• Strong public speaking skills can help you nail a job interview and access new career opportunities.
• Below are online courses that can help you become more comfortable in front of a group, from free classes you can audit to certificate programs.
• On top of public speaking, some courses are focused on storytelling or persuasive writing since you need to be just as confident in what you're presenting.

If giving presentations or chiming in during brainstorm sessions makes you nervous, you might not mind your current remote work setup. But a pandemic may actually be the best time to brush up on your public speaking skills.

For one, many online classes remove the scariest factor — a live audience. When you can pre-record your assignments or simply watch an expert share their tips, the barrier to entry gets lower. And even in courses held over Zoom, presenting via camera takes away the very real panic of standing at a podium. 

Beyond that, the ability to captivate a crowd is invaluable even when you're working remotely. Whether you're trying to make your virtual team all-hands more engaging or need to nail those final rounds of job interviews, having more confidence as a presenter can make all the difference in your career.

The courses below range from public speaking and communication tips to storytelling and rhetoric, since your presentation is only as good as your actual speech. Some classes are also free to audit, meaning you have access to them but won't receive a grade or certification. If you want to take a paid course or earn a certificate of completion, prices can range from $15-$49 a month, depending on the learning platform.

11 affordable online courses that will make you a better public speaker:

Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking

Length: 8 weeks (2-3 hours per week)

Cost: Free; $169 for a certificate 

This Harvard course gets to the root of what makes an argument compelling by looking at some of the most well-known political speeches in American history. Students annotate examples of rhetorical devices and hear professors unpack what makes each speech memorable, all while crafting a persuasive essay of their own. There's also a section devoted to public speaking advice, helping learners apply their new knowledge to create an unforgettable presentation. 

Communication Strategies for a Virtual Age

Length: 8 hours 

Cost: Free; $49 for a certificate

This University of Toronto course feels especially useful right now, given that it focuses specifically on remote public speaking skills. More than ever, it's important to be as engaging as possible over video, and this course covers everything from making virtual meetings less boring to giving attention-grabbing presentations over Zoom. This is particularly helpful if you're already a manager or work in a professional environment where you find yourself leading virtual meetings fairly often.

Storytelling for Social Change

Length: 5 weeks (1-3 hours per week)

Cost: Free; $49 for a certificate

Telling impactful stories isn't just useful to you as an individual — when done right, it can spur meaningful change through collective action. Through this innovative University of Michigan class, students learn how to spark interest through sharing compelling personal experiences of protagonists the audience can identify with. The lessons from this course can be applied to a variety of careers, from customer service to non-profit management.

Introduction to Public Speaking

Length: 4 weeks (12 hours)

Cost: Free with 7-day Coursera trial; $49 per month after trial ends

Offered by the University of Washington, this is the first of four courses in Coursera's Dynamic Public Speaking Specialization. As an intro class, it covers rehearsal techniques and speechwriting tips to reduce presentation jitters. Learners practice by recording themselves and receiving feedback so they can gradually become more self-assured orators. More advanced courses in this specialization focus on specific types of public speaking, such as informative presentations and motivational speeches.

How to Break the Habit of Self-Doubt and Build Real Confidence

Length: 5 hours and 8 minutes

Cost: $29

Mel Robbins is a CNN host, one of the most popular TEDx speakers of all time, and the most-booked female speaker in the world, so she definitely knows a thing or two about carrying yourself with confidence. In about five hours of videos, she tackles one of the biggest obstacles to public speaking: Imposter syndrome. With tactics to help you de-escalate anxiety and hop over similar mental blocks, her class doesn't just help you talk to a crowd — it shows you how to move through the world with a greater conviction of your own self-worth. 

Communicating with Confidence

Length: 1 hour and 16 minutes

Cost: Free with 1-month LinkedIn Learning trial; $19.99 or $29.99 per month after depending on your subscription plan

The most popular public speaking course on LinkedIn Learning, "Communicating with Confidence" emphasizes the importance of your physical presence as a speaker. The class walks you through breathing techniques and other tips for slowing down your speech, managing your facial expressions, and maintaining self-assured body language to help you feel less jittery when it's your turn to present. Once you're done with the course, you'll be able to add a certificate of completion to your LinkedIn profile for employers to see if you want to.

Robin Roberts Teaches Effective and Authentic Communication

Length: 2 hours and 22 minutes

Cost: $180 for annual MasterClass membership

Robin Roberts, Emmy-winning co-anchor of "Good Morning America," shares her tips on how to connect with an audience in a more meaningful way. She touches upon vulnerability and how to "make your mess your message" before diving into public speaking strategies that can help you stand out in a job interview, ask for what you're worth at work, and even feel comfier on TV (should the occasion arise). 

"TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking" by Chris Anderson

Length: 288 pages

Cost: $12.66 paperback; $9.99 on Kindle

Written by Chris Anderson, the head of TED, this audiobook shares insights from all the top TED speakers, from educationalist Sir Ken Robinson to Monica Lewinsky. It's less about subscribing to one set of guidelines and more about exploring tips from the public speakers who do it best. As a bonus, the book is also sprinkled with TED tidbits and history, if you happen to be a hardcore TEDx fan in general.

The Complete Public Speaking Course

Length: 4.5 hours of video

Cost: $89.99

Available in both English and Chinese, this course provides a well-rounded education in public speaking. It addresses common issues like "data dumping" that can make stories hard to follow, and teaches you the key attributes of a successful speech. You'll also receive a certificate of completion at the end.

Presentation Essentials: How to Share Ideas That Inspire Action

Length: 33 minutes

Cost: Free with 14-day Skillshare trial; $8.39-$28 per month depending on the subscription plan

TED Talk thought leader, motivational speaker, and author Simon Sinek shares his best public speaking secrets in this quick, one-off class. In about 30 minutes, he shows you how to pinpoint what you're most passionate about, use your nerves to your advantage by converting them into an energetic stage presence, and cut down any bulkiness in your speech to get to the heart of what you really want to say. It's perfect if you have a big presentation or interview in the next few days (with little time to prep), or just want to dip your toe into public speaking without making a huge commitment. 

"Public Speaking for Success" by Dale Carnegie

Length: 464 pages

Cost: $11.99 for paperback; $12.99 on Kindle

Dale Carnegie, the famed author of "How to Win Friends and Influence People," is considered one of the most iconic public speaking teachers to this day. This particular guide was originally written in 1926 and has inspired many generations of public speakers with advice that still feels relevant today. The book covers all the essentials of addressing a crowd, from diction exercises and voice techniques to building an authentic sense of self-esteem as a speaker.

• When outfitting a truck for camping, choose gear that's light, versatile, and durable enough to stand up to rough terrain.
• Don't go overboard on what you bring and remember the less you have, the easier it is to pack up at the end of your trip.
• We tested gear from brands like Camp Chef, Roofnest, and Yakima to find the best truck camping gear available.

A pickup truck has always been the original adventure rig. Even before the #vanlife movement started taking off, truck camping served as a more rugged alternative to the plush experience of hitting the road in an RV or pull-behind trailer — and one of the main reasons why is that trucks can go almost anywhere.

If you load your truck with enough gear, not only are you able to spend a few days relaxing in the great outdoors, you could take that rig deep into the backcountry and be sufficient for days on end. Put plainly, it's the most versatile adventure vehicle there is, allowing you to explore on- and off-road routes that turns into a full-on mobile campsite wherever you end up.

How to shop for truck camping gear

You're only able to fully realize that versatility with the right gear but there's more to outfitting your truck for a weekend away than just throwing a cooler, sleeping bag, and tent into the bed and hitting the road. 

First, it's important to make sure your truck is capable of handling the kind of trip you have in mind. Whether you plan on off-roading for several days or just checking out a few local campsites, you'll want to get a proper tune-up to make sure it runs smoothly. 

And don't get the wrong idea here, either — you don't need some fancy new truck to go truck camping. As long as you have something that reliably gets you from Point A to Point B (with however many stops in between), you're likely set. But again, get your truck inspected first to make sure it's up to the task. 

From a gear standpoint, one of the basics we'd first recommend is a suitable roof rack. A roof rack provides additional storage space, freeing up valuable cargo room in the bed of the truck, while also allowing for the attachment of something like a rooftop tent. It significantly adds to the versatility of your truck and, ultimately, what all you're able to tote along. 

For the rest of the gear, consider what it is you plan on doing. If you want to be on the road for several days (or even weeks), a reliable method for cooking and storing food is vital, so you might want to spend more on a premium cooler and some quality cookware. If it's just a shorter weekend outing, perhaps you don't need as much gear and can pick and choose what to add to your budding kit.

To help, we've compiled the following list of gear that we keep stashed in our truck for almost any camp trip we head out on. Of course, some of what we include can sort of mix and match together depending on the trek but it serves as a great checklist for anyone looking to do more camping in their truck.

Here's the best gear for camping in your truck:

• Best truck rack: Yakima OutPost HD System with HD Bar
• Best rooftop tent: Roofnest Falcon
• Best camp grill: Camp Chef Versatop Grill System
• Best awning: Yakima Slim Shady
• Best camp chair: Big Agnes Mica Basin Armchair
• Best cooler: Yeti V Series Cooler
• Best camp table: Alps Mountaineering Dining Table
• Best backcountry table: Tail Gater Tire Table
• Best coffee maker: Stanley Classic Stay Hot French Press
• Best camp cook set: Stanley Adventure Full Kitchen Basecamp Cookset
• Best camp sink: UST Flexware Sink 2.0
• Best portable camp stove: GSI Selkirk 540 Stove
• Best sleeping bag: Nemo Jazz Dup Synthetic Sleeping Bag
• Best portable power station: Ecoflow River 370
• Best water filtration system: Platypus GravityWorks High Capacity Filtration System
• Best backcountry navigation: Garmin Overlander
• Best camp lantern: Biolite Baselantern XL

Best rack system

Yakima's OutPost HD System is a sturdy and durable truck bed rack that boasts an off-road rating of up to 300 lbs., can reliably hold a rooftop tent, and opens up the bed of your truck for even more gear.

Pros: Durable construction, allows for the use of a rooftop tent or other rack-mounted gear, capable of standing up to off-road abuse

Cons: Expensive, needs to HD bar to create the full rack system

If you've ever shopped for roof racks before, it's likely you've heard the Yakima name more than once — and for good reason. The brand's made quality roof racks for years and its OutPost HD System for trucks continues that trend. 

The rack offers a number of tie-down points and mount compatibility, allowing you to add even more gear onto it. Though the HD System doesn't come with crossbars (it's just the towers), it is compatible with Yakima's HD Bar which allows for compatibility with rooftop tents, storage containers, or even bike racks. 

Compatible with a wide range of trucks and truck bed sizes, the Outpost HD system is highly durable and offers an on-road rating of 500 lbs and an off-road rating of 300 lbs. This means that if you do opt for a rooftop tent, you can comfortably sleep up there without worrying about damage being done to your truck or the rack itself. The entire system plus bar setup is spendy ($749 and $249, respectively) but it's a highly worthwhile investment for anyone planning to spend a lot of time camping with their truck. – Rick Stella. 

Yakima HD Bar

Yakima OutPost HD System

Best rooftop tent

The Falcon from Roofnest is a hard-shell rooftop tent that's low-profile, easy to pitch and take down, and provides an incredibly comfortable way to catch some Zs at the end of a long day. 

Pros: Provides a comfortable way to sleep in the backcountry, incredibly low profile when packed down, takes just a few seconds to pitch, ladder can work on either side of the tent

Cons: Expensive, a bit heavy for one person to put on or take off on their own

Even if you enjoy a night spent sleeping in a tent, there's not always a reliable spot to pitch one in the backcountry. Instead, consider a rooftop tent. Capable of attaching to a roof rack, a rooftop tent provides an above-ground sleeping space that's stable, comfortable, and (mostly) easy to set up and tear down. 

One of our favorites currently available is the Roofnest Falcon. Though it looks like a reasonable option according to its spec sheet, it wasn't until I spent a few nights in the Falcon that I was able to see just how impressive it really was. There's a custom-shaped foam mattress that does well to avoid feeling like I was actually camping, and the fact it pitches in mere seconds made fully setting up camp an absolute breeze.

When packed down (which takes about a few minutes to get fully clamped), the Falcon sits at just 7 inches high. Plenty of rooftop tents feel like mammoths on top of your car, and do a lot to dramatically reduce your gas mileage, but the Falcon's low profile didn't seem to produce as much noticeable drag. Even the gas mileage of the Kia Telluride it came attached to wasn't affected too much.

Once the tent's pitched, hooks on either side (and the back) allow for access into the tent via an included telescoping ladder. Inside the tent are a few small storage pouches for storing smartphones or a light (which comes in handy getting into the tent at night). Other features include a built-in rainfly that extends out over the rear window, a 650 lb capacity, and a series of accessory channels that allow you to attach on additional gear, freeing up some of the space it takes up by being on the rack. 

Though its sticker price of $3,400 is certainly expensive, you'd have a hard time finding a similar rooftop tent of this quality at a cheaper price. You pay for its quality and the Roofnest Falcon is an excellent investment for anyone looking to get serious about camping with their truck. – Rick Stella

Best camp grill

Camping doesn't mean compromising on great food. With Camp Chef's Versatop Grill, you get a three-in-one compact and easy-to-transport cooking system.

Pros: Easy to pack, compatible with a range of accessories, delivers 18,000 BTUs

Cons: Doesn't come with a water-boiling burner  

Camp Chef's Versatop Grill is an excellent backcountry cook system that runs off a universally available one-pound propane bottle and can be placed on your tailgate or a table. Its grill box houses the burner, the propane attachment, and the auto-ignite button and temperature control knob, while twist-to-adjust rubber foot legs allow you to even out the cooking surface even if your truck (or table) is off-kilter. 

The griddle offers 247 square-inches of non-stick cooking surface, which is plenty for tall stacks of blueberry pancakes, a healthy helping of bacon, or a pile of eggs. The high-heat non-stick surface is hardened steel and, like a cast iron pan, won't stick — and there's no coating to damage if you use a metal spatula. The non-stick surface also makes it easy to clean. So, too, does its attached grease trap which funnels excess liquids into a small drawer-like cup at the end of the grill. 

The single Versatop burner put out a respectable 18,000 BTUs, which is significantly hotter than many other portable grills. It ignites with the push of a button and the large heat control knob lets you regulate the flame to slow cook or sear. At the end of the trip, the pieces are able to stack together for easy transport.

Best awning

The lightweight Slim Shady from Yakima serves up 42 square feet of sun protection and weather protection, and is incredibly easy to mount to any roof rack using universal hardware — it took me less than 15 minutes to install.

Pros: Light and compact, easy to set up, sun and weatherproof

Cons: Available in just one size, not automatic

Once mounted, this polyurethane-coated nylon awning takes just a couple of minutes to deploy and doesn't require any tools for operation.

The awning's poles are tucked inside itself when it's rolled up and attach easily with Velcro tabs that clip into the ends to give it structure. An included set of guy lines help stabilize the awning (which is particularly important on blustery days) and it's just as easy to pack right back up when it's time to break camp. Not only is this awning simple to mount and use, but it's also one of the most affordable high-quality awnings available. 

Best camp chair

A comfy camp chair makes a world of difference when you're roughing it and the Mica Basin from Big Agnes is made for serious lounging.

Pros: Self-equalizing so it won't tip, packs small, holds two drinks

Cons: Heavier than other camp chairs, expensive

This chair is light enough that you won't think twice about carrying it from your campsite to the side of a lake or into a meadow for the best sunset views. The zip-close stuff sack has an end handle to make it easy to carry and the chair's aluminum frame and slip-on seat cover made from high tenacity fabric are durable enough to handle years of use. 

One of its best features, however, is how easily it sets up and breaks down, able to be done in less than a minute with ease. Dual cup holders woven into the chair's arms are big enough to house a bottle, tumbler, or small cup and you'll never feel off-kilter in the Mica Basin as a self-equalizing center pole levels the chair when you sit down. 

Best cooler

When you're deep in the woods, high in the mountains, or disappeared in the desert, you don't want to worry about your food spoiling or your drinks getting warm — and the V Series from Yeti is as premium as it gets.

Pros: Eye-catching design, highly durable, superb insulation

Cons: Expensive

Yeti's V-Series excels at keeping its contents chilled for the long haul. Featuring the tried-and-true functional and durable design Yeti's been known for, this cooler combines the insulation of the brand's Rambler drinkware and its Tundra series coolers with an eye-catching stainless-steel exterior. 

Packed with food, beverages, and ice, it keeps contents chilled for roughly a week, even with moderate use (we'd still recommend topping off your ice every few days if you can). The cooler excels thanks to vacuum insulated panels on all sides, including the base and lid. A strong single latch and smooth hinge opens and closes it effortlessly, and when there was ice melted or a spilled drink inside, it was easy to drain via a leak-free plug at the base. 

Yeti says the cooler holds 46 cans of beer and 55 lbs of ice, and when I packed it with enough food and drinks for four for a long weekend, I had plenty of room to spare. It can even be used as a spare seat when friends drop by camp and you're short a chair.

Best camp table

For eating or cooking, Alps' collapsible dining table is light, sturdy, and quick to set up, with multiple sizes available. 

Pros: Quickly assembles, durable construction, is a nice height for both eating and cooking on

Cons: Bulky

The Alps Mountaineering Dining Table comes in two parts, the base and the top, in a divided fabric bag that protects them from scratching each other (and making them easy to transport). Once removed for set up, the base of the table scissors open, while a bungied aluminum slat top unrolls and clips to the base to stabilize the surface. This set up takes roughly a minute (as does break down) but does well to deliver a sturdy eating area in the backcountry. 

I opted for the regular size, which has plenty of room to hold my stove and all my cooking gear, as well as a camp light with room for food prep, too. The table is strong enough to support plenty of gear, too, including multiple stoves, plates and silverware, a large jug for water, and whatever else makes its way onto it like headlamps, wayward backpacks, and sunglasses and smartphones.

Best backcountry table

Truck tires are unused real estate once you get to camp but the Tail Gater Tire Table turns that blank space into a handy spot to enjoy a meal or an end-of-day drink.  

Pros: Flat when packed, high carry capacity, one size fits all tires

Cons: Takes a few tries to get it perfectly angled and stable

I've often tried to set a beer or a plate of food on my truck tire, thinking it'd be fine if only for a few short minutes. As it always turns out, whatever I place there ends up spilled on the ground. Fret now, however, as the Tail Gater Tire Table turns your truck tires into a table support. 

Whereas the table recommended above works well for shorter outings, the Tire Table is a quick and reliable method for backcountry pursuits. This metal mesh table has an extendable frame that snugs around the top of any size truck tire so that the surface extends out from the truck. Three legs telescope and clip to brace against the tire and the ground to stabilize up to 100 pounds of food, drink, or whatever else you want to stash on it. And, when it's time to break camp, the table folds flat for easy storage and transport. 

There's no storage bag required either as there are no loose parts to keep track of. The legs and supports cleverly nest inside the flat tabletop for travel making it easy to stash between or on top of other gear.

Best coffee maker

Cooking breakfast in camp is often a casual affair and this 48 oz. insulated French Press brews up enough coffee to keep you fueled throughout the process.

Pros: Insulation keeps drinks hot and cold for hours, easy to pour, quickly makes coffee

Cons: You have to remember to stir your grounds before pressing or they'll end up in your cup

Stanley's Classic Stay Hot French Press brews a fine cup of coffee in the morning (or whenever you need it) and keeps it hot well beyond the first and second cups. The brand's classic green stainless-steel pot has an insulated lid with a traditional French press plunger. Once the grounds have been pressed, the lid, which has an angled cutout to make the pour dribble-free, dispenses the brew. 

I especially like that it kept my coffee steaming for up to four hours at a time and when I used it for cold beverages, the pot kept it icy for up to nine hours. This pot can also be super handy for home gatherings when we have a crew to serve. 

Best camp cookset

It's easy to forget something critical when you're packing your camp kitchen but this 19-piece set guarantees you have the essentials as soon as you walk out the door.

