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Recently, a few spots on the hardwood floors in my house have become mysteriously slippery—so slippery that they're kind of dangerous. I really feel like my feet might go out from under me when I walk there, and there were a few close calls before I started avoiding them (or at least bracing myself to walk over them more carefully).

This is no way to live, so I started looking into solutions, starting with the root cause.

Why your wood floors are suddenly slippery

Turns out it’s not uncommon for hardwood floors to become spontaneously slippery, and it can happen for a variety of reasons.

• Wax or polish: If you apply any kind of coating to give your floor extra shine, it can build up over time and turn the floor into an ice rink.

• Oil and silicone cleaning products: Some cleaning products that promise a shiny finish contain silicone or oil, which can also build up and turn your floors into a slip-n-slide.

• Dirt and humidity: Dirt, even the stuff you can’t see, can act as a dry lubricant, and high humidity can result in a moisture slick on the surface of the floors.

• Time: Finally, over time, all those feet walking over the floor can polish the finish, removing the microscopic imperfections that previously gave it some grip.

I don’t polish or wax my floors or use oil- or silicone-based cleaners, and I clean pretty regularly, so I discounted the first few causes and assumed that we’ve just polished the seal on our floors with regular foot traffic. This can happen to any sealed wood floor, but there are some pretty straightforward ways to deal with it.

Start with a thorough cleaning

The first step I took was a thorough cleaning. I clean my floors regularly, but it’s always possible that something spilled without being noticed—the spots where the slipperiness occurred are in the path from the kitchen to the dining room, and from my tool closet to everywhere else in the house. Cooking oils, WD40—there are a lot of things that could have dripped without being noticed. If you’re not sure about substance buildup on a slippery floor, a thorough cleaning might be the easy solution.

Always use a pH-neutral cleaner designed specifically for wood floors—and never use vinegar, even heavily diluted in water. Vinegar can eat away at the finish of your floor; while it might help with the slipperiness, it can also do some permanent damage. I used Bona Hardwood Floor Cleaner and cleaned the areas a few times, but my floors remained slippery.

Add some rugs

A simple solution, especially if you’re dealing with one or two isolated slippery spots, is to just throw down a rug or a runner with a non-slip backing. Your floors will still be slippery, but won’t pose any threat. If the slippery area is quite large (or encompasses your entire floor), this might not work because the rugs might just slide around with nothing to grip onto. But for a small slippery area, it might be a quick, easy solution.

Apply a temporary (or permanent) treatment

If cleaning and covering up your slippery floors won’t work, there are some more involved solutions to try:

• Anti-slip sprays. There are a variety of temporary anti-slip coating sprays you can apply to your floors, like Rustoleum AntiSlip or Slip Doctors Safety Spray. Although the Rustoleum spray is okay for indoor use and wood, it doesn’t specify hardwood floors, and in a quick test it looked slightly cloudy on a remnant plank I had lying around. The Safety Spray, on the other hand, dried very clear, and reduced the slip factor significantly, so I’d recommend it. It does change the sheen of the floor slightly (noticeable in the right light), but it’s also temporary and will need to be re-applied every year or so.

• Slip NoMor. This stuff is actually designed for stages and dance floors, but you can use it on any wood floor. I didn’t test this, but the procedure is pretty straightforward: Clean thoroughly first, and dilute it with one part Slip NoMor and 20 parts water. Then mop it on and let dry. The coating will only last a week or so (and you can remove it with hot water at any time), so it’s not a permanent solution unless you’re okay with re-applying every week or so.

• Coatings. A longer-lasting and more involved solution is to coat your floors with a clear anti-slip product like Floor Grip, Bona Anti-Slip, or Loba 2K Invisible. These are essentially new finish seals on your floors, and all require you to sand the floor before application and allow them to cure for several days. It’s a DIY solution if you’re comfortable doing the prep work, but it’s not a quick fix.

• Paint. If your wood floors are in good condition, this might not be a great idea—but if your floors are a bit worn down, painting them with an anti-slip additive can be a cheap, easy way to eliminate the problem.

As a last resort, refinish

If cleaning and temporary sprays don’t work and you’re considering a coating to fix your slippery floor, you might think about going all-in and having your floors professionally refinished with an anti-slip finish. This will ensure a consistent finish and refresh your floors in the process. It’s the most expensive and disruptive solution, but also the most permanent. Most professional refinishers can suggest an appropriate seal for your floors that will increase traction.

A good gift should say, "I see you. I know you. I've been paying attention." In other words, it's the thought that counts—so don't take "thought" out of the equation by turning to ChatGPT for any part of your gift-giving this holiday season.

Sure, ChatGPT can rapidly generate gift lists based on demographics, trending items, and surface-level interests. But a truly meaningful gift transcends data points—which, besides, can be far from foolproof. An AI chatbot can suggest a bestselling cookbook for someone who likes cooking, but we're at risk of losing something far more valuable than perfectly matched presents: genuine human connection. The art of gift-giving isn't about finding the most objectively impressive item, but about communicating love, understanding, and personal investment. Instead of using AI, let's tackle some practical strategies for thoughtful gift-giving.

How to give a thoughtful gift

The task of capturing a perfectly unique understanding of the gift recipient's inner world is daunting, to say the least. Luckily, that's not the task at hand. All you need is a human touch.

Do a memory dive

Reflect on conversations you've had with the recipient over the past year. What stories did they tell? What challenges did they overcome? What moments made them laugh or feel vulnerable?

Some more tips for researching your friend: Review old text messages and emails, or even look through social media posts. And of course, don't be afraid to ask their close friends or family for insights. When word gets back to them that you put in so much effort, they'll surely be moved—and, you know, not in the "AI psychosis" way.

Research their interests

Go beyond surface-level hobbies. If someone loves art, don't just buy art supplies. A good rule is to remember that people usually buy themselves whatever they need for their hobbies. So, it's important to find something they wouldn't get themselves. In this artist example, consider some accoutrements:

• A painting class they can take with a friend

• Museum tickets

• A book about an artist they like

Throw in a handwritten note explaining why you selected this specific item. Again: Since it's the thought that counts, it helps to always explain your thinking. Even if you can't find the perfect story or connection behind the gift, there are ways to express that you put thought into it.

Do a mind map

If you ever need to come up with any sort of idea for anything, a mind map is your best friend. Create a gift "mind map" that connects:

• Their interests

• Shared memories

• Inside jokes

• Aspirational goals

• Nostalgia

And just because I argue against feeding the AI beast, that doesn't mean you need to be all on your own. Check out gift guides written by real people, like, say, Lifehacker's own Stephen Johnson.

The bottom line

Gift-giving isn't about robotic perfection. A $10 item selected with a little heart will always outweigh a $100 item selected by an algorithm. Go for handmade items, curated experience gifts, or something that references specific shared memories. Like I mention above, a handwritten note goes a long way. Hey, make a note of the fact that you didn't use ChatGPT, and instead had a nice afternoon reflecting about this person! That sort of message is worth way more than whatever you end up gifting.

So if any of my loved ones are reading this, please: Put down the AI prompt. Pick up a notebook. Reflect. Remember. Connect. (New running sneakers, size 8.) Your imperfect, human-generated gift will always be more perfect than any robot-recommended present.

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More than 37 million Americans moved last year—and while that’s actually a historic low, one thing that hasn’t changed is the levels of hair-tearing stress the experience can inspire. Everything about moving, from packing to hiring movers to switching utilities, comes with a little spice of stress and anxiety. Even the most competent and careful planning can leave you with an ulcer and an incipient nervous breakdown as you try to pack your entire life into a truck and transport it to another location.

There are lots of little ways to reduce that stress and make moving a little easier. These hacks can help anyone, no matter how far you’re moving or what your housing situation might be, because they each reduce the friction a tiny bit without much effort. Whether the big day is tomorrow or next month, take a moment and employ a few of these moving hacks to make the day a little less nightmarish.

Get free boxes

Buying moving boxes can be pricey—U-Haul sells kits that range from about $150 to $460, depending on the size of your household, for example. That’s not a lot of money in the grand scheme of things, but after paying for everything else associated with a new home, saving a few hundred bucks is a worthy hack.

Luckily, there are several ways to get your mitts on some free boxes, from companies like U-Haul that connect its customers to platforms like Freecycle where people often post used boxes for free pickup. And there’s always the old standby of contacting local grocery stores and the like to see if you can dumpster dive for some old boxes. If you start collecting boxes early enough, you can save yourself stress and money.

Size your boxes

When collecting or buying moving boxes, most of us just grab what’s available and wind up with a Tetris-like assortment of sizes and shapes. If at all possible, make all of your moving boxes the same size. This will make packing them into a truck or van a lot easier and more efficient, and make stacking them onto a handtruck or cart a lot faster and more stable. There will be obvious exceptions to this rule of thumb—garment boxes, television boxes, etc.—but the more you can make your boxes uniform, the faster things will go.

Stretch wrap

Moving stuff like desks or dressers often means playing whack-a-mole with drawers and doors that keep popping open, or having to make multiple trips because nothing fits together snugly.

The answer is stretch wrap. You’ve seen professional movers use this stuff, but you can easily buy your own. And you should—it makes combining oddly-shaped things into one unit easy, it can be used to ensure drawers and doors stay closed, and protects your stuff from incidental damage caused by your enthusiastic but careless friends who are just in it for the free pizza.

Vacuum bags

Sometimes moving can feel positively Kafka-esque in its suffering. For example: You put in some effort to score a bunch of boxes only to discover that each box fits approximately one fluffy sweater. Sure, that’s an easy carry, but now you have to go find 100 more boxes—or start thrusting your clothes into garbage bags.

Or, get yourself some vacuum storage bags. The same physics that allows you to store an entire winter wardrobe in the space under your bed will make your move a lot more efficient, shrinking down those bulky items to a more manageable size. Once shrunk, you can then roll or fold the bags to fit efficiently into boxes. Bonus: The plastic bags will also protect your clothes during the move, ensuring they don’t arrive stained, dusty, or torn.

Rubber band doors

It’s a ritual of moving: Propping the door. You’re up and down, in and out, and the front door keeps swinging shut and latching, forcing you to constantly fish out your keys or fobs to open it up.

There’s an easy hack for this, though: Take some (relatively large) rubber bands (you might need more than one), loop them over both knobs, and lay it against the latch so it’s pushed in. Now the door won’t latch, so you can just push or pull it open as needed.

Have a "go bag"

Sometimes, when packing up stuff for a move, you can fall into a bit of a trance and become a packing machine, just madly shoving everything into boxes and bags. And then you arrive at your new home and you can’t brush your teeth, find the bandages, or find utensils to eat your victory Doordash.

A great hack is to set up a “go bag” with all the essentials you might need. Treat it like staying one night in a hotel and bring everything you need to be comfortable, like hygiene products, toilet paper, basic utensils, and cleaning products. Throw in anything you might need: dry socks, fresh underwear, pet food, baby supplies, a first aid kit. This way, when you’re exhausted from the move, you won’t have to search through a pile of boxes looking for your toothbrush.

Hangers and trash bags

Transporting your finery safely can be challenging, especially if you’re moving yourself. Wardrobe boxes can help protect your clothes during the move, but they’re also bulky and cost money, and you have to take the time to drag your clothes out of the closet and transfer them to the box.

There’s a hackier way: Separate your clothes into groups, then slide a trash bag up from the bottom to envelope the whole group of clothes and secure the plastic ties around the tops of the hangers. In a few minutes your whole closet is wrapped up and ready to go. You can combine this with a wardrobe box if you have one, but if not, your clothes are protected and your closet is instantly organized and ready to be emptied out.

Keep track of the contents of your boxes

Moving houses can descend into chaos so quickly we often make our future selves miserable. What starts off as a relatively organized effort becomes a mad dash to cram stuff into boxes and finish the project, which means future you is stuck with a load of boxes filled with random stuff, and there will always be at least one treasured item that just seems to have dropped through a portal into another dimension.

You can prevent this with a simple hack: Mark each box with a number and take a photo of the contents of every box before you tape it shut and stuff it into the van. Sure, you could be more meticulous and have a spreadsheet, color-coded system of stickers, or other more robust way of tracking each box’s contents, but the photo method blends well with the barely-held-together chaos of many house moves. Later, when you’re searching for something, a quick scan of your photos will tell you precisely which box you put it inside.

Take pics of wire hookups

It’s amazing how wires proliferate as if they’re an alien species infiltrating our world. Everything seems neat and tidy in your house, and then comes moving day and you realize that each television, desktop computer, and device has at least one—and sometimes several—cords associated with it. Keeping them all straight when moving to a new place can be a real pain. While cords like HDMI cables are usually interchangeable between devices, that won’t be the case if your laptop uses a USB-C-to-HDMI cable, and sometimes your cables are ideally sized—a short HDMI cable between a Roku and your TV, for example, won’t hang down and be an eyesore.

To ensure you put everything back the way it should be without tearing your hair out, take photos of the back of your devices before you disassemble them for transport. Being able to see exactly where every cord goes and how it was set up will save you a lot of time and trouble on the back end of your move.

Clean while you pack

Cleaning is a huge part of moving. If you’re renting, it’s a vital aspect of your plan to get your security deposit back. If you’ve sold a place, it’s just the right thing to do (and might even be stipulated in your sale contract).

A simple but powerful hack: Don’t wait until you’ve moved everything out to clean. While it might seem like a completely empty house would be ideal for cleaning, it’s also kind of overwhelming. An empty room is just as easy to clean, and tackling each space as you clear it out instead of leaving it all to the end will make cleaning seem like less of a chore. Plus, alternating between packing and cleaning will actually make both go a little more smoothly, because at least there will be some variation.

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Gift shopping for the DIYer in your life can be a challenge. Tools are the obvious choice, but truly handy folks probably already have most, if not all, of the tools they need (in addition to a long list of tools they only needed once but still hang onto). And even if they do need a specific tool, your chances of picking out the precise make and model they want are pretty slim.

But no matter what level of DIYer you're shopping for, they likely need other stuff besides tools, from safety gear (which too many DIYers neglect), to cold-weather accessories, to the little extras that can make around-the-house projects a little easier, and maybe even more fun.

Protective gear is a great option for DIY gifts

Safety is paramount—it’s terrifyingly easy to injure yourself while working with any kind of tool. Just as important is the “wear and tear” your body goes through while working with loud power tools and while contorting your body in ways nature never intended. A few safety and comfort essentials for the DIYer in your life include:

• Work boots: Cold, wet feet make any job more miserable than it has to be, and if your DIY friend hasn’t dropped a hammer on their foot yet, don’t worry, they will. A pair of waterproof, toe-protecting work boots is a great gift.

• Cut-resistant gloves: Working with power saws or hand saws means risking a nasty cut. Cut-resistant gloves protect those hands from all kinds of nicks and scrapes—and worse.

• Safety glasses: The number of DIYers who think they don’t have to worry about eye injuries is, frankly, stunning. Do your handy loved one a favor and give them some protective eyewear.

• Knee pads: I once spent a few days bent over in my crawl space, working, and my knees took a real beating. Knee pads may not be sexy, but they will be appreciated.

• Hearing protection: Working with power tools can be hard on the ears. A pair of noise-canceling, rechargeable headphones that play music and allow hands-free operation of your phone while preventing hearing damage are a must-have.

Cold-weather work gear is a practical gift option

When I first started my DIY journey, my solution for working outside in the cold was to put on multiple layers of my regular clothes, which limited my mobility and made me sweat up a storm. A better idea? Some work gear designed for the cold weather:

• Thermal gloves will keep hands from going numb while still offering protection.

