You May Not Be Responsible for These Debts

Americans have a lot of debt—more than six figures' worth on average, which is kind of a mind-blowing number. It’s difficult to get through life without incurring at least some debt—buying a house without a mortgage is a challenge for most people, and a lot of folks find themselves relying on credit cards now and then just to get by. And debt causes us a lot of stress and anxiety, which is why our first reaction when we’re contacted about a new debt is often panic.

But before you assume you’re on the hook for a debt, it’s usually worth it to take a breath and dig into whether you’re actually responsible. Just because a debt collector or business contacts you about a debt doesn’t mean you’re legally responsible for it—but if they can get you to pay it anyway, that’s great for them. If you’re being asked to step up for a debt that you either didn’t personally incur or believe you paid off, here’s what you need to know.

These are not your debts

First, broadly speaking, you’re probably not responsible for someone else’s debts, even if it seems to make sense:

• Deceased relatives. If the debt belonged to a deceased parent or other relative, you’re probably not responsible for it—unless you co-signed a loan with them, held an account jointly with them, or you were the executor of their estate and paid yourself an inheritance without settling the debt. Debts left behind have to be paid from the estate, not from a relative or child’s pocket—it’s actually illegal for them to try to get relatives to pay the debt.

• Spouses. How debts are handled in the event of a spouse’s death or divorce depends on whether you live in a Community Property State (Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington, and Wisconsin) or a Common Law Property State (everywhere else). In Community Property states, the marriage (i.e., the community) shares most debts incurred during the marriage—even if only one spouse was involved. In Common Law states, however, you’re usually only responsible for your own debts even while married, so only joint debts (like a credit card with both your names on it) or debts that benefit the marriage are shared.

• Non-relatives. Again, unless you co-signed something or entered into some other contractual agreement to share a debt with someone, you can’t be held responsible for someone else’s debts.

How to tell if you need to pay a debt

When it comes to debts that someone claims you owe personally but you’re not sure—whether you think you’ve already paid it off or because you can’t be sure you actually incurred the debt—you can take a few steps to figure out if you actually have to pay it:

• Check the date. In most states, there’s a statute of limitations on debt of about six years. At that point, you still technically owe the debt, but you have no legal obligation to pay it (it can still show up on your credit reports, however).

• Demand information. If you’re not sure if the debt’s really yours, contact the collection agency or business and request more information—including the name of the creditor (and the name of the original creditor, if the debt has been sold), the amount owed, and the date the debt was created.

• Dispute. If you don’t think the debt’s really yours, submit a dispute to the business or collection agency in writing within 30 days of receiving that information (what’s known as a “validation notice”). Provide proof of payment if you have already paid the debt, and bone up on what collection agencies can and can’t do in pursuit of a debt.

• Research. If you have trouble getting information from the collection agency or the original creditor, you can research your own debt history by pulling your credit reports, checking old records (like bank and credit card statements—you can contact your bank and credit card company to request old statements), and old correspondence like email. If you can’t verify the debt on your end, file a dispute.

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This Amazon Kids' Fire Tablet Is Half Off Right Now

If you’re in the market for a kid-friendly tablet, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro (2024) is worth a look—especially at its current price of $69.99, half off the usual $139.99. Designed for kids aged six to twelve, this tablet comes with a protective case (available in fun styles like Hello Teal, Discovery, and Jungle Cat) that'll likely survive a few drops or more. Plus, if you’re expecting some rough handling, a two-year warranty covers pretty much any mishaps. You also get six months of Amazon Kids+ for free, giving kids ad-free access to a huge selection of age-appropriate content. After that, though, it’s $5.99 per month if you’re a Prime member (or $7.99 if you're not), so there’s that recurring cost to consider.

New Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Pro tablet, ages 6-12 | 3GB memory, 8" HD screen, slim case for older kids, ad-free content, parental controls, 13-hr battery, 32GB, Hello Teal, (2024 release)

$69.99 at Amazon

$139.99 Save $70.00

$69.99 at Amazon

$139.99 Save $70.00

The tablet has 3GB of RAM, which generally keeps things moving without major hiccups. Still, you might notice some lag now and then, especially when it’s waking up, which may try the patience of eager little fingers. Additionally, according to this PCMag review, intense gaming apps with 3D graphics tend to lag too, so for a 12-year-old, this tablet might not cut it. The cameras—a 5MP on the back and 2MP on the front—aren’t exactly Instagram-worthy either. Photos tend to look a little washed out, especially in low light, but video chatting works well enough.

Parents, you’ll probably love the control features like setting daily screen limits, managing in-app purchases, and adjusting content based on age, making it easy to keep things kid-friendly. There’s also an option to lock the tablet during specific hours, which is handy for homework time or bedtime. And if you’ve got more than one kid, it supports up to four profiles, so each child can have their own setup. Battery life is decent too, giving over nine hours of streaming.

If you have an older kid who’s likely to want more power or sharper graphics, you might want to consider the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro instead—it’s $109.99 right now (down from $189.99), but that extra boost in speed and screen quality could make a difference for a kid who’s outgrowing simpler tablets.

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The Best Places to Install Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Carbon monoxide can be more of a risk during the winter; doors and windows tend to remain closed, and there can be periods where there isn’t as much air circulation as there is during warmer months. Also, furnaces, stoves, water heaters, wood-burning stoves, and fireplaces all tend to get used more during the winter, so the risk of carbon monoxide build-up indoors is heightened. Since carbon monoxide has no odor or color, you can succumb to CO poisoning without realizing it’s happening, which is why detectors are so important.

