A blistering heat wave can turn a parked car — even one parked in the shade — into a dangerous, oven-like environment in minutes. Interior temperatures often climb far above outdoor readings, sometimes 40°F hotter or more, with cabin air routinely exceeding 140°F during extreme heat and dashboard surfaces reaching even higher temperatures. Most people … Read more

To celebrate Family Handyman’s 75th anniversary, we visited our guest editor’s California woodshop to talk about how he found his way into fine woodworking—and what has kept him passionate about it. Who better to mark the occasion than someone who has spent decades refining his craft and is now passing that knowledge on to the … Read more

Rebuilding a Murphy Bed Closet in a Charles Moore Sea Ranch Condo A few years ago I received a call from clients who owned an original Sea Ranch condominium designed by architect Charles Moore. They wanted a twin Murphy bed closet rebuilt to hold a full-size bed while preserving the original footprint and staying true … Read more

The more things change, the more they stay the same—especially when it comes to car care. David Bennett, an ASE-certified master technician and senior automotive manager at the American Automobile Association, has been teaching drivers about vehicle maintenance for 37 years. He points out that the core principles behind internal combustion engines remain familiar: pistons … Read more

One-Sheet Plywood: A 75-Year DIY Tradition When we published our first issue in 1951, a postwar suburban boom was reshaping American homeownership. Home centers as we know them didn’t exist, online tutorials and home improvement networks were still decades away, and the very idea of a DIY magazine was new. As our first editor, Paul … Read more

The first time I felt sticker shock at the grocery store was right after returning from a weeks-long trip abroad. My partner had been craving a ribeye steak, but when he saw the new price — about $4 more per pound than before we left — he set it back on the shelf. A few … Read more

Power outages. Roadside breakdowns. Camping overnight. Late-night hikes. In many situations, a flashlight moves from convenient to essential. But who wants to carry a bulky torch everywhere? I keep a full-size flashlight in my car, but I rarely remember it when I need it. And I’m not about to toss a large light into my … Read more

Since the 1970s I’ve owned only station wagons and SUVs, and I generally leave the body styling of my cars alone. That said, I have installed many factory accessories over the years—roof rack crossbars, mud flaps, running boards, wind deflectors and towing packages. These items add weight and change aerodynamics, rolling resistance and how the … Read more

Over the years I’ve interviewed dozens of scientists and safety experts, and all but one warned about the many ways plastic harms our health, wildlife, ecosystems and communities near manufacturing plants. (The lone dissenter was a paid lobbyist for the plastics industry.) Even knowing the risks, breaking up with plastic felt overwhelming and expensive. Plastics … Read more

Here on Tool Trials, we’re always hunting for useful new tools to test. Over the years I’ve tried a number of electric screwdrivers and, until recently, most felt like novelty gadgets—lightweight, underpowered, and not built to last. So when Bosch launched a premium electric screwdriver with solid features and a higher price point, I thought … Read more