” I’m convinced enough by the demonstration that they’re not the nerdy, never-quite-clear, high-school science teacher vibe of my youth that I get a pair when I return home. And, as someone unwilling to use contacts and too cheap … OK, lazy … to buy prescription sunglasses for decades, I can say they’ve been a revelation. Better late than never.]
And Transitions aren’t the only lens technology that has improved exponentially. Progressive lenses have dumped the “bifocals” stigma. They’ve become a far more seamless way to address stress you may not even know is affecting you, according to Today show style editor and Varilux lenses brand partner Bobbie Thomas. She spent months with nausea, vertigo, and headaches. Doctors suspected hormonal causes, but it turned out to be presbyopia.
About 2.1 billion people have presbyopia, an age-related loss of near vision; this number is projected to reach 4 billion by 2050, according to Essilor market reports and United Nations internal analysis. Plus, digital life is accelerating that. With 60 percent of our cerebral cortex involved in vision, good vision is associated with feelings of connection and community and therefore with good mental health, according to Sebastien Fricker, manager of the vision and perception modeling team.
With this in mind, Essilor develops digital twins, which are virtual replicas of individual wearers based on their prescription, pupillary distance measurements, age, morphology, lifestyle, head and eye movements, and more. These are used to test various Varilux progressive lenses through simulation, model how a real brain perceives sharpness and distortion over time, and determine what works best and what needs refinement. And IRL, when getting fitted for the XR Series, an “Eye-Ruler” measures Near Vision Behavior (NVB) and considers posture, how you hold your device, and how your gaze shifts. Then behavioral AI predicts head and eye movement to align the lenses with how you actually view the world.
[I’m a presbyope who had a terrible, multi-day ordeal adapting to progressives in my mid-40s. So I was reluctant to give a new pair a go. But while I was getting Transitions, I took the leap to Varilux XR, and now I have no obvious lines or disorienting “swim effect.” According to Essilor, citing a 2005 study, you make more than 100,000 eye movements a day in every direction, and standard progressive lenses are designed primarily for linear eye movements. With Varilux XR, you get what you pay for, which is a natural per-eye positioning of near, intermediate, and far focal zones, plus sharpness in motion.]
Of course, lenses, for all the chemistry and careful cutting that goes into them, are relatively easy to drop into a traditional frame, whether it’s an A$AP Rocky Wayfarer Puffer or some kind of titanium wisp with a granny chain swinging off it like a thurible. Their transformative power is something you can see. What’s introduced next is felt more than seen.
We demo the Ray-Ban Meta, learning about the layers of delicate circuitry in its arms and the challenge of fitting components that must stay linear onto a face, which is anything but flat. A few steps away, however, is something even more interesting to me: Nuance Audio glasses, first introduced in April 2025 at around a grand without prescription lenses (thousands less than traditional hearing aids). They’re basically an over-the-counter hearing aid disguised as something I’d already have on my face, and the only prescription required is for lenses, if you need them.
A rep puts a neckband speaker on another journalist and hits play to emit restaurant chatter and clatter. Then a different voice talks over it, conversational, not loud, and the response is middling. “I don’t really understand everything,” the wearer admits. So the rep switches the glasses on, frontal mode kicks in, and the glasses amplify whoever you face within a 30-degree cone, aimed like a laser pointing from your nose. Alternately, a 360-degree mode can handle the street for more encompassing awareness. Other features include four pre-configured amplification settings that target different levels of hearing loss, plus background noise reduction.
“I’m hearing her a lot more clearly,” the participant declares. Meanwhile, I’ve found something I want to hear more about.
I admit it: I’m the guy who fails the “restaurant test.” I sometimes struggle to navigate low-light, high-noise spaces. Varilux XR lenses have somewhat helped cut down on menu-reading challenges and peering over my frames at things held mere inches from my face, but I still have a hard time hearing anyone at the table who’s not immediately next to or across from me. If my eyes are a window to my health, and at least some of the world around me, then my ears are a door to the room where my sanity comes and goes … and sometimes it feels like it’s swinging shut.
I mean, it’s my own fault. As a former professional music critic and would-be superstar DJ, I stood in front of line arrays for many, many years before I took earplugs seriously. Between that and turning 50, I’ve lost some top end, what my audiologist calls “the women and children range,” much to the chagrin of my wife. So I know exactly why I tilt my head “like a dog that just heard the word ‘treat,’” as the wife I find harder to hear so lovingly puts it. I’m trying to catch consonants along with visual cues to help cut through the static. And it’s mentally exhausting, to the point that sometimes I’ll just check out when out and about.
This makes me more interested in being part of the conversation on mild to moderate hearing loss and removing the stigma of hearing aids, or even hearables. So, eight months after Milan, I’m even more interested in attending SWITCH, EssilorLuxottica’s first-ever summit for about 1,000 vision-care professionals from more than 30 countries, held in Orlando in March 2026.
Among conversations on myopia management, neuroscience, and emerging oculomics, I gravitate to the gear. According to a presentation by Dr. Charlotte Yeh, about 73 million Americans have hearing loss, which is 1 in 5 (that number goes up to 1 in 3 if you count people, like me, who have “hidden hearing loss” … where you mostly struggle with speech in noisy places but don’t have serious measurable loss). Fewer than a third of those act on it, often waiting 7 to 10 years. Untreated loss can lead to loneliness and also contribute to dementia, according to a 2024 Lancet Commission.
