The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

The Insider Pick:

• Dog crates are great for keeping your pup out of trouble when you're gone from home, and dogs love to curl up in them for a nap. With its heavy-gauge, powder-coated steel wire construction, the MidWest Ultima Pro Folding Crate is our top pick. Not only is it highly durable and easy to clean, but you can use it for dogs of all ages and sizes.

Whether you need to keep your dog confined when you’re away from home or you simply want to provide him with a space to call his own, every dog needs a good crate. Having descended from wild wolves, dogs have a natural desire to sleep in a den. Providing your dog with a nice crate will give him a safe, comfortable space to rest, and it gives you peace of mind knowing that he isn’t going to get into trouble while you’re away from home. Having a crate is also essential for housetraining a puppy.

When you think of dog crates, you probably picture a rectangular contraption comprised of metal wire. While this is certainly one type of dog crate, there are many others to consider and they each have their own pros and cons. From plastic crates and soft-sided crates to heavy-duty and fashion crates, we’ve done the research to find the best of the best. Keep reading to see our picks for the top dog crates on the market in four popular categories as well as our top pick overall.

To give your dog the best of everything, you can also check out our guides for the best dog shampoo, the best flea treatments for dogs, the best dog beds, the best dog toys, the best dog food, the best dog collars, and the best leashes for walking your pup. Read on to hear all about our top dog crate picks.

Although the MidWest Ultima Pro Folding Crate is our top pick, for various reasons laid out in the slides below, you should also consider the Petmate Compass Plastic Kennel, the EliteField 3-Door Soft Dog Crate, the MidWest Life Stages Pet Crate, the ProSelect Empire Dog Cage, and the Crown Pet Crate Table.

The best dog crate overall

Why you'll love it: The MidWest Ultima Pro Folding Crate is a durable and versatile wire dog crate that's perfect for puppies or adult dogs.

Dog crates come in many different forms but you need to shop smart to make sure you get the right one. The ideal dog crate would offer excellent ventilation, high durability, easy cleaning, and comfort for your dog. Perhaps the most popular option in dog crates is the wire crate because it offers excellent ventilation and is easy to clean. Overall, wire crates are typically very affordable and available in a wide range of sizes. For all of these reasons, our top pick for the best dog crate is a wire crate — the MidWest Ultima Pro Folding Crate.

Not only is the MidWest Ultima Pro Folding Crate constructed from durable powder-coated steel wire, but it features five cross-beams for maximum strength and durability. Because the wire is resistant to bending, the crate keeps its shape well to ensure that the hooks and latches are always properly aligned. Easy to assemble and disassemble, this crate is portable and easy to store, plus it comes with a carry handle for your convenience. You’ll also love the slide-out plastic tray that makes cleanup a breeze.

HerePup gave the crate an A- rating and praised the convenience of having five size options, all of which come with a free divider panel in case you want to use the crate for a puppy. The Wirecutter says the crate is designed to last for your dog's entire lifetime and that it is sturdily constructed. The reviewers also note that while the heavy-gauge mesh may increase the price of this crate, it also adds to the durability.

The MidWest Ultima Pro Folding Crate has nearly 300 reviews on Amazon and a solid 4-star rating. Buyers enjoy the quality construction and the generous size, though some say that the assembly process was challenging. The wire bottom of the cage may also scratch your flooring if you don’t use the plastic feet.

Pros: Heavy-gauge steel wire, five cross-beams for maximum strength, removable plastic tray for easy cleanup, five different sizes, sturdy latches and hinges, two-door design for easy access, free divider panel, strong handle

Cons: Plastic tray may not stand up against heavy chewing, larger sizes can be heavy, latches may not line up if the wire becomes bent, may scratch your flooring if you don’t use the plastic feet

Buy the MidWest Ultima Pro Folding Crate on Amazon for $42.27 and up (price varies by size)

The best plastic dog crate

Why you'll love it: With its quality plastic construction and simple slide and snap assembly, the Petmate Compass Plastic Kennel is our top pick for plastic dog crates. 

Though a plastic dog crate may not be the most attractive option around, these crates offer your dog a little extra privacy and they are more difficult to escape from. The downside of plastic crates is that they offer limited ventilation and aren’t quite so easy to clean. They are, however, great for travel and they can generally be disassembled for storage. Our top pick for plastic dog crates is the Petmate Compass Plastic Kennel.

Made from high-quality plastic with a sturdy construction, the Petmate Compass Plastic Kennel is a great choice for at-home use as well as travel. This crate features an oversized doorway for easy entry and the unique slide and snap assembly is quick and easy. With a metal grid door and plenty of ventilation all the way around the crate, your dog will relax in cool comfort while enjoying 360-degree visibility.

HellowDog calls the Petmate Compass Plastic Kennel the “perfect dog kennel for training or traveling." The Happy Pooch makes note of the large door and 360-degree ventilation as well as the quick and easy assembly system. This crate also comes highly recommended by Pup Picks for a quality plastic kennel that is simple but effective.

