As we enter the colder months of the year, it's time to seriously think about getting our homes ready to battle the crisp weather.

While there's 5 cheap ways to weatherize your windows that I use every fall, I've realized I also need to focus on my doors.

Fortunately, there's a simple $8 hack that I've just found that should stop the heat from escaping and keep the cold out in the process.

So, instead of spending money on an additional heater or paying out more on energy bills, you can save that extra cash for a rainy day (of which there will be many in fall).

Check your doors first

Before you carry out this hack, you'll want to check the doors around your home to identify where any potential draft problems are. Fortunately, we asked an expert for their advice on how best to check.

Ilja Medvedevs, director of internal door supplies at Door Supplies Online, reveals: "Close the door and run your hand slowly around the frame, particularly along the sides and top.

"You can also hold a thin piece of tissue paper near the edges. If it moves when there's no obvious breeze, check that area more closely."

She adds: "Then look underneath. If you can see daylight when the door is closed or feel cold air coming through, you've found somewhere worth investigating."

Once you've identified a problem, then you can move on to the simple $8 hack to fix it.

How it works

If you've identified drafts underneath any doors in your home, you'll want to find something to prevent them. But, understandably, you won't want to pay a lot of money to do so.

While you may have a suitable draft excluder in your home already, it can make opening and closing the door a little tricky.

That's where this affordable item comes in. DIY draft-proofing strips can be picked up from just $8 at Amazon (as shown below) and they'll seal off the bottom of your door with ease, taking about 2 minutes to install.

They can be cut to size, attached with the strong adhesive already attached, and will effectively stop heat and cold drifting in and out of the room.

"For a small gap around the edge of an older external door, a suitable self-adhesive strip can be enough," Medvedevs advises. "Measure the gap first, as something too thick can make the door difficult to close."

Extra money-saving tips

The edges of your doors might not be the only thing letting heat escape or inviting cold air in though.

Medvedev also suggests checking for smaller openings: "Look at the letterbox and make sure the flap closes properly and any seal or brush is still in good condition."

It may even be an issue with the door itself not hanging correctly that even the $8 draft-proofing strip won't be able to fix: "If the door has dropped, is difficult to close or there's a large uneven gap around the frame, a draft strip may not solve the problem. That's when you need to look at why the door isn't sitting properly first."

And any draft-proofing you do now will benefit you all year round. While in the fall and winter it'll hopefully save you money on your energy bills, it'll also keep excessive heat out during the summer when you're trying to embrace the 'caveman method' for a comfortable home.

More from Tom's Guide

• Fed up with a cold home? Here’s how I used the ‘towel trick’ to keep in the heat
• Another major winter storm is coming — here's how to check for drafts right now
• 5 ways to winterize your home and save money on your energy bills

Welcome to the 2026 Tom's Guide Awards! Our annual awards celebrate the best tech, tools, gear, and services we've used over the past year, culminating with our Hero awards, which celebrate the very best innovation, company, and product design, among others.

We'll be revealing the award winners throughout the week. Here's the calendar of what and when we're announcing.

• Sept. 14: Cars, Photography
• Sept. 15: Homes, Sleep and Gaming
• Sept. 16: Audio, Computing and AI
• Sept. 17: Active Life, TVs, Phones, Hero Awards

Whether you’re a master baker or an amateur, owning one of the best stand mixers is an absolute essential — and KitchenAid remains the gold standard of mixers.

Known for its versatile design and stunning color options, I always get excited about every new launch — and KitchenAid's Luminaire design series doesn’t disappoint.

KitchenAid's latest Luminaire tilt-head stand mixer features a stunning fluted glass bowl, gorgeous polished details, and an eye-catching peppercorn blue crinkle finish that shimmers under the lights. But that’s not all.

It features an integrated bowl light so you can see each stage clearly — a game-changing addition I’ve always wanted to see on a mixer. Here’s why this will be a welcome addition to my kitchen.

Here's what you need to know

The first thing that caught my eye was its Italian-crafted design and striking 'dried peppercorn' shade. And while I wouldn't ordinarily opt for blue in my kitchen aesthetic, this certainly wouldn't look out of place on any countertop.

What’s more, the textured crinkle finish gives it a sleek appeal, while the hardened, fluted glass bowl catches the natural light.

I love the fact that you can see every stage of mixing, which upgrades the entire baking experience when whipping up your baked treats. And if you have junior bakers at home, this would make it even more entertaining.

In addition, the glass bowl is durable and scratch-resistant during use and when cleaning.

Beyond its stunning aesthetic, it's equipped with Precision Speed Control to easily adjust your mixing process every step of the way.

Integrated bowl light

Perhaps the one feature that I'm most excited about is the integrated bowl light.

According to KitchenAid, this stand mixer was "engineered to illuminate" to help you see each stage more clearly.

This feature comes in handy, especially as the days grow darker this cozy season, and you'll benefit from the extra light.

Even better, the integrated lighting highlights the entire appliance, making it stand out on your countertop even more.

I'm sold on this new KitchenAid Luminaire design. Not only does it look the part, but its impressive features are definitely a bonus and will make baking a breeze. Just in time for the festive season.

For more information

Go to: https://www.kitchenaid.com/countertop-appliances/stand-mixers/design-series/luminaire

More from Tom's Guide

• How to choose the best KitchenAid stand mixer
• Discover KitchenAid's Artisan stand mixer is my best kitchen purchase ever — here's why 
• And 5 KitchenAid gadgets to get the most out of your mixer

I'm a big fan of fall. Crispy weather, comfy clothing and cozy nights in. But, I tell you what I'm not a big fan of – spiders. Unfortunately, when we reach the end of summer and beginning of fall, it also becomes mating season for spiders.

Male spiders are desperately on the hunt and that brings them out of their usual hidey-holes looking for a mate. It turns out if you're seeing more spiders right now, they've probably been living in your house all year long.

Plus, if you're leaving lights on and windows open, the bugs will fly in and the spiders will surely follow their prey. Either way, it makes my skin crawl and I'd like to avoid any crawling altogether. Fortunately, I found a spider-repelling hack just in time – and it uses just three affordable items.

How does it work?

TikTok user, @haz_colourfulhome, shared a simple hack on her social media that has kept her home spider-free for years. All you need, she says, is epsom salt, little net bags and some essential oil(s).

For the essential oil, Harriet recommends lemon, mint, eucalyptus and lavender, but you could also use peppermint oil, other citrus oils such as orange and lime, or tea tree. These are all smells that spiders hate, but you can pick ones that you love.

To follow this hack, carry out these five simple steps:

• Pour the epsom salt into each bag, around half full
• Fasten it securely
• Dab the essential oil onto the epsom salt over the bag
• Be as generous as you want with the oil
• Repeat the process as many times as you need

One important caveat for this hack is that the essential oil will make the bag quite greasy. So, you should avoid placing it directly on any wood surfaces or any surfaces you'd like not to be affected. Alternatively, you can place it on a little dish on top of the delicate surfaces.

She adds, it's completely up to personal choice how many you decide to place around your home, but she has them in lots of corners, by the front door and any hidden places around her home: "I am just that petrified I just think more is more in this case."

Here's what happened when I tried it

While there's a citrus peel spider hack that I've been trying out, I feel like you can't overdo trying to stop the spiders taking over your home. It also doesn't hurt that it smells lovely, too. So, I grabbed some epsom salts, little net bags and essential oil ready to try out this hack.

And it was actually surprisingly simple. I should've known really considering Harriet managed to keep up an entire narrative during her TikTok video while completing the hack, but I was still worried the oil would get everywhere.

I'm happy to report though that the epsom salts and net bag seemed to soak up the oil quite well. It was still greasy, as Harriet warned, but not enough that I felt it would leave a stain or a mark.

It took me around 5 minutes to make a handful of bags and then I placed them around my home. The smell was subtle, but just enough to add a nice scent to the rooms. Unfortunately, I hadn't put into consideration my kids who decided it was game to find all the net bags and collect them all up again.

After I explained what they were for though, they were in full support of keeping the spider count down in our house. Now, I've not seen any spiders yet, but I fear it might be a little too soon to tell. Either way, it took me minimal effort, it was incredibly affordable and the net bags can be reused year after year.

More from Tom's Guide

• It’s peak spider season — here’s what to look out for and how to keep them at bay this fall
• I banished spiders with this $3 cleaning hack — and it actually worked
• 5 spider-repelling hacks that actually work — and you probably have everything you need at home

Le Creuset is an iconic kitchen brand. Star Trek is an iconic franchise. And what happens when you take two icons, put them in a bowl and mix them together? Well, a 12-piece kitchenware collection that'll turn your kitchen into a culinary command center.

To celebrate 60 years of "Star Trek", the cookware brand has lovingly crafted a limited-edition collection for fans of the franchise. Or, maybe you're just a fan of Spock (don't worry, there's a mug for that).

Christopher Scinto, Chief Marketing Officer at Le Creuset says: "With the Le Creuset x Star Trek Collection, we set out to commemorate some of the franchise's most beloved symbols with our signature craftsmanship and iconic colors and designs."

While there's 12 pieces in the collection that you can check out for a limited time only at Le Creuset stores, LeCreuset.com, and Williams-Sonoma.com, I've highlighted my five top picks below.

What's in my basket

The full Le Creuset x "Star Trek" collection ranges from $35 to $500, but with 12 items there's hopefully something for every price range. Before we jump into my basket, I want to give a special mention to the Mini Cocottes for Balok, Gorn and Talosian. While they're not in my basket right now, they're certainly worth checking out if you're a fan.

• 'Revolutionary for homemade bread': Why I can't wait to try Le Creuset's new oval bread oven
• Cast iron skillet vs Dutch oven — which is better?
• What is a Dutch oven — everything you need to know about this kitchen essential

As late summer transitions into autumn, North America’s smallest birds begin preparing for one of the most grueling journeys in the animal kingdom.

Before flying south to their wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America, many hummingbirds must fuel up for non-stop flights that, for some species, include a harrowing five-hundred-mile stretch across open water.

While natural environmental cues like decreasing daylight hours signal when it is time for them to depart, backyard bird feeders provide a crucial, high-energy pit stop along their migration highway.

The physics of migration

Understanding the extreme physical demands of migration highlights why suburban backyards matter so much in the fall.

In the weeks leading up to departure, hummingbirds enter a state of extreme hyperphagia, eating constantly to gain twenty-five to forty percent of their body weight in fat store reserves. This rapid fat gain is essential because their tiny bodies burn energy at an astounding rate.

During migration flight, a hummingbird's heart beats up to twelve hundred times per minute while its wings flap anywhere from fifteen to eighty times every second.

Migration occurs in staggered waves, starting with adult males in late summer, followed by females, and finally young birds making the journey for the very first time well into fall.

How to help hummingbirds prepare for migration

More from Tom's Guide

• Want to attract hummingbirds to your yard? It turns out there's a sweet spot for hanging your feeder
• I brought my brown lawn back to life using these 5 recovery steps
• Want more songbirds visiting? 7 changes that bring them to your yard

If you’ve suddenly spotted more spiders in your home recently, you’re not the only one. Be it roaming along baseboards, lurking behind furniture, or on the ceiling, these creepy crawlies can be everywhere.

Not only can these pests hide in your home, but they can leave unsightly cobwebs — which only add to your weekend cleaning chores.

According to pest control experts, September is the peak season for spiders. This is because arachnids often begin their mating season from the end of August to late October as male spiders become more active to seek out their female counterparts.

Additionally, as they grow in size, larger spiders often venture into our homes to find a warm sanctuary and food sources.

While it can be alarming to get rid of spiders, there are a few easy hacks you can do to keep them away. So before you get out the toxic repellents, check out these expert-approved tips to prevent a home invasion.

Spray white vinegar on cotton wool pads

White vinegar has many uses around the home, but it is also a great spider repellent. Again, this is thanks to its potent smell, which spiders hate and will stay away from.

“Another strong spell to help steer spiders away is white vinegar,” advises Helen Godsiff, brand manager at home improvement specialist Eurocell.

“Mix two tablespoons in a solution with warm soapy water and dose cotton wool pads in the mixture. Dot them around potential entry points, such as window sills and door frames, to help keep them away.”

What’s more, if you’re battling with spiders outdoors or around your front porch, another top tip is to spray patios and paths with vinegar. While this won’t kill spiders, the strong scent will keep them at bay.

The peppermint oil method

While we might love this fresh scent, spiders hate the strong smell.

Simply mix a few drops of peppermint essential oil with water in a small bottle. Spray directly into corners, around cracks, and any other trouble areas where you often spot spiders.

“Peppermint is often viewed as a natural deterrent for critters like spiders, as the strong scent is thought to be unpleasant to them,” adds Godsiff.

Alternatively, you could soak cotton balls with the oil and place them around those hotspot areas where spiders often appear.

In fact, you could try any strong, plant-extracted oils such as eucalyptus or even cinnamon oil, which are all effective repellents for most household pests, including mice, ants, and more.

NOTE: Do NOT use peppermint oil if you have pets as this is toxic when inhaled or ingested.

Regularly vacuum

Of course, if you want a spider-free home, always maintain regular cleaning and use a powerful vacuum cleaner to deal with cobwebs immediately. What’s more, spiders love to feast on any other insects, so keeping a clean space will be uninviting for them.

Also, remember to vacuum behind sofas, beds, under rugs, and any other hidden spaces where they might be lurking.

“As male spiders will be more visible during mating season, pay close attention to quiet areas around the house where webs have been formed,” adds Godsiff. “Don’t forget to also vacuum behind other hotspots for spiders such as behind sofas or inside ceiling lights".

For more tips, check out these 5 common places spiders love to hide in your home.

More from Tom's Guide

• 5 common places spiders love to hide in your home
• Pest experts warn you should never squash spiders in your home — here’s why
• 9 plants that repel spiders and keep them out of your home

IFA 2026 is in full swing and Anker has made some pretty big announcements beyond just revealing a new MagSafe charger or two. Not only has the company revealed a swathe of new products, including its own AI-powered home hub (we'll get to that shortly), but it's also revealed it will be unifying all of its brands under one name from here on out.

That means its five sub-brands, including well-known names like Eufy and Soundcore, will now all be recognized as Anker. Founder and CEO of Anker Innovations, Steven Yang, said: "Category brands made sense when categories were separate. They no longer are. One brand, one promise – Ultimate Innovation, now unified across everything we make."

