B E S T H O M EB U Y S 2 0 1 8

JAS

ON

SC

HM

IDT/

TR

UN

K A

RC

HIV

E

APRIL 2018 HEALTH.COM 63

MakeYour HomeHealthierThese standout products

will help you breathe easier,sleep better, and keep your

space green and clean.B y K ATE ROCK WOOD

OK, maybe your ownhome won’t be thisgreen—but it will bepretty darn close!

B E S T H O M EB U Y S 2 0 1 8

PR

OD

UC

T IM

AG

ES

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

MA

NU

FAC

TU

RE

RS

64 HEALTH.COM APRIL 2018

B R E AT H E

GET SOME

FRESH AIR IN

YOUR LAIR!

Want to boostair quality

quickly? Crackopen a window.Even 10 minutesof increased aircirculation—especially

after a cookingor cleaningmarathon—

dilutes indoorpollutants.

2. Nest Protect Smokeand Carbon

Monoxide Alarm($119; nest.com)

Nest Protect combinestwo safety must-haves(carbon monoxide and

smoke alarms) intoone. Even better: It has

self-testing features,instructive voice alerts,and smart connectivity,

so you can monitorand address issues

from its app.

3. Honeywell HCM-350W Germ Free Cool

Mist Humidifier($116; honeywell.com)

A humidifier that’s hardto clean can turn you

into an accidental moldfarmer—potentiallyupping your risk of

asthma and allergyattacks. This one’s

reservoir is dishwashersafe. Plus, its UV lightkills any microbes thatmight be in the water.

4. Kenmore Elite31150 Pet Friendly

Vacuum($320; amazon.com)This vacuum boastspowerful airflow that

removes even thetiniest pet hairs. Just

as important: TheHEPA filter will keep

particles trapped insidea disposable bag,

rather than recirculatingthem into the air.

1. Coway AP-1512HHMighty Air Purifier($230; amazon.com)

Indoor air can beeven more polluted

than outdoor air.Thankfully, a purifierwith a high-efficiency

particulate air (HEPA)filter can remove

airborne particles with99.97 percent efficiency.This model has sensors

to kick it into highgear when needed.

2

3

4

1

65

L I V E H E A LT H Y | Home Buys

5. Marpac DohmClassic White Noise

Machine($60; amazon.com)

Some people are great atsleeping through everyodd sound. For the restof us, there are white-noise machines. This

pick has racked up morethan 9,000 glowing

Amazon reviews, thanksto its durability andwonderfully layered

“ssshhh” sound.

6. Nidra Deep RestSleep Mask

($23; amazon.com)This well-designed sleep

mask makes it easy tocatch shut-eye, no matter

S L E E P

your surroundings.Nidra’s version is softand has an adjustable

strap to keep it in place.The domed shape means

there’s no pressure onyour peepers.

7. Protect-A-BedAllerZip SmoothMattress Cover

($130; protectabed.com)This mattress

encasement combinessoft woven fabric with

tight seams and securezippers to keep dust

mites at bay.

8. AllerEase Hot WaterWashable AllergyProtection Pillow

($21; aller-ease.com)Allergists recommendwashing your beddingin 130-degree waterto remove allergens,

but most down pillowsfeel pitiful after a few

spins in the rinse cycle.Not this synthetic option,

which stays fluffy evenwith weekly washes.

9. Nokia Steel HRActivity Tracker($220; nokia.com)

Sleep tech tends to fallshort on coaching, butthis watch pairs with anapp that tells you how

much you slept and howto tweak your habits for

better slumber.

5

6

8

9

7

SNIFF,

SNIFF, SNOOZE

A study in theJournal of

Alternative andComplementaryMedicine foundthat people who

slept with a chestpatch of lavenderessential oil

had better sleepquality than

those with a blankpatch. Or justtry spritzing alittle lavenderessential oil on atissue and keep itnext to your bed.

66 HEALTH.COM APRIL 2018

PR

OD

UC

T IM

AG

ES

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

MA

NU

FAC

TU

RE

RS

L I V E H E A LT H Y | Home Buys

10. Honest LaundryDetergent

($13; honest.com)To formulate these suds,

the team at Honestskipped the usual dyes,

fake fragrances, andchemicals in favor of

plant-based cleansersand stain-fighting

enzymes.

11. OXO Good GripsCompact Toilet Brush

($16; oxo.com)Something to knowabout toilet brush

storage: If it isn’t ableto fully dry or if the

storage caddy is hard toclean, both can become

breeding grounds fornasty bacteria. That’swhy we’re fans of thisoption: The leakproof

bowl is a snap todisinfect, and built-in airvents help the brush dry.

12. SeventhGeneration Natural

Dish Liquid($3; target.com)

These suds containingredients derivedfrom plants and skip

the synthetic dyes andfragrances. Anotherbonus: The bottle ismade from recycled

plastic.

C L E A N

13. MethodAll-Purpose Cleaner

($3; target.com)Method’s multitasking

cleaner gets the jobdone—more impressive,

when you consider itdoesn’t rely on the usual

harsh chemicals, likeammonia and chlorinebleach, that may cause

health issues.

10 11

12

13

MEET OUR EXPERTS

Clifford Bassett, MD, allergist atAllergy & Asthma Care of New York andauthor of The New Allergy Solution

Julia Brody, PhD, executive directorand senior scientist at Silent Spring Institutein Newton, Massachusetts

Phil Brown, PhD, director of the SocialScience Environmental Health ResearchInstitute at Northeastern University in Boston

Donna Smallin Kuper, certified house-cleaning technician and author of Clear theClutter, Find Happiness

W. Max Kirk, PhD, associate professor andindoor air quality researcher at WashingtonState University

Kelly Reynolds, PhD, environmentalmicrobiologist at the University of Arizona

W. Chris Winter, MD, sleep specialistand neurologist at Charlottesville Neurologyand Sleep Medicine and author of The SleepSolution

Junfeng (Jim) Zhang, PhD, professor ofglobal and environmental health at Duke Uni-versity’s Nicholas School of the Environment

HOW WE CHOSE

THE WINNERS

First our panel ofhealth pros (seebelow) shared themost importantcriteria for eachtype of home product.Then we hunted forgoods that not onlychecked off everybox but also met ourrequirements forvalue and quality.We also consideredthird-party ratings,such as the productsafety grades fromthe EnvironmentalWorking Group.

BAG IT

If you havea stockpileof reusable

shopping bags,pop those suckersin the washingmachine. When

researchers fromthe University ofArizona tested 84reusable shoppingbags, they foundbacteria inall but one ofthem—including

coliform bacteria(suggestingraw-meat

contamination) inhalf andE. coliin 8 percent of

the bags.

B E S T H O M EB U Y S 2 0 1 8