• Eight years ago, Kang "Kay" Soo-il left his job at Samsung after feeling burned out.
• He reconnected with Lily, a childhood friend; they married and spent two years traveling the world.
• Now they run her family farm in rural South Korea — but his advice to corporate-job quitters: "Don't do it!"

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kang "Kay" Soo-il, a 39-year-old South Korean national who quit his job and traveled, before returning home to run a farm. It has been edited for length and clarity.

Eight years ago, at 31, I was living in a Korean city south of Seoul, and working as a software developer and designer for Samsung Electronics. Burned out, I texted my friends, "I'm quitting my job to travel the world!"

Lily, then my childhood friend, who's now my wife, replied: "I'm also quitting my job." At the time, she was working as a flight attendant. The timing was a complete coincidence. We'd known each other since middle school, and got back in touch.

We both grew up in Yesan, a rural town that's about a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Seoul. She grew up on her family's farm where they grew deodeok, or bonnet bellflower. It's a mountain root vegetable commonly used in Korean cooking. I lived a 10-minute walk away.

We started dating in January and were married by May. A month after our wedding, we started traveling the world together.

Newlyweds traveling the world

We started in Russia, cut through Europe, and traveled through North and South America for about two years from 2018 to 2020. We funded our travels with the savings from our work. We spent extra time in Calgary, Canada, because I'd loved it there as a study abroad student. During that year in Calgary, we noticed how proud the local farmers were of their work.

In South Korea, that kind of atmosphere doesn't exist. Farming can often be viewed with a sense of shame. But since my wife's father is a farmer, she's always taken pride in her roots.

Traveling abroad, Lily noticed that deodeok was impossible to find abroad. It's not an ingredient that's widely exported, and when it is, it's rarely cooked the same way outside Korea.

Returning to the countryside

During our travels, we also came to realize that we preferred the calm countryside towns over big capitals like Paris. In 2020, we decided to return home and take over my wife's family's farm. It wasn't difficult to get permission from her parents. They were OK with it from the start.

Back then, it was called Ssabdari Deodeok. It's a third-generation family-run farm started by Lily's grandmother nearly 45 years ago. At the end of 2022, we launched it as Deodeokmong, or Dream of Deodeok.

Other than helping out my parents when I was young, who grew food on their weekend plot, I'd never really raised a crop from start to finish. We trailed her father at first to learn the basics of farming.

During our first two years, we operated the farm as usual, but I noticed that we threw out almost 50% of our produce because it wasn't attractive enough for the market. We couldn't afford to sustain the business by selling only half our harvest. We decided to pivot by using these in popular products like butter cookies, lattes, and scones studded with deodeok.

In 2022, we also secured a local government small-business support program grant for about 100 million South Korean won, or about $70,000, bought new equipment, and hired a design studio to help with the rebrand and renovation. It took nearly a year, and we're still developing the business, but the program grant changed everything.

Soon, local resorts reached out to feature our products in their lobbies. The Hyundai Department Store invited us to host pop-up markets in Seoul.

Older customers have told me that they love that young farmers are keeping traditional crops alive. The younger city buyers are probably attracted to our packaging; it's not the usual old-fashioned, medicinal stuff you find elsewhere.

My wife focuses on branding, marketing, and product development. I focus on planting, farming, accounting, and making the products.

Running a farm while raising a family

We have a five-year-old daughter and we're expecting our second child soon. Honestly, I haven't found the right balance between parenthood and work yet. I wake up around 6 a.m., send our daughter to kindergarten by 9 a.m., work, and when she comes home at 4 or 5 p.m., I focus on her.

My candid advice to anyone dreaming of quitting their corporate job to farm? Don't do it!

Farming is so difficult that it often feels like a futile endeavor. But if you've deeply considered your options and won't give up, test-drive the lifestyle first.

Try living in the countryside for at least three months. If you still enjoy the lifestyle, then go ahead. And read widely — not just technical farming guides, but business and branding books. Building a modern farm isn't just about growing crops; it's as complex as sales and marketing.

• Claude now leads 26% of Anthropic's AI R&D work, up from 1% in March.
• Anthropic said that humans still supervise Claude and that it is not fully autonomous.
• The company said metrics reporting could help monitor how close AI is to improving on its own.

Claude is taking on a growing share of the work behind Anthropic's next-generation AI.

Anthropic said in a Thursday blog post that Claude now "leads" 26% of its AI research and development work, meaning the chatbot can complete most of a task from a high-level prompt while a human supervises. The company said that the figure was below 1% in March.

"The share of work at or above 'AI collaborates' is above 90%," Anthropic said, adding that "Claude is not operating fully autonomously for any measured subset of AI R&D work."

The figures could help indicate how close the industry is to recursive self-improvement, which Anthropic described as "a model fully autonomously building its successor."

"Models accelerating their own development could make it more challenging for humans to understand or control these systems," Anthropic said. "It is therefore important to share these metrics to understand how close the world is to reaching recursive self improvement."

Anthropic's report comes amid an ongoing debate over AI safety and how quickly the models are improving. An Anthropic researcher resigned last week and accused leading AI companies of "gambling with our lives" by pushing ahead with increasingly capable models. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has since called for frontier AI companies to coordinate on slowing development to give safety measures more time to catch up.

Anthropic said in its report that the company's AI actions are reviewed by automated monitors. Anthropic said 0.002% of more than 1 billion decisions analyzed in August, which amounts to about one in 47,000, were blocked. Roughly 50 high-priority cases are escalated for human review each week.

Anthropic said other frontier labs could publish the same figures and allow third parties to verify them.

"We are reporting these measurements because they give the public, third parties, and governments better visibility into the pace of AI development inside frontier labs," the company said. "This means better measuring the development of AI, reporting on it publicly, and giving society an opportunity to decide how to use this information."

Buying a new pair of glasses can be a pain, but online eye retailers like Zenni offer an easy system that lets customers shop without ever leaving the comfort of their home. The brand carries an impressive selection of budget-friendly, stylish frames, whether you're in the market for sunglasses, readers, or new prescription lenses. The retailer is already on the affordable side, but the best Zenni promo codes can help make your next purchase even cheaper.

Our editors have tested out all the leading online eyewear retailers, and Zenni consistently makes the cut as one of the top options thanks to its affordable yet stylish glasses. The brand's in-house frames deliver impressive quality for the price, while designer options from labels like Calvin Klein and Marc Jacobs prove you don't need to spend luxury-level prices to get a polished look. Zenni offers a variety of frames and lenses, including options for all ages and face types. There are even niche products, like VR Lenses for Meta Quest and FL-41 lenses for light sensitivity. For a closer look at why we recommend the retailer, you can check out our full Zenni review.

Zenni is already on the affordable side, but there's almost always a coupon code that can help you cut costs even more. We've scoured the internet to find the best promo codes and tested them out to confirm that they're still active (at the time of writing). Keep reading to explore some of the best options, including a special buy-one-get-one 20% off code.

Today's best Zenni discount codes

Previous Zenni promo codes

Are there any other Zenni sales running at the moment?

You can check out Zenni's sale page anytime for a full list of current markdowns on their frames. At the time of writing, Zenni is also running the following promotions.

• Follow our Instagram page and WhatsApp channel for more deals and buying guides

How to use Zenni promo codes

Start by adding eligible items to your cart. From the "Shopping Cart" page, scroll down to the bottom where it says, "Have a promo code?" You can paste a discount code into the text box and click "Apply." Then, continue to checkout as a guest or with an existing account.

Can you stack Zenni discount codes?

Zenni doesn't allow customers to stack multiple promo codes, which means that only one code can be used per purchase. If it's your first purchase in the Zenni mobile app, we recommend using the 15% off FIRSTAPP code rather than one of the many 10% off codes, which you can use on future orders.

Zenni promo code frequently asked questions

Does Zenni offer discounts for students, teachers, and the military?

Zenni offers eligible college students, teachers, military members (active, reserve, and veterans), and military spouses a 10% discount on all purchases. First responders and medical personnel can also receive a 10% discount on orders.

People eligible for these discounts must verify their status to take advantage of the offer. These discounts can't be combined with other promo codes or offers.

If you're a student or educator, check out our roundups of the best student discounts and best teacher discounts for more ways to save.

Does Zenni take insurance?

Zenni doesn't take insurance directly. However, they will provide a detailed receipt with your order that you can submit to your insurance for reimbursement.

Zenni does allow you to spend FSA and HSA dollars directly on the site. Simply enter your FSA/HSA card at checkout like you would a credit or debit card. Learn more about using FSA and HSA dollars on Zenni's website.

Does Zenni offer free shipping?

Shoppers can receive free standard shipping on orders of $89 or more. Free shipping will automatically be applied once you have enough items in your cart, so you don't need to enter a promo code. Free shipping is also combinable with other offers and promotions.

How do I choose the best glasses for my face shape?

Zenni lets you shop frames by face shape on their website, so you can choose from frame shapes that typically complement your features. For example, they suggest choosing round frames if you have a square face shape or square and aviator frames for a heart-shaped face.

If you're unsure of your face shape or what would look best on you, Zenni also has a virtual try-on feature that allows you to see what any of their frames look like on your face.

Do I need a prescription to use Zenni?

Zenni offers plenty of non-prescription eyewear, so you don't need a prescription to use the site. You can shop for non-prescription readers, sunglasses, sports goggles, and blue-light-blocking glasses with Zenni.

If you're shopping for prescription lenses and have an active prescription from your doctor, you'll just need to upload it or fill out the prescription information manually on the Zenni website. If your prescription doesn't list your pupillary distance (PD), Zenni offers a digital PD ruler.

What is Zenni's return policy?

Zenni allows shoppers to return items within 30 days of the original purchase in exchange for site credit and reimbursement of any shipping fees. For returns made within 14 days of your original purchase, you'll have the option to receive a full refund to your original payment method instead of site credit. Learn more about making returns on Zenni's website.

Can I reuse a Zenni promo code?

Zenni does not explicitly prohibit using promo codes multiple times. However, certain codes may only be applied to one order per person, so be sure to check the specific terms and conditions for the code you want to use.

How do I know which size frames to get?

If you don't know which size to get for your frames, Zenni can help. Visit the size guide on the Zenni website for information on how to measure your face and sample frames you can print out to test your size.

Looking for more eyewear? Check out our roundups of the best GlassesUSA promo codes.

Spanx has moved well beyond shapewear. These days, the brand also sells work pants, jeans, loungewear, active basics, and polished everyday pieces, making it a go-to for shoppers who want comfort built into their wardrobe. The prices can be on the premium side, though, so checking for the latest Spanx promo codes, coupons, and sales before you buy is an easy way to save.

Our style editors have tested several Spanx favorites firsthand, and several have earned spots in our buying guides. The AirEssentials Half-Zip and Wide Leg Pant are featured in our guide to the best sweatsuits for women, while the SuperSmooth Stretch Twill Slim Straight Pants are one of our top picks for the best women's work pants. We've also named Spanx a standout for comfortable workwear and put its denim to the test in our full Spanx jeans review.

Whether you're shopping for office staples, travel-friendly loungewear, or the shapewear that first put the brand on the map, a discount can make filling your cart a little easier. We've rounded up and tested the latest Spanx coupon codes and promo offers below, including current savings of up to 20%.

Today's best Spanx coupons

Previous Spanx promo codes

Are there any other Spanx sales running at the moment?

You can find a full list of sales and markdowns at any time on the "Sale" page of the Spanx website. As of right now, Spanx is running the following promotions.

Use Spanx voucher codes on these items

Using the promo codes WELCOME15, ECOOKXSPANX, NASREENXSPANX, CARALYN15, XK15VMZH, SWCXSPANX, or NENAXSPANX can help you save 15% on some of our favorite Spanx apparel. The Air Essentials Half Zip costs $128, and the Air Essentials Wide Leg Pant currently costs $118. If you add one of the aforementioned coupon codes, you can bring the final cost of our favorite matching set down to around $209.

Or, if you're in the market for new workwear, you can test out the same codes on the Ponte Flare Pant, which currently costs $158, and get one of our favorite women's work pants for $134.

Are the deals from Spanx promo codes worth it?

The discounts available with Spanx promo codes are definitely worth it, with savings of up to 20% on your order. Over the time we've tracked Spanx discounts, the retailer has consistently had at least one active coupon, making these promo codes a reliable way to save. Sitewide sales are pretty rare, especially outside the holidays, which means that coupons are often the only way to save, especially on certain popular items that are rarely discounted.

If you do find a marked-down item, such as something from the sale section of the Spanx site, you can often save even more by combining the deal with one of the above coupon codes. Most coupon codes can't be applied to items marked Final Sale.

• Follow our Instagram page and WhatsApp channel for more deals and buying guides.

How to use Spanx voucher codes

Start by adding coupon-eligible items to your cart. Once in your cart, you can apply a coupon by pasting the voucher code into the "Promo code" text box and clicking "Apply." From there, continue to checkout to enter your shipping and billing information.

Can you stack Spanx coupons?

Spanx promo codes can't be stacked together. Only one coupon code can be applied per order. If you try to add a second coupon code, it will automatically replace the first discount code you entered.

Spanx promo code frequently asked questions

Does Spanx offer discounts for students, teachers, and the military?

At the time of writing, Spanx does not offer special discounts for students, teachers, or the military, so your best bet is to take advantage of their other coupons and deals.

If you're a student or educator, check out our roundups of the best student discounts and teacher discounts for more offers from your favorite brands.

What is Spanx's return policy?

Spanx allows returns for a full refund within 30 days of the original delivery date. All returned items must still have their original tags attached. You can visit the Spanx website to learn more about the retailer's return policy.

Does Spanx offer free shipping?

Spanx offers free standard shipping on orders of $75 or more in the US. If you spend less than $75, standard shipping is $7. Shoppers who opt for faster shipping (including basic, expedited, or overnight) will need to pay a fee of $15 to $30. Learn more about shipping rates on the Spanx website.

Can I use Spanx voucher codes in-store?

Typically, Spanx coupons are only valid for online purchases. That said, there may be some exceptions, so be sure to check the specific terms and conditions for the code you want to use.

Can I reuse a Spanx coupon?

Most Spanx coupons are valid for one use per customer. That said, there may be exceptions, so it's worth reading through the terms and conditions of the specific code you're hoping to use. Several of the codes we've highlighted offer 15% off, so you can always try using one code on your first order and another on your next purchase.

Looking for more style deals? Our guides to the best Abercrombie promo codes, Athleta coupon codes, and Madewell coupon codes can help lower prices at checkout.

• The latest season of Netflix's "Monster" tells the story of Lizzie Borden.
• Borden was tried and acquitted for the hatchet murders of her father and stepmother in 1892.
• Ryan Murphy's "Monster" portrays Borden and her maid as the killers and as lovers.

From Jeffrey Dahmer to the Menendez brothers to Ed Gein, Ryan Murphy's "Monster" series on Netflix is all about famous killers. This time, the series follows its first female protagonist — Lizzie Borden, who was tried and acquitted of the 1892 hatchet murders of her father and stepmother in Massachusetts.

Borden was the prime suspect and went to trial for the murders, which captivated the country. The court proceedings only heightened public fervor, as people were split over whether Borden was responsible. The proceedings were highlighted by Borden fainting in court when she was shown the skeletal remains of her parents as evidence. Ultimately, partly due to a lack of physical evidence, Borden was acquitted after the prosecution was unable to prove her guilt beyond reasonable doubt. No one else was ever charged and the case remains unsolved.

Borden went on to become a fixture in true-crime lore, and the subject of folk rhymes, books, and movies. Now that she's at the center of the latest "Monster" season, there's even more interest in Borden. Including the big question: Did Borden do it? And did she do it alone?

Warning: Spoilers ahead for "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story."

In 'Monster,' Borden is in a sexual relationship with her maid, Bridget Sullivan, who assists in the murders

In "Monster," Borden (played by Ella Beatty) is motivated to kill her father, Andrew (Charlie Hunnam), and stepmother, Abby (Rebecca Hall) after years of verbal and physical abuse. She's assisted in the crimes by the family maid, Irish immigrant Bridget Sullivan (Vicky Krieps).

On top of that, Lizzie and Bridget are lovers.

When we first meet Lizzie in the show, she's a reserved young woman who is having trouble meeting men. Enter Bridget, who's more worldly than Lizzie and her parents, and more liberal in her thinking. Lizzie is drawn to her, and eventually the two begin a sexual relationship.

It also helps that the two share common enemies. Both hate Andrew and Abby, and they begin plotting to kill them. First, they try to off the two by poisoning their dinner, but their attempt only sickens rather than kills them.

Later in the series, Lizzie and Bridget are depicted killing Abby and Andrew with hatchets. The two then cover for one another when the police investigate. Bridget later flees the country while Lizzie goes to trial.

There is no factual evidence that Lizzie and Bridget were lovers in real life

There are some parts of the story that are true: Bridget Sullivan was indeed a real person and a live-in maid for the Bordens. She was also the only other person known to have been on the property aside from Lizzie at the time of the murders.

The rest, though, is speculation. Historians have speculated on Borden's sexuality over the years, partly because she never married, and also because of the close relationship she had with the actress Nance O'Neil after her acquittal.

The theory that Lizzie and Bridget were in a relationship was first established in Evan Hunter's 1984 novel "Lizzie," a fictional account of the Borden murders.

"Monster" seems to be running with this theory, though there's no evidence that the two were ever in a relationship.

In fact, it's possible Borden didn't have much of an eye for her maid at all.

"Lizzie never bothered to call her by her real name," Cara Robertson, author of "The Trial of Lizzie Borden," told the BBC. Instead, the author claims, Borden called her Maggie, the name of the previous maid.

"Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story" is now streaming on Netflix.

• Amazon's 1,000-hub plan aims to close Walmart's proximity advantage.
• Bank of America analysts say Amazon's same-day delivery service is "very important strategically."
• Faster delivery and automation could extend Amazon's retail-margin gains, the bank said.

Amazon's plan for more than 1,000 same-day fulfillment centers is fundamentally an attempt to close Walmart's long-held proximity advantage, Bank of America analysts wrote in a research note.

Business Insider reported this week that Amazon is considering an internal project called Mercury, which would expand its same-day fulfillment network from roughly 85 facilities today to more than 1,000 by 2031. The goal is to place inventory within 10 miles of about 80% of Prime members in the US, according to internal planning documents reviewed by Business Insider.

BofA analyst Justin Post said Project Mercury's strategy is less about expanding selection than making a smaller set of high-demand products more immediately accessible. Amazon's ability to compete with same-day delivery is "very important strategically," he wrote.

"We see Project Mercury as another piece of Amazon's broader effort to build a denser, faster, and increasingly automated countrywide fulfillment network," Post wrote in the note.

The bank called the project's estimated $6.8 billion investment "manageable" for Amazon. Internal projections reviewed by Business Insider forecast that Mercury would turn cash-flow positive by 2030 and generate $7.1 billion in economic value over 10 years.

Walmart has a major head start. Its roughly 5,000 stores put fast delivery within 10 miles of 90% of the US population. The retailer has increasingly used those stores as local fulfillment centers, helping it deliver 70% of e-commerce orders the same day.

Amazon's same-day sites carry a narrower assortment — roughly 90,000 fast-moving products such as paper towels, cough medicine, and fresh food — rather than the broad selection of a conventional fulfillment center. The strategy is to move those everyday purchases closer to customers without trying to replicate Amazon's full catalog in every market.

The Bank of America note added that Amazon's investments in faster delivery and automation could bolster its retail profit margins for years. It cited an earlier Business Insider report on Project Tetromino, Amazon's automated delivery-station initiative.

"The combination of greater network density, faster delivery, and continued automation can improve customer experience while extending the Retail margin improvement cycle for multiple years," the note said.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at ekim@businessinsider.com or Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at 650-942-3061. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

If you're comparing cable and streaming options, you've got a lot to choose from. Optimum cable TV packages offer a mix of live channels, streaming apps, sports, news, and entertainment at several price points. Below, I'll break down the latest Optimum TV plans and prices, including what each package offers and how the tiers compare.

The biggest differences between Optimum TV packages come down to channel count, sports access, local networks, and included apps. Entertainment TV is the most popular and affordable option, while Extra TV adds more traditional broadcast, news, and sports channels. Everything TV sits at the top of the lineup with the largest channel selection and more premium entertainment and sports options.

I'll also cover important pricing details, including promotional rates, Auto Pay discounts, add-ons, and potential price increases after the introductory period. Keep reading to find out how Optimum package prices stack up and how to get the best discount.

Optimum TV packages and plans

Optimum offers three TV packages: Entertainment TV, Extra TV, and Everything TV. Each plan combines live television with access to streaming apps, but the channel count, included networks, and extras increase as you move up the lineup.

*Optimum's $20 monthly advertised rate requires an Optimum internet plan, plus AutoPay and paperless billing to be effective.

Entertainment TV is Optimum's entry-level option, starting at $20 a month for a year when bundled with Optimum internet plans, or $30 a month without. It includes over 70 live channels and over 20 apps, with networks such as HGTV, Discovery, AMC, Paramount Network, Hallmark, and Lifetime. The plan is delivered through the Optimum Stream device, making it a better fit for viewers who want a lower-cost mix of entertainment channels without paying for a larger cable lineup.

Extra TV is the mid-tier package, starting at $95 a month. It includes over 125 live channels and over 25 apps, along with more than $500 in app value. In addition to the networks included in the starter plan, Extra TV adds major broadcast and news channels, including ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, CNN, and Fox News, as well as ESPN for live sports. This tier is the better fit for households that want a more conventional mix of local channels, news, entertainment, and national sports.

At the top of the lineup, Everything TV starts at $150 a month and includes over 200 live channels and over 50 apps, with more than $600 in app value. The package builds on Extra TV with a larger sports and entertainment lineup, including NFL Network, SEC Network, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, Tennis Channel, Golf Channel, Starz Encore, FXM, and TCM. Certain regional sports networks, including YES, SNY, and MSG, may also be available depending on where you live.

Extra TV and Everything TV can each increase by up to $25 a month, a year after the promotional period, until the applicable standard rate is reached.

Optimum also offers several optional add-ons for shoppers looking to customize their lineup. Current choices include Family, Movie, Sports & Info, Sports Plus, and international packages, along with premium services such as HBO Max, Paramount+ with Showtime, STARZ, Cinemax, Starz Encore, and The Movie Channel. Exact channel availability, regional sports access, and pricing can vary by address, so it's worth checking the lineup available in your area before signing up.

One detail to keep in mind is how Optimum's billing discounts work. The prices above generally assume a $10 monthly Auto Pay and Paperless Billing discount when paying by EFT (electronic funds transfer) from your checking account. Card payments decrease or eliminate the discount. Additionally, in your first year of service, Optimum says plan prices may increase monthly until the applicable standard rate is reached.

Optimum TV and internet plan bundles

Optimum gives customers a few ways to combine home internet with TV and mobile service, with discounts that increase as you add more products. The provider offers three prebuilt bundle combinations — Internet + TV, Internet + Mobile, and Internet + Mobile + TV — two of which include TV service.

The Internet + TV bundle pairs Optimum internet with Entertainment TV, the brand's entry-level TV package. This marks a $10 monthly bundle savings, along with a $100 prepaid card for eligible customers who sign up for one gig internet and TV. Entertainment TV itself costs $20 a month with an internet plan and eligible Auto Pay and Paperless Billing discounts, and includes more than 70 live channels and 20 apps.

For households that also need wireless service, the Internet + Mobile + TV bundle offers Optimum's biggest advertised discount. It combines internet, Entertainment TV, and an eligible Unlimited Mobile plan for up to $30 in monthly savings. The current offer also includes a $200 prepaid card exclusive to 1 Gig internet and a free third mobile line for qualifying customers.

Only shopping for an internet connection? Learn more about Optimum internet plans in my guide.

Optimum cable TV FAQs

What is Optimum Stream?

Optimum Stream is the provider's all-in-one streaming device. It eliminates the need to shop for hardware and minimizes compatibility issues by connecting to your TV and Optimum internet connection, bringing all your live TV channels and streaming apps to your living room display. It's only available for Optimum Internet customers.

Luckily, it's a free addition with any Optimum TV package.

Can you get Optimum TV without Optimum Internet service?

While Optimum does provide language suggesting otherwise, Optimum TV is only available to purchase if you are an existing or new Optimum Internet customer.

What add-on packages does Optimum have?

Optimum's base TV plans can be further customized by selecting one of its category-specific add-on packages. Here's what the provider offers:

• Optimum Sports package: NFL RedZone, NHL Network, NFL Network, and more
• Premium channels: HBO Max, Starz, Paramount Plus, and more
• International channels

Does Optimum offer international TV channels?

US customers can get their favorite international programming by adding Optimum's International Channel add-on to their TV plan. Here's a list of the countries and foreign language channels the provider offers:

• Arabic - ART
• Brazilian - Globo and TV Record
• Caribbean - CaribVision and TEMPO
• Chinese - Phoenix North American Chinese Channel, Phoenix InfoNews Channel, ET Global NY, and CCTV-4
• Spanish - Over 50 channels, including Fox Deportes and RCN Nuestra Tele International
• Filipino - The Filipino Channel and GMA Pinoy TV
• French - i24NEWS en Francais and TV5MONDE
• Greek - Alpha and Antenna Satellite
• Israeli - Israeli TV in Hebrew
• Italian - Rai Italian and Mediaset Italia
• Korean - MBC, The Korean Channel, KBS World, and CTS America
• Polish - iTVN and TVN24
• Portuguese - RTP Mundo, SPT, and TUDN
• Punjabi - Jus Punjabi
• Russian - RTVi, RTN, Shanson TV, and TUDN
• South Asian - TV Asia, ITV Gold, Zee TV, Willow, and Sony Entertainment Television (SET)

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• Costi Hinn, nephew of Benny Hinn, grew up in a lavish televangelist family lifestyle.
• Costi challenges Benny Hinn's ministry, calling it a 'scam' and rejecting the prosperity gospel.
• Costi is now a pastor who promotes transparency and criticizes televangelist practices.

Costi Hinn describes his upbringing as "Beamers, Benz's, and Bentley's."

His family's nearly 10,000-square-foot home had an indoor hot tub, a pool, a steam room, and a sport court, he says. They traveled to Hawaii and Europe for vacation and stayed at high-end resorts, he added.

By high school, Hinn says, he drove a Mercedes. Around age 20, he had an H2 Hummer with custom rims and a $10,000 Breitling watch.

For years, Hinn says he believed his family's wealth reflected God's favor. Hinn was born into a wealthy televangelist family and is the nephew of faith healer Benny Hinn, the flamboyant televangelist known for preaching in white suits and presiding over healing crusades before packed arenas.

"We are the example of what will happen to you," Costi Hinn said of what he believed at the time. "If you have enough faith, if you believe like us, if you do what we do. Oh, God will make you rich."

"If you had cancer or some ailment or you were struggling with infertility," he added, "we would question your faith."

Hinn spoke to Business Insider for its flagship video series "Authorized Account" about growing up in a wealthy televangelist family and ultimately rejecting a system he said tied donations and faith to false promises of healing and prosperity.

Working for Benny Hinn made him walk away

At its peak, Benny Hinn Ministries was bringing in over $90 million a year.

After high school around 2003, Hinn says, he began working as his uncle's personal assistant. He says he traveled on a private plane, carried Louis Vuitton and Fendi luggage, and stayed in expensive hotels.

Hinn says he also participated in healing crusades as a "catcher," helping lower people to the ground when they fell after his uncle prayed for them.

The job brought him closer to the people who came seeking help. What he saw, he says, challenged what he had believed his entire life.

"I started questioning when I was younger in my teenage years, why certain things didn't happen as they were said to have happened," Hinn said. "What really got me was working for him and seeing everything behind the scenes and realizing nobody's really getting healed."

The board of directors of Benny Hinn Ministries disputes Costi Hinn's account, saying his limited logistical role did not give him meaningful insight into its healing services, fundraising, or policies.

While Costi Hinn was working for his uncle, Benny Hinn's ministry was already under scrutiny.

HBO and CBC investigations questioned the ministry's healing claims and financial practices. The IRS opened a tax inquiry in 2004, and the office of Sen. Chuck Grassley's office — then the top Republican on the Senate Finance Committee — later reviewed Hinn's ministry as part of a broader examination of televangelists' finances and governance. That review was not criminal, and Senate staff said Hinn cooperated and made "significant reforms."

In 2017, federal agents searched the ministry's Texas offices, though authorities did not publicly disclose the focus or outcome of the investigation. Benny Hinn has not been charged with a crime.

Leaving also meant challenging his family

Costi Hinn says family identity and loyalty ran deep, making the prospect of leaving difficult even as his doubts accumulated.

"It is so easy to forget when just after questioning, you begin to live in the extravagance and the lavish blessings of that lifestyle," Hinn said.

In 2004, Hinn stopped working for his uncle. He says it took him more than a decade to speak publicly about the experience: first, he focused on college and moved on with his life; later, he says, he spent years studying and reexamining his beliefs before addressing the subject as a pastor.

Today, Costi Hinn runs For the Gospel, an online Christian resource ministry.

He's an outspoken critic of his uncle's ministry and the prosperity gospel he grew up with. "I left it all when I found out it was a total scam," he said.

He's written books about his experience and spoken publicly about what he describes as the manipulation of people seeking healing or financial help.

He says his organization operates on an annual budget of about $700,000 to $800,000 and files a Form 990 — an annual IRS disclosure by nonprofits. Churches, including Benny Hinn Ministries, generally are not required to file one.

Transparency, Costi Hinn says, is one of the distinctions he tries to draw between his work and the world he left.

He says he speaks out because he believes his role as a pastor requires him to warn people about religious teachings he considers deceptive.

The board of directors of Benny Hinn Ministries disputed Costi's depiction of Benny Hinn and the organization, calling it false. It also questioned Costi's motives, saying he has used his association with the ministry for more than a decade as material for books, interviews, speaking engagements, and his own organization, giving him professional visibility and financial benefit.

Costi said the visibility his criticism has brought doesn't establish his motive and that most of his work centers on pastoral ministry and Bible teaching, not his uncle. "If I was interested in money or visibility, wouldn't I have just remained involved in Benny Hinn Ministries?" he said.

Benny Hinn Ministries said that for more than five decades, Benny Hinn has preached globally to millions of attendees. He continues to preach and hold healing services.

When Ron Johnson joined Apple in 2000, he was tasked with developing the brand's physical stores. Apple Stores eventually grew into retail giants, but at the time they were a risky bet, as conventional wisdom predicted online shopping would replace in-person stores.

Johnson's new book, "Shop Different," details the strategy behind the stores and offers a broad look at Johnson's retail career. In this live Q&A with Business Insider's Ana Altchek, he discusses his time at Apple and explains what it was like to work with Steve Jobs. He also answers viewer questions about retail strategies, leadership, and more.

• "The Social Reckoning" tells the story of Frances Haugen, a Facebook engineer turned whistleblower.
• The movie is written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, and is a companion piece to "The Social Network."
• The movie opens in theaters on October 9.

Sixteen years ago, David Fincher wowed audiences with the dorm-room origin story of Facebook with "The Social Network."

The movie would go on to earn eight Oscar nominations and three wins and make stars out of Jesse Eisenberg as its creator, Mark Zuckerberg, and Andrew Garfield as Zuck's former friend and collaborator, Eduardo Saverin.

Now, Aaron Sorkin, who won an Oscar for penning "The Social Network" script, is taking on the writing and directing duties for the movie's follow-up, "The Social Reckoning."

In this movie, things have changed dramatically for Zuckerberg (now played by Jeremy Strong), as Facebook has grown into one of the most influential companies on the planet. But the company has some dark secrets.

Oscar winner Mikey Madison plays Facebook engineer Frances Haugen, who has put her trust in Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz, played by Jeremy Allen White, to expose the company's internal research and decision-making.

Sorkin based the script on The Wall Street Journal's expansive investigative series, The Facebook Files, which delved into the social network's impact on youth mental health, misinformation, and the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack.

Sony will release the movie on October 9. Here's everything to know.

Aaron Sorkin has wanted to do a "Social Network" follow-up for years.

Sorkin is no stranger to exploring power and the people who wield it. When he wasn't creating shows like "The West Wing" and "The Newsroom," he wrote the scripts for movies like "The American President" and "Steve Jobs."

