Top 5 220 to 110 Adapters Best Plugs: BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter Most All-Inclusive: Odoga Voltage Converter Best Basic Kit: BESTEK Universal Travel Adapter Best For Large Appliances: Rockstone Power Voltage Converter Transformer Most Compact: HYTED Travel Adapter and Converter Combo Key Features 250 watts Power strip with three U.S. outlets and four USB ports Power cord Four international adapters 24-month warranty What Customers Are Saying Customers liked this device because they could buy the one travel voltage converter and use it in almost every country they visited....

Top 5 Cordless Stick Vacuums Best Battery Life: Dyson Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum Best Standard Vacuum: Hoover Linx Stick Vacuum Best Maneuverability: Shark Rocket Pet Pro Stick Vacuum Best Design: Eureka RapidClean Stick Vacuum Best Attachments: BISSELL ICONpet Pro Stick Vacuum Best Battery Life: Dyson Torque Drive Cordless Vacuum This cordless stick vacuum works on a variety of surfaces and contains a whole-machine filtration system that traps up to 99.99% of particles and allergens....

Top 5 Patio Umbrellas Most Customizable Umbrella: Abba Patio Nine-Foot Patio Umbrella Best Lightweight Umbrella: Sunnyglade 7.5-Foot Patio Umbrella Best Lighted Umbrella: Sunnyglade Nine-Foot LED-Lighted Patio Umbrella Best Coverage: Grand Patio Deluxe Curvy Aluminum Offset Umbrella Best Color Options: EliteShade Sunbrella Nine-Foot Patio Umbrella Most Customizable Umbrella: Abba Patio Nine-Foot Patio Umbrella This patio umbrella has an easy-to-assemble design that consists of two screw-in pole pieces with a power-coated finish for added rust and wear resistance....

Best Mint Scent: NEST Fragrances Reed Diffuser This reed diffuser can freshen up a living space with a designer-like touch and a lemon and mint scent. The attractive packaging makes it a suitable gift for a loved one, and the vegan oil that’s made in the United States without animal testing positions it as a premium option that’s worth the price. Key Features Lemon and mint scent 5.9 fluid ounces Eight reeds 90 days of lasting power...

This Old House’s 7th Idea House is a modern farmhouse set on a rolling lawn overlooking Long Island Sound and the 14th green of Norwalk’s Shore Haven Golf Club. The gracious 3,700-square-foot Farmhouse in Fairfield County was designed by Connecticut’s celebrated Jamieson Architects, and built by the gifted craftsmen of Greyrock Homes. This fresh farmhouse features a host of luxury amenities – indoors and out – including a grand, vaulted great room that looks out across Long Island Sound; a chef’s kitchen and butler’s pantry; a covered porch and patio outfitted with an outdoor kitchen, retractable screens, plunge pool, fire pit, and personal putting green; a spacious ground-floor master suite; two additional bedrooms and baths; a bunk room; and three-car garage....

Shown: The house’s New England–style elements include a gambrel-roofed addition, cedar shingle siding, and white trim. Bluestone steps lead to the front and side doors. RAFTER TAILS: LamcoCEDAR SHINGLES: SBCROOF SHINGLES: GAFEXTERIOR TRIM: Lifespan Solid SelectSOD: SodcoRAINSCREEN: MortairventWESTERLY GRANITE STEPS: Comolli Granite CompanyMASONRY: Sharpe Construction Adams Family The Adamses’ dream-house journey began in August 2018, when the couple purchased a run-down ranch in Westerly, Rhode Island. When they moved in a little over a year later, that ranch had been transformed into the perfect home for their young family—a spacious two-story, gambrel-roofed Dutch Colonial....

They’re battered by the elements, assaulted by basketballs, and commanded to perform their disappearing and reappearing act countless times each week. When, after decades of service, a garage door stops working well—or looking good—you can take comfort in the fact that a new one is among the best investments you can make, allowing you to recoup nearly 95 percent of the cost when you sell. “Garage doors have come a long way over the last fifteen years....

