Household Gears

Home gear, tested on a budget.

We test the cheap stuff so you don't waste money.

We buy budget vacuums, air purifiers, humidifiers and the other gear a home runs on, use them in a real home for weeks, and show you our own photos, measurements and video. No manufacturer hype, no borrowed star ratings.

See our best picksHow we test

We buy what we review

Every product is bought, not borrowed. If a brand ever sends one free, the review says so.

Our own photos and video

Every picture on this site was taken in our test home, during our tests.

A score you can check

The Gears Score adds up four things we test: performance, ease of use, build and value.

Shop by price

Every pick on these pages has been through our tests. Prices on Amazon change, so we check these lists every month.

Under $25Cleaning tools and small fixes that earn their place.See the picks → Under $50Handheld vacuums, humidifiers and organizers that punch above their price.See the picks → Under $100Air purifiers, dehumidifiers and cordless vacuums worth the bigger spend.See the picks →

Latest tests

See all reviews →

Find it by room and job

Cleaning & Vacuums

Vacuums, cleaning tools, and how to clean the things nobody tells you how to clean.

Air & Climate

Air purifiers, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, heaters and fans.

Bedroom & Bath

Mattress toppers, pillows, shower heads and bidets.

Storage & Organizing

Closet organizers, shelves and storage that actually hold up.

How we test

Read our full testing method →

  1. We buy it

    We order the exact model we link to, so what you buy is what we tested.

  2. We live with it

    Weeks of real use in a real home, not a quick unboxing.

  3. We measure

    Time, temperature, weight and noise, written down for every product.

  4. We score it

    Four scores out of 10, shown separately and averaged into one Gears Score.