Whether you live in an apartment, dorm, boat or RV, a portable washer is a wonderful alternative to a full-sized model. Here are the best options on Amazon. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. BLACK+DECKER - Best Portable Washer for Apartments KEY TAKEAWAY: I stopped going to the laundromat almost completely after getting this. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: When I first heard about portable washers, I WANTED one. So bad. I grew up poor, so the idea of having my own washer and dryer was everything to me. When I finally moved into my own place, I bit the bullet and bought one, and I couldn’t be happier. Sayonara laundromats, hello endless days of laundry and the smell of Tide wafting through my home. Now, I'm here to give an honest review and that’s what I plan to do. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: It was delivered in two days and was super easy to set up. However, I was annoyed, at first, because the included attachment didn't fit my oddly shaped bathroom faucet. I ended up buying an adapter kit, which didn’t fit either, but eventually I figured out that combining three of the adapters worked perfectly with my shower hose. DRAINAGE SETUP: It takes a minute to set up, and I let it drain into the shower tub, but it works great since there's already a lint trap there. If you don’t have a lint trap, this could get tricky, so if you do it this way, I recommend getting one. PERFORMANCE: I know this isn’t your typical washer, but seriously, I’m amazed how well this thing cleans my clothes. I've had it for just over a month now and I loved it so much, I ended up getting the Panda dryer to go with it. While I can't fit everything in one go, it's still a breeze compared to dragging my laundry to the laundromat and shelling out fifteen to thirty dollars weekly. Not only that, but this baby can wash everything. All my clothes, yeah, but even more. Blankets, bath mats, you name it. I use less detergent now, and now that I don’t have to worry about other people using the same machine at the laundromat I've stopped using laundry sanitizer altogether. That’s even more money saved! MOBILITY: Although it stays in my bathroom next to the tub, I ended up getting a dolly to set it on so I can move it around when I need to clean underneath it. MAINTENANCE: In terms of maintenance, after every time I use it, I give it a good deep clean and wipe down the lid edges, and double check that I’m draining the small filter at the back. I honestly think this will help it last longer, but whatever you do, make sure you clear out the drum’s lint filter, I have three cats, so it grabs a lot of fur on top of the normal stuff. SETUP FIXES: Just a side note, sitting on the dolly makes it a little taller, and at first I had issues with the drainage tube. Eventually I figured out that to fill the drum correctly, I just needed to make sure the drainage tube wasn't too low. Once I adjusted that, it worked like a charm. ENERGY EFFICIENCY: As an extra cherry on top, both of these machines don’t use that much water and electricity, which saves me even more money. It’s seriously so worth it. BOTTOM LINE: It’s just like a normal washer and dryer, except smaller and more compact. It’s really all I need and I’ve never been happier. This is the best portable washer I could've hoped for. Get it from Amazon now: $279.97 & FREE Returns 2. Auertech - Best Portable Washer for Camping KEY TAKEAWAY: Made camper laundry way easier than washing everything by hand. PURCHASE REASON: I’m in the process of moving out of my apartment and into a small camper to work as a freelancer while I travel. It’s a big change, but one of the biggest is giving up my normal size washer and dryer. DESIGN ISSUES: This is my second portable washer I bought from Amazon. The first was a little too small to my liking and didn’t feel super durable. This new one is mainly plastic. Because it has a weird design where the water inlet connects to the faucet, I ended up having to create my own contraption using zip ties. However, it's still much better than the last model. Honestly, these machines feel more like a kid’s toy and than an actual appliance for adults. Still, it beats washing clothes by hand. After adding a piece of fabric to the lint catcher, it started actually working. DRAINAGE WARNING: I wouldn’t drain this stuff into my home plumbing. If you do, I’d recommend keeping a close eye on it to avoid clogging your drains. PORTABILITY: It’s pretty easy to move around and I can keep it on my cooler for quick access. WASHING: After washing the clothes with detergent, I rinse them three to four times depending on how dirty they were and how clean the water still is. It usually takes about four cycles before I put them in a spinner, set it for five minutes, and sit back and let it do its job. DRYING: Most of the time, the clothes come out almost dry, maybe a little damp, but I can pretty much wear them after a few hours of hanging. MANUFACTURING FLAWS: I really wish the manufacturers hadn’t assembled plastic wrap beneath the exterior parts. I had to disassemble the entire unit to remove it, which seems stupid, honestly. PRODUCT COMPARISON: After comparing similar products on Amazon, it seems that there’s just a lack of a good system for attaching the water inlet hose to your faucet. Thankfully, this one included a lint catcher, which helped. Oh, and the small round plastic piece that sits on the clothes in the spinner is pretty much useless. At least this one fits inside the spinner, unlike the first one I bought. SIZE ADVANTAGE: It’s also one of the largest portable washers I found. As a single middle-aged guy, I pretty much wear the same clothes on repeat, and they don’t get dirty enough for me to justify using a laundromat. However, though it still requires some effort, it’s preferable over having to go elsewhere to do my laundry. PRO TIP: When you drain it, more water tends to come out, even when it seems done. It annoyed me at first, but it makes sense. The water’s just getting backlogged in the drain hose. Unlike some models that are entirely gravity-fed, this one operates like a full-size unit with a motor that actively pushes the water out when you turn the knob to drain. I actually bought this mainly because of this reason. BOTTOM LINE: Amazon offers many products, but as we all know, not all are worth it. This one is decent. It’s not the best thing I’ve ever bought, but it works, and if you’re thinking about taking the plunge for a portable washer, this is the one you should get. Get it from Amazon now: $189.99 & FREE Returns 3. COMFEE’ - Best Full-Automatic Portable Washer KEY TAKEAWAY: Really feels close to using a full-size washer. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: First off, the delivery was super fast–three days after ordering. They even delivered it up the stairs, straight to my door. I do recommend cutting the box instead of trying to dump it out. But the whole thing was fast–I had my first round of clothes going in thirty minutes. The machine was brand new and packed really well. I did so many loads of laundry that first day, so I’m pretty much an expert on answering this. I'll use this review to answer some commonly asked questions: FAUCET CONNECTION: Yep. It hooks to the kitchen sink. It includes a connector that attaches to the faucet to create an adapter for the sink. It has hot and cold hoses for water–and you can even use the bathroom sink, too. CONTROL PANEL: Control panel was easy to read, and nope, doesn’t leak as long as you make sure it's secured. NOISE LEVEL: It spins great, but it’s not loud, an awesome benefit. CYCLE TIMING: It took about forty five minutes for a larger load of laundry and fifteen to thirty for a smaller load. PORTABILITY: It weighs about seventy five pounds, but it comes with handles to help move it. Mine didn’t come with wheels, but it’s really not hard to move. SIZE COMPARISON: To give you an idea of size, it’s about as tall and wide as a typical kitchen counter. DRUM MATERIAL: Inside is stainless steel. LID VISIBILITY: There’s like a cover over the top so you can’t really see your clothes inside, especially if you’re using hot water, as it steams the lid. LOADING FLEXIBILITY: There's a nice perk. You can throw more clothes in whenever you want without it stopping. HOSE COMPATIBILITY: Even if you don’t have hot and cold hookup for water, you can still use both and just switch them out whenever you need to. It also tells you if you have the wrong hose connected, which I thought was cool. SUPPORT MATERIALS: There’s a warranty and an instruction manual, so you’ve got your bases covered. It comes with a drain hose too! POWER REQUIREMENTS: It comes with a power cord and a regular outlet is more than enough for it to work. USAGE TIPS: When you’re actually getting started, I would try out a couple different load sizes just to make sure you don’t overfill it. Still, I think this is definitely big enough for more than one person. I could wash my full sized bed covers with zero issues, but anything bigger may be a little difficult. That being said, it’s great for towels and rugs–except I’d be careful not to put huge rugs in here. DETERGENT OPTIONS: It takes both liquid and powdered detergent and fabric softener, so that’s a plus, and although there’s a separate area to put this in, you can also do what I did, and it directly in. That works too. BOTTOM LINE: You’re going to love this washer, trust me. I did a lot of research and after receiving it I couldn’t be happier. I know you will too. Get it from Amazon now: $345.00 & FREE Returns 4. Giantex - Best Portable Washer for Small Loads KEY TAKEAWAY: Small loads came out cleaner than they did at the laundromat. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: I was really over saving up the change to go back and forth to the laundromat, so after doing the research, I just took the plunge. This one was in my budget and had great reviews. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I got it shipped within a few days, taking it out of the box was simple, and it came with an instruction manual. The instructions didn’t really make much sense, so google translate was definitely used. BATHTUB SETUP: After owning this for almost a month, I officially figured out the cheat codes. I put it in my bathtub, use some sponges, to keep it level, and wah lah! I got a diverter for my shower head and an adapter to make sure it worked. Any hardware store will sell it. The hose does come with the washer, so that’s nice. It’s so easy just connecting to the shower and letting it do its thing. This way you don’t have to keep bending over, and you can just rinse it afterwards to get the soap out. CAPACITY CONTROL: I’d recommend putting less in then you think you should, just to stay on the safe side. If your clothes aren’t swirling around, then you probably have too much in. WASH & SPIN USE: You can even spin it and wash it together. OVERFILL ISSUES: If you fill it too much, it’s going to end up draining so just keep that in mind. It sounds like an A/C unit and you’ll get some vibrations, more so if it’s unstable. CLEANING RESULTS: I usually keep the water inside and then just top it off with hot water. It can look dirty, but once I add soap, it’s just cleaning it either way. Honestly, my whites are brighter from this than at the laundromat. USAGE STEPS: Step 1: Make sure it’s plugged in. Seems obvious, but I forgot. Step 2: Splash a tablespoon of soap inside. Step 3: Put clothing in one piece at a time, but separate loads based on type, whites, denim, etc. For your basic clothes, over half full works. The heavier stuff should be in smaller groups. Step 4: Set the dial to normal and let it fill up with water. You’ll need an adapter for the inlet hose and I didn’t have one so I just used a bucket to fill it up over half full. Step 4: Put wash to fifteen minutes, but keep it mind it doesn’t beep when it’s complete. There might be a slight burning smell, but I guess that’s the new motor kicking to life. Step 5: Turn the dial to drain out of the drain hose. Remember, there’s no pump so let gravity help you out. Step 6: Put a few items evenly in the spinner basin, and then put the plastic insert on top, and hit spin to five. If you got an adapter for your inlet hose this will help spin and drain it, but if not you can still spin the soap out and repeat it again in clean water. It vibrates so don't be surprised, but if during the spin cycle it sounds a little too loud, just move stuff around. It’s going to be damp, but definitely not wet. STORAGE: When you’re putting it away, let gravity help you with the drainage hose to empty out the water and if you keep the lid open it will keep it smelling fresher. PRECAUTIONS: I recommend taking precautions when you use it. It’s gonna break if you put too much stuff in, and it’s better for maintenance and upkeep every day or two, then loading everything you own into it in one day. It’s compact and not as large as a normal washing machine, but if treated well, it will get the job done, trust me. BOTTOM LINE: Overall, it cleans my clothes, I’m saving money from the laundromat, and I’m happy! In the future, I’m gonna store it on a cart and get that adapter, so I’ll update in the future to let you know how it works. Get it from Amazon now: $169.99 & FREE Returns 5. SUPER DEAL - Best Portable Washer Under $150 KEY TAKEAWAY: Perfect for couples living in small apartments. EASE OF USE: My fiancé and I are so happy we bought this, and the learning curve is pretty simple. Really, you just want to make sure you know how much to put in. When it was first delivered, we didn't even have to put it together. It was already assembled. We were able to start washing things right away. I didn't even need an instruction manual, and I always need those. It was that easy. SETUP: I recommend lifting it up onto something. It helps so you can clean underneath it, but you also have to run the hoses to the faucet so having it higher up allows you to do that easier if you attach it to the sink. And if you connect it to the sink, it goes faster, but you can also use buckets of water to fill it up for larger loads. SPINNER BALANCE: The spinner is my only issue, and that’s more because you have to equal out your clothes on both sides so it doesn’t vibrate too loud and make a knocking sound. It’s all easy to figure out though, and once you get the hang of it, you’re not going to regret buying this, We definitely didn’t. OVERVIEW: Honestly, it’s compact, and that’s what we needed for our small apartment, and it takes like twenty minutes to do a whole wash AND spin cycle. It’s amazing. After, we just hang our clothes in the shower in front of a fan and it leaves the whole place smelling fresh. I definitely recommend using the spin cycle to get as much water out as possible first though. Really helps. WASH OPTIONS: I definitely recommend trying a few different ways to wash. There’s a few different options. Like if you have delicate clothes, definitely try using the softer cycle. If you want to wash your clothes fast, try out the fifteen minute timer. You don't really need a lot of detergent for that. Otherwise the clothes get kind of stiff, but fabric software definitely helps with that. BOTTOM LINE: Overall, it takes about five or six loads to do all of our clothes, but we're also two people. We can both do little loads every day and it's not an issue. Fortunately, we don't have to pay for water so that's not a problem but really it was a great investment. We no longer have to go to the laundromat or pay for an Uber and collect change. It's also pretty quiet too, except when you put it on the spin cycle, then it can get louder, but the trick to that is keeping it balanced. It's a good size. I definitely, definitely recommend it. Get it from Amazon now: $113.99 & FREE Returns 6. BLACK+DECKER - Best Large Portable Washer KEY TAKEAWAY: The large drum can handle really big loads. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: My fiancé and I have been living in a very tiny house with no hook ups for a washer and dryer. We had a different portable washer before this one, but it was too small and it leaked all the time. After four years, I knew it was time to get a new one. USER ERROR ISSUES: I consider myself a pretty intelligent person, and I'll be honest in giving this review. A lot of the bad reviews I saw on this machine are from people who clearly did not read the instruction manual. It was pretty easy if you did that. CYCLE OPTIONS: There's like 36 different cycle options, and there is one that can take up to two hours, but the manual explains why, and trust me it only takes two minutes to read it. The longer cycle is an eco-mode. Essentially it saves energy to wash your clothes, making it last longer. You don't even have to use that if you don't want to. Just avoid it. Problem solved. The majority of the cycles are around forty minutes–just like a normal washer. SPIN CYCLE ISSUES: Then there are those who argue that this product sucked because of the spinner. They added photos of their clothes wrapped around and tied up, saying that the spin cycle was too fast. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that they overloaded the machine. You can't fill it all the way. It has to stay at 3/4 otherwise this happens and it can leak. Again, this is all in the instructions that come with the machine. I've done a dozen loads so far, two of them really large and none of this is happening to me. I promise I'll update if that's the case but I doubt that's gonna happen. INCLUDED PARTS: Some reviewers also said that the package lacked parts. No, it didn't. It came with everything you need to connect and adapt it to the sink. AMAZON FULFILLMENT: I think a lot of these people were annoyed about shipping issues, but that’s what happens when you buy from a third-party. If you buy directly from Amazon, guess what? Any shipping issues, and they'll replace it. Mine came in great condition. BOTTOM LINE: This washer is incredible. It holds almost double the loads of our last one - what I would consider about the same as a normal washer. All the cycle options are a huge plus in my opinion. Because it can connect to a standard washer and dryer hook up, when we eventually move to a new house, we’ll have no issue connecting it. We’ll definitely bring it with us. Like I said before, it came with everything it needed to hook up to a standard faucet. It's a great value for the cost. If you're on the fence, trust me, ignore the negative reviews, and take the plunge. You won't regret it. Get it from Amazon now: $309.99 & FREE Returns

I tested the iRobot Roomba j9+, and it really removes 99% of debris on carpets and floors, including corners and edges. Here's my hands-on review. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. iRobot Roomba j9+ - Features Upgraded Wi-Fi-Connection KEY TAKEAWAY: Made keeping up with my two shedding dogs much, much easier. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: I’m a boomer (say what you will about me), so there’s one thing I stand by - I don’t care for technology! After a few years, my partner and I finally took the leap and decided to impress our grandkids by getting this high tech gadget, probably the most high tech thing I own behind my phone and computer. But trust me when I say that this was needed. We have two dogs who have super long coats and it feels like they’re always shedding. I sweep multiple times a day, and after hurting my back last summer, I needed an alternative. As it turns out, technology exists for a reason. RESEARCH PROCESS: I did a fair amount of research before deciding on the Roomba, and I’m really happy I went with this option. The price was a good selling point, but so were the positive reviews. SETUP: Setup went really smooth, mainly because the instructions were very clear, which this old man appreciated! Readers beware - I haven’t downloaded the app that goes with this thing yet mainly because the reviews on the Google store weren't great. So ultimately I ended up just giving Roomba the charge and then let him run wild over the mess that was our house. FIRST RUN RESULTS: My floors are a combo of vinyl, hardwood, and comfy area rugs (that we usually use to wipe our feet on). I do recommend removing things Roomba can eat–like loose chords and papers and whatnot. I kept a good eye on Roomba the first few times, just to make sure he didn’t destroy anything. We let Roomba get to work for a solid hour, as that was about all my dog could take freaking out at this thing, before he gets used to it. He did get a little caught up in the dishes the dogs eat out, but now I just know that I have to remove them for next time. In an hour he did the majority of the house, including cleaning the bathroom floors. He had no issue going over the divide, and I was most concerned with how he would do between the wood and rugs, and to my pleasant surprise, it ended up not being an issue at all! LOOSE THREAD ISSUE: One of the rugs had a little loose thread, and while he did try to eat it up, I snipped it real quick just to be on the safe side, so keep an eye out for things like that. Roomba had no specific direction in how it cleaned, and yet it definitely ate up all the dirt in our house. DAILY USE RESULTS: Maybe I’m imagining it, but it seems Roomba cleaning style has improved, and it’s likely that’s in part to the dirt alert that tells Roomba where the high traffic areas are so he eats up all that extra dirt. We use him twice a day, and the house has never been cleaner, the floors never better! BACK PAIN RELIEF: Now I’m more inclined to mop the house, since I don’t have to sweep first. And the pain in my back is actually feeling better! I do sweep occasionally, just to get to areas that Roomba can’t access, like under the cabinets, but he does go under the couch, so that is really nice! I also sweep where there are a lot of chords, like under the computer desk, so that way I don’t have to unplug everything for Roomba to make sure he doesn't eat my computer. PET ADJUSTMENT: My dogs have definitely started to get used to him, he’s become another member of the pack, I think, and the sound of him vacuuming doesn’t even bother me anymore. BOTTOM LINE: Overall, this boomer has one thing to say - technology can be your friend! I highly recommend this Roomba. It’s definitely made me and my partner’s life easier! I plan to download the app that goes with this thing and once I do, I’ll get back to you. Get it from Amazon now: $639.95 & FREE Returns

I tested the popular Katchy trap and I was really impressed. Here's why I gave it 5 stars on Amazon. Hope it helps you make a better purchasing decision. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. Katchy Trap - Works well for flies, mosquitos, gnats & moths KEY TAKEAWAY: Got the fungus gnats around my plants under control. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I have to start by saying that I bought a slightly damaged unit. It was obviously used, missing a small part, and had a sticky disk already in there with a gnat on it. I was like, all right, let's give it a shot. Plugged it in, hit the standard setting, and the light came on with a gentle fan breeze. It's a bit bigger than I thought, but hey, I got a serious bug issue here, so whatever works. They say it works better in dim light, so I set it up in a troubled spot. Four hours later, I peeked in, and bam, more than one gnat on the sticky pad. It's doing its job. EFFECTIVENESS: The usual methods - letting pots dry, using hydrogen peroxide and water, mulching, and those yellow sticky traps - didn't cut it, but this seems to vacuum them up. Yay! If this keeps up, I'll buy more since I have plants all over the house. Trust me, I've got fruit flies, fungus gnats, and a variety of tiny beetles, you name it the bugs love me. Keeping the swarms down without harming my plants is wonderful. Will update as I go along. SECOND UNIT RESULTS: My house is big, and the bug collection is mostly at one end where the first unit is, so I ended up taking the plunge and grabbing a second one for the other end of the house. Someone said it's like a fly spa, but nope, it won't work on houseflies - they're too big. I wish! There are other models for that, and I definitely might get them in the future. But for gnats and smaller bugs, it’s filling up the sticky pads fast. I have to say, it’s nice to work at my computer without swatting bugs constantly. The fungus gnat problem from potting soil is nearly gone. If you have a grow booth or plants, stick one in for a night every two weeks, and it’ll clear out the pests. DAILY ROUTINE: The first one clears out the plant room, the second one near the kitchen sink handles the other end of the house. I doubt it'll catch sewer flies, but flushing the disposal with hot vinegar and a lemon usually does the trick for those. I’ll keep you posted. I turn them off during the day and on at night when the UV light is most effective. I’m curious if the kitchen one will attract the spiders that crawl up my walls, as they go for the dead prey, so we'll see if it can stick them down too. PERFORMANCE OVER TIME: Plant area one catches loads of gnats, while the kitchen unit gets the fruit flies from the bananas. Spider traps near both areas are working well. Yep. My bug problem is getting ready to say goodbye! Couldn’t be happier with these Katchys. Spring starts are going well with no gnat problems. No chemicals needed. Still worth every penny. Replacing the sticky pads is a breeze. MAINTENANCE: We have two mixed breed Persian cats shedding everywhere, plus house dust. I clean the Katchy with a q-tip weekly to keep airflow clear (same as our tower fans). Still catching the tiniest bugs - fungus gnats, fruit flies. Fall harvest brought in more fruit flies, but a cupful of apple cider next to the kitchen unit did the trick. Plants brought in micro bugs, but their numbers are dropping. Katchy doesn't instantly solve your problem, but you'll see results in days. I also got a no-zap UV sticky pad catcher for house flies over the toilet, and it works too. BOTTOM LINE: These days, I also use the more-expensive LiBa Bug Zapper and I've written a review about it, but I have to say that even with this cheaper unit, I got everything I could and wanted... and more. Can’t be happier with how well this works and how easy it is to use and maintain. Get it from Amazon now: $40.00 & FREE Shipping

