The Key to an Organized Home: Buy More Stuff?

A version of this story first appeared in Gear Patrol Magazine. Subscribe today for more stories like this one, plus receive a $15 gift card to the Gear Patrol Store.

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With the Netflix show Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, a self-described “tidying expert,” managed the impossible: convincing Americans that cleaning could “spark joy.” Kondo, the series’s star, radiates calmness. Her general thesis: with time, dedication and less junk, any home, and life, can be put in order.

But the launch of an e-commerce website, KonMari, the same name of Kondo’s tidying up method, seems to run against everything she stands for. Why is the queen of tidying up trying to sell us more stuff?

Kate Lester, a Los Angeles-based interior designer, says that organization doesn’t mean throwing things away; it means building a system to make life easier. “There are so many other things to stress about these days. Finding your keys shouldn’t be one of them,” Lester says. And organizational tools and storage solutions are key to keeping the chaos at bay.

Kondo agrees. “The aim of storage and organization tools is to give every item a home — a designated spot for it to rest and recharge when not in use,” Marie Kondo says. “Ensuring that each one of your belongings has its own spot is the only way to maintain a tidy and clutter-free home. Clutter has nothing to do with what or how much you own — it’s the failure to put things back where they belong.”

In January 2021, Kondo widened KonMari’s reach by collaborating with The Container Store. The collection of more than 100 pieces features wicker baskets, desk organizers and other miscellaneous storage options for every room, and corner, of the home.

“The way you store your items is an expression of gratitude for all the support they provide. Giving them a cozy spot to kick back and relax is the least you can do,” Kondo says. “This is why I recommend investing in storage and organization items that are both functional and joy-sparking.”

In the midst of a global pandemic, finding joy feels like striking gold. For Lester, organizing is a way to have power over something tangible. “This is a way for me to have some semblance of calm and control among the chaos,” she says. If you can’t control your emotions, the least you can do is control your clutter.

Lester’s own tidying method is a three-step process: sort, purge and regroup. She evaluates the items that survived the purge, figures out the best ways to store them, then shops the storage items that will grant her easiest access.

Organizing is having its big moment right now. The Container Store’s collection with Kondo is its second collaboration with a juggernaut organization brand. The Home Edit, made up of organizing duo Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, who have their own books and legion of decluttering-obsessed fans, launched a line with The Container Store in 2020. And people are buying. In the second quarter of 2020, The Container Store had its best second quarter sales in the company’s over-40-year history; in the third quarter of 2020, the company’s net sales were up over 20 percent and online sales nearly doubled compared to the same timeframe last year. year over year in the following quarter.

With Kondo helping The Container Store kick off its 2021 with a bang, there seems to be no slowing down in the push to get organized. Maybe it’s time to get the kids in on the fun, too. Kondo certainly has.

“As I tidy, I explain what I’m doing so [my daughters] can learn from me,” she says. “If children see their parents tidying regularly with a smile, they will think of tidying as a positive everyday activity.”

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Marie Kondo Calm Desktop Organizer Set

Marie Kondo Hikidashi Bamboo Drawer Organizers Set of 6

Marie Kondo Cloud White Ceramic Bulk Canisters

Marie Kondo Ori Rattan Honey Natural Oversized Curved Bins

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Please Stop Storing Your Kitchen Knives in a Big Wood Block

The big, bulky, wooden knife block is cancer unto your kitchen. You know the ones — the 6″ x 12″ x 8″ 10-pounders that harbor more slots than there are knives in existence. Walk into any commercial kitchen — or any chef’s home digs — and there won’t be a knife block. Why? They use magnetic knife bars that cost the same or less. Here’s why you should switch.

Knife Blocks Are Invariably Disgusting

In 2013, the National Sanitation Foundation conducted studies the gnarliest areas of everyday homes. Among can openers, parts of the refrigerator (specifically the “meat compartment”) and other obvious problem areas was the knife block. It turns out dark places that catch moisture and are impossible to clean creates a breeding ground for mold.

Knife Blocks Ruin Knives

Regardless of steel type, knife shape or quality, rubbing the blade edge against a hard surface is at best a quick ticket to a knife sharpener and at worst a path to chipped and dull blades that pose a threat to your fingers. In testing, Cook’s Illustrated found the action of sliding a knife in and out of its slot significantly shirked blade retention (and wound up recommending magnetic knife strips on top of that).

Knife Blocks Are Needlessly Large

Whether you do cartwheels in your sprawling suburban kitchen or don’t have a microwave in your studio apartment, everyone can use more space. The magnetic knife bar frees up a chunk of countertop space in favor of less usable kitchen wall (or the starboard side of a fridge) space. Plus, you get to show off your knives, if you’re into that.

Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.