Instead, Anker will now present its products in two groups: Anker for You and Anker for Home. And there are new additions to both. And, as mentioned, this new era for Anker has been accompanied by some big product reveals that are worth talking about.

What new products have been announced

During its IFA 2026 appearance, Anker revealed a whopping 22 new products including headphones, earbuds, power banks, chargers and more. But, there's definitely some that stand out to us here at Tom's Guide. Take the Anker eufy Robot Vacuum Omni E35, which joins the brand's existing lineup of robot vacs. Equipped with a HydroJet 2.0 Self-Cleaning Roller Mop and 35,000Pa of suction power, it looks set to take on the dirt and dust throughout your home.

Or, the new Soundcore earbuds, the AeroClip 2 and AeroClip 2 Pro, bringing Anker's THUS AI chip to an on-ear clip form to add AI voice recording, capturing meetings, phone calls and personal interactions, as well as transcribing and summarizing them.

And then there's the Anker MagGo Power Bank Pro 2 that claims it's "the world's fastest and coolest wireless power bank", as well as "the first magnetic power bank with a built-in cooling fan." According to Anker, it'll take your iPhone 17 Pro to 50% in just 25 minutes.

Not forgetting the Robot Lawn Mower S2 Max, which is Anker's first time developing a robot lawn mower entirely in-house. What's different about it? Well, Anker says it is fully autonomous with no boundary wires or RTK, plus an automatic extendable cutting arm.

When it comes to Anker's full IFA 2026 product announcement, though, the full range includes:

• Anker MindBase
• Anker MindBase Security Kit
• Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2 Pro
• Anker Soundcore AeroClip 2
• Anker Soundcore Space 2 Pro
• Anker Soundcore Liberty Buds 2
• Anker Sleep 4
• Anker Sleep 4 Pro
• Anker SleepLab
• Anker SleepLab Pro
• Anker MagGo Power Bank Pro 2
• Anker Laptop Charger Pro
• Anker MagStand Charging Station
• Anker Eufy TrackLight Cam S1
• Anker Eufy Video Doorbell S4
• Anker Eufy Smart Security Shield
• Anker Eufy NVR Security System E50
• Anker Eufy Window Camera E10
• Anker Eufy Fall Detection Sensor
• Anker Eufy Robot Vacuum Omni E35
• Anker Robot Lawn Mower S2 Max
• Anker SOLIX Solarbank Max

Introducing Anker MindBase

Of the 22 products announced during IFA 2026, there was one that particularly caught our eye — the Anker MindBase.

This is Anker's first AI hub that it hopes will bring "the truly autonomous home to life." It'll connect your Anker and Matter-compatible devices across your home into one system, working alongside the likes of Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Home.

But it's also competing with these brands. The smart home hub space is busy with the likes of Google Nest and Amazon Echo, but for anyone who already owns a large number of Anker products, from Eufy vacuums to SOLIX power stations, this could be a tempting upgrade.

Anker uses what it calls a TrueSmart Agent to bring local intelligence across different areas of your home through dedicated AI agents. And with 48TB of expandable local storage, you can keep recordings, household data and even family photos inside your home safe.

While Anker has got a lot of new arrivals, it's not the only brand making waves at IFA 2026. You can follow all of our extensive coverage from Berlin's big tech show right here.

More from Tom's Guide

• What to expect at IFA 2026: AI everywhere, robots, laptops evolved, smarter homes and more
• I tested Anker's portable solar generator and it managed to bring power to places my home solar system couldn't reach
• Eufy's new robot vacuum is a massive upgrade over its predecessor — at half the price

It’s been a busy year for iRobot. March brought the Roomba Mini — a new compact bot available in bold, playful colorways rarely seen in the category. May saw a massive release of eight new models, ranging from the entry-level 115 to the flagship 775.

Now, just in time for IFA and as we roll into September, the company has dropped another heavyweight. Enter the Roomba Max 875 Combo, pushing the 775 off the top spot.

With so many new models on the market, you’ve got to ask whether the world needs yet another robot vacuum? Apparently so.

Could the Roomba Max 875 Combo be the ultimate floor cleaning tool? At $1,119 at iRobot, I’ll let you decide if the features justify the price tag. I can’t wait to see how it compares to the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, which currently ranks as the best robot vacuum in our buying guide.

Hard floors and carpet: No problem

I spoke to Reena Paatel, Floorcare Category Manager at iRobot, to learn more about iRobot’s flagship model. She says it was engineered to tackle the full spectrum of household messes, from deeply embedded debris to everyday dust and pet hair.

“It combines serious cleaning power with smart automation, so customers can spend less time managing their floors and more time enjoying their homes and experiences outside their home, too,” Patel says. “It’s not just a smarter clean; it’s a stronger, deeper, and more effortless clean," which she adds is all handled through the app.

She explains that the Roomba Max 875 was designed around clear feedback iRobot repeatedly sees. “Customers continually want to experience a robot to deliver a tough stain clean. So if you’ve got debris locked into your carpets or liquid stains that are dried on your hard floors, you want the robot to be able to clean those away effectively.”

What does the Roomba Max 875 Combo deliver?

So, what does iRobot’s latest model actually bring to the table? According to the company, the robot pairs proprietary SealForce vacuuming technology with a dual-action heated mopping system. The result is deep carpet cleaning, target stain removal on hard floors, and automated rug protection during mopping.

Deep cleaning on carpets
Let’s look at that more closely. SealForce does not rely on suction power alone; instead, the chassis lowers a dedicated skirt to create a tight seal against carpet fibers, concentrating vacuuming force directly where debris hides.

Paired with 20 L/s of tornado-like airflow and 35,000 Pa of suction, iRobot claims this delivers three times deeper carpet cleaning than systems without SealForce, making it their best pickup performance to date.

Tough on hard floor stains
On hard surfaces, the vacuuming pairs with an advanced mopping system. iRobot’s ultrasonic ThermaMist technology continuously sprays a heated mist to soften and loosen dried-on spills so tough stains lift in a single pass — eliminating the need for manual scrubbing. It could be a game-changer in the kitchen.

What’s more, this intelligent floor cleaner boasts a continuously self-cleaning PowerSpin Max roller mop — the industry’s largest according to iRobot. It scrubs with heated water at 300 RPM under 18 Newtons of downward pressure, delivering 3.75 times deeper scrubbing power and 1.2 times wider coverage per pass, compared to a standard PowerSpin roller mop.

Rug-safe mopping
When returning to carpets, the patented DriLift technology automatically detects carpeted areas, raises the mop roller, and lowers a protective shield to guarantee rugs remain completely dry throughout the run. That puts an end to stopping the robot mid-clean to remove a rug.

Sharp on edges
The 875 also addresses the common pain point of robots not reaching the edges by delivering PerfectEdge cleaning, with an outward-expanding brush for corners.

However, despite all the tech, this model still can't climb stairs.

Smart cleaning from iRobot

When paired with the Roomba app, you can make the most of personalized cleaning schedules, target specific rooms with heavier footfall like hallways and prioritize pet areas. You can even define whether you require a light, medium or deep clean.

And with Precision Vision AI, you shouldn’t have to worry about common floor hazards, such as pet bowls and children’s toys, as it recognizes over 300 common household objects.

We can't recommend iRobot’s latest flagship model without testing it, but it sure sounds impressive. Would you consider purchasing the 875 to clean your floors? Let me know in the comments below.

More from Tom's Guide

• The top robot vacuums we saw at CES 2026
• We fought fur and mopped paw prints with the best robot vacuums for pet hair in 2026 — these 5 came out on top
• Best vacuum cleaners 2026: Top picks for spotless floors

After spending the last year reviewing all of the best robot vacuums, I know what to look for when it comes to getting value for your money. The Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro robot vacuum delivers reliable performance at a mid-range price that will please anyone looking for a helping set of hands (or wheels) around the house.

Vacuuming is effective, especially on hard floors, and mopping is impressive thanks to the dual circular mops. The small dock design will suit even smaller homes, and mapping through the app is quick and easy.

Unfortunately, it struggles to pick up hair and bumps into some obstacles with some force (so mind your legs), but overall, I think this is a great mid-range option. To find out more, you can keep reading this full Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro review.

Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro review: Specs

Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro review: Price & availability

The Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro is available for $799 on Amazon U.S. and £1,199 on Amazon U.K. This is a mid-range robot vacuum that’s pretty small, but I think you get a lot of bang for your buck considering the cleaning performance.

It’s a little more expensive than the Roborock QV 35S, which is available for $749, but this vacuum only has a suction power of 10,000Pa, whereas the Qrevo 2 Pro has 25,000Pa. It also performs better than the Roborock Qrevo Curv, which costs $999, although they look very similar. If you have mostly hard flooring in your home and need more reliable mopping, I would recommend the Qrevo Pro 2.

The Ecovacs Deebot T30S is $300 cheaper at $499 and provides an excellent clean. It even does well at picking up pet hair, so this could be a better option for pet owners, as the Qrevo 2 Pro doesn’t do the best job picking up hair.

It’s worth keeping in mind that if you have a lot of pets that shed fur or children running around, you may want something a little more heavy-duty. For this, I’d recommend splashing a few extra bucks and picking up one of the best robot vacuums for pet hair, such as the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete for $1,699 or the Roborock Saros 20 for $1,599.

Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro review: Design

The Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro, like most other Roborock products, looks sleek and will suit any home. It comes in black or white, so there’s an option for whatever your interior decor looks like. I tested the black colorway, and it looked good next to the rest of my home appliances. The dock measures 19.5 x 17.7 x 15.8 inches, making it compact as far as robot vacuums go. Together, the dock and vacuum weigh 37.3 lbs.

The Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 ($299) is another robot vacuum with a small dock, but this one only has a max suction power of 6,000Pa, meaning it’s only really good for hard floors. It’s great to see the Roborock incorporating high suction power into a dock with a smaller design.

The robot vacuum measures 13.9 x 13.8 x 3.8 inches, the same as the Roborock QV 35S, which isn’t too invasive. The Qrevo 2 Pro has a front bumper that is very reactive when it moves into furniture. Underneath the robot, there’s a side brush that rotates to kick up dust at the side of the room. On this model, the brush is also reversible, so it can, in theory, pick up more dust from the corners of the room.

At the back of the robot vacuum, there are two circular mops. I much prefer circular mops, as they agitate the ground more, instead of wiping over it like the flat mop on the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 ThermaCharged NeverTouch ($1,199).

Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro review: App

The Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro is controlled via the Roborock app. This is free to download on iOS and Android devices. This isn’t my first time using the Roborock app, as it’s what I use to control my Roborock Saros 20 at home, so I’m familiar with the controls. But if you’ve never used it before, you get a walkthrough when you set up the device for the first time.

The app is easy to navigate. Vacuum controls are at the bottom of the screen where you can dictate the strength of the suction, the amount of water used by the mops, and how many passes the vacuum makes over the room. You control mapping at the top of the screen and can send the vacuum back to the dock with the click of a button.

You can watch the route the vacuum has taken on the app, where a line is tracked around the room. It also lets you know how many square meters it has cleaned and how long it’s been cleaning for, but unfortunately, it doesn’t tell you how much time is left in the routine.

Although I usually decline notifications from new apps, I recommend turning them on for the Roborock app because if anything happens to your robot, such as it becoming stuck, you’ll receive a handy notification so you know it needs a helping hand.

Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro review: Mapping

The first thing I did when I set up the Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro in the app was map the first floor of my house. This is done through the quick mapping setting in the app.

The robovac uses LiDAR navigation to create the layout, and this was very accurate. The LiDAR was so effective that it even mapped into the backyard.

The mapping took around 10 minutes to complete for four rooms. This process was a lot quicker than when I recently used the Dreame app. During this time, it noted obstacles such as chairs and marked them in the app with a small traffic cone icon so it knew to avoid them in the future.

My only issue here is the obstacle avoidance. The robovac has a bumper at the front, but it would crash pretty hard into things like sofa legs and the dining room table. It didn’t do any damage. But I found myself jumping a little each time it crashed.

Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro review: Cleaning

I found the Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro to perform best on hard floors, though it struggled to pick up hair on all surfaces. The vacuum has a maximum suction power of 25,000 Pa, the setting I used to conduct my testing. This is good for a mid-range vacuum, as the Roborock QV 35S has a maximum suction power of 10,000Pa.

Vacuuming

I tested how good the Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro is at vacuuming by carrying out our standardized testing criteria. This involved setting out quantities of hair, cereal and flaxseeds in a six-by-three-foot grid on both hardwood floor and carpet and measuring the amount of pickup during a standard cleaning cycle.

Hardwood floor:

I was generally happy with how the robot vacuum performed on the hardwood floor. Robovacs tend to do a better job cleaning hard flooring, but I was a little disappointed by how much hair it failed to pick up. It seemed to be completely skipping over it, and some got trapped in the wheels. Pet owners will probably want to skip this robovac, as you’ll be left with fur on the floor.

That said, it was clear the reversible side brush did a great job collecting the small seeds from the sides of the room. The vacuum performed far better than the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2 and was a lot more reliable for daily cleaning.

Carpet:

I was less impressed with the performance on carpet; since this is a mid-range vacuum, we should expect a middle-of-the-road performance. It struggled even more to pick up hair here, but thrived when picking up regular debris such as Rice Krispies.

Although these scores aren’t the best, when using the vacuum in my home over the course of a few days, I’ve been happy with the results. It left crisp vacuum lines in the carpet, and every room looked clean. I think the Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro is a good choice for everyday cleaning; it’s just not reliable for deep cleaning.

Unfortunately, for deeper cleaning from a robot vacuum, you will need to spend more money. If you live in a carpeted home, I would recommend the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete. Although it’s pricier, the result means you’ll spend less time following up with a handheld vacuum to deal with pet hair stuck in the carpet.

Mopping

To test how well the Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro performs when mopping, I carried out my usual tests: soy sauce, mayonnaise and mud.

The robot vac did a great job of cleaning up every last drop with two passes of the room. More expensive flagship models feature heated mopping, but I think the Qrevo 2 Pro did a good job of getting my floors sparkling, even though it took a little longer since it had to do two passes to fully clean the floor.

