October/November ION

October-November 2020

Better living through technology

TOP 10 Experts’ holiday gift predictions

Tech for pets Products to help your furry friend thrive

Ways to stay occupied indoors this fall PLUS: All the smartphone settings to know for uninterrupted sleep

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October-November 2020

FROM THE EDITOR

Old dogs,

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new tech

STAFF Editor LISA GLOWINSKI Copy Editor MICHAEL TOESET

love old dogs. The three dogs my husband and I have adopted since 2012 have been 8 or older.

Dogs are considered senior around 8 or 10 years old, depending on their size — smaller dogs typically live longer than large breeds, so they get a few extra years before being considered senior.

You want a chill dog? Get a senior. A binge-watching buddy? An older dog is there for you. Puppies are cute but puppy energy is no joke.

Of course, getting an older pet means he or she might not be with you as long as a younger one should. And just because they were in your lives for only a few years doesn’t make the end any less devastating.

I love this issue’s cover story because there is so much out there for old dogs and cats, to help keep them in the prime of life. Car ramps have helped immensely when our dogs have wanted to ride in the car but couldn’t jump in like they used to. Harnesses and slings have been lifesavers for our big breeds after surgery, or just when they get unsteady.

I hope that one day pet tech will advance to keeping them healthy and safe long beyond 10 or 20 years, but until then we’ll make do with what we have — and keep our eyes peeled for future innovations.

Designer MICHELLE LAUZON Vice President, Content Innovation & Development STEVE DORSEY Vice President, Marketing LORI CATRON Ad Sales GERRY JOYCE Cover photo: Bigstock © GANNETT CO., INC. 2020 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Meeko was our first old dog, an Alaskan Malamute

Best,

WHAT IS ION?

Lisa Glowinski Director, More Content Now Gannett ion@gatehousemedia.com

Technology is all around us.

How can we use it to make life easier, not more complicated?

ION’s mission is to help readers understand technology in order to use it to improve their lives. Find us on Facebook at /ionnewsmag and monthly in this newspaper.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form without prior written permission of the Publisher. Permission is only deemed valid if approval is in writing. ION Magazine and Gannett Co. Inc. buy all rights to contributions, text and images, unless previously agreed to in writing.

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October-November 2020

Control what Alexa hears, records Q: How do I adjust the settings on Amazon Echo for more privacy?

A: Here are some tips for various situations: • Make Alexa stop listening: Turn off your mic via the mute button on the top of the device. You can also turn off the camera, if it has one.

While earlier Echo models allow you to disable it with the push of a button, newer versions also have privacy shutters that cover the lens when it’s not being used. The LED light turns red to give you visual confirmation that the microphone and camera are not active.

• Change your wake word: Alexa can wake to the words “computer,” “Amazon” or “echo” instead of her name. Open the Alexa app on your mobile device, find your speaker in Devices and select your new wake word. Give your speaker a few minutes to update.

recordings included in the review process in the Alexa app’s settings. In these privacy settings, you can also delete voice recordings, which are accessible to anyone you share the app with. You can even set up auto deletion every three or 18 months. Here’s how: Alexa app > Settings > Manage your Alexa data > Automatically delete recordings • Keep people from spying on you: Alexa’s Drop In feature lets other Echos automatically connect to another Echo to start a conversation, like an intercom system. You can turn this on or off, set it to just work between devices in your household, and even select specific contacts who are allowed to drop in anytime in the Conversations tab on the Alexa app. To see who’s already on your list, go to the Contacts Menu and check Others Who Can Drop In on my Devices. Tap Remove to revoke the contact’s Drop In permissions.

— Yael Grauer, Reviewed.com

• Know for sure when Alexa is listening: When an Echo speaker has heard the wake word and starts listening, you’ll see the light ring on top turn blue (or you’ll see a blue stripe of color pulse along the bottom of the screen in the case of smart displays like the Show). But if the speaker isn’t in your field of vision, you might not realize when it’s listening unless you enable an audible alert.

With sounds enabled, you’ll get both visible and audible notifications when your speaker is listening for a command. Here’s how: Alexa app > General > Sounds > Request Sounds > Enable “Start of Request” and “End of Request” • Prevent unauthorized purchases: You can toggle “Purchase by Voice” off in the Alexa app under the Voice Purchasing setting. Or, set up a PIN code to avoid unauthorized purchases.

• Stop Amazon from listening to your recordings: In 2019, Bloomberg reported that Amazon employs workers to manually review voice recordings. You can opt out of having your voice

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020

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In this issue

passion

ON THE COVER Just as tech can make our lives easier, it can for our pets, too. From devices that keep them calm when home alone, to gadgets that help them as they age, the experts at Reviewed.com have looked into it all. 32

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The best smart pet cameras of 2020

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The best vacuums for pet hair of 2020

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Tech to make life easier for elderly dogs

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Is this really the best cat scratcher ever? Yes

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The best dog harnesses of 2020

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Does pH-testing cat litter work?

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GO GO GADGETS

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What to read, watch and download in October

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10 holiday gift predictions

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What to read, watch and download in November

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The best running watches of 2020

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9 things to keep you occupied indoors this fall

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Tracy Beckerman: The day the laptop stood still

instruction HOW DO I ... ?

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Program your phone for better sleep

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Clean a robot vacuum

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RECOMMENDATIONS S U N D AY

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What to watch, read and download this month 4

October 2020

October is chock-full of new shows on streaming services and their network and cable counterparts. Plus, book publishers are going into overdrive for this first full month of fall. Time to settle in for an entertaining autumn.

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“Next” on Fox premieres — a “yourtech-will-kill-you” thriller from writer and producer Manny Coto (“24: Legacy”). John Slattery (“Mad Men”) stars as the shaky Silicon Valley billionaire trying to outwit his own AI creation.

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Book fans can look forward to today’s releases of “The Cold Millions” by Jess Walter and “Troubles in Paradise” by Elin Hilderbrand.

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New book releases include “World Travel: An Irreverent Guide” by Anthony Bourdain and Laurie Woolever, and “This Just Speaks to Me: Words to Live By Every Day” by Hoda Kotb.

COLUMBUS DAY

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Limited series “The Undoing” premieres on HBO and HBO Max, starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant and written by David E. Kelley.

Based on Jean Hanff Korelitz’s novel “You Should Have Known,” a soon-tobe-minted author’s life gets upended by criss-crossing public tragedies.

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Netflix’s “Unsolved Mysteries” reboot returns with a new batch of episodes, including on the murder of presidential adviser Jack Wheeler, whose body was found in a Delaware landfill in 2010, and the death of a woman in an Oslo hotel room in 1995 who remains unidentified.

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20 New books out include “A Dog’s Perfect Christmas” by W. Bruce Cameron and “The Silence” by Don DeLillo.

27 Today’s book releases include “Marauder” by Clive Cussler, “Expect a Miracle” by Danielle Steel, “The Sentinel” by Lee Child and Andrew Child, and “Daylight” by David Baldacci.

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This may have been a pop-up you agreed to last month, but today Facebook updates its Terms of Service to be able to “remove or restrict access to your content, services or information if we determine that doing so is reasonably necessary to avoid or mitigate adverse legal or regulatory impacts to Facebook.” Just letting you know. Love, ION.

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S AT U R D AY

“Monsterland” premieres on Hulu. Based on stories from Nathan Ballingrud’s collection “North America Lake Monsters,” this eight-episode season will take on supernatural stories set in different cities across America.

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Fans of “The Haunting of Hill House” get a second season in the form of “The Haunting of Bly Manor” on Netflix. Also on Netflix, docureality series “Deaf U” premieres, following deaf students at Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.

“Books of Blood” is a six-part horror anthology on Hulu based on Clive Barker’s short story collection of the same name.

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NATIONAL BOSSES DAY

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Two compelling original dramas debut on Netflix. Series “Grand Army” is a raw, controversial coming-of-age story aimed at a teen audience, and “The Trial of the Chicago 7” is a legal drama based on the real case of the “Chicago Seven.” It’s directed by Aaron Sorkin.

Over on Hulu, “Marvel’s Helstrom” is a series that focuses on brother-sister crimefighting duo Daimon and Satana Helstrom.

SWEETEST DAY

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On Netflix, miniseries “The Queen’s Gambit” stars Anya Taylor-Joy as Beth Harmon, an orphan-turned-chess prodigy, based on the cult novel of the same name.

If you have Apple TV+, you’ll be able to see “On the Rocks,” a movie from Sofia Coppola that releases in theaters Oct. 2. In New York City, a woman suspects her husband may be cheating. She recruits her eccentric and wealthy father to help her uncover the truth.

Starring Rashida Jones, Bill Murray, Marlon Wayans and Jenny Slate.

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30 Baby Yoda fans rejoice! Season 2 of “The Mandalorian” premieres on Disney+.

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HALLOWEEN

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October-November 2020

RECOMMENDATIONS S U N D AY

What to watch, read and download this month

November 2020

November starts with an extra hour because of Daylight Saving Time ending.

Use it to sleep, plug your polling place’s address into Google Maps, wrap holiday gifts, plan your socially distanced Thanksgiving, or catch up on any of October’s entertainment offerings you missed.

Once that’s done, let’s go vote. Then relax with a good book and some new comedy and travel series.

M O N D AY

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But after that, if you want to read a new book, those out today include “The Dirty South” by John Connolly and “Fortune and Glory” by Janet Evanovich.

