Markus

I’ll never forget the first time I pulled fresh spaghetti through a hand-cranked machine in my grandmother’s kitchen. The strands came out rough, uneven, and far from the silky noodles I was chasing. Fast forward a decade and I’ve tested more than 30 pasta extruders across price points, from sub-$40 stand-mixer attachments to fully automatic … Read more

I spent the last three months testing convection toaster ovens in my own kitchen, baking everything from chocolate chip cookies to small loaves of sourdough. I burned through hundreds of dollars of ingredients and probably a decade off my life standing in front of these things with an oven thermometer. The best convection toaster ovens … Read more

I’ve roasted over 40 chickens, countless trays of vegetables, and more pork shoulders than I want to count over the past three months. All of it happened in eight different countertop convection ovens, side by side, in my kitchen. The result is this guide to the best countertop convection ovens for roasting you can buy … Read more

I remember the first time I tried to roll pasta dough by hand. My arms were sore, the sheets came out uneven, and half the dough stuck to the counter. That was the day I decided an electric pasta machine was no longer a luxury but a necessity. If you have ever wanted to make … Read more

Sous vide machines transform weeknight cooking by holding water to exact temperatures for hours on end, turning out edge-to-edge medium-rare steaks and custardy egg yolks that are nearly impossible to nail on a stovetop. I started using an immersion circulator five years ago when a friend lent me his for a single brisket, and I … Read more

I remember my first attempt at sous vide cooking like it was yesterday. I splurged on a ribeye, set up a complicated contraption, and ended up with a gray, overcooked slab of beef that tasted more like cafeteria meat than steakhouse fare. That was the year I almost gave up on sous vide entirely. Then … Read more

Homemade pasta tastes like nothing you can buy in a box. I remember the first time I cranked dough through a hand-cranked roller and watched it emerge as a smooth, silken sheet. My kitchen has smelled like semolina and butter ever since. If you have been searching for the best pasta makers for homemade noodles, … Read more

Last summer my neighbor Dave spent three weekends hauling chlorine buckets, testing strips, and scrubbing algae off his pool walls. I spent maybe 20 minutes a month on mine. The difference came down to one decision: I went with a saltwater above ground pool. After testing and comparing models over the past two pool seasons, … Read more

If you have ever wished for a pool you could actually leave up through January without watching the frame buckle or the liner crack, you have come to the right place. After spending the last few months testing, comparing spec sheets, and reading through hundreds of owner reports on forums, I put together this guide … Read more

If your pool water looks cloudy, greenish, or just not as inviting as it should, the problem almost always traces back to one piece of equipment: the pump. After testing, comparing, and living with more than a dozen models over the past few seasons, our team put together this guide to the best above ground … Read more