• An electric toothbrush lets you maintain proper oral health by helping you brush better and more consistently than using a manual toothbrush.
• High-quality electric toothbrushes should be compatible with a variety of brush heads, are able to consistently hold a charge, and offer some form of feedback to help you improve your brush habits. 
• Our top pick, the Oral-B Pro 1000, is an excellent option that offers force feedback to alert you when you're brushing too hard, works with up to nine different brush heads, and won't break your budget.
• This article was medically reviewed by Dr. André V. Ritter, DDS, MS, MBA, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Cariology and Comprehensive Care at the NYU College of Dentistry. 

You've probably heard the saying, "You only need to brush and floss the teeth you want to keep." While those words are undeniably tongue-in-cheek, there's considerable truth to them. Proper oral care, which includes twice-daily brushing and once-daily flossing, is critical if you want to hang onto your choppers well into old age. 

Do you really need an electric toothbrush?

Electric toothbrushes, as opposed to manual ones, use battery power to create gentle vibrations and movements of the bristles to clean teeth and remove plaque. According to the American Dental Association, both manual and electric toothbrushes are effective at removing plaque if properly wielded. The problem, however, comes with the "properly wielded" part. Many people fail to brush the full recommended two minutes, don't carefully work the brush around the entire set of teeth and the gum line, and don't brush gently but with speed. By contrast, a good electric toothbrush:

• Oscillates thousands — even tens of thousands — of times per minute, as compared to the typical 300 strokes per minute when brushing manually
• Removes more plaque than a manual toothbrush
• Has a signal or timer of some type to motivate longer brushing
• Is easier for people with arthritis or other hand weaknesses to use
• Is likelier to reduce gum disease than a manual toothbrush

Who should use an electric toothbrush?

While anyone can choose to use an electric toothbrush, there are some people specifically who can benefit from them.

According to Dr. Ira Handschuh, a general and cosmetic dentist at The Dental Design Center in White Plains, New York, one example of someone who should use an electric toothbrush are those undergoing orthodontic care, especially since electric brushes are able to get to those hard to reach regions that manual brushes cannot.

This applies equally to anyone with permanent retainers or other long-term dental fixtures, too. Dr. Handshuh also recommends that elderly patients, those who have had a stroke, or those with dexterity issues use an electric toothbrush.

To help you keep your teeth healthy and strong, we've done the research and testing to bring you a selection of electric toothbrushes we feel are the best currently available. In addition to our own testing, we listened to product owners and received advice from dentists and dental hygienists when making our decisions.

At the end of this guide, we've included some insight into the misconceptions about electric toothbrushes, as well as the other models we tested and considered but didn't ultimately make the cut.

Here are the best electric toothbrushes:

• Best overall: Oral-B Pro 1000
• Best mid-priced electric toothbrush:Hum by Colgate Electric Toothbrush
• Best with replaceable battery: Quip Plastic Electric Toothbrush 
• Best advanced electric toothbrush: Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9700
• Best for kids: Philips Sonicare for Kids
• Best for gum health: Philips Sonicare 2 Series Plaque Control

Updated on 1/15/2020 by Rick Stella: Updated the introduction and the section on the misconceptions about electric toothbrushes, checked the availability of each recommended brush, and updated the prices and links where necessary.

SEE ALSO: The best teeth whitening kits you can buy

Best overall

The Oral-B Pro 1000 is budget-friendly, highly effective, and compatible with a wide range of replacement brush heads.

Pros: Great price, effective at removing plaque, many types of compatible brush heads

Cons: Not as fast or as powerful as some newer electric toothbrushes

The Oral-B Pro 1000 is a no-frills electric toothbrush, but it gets the job done, and it gets it done well. It comes with a CrossAction brush head that reaches into every nook and cranny between and within your teeth to scour away up to 300% more plaque than a manual toothbrush would remove.

If you prefer another type of brush head, however, there are plenty to choose from; the Oral-B Pro 1000 is compatible with nine different Oral-B heads, including whitening, sensitive, extra gum line cleaning, deep clean, orthodontic care, and floss action. Just twist and pull to switch out the brush head.

The toothbrush handle has an easily accessible on/off button, and the brush vibrates gently every 30 seconds to let you know it's time to move on to the next quadrant of your mouth. Press too hard, and the toothbrush will stop rotating — overly vigorous tooth brushing is a major cause of gum irritation. When you let up the pressure, the brush will automatically begin to spin once again.

Expect to recharge the Oral-B Pro 1000 about once per week. You'll see a flashing red light when the battery is getting low. The recharging base is very small, so there's no need to clear much counter space.

Best mid-priced electric toothbrush

The Hum by Colgate Toothbrush works great, costs less than other premium models, and has a sophisticated smartphone app for monitoring oral health.

Pros: Affordable, easy to use, great design, can subscribe to brush heads, smart app connectivity

Cons: Not as many fancy settings as high-end ones

The Hum by Colgate proves that not all worthwhile electric toothbrushes need to be expensive. Although it's not as customizable and in-depth as other top-tier options on the market, the Hum electric toothbrush features three pulse settings — normal, sensitive, and deep clean — and pairs with an app that helps monitor your progress and overall oral health.

The Hum by Colgate toothbrush comes with the charging stand and a travel case for $69.97. Alternatively, you can pick the battery-powered model, which comes with two AAA batteries and a travel case, for $49.99. The key difference between the two models is that the battery-powered version only has two pulse settings — normal and sensitive. 

I was thoroughly impressed with the thoroughness of the Hum app. For your first use, you have to brush your teeth without any assistance. The purpose of this is to see how much coverage you get with your current brushing techniques and to show you where there is room for improvement. The average person only covers 60% of their mouth when they brush, but I was able to get 100%, admittedly from developing better brushing techniques from the other smart toothbrushes I've used.

Although you can open the app and track your progress while you brush, your results are still recorded if you don't have your phone nearby with a feature called offline brushing. This is a great feature because it can be hard to get used to grabbing your phone every single time you need to brush your teeth.  — Amir Ismael

Best with a replaceable battery

The Quip is a sleek-looking toothbrush that's great for use at home or when traveling. It is affordable, yet it's very effective and more substantial than disposable options.

Pros: Low price, great for travel, sleek design, replaceable head and battery, comfortable to use

Cons: Not the most powerful, no adjustable settings, plastic version has limited color options

Quip is one of the many new companies looking to disrupt traditional industries — electric toothbrushes, in this case. You can argue that it doesn't do anything different than other similar products, but it's hard to find an electric toothbrush this good-looking.

The plastic version has a nicely contoured handle that's easy to hold and slim enough to fit inside a travel Dopp kit. It takes a single AAA battery, so there's no need to carry around a charging station. There's only one mode, so it's a no-brainer to use. There are no rotating heads, but the sonic vibrations are more effective than brushing manually, and a 2-minute timer (four 30-second pulses, with a short pause in between) ensures you get the recommended brushing time (it's accepted by the American Dental Association).

I use a silver metal version of the Quip, which is similar to the plastic model in terms of usage. Admittedly, it doesn't feel that much different than the Oral-B manual toothbrush that I also use, but the vibrating bristles make brushing my teeth feel cleaner in less time. However, it's definitely nowhere as powerful as my old trusty Oral-B electric toothbrush (which I've stopped using because I can't find the charging base).

Senior reporter Connie Chen said in her review, "Quip solved my two biggest problems with teeth brushing: making sure I was brushing long enough and replacing my toothbrush regularly. It keeps me honest, and I just let my mind wander for the four minutes a day I spend maintaining my oral hygiene."

Yes, most budget electric toothbrushes will seem less solid and effective than a premium model, but you're also not spending $50-$100 for a complex tool. The whole concept around Quip is to get people to brush more (and to sign up for its $5 three-month refill plan).

The Quip isn't innovative by any means, but for people who don't brush regularly or replace their toothbrush often enough, the Quip is a nice (and stylish) solution to those problems. With that said, Quip can get costly if you opt for the metal or special editions and you add-on the extras.

Insider Reviews senior reporter Connie Chen compared the Quip to other similar electric toothbrush startups. See how it compares. — Les Shu

Read our full review of Quip electric toothbrushes

Best advanced electric toothbrush

The Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9700 is the closest you'll get to daily cleanings at the dentist. 

Pros: Protective pressure and motion sensors, five cleaning modes, connects to app for comprehensive monitoring, comes with multiple replacement heads

Cons: All of the features come with a high price tag

If you like to incorporate technology into every part of your life and want to take a super serious approach to dental care, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9700 might be the perfect toothbrush for you. 

At $300, the DiamondClean Smart 9700 is expensive, but before you immediately write it off as being out of your budget, it is not your average electric toothbrush and there is real value in paying so much for the device.

The DiamondClean Smart 9700 features five cleaning modes — Clean, White+, Deep Clean+, Gum Health, and Tongue Care — all of which can be used at three different intensities.

The 9700 comes with the toothbrush, the wireless charging base, the optional wireless charging glass, the USB charging travel case, six replacement toothbrush heads, and a tongue scrubber. The included replacement heads are worth more than $60 separately and partly accounts for the steep price tags. It's worth noting that any electric toothbrush you buy will eventually require replacement heads. The 9700 is good because it will get you accustomed to replacing your brush heads on time — not having them on-hand won't be an excuse. 

As a smart toothbrush, the 9700 connects to the Sonicare app via Bluetooth. In the app, you can set goals like teeth whitening, gum health, fresh breath, or plaque removal. While brushing your teeth, the app will guide you through each session to help you cover all areas of your mouth and meet your goals. Most people don't brush their teeth systematically — their method usually consists of going all over the place and hoping they hit every part.

With the app, you won't have to worry about not brushing long enough or missing a spot. Most toothbrushes pulse when it's time to move on to the next part of your mouth (so does the 9700), but having the additional visual representation of your teeth and brushing coverage in the app makes it more effective. If you do miss a spot, the app will give you a few extra seconds to go back and clean them. The toothbrush and app will also help you correct all of the things you might be doing wrong like brushing too hard or too fast with the built-in pressure and motion sensors.

Another feature that makes this toothbrush smart is its ability to automatically detect what type of brush head is on. If you switch to a whitening head, it will automatically set to the White+ setting.

Immediately after the first use with the DiamondClean Smart 9700, I could tell that my teeth were cleaner than they had ever been with any other toothbrush. I didn't feel any remaining grit on my teeth or along my gumline. After using the 9700 for over a month, I saw results in whitening my teeth. 

The toothbrush and app have made it much easier to maintain good dental health. You know how your dentist reminds you to brush twice daily and to floss regularly every time you go for a scheduled cleaning? Well, the app does it daily, so you won't have to wait six months for your next appointment to get that reminder. 

Overall, the DiamondClean Smart 9700 is worth the money. Yes, it's expensive, but so are dental bills. Considering you only get one set of teeth, this toothbrush is a good way to prevent or improve existing dental issues. If there's something frivolous of equal value that you want to buy, consider buying this instead. — Amir Ismael

Best for kids

Getting your children to brush properly twice per day can be a struggle, but with the fun Philips Sonicare for Kids, they might actually beg to brush their teeth.

Pros: App makes brushing fun, brush head is sized for children's mouths, very effective at removing plaque and debris from teeth and gum line

Cons: Your child will eventually outgrow the cutesy app

Kids and good oral hygiene are typically not a natural combo. Most kids are either reluctant to brush or do a poor job at cleaning their teeth. The Philips Sonicare for Kids makes brushing fun, however, turning a routine task almost into a video game, thanks to the free Bluetooth-compatible app that encourages and rewards good brushing techniques.

Like all Sonicare toothbrushes, the kids' brush uses patented sonic technology for up to 75% more effective removal of plaque and debris than a manual toothbrush. It has a built-in two-minute timer and alerts the child to switch quadrants every 30 seconds while brushing. There are two speed settings, and the brush comes with eight stickers to customize the handle.

But where the fun really starts is with the free app that not only teaches kids about the whys and hows of good oral hygiene, it also turns brushing into a game. Your child will get to adopt a "Sparkly," a cute little creature that gives brushing tips while your child "brushes" the Sparkly's teeth. The app also tracks performance, making it easy to reward good hygiene. Just set your smartphone or tablet where your child can watch while brushing.

Over and over, buyers comment that their kids went from being brushing-resistant to actually wanting to brush their teeth. Many state that their child's dental appointments are much, much better since switching to the Sonicare.

The Philips Sonicare for Kids is recommended for ages three and up if the child is using the brush on their own. Younger children should have assistance from an adult, however.

Best for gum health

If your gums aren't what they used to be, the Philips Sonicare 2 Series Plaque Control can help bring them back to good health.

Pros: Excellent for gum care, reasonable price

Cons: Replacement heads are expensive

According to dental health website AsktheDentist, sonic toothbrushes, which oscillate at astonishing rates — up to 31,000 strokes per minute at full speed — are more effective at reaching and removing plaque between the teeth and beneath the gum line, making a sonic toothbrush the best bet for anyone with gum issues, those who are lackadaisical about flossing, and the majority of people over age 40. Of course, in the oral hygiene field, sonic toothbrush generally means Sonicare, by far the biggest name in the industry.

And out of the many Sonicare models available, the best bet for gum trouble is the Philips Sonicare 2 Series Plaque Control toothbrush. Like all Sonicare brushes, the sonic cleaning action drives fluid between the teeth and under the gum line to break up and remove more plaque than regular toothbrushes, yet the brush is gentle enough to use on orthodontics, implants, veneers, and sensitive teeth. The slim, angled neck makes it easy to reach way back in your mouth, and the timer lets you know when two minutes are up. In fact, the brush automatically turns itself off.

The Philips Sonicare 2 Series Plaque Control even eases you into the sonic brush experience by slowly increasing the power over the brush's first 14 uses, giving you plenty of time to adjust to the ultra-oscillating speed.

A negative, however, is the high price of the replacement heads. Still, if you want a sonic toothbrush that's powerful on plaque, yet gentle on your gums, and you don't need a lot of bells and whistles, this is a great choice.

What else we've considered

Oral-B iO Series 8 Electric Toothbrush, $249.99

As a top-tier smart toothbrush, the Oral-B iO Series 8 was compared to the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart 9700. It has a similar smart app that helps you track things like coverage, pressure, and brush time. The toothbrush comes with a charging stand, a travel case, and two replacement brushes.

The iO Series 8 also has a color display that greets you and displays the current settings. It's a nice touch, but it doesn't improve the performance. Although it's $50 cheaper than the 9700, it still fell short as the best state-of-the-art toothbrush for a few key reasons.

The Oral-B iO has six cleaning modes — Daily Clean, Whitening, Gum Care, Sensitive, Intense, and Super Sensitive — but the 9700's five modes and three sensitivities allowed for more personalization. 

Another thing that disappointed me was the lack of toothbrush covers. I was able to pick up a six-pack on Amazon for $7, but for $250, you'd expect at least one to be included. 

Considering the cost of replacement brush heads, plus the extra accessories you get like a charging case and fancy wireless charging glass, the $300 DiamondClean 9700 is a better buy. I would recommend the Oral-B iO Series 8 to anyone who really can't spare the extra $50 but still wants a high-end toothbrush, as well as anyone who prefers the round style of the Oral-B heads.

Goby Electric Toothbrush, $55-$80

As our previous pick for the best mid-priced electric toothbrush, the Goby Electric toothbrush is still a worthwhile consideration if you don't need or want connectivity to a smart app.

Insider Reviews deputy editor Malarie Gokey said, "I usually use a Philips Sonicare electric toothbrush, which costs more than $100, so I was blown away by the $55-$80 price tag of the Goby toothbrush. Equally surprising was just how good it was. I love the two different speed settings and how the moving bristles polish away stains on my teeth and any tartar or plaque that builds up." 

She also appreciated the affordable brush head replacements. At $6, they're much cheaper than replacements for brands like Philips Sonicare and Oral-B.

Misconceptions about electric toothbrushes

"It's a misconception that using an electric toothbrush will guarantee a healthy mouth," Dr. Handschuh told Insider. "Brushing with both manual brushes and electric brushes can be challenging, and if not used properly, can lead to gum disease advancing, potential cavities, and other oral complications. I always take the time to review the proper brushing techniques with all my patients."

Regardless of what type of toothbrush you decide to wield, it's important to maintain proper techniques like brushing twice daily, reaching every part of your mouth including your gums and tongue, and not brushing too hard or too long.

If you do decide to go with an electric toothbrush, Dr. Handschuh recommends choosing one with soft bristles — never hard. 

"I always stress that you should not put too much pressure on the gums, as that can cause the gums to recede with time and even wear away tooth structure," says Dr. Handschuh. "Many electric toothbrushes actually come with timers, so patients can monitor the length of time brushing, as well as pressure sensors to ensure patients do not damage teeth and gum tissue."

Check out our other oral care guides

The best whitening toothpaste

The best teeth whitening kits

The best toothbrushes

The best mouthwash

The best toothpaste

The best dental floss

The UK market could offer cheap opportunities for investors looking to play the reflation trade as the economy recovers over the course of 2021, according to a Barclays equity note published on Thursday, featuring Emmanuel Cau, Head of European Equity Strategy for the investment banking division.

British markets have underperformed relative to international peers, with the FTSE 100 trailing the US' S&P 500 by more than 80%. This is largely due to the heavy weighting of value and cyclical companies dominating the UK landscape, but with economic recovery on the cards for 2021, this may prove to the UK's advantage.

For years, large-cap growth companies in the US have dominated headlines with exponential growth aided by low interest rates, providing cheap capital to quickly scale. This dominance was only exacerbated during the pandemic with the rush to Big Tech and the so-called 'stay-at-home' stocks. However, with vaccine programs being rolled out across the world, investors are getting increasingly bullish on the potential for economic growth this year.

This is, conventionally, a positive for value, or cyclical stocks, like the banking and energy sectors, as their performance is closely linked to that of the economy. To some extent this was witnessed in the fourth quarter of 2020, where investors rotated out of some growth and fixed-income assets and into these value stocks following the emergence of an effective vaccine, which many saw as a route towards a quicker recovery. 

The FTSE 100 has a strong tilt to these sectors, with value stocks accounting for around 40% of the index and with strong weighting in the commodity and financial sectors, it is well-placed to benefit from this ongoing rotation, the note said, putting the UK back on investor's radars.

But it won't be long before UK stocks put an end to their serial underperformance. The UK is "relatively cheap and under-owned, but this is starting to reverse now, with domestic plays and the pound seeing a bid lately," it said, making it a prime beneficiary of the reflation trade.

Typically, the "reflation trade" refers to a push out of bonds and into economically sensitive equities, given that the returns from fixed income are undermined by a pickup in inflation over time. 

"We think it offers an attractive mix of reflation exposure and downside hedge, and note that its relative earnings momentum is rebounding," the note added.

Admittedly, Brexit will be act as a drag on sterling for years to come and the UK's COVID death and infection rate is among the worst in the world. But if the vaccines succeed this would create an even bigger activity rebound, the note said. 

"Within the UK, we like Commodities, Financials, Industrials and Discretionary, from a reflationary perspective while avoiding Healthcare, Staples, Telecoms and Real Estate," it added.

Barclays highlight these 8 stocks as strong conviction stock ideas in the first quarter of the this year and the catalyst which should trigger their respective gains:

TP ICAP

• Ticker: TCAP.LON
• Sector: Financial Services
• Market Cap: £1.3 bln
• % Upside: 76%

Analyst commentary (Michalis Onisiforou):

• "TP ICAP is currently trading near its 10-year low, on an adjusted PE of c.6x. We expect the completion of both redomiciliation and a rights issue in 1Q to boost confidence in management's ability to execute on their strategy."

Trade conviction:

• "We believe TP ICAP can capitalise on the structural growth of OTC derivatives (10YR CAGR +8%) and the growing importance of proprietary 75.9 data. The proposed deal with Liquidnet represents an important step towards diversification of the company's revenue base and we think current valuation at c. 6x adjusted PE ignores the potential for enhanced top-line growth and operational leverage improvement."

Trade Catalyst:

Completion of redomiciliation and rights issue, expect completion of this in 1Q to boost confidence in management's ability to execute their strategy, the note said.

"As deal completion uncertainties are removed and investor confidence grows, we expect TP ICAP to also benefit from a potential macro rotation out of Growth stocks and into Value stocks once as the fallout from Covid begins to ease," it added.

Imperial Brands

• Ticker: IMB.LON
• Sector: Tobacco
• Market Cap: £15.5 bln
• % Upside: 30%

Analyst commentary (Gaurav Jain):

• "TP ICAP is currently trading near its 10-year low, on an adjusted PE of c.6x. We expect the completion of both redomiciliation and a rights issue in 1Q to boost confidence in management's ability to execute on their strategy."

Trade conviction:

• "We think IMB is a compelling turnaround candidate, especially when one CMD: 27-Jan layers in the potential share repurchase story. While critics will argue that this is manufactured EPS growth driven by share repurchases, we think that for a stock trading at c6x P/E, a re-rating to a less onerous multiple such as 8x-9x would be possible."

Trade Catalyst:

• Capital Market Day: 27-Jan -

  • "We think Imperial is present in too many categories and is prioritising countries where it has insignificant market share (Japan, Saudi, Russia, Italy) rather than focusing on its key markets of the UK and Germany where it has persistently lost share. We think at the CMD the CEO may outline ambitions of strengthening and deepening the core tobacco business, with a focus on two NGP categories (e-cigs and modern oral), which we believe would be met with investor enthusiasm."

  • "We think a potential narrative refocusing on the core tobacco business would be met with investor enthusiasm and Imperial could provide significant alpha should it refocus on core competencies."

BT Group

• Ticker: BT.A.LON
• Sector: Telecommunications
• Market Cap: £14.1 bln
• % Upside: 26%

Analyst commentary (Maurice Patrick):

• "BT Group should see one of the stronger Covid-19 recoveries in the EU Telco space and we note 1Q catalysts in the Ofcom regulation review and 5G Spectrum auction."

Trade conviction:

• "We believe BT should see one of the stronger positive Covid-19 recoveries in the EU Telco space. We expect +4% EBITDA growth in FY22,accompanied by largely de-risked consesus forecasts. We note that 2Q saw the first increase to consensus for at least two years, implying we could be at the end of negative earnings revisions."

Trade Catalyst:

• Ofcom fixed regulation: (expected by Mar-2021)
  • "Should the review be in line with our expectations, it is likely to be a postive event in our view."
• 5G spectrum auction: (early 2021):
  • "We model total proceeds of £4bn for the auction."

Lancashire

• Ticker: LRE.LON
• Sector: Insurance
• Market Cap: £1.8 bln
• % Upside: 25%

Analyst commentary (Ivan Bokhmat):

• "Lancashire's FY20 results (10-Feb) are likely to positively surprise investors; both the uptick in demand flagged by management and the lower-than-expected increase in retro costs bode well for 2021's volume outlook."

Trade conviction:

• "Widely perceived to be a cyclical play, Lancashire may be at the best point in the reinsurance rate cycle since 2012 in our view. We conservatively model 10% top-line growth in 2021E (after 14% in 2020E) and a 4pp improvement in the attritional loss ratio. This should help the company return to 12-14% ROE in 2022-24, or even higher."

Trade Catalyst:

• FY20 results: 10-Feb
  • "We believe results are likely to positively surprise investors (particularly on growth) and we see positive volume outlook for 2021."

AstraZeneca

• Ticker: AZN.LON
• Sector: Health care
• Market Cap: £95.6 bln
• % Upside: 23%

Analyst commentary (Emily Field, CFA):

• "On AstraZeneca, we note numerous clinical catalysts in 1Q and a strong launch pipeline, which lead us to view FY results (11-Feb) and guidance as potentially positive catalysts."

Trade conviction:

• "We believe AZN has a broader R&D pipeline than its peers, with the potential for some value to be realised via upcoming readouts in 1Q21. We anticipate AZN to have the largest 2020e-2025e sales and EPS CAGR among peers, and note common points of investor pushback become less consequential over time to the AZN story."

Trade Catalyst:

• Clinical catalysts; FY20 Results: 11-Feb

  • "We note numerous clinical catalysts in 1Q and a strong launch pipeline leading us to view FY results and guidance as potentially positive catalysts."

Diploma

• Ticker: DPLM.LON
• Sector: Professional Services
• Market Cap: £95.6 bln
• % Upside: 23%

Analyst commentary (Emily Field, CFA):

• "On Diploma, we see recent M&A as complementary to the underlying strengths of the business and we expect continuing improvement on revenue and margins in both the 1Q/1H trading updates (20-Jan/24-Mar)."

Trade conviction:

• "DPLM has a 20-year track record for delivering DD EPS growth, through a combination of organic growth and M&A, while sustaining a mid- to high- teens ROIC. Recent M&A has marked a step change in terms of M&A strategy and scale, and our analysis indicates a potential 5yr EPS CAGR of 16% from adding bolt-ons and mid-sized deals."

Trade Catalyst:

• 1Q Trading: 20-Jan; 1H Trading: 24-Mar

  • "We expect favourable top-line trends and margin improvement from the April 2020 troughs, noting easier comps from March 2021 onwards."

Coco-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company

• Ticker: CCH.LON
• Sector: Consumer Staples
• Market Cap: £8.5 bln
• % Upside: 15%

Analyst commentary (Ewan Mitchell):

• "We believe CCH's ESG qualities are underappreciated; we are ahead of BBG consensus (we forecast FY20 EBIT of €650m vs €611m); and we see its valuation discount as too low vs The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP)."

Trade conviction:

• "CCH is our preferred name in soft drinks this year. In our view it has 14.9 underappreciated ESG qualities;we are ahead on BBG cons; and its valuation discount is too low vs The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) and Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP)."

Trade Catalyst:

• FY20 earnings: 12-Feb

  • "We forecast FY20 EBIT of €65 0m vs BBG cons of €611m, driven by our GM estimate of 37.7% or flat YoY compared with consensus of -20bps."

Melrose

• Ticker: MRO.LON
• Sector: Manufacturing
• Market Cap: £8.5 bln
• % Upside: 15%

Analyst commentary (Ewan Mitchell):

• "On Melrose, we think an announcement on the sale of Nortek Air is possible in 1Q, which we believe could generate proceeds of £2.39-2.68bn, and we are ahead of consensus expectations for FY results on 4-Mar."

Trade conviction:

• "Underpinned by management's strong track record on cost and execution, we see a significant recovery in margins across all three divisions in the GKN business, from the trough in 2020. We expect the crystallisation of value through group asset sales, with proceeds used to strengthen the B/S, as well as being returned to shareholders."

Trade Catalyst:

• FY20 Results: Mar-4

  • "We forecast FY20 EBITA of £325m vs. BBG cons £311m with newsflow in Automotive showing a stronger-than-expected Dec volume performance."

• Sale of Nortek Air (possible in 1Q)

  • "We estimate potential proceeds of £2.39-2.68bn."

Many fast-food restaurants have adopted possible strategies for getting through the coronavirus pandemic, which has drastically shifted how the dining industry functions.

Sanitizing tables, frequent employee hand-washing, and asking customers to wear masks inside are a few ways fast-food chains are shifting indoor dining. Other changes are evident when you stop by your favorite fast-food restaurants, such as more drive-thru lanes and encouraging customers to order ahead and pick up through their phone apps.

Here are 14 ways fast-food restaurants could be different even after the coronavirus pandemic ends.

Read More:Meet the 5 food tech startups offering restaurants profitable alternatives to DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub

SEE ALSO: 12 fast-food items that have been removed from menus in 2020, so far

Employees could be required to continue wearing gloves and masks after the pandemic ends.

At the start of the pandemic, many fast-food chains immediately, including McDonald's, began requiring employees to follow health and safety guidelines like mask-wearing and encouraging physical distancing between crew members and customers when possible. 

While most chains will likely follow CDC and state guidelines on exactly how long after the pandemic "ends" it will require employees to wear masks, it's also possible that COVID-era health measures aren't going anywhere any time soon — even after more people get vaccinated. 

"It's going to be really hard for people to tell apart who has been vaccinated, who hasn't, and who just isn't wearing a mask because they don't want to," Shan Soe-Lin, Ph.D., a lecturer in global affairs at Yale University and epidemiologist told Today. "I would say that until the vaccine is widely available and case counts drop as you would expect with high vaccination coverage, we'll be wearing masks."

Similarly, customers could be told to wear masks inside restaurants well into the future.

Masks are currently required to enter most businesses nationwide. In states where face masks are required, McDonald's has offered to have face masks available for customers in those areas before they enter the building, as part of the restaurant's reopening plan.

Read more: Can a business legally kick you out for refusing to wear a mask? Probably, and here's why.

Experts also explain that even those who have been vaccinated should continue to wear masks until the effectiveness of the vaccine has been proven.

"I think people's perception is you get the vaccine and you're safe and finally we can stop all this masking and social distancing and stuff, but that's not actually reality," Debra Goff, an infectious-disease pharmacist and professor at the Ohio State University, told Insider's Anna Medaris Miller.

Plastic barriers could be the norm at drive-thru windows and counters where orders are taken.

Many fast-food restaurants, from McDonald's to Chick-fil-A to Dunkin', have implemented plastic or glass barriers at point-of-sale stations like drive-thru windows and ordering counters.

It's unclear when these barriers might be removed, or if they'll be a mainstay long after the pandemic has subsided, for the same reasons as mask-wearing may still be required.

Self-serve soda dispensers could be phased out indefinitely at some fast-food restaurants.

According to the New York Post, Burger King, Popeye's, and Tim Hortons locations switched off their self-serve soda dispensers after reopening last May.

"We have turned off our self-serve soda fountains and are offering beverages, extra condiments, and trays from the behind the front counter," Jose Cil, chief executive at Restaurant Brands, which operates the three aforementioned chains, wrote in an open letter.

Cil stated that the company has "fully embraced the notion that parts of our restaurants need to change – certainly, for the foreseeable future and possibly forever." 

As of December 2020, the CDC's considerations for restaurant and bar operators recommends establishments to "avoid offering any self-serve food or drink options, such as buffets, salad bars, and drink stations."

Ordering kiosks and contactless payments could become even more prevalent.

Though one could argue that the constant touching of an ordering kiosk could heighten the spread of germs, this form of payment limits face-to-face, person-to-person contact. However, kiosks will need to be cleaned regularly.

One way fast-food restaurants could continue to operate in the near and distant future is with "contactless" ordering.

McDonald's has implemented contactless pickup and delivery in China and internationally where customers place an order remotely by phone or through an in-store kiosk. Then, customers can pick up their orders from a designated area, without ever coming face-to-face with an employee.

Taco Bell is also implementing similar processes. 

"Our research shows that consumer behaviors changing today that make life easier and safer will be the behaviors that carry into the future, like delivery and mobile ordering, as well as contactless payment and service," Taco Bell CEO Mark King said in an emailed statement to Insider. "We've been working on some of these initiatives for a while, so we're really accelerating the future of digital innovation."

Even chains not traditionally thought of as "fast food" like Chipotle are leaning into contactless pickup and delivery, as well as experimenting with a drive-thru model in 2021. 

Drive-thrus could be the most important part of fast-food chains adapting to changing customer behaviors.

For some customers, going through the drive-thru may still be seen as the most convenient and safest option. 

In March of last year, drive-thrus generated $8.3 billion in sales across the fast-food industry, compared to $8 billion in sales over the same period in 2019. Perhaps even more staggering, in May it was reported that drive-thru sales represented approximately 70% of fast-food sales each month, according to data from the NPD Group, a market research firm, and the New York Times. 

According to Restaurant Business, chains like Del Taco, Burger King, and Jack in the Box are focusing their efforts on drive-thru service. In some versions of Burger King's new drive-thru-focused prototype restaurant, indoor dining seats have been eliminated entirely. Other possible Burger King restaurants of the future could feature outdoor dining areas.

Some fast-food restaurants without drive-thrus could close permanently.

According to the New York Times, drive-thrus have become a "lifeline" for fast-food chains during the pandemic. As the coronavirus pandemic forced many restaurants to shift to a strictly drive-thru or curbside pickup model, other stores without drive-thrus were forced to close.

According to a previous article by Business Insider, some chain restaurants, most of which do not have drive-thru models, have permanently closed over 1,500 locations so far as a result of the pandemic.

Some customers may still prefer to get their meals delivered.

Experts believe many customers will continue to rely on food delivery apps like Postmates, Grubhub, and Seamless for their fast-food orders.

"Certainly the best kiosk in the world is your mobile phone. It's a portable kiosk and you can use it wherever you want and nobody else touches it," Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs told Yahoo Finance. "I think the use of mobile phones for kiosk type ordering will probably become more prevalent, and perhaps using kiosks in stores will become a little bit less part of the business model."

Social distancing measures like blocked-off booths and markers may be in place for a while.

After fast-food restaurants reopened their dining rooms, they embraced creative ways to encourage social distancing in their establishments. 

McDonald's, Chick-fil-A, and Starbucks have all encouraged social distancing between customers by blocking off booths in many of their restaurants. However, the popularity of the fast-food dining room itself could be a thing of the past, experts say.

In October, Burger King CEO John Cappasola explained that demand for dining in at the fast-food chain has been down. As a result, the chain is looking to update its store design to include more drive-thru lanes and no-contact cubbies for pickup orders.

"You may be able to pick up some sales," he told Restaurant Business. "But the drag down on profitability may not be worth it."

Dining rooms will be cleaned more frequently.