In this Episode: With framing finally moving ahead, Jared and his team face the next challenge. Their Mountain Modern designed home requires steel to support its dramatic style. That means crane snaking mountain roads in mud season. It’s a dangerous operation, requiring everyone to be on their toes. Also, the window order must go in. Jared tours the factory where the special windows are being made.

Swamp coolers are available at home centers in the American Southwest, but are not recommended in other regions as they add humidity to the air. The smart phone-controlled air conditioner is the Aros, manufactured by Quirky.

To help you in your search, the This Old House Reviews Team researched the top moving companies in Philadelphia for self-service, partial, and full-service moves. Keep reading for our recommendations of the best moving companies in the city. 6 Best Moving Companies in Philadelphia Through in-depth research, we determined that the best moving companies in Philadelphia, PA, are: International Van Lines: Best Overall Full-Service Mover 1-800-PACK-RAT: Best Overall Self-Service JK Moving: Most Customizable Full-Service Mover American Van Lines: Most Experienced Moving Labor uShip: Best Mobile App U-Pack: Most Affordable...

6 Tips for Prepping Your House for the Holidays Follow this handy checklist to prepare your house for guests this holiday season. Clean and Declutter Thoroughly Ridding your home of excess clutter is your first step to a cleaner-looking home. This is an organized effort to remove unnecessary items and toss, donate, or sell them. Then instead of your regular weekly house cleaning, consider giving your home a deep cleaning (especially if it’s a task you haven’t tackled all year)....

Banishing existing dust basically amounts to diligent swiping and vacuuming, but preventive measures that keep the stuff from collecting in the first place is equally, if not more important. Read on to learn how to outsmart this sneaky substance in your home so you can enjoy cleaner surfaces and easier breathing, too. What Is Dust, Exactly? Household dust is comprised of a variety of tiny particles, including dead skin, hair, pet dander, fabric fibers, food crumbs, soil, pollen—just about anything capable of being shed, flaked, crushed, or crumbled....

Modern Batteries Have Come a Long Way Today’s power tool batteries evolved quite a bit since the first cordless screwdrivers hit the market. The original tools were small and featured nickel-cadmium and nickel-metal hydride batteries. These batteries served the purpose, but today’s lithium-ion batteries are more powerful, compact, and longer-lasting. How to Select Power-Tool Batteries Under the Hood The inside of each battery contains a group of cells, which look similar to unbranded AA or C batteries....

A fireplace is a safe place for a fire, lit to give off light and heat. Generally made of brick or stone, a fireplace includes a firebox to contain the fire, a chimney to channel smoke and toxic gas out of the space, and several other key elements. Key Elements of a Fireplace Here are the main parts of your fireplace that you should know: Ash pit—a cellar under the fireplace grate where ashes collect....

There are many different home security systems on the market in Columbus, but they aren’t all equal in terms of quality, cost, offered equipment, and more. To help you select a security system that’s right for your home, the This Old House Reviews Team evaluated the best home security systems available in Columbus, Ohio. Read on to learn about our top recommendations. The 6 Best Home Security Systems in Columbus ADT: Best Overall Vivint: Best for Smart Home Integration Alder: Best for Medical Alerts SimpliSafe: Best for Easy Installation Frontpoint: Best for Smartphone Integration Abode: Best for Customization...

People afflicted with allergies are smart to seek out the best hypoallergenic mattress they can find. When allergens like pollen, dust, or pet hairs invade your bed and irritate your eyes, nose and skin, they also wreak havoc on your ability to get a good night’s sleep. And even if a Benadryl successfully lulls you into slumber, you’ll be rudely awakened when congestion, coughing or sneezing strike in the middle of the night....

All Brooklyn Bedding mattresses boast a sleep trial period of 120 nights, giving you ample time to test out the mattress and decide if it’s the right fit. If it’s not the right firmness, doesn’t provide relief in the right places, or you want to try a different model, Brooklyn Bedding offers free returns within the trial period. Once you purchase your new mattress, it comes with a 10-year warranty which should cover its entire lifespan....