Latest news with #ConniePark
New York Times
7 days ago
- Health
- New York Times
The Best Red-Light Therapy Device
Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter At first blush, the LightStim for Wrinkles seems devoid of bells and whistles. But it dazzles where it truly matters: in the jam-packedness of its 72 LEDs, its handiness, and its foolproof one-button operating system. Like all wands, though, it requires you to actively engage with it, and it's not cordless. For a handheld device, it's loaded with LEDs. If you're going to put in the time and effort to manually move a wand around, it should cover a good portion of your face. And the LightStim does just that, with 72 LEDs packed into a circle that's just a skosh under 5 square inches. In comparison, the Lumicure Light Therapy Torch has three LEDs in a 0.78-square-inch circle, and while the Solwave 4-in-1's little 0.75-square-inch wand head has 14 (seven dual) LEDs, it requires significantly more elbow grease to equally treat the same amount of skin. Some testers liked that they could simply press the LightStim's large head against their faces until the three-minute timer signaled that they could move it to a different location. This wand emits four different wavelengths of red light. The wavelength is what determines light's color, and these LEDs are amber (605-nanometer wavelength), light red (630 nm), deep red (680 nm), and near infrared (855 nm). The varying wavelengths spark different reactions at various levels of the skin: Amber, red, and infrared penetrate to reduce oil and inflammation, as well as to stimulate collagen and elastin production, which makes skin look plumper and firmer and minimizes the appearance of fine lines. (Since infrared is invisible, the 865 nm LEDs might not appear lit, even when the power is on.) The Solawave 4-in-1, meanwhile, emits a single wavelength, 630 nm. One tester loved the LightStim's range of reds, especially for treating nasolabial folds and other lines around her mouth. The simple design makes it beyond easy to use, and silent. The LightStim is on or off — and that's all there is to it. Every three minutes, a quick tone indicates that it's time for you to move it to a different part of your face or body (unlike most of the devices we tested, this wand has no automatic shutoff). Whereas the Solawave 4-in-1 buzzes and lightly vibrates, the LightStim is dead quiet and inert in the palm, with one tester likening it in vibes and looks to an old-timey candlestick telephone. Testers also appreciated that the wand's single button required zero practice or guesswork. You also operate the Therabody TheraFace and Dr. Dennis Gross DRx Spectralite via on-device push buttons, but those models, both of which are masks, require cycling through many presses to change modes, and while the mask is attached to your face, it's hard to tell which color mode you're in. You can use it on other body parts. Signs of aging aren't limited to the face, and our testers liked using the LightStim on their necks, décolletages, and even scars, as well. Sure, our flexible mask pick, the Omnilux Men, can also be placed on or wrapped around body parts other than the face, but the LightStim was the easiest device to use in this regard. Flaws but not dealbreakers The LightStim can drag a bit against skin unless you use it with a serum. But this was true of all the wands we tried. Our testers found it more comfortable to press the wand head against the skin and hold it there for a bit. It needs to be plugged in. Of the 11 devices we tested, the LightStim is the only one that has a cord. For something you use for about 12 minutes at a time, staying within 6 feet of an outlet isn't such a big deal, and the wand will never conk out mid-treatment (as the rechargeable Solawave 4-in-1 did a few times in our tests). Complicating matters, though, is that the AC/DC adapter detaches from the wand — increasing its chances of being misplaced. The plastic housing feels a bit cheap. Especially when you consider the wand's $250 price tag. Key specs LEDs: 72 Wavelengths: 605 nm, 630 nm, 660 nm, 865 nm Irradiance: 65 mW/cm2 Treatment time: three minutes per area (no automatic shutoff) Charging: none; powered by AC/DC adapter Return policy: 30 days when bought from LightStim Warranty: five years
New York Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Skip Those Disappointing Discounts. These Are The Memorial Day Deals Not To Miss.
Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Our longtime top hybrid mattress pick is a favorite of stomach, back, and side sleepers. Its hybrid tech combines the best components of memory foam and spring models, with over 1,000 springs and four layers of CertiPUR-US-certified memory foam. Other things to know: May be too foam-forward for some. Not ideal for side sleepers who prefer softer mattresses. 11 inches thick. 10-year warranty. 100-night trial, but you can only return one time. Use code WIRECUTTER to get the queen for $1,100 or the king or Cal king for $1,300. Comes with a free set of two pillows and sheet set — a nice add-on, but we haven't tested them. Read more: The Best Hybrid Mattresses Leesa Legend Chill Hybrid Mattress (queen, king, and Cal king) With medium firmness and some motion isolation, this springier hybrid's 3,000-plus pocketed coils and quilted top keep sleepers buoyant and cradled. The fluffy, luxurious feel — one tester said they "felt like royalty" — is ideal for back and sidesleepers. Other things to know: Not ultra-soft or plush. Not ideal for stomach sleepers. 10-year warranty. 100-night trial, but you can only return one time. Use code WIRECUTTER to get the queen for $1,500 or the king or Cal king for $1,780. Comes with a free set of two pillows and sheet set — a nice add-on, but we haven't tested them. Read more: The Best Hybrid Mattresses Saatva Classic Mattress (queen, luxury firm) If you prefer to nestle into your mattress, not feel engulfed, this is for you. Classic innerspring bounce is paired with a cushy but understated three-inch Euro top to make the most affordable innerspring mattress we've found that still looks and feels luxurious. $1650 $1250 from Saatva Other things to know: Doesn't have the best motion isolation. Comes in 11½ or 14½ inches thick. Lifetime warranty, and 365 nights to try it. We recommend the luxury firm comfort level. Deal price is for queen, but all sizes except twin are discounted. Read more: The Best Innerspring Mattresses WinkBed (luxury firm, queen) A quilted cover, pocketed coils, and foamy top give this bed a pleasingly hefty hybrid feel. The billowy yet substantial feel was a crowd-pleaser during our testing. $1800 $1345 from WinkBeds Use promo code WCMEMORIALDAY25 (queen) Other things to know: Works for back and stomach sleepers, side sleepers who rotate positions frequently, and those who simply prefer a firmer mattress. Deal price is for the luxury firm mattress in queen, but all sizes are discounted with code WCMEMORIALDAY25. Read more: The Best Innerspring Mattresses Best Choice Products 4in Portable Folding Mattress (Twin) Other things to know: Bulky to transport and store; not ideal if you're tight on space. Stack two twins for a single guest or lay them side by side for a couple. Use code BCPSLEEP to get the deal price. Also comes in full and queen sizes, but we prefer two twin mattresses for ultimate versatility and storage options. Read more: The Folding Mattress My Overnight Guests Love Brooklyn Bedding 3″ Talalay Latex Mattress Topper (queen) Not quite ready to buy a whole new mattress? A topper can improve the quality of your sleep. This all-around excellent option provides good support and pressure-point relief. $680 $340 from Brooklyn Bedding Use promo code WIRECUTTER50 (queen) Other things to know: Squishy, jiggly feel can be polarizing. Like all latex bedding, it's expensive. Distinctive latex odor takes a little while to dissipate. Lacks corner straps, and may shift. Three-year warranty. Use code WIRECUTTER50. Price has recently risen drastically; this deal is only $8 higher than the previous one we shared, and a significant drop from the new street price. Read more: The Best Mattress Toppers Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter This high-quality comforter's baffle box construction and 700 fill power duck down keep you toasty warm without overheating. Its lightweight design prevents sliding and helps keep its loft, even after it's been stored. $380 $291 from Brooklinen Use promo code WC27 (full/queen) Other things to know: Down does leak over time, but leaked less overall than most comforters we've tested. One-year return policy. Two-year warranty. Deal price is for the all-season weight in full/queen, but code WC27 works for all sizes (remove any existing codes first). The street price has risen recently, so deal prices have risen as well, and we're unlikely to see lower. Read more: The Best Comforters Brooklinen Classic Duvet Cover (full/queen) Soft, comfortable percale gives this duvet cover a luxurious hotel bedding feel, without the fancy hotel price. It's one of the least expensive we've tried, and offers the most stylish and interesting variety of prints we've seen. $155 $131 from Brooklinen Use promo code WC27 (full/queen) Other things to know: Can get a bit wrinkled. After years of long-term testing, we're still impressed with its overall construction. Street price has risen in the past year. Deal price is for full/queen, but code WC27 works on all sizes (remove any pre-existing codes). Read more: Duvet Covers We Love Cultiver Linen Duvet Cover (queen) By far the softest we've tested, this breathable rustic linen duvet cover adds a pleasantly rumpled look to any bed. Its strong, neat stitching holds up in the wash, and we've experienced no pilling, thinning, or construction issues. $280 $219 from Cultiver Use promo code WCMEMDAY (queen) Other things to know: Swatches are available if you're unsure of color or texture. Deal price is for the queen size, but all sizes are discounted with code WCMEMDAY. Street price has risen in the past year. Read more: Duvet Covers We Love Riley Textured Cotton Coverlet Featuring a thick cotton top with gauzy backing, this breezy blanket can help hot sleepers stay cool year-round. The ribbed design and wide selection of colors will look great on any bed. $190 $115 from Riley Home Use promo code WCMDAY45 (full/queen) Other things to know: Not as soft as the other cotton blankets we recommend. Deal price is for queen with code WCMDAY45. Not the lowest we've ever seen, but matches the best price over the last two years. Read more: The Best Blankets The Company Store Company Cotton Voile Quilt (full/queen) Other things to know: Crevices are a lint magnet. Machine washable. 30-day return policy includes washed and used items, with a $3 return shipping fee. Use code WIRECUTTER to get the deal price. Read more: The Best Quilts Brooklinen Classic Percale Core Sheet Set (queen) Hot sleepers rejoice: This cool, breathable percale feels light and crisp against the skin. This set offers a huge variety of colors and a rotating mix of hip prints. The long-staple cotton construction can endure years of washes and wear. $152 $138 from Brooklinen Use promo code WC27 (queen) Other things to know: Oeko-Tex certified. Set includes a flat sheet, fitted sheet, and two pillowcases. 365-day return policy. Deal price is for queen, but all sizes are 27% off with code WC27 (remove any existing codes first). Read more: Our Favorite Printed Sheets Cultiver Linen Sheet Set (queen) Linen sheets can be a game-changer for hot sleepers, and our longtime favorite set is durable, breathable, and one of the softest we've tested. It includes a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and two pillowcases, but you can also purchase by piece. Other things to know: Like any linen sheets, these wrinkle very easily. More limited sizes than other brands. No warranty; 30-day return policy. Limited colors. Deal is for queen, but all sizes are discounted with code WCMEMDAY. Street price has risen in the past year Read more: The Best Linen Sheets Lilysilk 25 Momme Oxford Envelope Luxury Pillowcase (standard size, set of two) Our sleep experts consider these a holy grail for curly or potentially frizzy locks — compared with cotton, silk absorbs less product and creates less friction. They're decadently lustrous and weighty out of the box, but our testers liked them even more after washing. Other things to know: The 25-momme count indicates a good weight of silk, while the 6A rating indicates a good strand length. Add two standard-size pillowcases to cart and use code WCMEMDAY to get the deal price. Street price has recently risen significantly. Read more: My Favorite Hair Care Tool is a Silk Pillowcase. I Hunted Down the Best One. Nest Bedding Easy Breather Pillow (queen) A long-time favorite of our experts and readers, this pillow's moldable, customizable shredded-foam filling provides firm, comfortable support for back and side sleepers. There's no lingering chemical smell like with some similar pillows we've tested. $90 $68 from Nest Bedding Use promo code WCPILLOW25 (standard/queen) Other things to know: The shredded foam is encased in its own washable inner pouch. Two-year warranty. Use code WCPILLOW25 to get the deal price and free shipping on a queen-size pillow. Read more: The Best Bed Pillows Nest Bedding Luxury Weighted Blanket Weighted blankets can be chic. This cozy and polished version looks at home draped over a bed or couch. Its dual-sided design has smooth polyester jersey on one side and silky bamboo-based rayon on the other, and nearly imperceptible glass microbead filling. $180 $110 from Nest Bedding Use promo code WCBLANKET25 (double) Other things to know: Machine-washable and -dryable. At 18 pounds, may be too lightweight if you like a lot of direct pressure. Not ideal for people who sleep hot. Only one color. 