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The best standing desks you can buy for your home or office

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

best standing desk

  • The health benefits of sitting less during the day are too great to ignore, but with the number of standing desks available, it can be hard to know which desks are a quality investment, and which ones should be avoided.
  • With its stability, smooth height adjustment, and solid warranty the Fully Jarvis Electric Adjustable Height Standing Desk is a step above the rest, providing the best value for your money.

Improve your posture, burn more calories, get more energized, and increase your life expectancy. These health benefits sound like something you'd get after a rigorous exercise routine, but believe it or not, they're the result of standing more instead of sitting. So many jobs involve sitting at a desk for hours each day, and it can be hard to break away to incorporate more standing without sacrificing productivity.

Even with coffee breaks and the occasional stretch, the average American still spends up to 15 hours a day sitting. This is bad news considering a sedentary lifestyle increases your chances for cancer, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. Before you run away from your desk job in terror, there is a compromise. Consider the standing desk, which allows you to incorporate more standing into your day without interrupting whatever task you may be trying to accomplish.

To find the perfect standing desk to fit your needs, it's important to consider a few questions before committing to a purchase. First, how much space do you have to work with? Standing desks come in all sizes and configurations so you can find a good fit. Second, do you want to part with your traditional desk? If the answer is no, then you might want to find a standing desk conversion option that you can set up on the desk you already have. Lastly, what are you willing to spend? Some desks are more budget friendly than others, but it's important to remember that you're investing in your health too, so it may be worth it to spend a little more on a quality desk.

It may seem overwhelming, but luckily we've done the research for you to find what we think are the five best standing desks to suit a variety of needs. Since we've pored through the reviews, you can take a stand for your health sooner rather than later, and learn which desk may be best for you.

Here are the best standing desks you can buy in 2019:

Updated on 6/3/2019 by Les Shu: Updated prices, links, and formatting. Added related buying guides.

Keep scrolling to read more about our top picks.

The best standing desk overall

The Fully Jarvis Electric Adjustable Height standing desk is the complete package, combining a durable and sleek design, stability, and easy height adjustment for a reasonable price.

One of the biggest downfalls of a fully transitional sit-to-stand desk is that the higher it gets, the less stable it becomes until you're left with a uselessly wobbly contraption. Not so with the Fully Jarvis. Even at its full height of 48 inches, this desk maintains an ample amount of stability, so even if you're on the taller side (up to 6 foot 7 inches), you will be able to use this desk with ease. For those who are shorter, this desk can adjust to any height in between 23.25 and 48.75 inches.

The Fully Jarvis has a sit-stand desk frame so you can go from sitting to standing and anywhere in between, although we imagine a static squat hold probably wouldn't lend much to work productivity. If you're looking for smooth transition, though, this is the desk for you. The frame is motorized, so there is no old-fashioned hand-cranking required, and its programmable digital handset with four preset options allows you to input your ideal sitting and standing height.

According to Start Standing, the desk raises and lowers at a rate of 1.25-inches per second, and though the reviewer found it wasn't as quiet as some higher priced desks, the noise wasn't unbearably loud. We wouldn't recommend taking a conference call while transitioning from sitting to standing, but the noise isn't a deal breaker. It's a fair trade off for the stability and the lift capacity this desk has.

The Fully Jarvis can support a whopping 350 pounds, and while it would be a bit of a challenge to hit that max weight unless you're housing an anchor on your desk, it's nice to know that you don't have to worry about this desk tipping over or not being able to accommodate all your electronics.

The Fully Jarvis is backed by a generous seven-year warranty, and its simple assembly is helped along by easy-to-follow instructions. However, if you're understandably short on time or patience you can also choose to receive expert assembly from Amazon. It will add to the price of the frame, but for the sake of convenience and sanity, you may find spending a little extra money is worth it. Reviewers on Amazon praised the high-quality feel and sleek design of this desk frame, especially considering the affordable price.

The Fully Jarvis provides a complete package of reasonable price, beautiful design, and stability. It's not surprising that it shows up repeatedly as the number one pick in many "best standing desk" lists, including The Wirecutter and Gadget Review. We have to agree that it stands apart from the rest.

Pros: Well designed, stable even at its maximum height, durable, able to hold up to 350 pounds, reasonably priced

Cons: Not the quietest desk on the market

Buy the 60-inch rectangle Fully Jarvis Electric Adjustable Height Standing Desk on Amazon for $624 (other options available)

Buy the Fully Jarvis Adjustable Height Standing Desk from Fully starting at $399



The best affordable standing desk

The Readydesk is an affordable and easy-to-assemble standing desk that allows you to keep your traditional desk, features a durable design, and has enough space to house a dual monitor set up.

If you're just starting to dip your toes into the standing desk movement, and aren't sure if you want to spend a lot of money to begin with, the Readydesk 2 is a great place to start. Not only is it budget-friendly, but it's a conversion option that allows you to utilize a traditional desk you may already have and not be ready to part with.

Think of the Readydesk 2 as the training wheels of standing desks. If you enjoy incorporating more standing into your day, you can always leave your traditional desk behind and graduate to a fully transitional standing desk. However, you may find yourself keeping the Readydesk2 as a permanent option.

Business Insider's guide editor Malarie Gokey used the Readydesk 2 to convert her desk into a standing desk, and it was perfect. It's easy to assemble, fits nicely on most desks without taking up too much space, and it's much more affordable than other standing desk converters. 

The Readydesk came from humble beginnings as the product of a Kickstarter, but its stable, well-constructed design has earned it a solid place among effective standing desks that won't turn into a wobbly mess. It's constructed from recyclable Baltic Birch Wood, which gives this desk a unique aesthetic appeal since most standing desks utilize plastic and metal. The two adjustable shelves can be configured in 30 different ways, and the top shelf provides enough space for a dual monitor set up.

This is a semi-permanent standing desk conversion option, making it too cumbersome to switch rapidly between sitting and standing, and its design wouldn't exactly be described as "sleek." However, this is a budget friendly desk, so you aren't going to get the deluxe features found in more expensive standing desks.

Budget friendly doesn't translate to cheap quality in the case of the Readydesk 2. Circle of Docs, an online community of chiropractors, tried the Readydesk 2 and described it as "lightweight, strong, and beautifully designed."

Those who have purchased this desk have continued to give it highly rated reviews, praising its quality, easy set-up, and sturdy build. While this reviewer would have liked the shelves to be rounded for additional comfort, the buyer still enthusiastically dubbed it the "best desk ever" and loved the way it has changed the way they work and view their workspace.

Pros: Affordable, easy assembly, durable design, spacious enough for a dual monitor set-up

Cons: Not able to smoothly transition between sitting and standing, some reviewers found the unfinished shelf edges uncomfortable, lacks the extra features that would be found in a more expensive standing desk

Buy the Readydesk 2 on Amazon for $149.99



The best standing desk conversion

The Ergo Desktop Kangaroo Pro Junior provides a smooth transition from sitting to standing, while allowing you to keep your traditional desk. 

Maybe you have a desk you don't want to part with, or you can't justify paying the higher price for a fully adjustable standing desk when you have a traditional desk in perfect condition. Just because you don't want to part ways with the desk you have now doesn't mean you can't get the benefits of a standing desk. Standing desk conversion options like the Kangaroo Pro Junior can be placed directly on top of your desk, and allow you to sit or stand as needed.

While some conversion options can take up a large chunk of your desk space, The Wirecutter points out that the compact design of the Kangaroo Pro Junior allows you to get the most out of your space, and it doesn't need an especially wide desk to sit on top of like other conversion options. The built-in pneumatic spring mechanism allows you to go from sitting to standing by the turn of a knob so your coworkers won't be looking on in amusement as you make the switch. Limiting workplace embarrassment is always a plus in our book. To go back to sitting, you simply press the surface back into place.

The Kangaroo Pro Junior is one of the most ergonomic conversion options, with separate keyboard and monitor platform adjustments that make it possible for you to find your comfort zone with ease. This option works best with a separate monitor and keyboard set-up, as it doesn't provide a secure way to mount a laptop, though the 24 x 18-inch keyboard tray is more than stable enough to support a laptop if needed.

It also comes with a metal leg to provide additional stability. Unfortunately, this stability leg does take away from the aesthetic appeal of the design, but the guaranteed stabilization it provides ensures that you won't have to deal with a wobbly desk. The benefits of a standing desk are lost if it won't let you work comfortably while standing.

The small working space provided holds up to 35 pounds of your necessities, so you won't be putting the contents of your entire desk on this conversion option. However, since it's meant to be used with your traditional desk, you should have enough space for everything you need.

If the thought of assembling furniture raises your blood pressure before you've even begun, not to worry — the Kangaroo Pro Junior doesn't require any installation or time-consuming assembly and the frame comes with a five-year warranty.

This reviewer was impressed with how well-made and stable the Kangaroo Pro Junior is, while this one was so pleased they bought more for their entire office and praised the customer service they received.

Whether you're looking to bring the health benefits of standing desks into your office, or you want to work in comfort at home, the Kangaroo Pro Junior is a great standing desk option to upgrade your workspace.

Pros: Provides a smooth transition from sitting to standing, compact so it won't take up your entire desk space, no installation required and easy assembly, separate adjustment options for keyboard and monitor

Cons: Not the most ideal option for laptops, will only hold the essentials, the stabilizing leg is a bit of an eyesore

Buy the Ergo Desktop Kangaroo Pro Junior on Amazon for $399



The best easy-to-assemble standing desk

For a high-end desk that assembles quickly and easily, Varidesk's Pro 60 Full Electric Standing Desk is no doubt the way to go.

My very first standing desk was of the Varidesk variety, and I'm convinced that my last standing desk will also be of the Varidesk variety. While these certainly don't come cheap, they're extremely high-quality, very quiet, and extremely easy to set up.

Varidesk claims that its Pro Desk 60 will require just five minutes of your time to assemble, and though that's not quite true, this standing desk is much more straightforward to put together than most other options on the market.

Let's not kid ourselves — this is an expensive desk. But what you're paying for is a large desk size (it's 60 by 30 inches), a wide range of heights (it goes from 25.5 to 50.5 inches, offering more than two feet in adjustments), and a solid five year warranty to ensure that you're not just throwing $1,000 away.

Plus, if you're thinking about going with a lower base price standing desk, but want to add various customizations to make it match the specs of the Pro Desk, you'll likely be looking at a similar price tag.

As far as high-end standing desks go, the Pro Desk is an excellent choice. Designed with commercial-grade materials, this desk is meant for commercial offices, but makes just as much sense at home. All desks have a heavy-duty laminate finish and a strong steel frame. There's a stability crossbar that looks a bit dated but does add an extra layer of stability.

Indeed, you can place up to 250 pounds of, well, stuff on your desk, so you should feel comfortable with multiple monitors, a printer, paperweights, and whatever else you may need to feel productive during the day.

Adjusting the desk is a seamless process: Simply press the up or down arrow, and the LED display will display the height. Once you've decided that you've reached a comfortable position, you can commit that particular height to memory thanks to the Pro Desk's three programmable settings. The motor is also surprisingly quiet, so if you find that you need to do some light-night adjustments to your workstation, you won't wake up the entire household.

As for assembly, the Pro Desk really does make things as simple as possible. All requisite tools are included, and because the crossbars are pre-mounted to the desktop, all you really have to do is position the legs and secure them in place, attach the cables and the stability bar, and install the cable tray. The toughest part comes in flipping the desk over — it's a heavy piece of equipment, and most likely requires two people for safe handling.

The Pro Desk 60 comes in five finishes: Butcher Block, Reclaimed Wood, Darkwood, White, and Black, and can be further dressed up with Varidesk's wide range of accessories. I'm a particular fan of the 36-inch mat, which takes some of the pressure off your feet while you're standing all day; the dual-monitor arm set-up; and the variable height Varichair, because everyone deserves to take a seat sometimes. — Lulu Chang

Pros: Easy to assemble, durable construction, five finishes to choose from, quiet motor with three presets

Cons: Expensive

Buy the Varidesk Pro Desk 60 on Amazon for $795 (Varidesk Pro Desk 40 is available for $695)



The best customizable standing desk

The Uplift Desk gives you the option to change just about everything about it, which means you can have your desk just the way you want it.

One of the best things about the Uplift Desk is that it is, in every sense of the word, your desk. Customization is key to this brand, which means that even though you can start with a run-of-the-mill carbonized bamboo rectangular desk measuring about 48 by 30 inches, you can change things up in terms of size, electronics, power supplies, and more.

When Business Insider's James Brains created his own Uplift Desk, he ended up choosing a 60-by-30-inch desktop with a slight curve on the front, a power grommet, an advanced digital memory keypad that remembers four preferred desk heights and will automatically adjust to them with the push of a button, the basic wire management kit (which comes with adhesive cable ties, screw-in cable mounts, reusable cable ties, cable drop downs, a six-outlet surge protector power strip, a cable coil organizer, and an under-desk hook), and a large half-circle desk drawer. See? Truly customizable.