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You Might Soon Find Yourself Brushing Your Teeth With a Dyson

If there’s one brand that we love that’s all about keeping your home clean, it’s Dyson. From its legendary vacuums to its crazy-expensive air purifiers, the brand has been known to keep things clean. Now, however, it appears Dyson is working on finding a way to help people improve their oral cleanliness as well.

As first reported by Gizmodo, Dyson filed a patent on April 22, 2021 for a “dental cleaning appliance [that] includes a handle, a fluid reservoir for storing a working fluid, and a fluid delivery system for receiving working fluid from the reservoir, and for delivering working fluid to the oral cavity of a user.” In other words, it’s an electric toothbrush with a built-in water flosser, à la Waterpik.

Based on the patent, the design of the toothbrush looks fairly interesting to say the least. The patent depicts the toothbrush as a microphone with a brush head attached on the top. The ball-looking part, called the “fluid reservoir,” is where the water is stored — and it’s not entirely dissimilar to the look of Dyson’s Ball vacuums, albeit upside down. The ball detaches — thanks to magnets — which lets users refill the reservoir. The patent doesn’t give specifics to the toothbrush’s settings besides how it utilizes the built-in flosser.

As described in the patent, the user can manually deploy the water flosser by pressing a button. In auto mode, “a control circuit actuates the delivery of working fluid to the nozzle automatically depending on a signal received from a sensor for detecting movement of the nozzle relative to the handle.” Basically, the toothbrush will floss as you brush.

Dyson’s toothbrush is not the first of its kind. That designation goes to Waterpik’s Sonic-Fusion, which came out in 2018. Waterpik is synonymous with its water flossers, and its toothbrush with built-in water flosser was seen as a game changer in dental care. One of the noticeable differences between the Sonic-Fusion and the Dyson toothbrush is that Waterpik’s model is attached bulky water reservoir.

There’s no word on how much the Dyson toothbrush will cost (it is just speculation and a patent filing so far) but since the Sonic-Fusion costs $149, and Dyson products are not known to be cheap, we’re expecting Dyson’s toothbrush to be at least $200. In the meantime, we’ll keep an eye out for any updates on the toothbrush.

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All the Coolest Home and Design Releases We Discovered in May 2021

The end of May may signify the unofficial start of summer thanks to Memorial Day, and brands were dropping heat ahead of actual summer. A legendary music producer released a new hot sauce brand, and it will definitely make you sweat. Figlia may look like Campari, but the aperitif has zero booze in it, making it an excellent mixer for all your non-alcoholic cocktails for summer hangs.

If you’ve been holding out on decking out your yard with some new outdoor furniture, well, Floyd entered the chat, and it’s a winning collection. Fans of cold brew? Fellow’s new French press is probably the nicest out there, and Osma’s Osma Pro can get you cold brew in 90 seconds. That’s just a taste of what came out in May, and the rest is just as fire.

Figlia

There’s a new non-alcoholic aperitif on the shelves, and it’s born out of tragedy. Figlia, Italian for “daughter,” comes from Lily Geiger, whose father struggled with alcoholism and died when she was 20. While everyone’s experience with sobriety is different, Figlia is a drink that works for those completely cutting alcohol out of their life, as well as those who just want something good to drink that just so happens to be non-alcoholic.

The juicy-looking aperitif is a citrusy, gingery and floral concoction that makes for a pleasant sipper or mocktail mixer. Think of it as a zero-proof Campari, minus the cloyingly sweet flavor profile. Besides being an exceptional alternative to booze-filled hangouts, Figlia is helping those struggling with alcoholism through its work with Partnership to End Addiction, which helps families of those with addiction problems.

Price: $43

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Made In Pizza Steel

If you’ve made pizza at home before, you may have noticed its crust was just a little bit lacking. Its too-soft texture is most likely because your oven can’t reach the same temperature as the oven in your favorite pizzeria’s oven.

The secret for perfectly crispy at-home pizza is the pizza steel, and Made In made one that’s going to have you breaking up with your local pizzeria. Made from perforated carbon steel, Made In’s pizza steel gets hot as hell, making for a nice crusty pie. And because it’s made of carbon steel instead of cast iron, it’s light, so you don’t need to worry about dropping your pizza.

Price: $49

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General Admission x Mister Green x Deadbeat Club Hippie Jump Coffee

As part of its ongoing collaboration, California streetwear brand General Admission and California lifestyle weed brand Mister Green worked with Deadbeat Club (yet another California brand) on a coffee to wake and bake with. Hippie Jump is a naturally processed Indonesian coffee, with notes of strawberry, dark chocolate and orange creamsicles. It’ll pair perfectly with General Admission’s and Mister Green’s Wake and Bake set.

Price: $20

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Dims. x Dusen Dusen Cleo Chair

Designed by Norwegian designer Stine Aas, the Dims. Cleo chair is a perfectly wacky-looking chair (that we love) that gets an even wackier update thanks to Ellen Van Dusen of Dusen Dusen. The colorful brand brought its eye towards eye-popping colors to the Cleo chair, turning it into a multicolored seat to bring out your inner child. The initial run of these chairs was limited to 50 pieces and sold out in less than an hour — but word on Instagram is there’s going to be a reissue soon.