• Base layers: The key to staying warm without getting chilled by your own sweat while working outside lies in having the right base layers—tops and bottoms.

• Headgear: Keeping the head and neck warm while working outside is the key to keeping your whole body warm, because so much heat is lost through the head. A combination hat, scarf, and headlamp solves the problem.

Stocking stuffers for DIYers

Some gifts for the DIYer are just about making every job a little easier or a little more fun.

• Tool belts and work aprons: I went an embarrassingly long time carrying my tools around in my pockets or in awkward bundles. A tool belt gives you a perfect hands-free way to transport your gear, and a work apron does the same while protecting your clothes and body from dirt and projectiles.

• The Bucket Boss: Another solution for lugging around your tools is a bucket organizer like the Bucket Boss, which makes bringing along every tool you might need a lot easier.

• A magnetic wristband: Give the gift of never having to carry a dozen nails in your mouth ever again.

• A headband lamp: At some point, every DIYer gets tired of trying to balance a flashlight in just the right spot. A lamp they can use hands-free will quickly become a favorite gift.

• A rugged Bluetooth speaker: Sure, everyone owns a bluetooth speaker these days—but handypeople will appreciate a Bluetooth speaker that’s durable enough for a worksite and that also uses the same batteries as their power tools.

• Anti-fatigue mat: Ah, the simple joys of standing hunched over a workbench for hours at a time. An anti-fatigue mat will spare your DIYer’s back and leave them refreshed after every job.

• Boot and glove dryer: There’s nothing worse than getting up to continue a big project only to discover that your boots and gloves are still soaked from the day before. Drying those items out in an hour or less? Magical.

• Beverage holster: Anyone who’s done work around their house knows that DIY work is fueled by refreshing beverages. Whatever your drink of choice, make it easy to have on hand at all times with this nifty holster.

One of the best lessons I've learned across years of DIY projects is the fact that, whether powered by hand or by electricity, your tools can can serve more than the purpose for which you purchased them—provided you get creative with how you put them to use. Often, you can use two tools together to improve their performance, make them more versatile, make them easier to use, or even to to replace a tool you’re missing.

Here are 10 unexpected ways to combine your hand tools and power tools to make DIY work a little easier.

Stick an Allen wrench into your drill

Power drill and Allen wrench being used to extract eyehook Credit: Jeff Somers

Eye hooks serve a wide range of uses, but if you’ve ever had to drive a bunch of them into wood, you know how frustrating they can be. The usual move is to either slip a screwdriver through the hook and twist, which is slow and awkward, or to clamp a wrench or pair of pliers on top and twist, which is...also slow and awkward.

This works better: Place an Allen wrench in your power drill’s chuck, slide the end of the wrench into the eyehook, and let the drill do the work. It's faster, it saves your elbows and wrists the strain, and you’ll wonder why you never thought of it before.

Use a shop vac to inject wood glue

Wood glue can be a lifesaver when you have a damaged piece of lumber—but only if you can actually get the glue inside the crack. If you’ve ever tried, you know that you wind up with glue smeared everywhere, but only a small amount seeps into the crack, leading to a pretty quick failure.

By combining a shop vac with your gluing efforts, you can make this much more effective. Position the shop vac up close against one end of the crack and turn it on. Then apply the glue from the other end, moving toward the shop vac. The suction will pull the glue into the crack, filling it up and resulting in a stronger bond.

Use a sander to clean your putty knives

Orbital sander cleaning knife Credit: Jeff Somers

Drywall knives and putty knives can develop a thick, lumpy buildup of drywall mud, paint, and anything else they’re used to scrape. Eventually, they’re almost useless because their flat surface has developed its own topography.

You can try cleaning them, but water will rust them and it’s often a laborious process, especially if they’re covered in cement or thinset. If you’ve got an orbital sander, however, cleaning your putty knives and drywall knives is pretty easy. Using a moderate grit (120 works well) pad, just sand down your blade with gentle pressure—don’t overdo it; just let the sandpaper do its work. You’ll have shiny, clean blades in no time.

Use a carpenter’s square and a chalk line as a makeshift level

Getting things level is surprisingly challenging—at least for me. I can measure things five times and still somehow wind up slightly off. That makes a spirit level an essential part of my toolbox for any project (and even then, I am level-challenged, somehow).

If I forget my level, I’m in trouble—unless I happen to have a carpenter’s square and a chalk line. Place the bottom of the square on the surface you’re checking, and loop your chalk line over the top at the 90° mark so it dangles down. Then adjust until the line is directly over the 45° mark on the bottom. That’s means it's level.

Use a screwdriver and hammer to remove stubborn nails

Hammer and screwdriver extracting nail Credit: Jeff Somers

Trying to remove a stuck nail can be an entire project in itself. Your progress freezes while you sweat and strain, and eventually you start to damage the surface as your attempts to pull that nail get wilder and more violent.

To protect a surface you don’t want to damage and give yourself a little extra leverage on the nail, place a screwdriver under your hammer. This will give your pull a little more oomph while stopping your hammer from gouging the surface beneath.

Use a vise grip with a putty knife to remove a headless nail

Got a stubborn nail and don’t have your hammer or prybar? Or dealing with a nail that’s lost its head? You can get it free with the help of a vise grip and a putty knife. Lock the vise grip onto the nail and slide a putty knife onto the surface behind the nail. Rotate the vise grips like a lever, and the nail will slowly pull free, while the putty knife blade protects the surface underneath from damage.

Combine a wrench or pliers and a screwdriver for more torque

Screwdriver and pliers extracting screw Credit: Jeff Somers

When dealing with a screw that seems to be frozen in place, your hand screwdriver often can’t deliver enough torque, and using a power drill with a screwdriver bit is often overkill, stripping the screw in no time. To increase the torque your screwdriver can provide, combine it with a wrench or pair of adjustable pliers. Lock the pliers onto the screwdriver at a 90° angle, push down, and turn with the plier handles. Even the most stubborn screws will work themselves free.

Use locking pliers and a flat prybar to remove nails

Another way to tackle a nail that just won’t work itself free (or that’s lost its head) is to combine a vise grip and a flat prybar. Lock the grips onto the top of the nail to act as the head, then angle the prybar underneath and apply pressure. You can also slide a putty knife under the prybar blade if you want to protect the surface you’re extracting the nail from.

Use a hammer and driver bit to remove painted over screws

Hammer and drill bit cleaning screw head Credit: Jeff Somers

When I used to rent, I was always infuriated by the “landlord special” repairs that covered screw heads with multiple layers of paint, often to the extent that I couldn’t get a screwdriver or bit to bite. That meant a lot of slow effort scraping paint out of the grooves until I got them clean enough to extract.

Instead of doing that, combine a hammer and a screwdriver bit: position the bit on the screw head and give it some solid taps with the hammer. The crusted paint will fall right out, and you can get on with your work.

Use an adjustable wrench to find the right drill bit

How much time do you think you’ve wasted trying to eyeball a drill bit when driving bolts? You estimate the bit size, you drill the hole—nope, too small. So you grab the next-largest bit and do it again. Or, worse, you estimate the drill bit and the hole is too big, and now you’ve got a problem.

If you’ve got an adjustable wrench, spare yourself the drama. Tighten the jaws of the wrench onto the bolt, then see which drill bit matches the wrench’s opening. You’ll never have to drill three times for one bolt ever again.

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When you buy a house, you buy a long list of projects that stretch into the distant future. Planning your time and budget for everything that will need to be done can be a challenge, but it’s worth it for the comfort, security, and financial cushion that home ownership offers. That doesn’t mean it can’t get a little stressful from time to time, though, which is why we could all use a few small tricks that can make a big difference as a homeowner. Here are 10 essential hacks that every homeowner should know.

Enlarge rooms with paint

One of the most common reasons for a home-buyer’s remorse is size. It can be difficult to gauge how you’ll use a space until you’re actually in it, and our lives don’t always go according to plan. As a result, it’s not uncommon for folks to feel like their house seems a bit too small for their liking.

Adding onto a house is expensive—a much more budget-friendly approach is to use visual tricks to make your house feel larger. Paint is a powerful tool for this. By leveraging color theory, you can make a room feel larger by using lighter colors on the walls and glossy white on the ceiling, and using a single color on all the walls to erase the edges that define the space, thus making it appear larger. If you don’t have a handy fortune to throw at a major home renovation, a low-cost paint project can give you the feeling of a larger room, at least.

No-dig fences

If you’ve ever been house-hunting, you’re familiar with one surprising fact: A lot of houses, especially new builds, don’t have fencing. You walk into the backyard and it’s just an open field, with invisible property lines somewhere in the near distance.

Fencing can be expensive if you hire someone to install it, with a price tag potentially in the thousands of dollars. Installing a fence on your own, DIY-style, is labor-intensive, especially if your yard is rocky. If all you need is a perimeter fence, however, a no-dig fence like this one is an easy solution that will mark off your property and pen in small pets without the effort or expense of a traditional fence project.

Dowel pin screw hole repair

Whether your house is new, lightly used, or historical in nature, eventually you’re going to deal with loose screws, especially in your door and cabinet hinges. Hinges carry so much weight and get so much use, the screws inevitably work themselves loose. You can fix this a few times just by tightening everything up again, but over time, this pattern will result in stripped screw holes and permanently sagging doors. At that point, you can either try to reposition the hinge so you can bite into fresh wood, or replace the door frame or cabinets at great expense.

That is, unless you know the dowel hack. All you need are some wooden dowel pins and some wood glue. Fill the stripped screw hole with glue, insert a dowel, trim as needed, and let the glue set. Then you can drill a fresh hole, and your screws will bite like new again, all for less than $10.

Rain-X on shower doors

One of the mysteries of the universe is the fact that bathrooms in general aren’t self-cleaning. How can a space doused with soap and water on a regular basis be so filthy?

One reason is the mineral content of your water, and the tendency for soap to transmogrify into soap scum. These two elements combine to turn glass shower doors into opaque, cloudy barriers that never look clean. Cleaning those hard water and scum stains off the glass requires a lot of elbow grease, and it’s the sort of chore we put off for months (or longer) simply because of the effort involved.

The trick is, once you do clean those glass doors, you should spray them with Rain-X. This is a product made for car windshields, but it will work a charm in your bathroom, too. It’s a water repellent, so your shower water will bead up on the glass, making it super easy to squeegee it off before it can evaporate and leave behind all those mineral deposits and soap residue. Using it on a regular basis when you clean your shower will keep those glass doors clear and free of build-up.

Deodorize with vodka

Vodka doesn’t have much of a taste, it has almost no odor, and it’s typically about 40% alcohol. All this means that vodka—even the cheap stuff—is actually a very good disinfectant and deodorizer. Many theater companies and theme parks use a mixture of vodka and water to spray down costumes between performances when there’s no time to send them out for cleaning. The alcohol kills off germs and odor-creating bacteria, and once it dries, there’s no smell or residue.

You can use this in your house, too. If your bedding, shoes, or towels have gotten a bit musty, a good spray with a 50/50 mix of vodka and water will deodorize and sanitize them effectively. You can add a drop of an essential oil too, if you want a light scent left behind.

Paint your roof

People typically don’t think about the roof of their house until it leaks—which is a mistake, because roofs are expensive to fix, even more expensive to replace, and a failing roof can allow water damage to destroy other parts of your home.

Becoming a roofing expert isn’t in the cards for most of us, but one thing any homeowner can do (usually as a DIY project) is coat the roof. Specialty coatings for flat roofs and shingles protect your roof from sun damage, fill in microscopic cracks before they can develop into leaks, and can extend the life of your roof by years, saving you a lot of money over time.

Run appliances at night

The modern house is an energy-sucking monster. We run lights, heat and cooling systems, televisions, computers, washers, dryers—the list is almost endless. And all of these devices and appliances require electricity, which, as you may have noticed, is expensive stuff.

If you can commit to running a lot of appliances at night, you can generally save money, however. That’s because electricity rates have “peak” and “off-peak” hours, so running your washing machine at night instead of the afternoon can cost a lot less. Some utility companies offer formal Time of Use plans, where you are charged a higher rate during peak hours, but a much lower rate during off-peak hours. If you can be disciplined about your power use, you can save a lot of money this way.

Get a ladder Levler

Doing DIY work around the house can be dangerous, and ladders are often involved. People often don’t know the proper way to position and secure a ladder, try to carry stuff while climbing, or forget that gravity is a thing and try to reach stuff they really shouldn’t while standing twelve feet in the air on an improperly balanced ladder. And then there’s the fun experience of having tools and fasteners in your pockets while you’re clinging to a ladder for dear life.

That can all be solved with this gizmo: The Ladder Levler. This gadget makes it safer to use your ladder on uneven surfaces (like stairs or sloped yards), and it’s also a storage bin that clips right onto your ladder, leaving your hands free to, you know, hold on like your life depends on it.

Leak detectors

Water will destroy your house if you’re not careful. Roof, pipe, and appliance leaks can persist for a long time before they become apparent, and every day a leak remains active means potential mold, dry rot, and structural damage to your home. And if you’re not home when a pipe or water heater bursts, sending gallons of water to gleefully rampage throughout your home, the cost of cleanup and repair can be astronomical.

That’s why leak detectors and alarms are an essential hack. Having these seeded throughout the house means you’ll never be caught by surprise—the moment moisture is detected, the alarms will sound, and you can deal with the problem before it ruins everything. You can get detectors that will ing you on your phone or other devices so you’ll be warned even if you’re not home, and you can often pair them with automatic shutoff valves on your water supply, stopping the flow of water the instant it becomes a threat to your home.

Thorny home security

Keeping your house secure usually involves technology like alarm systems and doorbell cameras, often backed up by a security service that can contact the police on your behalf. That’s always a sound idea, but it can be expensive and occasionally intrusive (especially if you find yourself having to reset systems and call off false alarms regularly).

But there’s also a passive way to enhance your home’s security: landscaping. A few thorny bushes near windows and thoughtful management of tree branches and ground covers can go a long way toward making your home less likely to be robbed. While this isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it kind of security plan, you’re going to have to manage some amount of landscaping anyway, so why not make choices in your outdoor spaces that actually make your home more secure while you're at it.

Normally, it's illegal to chop down a tree in a national forest. This month, however, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is all for it—provided you get yourself a Forest Service-issued permit first. In fact, cutting your own tree on federal land is actually a pretty affordable and ethical way to source a Christmas tree. The only catch is you must follow specific guidelines, which can vary from forest to forest.

Before you grab your axe and head into the woods this holiday season, here’s what you need to know about the USDA's tree-cutting permit program.

Why you should cut your own tree from a national forest

What's cool is that securing yourself a tree-cutting permit isn't just allowed—it's encouraged. Cutting down and carrying out your own holiday tree helps contribute to good overall forest health. Through this permit program, you’ll be helping to thin densely populated stands of small-diameter trees. Removing the trees already designated for removal by the Forest Service allows other trees to grow bigger and stronger. Plus, you’ll get the pride and satisfaction of chopping down the perfect Christmas tree for your home. It’s a true win-win. 

But let's say you don't care about the environment—this is all about your needs and experiences. Well, then: In addition to helping maintain a healthy forest, cutting a holiday tree is a special tradition that can be shared with families and friends to create memorable holiday experience. For many families, venturing into the forest to cut a Christmas tree for the holidays is a treasured tradition carried on for generations. And most important of all: It can be a lot cheaper than buying one from a tree lot.

How to cut your own tree from a national forest

The USDA Forest Service sells Christmas Tree permits through Recreation.gov. Prices range from $5 to $20, depending on the location of the forest. To buy your permit in advance and find your local participating forest, use this site, which also provides guidelines for the allowable cutting areas that you’ll need to review before you start choppin’.

