The Wirecutter Show

If you’ve ever wondered whether you should filter your drinking water, this is the episode for you. Wirecutter senior staff writer Tim Heffernan, who covers air and water filtration, shares practical steps for deciding whether to filter your water. 

Tim discusses the most common contaminants you should watch out for, how municipalities filter your drinking water, and when it might be worth ponying up for a water test. 

This episode...

This week, we’re exploring how to travel for less, and in this episode we discuss how to smartly augment a travel budget with credit card points. 

Brian Kelly—founder of The Points Guy and author of How to Win at Travel–pulls back the curtain on exactly how these programs work, the crucial pitfalls to avoid, and the little-known strategies for scoring the best deals on flights and hotel rooms. 

For more affordable travel advice, do...

This week, we’re exploring how to travel for less. We dive into the best tried-and-true strategies for stretching your travel budget.

Elaine Glusac, a longtime travel journalist andThe Frugal Traveler columnist at The New York Times, joins us to share her best money-saving hacks, from timing your flight purchases just right, to negotiating directly with Airbnb hosts. 

She also explains how to leverage under-the-radar resources like...

We’re planning a special episode with Vaughn Vreeland from the NYT Cooking Team all about COOKIES!  Vaughn is coming out with a new cookie cookbook in October–so he’s the perfect person to answer your toughest cookie-baking questions. 

• Are you wondering whether certain baking gear is worth the investment? 
• Are you looking for a special cookie that will impress? 
• Is there a recipe you want advice on? 

Let us know! Record a voic...

Chef and cookbook author Samin Nosrat, best known for Salt Fat Acid Heat, joins us to talk about her new book Good Things—and how she keeps cooking joyful, even in a small home kitchen.

She shares the tools she relies on daily, the condiments that transform simple meals, and her approach to entertaining without burning out.

This episode covers: 

• How she organizes her tiny kitchen: Borrowing tricks from restaurant kitchens, Samin...

Carbon monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas that can seep from any fuel-burning appliance. If undetected, it can also be a silent killer–which is why most experts consider it crucial to have a CO detector in your home. Yet, many hotels, motels, and vacation houses aren’t required to have CO detectors.

While the risk of CO poisoning on a trip is low compared to something like a car crash, it can still happen. In this episode, we tal...

This week, we get nerdy about sheets—why you might be unhappy with your current set, how to pick ones you’ll actually love, and the marketing scams to avoid. 

Jackie Reeve, Wirecutter’s in-house sheets expert, enlightens us on everything you need to know to invest in a great set you’ll be happy with for years.

This episode covers:

• Percale vs sateen: Percale and sateen are terms that describe how sheets are woven, and the weave d...

Apple’s September iPhone event usually comes and goes with only minor tweaks to the lineup. This year feels a little different. Alongside the iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and 17 Pro Max, Apple unveiled its first-ever iPhone Air—a super-thin model that promises Pro-level features without the massive price tag.

In this bonus episode, Christine talks with senior staff writer Brenda Stolyar, who’s been testing the new phones all week. They dig i...

You’ve likely heard the adage that "sitting is the new smoking." Basically, that sitting all day at work or elsewhere is one of the most harmful things you can do for your health. 

But is it really all that bad? 

In this episode, we talk with Molly Mirhashem, an editor from the New York Times Well Desk, about the health risks of being too sedentary, what you should know about “dead butt syndrome,” and what you should be doing if yo...

Trader Joe’s is more than a grocery store; it’s a cultural phenomenon with a fiercely loyal fan base. But with shelves full of ever-changing products, which ones are actually worth the hype?

In this episode, associate staff writer Antara Sinha on the kitchen team shares Wirecutter’s picks for the 18 best Trader Joe’s items, explains how TJ’s keeps prices low, and reveals why your favorite snack might disappear forever. She also giv...

Fall can be bittersweet—you may be coming home from vacation and settling back into your routines, but you also want to soak up the last of the warm weather before the winter comes. An e-bike might seem like a tempting compromise for an affordable, but adventurous and outdoorsy commute. 

In this bonus episode, Wirecutter Senior Editor and bike expert Chris Ryan tells us what an e-bike is, which kind you probably want to look for, a...

Oral health is about more than just a pretty smile; it's also connected to your overall health and well-being.

In this episode, senior staff writer and toothbrush fanatic Nancy Redd explains how to brush properly, whether a manual or electric toothbrush is right for you, and how to find the best toothbrush for your family, no matter the budget. She shares surprising tips about oral hygiene and how to get kids excited about taking c...

More than 100 million Americans are exposed to unhealthy levels of noise daily. To help you protect yourself and those you love, we’re re-airing this episode on how  to determine if you’re at risk of hearing loss and what you can do about it.

Lauren Dragan, Wirecutter’s longtime senior writer covering headphones and audio equipment, walks us through the health issues linked to noise pollution, how to find out if you’re exposed to t...

Using a bidet may seem a little intimidating to some, but to others it's a way of life. 

In this episode, senior staff writer and bidet-convert Doug Mahoney explains why these modern fixtures that wash your bum are a game-changer for hygiene. He shares how they work, what to look for when buying one, and his top recommendations for every budget. 

This episode covers:

How to choose between cold and  warm-water bidets: They each have...

If you’ve ever suspected your smart devices are spying on you, you’re right. In this episode, Jon Chase, Wirecutter's supervising editor for smart home coverage, reveals how even everyday devices you may not consider "smart" are monitoring you. They’re collecting data to build a profile that can then be sold to the highest bidder.

The conversation covers:

• The devices collecting your data: Any device connected to the internet ca...

Natural disasters are becoming more intense and unpredictable. To help you prepare, we’re re-airing this episode on how to build a disaster kit. Wirecutter also just published a handy tool to help you customize an emergency kit specific to your needs, an article on preparing a disaster pantry, and guidance on choosing a generator.  

In this episode, Harry Sawyers, who edits Wirecutter’s extensive emergency-preparedness coverage, wa...

This episode, senior kitchen writer Michael Sullivan demystifies all things olive oil. He shares how to navigate the overwhelming olive oil aisle, what “extra virgin” really means, and the best way to store this kitchen staple so it will stay fresh (and won’t go rancid).

Whether you're an olive oil aficionado or just looking to improve your everyday cooking, this episode is packed with essential information to help you select and s...

Tired of creepy crawlies? Wirecutter's pest expert Doug Mahoney reveals the right way to tackle ant and roach infestations. He offers practical advice and debunks common myths (for example, cockroaches aren’t actually the most radiation-resistant insects!).

Doug's 4-Step Pest Control Plan:

1. Observe & Identify: Know your enemy! Find their entry points & hotspots. Sawdust + carpenter ants? Call a pro ASAP!
2. Clean Up: Starve 'em out! ...

In this episode, our guest is Suleika Jaouad, author of The Book of Alchemy and creator of The Isolation Journals Substack. We delve into how journaling can help you unlock creative potential and navigate life’s challenges. 

Suleika shares her personal journey with journaling as a lifeline during her battle with leukemia and a pathway to "creative alchemy" – transforming difficult experiences into meaningful expression. She highligh...