One thing you'll probably notice once fast-food restaurant dining rooms reopen is how clean they are. According to the McDonald's reopening plan, workers are required to clean and sanitize tables after each use, and restrooms are required to be cleaned every 30 minutes. 

At Chick-fil-A, workers are also required to disinfect "high-touch areas," such as ordering tablets, credit card readers, trays, and door handles roughly every 30 minutes. 

Some chains may offer hand-washing or sanitizing stations to employees.

Hand washing is still considered one of the main defenses against catching the coronavirus. Recently, Chick-fil-A introduced hand-washing stations for its employees to use in the drive-thru lines.

While no other chains have released information about implementing these, most chains have touted having hand sanitizer available to both employees and customers.

Play places will likely remain closed for a while.

McDonald's and Chick-fil-A previously announced their playgrounds will remain closed until further notice.

Family-style meal deals could be here to stay.

According to a previous article by Insider, a memo received from an anonymous Wendy's employee reads: "Interestingly, Google searches for 'Family Meal Deals' [were] up 250% in the first week of April. The bottom line is, we need to make ordering large meals easier for our customers and our crew by introducing new Family Meal Deal options."

Even today, a year on from the start of the pandemic, customers appear to be interested in fast-food options for the whole family, according to Quick Service Magazine.

David Portalatin, the food industry advisor for the NPD Group, told QSR, "That's the problem that everybody in America must solve today: What's for dinner? And however you could be a part of the solution, whether you are the grocery store, whether you're the restaurant operator, is going to be the key."

"Global" foods could also be a trend in the fast-food industry, according to experts.

Experts told QSR Magazine that restaurants may introduce more global foods as they expand their menus to welcome back customers in the future. Chains are already leaning into "global" flavors, such as Shake Shack's recent release of a "Korean-inspired" menu, although that release was met with criticism.

"Consumer travel will be down, which often helps to drive interest in international cuisines," Maeve Webster, president at food consultancy Menu Matters, told QSR.

Much like the currencies themselves, jobs in the crypto world are growing.

An analysis by job search engine Monster found that job postings with the terms "cryptocurrency,""blockchain," or "bitcoin" grew almost 200% from 2017 to 2018. In 2020, LinkedIn named blockchain as the most desired skill among companies when searching for new applicants. 

Cryptocurrency has been around since 2009, when bitcoin was introduced. Since then, the crypto world has exploded. Now, thousands of cryptocurrencies are available, and products supporting these cryptocurrencies — wallets, trading platforms, and so on — are readily accessible to anyone interested in the decentralized investment. 

Using data from the US Office of Foreign Labor Certification, Insider examined salaries to understand how much employees can make in the crypto universe. Our analysis included nearly 300 visa applications for both crypto-focused jobs at big companies like Facebook and Forbes to crypto-focused companies like Coinbase.

It's worth noting that the H-1(B) data only provides salary information, and does not include other types of compensation and benefits that employees may receive in their roles, like bonuses, performance awards, or benefits. 

Let's dig into the types of jobs in the cryptocurrency industry, how much they pay, and who is currently hiring. 

SEE ALSO: Bitcoin surges back above $40,000 as bulls ignore Christine Lagarde's crypto warnings

There are many jobs open at firms that focus only on cryptocurrency, such as Coinbase.

You typically have two options when looking to work with crypto: You can get a technical job working with cryptocurrency and blockchain, or you can get a more general role at a cryptocurrency company.

Professionals in fields like human resources, project management, or management can work at companies that all have business models built around cryptocurrency storage, investment, consulting, or purchase. 

The company with the highest number of H-1(B) visas was Coinbase, which hired mainly engineers, but also data scientists, recruiters, and operations employees using the foreign worker visas.

Here are a few of the positions Coinbase hired, and how much it paid:

Backend Engineer: $160,000

Business Analytics Associate: $148,500

Business Development Associate: $140,000

Data Scientist: $160,000

Operations Recruiting Manager: $125,100 - $135,000

Senior Engineering Manager: $260,000

Senior Recruiter: $155,015

Current job openings at crypto firms

Though our analysis of H-1(B) only included a few crypto companies, many firms in the crypto space are currently hiring.

The open positions offer work in a variety of professional roles. We've listed those below.

Coinbase positions: 

Business Operations & Strategy Associate

Data Platform Engineer

Staff Software Engineer - Mobile Release & Automation

Salesforce Engineer, CX & Product

Global GL Operations Accountant

Senior Technical Sourcer - Contract

Security Compliance Analyst 

Binance positions:

Business Development Manager - Binance Chain DEX

Data Analyst/BI

API Solution Engineer (Python+Node.JS Developer; Client Support)

Back-End Web Developer (Node.JS)

Performance QA & Test Engineer

Treasury Analyst

Product Manager (Front-End)

Genesis positions: 

Overnight Trader

Security Engineer

Derivatives Attorney

Risk Quantitative Developer

Compliance Administrative Assistant

DevOps Engineer

Lending Operations Analyst

Software Engineer

Depending on the job, visa applications for blockchain positions included salaries from around $60,000 to nearly $200,000.

Blockchain is essentially an open-source database with encrypted accounts of bitcoin transactions— the transactions are stored in clustered "blocks." Together, these blocks form a chain of data called the "blockchain." 

While the highest demand for blockchain jobs is for software engineers, there are a variety of positions that blockchain experts can look into. 

Insider analyzed nearly 100 H-1(B) visas for Blockchain positions at firms in software application development, IT consulting, digital solutions, and more. Many of the visa applications examined for blockchain positions were located in New York and California.

Blockchain Analyst: $66,000 - $103,064

Blockchain Application Architect: $153,000 - $165,000

Blockchain Consultant: $70,283 - $100,700

Blockchain Developer: $77,200 - $120,000

Blockchain Engineer: $80,000 - $160,000

Blockchain Integration Engineer: $108,000 - $150,000

Blockchain Programmer: $85,000 - $100,000

Blockchain Software Engineer: $93,642 - $194,400

Current blockchain job openings

A simple LinkedIn search for the term "blockchain" resulted in more than 3,500 results in the US, including for jobs at big companies like Forbes and Facebook (which has its own cryptocurrency called Libra). 

Below, we've listed a few positions that are open as of January 15, 2021. 

Facebook positions: 

Product Manager, Libra Blockchain

Research Intern, Novi

Privacy and Data Policy Manager

Product Manager, Novi (Core Payments)

Forbes positions: 

Product Owner - Forbes Digital Assets (Digital Assets, Cryptocurrency, and Blockchain)

Digital Assets Digital Analyst

JPMorgan Chase positions:

Product Strategy - Blockchain - VP

Blockchain Product Manager - VP

Blockchain Security Architect

Software Engineering-Blockchain Demos & Networking

Principal Developer - Blockchain Technology

See all current openings on LinkedIn here. 

General crypto jobs

As cryptocurrencies become more mainstream, companies are investing in crypto-specific jobs outside of blockchain. Visa applications included jobs for crypto researchers, engineers, architects, and more. 

Salaries ranged from around $70,000 to over $300,000 and included jobs in Georgia, New York, Washington, and California. 

Cryptocurrency Researcher/Analyst: $121,410

Cryptocurrency Statistical Research Analyst: $70,720

Financial Analyst: Deal Partner Distributed Systems & Crypto: $312,000 - $312,050

Sr. Software Engineer Applets, Crypto & Devices: $131,726 - $160,000

Senior Backend Engineer, Crypto: $155,000 - $160,000

Crypto Engineer: $105,955

Crypto Mining Engineer: $125,000

Crypto Security Solutions Architect: $78,000

Positions currently available in broader crypto jobs include researchers, investigators, and strategy managers.

Though a majority of jobs currently posted in the cryptocurrency industry are for blockchain, there are jobs that focus on different aspects of cryptocurrency as well.

Below, we've listed jobs from the financial transaction firm PayPal and consulting firm KPMG. 

Paypal positions: 

Sr. Cryptocurrency Threat Researcher

Cryptocurrency Investigations Specialist

GFC Manager Crypto & Blockchain Strategy

KPMG positions:

Senior Associate, Crypto Innovation Consultant

Associate, Crypto Innovation Consultant

The above represents only a few of the jobs listed. Other jobs available were at smaller firms investing in crypto talent.

Find a full list of job openings related to cryptocurrency here. 

Whitney Wolfe Herd is used to making bold moves. 

Perhaps that's why on the dating app she cofounded, women make the first move in heterosexual relationships. And Wolfe Herd's next move may be among her boldest — Bumble publicly filed for an IPO on Friday.

The dating company filed a form S-1 for its IPO with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for an offering size of up to $100 million. But that figure is likely a placeholder: Bumble could seek a valuation as high as $8 billion, Bloomberg reported.

The company is looking to trade under the symbol "BMBL" on the Nasdaq. Bumble confidentially filed IPO paperwork with the SEC in 2020, and Bloomberg reported it planned on going public in February, possibly around Valentine's Day, of this year.

A representative for Wolfe Herd at Bumble did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment on Wolfe Herd's career, net worth, or personal life.

Keep reading to learn more about Bumble CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd.

SEE ALSO: Dating app Bumble is preparing for an IPO worth between $6 billion and $8 billion

DON'T MISS: How Bumble grew from a female-focused dating app to a global behemoth that's reportedly headed toward an IPO valued at more than $6 billion

Whitney Wolfe Herd, 31, is a Utah native.

Wolfe Herd was born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, The Times of London reported. Her father is a property developer and her mother is a homemaker, per The Times.

The CEO has been a feminist from an early age, telling The Times that she disliked how Utah's dating culture was dominated by men — women were expected to wait for them to make the first move.

Wolfe Herd went on to attend Southern Methodist University in Texas, and was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma, per Fast Company. She's still close with many of her sorority sisters and even employs a few at Bumble.

Wolfe Herd also launched her first business at 19 while still in college, per Money Inc. After the Deepwater Horizon oil spill pumped crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico for five months in 2010, Wolfe Herd enlisted celebrity stylist Patrick Aufdenkamp to design tote bags that could be sold to help fund relief efforts. The resulting nonprofit, called the Help Us Get Cleaned Up Project, became nationally known after Nicole Richie and Rachel Zoe were spotted with Wolfe Herd's bags.

After earning a degree in International Studies, Wolfe Herd did a brief stint in Southeast Asia.

Wolfe Herd spent her time in Asia volunteering at local orphanages, per Money Inc.

While Wolfe Herd is currently at the head of Bumble, it isn't the first dating app she cofounded.

At 22, Wolfe Herd was hired to work at startup incubator Hatch Labs in Los Angeles, according to The Times of London. After hours, she starting collaborating with a group that was looking to build a dating app.

That app, which is now known as Tinder, quickly grew into a global phenomenon with Wolfe Herd's help. She even came up with the name Tinder, per The Telegraph. She is credited as a cofounder and spent two years as the company's vice president of marketing, per The Times.

Wolfe Herd didn't leave Tinder on good terms.

During her tenure at Tinder, Wolfe Herd dated fellow cofounder and her then-boss Justin Mateen, per The Times of London. She left the company shortly after they split, and filed a lawsuit alleging that she had experienced sexual harassment and discrimination.

The legal dispute was settled privately outside of court, with neither party admitting to wrongdoing.

Following the legal battle, Wolfe Herd also faced online harassment.

"I was inundated with hatred online, lots of aggressive behavior, people calling me names, really painful things that I'd never experienced," Wolfe Herd told The Times in 2018. "I felt like my entire self-worth, any confidence that I had, had been sucked away. There were dark times when I thought, 'Well, this is it. I won't have a career ever again. I'm 24, coming out of one of the world's hottest tech companies, but the internet hates me.' It was a horrible time. Then I woke up one morning and thought, 'I'm going to rebuild myself.'"

Wolfe Herd launched Bumble in 2014, originally planning to build a female-focused social network instead of a dating app.

Wolfe Herd was persuaded to forgo her original plan for the app by former business partner and Russian billionaire Andrey Andreev, according to CNN Business.

The app's women-led model was initially inspired by Sadie Hawkins school dances, where women ask men to be their date, Wolfe Herd told Business Insider in 2015.

"We're definitely not trying to be sexist, that's not the goal," Wolfe Herd said. "I know guys get sick of making the first move all the time. Why does a girl feel like she should sit and wait around? Why is there this standard that, as a woman, you can get your dream job but you can't talk to a guy first? Let's make dating feel more modern."

Wolfe Herd has since expanded the app with additional services to help women meet new friends and expand their professional networks, called Bumble BFF and Bumble Bizz respectively. Bumble has also invested in other apps, including gay dating app Chappy, TechCrunch reported.

Bumble now says it has 75 million users in 150 countries, making it second only to Tinder in popularity.

Wolfe Herd also reorganized and took the helm of Bumble's former parent company, Magic Lab, after its owner was ousted amid accusations of racism and sexism.

In addition to being Wolfe Herd's close friend and business partner who she said she was "incredibly in sync" with and called "two to five times a day," Andreev owned a 79% stake in Bumble, according to Fast Company.

After the allegations of racism and sexism against Andreev were published by Forbes in 2019, Wolfe Herd released a statement saying she had had "nothing but positive and respectful" experiences with Andreev but "would never challenge someone's feelings or experiences."

"All of us at Bumble are mortified by the allegations about Badoo (Bumble's majority owner) from the years before Bumble was born, as chronicled in the Forbes story," Wolfe Herd said in the statement. "I am saddened and sickened to hear that anyone, of any gender, would ever be made to feel marginalized or mistreated in any capacity at their workplace."

Even before she took on her expanded role, Wolfe Herd was already a workaholic.

Wolfe Herd typically wakes up every morning at 5:15 a.m. and immediately starts responding to emails, she told The Times of London.

She has even been known to wake up every two hours during the night to check her inbox. "I'm trying to stop that," Wolfe Herd told The Times in 2017. "I get no downtime. I don't get a weekend, I haven't lived like a twenty-something since I started Bumble in 2014."

Wolfe Herd is also politically active, helping outlaw digital sexual harassment in Texas.

Sending unsolicited nude photos — a phenomenon that has plagued dating apps and even AirDrop — is punishable under a new law championed by Wolfe Herd, Inc. reported. She is now advocating for a similar law in California and hopes it will soon be federal law, too.

"It is time that our laws mirror this way we lead double lives, in the physical and the digital," Wolfe Herd told Inc. shortly after the Texas law was passed in August 2019. "You look at government right now, it only protects the physical world. But our youth are spending a lot more time in the digital world than they are in the physical."

The CEO says she doesn't have political aspirations of her own, however. "I could never run for [office]," Wolfe Herd told The Times of London, saying that she is frequently asked if she's considered it. "There are people so much smarter than me."

Wolfe Herd is also a mom.

Wolfe Herd married Texas oil heir Michael Herd in an elegant three-day ceremony on Italy's Amalfi Coast in 2017, per Vogue.

The couple first met while skiing in Aspen in 2013, but Wolfe Herd first saw him on a dating app. "He has the kind of face you remember," she told The Telegraph.

He is now the president of the oil and gas field operator founded by his late grandfather, Herd Producing Company, and also owns a high-end farm to table restaurant called the Grove Kitchen + Gardens.

The pair have a nine-month-old son named Bobby after Michael's late grandfather, and he makes frequent appearances on Wolfe Herd's Instagram account.

The couple also has a Great Dane named Duke and a yellow lab named Jett, per The New York Times.

"[Duke] is a kind animal but does not understand how big he is," Wolfe Herd told The Times in 2019, while describing her daily after work routine. "At 175 pounds, he could quite literally kill me. I have to lock myself in the car while I wait for my husband to come home and get him away from me."

Wolfe Herd has been open about her struggles with anxiety.

"I haven't gone through the testing, but I should," Wolfe Herd told The Times of London. "It's anxiety about everything. I worry about awful things happening to people I love. They say phones are a strong catalyst for making anxiety worse, so I have this interesting balance — how do I make sure I'm on top of everything, but also preserve my mental health?"

The Herd family splits time between their two Texas houses.

The Herds have one home along the Colorado River in Austin near Bumble's headquarters and another further north in Tyler, near Michael Herd's office, per The New York Times. They also own a vacation home in Aspen, Bumble's chief brand officer Alex Williamson told Aspen Magazine.

The couple also owns Michael's 6.5-acre family estate on Lake Austin, according to Mansion Global. The waterfront compound boasts a movie theater, helipad, putting green, 10 garages, multiple boat docks, and a guest house, as well as a 5,000 square foot cabana designed for entertaining. That property is currently listed for sale for $28.5 million.

They also travel a lot.

Wolfe Herd takes frequent trips for both work and pleasure. Wolfe Herd told Travel +Leisure in 2017 that her all-time favorite trips include a sailing expedition through Myanmar and Thailand and a family trip to India.

For their honeymoon, Wolfe Herd and her husband stayed at Four Seasons resorts in both Bora Bora and Maui after leaving the site of their destination wedding in Italy, according to a blog post by the Indagare, the group that planned the trip.

Wolfe Herd told Indagare that she wanted a beach-heavy honeymoon because she and Herd were "looking for the ideal place to unwind, where we could take in the sun and swim. Our favorite moments were just relaxing and appreciating each other in such beautiful locations."

In July 2019, she celebrated her 30th birthday with a multi-day party on a yacht off the coast of Capri, Italy, per Guest of a Guest.

Wolfe Herd has an estimated net worth of $575 million, but she may soon be much richer.

Wolfe Herd's multimillion-dollar fortune landed her at No. 39 on Forbes' list of the wealthiest self-made women in America in 2020. If Bumble's IPO performs well, her fortune could grow exponentially thanks to her 19% stake in the company.

Bumble's public filing with the SEC revealed the company generated $488.9 million in revenue in 2019, representing 35.8% year-over-year growth. The firm generated $376.6 million in revenue between January 29, 2020, and September 30, 2020. Bumble has 42 million monthly average users and 2.4 million paying users, per the filing.

The company could appear on public markets as soon as 2021, Insider previously reported.

"I feel like what I'm doing is quite important," Wolfe Herd told The Times of London in 2018. "A lot of people are, like, 'What do you mean it's important? It's a dating app.' But it's important because connections are at the root everything we do. Human connection defines our happiness and our health. This company feels like a piece of me. I know this sounds cheesy and weird, but I really feel like it's my mission."

Things have not gone according to plan for fintech startup Plaid. But its investors now say that may be for the best.

In January, Visa agreed to purchase the fintech unicorn for $5.3 billion, giving Plaid's backers a sweet return on their investment — roughly seven years after the company raised its first round of venture capital.

But the deal fell apart on Tuesday, after regulators refused to approve it and instead sued to stop it, saying it was anti-competitive. In the face of that, both parties agreed to walk, they said in a statement.

That's the official story. But people familiar with the situation are saying that Plaid had "buyer's remorse," because the company believes it's worth much more now, and used the lawsuit as an excuse to scuttle the sale, according to Axios.

Read more:Plaid pulled the plug on the Visa deal over price, not antitrust concerns

Plaid's cofounder and CEO Zach Perret now says he's in no rush to find a new buyer and is instead focused on growing the business. Still, there's plenty of speculation that a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, will come calling.

In any case, Plaid's current slate of investors will have to wait before they can cash out their shares. And there's plenty of them. Plaid raised $309 million in four rounds from about two dozen investors and had an estimated valuation of around $2.65 billion before the Visa deal, according to deals database PitchBook.

Plaid's software pipes data between consumer finance apps and banks. The acquisition would have been a critical move for Visa, one of the world's largest payments platforms already, to own that pipe as well.

The price tag on its potential sale to Visa would have made it one of the largest deals in fintech history, which invited a higher level of scrutiny from the Department of Justice. The department sued in November to stop the acquisition alleging that it was anticompetitive, after learning that Plaid was building a tool intended to directly challenge Visa. 

"Continuing to pursue the transaction with Visa would have meant that we continued to litigate with the DOJ. And that process could have taken, minimally, many many months. More likely, more than a year," Perret told Insider.

Investors tell us they're happy 

Plaid may have reason to celebrate staying independent. Early investors say they're convinced that the company will have an even better outcome as the pandemic accelerates adoption of its tools and other fintech services.

In 2020, Plaid said it saw a 60% increase in customer growth and has added "hundreds" of banks to its customer base.

"The world has changed a lot in the past year, and has created even bigger opportunities for Plaid to help consumers interact with the financial system with ease," said David Tisch, a cofounder of BoxGroup, an early Plaid investor.

 Some of its venture capitalists think Plaid is well positioned to maintain that growth in 2021 and beyond, they say.

Read more:Plaid's CEO says the fintech isn't looking for new exit opportunities after its $5.3 billion Visa deal imploded

"The upside from here is massive," said Tisch, who invested in Plaid at the seed stage in 2013.

Hunter Walk, a cofounder of Homebrew, another early Plaid investor, said in an email that he's "thrilled for the team who can continue to grow the value of the company to their benefit (as well as investors)."

Of course, venture capitalists are eager for exits because they're on the clock to give returns to their own investors, like pension funds, university endowments, foundations, and high-net-worth individuals. Mark Goldberg, a general partner at Index Ventures, also a Plaid investor, said he's fortunate his backers "have a long-term view of the funds."

"The timing is less important than the size of the outcomes," Goldberg said. "Our view is that while we had a bird in hand with Visa, a little patience will really pay off in the long run."

Even so, instead of a massive, immediate multi-billion payday, here are the major Plaid investors that will have to wait.

SEE ALSO: Plaid's breakout stars: Meet the 14 people leading key initiatives across the $5.3 billion fintech that's making financial data more accessible

Andreessen Horowitz

Andreessen Horowitz would have been a winner in Plaid's blockbuster sale to Visa. The venture firm invested later than other firms on this list, in 2018, as part of the company's Series C round of funding. But Visa's offer was for double the valuation of that round, so a quick profit.

When the acquisition was first announced, general partner Alex Rampell said it made sense because just as Visa is "a network of banks that service consumers and merchants," Plaid is a middleman for banks and fintech developers, such as Coinbase, Venmo, and Robinhood.

"To a certain extent, Plaid *is* the Visa of fintech, and for Visa, this is a smart bet on the future of financial services," Rampell wrote in the firm's newsletter around the time of the deal.

Now, Rampell said he's "excited" by the company's decision to stay private, even though he thinks the Department of Justice's lawsuit was "misguided," he wrote on Twitter.

Kleiner Perkins

Kleiner Perkins would have been one of the bigger winners because it led that last, Series C venture round in 2018. It was a $250 million round that gave the fintech its unicorn status.

The deal increased Plaid's valuation more than tenfold from the previous round, from $225 million in 2016 to $2.65 billion, Pitchbook estimates.

Mary Meeker, who was then a partner at Kleiner Perkins, helped Plaid raise the $250 million and took a seat on the board, another indication that Kleiner's investment was significant.

"We are excited about the evolution and potential ahead," Meeker told Crunchbase at the time. 

The deal was among her last at Kleiner Perkins before she left to start her own firm, Bond Capital. A Kleiner Perkins spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment.

New Enterprise Associates

Plaid had a simple pitch, said NEA partner Rick Yang: "make money easier." 

"It was a compelling and ambitious mission that aligned well with our deepening investment thesis around fintech," Yang wrote in a blog post around the time of the takeover news.

NEA has been there since Plaid's start, investing in the seed round in 2013. The firm has joined every financing since then, even leading the Series A round in 2015, and has a board seat.

So its payoff in the $5.3 billion Visa deal would have been healthy.

But since that is not to be, "as a board member I wholeheartedly support @ZachPerret and @Plaid's decision to remain an independent company," Yang tweeted on Tuesday.

He said there's "too much opportunity" to grow the business alongside the explosion of fintech, to be distracted by a lengthy legal battle.

BoxGroup

David Tisch, one of New York's top seed investors, got to know Zach Perret as an intern at TechStars, the startup accelerator that Tisch ran before he started his own firm, BoxGroup.

Tisch said he offered Perret a job there, but Perret turned it down to build a company, Plaid.

"A pretty great decision," Tisch tweeted back in January.

Instead of hiring Perret, BoxGroup became one of the first investors in Plaid in 2013. The firm did not participate in later rounds because it was limited by the size of its funds, Forbes reported. BoxGroup has since started taking outside capital to afford follow-on investments.

Tisch told Insider that he doesn't mind waiting a while longer for Plaid's exit.

"I think there is ideally alignment with early-stage funds and investors that this business is a long-term business and the most value is created by being aligned in that mindset," Tisch said. "Plaid is very well positioned as an independent company to continue building and remaining a vital part of the fintech infrastructure of the internet, and that is a massive opportunity."

Goldman Sachs Investment Partners

Goldman Sachs was an unusual choice to lead the fintech's Series B round of funding in 2016, but the bank said it was a no-brainer at the time.

Christopher Dawe, the bank's co-head of private investments, told Fortune that Plaid had become "indispensable" to financial players.

"Plaid is leading the way in making the next generation of financial technology possible by serving as the data layer between financial institutions and applications," Dawe said in 2016.

Later, Goldman Sachs served as an advisor on the takeover talks with Visa, a person familiar with the deal told CNBC. Now that the deal is dead, the bank will have to wait for its payday.

Dawe did not respond to a request for comment.

Spark Capital

Spark Capital, a venture firm known for its investments in Twitter, Cruise, Slack, and others, has participated in every one of Plaid's rounds since it led the fintech's seed deal in 2013.

Santo Politi, a partner at Spark, said that the firm's partners were first excited by the founders Zach Perret and William Hockey's enthusiasm to grow the company and fintech as a whole.

"A mere three years after our initial investment, the founders had taken the company from a concept to a private beta working with a few banks to becoming the infrastructure that consumers relied on to connect their bank account to third-party apps like Venmo, Coinbase, and Robinhood," he wrote on the firm's blog around the time the Visa sale was announced.

Politi did not return a request for comment.

Index Ventures

Index Ventures knew first-hand the power of Plaid. That's because it invested in consumer finance apps like Robinhood and Revolut that rely on Plaid's software to power their products.

In 2018, Index joined the startup's Series C round, which valued the company at $2.65 billion.

And while the dead acquisition means investors will have to wait longer for their exit, Index general partner Mark Goldberg said he believes Plaid can grow so much bigger in that time.

"If you had to characterize the insider investment excitement level, it's 10 out of 10," Goldberg told Insider on Wednesday.

"Plaid is the most strategic asset in fintech. The acceleration of digital finance in 2020 really opened our eyes to just how big the opportunity for the company is, and we're excited for the independent journey to continue," he said.

Homebrew

Plaid was one of the first checks that Hunter Walk's firm Homebrew ever cut into a startup. It participated in the company's seed round, which gave it a pre-money valuation of $10 million.

He's not too broken up about the Visa deal.

"Plaid is going to be a killer independent company," Walk said, "and I'm thrilled for the team who can continue to grow the value of the company to their benefit (as well as investors)."

Norwest Venture Partners

Norwest Venture Partners also invested in Plaid's $250 million Series C round in 2018. The firm said Plaid was a game-changer in the financial world. 

"Nowadays, consumers increasingly rely on non-bank applications to manage their financial lives, often using multiple financial applications," managing partner Jeff Crowe wrote on the firm's blog around the time of the deal. "Plaid has been at the center of this paradigm shift." 

Crowe did not respond to a request for comment.

Coatue Management

Coatue Management is competing with some of the most powerful venture capital firms in Silicon Valley for a piece of the hottest startups, and it's winning.

The hedge fund wrote checks in at least 14 unicorn startups, including Airtable, Rivian, UIPath, Oscar, and Chime in 2020.

Coatue invested in Plaid's Series C round of funding in 2018.

And many others

There are several other investors in Plaid that will have to wait for their payday, even if they are happy about the failed Visa deal.

These may include NewView Capital, Omega Venture Partners, PV Seed Fund, and even Visa itself. All of them were investors in Plaid's last C round, according to Pitchbook. And Plaid has a number of early investors like Flatiron Health cofounders Zachary Weinberg and Nat Turner.

• Give back to the hardworking employees who keep your business running with these 24 corporate gifts. 
• They're both thoughtful and useful, and unlike many corporate gifts, they don't look cheap. 
• Some of them can be customized with your company's colors and logo, or a personal touch like a monogram.
• Find more gift ideas for everyone in your life here. 
• Sign up for Insider Reviews' weekly newsletter for more buying advice and great deals.

A company is nothing without its employees. Whether you manage a lean team of five or oversee thousands across offices nationwide, you know that your employees are invaluable to the success of your business — and perhaps you want to thank them beyond simply paying a salary. 

Skip the tired and cheap corporate gifts and surprise your employees this year with these elevated, thoughtful, and useful options instead. Some come from our favorite startups, while others are just a click away on Amazon. Go the extra mile by customizing them with company colors, a logo, or a personal touch that truly shows your appreciation. Whether or not your company is working from home, it's our hope that these gifts will allow you to stay connected to both your business and each other.

Here are 24 corporate gifts sure to wow your employees:

This list includes a Sponsored Product that has been suggested by Crowd Cow. It also meets our editorial criteria in terms of quality and value.*

Face masks from Vistaprint

Custom face masks, starting at $12.50, available at Vistaprint

In our current times, face masks are an incredibly useful gift. Vistaprint, which is typically known for their customizable business cards, clothing, and more, has added masks to its extensive product lineup. Customize masks for your staff with your company's logo or choose from one of many pre-existing designs. Submit a request for orders of more than 1,000 masks here.

Gift cards from Starbucks

Gift cards, starting at $5, available at Starbucks

While many of us no longer have the option of working from coffee shops, Starbucks gift cards are a great gift to help your employees switch their morning routine up. With locations all over the country, Starbucks gift cards are great if you have employees spread across many locations. Starbucks' corporate sales program has options that range from physical gift cards, branded gift cards, or digital gift cards delivered directly to your recipient's email. You can also set the value of the gift cards to anywhere between $5 to $500. Learn more about Starbucks' corporate sales program here.

Delicious baked goods from Goldbelly

Baked goods, starting at $29, available at Goldbelly

You can never go wrong with gifting delicious baked goods. With an option to narrow your search by region, Goldbelly's corporate gifting program allows you to send local eats to your employees no matter where they're located. It offers everything from organic mixed fruit baskets, to Magnolia Bakery's World Famous Banana Pudding. Every order also helps support small or minority owned businesses. For bulk orders of 15 recipients or more, you can email concierge@goldbelly.com.

Custom jackets from L.L.Bean

Custom jacket, starting at $34.95, available at L.L.Bean

When it comes to gifting clothing, one size does not fit all. Luckily, L.L.Bean's business gifting site offers a wide range of inclusive sizes, from XS to 3X. Its fitness fleece quarter zip jacket is available in five colors and can be customized with a logo. The retailer also has a selection of other customizable products such as beanies, blankets, and duffle bags. You can place a corporate order here.

Tumblers from YETI

Rambler 20 Oz. Tumbler, $34.99, available at YETI

Whether you're sipping on a hot or cold drink, YETI's stainless steel, double-wall insulated tumblers never fail to keep your beverage at the optimal temperature. Employees can keep them on their desk or bring them along to the trails on their days off. You can fill out a corporate gift form at YETI here.

Socks from Bombas

Men's Merino Calf Sock 8-Pack, $136.80 on sale (originally $152), available at Bombas

Women's Merino Calf Sock 8-Pack, $136.80 on sale (originally $152), available at Bombas

Part of Bombas' appeal, other than the obvious differences in fit and feel, is that it donates a pair of socks to a homeless shelter every time someone buys a pair. This philanthropy doesn't stop if you take part in its corporate gifting program. It can work with your company's current charity partner, or help you find the perfect donation recipient. You can fill out a corporate gifting form at Bombas here.

High quality meat and seafood from Crowd Cow

Check out Crowd Cow's corporate gift bundles

Crowd Cow specializes in high-quality, eco-conscious seafood and meat, all the way down to its 100% carbon-neutral packaging. Crowd Cow's curated list of gift bundles provides plenty of options, but you can also opt to work with a dedicated corporate gifting representative who can help customize a package based on your budget and company size.

*Sponsored by Crowd Cow

Gourmet gummies from Sugarfina

Baby Champagne Bears Candy Cube, from $8.95, available at Paper Source

Give your employees a sweet treat they'll remember with a Sugarfina Candy Cube. Packaged thoughtfully in clear acrylic boxes, these candies were made for gifting. 

Nylon tote bags from BAGGU

BAGGU Nylon Tote Bag, from $12, available at Amazon

These waterproof nylon totes hold 50 pounds of stuff, fold down to a fraction of their size to fit in your back pocket, and can be customized to let your employees flaunt where they work. As eco-friendly practices become more than a passing trend, you'll only see more of BAGGU's stylish yet functional bags out on the streets. You can request a custom quote at BAGGU here.

Custom pencils from Shutterfly

Custom Pencils, $7.50, available at Shutterfly

Something to write with can always come in handy, be it for to-do lists, doodling, or anything in between. These custom pencils come in a set of 12, are available in four colors, and the message can be anything from a company name to a fun joke that coworkers share.

Chocolate covered strawberries from Shari's Berries

Gourmet Drizzled Strawberries, $34.99 to $64.99, available at Sharri's Berries

Peak indulgence is a box of strawberries dipped in rich milk, white, or dark chocolate, and maybe even sprinkled with nuts or chocolate chips. Shari's Berries are our favorite chocolate covered strawberries and they might just become your employees' favorite too after they try them. You can request a business gift quote at Shari's Berries here.