The Barista Express is indeed pricey, but if you’re looking for the absolute best, I believe it’s worth the investment. Here's my hands-on review. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. Breville Barista Express - Actually Delivers A Balanced Taste KEY TAKEAWAY: We stopped going out for coffee almost completely after getting this. DAILY USE: Alrighty, let’s talk about my new favorite kitchen appliance: this coffee machine that’s been living it up in our kitchen for the past eight months. This thing gets more use than pretty much anything else in our kitchen. We’ve run it through the wringer with four cleaning cycles, half of them for descaling and the other half just regular maintenance. And guess what? It’s been holding up pretty darn well! PRICE PER CUP: As you can tell, I like it. I like it a lot! I've crunched the numbers, and even if this baby decides to conk out on us by the end of the year, we've probably broken even. Think about it: each cup at your local coffee joint sets you back about seven bucks, and that’s depending where you live. When I went on vacation to Florida, it was almost ten bucks for just a normal cup of joe! COST SAVINGS: I’ve done the math, and with this machine, after about 120 cups, you're hitting that break-even point. Throw in the extra bucks for using your own milk, and you'll probably need like 200 cups to really feel like you're getting your money’s worth. And if you're the type to make a pit stop at the bakery or snag some snacks when you're out for coffee, having this machine might just save you a pretty penny much sooner. (I can’t go to Starbucks without also getting a croissant.) GRINDER PERFORMANCE: So, about the integrated conical burr grinder, it's a little champ. Seriously, adjusting the grind size and quantity is super easy. My husband had to give it a clean once because it started acting up a bit. But hey, a quick run-through with some rice, as Breville suggested. We almost removed the top screw for a good scrub-down, that all did the trick. USAGE FREQUENCY: I haven’t bothered checking out other coffee makers. Given the rave reviews and the sweet price point of this one, why would we? We're pretty much making espresso drinks every single day: grinding, frothing, you name it. So much so, even the kids want to learn how to do it (they don’t drink coffee, they just like playing barista.) If we were just doing straight espresso shots, we probably wouldn’t need this much upkeep, either, so keep that in mind. Here's the scoop on our daily grind. My partner and I, plus our little munchkins, we average about four, sometimes, up to six cups a day. If we have friends over, we might push it to ten or eleven, but that’s not a regular thing. And no way would we be chugging that much coffee if we were buying it out. We wouldn’t be able to afford it haha. MILK FROTHING: We’re big on almond milk around here. We make it ourselves and everything. Sure, it's not as creamy as what you might get from a pro frother, but it’s still top-notch for homemade steamed milk, if I may say so myself. It creates this thick milk texture that I like. And... making it is a breeze. I just soak some good quality almonds overnight, blend them up with some water, and strain it through a nut milk bag. Add a little honey, vanilla, a pinch of salt, and a dash of cinnamon, and you’re golden. You didn’t know this was a recipe review did you? Hah! Some folks heat it gently to thicken it up, which is kind of a neat trick, too. BEAN PREP: We’ve stopped buying from local spots, it was just too much. Now we picked up a small roaster, and we order green coffee beans online (Amazon makes it a lot more affordable). We roast them just how we like, fresh and ready to go. By the way, if you’re roasting at home, grab a Knockbox that Breville sells. It’s a lifesaver for dealing with the spent grounds, especially if you’ve got a septic system to worry about. Composting is also a gem and coffee grinds are perfect for that. BEAN CHOICE: Our current bean of choice? Colombian Huila. It’s a steal on Amazon, about six bucks a pound, and it roasts up with a yummy caramel-chocolate. We’ve tried a bunch, and for the price and flavor, it’s a winner for everyone who's tried it in our house. COMPARISON NOTES: Even though we’ve been around (yep, even to Italy where the espresso is next-level), this machine manages to hold its own. And if you travel a lot, consider bringing it along if you can manage the logistics with your milk and such. Even fancy hotels with their in-room setups don’t quite measure up. BOTTOM LINE: Breville nailed it with this machine. Great price, solid performance. Haven't needed to call for help except once about a minor grind issue. And hey, there’s even an extended warranty you can snag to keep this bad boy brewing for years to come. If I haven’t made it clear, let me do that now: I loooove this baby, and trust this internet stranger, I bet you will, too! Get it from Amazon now: $692.99 & FREE Returns

If you're looking for the perfect ice maker, I tested the GE Profile Opal and I can personally guarantee it's worth every penny. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. GE Profile Opal - Comes with Wi-Fi and uses a smart app KEY TAKEAWAY: Finally gave us that soft Sonic-style ice at home. BACKGROUND: I finally decided to go ahead and give this ice marker a whirl to see if it was up to my standards, and welp, I can officially say I guess I’m the kind of person who makes Amazon reviews now haha. Lemme just tell you a little bit about how obsessed I am with this thing. Trust me, this ice maker is about to be your new best friend on a sunny day. But, first, here's a little backstory on why I decided to go with this ice machine. You didn’t ask for it, but I’ll tell ya anyways. PURCHASE REASON: My family has always been obsessed with the ice from Sonic–the fast food chain that has that soft, chewable ice. Yep, you can probably taste it just by me saying it. We used to buy bags of it until our local chain shut down. We were as crushed as the ice. And then my sister called up years later and told me she found a machine that could make the same type of ice. After trying hers, I knew I needed to get my own. I bought it with a gift card, but honestly I would have spent the money myself - that’s how great this thing is. However, if you want something cheaper but with a different feature set, check out Holly Nasello's Frigidaire Ice Maker review. That one might be a better fit if you're looking for a budget option. HARD WATER NOTES: Here's a little warning, though. If you live in an area with hard water I definitely recommend getting a filter. You can snap it to the bottom of the water well in the ice maker and definitely just make sure to run the cleaning cycle before the first use. The instructions in the manual were easy to follow and I didn’t have any problems with figuring it out. DESIGN: This icemaker is a little on the larger side, but I find it fits pretty well under my upper cabinets. It has a magnetic side tank, which is pretty sweet, and I like how the design is sleek and comes with clear plastic and stainless steel. It’s a little on the heavy side at just under fifty pounds, so ya, you might need help setting it up. NO REFRIGERATION: Just keep in mind that the unit isn’t refrigerated, so it’s not gonna keep the ice frozen forever. It pretty much just makes the ice and drops it into a clear plastic drawer and when that drawer is full, you’ll need to transfer the ice to a bag or bin for your freezer. If you leave the ice in the drawer, it’s gonna melt. And just keep in mind that the water gets recycled to make more ice. MANUAL FILLING: This machine isn’t connected to plumbing, so you have to fill the water tank manually. The tank on the side is large enough to make like three drawers full of ice, but it can produce up to twenty four pounds of ice over the course of a day and you can store about three pounds inside the drawer. It’s perfect for a bigger family who goes through a lot of ice. I usually just end up making and bagging ice to avoid running the ice maker consistently. SETUP: The instructions were super clear and I didn’t have any issues setting it up. After I got it together, I pretty much just flipped the switch to ice and then wah, lah! You’re good to go. It also has a button on the front that tells you the status of it and gives you notifications about things (like when to add more water, when you should empty out the drawer, and when it’s making ice). Also, the Bluetooth connectivity was pretty sweet but the app that monitors it remotely seemed kinda weird, and I found it a bit too invasive for my taste, so I ended up not using it. NOISE LEVEL: I read some negative reviews that it was too noisy, but I don’t really know what those people were talking about. Maybe they’re on the sensitive side of hearing, or maybe I just have tinnitus, because I’m pretty confident this thing is quiet. Yeah, it’s a little louder when the fan kicks in, but it’s not that bad. Just like a little hum. PRO TIPS: Definitely make sure you wash out the side water tank before you start making ice. Once you switch the ice to the freezer, it’s gonna change texture and won’t be as soft, so I’d recommend banging the bag on the counter to break it up. For maintenance, I usually descale it with vinegar like once a week, and if you want to prevent mold, you can use bleach. BOTTOM LINE: This thing seriously creates the perfect ice, the same one from my childhood - just like Sonic, that soft, chewy nuggets, perfect for those humid Florida summers if you ask me. So, all in all, I’m so happy I got this ice maker. Yeah, it’s a bit on the pricier side, so if you’re not a fan of this special Sonica soft ice, it might not be worth it for you, but it’s actually what I wanted. Talk about my new favorite toy. If you're still deciding, Belinda Young's Best Portable Ice Maker Review covers options by other brands, so you can check it out. Get it from Amazon now: $549.00 & FREE Returns

I use Frigidaire to make clear, chewable bullet-shaped ice. It’s probably the best affordable option you can get on Amazon. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. Frigidaire - Makes bullet ice in two different sizes KEY TAKEAWAY: Keeps pumping out ice fast enough for parties and BBQs. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: Have you ever found yourself running out of ice at the most inconvenient times? Yeah, that pretty much summarizes me every time I host a party. Doesn’t matter if it's an outdoor barbecue or a movie night, but yeah, always running out of ice. So that's why the Frigidaire ice maker turned out to be the lifesaver I've been looking for. This handy gadget sits right on my countertop, offering the convenience of freshly made ice without taking up all the space in my freezer. By the way, if you want to see how this Frigidaire ice maker stacks up against models from other brands, you can check out Belinda Young's Best Portable Ice Maker Review. CUSTOM ICE SIZE: One of the favorite things about this ice maker is its ability to produce bullet shaped ice in two different sizes. Depending what you’re drinking, you might need a different type of ice. Smaller ice nuggets fit perfectly in your cocktail glass and larger ones are great for that big tumbler. Either one, this machine has got you covered. The variety adds a level of customization that not many ice makers offer. DAILY OUTPUT: The machine also never stops moving. Talk about a consistent performance. Imagine being able to produce up to twenty six pounds of ice per day! That’s enough to keep all your drinks chilled, even on the hottest days. Consider also that most gas stations sell ice in five pound bags, and you’ll realize quickly how much money you’re going to save on this. PERFORMANCE: Patience might be a virtue, but who has time to wait for ice? Not me, when I’m always forgetting to start things. With this ice maker, you can have your first batch ready in like 8 minutes, and if you ask me, that's practically no time at all. By the time you've mixed your drink, the ice is ready to go. NOT A FREEZER: Now, before you jump to conclusions, you need to realize first and foremost that this ice maker isn’t a storage freezer, but rather a continuous ice producer. There’s a big difference. It’ll keep your ice at around 27 degrees, similar to a cooler. This means the ice will slowly melt and be remade again. In other words, you’re always going to have fresh ice on hand. EASY OPERATION: The ice maker is incredibly easy to use. It only has a few simple buttons and then the lights go off to notify you of the status of the system. It's so easy to operate even if you're not particularly tech-savvy like me. The lights are a great touch, too - they inform you when the ice bucket is full or when it’s time to add more water. No annoying beeps or complicated displays, just straightforward indicators that anyone can understand. NOISE: So how loud is it? Well, have you ever been in a quiet room and suddenly an appliance starts making a racket? Not with this ice maker. Nope. It operates quietly, so you won't even notice it's there. This is perfect for open-plan living spaces or if your party is getting going with the conversations. DESIGN: Despite its impressive ice-making capabilities, the Frigidaire ice maker really doesn’t take up much space on your countertop, which I love, because my kitchen is on the smaller side. Its sleek design matches well with stainless steel appliances, so it won't stick out like a sore thumb in your kitchen. Plus, it comes with a handy ice scoop, which is great for parties. However, I do think the GE Profile Ice Maker has a better design overall. Feel free to check out Or Shalom's review. STORAGE TIPS: For optimal results, I definitely recommend that you transfer the ice from the machine to your freezer if you’re not using it immediately. Since the ice maker keeps the ice at about 27 degrees, transferring it to a 0-degree freezer will ensure it lasts longer in your drinks. Remember, it’s not a storage thing, it just creates it. If you're planning an outdoor event, using an insulated cup will keep your ice from melting too quickly. PROS: Quality built machine. Very easy to use. Light indicators are awesome. Produces twenty six pounds of ice per day. First ice batch in just eight minutes. Pauses automatically when the basket is full. Quiet when it’s on. Compact design that fits on small countertops. Has a long cord. MINOR CON: In terms of cons, my only thought is that draining the machine can be tricky. The drain plug is not the easiest to use as it’s located underneath it. However, a simple solution I found is to use a microfiber towel to soak up any remaining water. It’s pretty quick and keeps everything dry and ready for the next time you’re gonna use it. BOTTOM LINE: It’s really just a fantastic addition to my house and for all my parties. If you're tired of running out of ice like me, this might just be the perfect solution for you, and for that price, you can’t really say no! Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns

Thickness planers are a necessity when it comes to reducing thickness of a piece of wood. My picks will help you achieve precision and smoothness. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. DEWALT (DW735X) Thickness Planer - Best Professional Thickness Planer KEY TAKEAWAY: Gives rough lumber a polished, professional finish. PROJECT GOALS: I need to build my presentation boxes for custom-built pistols. I have found some cigar box-style offerings online, and they will work, but the build quality is rough, to put it lightly. The boxes I can find online that are made with higher quality kill-the-profit margin of using those. So, in a typical fashion, I thought, Since I don't know anything about woodworking, I needed to learn, and now I need a planner. EXPECTATIONS: The first planer I looked at was DEWALT. The reviews talk about the knives getting dull quickly for this maker, so I ordered extra when I ordered this one for review. The Dewalt has an infeed and outfeed that I felt I needed for my box-making process. DELIVERY NOTES: When delivered, this unit was packaged like a tank and looked great. This is a weighty box; use a hand truck to move it to the garage, then get help to pick it up. FIRST TEST CUT: I tried this planer on a spare piece of wood I had handy to see how it worked, and I must say this is very impressive. It improved a sock piece of wood that came off the shelf, supposedly ready to be made into stuff; it's now even more ready and awe-inspiring. I hooked up the shop vac to the dust port to keep the garage clean and not make a bigger mess than usual. When the planer is running, I can hear and feel the exhaust fans running inside the machine, and I am pretty happy that I out-thought my mess-making. With this machine's exhaust, I am sure chips and sawdust would be thrown from one side of the garage to the other. After getting the sides of the presentation box cut to size, I ran the wood through the planner to make things smooth and precisely the right thickness. BOTTOM LINE: What I like the most about using the planer is that I can reduce the heavy and overly thick boards to a more presentation box style, which looks much better now. Being able to start with rough-cut lumber and end with perfection is a thing I did not even think about until I got a hold of one of these planers. Get it from Amazon now: $799.00 & FREE Returns 2. WEN Benchtop Thickness Planer - Best Thickness Planer for Beginners KEY TAKEAWAY: Cheap enough for beginners, yet smooths wood really well. BEGINNER-FRIENDLY: This WEN planer is my favorite for my needs at this level of production and skill, or lack of skill. Making presentation boxes is a low-skill area on the woodworker side of my business. I know this is a low-skill area because I can do it, and I have zero skills. I cannot speak to the furniture-making value of this planer or anything that magical woodworkers can create. Still, it works perfectly for what I do with it. COST VS PERFORMANCE: WEN is half the price or less than other planers and performs at the same or close to the same level as the more expensive machines. I use a sander when I am done planning, so I am good with this choice for many reasons. For a machine I have on a rolling platform that sits in the closet most of the time, the cost and effectiveness of what it does are perfect. This may not be the right choice if I were an actual woodworker. SETUP: All I had to do to get this machine working was take it out of the packing, hook up the handle and dust tube, wax the in and out feeds, and give a Prolix to everything I could see that looked like it needed some lube. I also ensured the planer was level on the roller platform and had adjustable level casters to get level and stay level when in use. PALLET WOOD TEST: I put some planks from an old pallet through this planer, and I may use the pallet wood for some of these presentation boxes as the used wood looks pretty cool. I think old-school revolvers would look great in a box of aged wood stained with a dark finish like mahogany. It will be very cool. The planner will help me make the hardwood boxes I deliver, which are custom 1911s that I call the executive style CCW guns. This pistol has leather-wrapped slabs on the handle, and everything is smooth and shiny. SAFETY GEAR: Using this planner requires all the safety gear that goes to the range, so anyone who is a shooter will have eye and hearing protection. Do not run this machine without earmuffs or foam plugs to protect your hearing. I don't know the sound levels on this machine, but I can tell everyone it is twice as loud as my air compressor or sounds like that when I use it to plane wood. Get it from Amazon now: $539.99 & FREE Returns 3. DEWALT (DW734) Benchtop Planer - Best Benchtop Thickness Planer KEY TAKEAWAY: Finish was so smooth, I barely needed sanding. WEIGHT: This planer is very heavy for a benchtop style. This is a problem if I want to move it around, like to a job site. The weight is a plus more than a minus for someone who will put this in their shop and leave it there. The weight will keep vibrations very low, and the finish will be the best. When lighter-weight units are used, there are more opportunities to get better by sending out some things that can come from the planner. EXPECTATIONS: I have read many reviews talking about how long the blades last, and to me, for what I do, I may not ever put that much wood through the machine to change the knives. When these ships are used, the knives can be reversed and come with a spare set. I am sure for my needs I will never need to buy some. For others, that is true; woodworkers may need to purchase new blades in about a year or two. FIRST TRIAL: I used this briefly to see if I wanted to keep it for the price it would cost me. I was not able to put vast amounts of board feet through it. ROUGH WOOD TEST: This machine will take a very rough piece of pallet wood and make it look like a new piece of pine. I looked for some very warped or hammered slats to see what a planner like this could do, and to be honest, I could not find a thing I could not do. The finish was so smooth that I did not bother sanding them afterward. Get it from Amazon now: $579.00 & FREE Returns 4. CRAFTSMAN Benchtop Planer - Best Budget Thickness Planer KEY TAKEAWAY: Although good enough for hobby projects, it's definitely not built for heavy shop use. BUILD ISSUES: I saw that Craftsman had a planer and thought I would try out the brand as I have a history with them, like many others my age. I have to say, Craftsman has dropped the quality control of manufacturing. BOARD ADJUSTMENTS: The in and out boards needed adjustment, which is expected when things are shipped; I did not expect the factory to over-tighten them and strip the heads. Maybe it's robots assembling them, or perhaps the folks putting them together have a high piece rate requirement; either way, the quality suffered. QUALITY: The machine is made from low-quality materials. This is only an issue if this planer is used for more than hobby stuff. The stamped metal would be acceptable to plane down a board now and then, reducing the weight if I needed to haul it around. The insides are strong where it counts. The four-column setup is solid. MOTOR LIMITATIONS: The motor can get challenged with more complicated wood, and if a knot is found, it may stall the machine. The RPMs max out at 8000. This is the slowest of the items I chose to review. The dust collector port is overrun by the amount of chips this little machine can throw. SAFETY: Always use a respirator; hell, we all have a drawer full of COVID masks we don't need any more; get one if nothing else. VALUE: This machine cost just under 300 bucks on Amazon when I was looking for products. If budget is a concern, this one may be the winner for you. If higher quality and better performance are needed, you may need to look at others in this review a little harder. Get it from Amazon now: $469.00 & FREE Returns 5. Delta Portable Planer - Best Portable Thickness Planer KEY TAKEAWAY: Easy to move around without feeling flimsy or cheap. STORAGE: If I needed to pull this machine out of a closet or off of a shelf in the back room to do some woodworking projects and then put it away, this is the machine I would choose for my shop. Luckily, I can put mine on a roll-away without lifting or carrying it around. If my profession was woodworking on-site and I had to move the planner around, Delta would win hands down. BUILD: Delta keeps the weight of this machine down by using Lexan on the sides instead of metal. Lexan is very tough and will hold up for a long time. On top of being lightweight, the Lexan sides are also rustproof, as plastics don't rust. Again, what better option to haul around from worksite to worksite? The insides are built out of high-quality metal parts and fitted so well that I could not get any noticeable movement out when I tried to prove the plastic siding was this weak. BLADE CHANGES: This is a two-blade cutter and blade changes are effortless. The tools to change blades are included and even stored in the machine itself, again, portability at its best. EXOTIC WOOD NOTES: I read reviews about the motor getting bogged down and taking deeper passes with exotic woods like Purpleheart. I don't have the skills to do anything with exotics, so I don't know from first-hand experience how it operates on these. Poplar, pine, and walnut do not even phase this machine. Get it from Amazon now: $569.99 & FREE Returns

I tested the best plasma cutters under $500, and here's my ultimate ranking. Whether you're a seasoned professional or all about DIY, each of these would work. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. Lotos - Best Plasma Cutter for Beginners KEY TAKEAWAY: Makes cutting steel much easier for beginners. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: As a gunsmith, I'd never though I'd need a plasma cutter, until one day, I saw someone selling steel targets for rifle shooting and range plate racks. I needed a way to make some of my own. So that convinced me that I needed a plasma cutter. TRIAL & ERROR: With my newfound need to have a plasma cutter, I did not include the fact that I don't really know how to use one in my equation. So like all of my heavy-duty decisions, I just jumped in and started figuring it out, as I went, most of the time very poorly. What I have in my corner is YouTube, where everything in the world is taught, and Joel's phone number and good whiskey lure him here to show me how to do it correctly. I have watched several YouTube reviews doing metal penetration tests to show penetration and power demonstration. METAL CUTTING NEEDS: I don't need to cut more than half an inch of thick metal, some of which will be the AR500 and some mild steel plates. I don't need to cut the boilerplate or anything like that. A cheaper maker will do just fine, and I am not in a hurry and don't make my living on this to afford the time for cool-down times. ORDERING EXPERIENCE: Of course, I first thought of the stuff they have on the shelf at Harbor Freight. Still, I should look at the rest of the field, or some of the field, and see what they are all about, so I went to Amazon and found the Lotos machines. It took about a week and a half, and a heavy box appeared at my door. I had to open it and get my fingers on it right away. I did not say to read the instructions first; just bring it to the shop. INITIAL SETUP: I set up the machine outside the shop door, hauled out the compressor hose, and hooked it up to the quick release; I am now ready to go. I am ready, except I don't know how much air to give it, so I opened the owner's manual now. Since I don't read Chinese, I used the next best thing and did a little Google research. It said 60psi, so that is what I set the dial to. FIRST CUT TESTS: I needed some stuff to cut, so I grabbed all the metal that would not be missed in the neighborhood and had at it. I started with an old metal shelf from the cabinet that holds my shovels. That is when it hit me; I didn't know where to set the machine, so I started low and tried my luck. I learned that it would not work, so I used the junior high school test-taking method, went to the first even number, and set it to 20, which cut very smoothly away. I had to keep looking to see if it was working as well as I thought, and it was – YES! PLATE STEEL TEST: Now, onto the plate steel, I found it at my brother's shop and bought it for this project. I think it's about ¼ inches thick and needed to be shot at the range. I drew the pattern and set it to 20. It worked like a champ before but did not this time. So, I did what everyone else would do, turned it to 50, and went to work. I did not know how fast to make the torch, so it looked rugged and sloppy. That is precisely the method I used. I learned later to slow down, which works much better. PROS: Dual voltage: 110v or 220v. You can use this in the field or easily take it to a different place with a heavy-duty extension cord, and it will get to work. By the way, most reviewers say it's the best 110v plasma cutter on the market. But, of course, it all depends on what you need it for. Small. This is minor and weighs less than my daughter's chocolate lab. It does not run around nearly as much and does not need to play catch with a slobber-filled, shaky doll. Pilot Arc is great for working with rusty and dirty metal. I like this because the stuff I will cut will not get sanded or buffed before cutting; it will just be thrown on the sawhorses and cut, then some cheap paint, and it goes to the range. Spare Electrodes. It's great to have consumables as part of the kit, especially when I don't know what I'm doing. I can keep playing around while the replacement consumables are in the mail. Clamping Stand-off. The stand-off does not lip on, so it can pull off most of the time; with this one clamp in place, such guys like me can look like we know what is going on. CONS: Ground clamp. This thing is short; this must be one of the places they script on to save money. All I have to do to fix this is to make a new one or order a longer one for a different machine and hook it up. No problem, just a pain in the butt. Air Gauge. The gauge is not marked in psi, which is wrong if they sell it in the USA. We need to have the exact measurements to know what is going on. BOTTOM LINE: All in all, there's a reason this option by Lotos is considered one of the best plasma cutting machines out there, and why so many people recommend it. The pros outshine the cons, and the machine is sturdy and dependable. I don't know if it's the best plasma cutter under $1000, but it's definitely worth the $400 bucks it sells for. Get it from Amazon now: $369.98 & FREE Returns 2. BestArc - Best Plasma Cutter for CNC Tables KEY TAKEAWAY: Handled CNC cuts and basic shop jobs without any drama. VOLTAGE SETUP: This machine uses a 220/240v line and an adapter to use 110v. Others will use the 110v and then adapt up to the 220v. So, this one wins on that front. It has much better quality and dependability to build to handle the higher voltage and then drop down to house current. GAUGE BEHAVIOR: The old version of this machine used a dial to measure the air pressure; now, the air gauge is digital. This is not a great idea for air pressure, as it never sits still or is static; once the trigger is pulled, the air pressure will change. The