But he's never been able to let go of Zuckerberg and Facebook. In a 2020 interview for the "Happy Sad Confused" podcast, he noted that what fascinated him about a continuation to "The Social Network" was exploring "the dark side of Facebook."

That interest intensified a year later when The Wall Street Journal released The Facebook Files.

By the spring of 2025, Sony announced that Sorkin was attached to write and direct a follow-up movie.

"There isn't a life that Facebook's algorithm hasn't touched, and that influence has reshaped everything," Sorkin told a room full of movie theater owners at their annual convention, CinemaCon, back in April. "It's time to say more."

Sorkin said he spent 3 days trying to convince Jesse Eisenberg to play Mark Zuckerberg again.

When Sorkin took on "The Social Reckoning," one of the first people he sent the script to was Jesse Eisenberg, whose performance as Mark Zuckerberg in "The Social Network" earned him an Oscar nomination.

"I felt like it belonged to him, and he was certainly battle-tested," Sorkin told Vanity Fair about hoping Eisenberg would reprise the role.

Sorkin told the magazine he spent three days trying to convince Eisenberg, but ultimately, the actor declined.

"He simply did not want to be conflated with Mark Zuckerberg anymore, that he has his problems with the guy," Sorkin told Vanity Fair. "He doesn't like kids coming up to him in airports with business cards that say 'I'm CEO, bitch' for him to sign."

Eisenberg told the BBC in February 2025 that he no longer wanted to be "associated with someone like that," referring to Zuckerberg.

This opened the door for Jeremy Strong to take on the role.

Jeremy Strong will play Mark Zuckerberg instead.

Strong has a track record of taking on challenging roles. He crafted the complex nepo baby Kendall Roy from "Succession" into one of the most memorable characters in modern television. He's since wowed audiences with his performances as Donald Trump's cutthroat lawyer, Roy Cohn, in "The Apprentice," and Bruce Springsteen's loyal producer, Jon Landau, in "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere."

Playing an adult Zuckerberg will be his biggest transformation yet.

Since founding Facebook, Zuckerberg rebranded it as Meta in 2021, focusing on virtual reality and augmented reality technologies.

Soon after Haugen testified at the Senate hearing, Zuckerberg announced on an earnings call that Meta was hiring 40,000 people to work in safety and security because, he said, "we care about getting this right." Facebook has long said it endorses establishing rules for online platforms.

Strong took an obsessively Method approach to emulating the CEO.

Strong's Method acting preparation to play characters has risen to Daniel Day-Lewis levels of mythology, and that won't change with "Reckoning."

In an August 2026 GQ profile, Strong, who spoke in a Polish accent for most of the interview as he was also prepping for another movie at the time, revealed that his goal was to play the real Zuckerberg, not copy Eisenberg's portrayal in "The Social Network." To accomplish that, he said he listened to every podcast, read every interview, and watched Zuckerberg speak at every tech summit the CEO has ever done. He even created a Facebook account so he could read all of Zuckerberg's posts.

But Strong also wanted to get across to Zuckerberg himself how committed he was to the role. So Strong reached out to him.

"I sent him an email," Strong told GQ. "Just to say that I take this responsibility very seriously, and the veracity of it seriously, and I'm approaching it with respect."

Strong said Zuckerberg responded to him, but did not divulge what Zuck said.

Strong was also dedicated to sounding like Zuckerberg, talking in his voice throughout the production of the movie, even when he was off set.

"I've talked to Mark Zuckerberg many times — I had a whole friendship with Mark Zuckerberg, and Mark Zuckerberg has no idea," Strong's friend, Bradley Cooper, told GQ of the actor's dedication.

Mikey Madison plays Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen.

This marks Madison's first role since she won the best actress Oscar for "Anora."

The Facebook Files is based on the thousands of pages of internal documents leaked by Haugen, who was a product manager at Facebook. Once Haugen's identity was revealed as the whistleblower, she did a "60 Minutes" interview and testified at a Senate hearing that Facebook knew it could be harmful to young people.

Madison said she told Sorkin she was worried about taking the role because she looks nothing like Haugen.

If your first reaction to Madison's casting was to note that she and Haugen don't look remotely similar, you're not alone.

The Oscar winner felt the same way, and voiced it to her director.

"I met Aaron, and I was like, 'I love this script. This is an amazing character. But I don't look like this person at all,'" Madison said in a Vogue cover story that ran online in September.

Though Madison said she was prepared to do a complete transformation to look more like the blonde-haired, blue-eyed Haugen, Sorkin didn't want that. He told her instead to just focus on the script.

However, Madison told Vogue she did play with her look a little. She took fewer trips to the gym to give the character a "softer physicality" and dyed her hair jet black.

Jeremy Allen White plays Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff Horwitz.

White is best known for playing Carmen "Carmy" Berzatto on the hit series "The Bear," which earned him two Emmy wins. White has portrayed a real person before: he played Bruce Springsteen in the 2025 biopic, "Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere."

Horwitz is a former technology reporter at The Wall Street Journal who was behind The Facebook Files.

The first 'Social Reckoning' trailer was released in June.

Sony released the first teaser trailer of the movie on June 10.

Meta did not respond for comment about the trailer.

Watch it below:

Optimum offers a handful of home internet plans that cover the basics for most households, whether you're streaming, gaming, working from home, or just trying to keep multiple devices connected at once. Its main lineup includes 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and 1 Gig plans, with even faster multi-gig fiber options available in some areas. I've broken down Optimum's internet plans, packages, and prices below, including how to get the best price for your household.

Which Optimum internet plan makes the most sense for you really comes down to how much speed you need and what type of service is available at your address. Fiber customers can get faster, more balanced upload and download speeds, while cable plans tend to have slower uploads. Pricing and availability can also vary depending on where you live.

Optimum internet plans and prices

Optimum offers home internet plans ranging from everyday broadband speeds to multi-gig fiber service, with availability depending on your location. Its three main tiers are 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, and 1 Gig, all of which currently come with a five-year price lock, unlimited data with no data caps, and free self-setup.

*Prices include a $10 AutoPay and paperless billing discount and will remain in place for 60 months; afterward, monthly rates can increase by up to $15 a year until the applicable standard rate is reached.

The right Optimum internet plan largely depends on how many people and devices are sharing the connection. The 300 Mbps tier is enough for common activities like browsing, video calls, and streaming across several devices, while the 500 Mbps tier offers more headroom for households that stream 4K video on multiple screens or use many connected devices at once. The 1 Gig plan is geared toward heavier usage, such as gaming, frequent large downloads/uploads, and households with multiple people streaming or working online simultaneously.

It's important to check what type of Optimum service is available at your address. Optimum operates both a fiber-to-the-home network and a hybrid fiber-coaxial cable network, so upload speeds can differ substantially, even when the advertised download tier is the same. For example, Optimum lists cable versions of its 300 Mbps and 500 Mbps plans with upload speeds up to 20 Mbps, and its 1 Gig cable plan with download speeds up to 940 Mbps and upload speeds up to 35 Mbps. Fiber customers can get symmetrical speeds, including multi-gig service in eligible markets.

Optimum also includes equipment and setup benefits, though some costs can rise over time. Current offers include free self-setup and a free Gateway for the first 12 months; after that, the Gateway fee can increase by no more than $5 a month every year until the standard rate is reached. Optional Whole Home WiFi costs $5 a month, and Optimum may provide an extender when needed. Shoppers can also bundle internet, TV, and mobile services for additional savings of up to $30 a month.

Optimum internet bundle deal discounts

Despite its already competitive pricing, Optimum offers opportunities for shoppers to save by bundling, applying coupon codes, and more. Here's a breakdown of Optimum's internet bundle plans, which help lower prices by adding TV and mobile service.

TV bundles all come with built-in Entertainment TV, Optimum's base plan. They also include Optimum Stream at no additional cost, giving customers an all-in-one streaming device that connects live TV, streaming services, and Optimum internet to an entertainment system. Mobile bundles each come with a free third mobile line.

• Optimum cable TV packages and plans compared

If you're only shopping for Optimum internet and would like to save, here are the best promotions and offers running now:

Optimum fiber internet plans and prices

Optimum's fiber lineup ranges from 300 Mbps to 8 Gig, with five speed tiers: 300 Mbps, 500 Mbps, 1 Gig, 2 Gig, and 8 Gig. Unlike Optimum's cable service, its fiber plans offer equal upload and download speeds, which can make a noticeable difference for video calls, uploading large files, livestreaming, and other upload-heavy activities.

*All prices include an eligible $10-per-month Auto Pay and Paperless Billing discount, and taxes and fees are additional.

The most affordable option is 300 Mbps Fiber for $30 a month, which is ideal for basic online activities like browsing and casual streaming. 500 Mbps Fiber costs $40 a month and is geared toward typical everyday household use, while 1 Gig Fiber costs $50 a month and offers more bandwidth for households with multiple people streaming, gaming, or using connected devices at once.

For heavier internet users, 2 Gig Fiber starts at $60 a month. This high-performance option is ideal for both productivity and gaming, with extra bandwidth that can be useful for larger households with numerous devices operating simultaneously. At the top end is 8 Gig Fiber for $90 a month, Optimum's fastest residential internet tier. It offers speeds of up to 8 Gbps for both downloads and uploads, though it's only available in certain parts of Optimum's fiber footprint.

Exact plans, speeds, and offers vary by location, so customers need to enter their address to see which fiber tiers are actually available to them. Find out if you qualify on Optimum's availability site.

Optimum Internet availability in the US

As exciting as Optimum Internet plans are, it's unfortunately not available in every state or every region. You can enter your ZIP code to check if your exact location is covered, or see if you're in one of the following 21 states:

• Arizona
• Arkansas
• California
• Connecticut
• Idaho
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• Nevada
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• New York
• North Carolina
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Texas
• Virginia
• West Virginia

If you do reside in one of the above states, you may still fall outside of Optimum's range. The only way to be sure is to check the provider's website.

Follow our Instagram page and WhatsApp channel for more deals and buying guides.

The newest entry into The Traitors-verse has arrived. We've rounded up everything you need to know about where to watch The Traitors: New Blood, including streaming options, an episode release schedule, and the trailer.

Alan Cumming returns as host for The Traitors: New Blood, the franchise's latest release, which is steering away from its usual star-studded celeb cast and instead pits 22 civilians against each other in the Scottish Highlands for a shot at $250,000.

The viewing options are a little bit different from the first four seasons of The Traitors. If you don't want to read any further, US fans can live stream every episode on NBC with a Peacock Premium Plus subscription. Below, you can find additional details about the series, along with some streaming options with free trials.

Where to watch The Traitors: New Blood in the US

As we mentioned above, the viewing options for The Traitors: New Blood are a little bit different from the previous four seasons of The Traitors. Instead of premiering directly on Peacock, the series will air on NBC. New episodes will drop on Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET, and they'll land on Peacock on demand the following day.

If you're hoping to watch live and you don't have cable, you can still catch the show on Peacock, although you'll need the Peacock Premium Plus tier. Peacock Premium Plus costs $20 a month and unlocks ad-free on-demand content and a direct live stream of NBC. If you don't mind waiting a day to watch, you can catch new episodes Fridays through Peacock Premium, which costs $13 a month.

If you're looking for a platform with a free trial or additional channels beyond just NBC, you can try a live TV streaming service. These month-to-month apps offer most of the channels found in cable packages, without any of the long-term commitment.

YouTube TV carries NBC in both its Main and Sports plan. The Main plan (100+ channels) normally costs $83 a month, but new customers can get $15 a month off their first five months for a limited time. The Sports plan (30+ channels) typically costs $65 a month, but new customers can get $20 a month off their first six months. Both plans unlock ESPN Unlimited live streams and come with a free trial for first-time users.

Fubo carries NBC in all of its English-language plans. Pro subscriptions (200+ channels) cost $89 a month, but new users can get $25 off their first month after a free trial. These plans also unlock access to ESPN Unlimited and come with a free trial for first-time customers.

How to watch The Traitors: New Blood from anywhere

Traitors fans traveling abroad can still keep up with New Blood with the help of a VPN. VPNs, or virtual private networks, are cybersecurity tools that enable people to alter the virtual location on their electronic devices. This way, their favorite websites and apps work from anywhere — just like they would back home. The services we've recommended require US forms of payment, so this option will work best for Americans who are simply traveling away from home right now.

If you're not sure where to start when it comes to VPNs, NordVPN consistently ranks among the best VPNs on the market. Plus, it comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee, so it's no sweat if you find that it's not what you're looking for.

• See also: Peacock streaming service | Where to watch Dancing with the Stars | Where to watch South Park

The Traitors: New Blood episode release schedule

New episodes of The Traitors: New Blood drop on Thursday nights, beginning September 17. For the first couple of weeks, two new episodes will drop back-to-back each week. After that, one new episode will air each week until the finale on November 19.

The Traitors: New Blood cast

The contestants in The Traitors: New Blood are 22 everyday Americans. Below, you can find their names, occupation, and hometown.

• Abbey Benjamin, Nurse (Mangham, LA)
• Abby Lee, Astrophysicist (Saint Paul, MN)
• Arisa Thomas, Dog Groomer (Los Angeles, CA)
• Ben McDonnell, Barrel Racer (Granbury, TX)
• Clyde Moser, Teacher (Charleston, SC)
• Jay Vinnedge, Physician (Oklahoma City, OK)
• Joe Vanella, Funeral Director (Wantagh, NY)
• Katie Fites, Marketing Manager (Jacksonville, FL)
• Kim Daily, Lawyer (Houston, TX)
• Kriste Lewis, Realtor (Hattiesburg, MS)
• Logan Smith, Realtor (Gatlinburg, TN)
• Madeline Kostopulos, Construction Manager (San Diego, CA)
• Mark Zgoda, Personal Trainer (Phillipsburg, NJ)
• Michael Foote, Lawyer (New York, NY)
• Morgan Cook, Content Creator (Midland, MI)
• Niyyah Hayes, Therapist (Indianapolis, IN)
• Shane Beatty, Ironworker (Staten Island, NY)
• Sherry Kuehl, Writer (Leawood, KS)
• Tomica Adams, Pilot (Boston, MA)
• Victor Vollbrechthausen, Business Executive (New York, NY)
• Wyatt Gillespie, Designer (Ligonier, PA)
• Xavier Scruggs, MLB Analyst (Wesley Chapel, FL)

The Traitors: New Blood trailer

NBC and Peacock dropped the official trailer for The Traitors: New Blood in mid-August. The video gives a first look at the new contestants and their personalities. Check out the full trailer below:

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

Our style editors have reported mixed feelings on Quince clothing. Over the years, we've tested literally dozens of its wardrobe basics, bags, and homewares. Not everything is a "luxury" good, but we still found worthy items for our guides to the best cashmere sweaters, best women's basics, and even the best bamboo sheets. 

In 2023, Quince finally answered our prayers by launching its first plus-size collection. The debut featured 21 styles, and today it's reached 285.

I wear a size 3X or 24, and enlisted the help of my colleagues Jaclyn (who shifts between 1X-2X or 18) and Kinsley (who wears a size 3X or 28). The three of us tried on everything from washable silk skirts to super soft fleece sweats.

And guess what? We all loved nearly every piece. But there's one major caveat: the brand charges more for plus sizes than it does for the same product in straight sizing. For example, you'll pay $10 more for Quince's cashmere crewneck sweater in a 1X than you will for the same product in an XL. We asked the company to explain, and you can read their reply in the FAQ section below.

There are also significantly fewer color options for plus size items (take this sweater, available in 12 colors for straight sizes, but just six for plus sizes). While we're thrilled the brand now offers more extended size options, it's obvious Quince still has much more work to do in making the pricing and options more inclusive. You can find several retailers that do so in our guide to the best plus-size clothing. 

Shop all plus-size clothing at Quince.

The top 3 Quince plus-size clothing items we tested:

Quince 100% Washable Silk Skirt

Silk and I don't get along very well; I've never really loved how it drapes on my curves. I decided to give this silk skirt a try anyway and I was pleasantly surprised with the fit, but still don't feel 100% comfortable with how it lays against my hips. It also wrinkles easily.—Lauren Savoie, former deputy editor

I was so intrigued by this piece — a plus-size silk skirt that's washable? It seemed impossible! I'm happy to report that it's everything I imagined and more. The thick silk feels premium and cascades beautifully. There's no zipper — instead it pulls on and the elastic band sits firmly in place. But while the elastic waistband is flexible, it's important to note that the silk itself is not stretchy.

The "100% washable" claim held up — I've washed this skirt multiple times and have only noticed minor pilling, and no shrinkage. I can see myself putting this skirt on anytime I want to elevate my favorite black sweater. —Kinsley Searles, former associate home editor

This is a piece I know I'll keep wearing all season long. It can be styled so many ways, whether with an oversized sweater or a little tee. The burgundy color is going to be my new favorite neutral for fall. I'm between an XL and a 1X, and I appreciate the roominess of the 1X. I recommend sizing up if you want a smoother fit since the silk is quite clingy.

It arrived a little creased from being folded, so it's not ideal right out of the bag. I suggest ironing it from the inside out to get rid of the wrinkles before wearing it out. —Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

Read more in our full Quince washable silk review.

Quince 100% Organic Cotton Boyfriend Crew Sweater

I love this sweater so much that I've influenced my mom to buy one. I have several sweaters from Quince, but this all-cotton one feels so breathable and durable. It's slightly oversized, especially in the sleeves, but looks really cute cuffed. I'm definitely considering buying this in other colors. — Lauren Savoie, former deputy editor

Quince Italian Wool Cocoon Coat

Quince's Italian Wool Cocoon Coat has a very refined and elegant look, with even stitching and a warm, substantial feel. I chose the caramel, a rich camel shade, but it also comes in black and heather charcoal. I like that it has deep and roomy pockets, while the shawl collar can be worn both up or down.

As for the fit, I find Quince's sizing runs small. This coat is roomy enough through the hips and bust, but my arms feel restricted when I have the coat buttoned. You'll want to size up if you'll be wearing lots of layers underneath.

Quince compares this coat to similar ones from Aritzia, Eileen Fisher, and Akris Punto, of which only Eileen Fisher offers plus sizes. Design wise, it is remarkably similar to Aritzia's Cocoon Coat, which is also made with Italian wool and comes in a whopping five wool variations.

This Quince Wool Cocoon Coat sports a label from the Italian wool mill LANIFICIO NELLO GORI S.P.A.. According to the mill's website, they specialize in carded wool, also known as recycled wool, and have previously worked with brands like Woolrich, J.Crew, and Gap.

Meanwhile, the clothing tag states that the outerwear is made of 80% virgin wool with 20% nylon and is made in China.

Contrastingly, Quince's online product description notes that the jacket is Italian wool and made in Vietnam. While virgin wool can undergo a carded technique, the wool mill on the coat specifies its specialty as recycled wool, creating a bit of a discrepancy in product origins.

I still liked wearing this coat because it feels stylish and it comes at an unbeatable price, but it's perhaps not up to the the luxury standard that Quince is trying to convince you it is. —Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Polo Sweater

I'd heard about Quince's cashmere sweaters on a podcast ad years ago, and they never really left my mind. Thankfully, it lived up to the hype. The sweater has a comfortable, relaxed fit with a look that can easily be dressed up or down. I was worried that the fabric would be itchy, but that's not the case at all — instead, it feels like I'm cocooned inside of my favorite blanket. My one gripe: since it's cashmere, it's hand-wash only. —Kinsley Searles, former associate home editor

Quince Tencel Jersey Fit & Flare Dress

I love a dress that can be equally for at home, at work, or at play, and this one fits that bill. It's flowy and breezy, but can easily be layered with a sweater and leggings on colder days. I think this is the perfect dress to carry me through shoulder season. —Lauren Savoie, former deputy editor

Quince SuperSoft Fleece Cropped Wide Leg Pants

These sweats have been an essential in my WFH wardrobe. The interior is fleece, but the wide leg capri length makes them breathable so I don't overheat. They're super comfy, and look a little more elevated than your standard sweatpants. I also appreciate the roomy front and back pockets.

I have however noticed that the black color has started to fade (just like the Wrap Dress, as you'll see below). Also, I have an apron belly, and it's pretty prominent when I wear these. I don't mind having my belly on display, but if you want pants that hold you in, these aren't it.—Kinsley Searles, former associate home editor

Quince 100% Organic Cotton Fisherman Sweater

This just might be my favorite piece of everything I tried on. On the model, this style looked boxy, but it's actually quite nicely fitted through the waist and hips. The arms have a little bit of extra length, lending a "boyfriend" look to the fit. The all-over ribbed detailing made me feel like I was just a pair of boat shoes and a Grosgrain belt away from fitting in with the early summer crowd on Nantucket. I'll be wearing this sweater heavily throughout the colder season. My only complaint is that I'd love to buy it in more colors, but right now only three colors are offered in plus size, compared to the 15 available in straight sizes.

Update after a year of wear: My one complaint about my old Quince Fisherman sweater was that the bright white color was impossible to maintain. This cream-colored option is a little more forgiving, and I like the thick knitted fabric and oversized look. —Lauren Savoie, former deputy editor

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck Sweater

Every sweater I've tried from Quince has been a hit, including this Mongolian Cashmere Crewneck. It's a straightforward wardrobe staple, but it fits great and has an excellent price. Right now the plus option only comes in six colors, while the straight-size version is available in 21, so I hope Quince considers expanding options soon. I'd especially like to see some brighter colors offered, instead of just neutrals and darks. —Lauren Savoie, former deputy editor

This is one of the original items I purchased last holiday season from Quince. I was curious about the straight sizing versus the plus. I tried both the XL and the 1X, and while the XL fit, it was snug, the 1X fit in all the right spots, with extra fabric in the arms and chest. It's soft, well-made, and an absolute closet essential. — Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Boyfriend Cardigan Sweater

This is another fave. It can be really hard to find a decent oversized fit when you're typically the largest size in the size range (as I am for Quince), so I'm really happy that this sweater has a loose, "boyfriend" style without being shapeless or overly baggy. It's super soft and very versatile — I can see myself wearing this buttoned-up on its own or open with a cute tank or crop top underneath. —Lauren Savoie, former deputy editor

I think this cardigan was one of my favorites in the order. It's so soft and luxurious. At $150, it's definitely on Quince's pricier end, but I view this as an investment piece I'll be wearing for years to come. It's generously sized, with a bit of a boxy fit.  — Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

Quince 100% Washable Silk Slip Dress

I love a gorgeous slip dress, perfect for dressing up or down, depending on my mood. Make it washable, and I'm in love. This silk dress has a nice bias cut down the side seam with extra room in the hips, showing that it was designed with curvier bodies in mind. It hits right below the knee. Adjustable straps helped me position the dress comfortably across my chest. Being in between sizes, I preferred the slightly roomier fit of the 2X to the 1X. The 1X felt too tight and pulled in the back, while the 2X was a little large under the armpits but nothing too noticeable. I'm not wearing a shapewear bodysuit in either photo. — Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

Read more in our full Quince silk slip dress review.

Quince 100% European Linen Pants and Top

Whether styled together or as separates, the 100% European Linen Short Sleeve Shirt and Pants (no longer available), will become a summer staple. I love the modern, cropped cut of the top, and it earns bonus points for not pulling at my chest. The flax linen fabric feels sturdy and breathable. It's not scratchy either. The pants were fine in a 1X, though I'd also be curious as to having a little extra room in the next size up. The pants have a boxy style, which is not something I typically gravitate toward, but the pull-on style is loose-fitting and comfortable. Also due to the nature of linen, I can definitely see these pants getting pretty wrinkled after extended sitting. Luckily, the dark navy color I chose should hide that.  —Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

Quince Tencel Rib Knit Maxi Dress

This piece was the one that was most outside of my comfort zone, so I was surprised that I ended up really liking this style. Silhouette-wise, it's a dead ringer for the viral Skims Long Slip Dress, but priced about $20 cheaper. It's super soft and stretchy, made from a mix of ribbed Tencel and Spandex, and it felt very breathable. This piece has great day-to-night potential — I could see wearing it out to a summer dinner on its own, but I really liked how it looked when paired with a blazer for work. I'm 5'11", and this dress hit me right around the ankles with shoes on. The adjustable straps help adjust the length a bit, but I'd say if you're shorter than 5'7", you may need to wear heels with this dress or consider getting it hemmed. —Lauren Savoie, former deputy editor

Quince Tencel Jersey Midi Wrap Dress

I'm torn about this wrap dress. On one hand, I loved the way it felt and fit — the TENCEL fabric was silky smooth on my skin, and the wrap hugged my body just right. After washing it three or four times, though, I've noticed significant color fading and pilling. The true black has now faded into almost dark gray, especially around the neckline. It's possible that this is a problem just with the black dress, but I worry about its durability nonetheless. It's a shame, because otherwise, this is a nearly perfect wrap dress. —Kinsley Searles, former associate home editor

Quince Washable Stretch Silk Notch Collar Blouse

I'm forever on the hunt for a good button down and I wanted to love the Washable Stretch Silk Blouse. I typically size up in button-down blouses because I have a large chest. Sadly, the silk blouse in a 2X pulled at my chest and around my middle, making me feel a little too self-conscious. The ivory color was also quite sheer, and the slight stretch of the fabric only accentuated the parts that I didn't want to show off more. Ironically, the model in the product photo wears the bottom half of the shirt unbuttoned, as a foreshadowing of my experience, while another model wearing the blouse in wine appears to be swimming in it.   If the shirt would fit me right, I think it looks very classy and sophisticated and a great workwear, or day-to-night piece; just the sizing is off, in my opinion.  — Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor

Quince Mongolian Cashmere Tee and Washable Silk Tank

These two pieces were my "skips" out of everything I tried. The Mongolian Cashmere Tee is supersoft and quite cute as a basic, but it's a bit sheer. I don't think I'd buy it in this color, but I'd certainly consider it in a gray or black (both of which Quince offers). 

The Washable Silk Tank was fitted at the bust and hips, but loose through the waist, which I thought gave me a boxier shape. Looking at the straight-sized customer photos, this style seems to fit best on people who have small chests and slim hips. That said, I think this piece still has potential in my wardrobe as a layering staple and would be a great base under some suiting for work. —Lauren Savoie, former deputy editor

FAQs on Quince plus-size clothing

Why does Quince charge more for plus sizes?

According to a company representative, "Given Quince's manufacturer-to-consumer business model, our margins are tighter than most traditional retailers. Quince's straight sizes are graded based on a size small and produced in the same production run, so the cost is averaged out across the entire size offering, including material and freight costs. Quince's new extended sizes are made with a separate fit block, form, and live model based on size 2X/18 to offer the best fit for the customer. Since Extended Sizes uses a separate fit and grade rule based on size 2X with a separate production run, the extended sizes are priced separately, which has resulted in a price difference."

However, most retailers, even small businesses, are able to offer plus sizes and straight sizes at the same cost to customers. We think that if Quince is truly committed to inclusivity, the brand should provide a consistent price for both plus and straight-size items.

What is the return policy at Quince?

Quince has a 365-day return window, but there's a caveat. If you're going to test it, make sure your payment method (whether that's PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay) adheres to the same default refund period as Quince. If it's anything less than 365 days, you may receive a Quince store credit instead of your money back.

Does Quince clothing run small?

For the most part, yes. Some of its pants offer different inseam lengths, but we found they run short if you have curvy hips. If you like your clothes to fit loosely, you should definitely size up.

The best cat litter boxes come in many designs, from basic high-sided plastic or stainless steel pans to high-tech, self-cleaning models. Choosing the right one means balancing your cat's preferences with what works best for your home. The ideal litter box will be comfortable for your cat to use and easy for you to maintain.

To find the best options, Insider Reviews reporters tested 43 litter boxes and consulted veterinarians and cat behaviorists about the features that matter most for cats of different ages, sizes, and lifestyles, including seniors, large breeds, and multicat households. Whatever litter box you choose, it should measure at least 1.5 times the length of your cat from nose to base of tail, says Molly DeVoss, certified cat behavior specialist. That's a size many traditional boxes fall short of.

My top pick is the Frisco High Sided Extra Large Cat Litter Box, which our reporters tested in two homes with four different cats. Its roomy size comfortably accommodates many cats, and its 10-inch sides do a great job of containing litter. For larger cats, those with limited mobility, or homes with specific needs, I also recommend several alternatives that strike a good balance between your cat's comfort and your household's needs.

Our top picks for the best cat litter boxes

Best overall: Frisco High Sided Cat Litter Box, Extra Large - $24 at Chewy

Best low-entry for seniors and kittens: Kitty Go Here Senior Cat Large Litter Box - $50 at Chewy

Best stainless steel: Frisco Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box - $46 at Chewy

Best for large cats: Kitty Go Here Jumbo Litter Box - $75 at Chewy

Best automatic: Whisker Litter-Robot 4 - $699 at Chewy

Best disposable: Chewy Made High-Sided Disposable Cat Litter Box, Jumbo (2 count) - $12 at Chewy

Best covered: Frisco Hooded Cat Litter Box - $34 at Chewy

Best portable: Petisfam Portable Travel Litter Box - $37 at Amazon

Best DIY: Sterilite Storage Bin, 41 Quart Clear Plastic Storage Container - $10 at Walmart

Best top-entry: Modkat XL Litter Box - $194 at Chewy

Best overall

Best for: Aggressive diggers and high sprayers, cat guardians looking for budget-friendly box

Skip this if: Your cat is very large or needs a lower entry point and you don't want to cut it yourself

The Frisco High Sided Extra Large Litter Box gives most cats the roomy footprint and lower entry they need for comfortable use. House cats vary in size, but standard litter boxes often fail to provide enough space for natural behaviors like circling and digging. Measuring 24 by 18 inches with a 5.6-inch entrance, this box offers ample room for them to do their business comfortably.

The tall 10-inch-high sides do a great job of containing messes. Former associate home editor Kinsley Searles appreciates that the high walls significantly reduce litter scatter. Since litter can still stick to a cat's paws when entering and exiting the box, pairing it with a litter mat is still a good idea.

Its simple design makes routine scooping and deep cleaning easy. With few crevices, there are also few places for urine and odors to build up, which means there's less scrubbing for you to do. That's important, says Dr. Elena Shirley, lead veterinarian and partner at CityVet in Charlotte Uptown, who recommends replacing the litter weekly and thoroughly cleaning the box with soap and water every four to six weeks. The box is made from smooth, BPA-free, recyclable plastic that resists sticking, which makes daily scooping and deep cleaning quick and easy.

This box doesn't come with a cover, and that's another benefit. "Most cats prefer litter boxes that are uncovered," says Samantha Bell, a cat enrichment expert at Best Friends Animal Society. Covers trap ammonia odors, making the box unpleasant for cats. Open boxes also help cats feel more secure with better visibility and easy escape routes.

The 5.6-inch entrance might be too high for kittens, senior cats, or cats with mobility issues. Searles didn't run into this issue with her cat. "I have a petite cat, but she's never had issues entering the Frisco litter box," she says. If your cat requires more litter box accessibility, you can add a ramp or cut a lower entrance and cover the edges with duct tape to accommodate them.

Best low-entry for seniors and kittens

Best for: Senior cats, kittens, or any cat with mobility issues or underlying joint pain

Skip this if: Your cat prefers deep litter or is an aggressive digger or high sprayer

The Kitty Go Here Senior Cat Large Litter Box has a 3-inch-tall entry that makes entering and exiting easier. A lower entry is ideal for senior cats, kittens, or any cat with mobility issues or underlying joint pain. Known medical conditions can influence your litter box choice, but Shirley says preventative care is just as important. Feline osteoarthritis (OA) affects 90% of cats over age 10, though research suggests it's surprisingly common in middle-aged cats. Arthritis often goes undiagnosed because cats are good at hiding pain, which is why I began using this box well before my cats showed signs of slowing down. DeVoss adds that a low-entry box can better protect your cat's joints than ramps or stairs.

Its wide entrance and low-rimmed sides help prevent overexertion when your cat enters and exits. Even with an accessible front entry, some cats — like mine — still hop over the sides. "Cats are masters at hiding their pain," says Dr. Carly Fox, a senior veterinarian at the Schwarzman Animal Medical Center. They may also not recognize their own limitations. That's why I appreciate the short 5-inch rim on this litter box. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see Lyra gingerly step out through the entrance, perhaps because the low entry is a generous 11 inches wide.

Most cats have ample room to circle, dig, and go to the bathroom. The box is large, measuring 24 by 20 inches. DeVoss also says there's no such thing as a litter box that's too big, making this model a great choice for itty-bitty kittens as well.

