• Europe is home to historic sites and gorgeous natural wonders.
• The ultimate bucket list of travel destinations in Europe includes the canals in Amsterdam, scuba diving in Cyprus, and the Colosseum in Rome.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Europe is home to historic cities, world-famous museums, and phenomenal restaurants. But there are also gorgeous hidden beaches, world-class ski resorts, and stunning natural formations like canyons, waterfalls, and gorges.

We've come up with the ultimate bucket list of travel destinations in Europe.

From biking along the canals of Amsterdam to scuba diving in the clear Mediterranean waters off Cyprus, here are 50 things you need to do in Europe in your lifetime.

Eliza McKelvey and Megan Willett contributed to this story.

SEE ALSO: 16 incredible European destinations that haven't been discovered by tourists

SEE ALSO: 100 trips everyone should take in their lifetime

Lagos, Portugal

Lounge on the stunning beaches of Lagos, Portugal.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Ride alongside the canals in one of the most bike-friendly cities in the world.

Innsbruck, Austria

Hit the slopes at Innsbruck, a breathtaking ski resort in the mountains of Austria.

Tresor — Berlin, Germany

Dance to house music at the underground nightclub and record label Tresor in Berlin.

Santorini, Greece

Take in the stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea from the Greek island of Santorini.

Promenade des Anglais — Nice, France

Stroll along the Promenade des Anglais in Nice — or ride on skates, scooters or bikes.

Charles Bridge — Prague, Czech Republic

Walk across the Vltava River on the 617-year-old Charles Bridge.

Cyprus

Scuba dive in the clear Mediterranean waters off Cyprus.

The Shard — London, England

Get a drink at Aqua or Gong, located inside the Shard, the tallest building in London, and enjoy incredible views of the British capital city.

Ibiza, Spain

Stay up all night partying on the Spanish island of Ibiza.

Colosseum — Rome, Italy

Explore the ruins of the stately Colosseum in Rome, Italy, and imagine the gladiator fights that once packed the arena.

Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Test your limits and peer out from the edge of the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland.

Market Square — Krakow, Poland

Have a beer in the beautiful Market Square of Krakow, Poland.

Sistine Chapel — Vatican City

Marvel at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which took Michelangelo four years to paint, in Vatican City.

Autobahn — Germany

Test your speed on Germany's famous autobahn, known for having no speed limit.

Tivoli Gardens — Copenhagen, Denmark

Pass a day in the beautiful Tivoli Gardens and amusement park in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Edinburgh Fringe Festival — Edinburgh, Scotland

Catch a show at Scotland's Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the world's largest arts festival.

Plitvice Lakes National Park — Croatia

Explore the waterfalls of Plitvice Lakes National Park, the largest national park in Croatia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Český Krumlov, Czech Republic

Discover Český Krumlov, a historic town in the Czech Republic that dates back to the 13th century. The town is spectacular yet not overrun with tourists.

Casino de Monaco — Monte Carlo, Monaco

Play a hand of blackjack at the Casino de Monaco in Monte Carlo, one of the most luxurious casinos in the world.

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Hug the cliffs while driving along the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and visit the charming towns of Positano, Ravello, and Salerno.

Alhambra palace — Granada, Spain

Marvel at the Moorish architecture and tranquil gardens of the Alhambra palace in Granada, Spain.

Oktoberfest — Munich, Germany

Cheers with an authentic German beer during Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.

Jägala Fall — Estonia

Hear the roar of Jägala Fall in Estonia, called "the Niagara Falls of the Baltics."

Venice, Italy

Take a gondola ride through the winding canals of Venice, Italy.

Fjord Norway — Norway

Cruise Norway's imposing fjords, created by eroding glaciers. The Norwegian fjord landscape is a UNESCO Heritage Site.

Interlaken, Switzerland

Go skiing, hiking, or canyoning in Interlaken, Switzerland, which is known for its outdoor adventure activities.

Dubrovnik, Croatia

"Game of Thrones" helped boost Dubrovnik's popularity, having appeared as King's Landing. A walk around the Old City walls dating back to the 600s provides panoramic views of the ocean and Mount Srd.

Provence, France

Stroll through fragrant lavender fields in Provence, France.

Budapest, Hungary

Take a dip in a thermal bath in Budapest, Hungary.

Brussels, Belgium

Indulge in fresh gaufres chaudes (hot waffles) topped with strawberries, whipped cream, Nutella, and more in Belgium.

Lapland, Finland

Gaze at the aurora borealis from Lapland, in northern Finland.

Musée d'Orsay — Paris, France

See what is arguably the world's greatest collection of Impressionist art at the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, France.

Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood — St. Petersburg, Russia

Marvel at the ornate interior of the Church of the Savior on Spilled Blood, which is covered in colorful mosaics.

Scottish Highlands — Scotland

Drive through the Scottish Highlands and admire the gorgeous hilly terrain.

Pamplona, Spain

Run with the bulls in Pamplona, a tradition that dates back to 1591.

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Explore Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A blend of east and west and heavily influenced by the Ottoman Empire, the city offers museums, mosques, and cathedrals.

Istanbul, Turkey

Straddle two continents on a boat tour along the Bosphorus in Istanbul, Turkey.

Étretat — Normandy, France

Walk through the chalk cliffs and natural arches of Étretat along the region's famous white pebble beach.

Vienna, Austria

Linger over a strong cup of coffee and a rich, chocolatey Sachertorte at a cafe in Vienna, Austria.

Sighisoara, Romania

Recount the tale of Dracula in Sighisoara, the Romanian town where real-life inspiration Vlad the Impaler was born.

Icehotel — Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Opened in 1989, Sweden's Icehotel is built anew every year with ice from the Torne River.

Uffizi Gallery — Florence, Italy

Seek out Botticelli's masterpieces "The Birth of Venus" and "Primavera" inside the Uffizi Gallery.

Carcassone, France

Stroll the ramparts of the medieval fortified town of Carcassone, complete with a castle and Gothic cathedral.

Stonehenge, England

Watch the sun set at Stonehenge, one of the most recognizable prehistoric monuments in Europe.

Rila Monastery — Rila, Bulgaria

Find solace at the Rila Monastery, an Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria's Rila Mountains.

Sagrada Família — Barcelona, Spain

Admire the incredibly detailed facade of the Sagrada Família, a church in Barcelona, Spain, which was designed by famed architect Antoni Gaudí and has been under construction since 1882.

Cinque Terre, Italy

Hike through Italy's gorgeous Cinque Terre region, which is made up of five small fishing villages, all of which boast narrow winding roads, pastel-colored buildings, and amazing views of the Italian Riviera.

Ballybunion Golf Club — Ballybunion, Ireland

Play a round at Ballybunion, one of the most iconic golf courses in Ireland.

Reynisfjara Beach — Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland

Reynisfjara Beach is known for its black sands and basalt columns. It's located next to Vík í Mýrdal, Iceland's southernmost city.

• Read more:
• The 16 best new hotels in Europe that every traveler should visit
• You can take 13 trains all the way across Europe for under $500 — here's how
• The 50 most beautiful cities in the world
• 100 trips everyone should take in their lifetime

• Santa is an iconic character, who dominates the media during the holidays. 
• Although he's now a brand influencer used to market products, he was originally a poor monk in Turkey.
• Rich New Yorker's in 19th century America used St. Nicholas as the face of Christmas to make the holiday more tasteful. 
• Two poems propelled St. Nicholas into fame and made him the Santa Claus we know today. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Following is a transcript of the video.

When you think about iconic holiday characters, the first that comes to mind is probably Santa Claus. The jolly old man known for his generosity and cheery demeanor dominates the media during the holiday season, appearing in everything from movies... "Santa's coming to town." "Santa, oh my god." ...to advertisements. "Is it cold in Santa Fe, Raleigh, Cleveland tonight?" And it's easy to see why. Santa sells. And we trust what he's selling.

But the real-life Santa Claus doesn't quite resemble the brand influencer of today. He was a poor monk in modest robes, known for his religious zeal and praised for his magnificent miracles. So how did he evolve so drastically?

It's all thanks to a handful of rich New Yorkers and two short poems.

The tale of St. Nicholas is one that has spread across continents and cultures since the beginning of the third century. Since his story was passed through oral tradition, it's often impossible to separate fact from fiction when it comes to his actual legacy.

It is said that he began his life as a Christian monk on the Mediterranean coast of Patara, in what is now known as Turkey. From early on, he gave up everything he had and traveled the countryside helping the sick and poor. He was notorious for his religious zeal and his fervent defense of the church during a time when Christians were heavily persecuted for their beliefs. But he is also credited with a number of fantastical miracles.

In one story, he gave a poor father bags of gold to pay for his three daughters' wedding dowries to prevent them from turning to prostitution. And in another story, he revived three children who were murdered by a butcher and hidden in pickling barrels.

These terrific feats concerning his generosity and his care for children are what made St. Nicholas popular among the common people. And when he died, he became a beloved saint and was given a holiday to celebrate his benevolence.

As his fame spread across Europe, his tale was mixed with local folktales of flying chariots and elves. In the Netherlands, St. Nicholas was rumored to have left chocolate treats or small gifts in the shoes of good children and coal or a bag of salt in the shoes of bad children. He was described as a big man wearing red clerical clothing with white hair and a long white beard to match. The Dutch called him "Sinter Klaas," which was a play on the Dutch name, "Sint Nikolaas."

At the time, St. Nicholas Day was a holiday completely unrelated to Christmas. In fact, Christmas itself began as a celebration of the winter solstice, commemorating the end of the darkest days of winter and welcoming the return of extended sunlight. Nordic cultures celebrated Yule from December 21st to the start of January. The Germans celebrated the pagan god Odin. And the Romans celebrated Saturnalia in honor of the god of agriculture, Saturn. The common thread throughout winter solstice celebrations is that they were meant to be for everyone. So they were often raucous parties fueled by alcohol.

But while Christianity was still a growing movement, church leaders sought to make the birth of Jesus a holiday as well. They chose December 25th for the celebration in the hopes of piggybacking on existing winter solstice parties. And it worked. As Christianity spread, so did celebrations of Christmas. But because of their close association with the winter solstice, Christmas parties also became loud, unruly events.

Fast-forward to 19th-century America. The European colonists of modern-day New York brought both St. Nicholas Day and Christmas with them. But not everything was pleasant in the New World. Christmas was still a rowdy, drunken street mess. And rampant economic problems, which led to massive class disparity, just added fuel to the fire. The jaded lower classes who couldn't find work would riot during wintertime. Eventually, these protests grew so violent that a police task force was formed to handle dissenters.

These riots, paired with alcohol-fueled Christmas celebrations, were distasteful to New York's very proper upper crust. So this spurred them to make a change. They decided to bring the Christmas holiday inside the house and make the focus family and children. And what better way to rebrand a holiday than to give it a face? And what better face for a family holiday than the face of a saint?

The first problem was that St. Nicholas was not quite as popular in America as he had been in Europe. At least not until the efforts of some of high-society gentlemen, John Pintard and Washington Irving.

Pintard was the founder of the New York Historical Society and St. Nicholas's biggest advocate, and he pushed to make St. Nick the society's patron saint. At the same time, the American author Washington Irving joined Pintard's society and wrote "Knickerbocker's History of New York," a somewhat satirical, yet also historical, account of New York's beginnings, where he described St. Nicholas as an "ever-revered" presence who guided early Dutch settlers to colonize New York.

Together, Pintard and Irving helped familiarize the American people with the persona of St. Nicholas. So, the next step was to reframe him as the face of Christmas.

In 1821, an illustrated poem titled "The Children's Friend" described a character known as "Santeclaus," an obvious play on the Dutch name "Sinterklaas." Santeclaus was shown visiting people's homes during the night on a flying sled pulled by a single reindeer. And much like in the old Dutch legends, he bestowed small gifts to good children and punishments to naughty children. But what stood out about this story was that Santeclaus didn't visit families on December 6th, but rather on Christmas Eve.

The following year, an American scholar named Clement Clarke Moore piggybacked on this idea when he wrote the poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas." But you might be more familiar with the poem's alternate title, "The Night Before Christmas." In this poem, Moore played with a slightly different picture of good ol' St. Nick. Rather than being pulled by a single reindeer, he was guided by eight. And rather than a thin man in clerical robes, he became a jolly, big-bellied man in a fur suit.

The stories went viral. St. Nicholas became the main character of the Christmas season. Sixty years later, political cartoonist Thomas Nast was inspired by these poems and designed the image of St. Nicholas that's pervasive even today.

Now we see Santa everywhere. On the street, at the mall, and even on our television screens at home. He's become a fundamental part of the holiday season. But now he's evolved to be more than just the mascot of Christmas. Since the '30s, Santa's been a brand influencer used to help market products during the holidays. And ironically, the traits that help Santa sell products today are the same ones that tied him to Christmas in the first place. The jolly old man is genuine and giving, so when we see him, we trust him almost without question. He makes us nostalgic for childhood and helps us remember the best aspects of life, creating an easily exploitable vulnerability in his audience. Santa sells, and we trust what he's selling. But despite this drastic evolution from benevolent monk to corporate shill and the perhaps not-so-great intentions that spurred the change, one thing remains true: No matter how Santa changes, he will always exist in our hearts and in our media.

Join the conversation about this story »

• Outdoor retailer Backcountry is holding its New Decade, New Deals sale now through January 7.
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• A high-quality mattress will last for more than a decade, provide the right balance of comfort and support for your body type and sleeping style, and offer superb motion transfer isolation.
• Our guide features beds that performed well in our tests, have long trial periods, and are designed to suit a broad range of sleepers.
• The Leesa Hybrid Mattress is our top pick because it sleeps cool, has impressive edge support, and features motion isolation so good that you won't notice when your partner gets up in the morning.

One of the most important purchases you will make in your life is a bed. After all, you spend a third of your life sleeping. It's a tired, old cliché, but it's true. And, if you don't put enough research and money into finding the best mattress for your needs, that third of your life you spend sleeping could end up having a negative impact on the two thirds you're awake. 

One of the biggest mistakes mattress shoppers make is putting too much emphasis on the price tag. Instead of focusing on that, you should pay attention to the most powerful tool for finding the right mattress for you: the risk-free trial period. We can tell you all about what to look for when mattress shopping, but the best way to tell if a bed is right for you is to sleep on it for several nights. Fortunately, the best brands offer trial periods of 100 nights or more. Most will give you a full refund if you decide the mattress isn't right for you. 

Most mattresses have warranties of at least 10 years. Even if you splurge on a $2,000 bed, that works out to about 50 cents per day over the life of the warranty. I think most of us would agree that your comfort is worth that. If money is tight, check out the financing options offered by most online mattress sellers. 

How we test mattresses

I've personally tested more than a dozen brands, and with the help of my Insider Picks colleagues, we've tested all of the top online mattresses. Each bed I receive goes through a series of tests, and for the ones I haven't personally tested, I've extrapolated the key performance indicators based on our team's reviews along with expert testing from sites like Sleepopolis and Consumer Reports. 

Here are the main attributes we look for and how we test them:

Firmness: For many buyers, this is a key consideration. Yet, there isn't really a standard way to measure firmness. A mattress maker's firmness claims are often hit or miss. I prefer an average firmness, and the main bed that I sleep on has an average rating based on my experience and expert ratings. Any new mattress that comes in is compared to my main baseline mattress to determine its firmness level.

Sleeper type: Back, stomach, and side sleepers will all have different preferences. I'm a side sleeper, but I often sleep on my stomach on firmer mattresses. My wife is a back sleeper. Our subjective sleeping experiences on a particular bed will determine the type of sleeper that will benefit most from the mattress.

Sleep temperature: Most beds-in-a-box feature some type of memory foam, which tends to trap heat. This can lead to a night of tossing and turning. So, to determine heat dissipation, I first lay on the bed for at least an hour. Next, I get up for about five minutes leaving the bed uncovered. I then return to assess how warm it feels. I combine these results with my comfort temperature-wise while sleeping on the mattress to form an overall opinion of the heat dissipation properties.

Edge support: Edge support is important if you like sitting on the side of your bed when putting on shoes or if you sleep with someone who tends to take up a lot of bed space. To test edge support, I sit on the edge of the bed and gauge how much it sinks. I also lie on the side of the bed and slowly rotate closer to the edge until I fall off. I note how secure I feel on the edge and how far I can go without falling. 

Motion transfer: If you share a bed with someone or have pets, you don't want their nocturnal movements to disturb your sleep. This is where motion transfer isolation is important. To assess this, I place a 12-ounce can of pop in the middle of the mattress. Next, I drop a 20-pound weight from approximately four feet above the bed so that it lands 12 inches from the pop can. I do this a few times. If the can falls over consistently, the motion isolation isn't very good. If it stays upright, we have a good motion dissipating mattress.

Moving the mattress: If you move often or want to rotate your mattress regularly to improve its longevity, it needs to be easily movable. I test movability by rotating the mattress a few times and taking it from one room to another. I pay close attention to how much effort it requires.

In addition to these tests, we look closely at a mattress's trial period, warranty, in-home delivery/white-glove service, and the type of foundation needed for best performance.

Along with testing out dozens of mattresses, we looked at countless expert and buyer ratings and reviews of the top brands while researching this guide. Our guide features mattresses that performed well in our tests, have long trial periods, and are designed to suit a broad range of sleepers. Also, all of the prices listed in our guide are for the queen. You can follow our links to find the prices for other mattress sizes.

Here the best mattresses you can buy:

• Best mattress overall:Leesa Hybrid Mattress
• Best high-end mattress:Tempur-Pedic PRObreeze Mattress
• Best all-foam mattress:The Casper Mattress
• Best mattress for people with back pain:Saatva Classic Mattress
• Best natural mattress:Birch Mattress by Helix
• Best ultra-firm mattress:Plank Mattress by Brooklyn Bedding

Updated on 12/26/2019 by Les Shu: Updated pricing and links.

The best mattress overall

With its perfect balance of comfort and support for a broad range of sleeping styles and body types, the Leesa Hybrid Mattress is the best mattress I've slept on providing exceptional motion transfer isolation and edge support.

For about a year, the Leesa Hybrid Mattress, formerly known as the "Sapira," was the bed my wife and I slept on when I wasn't testing other models. My wife is tall and weight-proportional. She sleeps on her back. I'm six feet tall and weigh 250 pounds and sleep on my stomach and side. This mattress is the most comfortable of the countless varieties I've tested. 

I usually overheat in bed, but the Leesa Hybrid keeps me cool at night by dissipating the heat. It's ideal for couples thanks to its outstanding edge support and superb performance in the motion transfer tests I put it through.

The firmness level of the Leesa Hybrid is right around average. The company recommends using a "firm, flat, and sturdy" foundation. I used the Leesa Foundation, which did the job but had several minor annoyances you can read about in my full review of the Leesa Hybrid.

The mattress is backed by a 10-year warranty, and Leesa offers a 100-night risk-free trial. You can also choose the white glove service for $150, which covers setting up your mattress and foundation and removing your old bed. Though the mattress is bulky and hard to move around, most individuals in good health should be able to set it up with the help of a friend.

Slumber Yard recommends the Leesa Hybrid for stomach and back sleepers who want a great combination of springs and soft memory foam feel. The reviewer was impressed with how well-made, comfortable, and supportive the bed is.

The Wirecutter also recommends this model because of the pressure relief afforded by the memory foam and the subtle bounce of the coils. The reviewer found the bed had excellent cooling abilities and worked for side, stomach, and back sleepers along with heavier people.

Pros: Works for a broad range of sleepers, excellent heat dissipation properties, extraordinary motion isolation, impressive edge support

Cons: Petite side sleepers may find the mattress is too firm

Read our Leesa Hybrid Mattress review on Insider Picks

The best mattress for hot sleepers

If heat-trapping mattresses have kept you tossing and turning through the night, the Tempur-Pedic PRObreeze Mattress will help you rest easy.

The Tempur-Pedic PRObreeze Mattress is what my wife and I sleep on when we're not testing other brands. It's passed all of my motion transfer tests, and I don't even notice when my wife gets up before me in the morning. Though I've found it holds my body heat when I come back from using the bathroom at night, overall, the PRObreeze sleeps cooler than most mattresses. 

The PRObreeze is 12 inches thick and features a cooling cover, Purecool+ phase change material, a Tempur CM+ comfort layer, and the original Tempur material support layer. It's also available as a hybrid, which is what I have. Tempur-Pedic offers a 90-night risk-free trial and 10-year warranty. Plus, you can try it out in hundreds of stores across the country.

Tempur-Pedic supplies free white glove delivery, which was incredibly helpful since our king mattress is a bit much for even two people to carry. We use the Tempur-Ergo Extend with Sleeptracker as the foundation, which is worth the investment if you like to watch TV or read in bed. And, if you are looking for an even cooler sleeping solution, consider the PRObreeze's sibling the LUXEbreeze, which is designed to be up to 5 degrees cooler.

Since it's so new, there are few expert reviews of the Tempur-Pedic PRObreeze Mattress. Slumber Yard recommends it for hot sleepers. The reviewer pointed out that it's essentially the same as the popular Tempur-ProAdapt. Yet, he does note that he likes the cooling upgrades that set it apart from the ProAdapt, especially the new cooling cover. The main downside the reviewer points out is that the mattress is only available in Medium and Medium Hybrid.

On Tempur-Pedic's website, one shopper who previously owned the Tempur Flex Supreme for five years decided to upgrade to this mattress because of its cooling abilities. He found the mattress lives up to the hype; he no longer has sweaty nights of tossing and turning. Other buyers are similarly zealous in their love of the PRObreeze, including several reviewers who claim it helped alleviate their chronic back pain.

Pros: Good cooling, impressive motion isolation, great for side sleepers and petite individuals, free white glove delivery

Cons: Expensive, questionable edge support, only available in medium firmness

The best all-foam mattress

The Casper mattress has a firm feel that provides excellent support right to the edge, and it will keep your body cool through the night.

Earlier this year, Casper updated its best-selling all-foam mattress with a zoned-support layer, which provides specialized pressure relief to targeted body parts. The slightly firmer than average support is ideal for back and stomach sleepers, but it was significantly less comfortable when I moved to my side. The firmness also rendered the bed less bouncy but made rotating the mattress and moving around on it easier. 

