Melanie Pinola

New York

Senior Staff Writer at Wirecutter

Senior staff writer at NYT Wirecutter. Previously at Consumer Reports, Zapier, Lifehacker, etc. In a former life I played with code/design and napped well.

Articles

The 2 Best Paper Shredders of 2025 | Reviews by Wirecutter

1 month ago | nytimes.com | Melanie Pinola |Arriana Vasquez

We tested top shredders for use at home and in small offices and found easy-to-use workhorses that can help protect your identity.
The 3 Best Digital Notebooks of 2024

Nov 4, 2024 | nytimes.com | Melanie Pinola

Like many people, I consider the pen to be mightier than the keyboard. Writing by hand on paper is a more satisfying, tactile experience. I tend to focus better with just my pen and the page, and I recall what I write more readily. A digital notebook takes that familiarity and comfort and adds modern conveniences. Imagine hundreds of notes and scribbles and ideas all in one portable device—searchable, convertible to text, and easily shareable.
The 7 Best Desk Lamps of 2024

Nov 4, 2024 | nytimes.com | Gregory Han |Melanie Pinola

A great desk lamp can transform your workspace—both functionally and aesthetically. It can reduce eye fatigue and help you better see what you’re working on, and it can set the right mood for getting work done. A great lamp can also be a design statement. After researching over 55 desk lamps and testing 20, we’ve chosen our favorite desk lamps in a variety of styles and prices. LED vs.
The 3 Best Ergonomic Keyboard of 2024

Nov 3, 2024 | nytimes.com | Dave Gershgorn |Melanie Pinola

If you feel like you’re forcing your hands, wrists, elbows, or shoulders into an uncomfortable or unnatural position while typing, an ergonomic keyboard might help. These keyboards trade the traditional straight rows of keys for sweeping curves and obtuse angles, which allow your hands to rest more naturally on the keyboard and support better posture. Every person is different and finds different things comfortable, so there’s no one-size-fits-all ergonomic keyboard.
The 4 Best Mechanical Pencils of 2023

Oct 27, 2024 | nytimes.com | Melanie Pinola

Confession time: I’ve never liked mechanical pencils. The lead breaks as soon as it touches paper, or it never leaves the pencil body in the first place. The thin plastic barrel makes your fingers cramp within a few minutes. And the whole thing rattles like a baby toy. At least, that’s what I remember from my school days of filling in ovals for multiple-choice tests. But if you’ve also had a poor experience with mechanical pencils, it may be time to reconsider.
The 4 Best Office Chairs for 2024

Sep 26, 2024 | nytimes.com | Melanie Pinola |Kaitlyn Wells

Many cheap office chairs can make you feel as if you’ve been crammed into a torturous economy seat on a cross-country flight. But quality office chairs give you an upgrade to first class—they’re designed to support your body comfortably for the long haul. We’ve researched dozens of office chairs, interviewed four ergonomics experts, and asked test panelists (with a variety of body types) to sit in deliberation for more than 175 collective hours.
Pros and Cons of Buying an iPhone Directly From Apple

Sep 14, 2024 | yahoo.com | Courtney Lindwall |Melanie Pinola

Courtney Lindwall, Melanie PinolaSeptember 13, 2024 at 11:12 AM·5 min readDebating whether to buy an iPhone from Apple or your cell phone carrier? Here's what you need to know. By Courtney Lindwall, Melanie PinolaEager to get your hands on the new iPhone 16? Sure, you can buy one from just about any major electronics retailer, but because most stores offer the same models at roughly the same prices, it’s often simpler and more convenient to buy an iPhone directly from Apple or your carrier.
I Hated Mechanical Pencils Until This $10 Beauty Changed My Mind

Sep 10, 2024 | nytimes.com | Melanie Pinola

I’ll never forget the first mechanical pencil I tried to use. It was a gnarly mustard-yellow, and I had to twist the conical tip to advance the lead. The pencil felt flimsy, and the lead would constantly snap—if it didn’t jam in the barrel first. Middle school was frustrating enough; having a pencil that refused to write in the middle of a fill-in-the-ovals test didn’t help.
PSA: Your Phone Has a Free, Hidden Scanning Feature

Sep 4, 2024 | nytimes.com | Melanie Pinola

Smartphones are the Swiss Army knives of the digital world, but not all of their tools are obvious. Case in point: Your camera app is clearly designed to snap photos and capture videos, but did you know that it’s also a mobile scanning app? If you’re like me, you may have spent years just taking photos of documents—receipts for reimbursement, school and medical forms, and other paperwork—rather than using a hardware scanner or a mobile scanning app.
5 Cheap(ish) Everyday Carry Items We Won’t Leave the House Without

Sep 3, 2024 | nytimes.com | Melanie Pinola

Keys. Wallet. Phone. You know the drill; before you leave the house, there are a few things you must have with you. This personal kit—known as Everyday Carry or EDC—can be as simplistic or as extensive as you care to haul around. But we’re going minimalist here, focusing on our picks for the most commonly useful—and for the most part, pocket-size—items that keep us prepared on the go. Here are a few of our favorite, more-affordable things to carry with you every day.