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## Gear for Women Traveling Solo

by Ria Misra

The women of Wirecutter drew on our experience—many of us log thousands of miles a year—to create a packing list to help you truly enjoy flying solo.

#### Related

- The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks
- The Best Toiletry Bags
- The Best Packing Cubes

### Watch our videos

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### New + updated reviews

- The Best Showerhead

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- The Best Ways for Immigrants to Build Credit

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- The Best Cheap Projector

  February 22

- The Best Espresso Machine for Beginners

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### Deals We Love

Price drops on products we already love

- ## LG B8 55-Inch OLED TV

  $1400 $1100

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- ## Op/Tech Utility Camera Strap Sling

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- ## Kensington Orbit Trackball with Scroll Ring

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- ## $100 Xbox Gift Card

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- ## WD Elements 4 TB External Desktop Hard Drive

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- ## Red Dead Redemption 2

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- ## First Alert SCO501CN-3ST Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Voice Location

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- ## Anker Soundcore Space NC Headphones

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- ## Monoprice Maker Select v2 3D Printer

  $240 $192

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- ## Redi Shade 36” x 72” Original Blackout Pleated Paper Shade (Pack of 6)

  $30 $22

  27% off

- See all 137 deals

### Smart homes start here

Thinking about making an Amazon Echo, Google Home, or Apple HomePod part of your life? There’s more to these devices than music and trivia, and we’ll help you figure out what you need and how to make your smart home work for you.

- ## Amazon Echo vs. Google Home: Which Voice Controlled Speaker Is Best for You?

- ## The Best Smart LED Light Bulbs

- ## The Best Plug-In Smart Outlet

- ## How Many Smart Speakers Do I Need in My Home?

### Electronics

Accessories, Smartphones, Cameras, or see all in Electronics

- #### The Best Portable Power Stations

  Updated February 26, 2019

  by Sarah Witman

  We tested top power stations to find the best one for car camping, working outdoors, or staying powered in emergencies when a generator isn’t practical.

- #### The Best iPad Pro Cases

  Updated February 25, 2019

  by Nick Guy

  OtterBox’s Symmetry iPad Pro cases are the only cases that offer full protection, plus a flap for the Apple Pencil that tucks away when you don’t need it.

- #### The Best True Wireless Headphones

  Updated February 25, 2019

  by Lauren Dragan

  The Jabra Elite 65t true wireless earbuds deliver all the performance and comfort you expect from standard Bluetooth earbuds with the bonus of no wires.

### Home & Garden

Bedroom, Tools, Garage, or see all in Home & Garden

#### ​The Best Snow Blowers

Updated February 26, 2019

by Doug Mahoney

After 150 hours of research and tests of the most promising snow blowers, we’ve found the Toro SnowMaster 724 QXE is the fastest and easiest to use.

- #### The Best Showerhead

  Updated February 26, 2019

  The Kohler K-22169-CP Forte Multifunction is the showerhead we’d want to use every day.

- #### The Best Cotton Sheets

  Updated February 21, 2019

  After testing 53 sets over four years, L.L.Bean’s Pima Cotton Percale Sheets and JCPenney Home’s 400 TC Wrinkle Guard Sateen Sheets remain our favorites.

- #### The Best Comforter

  Updated February 21, 2019

  After testing dozens of comforters, we’d buy L.L.Bean’s Baffle-Box Stitch Down Comforter (Warm) for its warmth and quality construction.

### Kitchen & Dining

Tools, Small Appliances, Dining & Entertaining, or see all in Kitchen & Dining

- #### The Best Espresso Machine for Beginners

  Updated February 22, 2019

  by Justin Vassallo

  After over 60 hours of research and testing on nine espresso machines, we think the Breville Bambino Plus makes it easiest for beginners to learn the ropes.

- #### The Best Waffle Maker

  Updated February 21, 2019

  by Marguerite Preston, Sarah Zorn, and Winnie Yang

  After 70 hours of researching and testing waffle makers, we’ve found that the Chef’sChoice WafflePro 840B delivers beautiful, golden brown waffles every time.

- #### The Elements of Brunch

  Updated February 20, 2019

  by Eve O'Neill and Wirecutter Staff

  We spent 25 hours of research, consulted entertaining experts for brunch ideas, and threw three meals to find the best kitchen, bar, and serving tools for brunch.