Not only does the Petmate Compass Plastic Kennel have a solid 4-star rating on Amazon with more than 800 reviews, but it also carries the “Amazon’s Choice” badge. Customers love the quality construction and easy assembly as well as the crate’s benefits for travel. Some users had trouble with the assembly but they are in the minority.

Pros: Quality plastic, easy to clean, slide and snap assembly requires no tools, large two-way door for convenience, airline approved, offers 360-degree ventilation and visibility, six sizes for dogs up to 90 pounds

Cons: Assembly may be challenging, airline approval not guaranteed for all airlines, cannot fold flat for storage or transport, may not accommodate dogs over 90 pounds

Buy the Petmate Compass Plastic Kennel on Amazon for $29.95 and up (price varies by size)

The best soft-sided dog crate

Why you'll love it: The EliteField 3-Door Soft Dog Crate is constructed from durable 600D fabric with a steel tube frame and three doors for your dog's convenience and comfort.

If you don’t like the look of a plastic or wire crate and you want something that will work well for travel, a soft-sided dog crate may be a good option to consider. These crates are typically lightweight and easy to store, though they can be more difficult to clean and may not withstand chewing or escape attempts. Soft-sided crates also tend to be better for smaller dogs. Our top pick for soft-sided dog crates is the EliteField 3-Door Soft Dog Crate.

Made from high-quality 600D fabric, the EliteField 3-Door Soft Dog Crate is lightweight but surprisingly durable. It features hex mesh fabric side panels that offer 360-degree ventilation and visibility — they also double as doors for easy access. The crate comes with a free carrying bag and a fleece bed for added value. It also folds down to just 3 inches high for easy storage and transport.

Top Dog Tips praises the quality of the construction and the convenience of the hand carrying straps and the free carry case. A review from Central Park Paws mentions the steel tube frame that is highly durable but lightweight, making this crate easy to transport. This crate also earns the number one spot from Ultimate Home Life as a generously sized crate that will keep your dog cool and comfortable.

With more than 2,500 customer reviews and a 4.5-star rating on Amazon, the EliteField 3-Door Soft Dog Crate is one of the most popular soft-sided dog crates on the market. Customers love the quality construction and the additional vertical space, though some say that the zipper could be more durable. The crate may also not be the best choice for heavy chewers or hyperactive dogs.  

Pros: Durable 600D fabric, hex mesh fabric side panels for ventilation and visibility, lightweight, folds flat, three doors for easy access, five sizes and many colors, comes with a carrying bag and fleece bed, two-year warranty, removable washable cover

Cons: May not withstand heavy chewing or hyperactive dogs, zipper may break or separate with rough handling, folding mechanism may stick sometimes

Buy the EliteField 3-Door Soft Dog Crate on Amazon for $39.99 to $85.99 (price varies by size)

Etsy, the online marketplace where creative entrepreneurs can set up storefronts to sell their own products, launched in 2005 with the goal of creating an online retail space that would build a more fulfilling and lasting world.

So it's no surprise that its 200,000-square-foot headquarters in the Dumbo neighborhood of Brooklyn would be filled with toxin-free paint, salvaged wood, and furnishings purchased from Etsy sellers. In August, the eco-friendly office was recognized with an Excellence Award from the Center for Active Design. It was one of seven international winners. 

The roughly 500 employees that work in the Brooklyn office are free to roam the nine-floor complex, finding a comfy spot to set up camp and work remotely away from their desks.

Last summer, we got a tour of the refurbished building the Etsy team calls home — scroll ahead for the photos.

SEE ALSO: We visited Amazon's chaotic jobs fair and found a troubling insight about the American economy

In 2016, Etsy moved from a 106,000-square-foot space to its new headquarters in Dumbo. The new space is a two-building setup that's nearly twice as big, at around 200,000 square feet.

Etsy signed a 10-year lease on the nine-story building.

Before the big move, the company sent surveys to its employees, asking them to name their preferences and needs for the future office. Quiet spaces such as this one were big on the list of requests.

This month, the boutique cruise line Crystal Cruises added a new vessel to its fleet.

But the vessel, named the Crystal Skye, isn't the company's traditional cruise ship, river boat, or luxury yacht. Instead, it's a new Boeing 777-200LR Worldliner wide-body jet.

That's right, you can now tour the world on board a private luxury jet courtesy of Crystal AirCruises.

"Crystal Skye beautifully complements all things Crystal, with its exclusively styled design and custom experience she will offer guests," Crystal president and CEO Edie Rodriguez said in a statement. "As a global luxury traveler myself, I have been privileged to travel aboard some of the world's finest aircraft, and there is nothing like Crystal Skye around the world."

The Crystal Skye's interior is the work of Greenpoint Technologies with the installation completed at its Moses Lake, Washington facility.

"Our goal for this program was to create a luxurious interior showcasing the elegant brand Crystal established with their cruise ships, yachts and riverboats," Greenpoint Technologies executive vice president, Bret Neely, said in a statement. "It was amazing to see the combined core team come together to focus on Crystal’s guest experience, resulting in the beautiful and functional interior we see today."