All Uplift desks also come with a standing desk mat and a bamboo desk organizer set, though you could also really get your fitness on and ask for a desk treadmill or bike, though to be honest, I've always found those add-ons to be a bit distracting from your actual work.

With all these bells and whistles, assembly does become something of a pain. After all, when you're putting together a desk that comes with an essentially infinite number of individualized parts, you can't expect much of it to come pre-assembled. While putting the desk together isn't difficult, per se, it is rather time-consuming. But once you've put it together, it's pretty likely that it'll be the desk of your dreams. After all, you'll have designed it.

Another thing to love about the Uplift Desk is that it comes with one of the best return and warranty policies on the market. For starters, you have 30 days to take your desk on a test run. Should you decide that it's not everything you dreamed of and more, you can simply send it back.

Alternatively, should you find that something goes wrong with your desk, Uplift covers its products with a pretty impressive seven-year warranty. So even if you do end up spending some big bucks on your desk, you can rest assured that it won't all go to waste. — Lulu Chang

Pros: Extremely customizable, strong, durable materials, seven-year warranty and 30-day return policy

Cons: Can get expensive quickly with various add-ons, takes time to assemble

Buy a custom Uplift Standing Desk for $549 and up



Check out our other office gear guides

The best active seating for your office

It's easy to get swept up in a task and lose track of time, and it won't be until a couple of hours have gone by that you realize you've been glued to your computer screen — and your derriere has been stuck to your office chair. What can be done? Standing desks are one option, and there are plenty to choose from. However, standing all day can have its risks as well. Luckily there's another option: Active seating.

This type of seating promotes movement, improves posture, and activates your core while sitting, and some models can work in tandem with a standing desk, so you can find the perfect combination of sitting and standing throughout the day. Read our guide for more on active seating, as well as what we find to be the best options:


The best office chairs you can buy

If you spend the majority of your day parked in your office chair, you owe it to your body to choose a chair that gets an A+ for ergonomics. Our top pick for the comfiest office chair is the Steelcase Leap.

You should also consider the Knoll ReGeneration, the Herman Miller Aeron, the Herman Miller Sayl, and the Office Star AirGrid.


The best desk lamps you can buy for your office

If you have a home office, it's important to have good lighting so you don't strain your eyes while typing away on your computer or going over documents. There are dozens of different desk lamps to choose from in all kinds of styles, but based on our research, the Lumiy Lightblade 1500S desk lamp is the best one you can buy to light up your workspace in style.

You should also consider the Torchstar Traditional Banker's Lamp, the Luxe Cordless LED Lamp, the TaoTronics LED Lamp, the BenQ e-Reading LED Lamp, the Trent Austin Design Vera Desk Lamp, the Pillowfort Desk Task Lamp, and the Malvern 20-inch Desk Lamp.

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Jay Z — hip-hop's first billionaire — and Beyoncé are worth more than $1 billion. Here's how much money 19 rich and famous power couples are worth

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Jay Z Beyonce

There's just something about power couples. When two highly successful individuals get together, you've got a relationship that epitomizes a dream team. After all, it's hard work maintaining your own career and life on top of a powerful marriage. 

Apart from success, one thing that power couples often have in common? Money. At least, for the most iconic power couples.

But which half of each power duo has a higher net worth? Jay Z, who has a net worth of $1 billion, is worth more than Beyoncé, but Kim Kardashian West is the breadwinner in her marriage with Kanye. And some — like David and Victoria Beckham — are on completely even footing when it comes to wealth. 

Below, take a look at some of the richest, most well-known power couples — from celebrities to business moguls — and see who has a higher net worth.

SEE ALSO: Beyoncé is worth $355 million — see how she spends it on lavish mansions, yachting vacations, and a private jet for Jay-Z

DON'T MISS: Jay Z is the richest hip-hop artist in the world but he'd be nothing without Beyoncé — here are the 7 richest power couples

Hillary and Bill Clinton: $125 million

Bill Clinton net worth: $80 million

Hillary Clinton net worth: $45 million

Politicians Hillary and Bill Clinton have racked up quite the fortune since Bill's tenure as president ended. As of 2016, they had earned $240 million, according to Forbes

They both brought in money through six-figure speaking engagements and writing books, but Bill has a higher estimated net worth of $80 million in part due to a consulting job and advising billionaire Ron Burkle. From these two gigs, he made a collective $39 million, reports Forbes



Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick: $145 million

Sarah Jessica Parker net worth: $100 million

Matthew Broderick net worth: $45 million

Hollywood power couple Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick have raked in most of their money from the television and movie industries. Parker has also made money off of her perfumes and endorsement with Garnier, and Broderick has brought in cash from his work on Broadway. 

 

 



Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos: $160 million

Kelly Ripa net worth: $120 million

Mark Consuelos net worth: $40 million

Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos met on the set of soap opera "All My Children." In addition to acting, Ripa has credits as a television producer and a TV host. In 2016, she earned $17 million as a solo host on morning show Live!, according to Forbes. She's also been a spokeswoman for various companies, such as Tide and Pantene.

Since acting on "All My Children," Consuelos has guest starred or had recurring roles on many television shows.



Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian: $189 million

Serena Williams net worth: $180 million

Alexis Ohanian net worth: $9 million

Tennis champion Serena Williams has built her reported $180 million fortune by winning matches and taking on endorsement deals. According to Forbes, she has more than 12 corporate partners and has earned $84 million in prize money. 

Her husband Alexis Ohanian earned his reported $9 million net worth founding news site Reddit and online company Breadpig. He reportedly gives all of Breadpig's profits to organizations that need funding.



Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban: $205 million

Nicole Kidman net worth: $130 million

Keith Urban net worth: $75 million

Breaking into movies at age 16, Nicole Kidman has spent a lot of time building her $259 million net worth, as reported by the Australian Financial Review in 2017. In 2006, she married country music singer Keith Urban, who has his own estimated net worth of $75 million thanks to his music and judging on American Idol.

They reportedly spend a lot of their wealth on real estate.



Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel: $248 million

Justin Timberlake net worth: $230 million

Jessica Biel net worth: $18 million

Pop star Justin Timberlake has been making millions since he was in N'SYNC. Now a solo artist, he also makes money through endorsements and a string of businesses: tequila, a clothing line, and co-owned restaurants. He also invested in MySpace.com in 2012.

He married wife Jessica Biel in 2012, who accumulated her estimated $18 million net worth by starring in the popular TV show "7th Heaven" as well as a number of movies.



Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher: $265 million

Ashton Kutcher net worth: $200 million

Mila Kunis net worth: $65 million

Celebrity power couple Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis met on the sitcom "That '70s Show." Kunis has built her wealth by appearing in numerous movies and acting as the voice of Meg on "Family Guy." While Kutcher has also built his net worth on working in the TV and movie industries, he also created A-Grade Investments with Guy Oseary, which is worth $250 million, according to Forbes.



Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith: $320 million

Will Smith net worth: $300 million

Jada Pinkett Smith net worth: $20 million

Actor, producer, screenwriter, and rapper Will Smith can thank Hollywood for his estimated $300 million net worth. From June 2017 to July 2018 alone, the 49-year-old earned $42 million, according to Forbes

His wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, has also earned her estimated $20 million net worth in the entertainment industry, but she's also delved into other careers, including writing and fashion.



Kanye West and Kim Kardashian West: $510 million

Kim Kardashian West net worth: $350 million

Kanye West net worth: $160 million

Kim Kardashian West has built her $350 million empire through reality television, a mobile game, cosmetics, a line of perfumes, and her own branded Emojis. While Kim recently implied that husband Kanye West is a billionaire, he has a reported net worth of $160 million

Kanye has built his wealth not just by producing, rapping, and acting, but through business ventures such as his shoe line for Nike called Air Yeezy and another shoe line with Louis Vuitton.



George and Amal Clooney: $510 million

George Clooney net worth: $500 million

Amal Clooney net worth: $10 million

George Clooney was recently dubbed the highest-paid actor on Forbes' 2018 Highest-Paid Celebrities list. He made $239 million in the past year alone and sold the tequila company he co-founded, Casamigos, to Diageo for $700 million.

Amal Clooney may not have as high of a net worth as George, but her $10 million net worth and career as a human rights lawyer, activist, and author are equally, if not more, impressive.

 



Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen: $560 million

Gisele Bündchen net worth: $380 million

Tom Brady net worth: $180 million

Together, Gisele Bündchen and Tom Brady are worth more than a quarter of a billion dollars. Supermodel Bündchen is the breadwinner in this relationship, raking in $30.5 million in 2016 and $17.5 million in earnings in 2017, thanks to fragrance, jewelry, and shoes campaigns, according to Forbes. This makes Bündchen the second highest-paid model in the world, with an estimated net worth sitting around $380 million.

Meanwhile, Brady is the third highest-paid player in NFL history. He's earned $197.2 million over the course of his 18-season career and currently has an estimated net worth of $180 million



David and Victoria Beckham: $900 million

David Beckham net worth: $450 million

Victoria Beckham net worth: $450 million

Together, the Beckhams are just shy of $1 billion, with both having a hefty estimated net worth of $450 million each.

David Beckham is one of the highest-paid athletes of all time, bringing in more than $800 million in career earnings, according to Forbes. He's also earned at least $42 million in endorsements.

Meanwhile, former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham has created her net worth out of brand sponsorships, modeling contracts, and a high-end fashion label and discount clothing line at Target. 

 



Marissa Meyer and Zachary Bogue: $900 million

Marissa Mayer net worth: $600 million

Zachary Bogue net worth: $300 million

Marissa Mayer has made waves in the tech industry. She was one of the first employees at Google — netting her around $300 million, according to Money — and she was the former CEO of Yahoo, where she earned a reported $400 million. Most recently, she cofounded incubator Lumi Labs.

She married venture capitalist and entrepreneur Zachary Bogue, managing partner at Founders Den, in 2009. He invested in several successful startups, including Square and Metamarkets, and co-founded investment fund Data Collective, all of which helped him grow a net worth of $300 million.



Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner: $1.1 billion

Jared Kushner net worth: $800 million

Ivanka Trump net worth: $300 million

There's a lot of speculation on Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's combined net worth, but they've been estimated to be worth as much as $300 million and $800 million, respectively. Trump earned at least $12 million in 2017, largely from a book advance, severance pay for leaving the Trump Organization, her stake in the Trump International Hotel in Washington, DC, and her fashion brand. 

The same year, Kushner earned $5 million in passive income from holdings in real estate and another $5 million in capital gains from selling a shopping mall, according to MONEY, citing documentation released from the White House. 



Beyoncé and Jay Z: $1.35 billion

Jay Z net worth: $1 billion

Beyoncé net worth: $355 million

This music power couple has earned their wealth mainly through music producing credits, album sales, live performances, and worldwide tours. 

They both have significant stakes in music streaming service Tidal, and Jay Z has stakes in Armand de Brignac champagne and D'ussé cognac. With an estimated net worth of $1 billion, making him hip-hop's first billionaire, most of Jay Z's wealth comes from his entertainment company, Roc Nation. He's also invested in Jetsmarter and signed a 10-year, $200 million deal with Live Nation last year.

Meanwhile, Beyonce has an estimated net worth of $355 million. Her Formation World Tour grossed a quarter of a billion dollars, and she has a line of gym wear and an on-demand vegan meal delivery service.



Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr: $2.6 billion

Evan Spiegel net worth: $2.6 billion 

Miranda Kerr net worth: $45 million

Snapchat CEO and cofounder Evan Spiegel has a net worth around $2.6 billion, largely due to the 18% share he owns in Snapchat. He married supermodel Miranda Kerr in 2017, whose estimated net worth of $45 million gives them a combined wealth of $2.645 billion. Her wealth comes from her modeling career and cosmetics line Kora Organics, which she owns.



Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan: $83.8 billion

Mark Zuckerberg: $65.8 billion

Priscilla Chan: $18 billion

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg's estimated net worth of $65.8 billion increases as the stock for Facebook climbs. He's added an average $9 billion to his wealth every year since Facebook debuted on the New York Stock Exchange. 

He's married to his college-sweetheart, Priscilla Chan, a pediatrician and philanthropist, who has a reported net worth of $18 billion

They plan to give away their fortune as members of the Giving Pledge.



Bill and Melinda Gates: $95.8 billion

Bill and Melinda Gates: $95.8 billion

Bill and Melinda Gates intend to give away most of their $90 billion fortune, and they donated around $4.6 billion to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2017 alone. According to Forbes, Gates only owns a little more than 1% of his shares in Microsoft, the software firm he founded with Paul Allen, having "sold or given away much of his stake."

 



Jeff and Mackenzie Bezos: $163.3 billion

Combined net worth: $163.3 billion

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos owns 16% of Amazon and purchased The Washington Post in 2013 for $250 million, contributing to his $160 billion-plus net worth. He met his wife, Mackenzie Bezos, while working at the same investment firm, which they both eventually quit before moving to Seattle to found Amazon. Mackenzie is now a novelist.

