If those jeans you got as a gift this holiday season don’t fit because of the all the food you devoured in the last few weeks, you might be tempted to buy one of those exercise devices advertised on TV. But some of these products aren’t worth the price — or effort. [More]
consumer reports
Ford & EPA Try To Figure Out Why C-Max, Fusion Aren’t Getting Advertised MPG
By 12.14.12
Following last week’s announcement that Consumer Reports’ real-world fuel-economy testing of Ford’s C-Max and Fusion hybrid vehicles showed these cars are not getting the 47 mpg touted by the car maker, both Ford and the Environmental Protection Agency have said they are looking into the matter. [More]
Move Over Santa: Consumer Reports Issues List Of Naughty & Nice Companies
By 11.21.12
They’re making a list and checking it twice, and you’re about to find out who’s naughty and nice. Get it? Because Consumer Reports is coming to town? Or rather, it’s issued its annual list of the companies it considers to be bad little boys and girls and those who are to be held up as examples to the rest of’em. Let’s get to it [cue gleeful rubbing together of hands]! [More]
Ford Continues To Sink Toward Bottom Of Consumer Reports’ Reliability Ratings
By 10.29.12
In 2010, Ford was among the top 10 auto brands in Consumer Reports’ Annual Auto Reliability Survey, with more than 90% of its models rated average or better by CR readers. But in the two years since, the shine has gone off the Ford brand, and in the newly released survey, it now comes in next to last place. [More]
Consumer Reports: A 4-Year-Old Can Break The Emergency Trunk Release On 2013 Lexus
By 10.12.12
Our benevolent benefactors over at Consumer Reports are nothing if not very, very thorough when testing just about anything you can buy. So thorough, in fact, that CR’s auto extraordinaire Jake Fisher ran one very important test — the “How will my kids play [supervised] in this car?” test — and uncovered a major problem with the trunk escape lever on the 2013 Lexus ES and GS. His 4-year-old was able to snap it off. Whoops. [More]
So There’s Arsenic In My Rice… What Can I Do About It?
By 9.19.12 — Updated: 4.1.16
Earlier today, we told you about the Consumer Reports study that found varying levels of inorganic arsenic — a known carcinogen — in a wide variety of rice products. Since so many of us chow down on rice in some form on a regular basis, should we be worried? [More]
Consumer Reports Investigation Finds Arsenic In Variety Of Rice Products
By 9.19.12
Rice is one flexible little grain. It’s found in cereal (hot and cold), baby food, rice cakes, crackers, pasta, vinegar, syrup, flour and beverages. But a new Consumer Reports study of 60 rice products found varying levels of no one’s favorite ingredient: Arsenic. [More]
More Uninsured Americans Not Filling Prescriptions, Delaying Doctor's Visits, Skipping Medical Procedures
By 9.13.12
While the U.S. economy is arguably inching toward improvement, costs for health insurance continue to climb. Combined with still-high unemployment and a growing number of employers requiring employees to pay a larger share of their insurance premiums, and there are a lot of uninsured and under-insured Americans out there. And according to the Consumer Reports annual prescription drug poll, a growing number of these people are going without needed care or medication. [More]
Kids Worldwide Still Snarfing Detergent Pods Like Candy
By 9.6.12 — Updated: 4.3.13
In hindsight, maybe brightly-colored, individually wrapped dollops of laundry detergent weren’t such a great idea from a safety point of view. Sure, they’re popular: pre-measured soap is handy, and they keep people who use laundromats or apartment building machines from hauling giant bottles around. The disadvantage is that even with warnings to keep the products on a high shelf and promises to change the packaging to make it more childproof, kids everywhere seem to find the pods irresistible. [More]
Top 3 Insect Repellents For Avoiding West Nile
By 8.29.12
Our brainy cousins over at Consumer Reports test insect repellant… And yeah, people actually let mosquitos bite them in the name of science. It’s pretty nasty, we’re not going to lie. CR doesn’t want you to get West Nile, so they’ve made their ratings of insect repellents free on their site. We’ve grabbed the top three: [More]
Who Wins In The Battle Of The Schticky Vs. The Sticky Buddy?
By 8.13.12 — Updated: 2.1.13
As you may recall, everyone’s second-favorite infomercial pitch guy Vince Offer/ShamWow Shlomi resurfaced earlier this year, selling a reusable silicone roller called the Schticky that claims to pick up everything from pet hair to food particles to coins. Meanwhile, English pitchman Anthony Sullivan has been pushing the similar Sticky Buddy to people who can’t sleep and don’t feel like finding something on Netflix. But which of these items is better? And are either of them any good? [More]
Hooters, Hard Rock, Friendly’s Score Low Marks On Chain Restaurant Survey
By 7.2.12
The idea behind chain restaurants is — or at least it should be — to provide customers with dependable, consistent food and service at multiple locations. And many chains succeed in at least trying to fulfill these goals. But according to a recent survey of nearly 48,000 Consumer Reports readers, some chains are struggling to maintain a mediocre level of service and quality. [More]
Here’s A Great Deal On 2007 Consumer Reports Buying Guides
By 6.11.12
Thomas the Tank Engine books are timeless. But Consumer Reports buying guides have a definite shelf life, and we’re pretty sure that 5 years is past the expiration date. Victor spotted these on the clearance shelf at Target. “Of course it’s marked as-is,” he notes, “which is both unhelpful and completely unnecessary to state.”
It Could Take Years For Some Fuel-Efficient Cars To Be Worth The Savings On Gas
By 5.31.12
While car makers have been touting new higher-efficiency versions of some of their more popular vehicle brands, tests show that it could take years for the average driver to realize enough cost savings on gas to make up for the higher price tag. [More]
Do You Take Dietary Supplements? Consumer Reports Wants To Hear About It
By 5.30.12
Our sister-publication, Consumer Reports, needs your stories for a report on dietary supplements (including herbal remedies, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and multi-ingredient supplements for various uses). Have you recently had an especially beneficial experience with a supplement? Have you suffered a serious health problem after taking a supplement in the last three years? If so, was that linked to its interaction with a prescription drug? Please email your story and contact information to tips@cr.consumer.org so you can be contacted by a Consumer Reports editor. [More]
Which Are The Best & Worst U.S. Hotel Chains?
By 5.24.12
School is almost done and the weather is getting warmer (or at least it’s supposed to be), which can only mean… well, it can actually mean an awful lot of things. But today we’re going to discuss which hotel chains people will look forward to staying in — and which ones they will be dreading — this summer. [More]
Survey: Fuel Economy The Leading Consideration In Picking A Car
By 5.22.12
While I have an affection for cars with after-market, clumsily welded spoilers, it appears I am in the minority, as a new survey by our test-driving in-laws at Consumer Reports says that fuel economy — and not undercarriage lighting — is the leading consideration for folks looking to buy a vehicle. [More]
Prepaid Phone Cards Loaded With Fees That Chew Up Callers' Cash
By 5.8.12
If you’ve lived in a major U.S. city, or anywhere else with a dense immigrant population, you’re probably familiar with the wide array of prepaid phone cards available for folks who want to make international calls. But a new investigation by our pals at Consumer Reports shows that these cards have complicated fee structures that could quickly eat up the value on the card. [More]