Where to place your CO detectors

At a minimum, you should install a battery-operated or battery back-up CO detector at every level of your home, just as you would a smoke detector. The CDC recommends placing one carbon monoxide detector in each sleeping area of your home because it’s less likely that you will notice the effects of CO poisoning while asleep. A CO detector should be placed within 20 feet of every fuel-burning appliance in your home as well, as these are the source of carbon monoxide leaks. Make sure that carbon monoxide detectors are unobstructed, and installed per the manufacturer's instructions, so that they can work correctly.

Where not to place your CO detectors

Because all wood, gas, or oil-burning appliances will produce some carbon monoxide, it’s not a good idea to place a standard CO alarm on a chimney or directly above a stove or fireplace. However, putting a detector five to 20 feet from your fuel-burning appliance will allow you to assess whether your chimney or ventilation system is working to evacuate excess CO from inside your home. Another place to avoid putting a CO detector is in a closet or other enclosed area—a blocked CO detector might not read ambient CO in the environment.

What kind of detector should you use?

You should always choose a carbon monoxide alarm from a trusted brand with an Underwriter Laboratories (UL) or Intertek (ETL) label. A carbon monoxide detector with a digital readout can give you a reading of the CO level in your house along with an alarm to alert you when it gets too high. This can help you when you need to treat someone for CO exposure as well as help assess the cause of your CO emergency. A CO alarm with a digital readout will also tell you when it’s time for it to be replaced by signaling “end” on the display.

How often should you change the batteries in CO alarms?

You should change the batteries in your carbon monoxide alarm every six months. To remember to do it on time, change batteries in all your detectors, including smoke and CO detectors, when you reset your clocks for daylight saving time. If you live in a state that doesn’t participate in daylight saving time, you’ll have to set a reminder on your calendar.

How often do CO detectors need to be replaced?

You should replace your carbon monoxide alarm every five years, or sooner if the manufacturer recommends it. This is because if your CO alarm wears out, it won’t be effective at alerting you to potential danger. Similarly to smoke alarms, CO alarms should be updated to meet current safety standards every few years. If you have a model that doesn’t come with a display to tell you when to replace it, set yourself a reminder to make sure you remember to swap it out.

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The Ray-Ban Meta Glasses Work Great and Don't Look Dorky

If this was 1987, I’d create a syndicated adventure show around a pair of Ray-Ban Meta Glasses. Here’s my pitch for CodeName: SPEX: “Sgt. Steve Johnson, accused of a crime he did not commit, liberates a pair of super-intelligent Wayfarers from a secret government lab. Steve and SPEX (Surveillance, Proximity, Enhancement, eXtraction) roam the country using SPEX’s powers to solve mysteries, all while keeping one step ahead of the agents pursuing them.”

All this to say that Meta’s smart glasses are 1980s-syndicated-TV-show, living-in-the-future kind of cool. Not just cool for their impressive technology, but cool because they’re actually useful; maybe not for outsmarting government agents, but for solving everyday mysteries, like “where did I park my car?”

A quick look at Ray-Ban Meta Glasses

Pros

• Stylish design

• Useful AI

• Easy operation

Cons

• No display screen

• AI limitations

Specs

• Price: $329 and up

• Weight: 49 grams

• Still camera: 12 MP, 3024x4032

• Video: 1080p

• iPhone requirements: iPhone 11 or newer, running iOS 14.4 and up

• Android requirements: Google Pixel 5 and newer, or Galaxy S20 and newer, running Android 10 and up

What even are Ray-Ban Meta Glasses?

For the three people who haven’t seen Meta’s ubiquitous advertising campaign: Ray-Ban Meta Glasses are sunglasses/eyeglasses with a built-in camera, speakers, and AI that can be controlled with your voice and simple gestures. They do not have a display screen, though, so you’ll need to look elsewhere if that’s your bag. Meta is working on true AR smart glasses with a built-in display (Orion), but that's likely far off.

Design: Wayfarers are perpetually cool

Credit: Stephen Johnson

The design of the Ray-Ban Meta glasses may prove to be the “killer feature” that elevates them above the competition. With glasses, looks are important—you’re wearing them on your face, after all—and unlike the infamous Google Glasses of years ago or other brands of smart glasses on the market, Ray-Ban Meta Glasses are stylish enough that I’d wear them if they didn’t have built-in technology. They come in three time-tested Ray-Ban frame shapes—Skyler, Wayfarer, and Headliner—and offer multiple colors and lens combinations, including the option of prescription lenses. Ray-Ban Metas weigh 49 grams (10 more than my regular specs) and the built-in camera is unobtrusive, so you can wear them all day and not look like a dork (until you say “Hey Meta, what’s the score of the Eagles game?” to yourself on a crowded bus.)

Technology: Say hello to your little AI friend

There has been a lot of talk in techie circles lately about the possibilities of wearable AI assistants like Humane’s AI Pin or the Rabbit R1, but early reviews have not been positive about either. The idea of replacing your phone with a phone-sized gadget (but only for some tasks, so you still need to carry your phone) just isn’t appealing to most. But cramming AI into your eyeglasses means there’s no extra gadget to take up pocket space, and, because it’s voice activated, it can be operated hands-free. 

The set-up and pairing with the companion app, Meta View, was uneventful. A lot of thought seems to have gone into making the user experience as easy as possible. After a brief tutorial, you’re on your own, but if you forget the gesture controls or something, you can ask your glasses to explain them to you again.