In three simple steps, you can begin your quest to find and bring home your own Christmas tree:

1. Choose your forest. Determine which participating forest works best for your Christmas tree outing. Each forest will have specific guidelines and season dates for cutting a holiday tree.

2. Be safe and prepared. Carefully read the details and rules of the applicable permit, and consider the Need to Know suggestions to prepare for your visit.

3. Buy a permit. Purchase and print your permit before heading out to the forest.

Tips for cutting your own Christmas tree

I spoke with the Recreation.gov team to get some additional tips as families looking to prepare for their Christmas tree cutting adventure.

1. Measure the space in your house so you can pick the right size tree once you are in the forest. (Don't assume you can eyeball it, or you'll find yourself with a Griswold situation on your hands.)

2. Check road and forest conditions and prepare for adverse weather.  

3. Before cutting, make sure you are in a designated cutting area, and follow all guidelines for locations where tree cutting is allowed. Avoid venturing onto private property.

4. Choose a tree in an overcrowded stand to help thin it out.

5. Cut your tree close to the ground. The stump you leave behind should be about 6 inches tall.

6. Bring a rope and tarp to move your tree from the cutting area to your vehicle.  

7. Secure your tree to your vehicle to ensure it remains in place for your trip home.

What else you need to know 

Again: You can only cut down trees located in designated and approved areas in the forest. This permit program is run by the USDA Forest Service, which is not the same thing as U.S. National Parks. If you’re unsure whether you’re allowed to snag a tree in a certain area, visit this page and type in either the name of your state, or the name of the forest you have in mind.

Christmas tree permit sale dates may vary by national forest. Recreation.gov encourages families to check local forest guidelines to gather all information before purchasing to ensure they are prepared. A new permit is required each year to cut your own Christmas tree.

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Let's face it: Secret Santa exchanges can be a minefield of disappointing, forgettable gifts. It's tough to shop for someone when you know that gift is going to be opened in front of all your friends, family, or coworkers at some holiday party.

Then there's the price limit to contend with—a good gift exchange should keep it under $20, but some creep closer to the $50 range. What's the best way to win at Secret Santa without breaking the bank, or bending the rules?

The name of the game for any gift exchange is to get something I call "strategically eccentric." You need to find something quirky and unique, so that you have a better chance of resonating with the quirks and uniqueness of the individual you're gifting. I've rounded up some ideas for crowd-pleasing presents that are both budget-friendly and hopefully a little useful, too. Whether you're shopping for a coworker you barely know, or the friend you know all too well, here are the best types of gifts to help you crush at Secret Santa this year.

Quirky tech gadgets

When in doubt, go for something practical with a fun twist.

• LED bluetooth beanie. It's a great move for a gift exchange: Perfect for music lovers, cold weather, and it satisfies the need for something unique. I mean, I'd be shocked if anyone owned one of these of their own volition. Get one for $12.99.

• Portable charger (with a nice design). Keep their devices juiced up with a charger that's both functional and fun. A good charger should stick within the $20-25 range, like this Amazon best seller for $20.99.

• Smart mug. What better way to share warmth than a favorite drink at just the right temperature? A good smart mug can keep your drink at your preferred temperature (between 120°F - 145°F) for up to 80 minutes on a full charge, or all day if it stays on its charging coaster. A quality one will run you over $100 on Amazon, but this more affordable one for $16 seems perfectly fine.

Ember Smart Mug

6"W x 6"H, 295 Milliliters, Scratch Resistant, Programmable

$109.95 at Amazon

$129.95 Save $20.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$109.95 at Amazon

$129.95 Save $20.00

Foodie crowd-pleasers

After all, everyone needs to eat.

• Gourmet hot sauce set. Maybe they're a true spice enthusiast; maybe they just love watching celebrities sweat on Hot Ones. Either way, help them add some heat to their meals with this hot sauce variety pack for $24.99.

• Unique tea or coffee sampler. Ooh, a collection of exotic flavors to tantalize their taste buds. If you know that spices or sweets are going to be too much for your gift recipient, you can play it safe while still giving them something new to try. Depending on your budget, you can stick to a tasteful Tea Forte Tea Tasting Assortment for under $20, or spring for the Atlas Coffee Club World of Coffee Discovery Set for $59.99.

• Artisan chocolate tasting box. Because who doesn't love high-quality chocolate? Or, who doesn't love re-gifting high-quality chocolate to someone else? Again, your personal Secret Santa budget will dictate how decadent you get. Consider my personal favorite, this Taza Mexican-style chocolate sampler $28, or perhaps a fancier assorted truffles Godiva box for $50.00.

Cozy comfort gifts

'Tis the season for snuggling up and embracing laziness.

• Fuzzy socks multipack. Soft, warm, and always appreciated. If you're working with a tighter budget, you can play it safe with a multipack for just $17.99.

• Weighted eye mask. A luxurious touch for better sleep and relaxation. I stole one from my mom last year, and now I don't go a night without it. I recommend one with lavender stuffed into it, but everyone has different scent preferences. Here's a 3D sleep mask currently on sale for $15.99.

• Microwaveable heated slippers. The ultimate comfort gift for cold days. And delicious once warmed up! Just kidding. Please don't eat them. Available for $26.

Creative finds

Get them something you're sure they won't get themselves.

• Desk plant terrarium kit. A mini garden for the plant lover or office dweller. Get a cool geometric glass pattern, like this one currently on sale for $37.

• Raunchy adult card games. Think Cards Against Humanity or any similar party game that encourage players to let loose and feel funny. I recommend We're Not Really Strangers to really streamline breaking the ice with acquaintances and close friends alike. Prompts include "what part of your life works," "what part of your life hurts," and even just "admit something." Available for $25.

• Scratch-off adventure poster. A fun way to track and plan future experiences. Get ones themed around national parks, date ideas, or even "things to do with dad." All reasonably priced around $22.

Cute Farms Glass Terrarium Kit | Just Add Your Own Plants (Geometric Glass)

$41.35 at Amazon

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Self-care indulgences

Help them treat themselves to a little luxury.

• Essential oil diffuser. A compact way to bring calm and aromatherapy anywhere. You can get the diffuser itself for around $20, but a smart move is to bundle it with premium essential oils, currently on sale for for $30.99.

• Fancy face mask set. Pamper-worthy skincare that feels like a spa day. Everyone has done a sheet mask before, but I highly encourage you to try out a true clay mask. This fun K Beauty variety pack is $14.95.

• Stress-relief squeeze toys. Cute and functional stress-busters. Make sure to share a knowing look with your fellow weary coworkers on this one. This fidget cube for adults is on sale for $13.95, or a significantly sillier "calma llama" is on sale for $12.

Essential Oil Diffuser with Essential Oils Set

6.6"L x 6.6"W x 4.76"H, 500 Milliliters

$30.99 at Amazon

$36.99 Save $6.00

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Extra tips for Secret Santa success

The advantage of Secret Santa over White Elephant is the ability to gain intel on your target. So, make sure to actually consider your gift recipient's interests and personality. Do research by asking mutual friends about their interests, stalk their social media for clues, and of course lie to your recipient about who you have so you can throw them off the scent.

Remember, presentation matters—a little creative wrapping goes a long way. Another budget-friendly bonus: Most of these gifts come in under $25, giving you some wiggle room for a cute card or extra little add-on. Lifehacker's Stephen Johnson says that he goes with a lottery ticket—who knows, they could be a winner!

Ultimately, the best gifts show you've put thought into the person, not how much money you've spent. (And hey, no matter how confident you feel in your gift-giving abilities, always include a gift receipt.)

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Watching Clark Griswold fail at hanging up Christmas lights in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation may be a hilarious annual holiday tradition, but in real life, decorating failure is no laughing matter. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, around 15,000 people in the U.S. go to the emergency room every year for holiday decorating-related injuries. And no one is keeping statistics on the countless serious injuries my eyes suffer when I see neighbors with a half-ass light display. So let's avoid all that unpleasantness with this ultimate guide to Christmas lights, from planning, to tools, tips, safety, and storage.

Make a Christmas light hanging plan

The time to think about how you're going to hang your holiday lights is not when you're up on the ladder, so first, sit down and make a comprehensive plan for lights before you do anything else. Here are some steps and things to keep in mind:

• Assess your space: Consider your roofline, windows, trees, shrubs, and walkways and decide what you're going to light up. Then develop an overall vision for your light display.

• How much is enough: Decide whether you'd like a maximalist, minimalist, or traditionalist display.

• Choose a color scheme: A coherent look to your holiday lights is so important, I made a whole section about it below. Skip ahead if needed.

• Highlight architectural details: You want the lights to go around windows, roofs, and doorways.

• Decide on your lights: Do you want string lights, icicle lights, net lights, projectors?

• Props and other decorations: There are so many outdoor decorations available for all styles, from fairly understated displays to Santa in a pickup truck, that you kind of have to have something. Just make sure it fits in with the overall vibe. We're going for coherence here.

• Measure it: Now that you know what you're going for, it's time to measure. The first step to measuring is to throw away your old tape measures and get a laser. Here's a laser measurer for less than $30. Get something like this and you won't have to climb a ladder to know how long your roofline is.

• Consider the power: Make sure you know where the outlets are and whether you have enough extension cords.

• Check your older lights: Part of planning is checking if the gear you already have is still working, so mix up some eggnog and make sure those old strings of lights still function.

Choose your color palette wisely

Anyone can throw some lights up, but throwing up lights with intention is what separates us from chimpanzees. Here's some color theory for your Christmas light display:

• Pick a palette: The most obvious choice is red, green, and white, but consider other options like white, blue, and silver for a winter wonderland look, or red, white, and pink for candy cane vibes.

• Limit your colors: You could go for a maximalist, every color look, but it's hard to pull-off without it looking like a Christmas thrift store.

• Be careful with the flair: If you're going to have lights that twinkle, chase, or change color, make sure it's part of an overall cohesive look. One flashing light amongst a bunch of static strings is not what you want.

Remember that LED Christmas lights are superior

If you’re still using those old-school incandescent mini bulbs, shame on you. Stop being a caveman. LED lights are better than incandescent in all of these ways:

• They're cool: LED lights run at about half the heat of older style bulbs, so they are unlikely to set anything on fire, even if you try.

• They last forever: LEDs can run for tens of thousands of hours. They'll outlive you.

• They use less energy: LEDs use about 10% of the energy that old school bulbs use.

• They are independent: Remember back in the day, when your whole string of lights was shot if one bulb went out? That's the past, man. LEDs don't care whether other LEDs are dead or not.

• They're versatile: LEDs can be super bright or subdued. You can get LEDs that change color, blink, simulate a meteor shower, and other special effects. You can get LED lights that are controlled from your phone and powered by batteries. They're just better.

Gather your supplies and tools

Having followed these steps, you should know exactly how many feet of lights you need and what color they should be, but that's not the whole story. You need tools and other supplies, too.

• A decent ladder: Make sure your ladder is safe.

• Clips: You'll need a ton of clips and hooks.

• Extension cords

• Gloves and zip ties

How to hang Christmas lights

Here's some tips for actually hanging the lights:

• Safety first: Hanging holiday lights is the most embarrassing way to injure yourself. It's just not worth it, so make doubly sure you have a plan for everything, don't take any risks, and get a helper to hold the ladder.

• Start at the power source: Always begin where your lights will plug in. Starting elsewhere is a Griswold move that will ruin Christmas. Work outward from the outlet so you don’t run out of cord length mid-roofline.

• Re-test your lights: You should have already tested them, but test each string again before you string 'em up. It's much easier to deal with a loose connection on the ground than up on a ladder.

• Use clips and hooks instead of nails: Nails can damage your house or even cause electrical fires, so don't nail anything. Bonus: Hooks make taking everything down in January much easier.

• Hang lights evenly: Space out the bulbs so you don't end up with a spaghetti look. Follow the lines of your house for the best looking display.

• Wrap trees and shrubs neatly: For trees, start at the trunk and work outward. For small bushes, wrap in a spiral pattern from bottom to top.

How to remove and store Christmas lights

When the holidays are over, it's time to put everything back until next year. Resist the temptation to just clump everything up and throw it in boxes—you will not be happy with yourself next year. Do not just leave everything strung up either; you're a civilized person.

• Reverse the installation: Do it all backwards. Remove lights starting from the farthest point from the outlet. Remove lights from trees from the outside-in and from the bottom up.

• Wrap carefully: To avoid a "ball of despair" next Christmas, wrap your lights around something—a makeshift spool or just a piece of cardboard work wonders.

• Label each strand: Denote where it went (roofline, bushes, tree, etc.) with a piece of masking tape and a Sharpie.

• Store hooks and clips: A dedicated container for hooks and clips is a must. Fishing tackle boxes work great for this.

• Store securely: Keep all your gear in a cool, dry place, in a plastic storage bin, so you can be ready for next year. Do not use cardboard boxes. Instead, get something like these Rubbermaid tubs.

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We’ve all experienced gift panic—that sinking feeling when you realize you need a present in an hour and you just don’t have one to give. Whether you spent all year chasing the “perfect” gift or simply procrastinated, your time is nearly up. But don’t panic. The clock may have run out, but your options haven’t. Before you resort to re-gifting something from the back of a closet, here’s how to pull off a last-minute gift that is effortless but feels elevated and worthy of the person you’re giving it to.

Sometimes the gift is in the delivery

With the right presentation, even the most last-minute gift can read as thoughtful. Any performer will tell you that the difference between a good show and a bad one comes down to commitment and confidence. The same is true for last-minute gifts: If you act like your gift is thoughtful and intentional, they’ll think it is. The biggest mistake people make is apologizing as they hand over a present—nothing ruins a vibe faster than, “Sorry this is so last-minute.” So give with confidence.

And focus on presentation. A handwritten note that contains a shared memory or personal joke can elevate a present. Use simple but personal wrapping; kraft paper and twine, or a reusable gift bag that looks like you planned ahead. Add a small flourish, like a sprig of rosemary or a fancy bow. Small touches can make it seem like you’ve carefully prepared. What you don’t want are obvious panic gifts that scream, “I grabbed this on the way here.” The goal is effortless, not frantic. Here are some suggestions.

Instant purchase digital gifts

Digital gifts are your friends. You can order something in minutes that arrives instantly online, and with a little thought, will still read as personal and intentional. The trick is choosing a present that speaks to the recipient’s tastes, hobbies, or quirks, and pairing it with a small note to show you remember what they love. From eBooks to streaming subscriptions, these gifts hit the sweet spot of thoughtful and last-minute. Here are some suggestion:

Kindle unlimited subscription

If you have a reader on your list, they want books, and a Kindle Unlimited subscription lets them read anything they like. It can be ordered instantly and lets users access millions of titles, including audiobooks, for six months or a year, even if they don’t have a Kindle reader. Include a note that says something like, "I know how much you love discovering new stories. Now you can explore as many as you like—just make sure you tell me what you find!” Boom! Mission accomplished.

Gift cards that aren't impersonal

When time is running out, gift cards are your secret weapon. They arrive instantly online, don’t require shipping, and with the right presentation, they can feel surprisingly thoughtful. The key is to pick a card that fits the recipient’s interests and add a personal note. The more specific you are, the better. If your giftee is into Italian food, get them an Eataly gift card. If they're a PC gamer, get them a Steam card. If they're into education, a membership to Skillshare is perfect. There's a gift card out there for just about any interest, and all you have to do it google it and email it.

Making generic gift cards seem thoughtful

Generic gift cards can be a last-minute lifesaver that can still seem a little personal if you give them the right way.