Succulents from Lula's Garden

Live Succulent Plant, from $27.99, available at Plants.com

A dash of greenery on their desk or in their room will make them happy — make it low-maintenance and nearly impossible to kill, and they'll be even happier. Choose from single succulents or mini gardens, then customize the rest of the box to create the perfect plant gift. You can learn more about custom gifting at Lula's Garden here.

Custom sticky notes from Zazzle

Post-It Notes, from $6.95, available at Zazzle

Sticky notes are a productive gift that you know they'll make great use of, whether jotting down assignments for the day or using them for out of office tasks and grocery lists. Add a custom touch to this office staple with a team photo, company logo, or personal text. Zazzle allows for orders of up to 500 packs at a time, and bulk ordering can save up to 60%.

Patterned socks from Happy Socks

Mix Gift Box, $48, available at Happy Socks

Regardless of your office dress code, fun socks will always be appreciated. You'll have difficulty narrowing down the final choice from Happy Socks' large selection of colorful, quirky patterns and prints. Custom designs with the company colors or logo are also available for orders of 6,000 pairs or more. 

Suitcases from Away

The Carry-On, $225, available at Away

Business travel, so long as it's done safely, has never looked so cool. With a bag from Away, they'll be organized and stylish as they fly from destination to destination. You don't have to gift a piece of luggage — you can also choose a backpack, luggage tag, or Away's very useful travel wellness kit. Submit a corporate gifting form here for orders more than 25 units.

Leather accessories from Leatherology

Bifold Wallet with Flap, $90, available at Leatherology

Send employees a beautiful, full-grain leather accessory like a luggage tag, business card case, or keychain. For an extra special touch, add a debossed monogram or logo. Though leather goods sound like a premium gift that could be out of your budget, Leatherology sells its bags and accessories without the markup, so customers don't have to spend so much for a touch of luxury. You can fill out a corporate gift inquiry form at Leatherology here.

Sunglasses from Sunglass Hut

Polo Ralph Lauren, from $70, available at Sunglass Hut

Sunglasses are a common gift or employee freebie, but they're rarely worn because they're plain or cheap. Sunglass Hut offers top brands and stylish options that everyone will actually want to wear. A perk of ordering through Sunglass Hut is that anyone can go to a store to receive a free personalized adjustment if the glasses don't fit well. You can learn about corporate gifting at Sunglass Hut here.

Flowers from The Bouqs Co.

Shop bouquets, $35, from The Bouqs Co.

Valentine's Day and Mother's Day aren't the only occasions where a bouquet of flowers is appropriate. Welcome new employees and remind current ones they're appreciated with The Bouq Co's farm-fresh flowers, which are always arranged and designed beautifully. Business customers can get up to 25% off regular prices. You can learn more about corporate gifting at The Bouqs Co. here.

Phone grips from PopSockets

Rose Gold Aluminum PopGrip, $15, available at PopSockets

PopSockets grips are the small, simple, and affordable phone accessories that your employees will wish you had gifted them earlier. These round buttons stick to the back of their phone and expand whenever they need a grip or a stand. They can take photos, text, and hold their phone without worrying about dropping it, or prop it up to stream content and video chat. You can order custom PopSockets grips here.

Mashable magnet toys from Speks

Speks Original Magnetic Balls, $24.95, available at Amazon

Our team loved these tiny magnet toys a lot more than we expected to. Less obnoxious than fidget spinners, they're immensely satisfying to play with and build with as you work through a problem or concentrate on a task. The set includes 512 rare earth magnetic balls, metal building base, plastic splitter card, 16-page starter guide, and carrying case. 

Candles from Otherland

Chandelier Candle, $36, available at Otherland

There are plenty of candles out there, but few quite as giftable as Otherland's. These premium candles are available in many scents to suit the different personalities of your employees, and they look great on any tabletop (office, bedroom, or otherwise). You can email hello@otherland.com to inquire about corporate gifts and place a large order.

Hatch Idea notebooks

Hatch Ideas Notebook, $25, available at Etsy

A well-executed idea doesn't happen overnight. Help your employees hatch the next big idea with this cloth-bound notebook that's organized into three sections: Conceive, Incubate, and Hatch. Although there's no automatic option for bulk purchasing, the Etsy shop owner typically responds to messages within 24 hours and should be able to accommodate larger orders.

Bath and body gifts from L'Occitane

Hand Indulgences Hand Cream Trio, $29, available at Nordstrom

From luxurious hand creams that are sold every three seconds around the world to nourishing soaps and shower oils, L'Occitane offers many options to pamper your employees. You can combine multiple products to create mini gift baskets or distribute them individually. Email corporategifts@us.loccitane.com to learn more about its corporate gift program.

Wine from Vinebox

Vinebox Wine Gift Boxes, from $79, available at Vinebox

Instead of gifting them a bottle of wine you're not sure they'll like, let them personalize the selection themselves. Vinebox takes the intimidation and pressure out by delivering wine flights in unique bottles and helping budding wine enthusiasts discover their favorites. You can learn more about corporate gifting at Vinebox here.

Editor's note: Many of the gift boxes are currently sold out, but some are still available. 

Robert Rodriguez's "Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl" sequel, "We Can Be Heroes," was Netflix's most popular movie this week after trailing behind Liam Neeson's "Unknown" last week. 

Every week, the streaming search engine Reelgood compiles for Business Insider a list of which movies have been most prominent on Netflix's daily top-10 lists that week. On Reelgood, users can browse Netflix's entire movie library and sort by IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes ratings.

SEE ALSO: The most watched streaming TV shows and movies of 2020, according to Nielsen

9. "Superbad" (2007)

Description: "Hoping to have sex before college, high school seniors Seth and Evan try to score booze for a huge party, leading to a series of wild misadventures."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 88%

What critics said: "What makes the film so appealing is the disconnect between what comes from the mouths of these hormone-addled pups and what's going on in their heads, where they're still clinging desperately to the innocence they're leaving behind."— NPR

8. "Unknown" (2011)

Description: "Liam Neeson stars as a man who regains consciousness after a car accident, only to discover that another man is impersonating him."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 55%

What critics said: "For about an hour or so, 'Unknown' is intriguing."— New Yorker

7. "Catch Me If You Can" (2002)

Description: "An FBI agent makes it his mission to put cunning con man Frank Abagnale Jr. behind bars. But Frank not only eludes capture, he revels in the pursuit."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 96%

What critics said: "A gently funny, sweetly adventurous film that makes you feel genuinely good, that is to say, entirely unconned by false sentiment or sharp, overmanipulative Hollywood practices."— Time

6. "Killers" (2010)

Description: "After a whirlwind romance, Jen and Spencer settle into married life — until Spencer's secret past as a hit man shakes up their suburban bliss."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 10%

What critics said: "It's pretty much dead in the water as soon as a shirtless Kutcher tries to play suave and utters some terrible French in his first attempt to woo his co-star."— Toronto Star

5. "Charming" (2021, Netflix original)

Description: "On the eve of his 21st birthday, an adored prince must find his one, true soulmate before a spell takes away all love from his kingdom."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 24%

What critics said: "It has the odd fun conceit but the set-up is tortured, the storytelling is episodic, the gags scattershot, the songs forgettable and the animation rudimentary. You'll live happily ever after without it."— Empire

4. "17 Again" (2009)

Description: "Nearing a midlife crisis, thirty-something Mike wishes for a "do-over"— and that's exactly what he gets when he wakes up to find he's 17 again."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 56%

What critics said: "17 Again makes the '80s comedies on which it's modeled seem positively cutting-edge by comparison."— New York Post

3. "Pieces of a Woman" (2021, Netflix original)

Description:"A heartbreaking home birth leaves a woman grappling with the profound emotional fallout, isolated from her partner and family by a chasm of grief."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 75%

What critics said: "Pieces of a Woman is a rather blunted depiction of an endlessly complex subject that deserves much more contemplation. Despite impressive performances, it fails to truly hit that mark."— Elle

2. "Good Burger" (1997)

Description: "Working at a neighborhood fast-food joint, two teens try to save the restaurant when a giant burger franchise fires up the competition."

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 32%

What critics said: "[Good Burger] will satisfy their audience's appetite for basic, messy silliness while leaving many grown-ups mildly bemused by the fuzzy obviousness of its humor, the gawky pacing of its sight gags and the second-handedness of its slapstick."— Los Angeles Times

1. "We Can Be Heroes" (2021, Netflix original)

Description: "When alien invaders capture Earth's superheroes, their kids must learn to work together to save their parents — and the planet." 

Rotten Tomatoes critic score: 72%

What critics said: "The get-a-load-of-this facetiousness of 'We Can Be Heroes' feels a bit rote, like the child-lite version of a 'Men in Black' escapade crossed with wisps of nostalgia for 'The Goonies.'"— Variety

• Due to the pandemic, travelers have been doing a lot of daydreaming and planning for future trips.
• Airbnb recently released a list of the most wish-listed unique listings in every state, plus the District of Columbia.
• Below, we detail key info for each, including ratings, what's included, and how soon you can book.
• Read more: Are Airbnbs safe? We spoke to experts, a company representative, and an Airbnb host on everything you should know before booking someone's home.

While the ongoing pandemic derailed many travel plans, it didn't stop travelers from dreaming about and starting to plan for future trips. Among other travel trends for 2021, unique vacation rentals have seen a steep rise in popularity. Airbnb recently released data on the most dreamed-about listing in every state, pulling together listings that garnered the most "saves" to various travelers' wish lists. 

The list includes some surprises, from a larger-than-life potato in Idaho with shockingly adorable interiors to a farmhouse mansion in New Jersey. Less surprising is that rural and remote destinations seem to be a common theme, with tree house rentals and tiny homes topping the list as the most popular styles of unique homes. There is also a wide range in price points represented, and wish-listed rentals range from $49 to $1,300 per night.

While the below list provides some excellent wanderlust inspiration, before you start following through on your travel dreams, remember that there is still no guarantee of safety when it comes to travel right now. While experts and the CDC have noted that private rentals are a safer option than hotels, many states are currently experiencing surges in COVID-19 cases. We always recommend following guidelines from the CDC, checking local and state guidelines, practicing social distancing, washing hands frequently, and wearing a mask in public areas. Additionally, you should exercise additional caution depending on your personal risk factors and whether you're traveling to or from a current hot spot.

That said, we wanted to take a closer look at these listings so you know what to expect if you want to get a jump and book one of these dreamy and unique Airbnbs for later this year.

We included the following information for each unique Airbnb:

• Starting prices 
• Average Rating
• Availability for the remainder of 2021
• COVID-19 cleaning protocol

Here are the most wish-listed unique Airbnbs in every state, plus the District of Columbia, sorted alphabetically

Alabama: Storybook castle in Fairhope, $99

Book this storybook castle starting at $99 per night

In Downtown Fairhope, you can stay in the most charming suite in town located inside a historic castle with a small enchanted forest in your backyard. The studio space is equipped with all the comforts you'll need to stay like a king-size bed and a small kitchenette with a stovetop. Across the property, you'll also find Mosher Castle, which can't be booked on Airbnb but is open for tours.

There are a few weekdays left in January and February, but for a weekend trip, you'll have to check the calendars for March and April onward. The calendar doesn't completely open up until June.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Alaska: Cozy log cabin in Fairbanks, $85

Book this log cabin starting at $85 per night

Standing out in the snow, this authentic cabin looks out over a waterfowl refuge at the edge of the woods. There are plenty of trails to explore and it's just five miles away from downtown. As you walk in, wood paneling covers every inch of this home while rustic furniture completes the romantic and classic look of the cabin.

The bedroom upstairs has a private balcony with a great view for bird-spotting. This is a partially dry cabin, which means that although there is some running water in the kitchen and a small RV-style shower, you'll need to visit the traditional Alaskan outhouse for all other business. 

Apart from one open weekend in March, you won't be able to book this cabin until June, which is wide open. Some dates have already been claimed for July, August, and September.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Arkansas: 87Getaway tree house in Mountain View, $175

Book this tree house starting at $175 per night

You can sleep among the trees in the Ozark Forest in this huge multi-level tree house. Inside you'll find a contemporarily decorated home with two bedrooms, a jacuzzi tub, and a top deck where you can look out into the treetops. There is plenty of lounge space on the lower deck with a hammock and seating area near the grill, but there is also a fire pit on the patio just waiting for campfire memories to be made.

Some dates have already been claimed for the winter and spring months, but much is still available. For a summer trip, you can have your pick of dates from June through August.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Arizona: Hogan earth room in Cameron, $150

Book this hogan starting at $150 per night 

In Arizona's Western Navajo Nation, you can stay in an authentic hogan, which is a traditional Navajo dwelling. There's no electricity or running water, but there is an outhouse. Firewood and five gallons of water will also be provided. Located off a dirt road, this traditional home is fitted with two cots and a small kitchen table.

In this Airbnb, you can escape the business of the rest of the world and enjoy the quiet of the desert under a night sky full of stars in this extremely remote location.

This listing has no availability at the time of writing, but the host may open up the calendar in the future.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

California: Pirates of the Caribbean getaway in Topanga Canyon, $191

Book this pirate getaway starting at $191 per night

Fifteen minutes from Santa Monica, this tropical and pirate-themed house is big enough for two and overflowing with nautical and macabre decor and colored lights that provide a feast for the eyes.

Immersed in a forest with water features, the home is filled with nature-inspired details like an outdoor tub encrusted with seashells and countless sitting areas with swinging benches, hammocks, and even a teepee for sleeping under the stars. The interior is small, but just as detail-rich with straw woven walls that carry the natural tones from the kitchenette into the jungle-embedded bedroom.

You won't be able to book this Airbnb until March, but there are a lot more dates to choose from starting in June and continuing through the summer.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Colorado: Rocky Mountain tree house in Carbondale, $324

Book this tree house starting at $324 per night

Although treehouses may seem like a new trend, this humongous tree house dates back to 1971, sitting 25 feet above the ground on two beautiful acres in the mountains. With three levels, this is the classic cozy cabin with lots of balcony and patio space for enjoying the fresh air from the hot tub. There is even a wood-burning stove, a full kitchen, and a rock shower.

If you want to enjoy a snowy landscape, there are still a few dates left for January through March, but more availability opens up the spring and summer months when you'll have more options to book up until August.

Rating: 4.8

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Connecticut: Geodesic dome in Bethlehem, $49

Book this dome starting at $49 per night

Located on a 65-acre organic farm, this is a great place to relax and the interior of the dome is extremely charming, blending the geometric shapes of the dome with fairytale-esque furniture. This dome offers an unplugged experience in a natural landscape, meaning that there's no electricity, heat, or running water.

However, guests will still have access to the main house's bathrooms and other modern conveniences. 

The earliest you can book this listing is late February, but the calendar is still wide open through the spring and summer months.

Rating: 4.8

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Delaware: Tiny home in Milton, $125

Book this tiny home starting at $125 per night

Claiming to be the first tiny home in the state, this miniature house certainly takes the first place prize for adorability. The space is compact, but hyper-functional and is big enough for a queen bed, a washer and dryer, and a composting toilet.

The interior feels larger than it appears with white walls and a thoughtful design that lets in the light from the lofted bedroom upstairs. There's also a fire pit outside and nearby trails to explore on the coast.

This Airbnb is booked every weekend until March, but there are still many weekdays available in February. The calendar is not yet open for bookings past early April.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

District of Columbia: Historic Logan Circle home in Washington, $89

Book this historic home starting at $89 per night

Located in a historic Logan Circle brownstone, this one-bedroom condo is up to date with modern touches like recessed lighting, bamboo floors, and stainless steel appliances. Colorful mid-century furniture offers a fun design throwback, but the home hangs on to its historic airs with an exposed brick wall and original trimmings. It's located in a very walkable part of the city, not far away from the monuments and main attractions.

The home is fully booked until March when the calendar fully opens up. At the time of writing, the host has not yet opened dates past July 9.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Florida: Tree house at Danville in Geneva, $180

Book this tree house starting at $180 per night

If you always wanted to stay in a tree house, but hate climbing stairs, you'll be happy to know this one in Central Florida comes with an elevator. The home has plenty of mood lighting and the house itself is a yurt located between two oak trees.

Skylights keep the setting bright and the deck provides a fire pit and grill for romantic nights under the stars. With air-conditioning, a full bathroom, and an elevator, this tree house has plenty of modern amenities to keep you comfortable.

Except for a couple of days in February, this treehouse is all booked up until May and June. However, July and August are still wide open so book now if you're thinking about a summer trip.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Georgia: Secluded tree house in Atlanta, $389

Book this tree house starting at $389 per night

You don't need to travel far from the city to find your dream tree house in the woods, because this treehouse is actually located in Atlanta. One of Airbnb's most popular listings worldwide, this tree house is made up of three separate structures connected by rope bridges, all of which are impeccably decorated with soft and modern decor and strewn with twinkle lights.

The highlight of the home is the hammock deck, which is located around a 165-year old southern pine.

This super popular listing has no availability until March 2022, but you might get lucky with a cancellation.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Hawaii: Luxury tree house in Kailua-Kona, $398

Book this luxe tree house starting at $398 per night

Looking out over the lush Kailua-Kona Beach on the Big Island, this sophisticated tree house is nature-inspired luxury at its finest, with mango wood furniture and a mosaic-tiled shower. In addition to essentials like a full kitchen and bathroom, the home has unexpected perks like a hot tub and enormous sliding doors in the bedroom, so you can more fully enjoy the more beautiful sunset view.

With January and February fully booked, March is the earliest you can book this Airbnb, but you'll have a better choice of dates if you plan a trip for July.

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Idaho: Potato Hotel in Boise, $165

Book this potato home starting at $165 per night

Never judge a potato by its cover. While this might look like a  roadside gimmick, the inside of this hollowed-out potato is a shockingly adorable studio with a plush bed and minimalist decor with a tasteful amount of millennial pink. The potato has electricity, a mini-fridge, and a record player. The bathroom is in a customized silo nearby that also includes a spa sanctuary for extra relaxation. 

You can still score a few dates for this potato, including some weekends, in January and February, but the calendar has a lot more dates to choose from starting in March.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This potato participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Illinois: Rural cabin in Normal, $95

Book this cabin starting at $95 per night

Originally built in 1865, this home is an authentic rural cabin that has been renovated to include a lofted bedroom with views of the pasture. The home located on a working farm includes a small kitchenette with the basics and charming front porch and a fire pit outside. There's a bathroom, but you'll need to shower in another building on the property.

You can't book the cabin until May, but after that availability is wide open at the time of writing.

Rating: 4.8

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Indiana: Spacious barn in Nashville, $221

Book this barn starting at $221 per night

Dating back to the twentieth century, this huge 2,500 square-foot barn has been completely renovated to include comforts like a spacious living room, a full kitchen with stainless steel appliances, and a pool table.

A spiral staircase leads to the bedroom upstairs, but there are also two bedrooms on the ground floor, which makes this barn big enough for a party of six. All areas of this Airbnb maintain the charm of the barn and a hot tub on the property is also available so you can enjoy a late-night soak under a sky full of stars.

You can still book this barn for a weekday trip in January or February, but you'll have to wait until March or later to book it over the weekend.

Rating: 4.8

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Iowa: Log house in Bayard, $186

Book this log house starting at $186 per night

If you get enough people together (when it's safe to gather), you can get a great deal on this six-bedroom, four-bathroom cabin that can sleep up to 16 guests. The interior is cozy and classic with farmhouse furniture and a fireplace that sits between the main dining area and living room.

A covered sunroom offers a lot of space to enjoy the surrounding forest from indoors, but if the weather is nice you can enjoy the yard's charcoal grill for dinner on the deck or a night around the fire pit.

There are many weekday dates available starting in February and March, but if you want to book a weekend trip, you'll have more luck looking for dates in the late summer and fall.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Kansas: Cozy cabin retreat in Tonganoxie, $81

Book this cozy cabin starting at $81 per night

Located on 15-acres of woods with many hiking trails, two ponds, and a meditation center, this cabin, which is part of a retreat center, is a perfect escape into nature.  Without compromising on its rustic look, this one-bedroom cabin also offers homey comforts like a full kitchen, washer and dryer, and the hosts will even throw in fishing poles for you to use.

In addition to all the outdoor space to explore, you'll also have your own patio with a picnic table, fire pit, and a few hammocks.

You can book a weekday trip in January and February, but you'll have to wait until late March to secure a weekend date. At the time of writing, you can only book as far ahead as April 30, 2021.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Kentucky: Eagles Nest tree house in Stanton

Book this tree house starting at $149 per night

Huge windows allow you to peer out into the first of the Red River Gorge from every angle in this wood-paneled home built in the trees and located at the end of a steep gravel road, far away from civilization.

There are two bedrooms, located in two different buildings, and just one bathroom in the main house where you'll also find a small kitchen area. Through the multi-deck area, you'll also find rocking chairs, swinging benches, a grill, and a stone fireplace so you can enjoy the national forest in one of the most comfortable ways possible.

Dates are starting to book up in January and February, but there are still many days left to claim your stay for the summer or fall.

Rating: 4.8

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts. 

Louisiana: Historic firehouse in New Orleans, $944

Book this historic firehouse starting at $944 per night

One of the few Airbnbs on this list located in a city, this historic firehouse in New Orleans' French Quarter is something special and can sleep up to 14 people with seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms. While the outside maintains the firehouse look, the inside is like a classic hotel with a big living area set out in front of the big red firehouse doors. There is a spiral staircase, but unfortunately no classic firehouse sliding pole.

Although some summer dates have already been claimed, there are still a lot of opportunities to book this Airbnb with many dates open starting in February.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Maine: Canopy tree house in Sanford, $395

Book this canopy tree house starting at $395 per night

Elegantly designed, this multi-level treehouse stands out with its red-and-white design scheme in the full kitchen and natural, but polished touches in the upstairs bedroom, plus a large rainshower to provide that extra touch of luxury.

The home has the extra benefit of being eco-friendly, using wind power to fuel electricity, heat, and hot water. It's also located near a large pond should you want to go kayaking or relax by the water.

Available dates are few and far between with nothing opening up until May and the treehouse being mostly booked up throughout the summer. At the time of writing, a fall trip would offer the most flexibility.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Maryland: Light keeper's house in Lusby, $401

Book this light keeper's house starting at $401 per night

You can learn what it's like to live like a lightkeeper at this huge six-bedroom and four-and-half bath house located on the Chesapeake Bay. The building was built in 1820 and is the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in Maryland.

The home is large and fully-furnished with no space left without a touch of comfort and there are many other historic sites on the property that might make for interesting tours, such as the fog bell building, a small cottage, and the former housing for a Coast Guard radio transmitter.

With only some weekdays available  February through May and July already fully booked up, you'll have to jump on the available August dates if you want to visit in the summer. Much of the rest of the year is already spoken for as well.

Rating: 5.0

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Massachusetts: The Pondhouse in Ashfield, $310

Book this Pondhouse starting at $310 per night

It may not be located at Walden Pond, but this Massachusetts pond house can still offer a Thoreauvian escape into nature located on 50 private acres. This spacious studio-sized dwelling is surrounded by screen doors on all sides, so you will be fully immersed in the landscape.

This also means you shouldn't expect electricity, running water, or a kitchen inside, although these amenities are available elsewhere on the property. Inside though, the bedding is cozy and the design is rustic with many candles that will bring the room alive at night.

Bookings do not become available until May, but there are still many days available for the spring and summer months.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Michigan: Riverfront A-frame in Indian River, $250

Book this A-frame starting at $250 per night

Located on the banks of the Sturgeon River, this A-Frame cabin is a professionally designed studio with an open floor plan that allows the space to blend in with the nature seen through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows.

Eye-catching pieces like a crystal chandelier and sheepskin-draped chairs complete the cabin's rustic but polished look and the home is full of decor surprises like the leopard-print carpeting on the stairs, which is surprisingly not kitschy.

There are only a handful of dates available between January and February and March and April can only offer weekdays. Starting in May, the calendar opens up more fully.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Minnesota: Wolf House studio in Minneapolis, $214

Book this studio starting at $214 per night

Located in the Minneapolis Arts District, this is your chance to stay in a living art piece close to a bustling area of the city. The interior of this 1,800 square-foot home is striking, totally clad in stone and nature-inspired murals — which feature many wolves —  that flow naturally through the home in every single room.

The bathroom is particularly stunning with a skylight above the shower that makes it feel like you are really outdoors and the natural light is maximized throughout the house, particularly in the capsule-shaped living area with sloping windows through which you can peer out to the private deck.

This listing has lots of availability in January and continuing throughout the year, but the calendar is only open for bookings up until July at the time of writing.

Rating: 4.8

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Mississippi: Eco-beach tree house in Waveland, $124

Book this eco tree house starting at $124 per night

Just two blocks from the beach, this treehouse sits in a live oak tree fourteen feet off the ground. With high ceilings and a design scheme that is clean, modern, and inspired by the colors of the coast, it's easy to forget that you're actually living in a tree.

There is also a full kitchen with a dishwasher, plus a washer and dryer so you'll have every comfort and convenience in this open and relaxing space.

You won't be able to book the treehouse until March, but the calendar is wide open through the summer at the time of writing.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Missouri: Forest garden yurt in Galena, $150

Book this yurt starting at $150 per night

Glamping may seem like a new trend, but these yurts in the Ozarks date back to the 1970s. Each yurt has a kitchen, living room, and dining nook in addition to the bedroom. Modern finishings like vessel sinks in the bathroom create a harmonious collage of modern and rustic design elements and the hobbit-sized doors add a splash of fun.

At the time of writing, most dates are still available through April, but nothing can be booked yet past April 9.

Rating: 5.0

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Montana: Meadowlark tree house in Columbia Falls, $399

Book this meadow tree house starting at $399 per night

Located on five acres of forest, just 30 minutes from Glacier National Park, this Instagram-famous, two-story tree house is colorfully designed with a spiral staircase and tree trunks running through the center of the house and well-places windows to bring in the natural light.

The kitchen is small but complete with a stovetop and oven and the dining nook gives it that extra touch of charm. In the top room, you have a compact and cozy bedroom with a deck that looks out into the treetops.

Being so popular, the cabin is mostly booked up with a few weeks still available from March through April. In May, you'll have a lot more choices as the calendar is still wide open, but at the time of writing, you can't book anything later than June.

Rating: 4.0

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Nebraska: Lazy Oaks glamping in Plattsmouth

Book this glampsite starting at $71 per night

This glamping tent is located on 11 private acres of land, ideal for a secluded and tranquil getaway without the hassles of camping. Inside, antique pieces this compact space, which also benefits from heating and electricity, with the option to add an air-conditioner in the summer. From the deck, you can enjoy views looking out toward the vineyard.

You won't be able to book this Airbnb until May, but the calendar is wide open after that for dates through the summer and fall months.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Nevada: Tiny house in Sandy Valley, $110

Book this tiny house starting at $110 per night

Just an hour outside of Vegas, you can escape the city lights and experience a tiny home on the ranch. The tiny house is located off the host's main ranch and is a gorgeous and functional space, decked out in wood paneling and old west vibes.

Aside from being a unique home in a beautiful landscape, you can also partake in horseback riding and other dude ranch activities during your stay.

You can still book a weekday stay in late January or February, but you'll have to start looking in March if you want to book this Airbnb for a weekend.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

New Hampshire: Tree house in Conway, $113

Book this tree house starting at $113 per night

Beautiful in any season, but especially in the fall, this tree house is small with basic amenities like a camp stove, a small seating area, and a Queen-size bed located in the loft. Outside, you can also make use of the outdoor kitchen and gas grill. For a setting this remote, you'll have to compromise on rustic amenities like an outhouse fitted with a composting toilet.

With just a few dates still available for January and February, you'll have more flexibility in choosing dates if you start looking in March. For a summer or fall trip, the calendar is wide open.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

New Jersey: Farmhouse mansion in Glenwood, $1,300

Book this farmhouse mansion starting at $1,300 per night

The priciest home on this list, New Jerseyans sure do know how to dream big with this farmhouse mansion. With four bedrooms, this humongous home has a chef's kitchen, two fireplaces, a game room, a library, plus all the amenities you would expect in a luxury vacation home.

The home is extremely spacious and light, with large windows on all sides in the kitchen and dining area and it is smartly decorated. Animal lovers should beware that there is a lot of taxidermy throughout the home.

Most weekends have already been booked in January and February, but is wide open from March onward.

Rating: 5.0

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

New Mexico: Two-story casita in Santa Fe, $100

Book this casita starting at $100 per night

Located in a semi-rural area twenty minutes from Santa Fe, this two-story home is a serene escape to a circle-shaped home that embraces the curves of its design. The decor is minimal which plays nicely with the exposed beams matching wooden staircase and windows let light flow into every room.

The top-floor bedroom is surrounded by windows and all sides and has a balcony with one hammock for relaxing in the treetops.

You won't be able to book this home until April, but apart from two weeks in May, the rest of the calendar is wide open.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

New York: Secluded tree house in Willow, $360

Book this secluded tree house starting at $360 per night

Two hours from New York City, you can avoid the skyscrapers and find your luxury penthouse in the woods, perched up above the trees on 24 acres of private property. With a modern design and panoramic windows in every room, you can enjoy uninterrupted views of the forest and a private pond. Amenities include a full kitchen, reading nook, indoor fireplace, heating, air-conditioning, and hot tub heated by firewood.

At the time of writing, there is no availability for this listing until February 2022.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

North Carolina: Luxury tree house with hot tub in Old Fort, $325

Book this tree house with hot tub starting at $325 per night

Located on the other side of a swinging bridge in a forest of native Laurel trees, this treehouse is a luxurious studio with a tasteful white and gray design scheme. You'll have a  full kitchen, sitting area, deck, plus fun amenities like an indoor fireplace and a hot tub below the deck.

The shower is outside but heated, and the composting toilet is also located outside the treehouse.

There are a scattering of days available from May to October, but most have already been claimed at the time of writing. There are more days in November, but you won't be able to book a weekend trip until December 2021.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

North Dakota: House with a secret room in Bismarck, $82

Book this home with a secret room starting at $82 per night

This comfortable two-bedroom Airbnb may look like your standard home, but it also has a secret room hidden behind a false bookshelf, which is sure to delight families with young kids.

The living area is set with lots of board games and a big plush couch, plus a Ms. Pac-Man arcade machine. There is a laundry room, plus a full kitchen with everything you need to cook a big meal, plus color-changing LED lights for extra flair.

There are many dates still available in January and February, but you'll have your pick of dates starting in March.

Rating: 5.0

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Ohio: Shipping container tree house village in Dundee

Book this shipping container tree house starting at $182 per night

This unconventional tree house has been built out of a shipping container, which creates an unusual, but modern silhouette found high in the trees. The home is modern, built with a full bath and a small kitchenette, plus a living area and a Queen-sized bed.

Large windows fill the boxy home with light and pine paneling and contemporary finishes contribute to the treehouse's clean and minimalist style.

You won't be able to book this treehouse until March, but if you want to plan a weekend trip you'll have to wait until July.

Rating: 4.9 

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Oklahoma: Scenic mountain lodge in Clayton, $229

Book this mountain lodge starting at $229 per night

This three-story, 1800 square-foot cabin has two bedrooms, high ceilings, and panoramic views of the surrounding Ouachita Mountains and Sardis Lake.

The interior is sleek and sophisticated, making good use of dark-colored woods that contrast well with the softer and more laid-back decor pieces throughout the house like the fluffy throws and plaid bedding. Complete amenities include a full kitchen, washer, and dryer, and second-story deck for enjoying the mountain views.

You can still book a weekday trip from January to April, but you'll have to wait until May if you want your pick of the weekend dates. The summer months are wide open, so now is the time to book.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Oregon: Tree house resort in Takilma, $194

Book this tree house resort starting at $194 per night

This huge tree house in Southern Oregon, 12 miles from Cave Junction, can sleep up to six people in this large open space that has a full bathroom with a shower and a small kitchenette.  The home is perched very high up in the trees, and connected by multiple staircases and bridges, plus two lower decks for sitting out and enjoying your unique view from the trees.

On the ground, there is a fire pit area and picnic tables, shared by all the guests staying on the resort.

There are a lot of dates available, but weekends are booked up until May and the calendar is completely booked from June through August. If you want a weekend getaway, you'll have to wait until November 2021.

Rating: 5.0

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Pennsylvania: Nestled chalet in Lackawaxen, $249

Book this chalet starting at $249 per night

Not far from where the Delaware River marks the border between New York and Pennsylvania, this storybook chalet is located at the end of a flagstone path in the forest. The interior design features contemporary design and artwork, plus the comforts of a full kitchen, while still maintaining its whimsy with details like the wood-burning fireplace and latticed windows.

With three bedrooms, up to six people can sleep comfortably and bonus amenities include a washer and dryer, plus bathroom toiletries are included.

There are still some dates available for January and February, but there is more availability in March. At the time of writing, summer dates are not yet available for booking.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Rhode Island: Farm on the coast in Saunderstown, $50

Book this coastal farm starting at $50 per night

Halfway between Newport and Narragansett this red barn-turned-Airbnb is close to the beach while remaining secluded on a historic farm. The light-filled suite can sleep is large enough for two people and is well-dressed with airy farmhouse decor that makes this small space feel a bit more spacious.

During your stay, you can explore the property and the host provides beach chairs, boogie boards, and bikes. 

