I'm trying to cut out ultra-processed food — here's the 3 kitchen appliances that actually help

If you've been on the internet for the past year, you've probably heard of 'Ultra Processed People' by Chris van Tulleken ($9-$18 on Amazon). Now I'm not going to claim I'm a dietician or a scientist (because I'm not — I'm just a humble journalist), so you can do your own research about the concept of ultra-processed food. This is just my personal experience, not a peer-reviewed study.
However, this book did get me thinking: should I really be eating so much stuff with ingredients I can't pronounce? I decided, no, not really, and embarked on a mission to shift my eating habits.
Thanks to my job as a reviews writer, I get my hands on a lot of kitchen tech. I've tested loads of the best Instant Pots, best air fryers, best stand mixers, and more.
I've been able to narrow down the selection of appliances to just three of the best. I genuinely use these three appliances to cook 99.9% of my meals, and here's why you should too.
I have the Instant Pot Pro (2025), but if you're in the U.S., I'd recommend the Instant Pot Pro Plus. These machines work pretty much identically.
What makes the Instant Pot so good is its capacity. It boasts a massive 5-quart capacity, allowing me to prepare up to 10 servings of various healthy meals easily. I've made chili, bolognese sauce, veggie-loaded curries, and meal-prepped about 15 servings of rice in this beast.
The Instant Pot Pro Plus not only has smart connectivity (so you can turn it on/off when you're not even at home), but a massive 5-quart capacity so you can prepare a week's worth of meals in one go.
When I prep the week's meals ahead of time, I'm not tempted to go to the grocery store and buy a ready meal or order takeout.
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The best part of the Instant Pot is that it's a press-play-and-leave-it-alone sort of machine. All I have to do is fill it up with my ingredients, set the time, and I can do something else for that time. I don't have to sweat over the stove stirring sauce.
The Instant Pot means I've always got meals in the freezer, so I know I've got a healthy dinner even after a busy, stressful day. 10/10 would recommend.
I'm human, which means I crave food like fries and burgers on the regular. While there's nothing wrong with eating the food your body wants, I'm trying to stay away from fast food. This means that if I want fries, I have to do it myself.
Thanks to my air fryer, though, this is never easier. I have the Philips 2000 Series Air Fryer (complete with a window, so I can always check on my food), but my parents have the Ninja Foodi DualZone and can't stop telling me about how good it is, so I'd recommend that one too.
I have this air fryer, and I use it almost every day. It's big enough to roast a whole chicken (in just 52 minutes) and helps me make crispy, crunchy fries with very little oil. I also can't help but watch my food cook through the window.
Because air fryers are mini, quicker ovens, I can make fries from scratch in about 20 minutes in my 2000 Series. I also make homemade cakes in my air fryer, and it means I don't have to turn the whole oven on for a single-serve dessert.
I love this one because of the window. Yes, I know it's lame, but I love watching my food cook. I'm boring — I know.
The consensus online is that bread is one of the most highly processed foods available. As a result, I wanted to start making my own. About five months ago, after getting my hands on a sourdough starter, I embarked on my sourdough journey.
Sourdough is fermented, so it's generally better for the gut, and it also tastes delicious. I'm not going to share a picture of my sourdough because I am utterly pathetic at scoring my dough, but I'll tell you about how my KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer has helped me cut out shop-bought bread.
While pricey, the KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer isn't a one-trick pony. It comes with a dough hook, flat beater, and whisk, so you can make everything from bread to meringue with just the starter attachments.
Using the dough hook attachment, I mix my flour, water, starter, and salt. Then, during the bulk fermentation stage (when the dough rises and becomes bubbly), I use the dough hook on speed 1 to mix the dough every 30 minutes for the first 2 hours.
I proof the dough in the KitchenAid bowl, too, so I don't need to transfer to another bowl and do more washing up. After the bulk fermentation, I transfer it to my Dutch oven for the final proof and shaping.
While I know I could mix the dough by hand, the stand mixer helps me develop the gluten and saves my arm muscles while it kneads. I adore my stand mixer, and can't believe I lived so long without one!