Crystal AirCruises, a subsidiary of leisure travel giant Genting Hong Kong, expects to deploy the Boeing 777 as both a flying cruise ship and as a private charter for the ultra wealthy, as well as corporations and sports teams.

The Boeing 777-200LR has a list price of $320.7 million and that's before the millions of dollars Crystal poured into the interior conversion. 

Here's a closer look at the Crystal Skye.

SEE ALSO: Delta has a new secret weapon against American and Southwest

FOLLOW US: on Facebook for more car and transportation content!

This month, Crystal AirCruises took delivery of a new Boeing 777-200LR jet christened the Crystal Skye.

The 777-200LR is powered by a pair of massive GE90 turbofan engines and is capable of flying nearly 9,500 miles nonstop.

Step inside and the 777's ultra-functional interior has been transformed into a stylish luxury oasis.

Sometimes, it's hard to nail down just how old a celebrity is. 

A 24-year-old Troian Bellisario played a high school junior on "Pretty Little Liars," and Gabrielle Union was about 24 when she played a high school sophomore on "10 Things I Hate About You." Thanks to their youthful glow, you couldn't even tell. 

Here are 33 celebrities who are older than they look. 

Salma Hayek, 50

Gwen Stefani, 47

Jennifer Lopez, 48

Linksys wasn't going to let competition like Netgear or even startups like Eero enjoy all the mesh WiFi system fun, so it made its own, called Velop. 

The Velop is best used as a "system," where you have several units placed throughout your home to deliver a fast WiFi signal wherever you are.

It sounds like a regular WiFi extender could do the same thing, but the Velop is much better. For one, the Velop doesn't need you to manually switch over your devices to a new band, or even to one of the satellite extender nodes. Everything is done automatically, which means you can roam around your house without worrying about switching connections. 

The Velop excels as a mesh WiFi system, but so do the others systems out there. So while the Velop impresses with its performance, its comparatively high price tag might make it less tempting. 

I tested the $500 three-pack Linksys Velop system for my 2,800 square foot home. Here's how it fared:

SEE ALSO: Eero’s new $400 WiFi system is one of the best ways to get fast WiFi throughout your home

The Velop comes in a simple, well presented package like most recent mesh WiFi systems.

Each Velop "node" is identical. As far as mesh WiFi routers go, the Velop certainly has one of the best designs. It's sleek and not too large.

And like most mesh WiFi systems, it's incredibly easy to set up using your mobile device and the Linksys app. I value simplicity when it comes to mesh WiFi setups, and my preference leans towards setting up through a mobile app rather than using a web browser.

The INSIDER Summary:

• This summer marks 20 years since Princess Diana's tragic death.
• She was a loving mother to Prince William and Prince Harry.
• Here are 12 photos of her with her kids through the years.

Princess Diana gave the best hugs.

"She would just engulf you and squeeze you as tight as possible, and being as short as I was then there was no escape, you were there, and you were there for as long as she wanted to hold you," said Prince Harry in a recent HBO documentary called "Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy."

Prince William and Prince Harry's time with their mother was tragically cut short with her death in a car crash in 1997, but they keep her memory alive through photos, charity work, and bedtime stories about "Granny Diana" for Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Here are 12 heartwarming photos of Princess Diana with her kids.

Prince William was born in 1982.

Prince Harry came along two years later.

They vacationed with the Spanish King in Majorca, Spain, in 1987.

Finance is said to be a young person’s game, and the bankers, financiers, and founders on this year’s Fortune 40 under 40 list prove just that.

This year's version of the annual list was led by the recently elected French president Emmanuel Macron, a former Rothschild banker.

The other young professionals run the gamut from traditional bankers investing in algorithmic stock-picking programs, to visionaries developing new cryptocurrencies, and everything in between.

Scroll down to meet the next generation of banking and finance leaders:

Vital Buterin, Ethereum

This 23-year-old Russian-born boy genius is credited with inventing the worlds second-largest cryptocurrency behind bitcoin. The network can also handle “smart contracts,” something its rivals can’t do.

Business Insider has an explainer on what ethereum is, and how it’s different from bitcoin, here.

Brian Armstrong, Coinbase

Armstrong is the 34-year-old CEO of Coinbase, an app that lets users store their bitcoin, etherum and other cryptocurrencies online. As cryptocurrencies’ value skyrocketed over the last year, Coinbase's popularity surged.

In August, Coinbase raised $100 million at a $1.6 billion valuation, making it the first cryptocurrency unicorn.

Geraldine Buckingham, BlackRock

Formerly an ER surgeon, 39-year-old Buckingham is the youngest executive at the world’s largest money manager that reports directly to founder and CEO Larry Fink.

Buckingham joined BlackRock in 2014. Under her watch as global head of corporate strategy, BlackRock has continued to emphasize algorithms and robot traders over human stock pickers.