One of those people with untreated hearing loss is Frank Lynch, and his daughter, actress Jane Lynch, explains what’s at stake and how hearables can help. In her keynote, she describes her father going from someone who would burst into impromptu songs to someone who laughed half a beat behind. Then his TV got louder and louder, and saying “What?” in response to conversations got more and more frequent. Finally, he seemed to be disappearing, there but not there. Yet Frank didn’t want traditional hearing aids because he didn’t want to appear weak or vulnerable. So, when Jane started noticing her own issues with background noise getting in the way, you guessed it, in restaurants, she embraced the opportunity to do something about her hidden hearing loss when introduced to the “adorable” Nuance Audio glasses. “Getting help for hearing loss is not a surrender,” Lynch says.
It wasn’t just Lynch who ended up with a pair. Another went to her friend Janice, who spent a dinner saying they were a “game changer,” while another went to Lynch’s spouse. That’s three people embracing a solution, and more people who might be tempted to upgrade. Announced at SWITCH and recently released at retail, Nuance Audio Plus is the next generation of the company’s hearing glasses, starting at $829 and now available in three styles and five colors, with improved audio and amplification, battery life, and switches/controls.
You see, adorable isn’t as simple to engineer when electronics are involved. All those PCBs and batteries and other components are flat and add weight, the enemy of all-day wear. That’s why the arms of Nuance Audio glasses and Meta models typically have a thickened profile, to house and hide the deliberate directional microphones that listen and the speakers that aim sound toward your ears. [Admittedly, the Meta Gen. 3 frames, with aviator and cat-eye styles, are a few millimeters smaller, but …]
Still, the team strives for connected devices to “be beautiful glasses first,” says Matteo Battiston, EssilorLuxottica’s chief design officer, talking to me between sessions.
It’s been a slow process to adapt the technology for the most wearers, though. For someone like me, with a -6.25 prescription, physics is fighting back. You design a frame like they design a car, without knowing which wheels will go on it, says Battiston. And not all wheels fit all wheel wells. Similarly, a prescription as thick as mine adds weight and must share space with microphones and motherboards that can’t be bent as the lenses get pushed in.
However, Alex Himel, Meta’s vice president of wearables, says that the most engaged users wear connected glasses with prescription or Transitions lenses. One of the company’s answers is another SWITCH debut: Ray-Ban Meta Optics. It’s a little easier with Nuance, which doesn’t have the cameras in the end piece, etc. For Ray-Ban, however, they made lighter frames that support what the company calls its widest prescription range. The hinges have an additional 10 degrees of rotation, the nose pads are swappable, and the temple tips adjust a bit. Not to the extent of traditional acetate, where opticians use heat to make things malleable, but with more flexibility than before.
Back at the Nuance Audio booth, I think about another feature they might want to put on the spec sheet: better table manners. Testing out a pair of Nuance at a dinner, I found I’m no longer half-nodding but rather making full eye contact. I’m reengaged.
When I first arrived in Milan, I felt like I was wearing a metaphorical lumpy blue sweater, sure that the trend table wouldn’t have much to do with me. But even if I’m not the most fashion-forward, I loved learning how the frames, lenses, and electronics-laden eyewear I ended up wearing were curated long before I chose them. And the shade of cerulean that mattered most as it trickled down to me was whatever was being said at the far end of the table. Miranda Priestly never has to raise her voice; the room leans in. Well, I got tired of leaning in. Now I can sit back and still catch the … nuance.
Featuring four omnidirectional capsules, the ECM-AX10 can record Ambisonics, binaural, and stereo. This lets you capture the sense of space, direction, and distance appropriate for the project/format, whether it’s travel reels or festival feels, sports cheers or reviewing gear.
Ambisonics’s four-channel 48 kHz/32-bit float capabilities, plus Sony’s Spatial Audio Video Tool, mean you can publish a full-sphere Eclipsa Audio experience on YouTube, based on the open IAMF (Immersive Audio Model and Format) standard. The Binaural recording’s two channels of that 48 kHz/16-, 24-, or 32-bit quality can be translated to 360 Reality Audio for headphone-optimized 3D rendering. And stereo is, well, stereo. You know it, you love it, you want some more of it. It makes the microphone compatible with general recording and video apps and whatever social channel you prefer.
As for the package these containers come in, the ECM-AX10 is 24g, has a Selfie Mode for rear or front-facing alignment, includes an attenuator (ATT) switch that drops sensitivity -20dBFS to avoid overloading (plus additional Noise Cut controls), features a 3-axis gyroscope and 3-axis accelerometer to keep audio aligned with the video’s orientation, and offers a 3.5mm minijack for wired monitoring (a great opportunity to try those Sony IER-M500 IEMs, or others). There’s also a windscreen; spacer sheet; shoe-mount microphone holder (Cold shoe / No electrical contacts); and USB-C extension cable in the package.
Thanks to the ECM-AX10, you don’t have to risk your $15,000 C-800G to capture engaging, expressive, like you were there ambiance.
Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale shut off at 2:59am ET this morning, but EcoFlow is keeping the party going by extending its deals. The best of the bunch is the EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus at $1,149, $750 under its $1,899 list price, and EcoFlow says it and its other Amazon markdowns run through Wednesday, October 14. It’s a 2,048Wh station sized for home backup, and at 39% off it’s the deepest cut of the lot. We checked 16 EcoFlow deals on Amazon Thursday afternoon, October 8, from the $149 TRAIL 300 DC to a $5,099 DELTA Pro Ultra solar kit. Four of them are Prime member prices.
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus Portable Power Station: $1,149 (was $1,899)
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus Portable Power Station $1,149 (was $1,899)
The EcoFlow DELTA 3 Max Plus on sale for $1,149 is a home-backup station with 2,048Wh of storage and 3,000W of AC output. EcoFlow says it switches to battery in under 10 milliseconds when the power cuts out, so a desktop PC or router plugged into it stays on through the switch. It refills to 80% from a wall outlet in 43 minutes, according to EcoFlow. If 2,048Wh turns out to be too little, the listing says EcoFlow’s extra batteries can take it as high as 10kWh.