This listing has a small booking window between April and July, at the time of writing, but most dates are available.

Rating: 4.8

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

South Carolina: Downtown houseboat in Charleston, $180

Book this houseboat starting at $180 per night

If you want to freshen up your next vacation, you can rent this tiny home on the water located in Downtown Charleston. The interior is surprisingly spacious with vaulted ceilings, a Queen-sized bed, and a living room area. The hosts provide bikes for exploring Charleston or you can stay in and keep your eyes peeled for dolphins from the deck or panoramic windows in the bedroom.

Only a few dates have been claimed for this year so far, so there is some time to lock down dates for a spring or summer stay.

Rating: 4.7

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

South Dakota: Green Mountain cabin in Deadwood, $179

Book this cabin starting at $179 per night

Halfway between Sturgis and Deadwood, this historic cabin is located in a good area for exploring much of South Dakota and the building dates back to 1910. It has been fully renovated to show off the cabin's cathedral-like ceiling and boasts two bedrooms and a full kitchen, plus a stone fireplace.

The master bedroom even has its own bathroom, so it's a great choice for a family getaway to nature with opportunities for hiking, trout fishing, golfing, and cross-country skiing nearby.

There are plenty of dates left to book throughout the year, except for June which is mostly booked up.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Tennessee: Tiny house cottage in Nashville, $99

Book this tiny cottage starting at $99 per night

You can enjoy the city life from this tiny home in Nashville that is actually big enough to host four guests with two beds and one bathroom. The minimal decor in the home makes it seem larger on the inside, but not it's anything but boring with baby blue cabinets and pastel and copper accents.

Above the kitchen in the loft, a Queen-sized bed makes a cozy pastel place to curl up and relax.

There are some dates still available from January through March, but you'll have better options if you start looking for the spring and summer.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Texas: Chic tree house in Dallas, $273

Book this chic tree house starting at $273 per night

This Bauhaus treehouse blends the contemporary with the rustic and is located in a secluded forest filled with stunning Japanese maple trees. Across the footbridge, you'll find a home with floor-to-ceiling windows, a full kitchen with a large griddle stove, two bedrooms, and two bathrooms.

Coordinating natural textures with antique accents and colorful artwork, the home is an inspiring and serene escape in the middle of Dallas.

There are no dates available until April, but most are still booked until May. To have your pick of the dates, consider booking in the summer and fall months.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Utah: Fir tree house in Park City, $196

Book this tree house starting at $196 per night

Supported by a 200-year old fir tree, this treehouse is so remote that it sits at the end of a dirt road and is only accessible if you have a four-wheel-drive vehicle. With contemporary furnishings, huge windows, and a white-and-wood color scheme, this bright home is designed in a way that considers maximizing the beauty of its location in every corner of the house.

In the bedroom, the show-stealer of the whole house is the trunk and branches of the tree that grows straight through the home.

The earliest you can book this treehouse is in March, but you'll have a wider selection of dates if you start looking for June.

Rating: 4.7

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Vermont: Open-air glamping in Brookline, $91

Book this open-air glampsite starting at $91 per night

In this open-air cabin, there will be nothing separating you from the forest as you drift off to sleep in a forest 25 minutes away from Stratton Mountain. The walls are screened in to keep out the bugs and any cooking you want to do can be done on the fire pit, or you could drive to town.

It's a rustic experience, so you can expect an outdoor shower and an outhouse in exchange for the ultimate immersion experience in the Vermont landscape.

June is the earliest you can book the cabin, but many dates have already been claimed for the summer months so act fast.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Virginia: Rock silo in Independence, $195

Book this silo starting at $195 per night

In Virginia, you can sleep at the top of a renovated grain silo and enjoy 60-degree3 views of the old dairy barn. The two-floor apartment built into the silo has a full bathroom and small seating area in addition to the bedroom, but you'll also have access to the kitchen in the main house.

As a fun bonus, the host has built a secret compartment into the silo which new guests are encouraged to look for for a special surprise.

There are still dates available for January and February and the spring and summer months are widely available as well.

Rating: 5.0

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Washington: Underground hobbit house in Orondo, $292

Book this hobbit home starting at $292 per night

You can find your own personal shire in Washington State with this hobbit house on the Columbia River Gorge. Built into the hillside, this cozy home is secluded and charming, with decor details that embrace the natural textures of stone and wood. Not just an architectural photo-op, this Airbnb is also perfectly positioned to enjoy fantastic sunset views of the valley below.

Apart from a spare day in March, you won't be able to book this listing until October 2021.

Rating: 4.8

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

West Virginia: Tiny house in Mathias, $235

Book this tiny home starting at $235 per night

On 23 private acres near Lost River State Park, this custom-built tiny house has a compact kitchen, but two queen-sized beds. Large windows maximize light in the small space and polished details pull the minimalist look together. In addition to a full bathroom, there is also a back deck with outdoor furniture, a firepit, and a propane grill.

There are some dates available February through May, but the calendar doesn't open up until the summer months.

Rating: 4.9

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Wisconsin: Off-grid tiny house in Fall Creek, $231

Book this off-grid tiny home starting at $231 per night

In a remote forest, you can get away from it all in this tiny home that's equipped with a queen bed, a small kitchen with an electric stove, and a bathroom with an electric toilet. The design is very minimal to maximize the natural beauty outside the huge window that frames the bedroom area. There is air-conditioning and heat, but if it gets really cold at night, the host also provides electric blankets.

The earliest dates you can book this cabin are in April, but you'll have more options if you start looking for dates starting in May and through the summer months.

Rating: 4.7

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

Wyoming: Japanese-inspired cabin in Powell, $150

Book this cabin starting at $150 per night

Sitting on a 400-acre organic farm, this impeccably designed home is a luxurious and romantic retreat for two. The house features a dry sauna with a large round window so you c   enjoy views of the wild grasslands of Big Horn Basin while you sweat.

Your stay also includes access to explore the host's private land and Heart Mountain is nearby if you're looking for an invigorating day hike.

There are lots of dates still available in January and throughout the rest of the year.

Rating: 4.8

COVID-19 cleaning procedure: This home participates in Airbnb's Enhanced Clean program, meaning the host is committed to a rigorous cleaning protocol developed with leading health and hospitality experts.

One of the most popular dating app companies, Bumble, is officially going public.

Bumble filed a form S-1 for its IPO with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday morning.

In order to begin that process, Bumble had to publicly disclose a trove of information that was previously unknown. For starters: Millions of people are paying for the app, and tens of millions more are using it every month.

But that's far from all the filing document has to offer — a section labeled "Risk Factors" details the major issues Bumble believes it could face in the years to come. We break down the most important of those potential issues below:

SEE ALSO: Bumble just publicly filed for an IPO

1. "Risks Related to Our Indebtedness"

A core risk factor of Bumble going public is the company's debt: Over $600 million.

"Our substantial indebtedness could materially adversely affect our financial condition, our ability to raise additional capital to fund our operations, our ability to operate our business, our ability to react to changes in the economy or our industry, our ability to meet our obligations under our outstanding indebtedness and could divert our cash flow from operations for debt payments," the company said in the S-1.

That debt is a considerable risk when paired with other potential factors.

"Our ability to make scheduled payments on and to refinance our indebtedness depends on and is subject to our financial and operating performance, which in turn is affected by general and regional economic, financial, competitive, business and other factors and reimbursement actions of governmental and commercial payers, all of which are beyond our control, including the availability of financing in the international banking and capital markets."

2. "Risks Related to Regulation and Litigation"

Like so many other internet-based companies in modern life, Bumble collects personal data about its users.

That data could spark privacy concerns if mishandled, the company said.

"Our success depends, in part, on our ability to access, collect, and use personal data about our users and payers, and to comply with applicable data privacy laws," it says in the S-1 filing. "Increased regulation of data utilization practices, including self-regulation or findings under existing laws that limit our ability to collect, transfer and use information and other data, could have a material adverse effect on our business."

3. "We are subject to certain risks as a mission-based company"

At Bumble, the mission isn't just to create and maintain a popular dating app. Company founder Whitney Wolfe Herd has repeatedly explained that Bumble intends to be a "feminst company," and its app is intended to empower women in the dating world.

If Bumble fails at this mission, it could have major consequences for the business, according to the S-1 filing.

"We believe that a critical contributor to our success has been our commitment to empower women in their relationships, in an effort to make the world a better place for everyone. The mission of the Bumble app is a significant part of our business strategy and who we are as a company. We believe that Bumble app users value our commitment to our mission," the filing says.

"However, because we hold ourselves to such high standards, and because we believe our users have come to have high expectations of us, we may be more severely affected by negative reports or publicity if we fail, or are perceived to have failed, to live up to the Bumble app's mission."

5. "Risks Related to Information Technology Systems and Intellectual Property"

Beyond just user privacy, Bumble believes it also must maintain a high level of cybersecurity to retain its users.

"Security breaches, improper access to or disclosure of our data or user data, other hacking and phishing attacks on our systems, or other cyber incidents could compromise sensitive information related to our business and/or personal data processed by us or on our behalf and expose us to liability, which could harm our reputation and materially adversely affect our business," the filing says.

In short, Bumble must remain vigilant when it comes to cybersecurity — something the company has dealt with in the past.

5. "Risks Related to Our Brand, Products and Operations"

The market for dating apps is constantly evolving, and Bumble is far from guaranteed to be the biggest player in the market. 

That potential issue pops up in the S-1 as a risk factor tied to the company's operations.

"If we fail to retain existing users or add new users, or if our users decrease their level of engagement with our products or do not convert to paying users, our revenue, financial results and business may be significantly harmed," the S-1 says. 

Any number of factors could impact Bumble's ability to compete with other dating apps and services — and those variables are critical to the company's continued success.

"Our financial performance has been and will continue to be significantly determined by our success in adding, retaining and engaging users of our products and converting users into paying subscribers or in-app purchasers," the S-1 says. "We expect that the size of our user base will fluctuate or decline in one or more markets from time to time."

Got a tip? Contact Business Insider senior correspondent Ben Gilbert via email (bgilbert@businessinsider.com), or Twitter DM (@realbengilbert). We can keep sources anonymous. Use a non-work device to reach out. PR pitches by email only, please.

When it comes to customer relationship management (CRM) software, Salesforce is usually top of mind. Two decades ago, the cloud giant pioneered new way to deliver software over the cloud via subscriptions, changing CRM software forever. 

It still has an iron grip on the market, holding an 18.4% share as of 2019, according to a report from IDC. By contrast, other large players like SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, and Adobe have single digit percentages (although Microsoft is aggressively investing in its own cloud-based CRM application, called Dynamics 365). 

CRM software generally includes customer-facing tools for divisions like sales, customer service, and marketing and has traditionally served as an electronic Rolodex-of-sorts for a company's customers. But the software is quickly evolving, said a senior research director at Gartner, Brian Manusama. 

Nowadays, companies don't want their CRM systems to simply help their own employees, but also to make their overall customer experiences smoother and simpler, too, Manusama told Insider. For example, they want tools to automate online problem-solving processes for customers. And as automation capabilities become standard for modern CRM systems, that often means integrations with outside applications or social media.

Salesforce is built primarily for large enterprise customers, so CRM startups have popped up to cater to small and medium-sized businesses, Bessemer Venture Partner's Alex Ferrara told Insider. Also, because CRMs encompass a wide range of tools and software, many companies start in one category — sales, services, or marketing — and then expand outward from there.

"I think most modern organizations today want all of their employees to have access to customer data," partner at venture firm CRV, Murat Bicer, told Insider. "It's not just sales anymore."

As the pandemic pushed businesses to digitally transform faster than ever, modern CRM software is critical to helping them stay connected with customers. 

Insider asked venture capitalists and analysts to name smaller CRM companies competing with behemoths like Salesforce and Microsoft. They named both innovative startups and smaller companies that are growing in popularity. 

Some of these smaller companies could also be acquisition targets for big cloud firms looking to improve their own capabilities. For example, Facebook said in November 2020 that plans to acquire customer service startup Kustomer — reportedly for $1 billion. 

Here are 16 customer relationship management companies that experts say to watch in 2021:

(All private company funding amounts and valuations taken from Pitchbook.)

Pipedrive

Pipedrive is a sales management tool to help coordinate the sometimes complicated or lengthy sales process. It's tailored to help salespeople do their jobs as opposed to sales managers, which more traditional CRM systems are focused on, said Bessemer's Ferrara, who led Pipedrive's Series A round in 2015.

Pipedrive has customizable fields, Google Apps integrations for email, and data importing and exporting, so salespeople can plan their strategy, track deals, and record conversation history on one platform. 

Ferrara says it's a company to watch because it's very profitable and has a really great team of product and engineering folks on board.

Total funding raised: $95.4 million

Valuation: $1.50 billion 

Iterable

Iterable is an email marketing platform that helps automate the customer reach-out process.

The company was founded in 2013 and started with marketing automation before quickly realizing how much more it could do with the customer data stored on its platform.

It essentially allows companies to customize the way they interact with customers based on their preferences, said CRV's Bicer, who sits on Iterable's board. CRV led Iterable's Series A round in 2016. 

"It's giving you a more of that full picture of your entire customer base and how they're behaving," Bicer said. "I think that's the kind of scale that even Salesforce today wouldn't really be able to do."

Total funding raised: $141.84 million

Valuation: $535 million

Gorgias

Gorgias makes help-desk software — primarily for small online businesses — to help manage customer service. It uses machine learning and integrations with other software to create templates and suggestions on how to resolve customer service requests so businesses can respond quickly. 

The company was founded in 2015 and just raised a $25 million Series B led by Sapphire Ventures in early December. CRV's Bicer recommended the firm. 

Total funding raised: $44.77 million

Valuation: $325 million

Freshworks

Freshworks is best known for its customer service product, Freshdesk. It was founded in 2010 after CEO Girish Mathrubootham saw an opportunity to change the way companies handle customer support.

In the 10 years since, Mathrubootham has expanded the firm's customer support focus to build a platform that provides software to help manage every interaction a customer has with a company, from marketing to customer support. The company is headquartered in San Mateo, California, although the majority of its employees are based in India.

Freshworks has made a number of acquisitions over the last few years to build out its platform, Gartner's Manusama said. 

Total funding raised: $401.1 million

Valuation: $3.5 billion

SugarCRM

SugarCRM, founded in 2004, offers a range of customer experience tools including for sales, service, and marketing divisions. A recent Gartner report called SugarCRM's products "easily configured and customized."

In addition to sales automation, customer service, and marketing tools, SugarCRM has also added products for data visualization, analytics, and integration.

"They've got a pretty comprehensive offering compared to most smaller market CRMs," said Nucleus Research analyst Dan Elman, who expects the firm to keep growing.

Notably Salesforce has a similar line-up of products in its CRM platform. 

SugarCRM was acquired by private equity firm Accel-KKR in 2018. 

Total funding raised: $119.64 million up to 2013, unknown after that

Valuation: Unknown

Techsee

TechSee is a customer service platform that integrates technologies like artificial intelligence and internet connected devices with more traditional CRM tools. It's geared towards field service agents in particular, helping them respond to customer support requests at specific locations and allowing them to connect with customers via a live virtual chat.

The company is based in Israel and raised a $30 million Series C round in August led by Salesforce Ventures, TELUS Ventures, and OurCrowd. Gartner's Manusama recommended it as a field service-focused CRM company to watch. 

Total funding raised: $53.50 million

Valuation: Unknown

Hubspot

Hubspot started as a marketing automation company, making it easy for small businesses to launch marketing and go-to-market strategies. Once Hubspot started seeing how its platform could use the customer data it was collecting, however, it began adding more features to make it a full CRM platform, including sales and service software.

The company went public in 2014 and has 95,000 customers. It is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts and run by its cofounders Brian Halligan (CEO) and Dharmesh Shah (CTO). 

CRV's Bicer and Bessemer partner Ferrara both noted that Hubspot was a smaller CRM company to watch. 

Market cap: $17.71 billion

Zendesk

Zendesk is known for its customer service software, but it also offers sales software and a marketplace of customer engagement apps. Its software makes it easier to help customers across self-service options, connecting all the communication methods — like phone, chat, messaging, and email — in one platform. 

Nucleus Research's Elman said he already sees Zendesk in competition with Salesforce for deals and he expects that competition to only get more intense as Zendesk grows. More often now, CRMs are expanding to include that "customer experience distinction," he said.

Zendesk was founded in 2007 and went public in 2014. 

Market cap: $17.71 billion

Zoho

Zoho is an Indian software company that provides tools for finance, productivity, collaboration, and more, with its sales, services, and marketing tools integrating with its entire product portfolio. 

Zoho's CRM offering is more developed than most companies of its size, said Nucleus Research's Elman, so it could likely compete with Salesforce more effectively than others.

Earlier this year Zoho released tools to help businesses reopen safely, similar to Salesforce's Work.com tools. 

The company was founded in 1996 in Pleasanton, CA but its global headquarters are in Chennai, India. It has remained private and claims that it never took outside funding. 

Total funding raised: N/A

Valuation: Unknown

Glia

Glia is a customer service platform that allows businesses to connect with customers using messaging, video, and other online avenues. The software is intended to make it simple for customers to learn about a product, purchase it, and access customer service, too. Sellers can interact with interested parties in real-time to try to convert them into paying customers. 

Glia's customers include several big banking organizations, said Gartner's Manusama, making it a firm to watch. It raised $78 million in Series C funding in early January.

Total funding raised: $107 million

Valuation: Unknown

Conversica

Conversica is an AI-driven platform to help salespeople connect with potential customers and sign them on. It uses chat bots to automatically start conversations with potential buyers over email, text, or social media to schedule sales meetings or gauge interest. It can also collect overdue payments from existing customers, too. 

Its customers include Oracle, Beck & Masten, and Talend, and it also has partnerships with Salesforce, Hupspot, and Marketo. Gartner's Manusama recommended it. 

Total funding raised: $106.8 million

Valuation: Unknown

GetAccept

GetAccept is a sales enablement platform that aims to digitize the sales process from the first conversation to a signed contract. The software includes features like video, live chat, sales content, proposal design, document tracking, and e-signatures to simplify the sales process. It also allows sales reps to track their pipeline.

Bessemer's Ferrara likens it to digitizing the deal room where sales contracts get discussed and signed. His firm led GetAccept's $20 million Series B round in early December.  

Total funding raised: $30.6 million

Valuation: $36.88 million before its Series B, current unknown

Insightly

Insightly is a project management tool for keeping track of customer interactions. The platform helps companies manage their customer contacts, tasks, and projects on desktop and mobile, and also offers a marketing automation tool. Its tools integrate with Google Apps and GSuite, Microsoft 365, and Quickbooks.

Insightly was founded in 2009 and is backed by Emergence Capital Partners, Cloud Apps Capital Partners, Scott Bommer, and Sozo Ventures. Bessemer's Ferrara named Insightly as a CRM startup to watch, though his firm has not invested.

Total funding raised: $40 million

Valuation: $220.67 million

Copper CRM

Copper is a CRM system designed to be used with GSuite and Google Apps. It helps salespeople identify, track, and optimize sales. The integration with GSuite allows users to update opportunities, add contacts, get account histories, and manage the pipeline directly from their Gmail inbox. It also automatically scrapes data from Gmail to automate recurring tasks. 

The company was founded in 2011 and has CRM products tailored for the tech industry, real estate firms, consulting companies, and small businesses.

Ferrara recommended Copper, though Bessemer has not invested in it.

Total funding raised: $108.12 million

Valuation: $77.68 million as of its Series B in 2016, current unknown

Affinity

Affinity is a CRM startup that's focused on managing relationships as opposed to simply serving as a database of contacts. Its scans the email and calendars of its workers in customer-facing roles to map out how people are connected and suggest ways to leverage existing relationships in order to secure new deals.

Bessemer's Ferrara said his firm is a customer of Affinity and has seen first-hand the value it can bring to organizations. It has products tailored towards the real estate industry, venture capital firms, and financial institutions. 

Total funding raised: $40.5 million

Valuation: $96.5 million

Nimble

Nimble is another CRM platform that integrates with productivity suites from Microsoft and Google. It allows users to access their CRM while working in their email inbox or websites like LinkedIn.

Its differentiator is a "focus on mining social media," said Nucleus Research's Elman. "It can link your records with social media, so it gives you more up-to-date info on when your contacts are active and what they're thinking about." 

Nimble is part of the Microsoft Accelerator. 

Total funding raised: $15.5 million

Valuation: $34 million

2020 was a big year for Plaid. It kicked off the year with a $5.3 billion acquisition offer from Visa. What's more, fintech — the core market Plaid serves — took off. And that meant massive growth for Plaid.

In November, the DOJ sued Visa, citing antitrust concerns. Plaid had the potential to become a Visa competitor, and the move was an attempt to squash competition, the DOJ said.

And on January 12, Plaid and Visa announced that the deal has been called off. It was a disappointing result for Visa, though the card giant said the two will continue to partner closely. 

Read more:Plaid's CEO says the fintech isn't looking for new exit opportunities after its $5.3 billion Visa deal imploded

But employees and investors are optimistic about Plaid's continued growth as an independent company. Plaid isn't currently weighing alternative exit opportunities, CEO Zach Perret previously told Insider. Instead, it's focused on riding the momentum of 2020. 

Investors, too, say they're excited about Plaid's potential. Some say that Plaid's value could be 10x the $5.3 billion Visa planned to pay.

Plaid serves as the data pipes, linking third-party apps to banks and enabling access to financial data needed for consumers to connect bank accounts and move money.

Despite serving as a critical layer between fintechs and banks, Plaid has traditionally been largely unknown to most consumers. But increasingly, Plaid is coming into the public eye.

Read more: Fintech startup Plaid has a slew of investors who won't get paydays now that Visa's $5.3 billion deal is off. And they say they're happy about it.

Many fintechs display Plaid's logo when consumers set up their accounts. And Plaid is currently in beta with a consumer-facing data management portal that allows users to review and monitor their live data connections, and even switch connections off and delete stored data. 

This all comes as consumers' awareness of data access and privacy is at an all time high. 

The startup, which was founded in 2012 and has raised over $300 million from investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Index Ventures, and Kleiner Perkins.

Read more:Execs from Plaid and Yodlee explain how new data-sharing rules will dictate the future of how banks and fintechs work together

To be sure, Plaid isn't the only player looking to connect fintechs with banks.

Finicity is another Plaid competitor. In June, Visa rival Mastercard announced plans to acquire Finicity in a deal worth $825 million. The DOJ cleared the deal last November. And Akoya, backed by 12 financial institutions including Citi, JPMorgan, and Wells Fargo, just signed US Bank as its first data-sharing bank partner. There's also Evestnet Yodlee, which, like Plaid, has data-sharing agreements with the major banks.

Plaid sits front and center to the industry's move toward open finance

Banks haven't always been keen to share their data with startups like Plaid. And there are a number of reasons for that: risk, security, and competitive concerns, to name a few. 

"When I first joined, there was a little more resistance to the concept that consumers really own their data," Brandis Anderson, product and regulatory counsel at Plaid told Business Insider. Anderson joined Plaid in 2017.

But with the now-undeniable scale of fintech and regulators' increased attention on data privacy, larger industry players are more open to the idea of collaborating with fintechs when it comes to data sharing. 

A consumer's right to access their financial data was stipulated in the Dodd-Frank Act, the federal law established in the wake of the financial crisis, but the terms are vague. Federal regulators haven't issued specific data sharing standards when it comes to banking data — at least not yet. 

In October, the CFPB announced plans to issue rules based on Dodd-Frank when it comes to financial data that moves between banks, third-party fintechs, and the pipes that connect the two. That means players like Plaid, among others, will spend the next year answering the CFPB's questions and helping structure proposed industry standards for data sharing.

"It could not be a more exciting time for open finance and open banking," Anderson said.

Read more: Digital-only banks have doubled their consumer bases and raised $4.6 billion in funding this year. Here's how startups like Chime, Dave, and Acorns are making big strides in 2020.

Open banking refers to access to bank data like account numbers and balances. Open finance is broader, including more pieces of consumers' financial lives such as payroll, insurance, credit cards, and investments. 

Plaid, for one, has layered more than just bank-account data into its application programming interfaces. During the SBA's Paycheck Protection Program rollout, Plaid built a new API for the payroll data small businesses needed to apply for the loans. Plaid also has APIs for investments and credit data.

And open finance can lead to more accessible financial tools for all consumers, especially un- and underbanked populations.  

"The fintech ecosystem has opened up a whole breadth of new use cases and new tools for consumers. But I think there's still a lot of work left to be done there," Katie Neal, outreach and advocacy manager at Plaid, told Business Insider.

"So one of the things that Plaid is thinking a lot about is how we foster development of products for consumers that are not traditionally engaged with the financial ecosystem," Neal added.

Tech bros need not apply

Plaid's has nearly 600 employees, around 200 of which were hired in 2020, alone. And as is often the case with a fast-growing company, scaling headcount presents its own challenges to building and maintaining company culture. 

"We incorporate our company values and principles in the hiring process, so people that we bring into the company typically align with our mission and values from the beginning," recruiting manager Erin Symons told Business Insider.

As startups scale, it's often hard to maintain the same company culture from the early days. But employees said that Plaid still shies away from the "tech bro" culture of Silicon Valley. 

"Plaid is really conscientious about making sure that we're not like the traditional bro-y tech company, for lack of a better word," Neal said. 

Kira Booth, an engineering manager who built out Plaid's Salt Lake City office, echoed Neal's comments.

"I think that we have built one of the best engineering cultures in Salt Lake, and have provided a real opportunity for people who don't want to be part of the tech bro culture of Silicon Slopes," Booth said.

From hosting women in tech events to "plairings" (where employees are randomly paired with a colleague and given $20 for an outing), Plaid invests in its employees and its culture. 

And thoughtful hiring is crucial for a work culture that expects all employees to contribute new ideas and strategies.

"We have a very bottom-up engineering culture across the board," Booth said. "All of the engineers contribute to our [objectives and key results]. They help set strategy. They can give feedback directly to the head of engineering, and he takes it very seriously."

Meet Plaid's breakout stars: Here are the 14 people leading initiatives across the $5.3 billion fintech that's looking to make financial data more accessible

SEE ALSO: Plaid's CEO says the fintech isn't looking for new exit opportunities after its $5.3 billion Visa deal imploded

SEE ALSO: Fintech startup Plaid has a slew of investors who won't get paydays now that Visa's $5.3 billion deal is off. And they say they're happy about it.

SEE ALSO: POWER PLAYERS: These are the 15 execs at Mastercard leading the card giant's strategies in new businesses focused on cybersecurity, data, and analytics

Kate Adamson, product lead

Adamson is a product lead on Plaid's financial identity team. From banking to credit, Adamson's team focuses on making the way consumers apply for financial offerings more inclusive and seamless.

Recently, Adamson's team has been working with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency on its Project REACh, an industry-wide effort to broaden access to banking and credit offering for un- and underbanked consumers.

Adamson and her team also examine the way that consumers' financial profiles are used today, challenging assumptions that leave people out of the financial services industry.

"A question like 'What is your income?' seems simple and core to a person's financial identity," Adamson said. "However, verifying what 'income' means to different segments of the population is extremely hard. Many people don't live off of salaried income, some don't have consistent paychecks, others live off of investments instead of cash flow."

Adamson says that part of the reason fintechs have become so popular is because their approaches to financial identity are more flexible, opening up access to unbanked consumers. 

"Rearchitecting the definitions and 'norms' of financial identity is a critical part of making financial freedom more accessible to everyone," Adamson said.

Prior to Plaid in 2015, Adamson was an investment banker at JP Morgan.

Brandis Anderson, product & regulatory counsel

As product and regulatory counsel, Anderson advises and navigates all of the legal and regulatory matters for Plaid.

"From a legal perspective, I think there are few jobs where you get to learn, in the way I have, new topic areas and new geographies," Anderson said.

Anderson has helped with Plaid's expansion internationally in markets like the UK and Europe. She also advises on the development of new and existing offerings, working with engineers and go-to-market teams to help them understand the complex regulatory landscape of data and financial services.

Because Plaid is entrenched in the highly regulated world of financial services, Anderson says her team is more actively involved in product discussions and strategy.

"It's so rare to be able to go to work and feel that legal has a real central seat at the table," Anderson said. 

"In a lot of places, legal is a cost center, and people just have to deal with you," Anderson added. "I've never, in my three-and-a-half years at Plaid, felt like someone thought of legal as a cost center that was inhibiting."

And with the CFPB's recent data-focused ANPR, Anderson will be busy working through new data regulations in the US.

"In thinking through what a regulatory framework looks like, we want to be active in leading some of those conversations," Anderson said.

Prior to joining Plaid in 2017, Anderson spent nearly six years as an enforcement attorney at the CFPB in Washington, D.C. Before her time at the CFPB, Anderson was an associate at O'Melveny & Myers in Los Angeles.

Read more: Execs from Plaid and Yodlee explain how new data-sharing rules will dictate the future of how banks and fintechs work together

Kira Booth, engineering manager

Booth oversees Plaid's engineering teams located in both New York and Salt Lake City. She was Plaid's first Salt Lake City-based hire, and has since built a team of more than 30 employees in the region. 

"My team drives all of the data-access engineering," Booth said. "So we actually get the data from the banks and make it available in the Plaid system, which allows us to build the sorts of products that promote financial inclusivity."

Responsible for the data fintechs need from banks, her team has been at the forefront of banks' evolving data policies and practices.

"Trying to maintain a high quality, highly available product when we don't necessarily have the same commitments from the banks just seemed like a really interesting operational problem to me," Booth said.

Prior to joining Plaid in 2018, Booth worked at Qualtrics, which was acquired by SAP shortly after she left.

"I got to put a number to how much equity I walked away from, because I left all of my equity to join Plaid," Booth said. "After I put the seven-digit figure to my equity, looking back, I would do it all over again."

Nicole Butler, UK head of compliance

Butler is Plaid's UK head of compliance and money laundering reporting officer. She was the first member of the risk and compliance team outside of the US, and has built out Plaid's international compliance organization, working with regulators in the UK and the EU.

Butler focuses on open-banking and open-finance initiatives, which historically have been more government-driven in the UK and Europe than in the US, where data-sharing standards have moreso been defined in the private sector.

In the US, open-finance frameworks are being discussed by regulators like the CFPB and the OCC, who will have to strike the balance between clear standards and leaving room for future innovation.

"Being mindful that we can't always predict what fintech innovation is on the horizon — a clear regulatory framework to protect consumer data rights is helpful, but we must be careful that it doesn't stifle innovation in the process. This is a lesson we can take from early UK and EU open banking efforts," she said.

Prior to joining Plaid in 2019, Butler was one of the first Coinbase hires outside of the US, responsible for the crypto exchange's UK compliance operations.

Zola Hart, events lead

Hart leads Plaid's internal events team, focused on building and maintaining company culture. She's organized hack-a-thons, annual retreats, and wellness events for employees. 

Now, with employees working remotely, Hart's job shifted entirely online. 

"An important company culture event that happens twice a year is our all-company hack-a-thon that reminds us to stay true to our roots," Hart said. "Remote work created the challenge of, 'How do we do a company hack-a-thon virtually and still keep the magic alive?'"

Ultimately, Plaid hosted both annual hack-a-thons virtually. Hart has also organized ways to get employees offline for a bit. 

"Zoom fatigue is very real," Hart said. 

Each quarter, employees can opt in to receive an activity kit for some screen-free time. This quarter, employees were sent mini canvases and art supplies to make paintings that will eventually be hung in Plaid's offices.

Hart also organizes virtual lunch and learns that cover topics like the history of Dia de los Muertos and a chat with a NASA astronaut.

Hart joined Plaid in 2019. She previously led events for Facebook.

Bhargavi Kamakshivalli, design

Kamakshivalli oversees design for data access and international offerings. She said that when it comes to design, Plaid's key principals are people-driven.

"The design decisions made within Plaid's different surfaces are anchored in user data," Kamakshivalli said. "We take pride in our process that actively includes and advocates for user problems (be it consumers, developers of financial institutions) and how our user experience can solve them."

Mobile authentication for bank account access is relatively seamless, especially with fingerprint biometrics embedded in smartphones. But on desktop, Kamakshivalli's team noted that the log-in process was more cumbersome for users.

So in lieu of having users manually enter bank log-in credentials online, the team designed a QR-based authentication.

"With COVID-19 and non-touch authentication and self-serve on the rise, over 80% of consumers had used QR codes at least once to either get a menu or pay bills," Kamakshivalli said. "We used this familiar experience to help consumers seamlessly move from desktop to mobile and authenticate accounts from the safety of their mobile app, thereby improving the overall user experience significantly."

Kamakshivalli also moonlights as the associate research director at the New School of Design's visualizing finance lab, where she ideates and designs educational material to better understand and impact users' financial behavior. 

Kamakshivalli joined Plaid in 2019, and has more than 10 years of experience designing in the financial sector.

Read more: $5.3 billion fintech Plaid is in the middle of a high-stakes fight over customer data. Its CEO told us why the startup wants to give users control.

Emerald Maravilla, new business manager

Maravilla leads Plaid's new business team, overseeing sales and relationships with startups looking to use Plaid's platform for data access. She's also been responsible for growing Plaid's sales team.

Plaid's network of third-party users is broad, from digital banks and personal financial management apps to roboadvisors and alternative lenders. 