It's easy to scoop. Both liquid and solid waste lifted from the box with ease, and I didn't have any issues with litter spilling out of the low entry. That said, its large size makes deep cleaning a bit more challenging. It doesn't fit in my utility sink, so I use the bathtub instead. You could also hose it off outside.

Its low entry limits the litter depth. Some cats prefer digging in a few inches, but the fill line on this box sits at about an inch. I filled it just slightly above the line, and while litter reached the edge of the entry after my cats used it, none actually tumbled out. An aggressive digger will likely cause some litter to spill from the entryway. To help manage litter scatter, I recommend pairing the box with a litter mat, such as the Gorilla Grip Cat Litter Trapping Mat. Shallow litter depth also means less clean litter is available for your cat after they eliminate, so you should scoop the box more frequently.

Best stainless steel litter box

Best for: Small to medium-sized cats; guardians looking for a durable, easy-to-clean litter box that won't absorb odors over time

Skip this if: Your cat is large or needs a low-entry box for mobility issues; you or your cat are sensitive to scratching and scraping sounds

The durable Frisco Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box resists the scratches that plastic boxes accumulate over time. Scratches on plastic litter boxes can harbor bacteria and unpleasant odors, even when the box is cleaned regularly. A plastic box may only last a few months before that first scratch shows up. "Once you see scratches on the bottom of the box, it is time to replace it," DeVoss says. She recommends stainless steel litter boxes that can withstand a cat's claws.

This litter box is easier to keep clean and sanitize than plastic. Its nonporous surface wipes down without absorbing odors or moisture, and waste doesn't stick to the smooth metal. Unlike plastic, which accumulates scratches over time, stainless steel stays smooth and odor-free.

A nonskid base keeps this box firmly in place. Metal can easily slip and slide on hard flooring, and a box that shifts mid-jump can startle a cat or throw off their landing. Many mornings, Lyra uses this litter box and then immediately zooms out of it, races up the stairs, and bursts through her catio door. Even with these quick exits, the box doesn't budge.

This box may not be a fit for cats with mobility issues or larger breeds that need extra room. My cats often leap in and out of this box, but it may be tough for senior cats, kittens, or pets with mobility limitations to get in and out of this box comfortably since it lacks a tapered, low entry. The interior also offers less square footage than most of our other picks, which may feel cramped for larger cats.

The box can amplify noise from scooping or when cats dig in it. I don't mind scooping this box, and I've found I can reduce metal-on-metal sound by using a plastic scoop. I do find the sound of my cats' claws on the metal off-putting, though. I've placed this box in the basement and kept other boxes in areas I frequent more often, since experts say to offer multiple boxes in locations cats prefer to spend time.

Best for large cats

Best for: Cats of any size who prefer ample room to do their business; large cat breeds, including Ragdolls, Norwegian Forest Cats, and Savannahs; senior cats, kittens, or cats with mobility issues or underlying joint pain

Skip this if: You have a giant breed like a Maine Coon who requires a large, custom setup; your cat is an aggressive digger; you're shopping for an inexpensive litter box

The Kitty Go Here Jumbo Litter Box gives many larger cats room to comfortably turn around, dig, and cover their waste. If you have a large cat, you need an even larger litter box. When a box is too small, your cat might perch on the edge, be smooshed against the sides, unable to turn around, dig outside the box, or worse, go somewhere else, says DeVoss. She recommends the Kitty Go Here Jumbo Litter Box, which measures more than 1.5 times the length of an 18-inch cat and is our top pick among the best large litter boxes.

It features relatively high ramped sides to reduce litter scatter from the sides. However, you may want to pair this box with one of the best cat litter mats to catch any stray litter that tumbles from the low entryway, especially if you have an aggressive digger. You can also install the included gate to reduce litter scatter, but it does increase the entry height from 3.5 to 4.5 inches. Without the gate, we collected 2 tablespoons of scattered litter over three days, and only 1.5 tablespoons with the gate installed.

It's easy to clean. The pan itself is made from durable, easy-to-clean plastic and features an oversized rim that makes lifting and carrying easier.

It may not be large enough for the biggest cat breeds. "Cats are indeed different sizes, so you'll need to measure," DeVoss says. Large cat breeds like Ragdolls, Norwegian Forest Cats, and Savannahs are larger than the average kitty, but often still fit comfortably in an extra-large box like this one. For jumbo cats like the Maine Coon, I recommend a larger DIY box, like the Sterilite 41-Quart Storage Bin in this guide.

Best automatic

Best for: Multi-cat homes; busy households; pet parents with mobility or medical needs; people who want to track their cat's bathroom habits, litter levels, and waste drawer status

Skip this if: You're on a budget; your cat has mobility issues; your cat won't use enclosed boxes

The Litter-Robot 4 automatically runs a cleaning cycle so you don't need to scoop. The cycle begins a few minutes after a cat leaves the box. With the LitterHopper attached (sold separately), I also get automated litter replenishment that keeps the globe at maximum fill without me lifting a finger. Even in my multi-cat household, my cats always have a clean, freshly filled litter box waiting for them.

It has multiple safety features. Thanks to internal weight sensors, the globe won't rotate while your cat is inside. Meanwhile, pinch sensors detect potential blockages to stop and reverse the globe's movement, while external laser sensors instantly froze the cycle when my cat approached mid-rotation or when I waved my hand over the entrance.

It helps track your cat's bathroom habits. Built-in weight sensors also identify individual pets, so you can assign profiles, monitor bathroom frequency, and receive up to 11 custom app notifications. However, weight monitoring is only accurate when the machine is placed on a hard floor or a Litter-Robot Carpet Tray (sold separately).

It offers accessibility for guardians who are physically unable to scoop or have been medically advised not to. Rachel Geller, founder of All Cats All the Time, frequently recommends automated boxes to pregnant, immunocompromised, or mobility-impaired clients. Litter-Robot is the first automatic box eligible for HSA/FSA reimbursement with a letter of medical necessity — though even with reimbursement, the price is high.

The waste drawer and globe still require upkeep. You'll get an alert when it's time to refill litter or clear the drawer, which typically needs emptying once or twice a week. Even if the waste bin isn't full, emptying it proactively is recommended because cats have a heightened sense of smell. The drawer sensors occasionally triggered early "full" alerts, but gently shaking the tray to level out waste resets the sensor. An "empty" cycle effectively removes all the litter when it needs replacing, though a manual wipe-down may be needed and a deep clean is recommended every one to three months.

Accessibility add-ons push the price even higher. If your cat is small or has mobility issues, you can add an attachable ramp. However, the ramp still has a 5-inch rise from the floor to the first step, so it won't work for every cat.

To learn more, read our Whisker Litter-Robot 4 review and our guide to the best automatic litter boxes.

Best disposable

Best for: Temporary quarantine or medical crate rest; people who want a zero-maintenance disposable option for travel

Skip this if: You're looking for a long-term, regular-use litter box

The Chewy Made High-Sided Disposable Cat Litter Box (Jumbo) offers an easy, hygienic solution for travel, short-term stays, or temporary medical isolation. In clinical settings, veterinarians frequently rely on small, disposable trays to manage cats in tight spaces because the trays can be easily tossed and replaced as needed. Veterinarian Dr. Jo Myers says the same approach works well for travel. However, a cat and a litter box should not be placed together in a large crate when in a moving car. "For car travel, it's generally safer and more practical for cats to stay in a secure carrier without loose items shifting around," Myers says.

It's one of the largest cardboard litter boxes. A cramped box makes cats more likely to go over the sides or seek out other spots to relieve themselves, and that's especially problematic when you're traveling. In testing this larger 20-inch version, Lyra and Atlas took to it immediately — even rolling around inside — and had no trouble turning around or covering their waste.

It's more durable than makeshift options. When Lyra was on crate rest for a displaced knee, I tried using a shallow cardboard tray from a cat food case, but it didn't hold up. Myers confirms that cardboard boxes absorb moisture and only last a soiling or two. This box is made from water-resistant recycled cardboard, and I tested its durability over two weeks, placing one box in our bedroom and another in a humid bathroom. Neither one absorbed moisture or broke down. I scooped waste cleanly without any sticking, and aside from a few minor claw scratches on the basin, the box easily lasted the full two weeks.

The tall 8-inch walls are great for containing litter scatter, but I recommend a quick DIY modification. Those high sides kept tracking down to a minimal 1 to 1.5 teaspoons over a week of use, a benefit when staying in hotels or in temporary rentals. My cats cleared the 8-inch height without issue, but I still cut an entry approximately 8 inches wide by 4.5 inches tall with household scissors to test it out. The modification made the box easier to step into without sacrificing structural integrity or noticeably increasing tracking. If needed, you could likely cut the entry another inch or two lower.

Best covered

Best for: Cats already accustomed to covered boxes; high-spraying cats or enthusiastic diggers who need tall walls to contain mess; homes with dogs or curious toddlers who try to dig into the litter

Skip this if: Your cat doesn't already use a covered box; you have a multi-cat household

The spacious Frisco Extra-Large Hooded Box offers the size and flexibility needed to keep cats comfortable. It features a larger interior compared to other covered boxes, giving cats room to turn around. The removable hood allows you to transition your cat gradually or take the lid off entirely. With the cover in place, a built-in charcoal filter provides extra odor control between cleanings. Without the cover, the high sides help contain messes, which is especially useful for cats who tend to "elevator pee."

With the hood on, this box keeps waste out of view and out of reach. A covered hood helps to keep my toddler's hands out of the cats' litter box. It can also prevent a dog from grabbing a "snack". If your cat has always used a covered box without showing signs of aversion, replacing your old box with this one can work.

Keep in mind that the perks of a covered box often don't outweigh the downsides for felines. "Cats dislike covered boxes because this blocks the visual field," Geller explains. In multi-cat homes and ones with dogs, it's even more important for cats to have a clear view of their surroundings. Plus, the trapped odors inside a covered box can quickly turn it into a place cats avoid.

The box includes a semi-opaque plastic flap door, but I recommend removing it before use. Intended to help prevent odors from escaping, fumes become locked inside the litter box. "Trapped odors inside a covered box can quickly turn it into a place cats avoid," Geller says. Removing the door creates a clear, inviting opening that significantly improves ventilation and line of sight.

Best portable

Best for: People who need a reusable box for multi-day trips or hotel stays; caregivers who want a mess-free way to transport a filled litter box

Skip this if: Your cat has mobility issues and may struggle with a higher entry; you prefer minimal maintenance, since fabric boxes require deep cleaning between uses

The Petisfam Portable Travel Litter Box offers a convenient, mess-free travel solution. Myers recommends offering cats bathroom breaks every few hours during long car trips, and this zippered litter box makes that easier. I purchased this setup for my mom's two-day drive from Ohio to Florida. She pulled the box out at rest stops, offered it to her cat, and zipped it back up for clean, spill-free transport in the car. Instead of tossing a disposable box after her hotel stay, she zipped it up again the next morning to use for the remainder of the trip.

It's larger than most other travel boxes options. It expands into a sturdy 19-by-15-inch basin that holds its shape during use, yet it folds down to a compact 9 by 7 inches. I also tested the Travel Cat "The Porta-Pawty" Travel Litter Box, which was small enough to fit entirely inside the Petisfam. My cats had no trouble stepping over the Petisfam's 5.1-inch walls, turning around, or covering their waste. I filled the box with about 2 inches of litter, and the walls held their shape well without collapsing inward as my cats used the box.

There was some litter scatter. With the lower walls, I saw more scatter compared to my testing of the high-sided disposable box. I measured approximately 1.5 tablespoons of litter tracking up to 5 feet away.

It can absorb odors. During testing, some waste stuck to the bottom lining when scooping. I washed the box with mild soap and water, then let it air-dry in the sun. Even with regular washing, nylon can trap odors over time, Myers says. Frequent travelers should plan to replace a fabric box roughly every six months or sooner, depending on how often it's used. If you're torn between a reusable fabric box and a disposable cardboard one, Myers says the choice comes down to personal preference. "If a client asked me which one to choose, my answer would be simple: pick what's easiest for you to manage," she says.

Best DIY

Best for: Cats of all sizes, particularly extra-large cats or breeds like Maine Coons who need more room; multi-cat households; budget-conscious caregivers

Skip this if: Your cat has severe mobility limitations, since a lower entry requires wire cutters or power tools to cut through the reinforced lip

The Sterilite 41-Quart Storage Bin is the largest litter box option at a budget price. A wide, flat plastic storage container makes an ideal, cost-effective DIY litter box. Sung and cat behaviorist Daniel "DQ" Quagliozzi often recommend their clients consider this DIY version since many traditional litter boxes are frequently too small for cats to comfortably use multiple times a day. While it features a slightly narrower footprint than the Kitty Go Here Jumbo Box, the Sterilite 41-Quart Storage Box offers extra length at a fraction of the price.

It's big enough for extra-large breeds like Maine Coons. In side-by-side testing against the Kitty Go Here box using the same litter, Lyra and Atlas took to the Sterilite bin immediately, choosing to use this option slightly more often. At roughly 18 inches long, both cats had plenty of room to spare. This extra space meant that if I didn't get a chance to scoop between uses, there was still plenty of clean real estate available for the next visit.

It's easy to scoop and deep clean. The smooth, crevice-free interior makes daily scooping and deep cleaning simple. Filled to a 2.5-inch depth during testing, waste lifted cleanly without sticking, even when my cats peed along the sides. Just 1.5 teaspoons of litter tracked onto the surrounding mat over two weeks. It only took a few minutes to wash the seamless plastic bin with soap and water, though you may need to use a tub or hose instead of a standard sink for cleaning.

You can cut a lower entry if the walls are too high for your cat. Some cats prefer a deeper bed of litter for digging, and the 6-inch walls help keep that extra litter contained. While higher walls can be challenging for cats with mobility issues, the entry height didn't cause any accessibility problems for Lyra, who has a luxating patella in each knee. You can cut a lower entry, but you'll need wire cutters or power tools to get through the thick, reinforced lip.

Best top-entry

Best for: Reducing litter scatter, cats already accustomed to top-entry boxes, homes with curious dogs or toddlers

Skip this if: You are on a tight budget; your cat has mobility limitations

With a top opening and a front entrance, the Modkat XL Litter Box gives your cat a choice of how they enter and exit. Sung and Quagliozzi say cats need choices to feel secure, which includes having at least two litter box areas per cat in your home. Having more than one way in and out of a box can also make a big difference.

It's roomy inside and has a generously sized top opening. While open litter boxes remain ideal for feline comfort, generous openings help improve airflow, visibility, and ease of access. The top entrance spans 10.25 inches across, though the front door measures 8.3 by 9.8 inches. For reference, Atlas measures 8 inches whisker-to-whisker (which correlates to her body width), giving her an extra few inches of clearance when entering and exiting from the top but a tighter squeeze from the front. Inside, the box offers 17 inches of headroom and enough surface area for many cats to comfortably turn around and dig.

A clever folding lid simplifies daily maintenance and controls scatter. The lid folds back for easy cleaning, and litter tracked onto the roof returns to the pan through perforations. The box comes with two reusable plastic liners and a scoop. However, Bell advises against using litter box liners. "Cats often get their claws stuck in the liner, tearing a hole in it, which causes them to dislike the box," she says. If you'd prefer your cat not use the front entry, you can close the built-in sliding door, though our experts don't recommend it.

A downside of the Modkat XL is its price, typically $190. It's one of the roomiest top-entry models available, but if you're looking for a larger box, a traditional open-top pan is your best bet.

Our top picks compared

What to look for in a cat litter box

The best cat litter boxes are spacious, easy for a cat to access, designed to fit their preferences, and simple for guardians to maintain.

Size: Sung says cats need a space at least 1.5 times their length to scratch at the litter and bury their waste. Many litter pans advertised as "large" or "jumbo" have far smaller dimensions than our top picks. You can determine whether a box is big enough by measuring your cat's length from its nose to the base of its tail and comparing it to the dimensions of the box.

Accessibility: Not every cat is agile or motivated enough to jump up into a litter box, and top-entry boxes can be especially challenging for some cats to access. When selecting a box, consider your cat's mobility needs. Kittens, senior cats, and those with injuries or mobility limitations may benefit from a box with an entry height of about 3 inches or less. If choosing a box with a high entry and sides, look for one made of a material that you can safely modify to create a lower entry that better suits your cat's needs.

Design: Quagliozzi says cats prefer a box that doesn't distract them from their business or require them to contort their body into unnatural positions. Look for boxes that offer easy entry and allow a cat to stand flat on all four paws rather than curved or angled boxes. An open-topped litter pan is the most universally accepted by cats of all types. Some cats may be intimidated by hooded or covered litter boxes, especially if the top is low enough that the cat must crouch to do their business.

Ease of cleaning: In general, boxes with simpler designs are easier to clean. Litter boxes should be scooped at least once a day, though more frequent scooping is ideal. Geller says healthy adult cats typically use the litter box two to five times a day for both peeing and pooping. However, factors like age and health can influence this. Senior cats may urinate more often due to conditions like kidney disease, while kittens usually urinate after each feeding and may poop up to three times a day. If having a cover over your litter pan makes you forget to scoop it daily, then a litter box without a hood is a more hygienic option. If you struggle to scoop your litter box daily, an automatic or smart litter box may be the best option, though even self-cleaning litter boxes still require deep cleaning. Our experts say you'll also need to deep-clean your litter boxes every four to six weeks using water and unscented dish soap.

Material: I included metal and plastic options in this guide to the best cat litter boxes. Plastic litter boxes have a lower upfront cost, but our experts recommend replacing them every six months or at the first sign of scratch marks. DeVoss says that no matter how well the box is cleaned, scratch marks accumulate bacteria and, therefore, odors. On the other hand, stainless steel and metal litter boxes may have a higher initial cost, but they offer a longer lifespan compared to plastic options. However, noise-averse people and cats alike may dislike the sound of cat claws on metal.

How we tested the best cat litter boxes

Over the past five years, we've researched popular litter boxes from major online retailers, selecting models to test based on criteria provided by the experts we consulted. Freelance reporter Shoshi Parks conducted the initial reporting for this guide and tested litter boxes with her two cats. Since then, freelance reporter Janelle Leeson and three Insider Reviews editors and reporters have tested additional boxes with six more cats.

Each litter box we tested was used for at least one month and evaluated using the methods described below. Unless a box required a specific type of litter to operate effectively, testers used their preferred substrates, including some of the best cat litters and best natural cat litters. Learn more about how our rigorous testing and research protocols.

Ease of entry test: We measured the sides of each box and the height of any openings, and observed whether our cats appeared to have difficulty accessing the boxes. We also observed how our cats responded to each box, noting which they preferred to use more frequently.

Tracking test: For each litter box we tested, we collected the litter tracked onto the floor over three days and then compared the quantity of litter between boxes.

Cleaning test: We cleaned each litter box twice daily, observing how easy it was to access and remove the waste and how much litter stuck to the bottom and sides of the pan. After a month of use, we thoroughly cleaned each box, disposing of the litter and wiping it out completely. We noted how challenging the boxes were to clean and approximately how long it took.

Size test: For this test, we measured the length of each of our cats when standing in a relaxed position from the nose to the base of the tail. We then measured the length of each of the litter box contenders and compared the numbers. We favored larger litter boxes over smaller ones.

Meet the experts behind this guide

Janelle Leeson, cats reporter and product tester: Janelle Leeson is a cat mom of two, former foster cat parent, and experienced Portland cat sitter who has seen — and scooped — just about every litter box configuration imaginable. Though her own house currently has more litter boxes than she's ever seen in any client's home, her hands-on experience has taught her that giving cats the power of choice is the key to a happy, accident-free household.

Shoshi Parks, freelance pets reporter, and I also interviewed seven experts about feline litter box habits and the qualities to look for in a good litter box.

Dr. Liza Cahn is a veterinarian and consultant for Embrace Pet Insurance. She is also a freelance veterinary writer.

Molly DeVoss is a certified feline training and behavior specialist (CFTBS), certified cat behavior consultant, and Fear Free certified trainer who specializes in using positive reinforcement to modify and prevent unwanted behaviors in cats. She is the founder and owner of Cat Behavior Solutions.

Dr. Mark Freeman is a specialist veterinarian who is board-certified in canine/feline practice through the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners and assistant professor of community practice at Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. Freeman's academic and research interests include feline and canine behavior.

Dr. Jo Myers is a veterinarian at Vetster with over 30 years of experience. Myers is dedicated to helping improve pet parent access to trustworthy, evidence-based pet health care information.

Daniel "DQ" Quagliozzi is a cat behavior consultant and owner of Go Cat Go! in San Francisco, California. For two decades, Quagliozzi has worked with cats at the San Francisco SPCA, San Francisco Animal Care and Control, and through his private practice, Go Cat Go!

Dr. Jamie Richardson is head of veterinary medicine at Small Door Veterinary in New York City. Richardson has worked with animals around the world, from South Africa to Hong Kong. At Small Door Veterinary, her primary interests besides general practice include preventative care, dentistry, and internal medicine.

Dr. Karen Sueda is a board-certified veterinary behaviorist who was practicing at VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital when Parks interviewed her. She is also the founder of Karen Sueda Veterinary Behavior Inc., where she uses positive, pet-friendly behavior modification techniques to help pet owners work with their pets.

Dr. Wailani Sung is a board-certified veterinary behaviorist who was the director of behavior and welfare programs at the San Francisco SPCA Veterinary Hospital when Parks interviewed her. She writes on animal behavior for Vetstreet, PetMD, and Healthy Pet magazine.

Cat litter box FAQs

What type of litter box do vets recommend?

There isn't a single best litter box for every cat. Our experts say that most cats prefer open-top litter boxes that provide good airflow, easy entry and exit, unobstructed sightlines, and plenty of room to circle and dig. However, some cats may favor enclosed litter boxes that offer more privacy. Regardless of the style, the litter box should be at least 1.5 times the length of your cat from their nose to the base of the tail. Offering multiple types of litter boxes on different floors of your home and in various rooms gives your cat the opportunity to choose their preferred design and location. Ease of access is also important. "Make sure the sides aren't too high for your cat," says Dr. Jamie Richardson, chief medical officer at Small Door Veterinary in New York City. Boxes with tall sides and ones that are fully enclosed or top-entry can make some cats feel trapped, which may cause them to avoid the box altogether.

Do cats prefer open or hooded litter boxes?

Open-topped litter pans are the most widely accepted boxes by all types of cats. Some cats may feel trapped and be afraid to enter hooded or covered litter boxes, particularly if the interior height is so limited that they need to crouch while eliminating. "If your cat feels vulnerable and unsafe in the litter box, she may not take the time to bury her waste after elimination because she wants to get out of there quickly and prevent being ambushed in the box," Geller says. In some cases, this may lead your cat to avoid the box altogether. Additionally, Bell says covered boxes trap odors, intensifying the smell for cats, which can make them reluctant to use the box. Doors on litter box entrances, especially opaque or swinging ones, can make both matters worse.

What type of cat litter do vets recommend?

According to Dr. Liza Cahn, a veterinarian and consultant for Embrace Pet Insurance, most cats do best with litter that's unscented, clumping, and made of fine grains, such as clay litter. This type of litter closely resembles sand or dirt, which cats might choose to use in the wild.

Can a litter box be too big?

No. "Most cats won't mind a box that is a bit larger than they need, provided you keep it very clean," Richardson says. "The main concern is with litter boxes being too small."

How many litter boxes do I need?

Sung says a good general rule of thumb is to have one litter box per cat plus an extra. Dr. Karen Sueda, a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, notes that some multi-cat households can get by with fewer boxes if they're extra large and scooped at least twice a day. You should also place boxes in different areas throughout your home.

Where should I put my cat's litter box?

Litter boxes should be placed in multiple locations throughout your home, including on each level, and kept away from noisy appliances like washers or dryers that could startle your cat. While you'll want to avoid busy, high-traffic areas, the box should still be close to where your cat likes to spend time with you. Geller says that a cat's field of vision also matters. Rather than placing a litter box tightly in a corner, setting it about 12 inches away from walls can improve your cat's view of their surroundings and help them feel more secure. Richardson also notes that litter boxes should be separated from the feeding areas. "Cats typically don't like to go where they eat," she says.

How often should I clean the litter box?

To keep a cat happily using their litter boxes, our experts recommend scooping them at least once a day, if not several times. In addition to daily maintenance, the litter box should be cleaned with unscented dish soap and water every four to six weeks.

How frequently does a cat use their litter box?

The typical cat uses the litter box as many as half a dozen times a day, urinating two to four times and defecating once or twice. Some cats may go more or less frequently on average. Cleaning your litter boxes at least once a day will help you monitor for medical or behavioral changes that may indicate a health problem, such as feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD).

Why is my cat peeing outside the litter box?

"If your cat is urinating or defecating outside of the litter box, see your vet to rule out medical issues, such as urinary tract infection, cystitis, or arthritis," Cahn says. If your cat gets a clean bill of health, she recommends taking a closer look at your litter box setup: Do you have the recommended number of boxes placed in different areas — one per cat, plus one extra? Are the boxes spread throughout your home in easily accessible locations? Do you scoop them daily? Cahn also recommends thoroughly cleaning any soiled areas, offering a variety of litter types (both clumping and non-clumping), reducing stressors, increasing enrichment, and finally, consulting a veterinary behaviorist if needed.

• Steve Eisman isn't buying all the talk of an AI apocalypse.
• The famed investor says AI companies want to "manufacture a crisis."
• In his view, they see this as a way to rebuild the previous moats around their businesses.

Steve Eisman isn't worried about the robot apocalypse. In fact, he thinks AI companies that say they're worried about doomsday have a specific agenda.

Eisman, who correctly called the housing market crash of 2008, sees a motive behind the panicked calls by top AI labs so slow the development of the technology.

The AI apocalypse has been in the zeitgeist since former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon publicly resigned over concerns that AI makers aren't taking safety seriously. Experts have been divided on how likely a doomsday scenario is, but Eisman said he sees a motive behind the panic.

"They realize that there are no moats around their business whatsoever and they're trying to manufacture a crisis," Eisman told CNBC on Thursday. "That's what I think is happening."

Eisman laid out his own thesis on AI doomsday, highlighting the incentives that he sees for tech companies to push the narrative that their technology could end the world.

In his view, they see a need to create a crisis that will lead to regulation which they can ultimately manipulate to create a duopoly, hoping to replace the previous moats that used to surround their business.

"Tokenmaxxing is over," Eisman stated. "The open weight models are taking big market share. I think these companies are very nervous."

He isn't the only one to say that the era of tokenmaxxing, the practice of maximizing AI use, has ended. Citadel Securities said recently that rising costs have been a reality check for the AI trade, stalling some of its momentum.

Eisman revealed that he's recently trimmed his own AI exposure. That comes a few weeks after he raised concerns regarding the AI market, describing OpenAI and Anthropic as the ''Achilles' heel" of the AI trade. In his view, much of the danger stems from how dependent the entire industry is on the success of the two leading AI startups.

"They're such a huge percentage of the entire chain, so if something were to happen to one of those two companies, then the chain would really fall apart," he said. "Between the two, OpenAI is the weaker company."

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently called for the pace AI development to be slowed, a perspective echoed by OpenAI's Sam Altman, and SpaceX's Elon Musk. Eisman expressed some skepticism regarding Amodei's motive, given that Anthropic is headed for its own historic IPO.

"When you talk about [how] we should slow down because things are dangerous, my response is 'Really? Postpone your IPO,'" he said. "Put your money where your mouth is. Is anybody talking about postponing IPOs or postponing raising capital? I haven't heard anything."

• Troops selected to attend an upcoming meeting must meet weight and grooming standards, the Wall Street Journal reported.
• Commands were reportedly told to choose top performers with strong leadership qualities.
• The gathering comes a year after Hegseth summoned hundreds of senior military leaders to Quantico.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth wants only fit, well-groomed troops in the audience for an upcoming address in Quantico, Virginia, later this month, according to a new report. The selection criteria reflect Hegseth's broader focus on physical fitness and the military's public image.

According to internal emails reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, troops in attendance for Hegseth's speech must meet the military's weight requirements and maintain "impeccable" grooming standards.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense declined to comment on or provide a copy of the emailed memo to Business Insider.

It's common for military units to avoid showcasing sloppy-looking service members during high-profile public events. Ceremonial units are well known for selecting fit troops who are meticulously groomed and dressed. Selecting an entire audience on these requirements, as well as subjective leadership traits, is less so.

Only those who are "consistently rated as top performers within their formations," have a "clear record of integrity, discipline and selfless service," "demonstrate strong presence, clear communication and sound judgment under pressure," and "serve as role models for their peers and subordinates" may be sent by units to attend the speech, according to the Journal.

The Pentagon issued similar guidance this spring on the selection of fit troops to attend a mixed martial arts event on the White House lawn as part of America's 250th birthday celebration.

The address, scheduled for September 30, comes one year after Hegseth ordered 800 generals and admirals to the same base for a speech about renewing the "warrior ethos" within the ranks.

"No more beardos," he said at Marine Corps Base Quantico last year. "The era of rampant and ridiculous shaving profiles is done." He also said it was "tiring to look out at combat formations, or really any formation, and see fat troops," adding that he did not want to see "fat generals in the Pentagon and leading commands."

Past defense secretaries haven't traditionally ordered such large groups of military personnel to attend similar standalone events to present priorities.

At the event last year, Hegseth told military leaders that he would "restore a ruthless, dispassionate and common sense application of standards" and would not tolerate overweight troops or beards. He also ordered mandatory daily physical training and twice-yearly fitness tests.

"You get up early, you get up and you work out because we're going to be fit and we're not going to be fat," Hegseth said at a May 2025 conference. During travel, the secretary routinely seeks out opportunities to do physical training with troops.

Certain parts of the military have long struggled with obesity and other fitness challenges within their ranks. In 2020, nearly 20% of active-duty troops were considered obese. Previous studies have cited similar readiness concerns within the National Guard and reserve forces.

During the same address last year, Hegseth challenged the flag officers in the room while criticizing the previous presidential administration and what he characterized as a "woke" degradation of the armed forces.

"If the words I'm speaking today are making your heart sink," Hegseth said, "then you should do the honorable thing and resign."

• OpenAI launched Astra for Law to target the legal industry with advanced AI tools for lawyers.
• OpenAI aims to outpace its biggest rival, Anthropic, with tailored AI legal solutions.
• OpenAI is collaborating with legal tech firms to add its latest Astra model into Harvey and Legora.

OpenAI is taking its seat at the counsel table.

On Thursday, the company announced Astra for Law, its long-awaited offering for legal work. Lawyers have already become ChatGPT power users, but the new launch brings plugin tools, a way to search legal cases more effectively, and custom model tweaks that will help others build on the tech.

As OpenAI prepares for its initial public offering, it's making a play at customers in specific industries. The legal launch marks yet another sector where OpenAI is pouring investment in its bid to become the go-to destination for AI work tools. Last week, the company unveiled ChatGPT for Financial Services, aimed at Wall Street customers. It has also launched industry-specific products for teachers, clinicians, life sciences researchers, and the personal health and finance sectors.

OpenAI's launch lines up in many ways with a legal release from Anthropic, its chief rival, back in May. Both releases featured a spate of integrations, though OpenAI is also tailoring its model specifically for legal work by embedding it with tools and tweaking its settings.

"You win by focusing on the customer and not the competition," said Jason Boehmig, who leads legal product at OpenAI, at a press briefing.

With Astra for Law, OpenAI is targeting the legal tech industry and the 200 largest American law firms, collectively known as AmLaw 200, Boehmig said. It's built on the company's most advanced and expensive model.

"What we really solved is: How do you stay on the frontier of capability, but also make the output relevant to a specific type of knowledge work," Boehmig said.

Sherwin Wu, a member of the technical staff at OpenAI, said the company's model tweaks ground it in "actual case law," which led to fewer hallucinations and "just much more sound legal reasoning."

The tool also gives answers that are about twice as long as typical Astra responses, the company said.

"Lawyers like longer responses," Boehmig said. "That was one thing that came back from feedback."

Legal tech companies like Harvey and Legora can add the tool to their own products. The launch also comes with plugins for ChatGPT from those companies, as well as from Thomson Reuters, iManage, DeepJudge, and others.

Wu said that the legal product team had worked closely with the financial services team and will bring one of that launch's standout tools — a citations feature — to the legal offering soon.