Economist Thomas Sowell may technically be right, but a wage of zero would attract few job applicants and would not support any workers very well. Thus, employers have to offer more than zero. Beyond that, though, there's disagreement among economists, politicians, and everyday Americans as to whether companies should be able to pay what they choose to pay or be subject to offering at least a specified minimum wage.

Those in favor of a minimum wage argue that without it, many employers would not offer wages that can sustain workers, often leading many to require assistance through government programs. Those against it argue that jobs would be lost because many employers couldn't afford to pay minimum wages.

Here's a look of the seven states that, along with the District of Columbia, sport minimums of $10 or more per hour:

SEE ALSO: I've owned a house since I graduated college and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made

Massachusetts: $11 per hour

Massachusetts is a rather expensive place to live, with a median home value recently near $245,000, according to Zillow, which is well above the national median of about $200,000. (It's far higher in some areas — Boston, for example, sports a median value of $648,000.) Its minimum wage has been rising in recent years, jumping from $10 per hour to $11 at the beginning of this year, in the last of three scheduled increases mandated in 2014.

There's talk of further increases, too, with a 2018 ballot question proposed calling for four incremental $1-per-hour increases each year from 2019 to 2022, culminating in a $15-per-hour minimum wage.

Washington: $11 per hour

The median home value in Washington state, according to Zillow, was recently $195,000, a bit below the national median value — but some parts of the state, such as Seattle, at $462,000, sport far higher values. Clearly, many urban Washingtonians would struggle financially if they earned the federal hourly minimum wage of $7.25 — and many would struggle with $11 per hour, too, but the city of Seattle set in motion a gradual increase in its minimum to $15 per hour by 2021.

The state minimum is set to increase further, as well, reaching $13.50 by 2020. Already, there have been conflicting studies about the effects of the increases, citing job losses or the absence of job losses. It's still a bit early to draw firm conclusions, though.

California: $10.50 per hour

California is another state with an incremental ongoing increase in its minimum wage — in its case, up to $15 by 2023. The state's minimum is currently at $10.50 for workplaces with 26 or more workers and $10.00 at workplaces with 25 or fewer, and it's set to rise, respectively, to $11.00 and $10.50 for each group on January 1.

California's law allows for pauses in the progress when the economy is not strong, so annual increases are not quite a sure thing. It, too, is a state with some hefty real estate values. Its median home value, according to Zillow, was recently around $295,000, almost 50% higher than the national median of $200,400. Some cities, of course, sport far higher medians, such as Los Angeles, at $473,000, and San Francisco at a whopping $1 million. Los Angeles has its own minimum wage, which is moving toward $15 at a faster clip, recently rising to $12 per hour from $10.50.

In a demonstration against hate and racism, University of Virginia students held a vigil Wednesday night, retracing the steps white supremacists marched nearly a week ago, according to a news release from the school.

UVA students and faculty were joined by members of the Charlottesville, Virginia community in a powerful display of solidarity in the face of violence that resulted in three deaths and dozens of injuries.

The demonstration was the first large event held by the UVA community since the "Unite the Right" rally.

Read on below to see the images from UVA's "Taking Back the Lawn" demonstration.

SEE ALSO: One week after white supremacists marched chanting 'blood and soil,' students move in to UVA — here's what they say about the 'scars'

Starting at 9 p.m., students began marching along the same path neo-Nazi and white supremacists walked last Friday.

They held candles and sang uplifting songs.

The demonstration included thousands of people from the UVA and Charlottesville communities.

Fortune released its annual "40 Under 40" list of the most influential people under the age of 40, which includes heads of state, musicians, lawmakers, and CEOs from across the globe.

Business Insider took Fortune's list, and pulled out all of the CEOs (and co-founders) of publicly traded companies in order to see if being a young influencer was positive for their respective companies.

For the most part, companies whose CEO appeared on the list fared better than the general market. On average, companies grew 42.83% in 2017 under the direction of their influential heads, compared to an 8.63% gain for the S&P 500.

The list of publicly-traded companies with CEOs under the age of 40 includes familiar names, like Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and lesser known influencers like Parsley Energy's Bryan Sheffield.

Read on to figure out who the most influential young CEOs are in publicly-traded companies that are listed in the United States: 

#32 Ernie Garcia (age 35), Ryan Keeton (age 39), and Ben Huston (age 34)

Company: Carvana (CVNA)

Sector: Tech/Autos

Year-to-date performance: +35.83%

Performance as CEO: +35.83% (Went public in 2017)

Click here to see Carvana's stock performance...

#30 Bryan Sheffield (age 39)

Company: Parsley Energy (PE)

Sector: Energy

Year-to-date performance: -31.25%

Performance as CEO: +11.14% (Went public in 2014)

Click here to see Parsley Energy's stock performance...

#23 Conor Flynn, (age 37)

Company: Kimco Realty (KIM)

Sector: Real Estate

Year-to-date performance: -22.34%

Performance as CEO: -21.85% (Began as CEO in 2016)

Click here to see Kimco Realty's stock performance...

