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14 Best Travel Toiletry Bags, Tested Over Many Miles (2025)
Product Reviews

14 Best Travel Toiletry Bags, Tested Over Many Miles (2025)

by admin


Others We Tested

There were multiple great bags we tried whose features or designs just didn’t add up to a place in the top spots above. However, everyone has something different they’re looking for in a toiletry bag, so while not perfect for us, some of these options may still be perfect for you.

Photograph: Kat Merck

Monos Metro Toiletry Case for $95: Available in both nylon and vegan leather styles, this durable, structured case exhibits the class and quality construction Monos is known for. It’s got one main roomy compartment with three small pockets inside; one zippered. It did a great job of protecting its contents while still being squishable enough to fit in a tightly packed carry-on, though I did find myself wishing it had a handle for carrying.

Calpak Clear Cosmetics Case for $85: Constructed largely of water-resistant, wipe-clean PVC, this clear cosmetic case (I tested the Medium size) zips all the way around and folds flat to reveal two zippered compartments and one smaller zippered mesh bag. It also looks like a cute little purse with its 16 trendy color options, dual handles, and metal bottom studs. However, contents aren’t as easy to access as other cosmetic bags that just open from the top—you have to lay the Calpak flat to open both sides, which requires a 16-by-10-inch footprint, and the all-clear construction isn’t very discreet.

Photograph: Kat Merck

Vera Bradley Toiletry Bags for $30: The erstwhile must-have accessory of both early-aughts Southern sorority girls and their grandmothers, Vera Bradley bags are back with a new spokesperson (Zooey Deschanel), new designs, and updated fabrics like smooth twill and cotton gabardine. (Die-hard fans can rest assured the staple quilted paisley options are still available.) The new line includes multiple styles of toiletry bags and makeup bags that are lightweight, giftable, and can add a pop of color and personality to your travel setup. I tested several, and my favorite was the Lay-Flat Travel Organizer—its two interior clear zippered compartments and three mesh slip pockets were roomy yet snug enough to keep all contents of my morning routine secure, and a rather large spill of soap in the large pocket cleaned up quickly. However, even though the fabric is padded, which provides some protection for the interior contents, the exterior is somewhat absorbent and not machine washable (though other designs are), so be forewarned that light-colored options could attract stains.

Royce & Rocket Day to Night Catch-All for $58: This set of two structured drawstring pouches proved to be quite versatile in our testing, allowing for up to four (in the small pouch) or even 10 (in the large) full-sized items to be stored standing up inside the bag or with the sides folded down. They’re also perfect to grab for a simple overnight trip or when having to share a bathroom. However, there are just too many similar options on the market for one-third of the price.

Photograph: Kat Merck

Bagsmart Blast 4.5L Toiletry Bag for $30: This rectangular toiletry bag can sit on a counter (with about a 10 x 5-inch footprint) or hang with a 360-degree rotating hook. It’s machine washable and has a bright orange interior for visibility, sporting five mesh pockets. Both my testers and I liked it a lot. The only thing that kept it from nabbing a top spot is how much space it took up when not hanging, and when it did hang, it stuck out more than the traditional flat hanging styles.

Beis the Dopp Kit for $68: I’ve had Beis’ Dopp Kit for four years now, and it’s still my go-to for any trip. The poly canvas material is durable and easy to spot-clean. Plus, I opted for the black version to mask the inevitable scuffs and smaller stains. What I love the most, though, are the compartments. The water-resistant section is a total game changer when packing liquids or fragrances. If something leaks, a quick wipe gets the job done. The waterproof bottom is also a huge bonus when I’m getting ready at a bathroom sink. —Boutayna Chokrane

Photograph: Kat Merck

Thule Aion Toiletry Bag for $65: This spacious, 5L bag with an 11 x 5-inch footprint features many thoughtful touches, including a wipe-clean interior with a rubbery, water-resistant bottom to protect it from wet countertops. (Though there’s also a handy strap that snaps to hang on any-diameter hook or rack.) The sides snap down to compress, almost like a packing cube, and I like that it’s squishable to fit into a smaller suitcase. It also comes with a removable translucent bag for taking liquids through the airport security line. However, it does take up a lot of space when not snapped down, and the waxed canvas does attract a lot of lines and marks, which may not be to everyone’s aesthetic taste.

Nex Dopp for $73: The small and large Dopp kits I tested, part of Nex’s 2024 Hawaii collection, consisted of a roomy, single compartment with a dual zippered strip. They’re made of microfiber leather, which is a higher-quality synthetic leather, said to be softer and more durable. The bags were stiff and well-structured, which felt protective of my cosmetics when jammed into my carry-on. There is a slight synthetic smell from the microfiber leather, which is hard to miss, since you must lean your face quite close to the bag to see the contents in the cavernous single compartment. I also felt that when the bag was unzipped, the zippered strip was either in the way or had to be splayed out, which took up too much space on my tiny hotel-bathroom shelf. Otherwise, this is a fine option that offers both a lifetime warranty and unlimited trade-in program.

Cotopaxi Nido Accessory Bag Cada Día for $45: Cotopaxi’s trim little bag is meant not just for hygiene items, but any collection of odds and ends. It’s made from light recycled deadstock nylon (so, probably not for you if you are carrying glass bottles or anything that needs padding) and weighs in at a modest 6.5 ounces. Your colorway will be unique! I like the surprisingly capacious 4-liter capacity spread over three different compartments, with a big middle compartment for your quart-size, TSA-approved bag of liquids and two other compartments with separate, smaller pockets. I do have to admit though, that I like hooks better than loops, and hanging is more convenient with a clamshell toiletry bag design than with this one, which can’t be hung while open. —Adrienne So

Photograph: Kat Merck

Kusshi Hair Tools Bag for $89: Unlike similar bags that just bunch up your hair tools into a roll, this hair tool carrier has two organized pocket sections; a zippered pouch in the middle for hair products or, in my case while I was testing, attachments for my Shark FlexFusion; and a pocket on the outside for rubber bands or small accessories like lip balm. It’s also made of neoprene that’s heat-resistant up to 380 degrees Fahrenheit, so you don’t have to worry about waiting for your tools to cool down before packing them away. Keep in mind, though, that the initial off-gassing is strong with this one—you may want to let it sit in a well-ventilated area for several days before packing it in your suitcase, lest it make everything else smell plasticky—including the air from my hair dryer when I used it.

Photograph: Kat Merck

Aer Travel Kit 2 Ultra for $79: Does the average traveler need a toiletry bag made partially of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), which is 15 times stronger than steel by weight? Perhaps not, but it definitely makes for an interesting bag. Part of Aer’s 10th Anniversary Ultra Collection, this hardy, chunky little Dopp kit incorporates the collection’s Ultra400X fabric (in black only) by Challenge Sailcloth, known for its high-performance sails for yacht racers and kite surfers. Despite its strength, the Travel Kit is still pretty lightweight at 8 ounces. However, the hook is thick plastic and too small for a towel rack, and the rubbery “Aer” brand tags on the outside and inside seem to accumulate toothbrush and soap residue, as does the mesh zippered pouch in the top compartment. Both proved somewhat difficult to clean.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Trifold Toiletry Kit for $50: Eagle Creek’s travel accessory game is extremely strong. Its toiletry bags, packing cubes, and various organizers are affordable, sturdy, and exceedingly well designed, and this toiletry bag is no exception. At first glance it looks like two toiletry bags snapped together, but each side unzips to make a hanging organizer with six compartments. The only problem is that one side of the bag holds products upside down until it’s unfurled, which led to items falling out in our tests.

State Bags Benson Toiletry Kit for $65: This is a solid, simple bag with three mesh pouches and a snap-in/snap-out plastic envelope that can hold a toothbrush and toothpaste or shower items like soap. The navy version I tested had a coated polyester wipe-clean exterior and interior made from recycled bottles, and I liked that it had the option to hang. However, the organization was more rudimentary than similar-category bags we tested, and it was missing some of the thoughtful details featured on other bags in the same price range, like a quick-access pouch on the back and a larger hook with a rubber tip to prevent slipping. (This bag’s thick, small plastic hook wasn’t even wide enough to hang on a towel rack.)

July Hanging Toiletry Bag for $85: I own and love July’s carry-on suitcase, so I was excited to try the brand’s popular hanging toiletry bag. It’s a great design with a zippered pouch on the back, plus a body that zips flat to reveal PVC and pouch zip compartments and a large, rubber-tipped metal hook that tucks away. It looks well-made and stylish with leather trim and gunmetal hardware, but my husband took it on a business trip and found that its pockets are actually quite small, confirming a worry I had when I tested it in my bathroom at home. It wouldn’t be an issue if the bag itself were small, but it took up a full quarter of the carry-on.

Tumi Alpha Bravo Response Kit for $155: This rugged-looking, ballistic nylon bag has the classic Tumi Tracer inside to help facilitate its return to you if it gets lost, as well as an antimicrobial lining. It can hang, stand up, or lay flat and has several convenient internal pockets and an external zipped pouch. It’s a lot of money for a toiletry bag with many of the same features as ones half the price, but if you’re a Tumi fan and need a toiletry bag to match your luggage, you could do worse than this model.

Photograph: Kat Merck

Beautifect Go Mini for $177: WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe loved the larger Beautifect Box, and I tested the Mini to see if it would work for travel. While the smaller size does make it more portable (along with a purse-like carry strap), the multifunction lighted mirror and its battery made the lid top-heavy, so it kept flopping forward when I tried to use it on a soft, uneven surface like my lap or a bed. It’s also got a very hard case and is a bit heavy at almost 2.5 pounds, so as much as I wanted to take it with me on a plane, I ended up bringing a smaller bag instead. Worth a buy if you want a makeup case with a lighted mirror, but it’s definitely best for day trips.

Fjallraven Kanken Toiletry Bag for $55: I love this thing, which makes me feel like a Red Cross nurse on the battlefields of World War II. It’s made from a proprietary Fjallraven fabric blend that combines organic cotton with recycled polyester, so it feels like fabric but is more waterproof and durable. It has a clamshell design with a sturdy interior plastic hook. My quart bag of bottles goes into the enormous lower zip compartment, my toothbrush and deodorant in the top compartment, and there’s mesh pockets and MOLLE webbing so that your tiny things are easily visible. However, its dimensions are very large, so this might not be for you if you’re a minimalist with just a toothbrush and a comb. —Adrienne So

Flat Lay Makeup Box Bag for $37: Available in opaque-fabric and clear (“jelly”) styles, this unassuming pouch looks like a chubby rectangle with a handle on the end but actually unzips into a flat tray for easy access. There’s only one compartment, so I didn’t love it as a toiletry bag, but I did love it as a pool and beach accessory bag for sunscreen and makeup.

Photograph: Kat Merck

Tom Beckbe Canvas Dopp Kit for $195: Known for its high-end jackets, field hats, and vests for fishing and waterfowl hunting, Birmingham, Alabama-based sports outfitter Tom Beckbe also makes a Dopp kit made of full-grain distressed leather and the brand’s proprietary Field Canvas. It matches the genteel Southern vibe of Tom Beckbe’s collection of other travel bags and related accessories like camo whiskey totes and insulated shooting gloves. If the Marlboro Man ever left the ranch, this is definitely the Dopp kit he would have used. The only downside is that the bag is relatively large—and dark inside—for what’s essentially one compartment.