Price: $495

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Ghia Le Spritz

Ghia’s non-alcoholic, ruby-hued aperitif helped me get through Dry January, my go-to preparation being Ghia mixed with some soda water. Well now, Ghia is going the canned route with its Le Spritz, and I can stop mixing my own spritzes. The eight-ounce cans are a pre-mixed blend of Ghia’s flagship beverage with the addition of rosemary and yuzu. Get this to get the party started without the post-party shutdown.

Price: $18/4-pack

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Anaori Kakugama

This is a pot. Yes, it’s a cube, but it’s essentially a pot. It’s made of carbon graphite, which the brand Anaori touts as a lighter option to cast iron that gets even hotter. Inside the square contraption is a rounded shape that helps to recreate convection heating, and the lid also happens to double as a grill plate. So with the Kakugama, you’re getting a tool that grills, boils, fries and steams — with a $2,490-plus price tag.

The piece of cookware does have its backers, including the Michelin-starred chef Fredrik Berselius, who will be highlighting the Kakugama at his restaurant, Aska, as part of the brand’s worldwide tour.

Price: $2,490+

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Good Feals Kit

Alex Iwanchuk co-founded the CBD oil brand Feals to help him find balance amid his mental health struggles. Because May is Mental Health Awareness Month, the brand decided to release a Good Feals Kit, which contains a 600-milligram bottle of Feals, a 500-piece puzzle from the brand Piecework and a reusable nylon tote from Baggu. All net proceeds from the kit will go towards Painted Brain, which is a Los Angeles-based mental health nonprofit.

Price: $75

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Jah Mama Hot Sauce

This hot sauce made me tear up. Not because it was super hot, but because it was just so damn good. (Okay, its Scotch bonnet peppers also triggered the waterworks.) Crafted by music producer Jahphet Landis, also known as Roofeeo, Jah Mama is Landis’ homage to his mother’s pepper sauce. It also happened to get Pharrell William’s nod of approval when he tried it on his Instagram Stories.

The hot sauce gets its heat from Scotch bonnet peppers and fresno chilies, which provides a delayed, but lingering, heat. But Jah Mama isn’t just about providing fire — it’s full of flavor, too. To give the sauce its Caribbean flair, Roofeeo added ingredients culantro, shallot and turmeric, which make you want to drink the stuff straight from the bottle. Don’t though, unless you have a jar of Tums nearby.

Price: $13

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Five Two Fresh Start Laundry Bag

Anything to make laundry day easier is a Gear Patrol-approved purchase in my book. Five Two’s new Fresh Start laundry bag is one of those things. Fresh Start is essentially an extra-long backpack to easily schlep all your dirty clothes and laundry-related essentials to the laundry room. It has a slot to keep your extra laundry money, a pouch to hold your detergent and a drawstring opening for when your bag is overflowing with soiled clothing. Honestly, there’s nothing holding you back from using this as an actual backpack since you could probably store a week’s worth of clothing in here for your next getaway.

Price: $59

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The Goods Mart x Peter Som Snack Box

Fashion designer Peter Som partnered with The Goods Mart, a high-end NYC-based convenience store, on a snack box consisting of Peatos Crunchy Curls, Zest Thai Mushroom Jerky, Ancient Provisions Cheddar Cheezish Crackers, Good Fish Spicy BBQ Salmon Skin, Union Whole Earth Snacks Pepperoni Crisps, Good Crisps Classic Original, Little Secrets Crispy Wafers and Wholesome Delish Fish.

For every purchase, $10 goes to Heart of Dinner, which provides meals to low-income Asian elders in New York City’s Chinatown.

Price: $60

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Kin Euphorics Lightwave

Kin Euphorics makes non-alcoholic drinks that make you feel good instead of feeling good then crashing the next day with a gnarly hangover. Its new canned drink, Lightwave, is touted as providing a “grounded calm.” Lightwave is a combination of adaptogens, to help destress; nootropics, to boost cognitive function; and botanics, to actually make the drink taste good. It tastes of lavender and vanilla with a bit of smoked sea salt, and it’s equal parts delicious and functional.

Price: $27/four-pack

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Brooklinen Beach Towels

Brooklinen is known for its bedding and bathroom products, but it also has beach towels. Like the brand’s bath towels, the beach towels are just as soft and absorbent. Brooklinen tapped Norway-based artist Isabelle Feliu to design its towels in Daybreak and Moonscape prints, both of which will be easy to spot on a sandy shore.

