A 4-bay NAS isn't cheap—they'll often cost you around $500 before you start including hard drives, which are now quite pricy. Even budget 2-bay NASes come in at around $200.

At one point in time, USB drives were all the rage for file transfers. I kept one in my pocket at almost all times and I had several around the house for various purposes. Over time, USB drives quietly stopped being so popular. But I still have uses for them in my homelab, so here are the main reasons why I’ll never throw away old USB drives.

Makita fans know the company makes a little bit of everything, from capable 18V LXT tools to smaller CXT models, or even battery-powered coffee machines. And if you have a few Makita tools and are looking to add more to your collection without breaking the bank, here are a few worth considering.

I bought my first 3D printer expecting to make toys, gadgets, and the occasional product prototype. Instead, one of my most useful prints is simply a plastic clamp whose whole job is to get chewed up by my CNC bit. Plastic clamps save my bits when a cut goes wrong, but buying injection-molded ones over and over got old fast. Now I print them for pennies a dozen at a time.

Googlebook's clumsy launch made me wish that I wasn't a product reviewer. I had to spend two weeks using a laptop with what felt like an unfinished operating system (cue the world's smallest violin), and throughout the entire process, I just kept thinking how nice it would be if Google had taken all of its biggest Googlebook features and slapped them on a mainline Linux distro instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.

When you look at a roll of 3D printing filament you've never seen before, it comes with a lot of on-paper information. You know the primary materials, roughly what additives are in them, and the recommended temperatures and settings.

A rainy weekend stuck indoors is the perfect excuse to put your 3D printer to work on the house itself. While it hums along, you can line up new cabinet pulls without eyeballing them, replace that broken clip nobody sells anymore, and finally get the junk drawer under control. None of these projects need a garage full of tools, and by Sunday night something in your home will actually work better than it did on Friday.

If your favorite green tool is broken or no longer works the way it should, don't toss it out and drop a bunch of cash on a replacement. A cheap spare part might be all you need, and you don't have to scroll through eBay to find it. Did you know Ryobi has a website where you can buy spare parts and accessories?

There's a common thing that happens with tech enthusiasts where, instead of being a means to an end, the actual technology becomes their hobby.

DeWalt makes hundreds of power tools, but you don't need to spend a ton of cash to get quality gear. While you probably already own several basics, if you're a new homeowner or simply on a budget, certain tools are must-buys. Here are a few affordable DeWalt tools worth buying.

Power tools are a modern marvel that anyone who has tried working with human-powered drilling or sanding will tell you we too easily take for granted. But while these tools are compact and powerful, they aren't that smart for the most part.

Being prepared is a common survival tactic, but I can’t count how many times I needed something for a car breakdown or road emergency and didn’t have it. Beyond the basics, like an air inflator, a screwdriver set, a road emergency kit, jack stands, and paper towels, there are essential tools you should always keep on hand in case you need to repair your vehicle or someone else's. Here are six Harbor Freight mechanic tools I always keep in my car’s trunk so that I am ready when something goes wrong.

Whether you're a DIY homeowner or a professional, you know that buying a cordless power tool means getting trapped in a single brand's battery ecosystem. If you buy any other brand, you'll need a new set of batteries and chargers. However, the complete opposite is true with the Bosch Power for All system, which lets you use a single battery with 10 brands across more than 150 tools.

3D printers are a fantastic tool for making basically anything you could want. This weekend, I wanted to make my house a little less annoying. So, I set out to find three things I could fix that would make my everyday life a little better, and it took me under an hour to complete.

The difference between a battery-powered sensor that runs for a few days and one that runs for a year comes down to what the board does when it's doing nothing. Most DIY projects, like weather stations, mailbox alerts, or plant monitors, spend 99% of their life idle. In those scenarios, idle draw matters far more than peak performance.

Ryobi is one of the most popular power tool brands around, especially with homeowners and DIYers. And while you probably have all the usual tools you'll see on the shelves of Home Depot, like drills and drivers, that's not all Ryobi offers. It's easy to buy some of the most recommended gear, but don't forget about these underrated Ryobi tools.

When I first saw that some EVs come with power outlets inside the cabin, I longed to own one. Not anymore. I've solved that problem with my existing car, and I've gained more in the process than I expected. This is thanks to a tiny solar generator and the panels that power it.

Tools looking grimy from years of neglect? Thinking of selling a driver or sander and want to get top dollar for it? Here’s how to get your tools looking their best, with a proper clean.

When it comes to wireless technologies, most people are aware of Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and the various cellular standards. However, when you want to send messages or information, there are actually tons of alternative radio-based digital technologies that can get the job done.

Did you know that 3D printing and woodworking are very similar? They're actually way more similar than you might think. I've woodworked for longer than I've 3D printed, and these are the tricks that I think you should steal to take your 3D printing to the next level.