Consumer Reports articles from February 2003

Consumer Reports archives from February 2003

Fuel economy.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... I vehemently object to your December article "Fuel Economy: Stalled in Traffic." Your liberal rantings have absolutely no business in CONSUMER REPORTS: global warming, the evil Americans consuming 25 percent of the world's oil, the greedy...

Ring around the Rubbermaid.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... I had to laugh at your December "Front Lines" item about the new Cascade product that removes food stains from plastic. To get rid of the stains, simply set the plastic dish in the kitchen window or another sunny place for a few days. ...

Pension funding.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... Your October 2002 report on pensions reflects significantly more insight than many other recent articles. However, we take exception to the statement that "in 2001 ExxonMobil [was] seriously underfunded." Your statement was apparently based...

The check is (not) in the mail.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... I take exception to Consumers Union's position against the substitution of electronic images for paper checks. Electronic check-clearing would reduce expenses for banks, a saving that would probably result in lower bank fees. My bank stopped...

Auto insurance.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... As an insurance agent for a large property and casualty company, I'm thoroughly disgusted with the use of credit as an underwriting criterion. It's nothing more than redlining in a legal suit of clothes. NAME WITHHELD Long Island, N.Y.

Camera life.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2003... The November "Selling It" included an item questioning the longevity of Walgreen's offer to supply free film for the life of a particular camera. The camera's packaging said the life of the camera was two years from the date of purchase. We...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2003... The text of the January report on water filters erred in saying that reverse-osmosis systems waste about 5 gallons for each half gallon purified. They waste about 5 gallons for each gallon purified.

Working to get ephedra banned.(Test inform protect: consumers union in action)
February 1, 2003... Xtreme Lean. Trim Fast. Metabolife 356. Those are some of the dietary supplements that contain ephedra and are available in supermarkets and on the web. An herbal stimulant, ephedra is often combined with caffeine and acts like amphetamines, or...

Cell hell.(Memo to members)
February 1, 2003... One of my favorite kids' books is "Voyage to the Bunny Planet," by Rosemary Wells. It's actually a set of three books in which some bunny kids have really bad days: One throws up in art class, one gets pounced on by his cousins. And when...

Infiniti G35.(First look)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2003... One of the new cars to be introduced this year is the Infiniti G35, which Motor Trend magazine named its Car of the Year for 2003. The G35 is now the lowest-priced model of Nissan's high-end Infiniti brand, competing against the Lexus IS300,...

Nursery as Disco.(Trends)(electronic toys, strollers and other gear for infants)
February 1, 2003... A new generation of microchip-based toys and products is beeping, jingling, riffing, vibrating, flashing, and wailing its way into the nursery. Stimulating, tech-driven kid products are not new, of course. What is noteworthy is the range of...

Comfort to go?(Travel products)(ThermaCare Therapeutic HeatWraps)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2003... ThermaCare Therapeutic HeatWrapsby Procter & Gamble promise to deliver heat where you hurt. Lower-back pain? Strap a ThermaCareback wrap around your waist while you drive. Shoulder trouble? Stick on a neck-to-arm patch. Menstrual cramps? Place...

Wrinkle-free travel.(Travel products)(Wrinkle Free Fabric Relaxant)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2003... You arrive at your hotel, open your suitcase, and find that your clothes look like they've been trampled by elephants. Wrinkle Free Fabric Relaxant may help you out, our tests found. The spray--$4 to $5 for a 3-ounce can, $7 to $10 for 9...

Dry-cleaning alternatives.(Product test)
February 1, 2003... Linden Cleaners in Darien, Conn., is trying something new, as are hundreds of other professional cleaners throughout the country. Environmental concerns and the telltale odor of the standard solvent, perchloroethylene (or perc), have opened the...

Will your cell phone reach 911? You can't be sure. Our research produced some disturbing results.
February 1, 2003... One in three people who own a cell phone say they bought it mainly for safety--to have if they need to call 911 from the side of the road or a dark street at night. And at least one-third of all 911 calls are now made on cell phones--just under...

Three steps to better cellular.(cellular telephones and service)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2003... HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE Whether you're buying your first cell phone or looking for something better, follow these basic steps: (1) First, pick a company that delivers good service in your area. This report addresses service and includes...

Are cell phones safe? Research hasn't proved any hazards, but there may be cause for concern.
February 1, 2003... Ten years ago, David Reynard said on Larry King's CNN talk show that he blamed his wife's brain tumor on her cell-phone use. After her death, he sued a cell-phone carrier and a maker, charging that the phones had health risks. A federal...

Dialing down your home-phone costs: bills are on the rise. We'll help you find a lower-cost option that works for you.(Long Distance)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2003... With all the fuss over cell phones, you'd think consumers had gone completely wireless. But 95 percent of American households have landlines. And their costs are going up. Sure, every time you turn on your TV, carriers are vying for your...

Seven soup standouts: we tested 31 store-bought soups, packaged in everything from cans to pouches to microwavable bowls. Is yours a winner for taste?(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2003... Easy preparation helps explain why soup is the top ready-to-serve main dish at dinner, according to a report on national eating patterns from the NPD Group, a marketing research firm based in Port Washington, N.Y. The fact that soup is...

