• Subway has the most locations of any fast-food chain on the planet, with more than 42,000 restaurants in over 100 countries.
• Its franchising model helped it expand rapidly, but it has negatively impacted franchise owners.
• In recent years, Subway has closed thousands of stores and the fast-food chain seems to be on the rocks.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.  

Following is a transcript of the video.

Narrator: With more than 42,000 restaurants in over 100 countries, Subway has the most locations of any fast-food chain on the planet. And at first, that sounds like a sign of a thriving sub giant. However, Subway is anything but. Subway's closed thousands of stores in the last three years and saw a 25% fall in business from 2012 to 2017. So what happened?

The chain began as Pete's Super Submarines in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1965. Three years later, cofounders Fred DeLuca and Peter Buck rebranded it to simply Subway.

Announcer: Subway's famous giant foot-long sandwiches are made right before your eyes, the way you want 'em.

Len Van Popering: What was so compelling then and still is today about Subway is really an open-kitchen format. In many ways, they really pioneered that and the ability to customize your sandwich.

Narrator: The brand redefined fast food with fresh ingredients that customers could see. Compared to other fast-food chains at the time, it felt healthy. And it worked. By 1981, there were 200 locations across the US, and soon after, Subway went international.

Joel Libava: In the late '70s, and in the '80s, and in the '90s, everyone knew about Subway. I mean, they were everywhere. They're still everywhere.

Narrator: That's Joel Libava, an expert in franchising. While each store looks and smells the same, they're all independently owned franchises.

Libava: The format is pretty simple. You buy a franchise, you get trained, they help you secure a location. They help with a grand opening, and you're open. You're open for business. Follow the several-hundred-page operating manual, do the advertising, and customers will come in.

Narrator: Not only were Subway franchises successful, they were, and still are, one of the cheapest chains to franchise. It costs between $116,000 and $263,000 to open a Subway franchise. Compare that to opening a McDonald's, which costs up to $2.2 million.

Because Subways were easy to open, the number of stores skyrocketed. Between 1990 and 1998, store locations rose from 5,000 to 13,200. And in that same period of time, gross sales rose by about $2.1 billion. Subway's success continued into the early 2000s. At a time when obesity was rising rapidly in America, Subway continued to market itself as a healthy alternative to fast food.

Kate Taylor: One of their biggest successes for sure was the Jared Fogle story. Everyone remembers those ads, where it's him in those huge pants where he's showing how he lost all of this weight. And that just made them so much money, and it really made people think about Subway as a really great health brand. It was one of the biggest advertising wins that any chain's had in recent decades. So that was a huge, huge part of their brand.

Narrator: Subway carried Fogle's success story for nearly a decade. But by 2008, the world was suffering from the effects of the Great Recession. And for many Americans, hunting for deals replaced the obsession with weight loss. So Subway changed up its message. In March 2008, it introduced a new promotion that would come to define the chain.

♪ Five ♪ ♪ Five dollar ♪ ♪ Five dollar footlongs ♪

Narrator: By August 2009, as other restaurant chains were struggling through the Recession, the $5 footlong had pulled in $3.8 billion in sales for Subway, a 17% jump in US sales from the year before. But even the best deals run their course.

♪ Five dollar ♪ ♪ Five dollar footlong ♪

Narrator: Starting in 2014, Subway's sales began steadily dropping. Behind the scenes, many of the reasons for Subway's success had turned on them. Quiznos was once Subway's main competition, but tons of sub chains, like Jimmy John's, Firehouse, Potbelly, and Jersey Mike's, and fast-casual chains like Panera, were offering seemingly fresher and healthier options. And they started stealing market share.

Taylor: They were competing against people who bring in fresh produce every day. A lot of Subway locations only bring in fresh produce once or twice a week.

Narrator: On top of that, fast-food chains that had been around as long as Subway were coming up with healthy alternatives of their own and getting creative with new menus.

Taylor: More and more fast-food chains really want to have that innovation pipeline where they're bringing something out new almost every month. Fast-food places are looking for ways to bring in new customers, drive traffic, and Subway has not tried to do that in the same way other places have.

Narrator: But other fast-food chains weren't the only competition for Subway franchises. With Subway's franchising model making it so easy to open locations, stores inevitably started opening up around the corner from each other in lucrative markets. Take downtown Manhattan, for example. Within a 15-minute walk in less than half a square mile, there are 10 Subway locations. And these locations in close proximity began cannibalizing each others' sales.

Libava: The Subway franchise agreement, the contract, it says they can open anywhere. There is no protected territory. So franchisees really have no say-so in where the other franchisees are going to open. It's a problem.

Narrator: And Subway corporate wasn't stopping it, because the company benefited from a high number of locations. More locations meant more franchising fees and high royalties to Subway corporate, which diminished the effect of falling sales from a single location.

Taylor: When franchisees' sales are kind of slipping, as long as they're staying open, it doesn't necessarily hurt Subway as much as it would some other chains. If everyone's kind of, like, chugging along, like, opening new locations, then they can kind of keep on keeping on, and it's not gonna be the end of the world for the corporate office.

Franchise owners, on the other hand, took the hit. In 2012, each Subway franchise generated an average of $482,000 a year. Four years later, that number had slipped to $422,000 a year. For comparison, the average annual revenue of a McDonald's franchise in 2016 was $2.6 million.

And to make matters worse, Subway would lose the face of its company. In 2015, the man who had embodied Subway's "eat fresh" mission was charged with possession of child pornography and having sex with minors. Subway cut ties with Fogle, and he was sentenced to 15 1/2 years in federal prison.

Taylor: And the Jared Fogle thing kind of basically went from a huge positive to huge liability. Like, the worst things possible that your brand could be associated with.

Narrator: All of these things created the perfect storm for Subway. And soon, locations started to close. In 2016, Subway closed 359 stores in the US. It was the first year the chain closed more locations than it opened. In 2017, that number was over 800, and by the end of 2018, over 1,000 locations had closed.

With all these sour ingredients, it's hard to imagine Subway could bounce back. But the chain is certainly trying. In 2017, Subway launched its Fresh Forward program, starting with remodeled stores. The revamped locations featured new menu boards, WiFi, USB ports, updated furniture, and music.

Libava: I will give Subway credit. They're doing something interesting. They are offering grants where, if a franchisee applies and everything's in line, they can get up to $10,000 towards remodeling.

Narrator: By the end of 2020, over 10,000 locations will have this new restaurant design. But Subway says food is its next priority, and it's backing it up with an $80 million investment in updated menu items. Subway's partnered with the media company Tastemade to develop hundreds of new menu ideas, like the Green Goddess Tuna Melt and the Southern Style French Dip. In 2018, the chain introduced its cheesy garlic bread, its most successful promotion in the last five years. And in 2019, a line of ciabatta sandwiches and Halo Top milkshakes hit stores.

Van Popering: Historically, Subway would evaluate about six or seven new menu items per month, but we've set up a process and invested in capabilities where we're literally testing at least 100 new menu items every month.

Narrator: As for whether or not all these menu items and revamped designs will stop shuttering stores and dropping business, only time will tell.

Taylor: They need to figure out who they want their customer to be. I think it's really an uphill battle for them. But if they kind of go back to the basics, think about what people want, ask people what they want and think about it a little bit more innovation, that's kind of going to be a good start for them.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This video was originally published in August 2019.

• Proper Hospitality, a group renowned for design-forward properties, recently opened Hotel June, a more affordable offering near LAX in Los Angeles.
• Rooms start at $130 per night, but during the pandemic, there are day rates to use guest rooms as workspaces from $99.
• The inviting pool and restaurant, as well as the sophisticated decor, make it a COVID-safe destination for a local getaway.
• I booked a standard Spacious King Room to see what it was like to stay here, and also previewed the work from hotel deal.
• Read more: Is it safe to stay in a hotel right now? An infectious disease doctor, a cleaning expert, and hotel reps all share what you should know before you check-in.

Although I have yet to board a plane in the time of COVID, I have loosened my rather rigid self-quarantine in recent weeks to ease back into travel.

First, I booked a socially distant staycation in a private Airbnb in Palm Springs where I didn't leave the vacation rental for the duration of my stay. Next, I took a calculated risk to celebrate a milestone wedding anniversary with my first hotel visit at the Four Seasons Westlake Village, where I gained confidence thanks to reassuring COVID policies. Because of our positive experience, me and my husband then took our family to La Quinta Resort & Club, where we reacquainted ourselves with a larger resort setting.

With these trips under my belt, I felt more than comfortable booking a one-night staycation at the new Hotel June near LAX. I'd long known this hotel by its former name, the Custom, and was curious to check out this new incarnation, which reopened in June in the midst of the pandemic. Not only is the hotel brand new, but the booking system automatically books a buffer night between all guest room stays, which I also appreciated.

It's the first Hotel June property for Proper Hospitality, which designs and operates high-end hospitality experiences under the Proper Hotels & Residences and Avalon Hotels nameplates. June is meant to be a breezy, coastal-feeling venue with the same highly-curated design as other hotels under the Proper umbrella, but priced much more affordably.

I was also interested in staying here to observe their work-from-hotel deal, a popular new promotion that many hotels in the US are offering as a result of COVID-19's impact on hospitality and travel.

Hotel June and other Proper Hospitality properties now have a partnership with the workspace location provider Industrious to offer guest rooms that may be used as remote workspaces during the day, starting at $99. It's certainly convenient considering many offices are closed and working from home can be distracting, lack resources, or just feel like a downright drag after so many months.

At Hotel June, professionals receive a room with a private bath that is outfitted with office chairs and stocked with snacks and coffee.

Because I planned to stay overnight to review the property, I booked the basic room, a Spacious King Room, which cost $197.65, before taxes, and included overnight parking. There is no additional resort fee.

However, I booked last-minute on a weekend. Midweek prices start as low at $130, which is an incredible value for such a style-minded room, plus pool access. In fact, it makes for a compelling argument to just extend that office space day rate to an overnight stay — just make sure to log off at 5 p.m. and take advantage of the standout on-site amenities.

• The first impression
• The room
• On-site amenities
• What's nearby
• What others say
• What you need to know
• COVID-19 policies
• The bottom line
• Book Hotel June starting at $130 per night

Keep reading to see why I was so impressed by Hotel June.

Upon arrival, we pulled up to a quiet valet station and handed over our keys. It was the first time I've been able to valet park during COVID, as most places have suspended this service. However, at Hotel June, I was told self-parking was not an option.

This might feel frustrating considering the valet rate was a steep $36. I prepaid it at a discounted rate as part of my room reservation, so you should look to see if you'll save money this way when booking your stay.

The valet instructed us to temporarily park our car at the curb where he would get it, versus the more common practice of swapping the key and car simultaneously in closer contact.

From there, a staffer took forehead temperatures from me and my husband before we went inside. We entered the lobby and found it to be cheerfully designed with a casual, coastal vibe from Venice-based design agency, Studio Collective.

There was ample light natural woods throughout, native fabrics, handmade tiles, and local art, plus tons of natural light streaming in dramatically through slatted blinds. 

We waited the CDC-recommended minimum distance behind the one person in line in front of us, and then a masked staffer checked us in efficiently and quickly.

In the lobby, we noticed a smattering of diverse types of travelers that were all following social distancing.

There was one family with a young masked child, one with large rolly bags that were likely coming from the airport, and a bunch of stylish young creative types.

Keys in hand, we headed for the elevator bank where signage encouraged distancing, requesting a maximum of two guests per lift. Despite being in an enclosed area, we felt safe since there was no one else waiting for the elevator, and no one in the hall when we got upstairs either. Plus, of course, we were wearing masks.

With the hotel at low occupancy, mainly due to COVID-19, but also because of a built-in booking buffer between guest stays, we'd been upgraded from the entry-level Spacious King to a Spacious King View room on the ninth floor.

The main difference between these two room types is that the View room typically runs about $25 more than one on a lower floor. The higher floor comes with a nonspecific urban view over the area. These are the only notable difference between categories and both types are under 300 square feet.

But the small change ended up being a boon for us as aviation enthusiasts because we had a dead-on view of planes taking off and landing on the runway at LAX. 

I expected the room to be modern and spare based on the pictures I'd seen online. But it was even sparer than I had imagined. Dramatic beams of sunlight cast stripes on the King-sized bed, which unintentionally added to the minimal feel. The plush mattress was perched atop a white oak platform and dressed in Fili D'oro luxury white linens. Despite being so close to the airport, I enjoyed excellent sleep quality on a comfortable bed, with no discernible noise bleed.

While some might view the space as sparse, I appreciated the uncluttered vibe. It felt head-clearing, especially now that chaos is so routine in our small house, where two parents work and two kids homeschool via Zoom.

In the closet hung two robes (essential to a luxurious-feeling stay for me), in an attractive grey and white print for a glam look. The bathroom was small but sparkling and obviously brand new. There was a grey-tiled shower and a single vanity sink, so, it was best suited for use by one person at a time. On the countertop sat amenities from Jonathan Adler.

Additionally, there was colorful graphic artwork on the wall above a small desk outfitted with two chairs. As a freelance writer, I was deeply grateful for this set-up since I came with my laptop and needed to work, even on this brief weekend stay. With fast Wi-Fi and a quiet environment, my husband and I both found it easy to work here. 

Had I booked the space just for the day, I would have paid a starting rate of $99 for workday hours, and been allocated a similar room.

I know this because I asked to see the daytime workspace setup and can confirm the only differences were instead of the two chairs I had, workspace day rooms come with ergonomic executive chairs, plus a supply of snacks, water, and coffee to fuel productivity.

And because the workspace is in a guest room, professionals have access to a private bath. If daytime guests decide to stay over, the hotel will offer them the option of extending the stay in the same room overnight, at a discounted rate.

Guests booking by the day may also have their guest room customized for the number of workspaces needed. It's ideal for someone seeking quiet from a noisy home environment, or just wanting a break from the monotony of working from home. It also works well for two collaborators who could work together on projects, but masked and distanced and at separate tables, in the same space.

