Cowboy boots are a country classic. They're worn all year round, and they’re proof that Western style is here to stay. Here's my personal ranking. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. Ariat - Best Leather Cowboy Boots KEY TAKEAWAY: Wide square toe made these way more comfortable than pointed boots. MATERIALS: Ariat makes some of the best boots on the market today. They are known for using high-quality full grain leather in the construction of both the upper and lower sections of the boots. For those who may not know there are a lot of manufacturers who use leather on the bottom or foot portion and then man-made materials for the upper section. BUILD: These boots are rock solid. Between the leather construction on the boot itself, the tanned leather outsole and the horseman style heel, these boots are incredibly durable, as well as functionable and fashionable. Also, I really like the double sewn look around the outer edge of the sole. First, that makes for a very durable stitching job. You will never have to worry about these boots coming apart. Second, the double line of stitching just gives a nice clean look in my opinion. Ariat also does a great job with the stitching on the foot and upper portions of their boots. Of course, who also wouldn’t love to have a pair of boots showcasing a little bit of American pride also. WEIGHT & FEEL: Given that this boot is all leather it is a bit heavier on your feet. So, if you are looking for a lightweight western boot this may not be the option you wanted to go with. But if the desire is a well-built and extremely comfortable boot this is definitely the option you may want to consider. TOE BOX DESIGN: One feature of the design I like with this boot is the wider toe box area with the square toe design you see. This does make the boot look bigger on your feet, which some people may not want. But with this wider toe area it offers considerably more comfort than the Narrow or pointed toe styles you see out on the market today. For someone like me who is prone to foot pain these make for an extremely comfortable fit and allow for all day wear with no issues. HEEL COMFORT: The heel of these boots is built so whether you are riding a horse or walking around town it is functional and comfortable. Some heels on western boots are so tall, they can make for an uncomfortable experience if you are on your feet all day. Or they can be so short that it makes riding a horse and keeping your feet securely in the stirrups difficult. OVERALL VALUE: For the quality of the boot and the price, these are simply wonderful. I personally feel you can never go wrong with a pair of Ariat boots. Get it from Amazon now: $209.95 & FREE Returns 2. Wolverine - Best Steel Toe Cowboy Boots KEY TAKEAWAY: Worked great with my orthopedic insoles right out of the box. COMFORT NEEDS: After serving over twenty years in the U.S. Army as an Infantry Soldier, I have my fair share of feet, knee, back and neck pain. Due to that I find utilizing orthopedic insoles in all my daily wear shoes and boots to be a huge help for all day comfort. I recently had to stop wearing a pair of my favorite work boots due to the discomfort I would be in at the end of the day. FIT & SIZING: These Wolverine work boots are a perfect answer to my situation. These boots are designed to accommodate a removeable orthopedic insole which is awesome. Given that these boots are designed with the idea of utilizing an insole. In addition to being a squarer toed design. There is no need to worry about ordering a half or full size up from what you would normally wear or going with a wide option just to allow for that little extra bit of width. These are relatively true to size boots which makes buying easy. SAFETY FEATURES: These are not just full grain leather, but they are also waterproof and have a steel toe. Two things for construction workers or others in the trades would greatly appreciate. Nobody likes having wet feet all day. And as we know, one thing we cannot control is the weather. The steel toe does add some weight to these boots so if you are not needing that feature then you may want to explore other options. SOLE & TRACTION: Another nice feature of the construction of these boots is the sole and heel construction of the boot. The rubber sole gives you great traction in the mud and muck. With the tread pattern still being one that you can pretty easily clean out with a quick hosing off or scrub brush to avoid tracking a bunch of the outside inside. CUSHIONING: The cushioning in the sole and heel area also adds another level of comfort. The heel is perfect to keep this boot very versatile in the use, fit and comfort of the boot. Now, you take the built-in features of this boot, add an insole of your choosing and you will certainly have yourself a boot that allows for all day wear in virtually any environment with great comfort. BOTTOM LINE: These will provide tremendous value for people looking for a long-lasting and well-built work boot. Also, if you're on your feet all day and find yourself outside in the elements needing an additional safety of a steel toe, this is a tremendous option to consider. The price point for these boots also keeps it squarely in the affordable range for most guys. Get it from Amazon now: $140.00 & FREE Returns 3. HISEA - Best Waterproof Cowboy Boots KEY TAKEAWAY: Gel padding made these really comfortable. FEATURES: This is another example of a great pair of boots that are water resistant and have a steel toe. These features alone make this an excellent boot for workers in the trades to farm and ranch hands. Really anyone who is on their feet all day and in all sorts of different weather. I am a firm believer that for people who are on their feet all day, and mostly outside waterproof/resistant boots is imperative. Warm, dry and comfortable feet can make a break a hard day of work. Of course, the added feature of a protective steel toe is always a great option for those who need that safety feature. UPPER MATERIAL: The upper is constructed with a leather suede, which makes this pair of boots a little easier to break in as opposed to the more traditional heavy weight leather. While you are in that break-in process, you will find considerably more comfort than some other options that may be a bit more of a stiffer all leather construction. SOLE & GEL SUPPORT: The construction of the sole of this boot is hard to beat. This is a very comfortable rubber sole with gel padding in the interior sole. This gel helps considerably with avoiding fatigue when standing or on the move all day. By having this gel insole, it avoids the need to put a different insole into this boot. The height of the heel and the sole construction make this a great boot for all day comfort. GROUND GRIP: I like that the outer sole or tread area is not just aggressive enough to provide good traction while in the elements, but it is also oil and slip resistant. This boot will give you that same sure footing around the farm as it does when you are walking on the shop floor. CUSTOMER SERVICE: One thing I saw when doing some additional research is the customer service really does seem outstanding. Numerous customers of these boots talk about a very easy return and exchange option with the company. WARRANTY: On top of easy to deal with customer service they offer a lifetime warranty on the construction of these boots. It is certainly reassuring if they have so much faith in their product that they would put up a warranty such as that. BOTTOM LINE: For the price point, these would definitely be tough to beat. I mean, think about the comfort features, and about the ability to easily exchange these for a different size if they don't fit. So, yes, I highly recommend these boots. Get it from Amazon now: $89.99 & FREE Returns 4. Dixhills - Best Cowboy Boots for Casual Wear KEY TAKEAWAY: Lightweight design works well for everyday wear. MATERIAL TYPE: These Dixhills boots, while offering a really nice option for casual everyday wear, are not all-leather boots. This may be a drawback for some, especially those looking for robust work boots. But the Synthetic leather makes for a really nice-looking boot that would be very easy to maintain and keep looking sharp. TOE DESIGN: These boots also offer a square toe design which makes for a really comfortable pair of footwear for everyday wear. They are still narrow enough to appeal to women as well as those who want the western look but just don’t like the large boxy look of the bigger more work wears focused boots. BREAK-IN: One advantage to synthetic leather over traditional leather boots as far as these are concerned is the break-in time will be considerably less. So, you will have pretty close to an out of the box initial comfort. Sometimes with all leather boots it takes a few weeks to get them broken in, to where they are the most comfortable. LIGHTWEIGHT FEEL: These boots also offer a lighter weight which is a great advantage to those looking more for fashion than utility. PERFORMANCE: I do like that the heel of this boot lends itself well to walking and moving in and around your more urban settings. These would be great boots for driving anything from a car or pickup truck to riding a motorcycle or e-bike. The rubber outsole also offers a nice level of slip resistance, but it also maintains a sleek lower profile than what we normally see with western boots. The insole in conjunction with the rubber outsole makes for a very comfortable pair of boots as well. Providing just enough cushion to make these great all day wear boots. VISUAL STYLE: Dixhills is keeping with the classic western themed embroidery on both the upper and lower sections of this boot. They have some great color combinations used in construction and embroidery. The profile and appearance of these boots definitely make them a great option for casual, or even some more formal events where you are feeling the desire to wear a nice comfortable pair of western boots. Get it from Amazon now: $69.99 & FREE Returns 5. IUV - Best Slip-Resistant Cowboy Boots KEY TAKEAWAY: These really don’t slide around on wet floors. INTENDED USE: These IUV boots offer a solid design and build. These would make for some really nice boots if you were looking more for fashion or to add to a wardrobe as opposed to work wear style boots. The heels are extremely comfortable for all day wear around the house, the office or out around town. PROFILE & FIT: The profile of these boots is not as large as what you see with the boots geared more for work. The toe box, while still square, is a bit narrower than the square toe steel boots, or even some of the more robust heavier duty work boot styles we see. This can be a real advantage to someone who wants a little bit of extra foot space but does not want a larger profile boot. So, you get the advantage of some added foot comfort while maintaining that slimmer width. TRACTION: Something I really like about the outer sole of these boots is the rubber slip resistant sole. Generally, for western boots geared more towards fashion the soles are leather. While that is not a bad choice at all it can make for some slipping and sliding while walking outside or especially when you transition from outdoors to indoors. The last thing anybody wants is to walk through the doorway into a grocery store and promptly slip on the wet floor or slip because the soles of your boots are retaining some moisture. This rubber outsole is still thin enough to provide some comfort but again not to the point where it looks more like a work boot than a dressier boot. VISUAL APPEARANCE: The overall appearance of these boots is very attractive as well. IUV has paired some nice colors between the upper and lower portions of the boot as well as the stitching. I like where the heel of the boot also incorporates the same color tones as you see in the overall construction of the boot. They also keep with some of the more classic and timeless decorative embroidered stitching patterns on both the foot and the upper portions of the boot. WHERE TO WEAR: I may not choose these boots first if I was getting ready to go hit the fields or the shop floor for a days’ worth of work. But I can definitely see these boots on someone looking for a comfortable pair of boots to wear when riding a motorcycle or for wearing to the office or out for an evening social event. Get it from Amazon now: $79.99 & FREE Returns

I tested barefoot shoes for wide feet, and the Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III were the most impressive when it came to comfort, durability, and affordability. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. Vivobarefoot Primus Lite 3.5 - Low-Top Sneakers For Men KEY TAKEAWAY: Wide toe box finally let my feet spread naturally. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: First off, a few words about myself. I test and review shoes for a living, and this is my first pair of Vivo Barefoot, and actually it’s the first pair of minimalistic shoes I’ve bought in over a decade. I have to say I genuinely feel Vivo is spot on with this model. They sure got the pattern right. The fit is truly incredible, the materials are top notch, and the comfort is above my expectations. FIT & COMFORT: I’ve always been concerned that minimalist shoes would be brutal on my feet, but with Vivo - I was worried for nothing. I mean it. These shoes make me feel like my feet are behaving and feeling the way God intended them to. Let me tell you, I have VERY wide Flinstone feet, so most brands are not a good fit for me. These embrace my feet naturally and allow my toes to move, splay, thrust and spread. It’s an incredible feeling when I’m jogging. It’s like a feeling of getting good feedback every time you take a step. This is a purchase you will never regret. Mark my words. WIDE TOE BOX: These shoes offer a wide toe box that provides ample room. I’m not kidding. This wide toe box is a real game changer. The shoes feel natural, and keep telling everyone how they saved my life. I can walk and jog without any knee or sole pain. I really think it’s thanks to that wide toe box. You might get those in your size and think they are way too big, but don’t throw in the towel. Give it a chance. Try them out for a few days. The toebox is VERY wide on purpose. It’s designed to allow you to lengthen your foot when stretching, walking or jogging. I know they might feel too large, but that’s the way they’re supposed to feel. You need to have a lot of room for your toes to stretch if you want to get rid of foot pain and feel ‘barefoot’. You’re supposed to have enough room to wiggle your toes freely. BREAK-IN PERIOD: Start slowly. Don’t push yourself. Make the transition gradual. If you do, I guarantee that these will feel better than shoes by other brands, such as Feelgrounds, Altra, Bedrock and Anatomic. You really do feel naturally barefoot, and it’s amazing, but you do need to take it slow. AFFORDABILITY: Vivo Barefoot shoes, generally speaking, are not cheap. However, they are affordable. I don’t think you can find a better quality pair for the money. They are reliable and durable, and will last for at least 18 months. They’re usually cheaper on Amazon than at shops and department stores. SIZING: I’m normally a 10.5. I ordered an 11, which is 44 in the UK. This model, and Vivo in general, is supposed to be longer and wider than your actual foot. You have to feel comfortable and natural, as if you’re wearing slippers. DELIVERY: Shipping and delivery were incredibly fast. ADAPTATION & SUPPORT: I do recommend taking an easy start with Vivo, especially if you’re a first-timer. For the first two weeks, your calves may hurt. It takes some time to strengthen your feet. But it’ll be worth it, I promise. You’re going to have so much support for your feet, even if you have a high arch, like I do. The funny thing is that my brother, who has a flatfoot, also loves this model. I don’t know how to explain it. We can’t imagine going back to any other brand. I got myself some different colors for different seasons. BOTTOM LINE: The fit was perfect. I’m walking on clouds, almost literally. So if you're looking for barefoot shoes, these are an amazing start. Get it from Amazon now: $126.06 & FREE Returns

This Marc Jacobs Tote Bag holds everything I need, including my Glock, without weighing me down. And, I get compliments everywhere I go. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. Marc Jacobs Tote Bag - Women's Bag With a Secure Zipper KEY TAKEAWAY: Compact tote fits my Glock and all of my daily essentials. CRAFTSMANSHIP: Alright, I seriously can't get enough of this stylish bag and I have to tell everyone, even internet strangers. Well, definitely internet strangers who are reading this wondering if they'll love it as much as me. Spoiler alert: you will. And nope, I'm not getting paid to write this haha. So, okay, where do I start? If you’re the kind of person who prefers not to lug around everything you own and then some, this durable bag is totally up your alley. It’s a perfect match for those who value style just as much as practicality. Now, the bag itself is a stunner, I mean that's obvious on the outside. But the inside? Yeah, the stitching is great. It's so beautifully crafted with really detailed workmanship, including a thick, durable strap. DAY-TO-DAY EXPERIENCE: Now, trust me, I know first hand that sometimes having something a bit lighter, is nice. For those fancier nights out, the original strap on this baby might feel a tad bulky. It wasn't a big deal, though. Oh, and did I mention all the compliments I'm getting? They just keep rolling in whenever I step out with this bag. It's like a bullet proof to strangers in bad moods, keeping away glares. I've worn it to concerts, to a soccer game. To the shooting range, obviously. And seriously everywhere I go, someone comments on it. I also love how it holds its shape without bulging... sleek and secure, just how I like it. But remember to zip it up. Take it my from my fail, you don’t want your bits and bobs escaping during a night out. PURCHASE & DELIVERY: I've gotta say, Amazon really came through for me on this one. It was tough finding this bag in local stores, but a couple of clicks and a short two-day wait, and boom, it was at my doorstep, with a nice little discount to boot. Now, I'm practically inseparable from it, if you can't tell haha. And honestly it's become my security blanket, and it feels like I can't step outside without someone throwing a compliment my way. Best thing about it, though, it's great for concealed carry. You can even modify it to be really great for it. URBAN USE: It’s also perfect for city living. It accentuates my outfits, it's stylish, and it fits all my essentials, including my Glock. And when I'm getting to where I need to go, this is when I mainly use the secure strap. I don't have to worry about it slipping either. The strap it comes with is comfy and secure. It's a huge plus when I'm darting through busy streets. CAPACITY: Here’s a twist: despite its compact look, this bag is surprisingly roomy. It’s become my go-to for carrying everyday essentials. It even has room for some range accessories, such as earmuffs and shotting glasses. But this tote bag really strikes a sweet balance between functionality and cuteness, which is a total win in my book. BOTTOM LINE: If you're on the hunt for a new sidekick for your daily adventures or special nights out, this bag is most definitely likely your new best friend. I named mine Georgia :). Trust me, she’s a keeper! Get it from Amazon now: $195.00 & FREE Returns