 



15 photos of Melania and Donald Trump's historic state visit with the Queen

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  • President Donald Trump is currently on his second visit to the United Kingdom. It's his first official state visit to the country.
  • Trump, first lady Melania Trump, first daughter Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law Jared Kushner met Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, Prince Harry, and more at Buckingham Palace on Monday.
  • Trump's three-day visit is slated to include several public appearances alongside top British royalty and lawmakers, with much pomp and circumstance.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories

President Donald Trump kicked off his first state visit to the United Kingdom Monday, nearly two years after he was first invited.

The long-awaited visit began with a bang at Buckingham Palace Monday alongside Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.

See the highlights from Trump's first day abroad.

SEE ALSO: What Queen Elizabeth's relationship was like with every US president, from Truman to Trump

DON'T MISS: Historic photos show every time American presidents met British Kings and Queens

President Donald and first lady Melania Trump landed at Stansted Airport near London Monday morning.



The first lady sported an eye-catching Burberry blouse for her British arrival.



After landing, the Trumps traveled on the Marine One helicopter to Buckingham Palace to start the festivities.



Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, were there to greet them. Melania had changed outfits into a bespoke Dolce and Gabbana dress and matching Hervé Pierre hat.



The president accompanied Prince Charles on inspecting the Guard of Honor formed by Grenadier Guards in their traditional bearskin hats.

Source: The Associated Press



The first couple then joined Queen Elizabeth II outside the palace.



Members of the King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery performed a gun salute to kick off Trump's visit and the 66th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's coronation.

Source: The Associated Press



The five leaders appeared side-by-side in front of the guard before entering the palace.



Trump's eldest daughter and adviser Ivanka was also spotted in tow with her husband and senior White House adviser Jared Kushner, upstairs the palace looking out the window.



The first couple headed inside the palace with the queen to view historical artifacts and artwork in the Royal Collection.

Source: The Washington Post



Prince Harry also joined the Trumps to view items from the palace's Royal Collection.



The president and first lady then moved on to visit Westminster Abbey, the first of several stops at major London landmarks they're slated to make.



The official state visit comes nearly two years after the president was initially invited. Protesters are expected to welcome the president with much controversy and ceremony, including displaying a 20-foot inflatable blimp of Trump looking like a baby.

Sources: BusinessInsider, USA Today



Trump met the queen last year, but it was a more informal visit at Windsor Castle, as opposed to a formal state visit.

Source: INSIDER



International media tuned into Trump's trip, as he's expected to raise issues including trade policy and Brexit over the next few days.

Source: Business Insider



Leaked footage shows the 'Jeopardy!' contestant who's been on a 32-game winning streak losing — meet the professional gambler from Illinois who took home $2.4 million in winnings and nearly broke an all-time record

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Jeopardy

Leaked footage shows that reigning "Jeopardy!" champion James Holzhauer will lose in tonight's episode. The 34-year-old professional sports gambler's loss follows a 32-game winning streak, the second longest in the show's history. 

Holzhauer has broken nearly every "Jeopardy!" record and raked in $2.4 million so far.

He sits in second place for all-time regular-season earnings to Ken Jennings, who won 74 games in a row to take home $2.5 million in 2004, Business Insider's Aylin Woodward reported. Holzhauer won $850,000 of his "Jeopardy!" earnings in just over a dozen episodes and earned nearly as much as Jennings in half that time.

Slate dubbed Holzhauer the Serena Williams of "Jeopardy!" Here's what we know about Holzhauer and his plan of attack.

SEE ALSO: A 'Jeopardy!' contestant has taken home more than $1.3 million in an 18-day winning streak. Here are the tricks he's using to stay on top.

DON'T MISS: 'Jeopardy!' contestant James Holzhauer broke his own single-game record with a perfect game

James Holzhauer, 34, is a professional sports gambler.

"As a gambler, I know you can do everything right and still have to wait a long time to see positive results if luck is not on your side," Holzhauer told The Ringer.

He told The New York Times that his sports betting used to be focused primarily on baseball, but that he has started to focus more on basketball and football.

Holzhauer hails from Naperville, Illinois, a Chicago suburb.



Holzhauer now lives in Las Vegas with his daughter and wife, Melissa, who is a tutor and linguistics expert.

According to Heavy, she was also a game-show contestant, winning $28,800 on "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?"

Holzhauer has used family birthdays and anniversaries as "Jeopardy!" wagers several times. According to The Washington Post, his winnings of exactly $110,914 on one night during his winning streak was far from an accident — it correlates to his daughter's November 9, 2014, birthday.



Before Holzhauer's winning stint on "Jeopardy!", the most money a player had ever won in a single game was $77,000 (according to Insider).

Throughout Holzhauer's 32-game winning streak, he broke this record several times. On April 9, he earned the highest one-day total ever: $131,127.



When breaking his own single-day record on April 17, Holzhauer answered all 41 questions he buzzed in for correctly.

He holds the top 10 slots in the "Jeopardy!" rankings of single-day winnings.

His April 17 game with 41 correct answers was, in Jeopardy terms, a perfect game.



According to The Boston Globe, Holzhauer has a 97% response accuracy and wins an average of $73,867 per game.

That earnings average far exceeds the show's average single-day winnings of $19,980, according to a "Jeopardy!" fan site



To prepare, Holzhauer spent hours rewatching old "Jeopardy!" episodes.

He also previously competed on quiz teams and has a good memory for facts, he told The Washington Post. However, he was never a "diligent student," he told The Times.



Holzhauer told The Post he's been preparing to go on "Jeopardy!" his whole life — he grew up watching it on TV on school nights and promised his grandma he'd appear on the show one day. He told The Post he doesn't take promises lightly.

He also read a lot of children's books to prepare.

"They are chock-full of infographics, pictures and all kinds of stuff to keep the reader engaged," he told The Post. "I couldn't make it through a chapter of an actual Dickens novel without falling asleep."



But Holzhauer has more than trivia knowledge — he also has an aggressive strategy.

As Business Insider previously reported, he goes for high-value clues first and bets big on Daily Doubles, often doubling his total.

In an interview with The New York Times, he noted that he thinks the traditional way of playing "Jeopardy!" is "too risk-averse."



Holzhauer also emphasizes hitting the show's iconic buzzer at just the right time.

According to The Ringer, before going on stage, he grilled "Jeopardy!" producer Maggie Speak about the specifics of the buzzer timing. Contestants have to hit the buzzer at exactly the right time after the question is asked — attempting to buzz in too early will lock them out for a quarter-second.



As of May 31, Holzhauer had won $2.4 million — which, as The Post reported, means Ken Jennings continues to hold on to his long-standing winnings record.

Holzhauer has donated money to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum — $100,000, according to a press release — and plans to donate some of his winnings to charity. He also plans to travel the world with his wife.



This $82 retinoid serum helped get rid of my acne scars almost overnight — it’s saved me hundreds on laser treatments

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

PTR 3% Retinoid Plus

  • Retinoids are a family of vitamin A and its derivatives that help speed cell turnover and boost collagen, which is why they're commonly used to help improve skin texture, even out hyperpigmentation, and minimize the appearance of fine lines. 
  • I've been using Peter Thomas Roth Professional 3% Retinoid Plus for seven months, but I noticed a difference in my skin the very next morning after my first use. 
  • The high 3% percent of retinoid works with caffeine to penetrate deep into my pores for immediate results, and it also soothed and nourished my dry patches so I didn't need to add a heavy moisturizer on top to overcompensate. 

Like any good beauty junkie whom the skin-care gods did not bless with baby-soft skin and air-tight pores, I've dropped thousands of dollars on facials, masks, peels, and elixirs that promise to firm, tone, brighten, and more.

I suffered from about a decade of confidence-crippling acne when I was a teen and well into my 20s. But once I finally nailed an intricate routine that cleared it up, I was left with PTSD manifested in the form of blotchy scarring and discoloration, and the cycle of reading product reviews from Sephora and my favorite beauty bloggers started again.

I had almost given up hope on even being able to walk out of my apartment without makeup until I picked up a bottle of Peter Thomas Roth Professional 3% Retinoid Plus after seeing its 4.6-star review on Sephora (from nearly 175 customers).

Retinoids are a family of vitamin A and its derivatives that help speed cell growth and have been used to treat acne, fine lines, and hyperpigmentation. The collagen-boosting ingredient can be found most widely in serums, but also in primers, face masks, eye creams, concealers, and even lip balms. 

Because my skin is so sensitive, finding a retinoid product with potent, fast-acting ingredients that won't cause my face to peel or flake is a balancing act. That's because retinoids essentially shed the top layer of your skin. Peter Thomas Roth's serum soothed my sensitive skin with a combination of allantoin, bisabolol, and ceramides. The allantoin helps heal and calm skin while bisabolol (a form of vitamin B) and ceramides protect from moisture loss.

"I tell my most of my patients that they can see results of improved skin smoothness literally within two to three days," dermatologist Dr. Julie Russak tells Business Insider. But Russak warns against using a retinoid during the day because it can make your skin more sensitive to light. 

Read more: The best retinol products you can buy

PTR 3% Retinoid Plus

After removing my makeup, double cleansing, toning, and then using a peel pad, I press four to five drops of the serum into my skin every night. Though the serum comes out in a dropper like an oil would, it absorbs into my skin quickly. I follow up with a brightening eye cream and moisturizer, or an overnight mask if I feel my skin needs the extra hydration. 

The real winning ingredient here is not just the retinoid — it's the combination of retinoid with caffeine that helps make the serum penetrate deeper into my large open pores. It's also the reason I saw results the very first time after I used it.

"The marriage of the high percentage of retinoid with caffeine is a dream team. The caffeine carries the retinoid even deeper within the skin to penetrate through to deep layers fast," said dermatologist Dr. Manjula Jegasothy.

As an Indian woman, I'm predisposed to discoloration, according to Dr. Jegasothy, and in my experience, this serum is well-curated for anyone with particularly deep-rooted scars or deeper skin tones. Of course, this is all from my personal experience, so definitely check in with your dermatologist before trying out new skin-care products or routines. 

Dr. Russak warns that the new cells being repaired and created by retinoids become extremely sensitive to sun, making them highly susceptible to being damaged — making the discoloration I have even worse — so using an SPF in the morning was even more essential after I started using this product. 

Read more: The best facial sunscreens you can buy

The $82 price tag hurt a little bit, but I've tried more expensive products and facials that have promised more and delivered next to nothing. I've been using the serum every single night for seven months and still have a little less than half the bottle left. True, there are many retinoid serums out there, but few have such a high percentage of retinoid or are paired with caffeine.

There's also the fact that seven months in, I'm no longer spending money on heavy foundations. I even went on a date with only a bit of concealer on, so this one bottle has taken me pretty far.

Find the Peter Thomas Roth Professional 3% Retinoid Plus serum at the following retailers.

Buy it now at Sephora for $82

Buy it now at Peter Thomas Roth for $82

SEE ALSO: I haven't worn foundation in months — these are the products that helped clear my skin

Join the conversation about this story »

Save 20% on Bose sport headphones and 35% on outdoor furniture at CB2 — plus 6 other deals happening today

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

We rounded up the eight best sales and deals happening online today, with savings on wedding-ready dresses at J.Crew, Instant Pots, and outdoor furniture at CB2. For even more deals and savings across the web, check out Business Insider Coupons.

Lands' End

1. Save 40% full-priced items sitewide at Lands' End

You'll find all the summer basics you need, from short-sleeved polos to brightly colored beach towels, at Lands' End. Use code "YELLOW" along with pin 5462 to save 40% on all full-priced items sitewide now through the end of the day. For more deals at Lands' End, check out Business Insider Coupons here.

Shop all of Lands' End here.

Macy's

2. Save up to 80% off men's designer suiting at Macy's

It's wedding season, which means it might be time for you to pick up a new suit that you can repurpose for work and other formal events. Macy's is having a big sale on men's suiting, which includes the usual blazer and pant suspects, but also has plenty of shirts, ties, and even formal shoes. The Ralph Lauren blazers above are usually $295, but you can find them on sale for about $74 right now (that's 75%!). For more savings at Macy's, check out Business Insider Coupons.

Shop the Macy's men's suiting sale here.

Bose sport headphones

3. Save $20 on a pair of Bose SoundSport wireless headphones

I personally use the wired version of these SoundSport headphones by Bose at work (which have the same audio tech inside as the wireless pair), and I can safely say they're some of the best I've ever owned. The wireless pair uses Bluetooth to connect to your devices, comes with an app to help you integrate your music seamlessly (though you could just use them Spotify and be fine), and has a six-hour battery life. They also come with multiple sizes of ear tips so you can find a fit that works for you, and they're pretty much completely sweatproof. 

Shop the Bose headphones deal on Amazon here.

CB2 outdoor furniture sale

4. Save up to 35% on outdoor furniture from CB2

I don't know about you, but I started preparing my balcony for warm weather when it was still about 50 degrees outside. What can I say, I'm impatient for sunshine! If you were a little less eager than me and are just now getting around to furnishing your backyard, CB2 is having a big sale on outdoor furniture. It's not cheap, but with up to 25% off, it's more affordable than usual. Plus you can also save up to 35% off select leather furniture and decor. No need for a promo code — sale prices are marked already.

Shop the CB2 outdoor furniture sale here.

