Achieve a professional, crisp look with our ironing tips. (Photo by Danielle Occhiogrosso)

Good Housekeeping’s pros share  tried-and-tested solutions, from cooking tricks to genius cleaning shortcuts.

Q: What’s the best kitchen tool to make meal prep easier?

A: For stress-free big-batch dishes, a slow cooker is your most trusted tool. Load it up in the morning, then set it and forget it. You’ll come home to a hearty chili, soup or stew by dinner.

GH Lab Pick: This top-tested All-Clad model is ultra-versatile with settings for Low, Hi/Lo and High heat, and it browns meat, steams veggies and cooks rice. The

copper-colored insert is pretty enough to serve from.

Lab lowdown: In our tests, the All-Clad 7-Quart Gourmet Slow Cooker ($480,

williams-sonoma.com) made rich, tender beef stew, chicken soup and pot roast. The Keep Warm setting holds a dish at the ideal serving temp for up to five hours!

Q: How can I get a perfect blowout at home?

A: It all starts with a great blowdryer! To get salon-style results yourself, start by thoroughly washing and conditioning your hair. “Oil and dirt can weigh hair down,” said Birnur Aral, Ph.D., director of the GH Beauty Lab. Then, after your hair is towel-dried, apply a volume-boosting product like Beauty Lab winner John Frieda Luxurious Volume Perfectly Full Mousse ($10). Start at the root and work down into hair. Next, clip hair into four equal parts. Dry one section at a time using a powerful hairdryer like one of our Lab test winners below. Blast roots while lifting strands with fingers to boost body. Continue by wrapping one 1-inch-wide piece of hair at a time around a brush, running the hot air along the length while pulling each piece taut. Hit Cool to set style; continue until dry. Finish with a serum, focusing on ends and flyaways.

Q: My home Wi-Fi is always spotty. What the tech?!

A: Reboot. If devices won’t connect to your home network, the problem could be the router. Unplug it (and the modem, if they’re separate); wait at least 30 seconds, then plug it back in. Wait another minute to reconnect the router. Do not use the “reset” button, since it may clear any personalized network name or password.

Q: The battery on my phone keeps dying while I’m away from home. Any ways to save power?

A: Stop battery drain. Open “Settings,” and tap “Battery” to check what’s eating the most power. You’ll see, for instance, if Instagram has hogged 33 percent during the past 24 hours or if Chrome has zapped 19 percent. You also can save power by checking those apps that are refreshing content in the background and turning off Background App Refresh.

Q: How can I put an end to pesky robocalls?

A: Block them. The next time you get a call, block the number (for free!). Go to your phone’s call settings and add the number to Call Blocking, and you won’t get another call or text from that number.

ON ANOTHER MATTER …

Your Look: Two Experts on Hydration

These pro secrets will keep your complexion dewy and radiant all winter.

(1) “Lack of hydration accentuates wrinkles and makes your complexion dull, and it’s more likely to occur in winter. Cold and windy conditions may dehydrate your face due to low humidity, and dryness can also be caused by irritating products that can strip natural oils, like those with alcohol, astringents and harsh acids. Apply a topical moisturizer morning and evening to replenish hydration. I also always recommend that my patients use a humidifier while they sleep to boost skin’s moisture levels.” — Jeanine Downie, M.D., dermatologist

(2) “When your skin is dry, what you apply before makeup is just as key as the makeup you use. If you layer on a moisturizing primer first, your face will be smoother no matter what foundation goes on top of it. That said, it’s best to avoid powders, which can make skin appear drier and emphasize flakes. Try dabbing foundation on with a damp sponge for a dewy finish, and choose creamy formulas when it comes to color like eye shadow and blush. Overall, less makeup is more on a dry complexion; too much caked on can make it look more parched.” – Mally Roncal, celebrity makeup artist and founder of Mally Beauty.

TABLE

Laundry Tips: The Perfectly Ironed Shirt

GH Cleaning Lab Director Carolyn Forte reveals her method.

Stellar Sleeves: Open one cuff and lay it out; iron both sides. Lay sleeve flat on board with underarm seam closest to you. For no center crease, iron up to, but not over, top edge. Don’t care? Iron the whole sleeve. Use tip of iron to get into pleats around cuff, then flip and do other side. Repeat with other sleeve.

Crisp Collar: Iron underside, then flip over and do top. Press outward from body to edges and corners to keep fabric smooth and wrinkle-free.

Strong Shoulders: Lay one shoulder seam on tip of board and iron entire shoulder area for a flatter line; flip and repeat on other side.

Perfect Placket: For a pro-looking press, iron reverse side of placket before putting shirt on ironing board.

Sleek Body: Slip shirt onto ironing board with half of front on top. Iron entire front from tail to collar, including armhole seam and around buttons. Rotate shirt to iron side seam, back and shoulder yoke, other side seam and rest of front.

Recalls Alert

The following products and vehicles were recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Unless otherwise indicated, discontinue use of the products immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a refund. For more information about the products, call the manufacturer or CPSC’s toll-free hotline, (800) 638-2772. Only some cars or trucks recalled are affected. Contact a dealer for your model to see if it is included in the recall. The dealer will tell you what to do.

PRODUCT/VEHICLE PROBLEM

Fujifilm power adapter wall plugs sold with Fujifilm digital cameras, sold at mass merchandisers, electronics and membership club stores nationwide and online at Amazon.com and other websites.

The power adapter wall plug can crack, break or detach and remain in the wall and expose live electrical contacts, posing a shock hazard. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled power adapter wall plugs and contact Fujifilm for a free replacement. Consumers can continue to charge the camera using the USB cable attached to a computer. Consumers can contact Fujifilm toll-free at (833) 613-1200 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, email at productsafety@fujifilm.com, or online at www.fujifilmusa.com. Click on “Support & Contact” for more information.

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016-2017 G550 4Matic, G63 AMG, and G65 AMG models

A malfunction of the electronic stability program, while distronic plus is engaged, may cause the engine not to reduce power, regardless of the vehicle’s speed, driving situation or brake application. Increased braking effort and/or shifting to neutral would be needed to stop the vehicle, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash. MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will re-program the ESP control unit software, for free. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at (800) 367-6372. MBUSA’s number for this recall is 2017110007.

© Hearst Communications Inc.; Distributed by King Features Syndicate

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