The most popular palm-sized drone in America just got better, with a larger sensor, obstacle avoidance system and intelligent flight modes. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. If you’re a shooter or hunter who loves spending time outdoors, the DJI Mini 4K is great for capturing shots during hunts or range days. It’s compact, lightweight, and easy to operate. It also makes a perfect family gift. By the way, if you’ve read our Ping Pong Tables or Billiard Tables reviews, you already know I love friendly competitions when I’m off the range. This tiny DJI drone adds a whole new angle, literally! It helps me capture my rare overhead ping pong shots, and the even rarer pool bank shots. With all that in mind, let’s get into my hands-on testing of the DJI mini drone. DJI Mini 4K - Foldable & Portable Drone KEY TAKEAWAY: Tiny, but shoots impressive 4K footage. BACKGROUND: I bought this drone after a bad experience with another one bought from a popular brand and let me tell you, after discovering the differences from these two products back to back, the DJI Mini 4K blows all other models out of the water. I seriously can’t get enough of this thing. For under 500 bucks you’re getting so much. It’s small, but don’t mistake that for a lack in quality. One hundred percent, you’re getting something awesome to work with. Not only does it fly smoothly, it’s easy to figure out how to use. You’ll feel like a pro after only a few times of playing around with it. GETTING STARTED: When it comes to getting it started, I would recommend watching a few videos online to make sure you have an idea of how to use it, so just keep that in mind. But once you use it a few times, you’re going to find that it’s easy and feel like you’ve been using it forever. Oh, and I love that I don’t have to register it with the FAA, and it’s below 250g so that’s cool, too. INITIAL EXPERIENCE: I was worried the wind would make me lose control of it, but that hasn’t happened at all, which was super surprising given the weight, but that’s just a sign of how well built the product is. So I feel like a kid again after using this thing haha. It’s one of the fun, satisfying purchases I’ve ever bought in my life, no joke about that. It took me a little bit of time to figure out how to use it, but miraculously I managed to play with it without it crashing, which is really a miracle haha. It’s only been a month though , so fingers crossed! VIDEO QUALITY: They list the video quality as 4K, which some reviewers were like, "it’s only" 4K. Only?! This is more than enough for me. Like unless you’re a national geographic videographer, this is going to do more than enough to get beautiful and scenic videos. SETUP: When it comes to actually using it, take my advice on this: use an approved SD card, because if you don’t, you’re going to have issues. I’d also recommend a couple different things…make sure to read the manual fully before letting your excitement get away with you! You’ll want to turn off your phone’s Bluetooth and Wi-Fi before you use it. If you don’t, you’ll face interference and you might make my mistake and assume it’s broken and consider returning it before you realize you just let your impatience get the better of you. The easiest solution is to put your phone on airplane mode, that way you’ll have no issues. You only need internet on your phone for the first time you fly it so you can have it registered. BATTERY TIPS: The battery life is great, too. One charge can get you over twenty minutes, which when you compare other models, it’s pretty darn good for this size. I have a short term attention span anyways, so twenty minutes is more than enough time. Any longer, and you’ll probably get tired, because it does take some focus. Now, removing the battery is kind of hard, and it might pop out when you least expect it, so make sure you’re doing it over something so it doesn’t fall far to the ground. If you use a good USB-C charger, you’ll find that you won’t have any problems charging the battery. Now, if you want to fly for an extra long time, I’d recommend buying a couple extra batteries, even though you’re probably going to get a solid amount of time on one battery. I’m just paranoid and like having extra ones! QUALITY: I’m really impressed with the quality of this thing. It does feel fragile, but that’s only because it’s lightweight. Overall, it’s really durable and sturdy, and you can just tell how well made it is. GLITCHES: When I uploaded the images and video to my phone, some of the graphics glitched a little, but they’re so minor, it’s really not that obvious or bothersome. It doesn’t affect the actual video that’s recorded on the SD card, and you’ll find that it doesn’t affect how you control the drone either. OBSTACLE AVOIDANCE: Another point: I’ve used it indoors to record shots over our pool table, and outside to film us playing ping pong. We keep our ping pong table in the backyard. The footage looks smooth, and the drone’s sensors do a great job avoiding obstacles. Just make sure you’ve got enough room to fly (indoors). MEDIA: Both photos and videos are of high quality. It’s so easy to just move the image and videos from the drone to my phone using the app, and that’s by far one of the coolest aspects of it. And then I just use airplay to move what’s on my phone onto the TV so I can show off all the cool things I’ve filmed. RANGE & SIGNAL: I was kind of worried about the connection, but that hasn’t been an issue at all. I’ve flown it over 3,000 meters (yep, you read that right) and it still works! I never worried once that I would lose it. It’s that awesome! BOTTOM LINE: This is a great drone, so if you’ve been on the fence about taking a leap to get one, let this be your sign: it’s seriously worth it! I’ve already bought and reviewed other ones, so I can tell you with confidence, that this one isn’t going to disappoint you! Get it from Amazon now: $449.00 & FREE Returns

Whether you’re pulling a trailer, RV or boat, the right tires will help you avoid unwanted issues on the road. Here are the best trailer tires for heavy loads. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. Some quick notes before we dive in. First, Amazon actually delivers tires to your home, office, or even a service location. Second, if you're looking for a year-round option, check out my best all season tires review. Now, back to trailer tires. Here's my personal ranking and review, based on my own hands-on testing. 1. Free Country - Best Trailer Tires for Heavy Loads KEY TAKEAWAY: Side scuff guard helps protect trailer tires from curb damage. PURCHASE DECISION: I needed four new tires on my 20-foot, tandem axle ATV flatbed trailer, and I wanted to save some money, so I went to Amazon instead of the national brand store down the street. I found the Free Country Trailer Tires and could not find anything that would stop me from getting them for under four hundred bucks: yes, please! LOAD RANGE: The tires are load range E (10 ply), like my truck tires, which is great, especially for tires bouncing down back roads over rocks and tree roots. The load of ATVs is not heavy enough to need load range E tires, but the strength to survive use is where the load range E got my attention. TREAD DEPTH: The tread depth of eight millimeters over the standard 5.5 millimeters depth will also lend a hand against the rocks and stuff. The tread design is more open than most trailer tires, allowing them to throw out mud and snow better than other trailer tires with more strict highway tread, so that was my clincher on the decision. RADIAL CONSTRUCTION: This tire is also a radial tire, making more tread connections to the road. Using a wider footprint makes the trailer pull and handle much smoother. Most of the trailer tires I have used in the past have been non-radial, and the tread looks like it rounds across the top and does not fully touch as much of the road as possible. SCUFF GUARD PROTECTION: The side scuff guard is another ATV trailer tire plus. The scuff guard is also great for trailer tires that are not ATV-focused, as rubbing the curb with trailer tires is very common. The tread wraps around the tire from the road surface to the corner to make this as close to a performance trailer tire as possible. INSTALLATION: The only hang-up with buying tires from Amazon is getting them mounted and balanced. So I did end up at the tire store so they could mount them up, and that also cost me the recycling fee, but that is the way it is everywhere I could go, so it's not a big deal. The tires mounted right on were super smooth. I think the tire busters did not have much of a fight because I left them in the sun in the back of my truck for about a week. The Utah sunshine and low humidity made them as pliable as Play-Doh, so I should have gotten a discount. BOTTOM LINE: So far, the tires hold air like a champ and roll down the road smooth enough that I don’t feel the trailer for the most part. The one thing I forgot was to get some spare tires with the order as well. The spares on my ATV trailer have done nothing but sit on the spare mounts and rot in the sun, so that is the next purchase. Get it from Amazon now: $335.89 & FREE Returns 2. Carlisle - Best Trailer Tires for Highway Driving KEY TAKEAWAY: Heat-resistant trailer tires handled long highway hauls with no issues. SHIPPING CONDITION: From buying the ATV tires, he knew that the tires were going to be shipped from China in a compressed and smashed-together crate, so the tire shop would get some experience using all the tricks getting them mounted. INSTALLATION: We discussed using the ether-and-a-match technique, and then decided to use the local tire shop technique. Leaving the tires laid out in the sun for a few days to loosen the rubber and allow some of the compression to relax will make mounting the tires on rims easier. BALANCING PROCESS: As expected, the tires were mounted with some cussing from the tire shop folks, and the balancing was delayed for a couple of weeks. The reason for the delay in balancing was some time spent heating the tires and allowing them to round out for a couple of weeks of hauling the trailer empty on the back road from town. After the two-week break-in period, he took the trailer back to the store, and they balanced them with no problems. Since the balance job, my buddy has nothing but good things to say about this purchase, and recommends them to everyone. HOT WEATHER USE: The Carlisle trailer tire has a high-speed rating, making it better at dealing with high temperatures. I have a friend who lives in southern Utah, and for half the year, that area is as hot as a baking oven, and the asphalt is even worse. After a shopping trip to Amazon, he decided on Carlisle tires. He has Carlisle tires on his UTVs, so getting more of the family involved was like putting them on his ATV trailer. LOAD RANGE D: The load index for this tire is a D rating, so it has eight ply of protection, which will do for nearly all trailer uses. SIDEWALL PROTECTION: The sidewalls are made with a scuff zone of sorts; it’s the area where the raised lettering sits, so that will rub the curb first and not damage the sidewall as fast. HIGHWAY TREAD DESIGN: The tread is closed, like a highway tread tire. The close tread is quiet and puts much rubber contact on the road. LONG-TERM RELIABILITY: The Carlisle tires pull behind the truck very smoothly and evenly. The close tread design does keep the howl at a minimum, and the extreme heat for the black top in that area of the state has had zero impact on the tires. To this date, he has not had an issue with the tires loading up with mud on the back roads and having the trailer get sideways on the trails. Get it from Amazon now: $142.96 & FREE Returns 3. eCustomRim - Best Trailer Tire & Wheel Combo KEY TAKEAWAY: Cheap combo made getting the old flatbed road-ready easy. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: I gave my neighbor by the cabin an old flatbed trailer to haul his 4-wheeler behind his camper trailer. This old trailer was somewhat of a left; he needed it more than I needed to move stuff around it. As usual with little flatbed trailers, the tires were flat. So, like standard rednecks, we loaded up the air compressor, filled the tires, and hauled them down the road. What we found were tires that were rotted away on the sidewalls and off the rims. Damn, all the bad luck. So, to fix it, we looked online at the local big box store and just about lost breath on the price tag for one tire and rim combo. We took a chance, looked at the stuff on Amazon, and found the deal of a lifetime. TIRE SIZE: The little trailer wears the five-lug 13-inch tires that almost all little flatbeds have. This eCustomRim set has two mounted tires on white rims, which is the standard. They arrived in two days, delivered to the front door. The only thing that we needed to do was get them balanced at the local shop. TIRE PRESSURE CHECK: One thing I have to say is to check the pressure; when these mounted tires are shipped all over the place with different temperatures, elevations, etc., the pressure will be off. SAVINGS STRATEGY: With the price of this pair of tires and rims less than one from the big box store, I would suggest buying two sets and keeping one on the trailer spare mount and one in the shed out of the sun. If possible, get a set of tire and wheel covers to keep the sidewalls from rotting away. I plan to order a few sets to put on the flatbed I use, then put a couple in the shed rafters to save them for later. LOAD RANGE C: The 13-inch tires are rated at load range C and have six-ply of protection, which is standard for small tires. SPEED RATING: They have an M speed rating, so they will fight heat and wear like champions. LIMITATIONS: As with all the pre-mounted tire and rim sets, they are not radial tires but bias ply and will have an around tread section for ground contact. This can lead to a trailer feeling a little squirrely. If the load is light, you will not have a problem; if you need to haul heavy loads, you may want to look into radial tires for more ground contact and a smoother ride. Get it from Amazon now: $165.97 & FREE Returns 4. Free Country - Best Radial Trailer Tires KEY TAKEAWAY: Radial construction made the trailer pull smoother on highways. CARGO TRAILER USE: It's the perfect tire for a cargo trailer. After putting some Free Country on my enclosed cargo trailer, I put a set of these on my ATV trailer. The tread design is great for peeling off water after a rainstorm or melting snow, as we are good here in Utah. Also, they fight the heat from the “oven-like” summers and burn the skin off pavements around here. REAL-WORLD ABUSE: The tread design is great, and Free Country always puts a scuff guard ring on the sidewalls. Whenever I put this trailer on the curb, I still rub the tires on the curb, even with the mirrors out, and use the curved mirrors to keep it off the curb. I never miss. It's my superpower. LOAD RANGE D: The load index is rated as D, meaning this is an 8-ply tire and very tough. SPARE TIRE PLANNING: This time, I remembered to get one for the spare, and now I think I may need to get another one to put two spares on the ATV trailer. The roads that get hauled down will beat the hell out of tires and trailer suspension. I only wish Free Country would make some ATV tires as well. HEAVY USE DURABILITY: The tread style is great for highways as well as dirt roads. The sidewall protection provided is one of the most valuable things I see with this tire for heavy-use trailers. RADIAL TIRE BENEFITS: The tire has true radial construction, putting more tire tread contact with the road, and the way the trailer pulls, it is evident this is the way to go. SPEED RATING: The tire is speed rated at an M-rating, which basically means it is safe to pull the trailer at 80 mph without heating the tire and risking a blowout. Speed ratings on trailer tires are usually overlooked and can lead to some catastrophic failures at highway speeds. Get it from Amazon now: $149.97 & FREE Returns 5. Carlisle - Best Bias Ply Trailer Tires KEY TAKEAWAY: Built for rough back roads, heavy use, and utility trailers. TRAILER COMPATIBILITY: Built more for abuse and rough roads than smooth highway towing. BIAS-PLY CONSTRUCTION: It is a bias-ply tire made to be tough as nails, not smooth as glass, on the freeway. A bias-ply tire will be a bit “bouncy” as it pulls behind the truck. INTENDED USE: If you are looking for affordable tires to sit under your little flatbed, which is used mostly to haul loads to the landfill, then an ATV to the trails, and later help your brother move a refrigerator, this tire choice is great. However, if you need new tires to haul for a distance, lots of highway miles, or with a load that needs to have as smooth a trip as possible, this may not be the choice. TRAILER SETUP: I have a small flatbed trailer I keep at the cabin for doing the stuff I talked about, and this tire will work like they were sent from up on high. COST VALUE: Each tire cost just over fifty bucks, so to outfit the trailer with two on the ground and one spare for barely over one hundred fifty bucks. But, the one thing to consider when buying tires from online dealers (Amazon) is that you will need to pay a place to put them on the rim and balance them. Many folks around the cabin area do not balance their trailer tires. I understand saving money, but the wear and tear on tires without balancing will require buying new tires sooner, and that will cost more than balancing at a tire shop. TREAD DESIGN: The tread pattern is designed to put as much rubber contact as possible. The pattern will not do well flinging out mud or snow to haul in bad road conditions; that is not to say they will not work as trailer tires; just be sure you look at the long-term use of the trailer and the tires you decide to put on it. MATERIAL STRENGTH: These tires are made for resisting abuse. The sidewalls are strong, the tread is tough, and they seem to resist the weather rotting better than most. So speaking from my personal experience with these tires, I can confidently say that the sidewalls keep holding up and staying safe. LONG-TERM RELIABILITY: The two horse trailers that live around here have had the same tires for what seems like decades and never had a problem. In another trailer, many folks use this tire on their boat tires. Again, after getting submerged in water, they are hauled home to sit on the RV pad until next year. LIMITATIONS: Remember, this tire is a bias ply tire, not great for cross-country travel, and may have an issue with prolonged temperatures from many miles and high rates of speed. The tread is designed to fight bad weather, almost like a truck tire tread. This tire will not gum up with mud and snow, so that will throw mud and stuff all over the items in the trailer. You will want to tarp the UTV to keep the rocks from pounding it but getting an ATV covered in mud makes it look cool on the way home. BOTTOM LINE: For the price and toughness of this tire, get a bunch of them, then get a bunch of rims, or use the ones on the trailer now. You should be set for nearly a lifetime, avoid the rotted tires and take a chance pulling the trailer somewhere, get a new set, put them on, and go safely to play in the backcountry. Get it from Amazon now: $149.66 & FREE Returns 6. Hykolity - Best Trailer Tires for Boat Trailers KEY TAKEAWAY: Construction really feels built for heavy boat trailer use. CONSTRUCTION: If you need trailer tires that give a retro look, this maker is right on the money. When someone says trailer tires, this is the tire that will auto-pop into your head. The tire will look like a bias ply tire, mostly due to the sidewalls, but they are radial tires. The radial ply is half steel and half nylon. The tires have a scuff area on the sidewall as well. The tread surface is flat and will have great contact with the road. BOAT TRAILER USE: I see most boat trailers wearing tires made this way, and many of those tires are old. This tire will last until it rots away and falls off the rim. With a nylon wrap over the radial belts that cover the entire tread area, it will fight rough roads and sharp rocks for many years. INSTALLATION: With this super stiff design, the tires will be difficult to mount. Even when using the strap around the tread method, they will still be stiff and hard to mount. If you plan on mounting them at home, this tire is not the one to choose. Get them delivered, then take them to the store and have them use all the high-speed mounting gear. BALANCING: You will need to have them balanced at that store anyway, so you may as well get the mount and balance combo deal. BOTTOM LINE: They're cheap, so you get what you pay for. There are better options, obviously, even for the same price. But they really are decent tires. They get the job done, they're affordable, and they look good. Get it from Amazon now: $74.99 & FREE Returns