SatinSkinMist_Kicker_20190430

5. Save 15% on skin care sitewide at Tatcha

Japanese skin-care brand Tatcha is a personal favorite for effective, clean products that are gentle on my sensitive skin (you can read up on my favorite products here if you're not already familiar). Right now, Tatcha is having a rare sitewide sale with 15% off your order if you use code "SUMMER19" at checkout. I recommend checking out its popular face mists and its ultra-hydrating moisturizers. 

Shop the Tatcha summer sale here.

Instant Pot

6. Save up to 45% on Instant Pots on Amazon

There's a huge Instant Pot sale for the Duo models happening on Amazon right now. You'll find all the sizes, from the three-quart mini to the extra-large eight-quart multi-cooker on sale for as much as 45% off. The best deal of all the sizes right now is on the three-quart Duo Plus model with nine functions, which is currently $54.99 (on sale from $99.99). 

Shop Instant Pots on sale at Amazon here.

J.Crew summer sale dresses

7. Save 30% on dressy styles for men, women, and kids at J.Crew

If you're in need of an outfit for an upcoming summer wedding or a swanky soiree, J.Crew is a reliable place to start your search. Right now, you can take 30% off full-priced dressy styles for men, women, and kids using code "DRESSUP" at checkout. For additional savings at J.Crew, check out Business Insider Coupons.

Shop the J.Crew sale here.

leesa mattress

8. Save 15% on mattresses and get 2 free pillows at Leesa

We named Leesa the best overall mattress you can buy for its superb comfort and great value (mattress prices start at just $595). But right now, you can save up 15% on all mattresses, making them an even better buy. The current discount will save you up to $180 on the all-foam Leesa mattress and up to $285 on the hybrid foam and spring Sapira Mattress. Plus, you'll get two free down-alternative pillows with your purchase.

Shop mattresses at Leesa here.

Join the conversation about this story »

Forget beach parties and all-night clubbing: Wealthy travelers are spending money differently, and it's created a massive $639 billion industry

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amanera resort

 

As the wellness industry continues its explosive growth, it shouldn't come as a surprise that it's now expanding into another huge industry: tourism.

Wealthy travelers are ditching the beach parties and all-night clubbing and instead spending their money on wellness summits, spirituality retreats, and resorts that focus on self-care, which has turned "wellness tourism" into a $639 billion industry, according to the 2018 Global Wellness Tourism Economy study.

While yoga retreats are nothing new, growth of the wellness tourism industry has been skyrocketing in recent years, with the industry expected to be worth $919 billion by 2022. There's now even a Wellness Tourism Association that was launched in January 2018 by a group of wellness industry executives.

Travelers are paying $1,400 per night to stay at resorts with on-site therapists and shelling out more than $5,000 for weekend "wellness summits."

Sarah Casewit, cofounder of Naya Traveler, which specializes in custom itineraries, recently told CNN that the company has received "a spike in travel requests that are spearheaded by a keen interest in wellness and spirituality."

These wellness itineraries may come in the form of on-site therapists, personal trainers, and wellness practitioners, such as those offered at Chiva-Som, a celebrity-favorite wellness retreat in Thailand. A stay at Chiva-Som starts at about $1,400 per night and the resort requires a minimum three-night stay.

And then there are the pricey "wellness summits," where travelers can mingle with celebrities at wellness workshops and self-care stations.

One of the most public faces of the wellness movement in the US, Gwyneth Paltrow, held her first wellness summit with her lifestyle brand goop in 2017, and has since put them on in Los Angeles, New York, and Vancouver, as Business Insider UK's Rachel Hosie reported.

goop wellness summit

The company's first wellness summit in London in June 2019 will include "issue-focused talks" with leading doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, and celebrities, as well as "wellness workshops" for energy, the body, and beauty, "self-care stations," a wellness boutique, athleisure shop, and a "clean beauty apothecary."

A one-day ticket costs £1,000 ($1,280)— and that doesn't include airfare or lodging. Attending the whole summit will cost you £4,500 ($5,760), which includes a stay in the Kimpton Fitzroy London.

Hotels are embracing travelers' changing tastes by offering "wellness rooms" and energy treatments, and guided meditation. 

Hotels, too, are moving way beyond the simple fitness centers of the past.

Take Amanera, a luxury resort by Aman Resorts in the Dominican Republic, which recently started offering a "Surf + Sun" program that includes energy treatments, yoga, healthy snacks, and guided meditation. A night at Amanera will cost you about $1,650.

And in Washington DC, the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown recently gave guests the option of booking one of 13 "Wellness Rooms" that come with aromatherapy bath salts, shower heads emitting Vitamin C-infused water, desk wellness balls, yoga mats, sound and sleep machines, air purifiers, sleeping masks and earbuds, and noise-canceling machines. 

The wellness rooms are situated on the same level as the hotel's fitness center and spa, which includes a relaxation room, a steam room, and sauna. A room at the Ritz-Carlton Georgetown starts at about $368 in July, while the Wellness Rooms start at $417.

Wellness travelers are willing to shell out more money than regular vacationers.

While the $5,000+ price tag of Paltrow's goop summit may be a bit higher than the norm, "wellness travelers are very high-spending, high-yield tourists," according to the Global Wellness Institute.

In 2017, international wellness travelers spent an average of $1,528 per trip — 58% more than the average international tourist. And domestically, wellness travelers on average spent $609 per trip, or about 178% more than the average domestic tourist.

Do you have a wellness tourism experience to share? Email the reporter at kwarren@businessinsider.com.

SEE ALSO: A third of the people in this European country are millionaires

DON'T MISS: Millennials are spending less money on alcohol than previous generations. Now, brands are marketing their booze as 'wellness' drinks in a desperate bid to capture the market.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What it takes to be a professional taxidermist

How to watch Netflix on your TV in 5 different ways

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Netflix

  • There are numerous ways to get Netflix on your TV set.
  • If your TV is a smart TV, you can log into Netflix using the on-screen apps.
  • If you don't have a smart TV, you have a lot of other options, including a Roku, a video game console, or connecting your laptop or mobile device to the TV directly with a cable.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Netflix is unquestionably the most popular video streaming service, with 139 million global subscribers watching about 140 million hours of content each day.

You can certainly do that on your smartphone or tablet — the Netflix app for iOS and the Netflix app for Android are handy ways to watch.

But what if you prefer to watch Netflix on a bigger screen, like the TV in your living room? There are five popular ways you could do that.

SEE ALSO: The best streaming sticks and boxes you can buy

Watch Netflix on a smart TV

These days, many large flat screen televisions double as "smart TVs" — they come with a built-in media player that lets you connect to popular video services like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, and many others via on-screen apps.

If you have a smart TV, all you need to do is subscribe to Netflix and log in via the app on your TV.



Watch Netflix using a streaming media player like Roku

You don't need a smart TV, because you can turn any television that has an HDMI input into the equivalent of a smart TV using a media streaming device.

There are a lot of media streamers available, including a family of products from Roku, as well as Amazon's Fire TV, and Nvidia Shield TV.



Watch Netflix on a gaming console like PS4

Game consoles like the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have their own suite of streaming video apps — that means if you have a gaming console, you can watch Netflix from that device as well.

Gaming consoles work very much like a Roku or similar streaming device; when you're tired of games, you can log into Netflix via the on-screen app.



Watch Netflix by "casting" it from your phone to a TV

If you have Netflix on your smartphone, perhaps you'd like to get the video from the phone to your TV. Luckily, there are devices that make that easy. Google Chromecast is a simple media player that connects to your TV and lets you wirelessly send anything that's on your phone to your television.

Chromecast calls this "casting," and you can use this to watch Netflix at full resolution on your TV. In a similar way, if you have an Apple TV, you can wirelessly connect your phone using Bluetooth and display video like Netflix on your television.



Watch Netflix by connecting a laptop or mobile device to your TV

Finally, with the right cable, you can connect your computer or mobile device to a television to project video on the bigger screen. The trick, of course, is having the right cable. In most cases, you'll want to be able to connect your device to the TV with an HDMI cable, so your laptop should have an HDMI output that you can connect to the HDMI input on your TV.

If you have an older laptop (and television), you may be able to use an old-fashioned DVI cable instead. To connect your iPhone or iPad to the TV, you'll need a Lightning Digital AV Adapter. For more info, check out our article, "How to connect your iPhone to a TV in two different ways."

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:




This company replaces only the lenses on your glasses so you don’t have to throw out your favorite frames — it’s easy to use and starts at $77

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Lensabl

  • Getting a new set of lenses to fit your current glasses no longer has to mean a trip to the eye doctor.
  • Starting at just $77, Lensabl offers up a new way to get your lenses replaced at a fraction of the cost.
  • You just drop off your old glasses off in the mail, and in about a week, have a brand new set of specs to help you see the world. 

I'm very attached to my glasses — or rather, the frame. It's from Toms, it fit my face, I've had it for years, and frankly, it's like an old friend.

Alas, as durable as the frames have been, the lenses have proven a bit less reliable. Between the scratches, marks, and the seemingly permanent smudges, even the best set of frames can be made less than perfect by an unfortunate pair of lenses.

Enter Lensabl, a new mail-in lens service that has just given me a new lease on my old glasses.

Contacts delivery services have been around for years, but glasses delivery seems like a newer concept. As it turns out, it's pretty brilliant.

Lensabl allows you to cheaply replace your tired lenses with a new or existing prescription, all while keeping your favorite frames. And rather than having to go through the whole process at a physical shop, Lensabl will do everything for you by mail. Just place your old set in Lensabl's protected packaging, take it over to a UPS drop-off or store, and receive your new (yet familiar) set of specs a few days later.

Lensabl

I'll admit — I was a bit skeptical of the process at first blush. I'd spent years visiting eye doctors (and subsequently the friendly neighborhood Lenscrafters) for my poor, tired eyes. The entire process was inevitably time consuming. No matter how much I liked my existing pair of frames, a new prescription always seemed to require a new set of glasses so I would spend hours browsing through different styles, squinting at myself in an attempt to gauge their aesthetic merits. For some reason, it had never even occurred to me that I could keep my frames and still get a new set of glasses. Like I said, that's the brilliance of Lensabl.

Not only does it help cut down on wasteful excess because you don't have to throw out your existing frames, but Lensabl also offers a much more economical way to update your glasses. Thanks to its direct-to-consumer model, the company cuts out all the costs associated with the middleman, which means that you're paying a much lower price than you would at a traditional retailer.

In fact, Lensabl lenses start at $77 and include a number of bonus features for which you would generally have to pay extra like anti-reflective properties, scratch resistance (which is key), and UV protection for the outdoorsy among us.

Lensabl 3

Going through the Lensabl process is a breeze. After selecting the type of lenses you want (prescription, reading, or non-prescription), you'll have the option of choosing your prescription type. Lensabl offers single vision for distance, single vision for reading, progressive standard, multi-focal lenses, multi-focals that have no visible line, bi-focals, and progressive offerings. You'll then decide if you want clear, blue light-blocking, sunglass, or transition lenses, and then have the opportunity to choose from a number of different materials. The standard CR39 is the cheapest option, but you could also opt for high-index glass lenses.

If you're interested in upgrades like polished or rolled edges, or blue-light blocking properties, you'll have the chance to select those at the end. Otherwise, just enter your prescription (or email it to Lensabl later), and you're ready to rock and roll. The company will send a padded box for your current glasses, and send you back a clever triangular prism-shaped case with your new and improved specs. I also appreciated the inclusion of a cleaning kit with lens cleaning solution and a microfiber wipe.

My Toms are now as good as new (if not better), and the world looks sharper than ever, which I am super happy about. And as difficult as it was to be separated from my glasses for a few days, the payoff has been nothing short of delightful. So if you're thinking of getting a new pair of glasses, perhaps the answer is just a new pair of lenses through Lensabl.

Click here to get new prescription lens in your frames from Lensabl starting at $77

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The AmEx Platinum Card is offering a coveted 100,000-point bonus — but it's not for just anyone

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Business Insider may receive a commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network if you apply for a credit card, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

AmEx American Express Platinum

  • You may be specially targeted for a 100,000-point welcome bonus on the Platinum Card® from American Express— among the most coveted deals in the travel and credit cards reward world (the bonus is available after spending $5,000 in your first three months).
  • The offer isn't available publicly — to see if you're chosen, check CreditCards.com's CardMatch Tool, enter your information, and click "Get Matches" (the offer can change without notice, so now's the best chance to find it).
  • 100,000 AmEx points are subjectively worth $2,000, but the card has a ton of other valuable benefits, too.

In the world of travel and credit card rewards, nothing is quite as coveted as the elusive 100,000-point welcome bonus on the AmEx Platinum Card.

The problem is that the bonus is, well, elusive. AmEx only offers it publicly once in a blue moon — and usually only for a day or even a few hours at a time — so the only way that a user can often get the offer is if they're specifically targeted for it.

Even then, it can be tough to pull up a targeted offer, since they often appear inconsistently.

The most reliable way, though, is to check the CardMatch Tool.