• Pick a theme or design: Many online cards, like Amazon, Etsy, or Starbucks, let you choose designs. The right visual makes the card feel more intentional.

• Include a warm, personal message: Even one line can make a digital card feel thoughtful—something like, “I couldn’t pick just one thing for you. Hope this helps you treat yourself!”

• Send strategically: Deliver the card by email or text, but consider printing the email or screenshotting it in a small envelope so it feels like a “real” gift.

Subscription boxes with instant confirmation emails

Sign someone up for a subscription service, write a note explaining you want to keep giving them presents all year, and you're golden. Here are some suggestions:

• SnackCrate: This service sends a different snack from around the world every month.

• SpiceClub: For the culinary adventurer on your list. A subscription to RawSpiceBar’s Spice Club delivers a curated selection of spices every month.

• Mocktail variety box: Booze-free fancy drinks delivered once a month? Sign me up.

• Thera Box: If you know someone in need of some self-care, this once-a-month box is packed with wellness and relaxation items.

• Loot Crate: If your giftee is geeky, consider this monthly surprise box of pop culture treasures.

Send a message from a celebrity

Cameo is a platform where celebrities, influencers, musicians, and performers create personalized video messages for fans. If someone on your list is a fan of someone on Cameo, you can set up a session, and give a card with a mysterious note like "Keep an eye out for a special message." They'll be delighted when Kenny G. sends them a video.

Experiential gifts

I have enough crap in my house, so I love getting experiences instead of things. The challenge with experience gifts is usually timing: Many require reservations or coordination, but there are plenty of options that let your giftee schedule the time, making them perfect last-minute gifts.

• Museum membership cards: Many institutions sell digital gift memberships that the recipient can activate whenever they like.

• Movie tickets: Your local multiplex probably has a gift certificate you can buy online.

• Local attraction passes: Some city attractions offer gift cards or “anytime admission” tickets that don’t expire immediately.

Pair these with a note explaining why you chose the experience, or, if you have that kind of relationship, something like, "I want to take you to the Museum of Modern Art" or whatever. Just make sure you follow through and actually go.

Really last-minute, on-the-way-to-the-party gifts

Sometimes, there’s literally no time to order, wrap, or even think about a gift. If you’re scrambling out the door and need something now, you might be able to fake your way through, even if you're stopping at the liquor store on the way to the Christmas party.

Easy on-the-way options

• Flowers or a small potted plant: Give a seasonal bouquet or a small indoor plant. Add a handwritten note, even a single line, and it might come off as thoughtful.

• Gourmet chocolates or candy: Specialty chocolates from a local shop or grocery store display can feel luxe with a little ribbon or bag.

• Wine, craft beer, or non-alcoholic beverage: A bottle with a clean label or interesting packaging immediately elevates your gift. Ask the clerk at the liquor store to help you find something unique.

• Lottery tickets: Who wouldn't appreciate a bunch of scratch-off lottery tickets?

When all else fails, give cash

Hard cash is the most impersonal gift of all, but the only one you know will be used. This gift really depends on the person getting it, so be aware of whether they're likely to think "Just what I wanted!" or "Wait, I'm not poor." If you give cash, make sure it's crisp bills in a nice card, with a personalized note.

In a way, the Christmas season is more fun if you don’t celebrate it. There’s no pressure. You get to enjoy all the brightly colored lights your neighbors put up, but you don’t have to put up your own. You don’t have to do any duty-shopping. But Christmas Day itself leaves you in a mostly shuttered world that feels like there’s nothing to do. Fortunately, there are still quite a few options to make Dec. 25 a fun day off, regardless of your observances.

Un-Christmas classics: Chinese restaurants and movies

You can’t go wrong with some moo shu pork and a trip to the multiplex. Chinese restaurants and movie theaters traditionally stay open on Christmas day for those who don't celebrate, and they’re often crowded with fellow Christmas refugees. Check Google for the hours of your local Chinese restaurant and give them a call to make a reservation. If you’re more adventurous and you’re in a city large enough to have a Chinatown (or a whatever-town), just head straight there on Christmas and see what happens—that’s how the best days usually start.

If Chinese food isn’t your thing, look at restaurants serving any non-European cuisine—Greek places, Japanese places, and Mediterranean places are usually open, as are plenty of Italian restaurants and steakhouses. Just make sure you check first. Lots of chain restaurants are open on Christmas Day, including Applebees, McDonald’s, Benihana, and more. You can even get Christmas breakfast at your local IHOP. But not every location of every outlet follows the same hours, so check first. 

As for movies, most chain multiplex theaters are open on Dec. 25, and theaters are usually pretty full. The movies attract both people who don't celebrate Christmas and people who celebrate the holiday but want to get away from their families for a couple hours, so make sure and reserve a seat beforehand. Consider hitting up an out-of-the-way spot or that theater with the table service and cushy recliners to make it feel like more of an occasion.

Most people going to the movies on Christmas Day aren’t there for Christmas movies, so interesting “secular” movies are often slated for release on the 25th. This year, a ridiculous looking re-boot of Anaconda starring Jack Black will be released on Christmas, so you've got options.

Less obvious options for Christmas day fun

Chinese restaurants and movie theaters aren’t the only establishments open on Christmas. Here are some other options:

• Go skiing or snowboarding: Most mountains are open on Christmas and the lift lines are blissfully empty. There's no better way of celebrating a winter-based holiday than on a wide open mountain.

• Visit a skating rink: Speaking of winter sports, ice skating rinks are generally open on Christmas too. 

• Pretend to be a tourist: Tourist attractions are often open on Christmas, especially in larger cities. This includes places like Madame Tussaud’s and Ripley’s Believe It or Not, as well as ziplines and Segway tours—so do that touristy thing you’ve never done before.

• Get a room: If you’ve got some spare cash and have nothing better to do, get a room at a hotel. Hotels don’t usually close on Christmas, and they typically offer plenty of amenities, so take advantage of the pool at the Holiday Inn or the spa at the Four Seasons, depending on your lifestyle.

• Hiking and biking: Hiking trails and parks are open on Christmas if you want to get outdoors. If you’re into biking, hit the trails or hit the streets: Traffic is minimal on Christmas, so it’s a great time to put in some serious roadwork. 

• Volunteer: Not having anything to do on Christmas isn’t the biggest life problem, especially compared to people who have nowhere to go and nothing to eat. So use Christmas to help people and actually deliver on that whole “good will towards men” thing. Check your local Craigslist for volunteering opportunities.  

• Use Christmas as a catch-up day: This is strictly for type-A people, but if everyone is out of town and no one is going to call you, why not spend the day catching up on neglected chores or personal projects? You can spend at least part of your day knocking a few things off your to-do list and the rest of the time relaxing. That way you’ll get a break and still feel accomplished.

• Just sleep all day: Type-B personalities like me see a day free of obligations and other people as a golden opportunity to do as little as is humanly possible, a day to fully commit to sloth.

• Spend time with friends and family at home: Not celebrating Christmas doesn’t mean you can’t spend the day with family and/or friends. Get together with your loved ones, play games, watch a movie, cook together, talk, or whatever else you all enjoy. You don’t have to go out to have fun, so don’t rule out staying in with people you care about.

• Shopping: This is at the bottom of the list because it’s iffy. Drug stores and convenience stores like 711 are usually open on the 25th. Grocery chains like Kroger’s and Trader Joe’s usually aren’t. Your local shopping mall or retail district might be open, but probably won't be, so check ahead.

Make a list and check it twice

Because so many places are closed on Christmas day, you should plan ahead (unless you like spontaneity and are OK with the possibility of disappointment) by:

• Making a list of the places you want to go.

• Calling nearby locations to confirm they’ll be open, as not every chain follows corporate holiday hour recommendations. 

• Making reservations at any restaurant(s) you plan to visit.

• Putting together a basic timeline of the day, accounting for travel time, so you don’t lose any reservations, miss a movie, or arrive after the store closes.

The most important advice here is to do something intentional on Christmas, even if it's sleeping in, so the day doesn't feel depressing or empty. So hit the slopes, suck down some dim sum, or keep your couch from floating away, but be sure you make Christmas your own.

Considering that America was a relative latecomer to the Christmas tree—the practice didn’t really become popular here until the mid-19th century—we sure have come to love them. While plenty of Christmas traditions have entered the dustbin of history, the mighty Christmas tree has survived the years; about 25-30 million real trees are purchased each year. Unless you have zero plans to celebrate the holiday, chances are you’re one of those people.

If you think finding a Christmas tree is just a matter of heading to the empty lot or the tree farm down the road and grabbing one that looks vaguely tree-shaped, you would be wrong. If you want the best possible Christmas tree experience, you have to take a few basic aspects of the tree and your home into consideration. Here’s how to make sure you find the best Christmas tree.

How to pick the best spot for a Christmas tree

Your first stop toward the best possible Christmas tree is deciding where to set it up. You’ll want to choose a location where the tree will be the centerpiece of your celebration, and people can actually enjoy it, whether that’s in the living room, one corner of your tiny studio, or in the special Holiday Room you had built into the West Wing of the family manse. Once you’ve picked the right general location, you’ll want to avoid putting the tree next to a heat source (which will dry it out), and you’ll want it to be near a power outlet (so you don’t have extension cords tripping people up and/or possibly burning your house down).

Once you’ve selected the right spot, you’re going to want to measure. First, measure the height of your ceilings. Take off a foot to accommodate a stand and a topper, if you’re using one, and that’s the maximum height of tree you’re looking for. Measure from the center of the spot where the tree will stand and get an approximate circumference that will ensure branches don’t scratch the walls or block foot traffic, as well. Now you have the basic dimensions of the best tree for your space. Don’t forget to bring the tape measure to the tree lot.

How to pick the best type of Christmas tree

Although the Christmas tree has become a generic symbol of the holiday season, there are a surprising number of varieties. Choosing the best one depends on the look and feel you need:

• Traditional. If you want that “Christmas card” look, go with a Balsam fir. These trees tend to have the classic triangular shape and deep green color you’re looking for, and they tend to last a long time indoors—this is kind of the default Christmas tree, and it will fill your house with that classic Christmas tree smell. If you want something a little different but still classic, the Fraser fir has more of a blue tint to it, and will last a long time.

• Kid-friendly. If you have little ones racing about, the stiff, surprisingly sharp needles of some trees might be a concern. The Douglas fir has a classic look but sports soft, bendy needles that won’t poke little eyes, as does the Scotch (or Scots) pine tree.

• Big room. If you’re putting the tree someplace that could reasonably described as a “Great Room” or similarly large space, you’ll want a tall, full-bodied tree like the Douglas fir to fill the space. You could also go with the majestic Norway spruce (the tree traditionally chosen to stand at Rockefeller Center in New York City), but beware: The Norway is a delicate tree that won’t last very long in your house.

• Minimalist. If your idea of decorating a home and tree for the holidays is to place a few subtle items around that hint at Christmas, the Grand fir makes a statement with its exceptionally long needles, and does well with just a touch of decoration. Another great choice is the Noble fir, which adds cones to the mix, giving it a ready-made decoration.

• Modern. If you’re going for a less-classic look, an Arizona cypress tree is a good choice. It’s generally a pale green with reddish-brown branches, resulting in a lush color story that’s still in the traditional realm while adding a touch of drama that other trees won’t have.

Inspect the tree

Once you know which tree you want and where it’s going to go, give it a solid inspection to make sure you’re getting the best possible specimen. That means checking for insects and even animals or birds, making sure the needles feel fresh and don’t fall off easily, and actually smelling the tree—it should have a light, fresh scent, not a musty or moldy smell.

Now you have the best possible Christmas tree, and all you have to do is take care of it properly so it lasts the whole holiday season.

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More than 45 million people in the United States rent their homes, and as purchasing a home continues to be out of reach for many, that number probably isn’t going down anytime soon. If you’re a renter, you know that renting often comes with some compromises in terms of control over your environment, space, and interior design. Being limited in what you can do because you don’t actually own the walls and floors can be a real challenge when it comes to making the space nice.

But with a few clever ideas, you can make your rental more comfortable, more useful, and less expensive—and ensure that you get all of your security deposit back when you move out. There are a lot of useful hacks out there for renters, but these are the fundamental, most useful hacks that you might not think of, but every renter should know.

Upgrade the little things

Renters—especially first-time renters—often assume that they can’t change anything in a rented place. This is absolutely not true—while you might not want to actually spend money on an actual renovation to a place you don’t own (although some people do just that), there are actually a lot of things you can temporarily upgrade to make your basic box of an apartment feel more luxurious.

Basically, if you can remove it, you can swap it. Light fixtures, cabinet and drawer pulls, bathroom mirrors, shower heads, faucets, toilet seats, and wall plates can all be easily removed and replaced with better, more stylish options. You put the old stuff in storage until you move out, and then you just swap everything back—and take your nicer stuff with you to the next place.

Peel-and-stick surfaces

Painting is powerful, and it’s not uncommon for a landlord to allow you to paint your apartment or rental house, helping you to inject some color and personalization into the place. But paint can’t repair janky walls, and painting a whole apartment (or even one room) can be a messy prospect. And sometimes you want to jazz up a space with tile—like kitchen backsplashes.

Peel-and-stick options like temporary, removable wallpaper or wall tiles is a prime hack. It covers any defects in the walls, offers an enormous range of styles and designs, and peels right off without leaving a mark when you move out. In some cases, you can even re-use the tile or wallpaper at your next home, if you’re really careful removing and storing it.

Folding furniture in small spaces

If you’re renting a tiny space, like a studio apartment, making it feel larger and making it more functional can be a challenge, especially since you can’t just hire a contractor and renovate the heck out of it. If you’re puzzling out how to make a small space multifunctional and less cluttered, the answer is probably folding furniture.

Wall desks that fold down, folding dining tables, folding chairs, freestanding Murphy beds—just about any furniture that you use can be found in folding format, allowing you to transform a space into several different rooms with just a few quick moves.

Stove and sink covers for extra prep space

Apartments often come with small kitchens and bathrooms, which can make cooking and washing up an exercise in frustration. An easy hack is to pick up some stove and sink covers for both the kitchen and bathroom. These handy items are cheap and provide extra prep space when you need it, then lift away to let you use your stove and sinks for their intended purpose. They can make small bathrooms and kitchens a lot more functional.

Install temporary flooring

Rentals often have floors that tell a fascinating story of abuse, damage, and poor design choices. From painted floors to carpets you’d prefer not to touch with your bare skin, nothing makes an apartment feel like a punishment than a terrible floor—and no amount of good taste on the walls or in your furniture choices will erase that awful floor.

So, cover it. You may not be able to sand and stain an abused hardwood floor, or tear up a carpet that was last cleaned in the previous decade, but you can very effectively cover it with a temporary floor that will pop right off when it’s time to move. This hack not only beautifies the space while you’re living there, it also guarantees that you don’t add to the damage and get nicked for stains, tears, or gouges.

This can be as simple as putting a rug over a gross carpet or putting peel-and-stick tile (or a vinyl rug) on a kitchen or bathroom floor. Deck tiles can upgrade a gouged and stained floor into an attractive and temporary surface. If you just want to cover an ugly floor and give your space a more modern, updated look, vinyl rolls are a cheap and easy option to install—and remove.

Erase-A-Hole for covering wall damage

Drywall is amazing stuff, but it’s not exactly strong. It’s very easy to dent, ding, and otherwise damage your walls just by living near them. And every dent and ding could cost you when it’s time to move out; while a strategically-placed piece of art might hide that hole in the wall, it’s eventually going to be a problem.

Luckily, there’s Erase-A-Hole. With this stuff, you don’t have to spend six hours on YouTube learning how to mud and sand drywall repairs. You just rub the stick on the wall, let it dry, and then touch up the paint if necessary. If you love hanging things on your walls, this is going to save you hours of sweaty work when you move out.

