All I can say is I have a pair of nice Bushnell (no idea how spendy, gift from my parents, grew up hunting), and they’re amazing. Sooo super clear and sharp, nice to use. Sadly currently hidden because of toddler life 
ETA I need to find the model but they’re with “ED prime glass” apparently.
I have Nikon Monarchs 10x42 5.5°. They were in the hundreds of dollars range, but < $1000 (also, I got them ~20 years ago - they might have been $500 or $600 then? I can’t remember). I think that binoculars are a very individual choice as to what is most important. On top of the optics (which will influence the price, obviously better/more advanced lenses will be more expensive), and extra bells and whistles, the size and weight of them is important for comfort, even a small difference in weight can make using them over longer periods comfortable or not. Higher power requires a steadier hand for clear viewing. Larger lenses mean more light gets in (easier to see) but also are weightier. IMO it’s so individual! Honestly, I recommend taking them for a visit to a quality camera/binocular shop that has a wide variety of choices to see what they like best. There’s nothing worse than an expensive piece of equipment that you can’t comfortably use…
(Alternative suggestion - spotting scope? Less reliant on physical needs except need to be able to comfortably carrying the weight…)
Once you figure out general model/specs look on eBay! You might have to ship from the U.S. but I’ve scored huge discounts on what were probably customer returns there.
Marmalade wanted binoculars to look at wildlife (which he’s barely used… sigh) but I was able to score a new pair of Nikon Monarch 3 8x42 for less than $150 about 6 years ago.
thank you for highlighting this. Based on family history it may become relevant, and I’d like these binoculars to be enjoyed for a long time.
The steady hand thing is a real challenge for me. I have a pair of 8x42 Vortex Vipers that I love, anything with higher magnification would be a no-go for me personally. I bought them in part because I am accident prone and they have a lifetime accidents-included warranty.
I used the Audubon guide as my jumping off point:
I definitely second the recommendation for them to try in person if possible…if you don’t have a nearby optics shop, I’d see if you have a local bird club that does walks. Folks are usually very willing to let you try theirs.
Size and weight definitely matter a lot. Also lenses - the different lens coatings make a big difference and it’s hard to tell without comparing in person. Secondhand can be good, but I wouldn’t go older than ~10yrs since optics and lens coatings have improved quite a bit since then.
I have a pair of Swarovski EL 8x32s and they are fantastic. Swarovski are seriously expensive but usually come top in most of the tests.
I first tried Swarovskis on a wildlife watching boat trip run by a local commercial charter company. They were the skippers own binoculars and I was blown away by how much better they were than anything I’d tried before. I then went home, looked up how much they cost and went nope!
After a few months I got an email from one of our local shooting shops offering second hand pairs that had been taken as trade in, refurbished by Swarovski and were just over half the price of a new set. Mine have a few cosmetic marks but were optically perfect and I’ve been extremely happy with them. I ended up going with the 8x32s as they felt best to handle, probably because I’ve got very little hands.
I’ve only come across two other people with Swarovskis, both are marine scientists who bought them when they finally got to work in Antartica. Apparently they are very good for 
watching!
Oooh yes my dad has Swarovski. They were his treat to himself from his cabelsas CC rewards (outdoor store here in the US) after putting my brother through college 
An offer of personal shopping! I needed a specific piece of info from Consumer Lab that I could only get if I paid for an annual membership. Let me know if you’re researching any supplements, OTC meds, etc, and I can send you a report. They do things like test whether multi-vitamins contain what’s on their label.
This might be US specific (sorry), but not totally sure.
🩵 I’d love some shopping help! 🩵
I have been looking for a mint that is flavored similarly to lifesavers pep-o-mint (the ones in the blue packaging).
Open to a hard or softer mint, but nothing chewy.
I use these every night and let a few melt in my mouth to settle my tornado belly before bed so I can sleep. It’s been a very effective practice.
Bonus for no/low sugar (as long as they don’t taste weird-I’m a stevia hater) since I’m eating them immediately before bed and after I’ve brushed my teeth already 
Thanks ahead of time mega collective brain friends!
I know I’ve asked this before but the search isn’t working to find it:
What induction range should I buy? I’m not entirely opposed to getting the higher end (4K instead of 1k) if I understand why they’re so much more expensive.
Are you looking for just stove tops or the whole range with oven?
Whole range please!
A couple important things to consider: do knobs versus touch adjustments matter to you? Controls on front or back? Does convection oven matter to you?
I just went through this search! We got a GE Café because it was important to me to have knobs. So I payed many many more dollars to get them. I love this stove. A friend got a cheaper GE profile with the push buttons in the back and she is also happy with her stove. The one thing she complains about is when water is boiling and you have to hold your arm over the pot to change the temp. GE seems to be well-regarded for performance and reliability across the various review websites.
I think besides the knobs a fair amount of the difference between price points comes down to oven performance. The more expensive range will have more even heat, etc in the oven.
Has anyone actually bought anything that’s supposed to reduce microfiber shedding in the washing machine?
My climate anxiety is ramping up again, and I was looking at the CoraBall and Guppyfriend bags, but I have no idea if they actually do anything. Any input?
Conflicted about all of it except the convection oven which I thought was standard but I don’t really care about.
I heard from someone else that the touch switches might not work with wet hands which would be annoying
For us, knobs mattered a lot and back controls was a preference (kids). And convection was a big priority. We bought a used one off marketplace that checked all those boxes and sold our range and net were able to upgrade for $170. We ended up with a kenmore elite and we’ve been very happy with it.
Actually yes!
I had to Google what both of those were but I actually use what must be generic version of each of those with my laundry!!
I have found that if you have a top tank something like that guppy bag with a floater attached to it can help gather a LOT of shedding and something like the Cora Ball works good (but not as good as the bay) in my front loader.
I have a Guppyfriend! We don’t wear much fleece and I think that would shed the most, but when I’ve put polyester (gym clothes, sweatpants) in it I didn’t notice that it caught any fibers. You definitely want to be selective about what you put in and not your whole laundry load because then it won’t clean properly.
BUT it is made really well and I think by putting stuff in a bag it actually makes them shed less, so I think even if I’m not seeing fibers that it’s doing something. It also makes a great delicates bag for larger items like my wool sweater dresses, where I want to minimize agitation. I’m glad I have mine.
I have a guppyfriend. I don’t own any fleece but I do find it catches a significant amount of fibers from my polyester clothing. I have to clean the bag out between washes and I’m always glad all those fibers weren’t washing down the drain.
Sadly my significant other does his own laundry and he refuses to use it despite my pleas. He says it’s too much hassle. I feel like the vast majority of the population doesn’t even think about microplastic pollution, so does my little drop in the bucket actually matter? Are we doomed?