How-To Geek

My smart home definitely doesn’t need a dedicated dashboard. Even so, I’ll eventually probably throw something together on the cheap, just because I can. But if I had a few grand to spend on something fancy, I’d buy a far less useful but ultimately more beautiful relic of the past instead.

SUVs are everywhere now, from tiny runabouts like the Hyundai Venue to massive family haulers like the Cadillac Escalade ESV. But most people aren’t shopping at the extremes—they want something right in the middle that’s easy to live with, efficient, and still roomy enough for real life.

Plug-in hybrid SUVs promise the best of both worlds—electric-only driving for short trips and gasoline backup for longer journeys—but they often come with a steep price premium. In 2026, however, one model stands out for delivering that versatility without compromising on value. The Toyota RAV4 PHEV combines strong efficiency, impressive performance, and everyday practicality in a way that makes it one of the most compelling options in its class.

Home Assistant has many features and functions that can be easy to overlook. Something I hadn’t done until recently was group similar devices together in order to control multiple things at once. This solved a problem I was having with my smart home.

It is a well-known fact that Chuck Norris never needed a garage; he simply parked his vehicles wherever he wanted, and the Earth would manifest a structure around. However, the world is currently mourning the man behind the myth and the man who inspired countless witty one-liners and analogies that are forever cemented into online lore.

If there's one thing I love about Netflix, it is the platform's offering of short yet gripping shows. Be it a limited or a miniseries, compact shows make for amazing weekend watches, especially when the plot is thick with intrigue.

For years, American enthusiasts have watched from afar as one of Europe’s most exciting lightweight sports cars remained out of reach. Designed with a clear focus on balance, agility, and driver engagement, this French coupe has earned widespread praise as a true rival to the Porsche 718 Cayman. Despite growing interest, however, it has never officially been offered in the U.S. market.

Backblaze is one of the largest cloud storage companies in the world and the publisher of an annual HDD stats report it has been providing since 2013. The company recently published its 2025 report, so let’s dive into the data and see which drives were the most reliable, and which earned the dubious honor of being the least reliable.

TVs are often set up to look great in the store, but they don't always look so good when you get them home. They have gimmicky features that are designed to make your experience better but often have the opposite effect.

Minivans are back in style, and the Chrysler Pacifica has been leading the pack as America’s top-selling model. It’s consistently at the top for both sales and value, making it a reliable pick for families.

Some people treat self-hosted apps as permanent infrastructure. Once installed, they leave them running forever, waiting to be used, even if in reality many apps are only actually needed for a few hours a week.

Smart home devices with cloud-based features can feel surprisingly affordable and convenient when you first buy them. However, the ongoing costs and potential risks aren't always obvious until further down the line. The real cost isn't just what you pay up front, but what happens when the company changes the rules.

I grew tired of paying for Google One storage just to use Google Photos. Plus, I wanted more privacy and security over my stored pictures. What did I do? I built my own server to replace Google Photos, and you can too.

Are you still using your RAID card for RAID? It’s time to move to software-based RAID—but don’t throw that RAID card out yet, it still has a lot of use in your homelab.

Every week I deliver posts on some of the best documentaries to watch on Netflix and Prime Video, but I'm also a Paramount+ subscriber, and lately I've been finding some absolute killer docs on the service, and you deserve to enjoy them, too.

I know March Madness will be on everyone's TV this weekend, and rightfully so, but if you're not among the basketball devout, or you just want a break from all the, er, madness, flip over to HBO Max and try out one of our suggestions this weekend.

Have you ever found yourself wanting a new Ryobi tool, only to realize how expensive it is, and left the store or closed your browser tab? Cordless power tools (and battery packs) are expensive, and the secret to finding lower prices and better Ryobi deals is easier than you think.

Wi-Fi standards keep moving fast. First, we got Wi-Fi 6, which got a massive bump with a third 6GHz band thanks to Wi-Fi 6E, and now Wi-Fi 7 routers are already starting to become mainstream. If you're still running an older router that already matches your internet speed, it's easy to wonder what the point of upgrading is.

When you think of a camera, you're probably thinking of a device that's at least partly mechanical. The zoom lens, the shutter, and the little knobs and wheels are all moving parts that exist even in a DSLR.

Do you think that everything about a homelab is expensive? Think again! These are my five favorite cheap gadgets that improved my homelab the moment they arrived.