The Casper passed my motion transfer test with flying colors. And, I found the edge support was also impressive. Plus, on hot summer nights, the breathable design kept my usually overheating body nice and cool. You can check out my full review here. I've also tested and recommended the Casper Hybrid mattress, which you can read about here.

Consumer Reports recommends the Casper Mattress as the "best buy" and best overall memory foam mattress. In the review site's tests, the mattress was excellent for petite side and back sleepers and very good for average and large individuals. After eight years of simulated use, the mattress only showed minor changes in performance. The only negative noted was the lack of grips, which could make moving the mattress difficult. 

Sleepopolis and Sleep Advisor also recommend the Casper Mattress. And, The Wirecutter does as well but only if you are looking for a medium-firm foam mattress and "don't mind possibly overpaying for it.

Pros: Includes 100-day risk-free trial, has great edge support, has excellent motion transfer dampening, offers firm support, breathable open-cell foam top layer helps keep you cool

Cons: Has very little bounce, might be too firm for side sleepers

Read our Casper Wave Mattress review on Insider Picks

The best mattress for people with back pain

The Saatva Classic Mattress provides luxurious comfort with its plush top and is designed to suit an array of sleeping styles.

The Saatva Classic Mattress comes in six standard sizes, two thicknesses (11.5 inches and 14.5 inches), and three firmness levels: plush soft, luxury firm, and firm. Saatva also sells a frame, foundation, and adjustable base to go with your mattress. 

The individually-wrapped coils offer impressive support to the bed's edge. Also, no matter your sleep style, there's sure to be a firmness level that caters to you. The bed is backed by a 15-year warranty and a 120-night trial, though if you decide to return the mattress, a $99 transportation fee is deducted from your refund.

Insider Picks' Kylie Joyner loved the "Goldilocks" feel of support and comfort of the Saatva Classic Mattress. She and her partner have enjoyed decreased back pain since sleeping on the luxury firm bed. And, she rested easy knowing the company uses environmentally-friendly materials to manufacture its mattress in the United States.

Sleep Advisor, Mattress Clarity, Sleepopolis, Tuck, and The Wirecutter all recommend the Saatva Classic. The Wirecutter ranks it as the best spring mattress. The reviewer liked that the pocket coils and plush top afforded a pleasant combination of bounce and softness. The delivery experience was convenient with the mattress coming fully expanded. Yet, since the Euro top is susceptible to body impressions, she warns against heavier individuals purchasing this model.

Though they were tired of the high-pressure in-person mattress shopping experience, several Saatva buyers were resistant to buying a mattress online at first. But, the high-quality feel of the materials won them over. Thanks to the comfort of his luxury firm mattress, one buyer noted that he looks forward to bedtime now. Another reviewer using a sleep-tracker app discovered that her sleep per night went from three or four hours to six or seven hours with the purchase of this bed.

Pros: Free in-home delivery and mattress removal, three firmness levels, plush softness, nice bounce, 120-night trial

Cons: Fees associated with returns, not the best for people weighing more than 200 pounds

Read our Saatva Classic Mattress review on Insider Picks

The best natural mattress

Environmentally-conscious folks can choose the Birch Mattress without guilt thanks to its all-natural materials.

The Birch Mattress comes from Helix, which is known for offering a wide array of excellent mattresses, including the Helix Dusk and the Helix Luxe Dusk. The Birch is positioned as an earth-friendly alternative using organic cotton, wool, natural latex, and high-quality steel. The mattress comes with a 100-night sleep trial and a 25-year warranty.

I've tested the Birch Mattress with and without the optional $400 plush pillow top. Without the pillow top, the mattress has above-average firmness, which felt great when I slept on my stomach. With the top, sleeping on my side was much more comfortable. The bed passed my motion transfer tests and offered outstanding edge support. I also found it does a good — not great — job of dissipating heat. 

Sleepopolis recommends the Birch Mattress because it has fantastic bounce and the firmness works well for stomach and back sleepers. The reviewer also appreciated that the mattress is made of all-natural elements and is Greenguard Gold certified. However, he doesn't think the mattress without the pillowtop is good for side sleepers. Sleep Sherpa recommends this model if you're looking for a mattress made of renewable materials, that doesn't contain foam, and is temperature neutral.

Buyers like that the mattress is made with natural, organic materials, which makes it so the bed doesn't have an off-putting odor when it comes out of the packaging. One person shared her story of dealing with hip pain. At first, the Birch mattress with the pillow top helped, but after about a month and a half, the pain came back. Birch worked with her to provide another layer of soft latex, which seemed to relieve the pressure points.

Pros: Greenguard Gold certified, made of natural materials, exceptional bounce, very good motion transfer isolation, above-average firmness, optional plush pillow top for a softer feel

Cons: Not ideal for side sleepers without the pillow top

The best ultra-firm mattress

If the idea of sleeping on the floor sounds more appealing than most beds, the Plank Mattress should give you the ultra-firmness you seek.

The Plank Mattress is made by Brooklyn Bedding, a mattress company that manufactures an array of top-rated beds and bedding.  The Plank is about as firm as it gets. The top side is just firm, while the bottom side is extra firm. So, you can flip the bed to achieve your optimal feel. You can also choose to add a cooling top layer to the extra firm side. 

Insider Picks' Owen Burke tested the Plank. After having lived in Taiwan, it was the first truly-firm mattress he'd found in the Western Hemisphere. He preferred the ultra-firm side. You can read his full review here.

Tuck recommends the Plank Mattress to heavier stomach and back sleepers because it's so firm. In the review site's tests, the mattress was durable, provided good motion isolation and edge support, was quiet, had minimal off-gassing, and slept cooler than other all-foam models. The main negatives were that the 120-night sleep trial required a 30-night break-in period, and the mattress doesn't tend to conform to the contours of your body.

You really can't go wrong with a Brooklyn Bedding mattress. If ultra-firm isn't your thing, consider their Aurora mattress.

Pros: Great for heavier back and stomach sleepers, incredibly firm, great motion isolation, exceptional edge support, two levels of firmness

Cons: Not the best for petite individuals or side sleepers, doesn't contour to your body

Read our Plank Mattress review on Insider Picks

How to pick the right mattress for you

There are a ton of things to consider when buying a mattress, including firmness, materials, warranties, return policies, and whether to go with a direct-to-consumer mattress startup or a big-name brand. We break it down for you below:

Finding the right level of firmness

Before you buy, you'll want to know what level of firmness is best for you. Side sleepers tend to like medium-to-soft mattresses, while back and stomach sleepers prefer firmer mattresses.

While your first reaction might be to get the plushest mattress out there, the fact is that sometimes ultra-soft mattresses can be bad for your back. On top of that, if you're half of a couple, you'll need to take into consideration what your partner wants, too. If you've got a big budget, you can go with a high-end mattress that allows for adjustments to be made on each side of the mattress.

Look for a good return policy or a long trial period in case the mattress you thought you wanted doesn't work out for you. Mattress choice is deeply personal and varies widely from person to person.

What kind of mattress do you want?

There are a lot of different mattress types, but Sleepopolis breaks them down extremely well. We've summarized each type of mattress below based on the site's expert mattress buying guide: 

• Hybrid mattresses combine memory foam and latex with spring coils and other materials to appeal to a wide range of sleepers. These mattresses are great all-around options for couples.
• Latex foam mattresses are best known for being cooling, bouncy, and responsive.
• Memory Foam mattresses conform to your body's needs and offer excellent support. They're huggier than other mattresses, so they may not appeal to hot sleepers.
• Coil mattresses are more old-fashioned and traditional, but they're great for strong support and a long life. If you sleep on the edge, coil mattresses are good for you.
• Pillow-top mattresses are ideal for people who like soft, cushy mattresses. Pillow-top mattresses can have springs underneath or not, but they always have a fluffy, pillowy top for extra softness.
• Adjustable mattresses let you choose and alter the position and firmness of your bed and some even vibrate or massage you while you sleep. These are pricey but can be great for people with back problems.

Don't fall for big-name brands or add-ons

Anyone who's ever shopped for a new mattress has probably wondered why on Earth these things are so expensive. As The Wirecutter and Slate explain, it's all about marketing costs, brand recognition, crazy profit margins, and monopolies in the mattress market. In the US, you have four major brands owned by two companies: Simmons and Serta vs. Tempur-Pedic and Sealy.

Often, these companies seem to be your only choices, so you end up paying a premium and the big brands end up reaping a killer profit. However, now there are dozens of mattress startups out there that are direct to consumer, offer great warranties, have long return windows, and low prices. We recommend you stay away from the big names and buy from one of these great startups.

You'll also want to consider if you want any add-ons like a mattress cover, mattress pad, sheets, and so on. In the process of buying a mattress, you'll likely be pitched all kinds of different accessories to get, and if you don't go in with a clear idea of what you want, it's easy to fall victim to those pitches and spend way more money than you thought you would. It's best to buy everything else separately, so go to the last slide in this guide to learn about our other great buying guides for bedding.

Check out our other mattress buying guides

The best mattresses for side sleepers

Finding the perfect mattress is tough for side sleepers. We've done the research and some testing to find the best mattresses for side sleepers. 

Regardless of which one you choose from our favorites, though, we're confident that you'll get a good night's sleep. And if you find that these mattresses don't work for you, rest assured that they come with a sleep trial so you can take these beds for a test run before making a long-term commitment.

Here are the best mattresses for side sleepers:

• Best overall: Helix mattress 
• Best for athletes: Bear mattress 
• Best contour: Nectar mattress 
• Best for spinal adjustment: Casper Wave mattress 
• Best design: Leesa mattress 

The best mattresses for back pain

If you've suffered long enough with back pain, it's time to wake up to the advantages of a supportive, quality mattress.

Choosing a new mattress can be a chore, however, there's no doubt about it. There are a lot of brands on the market, and a good mattress can be quite expensive. Luckily, we're here to help. We've done the research for you and rounded up the best mattresses to help relieve back pain.

Here are the best mattresses for back pain:

• Best overall: Amerisleep AS2 
• Best spring mattress: Saatva innerspring mattress
• Best under $1,000: Bear mattress 

Check out our other great guides for bedding

The best sheets you can buy

After reviewing dozens of contenders, our top pick for bed sheets are the 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets from L.L. Bean. Crisp, cool, and comfortable against your skin, these sheets make bedtime a treat. Here are all of our favorite sheets:

• Best sheets overall: L.L. Bean 280-thread-count Pima Cotton Percale Sheets 
• Best sateen cotton sheets: Brooklinen Luxe Sheets
• Best linen sheets: MagicLinen
• Best Supima sheets: Casper Cool Supima
• Best sheets with patterns and colors: Crane & Canopy Sheet Sets
• Best flannel sheets: Pinzon Velvet Flannel Sheets
• Best organic cotton sheets: Boll & Branch Signature Soft Hemmed Sheet Set
• Best modal sheets: Pure Beech Modal Sateen Sheets
• Best microfiber sheets: Brooklyn Bedding Microfiber Sheets
• Best budget sheets: Room Essentials Jersey Sheet Set

• It's easy to make a resolution, but tough to keep one successfully. However, a few tweaks can change that.
• Create a goal that's clear and measurable, not just a vague one.
• Don't overwhelm yourself with the scope of the resolution. Keep it obtainable.
• It's okay to start on a date that isn't January 1st — begin when you're ready to change.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Resolutions are easy to make — but tough to keep. In fact, a study by Scranton University found that only 19% of people are successful at keeping their resolutions for two years. Most people don't make it nearly that long. A whopping 30% give up on their goals by mid-January.

As a psychotherapist, I watch many people go through the highs and lows of the New Year's resolution process. Part of my job often involves helping them change the way they establish their resolutions. A few simple tweaks to the goals they set increase their chances of success.

Here are three mistakes to avoid when establishing your resolution this year:

SEE ALSO: 6 ways to keep your teens interested in family time during the holidays, according to a therapist

1. Establishing non-measurable goals

As another year comes to an end, it's common to hear people say things like, "Next year is the year I'm finally going to get healthy" or "I just want to be happy in the New Year." But vague resolutions are set up for failure.

Even if you did make positive changes that helped you grow healthier or feel happier, you likely wouldn't feel like a success.

After all, how do you know if you reached your health goal? Did drinking more water count as success? Did going to the gym mean you "got healthy"?

And how do you know if you "got happier"? If you found a hobby you love, does that mean you succeeded? What if you started drinking after work every day to gain momentary pleasure? Would that count as success even if other areas of your life took a nosedive?

If you want to change your habits (and your life), you have to define what success looks like. Then create measurable goals that involve clear action steps.

"I want to be able to lift 100 pounds" is better than "I want to be healthy." And "I want to see my friends one night a week" is better than "I want to be happy." Identify concrete, behavioral changes you can make.

2. Setting your sights too high

Declaring that next year is the year you're going to work out every morning can feel really good — at least at first. But after your initial excitement wears off (about January 3rd), you'll likely lack motivation to keep going.

Setting a massive goal can cause you to feel massively overwhelmed after just a few days. You'll likely question your ability to succeed and start thinking about giving up.

You'll be more likely to succeed when you establish smaller, short-term objectives. Decide that you're going to hit the gym three days a week.

You might even pick a target range rather than a specific goal. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Consumer Research found this strategy skyrocketed the chances that people met their goal.

For instance, commit to saving $100 to $300 a month, rather than $200. When you hit $100, you'll feel good about yourself, and you'll get an extra boost in motivation. This boost can propel you to keep going until you reach $300 or more.

3. Starting your resolution on January 1st

When researchers have examined how some people successfully changed their habits, they discovered that change happens in stages. And in order for people to make lasting behavioral changes, they have to be ready.

That's why trying to make a change on January 1st doesn't work for most people — they're not ready. But they feel pressured into declaring what they're going to do differently based on a calendar date rather than their actual readiness to change.

If you really want to make a resolution that sticks, start working on your goal when you're ready to change. Resist the pressure to declare January 1st the date you're going to change your life. You'll be better off starting your journey when you're prepared — whether that be December 15th or January 22nd.

You'll know you're ready when you have a clear plan for sticking to your new habits. A little preparation will ensure the action you're taking is effective, and it'll increase the chances that your changes will stand the test of time.

Set yourself up for success

If you want to increase the likelihood that your resolution will stick, set yourself up for success right from the start. Avoid common resolution mistakes, and create a goal that’s attainable — as well as one that you’re prepared to meet.

• I moved from the Texas suburb of Pflugerville, which is about 20 miles north of Austin, to San Francisco in February 2018.
• I've lived here ever since and have adjusted to not only city life but also life in America's biggest tech hub.
• Here are the 11 things that surprised me the most about moving here.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

I'd never necessarily dreamed of moving to San Francisco specifically. That fantasy was reserved for New York, just like every journalist's pipe dream.

But fortunately, I landed a job in February 2018 and made the move from my hometown of Pflugerville, Texas, to the Bay Area and have lived here ever since while also reporting on the region.

There was a bit of culture shock when I was first adapting to the tech hub — companies like LinkedIn and Twitter ran their global headquarters in buildings near my office, and the people walking next to me on the street were some of the country's highest-paid workers. Down in the South Bay was the heart of Silicon Valley, where for decades the industry's greatest advancements have been pioneered. What was happening around me was clearly much bigger than me.

There was also a bit of an adjustment going from what feels like a small town to a major metro area. Pflugerville is a suburb about 20 miles north of Austin, Texas, which is a tech city in its own right. I also went to school at Texas A&M in College Station, which also has a small-town feel. 

Two years in and my skin's gotten fairly thick — but only after I learned a few things.

Here are 11 things that surprised me most moving from Texas suburbia to Silicon Valley.

SEE ALSO: Photos of San Francisco taken 10 years apart show how much the city has changed

1. Let's just get this one out of the way: Yes, it is expensive to live here. The high costs gave me a bit of a fright at first, but it's doable if you have a full-time job that pays well.

You'll see stats on median rent thrown around. Some sites list the average rent as $3,550, others at $2,492. But at the end of the day, they all conclude that rent in San Francisco is more expensive than anywhere else. 

I pay $1,200 a month for a room in an apartment in a building constructed in 1907 with two other roommates, one of whom lives in what was once the living room. The only common area we have is the kitchen, and we have a split bathroom (meaning the toilet is in one room while the shower is down the hall in its own space).

My sister lives in a modern two-story house with two bathrooms in Austin, has 2 roommates as I do, and pays $200 less than I do for a room. Her downstairs floor is bigger than my entire apartment.

But we're both where we want to be, which is exactly the point — people living in San Francisco are lucky enough to have jobs that allow them to put up with the city's quirks because we deem them worth it to live here.

That's not to say that the high costs don't get frustrating.

Nothing gets under my skin more than a $13 cocktail served in a shot glass or a $10 sandwich. But that's not the restaurant's fault more than it is anyone else's. There are a lot of reasons why it's so expensive out here for business owners and residents alike.

2. It's not San Fran for some reason. It's SF, "the city," or, as some may call it, "Frisco," but never San Fran. Let your relatives and friends call it that when they come to visit, but you are a local, so don't you dare.

Source: Thrillist

3. It took me a while to get used to seeing the names and logos of some of the biggest tech companies displayed on street corners.

LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram — these used to exist merely in my phone. Now they're plastered above me whenever I venture outside for a bite to eat during my lunch break.

It's surreal, and sometimes I don't think I've fully adapted to it.

4. The people working in these offices are some of the highest-paid in the city — and the country, for that matter. But besides the typical techie uniform that most conform to, you wouldn't be able to tell that by looking at them.

With so much wealth and success, I thought it would be reflected in the lives and possessions of people living in the city.

And it is to a point — there are Teslas aplenty — but you'll still see people that make sky-high salaries dressed in jeans and sneakers riding a bike to and from work. Ostentatious lifestyles are not as common as I thought they would be.

And that's because it costs so much to merely survive here. Your money doesn't go as far as it would in, say, my hometown of Pflugerville.

5. It is nowhere near as bohemian as I thought it would be.

I knew there would be a more corporate side to the city, but I pictured there being pockets of truly bohemian people. And there are — mostly artists, surfers, and other free spirits living on the western side of the city — but they're not as prominent as I thought.

No flowing dresses and peace signs — just Patagonia vests and sneakers. Everyone dresses the same (including myself), and it's all pared down, nothing fancy. As tech has grown in the city, artists and other free spirits have been priced out.

6. Many below a certain pay grade have been priced out, and I've never seen homelessness like I've seen it here.

The living conditions for homeless people in San Francisco are some of the worst in the world, with discarded needles, human feces, and tent encampments just some regular sights when walking around the city.

I've seen trash collectors slip on human feces on the sidewalk while dumping trash bins on my walk to work in the morning.

But there are systemic problems causing San Francisco's homelessness crisis — a crushing housing shortage, stunted living wages, and an explosion of tech money have all contributed to a growing wealth divide that is seeing more and more people pushed out of their homes and onto the streets.

7. I knew the Bay Area had a temperate climate, but in reality, that means it's just straight cold. It's always chilly, with periodic bursts of warmth and sunlight throughout the day.

Summers don't really exist here. Never (ever) leave home without a jacket. And dress in layers whenever you can, i.e., short-sleeve shirt, button-down over that, then a jacket. Remove as needed.

And if you live in a building that's over 100 years old (like yours truly), the windows are loose and insulation is nonexistent. Socks and layers are your friend, both outside and indoors.

8. You can be in the heart of an urban city, at a beach, or on the mountains all within a day.

Living in San Francisco gives you easy access to so much adventure, for lack of a better word.

Lake Tahoe is about a three- to four-hour drive east, there are beaches like Ocean Beach out to the west of the city, and hiking trails surround the Bay Area. I could go on, but it makes you feel like you're getting your money's worth when you can experience everything that comes with living in the Bay Area.

9. The hills will kill you, but then you'll get used to them.

Parking spaces are not guaranteed, even for some living in multimillion-dollar homes, and traffic is congested throughout the city.

So if you are carless, which in my mind has been a perk of living in an urban environment, walking can be much easier than public transit or ridesharing. The downside is that I've worn out and have had to toss some of my favorite shoes, and I've dealt with foot problems since I moved out here. On the bright side, I have calves of steel.

Sneakers or work boots and thick socks are the way to go — you learn to opt for function over form very quickly.

10. You can absolutely meet your forever friends and maybe even a lifetime partner here, but don't get used to it.

You'll meet a Bay Area native occasionally, but most people who live here aren't from here.

The turnover rate of people coming to and leaving SF is high. A 2018 poll showed that 46% of San Franciscans in the survey said they would move in the near future. And a recent November survey of city residents showed that a third of the respondents want out. There's a mass exodus from the city as costs rise and issues plaguing the region are exacerbated.

Another reason is simply that many see San Francisco as a temporary place to live to jump-start their careers or enjoy the youth of their 20s and 30s.

I met my best friends here when I moved to the city in 2018, and about a year and a half later, they packed up and moved to London for grad school — and I doubt it's the last time I'll have to deal with friends moving away.

11. Reporting on Silicon Valley has been interesting as I've learned about how the tech industry has also played a role back home in Texas.

There's a long history of tech in Austin, spearheaded by companies like Texas Instruments, Motorola, IBM, and Dell, to name a few. And Apple has had a presence in the region for two decades now.

But tech offices and workers have filed in even more noticeably within the past decade or so. And the suburbs will continue to feel the effects as well.

Every time I go home to Pflugerville, more apartment complexes seem to appear. Shopping centers are planned for my hometown, I overhear venture-capitalist meetings at my neighborhood Starbucks, and a Bay Area couple, one of whom came from Google's Mountain View, California, headquarters, recently moved into my parent's neighborhood.

Whether I'm home in Texas or back in the Bay Area, tech has become inescapable.

• Tinder, the popular dating app, released a year-in-review report focusing mostly on Gen Z, the generation that comprises the majority of the app's current users.
• The report found that Gen Zers are most likely to mention causes like climate change in their user bios, further highlighting Gen Z as the activist generation.
• It also found that millennials are three times more likely than other groups to mention travel.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Many Gen Zers will tell you that climate change is the "most urgent issue of their generation." But they aren't just marching about it— they're swiping with it in mind, too.