Eagle Creek Pack-It Isolate Quick Trip for $25: This little bag is a simple design, made from recycled bottles, with a zipper on the top and on the side. However, its light weight and semi-structured shape make it perfect for holding a wallet and keys at the gym, or even using as a tech pouch for work purposes.

Kusshi Neoprene Wristlet Clutch for $39: It’s a purse! It’s a toiletry bag! It’s a purse that doubles as a toiletry bag! This clutch is the perfect size for a larger phone, e-reader, or small tablet, with a couple of mesh pockets for makeup. I used it to tote a day’s worth of makeup and skincare around town and found it was just heavy enough to be burdensome, but if you like the neoprene look and your essentials are lightweight, this clutch, like most Kusshi products, is sturdy and well-made.

Sympl Dopp Kit for $75: I liked this bag’s durable Cordura exterior and stow-away clip for hanging, as well as the fact it has a lifetime warranty. The bag opens clamshell-style to reveal four simple waterproof zip pockets—two thin and horizontal, one small rectangle, and one larger rectangle. It’s an interesting idea, but in practice, this severely limits utility since a user is restricted to specific toiletry-sized products that fit the shape of each of the pockets. (My deodorant did not fit, nor did a toothbrush in a case.)

Photograph: Kat Merck

Bagsmart Paz Hanging Toiletry Bag for $35: With its stylish, padded exterior; generously sized carry handle; and ability to transport up to eight full-sized products, this one had me reaching for it long after the testing period was over. The thin, tipped metal hanger makes it easy to hang anywhere, and there’s an easy-access compartment on the front with loops for makeup brushes or other long, thin items. In fact, this is almost a small toiletry briefcase rather than a bag—the whole thing unfurls into a 33-inch-long organizer with four separate compartments (two with sections to hold full-sized products). It will almost certainly be too much for anyone who likes to travel light, but if you check your luggage, will be on the road for a long time, or just don’t want to deal with decanting your personal care products, this is a well-designed and easy-to-use solution.

Saltyface Everywhere Bag for $36: Originally designed for Saltyface cosmetics, this puffy black fabric bag spent an indordinate amount of time on my counter after testing, simply because I liked how it looked. If I had a collection of Saltyface tanning products, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy this to keep them organized. Practically speaking, though, the handle was too small for an adult-sized hand and I found myself becoming irritated with the single zipper pull, so it’s not ideal as a general-purpose travel toiletry bag.

FAQs

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For bags our team hadn’t already been using for years, I spent four weeks rotating new toiletry bags during my morning routine. I noted any annoyances or unique details, volume, how easy it was to store and retrieve items, how much space each one took up on the vanity, how they survived being splashed with water and soap, and, if the bag could hang, how easy it was to retrieve items once hanging.

During the testing period, my family happened to go on multiple trips that required stays in hotels. We took different groups of bags and determined how easy it was to use multiple bags at once in a small space, if their hook designs allowed for multiple places to hang, and whether the contents spilled in or otherwise dirtied the bags, and if so, how easy they were to clean. For bags I was not able to take on trips, I lent to friends and family members who were traveling and took down their notes to consider alongside my own home testing. The Reviews team will continue to use the bags and update this guide with longevity and other new observations.

What Kind of Toiletry Bag Do I Need?

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Dopp kits, cosmetics cases, hanging bags … the differences between categories isn’t always clear. Here are some of the more common types of toiletry bags you’ll come across, and what to consider with each.

Dopp kit: Named for leather craftsman Charles Doppelt, who provided “Dopps,” or toiletry kits, for WWII soldiers. “Dopp kit” has evolved over time to indicate any kind of portable toiletry organizer, but commercially, toiletry bags labeled “Dopp kits” tend to be smaller and hold just a handful of necessities for short trips as opposed to larger fold-up hanging bags and cosmetics cases.

Cosmetics case: Designed for those who need more than just the necessities, a cosmetics case is usually a much larger boxlike container with specialized compartments for makeup, skin care, hair care, and other necessities. They often come with extras like brush holders and mirrors.

Hanging toiletry bag: A bag that, as the name indicates, comes with a hook so that it can be hung on a hook, towel rack, tree, or someplace it won’t take up space on the counter. Often, the user needs to hang them to be able to access all the storage compartments. Something to consider is that hooks can be used up quite quickly if everyone in your hotel room has a hanging bag. All the hooks in our bathroom were taken almost immediately, so my husband ended up having to hang his bag over the toilet, which he wasn’t thrilled about. A good hanging toiletry bag will also have a hook that’s thin enough to slip over just about any hook, and be rubber tipped so it won’t slide off.

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Away, maker of our previous favorite non-hanging toiletry bag, overhauled its accessory line this year, and I’m planning to test the new style of its classic large toiletry bag.

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7 Best MagSafe Phone Grips (2025), Tested and Reviewed
Product Reviews

7 Best MagSafe Phone Grips (2025), Tested and Reviewed

by admin


MagSafe grips are hardly the only type of phone grips available. In fact, there are four main other types of grips you can buy.

Cases with attached grips. These are cases with a grip attached to the back. You get a strong and durable grip that will never fall off, but the trade-off is a thicker phone, and these cases typically are incompatible with wireless charging and may not work with other MagSafe accessories.

Clamp-style grips. Also called universal phone grips, these clamp to a phone so you can easily take them on and off, and they’re not limited to a particular kind of phone. The downside is they’re not the fastest to take on and off, and they can sometimes slide up and down the phone.

Adhesive grips. You can stick a phone grip to the back of your phone or case, and while this will typically give you a well-attached grip that likely won’t fall off your phone, the downsides are similar to cases with attached grips. It may block features like wireless charging and restrict you from using other accessories.

MagSafe grips. These grips are all about convenience. You can easily take them on and off, but they only work with devices or cases with built-in magnets. While you can dangle a phone from a MagSafe grip without issue, any additional force could cause the magnets to separate and fling your phone to the ground.



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Product Reviews

Weebly review 2025: Pros & cons, features tested

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Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Weebly is a functional, affordable, and easy-to-use website builder, but it is no longer considered one of the best website builder platforms on the market.

While it has a unique advantage with its free plan that includes basic ecommerce, the platform has not seen any major feature updates since 2018, making it an outdated option for more advanced online stores.

Offering simplicity and a low cost, Weebly does rank amongst the best small business website builders. But if you want robust features, you won’t find them here.

What is Weebly?

Weebly is a website builder that helps anyone create websites without coding. You drag and drop elements like text, images, buttons, and forms onto your page. Weebly takes care of the coding behind the scenes.

Founded in 2006 by three college students at Pennsylvania State University, Weebly was supposed to help students build online portfolios. Now, it’s owned by Block, Inc. (formerly Square) and has become a complete website solution. It includes hosting (where your site lives), domain registration (your website address), and design tools all in one place.

What makes Weebly easy for beginners is its What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) editor. Changes you make in the editor are exactly what visitors see on your live site. You start with about 50 pre-designed templates and customize them with your content. Weebly manages technical details like mobile responsiveness (making your site look good on phones) and security, so you can focus on your content.

Weebly also supports ecommerce, letting you set up an online store to sell products directly. A standout feature is that you can sell unlimited items even on the free plan—something many competitors don’t offer. This is especially appealing for small businesses or entrepreneurs testing online selling without a big investment.

Weebly: 2-minute review

Weebly is a budget-friendly website builder that has been around since 2006. However, it has stagnated since Square (now Block, Inc.) acquired it in 2018. It makes website creation simple for beginners, but its limited customization and outdated templates aren’t enough to support professional designs.

The platform shines in ecommerce, though. It allows selling unlimited products, even on the free plan. It could appeal to small businesses on tight budgets or entrepreneurs testing new business ideas. Still, there are key drawbacks, like transaction fees on lower-tier plans and limited integration with payment platforms.

There’s basic SEO tools, but they lack the depth of competitors. Its marketing features are also disappointing compared to more modern options. Competitors like Wix and Squarespace provide more modern features, better designs, and stronger growth potential — though at a higher price point.

Features

Weebly provides a reliable set of features, but they feel outdated and insufficient for anything but the most basic websites. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly provides a reliable set of features, but they feel outdated and insufficient for anything but the most basic websites. That said, we were impressed with the ecommerce options. You can sell unlimited products even on the free plan, making it a great option for new stores that rely on volume sales. The platform also offers tools for inventory management, product reviews, shipping calculators, and coupon creation.

However, since its acquisition by Square (now Block, Inc.) in 2018, updates have been rare. This leaves Weebly trailing behind competitors like Wix, which now offers AI tools, advanced editing options, and many more templates.

Weebly’s App Center offers some flexibility with 350+ apps and integrations across various categories, like ecommerce and social. But, we found the selection still pretty limited compared to competitors. There are fewer big-name integrations, though ecommerce users can access the larger Square App Marketplace.

Weebly is still one of the best blogging sites out there, thanks largely to its affordable price tag and simple to use blogging tools.

At a starting price of $10/month for paid plans, Weebly provides decent value, especially for beginners or small businesses with basic needs. Yet, the value declines for advanced users who may need richer features from competitors.

Tools

Weebly offers customizable templates, mobile-responsive designs, and analytics that track opens and clicks. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly offers various tools to help users create and manage websites easily. Our testing showed these tools are mostly user-friendly, but they lack the advanced features of newer competitors. Here’s a summary of Weebly’s main tools:

Drag-and-drop editor

Weebly’s drag-and-drop editor is central to its website building experience. You can add content like text, photos, maps, and videos by dragging them into place. The editor uses a row-based structure, which is great for symmetry but limits creative freedom.

Ecommerce tools

Most of Weebly’s standout features lie in its ecommerce tools. You can manage inventory, display product reviews, and handle sales. We liked the inventory tracker, which updates shoppers when items run out. There are shipping and tax calculators too. A coupon builder lets you create custom discounts, while automated emails help with order confirmations and shipping updates.

Marketing suite

Weebly Promote is the platform’s email marketing tool. It integrates smoothly with your website to turn visitors into customers. The system offers customizable templates, mobile-responsive designs, and analytics that track opens and clicks. Our tests revealed that the email editor is easy to use, with many options to import and segment contacts. While it may not match dedicated email marketing platforms, it offers enough for small businesses.

SEO features

Weebly offers basic SEO tools for customizing URLs, title tags, meta descriptions, and image alt texts. It supports 301 redirects and automatically compresses large images to boost page load speed. We liked that you can manage product SEO settings right in the product popup window. This keeps SEO in focus. The dashboard shows basic analytics to track site performance, but it doesn’t match the depth of dedicated analytics platforms.

App center

The App Center enhances Weebly with over 350 apps and integrations in five areas: e-commerce, communication, marketing, social media, and site tools. We found good filtering options and a helpful search function. While the selection is smaller than most rivals, it still offers basic options for adding social feeds, managing contact forms, using live chat, etc.

Ease of use

Weebly is built for simplicity, making it one of the easiest website builders currently on the market. It has a live editor that lets you preview changes in real time. For beginners, this makes website creation less intimidating. We built basic pages within minutes of signing up, without needing tutorials or help docs.

