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Can a Robot Weed Your Garden? I Tested the Tertill Weeding Robot to Find Out
Many gardeners start with vegetables. They are easy to grow and reward the grower with rapid development, attractive ...
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The Roborock Q Revo Vacuum and Mop Saves Me Hours Every Week
Robot vacuums promise to make cleaning the floor easier, but after testing several, I’ve found that not all live up t...
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The Google Nest Learning Thermostat Provided Energy-Saving Automation In Our Tests
The Google Nest Learning thermostat was one of the first smart-home thermostats on the market, having launched its fi...
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DuroMax XP12000EH Generator Review: Power at an Affordable Price
I’ve been in the emergency power world for the past few years, somewhat obsessing over it. While most of my journeys ...
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The Pros and Cons of Smart Window Coverings
Windows bring light into the home and connect us to the outside world with views of trees, flowers, wildlife, and fri...
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Dual-Fuel Dynamo: A Westinghouse WGen9500DF Generator Review
It’s unwise to leave power needs up to chance—especially during an emergency situation or while enjoying off-grid adv...
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How Well Do Robotic Lawn Mowers Work? This Worx Landroid Review Answers That Question
Most homes have a lawn that needs mowing, but many homeowners dislike mowing. The good news is that a robot can take ...
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Adaptability: The Best Thing About the EcoFlow Delta 2 Max Solar Generator
When the power goes out, we have options. Prior generations weren't just inconvenienced; they also had to deal with t...
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The Best Smart Toilets of 2023
When the smart-home invasion began some 10 to 15 years ago, who would’ve thought we’d start automating toilets? But t...
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The Best Cheap Robot Vacuums of 2023
A cheap robot vacuum is an affordable and low-effort floor cleaning solution for anyone short on time. Robot vacuums ...
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How to Make Your House a Smart Home In Just 8 Steps—And The Best Devices to Buy First
Smart homes, or homes where a variety of home functions can be controlled from a panel display, mobile app, voice ass...
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This Powerful Husqvarna Robot Mower Is Now $750 Off In the Final Hours of Prime Day
Put your lawn care routine on autopilot with the Husqvarna Automower 430X Robotic Lawn Mower. With GPS-assisted navig...
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6 Real-Life Downsides to Having a Video Doorbell
When modern video doorbells first hit the market, they seemed like no-brainers. Other than being unbelievably expensi...
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How to Be Your Own Tech Support
High-speed WiFi networks and smart home devices make our lives easier by providing us with entertainment, security, a...
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How to Restart a Router and Modem
For most folks, slow internet is a nightmare from the past. Needing 15 minutes to load a video or several hours to do...
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Modem vs. Router: What's the Difference, and Do You Need Both Devices
At this point, many folks have had internet in their homes for decades. In that time, they’ve been using modems and r...
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The Best Garage Door Keypads of 2023
For added convenience and security, a garage door keypad allows for keyless entry into a garage. For times when a hom...
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The Best Home Intercom Systems of 2023
Some people may remember home intercom systems from the 70s, while others may have encountered them as door-entry dev...
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15 Things You Need for the Perfect Movie Night at Home
One lesson we learned during the pandemic was the importance of recreating our favorite experiences at home. Many peo...
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9 Types of Batteries Every Homeowner Should Know
Electronics are so pervasive in our modern world that you can find devices for an incredible range of functions, from...
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The Best Garage Door Openers of 2023
It used to be that a garage door opener’s controls were pretty basic. It raised or lowered the door with the push of ...
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The Best Robot Vacuums for Keeping Hardwood Floors Spotless, Tested
A quality robot vacuum for hard floors picks up dust and dirt from every corner of the room without scattering debris...
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The Best Motion Sensor Light Switches
For those who forget to turn lights off, a motion sensor light switch offers an excellent solution for empty rooms th...
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The Best LED Lanterns Tested in 2023
Being left in the dark during a power outage, after a severe weather event, or while on an outdoor adventure can lead...
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The Best AM Radios for News and Weather Updates
A reliable AM radio is a convenient way to stay updated with the local news and weather. It also can double as an ess...
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The Best 9V Battery Options for At-Home Use
Many tools, children’s toys, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, and other household gadgets rely on 9-volt (9V)...
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The Best Video Doorbells of 2023
A video doorbell is a home security product and also means of being alerted that there’s a visitor—all rolled into on...
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The Best Screen Door Closers
A screen door keeps flies, mosquitoes, and other bugs outside while allowing airflow to cool down the home and cleari...
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The Best Portable Solar Panels
A personal solar panel lets you enjoy the freedom of the great outdoors without worrying about your camping gear or y...
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The Best Automatic Gate Openers of 2023
While outdoor security cameras and driveway alarms alert you to the presence of visitors on your property, they won’t...
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The Best Hand-Crank Flashlights for Light in Emergency Situations
Whether you are safe at home or out on a camping trip, it can be daunting when the lights go out and you are left in ...