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic Solar Generator with 220W Solar Panel: $699 (was $1,099)
EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic Solar Generator with 220W Solar Panel $699 (was $1,099)
A power station is only as good as its last charge once the grid goes down for days, and a solar panel is how you top it back up. This EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic and 220W solar panel bundle is $699, which is only $200 more than the DELTA 3 Classic by itself costs today. The station holds 1,024Wh with 1,800W of AC output, which EcoFlow says covers a refrigerator or microwave, and the company says the bifacial panel can refill it in 5.8 hours of sun.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro Portable Power Station: $389 (was $429)
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro Portable Power Station $389 (was $429)
At 17.2 pounds, according to the listing, the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro is light enough to carry by its built-in handle from the car to a campsite. Prime members get it for $389. It stores 768Wh and has 11 outlets, with 800W of AC output for laptops, lights and camera chargers at the same time. EcoFlow says a wall outlet refills it in 70 minutes, and it rates the LFP battery for 3,000 charge cycles before capacity drops to 80%.
EcoFlow TRAIL 300 DC Power Station: $149 (was $199)
EcoFlow TRAIL 300 DC Power Station $149 (was $199)
Check your gear before you buy the EcoFlow TRAIL 300 DC, because it has no AC outlets at all. What it does have is a 288Wh battery for $149, two 140W USB-C ports, two USB-A ports and a 12V car socket, which covers phones, laptops and a 12V electric cooler for a tailgate. It recharges from a car, a solar panel or its own USB-C ports, and EcoFlow says the dual USB-C route reaches 80% in 85 minutes. Bring your own USB-C cable, since the listing says one isn’t included.
Best EcoFlow DELTA power station deals
The DELTA 3 Max Plus is covered above. These are the rest of EcoFlow’s standalone DELTA stations on sale, and our guide to the best portable power stations explains how much capacity you actually need.
The DELTA 3 Classic bundle is covered above. Each of these pairs a power station with one or two EcoFlow panels, and our best solar generators guide covers how panel wattage affects recharge time.
A gas snow blower spends most of the year parked, so the first storm tends to start with stale fuel and a shoulder injury from yanking the cord. The Stihl SFA 120 is the company’s first battery-powered snow thrower. Stihl says it goes on sale November 1 at $699.99 as a bare tool or $899.99 with a battery and charger.
It runs on the same AP batteries as more than 60 Stihl yard tools, and the kit’s battery comes from the new ALLPRO system that won best cordless tool battery system in our 2026 Home of the Future awards. Rubber paddles on a steel auger do the scraping, and a handlebar control swings the chute through 180 degrees without stopping.
Why Stihl went with a rubber auger
Two battery bays, zero pull cords. Stihl Stihl
The SFA 120 is a single-stage machine, so one auger scoops up the snow and throws it through the chute. Stihl’s auger is a steel frame with rubber paddles. Louis Danet, Stihl’s product manager for push mowers and snow equipment, says the rubber absorbs the impacts a driveway hands out, which takes stress off the auger. They also reduce noise compared to the steel competition. And because the rubber paddles are designed to be easily replaced, it cuts down on degraded performance over time without requiring a trip to the repair shop.
Those paddles clear a 22-inch path, an inch wider than the 21-inch swath common on battery single-stages. The extra width means fewer passes on a two-car driveway, but every inch is more snow to lift and throw, and that load lands on the battery. Danet says depth and density swing the work so much that Stihl rates the SFA 120 in driveways cleared rather than minutes.
The scraper bar underneath and the two polymer skid shoes on the sides are replaceable too. Past those, there’s no oil to change, no spark plug, and no carburetor to gum up over the summer. Getting the SFA 120 ready for a storm means unfolding the handlebar and sliding in a battery.
A chute you can aim without stopping
The chute rotates through 180 degrees, and the control sits on the handlebar, so you can move the stream from one side of the driveway to the other without stopping or walking around to the front of the machine. Vertical angle is still set by hand, with a quick-release lever on the chute itself.
Two LED headlights point ahead of the auger for clearing before sunrise. When the season ends, the handlebar folds nearly flat, and Danet says the machine can be tipped up on end to take up less floor space. A tool that runs a handful of times a winter shouldn’t eat a parking spot the other nine months.
Two battery bays that take turns
The brushless motor draws from a single battery at a time from a dual-battery bay. When the first pack runs down, it switches to the second on its own, and a single battery works in either slot. Danet says Stihl skipped drawing from both packs at once because that approach is mostly about peak power for commercial machines, and it adds cost. That’s a running theme with this machine, as it’s meant for the consumer market. It intentionally eschews overkill features and power levels that often cost users money they spend for features they don’t need.
Stihl rates the SFA 120 to clear a 7-car driveway in wet, heavy snow or a 10-car driveway in 2.75 inches of fresh snow. Both figures assume two AP 300.0 P batteries, and the $899.99 kit includes one. A second AP 300.0 P costs $329.99 on Stihl’s site as of early October.
Because of the more reasonable power level, this machine isn’t built for clearing a two-foot wall of snow. Instead, the company recommends a few smaller passes during the storm to keep things running smoothly and easily. That’s a better strategy, even with a gas-powered machine.
Going electric
During a Stihl product demo earlier this year, I watched the company use an extremely cold ALLPRO battery with no issue. That may seem like a pedestrian feat, but temperature can have a profound effect on rechargeable batteries. That’s an obvious challenge for a snow thrower, which only gets used in frigid temps.