The user interface has a clean design. All elements are easy to reach from a fixed sidebar on the editor page. Unlike some competitors that hide options in nested menus, Weebly keeps everything visible with a single click. But clicking any element opens up a few more customization options. The content is organized in rows, which helps beginners, though it feels like a dated approach.

Weebly also offers an All-in-One Accessibility App through Skynet Technologies, a third-party developer. It includes important features like screen readers, voice navigation, and keyboard accessibility, supporting WCAG 2.0, 2.1, and 2.2 guidelines. But this app needs separate installation and costs more after a free trial.

Weebly’s design prioritizes simplicity, which can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the structured editor helps beginners avoid messy layouts. On the other, experienced designers will be frustrated by the limitations. We also noticed that changing themes can misplace or distort elements, and some formatting options aren’t customizable. Also, the platform sometimes has glitches that require refreshing the page, and the mobile app has very limited functionality compared to the desktop version.

Despite these drawbacks, Weebly’s usability is its strongest point. The company was founded by three college students who wanted to help people create online portfolios without coding. This philosophy still shines through in the product’s design. For users who want to get online quickly with little learning, Weebly offers a straightforward experience that few competitors can match.

Weebly plans and pricing

Weebly offers three paid plans and a free plan (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly offers plenty of plans to choose from. For just $10/month (when billed annually) or $13 per month, you can get access to most of the features needed to launch a basic online store with a custom domain name.

If you want even more customization and control over your website, the Professional plan for $12 per month is a better choice. Serious users can also consider the Performance plan, which lets you accept payments through PayPal, automate abandoned cart emails, include item reviews, and get priority support. It costs just $26 per month billed annually or $29 month-to-month.

Security

Weebly offers one-click SSL certificates for free with all of its plans. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly offers one-click SSL certificates for free with all of its plans. SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) provides an encrypted connection between the server and the browser, so any information sent from the user’s computer is kept secure.

This encryption helps protect your private data from potential hackers or other malicious actors who might try to steal it. It also helps build trust between visitors and the website owner, as customers feel more confident providing their information when they know it’s encrypted.

Weebly also provides DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) mitigation services. A DDoS attack occurs when multiple computers flood a server with requests in an attempt to overwhelm it and take it offline. By having DDoS protection in place, Weebly can help protect against these malicious attacks and keep any site available to its visitors no matter what kind of traffic is coming in.

Customer support

Weebly provides tiered customer support based on your subscription. (Image credit: Weebly)

Weebly provides tiered customer support based on your subscription. Free and Personal plan users can access email support and the help center. Professional and Performance subscribers enjoy live chat. Performance users also have phone support. Our tests showed reasonable response times. Email queries were usually answered within 24 hours. Chat support was available within minutes during business hours.

Support quality was generally good for basic issues. Representatives showed solid knowledge of the platform’s core features. However, for complex design challenges or integration questions, we often got generic responses. These typically directed us to help documentation instead of offering specific solutions. The help center is comprehensive and well-organized. It includes clear articles and video tutorials for most common questions, making it a good self-service resource.

One key limitation is Weebly’s support hours. They are Monday through Friday, 6 am to 6 pm PT, and Saturday to Sunday, 8 am to 5 pm PT. Users with urgent issues outside these hours may face delays. Also, phone support is available only in English, which may be difficult for international users. Overall, Weebly’s support is adequate for a budget-friendly platform. However, it lacks the 24/7 availability and depth of expertise found in premium competitors like Wix or Squarespace.

Alternatives

Weebly is in a tough spot right now. It once held about 13.7% market share, making it the third-largest website builder after WordPress and Squarespace in 2021. However, it has lagged behind since Square bought it in 2018. Weebly is best for absolute beginners on tight budgets or small businesses trying ecommerce with low investment.

Wix is Weebly’s closest competitor and our top pick for most users. It has far more templates (over 900 compared to Weebly’s 50+) and better design tools. Wix also gets regular updates, including AI features that Weebly does not have.

Check out our Wix review to learn more about what the platform has to offer.

For users prioritizing design quality, Squarespace offers more elegant templates and better customization than Weebly. This makes it a great choice for creatives and service-based businesses wanting a strong visual impact.

Our Squarespace review covers the platform in more detail.

For serious ecommerce, platforms like Shopify or BigCommerce offer stronger selling features, though at higher prices. Even WordPress with WooCommerce provides more scalability and customization for growing businesses, but it does have a steeper learning curve.

Weebly review: Summary

Weebly is a budget-friendly website builder for beginners and small businesses. It’s great for those wanting to explore ecommerce without spending too much. It’s easy to use and starts at just $10 a month. Weebly offers strong ecommerce features, like selling unlimited products even on the free plan.

However, the templates feel outdated, there are no new features, and customization options are limited. So, Weebly is a good choice for users who want simplicity and low cost. But businesses aiming for long-term growth might find better options in Wix or Squarespace.

Weebly review: FAQs

Is Weebly free or paid?

Weebly offers both free and paid options depending on your needs. The free option provides access to basic features such as templates, drag-and-drop design tools, etc.

However, if you want access to more advanced features such as custom domain name registration, website analytics, email marketing tools, SEO tools, etc., then you need to upgrade to one of its paid plans.

Which is better, Wix or Weebly?

It really depends on what kind of website you’re trying to build. If you’re looking for something simple and straightforward with limited customization options, then Wix might be the better choice. However, if you want something more advanced with greater design capabilities and flexibility, then Weebly is likely the way to go.

What is the difference between Weebly and the Square website builder?

When you visit the Weebly website you will notice a small Square logo sitting under the Weebly logo. This can be a little confusing as Square offers its own website builder, so allow us to explain

Square is a payment processing platform. In 2018, Square bought Weebly and therefore gained access to its website building platform. However, Square also decided to build its own website builder platform.

Now Square offers a website builder via Weebly and under the Square brand. Although both website builders have some of the same features, they also differ in their offering.

Why doesn’t Weebly have an AI website builder?

Since Weebly was purchased by Square in 2018 it hasn’t seen any major updates. That means that the more recent tools you would find on the best website builders, such as AI website builders, AI text writers, and AI image/video creators, are all missing from the platform.

It doesn’t look like Weebly plans on adding them any time soon, either, so if you want them, you will need to look elsewhere.



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Google Keep
Product Reviews

I tested Google Keep and found it excels at simple note-taking

by admin



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The best note-taking apps help you remember crucial information. It’s often done with physical notebooks, but digital note-taking apps provide an easier way. You already carry a smartphone, so using the same device to take notes makes things convenient. Google Keep is one of the most popular note-taking apps used on smartphones globally.

Initially launched in 2013, Google Keep has amassed tens of millions of users within a short period. Because it’s free to use, Google Keep has become a go-to option for people seeking a simple app to store and manage notes.

But, is Google Keep an ideal note-taking tool for you? What are its unique features, and how does it differ from competitors? I’ve extensively reviewed the app to answer these questions for you. Read on to learn about Google Keep’s features, pros, and cons compared to rival note-taking tools.

(Image credit: Google)

Google Keep: Plans and pricing

As I mentioned earlier, Google Keep is a tool you can use at no cost. Google offers it for free, along with various other tools, to keep users attached to its software ecosystem. Anyone with a Google account can enjoy Keep’s features.

However, there’s a catch. Google offers a premium tier for companies that desire collaborative functionalities and access to enhanced features on Google software tools. If your company subscribes to this premium plan, called Workspace, the features of Google Keep don’t change. However, your company can enjoy seamless collaboration on Google Keep and many other Google tools.

Google Workspace has three pricing tiers: Starter, Standard, and Plus. The Starter plan costs $7 per user per month, the Standard plan costs $14 per user per month, and the Plus plan costs $22 per user per month. There’s also an Enterprise Plus plan for large companies that can negotiate custom sales deals with Google’s team.

The Starter plan unlocks 30 GB of storage per account, the Standard plan unlocks 2 TB of storage, and the Plus plan allocates 5 TB to each account. Google Keep’s functionalities remain the same regardless of your plan, but these plans have significant differences in other areas.

(Image credit: Google)

Google Keep: Features

Google Keep’s core feature is letting users keep and retrieve notes when needed. It lets you create and organize notes, from shopping lists to personal reminders, phone numbers, and workplace ideas. You can then label these notes for easy retrieval later. For example, you can have separate labels named “work” and “personal” and simply click on any label to find the relevant notes when needed.

To create a note, you have various options: a plain note, a list, a note with a drawing, or a note with an image. A plain note can be any text you choose to write. There’s no limit on the number of characters you can store in the plain note.

After writing your plain note, you can add a reminder to it, which will be saved in the Google Reminders app, and you’ll receive an email or push notification reminder at the appropriate time. Google Keep has seamless integrations with other Google tools, making it convenient if you already use one Google app or another.

If a plain note isn’t satisfactory, you can add images or drawings for context. Images can be uploaded directly from your PC or smartphone, but videos aren’t permitted. All uploaded images count towards your allocated storage, which ranges from 15 GB on the free plan to between 30 GB and 5 TB on Workspace plans.

Similarly, you can add drawings to your notes, a feature that is useful when trying to sketch ideas. Forgive me for not being the best artist, but my example below illustrates how adding drawings is done on Google Keep.

(Image credit: Google)

Notably, you can convert your drawing into an image and download it to your device. Drawings help you add significant context to the notes you’ve jotted.

I like that Google Keep provides ample text formatting features. It allows users to break down notes into headings and subheadings, making them easy to read later. You can bold, italicize, and underline specific words or phrases within your notes. The formatting options aren’t as plentiful as what you’ll find on a word processor, expectedly, but they provide the basics that help users create detailed notes.

Another feature I enjoyed is Google Keep’s Optical Character Recognition (OCR), which lets users extract text from uploaded images. The example below illustrates a picture I uploaded and its extracted text.

You can observe that Google Keep extracted the text from the image with a high degree of accuracy. I only needed to adjust the text a little to get a coherent note. The OCR feature isn’t perfect, but it works well most of the time. It’s a valuable feature in many situations, such as a lecture with informative slides displayed on a projector. In this case, you can simply snap a slide and extract the text instead of typing the same thing manually.

Still on the idea of extracting external information into your notes, Google Keep has a browser extension available exclusively on Google Chrome. With this extension, you can download web pages directly as notes to view later. Suppose you encounter a web page that piques your interest, but you’re too busy to read it at the moment. You can simply download it as a note and open it later. My only complaint is that this feature is compatible with Chrome but not with other browsers.

(Image credit: Google)

Another interesting feature is the ability to record voice notes and transcribe them into text. You can add an audio memo to a note, and Google’s sophisticated voice recognition system will translate it to text and also keep the audio recording for future playbacks. In my case, the transcription feature wasn’t perfect, as I had to edit some words and phrases, but it transcribed most words correctly. Note that this feature only works on the mobile app.

I talked about using labels to organize your notes. However, that’s not the only way. You can change the background color of each note to differentiate it from the rest. For example, all personal notes can have one background color, and those related to work can sport another color.

Likewise, you can pin specific notes at the top of your dashboard. These pinned notes, which are of utmost importance, will always be displayed above the other notes you’ve created.

