Consumer Reports articles from June 2002

Consumer Reports archives from June 2002

Selling It.(Humor)(Column)
June 1, 2002... Baffling bottles. Shop at CVS for glucosamine and chondroitin (they relieve symptoms of osteoarthritis in some people), as we did recently, and you may have a choice of three bottles, which can prove confusing in at least three ways. ...

For richer or poorer again: with this checklist, I thee wed.(Your Money)(2nd marriages)(Column)
June 1, 2002... This is the first report of a new series called "Transitions," which will identify turning points in life when individuals and families must make complex financial decisions. The focus is to guide readers through decision-making in a second...

The hype in "hypoallergenic".(Consumers Union In Action)(Column)
June 1, 2002... Americans may be tough, but apparently they want their skin to be soft--not to mention clean and fragrant. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the average adult slathers on seven different skin-care products each day. The list...

Losing your day in court.(Memo To Members)(mandating arbitration)(Editorial)
June 1, 2002... Don't you hate getting all those updated "customer agreements"--the incomprehensible notices from credit-card companies, utilities, and cable-television providers that you usually don't read, but stuff in a drawer somewhere? They're not just...

Debit-card users stuck with new PIN fees.
June 1, 2002... Just when you thought banks couldn't possibly come up with another fee, here's another fee: a charge for certain debit-card withdrawals. Early this spring, KeyBank informed some customers that it would charge 25 cents each time they...

Retrofit kits for child car seats.(Product Information)
June 1, 2002... If one or more of your passengers is of the blankie-and-Sesame Street set, you have some choices to make in the coming months about car seats. The background: All car seats and most passenger vehicles manufactured as of Sept. 1 of this...

Water savers: 50 ways to live with less.
June 1, 2002... This year could be the driest on record in many states, prompting officials to call for water restrictions for residents and businesses alike. Of course, water conservation makes sense for environmental and economic reasons even if your area is...

Celebrity sauces: is it worth paying more for a pasta sauce with a pedigree?(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... In the beginning, there was Paul Newman. The tomato sauce featuring the actor's name and recipe was so successful that it became a supermarket staple. Now, Newman's Own shares the shelves with a bevy of sauces sponsored by chefs who have won...

Cyberspace invaders: here's how to stop them.(computer hackers, viruses)
June 1, 2002... If you have a high-speed Internet connection that's always on, your home computer may be probed by a hacker at any hour of any day. These hackers are seeking an entree they can use to hide software that would allow the computer to be "zombied,"...

Firewalls; antivirus software: ratings.(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... Firewalls Overall Ratings Within types, in performance order PRODUCT PRICE OVERALL RATING SOFTWARE FIREWALLS ZoneAlarm...

Recalls: child products; vehicles and equipment.(Column)(Directory)
June 1, 2002... * Graco SnugRide car seat/infant carrier When used with base as safety seat in vehicle, carrier could detach from base in crash, subjecting child to serious injury. Products: 918,930 safety seats made 8/31/99 to 2/28/02, including the...

Recalls: household products.(Column)(Directory)
June 1, 2002... * Craftsman, Murray, Murray Select, Wizard, and Yard King riding mowers Fuel tank could crack and leak, posing burn or fire hazard. Products: 89,500 rear-riding-engine lawn mowers sold 1/95 to 1/02 at stores including Home Depot,...

A show of handhelds: should you put your life in a PDA's hands? If so, which model? We help you decide.(Product Information)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2002... Personal digital assistants, or PDAs, have found their way into the hands of an estimated one out of six Americans in recent years. PDAs can store years of appointments, thousands of addresses and phone numbers, and to-do lists that would keep...

PDAs: ratings.(personal digital assistants, pocket PCs)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... Overall Ratings Within types, in performance order KEY BRAND & MODEL PRICE OVERALL SCORE NO. SIMILAR MODELS IN SMALL TYPE P F G VG E ...

The truth about dieting.(Cover Story)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2002... And even if you do manage to take off all that weight, there's small hope of keeping it off, since studies have shown that 95 percent of all dieters regain their lost weight and go on to add more pounds. When you add it all up, well, praise the...

Atkins Diet: what's wrong with it?(Cover Story)
June 1, 2002... For nearly 30 years, the nutrition establishment has denounced the diet promulgated by Dr. Robert C. Atkins for its unsound high-fat, ultra-low-carbohydrate regimen. As recently as last year, an expert panel of nutritionists convened by the...