Mobile streaming service Quibi releases “Ten Weeks,” a docuseries following five Army recruits through Basic Combat Training.

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS

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ELECTION DAY

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Season 2 of “Punk’d” releases on Quibi, a prank show featuring Hollywood stars hosted by Chance the Rapper.

10 New releases include “The Law of Innocence,” a Lincoln Lawyer novel by Michael Connelly and “Dearly: Poems” by Margaret Atwood.

“Slugfest” releases on Quibi.

Based on the book “Slugfest: Inside the Epic, 50-year Battle Between Marvel and DC,” the docuseries illustrates the rise of the comics powerhouses.

Season 4 of “The Crown” begins on Netflix, with Olivia Colman’s Queen Elizabeth II carrying the story into the 1980s. Gillian Anderson joins the cast as Margaret Thatcher and Emma Corrin as the young Lady Diana Spencer.

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VOTE!

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Disney+’s “The Lego Star Wars Holiday Special” is sure to get you ready for the buying, er, holiday season. It’s “Star Wars” legend that the 1978 holiday special didn’t go so well. This year Rey and Chewbacca head out to discover a Jedi Temple, encountering many iconic series heroes and villains.

Book releases today include “Rhythm of War” by Brandon Sanderson, “No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality” by Michael J. Fox and “I Wanna Be Where the Normal People Are” by Rachel Bloom.

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Shortform stand-up comedy series “This Joka with Will Smith” debuts on Quibi, and season 2 of “Thanks a Million” begins on the platform as well, in which celebrities gift $100,000 to individuals who have had a profound effect on their lives. Whoever receives the money must give half of it to someone else.

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New books include “Dark Tides”

by Philippa Gregory, “Slanted: How the News Media Taught Us to Love Censorship and Hate Journalism” by Sharyl Attkisson, and “Instant Pot Bible: The Next Generation: 350 Totally New Recipes for Every Size and Model” by Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough.

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“Eater’s Guide to the World” debuts on Hulu, with Maya Rudolph providing narration.

Episodes take the viewer in search of the best bite in Casablanca, Tijuana, New York City, Costa Rica, Los Angeles, Miami, D.C., the Pacific Northwest and Atlanta.

Documentary “I Am Greta” will premiere in the U.S. on Hulu, after running in theaters and at film festivals around the world.

VETERANS DAY Drama “No Man’s Land” debuts on Hulu. The disappearance of his sister leads Antoine (Félix Moati) into the heart of the Syrian civil war in this eightpart French series. He teams with a group of Kurdish fighters on their way to the heart of ISIS-controlled territory.

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THANKSGIVING DAY

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RECOMMENDATIONS things to keep you occupied indoors this

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By Courtney Campbell | Reviewed.com

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t the start of the pandemic, we all tried to keep ourselves occupied with a random assortment of activities from bread making to learning TikTok dances.

Now that fall is here and the end of the pandemic is nowhere in sight, we’ll probably be spending more time indoors again — but this time we’ll be prepared.

There are a ton of products you can buy to keep yourself busy that go beyond the typical board games and puzzles we all resorted to the first go around. Here are nine:

1. ONLINE CLASSES TAUGHT BY CELEBRITIES If you’re going to learn a new skill like gardening, acting or interior design, you might as well learn it from the experts — or your favorite celebrity. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for a private class, you can learn from the best on MasterClass. It offers virtual classes from famous celebrities on pretty much every topic, like cooking with Gordon Ramsay, basketball with Steph Curry or acting with Natalie Portman. Classes are self-paced, so you can do them whenever you have free time.

2. SOFTWARE TO HELP YOU LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE There are a few language softwares out there like Babbel and Rosetta Stone that are great to invest in if you want to learn a new language. Babble offers 14 different language courses, and when we tried it we liked how engaging the courses were and that you can opt for a month-to-month subscription. Rosetta Stone, on the other hand, has 24 languages to choose from but is slightly more expensive. But after using it, we loved that you can cater courses to what you’ll use the language most for (travel, work, basics) and that it gave an in-depth understanding. Either are great options, depending on your needs.

Find it: babbel.com Cost: Subscriptions start at $12.95 per month Find it: rosettastone.com Cost: Subscriptions start at $35.97 for three months

Find it: masterclass.com Cost: $15 a month (billed annually)

ROSETTA STONE

Who wouldn’t want to learn to cook from Gordon Ramsay?

MASTERCLASS

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3. A KINDLE TO KICK UP YOUR READING Not only is the Kindle lighter than a physical book, but you can quickly download books to start reading ASAP. The Kindle Paperwhite is the best in its class for its superior e-ink display, massive storage and the fact that it’s waterproof. But what’s really gotten me to read more is finding inexpensive ways to read books through Amazon Daily Deals on Kindle books and renting ebooks from my local library.

Find it: amazon.com Cost: $129.99

4. AN APP FOR A NEW WORKOUT PROGRAM After testing the most popular workout apps, we found that Nike Training Club was the best one out there. It has a ton of workouts for all different fitness levels at a variety of lengths, so you can smash out a quick workout if you want. The best part? It’s entirely free.

Find it: nike.com/ntc-app

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5. A TRUE CRIME SUBSCRIPTION BOX True crime junkies who want to pass the time another way than rewatching their favorite documentary should check out Hunt A Killer. It’s a cold case mystery game that comes as a monthly subscription box. Each box is a new “episode” that keeps you on your toes as you try to figure out who-dun-it.

Find it: huntakiller.com Cost: Single boxes are $30 per month or a six-month subscription is $165

REVIEWED / CAMRYN RABIDEAU

6. AN EASY WAY TO START BREWING KOMBUCHA I tried this kit from The Kombucha Shop and have been using it for over two years. It’s more cost-effective than buying bottles of this fizzy drink, and you can experiment with fun fall flavors like apple cinnamon or cranberry ginger.

Find it: thekombuchashop.com/ products/kombucha-brewing-kit Cost: $45

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7. A NEW GAMING CONSOLE FOR HOURS OF FUN This spring, getting a Nintendo Switch was nearly impossible as pretty much every person wanted one. Also, keep your eye out for the new Xbox X Series and PlayStation 5, which are set to be released in November and will sell out fast.

Find it: nintendo.com/switch Cost: The Lite is $199.99, the original is $299.99 Find it: xbox.com/en-US/consoles/xbox-series-x Cost: Expected around $499 Find it: playstation.com/en-us/ps5 Cost: Expected between $450 and $500

8. AN ESPECIALLY CHALLENGING PUZZLE Gray Malin is known for his incredible travel photography, and his prints have been turned into puzzles that are insanely hard. Why? It’s double-sided, so not only do you need to separate your edges from your middle, but you need to determine what side is going to work. Even though puzzles might be getting a little old, this twist will keep you at them for much longer and you’ll have another puzzle to do once you complete the first.

Find it: graymalin.com/puzzles Cost: $25 GALISON

9. A STREAMING DEVICE TO MAKE BINGE-WATCHING EASIER When in doubt, binge-watching the latest shows is always a good option. Plus, with so many streaming services to choose from, it feels like we have no other choice than to get a streaming device to properly watch them all. The Roku Ultra is the best streaming device we’ve ever tested because it’s compatible with most of the biggest streaming services and has an easy-to-use remote that you can control with your voice.

Find it: roku.com/products/roku-ultra Cost: $99.99

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GO GO GADGETS

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holiday gift predictions

By Courtney Campbell Reviewed.com

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t’s time we start thinking about holiday gifts. If you wait too long, the hottest items will be sold out or back-ordered.

Plus, if you put them on your radar now, you’ll be able to keep an eye out for them during holiday sales.

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Here are the Reviewed experts’ picks for the 10 hottest holiday gifts.

1. DISNEY+ SUBSCRIPTION Disney+ was last year’s hottest streaming service and its popularity has not slowed down. Plus, with access to pretty much every Disney, Pixar, Star Wars and Marvel movie, it’ll surely bring a smile to anyone’s face. You can give a one-year subscription and Disney+ will email your recipient instructions on how to redeem it.

Find it: subscriptioncard.disneyplus.com Cost: $69.99 for one year

2. XBOX SERIES X AND PLAYSTATION 5 Anytime there is a release of a new gaming console, you know everyone is going to want one. This year, gamers will be blessed with the new Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, both of which claim to be the most powerful console yet. These will likely be released in November.

Find it: xbox.com/en-US/consoles/xbox-series-x Cost: Expected around $499 Find it: playstation.com/en-us/ps5 Cost: Expected between $450 and $500

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3. LAUGH & LEARN GROW-THE-FUN GARDEN TO KITCHEN Kids can join in on the gardening fun most adults have been having in quarantine with this garden kitchen from Fisher-Price. Recommended for ages 18 months to 36 months, this adorable playset has a garden side and a kitchen side, so kiddos can cook what they grow.

Find it: fisher-price.com/en-us/product/pick-prep-garden-gjw91 Cost: $79.99

4. AIROMÉ SERENITY MEDIUM DIFFUSER During these stressful times, we can all use a little relaxation, which is why an aromatherapy diffuser will be a great gift in 2020.

The Airomé Serenity Medium Diffuser is the best essential oil diffuser we’ve ever tested because not only does it have a gorgeous design, we also found it to be easy to operate and clean. It provides an even scent for up to six hours and is available in several designs to suit your giftee’s decor.