30-day returns if in original packaging. Use code WCBLANKET25 to get the deal on the double size. Read more: The Best Weighted Blankets Loftie Alarm Clock Prefer a gentler wake-up call? This smart-ish digital alarm clock is the least-jarring model we tested, with a selection of ambient music and nature sounds. Its thoughtful features include a Bluetooth speaker, Spotify connectivity, and an adjustable night-light at the base. $170 $120 from Loftie Other things to know: Expensive for an alarm clock — though this deal helps — and the street price has recently risen $20. The numerical display is legible up close, butslightly dimmer when viewed off-center. Not the brightest, and there's no option to increase the display size for nearsighted sleepers. Regularly receives updates via Wi-Fi (which doesn't seem necessary). Use code WC-CLOCK. Not as good as previous deals, but we're unlikely to see lower soon. Read more: The Best Alarm Clocks Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter Terry cloth can be a bit stifling, but this waffle robe isn't: Its soft, spongy texture feels thick and warm, but is lightweight and quick-drying. Perfect for an at-home spa day, it's the most luxurious and generously sized robe we tested. $112 $94 from Brooklinen Other things to know: Not as plush as terry cloth. Extra-long sleeves can be rolled up or hemmed. Brooklinen phased out the previous version in late 2023; this pricier, updated design has a flat, kimono-style collar instead of a shawl collar. Use code WC27. Read more: The Best Robes Harper Wilde Bliss Triangle Bralette The thoughtful details of its wire-free pull-on design and adjustable straps make this comfy bralette tough to beat. The silky, pleasantly stretchy microfiber fits like a second skin, and the plunging neckline and low back worth with a variety of tops but still provide ample coverage. $45 $27 from Harper Wilde Use promo code WIRECUTTER Other things to know: Medium support may not be substantial enough if you have heavier, larger breasts. Lacks full nipple coverage. Doesn't provide much shaping. Available in sizes XS to 5XL on sale in mauve or brown. Use code WIRECUTTER. Read more: The Best, Most Comfortable Bras ThirdLove 24/7 Classic Uplift Plunge Bra A crowd-pleaser among all our testers, this low-cut underwire bra is a top-drawer staple. It offers outstanding comfort with removable padding and a subtle push-up effect, and comes in a wider range of sizes (including half-cup sizes) than any of our other picks. Other things to know: May not be supportive enough for larger busts. Sizes AA to H cup (including some half-cup sizes) and 32- to 44-inch band; not every cup size is offered for every band size. On sale in rose dust, amethyst, and coral with code LUV-WIRECUTTER45. Read more: The Best, Most Comfortable Bras Natori Bliss French Cut Brief A comfortable take on the everyday brief, this underwear is made from lightweight, stretchy, high-quality pima cotton that feels great. The flattering high-cut leg creates a smoother, more elongating line. Other things to know: Instructions say to hand-wash only, but we've been machine-washing ours on a warm regular cycle (and machine-drying on medium) for months with no issues. Pricey for an everyday cotton brief. Comes in sizes XS to XXL. Use codes WIRECUTTER and WCFREESHIP to get deal price for select colors. Read more: The Best Women's Underwear Tommy John Women's Air Brief Other things to know: More sheer than other styles. Bonded seams are vulnerable to high heat and may come apart over time. One tester complained that this pair gave her a wedgie. Several colors available in most sizes. Add three pairs to cart and use code WCWAIR. Read more: The Best Women's Underwear Eyebuydirect Glasses - 35% off + Free Shipping Not only does Eyebuydirect offer both prescription and non-prescription eyewear, but it's also our only pick that carries two size options for blue-light-blocking. The huge selection of frames and glasses are consistently high in quality, and customer service is reliable. Other things to know: Pricier than our other picks, but the quality is noticeably better. 14-day return policy. Eyebuydirect offers four tiers of blue-light-filtering lens enhancements starting at $23, but the basic lenses have an orangey cast. Pair with the frames of your choice and use code WIRECUTTER35 for 35% off nearly all lenses plus free shipping (some exclusions apply). Final pricing will vary based on frame and lens selection, prescription strength, and any add-ons. Read more: The Best Places to Buy Glasses Online and The Best Blue-Light Blocking Glasses REI Co-op Sahara Shade Hoodie One of our favorite sun-protective hoodies, this good-all-around pullover offers a nice balance of price, performance, and style. The UPF 50+ fabric wears like a T-shirt, but feels soft and cool to the touch. This sun-protective pullover is suitable for hiking, drinking iced coffee on your deck, or walking a dog. The UPF 50+ fabric wears like a T-shirt, but feels soft and cool to the touch. $50 $35 from REI With store pickup or REI membership Other things to know: Has no pockets and is not the most breathable hoodie we've tested. REI members get free shipping; others can select store pickup or add to an order over the $60 minimum to avoid shipping fees. Read more: Sun-Protective Clothing Is a Reliable UV-Blocker. Here Are Some Options We Love. Iuga FlexTight High Waist Tummy Control Leggings with Pockets These inexpensive leggings fit and feel better than others in the same price range. They're soft, comfy, and offer a flattering cut with gentle but supportive compression. The cherry on top? Functional pockets. $24 $20 from Amazon Other things to know: Some may find the one-inch elastic waistband to be constricting. A little loose at the ankle for some testers. We found that the fabric lost its shape a bit over time. On sale in black. Read more: The Best Leggings Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter The plushest, warmest, and thickest option we've ever tested, this towel gives a luxury hotel experience at home. It's available in a wider variety of colors than others, holds up for years, and feels fuller and more plush with each wash. $44 $32 from Frontgate Other things to know: If you prefer thinner towels, this isn't the pick for you. Bulkier to store and wash. Use code WCMEMDAY to get deal price and free shipping (remove any existing discount code to apply this one for a better price). Read more: The Best Bath Towels Onsen Bath Towels (two-piece set and six-piece bundle) Not only are these waffle knit towels softer and smoother than any terry option we've tested, but they dry faster, too. They're lightweight and durable, with an upscale, minimalist aesthetic that will complement nearly any bathroom decor. Other things to know: Since waffle weaves are stretchier, they can look a little misshapen after a while. They're also more prone to snags. Relatively expensive, but a fraction of the price of similar lattice towels imported from Japan. Texture might not be for everyone. Use code WCMDSET to get the deal price for the two-towel set. Use code WCMDBUNDLE to get the deal price for the six-piece set of two bath towels, two hand towels, and two face towels. Read more: The Best Bath Towel Ruggable Rugs Finding a fashionable and functional area rug that doesn't break the bank isn't an insurmountable task — Ruggable's rugs strike a solid balance between quality and affordability. They're also machine-washable, for any spills and messes life throws your way. $419 $319 from Ruggable Use promo code WIRECUTTER (deal on 6' by 9') Like all Ruggable rugs, the two-piece design combines the appearance of a traditional floor rug with some of the feel and function of carpet tiles. We recently tested this rug in a tween girl's room, and that tween adored it. $300 $212 from Ruggable Use promo code WIRECUTTER (deal on 5' by 7') Other things to know: You might want to avoid vacuum settings with a strong suction, at least for the flatwoven designs. Edges may curl and lift up. Corners and edges will get more wear and tear in high-traffic areas. We specifically highlight these rugs in our guide, but Ruggable offers a variety of options in multiple patterns and sizes. Use code WIRECUTTER to get 30% off the Sonia terra and sage rug in the 6' by 9' size or the Joanna ivory rainbow rug in the 5' by 7' size. Read more: The Best Area Rugs HON Ignition 2.0 Office Chair As one of the most comfortable sub-$500 desk chairs we've tested, this chair offers many of the adjustments generally reserved for more expensive chairs. With supportive, adjustable lumbar support and a minimalist aesthetic, it looks and feels good enough to sit in all day. $420 $340 from Amazon Other things to know: People of below-average height may have difficulty sitting properly. Less sturdy build than those of our more expensive picks. Street price has increased significantly since it first became a pick. On sale in black mesh style. Read more: The Best Office Chairs Photo: Marki WIlliams Packing down smaller than a 2-liter of soda, this camping chair is our most lightweight pick at just 2 pounds. It's actually comfortable, with a roomier seat than most of its kind, and the strong and supportive frame is easy to set up. Other things to know: Not as comfy as larger, more traditional camping chair picks, so we recommended it specifically if you need to carry a chair long distances. Returns by mail to Al's are $10. Read more: The Best Camping Chairs Solo Stove Bonfire 2.0 Fire Pit with Stand Other things to know: Plain aesthetic isn't appealing to everyone. Reduces smoke by 70% to 80%. Radiates less heat than one might expect. Should not be left out in the rain without a cover. Deal is for the metallic bronze finish. Costco membership required. Read more: The Best Smokeless Fire Pits Yeti Camino 35 Carryall Tote Other things to know: A touch larger than our top pick, but a similar capacity. Its interior pockets are zippered, and zippers don't play well with sand. An REI membership is required; use single-use code ANNIV2025. At Public Lands, single-use discount reflects in cart when you're signed in with a free account. Also on sale in a smaller Camino 20 model. Read more: The Best Beach Bag Yeti Tundra Haul Wheeled Cooler Attention campers, tailgaters, and cooler enthusiasts: This is the best cooler with wheels we've ever used. The roto-molded body keeps contents ice cold, and the thick-gauge welded aluminum arm can handle the weight of the fully loaded cooler for years (a surprisingly high bar to clear). Other things to know: No internal divider. Contents may shuffle a bit when tipped at an angle. Warranty is only five years; we expected longer. Deal on wild vine red or lime green. Other colors of this cooler recently saw a $25 price hike, and we expect future deals will be $20 higher. Read more: The Best Coolers Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Other things to know: Though well organized for packing, it's less ideal as a mobile office. Del Dia bags use deadstock fabric that might have otherwise ended up in a landfill. Choose black remnant fabric (Del Dia Dark) or random multicolor fabric (Del Dia). At REI, membership is required, with single-use promo code ANNIV2025. At Public Lands, single-use discount reflects in cart when signed in with free account. Read more: The Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Cube Set With a newly updated design, these durable cubes — a longtime pick — repel water better and feel even sturdier than before. They stay upright when empty, so they're easy to pack, and the tight-link mesh windows allow you to see the contents inside. Other things to know: The street price increased with the redesign. We haven't tested the updated version for more than a year yet, but Eagle Creek offers a lifetime warranty to original owners . On sale for REI members with single-use promo code MEMBER2025. Read more: The Best Packing Cubes REI Co-op Expandable Packing Cube Set Don't break a sweat trying to cram that last T-shirt into your carry-on. These lightweight ripstop nylon packing cubes held the most of any set we tested, while taking up the least amount of space when fully compressed. $45 $31 from REI With store pickup or REI membership Other things to know: Compression zippers can be finicky. The three-cube set includes small, medium, and large cubes, and the two-cube long set has one long small and one long large cube. REI members get free shipping; others can opt for store pickup or add to an order of $60 or more. Read more: The Best Packing Cubes Ovener Silicone Luggage Tags (2-Pack) Thanks to a rugged silicone and metal cable, this tag may well outlast your luggage. It displays your name, so you can trust your bags will find their way back to you, but your contact information stays hidden to ensure your privacy. $8 $6 from Amazon Other things to know: Also recommended in some of our travel and gift guides. To access contact information, you have to fully unscrew and remove the metal strap, which could get lost. Comes in a two-pack in many colors. Read more: The Best Luggage Tags Michael Hession/NYT Wirecutter A nice splurge if you have dry skin, this rich yet gentle face wash contains a hint of rice powder to give it body and a perfect touch of grit. The result is a radiant, cleanse-soften-polish effect that our testers absolutely loved. $40 $32 from Tatcha Other things to know: Felt too aggressive and abrasive for some testers with sensitive eyes. If you wear mascara and eyeliner, you'll need a dedicated makeup remover or oil cleanser pre-wash. Pricey, but lasts a long time. Use promo code FRIEND25. Read more: The 8 Best Facial Cleansers Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Other things to know: Some may find the price too high, even on sale. Testers were split on the tingling sensation, but all appreciated how smooth the exfoliant left their skin and noted they could feel it working. One said it could be a bit irritating. 