The Wirecutter Show

• What’s Wrong With Your Computer?

  If your computer has been slowing down or showing its age, you might not need to replace it just yet. Wirecutter senior staff writer Kimber Streams, who covers laptops and accessories, shares practical steps for reviving an old machine—and how to tell when it’s finally time for an upgrade. Kimber explains what causes computers to slow down over time, the simplest DIY fixes that can make a big difference, and what to look for if you do end up needing to shop for a replacement. See more of Kimber’s tips in this article on reviving an old computer.  This episode covers:Cleaning up storage and files: Freeing up storage is one of the simplest ways to make a computer feel faster. Check what’s taking up space and remove any and all unnecessary files.Tidying apps and removing unused apps: Kimber recommends uninstalling unused apps that come pre-installed on your laptop, plus any unused browser extensions, that may be slowing down your system.Why you should update your computer’s operating system: Kimber emphasizes the importance of software updates for both security and performance.When it’s time to consider buying a new computer: If you’ve completed all of the housekeeping steps and find that your computer still isn’t functioning the way it should, it’s time to look at your budget and what you need in a new computer.Guidance for buying refurbished and secondhand computers: Kimber recommends only buying from manufacturer refurbished programs, and to be wary of retailer refurbs if you can’t see the item in person and judge the condition yourself. Look for a refurbished computer with the longest warranty possible. P.S. If you have a spill, we don’t recommend using rice to dry your tech. Here’s why! Products we recommend:Our favorite refurbished laptop: Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M4, 2025)Our favorite Windows laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook PlusOur favorite performance upgrade: Apple MacBook Air (M1, 2020)Our favorite online backup service: IDriveOur favorite lap desk: LapGear Designer Lap Desk Additional reading:How to Make Your Old Computer Feel New AgainThe 8 Best Laptops of 2025How to Shop for a Used Laptop or Desktop PCThe Best Cheap Laptops Under $500 for 2025 The 5 Best Windows Laptops of 20254 Simple Tips to Keep Your Tech Safe and Dry This Summer 2025Windows 10 Is Dead. But You Might Not Need a New Laptop Yet.  We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› Wirecutter Social and WebsiteInstagram: /wirecutterThreads: /@wirecutterTwitter: /wirecutterFacebook: /thewirecutterTikTok: /wirecutterLinkedIn: /nyt-wirecutterWebsite: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/Newsletter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/newsletters/ The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast

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• How to Know What's In Your Drinking Water

  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 covers:Why you should look up your annual drinking water quality report: Tim explains how every utility must publish an annual water-quality/consumer confidence report (CCR)--  a free first step toward understanding the quality of your drinking water. You can also look it up via the EPA site.When you may want to test your water for contaminants: If you’re concerned about what’s coming out of your tap, Tim recommends getting your water tested using a send-away lab kit. He’d skip at-home color-strip tests, which are often hard to read.Why living near a polluted area doesn’t mean your water will be polluted: The pressure in the pipes should help keep contaminants out. Contaminants in the water are more about your water source and how that water is treated.The pros and cons of different filters: Pitchers are cheap and convenient, but they clog and have short lifespans. Faucet and under-sink units use household water pressure for denser filtration and often remove more contaminants–but they can be more expensive overall. Products we recommend:Our favorite water pitcher: Brita Standard Everyday PitcherOur favorite under-sink filter: Aquasana AQ-5200Our favorite upgrade under-sink filter: Aquasana AQ-5300+ Max FlowOur favorite faucet water filter: Pur Plus Faucet Filtration SystemOur favorite water test kit: Tap Score Advanced City Water TestOur favorite water test kit for well water: Tap Score Advanced Well Water Test Additional reading:The Best Under-Sink Water Filter for 2025The 5 Best Water Filter Pitchers & Dispensers of 2025The Best Water Quality Test Kit for Your HomeThe Best Faucet-Mounted Water Filter of 2025 I’m Wirecutter’s Water-Quality Expert. I Don’t Filter My Water.  We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› Wirecutter Social and WebsiteInstagram: /wirecutterThreads: /@wirecutterTwitter: /wirecutterFacebook: /thewirecutterTikTok: /wirecutterLinkedIn: /nyt-wirecutterWebsite: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/Newsletter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/newsletters/ The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast

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• How To Maximize Credit Card Points for Travel