The room also appeared extremely clean and following COVID-19 practices as promised. In fact, before using the key to enter, we had to peel off a sticker indicating that it had been cleaned and sanitized prior to our visit.

If you love aviation like us, or you're just passing through L.A. and want to see as much of the city or even the sea from the room as possible, you might consider the upgrade to a view for a single or double traveler. Families with kids could opt for double queen rooms of similar size and price point, which sleep four.

For families planning to work and get kids through Zoom school, our room would have been small. Instead, I'd recommend booking the larger Apartment Suite (sleeps four in one bedroom with two bathrooms and a residential-style open floor plan and zones for sleeping, lounging, and working); or the Two-Bedroom Studio (two bedrooms with two baths), each about 600 square feet. A spot check of December midweek dates found each of these available for $279, which I'd call an excellent value.

Compare room types and prices for Hotel June

Hotel June has a small but pretty pool, surrounded by chaises and palms, with a lively scene. I checked it out during the late afternoon and observed several groups of people. It was not a wall-to-wall crowd, but that number would have been easily manageable in a larger space. Because the pool and surrounding area are intimate in scale, substantial social distancing would be a challenge unless there were very few people around.

And as I'm not looking for any "lively scenes" during a pandemic, I opted against taking a dip despite the hot weather on our arrival.

Above the pool is the Caravan Swim Club restaurant, serving dishes influenced by the region from Southern California down to Baja, Mexico. Dotted with swaying light fixtures and overlooking the water, the alfresco restaurant is a standout. It's also currently the only place to eat at the June, given that the indoor lobby dining venue is closed for COVID.

Weekend brunch just launched, and the restaurant is getting tons of glowing press. For safety, tables are spaced for social distancing, servers wore both masks and face shields (albeit the face shield wearing was spotty), and guests wore masks until seated.

There's also a fitness center, which is substantial and well-equipped, including Pelotons and rowers. During COVID-19, any guest can call down and make a reservation to have the space reserved only for the guests in their room. While this sounds highly exclusive, staff told me it's also easy to do, as most guests who visit the hotel don't focus on fitness.

In addition to the in-room and common space workspace offerings (such as the lobby and poolside), Hotel June also has a small boardroom for convening groups of four to six for small, spaced-out meetings. This is available for booking at the rate of $299.

All daytime bookings also include spa and fitness access — a dangling carrot to encourage efficient productivity before going off duty, perhaps.

Hotel June is a rare lifestyle hotel to open between Santa Monica and LAX in over a decade, so it's somewhat alone in its class for what is actually an airport hotel.

In addition to allowing easy access to LAX (expect an Uber ride under $10), it's generally in a central Westside Los Angeles location, minutes away from Marina Del Rey and Venice. It's also close to the new NFL SoFi Stadium and L.A. Forum … should arena events be able to return any time in the future (and they inevitably will).

Check flight prices to Los Angeles on Expedia

Hotel June gets a perfect five-star "Excellent" rating on Trip Advisor as of the time of publishing. Though being so new, it had just 72 reviewers at the time of this writing.

Nearly all reviewers selected the five-star option, with one recent reviewer noting: "If you are looking for a cozy boutique hotel or a great alternative to an airport hotel, this is the one. I had one of the best night sleeps ever. The mattress and bedding is of the highest quality (in fact I am trying to find out how I can purchase one)… No brainer here."

Among the sprinkle of negative reviews were those noting spotty service and an experience that didn't measure up to expectations: "Classic case of Instagram vs. reality — if you're looking for a design hotels experience, I might suggest the additional 20 min up the coast to visit the Santa Monica Proper instead."

Read reviews and compare prices for Hotel June on Trip Advisor

Who stays here: As an airport hotel, Hotel June attracts travelers of all stripes. I saw mainly adults, but at least one family with kids, too. And because of its design-forward elements, pool scene, and destination restaurant, it draws the young, hip, Instagram-minded set for local or regional staycations (or just a meal or pool day), too.

We like: The cool design elements such as graphic art in guest rooms, chicly furnished lobby, and perforated sail shade coverings near the pool. These take this hotel from an ordinary airport property to a photo-worthy destination.

We love (don't miss this feature!): The Caravan Swim Club restaurant is an absolute standout, with flavor-packed fare for carnivores and vegans alike. Try the cauliflower nachos with cashew cheese, if available.

We think you should know: While attractive and lively, the pool is small and therefore won't be comfortable for all guests during COVID. We planned to use it but decided to skip in the name of social distancing.

We'd do this differently next time: Next time I hope to visit after COVID … as a launch point to an international trip from LAX. I'd also like to use the pool when social distancing is not a concern.

For all Hotel June guest rooms, the booking system automatically books a buffer night between stays. Daily housekeeping is available upon request only.

In the pandemic, the hotel cleans and disinfects using eco-friendly products, with extra focus on high-touch surfaces and public spaces (including the front desk, elevators, door handles, public bathrooms, and room keys).

The staff checks guests' temperatures before entering and hand sanitizer is available throughout the property, in public spaces like the restaurant, front desks, and back of the house too. While within the hotel, everyone is required to wear a mask.

At this time, all guest requests are delivered to the door to minimize contact; staffers knock to notify guests that what they need is ready.

What I saw on-site matched up with these policy promises. I only wish there had been a policy to enforce mask wearing for guests around (if not in) the pool. Otherwise, all guests and staff seemed to be wearing masks faithfully (although servers in the restaurant seemed to wear their face shields over them only sporadically).

Hotel June is eye-catching and inviting, with comfortable rooms, a festive pool area, and a restaurant that is delicious and memorable.

And given its proximity to LAX and an accessible price point well under $200, it's highly functional and far more accessible than what you might pay for at its sister hotel, the Proper Santa Monica, which will easily cost twice as much for a similar experience.

For these reasons, the hotel attracts a range of travelers from those passing through the airport to families and friends on a COVID mini-break, and more recently, professionals looking for a comfortable place to work, either by the day or overnight.

The $99 day rate is a good option as a work-from-home break for locals, but for my money — and if I had childcare — it's only marginally more to stay the night and feel a bit less rushed.

If I was traveling with my family though, I'd definitely choose the Two-Bedroom Suite, which seems like an excellent value for families starting under $300, and comes with much more space for those mixing work with family-time, which, we all seem to be doing a lot more of these days.

Book a room at Hotel June starting at $130 per night

• US stocks fell sharply on Monday as investors weighed both a lack of progress on fiscal stimulus negotiations and a record number of daily COVID-19 cases.
• Negotiations on a relief package are ongoing, but expectations that a deal will be ironed out before next week's presidential election are diminishing.
• US daily coronavirus cases surpassed 80,000 on both Friday and Saturday, and reports said five people in Vice President Mike Pence's inner circle had tested positive for the virus.
• Watch major indexes update live here.

US stocks were slammed on Monday as investors weighed fading hopes of a fiscal stimulus deal before next week's election and a record number of daily COVID-19 cases over the weekend.

The Dow Jones industrial average plummeted as much as 965 points at intraday lows, while the S&P 500 posted its biggest single-day loss since September 23.

On both Friday and Saturday, US COVID-19 cases surged past 80,000, representing record highs amid another wave of cases heading into the colder winter months.

Five people in Vice President Mike Pence's inner circle — including his chief of staff, Marc Short — reportedly tested positive for the virus.

Here's where US indexes stood at the 4 p.m. ET market close on Monday:

• S&P 500: 3,400.97, down 1.9%
• Dow Jones industrial average: 27,685.38, down 2.3% (650 points)
• Nasdaq composite: 11,358.94, down 1.6%

Read more: 'I'm basically going to be long growth': Billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya has hauled in a 997% return since 2011. He details the 5 sectors shaping his long-term investment playbook.

Though talks about a stimulus deal are ongoing, it's increasingly likely that there won't be a deal until after Inauguration Day in January.

"Talks have slowed down, but they're not ending," the White House advisor Larry Kudlow told CNBC on Monday.

The German tech firm SAP plunged on Monday after it cut its 2020 financial outlook because of a slow recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. Dunkin' Brands jumped 18% after it confirmed reports that it's in preliminary talks to be acquired by Inspire Brands for $8.8 billion.

Read more: BANK OF AMERICA: Buy these 11 under-owned stocks ahead of their earnings reports because they're the most likely candidates to beat expectations in the weeks ahead

Jack Ma's Ant Group is set to go public in the biggest initial public offering ever; it said it planned to raise $34.5 billion in a dual listing on the Hong Kong and Shanghai exchanges.

Industrial stocks moved broadly lower on Monday after China announced sanctions against Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon over sales to Taiwan.

Gold edged higher, rising as much as 0.3%, to $1,908.59 per ounce.

Oil prices tumbled as Libya signaled a production increase. West Texas Intermediate crude fell as much as 3.9%, to $38.28 per barrel. Brent crude, oil's international benchmark, fell 3.7%, to $40.22 per barrel, at intraday lows. The large declines dragged energy stocks lower.

Read more: 'The road to financial implosion': A notorious market bear says the Fed has set the stage for a 67% stock plunge — and warns of zero-to-negative returns over the next 12 years

• The 2020 Roku Ultra is one of the most well-rounded streaming devices on the market.
• The new model features a couple key upgrades over the last version, including Dolby Vision playback.
• Bluetooth connectivity and improved Wi-Fi reception have also been added — all while maintaining the same $100 price tag. 
• On the downside, the HBO Max app is currently missing, and the player lacks HDR10+ capabilities. 
• For most buyers, however, the Roku Ultra offers a better overall value than similar flagship streaming boxes, like the Fire TV Cube or Apple TV 4K. 

There are plenty of streaming devices to choose from, but the Roku Ultra has consistently remained our top pick, thanks to its ease of use and robust set of features. For the new 2020 model, Roku has mostly carried over all the elements that made the previous version a winner, while adding a few notable upgrades that should please contemporary home theater fans.

Most importantly, the new Roku Ultra finally includes Dolby Vision support — a feature that competing flagship players from Apple and Amazon already have. Expanded Wi-Fi reception, Bluetooth connectivity, and some slight speed improvements have also been implemented.

As a result, this new model is now easily one of the best streaming players you can buy. In fact, after using the Ultra for a couple of weeks, it's now become my preferred streaming device... unless I want to watch HBO Max. Alas, nothing is perfect, but the Roku Ultra gets most things right for its $100 price tag.  

Roku Ultra 2020 specifications

• Dimensions: 1.0 (H) in x 4.9 (W) in x 5.0 (D) inches
• Interface: Roku OS with thousands of streaming channels
• Processor: Quad-core
• Connectivity: HDMI 2.0b, USB 3.0, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, Bluetooth
• Video: Up to 4K at 60fps, HDR10, Dolby Vision, HLG
• Audio: Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS
• Remote: Roku voice remote with headphone jack
• Voice control: Compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri* devices

*Apple Airplay 2 and HomeKit support will be added later this year.

Design

Like the previous model, the new Roku Ultra takes the form of a compact set-top box with rounded corners and a simple black finish. It's slightly narrower and just a bit taller than the 2019 version, but the overall appearance is much the same. Minimalist and unobtrusive, the tiny device should fit nicely atop most entertainment consoles or TV stands without taking up much space. 

A helpful lost remote finder button is included on the right side of the Ultra, while the back of the box houses HDMI 2.0b, power, and Ethernet connections. Though the microSD slot found on the previous Ultra model has been removed, a USB 3.0 port is still in place. 

Under the hood, the device features a quad-core processor and an 802.11ac dual-band, MIMO wireless connection. Roku says the new Ultra offers "up to 50% more range" compared to the last model but, since I never had any connection issues with the older device, I can't say I notice any difference. Buyers who have to place the Ultra at a greater distance from their Wi-Fi modem or router, however, should see some benefits.

The included Roku voice remote looks almost identical to the last version, with a simple assortment of click buttons. Assigned shortcuts are included for Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, and Sling, while two additional shortcut buttons can be programmed to launch any app you'd like. Volume and mute functions are located on the right side of the remote, and a handy headphone jack for private listening is included on the left side.

Setup

Setting up the Roku Ultra is a fairly painless process, especially since Roku packs everything you need to get it hooked up right in the box, including an HDMI cable and even a pair of wired earbuds.

After connecting the device to your TV, the Ultra guides you through some basic configuration options. You'll also need to sign into your Roku account (or create one) to finish some setup options on a mobile device or computer. 

None of this is too time consuming, and the whole process is more or less the same as other streaming devices. Since I already have a Roku account and use other Roku players, I was pleased to see that my channel selection from my Roku TV automatically synced over to the Roku Ultra so I didn't have to go hunting for all my favorite apps again. 

Though the player's out-of-box settings should be fine for most people, I do recommend that buyers make two adjustments right away to ensure proper video and audio playback. 

The Roku Ultra defaults to forcing high dynamic range (HDR) on all the time if you have an HDR TV. This can make content that's not meant to play in HDR look unnatural. To fix this, you need to navigate to the Advanced Display Settings submenu under the Advanced System Settings menu. You can then toggle off the "HDR always on" option. This will allow the player to automatically switch between standard dynamic range (SDR) and HDR.

When it comes to audio over HDMI, the Roku Ultra defaults to an "Auto Detect" setting for sound formats. For whatever reason, this setting causes the player to force Dolby Atmos sound on my Onkyo receiver for all content. If you encounter this issue, you can correct it by selecting the "Auto Passthrough" option in the Sound settings. With this activated, Dolby Atmos, stereo, and surround sound content all play in the proper format. 

Performance

As a flagship streaming player, the Roku Ultra performs incredibly well. In fact, it does virtually anything a buyer could want out of a $100 set-top box.

Video and audio playback

Video performance and format support are fantastic, with full 4K 60fps capabilities, and HDR10 and Dolby Vision playback. That latter feature is especially noteworthy since a lack of Dolby Vision support was previously one of the few drawbacks of older Roku Ultra models. 