Pros: Comes with high-quality pans that cook evenly, all pieces pack into one compact package, durable construction

Cons: It's a puzzle to get the nest just right, even if you've done it before

This camp cookset from Stanley comes with an even-cooking, easy-to-clean 3.5-quart pot with lid, a liter-sized fry pan with a locking handle, plates bowls, and sporks for four, and a cutting board and trivet/hot pad. It also has serving utensils like a spoon and spatula, as well as a drying rack to hold plates and bowls. 

My favorite feature of this Full Kitchen Basecamp Cookset is that the entire set packs inside the pot and completely seals inside for easy packing and transport. It took me a few tries to remember how to get all the pieces nested correctly but a picture etched into the lid helps guide you through putting it all back together.

Best camp sink

No matter how many days you spend camping, you'll dirty a lot of dishes — thankfully, washing up after dinner is a cinch with UST's sturdy FlexWare Sink 2.0.

Pros: Multi-purpose, easy to clean, durable

Cons: Handles can accidentally unclip

It's important to keep camp dishes and silverware clean after each meal not just for peace of mind but to avoid annoying cleanup later. With the UST Flexware Sink 2.0, washing dishes is a breeze as this 16L collapsible basin provides ample space for both ample water and plenty of dishes.

A stiff plastic rim and sturdy base keep the sink stable while washing and when finished, dual plastic handles make it easy to dump dirty water away from camp. The sink also acts as a handy basket to carry drinks and snacks or as a sink for a sponge bath. When it wasn't in use, the basket accordions flat for compact storage

Best camp stove

One of the most compact and fuel-efficient ways to cook when you're off-grid is this classic two-burner camp stove from GSI. 

Pros: Lots of cooking space, easy to clean, separate knobs for each burner

Cons: No grill or griddle cooking surface included

GSI's propane-fueled Selkirk solves the problems of other two-burner stoves with plenty of space for two 10-inch pots and/or pans. This stove allowed me to easily whip up a feast for four or more without feeling overly crowded. The Selkirk's powerful dual 10,000 BTU burners boil a liter of water in roughly four minutes but also let me simmer sauces with control. This is thanks to each burner having its own control knob (and the varied control works, too).

Wrap-around windscreens help keep any weather from ruining whatever's cooking and its removable pot support and stainless-steel cooking surface make clean-up especially easy. The stove folds and locks into itself (and features a molded-on handle) for easy transport, too.

Best sleeping bag

Climbing into this doublewide, synthetic sleeping bag from Nemo feels a lot like getting into bed at home.  

Pros: Washable sleep sheet included, big enough for two to be truly comfortable, packs easily into its own storage bag

Cons: Sleep sheet can get tangled if you pack the system without sleeping pads to give it structure

Nemo's Jazz Dup synthetic sleeping bag features a warm outer quilt that's rated to 20°F, making it great for shoulder season camping, or as the bottom layer of a summer bed. The bag features a tapered design to reduce airspace at the head and feet, which helps keep you warm when temperatures drop. There's even an integrated (and removable) micro-fiber sleep sheet that adds to its comfort and makes it easy to keep the bag fresh between uses.

The Jazz has built-in sleeves to hold either two 25-inch sleeping pads or one large 50-inch one. This comes in handy for anyone who's tent camping, though the bag is just as comfortable unfurled on top of a rooftop tent mattress. 

The Jazz is one of the only double bags I've tested that doesn't feel restrictive with two occupants, too. I loved its spaciousness, how it features zippers on both sides that let sleepers vent as needed and sleeves that prevent pillows from creeping away during the night. In the morning, the sleeping bag and sheet, as well as any sleeping pads or pillows, rolled and stuffed into the included storage bag, too. This means that the next time I used it, all I had to do was unroll it and I was ready for bed.

Best portable power station

The fastest recharging portable generator you can buy, Ecoflow's River can power up to nine devices, including cell phones, headlamps, cameras, and portable fridges.

Pros: Compact and powerful, one of the fastest recharging supplemental batteries available

Cons: Bulky

The power of the Ecoflow River 370 is in its versatility, as it's able to charge a wide range of devices, and has the capacity to plug in a whopping nine devices at once. This ruggedized, 11-pound power station delivers 500W of AC and DC power and is able to work in a wide range of temperatures, from -4°F to 140°F.

When off-grid for an extended period, the River was able to recharge via both my truck's 12v outlet and the solar panels I brought along — and was still able to power devices while recharging. The RIver has 2 AC outputs, two USB-C ports for laptops, two quick-charge USB ports, two standard charge USB ports, and a 12V carport. Its LCD screen displays input and output watts, battery level, and how much time is left to a full recharge. 

Best water filtration system

Instead of hauling heavy drinking water for the whole trip in the back of your truck, Platypus' gravity filtration system allows you to filter stream water so it's safe to drink.

Pros: High volume filtration, no pumping required, filters out 99.9% of bacteria and protozoa from any water source

Cons: Takes a while to dry (and shouldn't be stored wet)

The Platypus GravityWorks High Capacity Filtration System is an excellent addition to any truck camping kit as it offers a reliable method for always having drinkable water. The system uses two four-liter bags with hanging straps, one for dirty water and one for clean water, with a hollow-fiber filter in between connected by plastic hoses. This allows you to fill the dirty water bag and hang it higher than the clean water bag to activate the filtration run.

As water trickles from the dirty bag to the clean bag, the filter works to remove bacteria and protozoa, including giardia, cryptosporidium, E. coli, salmonella, cholera, and a host of other stuff that makes you sick. It takes roughly two-and-a-half minutes for each bag of dirty water to be filtered, which is hardly any time at all. If I ever wanted clean water before it was done filtering, I could just pinch the shutoff valve above the filter to stem the flow and unscrew the clean water reservoir.

After the water finishes filtering, you're able to close the clean water bag with an included spare cap so it's easy to store and have at the ready. The cartridge is designed to filter around 1,500 gallons before needing to be replaced, but you do need to backflush it with clean water periodically to keep it running at full capacity.

Best backcountry navigation

Opt for the road less traveled, and Garmin's Overlander will help you get to a great campsite via 4x4 roads and trails appropriate for your vehicle. 

Pros: Adds modern functionality to older vehicles, helps you choose routes appropriate to your vehicle

Cons: Expensive, campsite functionality limited where public lands are limited

This GPS/GLONASS/Galileo-enabled navigator from Garmin lets you plan and follow a wide range of backcountry routes and even helps you find a place to camp at the end of the day. On-road, the 7-inch touchscreen window-mounted unit gives turn-by-turn road directions, while also displaying your current speed. Off-road, it shows pitch and roll angles and provides topography maps with public land boundaries and 4x4 roads. 

The Overlander also has a built-in compass, altimeter, and barometer which helps keep your bearings, especially when off-road. But what really helps keep you track is the feature that lets you input your vehicle's height, length, and weight. After doing this, the Navigator tells you which trails are passable, and which are not. Thanks to that function, I never had to back out of a tight spot or run into any treacherous roads. 

An especially useful feature is the Ultimate Public Campgrounds access that displays well-established, wild, and dispersed campsites — a nice touch at the end of a long day and you just want to pull over and get some rest. The Overlander also syncs with Garmin's in-Reach satellite communicator (which is sold separately) so you can send for help or send texts when there's no cell service. 

Other modern features include voice-activated navigation, Bluetooth calling, speed camera warnings, and more. It comes pre-loaded with maps for North and South America and offers downloads of U.S. satellite imagery and USGS quad sheet if needed. It's expensive at $700 but worth the investment if you spend a lot of time off-road. 

Best camp lantern

A lantern that also chargeS two USB devices, Biolite's flat-pack, dual-sided Baselantern XL is an excellent addition to any truck camping kit.

Pros: Can be used in multiple configurations, bright lumen output able to light up entire camp, has multiple color options

Cons: Heavy and expensive

BioLite outfit the Baselantern XL with a 12000 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery that offers up to 500 lumens on its highest setting. That was enough to easily light any campsite I set up, though it also has two dimming settings when I wanted more ambiance than brightness.

A low-energy Bluetooth app allows for wireless control of the lantern with a smartphone, including the ability to pick one-sided or two-sided lighting, change the color of the light, schedule sleep timers, set up motion detection, and check its remaining battery. 

The light is versatile, too, as I could use it either raised off the table, standing on its legs, or placed flat on a surface. Depending on how I was using it — be it cooking, hanging out reading, or just for general ambiance — it was nice to have multiple options. 

• A bread machine is a valuable kitchen tool if you enjoy making bread at home.
• Most bread makers require quick prep work and take about three to four hours to make the bread.
• After testing nine machines, the Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus is our top pick thanks to its reliability and versatility.

While I like the concept of making bread entirely from scratch, the lag time between realizing that warm carbs are what's missing in my life and actually holding a freshly-baked brioche can be significant. Many recipes involving yeast require kneading, refrigerating, or babysitting, making spur-of-the-moment bread out of the question. That is, unless, you have a bread machine. 

Most bread machines require about 10 minutes of prep time, which is mostly spent measuring ingredients and putting them into a pan. After that's done, you pick a setting, turn on the machine, and three or four hours later you (ideally) have a warm, golden-brown loaf. But with so many bread machines on the market, how do you choose the right one? 

"At a minimum, I'd want a machine with a standard cycle, a whole grain or whole wheat cycle (if you enjoy whole-grain bread) and a dough cycle, which simply mixes and kneads the dough, then keeps it warm as it rises," said P.J. Hamel, senior digital content editor for King Arthur Flour and author of the James Beard Award-winning cookbook "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion.""After that, you can make pizza crust, cinnamon buns, or any number of yummy treats."

That's why I put each bread machine in this guide through a series of tests to see how they handled basic white bread, wheat bread with mix-ins (in this case, sunflower seeds and flax seeds), and gluten-free bread. I also assessed the ease of use, setting options, baking times, noise levels, and special features like pre-programming. You can read a more in-depth explanation of my testing methods here, and a few tips for getting the most out of your bread machine here.

The best bread machines of 2021

• Best overall: Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus
• Best on a budget: Oster Express Bake
• Best for small households: Zojirushi Maestro

SEE ALSO: The best stand mixers you can buy

The best overall

This bread machine kneads thoroughly, bakes evenly, and, unlike many of its competitors, turns out standard-sized loaves. 

Pros: Produces standard-sized loaves that rise evenly and are a consistent color, a wide variety of settings, ability to customize your own settings, pre-programmable, 1-year warranty

Cons: Expensive, takes up a lot of counter space

The Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus is my top pick for home bakers, thanks to its stellar reliability, and variety of settings. After putting nine different machines through three rounds of tests (or two, for machines without gluten-free settings), I found that this was the only one to turn out perfectly domed, uniformly browned, consistently fluffy bread with evenly distributed mix-ins every time. To check for consistency, I made two more loaves of white bread after those initial tests, and both were slam dunks. 

It was also one of the few bread machines to pass the gluten-free test with flying colors, producing bread that was similar in color, size, and texture to your standard white loaf. For her own experiment, the Bread Machine Diva blog's Marsha Perry — who name-checked the Virtuoso Plus when I asked her for a bread machine recommendation — made one gluten-free loaf using the "Gluten-Free" setting and another using its regular "White" setting, and said the first loaf was markedly better. 

The Virtuoso Plus' custom bread cycles feature, is especially helpful for those who have moved beyond the machine's guidebook recipes. Interestingly, Hamel of King Arthur Flour uses her Zojirushi's "Jam" cycle to make risotto — a technique that I'm curious to try.

The Virtuoso Plus can be pre-programmed (a feature that worked perfectly and allowed me to wake up to the smell of fresh bread during testing), and the machine's 5-minute power backup means you won't automatically lose your bread-in-progress if the power flickers, as Hamel noted.

The Virtuoso Plus also stops kneading when you open the lid, which is useful if you want to add mix-ins to your bread. And if you need to measure those mix-ins, the machine comes with four nested measuring cups, one liquid measuring cup, and a double-ended measuring spoon — add-ons that are unnecessary (I used my own measuring cups and spoons), but appreciated. 

This machine makes two-pound 9-by-5 loaves that are, as I mentioned, about the size and shape of sandwich bread you'd find at the grocery store. Timing-wise, the white and wheat loaves of bread took about 3.5 hours to bake, while the gluten-free loaf was done in 2.5 hours. The clock displays the time your bread will be done, rather than the hours left, which I found helpful when planning my day. 

I've been using this model at least twice a month in the four months since my initial testing, and find that it still runs smoothly, with no discernable changes in quality of bread, reliability of programming, or noise levels. 

All of this being said, the Zojirushi is on the expensive side, so if you're just trying out bread-making before you fully commit to the hobby, I'd recommend the budget pick, below. It's also probably not the best choice if you have limited counter space, as the other machines in this guide are more compact.

The best on a budget

The Oster Expressbake is a solid starter machine that mixes, kneads, and bakes evenly, and with 13 settings, it's notably more versatile than competitors within its price range. 

Pros: produces bread with an even rise, makes three loaf sizes, affordable, compact, fast baking time, variety of settings, window, pre-programmable, 1-year warranty
Cons: Somewhat noisy, loaf size isn't quite standard, slightly thicker crusts than our top pick

The Oster Express Bake's name refers to the fact that it can turn out a two-pound loaf of bread in less than an hour on its Express Bake setting (for comparison, our top pick's "Rapid" cycle takes about 2.5 hours). While the results are certainly better than your standard grocery store loaf, I found that bread baked on this machine's namesake setting turned out denser and shorter than loaves made on its Basic cycle (a near-universal bread machine problem, according to experts we spoke to). 

But most people don't choose a bread machine based on its ability to bake two loaves of bread in the time it takes to watch an episode of "The Bachelorette," and Express Bake results aside, the Oster's white, wheat, and gluten-free loaves of bread were the best — by which I mean, golden brown and evenly risen with a fine crumb, a smooth, domed top, and evenly distributed mix-ins — out of the five machines in its price bracket that we tested. The only flaws that placed its loaves under the Zojirushi's in testing were their unconventional shape (shorter in length and taller in height, with bread slices whose tops stick out slightly from your average toaster) and thicker crusts.

The Oster was also a bit more finicky in terms of exact measurements; when I relied on measuring cups instead of a kitchen scale, my loaves turned out flatter on top — a problem I didn't have with our top pick. And while this machine's gluten-free bread was solid, it was a bit less soft than the Zojirushi's. 

I also tested the Express Bake's predecessor and found that loaves baked in the original turned out slightly darker on the sides and paler on top. The brand swapped the Express Bake's Bagel Dough setting for Pasta, which isn't necessarily an improvement but does seem more practical, given the complicated process of making bagels from scratch.

Like the Zojirushi Virtuoso Plus, the Oster Express Bake comes with a liquid measuring cup and a double-sided measuring spoon (but no set of nested dry measuring cups). It's less bulky than our top pick, although perhaps not ideal if kitchen space is tight (if compactness is a priority, check out the Zojirushi Maestro, below). It can be pre-programmed and will beep instantly after finishing its bread cycle before switching to the warm mode for 60 minutes, then beeping again and automatically shutting off.

The best compact bread machine

This bread machine is specifically calibrated to bake excellent one-pound loaves of bread, making it a solid choice for one or two-person households. 

Pros: Produces an even bake, perfect for small households, variety of settings, ability to customize cycles, pre-programmable, compact, 1-year warranty

Cons: Loaves are oddly-shaped, bread can be difficult to remove from pan

Since I'm typically baking for one or two people — and as the pandemic continues, sharing baked goods with neighbors and friends has become more difficult — most standard two-pound loaves of bread go stale before I can finish them. (In other words, I've made a lot of croutons lately.) Typically, bread machines offer 1.5-pound loaves as their smallest option, and those that do begin at one pound aren't necessarily calibrated to excel at loaves that small. When I tried making a one-pound loaf in Cuisinart's Compact Automatic Breadmaker, for example, the results were dense, with a thicker crust than I would have liked. 

Zojirushi's Maestro, however, is designed with small households in mind, and during my tests, it consistently turned out solid one-pound loaves that ticked every box on my bread checklist: golden-brown color, domed top, fine crumb, evenly risen, and evenly-distributed mix-ins. That being said, the Maestro's pan is aligned vertically, meaning its loaves are oddly-shaped — even cube-like – and the bread is a bit more difficult to pry from inside. 

I appreciate the fact that Zojirushi didn't scale down its flagship breadmaker's features just to make smaller loaves; the Maestro can be pre-programmed in advance and includes a 5-minute power backup (as mentioned in our Virtuoso review, this can really save your loaf in the event your power flickers). 

The Maestro's narrow dimensions make it easy to store in my tiny Brooklyn kitchen. It's also the only bread machine I tested that features a convenient top handle, making it easy to transport. Its interior top handle, however, isn't as solidly constructed; I yanked it off the first time I pulled the pan from the machine (although it popped back in easily).

What else we recommend

Breville Custom Loaf ($299.95): This was a close second to the Zojirushi, but my first attempt at white bread came out slightly darker at the sides than on top, and the gluten-free bread wasn't quite as fluffy as our top pick's. The Breville Custom Loaf has 13 automatic settings, nine customizable settings, and two features we didn't find in any other machine: a paddle that collapses after kneading, so there's no paddle-sized hole when you pull the baked bread from the pan; and a fruit and nut dispenser that will automatically add any mix-ins at the appropriate time in the bread cycle. I'd recommend this machine for confident bakers who are interested in programming their own bread cycles to match go-to recipes.

Cru X GG Bred ($135.95): A collaboration between Cru and Ghetto Gastro, a collective of chefs who use food to empower communities and advance social justice, the Bred was definitely the boldest, sleekest, and most compact out of all the machines we tested. And, with 15 settings, it was also one of the most versatile. Since the bread it produced was on par with the significantly cheaper Oster Express Bake, it didn't make the cut, but perhaps you're willing to pay a little extra for an appliance that's attractive enough to leave out on the counter.

What else we tested

I tested four bread machines that underperformed in certain areas. Here are machines I tested that didn't make the final cut. 

Oster Express Bake (older model, $72.73): While the previous iteration of the Oster Express Bake is still available online, we found that the newer version performs better in terms of producing evenly-baked bread. And, importantly, the latest Express Bake includes a gluten-free setting – a feature commenters on retail sites had been asking for. 

Cuisinart Convection Breadmaker ($129.99): With 16 settings, this is one of the most versatile machines I tested. However, while my white and wheat loaves were top-notch, both of my attempts at gluten-free bread resulted in collapsed domes. 

Cuisinart Compact Automatic Breadmaker ($108): Again, my gluten-free bread didn't rise as I had hoped, and the machine's white and wheat loaves of bread weren't quite as professional-looking as those from the latest version of the Oster Express Bake. 

Hamilton Beach Artisan Dough and Bread Maker ($89.99): The white and wheat came out slightly underbaked in the middle, while the gluten-free bread was somewhat dense compared to the ones our top three picks made.

Methodology

Before I began testing, I spoke to Marsha Perry, the writer behind the popular Bread Machine Diva blog, and P.J. Hamel, senior digital content editor for King Arthur Flour and author of the James Beard Award-winning cookbook "The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion." Both have decades of experience testing and adapting bread machine recipes and providing their respective readers with bread machine tips. 

On their recommendation, I followed the recipes featured in each bread machine's guidebook, since they're calibrated to accommodate unique temperatures, mixing speeds, proofing techniques, and baking times. In future testing rounds, I plan to see how each machine fares using a universal bread machine recipe. I baked, at most, two loaves of bread per day in each machine, waiting several hours between baking sessions to allow the breadmakers to cool completely.

Here are the criteria I looked for during each test:

Bread quality: A bread machine has one job — to make good bread. I tested how each one handled basic white bread, wheat bread with mix-ins (in this case, a combination of sunflower seeds and flax seeds, to see how the machines dispersed mix-ins of different sizes), and, for the machines with a gluten-free setting, gluten-free bread. I used the same ingredients throughout testing, all of which are basic ingredients you'd find at any grocery store.

I dialed the crust setting to "Medium" on each breadmaker. White bread was baked on the "White" setting (sometimes labeled as "Basic," depending on the machine), wheat bread was baked on the "Whole Wheat" setting, and gluten-free bread was baked on the "Gluten-Free" setting.

Each loaf of bread was then examined for consistency of texture, a golden color throughout, and an even rise; points were docked if the domed top fell. I cut several slices of bread from each loaf to look for air pockets and under or over-baked spots. 