Tinder, the popular dating app, released a year-in-review report focusing on Gen Z, the generation that made up the majority of the app's users in 2019. The report found that phrases like "climate change," "environment," and "social justice" are the most popular inclusions in Gen Z user bios.

A 2018 Deloitte report similarly found that 77% of Gen Zers prioritize social activism to the point that they will only work at organizations that have values aligned with their own. And that attitude clearly isn't restricted to their professional lives.

Gen Zers want their romantic partners to be invested in social causes too

The Tinder report, with data sourced from the bios of all US-based Tinder users, also found that while Gen Zers are more likely to mention causes or missions, millennials are three times more likely to mention travel.

The distinction tracks — millennials are willing to spend more money on travel than any other generation, Business Insider previously reported. And, where Gen Zers are looking to have values align with an employer's, millennials are looking for their paycheck to cover basic expenses and fund vacations.

In 2018, a Business Insider survey found that Gen Zers tend to be more social justice-minded than their millennial counter parts. One 19-year-old from Virginia told Business Insider's Rachel Premack that "the biggest hurdle for my generation will be the environment and the polarization of political parties" while another Gen Zer from Illinois told Premack that "teens haven't been this politically active since the Vietnam War."

SEE ALSO: Millennials are taking multiple 'micro-cations' instead of long trips, and it says a lot about their work-life balance priorities

DON'T MISS: Gen Z is changing the world — meet the powerhouses aged 22 or younger who made it onto this year's Forbes 30 Under 30 list

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Traditional Japanese swords can take over 18 months to create — here's what makes them so special

• It's the end of another year, which means it's time for the Insider Picks team to reflect on the best products we discovered and tried in 2019. 
• After testing countless products and services, we narrowed down our 2019 favorites to these 57 standouts. They weren't all launched in 2019, but they did make an impact on our lives this year. 
• They include the nonstick pan you should use for every breakfast ($90), a cordless Dyson vacuum with an LCD screen ($500), a plant-based, "pore-perfecting" cleanser ($38), and three different types of leggings ($36-$104). 
• Any of these Insider Picks-backed products also make excellent gifts for anyone in your life as they span a variety of needs and interests.

At Insider Picks, every review we publish reflects our real experience with a great product, but each year there are always a few outstanding ones we think are worth highlighting again.

After testing countless products and services this year, we thought about the best of the best and came up with the following list of our 2019 favorites. 

Because we're a group of product reviewers with diverse needs and interests, you'll find everything from beauty, home, kitchen, and clothing, to tech and entertainment recommendations. We've also included the original reviews if you'd like to read up on each product or service in more detail. 

Learn more about the 57 best products we tried in 2019: 

1. The 'lite' version of the Nintendo Switch

Nintendo Switch Lite, available at Best Buy, $199.99

The latest Switch console from Nintendo strips a ton of key features from the core concept of the device, like detachable controllers and TV play, but it focuses on the way I've played with Switch 90% of the time anyway: in my hands on the trains to and from work. As a husband and a father with a 90-minute commute both ways, this is about the only way I'm able to get my game time in these days — at least until my son is old enough to join my gaming escapades.

It helps that Switch has become the ultimate retro gaming console, which is excellent for my nostalgia-starved gaming tastes. —Joe Osborne, senior tech editor

Read our review:I spent a week with Nintendo's new, $200 version of its wildly popular Nintendo Switch — and I'm convinced it's going to be a killer gift option this holiday

2. A beautiful smartwatch

Withings Steel HR, available at Withings, $179.95

I've tried just about every smartwatch and smart analog watch there is over the past few 5 or 6 years. Withings' hybrid watches have always been among my favorites. I've been wearing the Steel HR all year long because it looks so much like a traditional watch, but it buzzes to alert me to notifications and it has a heart rate monitor to track my exercise.

It has a subtle, small display that blends right in with the black watch face. I can see the time, my stats, and notifications on the screen so I don't have to check my phone if it's not important. —Malarie Gokey, senior editor

Read our review:Withings' Steel HR combines the classic look of an analog watch with the features of a smartwatch

3. The earbuds that people either love or hate

Apple AirPods, available at Best Buy, $144.99

I wasn't an early adopter of Apple AirPods, but after receiving them as a gift at the beginning of 2019, I instantly became a fan. Even though I have plenty of other headphones that I could use, AirPods are the only ones I want to use because they're so convenient.

They effortlessly pair to my iPhone, they're comfortable and secure in my ears, and the charging case gives them a long battery life. I use them for listening to music, podcasts, and talking on the phone. They're great for commutes, in the office, and in the gym. I can say that I've used them every single day since getting them.—Amir Ismael, reporter

Read our guide:The best iPhone accessories from cases to lightning cables

4. A weighted blanket that doesn't overheat

Cooling Blanket, available at Gravity, $259

Weighted blankets are one of my favorite discoveries of the last decade. I used to think the quality of my sleep was mostly beyond my control (barring exercise and a good mattress and the typical rules of thumb), but these have markedly improved the quality of my sleep. I've tried and liked options as cheap as $70, but Gravity's white cooling version blends in the best with my bedding, and keeps me a bit cooler underneath it during the summer. —Mara Leighton, reporter 

Read our review:I tried the new $250 Gravity Blanket, a weighted blanket that's designed to have a cooling effect, and it kept me from overheating at night

Read our guide: The best weighted blankets you can buy

5. Stretchy and sculpting leggings

High-Waist Airlift Capri, available at Alo Yoga, $104

I know these leggings are pricey, but I've recently adopted a "fewer, better" mentality that has helped me justify the cost. These are my perfect pair of leggings: They're compressive but not restrictive, jet black and not at all see-through, and they have a waistband that doesn't dig in but doesn't ride down when you're bent like a pretzel during yoga practice.  —Sally Kaplan, editor 

6. A large blanket that's easy to bring to the beach

Grand Trunk Parasheet Beach Blanket, available at Amazon, $31.96

As a native Michigander, I thought I was giving up my summer days at the beach when I moved to New York City, until I discovered how easy it was to take the subway to Brighton Beach from my apartment in Brooklyn. The Parasheet Beach Blanket from Grand Trunk makes the commute even easier because the 7-feet-by-7-feet blanket can be stuffed into its amazingly compact carrying case, which weighs less than a pound. Plus, the material repels the sand so it doesn't track any unwanted mess into your bag when you're packing up and heading home. —Danny Bakst, senior content producer 

Read our review:This $30 beach blanket lays flat and doesn't fly away — here's why I'll never go to the beach or park without it

7. A deep fryer that won't take up that much space

Cuisinart Mini Deep Fryer, available at Bed Bath & Beyond, $49.99

I have a deep love for fish and chips, and once my partner and I started playing around with making the perfect beer batter for the fish, we ended up getting this mini deep fryer. Most deep fryers are absolutely massive and take up a ton of valuable counter space, but this one is compact enough that we can keep it on our kitchen counter all the time. We've made fish and chips, onion rings, and even donuts in it to great success. —Malarie Gokey, senior editor

8. A set of Japanese skin-care essentials

Tatcha Bestsellers Set, available at Sephora, $60

Tatcha is a Japanese skin-care brand that makes gentle products with concentrated formulas. This bundle includes a bevy of Tatcha's "holy grail" skin-care products at a reasonable price. Not all of the products are new to 2019, but my experience with this skin-care regimen was. After just two weeks, I saw noticeable results using the four products. My skin was uncharacteristically soft, hydrated, and glowing; and I was able to leave the house sans makeup. I haven't looked back since. —Dominique McIntee, editorial fellow

Read our review: This Japanese skincare brand makes some of the best products I've ever used — here are the ones to buy for clear, glowing skin

9. The nonstick pan you should use for every breakfast

10-inch Nonstick Skillet, available at Sardel, $90

Everyone needs a 10-inch nonstick skillet in their kitchen arsenal for cooking eggs and pancakes, and Sardel's $90 one is worth every penny. I've never made more evenly cooked scrambled eggs in my life, and the egg remnants glide off this pan with little more than a stream of hot water and the single swipe of a soapy sponge. The heat distribution is excellent; the edges of the pan cook at the same rate as the middle. It's a marvel of engineering. —Ellen Hoffman, director of content strategy

Read our review: Cookware startup Sardel is one to watch — here's what we thought after putting its pots and pans to the test

10. Tile trackers

Tile Pro 2-Pack, available at Tile, $49.99

I've been attaching the Tile trackers to important belongings like my keys, wallet, and Airpods since 2018, but they really did their job in 2019. I lost my Airpods case somewhere on my college campus this spring and used the Tile app on my phone to track them down (somehow the case hadn't been taken) and when my phone was stolen when I was in London this year, I was able to track it on Tile's website.

2019 was a great year for me misplacing all my important possessions, but Tile really helped me out and for that I am, and will continue to be, extremely grateful. —Ciannah Gin, editorial fellow

Read our review: I can't even tell when this $27 security tracker is in my wallet — but I'm more at ease knowing it's there to prevent me from losing it

11. An all-in-one hairbrush

Drybar Brush Crush, available at Nordstrom, $145

If you're like me and have been looking to cut down on styling time without needing to juggle multiple tools, then this is a great option. The best part is that it takes me maybe 20 to 25 minutes in total, leaving my hair the smoothest it's ever looked, but with plenty of volume and movement. —Francesca Rea, content producer 

Read our review: Drybar's new brush is like a flatiron and paddle brush in one — it only takes me 25 minutes to straighten my hair now instead of 50

12. Heat-safe silicone lids with a variety of uses

Five Two Airtight Silicone Lids, available at Food52, $40

These silicone lids might truly be the most useful thing I came across this year. They can cover and seal mixing bowls in the fridge when you don't have a clean container to transfer leftovers into; they can act as lids on pots and pans in the oven; they can be popped on top of cookware to keep your food warm as you wait to serve it ... I could go on, but I'll spare you. They come in a pack of five sizes and are even dishwasher safe. —Sally Kaplan, editor 

13. A smart lamp that doubles as a speaker

GE Lighting C, available at Amazon, $46.90 (originally $149.99) [You save $103.09]

I received this lamp as a gift, and it's easily been the best addition to my bedroom in 2019.

The Sol Smart Light lets you control the lamp using both an app on your phone and Amazon's voice assistant, Alexa. I'm admittedly lazy, so being able to turn a light on and off from my bed just by speaking out loud has been a huge gamechanger. Because of the Alexa capabilities, the Sol Smart Light can double as a speaker, which makes it all the more useful. —Emily Hein, content production fellow

14. Tough yet lightweight waders

Middle Fork Packable Waders, available at Patagonia, $349

River Salt Wading Boots, available at Patagonia, $449

Patagonia's Middle Fork Packable fishing waders are about the weight of a rain jacket. Sure, I still have to pack (or wear) boots, but the Danner x Patagonia boots that go along with them are comfortable enough to wear on the plane if need be. 

Moreover, these waders are as tough as anything. I was bushwhacking, sliding down banks, and catching them on anything and everything, just trying to tear them. No such luck. Yes, they're a pretty penny and probably about twice what I've paid for waders in the past, but I'll place my bets on these things lasting a good long while. —Owen Burke, senior reporter 

Read our review: Patagonia and Danner teamed up on a packable fly-fishing wader and boot set that only weighs 5 pounds — here's how it stacks up after 6 months of heavy use

15. Elegant sandals you can wear all day

The City Sandal, available at Margaux, $275

These are the most comfortable sandals I've ever worn. They were comfortable right out of the box and I wore them during my 10+ hour wedding day without getting any blisters or soreness the next day. I normally wear two-inch heels so I was worried about the 2.5-inch height on such a big day, but they were really supportive in the heel and just the right width in the toebox that I didn't even notice the difference. Knowing that these were so comfortable, I plan on getting a pair of Margaux's boots next year. —Jada Wong, editor 

Read our review: I wore these $265 heels right out of the box for my wedding — they didn't hurt even after 10 hours

16. An interesting book about the inception and growth of Netflix

"That Will Never Work: The Birth of Netflix and the Amazing Life of an Idea" by Marc Randolph, available at Amazon, $17.59 (hardcover)

It is somewhat ironic that this book was written by the man who arguably bears most of the responsibility for the world's steady decline in reading. But Marc Randolph, the co-founder of Netflix and its first CEO, really is an "open book," sharing his personal journeys and struggles as he launched the behemoth DVD-rental-turned-streaming-service.

I enjoyed this book so much that I passed it along to a good friend who then shared it with his father who then shared it with a coworker.

The insights shared are pure gems: failures, rejections, demotions. But all in all, a fascinating exposé that I recommend to anyone interested in a solid business book. —Shalom Goodman, SEO strategist

17. An affordable and stylish set of workout clothes

JoyLab High Neck Sports Bra, available at Target, $19.99

JoyLab Seamless 3/4 Leggings, available at Target, $29.99

I have trouble feeling confident in workout clothes, so for a while, I stuck to old T-shirts and leggings. I loved this sports bra as soon as I saw it, so I figured I'd try it on, and it quickly became my favorite.

Although it's not the most supportive sports bra I own, the mesh top, high neckline, and overall length give me much more coverage than a regular sports bra does, allowing me to feel confident enough to wear it without a workout top. I bought the leggings soon after, and I've worn them to nearly every workout class I've been to since. I never thought I'd be able to rock a workout set, so I'm certainly grateful to have found this one. —Emily Hein, content production fellow

18. A thick and supportive mattress

Mint Mattress (Queen), $845 plus two free pillows, available at Tuft & Needle*

The biggest selling point of Tuft & Needle's newest mattress is that it combines the contouring comfort and pressure relief of memory foam with the breathability and bounciness of latex. It's thick (12-inches tall) and medium-firm, with a soft, cozy, and textured top layer. Suffice to say, it's very comfortable, and I love coming home to collapse into and fall asleep in this mattress. 

It features "open cell foam technology," which allows air to flow freely through the mattress and improves breathability, so I don't overheat like I would on a memory foam mattress. And the brand's signature Adaptive Foam, which can also be found in my favorite beanbag chair, contours to my body regardless of my sleep position. —Connie Chen, senior reporter

Read our review: Tuft & Needle's newest mattress is a more supportive and breathable upgrade from its original — I've been sleeping on it for 4 months and never want to get out of bed

*$150 off the Mint or Hybrid mattress plus two free pillow deal lasts until 1/13

19. Breathable underwear

Women's Cool Cotton Lace Waist Brief, available at Tommy John, $26

Upon joining the Insider Picks team, I started to acquire products from companies and brands our team loves and recommends. I can confidently say that I have thoroughly enjoyed everything from super-soft sweaters to meal kit delivery services and acetone-free nail polish remover to non-irritating laundry powder.

However, the most life-changing product I've tried that the Insider Picks team loves and highly recommends is Tommy John's women's underwear. I've never worn or felt anything as soft as this underwear and immediately do laundry the moment I realize that all my Tommy John underwear is in my laundry basket.

I recently purchased matching pants and a top to sleep in and, even though my insomnia has been alleviated with Brooklinen bedding and a white noise sound machine, these pajamas are the cherry on top. —Ciannah Gin, editorial fellow

20. Convenient and eco-friendly silicone snack bags

Stasher Silicone Food Storage Bags, available at Amazon, from $9.99

I've been trying to stop using so many single-use plastic products for food storage, and when I read about Stasher's silicone food storage bags in our roundup of the best products from Outdoor Retailer's Summer Market, I knew I had to try some. Now, I use Stasher bags to store all kinds of foods: onions, garlic, cheese, crackers, and more. The bags are thick, durable, seal easily, and keep food fresher for longer. You can also use them for sous vide cooking, but I haven't tried that yet. —Malarie Gokey, senior editor

Read our review: The best new gear we saw at Outdoor Retailer's 2019 summer market

21. A GoPro camera with a built-in mounting system

GoPro Hero 8, available at Best Buy, $399.99

The Hero8 Black is the action camera grown up. It's small, but it shoots video and photos comparable to larger cameras, and it's more rugged and fun to use than a smartphone. Among its many improvements include image stabilization, audio capture, menu navigation, and shooting modes, but the biggest change is the built-in mounting system. The 4K video is some of the best I've ever shot with a camera.

Equally great is the new Hero Max 360-degree camera, which can capture footage all around you. —Les Shu, guides editor

22. Water-resistant wool sneakers

Wool Runner-Up Mizzles, available at Allbirds, $135

Of all the technological leaps and bounds that have occurred over the past year, none have given me more clout than my pair of water-resistant Wool Runner-Up Mizzles from Allbirds. There's nothing quite like the chorus of "oohs" and "ahs" that emit from my coworkers when they witness beads of water gracefully bouncing off the wool exterior of my eco-friendly Allbirds.

The shoes are technologically impressive, surprisingly snug, and fashionably versatile enough that nobody bats an eye when my Dad and I walk into a room wearing the exact same pair of shoes. —Danny Bakst, senior content producer 

Read our review: Allbirds now makes water-resistant shoes — here's your first look, plus our verdict

23. Dansko pumps

Dansko Pennie Waterproof Pump, available at Nordstrom, $159.95

I unironically love Dansko clogs and shoes. They are the hill I would die on — they are comfortable, they are beautiful, and they are durable. Contrary to popular belief, Dansko makes more than just clogs — the brand makes excellent shoes, heels, and boots, too!

I have about half a dozen Danskos, including these lovely waterproof pumps. They have a comfy 2.75-inch heel that's perfectly walkable. The leather is sturdy, soft, and water-resistant. I wear them to work often with dresses and tights or pants that are a tad too long for me. —Malarie Gokey, senior editor

24. A subscription to the most popular streaming service right now

Disney+ Subscription, from $6.99/month 

I didn't have cable television growing up, so I didn't get to watch as many Disney shows or movies as I would have liked to. The moment Disney Plus was announced, I knew my time had come to make up for all that I missed.

As a Verizon customer, I got one year of Disney Plus for free and for the past few weeks, all I've really been doing is watching anything and everything on this streaming service — from original series like "Encore" and "High School Musical" (although I'm still unsure how I feel about these) to "The Mandalorian" where I expect to cry every episode because Baby Yoda is so adorable that I become overwhelmed by his cuteness. —Ciannah Gin, editorial fellow

Read our review: Disney Plus: Everything you need to know about Disney's new ad-free streaming service

25. A versatile everyday backpack

UTO Oxford Backpack Purse, available at Amazon, $29.99

I was loyal to tote bags for so long, but carrying all of my things around on one shoulder was starting to affect my posture. This backpack was the perfect solution: It's super lightweight, easily fits my 13-inch laptop, and it's incredibly durable.

The simple black design makes it appropriate for nearly any occasion — it's currently my work bag, but it holds up while traveling, too. The various compartments and two cup holders (one of which I use for an umbrella) allow it to effortlessly fit everything I need to get through the day. —Emily Hein, content production fellow

26. An overnight bag full of clever features for travel

O.G. 2 Large Overnight Travel Bag, available at Lo & Sons, $338 (price and availability varies by color)

The O.G. Overnight Bag is my go-to personal item on flights. Its suitcase-handle sleeve is a game-changer and inside are some even cooler features, like a padded laptop sleeve, a separate shoe compartment, and tons of pockets for organizing all my odds and ends.

It also comes with a messenger strap for easy and comfortable carrying across your body or over your shoulder, and it's made of a durable and water-resistant nylon, so there's no need to worry about it being ruined by coffee spills or bad weather.

Similarly, the Edgemont Convertible Backpack Tote is my ideal work-to-gym bag; it fits all the essentials for both purposes, but still manages to feel fairly light and very comfortable on my back or shoulder. —Ellen Hoffman, director of content strategy

27. A watch with a unique way of telling time

Bradley x Dezeen Watch, available at Eone Watch, $285

Eone is a watch brand with the goal of making watches both fashionable and accessible for everyone. The founder, Hyungsoo Kim, learned from a blind friend that there were very few options for those living with visual impairment, and even fewer of them were fashionable. It was either talking watches (too loud) or tactile ones (impracticably fragile).

Eone has just about reinvented the watch, far as I'm concerned. All you have at work here are two magnets controlling two stainless steel bearing balls held in place by a recessed track, with one running around the circumference of the matte-titanium watch face telling the hour and the other, within the watch face, denoting the minute within. The hours are marked by small pronounced steel ticks that make up the dial.

Apart from the artfulness of it, this watch has also made me immensely more grateful for my vision. We could all stand to wear a little more humility and gratitude in our day to day lives, and Eone has helped me do just that. —Owen Burke, senior reporter 

Read our review: This watch is for people who are blind or living with low vision — it's also a well-made work of art in its own right

28. A duffel backpack you can bring as your carry-on

Eagle Creek Cargo Hauler 40L in Cali Hiero, available at Amazon, $99

I love this bag for its waterproof material and because it can be used in three different ways: as a backpack, shoulder bag, or carry-on. Even better is that it can be folded into itself for storage. —Les Shu, guides editor

29. A Rent the Runway Unlimited membership

Rent the Runway Unlimited, $159/month

I've made the most of my monthly membership this year, getting beautiful and stylish outfits for fancy functions, work, festivals, and travels. I like to keep my closet fresh, but it's wasteful and costly to buy new pieces. Thanks to the design of RTR Unlimited, which lets you rent out four pieces at a time and exchange each of them as frequently as you'd like during the month, I've been able to satisfy my desire for new things without feeling guilty about adding to the world's textile waste problem. —Connie Chen, senior reporter 

I think I've only bought a handful of new pieces of clothing ever since I started using Rent the Runway Unlimited eight months ago. Even though the monthly fee is pricey at $160, I've definitely saved a ton of money now that my shopping habits are more like rental habits; the only thing I buy now are shoes since they're not on RTR. I love using my commute to Favorite pieces I'd want to rent in the future, so whenever a rental spot opens up, I can pick from my list in a few minutes.—Jada Wong, editor 

Read our review: We used Rent the Runway Unlimited to rent $4,862 worth of designer clothes in a week — here's how the subscription plan works and why we're so willing to pay the $160 monthly fee

Read our review:21 of our favorite styles from Rent the Runway for work, weekends, weddings, and everything in between

30. A luxurious sheet set

Luxury Suite Sheet Set, available at Gryphon, $149.99 (Queen)

I never really gave bedding much thought until I was sent a set from Gryphon to test. These feel like I'm sleeping in a nice hotel bed every night; they're super soft and silky even though they're not actually silk. They wrinkle easier than other bedding I have, but my eyes are already shut by the time I hit the pillow anyway so it doesn't really matter. —Jada Wong, editor 

Read our review: The $140 sheets that showed me why it's worth paying more for bedding

31. A $500 Dyson vacuum

Dyson V11 Torque Drive Vacuum, $499, available at Amazon

The floor of our apartment, which houses four people with long hair and a cat, collects dust, hair, and food crumbs like no other. Dyson's cordless stick vacuum makes it easy to clean up our dirty floors because it's thorough, efficient, and powerful.