After mopping, the dock will also clean and sock the mop pads at 167ºF before quietly drying them with 113ºF warm air. This is a feature I’m familiar with from flagship models, so it’s great to see it in a mid-range option. You don't get this luxury with the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2, as you need to remove the mop pads and wash them yourself.

Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro review: Storage & maintenance

The Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro can maintain itself for up to 65 days, depending on usage. After each clean, the onboard dustbin empties into the dustbag in the dock. This bag has a capacity of 2.7 liters.

On top of the Roborock dock station are two four-liter tanks: one for clean water and one for dirty water. Both can be removed for refilling and emptying. Once removed, they expose a hatch, which is where the removable dustbag can be found. It’s easy to access these components, and they’re not too heavy even when full, thanks to the handles.

The four-liter clean water tank is used for cleaning the mops and for refilling the robovac’s onboard water tank. The dirty water tank needs to be emptied regularly, but it can be left for up to 65 days. I prefer to empty it more regularly to avoid any unwanted smells.

The Qrevo 2 Pro is a lot smaller than flagship models, making it a great choice if you’re short on space in your home. You just need to make sure you have a power outlet nearby to plug it in and that the robot has enough space to reverse back into the dock.

Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro review: Verdict

I think the Roborock Qrevo 2 Pro is a good choice for its mid-range price tag and effective vacuuming. The mopping performance is also good with circular rotating mops that scrub the floors to lift away all the grime.

The smaller docking station is ideal for smaller homes, and maintenance is still easy with up to 65 days of storage in the self-emptying dustbag and water tank. Mapping is also accurate and easy to set up in the Roborock app.

Unfortunately, the vacuum doesn’t do the best job when dealing with hair and has a tendency to bump into some obstacles with force. For anyone with hard floors who wants something to help with daily cleaning, the Qrevo 2 Pro is a good option because despite its flaws, it’s still great value for money.

Summer may be winding down, but there’s still plenty of time for Labor Day weekend picnics, barbecues, and getaways! If any of these sound like a part of your end of summer plans, you’ll likely need a little help keeping your snacks and drinks perfectly chilled. That’s why now is the time to invest in one of the best coolers.

A few of our favorite brands — like Ninja, Igloo, Coleman, YETI and more — are knocking up to 44% off select coolers. For instance, our favorite budget cooler, the Coleman Classic Series (70 qt), is down to just $67 right now. If you're looking for something with wheels, I'd suggest the YETI Roadie 48 that's now $85 off.

If you're not sure where to begin, keep scrolling to see my list of all the cooler deals I recommend for your Labor Day Weekend plans and beyond! You can also check out our Amazon promo codes page.

Quick Links

• shop cooler deals at Amazon
• Coleman Classic Playmate Coolers: was $33 now $25
• Igloo Marine Cooler 25qt: was $41 now $31
• Coleman Classic Series Cooler 70qt: was $94 now $67
• Stanley All Day Julienne Soft Cooler: was $140 now $78
• Ninja Backpack Cooler: was $199 now $179
• YETI Hopper Flip 12: was $250 now $200

The Best Cooler Deals

More Deals

Vitamix makes some of the best blenders on the market — our testing at Tom’s Guide consistently proves it — but the brand’s premium price tags often put them out of reach.

However, that just changed with the launch of the Vitamix Nano. The brand is re-entering the single-serve market with a compact, personal blender design for the health-conscious in mind, and it’s available for $199 at Vitamix.

Single-serve smoothies

The compact Nano isn’t designed for big elaborate feasts. Instead, it focuses on the essentials: creating smoothies and frozen drinks with a small footprint that won’t overcrowd your countertop.

Although you don’t get all the multi-functions of other Vitamix blenders, such as the Vitamix Ascent X2, which takes the top spot in our best blenders buying guide, you don’t get short-changed on performance. The Vitamix Nano has a single purpose.

Intelligent blending

At the heart of the Vitamix Nano is SmoothiePilot — the brand’s first adaptive smoothie feature. So what exactly does that mean? It senses what’s happening inside the cup and automatically selects the optimal blend program, adjusting the speed and duration to deliver a smooth result, whether making a smoothie or frozen cocktail.

Laura Ostenkamp, vice president of sales and marketing at Vitamix, says, in short, it "blends every time with no guesswork required."

Does this put an end to pausing mid-blend to check and stir the ingredients, and to finding unexpected lumps in your cocktails? We’ll have to see how it performs once we receive a unit to test.

The Vitamix Nano: What do you get?

So what does this compact 20-ounce cup blender offer, and is it worth paying $199 for the privilege? Vitamix says it comes with a high-powered 1,000-watt motor and hardened stainless steel blades to tackle tough ingredients like ice and frozen fruit.

What’s more, the technology takes away all the hard work, making the controls simple: select SmoothiePilot for a perfectly smooth drink, or select variable speed for your preferred texture.

You also get two cups with lids, so you can blend your drinks and go, or keep one in the refrigerator for later.

Cleaning a blender can be notoriously tricky, but once you’ve made your drink, clean up is easy. According to Vitamix, it self-cleans in 30 seconds; just add hot water and a drop of dish soap; there’s no need to disassemble the unit. But, for an easy life, it’s also dishwasher-safe.

And if you’re wondering whether you have enough space for another gadget on your countertop, the Vitamix Nano is mini. It measures just 8.5 inches x 5.5 inches at the base, and stands 15.3 inches tall.

The only choice you’ll have to make apart from selecting SmoothiePilot or the variable control is whether to buy the white or black version. My money is on the black, although I’d like to see a few punchy candy colors introduced in the future.

More from Tom's Guide

• Vitamix just released an entry-level version of our all-time favorite blender
• I made smoothies, shakes and pancake batter in Ninja's most powerful portable blender — here's my verdict
• I threw out my Nutribullet blender after testing this Beast personal blender — here's why

I'm sure I'm not the only one that has noticed there's a lot more flies this year. Or, at least it feels like it when they buzz directly into my home as soon as I seem to open a door or window.

Not only are they seriously annoying, but they're also disease spreaders, can multiple very fast, and some of them even bite (depending on the species).

So, when I realized that the fly situation in my home was getting a little out of hand, I wanted to make sure I did something about it. Fortunately, my social media algorithm must've heard me talking about the flies because it started popping up with solutions.

And there was one TikTok in particular that caught my eye. Here's the hack I've been using to keep flies away from my home – and it's a real treat to hear no more incessant buzzing.

How it works

Influencer @mrsclarehoops has over 250k followers on her TikTok account where she posts a variety of easy, thrifty and helpful crafts and DIY tips and tricks.

And she posted a video titled: "Today yrs old when you found this natural fruit fly repellent," where she holds up a little bundle of helpful, natural and eco-friendly kitchen staples.

Using mint, lavender, and rosemary, she creates a small bouquet to place around the home, especially in areas where you'd find food sources like the kitchen.

Flies hate all three of these items because they produce strong-scented oils and aromas that these particular insects don't like. Even better? It's also a great deterrent for mosquitoes, ants, moths, and spiders!

You may well have these in your home already, but if not, it's a great excuse to go foraging, ask friends or family, or head to the nearest grocery shop.

Other ways to get rid of flies

Using this TikTok hack is certainly not the only thing you can do to get rid of flies in your home though. Most importantly, you'll want to make sure that all your food is covered, your bins and any trash are sealed properly, and cleaning up any crumbs is kept on top of.

If you let organic waste litter your home, flies will come to feed on it. Take away their food, reduce the chance of them coming in looking for it.

Removing all of these things should do the trick, but there's always the little bundles of mint, rosemary and lavender to use as an extra layer of defense. And there's other kitchen staples to deter flies that you can try, too.

If you notice the natural route isn't quite working for you, there's always specific fly sprays and pesticides that you can turn to, if you want.

Ultimately, if you put in preventative measures in the first place, the flies won't come. It's only if you allow them into your home and don't do anything about it that you'll begin to notice them spreading fast. And I for one certainly don't want that.

More from Tom's Guide

• Expert shares clever ice cube hack that could banish flies from your yard this summer
• I finally banished fruit flies for good using this $7 gadget from Amazon
• House flies ruining your summer? Keep them out with these plants

I've got two bird feeders in my garden already, but I recently learned I need one more. Why? Well, there's a special one specifically designed to attract hummingbirds – and I'd love to have more of these adorable, vibrant birds coming to visit.

Not only are they lovely to look at, showing off their unique flying moves from hoovering in midair to flying backward, but they're also great pollinators, boosting your garden's ecosystem for the better.

But, while I've figured out the type of feeder I need, designed to hold liquid sugar water with flower shapes to suit their long beaks, I've also discovered that there's a sweet spot on where you should hang them – and fortunately, it's pretty simple.

So, if you're like me and are eager to attract hummingbirds to your outside space, here's everything you need to know about exactly where it should go for the best chance at attracting these feathered friends.

Where should I hang my feeder?

When hanging your hummingbird feeder, it turns out it's the height that's really important. For this, you want to aim for about 6 feet off the ground. This is a sweet spot for hummingbirds as it's high enough to stay away from predators (namely cats) so acts as a safe space for them to settle down and eat.

But, you want to make sure you're not placing it too high. This would put it away from natural food sources in your yard like flowers and shrubs, as well as opportunities for water.

They also won't be looking for a feeder up that high, especially if it's away from where they'd usually travel. As well as height though, there's a couple of other things to consider when hanging up your feeder.

Keeping it away from windows so they don't crash into the glass is also important, as well as putting it in a shaded area with a touch of sun so that the nectar stays fresh. If you leave it in direct sunlight, the nectar can spoil and make the hummingbirds sick.

Something even better you can do? The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recommends growing specific plants to attract hummingbirds to your yard: "Hummingbirds prefer to nest near a ready supply of nectar and other food like insects, so you can encourage them to live in or near your home or business by maintaining some shrubbery and deciduous trees in which they can seek protective cover."

"As seasons change, it can also help to leave any leaf litter on the ground as it becomes important habitat for many of the insects and spiders they also eat."

What to put in your hummingbird feeder

Yes, hummingbirds like to eat leaves, spiders and flowers, but that's not what you should be putting in your feeder.

If you're wondering what you to put in them instead to lure in these little birds, there's plenty of advice online, but TikTok helped me out once again with some top tips. Creator @hiddenacrehome has shared a simple recipe with almost 80 thousand views and counting that seems like an easy solution.

All you need is a 4:1 ratio mix of water and sugar. So, with 4 cups of water, add 1 cup of sugar. Give it a good shake and use it to refill your hummingbird feeder whenever needed.

A sweet treat paired with a sweet spot should hopefully attract more hummingbirds to your yard, but you'll still need to have a little patience and be sure to keep the noise levels down. They scare easily.

More from Tom's Guide

• Don’t make this hummingbird mistake — why you need to think beyond the color red
• This one plant is the secret to attracting hummingbirds to your yard in September
• 3 easy steps to protect visiting hummingbirds from the summer heat

As the sunny weather brings out vibrant blooms and luscious leaves in my garden, I find myself fighting the urge to bring every single one of them indoors so I can enjoy them all day long.

Fortunately, I know that would be excessive, but that doesn't stop me from bringing some of them inside. Cutting fresh flowers from my garden and moving them into vases around my home is one of my favorite things to do in the summer. After all, why would I spend money on bouquets when I've got my own flower shop waiting in my garden?

But, I've learnt some hard lessons along the way, mainly when it comes to inviting bugs into my home riding the petals and stems of the flowers I want to enjoy. To avoid common mistakes, here's 5 top tips for bringing fresh flowers indoors.

1. Choose the right time of day

While you can cut fresh flowers from your garden at any time of day, there's definitely moments that are better than others. First thing in the morning or in the late evening are two of the best opportunities you have and there's a couple of reasons for that.

Firstly, you're doing it before it gets too hot or when the sun is cooling down. This way you're giving them a better chance of not wilting too quickly from the loss of water.

Secondly, insects aren't as active as these times of days so it's less likely that you'll be bringing them indoors.

2. Do as much of it outside as possible

When it comes to cutting fresh flowers, of course you'll be doing it outside at first, but you'll want to spend a bit more time out there then you might initially think.

This tip is a catch-all for the other tips I'm about to cover, too, meaning you should do pretty much all of the work outside. This will ensure you give any insects and pollen time to drop off in the best place – rather than inside your home.

3. Strip the lower leaves away

As you'd do with any shop-bought flowers, it's best to strip away the lower leaves from each stem. When you buy them, doing this avoids the leaves stagnating and rotting in the water.

When you're cutting them from your garden, this is also the case but with the added benefit of getting rid of any insect stragglers clinging on or any messy soil that could dirty up your home.

4. Give them a good shake

It's also a good idea to give your flowers a little shake, emphasis on the little. You don't want to destroy the flowers or risk shaking off the lovely petals, but you also want to give any insects the chance to jump ship.

It's best to do this with the flowers facing downwards as insects can easily hide inside the petals and leaves that are curled upwards.

5. Soak them in cold water

It's especially handy to have a bucket of cold water by your side when you're cutting your fresh flowers to soak them in. This will help give them a quick wash to remove any excess soil, insects, or anything else you don't want inside your home.

If you've had enough time outside, you can also put the bucket in your bathtub or even run some water into the bath to clean them for around 30 minutes before putting them in a vase. Then, you can enjoy your outdoor flowers without worrying about extra visitors in your home.

More from Tom's Guide

• Don't throw them out — 3 ways to use banana peels in the garden
• Gardeners urged to leave a bowl of beer in the yard this summer — here's why
• How to get rid of fruit flies fast

I've always struggled with tasks around my home that require manual work. I'm much more of a writer than a do-er.

Fortunately, I married a plumber who's not only good at what he does, but he also has the mindset to fix almost anything around our home.

And while he might be fed up of me asking questions, I just can't stop. I've asked him to share his expert insight on 3 costly mistakes you could be making and he's given his advice on whether dish soap can fix your clogged drain, but there's plenty more to tap into.

Recently, after noticing the water wasn't coming out of our shower head as well as it used to, I asked him: "How often should you clean your shower head?" And he had some very interesting things to say about it. Here's his expert advice, shared without the housecall fee.

Why you need to clean your shower head

As I mentioned, I felt compelled to ask this question when I noticed the shower head wasn't expelling water out of all the holes. Or, if it was, some of them were spraying in a totally different direction.

When I asked him why, he explained: "The waterways are small, so they get scaled up easily and water doesn’t come out.”