"We saw a lot more adoption in [personal financial management] platforms during the pandemic, especially as folks are looking at ways to save and manage their money better at this difficult time," Maravilla said. "We also expect to see growth in the lending use case as businesses start to regain momentum again."

Maravilla said Plaid's approach to sales has evolved as it's grown, and the fintech ecosystem has became more aware of it. 

"In the early days, most of our customers were self-serve startup developers that were discovering our docs and platform as they started building fintechs," Maravilla said. "As our customer base and brand familiarity grew, we've built traction with a more proactive approach to building relationships with prospective customers."

Maravilla joined Plaid in 2019. She previously led sales development teams at Sift and Twilio, and worked in the customer success organization at Box.

Katie Neal, outreach & advocacy

As part of Plaid's policy team, Neal leads outreach and advocacy efforts. She's focused both on advocating for companies building new financial products for consumers, but also ensuring that those companies are informed and understand the regulatory landscape as they build. 

"I work with regulators, policy makers, advocacy groups, consumers, and developers to build the road for increased innovation, and think about how policies impact product, and how product impacts policies," Neal said. 

Neal also worked with Congress on the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program. Partnering with payroll companies and banks, Plaid built out a new system in April to help small businesses access the data needed to qualify for those loans.

Neal is also part of the team working on the CFPB's data-focused ANPR, which asks for industry feedback on what a framework around financial data access regulation should look like. 

"They ask some really tough questions. I thought their questions indicated pretty high level of knowledge at the CFPB of what's actually happening in the ecosystem," Neal said.

But there is still a fair amount of education that goes into working with regulators, especially given the relative nascency of fintech. 

"One of the things that we at Plaid are really careful about is protecting the potential use cases that could be built," Neal said. "So I think of my job a little bit as making sure that we're expanding the horizon, and not providing a limitation of what types of data are available based on the types of use cases that we have in existence today."

Prior to joining Plaid in 2019, Neal worked on education and tax policy for two Senate committees.

Read more: Fintechs working with lenders and small businesses explain the pain points still plaguing the latest $320 billion round of PPP loans

Katie Randolph, financial access partnerships

Randolph manages Plaid's relationships with top financial institutions, where the critical data that third parties need is stored.

Plaid has several bilateral agreements with banks like JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo that define their data-sharing expectations. In turn, Plaid's third-party clients are able to access that data. 

"When Plaid first came on the scene, fintech use cases were more limited — and as a result, many institutions weren't prioritizing enabling data sharing on behalf of their customers," Randolph said. "Today, we're truly experiencing a 'Cambrian Era' of fintech, and hundreds of millions of people are signing up for fintech apps and services every day."

More than half of Americans use digital tools (including fintechs) to manage their money, according to a recent survey conducted by Plaid with The Harris Poll.

And 73% of those surveyed said they plan to continue managing the majority of their finances digitally, viewing fintech as the "new normal." So if a banks' customer base wants to use fintech apps, it's in the bank's interest to open up its data to those fintechs. By not doing so, they run the risk of losing customers.

"Financial institutions are responding to this demand by more closely partnering with Plaid to facilitate the ability for their customers to access their information and permission it to the apps and services they want to use to better manage their money," Randolph said. 

Randolph joined Plaid in 2019. She previously worked in business development for BlackRock's wealthtech portfolio. 

Read more:We talked to Wells Fargo execs about its blockchain and Plaid data-sharing push. The bank has been balancing new tech investments against spending on cleaning up risk controls.

Jess Romano, financial access

As part of the financial access team, Romano leads go-to-market strategy for Plaid Exchange, the API-in-a-box offering launched in May this year that's geared toward smaller firms. 

"Many smaller banks are looking to implement data connectivity solutions that enhance security, reliability and scalability," Romano said. "Additionally, cost and implementation effort are often top of mind as well."

As consumers continue to embrace fintech, connectivity with apps like Betterment and Venmo is critical for smaller banks to keep customers. Plaid Exchange was built for smaller financial institutions that may not have the resources to stand up their own APIs for data sharing with third-party fintechs. 

Prior to joining Plaid in 2019, Jess held strategic partnerships, commercial, and relationship management roles at Apple, Symphony, and Goldman Sachs.

Erin Symons, recruiting manager

Symons is one of the recruiting leads for Plaid. In August, she hired Plaid's general counsel, Meredith Fuchs, who was previously chief counsel at Capital One, as well as Plaid's head of people, McKenna Quint, and head of data access. Symons has led Plaid's growth from 85 to nearly 600 employees today.

And while Plaid has hired quickly in 2020, its approach to finding talent is methodical.

"Over the years, despite aggressive hiring needs, we've always prioritized finding the right person for the role as opposed to rapid growth for the sake of getting headcount to where it needs to be," Symons said. "This more careful approach has enabled us to be thoughtful, methodical, and specific about the type of company we are building and the people who make up Plaid's cultural DNA."

To be sure, company culture will inevitably evolve as headcount scales, Symons added.

"There's a common misconception about company culture being stagnant. In reality, company culture evolves as the company grows," she said. "New people, backgrounds and experiences contribute to a company's cultural evolution, and that should be accommodated and celebrated."

Symons joined Plaid in 2017, and previously worked at Uber, where she built out the company's Latin America operations.

Read more: Average fintech salaries are in the six figures. A talent exec at $5.3 billion Plaid lays out 3 ways to get your foot in the door.

Pritee Tembhekar, product manager

Tembhekar is a product manager for the developer experience team at Plaid. 

"Our customers are developers who trust us to be a core part of their products," Tembhekar said. "A unique aspect of building a platform product is that anything we build or changes to our product ultimately impacts the products that developers are building." 

She ensures that Plaid's tools and interface are optimized for its developer customers, including well-known fintechs like Coinbase, Robinhood, and Venmo, as well as smaller, emerging fintechs in the lending space, for example.

"This makes my job both challenging and exciting because that means not only do I have to consider how we can deliver on really great developer experiences but we also need to make sure that any platform changes we make won't affect our customers in a big way."

Plaid's broad customer base of fintechs also drives its internal product strategy. Plaid's Assets API, for example, is catered toward third-party lenders, making it easier for them to access the data they need to make credit decisions. 

Prior to joining Plaid in 2019, Tembhekar worked at Coinbase, Google, and BCG.

Marisa Wang, account manager

Wang oversees the team responsible for relationship management with Plaid's major clients, including Acorns, Coinbase, and Robinhood. 

As an account manager, she ensures that Plaid is optimized for these clients. Wang spent the last two-and-a-half years refining Plaid's approach to relationship management and customer engagement, with a renewed focus on growing those relationships.  

Wang joined Plaid in 2018. She has a background in chemical engineering, and transitioned to tech five years ago.

Joy Zheng, engineering manager

Zheng is an engineering manager responsible for the core system that external engineers use to plug into Plaid's data pipelines. 

"The core services team is responsible for many of the services underlying the Plaid API, and having so many external developers who rely on it means that we take reliability very seriously," Zheng said. 

Plaid's core infrastructure is used by thousands of third-parties, and it's growing. So Zheng's team is constantly working on ways to improve Plaid's reliability and scale.

Zheng echoed her colleague Booth's characterization of Plaid's "bottom-up" culture in the engineering organization.

"That means everyone is responsible for taking ownership of making sure the thing they're building is delivering impact to our consumers and developers, and that engineers are empowered to bring up ideas, make decisions, and advocate for projects that they believe will improve our systems," Zheng said. 

She also advocates for the company's "Grow, together" principal, and says that engineers at Plaid are highly collaborative and eager to mentor each other. 

Zheng joined Plaid in 2016 as a software engineer. She built out Plaid's engineering team in Europe, and leads the company's Women+ employee network.

• Shoe polish is an important part of ensuring that your leather shoes and boots last as long as possible.
• With its all-natural formula, great nourishing properties, and centuries-old pedigree, the French-made Saphir Renovateur is an old-school icon that remains the premier shoe polish. 
• Check out more Insider style reviews here.

A good pair of leather dress shoes is one of the most important parts of any wardrobe, but here's one of the "catches" with buying quality leather: animal hide needs a bit of care in order to maintain its character and suppleness. After you wear those new shoes for a while, they're naturally going to start looking worn out as the leather's natural oils dry out and the surface takes on scuffs, scratches, creases, and general wear from the elements.

The good news is that you don't have to toss those worn-out shoes in your closet: Good leather can last for decades and decades with proper care, and many people (myself included) actually find polishing their shoes to be a relaxing old-school ritual. Good polish can breathe new life into leather, making it look almost new again, and if you're investing good money in quality shoes then it behooves you to spend a few bucks on quality polish. Few things look worse than an otherwise nice outfit ruined by worn-out, dull-looking shoes.

Polishes are also great for casual shoes and boots, and there are special types made for these that offer additional leather protection. We've rounded up the best shoe polishes available today to suit just about any need, so read on to find the right one, as well as tips for polishing your shoes and the difference between shoe waxes and creams.

Here is the best shoe polish in 2021

• Best shoe polish overall: Saphir Renovateur
• Best cream shoe polish: Meltonian Boot & Shoe Cream Polish
• Best wax shoe polish: Lincoln Stain Wax Neutral Shoe Polish
• Best conditioning shoe polish: Otter Wax Leather Salve
• Best protecting shoe polish: Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP

The best shoe polish overall

For the be-all, end-all cream polish that can bring even the most worn-out pair of leather dress shoes back to life and impart a world-class shine, look no further than Saphir Renovateur.

Pros: All-natural formula is healthier for leather than creams that use synthetic additives, provides excellent shine, hydrates and nourishes full-grain leather extremely well, and it can restore even the most worn-out pair of shoes

Cons: Only available in a neutral color

In the world of shoe care, there's one name that stands tall above the rest: Saphir. This award-winning French shoe polish brand, established in 1925, retains a near-legendary status among style experts after nearly a century.

If you're looking to treat and condition your leather shoes and aren't looking to add any color to them, then our top recommendation is Renovateur. Saphir Renovateur is a mink oil-based polish with a 100% natural formula. It's a neutral-colored cream, and as you probably guessed from its name, Renovateur is specifically made to treat and nourish full-grain leather, something it does better than just about any other shoe polish you're likely to find.

Cheaper polishes you'll see online and in stores are almost always made of natural oils and waxes with synthetic additives like petroleum and/or silicone. Synthetic materials aren't absorbed into the leather nearly as well as organic ones because leather itself is a natural material and they aren't as good for the leather over the long-term. These polishes are OK for shining up cheap corrected-grain leather, but for full-grain hide, you want something all-natural like Renovateur.

Considered by many sartorial enthusiasts to be the prince of shoe polishes, Saphir Renovateur is a little expensive. It's worth it. A jar or tin will last you a very long time, anyway, so "buy the best and you'll only cry once." For conditioning leather while still delivering a fantastic shine, Saphir Renovateur remains far and away the best polish that money can buy.

The best cream shoe polish

If you're looking for a cream-based shoe polish that's as easy to use as it is easy on your wallet, it doesn't get better than Meltonian boot and shoe cream.

Pros: Soft cream formula is easy to work into leather and doesn't leave residue behind; diverse color options (including neutral); excellent value

Cons: Partially synthetic formula isn't as good for leather as all-natural polishes

Like Saphir, Meltonian is another classic shoe polish brand and one you might have heard of before — If your father or grandfather favored a cream-based polish, then there's a very good chance it read "Meltonian" on the tin. Meltonian polish is a soft cream formula, making it very easy to work into leather than wax-based polishes and even most other cream polishes while imparting a subtle matte, rather than super-glossy, shine.

Meltonian does contain some synthetic materials — namely petroleum — as most inexpensive polishes do. That's not a deal-breaker, especially at this price, but bear in mind that it's not quite as good for full-grain leather as all-natural formulas like our top pick, Saphir Renovateur. Nonetheless, it is dead simple to use, is even somewhat easier to work into the leather than Saphir can be, and reconditions leather well without leaving behind excess residue.

Meltonian boot and shoe cream is available in a variety of colors, whereas Renovateur is only available in a neutral tone. Colored polishes aren't necessary to help your shoes retain their luster, but they can add some color and patina to shoes and other leather goods,  too, that are a bit worn-out or ones you'd like to darken up a bit. Colored polish is also a great way to get rid of scuffs and scratches, making this product a multi-tasker for all things shoe-related. If this doesn't interest you, then Meltonian's "bone" color is a neutral option.

The best wax shoe polish

A decades-old favorite among both soldiers and civilians, Lincoln Stain Wax is an American classic with a rich waxy formula that will bring your shoes and boots to a mirror shine.

Pros: Made in the US, the wax formula imparts a glass-like shine to your shoes, protects the surface of your shoes better than creams, and it's an excellent value

Cons: Hard wax formula requires more time to work into leather and buff to a shine

If anybody in your family has served in the military, then they were likely familiar with Lincoln Stain Wax. This iconic American shoe polish has been a "general issue" in the military for decades, but you don't have to be a GI to appreciate it — Just as many civilians as soldiers have found Lincoln to be the go-to wax polish for buffing up leather shoes and boots of all colors to a glass-like shine you can almost see your reflection in.

As a hard wax-type polish, Lincoln Stain Wax requires a bit of extra elbow grease to work with, which can take some getting used to if you're more familiar with soft cream polishes like Meltonian. Don't be intimidated by this, and don't be afraid to use a little bit of water and heat to help you work the Lincoln wax into the leather. Once it's absorbed into the leather, you'll be ready to buff it up to a glassy surface shine.

Lincoln Stain Wax is an American classic and has thankfully remained so, still being made right in the US. It's cheap, too, around $10 per tin, with multiple colors available  —including a neutral tone — with black likely being the most popular due to its association with the military.

Harder wax polishes also typically last longer than creams, as they're not designed to condition leather as much and are more for shining up the surface while adding some extra scuff protection.

The best conditioning shoe polish

An all-natural formula that combines carnauba wax with shea butter makes Otter Wax Leather Salve another great choice for dry, worn-out shoes that need restoration and protection as much as a polish.

Pros: All-natural ingredients; made in the US; organic carnauba wax and shea butter formula hydrates and conditions leather extremely well; provides a better shine than purely oil-based products; can also be used on a variety of other leather goods

Cons: Only available in a neutral tone

As mentioned, shoe polishes tend to fall into two categories: creams and waxes. Softer creams nourish and hydrate, but don't deliver a long-lasting glassy shine as waxes do. Waxes, on the other hand, don't condition leather as well, tending to mostly sit on the surface of your shoes where they provide that great shine. For something that can do both, Otter Wax Leather Salve is a great alternative that conditions and restores leather while also polishing and protecting it.

Otter Wax products are made in Oregon of all-natural ingredients. Its Leather Salve, in particular, uses carnauba wax and shea butter — no silicone or petroleum to be found here — which are great organic ingredients for hydrating and conditioning dry, worn leather. This unique formula basically delivers a one-two punch: The shea butter penetrates deeply to nourish the hide, and the carnauba wax can be buffed up to a shine while protecting the surface of your shoes similar to wax polishes.

Like Lincoln Stain Wax, Otter Wax takes a little more work to use than creams, although it's a bit softer and easier to apply than most hard wax polishes. The extra effort is worth it and lets you achieve a glossier shine than is possible with most purely oil-based conditioning products like mink oil. I've never used Otter Wax for shoes, but I do use the company's fabric wax (a beeswax-based solid), so I can attest to the quality of Otter Wax products.

At around $10 for a two-ounce tin, Otter Wax is more expensive per ounce than most of our other picks aside from Renovateur. A tin should last a while, though, unless you have a lot of shoes you need to polish. Although once you use it to restore your old Oxfords, you may start discovering other things you own that could benefit from an Otter Wax application. And while it's great for dress shoes, Otter Wax is just as useful for work boots, bags and purses, and other leather goods.

The best polish for protecting shoes and boots

If polishing your shoes is a secondary concern to restoring and protecting them, then Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP should be your go-to for bringing rough-looking shoes and boots back to life while also guarding the hide against water, acids, and other damage.

Pros: Made in the US; beeswax base revives and conditions hide while providing good protection against water and other leather-damaging compounds; available in wax and oil formulas; easy to apply and work with; imparts a nice-looking patina to shoes and boots

Cons: Waterproofing is not as good as Sno-Seal, and it will noticeably darken leather

Designed 25 years ago by a firefighter looking for the perfect shoe wax, Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP has since become an American icon in the world of shoe care. While technically not a "polish" like products such as Saphir Renovateur or Lincoln Stain Wax, Obenauf's still has a place on our list for a number of reasons: (1) it revitalizes and conditions dry and worn-out leather, (2) it provides great protection against water and other things that can damage hide, and  (3), unlike similar products, it actually looks great and can even be brought to a shine.

Obenauf's excellent leather-protecting properties are owed to the formula's beeswax base, but out of the jar, Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP has a more cream-like consistency that's very easy to apply. It's similar in texture to mink oil — although somewhat thicker due to its heavier wax base — than it is too hard polishes like Lincoln, yet it provides much better water-resistance than mink oil while nourishing and hydrating leather incredibly well.

Alternatively, Obenauf's Leather Oil is a slightly different beeswax concoction that's more liquid-like than Heavy Duty LP and even comes with a dauber, and it works just as well for restoring and protecting leather. Nonetheless, both Obenauf's Heavy Duty LP and Leather Oil aren't quite as good at locking out water as Sno-Seal, another popular "boot grease" and heavier beeswax formula. Many users prefer the way Obenauf's looks, however, and so do we.

It's also why we included it on our list of shoe polishes where Sno-Seal wouldn't really fit: Obenauf's imparts a nice patina to leather shoes and boots once applied, and can even be buffed up to a matte shine. Just note that it will darken whatever leather you apply it to.

It's not our top recommendation for dress shoes, but it's the best choice for keeping your go-to pair of work boots and other casual leather footwear looking almost new assuming you're not going for the "mirror shine" look.

How to polish shoes

Unsure of how to polish your shoes? Here's a foolproof step-by-step guide:

1. To start, find a flat surface to work on and lay down an old towel or some newspaper.

2. Remove the laces, clean any dirt off the shoes with a horsehair brush ($10), and then use a dauber ($7.50) to apply the polish. If the shoes are considerably dirty, consider cleaning them with saddle soap (starting at $2.99) before starting this process.

3. Work the polish into the leather with a cloth, moving in small circular motions with your fingers.

4. Finish by buffing the shoes to a shine with a separate buffing cloth ($4.00), and you're set with perfectly-polished shoes.

The differences between shoe wax and shoe cream

Shoe polish generally comes in two forms, shoe cream and shoe wax:

• Shoe creams are oil-based polishes that impart a matte shine to the shoe while also restoring moisture and adding a bit of color to the leather — great for shoes that are looking a bit dry and rough on the surface. This is the most common type of polish, the easiest to work with, and our recommendation for beginners.
• Shoe wax is a solid polish with a base typically comprised of beeswax or something similar. It offers a more classic glass-like shine than cream polishes as well as some extra resistance to scuffs and marks on the leather, but takes a bit more time and effort to use. You don't want to over-apply wax as it can dry out and flake off if you layer it on too thick — rather than getting fully absorbed into the leather, wax polishes do most of their work on the surface.

More shoe care-related stories

The 23 best pairs of white sneakers for women

Though your sneakers may end up closer to their has-been white color after using one of our top five shoe polishes, there's nothing like an all-new white sneaker — and our Insider Reviews Senior Editor rounded up more than 20 choices for you to choose from.

I nearly ruined my favorite sneakers with mud, but this $16 shoe cleaner made them look good as new — here's how it works

Jason Markk has been a staple in the sneaker community for years, but it should be known by the masses. It's a simple and effective cleaning kit that's safe to use on all materials including mesh, leather, rubber, suede, and more.

10 effective products for cleaning and maintaining your shoes — as recommended by a sneaker collector

Although shoe polish is a great way to preserve the life of your leather shoes, it shouldn't be the only shoe care product you rely on. There are many products that can help you keep your shoes clean, dry, and odor-free. From sneaker cleaners to water-resistant sprays for suede and nubuck, these are the best products for keeping your shoes of all kinds clean.

Check out our other buying guides for the best in style

• The best dress shoes for men
• The best leather sneakers for men
• The best running shoes for men
• The best running shoes for women
• Best flats for women
• The best hiking boots for women
• The best women's loafers

• Despite their fairly simple function, garden hose nozzles are one of the most important and versatile tools in outdoor home and lawn care.
• Since we depend on hose nozzles to perform a wide range of duties from watering flowers to washing our cars, we chose the versatile Gardenite Heavy-Duty Watering Nozzle as our top overall pick.
• If you're also looking for a new hose, check out our guide to the best garden hoses.

The middle child between the watering can and the lawn sprinkler, garden hose nozzles don't exactly have the easiest job. They're expected to be able to handle a wide range of tasks, from watering flowers with gentle mists to blasting out dirty trash cans with powerful jet streams — all while having the compact size and maneuverability of a hand tool.  

On top of that, they're also responsible for managing anywhere from 40 to 60 PSI of water pressure, making durability essential, particularly since we tend to leave them outside more than we should.

I've used my years of experience working at plant nurseries and as a landscaper to assemble a list of the best nozzle options in several categories: the classic pistol grip, extended watering wand, simple twist action, and our best overall nozzle, the versatile Gardenite Heavy-Duty Watering Nozzle.

Quick tip: Unfortunately, even the most durable options don't react well to lying in the sun for any length of time, so to make removing them easier, I recommend investing in a quick-connector. They're easy to install and make it simple to pop your nozzle on and off the hose.

Here are the best garden hose nozzles:

• Best overall: Gardenite Heavy-Duty Watering Nozzle
• Best on a budget: Gilmour Full-Size Zinc Pistol
• Best watering wand: Dramm One-Touch Rain Wand
• Best fireman-style nozzle: Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle

Prices and links are current as of 1/15/21. We're currently in the process of overhauling this guide by re-testing the best picks to see if they still hold up and testing new considerations, like Melnor's affordable five-pattern nozzle. We're also speaking to expert gardeners to gain more insight into what to look for in a nozzle, and we're adding a new FAQ section that will cover which kind of nozzles you should use for various tasks. 

The best overall

The Swiss Army Knife of nozzles, the Gardenite Heavy-Duty Watering Nozzle ensures that you're prepared to tackle whatever project your yard has in store.

Pros: Includes the best features of most other options with minimal sacrifices in design, few plastic components add to durability, superior customer service.

Cons: Relatively heavy at 12.8 ounces, may be unnecessarily complex for some users 

The versatile design of the Gardenite Heavy-Duty Watering Nozzle is what really makes this option great, combining the control of a trigger-activated model with the functionality of a multi-spray head. The addition of a (mostly) metal body solidified its place at the top of the list.

In addition to the 10 different spray options available, a separate pressure knob lets you adjust the intensity of any of those settings. With this freedom to customize every aspect of your spray and its operating system, nothing is stopping you from adapting the Gardenite Heavy-Duty Watering Nozzle to any specific task.

Want to water 50 yards of delicate petunias with the ease of a trigger-free nozzle? No problem — just select "Scatter" on the spray selector, lock the trigger in the "On" position, and you're all set. What if you just feel like using a straightforward trigger sprayer? Again, not a problem — just unlock the trigger, turn the selector to "Full," and you're good to go.

The best on a budget

The Gilmour Full-Size Zinc Pistol Grip Nozzle is the perfect choice for anyone looking for a dependable, basic hose nozzle at an unbelievably low price.

Pros: Extremely affordable, highly durable

Cons: Metal construction isn't the most comfortable to hold for long periods of time, takes a little more effort to operate

This zinc and brass beast stacks up solidly against much more expensive options, especially in terms of durability.

When it comes to rough spraying jobs, where you don't want to worry about banging or dropping a plastic nozzle, the Gilmour Full-Size Zinc Pistol Grip Nozzle is the option you want.

While working summers at my uncle's canoe rental business, I would hose down and flip a hundred dirty aluminum canoes every afternoon with this nozzle, constantly banging it into hulls and dropping it on the ground after completing each boat. I never would have been able to do that with any other nozzle. Every time I'm in the area, I stop by the business, and the new boat boys are still using that same old Gilmour.

Adjusting the flow and shape of the Gilmour Full-Size Zinc Pistol Grip Nozzle's water stream is a bit less intuitive than other nozzles — similar to driving a manual transmission versus an automatic. But you still end up with a decent variety of spray options, and just like when you finally get comfortable driving a stick shift, it makes operating it a lot more fun.

Basically, the shape of the Gilmour's water spray is based on how hard you squeeze the trigger, beginning with a wide circular stream and narrowing as you apply more pressure. Then, once you've got your desired stream type, you tighten up the rear knob to lock it in, and you're all set.

The Gilmour Full-Size Zinc Pistol's tough metal body definitely makes it the most durable on this list, but also makes it less than ideal for tasks like washing your new car or anything else it might accidentally scratch or dent, especially considering that handy threaded front.

The best watering wand

With a thumb-controlled flow valve and a wide 2.5-inch nozzle face, the Dramm One-Touch Rain Wand makes gentle watering tasks a breeze.

Pros: Provides gentle mist for watering flowers, extends your reach, easy to hold for long periods of time

Cons: Limited to just one spray style, not efficient for watering large areas

If you've ever tried to water elevated or hanging plants with a standard nozzle, you know that you usually just end up wasting a ton of water and making a giant mess. Watering wands are perfectly suited for jobs like this, using their length to position the nozzle above the plant, and gently showering it from above.

The Dramm One-Touch Rain Wand is our best option for this style and incredibly simple to operate: Just adjust the control lever with your thumb until you reach your desired flow, and you're all set. I love this feature because it lets you easily pause the flow of water while moving between plants, wasting less water and leaving a smaller mess.

With a tool that you'll be raising above your shoulder, lightweight construction is a high priority, and the aluminum Dramm One-Touch Rain Wand delivers in that category as well, weighing in at less than a pound.

It's also a great choice if you're going to be using your nozzle for other types of low-pressure jobs, like watering a vegetable garden or seedling patches. I personally find watering wands perfect for washing my dog in the backyard. Their angled head and broad nozzle face make for a pleasant experience all around.

Keep in mind that this type of nozzle has only one setting, so it isn't great for any jobs that require a powerful or focused stream of water. If you're planning on blasting the mud off your dirt bikes, maybe consider another option with high-pressure settings. 

The best fireman-style nozzle

The thick, rubberized casing and fire hose-style design of the twist-controlled Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle makes for an especially comfortable grip, perfect for lengthy watering tasks.

Pros: Extremely durable, at the top of its class when it comes to comfort

Cons: Fewer spray options than others, lacks precision control of a trigger

If you're looking for a nozzle that won't leave you with the sore wrists and tight forearms that can result from a long day of squeezing a trigger nozzle, the Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle could be the choice for you.

As opposed to the pistol grip you see most often in hose nozzles, the Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle is cylindrical, like a fire hose. This ergonomic design makes for a more natural grip position while operating, thus reducing fatigue.

Its simple operating system also makes the Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle a great option for anyone with grip-strength issues, since it requires much less effort than trigger-style options. To adjust the flow of water, you simply twist the barrel itself to cycle through the five spray options.

My favorite feature of the Bon-Aire Original Ultimate Hose Nozzle is definitely its durable construction. The heavy-duty rubber that surrounds the barrel protects it from accidental drops on concrete that would prove fatal to plastic models. It also gives you a really solid, secure grip on the unit, a feeling that you don't get from other nozzles.

All that said, this nozzle will probably be a little too rough for delicate projects. It also lacks the precision control of a trigger, but it really can't be beat for big jobs like washing your car, especially considering its rubber construction.

What we look forward to testing

In addition to revisiting our top picks above, we're calling in the following nozzles for consideration in the best overall, budget, wand, and high-pressure categories.

Melnor 5-Pattern Watering Nozzle: At only $5, the nozzle offers a lot, including five spray settings and a comfortable rubber grip. It looks like a great potential option for anyone who needs a basic but reliable nozzle. 

Melnor RelaxGrip Watering Wand: This wand is half the price of our current best watering wand. It has a thumb control so you don't strain your hand and comes with an adapter so you can connect your hose or switch off the water easily. 

Twinkle Star Adjustable Twist Hose Nozzle: The heavy-duty nozzle is made from solid brass, with four holes at the tip to deliver high pressure. This is the nozzle you'll want if you frequently wash your car or power wash your deck and driveway. When you need a more gentle spray, just twist the barrel to deliver a fine mist. 

Check out our other great gardening guides

• The best gardening gloves
• The best plants for your first garden
• The best gardening shovels
• The best rakes
• The best electric lawn mowers

For many, 2020 was a year frozen in amber. Some of us started new hobbies or joined new workout classes, only to face shutdowns. Jobs were lost, cut in half, or made stagnant under an all-remote schedule, forcing ambitious career aspirations to take a back seat. Friendships faltered under new pressures; relationships ended, sometimes abruptly. Days blended together, while news from a tumultuous world made it clear we are living through historic times.

Even if we've adjusted and coped — baked bread, held Zoom birthdays, adopted pets — we still don't have our usual outlets to blow off steam. We can't go out dancing, work our frustrations out at a pottery studio, or split a bottle of wine with a friend at their place. Many of us have just felt ... stuck ... like a flower frozen in an ice cube. But now it's time to defrost.

What does it mean to get unstuck? 

Even though things may still be tough, we're ready to get unstuck, to find new ways of existing that feed our deepest joys and ambitions. We want to pursue things that matter to us, find hobbies that are fun and meaningful, learn new skills, and improve our mental and physical health. But in order to do that, we need to find new ways of working at it.

Having an open mindset about how to do these things is important because, as Yale psychology professor Laurie Santos told us, the things we think we want are often the opposite of what we actually need. We might emotionally recede when we crave connection the most or keep tapping through Instagram when our bodies are begging for fresh air. Being aware of our own misconceptions about ourselves and what we want is the first step to finding what will make us truly happy.

How online learning can help you achieve goals, pursue your interests, and get unstuck

Online learning has shifted the realm of possibility for how we can pursue hobbies, interests, and growth opportunities — especially in the midst of a pandemic. There are online workout classes, virtual degree programs, and even courses on creative pursuits like photography, cooking, or knitting. 

Our e-learning team has done a lot of thinking about the parts of our lives where we've experienced feeling stuck, and we've developed some suggestions on how to get unstuck using tools like online courses, apps, podcasts, and even books, below.

We also spoke with Santos about the deeper reasons we might experience uncertainty or confusion about what to do next — and got tips on how to slowly move forward. Her overarching advice for everything? Be gentle with yourself. "We need to allow ourselves the grace to start slow, or we'll burn out before we even get started," she says, "especially during such an already exhausting pandemic time."

Maybe a small new step is trying remote therapy or browsing a free career-related course. Maybe it's reading a therapeutic book or hopping into a Zoom workout class for the first time. The goal isn't to sign up for five new workshops or set harsh metrics for ourselves. It's to do — and more importantly, try — the things that can help us slightly change course. In 2021, that's more than enough.

Click on a link to jump to a list of resources on the following topics:

• Improving your mental health
• Moving your body and getting active
• Reshaping your career
• Growing in your relationships
• Getting better with money
• Pursuing creative hobbies and interests

Improving your mental health

As professor Laurie Santos previously told us, "We're in a fragile, emotional state right now, and the things that worked before might feel a little different." The key, she says, is to pay attention to how each activity makes us feel — especially the things we expect to bring us comfort, like binging TV or scrolling through Instagram. 

Of course, knowing how we feel requires mindfulness, which takes time to cultivate. Below are some of our resources to help make sense of your emotions (and spot our own misconceptions about happiness).

• Learn Laurie Santos' advice on how to be happier right now, or take her free Yale course, "The Science of Well-Being", through Coursera.

"The Science of Well-Being" is based on Yale's most popular class ever, and is one of our most recommended online classes. You can also check out our list of more classes that teach you how to be happier.

• Browse affordable online courses to improve your mental health while you're at home, or check out some of the mental health resources that helped us in 2020.

From a free University of Michigan course on the importance of sleep to books that normalize going to therapy, these can help you feel more grounded and less alone, even in a pandemic.

• Read our tips for navigating remote therapy, whether you're seeing a therapist for the first time or still getting used to an all-virtual transition.

Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and author, best known for her bestselling book "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone". She spoke to us about what therapy is (and isn't), how to make the most of remote therapy, and where to look if you don't have insurance. 

• Check out our guide to finding a guided journal for tracking your thoughts more clearly.

Journaling alone can reduce anxiety, but having prompts can help if the blank page feels too ... vast. You can choose between a range of options, from a journal designed to soothe any stressful thoughts to a book with fun activities mixed with more in-depth exercises. 

• Read up on small ways you can make your home feel calmer.

We spoke to mental health experts as well as interior designers about how to optimize your home so it reduces (instead of adding to) anxiety and depression. Changes can be as small as decluttering a countertop or adding a few plants.

• Look through our roundup of the best beginner meditation apps.

We created a guide to finding a meditation app that works for you (even if you're skeptical about using one). 

Moving your body and getting active

We all know that exercise, being outside, maintaining a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep are all vital to our well-being. But, as Santos notes, getting into a regular workout routine or sleep schedule isn't always intuitive; in fact, we probably won't really want to go on the 30-degree run outside or Zoom yoga class that will ultimately make us feel better.