Are you in the market for the best all season performance tires? If so, I’ve rounded up the best options for the money. Here's some hands-on reviews. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. Before we begin, here are a few tips. When you buy tires from Amazon, you can have them shipped to your home, work, or a selected service center. Also, if your truck is pulling trailers, check out my heavy-duty trailer tires review. With that out of the way, here's my personal ranking of the best all-season tires, along with hands-on reviews. 1. Fullway - Best Budget All-Season Tires KEY TAKEAWAY: Shockingly smooth and quiet for such cheap all-season tires. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: I went to the local tire shop, and they gave me a heavy price tag for these winter tires. I have an older car too, and it's heavy and requires some tires that are not standard anymore. I am not saying it is impossible or hard to find; they usually don't have them in the store to make room for the more popular sizes. So like everyone in the world, I went to see if Amazon sells tires, mostly because I was pissed off at the price, and they deliver right to my front door. I have not heard of this brand, but when they want to sell me four tires for the price of two, how can I not take that chance and save that pile of money? DELIVERY: I'm very impressed with the shipping and the delivery. Three days later, the Amazon driver left them in my driveway. INSTALL LOGISTICS: One issue about doing this is I have to take them to the shop that quoted me the higher price and have them mounted and balanced. The other issue is that if I did not have a pick-up to haul the tires to the shop, I would have to take them two at a time so they would fit in the trunk. VALUE: After getting them mounted, I found the tires quiet and handled smoothly. So for the price and the way they perform, get them. They are fantastic! Just make sure there is a way to get them to the shop or change the delivery address. Then let the shop know, and have them delivered to their door. EARLY DURABILITY: After checking out the tread depth, I do not want to get the other brands for the local guys. The smooth nature of the drive makes them my favorite. I have not put many miles on them yet, but they don't look like I have driven to Vegas and back. I need some shiny finish on the sidewalls, which will look brand new again. Get it from Amazon now: $338.93 & FREE Returns 2. CROSSMAX - Best All-Season Tires for SUVs KEY TAKEAWAY: Rode way smoother and quieter than expected. DELIVERY: I had these tires delivered to a shop, and my sister dropped off my dad's SUV to get new shoes. I had the Amazon driver drop them off at the shop, and everyone was sure these were bargain-budget junk. I know that’s what the guys at the shop thought, because that’s what they told her. COST SAVINGS: What we learned, all of us, was that some great deals and products can be bought from Amazon and not only from the tire store. Comparing the prices of Amazon and Shop Tires is about double. The shop wanted nearly twice as much for comparable tires. The thing to consider is the shop will have a well-known name, and the stuff from Amazon is relatively unknown. BUILD QUALITY: I went with the less expensive one for a car that does not leave town and puts on about 500 miles a year. Notice I did not say cheap. The quality of Crossmax tires is fantastic. So far, we have not had any snow to practice in, but for wet surfaces and highway travel, the tires deliver more value than price. RIDE SMOOTHNESS: The technicians at the shop told me to keep an eye out for whatever it's called for the balance. From what they told me, they used very little and sometimes no counterweights and were worried that the car would bounce and wobble all the way home. We drove it home, smooth and glass, then went to the back roads, and the same thing happened. We later took the car on the highway, which was still soft and quiet. Get it from Amazon now: $98.99 & FREE Returns 3. Summit - Best All-Season Tires for Minivans KEY TAKEAWAY: Wet road grip seriously surprised me for a budget minivan tire. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: Since I had such good luck getting it from Amazon, it was time to try another set. This time, it was my mom's minivan. Her van does not haul around a ton of kids all day, so the weight was not a factor to consider. This car gets about 1200 miles a year in a busy year. PRICE: The prices are so much more affordable that every car needing new tires will be an experiment. ROAD NOISE LEVEL: This set was pretty standard for noise. If I had a car that needed to be the company car and lots of phone talk from the front seat, these may not be the answers. WET WEATHER GRIP: The wet road rating in my unscientific testing was remarkable. LIMITED PERFORMANCE: Note, I'm talking about a minivan, not the car in the photo. So I don't know if it can hold a corner at speed because I don't want to get the mom's hand against the back of my head. BALANCING ISSUES: Unlike other Amazon tire finds, this set is complex to balance. So far, we are on our third visit to get them balanced. At this rate, the price of the shop tires is getting nearer, and Amazon tires do not have a warranty at the shop, so that issue may become a thing later. After a thousand miles, the balance thing seems to be gone. I think they were not round and had to get the high spots worn down; that is my guess. SPEED RATING: A review states that this tire is rated 160+ miles per hour. I will take their word for it; I have zero desire to go that fast in Mom's minivan, and I will not test this claim. BOTTOM LINE: We are in December now, and the temps are getting cold. From reports from mom, the van does excellent, has no flat spotting feel, and grips like a champ on the way to her volunteer shift at the hospital. That drive is about three miles, and the tires run like a champ before she leaves the neighborhood. Get it from Amazon now: $109.99 & FREE Returns 4. Milestar - Best All-Season Tires for Sports Cars KEY TAKEAWAY: Aggressive tread looks sporty but doesn’t whine on the highway. DESIGN: These went on the hot road and looked cool no matter what, when the car did not have a muffler or anything that resembled one. On top of looking great, they perform perfectly while looking cool - the best of both worlds. WEATHER PERFORMANCE: As far as weather performance is concerned, these vehicle tires tires work better than the ones worn out at 25K miles, which did not have anything to do with the right foot. I have tires for smoking and doing dumb things, but the cruise tires keep the sheet metal in good shape and don't get tickets from hanging out past the fenders. DELIVERY: Amazon delivered these tires to my door (Prime) with no shipping charge, but since I live in Utah, I did get taxed... Ugh... INSTALL COST: The local shop was as interested in this experiment as I was. They dropped the mount and balance price from 42 bucks each to 18 bucks each, so that was good news. I am sure they may soon have a new line of tires on the showroom floor. GRIP & CONTROL: These tires grip the road up the canyon like glue, much better than the others. Canyon cruising is the best part of hot rodding, in my opinion. Since I have to pay for all the repairs and am too old and fat to crawl around the car, I have learned to look and appreciate, leaving the racing to the ones who constantly have time, energy, and money to fix them. That is not to say that, sometimes, the young in me forgets the price or repairs, and I have to smoke a rice rocket to feel better. LONG TERM PLANS: I plan on getting another set of these and putting them in the garage rafters for later. I don't know if I will wear these out on the hot rod, but if I do, I want the exact same thing going on the rims. The part I like the most is the look of the tread. It is aggressive enough to look tough but not make a whining noise as I move down the road. I only need tire noise to work against the exhaust, and may go nuts. Get it from Amazon now: $143.95 & FREE Returns 5. Hankook - Best Quiet All-Season Tires KEY TAKEAWAY: Made the Navigator ride smooth and quiet like a luxury SUV should. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: I had a set of Hankook tires on my Genesis sedan and loved everything about them. So when the expensive tires wore out on the Navigator, I went with what I knew and am very happy. The local big tire shop around here stopped carrying Hankook, and that pisses me off. So I went where everyone goes to find a set and ended up on Amazon, and boom! There they were, so I had a set delivered to my door. RIDE COMFORT: I have this set on my Navigator, and let me tell you, the truck rides like a Lincoln should. The tires are smooth and quiet, and the traction on wet roads is impressive and solid. The truck handles canyon bends and long drives to Vegas like it was custom-designed for that machine. SNOW USE: I can tell everyone that the Hankook tires will handle the snow well. Now, you need to understand this is an expensive car. I drive it like it's expensive to fix, so take my last argument with a grain of salt. I do not have this set of tires on the F350 that I drive in the snow like I have something to prove. And hell-bent on not losing to the muddy roads uphill, this tread pattern is not the one for that truck. BRAKING: Stopping on wet pavement results in straight-line braking. The tires seem to grab the same on wet or dry conditions. I don't have any issues with braking in my car with the 4-wheel ABS, but these tires have never slipped or spun under acceleration, for that matter. BOTTOM LINE: Since I bought the Navigator, I have put on just over 35k miles. The tires will be replaced, as they were on the car when I got it. I am very happy with the Hankook brand of tires and plan to keep them on this car and my wife's Aviator when the stock tires from the dealer wear out. Get it from Amazon now: $79.54 & FREE Returns 6. Vercelli Strada - Best All-Season Tires for Highway Driving KEY TAKEAWAY: Highway ride stayed smooth even after long Utah road trips. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: After watching Amazon's never-ending parade of tires, my old boss put someone in his Porche SUV. He will replace these with another set before he buys another set of Pirelli to waste the money on the brand name. ALIGNMENT ISSUES: The old boss's family owns the property by my cabin; I know the small world. After a trip down there to check on the property, we think something happened to the alignment on the rear of his car. That thing eats tires, and no one at the shop can find the problem. That is when he started looking into cheap tires on Amazon to have the car working. At the same time, someone eventually found the problem and fixed it. DAILY USE SUITABILITY: The Porche's tires look very sporty. I think it's called a Cheyenne, but my fingers ache when I spell that, so it will just be referred to as a car. Now, to make a point here, the Vercelli Strada tires are not going to perform and hold up to punishment like the stock tires, but for the price of these tires and no need to street race, they have lasted him quite a time. They will be the go-to for the cheaper tires in that household. DELIVERY SPEED: The tires ship very fast. They arrived here in Utah almost overnight. Well, it's probably two-day shipping, not too shabby. When I had to order tires from the tire shop, they took a week or two to come to the same distance. Again, I had to make a plan to have them put on the car, and so did he; that was the only hang-up in the whole deal. Well, the tire mounting and the broken something that keeps eating tires. SIDEWALL DESIGN: The sidewalls of the tires have a sort of raised decoration on them. In contrast, the ones on the car are a checkered flag-looking thing, so if anyone has a rice rocket, this manufacturer may be right up your alley. BOTTOM LINE: The tires perform nicely and smoothly and do well in the rain. So far, we have not tried them out in the snow, but the tread pattern appears to handle that with no problems. Get it from Amazon now: $101.90 & FREE Returns 7. Lexani - Best Rain Performance Tires KEY TAKEAWAY: Wet highway grip felt almost like driving on dry pavement. WET GRIP: This tire lives to perform in the rain. The day these were put on the car, I set out from the tire shop to drive to Wyoming. It began to rain, and it meant it that day. The tires never wavered or lacked performance. The car felt like it was on dry pavement, but now, if the windshield wipers also worked, The tires arrived at the tire shop in less than a week; I went to my appointment and had them mounted and balanced. I stopped off to buy some gas, a Diet Coke, and Cheetos (poison and antidote) and headed east to Wyoming; my cigars had been delivered to my brother, and I needed to get them. LONG DISTANCE USE: Along I80, the semi-truck will cause depressions in the road, and water will settle in the ruts. Hydroplaning is a common bugger in the rain, but not with these tires and my grown-up attitude for driving on wet roads and keeping it at about 60mph. When I went off the highway, the surface roads were wet, some corners were tight, and I had new tires to test. WET CORNERING GRIP: When I hit the curves at 35mph, I had to fix the car and pay hospital bills to do anything crazy; they stuck like glue to the wet pavement. OVERALL FEEL: On the way back from Wyoming, the road was dry, and the tires felt and worked the same. The weird thing is, it felt the same; it felt like the road was not wet a few days before. This type of tire had me in trouble when I was younger, and my confidence was bigger than my tire's ability to stick to wet pavement. So, for anyone thinking of driving nuts when they get the rain fighter tires, make sure to leave the kids at home, just in case. The tires have a great, aggressive black wall look and perfectly fit the wheel. BOTTOM LINE: Overall, I am pleased with these tires; from where I sit, there is no reason not to buy more shortly. Get it from Amazon now: $107.96 & FREE Returns 8. Hankook - Best Long-Lasting All-Season Tires KEY TAKEAWAY: After 10K miles, the tread still barely looked worn. FIRST IMPRESSIONS: I did not think an aggressive-looking tread could be this quiet until I tried out the V2. These tires went on a project car my nephew is building, so the size is a bit harder to find sitting on the shelf. But a quick look on Amazon, and there they sat. Now they are on the wheels and getting miles on them. HANDLING LIMITATIONS: The one thing about these grippy and inexpensive tires is that the sidewalls are unsuitable for the street scene. The car feels a little soft in the corners, so that is one thing to consider for a rice rocket hat rod. This set of tires is the way to go for a minivan or a commuter car. DURABILITY: The tires are rolling at about 10k miles, and the wear looks like the week after they were mounted. And that is for a kid that likes to screw around and do some street activities. I am impressed with the wearability of the V2. The noise and traction are great, and they did well in Utah's rainy, wet road season for two weeks. Snow season is coming, and I hope they continue to impress. BOTTOM LINE: When researching this tire set, I read one review that mentioned someone putting one on his motorcycle. I did not know that was a thing; according to his review, it was his best idea. If this makes sense to anyone, check with the bike manufacturer first to ensure this is safe. If it is OK to do this, I cannot recommend Hankook tires any higher, and I love them. Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns 9. Goodyear - Best All-Season Tires for Snow KEY TAKEAWAY: Ideal for snowy commutes without needing full winter tires. DELIVERY: Like the remaining Amazon tires, they were delivered within a few days. FACTORY-LIKE FIT: This set of tires looks like they came stock on the car. The car is 12 years old and rides better now that the TBB tires are under it. EVERYDAY TRACTION: This site is not a go-up-the-canyon-to-ski snow tire; it is a get-to-work snow tire and does a fantastic job doing that. The TBB tires have a soft and forgiving ride. They will make an economy car feel like a luxury car and handle it like one. TREAD LIFE CONCERNS: This tire has no mileage guarantee, making me a little suspicious. I hope the rubber is not so soft they wear off in a year or so hard they wear off like a pencil eraser on paper. So far, they look just like all the other tires, dirty and needing a car wash, but the tread still looks excellent. NOISE: The tires roll down the freeway and make little road noise. I'll admit there is some noise, but it's not annoying, and there is nothing a little Chris LeDoux can't cover. LONG-TERM VALUE: Regarding the price and age of this car, I will probably order some new ones when they wear out unless that is sooner than I want it to. Unless the kid down the street comes to buy this car for college, I hope and pray they last for four years so he can focus on school and not the shoes for his car. Of course, I need the lawn mowed and snow shoveled in the winter. Maybe a trade can be made if they wear out too soon. Get it from Amazon now: $181.49 & FREE Returns