The LCD screen at the top of a handle is a new feature that lets me know how much time is left before I have to plug the vacuum back in to charge. Dyson says the screen was added to help reduce "run time anxiety," which is apparently common among its current users. On Auto mode, the V11 adapts to and deep cleans a variety of floor types with a balanced amount of suction power. Eco mode is made for lighter, longer cleans, while Boost mode provides up to five minutes of super powerful, intensive cleaning. —Connie Chen, senior reporter 

Read our review: I tried Dyson's most powerful cordless vacuum yet — here's why the $700 price tag makes sense

32. An ebook reader with advanced features

New Kindle Oasis, available at Amazon, $249.99

I've been a fan of the Kindle Oasis since the first version launched a few years ago, and the latest Oasis takes reading to a whole new level.

On paper, the new Oasis may seem to be nearly identical to the previous one, but the new model has an adjustable screen that lets you set the color temperature and filter out blue light. It's a gamechanger for reading at night — my eyes are less tired and I can fall asleep reading because the blue light isn't tricking my mind into thinking it's daytime and I should be awake. —Malarie Gokey, senior editor

Read our review:The best Kindles and ebook readers

33. A large, crisp monitor

BenQ PD3220U 32-inch 4K UHD IPS Monitor, available at Amazon, $1,199.99

If there's one thing on my desk that makes my colleagues jealous, it's this 32-inch display from BenQ. Not only is the size impressive, but it has amazing color reproduction, making it ideal for photo and video editing. While not great for gaming, the 5ms response time is suitable for most people. It's Thunderbolt-ready, so it's a great companion to my MacBook Pro. —Les Shu, guides editor

34. A saucepan with an ergonomic handle

2-Quart Saucepan, available at Sardel, $85

I used to work in professional kitchens, and one of the banes of my existence was trying to lift, shake, and carry heavy pots or pans that had poorly shaped handles. Sardel's five-fly stainless steel pots and pans use a rounded ergonimic handle that makes them so much more comfortable to hold and move.

They're also relatively affordable when compared to the classics like All-Clad, but I think they'll hold up just as well. At least, they have so far. —Sally Kaplan, editor 

35. A recycled cashmere sweater

ReCashmere Vintage Crew, available at Everlane, $95

I love Everlane's cashmere sweaters, and its new ReCashmere line is just as good as its Grade-A pieces. I wear the ReCashmere Vintage Crew in Heathered Aqua quite often now that it's cold outside. The light blue color is unique and nearly matches the lightest part of my eyes. It's soft, comfy, and warm. I also like that it's a tad cropped — many sweaters are overlong on my petite frame. —Malarie Gokey, senior editor

Read our review:We tried Everlane's recycled cashmere sweaters — they're more sustainably produced and just as comfortable as the originals

36. Workout leggings from Patagonia

Women's Centered Crops, available at Patagonia, $69

I'm a big Patagonia fan and have been for years. The brand consistently delivers high-quality and well-made clothing and gear, so each item you buy should last a long time. My quilted Snap-T Pullover is a few years old, but it wears its age really well despite countless washings.

The hallmarks of Patagonia construction are all also present in the design of the Centered Crops. They're so comfy for just lounging around! But they're also great for working out since they're made of a thick-ish polyester/spandex knit fabric that offers plenty of stretch, wicks moisture, and resists odor. I usually re-wear my workout clothes a few times before washing them (in an effort to conserve water where I can), and these leggings make for less smelly gym sessions. —Ellen Hoffman, director of content strategy

Read our review: 3 women tried Patagonia's sustainable workout leggings — here are our reviews of everything from fit to function

37. A concealer that offers full coverage

Tarte Shape Tape Contour Concealer, available at Ulta, $27

Thanks to Tik Tok, I lead a nocturnal lifestyle, as many can tell by my gray under-eye circles. I've dabbled in a slew of products in the past year alone to brighten my under-eye area up, but the Facetune app has been my best bet. 

Thanks to Tarte's Shape Tape concealer, which feels more like a thick foundation that blends easily, I think I've found the answer. It covers everything, from stubborn pimples to blemishes, and yes, noticeable eye circles, and the coverage actually lasts. With an array of shade ranges to choose from, it's widely accessible, too. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention its steep $27 price-tag — that being said, it's a worthwhile investment compared to low-quality dupes. —Dominique McIntee, editorial fellow

38. The newest iPhone

iPhone 11 Pro, available at Best Buy, $999.99

I am one of those people who upgrades to the new iPhone every year. It is my biggest vice and the only truly expensive thing I spend money on. Because I always trade in my old phone, I usually get a good deal and end only paying half the price before upgrading again.

The iPhone 11 Pro is well worth it: I love the new three-lens camera. I can take excellent closeups with the 2X zoom, attractive wide-angle shots with the extra-wide angle lens, and much better low-light photos thanks to Night Mode. It's also fast, has longer battery life, and is just generally a joy to use. —Malarie Gokey, senior editor

Read our review: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

39. A pair of comfortable jeans

Outerknown Selvedge S.E.A. Jeans, available at Outerknown, $168

There are two primary factors that make up a good pair of jeans: material and fit. Outerknown's Selvedge S.E.A. Jeans became my favorite pair of jeans this year because they execute both factors perfectly.

The jeans have the weight and rigidity you'd expect from any well-made selvedge, but they're made sustainably. Outerknown uses 100% organic cotton and has them produced in Saitex, the industry-leading factory in sustainable denim. At $168, they're a bit pricey, but considering I wear them all the time, they're worth it. —Amir Ismael, reporter

Outerknown is my new favorite clothing brand. First of all, the clothes are consistently soft and comfortable across the board, and founders Kelly Slater and John Moore have worked magic to make such soft fabric so durable. I haven't been kind to any of my clothes this year, but Outerknown's S.E.A. Jeans and Blanket Shirts are among the few that haven't given up so much as a thread.

I'm a big fan of its Transitional Shirts and the S.E.A. Jeans, but my favorite pieces from Outerknown have been the Blanket Shirts. These are Outerknown's iteration of a "work shirt" or "shacket," as you please, but they maintain their softness and don't pill like many other higher-end rivals. —Owen Burke, senior reporter 

Read our review: We reviewed pro surfer Kelly Slater's sustainable clothing brand — here's what the pieces look and feel like in person

40. A hairdryer that can dry thick hair quickly and without damage

Bio Ionic 10x Ultralight Speed Dryer, available at Sephora, $295

I really hate drying my hair. It's difficult for me to hold up clunky, heavy hair dryers for more than fifteen minutes, which is how long it usually takes to dry my whole head.

This Bioionic hairdryer is super light — it weighs less than one pound — and takes me less than five minutes to completely dry my hair. I used to air dry my hair 95% of the time, but there's been some research done showing how air drying your hair might damage it more than hair dryers, so I'm glad I have a fast, super light hairdryer to help me out. —Ciannah Gin, editorial fellow

Read our review: I found a hair dryer that dries super fast and weighs less than a pound, and it's made my morning routine so much easier

41. A small camera you can wear around your neck

Insta360 Go, available at Amazon, $199.99

the Insta360 Go is a tiny water-resistant camera that attaches to clothing or dangles like a necklace. It's ideal for those times when you can't hold a camera in your hands, like when you're playing with your kids or engaged in a sporting activity. It doesn't shoot 4K but in normal lighting, the stabilized video quality is still good. There are fun shooting modes and an automated feature that takes the work out of video editing, and it connects directly to phones for easy image transfers. —Les Shu, guides editor

Read our review:The 20 best new products we saw at IFA 2019

42. A grill that can quickly cook pretty much anything

Otto Wilde OFB Grill, available at Williams Sonoma, $1,195.95

The $1,200 Otto Wilde OFB Grill is my new favorite cooking appliance, although it's admittedly very expensive. It gets up to about 1600 degrees Fahrenheit, which has allowed me to sear everything from scallops to steak, and it has outdone every pizza joint in the borough of Brooklyn (*dodges rotten tomato*), all within a tiny corner of my backyard. Cooking most things takes a matter of two to five minutes, and cleanup is super fast and easy thanks to the drip tray (tip: always remember to fill it with water). —Owen Burke, senior reporter 

43. The best hydration pack to carry on strenuous hikes

10 L Hydration Pack, available at Hydro Flask, $165

Blurb: I used the 10 L Hydro Pack to hike more than seven miles through the Rocky Mountains. I was highly impressed with how my water remained cold throughout the whole day. In addition, the back panel kept my back cool and comfortable all day. —Francesca Rea, content producer 

Read our review: This Hydro Flask hydration pack kept my water cool for over 4 hours on a recent hike — it even had room for my small essentials

44. An efficient photo scanner

Epson FastFoto FF-680W Photo and Document Scanning System, available at Amazon, $550.06

Scanning photos is a chore, but the FastFoto FF-680W makes it look like child's play. As its name suggests, it's fast: Just load a stack of photos and the scanner goes through them in no time. Once scanned, you can use the included software to edit them; imagine bringing old, faded photos back to life. —Les Shu, guides editor

45. A bra made with a silky, smooth fabric

Second Skin Lightly Lined Demi Bra, available at Tommy John, $78

I first heard about the brand from one of my husband's favorite podcasts "Pod Save America," and when I got the opportunity to try it here, I was not disappointed. The Second Skin fabric feels softer than air and the bra is so well constructed that I barely have to adjust throughout the day. With other bras, I'm constantly pulling up the straps every five minutes. —Jada Wong, editor 

Read our review: Underwear startup Tommy John now makes ultra-comfortable bras — here's what each style is like to wear

46. A sous vide cooker that can help you cook like a pro

Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Pro, available at Anova, $399

"Sous vide" cooking may sound like a complicated technique you're better off not attempting unless you've attended Le Cordon Bleu, but it happens to be a relatively low-maintenance method that yields delicious results, especially with the help of the Anova Precision Cooker Pro. All you need is the sous vide device, a pot (or some sort of water-bearing vessel), and a large Ziploc bag to get cooking. You place the sous vide in a pot of water, then pop in a Ziploc bag holding some chicken, steak, or veggies (you can make all sorts of things with this technique), and set the device to cook your dish low and slow. Because there's no flame involved, you can turn this on and let it be for hours — running out of the house to do errands is no problem. 

The learning curve is low. The first time I tried it, I put some chicken in a bag, threw in some seasoning, put the bag in the water, turned on the sous vide. I left it alone for about an hour and a half, and in the end was greeted with some of my best culinary work: juicy, tender pieces of white meat. I truly felt like I had hacked the system. If you too are looking to make delicious meals with ease, this is well worth the splurge. —Remi Rosmarin, reporter

Read our review:This $399 sous vide helps amateur cooks like me make restaurant-quality meals with little effort — here's why it's worth the expense

47. A comfortable and supportive swimsuit

Aerie Bathing Suits, available at American Eagle, from $24.95

Aerie uses unretouched photos of women modeling its swimsuits and lingerie, which has been empowering and exciting to see on a national stage. After struggling with my own body image and not seeing myself reflected in most swimwear ads, I decided to give the brand's Longline Scoop Bikini Top and high-waisted bottoms a chance; and the duo has quickly become a favorite. Aerie really delivered on a quality swim line, and I know these pieces will last me through more than just a season or two.

The material is stretchy and snug, the bottoms are form-fitting but not taut, and the top offers supportive coverage. In terms of size, color, print, and silhouettes, the options are endless. I am forever loyal now and eager to shop the brand's new styles when the time comes. Turns out that bathing suit shopping can be fun. —Dominique McIntee, editorial fellow

Read our guide: The best women's swimsuits you can buy

48. A thong with the right amount of support

Air Invisible High Rise Thong, available at Tommy John, $28

I recently went wedding dress shopping, and I wore the nude pair of these undies for the occasion. They're ultra-thin, super lightweight, and you can't see any lines because the waistline is seamless. They're also high-waisted, so they're perfect under pencil skirts, tighter dresses, or thin pants. Honestly, Tommy John's underwear just can't be beat. —Sally Kaplan, editor 

49. A cozy oversized hoodie made with organic cotton

Solstice Cozy Hoodie, available at Outerknown, $138

Please pardon the fact that I had a fever in the picture above. I needed to get a photo to my coworker for our review of Outerknown's clothing, but this was all I could muster as I was on my way to the doctor — the things we do for content! Anyway, this sweatshirt is easily my most favorite clothing item of 2019. The terrycloth material is lightweight but warm, and the oversized fit couldn't be more perfect. I mean, it's the sweatshirt I opted to wear for the week I was home sick with a fever and advil-induced stomach ulcers, so I think that says something. —Sally Kaplan, editor 

50. Thin and flattering leggings

TechSweat 3/4 Leggings, available at Outdoor Voices, $85

TechSweat Two-Tone Kneecap, available at Outdoor Voices, $60

While I haven't been a fan of everything Outdoor Voices makes, the TechSweat material hits it out of the park for me. The TechSweat leggings are breathable and lightweight, and I wear them for everything from jogs to strength training. They're on the thinner side and not ultra-compressive, so I'd look elsewhere if you want thick leggings. 

The waistband is a little stiffer than the rest of the legging and stays put through a range of activities and motions. It also has a secure back pocket where I stash my key or ID while running. I own both of the styles mentioned above — since the Kneecap leggings are cropped, I reserve them for outdoor activity during warmer seasons, but I do love how flattering the design looks on my legs. —Connie Chen, senior reporter

Read our review: 5 women tried Outdoor Voices' TechSweat leggings — we unanimously agreed that they're some of the best we've ever worn

51. A fun and easy-to-fly drone

Parrot Anaifi FPV, available at B&H, $799

Parrot's drones aren't as advanced as DJI's, but I found the Anafi FPV easy to fly and it has enough fun features to satisfy most users. It's capable of shooting 4K video, and it's incredibly lightweight. With a headset, you can fly the drone with a first-person view. Although I wish it had obstacle detection, I appreciate the drone's ability to automatically track and follow a subject. —Les Shu, guides editor

52. A plant-based cleanser

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Pore Perfecting Cleansing Gel, available at Sephora, $38

I got turned on to this cleanser by asking the only pore-less human I'd ever seen how she'd accomplished the feat, and it does not disappoint. It uses alpha and beta hydroxy acids to encourage the skin's natural shedding and support new cell growth. It's vegan, plant-based, and despite being fragrance-free, it somehow smells amazing. I try a lot of skincare products throughout the year, but this one is what I'm most excited about in 2019. —Mara Leighton, reporter

Read our review: I've washed my face with this $38 cleanser twice a day for the last 6 months — and my skin has never looked better

53. An attractive wireless charger made with leather

Catch:2 Wireless Charger, available at Courant, $150

This is the prettiest charging pad I've come across. I have the Dusty Rose color and absolutely love it. Instead of cheap-looking plastic, it's made with chic pebbled leather, and it provides enough traction so my phone doesn't shift across it when charging. It can charge two devices at the same time so it helps streamline my space. I also have the Carry, a portable battery pack that can wirelessly quick-charge my phone when I need it. —Jada Wong, editor 

54. A modular leather couch

Nomad Leather King Sectional, available at Burrow, $3,295

When my husband and I were buying a couch, we wanted one that would grow with us. That's why we loved Burrow's build-your-own modular couches. You can choose the number of seats you'd need and add an ottoman or chaise to customize and future-proof your investment. Even though we had to put the couch together ourselves, the customer service reps were quick to respond and super helpful when we ran into some issues. —Jada Wong, editor 

Read our review: This Burrow couch is made with full-grain leather that will last for years — here's what it feels like and why it's worth $3,800

55. A chic platform bed you'll always be excited to climb into

Modern Platform Bed, available at The Inside, $1,399

The Inside is a furniture company that makes fun, chic patterns and prints as affordable as a standard beige option. Each piece is made to order, and there's a nice selection of affordable pieces with prints from names like Clare V and Scalamandre.

Of every piece of furniture I've gotten as an adult, this one is my all-time favorite. It's unique, personable, and makes my room feel a bit more special. My advice for newcomers would be to order a swatch to check the color in person first (the images are often 3D rendered to cut more costs from the process) — or start with a pillow. —Mara Leighton, reporter

56. A furniture resale service

Pre-owned furniture at Kaiyo, prices vary

For the last few years, I've tried to prioritize shopping secondhand. Kaiyo is a furniture service that will pick up furniture you want to sell and actually handle the process of selling it (photographing, billing, coordinating a drop-off). I bought a wide dresser for a few hundred dollars. —Mara Leighton, reporter

57. A memorable and educational cooking class

Cooking classes, team building, and more at Cozymeal, prices vary

Cozymeal lets you find and book cooking classes ($65-$125 usually) with professionals in your city. You learn something new, it's intimate (perfect for a date or an anniversary gift), and it feels slightly more explorative and unique than going through a restaurant and joining a big group class. And the meal I had in Fresh Pasta 101 was one of the best in 2019. —Mara Leighton, reporter

Read our review: This website makes it easy to book fun cooking classes in your area — we learned to make pasta from a professional chef

• I asked a team of product journalists and reviewers to name the products and services they believe to be the most innovative and impactful of this decade. 
• For this list, we considered the personal and societal impact of a product or service, along with how innovative it was or continues to be.
• During the 2010s, we saw fitness in a new light thanks to ClassPass, invested in the rituals of skin-care and beauty with Soko Glam and Fenty Beauty, enjoyed the convenience of food delivered by Doordash and entertainment on Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite, and more. 

How do you define a decade? For a team of commerce reporters and editors, it's of course through retail products and services. 

After we rounded up the best products we tried in 2019, I asked my teammates to take an even bigger step back and think about the most important retail products of the decade. The products they chose span a range of industries and reflect the following: 

• Personal and societal impact (how did it change their life and/or the behavior of society as a whole?) 
• Product innovation ("newness," creativity) 
• A launch date between 2010 and 2019

During the 2010s, we saw fitness in a new light, invested in the rituals of skin-care and beauty, enjoyed food and entertainment more conveniently than ever, and more, all thanks to these 11 game-changing products.

With this being the era of direct-to-consumer startups, there is unsurprisingly high representation from newer brands such as Casper and Rent the Runway. However, longtime retail leaders like Amazon and Apple prove that they can still lead the pack in innovation and relevance with their new products. 

Our picks for the 11 most decade-defining products and services: 

Tile trackers (2012)

Tile Pro (2-Pack), available at Amazon, $50

When I was younger, I always wished there was some sort of tracking device I could put on my important items like my Nintendo DS or any jacket that I brought to school because I was always losing or misplacing things. I have yet to outgrow my talent for losing things, and to this day I am always forgetting where I put my keys or wallet.

I attach these Tile trackers to every important item that accompanies me on a daily basis. I love that the small tracking devices are easy to detach in case I want to slip them into any items I might have to leave unattended at events such as bags and coats.

Not only have I been able to track down items using the Tile app on my phone, but I've also been able to track down my phone after it was stolen when I was in Europe through my Tile account, which was somehow more accurate than the Find my Phone function on iCloud. Eight-year-old me would have been very grateful that these little tracking devices were finally invented. —Ciannah Gin, editorial fellow 

Kindle Paperwhite (2012)

Kindle Paperwhite, available at Amazon, $130

If I had to define my childhood by a single ritual, it'd be visiting my local library. My brother and I would wind the aisles of books, load up our tote bags with dozens of paperbacks, devour them anywhere we could, and then return a few weeks later to repeat the process. 

Since then, the means of diving into worlds both fictional and real has modernized: In 2007, Amazon introduced the Kindle e-reader to make reading more convenient, not to mention connect itself to its origins as an online bookstore. The first Kindle retailed for $399 but it's now only $90, and Kindle has expanded from a single device to a family of lightweight and high-performance e-readers. 

The Paperwhite was introduced in 2012 and is the most popular Kindle device in the series, featuring a 300 dpi, glare-free display that never strains your eyes, built-in adjustable light, large storage capacity, and long battery life, all for a reasonable price.

I felt like I was betraying my roots when I got my first Kindle Paperwhite, but I haven't looked back since. To my delight, I can still borrow books from the library, but I no longer have to weigh my bag down to do it. Though traditionalists may lament the physical detachment from the look, smell, and feel of a "real" book, Kindle devices ultimately serve to increase your book consumption, which I believe is and will continue to be a worthwhile trade-off. —Connie Chen, senior reporter 

ClassPass studio fitness classes (2013)

Start a 7-day trial with ClassPass

I wouldn't call myself a particularly fit person, but ClassPass has changed my outlook on fitness through the sheer variety of classes it offers, especially in New York.

At the start of the decade, workout classes were seldom seen outside of local gyms and community centers. Since then, boutique fitness classes like spinning, barre, and HIIT have become both increasingly popular and more costly. ClassPass flipped this industry on its head through its business model: One monthly fee affords members a certain number of credits that can be used toward a variety of workout classes in a variety of gyms, eliminating the need to commit to just one type or place. 

ClassPass credits can be used toward anything from boxing to barre at a tiered monthly fee, and almost all of the pricing options are cheaper than the average monthly gym membership. For the first time in my life, I look forward to working out, and I feel empowered when I leave a class (my favorites offered by ClassPass are Rumble and Y7). Most importantly, ClassPass has allowed me to build a stress reliever into my life. —Emily Hein, content production fellow   

Doordash food delivery (2013)

Order food from restaurants in your area with DoorDash

I can't remember a world before the advent of food delivery services — and I don't want to. Personally, I find services like DoorDash (along with Seamless, Grubhub, and more that were founded even earlier) come in handy all the time. When I have a sudden hankering for a slice of pizza, when I come back home to an empty fridge after a trip, if I have dinner plans but we collectively decide we'd rather eat on the couch than at a restaurant —  these are just a handful of such scenarios.