Get a stair-climbing cart

If your apartment is several flights up in a building without elevators, groceries soon become the biggest challenge in your life. Carrying heavy grocery bags up those stairs is not only a chore, it’s also an invitation to disaster because you’re probably going to try to carry everything in one trip, leading to broken bags, broken eggs, and possibly injuries because you can’t see your own feet.

The stair-climbing cart is the hack you need. You use it as a normal grocery cart in the store, but when it’s time to get all those goods up to your apartment, it makes pulling everything up the stairs easy, safe, and fast.

Install lots of tension rods

Tension rods aren’t just for shower curtains. Investing in a pack of simple tension rods can transform your rented home in a wide variety of ways:

• Use them to hang curtains without drilling into walls

• Place them inside kitchen cabinets to create extra vertical storage (and under the sink to hang all those cleaning bottles)

• They can also be placed vertically inside cabinets to organize baking sheets and other flatware

Maximize closet storage with closet triangles

Closet space is always a challenge in small rentals. That’s why every renter should know about these closet triangles. They can dramatically increase the storage capacity of any closet, allowing you to hang several shirts or pants in the same space without making any changes to the closet itself. They work with any type of hanger, and you’ll be able to use the extra space in your closet for any other storage needs you might have.

Take a video diary when you move in

When you sign a rental contract, you’re taking on a legal responsibility for the condition of the apartment. When you move out, landlords are quick to pounce on any perceived damage that goes beyond “wear and tear” from normal living. After living there for years, are you going to remember if that stain on the floor was already there? And even if you remember, can you prove it?

Before you move in, take a video of the place as you walk through. Focus in on anything that’s already stained, scuffed, damaged, or simply aged. Take your time and fully document the condition of the place. When you move out, you’ll be able to demonstrate that you left the place in the same condition you found it, and ensure you get your security deposit back.

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It happens every year at my house: I wake up one morning, and as though a switch was flicked overnight, it’s suddenly cold and I have to hunt down my cozy slippers. And that’s usually when I realize I haven’t really taken any steps to winterize my house.

If that also describes you, the good news is that winterizing your home isn’t a terribly complicated process. With a few affordable products and a little effort, you can button your home up and ensure that it’s going to be as comfortable as possible when those frigid winds start blowing.

Holikme 2 Pack Door Draft Stopper

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Weather Stripping Door Seal Tape

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Outdoor Faucet Covers

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3M Window Insulation Kit

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Inflatable Chimney Balloon

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Generally speaking, your goals are to reduce cold air infiltrating into the interior and increase the efficiency of your heating system. There are some straightforward, cheap, and easy ways to do that:

• Change the direction of your ceiling fans. If you have ceiling fans in your house, you should already know that the direction they spin matters. For the winter, set your fans to spin clockwise and run them at low speed. This will help push warm air back down toward the floor without causing a chilly breeze in the process.

• Clean the gutters. If your gutters are clogged, water won’t be able to drain efficiently from your roof, ice dams will form, and your roof (and interior of your home) can be damaged as a result. Before it’s zero degrees out, break out the ladder and clean those suckers.

• Uncover/cover vents. Your heating vents push warm air into rooms, but they can also allow chilly drafts to circulate or warm air to dribble out of a room if they’re not in active use. A few magnetic vent covers allow you to block off vents that are doing more harm than good, helping to hold warm air longer.

• Install door stoppers. No exterior door is going to have a perfect seal, which means cold air will leak in and warm air will leak out. A door stopper is a simple, easy addition to any door that will stop those drafts cold.

• Install some weather stripping tape. Adhesive rubber weather stripping applied around door frames and windows can eliminate tiny gaps that let air leak in and out. If that’s not going to work for you, there’s also weather sealing tape like this, which can be applied directly onto windows and door frames to block those drafts, and can be removed when the weather warms up again.

• Install outdoor faucet covers. If you have any exterior faucets or spigots, they need to be protected with faucet covers to prevent them from freezing—and potentially freezing and bursting the pipes that feed them, which probably run inside the house, ready to cause expensive damage.

• Install window film. It’s the simplest idea in the world, but it actually works: Cover your windows with plastic, use heat to tighten the plastic into a drum-like sheet, and voila—you’ve added very effective insulation to what are essentially holes in your house. These window kits are pretty easy to install and require just a hair dryer to finish.

• Install a chimney balloon. Chimneys and fireplaces can be draft central during the winter. An inexpensive chimney balloon is an easy and effective way to block those drafts. If you have a fireplace you don’t use often, a fireplace plug is also a great idea.

• Add some pipe insulation tubes. Frozen pipes are no fun. In fact, they’re potentially expensive and damaging—so now is the time to invest a little time and money into insulating your exposed pipes, wherever they might be. Insulating foam tubes are super easy to install (they’re slit, so they just slide on, seal with adhesive edges, and they’re easy to cut) and will spare you the nightmare of frozen pipes.

• Put on the air conditioner covers. If you have window air conditioner units that you’ve chosen to leave installed over the winter, a simple, inexpensive A/C cover will prevent cold air from migrating into your house through them, especially if combined with some weather stripping or sealant tape around the window.

• Hang up thermal curtains. If you’ve applied weather stripping and/or plastic films and your windows are still drafty, heavy thermal curtains can stop drafts from penetrating into the room and hold warm air back from the cold windows, keeping everything toasty. Plus, they look nice—and can hide all that plastic film.

• Use an attic stair insulation cover. If you have an attic that you access via pull-down stairs or a ladder, that’s a huge weak spot in your home insulation game because there can be significant heat transfer at that opening. An attic stairway cover will seal that weak spot off and eliminate one more place where you lose heat during the winter.

• Put on a water heater blanket. Insulating your water heater is a good idea in general, as it can save a significant amount in energy costs. But a water heater blanket becomes even more important in winter, because your water heater is probably located in a pretty cold area of your house. Keeping it insulated will keep you in hot water for less money.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

The key to any successful DIY job is having the right tools—which can be a problem when you're away from your toolbox. While the handy folks on your holiday shopping list probably already have all the tools they need, they probably only have the full-sized or powered-up versions. Instead, go small and gift them one (or more) of these awesome, pocket-sized tools designed to be carried around everywhere—most of them currently discounted during Amazon's Black Friday event.

Snowflake multitool

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Pocket Leatherman

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Hoto Snapbloq Pocket Drill and Electric Screwdriver

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Palmer Clear Utility Knife

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Acebeam Keychain Flashlight

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RAK Multitool Pen

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9-in-1 Pocket Adjustable Wrench

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RoverTac Camping Multitool

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Folding Hex Key Set

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Mini Ratchet Set

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The Snowflake multitool does it all

Most pocket multi-tools are a little bulky, making the snowflake multitool an awesome little gift for anyone who can’t resist a little light DIYing wherever they go. It’s a wrench, an Allen wrench, a Phillips and flathead screwdriver, a box opener, and bottle opener all in one, and it will slip into your pocket easily. Bonus: It can hang on the tree like an ornament, and it’s currently 26% off for Black Friday.

A keychain version of the famous Leatherman

You can’t discuss pocket tools without mentioning the Leatherman, one of the most reliable and useful multitool brands out there. The Micra is a keychain-friendly version of this classic, offering a knife, tweezers, screwdrivers, scissors, bottle opener, file, and a ruler in a tiny, compact build that feels hefty and reliable. It’s also almost 10% off right now.

The Hoto Snapbloq is a miniature power screwdriver

At more than a third off, this is a steal that will change your entire approach to DIY on the run. Imagine having a drill, rotary tool, and power screwdriver in your pocket at all times—that’s the Hoto Snapbloq. Sure, you’re not going to be hanging drywall with this, but you can make repairs to electronics and effect quick repairs to just about anything without having to run home for your toolbox. It’s also ideal for hobbyists, as the rotary tool can be a polisher, engraver, etcher, or spot sander.

The Palmer is a super useful pocket razor

A utility knife is one of the most useful things you can have in your pocket. From opening boxes to cutting straps, having the Palmer in your pocket means you’ll never be reduced to trying to break something with your teeth, or cut something with a steak knife lifted from the kitchen.

The Acebeam Rider is a great keychain flashlight

So many DIY jobs require a flashlight, you absolutely need to have one in your pocket or on your keychain. The Acebeam Rider is light, compact, and powerful, offering five brightness levels and running off of a rechargeable AA battery. Next time you’re bent over a tiny project in a dim room, you’ll have all the light you need—and it’s 15% for Black Friday.

The RAK multitool pen hides five mini-tools

Almost every DIY project requires a writing implement, and this nifty pen is also a multitool. It includes a ruler, a bubble level, a bottle opener, a screwdriver, and an LED light—and it’s the size of a standard pen, so you can slip it into a shirt or jacket pocket and not even notice it’s there until you suddenly need a quick tool to get something done. And it’s a tick over 30% off right now.

This multitool wrench is as tiny as it is useful

Nothing stymies an impromptu DIY repair like a bolt—unless you’re abnormally strong, the chances of getting a bolt loose without a tool are grim, so this tiny multitool wrench will likely be one of the most useful things you have in your pockets at any given time. Not only is it an adjustable wrench, it’s also a ruler, a caliper, a bottle opener, a nail remover, and even a tiny prybar for getting in-between and under small, tight spaces. At nearly 30% off for Black Friday, it’s a must-have stocking stuffer.

The RoverTac is a camping tool you'll want to carry everywhere

This is more of a survival or camping tool than an everyday DIY carry, but the idea of having a small hammer that slips into a jacket pocket or glove compartment is compelling. But this thing is also a hatchet, a pair of pliers, and a multitool with a knife, bottle opener, saw, screwdriver, and file. At almost 20% off, it’s a great little gift for the DIYer in your life.

A metric hex tool will to replace all those IKEA wrenches

Carrying 15 random Allen wrenches in your pockets isn’t practical, so this tiny pocket-sized hex key set will make any spot tightening an easy job. Whether it’s a loose bit of furniture or a bike repair, you’ll never be caught out when an Allen screw presents itself. Plus, at 20% off, this little tool will actually replace all those loose Allen wrenches you’ve been collecting since you bought your first IKEA product.

A mini ratchet set to give you torque on the go

Any DIYer will be absolutely delighted to have an entire ratchet set in their pockets. Not only is it small enough to carry around with you while being strong enough to tackle any job, it’s also going to be useful in any situation where you need torque in a tight spot where a standard-sized ratchet won’t be able to fit.

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers that can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, the distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

If you like to do your own home projects like installing trim or building shelves, a brad nailer can make things much easier. I've used my brad nailer to build inserts for my kitchen cabinets, to fix the trim on my garage door, and for repairing some decorative pieces on my deck.

For smaller jobs, a cordless nailer can be effective, but for larger projects, sometimes using a compressor will work better because it has more power and can handle tougher material. That's why getting something like this Craftsman brad nailer and air compressor combo kit, which is on sale for Black Friday, is a great buy—especially for $149 (originally $239).

Craftsman Brad Nailer and Air Compressor Combo Kit

$219.00 at Amazon

$239.00 Save $20.00

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$219.00 at Amazon

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Why this is a good tool

Craftsman has a longstanding reputation for manufacturing durable, reliable tools, and its U.S.-made tools tend to be made from good-quality steel, so they last longer than tools made with cheaper materials. The compressor that comes with this set is light and portable, so it’s convenient to move around or take with you to job sites, and it has two couplers installed for using multiple tools simultaneously. The nailer takes 18-gallon brad nails, and can accommodate up to a two-inch nail for installing large, chunky trim or exterior decorative pieces. I’ve found the Craftsman brad nailer to be comfortable to use and I don’t need to stop very often to clear jams.

What comes in the box

The set comes with an 18-gauge brad nailer, an air hose, and an air compressor with a six-gallon tank. The hose has its fittings already installed, and the tank has two fittings if you want to use more than one tool at a time. The compressor also has a cord wrap and carrying handle that make it simple to pack and travel with.

What else you need to use this tool

You’ll obviously need 18-gauge brad nails to use your nail gun. I recommend these Porter cable nails because the quality of the nails can also affect how often your nail gun jams. A project pack to go with the nailer comes with a few sizes that will be useful for most projects around the house. You should also invest in a good set of safety glasses before you fire up your compressor. Compressed air can drive nails through two by fours if the pressure is high enough, so imagine what it could do to your eyes if they aren’t protected. I wear these glasses from 3M because they have a little foam strip that makes them more comfortable and they're less likely to fog up from moisture in your breath. I also find that they have less of a likelihood to creep down my nose while I don’t have any hands free, which is a constant struggle with safety glasses for me.

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers that can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, the distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

I like to joke that my sainted father was the second-worst carpenter in New Jersey, and he raised me to be the worst. That’s a slight exaggeration, but it’s true that the old advice to measure twice and cut once doesn’t work for me. I measure twice, and somehow I am often still wrong when I go to make the cut.

This has led to a certain level of paranoia when it comes to my home DIY projects, which has led to the purchase of many tape measures in my life as I try to convince myself that it’s the tool’s fault, not mine, that everything comes out wonky. As a result, I’ve used a lot of tape measures, both mechanical and digital. Both have their advantages—a mechanical tape measure can take a beating and still be used, while a digital tape measure can give you measurements a physical tape can’t easily provide.

For a while, I had both, and used them as needed. And then I found this: The Fanttik A10, which is 42% off for Black Friday.

Fanttik A10 Pro 2-in-1 Digital Laser Tape Measure with HD IPS Color Display, 165Ft Rechargeable Laser Measurement Tool & 9.8Ft Measuring Tape, 6 Units Selectable, for Distance/Area/Volume

$69.99 at Amazon

$119.99 Save $50.00

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$69.99 at Amazon

$119.99 Save $50.00

The A10’s physical tape isn’t very long—just under 10 feet. But that’s long enough for any close-up detail work where a digital tape might have problems due to space limitations, and it’s good enough for most DIY project work—plus it lets my muscle memory kick in, because I’m so used to snapping out a physical tape.

But for longer distances that can be difficult to measure with a physical tape because of sagging and twisting (and those moments when the hook fails and the whole thing snaps back), the A10 is an accurate laser measure that can measure up to 165 feet. I don’t know about your house, but I will never need to measure anything longer than 165 feet in my life. Having both kinds of measuring tools in one is incredibly convenient.

The A10 is a thoughtfully designed tool. It has multiple measuring modes, including area and volume (I’ve never needed to measure the volume of a room, but it’s nice to know it’s there if I need it). It can also be used as a level, and although I still grab my trusty spirit level for most jobs, the A10 has been reliable as a level in the few tests I’ve done.

You can buy a stand for the A10 if you want, which could be useful if you don’t have a convenient spot to place the laser level—any stand that works with a 1/4” threaded mount should work. It charges via a standard USB C port, and the battery life is great.

All in all, the A10 is a terrific tool. The main reason I love it, though, is definitely the combination of mechanical and digital measuring in one pocket-sized tool. For someone who has always been detail-challenged, this has been a tremendous help, especially because I can switch back and forth and double-check myself any time I need to without needing to grab another tool. Anyone who does work around the house will find this to be incredibly useful.

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

November is the ideal time to prepare your home for colder weather and to get ready to spend more time indoors. Not only can you save yourself from more expensive heating bills with thoughtful weatherproofing, but you can also be more confident in the event of winter storms or simply more comfortable when you choose to stay indoors. Keeping your house warm, cozy, and safe for the winter is made easier by addressing potential problems early through simple checks and chores now. Here are all the home maintenance tasks you should do in November.