As a truck driver, I rely on my headset to make phone calls, receive route updates, and transmit messages. Here's my personal ranking. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. BlueParrott - Best Noise-Canceling Bluetooth Headset KEY TAKEAWAY: Exceptional noise canceling keeps calls clear even inside a loud truck cab. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: I’m a truck driver and needed a new pair of noise canceling headsets after my last set of headphones stopped working–the pairing essentially broke. I’m on a budget and didn't really want to spend a ton of money, so I tried out a few different earbuds and found that most of them didn't work near what I was hoping for. After doing a bunch of research and devouring all the positive reviews I could, I settled on these, but I can’t even call them settling, because wow, these are just the best. NOISE CANCELATION: Wow on the sound on these! I’m not even kidding. You can be standing right beside a compactor truck doing its thing, and a person across the driveway can still hear your voice. I’ve actually tried it. Not kidding. I even tried them out when I was outside next to my buzzing air conditioning unit, and my mom couldn’t even hear it. She said that my voice was completely clear. Naturally, the same was the case when I was driving my truck - she could hear me with no interference. PRODUCT COMPARISON: I've also tried nine of the most popular headsets on the market, and while I liked some of them for their weight and lightness, only BlueParrott absorbed practically all of the background noise, and that's even more the case if you’re someone who wears hearing aids. But with these things, you seriously hear absolutely no background noise, it’s just amazing! BATTERY: The battery is freaking awesome. I love how the headset came with a full battery, and after almost twenty four hours of using it in two days, it only lost 30 percent battery. It only died on me once because I didn’t charge it for over a week haha. The only thing that would be cool is if it showed the battery life on my phone, but other than a little small thing, I just love it so much and I know other people will too! PROS: Sound is loud enough to hear in a noisy car Awesome battery life Controls have a learning curve but are pretty good to use once you figure it out Love the voice feature Noise canceling mic blocks out external noise Ear piece has great sound quality CONS: Ear cushion has a rectangle shape and can be a little uncomfortable because it doesn’t go over the year Head band is on the tight side and yet somehow still manages to slide off when I look down AIRPORT USE: Last month, in between traveling, I was in security, waiting for my flight, and talked to my mom for over fifteen minutes without ever having to hit mute. My mom said she heard zero background noise - no airport announcements, no conversations from the crowd around–nothing. People around me were loud too (the plane was late and the line long, so you know how it goes). And yet I was happy because I didn’t have to listen to any of them complain haha. Love this thing. BOTTOM LINE: I freaking love these things. I use them while driving, and also at my home office. They’re just amazing - I meant it! I know it sounds silly to be so excited about a gadget, but unless you use headsets on a daily basis you wouldn't understand how comforting it is to find something that actually works for you. And this headset does. Get it from Amazon now: $209.99 & FREE Returns 2. Plantronics Voyager 5200 UC - Best Bluetooth Headset for Dispatch Calls KEY TAKEAWAY: Strong call clarity and multi-device pairing improve communication while driving. DEVICE SWITCHING: After using air pods for a while, I finally decided to switch it up and go with something new. And yeah, the noise canceling isn't the greatest for calls when I’m driving my truck, but it worked. When I'm working from my home office, I switch between my phone and my computer which it’s kind of a pain, and I was worried about the battery dying. The Voyager has seriously fixed all of these issues. It has such a long battery life and I had zero issue switching between different devices. SOUND: It’s not actually design for music listening, and the speaker is better for voices, but it works both ways. I have zero issue hearing people on phone calls. You can also browse the web with it without issue, and that’s great. MICROPHONE: The mic is seriously great. Love the noise canceling and how well it works. It filters out all background noise, so no one can hear your surroundings, so that’s nice. I use it on Zoom calls all the time and it’s awesome, and I definitely have the best mic of anyone in my company. UC VERSION: Out of all the different types, I recommend the UC version. Essentially it comes with a USB transmitter that you can plug into your computer. It’s worth the extra cost if you ask me. Definitely awesome. You get better reception and range and it lets you use the app, plus it comes with a charging case which is awesome. CONNECTIVITY: I keep mine connected to my Mac computer, and I love how easy it connects with Bluetooth. It just works great, zero complaints. BATTERY LIFE: After four to five hours of non stop video calls, the battery finally gets low, but it charades so fast, you barely ever notice it. CHARGING CASE: Game changer right here. Love the charging case. I can just pop it in for a quick recharge. You can fold the head set into the case or you can attach it to the outside. It’s another reason I recommend the “UC” option because charging goes faster. The case is like the airpods, and has a battery inside so that’s pretty cool. My only issue is that it takes a few attempts to get the head set to click where its charging. The blue charging lights are convenient though! CONTROL LAYOUT: I love how the buttons are in the best spots and I have no issue finding them. I can adjust the volume and answer or end calls with it, which is so easy to use. Oh, and the mute button is freaking awesome. Makes it easy to quiet my mic when I’m on a conference call. APP FEATURES: If you got the “UC” option, then definitely download the Plantronics Hub application. With it, you can see the battery status of the headset and play around with sound quality, ringtone, and battery life. The app also lets you sync the mute button to your computer which is awesome. FIT & FEEL: Keep in mind, this is gonna be subjective! I like over the ear type headsets, especially when I’m wearing them all day. It’s light enough that it doesn’t make my ears hurt which is awesome. They’re so much more comfy than my air pods, I just love them so much. BOTTOM LINE: Yeah, definitely the best you can get if you ask me. Def the best pair for conference calls, and I tell all my coworkers about them. Get it from Amazon now: $89.95 & FREE Returns 3. Jabra Evolve 65 - Best Long Battery Life Headset KEY TAKEAWAY: Long battery life supports full days of truck driving calls. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: Yeah, I got these for my Birthday, but let’s be real, this more felt like an X-mas gift straight from Mister Claus himself! They’re on the pricey side, yeah they’re expensive, but you’re getting what you pay for. The quality is worth it. I really like ear pads that are dual over single style, and I love how light the headset is, although I’ve seen lighter ones, but not the kind meant for this. I don’t use these at the gym, but they’re great at work. DEVICE PAIRING: They connect to my phones and computers which is just awesome. At first, I couldn’t figure out how to switch between all of them, but the customer service was awesome and they taught me how to install the new software and that worked great. BATTERY: The battery life is freaking amazing. I still don’t understand how even after a full twenty four hours, it still said the battery was full. It would be nice if you could see the percentage of the battery from the software, but it is what it is. WEARABILITY: The head set is comfortable to wear for a longer time, but my ears do get a little sweaty if I wear them for a little bit. MIC FUNCTION: I love how the mic is clear, and noise in the background is barely noticeable. The boom mic swivels and has a magnet to clamp to the headset when not in use. The mute button works during calls, but not otherwise. USB USE: I love how long the USB cable is and works really great with my computer, but it’s not the best if you wanna walk around with it. VALUE: It’s definitely on the pricier side, but it’s super high quality, so I think it’s worth it. I mean, there's value is in how solid the quality of sound is, and how easily you can connect to it and still have good conversations. BOTTOM LINE: I think I’m gonna give this four stars, mainly because the battery status was a little on the misleading side. When it said the battery was full, it dropped down to five percent by the next day. Yet, it’s still pretty solid, and a great product and I love it. Get it from Amazon now: $292.00 & FREE Returns 4. Garmin 100 - Best Long-Range Bluetooth Headset KEY TAKEAWAY: Long wireless range lets truck drivers stay connected while unloading. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: I started working remotely and I knew I needed a good headset, because my dogs can get rowdy. I really like wireless, single ear gadgets that connect to my computer, but I decided to go with these specifically because there’s a five year warranty just in case anything happens. VALUE: I have to say that, with this headset, the value for money is seriously up there. The outbound audio quality is so amazing, and I love how the range lets me wander to the kitchen and bathroom while still staying connected. Yes, I spend just under a hundred percent of my days on my phone and computer. At least I’m being honest. Anyway, for these reasons, this headset is worth the money. SET UP: Setup was soooo easy. You can even contact tech support for help with any issue but there’s also a bunch of YouTube videos out there that are helpful. IN USE: I love how lightweight this headset is. The range of this thing is seriously unbelievable. I even walked through my whole home and in the front and back yard and still didn’t lose connectivity. CUSTOMER SERVICE: My main issue was with the manual. Not a lot of instructions. So I ended calling tech support several times. It helped, but I don’t think I should have necessarily had to do that to figure it out. Either way, customer service was seriously the best. The tech support even called me to make sure I’d figured it out, which was just a nice touch. BOTTOM LINE: Twelve out of 10, not even joking. Would have been a 15, if I had gotten the model that connects to my cell, but I plan to get that next time! I typically get new ones every two years or so. So after four years, I can officially say the battery life is still just as amazing. The sound quality is better than the handset or speaker, and it’s just so comfy, even to wear all day long. By the way, when I broke the ear pads, customer support quickly shipped replacements. Can’t recommend enough. Just such a great head set. Get it from Amazon now: $189.95 & FREE Returns 5. EKSA H1 - Best Budget Bluetooth Headset KEY TAKEAWAY: Cheap, yet keeps calls clear even with road noise. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: I'm not usually one to write reviews, but these are so worth it. For years I struggled with ear pain. After using headsets for a couple of hours, my ears would start hurting. I had seriously been looking for a pair of comfortable, noise canceling headsets that don’t cost a fortune. As a truck driver, I needed them. I’ve tried all the headsets out there, at least that’s how it feels, and this pair is by far one of the best I’ve ever tried. It’s super affordable and works so great. NOISE CANCELATION: I tested it in my semi with the window down while on the phone with my wife and she couldn't hear the wind or the truck engine which was shocking. I'm able to stay connected without any background noise, and my conversations are so smooth now that I don't have to keep repeating myself. Not only can I answer a call super fast, but the noise in my truck doesn't affect the call quality at all. Everyone I’ve talked to reports seriously crystal clear sound, almost like I'm alone in a quiet room. BATTERY LIFE: The battery life is one of the best I’ve seen, and I’ve owned a lot of head sets. I’ve used this for over a week straight and still didn't have to charge it. It lasts about fifteen freaking hours, with like five hours of talk time. When they finally show low battery, they only needed a quick five minute charge and then they kept them going. BOTTOM LINE: I love this headset so freaking much. I mean for the price, it's unbeatable. You get comfort, great sound quality, and amazing battery life. What else can you ask for from a cheap headset? Get it from Amazon now: $69.99 & FREE Returns

Looking for the best side step for your truck, Jeep or SUV? I test running boards for a living, and here's my ultimate ranking with hands-on reviews. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. RealTruck - Best Heavy-Duty Running Boards KEY TAKEAWAY: Provides improved accessibility without sacrificing ground clearance. ENTRY & EXIT SUPPORT: The powered running boards can make a difference in getting family members or aging family members in and out of the vehicle. With the powered lift ability, the running boards will retract against the body when the truck or SUV shuts the doors. This will remove some of the noise of driving a truck. The raised running boards will remove noise and look great, especially for the more modern, sleek body style. REAL WORLD USE: My Navigator has powered steps from the factory. At first, I did not like them. However, I learned to work with the steps rather than against them, and now I don't want to own an SUV or truck without them. Powered steps, for the few folks that may not know, do not lift people into the truck like a handicap assist. They pull up to the truck's body. I have had folks tell me the powered running boards will keep the mud and junk out of the running boards by moving out of the way. All I have ever seen is powered steps drop a bunch of mud when the driver door is opened. TRAIL USE REALITY: From my time driving trucks through mud, I know one thing for sure: mud will be there if it is a place on a truck. Unless it is inside the cab, and the passengers never get out of the truck and get back in, it is the only place mud will not be after driving down a back road. INSTALLATION DIFFICULTY: Installation of a retrofit set of AMP PowerSteps requires more patience than other tools. Do not get in a hurry, and if needed, plan to install one side this weekend and the other side next week. If I were new to working on cars and trucks, this would take a few more hours. More time would be needed to figure out what the instructions are saying. The installation time for us was about eight hours. That was five hours on the first side, then about three hours on the other. The first side took longer because we were figuring it out, figuring out the motor mounting, and making that work. INSTALLATION TIPS: Besides having extra patience, one thing to plan for this installment is to have a patient plus one to help you. Plan to put this on, then remove it a few times until you figure it out. We split the time into two-hour episodes. After two hours, we needed to take a beer break and sit upright instead of lying flat on our backs under the truck. Thread-lock everything. Do not thread lock the motor mount screws, just the mounting bolts that hook the running boards to the truck. Spray something on the bolts and nuts to protect them from road salt and water, making them rust solid. Use YouTube before starting to see where everyone else ran into malfunctions. After watching YouTube videos, please read the instructions and follow them one step at a time. Before tightening anything, lower the steps and walk around on the running boards. Bounce up and down, get all the wiggle movements out, and look for the rub marks from the steps against the truck. Pay close attention to the pinch welds. Ensure space between the end caps and the pinch welds; try to get ¾ of an inch. Remember, the truck will move a lot, and the running boards will move as well. If the end caps rub or touch on the pinch weld areas, everything will go wrong. Things will hang up, possibly burning up the motors and blowing fuses. MANUAL CONTROL: The kit has a rocker switch to lower and raise the steps manually. I guess it would be great if I drove this old truck into a deep mud hole, but I did not want to lower the step into the mud. Having a step like this lower into mud, dirt, or rocks when the truck is sunk and not in a happy place will probably break them. WHEN TO USE A DEALER: As I said, my Navigator has these installed by the factory. I am not too excited to put the Navigator in the deep mud; my old truck changed my mindset, and sometimes, I forget that I have to pay to fix stuff and do dumb things. When it comes to wiring the steps, if I had less experience and time to do this part, I would have been better off having a dealer do the work. Get it from Amazon now: $1,799.99 & FREE Returns 2. OEDRO - Best Running Boards for Jeeps KEY TAKEAWAY: Wide non-slip steps provide stable footing for Jeeps. EASY INSTALLATION: This set of running boards uses factory holes, so installation is easy and clean. They look better than the original steps and function massively better. I have a friend who is into the overlanding craze and spends lots of time in Moab trying to test his luck against gravity. When the Overlanding bug hits him, this set of sideboards will let him use the steps to get into the vehicle, climb onto the center step, and reach things from his roof rack - genius! BUILD QUALITY: These steps are the heaviest I have helped install. Each step weighs in at 75 pounds. That is how solid this sideboard is built. How the tubing is made will allow it to survive hits and do rock sliding. The running boards are not designed to be rock sliders, but that is where they sit on the side of the Jeep, so they better be made to be solid and ready to repel off-roading encounters. The steps are six inches wide, giving a good and solid footing to mount into the vehicle. With this much width, if this vehicle goes off-road in serious areas, ensure it is lifted off the steps, dragging on road ruts and rocks. PACKAGING QUALITY: OEDRO packed this like they were sending heavy metal things through the mail, showing their commitment to quality and customer service. The steps were wrapped in Styrofoam and tightly with heavy plastic to keep everything where it belonged. The hardware is put in a sealed bag, not just a Ziplock-style bag but a heat-sealed bag; you need a knife to open it. The hardware will not spill all over the place or fall out of the box if damaged severely during shipping. The only way that hardware will fall out is if there is a 4-inch chop in the box side and lots of shaking involved. INSTRUCTION QUALITY: Clear pictures. Easy to understand and complete step-by-step instructions. I think they had a few guys who had put these on Jeeps in the past to make the instruction sheets. Not some folks who don't know what a Jeep is, who write the instructions from a quickly written list of stuff from an engineer on how to bolt them on the Jeep. HARDWARE ISSUES: The manufacturer