Food delivery services offer mass appeal because they're convenient and easy to use, but they also are fundamentally changing the way we eat. In the past, I think meals at restaurants were seen as more of a luxury, but the ability to order them and eat them in your home kind of changes that perspective. I'm interested to see how this sector continues to evolve. —Remi Rosmarin, reporter 

Bombas socks (2013)

Quarter Socks, available at Bombas, from $12

Bombas has, in my humble opinion, fundamentally changed the way we think about socks.

Once an item of clothing we happily purchased in bulk at Target, socks are now a thing we willingly invest in. But that shift didn't come because Marie Kondo told us all to only keep things in our lives that "spark joy," it came because someone made a better version of socks that people were excited to wear. 

Bombas makes what I believe to be the best socks in the world. They're designed to account for every annoyance of traditional socks — the uncomfortable toe seams, the slipping heels, the heel fabric wearing through — Bombas socks aren't plagued by any of those ills. Instead, they're exceptionally comfortable and supportive; foundational, if you will. I am happy to pay $14 for a pair of socks that I know I'll never have to think about once they're on. Ten years ago, you couldn't have convinced me there was any pair in the world worth that cost.

It's also worth mentioning that Bombas gives a pair to someone in need for every pair sold. In fact, the goal of providing socks for people experiencing homelessness is the whole reason the company started. It wasn't the first to invent this business model, but that doesn't make its mission any less powerful. —Sally Kaplan, editor 

DJI drones (2013)

DJI Mavic 2 Pro Quadcopter with Remote Controller, available at Best Buy, $1,380

DJI took drone photography from non-existent to a viable and fun choice for anyone. It completely changed how consumers and creatives are able to show off their vision of the world. Previously, unless you happened to have an extra helicopter lying around, you weren't shooting anything from the air.

Within a short few years of consumer drones being introduced, they went from huge and inconvenient enthusiast equipment to something small enough that you could toss in a backpack. Now, the image quality that perfectly captures whatever you want to see, and the devices are smart enough that you can set them to follow you automatically while you bike down a mountain. —Adam Burakowski, director of commerce 

Casper mattresses (2014)

The Casper Mattress (Queen), available at Casper and Amazon, $995

The explosion of the bed-in-a-box industry has been one of the greatest retail shakeups of the decade. Beds in a box are faster and more convenient than traditional showrooms, and incentives like free shipping and returns, 100-night sleep trials, and 10-year warranties make it easier for first-timers to justify.

From Tuft & Needle in 2012 to the slew of brands that launched in 2014 (Casper, Leesa, Bear, etc), we've seen the booming success of the industry, which shows so signs of slowing. But no company better represents this upward trend than Casper, with its $1.1 billion valuation in March 2019 and a reported $80 million annual marketing budget. Before 2014, no one had heard of it — now, it's almost impossible to ride the subway or listen to a podcast without interacting with an ad. —Mara Leighton, reporter 

The 10-step K-beauty routine (2015)

10-Step Korean Skincare Routine Set, available at Soko Glam, $199

The idea of skin-care as self-care has really taken hold in recent years. Alongside sheet masks, we also saw a popularization of the 10-step Korean skin-care routine thanks in part to the globalization of Korean beauty (Korea's exports of cosmetics in 2016 surged more than 40% on-year and beauty exports actually surpassed their imports).

The 10-step routine satisfies a craving for certainty and control; there's security in a deeply scientific and cult-friendly regime, and in having an ampoule or serum for virtually every skin problem. There's also certainty in a regime created specifically for you, by the experts. And it taps into the 2010s' preoccupation with self-improvement by conceptualizing skin-care as a personal investment. I tried a 10-step routine myself, and it felt so good to feel like I had all the answers to at least one big, important test. Plus, my skin looked better. —Mara Leighton, reporter 

Rent the Runway Unlimited (2016)

Unlimited Plan, available at Rent the Runway, $79 for your first 2 months, then $159/month

I remember renting a nice Prabal Gurung dress from Rent the Runway around 2011 back when it was still an occasion-based rental service and having such difficulty with it because sizes were always out or iffy and delivery was a gamble. The service has changed so much since then, and definitely for the better.

The Unlimited plan allows users to rent four items at a time, and those items can be swapped out at any time. That means you can keep one item, like a coat, for as many months as you want, while you rotate the other items at any time.

I have so many friends and co-workers who joke that the RTR Unlimited plan is their second closet. The service allows people to experiment with new styles they'd never otherwise buy, and for many, cuts down on clothing waste and unnecessary spending. I haven't bought much other than basics, loungewear, and shoes since I started using RTR Unlimited eight months ago, and most of my coworkers who use the service feel that this is its greatest perk. —Jada Wong, editor 

Fenty Beauty makeup (2017)

Killawatt Freestyle Highlighter, available at Fenty Beauty, $36

Over the past two years, we've witnessed Rihanna democratize the beauty industry with her now cult-status makeup brand, Fenty Beauty. It offers one of the widest ranges of shades for different skin tones, and features innovative and cleverly designed products and trailblazing campaigns that have impacted the ways in which we purchase, discuss, market, and consume makeup. 

Since the brand's inception, we've seen companies shift their advertising and, more notably, expand product offerings to compete with the level of inclusion that Fenty offered from the start. Fenty set the bar high and changed consumers' expectations of what a beauty brand can be and do. —Dominique McIntee, editorial fellow 

The iPhone 11 (2019)

iPhone 11, available at Apple and Best Buy, from $699

As much as I hate placing myself at the mercy of a megalithic tech corporation and catching myself mindlessly screen-gazing as a result, Apple won me (and the world at large) over with the iPhone this decade.

Today, we can use these little bricks to keep tabs on our health, stream and download from almost endless music catalogs, stay in contact with far-flung friends via any number of social platforms, navigate by both land and sea with GPS, take and store hundreds of gigabytes worth of photos, audio, and video, and yes, still send a text and make a phone call. Ten years ago, that all would have cost thousands of dollars and resulted in a heaping pile of electronics.

Sure, the iPhone's not the only smartphone, but it was one of the first, and I maintain that it's still one of the best, if only based on usability and streamlining of connectivity. It wasn't and still isn't dauntingly technical to operate as a lot of early smartphones were (and plenty of current ones still are). It's not just for an exclusive cadre of tech whizzes, but the ubiquitous, all-inclusive people's phone, which everyone from your grandmother to your three-year-old nephew can — and probably do — operate. That alone is no small wonder. — Owen Burke, senior reporter

• Wealthy people occupy their minds and time differently than the average American, according to one researcher who studied more than 600 millionaires.
• Millionaires and billionaires typically read, exercise, and work more, but spend less time on social media and fewer hours sleeping.
• From Tim Cook to Bill Gates, the habits of well-known rich people align with these findings.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Millionaires aren't your everyday people. To reach their seven-figure status, they occupy their minds and time a little differently.

According to research conducted by Sarah Stanley Fallaw, the director of research for the Affluent Market Institute and author of the book "The Next Millionaire Next Door: Enduring Strategies for Building Wealth," in which she surveyed more than 600 millionaires in America, a person's daily activities can influence how much wealth they build.

"Focusing on goals is related to building wealth, regardless of age and income," she writes. "The decisions we make, particularly related to the allocation of our time, energy, and money, impact our ability to become financially independent."

Specifically, she found that millionaires spend their time differently when it comes to reading, exercising, perusing social media, sleeping, and working.

Even the habits of America's well-known millionaires, and billionaires, align with Stanley Fallaw's findings.

Below, see how the superrich spend their time.

SEE ALSO: A researcher who studied more than 600 millionaires found the same 2 qualities helped them get rich

DON'T MISS: A woman who studied 600 millionaires found how rich you can get boils down to 6 'wealth factors,' no matter your age or salary

Sarah Stanley Fallaw, director of research for the Affluent Market Institute, studied more than 600 millionaires for her book, "The Next Millionaire Next Door: Enduring Strategies for Building Wealth."

She found that how millionaires occupy their minds and time can influence how much wealth they build.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

"Successful individuals are keenly aware of how they spend their resources, including their emotional and cognitive resources," Stanley Fallaw wrote.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

She found that millionaires spend their time differently from the average American in five areas: reading, exercising, perusing social media, sleeping, and working.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

Millionaires spend roughly 5 1/2 hours a week reading for pleasure, compared to the average American's 2 hours.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

Consider celebrity Melissa McCarthy, who begins her morning reading The Los Angeles Times, National Geographic, and The New York Times.

Source:The New York Times via Business Insider

Even billionaires spend a lot of time reading. Bill Gates is an avid reader and has quite the book collection.

Source: Business Insider

And investor Warren Buffett, who spends 80% of his days reading, has said he has a "disgusting pile" of books by his chair.

Source: Business Insider, CNBC

In 2015, Mark Zuckerberg vowed to read one book every other week "with an emphasis on learning about different cultures, beliefs, histories and technologies," he wrote in a Facebook post.

Source:Business Insider

Businessman and investor Mark Cuban often reads for 3 hours a day to learn more about the industries he's working in.

Source:Business Insider

But reading isn't the only hobby among the rich. Millionaires also spend more time exercising — nearly 6 hours a week compared to the average American's weekly 2 1/2 hours, Stanley Fallaw found.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

Apple CEO Tim Cook wakes up about 4:30 a.m. every day to get to the gym.

Source: The Wall Street Journal via Business Insider

Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour also rises early to get her exercise in, waking up every morning at 5:45 a.m. to play tennis.

Source:Business Insider

Billionaire Richard Branson also exercises before breakfast and is a fan of playing tennis. He stays active by kite-surfing, swimming, and cycling.

Source: Business Insider, Virgin, Business Insider

Oprah Winfrey's workouts include "45 minutes of cardio six mornings a week, four to five strength-training sessions a week, incline crunches, and stretching," according to her trainer.

Source:O Magazine via Business Insider

Mark Wahlberg is an overachiever; he works out twice a day, from 3:40 a.m. to 5:15 a.m. and at 4 p.m.

Source:Business Insider

Millionaires may have more time to exercise because they spend less time on social media. The average American spends 14 hours a week on social media compared to the average millionaires' 2 1/2 hours a week.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

Model and Kode with Klossie founder Karlie Kloss takes a weekly digital detox. "I will totally shut off and not post Instagrams or answer my emails," she told the Mirror.

Source:The Mirror via Business Insider

McCarthy also takes digital detoxes, putting her phone away and disconnecting from technology on weekends.

Source: The New York Times via Business Insider

Some don't have social media at all. Jennifer Lawrence previously told BBC Radio 1 that social media baffles her. She said she "will never get Twitter."

Source:BBC via Business Insider

George Clooney has vocally opposed Facebook and Twitter. "I'd rather have a rectal examination on live TV by a fellow with cold hands than have a Facebook page," he once said.

Source:Business Insider

And Buffett still uses a flip phone.

Source:Business Insider

But millionaires make a few sacrifices to make the most of their time. They sleep nearly eight hours less a week than the average American.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

Tesla CEO Elon Musk typically crashes around 1 a.m. and wakes up at 7 a.m., averaging six hours of sleep — less than the recommended seven to eight hours.

Source:Business Insider

Meanwhile, PepsiCo chairwoman Indra Nooyi wakes up as early as 4 a.m. She told Fortune: "They say sleep is a gift that God gives you ... that's one gift I was never given."

Source:Fortune via Business Insider

Fashion designer Tom Ford attributes his success not to talent but to his energy: He's awake 21 hours a day, getting only three hours' sleep.

Source: Business Insider

But he's not the only one: Martha Stewart is so busy running her business that she reportedly gets less than four hours' sleep a night.

Source:CNN Money via Business Insider

Likewise, life coach Tony Robbins typically gets about three to five hours of sleep.

Source:Business Insider

That's probably because he's busy working 16-hour workdays, sometimes to the point of exhaustion.

Source:Business Insider

Robbins' work hustle exemplifies another trait common among millionaires. They often work more than the average American — a difference of six hours a week.

Source:"The Next Millionaire Next Door"

Former GE CEO Jeff Immelt has said he worked 100-hour weeks 24 years in a row.

Source:Business Insider

And Musk is known for his tireless work ethic and puts in 80- to 100-hour workweeks.

Source:Business Insider

While Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg leaves work at 5:30 p.m. to have dinner with her kids, she gets back to work online after putting them to bed.

Source:Business Insider

And former Yahoo CEO Marissa Meyer used to put in 130-hour weeks while working at Google, which she managed by sleeping under her desk.

Source:Business Insider

• Sintra, Portugal, a picturesque city 15 miles outside of Lisbon in the Sintra Mountains, is home to numerous palaces, villas, mansions, castles, and churches.
• The most stunning of the sights in Sintra is the Pena National Palace, built in 1840 according to the exacting specifications of King Ferdinand II, who wanted the palace to be a melting pot of architectural styles and colors.
• The palace is said to have inspired King Ludwig II's German castle, Neuschwanstein, which inspired Walt Disney's castle at Disneyland.
• Though the palace and the surrounding grounds are undoubtedly crowded with tourists in the summer, it is a can't-miss, dreamy sight that visitors are unlikely to forget. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

I almost didn't go.

After spending several weeks running around Lisbon, Porto, the sun-drenched beach region of Algarve, and everywhere in between, I thought: Why not relax on my last day in Portugal and avoid a place often described as "Disneyland for adults"?

What a mistake that would've been.

Only 15 miles from Lisbon, Sintra is about as fairy-tale Portugal as it gets. Designated as a Unesco World Heritage Site, the picturesque city is on the Portuguese Riviera and among the Sintra Mountains, a verdant range dense with pines, oaks, and wildlife. It's long been known as the setting of several myths, legends, and supernatural happenings in Portugal.

The otherworldly air is enhanced by the numerous palaces, villas, mansions, churches, and castles ensconced in the forested mountain peaks.

While there are more than half a dozen sites to visit, the most stunning two, in my opinion, are the Pena National Palace and the Castle of the Moors. The architectural feats — built in 1840 and the ninth century, respectively — best exhibit how Sintra has been a romantic destination throughout the ages.

The Pena Palace is made of dreams. At the top of a hill to be visible in every direction, and often enveloped in fog, the palace is a tapestry of colors and styles ranging from Romantic to Islamic to Gothic, surrounded by 500 acres of winding paths, gardens, and exotic trees.

You're likely to feel as if you are walking into a magical kingdom — I certainly did on my recent visit to the palace and the surrounding castles and gardens in Sintra. Here's what it was like.

SEE ALSO: I ate at the most beautiful McDonald's in the world, with crystal chandeliers, stained glass windows, and outrageously delicious pastries

I got to Sintra in the late afternoon, which turned out to be a blessing in disguise. While there was still an hour line to get into the Pena Palace, the crowds had started to thin. In the summer months, many of Sintra's sights are open until 7 or 8 p.m., so I still had plenty of time.

The ticket seller recommended I visit the Castle of the Moors before Pena Palace, as by the time I was done there would no longer be a line. When in doubt, a hard and fast rule of travel is "trust the locals." The walk to the Castle of the Moors gave me my first look at the dense forests of the Sintra Mountains.

The Castle of the Moors was constructed in the eighth and ninth centuries by the Muslim Moors who conquered Portugal and Spain in medieval times. Numerous structures — like this tomb — make up the complex.

The expansive castle was designed to endure long sieges.

It's hard to see the scope of the castle at first, but I was immediately impressed by the preservation of all the stone walls. King Ferdinand II, who commissioned the Pena Palace, had the Castle of the Moors restored in the 1800s so that it would be a feature of the gardens around his palace.

The majesty of the castle hits you when you stand up on the stone parapet. It reminded me of a mini Great Wall, with its stone walls that swoop and bend with the contours of the mountain.

As I trekked up and down the seemingly infinite stairs, I was also reminded of how exhausting it was to hike the Great Wall. At least it wasn't hot; though the late August day was bright and sunny, there was a breeze on the mountain. I could see why royals and the wealthy have long stayed in Sintra during the summer months.

The castle's main purpose was to guard both the town of Sintra, below the castle, and the city of Lisbon, 15 miles away.

The Moors and Christians fought for centuries over the castle until Afonso I, the first king of Portugal, conquered Lisbon. The castle's significance was as symbolic as it was strategic.

The castle fell into disrepair after the conquest and suffered much damage during the earthquake of 1755. But Ferdinand, a highly educated German prince who was the president of the Royal Academy of Sciences and the Arts, loved the castle and restored it.

From the top of the castle, I caught a view of Sintra's crown jewel — and Ferdinand's magnum opus — the Pena Palace. Even from afar, the fascinating palace casts an imposing shadow upon the mountain.

Before I could get to the Pena Palace, however, I had to walk through the palace gardens, which are sight unto themselves. The park is 500 acres of winding paths, pavilions, bridges, ponds, and exotic trees.

When I entered the gardens, I noticed the "Valley of the Lakes," a string of five lakes surrounded by the lush forest. In the center of the first lake is a little castle for ducks.

The Danish author Hans Christian Andersen, one of the most famous fairy-tale writers in history, spent much time in Sintra, once describing it as "where nature and art complete each other wonderfully."

I think these magical-looking gardens must have inspired some of Andersen's fairy tales.

The park was designed as a labyrinth and is full of narrow paths, secret shortcuts, and trees from all over the world, including sequoias from America, gingkos from China, cryptomeria from Japan, ferns from Australia, and succulents from Africa.

As I crested the hill, the trees thinned out and I hit a curving road. When I looked up, I saw Pena Palace up close for the first time. I don't know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this symphonic mash-up of colors and styles.

Known by many as the artist-king, Ferdinand commissioned an architect, Wilhelm Ludwig von Eschwege, to build the palace incorporating architectural styles from all over the world. To enter, I passed through the "Door of Alhambra," a neo-Moorish gateway inspired by the "Alhambra Door of Justice" in Granada, Spain.

As I looked at the castle, I felt as though I'd stepped through Alice's Looking Glass into Wonderland. It seemed impossible to imagine that a real architect would dare to smush together medieval, Renaissance, Gothic, Moorish, and Manueline (Portuguese neo-Gothic) architecture.

The palace's bright color palette of yellow and red should be garish — but set in the dark green landscape, it feels refreshing.

I headed up the path to see inside the palace. While the palace was built in 1840, the history of the site dates back to the Middle Ages. Jeronimos monks lived in a monastery and tended to a chapel there beginning in 1503.

But the monastery was damaged during a lightning strike in the 1700s and destroyed by the earthquake in 1755. When Ferdinand decided to build his palace on the site, he had the monastery building and its clock tower restored. It serves as one of the complex's four sections.

As I walked into the palace's interior, I noticed that the mash-up of styles extended to the smallest details, like this Moorish stonework.

The palace, situated around an open courtyard, is adorned with azulejos, the Portuguese ceramic tile art that can be found all over the country.

In Pena Palace, there was an emphasis on the Moorish style and its geometric patterns. This was in one of the bathrooms.

The rooms were decorated in much the same sumptuous manner as they were when the royal family fled the palace in 1910 after the Republican revolution.

After seeing the extravagant way the royal family's summer palace was decorated, I could sympathize with the Portuguese for overthrowing the dynasty.

Much of the interior decorations had subtle nods to the arts, culture, and science of the times. There were many paintings and sculptures made in the style of Scientific Romanticism, which was influenced by Greek mythology.

While the palace's interior was stuffed with gilded sculptures and chandeliers and furniture of rich mahogany, I found the exterior far more visually interesting. You can look at rich people's stuff for only so long.

This room, known as the Stag Room, was designed as a "knights' room." Old weapons were to be displayed and the room used as a banquet hall.

If you are a cook, you'll appreciate the royal kitchen. The room, the largest in the palace, was used to prepare the banquets held in the Stag Room.

Outside the kitchen was a cafe with some tables, with a spectacular view of the Sintra Mountains. It was amazing how much cooler the climate was at the top of the castle than in Lisbon, just 30 minutes away.

The best place to see the scope of Ferdinand and von Eschwege's architectural work was on the other side. You pass through the gateway into this courtyard, which faces the mountainside.

The red structure is the restored original part of the monastery that once housed 18 monks of the Order of Saint Jerome. The chapel has been preserved.

The interior of the chapel was an exquisite piece of Gothic architecture, but the most impressive thing, to me, was this stained-glass window that covers one side of the chapel.

The real star of the show, of course, was the view back toward the castle. While the palace's Moorish-style onion dome should look out of place with Manueline architecture, the combination was surreal ...

... and even more so when you look out on the mountainous landscape below. As I stood up there, the wind whipped around me, and a fog had started to coat the palace. It was cold. I can't imagine being there in the winter.

But in August, it was a welcome respite from Portugal's balmy summer heat.

The walk back down through the palace's gardens was even more magical than the way up, as I was no longer rushing to get to the castle and dusk was starting to fall. It would be easy to get lost in here. But I suppose that wouldn't be such a bad thing.

Ticket prices and opening hours vary depending on which site in Sintra you want to visit. Adult tickets for the Pena National Palace gardens cost €7.50 ($9) or €14 ($16) for the gardens and the palace.

Here's more info about visiting »

• Greed and the desire for power often lead to unconscionable acts of fraud and deceit. This theme isn't new, but the popular book "Bad Blood," detailing the rise and fall of healthcare startup Theranos, certainly reminds us of its truth.
• If you're interested in similarly well-written and well-researched books about business scams and scandals, these 16 fascinating books tell you everything you need to know.
• From the financial industry to cars to sports, they paint a picture of how business scams are built, how they subsequently crash, and how all the involved players are affected.

Like scores of other readers across America, I was recently enraptured by the Silicon Valley nightmare tale of Theranos, the healthcare startup that promised to revolutionize blood testing and seduced notable investors, large pharmacy partners, and hopeful customers alike. It never delivered on its promise, blew through hundreds of millions of dollars, and harmed countless livelihoods along the way.