Size: Most bread machines take up a lot of counter space, so while it wasn't a deciding factor, extra consideration was given to more compact options.

Capacity: While every bread machine I tested — aside from the Zojirushi Maestro — was built with a two-pound loaf in mind (aka the size you'd find in a grocery store), I made note of the models that had the ability to bake loaves in three or four different sizes; one pound was the smallest I saw, and 2.5 pounds was the largest. 

Noise: Extra noisy machines were dinged, as were ones that "hopped" across the counter during the kneading cycle. The top three picks above all operated at a low hum, and were, as far as I could tell, motionless.

Unique features: I noted setting options (some machines had special cycles for things like jam, yogurt, and pasta dough), especially fast baking times, and special features like pre-programming or auto-dispensers for mix-ins. 

Getting the most out of your bread machine

Don't throw out the manual

Most breadmakers come with a few recipes, and they're often tucked away in the back of a guidebook. These are crucial since they're calibrated to work well with that particular machine's features and specifications. "Once you've made some of those and understand how the machine works — how much flour it can handle, how long each rise cycle and bake cycle are — you can start to adapt any of your own favorite yeast bread recipes to bake in the machine," P.J. Hamel, senior digital content editor for King Arthur Flour, said. 

Have fun with the dough cycle

By taking care of the mixing and kneading, it allows you to start a little closer to the finish line if you're making other yeast-based baked goods. The Bread Machine Diva's Marsha Perry recommends it for pizzas and dinner rolls.

Experiment with settings

But master the basics first. "If your machine is programmable — that is, you can program in your own mixing kneading, rising, and baking times — you're golden," Hamel said. "Your machine is then simply a mini oven, ready to bake macaroni and cheese, apple crisp, bread pudding, cheesecake — even soup, stew, or lasagna! Once you get to know your machine, and if it has that 'homemade menu' capability — it becomes so much more than a machine that bakes bread."

Use good ingredients

"Cheap ingredients yield a crummy (rather than crumb-y) final product. Flour and yeast quality are super-important," said Hamel. "You don't have to use bread flour in your bread machine, so long as you use flour with a protein content higher than 11.5% or so." All of my bread were made with King Arthur bread flour and gluten-free flour (both of which I purchased before reaching out to PJ) and Whole Foods 365 whole wheat flour.

Invest in a kitchen scale

Bread machine baking is all about precision, and measuring your ingredients by weight will clear up any confusion as to whether or not that tightly-packed cup of flour is more like a cup and a half.

FAQs

Is bread from a bread machine different from oven-baked bread?

Yes. In terms of appearance, most loaves made in a bread machine will have a hole in the bottom where the mixing paddle was. Taste-wise, bread machine bread is pretty universally light and fluffy. 

"You won't be making crusty artisan bread in your bread machine (though you can certainly make the dough for them on the machine's dough cycle)," Hamel said. "Bread machine bread may taste a bit yeasty, but beyond that, it's up to you to add flavor with spices, herbs, dried fruit, and nuts. Most bread machines won't deliver loaves with the rich, nuanced flavor of an artisan loaf, since that flavor comes from a series of long rises, some of which may be in the refrigerator. Bread machines simply don't have that capability."

How long does homemade bread last? 

If kept at room temperature, homemade bread will be noticeably stale by day three. If you're pretty sure you're not going to finish an entire loaf in that amount of time, you can always wrap a portion tightly in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer. 

How do I store homemade bread? 

If you're storing homemade bread for a day or two, plastic or foil will help lock in moisture. Since direct sunlight can cause bread to overheat, it's best stored in a cool, dry place like a bread box or cupboard. 

Any tips for keeping homemade bread fresh?

There is one slicing technique that can help extend the life of your bread. As Hamel wrote on the King Arthur blog, "If you start slicing at one end, you'll always be dealing with an open-end 'leaking' moisture. But if you slice the loaf in half down the middle, cut a slice from one of the halves, then press the two halves back together before wrapping, no open surface will be exposed — which means less chance of moisture evaporating."

Check out our other great guides for home cooks

• The best KitchenAid stand mixers
• The best KitchenAid attachments
• The best food processors
• The best espresso machines

• A space heater can help keep you warm without wasting a lot of energy to heat your entire space.
• We tested eight space heaters for safety, efficiency, and ease of use to determine the best ones.
• Our top pick from Lasko heats quickly and efficiently, and the compact size fits any space.

Temperature is incredibly subjective: I see this in my own home where I'm perpetually hot and my husband is always cold.

While I can attribute some of this to an uneven furnace, space heaters are a good alternative if you need to warm up specific areas of your space. They can reduce friction if you're constantly fighting over the thermostat with your housemates and (building codes permitting) offer you some control over the temperature where the heat is not adjustable. They're also a good solution between seasons when it's not cold enough to turn on whole-house heat, and an obvious choice for garages, RVs, boats, and other places that may not have access to gas-powered heat. 

In addition to testing portable outdoor heaters and writing our guide to the best patio heaters, I've been testing and reviewing products for nearly half a decade, covering everything from fitness gadgets to kitchen appliances. For almost two months, I put eight space heaters through various tests to see how they would affect the ambient temperature in my home office. I evaluated their performance, ease of use, settings, noise level, and safety features. I also interviewed two experts on space heater safety, which you can read here. 

Here are the best space heaters in 2021

• Best space heater overall: Lasko Ceramic Portable Space Heater
• Best full-size space heater: Lasko Cyclonic Digital Ceramic Heater
• Best high-end space heater: Dyson Pure Hot+Cool
• Best space heater that's also a fan: HoneyWell Versa Two Position Heater

The best space heater overall

The Lasko Ceramic Portable Space Heater is a practical, no-frills miniature heater with enough juice to turn your chilly home office into a cozy, warm nook of productivity. 

Pros: Compact, incredibly efficient, easy to use, housing stays cool to the touch, overheat detector 

Cons: No tip-over safety switch, no temperature display 

This unit is the first space heater I tested and the one that I keep coming back to for my own personal use. It's one of the smallest heaters on this list at just about 10 inches tall but pulls a powerful 1,500 watts of power to heat efficiently for its miniature size. There are three settings (low, high, and fan) and an adjustable temperature dial. The temperature dial uses dots instead of specific temperatures, so it took some time to figure out how to adjust the unit to my preferred temperature — I ended up watching a YouTube video to get the gist — but once I got it working, the heat cycling feature kept me comfortable for hours. It's relatively quiet and I didn't feel the need to shut it off during Zoom calls. 

That said, it's definitely not a whole-room heater: the unit only increased the overall temperature in my office by about 3 degrees Fahrenheit in my testing. However, sitting close to the heater and feeling the warmth blowing directly at me, I felt much, much warmer. (It's also worth noting that how well any space heater will heat depends on the size of your room and the ambient temperature.)

The heater has cool-touch housing, which didn't heat up during use, but the front grille gets quite hot (though this is common with most space heaters). It'll also shut off automatically if it detects overheating. The manual didn't specify at what temperature this function triggers, and I didn't encounter it during my testing, but it's a must-have safety feature for any space heater. There's no tip-over safety switch, but if you're only using it under supervision (as safety experts say you should with any space heater), it shouldn't be a problem — especially since the unit is so stable. I really had to shove it off my desk for it to tip over. 

I can see myself using this frequently when I'm unwilling to turn on the furnace. It's easy to store and tote around the house. I recommend this unit to anyone who works in a chilly office (home or otherwise). 

The best full-size space heater

The Lasko Cyclonic Digital Ceramic Heater is a full-size space heater that takes up minimal space and delivers an effective dose of warmth. 

Pros: Lightweight, accurate internal thermostat, overheat protection

Cons: No fan-only option, no tip-over shutoff 

When my grandfather was looking for a space heater to warm up his bedroom, which doesn't seem to heat as well as other areas of his apartment, this was the model I decided to recommend to him. At almost two feet tall, it's a full-size floor model but it is surprisingly lightweight, so it's easy to move around from room to room. The light-up control panel is legible from afar and allows you to choose your desired room temperature, select high or low heat settings, and set a timer. You can also adjust the angle of the airflow, which is helpful if you don't want hot air blowing directly on you. 

By selecting the room temperature, the unit will automatically know to cycle off (and eventually back on) when it senses that it reaches the right temperature. This function was accurate when I compared its temperature display to my reference thermometer. It's quiet for such a large machine, and it heats up a room quickly without blowing uncomfortably hot air. On a chilly morning, the heater was able to warm the air by 6 degrees Fahrenheit in under an hour. 

Unfortunately, this unit doesn't have a fan-only option, and while there's a thermal overload detector to prevent overheating, there's no tip-over shutoff. Unlike other space heater models I tried, this model can be placed against a wall because of the way the air enters and exits the machine. Safety experts usually recommend keeping the backside of a space heater clear, but I did confirm that no hot air was blowing out the back of the machine and it never overheated during use.

The best high-end space heater

The Dyson Pure Hot+Cool's features like air purifying, app compatibility, and some cooling capability make it an expansive home appliance that does much more than heat. 

Pros: Air-purifying feature, all parts stay cool to the touch, 360-degree oscillation, automatically shuts off after nine hours or if overheating is detected, beautiful design, app compatibility and controls, smart assistant compatibility, tip-over switch

Cons: Onboard display is difficult to read, replacement filters are expensive

This Dyson unit is the mac daddy of space heaters. It's a full-size heater with a unique oblong, donut-shaped design. Set up is super easy; just click in the filters and plug in the unit. You can use the remote or an app (available on iOS or Android) to control and adjust the airflow speed, oscillation, temperature, airflow direction, and turn on the sleep timer or night mode — a feature that darkens the display and reduces the airflow speed. There's also a "cooling" mode, which is really just a fan. In testing, the cooling mode barely made a dent in room temperature, though the breeze did make me feel more comfortable. 

The heating function on the Dyson works much better. The room started warming almost immediately and the heat was effectively dispersed throughout the room. Within the first hour of testing, the temperature increased by 6 degrees Fahrenheit — a welcome bit of warmth on a cold day.

The heater has an auto-shutoff that prevents overheating and it will turn off if falls over or detects that the heating mode has been active for more than 9 hours. It's also the only heater where no part of the exterior is hot to the touch, making it safe for use around kids. 

The air purifier is the main advantage with the Dyson. It adjusts its fan speed to help clear your indoor air, and it was so efficient that it helped prevent keep pet hair and dander from exacerbating my asthma. You can read my full experience with it here.

The Dyson is also, by far, the most expensive space heater we tested. It comes loaded with tons of extra features that might justify the price tag if you're concerned about air quality in your home or want a connected device. However, if you're just interested in warming a chilly space, you'll get similar heating power from the cheaper picks in this guide.

Read our full review of the Dyson Hot + Cool

The best space heater that's also a fan

The HoneyWell Versa Two Position Heater is a space-saving heater with a powerful fan and thoughtful safety features not usually found in most space heaters. 

Pros: Powerful fan, cool-touch housing, overheat protection, unique safety features intended to prevent electrical fires 

Cons: Noisy, no heat cycling, no tip-over switch

The "two position" feature of this heater means you can place the unit upright or on its side, so you can use it in a variety of spaces and situations. I primarily used it in the upright position and was impressed by how this little rectangular heater warmed my office by 3 degrees very quickly. It uses a fan to push heat around, and the warmth spread evenly throughout my office instead of being concentrated in one area. Since the heat disperses so well, it didn't leave me sweating while I was waiting for my office to warm, unlike some other models I tried.

In addition to being a good feature for dispersing heat, the fan can also be used to keep you cool. While the fan is powerful when used on its own, this feature does make a fair bit of noise, which I could hear from adjoining rooms. 

I also appreciated the thoughtful safety features of this space heater. While it doesn't have a tip-over sensor, the unit stays cool to the touch and the wiring is thermally insulated to prevent the cord from overheating. It also has an overheat sensor and an ALCI plug like those found on many blow dryers, which reacts quickly to shorts like a surge protector does. Overall, it's a great space heater for those who are safety conscious and those who want a product they can also use in warmer weather.

What else we tested

All the heaters I tested worked as intended, quickly raising the temperature in my office by several degrees. A few just missed the mark for inclusion in our top picks. Here are the others we tested:

What else we recommend and why:

Honeywell Uberheat Ceramic Heater($36.44): This is a sleek little heater with an attractive aesthetic that looks more like a designer speaker than a space heater. It takes up minimal desk space and has several key safety features like a highly sensitive tip-over switch and an overheat detector. It has one control knob to select both the setting (high or low) and the temperature, which was pretty easy to use after a quick peek at the instruction manual. However, the cycling function didn't do a great job at maintaining a consistent temperature. More often than not, I felt uncomfortably hot. The unit would cycle on when the room temperature hadn't dipped at all. This leads me to believe that the internal temperature sensor isn't particularly accurate or the machine turns on and off at preset intervals. The front grille also gets very hot, so I had to be extra careful when handling the unit, though the rest of the housing does stay cool to the touch. Still, if you use the heater without the cycling function, it produces a fair bit of warmth and looks good doing it. It's a great little heater for the design-conscious individual. 

What we don't recommend and why:

Taotronics Space Heater($68.99): The moderate size of this heater was surprising, especially since marketing photos on Amazon make it look much bigger than it actually is. In reality, it's a little under a foot-and-a-half tall: too small for a floor heater, but too tall for a tabletop heater. When I used it on the floor, I felt like only my lower legs were warmed, and when I used it on my desk, it was impossible to adjust and check the heat settings while seated, since the controls are at the top of the unit. It's likely why the unit comes with a remote, but if I'm using this in my home office, a remote is a silly extra thing to have on hand and only serves to clutter up my workspace. It heats fine, looks sleek, and swivels, but it's an awkward size and shape for a space heater.

Trustech Ceramic Space Heater ($29.99): Straight out of the box, this unit intrigued me with its streamlined design, but as soon as I put it on my desk I changed my tune. The heater has an oscillation feature with a spinning disc on the bottom of the unit, but it makes the heater wobble and feel unsteady compared to other models I tested. While it does have a tip-over switch, I never quite felt comfortable using this heater because of how much it wobbles. It heats up just fine, but no better than other heaters I tried, and not enough to justify the design concerns.

Vornado Velocity 5 ($99.99): This square-shaped heater looked rugged and powerful with its large fan placed prominently on display, but it was surprisingly underpowered. It didn't do a good job of dispersing heat, and I often felt chilly sitting right near it if it wasn't pointed directly at me. The crisp display is one of the most legible of all the heaters I tested, but the built-in thermostat is very inaccurate. Anytime I checked my reference thermometer, the reading on the heater's display was at least 3 to 4 degrees off the mark.

Testing methodology

In addition to interviewing two safety experts about space heaters, I relied heavily on my own experience reviewing heating devices like patio heaters and portable outdoor heaters for this guide. I put all eight space heaters through the same set of standard tests and used a reference thermometer to collect temperature data. Here's what I looked for with each test:

Ability to heat: This is the most important function of a space heater. I tested every heater in my 100 square foot office. I used a reference thermometer that was always positioned on the corner of my desk, smack dab in the middle of the room. I placed the heaters diagonally from the thermometer — compact units sat on my desk while full-sized ones were placed in the far corner of my office. I tried each heater's various settings and took notes about the accuracy of internal thermostats. I was also looking for how well the heaters could hold the room at my desired temperature — usually around 70 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit — without surrounding me in a nauseating heat cloud. To the best of my ability, I made sure that I didn't turn on my thermostat throughout testing except when there was a risk of pipes freezing or danger to my parrot's health. Most of the time, testing began when the temperature in my office was hovering somewhere between 60 and 64 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Time to heat: I used an indoor thermometer and a timer to evaluate how long it took for the space heater to bring the room up to my ideal temperature. Some models operate by blasting heat higher than your target temperature to get the room hot faster, but I found these left me feeling hot and sweaty. Units that were too slow left me still feeling the shivers a few hours later. I was searching for the sweet spot in the middle. Units with an accurate cycling feature received bonus points for maintaining comfort levels in my office. 

Easy-to-use controls: It's a space heater, not a spaceship. While safety experts recommend reading the manual cover-to-cover before using a space heater, I put myself in the average consumer's shoes and tried to figure out the unit on my own before referencing any manuals. I looked for controls that were intuitive and easy to figure out.

Size: In a small office, there's not a whole lot of extra room for a device like a space heater. Extra points went to units that were powerful, but still compact, lightweight, and easy to fit in a confined area. For those who have larger spaces to heat, we did include picks for full-size heaters.

Noise: Every space heater made some noise, which is to be expected, but some were a bit quieter than others. I docked points from units that I felt needed to be turned off for Zoom meetings or phone calls. 

Safety features: I verified whether safety features were functional (except for the overheating functions, since that would have presented a safety hazard), including tipping the units over to test for automatic shutoffs.

What to look for in a space heater

Space heaters convert electricity into heat and contain a fan that helps propel and disperse the heat throughout the room. Most space heaters all share a few standard functions, like a power button and high or low temperature settings. However, we've found a few key features to consider when shopping for a space heater:

Power: Most heaters in our guide have 1,500 watts of power, which is pretty standard for space heaters. More powerful heaters are usually marketed as "garage heaters" and either need to be hardwired into your electrical circuit or run on a special appliance circuit. Fortunately, a heater with 1,500 watts should be enough to heat a room of about 150 square feet. 

Heat cycling function: For comfort and energy efficiency, you'll want a space heater with a heat cycling function — this allows you to select the desired temperature that the unit then attempts to maintain by cycling on and off when the temperature dips above or below the threshold. This is similar to how a built-in thermostat works in your home and prevents you from having to manually turn the unit on and off to maintain comfort levels. Not all cycling features work well, however; our picks above outline models with cycling features that are accurate and easy to use. 

Size: You can also choose between compact models and larger full-size units. A small space heater is great for desktop use in a home office, dorm room, or office building. It'll usually heat just the area right around the heater comfortably, which is good enough if you're just looking for a small bubble of personal comfort. A space heater with a bigger footprint has a larger fan, which helps blow air around the room and is ideal for heating large spaces like garages or full rooms. Opt for a full-size heater if you have a lot of space to heat.

Safety: We outline more safety features to look for in the section below, but overheat protection is a must.

Space heater safety

Sure, space heaters are ultra-convenient, but the safety experts we spoke to said they can also be dangerous if not used properly. According to a 2018 report from the National Fire Protection Association, space heaters cause 43% of U.S. fires due to home heating — and 85% of related deaths. 

Both Matthew Griffith, fire prevention section chief with the Montreal Fire Department, and Dan Mock, brand manager of Mr. Sparky, an electrical services company, said the number one rule for using a space heater is to never leave it unattended. 

Beyond that, experts said that space heater safety starts with buying and unboxing the unit. Griffith said customers should look for a space heater that's certified by the Underwriter's Laboratory (UL, or ULC in Canada) and has safety features like an auto-shutoff and tip-over switch. Mock also recommends reading the instruction manual cover-to-cover and inspecting the device before running it. "A lot of times things can get cracked or broken or the plug gets pulled loose or gets dirt in the heating element. You just want to make sure it's nice and clean," said Mock. The best way to dislodge trapped dust is to use a combination of canned air and a dry cloth. It's also a good idea to keep the packaging so you can store the heater and keep it dust-free during the warmer months. 

Where you place the space heater matters, too. Griffith said not to put a space heater too close to walls or flammable materials, and keep the backside of the heater clear, as the unit can overheat if blocked.

Additionally, paying attention to what you're plugging into electrical outlets can help prevent fires, said Mock. The average circuit breaker is rated at about 15 amps, but a powerful space heater can take up the entire power load of the circuit. "A circuit breaker is really only supposedly safe up to about 80% of its maximum capacity, which is about 12 amps," he said. "So if you think about it, a 15 amp electric heater on a circuit is drawing everything it can out of one circuit breaker. So if you add a lamp, if you add anything else to that circuit, you're overloading the circuit and you're standing a good chance of causing an electrical fire." While circuit breakers provide some protection from electrical fires, it's important to be mindful of repeatedly overtaxing the circuit. Mock also warns against using extension cords with these types of appliances (as do most space heater instruction manuals) because they can heat up significantly, which increases your risk of starting a fire.