Lithium-ion cells slow down in the cold. Ions move more sluggishly through the electrolyte, internal resistance climbs, and the pack can’t push out power as quickly, which shows up as a tool that bogs down or quits early on a charge that read full in the garage. Charging a frozen pack is worse, since lithium can plate onto the anode and permanently cut capacity. Danet says finding a battery that holds up in those temperatures was the number one challenge in developing the SFA 120, and that the fridge test I saw is close to what Stihl runs internally. The company doesn’t publish a minimum operating temperature for the ALLPRO packs, so I’m looking forward to getting real world experience during our review.
If there’s already a Stihl trimmer or blower in the garage, this is the version to get. The bare SFA 120 takes the AP batteries you own, with bays for two, and a single pack works in either slot. You get the same 22-inch rubber-paddle auger, handlebar chute control, and LED headlights, just no battery or charger in the box. One AP 300.0 P battery and an AL 301.1 charger come in the box, about $248 less than buying them separately. The AP 300.0 P is the 333Wh pack from Stihl’s new ALLPRO line, and Stihl’s 7-to-10-car driveway rating assumes you have two of them. We have an SFA 120 coming in for testing once the snow shows up.
Update, 7:35pm ET, Wednesday, Oct. 7: We rechecked every price on Amazon this evening. Several laptop and tablet prices moved, and nine listings came out because they no longer showed a discount.
Prime Big Deal Days ends at 2:59am ET Thursday, which leaves tonight for anything on this list. The Microsoft Surface Laptop (2026) leads the laptops at $1,329.97, $370 under its $1,699.99 list price, and Amazon prices it that way for Prime members only. Apple’s MacBook Air M5 is $1,099 and the iPad mini (A17 Pro) is $499, and neither carries a Prime requirement. Samsung’s 27-inch Odyssey OLED G6 is $384.99 without a Prime badge, and the monitors further down run from a $99.99 Samsung to a $799.99 ultrawide.
Microsoft Surface Laptop (2026): $1,329.97 (was $1,699.99)
Microsoft Surface Laptop (2026) $1,329.97 (was $1,699.99)
A Snapdragon X2 Elite touchscreen laptop, for Prime members
A 13.8-inch touchscreen, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite chip, 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD are what $1,329.97 buys in the 2026 Surface Laptop. That’s $370 off its $1,699.99 list price, and the listing rates the battery for up to 20 hours of video playback. Snapdragon machines run the Arm version of Windows 11, so check that any older software you rely on runs on Arm.
Microsoft Surface Pro (2026): $1,599.99 (was $2,099.99)
Microsoft Surface Pro (2026) $1,599.99 (was $2,099.99)
Microsoft’s Surface Pro (2026) pairs a 13-inch OLED screen with the same Snapdragon X2 Elite chip, plus 16GB of memory and 1TB of storage, according to the listing. At $1,599.99 it’s $500 off its $2,099.99 list price.
OLED pixels switch off completely to create intense black levels, which is the reason to pick the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey OLED G6 (G61SH) over the IPS monitors further down. It’s $384.99, $215 under its list price, and Amazon’s listing flags it as the lowest price in 30 days. Samsung’s listing calls it a QD-OLED panel at QHD (1440p) with a 240Hz refresh rate.
A 32-inch QHD gaming screen for under $200 is a solid deal. The Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G55C fits that description at $189.99, $140 under its list price. Samsung lists a 1000R curve, so the edges of a screen this wide turn back toward your eyes at desk distance. QHD is 2560 x 1440, a real step up in sharpness from a 1080p panel at 32 inches.
Laptop deals
The Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition is $999.99 with a 14-inch OLED screen and Intel’s Core Ultra 7 256V, and the Acer Predator Helios Neo 14 is $1,699.99 with an RTX 5070 and 32GB of memory. The MSI Cyborg 17 listing shows a delivery window of Oct. 20 to Nov. 4.
When do the Prime Big Deal Days laptop and monitor deals end?
Prime Big Deal Days ends at 2:59am ET on Thursday, October 8. The Surface Laptop (2026) and most of the other deals here carried an Amazon countdown timer when we checked Wednesday evening, but the Samsung Odyssey OLED G6 listing showed no end time.
Should I buy a laptop now or wait for Black Friday?
The Surface Laptop (2026) is $1,329.97 on Amazon right now, $370 under its $1,699.99 list price, and that Prime member price runs only through the end of Prime Big Deal Days at 2:59am ET Thursday.
Update, 7:35 pm ET, Wednesday, Oct. 7: We rechecked every price on Amazon this evening. The Beats Studio Pro are now $149.95, four listings came out because Amazon no longer shows a buy box for them or only one third-party unit is left, and several prices and Prime labels changed. More deals are in our live Prime Big Deal Days roundup.
The Beats Studio Pro are $149.95 on Amazon until the sale ends at 2:59am ET Thursday. That’s half off their $299.99 list price, and Amazon doesn’t require Prime for it. Sony’s WH-1000XM6 are $378, and the rest of the page runs from $27.95 JBL earbuds to $899 Sonos and Bose soundbars. Many of the deals that started with the sale on October 6 are Prime member prices, and each one is labeled.
The Beats Studio Pro are half off at $149.95, and Amazon sells them directly without a Prime requirement. Beats rates the battery for up to 40 hours with noise canceling off and up to 24 hours with it on, and lists lossless audio over the USB-C port. They pair with iPhones and Android phones alike.
