Latest news with #CNET
CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
Act Quickly to Nab a Pair of Our Favorite Headphones With 20% Off
We'd all like to own some of the best headphones, because why wouldn't you want better music or audiobooks? They can be pricey, especially if you're looking for things like high-quality noise-cancelling or other features. You can find deals that offset that though. Right now, there's a deal on that knocks 20% off the Edifier W830NB headphones as long as you use the on-page coupon. That brings the price down to $64, and given that these headphones are on two of our "best of" lists, that's an excellent price. The W830NB headphones look sleek, which is always a nice bonus for over-ear headphones. They offer a frankly absurd 94 hour battery life, and have some of the best noise cancelling we've tested, especially at this price. They even manage to squeeze in spatial audio, and an impressive sound quality as well. They're great whether you're listening to music, podcasts or even making calls. You can even fold them away when not in use for easier storage and better portability. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. There's no doubt in our minds that these headphones are worth it. Given how good they are and the fact that the discount is decent too, this is definitely one of the best headphone deals going on right now. Why this deal matters We review a lot of headphones here at CNET, so it takes a lot to truly stand out. The fact that these ones do so then, is worth paying attention too. We think these are incredible headphones at full price, so saving 20% is a no-brainer.
CNET
2 hours ago
- Business
- CNET
Mortgage Refinance Rates Fall: Today's Refinance Rates, June 20, 2025
For the vast majority of homeowners, there's currently little financial incentive to refinance their mortgages. So far in 2025, average mortgage rates have remained elevated, consistently hovering between 6.5% and 7% due to ongoing economic uncertainty. "If rates fall below 6%, we could see a big jump in refinance activity," said Jeb Smith, licensed real estate agent and member of CNET Money's expert review board. Yet economists and housing market experts aren't expecting a dramatic drop-off in rates in the immediate future. Mortgage refinance rates fluctuate daily based on a range of economic and political factors. For more insights on where rates might be headed, check out our weekly mortgage rate forecast. When mortgage rates start to fall, be ready to take advantage. Experts recommend shopping around and comparing multiple offers to get the lowest rate. Enter your information here to get a custom quote from one of CNET's partner lenders. About these rates: Bankrate's tool features rates from partner lenders that you can use when comparing multiple mortgage rates. Current refinance rate trends At the start of 2025, many expected inflation to keep cooling down and the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, which would have gradually lowered mortgage refinance rates. However, after three interest rate reductions in 2024, the Fed has left borrowing rates unchanged this year to assess the economic fallout from President Trump's policies on trade, immigration and government spending. The central bank is expected to resume cutting rates as early as September, but this will not immediately result in lower mortgage rates. While the Fed's policy decisions guide borrowing costs across the economy, they don't have a 1:1 relationship with mortgage rates, which are set in the bond market. As of now, the Fed is expected to make two 0.25% rate reductions this year. If inflation increases due to tariffs, policymakers may hold off on easing borrowing costs until later, which would keep upward pressure on mortgage refinance rates. Refinance rate predictions Most housing forecasts still call for a modest decline in mortgage rates, with average 30-year fixed rates expected to end the year around below 6.5%. For refinancing to become significantly more affordable, though, we need to see multiple interest rate cuts and weaker economic data. Overall, it's unlikely we'll see another refinancing boom like the one in 2020-21 when mortgage rates were exceptionally low around 3%. Nevertheless, refinancing might be beneficial for other reasons, like changing the type of home loan, term length or taking someone off the mortgage. Refinancing 101 When you refinance your mortgage, you take out another home loan that pays off your initial mortgage. With a traditional refinance, your new home loan will have a different term and/or interest rate. With a cash-out refinance, you'll tap into your equity with a new loan that's bigger than your existing mortgage balance, allowing you to pocket the difference in cash. Refinancing can be a great financial move if you score a low rate or can pay off your home loan in less time, but consider whether it's the right choice for you. Reducing your interest rate by 1% or more is an incentive to refinance, allowing you to cut your monthly payment significantly. But refinancing your mortgage isn't free. Since you're taking out a whole new home loan, you'll need to pay another set of closing costs. If you fall into that pool of homeowners who purchased property when rates were high, consider reaching out to your lender and running the numbers to see whether a mortgage refinance makes sense for your budget, said Logan Mohtashami, lead analyst at HousingWire. How to choose the right refinance type and term The rates advertised online often require specific conditions for eligibility. Your personal interest rate will be influenced by market conditions as well as your specific credit history, financial profile and application. Having a high credit score, a low credit utilization ratio and a history of consistent and on-time payments will generally help you get the best interest rates. 