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44 Products That Get More Appealing In Your Thirties

A 2-in-1 nausea relief inhaler designed to work FAST on spontaneous nausea, motion sickness, morning sickness, and general queasiness (having a human body is hard). Summer road trips and cruises just got a HECK of a lot more bearable. Lumify Eye Drops, a product so beloved by TikTok that despite being more $$ than other brands, it's the number one selling brand on Amazon right now. Reviewers swear by this for instant reduction in redness in their eyes, with visible differences within a minute of use. La Roche-Posay Anthelios SPF 40 Tinted Sunscreen, aka the "holy grail" of tinted sunscreens — reviewers love this lightweight, buildable formula so much that a lot of them replaced their foundation with it altogether. If you're in the market for some subtle but effective coverage that won't get goopy or settle in pores, this is your sunscreen match made in heaven. A delightfully affordable instant foot peeling spray for anyone ready to go full YEEHAW!! on a pedicure, without the big salon price tag. This not only helps gently remove dead skin, but moisturizes dry and cracked heels, so you'll really get some refreshing bang for your buck. Lancôme Juicy Tubes — that's right, the iconic lippies from the 2000s are BACK and juicier than ever!! Summer Fridays and Laneige better show some respect to their elders, because these are so high gloss, hydrating, long-lasting, and the *chef's kiss* perfect amount of sticky that they remain the reigning queens. A "flossing toothbrush" with two layers of bristles — regular firm bristles, and longer ones that are ten times thinner to clean deep in between your teeth and gums to mimic flossing. Reviewers love how deep the clean feels, and also how soft it is on sensitive teeth! Olay Super Serum Body Wash that will make anyone with dry or dull skin REJOICE — this is packed with niacinamide, shea butter, and collagen peptides for 24-hour hydration that will make you feel as ~luminous~ as the spring sunshine. (Psst — this is the body wash version of their TikTok-famous, super effective facial Super Serum, so you KNOW they mean business.) Laneige's Neo Blurring Powder to absorb oil and blur pores so effectively that you'll be like, "Oh ... witchcraft??" Might be the only explanation for how this can matte-ify your complexion while still keeping it radiant and glowy ✨. A standing weeder because YOU KNEEL FOR NO REBEL PLANT LIFE!! Now you can yank those invaders out of the ground and away from your beloved plants without making your spinal cord rue the day your backyard was born. A wildly beloved floral-forward vanilla perfume so deliciously perfect for summer that you'll be like, "Is it appropriate to bathe in this?" This sunny scent leans warm and tropical, with reviewers noting a hint of mango in the vanilla. It's all the bright happiness of summer in a soft, sophisticated, gourmand scent. Catrice "Instant Awake" Under Eye Brightener, which will be your holy grail for concealing and brightening dark circles under your eyes when schedule is throwing you for a loop. This lightweight, color-adapting formula is designed for truly ~invisible~ coverage that makes a drastic difference — one that a lot of reviewers compare to the $33 Becca version. Plus Good Molecules Yerba Mate Wake Up Eye Gel, a cult-fave product for your beauty arsenal that will quickly help minimize eye puffiness and swelling thanks to its winning combo of caffeine and hyaluronic acid. It's basically an alarm clock for your eyeballs, because boy howdy are they awake now!! A reviewer-beloved four-piece airtight food saver set designed to adapt to the shape of halved fruits so you can snack or cook at your leisure without worrying about food waste. Truly, what wouldn't we do to keep a perfectly ripe avocado half safe?? L'Oréal Paris Collagen Daily Face Moisturizer so intensely hydrating, plumping, and smoothing that reviewers compare it to the $92 Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream. 