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The Best Coaxial Cables of 2023
Even with a 4K TV, a coaxial cable is necessary to get the best performance. A coaxial cable carries the signal from ...
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The Best Home Energy Monitors
Don’t wait until the electric bill arrives to find out how much energy you use. The bill shows only your total energy...
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The Best Smart Switches for Your Smart Home
Smart light switches are a way of configuring a home's lighting to respond to verbal commands, program light timers, ...
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The Best Home Thermostats for Efficient Heating and Cooling, Tested
Home thermostats have come a long way from those early models with manual temperature dials that may or may not accur...
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The Best Keyless Door Locks of 2023
Home security is of paramount importance, but fumbling with your keys while juggling packages, especially in nasty we...
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The Best Keypad Door Locks of 2023
In an automated smart home, the best keypad door lock blends seamlessly with a home setup. Many work via Bluetooth, c...
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The Best Smart Blinds and Shades of 2023
Slowly but surely, more and more of our home operations are becoming automatic—and, with each advancement, life becom...
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The Best Ceiling TV Mounts of 2023
Living in small spaces or rooms with knee walls can make it a challenge to find a place to mount a flat-screen TV. Fo...
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The Best In-Ceiling Speakers for the Home
Modern interior design leans toward the sleek and minimalist, banishing the “stuff” of yesterday in favor of clean li...
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The Best Answering Machines for Your Landline Phone
Answering machines were much more prevalent before the advent of smartphones and voicemail technology, yet they still...
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The Best Attic Antennas for Cord-Cutters
Whether you plan on cutting the cord completely or just want access to local channels, a TV antenna is an affordable ...
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The Best Cordless Phones of 2023
Modern cordless phone technology has allowed for better signal security, sound quality, and extended ranges, with som...
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The Best Projection Alarm Clocks for Bedrooms
When you’re in bed, you might find it necessary to roll over, sit up, or crane your neck to view the time displayed o...
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Buyer's Guide: The Best Postal Scales
Do you run a small business from your home? Can’t leave the house often due to caring for young children? Maybe you’d...
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The 9 Best Solar Flood Lights of 2023, According to Testing
It’s well known that a bright light deters would-be thieves and ne’er-do-wells, but home dwellers either had to have ...
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The Best Portable Power Stations Tested in 2023
A portable power station stores an electrical charge in an internal battery to charge various devices, such as a tabl...
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The Best Electronic Door Locks
Modern lifestyles can be so busy, with various household members all on different schedules, so it’s high time for an...
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The Best TV Antennas for Improved Reception
Broadcast television channels, like local ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliates, public television stations, and many oth...
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The Best Hidden Cameras for Your Home Security
Hidden cameras offer an easy and affordable way to monitor your home and keep an eye on your valuables. These tiny ye...
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The Best Smart Light Bulbs
Smart light bulbs are a great place to begin making your home, well, smarter. You can turn them on and off, set timer...
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The Best Driveway Alarms of 2023
Even if you live in an area with a low crime rate, having an extra level of protection between your kitchen and the o...
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The Best Smart Plugs, Tested and Reviewed
Home automation has taken huge leaps in recent years. Through apps and voice commands, smart devices help people make...
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The Best Outdoor TV Antennas to Watch Local TV Channels for Free
Instead of subscribing to streaming services, you could be pulling in free TV channels from the airwaves around your ...
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The Best Smart Home Systems
Motion sensors, security cameras, refrigerators, heating and cooling systems, door and window locks, light bulbs and ...
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The Best Automatic Plant Waterers for Your Container Garden
Because their growing medium can dry out quickly, container plants require frequent watering to remain healthy, espec...
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The Best Portable Generators of 2023
Portable generators supply power to a home, appliances, small electronics, and even an RV in the event of a power out...
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10 Things I Wish I Had Known Before I Bought a Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
With our busy lives today, it’s no wonder everyone’s looking for ways to speed up—or eliminate—daily chores. Topping the list of time-saving tools is the robotic ...
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The 10 Biggest Security Risks in Today's Smart Home
High-tech appliances and state-of-the-art home gadgets shouldn't come at the cost of safety and security. Learn the risks of upgrading to smart-home systems and f...
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10 Reasons to Consider Switching to Smart Light Bulbs
You’ve heard of LEDs. You’re aware of compact fluorescent lights (CFLs). So what’s the next big idea in home illumination? They’re called smart bulbs, and they co...
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The Best Smart Gadgets to Use in the Kitchen
While today's fast-paced world leaves little time for food prep, we still want to enjoy delicious home-cooked meals. In that battle to get a tasty, healthy meal o...
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18 House Functions You Didn't Know You Could Control from Your Phone
The smart homes imagined in movies and shows from decades ago are essentially reality now thanks in large part to our phones. Ever-improving technology make it po...
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13 Odd Predictions About the Future That People in Past Decades Got Wrong—And Right
Futurists are known for getting more wrong than right, but they do occasionally strike gold, predicting technological advancements and societal changes decades be...
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10 Types of Tech You and Your Home Can Do Without
It doesn’t always pay to become an early adopter of the latest and greatest technological advancements. In fact, some home tech products just aren't worth the inv...