Find it: airome.candlewarmers.com/ diffusers/100ml-diffusers/serenityultrasonic-diffuser Cost: $34.99

5. APPLE AIRPODS PRO Last year, Apple AirPods were probably the most coveted products of the holiday season, but this year the upgraded AirPods Pro will be all the rage. They earned our pick as the best truly wireless earphones because they’ve been fitted with better sound, have incredible noise-cancellation and are finally water-resistant.

Find it: apple.com/airpods-pro Cost: $249

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6. GRAVITY BLANKET Going on this year’s theme of at-home coziness, weighted blankets are going to be a big hit again. Plus, the weighted beads can have a calming effect — something we can all use right now. When we tested some of the best weighted blankets on the market, we found we liked snuggling up with the Gravity Blanket the most.

Find it: gravityblankets.com/products/gravity-blanket Cost: $189

7. ALWAYS PAN These days cooking can be overwhelming. There are so many gadgets to choose from and too many pots and pans to wash that sometimes it’s just easier to order take out.

But the Always Pan from Our Place claims to replace eight pieces of cookware and do everything from sauteing to frying, boiling pasta and more. After testing it, we loved its versatility as well as how absolutely gorgeous it is.

Find it: fromourplace.com/products/always-essentialcooking-pan Cost: $145

CREDIT: REVIEWED / VALERIE LI STACK

8. MASTERCLASS SUBSCRIPTION The person who seemingly has everything might love to learn a new skill. MasterClass offers virtual classes from celebrities on pretty much every topic, including learning guitar with Carlos Santana, comedy with Steve Martin, magic with Penn & Teller, or writing with Malcolm Gladwell, Judy Blume, James Patterson or Joyce Carol Oates.

Find it: masterclass.com Cost: $15 a month (billed annually)

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9. EUFY ROBOVAC 11S Give the gift of clean floors without lifting a finger with a robot vacuum. The Eufy RoboVac 11s is our favorite affordable robot vacuum because of its impressive dirt pickup and quiet operation. The slim profile also makes it easier to reach every nook and cranny.

Find it: eufylife.com Cost: $219.99

10. SONY NOISE-CANCELING HEADPHONES Now that most of us are working from home or taking classes virtually, we could use some good headphones to cancel out our family members and roommates, specifically noise-canceling ones. The Sony WH-1000XM4’s are our new favorite noise-canceling headphones (dethroning their original flagship, the WH-1000XM3). They look nearly identical as their predecessor and have the same nifty feature of active noise-cancelation. But they have better sound and a more seamless Bluetooth connection that makes them worth the upgrade.

Find it: sony.com/electronics/headband-headphones/wh-1000xm4 Cost: $349.99

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GO GO GADGETS

s e T h c 0 t ES 2 a B 0 2 E w H F g T O n i n n u r FREEPIK

By Courtney Campbell and Kate McCarthy | Reviewed.com

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hether you’re an experienced runner or just starting out, all you need to conquer a run is a pair of shoes and enough open space to put one foot in front of the other. Other pieces of equipment like foam rollers or a yoga mat for post-run stretching might be helpful, but when it comes down to it, the only extra accessory that may enhance your workouts is a running watch.

We spent months testing the most popular running watches on the market. Our favorite ended up being the Garmin Forerunner 245 because of the ease of use during long runs and extra bonus features like being able to download music.

THESE ARE THE BEST RUNNING WATCHES WE TESTED RANKED, IN ORDER: 1. Garmin Forerunner 245 Music 2. Garmin Forerunner 645 Music 3. Garmin Forerunner 45 4. Apple Watch Series 5 5. Suunto 9 Baro 6. Polar Vantage M

7. Garmin Vivoactive 3 8. Coros Apex 9. Fitbit Ionic 10. Polar M430 11. Timex Ironman 12. Polar M200

BEST OVERALL GARMIN FORERUNNER 245 MUSIC • Who’s it for: The semi-serious runner who’s looking for data and feedback during and after their run while getting handsfree music (a non-music version is available for $50 less).

• Ease of use: Setup is relatively easy via the Garmin Connect app, and the watch synced to my iPhone pretty much instantly. (You can also set it up on a computer using the Garmin Express software.) The watch takes less than two hours to charge, and the battery claims to last for 24 hours with normal usage and six hours if you use the music function (we didn’t notice it draining faster than expected).

To use the music function, you need to connect the 245 to Wi-Fi, which takes some time but is well worth it. You can download playlists from Spotify and Apple Music or directly from your phone or computer, but if you update the playlist on your app, phone or computer, you’ll have to re-download it to get the new songs on your watch. It was also relatively simple to link the watch to wireless headphones; the music plays seamlessly. You have the option to set the playlist to shuffle, but to skip songs mid-run we recommend using the buttons on your wireless headphones as it’s quite difficult to do so once you get moving.

• Comfort: The watch is quite comfortable to wear. The screen isn’t too big or heavy, and is large enough to see your various stats during your run. The water resistance is great for rainy runs or tracking pool laps on Swim mode. While it’s not the most stylish running watch on the market, it looks good with activewear, and comes in several colors.

• Pros: The 245 acquired GPS almost instantly in the Boston area, which means you aren’t waiting around for your watch to find the satellites. Although the watch has five buttons, it’s very clear what each one does. It’s simple to start and stop recording your run, pause the watch at a traffic light, scroll through your run stats and switch to the music screen.

By default, when you reach each mile, you can feel the light

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vibration and a beep that’s especially loud if you’re using headphones, so it’s nearly impossible to miss a mile marker. (If you prefer, you can change these alerts to trigger at different distances or time increments, or to measure in kilometers.)

• Cons: The Garmin app is a bit cluttered and we found it difficult to find previous runs and a few other stats.

The watch gives you a ton of data, which can be a bit overwhelming for runners who just want their basic stats. We also didn’t love the colorful watch face that comes standard on the 245, but you can change it — and download other options from the Garmin Connect store — on the app.

• Bonus perks: Like most running watches, the 245 tracks steps, sleep and other workouts such as bike rides. It also has some smartwatch features, including a weather report and calendar, text and phone alerts. You can opt to turn the notifications on or off during an activity, provided that you bring your phone along with you. In addition, many premium features that were once only available on pricier Garmin models have trickled down to the midpriced 245, including free race training plans, the ability to customize and follow workouts from your wrist, and safety and tracking options that allow you to share your activity and location to others via email or text.

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OTHER RUNNING WATCHES WE TESTED GARMIN FORERUNNER 645 MUSIC • Pros: Sharp, modern design; tracks a wide variety of running metrics; can download music from popular streaming services • Cons: Expensive; data provided not adequate for the training needs of serious runners

GARMIN FORERUNNER 45 • Pros: Comes in two sizes; well designed user interface; tracks location and runtimes and allows for customizable training intervals • Con: Finicky GPS

APPLE WATCH SERIES 5 • Pros: Always-on display; great fitness tracking; excellent health features • Cons: No Android support; battery needs daily charging

SUUNTO 9 BARO • Pros: Large, easy to see touchscreen; easy to see data at a glance while running; built like a tank • Cons: Absolutely massive; uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time

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POLAR VANTAGE M • Pros: Data presented is essential and easy to understand; tracks heart rate, time, distance, and pace • Cons: Bulky; button presses to start a new workout can be awkward

GARMIN VÍVOACTIVE 3 MUSIC • Pros: Metrics presented in an easy to understand, at-a-glance interface; can download music from a number of popular streaming services • Cons: Overly sensitive touchscreen; slow GPS acquisition; data from past runs not easily accessible

COROS APEX (42MM)

FITBIT IONIC

• Pros: Easy to set up and use; workout metrics can be viewed while the watch’s tracking functionality is paused

• Pros: Large display; simple interface; preloaded with a few apps

• Cons: Unreliable GPS functionality; default data screen provides an overwhelming amount of information

• Cons: Bulky fit; limited smartwatch capabilities; seems out of date now

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POLAR M430 • Pros: Doesn’t overwhelm you with data; large display makes it easy to view run metrics at-a-glance • Cons: Four-button user interface is unintuitive; difficult to use while wearing gloves

TIMEX IRONMAN GPS

POLAR M200

• Pros: Easy to start and pause workouts; long battery life

• Pro: Large display

• Cons: Takes a long time to connect to GPS satellites; no smartphone connectivity for tracking metrics; difficult to set up

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RUNNING WATCHES AND FITNESS TRACKERS? A GPS running watch is the next level up from a fitness tracker if you are — or become — a more dedicated runner. While a fitness tracker tracks things such as steps taken, calories burned, stairs climbed and works as a heart rate monitor, a GPS watch does all that and more.

During a workout with a running watch, you get even more data instantly. You can watch your running pace change as you make real-time adjustments on your run, and these watches offer more sophisticated stats like cadence, ascent and descent, training status and heart rate zones. You can also see how your stats perform over the course of a week, months or years using the companion app.

• Cons: Unreliable GPS; button interface is difficult to use with sweaty hands

WHAT YOU SHOULD LOOK FOR IN A RUNNING WATCH If you are a serious, dedicated runner who loves data, you should look for a watch that can offer ample statistics on not only running workouts, but cross-training workouts. With that being said, these watches are often on the more expensive side. If you are going to be making a significant investment in this piece of workout equipment, you should look into factors like style and comfort, so you can wear this watch even when you aren’t pounding the pavement.