What Ray-Ban Meta’s AI can do

In basic terms, Ray-Ban Meta’s AI assistant can see what you’re seeing, translate text, and answer questions. If you’re looking at a cool flower, you can say, “Hey, Meta, what kind of flower is that?” Or you can ask, “Hey, Meta, what am I looking at?” And it will describe your view with scary accuracy. 

Meta’s AI can translate signs and other text into multiple languages, tell you what the breakfast hours are of the McDonald’s you’re looking at, tell you whether it gets good reviews, and give you a suggestion for what to order. (Meta recommends the Egg McMuffin.) You can ask it general questions too, like “When does the new season of Severance premiere?” or “What’s the address of Circus Liquor in North Hollywood?” It can even tell jokes—not funny jokes necessarily, but things that are technically jokes. 

You can use it to remember things for you, too. Tell it “remember that I have a doctor’s appointment on the 12th” or “remember that my car is parked in the orange section in space 435,” then later have it recall the information. 

What Ray-Ban Meta’s AI can’t do

As cool as it would be to say, “Hey, Meta, book me a room at the MGM Grand Hotel for this Saturday,” it’s not there yet. Complex tasks that would involve potentially using other apps on your phone aren’t possible. It also can’t give you turn-based-directions, identify the song you’re listening to, or remember the name of the person you’re looking at. Also: It only responds to “hey Meta,” not “Hey SPEX” as I’d prefer.

Ray-Ban Meta picture and video quality

Credit: Stephen Johnson

For influencers and other perpetually-online folks, the Ray-Ban Meta’s main selling point is likely its ability to capture images and video, then instantly upload them to Instagram or Facebook with a word. You can also livestream, but only to Instagram and Facebook. A click of the button on the glasses arm, or saying “Hey, Meta, take a picture,” will take a snapshot of what you’re looking at, so you can capture a still or a video while you're riding a bike or driving.

The resolution of the Ray-Ban’s photos doesn’t equal a modern smartphone, but a 12 MP camera that takes 3024x4032 still images and 1080p video isn’t potato-quality, either. It does a fairly nice job with lower light situations, too. Speaking of the video: I was impressed with the Meta-Ray Ban’s image stabilization and the wide field of view, but bummed that it only shoots in one, vertical aspect ratio: perfect for TikTok but bad for a feature film. Check it out yourself:

Because there’s no viewfinder, it’s difficult to frame shots, so it’s best used for casual, on-the-fly images instead of careful compositions, and you’ll probably need to crop everything later for best results. Here's a straight-from-the-glasses photo, taken in a lower-light hallway, to give you an idea of the image quality:

Credit: Stephen Johnson

Ray-Ban Meta glasses as a communication tool

Conversations with your eyeglasses are cool and all, but if you want to interact with other humans, you can use Ray-Bans to send texts, make and answer voice calls, and make video calls. You can switch between your glasses-camera and your phone's camera in a video call on WhatsApp and Messenger, so if you need to show someone something, your pal can see the world through your eyes. (It won't work on FaceTime or other non-Meta platforms.) Kind of creepy, but kind of cool. This all worked exactly as expected, with little hassle—all I really want out of tech gadgets.

Using your Ray-Ban Meta glasses to play music

Along with taking snapshots and telling jokes, the Ray-Ban Meta glasses pair directly with Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and Calm through a connected device, and can be used as a Bluetooth speaker to play whatever you like. With a command of “play music” you can start the tunes, and then skip ahead with a tap on the glasses or a “skip song” command. The volume can be controlled the same way. 

Like the video quality, the audio is fine, but not near the level of a decent set of headphones or earbuds. The highs and mids are clear; the bass is weak, but it’s adequate overall.

Battery life

The glasses boast a battery life of “up to four hours,” but this varies based on usage. While it might seem short, especially if this is your everyday wear, the Ray-Ban Meta case contains additional battery power, allowing for eight more charges on the go. 

The bottom line: You can have my Ray-Ban Metas when you pry them from my cold, dead fingers

Any discussion of what something is worth is subjective, but $329 for the base Wayfarer model is less than I paid for my last set of frames, and they don’t ever answer me when I talk to them. For comparison, the cost of the cheapest Humane AI pin is $499 and requires a monthly subscription, while the Rabbit R1 runs $199. 

With their retro design, practical AI capabilities, and hands-free operation, Ray-Ban Metas are the kind of glasses Q would have given to James Bond. While there are limitations, like the lack of a display and some complex task constraints, overall, Ray-Ban Meta glasses are an “I didn’t know I always needed this” gadget that makes many things I do anyway, like taking pictures and sending texts, easier and cooler. 

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You Can Get Microsoft 365 on Sale for $50 Right Now

You can get a 1-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Personal, including 1TB OneDrive storage, on sale for $49.99 right now (reg. $69.99) for a limited time. This subscription includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more available on multiple devices. You can download each app on Windows or Mac machines, and compatible apps are also available for mobile devices. The subscription comes with 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage. It also includes Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Editor, and Clipchamp video editor, and can be used on up to five devices at the same time.

You can get a 1-year subscription to Microsoft 365 Personal on sale for $49.99 right now (reg. $69.99) for a limited time, and prices can change at any time.

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AirBuddy Is the Ultimate AirPods Companion for Your Mac

AirPods have simplified the way you connect to headphones, but there's some room for improvement in how they work on Mac. Whenever I connect my AirPods to my MacBook, I still have to press the Bluetooth button in the menu bar and select my AirPods, despite how easily they can connect to an Apple TV or iPhone. It's also hard to quickly check the battery level of my AirPods or their case. Installing AirBuddy ($13) made all of these complaints a thing of the past. The app lets you connect to AirPods quickly, reliably shows their battery level, and even lets you set up keyboard shortcuts to switch listening modes, mute or unmute, and more. Plus, it's not limited to working with AirPods.

