
Roy Berendsohn
Senior Home Editor
Roy Berendsohn has worked for more than 25 years at Popular Mechanics, where he has written on carpentry, masonry, painting, plumbing, electrical, woodworking, blacksmithing, welding, lawn care, chainsaw use, and outdoor power equipment. When he’s not working on his own house, he volunteers with Sovereign Grace Church doing home repair for families in rural, suburban and urban locations throughout central and southern New Jersey.

3 Easy Steps to Fix a Broken Toilet
Fill valve kits are designed with DIY installers and handy people in mind.

Why You Need to Clean Your Bath Fan
It's probably choked with dust, which is a fire hazard. Cleaning it is a quick and easy task.

The Right Way to Prune a Tree
Don’t be a plant wrecker. Prune well and you help a tree or shrub remain healthy.

How to Mulch Leaves With a Lawn Mower
Do double duty by using your mower to mulch the leaves that have fallen on your lawn.

You Know How to Use a Screwdriver. Right?
Or do you?

The 9 Best Cordless Drills for Woodworking and Construction
Holes to drill? Screws to drive? These battery-powered drill drivers are up to the job.

The Best Circular Saws of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
These capable, accurate, reliable machines help you build what you envision.

Spray Paint 101: How to Get a Professional Finish
Specialized spray paints allow you to coat just about anything.

How—and When—to Use a Cold Chisel
Chopping metal is fun when you use the right tool.

Fasten Anything to Concrete
With the right tools and hardware, mounting to concrete is easy

The Best Portable Air Conditioners for Cooling Your Home
Keep your cool with these portable appliances.

The Best Cordless Nail Guns to Speed Up Your Projects
Sometimes it’s faster, easier, and a lot neater to shoot a nail rather than hammer it.

The Best Outdoor Gas Grills to Fire Up at Your Next Cookout
Cook your way through summer with one of these grills, from portable single-burners to a 900-square inch behemoth.

The Best String Trimmers to Get Nice, Crisp Edges On Your Grass
Don’t call it a weed whacker, weedwacker, or weed eater. But you do need one.

The Best Electric Lawn Mowers of 2023
These cordless cutters are powerful, convenient, and (relatively) quiet.

The Best Cordless Leaf Blowers of 2023
Use your electric leaf blower for yard cleanup this spring and summer, then bust it out again in the fall to deal with leaves.

The Best Air Conditioners of 2023
Whether they sit in a window or take a place on your floor, these air conditioners can help you stave off summer’s swelter.

Three Simple Tricks to Use a Bench Vise
This workshop workhorse helps you saw, drill, file, grind, and even bend metal.

The 2023 Popular Mechanics Yard & Garden Awards
Grow, tend to, and enjoy everything your outdoor space has to offer with these tools and accessories.

2023 Popular Mechanics Yard and Garden Awards: Patio
On a deck or a patio, whether you’re relaxing or getting work done, these accessories and tools will help.

2023 Popular Mechanics Yard and Garden Awards: Garden
Indulge your green thumb.

2023 Popular Mechanics Yard and Garden Awards: Lawn
Keep your grass and other greenery tidy to become the envy of the neighborhood.

All the Reasons Why Your Gas Grill Won’t Light
And what to do about it.

The 6 Best Window Air Conditioners for Keeping Cool During Sweltering Summer Days
These units are as efficient at cooling as they are painless to install.

The Best Pressure Washers for a Deeper Clean
We blasted away dirt, grime, and mildew to help find the right model for you.

You're Using a Wheelbarrow All Wrong
These tips make it a cinch to move sand, mulch, pavers, and more.

How to Make a Forge and Start Hammering Metal
Order an anvil, and let the sparks fly.

How to Use an Angle Grinder Safely
Follow these simple rules when grinding metal, concrete, and more.

The Best Orbital Power Sanders, Cordless and Corded
These tools let you quickly strip weathered exterior paint, remove a finish, smooth a tabletop, and do basic metal prep.

The 7 Best Lawn Edgers to Keep Your Yard and Sidewalk Looking Tidy
Give your yard a clean, manicured look with one of the best lawn edgers or edging accessories.

A Field Guide to WD-40
There’s a lot more to lubrication than a shot from a spray can that you keep in the kitchen drawer.

The 10 Best Lawn Mowers in 2023, According to Our Testing and Decades of Experience
Whether you prefer the muscle of old-fashioned fuel or the zip of battery power, we're reviewing all types.