Consumer Reports articles from February 2005

Consumer Reports archives from February 2005

Pay less for prescription drugs.(Have You Heard?)
February 1, 2005... Nexium, Viagra, Zoloft: Since the bombardment of product-specific advertising of prescription drugs began on TV and radio in 1997, earnest people with handsome faces have convinced us that we need particular...

Best pizza for football fans.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
February 1, 2005... While quarterbacks are passing the ball, Super Bowl viewers are passing the pizza. The Domino's pizza chain alone typically sells 1.2 million pies nationwide on Super Bowl Sunday, a 42 percent rise over the usual Sunday. Papa John's sales are...

First look.(Up front: news / trends / advice)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... Product: Ford Escape Hybrid Full report: August 2005 Americans seem conflicted: Reluctant to give up the amenities, room, and vrrrooom to which they've grown accustomed in vehicles, they still want to be kind to the environment....

Furnace picks and pans.(Up front: news / trends / advice)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Buying a reliable furnace has largely been a roll of the dice, but help is at hand. New data from a CONSUMER REPORTS survey of more than 36,000 homeowners show that some brands of gas furnaces, the most common type by far, may be a better bet...

Keeping flowers fresh.(Quick Tip)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and it makes cut flowers last longer. Other tips to keep a Valentine's Day bouquet from wilting early: * Wash the vase carefully to remove all traces of flowers that were in it before. ...

Two photo devices fill a niche market.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
February 1, 2005... PHOTO PRINTERS DOES A 4x6 MEASURE UP? A major reason to buy a digital camera is to choose, edit, and print only the images you want. Trouble is, few of us can match the speed and convenience of a one-hour lab. Small wonder that...

VAC attack: another Dyson joins the lineup.(vacuum cleaner)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Dyson's new DC14 upright, bagless vacuum cleaner, $570, is the latest in the British manufacturer's highly touted arsenal of colorful uprights. In recent tests it proved very good overall, but neither as good nor as low-priced as plenty of...

Glad bag's claim is sometimes a stretch, but Hefty lives up to its name.(Claim Check)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... The claim: Glad's new ForceFlex trash bags claim that they have "a unique diamond texture that stretches around objects to help prevent rips and tears." The TV ad shows the ForceFlex material stopping an elephant's charge: The tusks fail to...

Buying electronics.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... Concerning your December report, "Where to Shop for Electronics," don't forget the independently owned TV store, especially for hard-to-install items such as HDTVs. When I went shopping for a big-screen HDTV, naturally I visited the big chains....

The best brew.(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... Thank you for mentioning the certified Fair Trade and organic labels in your December article, "Coffee: In Search of Great Grounds." When I purchase coffee or any other product, I'm interested not only in what it can do for me, but what I can...

Car loans.(Your Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... In the Up Front section in December, you dismiss six-year, 0 percent car loans as a bad thing for the consumer. The only negative I can see in these loans is that they may entice you to purchase more car than you can afford. As long as the...

Clarification.(Your Letters)(Correction Notice)
February 1, 2005... In "Where to Shop for Electronics" in the December issue, a chart on page 19 of stores and the brands they carry reflected what trained shoppers found on store shelves in eight cities. RadioShack says its stores carry more brands than we...

Black Cat power washers recalled for fire and electric-shock hazards.(Recalls & Safety Alerts)(fasteners)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... After more than a dozen incidents involving overheated motors, some 30,500 Black Cat brand electric power washers have been recalled because of their potential to melt, catch fire, and expose live electrical components that could shock anyone...

'04 Chevrolet Impala and Monte Carlo, and Pontiac Grand Prix.(Vehicles And Equipment)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Vehicle may suffer from decreased steering and braking performance, possibly resulting in accident. Models: 47,991 cars made 3/04 to 4/04. Hazards exist because bolts connecting the brake-caliper brackets to the steering knuckle might not...

'02 GMC Envoy and Oldsmobile Bravada.(Vehicles And Equipment)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Some models are prone to a brief electrical spike that can disrupt powertrain control module and cause vehicle to stall out, increasing risk of crash. In certain instances, vehicle may not restart. Models: 29,951 sport-utility vehicles made...

Pyroil brake parts cleaner and NAPA brake cleaner.(Vehicles And Equipment)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Aerosol spray valve could stick when pressed, possibly emptying the cart's flammable contents. Products: 2.8 million 13-ounce cans of nonchlorinated brake parts cleaner sold 3/04 to 9/04 at auto parts stores nationwide for $2. Recalled...

'04 Volkswagen Touareg.(Vehicles And Equipment)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Rear safety belts may not provide adequate protection in a crash. Models: 24,269 sport-utility vehicles made 4/03 to 12/03. What to do: Have dealer inspect and, if necessary, replace rear safety-belt latches.

Coleman, Coleman Evcon, and Red T brand gas furnaces for mobile homes.(Home And Yard)(American Standard Inc. Unitary Products Group's product defects and recalls)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Could overheat, causing heat exchanger to crack, burn through, and ignite materials near furnace. Products: 226,000 silver-colored furnaces sold '95 to '00 as original equipment and as replacement furnaces in manufactured housing. Recall...

Bowflex Power Oro and Ultimate Fitness exercise machines.(Athletic Equipment)(product defects and recalls)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Various parts could break in use and injure user. Products: 680,000 Power Pro units (with and without "Lat Tower") and 102,000 Ultimate fitness machines sold 1/95 to 4/04 via infomercials, direct sales, and at fitness specialty stores for...

