LED Christmas lights which don't hurt the eyes: it finally happened!

How much thrust does a ceiling fan produce?

Balafire: when a light bulb goes wild

Air fryers are simpler than you think, but still pretty neat

I bought a freeze dryer so you don't have to

MP3 CDs: a hybrid "format" that never existed, yet was surprisingly common

Duracell PowerCheck: A genius idea which didn't last that long

Thermoelectric cooling: it's not great.

Induction cooking - but what about woks?

Door closers: ubiquitous, yet unloved and often maladjusted

Passive infrared motion sensors: a two-bit camera powered by crystals

Awnings: a simple cooling tech we apparently forgot about

The Numitron: An obvious idea that wasn't very bright

Your dishwasher is better than you think (tips, tricks, and how they work)

Tilting, taking turns, and winning free games: the many tricks inside old pinball machines

The simple, clever sensor behind automatic windshield wipers

Simmerstats: The genius old tech that controls your stovetop

Bright from the Start: GE's CFL with an incandescent trick up its sleeve

Old HVAC industry practices are holding us back and costing us money. But we can fix it.

Flash photography used to be pretty wild

The step-by-step, mechanical logic of old pinball machines

LED Christmas lights still annoy me. Let's try some more fixes.

What's the deal with the popcorn button?

The Clapper: Yes, that one.

Back-up beepers: Obnoxious, but getting better - and spreading!

Old pinball machines are amazingly complex

Power outlets are topsy turvy - but does it matter?

Photoelectric light controls are weirder than they seem

Tesla won the plug war - and that's good news!

Longer-lasting light bulbs: it was complicated