Dolby Vision can provide better HDR quality when playing supported videos from apps like Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV, and Vudu if you have a Dolby Vision TV. Amazon's Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Cube, as well as the Apple TV 4K, have already been offering Dolby Vision, so its inclusion on the new Ultra finally puts Roku's flagship player on even ground.

In practice, video playback is essentially flawless no matter what format you're watching. I streamed episodes of "The Haunting of Bly Manor" in 4K Dolby Vision from Netflix, "The Boys" in 4K HDR10 from Amazon, live streaming broadcasts in HD SDR, YouTube clips in various resolutions, and more. 

The actual quality of the video feed is dependent on the source, of course, but in all cases the Roku Ultra plays everything smoothly. With that said, I've encountered one very minor quirk with YouTube. Sometimes when I start to play a YouTube clip, the screen will remain black for a couple of seconds even though the audio plays right away. Once the video appears, everything plays fine, but this delay isn't something I've experienced on other devices.  

Thankfully, when it comes to overall audio playback, the Roku Ultra is reliable and free from any notable problems. Dolby Atmos, stereo, and surround sound tracks are properly sent to my receiver without any drops or audio syncing issues. 

Interface and apps

The Roku OS doesn't feature a particularly stylish interface. In fact, its Home Screen is starting to look a bit dated. And yet, I ultimately prefer the simple functionality of Roku's navigation over a lot of other streaming platforms. 

Unlike other streaming interfaces, like Fire TV or Google TV, the Roku OS doesn't bombard you with personalized recommendations or video previews right away. Instead the Home Screen is straight to the point with clear access to your chosen services via large icons you can sort. 

An ad for a recommended title is displayed on the right of the screen, but I don't find this to be terribly distracting. Navigating to the left pulls up a side menu with more settings, a free content library, a search option, and access to the Fandango streaming store. 

Roku's channel selection is massive, and the Ultra supports virtually any video app you could want. Unfortunately, there is one notable exception: HBO Max. Though I expect that Roku and HBO will eventually settle on a deal to add HBO Max to Roku devices, its current omission is disappointing.

On the plus side, the Roku Ultra has some of the best HDR/Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos app support I've seen on any streaming player. Though many streaming boxes and sticks technically support these features, individual services sometimes restrict which devices can actually use them for their videos. 

Netflix, Disney Plus, Apple TV, Vudu, and Amazon Prime Video, all offer HDR10/Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. Movies Anywhere also features HDR10 and Atmos but is currently missing Dolby Vision. Meanwhile, FandangoNow offers HDR10 support. The only notable HDR-capable service that lacks HDR playback on the Roku Ultra is Google Play. 

Actual navigation between all of these apps is snappy and smooth, and instances of irritating lag are rare. With that said, though the new Roku Ultra may technically save a couple seconds here and there when launching apps, I can't say that I notice a dramatically faster experience during day-to-day use compared to the previous model.   

Extra features 

In addition to basic streaming channel playback, the Roku Ultra also includes a few extra features and quality of life perks. 

First and foremost, is the Roku voice remote which offers reliable voice search capabilities, a handy find lost remote alarm, and a headphone jack for private listening. Though the headphone jack is a nice inclusion, I have noticed some slight audio stuttering when watching Netflix with headphones plugged in.

For hands-free voice control for basic functions, the Roku Ultra can be paired with a separate Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device, allowing buyers to choose which ecosystem they would like to use. Apple AirPlay 2 and HomeKit functionality for Siri devices will be added later this year.

Bluetooth connectivity is also featured, which is something that was missing from the previous Roku Ultra model. This allows you to stream music and podcasts from a Bluetooth mobile device or computer to the Roku Ultra so you can listen through your TV speakers or connected sound system. 

Finally, the included USB port is also a nice touch, enabling the Roku Ultra to serve as a media player for your personal files on a connected external hard drive or flash drive. The player offers support for many file types, including .MKV, .MP4, and .MOV videos, as well as MP3, WAV, and FLAC audio. 

The bottom line

The new 2020 Roku Ultra improves upon the previous model with a few key upgrades, like Dolby Vision and Bluetooth — all while keeping the same $100 price tag. 

The current omission of HBO Max is annoying, and some buyers may prefer one of the more modern and content-focused interfaces found on other devices but, for me, the Roku Ultra presents the best value of any flagship media player when it comes to ease of use and home theater performance.

Should you buy it?

If you're looking for a well-rounded flagship streaming box with support for Dolby Vision, Bluetooth, USB files, and voice control from external Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri devices then the Roku Ultra is your best option. It performs well, offers a sizable selection of 4K HDR apps, and offers good value for the price. 

If, however, features like Dolby Vision, USB media, Ethernet, Bluetooth, and a voice remote aren't a priority for you, then the much cheaper $40 Roku Premiere is a better option.  

What are your alternatives?

When it comes to flagship streaming boxes with similar features, your main alternatives are the more expensive Fire TV Cube and Apple TV 4K. Both are good devices in their own right, but the Roku Ultra provides better value for most people.

The Fire TV Cube includes Dolby Vision support while also adding HDR10+ and integrated hands-free Alexa voice control for $120. On the downside, it's missing a few notable apps, like Peacock, HBO Max, Vudu, FandangoNow, and Google Play. It also lacks official support for external digital assistant devices other than Alexa.  

The Apple TV 4K, meanwhile, offers similar functionality, app, and format support as the Roku Ultra, but it lacks a USB port and official support for non-Siri digital assistant devices. At $179, it's also quite a bit more expensive. It does include HBO Max, however, which the Roku Ultra lacks.

If you want to save money and are open to a dongle device rather than a streaming box, the new Google Chromecast is also a solid alternative. It offers Dolby Vision and HDR10+ support, and it includes HBO Max. On the downside, it lacks USB for external sources, Ethernet for wired internet, or official support for non-Google Assistant voice control devices. Actual app support for 4K HDR is also limited at the moment, so if you want to use services like Vudu and FandangoNow to watch movies in the best quality, you'll need to look elsewhere.

Pros: Compact set-top box design, reliable voice remote, 4K HDR and Dolby Vision support, huge library of apps, Bluetooth connectivity, USB port, support for separate Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri devices

Cons: HBO Max app is currently missing, doesn't support HDR10+, some buyers may find the interface to be dated

• The RealReal opened its fourth physical store in Chicago on Friday, marking its first foray into the Midwest and a larger strategic push to capture more of the fast-growing luxury resale market beyond the coasts. 
• Located on Chicago's Michigan Avenue, the heart of the city's shopping district, the new store is the The RealReals's fourth physical location, along with New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. 
• "That was the next location where we wanted to be able to set a footprint for people to come and actually touch and explore our products," Dan Ocampo, The RealReal's head of retail and expert operations, told Business Insider.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The RealReal is eyeing the Midwest as its next frontier as it looks to take over an even larger segment of the rapidly growing $26 billion global luxury resale market. 

The company opened its first physical retail space in Chicago on Friday, part of a strategic push to capture more of the rapidly expanding high-end resale market in the Midwest. Located on Chicago's Michigan Avenue, the heart of the city's shopping district, the new store is The RealReal's fourth brick-and-mortar venture, along with locations in New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. 

"Brick and mortar is an important part of the business for us," Dan Ocampo, The RealReal's head of retail and expert operations, told Business Insider. "We understand how it really brings our brand to life when consignment could be a little tricky for most. It's hard to envision what luxury consignment looks like."

Though luxury consignment has long been a fast-growing segment of the retail market, it has fared particularly well during the pandemic. According to Cowen, "resale luxury could eclipse new luxury over the long-term" as a growing number of Americans discover high-end consignment both online and in physical stores. 

Further, the analysts found that interest in luxury resale is on the rise, with more than 33% of millennial and Gen Z consumers stating in a recent survey they engage regularly in resale marketplaces, up from 25% the year prior. Within the fast-growing marketplace, Cowen added that "other consumer age cohorts are showing encouraging adoption momentum as well."

For companies like The RealReal, items like high-end jewelry and watches have seen a particular uptick in consignments and sales in recent months, as cash-strapped, homebound Americans look to pad thinning wallets during the recession.

According to The RealReal's 2020 luxury resale report, sales of high-end watches like Rolex increased by 32% in 2020, while the average resale value for high-end watches is currently 1.6 times stronger than its lower value watches in stock. 

Ultimately, the increased interest in luxury consignment bodes well for The RealReal as it expands both its digital and physical footprint, by bringing on new brand partners like Gucci and experimenting with store formats. 

Though The RealReal has had a corporate office in Chicago for four years, Ocampo said the decision to open the new store in the city as the result of an extensive analysis of data — including metrics like clicks and conversions per area code — that will be used to inform future store openings elsewhere in the country. 

"We have so many different ways of looking at information on what makes sense for us and Chicago was at top of the list," Ocampo said. "That was the next location where we wanted to be able to set a footprint for people to come and actually touch and explore our products."

While the Chicago store includes many of the same features as its sister stores — including a cafe, 'sneaker stock ticker,' and iPads built into displays so shoppers can browse online inventory in real-time — its size allowed for it to put a larger spotlight on its expert and customer services 

"Chicago is the heart of the Midwest and it's a major city for us as we continue to grow that market from a consignment side," he said. "Looking at the information and seeing how we can grow the team there, we've been able to capture a larger base, and opening a storefront would definitely help expedite that."

• The FBI has not yet released a legally mandated report on domestic terrorism in the US and how the agency approaches it, as The Daily Beast first reported.
• It was due four months ago.
• The report, in particular, is supposed to disclose details about how the FBI handles white supremacist terrorism.
• The chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee said he believes the report has been delayed because the Trump administration wouldn't view it favorably.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The FBI is four months late in releasing a legally mandated report on domestic terrorism.

One part of the report is being reviewed by other agencies, while the other is incomplete, the FBI said in a statement to The Daily Beast, which first reported the bureau's tardiness.

"Due to limitations caused by COVID-19, Part 1 of the report is in the interagency review process. Part 2 is still being drafted," the FBI told The Daily Beast.

The National Defense Authorization Act required the FBI to give Congress a report on the state of domestic terrorism in the United States, as well as how the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security counter it.

It's also supposed to cover the threat of white supremacy in the United States — which FBI Director Christopher Wray told Congress in September is the "biggest chunk" of domestic terrorism — and how the FBI handles it.

But while the report was due in June, the FBI said it's gummed up due to COVID-19 and is working with DHS and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

"The FBI is committed to continuing with ODNI and DHS on the report and meeting NDAA requirements," the agency said in its statement.

The FBI has historically obscured details about how it approaches white supremacy within the United States, according to The Daily Beast. It currently categorizes white supremacy underneath a broader category, called "racially motivated violent extremism," making it harder to discern the resources it commits to the problem, The Daily Beast reported.

Rep. Bennie Thompson, the chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee, told The Daily Beast that the report has been delayed because it "would not be viewed favorably" by the Trump administration.

"I think [Wray] understands that if he wades too far in the water around this subject, he might drown, or get fired, to be honest," Thompson said.

Read the full story at The Daily Beast»

• • Read more:
  • Trump is considering firing FBI director Christopher Wray after the election, report says
  • US director of national intelligence: Russia and Iran are working to 'influence public opinion' ahead of Election Day
  • FBI says it has 'nothing to add' to Trump's spy chief's claims about the Hunter Biden laptop controversy
  • EXCLUSIVE: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer is 'hanging in there' as Trump encourages supporters to 'lock her up' after the FBI thwarted a right-wing plot to kidnap and execute her

• Airline customer-service complaints to the US Department of Transportation surged in July, the agency said Monday.
• A bulk of those comments involved refunds, which haven't been easy to get amid the pandemic. 
• The surge in complaints comes even despite the continued slump in flights.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Getting a refund from an airline isn't becoming any easier, even half a year into a pandemic that's upended air travel as we know it.

Data released by the US Department of Transportation on Monday show a nearly 500% increase in customer complaints during July compared to last year, even as just 52% of scheduled air service ran during the same month this year.

Of 11,117 complaints DOT received about airline service in July, it said, 10,257 — or 92% — concerned refunds, a point of contention and frustration since the pandemic first began impacting flights in February.

And while most carriers have adopted more flexible policies in the face of ever-changing research about flying's safety, getting a flat-out refund is still near impossible in many cases. That's despite a blunt order from DOT to airlines in April that they "remain obligated to provide a prompt refund" for cancelled flights or those that have a significant schedule change.

Air travel has slowly been increasing in the United States, even as the country's outbreak is largely uncontrolled. Passenger screening numbers released by the Transportation Security Administration showed that US traffic topped one million on October 19 for the first time since March.

Still, with no end to the pandemic in sight and flights still at a shell of normal schedules, airlines have shed workers and extended furloughs. Further economic relief has been stalled on Capital Hill since the summer, and it's not clear if further aid for aviation may be included in any eventual compromise.

Even if relief comes, airlines are hunkering down for a long winter of dampened travel.

"Timing [of a recovery] has more to do with the state of the virus and the medical containment of it than it does any specific a strategy that we could deploy to make certain everybody stays safe," Delta CEO Ed Bastian said on a call with investors earlier this month. "Because the goal in this is that we want to eliminate quarantines."

• Ten of the 13 members of Bon Appétit's famed Test Kitchen will no longer appear in videos for the food magazine. 
• The staffers include Claire Saffitz, Christina Chaey, Alex Delany, Rick Martinez, Sohla El-Waylly, Priya Krishna, Gaby Melian, Molly Baz, Carla Lalli Music, and Amiel Stanek.
• Former and current employees of Bon Appétit told Business Insider in June that the company compensates employees of color differently for video appearances. A representative from Condé Nast has denied this.
• The Test Kitchen channel did not release new videos from June 5 to October 13 amid the public controversy. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Bon Appétit did not release a video on its beloved Test Kitchen channel for more than four months, amid a reckoning of how Condé Nast's famed food brand treats and compensates its employees of color.

And on October 13, when Bon Appétit released its "comeback" video, the magazine revealed a channel with a totally different set of talent.