Nosing out the best tissues.(Facial Tissues - Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... Facial tissues may be throwaway items, but the differences among them are nothing to sneeze at. The 21 tissues we tested for this report--including national and store brands with and without extras such as lotion and aloe--varied greatly in...

Splendid in the grass: self-propelled mowers.(Lawn Mowers - Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... SELF-PROPELLED MOWERS The best of these work-saving machines still cost the most. But our tests of more than 30 models reveal two CR Best Buys that mow nearly as well for far less. Most mowers with engine-driven wheels start at roughly...

Push-type mowers.(Lawn Mowers - Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... These simplest of power mowers cost the least, and include both gasoline-powered and plug-in electric models. Among the 19 in this report, four CR Best Buys did especially well and cost as little as $140. Mowers you move yourself are a...

Cooking with gas: you can buy an excellent grill for $2,000 - or spend $200 for one of four very good CR Best Buys.(Gas Grills - Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... Gas-grill manufacturers are laying on features this season. An example is the Char-Broil Commercial Series 4632215, $500, which has three long-warranty burners, a side burner, and porcelain-coated, cast-iron grates, along with the trendy...

The dry basement: what it takes to deal with dampness downstairs or in a crawl space.(Cover Story)
June 1, 2002... Water doesn't always know its place. It may show up in your basement or crawl space during a rainstorm or a winter thaw--or, for that matter, anytime it likes if your house and yard weren't finished with proper regard for drainage or the water...

Waterproof coatings: our testing turned up one outstanding brand.(Keeping Your Basement Dry)(Cover Story)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... When your basement walls are damp to the touch or even seeping water, you may get temporary salvation with a waterproofing coating on the walls. Despite their name, these products do not prevent water from entering through large cracks and...

Dehumidifiers.(Keeping Your Basement Dry)(Cover Story)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... When waterproofing, better drainage, or improved ventilation aren't possible or effective, a dehumidifier may help. Because it warms the air as it works, it can even take the chill off basement air. A dehumidifier works much like an air...

Product updates: deck treatments, house paints.(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2002... WHAT'S NEW Deck-treatment manufacturers are making improvements. Since we began our long-term testing of deck treatments six years ago, we have seen many products on the market reformulated and reintroduced. They claim to fade less and...

Mutual funds: short and sweet.(ultra-short-term bond mutual funds)(Buyers Guide)(Industry Overview)
June 1, 2002... A MONEY-MARKET SUBSTITUTE Your strategy was sound, but so far the outcome is less than satisfying. You put cash for your short-term needs into a money-market fund or savings account--safe, secure, but paying you a meager 1 to 3 percent...

Open-top fun in five flavors.(Roadsters - Road Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... The long-awaited 2002 Ford Thunderbird, styled after the original 1955 Thunderbird, has caused such a stir that dealers have long waiting lists of buyers. Six months after its introduction, the car was still commanding as much as $10,000 over...

Ford Thunderbird.(Roadsters - Road Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... The Thunderbird is a modern car styled to resemble its classic original version. With a relatively quiet interior and a supple if somewhat floaty ride, it is a relaxed cruiser rather than a sporty roadster. The T-Bird handles reasonably well...

Audi TT.(Roadsters - Road Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... The TT is an artfully designed car with a well-crafted interior. It accelerates quickly and handles securely, and is the only car of the group to offer all-wheel drive. However, its ride is stiff and the least comfortable of these five cars,...

Mercedes-Benz SLK.(Roadsters - Road Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... The SLK320 provides a quiet, pleasant driving experience. Outward visibility is very good, access and trunk capacity are the best of the group, and the SLK provides a more solid feel, with less body shake, than typical convertibles. It handles...

Porsche Boxster.(Roadsters - Road Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... Although the Boxster tied the Corvette in overall scoring, it drives much differently. The lithe Boxster provides nimble, secure, and effortless handling. It managed the fastest speed through our accident-avoidance course. The steering and...

Chevrolet Corvette.(Roadsters - Road Test)(Evaluation)
June 1, 2002... The Corvette is the quickest car we've tested. Powered by a strong 350-hp, 5.7-liter V8 engine, it accelerated from 0 to 60 mph in a mere 4.8 seconds, almost a second and a half faster than the next quickest, the Porsche Boxster. The Corvette...