1) Add vent covers to your vents and crawlspaces

When the weather gets colder, wild animals seek a good place to shelter for the winter. If you have uncovered vents or crawl spaces, they can prove to be an inviting spot for creatures. To keep them out, see that you have vent covers in place and that crawl spaces or any other exterior nooks and crannies are sealed up or covered with a sturdy metal mesh. If you don't have vent covers installed, consider adding them. This method will help defend against squirrels, raccoons, rats, mice, birds, and bats.

2) Change the batteries in your fire and carbon monoxide alarms

If you have non-wired smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, change the batteries once a year—even before they begin making the annoying low-battery beep, if you're up for it. While you're at it, check your various hazard detection systems to ensure they work properly. Since people spend more time indoors during the colder months, there is an elevated risk of fire from the use of heaters, candles, and cooking. Additionally, keeping windows closed and sealed can increase the risk of carbon monoxide accumulation inside. Giving your detectors a once-over can help reduce your risk.

3) Install weatherproofing to doors and windows

If you live in an older home or have windows or doors that aren’t well-insulated, November is a good time to weatherproof problem areas. Begin by inspecting the weatherstripping around doors and windows, checking for leaks, broken, or worn stripping. If you find any gaps, use replacement weather stripping to seal them. If you have bigger leaks around windows or doors, or older windows that let in too much air, you can also use a weatherization kit to temporarily seal off leaky openings with heat-shrinking plastic wrap. This basic weatherproofing will keep you warmer and help save money on utility bills.

4) Organize your winter weather supplies

If you live in an area that can get a lot of snow and ice in the winter, stock up on ice melt, shovels, and roof rakes. Take a look at your snow removal tools and make sure they’re in good shape before it’s time to use them, as replacing equipment before a storm can save you a lot of headache later. It's also a good time to stash your ice scraper, snow brush, and snow chains in your car's trunk. If you live in an area with heavy snowfall and ice, consider keeping a scraper and de-icer in your garage or utility room, so you can access them if your vehicle becomes frozen over.

5) Clean ovens, toasters, and other crumb-catching appliances

Kitchen fires can be caused by ovens, toasters, and other cooking appliances that have crumbs and other burnt food deposits. Since people tend to stay home and use their ovens more during colder months—not to mention entertain more during the holiday season—ovens and toasters can get a more intense workout this time of year. Checking that your appliances are clean and hazard-free in November can save you from a disaster down the road, not to mention that you'll be happier with cleaner appliances and less work during spring cleaning season.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

I love the ritual (and taste) of pour-over coffee, but it's not always feasible to brew two cups for the two adults in my household on busy mornings. Add in guests, and someone has to spend a significant chunk of time grinding beans, boiling water, overseeing the brewing process, cleaning the filter, rinse and repeat.

I bought the Moccamaster KBGV Select coffee maker two years ago for Black Friday, and it has changed my mornings since. It takes a minute or so to grind beans and add water to the machine, and then you've got an excellent pot of coffee in 4–6 minutes with just the press of a button—all without sacrificing the complexity and flavor obtained through manual brewing methods. The machine replicates the bloom of a pour-over and brews at a speed that allows for "optimized coffee extraction."

Moccamaster 53944 KBGV Select 10-Cup Coffee Maker, Candy Apple Red, 40 ounce, 1.25l

$250.00 at Amazon

$389.00 Save $139.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$250.00 at Amazon

$389.00 Save $139.00

The Moccamaster makes up to 40 ounces of coffee at once, keeps it warm, and automatically shuts off after 100 minutes. You can choose a half or full carafe, and the machine will adjust the brewing speed and hot plate temperature accordingly. Plus, it looks great on the kitchen counter. The only downside I found is that the carafe is pretty fragile—we ended up replacing ours with this sturdier version, also on sale for Black Friday.

The Moccamaster is pricey, making Black Friday an ideal time to buy. Note that the deal is slightly different depending on the color you choose: As of this writing, Black, Red, Brushed Gold, Butter Yellow, Matte Silver, Midnight Blue, Pistachio, Off-White, Orange, Sandstone, Stone Grey, Turquoise, and Pink are 33% off. Apricot is 31% off, and Yellow Pepper, Matte Black, and Polished Silver are 35% off. (It's not quite the lowest price we've ever seen, according to price-tracking tools, but it's close.)

Several other colors are listed at full price as of this piece—of course, it's always possible that availability will change throughout the deal period from what's covered here.

How long do Black Friday deals really last?

Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025.

Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?

Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it.

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

No one ever tells you how much of your adult life will be spent sanding things down. Drywall? Sanding. Every piece of wood you cut and install in a DIY project? Sanding. Want to repair or refinish your floors, or furniture? Yup, probably sanding. And there’s nothing worse than laboring over a large sanding project—you feel it in your arms and back for days, and your hand starts to cramp holding that buzzing hand sander for long periods of time. That is, until I picked up this palm sander from Bosch, which is so comfortably designed, I haven’t hated sanding since—and my Tylenol consumption has plummeted. If you use a hand sander frequently, this will definitely be an upgrade for you.

BOSCH GSS20-40 Orbital Finishing Sander 1/4-Sheet, 2 Amp, 12000 OPM with Dust Collector

$79.00 at Amazon

Shop Now

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$79.00 at Amazon

The wood stairs in my old house have a lot of character, which is a polite way of saying they are beat up. I’m not in the market to replace both staircases, though, so I try to keep them in good shape. I recently decided to sand them down and repaint them, and wasn’t looking forward to the process. I needed a new hand sander, so after a bit of research that praised the GSS20-40’s comfort, I picked one up for the job. It was a great experience.

The first reason I love this hand sander is that it’s relatively quiet and doesn’t buzz as much as others—there’s a lot less vibration. That vibration can be very fatiguing over long periods of use, so cutting it down makes a huge difference both in how comfortable the tool is to use generally and how long you can tolerate it. And the longer you can tolerate using the tool, the more you can accomplish.

The GSS20-40 also has a very comfortable two-handed grip. You can use it one-handed, but I always wind up using two hands because I feel more in control of the tool. Normally, this is pretty awkward, because most hand sanders have pommels that are just a bit too small for two-handed operation, but with this model it works well.

The sander is well-designed in general. The speed dial is on the back, and it’s easy to adjust depending on the material and results you’re getting. It’s a sheet sander, with sandpaper clamping into place over the pad. I’ve had trouble with shifting paper in previous sanders, but the Bosch held the sheets in place reliably.

This is a corded tool—one of the few corded tools I still use, actually. I hate having to deal with extension cords like it’s 1995, but I think the comfort and performance make it well worth the extra trouble. If you’re going to be doing a lot of sanding at some point, definitely check this one out—your arms and back will thank you.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

If you’re planning your next DIY project or looking into new tools for your set, it can be overwhelming to weigh all the options available for cordless tools. As batteries become smaller and lighter, a wider range of cordless power tools is available. Here are a few of my favorite cordless tools based on design, durability, usefulness, and battery life.

The best all-around cordless tool

M18 FUEL 18V Lithium-Ion Cordless Brushless Oscillating Multi-Tool

$249.00 at Home Depot

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$249.00 at Home Depot

My favorite tool to use right now is the Milwaukee 18-volt oscillating multitool. This tool is light, weighing just 2.7 pounds without the battery, and easy to use.  It can be used for cutting wood, tile, drywall, metal, PVC, and combination materials—as such, it's a game-changer for a home DIY tool set. It can also be used for sanding, buffing, and removing grout. Because of the impressive range of projects this tool can be used for and the excellent battery life—with a 4-amp-hour battery that, in my experience, outlasts the blade—this is my favorite cordless tool of 2025.

Best new cordless tool

ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 16-Gauge Straight Finish Nailer

$249.00 at Home Depot

Shop Now

Shop Now

$249.00 at Home Depot

The best new cordless tool this year is Ryobi’s 16-gauge finish nailer. Ryobi’s 18-volt battery set has expanded to include over 300 cordless tools that are compatible with their system, and the 16-gauge finish nailer is one the newest. This nailer is powerful enough for most woodworking applications, and it allows the user to drive more nails in less time than older models. It can drive 1,800 nails per charge and accepts 16-gauge finish nails up to 2 ½ inches long. This is the perfect tool for any DIY enthusiast who wants to try out woodworking projects like installing trim or stair treads.

Best cordless drill and driver

The DeWalt 20-volt drill and driver set has an impressive battery life, allowing you to run a tool for several hours before needing to recharge, and they stand up to abuse. These tools are compatible with most standard drill bits, with the impact driver accepting ¼-inch hex bits and the drill accepting up to ½-inch drill bits. They are light and well-balanced, making them easier on your wrists and forearms over time. These are a good choice for projects like installing drywall or hanging shelving.

Best cordless saw

Makita XSR01Z 36V (18V X2) LXT® Brushless Rear Handle 7-1/4" Circular Saw, Tool Only

$200.58 at Amazon

$214.36 Save $13.78

Shop Now

Shop Now

$200.58 at Amazon

$214.36 Save $13.78

The best cordless saw of 2025 is the Makita rear handle 7 ¼-inch circular saw. Cutting a starting line with the rear-handled saw is easier because it allows you to push the saw from a more advantageous angle and keep the weight of the tool balanced. In addition, a 7 ¼-inch blade has a wider cutting surface for more precise longer cuts. Makita 18-volt batteries have a good battery life, allowing you to make over 550 cross cuts with a 5-amp-hour battery on a single charge. A cordless circular saw is good for DIY projects using plywood, like making work tables, or for cross-cutting dimensional lumber for framing.

Best under $50

My favorite new cordless tool under $50 is the Ryobi glue gun, which comes with a 2-amp-hour battery and charger. This glue gun can accommodate a ½-inch glue stick, and can heat up in three minutes. Rapid charging and heating means you can ditch the cord and use your glue gun without dragging an extension cord around with you. Although this glue gun’s small, there's enough room to let you use two fingers on the trigger, cutting down on fatigue from squeezing over time. A glue gun is an essential tool to have around for DIY projects that might have upholstery or other cosmetic components.

How long do Black Friday deals really last?

Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. 

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Some Cyber Monday deals are still live, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before the sales are over.

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

When it comes to how I live, there are a few basic facts: I dwell in a small apartment and I am constantly "working on it." Sometimes, this involves overhauling my entire organizational system. Other times, I'm overcome with the sudden desire to wallpaper the kitchen. I am constantly in a state of decorating, cleaning, rearranging, and generally improving. Lately, that's involved a lot of tech and appliance upgrades to make my environment better and more serviceable, not just nice to look at.

One of the best things I've gotten my hands on is the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat, which is both a heater and a fan. I'm picky about both because I always want to be warmer and need a heater, but I also like the noise of a fan at night to fall asleep (while I'm safe from the cool air under my blanket). Having both in one has been awesome and, now that the device is $150 off for Black Friday, you should consider getting one, too.

Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat

$249.99 at Amazon

$399.99 Save $150.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$249.99 at Amazon

$399.99 Save $150.00

The Shark TurboBlade deal

First of all, I always want to be upfront when I've been given something by a company so I can review it. That's what happened here. I don't write a nice review if something stinks, though, so here I am, saying this thing is extremely useful.

Typically, the TurboBlade Cool + Heat is $400. That's a lot, although it makes economic sense if you don't want to spend a bunch of money on a good fan and a good heater separately. It also makes sense for someone like me in a little apartment. It's frustrating to have to store two large devices when I could just have one. Still, the discount, which puts this at $250 for the shopping holiday, is much appreciated.

The fan

The TurboBlade Cool + Heat is bladeless and modern-looking, which I like. It's also powerful. You can adjust it up to 10 levels of air-blasting, so you can get just a touch or a whole wind storm. I opt for a level-10 wind storm because I am especially interested in white noise at bedtime, but it comes with a convenient little remote so if it gets too loud or too airy, I don't have to get up to adjust it. The heat option, which is easy to toggle on, has three modes. There's a filter at the bottom that looks easy to clean, but I haven't had to do that yet.

Credit: SharkNinja/Lindsey Ellefson

You can turn the vents horizontally or vertically, plus it can tilt and oscillate on its own. If you're going to pay a few hundred bucks for something, it should do a few cool tricks, and this does. You can also dim the control panel, which I do because I like to sleep in pitch darkness.

Some tech specs: It has 1,400 watts, its air flow capacity is 1,180 cubic feet per minute, and its top speed is 10 RPM. It has a 120 voltage and weighs a little over 21 pounds. I am a simple person, so I don't pay attention to any of those things except the weight. It doesn't come put-together, so I foolishly assembled it in the middle of my entryway (which was perfectly easy to do and took me maybe five minutes), then had to haul it around, assembled and heavy, to place it where I wanted it. Is 21 pounds a ton of weight? No, but it was tricky for me to push it up the ladder into my lofted bedroom and I do wish I had assembled it in the room where I planned to use it. Just a word of advice.

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

I’ve DIYed three kitchen and two bathroom renovations so far in my life; I’ve re-caulked countless old windows and doors; I’ve applied construction adhesive to a lot of things. And I’ve always struggled with caulking. It's difficult to get smooth, equal caulk lines, and when caulking large areas my arm gets pretty tired, especially if I’m pushing some thick and heavy material out of that tube. Plus, I always ended up wiping away accidents with my hands, leaving me smeared with caulk.

After years of constant frustration, it finally occurred to me that the culprit might be the old-school manual caulk gun I’d been using for decades. It’s bent, rusted, and covered in a crust of old caulk, cement, and dirt; I couldn’t think of a single reason why I hadn’t upgraded it. When I did, I decided to try out a power caulking gun, so I picked up this cordless one by DeWalt. It's not the cheapest option, but I love this thing.

DEWALT 20V MAX Caulking Gun

$153.90 at Amazon

$256.00 Save $102.10

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Get Deal

$153.90 at Amazon

$256.00 Save $102.10

What is a power caulking gun?

A power caulking gun is similar to the standard manual tool you’re used to. It’s a bit bulkier and heavier, of course, but it operates in much the same way: You pop in a cartridge (or a sausage tube if your gun can switch between them), you cut the tip, and the rod pushes the caulk or adhesive out. The main difference is that the rod advances automatically when you press the trigger—you don’t have to keep exerting force with your hand, and caulk is dispensed continuously instead of in the chaotic waves I always managed manually.

Why you need a power caulking gun

What’s fantastic about this power caulk gun is the level of control. You can set the maximum and minimum speed of the tool precisely, so you get exactly the flow rate you need for your job, and you can change speed within that range easily with the trigger. It comes with different canister trays to accommodate different tubes, and it has a nifty little light that allows you to actually see what you’re doing—something I didn’t realize I needed until I experienced it.

One thing I love is that the rod retracts when you release the trigger, preventing caulk or adhesive from oozing out of the tube. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve set the caulking gun down to do something and discovered a nice pile of caulk on my floor. That’s not an issue any more.

There’s a bit of a learning curve with this—it’ll take a moment to get a feel for the flow and to mentally calibrate what speed setting is right for what job. Once you get the hang of it, though, being able to caulk an entire run of tile or countertop without pausing feels like a superpower. And not getting covered in caulk is priceless.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

If you're on the hunt for home improvement tools, whether for yourself or for the DIYer in your life, Black Friday sales are a great time to buy—you just have to know what to look for. Here are some of the best tools you can give for under $100, from someone who personally loves to wield a power drill.