I mentioned reminders earlier, but there’s more to it. You can not only set time-based reminders, but you can also set reminders based on locations. That is, Google will issue a reminder about a note as soon as you arrive at a specific location. For example, you can set Google to remind you about school notes as soon as you arrive at school. You can receive work reminders as soon as you arrive at the office. These reminders are helpful in many day-to-day situations.

Seamless collaboration is one of Google Keep’s main benefits compared to rival note-taking tools. You can easily share your notes with friends, family, and colleagues, and they can view or edit the notes.

To share a note with someone, you can add their email address, and they’ll receive a notification about the note you’ve shared with them. Collaborators can view or edit your notes, and any changes are reflected in real-time.

For example, if you share a checklist, the collaborator can tick off items on the checklist, and it’ll immediately reflect in your Google Keep dashboard. A good thing about Google Keep is that there’s no limit to the number of collaborators you can invite.

Most Google tools allow you to set specific permissions for collaborators (read-only or editing access), but Google Keep bucks the trend. Anyone you invite automatically gets full access, including the ability to edit your notes. I didn’t like this lack of permission management.

Another thing I didn’t like relates to the text formatting options, which I mentioned earlier. Google Keep’s formatting features are basic, unlike the advanced formatting options I’ve encountered on several competing note-taking tools. However, it’s understandable because those tools require paid subscriptions, while Google Keep’s core features are entirely free.

Despite some drawbacks, Google Keep remains an excellent note-taking tool given the features available for free. It’s ideal if you need an intuitive app to keep simple notes. However, it’s not the best option if you need to manage large volumes of notes.

(Image credit: Google)

Google Keep: Interface and in use

Google Keep is as simple to use as it gets. Its features aren’t much, so they are neatly arranged along the dashboard. The dashboard prominently displays the box to create a new note, and after opening this box, formatting options are clearly displayed at the bottom. The main menu lies in the top-left corner and is easy to navigate.

Even as a first-time user, you wouldn’t have problems understanding Google Keep’s interface at a glance. It’s coherent and intuitive, which I’ve observed as the norm with Google tools.

I liked that Google Keep has a built-in option to switch between light and dark theme modes, both on the web version and mobile apps (iOS and Android). I also liked the ability to switch between list and grid views of my notes. Generally, Google Keep has an excellent interface that I enjoyed interacting with.

Google Keep: Support

Google Keep users have access to ample support resources. Given it’s a free tool, there’s no direct support from Google’s team, except you’re a Google Workspace subscriber. However, you can always consult the official Google Keep Help Center, which includes detailed user guides and solutions to common troubleshooting scenarios.

Every Google Keep feature is covered in the Help Center, so you’ll likely find the solution to the problems you encounter on Google Keep. Along with the Help Center, there’s also an online community where you can seek solutions from other Google Keep users.

If your company is subscribed to Google Workspace, you can get direct help from Google’s support team via email, live chat, or telephone. However, Google Keep is simple enough that direct help is needed on rare occasions, or if at all.

Google Keep: The competition

Note-taking is a thriving software niche with many players. Google Keep is one of the players, albeit a dominant one. Two major competitors I’d like to highlight are Notion and Evernote.

Notion is more than a note-taking app. It’s a versatile tool that lets you manage broad projects, storing everything from knowledge bases to wikis and technical documents. Notion is extensively customizable and has a wider library of third-party integrations than Google Keep.

Google Keep is the go-to tool for managing simple notes, but Notion is the go-to tool for managing complex notes and text documents. Notion has extensive collaboration features with more permission control than Google Keep. The drawback is that Notion’s extensive features present a steep learning curve for the everyday user. It’s not as user-friendly as Google Keep, so expect more time to get used to it.

Evernote has several note-keeping features that Google Keep lacks, such as the ability to add videos to notes, rich text formatting, and whiteboards where multiple users can work on the same note simultaneously. It provides more advanced ways to organize notes, making it ideal for managing large note volumes.

The downside is that Evernote requires a subscription to access most of its features, while Google Keep is completely free. Evernote’s free tier is heavily limited compared to Google Keep.

Google Keep: Final verdict

Google Keep is an excellent choice if you need a simple app to keep your day-to-day notes. It’s free to use, intuitive, and lets you share notes with others.

Google Keep doesn’t have the most advanced features, such as rich text formatting, inserting videos within notes, and using folders and subfolders to organize notes. However, that’s intentional. Google created it as a free tool for everyday use, not for the most complex note-keeping scenarios. The app fulfills its purpose of simplifying digital note-taking perfectly.

We’ve listed the best note-taking apps for Android.



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NotebookLM 1
Product Reviews

I tested NotebookLM and found it very useful for academic, technical, and general research

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Navigating the web to analyze data can be tiring. From scouring various websites looking for the correct data to analyzing and summarizing the data you’ve obtained, online research can be hectic. But what if I told you it doesn’t have to be?

Thanks to recent artificial intelligence (AI) advancements, you can have a virtual research partner that helps you analyze and summarize data from the web. That partner is named NotebookLM.

NotebookLM is an AI-based research and note-taking app developed by Google, the company best known for its eponymous search engine. Released in 2023, NotebookLM has amassed a large user base, thanks to its features that help users research and retrieve insights from bulky documents.

How does NotebookLM work, and what sets it apart from similar tools? Is it free or paid, or both? What are its key features? I’ve reviewed the app extensively to answer these essential questions. Read on to learn in-depth about NotebookLM and whether it’s a suitable tool to adopt.

NotebookLM: Plans and pricing

NotebookLM is a freemium tool, i.e., it has free and paid versions. The free NotebookLM is a very capable tool that integrates the latest models of Gemini, Google’s proprietary large language model (LLM). It lets users upload PDFs, Word documents, and presentations to extract data and generate summaries. You can ask NotebookLM questions and get detailed answers under this free plan.

However, the free plan imposes limits on the number of documents you can upload, the number of daily chat queries, notebooks, and audio and video generations. Specifically, the free plan allows 100 notebooks, each with up to 50 sources, 50 daily chat queries, 3 audio overview generations, and 3 video overviews.

You can increase the limitations by subscribing to the NotebookLM Pro plan. This plan allows 500 notebooks, 500 daily chat queries, 20 daily audio generations, and 20 daily video overviews. As a Pro user, you can also share your notebooks with other users and extensively configure the AI assistant’s response style, among other benefits.

To become a Pro user, you need to subscribe to the Google AI Pro plan, which costs $20 monthly. This plan unlocks more than just NotebookLM’s advanced features. It also unlocks access to AI features on other Google apps.

That said, at $20 monthly, the Google AI Pro plan is quite pricey. It’s justifiable if you’ll heavily use the provided features, but otherwise, the free NotebookLM version works well for the average user. You can try the Google AI Pro plan for one month to test its features before making a final decision.

(Image credit: Google)

NotebookLM: Features

NotebookLM is a mobile app you can download on an iOS or Android device. It’s not accessible via a web browser. This app functions as a companion you can use to extract data from uploaded documents or external web pages.

You can create distinct notebooks on the app, with the free plan allowing up to 100 notebooks. On each notebook, you can extract data from up to 50 sources on the free plan and 300 sources on the Pro plan.

Here’s an illustration to make it simpler to understand. Imagine you’re a student tasked with reviewing a research paper and generating key insights. The research paper is bulky, with over 5,000 words.

Instead of scanning through every paragraph manually to extract key points, you can upload the research paper in PDF format to NotebookLM. Then, NotebookLM will study and analyze the paper on your behalf, and you can ask it comprehensive questions related to the research paper.

For instance, if the research paper is about the prevalence of a disease in different regions, you can ask NotebookLM to provide a detailed breakdown of the number of infections observed in each region and the percentage compared to the total number of infections. You can ask it to visualize this data for you.

A research paper is just a single example. Instead of uploading a PDF file to NotebookLM, you can provide a specific web address and ask it to analyze the information on that web page.

For example, NotebookLM can analyze a long news article about recent mergers & acquisitions in the tech industry, and you can ask specific questions like “Which companies got acquired recently?” “How much was [company name] acquired for?” “Give me a breakdown of all the acquired companies mentioned in the article and how much they were acquired for?”

NotebookLM solves a key problem that most people experience. Reading through and analyzing large volumes of information can get tiring. Often, when I experienced this problem, I always wished for a virtual assistant that could help me sort through the information and find the desired key points. I was happy when Google announced NotebookLM in 2023, and I became an early adopter.

My main use case for NotebookLM is sifting through voluminous articles and reports to generate insights. I’ve used it heavily for both personal and work activities. For example, I often read detailed economic reports issued by think-tanks and government agencies. NotebookLM has extensively helped me to analyze and note crucial information from these reports.

I like that NotebookLM lets users share notebooks with friends, family, and colleagues, even on the free version. As a free user, you can grant a collaborator “Viewer” or “Editor” access to your notebook.

(Image credit: Google)

A Viewer has access to uploaded source documents and shared notes, but can’t remove these documents or add new ones. In contrast, an Editor can remove or add new documents to your notebook. Sharing is as easy as generating a unique link and sending it to the desired collaborators, who can access it with their Google accounts.

If you’re subscribed to the Pro plan, you can share a notebook in chat-only mode, wherein the collaborator can’t modify the source documents but can ask the AI system questions related to the documents.

When sharing a notebook on the Pro plan, you can monitor two key metrics about how collaborators have interacted with your notebooks: the number of users who have made at least one query per day and the number of queries made by each user. However, these metrics are only available if you’ve shared the notebook with at least four other users.

NotebookLM doesn’t just issue text answers. It can give audio answers in a creative way. For instance, I used NotebookLM to turn an article into an audio conversation. The conversation was akin to two human hosts discussing a deep dive into the article on a podcast. The AI hosts summarized the article, highlighted key information, and had back-and-forth conversations about the information contained in the article. However, don’t expect perfection.

In my case, I observed several mistakes during the audio conversations, including key information being skipped, factual inaccuracies, and references to information not present in the document. Likewise, the speech sounded unnatural in several cases, owing to excessive use of filler words, such as “you know” and “like,” which isn’t typical in real human conversations.

That’s not to say the audio overview feature isn’t helpful. Indeed, it’s beneficial, and such a feature available for mass usage would have been unthinkable a few years ago. However, you shouldn’t rely entirely on it to summarize documents. It works most of the time, but a minor mistake can be significant when analyzing documents.

Similar to the audio overview feature I just discussed, NotebookLM also has a video overview feature. That is, users can turn documents and articles into AI-generated video narrations. The narrations will include images, quotes, figures, and diagrams pulled from your document, with an AI voice dissecting the key points in a conversational tone.

I liked that I could tailor video overviews according to my needs, for example, by selecting the images and quotes I wanted to include in a video narration. I also liked that I could create multiple video overviews for the same PDF document or web page, gaining different perspectives.

Visual learning is more interactive and fun compared to reading long text. If you have a long text piece, NotebookLM makes the perfect companion to convert the long text into a visual narration that’s easy to learn from. However, beware of the limitations.

I noticed some mistakes in the video overviews I generated, similar to those of audio overviews. These mistakes included inaccurate information and some key data I highlighted being skipped. Just as I mentioned earlier, you shouldn’t rely 100% on NotebookLM to summarize your documents. Manual reading remains important.