If you’re a running beginner who regularly logs miles but doesn’t need a data overload, you should look for a watch that has fewer bells and whistles and a more solid presentation of the basics like pace, distance and time. These watches usually aren’t as pricey, so while you want them to be comfortable, you don’t have to worry about making a huge investment on a more stylish piece, because you won’t be wearing it every single day.

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HOW DO I ... ?

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FREEPIK

SLEEP Program your phone for better

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October-November 2020

By Lindsey Vickers | Reviewed.com

I

t’s no secret that technology is not your friend if your aim is to get a restful night of sleep. Blue light, which is emitted by phones, tablets, computers and TVs, suppresses melatonin — even reading on a device can make it take longer for you to fall asleep.

Setting your phone aside at least 45 minutes before bed is one of the best ways to improve your sleep, but we all know the struggle of severing our tether with mobile devices and laptops. While there’s no substitute for fully shutting off the screens, if you just can’t, these settings, features and reminders may improve the quality of your nightly rest.

1. TINT YOUR SCREEN Perhaps the best known and easiest to use sleep-friendly setting is a simple screen tint that reduces blue light emitted by shifting the color scheme towards orange. There’s little research so far on whether this setting actually helps. But why not try it?

This mode, called Night Shift on Apple products and Blue Light Filter on Androids, can be set on a certain daily schedule, from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. or sunrise to sunset, for example. The setting can also be enabled or disabled manually.

What’s more, you can adjust the level of tint on your screen to fit your needs and preferences.

• Night Shift and Blue Light Filter can be accessed through iOS and Android’s settings in the display subsection.

REVIEWED / LINDSEY VICKERS

2. USE DARK MODE Like a blue-light filter, Dark Mode changes the appearance of your phone’s screen to make it more sleepand melatonin-production friendly. In messages, for example, rather than displaying texts with a light-colored background, the whole aesthetic flips to a dark gray scale, excluding the texts themselves. On iOS, this setting can be scheduled, from sunset to sunrise, or on a custom basis. On Android, this feature can be enabled on a custom schedule, based on ambient conditions like sunset and sunrise, or manually.

• To enable Dark Mode on iOS, open the Settings app and navigate to Display and Brightness. On Android, it’s in the main dropdown menu as well as under the Accessibility section of the Settings.

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3. AUTOMATICALLY MUTE NOTIFICATIONS AND KEEP A SCHEDULE Both iOS and Android have a specific setting to encourage you to tuck in for the night, aptly called Bedtime (iOS) or Wind Down (Android). This feature allows users to select and set a schedule for sleeping and waking. When your set bedtime rolls around, iPhones notify you (a setting that can’t be changed) and stop displaying notifications on the home screen — though they can be viewed in the notification center. On Android, Wind Down grays out the screen and blocks notifications based on the schedule you set. iPhone sets a morning alarm for the time and days you choose.

Of course, you can customize alarms on iPhone and Android in the Alarm app, and set them to go off on weekdays or a daily basis.

• The Bedtime feature is accessible via the Clock app on iOS and Wind Down can be found in the Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls settings on Android.

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4. SET LIMITS ON SCREEN TIME Apple introduced Screen Time in 2019, which was designed to help “reduce interruptions and manage screen time” principally for kids, but adults can benefit, too. While Screen Time and Android’s similar Digital Wellbeing were not designed specifically with sleep in mind, they can provide nudges and help you self-regulate phone use, especially if your evening habit is aimless scrolling. The tools provide detailed information on how much time you use certain apps and types of apps — like social networking — and allow you to set time limits to alert and even block you from opening apps once you’ve hit your self-set daily or weekly max.

Additionally, settings Downtime (iOS) and Focus Mode (Android) can be used to limit notifications from apps at certain times of day. On iPhones, only apps you designate as “always allowed” will show notifications on the home screen when Downtime is enabled. All other notifications go straight to your notification center (accessible by swiping down from the top of the screen). Android’s Focus Mode turns off notifications and blocks you from accessing all but your pre-selected apps. You may want to use these instead of the Bedtime/Wind Down settings if you need the extra control of not being able to open your fave time-suck app when you’re supposed to be dozing off.

• To access Downtime on iPhone, open the Settings app, navigate to Screen Time, and adjust from there. In Android, open Settings and tap the subsection Digital Wellbeing and Parental Controls.

From there, you can customize the apps you can access in Focus Mode, and turn it on and off or set a custom schedule.

5. ENABLE DO NOT DISTURB When you’re in the midst of a family emergency or anticipating important calls at any hour of the night, shutting down your mobile phone might not be in the cards. Experts suggest using Do Not Disturb to your advantage: iPhone users can customize settings to trigger the ringer if someone calls twice within the span of a few minutes. On Android, the customization is even more granular, allowing users to go as far as picking which contacts automatically override the function with a notification.

This setting is great for people who want to see notifications on their home screen without being buzzed or pinged, or don’t want the full nightly schedule that comes with using the Bedtime/ Wind Down or Downtime/Focus Mode.

• To turn on Do Not Disturb, go into your phone’s Settings.

On iPhone, the feature has its own tab on the main settings page.

On Android, it’s accessible via the main dropdown menu as well as in the Sounds or Notifications settings.

6. TAKE CONTROL OF SOCIAL MEDIA • Instagram has a feature that reminds users of their usage after a certain amount of time. You can set the reminder when you open the app to alert you after you’ve spent 30 minutes viewing and “liking,” for example. Instagram also is compatible with Dark Mode, but to enable it on the app, it must be turned on through your operating system — there isn’t an app setting to activate or schedule the shift. To turn on Daily Reminders, enter Settings on the Instagram app, and tap Your Activity. From there, you can customize how long you can use the app before the reminder pops up.

• Facebook offers a similar reminder in its mobile app. The reminder monitors your time spent and alerts you when you hit a self-prescribed threshold. Facebook also provides information on the average amount of time you spend on the app daily. The desktop and app versions also come with dark mode. To turn on mobile usage reminders, enter Settings and navigate to Settings and Privacy. From there, tap Your Time on Facebook.

• YouTube recently introduced an expansion of its Take a Break feature: Bedtime Reminders prompts you to stop watching videos and go to bed. The reminders are highly customizable: You can even determine whether a reminder interrupts a video you’re watching or if it waits until the end. Like other alarms and reminders, the notification can be dismissed or temporarily snoozed. To enable Bedtime Reminders, sign into YouTube, click Settings and toggle “Remind me when it’s time for bed” on or off.

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• WhatsApp has Dark Mode for Android, and it can be synced with your phone. So, if you already enabled Dark Theme, the app will follow the same schedule as the rest of your device and change appearance as prescribed. iPhone users can manually select a dark colored wallpaper, which has a similar outcome. To turn on Dark Mode tap More Options, Settings and enter the Chats subsection. From there, you’ll find Theme. Here you can turn on the mode manually, or sync it with your device. iPhone users navigate to Settings, Chats, select Solid Colors and scroll to the dark gray.

• Twitter is among the apps with the fewest sleep-friendly offerings. The app has automatic dark mode in the evenings but lacks the ability to set a custom schedule, only providing users the option to turn it on indefinitely, or “automatically” in the evening, around dusk, and throughout the night until sunrise.

To turn on dark mode, open the left sidebar menu, and open Settings and Privacy. Dark mode and automatic dark mode can be found under the Display and Sound category.

• TikTok implemented Screen Time Management into the app settings, tucked away under the subcategory Digital Wellbeing. It works similarly to the reminders on Instagram and Facebook, but takes it a step further. TikTok users must create a four-digit password to enable the setting. After it’s turned on, they’ll be prompted to enter the password after a certain duration of use. To turn on Screen Time Management, navigate to Privacy and Settings, and look for Digital Wellbeing in the general settings section. From there, you can select Screen Time Management and will follow prompts to make a PIN.

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HOW DO I ... ?

Clean a robot vacuum

REVIEWED / JONATHAN CHAN

By Jonathan Chan | Reviewed.com

W

hen you get a robot vacuum for the first time, it’s exciting. These automated floor cleaners have come such a long way over the years that they seem just a step removed from the Jetsons’ Rosie the Robot. Our favorite robot vacuum, the iRobot Roomba i7+, can even empty itself!

However, after a few months, you might notice your robot vacuum getting a little dingy.

Just like how you need to clean your dishwasher to keep it in tip-top shape, you’ve got to clean your robot vacuum every six months or so to keep it running efficiently. It doesn’t have to be a huge ordeal if you follow these steps.

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1. WIPE DOWN THE OUTSIDE WITH A MICROFIBER CLOTH Pay special attention to any sensors, including the ones on the bottom. If the sensors get too dusty, the robot might bump into walls, fall down the stairs or even stop working altogether.

4. REPLACE THE FILTER Just like with a full-sized vacuum, when the filter gets clogged, the unit loses suction power. Most robot vacuums come with a replacement filter that you can pop right in or you can order more online. However, as a stop-gap measure, you can also just wipe down the filter.

5. CLEAN OR REPLACE THE BRUSHES Did you know that you can remove the brush roll out of most robot vacuums? See for yourself, because it’s important to clean it once in a while to get rid of wound-up hair and debris. If the side brushes are frayed, it’s time to replace them; extra side brushes are often included in the box.

