ICYMI: What You Should Never Pressure-Wash, Best High Chairs, Gas-Saving Hybrid Cars

A pressure washer is a satisfying tool for cleaning off a winter’s worth of grime in a single pass. But these tools are powerful—you shouldn’t get carried away.

David Trezza, the test engineer who oversees pressure-washer testing for CR, warns that pressure-washing certain surfaces—a deck, a roof, siding, or your car—can damage paint, nick or etch wood, and even damage certain types of stone.

• Identify no-wash zones. Keep the spray away from shingles and aluminum siding, as well as gaps around doors and windows.
• Choose the right nozzle. Start with a broader nozzle and progress to the 15-degree nozzle for detail work. Avoid the dangerous (red) 0-degree nozzle.
• Prioritize personal safety. Always wear hearing protection, safety goggles, firm, closed-toe footwear, and gloves while you work.

Mealtime with a baby is messy enough without a high chair that’s impossible to clean. CR’s 2026 lab tests found that the best high chairs are easy to clean, simple to use, and offer added safety beyond the federal standard.

• Verify stability. Our safety tests are conducted to the same standards as those used by the federal government.
• Check the harness. Our testers evaluate how easy it is to adjust the harness and fold and unfold the chair, as well as other ease-of-use tests. 
• Prioritize cleaning. We evaluate how easy the chair is to clean by assessing its parts, the design of the food tray, and whether it has a machine-washable seat pad, among other factors.

CR purchased and tested the most popular hybrid cars on the market—alongside their non-hybrid counterparts—and completed real-world fuel economy tests to help you find the 12 hybrid vehicles that will help you save money the fastest.

• What we learned. Although many hybrids cost more than gas-only versions of the same vehicle, their fuel savings are so significant that hybrids start paying for themselves in just a few years.
• What we don’t know. We excluded plug-in hybrids because their savings potential depends on how and where you drive.
• What we don’t like. A few hybrids cost so much more than their conventional counterparts that it takes years to make up the difference. We cover those, too.

Before you host your first outdoor gathering of the spring or summer season, your deck probably needs more than just a quick sweep.

Jim Willcox, a homeowner who covers pressure washers and decking at CR, spoke to experts who recommend an annual safety check to identify and fix structural problems. He also shares simple tips to make your deck more comfortable to use.

• Check for rot. Poke suspicious wood with a screwdriver; if it sinks in more than a certain amount, the board needs immediate replacement.
• Inspect the ledger. Ensure the ledger board, which attaches the deck to your home, is secure.
• Prevent slips. When shopping for new decking, keep in mind that some composite materials don’t perform as well as wood and aluminum at resisting slips.

Upgrading your home theater doesn’t require a four-figure investment. Our 65-inch top picks under $1,000 from brands like LG, Samsung, Sony, and TCL deliver on picture quality, high dynamic range (HDR), and other factors our testers evaluate in our labs.

• Adjust your TV’s settings. To get the most out of your current set, make sure you’re using the best picture settings. You can make these adjustments yourself or choose a preset.
• Prioritize HDR. If buying a new model, look for sets with high-performing HDR, which we found separates TVs among this price range.
• Add a soundbar. If you find a set with great picture quality but not great sound, you can easily fix that by adding a soundbar.

Would you get the same two- or three-row midsized SUV if you had to do it all over again? 

Our latest owner satisfaction surveys, which capture data on about 380,000 vehicles, asked our readers this question. Then we looked at the percentage of owners who said they definitely would to identify the top performers.

While some SUVs remain historically reliable and fuel-efficient, it’s also possible that a brand-new model that excited its owners may prove to be a headache. We highlight the vehicles CR members love so you can find one that suits you, too.

We’re constantly testing the latest products and retesting existing stock. 

• We tested new strollers. Find our latest ratings.
• We added a new batch of steam mops to our ratings. Read more about the best steam mops of 2026.
• We assessed a new folding treadmill. For more treadmills—from standard treadmills to foldable and under-desk treadmills—check out our ratings.