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2: $179.95 (was $249.99)
Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 $179.95 (was $249.99)
Ear-hook workout earbuds with heart rate monitoring
Beats builds the Powerbeats Pro 2 around what it calls secure-fit ear hooks, and at $179.95 the workout earbuds are about $70 off their $249.99 list price. Beats lists noise canceling, heart rate monitoring, and sweat and water resistance, and rates them for up to 45 hours of playback with the charging case. If you’d rather have wingtips than hooks, the Beats Powerbeats Fit are $159.95, about $40 off their $199.99 list price.
Ninety dollars off puts the Bose SoundLink Plus at $179. Bose rates it for up to 20 hours on a charge and lists it as waterproof and dustproof. The bigger Bose SoundLink Max is $279, $120 off.
At $99.99, the Marshall Emberton III is $80 off its $179.99 list price, and the deal doesn’t require Prime. Marshall lists it as a waterproof and dustproof portable speaker with 32-plus hours of playtime. The larger Marshall Middleton is $149.99 for Prime members, and the Marshall Acton III home speaker is $189.99.
Best headphone and earbud deals
Sony’s WH-1000XM6 are $378, $81.99 off their $459.99 list price, and Sony’s listing cites 12 microphones and up to 30 hours of battery. Nothing’s Headphone (1) are $189 for Prime members, and Nothing’s listing cites up to 80 hours of playback. More Soundcore models are in our Anker and Soundcore deals post, and our Apple deals post covers AirPods and Beats.
The Sonos Era 100 SL is $149, $40 off its $189 list price, and the JBL Charge 6 is $149.95 with a built-in power bank, according to JBL’s listing. The JBL Go 4 is $34.95 for Prime members. Our Logitech deals post covers the Ultimate Ears speakers, and the deals under $50 post collects cheaper picks.
The sale ends at 11:59pm PT on Wednesday, October 7, which is 2:59am ET on Thursday. At about 7:35pm ET, Amazon’s countdown on the Skullcandy Crusher Evo at $89.99 showed roughly seven and a half hours left.
Is the Sony WH-1000XM6 on sale for Prime Big Deal Days?
Yes. The Sony WH-1000XM6 are $378, $81.99 under their $459.99 list price.
Amazon shuts off Prime Big Deal Days at 11:59pm PT tonight, or 2:59am ET on Thursday, October 8, so these prices have a few hours left. The picks we’d steer people toward first are things that get used every week: AirPods Pro 3 for $179, a Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra that dropped another $30 since our morning check, and robot vacuums from Roborock and iRobot that mop as well as vacuum. We rechecked every deal on this page Wednesday evening. Nearly all of them are holding, and we pulled the handful that sold through or went back up during the day. Many of these prices need Prime, and a free 30-day Prime trial covers what’s left of the sale.
Update, 7:45pm ET, Wednesday, October 7: The sale is in its final hours, and we rechecked every price on this page. The Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra dropped to $949.99 and no longer needs Prime, and the Logitech MX Master 3S dropped to $75.99 for Prime members. The Anker SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 and EcoFlow RIVER 2 Pro prices are now open to everyone. We removed the Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum and the Shark Vertex upright, which are now sold only by a third-party seller at higher prices, the Ninja DualZone air fryer and the YETI Rambler mug, whose deals ended, and the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool, which Amazon no longer has in stock.
Update, 11:30am ET, Wednesday, October 7: This is the last day of the sale. We rechecked every price on this page and added 12 new deals, including a Samsonite Freeform luggage set for $175, the Shark FlexStyle hair styler and Anker’s SOLIX C2000 Gen 2 power station. The Google Pixel 11 Pro dropped to $834, and the Nest Thermostat dropped to $85.49. We removed the KitchenAid bowl-lift mixer, which is out of stock, along with the Fire HD 8 Kids Pro and the Instant Pot Duo, whose deals ended.
Update, 6:45pm ET, Tuesday, October 6: We rechecked every price on this page and added nine new deals, including the Ultimate Ears BOOM 4 speaker and the Logitech MX Master 3S mouse from our Logitech deals post, two YETI coolers, and three Moultrie trail cameras. We removed five deals that ended or are no longer available at their sale price: the Dyson V8, the Blink Mini Pan-Tilt Camera, the Ooni Karu 2, the iRobot Roomba 105X Combo and Pokémon Legends: Z-A.
Update, 2:15pm ET, Tuesday, October 6: We rechecked every price on this page and added 21 new deals, including a new phone section with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra and Google Pixel 11 Pro, Roborock and Dyson vacuums, an Ooni pizza oven, and Nintendo Switch 2 gear. Beats Studio Pro went up to $149.95. We removed three deals that ended, plus a camera that’s now available only from a third-party seller with a few left.
Update, 9:15am ET, Tuesday, October 6: We rechecked every price on this page, and all of them are holding. We added power station and camera sections, more Anker chargers, and links to all of our category deal posts.
Apple AirPods Pro 3: $179 (was $249)
Apple AirPods Pro 3 $179 (was $249)
Noise-canceling earbuds that pair with an iPhone in one tap
If you carry an iPhone, AirPods Pro 3 pair with it in one tap and move between your Apple devices without a trip to Bluetooth settings. Apple builds active noise cancellation into them, so they work as well on a plane as they do on a walk. They’re $70 off, and you don’t need Prime.
The Galaxy S26 Ultra has a privacy display that hides your screen from the people sitting next to you, and Samsung says you can set it to turn on by itself when you type a password or open certain apps. This is the unlocked 256GB model, sold by Amazon, and it’s $450 off at $949.99 whether or not you have Prime.
Microsoft Surface Laptop (2026): $1,329.97 (was $1,699.99)
Microsoft Surface Laptop (2026) $1,329.97 (was $1,699.99)
A thin Snapdragon laptop at its lowest Amazon price
Microsoft’s 13.8-inch Surface Laptop runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X2 Elite chip, which Microsoft pitches for long battery life and on-device AI features. It dropped to $1,329.97 on Tuesday morning, the lowest price Amazon has charged for it, and it’s still there.