Price: $65+

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Hilton Carter x Target

Hilton Carter, a plant enthusiast, interior designer and author, partnered with Target on a collection of all things green and green-related. The collection includes everything from live plants to faux plants, planters to garden accessories. While the live plants are only available in stores, everything else is available online with prices starting at $5. Some of our favorites include a propagation stand, a faux cactus and garden shears.

Price: $5+

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Floyd Outdoor Furniture

Floyd is already one of our favorite online furniture stores (its sofa and shelving system are particularly add-to-cart worthy). Now the Detroit-based brand is doing outdoor furniture, and it’s a winning collection. The brightly colored line consists of a bench ($375), stackable chairs ($265) and two tables — one square ($525) and one rectangular ($845). The powder-coated aluminum is long-lasting and meant to withstand years and years of outdoor hangs and inclement weather.

Price: $265+

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Bed, Bath & Beyond Simply Essential

Bed, Bath & Beyond is really leaning into its name with its new in-house brand, Simply Essentials, which focuses on low-priced, high-quality goods for the bed, the bath and…well, beyond. Everything Simply Essential makes everything a person could possibly need for their home from sheets to cookware. Nothing is more than $200 and some stuff is in the single-digit price range. It’s so affordable you might not even care about using BB&B’s infamous 20-percent-off coupons.

Price: $1+

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Fellow Clara French Press

Fellow released its version of a French press earlier this month, and it’s about as Fellow as it gets. From the matte black construction to the thoughtful details, it promises to make a better cup of French press coffee. It has an ultra-fine mesh filter to reduce the muddiness of your coffee, an agitation stick to help with coffee extraction and a non-stick coating to help with cleanup.

The only hesitation about getting one may be its price: $99 for matte black or $129 for matte black with walnut accents.

Price: $99+

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Vermicular Frying Pan

Japanese cookware brand Vermicular released an enamel-coated cast-iron frying pan that’s a lightweight option to heavy, clunky cast-iron pans. A lid is not included and costs $40 extra. The smaller 9.4-inch frying pan weighs just 2.3 pounds; the larger 10.2-inch frying pan weighs just 2.4 pounds. Vermicular touts its pans’ ability to quickly evaporate water and retain its heat. The only downside to the pan is its handle — while it looks nice, it has a low heat resistance and therefore the pan cannot be used in the oven.

Price: $155+

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Osma Pro

The whole shtick around cold brew is that it takes a long time to make, and the result is a fairly lackluster cup of low-acidity coffee. Osma’s new countertop brewer, the Osma Pro, can supposedly make cold brew coffee in just 90 seconds. Just add ice, water and coffee and the Osma Pro essentially recirculates the water through the grounds to get a three-ounce espresso shot or 12-ounce cold brew in less time than it takes to explain exactly what’s going on.

Price: $695

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Umamicart AAPI Heritage Month Recipe Kits

Umamicart, launched earlier this year, easily became one of our favorite online grocery stores for offering a bountiful selection of Asian groceries. Part of the appeal was how approachable the grocery store whether or not you were familiar with select ingredients. With its recipe kits, Umamicart made it easy for shoppers to quickly add to cart all the things they needed to make specific Asian dishes.

To celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Month, Umamicart expanded its recipe kit selection and is donating proceeds to Send Chinatown Love and Heart of Dinner, both of which are organizations helping Asian Americans in New York City’s Chinatown amid a rise of anti-Asian hate crimes. Recipes include shio tonkotsu chashu ramen, braised pork belly and okonomiyaki, as well as two recipes made in collaboration with 886 and Wing Hing, two New York City restaurants, which developed a Taiwanese sausage fried rice and baby shrimp fried rice, respectively.

Price: $18+

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The 11 Best Weed Grinders to Crush the Daily Grind

This definitive guide of the best weed grinders for 2021 explores everything you need to know before buying one, and what you should consider before picking one for yourself.

The grinder is every stoner’s trusted sidekick: if you meet someone who smokes weed, they most definitely have a grinder. Yes, breaking up bud with fingers is an option, but there’s something special about the ritual of loading a grinder with a fat nug and twisting the top to reveal a lush pile of green goodness. Not all grinders are made alike, however, just like how some sidekicks can be disappointing and worthless (see: Snapper Carr, whose schtick was being a powerless, hip teen and ended up getting kicked out of the Justice League for revealing the location of their secret hideout to The Joker) or extraordinarily badass (see: Robin. He’s Robin! Look at the spinoffs!). Below, we’ve done the work of separating the Snappers from the Robins. These are the best weed grinders you can buy.

The Short List

Best Overall Weed Grinder: Higher Standards Aerospaced

The Aerospaced grinders by Higher Standards — a California-based luxury cannabis lifestyle company with a flagship store in New York City — combines quality with fun, jazzy colors: you’ll find standard shades like black and silver, but you can also choose from options like lilac, green and even gold. The sharp, diamond-shaped teeth pulverize the stickiest of weed to an even consistency, and the aircraft grade aluminum means it’s built to last. Plus, it comes in an assortment of sizes, with the largest clocking in at less than $40. Go for the smaller sizes for personal use, or get the larger sizes — which include a kief catcher — if you’re seshing with friends. But don’t take my word for it: “It’s the best,” writer and meme curator Miles Klee says. “Pleasing and practical design that never lets you down. If only rolling joints were easy as grinding pot with this thing.”

