Eco-Friendly

Your garden wants rainwater. Tap water contains chlorine, chloramine, and dissolved minerals that accumulate in soil over time. Rainwater is naturally soft, slightly acidic, and rich in nitrogen — plants visibly respond to it. A single 50-gallon rain barrel can collect 1,300 gallons per season from a 1,000 sq ft roof. We tested 6 of the best rain barrels in 2025 for capacity, durability, features, and ease of installation. Whether you want a basic barrel or a decorative urn that blends with your landscaping, here’s what to look for. ...

Gas mowers roar. Electric mowers whirr. But a reel mower — a reel mower whispers. The soft “snikt-snikt-snikt” of spinning blades against a stationary bed knife is the sound of a Sunday morning that doesn’t wake the neighbors. Reel mowers cut grass by scissoring each blade between a spinning reel and a fixed bed knife — a fundamentally cleaner cut than the tearing action of a rotary mower. The result? Healthier grass that’s less susceptible to disease and brown tips. We tested 6 of the best reel mowers for lawns from 500 to 5,000 square feet. ...