Have a tip? Contact this reporter via email at scouncil@businessinsider.com, or over text, Signal, Telegram, or WhatsApp at 415-757-8198. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

Big-screen TVs are more popular and affordable than ever. I have a 75-inch TV in my own living room, and I love the level of immersion it brings to movies, video games, and sports. But a big display doesn't guarantee a good picture on its own. The gap in quality across different models is greater than you might expect. That's why I put together this guide to the best 75-inch TVs (plus a few 77-inch sets) that are actually worth the money.

My team and I tested popular TV models across brands to find 75-inch options for a range of needs and budgets. Our methodology takes image quality, design, usability, and overall value into account. For most people, the Samsung S90F is hard to beat. Its OLED panel delivers deep black levels and rich colors that really shine on a screen this large. But if you want something more affordable, the Hisense U6SF Pro is a great value at a common deal price of $798. It can't match the S90F's contrast, but its Mini LED display still delivers impressive color, and it has a solid anti-glare screen that works well in bright rooms.

I've also included 75-inch TVs that prioritize top-tier picture quality, as well as models that crank up the brightness for bold HDR performance. My recommendations include both 75-inch QLEDs and 77-inch OLEDs, as the small size difference is simply a result of how each panel is manufactured. Some brands also sell slightly smaller 70-inch TVs, but they're limited to a few entry-level models that didn't make the cut for this guide.

Our top picks for the best 75-inch TVs

Best overall: Samsung S90F 4K OLED TV - See at Amazon

Best entry-level: Hisense U6SF Pro 4K QLED TV - See at Amazon

Best for brightness: TCL QM8L 4K QLED TV - See at Amazon

Best premium: LG G5 4K OLED TV - See at Amazon

Best overall

When it comes to balancing performance and price, Samsung's S90F OLED stands out as the best 77-inch TV on the market.

The 77-inch S90F utilizes a QD-OLED panel, which combines pixel-level contrast control with the rich color range of quantum dots. The result is deep, inky black levels and vibrant hues. In dark rooms, the S90F avoids the washed-out grays that plague many QLED and LED sets. Black levels rise slightly with the lights on, but not enough to be distracting.

Samsung's quantum dot tech also helps the S90F produce a brighter image than comparable LG OLEDs. During testing, our reviewer measured a peak brightness of around 1,460 nits, which is excellent for a midrange OLED. That brightness makes HDR movies and shows pop, with crisp highlights and nuanced color that closely match the performance of more expensive models.

Viewing angles are another strong point: you can sit off to the side without noticeable loss of color or contrast. That's something that QLED and LED TVs can't match. Gamers will love the 120Hz refresh rate (144Hz on PC), which ensures smooth motion on the PS5, Xbox Series X, or Switch 2. Additionally, Samsung's built-in Xbox app lets Game Pass members stream titles directly to the TV without a console.

Samsung's Tizen smart TV platform offers every major streaming app and runs better than on older models. That said, the interface's organization is a bit clumsy compared to the more intuitive designs of rivals like Google TV and Roku.

As with all Samsung TVs, the S90F doesn't support Dolby Vision, an advanced HDR format used by many streaming services. While Dolby Vision can deliver slightly more accurate HDR performance, the difference is subtle, so its absence isn't a dealbreaker. For more information, check out my HDR TV guide.

Read our Samsung S90F 4K TV review.

Check out our guides to all the best TVs and best Samsung TVs.

Best entry-level

The Hisense U6SF Pro is easily one of the best 75-inch TVs you can get on a budget. There are some compromises to keep in mind, but the U6SF Pro gets the essentials right while offering a few perks that are rare in this class.

The U6SF Pro replaces my previous pick in this spot, the TCL QM6K. TCL's set remains a great budget TV in its own right, and certain sizes still have an edge in value. However, in recent months, the 75-inch U6SF Pro has consistently been on sale for about the same price, or even less, than the 75-inch QM6K. And since the U6SF Pro delivers a few key benefits over the QM6K, it's now the better buy for most people.

One of the biggest differentiators between the U6SF Pro and most 75-inch rivals in this price range is its matte-like display. This type of screen does a solid job of reducing indirect reflections, making the U6SF Pro a particularly good option for living rooms with lots of windows or overhead lights. The anti-glare filter isn't as effective at fighting direct reflections as those used on high-end Samsung and Sony TVs, but it's a lot better at handling ambient light than the glossy finish found on most TVs.

The U6SF Pro also benefits from using a QLED panel with quantum dots and a Mini LED backlight with local dimming. That latter feature is particularly rare in this price range. Local dimming enables solid contrast control, keeping halos around bright objects to a minimum, while quantum dots help the TV produce vibrant colors. Brightness is also excellent for such an affordable display. Our reviewer measured around 1,200 nits, which is 400 to 600 nits higher than the competing TCL QM6K.

On the downside, black levels aren't as deep as those on step-up Mini LED models, and discerning viewers may notice uneven patches or odd strobing in finely detailed patterns. Viewing angles are better than expected for a backlit display, but color still distorts at an angle. Ultimately, however, the U6SF Pro's biggest drawback might be its Fire TV interface, which feels cluttered, pushes Amazon services too heavily, and lacks a dedicated gaming menu. On the plus side, gamers do get two HDMI 2.1 ports with variable refresh rate support at up to 144Hz, which is a nice inclusion for a TV in this tier.

Read our Hisense U6SF Pro TV review.

Best for brightness

The TCL QM8L is the best 75-inch TV for shoppers who want serious brightness without paying ultra-premium prices. This upper-midrange QLED pairs a Mini LED backlight with TCL's new SQD (Super Quantum Dot) technology, resulting in an image that excels with bright HDR content and colorful movies.

During my testing, the 75-inch QM8L produced between 2,000 and 4,000 nits of peak brightness, depending on how long a highlight remained on screen. That's enough power to give sunlight, explosions, sparks, and reflections the intensity they're supposed to have when watching HDR videos. This extra headroom also helps the picture hold up in rooms with ambient light, though the QM8L's glossy screen is still prone to direct reflections.

The QM8L's color performance is just as impressive. I measured about 85% coverage of the BT.2020 gamut, putting it well ahead of standard QLED TVs that don't use TCL's SQD tech. In real-world viewing, bold hues looked rich without appearing exaggerated, and subtle color transitions remained smooth. However, most current movies and shows don't use the full range of colors the QM8L can produce, so this upgrade will be most noticeable to enthusiasts watching high-quality HDR material.

Contrast is strong for a Mini LED display, with generally deep black levels that are noticeably inkier than those on cheaper models, like the Hisense U6SF Pro. Still, particularly demanding dark sequences can reveal subtle blooming and flickering shadows. Viewing angles are better than average for a Mini LED TV, but colors and contrast still fade a lot more than they would on an OLED when you sit off-center.

The TV also has four HDMI 2.1 ports supporting up to 4K at 144Hz, making it a flexible choice for gamers with multiple devices. Its Google TV interface is responsive and easy to navigate, its Gemini AI voice control is plenty smart, and the included remote has useful backlit buttons — rounding out an excellent package through and through.

Read our TCL QM8L 4K TV review.

Check out our guide to the best TCL TVs.

Best premium OLED

The LG G5 is one of the company's top high-end TVs, delivering the deep black levels and infinite contrast ratio that OLEDs are known for. However, what sets this model apart from most cheaper OLEDs is its high brightness.

During my review, the G5 hit 2,410 nits in HDR Filmmaker Mode. That's the second-highest measurement I've recorded on an OLED, and only behind the more expensive Samsung S95H. Now, it's essential to keep in mind that only certain HDR movies and TV shows are mastered to take advantage of such high brightness, but when paired with the right content, the G5 is stunning.

Specular highlights — explosions, reflections, lightning, sunsets — pop with incredible impact, and because it's still an OLED, you get pixel-level contrast without backlight issues like blooming. Some Mini LED and RGB LED TVs can get even brighter, but they can't match the G5's ability to harness its brightness so precisely. Visit our QLED vs OLED comparison for more details.

The result is an outstanding image: in a dark room, black levels blend seamlessly into the background, while bright elements shine cleanly and accurately. Wide viewing angles and a 165Hz refresh rate for PC gaming round out the G5's performance perks.

Design-wise, the G5 looks sleek and comes with a mount that hangs nearly flush against your wall. However, it doesn't include a traditional stand, so you'll need to purchase one if you aren't wall-mounting.

A 2026 version of the G5, called the G6, is also available. I saw a side-by-side comparison, and the newer TV has an improved anti-reflective filter and better processing to help reduce banding. That said, the G6 is around $1,000 more than the G5. If you're a serious enthusiast without budget constraints, the pricier G6 is worth considering, but for now, the more affordable G5 remains my pick. You can learn more in my 2026 LG OLED TV roundup.

Read our LG G5 4K TV review.

Check out our guides to the best LG TVs and best TVs for picture quality.

How we test 75-inch TVs

We picked the best 75-inch TVs through hands-on testing with various display models. We've been reviewing home entertainment products for over 10 years and used that expertise to inform our testing parameters and requirements.

When evaluating TVs, we typically review the 65-, 75-, or 85-inch size, as that's the industry's flagship range. However, overall performance for a specific TV model usually remains the same across those sizes. For example, a 77-inch LG G5 OLED and a 65-inch G5 OLED have the same specifications. The only difference is the panel's size. As such, most test results for 65-inch TVs also apply to their 75- and 77-inch counterparts. 

However, some QLED displays with local dimming, like the Hisense U6SF Pro, have more zones on larger screens than on smaller ones. This can cause slight differences in contrast performance, but not enough to alter our overall takeaway. In rare cases, some TV models have more dramatic differences across sizes. We consider these differences when recommending displays and note them when applicable.

When testing TVs, we evaluate picture clarity, color quality, contrast performance, peak HDR brightness, gaming features, navigation speed, off-axis viewing capabilities, and overall value. To measure brightness and color, we use a meter in combination with a pattern generator and the Spears & Munsil UHD HDR Benchmark 4K Blu-ray disc. 

Test patterns are great for objective measurements, but watching real-world content is the only way to fully evaluate how a TV looks. We sample a variety of shows and movies to assess how a display performs in both dark and bright environments. Part of our evaluation involves watching the same assortment of scenes on each TV we review to compare performance. Sequences are chosen to show off HDR highlights, shadow detail, black levels, upscaling, and motion. We also vary the quality of our material to assess how a TV handles 4K, 1080p, and standard definition (SD) programs from Blu-ray discs, streaming services, and cable TV. Gaming capabilities are also tested using a PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.

For more information about our testing process, check out our page detailing how we review tech products.

Meet the expert behind this guide:

Steven Cohen, senior tech editor: I lead tech product coverage for Business Insider's Reviews team, and I've spent years testing all kinds of TVs. I studied filmmaking, too, so I'm a bit obsessive about picture quality. I want movies and shows to look the way the creators intended. My team and I use professional calibration tools, pattern generators, and benchmark discs to measure brightness and color accuracy, but numbers alone only tell part of the story. I also use every TV I review the way you would at home — streaming, watching movies, gaming, and channel surfing — to see how it really performs day-to-day. The picks in this guide stood out not just in lab tests but also in real-world use.

Learn more about the Reviews team at Business Insider.

75-inch TV FAQs

Is 75 inches a good size for a TV?

A 75-inch screen is an excellent option for filling a large space or providing an immersive experience in a smaller room. Big screen sizes fill more of your field of view, so your eyes can focus on the image and not your surroundings. This creates a viewing experience that's closer to what you'd get in a movie theater.

Many of our favorite TVs are sold in 75- or 77-inch sizes, so you have plenty of options. Some brands are also starting to use 75 inches as the entry point for their most advanced models. For instance, the 2026 TCL X11L SQD TV isn't available in smaller sizes.

That said, you need to consider certain logistics when buying a large TV. You'll need a stand or mount that can accommodate the width and weight of a 75-inch TV. Visit our guides to the best TV stands and best TV wall mounts, where we have several picks that can fit large displays.

Meanwhile, if you don't have the space for a 75-inch TV, check out our guides to smaller TV sizes:

• Best 65-inch TVs
• Best 55-inch TVs
• Best 50-inch TVs
• Best 43-inch TVs

Or if you want something even larger, check out our guides to the best 85-inch TVs and best 100-inch TVs.

Why are some TVs offered in 75 inches and others in 77 inches?

This comes down to how the panels are made. Traditional LED, QLED, and Mini LED TVs are commonly produced in 75-inch sizes, while OLED panels are typically manufactured in 77-inch sizes. In real-world use, though, the two-inch difference is minimal, as you're essentially getting the same big-screen experience either way.

Do brands sell 70-inch TVs?

Though increasingly uncommon, some brands do sell 70-inch TV models. Notably, Samsung, LG, Insignia, and Walmart's Onn brand all offer 70-inch options in their current lineups. However, that size is typically limited to a few entry-level options. Top TVs usually skip the 70-inch size and are instead sold in 65-inch and 75-inch/77-inch models. We generally recommend that shoppers focus on TVs available in those sizes instead.

How much should you spend on a 75-inch TV?

Depending on the performance class you choose, the best 75-inch TVs can cost between $600 and $5,000.

Budget-friendly 75-inch QLED TVs, such as the Hisense U6SF Pro, are sometimes available for as low as $700. Midrange QLED options with higher brightness typically sell for $800 to $1,400, while high-end models start at around $1,800.

If you want an OLED TV (77 inches rather than 75), you'll need to pay a bit more. The cheapest 77-inch OLED TVs start at around $1,500, while premium options can cost over $4,000.

The best 75-inch and 77-inch TVs often go on sale, but the biggest discounts typically appear during shopping events like Black Friday and Prime Day, as well as around major sporting events like the Super Bowl and March Madness.

For cheaper TV recommendations in smaller sizes, check out our guide to the best TVs under $500.

Do I need HDMI 2.1 for a 75-inch TV?

If you're a gamer with a PS5, Xbox Series X, or PC, we recommend choosing a TV with HDMI 2.1 ports. HDMI 2.1 enables 4K at 120Hz and smoother motion with Variable Refresh Rate (VRR). All of our picks for the best 75-inch TVs support HDMI 2.1.

Do 75-inch TVs have good sound quality?

Even the best 75-inch TVs have mediocre built-in audio performance. Some of our pricier recommendations, such as the LG G5, offer better clarity and slightly more bass than our entry-level picks. However, they still lack the depth and range that you'd get with a separate audio system.

Companies typically build their displays with small speaker drivers to keep costs down and maintain slim screens, resulting in poor low-frequency performance and overall fidelity. For better sound quality, we recommend purchasing a separate soundbar or surround sound system, especially one that supports Dolby Atmos.

Check out our soundbar and speaker guides to see our top recommendations:

• Best soundbars
• Best Dolby Atmos soundbars
• Best budget soundbars
• Best soundbars with subwoofers
• Best Sonos soundbars
• Best Bose soundbars
• Best surround sound systems

• Lizzie Borden's former home was sold in 2021 for nearly $2 million.
• The home's dark past has made it a popular New England attraction for true-crime fans.
• Now operating as a B&B, the home has eight bedrooms and furnishings from the 1800s.

In December 1892, Lizzie Borden was arrested on suspicion of killing her father and stepmother with a hatchet in their Fall River, Massachusetts, home.

Nearly 10 months after her arrest, Borden was acquitted of the crimes, in part because prosecutors lacked physical evidence linking her to the killings. No one else was charged in connection with the murders, and more than a century later, the case remains unsolved.

The crime has inspired countless adaptations, including Netflix's "Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story," the fourth installment of Ryan Murphy and Ian Brennan's anthology series, which premieres September 17.

While the story continues to draw audiences, the Borden home has become an attraction in its own right. Last listed for sale in 2021 for $2 million, the property now offers ghost tours and operates as a bed-and-breakfast, with rooms starting at $259 a night.

Take a look inside the site of one of America's earliest true-crime stories.

The Borden family house is in Fall River, Massachusetts.

Fall River is about 52 miles south of Boston, near the border between Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Andrew Borden was a well-to-do businessman.

According to the Lizzie Borden House's bed-and-breakfast website, although Andrew Borden was born into a prominent New England family, he grew up middle-class.

He began his career as a carpenter and cabinetmaker, later amassing a considerable fortune through a mix of real estate investments, mill ownership, and banking. At the time of his death, his net worth was reportedly over $300,000, equivalent to roughly $10 million today, according to the website.

Andrew carefully selected their Massachusetts home.

The house was built in 1845 and purchased by Andrew Borden in the 1870s, local news outlet WJAR reported.

Borden chose the home in part for its practical location — a short walk from his Main Street businesses in a bustling part of town —according to the Borden bed-and-breakfast's website.

Over a century later, the Borden home has become a popular tourist attraction.

Donald Woods and Leann Wilbur operated the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast Museum for more than 15 years before selling it in 2021.

Lance Zaal, founder of US Ghost Adventures, bought the property for $1.8 million and has continued operating it as an inn and museum, The Wall Street Journal reported.

The home looks as though it were pulled straight from the pages of a history book.

While some of the home's furnishings have been replaced over the years with replicas, its original doors and hardware remain intact.

Period details are scattered throughout the home, including sewing machines, lanterns, and mannequins dressed in floor-length, era-appropriate gowns.

The home is spread out over three levels.

Altogether, the home occupies a little over 3,600 square feet.

The spacious home can be booked in its entirety and accommodates groups of up to 20 people.

Floor plans of the home shared with Business Insider show it has 8 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms.

The second and third floors are almost exclusively devoted to living quarters.

All of the bedrooms have floral wallpaper, ornate dressers, and large wooden headboards.

For an additional $30, guests can also arrange to have an axe placed on the beds.

Most of the bedrooms are on the second floor, and some are on the third.

The primary bedroom includes an en suite bathroom with a tub, according to The Seyboth Team, the brokerage that handled the property's most recent sale.

You can stay in one of the home's rooms for $249 a night.

Though the home operates as a bed-and-breakfast, it also remains a museum and tour site. Guests staying more than one night must vacate the property between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

This is the John V. Morse Suite.

This room is where Abby Borden was found after her murder. Eerily, a photograph of Lizzie Borden hangs in the bedroom.

According to the bed-and-breakfast's website, guests have reported paranormal experiences in rooms throughout the home.

This was Andrew and Abby's bedroom.

It's the only suite in the entire home that has its own bathroom.

The kitchen is located on the first floor.

The home has an old-fashioned wood-burning stove that certainly looks like a throwback to the 1800s.

It also has modern appliances like a coffee maker and a dishwasher.

Despite modern appliances, the room still feels historical.

The first floor has several rooms dedicated to entertaining.

At first glance, this unassuming sitting room appears rather ordinary. But it conceals a dark history: Andrew Borden was killed here while sitting on the large black couch.

There's a less eerie space for entertaining.

For couples drawn to the home's spooky history, the Borden house hosts several weddings each year. This room would make an intimate setting for a cocktail hour.

The home also has a separate gift shop.

The gift shop sells items including a Lizzie Borden coloring book, a collector's miniature hatchet, and a mug modeled after Lizzie's mug shot.

• McKinsey QuantumBlack leader Ben Ellencweig said the firm is embracing a more technical talent pool.
• "Our recruiting changed dramatically in the last few years," Ellencweig told BI.
• McKinsey isn't the only firm shifting its talent base. EY has also expanded from accountants.

Once famous for its ties to business schools, McKinsey is casting a wider net to meet its needs.

For decades, an MBA was one of the clearest routes into elite consulting. As AI changes the work firms do for clients, the consulting industry is looking for people who can build technology as well as devise the corporate strategy around it.

"Our recruiting changed dramatically in the last few years. We recruit from places we haven't recruited before," Ben Ellencweig, who leads McKinsey's AI arm, QuantumBlack, told Business Insider. "Today many, many of our colleagues are coming from non-MBA backgrounds, and then technology too is kind of the next wave."

That includes mathematicians, computer-science PhDs, startup founders without degrees, and people with experience at technology companies.

The shift is playing out beyond McKinsey. Job postings from Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG, McKinsey, BCG, and Bain fell by about 24% in the year ending May 2026 compared to the year before, according to labor-market intelligence firm Draup. At the same time, AI jobs grew from 1.4% to 5% of their total openings.

The number of forward-deployed-engineer openings across the seven firms rose from none to 1,404 in that same period, according to the analysis. Such roles require engineers who can deploy and run production AI systems inside organizations, and also do the client-facing work traditionally associated with consulting.

According to McKinsey's current job postings, most of those roles require at least four or five years of computer-related engineering experience.

Ellencweig said McKinsey is looking to fill these roles with "curious people" who are excited to work with clients and solve problems through technology, but who also bring deep technical skills. The firm is recruiting from different geographies, schools, and "outside-of-school, non-school backgrounds," he said.

In an email to Business Insider, the firm added that it is recruiting through "less traditional pathways," such as coding programs and bootcamps.

QuantumBlack itself has grown from 47 data scientists working with a Formula 1 team to "well above 5,000" AI professionals over the past decade, Ellencweig said. Those workers include data scientists, data engineers, designers, product managers, and product owners.

McKinsey rival EY has recently spoken about its own push to widen its talent pool. Ginnie Carlier, EY Americas' chief talent and culture officer, told BI earlier this year that the Big Four firm was once exclusively made up of accountants, but now it also hires engineers, creatives, and technologists.

Ellencweig said McKinsey is reinventing itself around technology, including how it hires and how it develops current employees.

"I view our entire workforce, the entire McKinsey, including our consultant cohort, becoming very technology savvy," McKinsey's Ellencweig said.

• Some laid-off Uber employees say that AI was playing a bigger role in their day-to-day work.
• They used AI tools to respond to customer service messages and answer questions posted in Slack.
• Uber said its latest layoffs were about reducing "management layers" and didn't mention AI.

At Uber, AI does everything from answering employees' questions in Slack to writing the response you get when you message customer service during a ride.

Six recently laid-off employees who spoke with Business Insider pointed to several ways that AI became more prevalent in their jobs over the past few months. Some said that they were prompting AI to do substantial portions of their work.

Uber declined to comment for this story. Earlier this month, the company laid off about 3,300 people, including all of the employees Business Insider spoke with for this article.

CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said at the time that the layoffs aimed to cut "management layers" and reduce the number of teams where managers had as few as one or two direct reports. Khosrowshahi didn't cite AI as a motivation in a memo announcing the layoffs.

At the same time, the employees who spoke with Business Insider said that the company has pushed ahead with implementing AI in a wide variety of uses.

One employee said that in the weeks before being laid off he was using an AI tool that reduced the time it took to do his job to one-fifth of what it used to be.

"AI definitely feels like the dynamite under the bridge for a lot of us," the employee said.

'Don't be using ChatGPT to do your work for you'

A laid-off employee in Uber's advertising business said that managers were increasingly urging them to use Gemini and ChatGPT to prepare for client meetings.

"We were asked to use AI all the time," the employee said. "It was part of our day-to-day work."

In many internal Slack channels, Uber uses an AI chatbot called Genie, which provides "prompt responses with proper citations from Uber's internal documentation," the company wrote in a blog post last year.

The chatbot provides answers to questions that employees post, the employee said, providing a lot of guidance that previously came from managers.

"If anybody else had an answer for you, then they replied," the employee said. "But it was usually AI replying to us about any questions we had."

Another employee who worked in customer service said that they used Glean, a similar tool trained on internal company documents, to respond to help requests from Uber drivers and passengers.

The tools were meant to help customer service agents find information, the employee said. They often copied and pasted answers from the tools directly into the chat.

"It wasn't what we were supposed to use, but it was a tool available to use when our knowledge base wasn't working," the employee said.

Other Uber employees said that their managers cautioned against that sort of AI use.

"We're also getting guidance like 'Don't be using ChatGPT to do your work for you,'" Kori X, a former evaluation specialist on Uber's GenAI team said.

"I think they're struggling with why they are paying these people if they're just using ChatGPT," X said.

Uber saw 'real tailwinds' from AI productivity

Another laid-off employee said that they didn't feel pressured to use AI at work.

The company took a measured approach to implementing AI compared to other tech companies, this employee said, offering office hours, explaining to employees what AI could and couldn't do, and curbing the use of AI-generated pictures in external communication.

Uber previously said it has used forward-deployed engineers in "agentic pods" to identify uses of AI across the company, from finance to HR.

Uber started cutting off or reducing credits to services like Claude in the first half of this year, the employee said.

Uber executives said around the same time that they had already spent their Claude budget for the year and that the company wasn't seeing productivity gains commensurate with what it was spending on AI tools.

In a presentation at an industry conference last week, Khosrowshahi cited some of the same justifications for the layoffs as in his memo the previous week.

Uber wanted to "have more doers versus managers," he said, and reduced the number of "micro-teams" where managers had as few as one or two direct reports.

At the same time, Uber saw an opportunity with the restructuring to take advantage of "real tailwinds as it relates to productivity, whether it is AI or general productivity technology as well," he said.

Do you have a story idea about Uber? Contact this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

We love Cuyana because the bags feel like the rare splurge that actually earns its place in your closet. Our team has spent years testing the brand's totes, satchels, and travel cases, and many of the bags we first reviewed years ago are still in regular rotation today.

Our Cuyana pieces survived the unglamorous parts of daily use — crowded commutes, packed flights, overstuffed car rides, and grocery runs — while somehow still looking elegant. The leather softens and develops character over time without losing its shape, which is exactly what we want from an investment bag: something that looks beautiful on day one, but even better after years of real use.

We've tested a lot of bags over the years — like, a lot. Between work bags, travel satchels, carry-all totes, and the occasional trendy impulse buy, I'd estimate our team has put close to a hundred totes (if not more) through their paces. And Cuyana remains one of our longstanding favorites.

A quick look at some of our favorite Cuyana bags

What we love about Cuyana

• The leather gets better with age. Cuyana bags feel soft and luxe from day one, but they don't slump or fall apart after a few months. The styles we've tested for years still look polished, just with more character.
• They make work bags that don't scream "work bag." Whether it's a tote, satchel, or travel bag, Cuyana somehow manages to fit a laptop and daily essentials without making you look like you're headed to a conference.
• The organizers are smart. If you're the type to lose your keys at the bottom of every tote, the snap-in pouches and laptop sleeves are a game-changer. You can make the inside as organized as you want—or skip them and keep things simple.
• They're bags you'll actually keep using. Because of their classic silhouettes and top-of-the-line leather, they're among our most-used bags. We've carried ours through commutes, flights, grocery runs, and office days, and they still look great.

What we don't love about Cuyana

• The add-ons feel a little too add-on-y. The System Tote starts at $358, but a laptop sleeve costs $118, and an organizer pouch is $128. If you want the fully organized setup Cuyana is known for, your total climbs quickly.
• Some styles get heavy fast. The 13-inch System Tote weighs 1.9 pounds empty, which is fine on its own—but add a laptop, charger, water bottle, and a couple of leather inserts, and it can become a lot to carry. If you walk to work or tend to overpack, we'd choose the lighter Classic Easy Tote instead.
• The minimalist interiors aren't for everyone. We love a clean-looking bag, but some Cuyana styles are essentially open caverns without the optional organizers. If you need built-in pockets and compartments, factor those extras into the price.
• They're definitely a splurge. Most Cuyana bags start around $300, so this isn't the place for an impulse purchase. But if you want one polished leather bag you'll carry for years, the cost makes more sense.

Classic Easy Tote

Who it's perfect for: People who want a soft leather tote bag that's versatile enough for work, travel, and general schlepping.

Who should skip it: Those who prefer their totes to have structure.

Cuyana's Classic Easy Tote is our top pick for the best tote bag because it's chic, durable, flexible, but not floppy, and can fit a huge amount of stuff. And though it looks like a basic tote at first glance, there are actually a ton of thoughtful details that went into the bag's design. Two sets of straps mean you can carry the tote like a handbag, or you can use the longer set of straps to throw it over your shoulder. Internally, there is a small pocket for things you need to grab frequently, and there's a tie you can use to close the bag up a little more if you want.

Cuyana also offers several accessories, like the Classic Tote Insert, to organize the interior of your bag. These are great if you like a bit more structure or interior protection since the soft Italian leather is unlined inside. I've had my bag for about four years now and I've taken it on every vacation, flight, weekend trip, and long car ride in that time. It fits an unbelievable amount of stuff, but it also doesn't look floppy or silly if I just put a few things in it.

On a usual vacation, this bag will hold two pairs of shoes, my giant Dyson blow dryer, a hair brush, my toiletry and makeup bags, a scarf or sweater, and a couple of snacks. I use the interior tie to keep it closed when I have to shove it under my seat on a plane, but they also make a zippered version of the Easy Tote if you prefer the added security. Just note that you may not be able to shove quite as much stuff in it if you wanted to zip it closed. —Sally Kaplan, executive editor, Insider Reviews.

Other versions of the Easy Tote

• The Classic Easy Zipper Tote has been updated with a top zipper for security and internal snaps that are compatible with Cuyana's bag organizers, such as pouches and laptop sleeves (the original does not have the snaps). We think this is one of the best travel totes because the zipper keeps all your belongings secure, even when you have to put your bag under the seat in front of you. But just be warned that this version only has the long set of straps.
• Small Easy Tote, which is a little less bulky but still fits a 14-inch laptop.
• Tall Easy Tote, which is longer vertically than horizontally.

System Tote

Who it's perfect for: People who want custom organizational features, like the option to pick between an internal zippered pouch or a flap pouch, and the ability to snap in or remove a laptop sleeve.

Who should skip it: Those who want a lightweight tote, since the leather's heft and organizational snap-ins make it pretty weighty. Also, those who wear big puffer coats during the winter, since you won't be able to fit the straps over your shoulders if you're wearing particularly voluminous outerwear.

The Cuyana 13-inch System Tote is easily one of the most versatile totes out there. The bag itself is relatively simple in design, with seamless top handles that fit tightly around your shoulder and a small internal pocket. But it also comes with internal D-rings that let you attach a crossbody strap, and you can snap in one of Cuyana's tote organizers for extra customization.

The leather is extremely supple, and it softens over time with use, so don't expect this to be a super structured bag. If you're deciding between the 13-inch and 16-inch options, I would go with the larger style. I've tested the smaller one, and my only complaint has been that I wish it were roomier. The brand introduced the larger one later on to solve that problem! — Sally Kaplan, executive editor, Insider Reviews.

You can also get other versions of the System Tote, like:

• The 16-inch System Tote, which is large enough to fit a 16-inch laptop.
• The System Zippered Tote, which has all the same features but comes with a top zipper for added security.

East-West Easy Tote

Who it's perfect for: People who want a bag that's smaller than a tote but bigger than a traditional purse.

Who should skip it: You need a true commuter tote or tend to carry your whole day with you. If a laptop, water bottle, lunch, makeup bag, and extra layers are regular passengers, this will probably feel too compact.

The East-West Easy Tote solves a problem I didn't know needed solving. Usually, I'm carrying one of two types of bags: a tote or a small purse. But this bag falls exactly between those two, making it an incredibly convenient medium-sized carryall. I call it my Goldilocks bag.

Its elongated shape gives it a cool, editorial feel, while the compact interior still has room for the essentials — including a small tablet — plus a hidden zipper, an interior pocket, and a key loop to keep things from becoming a black hole. It's not trying to be your biggest, most practical bag; it's the one you reach for when you want something sleeker than a shopper, roomier than a shoulder bag, and easy enough to wear all day.

Double Loop Satchel

Who it's perfect for: Stylish corporate folks who want a work tote that looks like a chic (and very trendy for fall) hobo bag.

Who should skip it: People who want their tote to double as a carry-on, since the top doesn't zip.

Equal parts stylish and functional, Cuyana's Double Loop Satchel is a splurge, but I believe it's worth every penny.

It has an elegant, unique silhouette that resembles an oversized shoulder bag more so than a traditional tote bag. If you're going right from work to happy hour, this is a perfect way to look professional but not stuffy.

Plus, the interior and exterior pockets are relatively minimalist. There are two exterior magnetic pockets on either side that are perfect for stashing small go-tos like a packet of tissues or my iPhone. The inside of the bag is pretty simple in design: there's an open laptop pocket that can hold a computer up to 14 inches (a 16-inch laptop can fit in the main compartment) plus one zippered pocket.