Best Splurge Weed Grinder: Santa Cruz Shredder

When consulting fellow stoners for this story, Santa Cruz Shredder was the brand that came up the most. And, with medical-grade, ultrasonically cleansed anodized aluminum, it’s worth the price. The Santa Cruz Shredder is made in and ships from the U.S., and is custom designed in Santa Cruz, California. It’s unique threading pattern, friction ring and textured grip make it easy to use (according to its website, it’s great for medical consumers who have a hard time gripping small objects), and the rare earth magnet in the lid doesn’t budge if you’re taking some stash on the go. Plus, the tooth design — which features an “inverted square” — is one of the most interesting on the market, and helps the Shredder live up to its name. There are even Santa Cruz Shredders made of hemp if you want to get meta with your grinders, or if you’re looking for a more Earth-friendly, biodegradable option. With all of these perks, I guess my stoner friends have great taste.

Best Budget Weed Grinder: iRainy Spice Herb Grinder with Pollen Catcher

I may be a little biased because this grinder graces my own weed shrine (I own the rose gold option which matches my pink rolling tray), but it has never failed me. It’s made of zinc, which is a standard, safe metal for grinders and has more chambers compared to other grinders on the market, making it easy to play around with cannabis consistencies and combinations. The “pollen catcher” (normie talk for kief, the accumulated trichomes, or resin glands, sifted from cannabis through a mesh screen that is incredibly potent) comes with a little scoop, which is equal parts cute (little shovel!) and helpful in order not to waste any “pollen.”

What to Look for in a Weed Grinder

Tip #1: More Chambers, More Options

A standard two-chamber grinder will get the job done, but your options become endless once you upgrade to one that has a kief catcher and additional chambers. A friend described adding “middle weed” — weed that’s not kief but more fine than what typically get used — to a Volcano to get a more flavorful high. Mess around with different combinations of consistencies to get different highs.

Tip #2: Look for the Teeth

The teeth shape, and the number of teeth, affect how the weed is broken up. However, more teeth doesn’t necessarily mean better (you don’t want weed that’s too fine right off the bat), and not enough teeth equals chunky weed and more time grinding.

Tip #3: Material Matters

There are three kinds of metals typically used to make grinders: zinc, aluminum and stainless steel. There are plastic grinders on the market, but you might encounter a broken tooth if you’re grinding tough weed. Additionally, cheaper grinders might be coated with paint or a finish, which could chip off and get into your weed. You definitely don’t want to inhale that!

Tip #4 Grip is Important

The better grip a grinder has, the easier it’s going to be to use. And, an easier grip means you have to use less torque (the measure of force that causes an object to rotate around an axis) to grind the weed. That’s important if you’re a user who experiences a lot of hand pain.

Tip #5 Don’t be Afraid to Splurge

Grinders get a lot of use. A cheaper grinder might not last you as long as something made of high-quality metal. Paying more gives you the peace of mind that a tooth won’t break, the product won’t flake, and that nothing funky from the grinder is getting into your weed.

The Best Weed Grinders

Phoenician Grinders Medium Grinder

This herb grinder features medical grade, anodized aluminum and a threadless design, which means no more fumbling when screwing your grinder back together. The threadless design also means no more gummed up threads. Arc cutter blades on the lid and top tier of the grinder gives herbs a “scissored” texture instead of pulverizing it. It comes with a kief catcher and scraper, and the screens are removable, making clean-up a breeze. Plus, it comes with a lifetime warranty — perfect for those who are clumsy and have lost many grinders because of an ill-fated drop onto concrete.

Cali Crusher Cali O.G. 2.5″ Grinder

Another California favorite, the Cali Crusher is made out of aerospace aluminum, with blade plates that will never loosen and spin in place. The Cali Crusher features diamond shaped teeth and a stainless steel micron screen. Even better, there’s a kief catcher and pollen scraper included. And, with eight colors to choose from, there’s one to match every stoner vibe you’re going for. If you tire of shiny grinders, the company also sells grinders in a matte finish — if I didn’t love my rose gold grinder, I’d buy the gorgeous forest green option.

SharpStone Clear Top 4 Piece Hand Crank Grinder

Perfect for someone who is prone to hand pain, the SharpStone Grinder features a lid with a hand crank that works like a hand crank coffee grinder. And, with a clear top, this grinder allows you to see your progress for the perfect consistency. It is made out of anodized aircraft grade aluminum, features “razor-sharp” cutting blades, neodynium magnets for a tight seal, a kief catcher with a pollen scraper and a carrying pouch for discreet transportation. CNC (computer numerical control) machined components allow for precision-made products for consistency in quality.

