How to Use and Maintain the Gear You Got for Christmas

Two of the biggest shopping days of the year are over (but the deals aren’t done yet), and you’re probably already getting those products delivered to you. But some items, like cast-iron skillets, don’t exactly come with an instruction manual.

Put your new gear and products to good use and make sure they last for a long time with our helpful guides and how-to’s — you don’t want to have to replace your new stuff next Black Friday.

Guides and How To’s
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Home

You’re Cleaning Your Coffee Maker the Wrong Way

If you haven’t cleaned the inside of your coffee maker since you bought it, this guide is for you.

ChefSteps

How to Use Your Sous-Vide Tool to Save Time and Money

Using a sous-vide isn’t just for steaks – this is how you use it to save serious money.

Your Sous Vide Can Do More than Cook the Perfect Steak

Your sous vide is a hell of a lot more functional than you thought.

Half Baked Harvest

The 25 Best Things to Cook with an Instant Pot or Multicooker

Just get an Instant Pot? Here are 25 of the absolute best things to make in it.

Henry Phillips

How to Care for a Carbon Steel Knife, According to an Expert

Magnus Pettersson of the knife sharpening service KnifeAid has tips to keep your carbon steel knife in top shape.

How to Sharpen Kitchen Knives the Right Way

Sharpening a chef’s knife manually doesn’t have to be a daunting task. We asked a guy who sharpens 100 knives a day to show us the way.

Chandler Bondurant

5 of the Best Essential Oils to Put in Your Diffuser

They’re not all the same.

Here Is Sean Brock’s Recipe for the Perfectly Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillet

When Sean Brock tells you how he cares for his cast-iron skillet, take heed. Here’s some insight into his new book South.

The 25 Best Things to Cook with a Cast-Iron Skillet

The limits of a cast-iron skillet are typically one of two things: a general lack of imagination or foods with exceptionally high acidity. This guide fixes one of these things.

Chandler Bondurant

4 Mistakes You’re Making with Your Cast-Iron Skillet

Be patient, avoid acid, skip the eggs & more.

Courtesy

How to Refurbish a Vintage Cast-Iron Skillet

A little rust never hurt nobody.

Smithey Ironware

Having Problems Seasoning Your Cast-Iron Skillet? This Method Is Faster and Easier.

The single largest drawback to owning and cooking on cast-iron skillets is the application and maintenance of seasoning.

3 Tips to Making Pie in a Cast-Iron Skillet, the Right Way

Aluminum and tin are great conductors of heat, but they’re terrible insulators. Which means the best pie vessel is one you already have: a cast-iron skillet.

Motoring

It’s Not Too Early to Brush Up on Winter Driving Tips

We spoke to Wyatt Knox of Team O’Neil Rally School about winter driving skills and cold weather car necessities.

Hunter D. Kelley

Here’s How to Wash Your Car Properly Without Damaging the Paint

Pollen and dirt are almost entirely unavoidable and can be much more than just an eyesore — they put your precious paint at risk.

Outdoors and Fitness

How to Clean and Maintain a Pocket Knife

With proper care and attention, any pocket knife — even the cheap ones — can become a generational heirloom.

Chandler Bondurant

How to Clean All of Your Outdoor Gear

From rain jackets and down jackets to hiking boots and tents, make your outdoor gear last by keeping it sparkling clean.

Courtesy

How to Re-Waterproof Your Jacket

Save yourself a few dollars by learning how to revitalize it with the right tools and a few simple steps.

How to Care for Leather Boots in Winter

Follow a few easy steps to protect your leather boots from damage this winter.

Style

Courtesy

You Can (and Should) Tailor Your Jeans to Fit You Perfectly. Here’s What You Need to Know

Yes, perfectly-fitting jeans is achievable without going bespoke. Here’s what you need to know when you take your jeans to the tailor.

How to Break in Raw Denim, According to the Experts

We spoke to experts at three of the world’s most respected denim shops: Kiya Babzani, co-owner of Self Edge; Jeremy Smith, co-owner of Standard & Strange; and Okayama Denim owner Merv Sethi.

Courtesy

How to Hand Wash Your Jeans

You’ve invested in raw denim, so learn how to wash it.

Gear Patrol

How to Break in a Pair of Boots the Right Way

With advice from Eric Kinney of White’s Boots.

How to Winterize Your Shoes and Boots

You can make it through winter without having to buy a new pair of shoes. With the right preparation and maintenance, your existing shoe collection can be winterized.

How to Re-Wax a Canvas Jacket the Right Way

If you’re lucky enough to own one, you need to know how to re-wax it properly — instead of just buying a new one.

Tech

To Take Better Photos, Start Shooting in Manual Mode. Here’s How

If you want to be a better photographer, learn to take control with this strategy.

Courtesy

The TV Settings You Should Change Right Now

Got a new TV over Black Friday or Cyber Monday? Here are the factory settings that are worth diving into the menu maze to change.

Why Some iPhone Users Should Immediately Switch to Dark Mode

Depending on the iPhone model you have, switching to Dark Mode could greatly extend your battery life.

7 Google Chrome Settings You Should Change Right Now

In the usual course of day-to-day life, you don’t need to spend much time messing around with browser settings, but if you get under the hood you can give yourself a more streamlined and secure…

Courtesy

4 Mistakes You’re Making When You Charge Your Phone

What’s the best way to charge your phone? What habits should you bend over backwards to avoid? We talked to a battery expert to find out.

Gear Patrol

This Simple Trick Will Boost the Audio Quality of Spotify and Apple Music

Do you subscribe to Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music Unlimited or YouTube Music? You may not be getting your money’s worth.

If You Own an iPhone, Here’s How to Cut Your Monthly Bill In Half

Google’s cell phone service, Google Fi, now works with all new iPhones. It’s a great way to manage your data and cut the cost of your monthly cell phone bill.

7 Ways To Be More Productive on a Mac Without Spending a Dime

These seven quick, free tips can boost your productivity on macOS and help you get more done in less time.

How to Turn Your Sonos Into Computer Speakers

First step: Buy a Sonos Connect.

7 Simple Productivity Tricks to Get the Most Out of Your PC

Here are 7 tools, features and options for productivity tricks you should know about Windows.

Henry Phillips

8 Settings to Change on Your Smartphone Right Now

New phone? Here are the tweaks you should make right away to ensure you get the most out of it.

Gear Patrol

The One Tip Every Sonos Speaker Owner Should Know

There’s a quick way to regroup a rouge speaker back into your Sonos multi-room system.

How to Tune the Most Important Component in Your Stereo System

Your home isn’t a concert venue. It wasn’t built for sound. But there are things you can do make your home sound great.

How to Take Care of your Vinyl Collection

For the best listening experience, you want to make sure your vinyl records are in tip-top shape.

Watches

This Is How to Maintain a Dive Watch

A diver may be the ultimate “tool” watch, but it still needs some TLC. Follow these pointers and your watch should last a lifetime.

Horological DIY: How To Open A Screw-Back Watch Case

Removing a screw-back watch case back isn’t so difficult with the right tool – just make sure you’ve got a good reason for doing so!

How to Use Your Watch for More Than Just the Time

How to read a watch’s bezel, be it a simple count-up, count-down, slide-rule, tachymeter, 12-hour or more.

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