Unlocked Android phones are some of the bigger-ticket deals still running, all sold by Amazon. The Pixel and Galaxy A57 prices need Prime. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 Ultra doesn’t, and it’s $450 off at $949.99 for the 256GB model. Google’s Pixel 11 Pro dropped again to $834, and the Pixel 10 is $599.
Coffee makers are all over this sale. The Keurig K-Express brews a cup from a pod for $59.99 for Prime members, and the Ninja CREAMi turns a frozen pint base into ice cream or gelato.
The Roborock Q10 S5+ is the cheapest self-emptying robot here that also mops, at $249.99 for Prime members. If you’d rather push a vacuum yourself, Dyson’s Cyclone V10 Origin is $329.99. The iRobot Roomba 415X Combo is almost gone, with three left at our Wednesday evening check.
Polaroid’s Now+ instant camera comes with film for 16 photos and connects to Polaroid’s app for manual controls, and it’s $149.99 for Prime members. For video calls and podcasts, the Shure MV7i is a USB-C mic with an audio interface built in. Logitech’s StreamCam is $94.99, down from $169.99, and Moultrie’s Edge 3 cellular trail camera is $66.49. The camera and creator deals post has drones, gimbals and more mics, and our Moultrie trail camera deals post covers the rest of that lineup.
Prime Big Deal Days ends tonight at 11:59pm PT, which is 2:59am ET on Thursday, October 8. A few deals are selling out before then. The iRobot Roomba 415X Combo was down to three left at our Wednesday evening check, and the Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ was down to two, so look at the listing before you count on any price here.
Do you need Prime for Prime Big Deal Days?
For many of the deals, yes. The deals marked “for Prime members” above need a membership, like the Roborock Q10 S5+ at $249.99, while others, like AirPods Pro 3 at $179, are open to everyone. A free 30-day Prime trial covers the sale.
Is Prime Big Deal Days the same as Prime Day?
No. Prime Day is Amazon’s summer sale, and Prime Big Deal Days is its October event, which runs October 6 and 7 this year. Both are built around Prime membership.
Are Amazon devices on sale for Prime Big Deal Days?
I have a pair of Carhartt’s iconic double-knee work pants that are basically indestructible. I love them, but the rigid material isn’t very flexible. Carhartt’s new Steel Series is the company’s attempt to match the stretch offered by athletic wear without giving up abrasion resistance. The six-piece line goes on sale today at Carhartt.com and select retailers, starting at $89.99 for the Relaxed Tapered Steel Buffalo Pant and topping out at $209.99 for the Steel Braddock Jacket.
It’s a forward-looking project for a brand that has spent recent years revisiting its archive, from the Icons Re-Engineered program that modernized the 1954 Detroit jacket to the Crafted Series chore coat in our Father’s Day gift guide. Steel pairs new fabrics with reinforced knees, kick panels, and stretchy pockets to create garments that are even more durable than some existing duck, canvas, or fleece fabrics.
The reinforcement at the back of the legs keeps boots from tearing them up. Stan Horaczek
Steel Series began on ski lifts and in steel shops
Carhartt’s design team makes two to three dozen job-site visits a year, according to Ben Ewy, the company’s vice president of global product design. On those trips, the team kept seeing workers dressed in jogging pants or tactical gear meant for the military. They moved well and wore out fast, while technical (or tactical) gear lasted but restricted how they moved.
Ski lift operators spend long days in cold, punishing conditions and still need to bend and climb. Steel fabricators crouch, kneel on pads, and wear through fabric in predictable spots. Ewy said the project took almost three years, partly because Carhartt engineered the materials from the fiber up, and prototypes went through rounds of wear-testing with Carhartt’s own crew before production.
What’s in the Steel Series fabrics
Carhartt calls the blend in select Steel pieces Ny-co, short for nylon-cotton, but the spec sheet is more mixed than the name. The 9.5-ounce canvas on the Braddock jacket, bib, and pant is 42 percent polyester, 41 percent cotton, 14 percent nylon, and 3 percent elastane. Ewy explained that the cotton keeps the dull finish and coarse texture people expect from Carhartt, while the nylon adds strength. The 3 percent elastane introduces a mechanical stretch that won’t wear out over time.
Ny-co blends aren’t new for Carhartt, but Ewy said this is the most durable version the company has made. The Baltimore and Buffalo pants skip cotton entirely in favor of nylon-elastane weaves, and the Bridgeport sweatshirt is a cotton-polyester fleece. Each piece carries a claim against a Carhartt fabric that already exists.
Steel Series piece
Price
Fabric
Carhartt’s claim
Steel Braddock Jacket
$189.99 to $209.99
9.5-oz poly/cotton/nylon canvas, insulated
4x abrasion resistance, 2x stretch vs. stretch duck
Steel Braddock Bib Overall
$169.99 to $174.99
9.5-oz poly/cotton/nylon canvas
4x abrasion resistance, 2x stretch vs. stretch duck
Relaxed Straight Steel Braddock Pant
$119.99
9.5-oz poly/cotton/nylon canvas
10x abrasion resistance, 3x strength vs. stretch canvas
Relaxed Straight Steel Baltimore Pant
$99.99
8.3-oz nylon/elastane double weave
5x abrasion resistance, 2x strength vs. stretch canvas
Relaxed Tapered Steel Buffalo Pant
$89.99
6.4-oz nylon/elastane
5x abrasion resistance, 2x strength vs. stretch canvas
Steel Bridgeport Sweatshirt
$99.99 to $109.99
10.5-oz cotton/polyester fleece
2x abrasion resistance vs. 10.5-oz fleece
Prices from Carhartt.com on Oct. 6, 2026. Ranges vary by size. Performance claims are Carhartt’s.