way this works the best, especially for a tool like a plasma cutter that uses the air to blow out the molten steel, is to set the pressure to, say, 70psi, then pull the trigger, watch the pressure, and adjust the knob to be 70psi when the machine is using the air. CNC TESTING: This plasma cutter went to Joel's house to test his plasma CNC. To our surprise, it worked like a champ, and now we have a bunch of steel targets to practice within the desert. We set the unit at 50 and ran it on 240v because the plasma cutter he had on the unit was wired to the setup. FRAME WORK TEST: After we proved it would work on the CNC, we needed to make some frames. So then we went to the other side of his shop and used it to cut some angle iron. Since it was on the other side of the shop, we plugged it into the 110v wall outlet, and away it went. There was no problem with cutting the angle; it was not thick-walled or 4 inches wide, just a simple 1x1 angle, and it smoked it. CUSTOMER SERVICE: The customer service folks are very responsive and answer the phone whenever I call. To prove that point to myself, I called back at different times of the day, and every time someone answered the phone, it was very nice. BOTTOM LINE: If you ask: is this the best plasma cutter for the money? My answer is: it's definitely good enough for what I need it for. Get it from Amazon now: $229.99 & FREE Returns 3. YesWelder - Best Plasma Cutter for Home Shops KEY TAKEAWAY: Despite the small size, it's seriously powerful on 220v. POPULAR OPINION: According to everyone on YouTube who pays for their equipment for their home shops, this machine by YesWelder is considered the best plasma cutter for home use. And after getting my hands on one, I know why. This thing should cost more than it does. PERFORMANCE: I have a 220v service in my shop, so I plug into it whenever I need it. At 220v, it works like a trooper and does not hesitate to do what I need it for. It struggled slightly when I plugged it into the 110v to see what it could do. I will cut the metal; it is a little slower and kinda overwhelming on the 110v for cutting the ¼ inch plates. REPLACEMENT TIPS: One issue with the YesWelder touch is that the company lacks replacement tips. Go to Home Depot and get one off the shelf and a bunch of replacements for a typical maker, and then get away with the one sent with the plasma cutter. AUTO BODY USE: This machine is an auto body worker's dream machine. The unit will cut that metal like butter and only needs an extension cord. MOBILITY & SIZE: The machine is light enough to be hauled around the car, not the other way around, and moving the car all the time. The size of the cutter is nice and small, about the same size as the black and white dog that lives next door. CABLE CUTTING: I have read reviews of folks using this to cut the braided cable. I don't know what or who cut braided cable all day, but that reviewer loved it, so I must take their word for it. The cable cutter says it will cut up to 3.4 inches. Some folks by the cabin have used cable in their fences to keep the cattle on the right side of the road; maybe I will take this over there and see if I can try that out and get back to everyone. The only cable I have handy is in the winches on the RZRs, and I am not cutting that to check. VALUE: My nephews says this is the best plasma cutter around $500. I will add his personal review after he uses it for at least 6 months at his own home shop. But for now, I can confidently say this cutter gets the job done. Get it from Amazon now: $359.99 & FREE Returns 4. ToolIom - Best Portable Plasma Cutter KEY TAKEAWAY: Works reliably after small setup adjustments. DESIGN: This thing looks like it was made by a race car company, which, in my opinion, makes it the best plasma cutter under $300. I don't know why, I just love it! The Orange and black color palette is very tough-looking. The machine was packaged perfectly and arrived like it had just been placed in the box that morning. ASSEMBLY FIXES: When I pulled this out of the box, I found a little screw in the box and began to look for its home. I found that it fell out of the aluminum heat sink bar. I tried to put it back, and the hole was stirred, or the screw was too short; I don't know. I grabbed another screw from the bottle of screws that did not need to be thrown away, and it fit perfectly, especially when I pushed a little harder. It fit like it was born there. AIR HOSE ISSUE: The air hose that comes with the machine may be the Chapes tiar hose made in China and should be replaced. Save the headaches and put a new piece of hose on, even if it doesn't leave the factory. ADJUSTMENT ISSUE: The pressure adjustment knob leaked a little when I turned it up; when I looked into this on YouTube, one site told me that it might be the way they address moisture. They just let a little leak out, and the water blows out past the leakage; I suppose that will work; it did not keep the machine from doing its job, but what a weird thing to do on purpose. REPLACEMENTS: I replaced the barbed air line hook-up with a regular quick release and the pressure gauge with one from Harbor Freight that showed in psi. I am not doing that again. I just replaced it to know what is happening. SETUP PROBLEMS: It took more effort for such a good-looking machine to get to the starting line I wanted, so I do not think this one will live here long. After I did all the little fixes, it worked; I used it to cut some pipe I found, and it chopped that up without any worries. It works on 220 and 110v adapters, so it will work. It is just a bit of quality control missing from the factory that had to be dealt with first. VALUE: So if you're into saving money at the moment, this ToolIom passed my test as one of the best budget plasma cutters on Amazon. It's not a $1000 machine, and not even a $500 one. You can get a better one for $400. But for what it costs, I think it's good enough. If you want to save even more, go for the next option by S7 (it's really cheap and actually quite impressive). Get it from Amazon now: $299.99 & FREE Returns 5. S7 - Best Cheap Plasma Cutter KEY TAKEAWAY: Affordable plasma cutter or basic field repairs. BUDGET OPTION: For anyone who wants one of these handy, this one will do all the jobs for about $150! Why would anyone not get one of these for that price and its ability to replace the never-ending grinder wheel action? ENTRY LEVEL BUILD: This is not a metal shot plasma cutter and does not claim to be one. The power cord is terminated with a dry plug, so that should let everyone know how much work this is designed to do. The air regulator is mounted through the metal skin, and I had to open the box to put the bolts through the holes and then tighten them up. This is not a big deal; I expected this kind of stuff for the price. BUILD QUALITY: While inside the skin, I looked around for other loose stuff to see if there were any apparent problems or waiting to become an issue later. The inside looks clean and well assembled, so good job on that front, S7. The ground wire is short, not as short as some, but I use it for a machine that should sit on the ground wheel; a four-foot wire is kind of dumb. It was easy to move the machine or the metal to a different place or get a new ground wire and put it on, so I did that method of fixing a simple thing. SUPPLY WIRE ISSUE: Let's move on to a fundamental problem: the supply wire is too small. It's not too short, but there is an insufficient wire gauge to handle this much current. Even if I plan on using this for only five minutes, I am worried it may cause a big electrical problem or start a fire. I can fix this with a new supply line, and eventually, if I keep it, I may trade it to someone who can replace the issue and have a good plasma for simple jobs. AIR PRESSURE LIMIT: You guessed it, the air pressure stuff was cheap and weak. I am starting to lose faith in this machine, as it is too cheap to be bothered. I just set the air compressor at 60psi at the source so I would not overwhelm the stock fittings. FIELD USE CASE: Now, onto the good parts: this machine will work with a small generator and pancake compressor in the field, so if I went nuts and needed to take this in the RZR and cut something, I don't know what, but I could. This will fit in my buddy's truck box at the cabin, along with all the generators and stuff, and he now has it and has done the upgrades to make it work for him. He uses it to cut rebar on-site and loves it, so it has a new home and a good job. This replaced the need to carry an oxy/acetylene setup or use a jillion cutoff wheels. He starts the generator, plugs in the plasma and air, and works a perfect fit. BOTTOM LINE: To sum things up, this is really a solid cheap plasma cutter. I don't think you're going to regret this purchase. Just make sure you're aware of your needs and skill level. Get it from Amazon now: $119.99 & FREE Returns

Whether you’re working in the shop or at home, a MIG welder is crucial for precision and efficiency. These options are designed for both beginners and pros. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. ArcCaptain 200Amp - Best Professional MIG Welder KEY TAKEAWAY: Small enough to carry around, but powerful enough for serious shop work. PRICE POINT: After trying a few at a lower price, I adjusted my price point and found the one I am in love with. The ArcCaptain is one I will keep. SIZE & PORTABILITY: Even after I get better at the welding processes, probably with this welder, and get a more advanced mig welding machine, I will hang on to this one due to the portability and tiny size. My guess is if I stacked four shoe boxes for my jumbo feet on top of one another, this welder would be more petite by a little. The machine is easy to carry with its top handle and an included carry strap; it is lightweight and small. OFF ROAD USE: For the off-road crowd, if you can make enough amperage in the field and on the rocks, this welder can fix your trail repairs and not take up too much room. SHOP REPAIRS: The machine will do all the welding I need, even fix the RZR when the rutted-out roads around the cabin break parts that are never in stock. Now, all I need is the skill level to use all options. Once again, I called the expert to help me set it up to weld misaligned holes in rifle actions from scope base attempts at the home bench with a hand drill. He showed me the right setting to get started, and the welder would adjust to what I was doing. All I had to do was correctly set the amperage for the thickness, which was very friendly and protective of my skill level. COLOR & DISPLAY: The machine is a dark red, a beautiful color palette for a work machine. The LED display is easily read and seen from my bench as I use it. The knobs are good-sized and easy to adjust even while wearing gloves. MIG GUN NOTES: The MIG gun is good quality; the lead wire could be upgraded if you do lots of stick welding. It uses two style expendables, so getting parts is not proprietary. I can get new stuff at Home Depot if needed and not wait for an order from China. GAS SETUP NOTES: The machine does not have a gas regulator and no gas bottle. It does come with all the hoses and hookups, however. DRIVE ROLLS: The kit has seven drive rolls, which will fit any standard MIG wire. The drive rolls are V-groove for solid, knurled for flux wire, and U-shaped for aluminum. GUN REPAIRS: This machine will also do lift TIG, which I am most interested in for gun repairs. However, that is still to be learned, and as soon as I can get into a class, I am going directly to that discipline. FIELD WELDING: My main interest in this welder outside the gun shop is its ability to use flux in windy and dirty areas. This welder will see many days at the cabin fixing trailers, shooting stands, and even at the rage-fixing target stands. This is a working machine in any environment without the need for shielding gas. As easy as it is to pack it around, plug it into 110 volts, and go, it has earned a place on my tool cart. Get it from Amazon now: $499.99 & FREE Returns 2. YesWelder 200Amp - Best MIG Welder for Beginners KEY TAKEAWAY: Makes beginner welding feel less intimidating. BEGINNER-FRIENDLY: This user friendly welder is maybe the best option for the amateur-level DIYer on the market. What makes it so good is that it costs less than 150 bucks to handle any DIY project, that's what. If I knew all of the welding tricks the maintenance guys use with multi-use machines, I would never need anything more than this machine. It is possible to spot weld with this machine with fancy or not-fancy welding utilizing a piece of MIG wire held in the stick clamp. If I were to get a hot rod that needed a ton of bodywork, this machine would weld the thin metal all day long and do it in the wind without complaining. BRAND REPUTATION: The build quality of the YesWelders is well known; this machine or brand is making the big-name old-school guys nervous. YesWelders go up in price from this model, and they do almost anything by the time the price tag gets around a thousand dollars; this is going to replace the high-dollar machines someday, in my bet. In hobby shops, that is. The MIG gun and stick clamps are built well, but the TIG function needed a separate purchase, and since I am only looking to test out MIG stuff right now, I did not order the TIG gear. PORTABLE DESIGN: This welder is a very simplistic machine and damn near fits in a toolbox. I have a friend by the cabin come by to show me how to get it set to weld back together on the RZR if needed, and he borrowed it to take to work on some field watering pipes, and I have not seen it back yet. According to him, he plugs it into a small generator in the back of his pickup and welds until he runs out of MIG wire, then takes a break, replaces the spool, and welds until he needs to replace the spool again. SETTINGS & CONTROL: I am glad he has a new welder, and hopefully, I will get it back soon, or he will be available to fix my broken stuff with my new welder someday. He told me that it would weld the aluminum pipes in the fields easily and that the bead and arc would be smooth and straightforward to control. The settings are easy to set, and the auto change of voltage and speed by adjusting amperage to thickness is a welcome change from dialing everything in; it is set and go. FIELD USE: As mentioned, the main thing he appreciates about this machine is its portability. He bought a long, heavy-duty extension cord to plug in and walk to whatever he needs to weld. The heavy-duty extension cord costs half of what the machine costs, so it is an actual budget-saving machine. The other thing he mentioned is the cover the welder has over the display and knobs. The manufacturer puts it here to protect it from splatter and stuff like that. My buddy likes it for when things in the field are moving, and they bang into the brand-new machine. It only scratches the plastic cover and does not break the display or knock loose a knob that becomes part of the next alfalfa harvest. Get it from Amazon now: $479.99 & FREE Returns 3. ToolIom 200Amp - Best MIG Welder for Gunsmithing KEY TAKEAWAY: Good enough for small shop repairs if you figure out the settings. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: Today, I will discuss my journey to buy a cheap MIG welder for the gun shop. Notice the critical part of that I did not say. I will also practice and get better at welding, just buying a new welder. Operator errors are still my main issue when welding, or at least I call it welding. My buddy calls it names I can't type for the public to read. FIRST TEST: The MIG welder I tested today is the Toollom. This welder fits my ignorant parameters of small size, runs on 110 volts, and costs less than 300 bucks. The reason I am not getting a bigger and better MIG welder is I use welders to fill up holes that have become egg-shaped or mis-drilled holes by clients, and at times, the gremlins will force me to miss the right spot, and I have to fix my own mistakes. This welder fits all of my parameters and comes in a cool, bright yellow color like all of my shop display gear. PURPOSE: This welder will work for what I need in 110 Volts if I build car frames or something that needs to be very strong with total penetration. Buy it if what you need is to fill a hole or build up an area to be filled, or milled back to the correct size in a firearm. It will also do the trick for someone who is an experienced welder and knows how to make the machine do what they want it to do. I am not a professional welder, so I played the fool until a real welder came to my rescue; I will explain in a minute. FEATURES: Let me discuss the parts and pieces this machine is made from before the function. The build quality of the actual welder is outstanding; it does not feel like it is held together with zip ties like some of the cheaper welders. The gun is decent, and the hose and leads are OK, but an upgrade for very little money is the better choice. The welder does not have a regulator to use shielding gas; obviously, no gas bottle is included. The grounding clamp will work and does not weigh much, but it's pretty damn cheap. Get a better one or a magnetic unit for about ten bucks and save the hassles. TARGET FRAME TEST: Since I did not want to try my luck with a machine I know nothing about on a client gun, I went to my shooting target frames to try my new machine. The frames are made with lightweight pipes for uprights and thin 1x1 angles to clamp the targets, and I am sure almost everyone has used something similar. When I started to attempt the weld, it looked like a horror show, and I got frustrated to the point of packing the machine back up and sending it back. ADJUSTMENTS: My buddy showed me the machine is set at 4t from the factory, and I needed to put it on 2t. If everyone is like me and doesn't know or barely knows what this means, that is how the machine feeds the wire. Once I got that figured out, my press-and-hold for a second style of welding seemed to work pretty well on the frames. When Joel took over, it welded like a champ; he was impressed by its ability to lay a good bead, and the arc was smooth. BOTTOM LINE: With more practice, I can make a weld that is good enough to paint without needing a grinder, saving face on the range if anyone sees my handy work. Since my mig welding skills are not up to par with what I need to know to use this machine, I have since sold it and bought another. Get it from Amazon now: $269.99 & FREE Returns 4. FORNEY 140Amp - Best Compact MIG Welder KEY TAKEAWAY: Small and portable, but not recommended for beginners. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I saw this listing on Amazon and thought I would try one out to see if this may be a good idea for my hobby shop. The price tag and the high review ratings were the deciding factor. When it arrived, I was excited to see the size and weight. This machine will fit on the shelf under the bench and only uses 120 volts. There is no way to convert or switch to the 240 volts that some other multi-use welders on the budget market. EARLY REPAIRS: With my minimal abilities in welding, I set it up the same way I had been told. I tried my hand at some repairs on my snow blower, which helped me discover some concrete raised during the winter snowstorms. I figured who would ever know if I weld and have the standard strong but ugly as sin bead on the augur. PERFORMANCE: The first time I used the welder, it worked nicely on flux core wire. I put it away after a few minutes because I wanted to see it work and had not prepped the surface like I should have. I returned to the augur two days later and tired again; this machine did not perform like before. Confused, I looked at all the settings and checked them against my notes, and they all lined up to do the same job, but they did not. BETTER RESULTS: This inability to perform the same perplexed me, so I left the stuff there and went to call in some folks with actual welding skills. When he arrived and checked my settings and connections, he tried it again, and it did not work again, but the poor performance was different on this third attempt. Since my buddy knows how to troubleshoot the welder, a few adjustments were made and changed to a different size flux wire setting. However, it still has the same wire diameter, and this thing was sizzling along and did a pretty good job. WARNING: I feel I have to caution readers about this machine not performing uniformly. From what I have been told, if you're an actual welder, this thing can burn in a weld like a champ, maybe even more than a quarter-inch thick plate steel. RETURN DECISION: If you are like me and barely scratch the surface of amateur or whatever ranks below that, this machine may also not be the right fit for you. I repackaged the machine and sent it back for a refund. Maybe I just had a bad one sent to me, I don't know, but I have small and inexpensive welders in the shop now, and even have one at the cabin just in case my stupid meter is bigger than my wallet, so I did not try to make this one work. Get it from Amazon now: $341.31 & FREE Returns 5. Simder 140Amp - Best Cheap MIG Welder KEY TAKEAWAY: Budget welder with multiple quality issues. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I sought a replacement after losing my YesWelder to fieldwork and being promised help. I found this one for under a hundred bucks. Why not try it out? When it got to my house, I opened the box, took it out, and placed it on the coffee table. First impressions were good. It looked nice and very compact. The fit and finish seemed to pass the ‘repack it immediately’ test, so I pressed on and took it to the shop. QUALITY: When I went to the shop, I could have been more impressed. This machine will weld in Stick or MIG; from what I see, the stick is the only thing with a high rating. The MIG parts are all there, but this factory needs to improve quality assurance. EXPECTATION VS REALITY: This cost under a hundred bucks, so I did not expect perfection, but I did expect function. GROUND CLAMP: The grounding clam is wired with heavy braided wire and is a step above most of the cheap welder parts, so it points to that. SHORT LEADS: Points are taken away for short leads, the arc leads are about six feet or less, and the power supply is about three feet long. The power also has the adapter run 220 volts through the 110 lead when plugged into a 220-volt outlet. TORCH GUIDE ISSUE: The torch wire guide is not adjusted correctly. It could have been a quick fix, but at this point, I just lost faith and put the whole thing back in the packaging (very nice, by the way) and back in the box and returned it. BEST USE CASE: If someone had a dedicated 20-amp fuse and outlet at their bench for a cheap now-and-then MIG or Arc welder, this machine, after some minor work, would be on the money. Suppose you plan to plug this into a dedicated outlet and run the needs or torch to the workpiece. In that case, you must order the more extended parts the same day you order the welder. Get it from Amazon now: $81.99 & FREE Returns 6. S7 200Amp - Best Portable MIG Welder KEY TAKEAWAY: Portable enough to throw in the truck for trail and field repairs. HOBBY USE: This is not a welder welding machine but an excellent hobbyist machine. This MIG welder will work when using a 50-foot 12-gauge extension cord, which is abnormal in mig welding. Most of the time, a welder has to be plugged directly into the socket and have a dedicated breaker, not this one. 4 IN 1 FEATURES: This machine offers a 4-in-1 functionality. It can weld Flux or Gas Shielded MIG and does offer lift-off TIG, which is awesome. It will also stick weld and perform in almost every hobby shop, working on almost everything. I say "almost everything" because there will always be one or two out of a hundred hobbyists who would expect it to weld aluminum or something else this machine will not do. Please check the manufacturer details, so you save money on this machine. COST: When it comes to money, this machine is a dream come true. The machine is really affordable. So, if a person has a toy hauler trailer or motorhome and tends to get a little wild in the field, plug this into the generator. You are ready to perform field repairs all day long. HEAT MANAGEMENT: The welder does have overload and overheat protection. This will keep everything safe. It may take a bit longer to weld large items as it will need a cool-down period, but to fix a small piece, you are good to go. My buddy has one of these, so I watched a dune buggy chassis being made to see how it worked. Welding the frame and roll cage tubing, this machine never hit the cool-down. Still, it was only welding two-inch tubing joints and had a professional welder operating it. OUTDOOR SETUP: When the buggy is being welded, it is placed on a pallet and rolled out in the driveway with a pallet jack. That way, the fumes and sparks are not present in the house. All we did was stretch a heavy extension cord (12-gauge) plugged into an outlet by the bench and let it rip. The bench outlets at his place are on a dedicated circuit. I am unsure how this would work if plugged into a circuit running the fridge, but I'm pretty sure the breaker will blow. That is lots of amperage to pull from a standard house circuit, and usually, they are wired to 15 Amp breakers. BOTTOM LINE: This welder is rated to weld at 200 Amps. Still, we did not do any of that type of welding projects, and I was only interested in learning more about the MIG capabilities of the low-cost machine. According to him, this cheap wonder machine was only bought to be on the shelf in case a BBQ frame or lay furniture broke, and he did not have to haul around a machine on a dolly to fix stuff. He found out that the wonder machine would work for building dune buggies, and it weighs about the same as a case of beer, and it even has a handle. So he uses this one, and the expensive machine sits idle. Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns 7. HZXVoGen 250Amp - Best MIG Welder for Aluminum KEY TAKEAWAY: Feels more like a serious garage welder than a cheap hobby option. 6 IN 1 VALUE: A 6-in-1 machine for under 400 bucks is not too bad. This machine is rated to weld at 250 amps, which is clearly more significant than I will need, but a real welder may be interested in one at home. A shade tree car mechanic bringing an old fat fender car back to life and working on the frame will need a machine like this one. It can stick-weld the heavy frame materials and MIG the lightweight body parts in one machine. POWER EXPECTATIONS: From what I have been told, this machine can weld on 110 volts but should be used in a 240-volt outlet and circuit. It sounds like a great attempt to make it fit everyone's needs and have the 110 option, but it is too much welder to play in the minor leagues and needs the full power 240 set-up. I know many guys who build rock crawlers around here; I am in the state that owns MOAB. POLARITY SETUP: When I talked to some folks in the rock-crawling world, one builder told me to set up this machine when plugging the wires in and ensure my polarity is correct for what I am welding. I thanked this builder for the excellent advice, then looked up what they meant by polarity set-ups. I learned that different welding types require the leads to be plugged in differently. Luckily, I have welding folks in my corner who set up what I need for the minimal welding I do. GENERAL FEEDBACK: The builders I spoke to told me the welder will weld flux core MIG like it was born to do it. The Gas Shielded MIG function works like a dream as well. The primary welding method used was stick welding. The point of this test was not to look at how well the stick welder worked, but that seemed to be the favorite; maybe that is where everyone was in the build phase. I talked to one builder who used the TIG function to weld some sheet metal, and they said it was excellent and easy to use. Get it from Amazon now: $161.49 & FREE Returns