needs to include better carriage bolts. Some of the reviews talked about the carriage bolts not fitting and the square being too small, and others did not mention it. Unluckily, we had a set of carriage bolts that were too small. The manufacturer probably engineered the holes for standard, and the manufacturer included metric heads, so they are a bit loose. Check the fit of the carriage bolts BEFORE starting the installation. If your kit has too small heads, get the right ones and put the side steps on. INSTALLATION: The engineering and production teams that built these sideboards deserve applause. Every bolt hole lined up like it was factory-made and engineered simultaneously as the Jeep. The nuts they send to install are fine and will do the job, but we chose to use the dreaded Nylock Nuts and put up with the attitudes they are born with. We decided to replace these pieces of hardware to help fight off the vibrations that we know will be the bane of this accessory. We also used larger fender bolts along the pinch weld areas to provide more backing plate-style support so the steps don't pull out of the mounts someday. APPEARANCE: The shape of the steps matches the contour of the body. What I mean is that these steps are not just straight pipes and steps; they actually mold to the side of the Jeep. They look like factory options, not added on later, and better. The other non-advertised thing I see with this step setup is the protection from rocks the paint job will enjoy. The tires will not throw up gravel and have it ding or scratch the sides of the vehicle with six inches of lateral protection. FUNCTION: The steps are made to sit lower than the rocker panels; they would not be steps if they did not. This step gives a non-slip six-inch-wide area that my giant boots fit on, and the running boards hold all of me, and that is saying something. The company rates the running board to support 550 pounds - that's me and another person at the same time, now that is impressive. BOTTOM LINE: I have never seen a better choice for a Jeep upgrade than this set of running boards. The function is fantastic. Installation is easy; the instructions could not be better. The quality of fit and finish is top-notch. To say the least, I recommend this kit to anyone considering installing steps on a Jeep. Get it from Amazon now: $289.99 & FREE Returns 3. Tyger Auto - Best Nerf Bars for Trucks KEY TAKEAWAY: Rugged nerf bar design adds actual traction. PREP WORK: Have you ever wondered where the "install guide video" folks take a truck to get it that clean for the video? The installation video from the manufacturer makes this installation look more fun than work. The truth is the only tricky part is getting the mud cleaned off and not filling my eyes and ears full of mud from the pressure washer under the truck. Luckily, these were going on a friend's Dodge, so after I hooked up the washer and demonstrated how to make it work, I handed him the wand and let his eyes and ears get filled with mud, which is OK with me. About a half hour after the wash job, the water had stopped dripping from the frame, and we got to work. HARDWARE CHECK: During the drip-dry portion of the day's events, we unpacked the boxes and laid out all the parts and pieces. I double-check the hardware every time I do anything like this. After a slightly unpleasant surprise with some carriage bolts on another project, I make sure all of that also fits as it should. All of the parts were there and the right size, so it was time to read the instructions and watch some YouTube videos to make sure we avoided all the hang-ups that may come along with this installation. KIT LAYOUT: This kit comes with instructions and packaging for the passenger and driver side. They separate the parts into different colored baggies for each side. The installation instructions can make your head swim if you are not careful. When helping out my buddy, I lay out the parts for a total headcount, then put all the passenger-side stuff back in the box. All of the driver-side stuff in the truck bed was laid out according to the instructions on how they were mounted. I figured it out with some work and negotiating with the sidestep gods. I am pretty sure the installation guide was made by someone in a hurry who knew how to install the steps without instructions, used his cell phone as the camera, and went with a 'hip shot" approach to pictures. INSTALLATION: Once the instructions were clear or clear enough, we began the installation. As we figured out, the first bracket required a bit of colorful language. Once that was done and we better understood what needed to happen, the remainder of the brackets went on like butter. If possible, watch other folks install this sidestep on YouTube or somewhere else and see how they decoded it. You will save about half an hour on the first bracket. VEHICLE FIT: My buddy loved how the steps looked on his Dodge when they were done. They look small as if he used a leftover pipe that was not big enough. But what do I know... I have a giant Ford F350 long-bed four-door truck with a Ranch Hand deer smasher on the front; nothing about my world is sleek. He liked them, and that is all that mattered. They hold up to my excess weight when I'm using them to get in the truck, and it seems like they belong there for aesthetics. The pipe's finish has a bedliner-like texture, and the step part is heavy-duty plastic. BOTTOM LINE: On the day we put them on, the plastic step worked great. I don't know how that will work in the winter when it's covered in snow, but in about two months, we will find out. Get it from Amazon now: $189.00 & FREE Returns 4. YitaMotor - Best Running Boards for Chevy Silverado KEY TAKEAWAY: Factory-fit running boards add stable footing and Silverado styling. STEP DIMENSIONS: These running boards are six inches wide and made of a rectangular stainless-steel tube. FOOT PAD DESIGN: The foot pads are made of high-impact plastic with an aggressive finish, so they are not slippery when wet. CHEVY COMPATIBILITY: The mounts use factory mounting holes from the manufacturer. The ad only shows them available for Chevy trucks - newer Chevy trucks, to be more precise. They have come in all the lengths of cabs for years, so that is good. I had a GMC truck once upon a time, and I put some four-door steps on it as a regular cab, so I had side steps to get in the back of the bed to get the stuff that was always out of reach. That was a great idea to me, but I was ridiculed by many of my buddies for the wrong idea. A few years later, truck makers started building in a step in the bed, right where the side boards went on my original idea. Great minds think alike; others crawled over the tailgate to get a jug of windshield washer fluid as I stepped on my runners and did not have to work for it. MOUNTING SYSTEM: The brackets that bolt to the truck and hold the steps are well-made. The brackets will only work for a truck this year without modifying the truck. I may have some friends who want to make truck mods just to see if these will fit, but it will take more thinking about that project and using math to calculate the price of these versus the wallet thickness. DESIGN FEATURES: The running boards are very attractive and give any new-body Chevy truck a polished look. They may even work on SUVs in that same category, but I did not check. The ends are capped with the same strong plastics that make the footsteps and have some nice styling to keep with the nice touches. REAL WORLD RESULTS: I asked some off-roading and overlanding folks if they had any practical experience with this set of running boards. Lo and behold, John had the exact pair on his truck. John tells me the running board fits perfectly and has stayed tight and in good shape for almost three years. The rust-proof coatings they use and the stainless-steel build materials have definitely not been wasted. INSTALL TIME: When John and his neighbor put the running boards on his truck, they claimed it only took them three hours, and some of that time was spent in the mandatory beer-drinking mode. The instructions were clear, and the pictures were well taken, quickly showing what had to happen and when to do it. BOTTOM LINE: The mounting bracket lined up precisely with the factory mounting holes, so what more could a Chevy owner want? John lives in the four corners area and does not pound his truck like he has money to spare, but he also does not treat it like it's made for shows and cruising for chicks; this is a regular-use truck. The fit and finish look the same in the pictures he sent me, probably after some time with a hose washing off the red clay dust. Still, they look like the pictures in the ad, so there are no complaints about durability. They look great on the truck and make it look like a higher-priced machine than it really is; it's incredible how one of two add-ons can improve the presentation of a machine. Get it from Amazon now: $309.99 & FREE Returns 5. COMNOVA - Best Steel Running Boards KEY TAKEAWAY: Heavy-duty steel provides serious trail durability. DESIGN FLEXIBILITY: This is the only sidestep we have looked at for this review with the ability to move the step forward and backward after the mounts are installed. This will make the final adjustment and fitting to the body perfect. All the running boards I have looked at fit and look like they belong there, but this maker has allowed the steps to fit precisely to the body. The Comnova comes in jet black and looks mean and capable when it sits on the truck. The footsteps are made of hard plastic and have a great-looking design that no longer enhances the appeal. MATERIAL QUALITY: These are the only running boards made from carbon steel. I found these as a requirement for trucks that will flip rocks from the dirt roads on their way into town for groceries, sheetrock, and more beer - maybe some whiskey if I am doing it right. MOUNTING STRENGTH: The running boards are six inches wide and hang on four mounts per side, not three like all the rest. This gives them the ability to support up to five hundred pounds. These may be one of the few running boards that can handle banging into trail obstacles or hard and heavy things falling onto them. I have seen some of these running boards, usually the chrome tubes, that look tough but are bent and dented with a harsh word. RAM UNDERCOATING: Now, when putting some running boards on my buddy's truck, he tells me to let everyone who drives a Dodge truck and wants to install some of these remember that Ram applies an undercoating to prevent damage and rusting from using a car like it was made for, not spending time in the driveway and looking shiny in the parking lot. INSTALLATION FIX: When installing running boards, he was having a very tough time, thinking the bolts were wrong or something else, and he was about to give it all up. The installation was a snap after he scrapped or ground off the undercoating. Just remember to reapply some undercoating to the area. The undercoating can be bought in a rattle can from the auto parts store and sprayed back on. After all the work, I went over to check on the project. He and I both stood on the running boards and did the standard redneck check of jumping and bouncing around to see if we could exceed the 500 lbs. rating. BOTTOM LINE: I am happy to report that we did not break anything. We did not even move the running board at all. Between the two of us, we wholeheartedly approve of and recommend anyone looking to get a set of these should get them right away, get them on the truck, and enjoy the benefits. Get it from Amazon now: $169.99 & FREE Returns

Unlike slow-charging Level 1 options, Level 2 chargers are super-fast. They have a long power cord and many installation options. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. ChargePoint Home Flex - Best Plug-In EV Charger KEY TAKEAWAY: Charges EVs much faster than a standard 110V outlet. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: With the recent invasion of Tesla cars, my neighborhood will be the one place in Utah that will kill the power grid someday. I am sure the power company hates us, as this place will keep the grid at max. REAL-WORLD TESTING: My neighbor across the street came to me to see if we could test the EV chargers he was looking at for the Telsa he needed. He came to me because I have a 240-volt outlet for my welder. Since the EV thing does not seem to be going away, I think we will eventually need to have a charger here for our stuff or visitors. And I will need one at the cabin because the closest charging station, or whatever they call an EV station, is three counties away. PLUG-IN SETUP: He brought the first charger over, and we plugged it into the wall. This is the best idea I have heard of for a quick set-up like I want. The neighbor, of course, will have his hardwired into his garage to charge like he means it, not like me, who charges for a visitor. When he ordered this, he told me that the charger end that plugs into the car has to be Tesla-specific and called a NACS. The rest of the EV world uses a J1772 connector. So be sure to get the right one for the car that may be coming to get hooked up. NO HARDWIRING NEEDED: When I looked down the street at the neighbor driving an EV car, I saw many stainless steel boxes and conduits on the side of the house. That is the part I was not happy to include. When it showed up, and I could just plug it into the 240v I had wired for my welder, that made me pretty happy. Get it from Amazon now: $639.00 & FREE Returns 2. EMPORIA Smart - Best Smart EV Charger KEY TAKEAWAY: Smart energy management lowers EV charging costs in the long run. POWER MANAGEMENT: I have read that folks will say the connections seem a little loose. This unit spends a lot of time in the user manual discussing how it will work with a smart utility meter. We don't have those in Utah, at least not in my neck of the woods. This will adjust or stop the charging when the demand is high, as the folks in California have to contend with their power grid issues. SOLAR COMPATIBILITY: This unit will work with solar generation; it is the only one I have read about that is designed to work well with solar energy. Others may have talked about it, but I only read about it for this unit. TIME-OF-USE SAVINGS: The unit also works with the TOU set-ups. What the TOU means is Time Of Use scheduling. For areas that charge higher rates for different times of the day, this can charge the car when the prices are better. This App will lower the demand to charge the vehicle as the battery gets closer to being fully charged. This charger is designed to save users money when dealing with variable rates. DESIGN: The last thing I will say about this charger is its appearance on the wall. This unit looks like it comes from Apple. It does not and does not want anyone to confuse what I am saying; it seems like all the stuff Apple makes. It will look right in a smart home set-up, especially if all the garage stuff is white and square with rounded corners. Get it from Amazon now: $429.00 & FREE Returns 3. Enphase Home - Best EV Charger for Cold Weather KEY TAKEAWAY: Flexible cable design makes charging easier in cold weather. NO SMART FEATURES: This unit does not have all the fancy stuff built in; they leave that up to the EV car. From what I have heard, all the EV cars do all the scheduling and stuff other super-duper charger units will do. CABLE MANAGEMENT: The power box sits on the wall, the cord wraps around it, and the holster holds the charging head in a separate location. What we were doing was not an issue. Still, if the neighbor wanted to mount the charger under his stairs leading into the garage. The charging head is the only visible thing, so this may be the only one to do it. EASE OF USE: The cable is very flexible, while the other wires are kind of stiff. This one moves around like a garden hose. This one is an excellent choice in a space where the charging head must be removed from the wall and moved across or out of the garage to charge the car. PRICE VS. VALUE: One thing to mention about this unit is that it is one of the most expensive of the ones we looked at. With the better cable and charging head, it may be worth it. Get it from Amazon now: $1,044.00 & FREE Returns 4. Grizzl-E Classic - Best Outdoor EV Charger KEY TAKEAWAY: This weather-resistant charger was designed for reliable outdoor use. OUTDOOR MOUNTING: This set-up is designed to be mounted outside. So, we screwed it to the ATV trailer to give it a place to live for the testing. I am not sure the neighbor has ever had a car sit in the sunshine, and dang, sure never sat in the snow. He is not like the ordinary folks who buy a house with a huge garage and then fill it with a bunch of junk that should be taken to the landfill, like the rest of us. MAINTENANCE: We noticed that the charging head decreased the blue corrosion that copper elements develop when wet. This will never happen when plugged into the car; that connection is rock solid and safe. However, the charging head can be exposed to moisture when sitting in the weather. It's not a big deal; all we did was spray a little Prolix on the leads to protect them and not leave them exposed. BASIC FUNCTIONALITY: This charger is dumb (his words, not mine) in that it does not connect to the WiFi or Bluetooth to get updates and stuff like that. It is less expensive, so that may be the difference between the more costly units. This is not a world-ender thing, especially if anyone is going to have one of these for the visiting folks. Get it from Amazon now: $299.99 & FREE Returns 5. Wallbox Pulsar Plus - Best Compact EV Charger KEY TAKEAWAY: Delivers powerful EV charging without taking up much space. ADJUSTABLE OUTPUT: This charger was the only one we tried that would adjust for the car instead of one size of power fit all. It would also be great if this charger were a loaner or possibly taken to visit folks that have a 240-volt outlet in the garage or if the dryer outlet is close enough to reach. I don't know if anyone takes a charger or uses the slow-charging 110-volt from the wall and an extension cord. I like to keep my truck charged by pulling into the diesel pump and filling the thirsty tank, but I am old and set in my ways. COMPACT SIZE: This unit is tiny. I think it is about the size of my old doorbell chime box. This thing mounted in five minutes. Please remember we were putting this by my welder, so screening it to a stud and stuff was more accessible than making it look good and putting it where it will live forever, as I will in the neighbor's garage. IMMEDIATE CHARGING: The unit comes with a mounting plate, and we screwed it to the studs, then put the unit on the mount; that was installation. After that, he plugged it into the 240 volts and then into the charging port on his Tesla. He was getting juice into the car immediately, with very high usability. Get it from Amazon now: $749.99 & FREE Returns 6. MUSTART Pro - Best Portable EV Charger KEY TAKEAWAY: Easy to store and travel with. PORTABLE USE: This is the unit I will take to the cabin and keep in the shed just in case someone comes by in a new EV car. This unit will unplug, wrap up, and fit in a box. DESIGN: This unit is about half the cost of the others, but its portability impressed me. When this unit is mounted to the wall, it does not look as good as the rest. It will look like an afterthought. The only hard-mounted thing is the holster for the charging head. The power box will hang on a strap, so I plan to hang it on a hook by the shed door and plug it into the welding outlet. FLEXIBLE PLACEMENT: The power cord is 25' long, allowing me to plug in the unit and pull the cord out of the door, keeping the expensive parts inside for the never-ending weather challenges at the cabin. If anyone drops by the house, I will send them across the street to charge up as a payback for the hours I spent playing around with charging units as I wait to get one to mount permanently in my shop for the visiting EV folks. Get it from Amazon now: $199.00 & FREE Return 7. JuiceBox Smart - Best EV Charger for Two Cars KEY TAKEAWAY: Load balancing feature helps manage charging for multiple EVs. DRIVEWAY REACH: This unit is a good-looking addition to the garage. Its power or charging cord is long enough to reach the car if it is parked in the driveway, which was a great discovery. The charging cord is 25 feet long, and the cord that plugs into the wall is about two feet long. This stubby cord made mounting the charging center a bit of a problem for the temporary set-up we were experimenting with. LOAD BALANCING: This unit can balance the power if more than one unit is set up in the garage to charge more than one car. I honestly do not know how it does this, but it is a great idea and a good forethought by the manufacturer. My neighbor was not too excited with the WiFi app compared to others. WALL ORGANIZATION: The JuiceBox looks like it is at home with everything in my shop. This has nothing to do with how it works; it just looks like it belongs on the garage wall. The power cord wraps around the garden hose wraparound holder, and the charging head mounts in a holder underneath or inside the wire hoop. Get it from Amazon now: $625.00 & FREE Returns