WHAT IF CLEANING IS NOT ENOUGH? 2. BRUSH THE BUMPER Your robot vacuum probably came with a little brush, perhaps located inside your robot where the dust bin is. If you can’t find it, a toothbrush or a dusting brush from a full-sized vacuum will work just as well. Use the brush to get out any dust or debris caught in the space between the bumper and the main body of the vacuum.

When debris gets caught in there, it can prevent the normal spring action, which can cause a robot vacuum to ram into furniture.

3. CLEAN OUT THE BIN Aside from emptying your dust bin after a cycle, you may want to run a cloth on the inside of the bin to get any leftover dust and debris.

If you follow all these steps and your robot vacuum is still bumping into walls too harshly, or isn’t picking up dirt like it used to, that is a sign there may be something wrong with the unit. Now is the time to call in that warranty and tech support. Poor suction can mean the battery is no longer charging properly or the motor is damaged. In situations where a quick parts swap isn’t enough, most of the time it’s more cost-effective to simply buy a new robot vacuum.

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COVER STORY

October-November 2020

Tech

for pets Products to help your furry friend thrive

J

ust as tech can make our lives easier, it can for our pets, too. From devices that keep them calm when home alone, to gadgets that help them as they age, the experts at Reviewed.com have looked into it all.

INSIDE

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S mart pet cameras: Which bells and whistles are worth it?

Vacuums that really work on pet hair F rom stairs to slings, equipment that will help your elderly dog ore than 10,000 people have reviewed M this cat scratcher on Amazon. Is it the best?

The best harnesses — and which might be right for your dog Can this cat litter detect health problems?

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THE BEST

smart pet cameras O F 2020

By Sarah Kovac Reviewed.com

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s a pet owner, you may wish that you could be there for your fur baby at all times. But thanks to modern technology, your four-legged friend never has to be alone.

Many of the more affordable “pet cams” are nothing more than Wi-Fi security cameras. If all you want is to see and talk to your dog, these will work just fine. The pet cams we chose, however, have features designed specifically for pets — from the ability to remotely toss treats to a laser to play with.

There are several very promising pet cams on the market today that allow owners to video chat, play games and even roam the house with their pets. I spent some time using these popular cameras with my dog, Stanley, who starts incessantly yelping every time he’s left in a room, to see how well they worked and whether they would help him get over his separation anxiety.

The result? Stanley definitely was not cured of his anxiety, however the Furbo (available at Furbo.com for $249) kept him somewhat distracted from his anxiety, and it was a pleasure to set up and use.

THESE ARE THE BEST PET CAMERAS WE TESTED RANKED, IN ORDER: 1. Furbo 2. PetChatz HD 3. Petcube Bites

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BEST OVERALL FURBO DOG CAMERA The Furbo is Amazon’s best-selling dedicated pet camera, and after spending some time with it, we agree. It’s the best. It’s reliable and easy to refill, the video quality is great (day and night), it uses colors a dog can see to let Fido know when you check in, and it looks beautiful on the side table thanks to its bamboo cover.

Going beyond basic motion detection, Furbo uses artificial intelligence to understand exactly what the dog is up to and push a notification to the owner’s phone when the pup is playing or barking, when he stops in front of the Furbo for a “selfie,” or when a human arrives home. These “Smart Dog Alerts” are part of a premium service that, for now at least, is free. This dog camera is also Alexa compatible, so you can ask your Amazon Echo to toss the dog a treat by voice or via the app from wherever you may roam.

It may not have the bells and whistles of more complex models like the PetChatz HD, but what the Furbo does, it does well. The base and apps are a pleasure to use at every point. The Furbo gets it right.

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PETCHATZ HD PetChatz HD bills itself as a “digital day care” for your pet, and while it can’t clean the litter box or take the dog for a walk, its array of other capabilities give you the best shot of finding a way to connect with and soothe your home-alone pet. While the app isn’t as polished as that of the Furbo or Petcube, and the video quality is just so-so, the Petchatz offers lots of interesting options.

This pet cam has two-way video chat, essential oil diffusion, motion/audio alerts, treat refill subscriptions and an optional PawCall button that allows your dog to call you or play games and earn treats. But the biggest hit with my dog was PetChatz’s ability to play DogTV (a $9.99/month subscription TV channel designed to entertain dogs) at a dog-height screen on the front of the PetChatz unit. Instead of immediately starting with his yelping and whining when I shut him in the room, he stayed mesmerized with DogTV for a good 10 minutes. It was big for him.

All these options will set you back a few bones, though. The PetChatz HD is the most expensive we tested, at close to $400.

If you want to try everything possible to help your dog, it might be worth it. But if you think your voice and some treat-tossing will be enough, go with the Furbo.

PETCUBE BITES The Petcube is very similar to Furbo. It has great video quality, it throws treats, and it’s easy to set up and refill. The app is easy to use and offers an activity timeline of three to 30 days as part of the optional Petcube Care membership, which ranges from $4.99 to $24.99 per month. It sits on a table top and offers a wide-angle view of the room, and its minimal design comes in three finishes to blend well with just about any decor.

Like the Furbo, Petcube is compatible with Alexa, so you can toss the pup a treat with just your voice. But, unlike the Furbo, Petcube automatically starts recording when it detects activity. Those clips are capped at 10 seconds and available for four hours, though, unless you subscribe to Petcube Care. The Furbo and Petcube are comparable in many respects, but for the lower price, we liked the Furbo better.

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THE BEST

vacuums for pet hair

By Jonathan Chan Reviewed.com

O F 2020

W

hether you’re teaching your kids to look after a pet or doing it yourself, the right vacuum is essential to keeping loose fur from taking over your home. Americans spend billions of dollars on vacuum cleaners every year. With a market so large, the variety of options is dizzying—and some are definitely better than others.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Here in the Reviewed labs, we have years of experience testing vacuum cleaners, and we’ve got the skinny on the right vacuum for your home and pets. To find the best pet vacuum we evaluated how well each picked up dirt, cleaned pet hair off carpets and furniture, and assessed the vacuum’s overall handling. With these metrics in mind, we think the Shark NV752 TruePet (available at Amazon for $299.99), an upright canister vacuum, is the best for most people. However, we also tested plenty of cordless and robot vacuums if those are more your speed.

HERE ARE THE BEST VACUUMS FOR PET HAIR WE TESTED: • Shark NV752 (upright) • LG CordZero A9 (cordless) • Neato Botvac D7 (robot) • Miele Cat & Dog (upright) • Kenmore 600 Series (canister) • iRobot i7+ (robot) • Tineco A10 Hero (cordless) • Eufy 11S (robot) • Eureka PowerSpeed (upright) • Bissell Swivel Rewind Pet (upright)

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BEST OVERALL SHARK NV752 ROTATOR POWERED LIFT-AWAY TRUEPET Of all the vacuums we’ve tested, the Shark NV752 TruePet hits our marks for price, power and versatility. During testing, we found that the NV752 picked up around 52% of the dirt we laid out for it per pass. Results like these place this Shark in the upper third of all the vacuums we’ve ever tested, the top tier picking up around 70% per pass.

The NV752 is amazing at removing pet hair. Both the main brush head and the motorized attachment excelled at picking up cat and dog hair and deep cleaning. The hose uses a latch system that has a satisfying click, so it’s easy to switch between cleaning the floor and furniture. Finally, the NV752 is the only vacuum on our list that has the Lift-Away feature, turning the upright into a canister without wheels. This option allows you to more easily clean stairs and under furniture.

All in all, the Shark NV752 is a crowd-pleaser. It tips the scales at around 17 pounds, so it is on the heavier side. The price also gave us a little pause at over $250. Our gripes aside, the NV752 truly is a great vacuum for dealing with pet hair.

BEST CORDLESS LG CORDZERO A9 ULTIMATE When it comes to getting to the very last dust bunny and tuft from your long-haired cat, nothing beats a cordless vacuum. The LG CordZero A9 is a prime example of a cordless stick vacuum that solves many of the common pain points consumers experience with these mobile floor cleaners.

First off, it comes with a stand and a wall mount, giving you the option to create a permanent charging station or one that moves from room to room.

It also comes with two removable and rechargeable batteries. Combined you get 16 minutes of cleaning time on high and 80 minutes on low. For most households, that’s enough battery life to have one in the vacuum and another in the charging dock.

When it comes to general cleaning power, the A9 is second only to select models from Dyson. However, this LG has a few distinct advantages when it comes to caring for a home with a furry friend. First, it has an attachment called the Power Punch Nozzle. This attachment vibrates, which helps loosen hairs that are embedded in your upholstery. The second advantage comes with a super-soft brush roll for cleaning hardwood floors without scratching them. That’s a must for when your cat tracks litter all over your teak floors.

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BEST ROBOT VACUUM NEATO BOTVAC D7 CONNECTED There are robots that will clean your litter box, so why not your floors? We think the Neato Botvac Connected D7 is the best robot vaccum for pet hair for most homes. Its wide head will help pick up hair without getting clogged and its D-shaped body allows it to get flush against walls.

What sets the Neato apart from other automated floor cleaners is that you can set No-go lines — virtual barriers that you draw on your phone that the robot will not cross. It’s the perfect solution to keep your robot vacuum from bumping into pet bowls and beds. iRobot and Ecovacs both have models that do this, but neither of those brands has feature-laden models at lower price points. If the D7 is too rich for your blood, we’d recommend checking out the D6 and D4.