Those multipliers come from Carhartt’s internal testing, and the launch materials don’t describe the methods. Carhartt did compare Steel to its own duck, canvas, and fleece rather than to a generic lab sample, so each number describes the gap from gear many Carhartt buyers already own. The Braddock pant, which has the heaviest fabric of the three pants at 9.5 ounces and the highest price, claims the biggest jump at 10x.
Steel’s double knee gets stretch
Ewy traces Carhartt’s double knee back to its B01 work pants, where the reinforcement is a second layer of the same fabric sewn over the knees. Steel changes the overlay itself. “Instead of being the same fabric twice, it’s a whole new material that has stretch and recovery and durability,” Ewy said. The knee panel bends with you instead of adding a stiff second layer.
Those knees double as knee pad pockets. The Braddock and Buffalo pants load pads from the top, the bib’s double knees open at the bottom, and the Baltimore’s double fronts are also pad-compatible. Carhartt engineered its own knee pads to fit these pockets, which is extremely handy if you spend a lot of time getting down on the ground.
The reinforcement continues below the knee. Kick panels at the back of the hem on all three pants cover the spot that drags on the ground and rubs on boot heels. Pocket bottoms are reinforced so tools don’t poke through, and an overlay on the side pockets protects the area where a tape measure or folding knife wears through. On the Braddock Jacket, the pocket fabric stretches to hold more gear. It’s truly capable workwear with tons of features typical track pants don’t offer.
Steel Series price and availability
There is a cost premium that comes with this mix of comfort and durability. The closest existing pant is the Relaxed Straight Rugged Flex Duck Double-Front Dungaree, a 12-ounce cotton duck pant with pad-ready double knees that lists for $74.99 to $79.99 on Carhartt.com. Steel pants run $89.99 to $119.99, so the Braddock pant costs $40 to $45 more than the duck dungaree while using a lighter fabric. The added toughness, however, makes Steel capable of lasting longer, even under gnarly conditions.
Care doesn’t change. Steel meets the same laundry specs as the rest of Carhartt’s workwear, so it’s wash-and-wear. The full line is available starting October 7 at Carhartt.com and select retailers. The jacket and sweatshirt come in regular and tall sizes, the pants run 30 to 44 inches at the waist, and the bib goes up to a 50.
There’s 80-gram polyester insulation under the Braddock Jacket’s canvas shell, which makes it the Steel piece for cold mornings. Carhartt adds its Wind Fighter windproofing and a water-repellent finish, plus a removable hood, adjustable cuffs, and a drop-tail hem that covers your lower back when you bend over. It comes in Black and Field Fatigue, with tall sizes available.
The Braddock Bib Overall uses the same shell and Wind Fighter windproofing as the jacket, so the two work as a set. Its double knees open at the bottom for pads, and the zippered bib pocket is split into compartments. The adjustable leg openings close with what Carhartt calls anti-gunk hook-and-loop, and the suspenders are adjustable elastic.
Ten times the abrasion resistance of stretch canvas is the biggest number in the Steel lineup, and it belongs to this pant. It’s cut from the same 9.5-ounce shell as the jacket and bib, with a four-way stretch gusset and back panel so the seat moves when you squat. Top-loading double knees take pads, and it only comes in black.
If you want the Braddock’s straight cut without the canvas, the Baltimore swaps in an 8.3-ounce nylon-elastane double weave. It keeps the four-way stretch gusset and back panel, pad-compatible double fronts, and reinforced cargo and back pockets. Carhartt rates it at twice the strength and five times the abrasion resistance of stretch canvas, and it comes in Mud Gray or Field Fatigue, which makes it the only Steel pant offered in the latter.
The Buffalo is the only Steel pant with a tapered leg opening, and its 6.4-ounce fabric is the lightest in the line. The fabric is 92 percent nylon and 8 percent elastane, and it still gets top-loading double knees, reinforced kick panels, and reinforced tool pockets. It comes in Black and Mud Gray, and it’s the least expensive way into the Steel Series.
I was wearing a Bridgeport during my interview with Carhartt because I refused to turn on my heat. It’s a 10.5-ounce cotton-polyester fleece with a zip neck, a chest pocket, a three-piece hood, and Carhartt’s Rain Defender water-repellent finish. Carhartt says it’s twice as abrasion-resistant as 10.5-ounce fleece, with reinforced overlays on the sleeves. It comes in Black, Mud Gray, and Field Fatigue.
Join seoClarity on October 28 at 2 p.m. ET to learn how product-page language, competitor recommendations, and readable product data affect AI shopping discovery.
The particle-physics process of string breaking has been modelled on a trapped ion quantum computer by researchers in the US. The results are similar to previous findings obtained independently using neutral atom quantum simulators and superconducting quantum computers. The result suggests that traditional models of string breaking need to be modified slightly.
The strong interaction is the force that binds quarks together inside hadrons such as protons and neutrons. Unlike gravity, electromagnetism and the weak interaction, which all diminish with distance – its effect becomes stronger as particles are pulled apart. In quark–gluon plasma, where quarks and antiquarks swim in a sea of gluons, they are effectively free. However, when an isolated quark is pulled away from an isolated antiquark (or a proton, for example), the energy in the gluon field increases indefinitely. At some point, this energy grows large enough to create a new quark and antiquark. These bind to the original particles, leaving two hadrons. Free quarks are therefore never observed.