The bottom line

Keep an eye on your space heater. Think of it like a candle. You'd never leave the house or go to bed with one burning; treat your heater the same way.

Check out our other winter guides to keep warm

• The best fire pits
• The best winter boots for women
• The best winter coats for women
• The best winter coats for men
• The best beanies

• TVs can be quite pricey, but many manufacturers and retailers often offer sales.
• We've rounded up the best TV deals for February 2021.
• Right now, Sony's X900H 4K TV is on sale for $1,200— that's $200 off its full retail price.

A quality TV is the centerpiece of any home entertainment system, but finding the right display for your needs and the right price for your wallet can be challenging. When shopping for a TV, there are many different aspects to consider, including size, panel type, resolution, HDR support, smart TV platform, and more. 

If you're looking for a display with genuine home theater performance in mind, then you'll likely want to opt for a 65-inch- or- larger premium 4K TV. The best 4K TVs typically use an OLED panel, or a high-end LED panel with quantum dots and local dimming. These display types will provide you with the best contrast, black levels, and brightness performance for dazzling high dynamic range (HDR) images.  

For buyers who simply want a reliable TV for casual viewing, however, a smaller screen and a more budget-friendly LED panel should get the job done just fine. Though picture quality won't be quite as impressive as more expensive display types, there are many affordable LED TVs out there with solid performance. And, while 4K resolution and built-in smart TV interfaces were once thought of as premium features, nowadays even entry-level TVs come with 4K panels and smart TV capabilities as default features. 

Once you've settled on the basics for what you're looking for in a new display, there are plenty of deals readily available from all of the major TV manufacturers, including Sony, Samsung, LG, Vizio, TCL, and Hisense. To help narrow things down, we've rounded up all of the best TV deals available right now. 

Here are the best TV deals in February 2021:

Best OLED TV deals

When it comes to picture quality, no other display type offers better overall performance than an OLED TV. Unlike traditional LED TVs (which use LCD panels), OLED TVs don't require a backlight. Instead, every pixel is able to produce its own light or shut off completely. This enables OLED displays to produce superior black levels, contrast, and viewing angles compared to regular LED models. With that said, OLED panels can't get as bright as LED TVs, and they can be susceptible to burn-in if you leave a static image on the screen for hours on end.

For most buyers, however, the pros of OLED tech far outweigh the cons. Of course, the high-end picture performance of an OLED TV typically comes with a high price tag. Thankfully, OLED TVs from LG and Vizio often go on sale. 

Best premium LED TV deals

Unlike OLED displays, LED TVs still use traditional LCD panels with backlights to produce their images. Though this tech does have some drawbacks when it comes to black levels and viewing angles, high-end LED TVs are still capable of very impressive picture quality with industry-leading brightness. High brightness is particularly desirable for the best HDR performance, allowing highlights to really pop from the screen. 

Many high-end LED TVs are branded as QLED TVs since they include quantum dot technology. This feature allows the displays to achieve a wide color gamut for more accurate and rich colors. Premium LED TVs typically include full-array local dimming as well, enabling the backlight to dim in specific zones across the screen. This enables the display to achieve much better contrast and black levels compared to LED TV models without local dimming. 

Best midrange LED TV deals

Like premium LED TVs, the best midrange LED TV models also offer many impressive picture quality features, including quantum dots or other wide color gamut technologies. Brightness levels aren't quite as high as more expensive models, however, and contrast isn't as precise since there are typically fewer dimming zones or no dimming zones at all. 

Still, if you're a buyer who wants to save a bit without losing support for the latest display technologies, like HDR, then a midrange LED TV model will likely be a good fit. 

Best budget LED TV deals

For buyers who are less concerned about picture quality and more interested in simply finding an affordable display with reliable smart TV connectivity, there are plenty of budget-friendly options to consider. These models don't include advanced image features like local dimming or quantum dots, but you can find some entry-level models with basic 4K HDR playback capabilities.

Budget LED TVs can also be found in smaller screen sizes for people who want to purchase a TV that's suitable for a smaller living room or bedroom. And, while 4K is pretty much the standard for most new TV models, you can still save some money by opting for a lower resolution HDTV. 

• As the pandemic continues, local getaways to outdoorsy locations remain a top travel option.
• We found cozy Airbnbs in Upstate New York, including top-rated cabins, cottages, and barns.
• Our picks are all within three hours of New York City and range from $100 to $400 per night to start.

Upstate New York is a year-round destination, but winter is an especially magical wonderland for skiing and outdoor sports. Meanwhile, spring and summer are breaths of fresh air with ample hiking, kayaking, and swimming; fall attracts visitors who come to savor the fall foliage and crisp climate. 

For those seeking an easy getaway from the New York metro area that's a safer, remote option during the continuing pandemic, Upstate New York offers wide-open spaces that make it easy to practice social distancing while spending time outdoors.

And if you're wondering if travel is safe, experts consider private vacation homes, such as those on Airbnb, as one of the safer places to stay, especially when compared to hotels. This is because you are often booking an entire home protected from interaction with others.

Airbnb also announced rigorous new procedures including the Enhanced Cleaning Protocol, which all hosts must now follow. Hosts may also choose to go a step further and opt into a Booking Buffer, which enforces a vacancy period between stays.

Of course, there is no firm guarantee with regard to safety. It's crucial to follow guidelines and advice from organizations such as the CDC and WHO, and practice safety measures including wearing a mask, washing your hands, and maintaining social distancing. Additionally, consider your own level of risk, and whether you're traveling from or to a hotspot, so as not to increase the rate of infection.

To ensure homes are the highest level of hygge, we set the following search parameters:

1. Airbnb listings are for the entire home in line with current expert recommendations.
2. We kept affordability in mind, but also found a range of price points to suit various needs and budgets. The homes are priced between $100 and $406 per night to start.
3. All are highly rated Airbnb listings in Upstate New York with a review score of 4.7 or higher, and display an Enhanced Clean badge.
4. Properties are unique and encourage coziness with fireplaces in lodgings such as cabins, cottages, chalets, and more.

Most will require a car. However, if you're that kind of New Yorker who doesn't own one, or never puts their license to use, don't let that come between you and a crackling fireplace. Car rental deals are always available, and experts also advise that renting one in a pandemic is largely safe. For further guidance, we rounded up the best car rental companies here. 

Here are the best affordable Airbnbs in Upstate New York.

SEE ALSO: The best hiking backpacks

SEE ALSO: The best cheap hotels under $100 a night around the world — that are surprisingly upscale, too

Slanted cabin in Hudson, $100

Book this slanted cabin starting at $100 per night

While the outside is certainly eye-catching, this woodsy tiny home is special on the inside, too. The design is minimal, with a wood stove and lofted sleeping area.

Set on 20 acres, the location is rife with hiking trails, Catskills views, and is about 15 minutes from lovely Hudson, NY, known for high-end antiques and innovative food and drink. But when you return to the cabin, expect to be entirely off the grid. There is no electricity or running water, and the bathroom is actually an outhouse.

This home still has plenty of open dates in March and April.

Rating: 4.95
Drive from NYC: 2:40

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Cabin in Preston-Potter Hollow, $153

Book this cabin home starting at $153 per night

This two-bedroom ranch home oozes rustic charm. Ther outside is incredibly scenic, made up of seven rolling green acres with a dock perched over a koi pond. There's even a small golf area.

Inside, a wood-burning stove is surrounded with timber wood walls, mounted antlers, and alpine-inspired decor. There's also a full kitchen, two spacious decks with a grill, and provided binoculars to watch for wildlife or take in leaf peeping in fall.

There is plenty of availability starting in December and beyond.

Rating: 4.98
Drive from NYC: 2:30

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Octagon house in Hunter, $153

Book the octagon house starting at $153 per night

Situated on Papillon Lake, this octagon-shaped house is located near skiing in the winter, swimming and kayaking in the summer, and is flanked by sure-to-impress fall foliage. The private deck with Adirondack chairs makes for an impressive perch overlooking the lake.

While the design feels like a traditional mountain lodge with wood, stone, and timber-infused decor, modern updates include a large Italian-style rain shower, colorful tribal print accents, a kitchen equipped with a French press coffee, plus a smart TV. 

This home has limited availability over the next few months, but dates are wide open starting in June.

Rating: 4.97
Drive from NYC: 2:30

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Waterfall carriage house in Saugerties, $186

Book this waterfall carriage house starting at $186 per night

This dreamy listing dates back to 1903 and is directly overlooking Cantine Falls. Ideal for couples, the lofted upstairs sleeping area features a Queen-sized bed and fluffy down duvet — but be aware there is limited headroom due to the pitched roof.

Downstairs you'll find a spa-like bathroom complete with a walk-in shower, a tall wooden dining table, a comfy gray couch, and a large TV. The lovely backyard features a deck with string lights, a gazebo, a grill, and a fire pit.

This home has plenty of open dates over the next few months.

Rating: 5.0
Drive from NYC: 1:55

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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-room schoolhouse in Forestburgh, $186

Book this former schoolhouse starting at $186 per night

A one-room schoolhouse from 1837 was restored with painstaking care while paying homage to historic roots. Those chalkboards aren't kitsch, they're actually originals.

Other atmospheric elements were updated to feel modern and chic, such as mason jar light fixtures, farmhouse kitchen, lofted sleep area, and a subway-tiled shower. Restaurants, antiques, and hiking are all minutes away, but if you really need to recharge, the hosts can book in-home massages. 

This listing still has most dates open over the next few months.

Rating: 5.0
Drive from NYC: 2:30

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Victorian townhome in Coxsackie, $231

Book this Victorian home starting at $231 per night

Beautifully restored, this 1880s Queen Ann Victorian is a great option for those who'd prefer to be closer to town. It's 20 minutes to Hudson – convenient for those arriving by train.

Bright and light, the minimalist palette features an Art Deco-era kitchen and hints of mint green. The superior look isn't accidental; this listing is an Airbnb Plus verified home, which means the hosts are pros at taking extra care to provide a well-kept space. With two bedrooms, there's plenty of space to relax, namely the porch rocker, fenced-in garden, or in the living and dining areas next to the piano and gas-burning stove.

This home has scattered dates open in March and April with more days open in May.

Rating: 5.0
Drive from NYC: 3 hours

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Streamside cabin in Phoenicia, $231

Book this streamside cabin starting at $231 per night

This chic cabin is a dreamy oasis set alongside a tranquil stream that can be heard from inside the home. It's certainly alluring based on the scenery alone, which includes a riverfront deck,  outdoor fire-pit with Adirondack chairs, a BBQ grill, and an indoor gas fireplace, but we love the clean, minimal interiors that look plucked from a magazine.

Highlights include a subway-tiled spa-like bathroom, a serene living room with a record player and leafy plants, a queen-sized bedroom, and a farmhouse-inspired full kitchen.

Availability opens up towards the end of March.

Rating: 5
Drive from NYC: 2:15

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Converted container home in Saugerties, $232

Book this container home starting at $232 per night

With a wood stove, fire pit, twinkle lights, a writing desk, and a kitchenette, this is the exact kind of place you're likely envisioning to get away from it all. The record player and kerosene lanterns only add to the appeal.

Fashioned out of a converted 20-foot container, this mod cabin is set next to a 30-foot waterfall and on 20 acres of wilderness. There's also a stone deck, grill, yoga platform, and hammock. The cabin is pet-friendly, and while accommodations seem largely deluxe, a few features tend toward rustic with a compost toilet, gravity-feed water, and large cooler rather than a fridge. Additionally, in the winter the wood stove is the only source of heat so be sure you are comfortable managing it. Hike the Catskills out the back door. 

Availability is limited with just a few scattered days in March and April, but more dates are open over the summer. This is also the kind of unique stay that may be worth booking early. Additionally, there are three other shipping container homes spread far out across the property, so you can check to see if the other options have more availability.

Rating: 4.85
Drive from NYC: 2:30

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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. 

Modern mountain home in Halcottsville, $240

Book this mountain home starting at $240 per night

Nestled into a private road surrounded by 10 lush acres is the so-called SPACECRAFTX 1, a single-wide trailer transformed into a stunning home lined with walls of glass sliders framed by forest trees and mountain views.

The decor is luxe, akin to a stylish boutique hotel, and an expansive deck is flanked by a Japanese rock garden, flower beds, and outdoor seating. With one queen bed and one double, the space is great for a couple or small family and is even pet-friendly.

Availability is scattered in March and April, with more dates opening up in May.

Rating: 4.93
Drive from NYC: 2:40

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Grey chalet loft in Saugertis, $250

Book this chalet loft starting at $250 per night

Part of Airbnb Plus, this chic loft is decorated in soothing whites that mix with the natural wood accents from the ladder to the sliding barn door for the bathroom. Small but cozy, the downstairs includes a comfy bed separated from the main room by airy white curtains, a dining table, couch, and a full kitchen with a turquoise tile backsplash. A large chandeleir hanging above the dining table catches the sunlight that streams in via a skylight. Upstairs is an additional small hangout area under the pitched roof. 

This home still has plenty of open dates over the next few months.

Rating: 4.97
Drive from NYC: 1:55

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

The 'Cubhouse' in Bearsville, $251

Book the 'Cubhouse' starting at $251 per night

Adorably named the 'Cubhouse,' this mountain cottage near Woodstock dates back to 1909 and was originally owned by a medicine woman in the early 1900s.

Enchanting details include an arched wooden door, a stone fireplace, and one bedroom under a vaulted ceiling. Witness wildlife visitors come to drink from a small pond, fire up the outdoor propane grill, or cozy up by the wood-burning fireplace before sinking into the hanging egg chair to gaze at the mountains

There is good availability starting at the end of March.

Rating: 4.87
Drive from NYC: 2 hours

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Chalet in Windham, $392

Book this chalet starting at $392 per night

For a mountain getaway, this Catskills retreat sleeps 10 under rustic beamed ceilings. Your host even provides firewood and kindling; all you need to do is BYOS: bring your own s'mores.

The decor is midcentury modern meets rugged ski lodge with plenty of stone, wood, and brick accents. The farmhouse kitchen, spacious dining area, and King-sized master (one of three bedrooms) make this home highly livable.

Located near Windham and Hunter mountains, this lodge is usually booked solid in busy winter ski months; visiting before the ski resorts open is a great way to snag an otherwise elusive booking.

This home still has plenty of open dates from mid-March on.

Rating: 4.92
Drive from NYC: 2:40

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Scandanavian barn in Germantown, $495

Book this Scandanavian barn starting at $495 per night

This airy and Scandinavian-inspired barn is a design lover's dream stay thanks to its chic interiors that feature an all-white color palette. Impeccable details include soaring ceilings with wooden beams, floor-to-ceiling views overlooking the Catskill Mountains, and eclectic and vintage furnishings like a clawfoot soaking tub and a Victorian-style chaise. 

The home sits on 14 acres of open fields and walking paths right next to a pond, so enjoying nature is as easy as walking out the door. Within the hamlet of Germantown, its also just five minutes from Main Street where you can enjoy perusing boutiques or dining at James Beard-nominated Gaskins restaurant.

This home still has dates open at the end of February and into early March. It's wide open starting in April.

Rating: 4.92
Drive from NYC: 2:10

COVID-19 cleaning procedures: 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.

Find more cozy East Coast Airbnbs

• The best cabins in the Catskills
• Unique and affordable Airbnbs in the Hudson Valley
• The best Airbnbs in the Adirondacks
• The best Airbnbs in Maine  
• The best Airbnbs in Vermont
• The best Airbnbs in New England

Sony's PlayStation 5 launched worldwide more than three months ago, but it's still one of the hardest items to buy in stores, whether you're looking for the $500 standard edition or the $400 all-digital edition. Retailers have primarily been selling PS5 consoles online due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the high demand makes them a prime target for resellers, many of whom use automated tools and scripted bots to purchase the consoles as soon as they're available.

So far, the retailers we've seen restock most consistently include Best Buy, GameStop, and Sony's own PlayStation Direct hardware store. GameStop sends emails to subscribers ahead of PS5 restocks but typically only makes the PlayStation 5 available in bundles with games like "Spider-Man: Miles Morales" and "NBA 2K21."

We'll keep this post updated as we get more information about upcoming PS5 restocks, but ultimately you'll need to keep checking multiple stores and get a bit lucky with timing and availability to secure the console.

We got to try out the PlayStation 5 ahead of release, along with some top PS5 games, like "Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales." The PlayStation 5's new features include a customized solid state drive, support for 120 frames per second gameplay, and real-time ray tracing graphics.

Sony's console is now competing with two new Xbox models for the affection of gamers. Microsoft's $300 Xbox Series S and $500 Xbox Series X also launched in November 2020, but stock for both consoles remains hard to find.

PlayStation 5 price and retailers

The PlayStation 5 comes in two different models — one that has a 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray drive and a "digital edition" with no disc drive at all. The standard model is priced at $500, and the digital edition is priced at $400. While the digital edition is $100 cheaper, you might need to use your PlayStation 4 discs to claim the PlayStation 5 versions of those games later on.

Several stores, including Best Buy, GameStop, Target, and Newegg have regularly restocked PlayStation 5 consoles since launch, but they typically sell out as soon as they're available online. Some GameStop stores have had consoles for sale in-store, but availability depends on when they're shipped.

You can check the links below to see if the PS5 is currently available at each retailer; we'll update this post if a specific store announces a restock.

PlayStation 5 (Standard Edition) 

PlayStation 5 (Digital Edition)

PlayStation 5 specifications

The PlayStation 5 boasts much more powerful hardware than the PlayStation 4 and PS4 Pro. Upgrades include a solid state hard drive and a graphics card capable of ray-tracing technology.

"Fortnite" creator Epic Games used the PlayStation 5 for an impressive technical demonstration of its upcoming Unreal Engine 5 software, giving gamers an early look at the new console's potential.

For detailed impressions, check out our full PlayStation 5 review here.

PlayStation 5 accessories

The new PlayStation 5 family of peripherals haven't been nearly as hard to find as the console itself, though they're not of much use without the main course. That said, they do complement the features of the PlayStation 5, so we've taken to the time to explain what they all do.

Sony's $70 DualSense controller is a worthy successor to the PS4's popular DualShock, implementing a built-in microphone, haptic feedback for adjustable trigger tension, and advanced rumble features while also improving the battery life and adopting a USB-C charging cable.

The $100 Pulse 3D headset is a direct successor to the gold and platinum wireless headsets Sony released for the PlayStation 4. The headset has an adjustable band, built-in microphone, and hardware buttons for mute, voice monitoring, and volume. While the Pulse 3D headset is worth the investment, PS5's 3D audio features will also work with any third-party headset that's been licensed for use on PS4.

The $30 PlayStation media remote might look appealing, but for $30 you can find a better or cheaper universal remote to control the console. Several smart TV brands also let you control the PS5 with your standard TV remote too, so it's worth giving that a try before making this investment.

The $30 DualSense charging stand can charge two controllers and makes for a nice stand alongside the PS5, but it doesn't actually charge your controllers any faster than using a regular cable.

The $60 HD camera can be used for streaming in full 1080p and even has a background removal tool, but it cannot be used as a microphone like the PlayStation 4 camera. Luckily, you can just use the DualSense's built-in mic to communicate while playing.

This week, Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas escaped the cold weather ravaging his home state for a trip to Cancún with his family, then swiftly returned amid a backlash that he's struggled to deflate.

Meanwhile, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York blasted Texas' power failures, raised $2 million in storm relief funds for Texans, and is traveling to the southern state to help distribute supplies.

The political rivals, who often publicly tussle over their opposing views, were again at odds this week in their responses to the severe winter storm devastating Cruz's home state. Cruz, embroiled in criticism and scandal, took political heat, whereas Ocasio-Cortez promoted her flagship energy bill the Green New Deal and scored political points. 

The freezing temperatures that hit the second-largest state in the country over the past week left millions of households without electricity, drinking water and heat for days. As of Friday afternoon, roughly 180,000 Texans are still without power.

Here's how both of the politicians reacted to the storm over the past week.

February 13-15: Cruz tweets resources on the storm and tells Texans to 'be safe'

As snowfall increased and temperatures dipped further in Texas, the state's junior senator started to spread information about the storm, including a call to "just stay home."