NotebookLM is very useful, especially the free tier, but it still needs significant improvements. The good news is that Google is committed to continually improving the underlying Gemini LLM that NotebookLM is based on. It has released various updates to boost Gemini’s accuracy and will continue doing so amid intense competition from the likes of ChatGPT.

(Image credit: Google)

NotebookLM: Interface and in use

NotebookLM is as simple to navigate as a mobile app can be. After opening the app, the homepage lists all the notebooks you’ve previously created, or prompts you to create a notebook if you haven’t done so. The button to create a new notebook is prominently highlighted at the bottom.

You can easily create a notebook, add files, and begin asking questions and generating audio or video overviews. Every feature is neatly arranged at the bottom of the dashboard, and you can quickly upload a file, paste text, or enter an external web address to be analyzed. I give NotebookLM a perfect score in user-friendliness.

NotebookLM: Support

As a NotebookLM user, the first place to consult when troubleshooting issues is the official NotebookLM Help Center hosted by Google. This Help Center has comprehensive details about every functionality accessible on NotebookLM.

From learning how to use NotebookLM to changing configurations and resolving commonly encountered problems, the Help Center provides detailed answers. Personally, I encountered most issues when trying to import files, some of which failed to import initially, but the Help Center quickly solved my problem.

If you’re a Google AI Pro subscriber, you can get direct help from Google’s support team in addition to the self-help resources from the official Help Center. Google’s support team is reachable via live chat, email, and telephone and provides detailed answers.

NotebookLM: The competition

NotebookLM is a unique tool that combines note-taking and artificial intelligence-based research. Most rival apps focus on one of these functions but don’t combine the two. Its main competitors aren’t as popular, and they are mostly new apps launched within the last four years.

A competitor I’d like to highlight is Logically (formerly called Afforai). Just like NotebookLM, Logically lets you upload documents and ask its AI assistant in-depth questions related to the document. It doesn’t stop there, but also helps you add more relevant information to text documents, such as citations, tables, and diagrams.

Logically has a free plan and a paid version that unlocks unlimited access to its AI assistant. Users can also pay for addons like external large language models, a file annotator, and a reference manager.

I can’t confidently say Logically is better than NotebookLM or vice versa. However, Logically has a broader feature set that combines both NotebookLM’s core AI-based research feature and other useful AI-based features like writing assistance, file annotation, and academic reference management.

NotebookLM: Final verdict

NotebookLM is a valuable tool to have in your toolkit. It makes things easier when researching information online, thanks to its ability to extract key insights from long swathes of text and convert voluminous text into engaging visual summaries.

I’ll proudly recommend NotebookLM to students, teachers, corporate professionals, or information sleuths who engage in extensive research. Whether on the free or paid version, NotebookLM offers features that make research less hectic and more interactive.

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Google Gmail review
Product Reviews

I tested Gmail and found it an excellent and reliable platform for business and personal use

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

Gmail is the world’s most popular email platform, with a stunning user base of over 1.8 billion. In other words, over 20% of the world’s population uses Gmail in individual or business capacity.

Given that Gmail is free, easy to use, and is operated by Google, the company behind the world’s leading search engine, it’s no surprise that Gmail is very popular. However, does that translate into Gmail being the best email provider for you? What are its features, and how does it fare against competitors? This guide will answer these questions.

I’ve thoroughly reviewed Gmail to help you determine whether it’s the best email platform for your personal or business needs. Read on to learn about Gmail in detail, including its pricing, ease of use, security, and key features.

    Google Gmail subscription options:

  • 1 month plan – $0 per month ($0 total cost)

Gmail: Plans and pricing

You can use the personal version of Gmail for free. However, like most things, it’s free up to a certain point. Users have up to 15 GB of free storage for pictures, videos, other documents, and other attachments in their email inbox. If you exceed 15 GB, you’ll either need to delete files to free up more space or pay for additional storage.

Extra Gmail storage requires a Google One subscription, with the lowest tier being $20 annually for 100 GB of storage. Ultimately, Gmail offers excellent storage capacity for free – most users don’t surpass 15 GB, except they’ve used Gmail for a long time or use email much more frequently than others.

Businesses can pay for an advanced version of Gmail via Google Workspace. The business tier increases the cloud storage allocated to each employee, and businesses can create emails attached to their custom domain. It’s the same Gmail interface, but with features designed for business use and a custom domain to give employees a more professional appearance.

Google Workspace plans start from $7 per user per month, which provides 30 GB of storage per account, double the free limit. The Standard plan costs $14 per user per month, providing 2 TB of storage per account. The Plus plan costs $22 per user per month and unlocks 5 TB of storage per account. These plans are reasonably priced, given the massive amount of storage space they provide.

Business plans are limited to 300 users, except for the Enterprise plan which has no limit (Image credit: Google)

Gmail: Features

Sending and receiving emails are the primary features you’ll expect from Gmail. You can compose emails and send them to your desired email addresses. The maximum number of recipients per email is 500 for free accounts and 2,000 for Google Workspace accounts. However, most users aren’t hitting this limit, so I see no issues here.

I like that Gmail lets you send scheduled emails. You don’t always have to send emails immediately after you type them. Instead, you can set the email to send at a specific time. This feature comes in handy in many endeavors, such as sending birthday wishes ahead of time and sending event reminders to colleagues.

In this era of artificial intelligence (AI), Gmail hasn’t been left behind. Google has invested significant resources in incorporating AI features that have made Gmail much more intuitive than before.

For instance, I enjoyed the Smart Reply feature, which crafts quick, automated responses to emails. The AI system reads your email and suggests quick responses, such as “Well noted, I’ll work on it,” “Here it is,” or “I’ve attached the document here,” among others. The suggested responses are based on the content of the email you’re replying to.

The Smart Reply feature may sound trivial, but it helped me a lot. It gets tiring having to retype mundane responses to personal and work emails – the feature saved me a lot of time here, which I spent creating detailed responses for the emails that needed them.

I also enjoyed the Smart Compose feature, which functions as an AI assistant when typing emails. It can read your mind… just kidding, it can’t. It analyzes the words you’ve already typed and suggests the next words and phrases. It’s right many times, but can be amusingly wrong. The good thing is that you can hit enter whenever it gets the right suggestion and ignore it if the suggestion isn’t right. Smart Compose saved me considerable time when typing emails.

Gmail boasts plenty of features to optimize the user experience (Image credit: Google)

Apart from intuitiveness, security is a key issue when choosing an email platform. Spam attacks have become more sophisticated due to AI tools that have made text generation a breeze. Hence, security is more important than ever, and Gmail delivers well in this criterion.

By default, Gmail has spam filters that analyze incoming emails and rate their likelihood of spam. If found to be spam, an email is automatically sent to the spam folder. From my experience, Gmail’s filters ensnare most spam messages, but some crafty ones occasionally make it through. When I encountered such an email, I immediately blocked the address and deleted their emails.

False positives can also occur. Some legitimate emails, such as password recovery attempts, might be sent to the spam folder, but you can always visit the spam folder and transfer such emails to your main inbox. If you mark an email in the spam folder as “Not Spam,” further emails from that address will land in your main inbox.

Another crucial security feature I liked is “Confidential Mode,” which allowed me to set expiration dates for emails. For instance, I sent an email containing sensitive information to a friend and set it to self-destruct a day after sending. I also set passcodes for specific emails, and the recipient needed this passcode to read the content– I gave them the passcode via SMS and other communication channels.

Likewise, with Confidential Mode, you can prevent recipients from copying, forwarding, or downloading the contents of your email. However, this feature doesn’t prevent users from taking screenshots of the photos and text – it just makes it difficult to transfer the content directly via email, so be careful about the information you send.

Gmail always prompts users to enable two-factor authentication, which adds an extra layer of security to your email account. With this feature enabled, no one can access your account simply by having your Gmail credentials. Logging in also requires a unique one-time PIN sent to your phone number or other Google-linked devices. Without this PIN, no one can log in to your account on a new device.

I advise always enabling two-factor authentication for your Gmail account. This overlooked feature protects you from most malicious attacks. According to Microsoft, two-factor authentication is the antidote to 99.9% of security attacks.

Gmail offers advanced encryption to protect emails during transmission, ensuring they can only be read by the intended recipients. All emails and their attachments are automatically scanned for malware, and any suspicious ones are blocked. Note that the scanning isn’t perfect; some suspicious attachments may slip through, so avoid opening any attachment from an address you aren’t familiar with.

If you’re like me, who frequently sends and receives emails, your inbox can easily get cluttered, and sorting through vast numbers of emails can get tiring. Fortunately, Gmail lets you organize your inbox and make your emails easy to navigate. You can create labels, such as “Work,” “Family,” “Newsletters,” and “Shopping,” and add specific emails to each of them, or automatically label emails based on the sender’s address. Whenever you want to view a specific group of emails, you can simply click on the relevant label.

For example, if you want to read your daily newsletters, you can click on the “Newsletters” label and see the new emails sent from the addresses you’ve previously marked.

Similarly, you can create custom filters to archive, forward, or even delete emails originating from specific addresses. Gmail’s labels and filters help you automate email sorting and reduce the time you spend navigating your messages.

Gmail seamlessly integrates with other Google tools you may be familiar with. For example, you can upload files to Google Drive and attach them to your email by clicking a few buttons. I found this feature handy when sending large files that would have taken a long time for the recipient to download– instead, the recipient could simply access the file online on Google Drive.

Google Meet isn’t the most popular videoconferencing app, but I liked its smooth integration with Gmail. I could start Google Meet calls directly from my Gmail interface and switch back to emails when done, while on the same browser tab.

Other notable integrations include Google Calendar, which allows you to create events from emails and set reminders, and Google Tasks, where you can convert emails directly into tasks on your to-do list.

Gmail: Interface and in use

Gmail’s interface is one of its main strengths. I think the user-friendliness is the main driving force behind Gmail’s popularity, although being affiliated with Google also helps a lot.

I’ve tested many email platforms, and Gmail stands out for its intuitiveness. Everything feels easy to navigate, even as a first-time user. It helps that first-time users don’t have cluttered inboxes that can make navigation more challenging. Yet, even with a packed inbox, I’ve discussed how filters and labels let you simplify navigation.

The features are neatly arranged on the left side of your dashboard, where you can quickly sort through them. You can switch between your main inbox and other folders smoothly. You can sort through spam, trash, sent, scheduled, and other email categories without a hitch. The Compose button is boldly displayed at the top-left corner, and the menu for composing and sending emails is easily understood at a glance.

Gmail’s user-friendly interface makes it easy for even amateur users (Image credit: Google)

You can access Gmail from your web browser or download the app on your desktop (Windows and macOS) or smartphone (iOS and Android). The app works exactly as the website, but has faster loading times and offline access.

Gmail: Support

I’ll rank Google’s support as decent. It’s not the most outstanding, but it isn’t bad either. Users have access to an extensive knowledge base that details all Gmail’s features and provides guidance on troubleshooting common issues.

If you encounter any problems, the knowledge base and official Help Center should be the first places to seek help. Likewise, if you’re a new user who wants to learn the ins and outs of Gmail, the Help Center should be the first place to consult.

Gmail is a free tool, so don’t expect much direct help as a personal user. Google has a support team, but they’re more focused on enterprise customers who pay for Google Workspace and other tools.