And, if they're only partially blocked with debris and built-up limescale, that can easily lead to the waterway not working at all, or spraying out incorrectly rather than straight down.

But, while I asked if it was a problem with the actual pressure, he said it was unlikely: "Pressure and flow rate are different. The pressure doesn’t fluctuate like the flow rate does.

"Pressure is the force of the water through the pipe and the flow rate is how much water comes out. If you’ve got a shower head with 100 holes but 50 of them are blocked, your pressure is still the same but your flow rate is half what it should be."

How often should you clean your shower head

With these things in mind, it was clear I needed to clean my shower head thoroughly. After all, it had been a while since I had. So, I asked him, how often should I be doing it?

He advised: "It depends on whether you live in a notoriously hard water area or not as that changes how often you should be cleaning it. If it’s a hard water area, do it more regularly. And if you notice it’s getting blocked up, that’s the best sign to clean it.”

This means the answer can range from every couple of weeks to more like every month or so, but generally if you notice it getting clogged up then it's definitely time to give it a clean.

My plumber husband recommends Viakal or a white vinegar and water solution (which he backed up when I tried out this TikTok shower head cleaning hack) to give your shower head a good clean.

But, that doesn't always mean the problem will be solved, he says: "If you’ve cleaned it and the flow rate is still poor, it could be scaled up inside and will need replacing."

More from Tom's Guide

• This TikTok hack claims vinegar will clean your shower head — I asked my plumber husband if it actually works
• You asked: Can dish soap fix your clogged drain? A plumber explains the facts
• Households urged not to pour boiling water down drains this winter — I asked a plumber what to do instead

Looking for the best robot vacuum? Don’t worry, I found it. It’s the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete. I’ve been seriously blown away by this robovac’s impressive vacuuming and mopping capabilities.

It has some of the best features I’ve ever used on a robot vacuum, including extendable mop arms and a side sweeper, climbing technology, plus onboard cameras for enhanced object detection and even pet photography.

My only qualm would be the large size of the base station, which may be problematic if you’re short on space. But to find out more about why I love this fantastic robot vacuum, you can keep reading this full Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete review.

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete review: Specs

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete review: Price & availability

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is available for $1,699 from Amazon U.S. or for £1,299 from Amazon U.K., where it’s called the Dreame X60 Pro Ultra Complete. You can pick up this vacuum in Black or White. This is the most expensive robot vacuum cleaner you can buy from Dreame, as it’s the flagship model with the most advanced features.

I’ve also tested a few other robot vacuums from Dreame, including the D10 Plus Gen 2, which is much cheaper at $299, but still offers impressive performance.

In the same price range as the X60 Max, the Roborock Saros 20 costs $1,599 and leaves floors absolutely spotless. For ease of use, I’d recommend the Saros 20, but the X60 Max offers more premium features.

If you’re looking for something a bit smaller than the X60 Max and the Saros 20, consider the Roborock Qrevo Curv, priced at $1,799, which features smart home compatibility and high suction power.

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete review: Design

The X60 Max has the most futuristic look of any robot vacuum I’ve tested — and I’ve tested a lot. The docking station is large, but that’s a testament to its power. It measures 15.7 x 18.0 x 15.4 inches and weighs 23.4 pounds. It can automatically fill the robot’s water, empty it, and auto-empty the dust collection bin. It also washes the mops after use and dries them with hot air afterwards.

There are many robot vacuums out there with base stations that can take care of themselves. But these are premium models, including the Roborock Saros 20 and the Shark PowerDetect 2-in-1 ThermaCharged NeverTouch ($1,199), so you’ll always be paying a premium price for such features.

The X60 Max’s vacuum measures 13.8 x 13.8 x 3.5 inches and weighs 10.4 pounds, which is around the same as most other robot vacuums on the market.

The robot has a detangling rotating brush and two circular mop pads at the back, which clean using hot water. Much like other robovacs, the Dreame has a side-sweeping brush. But it stands out from the crowd because it can extend to 12cm and get into hard-to-reach places. The mop pads also extend to 18cm to hit corners with ease. This is the most thorough mopping I’ve achieved with a robovac.

It also has small wheels that extend underneath to lift it over obstacles. These include stairs or other immovable objects up to 10cm. This was impressive to witness in action.

The vacuum also comes with a small brush. At first, I thought this was to clean the robot vacuum — I pictured Monica in Friends, when she cleans her large vacuum with a handheld one. But alas, I was wrong: it’s for something far cooler. This small brush attaches to the vacuum’s arm to clean baseboards as it moves around the edges of the room. So I no longer have to follow up vacuuming with dusting. A real win.

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete review: App

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again: the DreameHome app is one of my favorites. When you initially set up the device, you get a walkthrough of all the functions — and this vacuum has a lot. But everything felt digestible, and it didn’t overwhelm me at all. With help from the app, this feels like an accessible robot vacuum for all experience levels.

From the app, you can control cleaning routines, patterns, suction power and water flow. Mapping is also set up within the app, and it’s easy to manage rooms by naming them, plus you can have multiple maps for different floors in your house.

The app is free to download from the App Store on Android or iOS.

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete review: Mapping

Mapping on the X60 Max is very efficient. When setting up the vacuum, I chose the quick mapping option, and it took 10 minutes to draw up detailed maps of my home. This was easy and virtually silent.

I also like the mapping technology you get with Roborock devices, but the Dreame app is more user-friendly.

The Dreame robot uses ultrasonic technology to map the room and could even identify what type of flooring is in each room. This meant it knew where to mop and where to only vacuum, so I didn’t have to set zones manually.

Object detection and avoidance are also impressive. The X60 has a bumper but also uses dual 120º AI cameras to map its surroundings. You can also use the robot vacuum for video calls to check on your pets while you’re away, and it will automatically capture pictures of your pets while cleaning.

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete review: Cleaning

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete performed best on hard floors, but I was very impressed with its performance on carpet too. It has a maximum suction power of 42,000Pa, which is very impressive. For example, the Roborock Saros 20 has a suction power of 36,000Pa. However, it’s worth noting that the 42,000Pa suction power of the Dreame is only active when you manually select the highest suction in the app.

Vacuuming

I tested the vacuuming capabilities of the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete using our standardized lab testing criteria before testing at home. I was very impressed with its performance throughout — a testament to the 42,000Pa suction power.

Hardwood floor:

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete managed to pick up everything I threw at it. From hair to tiny seeds, the powerful suction proved that this vacuum really is worth the price tag.

I think the reason the vacuum was able to get every last bit of debris was the extendable sweeper arm, which made sure everything was rounded up from the edges of the room.

Carpet:

It even performs well on carpeted flooring. It suffered a very small reduction in performance with hair and larger debris, as is to be expected on carpet, but it still makes them look clean.

I was mostly impressed by how well it performed when picking up hair. When I tested the Dreame D10 Plus Gen 2, it only picked up 40% of the hair from the carpet; it’s well worth splurging on the flagship X60 if you have pets who shed a lot of fur.

Mopping

To test the mopping capabilities of the robovac, I put soy sauce, mayonnaise and some mud on the floor and left them to dry. The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete did an excellent job. I couldn’t see any mess left on the floor, and when I touched the floor, there wasn’t any sort of sticky feeling that some mopping vacuums can leave behind.

The combination of the Dreame multisurface cleaner and the 104ºF water does a great job of cleaning the floor. Using hot water to clean kills more bacteria and makes it a lot easier for the mops to lift grime from the floor.

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete review: Storage & maintenance

Since the base station of the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete is on the larger side, you need somewhere for the vacuum to dock that won’t cause a hindrance in your home. But it also needs to be near a power outlet, since the cord is only 3.9 feet long. This wasn’t an issue for me, but if you don’t have an outlet nearby, it will be tricky to set up the vacuum.

The X60 is very easy to maintain and can look after itself with self-emptying, cleaning, and drying for up to 100 days, depending on usage. The top of the base station lifts to reveal a clean and dirty water tank, and the bottom front panel can be removed to reveal the dust bag along with a small pot for detergent. It’s very easy to change the water and refill the detergent, so upkeep was a breeze. The bag is also easy to swap out with a few clicks.

On the robot vacuum, the anti-tangle brush worked well, and I didn’t have to manually clean off any hair from the rotary brush. It’s easy to change the mop pads just by clicking them into place.

The robot vacuum comes with replacement parts, including a rotary brush, sweepers and mops so you can keep the X60 Max looking brand new.

Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete review: Verdict

The Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete has become my new gold standard when it comes to robot vacuums. It provides exceptional vacuum performance and impressive mopping skills that can be modified in the user-friendly app to suit your home’s daily needs and schedule.

The smart features on the robot, like the built-in camera, enhanced object detection, extendable arms, and heated water mopping, make this a worthwhile purchase for anyone who needs an extra pair of hands around the house. My only issue is that the dock is on the larger side, but the size supports up to 100 days of self-maintenance, so it’s a good trade-off.

Where other robot vacuums feel like a useful addition to the home, this one feels like a necessity.

During summer, our outdoor areas get a lot more use. And while it's wonderful to be enjoying the patio area with friends and family, I know my patio has started to get a little messy. While I cleaned it up in spring, it's desperately asking me to give it another good scrub. But, it turns out, I may have made a common mistake before that I definitely want to avoid.

While I followed 7 simple steps to cleaning my patio without a pressure washer, I then grabbed a household item that, according to an expert, I should be avoiding.

And it turns out there's another item on the 'no-no' list that I should steer clear of too. Here are the patio cleaning mistakes you can avoid this summer when it's time to clean up dirt, spills, and general wear, thanks to expert advice.

Avoid these two household items

Morgan Smith, director at porcelain garden tiles company Pegseo Stone, has advised there are two common products that people use when cleaning the patio that shouldn't be – white vinegar and bleach. While I use white vinegar for 'zero-effort' hacks like cleaning my microwave, it turns out the patio is one place I shouldn't take it.

Smith says: "White vinegar is highly acidic, so using it on certain patio materials can damage the surface itself rather than simply removing dirt." These certain materials include limestone and other calcareous pavers.

But, you should also be careful that you're not causing harm to any grass or flowerbeds nearby, Smith adds: "Any vinegar that runs into nearby borders can also damage grass and plants, meaning it can harm both the patio and the surrounding garden."

The same applies for bleach. As Smith explains, while it may give you a visual improvement, over time it can cause "lasting surface damage and further maintenance costs."

So, next time you head out to clean your patio, think before grabbing the white vinegar or bleach.

What to use instead

Fortunately, there's an even simpler household item that you can use that shouldn't cause any damage to your patio – and that's an easy soap and water solution.

"Using warm water and soap is an effective option for general patio cleaning, particularly when used with a hard-bristled brush," Smith advises. "Start cleaning from the corners of the paving and move gradually inwards, allowing each section to be scrubbed and rinsed before moving on."

You'll want to opt for a soap that's eco-friendly though, meaning it avoids harmful chemicals to any flora, fauna and wildlife nearby.

Plus, if you're lucky enough to have a pressure washer handy, Smith says it's important to watch how forcefully you wash, advising: "too much force can damage the surface of the pavers."

Instead, Smith suggests sticking to a low-pressure setting and angling the pressure washer nozzle at 30-degrees, rather than pointing it directly at the pavers.

And one final tip is is to check the joints between each slab once you've done your cleaning: "Areas that have lost sand or pointing should be repaired to keep the paving secure and limit further deterioration."

More from Tom's Guide

• I'm cleaning my patio furniture with this non-toxic ingredient — and it also works wonders on your grill
• Forget power washing: 5 budget-friendly hacks to get your backyard sparkling this spring
• 5 tips to keep your deck looking great all summer

You’d think after several decades of gardening, few plants could catch me completely by surprise. Yet nature always finds a way to remind me how much there is left to discover.

During a visit to Arundel Castle and Gardens in the U.K. this summer, I was completely captivated — first by the exquisite water garden, and then by a breathtaking bloom that left me spellbound, all quietly affirming why I do what I do.

Despite searching high and low for a plant label to identify the mysterious bloom, it remained unnamed. In this situation, my trusted go-to move is to snap a quick photo on my phone and post it on social, hoping one of my gardening followers can help.

But, as I am often surrounded by AI discussions at Tom’s Guide, I thought it was time to swap my social media shout-outs for a tech-driven answer.

Follow me on my journey to see whether artificial intelligence can become a reliable gardening companion, or whether I need to fall back on a seasoned gardener’s eye. And true to my aptitude at saving money, I used free apps during my experiment.

What happened when I used AI to identify a plant?

Although I work within digital publishing, I’m not as tech-savvy as some of my Tom’s Guide colleagues, who can navigate digital tools with their eyes shut. But, thankfully, if you can upload a photo to social media, you’re already fully qualified to use AI to identify plants.

Before putting AI to work, you need a crisp, clear shot. Unlike a fellow gardener, a cluttered background will trip up an algorithm. It really won’t be happy if you ask it to identify a plant that’s included in a mixed border.

My tip is to frame a single flower in the center. Cutting out the clutter will give AI exactly what it needs for an accurate identification.

Using Google Gemini

Having opened Google Gemini on my phone, I entered the prompt ‘identify this plant’. I thought it would instruct me to upload an image, but before doing so, it gave me instructions to either provide a photo or describe the plant, including specifics such as leaves and flowers, growth habitat and environment.

I then attached the image of the plant that I’d already taken. However, at this point you could take the photo; it doesn’t already have to be an image you already have stored on your phone.

The results
I didn’t even have time to blink before the results appeared. Apparently my mystery plant is a Cleome hassleriana, commonly known as the spider flower.

Gemini responded with:

"This plant is Cleome (botanical name Cleome hassleriana or Tarenaya hassleriana), commonly known as the Spider Flower or Spider Plant."

I wasn’t expecting any more than the name, and yes, Google Gemini was correct. But I was also given details on the plant’s key characteristics, including its flowers, foliage, growth habit, care and growing tips. Here's a snapshot of some of the details:

"Flowers: Bright pink, purple, or white terminal clusters featuring long, thread-like stamens that extend far beyond the petals, giving them a spider-like appearance."

I'll be sharing more on the beautiful spider flower in another article, as apparently it’s super easy to grow — as advised by my garden designer friend Steven Digby, who often helps me out with my Instagram shout-outs. You won’t get this personalized advice on AI, but it will give you a good start.