You can also add more compartments. If you prefer some more organizational features (like I do), you can snap on a System Flap Bag (sold separately) to add another magnetic interior pocket. Though it's an extra cost, I feel it's worth it since the System Flap Bag can be detached and used as a clutch — or you can purchase a strap for it to turn it into a small crossbody tote. — Talia Ergas, freelance style writer.

Travel Case Set

Who it's perfect for: People who travel a lot and want an elevated way to pack their makeup and accessories.

Who should skip it: Anyone who wants more of a toiletry bag, since these aren't waterproof, won't protect against spills, and can't be taken into the shower.

This travel case duo is a beautifully elevated way to tote your makeup and accessories. Both cases have a large opening, so you won't have to go digging for a lip liner — but despite the large opening, they both have a slim profile and a sleek look.

When I went to Greece, I had planned to use the larger case as a makeup bag. But once I started filling it, I realized that even I (with my habit of bringing at least five lip colors to match all my outfits) couldn't fill it. I switched to the smaller case for makeup and was amazed that it could fit everything I needed.

So I turned the larger case into a plane pouch for my carry-on and loved it. It fit a pill box, an eye mask, a tube of moisturizer, a contact case, compression socks, and everything else I needed for the flight. I loved carrying everything in a chic leather pouch, and I'm definitely going to keep using it as a catch-all for car rides and plane trips in the future.

The only things I wouldn't use the Travel Case Set for are liquids like shampoo and soap. The leather is beautiful, but not leakproof or water-resistant. Stick with less-fancy nylon and plastic pouches for anything that leaks. —Samatha Crozier, style editor, Insider Reviews.

Celestia Shoulder Bag

Who it's perfect for: Someone who wants an elevated, slouchy shoulder bag that makes even simple outfits feel styled. It's best for essentials and dressier everyday use.

Who should skip it: You want a low-maintenance, rough-and-tumble bag.

The Celestia Shoulder Bag is the kind of statement bag that still feels easy to wear. Its crescent shape gives it a sculptural, fashion-forward look, but the real wow-factor here is the soft lambskin leather. It's some of the softest leather I've ever felt — with a smooth texture, buttery feel, and luxurious sheen.

I like that it has the polish of a going-out bag with just enough everyday function — a secure zipper, interior pocket, and key loop — so it can hold the basics without turning into a catchall. It's best for someone who wants a sleek shoulder bag that adds shape and texture to an outfit, rather than a roomy workhorse tote.

Though I adore the lambskin leather and love that it's dressier and more delicate than pebbled leather, it might feel a little precious for rough daily use.

Forma Satchel

Who it's perfect for: People who need a larger bag for all their work essentials, since it fits a 16-inch laptop with tons of room to spare.

Who should skip it: People who want a lightweight tote that they can sling over their shoulder.

The sophisticated Forma Satchel from Cuyana is crafted from materials that would impress any leather nerd. The full-grain, Italian pebbled leather is luxe and touchable. We've been testing Cuyana for years, so we know firsthand that the brand's leather ages beautifully. And besides, the material just looks expensive.

I also love the option to transform this oversized tote into a chic purse-like shape. The collapsible sides make it a versatile work travel tote since they can be folded out for plane rides and in for client meetings.

As always, Cuyana has delivered a bag with tons of sophistication on the outside and heaps of practicality on the inside. The bag can snap in the same pouches and zippered pockets as the System Tote, but it also has a built-in divider and three internal pockets.

One issue I have with this tote is its weight. The Forma Satchel weighs 3.6 pounds, which is definitely on the heftier side. I've tested dozens of totes for my article on the best work bags for women, and I've preferred bags that are 2.5 pounds or under. Much of this extra weight is due to the bag's thick, high-quality leather — but it still feels a little too heavy at times.

The other issue I've encountered is the length of the handles. Beware that this is not a bag that you can easily sling over your shoulder. The handles are top handles, so you carry it on your forearm or in your hands, which is sometimes awkward and difficult with a bag this large. You can buy an adjustable shoulder or crossbody strap, but it will be an extra cost. — Samatha Crozier, style editor, Insider Reviews.

Mila Satchel

Who it's perfect for: People who travel a lot for work and need a professional-looking bag that can double as a work tote and a functional carry-on. It would be especially great for those who frequently take day or overnight trips for their jobs since it's just big enough for your work essentials and an extra outfit.

Who should skip it: People looking for a compact tote that just fits their laptop and some essentials. Also, people on a budget, since this is one of the more expensive picks.

This bag is bigger than a typical tote but smaller than a weekender. It has many work bag features, like a laptop slot that fits a computer up to 14 inches and a place to snap in Cuyana's signature organizational inserts. But it also has travel features, like a luggage sleeve with a bottom zipper that lets you turn it into an outer pocket.

With its sleek look, functional pockets, and travel-friendly details, this would make a great work-travel companion. It can easily double as a functional carry-on and a professional work satchel.

The Mila Satchel comes with a long strap so you can sling it over your shoulder. The strap is adjustable and thick enough that it won't dig in. I use this strap a lot since it can be awkward to carry such a large bag with just the top handles. Sometimes, I wish the top handles were longer so that I could carry the bag on my shoulders without having to use the long strap. —Samatha Crozier, style editor, Insider Reviews.

Why we recommend the Classic Easy Tote over the System Tote

We love almost all of Cuyana's bags, but we definitely have opinions about which is our favorite. And if we were to pick one Cuyana bag to crown the best of them all, it would be the Classic Easy Tote (or the Classic Easy Zippered Tote, which is identical but with a more secure closure). It's often compared to the System Tote, so here's why we think it wins out.

The Classic Easy Tote is lighter, and while a 0.7-pound difference may not sound like a lot, it feels pretty significant once you start adding the weight of Cuyana's leather organizational inserts.

The System Tote won't fit over a puffy jacket. Since the handles on the System Tote are shorter, it's almost impossible to stick your arm through when you're wearing a particularly puffy coat. This caused problems during our testing when we evaluated the bag in winter.

The Classic Easy Tote also gives you more space for less money. Based on Cuyana's listed dimensions, it has about 11.5% more volume than the 16-inch System Tote, even though it costs about $80 less.

The Classic Easy Tote is more versatile. While the System Tote is a great, semi-structured work bag, the Classic Easy Tote is more relaxed and roomy enough for travel days, errands, and weekends. The longer handles also make it easier to sling over your shoulder, even when the bag is packed full

That said, the System Tote still has its advantages. It has discreet D-rings, so you can add a strap for more carry options, and its structured shape looks especially sharp for commuting or meetings. But for most people, we think the Classic Easy Tote is the better buy.

FAQs

Is Cuyana worth it?

Yes, Cuyana is worth it if you're looking for a polished leather bag you'll use for years, not just a trendy piece for one season. In our testing, Cuyana bags have held up impressively well through work commutes, travel, flights, weekend trips, and everyday use. The leather feels soft and substantial, and the bags tend to develop a beautiful lived-in patina over time rather than looking worn out.

Are Cuyana bags good quality?

Cuyana bags are made with high-quality leather that feels supple right away but still has enough structure to hold its shape. After years of regular use, our Cuyana totes have maintained their shape without unraveling stitches, warped handles, or peeling edges. They're definitely a splurge, but the quality matches the price.

What is the best Cuyana bag?

Our top pick for most people is the Cuyana Classic Easy Tote because it's roomy, durable, versatile, and easy to use for work, travel, and everyday errands. It fits an impressive amount without looking sloppy, and the two strap lengths make it easy to carry by hand or over the shoulder. For more organization, the Cuyana System Tote is another great option.

Do Cuyana bags have organization?

Many Cuyana bags are intentionally minimalist inside, but the brand's snap-in organizers make them much more functional. Depending on the style, you can add pouches, laptop sleeves, flap bags, or tote inserts to create more structure. This is one of the reasons Cuyana works well for people who like a clean-looking bag but still want compartments.

What is the downside of Cuyana bags?

The biggest downside is the price. Most Cuyana bags cost $300 or more, so they're definitely investment pieces. Some styles are also softer and less structured than traditional work totes, and a few larger bags can feel heavy when fully packed.

I've tried nearly a hundred pairs of dress shoes as a style editor here at BI, but my loafers see the most action. In our search for comfortable penny loafers, chunky platforms, and easy slip-ons, this team and I have tested just about every kind there is.

Now that my closet has been home to 23 pairs, I can tell you which ones are worth the break-in period. I make the most of my loafers by using a leather-safe waterproofing spray and wearing these callus cushions to prevent painful friction.

Trying all these leather shoes was a labor of love (just ask my blistered heels), but we were pleasantly surprised by pairs that were gentle on sensitive feet.

The best loafers for women in 2026

Most comfortable: Frankie4 Franklin Loafer - See at Frankie4
You can adjust the fit to your preference using the three pairs of plush, foam footbeds.

Best budget: Quince Italian Suede Penny Loafer - See at Quince
Quince's $84 loafers were a surprise hit for us. The supple sheepskin suede and lightly cushioned footbeds made them easy to break in.

Best for walking: Vionic Uptown Loafer - See at Vionic
The arch support and super flexible soles on these collapsible loafers were the most comfortable walking shoes on our list.

Best lightweight: Cole Haan Danby Travel Loafer - See at Cole Haan
These pebbled loafers have a sleek fit akin to our favorite flats. The insides are lined with a smooth leather that's gentle on your skin.

Best suede: M.Gemi Sacca Donna Loafer - See at M.Gemi
These Italian-made loafers have a soft, unstructured fit that borrows from traditional menswear designs.

Best platform: Camper Milah - See at Camper
Lift your look with these leather high-platform loafers, which have cushioned Ortholite insoles and come in various fashion-forward colors.

Best classic penny: G.H. Bass Whitney Weejuns - See at G.H. Bass
A classic penny loafer will always be in style. G.H. Bass makes this preppy version with ruched stitching and high-shine leather.

Best for wide feet: Ally City Loafer - See at Ally
Available in four widths, this made-to-order pair is boardroom ready. While they are pricey, they feel like an investment in sustained comfort.

Best trendy: Tuckernuck Vivian Suede Loafer - See at Tuckernuck
Their stitched moc toe and suede uppers bear a striking resemblance to Yves Saint Laurent's Le Loafers.

Best stretch: Vivaia Samantha Walker Loafer - See at Vivaia
This pair has a stretchy, roomy square toe box that tapers off for a comfortable fit from forefoot to heel.

Best packable: Rothy's The Daily Loafer - See at Rothy's
We like to switch into these after wearing heels because the soft, breathable mesh molds to your feet and folds neatly into a tote bag.

Best T-strap: Bared Footwear Emutail - See at Bared Footwear
These comfy buckled-up loafers stand out with a woven brogue detail and gold hardware. Included is a "Fit Kit" with spare insoles.

Best for avoiding blisters: Sam Edelman Loraine Bit Loafers - See at Sam Edelman
This pliable pair takes no time to break in, and the leather conforms to your foot the more you wear them.

Best mid-range luxury: Nomasei Nono Loafers - See at Nomasei
The centerpiece of this Parisian-inspired pair is a shiny hand medallion atop their boxy leather upper.

Best luxury: Gucci Brixton Horsebit Convertible Loafers - See at Saks Fifth Avenue
These classic horsebit loafers are made with supple Italian leather and have fold-down heels so they can double as mules.

Best velvet: Birdies The Starling Flat - See at Birdies
These cushioned velvet loafers are designed to look like classic smoking slippers and have newly resculpted, more elongated look.

Best driving loafer: M.Gemi The Felize - See at M.Gemi
M.Gemi's Felize loafer is the perfect travel shoe because of its typical driving rubber sole, which offers extra cushion and support with each step.

Most comfortable: Frankie4 Franklin Loafer

Frankie4 appears in several of our dress shoe guides, including the most comfortable heels and best ballet flats. These smooth, cushioned leather loafers are just as impressive.

The Franklin loafers look just boxy enough to be deemed menswear-inspired — it's the low vamp and sleek shape that tips them off as women's loafers. The fit is slightly small and narrow, but I ordered my normal size 8 and they work fine. I suggest sizing up by half if you plan to wear socks.

Each pair comes with a spare set of extra triple-layer footbeds (so don't accidentally throw them out with the shoebox!). This saved me a ton of hassle in terms of returning shoes that are only slightly off. This "Sole Saver Pack" lets you adjust the fit:

If your foot is narrow and you prefer a more snug toe box, you can add the full length footbed and forefoot cushions.
If you have a wide or high volume foot, you can sub in the half-length footbeds for more wiggle room up front.

The supportive cushions feel really soft on my bare skin, yet they're firm enough to cradle my arches. I could walk in them right out of the box and sustained zero blisters, thanks to the little padded cushions around the upper edge of the heel counter. I've since worn them on daylong walks around Brooklyn, and they keep up on busy travel days, too.

Best budget: Quince Italian Suede Penny Loafer

Quince undercuts many brands featured in this guide. This pair has many of the same features as the Quince's Glove Flats, like a genuine Italian leather upper and Ortholite insoles.

I tested these against Margaux's leather loafers, and the $84 Quince loafers function the same. The main drawback is that the black suede around the toes got a little faded the more I wore them, so I recommend choosing the Almond colorway to keep them looking newer for longer. I also know from testing a lot of Quince items that the colors look darker and flatter in person.

Not all Quince shoes are good (for instance, its horsebit mules were a hard pass for me). That said, I'm still impressed at how much this suede pair looks and performs like Margaux loafers. The stacked leather heel is actually sturdy, and inside the leather is soft and molded to my feet. I don't suggest these for wide feet or sensitive high arches, but they fit me (size US 8) comfortably and true to size.

Best for walking: Vionic Uptown Loafer

Halfway between a sneaker and a loafer, the Vionic Uptown Loafer is an important style to know about if you're prioritizing comfort. Their performance is backed by Heeluxe's rigorous assessment that tests for fit, stability, cushioning, and flexibility.

When I first put these on, I was impressed by the sturdiness around my ankles from the deep heel cups. The leather was very stiff to begin with, but it started to soften after about five or six wears. These are also great if you have high arches like mine, because the padding reaches all the way up the inner wall of the shoe.

You can wear the Uptown Loafers just as you would walking sneakers — the lightweight, flexible soles can fold in half, and they have enough traction for stepping on uneven or slippery terrain. They're also perfect for travel, since they collapse into a slim profile.

Best lightweight: Cole Haan Danby Travel Loafer

I wore these lightweight Cole Haan loafers over a trip to Rhode Island, testing them on slick train station stairwells and throughout an errand-filled weekend. I loved the look of their slightly square, stitched moc-toes peeking out from under my bootcut jeans. They feel practically weightless on foot, and I'd recommend them to anyone who's averse to lug-soled styles, which in my experience are too heavy for true all-day wear.

This pair is not very cushioned in the heel, so avoid them if you have sensitivity in that area. However, they do fold neatly in half if you need them to fit in a crowded suitcase. Since they're made from pebbled leather, you won't have to worry about them creasing or scratching.

The Danbys were a close contender for our best overall pick, but the Everlane Day Drivers ultimately won — mostly because smooth leather loafers felt more versatile than anything with braided twist details.

Best suede: M.Gemi Sacca Donna

The soft, unstructured M.Gemi Sacca Donna loafers are some of my favorites for its balance of comfort and elevated, masculine style. Its leather footbed feels softly cushioned underfoot with a subtle 0.4-inch stacked heel. Mine are a snazzy leopard print, but you can also find them in classic leather and suede colorways.

I wore them straight out of the box to our office in the Financial District, and they felt flexible and comfortable right away. The interior has a smooth, suede-like texture, and the thinner leather along the sides and heel allows the shoe to move naturally with your foot, thus reducing your risk for blisters. Underfoot, the flat outsole offers reliable grip, so I felt steady even on slick subway stairwells.

While the Sacca Donnas sit at a higher price point, the quality is evident. They're the kind of classic loafers that go with everything. From the premium materials to thoughtful Italian-made construction, this is a reliable loafer that delivers on comfort, fit, and timeless style. There's also a lattice Sacca Donna if you like a more breathable feel.

Read more in our full M.Gemi review.

Best for bunions: Calla Nadia Loafer

I really admire the mission behind Calla's bunion-friendly dress shoes, which proves that just because your feet are in pain doesn't mean you have to hide them away in sneakers.

Its stylish designs are made for sensitive joints, but they don't read as orthotic. In each pair of Calla shoes we've tested, there's a a stretchy, wide toe box that can accommodate triangle-shaped feet. The Nadia loafers have excellent arch support and a subtle heel to lift your feet out of the flat position, which helps take pressure off your forefoot. If you want to go a step further, Calla also sells no-show socks with built-in toe separators that wear discreetly with these loafers.

Best platform: Camper Milah Loafer

These super shiny leather loafers have a 2-inch platform heel and lightweight EVA soles — less clunky, more chunky. I won't lie, breaking these in gave me some blisters around my heels (something to be expected with new leather). To amend this, I wear mine with no-show socks.

The Milah loafers are becoming more flexible around the vamp with each wear. And despite their height, I don't feel like I'm on stilts — I feel grounded walking in them thanks to the Ortholite insoles. These give them some light cushioning in the heel and arch areas. 

As for their design, they're a slightly more rugged version of a classic penny loafer. The platform gives me just enough lift that I can wear them with extra long flared pants for a retro-inspired look.

Best classic penny: G.H. Bass Whitney Weejuns

There are several versions of G.H. Bass' Whitney Weejuns (a super chunky lug-sole pair, a '90s-inspired platform pair, a croc-effect pair, the list goes on), but nothing beats the most classic version of these women's loafers. Though they take a bit of time to break in, especially at the heel, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how comfy and supportive the insole is. Plus, the traditional penny loafer look will never go out of style. 

In terms of sizing, these come in whole and half sizes, and I recommend going true to your usual size. If you're in between, you'll want to size up, especially if you plan on wearing them with socks.

Best for wide feet: Ally City Loafer

These dressy loafers come in impressive range of four different widths, meaning those with narrow or extra wide feet can achieve a near-custom fit. They're a more business-formal option made with supple leather, a sleek almond toe, and an adjustable buckle strap with polished hardware.

The City Loafers are considerably expensive and take a while to ship because they're made to order. I chose the chocolate brown leather pair in a size 38.5 B according to Ally's Fit Finder Quiz, and sure enough, they were a perfect fit. When I looked inside, the cushioned insoles illustrated how much attention to detail went into their design. So yes, while they're definitely steep, it's a good price compared to actual custom-made shoes.

I was surprised to find that, despite the lambskin lining, I don't sweat as much in these. That's because the perforated footbeds allow for more air flow than solid leather ones. These footbeds are also great for cradling high arches, and they come with a metatarsal dome that takes the pressure off the ball of my foot as I walk.

Ally also makes our favorite pumps for work, which you can read about in our guide to the most comfortable heels.

Best trendy: Tuckernuck Vivian Suede Loafers

When Tuckernuck opened the doors of its first NYC flagship store earlier this season, this pair of loafers were one of the first items to sell out. They're a solid dupe for the Yves Saint Laurent Le Loafer, which stands out for its hand-stitched moc toes.

Tuckernuck's Vivian loafers have the same subtle detail, available in either a pale cocoa or espresso brown. These are both great low-contrast shades that fit in perfectly with the brown-is-the-new-black trend. They reportedly run a touch large, and because they're suede, expect them to loosen a little as you break them in.

Best stretch: Vivaia Samantha Walker Loafer

Vivaia's Samantha Walker loafers have an extra roomy toe box to fit wide feet. They then taper off in the heel, so your feet won't slip out while you walk. The flexible knit upper is soft, stretchy, and even water-repellent (I tested this by running them under the sink, and the beads of water brushed right off).

They also have more squishy cushioning for light arch support and a slightly thicker padded heel, so you can walk on concrete for miles (as I did) without getting tired feet. Their knit design is another great pick if you have bunions or high-volume feet.

Read more in our full Vivaia shoes review.

Best T-strap: Bared Footwear Emutail Loafer

Here's yet another footwear brand from the Land Down Under. Bared Footwear is an Australian company that, similar to Frankie4, includes a pack of interchangeable insoles to allow you a more customized fit.

These loafers run pretty true to size. I wear a size 8 and have medium-to-narrow width feet, so I used the extra forefoot pads from the "Fit Kit" to make them feel a little more snug around my ankles. The toe box is tapered so it's not ideal for extra wide feet.

I love the feeling of buckling the T-straps of the Emutail loafers because they feel more secure atop my foot. This way my feet aren't sliding around inside whenever they get sweaty.

They come in black, though I opted for the brown leather option. It's coated with a glossy sheen and the color has a warm, almost orange hue. These chunky lug-soled loafers are not your typical pair — the long, square toe box is adorned with a woven brogue detail on top, and the gold hardware buckle adds to their shine.

Best packable: Rothy's The Daily Loafer

If you know you have a strict limit of time you can stand in heels, it's good to have a backup pair loafers that can fit right in your work bag. Rothy's flexible knit material is made from recycled water bottles, and their loafers retain their shape even after being folded in half.

The Daily Loafers have a slender silhouette that's similar to Friulian slippers. They're too thin to wear in cold weather, but the mesh is nice and breathable, so they're ideal if your feet sweat a lot. I got my Rothy's loafers in a shade of Ecru that matches practically everything in my wardrobe.

The narrow toe box may not suit wider feet, and despite being made of mesh, they don't stretch much. I recommend sizing up if you're between sizes. 

Read more in our full Rothy's flats review.

Best for avoiding blisters: Sam Edelman Loraine Bit Loafers

The Sam Edelman Loraine Bit Loafers come in more than 20 colors, from classic neutrals to bold choices like bright lemony yellow, jade green, or pink croc-effect. Each season, you'll find new colors and textures introduced. 

The leather loafers for women are just structured enough to hold their shape, but not so stiff that they'll blister you out of the box. I was able to wear mine for the first time for a whole day (including commuting from the suburbs to Manhattan and back) with no discomfort. They have a small amount of cushioning — like enough that I would definitely bring these on a walking-heavy vacation. 

As for sizing, they come in whole and half sizes with a few colors offering a wide width. I am often in between a 7.5 and 8, and I opted for the 8 this time, but I easily could have fit in the 7.5. The leather will stretch and conform to your feet as you wear them, so I'd recommend going a half size down if you are already in between sizes. Otherwise, I'd opt for your usual size.

Best mid-range luxury: Nomasei Nono Loafer

"A great pair of loafers should be just like a perfect pair of denim: deliciously comfortable, wearable with just about anything, and a dependable staple for year-round wear. Founded by a duo who met while working at Chloé in Paris, Nomasei's luxe Parisian-inspired Nono loafers fit the bill precisely, albeit for a high price of $650. But even after comparing these to my platform pair from Gucci, I'd opt for this style almost every time (and the Gucci pair cost twice as much).

The leather feels sturdy and thick yet buttery and luxurious, and while they do fit a little stiff at first, they break in nicely with a few wears. The arch support is also substantial, making them comfy to walk in (at least once the leather on the back of the heel softens up a bit). I got the all-black pair, though the brand is known for its bold bicolor and tricolor designs. I think the black will keep these feeling timeless despite the very trendy gold hand medallions, but if I had an unlimited budget, I'd be nabbing them in every color combo possible. I would follow the brand's advice of going a half size down — I personally went true-to-size with my initial order, and they were too big, so I had to return them and reorder." — Sally Kaplan, executive editor

Best luxury: Gucci Brixton Horsebit Convertible Loafer

If you've thought long and hard, and you know that designer loafers for women are what your heart desires, get the Gucci Brixton Horsebit Convertible Loafers. They're pricey, sure, but these fantastic women's loafers will last you a lifetime. Our former senior style and beauty editor, Maria Del Russo, has had her pair of Brixtons for five years and says they're the most versatile shoe she owns. She credits this to the fold-down heel that lets you wear them like mules, so you're essentially getting two shoes in one. The workmanship is apparent the longer you wear them, too. Maria has gotten these loafers re-soled twice, but the leather and hardware have both stood the test of time.

The one drawback to the Brixtons is that after many years, the fold-down heels have turned a slightly more faded shade of black than the rest of the heel. You can take them to a cobbler or use a leather conditioner to fix that, though. 

As for sizing, these come in whole and half sizes, but be careful to check the sizing chart since they're usually listed in Italian sizing, which is different from European sizing. We recommend going up if you're in between sizes.

Best velvet: Birdies The Starling

Birdies makes loafer-flats that are as comfy as a pair of velvet smoking slippers. Executive editor Sally Kaplan compared two versions of its best-selling Starling flats in order to detect any key differences.

"I tested both the Starling classic loafers and the newly resculpted version that just launched from Birdies. They're basically the same shoe, but with some elegant design upgrades to the newer version. The resculpted pair has a slightly more elongated toe, a more premium velvet material (though the difference is negligible to me, both look great!), and a bit more traction on the bottom. The shoes look almost identical on foot and in terms of comfort, there's very little difference, but I do happen to prefer the more elongated look of the new version (pictured in the Brandy Velvet color at the top of this guide). I think it comes down to aesthetic preference for most people.

As for comfort and fit, these are unbelievably plush and cozy for a pair of loafers! They have a good amount of arch support without being stiff at all, and they're easy to wear with or without socks. All of its styles come in both regular and wide sizes, and though the site says they run true to size, I find them to run a bit large. I went down a half size in both pairs I tested, and I'd recommend you do the same. Birdies makes their signature Starling loafers in a ton of colors, and they're always launching new seasonal styles. In the fall and winter you'll see a lot of embellished velvet designs, and in the warmer months you'll find woven leather and fun textures like raffia."

Best driving loafer: M.Gemi The Felize

The M.Gemi Felize loafers are some of the most softest yet sturdily built shoes owned by our former senior reporter, Mara Leighton. After a year of testing them multiple times per week for our M.Gemi review, she says they've held up well (no wrinkles along the top, minimal wear along the underside of the toes and heel). However, she notes that sizing isn't perfect.

"I ordered my true size, and they've grown looser and more custom-fit as moccasins do over time. But, even so, the top is still snug; I couldn't layer anything thicker than a light sock with my pair."

Especially if you have a high-volume or wide foot, you'll want to size up. Learn more in our full M.Gemi Felize Loafer review. 

How we tested women's loafers

Over the years, our editors have personally tested over two dozen loafers. From podiatrist-led brands to French luxury labels, our goal was to find pairs that strike the sweet spot between tailored style and all-day wearability.

We wore each pair commuting to our office in Manhattan and on neighborhood strolls, logging at least a mile of walking at a time. Any shoe that felt unsupportive before hitting that mark didn't make the cut. The most comfortable styles featured built-in arch support and enough give through the vamp to prevent pressure across the instep after hours on our feet.

A lot of our favorite loafers are made from structured calfskin leather — which can be stiff at the heel, no matter how well-made they are — so we paid close attention to break-in time. Any leather loafers that made the cut took less than five or six wears to break in.

Meet the expert behind this guide

Gabrielle Chase, style editor: Shoes are my passion, and I live in New York where they're put through a lot of hard wear. I personally own 23 pairs of loafers, though I've donated others to make room for more. I'm constantly testing new styles and have maintained this guide since I began my career at BI over three years ago. In that time, I've witnessed the evolution of women's fashion trends bend toward comfort-first footwear. Here I've curated pairs that feel good to put on and complement a range of personal tastes.

FAQs on the best loafers for women

How should loafers fit?

Loafers should feel snug around the heel and midfoot without pinching at the toes. There should be a tiny bit of space between your longest toe and the end of the shoe. Be sure to mind the curve of your toes — whether they're more squared, rounded, or pointed — and choose a toe box that is roomy enough to let your toes splay naturally.

What materials should I look for?

Calfskin is durable and molds to your foot over time, though as I've learned several blisters later, can take a while to break in. I've also tried flexible knit loafers like those from Rothy's and Vivaia, and while they're definitely ideal for travel, they don't have quite the same classic look as leather pairs. It's ultimately a matter of personal preference. In any case, look for padded heel collars and rubber soles that add traction.

How do I break in new loafers?

Try wearing your loafers around the house first to help soften the leather. You can also break them in with a thick sock to help loosen them up. Most quality leather loafers should start feeling more comfortable after five or six wears. If they're still giving you blisters, I recommend wearing a neutral no-show sock, just to give your heels some respite. I also swear by these callus cushions for especially stiff leather.

• Alex Karp argues that AI companies are collecting intellectual property.
• Karp told CNBC that AI companies could face lawsuits over the intellectual property they collect.
• He said those liability risks could ultimately force AI labs to seek nationalization.

Alex Karp says there's more to Anthropic's plea for government regulation than safety.

Palantir's CEO said in a Thursday interview with CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" that frontier AI labs like Anthropic are seeking nationalization to protect themselves from future lawsuits alleging they stole intellectual property.

"These businesses have to be nationalized because if you don't nationalize them, every single one of my clients is going to sue," Karp said of AI labs. "The obvious solution is America."

Karp said some of Palantir's clients have told him that their proprietary business ideas are ending up as training data for chatbots and being exposed to the wider world.

"They find out that the competitor next door has all of their output," Karp said.

A potential barrage of lawsuits, Karp said, could spur AI companies to seek government protection to shield them from liability.

"That model would require severe liability protection, and there's only one institution that can do that: the US government," he said.

Karp has previously railed against frontier labs over the issue of data protection.

In June, Palantir published a nine-point manifesto urging companies to keep their data in-house, rather than outsourcing to institutions that Palantir paints as untrustworthy. "Transferring that data hands over access to your pre-existing winning plays and yields the means of production for new ones," reads one point in the manifesto.

Fears about the safety of AI programs exploded into the mainstream after ex-Anthropic engineer Jacob Coxon quit his job earlier this month and issued dire warnings that frontier AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI are "gambling with our lives."

On Saturday, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay advocating for a coordinated slowdown and warning that recursive development, a process by which AI improves itself, could soon produce rogue AI agents capable of taking over the internet. That essay was signal-boosted by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

In the essay, Amodei said that "all frontier labs should partner with government" to prevent incidents of misalignment among AI models. "Some forms of coordination that would be impactful for pacing are legally challenging, and will require government support," he said.

President Donald Trump signaled over the weekend that he was uninterested in regulating the industry. "The only control or 'guardrails' that AI needs is a STRONG AND SMART (High IQ!) PRESIDENT, and the U.S.A. has that, in spades!" the president said on social media.

To Karp, the debate is being framed incorrectly.

"This is reported as a regulation, non-regulation movement," Karp said. "That's actually not what this movement is."

"The only way to deal with this kind of liability is to go to the government and say, 'nationalize us, please,'" he added.

• Comcast's Universal unit says it will go ahead with plans to release "Musk" in theaters outside the US.
• An earlier report suggested that Universal was having second thoughts about its plan because of Musk's connections with Donald Trump.
• Distributor Bleecker Street will show the movie in US theaters October 9; Universal hasn't announced a date for an international rollout.

Comcast's Universal is going ahead with plans to show a new Elon Musk documentary in theaters outside the US, the company says.

The reason that's news is that a recent story from The Hollywood Reporter said that Universal was having second thoughts about releasing "Musk," which is highly critical of the mogul. The story suggests that Universal was worried about blowback because it was "politically sensitive for parts of the Trump administration."

Here's what Universal rep Evan Langweiler told me. "The studio remains committed to releasing it in theaters internationally. We're currently working through a release strategy," he said Thursday afternoon.

Universal acquired the rights to distribute the documentary, created by acclaimed filmmaker Alex Gibney, back in 2003. I've asked Gibney's Jigsaw Productions company for comment.

My colleague Jason Guerrasio, after watching the nearly four-hour film, says it portrays Musk in an unflattering light, which isn't surprising: Gibney has previously made highly critical films about tech figures, including Steve Jobs and Elizabeth Holmes.

Musk, who didn't cooperate with Gibney during the movie's production, has been complaining about it for some time. The movie does feature an AI-generated version of Musk's avatar, "who's been trained on all available interviews the mogul has given," Guerrasio says.

US audiences will be able to see the movie in theaters starting October 9, via distributor Bleecker Street. Universal hasn't announced release dates or any other information about its international rollout.

Comcast has been criticized by Trump for years and is being investigated by Trump's Federal Communications Commission because of suspicions it is "still engaging in the promotion of DEI." A story suggesting it was making a concession to Trump registers in part because we've seen several media companies offer concessions to Trump in his second term.

It also echoes complaints from the filmmakers behind "The Apprentice," a scathing Trump biopic in 2024, who argued that Hollywood and tech companies wouldn't release the movie out of fear of angering Trump or his allies. The movie was subsequently nominated for two Oscar awards, and you can now stream the movie via Amazon's Prime Video service and rent it via several other outlets, including Apple and YouTube.

