The warm weather is here and we’re all spending more time outdoors. When you’re doing yard work, it’s good to have a capable mower that will get the job done quickly. And when you’re relaxing, a dependable grill can guarantee many tasty barbecues. Either way you should protect yourself with sunscreen and bug spray. Here are the best from Consumer Reports' tests.
Lawn mowers. Unless you own a big piece of property, a walk-behind mower is your best bet. The self-propelled gas-powered Honda HRR2169VKA, $400, a CR Best Buy, had stellar mulching and bagging, plus impressive side-discharging. Easy handling and no-prime starting are other pluses for this mower from one of the most reliable brands.
One to skip. The Troy-Bilt TB-230 12AVB25U, $300, self-propelled mower had very good mulching but only so-so scores for handling, ease-of-use, bagging, and side-discharging, which could make mowing a tougher task than it has to be.
Gas grills. In our tests of gas grills, the midsized Char-Broil Gourmet TRU-Infrared 463251713 and Char-Broil Gourmet TRU-Infrared 463251714 performed equally well and at $400 each cost hundreds less than other top-rated models. Sold at Home Depot, they feature electronic igniters, side burners, infrared main burners, and coated cast-iron grates, which tend to be better for searing and maintaining even grilling temperatures.
One to skip. Don’t be tempted by the $160 pricetag on the Back Yard Grill BY14-101-001-02. It scored very well for temperature range but did poorly on other tests for high and low temperature evenness and preheating.
Insect repellents. For insect repellent, stick with a product that contains 15 percent to 30 percent deet, such as Off! Family Care Smooth & Dry (15 percent deet), about $6. Avoid any product with very high concentrations of deet, such as Jungle Juice 100 (98 percent), which can cause serious side effects, according to the health experts at Consumer Reports.
One to skip. The active ingredient in Burt’s Bees All Natural Herbal is plant oils. That sounds good. Unfortunately, it was the worst in our tests at repelling mosquitoes.
Sunscreens. Slather on Equate Ultra Protection SPF 50 from Walmart, which is a CR Best Buy at about $5 for 8 ounces. An adult should use about one fluid ounce of sunscreen every four hours.
One to skip. All Terrain AquaSport SPF 30 was the worst in our tests against UVA rays. The good news is it doesn’t stain.
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