According to Santos, that's ok. "One reason it's hard to get started on exercise and health goals is that we often take on more than we can realistically handle," she says. "Rather than going from couch to 5k in a week, try doing a fast ten-minute workout. Or a quick walk around the block." 

It takes time to get into a habit, and below are some apps, products, courses, and even mindsets that helped us find our footing so far.

• Read our list of apps to improve your physical health.

While some wellness apps can contribute to tech burnout, others are simple to use and can optimize your life, from reminders to drink water, smart alarms that promote healthy sleep habits, and customizable yoga classes. 

• Check out our roundup of online classes, gear, and products that helped us get into working out in 2020.

From virtual training sessions to easily stashable exercise equipment, these are the 24 things that inspired Insider staff members to keep moving throughout the pandemic.

• Browse our beginner's guide to running outside, a safe and budget-friendly way to get some cardio in while also boosting your mental health.

If you're new to running, we cover everything you need to know to start in 2021 — from which gear to get to how to set a consistent schedule.

• Scroll through our list of products that improved our sleep habits.

From a white noise app to a book of New York Times crossword puzzles, these apps and products can help you doze off more easily.

• Read up on intuitive eating, an alternative to following a strict eating schedule or plan.

Intuitive eating, where you "honor your hunger" and choose what you want to eat based on how your body feels, can be a great way to feel more in tune with what you need to feel good. 

Reshaping your career

Our ideas around higher education (and, by extension, our careers) are shifting. As more jobs become remote, there's a good chance that the future of work might be more flexible and expansive.

At the same time, this can be a confusing time to navigate, especially if you want to pursue a new career path but don't know where to start. No matter your field, Santos advises starting with your signature strengths, or positive traits, like kindness, a love of learning, or prudence."Research shows that we tend to be happier when we're exercising the strengths that we find most important," she says. And if you can't see yourself leaving your job in the near future, Santos recommends job crafting (popularized by psychologist Amy Wrzesniewski), where you find ways to bring out your strengths in your present role.

No matter what stage in your career search you're at, here are some resources to help you find what job you want to do (and how to actually get it).

• Check out our recommended resources for figuring out your ideal career.

We break down classes, books, and podcasts that can help you in the process of changing careers. Whether you're looking to transition into a new field or improve your current remote work setup, there are plenty of resources to help you confidently move forward.

• Take a free, expert-led resume writing class, watch a quick video of cover letter tips, and research all your website-building platform optionsbefore you get started.

That way, you won't waste time on something you'll have to scrap in the end.

• Browse free or affordable classes before potentially making a big financial commitment, such as grad school.

LinkedIn is temporarily offering free LinkedIn Learning classes around the skills people are getting hired for the most in 2021, and there are plenty of free or cheap resources to explore in-demand career paths such as project management, data science, or software development.

• Look into a graduate certificate, which can be a cost-effective alternative to a traditional master's degree.

Depending on your field, you might not need a grad degree at all. HarvardX has an online data science program that costs under $800 total, and companies like Google and IBM offer classes and professional certificate programs taught by their experts. There are also online master's programs that cost substantially less than an in-person degree, such as UPenn's master's in computer science. 

Additionally, many e-learning platforms offer free online courses along with paid certificates you can add to your resume or LinkedIn profile.

• Pursue subjects that interest you and aren't directly tied to advancement in a specific field, such as a class on learning how to learn.

Whether you're interested in boosting your public speaking skills or becoming more persuasive in your everyday life, having a growth mindset only helps your career in the long-run.

• Be patient and continue to expand your knowledge beyond what you learned in school, as one writer did after graduating college.

Fresh out of undergrad, writer Ian Kumamoto could barely get published anywhere. 10 months later, he landed two literary agents and got published in The New York Times and The Washington Post, all because he took time to attend workshops, read books, and tap into his network to grow as a writer.

Growing in your relationships

The pandemic presents a huge relationship paradox: We need other people more than ever, but (for the most part) we can't easily interact with them. Relying on digital technology like FaceTime and Instagram to communicate (when we already use them for work and entertainment) can be burnout-inducing, and tacking on a virtual team happy hour to the end of a day of Zoom meetings can be the last thing anyone wants.

But, Santos notes, "Sometimes we need to put work into things that will ultimately make us feel better in the end [like a Zoom call with friends]." She also says that, if friends feel distant or we feel too exhausted ourselves, we should cut each other (and ourselves) some slack.

"We're not going to be the best parents, spouses, best friends, or employees right now because we're all so stressed and burned out," she adds. "This means you need to give your family members and friends the benefit of the doubt."

It's a tricky space to navigate, but here are some ways to connect to others right now.

• Explore our suggestions to connect with people outside of Zoom or FaceTime.

From playing chess with your long-distance BFF to signing up for a virtual improv comedy workshop, you can hang out with friends and family outside of monotonous video calls.

• Peek the resources that improved our relationships in 2020.

From insightful podcasts to life-altering books, these relationship-boosting resources were favorites among the staff at Insider.

• To strengthen your romantic partnership, sign up for a class or fun online activity together.

Top relationship experts such as Esther Perel, and John and Julie Schwartz Gottman (The Gottman Institute) offer online courses for couples to grow closer and improve their relationships, especially in quarantine.

• Take this entertaining, three-part Stanford course on how to use humor to drastically improve your remote work situation.

"Remotely Humorous" teaches you how to infuse your workplace with levity to greatly boost communication and overall happiness, especially if you're a manager. The full certificate program is $186, but you can audit each individual course, like "Conquering Humor Fundamentals," for free.

• If your relationship with your parents is deeply strained, try reading "Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents."

This is a widely shared book on social media, so we spoke with the book's author, therapist Lindsay C. Gibson, about how people can set stronger boundaries with their parents.

Getting better with money

Feeling financially secure is crucial to our mental well-being — it's tough to find the space for rest or self-discovery if our immediate worry is money. Yet, building up savings, paying off debt, or investing are skills that are taught to us (usually by family, if we're lucky) or ones we have to learn completely on our own.

Advancing our financial education can be overwhelming, but it doesn't also have to be an intense, punishing process. Santos recommends a trick by Wharton psychologist Katy Milkman called "temptation bundling,"where you pair a tedious task with something you enjoy, like eating an extra-decadent meal or lighting some scented candles."If you allow yourself an off-limits or enjoyable 'temptation' while you engage in the daunting task, you can make it easier to get started cause there's something else to look forward to," she adds.

Below are courses, books, podcasts, and free resources that have helped us budget differently, gradually understand the stock market, and put any extra money to good use. 

• Check out some free (or cheap) classes, books, and podcasts on how to get better with money.

Learn crucial budgeting tips or audit free classes on improving your credit score.

• Pick up or download a copy of Ramit Sethi's "I Will Teach You to Be Rich," one of our top-recommended personal finance books.

Libby Kane, Insider's executive personal finance editor, regularly gives away her copy to other people (and buys another for the next time she needs to give it to someone else).

• Flip through "Millionaire Teacher," written by a high school teacher who became a debt-free millionaire.

Readers credit this book with fundamentally changing their saving habits, and even skimming a sentence or breezing through a chapter helped them drastically alter their investing habits.

• If you have no idea where or how to start investing, consider working with a robo-advisor.

Robo-advisors can be a cheap and easy way to start investing money because they design a portfolio around your financial goals. Insider senior reporter Mara Leighton used one while her student loans were in forbearance.

• Take your time learning about finance and investing through a few books.

If you're interested in learning about the stock market, you don't have to rush to know everything at once. Writer Lauren David spent years learning how to invest through reading books — which paid off when she saved roughly $10,000 from investing without an advisor.

Pursuing creative hobbies and interests

When living through incredibly challenging times, it can feel counter-intuitive to take on even more challenges. But they might be the key to making us just a little bit happier, according to Santos. "Challenging activities give us what positive psychologists call flow," she explained. "[Flow] is the state where we're feeling really present and involved and it's kind of hard, but doable." 

In other words, that flow state you feel when you do something that's both difficult and interesting energizes you and boosts your overall happiness. Naturally, pursuing these things can be hard in a pandemic. "Many of us are tired, so we choose passive activities that have a low start-up cost  — think plopping down to watch TV," Santos says. She also says that activities and hobbies with a higher start-up cost, like bread-baking or knitting, provide more active (and happiness-inducing) leisure.

Whether it's taking an online class for fun, learning a new language, or pursuing a screen-less hobby, here are some ideas to get you started.

• Peruse free classes from the highest-ranking universities in the world.

Schools like Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Stanford, and MIT (to name a few) offer plenty of free online courses on pretty much every subject imaginable.

• Get into audiobooks, which can make even boring tasks like doing dishes more interesting.

Senior reporter Mara Leighton recalls how a dull job became exciting because of audiobooks. You can find some of the best audiobooks to start with here.

• Use this time to dabble in a new hobby, such as drawing, writing, or chess.

It's worth using your down-time to do something that's completely fun (and not tied to your job or side hustle).

• Learn a new language (or brush up on high school Spanish) while you're at home.

There are seemingly endless apps and platforms out there. You can also check out our guides to learning Spanish, French, Hindi, Korean, or Russian.

• Expand your knowledge in subjects you wish you knew more about, like US politics, climate change, or modern art history.

Unlike school or college, you get to choose coursework you find dynamic and engaging.

• The best smart doorbells go far beyond just alerting you to visitors. They also enable two-way conversations and can stream or record live video.

• The Nest Hello is our top pick thanks to its advanced security features, reliable performance, and the fact it can be fitted using your existing doorbell wiring. 

Standard doorbells work fine for letting you know someone is at your front door, but smart doorbells have more useful and advanced capabilities. The best smart doorbells let you know somebody is at the door, even if you're not at home by connecting to your Wi-Fi and sending alerts right to your phone. They also have built-in microphones, speakers, and cameras, so you can see and talk to whoever is there without opening the door.

If you're unsure where to even start, jump to the bottom of this guide for a list of what to consider when shopping for a smart doorbell.

Here are the best smart doorbells

• Best overall: Nest Hello
• Best wireless: Ring Video Doorbell 3
• Best value: Arlo Video Doorbell
• Best for apartments: Ring Peephole Cam
• Best to fit on your door frame: Ring Video Doorbell Pro
• Best subscription-free: Eufy 2K Video Doorbell

SEE ALSO: The 12 best smart home devices you need to live like the Jetsons

The best smart doorbell overall

Easy to install, Nest Hello supports streaming video and two-way conversations. A Nest Aware subscription adds video recording, AI-powered motion detection, and facial recognition. 

Pros: Easy wired installation, good quality video night and day, two-way conversation, motion detection, facial recognition 

Cons: Expensive, some features require Nest Aware subscription

Google's Nest Hello is a very smart doorbell with a wide range of features. It's well built, offers advanced security, and can be fitted quickly and easily using your existing doorbell wiring. It is on the expensive side, both in terms of the upfront cost and the ongoing subscription that you'll need for the advanced features. But, it's the complete package, and the best smart doorbell for most people. 

Installation is a breeze, thanks to a set of simple, easy to follow, step-by-step instructions. If you have an existing doorbell and chime with the right transformer (16-24V AC), then you can fit the Nest Hello yourself in less than an hour. Alternatively, professional installation starts from $99.99. The Nest Hello is relatively compact, and lozenge shaped, like a traditional doorbell. Everything you need to install it, including a special drill bit, is included in the box.

Video quality is very good. The Nest Hello captures color video at a 1600 x 1200-pixel resolution at 30 frames per second, and switches to night vision in black and white when the light is low. It has a 160-degree field of view and supports high dynamic range (HDR), which improves daytime clarity. Provided your Wi-Fi network is stable, you can see a live feed of your doorbell camera at any time, and there's a 3-hour snapshot history of video clips you can review. The Nest Hello supports 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies for Wi-Fi. 

When someone rings the doorbell, you can also listen or talk through the Nest Hello. There's a triple microphone array, offering echo cancellation and noise suppression, so audio quality is generally good. There are some handy pre-recorded messages in the app for quick responses, such as "You can leave it" and "We'll be right there". You can also set quiet time, so the Nest Hello won't disturb you during your chosen hours.

If you want to record 24/7 video, and unlock advanced security features, you'll need a Nest Aware subscription, starting from $5 per month for five days of video. You can also pay $10 for ten days of video, or $30 for 30 days of video. The Nest Aware subscription enables intelligent alerts, so your Nest Hello can detect motion, recognize regular visitors, and tell you when a package arrives. You can also set activity zones to reduce the risk of false alarms.

Nest Hello works nicely with Google Assistant or Amazon's Alexa, and you can use it in concert with your smart TV or smart locks, as well as any other Nest devices you own. 

The big downside is the relatively high price at $229, with Nest Aware subscriptions -- an essential extra to unlock the smart features -- ranging from $5 up to $30 per month. 

The best wireless smart doorbell

With motion detection, two-way audio, and streaming video support, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 is a full-featured option that doesn't have to be wired in.

Pros: Easy installation, can be wired or wireless, decent quality video, two-way conversation, motion detection

Cons: No video stored without subscription, quite large

If you want a smart doorbell that doesn't require any wiring at all, then the Ring Video Doorbell 3 could be ideal for you. This smart doorbell is very easy to fit, offers good quality video streaming, and supports two-way audio. You'll need a subscription to record video, but the Ring Protect Plan is relatively affordable.

The Ring Video Doorbell 3 is very easy to install. It comes with a quick release battery pack, so there's no need to tangle with wires or remove your existing doorbell, though you can wire this in using standard doorbell wiring if you want to. Almost everything you need is included in the box, and you can choose a silver or bronze face plate. It is quite wide, so you'll need to find a suitable spot to install it, and it may not fit on the door frame.

If you decide not to wire it in, then you'll need to charge up the battery periodically. The manufacturer suggests average battery life of between six and 12 months, but much depends on how you use it and how busy your front door is. 

It's capable of recording color video at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, and there's HDR support, and a night vision mode that records in black and white. The camera has a 160-degree field of view. The big upgrade for the Ring Video Doorbell 3, over its predecessor, the Ring Video Doorbell 2, is the support, not just for 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, but also for the faster 5 GHz frequency.

With motion detection, you'll get real-time notifications on your phone when someone approaches your door or rings the bell. You can jump straight to a live video feed and you can listen and talk to visitors. The app is very easy to use. You can also set motion zones to reduce false alarms.

If you want to record video, so you can review it later, then you need to subscribe to the Ring Protect Plan, which costs $3 per month per device (or $30 for the year). That gets you video history for 60 days with the ability to save, share, and capture snapshots.

Ring Video Doorbell 3 works seamlessly with Amazon's Alexa and any Echo devices you have in the home. 

What we don't like about the Ring Video Doorbell 3 is the complete lack of any video storage unless you subscribe. If you miss an alert at the time, you can't go back and check the video without a subscription. There have also been some high-profile Ring camera hacks that may leave you concerned about how secure the Ring Video Doorbell 3 is, though the company has stepped up its security as a result of this.

The Ring Video Doorbell 3 costs $199.99 and there's the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus for an extra $30, which adds four seconds of pre-roll to the video recording function, provided you have a subscription, to let you see the lead up to each alert.

The best value smart doorbell

Good quality video and two-way audio comes as standard with the reasonably priced Arlo Video Doorbell. You can add advanced motion detection and video recording with a subscription.

Pros: Good video quality, wide field of view, two-way conversation, motion detection

Cons: Some features require Arlo Smart subscription, limited smart home integration

Despite matching its competitors on features, the Arlo Video Doorbell comes in a lot cheaper. It's large, but well-designed, and offers good quality video streaming and two-way audio. It is suitable for most existing doorbell setups, so it's quick and easy to wire in. You do need a subscription to record video, but the Arlo Smart subscription plan is also relatively affordable.

Everything you need for installation, apart from tools, is included and the instructions in the app are clear. It should work using the wiring and chime from your existing doorbell, but if you're not confident doing it yourself, you can always hire an electrician. It is lozenge-shaped, but it's tall and a fair bit bigger than the Nest Hello, so you'll need to find a spot that's suitable for it. 

The Arlo Video Doorbell can record color video at 1536 x 1536-pixel resolution and it has a 180-degree field of view. There's also a night vision mode that records in black and white, and support for HDR. One of its strongest features is that it records all the time, so when it detects motion or is pressed, it can include a few seconds before the event. Unfortunately, it only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

When you get an alert, you can jump into the live feed and have a two-way conversation with whoever is on your doorstep. There are pre-recorded replies for your convenience.

If you want to record video and access advanced features, like smart object detection, customized activity zones, and intelligent alerts, then you're looking at paying $3 per month for an Arlo Smart subscription. That gets you 30 days of video recordings in the cloud, the ability to detect people, vehicles, packages, and other objects, and the option of choosing activity zones to reduce false alerts.

You can arm or disarm your Arlo Video Doorbell, and you can set it on a schedule, so it doesn't disturb you when you're sleeping. It also has a built-in siren, which is an interesting option for emergencies that could come in handy to scare away suspicious characters. 

While it does work with Alexa, there's no integration with other smart devices and assistants yet. 

Downsides here include the limited smart home integration, and the need for a subscription to record any video. Some user reviews on Amazon also complained about difficulty with the installation. 

Overall, the Arlo Video Doorbell is a bargain at $149.99 and the subscription plan is relatively generous for $2.99 per month, offering access to a full 30 days of recordings.

The best smart doorbell for apartments

With a clever design that replaces your door's peephole, the Ring Peephole Cam is ideal for some homes, such as apartments.

Pros: Compact design, fits into peephole, motion and impact sensors

Cons: No video stored without subscription, limited view, false positives

If you live in an apartment, rent from a strict landlord, or just want to avoid an invasive installation, then the Ring Peephole Cam could be perfect for you. This smart doorbell is designed to fit into the existing peephole in your front door. You can still use it as a peephole, but it also detects motion, allows you to stream a video feed, and enables you to carry on two-way conversations via your smartphone. If you want to record video and review it later, you'll need to sign up for a subscription.

Perhaps the easiest smart doorbell to fit, the Ring Peephole Cam slots into the existing space that your traditional peephole occupies. There's no need to drill, mess with cables, or do anything else that will leave a lasting mark. The camera goes on the outside and connects to the battery on the inside.

Your battery life will vary depending on how you configure the Ring Peephole Cam and how busy your front door is, but you should get at least three weeks from a full charge. It charges via USB, and a spare battery that you can swap in will cost you $30. 

The Ring Peephole Cam records color video at 1920 x 1080 pixels and has a night mode that records in black and white. It has a 155-degree field of view, and there's support for HDR, which boosts video quality at the cost of shorter battery life. The Ring Peephole Cam only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. 

Functionality is very similar to the Ring Video Doorbell 3, so you can carry on two-way conversations, customize the motion detection, and jump to a live video feed from your phone. One unique feature for the Ring Peephole Cam is the knock detection, which is designed to alert you if someone knocks on the door rather than presses your bell.

Once again, if you want to record video, you need to subscribe to the Ring Protect Plan, which costs $3 per month per device (or $30 for the year). The subscription gives you video history for 60 days with the ability to save, share, and capture snapshots.

Naturally, the Ring Peephole Cam works with Alexa and Echo devices, but that's it for assistant support.

The fact there's no video storage without a subscription is an obvious downside. Reviews also complain about the flimsy construction of the plastic mount on the inside, the need to charge the battery, and the lack of Google Assistant or Siri support.

The Ring Peephole Cam costs $199 and it comes with a free 30-day trial of the Ring Protect subscription, which costs $3 per month thereafter. If you're unable to fit a different kind of smart doorbell, this may be your only choice. 

The best smart doorbell to fit on your door frame

Superior smarts in a more svelte package, the Ring Doorbell Pro is also pricier and requires mains power, but it boasts every feature you could want in a smart doorbell.

Pros: Slim design, good video quality, two-way conversation, motion detection

Cons: No video stored without subscription, expensive

Smart doorbells can be quite bulky, and that's a problem if you're replacing an existing doorbell that's fitted to a door frame. The Ring Doorbell Pro is smaller than most of the other entries here, and it also potentially blends in better with a choice of four different faceplates. You still get two-way audio, high quality video, and features like advanced motion detection, though video recording requires a subscription.

To install the Ring Doorbell Pro, you'll need an existing doorbell with the right wiring and transformer. If you're lucky, and confident enough, it should be straightforward to install yourself, but some people will prefer to hire an electrician. It is lozenge-shaped, and measures 4.5 inches tall, 1.8 inches wide, and just 0.8 inches deep, which is relatively compact. It also comes with four faceplates in the box, so you can choose from Satin Nickel, Pearl, Venetian, and Black.

The Ring Doorbell Pro records color video at 1920 x 1080 pixels, has a 160-degree field of view, and records black and white footage at night. It also supports HDR. You can connect to Wi-Fi on the 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz frequencies. 

Much like the other Ring cameras on our list, the Ring Doorbell Pro alerts you to motion or someone ringing your bell. It allows you to stream live video to your phone and carry on two-way conversations with people at your door. One thing that sets the Pro apart, is the advanced motion detection. While you can customize motion detection zones on other Ring cameras, with the Pro you can create your own custom zones, which can reduce false positives dramatically.

The Ring Protect Plan is a requirement if you want to record video, store it in the cloud, and review it later. You get 30 days free, then it costs $3 per month or $30 for the year, which gives you video history for 60 days with the ability to save, share, and capture snapshots. 

You can command the Ring Video Doorbell Pro with Alexa, it works seamlessly with Echo devices, and there is some smart home integration, so you can link it to some smart locks.

At $249, the big drawback of the Ring Video Doorbell Pro is the price, and you must factor in installation and a subscription if you want video recording. The extra $50 over the Ring Video Doorbell 3, gets you tighter control over motion detection and a slimmer design.

The best subscription-free smart doorbell

Offering high quality video and desirable features at a reasonable price, the Eufy 2K Video Doorbell can also be used without a subscription, as it stores video locally.

Pros: Local storage, low price, very high-quality video, two-way conversation, motion detection

Cons: Limited integration, software issues

Smart doorbells that can record video are rare, unless you sign up to a subscription service, so the Eufy 2K Video Doorbell is sure to be of interest. Not only does this smart doorbell record video locally, it also features a strong set of features including high resolution video, two-way audio, customized detection zones, human detection, and an indoor chime. 

There are currently two different versions of the Eufy Video Doorbell. The cheaper model must be wired in, but can likely use your existing doorbell wiring. You get everything you need to fit it, but it is quite large, and it only comes in black. The more expensive model has a built-in battery, which makes it even bigger, but it can also be wired in if you prefer.

Before we go further, there's another important difference between the two models that leads us to recommend the more expensive one with the built-in battery. While they both store video locally, the cheaper version only has 4GB of storage and it's on the doorbell itself. This seems like a potential security issue, in that someone could steal the doorbell and take the video with them. The battery model offloads video wirelessly onto a HomeBase device you keep inside your home, which offers 16GB of storage. 

The HomeBase also doubles up as a chime that sounds when the doorbell is pressed. The cheaper model comes with its own plug-in chime. 

Video quality is excellent, with a top resolution of 2560 x 1920 pixels and support for HDR. It records at 1600 x 1200 pixels by default, which keeps bandwidth and storage requirements down and is likely good enough for most people. The video is color during the day and black and white at night. The camera has a 150-degree field of view. Sadly, the Eufy 2K Video Doorbell only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. 

You can get alerts to the app on your phone triggered by motion or by someone ringing the bell, drop into the live feed, and have a two-way conversation with whoever is there. The Eufy Video Doorbell has human detection, so it should be able to distinguish between a cat and a person, for example. You can also mark out specific activity zones to reduce false alerts. 

The big-selling point here is the local storage of video, which means no subscription is necessary. The smaller, 4GB model can record video for up to 30 days. How much video you have recorded, and how far it stretches back, depends on how you configure it, and how busy your front door is. The good news is that you can connect via the app wherever you are, provided the doorbell is powered up and connected to your Wi-Fi. 

The Eufy 2K Video Doorbell works with Alexa and Google Assistant, but functionality is limited, and there isn't much smart home integration either. 

Potential cons, beyond the risk of losing footage if the cheaper model is stolen, include the lack of smart home support, and the fact that only one person can be logged into the app and connected to the doorbell at one time. Some reviews also mention reliability issues with streaming to the app. 

The cheaper version, which must be wired in, and has 4GB of storage in the doorbell itself, costs $159.99. The model with the built-in battery, and 16GB of storage in the separate HomeBase, costs $199.99. If you don't want a subscription, the Eufy 2K Video Doorbell is a great option. 

What else we considered

The smart doorbell market is still expanding, so there are lots of other options that might be worthy of further investigation. Here are a few smart doorbells that just missed out on a more prominent place in our guide.

• August Doorbell Cam Pro ($197.98, currently only available via third-party sellers): Offering decent quality video, two-way audio, and motion detection, as well as comprehensive smart home integration, the August Doorbell Cam is a strong contender. It also has a built-in floodlight for color video at night. Unfortunately, you can't set activity zones, and if you want more than 24 hours of video, you must pay $5 per month.

• SkyBell HD ($199.99, currently out of stock): You can record 1080p resolution video with this smart doorbell and access seven days of video for free, provided you get the SkyBell branded version and don't buy through Alarm.com. However, many reviews mention questionable build quality and motion detection.
• Ring Video Doorbell ($99.99, currently out of stock): The original Ring Video Doorbell offers two-way audio, motion detection, and an affordable subscription service for video recording, but video quality is limited to 720p. It's also quite large and only supports 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi. The newer versions are much better.
• SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro ($169.99): Support for 1080p HDR video, two-way audio, motion detection, pan and zoom, and a 162-degree field of view make this sound tempting at such a low price. The downsides are that it lacks smart home and assistant support, only connects on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, and 30 days of video requires a $4.99 per month subscription. 

What to consider when buying a smart doorbell

Here are a few questions to ask yourself before getting started.

Do you want a wired or wireless doorbell? Some smart doorbells take batteries, some can use your existing doorbell wiring, and others require a new power connection. Even if you have wiring, older doorbell chime transformers that are 16V or less often won't work with smart doorbells. Check your existing setup and the smart doorbell requirements before you buy.

What video quality do you need? It's a good idea to look for smart doorbells that support at least full high definition (HD) video; we'd recommend 1080p as a minimum, rather than 720p. It's also important that they have some sort of night mode, such as infrared, so they still work after sunset.

Do you need a subscription? Many smart doorbells require you to pay a monthly subscription in order to access advanced features and store video footage in the cloud. If you don't want to pay monthly, then make sure you're clear on precisely what's included without a subscription to avoid disappointment.

What security features do you need? Smart doorbells run the gamut, from simple doorbell replacements that stream live video, to major security enhancements that will guard the front of your property, sense motion, trigger intelligent alerts, and even recognize repeat visitors.

What about connectivity? All smart doorbells are designed to connect to your home Wi-Fi network, so you will need Wi-Fi connectivity in range. Some smart doorbells support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz frequencies, while others are limited to 2.4 GHz. In general, 2.4 GHz has better range, but offers slower speeds than 5 GHz.

Check out more great smart home product guides

• The best smart home security devices
• The best smart home devices for those on a budget
• The best smart speakers
• The best smart displays

• A good robot vacuum should clean floors without much work on your end, clearing up dirt and dust with just a push of a button. 
• I personally tested 16 robot vacuums and consulted three experts to determine the best robot vacuums for different needs and budgets.
• TheRoborock S6 Robot Vacuum is the best robot vac for most people because it works well on hardwood, carpeting, and in corners; features mopping and home security capabilities; and has a helpful app.

A robot vacuum can remove the small but time-consuming task of vacuuming from your never-ending to-do list. However, you'll want one that's powerful, relatively quiet, and doesn't require constant attention. 

That's why I've tested 16 robot vacuums to find the best ones and consulted health experts and engineers on how to use them properly. A robot vac needs maintenance like any other small appliance, so while using it takes just a press of a button, all our experts stressed the importance of regularly cleaning brushes and filters, and running the vac when no one is in the room to keep the indoor air quality clean and avoid resuspended particles. We get into details over here. 

I tested each robot vac's cleaning abilities along with their extra features and app. You can find the details of how we tested, what else we recommend, what we don't recommend, how to shop for a robot vacuum, and more at the end of our guide.

Here are the best robot vacuums in 2021

• Best overall:Roborock S6 Robot Vacuum
• Best budget:Eufy RoboVac 15C MAX Robot Vacuum
• Best with a mop:Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI Robot Vacuum
• Best for hardwood floors:iRobot Roomba s9+ Robot Vacuum
• Best for carpet:iRobot Roomba i3+ Robot Vacuum
• Best for pet hair:Bissell SpinWave Robot Vacuum

SEE ALSO: The best vacuums you can buy for less than $300

The best robot vacuum overall

The Roborock S6 Robot Vacuum performs well on carpet, hardwood, and in corners. It can map your space for more efficient cleaning and mops floors for extra convenience.

Pros: Excellent on hardwood and in corners, good on carpeting, does not get stuck, has mopping capabilities, can be scheduled and set no-go zones in the app, Alexa compatible

Cons: Gets loud on the highest suction setting, larger than most vacuums making it hard to get into tight spots

The Roborock S6 Robot Vacuum performed well in every test we put it through. On carpeting, it picked up more than 90% of the flour, coffee grounds, kitty litter, and pet hair I laid out for it. On hardwood, it did even better picking up everything except for a little flour. The S6 gets within half an inch of corners — the deepest of all the vacuums we tested.

The vacuum also rarely gets stuck. It returned to its charging dock after a cleaning cycle without getting stuck along the way approximately 75% of the time. In fact, it even somehow managed to keep going despite a floor strewn with Nerf darts after an epic battle with my kids.

The Roborock S6 comes with a variety of extras, including an adjustable water tank that can be installed in place of the dustbin and a mop cloth to mop your floors. The mop function worked well and I appreciated that you can adjust how much water the tank dispenses so you're not creating mini floods everywhere. I recommend running the mop after vacuuming to minimize the chance of spreading dirt and dust around your floor. There's also a damp-proof mat attachment on the charging dock so your floors don't have prolonged direct contact with moisture. Unfortunately, extra brush heads aren't included. 

If you like smart gadgets, the Roborock app can be scheduled for cleaning sessions via the app or Amazon Alexa. You can also adjust the suction power and set how many passes the unit completes in a certain space. After a few runs, the S6 will have enough data to make a map of your home so you can set no-go zones.

Including scheduling, the set up of the S6 took about 15 minutes. All you need to do is charge the vacuum on the dock, pair the vac with the app, and you're ready to go.

There are a couple of things to consider with the Roborock S6, specifically noise and size.

On high suction power, it recorded 70 decibels, which is similar to city traffic. However, it does sport a Quiet mode, which is only around 56 decibels according to the manufacturer; I wasn't able to measure the noise output of this robot vac by the time I had to send it back to the company. At 14 inches in diameter and four inches high, it was also the largest vacuum we tested. This means it will have trouble getting under low-clearance furniture and into other tight spots. These aren't dealbreakers if you're able to compromise noise in favor of power and convenience.

Read our full Roborock S6 Robot Vacuum review.

The best affordable robot vacuum

The Eufy RoboVac 15C MAX Robot Vacuum offers an impressive suite of high-end features for its reasonable price, including smart connectivity and powerful suction on carpeting and hardwood.

Pros: Good performance on carpeting and hardwood, doesn't get stuck easily, quiet, supported by an app, Alexa and Google Assistant compatible, fits into small spaces

Cons: Performs poorly in corners, didn't pick up flour on carpeting, app doesn't let you set no-go zones

We tested four models that hover in the $300 price range – three Eufy models and a Roomba – and the Eufy RoboVac 15C MAX Robot Vacuum had the best overall performance in our tests.

On both carpeting and hardwood, it picked up all of the coffee grounds, kitty litter, and pet hair. With flour, it had a little harder time and left around 10% of the flour on hardwood and a disappointing 40% of the flour on the carpeting. Another area where the unit showed poor performance was in corners. It only came within about three inches of the hardwood corner, and though it came within an inch of the carpeted corner, it didn't pick up much of the flour.

The RoboVac 15C MAX only got stuck during its cleaning cycles about a quarter of the time, which is impressive in my messy home with two kids and three pets. Also, it's the quietest of the units we tested, registering 60 decibels on its highest suction power.

The vacuum has a small footprint at just 12.75 inches in diameter by 2.75 inches high so it can squeeze into tight spaces. The side brushes are around two inches long from the center to the tip, so they can get underneath low-clearance furniture too.

The 15C MAX comes with an extra set of side brushes, an additional filter, five cable ties for securing cords, a cleaning tool for maintenance of your vacuum, and a remote control with batteries. I tested the controller to make sure it worked, but ultimately, found it unnecessary. 

Who wants to keep track of a remote when you can control the vac with your phone? The vacuum pairs with your phone and is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, but unfortunately, the app doesn't allow you to set up no-go zones or virtual barriers. The setup and connecting to the app were seamless experiences taking a total of 10 minutes. 

The best robot vacuum and mop

The Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo Pro Mopping System thoroughly cleans floors as opposed to pushing a wet cloth around. When paired with the Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI Robot Vacuum, the two make easy work of time-consuming chores.  

Pros: Excellent performance on carpeting and hardwood, automatically empties the dustbin, HD video surveillance, impressive deep-cleaning mop attachment, quiet operation

Cons: Got stuck on the threshold in our tests, doesn't get deep into corners

The Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo Pro Mopping System attachment is the best mopping system I've tested. Thanks to its 480-vibrations-per-minute scrubbing motion, it's able to provide a deep clean whereas other robot vac mops just push a wet cloth over your floors. It's compatible with the T8 family of Ecovacs, which made the powerful Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo T8 AIVI Robot Vacuum even better. 

