Consumer Reports articles from June 2004

Consumer Reports archives from June 2004

By the numbers.(this issue; consumer behavior)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... by the numbers GAS GRILLS Pounds of propane we used in our tests 250 DIET DINNERS Total calorie count of all 8,000+ diet meals sampled WASHERS Number of fabric swatches checked 10,618...

Cloaked daggers.(have you heard?)(Editorial)
June 1, 2004... It was the height or depth of euphemisms, depending on your perspective. In the early 1960s, the CIA formed a "health alteration committee." The group could change an enemy's health all right. As one acting division chief at the time said:...

What are travelers' rights?(Canceled flights)
June 1, 2004... With the July 4 holiday and the summer travel season looming, flight delays and cancellations--whether for bad weather or fear of terrorist attacks--become an immediate concern. Canceled flights can be disruptive, not to mention...

We scour the claims for 'miracle' cleaners.(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2004... Ads for do-it-all cleaners have been blasting TV viewers off the couch for years. These products purport to clean anything and everything from the laundry room to the living room. Operators are standing by. So are our cleaning experts,...

New help with jar lids.(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2004... The Black & Decker Lids Off, a new electric jar opener, can be especially useful for people who lack hand strength or grip, our tests showed. Lids Off does all the turning. In our tests, it easily opened containers ranging from tiny...

It's in the bag.(Claim Check)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2004... The claim: Therm-A-Snap and KeepCool insulated bags, each about $2.50 for a bag about 20-by-20 inches, aim to keep food hot, cold, or frozen for at least 2 1/2 hours. They're sold at warehouse stores and supermarkets. The check: We put 4...

Are cell phones safe? Questions remain.(Up front: news / trends / advice)
June 1, 2004... Because cell phones transmit and receive radio waves, they have long been suspected as a health hazard. None of the research has shown a clear danger, but scientists haven't been willing to conclude that the phones are harmless. The...

A known risk: phoning while driving.(Up front: news / trends / advice)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... The use of cell phones while driving may increase the number of crashes by about 6 percent, according to a study in the February 2003 issue of the journal Risk Analysis. The report links cell-phone use with some 2,600 traffic fatalities and...

Coffee as candy at Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks.(food wise)
June 1, 2004... With virtually no calories, no fat, and no carbohydrates, black coffee puts no dent in a diet. Even a dollop of low-fat milk and a teaspoon of sugar boost the nutrition numbers only slightly. But those frappu-, cappu-, mocha-things? Don't...

Product: scion xA and xB full report: August 2004.(first look)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2004... Scion is a new Toyota brand aimed at young customers who may think Toyota too stodgy. The xA, a four-door hatchback, and the xB, a very boxy wagon, are based on the small Toyota Echo sedan. Our cars have a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine,...

Handy lasers on the level.(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
June 1, 2004... Until recently, the only tool for aligning bookshelf supports, cabinets and counters, and appliances was the spirit level. It tells you when something is exactly horizontal or vertical. Now, a number of tools add a laser's light to cast a...

Correction.(Correction Notice)
June 1, 2004... Because of incorrect information provided by the Internal Revenue Service, a chart with the March CR Money report "Many Happy Tax Returns" understated the total number of tax returns filed on paper and those paper returns with errors. An...

GM recalls millions of pickup trucks with tailgate trouble.(recalls & safety alerts)(General Motors Corp.)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... A corrosion problem involving the tailgate supports has prompted General Motors Corp. to recall millions of Chevrolet, GMC, and Cadillac full-size pickup trucks. The recall involves approximately 3.7 million pickups sold in the U.S. and...

Char-Broil gas barbecue grills.(Household Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... If moisture enters temperature gauge on lid, glass cover could break and injure anyone nearby. Products: 108,000 grills including the following: Commercial Series models 4632210, 4632215, 463221503, and 463231503. Grills came with three...

Lakewood Sun-sational deluxe radiant electric heaters.(Household Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Pose serious electric-shock hazard. Products: 150,000 heaters sold 8/96 to 2/04 at stores including Sam's Club for $30 to $40. Recalled oval-shaped heaters have metallic gray heating element, white base, and red control knobs. Label at...