Ten members of Bon Appétit's 13 on-camera talent will no longer appear in videos with the food magazine's Test Kitchen brand: Rick Martinez, Sohla El-Waylly, Priya Krishna, Gaby Melian, Molly Baz, Carla Lalli Music, Amiel Stanek, Claire Saffitz, Christina Chaey, and Alex Delany. 

The three that remain are Brad Leone, Chris Morocco, and Andy Baraghani. Eight chefs are joining Bon Appétit, each receiving a three-episode mini-series, as Insider's Palmer Haasch previously reported.

"Our audience is eager for new programming and the return of some of their favorites. With new leadership, we've been working together to build a new vision for the brand," said Bon Appétit executive editor Sonia Chopra in a press release. "We are excited to welcome fans back to our channel with new shows, new and familiar faces, and new recipes."

Martinez, El-Waylly, Krishna, and Melian said in statements that Condé Nast's lack of commitment to diversity and inclusion led to their departure. Baz, Music, and Stanek said they will leave the channel out of solidarity with their peers. Saffitz, whose contract with Condé Nast ended before its public controversy, said she's looking to "do [her] own thing."

Chaey and Delany did not release statements, but were not highlighted as returning talent in an October 13 press release. 

Former and current employees of Bon Appétit told Business Insider in June that the company compensates employees of color differently than their white colleagues, though Condé Nast has repeatedly denied this. According to an email shared with Business Insider by a Condé Nast spokesperson, the company's internal pay review study showed that compensation was fair and not based on race.

"While we found that everyone was compensated fairly for video through their full-time salaries or other means as part of project or freelance agreements, it's on us that our lack of open communication about video compensation created confusion," the email stated.

Here's who has left, why they're stepping back from the Test Kitchen, and who still remains:

Priya Krishna

Krishna announced on August 6 that she would no longer appear in Test Kitchen videos. She will continue to write and develop recipes for the magazine.

Despite Condé Nast's pledge for increased diversity and an equal pay study, Krishna said the ultimate lack of action on these points convinced her to not sign a new contract.

"I was hopeful at the beginning and then that hope diminished with every week and every meeting and every email that I got," Krishna previously told Business Insider. "It was a lot of lofty promises for change and then seeing very little in action."

Krishna contributes to The New York Times, The New Yorker, and other food publications. She recently published "Indian-ish: Recipes and Antics from a Modern American Family," a cookbook.

Rick Martinez

Martinez said on August 6 that he would no longer appear in Test Kitchen videos. Like Krishna, Martinez will continue to write and develop recipes for the magazine.

As Business Insider previously reported:

Martinez and Krishna said that the new contracts presented to them — which they said were identical — did not match the contracts that white talent members received. Their contracts, they said, promised a lower day rate and just 10 video appearances, much fewer than the 48 or even 60 appearances that some colleagues enjoyed.

"They had five weeks to do the right thing," Martinez told Business Insider. "None of us were asking for millions of dollars — we just wanted to be compensated fairly."

He added that Condé Nast Entertainment had "every opportunity to create a fair and equitable pay structure."

Martinez was previously a senior food editor at Bon Appétit. He also develops recipes for the Food Network and the New York Times. 

Sohla El-Waylly

El-Waylly said on August 6 that she would no longer appear in Test Kitchen videos. She will stay in her role as assistant food editor for Bon Appétit's magazine and website.

"I think they're very risk-averse," El-Waylly previously told Business Insider. "I think that more people of color are going to be more visible in food media. That's more of a progressive thought, but Condé is a bit conservative and risk-averse. Maybe they'll do it in five years after someone else makes it cool."

As Business Insider reported:

El-Waylly received a new version of her contract on June 8, she told Business Insider. It offered a $20,000 raise; El-Waylly previously said she was "insulted and appalled" at that offer, as other stars were said to earn much more over time in per-episode fees.

On June 19, she told Condé Nast Entertainment that she would not host or appear in any more videos.

El-Waylly, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, previously worked in upscale New York restaurants like Atera and Del Posto, and co-owned Hail Mary, a Brooklyn restaurant serving high-end diner food, according to GQ. She is a former culinary editor at Serious Eats. 

Gaby Melian

Gaby Melian said in an Instagram post on August 8 that she will no longer make appearances in Bon Appétit videos. She will continue in her role as the test kitchen's manager. 

"After weeks of negotiations, Condé Nast Entertainment is not meeting my expectations to have a more diverse and inclusive video program," Melian wrote in her Instagram post. "For that reason I will not be signing a contract with them to appear in videos."

Melian is a graduate of the Institute of Culinary Education. Prior to her role at Bon Appétit, she was a chef assistant at the Institute of Culinary Education, a chef instructor at City Harvest and The Cooking Room, and held other culinary education roles, according to her website.

Molly Baz

Baz, a senior food editor at Bon Appétit, said on her social media channels on August 7 that she would no longer appear in the food magazine's videos. According to her statement, she will continue working at the magazine. 

"I wish I had more to share with you after months of silence, as I know you have all been waiting for change along with me," she wrote in a statement shared on Twitter. "Sadly, I do not. It is for this reason that I've asked CNE to release me from the video obligations of my contract. I will no longer appear on the BA YouTube Channel."

Baz joined Condé Nast in 2015 as a recipe tester for Epicurious, a Bon Appétit sister brand, according to her LinkedIn. She previously was a line cook at several New York City restaurants, like Allswell and Glasserie, and co-owned a catering company, Rustic Supper. 

Carla Lalli Music

Lalli Music said on her social channels on August 12 that she will no longer appear in Bon Appétit videos, though she hopes to continue to fulfill her editor-at-large position. She was the host of Back-to-Back Chef, a Bon Appétit show.

"I love making cooking videos and hope I find the right opportunity to do lots more of that in the future," she previously told Insider. "In the meantime, I'll be sharing plenty of homegrown video content on my personal channels."

A graduate of the French Culinary Institute, Music joined Bon Appétit in 2011, according to her LinkedIn. She was previously the brand's food director and its features editor. She is also a former deputy editor at Martha Stewart Living, and an instructor at the Institute for Culinary Education. 

Amiel Stanek

Stanek, an editor-at-large at Bon Appétit, announced in an August 15 Instagram post that he will no longer appear in videos.

"I feel let down and disappointed in a lot of ways," he wrote. "I also feel a lot of gratitude and hope for the future."

Stanek joined Bon Appétit in 2012 as the assistant to former editor-in-chief Adam Rapoport, according to a 2014 article from Fashion Week Daily. He previously worked at a restaurant in Philadelphia.

Claire Saffitz

Saffitz shared on Instagram on October 6 that she will no longer appear in Bon Appétit videos. She was the host of Gourmet Makes, one of Bon Appétit's most popular shows.

Her contract with Condé Nast Entertainment ended in May, one month before Bon Appétit employees started to come forward with stories of pay inequity. 

"I'm grateful to Bon Appétit and CNE for the opportunity to build my career on their platforms, but this opportunity was not granted equally to all," she wrote on Instagram. "I respect and support the decisions of many of my colleagues to blaze new trails. I look forward to following all of their great work."

Saffitz joined Bon Appétit in 2013 and left in August 2018. She later rejoined as a freelance video contributor. Her first cookbook, Dessert Person, came out October 2020. She is holds a master's degree in culinary history from McGill University in Canada.

Christina Chaey

Chaey has not made a public statement about her involvement in Bon Appétit's Test Kitchen channel, but she was not included as a returning talent member in the company's public announcement in October.

Chaey did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. 

According to Bon Appétit's masthead, Chaey is still an associate editor at the magazine. She joined the magazine in 2014, and left for a year to be a line cook with the Union Square Hospitality Group, according to her LinkedIn. She was previously an editor at Fast Company.

Alex Delany

Delany has not made a public statement about his involvement in Bon Appétit's Test Kitchen channel, but he was not included as a returning talent member in the company's public announcement in October. He previously hosted the show Alex Eats It All. 

Delany did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. 

Several social media posts of Delany resurfaced this summer amid the company's public reckoning. A Tumblr post of Delany's from 2010 featured a cake decorated like the Confederate flag; he also once posted a Vine in which he used a homophobic slur, as Insider's Kat Tenbarge reported. Delany has apologized.

According to Bon Appétit's masthead, Delany is still an associate editor at the magazine. He joined the magazine in 2014 as an assistant production manager.

Three on-camera regulars remain

Of the 13 stars who regularly appeared in Test Kitchen videos, three appear to remain:

• Andy Baraghani
• Brad Leone
• Chris Morocco

And eight featured chefs are joining the channel:

• DeVonn Francis
• Chrissy Tracey
• Harold Villarosa
• Tiana Gee
• Melissa Miranda
• Rawlston Williams
• Claudette Zepeda
• Samantha Seneviratne

• Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris dismissed President Donald Trump's personal attacks on her as "predictable" and "childish in an interview with ABC's "The View" on Monday.
• "[The] name-calling is not new to me — it's not new to anybody who played on the playground as a child. But this is not the playground," she said.
• Trump has made a number of personal attacks on Harris. Last week, he attacked Harris by saying the US is not supposed to have a "socialist" president, "especially a female socialist president."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Kamala Harris dismissed President Donald Trump's personal attacks on her as "predictable" and "childish."

"It's so predictable coming from him. I mean it's childish, it's name-calling on behalf of the president of the United States, and, again, the American people deserve so much more from their president," Harris told ABC's "The View" on Monday. "[The] name-calling is not new to me — it's not new to anybody who played on the playground as a child. But this is not the playground."

Trump has frequently attacked Harris with a number of sexist and racist claims. Shortly after Democratic Presidential nominee Joe Biden announced Harris as his running mate, Trump promoted a racist lie that Harris "doesn't meet the requirements" because she is not a US citizen. Harris is a US citizen and qualified to run for vice president. Last week, he made a series of sexist personal attacks on Harris saying the US is not supposed to have a "socialist" president, "especially a female socialist president."

Harris said she won't be "distracted" by Trump's comments, because "it's just not a good use of time, frankly."

Harris spoke about the Trump administration's handling of the coronavirus pandemic and Biden's plans to support minority-owned businesses as part of their "Building Back Better" plan. 

"We have witnessed the greatest failure of any presidential administration in the history of our country," she said, pointing out the US has recorded over 225,000 deaths from coronavirus. 

"We need leadership that is not reckless but responsible," she said.

• Read more:
• Trump targets Kamala Harris in sexist rant against the Democratic vice-presidential nominee
• Being Joe Biden's VP gives Kamala Harris instant frontrunner status in 2024. But some on the left are already pushing for a more progressive candidate.
• Kamala Harris suspends campaign travel after 2 members of her traveling party test positive for COVID-19
• Meet the 27 power players in Kamala Harris' inner circle who could have sway in a Biden administration

• Fred Wilson, venture capitalist and co-founder of Union Square Ventures, argues that removing a failing CEO is a tough but important decision that a board must quickly act on.
• "Waiting is never the right answer. Failing to act is never the right answer. You must remove a failing CEO," Wilson writes.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

In almost 35 years of working on boards, the hardest decisions I have had to make involve removing the CEO.

It is an important decision and one that must be made from time to time. I am not a fan of removing the CEO until and unless it is abundantly clear that it must be done.

But when the CEO has failed to manage numerous important challenges, when the senior leadership team has been a revolving door, when the CEO has messed up important relationships with customers, employees, and other important stakeholders, when the organization has become toxic as a result of the CEO's abrasive personality, then the choice is abundantly clear and must be made.

It is an even harder decision to make when you don't have an obvious replacement, or when you are not 100% confident that the obvious replacement will be an improvement over the current CEO.

But those are not reasons to wait. You must act and replace the failed CEO with whomever is the best option in that moment and work with the new CEO to address the challenges facing the company, many a result of the failed CEO's poor leadership.

Waiting is never the right answer. Failing to act is never the right answer. You must remove a failing CEO.

This is an opinion column. The thoughts expressed are those of the author(s).

Read the original article on A VC. Copyright 2020.

Hi! Welcome to the Insider Advertising daily for October 27. I'm Lauren Johnson, a senior advertising reporter at Business Insider. Subscribe here to get this newsletter in your inbox every weekday. Send me feedback or tips at LJohnson@businessinsider.com.

Today's news: IPG takes aim at consultancies like Accenture, Inspire Brands eyes buying Dunkin', and the financial PR pros to know.

Ad holding giant IPG has roped in a former Deloitte Digital exec and invested $5 million to launch a new consulting firm geared at CMOs

• Interpublic Group has launched a new consulting firm called Black Glass that focuses on chief marketing officers and competes with Accenture and other consulting firms, reports Tanya Dua.
• Black Glass' pitch is that it can help clients like BMW make fast business decisions using IPG's data hub Acxiom among other outside data sources, financial modeling and a network of internal and external experts.
• IPG said it's invested close to $5 million into the consulting group and plans to invest more.

Read the full story here.

Read the full story here.

Read the full story here.

More stories we're reading:

— Lauren

• Kids love Christmas for obvious reasons, and Advent calendars are an easy way to keep up the Christmas spirit in the days leading up to December 25.
• There are Advent calendars for every age and every interest, so we rounded up a wide variety of calendars to delight toddlers, older kids, and even teenagers.
• These calendars feature building kits, crafts, activities, books, socks, and more. We even included some reusable calendars that you can refill every year.
• Check out all of our 2020 holiday gift guides here to shop for everyone on your list.

There are a myriad of ways to make the holiday season fun and special, and one of my favorite ways is with Advent calendars. My mom started an Advent calendar tradition when my sister and I were little, and even though we've both long been out of the house, she still sends us our Advent calendars every year. Now that I continue the tradition with my own daughter, I scour the internet for the best calendars every year.

Advent calendars are simple, fun, and most require no work for busy parents to set up each day (looking at you, Elf on the Shelf). They've come a long way from the ones filled with waxy chocolate. Here are our picks for the best kids' Advent calendars in 2020, from Lego building kits to holiday challenges.