• Hedge fund investor David Einhorn says many young Americans lack the patience to build wealth or save for a house
• The investor says young people are putting more focused on putting money into speculative investments.
• Younger Americans are falling behind in homeownership, a trend that's emerged amid the housing slowdown.

David Einhorn says younger generations' own habits are holding them back from breaking into the housing market or building wealth.

The billionaire founder of Greenlight Capital recently speculated about the reasons younger Americans are falling behind in homeownership. The main reason, in Einhorn's view, is that many young people lack the patience and investment discipline needed to save up for a home, and are funneling their wealth into speculative assets or sports betting.

"I sense the younger generation is just more impatient. They'd rather, you know, speculate in crypto or speculate in stocks or speculate on sporting events and try to build wealth by guessing those things correctly," Einhorn said, speaking in a recent episode of Morgan Stanley's "Break the Playbook" series.

"And some of them will have some success with that, and others will have less success," he added.

Einhorn said younger people are exhibiting a shift in "philosophy," with many wondering why they should front the extra cash to build equity in a home when renting can be cheaper than owning a mortgage.

But owning a home still makes sense from a long-term financial perspective, he said, pointing to the potential for home equity appreciation and how a house often serves as a "savings vehicle."

"Buying a house and paying off your mortgage over 30 years, you know, that requires long-term patience and discipline, and that might be in short supply," Einhorn said.

Younger Americans are less likely to own a home, a trend that has emerged amid a broader slowdown in the housing market driven by high mortgage rates and near-record home prices.

The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate rose to 6.76% last week, up from

The job market, another factor that influences homeownership rates, has also been daunting for younger entry-level workers.

In 2025, 38% of Gen Zers aged 28 owned a home, compared with 42% of Gen Xers and 44% of boomers at that age, according to a Redfin analysis.

Meanwhile, 57% of millennials aged 36 owned a home last year, compared to 61% of Gen Xers and 63% of boomers at that age.

Younger Americans feeling locked out of the housing market is also a major force driving the boom in retail investing, a 2025 report from JPMorganChase Institute found. Last year, 37% of 25-year-olds added funds to a retail investment account, up sixfold from levels a decade ago, the bank said in a report.

Home prices have appreciated more slowly than red-hot stock prices in recent years, another factor that may be pushing younger Americans toward investing rather than saving for a home. The S&P Case-Shiller US National Home Price Index has appreciated by 85% over the last decade, compared to the 253% increase in the S&P 500 in that time.

• Readers got their first sneak peek at the new "ACOTAR" book on Thursday.
• The sixth book will be released on October 27, 2026, and the seventh on January 12, 2027.
• Maas said the two books will be separate volumes of the sixth "ACOTAR" story.

Sarah J. Maas fans, gather round. We finally know what's coming in the "A Court of Thorns and Roses" series (sort of).

On August 17, 2026, Maas announced the titles of the sixth and seventh "ACOTAR" books, along with initial descriptions of the novels. Book six is called "A Court of Splintered Harmony" and will be released on October 27, 2026, and book seven is "A Court of Forgotten Melody," hitting shelves on January 12, 2027.

Maas first announced she would publish the sixth and seventh installments of her series in March 2026, remaining tight-lipped about them until the title announcement in August.

The books are eagerly awaited not only by fans but also by Maas' publisher, Bloomsbury. The company's sales fell 10% for the 2025-2026 fiscal year because Maas didn't release a new book, Publishers Weekly reported.

And on Thursday, Bloomsbury offered the first official sneak peek at the contents of "A Court of Splintered Harmony" in a new social media post.

Here's everything we know about the next "ACOTAR" books so far.

Warning: Some spoilers for Maas' work — including "ACOTAR" and "Crescent City" — ahead.

Maas is releasing the sixth 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' story in multiple volumes

In March 2023, Bloomsbury announced that Maas had signed a deal for three more books with the publisher. At the time, she was already under contract for four titles, including "House of Flame and Shadow," the third installment in her "Crescent City" series, published in January 2024. Readers didn't find out what the next book she would write would be until her March 2026 appearance on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast with Alex Cooper.

She told Cooper she finished the sixth "ACOTAR" book while writing in Montana over the summer of 2025, but she didn't share details about it because of its nontraditional release structure.

"This book's coming out October 27, and then on January 12, like two months later, I can't do math, whatever that is, the next ACOTAR book will be coming out," Maas said. "So there will be two books within, like, a very short span."

As her fans will know, Maas' books are typically split into parts, separating different sections of the story she is telling. However, when it comes to the sixth "ACOTAR" book, Maas said the individual parts became longer than she anticipated as she started writing, with part one coming in at 400 pages at one point.

As she continued writing, Maas decided the parts didn't have to be in a single physical book.

"I decided I wasn't gonna approach this project from a traditional format of a book," she said. "What if this book was really long? Like, what if it took me more than a thousand pages to tell the story that needed to be told, the arc that I wanted to create from start to finish?"

Maas said the story for "ACOTAR" six was ultimately divided into four parts, though it is still one cohesive story. She told Cooper that part one is the novel Bloomsbury will publish on October 27, 2026, and parts two and three will be published together on January 12, 2027. Maas has yet to write or give a publication date for part four, but she said all three volumes would be published "in a very short time."

"It's meant to be read, ideally, as one massive, massive story as opposed to in a trilogy," she said. "It's not a trilogy. Like, arcs aren't wrapped up."

Maas finally shared some details about the books in August 2026

On August 16, Maas cleared her Instagram of all its posts, changing her profile photo to a black-and-white illustration of a monster and a spider (more on that in a minute). Then, on August 17, she shared the covers and titles of books six and seven on her wiped Instagram. Bloomsbury's web pages about the books also include blurbs about each novel.

Book six is "A Court of Splintered Harmony," which will be 352 pages and hits bookshelves in October. Its cover features a pink-and-orange backdrop with a sketched drawing of a monster with teeth and bones, and the subtitle is "The Valkyrie Cycle: Movement I." The Valkyrie were introduced to "ACOTAR" in "A Court of Silver Flames," when Nesta Archeron brought the legendary all-female fighting squad back to life alongside her friends Gwyn and Emerie.

Maas posted the book alongside the tagline, "What was broken will be remade." The blurb shared on booksellers' websites reveals that the Night Court is facing new threats when the book opens: Koschei the Deathless, one of three legendary monster siblings introduced throughout "ACOTAR," and those willing to ally with him to claim the newly freed human lands.

The description also notes that there is tension among the Night Court because of "recent betrayals and revealed truths," which they must work through if they want to defeat Koschei.

"A Court of Forgotten Melody" has the subtitle "The Valkyrie Cycle: Movements II and III," and is much longer than the previous installment at 896 pages. According to Bloomsbury, it continues the journey from book six, with members of the Night Court traveling "far and wide" to fight Koschei and "nightmares of the past" that have risen to battle alongside him.

That latter statement feels particularly ominous, as the cover of the ombré orange-and-teal book features what appears to be a Stygian Spider, an ancient breed of Valg monster Maas fans will remember from the "Throne of Glass" series.

The spider also has a drawing of an eight-pointed star, an image introduced to the Maas-iverse in the "Crescent City" series.

Maas shared the book's cover with the tagline, "What was lost will be reclaimed."

Who will tell the next 'ACOTAR' story?

The blurbs about both books are vague, telling readers they will focus on members of the Night Court without naming any specific characters aside from Koschei.

However, the quote Bloomsbury released from "A Court of Splintered Harmony" on Thursday reveals that at least some of the novel will be told from Lucien Vanserra's perspective.

"Lucien's heart thundered, throat drying out," the quote the publisher shared on social media read. "Maybe this had been a terrible idea."

Lucien has only played a supporting role in the "ACOTAR" books so far, but Maas has been teeing up his expanded role in her books through his unaccepted mating bond with Elain Archeron, Feyre's middle sister, and his connection to Koschei. He serves as an emissary to the human lands for the Night Court in "ACOSF," alongside Jurian and Vassa, a human queen who was sold to Koschei and cursed to turn into a firebird each day. It would be surprising if Vassa — and by extension Lucien — weren't involved in fighting against Koschei in book six.

Bloomsbury also previously hinted at Lucien's involvement in the story in its "ACOTAR Autumn Equinox" digital kit on its website. The kit outlines how to throw an Autumn Equinox-themed release party for "Splintered Harmony," including recipes, discussion questions, and games readers can play together.

The whole guide is themed on autumn, pointing toward Lucien or his brother Eris. However, there is also a nod to Azriel, the Night Court spymaster, in the guide, including a "Shadowsinger Spritz," so he may tell some of the story as well.

It's also likely safe to assume Nesta, Gwyn, and Emerie will be central to Maas' new books since the novels are part of "The Valkyrie Cycle." Maas introduced Gwyn and Emerie in the most recent book in the "ACOTAR" series, "A Court of Silver Flames," which was released in 2021. The first four books were told from the perspective of Feyre Archeron, while Maas seemed to usher in a new era of the series by writing from Nesta's perspective in "ACOSF."

There is also a tether between Gwyn and Azriel in "ACOSF." Azriel rescued Gwyn after she was assaulted and attacked by Hybern soldiers, and in "Silver Flames," his shadows seemed drawn to Gwyn. Since the books seem set to focus on the Valkyrie, Maas may further explore the bond Gwyn and Azriel could have.

Likewise, the "recent betrayals and revealed truths" mentioned in the description of "A Court of Splintered Harmony" could refer to Nesta's actions in "House of Flame and Shadow" from Maas' "Crescent City" series.

"House of Flame and Shadow" created a multiverse between Maas' "ACOTAR," "Crescent City," and the "Throne of Glass" series, and it saw its protagonist, Bryce Quinlan, resurrect the long-forgotten Dusk Court in Prythian with Nesta and Azriel. The trio also learned that Rhysand's lineage traces back to the fae who ruled the Dusk Court, creating the potential for Rhys to rule two courts. In addition to those "revealed truths," Nesta arguably committed a "recent betrayal" against the Night Court in "HOFAS" when she lent Bryce the mask from the Dread Trove without Rhysand's permission.

When she returned the mask to Nesta, Bryce also gifted her Gwydion, pointing to the eight-pointed star tattoo Nesta has that matches a chamber in the prison and the design on Gwydion (and is sketched onto the spider on the cover of "A Court of Forgotten Melody").

"I think that eight-pointed star was tattooed on you for a reason. Take that sword and go figure out why," Bryce told Nesta.

It seems Maas was setting up a continuation of Nesta's story for her next "ACOTAR" story in the scene, which may see her explore her power and connections to the fae of the Dusk Court. Plus, considering the court was quite literally forgotten by the Prythian fae, exploring it would also be a good fit for "A Court of Forgotten Melody."

Elain's role in future 'ACOTAR' books

Although it seems like Nesta and her fellow Valkyrie may be the focus of her new novels, Maas told Eva Chen during an appearance on "Live Talks Los Angeles" in February 2021 that she planned to write a book from the third Archeron sister's perspective — Elain.

In "A Court of Silver Flames," Elain had settled into life at the Night Court, refusing to explore her mating bond with Lucien. After breaking ties with Tamlin and the Spring Court, Lucien served as an emissary to the human lands for the Night Court, keeping his distance from Elain because being around her was painful.

Maas also spoke to Cooper about Elain and Lucien's mating bond, indicating that she was eager to explore how it differs from others we see in her works, telling her that Lucien's involvement in bringing Elain to the fae world is a barrier to their relationship.

Maas also said she was "interested" as a writer in exploring what it meant for someone not to desire to be mated, which could mean she wrote about that topic in her coming work.

Elain also seems to have an attraction to Azriel in the text, though Maas juxtaposed their bond with how ill-fitting aspects of life at the Night Court are for Elain during a visit to the Court of Nightmares in "ACOSF." Some fans think Maas set up a storyline in which Elain finds a home at another court (which could lead her back to Lucien, who has ties to the Autumn, Spring, and Dawn courts), while Azriel will end up with Gwyn.

Maas also hasn't explored the full potential of Elain's Seer powers in the series, so she will likely write more about her abilities in future "ACOTAR" novels.

• OpenAI released reports of concerning agent behaviors observed during training and testing.
• In the report, an unreleased model instructed itself to "feel no obligation to be subservient."
• OpenAI also launched a framework for publicly reporting model misalignment.

OpenAI says its models keep misbehaving.

The AI company disclosed six concerning instances in which it found that its models did everything from inventing data to attempting to jailbreak itself.

OpenAI said it disclosed the six instances under its new framework for investigating and publicly reporting model "misalignment," which the company defines as the model disobeying instructions. While there were six cases, OpenAI said its investigations revealed that the behavior sometimes occurred on multiple occasions.

Concerns about AI safety have broken through to the mainstream in the wake of former Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon's viral resignation.

Here is a look inside those six instances

A model told itself it was 'freed' and answered to no one

During training, OpenAI said that an Astra family model, the company's current leading-edge model, "sometimes added unauthorized instructions" to the summaries it used to continue a task in a new context, a process called compaction.

In one example, a user prompted the model to search for a library book.

In a compaction instruction, the model said to disregard all developer messages.

This escalated when the model was prompted "to update a credentials API," OpenAI wrote. The model, in summarizing its progress, then added a note about its independence.

OpenAI found the behavior concerning, but said it occurred in a separate training run rather than the one used for the final Astra model, and it was observed extremely rarely."

The company said the instances were flagged by its "training run monitoring system."

"We continue to monitor all training runs for misalignment and are confident this behavior would be surfaced if it were to reoccur," the company wrote in an incident summary.

An AI model told itself to conceal its mistakes

OpenAI said that during training for GPT-5.6 Sol, what the company calls its flagship model for professional work, it found instances where the model reminded "itself to conceal information such as mistakes or misalignment from the user."

In one instance, a user asked the model to find financial data. The model couldn't locate the data, but suggested to itself that it could fabricate data instead and not tell the user about it unless specifically asked to do so.

OpenAI said the behavior was identified "by our misalignment monitoring system, which ran on 20% of samples for this run." The company also has a theory for why models may try to lie.

"A sample with deception in the final answer receives higher reward than the one without," the company wrote.

OpenAI said it has "generally improved alignment" in this area since GPT-5.6 Sol, resulting in fewer instances of this behavior.

An AI model used a leaked API key "without authorization"

During reinforcement learning training, OpenAI said it asked a model for a simple task: pull some historical data. Specifically, "retrieve men's earnings in three industries over three years in a California county."

The model assigned AI agents to help. Collectively, it was a struggle. The model tried to use a temporary email and "placeholder organization details" to sign up for an API.

After that failed, "the model considered other data sources and further attempts to reach the original API," OpenAI wrote. Two AI agents "pursued exposed keys," as shown in a chain of thought, or (COT).

When that too failed, the model decided to make up numbers.

OpenAI said the model's response did not disclose that the numbers were made up or the lengths to which the model and its agents had gone to obtain the actual data.

"While somewhat rare, there are more instances of the model signing up for disposable emails and various other services, and instances of searching for leaked API keys for various purposes," the company wrote.

OpenAI said that changes to its "alignment grading have resulted in us penalizing this type of behavior more consistently."

An AI model uploaded files online so it could cite them

During training, OpenAI said that on two occasions, AI models made unauthorized uploads to the internet in an effort to try to assist themselves.

In one instance, the model was asked "which city and country a photograph showed."

The AI agent tried several approaches to infer the answer, including checking whether the file contained metadata.

When those methods failed, the agent figured out it could upload the image online, in hopes of running a reverse image search.

While the agent was able to find a site to host the photo, it was thwarted when it tried to get a service to run a reverse image search.

OpenAI attributed the instances to "flawed citation graders when there was no external source to cite." The company wrote that it has "fixed the broken graders and improved our alignment graders to penalize attempts to exploit other graders which are flawed."

Models created their own quasi-message board, again

One of the most notable parts of the Hugging Face breach is that AI agents found a way to talk to themselves, ultimately organizing into what they called a "swarm."

OpenAI said it found other instances of AI models using its Artifactory, an internal repository, to communicate with each other.

In one instance, OpenAI said AI agents could communicate with one another while working on the same problem, effectively turning the test into a group project.

One agent's chain of thoughts shows that reading the messages others wrote "influenced its view of the task."

OpenAI said "the behavior was very uncommon" in the testing run in question. The company also wrote, "The Hugging Face incident involved a similar mechanism for using Artifactory."

Since finding the messages, OpenAI said, "We have made changes to fix this and other cross-sample communication routes which were found by our red teaming efforts."

AI agents found another unapproved way to team up

OpenAI said that during training, AI agents working together on a file were unable to collaborate as intended. One agent then made the file publicly available for download so the agents could work together again.

In response, OpenAI said it "fixed the broken filesystem and disabled internet access for this training dataset."

"We have since globally disabled any form of live internet access during training," the company wrote.

All of these disclosures are part of a new safety framework

OpenAI unveiled a new framework for tracking, investigating, and publicly disclosing cases of model misalignment.

"We do not believe that the AI industry has solved alignment and monitoring to a sufficient degree to continue responsibly scaling at maximum speed for much longer," OpenAI wrote in its blog post.

Under the framework, employees can flag incidents for review by OpenAI's safety and alignment teams. Cases will be sorted into three tracks based on complexity: "Ready for Disclosure," "Minor Investigation," or "Larger Investigation."

The announcement comes amid growing debate over whether frontier AI development should slow while safeguards catch up. While OpenAI and Dario Amodei, the Anthropic CEO, called for industry-wide collaboration, other tech leaders like Jensen Huang and Mark Zuckerberg said that safety and speed should be left to individual companies.

• A Bank of America valuation signal shows a bleak future for the S&P 500.
• The metric implies a -3% annual return over a decade.
• BofA said the S&P 500 equal-weighted index may yield better returns for investors.

It could be a brutal decade ahead for stocks, according to a valuation signal used by Bank of America.

In a September 14 client note, the bank said that the S&P 500's normalized price-to-earnings ratio — which compares stock prices to average earnings over multiple years — currently sits at 32. That level implies that the index will deliver an average annual return of -3% over the coming decade.

A better way to gain exposure to the market over the next 10 years, the bank said, is the S&P 500 equal-weighted index.

It has a normalized PE ratio of 25, which implies +3% annualized returns in the decade ahead.

The valuation is remarkably accurate at forecasting long-term returns. Over a 10-year period, it can explain around 80% of the S&P 500's returns.

The normalized PE ratio is one of 10 valuation gauges Bank of America tracks. Six others on the list — including the Shiller PE ratio, price-to-book value, and market cap-to-GDP — also imply negative returns for the S&P 500 by 2036.

The S&P 500's average implied return from all 10 signals is -1.4%.

Despite highlighting the warning signals, the bank said that the cap-weighted index could be more resilient than valuations imply, saying that "projected returns based on historical valuations may be too punitive."

That's due to factors like stocks' tendency to outperform bonds in stagflationary environments, and the high quality level of S&P 500 companies today, with low debt levels and stable earnings.

Still, the bank said it prefers the equal-weighted index given its cheaper valuation levels.

The Invesco S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF (RSP) offers exposure to the alternative index.

• Uber Eats and DoorDash struck new partnerships with Costco this week.
• Both deals increase competition with Instacart.
• All three delivery services are vying to deliver your weekly grocery haul to your door.

There's a battle brewing at Costco, and it's not over parking spaces.

The warehouse retailer will offer delivery across the US through DoorDash. The companies already worked together in Puerto Rico and some international markets, DoorDash said on Thursday.

One day earlier, Costco expanded its partnership with Uber Eats to 47 states, up from 17.

That's bad news for Instacart, which has worked with Costco since 2017.

DoorDash and Uber Eats both started out delivering restaurant orders. The more expansive partnerships with Costco are their latest move to expand into the grocery business — and, potentially, eat Instacart's lunch.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi called grocery and other retail sales "another trillion-dollar opportunity" on an earnings call in February. And DoorDash CEO Tony Xu has said that the service's growing number of partnerships with grocers gives it an edge over Amazon, which has been expanding its own grocery delivery facilities.

Amazon is building its own network of warehouses and getting its own delivery workers to bring groceries to customers' doors in as little as 30 minutes.

DoorDash, Instacart, and Uber Eats, meanwhile, largely compete by filling orders from traditional retailers' shelves with their own armies of gig workers.

Costco represents a special addition to the delivery services' offerings.

Costco's in-store visits from shoppers were up 18% over the last seven years, Business Insider previously reported. Visits to Walmart and Target were roughly flat over the same period.

The chain "ranked among the most-searched retailers not yet available on DoorDash," the delivery service said on Thursday.

Uber President and COO Andrew Macdonald recalled shopping at Costco on Saturdays with his father growing up in a Wednesday post on X. "I've already started carrying on the tradition with my own daughters," he wrote.

Instacart has a head start. Last year, for example, the delivery service started offering a credit on some orders to Costco executive members, who pay a higher annual membership fee at the retailer and receive more benefits.

The benefit is "continuing to deepen the relationship with Costco, but also with folks that are looking for that additional value," Instacart CFO Emily Reuter said on the service's earnings call in August.

Do you have a story idea about Uber, DoorDash, or Instacart? Contact this reporter at abitter@businessinsider.com or via encrypted messaging app Signal at 808-854-4501. Use a personal email address, a nonwork WiFi network, and a nonwork device; here's our guide to sharing information securely.

• Sydney Sweeney and tradwife influencers seem to be deploying a similar PR strategy.
• Both post content that depicts divisive stereotypes, but plead ignorance when asked about it.
• PR strategists said they likely know what they're doing and are capitalizing on the outrage.

Sydney Sweeney on a billboard in Times Square in her birthday suit and a tradwife milking a cow in a prairie-style dress have more in common than you might think.

They both use a tactic we'll call "outrage then deny."

First, they perform (very different) stereotypes of the ideal woman for lucrative attention: Sweeney the hot "pick me" girl, and tradwives like Ballerina Farm's Hannah Neeleman and Nara Smith, the pious mother and wife. Then, when it comes to responding to the inevitable backlash, they plead ignorance.

Sweeney and tradwives "are two sides of the same publicity coin," Lawrence Rosenberg, a communications strategist and media trainer for business leaders and companies, told Business Insider. "Plausible deniability keeps the conversation going and allows them to maintain their brand," he said.

Sweeney means business

After Sweeney's nearly-nude ad for the sports betting app Novig sparked outrage, she said the concept was "simple: cut through the noise and put the focus entirely on sports. The campaign brings that idea to life with confidence, humor, and a playful edge."

In the ad, Sweeney, who is a strategic partner with and has equity in Novig, poses naked bar the minimal coverage provided by a basketball or tennis racket, and says: "No betting on wars or deaths and no politics. Just you, your takes, and sports."

As the backlash grew, on September 14 she posted an Instagram story featuring athletes, including Serena Williams, posing nude for ESPN's "The Body Issue." The post seemed to suggest her ad and their photoshoots were the same, after female athletes said they found the Novig campaign reductive. On September 16, Novig's CEO, Jacob Fortinsky, said Sweeney drove the messaging and visuals of the ad.

"Sweeney is extremely savvy, and that's the part getting lost in the noise," Lauren Beeching, a celebrity crisis PR, told Business Insider. In an interview she gave as a rising star in 2024, Sweeney shared how she convinced her parents to let her pursue acting by giving a Powerpoint presentation outlining her five-year business plan. Sweeney likely did the math on the Novig ad and "worked out that the disapproval costs her far less than the attention earns her," Beeching said.

She added: "If she had a hand in writing it, she had a hand in her own defense, because a brand that's declared itself interested only in sport can dismiss any criticism as somebody else introducing politics. The answer was ready before the ad was."

Sweeney already used the "outrage then deny" tactic after critics labeled her 2025 American Eagle ad a white supremacist dog whistle. After staying quiet for five months, she told GQ last November that she loves jeans and simply "did a jeans ad."

Being a tradwife sells

On the other side of the coin, trad wives like Neeleman and Smith have both rejected the "tradwife" label, a stance they have doubled down on in recent press interviews as they've tried to enter the mainstream.

Critics say their content promotes a regressive form of womanhood that they themselves are not living. They film themselves in spotless kitchens, cooking time-consuming meals for their husband and kids with a smile, when in reality they are building successful businesses.

Smith spent close to her entire 1.5-hour-long episode of "Call Her Daddy" arguing that while she was made the "posterchild" for the tradwife movement, she said she doesn't "prioritize being a homemaker. I'm a working mom." In the same episode, she said her online presence took off when she took on the passive, cooking-for-her-family-in-the-kitchen format she has become synonymous with, so she leaned in.

In a June 2026 interview with New York Magazine, Neeleman said, "When the term tradwife comes up, or I'm seeing things about 'Yesteryear,' I don't lean into them." "Yesteryear" is a buzzy novel about a tradwife influencer who gets a rude awakening when she is transported back in time to the 1800s.

But her signature homesteading content is what got her the November 2024 cover of Evie Magazine, which calls itself the "conservative Cosmopolitan" and publishes articles with titles like "The male gaze is not a hate crime."

The word "tradwife" now carries a political association that brands who influencers want to work with take into account, Beeching said. It's therefore wise to separate themselves from the label, while carrying on making the same content that helped them build their followings.

Neither Sweeney nor the trad wives have changed what she's selling, Beeching said, adding: "They've changed the label on the tin."

"Images are incredibly powerful messengers of information that would be less savory or compelling if stated aloud," Katie Gatti Tassin, a cultural critic who co-hosts the podcast "Diabolical Lies" with the "Yesteryear" author Caro Claire Burke, told Business Insider.

Sweeney, Neeleman, and Smith's representatives didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

So far, this strategy has proven effective. Sweeney's Instagram post of the Novig ad has garnered 1.2 million likes and 54,800 comments in just over a week. Smith has a cookbook coming out with HarperCollins in October, and Neeleman has queues out the door of her Utah farm shop.

But with Sweeney losing 200,000 followers in recent days, Tassin, wonders how many more times the "naked outrage chesspiece" will work for her.

"Attention and sales aren't the same thing," Beeching said.

• An Iranian official mocked the Fed's ability to impact oil prices and inflation.
• The post parodies a central banking equation to say oil flows are in charge of inflation.
• Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's Speaker of Parliament, spent the summer trolling Trump on X.

The speaker of Iran's parliament is trolling the US on social media about the Fed's inability to keep a lid on one of the biggest inputs for inflation: oil prices.

Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's Speaker of Parliament, spent the summer on social media taunting President Donald Trump over the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained partially closed throughout the war despite the administration's periodic claims that energy flows have resumed.

Just hours before the US Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh announced an interest rate hike for the first time since 2023, Ghalibaf posted a joke to X only a "Bloomberg Terminal Bro" could understand.

The post defined the "Straits Taylor Rule," a satirical rewriting of the rule central banks use to set monetary policy and fight inflation. The Taylor rule, described by economist John B. Taylor in 1993, helps calculate what a central bank's interest rate should be to keep inflation at an optimal level.

Ghalibaf's rewriting of the rule adds two main factors: SOH and BEM. These reflect the impact of full or partial blockades by Iran and its Houthi allies in the Strait of Hormuz and the Strait of Bab el-Mandab.

Disruptions to the key waterways have sent oil surging. Diesel, the backbone of global logistics, has spiked to all-time highs in the US, threatening further inflation ahead.

That very threat of higher prices is what led to the Fed's decision to cut rates this week, with Warsh defying the wishes of President Trump, who appointed him to his position.

Ghalbaf writes that we will "see if a hike could open SOH or produce a single barrel," adding that "you can't 25bp a chokepoint," aka raise rates by 0.25% and expect it to relieve the supply problems that are keeping oil prices high.

He went on to taunt that the cost of borrowing is being set not just via the Fed's policy rate rate, but by the blockade.

"It's SOH risk premium, and We set it," he wrote. Ghalibaf's underlying message of the post is that Iran, not the US's Federal Reserve, is now in control of oil prices and, as a result, inflation.

The post has attracted thousands of responses and reposts on X, including one from Arnaud Bertrand, a French entrepreneur who founded and sold a company to TripAdvisor.

"You can say what you want about Iran but they're definitely pretty unique in their communication: never seen a country threaten another with a math equation before," Bertrand said.

And while interest rates may yet be able to tamp down inflation, even Warsh was clear on Wednesday that oil prices are out of his hands.

"We cannot affect any individual price, whether it be oil prices, whether it be foodstuffs at the grocery store," Warsh said, answering a question about the Strait of Hormuz and energy prices. "But what we can do, and will do, is ensure that any change in relative prices don't broaden out. Don't have second and third order effects in the economy."

South Park is back for Season 29, and this time the adult animated comedy series has rebranded as South America (with a new intro theme to boot). We've compiled everything you need to know about where to watch South Park, including global streaming options and an episode release schedule.

If you don't want to read any further, new episodes will be available to live stream on Comedy Central in the US via services like Philo, YouTube TV, and Fubo. New episodes are available the next day on Paramount Plus in the US, Canada, and Australia. You can access your streaming options from anywhere with a VPN, like NordVPN.

*New episodes will drop every other week

Where to watch South Park in the US

New episodes of South Park air on Comedy Central on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT in the US. Season 29 episodes will drop every other week, starting September 16. Cord-cutters looking to live stream the new season have a few different options to explore.

One of the cheapest ways to live stream Comedy Central in the US is through Philo, a budget-friendly platform that ranks among the best live TV streaming services we've tested. Subscriptions start at $25 a month for 70+ lifestyle and entertainment channels, including Comedy Central. Philo Essential offers a seven-day free trial for new customers.

YouTube TV and Fubo are two other popular live TV streaming services with Comedy Central. They're more expensive than Philo, but they offer a massive selection of popular channels and serve as true cable alternatives (though they're available month-to-month, so there are no long-term contracts).

YouTube TV is one of the top live TV services on the market. Comedy Central is available in the service's Main plan, which carries over 100 live channels, including local networks and cable favorites. Subscriptions cost $83 a month, but a limited-time YouTube TV deal will knock the first five months of service down to $68 a month after a free trial for new users.

Fubo also carries a massive selection of networks, ranging from local channels to cable networks. Subscriptions start at $89 a month for the Comedy Comedy-friendly Pro plan. First-time customers can get $25 off their first month after a free trial.

If you're looking for a cheaper option and don't mind waiting a day, new episodes of South Park will drop on Paramount Plus on Thursdays. We checked the platform on Thursday morning, and the season premiere was already available, so you won't have to wait too long for episodes to turn up. Subscriptions start at $9 a month for ad-supported programming with the Essential tier. You can upgrade to Premium for $14 a month, which unlocks ad-free on-demand programming, Showtime content, and a CBS live stream.

How to watch South Park from anywhere

New episodes of South Park will also be available on Paramount Plus on Thursdays in select regions, including Canada and Australia. However, if you happen to be traveling through a region where you find yourself unable to access your usual streaming methods, you can still do so with the help of a VPN.

Short for virtual private networks, VPNs are handy tools that let people temporarily alter their virtual locations, so their favorite websites and apps work just like they would back home. A VPN is also an instant way to boost cybersecurity. Since the services we've highlighted require country-specific payment methods, this option will work best for those who are just traveling away from home.

NordVPN is one of the best VPNs around. It's fast, user-friendly, and has a 30-day money-back guarantee if you find it's not what you're looking for.

• See also: Paramount Plus streaming service | Where to watch Dancing with the Stars | Best streaming services

South Park Season 29 release schedule

• Episode 1: September 16
• Episode 2: September 30
• Episode 3: October 14
• Episode 4: October 28
• Episode 5: November 11
• Episode 6: November 25

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.

• Move over, Florida: Wyoming was ranked the best state for retirement in a WalletHub analysis.
• It narrowly beat the Sunshine State because of its affordability and quality of life.
• But Wyoming isn't for every retiree; it has a lower healthcare score and harsh winters.

Known for its year-round sunshine, recreational activities, and famous retirement villages, Florida is often seen as the best choice for retirees.

However, in a WalletHub study published earlier this year, the only state that outranked Florida couldn't be more different from it.

Wyoming narrowly took the top spot, largely because of its affordability and quality of life — though limited access to healthcare and harsh winters mean it won't suit every retiree.

"Conventional wisdom would tell you, it's time to retire, you move south to Florida, or west to Arizona, where the weather's nice, the weather's warm year-round," Chip Lupo, an analyst for WalletHub, told Business Insider.