Parts of the US will get to see a total solar eclipse on August 21. 

While the entire country will get to witness at least a partial eclipse, the lucky people who live along a 70-mile-wide streak will be able to see totality – when the moon crosses between the Earth and the sun, completely blocking out the sun's light.

For those who plan to watch the total solar eclipse in person or via livestream, there are a few key stages to keep an eye out for as the moon makes its way across the sun. 

SEE ALSO: Here are the cities in the US where you'll get to see a total solar eclipse

DON'T MISS: Here's what the solar eclipse will look like from different cities around the US

The eclipse kicks off with what's called first contact, when the moon starts to pass across the sun.

The moon will continue to cover up the sun, forming what's known as a crescent sun that looks like this.

After about an hour or so, the moon will almost completely block out the sun. At that point, you'll start to see a bright light radiate out of the sliver of distance between the sun and the moon, known as the "diamond ring."

In the age of peak TV, we’ve gotten to see many series which are constructed to be satisfying after just one season of storytelling.

But it’s important to remember that this is a relatively new phenomenon, that all too often, potentially great shows will get cancelled before getting the chance to reach their full potential.

The list below focuses on scripted series, reaching back over two decades to cover some of television history’s most disappointing ends.

The aim is to remember some of network and cable’s most audacious experiments, for better and for worse.

SEE ALSO: The best TV show of every year since 2000, according to critics

25. “Almost Human” (2013-2014)

In many ways, “Almost Human” was deeply flawed to a degree that made its cancellation understandable — it struggled to balance too many plot threads with an over-reliance on recycled world-building, ultimately failing to coalesce despite some ambitious twists introduced near the end of the first season.

However, creating a good buddy cop team is an art form, and the pairing of Karl Urban as a cranky haunted officer and the eager and optimistic Michael Ealy as his robot partner was an unforgettable mix. The duo had a chemistry that could have led to an enduring franchise, given the chance. At the very least, fans live in hope that they might be paired together again.

24. “Cupid” (1998)

Years before creating the cult favorite “Veronica Mars,” writer Rob Thomas brought ABC a charming romantic-comedy concept: A guy claiming to be the god-like figure of Cupid is running around Chicago, and assigned to monitor his behavior is a psychologist and relationship expert who thinks he’s crazy.

Jeremy Piven’s natural brusqueness is actually a delightful counterpoint to the show’s inherent romanticism, Paula Marshall is a painfully under-appreciated talent, and the fun concept doesn’t lack emotional subtlety. There was a follow-up attempt to make this show about 10 years later, with Bobby Cannavale and Sarah Paulson, which once again failed to launch. But honestly, that doesn’t mean this idea didn’t have merit.

23. “Kings” (2009)

Youtube Embed:
http://www.youtube.com/embed/46AXq0er-Og
Width: 800px
Height: 400px

An alternate universe tale set in a modern day “kingdom” inspired by the tale of David and Goliath, this show theoretically should never have worked. But it was rich with interesting ideas, not to mention an incredible cast (OH HI Ian McShane, Dylan Baker, and Sebastian Shaw) — “Kings” was perhaps too ambitious for its own good, but that same ambition made it addictive as hell.

• It's normal for relationships to have some degree of conflict
• But psychological research has found behaviors that weaken a partnership over time
• Below, find nine of the most common — and what to do instead

Every romantic relationship goes through ups and downs. Even if you just had a massive fight about who stained the living-room couch with coffee (we know: It wasn't you), it's not the end of the world.

That said, certain behavior patterns can weaken a partnership over time, leaving one or both people wanting out.

Psychological literature is rife with examples of such behaviors. Below, we've rounded up nine of the most common.

Note: If you recognize one or more of these patterns in your relationship, that doesn't necessarily mean you're headed for Splitsville. Use this opportunity to take a step back, take a deep breath, and see what you can do to work it out.

SEE ALSO: A marriage therapist says there are 4 good reasons to leave a relationship — and a really bad one

Distancing yourself from your partner

A 2016 study, published in the journal Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice, found there's a deadly combination of characteristics that predict relationship dissatisfaction: sensitivity to rejection and the tendency to cut your partner off emotionally.

People who are really worried about getting hurt might distance themselves from their partners, which ends up making the relationship less satisfying in the long run. In other words, they effectively create what they fear.

If this sounds like you, try telling your partner about your fears. You might be surprised to learn that they share some of those concerns, and you can work through them together.

Closing yourself off to new experiences

A growing body of research suggests that couples who try new things together are happier in their relationship.

The inverse might be true, too: Writing in Psychology Today, clinical psychologist Lisa Firestone says when you stop being open to developing shared new interests, it can hurt the relationship and create resentment between partners.

So take up your partner's offer to try a new restaurant or go hiking instead of spending Saturday at the movies — at least once in a while.

Hiding your finances

Nearly two in five Americans in one poll for the National Endowment for Financial Education said they've lied to their partner about money (financial infidelity), which can lead to fights, distrust, and in some cases divorce.