Here are 22 of our favorite Advent calendars for kids:

A reusable calendar with large bins for treats and trinkets

Step2 My First Advent Calendar, available at Amazon and Walmart, $54.99

If you want a calendar you can refill year after year as your child's interests change, this is the one for you. Start the tradition when your kids are toddlers and keep it going for years to come. The calendar has large green and red bins with a special gold bin for Christmas day. Designed to look like a snowy cottage, the neutral yet festive look will appeal to older kids too. 

Recommended ages: 18 months and up

A wooden calendar that reminds you to stop and enjoy the little things

Melissa & Doug Countdown to Christmas,  available at Target, Amazon, and Walmart, from $16.99

This wooden tree has a magnetic ornament for kids to hang up every day. This helps younger kids begin to grasp the idea of an Advent calendar, and it's sure to remain a tradition throughout the years. A poem printed on the back of the tree is a reminder to pause and enjoy the little things during the busy holiday season.   

Recommended ages: 3 to 7 years

A plush calendar for the Disney fan

Mickey and Minnie Plush Advent Calendar, available at Shop Disney, $59.99

This certainly isn't the cheapest calendar on our list, but it can be used year after year. Each day through the month of December, kids will move the plush gingerbread cookie to the correct day. The calendar measures 31 inches high and 21 inches wide.

Recommended ages: Unspecified

A calendar full of surprises from a holiday classic

Elf Advent Calendar, available at Amazon, Walmart, and GameStop, from $39.96

"Buddy the Elf, what's your favorite color?" Kids who incessantly quote lines like this from "Elf" can reenact the entire movie with the figurines from this calendar. The set includes 24 surprises and a pop-up display. Some of the surprise even include buildable pieces.

Recommended ages: 4 years and up

A holiday-themed train calendar

Thomas & Friends Minis, available at Amazon, $28.90

This Advent calendar has 24 miniature engines, six of which feature Christmas-themed designs. Kids will slowly build trains over the month of December, and the box converts to a track for them to play on. The manufacturer sent me the 2019 version to test last year, and I was impressed with the quality and design of the trains.

Recommended ages: 3 years and up

A calendar that brings a classic video game to life

Super Mario Advent Calendar, available at Amazon, $49.99

Bring Mario off the screen and into real life with 17 figurines and seven accessories. Use the calendar itself to set the scene with a pop-up playing surface and a background showing iconic images from the game.

Recommended ages: 3 years and up

A calendar that will transport kids to a galaxy far, far away

Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar, available at Target and Lego Store, $39.99

Bring the Force home for Christmas with 24 buildable figurines and objects from "Star Wars." Kids can build and play with Luke Skywalker, a stormtrooper, and even some Christmas-themed characters. The calendar includes a playmat with a picture of the Millennium Falcon decked out for the season. It also comes with a code to unlock game content from "Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga."

Recommended ages: 6 years and up

An Advent calendar with a Halloween twist

Funko Advent Calendar: The Nightmare Before Christmas, available at Amazon and Target, from $39.96

"What's this? What's this?" … an Advent calendar inspired by your child's favorite Tim Burton film! Fans of Jack Skellington will appreciate this calendar that reveals a different Funko Pocket Pop! figure every day. These small figures (each is no larger than 2 inches) are fun toys for younger kids and timeless collectibles for big kids and adults.

Recommended ages: 3 years and up

A magical calendar full of witchcraft and wizardry

Lego Harry Potter Advent Calendar, available at Amazon, Target, and Lego Store, from $29.46

Nothing is more magical than Hogwarts at Christmas, and with this Advent building set, kids can recreate the magical scenes with six character figurines and pieces like the Triwizard Cup. This year's calendar is Yule Ball themed, and the box folds out to create a stunning scene of Hogwarts at Christmas.

Recommended ages: 7 years and up

A calendar that's fun for toddlers and babies

Little People Advent Calendar, available at Amazon, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Buy Buy Baby, from $30.99

Little People figurines are designed to be safe for toddlers; this is the set I bought for my daughter last Christmas when she was 18 months old. In this calendar, kids will get a new figurine each day, including Little People, holiday decorations, and other accessories. All of our figurines are still in excellent shape after being played with for almost a year.

Recommended ages: 1 to 5 years

A calendar with an interactive Christmas train track

Go! Go! Smart Wheels Advent Calendar, available at Amazon, $24.99

This calendar is toddler-friendly and comes with 24 holiday-themed toys, including a Go! Go! Smart Wheels Christmas train that kids will open on the first day. The train responds to various locations on the track with songs and phrases. The box also includes a train track play mat, road signs, animal figurines, and more.

Recommended ages: 1 to 5 years

A calendar full of 24 surprise crafts

Crayola Craft Advent Calendar, available at Amazon and Oriental Trading, from $17.98

Keep kids active and exploring their creativity through the holiday season with this calendar that includes 24 different crafts and activities for them to complete. Some crafts include ornaments, decorations, and coloring projects. The best part: The calendar comes with everything kids need to complete each activity.

Recommended ages: 4 years and up

A crafty unicorn calendar

Unicorn Stamp Advent Calendar, available at Scandiborn, $32

With this calendar, kids will get either a wooden stamp or an ink tray each day. There are festive holiday stamps like a gift and a candy cane. Others are are appropriate for year-round fun, like a unicorn and a rainbow.

Recommended ages: unspecified

A calendar with everything they need to create 25 crafts

Kid Made Modern DIY Advent Calendar, available at Maisonette and Kohl's, $19.99

Crafting can help harness some of that holiday season energy by challenging kids to focus and create. The calendar includes 25 crafts with everything kids need to complete them. Some of the crafts include a gingerbread man, gift tags, and a letter to Santa. Use completed crafts to bring holiday cheer to your home or as gifts for friends and family.

Recommended ages: 6 years and up

A magical calendar full of stories about their favorite Disney characters

Disney Storybook Collection Advent Calendar, available at Amazon* and Barnes & Noble, from $19.99

Reading stories together can be a fun Christmas tradition, and this Advent calendar makes that easy with 24 different Disney stories, one to read each day. The calendar features popular characters like Pinocchio and Winnie the Pooh and stories from movies, including "Frozen," "Toy Story," "Cars," "Wreck-It Ralph," and "Finding Nemo."

Recommended ages: 6 to 10 years

*currently out of stock

An epic superhero storybook calendar

Marvel Books Advent Calendar, available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble, from $29.55

Arguably the best part about the Marvel franchise is the characters and their storylines. In this calendar, kids will open a new 24-page Marvel book each day. Featured superheroes include Captain America, Black Panther, Spider-Man, and Iron Man.

Recommended ages: 6 to 10 years

A calendar with from recycled paper and nontoxic vegetable inks

Petit Collage Advent Calendar, available at The Tot, $24

Each day, kids will discover a new pop-out character made from recycled paper and nontoxic vegetable inks. Figures include friendly animals, Christmas trees, presents, and more. The calendar also comes with a fold-down play mat.

Recommended ages: 4 years and up

A calendar for the car enthusiast

Hot Wheels Advent Calendar, available at Amazon, $19.99

This Advent calendar includes eight Hot Wheels vehicles and 16 accessories. It also comes with a holiday-themed fold-out play mat with a road intersecting a snowy scene. Some of the accessories include a ramp, a sled, and a snow man.   

Recommended ages: 3 years and up

A holiday-themed Lego Friends calendar

Lego Friends Advent Calendar, available at Amazon, Lego Store, and Barnes & Noble, from $19.96

This calendar comes with 236 pieces, including 24 buildable figures plus holiday-themed items. Kids can create holiday scenes like Santa's workshop or a winter wonderland. This set also comes with a fold-down play mat.

Recommended ages: 6 years and up

A calendar straight out of a fairy tale, complete with every accessory Barbie needs

Barbie Dreamtopia Advent Calendar, available at Amazon and Target, $28.99

On the first day of this calendar, kids will open a new Barbie, and they'll find accessories and storytelling pieces on the other 23 days. Accessories include a mermaid tail, unicorn figurine, and necklaces. The Barbie can be dressed up as a fairy, princess, or mermaid with the included items.

Recommended ages: 3 to 7 years

A calendar that will keep a little 'Star Wars' fan's feet warm all winter

The Mandalorian 15 Days of Socks Advent Calendar, available at Target, $15

This is only a 15-day Advent calendar on this list, but 15 pairs of socks are more than enough. No pair is the same, and the set includes quarter, crew, and no-show socks. Each pair depicts a character or symbol from The Mandalorian.

Recommended ages: Sizes 5.5T to 10 kids

A calendar that transforms into a miniature toy store

Playmobil Christmas Toy Store Advent Calendar, available at Walmart, $24.99

Kids will open a new holiday-themed figure each day, and they'll be able to set up their own miniature Christmas toy store by the final day. Some of the surprises include Santa, a skateboard, and a soccer ball. The included toy store backdrop really brings the whole scene together.

Recommended ages: 4 years and up

• Facebook said it has helped 4.4 million people register to vote on its platform.
• The metric exceeds Facebook's original goal set in June of registering 4 million people to vote ahead of the presidential election.
• The company's announcement comes after a months of pressure on tech firms to crack down on election interference, political misinformation, and conspiracy theories on their platforms.
• Facebook isn't the only tech company to integrate voter information tools into its platforms — Snapchat launched a similar registration initiative that it said caused 1 million people to register through the app.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Facebook said Monday that it has helped 4.4 million people to register to vote on its platforms, surpassing a metric that it set for itself in June.

Mark Zuckerberg announced the launch of a voter information tool this past summer, and said he wanted to bolster turnout to this year's presidential election by getting 4 million people registered. The company's announcement that it has helped register 4.4 million voters on Facebook, as well as its Instagram and Messenger platforms, comes as Election Day stands days away and as early voting has already commenced in parts of the nation.

For comparison, there are 2.6 billion monthly active Facebook users worldwide and 190 million users in the US, according to July 2020 data from Statista.

Facebook did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment.

Facebook isn't the only tech firm to have kicked off a voter registration initiative ahead of the November election. Snapchat launched a similar program in August that has since resulted in more than 1 million people in its young userbase to register to vote, the company said according to an NBC report.

Tech companies at large have faced increased urgency this year to crack down on election interference and political misinformation in the lead up to the 2020 presidential election.

Read more: Facebook's much-hyped 'Supreme Court' that can overrule even CEO Mark Zuckerberg finally launched, but says it won't judge election content

Criticism has largely been bipartisan, but tech has especially been attacked by the right, with Republicans claiming that platforms harbor an anti-conservative bias. The Trump Administration's quarrel with the industry was sparked after Twitter slapped a fact-check label on one of the president's tweets in which he falsely claimed mail-in voting would lead to election fraud. Facebook fielded backlash after it refused to fact-check the same post on its platform.

But Facebook has since said it would ban political ads indefinitely starting the day after the election and would add labels to content that touches on the "legitimacy of voting methods, for example, by claiming that lawful methods of voting will lead to fraud." President Donald Trump has repeatedly made baseless claims that mail-in voting will result in election fraud. Facebook also said it would label posts from presidential candidates that declare victory prematurely before the official election results can be counted.

The company is reportedly taking measures in anticipation of potential unrest and conflict that may arise due to the election, including "slowing the spread of viral content" and changing the type of news that some users see.

Critics also say that Facebook has provided a platform for violent groups, white supremacists, and conspiracy theories to congregate. The social media platform was home to networks of people who support QAnon — the baseless far-right conspiracy theory that a secret band of satanists and pedophiles are conspiring to overthrow President Trump — before Facebook banned content related to the group in early October.

• Drip coffee makers come in different forms, from basic brewers to those that can be programmed to your specific brew preferences.  
• Our top pick is the Cuisinart's Coffee Plus 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker because it takes care of your coffee and the rest of your breakfast with its built-in hot water dispenser.

If you're the type who blearily wanders around the kitchen until you've had your first cup of coffee, you need a good coffee maker.

You can probably live with a basic model that just has an on/off switch, but there are many with helpful features such as scheduling, a built-in grinder, or the capability of creating specialty drinks.

The picks in our guide brew at least 10 cups of coffee and have some sort of display for programming. Here are the best coffee makers after hours of research and personal testing.

Here are the best coffee makers:

• Best overall: Cuisinart Coffee Plus 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker (CHW-12)
• Best with water filtration: Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew 10-Cup Thermal Coffeemaker (BVMC-PSTX95)
• Best with a built-in grinder: Krups Grind and Brew 10-Cup Coffee Maker (KM785D50)
• Best on a budget: Black+Decker Programmable Coffee Maker
• Best for specialty drinks: Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System

Prices and links are current as of 10/26/2020. We are researching new models to consider for a future update, but we stand by these models as our current recommendations.

The best overall

The Cuisinart Coffee Plus 12-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker not only makes coffee, but its built-in hot water system also lets you make tea, oatmeal, and more.

The Cuisinart programmable coffeemaker comes with its own hot water system so it can brew coffee and get your favorite tea or snack ready at the same time with hot water on demand. The hot water is ready almost instantly, so all you need to do is press the lever down to dispense it. The hot water system is controlled via a power button and can be used even if you don't want coffee, or if you're already done brewing a cup.

The are also plenty of features you need, and none you don't. If your day can't start before you've had coffee, you'll appreciate this machine's 24-hour programmability so you can have a cup ready and waiting for you each morning. The machine also automatically turns on and shuts off so you'll never have to worry about it running after you've left the house.

You'll find low, medium, and high carafe temperature control settings for optimal results. When it's time for cleaning, just use the self-cleaning function. The machine comes with one charcoal water filter and a gold-tone filter to eliminate any impurities that can impact the taste of your coffee or other beverages.

If you placed a too-small cup under the spout and see that the coffee's just about to spill, the Brew Pause feature lets you remove the cup or carafe without making a mess.

This particular model brews up to 12 cups and has a one-to-four cup setting. A slightly smaller 10-cup model is also available. However, most models this size actually brew cups that are closer to five or six ounces, rather than the full eight ounces, according to Consumer Reports.