On February 13, Cruz had still been on Capitol Hill busy with the final day of former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial. But he told Texans to "please heed all of the winter weather advisories and updates from state and local officials" on Twitter. 

The next day, Cruz sent several more tweets with weather advisories and resources to cope with the severe weather.

"This storm is very dangerous," he wrote on February 14. "Please be careful and be safe."

Cruz appeared on a local radio station on Monday, saying "our house is lucky" since their power hadn't cut.

"If you can stay home, don't go out on the roads. Don't risk the ice," Cruz said. "Keep your families safe and just stay home and hug your kids."

February 16: Cruz under attack for old tweets, AOC slams 'failed leadership' in Texas

On Tuesday, Cruz continued to send tips and information on the storm, yet users instead became distracted by a 6-month-old tweet of his, in which he targeted California and Ocasio-Cortez. 

"California is now unable to perform even basic functions of civilization, like having reliable electricity," Cruz wrote in August 2020 in response to power outages that hit the state during extreme heat and wildfires that summer. "Biden/Harris/AOC want to make CA's failed energy policy the standard nationwide."

Users accused Cruz of hypocrisy, considering widespread power outages had now struck Texas due to the winter storm.

"I got no defense," Cruz responded to the backlash that night. "A blizzard strikes Texas & our state shuts down. Not good."

At the same time, Ocasio-Cortez began to weigh in on Texas' overwhelmed power grid after Gov. Greg Abbott blamed the blackouts occuring in the major fossil fuel-producing-state on renewable energy sources.

"This shows how the Green New Deal would be a deadly deal," Abbott said of the New York representative's energy proposal. 

Ocasio-Cortez hit back: "The real 'deadly deal' is his failed leadership."

February 17: Cruz travels to Mexico

On Wednesday, roughly 2.7 million households in Texas were still without power. The state's food supply chain dwindled as people scrambled to stock up on groceries. More than 2,300 flights into or out of the US were canceled.

Yet that night, unverified photos of Cruz at the airport and onboard a plane to Cancún exploded on social media.

Insider, along with many other news organizations, tried to reach Cruz for confirmation if he had indeed left Houston for a vacation at the Mexican resort city, which the widely-circulated images suggested.

Yet Cruz was silent — and critics piled on him for apparently abandoning the state while it suffers. 

On the other hand, Ocasio-Cortez doubled down her criticism of Texas' governor, and promoted her Green New Deal legislation.

"No one should be left to fend for themselves in a natural disaster," she tweeted. "This is why we insist on justice in climate policy. In a modern society, equity is as important as technology.

"We must modernize," she added, with the hashtag #GND. 

February 18: Cruz returns to Texas, AOC calls him out and launches fundraiser

Reports on Cruz's vacation poured in Thursday morning, and the senator was fiercely rebuked.

His former Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke slammed him for "vacationing in Cancun right now when people are literally freezing to death in the state that he was elected to represent and serve."

Ocasio-Cortez also attacked the senator.

"If Sen. Cruz had resigned back in January after helping gin up a violent insurrection that killed several people, he could've taken his vacation in peace," she said. "Texans should continue to demand his resignation."

Cruz didn't confirm the trip himself until the afternoon.

"With school cancelled for the week, our girls asked to take a trip with friends," Cruz said in a statement. "Wanting to be a good dad, I flew down with them last night and am flying back this afternoon."

Cruz added that his home power had gone out and his children suggested they get out of town.

But criticism of Cruz's travels continued upon his arrival back home. "It was obviously a mistake," a flustered Cruz told reporters. "In hindsight, I wouldn't have done it. I was trying to be a dad."

Yet Cruz's story unraveled as text messages from his wife Heidi apparently showed her planning the getaway with their neighbors to escape the cold.

Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez launched a fundraising effort to send relief to Texans struggling during the storm.

February 19: Cruz reacts to the controversy, AOC raises millions and goes to Texas to distribute supplies

By Friday, Cruz tried to smooth over the controversy. 

He attempted to return attention to the storm in Texas, which he started to tweet information about again.

He also sent a letter with fellow Texas Sen. John Cornyn to President Joe Biden asking for emergency assistance to help Texans in need.

Cruz's political rival, Ocasio-Cortez, announced on Friday that she raised $2 million in direct relief for struggling Texans. 

"Thank you all so much," she said. "I'm at a loss for words."

"100% of this relief is going straight to Texan food assistance, homelessness relief, elder care, and more," she added.

The progressive Democrat noted that she's headed to Texas for the weekend to help distribute supplies and raise awareness of the situation.

Since Sunday, the deep freeze has killed at least 30 people in Texas, according to data compiled by The Washington Post.

• Smart displays up smart speaker functionality with a screen.
• Smart displays play photos and video, plus they show you answers, weather, calendars, and more.
• There are a variety of options featuring Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant to suit your needs.

A good smart display is more than just a tablet tipped on its side. Like smart speakers, the devices' built-in assistant, whether it's Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant can answer almost any question. There's also the added benefit of video, so you can watch the weather report or see a demonstration of how to make a recipe. Plus, the visual, on-screen functions give you more control over your smart-home devices. 

You can also use video calling with some displays. A number of streaming video apps, like YouTube or Netflix, work with several as well. The video and audio quality is good enough for most uses — there are some distinctly better than others in those categories — but it's not going to replace your television for binging a series.  

We've tested and researched many smart displays over the years to help pick ones to suit a variety of needs. We also have a smart speaker buying guide that explains what they can do, which devices they support, and what you need to know about privacy concerns.

Here are the best smart displays you can buy:

• Amazon Echo Show 8
• Google Nest Hub
• Lenovo Smart Display

Amazon Echo Show 8

The Amazon Echo Show 8 is still our top choice for an Alexa smart display, though Amazon has a newer device, the Echo Show 10. 

With a nice, bright screen and all of Alexa's features, most people will get everything they need from the Amazon Echo Show 8. The voice assistant will answer questions, show you the weather, and tell you about traffic. You can use the Food Network app for recipes. 

There's a camera for video chats (unlike the Google Nest Hub), and you can watch videos from services like Hulu and Amazon Prime. Its 8-inch screen isn't as big as the new Echo Show 10, but it's also over $100 less. 

The Echo Show 8 is only $40 more than the Echo Show 5, but the screen feels much bigger and it has better resolution. It also improves on the sound quality of the littlest display, though it's probably not going to please audiophiles. Still, it's a well-rounded choice, especially when it goes on sale. 

We haven't yet tested the Echo Show 10, and we're not sure if its splashiest new feature — a screen's ability to swivel and follow you around — is worth the extra price.

Google Nest Hub

The Google Nest Hub is an affordable option with plenty of features.

Thanks to Google Assistant, the Google Nest Hub can field all of your queries, with the added benefit of a 7-inch screen to display videos, news reports, traffic updates, and more. It can be handy for finding a YouTube video to guide you through a recipe or how to fix a clogged sink. The 1024-by-600-pixel resolution isn't remotely close to what you'd get from a 4K TV, but it's more than enough for anything you'll want to watch on its 7-inch screen. 

With its highly responsive touchscreen, the Nest Hub has an advantage over a speaker-only product when it comes to controlling the wide variety of smart home devices that work in Google's ecosystem. A recent update grouped devices on one page, so they're easier to view.

There's no built-in camera. That's an intentional omission for privacy concerns, but it also means that the Nest Hub can't do video calls. If you want a Google smart display with a 10-inch screen, a camera, and bigger sound, the Nest Hub Max is what you're looking for, though it is significantly more expensive. 

Read our full Google Nest Hub review.

Lenovo Smart Display

The good-looking Lenovo Smart Display features a high-quality screen and fits seamlessly into the Google smart ecosystem.

Though it's over two years old now, the Lenovo Smart Display is still a worthy option. You can watch YouTube videos or live shows via YouTube TV, along with a decent array of other streaming apps. However, you don't want to expect too much when listening to music, because the sound quality is lacking. 

This display runs Google Assistant, so all you have to do is ask it a question and it can deliver the answers you're looking for, video included. That also makes it easy to connect with the universe of Google apps and your Android phone. This display also makes it to access your smart-home devices. 

Another thing that's nice about the Lenovo Smart Display is that instead of having the flipped-over tablet look, it looks good on your shelf or table. Its attractive looks and great features made our reviewer consider moving from Amazon's ecosystem to Google's, back in 2018. 

Lenovo also makes a 7-inch model, but it's discontinued the 10-inch version (though you can still find it for sale).

Read our full review of the Lenovo Smart Display.

How to choose a smart display

The first thing to consider before buying a smart display is whether or not you want the device to run Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant. If you have an Android phone and devices in your home connected to Google, you'll want to choose a display that runs Google Assistant. Another consideration is how much you use Google services like Calendar or Photos. Those integrate well with the displays that run Google Assistant. 

For a home that's already got an Alexa device and Alexa-powered accessories, then you'll want something from Amazon's universe. Power Prime users may also want an Alexa display for the ease of ordering items.  

Both Alexa and Assistant devices run a large array of apps, but none of them are compatible with the most popular streaming services. For example, Prime Video is only available on Amazon smart devices. Calling up YouTube videos is easy on Google's devices, but you'll need to take the extra step of routing it through a web browser on Alexa displays. The list of apps and services available for each device changes regularly, so be sure to double check what's available for each display before you buy one.

What we look forward to testing

The Amazon Echo Show 10 is brand new, and it's at the top of our list for testing to see how it stacks up against the previous generation of devices. Using sound recognition and an ability to identify a human form (it does not use facial recognition), the screen follows you as you speak.

Sicily's Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, spewed smoke, ashes, and lava in a new eruption earlier this week.

Although the explosion looked dramatic, Italian authorities said it posed no danger to any of the surrounding villages, and residents did not seem concerned. 

Scroll down to see spectacular images of the eruption.

Mount Etna, one of the world's most active volcanoes, erupted earlier this week.

At nearly 11,000 feet (3,324 meters), Etna is the tallest active volcano in Europe. It is located on the east coast of Sicily, Italy.

Source: Britannica

The volcano first erupted on Tuesday, sending rose-colored plumes of ash into the sky...

...and showering nearby villages with small stones and grey ash.

By night time, the clouds had disappeared, but glowing lava continued to stream out of the crater.

Here is a closer look at the glowing river of lava running down the volcano throughout the night.

Hot lava continued to shoot out of the volcano's crater.

Although pictures of the event look dramatic, Italian officials told local media: "We've seen worse."

Mount Etna has erupted frequently in the past 500,000 years.

Source: Euronews

Officials also said the eruption poses no danger to surrounding villages. However, they still closed Catania's international airport as a precaution.

Source: The Telegraph 

Most Sicilians said they were not worried and that they're used to the volcano erupting.

Source: The Independent

Daniele Palumbo, who is originally from Sicily but is now living in London, said it's "always really funny" to see how outsiders react when Etna erupts.

"I think we would be more worried if all these events didn't happen," Palumbo said, according to the Independent.

Source: The Independent

The volcano has since calmed down, only leaving behind ash for city workers to clean up.

Source: Volcano Discovery

Startup founders and venture capitalists are looking to take on the staid world of insurance.

2020 saw record amounts of capital flow into the space, amid an IPO for mobile insurance startup Lemonade and medical backup firm Oscar Health.

This year began with a massive $125 million round for Sidecar Health, and the largest raise in Europe in 2021 could soon come in the form of a raise from London-based Zego, as Insider recently reported. 

Insurance as a sector covers everything from underwriting, distribution, claims, and product, with individual disruptors aiming to upend a largely traditional and digitally deficient industry. 

In 2020, annual "insurtech" funding reached an all-time high of $7.1 billion across 377 deals — marking a 12% increase in funding and a 20% increase in deals compared to 2019, according to CB Insights. 

We asked some of Europe's top venture capitalists to name the most exciting insurance startups on the continent. Check out their picks below: 

SEE ALSO: We asked 12 prominent European tech investors to pick out fintech startups they think will blow up in 2021. Here are the 20 they chose.

Inzmo

Cited by these VCs: Kartik Varma, MD at Techstars 

In the Techstars portfolio? No

Total raised: $7.9 million

What it does: "Inzmo aims to simplify the insurance process with its full-stack platform combining all steps from purchasing a policy to filing a claim in a user-friendly, digital-first manner."

Why it's hot in 2021:"The insurance sector's lack of agility has created an opportunity for nimble, full-stack insurance startups like Inzmo to offer creative property and casualty products fit for modern consumers' needs."

Cachet

Cited by these VCs: Kartik Varma, MD at Techstars 

In the Techstars portfolio? Yes

Total raised: $1.7 million 

What it does: "Cachet offers gig economy workers personalized insurance that takes into account individual car usage and driving habits, helping to promote and boost the sharing economy."

Why it's hot in 2021: "The gig economy is reinventing the dynamics of work faster than traditional insurance companies can keep up. Estonian insurtech Cachet is providing gig workers with insurance products that are tailored for this sector, making a bold move on a fast-growing industry where incumbents haven't been paying attention." 

Indeez

Cited by these VCs: Toby Coppel, partner at Mosaic Ventures

In the Mosaic Ventures portfolio? Yes

Total raised: Undisclosed

What it does: French insurance startup Indeez provides income protection solutions for gig economy workers. 

Why it's hot in 2021:"The pandemic was a wake-up call to the importance of income protection insurance," Coppel said. "The proportion of independent workers is expected to grow from one third to well over half in the next decade and Indeez provides a safety net they can fall back upon. The experienced team from AXA previously built a protection product that insured all of Uber's drivers in Europe and other parts of the world against loss of income. And they have just released the first ever COVID-19 insurance policy."

YuLife

Cited by these VCs: Remus Brett, partner at LocalGlobe, and Itxaso del Palacio, partner at Notion Capital 

In the LocalGlobe and Notion portfolios? Yes

Total raised: $18 million

What it does: "YuLife is a tech-driven insurance company on a mission to inspire life and turn financial products into a force for good," says del Palacio. "By harnessing the power of gamification, lifestyle medicine and the latest behavioural science, YuLife is building a new insurance model focused on risk prevention, not claims compensation." 

Why it's hot in 2021:"By rewarding everyday activities such as walking and meditation with tangible rewards such as vouchers and treats via their gamified app, YuLife customers are incentivized to take care of their physical and emotional health, with a long term benefit," LocalGlobe's Brett agrees.

"Ultimately, YuLife is helping companies to support their employees beyond financial reward by building happier, healthier, more motivated and resilient teams." 

Luko

Cited by these VCs: Remus Brett, partner at LocalGlobe and Oliver Holle, Speedinvest

In the LocalGlobe portfolio? No 

In the Speedinvest portfolio? Yes 

Total raised: $147.9 million

What it does: Luko focuses on the property insurance market in France, serving both homeowners and renters. 

Why it's hot in 2021: "Luko has a bold vision to redefine home insurance for both homeowners and renters," Holle said. "The startup delivers a best-in-class onboarding and claims experience and wants to proactively prevent damages before they occur with home care solutions like a Luko water meter to detect leaks."

"Luko is B-corp certified and its pricing and growth model is built around its Giveback programme, meaning 70% of Luko's premiums are pooled with other customers and this pool is used to pay compensation, with 30% going towards Luko's management costs," Brett added. "Consumers love the model and the business now supports more than 100,000 customers."

Claimsforce

Cited by these VCs: Itxaso del Palacio, partner at Notion Capital 

In the Notion Capital portfolio? Yes 

Total raised: $8.5 million 

What it does: "Claimsforce is a claims management platform for processing property and casualty (P&C) insurance claims."

Why it's hot in 2021: "Claimsforce puts insurers and their third parties on one platform to create a single source of truth, drive productivity, improve the collaboration between different parties and bring more transparency to the process which in consequence significantly lowers costs, speeds up the processes and ultimately improves the customer experience to drive retention and up-sell."

Zego

Cited by these VCs: Itxaso del Palacio, partner at Notion Capital 

In the Notion Capital portfolio? No 

Total raised: $65 million 

What it does: Zego is the self-described "new mobility" insurance provider, offering coverage to food delivery drivers, couriers, private hire drivers, and small businesses.

Why it's hot in 2021: "Zego was the first UK insurtech to be awarded an insurance license. More recently, Zego was accepted into the Tech Nation Future 50 2020 cohort and won Tech Company of the Year 2020."

Hi.health

Cited by these VCs: Lucanus Polagnoli, managing partner at early-stage European fund Calm/Storm 

In the Calm/Storm portfolio? Yes

Total raised: $3.6 million

What it does: "Hi.health revolutionizes health insurance by creating a seamless user experience," says Polagnoli. "Customers can submit medical invoices via the app or web platform and then Hi.health takes care of the rest – processing, billing and customer service. Claims below €100 are instantly paid out to the user – even before the insurance company reimburses the claim." 

Why it's hot in 2021: "I have a huge amount of respect for the founding team, which includes Fredrik Debong. He also co-founded MySugr, a diabetes management app and one of the first healthtech companies to make a major impact on the digital health industry. It was sold to Roche in 2017 and became one of the biggest exits in Europe."

Alan

Cited by these VCs: Lucanus Polagnoli, managing partner at early-stage European fund Calm/Storm 

In the Calm/Storm portfolio? No

Total raised:  $152 million

What it does: "Alan is a French startup focusing on health insurance for businesses." 

Why it's hot in 2021:"I've long been an admirer of what Alan is building. They've made navigating insurance as easy as using Instagram — it's taken a lot of pain out of the system for customers. And the product is constantly evolving and offering new products to customers.

"That ongoing innovation is something to be admired and they're certainly an insurtech business on track to break even more boundaries in the future."

Clark

Cited by these VCs: Nicholas Stocks, general partner at White Star Capital.

In the White Star Capital portfolio? Yes

Total raised: $128.1 million

What it does: "Clark offers digital insurance management options allowing users to see their insurance choices in one place and helps to identify better offers through its platform."

Why it's hot in 2021:"Via a tech-driven, customer-centric approach, Clark's aim is to help consumers navigate the complex world of insurance to find the best products for them. Their recent Series C round following rapid growth to over 300,000 users last year is a testament to their current success in their mission," Stocks said. 

"With incredibly strong foundations in Germany and a top team, I have every confidence that they will go on to achieve their goal of becoming the largest consumer insurance broker in Europe."

Anorak

Cited by these VCs: Michael Niddam, cofounder and managing director, Kamet Ventures

In the Kamet Ventures portfolio? Yes

Total raised: $12.6 million

What it does: London-based Anorak helps users make informed decisions about their need for life insurance.

Why it's hot in 2021:"The pandemic has left an overwhelming percentage of the population unsure about where they stand with regards to income protection and whether they need to take out a life insurance policy.

"With industry jargon at an all-time high, it's refreshing to see a startup committed to educating its potential users and helping them make the right decisions for them rather than what's best for the company."

Getsafe

Cited by these VCs: Christian Nagel, partner at Earlybird Ventures

In the Earlybird Ventures portfolio? Yes

Total raised: $52.9 million

What it does: "Getsafe is a digital insurance platform that allows customers to find suitable insurance cover from their phones."

Why it's hot in 2021:"Getsafe's modern spirit is embodied in fresh, user-friendly design and branding that's built upon great tech. Combined with machine learning, Getsafe creates a seamless and smart insurance experience that's 100% digital – meaning that everyone can easily get coverage via their smartphone.

"After backing them on their Series B in 2020, we're excited to see Getsafe expand across new European markets and this definitely makes them one to watch in 2021."

Afilio

Cited by these VCs: Christian Nagel, Partner at Earlybird Ventures

In the Earlybird Ventures portfolio? No 

Total raised: Not disclosed

What it does: Afilio is an internet platform for the preparation and administration of pension and estate documents.

Why it's hot in 2021: Afilio has identified an underserved pain point of creating and managing preventative healthcare documents such as patients' advance directives," Nagel said. "On the back of their first product (a document creation and management platform), the team started to serve related needs and has built a comprehensive platform to educate and insure their clients. We're excited about their big vision to revolutionize preventative healthcare and we believe the team is worth watching."

Marshmallow

Cited by these VCs: Eileen Burbidge, partner at Passion Capital and Nicholas Stocks, general partner at White Star Capital.