In my testing, the 240mL water tank was large enough to complete at least two passes over the 500-square-foot test floor. With the app, you can choose from four water flow levels to reach a balance of moistness and quick drying, and two mopping patterns. The deep scrubbing option is good for a more thorough cleaning, but for the most part, quick scrubbing is my go-to for regular mopping — and even then, it's a very thorough cleaning. 

When the Ozmo Pro Mopping System encounters carpeting, it automatically avoids it so you don't get wet carpeting. In testing, I found the carpet detection sensor worked well.

As for the robot vac itself, the Ozmo T8 AIVI has HD video and a microphone so you can keep tabs on your pets or check for open windows and doors from your phone. I didn't find the home surveillance features particularly useful but they could be handy for people who are often away from the home and concerned about security. 

The more useful feature is the auto-empty station. With this dock, you don't have to empty the dustbin after cleaning sessions — the charging station does it automatically. You just need to replace the disposable pouch every month or two. 

On both carpeting and hardwood, the Ozmo T8 AIVI was among the best at removing all of the debris types we tested. Plus, it remains fairly quiet at just 67 decibels on the highest Max+ cleaning setting and 58 decibels on Quiet mode. 

However, the vac consistently got stuck on the one-inch lip between my living room and kitchen. It also wasn't able to come within two inches of corners so you may need to do occasional touch-ups using a hand vacuum or broom.

When it comes to set up, the process was seamless. I plugged in the dock to charge the vacuum, connected the app, updated the firmware, and set a schedule for cleaning. Once the vacuum mapped out my floorplan after a couple of cleanings, I was able to set no-go zones to keep the T8 AIVI away from sensitive areas.

The unit is on the bigger side measuring 13.75 inches in diameter and 3.5 inches high. This was just low enough to fit under my chairs and couches, but if you have radiators or low-clearance furniture, you may want to measure to make sure there's enough clearance or set no-go zones. The main brush of the vacuum is around 6.25 inches long, which is about average.

The best robot vacuum for hardwood floors

The D-shaped iRobot Roomba s9+ Robot Vacuum did the best in our hardwood floor tests and features a self-emptying dustbin, impressive app that lets you set no-go zones, and large main brushes that pick up debris on the first pass.

Pros: Cleans well on hardwood flooring, good performance on carpeting, rarely gets stuck, comes with a charging dock that empties the dustbin, large main brushes, has a useful app with virtual no-go zones

Cons: Loud, poor performance in carpeted corners

As iRobot's top-of-the-line model, the Roomba s9+ Robot Vacuum is another feature-packed vac. Like the Ecovacs T8 AIVI, the s9+ empties itself and is supported by an app that allows you to effortlessly schedule cleanings, set no-go zones, and customize your cleaning experience, including pairing it with the iRobot Braava Jet M6 (sold separately) to mop after it finishes its vacuum cycle.

In testing, the Roomba s9+ performed the best of any robot vac on hardwood flooring, likely due to the two large 9.5-inch main brush heads — the biggest we tested. After the cleaning cycle, there was only a trace of flour left. Its D-shaped design came within an inch and a half of the corner, picking up everything it could reach. On carpeting, the performance wasn't as impressive, but it was still solid with only about 10% of the flour left, 5% of the kitty litter, and no coffee grounds or pet hairs to be found after testing. The unit didn't get stuck in our testing area either. 

At 77 decibels (about as loud as a busy city street) on high suction power, the s9+ was by far the loudest model we tested, and even in Quiet mode, the vacuum is a not unnoticeable 64 decibels (a little louder than a normal conversation). 

Additionally, the vac got within an inch of the carpeted corner, but it left behind about 70% of the flour, which suggests it doesn't do as well picking up fine debris on carpeting, especially in areas the main brushes have trouble reaching.

Installation was easy, but it took about 25 minutes. Most of that time was spent installing firmware updates after connecting to the app. I liked that the s9+ comes with plenty of extras, including an additional filter (which needs replacing every two months), side brush (every three months), and dirt disposal bag for the self-emptying base (every month or so.) 

These extras mean you get several months of use before you need to replace parts that wear down. The app features tutorials on how to care for your Roomba, including the seamless purchase of replacement parts.   

The overall unit is around 12.5 inches in diameter and the 3.5-inch height should also fit under most furniture.

The best robot vacuum for carpet

With its strong suction and large main brushes that adjust to stay in contact with your carpeting, the iRobot Roomba i3+ Robot Vacuum is a great solution for carpeted homes.

Pros: Excellent performance on carpeting, cleans well on hardwood, pairs with the app and Alexa, comes with an automatic dirt disposal base, doesn't get stuck easily

Cons: Loud, virtual wall barriers cost extra, not impressive in corners 

The iRobot Roomba i3+ Robot Vacuum is fairly new and is iRobot's most affordable option with automatic dirt disposal.  

In our carpet tests, the i3+ picked up all of the coffee grounds, kitty litter, and pet hairs we laid out, and left behind only about 5% of the flour — the best performance of all the robot vacs we tested. In corners, it came within an inch of the wall but left behind about half the flour. The i3+ performed better on hardwood floors, picking up all of the coffee grounds and pet hair, and only left behind 5% of the kitty litter and about 10% of the flour. The robot vac didn't get stuck going back to its base after it completed its cleaning sessions.

Whereas some robot vacuums sense carpeting and boost suction, the i3+ provides consistently strong suction, and when it detects excess dirt, it will automatically perform multiple passes to ensure it gets all of the debris. There are two main brushes measuring 6.75 inches and each one adjusts and flexes to keep in constant contact with carpet and hardwood so it picks up more debris quickly. 

Though it doesn't come with a tool for cleaning the brushes and dustbin, the i3+ comes with an extra filter and disposal bag, which only needs to be replaced every month or so. Plus, setup is a breeze only taking about 10 minutes, including connecting to the user-friendly app. With the app, you can easily schedule your unit and connect to Alexa or Google Assistant.

Unfortunately, the app doesn't allow you to set up no-go zones, so you have to buy virtual wall barriers. It's a small 2 by 4.5 inch-high battery-powered device that creates a virtual barrier up to 10 feet long or a 12-inch radius that the Roomba avoids. In my experience, the barriers work as advertised, but at around $40 each, I'm more likely to use common household objects to create physical barriers to keep the Roomba out of areas I want to protect.

The other negative with the i3+ is how loud it is. My sound meter recorded 68 decibels, and you can't adjust the suction power for a quieter clean.

The overall dimensions of the vacuum are larger than most at 13.25 inches in diameter and 3.75 inches high. This can make it hard to get into tight spots, though I didn't experience any issues in my testing.

The best robot vacuum for pet hair

The Bissell SpinWave Robot Vacuum picked up all the pet hair on carpet in our tests and has a great assortment of mop attachments and accessories. The company is also committed to helping homeless pets and helps them find loving homes. 

Pros: Excellent job on hardwood and corners, picked up all of the pet hair in our tests, great mop attachment and accessories, app connectivity, small size, quiet operation

Cons: Can't set up no-go zones, gets stuck easily

In general, the robot vacuums we tested did an excellent job of picking up pet hair. However, the Bissell SpinWave Robot Vacuum is created specifically for pet hair and has a 5.75-inch tangle-resistant main brush, a useful mop attachment, and powerful suction. Specs aside, a portion of each sale also goes to the Bissell Pet Foundation, which is committed to finding loving homes for pets.

The Bissell SpinWave picked up all of the cat and dog hair we laid out on carpeting and hardwood and did a great job on hardwood and in corners. On the hardwood, it only left a trace of kitty litter and flour. In corners, it came within two inches of each and picked up more than 60% of the flour on both the carpet and hardwood. When you consider that it's among the quietest vacs we tested – 58 decibels on Quiet mode (slightly quieter than a normal conversation) and 65 on high suction – its performance is even more impressive. If you have particularly skittish pets, the low-decibel output is less likely to startle your fur friends. 

The vacuum also included a lot of useful extras and attachments that can help any pet parent, such as a mop tank attachment, spinning mop pads, and a trial-size bottle cleaning formula. Plus, you receive an extra filter, an extra set of side brushes, and a cleaning tool that helps remove hairs from the brushes and clean the filter.

In testing, the mop attachment worked seamlessly. You just fill the tank with water and some of the cleaning formula and attach it to the vacuum in place of the dustbin. The mop pads spin to scrub away stuck-on debris while the soft surface avoidance sensor keeps it away from area rugs or carpets.

The SpinWave has a quick set up taking all of five minutes, including installing the app and connecting the unit. With the app, you can schedule cleanings and customize the suction strength based on your preferences. Unfortunately, though, the app doesn't let you set up no-go zones.

At 12.75 inches in diameter and 3.25 inches high, it has a smaller and lower frame that can squeeze into small areas. The biggest limitation we found was it tended to get stuck easily. In our tests, it consistently got stuck on the one-inch threshold leading into the kitchen. We had to put up a physical barrier to get it to stop trying.

What else we recommend

Over the years, I've tested scores of robot vacuums. These are the ones that barely missed the cut for inclusion in our guide, but we still recommend:

Roborock S4 ($429.99): There's a lot to like about the Roborock S4. However, the main reasons it didn't make our guide are because it's loud, doesn't come with many extras, and at 3.75 inches high, it doesn't fit under low-clearance furniture. It's pretty similar to our top pick, the S6, but lacks many of the features, such as a mop attachment. However, the S4 was excellent on carpeting, hardwood, and in corners, and it rarely got stuck. This is a more affordable alternative to the S6 if you're not interested in a mop attachment. 

Roborock S6 MaxV ($749.99): For the most part, Roborock is doing a terrific job in the robot vac space. We recommend the S6 MaxV because of its excellent performance in our carpeting, hardwood, and corner tests. It also has video surveillance and a two-way microphone if you're looking for additional home security, no-go zones, and a useful app. But it has the same large dimensions as the S4 and it kept getting stuck on the one-inch lip leading into the kitchen of our testing course. It isn't as loud as the S4, but louder than others we've tested. 

iRobot Roomba i7+ ($799.99): The Roomba i7+ was the first robot vacuum to feature an automatic dirt disposal charging dock. Since then, iRobot has introduced two other models that improve upon the i7+. Though this Roomba has great high-end features, its performance doesn't justify its price. It only did a satisfactory job on carpeting and hardwood, and it got stuck fairly often. If you find the i7+ on sale, we recommend picking it up. Otherwise, consider the s9+ or i3+ instead. Read our full review.

Eufy RoboVac G30 Edge ($229.99): Eufy usually makes more affordable robot vacuums, so at this price, the G30 Edge is considered the company's top-end model. The variety of extras — no-go zone strips, a user-friendly app, and Alexa and Google Home compatibility — make it worth the price, but you'll have to compromise some power. It performed poorly on carpeting and in corners during our testing, and it was in the middle of the pack on hardwood. Despite the underwhelming performance, it remains a good value for the price.

Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 11S ($219.99): The RoboVac 11S was the budget pick before our most recent guide update, but that was before we could put it through our tests. For this guide, we tested the 11S firsthand and it didn't perform as well as the RoboVac 15C Max, doesn't have the same Wi-Fi connectivity, and can't be paired with an app. It's a good basic vacuum that does well on carpeting — which is surprising since it didn't perform well on hardwood floors or in corners. You can often find it on sale for under $200, which we recommend grabbing if you're in the market for a more affordable robot vac. Read our full review.

What we don't recommend

We tested 16 robot vacuums, but they didn't all perform well. Here are the ones we tested and don't recommend.

iRobot Roomba e5 ($299.99): This appears to be iRobot's attempt to make a budget Roomba, but it's the worst-performing Roomba I've come across in my years of testing. It didn't come with any extras – not even an additional filter. You can schedule it easily in the app and it's compatible with Alexa and Google Home, but you have to buy virtual wall barriers separately. Also, it gets stuck easily and doesn't clean well on hardwood.  

Neato Botvac D7 Connected ($499.99): We're dropping the Neato Botvac D7 Connected from our guide this time around because it's relatively big, got stuck about half the time during our original testing, and it only comes with two extra filters and a magnetic barrier, which isn't necessary since you can set no-go zones in the app. We think there are more affordable alternatives that perform better and are more feature-rich in our guide. Read our full review.

Eufy RoboVac 11S Max ($249.99): The 11S Max is an update to the 11S, but we feel the original 11S is better. Ultimately though, if you're spending this much, the 15C Max performed much better in our testing. The 11S Max did poorly on carpeting, hardwood, and in corners. It also relies on a remote controller rather than app connectivity, which means you need to turn to and keep track of another device.

Roborock E35 ($349.99): At one point, we recommended the E35 as a good robot vac at this price, but since then, we have tested several others in this price range that outperform and have better features. The E35 doesn't do well with hardwood or corners and is big and loud. Read our full review.

Roborock S5 Max ($529.99): The S5 Max is loud, big, and it did poorly in corners and on carpeting in our tests. 

What we look forward to testing

We're constantly testing new vacuums to update our guide. Below are a few models we are currently testing or will be testing soon:

Samsung JetBot 90 AI+ (price not yet available): Samsung just announced the release of an AI-based robot vac at the 2021 CES trade show and we're looking forward to testing its smart-learning capabilities to avoid obstacles. It also has cameras and can be connected to the brand's SmartThings hub for another layer of home security. 

Yeedi K650 Robot Vacuum ($179.99): This is among the least expensive robot vacs I've seen — much cheaper than our current budget pick — so it'll be interesting to see how it performs. 

Samsung Electronics R7040 ($249): The R7040 was in a previous version of our guide based on positive reviews by other sites, but we weren't able to get a unit in time to test in this round. We're looking forward to seeing how its unique flat front-edge design works in corners.

Ecovacs Deebot Ozmo U2 Pro ($235.90): I'm currently testing the U2 Pro, and so far, it seems like a good budget mop/vacuum hybrid. It comes with two dustbins – a large 800 mL bin and an attachment that can be used to vacuum and mop at the same time. So far, it doesn't get stuck easily, but it gets relatively loud on both the high setting (68 decibels) and the Quiet mode (62 decibels).

Proscenic M7 Pro LDS ($479): I'm interested in testing this new-to-me brand and its robot vac with an automatic dirt disposal base. You can use the app to set virtual no-go zones and to clean specific rooms once the laser navigation system maps your home after a few runs. It's less expensive than other vacs with the same features, so I'm interested in seeing how it performs in our tests.

Trifo Lucy ($699.99): In addition to powerful suction and an outstanding app, Lucy has HDR video, a two-way microphone, and the ability to detect noise and people in your home as part of a home security set up. I'm interested to test its vacuuming abilities alongside the home security features.

Testing methodology

I've been reviewing vacuums for the past few years, writing numerous buying guides and reviews, so I leaned on my background when developing our testing methodology. I also consulted three experts and took their advice and expertise into consideration — Dr. Luis Javier Peña-Hernández, a lung and sleep health specialist at the Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Disorders Institute of South Florida; Andrea Ferro, Ph.D., a professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Clarkson University and the current president of the American Association for Aerosol Research; and Jill Notini, the Vice President of Communication and Marketing for the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers.

In addition to using each robot vacuum daily for at least several weeks, I tested each one for its suction on various types of flooring including corners, ability to maneuver around obstacles, noise, and special features. Our testing methodology has gotten more comprehensive over the years, so for any models that I'd previously tested but didn't have the vacuums on hand anymore, I extrapolated the data as best as possible based on previous testing and manufacturer info. Those vacuums are the iRobot Roomba i7+, Neato Botvac D7 Connected, Eufy 11S Max and 15C Max, and Roborock S4, S6, and E35. 

Here are the main attributes we look for and how we test them

Size: I note the specs of the overall unit, main brush, and side brushes. This gives me an idea of how well a vacuum can clean floors and carpet — the larger the brushes, the more they can usually sweep up. The main brushes are often somewhere between 5 to 10 inches long and side brushes are usually 2 to 3 inches long. Of the vacs I've tested, only Roomba models have two main brushes; others just have one. I've noticed that longer brushes tend to facilitate faster cleaning. If this appeals to you, consider a unit with a longer brush, such as the Roomba s9+.

Carpet cleaning: I poured a tablespoon each of flour, coffee grounds, and kitty litter on 18-inch-square sections of carpeting. To make sure I had enough pet hair, I also collected pet hairs from my rat terrier and two cats to place on carpeting. I ran the vacuum on its most powerful mode for two cleaning cycles and compared before-and-after photos to estimate the percentage of each material picked up or left behind.

Hardwood floor cleaning: This is the same test as the carpet cleaning test, but on hardwood flooring.

Corner cleaning: To test corner cleaning abilities, I poured a teaspoon of flour in an approximately four-inch-radius in a corner on hardwood and carpeting. I took pictures of the messes before and after running the robot vac for two cleaning cycles to compare how much flour was left over. I also measured how close to the corner the vac was able to reach.

Obstacle avoidance: You don't want your robot vac to get stuck while it's cleaning or when it's returning to its charging dock, both of which force you to hunt it down while it's sending you notifications or making annoying error sounds. I tested the vacuum in an approximately 500-square-foot room with several obstacles, including stairs, a one-inch threshold to a kitchen, and a table with chairs.

Loudness: I used a sound meter to measure the decibel output of each of the robot vacuums from 12 inches away as they ran on the highest and lowest settings. For vacuums I no longer had in my possession for testing, I relied on manufactures' info and my previous notes. 

Brushes: I noted the lengths of the main and side brushes as they'll likely indicate performance in our cleaning tests.

Robot vacuums work using a combination of suction and brushes. There are two types of brushes on a robot vacuums: the side brush and the main brush. Units have either one or two side brushes that are about three inches in diameter and protrude from the forward portion of the vac. They move in a circular motion, get into corners, and feed debris to the main brush. There appears to be little difference in the performance of vacuums with two side brushes versus those with one.

The main brush is between five and ten inches long, located under the unit, and is made of a rubber-like material. The vacuum sucks debris into the main brush which spins to feed the materials into the dustbin. Of the vacs I've tested, only Roomba models have two main brushes. Other models just have one. I've noticed that longer brushes tend to facilitate faster cleaning. If this appeals to you, consider a unit with a longer brush, such as the Roomba s9+.

Extras: I note if the vacuums included extras such as filters and side brush replacements, mop attachments, a cleaning tool, and more.   

Special features: All of the vacuums featured some method for scheduling and returning to their charging dock on their own, so those weren't useful differentiators. To separate the wheat from the chaff, I looked at features that weren't universal such as auto-dirt disposal and home surveillance, and spoke with Jill Notini, Vice President of Communications and Marketing for AHAM.

A few of the new features she's excited about — and that are found in many if not all of the models in our guide — include:

• Advanced navigation: "Many of today's models have the ability to map a home and remember how to get around objects and stay out of tough spots. You can also program the robots to vacuum specific areas of the home." You can also set no-go zones that the vacuum should avoid on your phone via the app.
• Mopping ability: "Robots are evolving into floor care multitaskers," said Notini. "In addition to vacuuming, some models now have the ability to mop, both wet and dry."
• Voice control: "Robotic vacuums can now respond to voice commands, either directly or through an outside system like Amazon Alexa."
• Remote operation: "You can start, stop, or control your robotic vacuum with your mobile device."
• Cameras: "Cameras have been incorporated into some models to help the robot map the room and allow you to get a robot's eye view of cleaning and keep an eye on your house while you're away."
• Fall prevention: "Even with all of the new features and technological advances, robotic vacuums still have not gained the ability to climb stairs. Many models now utilize sensors to prevent themselves from taking a tumble down the stairs or off a higher level." All of the robots in our testing were able to sense cliffs and avoid falling down stairs.
• Automatic dirt disposal: One of the most useful features that's becoming more ubiquitous is the charging dock that automatically empties the vacuum's dustbin. Even the largest bins need to be emptied with regular use so it's a maintenance task you'll need to perform once a week — at best. But with the self-emptying dock, the chore is no longer necessary. You just throw away and replace the disposable dirt bag every month or two.

Why we don't measure Pascal Pressure Unit

A robot vacuum's suction power is measured in Pascal (Pa). Generally speaking, the higher the Pa, the better, but that's a misleading metric of comparison. 

When I talked to engineers at iRobot about a year ago, they told me that there are several ways to measure suction power, but there are no industry standards. They viewed the reported Pa measurements as essentially useless, hence why it's nearly impossible to find suction power for iRobot vacs. It's also difficult to find the Pa for Ecovacs, though Eufy and Roborock report the measurements for their models.

Due to the inconsistent reporting from manufacturer s, we don't include Pa as a part of our testing methodology and criteria.

How to shop for a robot vacuum

While using a robot vacuum is easy enough, shopping for one can be overwhelming. Here are the main aspects to look for when considering which one to buy. 

Size: If you have furniture that's hard to move or low-clearance pieces like sofas or bed frames, you'll want to pay attention to the height of a robot vacuum; the other dimensions are usually within the range of reason for a normal household. For example, I have several radiators in my house with a 3.5-inch clearance that slim vacuums can get under, while just-slim-enough models sometimes get stuck, and too-thick models bump up against and go elsewhere. If you want your robot vacuum to get under your low-clearance furniture, make sure you choose a model that is slim enough to do so. 

Features: It's important to think about what features you actually need. For instance, if you work from home and are rarely away, HD cameras aren't useful since you can keep tabs on your home with your own eyes. If your floors are covered with carpet, you don't need your robot vac to mop. I also almost never use voice control out of personal habit, but if you use Alexa or Google Assistant for everything, then compatibility with those services is a must.

Extras: You can easily purchase extra filters or brushes for robot vacs, but we think having them included with the unit is better. All of our top picks include useful extras like brushes or dirt disposal bags.

Price: Robot vacuums go on sale often, and the discounts are steepest during Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, and Cyber Monday. We expect most of the models we recommend in this guide to go on sale so it pays to wait until those sale days.

How to use a robot vacuum

Robot vacuums make keeping your house clean easier, but there's still some regular maintenance needed to improve the performance and longevity as well as help your indoor air quality. 

Run your robot vac when no one is around: Andrea Ferro, Ph.D., a professor at Clarkson University and president of AAAR, and Dr. Luis Javier Peña-Hernández, a lung and sleep health specialist at PCSI, both recommend running your robot vacuum in unoccupied areas. The robot vacs can kick dust, pollutants, and microbes back into the air as it vacuums floors, which can lead to subpar indoor air quality. "Every vacuum, including a robot vacuum, has the potential to release some dust, particles, and allergens back into the air, but the benefits still outweigh the risks," said Peña-Hernández. 

And run it regularly: Ferro and Peña-Hernández agree that you should run your robot vac at least once per week and more if you have pets and heavy-traffic areas. Ferro even suggests that daily cleaning isn't a bad idea. I generally set my vacuums to run in the early morning before I wake up or when the level of my house where the vacuum is running will be unoccupied, especially since I live in a large house with three pets and no HVAC system.

Clean the dustbin and filter: If you're regularly vacuuming your space, you'll need to make sure to empty the dustbin and clean the filter. According to Peña-Hernández, you should clean the vacuum's filter at least once a week, or twice a week if you have a pet.  

You'll also need to replace the filter and brushes every few months. Manufacturers usually give guidelines in the vac's user manual on how often you should replace these components, but a good sign that it's time to replace your filters or brushes is if they appear to be damaged or if your vac just isn't doing as good of a job of cleaning as it once did. 

Fortunately, many models come with extra filters and brushes, but eventually, you'll have to purchase replacements. Manufacturers usually link to their parts store in your robot vac's app, but you can also usually find parts on Amazon so it's worth shopping around. Just make sure that you are buying the right parts for your model.

Use it in addition to a traditional vacuum:  Despite how far robot vacuums have come in the last decade, they won't replace your stick and upright vacuums anytime soon. "Research indicates that robot vacuums are not meant to replace upright vacuums," Peña-Hernández said. "That likely has to do with their smaller motor size. They're good for touch-ups and in-between uses."

Ferro said, "I think you'd still need a stick or upright vacuum for spots that the robot vac can't reach." This has been my experience as well as traditional vacuums can do a better job on corners, stairs, walls, ceilings, and deeper cleaning. 

Can a robot vacuum prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus?

The novel coronavirus is most easily spread through face-to-face interactions and in close quarters, and if someone in your household has been sick — even if it's not with COVID-19 — it's recommended to clean and disinfect the area.  

"Currently the CDC recommends that we take precautionary measures for vacuuming during the COVID-19 outbreak although there are no reported cases of COVID-19 associated with vacuuming," Peña-Hernández said. "It recommends using a vacuum with a HEPA filter, opening outside doors and windows to increase air circulation, and not vacuuming areas with people in it." 

Check out our guides to more great vacuum cleaners

The best vacuum

The best affordable vacuum cleaners

The best cordless vacuums

• Outdoor furniture has to stand up to the elements, whatever that may mean in your geographical location.
• Whether it's the patio, the balcony, the pool deck, or the dock, great outdoor furniture can easily transform those often-overlooked spaces into the open-air parlor you never knew you had.
• From Wayfair and Bend Goods to Yardbird and Serena and Lily, these are our favorite places to shop for patio furniture.
• See also: The best gas grills, the best charcoal grills, and the best bug sprays 

If you're fortunate enough to have outdoor space, no matter how small, it's worth furnishing. And unless you'll only be staying there temporarily, it's also worth getting something that can stand up to the elements.

We've pored over furniture in cafes, hotel lounges and lobbies, and looked to our own patios and gardens to find the best outdoor furniture that stands the test of weather and time to bring you this list of the best places to buy furniture.

Whether you're searching for an authentic bistro table, a cushy sectional, an all-wicker setup, or a pair of sleek Scandinavian lounge chairs, here are our favorite places to shop online for outdoor furniture on an array of budgets. 

The best places to shop for patio furniture

SEE ALSO: The best patio umbrellas you can buy

Wayfair

Wayfair is a veritable sea of patio furniture — most of which is on sale — meaning your chances of finding something to match your style and budget are high. 

Wayfair has more on offer than we could ever keep track of — gazebos, pergolas, sectionals, and even full-sized outdoor fireplaces, as well as outdoor decor and accents. There are thousands of products in stock and ready to ship. If you can't find what you're looking for here, you may have bigger problems.

The online retailer carries patio furniture from its own line, but also sells pieces by smaller, more affordable brands as well as options from established companies like Fermob, which has been outfitting Parisian cafes with unbelievably sturdy and compact bistro tables and chairs for nearly 70 years.

There's almost always a sale happening at Wayfair, too. Right now, this four-piece acacia wood set is as just about as affordable as weather-resistant hardwood patio furniture gets. 

Read more stories about Wayfair on Insider Reviews:

• Wayfair vs. Amazon
• Wayfair sales
• Perigold (Wayfair's luxury sister brand) furniture review

Worth a look:

CB2

If you want modern outdoor furniture, CB2 covers all the bases — from sleek and minimalist to polished-industrial — with a few traditional options, too.

While it's a modern-leaning offshoot of pricey parent brand Crate & Barrel, CB2's furniture is still markedly more affordable than other options in the same vein.

Our favorite piece overall (and one we're looking into reviewing and putting through its paces) is this Breton Black Metal Sofa, which could fit in with just about any decor. 

There are also nods to the traditional and timeless, and if you want to visit the French Riviera or the Costa Azul by way of your backyard, look no further than the Tropez Sofa.

For something a little fresher, this PVC-cord Acapulco chair is also on our list of favorites.

Worth a look:

Cost Plus World Market

Cost Plus World Market, which first opened its doors on San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf in 1958, offers more brands — let alone products — than we could ever sort through.

Patio furniture doesn't have to cost a fortune, and World Market's lounge sets, cotton hammocks and hammock stands, and outdoor accent tables are a testament to that. Still, you're getting quality goods, and while the prices are already fair, there's almost always a sizeable sale happening.

And, if you're looking for Adirondack chairs, this site is probably one of the more affordable places to find them.

Through the "shop the room" feature, you can browse themes and aesthetics along the lines of Cape Cod Quaint, and West Coast Picnic, which are tidily curated, fun, and extremely helpful for when you're not quite sure what to get or where to put it — no shame here.

We're also a fan of the retailer's fun, thoughtful "inspirations" page, where you can find entertaining ideas, decorating tips, how-tos, and more.

Worth a look:

Bend Goods

With its fun, durable, wire designs in vibrant and neutral colors alike, Bend Goods offers a fresh take on outdoor furniture.

These vibrant, heavy-duty pieces made from powder-coated and electroplated galvanized iron are not going anywhere fast. This is industrial-grade outdoor furniture that's built for anything and everything you could think to throw at it. We're completely smitten by this love seat.

The brand also makes similarly playful stools, chairs, and tables. 

On our list are this bistro table and these barstools, which could just as soon land inside as out. Don't be surprised if you see these lining bartops at a watering hole near you; they're certainly built for all of the wear and tear nightlife has to offer.

If you're curious to know precisely how they're made, Bend Goods offers a full walkthrough of the process on its website. 

Worth a look:

Ballard Designs

Atlanta-based Ballard Designs has been in the mail order business for going on four decades, partnering with some of the finest designers in the business including Bunny Williams and Miles Redd.

Ballard Designs has come a long way since its inception in 1983 as a humble mail-order business, but the brand has stood the changing tides of the commerce market through the Home Shopping Network and into the internet era.

Offering classic chaises, dining sets, hammocks, swings, rockers, and even custom pieces, Ballard Designs does it all, from classic weather-ready cast-aluminum furniture, which looks and withstands weathering just like wrought iron but weighs a fraction, t0 ultra-modern gas firepits and mosaic fountains.

One of our favorite pieces is this stately looking Amalfi Chaise, which would go great on a garden patio or a pool deck. 

Worth a look:

Yardbird

Minnesota-based outdoor furniture company Yardbird makes their pieces from recycled ocean plastics, among other things.

Yardbird is a younger outdoor furniture startup founded by a father-son duo in 2017. So far, the direct to consumer brand has repurposed over 100,000 pounds of plastic collected from the waters of the Philippines.

Backed by three-, five-, and 10-year warranties on defects, Sunbrella fabrics, and frames, respectively, the brand offers handmade furniture that can stand shoulder to shoulder with pieces by companies charging twice as much.

The best deals might be on these handwoven sectional sofas, which run half the price of similar options elsewhere but are possibly even more weatherproof thanks to the fact that they're made from much more durable plastic.

The brand also offers teak dining furniture, which, it goes without saying, is not made from recycled plastic collected from the oceans. It will cost you about as much as it would anywhere else, but you'll also get that great warranty we mentioned.

Read more stories about Yardbird on Insider Reviews:

• Yardbird review 

Worth a look:

Serena and Lily

California-based Serena and Lily does coastal living to a tee.

Serena and Lily is high-end coastal living done right. Just note that that means it costs a pretty penny.

If you're looking for outdoor furniture that can weather winter, spring, summer, and fall, you'd do well by Serena and Lily. Think wooden furniture with crisp white accents and plush pillows, and substantial lounge sets woven with thick, dyed acrylic that won't give way to sun and salt anytime soon.

Worth a look:

Frontgate

Frontgate is a home goods retailer and brand in its own right, offering up patio furniture and accessories from some of the best names around.

Frontgate carries (and also makes) the kind of commercial-grade bistro furniture that can stand up to years and years of restaurant life. It's also worth taking a look at the retailer's outdoor decor and accessories, ranging from heat lamps to outdoor games and recreation.

Umbrellas are another thing you shouldn't skimp on because they can be torn to shreds or turn into lethal projectiles all too easily. A properly balanced one with a good stand will cost you, but you won't have to worry about replacing it, or taking an unnecessary trip to the emergency room — you wouldn't be the first.

There's also a large selection of outdoor storage furniture, dozens of rugs, and bistro tables and chairs. It's hard to pick a favorite, but we're pretty partial to Frontgate's own brand of handwoven rattan Paris Bistro Side Chairs.

Worth a look:

Check out more furniture guides

The best sofas and couches

While researching the best sofas available online, we combed through hundreds of ratings and reviews of dozens of brands from both buyers and experts. Our guide features sofas that have a strong track record of quality, durability, and performance.

• For most Americans, travel to far-flung destinations is still off the table, but there are plenty of romantic hotels in the US. 
• For added luxury, or to simply savor extra room for social distancing, many hotels offer rooms with private jacuzzis.
• We rounded up top hotels around the US with in-room jacuzzis to suit a wide range of budgets from $127 to $1,043 per night.
• Read more: Is it safe to stay in a hotel right now? An infectious disease doctor, a cleaning expert, and hotel reps all share what you should know before you check-in.

Pools and jacuzzis are practically synonymous with romance and relaxation while on vacation, but during COVID-19, like many things, they now require advance planning and foresight. Just as with dining, dipping into the water doesn't necessitate mask-wearing, and may mean encountering others without the proper precautions.

And while many hotels offer enhanced safety measures such as reserving time slots in advance and limiting admission, there's nothing quite like having it all to yourself, pandemic or not. After all, a room with a private jacuzzi conjures up images of the ultimate in romantic luxury. In other words, it might be a good idea to keep this list handy for planning for Valentine's Day or that next anniversary, birthday, or other special occasion.