I’m a small-town girl who spends plenty of time at the range, so I can’t live without a stack of comfortable hoodies in my closet. Here’s my hands-on ranking. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. Carhartt - Best Hoodie for Windy Weather KEY TAKEAWAY: Great fit (and really cool signature logo on the sleeve). SIZE & FEEL: Love this hoodie! I’m a small gal at 5’3’’ but it looks nice on me and has held up through multiple washes and countless wears outside. OUTDOOR COMFORT: It's nice to have a good hoodie that keeps me warm, even in strong winds. VALUE: I bought it when it wasn't even on sale, and I wasn’t disappointed. BOTTOM LINE: It’s really very high quality and works great for me. I’m a petite woman, as mentioned above, and my small size was good. Get it from Amazon now: $59.99 & FREE Returns 2. Victoria's Secret - Best Fleece Hoodie for Women KEY TAKEAWAY: Relaxed-fit is perfect for all-day wear. SIZE & FIT: Wasn’t sure whether to get this hoodie or not. Bought one for my granddaughter. It’s great! She has a size Small. ORIGIN DETAILS: You can really tell that it’s made in America, which was surprising. However, if you order now, the current batch is not made here... Disappointing! DURABILITY: It’s also surprisingly tough, even in terrible weather and after numerous washes. I live in Minnesota and needed something warm, and this definitely fits the bill without breaking the bank. BOTTOM LINE: It has held up for a few months and many washes. It’s really very very high quality. So if you’re wondering whether to go for this or not, I think you should just do it! Get it from Amazon now: $52.95 & FREE Returns 3. Aelfric Eden - Best Graphic Hoodie for Women KEY TAKEAWAY: Really cool look with jeans and sneakers. COMFORT & FEEL: I can’t recommend this hoodie enough, like everything else Aelfric Eden makes. But this hoodie might even be better than what I’ve come to expect from them. It’s great for those cold days, and not too bulky for warm days. GIFTING FEEDBACK: After I got this one for myself, I got one for my sister and another for my daughter. I loved the designs so I got them each one. They both look great in them! ORDER EXPERIENCE: Ordering was really easy and the hoodie was delivered quickly. No issues. Love it. VALUE: They look good and are comfy, soft, and affordable. BOTTOM LINE: If I buy another for myself, I’ll go for the pale-blue one. I love it! Get it from Amazon now: $67.95 & FREE Returns 4. Ariat - Best Hoodie for Cold Weather KEY TAKEAWAY: Will keep you warm in cold weather. DURABILITY: If you’re in the Northeast or anywhere else that gets really cold, you need this hoodie. Seriously, it’s comfy, durable, and warm. Wear it inside, outside, whatever. WASHING NOTES: You can wash it as many times as you wish without worrying about it shrinking. It really is of solid quality. BRAND IMPRESSION: My whole family loves this brand. Ariat also have really hot cowboy boots that we got. GIFTING FEEDBACK: This hoodie is also makes a great gift. I bought one for my mom without knowing if she would like it or not. She loves it! So if you’re not sure what to get for one of your family members, you’ll have success with one of these hoodies. Get it from Amazon now: $44.95 & FREE Returns 5. The North Face - Best Plus-Size Hoodie KEY TAKEAWAY: Extra-long sleeves are an fantastic plus. VERSATILITY: Can report that these hoodies work for both genders and all different kinds of bodies. I got one for myself and one for my son a few years ago, and both have lasted this long without any issues. FIT: My son is sporty with a thin build and wears an M without problems. I’m a bit bigger and usually don’t feel confident in sweatshirts, but I really like this hoodie. It’s comfortable and looks good on me. BOTTOM LINE: No complaints from either of us. Will be wearing these hoodies for hopefully even more years! Get it from Amazon now: $60.00 & FREE Returns 6. Columbia - Best Oversized Hoodie for Women KEY TAKEAWAY: 100% Cotton delivers maximum comfort. OVERSIZED FIT: These hoodies are pretty roomy, especially if you’re a woman. You may want to consider sizing down. I’m usually an L or even XL, but I went for an L on this hoodie and it looks really good. INDOOR & OUTDOOR: I wear it both around the house and outside and love how I look in it. ADDITIONAL BUY: I got another one in brown. They’re on constant rotation in the Nebraska cold. Thanks, Colombia. I love both hoodies. THICKNESS & FEEL: These hoodies are thick enough to be comfortable and warm, but not so thick that they’re bulky and annoying. Get it from Amazon now: $52.80 & FREE Returns

Whether you’re shooting at the range, driving your truck, or just relaxing at home, these are my favorite hoodies for comfort and everyday wear. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. Champion - Best Everyday Hoodie KEY TAKEAWAY: The standard-fit really provides all-day comfort. DURABILITY: If you’re like me, you’ve probably been looking for a solid hoodie for some time now. My search is finally over! This is not only affordable and comfortable, but also really durable. BRAND COMPARISON: I have a lot of friends who are big fans of Supreme hoodies, but I personally prefer this one. I’m telling you, this hoodie is great for those cold days where you want to just stay warm while going out. The fabric feels nice and cozy, kind of like a bear hug, and I would recommend this over Hanes or Carhartt. Or even Supreme. Thank you, Champion. You did well. WINTER USE: It’s winter now, and this hoodie is great if you want to keep warm, or just wear it as an extra layer on those really cold days out here in Montana. But I also love it on sunny winter days. BOTTOM LINE: I don’t have much to add. I mean, there’s not so much going on with this hoodie. It’s just a hoodie, but it really nails a simple look while fitting perfectly. I can add that I think Champion did a great job, as this is both affordable and durable. That’s why I got a second one, in the same color as the first one. I never change a winning horse. Get it from Amazon now: $50.00 & FREE Returns 2. Carhartt - Best Hoodie for Cold Weather KEY TAKEAWAY: The handwarmer pocket size is just perfect! DESIGN NOTES: Being a tall guy can make looking for clothes a bit of a pain. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. Most hoodies just really don’t seem to fit right on my body, and some of them even hurt my ears while I pull them over my head. Thankfully, this hoodie is one that I don’t have any complaints about. It fits, it keeps me warm no matter the season, and it comes with a pocket big enough for all of my stuff. That’s all I can really ask for! I got it a month ago, and I love it. SIZE & COMFORT: The size XL gives me a roomy fit while also making me look slimmer. Should I stock my closet with even more of these hoodies? Maybe if Carhartt gives me a discount on my next purchase. Just kidding. It’s not cheap but it’s really totally affordable. GIFTING NOTES: I really recommend this Carhartt hoodie as the perfect gift. I snagged one for my girlfriend, and she loves it. She kept wearing mine when she was over, so I needed a second. I got her the L size. She says it’s a seriously warm hoodie. She always uses it on those cold days. It’s been perfect so far. DAILY WEAR: We shoveled snow in it while it was 15 degrees out. I was sweating a lot! Yeah, it’s seriously that warm. And my girlfriend was sweating too. It’s also long enough that it will keep you covered when you bend over. So that’s really nice when out in the cold. Personally, I’ve been wearing it with jeans and boots, but you could wear it however. Get it from Amazon now: $64.99 & FREE Returns 3. Ariat - Best Hoodie for Big Guys KEY TAKEAWAY: Different prints and colors are really amazing. FIT & SIZE: I’m pretty tall and lanky, so finding clothing that actually fits me is generally a pretty major challenge. However, this hoodie fit me as soon as I put it on. I mean, it actually fits me. At 6’2’’, the 2XL has just enough room to be plenty cozy. Plus, you really can’t argue with that price. STYLE CHOICE: I’m a Star Wars fanatic, so I always love crazy prints, even when they have nothing to do with Star Wars. MATERIAL & FIT: I’m also a big fan of sturdy material. So that's another reason that makes me argue that this is an excellent hoodie. I was initially kind of wary about buying one because of some of the negative reviews, but I’m really glad I decided to give Ariat a try. It has a perfectly sized neck opening and thick, and comfortable material throughout. BOTTOM LINE: It’s been 6 months and I still recommend this hoodie. It’s great if you’re a slightly bigger guy. I’ve also got big shoulders. The 2XL works great for me, and the way it fits me reminds me of those hoodies they used to make back in the day. It’s really warm for how thick it is, and I can tell it’s gonna last a long time. Two thumbs up. Thank you, Ariat - I didn't even know you had hoodies. I also got boots from you which are really awesome, but that's another story. I'll add another update if I'll have more to say. Get it from Amazon now: $63.95 & FREE Returns 4. Niepce Inc - Best Oversized Hoodie KEY TAKEAWAY: Heavyweight but cut in relaxed-fit. QUALITY: Two words: high quality. That’s really all I gotta say. This hoodie is so soft that you can just wear it without a shirt. It really is that comfortable. I’m really happy with it. Hope to wear it for years. It’s super comfortable, and it feels quite durable as well. The embroidered part is really awesome! I love it. UNBOXING NOTES: The way I got it and looked it over - listen - I opened up this package as soon as it came because I was so excited to try it on. I was excited about touching that embroidered part and I wasn’t disappointed! FIT & SIZE: Generally speaking, it has a really nice, loose fit. Arms aren’t too long or tight. They feel just right. Looking forward to wearing it any time I need something to warm me up a bit. TALL FIT: This hoodie is pretty much perfect for my body. I’m really tall (6’5’’), and it’s been super hard to find good clothing that I can wear outside and still feel warm in. It’s also not easy to find clothing that doesn’t look like what everybody else is wearing. This finally checks all the boxes for me! I can actually move around like normal without worrying that my skin will get exposed to the elements. BOTTOM LINE: Looking forward to wearing this hoodie for a long time. I can tell it’s high quality. Give this brand a try if you never have before. I never even heard of it. Get it from Amazon now: $54.99 & FREE Returns 5. The North Face - Best Hoodie for Hiking KEY TAKEAWAY: Extra long sleeves. OUTDOOR USE: Hikers and other outdoors enthusiasts: listen up. I’ve been around the block when it comes to hoodies, and I can safely say that this is the finest I’ve ever put on. It really does the job when I’m out hiking in the cold, but I can also wear it inside with my family without getting too hot (or looking like I just returned from the woods). HOME USE: Also, if you’re just looking for something soft and comfortable to wear around the house, you can’t go wrong here. The quality and fit are great. LONG TERM USE: Well… I did get another one. And I’m still a big The North Face fan. I’ll tell you why. Their stuff is high quality, and it lasts for a long time. You don’t need to worry about buying something from them and having it wear down quickly. Me and my son are both rocking this hoodie, and it’s been great even in really cold weather. We aren’t big fans of the fact that the hoodie is a bit long, but that’s really our only complaint. Get it from Amazon now: $60.00 & FREE Returns 6. Levi's - Best Big & Tall Hoodie KEY TAKEAWAY: Also available in Big & Tall. FIT: If you like to spend time outside or if you just have an athletic build, this is a great hoodie for you. I’m a bodybuilder (or at least I think I am), so lots of clothing doesn’t fit me too well. But this is great for my build (5’11’’, 165 pounds). Don’t worry if you’re a tall guy like me (yes, I consider myself tall, or at least taller than the average). I’ve always had trouble finding hoodies that actually fit me in the arms, but Levi's are great for us big dudes. Your girl will even wanna wear it whenever you’re not. It’s that good. OUTDOOR & INDOOR USE: I also just love how warm and cozy it is. Perfect for the outdoors. Perfect for the gym. Perfect for hanging around my back yard. Even perfect to sleep in. WINTER USE: It’s been freezing out here, so my update refers to cold weather. You know you gotta have layers when it’s cold, right? So this hoodie is definitely good for layering with other clothes to keep warm. BOTTOM LINE: If you’ve ever bought anything from Levi's , you already know the quality here. If not, prepare for a nice surprise. Have fun everybody. I got nothing else to add. And Levi's, if you’re reading this, can you please make a hoodie that is 100% cotton and not just 80%? Thank you. Get it from Amazon now: $44.99 & FREE Returns 7. Timberland - Best Work Hoodie KEY TAKEAWAY: Hidden cellphone insert. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: There’s something you should know about me. I’m a bit of a hoodie connoisseur, so I really know my stuff when it comes to hoodies, and I am pretty much always wearing one. That makes me a bit picky. I bought this hoodie just a few weeks ago and I can safely say that Timberland has a real winner here. VALUE: It’s SUPER affordable, and it manages to work well in all different kinds of weather and temperatures. It also goes amazingly well with jeans, which is what I normally wear everywhere, even around the house. FIT & WEIGHT: It’s been a few months since I got this hoodie, and only thing I can add is that it’s still perfect. Got a size XL and it fits me perfect. For reference, I’m 5’10’’ and about 183 pounds. WORK USE: I wear it while working and it does its job. I work HVAC and switch between indoors and outdoors frequently. It keeps me warm even while it's snowing. Yup. You’ll be happy to have this on. BOTTOM LINE: Really, for the money, you can’t go wrong here. It’s cheap and looks great. And the quality is awesome. And I washed it a million times and it still looks and feels great. Get it from Amazon now: $50.00 & FREE Returns