Setting up AirBuddy

Credit: Pranay Parab

Once you've installed AirBuddy, you'll need to take a few minutes to go through setup. The app will ask for Bluetooth permissions, which it needs to see your AirPods and other Bluetooth accessories. Once granted, the app will quietly settle into your Mac's menu bar. Click the menu bar icon and select the gear icon to open AirBuddy's settings.

In the General tab, you can select what happens when you click AirBuddy's menu bar icon. You can either make it show a list of available Bluetooth devices or just immediately connect to your favorite headset. You can also enable the Increase font size option here—I think the default size for battery percentage stats is a bit too small. 

Credit: Pranay Parab

Next, go to the Proximity settings page and select Enable Status Window. This is among AirBuddy's best features—it shows a small floating window whenever you open your AirPods' case near your Mac, with the battery percentages of the case and each individual AirPod listed, plus an option to connect them to your device. You can select the size and position of this window, and set up a keyboard shortcut for it, too.

To set up more shortcuts, go to the Shortcuts tab and click the + button. I've added one for switching between noise cancellation and transparency modes, and another one to mute or unmute the AirPods mic, which is useful for video calls.

Lastly, you can go to the Devices tab and enable AirPods Firmware Update Notifications. Usually, your AirPods will automatically update themselves, but you can use AirBuddy to receive a notification when Apple issues an update, which can sometimes include interesting new features. With this, your basic AirBuddy setup is complete, but feel free to look around in settings to tweak a few more things as you see fit.

Get notifications when your AirPods are low on battery

Credit: Pranay Parab

Quite often, I've realized that my AirPods are dead right after I've left the house. Luckily, AirBuddy also lets you set up notifications when connected accessories are low on power. Go to the Devices tab in AirBuddy settings, right-click any device from the list, and select Create Battery Alert. You can set up separate alerts for the case and the AirPods themselves. This is also where AirBuddy's support for other Bluetooth accessories comes in, since you can use this feature to set up battery alerts for each of them. This includes other headsets, your mouse, keyboard, etc. (AirBuddy can also work with Shortcut automations or transfer Apple's Magic accessories to other devices with a single click.)

Ever since I've set up AirBuddy, I find myself using my AirPods a lot more with the Mac. It's made me a lot less anxious about leaving the house with a dead pair of AirPods (or worse—with one AirPod that's failed to charge for some unknown reason). As someone who likes to use apps in full-screen mode, AirBuddy's keyboard shortcuts have saved me a fair bit of time, too. Now, I no longer need to long-press my AirPods themselves or fiddle with the menu bar to control my AirPods' listening modes. 

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This Thanksgiving, Call on Help From Your Air Fryer

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

Much of Thanksgiving cooking is tradition: traditional dishes made in the traditional style served on the traditional tablecloth your family has used since before you were born. Allow me to challenge tradition with a modern upgrade to cooking part (or all) of your feast. Not only will you end up with excellent results, but you’ll save time and effort, and thus stress less. Instead of roasting everything in the oven, put some faith in your air fryer.

Why the air fryer rules on Thanksgiving

I feel lucky to live in a time when the convection oven was made compact and cute for home use. Thanks to the high velocity winds and petite stature, you can count on fast roasting with no preheating necessary. Not only that, but the air fryer is fully capable of cooking a variety of items, which frees up your oven for other dishes. While you're unlikely to fit larger items in your air fryer, like a 22-pound turkey or 13 by 9-inch casserole dish, you can certainly cook a variety of smaller sized items. (That includes main dishes.) Below are some Thanksgiving classics you can make in the air fryer.

Which air fryer is suited for the job?

Any air fryer can speed up cooking; your only limitation might be size. For large roasts, you might want to consider a bigger oven like the Cuisinart below. If you plan on making multiple different items at once, consider something with two baskets and two separate, independent cooking zones, like the Ninja.

• Cuisinart Digital Air Fryer Toaster Oven

• Ninja DoubleStack XL Air Fryer

Turkey breast and other roasts

Although I wouldn’t recommend air-frying a whole turkey, you absolutely can roast part of a turkey. Many stores sell solo turkey breasts, and a small one of those can fit into an air fryer. It’s not a bad idea to measure the interior of your air fryer (accounting for at least two inches of buffer space from where the fan is) to know your limitations.

The air fryer can roast other main-dish meats too, like a juicy pork tenderloin, broiler chicken, boneless leg of lamb, porchetta, ham roast, or a show-stopping beef Wellington. Make sure to brine or marinate your meat the night before. Depending on the roast, you may achieve more even browning by flipping the roast for the last third of the cooking time.

I recommend keeping a reliable thermometer on hand so you can easily check for doneness, as the timing will vary depending on the animal you’re roasting and its size. I like the Thermapen One for this job, and the ThermoWorks website often has holiday sales, so keep an eye out. 

ThermoWorks Thermapen ONE, No. 1 Recommended Instant-Read Thermometer - Cayenne Pepper Red

$115.00 at Amazon

$115.00 at Amazon

Small casseroles

Small casseroles that can fit into baking dishes around six to nine inches across will do just fine in an air fryer. Naturally, it depends on the size of the air fryer, but once again, measure it to find out. 

To air fry a given casserole, you can use the recommended oven directions, just reduce the temperature by 25°F and check on the casserole about halfway through the instructed cooking time to assess how much longer it needs to go for. Toaster-oven-style air fryers are ideal for this because the door hinges open for easier removal, but you can still use a basket-style air fryer. Just be careful lowering casserole dishes in, and especially careful when taking them out.

