Welcome to How I Pick My Picks — a kind-of-regular newsletter series in which we check in with the Strategist staff on the stuff they’re using day-to-day, the products they’re testing for stories, and the things their friends and family won’t stop asking them about. Consider it a peek into the always whirring brain of a Strategist writer. Today, we talk to junior writer Bella Druckman.
As a junior writer at the Strategist, I’ve collected a lot of knowledge about random (yet important) items, like bedbug mattress encasements, multivitamins, and pill cases. Being nine months postgrad also means that I’ve developed a niche of my own: college and dorm essentials, including backpacks, mattress pads, and shower caddies. As much as I try to forget about my communal showers and late nights finishing essays, the 40-plus college students that I’ve interviewed since joining the Strategist make sure I stay up-to-date on the things they actually use, like North Face’s Borealis backpack and fairy lights instead of the “big light.” And as I’ve built my first “adult” apartment, I’ve actually incorporated lots of things I used to use in my dorm — including my spices, original Our Place pans, and favorite OXO spatula. So, when I say that one of the best graduation gifts is a good set of spices, you can trust me, because I use a set myself.
Given the range of topics I cover, my weeks vary. One week, I’m interviewing a variety of roller-skating experts and documenting our extensive coverage of beloved kitchen brand OXO, and the next, I’m combing through our “What I Can’t Live Without” archives for celebrities’ favorite travel bags and pairs of underwear. I can only assume that the coming months will lead me to new niches, a welcome change for my friends who’ve heard enough of my bedbug prevention fun facts.
What’s the product that friends and family always ask for your advice on?
Unsurprisingly, everyone asks me about dorm essentials. I’ve compiled my findings from extensive interviews with college students across the country in a guide to outfitting your college dorm, but I still get many questions. Most important — is a mattress topper really necessary? Given how hard and slippery your average dorm mattress is, I’d say it’s absolutely essential.
My favorite one, which I also included in the guide, is a three-inch memory foam topper that I purchased after spending one night on my twin XL mattress sans topper. It’s plush, easy to roll up when moving, and durable. Since I recently graduated both from school and to a queen-size bed, I passed it on to a friend who just moved into her first dorm.
Do you have any strongly held opinions that have changed after testing?
Our editors assigned me our Best in Class guide to fans right at the beginning of the summer. Coincidentally, I had also just moved into my first real apartment, which, like many New York apartments, does not have central AC, making my testing all the more effective. As I tried out fans, I realized how important it is to factor in noise level. Though a loud fan will keep you cool, you’ve given yourself a new problem while solving an old one. If you’re hesitant about splurging on the impressively quiet Dyson, Dreo makes a quiet and effective pedestal fan for half the price.
What’s the least amount of money you should spend on, for example, a pill case?
As I mentioned earlier, I wrote our guide to the best pill cases, which I researched by interviewing pill takers and chronic-illness advocates in addition to using a variety of cases to hold my own pills. There’s really no minimum price when it comes to pill cases. In general, the lower you go in price, the less “cute” your case will be. There are a few exceptions to this rule that I’ve come across during my research, though. This includes Strategist writer Ambar Pardilla’s heart-shaped seven-day pill case. If I didn’t already have a pill case I liked, I would buy this one, which is $8 and comes in a variety of cheery colors. There’s also one Strategist senior editor’s peapod-shaped pill case that’s the perfect size for a purse.
What are you currently testing and researching?
I’m currently working on a new Best in Class story dedicated to bath mats — it’s my latest mat-related article since becoming the Strategist’s unofficial mat expert. Every time I test a new mat (whether it’s one for a kitchen, standing desk, you name it), it reinvigorates my belief that a mat should not budge. Your mat, which is there to separate you from the ground, is useless if you have to keep touching the ground to readjust it.
I’m still testing mats to determine my favorite, but I’m impressed by Coyuchi’s Shag Bath Mat so far. It’s impossibly plush and will be a welcome treat for my toes come the colder months.
What’s the last thing you bought?
I’m filling in the gaps in my kitchen and upgrading the tools that no longer suffice after graduating from cooking in a dorm. My most recent purchase is a new pair of tongs from OXO. My old pair had nylon on the ends that was looking particularly nasty after almost four years of use.
What’s the most expensive product that you own?
Since I’m still building out my first apartment and just getting used to having a paycheck, I only have a few expensive items. The most expensive product I own is the kitchen table that my boyfriend and I bought from Dobbin Street Vintage Co-Op in Greenpoint. It’s a beautiful wood table originally from Heywood-Wakefield that we dutifully protect with placemats and coasters. Everyone compliments it as soon as they enter our place.
If you had to spend $1,000 at Pottery Barn, what would you buy?
My alma mater is Barnard College, which is definitely not one of the schools that’s overrun with the headboards and bed skirts you might see on dorm TikTok. When I was in college, my primary décor consisted of a cozy rug and some carefully curated posters. (Though I did upgrade my bed with a trusty bed extender.) If I had the chance to redo it all, I’d absolutely head to Pottery Barn.
Beginning with the bed, I’d grab the Cozy Sherpa Backrest Pillow with a white fluffy sherpa cover to try to fend off homework-induced naps. Then I’d get some of the LoveShackFancy sheets, which have caught my eye in the hundreds of dorm-tour videos that I watch in the name of journalism. To complete the beauty-sleep setup, I’d get this whimsical pajama set. Finishing with décor, which I’d say is almost as important as sleep in the realm of college mental health, I’d get this floor lamp that includes shelves for storage and this wool rug that’s thick enough to keep my feet warm and dark enough to disguise any mysterious stain.
What are some open tabs on your computer right now? What’s on your list, but you can’t bring yourself to buy it just yet?
Recently, I’ve been obsessed with matching pajama sets. There’s something about feeling put-together while I’m sleeping that appeals to me. My boyfriend and I recently celebrated our anniversary, and he gifted me a buttery pair of Lake pajamas. I’ve been sleeping in them as often as I can and am eyeing this wide-leg pair for winter. Other open tabs include a tomato corer, Taylor Swift’s Folklore album on vinyl, one of the cocktail muddlers from our guide to the bartending tool, and Avocado’s adjustable organic bed pillow.
The Strategist is designed to surface useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Every product is independently selected by our team of editors, whom you can read about here. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.