Lasko space heaters.(Household Products)(Lasko Products )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Power cord connection could overheat, causing cord to separate from heater and posing risk of fire, burn, and shock. Products: 186,000 space heaters, models 5500 and 5700 sold 7/01 through 12/03 at retailers including Sam's Club and...

Wagner cordless drill charger base.(Household Products)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Defective battery could cause charger base to overheat, melt, and possibly burn nearby objects. Products: 180,000 drill sets sold 1/96 through 12/03 at department and hardware stores and by mail order for $40 to $100. Recall involves...

'04 Dodge Durango.(Vehicles And Equipment)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... On some, instrument cluster circuit board capacitor could overheat and cause fire. On others, throttle cable could attract water and freeze open. Models: 27,586 sport-utility vehicles made 4/03 to 12/03 have a problem with the instrument...

'01 Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute.(Vehicles And Equipment)
June 1, 2004... Safety belt may not latch properly. Models: 132,243 Ford Escape sport-utility vehicles made 10/99 to 5/01. And 49,000 Mazda Tribute SUVs made 4/00 to 5/01. The Escape and Tribute are twins. What to do: Have dealer replace buckle...

'03 Mazda6.(Vehicles And Equipment)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Fuel sender unit could leak and pose fire risk. Models: 56,700 cars made 10/02 to 8/03. What to do: Have dealer inspect top of fuel tank and. if necessary, repair or replace it.

'99-04 Suzuki Grand Vitara, '01-04 XL-7.(Vehicles And Equipment)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Accelerator cable could get stuck and prevent vehicle from decelerating. Models: 196,876 sport-utility vehicles made 7/98 to 6/03:'99-04 Grand Vitara and '01-04 XL-7. What to do: Have dealer replace accelerator cable.

The truth about low-carb foods.(CR Investigates)
June 1, 2004... When is a calorie not a calorie? When it comes from a low-carbohydrate food. That, at least, is what many food ads and labels now imply. "For just 3 grams of net carbs per serving, you can reward yourself with one of life's most...

Low-carb lingo.(talk The Talk)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... To turn high-carbohydrate foods into low-carb versions, food processors are making new uses of old ingredients such as sugar alcohols and fermentable carbohydrates. These substances don't have serious safety issues, though they may produce...

Number crumble.(talk The Talk)(Carborite cookie)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... This Carborite cookie claims a mere 3.2 grams of net carbs thanks to ingredients such as maltitol, polydextrose, erythritol, and Inulin. But it has 120 calories.

How do low-carb foods taste?(Close Up)
June 1, 2004... Our taste tests of 19 low-carb offerings found that some of them tasted reasonably good. Two products--both breads--were very good, while several others, including all three ice creams, were downright unappealing. Each of the tested...

Calorie control made simple.(Diet Meals)
June 1, 2004... Despite today's trends, whether carb-counting or fat-watching, there is obvious sense in the old-fashioned idea of limiting calories to lose weight. That may be why diet meals have captured about one-third of the frozen-meals market They're...

Gas grills: high end for less.(Outdoor Living)
June 1, 2004... Stainless-steel trim on models priced only a notch above basic &re among the appetizing features you'll find as the grill-shopping season heats up. The latest example is the $400 Thermos Stainless. Besides setting a new low price for...

Lawn mowers: a step ahead.(Outdoor Living)
June 1, 2004... Cutting the grass may not be your idea of quality time. But several labor-saving features help some new walk-behind mower's get you through this weekly chore a bat more quickly and smoothly. A major improvement is easier mulching and...

String trimmers: the kindest cuts.(Outdoor Living)
June 1, 2004... Faster starts, fewer tangles, and easier handling are among the string-trimmer features you'll find as manufacturers improve these bladeless yard tools. Those developments have become talking points for the big-box stores that now...

Paints & stains: the test of time.(Outdoor Living)
June 1, 2004... Just about any exterior paint or stain will make your house look good for a few years. But the best products on the market can maintain their looks for as many as nine years, according to our ongoing tests. Choosing a product that performed...

Washers: a whole new spin.
June 1, 2004... The once ho-hum laundry room has become a hotbed of activity. New technologies and jazzier styling are stirring up interest--and pushing prices of some washers above $1,500. (If that figure has you reeling, you'll be happy to know that we...