In the Passion Capital portfolio? Yes

In the White Star Capital portfolio? No

Total raised: $31.2 million

What it does: Marshmallow provides insurance products via proprietary pricing algorithms and specializes in auto insurance.

Why it's hot in 2021:"Marshmallow is the ideal example of insurtech bringing about better customer propositions to market. They've brought transparency, better pricing (originally benefiting expats and immigrants who didn't have UK driving history and were therefore penalized with the highest premiums, but now for all UK drivers) and best-in-class customer support to stodgy auto insurance." 

BondAval

Cited by these VCs: Eileen Burbidge, partner at Passion Capital

In the Passion Capital portfolio? No — though for full disclosure, the CEO is Burbidge's partner.

Total raised:  $1.7 million

What it does: BondAval provides credit security via a digital platform to replace bank guarantees and other traditional collateral instruments. 

Why it's hot in 2021:"I'm naturally biased given my association with the founding team, but I'm excited to see insurtech innovation, transparency and digital-enabled product propositions coming to B2B insurance," Burbidge said. "We've seen how much has been modernized for consumers with B2C insurtech, and I think we're at the tip of the iceberg on B2B with BondAval as a great example targeting retailers and wholesalers across sectors."

Tractable

Cited by these VCs: Oliver Holle, Speedinvest

In the Speedinvest portfolio? No 

Total raised: $60 million 

What it does: "Tractable develops artificial intelligence to accelerate accident and disaster recovery. Its solutions use photos to automate damage appraisal, allowing insurers to improve accuracy, reduce turnaround time, and deliver a better customer experience, while accelerating how quickly people's livelihoods can be restored."

Why it's hot in 2021: "Tractable is a wonderful example of leveraging AI to improve people's lives for the better. The startup's accident and disaster recovery technology has been applied to speed up insurance-related response times for car accidents and natural disasters by as much as ten-fold.

"With customers across nine markets, Tractable is making an impact on hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. And, in addition to its offices in London and New York, it recently opened an office in Tokyo — with the aim of serving new clients across Asia." 

By Bits

Cited by these VCs: Stephen Brittain, director and director of incubator Insurtech Gateway

In the Insurtech Gateway portfolio? Yes 

Total raised: Undisclosed

What it does: "By Bits' software products – which either plug into insurers' existing systems or operate as an entirely stand-alone 'engine' – offer state of the art risk pricing and policy management."

Why it's hot in 2021:"The technology gives insurers real time data and insight to experiment with. Opening a host of new opportunities to establish more meaningful, long-term relationships with customers and deliver a sharp increase in customer retention."

Fathom

Cited by these VCs: Stephen Brittain, director and director of incubator Insurtech Gateway

In the Insurtech Gateway portfolio? No 

Total raised: Undisclosed

What it does: "Fathom is on a mission to make flood risk modelling more widely available and that can only be a good thing."

Why it's hot in 2021:"We need better flood models based on more granular risk data. Fathom, an insurtech born out of the Hydrology Research Group at Bristol University have been on our radar — or, rather, sonar — for a while now.

"We look forward to seeing how their work develops and how this could enable fairer pricing and more targeting solutions."

Insify

Cited by these VCs: William McQuillan, partner at Frontline Ventures 

In the Frontline portfolio? Yes 

Total raised: Undisclosed 

What it does: "Insify focuses on providing insurance to freelancers and SMEs. The segment requires more support than consumers, yet premiums paid do not cover the high overhead that traditional players require to service business customers."

Why it's hot in 2021:"Insify focuses on changing the industry on two fronts: providing an end-to-end digital customer journey — which surprisingly does not yet exist for most of the SME segment — and accurately pricing risk. The result: a super simple and fast sign-up combined with sharp pricing." 

Exante

Cited by these VCs: William McQuillan, Frontline Ventures 

In the Frontline portfolio? No 

Total raised: Undisclosed 

What it does: "Exante uses forecasts as parametric triggers allowing them to pay policy holders before losses. This helps financially vulnerable policy holders to mitigate or avoid losses, reducing claims, improving outcomes for society, and improving outcomes for the individuals and their families."

Why it's hot in 2021: "Mastercard is an investor in Exante, and the company leverages Mastercard technology to disburse payments instantly. Exante has offices in Dublin and Hong Kong and their initial focus is on natural catastrophes in the USA and Taiwan."

Wrisk

Cited by these VCs: Reece Chowdhury, founding partner at RLC 

In the RLC portfolio? Yes

Total raised:  $12 million 

What it does: "At its core, Wrisk is a platform enabling companies to build, launch and operate white-labelled insurance experiences for their customers. They have a strong focus on the mobility sector and have partnered with RAC to streamline and improve customer experiences."

Why it's hot in 2021: ""We are excited about the ongoing wider trend of businesses offering more integrated financial experiences for their customers, and we believe that Wrisk plays a huge role in this going forward.

"RLC backed Wrisk in their seed round, and we firmly share their belief in the need for more personalized and flexible insurance products in every industry."

Laka

Cited by these VCs: Reece Chowdhury, founding partner at RLC 

In the RLC portfolio? No

Total raised: $9.4 million 

What it does: Laka offers insurance specifically for cyclists, including third-party liability, injury, damage, and international trips. 

Why it's hot in 2021: "Laka is manifesting some of the wider verticalization of industries, and building a community-driven offering for cyclists. They don't charge customers a fixed sum and instead calculate monthly contributions based on the collective's claims.

"This is a really different model and enables them to offer more relevant perks, partnerships and experiences aligned with the communities interests. I think there is a lot more of this to come within dedicated communities everywhere." 

Hepster

Cited by these VCs: Michael McFadgen, partner at Element Ventures

In the Element portfolio? Yes

Total raised: $5.7 million 

What it does: "Hepster, headquartered in Rostock, Germany, is an insurtech that provides embedded insurance to companies in both established and nascent industries.

"Established in 2016 to shake up the slow, encumbered insurance market, Hepster's mission was to create an agile, fully digital, API-driven platform that fits policies to customers, and not the other way round."

Why it's hot in 2021: "Hepster is taking a sledgehammer to the 'one-size-fits-all' insurance model. New sectors and industries are emerging, and the companies within them need more flexible, bespoke insurance than what the market is currently capable of providing, and Hepster is emerging as the leader within this space.

"For me, Hepster is the breakout company in insurtech, period. Their focus on embedded insurance is paying dividends already — despite the pandemic, Hepster was able to grow revenues by 600% last year, as a result of tie-ups with large micromobility providers."

Coincover

Cited by these VCs: Michael McFadgen, partner at Element Ventures

In the Element portfolio? No

Total raised: $850,000

What it does: "Coincover is an API-driven platform that provides crypto-focused insurance offerings to crypto-exchange and wallet providers, as well as infrastructure organizations, helping them to keep investors safe from scam, fraud and cyber-crime."

Why it's hot in 2021: "As crypto becomes more mainstream, users need tools to help manage the unique risks involved with holding crypto assets. Coincover works with major wallets to provide key storage coupled with an insurance wrapper – giving end users a new product to safely and securely manage their crypto assets."

Concirrus

Cited by these VCs: Jessica Bartos, investment manager, AlbionVC

In the Albion VC portfolio? Yes

Total raised: $43 million

What it does: Concirrus provides proprietary behavioral data and predictive models that significantly outperform traditional risk assessment and underwriting techniques in the insurance market.

Why it's hot in 2021:"We believe we are still in the early innings of bringing modern data analytics and machine learning to bear on the underwriting of insurance risk," Bartos said. "Concirrus is using these technologies to help insurers better underwrite marine insurance.

"Concirrus's real time datasets and ML models analyze insurance risk-based behaviour rather than historical demographics. 2020 demonstrated the success of this data-first, digital-first approach to insurance with the successful IPOs of Root and Lemonade."

Qover

Cited by these VCs: Jessica Bartos, investment manager at AlbionVC

In the AlbionVC portfolio? No

Total raised: $18 million

What it does: Qover provides digital insurance products for companies like Revolut and Deliveroo.

Why it's hot in 2021:"We believe embedded insurance is a win-win-win for insurers, tech and consumers alike. In this space, Qover is a rising star. They are live with multiple embedded insurance propositions in bike, travel, purchase protection, rider accident and liability and ticket cancellation and are already covering more than 800,000 people.

"We're intrigued by the mix of partners like Revolut, Deliveroo, Decathalon and Wolt. And importantly their products are fully digital and modular resulting in high customer satisfaction — the most important part of fixing what's wrong with insurance today!"

Launching a new product is difficult in any industry, but particularly so in the auto business, where the high costs of building and running factories leave little room for error. Tesla is the only American automaker founded after 1925 that's selling consumer vehicles in significant numbers, and it took the better part of two decades to reach profitability.

Rivian thinks it can repeat the feat, and has been growing its workforce quickly as it prepares to start delivering its first two models in 2021. The electric-vehicle startup had around 1,500 employees at the beginning of 2020. By January of this year, its headcount had grown to around 3,500.

Insider spoke to two Rivian executives who are involved in the hiring process — vice president of talent acquisition Cindy Nicola and chief people officer Helen Russell — about the traits they look for in job applicants and the details they pay attention to during interviews.

Here's what they said.

SEE ALSO: Air taxi service Blade wants to become a household name by entering the game early and perfecting it later

Keep the personality traits Rivian looks for in mind

Nicola said Rivian looks for people who are passionate, curious, humble, selfless, and enthusiastic about solving problems. But that doesn't mean the company wants its employees to be identical. Nicola said Rivian wants its workforce to reflect a broad range of perspectives and backgrounds.

"There's a magic when you bring people from a lot of different backgrounds together," Nicola said.

Make sure your application is specific and error-free

Make sure there aren't any spelling errors on your application and include details that illustrate your professional accomplishments.

"We're looking for people that have excellence in what they do," Nicola said.

Be ready to talk about those details during your interview, but don't focus too much on yourself

During an interview, Nicola pays attention to the amount of detail job applicants use to describe problems they've solved, to get a sense of the skills they have.

"We want people that are able to be incredibly specific about what they've done," Nicola said. "If you've ever solved a really tough problem, you never forget it."

But focusing only on yourself is a red flag for Russell. Given the collaborative nature of Rivian's workplace, Russell notes how often interviewees use "I" and "we."

If they use the word 'I' and never use the word 'we' — huge red flag," Russell said.

Be curious about the right things

Doing research ahead of time will help you demonstrate how interested you are in Rivian.

"We want to see that they are prepared and that they are intentionally seeking Rivian out," Nicola said of job applicants.

And be sure to have questions ready for your interviewer. Russell wants applicants to focus on the nuts and bolts of working at Rivian, like its culture or the way meetings are run, rather than PTO. One time, an interviewee's first question was about Rivian's benefits plan. Russell was not impressed.

"That should be at the end of a long list of questions," Russell said.

Don't be afraid to talk about your life outside of work

"The interviews that stand out are where people have shared life experiences as examples of a behavioral attribute that I'm trying to get at or something that was impactful to them," Russell said. "That also shows me that they're going to be comfortable showing up as them."

Being candid about your weaknesses and your efforts to address them can also leave a positive impression, Nicola said, as long as you don't resort to cliches like "I work too hard."

"I'm not really a fan of that kind of response," Nicola said. "I actually really prefer when someone can be self-aware and be a little bit vulnerable, because we all have stuff to work on."

A follow-up note won't hurt

After the interview, Nicola wants her team to take the lead on following up, but it won't hurt your chances by sending a note that demonstrates your excitement about the prospect of working at Rivian, Nicola said.

"Normally, we would send a follow-up right away," Nicola said. "And it's just nice when you get an enthusiastic, passionate response back."

Are you a current or former Rivian employee? Do you have a news tip or opinion you'd like to share? Contact this reporter at mmatousek@insider.com, on Signal at 646-768-4712, or via his encrypted email address mmatousek@protonmail.com.

Cryptocurrencies have become the subject of renewed hype, as Bitcoin prices soar to all-time highs. The digital currency recently surpassed the $50,000 milestone following the news of Tesla's $1.5 billion investment in the coin.

And incumbents are taking note. On Wednesday, BlackRock's investment chief Rick Rieder told CNBC the world's largest asset manager has begun to "dabble" in Bitcoin at the behest of customers.  

But it's not just investors that are showing interest. Payments players are starting to embrace new use cases for cryptocurrencies, from Bitcoin rewards to enabling crypto payments in-store.

Players like Mastercard and Visa are adding cryptocurrencies to their payments networks, enabling merchants and fintechs to process and accept digital currencies. PayPal and Square, too, enable consumers to buy, sell, and hold crypto. 

For PayPal, adding crypto has boosted customer engagement with its app. And for Square, Bitcoin has been a massive revenue driver.

Here are the behind-the-scenes crypto leaders at Mastercard, PayPal, Square, and Visa driving the industry's embrace of digital assets.

SEE ALSO: PayPal is seeing high engagement numbers from crypto holders on its app as digital currency is shaping up to be a key part of the payment giant's future strategy

SEE ALSO: A 'coiled spring' is set to unleash massive growth for card giants like Amex, Mastercard, and Visa. Experts explain why the market will take off in 2021.

SEE ALSO: Visa just launched a pilot program to help fintechs offer crypto trading, and its first partner is a digital bank focused on the Black community

Raj Dhamodharan, EVP of blockchain and digital asset products at Mastercard

Dhamodharan leads all of Mastercard's projects related to cryptocurrencies and digital assets.

Today, consumers are storing value in multiple ways, Dhamodharan told Insider. And that includes cryptocurrencies. So for Mastercard, as a payments infrastructure player, giving consumers the ability to choose how they spend is the priority.

"It really comes down to choice, and it's not just a choice of what kind of card you use," Dhamodharan said.

Through its Accelerate program, Mastercard doubled down on its crypto partnerships with fintechs last summer, with card tech that can convert crypto into fiat for consumers to spend in-store. In September, it launched a central bank digital currency (CBDC) testing platform for central banks to experiment with digital currency use cases.

And in January, Mastercard announced it will start processing crypto transactions on its own network this year. 

But not every cryptocurrency will be allowed on Mastercard's network.

"We are, first and foremost, a payment company," Dhamodharan said. "We're looking for currencies that are stable in value and lend themselves to be vehicles for payments."

Stablecoins, for example, use an external reference like the US dollar to determine value.

Dhamodharan joined Mastercard in 2010, and has spent the majority of his time working on digital payments. He assumed his current role leading crypto in December 2019.

Jose Fernandez da Ponte, VP and GM of blockchain, crypto, and digital currencies at PayPal

Fernandez da Ponte leads a new business unit at PayPal focused on all things crypto. Last year, his team added cryptocurrencies to the PayPal app, enabling users to buy, sell, and hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin.

This year, the payments giant plans to add crypto to Venmo and roll out crypto as a way to spend at any merchant that accepts PayPal.

"As with all of PayPal's services, we always want to provide our customers with great payment experiences, including enabling choice in the way they pay and get paid," Fernandez da Ponte told Insider via email. 

And cryptocurrencies are a "natural extension" of PayPal's services, Fernandez said. 

"We're starting with cryptocurrencies since those are most widely discussed and available, but our goal is to be able to support central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and other forms of digital money in compliance with existing regulations and in partnership with governments around the world," Fernandez said.

By adding cryptocurrencies, PayPal is looking to build its app into a one-stop-shop for customers and boost user engagement. And while it's still early days, adding digital currencies has already proven beneficial.

Fernandez da Ponte joined PayPal in June 2019 and assumed his current role in January 2021. Prior to this position, he led PayPal's global business development team and participated in PayPal's expansion to China and Latin America. 

He is a member of the Global Future Council on Cryptocurrencies at the World Economic Forum and part of the Advisory Board at Blockchain Capital.

Miles Suter, product manager of Bitcoin at Cash App; Steve Lee, product manager at Square Crypto

Suter serves as the product manager of Bitcoin at Square's Cash App while Lee is the product manager at Square Crypto.

Cash App added Bitcoin trading in 2018, and it's since been a huge revenue driver for the payments player. 

In the third quarter of last year, Cash App generated $1.63 billion of Bitcoin revenue and $32 million of Bitcoin gross profit, up approximately 11 and 15 times, respectively, year-over-year, according to its shareholder letter.

In addition to facilitating Cash App users' buying, selling, and holding of Bitcoin, Square itself made a $50 million investment in Bitcoin in the third quarter last year.

In 2019, Square formed Square Crypto, which operates as an independent team and contributes to Bitcoin open-source work. 

Suter joined Square in June 2017 after nearly two years at DoorDash, according to his LinkedIn. Lee joined Square in June 2019 and had previously spent almost a decade at Google, according to his LinkedIn. 

Cuy Sheffield, head of crypto at Visa

As head of crypto, Sheffield leads all of Visa's digital currency efforts, including building out capabilities on its own rails and partnering with fintechs.

"I fell down the crypto rabbit hole in early 2017," Sheffield told Insider. "For me, it was one of the most interesting things happening that bridged technology, economics, and payments."

Earlier this month, Visa announced a pilot of a cryptocurrency API for fintechs that enables its customers to add cryptocurrencies to their own apps. 

"What we've seen is there is a significant and growing interest from consumers in being able to hold assets like Bitcoin as a store of value," Sheffield said. Beyond buying and selling cryptocurrencies, consumers are also looking for ways to earn them. 

Visa will look to grow the functionality of its crypto APIs beyond trading and holding cryptocurrencies, adding features like crypto rewards on cards and auto-buy functionalities. Visa is already playing in the crypto rewards space through partnerships with BlockFi and Fold.

Sheffield joined Visa in 2015 through the acquisition of TrialPay and became head of crypto in June 2019.

Contrary to many on Wall Street, JPMorgan strategist Mislav Matejka says that bond yields have scope to move higher — and this won't necessarily hurt equities.

Some investors are forecasting lower-for-longer interest rates, arguing that with US and German bond yields hovering near multi-month highs, there is not much further they can go. 

However, with the economy reopening following vaccine rollouts, there is potential for "overshooting given pent-up demand and continued fiscal support," said Matejka, JPMorgan's head of global and European equity strategy, in a note published Monday. He forecasts a 1.45% yield for the US 10-year note by year-end. Last week, the 10-year yield climbed above 1.3% for the first time since February 2020.

A common misconception is that as yields rise, stocks have to fall. But the stock market will tolerate rising rates, Matejka said, adding that since last March's crash, equities advanced on the days when bond yields were up.

It's not just evident in the short-term, but also historically, Matejka noted.

Even pre-COVID, equities performed well with the 10-year yield around 2%. Admittedly, company valuation multiples were lower than at present, but JPMorgan argues that the current positive growth and earnings backdrop will support equities.

This relationship between stocks and bonds should stay consistent while the 10-year yield is below 2%, especially considering the expansive central bank bond-buying programs. Therefore, during this growth phase of the economic cycle there is unlikely to be a derating of the equity market, he said.

As earnings are usually positive in the aftermath of an economic downturn, EPS momentum should also remain strong and support equity valuations, the firm added.

Moreover, the gap between equity dividend rates and government bond yields — known as the yield gap — doesn't look stretched.

"Bond yields would need to move up by 100-200bp in order to erase the equity attractiveness," Matejka added.

A more important factor for equities is what drives bond yields higher, rather than the levels themselves, Matejka said. Rising bond yields will be supportive of equity valuations so long as rate hikes reflect economic acceleration or optimism. For example, if a sell-off of Treasuries is caused by a so-called 'taper tantrum', whereby investors dump bonds on fears that central banks are slowing down purchases, this would be negative for stocks — at least in the short-term.

However, the current rise in yields is positive, JPMorgan noted, reflecting investor optimism for both economic growth and policy as more COVID-19 vaccines get administered.

Financials and other cyclical sectors like autos, industrials and materials will be the key beneficiaries of rising yields, because of their close correlation to bond yields. Whereas, pharma and staples could face a re-rating, the firm said.

