Tools in Cars

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Nobody has improved the hand-crank can opener

It has two moving parts, needs no power, and still beats every gadget that tried to replace it. Here's how to buy one that lasts.

GuideSurvival & Self-DefenseDean ShawOct 11, 20266 min

Your survival kit doesn't fit on a wrist

Bracelet kits, credit-card tools and hollow-handle knives sell the feeling of being prepared. Here's what to skip and what to carry instead.

Ask BRO

What should I wear to this?

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StoryCan You Fix ItWes DunbarOct 10, 20266 min

Nobody has improved on the plunger, and plenty have tried

A rubber cup on a stick has outlasted every gadget built to replace it. Here's why, and how to buy one that outlives you.

Coconut.com — Tell us when. We find where the sun is.

PartnerCoconut.com

GuidePreparednessNina CastellanOct 11, 20265 min

Four hours, forty-eight hours, forty degrees

The USDA numbers that tell you what's safe in the fridge and freezer after the lights go out, and the ten-dollar tool that settles every argument.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

StoryGarden & YardWes DunbarOct 10, 20265 min

The square shovel and the hoe have nothing left to fix

Two flat blades on two long sticks do most of the work in any yard. Here's why nobody has beaten them, and how to buy ones your kids will inherit.

StoryFoodWes DunbarOct 10, 20265 min

The cast iron skillet has nothing left to prove

It sears, fries, bakes and rides from campfire to oven. Here's why nobody has improved on it, and how to buy one that outlives you.

PartnerWhackAWoke.com

GuideCan You Fix ItWes DunbarOct 9, 20265 min

Miracle sprays and magic tapes fix the demo, not your house

The as-seen-on-TV repair aisle sells speed. Six gimmicks to leave on the shelf, what to do instead, and the one case where each earns its keep.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

GuideHomeWes DunbarOct 9, 20265 min

The kitchen drawer you can't close is full of these

Seven single-job gadgets that take up space and do worse work than a knife, a pan, or a fork you already own.

GuideGarden & YardWes DunbarOct 6, 20265 min

Your Mower Sat All Winter and Now It Has Opinions

The box says pull the cord. The box hasn't met your shed. How to wake a hibernating mower without wrecking your Saturday or your shoulder.

Ask BRO

Rewrite my CV so it actually gets read

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GuideCan You Fix ItWes DunbarOct 9, 20265 min

The multimeter worth owning is rated CAT III 600V

One handheld meter, a few safety markings, and the checks it lets you make before you call an electrician or touch a wire.

Dude.com — 16 AI advisers who listen, talk and are here with you

PartnerDude.com

GuideHomeWes DunbarOct 6, 20266 min

Hanging a heavy picture straight on the first try

One frame, two hooks, zero extra holes. The way it really goes, plus the bathroom scale trick nobody mentions.

Poll

Where does your best time with your kids happen?

GuideCountry BroDean ShawOct 3, 20267 min

Set up the block so your worst swing hits wood, not your shin

Most splitting injuries are decided before the maul leaves the ground. Get the block, the stance and the wedge right, and a bad swing costs you nothing.

GuideCan You Fix ItWes DunbarOct 3, 20267 min

Sweating a Copper Joint Is Mostly About Getting the Water Out

The torch is the easy part. A dry pipe and clean metal decide whether the joint holds, and most first-timers skip both.

Delicious.com — Nine thousand recipes and a plan for tonight

PartnerDelicious.com

GuideSelf-Employed WomenNina CastellanOct 3, 20266 min

Your home is your office now, so own a real drill

Every jammed disposal and sagging shelf costs a home business a morning. A dozen basic tools, and what each one actually does, fix most of it.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next two weeks.

BRO for Her6 min

The anchors that came in the box are why the shelf fell

Be a Man5 min

Apologize for what you did, never for what you are

Ask BRO

Give me something to do with my kids this weekend

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GuideHomeWes DunbarSep 23, 20266 min

The Asbestos You Can Live With and the Kind That Stops Work

Nine-inch tiles, popcorn ceilings, gray pipe wrap and attic vermiculite. What to leave alone, what to test, and the moment you put the tools down.

Names.com — The name is the first thing you sell

PartnerNames.com

Country Bro6 min read

The lift that wrecks your back is the last one of the day

Eighty-pound bags, feed sacks and awkward loads will find the weak link eventually. Fix your technique, then buy the machine that does it for you.

Poll

Where does your phone charge overnight?

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