The Wirecutter Show

Spring cleaning season is here, and we asked listeners to send us their most stubborn, embarrassing, and downright horrifying odor problems. Staff writer and cleaning expert Caroline Mullen joins us to answer your most confounding smell questions–from how to get rid of the odor of rotting meat in a freezer to  removing the persistent stink from workout clothes.

Caroline explains what actually works when it comes to removing odors...

For some people, shorter days and reduced sunlight in the winter can seriously disrupt sleep, mood, and energy levels. A light therapy lamp can help.

In this episode, senior staff writer Nancy Redd explains what seasonal affective disorder (SAD) actually is, how light therapy works, and why not all lamps are created equal. We cover what 10,000 lux means, why timing matters, and why you should talk to a medical professional before...

For the perfect cup of coffee, you need good beans. In this bonus episode, we talk with Sum Ngai, co-founder of Coffee Project New York and certified Q-grader (it’s like a sommelier, but for coffee!), to demystify the art of choosing a bean you’ll love. 

Sum breaks down everything a novice needs to know to shop with confidence, from decoding mysterious tasting notes, to understanding why you should avoid brewing coffee that was roa...

If you want to make great coffee at home, the right gear makes a difference. In this episode, Wirecutter editorial director Marguerite Preston shares how to choose the right setup based on your space, budget, and desired level of effort. 

We discuss why you may want to rethink how you’re grinding your coffee, the reasons that good drip coffee makers tend to be expensive, and when you may want to go for a pour-over setup or French P...

Buying a vibrator can be tricky without a great recommendation. This week, we’re reairing our episode on why vibrators are still so taboo—and how to pick one you’ll love.

Bianca Alba, Wirecutter’s longtime sex toy writer, talks us through the societal double standards around sexuality and how vibrators can help with sexual health. We cover the different types of vibrators you can choose from, how to decide between the options, and ...

We’re demystifying what separates luxury boxed chocolates from standard supermarket candy. Gabriella Gershenson, Wirecutter’s taste test editor and author of our boxed chocolates guide, explains what ingredients to look for on labels, the textures that separate the great from merely mediocre, and why good chocolates cost so much. 

Whether you’re a traditionalist who loves a classic toffee or an adventurous eater seeking mind-bendin...

We’re working on an episode about the worst household smells and we want to hear from you! What smells are you plagued by? What odors have you tried and failed to remove? Tell us about them and our experts will offer their best advice. 

Record a voice memo on your smart phone telling us about your smell scenario and email it to us at thewirecuttershow@wirecutter.com. Don’t forget to tell us your name and where you’re calling from. ...

Your workout shouldn’t stop after you’ve finished your cardio or weightlifting session. What you do right afterward can make the difference between feeling good for the rest of the day or dragging with soreness and fatigue. 

We brought in two experts to break down what recovery really means, why it matters, and how to approach it without overcomplicating things. First, Dr. Leada Malek, a licensed physical therapist, explains what’s...

Winter is brutal on skin and most moisturizer advice online is either oversimplified, wildly inconsistent, or driven by marketing.

So we brought in Jenn Sullivan, senior editor of Wirecutter’s beauty team, to explain what moisturizers actually do, and how to use them in a way that makes a real difference. Jenn breaks down the ingredients that matter, the mistakes that leave skin feeling drier, and why timing and consistency matter ...

January is peak return season. Maybe you got holiday gifts that weren’t quite right, or you’re just clearing out the things you over-ordered. But where does all that stuff actually go?

In this episode, Deputy Editor Annemarie Conte walks us through her investigation into the hidden world of returns. For her reporting, she bought a 450-pound, six-foot-tall pallet of returned goods to see what really happens to the items people send ...

In the final installment of this series, we examine the longer-term costs–the time, the money, and the emotional toll–that finding your feet after a natural disaster can take. 

Mike and his family are still displaced. The possibility of a future natural disaster looms over them, on top of the financial predicament of being stuck in the “insurance gap”--where their insurance payout isn’t enough to rebuild their home. 

Gregory has mo...

In the second part of our series, we learn more about what’s happened to Wirecutter writers Mike Cohen and Gregory Han in the year since the LA wildfires. And how they both wish they’d better understood their insurance policies before the fires.  

Mike and Gregory both found temporary housing after the fires, but they soon needed to start replacing the things they use daily. And to do that, they had to produce exhaustive lists of t...

Exactly one year ago, on January 7, 2025, the Palisades and Eaton Fires erupted, eventually burning down more than 16,000 structures and killing at least 31 people, becoming among the most destructive and deadly wildfires in California’s history. 

Two Wirecutter writers, Gregory Han and Mike Cohen, lived through the Eaton fire. Both lived in Altadena, just outside Los Angeles. Gregory’s home was damaged, while Mike’s burned to the ...

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 highlig...

In case you missed our bonus episode, we are re-airing it! Wirecutter’s staff tests thousands of products every year, and of that mountain of items a few always stick out as the best of the best. To close out 2025, we asked our experts to share the things they loved most–and what they think would make great holiday gifts. 

Whether you’re still finishing up your holiday shopping or you’re just here to soak up some end-of-year deligh...

It happens every year: the season sneaks up, the calendar fills, and suddenly it’s gift-giving time… and you’ve bought nothing. To help you avoid the panic-buy spiral (and the regrettable “kitchen TV”-style gifts that follow), we brought in Samantha Schoech, senior staff writer on Wirecutter’s gifting team. Sam spends all year researching, testing, and vetting gift ideas—so she knows exactly what still delivers when you’re short on...

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing the way people use the internet, gather information, shop online, and interact with products at home. If you’ve ever wondered what chatbots (like Gemini or Claude) are truly good for and how to use them smartly, this episode is essential. 

Our guest Kevin Roose, a New York Times tech columnist and co-host of the NYT podcast Hard Fork, has spent years reporting on AI and constantly u...

The holidays are here, and that means it's time to tackle the hardest shopping challenge of all: finding the perfect gift(s) for the children in your life. In this episode, we skip the parental guessing games and go straight to the experts!

Rosie sits down with three brutally honest critics—Dior (8), Robinson (11), and Chloe (6)—to get the definitive, unfiltered word on what kids really want this year. Listen as they enthusiastical...

When the holidays roll around, many of us romanticize the idea of a cozy game night—only to remember the part where someone has to read the rules, explain them, and keep the vibes going while everyone tries not to flip a table. If you’ve ever sighed at the sight of a board game box (or struggled through a four-hour strategy game you didn’t sign up for), this episode is for you.

James Austin, Wirecutter’s staff writer covering games ...