Pros: Separate hot water system, 24-hour programmability, carafe temperature control

Cons: Doesn't have a backlit display, awkwardly placed water fill container, not the quietest machine

The best with water filtration

From its high brew temperature to delay-brew and auto-pause features, the Mr. Coffee Optimal Brew 10-Cup Thermal Coffeemaker is a solid value.

If you're looking for overall value in a programmable coffee maker, consider this Mr. Coffee model. For starters, it's equipped with many features you'd expect on a higher-end coffee maker, such as the delay brew function and an auto-pause feature that lets you grab a cup of coffee before brewing is finished. The machine automatically shuts off after two hours, which is a big plus if you're the forgetful type.

A built-in water filtration system helps to remove up to 97% of chlorine, which is a huge plus if you find that your tap water doesn't taste great. The filter ensures that any mineral or elemental tastes don't make their way into your coffee.

If you can't get to your coffee right away or you want it to stay warm, you'll appreciate the double-walled stainless steel carafe. Unlike some models in this price range that come with a glass carafe, the extra insulation in this thermal carafe maintains a warm, but not scalding, temperature. Not only does this keep your coffee from tasting burnt, but you also won't have to rely on a warming plate or a microwave to get your coffee back to a drinkable temperature.

Whether you like your coffee strong or mild, the brewing temperature also plays a role. This machine brews up to 205 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the National Coffee Association, the ideal water brewing temperature is between 195 and 205 degrees Fahrenheit, with 205 being the optimal temperature. Anything less than 195 to improper extraction, while temperatures more than 212 will cause the water to boil and burn the coffee. 

Pros: Delay brew feature, greatly reduces chlorine taste from water, high brewing temperature, stainless steel carafe keeps drink warm

Cons: Plastic construction cheapens the appearance, produces a fair amount of steam when brewing, doesn't have a permanent filter

The best with a built-in grinder

Not only is the Krups Grind and Brew 10-Cup Coffee Maker fully programmable, but you can grind your coffee at the same time for an even fresher brew.

The highlight of the Krups Grind and Brew 10-Cup Coffee Maker is its built-in grinder. Whether you're a bit short on space or you simply prefer the convenience, having a built-in grinder lets you grind beans and then brew all within one machine.

The conical burr grinder has five settings, so you can choose between coarse and fine grounds, and anywhere in-between. A good quality burr grinder cuts beans into evenly sized particles, as opposed to powder or chunks. You can adjust the settings on this machine according to the type of bean you're using as well as your desired drink.

As far as built-in grinders go, this one stands out for its versatility. Many espresso drinkers find they can get the grind down to a fine powder that works well enough for homemade espressos. Or you can grind your beans a bit more coarsely for best use in this machine. Either way, the grinding process takes less than a minute. However, cleaning the storage container can be a bit of a chore. Using a smaller brush can help reach into tight spaces for easier cleaning.

If you're looking for user-friendly features to help make your mornings easier, you'll appreciate the straightforward controls on the Krups Grind and Brew. For starters, you can push a button to select anywhere from two to 10 cups. An auto-on feature allows you to program the machine to start at a time that's most convenient for you. After you put the beans in the grinder and add water, the machine automatically takes the correct amount of beans to grind depending on how many cups you want and the strength you choose.

Pros: Built-in burr grinder, auto-start function, three brew strength settings

Cons: Grounds can get stuck on the container walls, carafe lid prone to opening when pouring, can get loud when grinding coffee

The best on a budget

The Black+Decker Programmable Coffee Maker is a budget-friendly machine with a large capacity, digital control panel, and plenty of features for the price.

It's not the fanciest coffee maker around, but the Black+Decker Programmable Coffee Maker gets the job done. There's a lot to appreciate for such an affordable price, from the 12-cup capacity to a water window that lets you keep track of the amount.

The coffee maker stands 13.3 inches high and 8.4 inches wide, making it a good choice if you're looking for a compact coffee maker for your home, office, or both. You'll also find a digital control panel with soft-touch buttons. It's easy to program the machine to make coffee ahead of time thanks to its 24-hour programming functionality.

This programmable coffee maker puts out 975 watts of brewing power. In comparison, you'll need roughly 1,000 watts to get water to boil in five minutes. But since the machine doesn't need to boil water to make coffee, it will produce a cup in just a few minutes. Many owners find that this coffee maker also maintains an ideal temperature before and after brewing, even when the carafe is on the warming plate.

If you simply can't wait for the brewing cycle to finish, you can grab a cup before it's done thanks to the brew-pause function. And as long as the glass carafe is properly positioned underneath the basket, you shouldn't experience any dripping or leaking.

A handful of reviews suggest using a bit less ground coffee than usual for this coffee maker. If you use too much, grounds may make their way into the coffee pot.

Pros: Small footprint, the brew-pause feature makes it easy to sneak a cup, removable filter basket

Cons: Can be tough to see the water level, can't remove carafe lid for cleaning, warming plate surface may peel over time

The best for specialty drinks

The Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System brews your favorite hot and cold coffee and tea, and it comes with a built-in milk frother and tea brewing basket.

With a coffee maker or espresso machine, you're only able to make just that — coffee or espresso. But if you're looking for a multitasker than can make several types of coffee and tea, and at different temperatures, try the Ninja Hot and Cold Brewed System.

It has a built-in frother and a tea brew basket, which you can use for loose leaf and bagged tea. There's a menu with options for hot or iced drinks, along with different drink varieties like rich (similar to espresso, but not quite) or cold brew coffee, or green or oolong tea.

Programming the machine may take a few minutes longer than expected, but the extended menu and sizing options ensure you get the drink you want when you want it. A delay brew option lets you make your favorite hot beverage in advance.

When the beverage is done, it's automatically kept warm via the hot plate. However, you can adjust the plate to a warm setting instead to ensure your drink doesn't get too hot.

Pros: Pull-out tray accommodates smaller mugs, makes specialty coffee and tea, one-touch technology

Cons: Stainless steel smudges easily, doesn't have an espresso setting, doesn't produce the hottest coffee

What to look for in a coffee maker

Aside from programmability, size, and price, certain features can help make the decision easier.

If the flavor is crucial, you'll want to consider the brewing temperature. In general, coffee makers that reach a range of 195 to 205 degrees Fahrenheit deliver the most precise results. Some machines come with a warming plate to keep your beverages hot after brewing, which is particularly helpful if you're not going to be drinking your coffee right away, or you want the remaining coffee to stay warm.

Impurities in the water you use to brew, such as chlorine, could also impact the taste of the coffee; machines with carbon block filters work particularly well. However, they generally don't make a noticeable difference if your water tastes good to begin with.

Check out our other great coffee guides

• The best espresso machines
• The best french presses
• The best stovetop espresso machines
• The best pour-over coffee gear
• The best cold brew coffee makers

• The best camping tent should have these features in common: They're easy to pitch and pack up, made of durable materials that won't tear or rip easily, and provide reliable shelter in a variety of conditions.
• Though a tent's size is also a concern, they're not all designed to be roomy, so it's important to consider your desired use case while shopping; backpackers should look for a lightweight option while families could opt for a larger tent that sleeps more people.
• We spent several months testing a variety of tents from brands like Mountainsmith, Coleman, and Big Agnes to find the best for three-season outings, family car camping trips, and mountaineering — there's even a budget option that's less than $100.
• Our top pick, the Mountainsmith Morrison EVO 2 Person tent, is easy to set up and break down, costs less than $200, and keeps you warm and dry even in the event of bad weather.

Packing along the right tent makes anyone's camping experience that much better. Though many tents on the market carry with them a premium price tag, what you get for that investment is something that's built to last and intended to be a central part of your kit for years. 

But not all tents are suitable for all conditions, nor is one person's ideal tent the right choice for another camper, climber, or hiker. Choosing the best tent for your needs means considering basic factors like climate and season as well as your activities and how the tent's weight, size, and layout might accommodate or hinder them. It's also smart to factor in the size and number of people who plan to share the tent and what your gear budget is.

To help narrow down your potential choices, we field-tested several of the industry's top tents from brands like Mountainsmith, Coleman, and Big Agnes to find the best suited to a variety of use cases. After several nights in the backcountry and various area campgrounds, we settled on five of our favorites. 

At the bottom of this guide, we've included some helpful tips on how to shop for a camping tent, as well as the testing methodology we used to pick our favorites.

Here are the best tents for camping:

• Best tent overall: Mountainsmith Morrison EVO 2 Person Tent
• Best tent for mountaineering: ALPS Mountaineering Tasmanian 3 Person Tent
• Best backpacking tent: Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2
• Best tent for families: Coleman Evanston Screened 6 Person Tent
• Best budget tent: Flytop Outdoor Backpacking 2 Person Tent

Updated on 10/26/2020 by Rick Stella: Updated the sections on how to shop for a camping tent and what we're currently testing, included a rundown of our testing methodology, added the Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 as our pick for best backpacking tent, checked the availability of all recommended tents, and updated the prices and links where necesesary. 

The best tent overall

The Mountainsmith Morrison EVO 2 Person Tent offers plenty of room for two people and their gear, and it's a reliable three-season tent that will keep you warm and dry even in poor weather.

Mountainsmith is one of the most trusted names in outdoor gear, and for good reason: They make good stuff, and it just happens to be pretty affordable, too. That's certainly the case with the Morrison EVO tent, which is almost a steal at a hundred and sixty bucks. But this is not an entry-level tent — It's a bona fide shelter suitable for three-season use with impressive rain and weather resistance.

I like the Mountainsmith Morrison EVO thanks to the many variations in which you can erect it. The tent can be pitched without the rainfly, leaving the mesh roof exposed, which is ideal for ventilation and cooling in warm conditions. It can also be set up with the rainfly in place but with the windows unzipped and the vestibules open for protection from rain but with airflow maintained. Finally, when the cold sets in or the wind starts driving the rain sideways, you can zip everything shut and seal yourself and your camping buddy in all snug and sound.

You'll only need to practice setting this tent up once or twice before you master it, even with laying out the included footprint and attaching the rain cover. And as long as you don't expect the tent to stand up to a mid-winter blizzard, you should be able to enjoy it in almost any conditions during most months of the year.

Pros: Spacious interior, great price point, suitable for three-season use, easy to set up

Cons: Too heavy for some uses/users, rainfly limits window ventilation

The best tent for mountaineering

Even when gale-force winds and heavy snows are raging outside, within the ALPS Mountaineering Tasmanian 3 Person tent, you will be warm and dry. 

Let's get the negatives out of the way from the get-go on this one: The ALPS Mountaineering Tasmanian 3 Person tent is pretty heavy, and it's pretty snug in there with three adults and the type of gear you need for a genuine mountaineering expedition. But as you probably know, a tent that's designed for three people is actually ideal for two users. Also, if you divide up the poles, the fly, and the tent itself between two people (or three — a trio of sleepers can indeed fit, it just gets ... familiar), the issue of its nine-pound weight is mitigated.

And when the Tasmanian is keeping you safe and even comfortable in the middle of a howling blizzard at 12,000 feet of elevation, you'll be glad you decided to deal with those extra few pounds. The tent uses a freestanding frame system comprised of 7000 Series aluminum poles, complete with a cross pole and weatherproof shock cords, all of which help the Tasmanian keep its shape and remain standing even in powerful winds.

The tent comes with a waterproof polyester fly cover that will keep you dry and that adds excellent insulation, while factory sealed floor and fly seams enhance the water-resistance and block out any chilly breezes that might otherwise creep in.

With two people sharing this tent, it's roomy and comfortable even if you have to keep all your gear inside due to inclement weather. The spacious vestibules help with gear storage and offer some space for food prep, repairs, or for slipping on or off those muddy boots. Just don't plan to use this tent for hot weather camping unless you really like saunas.

Pros: Four-season weather protection, stands up to strong winds, roomy vestibules

Cons: On the heavier side, too hot for summer use

The best backpacking tent

The Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 is extremely lightweight at just 3 pounds, features a hub design that lets it remain stable in inclement weather, and has an incredibly roomy interior for a backpacking tent. 

When a backpacker shops for a tent, there's mostly just one question on their mind: What's the lightest tent I can possibly buy? When you're packing days worth of belongings into a single backpack and hitting the trail, every ounce counts, which makes the Big Agnes Copper Spur tent a no-brainer for any and all backpackers. Weighing just shy of 3 pounds, it's incredibly lightweight and takes up minimal space in a pack — yet still offers a surprisingly roomy interior of 29 square feet. 

Setting up and tearing down the Copper Spur HV UL2 is one of the easiest we've seen throughout all our tests, as the poles snap together in seconds and the tent itself uses clips that quickly affix to the poles. Even when we first set this up, it took maybe five minutes to fully erect — and by the time we had the hang of it, it only took around two or three minutes.

Big Agnes used ripstop nylon and a polyester mesh for the tent's fabric, which make it both durable and breathable. And though it comes with a rainfly (that's also made of ripstop nylon), I wouldn't recommend using this for anything other than summer or shoulder season camping. Because it's so breathable (which is a welcome feature in the summer), it wouldn't be able to provide near enough warmth for camping in the winter.

Everything about the Copper Spur HV UL2 is a backpacker's dream. I've even used this during normal car camping trips because of how much interior space it offers — even if I was sleeping two people to the tent, it still provided more than enough room for both people and a pair of backpacks. It is expensive at $450 but this is a tent that will last you for several years and can be used in so many different ways — it's well worth the investment.  -- Rick Stella

Pros: Large interior space, easy to set up and tear down, weighs just shy of 3 pounds, perfect for backpacking

Cons: Expensive

The best tent for families

The Coleman Evanston Screened 6 Person Tent is large enough for six people to share, and it's a great choice for car campers or for use on shorter overland treks.

The Coleman Evanston tent has a footprint measuring ten by fourteen feet. That includes a generously covered vestibule area, but the interior of the tent itself is still about ten by ten, or 100 square feet, in other words. This tent is a perfect choice for family camp-outs, provided you are making camp in an area with mild temperatures.

The Evanston features huge screen panels and a mesh roof that allow for ventilation and that will keep you and the gang cool when it's warm out, but the tent offers minimal insulation for use in colder climates or seasons.