For paying Google Workspace subscribers, Google offers decent support. Response times vary according to your plan, but the support team doesn’t take long to reply to email complaints.

Gmail: The competition

Gmail is the most dominant email platform worldwide, but it has no shortage of competitors. Many free email platforms have tried to chip away at Gmail’s market share for a long time, with mixed results. The two rivals I’d like to highlight are Zoho Mail and Proton Mail.

Zoho Mail offers a free version for personal use, just like Gmail. However, this free plan provides just 5 GB of storage, unlike Gmail’s 15 GB. Zoho is more competitive on the business side, with plans that are more affordable than Gmail, although Gmail still offers more storage.

Businesses can subscribe to Zoho Mail for as low as $1 per month per user, while a Google Workspace subscription starts at $6 per month per user. Zoho Mail isn’t as user-friendly as Gmail. In fact, I got confused several times as a new user, but it’s a more affordable email solution for businesses with limited budgets.

Proton Mail is a secure email solution that offers end-to-end encryption, self-destructing messages, password-protected emails, and adherence to robust Swiss privacy laws, among other features. I wouldn’t say it’s more secure than Gmail, as Gmail offers many of the same features optionally. However, Proton Mail is more geared towards privacy and doesn’t have advertisements.

The drawback is that Proton Mail isn’t as intuitive as Gmail, and the free plan is much more limited, e.g., 6 GB storage compared to Gmail’s 15 GB storage. You’ll need a paid plan to enjoy most of Proton Mail’s features.

Gmail: Final verdict

Gmail is an email platform that I recommend any day and at any time, both for personal and business use. I can summarize the reason as “it just works.” Gmail provides the email features you’ll need, even on the free plan.

The paid plans are more expensive than other options, but the intuitiveness and seamless integration with other Google tools make it worthwhile if your business can afford it. Gmail is a solid choice that makes emailing an enjoyable experience.

We’ve also featured the best email clients.

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Pecron E3600 header image
Product Reviews

I tested the Pecron E3600 and found it to be an affordable and dependable portable power station

by admin



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We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

The Pecron E3600 power station is built like a tank and offers great autonomy thanks to its 3072Wh LFP battery pack.

Specifications

Battery chemistry: LiFePO4

Battery capacity: 3072Wh

Number of charge cycles: Over 3500 before 20% drop

AC output power: 3600W, surge 7000W

Number of AC outlets: 5

Number of USB sockets: 4 Type A, 2 Type C

Number of 12V sockets: 1 XT60, DC 5521, 1 Car Adapter

Number of extra battery ports: 2, total of 15360Wh

Number of power inputs: 3

Fastest charge time: 1.3 hours

Additional features: Bluetooth and Wi-Fi

Weight: 36kg

A high-efficiency 3600W AC inverter, which can surge to 7200W for short periods, can power both heavy-duty machinery, such as welding machines, and home appliances. Charging the unit takes just over one hour using the fast-charge mode from the grid. Solar charging takes only a bit longer, reaching two hours.

What makes the E3600 unique is its blend of output sockets that includes the RV-friendly TT30. A Wi-Fi interface supported by Bluetooth, along with a well-designed interface, delivers an excellent user experience out of the box, thanks to the bright IPS screen, which offers a clutter-free menu. The E3600 is heavy, weighing 36kg, and will most likely require two persons to lift.


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The E3600 typically costs $2299, and is on special for $1259, which is an unbelievable price for a 3kW-class power station. We recommend getting the wheeled trolley for $149. The solar kit bundles the E3600 with a different number of solar panels, with prices ranging from $1559 for a single 300W panel to $3404 for six 300W panels.

(Image credit: Future)

Pecron E3600: Design

The E3600 weighs 36kg and measures 44.5 cm x 30.7 cm x 35 cm. The unit is well-packed and ships with numerous accessories, including solar and grid charging cables, a screwdriver, and a nylon pouch. The plastic station feels sturdy, and with two built-in handles, it can be carried around by two people with some effort.

The station packs a 5” color LCD that Pecron uses judiciously, incorporating big icons, some animations, and multiple languages. Ultimately, the display conveys data to the user in a quick and efficient manner. Two push buttons control the output sections, turning them on and off. Other features are available by navigating the menu using the touchscreen.

The E3600 includes a 30A TT30 outlet, ideal for use in an RV, along with four 15A 120V AC sockets. The station supports 100V, 110V, and 120V, with the option found hidden in the display’s menu. The DC outputs are also plentiful. Pecron offers two 15W wireless chargers, both located at the top of the unit. In addition to providing standard six USB sockets, it also features an XT60 12V/30A socket to power small appliances, such as coolers.

The E3600 offers quick charging through an AC input that also supports slower charging times. The power cable is custom-built with a proprietary circular socket, and unlike competitive products, it cannot be substituted with a standard household AC cord. At a power input of 3200W, the fast charge fills the battery in one hour and twenty minutes, with a five percent efficiency reduction due to heat.

(Image credit: Future)

Pecron E3600: In Use

A common feature of power stations is to control the unit using a mobile app. The E3600 is no exception; it uses Bluetooth to initiate setup and eventually connects through Wi-Fi. All features available on the main display are also present in the app, including real-time charging and output information, as well as control over AC and DC outputs.

A slow charging mode limits the power to 1800W to accommodate more standard home energy distribution. The mobile app allows further reduction of the charging current. With up to 2400W of DC power at its Anderson inputs, an optimal solar configuration consists of a series arrangement of three 300W panels, since the station’s input allows a maximum DC voltage of 150V.


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The unit can power devices at temperatures ranging from -20 to 45 degrees Celsius. Charging, on the other hand, is more restrictive, with an operating temperature ranging from 0 to 45 degrees Celsius. The station protects against short circuits by cutting off power when they are detected, effectively acting as a fuse. Any overcurrent on the input ports is also monitored to reduce the risk of thermal runaway in the batteries.

Pecron’s E3600 packs a UPS mode. When the unit connects to an AC outlet, power typically flows from the grid to output devices, bypassing the battery. The E3600 switches to its battery in under 20 ms when the AC power is removed. This process reduces the battery’s charge and discharge cycles, helping to extend the station’s life.

Pecron E3600: The Competition

Among the competition to the E3600 is the Bluetti Apex 300. This station has the same characteristics as the Pecron station. It can deliver 3800W to its 20A AC outlets and features a 2700Wh battery, which is smaller than that of the E3600. The number of available sockets is lower; the Apex 300 lacks the TT30 30A socket and does not provide wireless charging.

(Image credit: Future)

Pecron E3600: Final Verdict

The E3600 is a great power station for those on a budget who require a large amount of battery capacity. The output options are also numerous, featuring a variety of wireless charging options, low-power DC outputs, and a high-current socket for the camping car. The output power is rated at 3600W, which may seem reasonable on paper, but it can surge to twice its rated power for a short period.

The station is not without drawbacks. It is heavy due to its reliance on LFP battery chemistry. You will need two people to move it around. The UPS mode is functional, but it requires adjusting settings in the mobile app.

Buy the E3600 if … you are on a budget but need a large amount of battery capacity and output power.

Don’t get the E3600 if … you are looking for a lightweight power solution.

We’ve listed the best power banks.



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Best Record Players for 2025: Top Turntables Tested by CNET Experts
Gaming Gear

Best Record Players for 2025: Top Turntables Tested by CNET Experts

by admin



The Audio-Technica offers a carbon-fiber tonearm.

Sarah Tew/CNET

Design

There are four main elements to a turntable: the plinth (or base), the platter on which the vinyl record sits, the motor and the arm. The best designs offer extended bracing and isolation between each of these elements to reduce the noise, which can affect the sound quality of the vinyl.

Motor

Generally, modern record players are powered in one of two different ways: belt drive and direct drive. Direct drive has a dedicated motor that spins the platter directly, and this design is almost exclusively used by DJs — in turntables such as the Technics SL1200. Belt drive models are more consumer-focused and use a motor-driven rubber belt to spin the platter. Belt drive is designed to reduce the noise over direct-drive designs by absorbing motor vibrations which could otherwise be picked up by the stylus. All of the record players in this list offer a belt drive.

Cartridge

A cartridge is the small “box” mounted to the end of the tonearm on your record player. It includes the stylus (or needle) that lowers onto the vinyl itself. The best turntables feature a user-replaceable cartridge, which allows you to experiment with a higher-quality cartridge (such as an Ortofon 2M Red) to produce a better sound.

Speed switch

Another convenience feature to look for include an electronic speed switch which means no more removing the platter to change speeds. If you play a lot of singles, or own audiophile pressings. then you will likely want a hardware switch to choose between 33 1/3 and 45.

Preamp

A switchable, onboard preamp that enables you to use a better phono stage. Unlike most types of players, a turntable needs a preamp to bring music up to “line level.” Otherwise it will sound like pixies singing in a cave. External preamps are generally required for some vintage models as well as intermediate and high-end turntables that sell at a higher price. If you’re looking to keep costs low and convenience high, you may want to consider a turntable with a built-in preamp that then connects to any speaker or receiver. CNET contributor Steve Guttenberg recommends the $100 Schiit Mani phono preamp as a quality budget option.

Additional features

Many modern record players come equipped with features including Bluetooth pairing and USB connectivity.

Price

Turntables start at around $50 and can cost as much as a mortgage payment, but the good ones start at around $300. Audiophile-quality models start from $1,000. This list contains plenty of options, including budget models, to help you stay within your budget.



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Google Calendar Review Hero
Product Reviews

I tested Google Calendar, and found it excels at helping manage day-to-day schedules

by admin



Why you can trust TechRadar


We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.

A digital calendar is one of the most sought-after tools, both for personal and professional use. It helps you plan your schedule ahead of time and adhere to it, instead of juggling random activities, which often leads to confusion. The best calendar apps are a productivity booster, especially in the workplace.

If you need a calendar app, you have an endless list of options to choose from, both free and paid. Google Calendar is one of the top options known for its simplicity and ease of use. I’ve reviewed Google Calendar extensively so that you don’t have to go through the same hassles. Read on to learn about its pros, cons, features, and what sets it apart from the competition.

Google Calendar: Plans and pricing

Google Calendar is a freemium tool. The free version is designed for personal use, unlocking access to a detailed calendar where you can plan your schedule and receive reminders.

However, the free plan lacks the features designed for business use, such as the ability for employees to create appointment booking pages and reserve conference rooms at the office. It also lacks the collaborative features that businesses get when they pay for a Google Workspace plan.

(Image credit: Google)

Google Workspace unlocks access to the premium features of the Calendar app, as well as other tools like Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, and Meet. It’s a single stone that kills multiple birds in corporate settings; companies gain access to many valuable tools that help employees collaborate seamlessly and boost their productivity.

Google Workspace has three pricing plans: Starter, Standard, and Plus. The Starter plan costs $6 per user per month. It unlocks 30 GB of storage for each account and the core features of Google Calendar. However, this plan doesn’t include the ability to create appointment booking pages.

The Standard plan costs $14 per user per month. It provides 2 TB of storage per account, which covers information stored on Google Calendar and other Google apps. This plan unlocks the ability to create appointment booking pages and direct integration with Gemini, Google’s artificial intelligence (AI) assistant. Gemini is very helpful when using Google Calendar, a topic I’ll dive into later.