Where the air fryer really shines for casseroles is achieving crispy or melty toppings, and for reheating. My friends often contribute small casseroles to our Friendsgiving meal, and this year I’ll be using my air fryer to reheat. It’ll keep my oven more available and reduce the bake time significantly.

Roasted veggies

I think the best side dishes consist of flavorful, hearty winter vegetables. Many of my favorites happen to be dense root veggies, squashes, or stalky crucifers which can take hours to cook in the conventional oven. The air fryer will absolutely save you with all of your vegetable sides. Since they’re so important, I’ve put my favorites in a separate post here.

Crescent rolls and other tube breads

Little else is more traditional than cracking open a can of instant bread for Thanksgiving. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or biscuits have an honorary seat at many tables, and if your oven is loaded to the gills with a turkey and two 13 by 9-inch casserole dishes, these little cuties might get scorched. Better to give them a space to themselves in your mini convection oven.

If you have a toaster-oven-style air fryer, perfect; you can use the flat baking tray. Most basket-style air fryers come with a little grate that fits into the bottom. The rolls can sit on that, but you’ll get a textured bottom. Personally, I think the air circulation is better like this, but if that lumpy bottom bothers you, you can get air fryer basket liners like these to make a straight surface, or cut a piece of parchment to fit on the grate, and that’ll smooth things out. Simply put the rolled dough or biscuits into the air fryer (with an inch of space between neighbors) and air fry for five to seven minutes at 325°F. They’re done once puffed and well browned. Do check the bottoms before you pull them out; depending on the air fryer, they might need to be flipped and cooked for a few minutes longer.

Garlic bread

Rest assured, if you’re not interested in compressed tube bread for the big feast, you can make garlic bread instead. I like to use garlic confit to make a mellow garlicky mash, and you can make this recipe days ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge for when you’re ready to use it. 

Split a long loaf, like Italian bread or a baguette, and spread a thick layer of salted butter and garlic confit into the center. Place the bread into the air fryer upside down and cook it for about three minutes at 325°F. Flip the bread and brush on more of the garlic and butter mixture; cook it for another three minutes. Take it out and slice the loaf into smaller serving sizes.

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Lean on Your Slow Cooker for Hands-Off Help This Thanksgiving

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

Cooking an epic Thanksgiving meal requires a lot of moving parts and planning. You can’t do it all yourself, but it’s also annoying to have others fumbling around in your cooking zone. Since cloning yourself isn’t an option (yet), you should consider leaning on your slow cooker—the queen of hands-off, set-it-and-forget-it appliances. Delegating the right things to this machine can be your ticket to a less stressful Turkey Day.

What is a slow cooker?

If you’re unfamiliar with this clever contraption, a slow cooker consists of two parts: the heating element and housing, and the inner ceramic container. There’s a lid, and maybe yours came with some plastic spatulas, but those two parts are the major players. The ceramic container sits inside the greater appliance housing, which is mostly lightweight aluminum, and the heating element is inside the base. You use the control panel to choose the cook time—usually in increments of two hours—and temperature—usually along the lines of low, high, and "keep warm." It’s also worth mentioning that a dependable slow cooker can easily be under $80 and last you a decade or more.

Slow cookers ready to undertake the honor of Thanksgiving cooking:

• For the traveling guest: Crock-Pot 6-quart Cook & Carry

• For smaller portions: Crock-Pot 4-quart

• For large households and dinners: Crock-Pot 8-quart

Why a slow cooker can help

Let’s begin with cleanup because that’s the dark side—but reality, nonetheless—of every Thanksgiving. The slow cooker’s simple build is clutch for cleaning. Unless you experience some sort of horrible overflow, everything is contained in the ceramic vessel. Once it’s empty and cool, you can easily wash it with soapy water. The ceramic is smooth and should wipe down like any dish or bowl. The rest of the slow cooker remains clean and ready for the next batch. 

Besides cleanup, there’s ease. This is the original appliance that lets you dump stuff in and magically unveil a scrumptious dish six hours later. Slow cookers come in a variety of sizes, so this can be the sort of thing that keeps your two-person stuffing warm, or cooks 18 servings of gooey mac and cheese. It’s hands-off cooking that frees up stovetop burners and leaves oven space available for other dishes. The results are reliable every time, but I recommend practicing a recipe once or twice before Thanksgiving so you can really feel comfortable. 

The cherry on top is that a slow cooker is good-looking enough to be service-worthy, if you so choose. You can scoop straight from the slow cooker, or take the ceramic container out of the slow cooker housing (it’s extremely hot, so use mitts or pot holders) and put it on a trivet on the table. 

What can you make in your slow cooker for Thanksgiving?

Once you get the wheels spinning, you’ll realize there’s a lot you can cook in the slow cooker. You might even start to think you need more than one slow cooker—and that’s OK, too. Use the slow cooker to take care of anything that will fare well with humidity and long cooking times. Vegetables that need to break down, or dishes that should be soft or creamy work best in the slow cooker. Here’s a list of popular Thanksgiving sides to start things off: 

• Mashed potatoes

• Stuffing

• Whole sweet potatoes

• Collards and ham hocks

• Creamy mac and cheese

• Corn pudding

• Corn bread 

• Easy cranberry sauce

• Gravy

• Green bean casserole (if you’re into that)

• Or gently heat frozen peas or corn with butter

What you probably shouldn’t put in the slow cooker

You shouldn't use a slow cooker for any side dishes that should be crispy on the outside or edges—like roasted vegetables, rolls, or the turkey—or vegetables that should maintain a bit of crunch—Brussels sprouts, green beans, or broccoli. Any greens that’ll get sulfur-y or break down too much under long cooking times should stay out of the slow cooker. As you can see, I put green bean casserole on the “yes” list and plain green beans on the “no” list. Thanksgiving is a time to eat comfort food, so if green beans that are reduced to a pudding-like consistency with crunchy onions on top is your safe place, by all means. I’m on Team Crunch, so I blanch, or even faux blanch. 