4-ounce bottle. Read more: The Best Exfoliants Abib Quick Sunstick Protection Bar SPF50+ Perfect for throwing in your bag on sunny days, this sunscreen stick is packed with five chemical UVA and UVB filters, plus gentle botanical ingredients like tea, aloe, and cucumber. It glides on neatly, without pulling skin or leaving a greasy film or white cast. Other things to know: The protective ingredients are all chemical sunscreens, which, for some, may cause more irritation than mineral formulas (though our testers didn't have problems with this stick). Add three to cart to get deal price plus free shipping. FINAL SALE, but returns and exchanges are accepted for damaged or defective products. Read more: The Best Korean Skin Care Products Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen SPF 50 (1.7 Ounces) To keep your skin looking dewy and protected, this formula spreads easily without leaving behind a white cast, even on darker skin tones. It goes on like a makeup primer and won't look oily or sticky if reapplied over makeup throughout the day. Other things to know: Water-resistant up to 40 minutes. Greasy texture (like a watery petroleum jelly) may be off-putting to some. Pricey. This deal doesn't beat the rare single-day half-off sale, but it's still a great value. Price reflects in cart with free Bluemercury account. Read more: The Best Sunscreens for Your Face Supergoop Every. Single. Face. Watery Lotion This broad-spectrum SPF 50 sunscreen soaks into dry skin to hydrate while it protects. It can also serve as a good primer for dewy makeup looks without being oily or greasy. It's not cheap, but one bottle is surprisingly long-lasting. Other things to know: Watery. If you prefer a more matte look or have oily skin, it's maybe not the one for you. Sweat-resistant up to 40 minutes. Pricey. Price reflects in cart; free Bluemercury membership required for free shipping. Read more: The Best Sunscreens for Your Face Sometimes there's no beating a classic, which is why we love this sweet scoop — and so do most ice cream shops. Thanks to a heat-conducting fluid that slightly warms the aluminum body from the inside out, you'll be doling out perfect two-ounce scoops just like the pros. $21 $17 from Amazon Other things to know: Not dishwasher-safe and shouldn't come in contact with temperatures above 140 °F. Read more: The Best Ice Cream Scoop Tramontina Gourmet Tri-Ply Clad 12-Inch Fry Pan This skillet isn't too heavy, and has a rounded, ergonomic handle. In our tests, it heat up pretty evenly and allowed moisture to evaporate quickly, browning chicken skin just as well as pans nearly twice the price. It also released cooked-on food easily. $40 $35 from Amazon Other things to know: Heavier and has slightly steeper sides than our top pick. After cooking on high heat, developed some slight discoloration on the surface and underside that was almost impossible to clean. Lifetime warranty. Street price has dropped significantly in the last year. Read more: The Best Skillets Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven Other things to know: Limited lifetime warranty as long as all use and care recommendations are followed. We've had mostly good experiences with Lodge's customer service. The model we've been using in our test kitchen since 2014 is still in good shape. Deal on red. Read more: The Best Dutch Oven Stasher Reusable Silicone Bag Sandwich Size (6-Pack) Other things to know: A new low for this set of six. These bags are generally expensive, but worth the investment. Silicone can attract dust and lint, and retain smells and stains. FINAL SALE. Click the price to add to cart, choose the sandwich size at checkout, and use code FSDEALS. Read more: Why We Love Stashers, a Reusable Swap for Single-Use Baggies Photo: Michael Hession Other things to know: We haven't specifically tested this model. We like the magnetic remote but the onboard controls are weirdly counterintuitive. Lacks the misting capabilities of our pick. The battery life could be better. Generous two-year warranty. Costco membership required. Read more: The Best Cordless Fans Miele Classic C1 Pure Suction vacuum Powerful, quiet, and long-lasting, this bagged canister vacuum's universal cleaner head cleans and protects delicate hardwood floors. For added versatility, you can easily upgrade to a different cleaning head for cleaning low- or medium-pile rugs. Other things to know: Comes with a suction-only cleaning head, but no brush roller attachment. Lacks the crushproof hose and strong filtration system of other models. Not the lowest price we've seen, but still a good deal if you need one now. Read more: The Best Vacuum Cleaners Tineco GO Pet Cordless Vacuum Other things to know: Decent runtime of 38 minutes. Seizes on some lightweight rugs. Noisier than other stick vacs. Dustbin can be annoying to reassemble. Three-year warranty. Battery is replaceable, but finding one is a hassle. Read more: The Best Cordless Stick Vacuum Other things to know: Allow more higher-pitched sounds to pass through than others. The 5- to 6-hour battery life is less than we'd like, but on par with other features-heavy earbuds. The charging case adds another 15 hours, but we wish it supported wireless charging. Use code MEMORIALDEALS to get the deal via BuyDig's eBay storefront. Read more: The Best Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds Other things to know: Can power two external displays, an upgrade from one. We recommend using an external drive or cloud storage rather than spending more for extra internal storage. Battery life not as long as older models. Deal is for 24 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD; 24 GB RAM may be overkill for some. Read more: The Best Macbooks Sarah Kobos/NYT Wirecutter This cordless vibe is durable, functional, and easy to clean, and was a go-to among our testers. With its silicone head, quieter (though not quiet) motor, and variety of intensity and vibration patterns, you'll quickly see what all the buzz is about. $120 $100 from Lovehoney Use promo code MAGICWAND100 Other things to know: The large size can make it difficult to use in certain positions during partnered intercourse. Not waterproof. Automatically shuts off at the 20-minute mark. A beautiful toy this is not, but it gets the job done. One-year warranty. Use code MAGICWAND100 (remove any existing codes first). Read more: The Best Vibrators Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (refurbished) Other things to know: Pricey, and doesn't make your hair look any different than cheaper options. Manufacturer refurbished with one-year Dyson warranty. Comes with five attachments. On sale in fuchsia or silver with code MEMORIALDEALS. Read more: The Best Hair Dryer Editor's note: The photo at the top of this article may reflect previous deals that are no longer valid and have been removed. Check out our Deals page for more great discounts on Wirecutter's expert-approved picks. This article was edited by Janie Campbell and Nathan Burrow. Get great deals for the great outdoors on these Wirecutter picks we found in REI's annual anniversary sale. Here's what the Wirecutter Deals team is looking for when they hunt for the best prices on Wirecutter picks every day of the week. The Wirecutter Deals team breaks down a few simple ways to save money all year long.
New York Times
18-04-2025
- Health
- New York Times
The Best Creamy, Nut-Free Seed Butters
Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter SunButter's sunflower seed butters blew all the other nut-free spreads we tried out of the water. If you're looking for a PB alternative akin to Jif or Skippy, SunButter's Creamy Sunflower Seed Butter is the one. Testers described it as having the best balance of roasty, round, nutty sunflower seed flavor; sweetness; and saltiness, without any of the unpleasant bitter aftertaste that can sometimes come with sunflower seeds. It paired well with strawberry jam in testing, complementing the jam's sweetness and being, in the words of one tester, 'the closest to giving that classic PB&J flavor.' True to its name, its homogenous, thick texture spreads smoothly and easily on bread without threatening to drip off or saturate the slice, and it was the closest thing, texturally, to Skippy or Jif that we tried. Most testers said they'd eat it straight off a spoon. Texture: smooth and thick Ingredients: sunflower seeds, mono- and diglycerides, sugar, salt Protein: 7 grams per 2 tablespoons Allergy information: free from the top eight allergens; made in a peanut-free and tree-nut-free facility Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter Tied for first with SunButter's Creamy Sunflower Butter was SunButter's Original Sunflower Seed Butter, whose texture is similar to natural peanut butter. SunButter Original has a creamy, smooth, loose texture that one tester described as 'luxurious.' Its toasted, sunflower seed flavor delighted our panelists, who described it as deep and well balanced, with lip-smacking sweetness and saltiness, and no bitter aftertaste. It's on the drippier side for making a packable sandwich, but it pairs well with jam, complementing it rather than overpowering it, unlike some other PB-alternatives we tasted. All our testers said they'd eat this off a spoon. For people who prefer some bite, this is also available in a crunchy version. Texture: creamy and loose Ingredients: sunflower seeds, sugar, salt Protein: 7 grams per 2 tablespoons Allergy information: free from the top eight allergens; made in a peanut-free and tree-nut-free facility Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter With less salt than SunButter Original Sunflower Seed Butter, this spread is not quite as balanced, but it tastes almost as good and costs less. $5 from Trader Joe's in-store purchase only In our brand-concealed taste test, panelists found similarities in flavor between Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed Spread and SunButter Original. The Trader Joe's version has a toasted nuttiness and sweetness but noticeably less salt. (It contains 70 mg of sodium per 2 tablespoon serving, versus 99 mg for SunButter Original.) For some people, the lower sodium is a bonus, though we noticed that it made the spread taste a shade sweeter, with a hint of bitterness on the finish. Our panelists found that a small sprinkle of salt on a spoonful of Trader Joe's sunflower spread helped round out the flavor, bringing its taste even closer to SunButter Original and helping its balance when paired with jam. Its loose, creamy texture is similar to a natural peanut butter, but it was less drippy than SunButter Original, so it may hold up in a sandwich for longer. At the time of publication, it costs about 13 cents less per ounce than both our SunButter picks. Texture: creamy and loose Ingredients: sunflower seeds, powdered sugar (sugar, corn starch), salt Protein: 8 grams per 2 tablespoons Allergy information: Made in a facility where none of the top eight allergens are present, according to a Trader Joe's spokesperson, who noted, 'We strongly encourage our customers to read ingredient information every time they buy a Trader Joe's brand product, as manufacturers and ingredients can change.' Our testers were mostly neutral on the SunButter Organic Sunflower Seed Butter, which contains only one ingredient: organic roasted sunflower seeds. It's not a bad option if you want a spread with the most minimal ingredient list. But the lack of salt or sugar made it less balanced than our picks. Some testers noticed a bitter, almost 'fishy' oily aftertaste, even when paired with strawberry jam. Testers were intrigued by the matcha-green 88 Acres Roasted Pumpkin Seed Butter but found it overly bland for a peanut butter replacement, with an almost melon-like note. The texture was also grainier and runnier than they preferred for a sandwich. Wowbutter (Creamy) relies on roasted soybeans, which are emulsified with soy oil and palm oil (plus sugar and salt), for its flavor. That translated to an overpowering savory quality—even when paired with strawberry jam—that was reminiscent of soy sauce. This, combined with a thick, sandy texture, made Wowbutter divisive. If you love roasted soybeans and kinako flavors, you may like this—and it could be a good peanut butter substitute in savory recipes. Voyage Foods Peanut-Free Spread combines a number of roasted seeds, including sunflower seeds and grape seeds, as well as chickpea flour, rice protein, and wild rice. Voyage Foods also has admirable allergy-friendly practices. Unfortunately, our testers disliked the taste of this spread, finding it oily (it contains sunflower seed oil and palm oil), not roasted enough in flavor, and too sweet. The Amazing Chickpea uses chickpeas and sunflower seeds emulsified with canola oil, sugar, corn starch, palm oil, salt, and 'natural flavor.' Though the brand has admirable allergen-friendly practices, this spread didn't live up to its 'peanut butter taste' claim, and it had an off-putting sweet note that testers described as reminiscent of vanilla protein powder, oats, or milk powder. It also contains only 5 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons, versus the 7 or 8 grams in the sunflower seed butters we recommend. We also tested Biscoff Cookie Butter and Oat Haus Original Granola Butter, since both are safe for people with peanut and tree nut allergies. Of course, neither of these dessert spreads perfectly fills the role that peanut butter does (they both have only 1 or 2 grams of protein, respectively, per 2 tablespoons, versus 7 or 8 grams for sunflower butter and peanut butter). To soothe a sweet tooth, testers loved Biscoff spread, praising its speculoos cookie flavor and smooth texture. They were neutral on the flavor of Oat Haus granola butter, which was reminiscent of a crumble topping, and noted its gritty, almost chalky texture. One tester said, 'If I want dessert, I'd rather have Biscoff.' Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter The FDA requires packaged food to state on its ingredient label whether it includes one of the top eight food allergens: milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans. (Packaged food that fails to disclose a top-eight allergen can be fatal and is subject to recall.) Starting in 2023, the FDA also added sesame to this list, but some packaged food may still be on shelves from before the rule. You may see these allergens listed on a separate line from the ingredients, such as 'contains peanuts,' or in parentheses within the ingredient list, such as 'lecithin (soy).' Even with this labeling rule, for those with life-threatening, anaphylactic food allergies, it's not always enough to read the ingredients. Some packaged foods may be made on shared equipment with nuts or packaged in the same facility, which opens up the risk of potentially lethal cross-contamination. Precautionary allergen labels like 'may contain' or 'processed on the same equipment as' or 'manufactured in a facility that handles' are voluntary, and 'allergen-free' or 'peanut-free' labels are not regulated. All of this can get extremely confusing and overwhelming. When in doubt, if the label or product's website does not clearly provide the information you need for peace of mind and to protect your health, reach out to the manufacturer and ask if its production lines or facilities handle nuts or peanuts. For this guide, we only selected products that, at time of publication, state clearly on their ingredient labels and/or product websites that the item is not made in a shared facility or on shared equipment with peanuts or tree nuts. In one case, with Trader Joe's, we did not find sufficient information on the jar or online, so we reached out directly to the company. A representative replied, 'The Sunflower Seed Spread is made in a facility that has none of the top 8 allergens present.' If you're not sure about what level of caution to take, consult your doctor. And even once you've found a product you buy on repeat, always double-check ingredient labels at the store, since manufacturers may change facilities, manufacturing practices, sourcing, and ingredients at any time. Like peanut and nut butters, seed butter textures are subject to some change, and we encountered some variability during testing. Even the most homogeneous ones may separate or have textural impacts depending on storage conditions, like extreme temperatures, and the fat content of source ingredients. Some separation is normal, but to be safe, check expiration dates. Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter Maki Yazawa/NYT Wirecutter If you have a peanut or tree nut allergy, more peanut butter alternatives are available to you than ever before. I know, because I have a life-threatening peanut allergy, so I've been meticulously shopping for and sampling peanut-free nut and seed butters for decades. I've written about traveling with food allergies and shopping for allergy-safe chocolate for Wirecutter, and I've covered food allergies for Bon Appétit and Vice. For years, I was a freelance food writer for publications including Eater, Epicurious, and Taste. And at Wirecutter, I specialize in sustainability and environmental health issues, including the ins and outs of regulations, disclosures, and certifications. For this guide, we decided to focus on peanut butter alternatives that would be suitable for people with both peanut and tree nut allergies, so we eliminated almond butters from testing. To keep things manageable, we also eliminated sesame tahini, though it can be delicious in lieu of PB on toast and in recipes; tahini is a category unto itself, and deserves its own guide. From there, I researched peanut-free and tree-nut-free spreads, polled my colleagues who are parents, and compiled a list for testing. I combed through ingredient lists, FAQs, and allergen statements and reached out to Trader Joe's to understand the spreads' suitability for people with peanut and tree nut allergies. All of our picks are free from the top eight allergens (milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, and soybeans). I then organized a panel for brand-concealed testing. We ate each of the 10 spreads three ways: on their own off a spoon, on untoasted white sandwich bread, and with strawberry jam. We noted aroma, flavor, texture, spreadability on the untoasted bread, drippiness, and homogeneity, as well as how it tasted in a classic combination with jam, and we compared across spreads. Two of our panelists have severe top nine food allergies, four typically eat peanut butter, and one has never tasted peanut butter. We did not judge spreads by how similar they tasted to peanut butter. Instead, we checked for their deliciousness in typical PB applications (like on jam sandwiches), balanced flavor, pleasing texture, and lack of off aftertastes. Since some people turn to spreads for a vegetarian source of protein, I also considered protein per serving. This article was edited by Marguerite Preston and Megan Beauchamp. I scoffed at this peanut butter mixing crank when I discovered it years ago. Now I can't live without it. After testing more than 25 blenders since 2012, we haven't found a better one than the powerful, durable Vitamix 5200 . We tasted 15 smooth-style peanut butters and recommend four that were the cream of the crop.
New York Times
04-04-2025
- New York Times
12 Lenses That Will Get the Most Out of Your Fujifilm Camera
Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Assuming that your camera came with a decent, basic zoom lens, the first addition to your collection should be a small, portable, fixed-focal-length (prime) lens that has a useful field of view and can deliver great images in dim light. For most people, the best option is a 40mm- to 50mm-equivalent lens with an f/2 or wider maximum aperture. Because Fujifilm X-mount cameras use APS-C sensors, you have to multiply the focal length printed on the lens by 1.5 to find the full-frame equivalent. This focal length delivers images that look a lot like what you see when you look at a subject, since it's close to the same perspective as human eyesight. This lens outperforms its modest price, with brilliant edge-to-edge sharpness, beautiful background blur, and little in the way of distortion or aberrations. If you're new to photography, or getting into a mirrorless system for the first time after using film cameras or DSLRs for years, you might not be familiar with Viltrox—but you should be. Among the many Chinese lens manufacturers that have sprung up in recent years, Viltrox is one of the most exciting, not least because it pushes optical limits with lenses like the Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Pro. The Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Pro is capable of biting sharpness wide open, and it effectively isolates the subject from the background, even from several feet away. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Its 40.5mm-equivalent focal length makes it a good fit for many kinds of subjects, from people to landscapes to food. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter A good normal prime can function as a go-anywhere, do-anything lens, if you're willing to zoom with your feet. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Pro's bokeh can be extremely smooth, given the right amount of distance between the subject and the background. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Or it can be hypnotically swirly, if the background is closer and more complex. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Pro is capable of biting sharpness wide open, and it effectively isolates the subject from the background, even from several feet away. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Its perspective looks natural for many kinds of subjects. With a full-frame-equivalent field of view of 40.5mm, this lens closely replicates the perspective of the human eye. That makes it a natural fit for all kinds of subjects, from landscape to short portraiture to street and still life. It has an ultra-bright maximum aperture for added flexibility. This lens's f/1.2 maximum aperture gives you lots of latitude to use the lens in dim light or to create beautifully blurred backgrounds. The bokeh it produces is among the smoothest we've seen, even in photos that contain typically busy-looking objects such as leaves or branches. It's stunningly sharp. The 27mm f/1.2 Pro offers extremely high resolution in the center of the image, even wide open, and it becomes razor-sharp across the entire frame when stopped down to f/4. It's free of optical defects like distortion, colored fringing, and excessive flare, as well. Performance comes at the expense of weight and bulk. The biggest downside to this lens is that it's big and heavy—3.6 inches long and 1.2 pounds (560 grams). But it's beautifully well built, mostly of metal, and like most Fujifilm lenses, it has a clicky aperture ring and weather sealing. It's a stunning value. Despite its many superlative features, this lens costs just $580 at this writing—significantly less expensive than other high-end normal primes for X-mount, such as the $800 Fujifilm XF 33mm f/1.4 R LM WR. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter This lens isn't as edge-to-edge sharp as our pick from Viltrox, especially when it's wide open, but it's sharp enough. More importantly for some people, it's much smaller and lighter. If you prefer a smaller normal prime, the first-party Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR is a solid performer that's quite a bit smaller and lighter than our pick from Viltrox. The Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR is plenty sharp and good at the same things the Viltrox prime lens is good at, but its field of view is slightly narrower, and its f/2 maximum aperture can't create bokeh that's quite as smooth. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Normal primes like the Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR typically have low distortion and few aberrations, which makes them ideal for capturing objects with straight lines, like this building. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The XF 35mm f/2 R WR is also small and light enough that you can toss it in a bag and bring it on vacation. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Its portrait capabilities are not limited to humans. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The Fujifilm XF 35mm f/2 R WR is plenty sharp and good at the same things the Viltrox prime lens is good at, but its field of view is slightly narrower, and its f/2 maximum aperture can't create bokeh that's quite as smooth. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter It barely adds any weight or bulk to your camera. The XF 35mm f/2 R WR weighs just 6 ounces (170 grams) and measures only 1.8 inches long. Looks are generally a secondary concern in assembling a kit, but this lens also pairs beautifully with Fujifilm's XT and X-Pro cameras. It's bright and sharp enough. Although its maximum aperture isn't as bright as that of the Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Pro, so it can't work as effectively in dim light, it can still produce lovely bokeh at f/2 and is sharp even wide open, except in the far corners. By f/5.6 or so, it's razor-sharp across the entire image. Its rendering is more classic, less clinical. Whereas our Viltrox recommendation represents an impressive optical achievement, some people may find that images from this Fujifilm lens have a bit more of an old-school, film-era character—one that meshes well with Fujifilm's overall retro vibe. It's notably well built. Like the Viltrox lens, this Fujifilm model is made from metal and provides a clicky aperture ring for a satisfyingly manual shooting experience, but you can of course switch it to the 'A' setting and use your camera's dials (or an automatic exposure mode) to set the aperture. At a typical price of around $400, it's still quite a good value, too. A budget version is available, if you don't mind more plastic. If you want to pay even less for similar performance, Fujifilm also offers this lens in a budget-oriented XC version, which has a plastic rather than metal mount and lacks an aperture ring. Although the build quality isn't as nice, the image quality is the same, and the XC lens costs half as much. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Fujifilm's kit lenses are a cut above the cheap commodity glass of generations past, but like most kit lenses, they're restricted by variable apertures that get dimmer the further you zoom in. This can make them difficult to use in dimmer environments, limiting their utility. If you're yearning for better image quality from a versatile short zoom, Fujifilm and a range of third-party lens makers offer lenses that cover a similar field of view but with fast, constant maximum apertures and improved sharpness and distortion. Following are two recommendations: one cost-effective and small, with some shortcomings, and one nearly free of flaws but more expensive. This lens covers a range of focal lengths similar to that of Fujifilm's kit lenses but has a bright, constant f/2.8 maximum aperture paired with a compact, lightweight design. It lacks optical image stabilization, though. If you want a lens that covers ground similar to what your camera's kit zoom is capable of, but want improved image quality and better low-light capability, the Sigma 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary is a great choice. It's small, lightweight, and a great performer. Just be aware that it lacks optical stabilization. The Sigma 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary can focus remarkably close (4.8 inches from the sensor), which makes it possible for you to produce smooth bokeh even at wide angle. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Despite its relatively narrow maximum aperture of f/2.8, it also renders smooth backgrounds at telephoto focal lengths, as shown here at 50mm (75mm equivalent). Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary's flexible zoom range (27–75mm equivalent) and compact, lightweight design make it a good everyday-carry option. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary renders natural colors that aren't far off from those of Fujifilm glass. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The wide zoom range allows you to carefully frame shots even from some distance away. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The Sigma 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary can focus remarkably close (4.8 inches from the sensor), which makes it possible for you to produce smooth bokeh even at wide angle. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter It's a strong optical performer. This lens is sharp from the get-go, regardless of the focal length you choose, and it only gets crisper as you stop down. It produces lovely background blur at f/2.8, and in a pinch it can even function as a solid portrait lens at its longer focal lengths. It is not as sharp in the extreme corners as the Fujifilm XF 16–55mm f/2.8 II, which we recommend below, but most people will find it a nice step up from a kit lens. Its colors are also pleasing, if a touch cooler than those you'd get from the 16–55mm lens. It's versatile. With its constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, it can gather more light than Fujifilm's kit lenses. That means you can use it in a wider range of scenarios, including indoors and in other low-light situations where a variable-aperture lens would struggle. It can also focus down to 4.8 inches from your camera's sensor, which gives it near-macro magnification capability. However, in our tests, images that we shot extremely close up showed substantial aberrations (specifically color fringing) and reduced contrast near the minimum focus distance. Thankfully, those aberrations dropped away when we moved a couple of inches farther from the sensor. It actually weighs less than Fujifilm's typical kit lens. Usually, a wide, constant maximum aperture means a lens will be big and heavy. The Sigma 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary bucks that trend. Compared with the Fujifilm XF 18–55mm f/2.8-4 R LM OIS kit lens, which weighs 10.9 ounces (308 grams) and measures about 2.8 inches long, this Sigma lens weighs 10.1 ounces (286 grams) and is just a hair longer at 2.9 inches. It's protected against the elements but lacks optical image stabilization. Like Fujifilm's better kit lenses, this Sigma model is also equipped with weather sealing against dust and moisture. However, it lacks optical image stabilization, so it's best used with a camera that has in-body image stabilization (IBIS)—a group that includes most recent Fujifilm bodies. If you use an X-M5, an X-Pro3, or an older camera such as the X-T30 or X-T2, you should consider paying more for a lens like the Tamron 17–70mm F/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD. It costs more and is bigger and heavier than the Sigma 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary, and it isn't as optically perfect as the Fujifilm XF 16–55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II (discussed below), but it provides about as much sharpness as the Sigma model, offers more range, and features Tamron's Vibration Control (VC) optical stabilization. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter This lens costs more than twice as much as the Sigma model but covers more ground and outperforms it on nearly every metric. You probably don't need this lens, but you wouldn't regret buying it. Despite being relatively small and lightweight, the Fujifilm XF 16–55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II outperformed other fast, constant-aperture normal zooms in our testing in every respect—it's sharper, has better contrast, shows fewer aberrations, and renders truer colors. It also costs $1,200, in contrast to the Sigma 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary's usual price of $500, but that's the price you pay for optical supremacy. The Fujifilm XF 16–55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II is sharper than the Sigma 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary, but it's also bigger, heavier, and much more expensive. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter However, with an equivalent range of 24–82.5mm, it can capture images at both wider and longer focal lengths, which can be very handy. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Fujifilm's lens coatings handle glare extremely well. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The 16-55mm f/2.8 II can deliver creamy bokeh throughout its zoom range. Here, it produced smooth blur at 55mm and f/2.8, even though I was a good distance from my subject. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The Fujifilm XF 16–55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II is sharper than the Sigma 18–50mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary, but it's also bigger, heavier, and much more expensive. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter It's really sharp. No zoom is as sharp as a great prime lens, but unlike the other fast, constant-aperture zooms we tested in this category, the XF 16–55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II is pleasingly sharp (if not perfectly so) all the way into the extreme corners of the image at most focal lengths. That's true even at f/2.8. It could be sharper toward the edge of the frame at 16mm, but in our tests it still bested what we saw from the Sigma and Tamron f/2.8 zooms we tried. It renders pleasing, natural colors with plenty of contrast. Whereas the Sigma lens's images needed some touchup in Lightroom to look their best, this Fujifilm lens delivered more lifelike color and better contrast, making its straight-out-of-the-camera JPEGs more usable without tweaking. It's virtually free of color fringing, haze, and other optical imperfections. When we shot with the Sigma lens near its minimum focus distance, it exhibited lots of cyan fringing around high-contrast subjects, as well as an overall reduction in contrast and some loss of sharpness. This Fujifilm lens, however, retained all of its punchiness close up and showed zero fringing or other flaws in our tests. It also produced much better-defined sunstars and had fewer issues with flare than the Sigma lens did. Note that its minimum focus distance is more than twice as long as that of the Sigma lens, at 11.8 inches from the sensor. However, in our tests it showed far fewer aberrations at that distance than the Sigma lens did at its maximum magnification. It's lightweight and compact for a constant-aperture zoom. Although it's a little heavier and longer than the Sigma lens, this Fujifilm optic is still just 14.4 ounces (408 grams) and 3.7 inches long—plenty small enough to accompany you on an average day of shooting or even a longer vacation. You can de-click its aperture ring for video recording. The XF 16–55mm f/2.8 R LM WR II is one of the first Fujifilm lenses we've seen to offer a switch for you to de-click the aperture ring. This is important for videography, because it allows for seamless changes of aperture while you're recording. It also prevents the audible clicks from aperture changes from being picked up on the audio track of a video clip. An extra $700 still doesn't buy you optical image stabilization. Like the Sigma lens, this lens is fully weather-sealed but lacks built-in image stabilization, instead relying on in-body stabilization. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter A typical kit lens covers less range than many people want while they're on vacation or simply shooting a wider range of subjects close to home. If you'd prefer to carry just one lens but want it to cover everything from sweeping landscapes to distant wildlife, this category is for you. Just bear in mind that the extra range doesn't come for free. These lenses are bigger and heavier than a kit lens, and they tend to have slightly dimmer maximum apertures. Still, the best of these lenses may surprise you with their consistently great image quality and wide-ranging utility. This lens covers roughly double the range of our kit-lens upgrade picks and is just one stop slower, with a constant f/4 aperture. It's a beautiful performer, and videographers will love its power-zoom functionality. Of all the wide-to-moderate-telephoto zooms we tried, the Fujifilm XF 18–120mm f/4 LM PZ WR provided the most consistently sharp, beautifully rendered images throughout its zoom range. We loved its constant f/4 aperture, which allowed us to capture some stunning low-light images when we paired it with Fujifilm's in-body image stabilization. Despite its f/4 maximum aperture, the Fujifilm XF 18–120mm f/4 LM PZ WR produces smooth bokeh at close focusing distances. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter This allows it to effectively isolate subjects against the background, and its resolving power is plenty for even Fujifilm's 40-megapixel cameras. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Like other Fujifilm lenses, the XF 18–120mm f/4 LM PZ WR renders neutral, pleasing colors with the default Provia JPEG profile. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The 27-180mm–equivalent focal range is capable of capturing a huge variety of subjects, making this an ideal travel lens. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The XF 18–120mm f/4 LM PZ WR is sharp throughout its entire range, which is an impressive feat. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Despite its f/4 maximum aperture, the Fujifilm XF 18–120mm f/4 LM PZ WR produces smooth bokeh at close focusing distances. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter It covers a lot of ground. With a full-frame-equivalent focal range of 27mm to 180mm, this lens covers architectural and landscape photography just as well as it does portraiture, sports, and wildlife. Its Power Zoom feature is rare among Fujifilm lenses. The XF 18–120mm f/4 LM PZ WR is one of just a few Fujifilm lenses that use motors to control the zoom action, rather than a direct mechanical connection between the elements and your fingers. Stills photographers might find this approach a bit off-putting, at least at first, but videographers will love it. This is a lens built for hybrid shooting. People who shoot a lot of video will appreciate the smooth, near-silent, adjustable-speed zooming. Videographers will also love this lens's stepless aperture control, which allows for more seamless transitions between bright and dark environments. It's missing a signature XF lens feature. The downside to all this video-friendly design is that the XF 18–120mm f/4 LM PZ WR is one of the few Fujifilm XF lenses that lack an aperture ring, but we think that omission is a small price to pay for such a high-quality, versatile piece of glass. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Whether you're trying to snap a shot of your child scoring a goal, capture some interesting architectural details, or spy on a bird in your backyard, a lens that reaches farther than the one that came with your camera is indispensable. A telephoto zoom gives you a closer view of far-flung subjects and also provides a flatter, more compressed look. This makes it easier to isolate your subject from the background. This lens covers a versatile telephoto range. It's sharp, lightweight, and compact, and it has effective optical stabilization, too. If you're looking for a lens that picks up where your kit lens leaves off and adds some reach to your lens arsenal, the Fujifilm XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS delivers the best bang for your buck. Even at the far end of the Fujifilm XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS's zoom range, you can still direct the viewer's gaze to a single flower in a garden with the f/4.8 maximum aperture. Phil Ryan/NYT Wirecutter The lens's 0.18x magnification is modest when it's zoomed to 200mm (300mm equivalent), but it can still make a nice photo of an insect on a flower. Phil Ryan/NYT Wirecutter At its widest setting of 55mm (83mm equivalent), the XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS can still capture the chaos of Times Square in New York City. Phil Ryan/NYT Wirecutter With the lens zoomed all the way in, we were able to capture this shot at 1/10 second thanks to the lens's optical image stabilization. Phil Ryan/NYT Wirecutter Even at the far end of the Fujifilm XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS's zoom range, you can still direct the viewer's gaze to a single flower in a garden with the f/4.8 maximum aperture. Phil Ryan/NYT Wirecutter It's a great bargain and ideal for travel. The XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS's maximum aperture range lets in more light than those of similar zooms in this price range, and its built-in optical stabilization makes getting good shots in demanding lighting conditions easier. Its small size makes it easy to tuck into a camera bag, too. Although it isn't long enough for serious birding and capturing more elusive wildlife, it's a great place to start for people interested in telephoto photography. It's sharp throughout the frame. You won't find many X-mount lenses that cover this range of focal lengths, but Fujifilm's XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS is sharper than the company's XC 50–230mm f/4.5–6.7, yet also capable of letting in more light. Plus, it's sharp at its maximum aperture in both the corners and the center, so you don't need to worry about losing detail at the edges. Fujifilm also makes a slightly sharper lens, the XF 50–140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR, that covers a shorter range but is larger and heavier. Its constant f/2.8 aperture makes it a bit more versatile in various lighting conditions and gives it even better background blur. That lens is our upgrade pick for this category, but we think most people will be happy with the XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS. It's relatively small for a telephoto zoom. At 4.7 inches long when collapsed, this model is only an inch longer than our pick for kit-lens replacement, and its 1.3-pound (590-gram) weight doesn't add much heft to a bag. It's especially little compared with the XF 50–140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR, which measures 6.9 inches and weighs 2.2 pounds (998 grams). It doesn't quite offer enough zoom for serious birding. This lens provides a full-frame-equivalent view of 82.5–300mm, which is probably enough if you're just snapping shots of the feathered visitors in your back yard. If you're more serious about photographing the avian cohabitants of this planet, you'll likely want to spend a little more for a lens like the Sigma 100–400mm f/5–6.3 DG DN OS (a full-frame-equivalent of 150–600mm) or the Tamron 150–500mm f/5–6.7 Di III VXD (225–750mm). Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter This lens is sharper than the Fujifilm XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS, is weather-sealed, and lets in more light at all focal lengths. But it doesn't have as much telephoto reach and costs a lot more. If you're looking for a lens that offers better subject isolation and can handle low light (think indoors or evenings), and you don't mind a higher price and a slightly shorter range, the Fujifilm XF 50–140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR offers a luxurious shooting experience. It can capture super-sharp images, has a constant maximum aperture that can let in more light than the XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS allows throughout its entire range, and has weather sealing, so you can use it in the rain when you pair it with a similarly rugged body. The Fujifilm XF 50–140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR doesn't have the reach of our cheaper telephoto-zoom pick, but it still offers enough for backyard birding. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter This lens's f/2.8 maximum aperture allows for impressive bokeh at the longer end of the zoom range. Phil Ryan/NYT Wirecutter At 50mm (75mm equivalent), the XF 50–140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR gathers a lot of the scene from the George Washington Bridge's north-walkway scenic overlook. Phil Ryan/NYT Wirecutter With the lens zoomed in to 140mm (210mm equivalent), you can see the cyclist coming through the bridge's tower if you view this photo on a large-enough screen. Phil Ryan/NYT Wirecutter Paired with the X-T50, the XF 50–140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR was able to capture this sharp shot with a shutter speed of just 1/3 second and the lens zoomed to 140mm, for a little over 7 stops of stabilization. Phil Ryan/NYT Wirecutter The Fujifilm XF 50–140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR doesn't have the reach of our cheaper telephoto-zoom pick, but it still offers enough for backyard birding. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Its wide aperture and optical stabilization make it a versatile tool. The constant f/2.8 aperture lets you isolate your subject from the background to the extent that this lens could replace a dedicated portrait lens if portraits aren't something you capture often. It also allows you to shoot more comfortably in low-light situations, such as for indoor sports. Plus, this lens's stabilization is so effective that we were able to get pleasingly sharp images at 140mm (210mm equivalent) with a ⅓-second shutter speed. Its 75-210mm–equivalent focal range is a bit shorter than that of the XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS but comparable to that of professional sports zoom lenses designed for full-frame camera systems. It zooms internally. Whereas the XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS extends when you zoom, this lens stays the same 6.9 inches long whether you're at 50mm or 140mm. Its zoom action is delightfully smooth and even, as well. If you use filters—especially a circular polarizer that you'll want to adjust after framing your shot—this lens's internal zooming makes it easier to operate by feel and adjust while you're looking through the finder. If you are a filter user, you can rest assured that the front of both of these lenses does not rotate when you zoom or focus them. It's better-built, too. Instead of the plastic of the XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS, the lens barrel of the XF 50–140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR is made of metal, which gives it a more premium look and feel. It also comes with a removable, rotatable foot for use on tripods. This lens also has extensive weather sealing to protect its internals from moisture and dust. We're confident that the XF 55–200mm f/3.5–4.8 R LM OIS will stand up to plenty of use, but the XF 50–140mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR feels like a lens you could keep for the rest of your life. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter A wide-angle zoom is an indispensable tool for people who shoot a lot of interiors and architecture. These lenses go from an ultra-wide perspective that stretches the edges and corners of the image to a narrower yet still wide field of view that's better for people photography. Even at their widest, the best of these lenses provide a rectilinear field of view, avoiding fish-eye distortion. As a result, they also work quite well for landscape and street photography. This lens covers a useful zoom range, encompassing ultrawide to near-normal perspectives. It's stabilized, weatherproof, and sharp throughout. The Fujifilm XF 10–24mm f/4 R OIS WR isn't the widest wide-angle zoom that Fujifilm offers, and it doesn't have the brightest maximum aperture, but it provides the best balance of image quality, portability, and price of any wide zoom you can get for X-mount. Its constant f/4 maximum aperture is plenty for landscapes and outdoor architecture, and its optical image stabilization helps out in more dimly lit indoor scenarios. The long end of the Fujifilm XF 10–24mm f/4 R OIS WR's zoom range, at 36mm-equivalent, is great for everyday photography. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter But at 10mm (15mm equivalent), it's capable of capturing breathtakingly wide vistas. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The XF 10–24mm f/4 R OIS WR was able to capture the fine detail and scuffs in this sign. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Since it can focus quite close, the XF 10–24mm f/4 R OIS WR can function as a portrait lens of sorts, if you're okay with a little distortion. Its bokeh is surprisingly smooth. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter At 10mm, you can get quite close to your subject but still fit something as large as a concrete-mixer truck in the frame, creating interesting perspectives. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The long end of the Fujifilm XF 10–24mm f/4 R OIS WR's zoom range, at 36mm-equivalent, is great for everyday photography. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter It's sharper than most wide-angle zooms. The XF 10–24mm f/4 R OIS WR is sharp from the get-go in the center and even at the edges—it's only the extreme corners where the image quality softens when it's slightly wide open. When you're stopping down to f/8 or f/11, the corners improve but are never tack-sharp. This was true, at minimum, of every wide-angle zoom we tested, but the Fujifilm XF 10–24mm f/4 R OIS WR was sharper across the frame than any third-party lens we tested in this category, including the Sigma 10–18mm f/2.8 DC DN Contemporary, the Tamron 11–20mm f/2.8 Di III-A RXD, and the Tokina 11–18mm f/2.8 ATX-M. We wish it had better sunstars. The one image-quality area in which we wanted more from this lens was its sunstars—the pointy celestial flare you get when the sun is in the frame and you're using medium-to-smaller apertures. The XF 10–24mm f/4 R OIS WR is almost too well corrected, to the point where sunstars become really well defined only around f/22. Unfortunately, at that point, diffraction has already taken a big bite out of overall sharpness. It's rugged and compact. The XF 10–24mm f/4 R OIS WR is weather-sealed, as a good landscape lens ought to be, and it's relatively compact considering the ground it covers and its constant aperture—it weighs about 13.6 ounces (386 grams) and measures roughly 3.4 inches long. Like all XF lenses, it's made largely of metal, and like most Fujifilm lenses, it has a pleasantly tactile, well-marked aperture ring that meshes well with the bevy of other manual controls found on bodies like the X-T5 and X-Pro3. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Despite their shortcomings—inconsistent sharpness, dim and variable apertures, and bulky designs—superzooms are perennially popular. It's easy to see why: These lenses let you take virtually any kind of shot without ever changing to a different optic. If you want a go-anywhere, do-everything piece of glass, look no further. With a staggering zoom range, this lens is a great option if you simply never want to change lenses, or if you want a do-it-all lens for travel. Superzooms never offer stellar image quality throughout their entire range—they're jacks of all trades but masters of none. But the Tamron 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3 Di III-A VC VXD does a better job than most, despite its staggering 27-450mm–equivalent (16.6x) design. The Tamron 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3 Di III-A VC VXD's effective focal range of 27–450mm is impressively versatile and a perfect match for the wide vistas and intricate details of Great Sand Dunes National Park. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter At longer focal lengths and smaller apertures, this superzoom lens can compress the foreground and background into a cohesive whole. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter At 450mm equivalent, this lens can pick out impressive details from a surprisingly long distance. Here, I was standing roughly a quarter mile from the couple atop the dune. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Despite its variable, narrow maximum aperture, the 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3 Di III-A VC VXD can isolate subjects well. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Such a vast focal range opens up potential for unusual landscapes. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The Tamron 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3 Di III-A VC VXD's effective focal range of 27–450mm is impressively versatile and a perfect match for the wide vistas and intricate details of Great Sand Dunes National Park. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter It's impressively versatile. On a trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park in southern Colorado, this lens was the perfect choice, capturing both sweeping vistas of Arrakis-like landscapes and crisp telephoto shots of hikers atop the dunes. It's quick to focus and has effective stabilization even at extreme telephoto. Its autofocus is fast and accurate regardless of focal length, and its image stabilization is remarkably effective. I captured crisp shots at 300mm while perched atop a dune in 30 mph wind. Its weather sealing is iffy. The zoom action of the 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3 Di III-A VC VXD is fairly smooth—though if you take it to the dunes, as I did, you'll find that its advertised weather sealing is less effective than you might want. When I got back home, a few grains of sand were visible inside the glass elements, and zooming felt a little, well, gritty. It's a heck of a bargain. Still, at its usual $700 asking price, the 18–300mm f/3.5–6.3 Di III-A VC VXD is an incredible value. Few lenses can deliver image quality this consistent through such a huge variety of perspectives. And unlike many superzooms, this one is relatively lightweight and compact, at 1.37 pounds (621 grams) and 5 inches long. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter If you spend a lot of your time taking photos of people and pets, a dedicated portrait prime lens—typically with an effective focal length between 70mm and 105mm—offers the best way to capture them. Thanks to their wide maximum apertures, these lenses can make your subject pop out of the smoothly blurred background, and their compressed perspective doesn't distort human faces the way wider lenses can. This lens is big and heavy, but it's also impressively sharp and capable of rendering gorgeous background blur. If you want the sharpest, most bokehlicious portrait lens available for X-mount, and if you don't mind that it's big, heavy, and slightly flare-prone, get the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Pro. There's simply no other lens that delivers a similar value in this category. The Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Pro produces a painterly bokeh when the background is relatively close. Its razor-thin focus plane wide open can be both a blessing and a curse, though. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter When the background is farther away, the bokeh becomes buttery smooth. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Even at f/1.2, this lens produces remarkable sharpness across the entire image frame. And now I want a beer. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Stopping down just a little unleashes the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Pro's true resolving power (this shot is at f/5.6, where resolution peaks) and also gives you more in-focus area. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter This lens's most glaring flaw is its tendency to flare when the front element is facing the sun. The included hood helps but doesn't completely eradicate the effect. But you can also use this flaw to artistic effect. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Pro produces a painterly bokeh when the background is relatively close. Its razor-thin focus plane wide open can be both a blessing and a curse, though. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Did we mention that it's sharp? Like, really sharp. In our field tests, this lens was perfectly sharp wide open at f/1.2 in the center of the image—even on our 40-megapixel X-H2 test camera. Corners were good wide open, if not quite as sharp as the center, but they crisped up nicely at f/5.6 and above. Its bokeh is world-class. When we were shooting at wide apertures, background elements simply dissolved into a pleasingly smooth blur. And unlike many ultra-bright primes, this one doesn't have any issues with longitudinal chromatic aberration—the colored fringing you can sometimes see in front of and behind the focus plane on high-contrast elements of an image. It's extremely well built. Like most of Viltrox's lenses, this model is made primarily of metal. It features a clicky aperture ring with an automatic ('A') option, and it has a switch for you to quickly change between autofocus and manual-focus shooting. It's also weather-sealed, with a gasket at the lens mount and several more inside, and it comes with a deep plastic lens hood. The trade-off is that it's big and heavy, at around 1.5 pounds (680 grams) and 4 inches long (without the hood). Its focal length is on the long end for a portrait lens. The classic portrait-lens focal length is about 85mm. This lens has a full-frame-equivalent field of view of 112.5mm, but there's no law that says you have to use an 85mm lens to take portraits—other focal lengths, like 105mm and 135mm, have also been popular choices throughout the years. You just need to stand a little farther back from your subject, especially since this lens's minimum focus distance is a hefty 2.9 feet. But that's still close enough to fill your frame with a person's face, for instance. It's somewhat flare-prone. Although most modern lenses control flare extremely well, the 75mm f/1.2 Pro is a bit of an outlier. When the sun is anywhere near the frame, you may encounter rainbow-style flare. The included hood reduces but doesn't completely eliminate this issue. Some people may find it artistic; others, obtrusive. Just know that it's part of the bargain. Speaking of bargains, it's pretty affordable. Like the similarly fantastic Viltrox 27mm f/1.2 Pro, the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Pro costs $580 at this writing. Compared with similarly exotic portrait glass from Fujifilm—such as the XF 50mm f/1.0 R WR at $1,500 or the XF 56mm f/1.2 R WR at $1,000—it's positively cheap. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter With a shorter focal length and a slightly smaller maximum aperture than our Viltrox pick offers, this lens can't create bokeh that's quite as dramatic. But it's smaller, lighter, and still a fantastic performer. The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary is a pick in our guide to Nikon Z-mount lenses, and it repeats that feat here thanks to its Goldilocks combination of compact design, accurate autofocus, solid sharpness, and beautiful bokeh. It's an especially great choice if you want a solid portrait lens but don't need the clinical sharpness and ultra-bright aperture (plus the attendant size and weight) of the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Pro. The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, at 84mm, has a shorter effective focal length than the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Pro, but that puts it in the range of classic portrait lenses. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Its f/1.4 maximum aperture isn't as wide as the Viltrox lens's f/1.2, but it's still plenty to isolate a subject, even from several feet away. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter This Sigma lens renders slightly cooler colors than most of Fujifilm's own lenses, but you can adjust this effect in editing or via Fujifilm's custom JPEG recipes. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter While 56mm is typically used as a portrait focal length, it's useful for other kinds of shots, as well. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary, at 84mm, has a shorter effective focal length than the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Pro, but that puts it in the range of classic portrait lenses. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter It's a great portrait prime lens for travel. The Sigma 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary weighs just 0.62 pound and measures a mere 2.4 inches long (not including the fairly deep lens hood). It's less than half as heavy and 40% shorter than the Viltrox 75mm f/1.2 Pro. Its compact design makes it easier to carry over a long outing. Its focal length is ideal for portraits. While the Viltrox lens has a tighter field of view than the average portrait lens, this Sigma lens's 84mm full-frame-equivalent focal length is right in the ballpark of classic 85mm portrait glass. This focal length flatters human faces and helps to isolate the subject from the background. It's not as sharp as the Viltrox lens, especially wide open, but it's sharp enough. At f/1.4, this Sigma lens produces images that are sharp in the center, if slightly low-contrast. Corners take a few stops to both brighten and sharpen, but by f/4, the lens produces images that are bitingly sharp and contrasty across the frame. The bokeh looks gorgeous. While backgrounds aren't quite as blown out as what you can get with the longer, brighter Viltrox lens, the bokeh you can get from this Sigma model and its nine rounded aperture blades is exceptionally smooth and pleasing to the eye. It's also more flare-resistant than our Viltrox portrait-lens pick. It's not all-metal, but it's still ruggedly designed. The 56mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary is made of a combination of metal and a plastic composite material, with a wide, rubberized zoom ring. It's weather-sealed like our Viltrox pick, as well. Because of its smaller size and lower weight, it balances better on Fujifilm's smaller cameras. Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter Most people don't need a macro lens, but if you love photographing things the human eye can't see without help—think minuscule insects, the littlest parts of plants and fungi, or the facets of coins and gems—you should consider investing in one. True macro lenses represent subjects at 1:1 magnification, so the subjects appear life-size on your camera's sensor, which is something no other kind of lens can do. This lens is spectacularly sharp and can focus down to life-size magnification, making it a perfect choice for macro photographers who want to capture truly tiny details. The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro is a professional-grade macro lens featuring 1:1 magnification, optical image stabilization, a focus range limiter, weather sealing, and a fast linear focusing motor. It delivers exceedingly high-resolution images, even when you're very close to your subject, and its bokeh is ridiculously smooth. In short, it's everything you could need or want from this kind of lens. The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro can focus very close, as you might expect, and its bokeh is pleasingly smooth. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter This lens is capable of resolving exceptionally small details, such as the hairs on this tomato-plant stem… Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter ...or the skin cells on my dog's nose. Boop! Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter When working at close distances with a macro lens, you have to stop down the aperture to keep larger objects in focus. This shot, for instance, was taken at f/8. The lens's optical image stabilization makes a huge difference in these scenarios, allowing for slow shutter speeds and low ISO settings. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter With certain backgrounds, at certain distances, the bokeh can get a bit swirly. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter The Fujifilm XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro can focus very close, as you might expect, and its bokeh is pleasingly smooth. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter It can resolve the tiniest details. That's a prerequisite for any macro lens, but the XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro is one of the highest-performing macro lenses we've tested, and it was a more-than-strong-enough match for our test camera's 40-megapixel APS-C sensor. Since this model is a 1:1 macro lens with a 120mm-equivalent field of view, it allows you to get extremely close to your subject. That's great for capturing otherwise hard-to-get details, but it can make photos more susceptible to blur if the subject moves, or if your camera does. Luckily, this lens is equipped with optical image stabilization to combat the latter. For the former, consider using a good tripod. It produces gorgeous bokeh. Beautiful, smooth background blur is a product of several factors, including but not limited to focal length, minimum focus distance, aperture, aperture-blade count and curvature, and the lens's overall optical design. The XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro hits all the right notes, with a long focal length that compresses the image and highlights the subject, plus a f/2.8 maximum aperture and nine rounded aperture blades. As a result, backgrounds turn out creamy-smooth when you're shooting portraits at f/2.8, and they stay pleasing when you're shooting macro photos at smaller apertures, since you're so close to your subject. It focuses fast (for a macro lens) and has a range limiter. Macro lenses tend to focus more slowly than most lenses, especially when transitioning from macro distance to focusing on more traditional subjects, but the XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro is a relatively zippy performer in this regard. It also features a zoom limiter switch, which can ensure that the lens doesn't try to rack through its entire focus range when you're working at close distances—a frustrating, frequent occurrence on macro lenses without this kind of switch. It lacks focus and depth-of-field scales. This is typical for Fujifilm lenses—since they use focus-by-wire rather than a direct linkage between the focus ring and the glass elements—but it's a bummer for people who prefer the precision of manual focus for microscopic subjects. If you really need a more tactile manual-focusing experience with proper focus and depth-of-field scales, check out new third-party macro options such as the Venus Optics Laowa 65mm f/2.8 2x macro lens or vintage legends like the Tokina 'Bokina' 90mm f/2.5 macro, which can be found used in decent shape and can fit on Fujifilm X-mount cameras with a simple, cheap adapter. It's big and heavy, and it makes clunking sounds. The downside to optical excellence, as ever, is size and weight. The XF 80mm f/2.8 R LM OIS WR Macro tips the scales at 1.65 pounds (748 grams) and measures 5.1 inches long, so you'll need some space in your bag if you take it out in the field. It also makes a worrying clunking sound when you carry it around with your camera turned off, but fret not—the sound is simply due to the floating-element design of the optical image stabilization system. I'm a supervising editor at Wirecutter covering cameras, home-office gear, hobbies, and powering. I've been writing about camera gear for more than a decade, for Wirecutter and a range of other tech outlets including Reviewed, Digital Camera Info, and Pentax Forums. I'm also an avid hobbyist photographer, and I've even been paid for my work on occasion. Throughout my three decades of photography, I've dipped my toes into various digital camera systems, including Pentax K- and Q-mount, Nikon F- and Z-mount, Sony E-mount, Fujifilm X-mount, and Micro Four Thirds. For this guide: I spent more than 20 hours researching 50 X-mount lenses, and I eventually tested more than 30 of them over the course of nine months with both my own Fujifilm X-T5 and a loaner Fujifilm X-H2. I carried these lenses with me on work trips to New York City, to the windswept terrain of Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, to the streets and parks of Los Angeles, and to the convention halls of the Great American Beer Fest. In addition to my own real-world testing, I read dozens of forum threads and watched endless YouTube comparisons of Fujifilm lenses to ensure that I didn't miss ergonomic or image-quality issues that might trip others up. Wirecutter senior staff writer and avid birder Phil Ryan contributed testing of telephoto lenses for this guide and wrote the telephoto-zoom section. Like all Wirecutter journalists, I review and test products with complete editorial independence. I'm never made aware of any business implications of my editorial recommendations. Read more about our editorial standards. In accordance with Wirecutter standards, I return or donate all products I've tested once my assessment of them is complete, which may involve longer-term testing by my colleagues and me. I never hang on to 'freebies' once testing is done. Ben Keough/NYT Wirecutter Fujifilm has been wise to open its X-mount specification to a wide array of third-party lens-makers, from established names like Sigma and Tamron to newer, more budget-oriented brands such as TTArtisan and Viltrox. To ensure that we would test the most promising candidates from all makers and brands, we established a few criteria: a list price under $1,500, autofocus capability, and solid support (which ruled out some of the less-established third parties). Over the course of nine months, we systematically tested nearly every X-mount lens that met our criteria, including both first-party glass and third-party options. We didn't shoot charts in the lab—you can find those kinds of tests at specialist websites and from dedicated YouTube reviewers who dive deep into corner sharpness, coma, and other technical details. Instead, we shot with the lenses in the real world, evaluating both overall image quality and other, fuzzier metrics such as handling, durability, and ease of use. You probably already have a 'kit' lens that came bundled with your camera—something like the Fujifilm XC 15–45mm f/3.5–5.6 OIS PZ, XF 16–50mm f/2.8–4.8 R LM WR, or XF 18–55mm f/2.8–4 R LM OIS. Our goal with this guide is to provide recommendations for lenses that outdo those general-purpose zooms by providing additional focal lengths, wider apertures, or other useful capabilities, such as macro. This article was edited by Phil Ryan and Erica Ogg.