Instances of corporate deceit and fraud like this aren't new. When power and money are at stake, people often trade in their consciences for more immediately gratifying rewards — and face the consequences when their elaborate schemes spiral out of control.

Theranos now joins names like Bernie Madoff and Enron, cemented in history and the syllabi of business-ethics courses as lessons of questionable business practices that you don't want to believe took place. You often hear only about the devastating result of these scandals, but these books bring you back to the beginning and weave fair, thoughtful tales about how they all transpired.

For a fascinating and often horrifying look into how not to run a business, read these 16 books about some of the biggest corporate scandals and scams of our time.

Book descriptions provided by Amazon and edited for length.

"Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup" by John Carreyou

Buy it here >>

In 2014, Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes was widely seen as the female Steve Jobs: a brilliant Stanford dropout whose startup "unicorn" promised to revolutionize the medical industry with a machine that would make blood testing significantly faster and easier.

Backed by investors such as Larry Ellison and Tim Draper, Theranos sold shares in a fundraising round that valued the company at more than $9 billion, putting Holmes's worth at an estimated $4.7 billion. There was just one problem: The technology didn't work. A riveting story of the biggest corporate fraud since Enron, a tale of ambition and hubris set amid the bold promises of Silicon Valley.

"The Wizard of Lies" by Diana B. Henriques

Buy it here >>

Who is Bernie Madoff, and how did he pull off the biggest Ponzi scheme in history? These questions have fascinated people ever since the news broke about the respected New York financier who swindled his friends, relatives, and other investors out of $65 billion through a fraud that lasted for decades. Many have speculated about what might have happened or what must have happened, but no reporter has been able to get the full story — until now.

A true-life financial thriller, "The Wizard of Lies" contrasts Madoff's remarkable rise on Wall Street, where he became one of the country's most trusted and respected traders, with dramatic scenes from his accelerating slide toward self-destruction.

"Smartest Guys in the Room: The Amazing Rise and Scandalous Fall of Enron" by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind

Buy it here >>

Like its subject, "The Smartest Guys in the Room" is ambitious, grand in scope, and ruthless in its dealings. Unlike Enron, the Texas-based energy giant that has come to represent the post-millennium collapse of 1990s go-go corporate culture, it's also ultimately successful. Penned by Fortune scribes Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, the 400-page-plus chronicle of the scandal digs deep inside the numbers while, wisely, maintaining focus on the "smart guys" deep-frying the books.

The likes of paternal but disengaged CEO Ken Lay, cutthroat man-behind-the-curtain Jeff Skilling, and ethically blind numbers whiz Andy Fastow vividly come to life as they make a mockery of conventional accounting practices and grow increasingly arrogant and bind to their collective hubris.  

"The Spider Network" by David Enrich

Buy it here >>

The Wall Street Journal's award-winning business reporter unveils the bizarre and sinister story of how a math genius named Tom Hayes, a handful of outrageous confederates, and a deeply corrupt banking system ignited one of the greatest financial scandals in history.

In 2006, an oddball group of bankers, traders and brokers from some of the world's largest financial institutions made a startling realization: Libor — the London interbank offered rate, which determines interest rates on trillions in loans worldwide — was set daily by a small group of easily manipulated functionaries. Eventually known as the "Spider Network," Hayes's circle generated untold riches — until it all unraveled in spectacularly vicious, backstabbing fashion.

"Red Card: How the U.S. Blew the Whistle on the World's Biggest Sports Scandal" by Ken Besinger

Buy it here >>

The definitive, shocking account of the FIFA scandal — the biggest international corruption case of recent years, spearheaded by US investigators, involving dozens of countries, and implicating nearly every aspect of the world's most popular sport, soccer, including its biggest event, the World Cup.

The FIFA case began small, boosted by an IRS agent's review of an American soccer official's tax returns. But that humble investigation eventually led to a huge worldwide corruption scandal that crossed continents and reached the highest levels of the soccer's world governing body in Switzerland.

"Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World" by Tom Wright and Bradley Hope

Buy it here >>

In 2009, a chubby, mild-mannered graduate of the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School of Business named Jho Low set in motion a fraud of unprecedented gall and magnitude — one that would come to symbolize the next great threat to the global financial system. Over a decade, Low, with the aid of Goldman Sachs and others, siphoned billions of dollars from an investment fund — right under the nose of global financial industry watchdogs.

By early 2019, with his yacht and private jet reportedly seized by authorities and facing criminal charges in Malaysia and in the United States, Low had become an international fugitive, even as the U.S. Department of Justice continued its investigation.

"The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine" by Michael Lewis

Buy it here >>

The real story of the crash began in bizarre feeder markets where the sun doesn't shine and the SEC doesn't dare, or bother, to tread: the bond and real estate derivative markets where geeks invent impenetrable securities to profit from the misery of lower- and middle-class Americans who can't pay their debts. The smart people who understood what was or might be happening were paralyzed by hope and fear; in any case, they weren't talking.

Out of a handful of unlikely-really unlikely-heroes, Lewis fashions a story as compelling and unusual as any of his earlier bestsellers, proving yet again that he is the finest and funniest chronicler of our time.

"American Kingpin: The Epic Hunt for the Criminal Mastermind Behind the Silk Road" by Nick Bilton

Buy it here >>

In 2011, a twenty-six-year-old libertarian programmer named Ross Ulbricht launched the ultimate free market: the Silk Road, a clandestine Web site hosted on the Dark Web where anyone could trade anything — drugs, hacking software, forged passports, counterfeit cash, poisons — free of the government's watchful eye. 

It's a story of the boy next door's ambition gone criminal, spurred on by the clash between the new world of libertarian-leaning, anonymous, decentralized Web advocates and the old world of government control, order, and the rule of law. Filled with unforgettable characters and capped by an astonishing climax, "American Kingpin" might be dismissed as too outrageous for fiction. But it's all too real. 

"Black Edge" by Sheelah Kolhatkar

Buy it here >>

In hedge fund circles, Steven A. Cohen was revered as one of the greatest traders who ever lived. But that image was shattered when his fund, SAC Capital, became the target of a seven-year government investigation. Prosecutors labeled SAC a "magnet for market cheaters" whose culture encouraged the relentless pursuit of "edge"— and even "black edge," which is inside information — and the firm was ultimately indicted and pleaded guilty to charges related to a vast insider trading scheme.

Cohen, himself, however, was never charged. "Black Edge" is a riveting legal thriller that raises urgent questions about the power and wealth of those who sit at the pinnacle of high finance and how they have reshaped the economy.

"Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco" by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar

Buy it here >>

The fight to control RJR Nabisco during October and November of 1988 was more than just the largest takeover in Wall Street history. Marked by brazen displays of ego not seen in American business for decades, it became the high point of a new gilded age and its repercussions are still being felt. The tale remains the ultimate story of greed and glory — a story and a cast of characters that determined the course of global business and redefined how deals would be done and fortunes made in the decades to come.

Burrough and Helyar provide an unprecedentedly detailed look at how financial operations at the highest levels are conducted but also a richly textured social history of wealth at the twilight of the Reagan era.

"The Big Lie: Spying, Scandal, and Ethical Collapse at Hewlett Packard" by Anthony Bianco

Buy it here >>

In 2003, HP began a transition from the family management style of its founders. It made a bold statement by hiring as its new CEO the most visible female business executive in America: Carly Fiorina. Less than two years later, the board fired her, amid accusations of imperiousness that had begun damagingly to leak into the business media.

Anthony Bianco gets to heart of the ethical morass at HP that ended up damning the entire board that created it. Almost every American has an interest in how the country's greatest corporations are run, and the character of the people entrusted with them. The story of Hewlett-Packard reflects power struggles that shape corporate America and is an alarming morality tale for our times.

"Too Big to Fail" by Andrew Ross Sorkin

Buy it here >>

Andrew Ross Sorkin delivers the first true behind-the-scenes, moment-by-moment account of how the greatest financial crisis since the Great Depression developed into a global tsunami. From inside the corner office at Lehman Brothers to secret meetings in South Korea, and the corridors of Washington, "Too Big to Fail" is the definitive story of the most powerful men and women in finance and politics grappling with success and failure, ego and greed, and, ultimately, the fate of the world's economy.

"Healthsouth: The Wagon to Disaster" by Aaron Beam and Chris Warner

Buy it here >>

Corporate greed is the Black Plague of the modern financial world threatening America's ability to maintain free market capitalism in an increasingly distrusting, changing, and socialistic world economy. Told by former co-founder and CFO Aaron Beam, it's the untold story of HealthSouth, one of America's most successful health care companies and consequently, the perpetrator of one of its biggest frauds in history.

How big was the fraud? In 2003, just before news of the crime broke in the mainstream media, HealthSouth paid more money in taxes to the federal government than it legitimately earned the previous year. Beam takes the reader from HealthSouth's humble beginnings, through its meteoric rise and to its disastrous revelation, subsequent trial and his three-month incarceration in a federal prison. 

"Faster, Higher, Farther: The Volkswagen Scandal" by Jack Ewing

Buy it here >>

In mid-2015, Volkswagen proudly reached its goal of surpassing Toyota as the world's largest automaker. A few months later, the EPA disclosed that Volkswagen had installed software in 11 million cars that deceived emissions-testing mechanisms. By early 2017, VW had settled with American regulators and car owners for $20 billion, with additional lawsuits still looming. 

"Faster, Higher, Farther" rips the lid off the conspiracy and reveals how the succeed-at-all-costs mentality prevalent in modern boardrooms led to one of corporate history's farthest-reaching cases of fraud — with potentially devastating consequences.

"Taking Down the Lion: The Triumphant Rise and Tragic Fall of Tyco's Dennis Kozlowski" by Catherine S. Neal

Buy it here >>

As the widely-admired CEO of Tyco International, Dennis Kozlowski grew a little-known New Hampshire conglomerate into a global giant. In a stunning series of events, Kozlowski suddenly lost his job along with his favored public status when he was indicted by legendary Manhattan DA Robert Morgenthau — it was an inglorious end to an otherwise brilliant career.

In an unfiltered view of corporate America, Catherine Neal pulls back the curtain to reveal a world of big business, ambition, money, and an epidemic of questionable ethics that infected not only business dealings but extended to attorneys, journalists, politicians, and the criminal justice system.

"Extraordinary Circumstances: The Journey of a Corporate Whistleblower" by Cynthia Cooper

Buy it here >>

Former WorldCom Chief Audit Executive Cynthia Cooper recounts for the first time her journey from her close family upbringing in a small Mississippi town, to working motherhood and corporate success, to the pressures of becoming a whistleblower, to being named one of Time's 2002 Persons of the Year. She also provides a rare insider's glimpse into the spectacular rise and fall of WorldCom, a telecom titan, the darling of Wall Street, and a Cinderella story for Mississippi.

 This book reminds us all that ethical decision-making is not forged at the crossroads of major events but starts in childhood, "decision by decision and brick by brick."

• Tadashi Yanai is the richest person in Japan, worth an estimated $31.4 billion.
• He lives in a $50 million house in the woods outside of Tokyo and owns two golf courses in Hawaii.
• The billionaire's fortune comes from his position as chairman and the biggest shareholder of Fast Retailing, the largest clothing retailer in Asia and parent company of Uniqlo.
• For 18 years, Yanai has also been an influential member on the board of the Japanese holding company SoftBank.
• On December 27, the company announced that he will be resigning from the board at the end of the year to focus on his own business.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Tadashi Yanai is the richest person in Japan.

The Japanese businessman is worth an estimated $31.4 billion, according to Bloomberg. His fortune comes from his position as chairman and the biggest shareholder of Fast Retailing, the largest clothing retailer in Asia and the parent company of Uniqlo.

Yanai opened the first Uniqlo store in 1984 and has expanded the brand to more than 2,000 stores in at least 20 countries.

Uniqlo's clothing is "geared to all types of people: whether they are billionaires, the middle class, the lower end," Yanai told Vault Magazine in 2011. "We need to cater to all, just like Marks and Spencer or Gap or the current H&M and Zara. Unless we cater to all segments of life and segments of people, we cannot be successful."

Along with his success in the fashion industry, Yanai has also been an influential member on the board of the Japanese holding company SoftBank for 18 years. As Business Insider's Isobel Asher Hamilton previously reported, Yanai had a reputation for being one of the few people with as much influence as SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. 

On December 27, SoftBank announced that Yanai will be resigning from the board on December 31 to focus on his fashion business.

The Japanese billionaire lives in a $50 million house in the woods outside of Tokyo and owns another home in a ritzy, exclusive neighborhood in the city. He also owns two golf courses in Hawaii, where he spends a few weeks each summer, according to Bloomberg.

Here's a look at the life of Japan's richest person.

SEE ALSO: Meet Amancio Ortega, the fiercely private Zara founder who's worth $62 billion and owns properties in Madrid, London, and New York City

DON'T MISS: Bernard Arnault is the world's third-richest person and CEO of LVMH, which just finalized a deal to buy Tiffany. Here's how the French billionaire makes and spends his $100 billion fortune.

SEE ALSO: SoftBank is more than CEO Masayoshi Son. Meet the 12 managing partners behind the $100 billion Vision Fund that's backed startups like Uber and WeWork.

Meet Tadashi Yanai, the richest person in Japan. He's worth an estimated $31.4 billion.

The Japanese businessman's wealth comes from his position as president, chairman, and the largest shareholder of Fast Retailing,  the largest clothing retailer in Asia. The 70-year-old billionaire holds a 46% stake in the company.

Yanai is more than $10 billion richer than the second-richest person in Japan, Takemitsu Takizaki, according to Bloomberg.

Fast Retailing is the parent company of Uniqlo and other brands including Theory, Comptoir des Cotonniers, and J Brand.

Fast Retailing has thousands of stores worldwide and reported a yearly revenue of about $20.9 billion in August 2019.

Yanai was born in southern Japan in 1949, the son of a clothing seller.

Yanai's father owned a men's clothing shop called Men's Shop Ogori Shoji. The store was on the first floor and the family lived above it. By the 1970s, the business had several locations.

After graduating from college in 1971, Yanai started selling men's clothing and kitchenware at a Jusco supermarket, but he quit after one year and started working for his father.

Yanai graduated from Waseda University with a degree in economics and politics.

Yanai said he didn't start out being very motivated to work.

"My preference was not to work my entire life, that's how I was," he told ABS-CBN. "My father demanded that I need to find work at Jusco. So regretfully I got a job."

He said he joined his father's business because he had nowhere else to go, but he actually ended up finding it fun.

In 1984 in Hiroshima, Yanai founded Unique Clothing Warehouse, which would later be shortened to Uniqlo.

A few years later, he changed the name of his father's clothing company to Fast Retailing.

The company grew quickly over the next several years. By 1996, Yanai had more than 200 stores across Japan.

Uniqlo's $15 fleece jacket was the brand's most popular product, with an estimated one in four Japanese people having bought one by 1998.

The Japanese billionaire, who is married with two children, lives in a 16,586-square-foot house in the woodlands outside of Tokyo.

The property, which includes a guard house, a driving range, and a separate thatched-roof teahouse, was estimated to be worth about $50 million in 2017. Yanai bought the land in an auction for $78 million in 2001.

Yanai also has a home – worth an estimated $74 million — in the ritzy Shibuya neighborhood of Tokyo.

Shibuya is an exclusive Tokyo neighborhood that government officials and CEOs call home, according to the Japan Times. Living there is "a symbol of status," Yukiko Takano of Sotheby's told the Times in 2014.

The billionaire is reportedly an avid golf player. He spends three weeks every summer playing in Hawaii, where he owns two golf courses that he bought for a combined $74.1 million.

Yanai bought the Plantation Golf Course in Hawaii from Maui Land & Pineapple for $50 million in 2009, according to Bloomberg. In 2010, he bought another course, Kapalua Bay, for $24.1 million.

Between 2013 and 2018, the expansion of Yanai's company meant that his net worth grew from $15.5 billion to $24 billion in just five years.

Fast Retailing is now the third-largest global clothing retailer, after H&M and Inditex, the parent company of Zara, according to MoneyWeek.

Today, Fast Retailing operates more than 2,100 Uniqlo stores in at least 24 countries — and that's not counting the group's other brands.

Uniqlo — Fast Retailing's most successful brand — has more than 2,100 stores globally, with 827 in Japan.

Only 52 of those are in the US, and the vast majority are scattered throughout Asian countries including Japan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, and the Philippines. 

Uniqlo is known for its relatively affordable, timeless basics. "Uniqlo isn't in the business of chasing trends," Gillian B. White wrote in The Atlantic.

"[Uniqlo's] staples—versatile black pants, reliable oxfords, crisp cotton socks — are available month after month, year after year," Write wrote.

Yanai himself has said Uniqlo's clothes are "geared to all types of people," according to MoneyWeek.

Yanai has made it clear he wants Fast Retailing to be the world's largest clothing retailer.

Yanai has always named H&M and Zara as Fast Retailing's biggest rivals. He told Forbes Asia in 2017 that his goal is to have the company's revenue up to $29 billion by 2020.

"Information and digital innovation will determine the winner," Yanai said. "And that's the area we are in." 

Uniqlo added to its more than 2,100 global stores by opening its first stores in Denmark, Italy, India, and Vietnam in 2019.

Uniqlo has pioneered the use of artificial intelligence in its stores to improve customers' shopping experience.

"Select stores have AI-powered UMood kiosks that show customers a variety of products and measures their reaction to the color and style through neurotransmitters," Blake Morgan wrote in Forbes. "Based on each person's reactions, the kiosk then recommends products. Customers don't even have to push a button; their brain signals are enough for the system to know how they feel about each item."

And in 2018 Uniqlo launched GU Style Studio stores, fitting-only stores where customers can try on clothing and place orders online for later delivery, according to the Japan Times. 

Yanai's two sons are both on Fast Retailing's board of directors.

"This means that corporate governance will function even when I'm absent," Yanai said when he announced their promotions in October 2018. "It does not mean that they will take charge of the company."

Yanai's sons, Kazumi Yanai and Koji Yanai, were both senior vice presidents at Fast Retailing before being promoted to the board, according to Nikkei Asian Review.

In 2017, Yanai told the Nikkei Asian Review that he would step down as president of Fast Retailing when he turned 70, but stay on as chairman.

Yanai turned 70 in February 2019 and so far has made no official announcement about leaving his role as president or about who will take his place, although he did recently tell Bloomberg Japan that his CEO role is "more suitable for a woman" because women "are persevering, detail-oriented and have an aesthetic sense."

Despite the lingering question of his succession plan, Yanai continues to grow richer as his companies expand. Since the beginning of 2019, he's added almost $5 billion to his fortune, according to Bloomberg.

Along with his success in the fashion industry, Yanai has also been an influential member on the board of the Japanese holding company SoftBank for 18 years. As Business Insider's Isobel Asher Hamilton previously reported, Yanai had a reputation for being one of the few people with as much influence as SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. 

On December 27, SoftBank announced that Yanai will be resigning from the board at the end of the year to focus on his fashion business.

• One of the perks of living on a cruise ship is not having to find housing or pay rent. But for some, it comes with a price: small, spare living quarters.
• That's particularly true for lower-paid workers like waiters, bar servers, and those in customer-service roles, known as crew or staff members.
• Some of the 39 current and former cruise-ship employees who spoke with Business Insider said they didn't have much room to move in their cabins.
• Managers and those responsible for steering the ship, known as officers, get their own rooms, but they aren't necessarily luxurious.
• Sign up for Business Insider's transportation newsletter, Shifting Gears, to get more stories like this in your inbox.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

One of the perks of living on a cruise ship is not having to find housing or pay rent. But for some, it comes with a price: small, spare living quarters.

That's particularly true for lower-paid workers like waiters, bar servers, and those in customer-service roles, known as crew or staff members. Some of the 39 current and former cruise-ship employees who spoke with Business Insider said they didn't have much room to move in their cabins. (Most of those mentioned in this story requested anonymity due to a fear of reprisal from their former employer.)

"I was sharing a cabin with another hostess, so obviously we'd have to get ready at the same time, and it was not possible," a former hostess for Costa Cruises said. "We'd have to take turns."

Costa Cruises did not respond to a request for comment.

"I couldn't open up my arms without hitting something," a former art-auction contractor who worked on a ship operated by Norwegian Cruise Line said. "It was so narrow."

Norwegian Cruise Line did not respond to a request for comment.

Read more:Cruise-ship workers reveal what it's really like to live at sea

Crew and staff members often have one roommate, though they sometimes have three. Their rooms are furnished simply, giving occupants some combination of a bed, a desk, a closet, a few shelves, and a small bathroom. Workers may also share a bathroom with the room next to theirs or use a communal bathroom with the rest of their floor-mates.

"Seafarers on cruise ships are indispensable to the industry and the cruise travel experience," said a representative for the Cruise Lines International Association, a trade association for the cruise industry. "While space constraints are always something cruise lines have to keep in mind both from a crew and guest perspective, crew members almost always have access to other sections of the ship that are just for them, such as gyms, pools, dining areas, and lounges."

Managers and those responsible for steering the ship, known as officers, get their own rooms, though they aren't necessarily luxurious. In addition to extra space, they may have a few additional accessories, like a television or a refrigerator.

"Compared to some of the crew cabins, you had a nice cabin," said a former inventory manager for Royal Caribbean Cruises.

But when you're used to having a roommate, moving to a solo cabin can seem like a major upgrade.

"The solo cabin was actually humongous," said Chad Stone, a former production manager for Seabourn Cruise Line who moved from a shared room to an individual one after receiving a promotion. "I couldn't believe how big it was."

Have you worked on a cruise ship? Do you have a story to share? Email this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.

• Read more:
• Cruise-ship workers reveal the most disappointing things about their job
• Here's how you can use your Costco membership to book a cruise
• 8 things cruise-ship workers want to tell passengers but can't
• A lawyer warns of a legal nightmare you can face on a ship

SEE ALSO: Ex-Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line workers reveal their 11 best hacks for living on a cruise ship

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why Tesla's Model 3 received top crash-test safety ratings

• I got my teeth straightened in five months using SmileDirectClub's invisible aligners. 
• The cost of treatment is $1,895 plus $99 for retainers, regardless of how extensive your corrections are.
• Below, I'll walk you through how to get started and what to expect from the process, plus how the aligners feel and what they look like when they're on. 
• Update on December 27, 2019: A lot of people have asked me if my bite was affected by using SmileDirectClub. To answer simply: My bite stayed perfectly aligned. However, it's worth noting that my treatment was very minimal.