I tested the most popular barefoot brands. Only these models turned out to be tough enough for rock climbing and trail running. Here's my hands-on ranking. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. Vivobarefoot Primus Trail III - Best Barefoot Trail Shoes KEY TAKEAWAY: I finally stopped slipping on muddy hikes in these things. BREATHABILITY: I usually wear socks on the thinner side and I can actually feel the breeze through them, and I love it. They’re exactly what I wanted in barefoot shoes. I’ve tried out a lot of different brands, and usually my feet go so hot and sweaty that they wear out the insole, but that’s not the case with these things. FIT & SIZING: The fit is just awesome in general. I ended up getting my normal size 12 that I wear with other sneakers and they fit perfectly. Really can’t recommend enough. INSOLE DESIGN: Their insoles are just designed differently. Not only are you supposed to feel the ground, but you can get that broken-in feel. What’s great is that if the insoles do wear, out there’s a cheap replacement for like three dollars. I genuinely think that that extends the life of these shoes–that is, if you actually continue to buy new insoles. EVERYDAY USE: If you don’t, you’re likely going to get about three months out of the insoles if you’re wearing them every day, like I do. I typically keep mine until they’re falling apart, but that’s mainly because these shoes are pretty much the only thing I ever wear. Not only do I run in these, but I lift weights, do yard work, and run errands. They’re great for both indoor and outdoor use. I love them so much that I ended up getting a second pair in a different color. Oh, and I love them so much I end up using these instead of my work boots at work. TRAIL STABILITY: I’ve had zero issues with slipping inside these like some people have reviewed, so no idea what they’re talking about. I used to live in my sneakers, but I would end up slipping in those almost immediately, and these are the first shoes I’ve ever worn where that’s no longer the case. I even wear these during my trail hikes and I’ve had zero issues slipping even on the muddy banks. I just feel so grounded when I’m on my hikes, I can actually feel the rocks and roots beneath me and I feel like I can connect to the earth more, without worrying about getting splinters haha. COLOR OPTIONS: My only real complaint is that the dark gray color is not really that dark, and I wanted something closer to black without being black, but that might just be me being picky. BOTTOM LINE: Overall, I love how they’re designed and I definitely want to keep wearing them. Get it from Amazon now: $150.00 & FREE Returns 2. Belleville Mini-Mil - Best Barefoot Hiking Boots KEY TAKEAWAY: Comfortable for rough terrain and snow. OVERVIEW: I rarely write reviews on products unless I really hate them or I’m obsessed with them, and yeah, I can officially say I’m obsessed with these. There’s so much ankle support and the soles are so comfortable and flexible, while also having a solid grip that allows me to hike vertically up slopes and get down safely. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: It’s taken me the better part of the summer to transition to minimalistic shoes, and I’m so happy I finally ended up going this route. I live in the Midwest and wanted something that could take the rugged terrain, while also handling the cold winter and the boots I had beforehand that were similar just weren’t that great when it came to the quality of their soles. VALUE: The price seemed a little high, but I think that’s for a reason, and I’m ultimately really happy that I went with it and decided to get these, mainly because they’re so well made. BREAK IN PERIOD: You can see how well made they are, and while there is some breaking in periods where you might experience some mild discomfort, I figured out the trick: don’t tighten them like regular hiking boots. In fact, don’t tighten them at all. They’re meant to have room to move. Once I did that, my pain went away completely. LACING TIP: Make sure you weave the shoelaces through the anchors so that when you tighten the shoes, you’ll get that extra ankle support. COMFORT: They’re a lot more comfortable than I was expecting, so much so that I can wear them about ten hours a day and not feel any pain. I did read some negative reviews about how the feet can get sore from them, but that hasn’t been my experience. I tend to walk/hike about ten miles a day, and not only can these shoes handle the terrain, but my feet don’t hurt, even with a ligament tear, it doesn’t bother them. WINTER USE: I took them with me on a trip to Alaska. They’ve held pretty well when it comes to walking around in the snow and the grip on ice. I ended up walking through the snow and found that my feet remained dry and warm, although I do recommend getting a good pair of waterproof wool socks if you’ll be doing this. Also, the traction is good, and I like how the water beads up on the leather exterior. RETURN POLICY: There is a 100 day return policy which I appreciate, but so far I like these enough that I’m not going to return them. BOTTOM LINE: By far the best boots I own. So comfortable, I have told everyone I know about them. Durability is always a concern when you spend money on things like this, but I can tell that the stitching of the leather is legit, more so than a standard boot, and over all, I’m really happy with them. So much so that I think I’m going to get the low tops for when it's warmer out. I’ll update on how long they last. But so far, I'm happy. If you like barefoot shoes, and want something for the outdoors, I highly recommend these! Get it from Amazon now: $182.00 & FREE Returns 3. Vivobarefoot Primus Lite 3.5 - Best Barefoot Shoes for Beginners KEY TAKEAWAY: My feet stopped feeling cramped while running. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: As a travel writer who reviews shoes for extra cash, this is the first time I’ve bought minimalistic shoes to test out. And wow, Vivo really did it this time. The pattern is awesome, and these shoes fit like a glove, and you can tell the materials are super durable. I was not expecting them to be as comfortable as they are. FIT: I was always hesitant about getting minimalist shoes, mainly because I assumed they’d hurt my feet. But Vivo proved that this isn’t the case and I didn't end up worrying. I have wide freaking feet, folks, and these things finally have made me like my feet again haha. They fit so well, they actually hug my feet, and it like, allows my toes to move around in my shoes for the first time ever. WIDE TOE BOX: I love how the toe box of these is wide enough to have a good room for my shoes and overall they just feel so natural and I know it sounds dramatic, but I genuinely feel like these things have improved my life to the point of saving me. Sounds like a lot, but I had so much ankle and knee pain for getting these and now that pain is completely gone. Even if you get these in your normal shoe size, they’re going to feel like they’re on the larger size, but that’s part of it. You’re going to have room for your feet to swell, so it’s definitely important to keep that in mind, and don’t return them without giving them a fair try. The wide toe box is so you can stretch your feet out inside these, and you want to be able to do that in order to feel like you have extra comfort. TRANSITION CAUTION: I’d definitely recommend working your way into these. You don’t want to just go straight from normal shoes into wearing these nonstop. Go slow, and the transition should be gradual, and yeah, it will feel like you’re completely bare foot, so keep that in mind. PRICE & VALUE: They’re definitely not on the cheap side, but I think for the most part, they’re still affordable when you research and compare everything else in the market. They’re reliable, and they’re made to last, I would say at least a year and a half, which if you wear them as much as I do, it’s going to be worth it. Amazon is typically cheaper than department stores so make sure you do your research. FOOT SWELLING: I personally buy all my shoes about half a size larger. Your feet naturally swell when you’re on them for long periods of time, it just happens. And especially with barefoot shoes you’re going to want that extra space, and I’d say that this does it well in the sense because they have that wide toe. It really allows you to feel more comfortable. SHIPPING: I had zero issues with the shipping and the delivery was super quick. BOTTOM LINE: I loved the fit of these things, and it genuinely feels like I’m floating in the clouds. Definitely ideal for barefoot shoes. Not only is that going to get rid of extra pain but it’s going to let you really get that barefoot feel. I’ve tried a lot of these before and this brand is by far the best out there. I have multiple colors for these too, and even my sister, who is flat footed loves these things. They’re that good. And another thing, I love running in these, because I no longer have any pain of feeling like the shoes are too small. Get it from Amazon now: $124.02 & FREE Returns 4. Vibram FiveFingers V-Run - Best Barefoot Shoes for Water Activities KEY TAKEAWAY: Really good for water sports once you break them in. BRAND RELIABILITY: I still have my first pair of Vibrams from years ago and they've actually been hold up, but I knew I wanted a more updated pair. I was so excited and really didn’t want to wait for shipping so just got them through Amazon and they arrived so quickly. SIZING DECISION: I wasn’t entirely sure what size to get for these, all of my shoes have always been a size 12. I knew I wanted to wear these without socks so there was some extra room as other reviews recommended that. I ended up going with a 12 and a half just to give myself that space. And I’m so happy I did. I think the size 13 would be way too big and loose around my ankles. The 12 likely would have been on the narrow sides and I know that with this type of shoes you’re supposed to have the option to splay out your toes. I found that with this specific model, the 12.5 size allows me to do just that. BREAK-IN PERIOD: Now, maybe I jumped in too quickly with transitioning to these but I did end up causing some pain on the outside of my feet. Mainly at the spot where the rubber pressed into my feet. It usually happened when I crouched down to grab stuff. Just a little forewarning you’re not going to be able to wear these on the beach comfortably unless the sand is wet, otherwise you’re going to get sand and dirt inside the shoes. The lining allows your feet to breathe but can also allow dirt to come in, so keep that in mind. ALL-DAY WEAR: There was definitely a learning streak with these things, in the sense that you have to get used to them. I’m really happy I gave myself a chance to see how they would work. They ended up loosening on their own and getting a lot more comfortable and causing no more pain. It took about a month of warming them up, and now I can honestly wear these all day without any pain at all. I’ve found that my stride in general is just better and I have a lot better balance in general. WATER USE: I love using these shoes for water sports and they’re so light weight and I can tell they’re built to last. They’re definitely designed for feet that are low volume, and I just love that there’s grips on the soles of the feet that give them extra support. BOTTOM LINE: There’s definitely a lot of extra room in these, and the laces are super long, too. Maybe that’s just how the new model is, I don’t know, but they do seem different than my older pair. Either way, it’s just nice to have good quality shoes again and I stand by their quality. Get it from Amazon now: $139.95 & FREE Returns 5. Xero Shoes Dillon - Best Barefoot Shoes for Winter KEY TAKEAWAY: These actually keep my feet warm in cold weather. WINTER WARMTH: Growing up and living my adult life in the mountains around Utah, I know what cold means, and I write this review fresh off the first snowfall of the season. I was out wearing these shoes in six inches of snowfall and when I came inside, my feet weren’t just good, they were still freaking warm! I’ve had a lot of different brands of shoes, and that’s never happened before. BAREFOOT FEEL: My feet actually stayed comfy and cozy, and the best part about these is that they’re actually lightweight enough that I really don’t feel like I’m wearing shoes when I’m outside. That’s the barefoot feel I crave! I don’t feel like I’m lugging around lead feet! CUSHION & COMFORT: These things have seriously gotten me through the coldest of winters, and although they definitely do a great job at keeping my feet warm, there really isn't a cushion so it does cause some pain to stand on them for a long period of time. They’re definitely on the stiff side material wise. That being said, you get used to it. MODEL DIFFERENCES: I ended up investing in a second white pair (photo above) and I’m so happy I did. Maybe it’s psychological, but the white model for some reason is more durable and a better fit for working in the snow. WATER RESISTANCE: The bottom is more waterproof than the top, but overall, I think it’s important to keep your expectations realistic. They’re good for winters, but not for those blizzards where you might be stuck outside. I do think they’re functional and water-resistant enough that they could even operate as rain shoes. Not heavy rain, though. I tested them under running water and they still held up! They definitely do great in the slush of melting snow too. However, I have serious rain boots for when it REALLY pours. SIZING & FIT: Keep in mind that these shoes are American sized, and because they’re winter shoes, you’re going to have extra room for warm socks and for some air to breathe in. Plus your feet will swell in them. You really don’t want winter shoes to be tight, either, so I recommend sizing up. I would say at least one size up, because they have a furry liner inside and then your feet are inevitably going to swell either way. DESIGN & LOOK: They do kind of look like clown shoes on me haha but I don’t mind that much. I’m just trying to keep my feet warm, not trying to land on the cover of Vogue BOTTOM LINE: After snow-blowing this afternoon, I knew I had to give a positive review about these things. For winter shoes, they’re durable and they get the job done. So as long as you don’t mind that they might look big, I definitely recommend them! They’re seriously the leading option in the barefoot boot industry for a reason. I’m planning on gifting these to my friends and family for Christmas. I love them that much. Get it from Amazon now: $129.99 & FREE Returns