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 nail-shooting gadget for hanging pictures right on the first try, a sleek soda-maker for hardcore seltzer drinkers, and one writer’s leggings with a built-in running belt.
The $40 cleaning-expert-approved electric mop that outperformed a $1,800 one
Cleaning expert Jolie Kerr thinks this cheap Amazon electric spin mop deserves a spot in your home. A self-described “extraordinarily harsh reviewer,” Kerr told us this electric mop is slim, lightweight, and a dream to use, both in dry-mop and wet-clean mode. “After almost a year with this incredible tool, I’m still in awe of the minimal effort it requires of me and how darn good it is at what it does,” Kerr says.
Plum Sykes’s “jewel in the crown of pencils”
A few years ago, author Plum Sykes received a Harrods gift box that included this pencil, the latest model of the Graf von Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil. Sykes told us that unlike ordinary writing tools, the Perfect Pencil has a built-in sharpener, lead that’s smooth (never scratchy), and makes beautiful, sharp marks that don’t smudge. Though Sykes admits this “heavenly” instrument isn’t exactly cheap, she says it “will be with me for life,” and that after many years she’s only had to order new lead once.
The SPF lip balm an Olympic athlete wears while puttering in her garden
When we spoke to Olympic cross-country skier Jessie Diggins, she told us about this Dermatone SPF lip balm that she puts on before heading out to her garden. Diggins says she also uses other sunscreens from the brand Dermatome, including “one that’s mineral and one that’s sport,” adding that her pro tip is to mix the two.
A nail-shooter for hanging pictures right every time
Hanging a single piece of art is not easy, let alone installing a gallery wall — but with this nail-shooting device called the Takker, Strategist contributor Fiona Byrne hangs pictures and mirrors in one try. The handy tool presses a pushpin-like “Takk” (which can hold up to 22 pounds) firmly into the wall, with no hammering or banging necessary. “I’ve hung art at 11 p.m. without risk of disturbing the neighbors,” Byrne says.
An under-$100 wooden salad bowl that cookbook authors adore
It’s officially summer salad season, which means it’s also wooden salad bowl season. To find the best ones out there, our writer Lauren Ro consulted chefs, restaurant critics, and other food experts to uncover the ones they swear by and even give as gifts. Several cookbook authors recommend this acacia bowl from Crate and Barrel, calling out the “stunning” wood grain. Dan Pelosi, a.k.a. GrossyPelosi and author of Let’s Eat, particularly loves its large 14-inch size “and the way its rounded sides appear to be literally hugging the contents of the bowl.”
Taylor Hill’s “hand sanitizer” for dirty dog paws
Model Taylor Hill, who recently launched her pet brand, Tate & Taylor, says this is one of her favorite products as a dog mom living in New York City. “When I bring my dog on walks, we’ve been caught in the rain, stepped in a puddle, stepped in God knows what,” Hill says, but this no-rinse foaming cleanser is always sitting by her front door. “It comes out of this little scrubby, and you just take their paws and pump it and rub it on them,” she says. “Then, you take a towel or a wipe, and you wipe the rest of the residue off.”
The running essentials Strategist staffers swear by
The Strategist team happens to be full of runners, and this week, we leaned into our expertise and intel for Running Week. Our junior writer (and former collegiate runner) Brenley Goertzen wrote about FlipBelt’s leggings, which have her favorite running belt built into the waistband. They “provide the right combination of compression and stretch,” Goertzen says, plus they’ve eliminated any chance of her forgetting her running belt at home. And if you’re looking to keep your feet blister and sweat-free, look no further than these quarter-length, especially cushiony socks. Strategist writer Jeremy Rellosa has run about 1,100 miles in the two pairs he owns (which helps justify the higher price tag).
A soda-maker for seltzer on tap
The SodaStream Source appears in our soda-maker buying guide and is our favorite affordable model. Two experts recommend it — chef Camille Becerra and Maya Kaimal, a cookbook author and the founder of a line of Indian pantry goods — who have owned their respective machines for about seven years and still use them regularly. Both experts love how easy it is to use and that it doesn’t require a plug, plus the carbonation is “lightly effervescent.”
The ultra-hydrating face moisturizer that one writer uses until the very last drop
In last week’s edition of The Strategist Beauty Brief, each of our beauty writers shared their can’t-live-without face moisturizers. Strategist writer Tembe Denton-Hurst says the Dieux Instant Angel is “hydrating, fragrance-free, packed with good-for-skin ingredients,” and works well with everything else in her skin-care routine. “It’s the one product I’ll break out the tube key for to ensure I get every last drop,” Denton-Hurst says.
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.