CardMatch, a service offered through CreditCards.com, pulls targeted offers from a few different credit card issuers, but is one of the most reliable ways to find highest-known offers on AmEx cards — assuming you're eligible.

The AmEx Platinum offers aren't always available, but reports indicate that over the past few days, the 100,000-point offers have returned to the tool.

For qualifying applicants who haven't held a Platinum Card before, the offer is 100,000 points after spending $5,000 within the first three months — the best offer we've ever seen on this card. The normal offer is 60,000 points for the same spending requirement and timeframe.

There's also an offer for 50,000 points on the American Express® Gold Card after spending $2,000 in the first three months — the usual offer is 35,000 points for the same spending requirement and timeframe, so this is a solid offer.

To use the CardMatch tool, you just need to enter your name, address, date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number. This does not count as a credit card application, so you won't get a hard inquiry on your credit report — this is only a "soft" inquiry, which won't have any effect on your credit score. If you want one of the personalized offers that pops up, you'll have to fill out an actual application by clicking the "Apply Now" button and redirecting to the issuer's website.

Keep in mind that offers can't be transferred to someone else, and there's never a guarantee that you'll be able to pull up the same offer again if you close the window. If you see the 100,000-point offer, and you're interested in the Platinum Card, you should apply right then.

100,000 AmEx Membership points is subjectively worth $2,000, meaning the welcome bonus alone pays for the Platinum Card's $550 annual fee for more than three years.

However, the Platinum Card's benefits make it worth keeping indefinitely for anyone who travels, as long as you take advantage of it. Up to $200 in annual credits for airline fees, up to $200 each year towards Uber, up to $100 each year towards shopping, airport lounge access, benefits at hotels, complimentary Gold status at Marriott and Hilton, and more, make it one of the most valuable cards available.

Plus, active duty military servicemembers can get the card's annual fee waived— that means that, as long as they pay their bill in-full and on-time — effectively using the card like a debit card — the benefits, and welcome bonus will all be pure profit.

Click here to visit CardMatch to see if you're targeted for the 100,000-point AmEx Platinum offer.

SEE ALSO: The best credit card rewards, bonuses, and benefits of 2019

Join the conversation about this story »

7 ways to charge your iPhone if you can't or don't want to use the typical wall charger

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iPhone X wireless charging

  • There are a lot of ways to keep your iPhone charged, even if you don't have access to your AC adapter and a wall outlet.
  • You should consider keeping a portable battery and a USB cable in your travel bag so you can always top off your iPhone, even if you're nowhere near a wall outlet.
  • Other charging methods include a car charger, hand-crank charger, solar charging, and a wireless adapter.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Every iPhone comes with an AC adapter and charging cable right in the box, and that might be the only way you've ever used to keep your phone topped off. But that's pretty limiting — there are a lot of ways to keep your iPhone charged, and many are more convenient than plugging it into the wall adapter that Apple gave you.

We've rounded up seven ways to charge your iPhone for those times when you don't have access to the AC adapter or a wall outlet. A few of these are so handy that they might replace the AC adapter as your preferred way of keeping your iPhone charged.

Use a car charger

If you are a commuter, you probably spend a lot of time in the car. If so, your very first iPhone accessory should be a car charger, which lets you draw power from the car's power port (more commonly known as, but probably rarely used as, the cigarette lighter). You can get a car charger for less than $10 (this Anker model, for example, has a pair of USB ports for charging two devices at once).



Charge your iPhone wirelessly

If you have an iPhone X or later, and you're not charging your phone wirelessly, you're missing out on one of the most satisfying features of modern smartphones. These phones can charge just by being set on a compatible wireless charging pad, which you can keep on your desk, bed stand, or elsewhere.

Apple embraced the Qi wireless standard, so any pad that is Qi-certified will work with your iPhone. There are all sorts of charging pads available, from pads that lie flat on a tabletop to stands that let your phone sit upright.

If you have an older iPhone, you're technically not shut out of the wireless charging party — there are a number of wireless charging cases available. Slip your iPhone into a wireless charging case from Weluv, for example, and you can charge it anytime just by placing it on a charging pad.



Use a USB cable with your laptop

We'd be remiss not to mention a dependable low-tech solution as well: just plug your phone into any computer's USB port. It pays to keep a Lightning cable in your bag or briefcase so you can get a charge from any nearby laptop or desktop computer.



Carry a portable battery

If you find yourself away from your usual charging options for long periods of time — for example, if you're on vacation and don't have access to a wall outlet to plug in — you should join the ranks of veteran road warriors everywhere and carry a battery with you.

There are a vast variety of batteries available for charging smartphones (and other mobile devices), from small, low-capacity models (like Bonai's shaped roughly like a AA battery) good for perhaps a single top-off to a big, beefy battery that can potentially charge a phone 2-3 times (like Anker's PowerCore 10000, which delivers 10,000 mAh of power). All you need is the battery and a Lightning cable to charge your phone anywhere, anytime.

Or, even more convenient: get a case for your phone that has an integrated battery. A typical 7000mAh case can more than double the battery life of your iPhone during the day.



Get a backpack with an integrated battery

Why carry a separate battery when you can carry a bag that has one built in? Backpacks with integrated batteries are a handy way to always have a battery at your disposal, especially if you need all the storage that comes from a bag like that. Check out the TYLT Powerbag, which has an 10,400 mAh battery, or Voltaic's 4000 mAh bag that also includes solar cells for optionally charging in the sun.  



Use a hand-crank portable charger

If there's one thing that's true about chargers, it's that they always seems to disappear just when you need them. You might not have access to electrical outlets, your portable battery might be dead, and you might not be able to get to your car. For times like these, consider carrying the ultimate failsafe: a hand-crank portable charger.

Like a modern version of churning butter, you add energy to your iPhone by spinning a small hand crank for several minutes. It's slow work and a little tiring, but no other solution is guaranteed to be able to give you a few minutes of charge when your phone is dying.

You can get a simple single-purpose hand crank like the Eton BoostTurbine or a more elaborate hand crank generator like this model from FosPower that includes a portable radio and flashlight.



Use a solar charger

Like a hand-crank, a solar charger is a bit unusual — but what other solution lets you charge your phone with clean, effortless energy from the sun?

Solar chargers aren't super popular because they aren't highly efficient. It can take all day under the sun to get a few hours' charge for your iPhone. But if you find yourself outdoors in a sunny locale (on vacation, perhaps) then a solar charger might be an easy and reliable way to keep your phone charged.

Just spread out the cells — like with this one from Hiluckey— and let the sun do its job, topping off your phone or charging the battery that's integrated into the solar cells.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:



I've been traveling around the world for 2 years with just a carry-on — here are 12 items I can't live without

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natalia lusinski

When preparing for a trip, every inch of luggage space is precious.

And if you're permanently traveling like I am, it's even more important to pack smart.

For more than two years, I've been traveling and working as a remote journalist, living as a digital nomad. My travels have taken me everywhere from the Swiss Alps and the Balkans to Australia.

Along the way, I quickly learned that the more items I carried, the bigger the burden.

I eventually decidedtraveling with just a carry-on was best. That means I have to think carefully about which items make the cut and which ones I need to leave behind.

So what's in my bag? Read on to see 12 items that I pack in my carry-on everywhere I travel.

SEE ALSO: 8 fascinating facts about the busiest airport in the world, which sees 107 million passengers a year and employs 63,000 people

DON'T MISS: I moved to the US from China — here are the biggest cultural differences I've noticed between the 2 countries

Travel alarm clock

When you're on the road, power outages happen more often than you think.

That could be a problem when you need to rely on your phone or laptop to wake you up, but they're about to run out of battery life.

Enter the battery-powered alarm clock. A friend got meMagellan's Mini-Time alarm clock— which is analog, small, and lightweight, has a backlight and snooze button, and is loud enough to actually get you out of bed in the morning. It uses anAA battery, which is great because those seem to be easier to find than other clocks' batteries. Basically, it's perfect for travelers.



Shower shoes

An absolute must when traveling, especially if you'll be using many different showers — whether they're at hostels, gyms, or Airbnbs — is to have some good shower shoes. I've known too many people who pick up ailments such as athlete's foot because they had no shower shoes on. Or your rental apartment floors may not be the cleanest, so better safe than sorry.

The shoes don't have to necessarily be ones you'd wear out and about, but they should be durable enough to get wet on a daily basis. I've found that theseIpanema Wave Heart flip-flops get the job done well and are cute to wear both indoors and out.



Tide pen

If you're as clumsy as I am, a Tide pen will save you — and your clothes — every time. Formally, it's known asTide To Go Instant Stain Remover, and nothing works quite like it. Best yet, it fits in your pocket or your purse.



Pocket-sized flashlight

You never know when you'll need a flashlight, whether it's to find your way back to your Airbnb or to use it while unlocking your door. ThisPocket Credit Card LED flashlight is ideal; it's small yet efficient, and can fit in your wallet.



Travel adapter

Without a travel adapter, I wouldn't get very far. When I found this one, designed by Travel Fashion Girl, I knew I had to try it out. I love theBest International Travel Adapter, and recommend you try, it, too.

It apparently works in more than 150 countries and its bright red color doesn't easily blend in with the white walls you'll often encounter during your journey. It has two USB ports, and I also love that I can charge three devices at once.



Big Ziploc bags

When you think of Ziploc bags, you may think of the items you put homemade sandwiches into. But a friend introduced me toZiploc Big Bags, which hold three gallons each and are my version of packing cubes.

Not only do they make you a more organized packer, since you can color-code what you're packing and see everything through the see-through bags, but you can then squeeze out the excess air once you're about to seal them shut. Plus, you can save a couple empty ones for dirty clothes.

Added bonus: Bed bugs are sometimes an inherent part of traveling andthey hate plastic, so if you have all your items sealed in these Ziploc bags, it's yet another bed bug precaution you can take.

For smaller items, I also useZiploc's gallon-sized freezer bags, quart-sized freezer bags, andsandwich bags. They also make great portable laundry machines — just put in a clothing item, some liquid soap or shampoo, and water, then close and shake it up, and voilà!

I bring extras of all four types of bags, plus a couple of garbage bags (in case there's no bathtub or shower to store your bags in, a preventative bed-bug measure), as you never know when you'll need them.



Palladium baggy canvas boots

When I'm traveling, I live in myPalladium baggy canvas boots— they're perfect for dressing up or down, to wear with a skirt or on a hike. I bought them randomly at a mall in Warsaw, Poland, when another pair of shoes wasn't working out for the long haul, and haven't regretted it since.

They've made it through everything from hiking the Blue Mountains in Australia to walking endless miles down Croatian cobblestone streets. Usually, I wear them laced up so they look more like boots than shoes, but I love how versatile they are if you don't want to go for the boot look.



Foldable backpack

This 10-liter ultra-compact backpack folds up so much, it fits into the palm of my hand. I keep it in my day pack or pants pocket and have used it all over the world. Plus, it weighs next to nothing, which is also a big perk.



Duct tape

If you've ever wished duct tape would come in a travel-friendly size, your wish has come true with RediTape travel-size duct tape.

On the road, I use it way more than I'd ever anticipated: from using it to patch up my purse to affixing it to my travel bag's zippers to prevent bed bugs from crawling inside (a personal theory). RediTape's slogan is "Don't get stuck without it" — and I couldn't agree more. You never know.



Sleeping bag liner

One of the best inventions ever is the sleeping bag liner. Especially the silk variety, like this liner from Treksilk, which is less bulky than ones made from other materials.

Whether you're cold and could use another layer of bedding at night or the sheets and blankets are questionable where you're staying, it comes in handy time and time again.



Lavender essential oil

Lavender essential oil is not only calming as aromatherapy and can work as a sleep aid — try a few drops under your nose or on your eye mask — but it's also good for dry skin.Lavender oil allegedly deters bed bugs, too, so I tend to sprinkle and spray it onto my luggage, just in case.I like thisPlant Therapy lavender essential oil that I received as a gift and now keep gifting others.



Instant coffee

How many times have you wanted coffee, but for whatever reason, you can't get it? Maybe the Starbucks line is too long at the airport, or the flight attendants haven't started serving beverages yet.

Well, problem solved if you bring along some instant coffee, likeCafé Bustelo Instant Espresso Sticks.

Just put a packet in your water bottle, shake it up, and presto — you have coffee! You'll avoid a caffeine headache, as well as one from long coffee lines.



How to create a contact group on your iPhone, and use it to message a specific cluster of people at once

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How to leave a group text on iPhone

  • Making a contact group on your iPhone will let you send an email to multiple people at once.
  • To create a Group, you need to use iCloud, since Apple doesn't give you the ability to make Groups on the iPhone alone. You can also install a third-party app if you prefer.
  • You can always return to iCloud to add and remove contacts from the Group, or even rename it.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you send a lot of email, contact groups can come in handy because they let you send an email message to multiple people — friends or co-workers — at once. You can create as many of these Groups as you need, store them on your iPhone, and add them to the To: line in an email message with whatever short name you've given the Group.

It's convenient, but Apple has also made the function hard to discover, since you need to use iCloud to create and manage your Groups.

