Consumer Reports articles from January 2004

Consumer Reports archives from January 2004

A well-rounded education.(have you heard?)
January 1, 2004... Last year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that obesity in kids ages 6 to 19 has tripled in the last two decades. American kids aren't just getting fatter; they're getting sicker because they're overweight. A 2002 review...

A clear view of 'blind' travel sites.(Up front: news: trends: advice)(online travel services)
January 1, 2004... A new study by Consumer WebWatch, a grant-funded project of Consumers Union, looks closely at Priceline.com and Hotwire.com, "blind" travel Web sites that promise great deals and big savings but keep you guessing until the last minute about...

Bowling for Bounty.(Claim Check)(truth of television advertisement)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... The claim: In a TV commercial that caught our eye several months ago, a Bounty paper towel is suspended in midair beside the "next leading 2-ply." Each paper towel supports a bowling ball. Each towel is then drenched with water until one breaks...

An oil that keeps you slim?(Up front: news: trends: advice)(Enova cooking oil may lead to weight loss)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Enova, a popular cooking oil in Japan, is being test-marketed in the U.S. It claims to be specially processed so that it "can actually help you maintain, not gain weight." Is that claim true? Published research supported by the food...

Plasma TV ratings online.(Up front: news: trends: advice)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... CRXTRA In time to help if you want a new TV before the Super Bowl, our first Ratings of plasma TV sets--those expensive, super-thin displays-will be available free on CRXtra, beginning Jan. 16. (They weren't ready for this issue of the...

Will a drugstore product give you whiter teeth?(Up front: news: trends: advice)
January 1, 2004... Pearly whites like these aren't good enough for many people nowadays. As one of our dental consultants remarked, "people want bombshell white." Hence the demand for tooth-whitening. Dentists do a very effective kind of whitening, using...

Requested: a use-by date for tires.(Up front: news: trends: advice)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Do tires need a use-by date, like the milk in your refrigerator? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is being asked to require tire makers to provide expiration dates. Strategic Safety LLC, a safety research firm, submitted...

Ready-mades: more slip than cover.(Up front: news: trends: advice)(slipcoversd)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2004... Custom-made slipcovers can easily cost hundreds of dollars, depending on the fabric you choose. Reupholstering costs even more. But how about an off-the-rack alternative--ready-made, machine-washable slipcovers from a store like Pottery...

The scoop on suds.(talk The talk)(shampoo ingredients)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... While shampooing, have you ever glanced at the bottle and wondered: What in the world does Hydroxypropyl Trimonium Honey do for my hair? Well, we have. So we bought a handful of shampoos and asked a hair-product-development consultant for the...

Long-term-care insurance.(your letters)(Letter to the Editor)
January 1, 2004... Letter to the Editor As a nursing home administrator, I am frequently asked about the pros and cons of long-term-care insurance. Your November report on this subject was fanfastic. Long-term-care insurance has the potential to be a real...

Clarification.(your letters)(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2004... Correction Notice The Boeri Rage ski and snowboard helmet covered in the December issue is also sold as the Boeri Axis Rage. It comes in various shell colors. The helmets with high-gloss shells were rated Not Acceptable. The version with...

Correction, auto book.(your letters)(Correction Notice)
January 1, 2004... Correction Notice In Consumer Reports' latest automotive publication, New Car Preview 2004, the following cars are recommended but were not consistently labeled as such: Chevrolet Tahoe, Infiniti FX, Lexus LS430, Lincoln Town Car, Mazda...

New warning about portable play yard.(recalls & safety alerts)(Graco Pack 'n Play; 2001-03 Hyundai models; 2002-03 Cadillac, Pontiac and Oldsmobile models; 2002-03 Honda CR-V; Britax Super Elite child car seats; Graco SnugRide infant car seat and carrier; Honda Harmony lawn mower; Husqvarna laws mowers; )
January 1, 2004... The strangulation of a 13-month-old girl in Twin Falls, Idaho, in December 2002 has prompted Graco, a major manufacturer of children's products, to issue stronger warnings about a play yard used in more than a half-million homes. The...

Cut the fat.(Health & Fitness Section)
January 1, 2004... It's a recipe for weight gain. Many American farms are churning out an overabundance of food, especially the foods that put on the pounds. This bounty of corn, rice, soybeans, sugar, and wheat contribute to the availability of healthful...

TV exercise devices: 6-pack abs in 14 days?(Health & Fitness Section)
January 1, 2004... If you believe that an exercise machine can reshape your body in two weeks, have we got an AMAZING! offer for you. Lots of offers, actually, from doctors, fitness experts, and regular Joes and Jills who claim in infomercials that their devices...

Heart dangers in disguise.(Ephedra)
January 1, 2004... Despite years of bad publicity, ephedra, a dangerous heart stimulant similar in effect to amphetamines (speed), is still widely available in stores and on the Internet. And it's turning up in products that consumers might not think to check for...

Body-fat scales: will they help?(Health & Fitness Section)(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2004... Concerns about fat and obesity have spawned a new kind of bathroom scale, one that gives your weight and uses a weak electric current to measure the amount of fat on your frame. Some manufacturers claim that body-fat percentage, which the...