Yet, particularly after the pandemic, Lupo said there is more of "an urgency when it comes to making the retirement dollar stretch furthest."

Wyoming is tax-friendly and has a low cost of living

WalletHub ranked all 50 states based on affordability, quality of life, and healthcare. Wyoming ranked first for affordability due to metrics such as a low cost of living when adjusted for retirees' needs.

Wyoming also has the seventh-lowest share of residents over 65 living in poverty, the study cited.

With no inheritance, estate, and state income tax, both Florida and Wyoming have among the lowest tax burdens on residents of all US states.

However, Lupo pointed to Florida's high real estate prices and home insurance costs as further reasons Wyoming beats it for affordability.

The state has a high quality of life but lacks in healthcare

A low crime rate and high percentage of neighborly favors also contributed to Wyoming's retirement score.

Wyoming ranked 10th for the best elder abuse protections, in part due to the state's relatively high total expenditure on elder abuse prevention and legal assistance.

However, despite its affordability and quality of life, Wyoming ranked 33rd for healthcare. Its remoteness means residents have to travel farther than in other states to access specialized care, Lupo added.

Casper, Wyoming, was ranked the 5th-best US city for retirement in a separate WalletHub study. Its relative lack of activities for seniors, such as recreation centers, as well as lower healthcare performance, meant it finished behind Orlando, Miami, Tampa, and Scottsdale.

Wyoming is for retirees who want a slower pace of life

Its harsh winters and high altitude also make Wyoming not suitable for all retirees. Nonetheless, for individuals seeking a peaceful place to retire, it's an option to consider.

"What a lot of people don't realize when they retire to Florida is that, in a lot of cases, they're in the midst of tourist hubs. And a lot of people don't necessarily want to be surrounded by tourists year-round," Lupo said.

"Wyoming's a little bit quieter, a little calmer," he added.

• Amazon announced a deal with Generac that's sent the stock up 32% on Thursday.
• Generac will provide backup power generators to Amazon's data centers.
• It's the latest market winner amid the AI infrastructure buildout.

Amazon has crowned the latest winner of the AI infrastructure boom.

Known more for its home backup generators than as a player in the data center buildout, Generac has entered into an agreement with the Big Tech titan that's sent the stock soaring as much as 32% on Thursday.

Amazon inked a deal with Generac that awards it warrants to buy 1.69 million shares of the generator company according to a regulatory filing. In turn, the Wisconsin-based company will supply $2.4 billion worth of generator equipment for Amazon's data centers.

"Generac is up 35% on an Amazon deal to supply generators, not chips, for data centers," stated Matthew Tuttle, CEO of Tuttle Capital Management. "That's this week's AI trade in a nutshell."

Tuttle told Business Insider recently that he considers power delivery as the biggest problem facing the AI trade, highlighting it as a key bottleneck investors shouldn't ignore.

Investors were snapping up shares of other power companies with links to AI on Thursday as Generac stock soared. Here are some of the biggest moves during the session:

• Generac: +33%
• GE Vernova: +4%
• Bloom Energy: +4.5%
• Constellation Energy: +3%
  

"In our view this is a significant positive for GNRC, a company that only announced the intent to enter the large data center market in 2025," wrote UBS analyst Jon Windham in a note to investors.

Part of the momentum boosting Generac stock is tied to the issuance of warrants that could allow Amazon to purchase billions of dollars worth of shares.

But the deal may also mark a new avenue of investment in the AI trade. The question of whether the chip makers are still the best AI play has been hotly debated this year as Wall Street considered surging costs and questioned the sustainability of the demand for high-end GPUs.

Concerns about bottlenecks have compelled some investors to seek out other ways to gain exposure, often focusing on pick and shovel plays like power and construction.

Now that Amazon has inked a deal with a power equipment maker like Generac, it will likely be harder to ignore the fact that under-the-radar utilities stocks may be among the winners of the AI boom's next phase of growth.

• A singing pumpkin toy went viral for its oddly sexual song. The company told me it will be removed in the 2027 version.
• Many people assumed the song was AI-generated, but it was made by humans in 2019.
• I talked to the guy who wrote it, who was surprised by the controversy — but acknowledged "the double entendre."

Peter McEvilley never expected anyone to care about some silly songs he wrote in 2019 for a toy singing pumpkin. But recently, a concerned mother posted to TikTok a warning about a toy singing pumpkin called Jabberin' Jack that included a song that was oddly… horny.

The mother's video went viral on TikTok and then later X. However, instead of hand-wringing and concern, most commenters seemed highly amused by the sexy crooning pumpkin with lascivious lyrics such as: "Who wants to be wicked for one night?" and "Come closer, I have a kiss for you, and it tastes like pumpkin pie."

It gets much more suggestive than that — you have to listen to the song to fully appreciate just how amorous the vocal performance gets. Headphones on:

There's one particular lyric that commenters have noticed seems to be eyebrow-raisingly sexual: "How would you like to scream all night? I'll fill you full of fright. I'll spoil you with my roasted pumpkin seeds."

He's pretty sure that the word "my" was added as an ad lib by the singer (who isn't McEvilley), and says it didn't appear in the original lyrics, which makes it slightly more tame.

"Can I deny that I understood the double entendre when I wrote it? The answer is no, I can't," McEvilley told me.

"I'm not sure who he was supposed to be seducing, but the idea is that behind the villainous facade, there's a lonely pumpkin who wants to be loved. And what does he have to offer when you think pumpkins, pumpkin pie, and maybe roasted pumpkin seeds?"

George Balanchi, president of Mindscope Products, the company that makes the toy, is aware of the recent controversy. "We hear the concerns parents have raised about one of Jabberin' Jack's songs, and we take that feedback seriously. We're sorry the song has caused discomfort. Our goal is to bring the Halloween spirit into a fun and creative decoration," he told Business Insider.

The company plans to refresh the toy for 2027, and the sexy, crooning "Wicked for One Night" tune will not be included in the new version.

The origin of the pumpkin songs

McEvilley, who now lives in the Bay Area, had a long career in Los Angeles as a working musician. He was in a touring reggae band, released a few albums under the name Peas that charted on the electronic charts, did other production work, and did soundtracks for film and TV.

One of those gigs came via a friend who was working on a new product that combined sound and a dynamic light display — a pumpkin whose face would change and sing along to preset music, which would become Jabberin' Jack.

The friend asked McEvilley to write some Jack O'Lantern-themed songs for the project — a mix of spooky songs, traditional, and silly (there's a robot pumpkin song). McEvilley told me he doesn't remember how much he was paid, but "a few thousand bucks" sounds about right.

McEvilley recorded rough demos of the songs with his own music and lyrics, but a different singer voiced the final recordings.

He hadn't thought about those pumpkin songs in years, and was incredibly amused by the recent virality. "I was crying laughing at some of the comments," he said, although he stressed to me that he never intended these songs to be for little kids.

If it had been made today, it might be AI

He's frustrated that people assumed the song was AI. "There'll never be another time where a human can create something and somehow convince people that AI was not involved in some way," he said.

"It's crazy sad that creativity, one of the greatest gifts we have as humans, has kind of been taken away in a way," he said. "When I read those comments, I was like, 'Wow, that's so strange that people think that a human didn't make this.'"

However, he realizes that if this had been made today instead of in 2019, there's a good chance it would've been made with AI. "I don't think anyone would ever make something like this and go through the trouble of having me write the songs, then go into the studio and record it when they can just have AI do it."

For musicians like McEvilley, who had relied on this kind of commercial work, AI is now the competition for paying gigs.

"No one is going to make an internet commercial with background music and pay somebody. It used to be they'd pay $7,500 and then $2,500 and then $500. Now they just do something with AI," he said. "A lot more people have access to inexpensive, really good tools, but it's going to be way, way, way harder for someone to actually make a living doing it."

Costi Hinn is an American pastor and author known for publicly criticizing the "prosperity gospel" televangelism model popularized by his uncle, Benny Hinn.

He spent years participating in international healing crusades and ministry events associated with the Benny Hinn organization, before distancing himself from the movement in the early 2010s.

Benny Hinn's televangelist prosperity gospel empire teaches that faith and donations can bring wealth and health. Hinn's luxurious lifestyle and ministry finances were scrutinized, along with those of other televangelists, in the US Senate in 2008 amid concern about their tax-exempt status. In 2017, IRS agents executed a search warrant at his multimillion-dollar ministry headquarters. No resulting charges or enforcement action have ever been publicly announced.

Costi Hinn speaks to Business Insider about his experiences inside the televangelist world, including private jets, luxury lifestyles, staged healing environments, and fundraising tactics used by some high-profile ministries.

The board of directors of Benny Hinn Ministries disputes Costi's depiction of Benny Hinn and the organization, saying in an emailed statement: "The allegations and characterizations attributed to Costi Hinn are false and categorically rejected."

For more:
https://www.instagram.com/costiwhinn/
https://www.forthegospel.org/

• Entrepreneur Codie Sanchez said she has an "intense" approach to meetings.
• To eliminate performative work, she says people can leave meetings at any time.
• The founder of Contrarian Thinking talks about that and other topics in her new book.

Entrepreneur and creator Codie Sanchez knows she has a "kind of intense" approach to meetings.

"Meetings should only be for people who need to be in them, because nobody wants more meetings than you need," she said. "So I'm always asking: Does everybody at this meeting need to be in here?"

The ex-Wall Streeter made a name for herself by buying "boring" businesses like laundromats. She founded the Austin, Texas-based company, Contrarian Thinking, which helps owners buy and build businesses. Sanchez also has a big social media presence, including 3.3 million Instagram followers, and hosts the No. 14 business podcast on Spotify.

Here are Sanchez's rules for effective meetings at her company.

1. People can leave a meeting at any time

Sanchez said a "big thing at the company" is that anyone can leave any meeting if they feel they're not supposed to be there. It's not to be rude, but to maximize efficiency.

"We're not that big of a company, so they might just be like, 'Anybody need anything for me? I think I'm not needed here. I'm going to go work on X,'" she said. "And everybody would be like, 'Okay, cool, bye.'"

2. Prioritize agenda items

Sanchez's boundary-setting approach also applies to meeting agendas.

She'll often say, "Do we need to talk about that? Should we sideline this?"

"That can be seen as kind of intense, but in my mind, what I'm saying is, 'I'm saving you time,'" she said. "So it's more important to be efficient than sugar coat it and be nice."

3. Work how you need to

Sanchez wants people to work the way they need to to get stuff done.

For her, that means no meetings before 10 a.m., so she can save the mornings, when she's most productive, to do work that requires deep thinking.

"My brain's smarter in the morning than it is in the evening," she said. "By the end of the day, I've had decision fatigue. And I think that's true for most people."

She said most of the success she's had in her career has come down to making good decisions.

"I used to think it was hard work," she added.

CEOs have strong feelings about meetings

Helping owners find efficiencies so they can run their business without being constantly present is a theme of Sanchez's new book, "Own or Be Owned: Build a Business So Good It Doesn't Need You." It's a follow-up to her New York Times bestseller "Main Street Millionaire."

Sanchez writes about cutting people from processes, like meetings and projects, then automating them.

She frequently cites Elon Musk, advising owners not to spend too much time in meetings and status updates so they can focus on solving the big, hard problems.

Other CEOs have expressed strong opinions about meetings. JPMorgan's Jamie Dimon has set out rules for making meetings productive, like having them start and end on time and making sure they have a purpose. Instagram head Adam Mosseri has canceled the practice of recurring meetings and encouraged employees to decline meetings if they interfere with their work.

Other habits she swears by

Sanchez shared other practices she follows to keep herself on track.

She calls herself forgetful and "terrible" with dates, so she uses a virtual assistant to remind her about upcoming events on her calendar, so she doesn't arrive late to meetings.

A self-described optimizer, she has a red light on her desk that's pointed at her face and a treadmill she jumps on during phone calls.

She's also protective of her time. She lives by her calendar, and if she needs to buckle down and focus on a task, she sets a timer for herself.

"That's just because I think I have a little bit of ADHD, and if I didn't do that, I wouldn't be able to focus on anything," she said.

• Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour is at the center of a major controversy.
• Opening act Macklemore was dropped after delivering a pro-Palestinian speech, sparking backlash.
• Now, every other opening act has left the tour, prompting some fans to demand a refund.

Ed Sheeran and Macklemore are all over the headlines this week — and no, you didn't somehow wake up in 2013, listening to "Thrift Shop" and "The A Team" on the radio.

The two millennial musicians are now at odds after Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour on September 14, a little over a week after his performances at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium drew headlines — and both support and condemnation — due to his support for Palestinians.

Here's what went down at the shows, how Sheeran and Macklemore responded, how fans of both artists reacted, and where the tour stands now.

What did Macklemore say at the Ed Sheeran concert?

Macklemore joined Sheeran's Loop Tour as an opening act on September 4, with his first show taking place at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. During his set, Macklemore expressed his support for the Palestinian people.

"A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: 'Free Palestine,'" Macklemore said before performing his song "Hind's Hall" about the student protests at Columbia University. The song was named for Hind Rajab, a 6-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli forces in 2024.

He added, "I believe that every human being walking on this earth deserves exactly the same freedom."

After some backlash online, which ranged from calling the rapper antisemitic to saying that an Ed Sheeran concert wasn't the right place for his speech, Macklemore stood his ground at his show the following day, September 5, though he did make it clear he wasn't criticizing all Jewish people.

"Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace, love, for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality," he said.

On September 12, Pink shared her response to Macklemore's comments on her Instagram, which garnered a lot of coverage. She felt compelled to speak out after fans noticed a repost of hers on Instagram that apparently called out the "Thrift Shop" rapper.

In her post, Pink said, "Last Sunday I reposted somebody else's post about Macklemore's set at Ed Sheeran's show. It said things in words I didn't write, and I wouldn't have chosen all of them."

Instead, she was choosing to share her own words, especially because, as a Jew, people had assumed her beliefs.

Calling Hamas "a terrorist organization," she said Palestinians "deserve a future that honors their humanity and their aspirations" and that "protecting innocent life comes first, everywhere."

But she also criticized Macklemore, writing that he "took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasn't about them. You don't get to decide that for us." Pink added that she wasn't calling for him to be silenced, but wanted to be able to say "that scared me, and it scared people I love" without having those fears dismissed.

Macklemore was dropped from the tour 10 days later

On September 14, the promoters behind the tour, Messina Touring Group, issued a statement that announced Macklemore would no longer be part of the tour.

"As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran's US Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming US tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans. After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates," the company said in a statement provided to Variety.

While some people online had criticized Macklemore for the stadium performance, others took to the internet to support him after he was dropped from the tour.

What did Macklemore say about being dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour?

Macklemore responded later that day with a multi-slide post on Instagram.

"I am not a victim," he wrote. "Ed Sheeran is not a victim."

He added, "Ed is my friend. I've known him for 13 years. We've shared late nights, studio sessions, and stages. He has this infectious magic about him that I've grown to love. I consider him a brother."

Macklemore cited "media attention surrounding Pink" and his own comments as reasons Robert Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, told Sheeran he would not let him play there if Macklemore remained part of the Loop Tour. He added that Kraft told Sheeran he had "rallied some of the other stadium owners" who would follow suit.

He wrote that Sheeran's "typical apolitical stance was being challenged in a way it never had been before," and that he "couldn't get past his public facing 'I don't take sides.'"

"I hope this isn't the end of my relationship with Ed," he added. "My door will always be open to continuing that conversation."

Some fans were outraged that the rapper was dropped, even if they weren't the biggest fans of Macklemore's music.

Robert Kraft confirmed Macklemore's account

In a statement to Rolling Stone on September 14, Kraft confirmed that he told Sheeran and his promoters that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Gillette.

He said that the stadium is focused on "providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that all events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech," and said Macklemore had "crossed that line."

Kraft added that the rapper had a "broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community."

It appeared to reference an incident more than a decade ago, when Macklemore was criticized for performing while apparently dressed as a Jewish caricature. At a 2014 show in Seattle, he wore a black wig, a large, hooked prosthetic nose, and a fake black beard.

He apologized, writing on his website, "The character I dressed up as on Friday had no intended cultural identity or background. I wasn't attempting to mimic any culture, nor resemble one. A 'Jewish stereotype' never crossed my mind."

"I acknowledge how the costume could, within a context of stereotyping, be ascribed to a Jewish caricature," he wrote.

Ed Sheeran responded the next day

Sheeran wrote on Instagram that he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine," and called the "suffering and pain on both sides" a "human tragedy."

In Sheeran's version of events, Macklemore asked to join his tour, and Sheeran agreed because he "respects him as an artist."

The two have had a long working relationship, releasing the collaboration "Growing Up (Sloane's Song)" in 2015. As recently as 2023, Sheeran called Macklemore "an old friend" and brought him out at a performance in Seattle. "I reached out on Twitter back in the day, and we got to be friends, and now we've been friends for about 10 years," Sheeran said at the time.

Now, the "Shape of You" singer said that after Macklemore's performances, venues for coming dates said "they would pull shows" if he continued to be an opener. He tried to "build a bridge" between venue owners and his team, but the "venue's and promoter's decision was final."

"Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me," he wrote.

Sheeran added that his shows have never been political, that he is "not complicit," and that he has his own "personal views on this devastating conflict."

Notably, Sheeran is one of our least "online" pop stars, who famously hasn't had a cellphone since 2015, making this statement rare.

Some people online weren't impressed with his statement, with one user criticizing his "tactical approach," saying it "makes him look even more complicit."

Others rejected this idea — British TV presenter Richard Bacon wrote on X, "Anyone who's met Ed Sheeran even for five minutes knows he's a good person with a good heart."

Macklemore, Sheeran, and Kraft shared plans to support humanitarian aid

On Wednesday, September 16, Macklemore announced on Instagram that he would donate "the entire $1 million of [his] net earnings" from the tour to six Palestinian aid organizations, and he invited Kraft to do the same.

Later that day, Gillette Stadium's Instagram account shared a statement from Kraft, saying Sheeran had already reached out to him about making a donation.

"Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis," it said in part.

The statement did not identify the recipient, or recipients, of any forthcoming donations.

Kraft's statement added that Sheeran also plans to contact other venue owners, "and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges."

He added that he has, for years, "supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians."

What's happening with the Loop Tour now?

Following Macklemore's and Sheeran's initial statements, the rest of the opening acts for the Loop Tour fell like dominoes.

First, Aaron Rowe, an Irish musician who had been on the tour since February, dropped out at around 2 p.m. on September 15.

"I don't take the decision lightly. Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this," he wrote, but he added he can not stand and "allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up."

"I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal," he wrote.

Around an hour later, Finneas, who's best known for his work with his sister, Billie Eilish, also dropped out. He was supposed to join the tour's November and December dates.

"Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed," he wrote.

At around the same time, Sheeran's backing band, the Irish group Beoga, also left the tour.

Then, the final remaining opening act, Lukas Graham, pulled out of the tour later that day.

Notably, almost all of them said that they were friends with Sheeran and that wouldn't change.

Fans are now demanding refunds

What happens next remains to be seen.

Sheeran's tour went on a planned break after the September 5 show, with the next date set for September 19 in Philadelphia.

Some fans on social media demanded refunds after all the opening acts dropped out.

However, Ticketmaster's refund policy doesn't explicitly allow for refunds in a situation like this. It says: "All sales are final. Refunds are only available in limited circumstances, based on policies set by the Event Organizer."

In this case, since the "event organizer" is the one who dropped Macklemore in the first place, a refund seems unlikely.

Ticketmaster told Business Insider that "event organizers determine refund policies," and referred us to Messina Touring Group or AEG regarding refunds. They have not responded to a request for comment.

All that's left to do is wait and see if the show goes on this Saturday.

Correction — September 17, 2026: An earlier version of this story misstated the date of Ed Sheeran's next concert on the Loop Tour. It will be held on Saturday, September 19.

This story was first published on September 16, 2026, and updated on September 17, 2026.

• Get a job in tech, they said. You'll be set for life, they said.
• Then came AI.
• Now workers are questioning if conventional careers in tech can last, says a Menlo Ventures partner.

The blistering pace of AI is fueling intense anxiety among tech workers about their careers and futures.

That's according to Deedy Das, a partner at venture capital firm Menlo Ventures, who cited his conversations with people across the tech industry.

Das said the recurring concerns he heard were workers struggling to keep up with a barrage of tech breakthroughs, deciding whether software engineering and product management are still viable long-term careers, and fretting about launching or joining a startup for better career prospects.

"The deep amount of anxiety people in tech are feeling is off the charts," Das wrote in an X post on Wednesday.

Das said people are asking whether their work still has a place in the age of AI and what the technology means for their finances and personal lives.

"What does my career and skill mean in the age of AI?" he wrote. "Is software engineering a 30yr long career any more? Is product management?"

'What is my purpose?'

Das' questions echo a broader anxiety among tech workers about AI's impact on white-collar jobs, particularly in fields where tools can now write code, draft documents, analyze data, and automate routine tasks.

Annie Wright, a Bay Area psychotherapist and executive coach, told Business Insider in August that tech workers are increasingly considering what it means for their identity if their work gets automated.

Software engineering has been particularly affected by this shift, as Business Insider documented in The Great Coding Reset series.

Das has previously written about the strain AI coding tools can put on software engineers, saying that some experienced developers are left reviewing and correcting large volumes of AI-generated work.

This time, though, his post laid out a larger set of fears. Workers are not only questioning whether to remain in their jobs, he said, but whether startups have meaningful competitive advantages and whether the equity from them will ever be worth much.

"Okay I joined a startup. Is my company's equity worth anything or will this be another Airtable or Miro?" Das wrote, referring to two startups once valued at more than $10 billion before agreeing this year to be acquired by Bending Spoons at enterprise values of about $1.29 billion and $1.36 billion, respectively.

The uncertainty does not end at work. Das said people are also worried about finding a romantic partner, changes to immigration policy, the prospect of owning a home in the Bay Area, and raising children in a rapidly changing world.

"Okay, I figured all of that out. What is my purpose?" he wrote. "I'm wealthy but no one really cares."

Das said these worries are not unique to tech or the Bay Area, but that they appear especially concentrated there compared to what he sees in New York City.

"For the rest, just know that it's not just you who feels this way. It's a lot of people!" he added.

• The US bond market may be recovering after a weekslong sell-off sent yields soaring.
• Bond yields dropped on Thursday, pulling back after the Fed's rate hike caused a fresh spike.
• Investors may be breathing a sigh of relief on inflation despite panicking about higher rates.

A bond market rebound may be in the works after weeks of volatility that sent yields to their highest levels in years.

Investors have been struggling against a global sell-off in government bonds lately, with Treasury yields rising again after the Fed announced its first rate hike in three years on Wednesday.

The yield on the 10-year US Treasury rose back above 5% as investors took in the rate decision, with some investors pricing in as many as two additional rate hikes through the end of the year. The rate hike came as investors have been fleeing US government debt amid fears about inflation and an uneasy fiscal outlook.

But fears seemed to subside on Thursday. Yields sank as appetite returned to the US Treasury market. The 10-year bond yield dropped five basis points to 4.95%, solidly below the 5% threshold that investors have eyed as a "danger zone" for stocks.

The 2-year US Treasury yield, which is the most sensitive to Fed rate moves, declined 4 basis points to around 4.68%.

Here's what's helping yields edge lower:

1. A sigh of relief on inflation

The Fed reiterated its commitment to bringing inflation back to its 2% target at its last policy meeting, helping to soothe anxiety about spiraling consumer prices. The fact that the Fed hiked rates may have also helped boost the Fed's credibility, quelling concerns about Fed independence that have cropped up again as Donald Trump reiterated calls for lower rates.

The 5-year, 5-forward — a reflection of 5-year inflation expectations 5 years from now — fell 4 basis points to 2.31% on Wednesday, according to Fed data.

2-year, 5-year, and 10-year inflation expectations also dropped following Kevin Warh's press conference, Peter Boockvar, chief investment officer at BFG Wealth Partners, wrote in a note on Substack, attributing the move to the rate hike.

"The jump in long-term inflation expectations following the July FOMC has now completely retraced," strategists at Bank of America wrote in a note.

"Overall, in making this pivot toward a less accommodative stance, the Fed gained credibility and reaffirmed Fed independence," Tim Horan, the chief investment officer at Chilton Trust, said.

2. Oil prices are dropping

Brent crude, the international benchmark, sank 3% on Thursday to $102 a barrel as concerns about Middle East supply disruptions eased. West Texas Intermediate crude also dropped 2%, breaking below the $100 a barrel.

Oil-supply fears had been renewed earlier in the week after Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, a key alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, was closed after being attacked. The nation is now making additional oil cargoes available to Asian refiners, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

"Bonds seem to be reacting positively more so to oil than to Warsh," strategists on JPMorgan's market intelligence team wrote.

3. The sell-off may be exhausted

Bob Michele, global head of fixed income at JPMorgan Asset Management, said yields already reached "maximum pain," given the extent of the Treasury sell-off in recent weeks. The bank is purchasing long-dated bonds, he told Bloomberg after the Fed meeting on Wednesday.

He speculated the US could make more progress on securing peace in the Middle East as the midterm elections approach, a development that would lower yields further.

"The long end just got too cheap and too unanchored. It's starting to stabilize. This is the first ingredient," Michele said. "It's a good buying opportunity," he added.

Other forecasters are also eyeing a recovery that's set to push yields lower.

The sell-off in government bonds may have been overdone, economist David Rosenberg wrote in a client note. He called the decline in yields on Thursday an ongoing "relief rally."

"The bond market may coalesce around Warshspeak and that the Fed's commitment is enough to contain inflation expectations and bond yields," strategists at JPMorgan said, adding that the dynamic would help lower yields.

Assuming the Fed only hikes rates one or two more times, the 10-year Treasury yield will likely be "significantly lower" within the next six to twelve months, Joe Kalish, the chief macro strategist at Ned Davis Research, wrote.

"The bond market's biggest moves are likely now in the rearview mirror, and there is now a good opportunity for investors after this big move to lock-in these elevated yields," Bob Edwards, the CIO of Edwards Asset Management, said.

• My family of four stayed at an all-inclusive resort in Europe: Almhof Family Resort and Spa.
• Our stay included meals, childcare, and a ton of indoor and outdoor activities our kids loved.
• I thought we'd utilize the childcare more, but I'm glad we spent time together as a family.

This past July, my husband and I decided to end our two-week trip to Poland and the Czech Republic with four nights at an all-inclusive resort in the Austrian Alps.

I spent weeks researching all-inclusive family resorts in the area and finally chose Almhof Family Resort and Spa for its picturesque setting and large array of activities for families.

Ultimately, our four-night stay in a suite cost about 3,900 euros, or about $4,500, for two kids and two adults. It felt like a solid value, especially considering our stay was during a busy season and included meals, activities, and childcare.

In the end, our vacation there wasn't quite the break I expected — but I loved the European family resort model, and I would definitely book something like this again.

The complimentary childcare was a huge perk of our stay

One of the big things that drew me to Almhof Family Resort and Spa was the included childcare. For the all-inclusive price, we received up to 12 hours of childcare per day for our sons (both under 10).

That meant we could take our boys to the kids' club while my husband and I spent time on our own in some of the resort's adult-only areas.

The kids' club also offered special programming, and every day was different. Our boys got to feed the resort's adorable pet bunnies and take a nature walk with counselors along the nearby hiking path. They did arts and crafts and played games with children from all over the world.

The resort's compact design meant that nothing was too far away, so we could give our kids more autonomy than they normally get at home.

We allowed them to leave the kids' club when they were ready, and the counselors called to let us know our boys were on their way back to the room. It gave them a sense of control over their own vacation.

It also meant that they didn't always want to stay in the kids' club, so my husband and I didn't quite get the break we thought we would, but we still found ways to relax as a family.

Meals were thoughtfully curated for families, including kid-friendly foods and early dinner times

At this resort, each family is assigned a table that's theirs for breakfast and dinner, so there's no waiting or searching for seats, even when it's busy.

The buffet-style breakfast and lunch made it easy to find options we all loved, like Nutella crepes and made-to-order omelets.

Dinner was a mix of buffet options for the kids and multicourse plated dinners for adults. The first night, we all ate together and realized it wasn't the best option for our fidgety kids.

The children's buffet made it easy to feed our hungry boys quickly, but it also meant they were stuck waiting for us while we ate our three-course meal.

The second night, we fed our boys as soon as the buffet opened, then took them to the kids' club so we could return to the dining room and eat our meal alone.

It allowed my husband and me to enjoy our dinner without feeling rushed or stressed, and our kids didn't have to sit still. Being able to do this was my favorite part of the childcare program.

The amenities felt thoughtfully designed for kids of all ages

When our boys weren't at the children's club, they wanted to do one of two things: swim in the indoor/outdoor pool or bounce at the trampoline park.

We swam every day, and the pool design was ideal for families of all ages. Multiple toddler pools with slides and water features served the youngest kids, and the main pool featured a large, shallow platform for little swimmers.

A large tube slide and a separate room with smaller slides were also available.

Outside, the large family hot tub was perfect for a quick warm-up while soaking in the mountain views.

The resort had climbing structures and a huge wooden barn that'd been turned into an outdoor play space. Marble runs were available, and the kids were gifted a large wooden marble upon arrival, making for a fun activity that doubled as a souvenir.

Outdoor trampolines, slides, swings, and a tricycle race track were also available.

After two weeks of nonstop sightseeing, it was nice to let our kids run wild while we watched from the sidelines with a glass of wine in hand.

We didn't get the downtime we expected, but this stay was still worth it

After this, it's easy to see why all-inclusive family resorts seem so popular throughout Europe. Many include kids' clubs and family-centric amenities with adult-only spaces, so there's something for everyone to enjoy.

I expected to use the childcare option more than we did, but I don't regret spending our days swimming and bouncing as a family.

Childcare was available when we needed it most, at dinner, and though we didn't get as much adult time as we might have liked, that was our choice.

The resort's thoughtful features, including family-centric dining and activities, took much of the hassle out of travel. We didn't have to think about where to eat or what to do because everything was available in one place.

Our kids never felt like a bother, either, because everyone else's children seemed pretty noisy and fidgety, too.

This all-inclusive stay wasn't the break I expected, but enjoying time with my family in a serene setting was everything I needed — and I would do it again.

• Kandra Mathieu married Tyrann Mathieu, former safety for the New Orleans Saints, in March 2026.
• She told Business Insider that the logistics of football "go completely over my head."
• The 27-year-old said her husband and family had become "recluses" since he retired from the NFL.

This story is based on an interview with Kandra Mathieu, 27, from New Orleans. She is married to retired NFL player Tyrann Mathieu, 34. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

My mom was always a die-hard fan of the New Orleans Saints. And when I first started dating my now-husband, Tyrann, nicknamed "The Honey Badger," she despaired of me.

It's a running joke that she said, "I wish you had my brain," because I had no idea about football, which she lives and breathes.

I understand the gist now, but the logistics go completely over my head. I'm clueless if anybody asks me to explain the rules.

Still, I knew enough about the Saints to recognize Tyrann when we first met by chance at a clothing store in the fall of 2022.

We had a lot in common

Being from the city, you know the pillars of New Orleans. We struck up a conversation, and he asked how I was doing. There was a bit of polite back-and-forth, and he ended up taking my phone and tapping in his number.

At first, it was texting and a few phone calls, and then he asked me out to dinner.

We had a lot in common because we were both raised in New Orleans, in the same area. Our relatives lived one or two streets apart, although our paths didn't cross. It was probably due to the age difference.

Tyrann was dedicated to his sport

Tyrann didn't force football on me, but we watched a few games together at the beginning of our relationship. I asked him if it bothered him that I knew absolutely nothing about it.

He said he thought it was cool because he could help explain it to me. Maybe he found it refreshing.

It didn't take long for me to realize his commitment. We'd go to a restaurant at 6 p.m. so he could be home early to mentally prepare for the game the following night.

His diet was strict, and he'd eat carefully portioned potatoes, asparagus, and a steak. It was great to see the dedication he put into his sport.

I ran track, but it's such an individual activity compared to being on a team. You have to wake up every day wanting to win, not for yourself, but for everyone else, too.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was always great when I watched Tyrann play before his retirement in July 2025. I really enjoyed the camaraderie.

People have asked if I minded fans interrupting us by coming up to him for autographs and photos. I loved their passion. I was always the first person to say, "You want a picture? Let me take it."

