Doug Mahoney

Writer at Wirecutter

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Articles

How to Patch Drywall (And the Best Kit to Use)

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Doug Mahoney

Dana Davis/NYT Wirecutter; source photos by AdobeStockBy Doug MahoneyDoug Mahoney is a writer covering home-improvement topics, outdoor power equipment, bug repellents, and (yes) bidets. Throughout my 10-year construction career and 20-plus years as an aggressive home renovator, I’ve spent a lot of time patching drywall holes. Some were dents from roughhousing kids, others were the result of a relocated outlet, and one or two happened while folks were moving furniture.
I’ve Installed 25+ Bidets in My Home. Here Are My Tips for Doing It Right.

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Doug Mahoney

Dana Davis/NYT Wirecutter; source photos by AdobeStockBy Doug MahoneyDoug Mahoney is a writer covering home-improvement topics, outdoor power equipment, bug repellents, and (yes) bidets. Does the phrase “plumbing project” bring to mind spraying water, puddles in the living room, and large stains on first-floor ceilings? If it does, we get it. But trust us: You can install a bidet toilet seat by yourself. It’s a straightforward process that requires just a few tools and about an hour of your time.
I Transformed My Kitchen for Less Than $25 With This Grout Colorant

2 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Doug Mahoney

Projects that change the look and feel of a room usually take a lot of time and cost a lot of money. But a few years ago, I completely transformed my kitchen simply by changing the color of the grout in my tile backsplash. It was pretty simple, cost less than $25, and took about 90 minutes. I performed this by magic using a grout colorant, specifically Custom Building Products Polyblend Grout Renew Colorant.
The Wirecutter Show Episode 34: Cleaning Hacks from Wirecutter Experts

3 weeks ago | nytimes.com | Christine Cyr Clisset |Caira Blackwell |Rosie Guerin |Abigail Keel |Marguerite Preston |Doug Mahoney | +3 more

Listen and follow The Wirecutter ShowApple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio | Other platformsOur staff experts reveal time-tested methods for cleaning the most neglected (and grimy) areas of your home–from greasy ovens to stained patio furniture.
Our Burn Tests Proved There’s No Substitute for a Real Fire Extinguisher

2 months ago | nytimes.com | Doug Mahoney

A fire extinguisher is essential in every home, but they have downsides: They’re bulky, tricky to store, and typically awkward to use. Lately, a new style of fire extinguisher—one that comes in an aerosol can—has been popping up on our social media feeds. According to the marketing for some of these fire sprays, they put an end to the inconveniences traditionally associated with fire extinguishers.
The 3 Best Toilets of 2024 | Reviews by Wirecutter

Nov 5, 2024 | nytimes.com | Doug Mahoney

A new toilet may save water and spare you some cleaning work. Here’s how to know when it’s time to make the switch, and our thoughts on what to get.
This $1 Spring Clamp Is One of the Most Useful Items I Own

Oct 17, 2024 | nytimes.com | Doug Mahoney

The Anvil 2 in. Spring Clamp—an all-purpose holding, grabbing, clamping, and securing tool that costs less than a dollar—is so integrated into my life that it has achieved duct-tape-level versatility, consistently creating temporary fixes so good, they become permanent. The uses for this simple tool are nearly limitless and bound only by the 2-inch opening of its jaws.
The Wirecutter Show Episode 9: How to Win the War Against Mice

Oct 9, 2024 | nytimes.com | Christine Cyr Clisset |Caira Blackwell |Rosie Guerin |Abigail Keel |Doug Mahoney

Listen and follow The Wirecutter ShowApple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio | Other platforms In the fall, mice and rats move indoors, seeking warmth and food. This week, we discuss how to keep these critters out of your home and how to vanquish an infestation.
The 4 Best Splitting Axes for Firewood

Sep 30, 2024 | nytimes.com | Doug Mahoney

As the old saying goes, firewood warms you three times: when you split it, when you stack it, and when you burn it. But with the wrong tool, your physically exhilarating, meditative wood-splitting session can go from warm to overheated, as you sweat and swear in a frustrated effort to split the next knotty log. After a summer testing nine splitting axes on a variety of hard, soft, seasoned, and freshly fallen wood, I found that the Stihl Pro Splitting Axe was the best tool for the job.
I Love Ego’s New Cordless Pressure Washer. But You Shouldn’t Buy It.

Jun 21, 2024 | nytimes.com | Doug Mahoney

The Ego HPW3204-2 Power+ 3200 PSI Pressure Washer is overflowing with innovation, oriented toward convenience, and extremely well thought-out. We hope that a lot of its best design elements become standard-setters for all good pressure washers. We almost can’t praise it enough. Ego’s new cordless pressure washer is, in some ways, the best pressure washer we’ve seen over nearly a decade testing them in New Hampshire. But we don’t recommend it.