The problem is that money isn't just about numbers — it can symbolize power and love. So insecurity about what your partner's doing with his or her money means insecurity about the relationship in general.

Before you decide to combine (or even partially combine) finances with your partner, it helps to have a conversation about budgeting and your financial histories, and to come up with guidelines for making big individual purchases.

 The INSIDER Summary:

• INSIDER spoke with 12 celebrity chefs to learn their tips and secrets on how to cook the perfect steak.
• Andrew Zimmern of Bizarre Foods suggested eating a steak at room temperature or cooler for a more tender experience.
• Guy Fieri suggests cooking your steak on high-heat at first to get a nice crust before lowering the flame.

Cooking a perfect steak is probably the highest honor a chef or home cook could receive. Between discrepancies over the "right" cut of meat and the endless debate on whether or not to sear your meat, cooking steak is more of an art form than a science. That's why we brought in the experts.

INSIDER spoke with 12 celebrity chefs, from Food Network and Travel Channel stars like Guy Fieri and Andrew Zimmern to more local culinary celebrities like Jose Enrique and Michael Chernow. Each chef divulged how they cook steak, whether for family and friends or while serving guests at their own restaurants. 

Michael Symon, "The Chew" co-host and owner of Lola Bistro and Mabel's BBQ in Cleveland

"Rib eye is my absolute favorite cut of beef: it’s fatty, tender, and delicious!" said Chef Michael Symon. "At my restaurants, we age USDA prime rib eyes for 24 to 30 days, which results in an incredibly juicy, flavorful steak. They're best grilled over lump charcoal — nothing compares to the tastes that comes from cooking over live fire."

Guy Fieri, "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" host

"The key is to start cooking the steaks at high heat so the outside gets the nice brown crust, then move 'em to a more moderate environment so that the meat can be cooked just right without scorching the outside or overcooking the inside," Guy Fieri said. "That medium-heat situation can be achieved either by moving the steaks from the direct heat part of the grill to the indirect side, or by putting them in a moderately hot oven."

Scott Conant, "Chopped" judge and owner of Scarpetta in New York City.

"With steak, people don't take the proper time to let it rest after cooking," Chef Conant said. "Allowing the meat to rest for about a third of its cooking time will ensure the meat is more tender and less dry. The juices remain in the meat and not on the cutting board when it's cut up.” 

Laurel & Wolf CEO Leura Fine built a business around helping people design their dream home.

Launched in 2014, the digital decorating platform aims to make the interior design process easier for clients by moving almost everything online. After being paired with a designer, customers can purchase furniture and decor from hundreds of vendors on the Laurel & Wolf site.

Fine recently redesigned her own home using personal touches and furniture from vendors that work with her company. Below, get a look inside her Los Angeles home.   

SEE ALSO: We went to Etsy's luxurious office and saw why it's one of the most celebrated in the world

Fine redecorated her entire home in just under three months.

Purchasing items like sofas, rugs, and wallpaper online helped speed up the project's timeline.

"I believe that as a designer and, especially today in 2017, you have to be able to shop online for your clients. It's just not a good use of time to traipse around and look at things in person," Fine said in a press release about the project.

The US will get to see a solar eclipse on August 21. 

While the entire country will get to witness at least a partial eclipse, the lucky people who live along or travel to the 70-mile-wide streak of totality will see the moon completely block out the sun's light as it crosses between the Earth and the sun. 

For those who will be able to watch the total solar eclipse in person, there's plenty to see up in the sky. But there are also some unexpected phenomena that happen on the ground during the eclipse. 

Here are some of the things to keep an eye out for. 

SEE ALSO: Here are the cities in the US where you'll get to see a total solar eclipse

DON'T MISS: Here's what the solar eclipse will look like from different cities around the US

About 15 minutes before the eclipse has reached totality, the environment around you will start to change. Colors will fade or take on a blue-ish hue, according to Mark Littman and Fred Espenek, authors of "Totality: The Great American Eclipses of 2017 and 2024."

Source: "Totality: The Great American Eclipses of 2017 and 2024"

The shadows you cast will start to get sharper than they usually are.

The temperature might feel cooler as the sunlight gets less intense.

No one knows exactly what the total solar eclipse will look like until it actually happens on August 21.

But that hasn't stopped computer scientists from guessing.

Nearly anyone in the US can see the moon partially block the sun on Monday, weather permitting. However, those lucky enough to be in the 2,800-mile-long, 70-mile-wide path of totality will see the moon completely block the sun.

Totality will last about two minutes, and during that time, onlookers will not only view the darkest shadow of the moon, but also the sun's corona — a dim outer atmosphere of high-speed solar particles that's normally invisible during the day.

The corona is somewhat unpredictable, though, since the sun is a giant, dynamic, white-hot ball of super-heated plasma. The star is constantly feeding the corona with high-speed particles and changing its appearance.

To figure out what the corona will look on Monday, a scientific research company called Predictive Science, Inc., enlisted the help of three supercomputers to simulate a visual forecast of totality.

