The Family Handyman is a great magazine for those interested in do-it-yourself (DYI) projects and ways to better improve the home and yard.  The magazine cover proudly boasts "#1 in DIY Home Improvement".


Description

This magazine runs about 100 pages, depending upon the issue.  It is also a Reader's Digest publication.  At the front is a Table of Contents.  Each issue features about five main do-it-yourself articles.  There are also regular features such as:

Do's & Don'ts - how to do tasks that might be part of a larger project, or exploring how to use tools

Remodel Resources - information on remodeling products and manufacturer information

New Tools & Gear - information on tools and manufacturer information

Instant Project - quick projects to make

Question & Comment - reader questions and Family Handyman answers

Handy Hints - better ways to approach tasks

Car & Garage - tips and how-to advice

Wordless Workshop - cartoon featuring how to make a project

Great Goofs - light hearted look at how things went wrong

This magazine does include advertisements.  Many of the ads are entire one-page layouts.  There is also a section devoted to advertising at the back of the magazine.  As you can imagine, many of the ads are from tool and home improvement manufacturers or stores.  However, there is at least one (how can I delicately phrase this) ... personal intimate relationship advertisement per issue.  It's bad enough to have the television blaring those types of ads at us all the time, but now we can't even read a home improvement magazine without encountering them.


My Experiences

This is a great magazine that does a good job at covering various do-it-yourself and home improvement projects.  Each issue touches on a bit of everything: home, yard, car maintenance, even wood-working projects.  Those who are experienced do-it-yourselfers will no doubt find some of the information repetitive.  Also people who know car repair and maintenance will find little value in the car section.  Novices to home improvement projects and those with some experience will gain the most from this publication.

I like it that each project includes photographs taken during the how-to stages.  The articles are also easy to read.  The step-by-step instructions are presented in paragraph format, like reading an article.  They are not bulleted or, as a rule, numbered.  The pieces are easy to read and understand.  The photographs accompanying the project are also referred to in bold print within the article for easy reference. I like reading the instructions and easily knowing which photograph represents the stage I'm currently involved with.  The articles also reference the materials used and how much money is saved by doing the work one's self.

Projects vary from weekend endeavors to two-hour quick improvements or wood working.  Sometimes the article will state the job is a multi-person task and that to accomplish the project during a weekend, several people will be needed.  I like the heads up that not everything can be immediately accomplished when going it alone.

Here is a list to give you an idea of the types of projects featured:
Building - deck, garden arch, organization systems, pond, sheds, trellis, waterfall
Car Maintenance - change spark plugs, replace lights, vehicle fixes to save money
Maintenance - air conditioner, appliances, driveway, lawn mower, plumbing, yard
Remodeling - carpet, chair rail, doors, drawers, painting, shelving, sink installation, tile
Repairing -  clothes dryer, lawn, replace a water heater, roof leaks
Wood Working - book case, coat rack, outside bench, tool caddy, work bench

My favorite sections include advice for how to organize with storage solutions, hints and tips to make tasks easier, and the spotlight on tools and new products.  I also like the funny stories at the back of the magazine.  They always make me laugh at the predicaments people unwittingly find themselves in. 

The Wordless Workshop is also an interesting feature.  It is a one-page comic strip that outlines a problem (such as the need for bird houses in the backyard), the main character comes up with an idea and plan (building the bird houses from PVC fence post material), then the basic steps used in the construction, and the final outcome (admiring the bird houses in the yard).  There are no verbal step-by-step instructions, no given dimensions, no materials list.  Instead, the Wordless Workshop presents an idea, a solution, and pictures some of the basic steps to reach a finished project.

A nice part of this magazine is that they also pay for ideas!  For example, if you have an idea for the Wordless Workshop, they will pay $100.00 for it.  There are several areas in the magazine that pay for reader ideas.


Subscribing

The current subscription card in the magazine is $24.00 for two years (buy one year, get one year free).  This magazine comes 10 times a year.


Their Website

The Family Handyman website is unreliable and slow to load.  On the surface, the content looks great.  There are links to all types of how-to articles.  Content also includes family, travel, cleaning, organizing, hobbies and recipes.  However, often the links don't work.  At times the website loads normally, and at other times the pages take so long to load that they time out.

This website is no substitute for the magazine.  Also I'll think I am loading Family Handyman pages only to find that the website has shunted me off to a different area such as free online games or celebrity interviews.


Summary

For years, we subscribed to The Family Handyman.  When cutting back on magazine subscriptions, we decided to let this one go since the internet provides multiple sources for how-to projects and information (as do the Home & Garden and DYI television channels).  Still, it's a magazine that I enjoy reading.  A friend who receives this magazine shares her copies with me (and I share my magazines with her).  It's a solution that works well for us and saves money!

I hope you found this review useful.

Enjoy the day,
Dawn
http://dlstewart.com


Please read my other reviews:

Reader's Digest Magazine

Cook's Illustrated Magazine (no advertisements)

Simple & Delicious Magazine (no advertisements)

Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine

Threads Magazine

The Quilter Magazine

Country Extra Magazine

Fitness Magazine

Sudoku and More Magazine

Copyright 2009 Dawn L. Stewart

Recommended: Yes