👀 Not only is this super effective and affordable, but its nongreasy formula makes it play super well with makeup. A Lululemon-inspired mini wristlet wallet set that looks just like their $50 version, and also easily holds cash, cards, and lip balms, so you don't have to deal with the whole muss and fuss of a purse if you're going on a walk around the neighborhood. Plus, you know what they say — keep your friends close and your beloved lippies closer. A travel-friendly, K-beauty staple SPF 50 Airy Sunstick Smoothing Bar with a curved balm stick style that makes it super easy to apply, and a nonsticky, white cast–free formula that plays ABSURDLY well with makeup. If you're looking for a lightweight "soft matte" sunscreen to protect your skin, this is your new BFF. A copy of Burn After Writing, a guided journal that tens of thousands of reviewers swear by — through a series of questions and thought experiments, it encourages people to take time away from their screens to explore their feelings, both new and old, so they can embrace meaningful ones and try to let others go. L'Oreal Paris Bond Repair Oil-in-Serum for a blowout-style look for a FRACTION of the price — this helps revive damaged or color-treated hair for healthier looking locks, and helps make your hair even mightier by acting as a heat protectant. Reviewers love this formula for helping boost shine, reduce frizz, and overall make their locks look a whole lot more nourished. A set of heavy duty Tub O Towels wipes that are most definitely not here to play — they're basically the paper towel version of The Rock and can lift up stains on anything from grease to permanent marker to nail polish. Bonus: they're tough on stains, but the aloe vera in them makes them super gentle on skin! A set of disposable Plackers "Grind No More" Night Guards for anyone who sleeps like this 😬😬😬 and wakes up like this. 😫 Each one of these grind-absorbing bite plates can be used up to 30 times to help reduce the tension from grinding your teeth in the middle of the night. Psst — this is also a MUCH cheaper alternative to costly bite guards that go for hundreds of dollars! Kitsch's flat claw clip with some modern meets retro vibes that will give your hair a chic little ~pop~ of volume and hold. Reviewers are especially impressed by how strong these little clips are, and how much hair they can hold! Reviewers also note that these make it more comfortable to lean back on chairs, since the claw won't dig into your head. A double-sided cutting board *and* defrosting board with enough capabilities to make your lil' brain spin. One side of the board is made with food-grade stainless steel for cutting meat while the other is made with wheat straw for cutting fruits and veggies, helping save cutting board space and preventing cross-contamination. But reviewers also note that the stainless-steel side is *excellent* for defrosting meat faster, and the built-in garlic grinder on the wheat straw side is also a handy little time saver! A set of Victoria's Secret–inspired seamless "invisible" underwear so soft and stretchy your butt will want to *sing* when you slide them on. This is a true holy grail underwear that doesn't show, doesn't ride up, and somehow manages to look cute all at the same time. Mielle's Rosemary Mint strengthening oil, a reviewer-beloved, TikTok-famous beauty prod that lives up to the hype — this is infused with biotin so it doesn't just strengthen hair, but helps encourage growth. Reviewers who use this consistently swear by it for thinning hairlines, sparse hair at their part, bald patches, and even their eyebrows! And Boldify Hairline Powder for anyone who's like, "Hmmm. Wasn't there ... a lot more hair there before??" when they're styling their roots. This "makeup for hair" helps effortlessly fill in the gaps in your hairline so you don't have style around it. Reviewers also swear by this for touching up their roots between appointments! A set of nighttime renewal fungal nail patches so effective at restoring and helping regrow discolored, damaged nails that reviewers started seeing results in as little as a week. This not only helps tackle symptoms of fungal damage, but helps reduce the thickness and correct the ridges, so your nails can get the sweet relief they deserve. A weighted eye mask that's basically like a weighted blanket for your human eyes, designed to decrease stress and encourage ~deep sleep~. They also feature a 3D contour, so they're hollowed out in the middle and won't rest right on top of your eyes. A fully wireless (Shark Tank-featured!) stick-on "Poplight" sconce so easy to install that you literally just charge it up and stick it to the wall with non-damaging adhesive. It is a renter and indecisive decorator's DREAM — all the whimsy and function of a cute sconce with none of the effort!! HGTV nerds all over the world are shaking. Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer, a foam you can apply to your roots when you're styling to take your blowout to the next level, even when the humidity is doing its best to keep your locks down. Reviewers with fine hair especially swear by this for an immediate, long-lasting lift! Black Girl Sunscreen's Make It Pop Sungloss with SPF 50 (!!) that reviewers *adore* both as a glossy shine on bare lips, or to make their signature lippies pop. Who knew sun protection could look so chic? A "spray and go" enzyme-based laundry stain remover that works its magic in one wash to help you instantly get rid of all that discolored dried sweat, oil stains, or deodorant residue on your favorite clothes, so you don't have to do any heavy scrubbing yourself. A set of reviewer-beloved "Loops Quiet 2," aka the "earplugs for people who hate earplugs." These lightweight plugs are meticulously designed to muffle distracting, irritating, or overwhelming noise without completely blocking out the world around you, so you'll still be able to hear your alarm clock or any concerning noises. (Parents especially love these for muffling noise without blocking out their kids!) An adjustable cervical cooling pillow designed to make your neck as comfy and pain-free as possible, using its unique contoured design to cradle your head and support your neck's natural curve. Honestly, the cooling fabric is just a bonus for this little overachiever. A buttery soft (and pregnancy-friendly!) Butterluxe athletic skort so lightweight, comfortable, and breezy that it will become the MVP of your warm weather wardrobe in no time flat. Teeccino, the MVP of all coffee lovers who love sleep even more — this caffeine-free, acid-free strong herbal blend steeps like regular tea, but somehow mimics the taste of coffee so brilliantly that you'll get all the flavor and satisfaction without of a late night cuppa any of the insomnia. A cheery little "Buttercup" butter maker so you can make delicious butter in less than five (!!) minutes and enter a cottagecore era unlike any you've ever known. Time to impress your friends by gifting them with small batch butters in garlic, honey, truffle, and all kiiiinds of flavors you haven't even fathomed yet. A pack of cult-favorite Clean Skin Club Clean Towels — these ultra-soft, chemical-free disposable towels are ideal for drying your face or pairing with a makeup remover or face wash to gently remove makeup at the end of the day. A lot of folks with sensitive skin *swear* by these, particularly because it helps prevent exposing their skin to bacteria that may collect in ordinary reusable towels. A Bob Ross color-by-number coloring book, because free will is stressful, and sometimes you just need the world's most iconic painting instructor to guide the way. The pages are thick enough for colored pencils, paint, or acrylic pens, so you can use whatever medium you choose for your "happy little accidents!" Oxo's compact Cold Brew Rapid Brewer to make cold brew in FIVE MINUTES (!!) with results so quick and delicious that reviewers love it more than their beloved Aeropresses (and even call it "Aeropress 2.0"). Not only is it faster than comparable models, but it's cheaper, entirely portable, and doesn't need to be charged or plugged in. 🤯 You're going to be swimming in a RIVER of delicious, affordable cold brew with this gizmo. "Fitzels" Protein Pretzels for all the snack-happy humans out there who could use an extra protein hit during the day (lest you become your inner Hangry Self and scare your whole office). These come in flavors like "Everything Bagel," "Boujie Mustard," and "Cinnamon Buns," helping you get a satisfying croooooonchhhhh of a snack with 20 grams of plant-based protein to boot. A stress-relieving mini bookshelf full of itty bitty little books you can pull out individually and reorganize to your precise liking. The world may be vast and out of control, but everything is juuuust so in your happy little library. A set of ridiculously realistic-looking faux fern plants for some instant serotonin in your backyard or living space. Plant parenthood is nice, but faux plant parenthood is every bit as chic and a whoooole lot less of a time commitment 💅 . A pair of ultra-comfortable suede cork footbed sandals with some *major* Birkenstock energy at a fraction of the price. Reviewers are so obsessed with the support, durability, and comfort of these that a bunch of them went back for extra colors. A migraine relief beanie for when your brain decides it's going to rattle against your skull at the least convenient time possible. This gets icy *and* hot depending on what kind of relief you're looking for, and double as a sleep mask so you can block out harsh light or try to get some shut-eye for further relief.