  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, don’t miss our earlier episode with Elaine Glusac (aka the Frugal Traveler). And find our recommended travel gear below.  This episode covers:Why you should pay down debt first: The points game only works if you’re debt-free. Any interest you pay on a carried balance cancels out the value of the points you earn.How rewards programs are funded: Credit card companies primarily make money through an "interchange" fee (usually around 2%) paid by vendors on every purchase. The credit card company then gives a portion of this money back to you as rewards.How to maximize everyday purchases: Audit your monthly expenses (groceries, eating out, gas, etc) and get a card that offers the highest rewards on those purchases.Why you may want to prioritize “transferable” points: Cards that offer transferable points (from major banks) can be converted to many different airline and hotel partners, giving you maximum flexibility for travel.When it’s worth using awards tickets: Flights booked with an airline's rewards program are often fully refundable and changeable up until departure at no extra cost, unlike standard cash-fare tickets. ALSO: If you have a question about gifts, we want to hear from you for upcoming mini series! Send your question as a voice memo to [email protected].  Additional reading:Secrets to Cheap Travel from NYT’s Frugal TravelerThe 6 Best Carry-On Luggage of 2025The 6 Best Carry-On Travel Backpacks for 2025The Best Suitcases for CheckingThe Best Gear for Travel in 2025  We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› Wirecutter Social and WebsiteInstagram: /wirecutterThreads: /@wirecutterTwitter: /wirecutterFacebook: /thewirecutterTikTok: /wirecutterLinkedIn: /nyt-wirecutterWebsite: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/Newsletter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/newsletters/ The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast

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• Secrets to Cheap Travel from NYT’s Frugal Traveler

  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 Going.com for finding cheap flights and Costco Travel for car rentals.  Plus she shares how to navigate Black Friday travel deals for cruises, flights, and hotels.  This episode covers:When to book flights for the best prices: Elaine breaks down the “sweet spots” for booking both domestic and international travel, plus why holidays require a different strategy.Why flexibility matters more than loyalty: Shifting your departure by just a day or two can save you money and stress—and sometimes matters more than which airline you fly.How to spot true airfare deals: Tools like Google Flights and Kayak alerts can help you track fares and avoid misleading “fake sales.”Why you should negotiate directly with hosts: Reaching out to Airbnb or Vrbo owners can unlock discounts you won’t find through the platform.When Black Friday travel sales are worth it: Some cruise lines and hotels run genuine deep discounts—but Elaine shares how to separate the hype from the real bargains. The Frugal Traveler Columns We Discussed: The Secret to Finding the Best Travel BargainsHow to Avoid Paying Vacation Rental FeesDriving the Alaska HighwayCredit Card Swipe Fees Are Going Down. Are Points Going With Them?Traveling Abroad? If You’re Paying With Dollars, Your Trip Is on Sale.Cheap Flights, Half-Price Cruises: This Travel Tuesday, Deals AboundGetting the Most Bang for Your Buck While Traveling OverseasJoin the Club, Save Some Money Additional reading:How The New York Times’s Frugal Traveler Packs for Any Trip ImaginableThe 3 Best Travel Backpacks of 2025 The 6 Best Carry-On Luggage of 2025The Best Suitcases for Checking Soft-Sided vs. Hard-Sided Suitcases: The Final Showdown  We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› Wirecutter Social and WebsiteInstagram: /wirecutterThreads: /@wirecutterTwitter: /wirecutterFacebook: /thewirecutterTikTok: /wirecutterLinkedIn: /nyt-wirecutterWebsite: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/Newsletter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/newsletters/ The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast

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• Send Us Your Cookie Questions!

  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 voice memo on your phone and tell us your first name, where you’re calling from, and what your cookie question is. Then email it to us [email protected]. Your question may wind up getting answered on the show!  We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more› Wirecutter Social and WebsiteInstagram: /wirecutterThreads: /@wirecutterTwitter: /wirecutterFacebook: /thewirecutterTikTok: /wirecutterLinkedIn: /nyt-wirecutterWebsite: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/Newsletter: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/newsletters/ The Wirecutter Show is executive produced by Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel.Engineering support from Maddy Masiello and Nick Pitman. Episodes are mixed by Catherine Anderson, Efim Shapiro, Rowan Niemisto, Sophia Lanman, and Sonia Herrero. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheba Ittoop, and Diane Wong. Wirecutter’s deputy publisher and general manager is Cliff Levy. Ben Frumin is Wirecutter’s editor-in-chief. Hosted by Rosie Guerin, Caira Blackwell and Christine Cyr Clisset.Find edited transcripts for each episode here: The Wirecutter Show Podcast

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