30-year fixed-rate refinance The current average interest rate for a 30-year refinance is 6.79%, a decrease of 3 basis points over this time last week. (A basis point is equivalent to 0.01%.) A 30-year fixed refinance will typically have lower monthly payments than a 15-year or 10-year refinance, but it will take you longer to pay off and typically cost you more in interest over the long term. 15-year fixed-rate refinance The average rate for a 15-year fixed refinance loan is currently 6.11%, a decrease of 3 basis points over last week. Though a 15-year fixed refinance will most likely raise your monthly payment compared to a 30-year loan, you'll save more money over time because you're paying off your loan quicker. Also, 15-year refinance rates are typically lower than 30-year refinance rates, which will help you save more in the long run. 10-year fixed-rate refinance The current average interest rate for a 10-year refinance is 6.07%, a decrease of 4 basis points over last week. A 10-year refinance typically has the lowest interest rate but the highest monthly payment of all refinance terms. A 10-year refinance can help you pay off your house much quicker and save on interest, but make sure you can afford the steeper monthly payment. To get the best refinance rates, make your application as strong as possible by getting your finances in order, using credit responsibly and monitoring your credit regularly. And don't forget to speak with multiple lenders and shop around. Reasons you might refinance your home Homeowners usually refinance to save money, but there are other reasons to do so. Here are the most common reasons homeowners refinance: To get a lower interest rate: If you can secure a rate that's at least 1% lower than the one on your current mortgage, it could make sense to refinance. If you can secure a rate that's at least 1% lower than the one on your current mortgage, it could make sense to refinance. To switch the type of mortgage: If you have an adjustable-rate mortgage and want greater security, you could refinance to a fixed-rate mortgage. If you have an adjustable-rate mortgage and want greater security, you could refinance to a fixed-rate mortgage. To eliminate mortgage insurance: If you have an FHA loan that requires mortgage insurance, you can refinance to a conventional loan once you have 20% equity. If you have an FHA loan that requires mortgage insurance, you can refinance to a conventional loan once you have 20% equity. To change the length of a loan term: Refinancing to a longer loan term could lower your monthly payment. Refinancing to a shorter term will save you interest in the long run. Refinancing to a longer loan term could lower your monthly payment. Refinancing to a shorter term will save you interest in the long run. To tap into your equity through a cash-out refinance: If you replace your mortgage with a larger loan, you can receive the difference in cash to cover a large expense. If you replace your mortgage with a larger loan, you can receive the difference in cash to cover a large expense. To take someone off the mortgage: In case of divorce, you can apply for a new home loan in just your name and use the funds to pay off your existing mortgage.
CNET
6 hours ago
- CNET
Here's My Experience With 5 Cheap Gadgets I Bought From AliExpress
If you're shopping online, you may have noticed products from Temu and AliExpress often come up in your shopping search. These items are so cheap that you may wonder if it's really a steal or if you should stay away. I was in that boat as well. And I love a good YouTube video where the host tests cheap tech from low-cost retailers. So, curious as I am, I decided to try my hand at testing cheap home products from the popular discount marketplace, AliExpress. Now, when shopping for a new piece of home hardware, gaming gear or audio tech, cheap tech usually equates to low-quality performance. But as I've come to learn, that's not always the case. Rules for the experiment Products must cost less than $15. Devices need to be cheaper than a mainstream equivalent. Weird devices are more likely to make the list. I'm happy to report it was an authentic experience with a mix of good-ish products and some really bad ones. From best to worst, here's how my AliExpress order played out. Best: Tuya Zigbee smart USB adaptor switch It's the smallest plug in my smart home. John Carlsen/CNET USB chargers for lighting and small devices occupy far too much space in my smart plugs, so I always wondered if I could get a USB smart plug. I got the Tuya Zigbee Smart USB Adaptor Switch -- which includes three USB-A ports -- for a measly $5.02. Tuya devices like these are hidden gems for smart home enthusiasts, though they aren't always the easiest to work with. I'm glad it was easy to link to my SmartThings home automation system. It's not much more than an on/off switch, but I like the fact that I don't need a bulky USB multiport charger to run the few small USB devices on my nightstand. You can't control the ports independently -- and the power output