Tom's Guide

13 hours ago

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EGOHOME Black 12" Memory Foam Mattress review 2025: affordable support for all sleep positions

EGOHOME is an affordable mattress brand that has only recently been brought to my attention. While I often get to test some ultra-luxurious mattresses created by premium brands that appear in the ultimate best mattress guide, I also feel it's important to try the offerings of lesser-known, more budget-friendly brands — and Amazon stalwart EGOHOME fits that bill. I'm always on the look out to add low-cost beds to 2025's best cheap mattress guide, and I felt that the EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress may just be a contender. So, I got myself a full-size and slept on it for over three weeks. You'll find my full review further down the page, but if you're in a hurry here's my review in brief of the EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress... Type: Memory FoamMaterials: gel-infused foam, copper-infused foamFirmness: Medium-firm (7.5/10)Height: 12'Trial Period: 100 nightsWarranty: 10 yearsPrice: From $289 (MSRP $449) at EGOHOME As the name suggests, the EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress is a 12"-tall memory foam bed. While the Black 12" Mattress does come in a hybrid version, I tried the cheaper, softer all-foam version to suit my side-sleeping style and preference for plusher mattresses. The EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress is designed to give a softer feel for side sleepers and anyone who struggles with joint or back pain. It uses "copper and graphene technology" for temperature regulation. The brand describes the all-foam version as delivering a "gentle hug" and providing stable support, while the fiberglass-free inner cover provides fire protection without the risk of skin irritation or breathing problems. I'm primarily a back and side sleeper, but I also rested on my stomach while testing the Black 12" Mattress to find out whether it suits all sleep positions. And you know what? This is one of those rare mattresses that supports all sleep styles. The memory foam is ultra body-cradling, but it also has a firmness that means there's enough support around the hips and lower back. My shoulders were hugged when I slept on my side, while I never felt my hips were dipping when I slept on my back. Not once throughout the testing period did I wake up with aches or pains. I also tried resting on my stomach (I use the word "resting" instead of "sleeping" because front sleeping will never feel natural to me) and my hips were supported, too. This gives it an edge over one of our favorite stomach sleeper mattresses, the budget-friendly Siena Memory Foam Mattress. While the Siena only impressed our front-sleeping testers, the EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress covers side and back sleepers, too. Overall, I rate the mattress a medium-firm 7.5/10 on the firmness scale (10 being the firmest). The EGOHOME didn't impress me in all departments, however. Despite boasting an "anti-heat" graphene and heat-dissipating "CoolFlex Foam", the mattress's cooling properties were disappointing as I felt that the foam trapped a lot of body heat on hot, humid nights. The slow-moving foam also meant the mattress could be a little stuffy and difficult to change sleep positions on. Plus, while I definitely feel a lot of side sleepers will love the shape-molding comfort and medium support of the Black 12" Mattress, I would have really loved there to be more softness and cushioning (the kind seen in the best pillow top mattresses) for my lightweight frame. However, in other arenas, the mattress performed very well. The slow-moving foam meant the motion isolation was faultless, so restless sleepers won't have to worry about waking up their partners. Edge support was also impressive, with the edges strong enough for sitting and getting in and out of bed. When judging this mattress, I always kept in mind the price, and this mattress certainly brought good quality for such a low cost. Frequent mattress sales mean you'll always pay less than $400 for a queen, and you'll also get 100 nights to try out the EGOHOME Black 12" to see if it's right for you. The EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress costs $369.99 for a queen after a consistent 47%+ discount, but the price drop varies between sizes. For instance, a twin is often 35% off but a king is usually 37% off. Here's the MSRP and usual sale price of each size: A current promo code, SAVEVIP, takes an extra 10% off your order and reduces a queen to $333. You can always get an extra 10% off the Black 12" bed, the only difference is that the code changes. For example, the previous code was HONOR10, so check the EGOHOME homepage for the code name before heading to the checkout. When buying directly from the brand's website, you'll get a 10-year warranty, a 100-night sleep trial to try out your new bed, and free shipping. Honestly, a 100-night sleep trial and a 10-year warranty is pretty standard in the mattress sphere, but it's still plenty of time to literally sleep on your purchase and get your coverage. (It takes up to 30 nights to know if a mattress is the one for you, and you shouldn't be keeping your mattress beyond 10 years anyhow.) Beyond its own site, EGOHOME has become a big