Using ChatGPT

Using ChatGPT
I entered the same instructions into ChatGPT to compare results. This time, unlike Gemini, ChatGPT gave me instructions on what to capture in the image, such as taking a photo of the whole plant and getting close-ups of the leaves, any flowers, fruits, or seed pods.

It also suggested capturing the stem or bark and adding any details about location, height and scent. However, from my understanding, it was expecting to identify the plant by a photo, rather than a description alone.

ChatGPT responded with:

"This looks like a spider flower, most likely Cleome hassleriana. The features that stand out are:

• Bright pink flower clusters.
• Very long, thread-like stamens that give the flowers a "spidery" appearance.
• Tall, upright stems.
• Palmately compound leaves with several narrow leaflets."

ChatGPT was correct in its identification, and it did provide some additional details on the plant, but from a user perspective, I found Google Gemini’s information simpler to read. Splitting it into clear headings made it easier to digest.

That said, ChatGPT did pick up that there were other plants within the image, noticing rose leaves, and stated that although it identified rose bushes close by, it was confident in identifying the spider flower as the main plant.

Other apps to try
Although I decided to use Google Gemini, Mike Prospero, U.S. editor-in-chief at Tom’s Guide, previously used Google, Google Chrome and the Gemini app, and he takes you through how to use all three in his article on identifying poison ivy using AI.

AI versus human: The verdict

I was impressed with both Gemini and ChatGPT — each identified the mystery plant instantly from just a single photo, without any further hints.

I’m no longer skeptical about using AI to identify plants, and if you’re impatient and want to know the answer quickly, this tech delivers.

An algorithm won’t give the subtle, seasoned wisdom of an experienced gardener, such as my friend Digby’s advice on how this stunning annual is really easy to grow from seed. (Yes, I doubled my chances and uploaded the photo on social.) But if you want quick answers, it provides accurate plant identification.

My deep dive into AI came down to my new obsession with the spider flower, and now I know what it is and that it’s easy to grow; I’ll be adding it to my garden next year.

How else can AI help gardeners?

This is just the beginning of my gardening journey using AI. I'm already planning other ways to test how AI can help me in the garden, from assisting with planting plans to advising on heat-tolerant plants, and I’ll be sharing what I discover over the coming months. Let me know your thoughts and experiences of using AI in the garden in the comments below.

More from Tom's Guide

• Stop fighting the climate: Expert-approved tips on how to plant for hotter summers
• 7 easy vegetables to plant in August that thrive as summer fades
• Gardeners are ditching lavender for this tougher, long-blooming shrub — and it doesn’t go woody

As a tea-drinking Brit, I have big opinions on kettles, and the Dualit Design Series Kettle is a good option for most people’s homes. It has an aesthetic stainless steel design which is easy to maintain with regular cleaning. It has good heat retention and is easy and accurate to pour with.

Unfortunately, though, the window design makes it hard to read the measurements when filling the kettle. The boiling is also a little slow when compared to other kettles.

To find out more about the kitchen appliance, you can keep reading this full Dualit Design Series Kettle review.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Specs

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Price & availability

The Dualit Design Series Kettle is available to purchase from Amazon U.S. for $178 or directly from the Dualit online store for $179. You can also purchase the kettle in the U.K., where it’s called the Dualit Architect Kettle.

The kettle has a stainless steel finish, but you can purchase interchangeable panels for the bottom section from the Dualit store to make it your own. These include the colors Shadow, Metallic Silver, Copper, Brass, Evergreen and Eucalyptus.

Dualit also sells the Classic Kettle for $249, which is more of a fashion statement than a standard kettle. Its curved shape is much more interesting than the Design Series — the irony is not lost on me.

But you don’t need to spend the best part of $200 for a good kettle. I have also tested the Cosori Electric Glass Kettle, which, while not as dashing, is a fraction of the price at just $27. And honestly, it does just as good a job as the Design Series Kettle — you just have to be willing to put up with the odd leak while pouring, which isn’t a worry with the Dualit.

While the Dualit has a Pure pour spout to ensure zero leaks when pouring, if you need even more precision for drinks such as pour-over coffee, you may want to consider a gooseneck kettle such as the Fellow Stagg EKG for $165. If you take your brews seriously, I’d recommend the Fellow over the Dualit.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Design & features

The Dualit Design Series Kettle is certainly eye-catching. It measures 9.4 x 8.6 x 5.5 inches, weighs 3.2 pounds, and has a reflective surface that will have you checking out your hair while the water boils.

It can boil a maximum capacity of 1.5 liters, enough for six cups. However, you’ll find yourself playing a guessing game when filling it because of the design and positioning of the measurement window. The window has a fish-eye effect, warping the water as you peer through, and it sits directly in line with the handle, so you need to look around that too.

The handle extends down most of the body, making it easy to hold. At the top of the handle there’s a button to release the flat, hinged lid. This means you can open it without touching it, but to close it you’ll need to push it down. If you’ve already boiled the kettle once, be wary as this part can get very hot.

The power switch is just below the handle at the base. This base is very cohesive with the rest of the kettle — it looks like one whole unit with the kettle on top. It has a three-foot power cord, so it is best set up near a power outlet. If you need to make this shorter, you can store the excess in the base.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Performance

I have to say, when testing the Dualit Design Series Kettle, I was a little confused. After testing the Dualit Classic Kettle, I was impressed at how fast it boiled the water. It boiled five cups in just two minutes and 35 seconds. The Design Series Kettle took three minutes and 11 seconds — a stark difference.

All of my testing conditions were the same, so if you want an appliance that won’t have you waiting around all day, spring for the more expensive Classic. You may be spending a little extra, but hey, you’ll get to enjoy life with your fresh brew instead of staring into your lifeless eyes in the kettle’s reflection as the water boils for an extra minute. Just me? Well, as a tea-drinking Brit, by the time I’ve made my daily quota, all of those minutes add up.

I measured the temperature of the water immediately after boiling and got a reading of 209.3ºF/98.5ºC. This was very slightly cooler than the 210ºF/99.3ºC reading I got from the Classic Kettle. But the Design Series holds heat pretty well. After an hour, I got a reading of 161.1ºF/71.7ºC. So, if you wanted to reboil the water, you won’t be waiting for the full *checks notes* three minutes and 53 seconds — yikes.

Pouring with the kettle is a dream. If you’re a little shaky when pouring, I would fully recommend this kettle. I encountered no spillages. And the water went exactly where I needed it to. It can be a little heavy when you fill it to the top, so I only ever filled it about halfway so I could still use it with ease.

The kettle isn’t too loud either, and gave me a reading of 76dB on the Decibel X app.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Storage & maintenance

The Dualit Design Series is a kettle, and as such, this is a generally straightforward affair. It’s easy to maintain; you’ll just find yourself wiping down the exterior more than your usual kettle given its reflective nature.

If you live in a hard water area, you’ll also need to descale the kettle regularly. You can purchase descaling tablets for this or use natural methods such as lemon juice or baking soda. The spout of the kettle also has a removable limescale filter which is easy to remove, clean, and refit.

Dualit Design Series Kettle review: Verdict

The Dualit Design Series Kettle is undeniably good-looking. The stainless steel finish is slick and will fit in with any kitchen. The kettle is also easy to maintain (if you don’t mind wiping it down a lot). It has good heat retention and is very easy to pour with. There were absolutely zero drips thanks to the Pure pour spout.

Unfortunately, it’s tricky to tell where the water has been filled up to because of the poor window design, and boiling is a little slow. It took a whole minute longer to boil the same volume of water as the Dualit Classic Kettle.

If sleek looks are your priority, this is a great kettle, but $178 is a lot of money to spend on a kettle that takes so long to boil.

The oil sizzled as I placed the scallops in the pan. On the counter next to me sat a tray of just-baked chocolate chip cookies, their aroma wafting through the air. In the oven, a tray of chicken thighs was slowly baking atop a mixture of Chinese vegetables, their juices infusing with the cabbage and boy choy beneath.

I was cooking it all on the Copper Charlie, an innovative induction stove that doesn’t require any special installation, thanks to a massive battery. And while it's an early adopter in the world of early adopters, it could represent the future of home appliances.

Renovation is the mother of necessity

I tested out the range in the Brooklyn apartment of Ted Booth, who switched from a traditional gas oven to the Copper about a year ago. At the time, his building was facing a million-dollar renovation bill to upgrade the ancient gas pipes leading into, and threading through, the entire 33-unit building.

Rather than forcing the entire building to front the cost of fixing each unit’s gas line, the condo board gave each owner an option to switch to an induction stove. However, most induction stoves require a 220-volt electric line — which would have meant an equally expensive bill.

But there was an alternative: the Copper induction stove. This range has a large battery in the bottom, where the warming tray would sit. Not only does this provide a steady source of energy, even when the power goes out, but it also allows the stove to use a regular 110-volt outlet, so you can plug it in almost anywhere.

“To me, it was an opportunity to get off gas,” Booth said. “And, you can call me a bit of an early adopter, so it appealed to me that way.”

Modern but retro

While the Charlie uses a very new type of technology, and has Wi-Fi and can be updated over the internet, it’s surprisingly low on connected features.

“I like how simple it is,” Booth said. “It's connected to the Wi-Fi, it has a battery, but it's the most analog experience I've had with a tech product. You have the little light indicator on the side, and the screen shows you what it's doing — it's 350 degrees. That's all you need to know. It's great. 
And then the two little switches for the light and convection.”

The cost of upgrading

The Copper Charlie isn’t cheap. The base model, with black plastic knobs, costs $6,000, while the model with black walnut knobs is $6,300. That’s more than twice as expensive as some popular models from LG and GE — though it should be noted the GE Cafe series can get up to $5,000.

The Charlie is not Energy Star-certified, so you can’t get any government rebates from that program, but there are several other local clean energy tax credits that can help ease the cost.

However, it did get the seal of approval from the New York City Housing Authority, which is installing 100 Copper Charlie stoves in apartments throughout the city as a pilot program for lower-income residents, as all city-owned apartment buildings get converted from gas to electric.

“There are so many families that haven't had the ability to cook for years because they had their utility to get the gas shut off,” said Lisa Pickney, a professional chef who created the Official Dessert of the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, served on the Obama White House culinary team, and now works for Copper.

“And so they just gave them a hot plate and a rice cooker and a teapot.
And it's just not right. They can't make a Thanksgiving turkey. So that kind of broke my heart. And now they'll be able to have Thanksgiving and do proper cooking now.”

The Copper Charlie isn’t the only induction stove of its kind; a rival company, the Electra Induction Stove, works in much the same way. Rather than the lithium ion batteries you might find in your phone or electric scooter, these stoves use a lithium phosphate battery, which is more stable, and more suited for how it’s used with the stoves.

Now we're cooking

As I (well, mostly Lisa) were cooking, I was impressed with how fast the oven heated up. While I didn’t time it, the Copper Charlie seemed far shorter than my oven at home. Similarly, its cooktop element warmed up the pan in no time, and put a sear on the scallops as good as I’ve ever done on any range, gas or electric.

Booth said that his cooking game has improved since getting the Charlie. “I like to make a Spanish potato omelet,” he said. “I like it because you can get a really nice, low temperature, so it doesn't brown too quickly. With the gas, I could get a low flame, but then the heat doesn't distribute quite as well, and so it's like cooking more in one spot and less on the edges.”

Booth said he could no longer do the Mark Bittman trick of cooking a steak by placing a pan on the very bottom of the oven, but the Charlie proved its worth when the outlet behind the stove stopped working.

“At first, I was like, what are we gonna do?” he said. “It's gonna take a while to get an electrician to come, and then I was like, oh, no, wait, it's fine. We have an outlet behind that cluster of little appliances in the corner is a four-prong outlet with a GFCI. So I just plugged it into that.”

“That to me really proved to me how much power this draws, because we've got an Instapot, we've got a kettle, we've got an espresso machine. 
And we never had an issue, it never popped the GFCI.”

How it's working out

Ultimately, eleven owners in Booth’s building ended up getting a Copper Charlie. It proved to be more expensive than those who merely opted to replace their gas line, but Booth said it was worth the expense.

“We're gonna spend all this money for these pipes in the wall, and all I get is to get a blue flame?” he asks. ”I want something better than that.”

More from Tom's Guide

• I used an induction cooktop for the first time — here are 3 things I learned
• 5 mistakes I made when I switched to an induction cooktop
• We tested 3 portable induction cooktops from $50 to $1,500

If you've been watching the news, you may have seen the Trump administration's recent robotic ban. In a move by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the ban targets any new foreign-made humanoid robot imports to the U.S. The thinking is that these products may cause "unacceptable risks" to U.S. security.

But humanoid robots aren't the only robots at risk. It turns out the ban spreads much further than you might think. Far enough to spell trouble for the kind of 'bots you may be using in your own home.

Delve a little deeper into the FCC's definition, and you're looking at a much larger coverage of robots that fall under the term "advanced robotic devices".

If they're "capable of locomotion, obstacle avoidance, navigation, or movement on the ground" then they're targeted under the new ban. Sounds a lot like robotic lawnmowers, the best robot vacuums or even your friendly neighborhood delivery robot, right? Exactly.

No more Roombas?

Now, it's worth delving into exactly what this means for home and delivery robots that fall under the FCC's definition.

Importantly, any existing robots previously authorised to be sold in the U.S. are safe. Equally, any robots that have already been imported from outside of the U.S., are currently being sold, or have been approved are also safe.

But any new "advanced robotic devices" being imported, which essentially means any robots being manufactured outside of the U.S., are banned.

This includes robots where "the combined weight of the device and, if applicable, ground station or docking station is over 4.4 lbs", as well as any with "software running either locally or remotely, including firmware and AI or machine-learning model weights" and "a sensor capable of perceiving its environment" or "a component that is capable of providing network connectivity (wired or wireless, including Bluetooth/Wi-Fi, cellular, or satellite)".

Why? Well, as the FCC has said, they consider these robots to pose a national security risk, stating: "foreign-produced advanced robotic devices could be weaponized to directly harm U.S. national security and U.S. persons".

But what's really interesting is what it's demanding companies do instead.

Safety concerns?

A lot of companies like Roomba, Ecovacs, Dreame, Roborock and more source manufacturing from China. Moving forward, they'll need to acquire waivers to continue to manufacture and sell these advanced robotic devices in the US. But, The Verge revealed the FCC doesn't want to ask any questions about actual security.