If you're anything like me, you lost your retainers some odd years ago after a painstaking and expensive course of orthodontics that you didn't pay for yourself. Your teeth have shifted slightly out of place, and now you want a quick way to fix them. Turns out those braces your parents paid for were shockingly expensive, and so is Invisalign, so you've turned to SmileDirectClub as a possible solution to your dental woes.

This is exactly what happened to me, and unfortunately, the area that was impacted most was my prime smile real estate. I became self-conscious about smiling big in pictures because I didn't want the light to catch my one tooth that had started slipping behind the others. So, when I was given the opportunity to try SmileDirectClub, I jumped on it. I'm also getting married next year, so the timing was perfect.

Below I'm going to walk you through everything you need to know about using SmileDirectClub — from how much they cost to how I dealt with removing my retainers all the time at work (spoiler alert: not gracefully). 

Step 1: Getting started with SmileDirect Club

The first thing you'll do is fill out a very short survey on the SmileDirectClub website. It asks whether or not you've had braces in the past, what issues you want to deal with (crowding, overbite, spacing, etc.), and how severe those issues are. You'll get an immediate response stating whether or not you're a potential candidate for the program, and then it gives you the option to sign up for an in-person consultation if you live near an outpost, or an at-home impression kit you'll administer yourself. 

The consultations and kits cost $45 each, but if it turns out that you're not a candidate based on anything they find, you'll get a full refund. The full treatment plan costs $1,895 (plus $99 for retainers) regardless of how extensive your corrections are.

Before we go any further, it's worth noting that SmileDirectClub does not use X-rays of your teeth to determine whether or not you're a candidate. While each treatment plan is looked over by a dental professional, you still may want to talk with your dentist first to consider any potential drawbacks of a treatment, like possible spacing or bite-alignment issues.

Step 2: The consultation process

The consultation process will differ depending on if you choose to go into a SmileDirectClub office or do the impression kit at home. I went to an in-person appointment, so that's all I can speak to personally, but the impression kit involves filling two trays with putty, biting down into them to leave an impression of your top and bottom teeth, and taking photos of your mouth with a very funny tool that tucks into your cheeks and holds your mouth open. I also had to do that in the office so they could fit the imaging wand all the way around my mouth. 

The appointment was quick and easy. The dental professional ran a wand around the inside of my mouth to take pictures of my teeth, which then got converted into a model of my smile using advanced imaging technology. 

Step 3: The plan

SmileDirectClub will show you the plan for how your teeth will adjust over time using a digital 3-D rendering. You'll be able to confirm that you're happy with the plan and schedule the delivery of your aligners. My course was for five months, but yours may be longer — it varies from person to person. 

One thing that's really great about SmileDirectClub is that even if you have a permanent retainer that has yet to be removed, they'll design your aligners to fit without said retainer based on the 3-D imaging or impression kit. I have a permanent retainer on my bottom set of teeth, and though I decided against getting it removed for now, if I ever choose to do so, I can go through the course of bottom aligners later on. This time, I just chose to treat my top set of teeth. 

Treating just the upper or just the lower set of teeth can create alignment issues in the long-run, but wasn't personally an issue for me because my changes were minor. It's definitely worth consulting your dentist about it beforehand. 

Step 4: Receiving the aligners

The aligners will arrive all at once in a box that also houses tools to help you fit them, plus an LED whitening kit to keep your teeth nice and bright. 

I do wish the little baggies the aligners came in were organized a little better. They come in a long, connected string of bags marked in order that can each be torn off and thrown away once you put your aligners in. But since I only chose to treat the top set of teeth due to my permanent retainer, it was tough to keep the bottom halves in their bags and not accidentally misplace any of them. Candid's aligner box setup seems slightly more intuitive. 

Step 5: Wearing the aligners

You'll wear three different aligners over the course of one month: the first set for a week, the second set for a week, and the third set for two weeks. This gives your teeth the chance to settle into place, and by the last week of the month you won't really feel pressure from the aligners. You also can't see them in whatsoever — no one ever knew I was wearing them!

SmileDirectClub tells you to brush your teeth every time you eat, and try not to exceed two hours a day with the retainers off. Honestly, I didn't follow either of these rules. At work, I'd often take them out in the bathroom in order to eat my breakfast and forget to put them back in until after lunch, and my teeth turned out just fine. But I recommend doing as SmileDirectClub said, not as I did. Frankly, it's just a clunky process to remove them since your saliva gets into the retainers, so I highly recommend finding a private place in which to pull them out when you're at work or out for dinner. 

Everyone who found out I was using SmileDirectClub aligners asked me the same question: Does it hurt? The answer is that no, it doesn't hurt, but it can be uncomfortable at times. There were a couple instances where I had to use the metal file on my Swiss Army knife to sand down little sharp bits that dug into my gums, but that was about the worst of it. Of course the aligners are going to be slightly tight for the first couple days of each week or two-week course, but that's to be expected. These feel nothing like the excruciating tightening process of braces that you probably experienced as a kid.

I've also received a lot of questions about whether or not my bite was affected. Honestly, I haven't noticed any difference in my alignment, which is probably because my correction course was pretty minimal. I can't speak for everyone, but I personally haven't had any problems. 

Step 6: Finishing your course and getting your retainers 

After you finish your course of aligners, you'll want to get a set of retainers to keep your new smile in place. They're thicker than the aligners but only need to be worn at night, save for the first two weeks when you're supposed to wear them all day to get used to them.  

The retainers cost $99, and should be replaced every six months or so. I'll update this review in six months to let you know how mine have worn down, and when I plan on reordering another. I'm hoping I can take care of them well enough to keep it to once a year. 

Pricing

No matter how long your course is, everyone pays $1,895 for a set of SmileDirectClub aligners. This is the case even if you only want to straighten the tops or the bottoms; every order will include aligners for both sets regardless. For comparison, that price is only $5 less than Candid (which we've also reviewed), but about $1,600 less than the cheapest average treatment from Invisalign, which can cost up to $8,000. The difference is that Invisalign is done through your dentist's office and, in some cases, qualifies for dental insurance coverage. 

SmileDirectClub doesn't take dental insurance directly, but your insurance provider may partially reimburse you for your treatment depending on your plan. They do accept HSA, FSA, and CareCredit as forms of payment, and they also offer a monthly payment plan that involves a $250 down payment and $85 monthly payments for 24 months. Just note that this will ultimately cost you about $400 more over time. 

The bottom line

Overall, I had a really great experience using SmileDirectClub. I'm happy with how my teeth turned out, and I'm actually excited to see myself smiling in pictures now. Granted, my changes were very minor so I can only speak from the perspective of someone who didn't undergo a major transformation, but I'm pleased with how quick and simple the process has been. 

I recommend looking into SmileDirectClub, but not before you check with your dentist to make sure you have the all-clear. 

Join the conversation about this story »

• When it comes to versatility, you can't beat J. Crew's scarf selection. From cozy and affordable cashmere to snuggly wool-blends in adorable prints, there's something for everyone here.

Every fall and winter I inevitably leave the house at least a couple of times without a scarf. I kind of just … forget they exist. It's like I come down with temporary weather-related amnesia each October and it takes me a few tries to get seasonal dressing right. If only there was a layer just for my neck I think as I'm shivering on the first under-50 degree day.

Your choice of scarf can make or break your comfort level in the wintertime. Opt for one that's wooly and warm and you'll be toasty. Choose a too-thin fabric and you, well, won't. Scarves are also a great opportunity to infuse a bit of personality into your winter wardrobe. And when you get bored of your outerwear, you can always pick a new scarf to mix things up.

The stakes are lower when it comes to scarf shopping because they simply aren't as pricey as coats. You don't have to spend much money to build a small collection of stylish and functional options. These five brands are your best bet for warm, attractive scarves that will keep you cozy all winter long.

Here are the best places to buy scarves:

• Best scarf brand overall: J. Crew
• Best affordable scarf brand: Uniqlo
• Best stylish scarf brand: Topshop and Topman
• Best outdoorsy scarf brand: Patagonia
• Best ultra warm scarf brand: Barbour

Updated on 12/27/19 by Caitlin Petreycik. Updated prices, links, and formatting. Added related guides. 

The best scarf brand overall

J. Crew is the one to beat in terms of scarf selection, from cute patterns to affordable yet luxe fabric blends.

Cute scarves are a dime a dozen, but cute, warm scarves? Those are significantly rarer. But not at J. Crew! The brand offers scarves for both men and women in a ton of colors, patterns, knits, and materials.

J. Crew has mastered the concept of fun basics, and the scarf selection is no different. There are colorful, patterned, embellished knits and solid options to go with every coat in your closet. Looking for affordable cashmere? This is your place.

If you're not a fan of cashmere, there are several wool blend and lighter weight options for men and women alike. Overall, you'll find warm scarves in colors for just about every mood or personality.

J.Crew scarves have been featured in Men's Journal, Esquire, Glamour, and more.

Pros: Affordable cashmere, warm scarves, lots of styles and patterns

Cons: Some styles are dry clean only

The best affordable scarf brand

Uniqlo teaches us time and time again that warm, high-quality winter wear doesn't have to cost half a month's rent. 

You don't have to dish out a lot of money on a scarf in order to stay warm this winter. Japanese brand Uniqlo, known for affordable basics, makes some great ones you can buy on the cheap. And I mean really cheap — scarves made out the brand's popular Heattech material are only $14.90.

Heattech is Uniqlo's "bio-warming" fabric designed to keep you warm super warm without weighing you down with tons of layers. The scarves are available in an array of muted colors like wine red and dark gray to go with any winter jacket. There's also a plaid scarf and a trendier snood style available in the same fabric.

Uniqlo also sells cashmere scarves for $49.90, which is absurdly inexpensive. The Cut featured a fascinating breakdown of the brand's cashmere production process that should convince you that you're getting a lot of bang for your buck. 

The store is pretty much your one-stop shop for classic unisex winter accessories that won't break the bank.

Pros: Affordable, classic styles, innovative fabrics like Heattech and affordable cashmere

Cons: Not a lot of patterned options

The best stylish scarf brand

Topshop and its men's counterpoint Topman are reliable when it comes to shopping for on-trend wares, so it's no surprise it has an extensive and ever-changing scarf collection. 

I was so excited when Topshop opened its first Stateside location back in 2009. I was a senior in high school and my mom actually let me miss school one day so we could go shopping soon after it first opened, which was not her usual style.

As an adult I find the brand's offerings hit-or-miss — sometimes awesome, sometimes a bit too pricey for the quality. But outwear is one category where the selection always shines.

The scarf lineup is especially impressive. From patterned fashion offerings to thick wooly numbers perfect for the dead of winter, Topshop and its men's counterpart Topman have it all. And the prices aren't bad either, averaging between $35 and $40 for the heavier styles.

You're not looking at super-luxe materials here  — most of the styles are made of polyester or acrylic — and there's higher turnover so you won't be able to pick up the same beloved scarf year after year. But none of the Topshop scarves are a major investment, so it won't sting too badly if they don't last for longer than a season or two. 

Pros: Trendy, not super expensive, lots of options

Cons: No luxe materials

The best outdoorsy scarf brand

Outdoor gear brand Patagonia makes surprisingly cute and unsurprisingly cozy scarves you'll gravitate toward on the coldest days of winter.

For cold climate dwellers and winter sports hobbyists Patagonia is your brand. The brand's outdoorsy, high-performance offerings translate to some very warm scarves for men and women.

Recycled cashmere scarves, fleece and wool-blend neck warmers, something called a sun mask … the brand carries all sorts of neckwear that will suit all your needs if, unlike me, you actually enjoy going outside during the months between November and March.

Patagonia is obviously a well-known brand for outdoor enthusiasts, so it's not a shock that their scarves would be a top pick for anyone who needs their outerwear a cut above the average.

The downside is that Patagonia doesn't have as many options as more fashion-focused brands, and the ones they do have aren't as stylish. But if warmth is your priority, you really can't go wrong.

Pros: Super warm, fleece, cashmere, and wool-blend options, great for cold climates and outdoor activities

Cons: Not as many options as other brands

The best ultra warm scarf brand

Barbour is known for waxed jackets that last forever, but don't overlook the brand's toasty warm scarves.

A Barbour jacket was best thing that ever happened to my winter wardrobe. It changed my life, really. I went from constantly freezing in 30-and-under temperatures to still freezing but less freezing. I'm one of those people who is always cold, so it's a vast improvement.

I also have one of the brand's tartan print scarves, which is the only thing warm enough to make me sweat outdoors in the dead of winter.

In keeping with the brand's Scottish heritage, most of the scarves feature iconic plaid and tartan designs. It's like getting that Burberry look for less. The Icons Tartan Scarf is a solid classic choice. Made of a merino wool and cashmere blend, it's softer than your average wool scarf and super cozy, perfect for the coldest of days.

Barbour scarves are extra long and wide, which adds to the warmth factor. These aren't balmy fall weather scarves. I only bring mine out when it's really freezing, otherwise I get a bit too warm. But everyone needs at least one wooly plaid scarf to keep them cozy and to go with everything in their closet, right?

Pros: Warm, high-quality materials, versatile plaid design, large size

Cons: Pricey, might be too large to comfortably fit under some coats

Check out our other buying guides for cold weather gear

The best beanies 

If your winter coat is lacking a hood or if you want an extra layer to keep your head warm, a good beanie is your best bet. But the word "beanie" is one of those catch-alls that encompasses a wide variety of styles, from slouchy, to ultra-fitted, to embellished. You could do a ton of research on the topic, and narrow down your options. Or you can read on for our top five favorite picks for men and women from around the Internet. Here are the best beanies you can buy:

The best thermal gloves 

Thermal gloves are the warmest type of glove because they typically have an insulated inside with an outer shell built to protect your hands from the elements. Whether you are planning a fun ski trip or will be just stuck shoveling snow this winter, these thermal gloves will keep frostbite at bay. Here are the best thermal gloves you can buy: 

• Best unisex overall: Ozero Thermal -20°F Suede Leather Winter Gloves
• Best for men: Carhartt Men's W.P Waterproof Insulated Gloves
• Best for women: The North Face Women's Etip Gloves
• Best gloves for outdoor activity: Vbiger Winter Warm Touch Screen Gloves
• Best work gloves: Ergodyne ProFlex 817WP Thermal Waterproof Utility Gloves
• Best affordable women's gloves: IL Caldo Thick Warmer Weather Gloves
• Best Gore-Tex gloves: Burton Gore-Tex Gloves

The best men's winter coats 

A good winter coat will keep you warm and dry even when the snow is falling and the wind is howling. A great winter coat will keep you warm, dry, and looking good, too. Here are the best men's winter coats you can buy: 

• Best winter coat overall: Patagonia Topley Jacket
• Best waterproof winter jacket: Columbia OutDry Ex Gold Down Hooded Jacket
• Best for extreme cold: Mountain Hardware Absolute Zero Parka
• Best trench coat: London Fog Iconic Belted Trench Coat
• Best peacoat: Schott Slim Fit Wool Blend Peacoat

• Cruise-ship workers are not allowed to have sexual relationships with passengers, according to a former human-resources manager who worked for three cruise lines.
• If an employee is caught having a sexual relationship with a passenger, they're likely to get fired.
• But sex is common among employees.
• Sign up for Business Insider's transportation newsletter, Shifting Gears, to get more stories like this in your inbox.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Sexual activity among cruise-ship workers is common, but according to Aida Carvahlo — a former human-resources manager for MSC Cruises, Viking Cruises, and Holland America Line — sexual relationships with passengers are forbidden.

If an employee is caught having a sexual relationship with a passenger, they're likely to get fired, Carvahlo said.

"We are not allowed to have any type of intimate contact with the guests. We are dismissed for that," she said.

The same is not true of sex with other employees.

"There's a lot of sex on cruise ships," said a former casino manager for Holland America Line.

Cruise ships have intense hookup cultures

Some current and former cruise-ship workers compared the hookup culture as being similar to, or even exceeding, that of a college dorm. And, like college, sexual activity is fueled by frequent alcohol consumption. Sex among employees is so pervasive that former Carnival Cruise Line waiter and art auctioneer Brian David Bruns said a co-worker was surprised when Bruns had not hooked up with one of his colleagues during his first night on a ship.

But the permissive sexual culture on cruise ships can also lead to aggressive or inappropriate behavior. A former Royal Caribbean International employee said one of her managers on Royal Caribbean would make comments about her sexual orientation and criticize her for never changing her hairstyle.

Royal Caribbean did not respond to a request for comment.

Read more:Ex-Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Norwegian Cruise Line workers reveal their 11 best hacks for living on a cruise ship

A former Carnival employee said at one point, she was dating a man whose contract was close to ending. Male co-workers would remind her of her boyfriend's imminent departure, and, as soon as he left, made advances under the guise of comforting her.

Relationships move faster than on land

Romantic relationships among employees develop and end much faster than on land, which, along with frequent turnover, can make long-term relationships difficult.

"One month on a ship is maybe like two years on land, because you spend so much time with these people," said Taylor Sokol, a former cruise director for Holland America Line.

But the close proximity between employees can make it difficult to maintain a healthy amount of space from a romantic partner, Sokol said.

"It's kind of hard to give someone their space when you live maybe 10 feet away from them."

Chad Stone, a former production manager for Seabourn Cruise Line, said the dating scene on cruise ships was part of the reason he stopped working on them. At one point, he got engaged to a co-worker, but ended the engagement a month later after he learned his fiancee had cheated on him during a break between contracts.

Long-term relationships are difficult

The cruise ship lifestyle also makes the prospect of raising children a challenge, as cruise ship workers sign contracts that keep them on board for months at a time. Nina Beader, a former youth staff employee for Carnival, said she decided to stop working on cruise ships in part because she wanted to one day have a family and feared that a cruise ship job would prevent her from spending enough time with her children.

"I did not want to end up being 40 and not having a family," she said.

A former Royal Caribbean employee who spent two decades working on cruise ships expressed ambivalence about the unusual nature of on-board romance near the end of his time with the company. He said at the time that he was considering ending his time on cruise ships in part because they aren't conducive to long-term relationships, but he has also noticed that friends who were in conventional relationships did not appear to be satisfied with them.

"I look at my friends all over the world that have relationships that would be considered normal, and I don't find a whole lot of them too happy," he said. "I'm still pretty happy with my single lifestyle and not having to answer to anybody. I'm okay with that for now."

Have you worked on a cruise ship? Do you have a story to share? Email this reporter at mmatousek@businessinsider.com.

• Read more:
• A former Royal Caribbean employee reveals the one question you should always ask cruise ship workers
• Cruise ship workers reveal the 7 most annoying things passengers do
• A lawyer who works with cruise passengers reveals the one thing you need to know before getting on a cruise ship
• Cruise-ship workers describe the tiny cabins they live in, where up to 4 people can share a tight space

SEE ALSO: A luxury cruise liner will embark on a 140-day journey to all 7 continents in January. Take a look inside the ship, where the '1% of the 1%' will stay in suites that cost up to $240,000.

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Why Lamborghini's new hybrid is bad for the environment

• Delivery is one of the latest frontiers for the grocery business.
• Ecommerce insights firm Edge by Ascential analyzed the latest big moves in terms of grocery delivery, as part of its July 2019 industry report. 
• The report makes it clear that global giants like Walmart, Aldi, and Carrefour have made delivery a major priority.
• Sign up for Business Insider's retail newsletter, The Drive-Thru.
• Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories.

Shopping for groceries online is a phenomenon that's only just started to take off. 

A May 2019 survey from Coresight Research found that 36.8% of shoppers in the United States purchased groceries online, up from 23.1% the previous year.

That means that grocery delivery is shaping up to be an increasingly important aspect of retailers' business models.

Ecommerce insights firm Edge by Ascential published a July 2019 report on the state of the grocery business, singling out instances of innovative delivery solutions. They found a number of high tech partnerships in the works, from looping in a popular messaging app to relying on drones to fly food and essentials into an island in Tokyo Bay.

Here's a look at what strategies retailers around the globe adopted around grocery delivery in 2019: 

SEE ALSO: Apply here to attend IGNITION: Retail, an event focused on the future of retail, in New York City on January 14.

DON'T MISS: Walmart, Trader Joe's, Costco, and Kroger egg products recalled after being linked to deadly listeria outbreak

SEE ALSO: We went shopping at Trader Joe's and Wegmans to see which beloved grocer is better, and found Wegmans has a crucial advantage

Mercadona, the biggest grocery chain in Spain, partnered up with delivery platform Bringg in June to facilitate delivery orders.

Source: Bringg

The service enables shoppers to arrange for deliveries to arrive within a "specific time slot," according to a press release from Bringg.

Source: Bringg

In the United States, Walmart sought to drive customer loyalty with its "delivery unlimited" subscription service at 1,400 locations.

Source: Business Insider

For $98 a year or $12.95 a month, subscribers can receive unlimited grocery deliveries from Walmart.

Source: Business Insider

And some of Walmart's Mexican locations are also getting in on the act when it comes to delivery innovations.

Source: Reuters

Customers can place delivery orders from Walmart Mexico's Superama banner by sending their request through the Whatsapp messaging app.

Source: Reuters

Walmart Japan has also come up with a rather futuristic approach to delivery. Walmart-owned Seiyu connected with electronics company Rakuten to provide drone delivery services to residents of Sarushima, an island in Tokyo Bay.

Source: Business Insider, Rakuten

The trial was limited to the summer of 2019, and allowed shoppers to select from 400 products, including perishables and alcohol.

Source: Business Insider, Rakuten

Instacart's partnership with Aldi US is nothing new, but the delivery service did expand its capabilities in 2019.

In Wisconsin and Florida, Instacart and Aldi have begun testing up curbside pickup for orders over $10, in addition to its traditional delivery offerings.