seller at Amazon. You can currently buy a queen EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress for $329.99 at Amazon, which is cheaper than buying directly from the brand but won't include a 100 night sleep trial or a 10-year warranty. EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress: twin was $442 now $261 with code SAVE10 at EGOHOME This mattress is up to 47% off plus an extra 10% off, taking a queen to $333 (MSRP is $699). There's also extras including 100 nights to try out the mattress before deciding whether you'd like to return, a 10-year warranty, and free shipping within one to two business days. Standing a foot tall, the US-made EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress features an all-foam construction made up of three layers: a copper-infused layer of memory foam, a cooling gel-infused layer of memory foam, and a supportive base layer of high-density foam. The layers are wrapped in a bacteria-resistant "Anti-heat" graphene cover, and a fiber-glass-free inner cover supplies a safer flame retardant. There is no pillow top. The bed is relatively lightweight, weighing just 60lbs for a queen. There are no handles for maneuvering the bed, but this isn't really a concern when you consider how light the mattress is. Although EGOHOME rates the Black 12" bed as soft and a mattress that's ideal for side sleepers, I'm more inclined to say it's medium-firm and ideal for pretty much any sleep position. The memory foam molded to my shoulders whenever I slept on my side, but the high density of the support foam had enough firmness to support my lower back when back sleeping and my hips when lying on my stomach. The Black 12" mattress is honestly the first bed I've ever tested that supports and caters to every sleep style. I also ran some subjective tests to measure its comfort and support by placing a 56lb weight on the surface, and I found that it created a 3.5" dip — indicating excellent pressure relief. However, while it no doubt molded to my shape, it didn't provide a plush or cushioning surface (as odd as that sounds, considering its sink-in feel). It also could be stuffy and difficult to move around on, which may pose a problem to combination sleepers who often change position throughout the night. Score: 4 out of 5 Just like the beds you'll find in our guide to the best mattresses in a box, the EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress was delivered rolled up and vacuum packed in a cardboard box straight to my doorstep. I've seen a lot of mattress shipping boxes arriving torn and battered, exposing the mattress inside, but the EGOHOME's box arrived intact. It took two people to get the box up the stairs to my bedroom (which is normal and strongly recommended if you want to avoid injury), but once they propped the box on my bed frame, I was able to unbox the mattress by myself. Usually, I recruit another person to help me unbox a mattress, as it can be arduous work – especially as the previous mattresses I tested were hybrids, which tend to be heavier than other kinds – but in this case the relative lightness galvanized me into doing it myself. For example, the last mattress I unboxed weighed a 103lbs in a full size, while the EGOHOME weighed just 53lbs, making the unboxing process an absolute breeze even when doing alone. As soon as I cut the mattress free from the plastic, it began to expand almost to its full shape. After just 20 minutes, it had reached an 11" height. EGOHOME advises leaving it to expand for 12 to 48 hours before sleeping on it but, I found that it had reached its 12" height way before the 24 hours was up. I didn't detect any off-gassing after unboxing, even though I kept my bedroom door and windows shut. Score: 5 out of 5 I slept on a full size EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress for over three weeks, and here's how it performed in all the categories covered by our mattress testing methodology... The EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress impressed me during the motion isolation tests, which involve placing a glass on one side of the bed and dropping a 10lb weight four, eight, and 12 inches away to simulate someone getting in and out of bed. I then observed how the glass reacts to the drop to gauge whether or not the mattress is good at prevent a person's movements from transferring to another person's side of the bed. At every distance, the glass remained upright and barely wobbled (usually, the glass falls over during the four-inch distance test), indicating excellent motion isolation for bed-sharing couples. Score: 5 out of 5 The EGOHOME website's description of the Black 12" Mattress makes the bed sound as if it offers the same cutting-edge cooling tech as the best cooling mattresses, boasting of its "CoolFlex Foam" and "Anti-heat" cover. Initially, I slept comfortably. The mattress wasn't cool to the touch, but it wasn't warm either. However, then came the beginning of the humid summer weather, and that's when I found the temperature regulation to be sub-par. The foam retained heat, and I often felt stuffy despite the fact that I'm not typically a hot sleeper. While I should point out that my apartment doesn't have air conditioning, I still don't recommend this mattress to anyone who regularly experiences night sweats or lives in a hot or humid climate. Score: 3.5 out