Really tough leafy greens like collard greens, mustard greens, and kale are good candidates for slow cooking. True, they’ll dull in color, but they also become more digestible after slow cooking, and will certainly be easier on the teeth. 

Some recipes will develop lovely crisp edges in the slow cooker, but anything that you’d like to put a crispy top on before serving, like mac and cheese or sausage stuffing, can be spooned into an oven-safe dish and either popped under the broiler, or lightly blow-torched. 

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Microwaving Part of Your Thanksgiving Feast Is Smart and Good

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

The microwave has been subject to harsh criticism when it comes to cooking, but this reliable appliance is actually a great partner when you’re preparing for a large dinner party, like Thanksgiving. I don’t have to tell you that it’s great at reheating fridge-cold dishes, but you can actually cook a few things in there as well. Nope, it’s not inferior-tasting, and it’s not dangerous to cook that way. Your microwave can actually help you Thanksgiving better.

Your microwave is safe, actually

If your first reaction to this article is, “microwaved food is bad for you,” this post probably isn’t for you. But I know one that is. If you’d like to read about why microwaves are just fine for cooking, Lifehacker’s Senior Health Editor is busting microwave myths right here. I think my favorite quote from the article is, “Actually, since microwave cooking happens so quickly, it is considered to be one of the best methods for preserving the nutrients in food.” Now then, back to lovingly nuking food for our families.

Your microwave gives you breathing room

The main trouble in the Thanksgiving Foods Venn diagram of “quantity” and “long cooking times” is the giant overlapping center. Since every dish has multiple servings and that extra volume requires both longer prepping and cooking times, you can easily run out of cooking surfaces and time, and you have no margin for error. I’m not saying you should microwave everything. Hardly that. What you need is something to speed up part of your menu so you can cook the other stuff—non-microwavables like turkey—in the oven. 

It’s not the soulless cooking appliance it’s been made out to be—you can microwave with love. And what shows love more than not stress-snapping at your mother-in-law?

Cook ahead, reheat, and crisp

This is basically the “Keep calm and carry on” of dinner party cooking—just cook ahead and reheat. Now, I wouldn’t tell you to microwave for Thanksgiving if it would result in bad-tasting food, but there is a right way to do this. After all, cheating at Thanksgiving implies that you’re trying to pass off the food as freshly made that day. Let’s make it taste that way.

The trick is to make one or two dishes the day before. Before dinner time, reheat them in the microwave. The best candidates are foods that have plenty of included moisture. That might be the mashed potatoes, certain fresh vegetables for steaming, well-hydrated stuffing, and some casseroles. 

Make sure the item is in a microwave-safe serving dish. Add a teaspoon or two of water to the dish; sprinkle with your fingertips or spritz it around. Cover the dish with a slightly ventilated lid or wrap and microwave it in bursts of 30 seconds or a minute, depending on the dish. Check on it, stir the edges inward if you can, and evaluate if it needs more time. If it’s a casserole or stuffing and you want it to have a crisp top, take it out of the microwave and pop it under the broiler in the oven for two or three minutes just before serving.

Oddly, mac and cheese isn’t my favorite for reheating in the microwave. In my experience, it gets very dry after spending a night in the fridge and reheating it makes the mac noticeably greasy.

Microwave from scratch

Beyond reheating, you can use the microwave as an actual cooking appliance. Here are a few Thanksgiving sides and desserts that can be whipped up in a fraction of the time in the microwave, compared to classic preparations.

Make the roux for soups and sauces

A roux is the flour-and-butter base that makes gravy thick and silky. It can also lend flavor if you brown the roux with a little extra cooking time. Doing this in the microwave can cut down on your stovetop cooking time by around 50%. Add the fat and flour to a microwave-safe measuring cup and microwave it for an initial four to six minutes, then whisk and continue heating with one-minute blasts until you’ve achieved your desired color, from blonde to chocolatey brown. Go here for more details on the method. Use this roux for gravy or soup cooking on the stove—or keep it going in the microwave as follows.

Complete gravy

Once you have a roux, you’re more than halfway to gravy. Pour in a cup or so of warm turkey stock (or milk for béchamel sauce, or another broth or liquid you’re using to make sauce) into the measuring cup. Whisk it in well and heat it for another 30 seconds in the microwave. It will start to thicken. Keep heating and adding liquid to reach your desired consistency, and heat the gravy in intervals of 30 seconds to one minute until you have your desired gravy consistency. Stir in seasonings, cooked meat bits, and herbs as you normally would. 

Steam veggies

I generally do this with sides of peas and corn (mashed potatoes’ two best friends). If you’re steaming other veggies, make sure they’re all cut about the same size, then put them into a bowl or serving dish with a splash of water. Stir in salt and seasonings, but err on the light side; you can add more if necessary after tasting. Cover the dish with an off-set lid to vent it, and microwave. The amount of time depends on what you’re cooking and how long, but I’d start with about a minute for two cups of vegetables. Take it out and stir, cover the dish and go for another round if needed. The veggies are done when cooked to your liking. I like to add a pat of salted butter and stir it in while they’re still hot.