Free rein for drug ads? A slowdown in FDA review has left consumers more vulnerable to misleading messages.(Food and Drug Administration)
February 1, 2003... "I felt better so soon that I didn't miss a single day of training," says Eric Bergoust, Olympic gold-medal skier, in a 2002 radio commercial for the prescription flu drug Tamiflu (oseltamivir). In May, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...

Vacuum cleaners: our tests of 46 uprights and canisters reveal several top choices. But a growing number of models trade performance for pizzazz.(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2003... You'd think that a competitive market would spawn a better breed of vacuums--models that clean both carpets and bare floors more competently, handle tools more effectively, and do their work without spewing out what they pick up. As the Ratings...

Printers.(Product Updates)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2003... WHAT'S NEW * Faster printing. Inkjet printers are getting speedier. Four inkjets in our tests, two from Canon and two from Epson, printed between 8 and 9 pages of black text per minute (ppm). That's almost as fast as a laser printer....

When the test really counts: Part One earliest pregnancy detection: we tested 18 pregnancy-test kits to find out which brands work best. Buy the top performers and follow our tips for the most accurate results.(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2003... The claims on home pregnancy-test kits certainly sound impressive: "99 percent accurate," "results as early as 1 minute," "ready to use the first day of missed period." But how trustworthy are they? Our tests found that for many women, home...

When the test really counts: Part Two the fertility window: one ovulation-test kit outperformed the pack, while one performed poorly.(ClearPlan Easy Ovulation Test Pack)
February 1, 2003... When an ovulation-test kit works right it reliably identifies the most fertile 24 to 48 hours in a woman's cycle, the time in which the great majority of successful pregnancies are conceived. Our tests of 11 top-selling ovulation kits found one...

Should you buy an annuity now? These investments are selling faster than chocolates on Valentine's Day. But some can have unsavory effects on your savings.(Your Money)
February 1, 2003... To hear insurance companies, banks, and brokers tell it, annuities are about the best investment to come down the pike since Microsoft went public. Like an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), an annuity, which is an insurance contract, allows...

Cruising for comfort: the Toyota Avalon beats its American competitors at their own game.(Large Sedans Road Test)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2003... At one time, the big highway cruiser was the quintessential American car. Large, roomy, soft riding, and quiet, the vehicles were designed primarily for comfort. Of course, that was before oil embargoes; fuel-economy concerns; clean-air...

Phones Websites.(Brands)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... A cumulative listing of manufacturer phone numbers and web addresses is available free in browsable form at our web site, www.ConsumerReports.org. * Cell phones: Audiovox: 800-229-1235; www.audiovox.com.Ericsson: 800-374-2776;...

Vehicles and equipment.(Recalls)(2000-02 Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC sport-utility vehicles; 2003 Infiniti G35; 2000-01 Volkswagen Golf, Jetta, Cabrio, New Beetle)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... '00-02 Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC sport-utility vehicles Potentially dangerous pinch points exist on SUVs with rearward-folding head restraints on second-row seats. Models: 558,904 SUVs made 9/99 to 2/02. What to do: Have dealer...

Children's products.(Recalls)(Baby Trend 'Trend Swing' infant swings; Kolcraft toy attachments; Sulley and Boo plush dolls from The Disney Store)
February 1, 2003... Baby Trend "Trend Swing" infant swings sold at Toys 'R' Us stores Seat could come apart, causing baby to fall out. Products: 15,000 swings, models 8711 and 8722, sold 11/01 to 9/02 for $60 to $90. Model number appears on label on...

Household products.(Recalls)(Eveready Energizer 'Kidz Club' flashlights; Halo Burger flashlights and batteries; Phys Sci brand hooded sweatshirts from Target; Stihl gasoline-powered chain saws)
February 1, 2003... Eveready Energizer "Kidz Club" flashlights Flashlight could overheat and cause batteries to leak. Products: 24,000 multicolored flashlights sold 4/02 to 10/02 at discount department and toy stores for about $6. Flashlight measures...

Talking time.(Selling It)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... "Just press the button to hear the hour and minute of the day announced by a pleasant voice," this ad says. Apparently, however, the pleasant voice can't tell time. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Duh directions.(Selling It)(safe driving)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... WARNING Do NOT Operate Motor Vehicle With Sunshade ON all or part of the Windshield [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Eat less; slim down.(Selling It)(Nature's Path Optimum products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... Here's Nature's Path Optimum Slim next to regular Optimum. The ingredients are slightly different, so maybe that accounts for the slimness of Slim? Maybe, but there's another reason--a serving size of the regular cereal is one cup. A serving...

Making cents of PennyTalk.(Selling It)(calling card costs)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... A penny per minute for phone calls within the U.S.? "It's true!" reads an ad for the PennyTalk Calling Card. But hold the phone. The smaller type reveals a "low 49 cent connection charge" when each call is answered, plus a monthly 99 cent...

Black Hole Award.(Selling It)(Rhinestone Treasure Box kit)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... When a Delaware girl received the Rhinestone Treasure Boxes kit (kids can glue rhinestones onto heart-shaped, star-shaped, and round boxes), her dad thought it was surprisingly lightweight. Father and daughter discovered why when they opened...

Back to the drawing board?(Selling It)(packaging for pound cake)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2003... The least Sara Lee could do, said the Wisconsin reader who sent us this photo, is design the package so that the piece of pound cake that sticks to the lid covers the boast. (Another reader sent a similar shot, but when we bought five of the...