That said, rain is really no problem with the Coleman Evanston tent. With its rainfly in place and properly lashed down, the tent should stay dry inside even in a downpour. The vestibule is ideal for storing wet or muddy gear and is large enough to serve as a camp kitchen or a spot to hang out and play cards or read.

For the glamping set, the Evanston can accommodate two queen-sized air mattresses, but this tent is ideal when shared by a big family of outdoorsmen, outdoorswomen, and outdoorskids who are content to climb into a sleeping bag after a long day spent enjoying the outdoors.

Pros: Spacious tent with high ceiling, very affordable for large tent, decent rain protection

Cons: Very heavy tent, not suitable for cold weather, limited privacy

The best tent for a camper on a budget

The Flytop Outdoor Backpacking 2 Person Tent costs less than $100, but it's warm, waterproof, wind-resistant, and adequate for adventures in almost all conditions.

The Flytop Outdoor Backpacking tent bills itself as a three- or four-season tent, and in my experience that means this: It's a three-season tent. While I wouldn't want to ride out a rough winter storm in this one, it is a great choice for use in the spring, summer, or fall or even in the wintertime if you are camping at lower altitudes (and lower latitudes, for good measure).

The main reason I would not recommend this tent for use during the winter is its middling durability. Some owners have reported bent poles and tears in the seams; these issues are frustrating when it's cool and wet, but can become serious safety concerns when you're facing freezing temperatures and wintry precipitation.

Though the tent does have a snow skirt that keeps the floor protected and dry, I'd be worried about heavy snow loads and about a potential tear to let in cold air, snow, or freezing rain.

For most people and in most climates, this Flytop Outdoor tent is a great choice, though. Its rainfly is reliably waterproof, it offers excellent ventilation when zipped open, and setup and takedown are both easy. The tent can surely fit two people, but it will get tight if the ground is too wet or dirty to store gear in the vestibules, though.

Pros: Great low price point, reliable waterproofing, easy to set up

Cons: Poles bend under heavy pressure, occasional fabric tears, slightly too heavy for trekking

What else we considered

The number of tents on the market is many, as just about every major outdoor brand offers some version of a portable shelter. They're not all created equal, however. During our test to find those worthy of a spot in your outdoor kit, we came across a few that just barely missed the cut.

We update this section often as we're testing tents year-round, but here's a quick rundown of what we've tested recently and why it still deserves some consideration:

Luxe Tempo Breeze 1 Tent

The Luxe Tempo Breeze 1 has room for a single sleeping pad, sleeping bag, and a bit of gear tucked down by your feet or in a side vestibule, but that's all the serious solo trekker or climber needs. By keeping this tent compact, Luxe Tempo also kept it lightweight. The Breeze 1 is suitable for use during multi-day hikes or when you're hauling your gear up a mountainside hand over hand.

The twin later tent is reliably waterproof and wind-resistant, and it's stable enough to handle some snow load, though most of the snow will slide down its angular sides. With the windows, doors, and rainfly zipped up tight, the Breeze 1 will help keep you warm even when it's below freezing outside. In warm weather, it offers ample ventilation when opened wide.

Setting up the Luxe Tempo Breeze 1 might take a little while the first few times, what with the extended guy lines and included footprint, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be able to pitch them tent fast enough to form a bivouac in the face of a sudden storm.

What we're testing

Decathlon Quechua 2-Second Tent

The Quechua 2-Second from Decathlon attempts to live up to its name by featuring an easy-to-use design that allows it to pitch in no more than two seconds. At just $99, it also sports an attractive price tag. 

How to shop for a camping tent

When shopping, take the time to consider important attributes before even beginning to look at actual tents. For example, if you've already decided that a spacious tent is worth a few extra pounds of gear weight, then there's no need to look at ultra-light tents (which tend to be quite expensive). If you know you'll have a heavy pack laden with gear and rations, then every ounce counts and a small, light tent is crucial.

Perhaps you and the family are summertime car campers and prefer sleeping in a big, breezy tent. Even those who head out onto glaciers or set up camp above the timberline require their own specific set up, which is usually a squat, sturdy tent ready for wind and snow. 

Tent glossary

Shopping for a tent also means combing through a list of industry-specific descriptors and features that might not all be entirely clear. Here are the most common (and important) terms you'll come across during your search:

Vestibule: A tent's vestibule (sometimes referred to as its porch) is a mostly covered exterior portion of the tent where the rainfly or roof of the tent extends beyond the actual shelter. The vestibule is a great place to store gear, cook meals, take off or put on hiking boots, etc. 

Guy lines: Guy lines are what is staked into the ground to stabilize the tent. In windy conditions, these are vital to assure the tent doesn't blow away and when it's raining, the tension of the guy lines, and the fly they're attached to, direct water away from the tent.

Rainfly: A rainfly is often a separate part of the tent altogether and clips onto a specific section of the tent poles to create a roof capable of protecting the interior from the elements like rain, wind, snow, excess sun, etc.. This also provides privacy. 

Footprint: A tent's footprint is the groundsheet that's used between the tent and the ground where it's pitched. These are especially important for any tent that doesn't already have a waterproof base. A footprint adds durability to the bottom of a tent, as well.

Tent poles: Poles help erect a tent by either sliding into specific pole sleeves built onto the tent or by having the tent clip onto the poles themselves. 

Stakes: Stakes are used to secure a tent, its poles, and the rainfly. These are often metal and, depending on the ground they're being put into, can be hammered using a rubber mallet. 

Door tiebacks: Door tiebacks allow you to roll up and secure the tent's door for easy access either in or out of the tent. 

Gear loft: A tent's gear loft is often a small mesh pocket (or group of mesh pockets) that are able to hold everything from smartphones and headlamps to clothing, food, or anything else you want quick access to inside your tent.

How we test camping tents

Each tent in this guide went through a series of multi-night field tests to see how well they stacked up across these four categories: Ease of setup, versatility, durability, and value. Since the tents featured in this guide are best-suited for car camping trips, we focused on categories relevant to that style of camping. The backpacking tent chosen for that category was tested during the review process for our best backpacking tents guide. 

Here's how each category factored into which tents ultimately made this guide:

Ease of setup: Few things are as frustrating as fumbling with a tent the day you get to your campsite (and many a family fight has been started over how to piece together tent poles or the right way to secure a rainfly). Thankfully, many of today's tents feature incredibly easy setup processes that allow them to set up in under 10 minutes, if not shorter. When testing, we looked at how intuitive it was to align the right poles with the correct side of the tent, whether the tent easily snapped onto the poles or had pole sleeves built-in, and whether the tent needed much adjustment after being erected.

Versatility: Though we mentioned above that each tent here is mostly designed for car camping trips, there are a few exceptions, most notably the mountaineering tent and the backpacking tent. But even the standard campsite tents should have some amount of versatility to them. This means coming with an included rainfly or door tie backs, or perhaps even a footprint for added durability. 

Durability: You'll notice that many of the top tents feature materials such as nylon or polyester, both of which are not only popularly used by manufacturers but afford some level of durability. For instance, tents that use ripstop nylon are highly durable and incredibly lightweight while still offering a good level of waterproofing. A brand like Coleman uses weather-treated polyester to get a very similar level of durability and waterproofing.

Value: A tent's value comes down to more than just its sticker price and is often a combination of the three categories above, as well as how much it ultimately costs. If you're able to get out of a tent exactly what you need it to do and can rely on it for several years, then spending more for that kind of premium product is far better than spending less more often.

• Republican Rep. Doug Collins' Senate campaign ads have attracted scrutiny for featuring images of himself wearing the US Air Force uniform — particularly in the absence of any disclaimers.
• At least a dozen images and videos of Collins wearing different variations of the Air Force uniform have appeared on his campaign's social media accounts in recent weeks.
• "This is a Tiger Woods two-inch putt — it's so obvious," Michael Weinstein, a former US Air Force judge advocate general and a former member of the White House counsel, told Insider.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Republican Rep. Doug Collins' campaign ads have attracted scrutiny for prominently using images of himself wearing the US Air Force uniform — particularly in the absence of any disclaimers — in an apparent violation of the Defense Department's regulations.

At least a dozen images and videos of Collins wearing different Air Force uniforms have appeared on his Senate campaign's social media accounts. The Georgia-based Republican serves as lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves, and previously deployed to Iraq as a chaplain. 

While campaign advertisements featuring a candidate's military service are not unusual, several of Collins' images appeared to violate the Defense Department's regulations intended to protect the military's apolitical status. Military regulations for non-active duty personnel state that a candidate's advertisement "must clearly indicate their retired or reserve status" and include a "prominent and clearly displayed disclaimer" stating that the Defense Department does not necessarily endorse them.

Several of Collins' advertisements failed to meet the criteria by not including the disclaimers. In addition to not meeting the requirements, the Defense Department also bans candidates from using photographs or other media to portray themselves in military uniform "as the primary graphic representation in any campaign media."

The controversial campaign images, some of which attacked Collins' political opponents, prominently featured Collins wearing the uniform.

The Department of Defense and the Air Force Reserves did not respond to Insider's requests for comment.

Collins is challenging incumbent Republican Sen. Kelly Loeffler in a Georgia special election that polling site FiveThirtyEight rates a toss-up.

Attorney Michael Weinstein, founder of the non-profit group Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF), described the advertisements as a "shameful" violation of the military's regulations.

"You can do it if you're doing it biographically, but you must include a prominent disclaimer — that's not even there," Weinstein told Insider, referring to the campaign advertisements. "He's like the sole star of these ads. That's not biographical. That's political. He's using it for a partisan, political agenda. It's pathetic. It's putrescent."

Weinstein, who is a former US Air Force judge advocate general and a member of the White House counsel during President Ronald Reagan's administration, also noted that Collins should have known better as a long-time military officer.

"This is a Tiger Woods two-inch putt — it's so obvious," Weinstein added. "What's particularly appalling is that we court-martial young soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines for stuff that is 1% as bad."

Weinstein's organization, which represents clients in the military who allege they have been discriminated against on the basis of religion, has since written a letter addressed to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, asking him to instruct Collins to stop the campaign advertisements and launch an investigation.

Dan McLagan, Collins' campaign spokesman, told Insider that the scrutiny over the advertisements was a machination of the MRFF's "long-standing grudge" against the congressman and "religious liberty."

Collins and other Republican lawmakers complained to the Defense Department earlier this year that "anti-religion activists" and "nefarious organizations" were attempting to "ruin the careers of the hardworking men and women who serve as military chaplains."

"For years, Doug has been fighting Mikey Weinstein's heinous attacks on our service members' constitutional — and God-given — right to freedom of religion," McLagan said. "Mikey is hell bent on eradicating religion from the military, and he hates Doug because he's fighting for every military member's right to worship."

McLagan added that there were a few advertisements that did not "display a properly formatted disclaimer because of a vendor error," and that those ads have been removed. However, some of the advertisements were still viewable as of Monday.

Weinstein said he was not surprised by Collins' rebuttal.

"Our rights in America are not God-given. They are given by our Constitution, which doesn't mention anybody's God at at time," Weinstein told Insider, adding that he was Jewish.

"The term that we would use is 'bulls---,'" Weinstein added. "What I would say to his campaign is to basically, 'Shut the "eff" up and follow the regulations.'"

Collins served in the House for seven years and has raised his political profile during President Donald Trump's administration, most notably as the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee. 

Political advertisements featuring candidates wearing military and law enforcement uniforms have raised flags during recent election cycles. In 2019, Floyd McLendon, a retired US Navy SEAL running for a House seat in Texas, was spotted at his campaign kickoff wearing the Navy's dress white uniform. Both the Navy and the Marine Corps prohibit wearing the uniform at political events, even for retirees and reservists.

McLendon lost to businesswoman Genevieve Collins by 19-percentage points during the March primary.

• More than 61 million Americans have voted early in the 2020 general election, and more than 20 million among them have voted in person, according to the US Elections Project.
• At an early voting site at the Brooklyn Museum in New York City on Monday, the line wrapped around the entire building, with voters waiting nearly two hours to vote.
• "You look at all these people, and you realize there's this huge determination to exercise our right to vote," Jane Armstrong, a 60-year-old freelance painter from Crown Heights, told Insider while waiting in the rain.
• People willing to brave the inclement weather were skeptical about voting by mail, particularly because of the Trump administration's handling of the Postal Service and the New York City Board of Elections experiencing issues with the process in the June primary.
• "I don't fully trust our voting by mail," said Rachel Schactman, a 29-year-old resident of Prospect Lefferts Gardens. "The city wasn't clear about when we had to cast mail-in ballots in order for them to be counted."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

BROOKLYN, N.Y. — Under the pelting rain and just past the gaze of a Statue of Liberty replica behind the Brooklyn Museum, dozens of New Yorkers waited up to two hours to cast their vote early on Monday.

The Empire State greatly expanded its voting by mail system going into the 2020 election, allowing anyone to cite the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for voting absentee.

However, enough Brooklynites donned rain jackets and armed themselves with umbrellas to make the in-person early voting line at the museum wrap around the entire building, which is really more like a full block.

"For us, we want to do it in person," Abbie Klenzman, a 39-year-old hair stylist from Prospect Heights told Insider while waiting in line with her kids.

"We want to know it's happening, we want to see it happen," her husband, Seth Scantlen, chimed in. 

Scantlen, a 41-year-old artist, added that the sacrifice of waiting in the rain would be worth it once he saw the machine register his ballot inside. 

His sentiment was a common one among the early voters, who spent somewhere between an hour-and-a-half to two hours once they hopped in line to the point where they would finally get out of the rain and make it inside to vote.

Scantlen, Klenzman, and more than 20 million other Americans have already voted in-person so far, according to the US Elections Project's running tally.

The early turnout has smashed records across the country, with more than 61 million Americans already done with voting more than a week out from the election when mail-in votes are also included. 

More than a dozen voters who spoke to Insider outside the Brooklyn Museum on Monday cited many of the same reasons for carving out the time to brave the soggy weather. The main motivating factors they cited were making a statement by waiting in line to vote and making sure to do it in person out of a fear that voting by mail may carry some risk.

