Alex Lauer

Alex Lauer is the features editor at InsideHook. Since joining the company in 2016, he’s covered a wide range of topics, including cars, the environment, books and business. His reporting broke stories on the rise of Bookshop (the anti-Amazon online bookseller), the fall of Best Made Company (and sale to Duluth Trading) and the false promises of a supposedly “environmentally-friendly” NFT initiative. His hands-on methods — driving in a Sherp (of Kanye West fame) in northern Minnesota and idling in the electric Ford Mustang Mach-E for 12 hours in the middle of winter — offer a reliable and unique perspective on popular issues. Previously, he wrote for City Pages in the Twin Cities after graduating from the University of Minnesota. After starting at IH in New York City, he now lives in Minneapolis, MN. Follow him on Instagram: @alexlauer.

All Articles From Alex Lauer

Chevy’s Mind-Boggling ZR1 Has a Feature Not Seen on a Corvette Since 1963

The design team paired a retro Easter egg with the supercar’s four-figure horsepower

Why a Faribault Blanket Is One of Our Favorite American-Made Products

Ross Widmoyer, CEO of the 159-year-old mill, walks us through the process of making the finest wool blanket in the country

Why I Recommend Smithey Skillets More Than Any Other Cast Iron

Founder Isaac Morton started as a cast-iron collector. Now he’s making the next generation of heirloom-quality cookware.

How Brant & Cochran Brought Axe-Making Back to Maine

Mark Ferguson tells the story behind the gorgeous workhorse that is the Allagash Cruiser, which includes blood, sweat, tears and a downer of a pizza party

Review: Is Breeo’s Smokeless Fire Pit the One to Rule Them All?

The American-made brand’s X Series is rougher, tougher and heavier than the ubiquitous Solo Stove

The Adventure of a Lifetime Is Hiding in Plain Sight

In an era of Everest backlogs and space tourism, the bucket list trip you should consider is paddling down the Mississippi River

One’s a Conservative, One’s a Liberal. Here’s Their Secret to Friendship.

Even though the Republican-Democrat chasm seems wider than ever, two men in Minnesota built a bridge across

Patagonia’s Major Microplastic Problem

The outdoor gear brand has long been heralded as proof that a for-profit company can balance consumerism and environmentalism. Then the microfibers were found.

Why April Is the Best Month to Try My Absolute Favorite Coffee

Peace Coffee’s Earth Month initiative is about more than just a transcendent mug of joe. But it’s about that, too.

Seven Housekeeping Experts on How to Keep Your Home Enviably Clean

Including one of the highest-ranked Marie Kondo consultants

Can Different Generations Truly Be Friends?

On social media, age groups have been condensed into antagonistic memes. Here’s how one Gen Zer and Gen Xer are bridging a widening generation gap.

Can This Influencer Interest You in a $3 Million Car?

Alex Hirschi, known online as Supercar Blondie, launched a digital auction platform that deals exclusively in luxury vehicles. Can SBX Cars compete with the old guard?

The Male Friendship Equation: Meeting a Loneliness Crisis Head-On

Americans are increasingly isolated, especially men. This month, instead of despairing, we’re exploring the state of male friendship, warts and all.

Dodge Flips a Flaccid Middle Finger to “the System” With Electric Muscle Car

To promote the Charger Daytona EV, they decided to...make fun of kale?

Can Sony Do What Apple Couldn’t With an EV?

The Apple Car is dead, but you could (maybe) be driving an Afeela by 2026

Stuff We Swear By: My Love Language Is a Mug of Peace Coffee

The coffee beans I recommend most just happen to be organic, fair trade and sustainable. But it's the taste that'll win you over.