### Money

Making Credit Work For You, Managing Your Money, Paying Down Debt, or see all in Money

#### The Best Ways for Immigrants to Build Credit

Updated February 25, 2019

by Sally French

Even if you have great credit back home, you may need to start from scratch on building credit in the US.

- #### The Best Airline Credit Cards

  Updated February 21, 2019

  The best airline credit card isn’t an airline credit card. Most airline cards have little to offer, and you’re better off with a general travel card instead.

- #### The Best Credit Cards for Groceries

  Updated February 20, 2019

  Does a grocery rewards card deserve a spot in your wallet? The answer comes down to how much and where you spend.

- #### Bloody Marys and Massages: A Visit to an Amex Centurion Lounge

  Updated February 16, 2019

  The Amex Centurion Lounge upended the airport experience, but is access to the lounge worth getting a $550 credit card?

### Travel

Gear, Bags, Luggage, or see all in Travel

- #### Our Favorite Briefcases

  Updated February 26, 2019

  by Tim Barribeau and Daniel Varghese

  If you wear a suit or jacket for work, one of these briefcases will meet your style and budget needs to carry everything you need for a day on the job.

- #### The Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards

  Updated February 13, 2019

  by Taylor Tepper

  Our favorite travel cards cater to frequent flyers, folks who can get big value out of an annual-fee card, and those who want rewards with no scary annual cost.

- #### The Best Travel Toiletry Bottles

  Updated February 11, 2019

  by Geoffrey Morrison

  After shaking and squeezing eight sets of travel toiletry bottles, we’ve decided Sea to Summit’s Travelling Light Bottles are the ones we want in our bags.

### Office

Home Office, Printers & Scanners, Furniture, or see all in Office

#### The Best Desktop Organizers

Updated February 14, 2019

by Anna Perling

After comparing 16 organizers side by side, we found the Innovative Storage Designs Desktop Organizer is the best way to quickly bring order to your workspace.

- #### The Best Standing Desks

  Updated February 13, 2019

  After testing eight standing desks for more than two months, we believe the Uplift Bamboo Stand Up Desk with 1″ Thick Desktop and V2 Frame, is the best standing desk for most people.

- #### The Best Tax Software

  Updated February 13, 2019

  We prepared 14 fake returns on seven different online tax-prep sites to find the best ways to file your 2018 taxes.

- #### The Best Online Fax Services

  Updated February 11, 2019

  If you want to send a short document, FaxZero is the simplest, fastest free online service for sending a high-quality fax.

### Appliances

Small Appliances, Large Appliances, Vacuum Cleaners, or see all in Appliances

- #### The Best Washing Machines (and Their Matching Dryers)

  Updated February 20, 2019

  by Liam McCabe

  After hundreds of hours of research, we found that front-loaders are still the best washers for most people, and the LG WM3770H is the best of the bunch.

- #### The Best Dishwasher

  Updated February 14, 2019

  by Liam McCabe, Tyler Wells Lynch, and Alex Arpaia

  After over 120 hours of research into 230 models over four years, we think the Bosch 300 Series SHEM63W55N is the best dishwasher for most people right now.

- #### The Best Electric Stoves and Ranges

  NEW PICKS SOON February 14, 2019

  by Tyler Wells Lynch

  We’ve spent more than 100 hours researching electric stoves. Read on to see what we recommend.

### Health & Fitness

Personal Care, Exercise, Cycling, or see all in Health & Fitness

#### The Best Women’s Razors (for Every Body)

Published February 20, 2019

by Sabrina Imbler

The Venus Original is the best body razor for most people because it’s functional, easy to maneuver, and doesn’t clog as easily as five-blade models.

- #### The Best Thermometer for Kids and Adults

  Updated February 14, 2019

  After more than 10 hours of research and extensive temperature-taking tests, we think the Vicks ComfortFlex is the best thermometer for most people.

- #### The Best Folding Bike

  Updated February 13, 2019

  After 60-plus hours of pedaling, shifting, folding, and unfolding, we’re convinced that the Dahon Mariner D8 is the best folding bike for most commuters.

