Amanda Rose

Refrigerator size is the inside volume in cubic feet; a common rule is 4 to 6 cubic feet per adult, and the door style decides how that space is laid out.

Pick a rug by the furniture it has to hold, not by the room alone; an 8x10 suits a living room of about 11 by 13 feet, while a 5x7 fits under a coffee table.

Beginner science kits with kitchen-safe materials start around age 5 or 6, while real chemistry sets are labeled 10 to 12 and up and expect an adult nearby.

Thread count is the number of threads in one square inch of fabric, counted both ways; the weave, percale or sateen, changes the feel more than the count.

Slow cookers are sized in quarts; Hamilton Beach rates its 4-quart model for 4 or more people, 6-quart for 7 or more and 8-quart for 10 or more.

A three-seat sofa usually runs about 79 to 87 inches wide and 33 to 37 inches deep; loveseats on our lists are mostly under 70 inches.

Full-size strollers are heavier but often take a bassinet or car seat, compact strollers fold small and start around 6 months; the seat's minimum age decides.

A swaddle wraps a baby's arms for the newborn weeks, a sleep sack leaves them free; both are sized by weight and length, and TOG says how warm they are.

A common rule makes a coffee table about two thirds as long as the sofa, set 16 to 18 inches from the seat; most tables on our lists are 30 to 39 inches long.

The bar number on an espresso machine is the pump's rating, not the pressure at the coffee; one maker says its 15-bar machines extract at around 9 bar.