You don't need a shed full of hardware to get things done around the house. Even if your weekend workload looks like a real life episode of This Old House, you probably rely on a fairly small core set of tools. Here are a few items suited for both ends of the spectrum—whether you can build a back deck or barely assemble furniture, these items all make a nice addition to the toolbox. Read More >>

Landlines really were great in disasters. When the power went out in north Georgia, as it often did, the one thing you could always rely on was that basic, bare-bones, curly-corded phone hanging on the kitchen wall. How else were we supposed to call the power company to tell them the TV wouldn't turn on? Read More >>

There's a good old-fashioned knob on the front of Whirlpool's new Duet washer and dryer pair. But there's also a little LCD screen right next to it. The screen helps you digitally dial in the settings, and it includes a "built-in suite of Laundry Apps." Read More >>

No kitchen drawer should go without a little power screwdriver; any of the four in our recent test will do. But even those tiny drills were pretty serious workhorses, and for around-the-house tasks like tightening a loose cabinet pull, they're more than you need. Read More >>