That said, there are third-party apps which allow you to make Groups on your phone, without relying on iCloud. A popular app that lets you make Groups in this way is called, simply enough, Groups. You can install and use it to make Groups if you prefer.

How to make a contact group using iCloud

1. Open iCloud.com in a web browser. You might need to log in with your Apple ID.

2. Click Contacts.

3. On the iCloud Contacts page, click the plus sign in the bottom left of the page, in the iCloud Contacts pane. In the window that pops up, click "New Group."

groups 1

4. You should see "Untitled Group" appear. Replace that placeholder name with any name of your choice.

5. Click "All Contacts" at the top of the iCloud Contacts pane so you can see all of your contacts.

6. Drag all the contacts you want over the new Group you just created.

groups 2

That's all there is to it — the Group is created and synced with your iPhone automatically, so you can start using it immediately. And you can always return to iCloud to add and remove contacts from your Group.

How to use a contact group on the iPhone

You can include a Group in an email message in exactly the same way as you'd include ordinary contacts.

1. Open the Mail app.

2. Tap the New Email button in the lower right corner of the window.

3. In the To: field, type the name of the Group. You should see it appear in the list of results, identified as a Group. Tap it.

groups 3

4. Finish composing and sending your email as you ordinarily would.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

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All the Kindle deals we expect to see for Amazon Prime Day 2019

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Insider Picks writes about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider, Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

kindle prime day deals 5

Heads up to anyone who loves to read or plans to spend the bulk of their summer weekends splayed out on a beach flicking through the latest thriller — Prime Day 2019 is coming up and is bound to have some deals to appeal to your bookworm-ish heart and savings-driven brain. 

Because the yearly sales event is hosted by Amazon, it tends to favor Amazon devices and services, and that includes everything Kindle. 

Kindle is Amazon's collection of tablet-like ebook readers. It's also an app that lets you read ebooks from your phone or any other type of tablet. Supplementing the devices and app is Kindle Unlimited, a monthly membership that gives you unlimited access to more books than you can count. 

Last year, the Kindle Unlimited deal of three months for $1 was one of the most popular buys among Business Insider readers. We wouldn't be surprised if a similar steal was featured during this year's Prime Day. 

Amazon is still sitting on details of Prime Day 2019, including when it's happening, but check back soon to see how you can save on Kindle devices and services this summer.

To see what it's like to read with a Kindle, you can first read our guide to using a Kindle, which includes expert tips and tricks. Then make sure you're prepared for Prime Day with this checklist

Below, learn more about all of Amazon's Kindle devices and services that could be on sale. 

Want to stay updated on everything Prime Day 2019? Bookmark this page and our master guide to the best deals of Prime Day.  

Kindle Unlimited

Currently: First 2 months of Kindle Unlimited for $0.99, through June 30

Prime Day 2018 deal: First 3 months for $1 

Regular price: 1 month for $9.99 

Great for particularly voracious readers, Kindle Unlimited gives you unlimited access to over 1 million books, a rotating selection of popular magazines, and thousands of Audible audiobooks. You can access it through any Kindle or device with the Kindle app. Learn more about how to use the service here

 



The Kindle Paperwhite

Currently: Kindle Paperwhite + first 3 months of free Kindle Unlimited, $129.99

Prime Day 2018 deal: Kindle Paperwhite [Previous Generation], $79.99 (originally $119.99) [You saved $40] *now only available used through Amazon Warehouse 

If you hate lugging around books and your bookshelf is already full to bursting with titles, you'll love the convenience of Amazon's best-selling Kindle device. It has converted many Insider Picks reading snobs who previously proclaimed they could only ever read physical books — quite the achievement. The newest one is thinner, lighter, and waterproof. Read our review of the Kindle Paperwhite here

 



The classic Kindle

Currently: Kindle + first 3 months of free Kindle Unlimited, $89

Prime Day 2018 deal: Kindle [Previous Generation], $49.99 (originally $79.99) [You saved $30] *now only available Used through Amazon Warehouse 

The most basic Kindle is a solid under-$100 ebook reader. Though its resolution of 167 ppi is lower than that of its counterparts, the screen is still glare-free, and the newest version now comes with an adjustable front light. 



Possible deal: the Kindle Oasis

Currently: Kindle Oasis, $249.99

Prime Day 2018 deal: n/a 

Amazon's most expensive and advanced Kindle e-reader has not been on sale in previous years, but it never hurts to hope for Prime Day 2019. Without any deals, it's expensive, but we still call it the best e-reader you can buy right now because it's incredibly light, has an impressive battery life, and the asymmetrical design makes it easy to turn pages. It has a glare-free, 300 ppi resolution display, plus it's waterproof. 



17 useful grooming gifts to get your dad for Father's Day

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Insider Pickswrites about products and services to help you navigate when shopping online. Insider Inc. receives a commission from our affiliate partners when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective. This list includes a Sponsored Product that has been suggested by Gillette and that also meets our editorial criteria in terms of quality and value.*

Aesop 2

  • Your dad is one of the hardest-working men in your life, and someone who deserves a thoughtful gift for taking care of you the way he does. 
  • He probably doesn't take the same care with himself, so instead of gifting him another tie or pair of socks this year, go rogue with an unexpected grooming gift like a shaving set, wash-off clay mask, or even a conditioning beard treatment. 
  • Take a look at our other Father's Day 2019 guides here for more gift-spiration. 

Your dad already has a lifetime supply of ties, socks, and grilling gear. So for Father's Day this year, get him a grooming gift he'll use — and one we bet he doesn't already have. 

For someone who's selflessly taken care of you before you were even in diapers, we'll bet he has no idea where to start when it comes to grooming and skin care. Does he even own hair conditioner? Probably not. 

From an innovative heated razor to a cologne made with clean ingredients, these are the grooming items he'll never buy for himself but will definitely appreciate once he has them.

Here are 17 great Father's Day grooming gifts he'll never see coming.

SEE ALSO: All of Insider Picks' Father's Day gift ideas, in one place

A cologne made with clean ingredients

Buy the Phlur Greylocke Eau de Parfum at Sephora for $88

Buy the Phlur Sample Set at Sephora for $18

If your dad's into clean ingredients, try a scent from Phlur. Made without parabens, sulfates, and more to adhere to the guidelines set by Credo and Sephora, he can spritz knowing that he's safe from questionable chemicals.

Greylocke is a nice warm, woodsy scent that isn't too musky, or you can get him a sample trio which includes fresh and citrus scents, so he can try them out before committing to a full-sized fragrance — on you, of course.



A travel-inspired travel set

Buy the Aesop Departure 7-Piece Travel Kit at Saks Fifth Avenue for $53

Everything in this seven-piece kit of Aesop best sellers is travel-friendly, and it includes mouthwash and toothpaste too, so your dad can just throw the entire kit into his carry-on without even unboxing. And yes, the Resurrection hand wash and hand balm are included. 



A heated, rechargeable razor

Pre-order the Gillette Heated Razor at Gillette on Demand for $200

Not to be mistaken for another disposable razor, this one from Gillette is heated and rechargeable. One charge can last up to six uses and there are two levels of heat intensity for a satisfying, barber shop-inspired shave.

* Sponsored by Gillette



A fancy towel and candle set to make a hotel room feel like home

Buy the Bespoke Post Sauna Set at Bespoke Post for $45

A set of sauna towels and a subtle floral-scented candle is exactly what the doctor ordered after a cramped flight in economy.



A complete hair- and body-care set

Buy the Baxter of California 3-Piece Stay Fresh Set at Macy's or Baxter of California for $25

Dad can just unbox this kit on the bathroom counter, knowing that the set comes complete with body wash, shampoo, conditioner, and deodorant. 



An electric toothbrush

Buy the Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 6300 Electric Toothbrush at Amazon for $79

It's time to convince your dad to finally ditch his manual toothbrush. You know, the one with the overturned bristles that look like they've been used to clean grout.



Essential shaving tools

Buy the Art of Shaving Men's Sandalwood Mid-Size Kit at Amazon for $48

This four-piece shaving set is great for any dad trying to manage his five o'clock shadow; he just needs to supply his favorite razor. If he's on the fence about scented shaving products, know that the sandalwood scent is warm without being overwhelming.



A complete body-care set for all the dad bods out there

Buy the Dollar Shave Club DadBod Gift Set at Dollar Shave Club for $50

Dad will definitely appreciate the cheeky packaging and dad joke — and efficacious grooming items — in this set. There's an Executive razor, refills, shaving gel, face wash, and more for a total of 10 pieces — a seriously good value for $50.



A powerful clay mask

Buy the Anthony Deep Pore Cleansing Clay at Amazon for $24

Now your dad can join your next spa-night-in with a powerful clay mask made with both bentonite and kaolin clays. It goes on rose-y purple for amazing dad selfies.



A classic cologne he's been using since college

Buy the Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio Eau de Toilette Spray at Macy's for $68

Buy the Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio Profumo at Macy's for $98

Buy the Giorgio Armani Acqua di Gio Absolu at Macy's for $98

Your dad's probably been using the original Acqua di Gio since he was in college. Upgrade him to the more intense Profumo or warmer Absolu, or just get him the OG — either way, you can't go wrong.



A tattoo maintenance set

Buy the Jack Black Ink Boost Tattoo Care Kit at Nordstrom for $25

Like the handle-bar mustache he's been grooming every other day, tattoos need maintenance too. Make it easier to keep his ink looking fresh with this set.



Beard-conditioning essentials

Buy the American Crew Beard Serum at Ulta for $17.95

If your dad considers his beard as his third child, get him a conditioning Beard Serum made with argan and linseed oils.  



Beautifully packaged soaps that double as decor

Buy the Claus Porto 9-piece Deco Soap Gift Box with Sleeve at Neiman Marcus for $75

Whether your dad actually uses these beautiful soaps or just keeps them as decor in the bathroom like his mom used to is his call. 



An electric shaver and trimmer that can be used wet or dry

Buy the Philips Norelco Series 3000 Shaver 3100 at Amazon for $49.95

This two-in-one electric shaver also trims sideburns in one handy tool. He can use the shaver wet or dry, and it still won't irritate sensitive skin.

 



A curated dopp kit

Buy the Bespoke Post Refresh at Bespoke Post for $45

Create your dad's dream dopp kit setup with this curated set from Bespoke Post. It includes a soap bar, shampoo, conditioner, hair-styling paste, facial cleanser, and yes, even toothpaste so all the essentials are covered. The rugged leather pouch isn't too shabby either.



A sleek cordless trimmer

Buy the Bevel Trimmer at Amazon for $174.44

This device looks more like sleek decor than a trimmer, so it's great for dads who appreciate design. But it's not just aesthetically pleasing; the blades can be adjusted with a dial and the precision trimmer can etch parts just as easily as fades. 



A body-care set developed by pro athletes

Buy the Art of Sport Athlete Collection Skin and Body Care Set at Amazon for $45.95

Founded by Kobe Bryant and developed with the help of a group of major athletes, Art of Sport streamlines hair and body products into the art of showering quickly. Check out our full review over here.




'What is Google Cardboard?': Everything you need to know about Google's low-tech VR experience

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  • Google Cardboard is an affordable virtual reality viewer created by Google.
  • The viewer is very basic in appearance, and the cheap material makes for a solid, but inexpensive option for those looking to dip a toe into the virtual reality experience without spending a lot of money.
  • There are many apps in the Google Play Store (as well as the iOS and Android app stores) which have been designed to work in tandem with the Google Cardboard viewer.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Google Cardboard is the company's affordable answer to a virtual reality (VR) experience: It's a no-frills viewer which users can insert their phones into. It fits screens up to six inches, and the company says it works with most eyeglasses, too.

And yes, Google Cardboard is, in fact, made of cardboard.

Google Cardboard

There are also a slew of Cardboard-friendly apps which have been specifically designed to work with the viewer. And, according to Google, "most Cardboard apps work with Android 4.1+ and the latest iOS smartphones."

Here's more about how it works and how much it costs:

How Google Cardboard works

In order for virtual reality to work, you have to immerse yourself in another world. And that means blocking out pretty much everything else. (Hence the many videos of people forgetting their surroundings as they try to battle some fictitious enemy, oftentimes breaking or jumping into things in the process.)

Google Cardboard is a VR construct that allows users to block out external visual stimuli and focus on their device's screen. Once you have it, you fold it into shape, pop your mobile device into it, cue up the VR-friendly app of your choice and hold it up to your head to start your VR experience.

Cardboard's two plastic acrylic lenses make the experience more believable by mimicking the way our eyes process the real world (as well as the way VR screens themselves are set up), while the side flaps block distractions ensure that the eyes stay trained on whatever appears within those areas.

Google CardboardThe only downside (other than the notable lack of a head-strap) is that Google Cardboard doesn't do anything to block out external noise, which can work against the experience.

But it's probably best not to get too deep into the experience anyway, especially if you have breakable objects around you. And keep in mind that you should take frequent breaks while using any VR-viewer device to avoid headaches and eye strain.

How to get and use Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard retails for $15 from the company (or $25 for two viewers). Alternatively, you can build one yourself (out of a pizza box, for example); Google even provides directions for doing just that. You'd just need to pick up a few other things, like lenses, magnets, and a rubber band, and set aside time to put it all together.

