Gutters can get clogged throughout the year, with debris like twigs, leaves, seeds, and pests falling into them. It may be a hassle to clean your gutters, but clean gutters can potentially save you thousands of dollars in repairs to your foundation, basement, and more. The best news is, you don’t even have to clean your gutters yourself. The This Old House Reviews team has evaluated many different gutter companies on key metrics like services, customer care, and reputation to help you find the best fit for your needs. Read this Ned Stevens Gutter Cleaning review to find out if…

Like clockwork, each fall as the first batch of leaves fall, towns and neighborhoods roar awake with the sound of gas-powered leaf blowers. It’s the annual battle of weekend warriors versus the leaves—and you know what’s at stake: not only is the debris an eyesore and a nuisance, especially if your leaves blow onto your neighbor’s clean lawn, but if you stall, a mantle of snow might cover them and smother the grass. That means more work for you come spring. The Best Tools to Collect Leaves Gas leaf blowers, and their far quieter battery-powered cousins, can be handy to…

There was a time where a hand plane was an indispensable tool, used to smooth, shape, and straighten just about every piece of wood in a house. The typical carpenter lugged around a whole chestful of planes, each with its own special function. Today, power tools — routers, jointers, belt sanders, and power planers — do the same tasks much faster, relegating many old planes to the shelves of collectors. There aren't as many types as there once were, but the hand plane is far from extinct. When Would You Use a Hand Planer? Photo by Keller & Keller A…

Handmade ceramic menorahs feel just right for this year. Here are five versions, some charmingly wonky, all ready to celebrate Hanukkah starting on December 10—and also to be enjoyed whenever candlelight is called for. Above: Brooklyn ceramic artist Rachel Pots attaches nine hand-thrown vases together to form her signature menorahs. “The bottles that make up the Ceramic Menorah  [$160] remind us of the single oil bottle or cask from the story of Hanukkah,” she says. Her Judaica line is available from Food52—alas, the menorah is currently sold out—and from her studio, where the menorahs are made to order in four…

In our endless quest for slow, meaningful design, we’re admiring Obakki, a Canadian homewares brand specializing in small batches of limited-edition products made by artisans all over the world. Obakki’s emphasis is on slowing down to make unique, made-to-last wares that honor local design traditions—by visiting makers around the globe, using only native materials, preserving time-honored means of making, and emphasising transparent and sustainable supply processes—and it shows in their beautiful, made-with-care products, from glassware to candles to rugs. This month we’re partnering with Obakki to give away two $250 gift cards to the online shop, just in time for…