These are the 40 stocks that have the most to gain due to their positive correlation to bond yields, according to JPMorgan:

1. BNP Paribas

Ticker: EPA: BNP
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€60.16 billion

Source: JPMorgan

2. Societe Generale

Ticker: EPA: GLE
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€16.95 billion

Source: JPMorgan

3. Credit Agricole

Ticker: EPA: GLE
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€32.96 billion

Source: JPMorgan

4. Renault

Ticker: EPA: RNO
Sector: Discretionary
Market cap: €11.18 billion

Source: JPMorgan

5. UniCredit

Ticker: BIT: UCG
Sector: Financials
Market cap: €18.59 billion

Source: JPMorgan

6. Arcelormittal

Ticker: AMS: MT
Sector: Materials
Market cap:€21.33 billion

Source: JPMorgan

7. CNH Industrial

Ticker: BIT: CNHI
Sector: Industrials
Market cap: €16.80 billion

Source: JPMorgan

8. Commerzbank

Ticker: ETR: CBK
Sector: Financials
Market cap: €6.67 billion

Source: JPMorgan

9. Credit Suisse Group

Ticker: SWX: CSGN
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€30.87 billion

Source: JPMorgan

10. AXA

Ticker: EPA: CS
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€47.88 billion

Source: JPMorgan

11. AEGON

Ticker: AMS: AGN
Sector: Financials
Market cap: €8.31 billion

Source: JPMorgan

12. Voestalpine

Ticker: VIE: VOE
Sector: Materials
Market cap:€5.81 billion

Source: JPMorgan

13. Deutsche Bank

Ticker: ETR: DBK
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€19.69 billion

Source: JPMorgan

14. Banco Santander

Ticker: LON: BNC
Sector: Financials
Market cap: £44.41 billion

Source: JPMorgan

15. ING Groep

Ticker: AMS: INGA
Sector: Financials
Market cap: €34.85 billion

Source: JPMorgan

16. Julius Bae Gruppe

Ticker: SWX: BAER
Sector: Financials
Market cap: $13.60 billion

Source: JPMorgan

17. Erste Group Bank

Ticker: VIE: EBS
Sector: Financials
Market cap: €11.36 billion

Source: JPMorgan

18. Adecco Group

Ticker: SWX: ADEN
Sector: Industrials
Market cap: €10.49 billion

Source: JPMorgan

19. Randstad

Ticker: AMS: RAND
Sector: Industrials
Market cap:€10.13 billion

Source: JPMorgan

20. KBC Group

Ticker: EBR: KBC
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€23.40 billion

Source: JPMorgan

21. Evraz

Ticker: LON: EVR
Sector: Materials
Market cap:£8.16 billion

Source: JPMorgan

22. NN Group

Ticker: AMS: NN
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€12.13 billion

Source: JPMorgan

23. Porsche

Ticker: ETR: PAH3
Sector: Discretionary
Market cap:€9.70 billion

Source: JPMorgan

24. UBS Group

Ticker: SWX: UBSG
Sector: Financials
Market cap: €60.06 billion

Source: JPMorgan

25. Intesa SanPaolo

Ticker: BIT: ISP
Sector: Financials
Market cap: €41.14 billion

Source: JPMorgan

26. Faurecia

Ticker: EPA: EO
Sector: Discretionary
Market cap:€6.43 billion

Source: JPMorgan

27. Raiffeisen Bank Intl.

Ticker: VIE: RBI
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€5.64 billion

Source: JPMorgan

28. Exor ORD

Ticker: BIT: EXO
Sector: Financials
Market cap: €15.94 billion

Source: JPMorgan

29. BASF

Ticker: ETR: BAS
Sector: Materials
Market cap: €62.53 billion

Source: JPMorgan

30. Natixis

Ticker: EPA: KN
Sector: Financials
Market cap:€12.85 billion

Source: JPMorgan

31.Barclays

Ticker: LON: BARC
Sector: Financials
Market cap: €26.70 billion

Source: JPMorgan

32. ABB LTD

Ticker: SWX: ABBN
Sector: Industrials
Market cap:€58.67 billion

Source: JPMorgan

33. STMicroElectronics

Ticker: EPA: STM
Sector: IT
Market cap:€31.6 billion

Source: JPMorgan

34. DNB

Ticker: NO: DNB
Sector: Financials
Market cap: $30.91 billion

Source: JPMorgan

35.Siemens

Ticker: ETR: SIE
Sector: Industrials
Market cap: €112.99 billion

Source: JPMorgan

36. Daimler

Ticker: ETR: DAI
Sector: Discretionary
Market cap:€71.68 billion

Source: JPMorgan

37. Tenaris

Ticker: NYSE: TS
Sector: Energy
Market cap:$10.35 billion

Source: JPMorgan

38. HSBC Holdings

Ticker: LON: HSBA
Sector: Financials
Market cap:£86.35 billion

Source: JPMorgan

39. Rio Tinto

Ticker: ASX: RIO
Sector: Materials
Market cap: $36.03 billion
Source: JPMorgan

40. Arkema

Ticker: EPA: AKE
Sector: Materials
Market cap:€6.94 billion

Source: JPMorgan

Tiffany Norris, 39, is the "Mummy Concierge." The London-based pregnancy and birthing guru started her career as a women's magazine journalist before becoming an event planner. She segued into her one-woman startup focusing on elite mothers five years ago while pregnant with her first child.  

"I describe myself as a PA for parenthood," she told Insider. "The ideal client for me is someone who comes to me the second that line on the pregnancy test turns blue right up until they have toddlers."

Her hourly rate is between £120 and £300 ($166 to $416), depending on the role she's playing. How many hours she works per client can vary wildly, from simply a few hours' counsel to in-person, onsite supervision. She has no set number of clients to which she caters at any one time. "It would only be the sense that I can't give 100% to all my clients that I would refuse to take on any more," she said.

Norris lives in London with her husband, who works in finance, and their two children, Rupert, who is three and a half, and 18-month-old Ophelia — she's expecting her third baby, another daughter, later this year.

Norris is also the author of the forthcoming book, "Secrets of the Mummy Concierge," which will be out in June.

The UK is currently under a COVID 19-related lockdown, which has turned many of Norris' activities virtual: Non-essential shopping trips, now outlawed under current British regulations, have become Zoom-based group chats. 

She shared how a typical day might have unfolded before the pandemic.

SEE ALSO: The 11 most prestigious preschools in Los Angeles and how to get in, according to an admissions consultant and school directors

With globe-trotting clientele, her day could start long before breakfast time.

As a mother with two toddlers of her own, Norris said she'd be up early anyway. However, her globe-spanning clientele means she's often needed to answer emails or take calls before dawn. 

"The service I offer means that I have to be available 24/7 — there are numerous nights of the week when I'm on the phone at 3 a.m. to someone in LA," Norris said. "That's part and parcel of the job. Wealthier parents are used to getting what they want at the click of their fingers, and that is the service I provide."  

Case in point: the morning she woke up to an email from a mother who was planning to leave for her luxury villa in Dubai, newborn in tow, and wanted Norris to fly out in advance and prep the home for their arrival — oh, and she had 48 hours to do it.

Each morning, she'll often go shopping with clients — with a little extra help.

If she isn't packing for the airport, Norris might be summoned for a shopping trip with an expectant mom, primed to reboot her closet for the next nine months. Often, a stylist will accompany them to consult on each purchase. 

"Moms don't want to wear frumpy maternity clothes, and they don't want to suddenly feel their old personality is gone," she said, noting it's often first-time moms who are most anxious.

The secret, per Norris: Avoid any label expressly for pregnant women, and instead stick with brands you'd regularly buy, albeit in larger sizes and with careful choices of silhouette. Sometimes, that stylist might also consult on styling for the baby, creating outfits in advance so that the new mom can dress her newborn, stress-free.

For moms on the cusp of giving birth, she'll be arranging some unexpected services.

While some clients may be prepping for pregnancy, others might be about to give birth — and need specific support for the event. 

"I've organized photoshoots literally seconds after someone has given birth: makeup artist, hair stylist for the mother, beautiful shots of her and her baby that she wants to put up on social media," she said. Norris has also helped several clients brainstorm a unique hashtag for the event so they can better track all posts related to the baby.

She occasionally fields requests that even seem outré to her — as when one family tasked her with helping to name their looming newborn. 

"The husband worked in branding, and felt like people had to stand out to be successful in life, so their child had to be the only one with their unique name," she said. Norris corralled a brain trust comprising a linguist, poet, and momfluencer to create and collate a long list of names, culled down to a shortlist of seven for the family. 

Their efforts proved moot. "When the baby was born, the family decided to go with a completely normal, British boys' name," she said. "It was hysterical."

Late morning, and it's time to meet another mom — this time, to help outfit her nursery.

Norris also assists with outfitting a nursery, often relying on stores close to her clients' homes in central London like Harvey Nichols and Harrods.  

However, she also has alternative options, open only to insiders like her. "The sector is quite secretive and closed," she said. "It's an in-the-know, secret parenting club." One example: the exclusive warehouse in London's tony Chelsea, where one-percenter moms can go for afternoon tea and road-test firsthand every brand of stroller or baby carrier.

See, too, the raft of invitation-only antenatal classes aimed expressly at the one percent. "They're for people, like celebrities, where the presumption is that everyone will be giving birth privately, have a maternity nurse, and a nanny or two at home," Norris said. Small and intimate, they require attendees to sign NDAs; waiting lists means it's vital to have someone like Norris recommend you for admittance and fast-track your approval.

Working lunches focus on finding out about new products and services on behalf of her clients.

Often, Norris finds herself meeting for lunch with PR reps for baby brands, keen to solicit feedback on products — for example, the Snoo smart sleeper, already a phenomenon stateside for wealthy parents, as it rolls out to other markets like hers. "They might give it to me to test it out and work out if I'm going to recommend it," she said.

Norris has categorically refused all paid endorsements, however lucrative, that she's been offered — it's vital her clients trust her advice is truly impartial, she explained.

She might also head to a hospital to help redecorate a room ready for a mother who's about to give birth.

In a private hospital wing, she could spend an hour or so readying the room for a client who's about to give birth: think Jo Malone fragrance diffusers, family photos, and high-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets. "A lot of mums have a fear of the hospital, especially the smells, and they want it to feel like a home from home," she said.

It's unlikely to be an emergency appointment, though, as almost all her clients can plan ahead for their births. Indeed, she estimated that 90% or so opt for a Cesarean, often because it's an easier way to schedule and plan for high-powered, high-net-worth women. 

"A lot of these moms think it's less invasive than giving birth naturally," Norris said. "They will also request steroid injections afterwards, which helps turn the scar into a little silvery line, so you can wear a bikini afterward."

She'll schedule coffee meetings most afternoons, usually to focus on recruitment, a core component of her business.

Moms particularly rely on Norris for her little black book of baby and maternity nurses. Since there's no formal certification for the role, word of mouth and references are the best benchmark. 

"It's about matchmaking the perfect maternity nurse to the perfect family: some want a grandma figure who can give them a hug when they're feeling down, but others who are used to staff want a nurse who'll be there when needed — and not, when they're not," she said.

Her clientele is eclectic, too — one same sex couple, two dads who live in Barbados, asked her to find a nurse that wasn't just a superb caregiver, but could offer a strong female influence to their baby.

The best maternity nurses are more in demand than an "it bag"— and have much longer waiting lists. "I speak to one, literally once a week, begging for her to work for clients of mine, but she is fully booked two or three years in advance," Norris said. "I had one say to me that she wouldn't get pregnant until she knew [that nurse] was available." The reason: her decades of experience and a past client list that includes countless celebrities — a vouchsafe for her expertise, Norris said.

Other coffee meetings could include a client's live-in chef to discuss the menu planned for weening an older baby or dropping in at the office of a cranial osteopath. It's a big trend, per Norris, to tap the latter right now. Their skills can purportedly help restless babies if that child had experienced a forcep-assisted delivery, which could have reshaped their soft skulls.

Even immediately after birth, Norris will be helping moms plan for the next 18 years.

From there, Tiffany could stop in at one of the new children's private members' clubs that have emerged in London — think Soho House in New York for the pacifier set. These include Purple Dragon and Cloud Twelve. 

"The idea is that, as a parent, you go upstairs to a spa, perhaps, while your child is having music lessons downstairs," she said. There are waiting lists for these clubs, of course — but Norris has connections to wrangle her clients' instant access.

She'll also consult with parents on a prospective school for their child soon after birth; in five years' time, all places will be taken. 

Top choice: the Knightsbridge School. "You go there both because it's a brilliant school and because you want to be seen going there," she said.

Even though she's juggling other families, she doesn't neglect her own kids.

Even as she spends her working day focused on other people's children, her own kids remain a priority.

Working from home, she'll always try to disconnect to handle supper, bath time, bedtime, and story time for Rupert and Ophelia. As a working mom, she has a nanny, like most of her clients. She describes her as "invaluable."

Once her son and daughter are asleep, she'll likely finish the day with a phone call or two.

"There is no stop button on what I do," Norris said. Indeed, it's in the evening that she often fields emotional, perhaps tearful, calls from clients looking for solace and advice rather than practical help from a dispassionate listening ear. "They're worried about being judged if they talk to their friends, and they trust me," she said.

Fears around giving birth and stress regarding sleepless newborns are commonest.

"It's one of the bits of my job I enjoy the most — at the end of every phone call, managing to make them feel better," Norris said. "Knowing that mum is going to sleep well that night is the nicest way of finishing the day."

San Francisco is well-known for being a tech hub. While some are fleeing the area because of the high cost of living, there are still plenty of companies hiring up in the Bay Area and Silicon Valley.

One job in demand: software engineers. 

Insider examined more than 10,000 visa applications from 2019 and 2020 published by the US Office of Foreign Labor Certification to understand how software engineers are paid in San Francisco and surrounding areas. The analysis includes salaries from Airbnb, Apple, Capital One, Postmates, and more. 

It's worth noting that the salary figures shown below represent only base salary, and exclude other compensation elements like benefits, bonuses, and incentives, which would typically be offered as part of a total rewards package. 

Let's dig into the compensation below. 

Apple has software engineering jobs open in both San Francisco proper and Cupertino

Apple's main office is in Cupertino, about 40 miles south of San Francisco, but they have jobs posted in San Francisco proper as well. According to visa applications, the firm hires software engineers at salaries between $145,000 and $225,400. 

Quite a few different types of software engineering positions are posted on Apple's careers site, including ones that focus on videos, gaming, and applications. See below for a list of jobs at both Apple's Cupertino office and its San Francisco office.

• Software Engineer, Videos
• Social Gaming Software Engineer
• SW Engineer, AMP, App Store
• SW Engineer, AMP, App Store
• Senior Software Engineer, People Applications
• Software Engineering Program Manager (EPM)

Airbnb has disclosed salaries for software engineers between $130,000 and $264,000

The San Francisco-headquartered home-rental firm Airbnb went public at the end of 2020 in a successful IPO, and the company continues to hire up. Currently, Airbnb has 152 positions open, many for software engineers. A few of the open positions are listed below, but a full listing can be found on the firm's jobs site. 

• Staff Software Engineer, Airbnb.org
• iOS Software Engineer, Airbnb.org
• Senior Software Engineer, Financial Intelligence
• Senior Software Engineer, Full Stack (Trust / Identity)
• Senior Software Engineer, Guest Store
• Senior Software Engineer, Homes Accuracy

According to visa applications for the firm, Airbnb has paid software engineers anywhere between $130,000 and $264,000. 

Software Engineer: $130,000 - $264,750

iOS Software Engineer: $190,000 - $215,000

Senior Software Engineer: $213,420

Software Engineer Android: $225,000

Cryptocurrency continues to surge in popularity, and Coinbase continues to hire software engineers to support their crypto exchange platform

Coinbase is a digital currency exchange founded in 2012. Since then, the popularity of cryptocurrency has surged, and the firm continues to build up its engineering team. Currently, the firm has openings for engineers specializing in machine learning, automation, and security for SF-based engineers. A few of the open positions are listed below: 

• Staff Software Engineer
• Staff Software Engineer, Machine Learning Platform
• Staff Software Engineer, Mobile Release & Automation
• Senior Infrastructure Security Software Engineer
• Senior Security Software Engineer, Technical Program Manager

In 2019 and 2020, the firm has applied for more than 30 visas for software engineers in San Francisco. Salaries ranged from around $100,000 to $200,000.

Software Engineer: $105,000 - $169,950

Backend Software Engineer - Risk & Fraud: $160,000

Software Engineer - Wallet (Backend): $200,000

Software Engineer, Backend: $140,000

Software Engineer, Consumer: $140,000

Senior Software Engineer: $170,000 - $200,000

Senior Software Engineer - Salesforce Platform: $165,000

Senior Software Engineer (Payments): $185,000

LinkedIn has opportunities for San Francisco-based software engineers who focus on messaging platforms, infrastructure, and sales platforms

As one of the best-known sites for finding a job, LinkedIn hosts a job search platform that is used by 740 million members worldwide. 

The firm currently has quite a few job opportunities for San Francisco-based software engineers, including for people who focus on messaging platforms, infrastructure, and sales platforms. A short list of opportunities is below, but LinkedIn's job board includes more openings.  

• Software Engineer - Data Applications
• Software Engineer – LinkedIn Learning Experience
• Software Engineer - Applications (Messaging Platform)
• Software Engineer - Developer Experience IDE Tools
• Software Engineer - Frontend (LSS)
• Staff Software Engineer -Systems and Infrastructure (UMP)
• Software Engineer - Sales Platform

In 2019 and 2020, the firm applied to hire software engineers at salaries from $100,000 to $313,000. 

Software Engineer: $100,000 - $168,000

Software Engineer, Machine Learning: $122,000 - $178,000

Senior Software Engineer: $123,000 - $219,000

Senior Software Engineer, Machine Learning: $144,040 - $223,000

Manager, Software Engineering: $187,910 - $253,000

Senior Manager, Software Engineering: $194,251 - $313,000

Postmates was recently acquired by Uber, but still has many opportunities for software engineers in the Golden Gate city.

Food delivery service Postmates was acquired by Uber in late 2020. In the two years prior to this purchase, the firm applied to hire more than 20 San Francisco-based software engineers. Salaries ranged from $136,000 to $220,000 according to the applications. More detail about salaries is listed below:

Associate Manager, Software Engineering: $166,000

Backend Software Engineer: $136,000

Senior Software Engineer: $180,200 - $205,000

Software Engineer: $155,000 - $180,000

Software Engineer II: $150,000 - $160,000

Software Engineer II: Backend (Buyer): $170,000

Software Engineer Infrastructure: $178,500

Software Engineer, Robotics- Motion Planning: $220,000

The firm currently has quite a few openings for software engineers, for people specializing in Android, robotics, camera perception systems, and more. Below are a few of the openings, but a complete list can be found on the firm's job site. 

• Software Engineer, Android
• Software Engineer, Backend
• Software Engineer, Robotics - Localization & Mapping (X)
• Sr. Software Engineer, Camera Perception System
• Senior Software Engineer, Data Infrastructure
• Software Engineer, Machine Learning

Capital One has 30 engineering positions open in their San Francisco office, many of them for software engineers

According to visa applications, the banking giant Capital One has hired foreign employees at salaries between $99,000 and $224,100. The company has more than 50 jobs posted in their San Francisco office, 30 of which are for engineering positions. A few are listed below: 

• Senior/Lead Software Engineer
• Senior Manager, Software Engineering
• Software Engineer, iOS
• Director, Software Engineering
• Machine Learning Software Engineer

Capital One has filed many visa applications for San Francisco-based software engineers, ranging from senior positions to lead positions to management positions. 

Software Engineer: $99,000 - $159,300

Senior Software Engineer: $106,600 - $168,800

Lead Software Engineer: $119,122 - $224,100

Master Software Engineer: $119,122 - $186,700

Senior Manager, Software Engineering: $142,500 - $224,100

Senior SoftwareEngineer: $106,600 - $186,700

Chegg is based in Santa Clara, which is about an hour outside of San Francisco. The firm has paid its software engineers over $100,000 according to 2019 and 2020 visas.

Chegg is an education tech firm based in Santa Clara, which is about an hour away from San Francisco. The firm, which started out selling affordable textbooks, has just two positions open for software engineers, both for higher-level positions. 