of 5 It's often overlooked, but a bed's edge support is important to test as it can tell you whether the edges are strong enough to sleep or sit on without feeling as if you're sinking or going to roll out of bed. Strong edge support is also important if you have mobility issues, as you need stable edges to help you get in and out of bed with ease. To test the edges, I frequently sat on the sides and foot of the beds, such as when getting dressed or taking off my shoes. With previous mattresses I've tested, I often found the sides to be strong but the foot of the bed to be weak and quicksand-soft, often making me dip every time I sat down. However, the Black 12" Mattress kept me well supported whether I sat on the sides or the foot of the bed, and the subjective tests reflect this. When I placed a 56lb weight on the side of the mattress and foot of the bed, I recorded the same measurement: a sink just under 2.5". Score: 5 out of 5 One person's experience with a mattress will obviously differ to another person's experience, so I scoured the web for online reviews from verified customers to see if their views align with mine. The issue is that the online reviews for the all-foam model on EGOHOME's site are mixed together with the reviews of the hybrid model, so it's hard to tell which model each customer is talking about. There are over 150 reviews for the Black 12" (both all-foam and hybrid), with over 130 of those reviews rewarding 5 stars. The consensus is that the mattress is great for preventing shoulder, back, and joint pain, which lines up with my view, but many customers actually found this mattress to sleep cool. (Though bear in mind that hybrids do tend to sleep cooler than all-foam models.) On Amazon the EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress scores 4.4 out of 5 on the basis of over 1,600 reviews; 72% of them are five-star reviews while 17% give it three stars or less. Positive reviews praised its comfort, quality and value for money, while less impressed customers pointed out its heat retention and complained about a lack of durability as well as back pain after sleeping on the mattress. The EGOHOME Black 12" Mattress is an impressive mattress, especially when you consider it's usually under $400 for a queen. It supports basically any sleep position and isolates motion well, making it one of the best medium-firm mattresses for couples with different sleep styles who don't want to be woken up by each other's tossing and turning. Its edge support is consistent, too, so you can sit on the edges without feeling as though you're sinking, sleep close to the edges without feeling you're going to roll out of bed, and get in and out of bed with ease. While this mattress does not feel luxurious or plush in the slightest, the build is still of excellent quality and the fiberglass-free materials means your sleeping in safe hands. However, anyone who experiences night sweats or lives in a hot climate should note that this all-foam bed does have a tendency to trap heat. The Siena Memory Foam Mattress is one our highest-rated picks if you're looking for a mattress on the budget. While it isn't soft enough for side and back sleepers, the Siena does have an advantage over the Black 12" Mattress in that it sleeps incredibly cool. The Siena is also under $400 for queen and comes with a 180-night sleep trial as oppose to EGOHOME's 100-night trial. Learn more in our Siena Memory Foam Mattress review. The Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress is ideal for side sleepers thanks to its excellent pressure relief, and we reccomend it as one of the best memory foam mattresses on the market. Like EGOHOME's Black 12" Mattress, it's fiberglass free and a popular choice on Amazon, but it may be too soft for back and front sleepers. Learn more in our Zinus Green Tea Memory Foam Mattress review. The Cocoon by Sealy Chill impressed us in the department in which the EGOHOME let us down: temperature regulation. The Chill is, like the EGOHOME, and all-foam budget-friendly bed, only it is a specialist cooling bed. However, the specialist cooling tech does hike up the price to $699 for a queen, but it's worth it if you want to keep night sweats at bay. Learn more in our Cocoon by Sealy Chill Mattress review

USA Today

a day ago

• USA Today

Acne-prone skin? This EltaMD sunscreen is a summer skincare hero

Looking for a sunscreen that won't clog pores or irritate skin? EltaMD UV Clear is lightweight, tinted and perfect for acne-prone skin. Finding a sunscreen that actually works for sensitive, pimple-prone skin is not easy, and it can actually be a seriously awful experience to try! Luckily, EltaMD is here to save your skin (and your sanity) just in time for summer 2025. Right now on Amazon, you can snag EltaMD's fan-favorite UV Clear Broad-Spectrum SPF 46—a dermatologist-loved sunscreen that's basically skincare in disguise. Whether you're dealing with acne, rosacea or just want that smooth, even glow without the dreaded white cast, this sunscreen is the real MVP this summer. You can buy EltaMD UV Clear at Amazon today. And yes, it's Prime-eligible, so your skin can start glowing ASAP. Our team of savvy editors independently handpicks all recommendations. If you make a purchase through our links, we may earn a commission. Prices were accurate at the time of publication but may change.