Instead, the site reports: "The FCC only wants to know where they're designed and made and assembled and tested and influenced, and get a specific commitment to start manufacturing them in the U.S. instead."

So, for now, existing robots in the U.S. are safe. You won't have to hand over your much-loved robot vacuum to security. But it's a huge deal for the companies making them. Any new models will need a waiver to be manufactured elsewhere, and if they can't get the waiver, then they won't be getting sold in the U.S.

If you were on the fence about picking up one of the best robot vacuums or a robotic lawnmower, you might want to act sooner rather than later.

CTA responds

The Consumer Technology Association, the organization behind CES, also issued a measured response on X in a series of posts.

"At CES 2026, robotics took center stage. Innovation in this space is accelerating fast, and the U.S. must lead the world in developing and deploying these technologies."

"CTA supports efforts to protect our national security and strengthen technology supply chains. But those policies should be targeted, transparent and focused on genuine security risks, not unnecessary costs or supply chain disruption."

"The global race in robotics is on. CTA looks forward to working with the Administration to ensure America leads the world in robotics and the next generation of emerging technologies."

"We encourage continued engagement between industry and government to ensure policies advance trusted supply chains while preserving innovation, competition and consumer access to new technologies."

Companies respond

We reached out to a number of companies following the FCC's announcement. Here's what they had to say.

Anker Innovations

"We are aware of the FCC’s recent update. Based on our current understanding, the new rule does not affect the continued availability, use or support of products we currently sell in the United States. Those products remain available and will continue to receive updates and customer support.

"Like others across the industry, we are seeking further clarity on how the rule will be applied to future products, and we will keep our customers informed. We remain committed to complying with all regulatory requirements in every market where we operate."

Dreame

"We are currently reviewing and assessing the details of the recent announcement," a spokesperson said. "Dreame has always been committed to strict compliance with all local laws and regulatory requirements in every market where we operate globally."

iRobot (makers of Roomba)

"We are aware of the FCC's recent action and are working with them to better understand its implementation and potential impact. We remain committed to serving our customers and will share updates as more information becomes available."

Segway Navimow

"We are aware of the FCC’s announcement regarding restrictions to advanced robotic devices. There is no immediate impact to existing Navimow customers, as all Navimow models currently sold in the US have already received FCC equipment authorization. The ban does not affect the sales, service, or continued use of existing products. We are closely monitoring policy developments and evaluating compliance pathways for future products, including the Department of Defense's "Conditional Approval" process."

SharkNinja

“Our Shark robot vacuums currently sold in the U.S. will continue to be available for sale, use and support," a SharkNinja spokesperson said. "Regarding future models, we are evaluating our best options, but as a U.S.-based company we believe we are well positioned to navigate the process to continue to launch new models at competitive prices as we always have. We are closely monitoring developments and evaluating next steps as more information becomes available. We remain committed to serving our consumers and keeping them informed.”

What do you think of the ban? Let us know in the comments.

More from Tom's Guide

• Here’s the one robot vacuum I wish was coming to the US (and what to buy instead)
• The 4 best cheap robot vacuums you can buy in 2026
• I’m a robot vacuum expert, and after seeing this vacuum that can climb over obstacles, it’s the only feature I care about

Whether I'm planning a redesign or I've got a new room that needs fully furnishing, I always tend to shop in the same place – IKEA.

The blue and yellow allure and modular designs have continuously and cleverly been sold to me as the most budget-friendly option for an entire collection of furniture. But, is that actually the case?

Don't get me wrong, I know there's other options. In fact, the market has largely been dominated for decades by two juggernaut home retailers – Lowe's and Home Depot.

How do they hold up against IKEA though? I sometimes struggle to find clarity in which is the more affordable choice.

So, I thought I'd put it to the ultimate test. I mocked up a complete bedroom design and found similar items across IKEA, Lowes and Home Depot to compare the prices.

Spoiler alert: you might be shocked by the results.

Different stores, different lures

Pros and cons of IKEA

Pros:

• Competitively priced
• Unique, space-friendly designs
• Lots of stock
• Ease of collection

Cons:

• Build-it-yourself flat packs
• Potentially expensive shipping costs
• Less than 100 stores in the US

Pros and cons of Lowe's

Pros:

• Price match guarantee
• Stock diverse and exclusive range of brands
• Over 1700 stores across US

Cons:

• Less stock
• Strict discounts
• Less choice

Pros and cons of Home Depot

Pros:

• Extensive range of brands
• Lots of stock
• Over 2000 stores in the US

Cons:

• Concerns over delivery
• Not as affordable
• Warehouses overwhelmingly large

Cost comparison

To carry out this cost comparison, I set out to find items from each store that looked incredibly similar. Of course, if you're planning a different aesthetic, you can shop around and compare all three.

But to fully furnish a bedroom with a bed, wardrobe, dresser, and nightstand, here's what the costs had to say.

It's also important to note that there can be additional costs when purchasing online, especially with delivery (varies dependent on location), but also including some potential extra costs for fittings, removal and storage fees.

Verdict

So, it turns out while IKEA is still the most affordable during this price comparison, it's not by as far as I would have thought.

For Lowe's, it's less than a $40 difference. Home Depot is considered widely to be the more premium priced of the three, but still only came in around $60 more than Lowe's.

What was surprising about Home Depot though, was that three of the items chosen were the same product as Lowe's, yet more expensive.

I did also notice that some of Lowe's and Home Depot's prices changed a little during my comparison, whereas IKEA tends to stick to their prices (unless during a sales event).

Yes, IKEA is still the most affordable, but there are other things to consider, like delivery costs to you and accessibility to stores. It wasn't the total washout that I was expecting from IKEA, especially as far as Lowe's is concerned.

I know that when I make up a mood board for my next redesign, I'll be creating the look across all three retailers rather than assuming that I know the answer.

More from Tom's Guide

• IKEA's new collection is designed for frequent movers — I'm excited about how portable and affordable it is
• 5 ways to update your bedroom without a complete revamp
• How to create a show home aesthetic — 7 interior tips to try

At the start of the year, I upgraded our household blender from a regular non-brand contraption we picked up at the local Aldi to a Nutribullet Ultra 1200. The benefits were that it was easier to clean, looked a lot nicer, and blends your ingredients straight into the shaker you can drink from.

Over six months later, I decided to return to the pair of them (we haven't got rid of the old one; it's good to have a spare) to put a little bit more testing on the table.

Part of this, I admit, is due to selfishly wanting to mix up my smoothie game. I'm guilty of going back to the same old recipe time and time again and, with summer here, I'm feeling the need for a change.

Secondly, although I swapped to the Nutribullet without a second thought — was I giving my old blender its due? What if I fed both machines the exact same ingredients and measured them directly in a head-to-head? Which would really come out on top?

There are a ton of things the Nutribullet does better: it's objectively smaller, lighter, simpler to use and comes with a better warranty. But I was surprised at a couple of outcomes from this experiment if I'm being totally honest. I'll spoil the big one for you now: I couldn't tell the difference when it came to tasting the final product.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves. Read on to discover just what I found out from my budget vs. premium experiment.

The recipe

The wonderful thing about smoothies is they're uncomplicated. Pick stuff you like, throw it inside one of the best blenders, and chances are it'll come out alright. But this test had to be scientific, so here are the exact ingredients I used with both machines:

100g strawberries (~1 cup, yields a thick texture and rich color)

50g ripe banana (~1/2 medium banana, sliced)

100g strawberry flavored Greek yogurt (~½ cup)

180ml milk (~¾ cup)

1 tbsp of honey

Note that both of these machines are blenders and not bespoke juicers. Here's a complete rundown of the differences, but in a nutshell, juicers squeeze and extract the juice from fruits and vegetables. A juicer breaks down the fruit by separating the pulp, peel/skin, and seeds from the fruit, as the juice flows out through a sieve.

Blenders, on the other hand, pulverize all of the ingredients together. Think of them as a sledgehammer rather than a scalpel.

The blend

Forget just throwing the above ingredients into the pot without a care. This is the process I followed with both blenders — just to make sure I did what I could to make the experiment fair.

• Add liquids and soft ingredients first: Pour in the milk and spoon in the Greek yogurt. Placing liquid at the bottom helps the blender blades turn smoothly without getting stuck on the fruit.
• Layer in solids and the fruit: Next in went the banana slices, chopped strawberries, and finally I added the honey.
• Blend on high power for 30 seconds (I used my trusty Casio stopwatch to make sure they each got the same time)
• Pour out and enjoy

The result

I appreciate you can't taste the results of my experiment through the screen, but as I said at the outset. I didn't notice any difference in taste in the final product. If pressed, I would say the $129 result was a fractionally smoother than the cheaper alternative. Maybe my smoothie chops aren't what they used to be, but my takeaway is that if all you're interested in is the consistency and the taste of the final result, the cheap option will do you proud.

Also despite costing more and supposedly being quieter (Nutribullet says 87dB), the more expensive blender was louder than the budget one. It's more powerful 1,200W vs 600W and that showed when the noise level just crested 100dB for the Nutribullet compared to 99dB for the Blaupunkt. I know this is nitpicking, but I still wanted to mention it.

The Nutribullet uses a 6-point titanium-coated extractor blade rather than a 4-point one in the $30 Blaupunkt. But it's also got a lower capacity (32oz vs 52oz), so if you're mixing smoothies for a family or to batch, that may play a factor. Those two elements come in clutch because there were definitely some lumps left in the bottom of the jug on the cheaper blender when I poured out the drink.

Whereas I put the contents into a glass for the sake of this article, normally I would just cap off the Nutribullet shaker and be on my way. Similarly, I cranked the Blaupunkt all the way to five on its antiquated knob rather than the simple on/off capacitive touch of the Nutribullet.

And, last but by no means least, cleaning the Nutribullet was a simpler, quicker affair than my old budget blender.

So, both got the job done — one just did it with a little more style than the other.

Final thoughts

This little experiment has reinforced what I felt about leveling up blenders back at the start of the year. When it comes to the nuts and bolts of the taste of the final product, there's no difference — at least for someone with my unrefined palate.

Moreover, I can put up with a bit of noise for 30 seconds, so the fact my Nutribullet was louder than advertised is also something I can overlook.

But, all the other aspects of using a blender were far superior with the more expensive model. I like that: a) it takes up less countertop space, b) it doesn't take as long to clean, c) it comes with a dedicated shaker for less fuss c) it genuinely just looks cooler and d) if it breaks, I can claim on the warranty for longer.

Are those advantages worth $100 more? For my current lifestyle: yes. If you'd have asked me years ago when I was a student watching every dime I spent, then probably no.

The lesson I learned here was that despite our constant fixation on the end result, there's more to choosing a product than what it delivers. Less destination, more journey.

Of course, what works for me might not work for you. I happen to value how easy and quick the Nutribullet is to use so that makes the extra $100 worth it. Do you agree or not? Let me know in the comments below.

More from Tom's Guide

• Masticating vs centrifugal juicer: Which is best?
• This is the best blender in the world, and two trusty, cheaper alternatives
• Juicer vs Blender: What's the difference?

Whenever I tell people my husband is a plumber, they usually say: "That must be so handy!" And I always agree, yes, it absolutely is.

Whenever there's a plumbing (or heating) problem in my house, he knows how to solve it, and we don't have to spend extra money doing it or calling an emergency plumber late at night.

But instead of gatekeeping his secrets, I thought I'd ask him to share three of his favorite expert-approved tips that he thinks will help anyone in their home, so you can avoid making common plumbing mistakes.

Trust me, I should know if they work, because I literally use all three of them whenever needed. Here's some expert advice (free of charge) that'll hopefully even save you money in the future.

Just be sure to stick around for all three; I've saved my favorite until last.

1. Don't pour hot oil down your sink

Excess oil that you've been cooking with seems like a pretty reasonable thing to pour down your sink when you've finished with it. After all, it's greasy, runny, and edible. But don't do it.

As my plumber husband explains: "While hot oil is liquid when it's been heated up, once it cools down it sets hard. If you have an incorrect fall on your waste pipe, this oil can sit stationary inside it, leading to blockages.

"The best solution is to pour your hot oil into a foil-lined bowl, leave it to set, and then throw the foil directly into the trash once it has [congealed]."

2. Don't put bleach tablets in toilet tanks

Bleach tablets are my go-to for tackling limescale and germs in my toilets at home, but my husband always tells me that I shouldn't use them regularly and I certainly shouldn't be putting them into the tank of the toilet.

The thought hadn't crossed my mind, but he says it's quite a common mistake that people tend to make: "A bleach tablet has high concentrations of chlorine. This can cause internal parts of the [tank] to fail, leading to leaks and damage to your toilet's components."

So, while you think you may be cleaning your toilet thoroughly, you could actually be doing more harm than good, which can become quite a costly mistake. Just stick to popping them into the bowl.

3. Draw a pencil line around damp spots

Now, this one's my favorite, and it's one of those hacks you wonder why you didn't think of it yourself.

Whenever you spot a damp patch or stain in your home, here's what my plumber husband recommends: "I advise customers that if they notice a mark on their ceiling (most commonly), they should trace the outline with a pencil."

Why? Well, he adds: "If you leave it for 12 hours and come back, you'll see if the leak has gone past the pencil line. If it has, then you know you have an active leak."

And since a pencil is harmless to your ceiling, you can leave it a little longer to be extra sure or rub it away when you're fully satisfied that the leak has stopped.

Do you have any tips for saving money when it comes to plumbing? Let us know in the comments.

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• This TikTok hack claims vinegar will clean your shower head — I asked my plumber husband if it actually works
• You asked: Can dish soap fix your clogged drain? A plumber explains the facts
• Households urged not to pour boiling water down drains this winter — I asked a plumber what to do instead

I've always found growing tomatoes tricky. Every year, I make a new attempt, but the results are inconsistent. One year, I'll get a few worthy of a salad, the next it'll be a total fail.

And as I sat out in my yard recently, I stared at this year's yield – tomato plants that had stopped growing entirely. So, I did what I love to do and headed online to social media to see if I could find an answer.

Fortunately, tomato growing hacks are never hard to find, from using this common kitchen scrap for zero-waste gardening to trying out an ingenious tomato-watering trick, but this time I was looking for something that would switch up my tomato growing game altogether.

