Portable radio for around homestead?

It's been ages since I've done anything with handheld radios, and I have some questions maybe you could help me out with:

Just wondering who uses portable 2-way radios around their homestead to keep in touch with family/guests/shared community?
What kinds are good/what kinds to avoid?
Also, how far do they reach? -- Like, say, could you communicate with someone running an errand in your local town?

I have BaoFeng UV-5R  8w.  They come with 2 antenna. I ordered an additional 42” as well.  I made a point of getting all licenses that could possibly be needed for this and any future purchase.  It was worth it …I learned a great deal in the process. I live in a hilly …wooded area.  They reach in well into the 4 mile range which covers any trip into town for me. That reach would probably increase if I put an antenna on my house and truck.

As you have probably figured out, the cheap radios that say they have a 35 mile range don’t in the real world.

Also, pay attention to how long the battery keeps a charge.

Oh yes,  attending a few meetings of a ham radio club can help…. Even if you don’t plan on going ham.

We got Kenwoods a few weeks ago and they work good. I was shocked at the price of $500 but they are small, work within the 100 acres
Or so here, and are good to 90 feet underground.

The charges are a little wonky, but if you set them in right, they work just fine.

Dropped them a few times on hard surfaces accidentally and they still work.

Before I had a stoke and don't talk so good I was very interested in radios for the homestead. I have some MURS radios from Dakota Alert (also my driveway alarm). I was also looking into how a lot of ruggized phones has radios, including the Atom XL which is a smart phone designed for hikers.

Now though with my limits to talking, radios aren't so important for me.