• Software Engineer II
• Senior Software Engineer - Fraud Engineering

According to visa applications, the firm has not applied to hire a software engineer for a salary below $100,000 — the lowest salary recorded was $120,000. More details on the positions' salaries are below:

Software Engineer: $120,000 - $130,000

Software Engineer, Platform: $130,000

Backend Software Engineer: $130,000

Software Engineer II: $120,000 

Senior Software Engineer: $121,077 - $156,000

Senior Software Engineer - Frontend: $144,040

In 2019 and 2020, Glassdoor applied for more than 20 foreign worker visas, recording salaries between $127,000 and $240,000

According to visa applications, Glassdoor has applied for more than 20 foreign worker visas in 2019 and 2020. The applications for San Francisco-based positions included positions with a focus on Java, search functions, and testing. Below are salaries from the visa applications: 

Software Engineer: $127,000 - $150,000  

Software Engineer, Search: $128,000

Senior Java Software Engineer: $147,500 - $192,000

Senior Software Engineer: $160,000 - $192,000

Senior Software Engineer In Test: $143,100

Senior Software Engineer, Search: $160,000 - $170,000 

Lead Software Engineer: $168,958 - $224,000

Lead Software Engineer In Test: $144,700

Director, Software Engineering: $240,000

The firm currently has positions open focusing on its mobile app and its notification platform. Open positions are listed below:  

• Senior Software Engineer, Mobile
• Lead Software Engineer, Notification Platform
• Senior Software Test Automation Engineer, Notification Platform (Remote)

Nextdoor serves thousands of neighborhoods across the world, and is hiring different types of software engineers to support their platform.

Nextdoor is a social media firm meant to bring neighborhoods together. According to Nextdoor, the platform is in 270,000 neighborhoods globally. In order to connect this many people, the firm employs a team of software engineers. 

According to visa applications, Nextdoor applied to hire 29 software engineers in the San Francisco area. A few positions and their respective salaries are listed below. 

Full Stack Software Engineer - Sponsored Posts: $119,122 - $180,000

Software Engineer: $119,122 - $200,000

Software Engineer - Android: $119,122 - $180,000

Software Engineer - Backend: $118,456 - $210,000

Software Engineer - Data Platform: $137,259 - $195,000

Software Engineer - Developer Tools: $117,770 - $190,000

Currently, the firm has many openings for software engineers, including for people with specialties in Android, development operations, front end, and more. Relevant job postings are listed below, but visit Nextdoor's website for a full listing. 

• Software Engineer - Android
• Software Engineer - Backend
• Software Engineer - Build & Release
• Software Engineer - DevOps
• Software Engineer - Frontend
• Software Engineer - Full Stack

The year has already got off to a winning start, with many key developments in the new space race.

The most notable is the impressive — and terrifying — landing of NASA's Perseverance Rover on Mars. It successfully touched down on the red planet on Thursday afternoon (EST) in a deep crater called Jezero.

The result was deeply satisfying for those who have been tracking the progress of the rover, which had been travelling to its destination for nearly seven months.

In other recent developments, the UAE space agency released the first photo of Mars taken by its Hope Probe, while China's Tianwen-1 mission successfully manoeuvred into orbit around Mars earlier this month. 

Meanwhile, Spanish startup Zero 2 Infinity has big plans to send humans into space in giant helium balloons for a cost of $132,000.

The comparatively cheaper price may lure some prospective travellers away from SpaceX's Mars mission, which aims to send humans to the planet by 2026. Some experts have called into question whether this will really happen, however. 

SpaceX has also been busy launching many more satellites. It recently sent 60 into orbit but the Falcon 9 rocket's booster did not successfully complete its landing on February 16. 

Finally, space fans can expect Jeff Bezos' company Blue Origin to start commanding more attention. When the Amazon CEO announced he was stepping down from the role later this year, he said he planned to dedicate more time to the company.

Blue Origin's website states: "We're committed to building a road to space so our children can build the future." 

The Mars Rover's first color photo

The UAE Space Agency is also making Mars a priority

Zero 2 Infinity ...and beyond

SpaceX's Starlink launches

Blue Origin's bold vision

China's Tianwen-1 mission

Canada's securities regulator last week approved the world's first bitcoin exchange-traded fund, according to Reuters.

Developed by Purpose Investments Inc, a Toronto-based asset management firm, the ETF will enable investors to invest directly in physically settled bitcoin rather than derivatives, Reuters quoted the company as saying.

Bitcoin's price is soaring and hitting record highs above the $50,000 mark.

Over this time period, more and more institutional investors are getting involved, ranging from Elon Musk to BlackRock to MicroStrategy and Ruffer Investments. 

Several investment banks, such as Bank of New York Mellon and Morgan Stanley, also look set to be launching custodial and trading services for digital assets.

Investors have been able to trade bitcoin futures on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, as well as closed-end investment funds on the Toronto stock exchange.

In the US, accredited investors are also able to access closed-end funds, such as the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust and the Bitwise bitcoin fund.

However, compared to a closed-end fund, a bitcoin ETF could provide additional advantages, such as convenience as investors are not responsible for the protection and custody of the assets as well as democratization as retail investors can easily access the product.

In the US, the Securities and Exchange Commission have been reviewing applications for bitcoin ETFs since 2013. But have rejected all applications thus far.

However, some experts believe 2021 could be the year this could change especially following Canada's approval and institutional investor interest.

Insider breaks down the 5 key things to know on the current status and outlook for a US bitcoin ETF:

1. Changes at the Securities and Exchange Commission

US President Joe Biden's nominee for the head of the SEC is Gary Gensler, who is the former head of the commodity futures trading commission and previously taught a class on blockchain and cryptocurrencies at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Gensler's previous role at MIT suggests he might look more favorably at the development of an ETF, as well as at regulation that will help the crypto market mature.

In an interview with Yahoo Finance, bitcoin bull and CEO of Galaxy Digital, Michael Novogratz said, "Gary taught a class on blockchain at MIT and on crypto. He understands it cold. He's progressive, right? And progressives broadly are going to go after ... the rent takers. Crypto is not a rent taker... Crypto is trying to disrupt the rent takers."

Despite the many proposal rejections over the year, cryptocurrency and digital asset advocates have started to emerge within the SEC. In 2018, SEC commissioner Hester Peirce wrote a strong dissent on the SEC's rejection of a bitcoin exchange-traded product.

"If we were to approve the ETP at issue here, investors could choose whether to buy it, or avoid it,"Peirce said in the dissent. "The Commission's action today deprives investors of this choice. I reject the role of gatekeeper of innovation—a role very different from (and, indeed, inconsistent with) our mission of protecting investors, fostering capital formation, and facilitating fair, orderly, and efficient markets. Accordingly, I dissent."

Peirce reiterated this view in a December 10 podcast with CoinDesk and called for clearer cryptocurrency regulations on February 13.

"People are looking for other ways to get into this asset class through our regulated markets, and why not just acknowledge that and allow that to happen in the ways that people are more used to accessing assets?" Peirce told the podcast.

The combination of Gensler and Peirce could be a positive for bitcoin and the approval of an ETF.

In a February 9, Anthony Pompliano's podcast, together with James Seyffart and Eric Balchunas, ETF analysts at Bloomberg Intelligence, explored the outlook for a bitcoin ETF.

Balchunas said the initial bitcoin ETF proposals coincided with the SEC taking a more conservative approach.

"I think the application for the bitcoin ETF came at a bad time, I think the SEC was pulling back," Balchunas said. "It was liberal 15 years ago and now it's become a little more conservative, but there is some new blood coming in now that might change the situation."

2. VanEck submitted a new bitcoin ETF proposal at the end of December

Investment firm VanEck, known for ETFs and mutual funds, submitted another ETF proposal to the SEC on December 30, 2020. Regulators have continually rejected VanEck's ETF proposals. 

On CNBC, the CEO of VanEck, Jan van Eck said they filed based on a "couple of rays of hope", including the SEC's guidance on cryptocurrency custody, as well as regulatory developments in Canada.

Unless withdrawn by VanEck, this new proposal should help give insight into SEC's outlook on the bitcoin ETF amid increased interest and under new leadership.

However, Cointelegraph reports the current proposal is facing a lawsuit from SolidX for plagiarism.

3. Eight firms have had proposals nixed since 2013. Here's why they are getting rejected.

In the United States, eight firms have tried, without success, since 2013 to create a bitcoin ETF, Todd Rosenbluth, director of ETF and mutual fund research at New York based CFRA, told Reuters.

The companies that have submitted proposals are:

• The Winklevoss bitcoin trust ETF
• NYSE Arca
• Grayscale Investments
• Bitwise
• Proshares
• GraniteShares
• Direxion
• VanEck

The first ETF proposal was from Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss in 2013. In the years following, the twins submitted several ETF applications, all of which have been rejected.  The Winklevoss's cryptocurrency firm Gemini was a sub-custodian in the approved Canadian ETF.

The years of 2017 and 2018 brought the majority of applications as highlighted in Cointelegraph's brief history of the SEC's reviews of bitcoin ETF proposals.

In the podcast with Pompliano, Seyffart said rejections have been down to three things:

• Not enough oversight in the underlying market from regulators to understand, if anything goes wrong, what happened.
• Cryptocurrency prices, which are needed to set ETF share prices, at underlying exchanges are prone to manipulation.
• Fake volume in the market could affect the true market value of bitcoin.

4. Many industry experts believe an bitcoin ETF will likely be approved in 2021/2022

Despite the rejections, ETF experts and bitcoin bulls think either 2021, or 2022, could be the year for ETF approval.

"My guess is we get an ETF this year," said Michael Novogratz on Yahoo Finance. "Right now, the next-best thing is the Grayscale Trust."

Dave Nadig, Chief Investment Officer and director of research of ETF Trends, said institutional interest will likely drive the approval.

"I think that that is really going to force the SEC's hand," said Nadig, on CNBC. "When we have companies like Tesla making bitcoin a major balance-sheet asset and we have companies for whom that is their whole balance-sheet asset trading on the pink sheets, I think it's going to get hard for them to say no for very much longer."

On the Pompliano podcast, Seyffart said recent changes within the SEC would likely be a positive for approval.

"Gary Gensler is a new SEC Chairman coming in, I think, ultimately, we will start getting some of these crypto index products approved on the traditional exchanges that we're talking about, but it's going to be a bitcoin ETF first, and that's going to have to operate smoothly without hiccups for any for a certain period of time before they start allowing other other cryptos to trade on the exchange,"  Seyffart said

And Rosenbluth also shares this optimistic view, though he cautions it might not be this year.

"As the infrastructure around [bitcoin] grows, we expect an ETF to come to market eventually, but it is unclear when and we are skeptical it will be in 2021," said Rosenbluth on MarketWatch.

5. The growth of Grayscale Bitcoin Trust presents challenges

One caveat in the development of the bitcoin ETF could be the growth of the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC), which is available to institutional investors and currently has around $31 billion in assets under management.

"We just did the math [if GBTC] were an ETF would be in the top 1% in volume, assets and flows," said Balchunas, on the podcast. "This isn't even trading on any exchange and people are finding it, some people think it's an ETF and we just think that at this point, it's become like a big reason that the SEC should consider an ETF in, sooner rather than later."

In the trust, accredited investors create shares at the net asset value and then have a lock-up period usually ranging from six to 12 months. Those created shares can then be traded on the over-the-counter market. The issue can be that the shares on the OTC market can be very different from the underlying value of the holdings, this is called the premium.

"For example, the Ethereum trust was trading over 200%," said Seyffart in the podcast. "In December, it's now trading at 3%. So you're seeing these massive swings in the price of these actual trusts that are not in line with the way you have Ethereum"

This creates problems for retail investors, as they might not understand the risks, enter the market and not get a fair price. Some institutional investors are investing in the trusts to take advantage of the premium.

This strategy now creates near-term challenges for bitcoin if an ETF is approved, highlighted in a January 8 note from Nikolaos Panigirtzoglou, a JPMorgan global markets strategy analyst.

"While the introduction of a bitcoin ETF in the US would be positive for bitcoin over the longer term, in the near term it could have a negative impact." Panigirtzoglou said.

JPMorgan analysts believe some institutional investors subscribed to GBTC at net asset value during the second half of last year with the intention to sell after six months to monetize the premium. They believe  the GBTC premium monetization trade could account for around 15% of outstanding GBTC stock. 

As the six month unlock period expires, some of these institutional investors might sell GBTC during the first half of 2021 to monetize the premium. If it materializes, this selling pressure would put downward pressure on GBTC premia, Panigirtzoglou said. 

"This unwinding of the GBTC premium monetization trade could become more violent if a bitcoin ETF is approved in the US," Panigirtzoglou said. "The introduction of a bitcoin ETF would erode GBTC's effective monopoly status and cause a cascade of GBTC outflows and a collapse of its premium. ETFs allow for daily creation and redemption of shares and thus a more efficient arbitrage of the premium to NAV. A cascade of GBTC outflows and a collapse of its premium would likely have negative near-term implications for bitcoin given the flow and signaling importance of GBTC."

Balchunas, on the podcast, agreed that if an ETF was approved, then people would probably exit the fund and anyone not aware of what's happening would definitely lose money "GameStop style".

This creates a conundrum for the SEC, Balchunas said, if the SEC approves another firm first, then there could be a run of people exiting the fund to goto the ETF. But if they enable GBTC to convert to an ETF, then now GBTC now has an advantage with all those assets.

"If [the SEC] allowed redemptions that would likely limit some of the discount potential that could happen if an ETF is approved," said Seyffart, on the podcast. "Maybe they don't allow [GBTC] to convert immediately. But they allow redemptions that could possibly help the situation."

While investors have piled into small-company stocks at a furious pace over the last couple of months, in some ways they're surprisingly hesitant.

Historically, those smaller stocks have tended to do better than larger ones as the economy comes out of recession and a new bull market begins. That's been the case lately, but Bank of America strategist Jill Carey Hall says valuations show that many investors are taking an overly cautious approach.

"Small cap cyclical sectors do not appear to be pricing in the recovery, trading at/near record discounts to defensive sectors," wrote Carey Hall, an equity and quantitative strategist. "With our economists' forecast for 6% US GDP growth (strongest since 1984), we see smaller stocks as a better way to invest in the economic rebound than larger stocks."

Carey Hall says the economy has moved from the early stages of a recovery into the middle stages of the cycle. That's still a period where small cap, risk, and value factors should work well. And confirming that thesis, she says risk factors were the best way to outperform in January.

She adds that today, there's also reason to believe smaller and less-expensive stocks are underappreciated.

"Low Price has tended to outperform in small caps for ~16 mos. (and by ~50ppt) following market troughs (vs. outperformance for less than a year/~30ppt today, suggesting potential for further upside)," Carey Hall wrote.

With those ideas in focus, Carey Hall names these companies as top picks. They're all "Buy" rated and rank in the top 20% of the Russell 2000 based on their sensitivity to US GDP. They are also among the cheapest 40% of Russell 2000 stocks based on their valuations as measured by either price-to-book ratio, forward price-to-earnings ratio, or enterprise-value-to-sales ratio.

Those stocks are ranked from lowest to highest based on how much further they have to rise to meet Bank of America's 12-month price targets. Those figures were calculated based on Friday's closing prices as a way of showing how much upside the stocks could have.

SEE ALSO: GOLDMAN SACHS: These 40 heavily shorted stocks could be the next GameStop if retail traders target them — and the group has already nearly doubled over the past 3 months

14. ArcBest

Ticker: ARCB

Sector: Industrials

Market cap: $1.4 billion

Forward price to earnings: 14.7

GDP beta: 3.2

Price target: $53

Upside to target: -5.2%

Source: Bank of America

13. UMB Financial

Ticker: UMBF

Sector: Financials

Market cap: $3.8 billion

Forward price to earnings: 14.2

GDP beta: 0.1

Price target: $84

Upside to target: 3.8%

Source: Bank of America

12. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store

Ticker: CBRL

Sector: Consumer discretionary

Market cap: $3.5 billion

Forward price to earnings: 28.7

GDP beta: 1.7

Price target: $160

Upside to target: 4.3%

Source: Bank of America

11. Retail Opportunity Investments

Ticker: ROIC

Sector: Real estate

Market cap: $1.9 billion

Forward price to earnings: 13.7

GDP beta: 0.1

Price target: $17.50

Upside to target: 11.2%

Source: Bank of America

10. Helix Energy Solutions Group

Ticker: HLX

Sector: Energy

Market cap: $748 million

Forward price to earnings: 206.0

GDP beta: 0.1

Price target: $5.50

Upside to target: 12.0%

Source: Bank of America

9. Patterson

Ticker: PDCO

Sector: Healthcare

Market cap: $3.0 billion

Forward price to earnings: 16.1

GDP beta: 0.2

Price target: $36

Upside to target: 13.8%

Source: Bank of America

8. Louisiana-Pacific

Ticker: LPX

Sector: Materials

Market cap: $5.0 billion

Forward price to earnings: 9.5

GDP beta: 0.1

Price target: $54

Upside to target: 14.2%

Source: Bank of America

7. Urban Outfitters

Ticker: URBN

Sector: Consumer discretionary

Market cap: $3.0 billion

Forward price to earnings: N/A

GDP beta: 1.1

Price target: $36

Upside to target: 18.7%

Source: Bank of America

6. Hibbett Sports

Ticker: HIBB

Sector: Consumer discretionary

Market cap: $1.0 billion

Forward price to earnings: 9.7

GDP beta: 0.8

Price target: $78

Upside to target: 20.0%

Source: Bank of America

5. Tenet Healthcare

Ticker: THC

Sector: Healthcare

Market cap: $5.3 billion

Forward price to earnings: 10.9

GDP beta: 0.5

Price target: $64

Upside to target: 25.6%

Source: Bank of America

4. Group 1 Automotive

Ticker: GPI

Sector: Consumer discretionary

Market cap: $2.7 billion

Forward price to earnings: 7.6

GDP beta: 1.2

Price target: $187

Upside to target: 25.7%

Source: Bank of America

3. Greif

Ticker: GEF

Sector: Materials

Market cap: $2.8 billion

Forward price to earnings: 22.6

GDP beta: 0.2

Price target: $64

Upside to target: 33.4%

Source: Bank of America

2. Owens & Minor

Ticker: OMI

Sector: Healthcare

Market cap: $2.0 billion

Forward price to earnings: 15.0

GDP beta: 0.1

Price target: $37

Upside to target: 41.7%

Source: Bank of America

1. Rush Enterprises

Ticker: RUSHA

Sector: Industrials

Market cap: $2.2 billion

Forward price to earnings: 22.6

GDP beta: 0.2

Price target: $61

Upside to target: 48.1%

Source: Bank of America

As New York representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez volunteered at the Houston Food Bank on Saturday, her fundraising effort for Texans suffering after a severe winter storm climbed to $4 million. 

On Friday, Ocasio-Cortez had said the fundraiser reached $2 million, up from $1 million the day before. 

Late Saturday, she said it doubled again. "We just hit $4 million!" she wrote on Twitter. 

Ocasio-Cortez on Saturday joined Reps. Sheila Jackson Lee, Sylvia Garcia, and Al Green in Houston. 

A winter storm last week hit the southern US, leaving millions without power.

Texas, which has its own electrical grid, was among the hardest-hit states. Storm-related damages could near $50 billion in Texas, according to an estimate provided by AccuWeather CEO Joel Myers. 

About 2.7 million households in Texas lost power during the storm, according to The Texas Tribune. On Saturday, about 60,000 still were without power, NBC News reported. 

The Houston Food Bank was working to put together about 30,000 boxes of food in two days, Ocasio-Cortez said on Saturday. 

Jackson Lee, Ocasio-Cortez, and Garcia spoke with the media at Houston Food Bank.

The congresswomen greeted volunteers as they entered the food bank.

They gave elbow bumps to the other food bank volunteers.

Penny Morales Shaw, a Texas state rep., joined the congresswomen at their work station.

The congresswomen were joined by Rep. Al Green as they toured homes affected by the electrical outages in Houston.

The lawmakers surveyed damage from the winter storm.

On Twitter, Garcia urged Texans to volunteer if they're able to. 

"I got to work today alongside my amiga and fellow Latina @RepAOC doing what we can to help our neighbors," she said. 

The White House on Saturday announced President Joe Biden had declared a major disaster in the state of Texas.