Sackville & Co. Signature Grinder

“Remember that grimy-ass grinder your ex had in college? Well, this is not that,” reads the product description of this grinder. And grimy-ass it is not! If you’re looking for a beautiful grinder that supports a women-owned business, look no further than Sackville & Co.’s Signature Grinder. It’s a four-piece grinder — with the ever-important kief catcher — with diamond-sharp teeth for fluffy bud. A magnetic enclosure ensures it’s ready for on-the-go consumption. And, with a soft brushed gold finish, this grinder is the revenge dress of grinders. Your college ex will probably ditch their grimy-ass grinder after seeing this one.

Edie Parker Flower Grinder Case

In an interview with MedMen, one of the largest dispensary chains in the U.S., Brett Heyman, Edie Parker founder and Gucci alum, said her California upbringing inspired her to enter the cannabis lifestyle market with Edie Parker Flower. The line features rolling trays and lighters made out of their signature acrylic, and this grinder is their take on this stoner staple. Made of plastic and resembling a prescription pill bottle — potentially a play on cannabis’ medicinal properties — this neon grinder is great for bringing a bit of bud on the road in a kitschy, but not cringey or cheugy, way.

Banana Bros OG Otto

Otto is engineered with aerospace engineered aluminum plates and AI to mill, not grind, cannabis. This grinder also features technology to automatically adjust speed, pressure and direction based on the consistency and texture of the cannabis. The big bonus: This electric grinder fills a cone for you, meaning there’s no mess to clean up and no weed wasted, and you get a perfect cone every time. For $50 more, you can purchase an Otto in red, blue or gold. The designated joint rollers need to unionize ASAP before too many people get their hands on an Otto.

The Ripper Classic Herb Grinder

The Ripper is made out of medical grade stainless steel, and gives you peak customization when purchasing: you can choose from a three-piece or a four-piece grinder, and you can choose between a coarse grind or a hybrid grind. The deep cutting area allows you to pack the grinder with a larger amount of product, and a stainless steel ball agitator gets all of the kief off of the grinder. Speaking of kief, the grinder has a kief catcher and additional scraper. Plus, it’s dishwasher safe. Can’t say that with many other grinders.

Tokyo Smoke Dot Infinity Grinder Card

Grinder cards are kind of a flex: they say, “yeah I smoke weed” without saying it. It’s like that one scene in “American Psycho” where Patrick Bateman is flipping out over business cards. If Bateman had this Grinder Card from Tokyo Smoke, he’d be infinitely more chill. It works like a cheese grater: All you have to do is shave the bud over a rolling tray or board. Although it’s messier than other grinders, cleaning up this card is a breeze. Just grab some rubbing alcohol and a cloth to wipe it clean. Most importantly, leave no trace and gather all the weed you shredded, as wasting bud is a sin.

You Need a Tool Box, and This Is the Only One to Add to Cart

Kennedy Manufacturing 20″ All-Purpose Hand Carry Tool Box, $178

Skip the heavy lifting and go straight to what’s best. Just Get This is our no-nonsense guide to the gear you need, now.

In the case of Kennedy Manufacturing, being first is not the worst. The brand literally invented the first metal tool box, and to this day, it’s still the only tool box you should buy. If you have more than just a screwdriver, you’ll want a Kennedy. For over a century, the brand has been the go-to brand for metal tool boxes from aerospace engineers to home DIY-ers turn. And if Bob the Builder or Tim “The Toolman” Taylor were real, they’d definitely have a Kennedy Manufacturing tool box, too. Here’s why.

It’s HEFTY

You don’t want to put all your tools in some dinky little tool carrier — you need something beefy and durable, especially when you have a limited lifetime warranty (more on that later). Everything Kennedy makes is made with industrial-grade materials, including this tool box, which is crafted with heavy 20-gauge steel. Overkill for at-home DIY projects? Yes, but that’s why even career machinists turn only to Kennedy for its well-built products.

Your tools are protected

The tool box is obviously the home for your gear. Besides being a portable way to transport all of your tools, Kennedy’s tool boxes are lined with vinyl to offer cushiony support, a small but noteworthy detail for those who pore over everything they add to their tool collection. The plated locking hardware also ensures all of your stuff won’t slip out by accident.

Guaranteed for life

If you’re the original purchaser of a Kennedy tool box (which means the warranty doesn’t apply to the one you got from your pops), you’re entitled to the brand’s limited lifetime warranty. That means you can rest assured that your purchase is defect-free, and will remain that way given “normal” working conditions. The warranty only applies to parts — not the labor that would go into replacing those parts — but we’re fairly certain you’ll rarely need to worry about your Kennedy tool box.