I’ve tested the most popular portable massage guns on the market. I think each of the following will decrease muscle pain and reduce inflammation. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. Hyperice - Best Massage Gun for Muscle Recovery KEY TAKEAWAY: Helps reduce soreness after workouts. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: This was my first percussion massager, and I’m wondering why it took me so long to go for it. I saw it on Prime Day and thought it was a pretty good deal compared to some of the more well-known brands. Both my wife and I really like to use it. We thought we lost our old massager, so we bought this as a replacement. It's honestly an upgraded version of our previous one. It's durable, not too heavy, and has a digital speed control, which I like better than the last one we used. PAIN RELIEF USE: I mainly got this to help with muscle tissue problems following a car accident, but my wife just likes to use it to unwind at night. My wife and I like the different attachments and speed settings. I prefer a deep tissue massage, and she likes a softer rub. The instructions could be more detailed, but trial and error helped us figure it out. After proper use, it helps with discomfort and pain. Highly recommended, but look up usage methods if you're a first-time user. I’ve had it go missing a few times, and that’s because as it turns out my son is just as obsessed with it. My son uses it for football, and I use it after knee surgery. AUTO SHUTOFF: A minor con that bothers me is that it shuts off after ten minutes for a cool-down break, but it doesn’t bother me that much. LONG TERM USE: I'm not sure about its longevity since we've only had it a week, but so far everyone in our family seems to be a huge fan. The battery size doesn’t seem like it will be likely to support the eight to fifteen hours that are advertised, but I haven't tested it from full to empty yet. ATTACHMENT VARIETY: It has a lot of interchangeable heads, which I really like. Unlike other models, I’ve found that I actually use them instead of just sticking to one, it seems like each of them have their own purpose. BATTERY GLITCHES: It has glitched a few times, dying at like forty percent battery, but that was after my son played around with it, so maybe it was on him. Either way, it seems like recharging fixes it. BOTTOM LINE: I prefer keeping it over replacing it. I think if I needed another, I'd definitely pick this one again. It performs as expected, and I'm happy with my purchase, if anything I may have to buy more so my wife and son stop stealing it when I need it! I'll update if anything changes. - Zachary Bodack Get it from Amazon now: $229.00 & FREE Returns 2. TOLOCO - Best Budget Massage Gun KEY TAKEAWAY: Long battery life makes it ideal for daily use. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: After some serious research and lots of calls to my doctor, my physiotherapist finally suggested I try percussion therapy to help with my tight calves and shoulders. But spending three hundred bucks or more on a Theragun seemed ridiculous. So I tried another route. First, I bought the Sharper Image Pro massager from Costco for around a hundred. It was okay but pretty noisy. Then, I stumbled upon the TOLOCO Pro when I was skimming Amazon and I decided to just give it a whirl. Its regular price is comparable to the SIP, and they both offer similar features, so, I thought why not? It was worth comparing the two. SIZE & WEIGHT: The TOLOCO is about the same size as the Sharper Image, although its handle is a bit thicker. They weigh roughly the same, which shouldn't be an issue for athletes or the average person. However, if you have small hands or conditions affecting your grip or arm strength, you might need someone to help with the massage. BUILD QUALITY: The TOLOCO feels well-made with no loose parts. It has a colored ring that lights up when powered on, and the display on the back is bright and easy to read. The SIP also feels solid and has a nice metallic finish, but the TOLOCO’s build is equally impressive. The small height differences between some surfaces on the TOLOCO are purely cosmetic and don't affect performance. NOISE LEVEL: The TOLOCO really shines here. It's much quieter than the SIP, which gets louder as you increase the power. It's also quiet, even at its highest setting, deserving the term whisper quiet” more than the SIP. Both devices emit a low, high-frequency noise from the display when idle, but this is negligible since you're supposed to turn off the device when not in use. POWER RANGE: In terms of adjustability, the TOLOCO offers twenty settings compared to the SIP's six, providing more control over your massage. The TOLOCO's max RPM is around 3200, and it seems to have a higher range of motion, which is essential for reaching deeper tissue. The SIP doesn't really specify its motor power or range of motion, but the TOLOCO appears to have a slight edge. BATTERY CAPACITY: Both devices advertise a battery around 2500mAh. I haven't used either near long enough to drain the battery, but using the TOLOCO for the amount of recommended ten minutes barely affects the battery level, which is awesome if you ask me. SESSION LIMITS: Both devices suggest limiting sessions to 10 minutes to prevent overworking your muscles and to allow the motor to cool down. The TOLOCO has an auto-shutoff feature after 10 minutes, which is great for protecting the device. I'm not sure if the SIP has this feature, as it wasn't mentioned in the manual. ACCESSORY COUNT: The SIP comes with six massage heads, but the TOLOCO on the other hand includes fifteen, and let’s be real, everyone likes having more options. The SIP tries to make up for it with two soft ball heads, while the TOLOCO has only one, but I prefer more variety. STORAGE: Both devices come with carrying bags and smaller cases for the heads. MANUAL QUALITY: The TOLOCO's user manual is detailed and informative, unlike the other one’s minimal manual. If you're new to percussion massage guns, I recommend watching some online tutorials, but you can start using the device right away by pointing it at your muscles for a soothing experience. BOTTOM LINE: Overall, I think you can see where I’m going with this. The TOLOCO is a fantastic device, offering advantages over the SIP. I've only used both devices for a few days as I wanted to write this review, mainly because I’m planning on returning the SIP to Costco. I'll update this review after a few months of use to share how it holds up. - Matt Kelley Get it from Amazon now: $59.99 & FREE Returns 3. AERLANG - Best Travel Massage Gun KEY TAKEAWAY: Offers solid recovery power for travel use. PURCHASE INTENT: I own a Hypervolt massage gun but wanted something for travel, so I bought this one because it came with a case I could use for traveling. If I lost it on a trip, it wouldn't be a big deal. It ended up coming sooner than expected, and was on my porch by 10Am. I had terrible back pain and with it already mostly charged, I decided to give it a whirl and used it right away. It didn't eliminate my pain completely but made it manageable. POWER COMPARISON: It works as expected, but I can tell the difference from the Hypervolt. I can't press as hard with this one without slowing the motor. My Hypervolt can handle more pressure. This is fine for occasional trips, but not for regular use at home. BATTERY COMPARISON: The battery life is decent, maybe a third of the Hypervolt's, but still one to three hours before needing a recharge. SECOND USER FEEDBACK: I ended up buying another one for my sister, and she called to thank me personally. She usually just sends me a quick text, but this time she called, which kinda surprised me haha. She loves it, and my sister isn’t one to say that about just anything. She did say that it’s too early to rate the battery life, but similar to my opinion she think it’s going to get the job done based on its quality. If it doesn't, I'll update this review, but she doesn't think that'll be necessary. BOTTOM LINE: I didn't mention it comes with several attachments and a detailed book on how to use them, which is pretty cool. The price is also a nice plus. So, overall, I’m really happy with this purchase, and considering I can travel with it, I’m definitely keeping it, and I’ll update if I end up using it more than my Hypervolt. So far, so good though! - Kory Tiffany Get it from Amazon now: $49.99 & FREE Returns 4. RENPHO - Best Massage Gun for Gym Use KEY TAKEAWAY: Designed to target muscle relief after intense training. WORKOUT SORENESS: I've been hitting the gym all my life and never bought into the idea that foam rollers and post-workout massages actually help. Yeah, I’m stubborn, if you can’t tell haha. Soreness meant my workout was effective–duh! But then I hit the dreaded 40s, and lo and behold, soreness sticks around longer and those gains? Yeah, they’re harder to come by. Not fun. PERCEPTION SHIFT: A gym buddy mentioned "massage guns"... and I put that in quotes because it sounded like a gimmick lol. Less soreness, quicker recovery, and faster gains? Yeah, right. I tried one in a store, and for over six hundred bucks, it just felt like an expensive massage, one where I had to do all the work. Then I started reading about their benefits but couldn't justify the cost. However, I decided to keep checking for sales and when prices dropped and some good options emerged for around a hundred, I thought why not? I remembered RENPHO from a scale I bought that measures weight, bone mass, BMI, among some other stuff. It was the best value, and this massage gun is no different. THERAPEUTIC USE: First, this isn't for a relaxing back rub. Trust me lol. Like any good massage, it can hurt but in a surprisingly effective way, breaking up scar tissue, releasing lymphatic fluid, boosting blood flow, and interrupting pain signals. Use it for two minutes per muscle group, not fifteen to thirty minutes like a relaxing massager. PARTNER ASSISTANCE: This device is really great for trainers and physical therapists. It has a handy carrying case for appointments. It's not ideal for solo use on your upper back, lower back, triceps, glutes, rear delts, and hams unless you have really stretchy arms. You'll need help from a partner or friend. Offer to use it on them in return. USAGE GUIDANCE: How does it work? There are many online videos, but know your gun tips: Flat head for most body parts, bullet for severe areas, trigger points, and thick soles of feet. The round head is for large muscles, and the ridge head is for the spine and surrounding muscles. Start with a low speed to avoid hitting bone, which can hurt. CHARGING NOTES: Make sure to fully charge it before the first use. Subsequent uses depend on the initial charge. BUILD QUALITY: It's sturdy, heavy, and strong. CASE DESIGN: The carrying case is good-looking and keeps everything together. BOTTOM LINE: If you work out or have chronic pain like sciatica, you’ll need this, trust me. Even if you think you don’t, that pain is gonna hit you sooner than you think as you age. These used to be six hundred, but now you can get a portable, cordless, rechargeable massage gun for under a hundred, so that’s worth it in my mind. You'll need a friend to help you use it for your back, but I highly double they’ll mind as long as you use it on them too haha. It's not for long, relaxing sessions but is a valuable tool for pain and recovery. Overall, I’m a believer now. - Allen Porter Get it from Amazon now: $89.99 & FREE Returns 5. Mebak - Best Quiet Massage Gun KEY TAKEAWAY: Surprisingly quiet, yet delivers strong deep tissue pressure. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: I've had Bell's Palsy, but still play tennis, and I love to use this before and after workouts. I bought this to replace my two hundred ProlLX, which only lasted like five minutes and produced twenty percent power. This new one - wow, what a difference. INITIAL IMPRESSION: It was already charged eighty percent straight out of the box, so I turned it on and tried it on my neck at level five. My God. What a relief. I was seriously so impressed! If this thing lasts me six months to a year, I will seriously buy five of these for the price of one expensive model haha. The quality and the power seems just as good in my opinion. PRESSURE RESPONSE: I researched the difference between percussion vs. vibration therapy, and really wanted something effective. Some reviews mentioned the unit jumping to level twenty unexpectedly, which kinda concerned me. Now, I’ll be honest, mine did that once, but only when I applied a lot of pressure. And I kinda like it. I don’t think it was an issue. I think it’s supposed to be part of it. That's a benefit to me, it’s actually responding to my pressure which is cool. I also don't have to stop to change the setting. VALUE: For thirty bucks, I'm really happy with a machine that actually helps with relieving my pain. Testing different shapes and speed settings took a bit of trial and error, but that’s usual with new electronic toys. BOTTOM LINE: At the end of the day, it alleviated my pain, which is what matters, and why I got it to begin with. This massager is cost-effective and definitely worth buying again. Ten out of ten in my book. - Michael P. Klaus Get it from Amazon now: $99.99 & FREE Returns 6. RAEMAO - Best Massage Gun for Daily Use KEY TAKEAWAY: Fast charging supports everyday use. UPGRADE EXPERIENCE: I ended up buying this on Prime Day after had an old massager from the 90s that wasn't great, and had stopped working a long time ago, so I was glad to get an updated one. This one works well with the attachments, and I can use it on my back because I'm flexible. It relieved my shoulder pain quickly. The battery life is good so far. The handle could be smaller for better comfort, but all in all it's great. PRESSURE LEVELS: After my experience, I decided to grab another one as a gift and ended up getting this for my mom on Mother's Day after my experience with it. She likes it, but some heads are too rough for her, even on the lowest setting. I think it's great and don't mind any of the pressure from the heads. SOLO VS ASSISTED: You need help using the heads for the back and spine, but many can be used solo. It's made of nice material and feels good. FEATURES: The charging is quick, and it lasts for days. The touch screen is a nice feature, but you need to flip a switch at the bottom to power it on. BOTTOM LINE: Overall, I really love this product. I stand for up to ten hours daily as a nurse at work, so I'm tired when I get home. I use it mostly on my feet and thighs but recently on my back, shoulders, and neck. My boyfriend liked it so much he bought one too. Sometimes it cuts off, but it’s not the end of the world. I really do recommend it just be aware that not everyone may feel the same depending on their preference for pressure. - Alejandra B. Garcia Get it from Amazon now: $49.99 & FREE Returns 7. Fusion Black Pro - Best Deep Tissue Massage Gun KEY TAKEAWAY: Upgraded percussion therapy targets sore muscles. OVERVIEW: I recently got the Fusion Black Pro for pain relief and relaxation. It’s super effective for a deep tissue percussion massage, targeting sore muscles, and alleviating pain and tension. The different heads cater to specific muscle groups, and the build quality is solid. However, the increase in strength is minimal as you adjust the speed, and it produces noticeable noise. Despite these minor drawbacks, it’s affordable and effective compared to other models. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: We're a big family, and at all of our get-togethers, the massagers always come out and end up getting a lot of use. Most of our family are athletes and a few of them are older and get sore pretty easily and like getting the relaxation from it, especially at family reunions, which we have a few times a year. Last Christmas, we bought three massagers from a different brand, and only one lasted, so I really wanted to try something new. So far, this new one is the best so far. It has many heads and speed variations for different levels of discomfort. UNIT FAILURE: I ended up getting this for my son and my daughter in law for Christmas after they used it so much at our house. They loved it until it stopped recharging right after the return period, which was definitely a glitch, because ours didn’t do this. CUSTOMER SERVICE: I had bought an extended warranty, but the warranty company said it was still under the manufacturer's warranty, which was kind of confusing. At first, I felt like I was getting the runaround, but after some back and forth, the seller ultimately replaced the defective unit promptly. My son enjoys it, and the seller stands by their product. It seems to be a hit at our house, so I’m giving it a ten out of ten! - Jeannette Zachariah Get it from Amazon now: $109.25 & FREE Returns

