Here are our top picks for the best wireless home theater system that deliver superb 5.1 surround sound performance and can sync wirelessly without the need for excessive speaker wiring. These home theater systems are designed to deliver cinema-like sound quality in your living room and are relatively easy to setup without massive wiring that a traditional 5.1 home theater system setup requires – they also support wireless streaming over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connections. Most of the wireless most theater systems on this list have rear speakers are able to sync wirelessly to the central unit to avoid running wires through your entire room, although they may require a separate power source or wired directly to the wireless subwoofer.
How we choose
Our experts have tested these systems to ensure that they provide a quality sound listening experience and deliver great value for money. We have indicated the connectivity functions of each wireless home theater system to help you make the right choice for your home audio setup. They can also connect to your TV receiver like any other 5.1 home theater system and provide a true cinematic experience while watching movies or TV shows. If you are looking for a wireless home theater system that will deliver very good sound quality and seamless Bluetooth connectivity without the need for massive wiring in your home, be sure to check out our top picks in this video!
Why do we always want what we can’t have? Many women with straight hair fantasize about having lavish curls. Similarly, women with curly or wavy hair would give almost anything to have sleek, shiny, straight hair.
Curling straight hair is relatively easy; perms and curling irons have been around for several years. Those with wavy hair that doesn’t relax even after blow drying, endure more tortuous methods to change the look of their locks. Hair relaxer (straightener) products and hair dryers released over the years have often been hit or miss with many users.
Types of Hair Brush Straighteners
There are two common types of hair brush straighteners. “Paddle” or flat brushes look and perform very much like standard detangling brushes, with bristles built into a ceramic or tourmaline plate. The heat generated by the plate works to straighten the hair while releasing negative ions that make it shiny and smooth.
“Barrel” or rotating hair brush straighteners also detangle, straighten and add shine. In addition, hot air is directed into the hair as their ceramic or metallic barrels rotate, adding volume to thin hair. These are the best option for long hair, and the fact that the barrels are circular provides the added benefit of being able to curl as well as straighten.
Less common but still worth mentioning are “hybrid” styles of hair brush straighteners. Some are similar to a flat iron but with bristles on each of the plates, while others have a rotating barrel on one side and a plate with bristles on the other.
Important Features of Hair Brush Straighteners
-Heat Levels
Heat levels are most important, and everything else is tied for second place. The true benefit of these appliances is that lower temperatures are suitable for easily-damaged or thin-to-medium hair, so it’s crucial that they’re able to operate at the appropriate temperatures. 365° is considered optimal for medium-thick hair, and straightening very thin or brittle hair calls for temperatures closer to 300°. Some models also have settings as high as 450° for use on very thick or very curly hair.
-Type of Straightening Plates Used
Most straighteners will have either ceramic or tourmaline plates, although a few use titanium. Ceramic is the best choice for delicate, fine or color-treated hair because it heats evenly and a bit more slowly than tourmaline or titanium with no hot spots. Tourmaline and titanium, by contrast, heat up extremely quickly and can easily damage thin or sensitive hair before you’re even aware that it’s happened. For thick hair, though, tourmaline or titanium are the way to go; tourmaline has the added benefit of producing 20x more negative ions, making hair moist and silky and reducing frizz.
Types of Bristles
The bristles on a hair brush straightener should also be considered. Nylon is best for sensitive scalps or hair that doesn’t become a bird’s nest in the blink of an eye. Some straighteners have bristles tipped with tiny balls made of silicone, rubber or other materials, and they’re a better choice for women whose hair tangles easily because they help “cut through” the tangles without snagging. They’re more comfortable, too.
Other factors may also be important to you, including the weight of the unit, how comfortable the handle feels in your hand, whether there is an LCD display and an automatic shut-off feature, and the length of the power cord. But remember: heat levels come first, because they determine whether your hair comes out straight, shiny and silky – or a damaged, fried mess. Everything else is secondary.
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How we choose the best air purifiers
The quality of air cleaning is the key feature of an air purifier. All air purifiers are capable of removing particulate matter (PM) from the air, which are the tiny particles responsible for triggering allergies, such as hay fever and asthma.
To demonstrate the quality of cleaning, the majority of air purifiers come with Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) ratings for smoke, pollen and dust. The higher the score, the better the performance. And, the individual ratings help you choose the right purifier for your needs.
However, not all manufacturers quote CADR ratings and, instead, quote the percentage of particles below a certain size: the higher the percentage and the lower the quoted particle size, the better.
Some – but not many – air purifiers are capable of removing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from the air, too. These are harsh chemicals that can be found in everything from old furniture to cleaning sprays.
To test an air purifier’s performance, we use a three-second burst spray from a can of insecticide – a source of particulate matter and VOCs – directed into the middle of the room. With the air purifier placed in a corner running at maximum, we time how long the air takes to return to normal, using a separate air-quality monitor.
We also test the sound levels of purifiers, running at minimum and maximum speeds from a distance of 1 metre.
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