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The Best Outdoor Furniture Brands for Your Patio, Balcony or Backyard

Though often regarded as a summertime activity, enjoying the outdoor air in all its forms is not really all that seasonal; in most parts of the country, a patio, balcony or backyard is perfectly usable three seasons of the year. Which makes its status as patron furniture buying afterthought all the more confusing — why sit on tailgate chairs and use coolers for tables?

Of course, outdoor furniture is no doubt secondary to indoor furniture — don’t buy a weather-proof set of tables and chairs before getting a couch to sit on in your living room. But the level at which it’s disregarded isn’t equal to the amount of use a proper backyard can, and perhaps should, receive.

In our survey of the best outdoor and patio furniture, we explore the high and low of a market that doesn’t get the respect it deserves — these 22 sets and collections run the complete price, prestige and style spectrum.

Ikea

Editor’s Pick: Ikea Applaro Collection

As it does in virtually every corner of the good-looking, supremely affordable furniture market, Ikea rules. The Swedish furniture powerhouse has six dedicated outdoor collections suited for all types of design styles with the ability to mix and match for a more eclectic look. You better throw some time on the calendar to actually put everything together, but considering you’ll be spending maybe less than a grand to deck out your backyard, it’s worth it.

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Wayfair

Editor’s Pick: Wade Logan Rectangular 6-Person Set

You know Wayfair, and you know how freakin’ cheap it is. If you’re balling on a budget, head to the discount retailer to get discount backyard furniture that won’t break the bank. You can get anything from Wayfair from furniture sets to outdoor rugs to decor — you get the picture. Just be wary of MSRPs because if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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Lowe’s

Editor’s Pick: Safavieh Pacifica Set

If today’s the day you finally tackle an outdoor project, head to Lowe’s. With furniture to suit your modern, coastal or whatever design style, Lowe’s can accommodate you and your home. Lowe’s is an all-around home improvement store, so besides copping just furniture, you can turn your backyard into a little piece of Eden with garden care, heat lamps and fire pits.

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Home Depot

Editor’s Pick: Hermosa Teak Set

Home Depot, the home improvement store, wants to do more than just help you paint your house. Its outdoor furniture is an enviable selection of affordable sets, single pieces and accents. The benefit to shopping its website is your local Home Depot won’t have the same array of options. And if it’s easier for you, you can order online then have it shipped to your closest Home Depot for easy pick-up.

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Raymour & Flanigan

Editor’s Pick: Raymour & Flanigan Antigua Set

If you’re not up for assembling your own furniture, head to Raymour & Flanigan. The furniture retailer does local delivery on its wide selection of outdoor seating, tables, rugs and more. There’s almost always a sale happening, so if you shop smart, you can surely snag a great deal.

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Bed, Bath & Beyond

Editor’s Pick: Forest Gate Modular Set

Outdoor furniture is very much the “beyond” in Bed, Bath & Beyond. Mix and match pieces or go for any one of its backyard sets. Either way, the retailer has you covered with a decent mix of options. Got one of those BB&B 20-percent off coupons? You’ll really get yourself a good deal.

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Amazon

Editor’s Pick: Greesum 4-Piece Patio Furniture Set

Amazon, home of two-day shipping and apparently a lot of outdoor furniture. We guarantee you’ll know about one percent of the brands listed on the website, but you’re shopping on Amazon, not DWR. Easily narrow down your furniture searches with Amazon’s incredibly detailed filters, and before you know it, you’ve turned a list of thousands of products into one or two.

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Zinus

Editor’s Pick: Zinus Pablo Collection

Zinus is known for its crazy cheap mattresses and indoor furniture, and it brought its budget-friendly mindset to the outdoor realm. Its Pablo collection is a sleek and modern approach to backyard furniture. It’s made of lightweight aluminum and wood, topped with water-resistant cushions and waterproof covers. The Savannah line is almost identical to the Pablo line albeit in black with vertical back beams.

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West Elm

Editor’s Pick: West Elm Portside Collection

West Elm’s outdoor collections perfectly complement the beautifully made furniture you put inside your home. Is it on the pricier end? Yes, but you get high-quality materials, well-designed pieces and a lot of clout from your snooty friends.

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Design Within Reach

Editor’s Pick: Eos Collection

You know Design Within Reach for its impeccably designed indoor furniture. It also carries a few collections meant for the outdoors. You can expect to spend a fair amount on just a single chair, but if design is your priority, you’ll know it’s worth the investment.

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Hay

Editor’s Pick: Palissade Collection

Hay is known for its fun, playful designs, and its outdoor line is really just made up of two sub-categories: its seminal outdoor collection, “Palissade,” and “Other.” The 13-piece collection was designed to put a fork in the way we use form to imply function. The site’s description puts it concisely: “they are strong without being bulky, elegant without being fragile.”

