Consumer Reports articles from June 2001

Consumer Reports archives from June 2001

Selling it.(ads, labels)(Humor)(Column)
June 1, 2001... Black Hole Awards. Is there a worldwide shortage of chocolate? We found no Cocoa Oatios at all in half the box of this breakfast cereal. Then there's the box of chocolate hearts, distributed by Galerie Au Chocolat, in which a single layer...

Power to the people?(Your Money)(household energy conservation)(Column)
June 1, 2001... For months, rolling blackouts have dimmed lights, idled air conditioners, and shut down offices and factories in California. Now, public officials in the 22 other states from Maine to Arizona that have begun to deregulate residential...

The price of affordability.(Family Sedans - test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2001... If you want a midsized family sedan with the extra power of a V6 engine and an inviting number of features, you'll likely spend more than $25,000 for one of our top-rated models--the Volkswagen Passat, Toyota Camry, and Honda Accord. If...

Recalls: household products.(Column)
June 1, 2001... Household products. * Maytag and Magic Chef gas ranges In broil or self-clean mode, range could scorch or burn nearby cabinetry and start a fire. Products: 14,800 ranges sold 9/99 to 4/00 for $400 to $1,300. Suspect ranges have...

Prescription for change.(Consumers Union In Action)(contact-lens competition)
June 1, 2001... Get an eye exam anywhere in the country and federal law requires the examining doctor to give you your eyeglass prescription for the asking. That way, you can shop around for the best deal on frames and lenses. (Prices vary considerably; see...

Food-safety roulette.(Memo To Members)(Column)(Editorial)
June 1, 2001... For years, like many consumers, I didn't think twice about the safety of the food at the supermarket, assuming it was effectively protected by government standards and careful oversight. Much of the time our trust in the food supply is...

A breakthrough for borrowers.(credit score disclosure)
June 1, 2001... At long last, consumers have access to their credit score--a three-digit number based on a borrower's bill-paying history and debt profile that lenders use to determine what interest rate they'll charge for a loan. Recently, Equifax, one...

Go ahead: find the berry.(Product Test - cranberry juice mixes)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2001... Names such as Naturally Cranberry, Cranberry Juice Cocktail, and Cranberry Zip may lead you to believe that the one thing these juices all have in common is a good amount of the cranberry you're paying for. But that's not necessarily true....

First look: Toyota Highlander.(SUV)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2001... The Toyota Highlander, new this year, rivals the Lexus RX300--one of our top-rated sport-utility vehicles (SUVs). Both are derived from the refined Toyota Camry sedan. The Highlander is nearly as comfortable and quiet as the Lexus, and even...

Take two, and see you at the dryer.(Product Test - laundry tablets)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2001... Laundry tablets, new from the detergent doctors at Tide and Wisk, are supposed to make clothes washing less of a pill. "It's all about convenience," says Lisa Kovitz, a spokeswoman for Unilever, which makes Wisk Dual Action Tablets. "There's no...

Clear choices.(readers rate eyeglass chains)(Buyers Guide)(Cover Story)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2001... Eyeglasses are part medical device and part fashion statement, a marriage that has always made them a tough buy. Today, you have more choices than ever, and they can cost you. There are tens of thousands of different frames and probably as...

Choosing a housepaint or deck treatment for the long haul.(Product Updates - exterior paints)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2001... With any exterior paint or deck treatment, the most important criterion is longevity. Whether you do the prep and painting yourself or hire a contractor, you want to be sure that this year's fresh look will hold up year in, year out. Our...

Help with some TV repair costs.(Product Updates)
June 1, 2001... If you paid to repair a GE, Proscan, or RCA TV set made between Nov. 1, 1992, and Jan. 31, 1996, you may be entitled to reimbursement as part of a proposed legal settlement. But you'll have to act quickly. The settlement--arising from a...

Sports-supplement dangers.
June 1, 2001... Americans spent an estimated $1.4 billion on sports supplements in 1999, hoping that the pills, drinks, and powders would help them bulk up, slim down, or compete more effectively. But people who take these products are actually conducting what...

Picking the best paint.(interior paints)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2001... We can't help you decide whether Trendy Taupe or Autumn Haze is the right shade of gray. But while you're puzzling over the extraordinary names given ordinary paint colors, it may help to know which brand covers better and is more durable....

Push mowers - ratings.(Evaluation)
June 1, 2001... For as little as $100 to $150, gasoline-powered push mowers are a cost-effective choice for cutting a quarter acre or less of relatively flat turf. They're also fine for trimming around trees, fences, and other tight spots that most tractors...

Self-propelled mowers: features that help...features to avoid.(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2001... The latest gasoline-powered mowers aim to make mowing easier. They also cut exhaust emissions by at least 32 percent compared with models sold five years ago, and allow you to mulch clippings--a crucial feature as more and more communities ban...

Tuna goes upscale: canned tuna - test.(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2001... The normally humble canned tuna is putting on airs. Several new developments have this lunchtime stalwart stepping out in style, just two years shy of its centennial. Among the most novel introductions: "canned" tuna sans the can. Bumble Bee,...

Is this your next computer?(laptops - test)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2001... Even as the pace of desktop-computer sales slows, laptops are selling at an ever-increasing rate. It's not hard to understand why. Laptops now belong in the same league as desktop computers, thanks to brighter and larger displays, faster...

Cooking out.(gas grills - test)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2001... You can spend as much on a gas grill as you would on a new Kia Rio sedan (suggested retail price: $8,895). Of course, when it comes to grills, there are better buys. Almost any gas grill will start cooking a hamburger at the turn of a knob or...

Sunscreens: some don't block rays as well as they claim.(Evaluation)
June 1, 2001... The phrase "with sunscreen" seems as ubiquitous at the drugstore as "low fat" is at the supermarket. Sunscreen is now in moisturizers, lip balms, shampoos, hair-styling products, insect repellents, and makeup. Rit, the dye brand, has created...