While some brought up fears around President Donald Trump's hampering of the United States Postal Service, others said their concerns were more localized.

"I don't fully trust our voting by mail," said Rachel Schactman, a 29-year-old who works in tech and lives in Prospect Lefferts Gardens. "The city wasn't clear about when we had to cast mail-in ballots in order for them to be counted."

Schactman was referring to the June primary in New York where expanded voting by mail turned into a nightmare, as The New York Times described it.

Some congressional races took weeks to call, with the city's Board of Elections employees swamped as the Big Apple saw a tenfold increase in the number of mail-in ballots, bringing the total to more than 400,000. Even if the risk of having their ballot not counted was minuscule, some voters waiting in the rain were not willing to risk it this time around.

Trump was another common motivating factor, they said, even in how they chose the optics of how to cast their ballots.

"You look at all these people, and you realize there's this huge determination to exercise our right to vote," Jane Armstrong, a 60-year-old freelance painter from Crown Heights, told Insider.

Armstrong noted that there was a palpable urgency to get Trump out of office, and that demonstrating a willingness to stand in line for hours would hopefully send a clear message.

Abby Schreiber, a 31-year-old freelance journalist and consultant in Crown Heights, said beyond being "100% sure that my vote was going to be received and counted," there was a more visceral sensation that came with voting in person.

Schreiber, who works for Fair Fight Action, an anti-voter suppression organization led by Stacey Abrams, noted she has voted by mail in the past, but "when you do vote in person there just feels like a more active participation, even though your vote is the same."

Despite the rain and occasional gusts to make things even more chilly and uncomfortable, the mood throughout the line was upbeat.

A young man sauntered around puddles offering people free slices of pizza, and the People's Bodega set up a cart at the corner of Eastern Parkway and Washington Avenue. Here, on the border of three Brooklyn neighborhoods — Crown Heights, Prospect Heights, and Prospect Lefferts Gardens — longtime residents and recent transplants were equally eager to exercise their civic duty.

While the length of the line may just amount to a social media post for some, the scale of participation at the local level represented something more for voters like Schreiber.

"I definitely think the fact that so many people are here waiting in line in the rain in New York is a testament to how energized people have been this season to vote," she said.

• The United States has the most coronavirus cases and deaths of any country in the world.
• The US ranks ninth in total cases per capita and in deaths per capita.
• Experts predict the worst of the nation's third surge of cases is yet to come. 
• Here's how the US's coronavirus outbreak compares to other countries on 11 key metrics.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When Dr. Anthony Fauci was asked whether the US had the world's worst coronavirus outbreak in August, he responded: "The numbers don't lie."

"When you look at the number of infections and the number of deaths, it really is quite concerning," Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CNN's Sanjay Gupta.

Indeed, the US has more coronavirus cases than any other country: more than 8.6 million. Given the difficulty of identifying and recording cases — especially infections contracted early in the pandemic — researchers estimate that the real tally is far higher.

The US also has the highest number of deaths: more than 225,000. That's almost double the amount recorded in India, the country with the world's third-highest death count.

Like cases, deaths are likely also undercounted in the US: A recent study suggested that 75,000 additional deaths should have been attributed to COVID-19 from March to July.

But a stronger way to compare coronavirus infections and deaths between countries is to look at the figures per capita. This controls for the US's large population. In cases per capita, the US ranks ninth in the world (excluding countries, territories, and microstates with populations with under 1 million).

More than 26,000 out of every 1 million people in the US have been infected with the coronavirus.

The US also ranks ninth in terms of deaths per capita: For every 1 million people, 69 people have died of the virus. That puts it behind Spain and Mexico but ahead of the United Kingdom.

These metrics account for all cases and deaths recorded so far. When it comes to the scale of the US's current outbreak, however, its cases look worse than many other countries' tallies.

The latest US outbreak tops the charts

The US is in the midst of its third surge of infections, which already seems to have become its largest yet. All but two states have seen new daily cases climb over the past two weeks, according to data from John Hopkins University.

Part of the reason for this, experts say, is that cases never dropped sufficiently.

"If the rates never get that low, and basic public-health measures are not universally adopted, and then you bring people indoors to share a meal together, you're kind of putting together the perfect storm," Ingrid Katz, an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, previously told Business Insider. "Unfortunately this was completely anticipated."

The US now ranks second in the world in terms of new daily cases. The country is seeing a weekly average of nearly 69,000 new cases per day — an increase of more than 60% since October 1.

When controlling for population size, the US ranks 25th in the world in terms of new daily cases per capita. In the last week, around 208 daily cases have been recorded, on average, for every 1 million people.

European nations like Belgium, France, and the UK rank higher in new cases per capita, since infections in those countries have steadily risen since August.

As cases climb, deaths will likely follow

On average, coronavirus deaths tend to lag at least two weeks behind infections. So researchers expect to see US deaths climb in the coming weeks given the recent record-high days of new cases.

Already, the US ranks first in the world in terms of its weekly average of new daily deaths.

The US is lower when ranking new daily deaths per capita, however. On average, the country is seeing around 2.4 daily deaths for every 1 million people.

The University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation predicts that more than 160,000 more people in the US could die of the coronavirus from now through February 1. That would make this third surge of infections the deadliest yet.

Testing doesn't fully account for the recent surge

Trump has repeatedly insisted that the US's high case count is the result of increased testing. The US leads the world in terms of total tests administered: nearly 133 million so far.

But several countries are administering more tests relative to their population size. Singapore, for instance, is testing nearly 3,500 out of every 100,000 people each day, on average.

The US ranks 11th in testing per capita.

Experts say testing doesn't fully account for the rising number of coronavirus infections in the US. If that were the case, the nation's test-positivity rate — the share of coronavirus tests that come back positive — would be flat or going down. Instead, the test-positivity rate rose from 4.6% on October 1 to around 6.2% on Sunday.

When comparing how nations have spent money to address the economic consequences of the pandemic, Japan leads the rest. It has spent around 20% of its GDP on a COVID-19 stimulus package, according to data from the International Monetary Fund.

The US, meanwhile, ranks fourth among G20 countries in terms of stimulus spending. The Trump administration has delivered $3.4 trillion in coronavirus aid so far.

With negotiations over a second round of relief checks deadlocked in Congress, it's now increasingly unlikely that a new bill will be approved before Election Day on November 3.

This story has been updated with new data. It was originally published October 21, 2020.

• You can change your YouTube profile picture through YouTube's desktop website or mobile app.
• Before you save your new profile picture, you'll have the chance to crop it.
• When you change your YouTube profile picture, you'll also be changing the profile picture of the Google account linked to it.
• Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories.

Your YouTube channel's profile picture is one of the easiest ways for people to identify you. Unfortunately, changing that picture can be something of a convoluted process.

It also needs to be noted that when you update your YouTube profile picture, if your channel is linked to a Google account, that Google account's profile picture will change too.

You can change your YouTube profile picture through the desktop website or mobile app. Here's how.

How to change your YouTube profile picture on the website

1. Go to youtube.com and log into your account, if necessary.

2. Click your current profile icon in the top-right corner of the screen and select "Settings."

3. Click your profile picture, located towards the center of the screen next to "Your Channel." This will bring you to your Channel page.

4. Click your profile picture, now next to your channel's name, one more time.

5. Now on your "Channel customization" page, you'll be offered several ways to personalize your account. Under the "Profile picture" section, next to your current icon, click "Change."

6. Pick as photo from your computer. Note that if it's too big, it might not be accepted — YouTube recommends keeping it under 4MB. Once you pick it, crop it however you like.

7. Click "Publish" in the top-right.

Once you make changes to your photo, keep in mind that it may take a few minutes for the system to update.

How to change your YouTube profile picture in the mobile app

You can set a new profile picture through the YouTube mobile app, too.

1. Open the YouTube or YouTube Studio app and tap your profile photo in the top-right corner of the screen.

2. Select "Manage your Google Account." This will open your Google account settings.

3. Tap on your current profile picture, which will either be at the very top of the screen. If you're asked whether you'd like to remove or change the current picture, select "Change." If you're just given a small pop-up saying what your profile picture is, select "Set Profile Photo."

4. Pick your new profile picture, either from your phone's camera roll, Google's collection of your photos, or by taking a new one.

5. Crop the photo as you'd like, and then save it. Your YouTube profile picture will be changed.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

• How to delete your own YouTube videos on a computer or mobile device

• How to upload a video to YouTube and customize its settings on desktop and mobile

• How to temporarily hide or permanently delete your YouTube account, and erase any trace of yourself from the site

• How to play YouTube videos in the background on your iPhone without having to keep the app open

• How to create a YouTube playlist, add or remove videos, and set its privacy settings

• The US recorded 83,000 new coronavirus cases on Friday and again on Saturday — the highest daily totals since the beginning of the pandemic.
• But experts say people are experiencing "pandemic fatigue," meaning they are taking more risks as they grow impatient over a long lost sense of normality.
• At the same time, "mixed messages" from government officials and leaders who are "downplaying the danger" have made people experiencing pandemic fatigue more vulnerable to confirmation bias, one expert said.
• Staying safe and abiding by social-distancing guidelines are still the most important things to do, experts say. Taking care of your mental health and following routine schedules can help.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Over the weekend, the US recorded more new coronavirus cases than on any other day since the pandemic began.

On Friday, the country recorded 83,757 new infections, according to Johns Hopkins University. On Saturday, another 83,718 Americans were added to the total. More than 8.6 million people have now contracted the virus in the US, the most of any country.

Those daily totals are like adding the entire population of Sioux City, Iowa, per day to the count. One expert told CNN that new daily cases in the US could "easily" reach the six digits soon.

But the landscape of the pandemic looks nothing like it did in March. Then, states and cities rushed to enact public health orders telling people to stay home and allowing in-person work only if it was essential.

Today most states aren't under lockdown orders. Many are letting people go to places like restaurants, bars, places of worship, offices, and salons — even though we know the virus spreads easiest indoors where maskless people are in close contact.

These skyrocketing numbers of new cases signal the start of a third wave of coronavirus infections, which experts say could be the deadliest to date.

But Americans seem too exhausted to care.

Pandemic fatigue leads to more risk-taking

Increased time spent indoors this fall and winter coupled with larger gatherings over the holidays could exacerbate the surge in coronavirus cases, scientists previously told Business Insider's Aria Bendix.

The increase in the number of cases is accompanied by an uptick in hospitalizations and deaths from the coronavirus. While the development of therapeutics has decreased the likelihood that people will die from the disease, a model from the University of Washington predicted the US's total coronavirus deaths could surpass 511,000 by the end of February, Bendix reported.

If 95% of the country wore masks, the model found, we could save 130,000 lives.

But roughly seven months into the pandemic, people are being less careful and taking more health and safety risks as they become tired of the social-distancing guidelines and nostalgic of their long-lost normality, experts said.

"A lot of people probably are less careful and are taking risks, in part because they really want their lives to return back to normal," Craig Smith, an associate professor of psychology and human development at Vanderbilt University, told Business Insider. "They're sick of it. They've turned their lives upside down to try and be safe going through the period back in the spring of shelter in place."

Families who have to calculate the risk of participating in activities that used to be commonplace suffer from "the exhaustion with dealing with all of the responsibilities around keeping themselves and their loved ones healthy and safe," Dr. Matifadza Hlatshwayo, a clinical instructor at the Washington University School of Medicine, told Business Insider.

The craving for a sense of normality is palpable. Parents have had to take care of their kids at home, as many schools are closed across the country. Friends aren't supposed to gather in person and instead connect over video calls.

"It's changed our culture. It's changed our ability to socialize," Hlatshwayo said.

Mixed messaging is particularly dangerous when people are already too tired to be careful

Americans are increasingly vulnerable to making risky decisions because of pandemic fatigue, which makes misinformation and mixed messaging around the coronavirus particularly dangerous.

When responding to "mixed messages," people are more likely to selectively seek information that confirms what they want to believe because of "confirmation bias," Smith said.

Meanwhile, government officials continue to clash with each other on how the public should approach the pandemic.

On Sunday, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said "we are not going to control the pandemic," which was met with swift criticism from leaders on the left, including Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Smith said it would be helpful to make sure medical experts are able to deliver clear messages without interference or criticism.

This month, more than 1,000 former and current officers from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or signed a letter addressing the concerns over the "politicization and silencing" of the health agency. On several occasions, Trump has publicly broke with Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's leading infectious disease expert.

Leaders who are "downplaying the danger" encourage people who are "so sick of all the things that they're missing out on" to make risky decisions that could be incredibly dangerous, Smith said.

"Consistency in messaging is key so that if we're all following these guidelines and we do so for a period of time, then we can all start to enjoy that measure of success," Hlatshwayo said.

Staying safe is still the utmost priority in the pandemic

So what should people do to mitigate pandemic fatigue, especially as coronavirus cases are back on the rise? Experts say the most important thing is to continue staying safe.

"The first message hasn't changed," Hlatshwayo said, emphasizing that we must wear masks, maintain social distance, and eliminate large gatherings.

Around the world, countries including South Korea and New Zealand have reinstated lockdowns in response to surges in cases. Sweden recently moved away from its previous no-lockdown stance in response to the growing number of cases.

At the same time, everyone should pay special attention to the toll the pandemic is taking on their mental well-being and seek help when needed, Hlatshwayo said.

Carisa Parrish, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, told Business Insider that people should reach out to their primary care doctor if they have any hesitation on the health risks that certain activities may pose.

She also recommended it is particularly important to make plans and gradually build a regular schedule and routine with regular exercise, work, and meals that can all help build your mood.

"I see a lot of people trying to convince themselves that it's okay to relax what the safety precautions are 'just this one time,'" Parrish said, adding that people often perceive lower risk when put in social situations with people they really enjoy spending time with, such as family and friends.

There is a mental fatigue to recalculating the risk each time, she said. "Just because we feel safer doesn't mean we are safer."

Aria Bendix contributed reporting.