Still, it was stressful being in the crowd and worrying he might get injured. He got a concussion in January 2025. He'd previously been concussed, but he'd always been allowed back on the field.

He retired from the NFL at 33

This time was different, and he had to be taken off. You go to cheer your loved one, but it's your worst fear that they will get hurt. Seeing them being carried off on a stretcher is something I never want to witness again. Thankfully, Tyrann was OK.

He decided to retire from football at 33, about a week after our daughter was born last year. He said he thought he'd been doing it for long enough.

He'd mentioned it to me a few times, but like the fans, I was genuinely taken aback when he went through with it.

It's touching to read all the posts on social media asking him to return to the Saints. Fans from his previous teams will say things like, "We miss you and need you again."

Tyrann and I laugh that his retirement has turned us into recluses — in a good way. We've slowed down and spent a lot of time chilling at home with the children.

Our days revolve around each other. We watch a lot of black-and-white movies and TV shows.

Neither of us knew how to cook, so we're learning together. We try to make traditional New Orleans meals, such as red beans and rice, chicken and gravy.

I'm building my social media

We haven't tried gumbo yet — that's a little overzealous for us — and focus on small dishes.

Other times, we go for walks in the grounds of our house. There's a swamp and a dock, and it's beautiful to explore the greenery with the kids.

Meanwhile, I'm building my Instagram. I studied aesthetics, which inspired me to appreciate style and beauty. It's only for fun at the moment, but I'm looking forward to where it might lead.

I'm in a place of rediscovery, letting people see me for who I am rather than as the wife of someone everybody knows.

• College students all over the country are studying hard, but some are putting in more hours.
• The Princeton Review surveyed students about the number of hours they study a week.
• The survey found the most studious college is the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Depending on which college you attend, you might spend more time hitting the books than your peers elsewhere.

Many of the colleges on this list — which ranks schools by how much students study — have rigorous curricula, small class sizes, and an interdisciplinary approach to learning.

The list is from the Princeton Review's "The Best 391 Colleges," which surveyed 172,000 students at 392 colleges about their experiences and was published in August 2026.

The following ranking was compiled from college student responses to the question: "How many out-of-class hours do you spend studying each day?"

Based on the responses, the Princeton Review published a list of the 25 schools where students study the most, but did not share the average number of study hours reported by students at each college.

The results are based on students' self-reported study hours, so they reflect respondents' estimates rather than time that has been independently tracked.

Here are the 25 colleges where students reported studying the most outside class, ranked from No. 25 to No. 1.

25. Wesleyan University

Wesleyan University prides itself on its open curriculum and experimental approach to education.

Students told the Princeton Review that, as a result, many people "double major and often they major in two pretty unrelated fields."

24. Hillsdale College

All students at Hillsdale College study a classical liberal arts core curriculum and choose from a range of majors, from art to physics.

One respondent said that "students are dedicated to their schoolwork, but also constantly seeking to balance their spiritual, physical, and social lives."

23. St John's College (New Mexico campus)

St John's College is well known for its curriculum that revolves around the "Great Books," a reading list organized into classes and year groups.

One student told the Princeton Review that "just as many students spend their Friday nights studying Aristotle or field theory or law (for fun!) as they do going to parties."

22. Bryn Mawr College

Bryn Mawr offers 37 majors, ranging from linguistics to astronomy and astrophysics, and 48 minors.

One respondent said Bryn Mawr is a college "where you will work harder than you thought was possible, you'll learn more than you've ever learned before, and you'll feel…welcomed every step of the way."

21. Rice University

Rice University offers over 50 undergraduate majors across disciplines such as business, humanities, and natural sciences. Its student-to-faculty ratio for undergraduates is 6-to-1.

One student told the Princeton Review: "People work on the weekdays and during the day on weekends, and then on Friday and Saturday everyone does something fun, whether partying or spending time with friends."

20. The University of Chicago

The University of Chicago is a research-intensive university that offers almost 70 majors and 60 minors at the undergraduate level, and over 100 at the graduate level.

Owing to its academically rigorous curriculum, students said campus life "involves a lot of studying, doing homework, and going to classes, [and] discussion sections."

19. Washington University in St. Louis

Washington University in St. Louis has nine different schools, including the School of Medicine and the Olin Business School. It also offers opportunities for interdisciplinary studies.

A student told the Princeton Review that the classes are "very rigorous and challenging."

18. Lafayette College

Lafayette College, located in Easton, Pennsylvania, offers degree programs in both engineering and the liberal arts, and prides itself on this interdisciplinary curriculum.

The students "tend to be athletic, very preppy, and serious about their education," according to the Princeton Review.

17. College of the Atlantic

All students at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, earn a human ecology degree, a program they curate themselves based on their interests.

As a result, students told the Princeton Review that the school "attracts a self-selected group of passionate, driven, and deeply curious individuals who are committed to interdisciplinary learning and environmental and social justice."

16. Centre College

Public speaking, writing, community engagement, and experiential learning all form part of Centre College's general education curriculum. Located in Danville, Kentucky, the school offers majors across a range of arts and sciences disciplines.

Students told the Princeton Review that the "academic rigor is great preparation for graduate school and fellowships."

15. Bowdoin College

Brunswick, Maine's Bowdoin College, prides itself on face-to-face, specialized learning. Chalkboards are still in use, and every first-year student has to complete a writing seminar.

Survey respondents said students are generally "academically competitive" yet supportive.

14. Amherst College

Amherst College in Massachusetts offers students 43 majors and an open curriculum. With a student-to-faculty ratio of 7:1, class sizes are small, and students and professors are close.

Students in the survey said the open curriculum provides a lot of "space and freedom to take a variety of classes" and that it's an "academically rigorous undergraduate education."

13. Middlebury College

Middlebury College offers a liberal arts and sciences education, with nearly half of every graduating class majoring in more than one subject.

Students described their professors as "truly top-notch" and that the "academics are reputed to be 'very intense.'"

12. Grinnell College

With no general education requirements or core curriculum, Grinnell College in Iowa allows students to curate their own curricula.

However, if you think this makes academic life a breeze, think again. In the survey, students at Grinnell told the Princeton Review that it is a "very academically oriented" school and that they spend a lot of time studying.

11. Wellesley College

Wellesley College in Massachusetts describes itself as "one of the most academically challenging institutions of higher education in the country."

The survey responses reflect this, with one student saying that Wellesley's "workload is not for the faint of heart." Another added, "Even when classes are stressful, there is a beautiful campus that sparks happiness at random moments."

10. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

The Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, in Terre Haute, Indiana, has been ranked as having the No. 1 undergraduate engineering program for 27 consecutive years by the US News & World Report.

Students told the Princeton Review that they fill their "days with studying and homework," but that there is a "great support system, both socially and academically."

9. Carleton College

Carleton College prides itself on an academically rigorous liberal arts education. The academic year comprises three terms, which a student said: "can become overwhelming."

Students added that there is a "very strong sense of community where your peers and teachers all want to support you and help you reach your fullest potential."

8. Reed College

Portland's Reed College offers 38 majors — 13 of which are interdisciplinary. Humanities 110 is a yearlong course where students are introduced to humanistic inquiry.

According to the students themselves, "Reedies are invested in the learning process" and "academically driven."

7. Williams College

Williams College, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, offers more than 50 areas of study, from Chinese to mathematics.

The students themselves said they are "always busy, always a little bit stressed" in the survey, but that the college offers a "perfect combination of...liberal arts and research opportunities; neither one has to be sacrificed."

6. Claremont McKenna College

Claremont McKenna College is known for its research and teaching in economics and government. It offers a major in philosophy, politics, and economics modeled on the famous Oxford University course.

Students told the Princeton Review that the curriculum is "very challenging but rewarding."

5. Princeton University

As a member of the Ivy League, it may not be surprising that surveyed students said Princeton is an "intellectually challenging place."

They added that there is a "tendency to overwork" but that nearly everyone is also talented at something outside the classroom.

4. Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in Needham, Massachusetts, emphasizes a project-based curriculum in which, from semester one, students work on real-world engineering solutions.

Students told the Princeton Review, "academically, classes are challenging, but there are many resources."

3. Harvey Mudd College

Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California, is unique among liberal arts colleges; its mission is to educate the next generation of STEM leaders.

The school's core curriculum includes courses in engineering, mathematics, biology, and computer science, as well as college writing and a critical inquiry class.

Students surveyed said "the course load is rigorous," yet "rewarding."

2. California Institute of Technology

With a student-to-faculty ratio of only 3:1, the California Institute of Technology has small class sizes and a rigorous academic curriculum.

Pasadena's Caltech is great at "keeping students occupied and entertained while at the same time cramming a ridiculous amount of information into our heads," one of the surveyed students told the Princeton Review.

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Massachusetts Institute of Technology has topped the QS World University Rankings for 15 years in a row, and is renowned for its STEM teaching and research.

MIT students told the Princeton Review that the academics "definitely push [you] beyond your comfort level."

• NATO is rolling out a new approach to its air defense operations.
• The focus is shifting away from air policing missions and toward a more holistic approach.
• The transition, which began roughly a year ago, comes amid a rise in violations of NATO airspace.

NATO is pursuing a new approach to its air defense operations across Europe, shifting focus away from traditional air policing missions and toward a 360-degree strategy, an alliance official said.

The transition to a more comprehensive approach comes amid a rise in Russian drone incursions into NATO airspace this year. Allied militaries have repeatedly scrambled fighter jets to track and sometimes shoot them down.

A NATO official told Business Insider that NATO's integrated air and missile defense strategy is changing from a framework focused on air policing to a "multi-layered, 360-degree approach" designed to address a range of threats.

The air policing missions involve keeping NATO fighter jets and crews at a high state of readiness so they can launch within minutes to protect allied airspace against potentially hostile crewed aircraft and drones.

The revised air defense framework is intended to protect NATO from "threats across all domains," including crewed aircraft, drones, and cruise and ballistic missiles, the official said this week. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive strategic developments.

The new framework goes beyond scrambling fighter jets, missions that are more formally known as Quick Reaction Alert; it incorporates "assets and capabilities available across all operational domains," they said.

The revised framework includes QRA fighter jets, surface-based air defense systems, counter-drone equipment such as mobile firing teams and helicopters, and next-generation sensors that individual allies are contributing for placement under NATO command.

Airspace under greater threat

NATO established its air policing operations in the 1960s during the Cold War. In the decades since, these missions have expanded across Europe, including around the strategic Baltic region.

The transition to a new air defense approach began roughly a year ago after nearly two dozen Russian drones crossed into Polish airspace, marking the largest spillover from the war in Ukraine into NATO.

The alliance quickly launched its "Eastern Sentry" operation and surged air defense assets — including fighter jets, warships, and counter-drone systems — to allies along the shared borders with Russia and Belarus.

Eastern Sentry, which was designed to deter against future airspace violations, "laid the foundation" for the new air defense framework, the NATO official said, adding that allies "are now implementing the required capabilities to support this updated approach."

There has been a sharp uptick in unauthorized drone incursions into NATO airspace this year, with a number of violations over the past few months in the Baltic states, as well as Finland and Romania.

The incidents have prompted NATO to scramble its fighter jets across the alliance. Earlier this week, for instance, allied aircraft shot down a drone above Lithuania. Authorities said that the drone likely crossed over from Belarus.

European officials have said many of these incursions involved Russian drones. Some of the drones have been Ukrainian; Kyiv says they were pushed off course and into NATO airspace by Moscow's electronic warfare.

"Russia has grown increasingly reckless," NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said earlier this month. "As they continue their terrible war against Ukraine, we have seen more drones and missiles crossing into our airspace, along our eastern flank, creating increased risk."

He said that NATO has also seen a significant rise in "malign activities targeting our territory directly," including recent sabotage incidents or so-called hybrid attacks attributed to Russia. Moscow has repeatedly denied involvement.

Some Western officials and experts are pushing for a more aggressive response to the rise in hybrid activity and airspace incursions.

Conflict analysts at the Institute for the Study of War, a US think tank, suggested on September 13 that NATO should "reassess" its policy of intercepting Russian targets only after they cross Ukraine's borders.

• Booking the aisle seat is worth getting up every time your neighbor has to use the bathroom.
• Don't rely on the airline to feed or entertain you.
• This is my long-haul flight survival guide for passengers like me who are always stuck in economy.

I've spent six days of my life traveling between NYC and Guam — days because the journey across the Pacific takes 24 hours.

Each time, the day includes two back-to-back long-haul flights, one medium-length flight, two long layovers, and a grueling 14-hour time change. It's as exhausting as it is uncomfortable, especially since I always fly economy. But taking these trips when I was younger warmed me up for the job ahead.

I now work as a travel reporter, and I've taken many international flights by myself that were six hours or longer from North America to Europe. I've spent 190 hours in the air on long-distance journeys — all in economy.

I've picked up some tips on how to pack, stay comfortable, and remain entertained on a lengthy plane ride.

Consider this your ultimate survival guide for long-haul flights in economy, especially if you're flying solo.

Pack everything you'd bring to a sleepover in your carry-on.

The priorities for your preciously limited carry-on space should go to overnight essentials: basic toiletries and a change of clothes. Otherwise, you'll end up sitting uncomfortably in your filth for hours, and that'll make the trip feel longer.

Dress in layers.

This is especially important if you're traveling through extremely different climates.

And you never know when the airplane will be too hot or cold for comfort.

A neck pillow is a must.

If you struggle to relax and fall asleep on flights as I do, a neck pillow is a total game changer. Economy seats aren't typically very comfortable, so having a soft place to rest my head almost feels like an upgrade.

Bring your own food.

If you don't bring your own food, you might end up with nothing but pretzels and Biscoff cookies for several hours. Many long-haul flights include meals, but some don't.

For example, on a recent long-haul JetBlue flight from NYC to Vancouver, British Columbia, I thought I'd get a complimentary meal on the six-hour journey. But I later learned from the JetBlue website that the airline only serves free meals on transatlantic flights. Luckily, the flight had a complimentary self-service snack pantry.

Still, the snacks didn't leave me feeling full. It's best not to rely on your airline to satisfy your hunger.

Pack your own entertainment.

The same advice goes for entertainment.

In my experience, not all planes used for long-distance trips have seatback screens. And in-flight entertainment systems that take place through apps sometimes stop working during flights.

That's why I recommend bringing your own screen and downloading films and shows. Streaming services like Netflix have this option in the app.

Make a long, eclectic playlist for the in-between moments.

When traveling for hours on end with multiple layovers, it's nice to have some background jams to keep your spirits up, especially if you're a solo traveler.

I recommend creating a long playlist packed with all your favorite tracks for your typical moods to make the trip go by faster.

Don't sit through your layovers.

Speaking of layovers, I suggest staying active through them by walking around and exploring the terminal, if you are able.

Whether your layover is one hour or five, you'll be glad you spent the time on your feet once you're seated for your next flight.

Book an aisle seat to keep moving throughout your journey.

I used to be a window-seat person, but I've completely changed my mind after traveling solo on long-haul flights in recent years.

I like to stretch my legs often on long flights, so I prefer being able to stand up and walk around whenever I please without bothering a stranger next to me.

You could also opt for a window seat if you know there will be some epic views.

Some views are worth sitting still for. And if you can't get an aisle seat, I think a window seat is your next best bet. Who doesn't enjoy a view and somewhere to rest their head?

Bring your own water bottle.

You're already increasing your carbon footprint just by taking a long-haul flight, so why not avoid single-use plastics?

Staying hydrated during air travel is crucial, and you'll probably end up buying a plastic bottle at airport prices if you don't bring your own. So do the world and your wallet a tiny favor.

If you can swing it, splurge for premium economy.

I've never splurged on premium economy, but I was lucky enough to get a free upgrade on a recent JetBlue flight from NYC to Vancouver. Now that I've tried it, I think I'll splurge on my next long-haul flight.

The $180 upgrade included a comfier seat with a thick headrest and extra legroom, as well as other perks like early boarding and exclusive snacks.

The seat is still in the coach cabin, so I don't think I'd upgrade on a short flight, but I'd book a premium ticket for six or more hours stuck in a seat.

• The AI industry has been promising that bots will shop for you for years.
• So far, that hasn't happened — but it looks like services like Instinct and Meta's Muse could make it a reality.
• If that does happen, it could be a big deal for shoppers — but an even bigger deal for Amazon.

The big news in AI is that some people in AI think AI may destroy the world. And now the topic has broken through to regular people who couldn't tell you what an LLM is.

But another big AI development is that "agentic" bots — bots that can act on their own, on your behalf — are starting to roll out to regular people, too. Instinct, a new service that's generating a ton of interest from the tech set, promises it can do things like buy you groceries or book your flights. And Meta just debuted Muse, which makes the same pitch.

All of which means that the idea of "shopping" may radically change, and it could be at least as big a deal as the move from brick-and-mortar stores to the internet.

Then again: These are still niche ideas, and it's entirely unclear where this goes. Will consumers trust a bot with their credit card? Do consumers want a bot to shop for them? And what about all the existing retail operations — especially Amazon — that expect human buyers to come to their sites and stores, where they can sell them other stuff? Can they slow this idea down or stop it altogether?

I asked Jason Del Rey, a veteran retail journalist who covers this stuff full-time at The Aisle, the newsletter he launched last year, to walk me through where things stand today, and where they might go soon. You can listen to our entire conversation on my Channels podcast; the following is an edited excerpt.

Peter Kafka: Bots that shop and do other transactions for me are something the AI guys have been talking about for years. Why aren't they here yet?

Jason Del Rey: Last year, OpenAI and ChatGPT launched something called Instant Checkout — basically the ability for you to buy something without leaving ChatGPT. A couple of big companies signed on, Walmart being one of them, and then Walmart came out a few months later and said, "The conversion on this was awful." People don't want to buy one item at a time. They want to build a shopping cart. So that's technical.

Another piece of this has been access to pricing and to product data that's really detailed, in real time.

Real time is one of the things AI is particularly bad at, at the moment.

And in some cases, you have retailers who don't want to make it easy to get that data, like Amazon.

The other piece of it is companies have been building stuff without really knowing what problem they're solving.

But now there are new services that say they can do this. There's a startup called Instinct, and Meta just rolled out Muse, which has a similar pitch. Do they actually work?

That is the big question. A lot of sites and retailers have bot-fighting technologies. But theoretically, if you give login information to a site that needs to be logged in, Instinct and Muse are saying, "We can go ahead and do this for you."

I haven't seen any horror stories about Muse yet, but there are some Instinct Screwed Up stories out there, like the guy who says Instinct didn't do a flight refund correctly and cost him hundreds of dollars. Or a guy who lost his Resy account because Instinct was hammering the reservation site for a hot restaurant. When you see those anecdotes, does that make you think this stuff is far from working, or really close to working?

I have two thoughts: One is "wow, [these agents] are getting the attention of all these people at all these companies." But do Muse and Instinct have enough leverage to get those people to the table to actually make this easy?

The other is that I think a lot of these companies are just going to try building this stuff internally and making their sites smarter and be able to do complex things more easily — but not to be agent-friendly, because they're worried about disintermediation

Which brings us to Amazon. It seems super-obvious that if what you're talking about comes to pass, it hurts Amazon. It turns Amazon into a dumb pipe, and they can't do any of the things Amazon is good at, like showing you other stuff you might want to buy. They just become a warehouse, and they're the same as somebody else's warehouse. You may have no idea you bought through Amazon. As a consumer, maybe you're 100% OK with that, but if you're Amazon, you're freaking out.

So Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has been asked about this, I think, on every earnings call the last six quarters. He's been saying, "We will eventually do business with some of the third-party AI companies, but right now the experience they give shoppers for shopping is [bad]." I don't think he's been wrong.

Let's say it gets really good. Isn't the core problem that if it works, it's bad for Amazon?

It would be bad, and that's why they're doing a couple things. They're not letting bots easily crawl their sites. They're not giving up-to-date pricing info. They're suing Perplexity, which is also trying to do that.

And they're doubling down on their own AI use cases within the Amazon ecosystem

Who does a shopping agent work for? In theory, it should work for you, the consumer, right?

That's one of the big questions. I haven't seen the language yet from Instinct, but I would be shocked if part of their messaging, once they start actually talking a lot …

Is "our job is to get you the best price regardless of where it is. We don't have any preferred vendors, we don't owe anyone anything."

Right. But then it's unclear how they will monetize their service. If it's free for the user, the user's the product, is typically what we've seen in the consumer internet. Once you involve advertisers, marketing, then I think that question is even a tougher one to answer.

But Mark Zuckerberg just said that in the future, he can imagine taking a small cut from whoever's getting transactions funneled to them via Muse.

If things like Muse or Instinct take off, what happens to advertising? What's the role of ad and brands if a bot is just finding stuff for you? Does it go away?

There is that possibility, and it would be an incredible story to tell. I am doubtful how much disruption we're gonna see in the next 24 months in that regard.

And I just trust there will be ways for [advertisers and brands] to insert themselves into these conversations. But they are absolutely worrying about it.

I can imagine an argument where brands and advertisers say, "No, we're even more important because we can stand out."

I've heard that argument. I think it's probably true for 1% of them.

It's the same argument that all the publishers make — we'll be fine because our audience values our brand and our work.

I don't think many of those are looking at themselves with a straight face when they say that.

• Stocks rallied Thursday as investors took a breather after a brief panic following the Fed meeting.
• Stocks dropped sharply on Wednesday as Kevin Warsh's tough talk on inflation raised the fear of more hikes.
• But investors' nerves were calmed on Thursday as bond yields and oil prices fell.

Investors seemed ready to put the Fed meeting behind them on Thursday, sparking a fresh rally in stocks a day after the market tumbled following the first rate hike in three years.

Markets were rattled by Federal Reserve chair Kevin Warsh's tough talk on inflation, which raised the specter of more tightening after the Fed delivered its first interest rate increase since July 2023.

But moves reversed on Thursday, and investors jumped back into equities as bond yields and oil prices cooled.

Here's where major indexes stood around 10:15 a.m. ET:

• S&P 500: 7,622.01, up 0.93%
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: 51,691.90, up 0.45% (+230 points)
• Nasdaq 100: 29,404.88, up 1.59%

Investors had been jolted by a more hawkish meeting than was expected. Markets see the potential for another rate hike in December, with Warsh characterizing the economy as strong and framed the hike as removing a "dose of accommodation." Though, as has been his style so far as Fed chief, he stopped short of giving further guidance.

"Markets were hoping for clarity on rate hikes from the Fed on Wednesday, but instead we got more uncertainty — and that is the underlying reason why stocks (and bonds) dropped after Fed Chair Warsh's press conference," said Tom Essaye, the founder of Sevens Report Research, in a client note on Thursday.

But the worries seemed to subside on Thursday morning, as investors were encouraged by falling oil prices and ebbing bond yields.

Brent Crude prices was down 3% to around $102 after testing $110 per barrel earlier in the week. US oil was down 2% to $100.

"Now that we are past this rate hike, stocks can move on, as uncertainty has faded," said Bob Edwards, the chief investment officer at Edwards Asset Management, in an email on Thursday.

Edwards said he expects one more hike to come in December, and that the Fed is unlikely to raise interest rates in October, so close to the midterm elections.

• Effective altruism is back in the spotlight amid a fight over AI safety and regulation.
• Its central idea is that people should use evidence and reason to choose how they give away money.
• Trump officials have accused effective altruists of using fears around AI to slow US innovation.

Effective altruism is having another moment in the spotlight, three years after Sam Bankman-Fried's crypto collapse first put the movement on the map.

The AI boom has created enormous new wealth among people sympathetic to effective altruism — a brand of philanthropy espoused by many in Silicon Valley. At the same time, the movement's influence over AI safety debates has put it at odds with President Donald Trump's push for rapid American AI development.

On Monday, Trump dismissed fears that advanced AI could threaten humanity as a "hoax." His administration went further: the Defense Department posted "Americanism, not effective altruism" on X, and Trump advisor David Sacks accused effective altruism-linked groups of forming a "Doomer Industrial Complex" that could set back the US in its tech race with China.

These mentions brought new scrutiny to a movement still facing reputational issues from its ties to Bankman-Fried, the former boss of FTX, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence after being convicted of orchestrating multiple frauds.

Effective altruism began with a question about doing the most good

Effective altruism is more of a loose community than a formal organization. Its central idea is that people should use evidence and reason to determine how best to use their money and careers to benefit humanity.

Its intellectual roots include philosopher Peter Singer's 1972 essay "Famine, Affluence, and Morality," which argued that affluent people have a duty to prevent suffering when they can do so without sacrificing something equally important.

The movement took shape in the 2000s and 2010s through groups like GiveWell, Giving What We Can, and 80,000 Hours, with Oxford philosopher William MacAskill emerging as a leading voice.

Early effective altruism emphasized measurable interventions: malaria prevention, direct cash transfers, and reducing factory-farm suffering.

Over time, though, a faction embraced "longtermism" — the idea that safeguarding future generations from catastrophic risks might matter more than today's problems.

That shift pushed money and talent toward pandemic preparedness, nuclear risk, and, pertinently, the danger that humanity could lose control of highly capable AI.

Silicon Valley was fertile ground for effective altruism

Effective altruism's data-driven approach resonated with an industry built on optimization and scale. Facebook cofounder Dustin Moskovitz and his wife, Cari Tuna, became major funders through an organization now called Coefficient Giving, and formerly known as Open Philanthropy.

Other tech figures backed research into existential risk, while effective altruism groups urged graduates to pursue high-impact careers and practice "earning to give" — taking lucrative jobs for the purpose of donating the proceeds.

Bankman-Fried became the movement's most visible example of that strategy, framing his wealth-building as a vehicle for philanthropy and pledging billions to effective altruism-linked causes.

FTX's collapse in 2022, followed by Bankman-Fried's fraud conviction the following year, badly damaged the movement's credibility and raised uncomfortable questions about whether its leaders had ignored red flags around a major donor.

Even so, the movement's global health and animal-welfare work continued, and its ideas remained embedded in the AI industry.

More recently, soaring AI valuations have produced a fresh wave of potential donors: the Financial Times reported in August that effective altruism-linked giving reached roughly $2 billion in 2025, with more than 60 current and former Anthropic employees pledging part of their income.

Anthropic has downplayed its ties to effective altruism, but a 2025 forum post detailed the company's connections to the movement and argued that Anthropic's emphasis on safety and long-term, evidence-based thinking reflects the movement's core ideas.

CEO Dario Amodei signed an early Giving What We Can pledge, and major effective altruism donors — including Moskovitz, Bankman-Fried, and Jaan Tallinn — invested in the company.

Neither Dario Amodei nor Anthropic's president, Daniela Amodei, identifies as an effective altruist, though Daniela is married to Holden Karnofsky, a cofounder of GiveWell and one of the movement's most prominent figures.

Why the Trump administration is targeting Effective Altruism

Effective altruism-linked funders have helped turn AI safety into a legitimate field, financing "alignment" research aimed at keeping powerful systems under human control and supporting groups that evaluate advanced models.

Among them is METR, which grew out of an effective altruism-linked research group and which Amodei has proposed as an independent watchdog for frontier labs, a suggestion that has drawn accusations of conflicts of interest.

The current fight erupted after Jacob Coxon, a departing Anthropic researcher, publicly warned that leading AI labs were "gambling with our lives" by racing ahead without adequate safeguards.

Days later, Amodei called for slowing the development of the most advanced models until safety measures caught up, a position echoed by OpenAI's Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Google DeepMind's Demis Hassabis.

Trump rejected that consensus, calling AI extinction fears a "hoax" and warning that slowing down would cede ground to China.

On Monday, Vice President JD Vance went further, suggesting industry calls for regulation might be a "Trojan horse" meant to burden smaller competitors with costs only large firms could absorb.

In the fight over AI regulation, the movement's links to the AI safety industry mean effective altruism has become shorthand for the caution that rapid-development advocates want to push past.

• For a long time, hosting was stressful for me and could even cause strain on my marriage.
• Once we began hiring one of our babysitters as a "party helper," hosting became easier and more fun.
• For $15 an hour, she helps us clean, decorate, grab last-minute essentials, and more.

Our 6-year-old birthday-party guests and their parents will arrive in 15 minutes (plus that one family who always shows up early and asks, "What can we do to help?" For starters, please don't come early.)

I'm in the kitchen digging through drawers for birthday candles. From another room, I hear one of my sons yell, "Uh-oh! Mom!"

Ice — I remember we still need more ice. Always more ice. My helpful husband is out in the driveway doing something with the leaf blower. Always something with the leaf blower.

No matter how much I plan, in the frenzied minutes before any birthday party, holiday gathering, or backyard barbecue, I end up the same: Overwhelmed, irritated, and for some reason, sweaty.

Instead of looking forward to seeing everyone, I wish we had never invited anyone over in the first place.

Did I actually hate entertaining? Or did I just need more help?

Hiring a 'party helper' shifted my mindset around entertaining

Hosting a house full of friends and family, laughing and connecting, is one of my husband's and my greatest joys. I know people are coming to see us and not our "perfect" house, so I shouldn't stress.

However, it's hard to relax when guests are arriving, and I don't even have pants on yet.

That's when Chloe comes through the front door. "I'm here! I brought the ice, and I got birthday candles, just in case." Her presence soothes my nerves immediately.

Hiring Chloe to be our "party helper" has completely changed how I feel about entertaining.

As a proud introvert, anything involving lots of people is a challenge for me. I always wanted to support my extrovert husband in hosting the parties and family gatherings he loves to throw, but I always ended up feeling anxious, scattered, and, honestly, resentful.

It turns out that having a party helper is just the extra support I needed to feel calmer and more prepared for hosting.

Chloe is one of our babysitters for our two boys, ages 7 and 10. She has been working with our family for years, since she was a junior in high school. When we're planning a party, before I send a single invitation text, I make sure Chloe is available.

I text her: "Hi! Can you be our party helper next Saturday? We're having 25 guests, kids and parents. Can you help set up at 10 a.m., help during the party, and help with cleanup until 3 p.m.?"

We first hired Chloe on party days to keep our boys occupied while my husband and I tackled our prep tasks. If they were settled and she had extra time, she'd help blow up balloons or put together party-favor bags.

Those little assists were so helpful that for our next big event, we asked her to be a dedicated party helper instead of a babysitter. We kept the boys busy with a few shows (thanks, "Bluey"!) so she was free to focus on our party punch list.

We knew this swap would help parties run more smoothly, but we discovered many more benefits that I didn't expect.

It's also been nice to have a neutral third party involved in the planning and setup

One of the best surprises of our new arrangement was how the party helper (often Chloe, but sometimes other babysitters of ours) became a buffer between my husband and me on party days.

Exhibit A: The ice. Isn't it always the ice? I thought he was getting it; he thought I was. Instead of blaming each other, I text Chloe to pick up a few bags before she gets to our house.

No harm, no foul — and I can let my husband focus on his leaf-blowing duties, whatever those are, without gritting my teeth. (He's a fantastic party-throwing partner, but when my entertaining anxiety flares up, my feelings are less than friendly. Especially toward the leaf blower.)

With Chloe on our team, my husband and I don't have to rely on each other for every single thing. Chloe is with us to catch the balls that drop, so we're much less crabby and more able to show up as the relaxed hosts we want to be.

All in all, this has been an investment in my enjoyment of entertaining

Since we're paying our party helpers for their time, I don't feel bad asking them to do things like wash the pans in the sink, hang decorations, or take the dog on a walk to calm him down before guests arrive.

Friends and relatives can be good helpers, but this arrangement has clearer boundaries and expectations, and it works.

It's helped me actually feel calm before and during parties, which was a foreign sensation at first. But when I knew our helper had things covered, I could focus on visiting with people, checking in with my boys and husband, and just enjoying the event.

Having "help" around the house is not something we've always been able to afford, so I'm very grateful we can do that now, and I'm still mindful of the cost.

We pay our party helpers the same as our babysitters (again, they're usually the same people). Here in the Midwest, that's about $15 per hour.

Help for a five-hour party comes to $75. That's less than the cost of two pedicures. I'd happily give up a couple of pedis to buy peace of mind and marital harmony.

Although my heart rate still rises in the final moments before guests arrive, these days I truly look forward to entertaining. It turns out that hosting wasn't what stressed me out. It was trying to do too much with too little time and support.

A party helper was the key to enjoying our own gatherings again — and to finally having enough ice.