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Snow Peak

Editor’s Pick: Snow Peak Low Chair Khaki

Not every backyard or patio has to be completely stationary. Snow Peak is a Japanese outdoor brand with a fervent following of outdoors-people who want products that go for the extra step, and its outdoor furniture collection is full of fold-up chairs, bamboo tables and collapsable benches, all just as ready for the trail as they are an apartment balcony or space-deficient backyards.

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EQ3

Editor’s Pick: EQ3 Cape Collection

EQ3 furniture makes timeless furniture that eschews trends. It has one main outdoor furniture collection, called Cape, that’s minimally designed in a way that’s neither dull nor boring. Essentially, it’ll blend into nearly every outdoor environment but won’t play a supporting character.

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Rove Concepts

Editor’s Pick: Rove Concepts Louis Collection

Rove Concepts delivers on its promise of well-made, modern furniture delivered to your door with every project it unveils, and its commitment to outdoor furniture is no different. Whether you’re into sleek and streamlined silhouettes or thick and chunky behemoths, Rove Concepts has something for you.

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CB2

Editor’s Pick: CB2 Breton Collection

CB2 keeps its collections modern, and although not the cheapest, you feel like your money is being well spent. The brand is another one of those retailers you want to shop when putting furniture together yourself is a thing of the past. Keep an eye out for sales and discount codes — CB2 runs promotions regularly.

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SunHaven

Editor’s Pick: SunHaven Kensington Set

SunHaven is a fairly new direct-to-consumer furniture brand based out of Los Angeles, and its business model is why you can get a seven-piece furniture set for just a little over two grand. Each piece comes preassembled, and offers everything you want from high-quality outdoor furniture like weather resistant materials and overall excellent comfort.

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Article

Editor’s Pick: Article Arca Seating

Since 2013, Article’s been making high-quality furniture at not-so-high prices. The brand’s direct-to-consumer MO shaves off a few layers of middlemen in favor of shipping its wares directly to you at a lower price, and, in some cases, with no assembly required. How low are some of the prices? A UV-resistant dining chair is only $59. Shopping its outdoor furniture is like an endless scroll of well-designed pieces, and they’re all a steal just like the $59 chair.

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RH

Editor’s Pick: RH Balmain Collection

RH is the crème de la crème of all furniture. The thing about outdoor furniture is that it needs to be able to take a beating, and RH does that by making sure every component of its outdoor furniture is ready to battle the elements. From its use of performance fabrics to the way it finishes its aluminum, RH will make sure you feel like luxury because it only sells luxury.

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Frontgate

Courtesy

Frontgate Palazzo Shell Lounge Chair

Frontgate frontgate.com

$350.00

Editor’s Pick: Frontgate Palazzo Modular System

Frontgate’s in-house design team makes its outdoor furniture to be able to withstand nature and also to provide long-lasting comfort. The brand offers a 10-year structural frame warranty, so you can rest easy if your backyard is constantly taking a beating. Pieces are constructed from materials like weather-resistant wicker, Egyptian cotton and performance fabrics because each person’s outdoor needs are different.

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Yardbird

Courtesy

Yardbird Colby Loveseat Set

Yardbird yardbird.com

$2,240.00

Editor’s Pick: Yardbird Colby Collection

Yardbird is outdoor furniture gone fully direct-to-consumer — that means you won’t find it professionally arranged in a salesperson-infested showroom, but you will find higher quality materials for a price that’s more digestible. With 12 collections, there’s no shortage of design inspiration, and the only issue you’ll have when shopping is deciding on which bad boy to add to cart.

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Outer Sofas

Outer

Outer Wicker Outdoor 4-Seat Sectional

Outer liveouter.com

$4,885.00

Editor’s Pick: Outer Wicker Collection

Outer’s sofas are quite possibly the apex of outdoor seating. Craftspeople hand-weave each wicker chair, which is made from recycled plastic bottles. While any good outdoor seating features weather-resistant cushioning, Outer’s is especially good at withstanding the elements. The cushions are stain- and fade-resistant, as well as waterproof. Plus, the cushions are memory foam for a comfortable sitting experience. An integrated cover rolls out of the back to protect your seat when not in use, so there’s not need to buy an extra protective barrier.

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Tait

Courtesy

Tait Seam Dining Chair

Tait madebytait.com.au

$455.00

Editor’s Pick: Tait Seam Collection

You’d be forgiven if Tait isn’t on your radar. The Australian furniture brand sits firmly on the high end of the high-end furniture spectrum. Shopping the website provides some insight about what you can expect from its offerings. The brand’s Seam collection is basically perfect from its colors to the materials. Besides that line, Tait offers a fire pit and a decked-out outdoor kitchen.

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Will Price
Assistant Editor, Home and Design Will Price is Gear Patrol’s home and drinks editor.

Tyler Chin
Tyler Chin is Gear Patrol’s Associate Staff Writer.