Reviewers are raving about these gummy vitamins from Goli nutrition. They are great for weight loss, better digestion, natural detox and clearer skin. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. Gummy Vitamins by Goli Nutrition KEY TAKEAWAY: Helped reduce bloating, improve digestion, and curb appetite. PERSONAL BACKSTORY: So, here’s the deal. After going through several surgeries, I can officially say I hate hospitals, but what do I hate more than that? Well, what comes after you head home. The aftermath was anything but pleasant. Dealing with anesthesia and pain meds left me in a not-so-great state, think brain fog and then just a general blahness of not wanting to get up each day, even after that ended and was out of my system, I still felt ick. I had always heard about the wonders of apple cider vinegar. My mom’s mom, my Nan, swears by it. When she came to visit after my surgery, she pushed the idea back to the forefront of conversation, and yet there was one thing that made me hit the brakes hard. DECIDING TO TRY GOLI: Okay, benefits aside, sounds great and all, but the taste? Nope, couldn’t do it. Then I saw a Goli Apple Cider Vinegar commercial - or rather in the middle of a movie we were watching, my Nan put YouTube on it and played the commercial - and finally I caved. Honestly, I was still feeling the ick pos surgery and thought, ‘Why not give it a shot?’ Well here I am and I can officially say that this was one of the best decisions ever–that and teaching my Nan how to use YouTube haha! QUALITY: These apple cider vinegar gummies are made from the “mother plant” as its called, and they have one thousand percent been a game-changer in my household. I used to rely heavily on over-the-counter meds, especially post surgeries, but not anymore. Plus, they work as a fantastic probiotic and have relieved my overall body aches, giving me more energy. TASTE: They’re absolutely delicious, and my little boy can attest to that haha. They don’t have that weird aftertaste that some gummies have. Instead, they’re sweet and tangy, almost like candy. The texture is just right - not too chewy, but not too soft either. It’s a small thing, but when you have to take them every day, it makes a big difference. It’s like having a little treat each morning and evening. HUSBAND’S EXPERIENCE: I was so impressed that I convinced my husband to try them, too - and he was even more skeptical than I am, but I think he saw how well I was responding to them, and he also just loves Nan, so it wasn’t too hard to give him the final push to give it a go. He's been on the keto diet and struggled with belly bloat and carb crashes. Since adding the Goli Apple Cider Vinegar Gummy to his routine, he’s noticed a significant reduction in bloating and an increase in energy, and I’ve seen it too–if you know what I mean haha. RESULTS SUMMARY: It’s been a game-changer for both of us. Now, I know everyone’s experience may vary, but I’d suggest doing some research and talking to your doctor to see if these gummies might work for you, because man on man, I feel like my doctor could learn from my Nan. COMPANY SUPPORT: After my success, I was so thrilled with the results that I reached out to the company. To my surprise, I got a response from a real person, not just an automated reply, which in a day and age of robots, which was a relief, as I’m sure you can imagine. They even sent me a free bottle as a thank you, after the fact, like how cool! It’s nice to know they have such an awesome customer support system. I really do hope my story helps someone out there. I don’t usually write product reviews, but I felt compelled to share how much these gummies have helped me. LONG TERM RELIEF: Oh, so let’s talk about all of the results. Before trying out the Goli Apple Vider Vinegar Gummy, I had some major digestive issues and only went to the bathroom once a month. No joke, it was actually part of the reason I had to get my surgeries to begin with. And although the surgeries helped, it wasn’t going to be a cure all end all. And yet as soon as I started taking these gummies, I became regular, sometimes even after every meal! Like whaaaaat! Seriously, a problem that effected me my entire life became alleviated from these little magical gummies. And even better, they don’t taste like typical apple cider vinegar you have to chug down. It’s all painless, quick, and clean. My sister, who has stomach cancer, noticed her bloating disappeared by the second day, and she felt much thinner, too. She’s tiny, about 100 pounds, but the change was noticeable. My husband even said my stomach looks flatter, and I’ve been taking them for less than thirty days! I know it’s not just about looking skinny, but it is just nice a perk I felt I might notice, because when you break it down, the bloatiness isn’t normal. IMPROVED DAILY COMFORT: For the most part, I’ve stopped taking the over the counter meds and the probiotics once these gummies became a normal part of my digestive system. Finally, I can eat or drink anything without feeling terrible stomach pain now. The best part is the consistent stools - yes, I’m writing about poop in an online review, but it’s really that powerful, that I had to do it. I know I’m not the only one who struggles with this type of stuff, so figured it’s best to lay it all out on the table. I used to swing between constipation and diarrhea. SON’S DIGESTIVE EXPERIENCE: My son, who has severe stomach issues and couldn’t work full-time, hasn’t missed a day since starting these gummies. Yeah, are you noticing a stomach issue in our family, it’s genetic! My son also loves the taste. He calls them his delicious after dinner treats, which is amazing because he hates taking vitamins and pills, really any type of medicine! I’m also super picky about textures, but I love these, they remind me of those candy “dots” more than gummy bears. Highly recommend! DOSAGE CLARIFICATION: I did see a review claiming you need something like twenty nine and a half gummies to equal one tablespoon of liquid ACV. Obviously a little laughable, and it did seem off, so I did some googling. Turns out, one gummy typically contains about 500 mg of apple cider vinegar, which is roughly two teaspoons. So when you figure that out, the recommended dosage is two gummies, about three times a day. So, if three teaspoons make one tablespoon, and two gummies equal four teaspoons, you’re getting more than a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar per dose. If you follow the recommended dosage, you’re looking at around three to four tablespoons a day. So, don’t worry, you’re getting plenty of that good apple cider vinegar! BROTHER’S REACTION NOTES: I’ll admit that the first time my brother tried these, I had a bit of a scare. He took them at two AM, he can be an insomniac because of some mental health issues, and he ended up with the worst headache and dizziness. I started reading reviews and saw that you shouldn’t take them if you’re on seizure medication, which he is. I freaked out, thinking these gummies were going to be the end of him. But once his headache passed, he said he felt his skin tighten, and said afterwards that his scalp was sore but not in a painful way. SKIN & HAIR IMPROVEMENTS: I also have rosacea and stress-related hair loss, and no skincare product has ever made my skin as clear as these gummies have. My hair loss decreased dramatically, I even keep the hair I lose in plastic bags to show my dermatologist. The difference is incredible. My rosacea improved, and the inflammation in my face is almost gone, thanks to these gummies. DIGESTIVE HISTORY: As you can see, I’ve pretty much always struggled with digestive issues since I was a little girl, and it was always something I brought along with me as in my life, kind of ingrained in my personality. Drinking vinegar water in the morning was just gross, and although I was skeptical about these gummies, I seriously am so happy I ultimately ended up giving them a try. Not only do I truly love the taste, but I really saw the effects after about a big, where I noticed a big difference. No more heartburn or belching, and my stomach doesn’t feel bloated anymore. Yay! CONSISTENT USE HABITS: My routine now is two gummies in the morning, and I take them about thirty minutes before breakfast. My food digests better, and bathroom trips are like clockwork. In the evening, I take one more gummy before dinner. This supplement works wonders for me and most of my family. Just give it some time for your body to absorb the nutrients. I plan to keep ordering these as long as they’re available! Which I hope is forever, or at least the rest of my life. DIET RESULTS: I read all the reviews and was skeptical of the hype, and my Nan’s obsession with these things, but if you read my first post, you can probably see that I changed my mind. I think it took about a month of consistency and seeing the effects of these things, and at that point, I finally came back to the website hit that “subscribe and save” button haha. I’m a 41-year-old woman who started the year with the usual goal of getting in shape. Apart from my other health issues, I’m about seventy pounds overweight due to hormonal imbalances and my love for Coca-Cola. I’ve tried every diet out there: Atkins, keto, South Beach, Weight Watchers, even Optavia. I’d lose 10 pounds and then hit a wall, feeling deprived. This year, I started intermittent fasting, eating only between 12 noon and 6 PM. I seriously struggled every morning to wait until noon. Then my Goli Gummies arrived. I took two in the morning with 20 ounces of water. On the first day, I wasn’t hungry and didn’t even realize my eating window had passed. The next day was the same, so I set an alarm to remind myself to eat at noon. WEIGHT LOSS PROGRESS: A month later, I’m down seventeen freaking pounds, and all just by taking two gummies in the morning and sticking to intermittent fasting. I even kicked my McDonald's Coke habit, which I never thought I’d do. I love these gummies and won’t be without them! ADDITIONAL HEALTH BENEFITS: As I continued to take these gummies, I noticed a few more unexpected benefits. My hair started to grow back stronger and thicker. I have always struggled with hair loss, probably from the stress of daily life, but these gummies made a noticeable difference. Now, I see less hair in the drain after a shower, and it feels fuller and healthier. My energy levels have also skyrocketed. I used to feel sluggish, especially in the afternoons, but now I have a steady flow of energy throughout the day. I’m more productive at work, and I even have the energy to hit the gym after a long day. Plus my digestive system is finally in an normal order again. It's like I’ve found a secret weapon to keep me going! PRO TIP: Be consistent. I noticed the best results when I took them regularly, morning and night. Also, try to pair them with a healthy diet and some form of exercise, even if it's just a daily walk. The gummies are great, but they work even better when you're taking care of your overall health. Moreover, if you have any specific health concerns or conditions, definitely talk to your doctor before starting any new supplement. It’s always good to get a professional opinion, especially if you're on medication or have a condition that might interact with the ingredients. SAFETY & CAUTION: While these gummies have been a Godsend, it’s worth noting that everyone’s body reacts differently. For example, the first night my brother tried them, he freaked himself out, because he took them at 2 AM, and ended up with the worst headache and dizziness. I freaked out, thinking something terrible was going to happen to him. But once the headache passed, he said he was okay. I’m adding that part to let you know that if you’re on seizure medication like my brother, or any other meds for that reason, make sure to check if there are any interactions. I take medication for migraines, and initially thought there might be an issue, but it turned out fine. However, it’s always best to consult with a healthcare professional to avoid any potential problems. Aside from helping with digestion and energy levels, these gummies have done wonders for my overall health. I used to have pretty bad rosacea, and since taking these, the inflammation has gone down significantly. My skin feels tighter and looks clearer, seriously I even look younger. No skincare product has ever worked this well for me. PAIN RELIEF BENEFITS: I noticed a reduction in muscle and joint pain, which is just amazing because once I hit forty, I really started the aches. I’m not sure if it’s directly related to the gummies, but I feel less achy and more mobile. It’s like a breath of fresh air, especially after dealing with chronic pain for so long. FAMILY HEALTH EXPERIENCES: My family has also seen the benefits. A lot of people I’m related to have severe stomach issues, and now my sister hasn’t missed a day of work since she started taking these gummies. She dealing with stomach cancer, and not only noticed her bloating disappeared by the second day, but overall, she started to feel more comfortable. Even my husband, who’s on the keto diet, has found relief from belly bloat and carb crashes, and he’s still taking the gummies six months later! It’s amazing how one product can have such a positive impact on multiple people with different health issues. If you can’t tell, I’ve become quite the evangelist for these gummies, sharing my experience with friends and family. Surprisingly, many of them have tried the gummies and reported similar positive results. It’s like we’ve formed a little community of Goli believers, all enjoying better health and more energy. CONVENIENCE: One of the best parts about these gummies is their convenience. Unlike traditional apple cider vinegar, which can be a pain to prepare and drink, these gummies are quick and easy. Just pop a couple in the morning and evening, and you’re good to go. And because they taste so good, it doesn’t feel like a chore. It’s more like a little treat you look forward to each day. BOTTOM LINE: Whether you're dealing with digestive issues, low energy, or just looking for a tasty supplement to add to your routine, these gummies are worth a shot. I hope this review helps anyone on the fence about trying these. They’ve made a significant difference in my life, and I genuinely believe they could do the same for you. Remember, everyone’s body is different, so results may vary. But if you’re looking for a natural, delicious way to improve your health, these gummies are definitely worth considering. Get it from Amazon now: $74.90 & FREE delivery

Looking to bulk up? Here's our lineup of the best tasting protein shakes on Amazon to help you achieve your wellness goals. These are actual hands-on reviews. Note: Prices were correct at the time of writing. 1. Optimum Nutrition - Best Tasting Whey Protein KEY TAKEAWAY: Rocky Road ended up tasting better than most actual chocolate milkshakes I’ve tried. OVERALL EXPERIENCE: I’ve tried more flavors of ON Gold Standard Whey than I’d like to admit, and the taste can swing wildly from one tub to the next. Both my wife and I have made these shakes a daily thing, so I feel like we’ve basically earned our honorary protein shake diploma at this point. When it comes down to it, Optimum Nutrition is a solid pick for us. I’ve mixed it up with both milk and water, and every time it blends right in without turning into that weird, lumpy mess I’ve had with other brands. I’ve experimented with plenty of other whey options, but I always seem to circle back to ON because the price is good, the nutrition is right, and the flavors, well, when you find a good one, it’s hard to beat. CALORIES & PROTEIN: Both ON Gold Standard Whey and the NOW Sports Dutch Chocolate I compared have 120 calories a scoop. ON gives you 24 grams of protein, while NOW squeezes out an extra gram at 25, but that difference is so tiny it’s not going to matter for most people. Protein-to-calorie ratio is great on both, and let’s be real, those labels are never exactly spot-on anyway. INGREDIENT BLEND: ON is technically a blend, and NOW is a straight-up whey isolate, but if you look at the numbers, ON’s blend is mostly isolate too. The bigger difference comes down to the sweeteners and flavorings. ON uses cocoa, coffee, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, and whatever else they throw in. NOW keeps things a little simpler, with cocoa, natural flavors, xylitol, and stevia. I’m not wild about any sweetener that leaves an aftertaste, but at least NOW sticks with the natural stuff, so it edges out ON for me there. DIGESTIVE ENZYMES: ON adds some enzyme stuff for digestion, which I guess is supposed to help, but I don’t really see the need. BRAND TRUST: Both are made in the US, so that always gives me a little peace of mind with quality control. MIXABILITY: I like to see what a powder is made of before breaking out a blender, so I went full worst case scenario and just mixed each in a glass with a spoon. ON basically dissolves the second it hits water. NOW took a bit more elbow grease, sticky at first, but after about half a minute of stirring, it turned out just as smooth as ON. If you use a shaker or blender, you’re not going to notice much difference between the two, so I wouldn’t stress about mixability with either. FLAVORS: Now here’s where it gets personal. I’m picky about flavors, especially the fake sweetener taste. My wife and I have found some winners, but we’ve also choked down a few real misses. Just for reference, I can’t stand that gross aftertaste from diet drinks, and I’d rather a shake be not-sweet at all than leave that lingering fake flavor. Here’s how the flavors we tried stack up for us. BEST FLAVOR: Rocky Road: Hands down, the top flavor for both of us. It’s a little on the sweet side, but I could drink it all day. No weird aftertaste, just good flavor. If you only want to try one, go for this one. Extreme Milk Chocolate: Another winner. It actually tastes like chocolate, and there’s no fake aftertaste to ruin it. Natural Vanilla: This one is in a yellow-labeled tub, not the usual red. It’s supposed to have less artificial stuff in it, and it’s the best vanilla I’ve tasted in a protein shake. No aftertaste, just nice vanilla milk. If you’re a vanilla fan, this is the one. GOOD FLAVORS: Cookies and Cream: I’ve got mixed feelings here. If you like that vanilla creaminess, you’ll probably enjoy it, but it’s definitely a bit bland. Sweet, but not exciting. There are also little cookie bits that don’t dissolve, so you’ll get some texture, kind of odd, but not a dealbreaker since I’ve bought it again. Chocolate Malt: Meh. The malt flavor just makes it weird. If you want chocolate, stick with the Extreme Milk Chocolate. Caramel Toffee Fudge: Not bad, not great. I think they tried to mash too many flavors together, and it just ended up a little strange. I wouldn’t start with this one. WORST FLAVORS: Double Rich Chocolate: Sorry, but I couldn’t get through this one. It tastes like generic fake chocolate and has a strong artificial aftertaste. Not for me. Vanilla Ice Cream: This one just missed the mark completely. It tastes like powdered milk and the aftertaste is rough. If you want vanilla, skip this and grab the Natural Vanilla. Tropical Punch: This one’s just weird. It tastes like strawberry milk that got hit with a bunch of fake sweetener. At first, I could barely finish a shake, but after a while I got used to it. Still, it’s not something I’d ever want after a workout. BOTTOM LINE: I'm satisfied with this product, and keep in mind that taste is super personal, so your favorites might not be mine, especially if you don’t mind that diet sweetener aftertaste. I started buying the 2 pound tubs to