Then, I found a TikTok that told me I've actually been doing it all wrong. It turns out we should all be planting our tomato plants horizontally. It might sound crazy, but it's actually a stroke of genius. Here's how it works.

How does it work?

I'm a sucker for TikTok creator, @creative_explained's videos and I'm not the only one. With over 7.5m followers, he's known for consistently sharing quick home and garden hacks with an enthusiasm that's infectious. I should know; I've been using his money-saving hack for giving my plants a boost this year, and I've been shocked by the results.

But it's this tomato planting hack that caught my attention this time. As he demonstrates, you take a tomato plant and strip all the leaves off the stalk, leaving just the top shoot with one leaf.

Then, you dig a trench in your garden bed. After exposing the roots of your tomato plant and breaking apart the soil at the base, lay the entire plant horizontally into the trench.

Bury the entire stalk with soil, leaving just the top shoot and leaf exposed. Raise just this part and hold it vertically with soil.

He explains: "What's going to happen now underneath the soil is that the tomato will grow roots all along its stem.

It'll start to grow new shoots. The stem pretty much transforms into an entire root system." Genius.

Here's what happened when I tried it

I fear I may have found this hack a little late for the tomato growing season, but with hot weather in my area, I figured I could still transplant outside with a totally new tomato plant to hand.

Planting it horizontally was simple enough, even if it did feel like a strange process. I've had success with @creative_explained's hacks before like using potato peel water in my soil, so I'm looking forward to seeing the results. In terms of process, it was easy to do, though I needed to find a space in my garden bed that was long enough to accommodate.

Fortunately, I recently dug up some old rhubarb that was suffering in the heat, so I had the space to try out this horizontal planting trick. Now, I just need to wait until fall to see the results, but it feels good to try out something entirely new for a change. Growing tomatoes is a tricky business, but this might well be the solution I've been desperately searching for.

More from Tom's Guide

• This cheap garden hack will help your roses grow — and all you need is a few old tea bags
• Stop wasting money on tomato feed — here’s how I made my own free fertilizer
• The 3 kitchen scraps I never throw away if I want sweet, ripe tomatoes

Monsteras are usually the drama-free roommates of the houseplant world, until the morning you walk past yours and spot an undeniably yellow leaf.

Trust me, I know that sudden flash of panic. But after years of keeping these tropical giants happy, I’ve learned a yellow leaf isn't an instant death sentence. It’s just your plant’s version of a check-engine light.

Whether you're dealing with a simple watering mistake or a tricky lighting spot, I’ll help you translate what your Monstera is begging for and get it thriving again.

Frequently asked questions

Should I cut off yellow monstera leaves?

Yes, you should prune them. Once a Monstera leaf has turned fully yellow, it cannot regain its green color because the chlorophyll has broken down. Use sterilized shears to cut the yellow leaf stem near the base so the plant stops wasting valuable energy trying to sustain damaged tissue.

How long does it take for a monstera to recover?

Once you fix the underlying issue, such as adjusting your watering schedule or moving the pot to better lighting, you should expect to see fresh, healthy green growth within two to four weeks during the growing season.

More from Tom's Guide

• Monstera leaves curling? Here's what your plant is trying to tell you
• This tiny pest causes the biggest damage to your plants — here's how to stop thrips
• Houseplants taking over? Here's how to repot a monstera

Seeing vibrant yellow blossoms drop off your tomato plants without ever setting fruit is easily one of the most frustrating parts of gardening. You’re watering correctly, feeding them on schedule, and the plants look healthy, so why aren't you getting any actual tomatoes?

The issue usually isn't your soil or your fertilizer routine at all. It comes down to a simple, hidden bottleneck inside the flowers themselves that stops fruit from forming. Luckily, there’s a 2-second technique that fixes the problem almost instantly, and all it takes is a quick touch of your fingertips.

Why tomato tapping actually works

In nature, tomatoes rely on bumblebees for buzz pollination, a process where bees vibrate their wings to release heavy, trapped pollen locked inside the flower. When pollinators are scarce or plants are grown in sheltered spots like greenhouses, those flowers drop off unfertilized.

Tapping your plants simply mimics a bee's wing vibrations to break that pollen free and force the plant to set fruit. Timing is everything: tap your plants mid-morning, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., when morning dew has dried and pollen is light and dusty.

The process takes seconds, whether you lightly flick the stem behind an open blossom with your index finger or give the plant's wooden stake or metal cage a firm tap to send vibrations down the vine. Repeat your chosen method every two to three days while plants are actively blooming.

What to expect (and how to prepare for a bumper crop)

Within two to three weeks of consistent tapping, instead of bare stems and fallen petals, you'll see full, symmetrical clusters of green fruit swelling all at once.

Because your vines will be carrying significantly more weight than usual, proactive crop management is crucial to keep the plant healthy. Be sure to upgrade your support early by securing main stems to stakes with soft garden twine before branches start to sag.

Heavy beefsteak or cherry clusters can easily snap under their own weight, so cradle large fruit trusses with extra ties fastened directly to the main support. And make sure your stakes or cages are driven deep into the soil so top-heavy plants don't tip over.

More from Tom's Guide

• When to fertilize tomatoes: the 3-step schedule for a bountiful harvest
• Why are my tomato plant leaves turning yellow? 5 steps to save your harvest
• Gardeners swear by this simple tomato plant trick — here's how to save split tomatoes fast

If you’ve ever watched your tomato plants struggle to transition from green, stubborn globes to juicy, vibrant red fruits, you aren’t alone. Getting tomatoes to perfectly ripen requires the right balance of nutrients, soil structure, and plant vitality.

Thankfully, you don't need store-bought supplements to give them a boost. The secret to a bumper crop of sweet, perfectly ripe tomatoes is sitting right in your kitchen garbage.

By strategically using crushed eggshells, banana peels, and coffee grounds, you can deliver a targeted nutrient cocktail that fuels fruit development and speeds up the ripening process.

More from Tom's Guide

• When to fertilize tomatoes: the 3-step schedule for a bountiful harvest
• Why are my tomato plant leaves turning yellow? 5 steps to save your harvest
• Gardeners swear by this simple tomato plant trick — here's how to save split tomatoes fast

There is nothing better than a warm summer evening spent relaxing in the garden. You've got the patio lights on, a cold drink in hand, and the perfect setup to unwind... until the buzzing starts.

Within minutes, a relaxing night outdoors turns into a frantic battle against mosquitoes. But before you douse yourself in sticky chemical sprays, look up at your patio lights. You might inadvertently be throwing an open-house party for every biting bug in the neighborhood.

To find out why our backyards are suddenly crawling with pests, I spoke to Jon Saeed, managing director of outdoor lighting specialist Lighting Legends.

According to Saeed, the warm summer evenings we love also bring along more mosquitoes who thrive in humid environments. But the real culprit behind your itchy ankles might actually be your choice of lightbulb.

Fortunately, you don't have to sit in the pitch black. Here are the simple mistakes you might be making right now, and how to fix them to reclaim your garden this summer.

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• How to mosquito-proof yourself this summer — 7 simple tips
• Banish mosquitoes from your home with one natural ingredient — and it also smells great
• How to stop a flying ant invasion using a single item from your spice rack

There's no denying it, we're having a heatwave heavy summer in the U.K. But, while we're all struggling to keep cool, there's something else we need to worry about in this heat — our fridges.

I do my weekly online shop at Tesco, but I recently noticed I wasn't able to get some items because the fridges weren't working. And I'm sure I'm not the only one that's noticed the melting chocolate bars on the shelves. So, if the supermarkets aren't coping, how are our fridges going to keep up at home?

Well, if you've got an older fridge, it might be bad news. According to Dr Alan Foster, a refrigeration expert who spoke with the BBC, a lot of appliances were: "designed decades ago in a much cooler world."

Most were manufactured to cope with temperatures of up to 32C, and with temperatures rising, they're struggling to function. Some owners may even find their fridges stop working entirely.

If the current weather has got you considering a replacement fridge, here are the three things you should consider, according to an expert.

3 things to consider when buying a new fridge

Buying a new fridge can be a pretty overwhelming purchase. There are so many to choose from and what works for your household might not work for someone else's. Fortunately, we spoke to Ilaria Castagnoli, Product Trainer at SMEG USA to find out her top tips for buying a replacement.

1. Check the energy efficiency

Unsurprisingly, if you're buying a replacement because your fridge can't handle the heat, you'll want to prioritise whether a newer model is Energy Star rated. Castagnoli says: "These units will be the most energy efficient options on the market, not only decreasing your energy use but also helping you save on your utility bill in the long run."

2. Look at different configurations

A fridge isn't one-size-fits-all and if you're combining it with a freezer, you've really got to think about what works for you and the other people in your household. "It's also important to think about the type of food you buy and the layout of the unit that will be easiest for you to manage on a daily basis," Castagnoli advises.

This means taking into consideration whether a bottom or top freezer works best for you, whether you'd prefer a side-by-side unit for easier access, or as Castagnoli also recommends: "Families who like to include ice in every beverage, or access filtered water regularly, should opt for a side-by-side or bottom freezer French door configuration." It all comes down to personal preference and needs.

3. Prioritise features for food freshness

If you're replacing an older fridge, chances are it hasn't got the features that are available on today's market, which are abundant especially when it comes to food freshness.

Castagnoli recommends: "Crisper drawers that offer independent temperature and humidity controls are an important consideration because fruits and vegetables often require higher humidity than the main cavity of the refrigerator provides, and different types of produce require different levels of humidity."

Additional features Castagnoli suggests looking out aside from food freshness include LCD lighting, adjustable shelving, and even whether a model offers a holiday mode.

More from Tom's Guide

• Fridge struggling in the heat? Homeowners urged to make one change to stop food from spoiling
• Beat the heat: How to stop your fridge from overheating this summer
• People are putting a piece of paper in their fridge to see if their home is heatwave-ready — and it makes more sense than you think

From smarter tracking to habit observing, the notion of the best robot vacuum that can fit into your daily life is certainly an appealing one, and the Narwal Flow 2 promises a lot.

It offers "unlimited object recognition" alongside smart obstacle avoidance, and even throws in strong suction power and mop functionality with it. But, to get all those nifty little features, Narwal is asking for a lot of cash for its smart robot vacuum, so it has to outperform its cheaper competition.

I've now spent a few weeks with the Flow 2 making its way around my house (not consecutively, the battery isn't quite that good), and I can say I'm both a little impressed with it and yet paradoxically, underwhelmed. Like the AI you'll find on your phone every day, it is pretty clever, and clearly has the infrastructure to back it up, but I'm not fully convinced it's better than the traditional methods.

It's a little unproven in its features and too expensive to get the stamp of approval from me, even though I quite like it. Here's how my time with the Narwal Flow 2 went.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Price and availability

The standard Narwal Flow 2 is priced $1499.99 on Amazon.

What's more, there’s a smaller version with an autofill and drainage system that you connect to the water in your house that fetches $1599.99 on Amazon.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Setup

The Narwal Flow 2 is very easy to set up, even though it’s quite bulky and relatively heavy. Simply take the robot vacuum out of the box, plug the base in, take the extra bits that are stored in the base out, and get it on charge.

It does come with detergent in the box, so you can pop that in the base for the mop mode. From here, get the app downloaded and let the Flow 2 map your apartment. It managed to pretty much nail the mapping of my apartment on the first go, navigating around chairs, doors, and even human beings.

From the app, you can tell the Flow 2 to go around, with either the vacuum or mop function, and you can watch it go from room to room, monitoring its progress as it goes. The benefit of this is that you can catch any spots it missed or any locations that have been blocked off by items. The base station holds debris for up to 120 days and has a self-cleaning water tank.

Set up is pretty smart in a lot of ways. Once you've sent the mop around, the base station will dry it with internal heating to prevent any mould. It's relatively low maintenance, outside of keeping the detergent bin topped up.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Design

The Narwal Flow 2 has a lot going for it. The AI functionality helps it spot debris and map the home, but it's also used in voice controls, which means you rarely have to control it from the app if you don't want to. That AI functionality also makes the Flow 2 swap between a loud or light vacuum depending on the surface and the level of cleaning each surface needs.

Oddly, you can entirely control the robot vacuum from your phone, using its built-in webcam. This is a decent way of keeping track of the home while you're away, and its speakers mean you can actually talk to people through it. This mostly ended in me chatting to my partner from afar, but I can see some practical uses here, like chatting to pets, or even just checking if you've left the oven on.

It has a pet mode for finding your pets, and you can cycle through vacuum power intensities, should you feel a more thorough clean is needed. It's very neat, though very niche.

The Flow 2 sells itself on being effortless, and this is partially done in how it deals with waste, but also in some smart software. It has systems to reduce battery wear over time (which is certainly welcome with the 1-2 hours of battery life), and it can technically recognise an infinite number of obstacles, which is an infinite amount higher than the 200 the Flow can pick up.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Performance

This is the most important part of using a robot vacuum, and, unfortunately, performance is pretty mixed for me when considering the price.

In our testing suite, it entirely failed to pick up many Cheerios scattered around a confined space. It would regularly push them around the floor or crush them under its wheels. A few of them got stuck behind the wheels, and I’m not entirely convinced I’ve got them all out even now.

This means similarly sized debris simply won’t be picked up by the Flow 2. It’s not entirely uncommon that you would drop a piece of cereal while moving with a bowl or any other food, and the Flow 2 is more likely to squish it into the floor than pick it up.

I'm not entirely sure if this is a physical problem in how it picks up debris between its brush or with the AI tracking failing to register that it needs to give extra juice to the engine at the right point, but my money is on the latter.

When it comes to picking up hair, it does decently. On a low-pile carpet, it needs to go over the same patch multiple times to pick it up, and it won’t necessarily do so naturally, which means having to send it around again. I have managed to get it to pick up everything in a single go, but there's no magic touch here. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't

On tile or otherwise flat floor, its 31,000 PA suction power is more than enough to get up any dirt that gets into its path. If you’re thinking of getting a Flow 2 for a very tile-heavy apartment, it will likely perform to your expectations, and its mop mode is solid too.

It's intuitive and looks after itself. I did find it a little better at getting specific stains than just generally mopping an area, though, which I think is partly what the vacuum is going for in the first place.

Kitty litter was picked up absolutely fine in a single go, and with no issues. For everyday dirt, the Flow 2 does just fine.