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10 Weird But Useful Gadgets You Might Not Have Yet
Thanks to modern technology and digital commerce, homeowners are acquiring increasingly large numbers of gadgets. It seems everyone has— or knows someone who has—...
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Hello, Homeowners: The 8 Most Useful Apps for Your Phone
Browse the app store and you'll find dozens of useful apps for homeowners—but most of us don't have the phone storage for them all. So which ones are worth the do...
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8 Stupid Mistakes That Kill Your Electronics
Most people nowadays own thousands of dollars' worth of laptops, smartphones, tablets, and countless other devices that play crucial roles in our everyday lives. ...
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12 Inventions That Do All Your Chores
Humans have long harnessed the power of machines to help us work better, faster, and smarter. Many of these technologies work in the background of our home, heati...
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10 Money-Saving Gadgets That Pay for Themselves
It may seem like a paradox, but sometimes you have to spend a little money to save a lot of green. Investing in just a few little upgrades like energy-efficient l...
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12 Gadgets Every Homeowner Wants for Christmas
With the holidays right around the corner, it's time to start making your gift list and checking it twice. But with so many gadgets on the market today, weeding t...
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Control the Temperature of Your Home—From Anywhere
Smart-home technology has been developing for years now, with forward-looking manufacturers pioneering ever more inge...
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Meet the Next Generation of High-Tech Kitchen Appliances
How'd you like to cook your dinner from your desk and have a hot meal waiting for you when you get home? Sounds pretty good, and it can easily be a reality for an...
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New & Notable: 8 High-Tech Home Security Gadgets
In our high-tech world, keeping your home fully protected is easier than it's ever been. Vastly more sophisticated than those blaring door alarms of yesteryear, t...
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Waterproof Gadgets to Revolutionize Your Shower Experience
Whether you want to watch TV, write a screenplay, or simply enhance your shower experience, these high-tech upgrades are sure to propel your bath into the 21st ce...
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Heavy-Duty Garage Door Opener and Features
Bob checks out a Sears garage door opener-- at 3/4 horsepower, it's among the strongest on the market.
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Kitchen Internet Appliance
Brent Thompson (from IceBox) joins Bob in the kitchen to talk about a new Internet appliance.
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Structured Wiring Options
Bob and Tim Woods (of Internet Home Alliance) discuss the basics of structured wiring and connectivity in the basement of the Vermont farmhouse.
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Home Technology Update
Bob meets up with Tim Woods (of the Internet Home Alliance) in the basement of the Quechee home to hear about the progress made integrating the connected home tec...
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Reviewing the Features of OnStar and the Home Entertainment Center
Bob checks email from his truck using GM OnStar's Virtual Advisor functionality. He then meets with Tim Woods (from the Internet Home Alliance) to check out the P...
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Kinetico Water Purification System and Gas-Fired Water Heater
Bob explains how the Kinetico water purification system works and reviews the A.O. Smith ProMax 75 gas-fired water heater.
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Reviewing Satellite Dish Features and the Master Bedroom
Bob experiences the Panasonic Replay TV with the show-stopper feature and he tours the master bedroom suite, admiring the space, scope, and the view.
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Structured Wiring Installation
Bob joins Tim Woods (from Internet Home Alliance) in the basement to look over the network connection center, the area responsible for the homeowners' internet, t...
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Interlocking Beech Flooring, Anti-Static Carpeting, and the Media Room
Bob looks at the beech flooring in the key hall, before moving to the media room to discuss the carpeting with Gary Johnston (from DuPont) and the electronic comp...
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Manufacturing Photovoltaic Devices at the Global Solar Factory
Bob visits the Global Solar factory in Tucson, AZ to see how they company manufactures its unique solar-electric (photovoltaic) devices.
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Networking, Entertainment, and Security Wiring for the Home
Bob Ryley meets with Ken Frankel (from Lucent Technologies) to discuss the new HomeStar wiring system.
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Discussing the Home Automation System
Bob meets with Tom Morgan (from Home Automation) to view and discuss the "brain" of the home automation system. Next, Bob checks in with the wiring contractor to ...
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Technology Systems in the Governor's Mansion
Bob inspects the remote device, controlling the PA system, HVAC, lighting, and entertainment systems. In the basement, Bob Ryley is exploring the wires and cables...
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Wiring the Virginia Governor's Mansion
Bob meets with James Gilmore, the governor of Virginia at the time of the executive mansion's restoration. Gilmore stresses the practical and symbolic importance ...
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Mahogany Deck and Kitchen Appliances
Carpenter Bob Ryley works on the mahogany deck, while new kitchen appliances are installed and the lighting and cabinets undergo examination.
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Installing the Garage Door Opener
The garage door openers are installed on the automotive end of the garage. Bob reviews the brackets and beams used to mount the opener's drive, as well as the cha...
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Garage Door Opener Installation
Bob helps contractor Bob Ryley install a Craftsman garage door opener.
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