The Plus plan unlocks access to everything on the Standard plan and upgrades the available storage space to 5 TB per account. There’s no difference in the core Calendar features available in the Plus and Standard plans. Instead, the difference lies in the Plus plan having advanced security features and access to a digital vault for organizations to retain data for an extended period.

There’s notably an Enterprise Plus plan, but without standard pricing. This plan is targeted at large organizations that want to negotiate custom deals with Google’s sales team.

Each Google Workspace plan has a 14-day free trial period that enables you to test its features. You can also use the free Google Calendar app to test the core features and get a good hint of what to expect on a Google Workspace plan.

Google Calendar: Features

Google Calendar is designed as a daily companion where you can record future events and receive reminders when due. You have a calendar with all the future dates, and you can set events on specific dates and choose to receive reminders at particular times.

For example, you can choose to receive a reminder two days before or a day before an event. A reminder will be sent to your email address or via a push notification if you’ve downloaded the Calendar smartphone app.

Google Calendar lets you add many details when creating an event. First, you’ll add the title, location, and time. Then, you can add guests by entering their email addresses, and Google will send them an invitation to the event. If the event happens to be a videoconference or webinar hosted on Google Meet, you can generate a video meeting link that’ll be sent to invitees.

Google Calendar integrates with Gmail, Google Meet, and other Workspace productivity apps (Image credit: Google)

After adding events, you can monitor them easily from your dashboard. Picture a calendar listing all the dates in a year: all the future dates you’ve added events for will be highlighted, and you can click on any date to view the event. You can also switch the calendar view from the whole year to a specific month, week, or day.

What I’ve discussed above are the core Google Calendar features, but there’s much more to the app, especially for paid Google Workspace subscribers. If your business subscribes to Google Workspace, multiple employees can have shared calendars that foster collaboration.

For example, you can create an organization-wide calendar that lets employees keep track of important company events. Any upcoming meetings, holidays, and other events will be posted on this calendar, and each employee will receive reminders.

An assigned administrator can control access to this calendar, i.e., by choosing which accounts can add events to the calendar or can only view existing events. When someone adds an event to the organizational calendar and sets a reminder, all other people with access to the calendar will be notified.

Employees can also share their personal calendars with select colleagues. For instance, a team leader can share a calendar with their subordinates, giving them insight into the team leader’s schedule and the ability to book meetings directly with their team head. Different work teams can create their calendars to keep tabs on each other’s schedules and ensure they don’t set events on conflicting dates.

A memorable feature I used is the Gemini integration. Google unveiled its Gemini artificial intelligence (AI) assistant in 2023, in response to the AI boom spearheaded by OpenAI’s ChatGPT. In 2024, it announced direct Gemini integration with Google tools, including Calendar, for Workspace subscribers.

The integration lets you interact with Gemini directly from your Calendar dashboard instead of using it as a separate app. Gemini can perform many tasks to help you manage your schedule.

For example, I asked Gemini to create events for me rather than spend the time to do everything manually. I asked it about specific events, i.e., “When is [event name] scheduled to be held on the calendar?” This is the tip of the iceberg, as Gemini can do much more. It’s like having a virtual assistant to help you plan your schedule.

Google Calendar can display daily, weekly, or monthly schedules or a list of upcoming events (Image credit: Google)

Users can create appointment booking pages via Google Calendar. Essentially, you’ll create a professional booking page and set your desired dates and time slots for people to book meetings. Colleagues and clients can visit the link and schedule a meeting, and you’ll be notified about every booking.

If you’re a professional who provides consultation services, you can require clients to pay to book a meeting directly from the booking page. This feature works by integrating a Stripe account to accept the payments.

Google Calendar has extensive integrations with other Google tools. For example, the Gmail integration provides a seemingly trivial but valuable feature: When you receive an email about any event, it can be automatically added to your schedule with just a click. Generally, you can convert any email directly into an event on your calendar.

Another example is the integration with Google Chat, which allows multiple people sharing a calendar to chat on the same dashboard. This way, colleagues can chat about calendar-related topics without juggling separate apps or browser tabs.

Google Calendar also has integrations with third-party tools. An example is Slack, a popular business messaging app. The Slack integration enabled me to view upcoming events and receive reminders directly on Slack instead of juggling between it and Google Calendar. I also scheduled meetings directly from Slack, and these meetings were automatically added to my Google Calendar dashboard.

Another third-party integration I tried is Todoist, a well-known task management app. The integration enabled me to sync tasks from Todoist to my Google Calendar dashboard.

I enjoyed using Google Calendar to manage my schedule. It’s not just an effective calendar app but one of the most collaborative ones I’ve used. Other apps may offer more advanced features, but Google Calendar excels at enabling people to create and manage shared calendars. It’s second to none in collaborativeness and simplicity.

(Image credit: Google)

Google Calendar: Interface and Use

Simplicity is a highlight of using Google Calendar. It has a noticeably straightforward interface that is easy to grasp. The homepage is the calendar, and you can sort through it to pick any date. Then, you can add an event to the date and set when to receive the reminder.

After setting events, you can always monitor them from your dashboard, which provides a complete view of your calendar. Click on any date in the calendar, and you’ll see any events set on that date. You can switch the calendar between different views (year, day, week, month, or any specific time frame). All the features are neatly arranged and easy to find in the top and left menus.

You can access Google Calendar from your web browser or download the Android or iOS mobile app. The mobile app makes it more convenient to monitor your schedule on the go, with the same features as the web browser version.

Google Calendar: Support

Google Calendar users have access to ample support resources. As a free user, your main support resource is the official Google Calendar help center, although it’s also useful for paid subscribers.

The official help center contains guides concerning all Calendar features. It’s the first place to consult to troubleshoot any issues with the app. In my case, I faced just a few issues with Google Calendar, mainly learning how to use some complex features. The help center quickly resolved these issues.

There’s also an official help community where you can ask questions and get answers from other Google users. This community provides valuable help for free users facing complex issues.

Paid subscribers can access direct support from Google’s team. The team is available 24/7 via email, live chat, or telephone, and is known for resolving customer issues quickly. While free users don’t have access to this direct support, the Google Calendar help center is sufficient to resolve most issues. Google Calendar’s intuitive interface minimizes the amount of help you’ll need in the first place.

Google Calendar: The competition

Apple Calendar and Calendly are the main Google Calendar competitors I’d like to highlight. Both are robust calendar apps with unique pros and cons when compared to Google Calendar.

Just like Google Calendar is extensively integrated with other Google apps and the Android operating system (which is owned by Alphabet, Google’s parent company), Apple Calendar is extensively integrated with Apple apps and the broader iOS ecosystem.

Apple Calendar is pre-installed on iPhones and has a simple, intuitive design similar to Google Calendar. Calendar data is encrypted, and users have full access to their Calendar when offline. However, Apple Calendar lacks the collaborative features offered on a Google Workspace plan. It’s designed for personal rather than business use.

Calendly is a calendar app designed for businesses to automate many scheduling tasks. It has more advanced appointment scheduling features than Google Calendar, including the ability to handle round-robin scheduling and other complex team scheduling demands. Calendly is also much more customizable and has a broader library of third-party integrations than Google Calendar.

However, Calendly is a more expensive option, considering that you’re paying only for a scheduling tool, unlike a Google Workspace subscription that unlocks both the Calendar app and many other Google tools. Calendly is a good option for large businesses with complex scheduling needs, while Google Calendar is more suitable for small-to-mid-sized firms.

Google Calendar: Final verdict

Google Calendar strikes an ideal balance between functionality, simplicity, and pricing. Given the other tools available as part of a Google Workspace subscription, it’s a cost-effective option for small to mid-sized businesses, enabling them to manage schedules effectively and ensure employees stay on the same page.

Google Calendar doesn’t have the most advanced features, but it’s sufficient for day-to-day schedule management, and the intuitive interface makes it a good choice for companies across diverse industries.

We’ve also featured the best calendar apps and the best productivity tools



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10 Best Meal Delivery Services, Tested by an Ex-Restaurant Critic
Gaming Gear

10 Best Meal Delivery Services, Tested by an Ex-Restaurant Critic

by admin


Frequently Asked Questions

Are Meal Prep Kits Worth It?

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If you’re talking raw materials by the pound—meat, zucchini, rice, noodles—meal kits will of course cost more than buying food at grocery stores. It’s a service, after all, with added value above simple ingredient cost. Unless you’ve got quite expensive taste, you’ll easily be able to make meals at home for less than the $7 to $14 a serving that a meal kit will cost. But this said, this doesn’t necessarily mean that meal kits are expensive for what they offer. I conducted an experiment, trying to re-create four different meal-kit meals by going to my local grocery store—buying every ingredient provided by the meal kit. Turns out, if you don’t have the right sauces and spices at home already, it’s very difficult to recreate these meals at grocery stores for less than they cost from a meal kit, in part because you’ll most likely have to buy full containers of sauces and spice instead of pre-portioned ingredients,

So, is HelloFresh worth it compared to a grocery store? Caveats are in order: For staple ingredients and spices you’ll use on multiple recipes, the grocery store is of course cheaper. Once you buy a container of paprika for an individual recipe, it’ll also be there for future recipes, whereas meal-kit spices are portioned for the meal. So the real answer is that meal kits can be a quite economical way of trying out a new recipe, or a new style of cooking, without larding up your fridge with condiments you won’t use again. For ingredients you’d use less commonly, a meal kit can reduce waste and spoilage, and maybe even compete on price for an individual meal.

If your comparison point is takeout, well, the best meal delivery services on this list will almost certainly be cheaper and more nutritious. I’ve found that a meal kit in the fridge tends to be a good motivator to cook a nutritive meal—and thus can save me both the money and the cholesterol.

To really save on cost, some people like to keep testing out the trial offers and discounts. Much like mattress-in-a-box companies, meal-kit companies usually have a running promotion. Usually this takes the form of a trial discount price that’ll drop your cost by half or more on the first box, in hopes you’ll like the service enough to keep it on at full price.

For me, a meal kit a few times a week ends up balancing out well: It’s a motivating factor to eat better, and it means that when I do go to the grocery store, I can do so less mindlessly and more purposefully, since I’ve always got a few meals’ worth of ingredients in the fridge. It’s also had the side effect of broadening my culinary toolkit, keeping me from getting stuck in the same ruts.

That said, you know: It’s a set grocery expense and not necessarily a small one. I do get tired of tossing or recycling cold packs and boxes. And depending on time of year, I often prefer shopping in person for what’s seasonal and local, when produce is at its peak—an experience you don’t get from a meal kit, or from grocery delivery for that matter. If you’re cooking for a bigger household, meal kits can also lose their utility quite quickly. A convenient option for two can become a much larger expense for a family of four or six.

What If I Take a Trip Out of Town?

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Pretty much every meal kit I’ve tested has an option to pause subscriptions—and there’s no particular limit to how often you can do this. The main thing is to be sure that you’ve canceled with enough lead time. Some services let you cancel or pause delivery as late as the Friday before a Monday delivery. HelloFresh requires five days’ notice. Some, like Hungryroot, may lock in next week’s order as early as the previous Monday, depending on where you live. Read your terms of service, and act accordingly.