Curds and custards for dessert 

The microwave is the last place anyone expected to make something soft and often rather finicky, but the joke is on all of us for stirring custard over a hot stove top for 15 minutes. It turns out, if you microwave the ingredients for citrus curds and some custards in one-minute increments (whisking in between heating sessions), you’ll arrive at the target temperature in around five to seven minutes and have a silky, cooked emulsion ready for the nearest tart shell. You’re unlikely to overcook it if you’re pausing every minute, but I suggest stopping while the mixture is slightly looser than you want because it’ll thicken and set as it cools. If you’re at all concerned about stray coagulated egg bits, as a fail-safe, pour the finished custard through a sieve.

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I Insist You Roast These Veggie Sides in Your Air Fryer

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

The air fryer is the single appliance that has had the biggest impact on my Thanksgiving cooking. This countertop convection oven increases cooking speeds, and takes some of the pressure off of my oven while it’s packed with poultry, pies, and casseroles. While you might be familiar with its crisping power for French fries and pizza rolls, the air fryer can do a lot more than that. It’s actually the best thing you can use for roasted-vegetable side dishes, and I must insist you do so. 

Even if you don’t love the idea of “cheating” your Thanksgiving, you can certainly appreciate a bit of help—this is just from a less-traditional cooking machine. The air fryer can speed up the lengthy roasting time of root vegetables, and cook softer plants in the time it takes you to answer the door four times. Here are my favorite Thanksgiving veggie sides that air fry like a dream.

Stuffed mushrooms

Credit: Tatiana Volgutova/Shutterstock

I would gladly eat a plate of these sausage-and-cheese stuffed mushrooms for a meal. (It's not hard to do.) They’re good any time of year, but the fungi really evokes the coziness of harvest season. Buy the whole creminis, or white button mushrooms that look rather large. If you can hand-select your batch from a bin, even better. (You can still stuff small mushrooms, but some of the itty-bitty ones are just ridiculous.)

Here’s my recipe for air-fried stuffed mushrooms. They’re great as a snack or appetizer, but a warning for Thanksgiving: It’s hard to eat just one. And unfortunately, you risk spoiling appetites before the big meal. Instead, add them to the roster of side dishes. Be sure to make a double batch or hide a few for yourself. You’ll thank me later.

Brussels sprouts

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

One of my favorite cruciferous veggies is Brussels sprouts. They’re fibrous, hearty, and a nice break from all the soft casseroles and mashed sides. To make a gorgeous display of roasted Brussels with delicate, charred outer leaves and tender centers, start by cleaning up your sprouts. That might be trimming down the dried woody stem, removing busted outer leaves, or if your Brussels are especially chunky, cutting them in half lengthwise, trying to split the stem so all the leaves stay attached. 

Put the prepared sprouts in a bowl with a bit of salt and enough cooking oil to lightly coat each piece. I usually pour a tablespoon of oil into a palm, rub my hands together and then go through the batch, coating and tumbling sprouts all the way around until I feel like I got them all. The salt should evenly coat the sprouts, too, after all the tossing. Put the sprouts into the air fryer in an even layer so they cook evenly (do two batches if you have to) and put it on the “air fry” setting for 10 to 15 minutes at 400°F. The Brussels are done when some of the outer leaves are crisp and blackened and the centers are easy to pierce with a knife. Toss them with a squeeze of lemon, roasted garlic, a drizzle of olive oil, and flaky salt.

Sweet potatoes

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

The air fryer makes relatively quick work of these sturdy gems, and depending on the size of your taters and air fryer you can probably do about six at a time. Both whole sweet potatoes or peeled and cubed will cook quickly. 

For whole ‘taters, pierce the skin with a fork a few times and toss them in the air fryer in a single layer, it’s okay if they’re close together; they’ll shrink as they cook. Set the air fryer to 375°F and cook the sweet potatoes for 20 to 35 minutes, depending on their size. They’re done when you can easily pierce the potato to the center with a paring knife. 

For sweet-potato cubes, peel them first and cut them into one-inch cubes. Toss them in a bowl with enough cooking oil to coat them well, and scatter salt over top. Put the cubes into the air fryer in a single layer and cook them at 375°F for about 10 minutes. The sweet potatoes are finished when they’re fork-tender.

Green beans

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Green beans might look scrawny, but they stand up to the hot winds of your air fryer quite well. That said, they’re also easy to over cook if you walk away from the kitchen, so check on them early and see if you need to add a minute or so. In an effort to keep the beans tender, I like to use a hot and fast air fry technique.

Trim your green beans as needed, and put them in a bowl with a sprinkle of salt and enough oil to thinly coat the beans. Toss them with your hands to thoroughly coat each bean. Put the green beans in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook them at 400°F for about five minutes and check their progress until they’re finished to your liking.

Chestnuts

Credit: YamisHandmade / Shutterstock.com

Great mixed into stuffing, as a lovely appetizer, or a nice way to end the meal, air-fried chestnuts are simple and easy to make. You can read all the nutty details here, but here’s the TL;DR. Score the chestnuts with one long cut that goes across the entire length or width. It’s nothing too dramatic, but make sure you cut deep enough to go through the outer shell and the fuzzy inner skin. 

Put the chestnuts into the air fryer, cut side up. Air fry them at 400°F for about 10 to 15 minutes. They’re ready to eat when the shells have peeled back and you can see the faintest blush of browning on the exposed inner flesh. When they’ve cooled, squeeze them on the side that opposes the cracked open part and the shell should peel off easily. 