"This is our final prediction of the solar corona for the August 21, 2017 total solar eclipse," Predictive Science wrote on its website Thursday.

The 3D simulations take what is currently known about the sun — its magnetic field, output of particles, rotation rate, and more — and use mathematical models to push the fast forward button, according to a press release posted by the University of Texas at Austin. That university helped power the imagery with its Stampede2 supercomputer, in addition to the San Diego Supercomputer Center's Comet and NASA's Pleiades.

Here are a few of the simulations in the forecast and what they show.

SEE ALSO: How to safely watch the solar eclipse — even if you're not in the path of totality

DON'T MISS: The best live video feeds streaming the 2017 total solar eclipse

This image shows roughly how the corona may appear to people on the ground if they look through a polarized "Newkirk" filter. You can see two lobes on the corona.

Totality's brightness may resemble this image. "These are two different attempts to approximate what the human eye might see during the solar eclipse," Predictive Science said.

By applying some filtering, this view highlights the wispy, almost wave-like tendrils of the corona.

• Donald Trump held a controversial press conference Tuesday, in the aftermath of a deadly white nationalist rally in Charlottesville.

• He blasted the push to remove Confederate statues — sentiments he reiterated Thursday via Twitter.

• Most Confederate statues were erected decades after the war ended.

• Such monuments are potent symbols for the entrenched "Lost Cause" ideology, which serves to defend the Confederacy.

US President Donald Trump took to Twitter Thursday morning to blast the push to remove Confederate statues from public spaces, saying: "Sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments."

His latest series of tweets echoed the sentiments he expressed in his controversial Tuesday press conference. After a deadly protest erupted in reaction to the planned removal of a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee from a park in Charlottesville, Trump drew a connection between Lee and American founding father George Washington.

"So this week it's Robert E. Lee. I notice that Stonewall Jackson's coming down," he said. "I wonder: Is it George Washington next week, and is it Thomas Jefferson the week after? You know, you really do have to ask yourself where does it stop?"

Confederate statues have a complicated history.

The majority were erected between the 1890s and the 1920s, at "the height of Jim Crow, of state-sanctioned segregation, disfranchisement, and lynching," Purdue University history professor Caroline Janney told Business Insider.

For the most part, the hundreds of Confederate statues that cropped up from around the US were erected as political props. And they're clearly continuing to have an impact on public discourse.

Here's a brief history of statues like the patina-coated, equestrian portrayal of Lee that led to three deaths in Charlottesville:

SEE ALSO: Charlottesville started with a statue of Robert E. Lee — Here are 11 Confederate figures whose monuments are sparking controversy across the US

DON'T MISS: It's time to stop coddling the Confederacy

DON'T FORGET: There are still 100s of Confederacy symbols across the US — here's where they are

Pretty much all historical statues, busts, and monuments are propaganda.

When we commemorate historical happenings and figures in public spaces, we are essentially telling future generations what should matter to them and who they should hold in esteem.

Popular opinion changes. Historical heroes rise and fall. History isn't static. This is normal.

But to decry these shifts as changing "history" and "culture" represents a misunderstanding about what these statues are.

Numerouscommentatorshavealreadypointedout that Trump's comparison of slave-holding Founding Fathers like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson and Confederate icons is problematic. The attempt to lump these figures together feels more like historical "whataboutism" than anything. "Some figures stood for something larger,"NPR's Steve Inskeep says.

"I don't think there's much chance of history being wiped away, and these statues don't represent that anyway," College of William and Mary history professor James Whittenburg told Business Insider.

The Confederate monuments in particular represent an attempt to influence how we view a movement which sought to break up the US and establish a new nation based on slavery.

So how did the losing side of a war fought 152 years ago come to establish a publicity campaign so successful that they erected states in 33 states, including D.C.? Why, in 2017, does the US president feel the need to defend their long-dead military leaders?

Thank the Lost Cause movement.

The monuments further the post-war narrative of the 'Lost Cause.'

"The Lost Cause was a story former Confederates crafted to present their cause in the best possible light," Janney says.

That effort consisted of three basic tenets, according to Janney:

1. The South lost the Civil War due to superior Union resources and military power, not because of the decisions of military and political leaders like Lee and Confederate president Jefferson Davis. And certainly not because they were wrong.

2. Secession was constitutional.

3. Slavery was not the cause of the Civil War.

But while this ideology started early — promoted by former Confederate generals like Jubal Early — the statues didn't crop up right after the war.

Immediately after the Civil War, efforts to commemorate Confederate soldiers in the South focused on mourning and burying the dead.

Soon enough, however, "... public monuments became a central means of rewriting history from the Confederate perspective — 'righting history,' their patrons said," writes Cynthia Mills in "Monuments to the Lost Cause."

"They come in waves," Whittenburg said. "When there's a perceived threat to the South or within the South."