Regardless of which model you choose, all the Neatos we’ve ever tested have done a great job cleaning hardwood floors and thick carpet. The only major weak point came while cleaning under furniture.

Neatos stand around four inches tall, an inch taller than most competitors, and that keeps it from getting under toe-kicks.

OTHER VACUUMS WE TESTED MIELE DYNAMIC U1 CAT & DOG • Pros: Powerful suction; easy to use; good design and balance • Con: Expensive

KENMORE 81614 • Pros: Powerful suction; carries attachments onboard; worked well on pet hair • Cons: Hard to carry up stairs; brush head and wand fall over all the time

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EUFY ROBOVAC 11S IROBOT ROOMBA I7+

• Pros: Very affordable; slim design allows it to clean more areas; good dirt pickup performance

• Pros: Can empty itself; app allows you to choose what rooms to clean; powerful dirt pickup

• Cons: Can get caught on throw rugs; clean cycles can last up to two hours

• Con: Expensive

TINECO A10 HERO • Pros: Good suction for the price; removable battery; powerful LED lights help find dirt • Con: Joints on attachments can be stiff

EUREKA POWERSPEED • Pro: Lightweight body • Cons: Weak suction; loud

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HOW IMPORTANT ARE FILTERS? Filters are crucial components to a vacuum. They regulate the airflow and keep particulates that are sucked up from blowing back in your home. Filters come in all shapes and sizes and are made from a variety of materials. Some vacuums even have multiple filters that serve different purposes. Many brands, like Shark, design vacuums that use washable filters.

In our experience, the style of filter is less important than keeping it clean, either by washing or replacing it when needed.

BISSELL 22543 CLEANVIEW SWIVEL REWIND PET • Pros: Automatically retracting cord; easy to maneuver around furniture • Con: Lacks powerful suction

WHAT IS A HEPA FILTER? HEPA stands for High-Efficiency Particulate Air. United States law requires that a HEPA filter be able to remove 99.97% of all particulate matter bigger than 0.3 micrometers. That’s smaller than pollen, dust and pet dandruff.

Remember, boxes that advertise HEPA-like, HEPA-type or 99% filters are not HEPA. For example, the Shark NV752 has a HEPA filter. The LG CordZero A9’s filter that claims 99.99% filtration is not HEPA, however, it is endorsed by the British Allergy Foundation.

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Tech

to make life easier for

elderly dogs

By Christine Hayes | Reviewed.com

1. PORTABLE STAIRS

lderly dog life: if you know you know. From supplements and prescription medications to mobility products and incontinence supplies, there’s a lot to consider as your pup ages.

My dog Denny just turned 14, so I have dabbled in many of these maintenance products. It turns out there’s also a bunch of senior dog solutions that I never knew about. Here are some of the greatest products out there made specifically for aging pups.

When it starts getting difficult for your pup to reach their favorite bed or sofa spot, these stairs can help. With no assembly required, built-in non-skid feet and safety side rails, the PetSafe CozyUp Folding Pet Steps also fold for easy storage. There are two sizes to consider, so make sure you check which measurements work best for your dog.

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• Find it: store.petsafe.net/cozyup-folding-pet-steps • Cost: Starting at $40

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2. BED OR SOFA RAMP If you want to really treat your senior dog to a VIP experience, check out the PetSafe CozyUp ramp. Plus, by avoiding any steps, the ramp style allows even the most arthritic dogs to reach the perfect napping location. It’s rated for up to 120 pounds, ensuring big dogs can get up and down easily. PetSafe makes one ramp for sofa height and another for beds.

• Find it: store.petsafe.net/cozyup-bed-ramp or store.petsafe.net/ cozyup-sofa-ramp • Cost: $110 for sofa height; $125 for bed height

3. A GEL TO HELP STIMULATE APPETITE TOMLYN Nutri-Cal High Calorie Nutritional Gel is any easy solution if your dog has become a pickier eater or started eating less. This vet-recommended oral gel claims to boost calories, help dogs gain weight and stimulate their appetites. This product includes omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, which are key for joint health in senior dogs. Put a small amount of gel on your dog’s nose or paws so they begin licking, or you can place the gel directly on their tongue.

4. SCRATCHY SNOUT RELIEF

• Find it: tomlyn. com/dogs/vitaminshigh-caloriesupplements • Cost: $9 or less

Once my childhood dog, a golden retriever named Hobie, turned 10, he began licking his nose nonstop.

This led to a dry, chapped snout that looked pretty painful. Products like Natural Dog Company’s organic Snout Soother can soothe dry skin and protect your dog’s nose from harmful UV rays. This fragrance-free product blends grapeseed, hempseed and jojoba oils with natural vitamin E. • Find it: shop.naturaldogcompany.com/products/ snout-soother-tin • Cost: Various sizes from $14

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5. PROTECTIVE PAW WAX Protect your old pal’s paws with Musher’s Secret wax. Whether your dog’s paws are irritated by ice in the winter or scalding sidewalks in the summer, Musher’s Secret will create a barrier to prevent cracked and painful paws and pads. This product mixes white and yellow beeswax with vitamin E for an experience that’s both soothing and protective. If your dog hates wearing booties, paw wax may be a game changer for you.

• Find it: Stores including Walmart and Petco; sites including Amazon and Chewy.com • Cost: Various sizes from $15

6. SENIOR DOG TOY I recently purchased a KONG Senior toy to keep my old girl occupied while I work. The all-natural rubber formula is designed for elderly dogs in particular to ensure aging teeth and gums are protected during chew time. Additionally, this KONG has unpredictable bounce patterns to stimulate a dog’s instincts to play and prevent boredom. I’m a big fan of filling and freezing this KONG toy, which helps my dog focus on the activity longer.

• Find it: kongcompany.com/kong-senior • Cost: Three sizes starting at $8

7. A SLING TO HELP WITH MOBILITY You’ll be able to help your old-timer stand up, tackle stairs and get into the car more effectively with the LOOBANI portable dog sling. The soft interior is comfortable for your pup while the adjustable, heavy duty handles are ideal for you. From arthritis pain to hip dysplasia to surgery recovery, there are many instances where this dog sling may come in handy as the parent of an aging dog. Going outside for the potty, getting onto the couch and getting exercise will be easier.

• Find it: loobani.com/soft-dog-lift-harness • Cost: $27

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8. ORTHOPEDIC BED Elevate your senior pup’s snooze game with an orthopedic bed that offers head and back support. My dog absolutely loves this bed and its bolstered sides. FurHaven’s Quilted Sofa Bed is offered in five sizes and five colors, and I ordered a size up to truly provide Denny with next-level luxury. My favorite part is the removable and machine-washable cover. I’ve washed it several times and it still looks great.

• Find it: furhaven.com/FurHavenQuilted-Sofa-Dog-Bed-Pet-Bed

• Cost: Five sizes from $23 to $137

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Is this really the best cat scratcher ever?

YES

By Kate Tully Ellsworth | Reviewed.com

T

he beauty of shopping on Amazon is that you can discover all kinds of products that have been reviewed by hundreds — sometimes even thousands — of people.

It’s not surprising when we find a cute dress with 3,000 reviews, or even a pair of sneakers with more than 8,000 reviews. But there is something miraculous about finding a product that breaks the 10,000-review mark and maintains its solid 5-star rating — especially when that product is a cat scratcher.

That’s right, the PetFusion Ultimate Cat Scratcher Lounge seems standard on the surface, but stands far ahead of its competitors. It costs a hefty $60, which just made me even more surprised at its 5-star rating. Could it be worth it?

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So, naturally, I bought one to find out. I have two beautiful cats, Echo and Shadow, who love laying on hard surfaces and scratching corrugated cardboard. They’re big girls and they hate sharing, so I was curious to see if they’d take to this lounge.

And wow, did they ever. I now find myself among the throng of people who swear by this cat lounger. It’s no surprise to me that it holds such a strong rating — and here’s why.

WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT IT I actually discovered this cat lounger about five years ago, before I had any cats of my own. My sister registered for one for her wedding. So when I stumbled across this lounger again this year, I hit her up to see if she remembered owning it.

Not only did she remember it, she said her two cats were still using it. That blew my mind, because that meant five years had passed and somehow, this scratcher was still kicking. Even more, she had gotten an additional two cats since she first bought it, so this scratcher stood up against four grown cats for five years and was still usable.

I ordered one and set it up next to the scratcher our cats were currently using from Target. The PetFusion scratcher is 34 inches wide and made from corrugated cardboard, while the one we had was about 13 inches wide and also made from corrugated cardboard. Side-by-side, you could immediately see the difference between the scratchers — the PetFusion looked like a piece of furniture, while the other looked like forgotten recycling.

As with all new things, the cats ran to the new scratcher and began claiming it as their own. We assumed the novelty would wear off after a few days, but I’m thrilled to report that my cats are still obsessed with their loungers (you read that right — we bought a second one), and continue to be worth every penny.

IT’S STURDY We’ve gone through a number of cat scratchers, ranging from Amazon’s finest cat trees to whichever cardboard scratchers were in stock at Target. Our cats won’t scratch furniture or twine-wrapped scratchers, but you get them around cardboard and it’s game-over. Cheaper scratchers will move along with the cats’ weight, so every time they used one of the Target ones, you could hear the scratcher banging against the floor.