Ryobi One+ Cordless 18-Volt Drill and Driver Kit

$55.94 at Home Depot

$69.94 Save $14.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$55.94 at Home Depot

$69.94 Save $14.00

Dremel 12-Volt Cordless Multitool Starter Set

$99.00 at Home Depot

$149.00 Save $50.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$99.00 at Home Depot

$149.00 Save $50.00

Ryobi One+ 18-Volt Cordless Brad Nailer

$99.00 at Home Depot

$139.00 Save $40.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$99.00 at Home Depot

$139.00 Save $40.00

Ryobi 18-Volt Cordless Tire Inflator

$19.97 at Home Depot

$39.97 Save $20.00

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Get Deal

$19.97 at Home Depot

$39.97 Save $20.00

Bosch 50-Foot Laser Level

$49.97 at Home Depot

$89.97 Save $40.00

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Get Deal

$49.97 at Home Depot

$89.97 Save $40.00

Craftsman Slip-Joint Pliers, Set of Two

$21.99 at Amazon

$23.48 Save $1.49

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Get Deal

$21.99 at Amazon

$23.48 Save $1.49

Craftsman 20-Piece Ratcheting Wrench Set

$69.99 at Amazon

$99.99 Save $30.00

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Get Deal

$69.99 at Amazon

$99.99 Save $30.00

Milwaukee Electrician's Pliers Set

$64.97 at Home Depot

$89.97 Save $25.00

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Get Deal

$64.97 at Home Depot

$89.97 Save $25.00

Bosch 15-Piece Router Bit Set

$94.99 at Amazon

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Get Deal

$94.99 at Amazon

Milwaukee 120-Piece Impact Bit Set

$29.88

$59.99 Save $30.11

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Get Deal

$29.88

$59.99 Save $30.11

SEE 7 MORE

Best cordless tools under $100 for Black Friday

Cordless tools are expensive because they need batteries and chargers in addition to the tools themselves. Therefore, having batteries that work with multiple tools can be a big advantage because then you don’t necessarily need to have a different battery for each tool. Here are a few good deals on quality cordless tools that have battery platforms that work with hundreds of other tools.

• The Ryobi 18-volt driver set is $55.94 at Home Depot right now, which is a 20% discount off its regular price. The drill comes with a 1.5-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a 30-piece bit set, so it’s a good gift for someone starting a DIY tool kit because it has everything you need to start using it right out of the box. The Ryobi 18-volt battery platform includes over 300 cordless tools, so beginning with this battery set allows you to expand your kit in many directions.

• The Dremel 12-volt cordless multitool starter set, discounted to $99 (originally $149) is a good gift for a DIYer who is interested in metal smithing, wood carving, or even trimming a dog’s nails. The starter set comes with a battery, a charger, and a small set of accessories, so it’s a good set to gift.

• The Ryobi 18-volt cordless brad nailer is a good gift for someone who is interested in installing trim or making woodworking projects like a birdhouse, and you can get it for $99 right now at Home Depot (originally $139). It has a depth control and a built-in LED light that makes it more convenient when you’re working in tight spaces. While battery operated nailers used to be a little underpowered, improvements in battery technology and engineering have made them more functional in the last few years. This is a good gift for someone who already has an 18-volt Ryobi battery set because it doesn’t come with a battery or a charger.

• The Ryobi 18-volt cordless tire inflator is a good gift for someone who just got their license or who just got a new vehicle. Keeping this cordless tool in the trunk for roadside emergencies (or in the garage for filling bike tires) can save you a lot of hassle. It uses a Ryobi 18-volt battery, so you'll need a battery and charger to use it, but it's a great deal at $19.97 (originally $40).

• The Bosch 50-foot laser level is a great gift for a DIY home improvement enthusiast because it can help them hang shelves or pictures, install fence posts, or level out trim. It's a versatile tool that can fit in a small kit, and it has two options for power, allowing you to use either a rechargeable battery or a pair of AA batteries. This is a good gift for someone who wants to work on small- to medium-sized projects around the house and it's a good deal at $49 (originally $90).

Best tool sets under $100 for Black Friday

Quality hand tools like wrenches and pliers are an essential part of a home DIY set—you might not even realize how important they are until you’re partway through taking your kitchen sink apart and you realize you don’t have the right wrench. Hand tools are a good gift for a DIYer because in my experience, you can never have too many.

• A set of Craftsman slip-joint pliers is a good gift for anyone who does vehicle maintenance, DIY appliance repair, or any DIY projects with mechanical parts, and you can get them on Amazon for $22.48 right now. I’ve used my slipjaw pliers on sink repair and also to fix wheels on rolling chairs. This set comes with one pair of 10-inch and one pair of 8-inch slip-jaw pliers with rubber handle grips for a more comfortable hand feel.

• The Craftsman 20-piece ratcheting wrench set is a good gift for anyone who works with mechanical parts, nut and bolts, auto repair, or appliance repair. These wrenches are especially handy because they can fit in a much narrower place than a socket wrench would. They’re $66.99 on Amazon right now, and the set includes 10 SAE and 10 metric wrenches in various sizes.

• The Milwaukee electrician's pliers set is a good gift for anyone interested in DIY home repair and maintenance. This set will allow you to cut and strip wire for appliance repair, installing lighting, and doing your own car repair, and it's a good deal for $64.97. The set includes a pair of wire cutters, a pair of wire strippers, a pair of needle nosed pliers, a pair of slip-jointed pliers, and a pair of flat jaw pliers with a crimper tool.

Best bits and accessories under $100 for Black Friday

Bits, blades, and accessories sometimes mean the difference between being able to finish a project or not, but they can be more expensive than you might expect. If you’re shopping for someone with DIY dreams, bits and other accessories are almost always a useful choice because they can wear out over time. Here are a few of the best bits and accessories gifts under $100.

• The Bosch 15-piece router bit set is a good gift for a woodworker who likes to shape their own trim with a router. These bits are good quality, and made by one of the most popular router manufacturers around. They can be used for edge-trimming as well as cutting a molding profile or adding a decorative edge to shelves or cabinet doors. You can get this set for $94.99 on Amazon, and it comes with a carrying case and a wrench for swapping out the adapters.

• The Milwaukee 120-piece impact bit set is a good gift for anyone who uses a drill or impact driver for home repair or DIY projects, and it’s $29.88 at Home Depot right now. This set comes with a variety of driver bits as well as some drill bits and an extension bit holder. These bits will work with either an impact driver or a drill, so they’re versatile and interchangeable for convenient use. I like to use this type of bit because they tend to be more shatter resistant when you’re driving fasteners into tough material like the 110-year-old plaster walls in my house.

• The Milwaukee 23-piece impact compatible drill bit set is a good gift for anyone who installs shelving, builds home woodworking projects, or wants to hang storage in their home. It comes with drill bits that are cross compatible with a drill or impact driver in a variety of sizes, and you can get it for $29.97 at Home Depot right now. These bits are stronger than your average drill bit to accommodate the extra force that an impact driver exerts, and I find that they tend to be durable for woodworking projects.

• The Milwaukee 25-piece reciprocating saw blade set is a good gift for anyone who owns a sawzall, or as a companion to a sawzall gift. It's a good deal at $69, and it includes a range of combination blades that can cut multiple materials, metal cutting blades, and wood cutting blades for rough cuts. Since sawblades wear out over time and need to be replaced, a fresh set of saw blades is usually a welcome gift for anyone who enjoys power tools.

• A set of two DeWalt 10-inch saw blades is a good gift for anyone who has a Miter saw or a table saw that takes a 10-inch blade. The set comes with one rip-cut, 40-tooth blade and one fine-cut, 60-tooth blade. These are the two most common multipurpose blades for cutting wood, and are the type I use in my miter saw in my home shop. They're on sale for $37.73 on Amazon right now, which is a good deal for a durable and reliable brand.

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers that can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog.

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything.

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, the distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Some Cyber Monday deals are still live, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before the sales are over.

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are here, and there will be deals at basically every major store in the country. If you're looking to do some home improvement, this is an ideal time to stock up on tools, decor, or any other essentials you may need. Here are the best Black Friday deals I've found.

The best Cyber Monday deals on cordless drills

Everyone, from a sporadic little DIYer in a small rental apartment like me to a true weekend warrior on a suburban estate, needs a good drill. If you don't have one or need a new one, start here:

• The Milwaukee 18-volt cordless drill set in on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. It comes with a 2-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag, and it’s a good tool for building a new cordless kit or to replace an existing Milwaukee drill. Since batteries are often the most expensive part of a cordless tool set, a quality set that comes with a battery and charger for under $100 is a good deal.

• More Milwaukee: The Milwaukee 18-volt cordless quarter-inch impact driver set is also on sale for $99, 50% off its typical price. This set comes with a 2-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a good companion to a Milwaukee drill, and a good addition to a tool set that uses 18-volt Milwaukee batteries—it can drive fasteners with more force than a regular drill, and can help you get through tougher materials like 2x4s more easily.

The best Cyber Monday deals on saws and cutting tools

I recently made a shelf by hand, and I had to cut it with a hand saw—which, inexplicably, is something I have lying around in my tiny Manhattan apartment. I had to manually hack away at that piece of wood. I am a small woman. It took me 20 minutes. You know what I needed? A cordless saw. I don't have room for that, so I'm stuck like this, but you? You could get one. Do it for me. Here are some great options:

• The Ryobi 18-volt cordless 7 ¼-inch compound miter saw is on sale for $159, 52% off its regular price. This saw can cut compound angles for trim and woodworking projects without needing to be plugged into an outlet, so you have more flexibility in where and when you work. It comes with a 4-amp-hour battery and charger, which makes it a good addition to a Ryobi cordless tool set, as it can make up to 900 cuts per charge on the battery.

• The Milwaukee 18-volt oscillating multitool set is on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. It comes with a 1.5-amp-hour battery and a charger. It can cut, shape, and trim things like pipe and plaster, plus sand everything for a fine finish. It's a hard worker for a good price.

The best Cyber Monday deals on combo tool sets

If I had the space, I would want a whole work station for my silly little projects. I'd want every tool on the market and I'd start with the combo tools that pack a bunch of goodies into one. Here are two I'd consider if I were you:

• The Milwaukee 18-volt seven-tool combo set is on sale for $500, 50% off its regular price. It comes with a drill, an impact driver, a circular saw, a one-handed compact reciprocating saw, an oscillating multitool, an angle-grinder, a work light, two 3-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a real all-in-one set that is as suitable for a first-timer as a regular DIY wizard.

• DeWalt's first appearance on our list is a good one: The DeWalt three-tool combo set is on sale for $399, 33% off its regular price. This set comes with a drill, a driver, an oscillating multitool, two 6-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a solid set for most home maintenance projects and the batteries can last a long time.

What stores have the best sales on Cyber Monday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday and Cyber Monday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Cyber Monday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Cyber Monday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Cyber Week is here, and deals are still flooding marketplaces across the Internet following all the sales of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you're shopping for home goods or home improvement items (like I always am), this is the time to load up on tools, organizers, appliances, and more, all at a lower price than you'll pay during other times of the year. Check this live blog often to see the best sales on home products that we're finding for Black Friday and Cyber Week.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

If you’re like most people, you bought a standard claw hammer once long ago and never thought much about its weight or design. I was like that for a long time, too, but I noticed that every time I worked on a project involving lots of hammering, my arm would get fatigued quickly, and the last half of the work would be a misery. I recently fell down a bit of a rabbit hole regarding hammers—the different weights and types-and decided it was time to splurge a bit and buy a titanium hammer (specifically, this one). It was one of the best purchases I’ve made recently.

Titanium vs. steel hammer

Most hammers are made from steel, with either a fiberglass or wood handle. They get the job done—steel is an excellent material for a hammer, and it will last a long time. I still have an old steel hammer handed down from my father; it has a nail bent over the head at the top to hold it in place, but it still works. And steel hammers are pretty cheap—this 16 ounce model from Estwing is just $25 as I write this. You can’t beat that price for a tool that will probably last decades.

Estwing 16 oz Straight Rip Claw Hammer

$24.98 at Amazon

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$24.98 at Amazon

The problem with cheap steel hammers is the strain they put your body through. If you use your hammer once a year, you’ll never notice. But when I started doing work around the house on a regular basis, I began to feel it: My arm would get tired, and my elbow and shoulder would ache a little after a few hours. Steel doesn’t absorb the impact of each strike very well, and transmits it to your arm. You can minimize that impact a little with anti-vibration wraps or grips, but it’s never going to go away completely.

Fed up with suffering through every project, I did some research and splurged on a titanium TiBone 10-Oz. Trimbone hammer—and it’s worked out amazingly well. The TiBone is just 10 ounces, but because it’s titanium, it has the same striking force—the force it delivers to the nail—as a much heavier steel model. In other words, whatever weight hammer you’re used to swinging, you can go much lighter with a titanium hammer. That’s less weight to swing, and less strain on your arm.

Stiletto TRIMBONE 10 Oz. Smooth-Face Framing Hammer with Curved Titanium Handle

$370.49 at Walmart

$289.99 Save 0.00

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$370.49 at Walmart

$289.99 Save 0.00

The Trimbone has a few other features I like—you can swap out the face and grip easily, so it will last longer and is more flexible for different jobs, it has a side nail-puller and a magnetic nail starter, and the grip is comfortable. But it’s mainly the lighter weight without sacrificing performance that I (and my shoulder) like. It’s specifically a framing hammer, but I find it’s terrific as a general-purpose hammer for most jobs.

The big downside is cost. It’s currently $370.49, which is, you may notice, almost 15 times more expensive than the perfectly good steel hammer I referenced above. You might be able to find it cheaper somewhere with a little effort, but it will still be an order of magnitude more expensive. For me, it was worth the cost—I haven’t needed to take a bunch of ibuprofen after working all day since I bought it. If you’re also struggling with arm fatigue with your current hammer, it might be time to consider the upgrade.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Some Cyber Monday deals are still live, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before the sales are over.

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

If you’re shopping for gifts for your favorite DIY enthusiast, or you just want to take advantage of deals for your own tool set, now is a still good time to be looking. I usually take the opportunity to expand my tool battery collection if there isn’t an exciting new cordless tool I haven’t tried yet around this time of year, and that’s how I have kept a rotating collection of batteries to power all of my carpentry and DIY adventures.

The best Cyber Monday deals on cordless drills and drivers

A good-quality drill and driver are the foundation for any DIY home tool set because they allow you to drive screws, nuts, and bolts as well as drilling holes. I use my drill and driver set every day at work, and frequently on my own personal projects at home, and having one that’s reliable, comfortable to use, and has a good battery life is key to getting things done efficiently.

The Milwaukee 18-volt cordless drill set in on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. It comes with a 2-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag, and it’s a good tool for building a new cordless kit or to replace an existing Milwaukee drill. Since batteries are often the most expensive part of a cordless tool set, a quality set that comes with a battery and charger for under $100 is a good deal.

The Milwaukee 18-volt cordless quarter-inch impact driver set is also on sale for $99, 50% off its typical price. This set comes with a 2-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a good companion to a Milwaukee drill, and a good addition to a tool set that uses 18-volt Milwaukee batteries—it can drive fasteners with more force than a regular drill, and can help you get through tougher materials like 2x4s more easily.

The Milwaukee 20-volt cordless impact wrench and powered ratchet set is on sale for $269. 46% off its regular price. This set includes a 1/2-inch chuck impact wrench, a 3/8-inch chuck powered ratchet, a 5-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag. This set is good for automotive DIY because an impact wrench has a little more power than your standard impact driver and the powered ratchet gives you an advantage over the hand tool version for driving nuts and bolts.

The best Cyber Monday deals on cordless saws and cutting tools

Saws are my favorite part of my tool collection, and having the right one can make any DIY project that much simpler and more fun to work on. Cordless saws have improved as batteries have gotten smaller and lighter as well as developing a longer battery life, so they’re a practical addition to a DIY tool kit—in addition to being fun to use.

