Consumer Reports
One-fifth of tested seafood mislabeled or misidentified
A Consumer Reports investigation reveals that more than one-fifth of 190 pieces of seafood bought at retail stores and restaurants in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were not what they claimed to be — either mislabeled as different species of fish, incompletely labeled or misidentified by employees. CR sent the fresh and frozen fish [...]
Americans are again warming to the credit card companies
Things are looking rosier for credit-card holders. Consumers are paying down balances and facing fewer punitive actions by credit card companies, such as higher rates, late-payment fees and canceled cards, according to a nationwide survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center. New federal rules barring many abusive practices by credit-card issuers seem to be [...]
Where to go for a great deal on electronics
The hottest electronics this holiday season? Tablet computers and e-book readers, the editors of Consumer Reports expect. The best places to buy them and other items on your list, including TVs, cameras and camcorders? Online, according to CR’s readers. CR’s Ratings of places to buy major electronics are based on this year’s annual questionnaire. In [...]
New insurance rankings reveal wide variety in quality for large health insurers
Consumer Reports analyzed the recently released rankings of 830 private, Medicare and Medicaid health insurance plans, revealing wide variations in quality and mixed results for some of the nation’s largest health insurers. Many employers, as well as Medicare, schedule their annual open enrollment periods for the fall, so for consumers who have the option of [...]
Organization tricks for every season
The start of fall means that it’s time to clean up the house, swap out clothes in your closets and break out the seasonal tools in the garage. ShopSmart, the shopping magazine published by Consumer Reports, came up with organizing tricks to keep everything tidy year-round. “The change of seasons is the perfect time for [...]
Waking up to caffeine
Caffeine is complicated. On one hand, moderate coffee drinking can reduce the risk of gallstones, Parkinson’s disease, type 2 diabetes and other health problems. Caffeine helps relieve pain when combined with acetaminophen or other painkillers, and modest amounts of the stimulant can improve alertness and cognitive performance. On the other hand, too much caffeine can [...]
Consumer Reports offers tips for saving energy
Discussions about federal regulations on Energy Star ratings and energy-efficient products continue and homeowners need to keep a pulse on the changes. Consumer Reports, which seeks to help shoppers make the best decisions for their needs and possibly save some cash, offers these energy-saving tips. Powering electronic devices can cost almost as much as powering [...]
New ways to slash grocery bills
There’s no debating that today’s grocery bills are out of control. Sadly, snagging a deal on household staples such as cereal and toilet paper can be as much of a thrill as hitting a great shoe sale these days. However, there is some good news: Deals on groceries are getting easier to find as competition [...]
New ways to complain
Not so long ago, you had few options for expressing your dissatisfaction with a product or service. You may have told your friends and family about your experience. Maybe you filed complaints with state and federal regulatory agencies, the Better Business Bureau or the local consumer-watchdog reporter. Similarly, if you were really happy with a [...]
Kidizoom and Lego cameras for kids: standouts
Digital cameras with features such as flash, digital zoom and on-camera graphics are now aimed at users as young as 3 years old. In Consumer Reports’ first-ever evaluation of kid cameras, two models — the VTech Kidizoom, $40, and the Lego Digital Camera, $60 — stood out among the five models reviewed. The other three [...]
