Image: Chris Labrooy

Wirecutter’s journalists go to extreme lengths to find and test the best products. See: hiking two million steps to find the best hiking boots, drinking rust-contaminated water to test filters, hurling storage containers down flights of stairs, building a room and setting it ablaze to test fireproof safes—and more.

Over the past few months, no one has gotten more of an inside view into our rigorous testing than Christine Cyr Clisset and Caira Blackwell, Wirecutter journalists themselves and the hosts of our new podcast, The Wirecutter Show. So we asked them, along with the pod’s executive producer Rosie Guerin, to dish on their favorite conversations, wildest takeaways, and the one game-changing tip they’ve learned so far.

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On mice (and man):

“The mice and rodents episode that we did with Doug was just … so gristly,” says Caira. “My jaw was on the floor the entire episode.” In senior staff writer Doug Mahoney’s quest to find the best mousetrap, he clocked countless hours of baiting, setting, and detonating mousetraps—including years of ongoing testing at his New Hampshire homestead—snapping many a chopstick, and yes, the occasional finger, in them in the process. You’ll get all the hairy details when the episode comes out.

On how to avoid ingesting microplastics:

For another upcoming episode, sustainability editor Katie Okamoto joined The Wirecutter Show to talk about the presence of microplastics in everything from broccoli to chicken nuggets. And she shared some tangible ways to limit exposure to them in our water, food, and air. “A lot of great information is in Wirecutter’s guide,” Rosie says. “But we were able to have a very human conversation with Katie outside of that to tackle big questions that build on that reporting.”

Rosie’s number one takeaway since taping that episode? Never heat leftovers in plastic—even if the container says it’s microwave-safe.

And some tips that have already changed their lives:

“All of us have been pretty psyched about the advice in our third episode, which is about reducing food waste,” says Christine. “I’ve been using my freezer a lot more to preserve things. I’ve been figuring out ways to use up the wilted vegetables in my fridge in a way that’s actually tasty.”

“I’m in the market for new sheets,” says Caira. “And senior staff writer Jackie Reeve told us about the myth of thread count, which I had no idea about. I’m no longer going to T.J. Maxx and just getting the highest thread count I can find at the lowest price.”

Lastly, from Rosie: “I douse my children in picaridin. That’s it. After speaking with Doug about insect repellent, I just bought tons of picaridin.”

Listen to Wirecutter’s podcast on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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The best mousetraps Here’s how to deal with a mouse problem yourself, before calling in the professionals→

Microplastics are everywhere. Here’s how to avoid eating them. 12 tips to reduce your exposure→

Bug repellent that actually works It’s safe, effective, and won’t stink or leave a puddle of oil on your skin→

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