The Ryobi 18-volt cordless reciprocating saw set is on sale for $99, 65% off its regular price. A reciprocating saw can be used for making rough cuts and trimming trees and shrubs. This set comes with a reciprocating saw, a two-amp-hour battery, a 4-amp-hour battery, and a charger. This is a good tool for someone who already uses Ryobi 18-volt tools, or for someone who likes doing outdoor projects like trimming hedges.

The Milwaukee 18-volt reciprocating saw is on sale for $199, 68% off its usual price. This is a good tool to add to an 18-volt Milwaukee set, or to begin a yard care and landscaping set. It comes with the saw, two 5-amp-hour batteries, and a charger.

The Ryobi 18-volt cordless 7 ¼-inch compound miter saw is on sale for $159, 52% off its regular price. This saw can cut compound angles for trim and woodworking projects without needing to be plugged into an outlet. It comes with a 4-amp-hour battery and charger, which makes it a good addition to a Ryobi cordless tool set, as it can make up to 900 cuts per charge on the battery. Although this saw says it can cut up to 900 times a charge, if you’re working with material thicker than about a quarter of an inch, you’ll want to get a second battery so you can swap them out—in my experience, it can draw more power cutting denser or thicker wood.

The Milwaukee 18-volt oscillating multitool set is on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. It comes with a 1.5-amp-hour battery and a charger. This is the tool that saved my sanity when I was replacing the trap on the sink in my 115-year-old craftsman house. I used it to cut the old pipe, shape the pipe coming out from the wall, trim the new PVC to the correct length, trim out the damaged plaster around the leaking drain, trim out the lath to allow the new trap through, and then I even used it to sand the joints in the plaster repair I made. It’s the hardest-working tool in my home DIY set, and $99 is a great price for it.

The Milwaukee 18-volt portable band saw is on sale for $399, 36% off its regular price. This tool comes with an 8-amp-hour battery, which will makes it more practical for multiple cuts. This is a good tool for DIY projects that include metalworking for plumbing or decorative cuts. It doesn't come with a charger, so you'll need an 18-volt Milwaukee battery charger to use it.

The best Cyber Monday deals on cordless tool combo sets

Cordless tool sets can be a good way to start a new tool set because they usually come with all the basics as well as a few interesting extras. I started my personal tool kit with an 18-volt Milwaukee set over a decade ago and I also use tools from a DeWalt set at work daily.

The Milwaukee 18-volt seven-tool combo set is on sale for $499, 50% off its regular price. It comes with a drill, an impact driver, a circular saw, a one-handed compact reciprocating saw, an oscillating multitool, an angle-grinder, a work light, two 3-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a comprehensive set that will allow you to tackle most home DIY projects and even some professional level ones as well.

The DeWalt three-tool combo set is on sale for $399, 33% off its regular price. This set comes with a drill, a driver, an oscillating multitool, two 6-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a solid set for most home maintenance projects and the batteries will last a long time and stand up to abuse. I use this set at work, and these tools are going strong after years of use.

The Ridgid 8-tool cordless combo set is on sale for $299, 63% off its regular price. This set comes with a drill, and impact driver, a random orbital sander, a circular saw, a work light, a mini blower, a mini vac, a 2-amp-hour battery, a 4-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a good starter set for someone with an indoor home workshop who needs to keep their workspace clean.

The best Cyber Monday deals on bits and accessories

Bits and accessories can make your DIY projects much easier—but they're also easy to overlook, and they can be more expensive than you might expect. Saving money on all the bits, blades, and accessories you need will cut your overall budget and limit frustrating trips to the hardware store.

The Milwaukee 74-piece driver bit set is on sale for $19.99, 50% off its regular price. This set includes a variety of driver bits, an extension attachment, and a carrying case. This is a good set for anyone starting a DIY cordless tool set because it includes many sizes and types of driver bits that are likely to work for most projects.

The Milwaukee 15-piece impact drill bit set is on sale for $19.97, 32% off its regular price. It comes with bits that can be used with either an impact driver or a drill in a variety of sizes. This is a good set for anyone with a drill and driver in their tool kit as bits tend to wear out over time and need to be replaced.

The Milwaukee 13-piece wood spade bit set is on sale for $17.97, 71% off its usual price. The set includes drills bits that range in size from 1/4-inch to one inch for drilling holes in wood. Paddle bits are a woodworking staple that allow you to drill quickly through thicker material for bolts.

What stores have the best Cyber Monday sales?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog.

Are Cyber Monday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Cyber Monday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, the distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Giving the gift of tools can be tricky, because the person you’re buying for might have specific preferences and needs. Knowing the type of thing that a handy person likes to do—such as woodworking or car maintenance—can get you started, but you can also take a peep at the tools they already have. Accounting for what cordless battery system they already own and what brand of hand tools they use can help guide your choice when picking out a tool to gift—the key to choosing the right cordless tool for a DIY enthusiast is figuring out what battery system they already have. Once you know that, you can look for tools and batteries that will work with their existing tools and any new ones they add. Here are a few of the best cordless power tools to gift from the most popular battery systems.

Best drill and driver combo to gift

A drill and driver are the cornerstone of any cordless power tool set. DeWalt makes some of the most reliable tools on the market, and their drivers and drills are well known for being reliable and durable. The DeWalt drill and driver set I use every day in my professional shop is a great gift for a DIYer who wants to replace their drill and driver or to start a cordless tool kit, and you can get it for $149. The DeWalt 20-volt drill and driver set on Amazon comes with a drill, impact driver, two 2-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag.

DEWALT 20V MAX* 3-Tool Combo Kit (DCK307D1P1)

$484.85 at Amazon

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$484.85 at Amazon

Best finishing tool to gift

For woodworking and DIY home projects, finishing your work is one of the most satisfying parts of the process. A good sander is key to everything from drywall repair to building furniture. The 18-volt Milwaukee orbital sander that I use in my personal tool kit for furniture making is a hard working tool that I use almost every day. Milwaukee tools have had a reputation for being durable since they made the first portable drills for the Ford assembly lines in 1924, so it’s considered a quality brand for DIY maintenance and woodworking, and you can gift it for $99 at Home Depot.

Best tool set for the money to gift

If you’re looking for a cordless tool set for a DIYer building their first kit, Ryobi is a good quality option for the money. In addition to being a more affordable option for cordless battery systems, Ryobi 18-volt batteries work with over 300 tools, allowing you to expand your tool set without needing new batteries. The Milwaukee 18-volt 6-tool combo kit includes a drill, impact driver, circular saw, reciprocating saw, a work light, an oscillating multitool, a 2-amp-hour battery, a 4-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag, and you can get the whole kit for $200.

Best cordless automotive tool to gift

If you’ve ever been stranded with a flat tire, or even gotten a puncture from driving over a nail in your own garage after a DIY project, you know that having a portable tire inflator can be a life saver. For a new driver, or for someone who needs a little extra safety built into their life, the 20-volt DeWalt portable tire inflator is a great gift for $169 at Ace Hardware. This tool works with a 20-volt DeWalt battery, so it’s a good addition to an existing kit, or along with a set of DeWalt batteries.

Best cordless landscaping tool to gift

If you have someone on your list who loves to trim and snip out in the yard, the Ryobi 18-volt oil-free pole saw is a good idea for a gift. This is a good tool for tree and shrub trimming, and it goes with the Ryobi 18-volt battery system, which includes lots of other cordless landscaping tools. Since this is a tool-only package, you’ll need an 18-volt Ryobi battery and charger to use it, so it’s a good gift for someone who already has Ryobi tools—and it’s a good deal at Home Depot for $99.

Best woodworking tool to gift

The best cordless router around is the Milwaukee 18-volt router. For a portable option that doesn’t require dragging a cord around behind you that can get snagged on things, this router is the best. This set comes with a router, two 6-amp-hour batteries, and a charger for $299 at Home Depot, but you’ll need bits for the router to use it. This is a great gift for someone who likes to do woodworking projects, as it allows you to trim and shape edges as well as cutting your own trim profiles.

Best metalworking tool to gift

The Milwaukee 18-volt portable band saw is a good gift for someone with a home shop metalworking set because it’s compact and powerful. The saw can accept material up to five inches thick and five inches deep, allowing metal cutting for a wide range of projects from fence poles to decorative cuts for shelving. This is a tool-only package for $399, but you can add a free six-amp-hour battery right now with the free with purchase deal from Home Depot.

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No sooner do you dive into the DIY home repair and maintenance rabbit hole (a hole lined with all the money you'll save!) than you start to collect tools. Some of them will be single-use items that you'll store in your garage or toolshed for decades like a museum exhibit. But sometimes even these tools can surprise you by being way more useful than you might initially imagine.

For me, the mini chainsaw was one of those tools. This one, specifically (I considered others, but I really wanted a one-handed, cordless option because I live in a small, urban house, not a sprawling farm that runs on firewood and steam). I bought it specifically for landscaping/pruning chores, but it’s quickly proven to be one of the most useful little tools I own—so useful, in fact, that I think every DIYer should have one. Here are just a few ways I put it to good use.

Greenworks 24V Brushless Mini Chainsaw

$84.99 at Amazon

$99.99 Save $15.00

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$84.99 at Amazon

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Mini-chainsaws are perfect for pruning

The initial use-case for the mini-chainsaw was for pruning back invasive branches and vines from my neighbor’s yard, which is almost sentient in its determination to colonize my property. I love my neighbors, and it’s not a point of conflict, but if I don’t stay on top of that situation, my whole house will be enveloped by a creeping vine that’s been colonizing their yrad so long it’s almost structural, and I’d never see the sun again due to the encroaching branches of their backyard trees. The mini chainsaw is perfect for this work. It slices right through the (surprisingly thick and robust) vines, as well as the tree branches. As it's a one-handed tool, I can safely wield it from a ladder without risking my fingers (or more critical body parts).

Mini-chainsaws can cut through more than just branches

If you think you only use chainsaws on lumber—cutting firewood, or clearing fallen trees—you’re wrong. What’s great about a chainsaw in general is that it slices through dense, thick material like that with ease. I’ve used mine to cut through stuff like PVC when doing minor plumbing work around the house, and it worked a charm.

It’s also great for quick cuts on wood. While I wouldn’t use a chainsaw in place of a circular saw or table saw for precision cuts, it’s been a real time-saver to just trim a bit here and there, especially after I’ve secured a 2x4 in place with screws only to realize I miscalculated the initial cut by a quarter inch. The mini chainsaw just lops off the excess without drama.

Some folks online claim they’ve used mini chainsaws to make quick cuts in drywall, but I’m not sure I’m going to try that. I'm sure it works, but it sure seems like unnecessary overkill.

Use a mini-chainsaw for demo work

Every DIY project starts with demo and removal, and a mini chainsaw has become an essential tool. For example, when I re-did a deck recently, I had to pull up and haul off all the old planks and structure. The mini chainsaw made it easy to cut everything down to a more manageable size so I wasn’t navigating 10-foot boards through the house. It was a fast, easy way to reduce a lot of cumbersome junk and prevent a bit of the inevitable damage I caused (to my back as well as my house).

Mini-chainsaws let you have fun while DIYing

This isn't really a use-case, but it's worth mentioning all the same: mini chainsaws are fun to use. The ability to just press a button and slice away anything that’s irritating you is well worth the price all by itself. (If you're like me, the opportunity to make your own chainsaw noises while you use it is just an added, unnecessary bonus.)

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If you own a home or just like to maintain your stuff, you probably own a bunch of tools that help you do stuff that would be impossible otherwise. (Unless you've had more success than I have at hammering a nail into a block of wood with your fists). But tools themselves can often be augmented with accessories that make them a little easier to use, more effective, and safer—think of these accessories as tools for your tools.

Even the best-stocked tool chest can be improved with the addition of a few simple, low-cost accessories. Here are eight that every DIYer should pick up to make their next project a little easier.

Bucket organizers keep things at hand

My DIY process used to involve several trips back and forth between the project site and my tool closet, because I can only carry so much stuff at one time. Stuffing tools and loose screws into your pockets might get the job done, but it isn’t pretty, especially when the clawtooth hammer gets stuck in your pocket and you rip your pants open while standing on your roof in full view of the neighborhood, which is definitely not something that has ever happened to me. That’s why a bucket organizer (like the Bucketeer) is a must-have. It’s so simple it’s ridiculous: These organizers slide into the bucket and act as a tool belt around the exterior. You can still use the bucket as a bucket, while also easily transporting your gear.

Depth stop collars prevent over-drilling

One lesson I’ve learned in my DIY journey is that I’m never as in control of my power tools as I think I am. The evidence for this is all the times I’ve drilled way too deep for what I need. Whether you need a series of holes drilled to a precise depth, or you want to avoid overdrilling through the back of something, you quickly learn that eyeballing stuff and drilling by “feel” is an easy way to screw everything up. Having a set of depth collars like these is the answer. They clamp onto your bit and prevent you from over- or under-drilling. Aside from the precision, they also allow you to put full force behind the drill, because you don’t have to worry about losing control at the critical moment and over-drilling.

Anti-vibration pads keep things from moving

DIY projects can be pretty noisy. An anti-vibration pad like this one is an essential tool accessory. It reduces the noise from vibration and helps to protect the surface under your tools or materials so you can work safely. You can buy these in pre-sized versions, but buying a roll allows you to cut it up to fit your needs, so you can create pads for use under appliances (like the washing machine) to reduce noise and vibration, to use under portable saws and other tools, and to slide under materials that you’re working on. It’s a simple fix that makes DIY projects a lot more pleasant.

Dust collectors make cleanup easier

Dust is a byproduct of just about every project you’ll ever do around the house. You can try hanging plastic sheets or using tape and/or envelopes to catch dust, but in my experience, neither really works—dust still gets everywhere. That's why this dust collector from DeWalt is a genius tool accessory: It suctions to the wall and connects to your wet/dry shopvac, effortlessly capturing all that dust from drilling and sanding.

Anti-vibration gloves or wraps protect your hands

If you’ve ever used a power tool for a long stretch of time, you know how tired your hands and arms can get. You can reduce that stress on your body by reducing the vibrations you absorb from your tools with either anti-vibration gloves or an anti-vibration wrap that you can apply to hand tools (like hammers). These accessories absorb those vibrations, not only making them more comfortable to use but also increasing your control, because the tool won’t vibrate right out of your hands.

Magnetic wristbands save you from hunting for screws and nails

If you’ve ever wasted an hour of your life trying to find a dropped screw because you had no spares (I can neither confirm nor deny I’ve done this), you need a simple magnetic wristband like this one. It gives you a hands-free way to hang onto screws, bolts, nails, drill bits, or anything else metallic that you’re working with.

Flexible drill bits can get into hard-to-reach places

Inevitably you’ll find yourself pondering how you can drill or screw something around a corner, or in a very tight space where no power tool could possibly fit. The answer is this amazing tool accessory: A flexible bit holder. With one of these, you can drill around corners or inside tight spots where a traditional bit can’t go, thus removing one more obstacle to getting your project finished.

Laser saw guides prevent waste and save time

If you use a miter saw or any kind of circular saw, you know that even when you carefully measure and mark your materials, you can still mess up the cut. Undercut by the slightest margin and you’ll waste time sanding ends down or trying to make impossibly small extra cuts. Overcut, and you just wasted your time, effort, and materials.

Adding a laser guide to your blade eliminates this risk. It clearly and accurately shows you exactly where your blade is going to bite, so you’ll know immediately if you’re a fraction of a millimeter off. You’ll be able to adjust before you cut, preventing frustration and waste.