House wrecked: serious hidden defects plague many newer homes. Here's how to avoid trouble.(CR Investigates)
January 1, 2004... Last year, consumers bought more than 1 million new homes in the U.S., a near record. Average sale price: $250,000. But a CR investigation has found that increasingly, buyers are discovering that their new dream home has serious defects and...

Bathroom fans: strong, silent types.(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2004... Although an exhaust fan has been a standard part of most bathrooms for many years, people are often loath to use theirs, thinking it's too noisy. That's unfortunate because, as this report explains, it's important to keep indoor moisture levels...

Dishwashers: loads of value.(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2004... You don't have to clean out your checking account to get clean dishes. In our latest tests of 33 dishwashers, we found models selling for as little as $330 that did an excellent job of washing dishes caked with oatmeal, spinach, and other...

Microwave ovens: on autopilot.(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2004... Check out the microwave-oven section of your local big-box or appliance store and you'll find both style and smarts at a relatively low price. The familiar popcorn setting now shares space with an eclectic menu of other shortcut keys that...

Power sanders: smooth operators.(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2004... Some of the latest power sanders can skim off as much wood in 5 minutes as you could in 30 minutes of continuous sanding by hand. Many are easier to use than older models. And nearly all have a dust bag--important considering the health risks...

FDA requires warnings on anti-malaria drug Lariam.(health)
January 1, 2004... It takes special vigilance to prevent serious harm from some medication side effects. In July, the Food and Drug Administration finally insisted that consumers be told about the serious psychiatric problems that occur in some of the 25 million...

Did you know?(health)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Prussian blue dye, a mineral compound long used as a pigment by artists and industry, can help rid the body of certain radioactive contaminants. Radiogardase, a pharmaceutical grade of Prussian blue, was recently approved by the Food and Drug...

HIV tests: fast results vs. privacy protection.(names & claims)
January 1, 2004... "HIV testing can now be accomplished in three minutes, in the privacy of your home," claims the Web site for Discreet, a do-it-yourself blood-screening test for the HIV virus. The Canadian manufacturer promises "immediate, accurate, and 100%...

Take arms against a faulty credit record.(money)
January 1, 2004... It's alarming, but no one except you will ever vet the records that could determine your eligibility for a mortgage, car loan, apartment lease, or even employment. The three major agencies that track your credit record--Equifax, Experian, and...

Baby monitors: an extra set of ears.(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2004... Audio baby monitors are not just for babies anymore. Inexpensive (some cost less than $30), small, and portable, they are being used to keep tabs on older kids at play and seniors who need care. Pamela Davol, a dog breeder in Swansea, Mass.,...

Plus-size tires: when more is less.(Buyers Guide)
January 1, 2004... Larger wheels and tires have taken the fast lane, from street racing to showroom. Nearly 40 percent of new vehicles now leave the factory with larger, 16- and 17-inch wheels. Fewer than 10 percent did so in 1996. The big-wheeled look has...

Moving forward: the redesigned Malibu scores among the best in its class. It's a bargain, too.(Family Sedans)(Product/Service Evaluation)
January 1, 2004... Benefiting from a major redesign for 2004, the Chevrolet Malibu has achieved a new high score in our Ratings for midsized American family sedans. It is now a competitive alternative to the top-rated cars in the family sedan class. The...

The uninsured: Americans at risk.(View point: the consumers union perspective)
January 1, 2004... What if your child risked dying from asthma because you couldn't afford the doctor visits and medicines that could prevent a life-threatening attack? What ff you had to choose between losing your house and paying up front for your spouse's...

Lean on me.(then & now)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... When we tested bathroom scales in 1983, digital readouts were the raqe. Topping LEDs, however, was a talking scale: It displayed pounds and announced your weight--loudly enough to be heard in the next room. Ouch. With America's waistline...

Food follies.(Selling it: goofs: glitches: gotchas)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... We're always amazed and amused by foods that showcase a certain ingredient but actually have little or none of it (a practice that's legal, though it can be deceptive). Juice drinks axe a prime example: There's grape juice that's mostly apple;...

Ready, world?(Selling it: goofs: glitches: gotchas)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... Now, from K9 Water Company of California: vitamin-fortified water for dogs. A pack of four 16.9-ounce bottles costs $7.49--a whole lot more than the tap water our dog is happy to drink. As a matter of fact, she's willing to lap up a lot worse....

Depends what you mean by 'one'.(Selling it: goofs: glitches: gotchas)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... On his doctor's recommendation, a Colorado reader began taking a saw palmetto supplement. He noticed that a serving of One-A-Day Prostate Health Formula had the amount of saw palmetto that he wanted--320 mg per "serving"--and assumed he would...

What's wrong with this picture?(Selling it: goofs: glitches: gotchas)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... See that Jeep up to its headlights in wet stuff? Want to know what's in tiny type at the bottom of the ad? "Traversing deep water can cause damage which voids the vehicle warranty."

Next, the uses of a brush.(Selling it: goofs: glitches: gotchas)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2004... We tend to use a comb to neaten hair, but thanks for the heads-up. This tip was on a regular pocket comb, with no claim of lice removal. (The first foreign object that came to mind was French fries, but they rarely find their way into our...