Source: Tampa Bay Times

French multinational Carrefour and its Middle Eastern retail partner Majid Al Futtaim have acquired Wadi.com, an online grocery platform based in Saudi Arabia that features an assortment of 12,000 products.

Source: Arabian Business Industries

Got tips? Email acain@businessinsider.com.

• Global affairs and lifestyle magazine Monocle has released its 2020 Small Cities Index, a list of 20 small cities around the world that promise the best quality of life.
• Monocle evaluated cities with populations of approximately 200,000 people based on statistics such as life expectancy and crime rates, as well as intangible factors like coffee shop hours and natural beauty.
• European cities secured eight out of the top 11 spots.
• Cities in Colorado, Japan and Australia took the remaining three.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Global affairs and lifestyle magazine Monocle predicts that 2020 will be the "decade of the small city."

The magazine assembled a list of the 20 best small cities around the world to live in based on quality of life – places where finances go further, professional opportunities abound, commutes aren't a nightmare, and the social life is vibrant and diverse yet community-focused.

To compile its shortlist, Monocle enlisted a team of global correspondents who reviewed each city based on a combination of statistics and intangible qualities. Those included life expectancy, crime rates, coffee shop hours, and natural beauty. As a last step, they visited top cities to ask locals what they enjoy — and don't enjoy — about their hometowns, as well as what type of interests each city most suits.

Keep reading for a countdown of the 11 best small cities to move to in 2020, from a vineyard-encircled city in Italy to a surfing spot in Japan.

SEE ALSO: The top 18 boutique hotels in the world that should be on every luxury traveler's list

NOW READ: The 29 coolest small US cities to visit in 2018

11. Reykjavik, Iceland

Biggest perks: Clean air; rare traffic jams; a burgeoning start-up scene; direct flights from the US and Europe; the world's northernmost music festival; and nature galore (read: hot springs and waterfalls). 

Biggest drawbacks: Overtourism and rising living costs.

Who it's best for: Architects. "The city requires new buildings – and fast," says Monocle.

Source:Monocle

10. Aachen, Germany

Biggest perks: Many spas and pubs; proximity to the Netherlands and Belgium; well-connected on all transportation fronts; a newly renovated airport; historic landmarks and museums; youthful vibe with four colleges and universities; start-up scene; nature galore (read: forests, fields and hot springs). 

Biggest drawbacks: Housing prices on the rise.

Who it's best for: Start-ups. "Well connected and loaded with talented students, it's a fine launching point for business," says Monocle.

Source:Monocle

9. Porto, Portugal

Biggest perks: Historic center in the process of being restored; hub for fashion designers; creative melting pot; buzzy food scene; sunshine; growing expat community.

Biggest drawbacks: Slow pace of restoration.

Who it's best for: Beach lovers.

Source:Monocle

• Travel tips for Portugal:
• We asked 20-somethings for their best travel tips for Lisbon. From fairy-tale castles to buzzing nightlife, here's what they said.
• Portugal is one of the hottest travel destinations, and my 6-day beach-hopping road trip showed me exactly why
• I spent 3 days in Lisbon, Portugal — and I totally get why it's the most popular travel destination for millennials in 2019
• I visited the Portuguese castle called 'Disneyland for adults,' and it's a magical, real-life fairy-tale setting you can't miss

8. Innsbruck, Austria

Biggest perks: Picturesque old town and historic destinations; Alpine scenery for days; vibrant restaurant and going-out scene; Munich and Bolzano are a two-hour drive away; university town; world-class hiking and skiing.

Biggest drawbacks: Not many expats yet.

Who it's best for: Skiers and snowboarders.

Source:Monocle

7. Bordeaux, France

Biggest perks: World-renowned wine region; neoclassical architecture; more affordable and relaxed than Paris; tech scene; new cultural hub featuring contemporary art; bike-friendly city.

Biggest drawbacks: History of traffic jams and abandoned warehouses; an outgoing mayor.

Who it's best for: Cyclists. "Besides the city, they can enjoy the vineyard-laden routes," says Monocle.

Source:Monocle

6. Bolzano, Italy

Biggest perks: Top-tier wine region; wealthy autonomous region; tech start-ups supported by healthy grant system; reliable transport; network of bike paths; surrounded by scenic resorts and ski slopes. 

Biggest drawbacks: No passenger flights to nearby airport.

Who it's best for: Wine-lovers. "Alto Adige white wine is among the best in Italy – and that's saying something," says Monocle. 

Source:Monocle

5. Chigasaki, Japan

Biggest perks: Quieter than Tokyo and just an hour away by train; proximity to the mountains and ocean; easy to bike on streets and to the beach; famous for its surfing; restaurants throughout the whole city; wide range of international cuisine; mild temperatures; safe.

Biggest drawbacks: Reasonably priced coworking spaces and offices.

Who it's best for: Young families. "The council has introduced initiatives for working mothers and it's a very safe city," says Monocle. 

Source:Monocle

4. Hobart, Australia

Biggest perks: Views of Mount Wellington; dramatically lit port city; mild temperatures; affordable; relaxed suburban atmosphere. Tasmania's economy is the second-best in Australia, and Australians are moving to work here. 

Biggest drawbacks: Transportation has a ways to go, especially when it comes to biking; lack of medium-density housing.

Who it's best for: Students and researchers. "The University of Tasmania is a leader in marine and Antarctic science," says Monocle.

Source:Monocle

3. Bergen, Norway

Biggest perks: Gateway to western Norway's fjords; an abundance of outdoor activities (swimming in seawater pools, hiking, winter train journeys, nearby ski resorts); new hotels and restaurants to escape to when the rain comes; biker-friendly; a blossoming creative and cultural scene; studio spaces in converted warehouses. 

Biggest drawbacks: Not many shopping options or coffee shops that open early. Rain is common.

Who it's best for: Culture lovers. "Bergenfest is a world-leading summer music festival, while Kode and the recently renovated Natural History Museum don't disappoint on the cultural venue front," says Monocle. 

Source:Monocle

2. Boulder, USA

Biggest perks: Early-opening coffee shops; rugged Rocky Mountains scenery; 300-plus days of sunshine; Beat generation history; work-to-live mindset; strong sense of community; university town with 17 federally funded labs; over 44,400 acres of parkland; home to well-known advertising and design firms. 

Biggest drawbacks: Road congestion during commuting hours.

Who it's best for: Media. "Boulder is served by Denver television and radio stations, newspapers and other media," says Monocle.

Source:Monocle

1. Lausanne, Switzerland

Biggest perks: Esteemed universities in science and engineering as well as hotel management; relaxed atmosphere; elegant city design; close to Lake Geneva and the mountains; home to the International Olympic Committee; abundant professional opportunities; new subway line opening in 2026; train connections to Milan and Paris.

Biggest drawbacks: Lack of affordable housing. 

Who it's best for: Those looking for a diverse city. "Lausanne is an international city, despite its size, and you'll hear French, German and Italian spoken, plus English in accents from Australian to Canadian," says Monocle.

Source:Monocle

• Your bed is not only the highlight of your bedroom, it's also the only furniture you spend 33% of your life on.
• The Zinus Lottie Upholstered Square Stitched Platform Bed Frame is our top pick because it's well-crafted with impressive strength and an attractive design.
• If you're looking for a great mattress to put on top of your new bed frame, check out our guide to the best mattresses.

Your bed frame can make or break the overall look and feel of your bedroom. Certain bed frames make the room feel more cozy, while others add a bold and modern style that complements your taste. Your mattress certainly matters in terms of comfort, but from a design aspect, your bed frame is the foundation of your bedroom.

Beyond design, bed frames serve additional purposes. Most elevate your sleeping position, ideally making it easier to get in and out of bed. Sometimes they make room for additional storage below your sleeping area or in the headboard. Bed frames also extend the life of your mattress by providing support and preventing weak, sagging spots.

The mattress-on-floor look instantly diminishes any style in your sleeping space and it's not ideal for you or your mattress. Mattresses need support to stay firm and stable, and, just like humans, mattresses, no matter what their make or model, need space to breathe.  

Buying a bed frame may seem simple — just match frame size with mattress size — but there are more buying options than you might realize, which can make the shopping process seem overwhelming. That's why we've compiled this guide to the best bed frames.

Here are the best bed frames you can buy:

• Best overall: Zinus Lottie Upholstered Square Stitched Platform Bed Frame
• Best budget frame: Zinus Shawn 14-Inch SmartBase Platform Bed Frame
• Best sturdy frame: Zinus Paul Metal & Wood Platform Bed
• Best high-tech frame: Reverie 9T Adjustable Bed Base
• Best simple frame: Casper foundation and frame
• Best faux leather frame: DHP Dakota Faux Leather Platform Bed
• Best canopy frame: DHP Rosedale Metal Canopy Bed Frame

Updated on 12/27/2019 by Jen Gushue: Updated prices, links, and formatting. 

SEE ALSO: The best mattress you can buy

The best bed frame overall

The Zinus Lottie Upholstered Square Stitched Platform Bed Frame is completely squeakless and it has a classic, timeless look.

The Zinus Lottie Bed Frame is naturally simple with a classic design that we can't see going out of style anytime soon. The soft square-stitched dark gray upholstery adds a soft-to-the-touch design aesthetic to the already handsome piece. It's an all-around high quality, timelessly designed bed frame.

As a cost saver, the headboard, frame, and ten wood slats that support the mattress are included in the price. All purchased parts, including the frame, legs, and wooden slats conveniently fit into the headframe and are shipped that way as well.

It's available in twin, full, queen, and king sizes. The king size frame stands 14 inches off the ground, providing extra storage space. In other sizes, the frame is eight inches off the ground.

The Zinus Lottie is featured on MattressPicks where it boasts a 5 out of 5-star rating. Users often comment that the bed frame is worth the money, sturdy, easy to set up, and noticeably quiet.

Overall, the Zinus is a bed frame that can blend quietly into the background of a loud bedroom or hold its own as the centerpiece of an otherwise neutral room. The sturdiness and easy setup are two major plusses for this category of products in particular, and the strong mattress support and soft upholstery complement each other, creating an overall high-quality bed frame we can't help but recommend.  

Pros: Very sturdy, helps your mattress last longer, easy assembly, reasonable price, footboard option, adaptable style

Cons: Middle of the bed support may not be the best, shipping issues result in damaged parts a bit too often

The best budget bed frame

Space is valuable, especially in small apartments, and this Zinus Shawn 14-inch SmartBase Platform Bed Frame lets you make the most of it at an affordable price.

If you don't have bedroom space to waste, then a bed frame that provides plenty of under bed storage is the way to go. This Zinus Shawn Bed Frame does just that, as it is raised 14 inches off the ground with 13 inches of clearance, so you can easily store medium to large plastic bins filled with the items you don't need access to daily right under the bed.

It's available in all regular mattress sizes and can be purchased in your choice of a standard bed frame, a bed frame with a skirt, or in a deluxe edition, which has an upgraded design for reinforced stability with t-shape leg construction and a locking system.

The most popular choice is the standard bed frame, which features a strong, durable steel frame, and a unique folding design that makes it easy to move around as needed. Unlike some other models, it's easy to assemble in just two pieces.

The steel bed frame eliminates the need for a box spring and can support spring, memory foam, latex, and hybrid mattresses. We like that it's a rather standard 14-inch height, but if you want even more under bed storage, Zinus also has this very similar 18-inch bed frame model.

There are no bells and whistles to this bed frame, so you can achieve a super minimalist style, or add a headboard of your choice to jazz it up a bit. It's even pretty basic compared to other bed frames designed to provide under bed storage, and we think that's actually a good thing.

While other so-called storage bed frames often have drawers that can be pulled out from the sides or have a compartment under the bed that you can only access by lifting up your mattress, the Zinus 14-inch SmartBase Platform Bed Frame simply provides free space, so you are not as limited by the size of drawers or under bed compartments.

Some users do mention that certain mattresses, especially memory foam models, slide off of it easily. Others recommend buying a bed skirt to hide the under bed storage.

Pros: Tons of under bed storage, easy to assemble and disassemble, frame keeps things quiet, super affordable price point

Cons: Some mattresses may slip, no clear indication of how much weight it can hold

The best sturdy bed frame

The Zinus Paul Metal & Wood Platform Bed looks cool with its real wood headboard and sturdy dark metal frame, plus, it's really affordable.

When I moved into my new apartment a year ago, I decided it was time for a new bed frame. Luckily, as the person who edited this guide when it first published, I knew where to look. I went to Zinus first because the company makes our top pick in this guide. I looked through the company's many bed frames to find one that suits my style, and I came across the Paul.

It combines a dark steel frame with a slatted real wood headboard to create a cool modern look. I love the light, natural wood finish of the three planks that make up the headboard. The wooden boards look great and feel silky smooth to the touch. I was impressed with the quality of the frame's construction.

The dark metal frame is sturdy and inconspicuous. It has supports in the middle, too, so you don't have to worry about a lack of support in the center of the frame, a common weakness among bedframes. We have a king-size mattress from Ikea and it fits perfectly on the frame. The wood slats underneath the mattress give great support and amazingly, they don't squeak. 

The only downside is that it's hard to put together because the instructions aren't super clear.

Zinus offers a five-year warranty on this bed frame, too, so if I do have trouble with it down the road, I can contact Zinus.

The only complaints center around defective parts and receiving the wrong headboard style. If you do get defective parts, contact Zinus or Amazon immediately for a replacement. Several buyers had a tough time reaching Zinus, but the company has responded to them directly on Amazon. Several buyers had their complaints resolved after contacting Zinus or Amazon. — Malarie Gokey

Pros: Cool design, real wood headboard, strong metal frame, affordable

Cons: Occasional shipping issues reported

The best high-tech bed frame

The Reverie adjustable base is a high-tech sleep machine that will not only meet your comfort needs, but also give you a massage, charge your devices, and more.

When is your bed more than a bed? When it's as capable of multitasking as you are. Once you've slept in a Reverie 9T Adjustable Foundation, it's likely that you'll never leave it again. That's because you can adjust the Reverie to just about any position you'd like.

While I wouldn't recommend turning your bedroom into your home office, the Reverie makes it easy to spend just about all day in one place, but in multiple positions. Trust me, I've (almost) done it.

Thanks to its remote-controlled adjustability, you can elevate your head, feet, or both to an optimal position for sleeping, watching tv, reading, or eliminating snoring. The remote control comes with presets for Flat, Anti-Snore, and Zero Gravity, which involves elevating your legs way up in a position that I find ideal for relaxation. 

You'll also have two other programmable positions that you can set with whatever your unique preferences may be. The frame also features lumbar support, which can be adjusted by degrees to best suit your needs.

When it comes to appearances, the foundation boasts a sleek design, and the gray upholstery goes well with the slighter darker gray wood on the lower half. If you're into minimalist or contemporary decor, this is an aesthetically pleasing bed.

One of my favorite aspects of the Reverie is that it features quiet, 3D Wave massage therapy that comes in four waves and an impressive 10 intensities. Most other beds that offer built-in massage only offer two or three waves, and around five intensities. While it's not quite like having an in-house masseuse, it's pretty darn close.

As for the additional tech elements of the bed, the Reverie boasts a unique charging pad that can charge compatible smartphones wirelessly, all while simultaneously charging the accompanying remote via the built-in USB port. You can also program your bed via a companion smartphone app, and as an added bonus, there's an under the bed LED nightlight for your midnight bathroom breaks.

And should anything go wrong with your bed, it does come with a 20-year limited warranty. — Lulu Chang

Pros: Frame can be adjusted to just about any position, great massage capabilities, charge your devices wirelessly or with USB port

Cons: Expensive

The best simple bed frame

The Casper frame and foundation aren't fancy, but they do the job and arrive at your doorstep hassle-free.

If you're just looking for a bed frame to get the job done, look no further than the Casper foundation and frame combination. In my search for a trusty, easy to receive, and most importantly, easy to set up bed frame, I found just about none better than Casper.

While known best for being the original bed-in-a-box brand, Casper offers much more than just mattresses. Its foundation and frame combination is compatible not only with Casper's own mattresses but just about anything else you throw on top of it, too.

Made with solid wood, Casper says that it "rigorously tested" its foundation for durability, and thus far, I can say that this is quite apparent. While other foundations I've slept on have seemed a bit saggy, leading to less than comfortable mattresses, the Casper foundation is solid. This is due partly to the fact that Casper carefully spaced out the slats in its foundation. They're all four inches apart, which provides great support and prevents the aforementioned sagging issue. Best of all, the foundation can be assembled and disassembled in just minutes without the use of tools.

While you can use the foundation without the frame, you should probably invest in the affordable metal setup as well. The frame is constructed with 100% recycled steel, and again, provides an additional layer of support beneath your foundation. Like the foundation, it's extremely easy to set up and requires no extra tools. When I received the whole set, I was able to sleep on my newly assembled bed within 15 minutes. The most difficult part was probably dragging the long boxes up the stairs.

Aesthetically, this frame and foundation set are perfectly adequate. Easily dressed up with a nice headboard, the setup won't draw any attention to itself. At the end of the day, if you're looking for a simple bed frame that will come to your doorstep hassle-free, this is the way to go. — Lulu Chang

Pros: Very easy to set up, affordable, sturdy, made with durable materials

Cons: Some customers noted that the frame arrived damaged (though Casper's customer service team will take care of this for you)

The best bed frame with a leather look

No matter what mattress you choose, with this DHP Dakota Faux Leather Tufted Upholstered Platform Bed it will feel like you're laying in luxury.

If your heart is set on a bed frame that has that standout, elegant leather look, but you simply can't justify spending thousands of dollars, this DHP Dakota Faux Leather Tufted Upholstered Platform Bed could be the solution. We love that there are so many purchase options available. You can buy it in twin, full, queen, and king sizes and in black, brown, or white faux leather.

The contemporary chic bed frame comes with a padded faux leather upholstered headboard and side rails, giving it a plush look. Sturdy metal side rails add stability and durability, while the platform bed frame is supported with 24 wooden bed slats to provide more than adequate comfort without the need for a box spring.

The manufacturer says the bed works well with memory foam mattresses and coil mattresses but doesn't explicitly state other mattresses won't do.

The faux leather is easy to clean and is detailed with button tufts and padding that give it a stylish, yet understated design so it can scale up even the plainest of bedrooms.

Pros: Price, design, comes with headboard, easy to clean

Cons: May not be as sturdy as one would like, assembly can be a hassle

The best canopy bed frame

The DHP Rosedale Metal Canopy Bed Frame adds a hint of romance and old-fashioned style to your bedroom.

The DHP Rosedale Metal Canopy Bed Frame lets you add your own unique style to make your entire bed setup feel personalized and one of a kind. You can drape the canopy with your favorite curtains, upholstery, lights, and much more, change up the design with the seasons, or you could simply use it as-is for a more minimalist look.

This four-poster canopied bed frame with sleek, modern X-shaped square accents in the headboard and footboard is crafted out of sturdy metal and has multiple support bars underneath it to hold your mattress in place.

A box spring is probably a safe add-on to ensure you get the most life out of your mattress, though one user explained that a box spring made the bed squeak when used more "actively," so you may prefer to go without the box spring.

Pros: Sturdy and durable, easy to personalize, you can change up the style quickly and easily

Cons: Assembly can be a drag, you may want to purchase a box spring as well

How to pick the right bed frame

How to pick the right bed frame

• Size matters: First get the sizing right. You want a bed frame that blends into the room naturally, not one that overwhelms the room by taking up too much space. Also, note that bed frame sizes are not completely standardized. They can differ depending on the country they are made in or by the manufacturer, either of which may have their own standards and use their own terminology for sizing.
• Get a good mattress: Once you have an idea of how much space you have to work with, get the mattress size correct. Your mattress can be as large as your room allows, but the main goal is that it can hold your body comfortably, without any limbs hanging off the sides. You don't want one that makes you feel like Will Ferrell in the movie Elf. If you're buying a mattress for two people, you should both be able to lie down, side by side, and have your arms behind your head with your elbows out, without touching each other. From there, you can match the mattress size to the bed frame size. Check out the best mattresses you can buy here.
• Check the pricing: Bed frame pricing is all over the place. Pricing is usually dependent upon the material of the frame, with leather-covered and wooden frames being the most expensive and metal frames the least.
• Figure out what style you want: Because your bed setup is the highlight of the room, the design of your bed frame certainly plays a role in your choice. It's up to your personal preferences, other design elements in the room, and the available space you have to work with. 

Bed frame types

There are various types of bed frames available, but one trick to narrow down your options is to decide if you want a platform or box spring bed. With many platform bed frames, you won't need a box spring. For more firmness, opt for a platform bed without a box spring, which will provide a harder and more supportive foundation. Here are the different types of bed frames:

• Platform bed frames without a box spring are usually lower to the ground, which may make them harder to get in and out of, especially if you experience back pain or other complications. On the plus side, because platform bed frames are lower, they provide a cooler sleep environment. Also, cutting the box spring out of your total bed buying costs will make your bed much cheaper.
• Box spring bed frames will lift your mattress higher off the ground, making your bed easier to get in and out of. Box springs usually do help extend the life of your mattress by preventing sagging. Box spring bed frames are the go-to pick for the traditionalist, but the box spring itself will not last forever. Over time, box springs lose support and do not provide as many mattress-saving benefits. To get the most out of a box spring, simply turn it frequently, so the heaviest weight is not constantly placed in the same area.
• Headboards andfootboards are sometimes included with the bed frame for added style. These can be made out of metal or wood, and they're sometimes covered in fabric or leather. 
• Specialty bed frames come in a few different forms, including sleigh beds, four-poster beds, canopy beds, daybeds, and so on. These bed frames add more style and drama to your bedroom.

Wood, upholstered, and metal bed frames

If durability is a top priority, then a metal frame is your best bet. With good care, metal bed frames will look nearly new for years and aren't damaged as easily as wooden bed frames. However, wooden bed frames are still considered highly durable and are usually a good value for the cost. They're pretty low maintenance and may even be easier to care for than metal frames, which can fall victim to rust. You can also find bed frames that are covered in fabric, genuine leather, or faux leather for added style.

Check out our great bedding guides

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