New York Times
31-03-2025
- Health
- New York Times
The Best Last-Minute Deals From Amazon's Big Spring Sale (and Across the Internet)
Connie Park/NYT Wirecutter CosRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence (Two-Pack) — Staff Pick Amazon deal price: $23; street price: $29 What we like: A clear snail mucin concentrate we like that smooths and soothes. Made of 96% snail-secretion filtrate. Thicker than a watery essence, more like a serum. Absorbs quickly. One or two pumps hydrates and primes skin, creating a glassy K-beauty complexion. Doesn't pill under makeup. Other things to know: Yes, this is the sticky stuff secreted by live snails. Studies suggest snail mucin may improve skin's overall hydration, texture, and elasticity. The gloopy texture and animal origins may be turnoffs for some. Deal is for a set of two 3.38-ounce bottles with a retinol mini-sample, which we have not tested. Read more: The Best Korean Skin Care Products La Roche-Posay Toleriane Double Repair Matte Face Moisturizer — Best For... Ulta deal price: $19 (with store pickup); street price: $23 Amazon deal price: $19; street price: $23 What we like: Our moisturizer pick for shine-free hydration on oily skin. Just 16 ingredients, but generously packed with ceramides, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and skin-smoothing niacinamide. Sheer and cooling. Spreads easily, absorbs quickly, and tamps down shine. Other things to know: Testers preferred it for day, not night. Contains a trio of oil-absorbing particles: silica, starch, and perlite. 2.54 ounces. At Ulta, choose store pickup to avoid shipping fees. Read more: The Best Moisturizers La Roche-Posay 10% Pure Vitamin C Serum — Best For... Amazon deal price: $35; street price: $45 Ulta deal price: $35; street price: $45 What we like: The best drugstore upgrade pick from our guide to the best vitamin C serums. A hearty, 10% ascorbic acid gel that seemingly melts into skin to leave a sheer, touchable finish. Includes glycerin, hyaluronic acid, and salicylic acid. Other things to know: Scent is not for everyone, described as a baby powder-meets-medicinal scent. Pricey 1.01-ounce bottle, even on sale. Dropper can get gummy, doesn't always deliver a precise portion, and can start to look discolored and dingy over time. Read more: The Best Vitamin C Serums Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask (3-Pack) — Staff Pick Woot deal price: $43 (free shipping for Prime members); street price: $72 What we like: The prettiest, giftiest cult-fave lip balm staff pick from our Korean skin care guide. Had more fans among Wirecutter's staff than any other item in that list. A yummy, luscious daytime gloss. Comes in a handful of irresistible, playful scents. Contains ingredients like soft, hydrating shea butter and antioxidant vitamin C. Other things to know: Its smooth, satiny texture strikes us as too sheer to earn mask status. A little goes a long way. Deal for three pots of the berry flavored lip balm, which gives lips a pretty pinkish cast. Free shipping for Prime members. Read more: The Best Korean Skin Care Products Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment (Any Tint, Add Four) — Staff Pick Fresh deal price: $78 with code WIRECUTTER4; street price: $104 What we like: A tinted lip balm staff pick that we also like as a gift for teens. Glides on smoothly with a sheer flush of color. Long-lasting wear (about five hours). Light, pleasant scent. Luscious and hydrating beeswax formula. Sturdy twist-up metal tube. Other things to know: A former pick in our lip balm guide, and a variant of one of our current picks. Available in over a dozen tints. Pricey, even on sale. Add four to cart (any tint combination) to get the deal price and free shipping using promo code WIRECUTTER4. Read more: Fresh Sugar Lip Balm Is Expensive. But It's Great. Some By Mi AHA-BHA-PHA 30 Days Miracle Toner (Two-Pack) — Staff Pick Amazon deal price: $19; street price: $22 What we like: A duo of our refreshing exfoliant staff pick for acne-prone skin, from our guide to the best Korean skin care. With a fresh minty fragrance, this mildly exfoliating, water-based toner gently treats acne and whisks away dullness. Contains surface-buffing citric acid (AHA), pore-excavating salicylic acid (BHA), and brightening lactobionic acid (PHA). Other things to know: Also contains gently soothing components like witch hazel and niacinamide. If you prefer acne-fighters with a strong smell and skin-firming aftereffects, this may be too gentle. Deal for two 5.07-ounce bottles. Read more: The Best Korean Skin Care Products Hero Force Shield Superlight Sunscreen SPF 30 — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $12; street price: $20 What we like: Our top pick for an unobtrusive mineral formula face sunscreen. Easy to rub in. Doesn't feel chalky or leave a white cast. Reef-safe. Well-designed bottle dispenses just the right amount. Other things to know: Green tint is marketed to reduce skin redness, but doesn't seem to do anything. Not great for those with facial hair. Matches lowest price we've seen. Read more: The Best Sunscreens for Your Face Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50 (18 Ounces) — Top Pick Supergoop deal price: $54 with code WCPLAY; street price: $68 What we like: One of our top chemical facial sunscreen picks, available in bulk. Good for face and body. Rubs in easily and is nearly transparent once applied. Light, pleasant scent. SPF 50 rating offers a high level of protection. User-friendly pump bottle. Other things to know: Some testers noted it left them feeling greasy. The 18-ounce jug is the most affordable size on a per-ounce basis. Use promo code WCPLAY to get the deal price and free shipping. Read more: The Best Sunscreens for Your Face Supergoop Glow Stick SPF 50 (Two-Pack) — Gift Pick Supergoop deal price: $50 with code WCGLOW; street price: $60 What we like: A stocking stuffer set we love for a sun-safe, dewy glow. It rolls on easily and doesn't leave slimy residue behind, so even the most reluctant sunscreen wearer won't mind it. Other things to know: Two-pack of tubes that are small, but sized for travel or stuffing in a stocking. Use promo code WCGLOW to the get the deal price and free shipping. Read more: 50 Wirecutter-Approved Stocking Stuffers for Adults Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant — Best For... Amazon deal price: $28; street price: $35 What we like: The best upgrade facial exfoliant with a range of strengths. Fragrance-free and concise formula delivers a 2% dose of salicylic acid without a long list of potential irritants. More than any other BHA serum we tested, this made us feel like it was really getting in there to lift away oils and grime. Other things to know: Some may find the price too high, even on sale. Testers were split on the tingling sensation, but all appreciated how smooth it left their skin and noted they could feel it working. One said it could be a bit irritating. 4-ounce bottle. Read more: The Best Exfoliants Real Techniques Ultra Plush Blush Cheek Makeup Brush — Best For... Amazon deal price: $6 with clipped on-page coupon; street price: $9 What we like: One of the best cheap makeup brushes that punches above its weight. The brand's distinctive bristles are matte and grippy. Its full-size weighted metallic handles feel high-quality and durable. The dome shapes are unique and sculptural. For the quality, the price per brush is impressive. Other things to know: The brand's bundles include some oddly shaped and redundant tools, and we recommend buying individual brushes for your specific needs. We especially like this brush designed for applying powder products to the cheeks. Recurring deal. Clip on-page coupon. Read more: The Best Makeup Brushes Anastasia Beverly Hills Brush 12 — Best For... Amazon deal price: $13; street price: $19 What we like: The best do-it-all eyebrow makeup brush. Dual-ended. Deftly serves all brow types, adding precise, hairlike strokes with the sharp angled tip or combing through thick, tangly hairs with its long, grippy spoolie. More versatile and high-quality than cheaper options we tested. Other things to know: Our testers found themselves using this brush beyond their brows, such as laying down thin bands of eyeliner and shadow or using the spoolie to declump mascara. Read more: The Best Makeup Brushes Mielle Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil — Staff Pick Amazon deal price: $7; street price: $10 What we like: A hair oil we recommend in our drugstore beauty guide. Lightweight. Smoothes split ends and flyaways. Leaves your scalp more hydrated and hair shinier. Creates optimal environment for healthy hair growth. Other things to know: Regular evening application on a dry scalp makes hair feel thick and glossy. Two-ounce bottle. Read more: The Best Drugstore Makeup, Skin Care, and Other Beauty Products Kitsch Rice Water Shampoo Bar for Hair Growth — Best For... Amazon deal price: $11; street price: $14 What we like: The best solid shampoo bar for most hair types. Lathers and rinses easily. Citrusy-scented, with only eight ingredients. Leaves hair clean, soft, and moisturized, but not weighed down. Fragrance is pleasant but not overbearing. Grooved S shape makes bar less slippy. Other things to know: None of our testers experienced extra hair growth, nor did we expect any to. Not moisturizing enough for everyday use on curly strands. Contains added fragrance, which some people avoid because of the link to certain health concerns, such as migraines. Read more: Our Favorite Solid Shampoo Bars HiBar Soothe Solid Shampoo — Best For... Amazon deal price: $11; street price: $14 What we like: The best shampoo bar for itchy, sensitive scalps. Made our testers' hair look and feel clean for days. Contains salicylic acid for mild exfoliation of flaky scalps. Unique teardrop shape (with a flat bottom and an angled point) helps the bar sit upright and dry faster in the shower. Lightly honey- and citrus–scented. Other things to know: Those with serious skin conditions may prefer an even more neutral formula. A couple testers found this bar easily slipped out of their hands due to its shape and size. Not tested on animals. Contains a honey derivative, so it's our only pick that isn't vegan. Read more: Our Favorite Solid Shampoo Bars I Dew Care Tap Secret Mattifying Dry Shampoo Powder — Best For... Amazon deal price: $13; street price: $18 What we like: The best dry shampoo for on-the-go touch-ups. Supremely silky and fine powder. A little goes a long way. Relatively easy to apply, even when you're on the go. Comes in a range of colors. Tinted powders don't stain, and the pigment brushes away readily. Other things to know: Be careful how you open it, or it'll spill everywhere. Pigment can transfer to the hairline and fingertips. Refillable, but only in the original translucent, not the colored versions. Precise applicator isn't great for covering large areas, at least not quickly. Read more: The Best Dry Shampoo Rusk W8less Professional 2000 Watt Dryer — Top Pick Amazon deal price: $67; street price: $85 What we like: Our top hair dryer pick. Tied for blowing the hottest and fastest air among the models we tested. Dries hair efficiently at a fraction of the price of a luxury dryer. Lightweight, good quality construction with nicely placed buttons and a long 8-foot cord. Comes with a concentrator. Other things to know: Doesn't come with a diffuser; you'll have to buy one separately if you have curly hair and prefer to dry with a diffuser (though it's best to buy a dryer that comes with one). Two-year warranty. We've seen much better deals in the past, but street price has skyrocketed over the past few years. Read more: The Lightweight Rusk W8less Beats All the Pricey Hair Dryers I've Tried. And It's Under $100. Panasonic Nanoe Compact Quick-Dry Hair Dryer — Staff Pick Amazon deal price: $70 in black; street price: $85 What we like: A folding hair dryer staff pick. This little dryer runs on a cooler temperature and has an oscillating head to distribute heat more evenly for quick rough drying. Lightweight and quiet. Folds down into a tiny rectangle. Other things to know: Doesn't come with any attachments such as a diffuser or concentrator, limiting style options. Not dual-voltage, so you'll need a converter to use it abroad. The cooler tech probably won't work for every hair type. Read more: Hotel Hair Dryers Are Notoriously Bad. This Travel Dryer Is Better.