The infinity symbol-shaped lounger is different — it’s wider than any other scratcher we’ve used, so the weight is distributed differently.

Moreover, our cats jump on top of it to scratch (instead of just scratching from the side). The lounger doesn’t move with their weight, nor does it buckle under their bodies.

It also survived a 1,000-mile journey in a POD when we moved.

IT DOUBLES AS A SCRATCHER AND A LOUNGE We’ve contemplated buying cat beds, but at the end of the day, our cats just want to lay on uncomfortable surfaces, whether that’s the top of a storage bin or a cardboard lounger. This scratcher quickly became Echo’s favorite naptime spot and Shadow’s go-to bird-watching surface. Sometimes one of the cats will jump on top to scratch, then they’ll just plop right down and hang out on the lounger.

Other infinity-shaped scratchers claim to double as loungers, but the width of the PetFusion model sets it apart. We used a lounger from Petco that was only 24 inches long. The cats scratched it like mad, but they were too big to lay on it — and it became unusable after about two months. The “dip” in the infinity shape is where our cats like to hang, and the PetFusion lounger fits them perfectly.

IT DOESN’T SHED No shedding is one of the biggest reasons I’m obsessed with this lounger. My darling Echo loves to eat cardboard, so when she’d scratch a cheaper piece, she’d knock pieces of cardboard loose … then eat them.

That doesn’t happen with the PetFusion Lounger — it’s made from the same material, but the cardboard is more condensed than I’ve seen in other models. The holes are smaller and sturdier, so even though she scratches the same amount, she’s not covering the ground in cardboard flecks. This probably contributes to the longevity of this scratcher — since the cardboard sticks around longer, the lounger does, too.

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WHAT I DON’T LOVE ABOUT IT Truly, there isn’t much I don’t love about my cat scratchers. If I were nitpicking, I’d say these are the only things that I’m not wild about.

WIDTH I’ve talked about how much I love the wideness of this piece, but there are some drawbacks to its size. When we first got it, we had to pick a new place for it because it was a good 25 inches longer than our old one and simply didn’t fit in the same spot. Its size makes it a little heavier than other models too, but again, it’s sturdier, so it’s a trade-off I’m willing to make.

PRICE I don’t mind splurging on my girls, but $60 for a scratcher seems hefty. Other scratchers typically cost around $20 to $30 each, but you have to replace them far more frequently. Since getting our first scratcher in March, we haven’t had to buy a replacement. If we’d had another scratcher, we would have replaced it at least twice by now. It’s an upfront investment, but for us, is paid off in just a few months.

SHOULD YOU BUY? Do you have a cat? Then the answer is yes.

Seriously, it’s not only the best cat scratcher I’ve ever used, but it’s the best cat product I’ve purchased in my three years of cat ownership.

• Find it: pet-fusion.com/products/ultimatecat-scratcher-lounge • Read the reviews (and buy it for $10 less) at amazon.com/PetFusion-Scratcher-CardboardConstruction-unverified/dp/B004X6UEH6

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FREEPIK

THE BEST

dog harnesses O F 2020

By Sarah Zorn | Reviewed.com

D

og owners who swear by harnesses prefer them for the extra support, whether for keeping a frisky pup from pulling on a walk, as a way to offer aid to a limited mobility dog, or as a system for keeping a pet safely seat belted in the car (which is the law in many states).

After extensive research and testing, we found the Dogline Unimax Multi-Purpose Harness is the best harness for dogs. Boasting a built-to-last design and robust hardware, it provides leverage against being yanked down the street. Its large handle is helpful whether you’re walking an athletic hound up a mountain or guiding an old-timer down the stairs. And the best part is, it can be tossed in the washing machine when you’re done.

But this is only one of the dog harnesses our pack of pups took for a test drive.

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HERE ARE THE BEST DOG HARNESSES WE TESTED, RANKED: 1. Dogline Unimax Multi-Purpose Harness 2. Best Pet Supplies Voyager Step-In Air Dog Harness 3. Ruffwear Web Master Multi-Use Dog Harness 4. Ruffwear Front Range Dog Harness 5. Joyride Pug Life Harness 6. Puppia Authentic RiteFit Harness 7. Kurgo Tru-Fit Smart Dog Walking Harness 8. 2 Hounds Design Freedom No-Pull Harness 9. Noxgear Lighthound Reflective Dog Harness

BEST OVERALL DOGLINE UNIMAX MULTI-PURPOSE HARNESS A streamlined happy medium between an all-enveloping shell and scratchy tangle of straps, this vest-shaped harness is made of breathable, water-resistant neoprene (which scores extra credit for being washing machine-safe) and is padded for comfort, with a removable breastplate.

Easy to maneuver on and off with a simple click under each front leg, the Dogline fits snugly without being too tight. A heavy-duty D-ring on the back provides good leverage for casual walks, giving corrections or communicating with service dogs.

Incidentally, since Velcro strips on the side allow for the attachment of

signage, IDs or tags, this harness is especially useful for working/ service dogs, dogs in training, or in any instance when you need to transmit info about your dog to the outside world (such as “Do Not Pet” or “Adopt Me.”) A built-in, generously-sized handle allows you to grab the dog if needed, help them up and around obstacles, or provide extra support in the case of injury or impaired mobility.

The only downsides are the lack of a front-facing D-ring, and the fact that the thick adjustable straps take some muscle to use.

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BEST FOR SMALL DOGS BEST PET SUPPLIES VOYAGER STEP-IN AIR DOG HARNESS Made of soft, flexible, breathable mesh, the Voyager should provide unparalleled comfort to your small dog. And while it looks like a fashion statement (it comes in 29 cute colors!) rather than a functional tool, this harness received the highest praise possible from one of our testers. She was able to transmit clear corrections through the leash, and her terrier-type pup stopped pulling for the very first time in their walking history.

And while there is limited opportunity for adjustment, we appreciate the addition of double D-rings on the back, which provide extra security on the leash.

OTHER DOG HARNESSES WE TESTED

RUFFWEAR FRONT RANGE DOG HARNESS • Pros: Good for dogs who yank the leash; comfortable and sturdy; leash can attach • Con: Lacks supportive handle

RUFFWEAR WEB MASTER HARNESS • Pros: Large, secure handle; includes reflective trim • Con: A bit bulky for some dogs

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JOYRIDE PUG LIFE HARNESS • Pros: Good for small and large dogs; includes reflective trim • Con: Difficult to fit

PUPPIA RITEFIT HARNESS • Pros: Comfortable, flexible, adjustable • Con:Cumbersome hardware

KURGO TRU-FIT SMART DOG WALKING HARNESS • Pros: Includes tether for seatbelt; adjustable; durable • Cons: No padding; clasp could catch on dog’s fur

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2 HOUNDS DESIGN FREEDOM NO-PULL DOG HARNESS • Pros: Several correction options; lifetime warranty • Cons: Frustrating to fit; lacks padding

NOXGEAR LIGHTHOUND • Pro: Fun novelty lights • Con: Front strap pulls dangerously against dog

WHY USE A HARNESS? Many dog owners turn to harnesses to maintain better control of their pups on a walk and help obtain leverage against pulling behaviors.

Small-breed owners often favor them, as they guard against injury by dispersing leash pressure from the neck to larger parts of the body.

Harnesses also have uses beyond walking. They can be used to help secure a dog safely in cars, offer support to dogs with injuries and mobility issues, and can accommodate tags for service dogs.

TYPES OF HARNESSES • Back clip: The most common harness configuration, it has a D-ring on the back for connecting to the leash. It’s generally comfortable for dogs, directing pressure away from the trachea, but doesn’t necessarily offer a great deal of control.

• Front clip: Geared toward addressing pulling, the D-ring is positioned on the chest, instead of the back. So when a dog pulls, or a correction is given on the leash, it draws a dog’s body toward the owner instead of away from

them. There is an increased chance of injury when not properly fitted and used, however.

• Multi-clip: As indicated, this design has D-rings on the front and the back, providing more options to the owner and dog. They tend to be more expensive, though, and contain more material, which can be hot or chafe against the dog’s skin.

These three basic harnesses break down further, by the method used to put them on: • Over-the-head: Since it has a full head enclosure (which offers good weight distribution and control) it slips over the dog head-first, before being adjusted and clipped around the legs. This motion may be intimidating to dogs who are hand shy, or difficult to perform with high energy/unwilling dogs.

• Step-in: Since it maneuvers over the legs first, dogs can literally step right in, before having the harness snapped over their back. That said, it can be tricky with dogs who don’t like having their legs manipulated.

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BUYING TIPS Take stock of your dog’s size, needs and temperament to determine what your harness would be primarily used for. Calm companions are probably best served by back-clip harnesses, while exuberant pullers may benefit from a front-clip. Sporty dogs will appreciate harnesses made of lightweight material with fewer clips, while senior or decreased-mobility dogs require harnesses that distribute weight for added support.

ONCE YOU’VE DETERMINED THE STYLE, THERE ARE OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER: • What material is it made out of? Will my dog be able to chew through it, or will it scratch against their skin?

• Can it be easily washed and dried?

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• What about the buckles and rings? Are they sturdy? Will they give way or snap?

Ideally, a harness will offer four to five adjustment points for a perfect fit; otherwise, the harness can chafe a dog, rotate side to side and impede walking (or cause injury) or offer opportunities to escape.