Google Cardboard

Or, if you're looking for something with more visual appeal (or made out of sturdier material, or with a way to secure it to your head), there are other options you can purchase to work in tandem with Google Cardboard apps, some of which can also accommodate larger screens. Those range from about $5 to $100.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I tried the $1,980 Samsung Galaxy Fold and it's impressive for a first-generation foldable phone, though far from perfect

What a $250,000 home looks like in 25 major US cities

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phoenix $250k home

With $250,000, you can buy a sprawling suburban home in Dallas, Houston, or Austin. In San Jose and Los Angeles, you can buy a mobile home.

We teamed up with Trulia to look at similarly-priced homes in the 25 most populous cities in the US, from notoriously-expensive San Francisco to Indianapolis and Columbus, two of the most affordable cities for millennials to buy a home. The most populous city, New York, is also the priciest. Previous reporting from Business Insider's Hillary Hoffower shows the Big Apple is even getting too expensive for millionaires.

Read more: What a $250,000 home looks like in the biggest city in every state

We ordered cities based on population data from the National League of Cities, in order from least to greatest. When possible, we looked at single-family homes over apartments and condos. In addition, some cities' markets only listed homes slightly higher or lower than $250,000.

It's also important to note that even within the same city, the cost of living can vary significantly from neighborhood to neighborhood — but these photos should give you a better idea of what a quarter million dollars will get you in 25 major US cities.

Keep reading for a look at what a $250,000 home looks like in the 25 most populous US cities:

SEE ALSO: Here's what the most expensive house for sale in every US state looks like

NOW READ: We did the math to calculate how much money you need to save monthly to buy a home by 35

25. Seattle, Washington

Price: $239,000
Type: Two-Bedroom Condo
Size: 682 square-feet, $350/square-foot
Neighborhood: Marina District, Des Moines



24. Boston, Massachusetts

Price: $243,395
Type: Two-Bedroom, One-Bathroom Condo
Size: 871 square-feet ($423/square-foot)
Neighborhood: North Dorchester



23. Baltimore, Maryland

Price: $245,000
Type: Three-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 2,124 square-feet ($115/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Westfield




22. Nashville-Davidson, Tennessee

Price: $250,000
Type: Four-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 1,756 square-feet ($142/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Percy Priest Woods



21. Memphis, Tennessee

Price: $245,000
Type: Three-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 1,942 square-feet ($126/square-foot)
Neighborhood: East Memphis-Colonial Yorkshire



20. El Paso, Texas

Price: $250,000
Type: Three-Bedroom, Two-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 3,052 square-feet ($82/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Northwest



19. Detroit, Michigan

Price: $275,000
Type: Three-Bedroom, Two-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 2,022 square-feet ($136/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Woodbridge



18. Charlotte, North Carolina

Price: $250,000
Type: Four-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 2,144 square-feet ($117/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Steele Creek



17. Louisville-Jefferson, Kentucky

Price: $250,000
Type: Four-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 2,580 square-feet ($97/square-foot)
Neighborhood: N/A



16. Fort Worth, Texas

Price: $250,000
Type: Four-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 2,280 square-feet ($110/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Villages of Woodland Springs



15. Columbus, Ohio

Price: $250,000
Type: Three-Bedroom, 3.5-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 2,030 square-feet ($123/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Old Town East



14. Austin, Texas

Price: $250,000
Type: Four-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 1,883 square-feet ($133/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Harris Branch



13. San Francisco, California

Price: $250,000
Type: One-Bedroom, One-Bathroom Condo
Size: 540 square-feet ($463/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Cathedral Hill



12. Jacksonville, Florida

Price: $250,000
Type: Three-Bedroom, 1.5-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 1,909 square-feet ($131/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Murray Hill



11. Indianapolis, Indiana

Price: $249,900
Type: Three-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 1,941 square-feet ($129/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Allisonville



10. San Jose, California

Price: $250,000
Type: Two-Bedroom, Two-Bathroom Manufactured Home
Size: 1,440 square-feet ($167/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Fairgrounds



9. Dallas, Texas

Price: $250,000
Type: Four-Bedroom, Two-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 1,582 square-feet ($158/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Southwest Dallas



8. San Diego, California

Price: $260,000
Type: One-Bedroom, One-Bathroom Condo
Size: 510 square-feet ($510/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Normal Heights



7. San Antonio, Texas

Price: $250,000
Type: Three-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 2,361 square-feet ($106/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Ridge of Silverado Hill



6. Phoenix, Arizona

Price: $250,000
Type: Four-Bedroom, 2.5-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 1,772 square-feet ($4/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Anthem



5. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Price: $250,000
Type: Three-Bedroom, Two-Bathroom Multi-Family Home
Size: 1,164 square-feet ($215/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Pennypack



4. Houston, Texas

Price: $250,000
Type: Three-Bedroom, Three-Bathroom Single-Family Home
Size: 2,005 square-feet ($125/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Clear Lake



3. Chicago, Illinois

Price: $250,000
Type: One-Bedroom, One-Bathroom Condo
Size: 875 square-feet ($286/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Gold Coast



2. Los Angeles, California

Price: $249,000
Type: One-Bedroom, One-Bathroom Manufactured Home
Size: 559 square-feet ($445/square-foot)
Neighborhood: Eagle Rock



1. New York

Price: $250,000
Type: One-Bedroom, One-Bathroom Coop
Size: 500 square-feet ($500/square-foot)
Neighborhood: East Harlem

 

 



'What is Google Scholar?': What you need to know about Google's database for students, researchers, and other curious minds

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FILE PHOTO: A sign is pictured outside a Google office near the company's headquarters in Mountain View, California, U.S., May 8, 2019. REUTERS/Dave Paresh/File Photo

  • Google Scholar is a searchable database of scholarly literature.
  • It connects users with studies and journal articles, but that doesn't always mean you have free and full access to those articles. You might need a membership to read the full versions.
  • Google Scholar can be a valuable research tool, especially for those pursuing higher education.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Established in 2004, Google Scholar is a massive database of scholarly literature that allows users to access information, cross reference it with other sources, and keep up with new research as it comes out.

Google Scholar

Using Google Scholar, you can access these kinds of sources:

  • Journals
  • Conference papers
  • Academic books
  • Pre-prints
  • Theses and dissertations
  • Abstracts
  • Technical reports
  • Other scholarly literature from "all broad areas of research"

Here's more about the powerful research tool.

Who can use Google Scholar

Anyone can access the search database. And while it's built with college or grad school students and other academics in mind — it can help those writing academic papers create bibliographies more easily — anyone can reap its benefits.

Here are just a few examples of what you can do through Google Scholar: 

  • You can create a library of research around a topic of interest, like global warming, and create alerts for it so that you're always up-to-date on the latest research.
  • You can gain deeper knowledge around a complicated topic, like studies in field of astronomy that you're interested in.
  • You can research case law to build a deeper understanding of American politics and the Supreme Court.

How to access material on Google Scholar

Google Scholar itself is free to use as a search tool. However, since it pulls information from many other databases, it's possible that the information you pull up will require a login (or even payment) to access the full information.

Still, paper abstracts — essentially introductions to and summaries of an article or study — are typically free and provide an overview of what's contained within.

Google Scholar best practices and search tips

Google Scholar pulls from a plethora of research, so it's best to narrow your search to get the most relevant information. Here are a few ways to do that:

1. Sort your searches by date (or specify a starting date) to find the newest, most relevant data.

2. Look out for the keywords "all versions," "related articles," and "cited by" to search for free versions of articles; you should look for PDFs and postings by libraries.

3. Look through an article's references section to gain a deeper understanding of a topic.

2 SCREENSHOT WHAT IS GOOGLE SCHOLAR

Google Scholar provides an excellent avenue into scholarly research, and while it does have its drawbacks, it's a tool that can be used to help clarify, explore and inform users about a wide variety of topics.

The key is knowing what you want and putting in a bit of time to hone your research skills.

Join the conversation about this story »

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The best clothes steamers you can buy

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  • Ironing is a real hassle, but you can get the wrinkles out of your clothes much easier with a great steamer.
  • All of our research points to the PurSteam PS-910 Fabric Steamer as the best clothes steamer you can buy to keep your clothing wrinkle-free.

Unwrinkled clothes simply improve your look, whether you're trying to attract someone or score a job, but getting perfectly pressed clothes takes time and effort. By most standards of thinking, your options for fresh pressed clothes are to A) send your clothes out and have a laundromat or dry cleaner make them wrinkle-free, which can weigh down on your wallet quickly, or to B) bring out the ironing board and iron your clothes each day, which requires time as well as some level of skill. Luckily there's a third, often-overlooked option: steaming.

Steaming clothes is a less complicated process than ironing that achieves equally wrinkle-free results. Steaming is the go-to choice in various professional industries such as fashion and broadcast where items may need to be packed up and moved often.

There are various types of garment steamers, but they all generally function the same way. Water is placed in a base or reservoir, heated to produce steam, and that steam is released through a wide nozzle which you hover over whatever it is you're looking to de-wrinkle. Usually, pressure or direct contact with the wrinkled fabrics is not required as the high heat of the steam is what removes the wrinkles.

Steaming saves time, reduces wear and tear, is safe for nearly any fabric, sanitizes your clothes, helps you avoid chemicals, and best of all, steaming your clothes saves you money. That's why we've picked out the best clothes steamers you can buy.

We evaluated each of the following garment cleaning models by looking at the steam production, heat-up time, wrinkle removal efficacy, and durability. We referenced online recommendations from industry leaders, and sites that specialize in the cleaning of household industries, as well as Amazon rankings and customer reviews, and personal experience. Read on to find out which clothes steamer is best for your needs and budget.

Here are the best clothes steamers in 2019:

Updated on 06/03/2019 by Malarie Gokey: Updated formatting and pricing. Added our tips on how to organize a closet.

Keep scrolling to check out our top picks.

The best overall

The PurSteam PS-910 Fabric Steamer produces perfect steam for 60 minutes to remove wrinkles from all your clothes.

The PurSteam PS-910 Heavy Duty Powerful Fabric Steamer accomplishes two vital tasks with perfection: It removes wrinkles and makes steaming easier. It's Amazon's number one best-seller, plus it comes with a money-back guarantee and five-year warranty, so you know it's made to last. While it's not a professional unit, it can handle a family's worth of clothes with the 61-ounce tank that heats up in just under a minute and provides 60 minutes of stable steam.

The design is part of what makes this steamer so appealing. It has a handy, adjustable hanger that is expandable from 15 to 17 or 19 inches. That means no more holding up your clothes or searching for a hook just to steam. It also has clips to help hold other fabrics, such as small children's clothing, pillowcases, and more in place. The hanger is collapsible and the top hanger part can be replaced with a brush hook which makes for easy storage.

It comes with a convenient handheld steam board to de-wrinkle collars, pockets, and sleeves, that also doubles as a crease attachment to provide a more polished, or what one might call dry-cleaned look that gives structure to collars, sleeves, plackets, hems, and other clothing areas where a completely steamed, flat finish would just appear odd. 

It can handle delicate to heavy materials, as it provides steam up to 248 degrees Fahrenheit that penetrates deep and relaxes fibers. The high temperature means it works faster than ironing and allows it to freshens clothes killing up to 99.9% of germs. Finally, the cost is actually reasonable, especially compared to other standing steam steamers.

The PurSteam PS-910 Heavy Duty Powerful Fabric Steamer is featured in Parents Need, where the author notes it can even disinfect your carpet. It's listed in Smart Home Guide and Best Advisor, too.

The PurSteam PS-910 Heavy Duty Powerful Fabric Steamer has a 4- out of 5-star average rating based on over 2,000 customer reviews. Many reviewers comment on the quality of the product, and its many uses, such as this reviewer. Others like all the features it comes with such as this reviewer who enjoys the steam board and this reviewer who says that the accessories are "wonderful." 

The critical reviews mostly center around the product not having a consistent flow stream, but it's worth noting that on every critical review, there's a response from Amazon or the manufacturer extending help information and offers to resolve the issue stated.  

Pros: Reasonable price, quality customer service/guarantee, handy built-in hanger, steams for 60 consecutive minutes, convenient add-ons and accessories, sanitizing features   

Cons: May not provide a consistent steam flow

Buy the PurSteam PS-910 Heavy Duty Powerful Fabric Steamer on Amazon for $69.99 (originally $134.99) 



The best budget

More powerful than a travel steamer but still mobile enough to carry, the URPOWER Garment Steamer eliminates wrinkles faster than your average iron.

The URPOWER Garment Steamer makes steaming anywhere a quick and easy process. The 1.2-pound device heats up and provides steam in only two minutes, yet with a 130-milliliter tank, it provides a constant steam for 7 to 10 minutes. This upgraded model has a new nozzle design that distributes steam more powerfully and consistently, making it easier to remove stubborn wrinkles. Whether you don't have room for a heavy-duty steamer or simply prefer a lighter, portable design, this handheld steamer can remove wrinkles from clothes, as well as from cushions, beds, and other fabrics around the house.