How to Optimize Meal Kits

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Don’t order too many meals per week: You know the old John Lennon line: Life is what happens when you’re busy out eating a random burrito, then thinking guiltily about the meal kit at home in your fridge. Aspirations are great, but don’t order more meals than you’re likely to make, or you’ll be sad. Err on the side of caution. Order just enough meals per week that making yourself a recipe from your HelloFresh or Home Chef box is still a delight and a convenience and an overall boon to your life—not an obligation. For me, a somewhat improvisational and impulsive person, three meals a week is the sweet spot. The prospect of a few easy meals usually saves me from an impulse weeknight DoorDash.”

Make room in your fridge: Meal kits take the place of a lot of grocery shopping. But they’re also a lot of food, and a lot to keep organized. What I like to do is clear a tall enough space in my fridge to put the whole meal kit box in the fridge, after pulling out the cold packs: This way, I’m not left worrying about which groceries belong to the meal kit, and I won’t lose any ingredients. I can just pull the whole box out when I want to make a meal. That said, some plans like Home Chef, HelloFresh, and Green Chef are very good at organizing each meal into its own separate bag. An added bonus from these more organized plans is that you’ll be able to use less space in your fridge. Over time, this will matter.

Check the recipe cards to make sure you have everything you need to make a recipe: Most meal kits expect that you’ll have certain staple ingredients in your home, usually including oil and butter. Recipes also have requirements for cookware. Check this before you start a recipe. Nothing worse than realizing you need an absentee stick of butter on step 5, with carrots already browning in the toaster oven.

Remember, you owe nothing to the recipe: Meal kit services hire lovely recipe developers, of course. And on the best meal kits, these chefs have spent a lot of time optimizing each recipe. But you owe them nothing—nothing! Add spices, change steps, season food when you want to season it. Meal kits can teach you a lot about how to make a good meal, and shake you out of tired culinary routines. But it’s your meal. Make it how you like. Have fun.

How Do We Test Meal Kits?

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Chances are, wherever you are, whatever week it is, I’m testing a meal kit right now. I constantly cycle among various meal kits, testing and retesting each of my top picks at least once a year—and often multiple times per year.

I order at least four meals from each, and prepare meals according to instructions and see how well it goes. I check my own prep times against the advertised prep times (rarely an exercise in honesty!), and take note of any inconsistencies, vagueness, or frustration in the recipe card instructions. If you needlessly recommend a nonstick pan, I like you less, especially if you tell me I should heat said pan before adding food—or you later make mention of browned fond in the recipe. Nonstick isn’t cast iron or carbon, there’s no fond.

I check for the quality and freshness of the produce, and do the same for the meat. Where possible, I also look into where the meat was sourced, and check on the reputation, safety, and standards of the meat suppliers. If a meal kit swears it’s gluten-free, I check on this—calling certifying organizations where relevant.

I usually try to order as varied a menu a possible, checking in on gluten-free meals, a seafood item, a vegetarian item, and white and dark meat item—as well as meals that draw (or attempt to draw) from onspirations all over the globe. Sometimes, I test the same meal kit multiple times for different dietary needs, and our vegan tester, Molly Higgins, often tests the same meal kit I do but with a different focus.

More Meal Kits We Liked

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

Sunbasket ($12 to $14 per serving): Sunbasket is a plan that focuses heavily on fresh, organic ingredients, and offers a whole lot of variety and good cooking techniques, including deglazing and attentiveness to saucing. And like Hungryroot, it also offers breakfasts and snacks to supplement meal options with little extras like coconut yogurt and sous-vide egg bites. The meal kit also lets you filter out allergen-containing items. My colleague Louryn Strampe loved the flexibility and add-ons (and even some crickets!) On my most recent test, I enjoyed in particular an excellent Greek chicken and orzo salad dish—and wonder of wonders, the advertised prep time was actually the actual prep time (about 30 minutes). The focus on organic ingredients does make Sunbasket one of the more expensive meal kit options.

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage; Getty Images

Dinnerly ($8 to $9 per serving): Marley Spoon’s lower-cost meal kit, Dinnerly was long WIRED’s budget pick. Frankly, it’s still a good affordable pick. It’s also a stolidly meat-and-potatoes pick, and often straightforwardly Midwestern in its recipes. The proteins are generous and of excellent quality, and the produce is fresh. The meals are balanced. But the recipe development and instructions weren’t quite up to Marley Spoon standards on my most recent test of the kit, though I did love the middle-American trashiness and hold-my-beer inventiveness of a “Reuben meatloaf” stuffed with sauerkraut and caraway seeds. This year I ended up preferring the meals I tried from EveryPlate, which has the further merit of being a buck cheaper a meal.

Photograph: Molly Higgins

Thistle ($13 to $16 per serving): A prior top pick for solo diners, Thistle is mostly a plant-based meal kit—but there’s a $3 option to add sustainable meats to any otherwise vegan meal. It’s also so local and seasonal that the West and East coasts have different menus, and the whole middle of the country except Chicago gets none. (You can check your zip code here to see if you can get delivery.) WIRED reviewer Adrienne So has used Thistle as a means to get herself to eat more vegetables, and thus avoid a life of rickets and/or scurvy. But especially, it’s friendly to the solo diner, with individually prepared meals with low to no prep. Portions are generous enough to split among meals, and in a nice turn for those who hate having to dispose of boxes, Thistle’s drivers will pick up the cooler bag that housed last week’s meal and replace it with a new one full of food. Vegan tester Molly Higgins’ favorite meals from Thistle were a whirlwind of textures, including a Mexican-inspired corn and poblano chile salad with adobo pinto beans and a chilled lemongrass-accented rice noodle bowl that mixed spice, tang, crisply fresh veggies, and deep umami from mushrooms and seaweed. She still dreams about it sometimes.

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

Tovala ($13 a serving): It’s not every day you get to try something that feels so new. Tovala offers perhaps the most ambitious solution to ready-to-heat and prepared meal delivery I’ve seen: The meal kits come with an oven! In contrast to the sogginess of many prepared meals, Tovala’s recipes come in little foil pans with recipes custom-designed for a little steam oven. The results are often delicious, especially a recent sweet chili-glazed salmon with pickled veg and noodles, and the QR code scanning function makes each recipe seamless to cook. Stick with the meal plan for six weeks, and in the bargain you get a quite affordable and powerful little convection oven, toaster, and steamer. Tovala is best as a solution for the solo diner: Meals aren’t big enough for couples, and servings are one at a time.

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage

Gobble ($12 to $17 a serving): Gobble was our prior top pick for fast-cooked meals, in part because its speed-demon meals also offered interesting and worldly flavors. Indeed, our most recent test included Caribbean rondon, Indonesian peanut curry, and steak vierge. But while the flavors have stayed interesting, the focus on fast cooking appears to have waned since my colleague Louryn Strampe tested Gobble—and cook time estimates aren’t printed on the recipe cards. I’m still in the process of re-testing this kit, but for now Hungryroot has taken the fast-cooking crown. For small households, Gobble is also among the most expensive kits. Ordering fewer than 8 meals a week costs $15+ per serving.

Nurture Life ($8 to $10 per serving): Nurture Life is like a restaurant kids’ menu, in ready-to-eat meal kit form. We loved the idea behind this fresh-made, never-frozen delivery meal plan when we tested it a few years back: a bunch of toddler- and slightly bigger kid-friendly meals, from mac and cheese to spaghetti and meatballs to myriad variations on the chicken nugget. The meals are priced about the same as kid menu items, and each contains vegetables alongside the greatest hits.

Veestro ($13+ per serving): WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe enjoyed Veestro as a ready-to-eat vegan option, with premade meals delivered fresh, but with freezable options so you can have extra meals on hand in a pinch. The service offers a number of filters for other dietary requirements, and satisfying taste and texture—not always a guarantee on ready-to-eat meals.

Splendid Spoon ($9 to $13 per serving): Splendid Spoon is a nutrition delivery kit that offers a plethora of plant-based smoothies, soups, bowls, noodles, and shots. Everything here is natural, plant-based, and free of gluten or GMOs, including spaghetti and plant-based “meatballs.” WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe has a big yen for the smoothies in particular ($10 apiece), but wasn’t quite prepared for the intensity of a lemon juice shot that comes as part of a five-pack of dense 3-ounce superfoods.

Daily Harvest (prices vary): Daily Harvest is another ready-to-eat meal delivery service specializing in dietary restrictions plant-based, gluten- and dairy-free. Smoothies feature, as do harvest bowls, pastas, and grains. Calories are low. Ingredients are often inventive. The meal’s a lifesaver for the solo vegan eater without time to prep a meal, and WIRED vegan reviewer Molly Higgins appreciated that the meals mostly relied on the natural flavors of the vegetables themselves, accented with flavors like curry and lemongrass. As with a lot of frozen meals, however, texture wasn’t a strong suit.

Factor ($12 to $15 a serving): Factor is a delivery meal plan run by HelloFresh with ready-to-eat meals that look a lot like TV dinners. But there’s a twist: They’ve never been frozen. They were made fresh in a commissary kitchen, and shipped out with cold packs. It’s kinda like restaurant leftovers. This means that proteins in particular often maintain their texture quite well, including a chimichurri filet mignon I couldn’t believe I microwaved. Some meals, especially carb-avoidant or keto meals, are oddly mushy. But meals centered on proteins and whole starches like potatoes or rice tended to fare quite well. In fact, a recent test of Factor’s high protein plan was my favorite experience with the meal kit, and included wild rice and excellent pork loin. I do wish they’d shed their reliance on the microwave, however: When I went off-script and used a toaster oven or the Ninja Crispi air fryer, I had much better results than with the nuker. Like many ready-to-eat meals, it’s a bit more expensive than the kits you cook yourself.

Meal Kits We Didn’t Like

Sakara Life ($28+ per serving), Sakara Life offers plant-based weekly menus in fresh, prepared portions, with greens, flavorful sauces, all-organic ingredients, and textural add-ons like seeds or berries. But it’s among the most expensive meal plans we’ve tested, and neither WIRED reviewer who tried it has really cottoned to the thing. Tester Louryn Strampe questioned the science on health claims for detoxes and cleanses, while calling Sakara “egregiously expensive” and full of “bitter veggies and tart fruits.” Vegan tester Molly Higgins, meanwhile, said Sakara Life’s tinctures and metabolism supplements didn’t agree with her system, and that the mostly raw-food plan made her long for “human food.”

Photograph: Matthew Korfhage; Getty Images

Diet-to-Go ($10 to $13 per serving, plus shipping): Diet-to-Go predates the modern meal kit. Founded more than 30 years ago in Virginia, it’s a diet plan much in the tradition of Jenny Craig, offering low-calorie microwaveable meals meant to act as total meal replacement. Keto and diabetes-friendly options exist, though the most popular “Balance” plan is geared toward weight loss, with calories limited to 1,600 a day for men and a mere 1,200 for women. Anyway, as is often true with microwaved meals that may or may not arrive frozen (it depends on the season, and where you are), proteins and starches fared better than veggies, which tended to be limp and soggy. Meals were healthy, but not always flavorful, and there were a few real misses.

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