This process, in which the potential energy in the gluon field grows and grows until it is released with the creation of new matter, is known as string breaking. The theory of this mechanism was first outlined in 1951 by the future Nobel laureate Julian Schwinger. The process often underpins the formation of new particles in colliders, but its fundamental details remain poorly understood.
Superconducting and atomic qubits
The notion of simulating experimentally inaccessible quantum processes using quantum processors has been discussed – and implemented for some systems – in the past few years. In 2025 scientists at Google Research in California and colleagues performed simplified calculations of the dynamics of string breaking using their Sycamore processor, which uses superconducting qubits, obtaining new insights into the process.
Also in 2025, researchers at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, together with colleagues at Harvard and the commercial company QuEra, took a slightly different tack. Instead of breaking the underlying quantum chromodynamic equations down into a series of discrete time steps and calculating their evolution, they used lasers to initialize the states of rubidium atoms such that their interaction would be analogous to quarks. This allowed them access to the dynamics of the string breaking process that would otherwise remain hidden.
Now, quantum-computing pioneer Christopher Monroe at Duke University in North Carolina and colleagues in the US and Belgium have achieved similar results to the QuEra group using trapped ions instead of neutral atoms. Monroe’s team modelled the behaviour of quarks using “domain walls” – regions where adjacent ions have opposite spins.
“You initialize the system with a certain number of domain walls, and then you apply the Hamiltonian – which means you do this QCD process – and you see how many domain walls you end up with. We show that the number actually increases.” Explains Arinjoy De, who was Monroe’s PhD student and now works at QuEra. To simulate the increasing energy in the gluon field as a quark is pulled away, the researchers used an external magnetic field: “We show that once you go beyond a certain threshold of the magnetic field, you go from two domain walls – or two particles – to create more particles,” says De.
Modifications needed
The results suggest some modifications to the canonical theories of string breaking. Notably, they found that, contrary to the predictions of Schwinger, string breaking is initiated at the edges, where coupling to the quantum vacuum reduces the energetic cost of new particle creation, before propagating inwards to the bulk.
The researchers are now hoping that, with more qubits and greater circuit depth, they will be able to look at domain walls farther apart. This would allow them to study the inverse problem of string formation when particles collide: “Our theory colleagues Alexey Gorshkov and Zohreh Davoudi at the University of Maryland are really thinking a lot about these meson scattering experiments,” says Monroe.
Quantum computing researcher Boris Blinov of the University of Washington in Seattle says that the work is “significant in its own right as a demonstration of the potential of a quantum simulator in the future to do things faster than any classical analogue of it.” He says the current system is too small to outperform what can be achieved with a supercomputer but “with more qubits and this technology, this way of controlling qubits would be of significance at the very least for quantum chromodynamics, gauge theories and fundamental physics.”
Monroe and colleagues describe their work in Nature Physics.
While modern Japan has had a good record in winning Nobel prizes, the country had to wait 48 years since the inception of the awards in 1901 to receive its first Nobel prize.
The accolade went to particle physicist Hideki Yukawa, who published his theory of mesons in the 1930s that explained the interaction between protons and neutrons.
Yukawa was born in Tokyo on 23 January 1907, graduating from Kyoto University in 1929. He then moved to Osaka University in 1933 for a PhD, which is where he did his Nobel-prize-winning work.
As positively charged protons repel each other through electromagnetic force, an issue at the time in nuclear physics was that this should cause the atomic nucleus to fly apart.
In 1935 Yukawa proposed a short-range, highly attractive nuclear force that overcomes this repulsion and suggested this force is created by the exchange of massive subatomic particles between protons and neutrons, which he called mesons.
Yukawa calculated that the mass of these exchange particles should be roughly between an electron and a proton.
Building a legacy
In 1937 three separate research groups conducted cloud-chamber experiments and discovered a new particle with a mass consistent with Yukawa’s prediction, but it was later identified as a muon.
In 1938 Yukawa was awarded a PhD and a year later moved back to Kyoto University but it took a few more years before Yukawa’s particle was finally discovered.
The first evidence of a meson came in 1947 with the discovery of the pi meson (pion) by a research group led by Cecil Powell at the University of Bristol. The team measured the particle by exposing photographic plates to cosmic rays at high altitudes (Powell won the 1950 Nobel Prize in Physics for the work).
Yukawa was then awarded the 1949 Nobel Prize in Physics “for his prediction of the existence of mesons on the basis of theoretical work on nuclear forces”.
The news was met with tremendous joy in Japan and encouraged scientists to continue their research in spite of the economic condition and the challenges of doing experimental science in postwar Japan.
In Yukawa’s honour, the Japanese government built a three-storey building named Yukawa Hall in 1952. Its focus was on developing theoretical physics in Japan and featured lecture halls, seminar rooms, offices and a library.
In 1953 the hall became home to the Research Institute for Fundamental Physics (now the Yukawa Institute for Theoretical Physics), of which Yukawa was the first director – a position he held until retiring in 1970.
The institute invited research scholars from all over Japan and held symposia and seminars on particle physics. It also published the monthly English-language journal Progress of Theoretical Physics (now known as Progress of Theoretical and Experimental Physics), together with the Physical Society of Japan (JPS).
The journal was founded by Yukawa in 1946 to publish results that had remained unpublished because of JPS’s financial difficulties.
As well as the Nobel prize, Yukawa also won many other international prizes and he was also vocal about issues in physics and society. In 1955 Yukawa joined 10 other scientists in signing the Russell–Einstein Manifesto that called for nuclear disarmament.
Yukawa died on 8 September 1981 and since he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics, 11 other Japanese-born physicists have gone on to win the physics Nobel – making Japan one of the most successful countries in the world.
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