- #### The Best Commuter Bike Lights

  Updated February 11, 2019

  The Light & Motion Urban 500 headlight is the best way to see and be seen without spending a fortune.

### Baby & Kid

Baby, Toys, Gifts for Kids, or see all in Baby & Kid

- #### The Best Diaper Bag

  Updated February 19, 2019

  by Ellen Lee

  After a month taking a dozen diaper bags on nearly 50 outings, we’re sure the Skip Hop Duo Signature is the best diaper bag for most parents.

- #### The Best Diaper Pail

  Updated February 7, 2019

  by Winnie Yang

  We logged 250 diaper changes using nine different diaper pails and determined that the Ubbi Steel Diaper Pail has the best balance of ease of use and stink control for most families.

- #### The Best Strollers

  Updated February 4, 2019

  by Sonjia Hyon

  We traveled over 120 miles with 11 strollers and found that the Baby Jogger City Mini offers the best combination of features and performance.

### Outdoors

Gear, Camping, Apparel, or see all in Outdoors

#### The Best Hand Warmer

Updated February 22, 2019

by Kaitlyn Wells

After testing nine new hand warmers we think the Human Creations EnergyFlux Enduro is the best way to keep your hands warm this winter.

- #### The Best Multi-Tool

  Updated February 12, 2019

  The Leatherman Skeletool CX multi-tool delivers the essentials with no filler, lasts a long time, and is easy to carry daily.

- #### The Best Sports Bras

  Updated February 11, 2019

  After having a 20-person panel try 22 options in a variety of styles and sizes, we have recommendations to help kick-start your sports bra shopping.

- #### The Best Running Gear

  Updated February 1, 2019

  After 90 hours of research and testing with the most passionate runners on our staff, this is the running gear we’d recommend.

### Pets

Dogs, Gear, Cats, or see all in Pets

- #### What to Buy Before Adopting a Cat

  Updated February 14, 2019

  by Kaitlyn Wells

  If you’re adopting a cat, you’ll need more than just a litter box and some food—here are the things you should have before you bring your kitty home.

- #### The Best Dog Toys, According to Our Pups

  Updated February 5, 2019

  by Wirecutter Staff

  The dogs of Wirecutter share their favorite toys for chewing, fetching, food dispensing, and destroying. These will keep your dog engaged longer than the rest.

- #### The Best Water Fountain for Cats and Dogs

  Updated January 28, 2019

  by Rebekah Valentine

  After testing nine pet water fountains (and having one turned into a chew toy), we think the Catit Flower Fountain is the best for most cats (and some dogs).

### Hobby & Crafts

Music, or see all in Hobby & Crafts

#### The Best Acoustic Guitar for Beginners

Updated February 26, 2019

by Brent Butterworth

We had music teachers, students, and a tech test seven guitars, and we think the easy-playing, great-sounding Fender CC-60S is the best for beginners.

- #### The Best Label Maker

  Updated February 19, 2019

  We printed dozens of labels while testing the top seven label makers to find the best one to organize your office, kitchen, media cabinet, and more.

- #### The Best MIDI Keyboard Controller for Beginners

  Updated February 8, 2019

  Our digital-music experts found that the Arturia MiniLab MkII is the best way to get into computer music production affordably—no instrument skills needed.

- #### The Best Ukulele for Beginners

  Updated January 31, 2019

  We considered more than 50 ukuleles and had experts and students test 16, and we found the Donner DUC-1 to be the best all-around buy in a beginner’s ukulele.

### Cars

Accessories, Passenger Cars, Trucks & SUVs, or see all in Cars

- #### The Best Ice Scraper and Snow Brush

  Updated February 11, 2019

  by Tim Heffernan

  The Hopkins SubZero 80037 is the best ice scraper we’ve found.

- #### The Best Dash Cam

  Updated February 8, 2019

  by Rik Paul and Molly K. McLaughlin

  The Garmin Dash Cam 55 is the best for most drivers thanks to its sharp image quality, ease of use, and compact size.

- #### The Best Wireless Car Phone Charger Mounts

  Updated January 22, 2019

  by Nick Guy

  After 100 hours testing wireless phone-charging car mounts, we think Scosche’s StuckUp Qi is the best for most drivers. It’s fast, solid, and Qi certified.