Even if you're new to steaming, you won't have much trouble learning how to use this steamer. It conveniently features an automatic shut-off function when the unit gets too hot or the water level is too low, which protects your clothing, as well as the longevity of the unit, which already comes with a two-year warranty.

Because it measures 3.7-by-8.8-by-6.2 inches, it's smaller than an iPad 2, so you could carry it around without much of a hassle in case your steaming needs take you out of your house. It comes with a handy travel pouch, too.

The URPOWER Garment Steamer is the number one best-seller on Amazon in both the Travel Garment Steamers and Garment Steamer categories. The steamer has a 4 out of 5-star rating in the Parents Need, is listed in BestSeekers, and is ranked number one in an AOL article.

On Amazon, the steamer has a 4.2 out of 5-star average rating based on 2,321 reviews, which include a handful of helpful video reviews. The majority of reviewers are impressed with the product, such as this one who states that the steamer pays for itself. Multiple reviewers comment that the steamer is smaller than expected. The critical reviews mainly state that the steamer doesn't completely replace their iron as they hoped, or that it stopped working sooner than it should have.

Pros: Price, built-in safety features, easy to use, small enough it's portable, upgraded nozzle design

Cons: May spit water occasionally, questionable longevity

Buy the URPOWER Garment Steamer on Amazon for $20.99 (originally $69.99)



The best handheld steamer

Rowenta X-Cel Handheld Steamer emits powerful steam to make wrinkles disappear, plus, it's not too big.

Rowenta's X-Cel Handheld Steamer is a small, handheld steamer that's just the right size for anyone who needs to quickly steam some wrinkles out of tomorrow's suit, dress shirt, and tie. It's not a huge steamer, but it gets small jobs done quickly with little fuss.

The steamer emits 1500 Watts of steam for 10 minutes straight and heats up in about 40 to 45 seconds. The stainless steel head has several holes for even steam distribution, and it comes with fabric brush, lint pad, and steam bonnet attachments so you can steam any fabric without destroying it.

Because it's not overly large, Rowenta's steamer is easy to hold and fairly lightweight. I use it to steam my clothes on a regular basis and find it very easy to use. The water tank may be small, but I've never had trouble refilling it and I rarely use it for 10 minutes straight, so I've never exhausted the water supply mid-steam.

If you don't steam too many clothes or fabrics all at once and you want a small steamer that you can pack away at a moment's notice, this is it. Buyers at Bed Bath & Beyond give it mostly good reviews. — Malarie Gokey

Pros: Strong steam, small size, easy to hold, not too heavy

Cons: Pricey, small tank

Buy the Rowenta X-Cel handheld Garment and Fabric Steamer on Amazon for $47.97 (originally $60.81)



The best for travel

With a unique compact design, the OXA Portable Travel Steamer is a versatile steamer that does the job on the go.

While handheld steamers can often be used as travel steamers as well, the OXA Portable Travel Steamer is designed specifically with travel in mind. It's portable and lightweight, weighing only 850 grams. Even if you're not looking for a travel steamer, this model could serve you best, because of its light weight and ergonomic design with a steady grip that it allows you to handle it effortlessly without tiring your arms.

We love that it's really a versatile steamer as well. It can remove wrinkles from all kinds of fabrics, including organic fabric, silk, cotton, nylon blend, wool, linen, polyester blend, embroidery, and other materials. It also has sanitizing features to remove odors, disinfect, and kill germs.

It comes with two brushes: One is a fabric brush with six outlets for steaming and the other a lint brush so you can make sure your clothes look pristine. The nozzle is purposely designed to not spit out water, and it comes with an auto shut-off feature to protect against overheating. Best of all, it heats up in a mere 20 seconds. Thanks to the 1,000 watts of power, it delivers a large amount of steam continuously for up to seven minutes.

The space-saving 16.2-by-5.9-by-5.6 inch OXA Portable Travel Steamer is listed in Top Best Products and Gist Gear. On Amazon, the steamer holds a 4.6- out of 5-star average rating based on 74 reviews, which, although a low number due to it being a new product, are rather thorough reviews that consist of 10 customer videos and more than 120 customer photos.

Amazon reviewers are generally pretty impressed with the small steamer, many highlighting that it works well on a variety of fabrics and, as advertised, heats up in only 20 seconds. This reviewer uploaded a video along with a handful of photos that conveniently give you a better idea of how it would actually fit in your hand. As to be expected, many buyers enjoy that it's so lightweight and easy to travel with. The five critical reviews primarily state that the steamer doesn't provide strong enough steam to get out tough wrinkles.

Pros: Travel-friendly, sanitizing features, works on a variety of materials, quick heat up time, lightweight

Cons: Steam may not be strong enough to get out tough wrinkles

Buy the OXA Portable Travel Steamer on Amazon for $23.99



The best heavy-duty steamer

The J-2000 Jiffy Garment Steamer is robust and durable, providing powerful wrinkle-killing steam for a full 90 minutes.

If you plan on steaming more than an item or two at once, you'll want a more heavy duty steamer and that's where this J-2000 Jiffy Garment Steamer comes into play. The standing steamer features a plastic removable 3/4 gallon water reservoir with a no-drip check valve system that fits securely into the base of the steamer and gives you 1.5 hours of steaming per fill. 

The steamer is designed to withstand a good amount of use, so it can be used at home or for light commercial use. It has a high-impact polymer outer housing that provides an extra layer of durability along with wheels that swivel for mobility.

The steamer has a quick two-minute heat up time, which is rather quick considering the amount of water it holds. It has a 5.5-foot hose with a 6-inch steam head, so it can cover a good amount of fabric at once. It comes complete with color-coded high-temperature wiring and a fusible link with an automatic shut-off feature for safety. It can be used on clothing, bedding, and table linens. It can even remove wallpaper.

The J-2000 Jiffy Garment Steamer is listed as a top pick for The Wirecutter,Faveable, Consumer Search, andParents Need.

On Amazon, the J-2000 Jiffy Garment Steamer holds a 4.5 out of 5-star average rating based on 1,489 reviews. Many reviewers comment that the steamer is well-made and lasts an impressively long time. One reviewer writes that the product has lasted more than 10 years. Some reviewers say the steamer gets too hot and has burned either them or their clothes. This reviewer says that it spits out water rather than steam from time to time, but it seems to be a rare occurrence.

Pros: Steams for 90 consecutive minutes, tough on wrinkles, long-lasting

Cons: Price, design, possible water spit issues

Buy the J-2000 Jiffy Garment Steamer on Amazon for $157.49 (originally $219)



How to choose a clothes steamer

How to pick a clothes steamer

Standing garment steamers are the most traditional type and keep water in some type of base on the floor, while a long tube with a nozzle at the end shoots out steam. Handheld garment steamers typically look like an oversized tea brewer with a wide end rather than a spout and come with a cord. With handheld steamers, the water basin is generally smaller but attached to the nozzle portion of the product and there is no long tube so they're easier to maneuver and move around. Travel garment steamers come in a variety of shapes and designs, but most function the same way as handheld garment steamer, just out of a more compact body.

When shopping for a garment steamer you want to consider a few factors:

  • Performance: The best steamers heat up quickly, although a larger water reservoir can take longer to heat. Of course, the larger the water reservoir, the more steam time you'll get in-between refills. Standing garment steamers almost always provide the largest water reservoirs, and thus longest continuous steam time, and travel ones provide the least. Beyond water capacity, the best steamers will not spit water at you or your clothes, but rather produce uniform steam.
  • Ease of Use: If you're just steaming clothes that can easily hang on a clothes hanger, you may not need a long tube or power cord for your steamer. Other fabrics like drapes that may be harder to reach are easier to steam when you have a long tube and cord that can reach far. Some steamers have attachments to make it easier to steam hard-to-reach fabrics or awkwardly shaped clothing.
  • Easy to clean: Removable tanks are preferred as they are easier to fill and clean. If the garment cleaner base you go with that isn't removable, make sure the product comes with clear cleaning instructions, as improper cleaning can all too easily damage the steamer.
  • Accessories: Some steamers have unique features or come with add-ons that make steaming easier, such as an automatic shut off feature, wheels, built-in hangers, steam boards, and more.
  • Price: Garment steamers vary in price from around $30 to upwards of $200 and are usually more expensive than irons. Price depends on features, brand, and more often than not, the amount of water the steamer can hold and the steam time it can provide. By this logic, travel steamers will be the lowest priced option, followed by handheld and then standing garment steamers.


Check out our clothing organization guides

How to organize a bedroom closet and the tools you need to do it

When your closet is messy, it's nearly impossible to find what you're looking for. That's why we've put together this easy four-step method to help you organize your bedroom closet. We also recommend a few products that will help you store everything in its rightful place.

Here's what you need to organize your closet:


The best closet and drawer organizers you can buy

Proper drawer and closet organization can make the difference between a calm, enjoyable morning routine and a frenzied mess to find the right clothes and accessories before you rush out the door wearing less than your best outfit.

Our guide features a range of hardware ideal for all sorts of garments and for all sorts of closets and dressers, too. We have included options from up and down the price spectrum as well as those that are ideal for permanent installation in your home or for temporary use in an apartment or dorm.

The only thing you'll need to worry about when it comes to drawer and closet organization is actually sticking to the system you create.

Here are the best organizers you can buy:


The best storage containers you can buy

Organization is a challenge for the best of us, but good quality storage containers can help you get your stuff organized and make it all easier to access when you need it.

There are so many storage container options out there, from stackable plastic boxes that hold a ton of stuff to decorative bins that sneakily house items you use often but want to keep out of sight.

These are the best storage containers your money can buy — They'll make you feel like an amateur organization expert in no time.

Here are the best storage containers:


The best clothes hangers you can buy

There's nothing worse than a messy, disorganized closet. Having high-quality clothes hangers that match is an absolute must.

Hangers come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, types, and materials. It can be hard to know which ones are best for your clothes and your closet. One thing is for sure, though — Cheap, thin, flimsy wire and plastic hangers are not the answer. Sturdy, well-made wooden hangers are best, though velvet and padded ones are also very good. We've chosen wooden hangers for our picks because they tend to last longest and look the nicest.

Here are the best hangers:



How to search for movies and shows on Netflix, or use category tags to narrow down your search

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Netflix logo

  • You can search for movies and TV shows on Netflix using the search icon at the top of both the mobile app and the web browser, or via the top of the sidebar menu in the TV app.
  • You can search not just by movie or show name, but also by actor, director, genre, and a handful of other categories.  
  • If you'd prefer to browse by category, you can choose a category directly or type its category tag into your URL without having to scroll endlessly, hoping to encounter your favorite category by happenstance.
  • Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Netflix has a lot of content. That's evident from the statistics: The service hosts about 1,569 TV shows and 4,010 movies in an expanding portfolio. And the video streaming company claims that its 139 million global subscribers watch 140 million hours of content each day.

If you're one of those 139 million subscribers, you might sometimes have trouble finding the shows you want to watch amidst all those choices.

To help you out, Netflix provides a search tool on the website, and in the mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, as well as the TV-based apps. No matter how you use Netflix, there's a way to zero in on the shows you want.

How to search on Netflix

1. Open Netflix, either by starting the app on your mobile device or streaming device, or by navigating to Netflix.com in a browser.

2. At the top of the screen (or at the top of the sidebar on TV apps), tap or click the search icon, shaped like a magnifying glass.

search 1

3. Type your search.

There are a number of different kinds of searches you can perform:

  • By title. If you search for the title of a TV show or movie, Netflix will display that item and similar shows and movies. If Netflix doesn't have the show you're looking for, it'll display the most similar match it can find.
  • By actor. You can search for actors and actresses by name. You'll get results that display shows and movies in which they've appeared.
  • By director. Likewise, you can search by the name of a director to find movies and shows they've worked on.
  • By genre. If you're looking for a particular kind of show, like sci-fi, fantasy, drama, or comedy, you can enter that search term.
  • By language. Want a Spanish, French, or German film? Search for "Spanish movies" to see exactly that – Spanish-language films.
  • By video quality. You can search by "UHD" to find shows and movies that are in 4K UHD quality.

Notice that Netflix shows not just search results, but also categories at the top of the page – these are the categories it's using to find results for you. If you want to see results from just one of those categories in particular, click on it to focus on that collection of movies.

search 2

How to browse Netflix by category

You're no doubt already familiar with how to browse Netflix by genre and category — just scroll down the homepage, whether you're in an app on in a web browser. But you have a couple of other options as well.

If you choose "TV Shows" or "Movies" at the top of the screen, you'll switch to a page that displays only one or the other. And when you do, you'll see a dropdown menu in which you can choose a genre directly, without having to scroll to find it.

search 3

You can also browse by truly oddball, unusual categories. Netflix tracks movies by some niche categories, like "wine and beer appreciation," "understated horror movies," and "quirky romances." Read our article, "27 of the best secret categories on Netflix and how to find them," to learn about many of these categories.

When you know a specific category's tag number, you can access that category's landing page by typing its number into your address bar after the word "genre," like this: http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/52858.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

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