Using it week to week, the Flow 2 certainly cuts down on the amount of manual vacuuming I have to do, but it’s also significantly more expensive than equally viable performers, even at its discount price.

I also found the mapping system to be good, but it struggled occasionally with finding its own base. When I moved it ever so slightly, the Flow 2 vacuum struggled to make adjustments to find its new home (just inches across).

One place the Flow 2 really does struggle is with corners and edges. The robot vacuum is pretty big and doesn't have edge-to-edge coverage, so you will likely have to go over these yourself. This is a tad disappointing for such a smart vacuum, though not entirely unheard of.

Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum review: Verdict

I really like the Narwal Flow 2 - in concept. It is definitely smart, and it has tonnes of niche little features I think are just plain neat.

However, when you're approaching north of $1,000, neat doesn't quite cut it, especially when it struggles with some of the fundamentals.

As an additive tool to my regular hand vacuuming, the Flow 2 certainly fits in a good spot, and I didn't find my flooring to be very dirty after a few weeks of using it, but there are cheaper options that get similar results.

The Flow 2 is certainly a bit better than budget robot vacuums I've tried, but is it three times better? No, not nearly. That doesn't mean it doesn't do its job; it's just not offering a price-to-dollar ratio that is as smart or efficient as its software.

Peace lilies are forgiving houseplants until they're not. They tolerate neglect, bounce back from underwater watering, and look elegant in corners where other plants struggle.

But they have one non-negotiable requirement: regular feeding. Without it, those glossy green leaves start losing their shine, blooms become sparse, and your plant quietly declines into a sad, pale version of itself.

Get the timing and amount right, and your peace lily rewards you with vibrant foliage and those signature white flower spathes appearing constantly. Here's how to feed your plant so it actually thrives.

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• Where to put a peace lily so it actually flowers — 5 ideal spots in your home
• Peace lily outgrowing its pot? Here's when and how to repot it
• Your peace lily needs dividing if you see these signs — here's how to do it

Over the years, I've found myself returning to IKEA any time I'm kitting out a new place, doing a home refresh, or looking to upgrade on some home essentials. Not only does it offer affordable furnishings, but they're also fun to make (if you like building flat-pack, like me). But, how about if you could also pack them back up when it's time to move?

IKEA's newest collection is specially designed with movers in mind. KOMPISHÄNG is an 11-piece collection for "a growing generation of young city dwellers and college students who move often and settle in quickly."

I used to move a lot and I had a tendency to just leave the furniture behind, rolling my two suitcases away unencumbered. IKEA's new collection aims to eliminate the need to start over, crafting items that are both portable and multifunctional. It launches online on August 15, but you can also find it exclusively in stores from July 13 to August 14. Here's a sneak peek at what's on offer.

For life in transit

IKEA's no stranger to curating collections with a purpose. Its SOLUPPGÅNG range is geared towards those who love exploring the great outdoors. Its DOFTRIPS collection is for those who love to grow and nurture plants. And now, the KOMPISHÄNG collection is designed for those who tend to move around, whether for work, travel, study, or another life purpose.

IKEA's newest collection wants to make sure you can pick up pieces for your residence that are still purposeful without breaking the budget. And more importantly, they're pieces that travel incredibly well when it's time to go again.

Made from solid pine, powder-coated steel and durable canvas, this entire range has been designed to be packed, carried and set up again in a new location with ease. But, it'll still look as good when you finally move it into a home you want to stay in. You just won't have had such a hard time getting it there.

And IKEA has done its research. Spending time with young adults aged 20-28 in London, it wanted to find out patterns and needs for its newest collection. As Dora Ding, Product Developer at IKEA explains: "Even if you move often, you don't want your home to feel temporary. We saw how carefully people chose the things they carried with them from place to place, and that insight shaped the collection. We want the collection to be portable but still have a permanent look, people should feel settled and [their space] considered."

Curated for convenience

So, what is included in the 11-piece collection? Well, it's composed of a solid pine desk, stools that fit together like a puzzle, a hanging wardrobe organizer, solid pine mirror frames, a shopping bag on wheels, side table, door hangers (one pine, one canvas), a triangular back cushion, jute plant pot and red metal bookend.

Each of the 11 pieces has been designed with portability in mind. The solid pine desk, available for $99.99, is one of the pieces I'm most excited about. Not only does it require no tools or assembly time to set up, just two pulls and two clicks, but it even has a built-in handle under the tabletop making it incredibly easy to move around.

The hanging wardrobe organizer is another interesting design, converting from wardrobe to carry bag with a single zip that can be worn on your back. That means you can leave your clothes inside, zip it up and move to the next place without the stress of packing and unpacking.

And the side table can easily turn into a shoulder table in seconds, folding completely flat and making it easy to fit anywhere. As David Wahl, Designer at IKEA explains: "This table isn't just a temporary solution. It's designed to accompany life's transitions – equally at home in a first apartment, a family house, or even a retirement space."

I'm already thinking about what I'll pop in my basket when the KOMPISHÄNG collection launches. I just wish it had existed when I was still living the nomad life.

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• IKEA's new wireless charger looks like a donut and costs $9, but it's surprisingly capable
• I just upgraded my home with these 5 IKEA items
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Now that summer has arrived, the scorching temperatures often take their toll on our previously lush and green grass. It’s disheartening to see unappealing yellow patches or spots on your lawn, particularly when you have gone the extra mile to seed bare spots.

In addition, you’re probably wondering why grass grows at a faster rate in some bare spots and not in others. Luckily, I’ve called on the lawn care experts to reveal why my grass is still patchy after seeding and to share tips on how to fix it.

What causes lawn to be patchy after seeding?

Essentially, overseeding is when you spread a thin layer of grass seed that matches your existing lawn type and climate zone. Experts usually suggest this method to fix bare spots, naked turf, or overrunning weeds, which are clear signs of density issues.

But why does your grass still look a little patchy even after you’ve seeded? According to experts, there could be several reasons for this — from birds swiping seeds off the ground to the breeze blowing some away.

“It’s quite common for the first go at seeding to come up slightly patchy,” adds Chrissie Handley, lawn care specialist at Online Turf. “You tend to lose some seed either from the birds picking some off the ground, or through wind blowing it away, or heavy rain can also wash some away, giving you a sparse regrowth.”

Although it’s advisable to sprinkle the seeds by hand to tackle those smaller areas, you may be spreading it too thin in certain areas — leading to patchy turf after seeding.

“Sometimes, the area can appear sparse and patchy if you’ve seeded by hand, as sometimes there will be a higher concentration of seed in certain areas, depending on the way it fell when sown,” adds Handley.

“You can simply top up these areas with additional seed once you begin to notice the sparse areas. If you do this when the seed is just beginning to germinate, you’ll have a better chance of it blending together quickly.”

How do I fix my patchy lawn?

So what can I do to fix unsightly patches? Experts advise the best solution is to reseed the affected areas, using lawn repair products or a good fertilizer.

“Proper fertilization also encourages dense turf, effectively crowding out weeds and minimizing bare patches, reducing soil erosion and promoting overall lawn stability,” states Allison Koenig, lawn and garden expert at Tractor Supply.

“Good fertilizing practice can help ensure you grow greener, healthier grass with a strong root system to combat heat, cold, drought, mowing, and foot traffic.”

For top tips, check out how often should you fertilize your lawn and when to do it.

Of course, prevention is key, and there are top tips you can do before seeding to ensure you get lush, revived grass for the summer. These include things sowing at the right time of day or adding a layer of topsoil afterwards.

“There are ways to try and counteract this with the way that you sow – always factor in extra, it’s always better to overseed to over-prepare for any that may be lost, as well as covering the seeded area,” Handley suggests.

“Add in a thin layer of topsoil afterwards. This can help stop the birds from picking it off, and also helps the seed make good contact with the ground, improving your germination rate.

“Make sure it’s a light covering of topsoil so that you’re not smothering them, and try to sow on a mild day where temperatures are forecast to be consistent for a while for a better yield. You should also keep the area consistently moist but don’t overwater — if you’re getting a lot of rain, hold off on watering.”

Typically, you should ensure your lawn gets the recommended one to two inches of water each week, but during hot, dry spells, you may need to double the duration. Additionally, watering deeply every three to four days rather than daily helps promote stronger, more drought-resistant roots.

For more top tips, check out how to tell if your lawn needs overseeding, especially if you want to maintain healthy grass all year round. Or if you just want a lush lawn, try these 11 secrets to a lawn that’s greener than your neighbor's.

Lawncare essentials we love

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• 7 common lawn care mistakes you’re probably making right now
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Cleaning my oven is one of those jobs I always put off. It just seem so laborious that I end up delaying cleaning it at all, which only makes it so much worse. I've found myself staring at oven cleaning products, unsure which one to choose and worrying about how toxic they are or how much elbow grease I'll need to put in to actually achieve results I'm pleased with. Unsurprisingly with all this overthinking, I end up giving up before I've even started.

But, then I saw a TikTok hack that suggested I would only need to use two items which I already happen to own (and it's likely you do too). With just a bottle of Cif and some cling wrap to hand, it seemed like a very affordable way to get my oven clean and the video I saw also made it look so simple. But... is it really that easy? Here's what happened when I tried it.

How does it work?

TikTok page, @cleanipedia_uk, posts expert cleaning hacks and tips by Unilever to its almost 70k followerss. But, it's this specific oven cleaning hack (featured above) that really caught my eye.

Using just Cif and some cling wrap, both of which are budget-friendly, it demonstrates that your oven can go from caked in built-up grease to completely clean (apparently). And all it takes is just five simple steps.

To follow this hack, you can:

• Apply Cif Cream to your oven door
• Cover with cling wrap and spread the cream underneath
• Wait for around an hour
• Remove the cling wrap and scrub with a non-abrasive sponge
• Wipe away everything with a damp microfibre cloth

While users in the comments were worried that the Cif would leave a smell, Cleanipedia replied: "Just make sure you wipe and rinse properly!" And some users suggested you should just be cleaning your oven whenever you use it.

For me, as much as I want to be a person that remembers to clean their oven every time it gets used, I'll never remember to go back after it's cooled down. Inevitably, my oven just keeps getting dirtier. So, a hack like this seems like a good alternative.

Here's what happened when I tried it

Armed with my bottle of Cif, some cling wrap and a dream, I thought I'd give it a go. Now, I'm aware that my oven is a bit of a mess, hence needing a TikTok hack like this to hopefully save me. And following five steps seemed simple enough – and it was.

I applied my Cif Cream and covered it in cling wrap, which took about 1 minutes (2 when wrestling with the cling wrap tube) and I decided to leave it for an hour, as recommended.

After an hour, I went back to my oven and I was a little concerned that it didn't look like the Cif was infiltrating the grease the way the video had shown. As Cleanipedia suggests though, the longer you leave it the better, so I left it for another hour before returning to give it a scrub.

I'll start by saying I was surprised about how much elbow grease was still needed to clean off the grease, but I was ultimately still impressed that it took away a lot of the grease from the main part of the door.

As you can see from the picture above though, it didn't tackle the caked-on grease nearly as well as I'd hoped. But, I'm not done trying this method. I'll leave it on for much longer next time and I'll make sure my sponge is a little more ready to scour.

It's definitely something I'll be trying again and I loved how easy it was. I also felt more comfortable leaving the Cif on the oven door for a length of time when I knew it was covered up. It was easy to forget about and if I'd forgotten about it for longer, maybe I would've gotten better results.

More from Tom's Guide

• Skip the baking soda and vinegar — I used this non-toxic substance to clean through my oven's grime, and I'm speechless
• This vinegar steam trick will rid your oven of grease and grime — here's how to do it
• How to remove oven glass stains without leaving a single scratch using this one natural solution

I've been trying to get the right bird feeder for my garden for months. From my hanging cage that attracts unwanted attention from squirrels, to the smaller wooden box that keeps falling down, to the DIY one my son made that came under attack, I'm not having much luck.

So, I turned to my old faithful — a flat bird feeder that balances safely upon a pole and provides a roof to shield the food from the elements. Only, it turns out, that's exactly what I shouldn't be using. While I thought I was doing something good for my local wildlife with the most stable option, in fact, using a flat bird feeder could be having the opposite effect. And if you're using one too, you might want to rethink it.

Why you shouldn't be using a flat bird feeder 

Bird tables feel like one of the most common ways to feed birds that are local to your area and that's because they are. But, conservation charities like Britain's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) strongly advise against them and there's a good reason for it.

According to the RSPB, it's actually a hot bed for disease, specifically finch trichomonosis, a highly contagious variant that's easily spread around bird feeders. And the problem with flat bird feeders in particular is that the feed sits out in one spot for extended periods of time where birds continuously visit and revisit it.

RSPB specifically advises: "Don't use bird feeders with flat surfaces, such as bird tables, window feeders and feeders with trays. Research has confirmed that there's a higher risk of disease spreading on flat surfaces, where contaminated food can collect."

Leaving diseased food or droppings on a flat surface can have devastating consequences for your garden birds, so instead of using flat bird feeders, you should be avoiding them.

What you should do instead

Fortunately, both the RSPB and The National Audubon Society have abundant advice on what you should do instead if, like me, you're struggling to find the right solution for feeding your garden birds.

The National Audubon Society recommends that to prevent the spread of illness, you need to follow three simple steps: "Clean feeders regularly, tidy below the feeder and share the wealth." The National Wildlife Health Center advises that to clean them, you should make "a solution of nine parts water to one part bleach," making sure to dry the bird feeder fully before putting it back out.

Tidying below it is also important, as well as to "share the wealth" by spreading out food among a few feeders to hopefully reduce the chance of all of them becoming contaminated.

Overarching all this advice, the RSPB says that what you should really be doing is to "help birds find their own food." It recommends instead that you should be helping garden birds to discover foods by planting bird-friendly plants in your garden, including sunflowers and ivy.

If you want to use bird feeders, it seems choosing hanging ones are your best option, as long as you're keeping them clean and moving them around regularly so that food build-up doesn't occur. I'll just make sure that next time I buy a hanging bird feeder, it's one that deters squirrels.

More from Tom's Guide

• Ditch the feeder this summer: The natural way to keep garden birds healthy
• Why your birdfeeder becomes a ‘disease spot’ in a heatwave — and how to fix it
• I’ve been using this Birdfy smart bird feeder for four months: here’s what I've learned

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