test out flavors before committing to the big 5 pounders. It costs a bit more, but it saves you from getting stuck with a huge tub of something you just can’t finish. Buy it on Amazon today for: $49.99 with FREE returns 2. Orgain - Best Vegan Protein Powder KEY TAKEAWAY: These protein smoothies helped me lose over 100 pounds without feeling constantly deprived. DAILY USE: In our house, Orgain is a regular part of the kitchen lineup. We use both the powder and those premixed drink boxes. I’ll admit, the taste is actually better than most of the other protein powders I’ve messed around with. It’s never going to taste like a Dairy Queen shake, but for a vegan protein powder, it’s pretty good. I usually only mix it into smoothies, especially with frozen fruit or fresh greens, so the powder just gives a nice bit of sweetness and a decent protein punch. If you’ve always hated every protein powder you’ve tried, I doubt Orgain will change your mind. Maybe if you really can’t stand powders, you might be happier sticking to smoothies with just fruit and greens and finding your protein some other way. VEGAN PROTEIN: I’ve come to prefer vegan protein for my shakes. I get plenty of animal-based protein from meals, but whey never sits quite right with me. It always feels tougher on my stomach and a little heavy to process. The cool thing about vegan protein powder is that it fills in those amino acids I sometimes miss, even with a diet that includes milk, eggs, and lean meats. I do pay attention to the type of vegan proteins I’m using since not every blend is right for everyone. Orgain uses a mix that’s balanced, safe, and high quality. That’s pretty important if you’re trying to find something that fits your specific goals or dietary needs. I personally try to avoid too much soy and I’m careful with legumes, but Orgain hits a good balance. HEALTHIER DIET: There are always people who ask, why not just eat real food? For a long time, I was one of those people who thought fruit was just wasted calories. If you told me two apples had the same calories as a candy bar, I would have picked the candy bar every time. What I never realized back then was how different those calories really are for your body. Eating fruit actually leaves me feeling satisfied, and it fuels me way better than anything sugary ever did. My problem wasn’t just eating too many calories, it was getting too many of the wrong ones. Protein smoothies ended up being my gateway into healthier eating. I already knew what I should eat, but just didn’t want to do it. Smoothies just tasted good to me, so that’s how I started sneaking more fruit into my routine. These days, I’ll actually reach for a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar, and a lot of that is thanks to those first smoothies with Orgain. DAILY ROUTINE: Protein smoothies didn’t magically fix everything, and a bad diet with smoothies tossed in won’t get you very far. But smoothies, combined with learning about food and what triggers your cravings, can really help you turn things around. It’s not always easy. Sometimes you slip up. It takes time, but it’s worth it. SHAKER CUPS: I don’t bother with shaker cups, so I can’t say how Orgain mixes on its own, but it’s always worked perfectly in a loaded smoothie. CALORIE BALANCE: I usually throw in three or four types of fruit, some greens, and whatever juice or plant milk I have on hand. My smoothies aren’t low calorie, but they’re packed with good stuff. They’re not quite a full meal replacement, but they’re close. Most of my smoothies are around 300 calories for a serving, which fits nicely since I think of a meal as about 500 calories for my size and activity level. The nice thing with a big smoothie is you can pour yourself just what you need and share the rest with your family. SMOOTHIE INGREDIENTS: Here’s what I make the most, using my Blendtec Designer 625 blender with the four-sided jar, but any good blender will do. This makes a big pitcher, about 48 ounces. That’s enough for the whole family. As a meal, it’ll feed two people. As a snack, it’ll go even further: 4 ounces POM Wonderful pomegranate cherry juice 2 ounces lemon juice (the concentrate kind adds a sweet-sour twist) 4 ounces coconut milk (I use the So Delicious vanilla one) A couple handfuls of frozen strawberries Some blueberries Fresh baby spinach or any mix of power greens This ends up making a really thick smoothie, maybe a bit too much for a basic blender like a Ninja unless you add extra liquid. With a less powerful blender, just add enough liquid to cover the greens, otherwise, you’ll burn out the motor. 3 scoops of Orgain vanilla protein powder (that gets you about 33 grams of protein in the whole pitcher) 2 handfuls of fresh organic greens 2 handfuls frozen strawberries 1 handful frozen mixed berries (blackberries, raspberries, blueberries) WEIGHT LOSS: My review of Orgain is probably a little biased because I lost over 100 pounds and managed to keep it off. These days, I’m at 215 pounds, and I’m a lot more active. I can bike to work, keep up with my kids, and just feel better in general. When I was 326 pounds, none of that felt possible. Orgain didn’t do all the work, but it gave me a way to enjoy healthier food and made the change possible. It’s got good, organic ingredients and has been a staple in our smoothies for years now. I know not everyone has the same goals or struggles that I did. Everyone’s path is different, but sometimes seeing someone else’s journey can help. AMAZON SAVINGS: I found that I can save a good bit by getting Orgain through Amazon’s subscribe and save program. If I order five at a time every couple months, I get an extra discount, usually around 20 percent off when I stack that with my Amazon store card. You can always skip a shipment if you don’t need that much, and I think they even let you do deliveries every six months if you want. Just something to keep in mind if you end up using as much as I do. BOTTOM LINE: I wrote all this because I’m hoping it helps or inspires someone else who’s struggling. I’ve had my setbacks, especially during the holidays, but I keep going. Even if you never lose 100 pounds, maybe you’ll start to feel better, or your jeans will fit differently, or you’ll get outside more. I still remember when my size 42 jeans finally felt loose. Now I can wear 34s, sometimes even 32s, but I admit, staying that low isn’t easy. Buy it on Amazon today for: $29.97 with FREE returns 3. Premier - Best Meal Replacement Shake KEY TAKEAWAY: Cafe Latte became my favorite flavor, but the caffeine makes it strictly a daytime shake. MIXABILITY: One thing I’ve noticed with most protein powders is that you can’t just scoop some into a glass of milk or water, stir it with a spoon, and expect magic. It just doesn’t happen. If you want it to mix well, you need a blender bottle or at least a solid water bottle with a good lid. Be ready to shake it like crazy unless you’re tossing it in a smoothie. FLAVOR BREAKDOWN: I’ve tried the chocolate and the cafe latte. Vanilla is still on my maybe list, just because I’m not that into plain vanilla on its own. It works in a smoothie, sure, but I don’t make enough of those to justify buying a whole tub. Both chocolate and cafe latte are seriously tasty, but if I had to pick a favorite, cafe latte wins by a mile. The only hitch is the caffeine. In the morning, it’s perfect, but if you’re like me and sometimes want a protein shake before bed, all that caffeine is not so great. Still, taste wise, it’s one of the best I’ve tried. It’s got a nice, simple flavor that’s never too much. The chocolate is tasty too, but it’s your classic chocolate protein powder. If you like chocolate, you’ll be happy with it, but nothing crazy or over the top. DAILY USE: I usually fill up my big 28 ounce blender bottle about three quarters with unsweetened almond milk, toss in two generous scoops, and shake it up. It always turns out so delicious I want another right away. MEAL REPLACEMENT: As a meal replacement, it doesn’t always keep me as full as I’d like. That could just be me since I’m still learning to adjust my portions. I’ve noticed it does help cut down on how much I want to eat, though. Pairing it with a banana or using half a banana in a fruit smoothie does the trick. If you’re used to big meals and trying to cut back, adding a piece of fruit helps you feel full longer, especially on busy or active days. If you’re already used to smaller meals, one shake might be plenty. PRICE VALUE: Protein powders are never cheap, and even Premier can feel a bit pricey for what you get. But it’s one of the better deals out there. I recommend checking places like Sam’s Club or other bulk food stores if you have a membership. If they’ve got it in stock, you can get almost double the amount for just a little more. That’s a much better deal than buying small tubs online every time. CONTAINER DESIGN: A few people have mentioned having trouble with the lids. For me, the chocolate tub was easy, but the cafe latte was sealed on tight. I ended up unscrewing it as much as I could, then popped it off. I’m not the strongest person, and I’m definitely not hitting the gym every day, yet, but it worked out fine. Once I got that first seal broken, the lid was no problem. So if you run into a stuck lid, just give it a good twist and then pop. READY-TO-DRINK: My club has only had the ready-to-drink shakes lately, not the powder. I like the powder better since I can do more with it, and I don’t have to fight for fridge space. When I can’t find it locally, I just order it online and wait. No big deal. As long as there’s no weird recall or something, I plan on sticking with Premier. The price is fair, it works for me, and the taste is always good, especially that cafe latte. KETO DIET: My neighbor, Jesse, was the one who first recommended Premier Protein to me. For her, it’s the powder she relies on for meal replacements, especially when she isn’t hungry but still needs to hit her nutrition goals. Jesse used it for about eight months when she switched to keto, lost 45 pounds in six months, then took a break while she was pregnant. Now she’s back on keto and says Premier makes it so much easier to cut sugar and still get enough protein. BOTTOM LINE: What can I add? To sum things up, I now use Premier Protein as a meal replacement and sometimes for recovery after a workout. I’m working on getting back into shape after years of not paying attention to my health. So, these days, after a long walk or a tough workout, nothing beats a shower and a shake. I always feel recharged and ready to go again. Buy it on Amazon today for: $34.58 with FREE returns 4. Dymatize - Best Cereal Milk Protein Powder KEY TAKEAWAY: Fruity Pebbles flavor somehow tastes like childhood cereal while still feeling like a legit post-workout shake. FRUITY PEBBLES: If you’re like me and want a protein powder that actually tastes amazing, Dymatize ISO100 in Fruity Pebbles flavor is one of those rare finds that just makes life better. Seriously, this stuff is more than just fuel for your workouts, it’s like a trip back to childhood but with grown-up benefits. The Fruity Pebbles flavor is just wild. It’s like opening up a box of that cereal you loved as a kid, but now it’s actually helping you hit your protein goals. I get to enjoy that sweet, fruity taste while getting in my post-workout protein, so it’s kind of a win all around. For once, meeting my protein numbers feels like a treat, not a chore. SMOOTH TEXTURE: One of the things I appreciate most about this ISO100 powder is how well it mixes. You can use a shaker bottle, throw it in a blender, or even use a frother, and you’ll get that creamy, silky texture every time. No weird clumps or gritty bits, just a nice, smooth drink. I’ve tried plenty of powders that never fully blend, and I always dreaded the last sip. With this one, there’s never any mess at the bottom of the cup. FAST ABSORPTION: This one’s all about that hydrolyzed whey protein, which just means it absorbs super quick. Right after a workout, it feels good knowing my muscles are getting what they need fast, especially when I’m sore and trying to recover for the next day. That fast recovery really does make a difference, and the fact that it tastes good is just a bonus. CLEAN INGREDIENTS: Every scoop is just straight-up protein isolate, no fillers, no weird extra carbs or junk. I like knowing that I’m getting a good amount of protein with every shake, and not a bunch of stuff I don’t need. It keeps things simple, which is all I really want. CREATIVE USES: This isn’t just a shake for me. I’ve put the Fruity Pebbles powder in overnight oats, baked with it, and even made smoothie bowls. It’s one of those flavors that you want to experiment with, because it never disappoints. You can get really creative, and it always turns out tasting great. BOTTOM LINE: I actually look forward to drinking this shake. It leaves me feeling satisfied, like I’ve had something indulgent, but I know it’s actually good for me. Turning that post-workout routine into something you actually crave is a pretty nice change. I almost feel like I’m rewarding myself after a workout instead of just going through the motions. Buy it on Amazon today for: $44.21 with FREE returns 5. Garden of Life – Best Protein Powder for Digestion KEY TAKEAWAY: Within days of using this regularly, my IBS symptoms started calming down in a way no pills ever managed. IBS ISSUES: For most of my adult life, I struggled with immune system problems, especially gut issues like IBS. At one point, my doctor thought gluten might be the culprit. After a bunch of tests, including an upper GI endoscopy, it turned out I wasn’t gluten sensitive. But I did learn something important, I can’t digest meat well at all. I’m not actually vegan, but my body just keeps nudging me more in that direction because meat makes me miserable, tired, and always hungry. PLANT-BASED: That kicked off my search for a protein supplement that doesn’t come from animals, and that’s when I landed on Garden of Life Raw Organic Protein. I’ll be honest, this isn’t going to be the best tasting thing you’ve ever tried, but give it a chance, the flavor grows on you. MIXABILITY: If you mix it right and use cold water, it can actually be pretty decent. I use the Cuisinart immersion hand blender, which is super easy and way better than a standard blender. I usually go with about 8 ounces of water, even though the label says 6, because it gives me a better blend. With the chocolate flavor, if you really mix it well, it comes out a lot like a chocolate shake. If you don’t get it mixed all the way, it can be chalky, so take the extra minute to blend it properly. DAILY RESULTS: The big question is, does it actually make a difference? For me, the answer is a huge yes. I feel more energized, my IBS is practically gone, and I’m having two shakes a day now. One of the standout features is the probiotics. There’s something about the probiotics in this powder that just works, way better than any pill I ever tried. IBS & ALLERGY RELIEF: To test if this was really making a difference, I stopped taking it for a few days and my old gut issues came rushing back. I went back on, and things improved again, so now I never skip it. My allergies have even eased up a bit since I started using this stuff. I’m on a subscription plan now because I never want to run out. WEIGHT LOSS: The plant-based protein really rounds out my diet, and I’ve lost 35 pounds in about two and a half months. I don't feel hungry because the shake keeps me satisfied. FITNESS GOALS: Unlike with other diets I've tried, I’m actually feeling more energetic. I'm now reaching fitness goals I never thought I could. BOTTOM LINE: All in all, my digestion is the best it’s ever been. I’m feeling great for the first time in ages, and I don’t have the side effects that came with all the stomach pills my doctors used to give me. It almost feels like magic, my mood is better too. Buy it on Amazon today for: $35.69 with FREE returns 6. GHOST - Best Dessert Protein Powder KEY TAKEAWAY: The cookie chunks at the bottom somehow turned a protein shake into an actual dessert craving. INGREDIENT TRANSPARENCY: I’m big on ingredient transparency, so I liked seeing every protein source and digestive enzyme listed right on the label. That’s the main reason I bought Ghost. They’re very transparent with their labels. CHIPS AHOY: At first, I tried the Chips Ahoy Chocolate Chip Cookie flavor. It tastes like you let a Chips Ahoy cookie dissolve in milk, which was really fun. DAILY USE: I really pay attention to the sugar, fat, and other ingredients. Considering all of that, I probably wouldn’t use Ghost as my everyday protein powder because it’s very sweet, but I think it’s worth a try just for the fun flavor and the treat at the bottom (the amazing cookie chunks). MIXABILITY: I mix it with water, a pinch of xanthan gum, ice, and sometimes a bit of monk fruit powder. It’s always smooth, never chalky or clumpy. CONTAINER DESIGN: I think the scoop that stores in the lid is a genius design. It's so user-friendly. I mean it, it's refreshing to see a brand that thinks about the users. DIGESTIVE ENZYMES: I appreciate the added digestive enzymes, since they help with digestion and I never have stomach issues. PRICE VALUE: While it’s a bit pricey, I feel like you get what you pay for with the quality and easy digestion. Also, as mentioned, I don't use it every single day. It's kind of a treat for me. FLAVOR BREAKDOWN: Chips Ahoy gets my top score, I could live off this flavor. There are real cookie chunks and big chocolate chips that always sink to the bottom, so you get a little treat at the end. The base is that cereal milk vanilla taste, like when you dunk a bunch of cookies in milk and finish off the leftover milk. If you love dessert flavors, this one is a win. Marshmallow Cereal Milk is another fun one, especially if you’re someone who can take out half a box of Lucky Charms in one sitting. It’s like drinking marshmallow vanilla cereal milk and scratches my sweet tooth itch, without actually eating a pile of marshmallows. Cereal Milk is good, but a little boring after the Chips Ahoy and Marshmallow flavors. It’s more of a classic vanilla, and if you just want something simple, you’ll probably enjoy it. Oreo was a letdown. I was hoping for a big cookies and cream punch, but it had a weird fruity undertone I couldn’t get past. Instead of tasting like Oreo filling and chocolate, it felt a bit floral and just too sweet for my taste. Cinnabon was just too much. Super sweet, I could barely get through it, even after trying to dilute it. There are other brands out there that do a cinnamon protein powder way better. This one just didn’t work. BOTTOM LINE: I’ve tried a ton of protein powders and Ghost stands out for a few reasons. Their stuff mixes well in both milk and water, the calorie-to-protein ratio is solid, and they have a rewards program that actually feels worthwhile. Ghost’s flavors are pretty creative too. Just know, every Ghost protein is sweet, sometimes really sweet, but some are just flat-out awesome. Also, as mentioned, I like that Ghost’s ingredients are transparent, but I do wish they’d swap out the sweeteners for monk fruit and use only whey isolate. Buy it on Amazon today for: $89.99 with FREE returns