New phone choices: slash your phone bill.(Special Phone Section)
February 1, 2005... Call it a paradox of plenty: As phone rates have steadily declined, consumers have snapped up more and more minutes of telephone time. That has increased the phone outlay to more than $1,400 a year for households with landline and wireless...

Internet phoning: should you try it?(Special Phone Section)(Voice over Internet Protocol)
February 1, 2005... By one industry, estimate, this year some 1 million people will be using a new kind of phone service that sends calls over the Internet instead of regular phone lines. The main reason: Internet calling is cheap. But is it for you? We tested it...

Cellular service: best carriers.(Special Phone Section)(wireless carriers)
February 1, 2005... Every national wireless carrier has chronic major problems with service, billing, and complaint-handling, according to our third annual subscriber survey, our most expansive to date. Conducted last September, it shows how major carriers...

Cell phones: best choices.(Special Phone Section)
February 1, 2005... Many of the lowest-priced phones in the stores will have a color display and a camera. As you move up in price, you'll find fancier cameras and features such as Bluetooth wireless technology. But none of those features count if the phone can't...

Headsets: hands-free talk.(Special Phone Section)
February 1, 2005... Cell-phone headsets are less conspicuous and come in more styles than they did a few years ago. But none in our tests was a standout for comfort, voice quality, and convenience. So, we're talking trade-offs. Want a fit that's especially...

Chocolates: sweet sensations.
February 1, 2005... Come Valentine's Day, amorous Americans will spend $1 billion on candy, often boxed chocolates. Although many gift-givers won't look beyond familiar names such as Godiva or Russell Stover, the Internet has made it possible to order handmade,...

Indoor tanning: unexpected dangers.(CR Investigates)(suntan)
February 1, 2005... Nearly 30 million Americans, including a growing number of teenage girls, are expected to visit a tanning salon this year. Our nationwide survey found evidence of a public-health threat that goes beyond the familiar warnings that tanning may...

Condoms: extra protection.(CR's Guide To Contraception)
February 1, 2005... Of the many options available for pregnancy prevention, condoms remain the only method that also can help prevent sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV which causes AIDS. That's a crucial function: HIV infects 110 Americans each day...

Microwave ovens: crispier cooking.
February 1, 2005... Crispy chicken and nicely browned pizza from a microwave oven? You'll find those capabilities in several new models, courtesy of a convection feature that circulates heated air to brown foods and seal in moisture. Convection continues to...

Washer & dryer update: a new spin.(washing machines)
February 1, 2005... Washday may never be the same. More and more households are switching from top-loading washers with agitators--the familiar old standbys most of us have used for decades--to top-loaders with new wash systems or front-loaders. ...

Water heaters: hot tips for a better buy.(CR Home)
February 1, 2005... You probably don't think much about your water heater until a cold shower or a telltale puddle suggests that you need a new one--now. How to choose? Most look alike on the outside. But a look inside tells a very different story. Sawing...

Lower-sugar foods: some are diet traps.(CR Health)
February 1, 2005... The latest food trend seems like good news for weight control. Over the past year, manufacturers have introduced lower-sugar cereals, soft drinks, ice cream, yogurt, juices, and even pasta sauce. Many include sucralose (Splenda), a compound...

Cell-phone bills: how to decipher them.(CR Money)(telephone billing systems)
February 1, 2005... It's easy to feel as if you've been had when you receive your cell-phone bill each month. You chose your monthly service plan for its $29.99 advertised price, not to mention that free nifty flip phone. But with all the taxes and unexpected fees...

When four beats six: family sedans: the best four-cylinder sedans can hold their own against many V6 rivals.
February 1, 2005... When looking at moderately-priced family sedans, you might find yourself choosing between a four-cylinder, lower-end version of a highly-rated model and a V6, amply-equipped version of a midpack model. Given that premise, we lined up two...

Market competition would increase Web access.(View point: the consumers union perspective)(broadband)
February 1, 2005... Being "connected" is critically important in the digital information age, as digital technologies continue to change the way we live, learn, work, and do business. But the reality is that not all Americans have convenient access to the...

Hello? Hello?(then & now)(4-ounce LG VX7000)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... To briefly escape the demands of modern life, Sunday drivers used to leave the city, wave to the suburbs, and meander around the countryside. The introduction of cell phones in the 1980s changed that. Modern life's demands could catch up with...

Ready, world?(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)(Grapple Fruits' flavored apples)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Apples are good for you, have a flavor favored by lots of kids and adults, and are inexpensive. So a company called Grapple Fruits has decided to improve them. The Grapple ("say Grape-L," the Web site instructs) is a Washington state apple with...

A kinkwell, or a rockade.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)(The Bradford Editions' illuminated christmas tree)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Below left, the "First-ever Norman Rockwell Illuminated Christmas Tree!" Below right, the "First-ever Thomas Kinkade Illuminated Christmas Tree!" Both are sold by The Bradford Editions and are "remarkably priced at $135." Both include "12...

Faux-NY baloney.(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
February 1, 2005... Two questions for the maker of this pendant: Using your logic, would a FAKE faux SAPPHIRE be genuine? And if your genuine faux is genuinely free, as the large type states, why should anyone fork over $9.95, the price the small type indicates...

Um ... you're fired?(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
February 1, 2005... Here, a dubious deal for a subscription to Trump World magazine (the numbers were corrected on the Web site).

No fat, too!(Selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
February 1, 2005... Ok, gang, can we admit that carb-counting has gone a little too far?