is too low for charging most devices, but it's a good option for trickle-charging portable speakers or headphones. Plus, it can connect to practically any USB power supply, including empty ports on my computer. The Smart USB Adaptor Switch earns an A for value and functionality. As a Zigbee device, it's also less of a cybersecurity liability than any Wi-Fi device from AliExpress and Temu. Better: USB-powered ceiling fan A handy little ceiling fan. John Carlsen/CNET Ceiling fans have always been out of reach, since I live in an archaic apartment without them. This means relying on a fleet of air circulators in my bedroom and office. But what if renters could add a ceiling fan without the hassle of begging the property manager to install one? Enter the tiny ceiling fan I got for $14. I like the design of this fan, especially the 12-foot USB cord, which is long enough to reach a ceiling hook without much effort. The fan is surprisingly quiet and uses three power settings. Still, it's not particularly powerful, with the highest setting producing a light breeze from a few feet away. The speed and timer controls are easy to learn, which is great because the entire manual is written in Chinese. You can get the gist of the manual by using Google Lens to translate the text, but it's largely unnecessary. I give this product a B+ for being useful, albeit in niche settings where normal ceiling fans aren't practical. Good: Tuya Zigbee water sensor The water sensor worked OK but I'm not sure why it came with three reset pins. John Carlsen/CNET Unlike Tuya's smart USB switch, the Tuya Zigbee water sensor didn't properly connect to my SmartThings system on the first try. SmartThings classified it as a generic Zigbee device -- it couldn't see when the sensor detected water. This is a textbook example of Tuya's devices not always playing nicely with smart home hubs. So I rolled up my sleeves and dug into the SmartThings Edge Driver Builder, a developer tool for assigning drivers to smart home devices. After selecting my Tuya leak sensor from the list of devices in my smart home, I chose the Zigbee Water Leak Sensor driver and configured it as a water sensor. Like magic, the sensor started working. It's pretty responsive, and I like that it uses common AAA batteries. The extra effort might be worth the $4.59 I paid for the Tuya Zigbee Water Sensor, but I can't give it more than a C+ for someone who wants out-of-the-box smart home compatibility with SmartThings. I can't gauge whether it's great for other smart home platforms, but I suspect it's even better in Home Assistant. Now Playing: Testing Temu Tech So You Don't Have To 13:52 Worse: Smart Wi-Fi clock movement mechanism No hands on deck. John Carlsen/CNET I recently began transitioning most of the analog clocks in my home to tickless clock movements, which are less annoying than the ticking of a second hand when you're trying to fall asleep at 2 a.m. Let's try a smart Wi-Fi clock movement mechanism to set the time automatically like the digital clock on my Google Nest Hub. What followed was one of my most frustrating setup experiences in years. Out of the box, the clock I bought didn't come with any hands for seconds, minutes or hours. I spent far too long trying to fit some leftover hands from a previous DIY project, only to find that the clock didn't work. The included instructions, which came on a sheet of printer paper, were not helpful. They don't say that you need to remove the gray "locating needle" from the back of the clock before it will work. This pin locks the gears in place at Noon, likely to keep the clock aligned during shipping and when putting on the hands, which makes sense on a Wi-Fi clock that sets itself. It took two hours before I got it working. Plain-text passwords are visible to everyone. John Carlsen/CNET I'm even more disappointed with the Wi-Fi connection, which is not even close to secure. Anyone can open the clock's Wi-Fi connection to see your network's name and password. So glad I used my phone's hotspot for a temporary network. I give this product, which costs $14.01, a D- for working as advertised, even if it takes a while, and comes with a major Wi-Fi vulnerability. However, it's not the worst product by a long shot. Worst: Smart portable clothes dryer It's not supposed to be this droopy. John Carlsen/CNET I got the Beauty-Health Store smart portable clothes dryer for just $12.32. I won't waste your time: This is the most dangerous product from my AliExpress order. How do I know this? It quite literally melted about 2 hours into my very first drying session. The plastic in this product is not heat-resistant in any way. It didn't even dry a single shirt completely, so there's no reason to buy a cheap portable clothes dryer when laundromats can handle much larger drying loads for a fraction of the price. When I went online to see if other customers experienced this problem, I noticed the product page was no longer available. With my suspicions confirmed, I won't even delve into the features of this terrible product. Instead, I'll use it as an example to reinforce why buying generic electronics from AliExpress, Temu, Wish and other cheap retailers is risky. With certain categories of tech, you're gambling on your safety and privacy. As you can imagine, this device earns an F for being unsafe. Now, excuse me while I navigate the 90-day AliExpress return policy, which is one bright spot. Hopefully, it fares better than these last two products.
