We write about hundreds of products each week. Here, in our version of the Sunday circular, we’ve plucked some of our recent favorites: expert-recommended essentials, life-changing stuff you didn’t know you needed, newly launched gizmos, and very good deals we uncovered while trawling through the vast online-shopping universe — including a claw clip that won’t dig into your head when you’re lying down, nesting silicone lids that fit any pot, and the affordable wine key restaurant owner Annie Shi brings home from work.
The flight simulator that gets Carli Lloyd’s adrenaline pumping
A waterproof, dustproof, and drop-proof mini-projector
Strategist tech writer Jordan McMahon spoke to experts to find the best portable projectors you can buy online, and this BenQ model emerged as the top overall pick. Mark Steinberg, a senior technologist at B&H Photo, says it’s compact yet durable enough to be lugged around, and the GS50’s speakers sound the best compared to other projectors he’s tested at this size. The lens has built-in autofocus to adjust the image when it’s blurry, plus this mini-projector is the only one we recommend that comes with a three-year warranty (most come with a single year), McMahon says.
Ultra-comfy slides that soothe achy joints
As seen in our roundup of the best slippers for women, Oofos slides are our best open-toe footwear with extra arch support and come recommended by Strategist writer Arielle Avila, who says she “could walk for days in them.” SuChin Pak, who wears hers at home exclusively, adds that the extra-thick sole forces “you to put pressure on different points of your foot,” which in turn reduces stress on sore feet, knees, and lower backs.
Annie Shi’s non-fussy wine key
In our latest installment of Steal My Registry, we spoke to Annie Shi, the co-owner and beverage director at New York City restaurants King and Jupiter, about her cookware- and ceramics-heavy list, which includes a donabe made from clay found in Japan’s Iga region and this basic (but very handy) wine opener. “You don’t need a $200 corkscrew,” she says. “It has the best serrated foil cutter and a double hinge that makes it incredibly easy to get to the good stuff quickly.”
A “sturdy as hell” claw clip you can wear in Savasana
Strategist writer Lauren Ro has been wearing claw clips since the ’90s, and a decade ago, she discovered one she says is far superior to all others. Known as a “yoga” hair claw, it slides in sideways and lays flush against your scalp, which means the “teeth don’t poke, allowing you to rest the back of your head against a headrest,” Ro says. This design also makes it ideal for mat workouts that require one to lie on their back, she says.
Hilary Duff’s celebrity-co-star-approved yuzu sauce
When we spoke to Hilary Duff about her favorite things, she told us she received this yuzu hot sauce years ago as a stocking stuffer. After introducing it to everyone she works with, Duff says her How I Met Your Father colleagues Francia Rasia and Tien Tran are obsessed with it. “I put it on eggs or sushi, just to give it a little something extra. It’s also great on sandwiches and arugula salads,” she says.
Stackable, space-saving silicone covers
After purging most of the lids to her pots and pans, Strategist kitchen and dining writer Emma Wartzman found these heat-safe silicone covers to be a tidier, easier-to-store replacement. “They come in a pack of five and nest together to create a neat, slender stack that, when placed upright, is no wider than the inch-long knob that sticks out from the center,” she says. Wartzman turns to the two biggest sizes while cooking and uses the smaller ones to cover food in the fridge rather than pulling out a proper storage container, she says.
Our favorite woody candle for the budget-conscious
In our guide to the best-smelling candles, Strategist writer Tembe Denton-Hurst spoke to fragrance obsessives about their favorites and named this one from P.F. Candle Co. our best affordable wood-scented pick for its notes of leather, teak, and orange. She says the L.A.-based brand is “king” in the world of wallet-friendly candles, adding that the “typewriter labels are unmistakable, and the scents smell much more expensive than they are.”
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