Finally, there are special features to consider. Reflective harnesses are useful for walking dogs at night, or in reduced visibility situations.

Vest-style harnesses with handles are good for added support.

Brands all use similar measurements to create different sizes. To find out which size is best for your dog, measure the circumference of the broadest part of their chest, the thinnest part of their neck, and the length of their back from the base of the neck to the base of the tail, and take their weight.

If your dog falls somewhere in the middle of recommended sizes, opt for the larger one, as long as it can be effectively adjusted for a proper fit.

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Spot

check

Does pH-testing cat litter work?

By Camryn Rabideau | Reviewed.com

P

rettyLitter, a special type of cat litter that claims to help you monitor your cat’s health, sounds great, but we wanted to test it out to see if it really worked. Here’s what we found.

WHAT IS PRETTYLITTER? Unlike the rock-like clumping clay litter that most people use, PrettyLitter is a “crystal litter” made from silica gel — the same material that’s in those little “Do Not Eat” pouches that come in purses or coat pockets — which is extremely absorbent. Instead of clumping when your cat goes to the bathroom, crystal litter absorbs the liquid, leaving only solids behind.

The appeal of crystal litter is that there’s less maintenance required. You simply need to dispose of solid waste on a regular basis, and the silica gel will absorb liquids for up to a month. When the gel is saturated (you can usually tell because it takes on a yellow hue), you discard the litter and put in a fresh layer.

However, PrettyLitter isn’t your average crystal litter. This “health-monitoring” litter takes it a step further, actually changing colors based on the pH of your cat’s urine. If it’s overly acidic, the litter will take on a yellow or orange color, and if it’s too alkaline, it may turn blue. Additionally, if there’s blood present in their urine, the litter will turn red.

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In addition to its health-tracking abilities, PrettyLitter is supposed to eliminate odors, create less dust and be lighter weight than standard litter. You can get the litter delivered on a monthly subscription plan, and it will cost you $22 for one cat, $40 for two cats or $60 for three cats.

The package includes a little measuring stick to ensure you’re putting enough litter into the box, and almost as soon as I set it up and walked away, my cat decided to use it. (If your cat is a little more particular, the company recommends mixing PrettyLitter with your existing litter for a month to slowly transition.)

toward the end of the month when the litter was turning yellow.

Additionally, crystal litter really does cut back on how often you have to scoop, as you simply need to remove solid waste. However, you are supposed to “stir” the litter daily, which is pretty gross to do and usually sends up a cloud of chemical-smelling dust.

I will say that other crystal litters we’ve used left my cat smelling like chemicals, but we didn’t experience this issue with PrettyLitter.

GOOD ABSORPTION AND MINIMAL ODOR

Over the month that we tested PrettyLitter, it was consistently yellow, which means the urine is in a normal pH range. This either meant that Nugget is a perfectly healthy kitty, or the litter really wasn’t doing anything. To get some clarity, I concocted a little science experiment.

I’ve tried crystal litter before, and PrettyLitter performed similarly to other brands. It did a good job absorbing the urine — there was never any liquid at the bottom of the litter box — and it minimized odors, even

ACCURATE COLOR CHANGING (FROM WHAT WE COULD TELL)

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First, I took a tablespoon of baking soda and dissolved it in some water. Baking soda has a pH of around 9, which means it’s a moderately alkaline substance. I poured the liquid into the PrettyLitter, and within a few minutes, the crystals had taken on a slightly blue-green hue. (I tried to find a stronger basic substance to see if I could get the litter to turn more blue, but thanks to COVID-19, I haven’t been able to buy bleach in a few months.)

Next, I diluted some plain white vinegar in water. Vinegar is a strongly acidic liquid, with a pH of 2, and when I poured this mixture into the litter, it immediately turned a yellowy-orange color.

After these tests, I was confident that the PrettyLitter does what it claims.

IS PRETTYLITTER WORTH IT? PrettyLitter does what it claims — it will change color based on the pH of your cat’s urine. However, whether the product is worth it for your cat is a different question. This specialty litter costs $22 per bag, which is quite pricey, considering you can get a comparable amount of clumping litter for around $12 to $15. In my experience, a small box of traditional litter will last a similar length of time, as well.

You do have to factor in the convenience, though. PrettyLitter (or any crystal litter) makes it quicker and easier to clean your cat’s litter box daily, as you only have to remove the solids. And, of course, if your cat has a history of illness that could be reflected in the pH of their urine, PrettyLitter may help you spot issues sooner.

HERE’S WHAT A VET THINKS We wanted some expert insights on the medical value of this type of litter, so we talked to Dr. Tori Countner, DVM, owner of The Balanced Pet Vet in San Diego.

“The pH of cat urine can be a piece of the puzzle in diagnostic testing,” she said. “I would look at the value with other parameters such as specific gravity, any glucose or sediment present, and other values. I don’t hang my hat on just the pH of their urine, as it can fluctuate throughout the day.”

She also explained that a cat’s diet can impact the pH of their urine.

However, Countner does think a product like PrettyLitter could be useful for cats with certain medical conditions, as it can alert you to issues before they become too serious.

“If owners are working with their vet to dissolve or prevent bladder stones, this could be a helpful tool for at home pH monitoring,” she said. “If they are prone to cystitis or UTIs, then picking up on blood in the urine before it becomes a bigger issue would be beneficial.”

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COLUMN

The day the

laptop T R ACY B EC K E R M AN Tracy Beckerman has written a humor column, Lost in Suburbia, for GateHouse Media and Gannett since 2008. You can find her new weekly column about life back in the city with her husband now that the kids are grown — and her Lost in Suburbia Classics column — in most Gannett newspapers. Follow Tracy on Twitter @TracyBeckerman and become a fan at Facebook.com/ LostinSuburbiaFanPage.

M

stood still

y laptop had a stroke.

There were no warning signs. One minute all my gigahertz and jigawatts were working fine, and the next, nothing. Nada. Zippo. It wasn’t a sniffle or a snort. It was sudden death.

I tried the usual interventions to resuscitate it.

I unplugged it and plugged it back in. I held down the power button. I held down the power button and the escape button. I held down the power button and the escape button and chanted the theme song from “Mission Impossible.” Finally, I tried a defibrillator. But nothing helped.

Something like this had happened once before and it had ended with the demise of my laptop, a graveside burial, and an expensive new replacement. That time there was spilled coffee involved and there was no way to fake the fact that I was the one who had committed laptop-icide.

Sensing that something really, really bad had happened, I immediately called my local Apple Store to make an appointment with a Mac surgeon. Unfortunately, the store was on limited hours because of the pandemic and there were no appointments to be had.

“We can see you on Wednesday,” some teen-

aged Mac geek told me.

“Ack! I can’t wait two days,” I pleaded. “I have an article to write, emails to send. Most importantly, I have to update my Facebook status!!!”

“You can do all that from your smartphone,” he said.

“My screen is cracked,” I said. “I can’t see anything.”

“That’s too bad,” he said. “We do have openings for iPads.”

“That would be fine … if I had an iPad!” I yelled. “Please, isn’t there a wait list I can get on or someone I can bribe with a free Apple gift card to get in?”

“Wednesday,” he said unsympathetically.

“FINE!!”

I hung up the phone and seethed, left to plot my revenge. I willed his Macbook to delete his LinkedIn page. I cursed his iTunes with Perry Como songs. I tried to find a way to deny him access to YouTube, or worse yet, shut down his TikTok. I really wasn’t sure what TikTok was, nor how to shut it down, because I am an old fart and I thought it was a breath mint (that’s Tic Tac) and I still haven’t even grasped the concept of Instagram.

October-November 2020

For two days, I wandered around my house in a laptop-less fog.

From time to time I would log onto our desktop, but I couldn’t get on any of my sites because I had forgotten all my passwords and they wouldn’t automatically fill in from this computer.

Eventually, I just gave up and ate chocolate.

“Hey honey, did you get my email?” my husband asked when he called in the midst of my Mac meltdown.

“No,” I cried. “I can’t get any emails because MY LAPTOP DIED!” “Did you try running a disc utility and doing a permissions repair?” he asked me.

“Can I run with a cup of tea and blow dry my hair?” I asked him.

“What are you talking about?” he said.

“I dunno? I thought that’s what you said,” I responded.

He sighed. I think he was beginning to understand just how much of a computer moron his wife really was.

Meanwhile, I was starting to realize that the possibility of a major repair could leave me without my computer for a week or more. There was no way one chocolate bar was going to do it. I was in for the whole Hershey factory.

Finally, Wednesday arrived. I checked my pulse to make sure I was still breathing and then made my way to the Apple Store. I waited pa-

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tiently for my name to be called and then I approached the Genius Bar. “So what’s the problem here?” my genius asked me.

“My-laptop-froze-and-my-keyboard-isn’t-working-so-I-can’tget-my-email-and-I-can’t-get-onto-Facebook-and-I-think-I’mgonna-die!!!!” I blathered.

He picked up the laptop, looked it over and then disappeared into the back. Five minutes later he came back with my laptop, all lit up and ready to go.

“That’s it?” I asked.

“That’s it,” he said.

“It’s fixed?” I asked incredulously.

“It’s fixed,” he assured me.

“Wow! I am so relieved,” I said. “So, what was the problem, anyway?”

He smiled. “There was chocolate stuck under one of the keys.”

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