In search of safer travel during COVID, we rounded up highly-rated hotels across the country where you can soak while socially distancing.

Our hotel picks are based on the following criteria:

1. Every hotel offers bookable rooms with a private jacuzzi in the room, typically ensuite or on a balcony.
2. These rooms represent a variety of budgets, ranging from $127 for a wallet-friendly romantic getaway to $1,043 per night for those who want a  or a bucket list-worthy all-inclusive resort.
3. Selections have high marks and numerous positive reviews on trusted traveler sites such as Trip Advisor, Booking.com, and Hotels.com.
4. We've personally stayed at many of these properties, with others ranking high with, or recommended by travelers and experts that we know and trust.
5. Hotels are enforcing strict COVID-19 policies and cleaning procedures.

If you're wondering if travel is safe right now, it's critical to note that there's no firm guarantee with regard to safety and travel. Therefore, it's important to follow guidelines from organizations like the CDC and WHO, as well as practice social distancing and safety measures such as wearing a mask and washing your hands.

Additionally, stay current on state travel restrictions and quarantine procedures before you book any travel, and factor in whether you're traveling to or from a hotspot.

And if you do decide to splash out internationally, we also curated a list of the best affordable hotel rooms with private plunge pools around the world.

Here are the best US hotels with private jacuzzis in the room, sorted by price from low to high.

New York - New York Las Vegas Hotel and Casino — Las Vegas, Nevada

Book New York - New York starting at $127 per night for the Spa Suite

Located near the beginning of the Las Vegas Strip, the MGM property New York - New York offers guests a Vegas-style bite of the Big Apple. We've stayed here on two occasions and it's a cheerful, family-friendly hotel with a lot to offer those seeking a very affordable experience.

New York – New York is located directly across the street from the MGM Grand and next door to Excalibur, with a tram providing easy access to Luxor, Mandalay Bay, the Delano, and the Four Seasons, as well.

The Spa Suite includes an enormous in-room jacuzzi, positioned in a corner of the room and surrounded by mirrors for a cheeky, quintessential Las Vegas look. The suite is large, with a sitting area, in-room vanity, 42" plasma flat-screen TV, and a separate shower in the bathroom. Like all MGM Resorts, New York – New York offers an app allowing guests to book restaurant reservations, skip check-in lines, unlock their room door, and browse recommendations.

Visitors can ride the Big Apple Coaster, the world's first with a 180-degree "heartline" twist and dive, and restaurants include Shake Shack, Starbucks, Tom's Urban, Village Street Eateries, and New York Pizzeria. 

Trip AdvisorRanking: 92 out of 279 hotels in Las Vegas

Booking.comRating: 8.2 out of 10

Pros: Clover-shaped Spa Suite jacuzzis are huge — large enough for 3-4 people — providing ample bang for the buck. 

Cons: Rooms are occasionally a bit faded and not always as luxurious as other properties on the strip.

COVID-19 status and policies: MGM Resorts team has been working with medical experts to develop a "Seven-Point Safety Plan," which is a comprehensive, multi-layered approach with guidance from public health experts and includes:

• Screening, temperature checks, employee training, mandatory masks, and PPE.
• Guests are to refrain from eating on the casino floor to minimize time without masks on.
• Six-foot physical distancing policy and plexiglass barriers throughout casinos and lobbies, where appropriate.
• Handwashing and enhanced sanitation include proven cleaning products in accordance with EPA guidelines. Electrostatic sprayers will be used in many large areas.
• Custom-built sanitizing and handwashing stations, with soap and water.
• Self and contactless check-in is offered with digital room keys.
• The hair salon, pools, and cabanas are open, as is the fitness center. Pool access is on a first-come, first-served basis and may be limited, with guests joining a virtual waitlist if the pool reaches capacity.

The Samoset — Rockport, Maine

Book The Samoset starting at $199 per night for the Oceanview Hot Tub Suite

A historic waterfront resort located on 230 acres overlooking Maine's Penobscot Bay, The Samoset dates back to 1889 and offers elegant accommodations that recall glamorous days gone by.

Highlights of staying here include an 18-hole championship golf course, a seaside spa and salon, tennis, basketball, lawn games, and a kids club for children ages five to 12.

There are 178 comfortable and recently-renovated guest rooms and suites, decorated in a preppy, nautical style with shades of blue and cream and lots of natural light. Each room features 50" HDTVs, iHome radios, Keurig coffee makers, in-room refrigerators, and private balcony or terraces. Then there are the Oceanview Hot Tub Suites, which offer oversized decks complete with whirlpools and privacy shades, all overlooking the bay.

For a deeper dip, there's also a 200,000-gallon family-friendly "zero entry" pool surrounded by fire pits that overlook the water, as well as oceanside dining at La Bella Vita restaurant.

Trip AdvisorRanking: 6 out of 10 hotels in Rockport

Booking.comRating: 10 out of 10

Pros: Views of Penobscot Bay are spectacular, and best enjoyed from Adirondack chairs on the expansive lawn or around fire pits roasting s'mores. Welcome amenities feature partnerships with local vendors. 

Cons: There is still a resort fee despite some amenities being closed due to COVID. Guests report that the staff can seem overworked. Housekeeping services are diminished in common areas and paused in guest rooms during stays.

COVID-19 status and policies: This hotel is currently open and following new protocols including:

• Per the state of Maine, all individuals must wear cloth face coverings in public settings where other physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain.
• Utilization of EPA-approved cleaning and disinfecting agents that kill the COVID-19 virus.
• Hand sanitizer stations at high traffic guest touchpoints and signage throughout public spaces on cleanliness, social distancing, and hygiene.
• Elimination and/or offering alternative options for any shared-use items that can't be cleaned after guest use.
• Limiting team member room entry during stay (housekeeping, in-room dining)
• Surface disinfecting wipes in guest rooms.

La Quinta Resort and Club, a Waldorf-Astoria Resort — La Quinta, California

Book La Quinta Resort and Club starting at $217 per night for an entry-level room

A Waldorf-Astoria resort about half an hour outside of Palm Springs, the La Quinta Resort and Club is a nearly 100-year-old family-friendly property known for old Hollywood charm, a whopping 41 pools, and nearly 800 casitas, suites, and villas spread on 45 acres. Outdoor space is plentiful, well-landscaped, and enchanting, making for easier social distancing in the age of COVID-19 travel.

With casitas arranged around semi-private courtyards, pools are dotted throughout the property. We recently booked a mid-tier King Starlight room for $322 and were able to upgrade to the 1,970 square foot King Hacienda Zia for $359 more, which we reviewed in full. It came with a full-sized private pool and a private hot tub, fire pit, and a large yard. It's important to note that, while affordable upgrades are possible, normally this room costs $1,300 per night.

There are several other rooms and suites with private pools and hot tubs, too, including the King Hideaway Suite with private hot tub from $1,136 per night, the King Pueblo Suite with a private pool from $1,420 per night, and the El Presidente suite with both a private pool and hot tub from $1,616 per night.

On previous trips, however, we've personally stayed in an entry-level Resort Casita, which is much more affordable at $290 per night, and located off the resort's 41 small communal pools. 

Other activities are also plentiful, including tennis, pickleball, bike rentals, and four private golf courses.

Trip Advisor Ranking: 3 out of 4 hotels in La Quinta

Booking.comRating: 8.6 out of 10

Pros: The resort is gorgeous, with ample lawn space for social distancing across 45 acres. Rooms, casitas, and common rooms feature Spanish-style architecture and an abundance of charm.

Cons: While the concept of 41 pools is exciting, they can still be crowded, making social distancing difficult. The $35 daily resort charge covers amenities that either may be closed or are unlikely to be used due to COVID. Open restaurants are very popular — read: crowded — and fine-dining spot Morgan's in the Desert is temporarily closed.

COVID-19 status and policies: 

• The Hilton 'CleanStay' room seal will add an extra measure of assurance by placing a room seal on doors to indicate that a room has not been accessed since being thoroughly cleaned. 
• 10 high-touch, deep clean Areas include extra disinfection of frequently touched guest room areas including light switches, door handles, TV remotes, and thermostats.
• Removal of pen, paper, and guest directory; supplement with digital or available upon request. 
• Improved guidelines for disinfecting fitness centers, possibly closing for cleaning multiple times daily, and limiting the number of guests allowed in at one time. 
• Increased frequency of cleaning public areas and provide stations at primary entrances and key high traffic areas, to allow guests to wipe the elevator button before pressing. 
• Contactless check-in using digital key technology for guests who desire to have a contactless arrival experience.

Read Business Insider's full hotel review for La Quinta Resort and Club

Pocono Palace Resort — East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania

Book Pocono Palace Resort starting at $267 per night for a heart-shaped tub suite

A couples-only retreat on Echo Lake in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains, Pocono Palace Resort is part of a trio of romantic resorts billing themselves as the Land of Love.

Like a landlocked cruise ship, there's a packed itinerary with all-inclusive dining and a social director in charge of the numerous activities and entertainment options, including live bands, magicians, comedians, and DJs. There's also a 32,000 square foot sports arena, as well as 400 acres of land for couples to explore together.

But if that's too much action, just retreat to one of the large 188 suites with log-burning fireplaces, starry ceilings, and King-sized beds, many of which are heart-shaped. All rooms, including the entry-level suites, offer heart-shaped whirlpool tubs, while some, including the Champagne Tower Select and the Roman Tower, feature the famed 7-foot tall in-room Champagne Tower whirlpool. As the name implies, this jacuzzi is shaped like a giant champagne coupe and comes with the addition of a heart-shaped pool, a dry sauna, and a rain shower. 

Trip AdvisorRanking: 1 out of 2 hotels in Marshalls Creek

Booking.com Rating: 7.8 out of 10

Pros: Despite COVID, colder weather indoor activities are plentiful, including billiards, air hockey, tennis racquetball, indoor archery, an indoor pool, and a fitness room, while guests report good food and friendly staff.  

Cons: Even though the resort has been renovated, rooms can feel outdated and a "cheesy" atmosphere might not be everybody's cup of tea.

COVID status and policies: COVID has shifted some of the resort's amenities and activities, but most remain open, albeit slightly modified as follows:

• Live entertainment is outdoors, while nightly shows are only open to hotel guests practicing social distancing.
• The spa remains open, but with limited hours.
• Breakfast and dinner service will continue as normal in the dining room during regular hours. Reservations required.
• Indoor bar service will be limited. Service will be take-out or delivery only. 
• All guests must wear masks in public spaces at the resort.
• Daily housekeeping will be unavailable at Cove Haven occupied suites to reduce contact. Items may be replenished upon request.
• Water refill stations are not available at this time to aid in the prevention of spreading disease via the use of refillable water bottles.

Hotel Vermont — Burlington, Vermont

Book Hotel Vermont starting at $259 per night for a Whirlpool King Room

Located in Vermont's largest city and overlooking Lake Champlain, Hotel Vermont is Burlington's only independent LEED Certified hotel. The hotel offers 125 sleek and charming guest rooms, plus two outdoor terraces and Brick, an outdoor wood-fired kitchen and bar, which remains open despite COVID.

Whirlpool King Bedrooms are available and come decked out with jetted tubs that are large enough for two. These baths straddle the bedroom and bathroom and accompany a natural stone tile walk-in shower, gas fireplace, 40" LED TV, and luxurious bedding. Each room is also stocked with locally-made products including amenities from Vermont Soap Company and Vermont Flannel Bathrobes.

There are also sleep-encouraging amenities available for purchase including aromatherapy, flannel pajamas, and hot toddies with rum or whiskey.

Trip Advisor Ranking: 1 out of 7 hotels in Burlington

Booking.com Rating: 9.2 out of 10

Pros: The hotel is a Trip Advisor Traveler's Choice winner and is dog-friendly.

Cons: Rooms are purposely minimalistic, though simple furnishings could remind some of a college dorm. There is also a lack of storage space and a relatively small bathroom.

COVID-19 status and policies: 

• Restaurant reservations are for no more than 10 people from two households and there is no indoor dining.
• Vermont requires all to wear a mask any time it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of at least six feet.
• The hotel follows strict guidelines from the Vermont Department of Health, the CDC, VOSHA, and guidelines provided by the American Hotel and Lodging Association's "Safe Stay" program, which exceed those of all three referenced agencies and are underwritten by industry leaders in the hotel industry.
• All team members are screened at the beginning of each shift, and washing hands and the use of hand sanitizer with hand sanitation stations are available throughout the hotel.
• Car valet or bell service is not currently offered. Furniture is re-arranged to promote distancing.
• The front desk is outfitted with screens to support distancing and queueing is discouraged. Guests will be pre-assigned rooms and rooms will be pre-keyed.
• Public spaces, communal areas, and elevators are cleaned and disinfected multiple times per day using EPA approved disinfectants.
• Housekeeping staff will not enter rooms unless specifically requested or approved and cleaning protocols will pay extra attention to high-touch items.
• Many amenities usually offered will not be available such as decorative pillows, re-usable cups and glassware, water bottles, and printed materials.

The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas — Las Vegas, Nevada

Book The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas starting at $350 per night for a Terrace Suite

Located in the center of the Las Vegas Strip, The Cosmopolitan is a sleek, stylish gaming resort with some of Sin City's best restaurants. We are Las Vegas enthusiasts and this hotel remains one of our favorite Vegas properties, with numerous stays clocked, which we've reviewed.

A Terrace Suite doubles down on luxury with sumptuous bubbler Japanese soaking tubs. While they don't have jets (per traditional Japanese custom), they do feel like immersing yourself in a bath of champagne bubbles. They're adjacent to spacious rain shower-equipped bathrooms and there's also a 160-square-foot private balcony with views of the Bellagio fountains, a King-sized bed, and a large sitting area with doors off the bedroom. Rooms are tech-forward, with an iPad controlling all the lighting and room settings such as curtains. For a full jetted jacuzzi tub en-suite, consider the Wraparound Terrace Suite.

For a true splurge, book a Bungalow room with a private heated plunge pool on an outdoor terrace that comes with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Marquee Dayclub pool. Bungalows start from $1,000 per night.

Other amenities in the hotel at large include multiple pool options, a spa, and top-tier nightlife. 

Trip Advisor Ranking: 27 out of 278 hotels in Las Vegas

Expedia.com Rating: 4.6 of 5

Pros:The Cosmopolitan's bevy of amazing restaurants is, arguably, unparalleled on the Strip. The resort also boasts an enviable location that is walking distance from numerous high-end resorts like ARIA, Bellagio, and Park MGM, and is also connected to The Shops at Crystals.

Cons: Guests tend to be on the younger side and can be loud and raucous. While The Cosmopolitan has banned smoking in public walkways and resort corridors (an undeniable pro, as masks must of course be removed to light up), smoking remains allowed inside lounges and the Race & Sports Book, as well as on the casino floor while seated at a table or at slot machines.

COVID-19 status and policies: 

• All staff and guests must wear face masks while inside the public areas of the resort. If you are in need of a mask, you will be provided one by resort staff. Exceptions include children under the age of 9, guests who cannot wear a face mask due to a medical condition, disability, or those who are unable to remove a mask without assistance. 
• All hotel guests are provided with an in-room amenity kit, including Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and additional items to make you feel more reassured during your stay.

Read Business Insider's full hotel review for The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Sybaris Pool Suites — Indianapolis, Indiana

Book Sybaris Pool Suites starting at $379 per night for a Paradise Suite

Every suite has its own private pool at the aptly-named Sybaris Pool Suites, an adults-only property with sister locations around Illinois and in Wisconsin. Suites range from entry-level Country Whirlpool Suites with four-foot by six-foot whirlpool tubs, patios, and fireplaces, to enormous two-story Chalet Swimming Pool Suites.

The Chalet Suites are the undeniable stars of the show, with not only a whirlpool tub in the bedroom, but also come with a private 22-foot heated indoor swimming pool all within the confines of the room. The pool comes complete with a tropical waterfall, misting steam room, and bedroom loft connected to a 10-foot waterslide that leads directly into the pool below. On top of all that, guests have their own parking garage connected directly to the two-story suite for private entry, and other highlights include a massage chair.

The property itself is designed to evoke romance and let couples relax privately, including ambient lighting, rose petals on the bed, the ability to schedule mini-getaways for an afternoon.

Trip Advisor Rating: 1 out of 9 specialty lodging in Indianapolis

Hotels.comRanking: 9.2 of 10

Pros: Pools and suites are clean, with each inspected before every guest's stay, with diagnostic systems testing pH balance and sanitation levels, and constant advanced filtration.

Cons: While water pressure is good in the whirlpool tub, some guests report poor pressure in the showers. Wi-Fi can also be spotty, and there are no windows, which adds to the privacy for some but might feel claustrophobic to others.

COVID-19 status and policies: 

• Every piece of linen is washed in 160-degree water with bleach and placed in rooms fresh after every stay. 
• Edible treats such as chocolate-covered strawberries are paused due to COVID.
• Every pool is cleaned and inspected to ensure proper disinfection and alkalinity.  
• Revised cancellation policy without fees or penalties. 
• Additional disinfection protocols include cleaning doorknobs, door handles, pillows, and the mattress is disinfected after every stay, every time.  
• Individually wrapped plastic cups in the suites whenever possible. 
• Sybaris locations do not have hallways, elevators, gyms, common areas, or restaurants.

Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace — Las Vegas, Nevada

Book Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace Las Vegas starting at $477 per night for the Hakone Suite

Inside the blockbuster 85-acre, 3,960 room and suite resort Caesars Palace, the intimate Nobu Hotel is tucked away as a boutique hotel-within-a-hotel concept, created by the famed sushi chef of the same name. If Caesars is frenetic and bustling, Nobu Hotel is uber-Zen and quiet, with 182 stylish, Japanese-inspired rooms and suites. We've stayed at this property in the past and recommend it enthusiastically.

Inspired by Fuji-Hakone National Park, the 1,000 foot Hakone Suite, available as a 1-bedroom or 2-bedroom set-up, and includes a whirlpool tub as a nod to its namesake city Hakone in Japan, which is known for its hot springs. The suite also offers a living room and dining room, a large and airy full bathroom with a separate shower, as well as a half bathroom by the suite's entrance. Guests receive freshly prepared hot tea upon arrival and can choose between scented oils to help with sleep, while in-room dining from Nobu Restaurant is a notable perk. All rooms and suites include free Wi-Fi, a 55-inch flat-screen TV, an iPod docking station and Natura Bisse toiletries, as well as priority seating at Nobu Restaurant and Lounge. 

Speaking of Nobu Restaurant and Lounge— at 11,200-square-feet, it's the world's largest, with the only teppan tables in the United States. Guests of the Nobu Hotel also have access to a private front desk and lounge on the hotel's 72nd floor, as well as access to the Venus Pool at Caesars Palace when it's open. Pre-COVID, amenities also included expedited line privilege at OMNIA nightclub, a complimentary Friday social hour, and a dedicated hotel concierge.

TripAdvisor Ranking: 28 out of 279 hotels in Las Vegas

Booking.com Rating: 7.8 out of 10

Pros: The hotel is exceedingly quiet and private, with a gorgeous Japanese-inspired design by noted architect David Rockwell. 

Cons: There's a steep resort fee of $45 per night plus tax, although parking fees have thankfully been eliminated.

COVID-19 status and policies: 

• For the well-being of team members and guests, Nobu Code Green housekeeping opt-in will be mandatory for all guests and there will be no housekeeping service during stays.
• Resorts are cleaned and disinfected daily and throughout each shift and high touch items have been cleaned and disinfected between use.
• Social distancing procedures are implemented, including appropriate signage in queuing areas and reduced capacities within casino floors, restaurants, and other seated venues.
• Additional hand sanitizing stations have been added throughout the resort and hand sanitizer will be offered at check-in, table games, cage, and other transaction points.
• Everyone indoors at all properties across the Caesars network is required to wear masks except when eating or drinking.
• Front desks, tables and chairs, and other areas have been rearranged to allow for appropriate social distancing.
• Self-serve items, such as condiments, have been removed and refills will not be provided.
• Salons and spas will adjust schedules to allow for time to clean and disinfect surfaces.
• Exercise machines will be cleaned and disinfected between use and mobile fitness equipment (dumbbells, mats, etc.) are removed.
• Cabanas and lounge chairs have been arranged to allow for appropriate social distancing.

The Roxbury at Stratton Falls — Roxbury, New York

Book The Roxbury at Stratton Falls starting at $520 per night for a Cottage Suite

A whimsical pair of hotels located in New York's Catskills Mountains, the brand-new The Roxbury at Stratton Falls and its sister property, The Roxbury Motel, both offer gorgeous, hugely over-the-top themed rooms providing eye-popping design and child-like wonder.

The properties are designed to be enormously entertaining and experiential, with each room, suite, or cottage boasting immersive visuals. There's a two-story superhero-themed cottage, a Cinderella cottage, and rooms inspired by "The Wizard of Oz" and "Gilligan's Island."

The two-story King Arthur-esque Crown of the Pendragons Cottage, located in The Roxbury at Stratton Falls property, offers medieval theming, with dragons and swords and chain-mail aplenty. The highlight is most certainly the massive 86-gallon circular tub, which is technically not a hot tub, and far too spectacular to even remotely qualify as a bathtub. The tub rests in the center of a dedicated relaxation room, underneath a three-tiered, 20 foot-high crown chandelier. There are also chaise relaxation loungers, a 60" television, full-size refrigerator, microwave, and wet bar sink, plus an open-air balcony with a "drawbridge." 

Trip Advisor Rating: 1 out of 1 hotel in Roxbury

Booking.com ranking: 9.4 out of 10

Pros: Rooms, suites, and cottages are almost unspeakably cool, featuring such loving attention to detail that it's hard not to fall in love with the owners' vision. The property also includes a 50-foot waterfall and private nature trails, while guests report an immaculately clean stay.

Cons: Due to COVID, the shared hot tub and pool at the Crooked Cabana require scheduled time slots and a $20 fee to use. (A potential pro for those who prefer strict social distancing and fewer people.)

COVID-19 status and policies: 

• All linens are sanitized in a high-temperature wash.
• Face masks are required for staff and guests in public areas, floors are marked for social distancing, and hand sanitizer is available.
• Regularly sanitizing of high-traffic areas with contactless check-in and check-out offered.
• Individually wrapped toiletries and 24-hour minimum vacancy between guests.

Trappeur’s Crossing Resort — Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Book Bear Lodge at Trappeur's Crossing Resort starting at $573 per night for a Condo with Private Patio, Hot Tub, and Fireplace

Located only two blocks from the Champagne Powder slopes in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Trappeur's Crossing Resort is a massive property with six different lodges featuring multiple types of vacation rental condos. On property, guests can choose from four pools, 10 hot tubs, and two tennis courts, as well as a fitness center, business center, and shuttle service.

Within Bear Lodge — the newest accommodations at Trappeur's Crossing— the five-bedroom, five-bathroom BL6105 condo is one of two on property with a private courtyard, including an outdoor fireplace, and a large gas BBQ grill. The pièce de résistance is the condo's private outdoor hot tub, with ski mountain views, and is perfect for warming up at the end of a cold day on the slopes. The unit sleeps up to 12 and includes a washer/dryer, as well as a fully-equipped gourmet kitchen, stainless steel appliances, a four-burner gas cook-top stove, and luxurious wood cabinetry. There's also a wine cooler, spacious living area, and gas log fireplace.

Naturally, the resort shines in winter, when ski bunnies flock, but there's also hiking, three 18-hole golf courses, fly-fishing, and biking trails. 

Trip Advisor Ranking: 4 out of 85 specialty lodging in Steamboat Springs

Booking.com Rating: 9.3 out of 10

Pros: The resort offers a free shuttle, dropping off guests anywhere in town upon request.

Cons: The sauna is closed (as are the communal hot tubs), while some resort amenities are dated and could benefit from renovations. 

COVID-19 status and policies: 

• Reduced front desk hours and limited in-person availability. 
• All outdoor swimming pools are open under occupancy, disinfection, and social distancing restrictions and on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• Tennis courts and the fitness center are open on a reservation basis.
• Other amenities including hot tubs, the conference room, and sauna are closed and an opening date has not been determined. 
• All people in Colorado who are 11 years and older are required to wear a covering over their noses and mouths according to state mandates when entering or moving within any public indoor space.

Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa​ – Paradise Valley, Arizona

Book Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa starting at $798 per night for a Spa Suite

Only 10 minutes from Old Town Scottsdale, the 53-acre Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain Resort & Spa is located in tony Paradise Valley and is known for its 109 luxurious casitas, suites, and villas.

There's also a Zen, Asian-inspired destination spa, one of Arizona's finest, with Watsu water treatments, a labyrinth walking meditation, and a reflection pond. Though it's been years since our last visit, we look back on our stay here especially fondly.

Sanctuary's spa vibe continues in the resort's 1,200 square-foot Spa Suites, where private outdoor soaking tubs and chaise relaxation loungers are the focal point of your own patio, each designed to bring the spa into the room itself. Elsewhere in the suite, there's a living area with a fireplace and wet bar plus a rain shower. Rooms are contemporary and design-forward, offering a seating area, free Wi-Fi, and flat-screen cable TV with Google Chromecast, as well as robes and flip flops, Molton Brown bath amenities, bath salts, and a pillow-top mattress with plush linens.

Other property highlights s include tennis, hiking, an infinity pool, and nearby golf courses and hiking on scenic Camelback Mountain.

Trip Advisor Ranking: 3 out of 5 hotels in Paradise Valley

Booking.com Rating: 9.0 out of 10

Pros: For a $100 refundable deposit, the resort is exceedingly pet-friendly, welcoming cats and dogs up to 50 pounds. Animals receive a welcome letter and an arrival gift, plus a kitty litter box or puppy waste disposal bags. There are also several pet-friendly areas. 

Cons: Some rooms have parking lot views. Breakfast is extravagant and praise-worthy, though not included in room fees without upgrades.

COVID-19 status and policies: 

• All items touched by a guest or team member are sanitized after every in-person interaction.
• Appropriate social distancing maintained during all in-person interactions and plexiglass shields are installed at the front desk.  
• All housekeeping are provided with masks and gloves and daily housekeeping and turndown services are available only upon request.
• Tables and chairs in all public spaces spaced to ensure guests are six-feet apart.
• Single-use menus and wine lists are utilized in dining areas.
• Use of industrial electrostatic sanitization in all treatment rooms, men's and women's lounges, quiet room, spa lobby, gym, and movement studio with increased time between spa treatments. Therapists and guests required to wear face masks during treatments.
• Reduced fitness class capacity to ensure adequate space for social distancing during classes.

Miraval Resort and Spa – Tucson, Arizona

Book Miraval Resort and Spa starting at $1,049 per night for the Desert Sky Double Suite or Solace Retreat, all-inclusive

Located on 400 acres outside Tucson in the shadow of the Santa Catalina Mountains, Miraval is a world-renowned destination spa resort prioritizing wellness that aims to bring guests back into balance.

The resort's Life in Balance Spa, which we have visited and recommend without hesitation, features a myriad of services including Ayurveda, energy work, traditional massage, and acupuncture. Though some spa services are paused, outdoor therapies are available soon. 

The 800 square foot Desert Sky Double Suite is large and features a jacuzzi tub plus a separate walk-in shower. There are also zen touches such as a meditation pillow from an organic pillow menu, a Tibetan singing bowl, mindful coloring books, a community journal, and an essential oil diffuser, available on request. Space is ample, with a patio for reflection, a cozy fireplace in the living room, and a separate dining room. 

Or, the Solace Retreat, while smaller, is tailor-made for spa-like relaxation, with its own outdoor patio with a private hot tub, a celestial rain shower, and a lounge area with a fire pit. Other touches include an aromatherapy diffuser, fluffy cotton bathrobes, an indoor soaking tub, and a sitting area, plus views of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

The resort is a digital, device-free space, where guests are asked to unplug at check-in and place their phones and devices in a special "sleeping bag" to better center themselves.

Room rates also include a $175 nightly credit, all meals, and more than 200 classes and activities ranging from outback hiking and biking to challenge courses. For additional fees, offerings include equine therapy (such as painting with the side of a horse as the canvas!), "conscious cooking" classes, beekeeping workshops, and wine tasting. All food is local, with mindful eating of fresh, high-quality ingredients an integral part of the Miraval experience.

Trip Advisor Ranking: 2 out of 134 hotels in Tucson

Hotels.com Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Pros: Meals and many activities are all-inclusive, making for tremendous value, particularly considering the exceptional quality of the food.

Cons: Due to COVID, much of the resort's spa — a huge draw — is closed. However, there are numerous outdoor activities available that remain open.

COVID-19 status and policies: 

• Miraval Arizona is taking advance and extensive cleaning protocols prior to arrival. Guestrooms are disinfected, sanitized, and sealed until the next guest arrives.
• Housekeeping is only available upon request with contactless delivery for any requested items. 
• GBAC STARTM cleanliness and training accreditation process through the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) at all Miraval properties and Life in Balance Spas.
• Face coverings will be required in hotel indoor public areas and the spa, as well as any outdoor spaces where physical distancing cannot be observed.
• The capacity of some experiences and activities are reduced with limited availability. Advance reservations are strongly recommended.
• There is a limited menu of spa services and capacity. Advance spa reservations are required. Locker rooms, saunas, steam rooms, and whirlpools are closed. Guests are required to wear a mask, with the exception of facial treatments.

• Both the original Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite continue to be hard to find, but we've been keeping an eye on the best deals for Switch games and accessories.
• We'll update this list regularly with the top Nintendo Switch deals as new discounts are announced.
• Right now,  "Super Mario Maker 2" and "Yoshi's Crafted World" are on sale for $42, which is $18 off their regular price.

Even with the release of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S|X, the Nintendo Switch continues to be the highest selling video game console on the planet, with more than 68 million units sold worldwide.

The Switch was the top selling console for 24 consecutive months leading up to the release of the PS5 and Xbox Series X, and the $300 portable will still be easier to find in stores for the next few months while Sony and Microsoft ramp up production of their new consoles.

Nintendo's $300 hybrid console offers many of the most popular games on the market in a portable package, with the option to connect the Switch to a larger television or home entertainment system. The $200 Switch Lite is smaller and can't connect to your TV, but it's still a popular pick for parents who want an affordable alternative to the PlayStation or Xbox, and gamers who want a second console.

Switch exclusive titles include iconic Nintendo franchises like "Super Mario,""Pokémon" and "The Legend of Zelda." This year's biggest Nintendo exclusive, "Animal Crossing: New Horizons," was one of the best selling games of 2020 with nearly 30 million copies sold.

Below, we've collected the best deals on Nintendo Switch consoles, exclusive games, and accessories. These discounts should all come in handy whether you're looking to buy a Switch for the first time, building your library of games, or trying to find the cheapest price on a Switch peripheral.

Here are the best Nintendo Switch deals for January 2021:

Prices and links are current as of 1/15/2021. Added new deals for Nintendo Switch games. Removed deals that are no longer active. Updated by Kevin Webb.

Best deals on Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite consoles

The Nintendo Switch can be connected to a TV for high-definition gameplay, or taken on-the-go as a portable console. Furthermore, the Switch's controls can be separated from the console and used as two separate controllers called Joy-Cons.

Unfortunately, stock for the standard Switch remains low at many retailers. With that in mind, some of the below products might not currently be available for shipment. We'll update this section with more Switch purchase options and deals as stores start adding more inventory.

Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch Lite is a handheld-only version of the console that lacks the original Switch's removable controllers and ability to connect to a larger television. The Switch Lite appeals to gamers who may already own a PlayStation or Xbox and want to play games with a similar level of quality while they're traveling. Parents may also be more willing to invest in a handheld console at a lower price point when introducing their children to gaming.

The Nintendo Switch Lite comes in four colors (coral, turquoise, grey and yellow). There haven't been many deals that drop the Switch Lite's price below its standard retail price of $199.99, but a refurbished model is sold for a $20 discount when it's in stock at GameStop.

Best deals on Nintendo Switch games

Though the Nintendo Switch has been around for just under four years, there are already more than 2,300 games available for the console. Nintendo franchises, like "Super Mario,""Pokémon" and "The Legend of Zelda," rarely see discounts larger than $20, but games from other publishers are frequently on sale for cheaper.

You can also find plenty of other fun Switch games on sale at popular retailers or from the Nintendo eShop, the console's home for digital releases.

Best deals on Nintendo Switch controllers

Though the Switch's Joy-Cons give players access to two controllers at all times, some gamers prefer the Nintendo Switch Pro controller, which more closely resembles a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One controller.

Nintendo also sells spare Joy-Cons with multiple color options for Switch owners who want to add some additional flair and an extra set of motion controllers for multiplayer games. 

• Insten Wireless Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, $29.99 (originally $49.99) at Target [You save $20]

Best deals on on Nintendo Switch accessories

As a portable console with replaceable controllers, the Switch has no shortage of accessories. The most important addition you can make is a MicroSD card, which can expand the Switch's initial 32GB of storage by 128GB or more for less than the price of a new game.

If you plan on taking your Switch on the go, it's probably a good idea to pick up a basic case with space for extra game cartridges too. The Switch is fairly durable so you don't need to spend a ton protecting it.

• 400GB MicroSD Memory Card, $44.99 (originally $59.49) at Amazon [You save $14.50]
• Black Game Traveler Deluxe Travel Case for Nintendo Switch, $14.99 (originally $19.99) at GameStop [You save $5]