Squash

Credit: EQRoy / Shutterstock.com

Cold-weather squashes are one of my greatest vegetable loves. Their dense, sweet flesh, usually brightly hued, is at its best after roasting, and needs only a swipe of salty browned butter with sage to take it right over the top. 

Split the squash (delicata, butternut, and kabocha all work well) and de-seed it. Squash skin is perfectly edible, but some can remain thick and less palatable, so use your discretion if you’d like to peel it or leave it on. Slice the squash into rounds, strips, or chunks of about the same size and thickness. Put them in a bowl with a bit of salt and enough cooking oil to coat the pieces well. Toss it all together with your hands and put the squash hunks into the air fryer in a single layer. Air fry them at 400°F for eight to 20 minutes, depending on the squash and how large the pieces are. They’re done when they’ve picked up some color and they’re fork-tender.

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These Are My Three Favorite Appliances to Cook Thanksgiving Dinner (Besides the Oven)

Welcome to The Cheater’s Guide to Thanksgiving. While there are plenty of tips out there for folks making scratch desserts and artisan loaves, the Cheater’s Guide focuses on the person who could use a helping hand—even from some unconventional sources. Some might call it “cheating” (like that’s a bad thing), but there’s nothing wrong with using modern technology and supermarket know-how to help you make a bangin’ traditional feast—with much less of the traditional work.

While the conventional oven might be the most traditional way to prepare a Thanksgiving feast, we have a few transformative modern appliances available now, and it would be silly to leave them on the sidelines. The three that I’ve incorporated into my holiday routine are the slow cooker, air fryer, and microwave. Supporting the leadership of my conventional oven, this team of appliances spreads out the tasks and makes an overwhelming menu almost feel light. 

How to use a slow cooker for Thanksgiving dinner

I have two slow cookers: a large one (an eight-quart) and a small one (a two-quart). You certainly don’t need two but I like having the little one around for warming sauces. I use the large slow cooker to handle any large side dish. It has changed from year to year: One time I used it to take care of the stuffing, and another time I did the mashed potatoes in the slow cooker. For me, the point is that large side dishes are often the most annoying to have in a pot on my stovetop burner or the most cumbersome to try and puzzle into the oven. It helps to get that one high maintenance dish out of my hair, and the slow cooker is exactly the appliance to get the job done. You dump the ingredients in, and hours later, finish it off. No need to stir, whisk, boil, or tend to it.  

For a dinner party like Thanksgiving, I recommend a large one like either of these to handle popular sides because you’re probably making a large batch.

• The Crock-Pot Large 8-Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

• The Hamilton Beach 10-Quart Slow Cooker

Crock Pot 8 Quart Programmable Slow Cooker

$74.99 at Amazon

$99.99 Save $25.00

$74.99 at Amazon

$99.99 Save $25.00

How to use an air fryer for Thanksgiving dinner

You’ll hear me go on and on about the air fryer. It’s the latest to join my roster of Thanksgiving worthy appliances, and it’s my star player. It’s a countertop convection oven, which is the type of oven many restaurants and bakeries use for fast, even cooking. Not only does it give you restaurant-grade cooking power, but they’re mobile, and every year they get more and more affordable. 

Since I have a rather small kitchen, I might not have space to cook one dish while I prepare another. With an air fryer, I can actually move it to a different plug, counter, or different room entirely if I need the kitchen space. I can toss the veggies in the air fryer in the living room, and free up the kitchen counter to cool two pies. Plus, it speeds up the cooking of anything you put in it. You can crisp, roast, and air fry half of your side dishes in the time it takes you to bake a single casserole in the conventional oven. When I’m done, I unplug it and store it away to set up the table for guests. 

I like the Instant Vortex for a small kitchen where you see yourself moving the appliance around, and the Ninja DoubleStack for cooking multiple things independently and simultaneously.

• Instant Vortex XL 6-Quart

• Ninja DoubleStack XL 2-basket

Ninja SL401 DoubleStack XL 2-Basket Air Fryer, DoubleStack Technology Cooks 4 Foods at Once, Compact Design, 10 QT, 6-in-1, Smart Finish & Match Cook, Air Fry, Broil, Bake, Easy Meals, Easy Clean,Grey

$249.95 at Amazon

$249.95 at Amazon

How to use a microwave for Thanksgiving dinner

She isn’t new on the everyday scene, but for Thanksgiving, the microwave is often forgotten. It’s literally the fastest cooking machine, and most people already have one. While you shouldn’t be cooking roasts from scratch in the microwave, you can be smart about how you use it for planning ahead. Knowing you can reheat in the microwave allows you to pre-cook sauces or side dishes. I use my microwave for quick solutions when it’s crunch-time—heating broth or milk for a roux-thickened sauce, melting butter for numerous uses, or cooking crispy bacon for my Brussels sprouts. 

The best microwave for Thanksgiving is definitely the one you already have. If you don’t have one or you’re looking to upgrade (besides finding one that’s the right size), you can check out the following, or spring for a combi microwave—a mashup of a microwave and an air fryer.

• The Cuisinart Stainless Steel Microwave Oven

• Toshiba 6-in-1 Inverter Microwave Oven Air Fryer

TOSHIBA 6-in-1 Inverter Countertop Microwave Oven Healthy Air Fryer Combo, MASTER Series, Air Fryer, Broil, Convection, Speedy Combi, Even Defrost, Sound On/Off 27 Auto Menu Stainless Steel

$259.99 at Amazon

$399.99 Save $140.00

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