CNET
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CNET
Today's NYT Mini Crossword Answers for June 20
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today's Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles. Need some help with today's Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips. The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times' games collection. If you're looking for today's Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET's NYT puzzle hints page. Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword Let's get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers. The completed NYT Mini Crossword puzzle for June 20, 2025. NYT/Screenshot by CNET Mini across clues and answers 1A clue: Org. defending individual rights Answer: ACLU 5A clue: Repeated words that lead up to ... Answer: HIPHIP 7A clue: What puzzle solvers don't look down on Answer: ACROSS 8A clue: ... a big cheer! Answer: HOORAY 9A clue: Hathaway who starred in "The Princess Diaries" Answer: ANNE Mini down clues and answers 1D clue: Garment on which it's totally acceptable to get food stains Answer: APRON 2D clue: Doing the dishes or mowing the lawn Answer: CHORE 3D clue: Younger sister to Bart, older sister to Maggie Answer: LISA 4D clue: "___-daisy!" Answer: UPSY 5D clue: Bit of laughter Answer: HAHA 6D clue: Image of a compass, for Safari Answer: ICON
CNET
10 hours ago
- General
- CNET
Stop Shoving Your Fitted Sheets in the Closet and Do This Instead
My linen closet looks picture-perfect at first glance. Pillowcases are stacked neatly, comforters are folded just right, and extra pillows sit in an orderly row. But hidden in the back corner is the one thing I can never seem to conquer -- my fitted sheets. No matter how many tutorials I watch, they always end up looking like a wrinkled lump of frustration. If you've also given up on folding fitted sheets the "right" way, you're not alone. They're notoriously tricky, and most of us just shove them into a corner and call it a day. But with the right visual guide and a few simple moves, you can finally fold a fitted sheet like a pro and bring real order to your linen closet. CNET The reason why fitted sheets are so dang hard to fold is that they have stretchy, rounded edges. It's obvious how to fold a square object, but folding a rounded one? That's a little tougher. Many people think folding a fitted sheet is an impossible task that takes a team (or at least several hands) or some kind of crazy gymnastics to accomplish. But if you're hoping to get ahead on your cleaning, you're in luck: We'll show you a foolproof, less complicated way to fold a fitted sheet. For more tips, learn how to best wash your sheets and bedding, and learn about these laundry symbols or you might ruin your clothes. How best to fold a fitted sheet First, lay the sheet out on a flat surface like your bed or the floor. Then, grab one edge and tuck it into the edge directly across from it. So, if you grab the right edge, tuck it into the left edge. It doesn't matter if you're tucking horizontally or vertically -- just don't tuck diagonally. Also, as you tuck, make sure the corner seams line up. Tuck it in, smooth it out. Alina Bradford/CNET If you do this part right, the elastic will be folded down and the new edge of the sheet will be smooth, right angles. Do the same thing to the bottom corners. When you're done, your edges should look something like this. Alina Bradford/CNET Final steps The hardest part is now over, and you just need to smooth out the edges and corners. If the sheet won't lie perfectly flat, don't panic. The bumps will be hidden by the time you finish folding it. Now, you should have a rectangle-ish shape to work with. Fold the sheet in half so that the elastic edges are hidden, smooth out the corners and fold the sheet in half again. Keep folding it in half until you have a nice, neat bundle. This will probably take some practice -- it definitely took me a few times to perfect. Give it a few tries and you'll have folded linens that you can easily store without all the hassle. A tidy fitted sheet can be achieved. Alina Bradford/CNET Bonus: A quick shortcut There is another, albeit lazier, way. You can just fold your sheets however you want, then stuff them into a matching pillow case. Your linen closet will still look tidy and no one will ever know. More laundry tips and tricks