The Southern Policy Law Center's 2016 report on Confederate commemoration highlights this nicely. The peak of public Confederate iconography occurred in 1911 — 46 years after the end of the war, but only two years after the founding of the NAACP.

Other, less sharp spikes occurred after race riots in the 1920s and during the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s.

Whittenburg said the monuments tend to come from attempts by the political and business elite to "re-enforce or reinvigorate their claim to authority."

"They manipulate the memory through statues and other symbols," he added.

Lee, whose statue sparked the violence in Charlottesville, was personally not a proponent of Confederate memorials, according to ABC. Still, he is a popular subject of Confederate statues.

Whittenburg says that in the years after the war, Lee proved to be a powerful figure of reunification for white Southerners and white Northerners. But first, Lee had to be "cleansed of slavery and treason" in the public perception, according to Whittenburg.

So Lee's personal virtues and military prowess have been overemphasized, at best, and his connection to slavery has downplayed over time — despite his own status as a slave owner.

The cleansing worked.

"After he died, Lee was a hugely popular figure in the North as well as the South," Whittenburg said.

The Lost Cause has lost some power over the years.

Today, the acceptability of commemorating Confederate figures and what they stood for in public spaces has been increasingly called into question.

After all, these statues are mostly products of a time marred by "extreme racial violence, as Southern whites pushed back against what little progress had been made by African-Americans in the decades after the Civil War,"writes Karen L. Cox in the New York Times.

If anything, the violence in Charlottesville has just spurred different locales to speed up the removal of this controversial statuary.

As a result of this shift, the statues have morphed into political lightning rods.

"They're serialized symbols," Whittenburg says. "They pop up every once in a while when there is controversy and they become rallying points."

Today, they've become rallying points once more. An emboldened coalition of white nationalists has latched onto the issue of the monuments.

"The important thing is what they mean now," Whittenburg said. "I think Trump probably sees what they mean now, pretty clearly."

The Insider Picks team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships, so we get a share of the revenue from your purchase.

Gamers have usually tried to stand out by getting really good at a particular game, or sticking with a certain console.

Microsoft wants to make it easier to add some flair to your gaming set up by letting you design a custom controller through an online tool.

It's simple to use, but gives you enough options that you probably won't ever see one like it. I've walked through the creation process below so you'll know what to expect if you make one yourself.

Start designing your own Xbox controller here >>

SEE ALSO: 7 tech accessories every avid gamer should own

You start with a plain, black controller, and can change the color of its body or jump ahead to a different part. At the bottom you'll also notice a button that lets you switch between a 2D and 3D view.

Picking a color gives you a high resolution view of how the controller will look.

Each color choice carries over through the different steps, so you can mix and match until you find a combination that fits your aesthetic.

We've waited several years, but the day has finally come. Netflix's big superhero teamup, "The Defenders," is available on the streaming site Friday, August 18.

Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage are all meeting for the first time, and, when so many egos abound, it's little surprise that all of them don't get off to the best start with each other. For better or worse, they'll have to put aside their differences to take down The Hand, a group of mystical ninjas who are trying to destroy New York City.

Though you may be familiar with Iron Fist and Daredevil now, many of the hero's looks were completely different when first introduced in the comics. Halloweencostumes.com provided INSIDER with side-by-sides of how the show characters compare to their comic-book counterparts. 

Keep reading to see what you need to know about all the big characters you'll see in the miniseries. 

Charlie Cox plays Matt Murdock/Daredevil, the Devil of Hell's Kitchen. The character's original suit in the '60s was much brighter in contrast.

At the end of "Daredevil" season two, Murdock gives up the suit to focus on being an everyday lawyer. He'll quickly be brought back into the fray when the group he's been trying to fight off threatens all of New York City.

Daredevil has had a few costume changes throughout the years. A year after the comic first debut, he started wearing a red suit with a double D on the chest. Though Murdock fights against the Hand in the Marvel series, he became their leader at one point in the comics.

Murdock's former love interest, Elektra Natchios (Elodie Yung), was introduced in the comics wearing a much more revealing outfit.

The martial arts expert is brought back from the dead to serve the Hand after she trained with Stick in both the Netflix series and the comics.

Her comic look has always focused on showing off her curves in a tight red outfit, even when she has been sketched as an elephant and an ape (really). Only the newer comic series has shown her in a full body suit.

On the miniseries, she's grounded in reality and wears a more realistic outfit for combat. The one thing you won't see on Marvel's mini-series is the red headpiece. Yung wears it as a scarf and cover to mask her face. 

Claire Temple (Rosario Dawson) is the link who connects all of the Defenders together in the show, but that's not the case in the comics.

Temple is the nurse who has helped out each and every character on one of their shows and she's currently dating Luke Cage, which should be interesting if Jessica Jones finds out. She's actually a combination of two comic characters — Temple and Linda Carter, the Night Nurse.

In the comics, Temple introduces herself as a doctor to Cage and becomes an early love interest of the character. It's Carter who came to the aid of and treated different heroes when injured, including Cage, Iron Fist, and even Elektra.