Dryers: a few new wrinkles.
June 1, 2004... The fundamental way clothes dryers work--tumbling laundry in a heated chamber--hasn't changed much in decades, although some models have gotten more stylish and high-tech. Among developments worth noting: * Maytag recently introduced a...

Computers: new considerations.
June 1, 2004... For years, laptop and desktop computers could handle just about anything you could throw at them. As speed and storage capacity rose, prices fell. That trend still holds, according to our latest tests of moderately priced computers. As...

Desktop computers.
June 1, 2004... SELECT THE RIGHT TYPE Use these descriptions to decide which type of desktop suits your needs. Then use the table at the right to determine which brands offer it. Then review "Assess Repair History" and "Consider Technical Support,"...

Laptop computers.
June 1, 2004... SELECT THE RIGHT TYPE Use these descriptions to decide which type of laptop suits your needs. Then use the table at right to determine which brands offer it. Then review "Assess Repair History" and "Consider Technical Support," below, to...

Monitors: thin is in.
June 1, 2004... If your computer's monitor is hogging the top of your desk, you can reclaim much of the space by replacing it with a liquid-crystal display (LCD). But doing so will cost you about $200 to $300 more than if you bought a new cathode-ray tube...

A new direction for PDA navigation.(CR cars)(Personal Digital Assistant )(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2004... The Garmin iQue 3600 is our top-rated PDA portable navigation system. It combines the functionality of a Palm-based portable digital assistant with an easy-to-use, feature-laden navigation system. Other PDA navigation systems require that...

Kia Sorento: an improved suspension?(claimcheck)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 1, 2004... When we tested the Kia Sorento SUV a year ago, we found it had a roomy interior, good off-road capabilities, and a long list of features for its price. But it suffered from clumsy handling, poor gas mileage, and an awfully stiff ride. The...

Headaches that could spell trouble.(CR health)
June 1, 2004... In the last three months, have you had a headache that limited your activities for a day or more? Do you experience nausea when you have a headache? Does light bother you when you have a headache? If you have frequent headaches and...

Nuts: a healthful handful?(names & claims)
June 1, 2004... "A handful a day may help reduce the risk of heart disease" is the claim bannered across a bright red heart on a jar of Planters Dry Roasted Peanuts. The label also notes that "scientific evidence suggests but does not prove" that this is so...

Pets may lower allergy risk.(Did you know?)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Infants raised in homes with a dog may have a lower risk of developing allergies than those without pooches, according to a study in the February 2004 Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Researchers tested one-year-olds from 285...

Insurance for those who are ill.(CR money)
June 1, 2004... If you are diagnosed with a chronic medical condition, you know that you may have difficulty buying health insurance. But buying life, disability, or long-term-care coverage may be a greater challenge. Most insurance companies refuse to...

Flawed gems: luxury sedans: for these high-priced European models, the devil is in the details.
June 1, 2004... All four sedans in this issue performed well enough in our tests to earn an excellent or very good overall rating. Generally, they got high marks for acceleration, handling, braking, ride comfort, quietness, and seat comfort, which is what...

Cable a la carte: pay per channel.(View point: the consumers union perspective)
June 1, 2004... Did you recently open your mail to find that your cable bill is going up again? Did it come with a cheery message that you'll be getting a bunch of new channels that you didn't ask for and don't want? The fact is that cable companies are...

Lightening the load.(then & now)
June 1, 2004... Automatic washers had their drawbacks when we tested them in 1950. More machinery could mean more breakdowns and service cells. But homemakers gladly parted with their wringer washers, welcoming more time to do other thinqs--such as iron. ...

'What's the point' department.(selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
June 1, 2004... 1 A reader fond of "almonds received this bag as a gift, noted that it has a Nutrition Facts label on the back, and nibbled some of the contents. What a nutty idea. See the disclaimer. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 2 "You can use these...

Tablet trompe l'oeil.(selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
June 1, 2004... Looking at this packet, a California reader wrote, you'd think that you were getting six tablets. You'd be wrong. As the little perforations reveal, you get four. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

McGiggles.(selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)
June 1, 2004... A Washington state reader snapped these last year. The giddles were in Utah, the girddles in Colorado. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Next, extra extra large?(selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... We asked Pactiv Corp., maker of these garbage bags, why "large" bags are now "extra large" even though both are the same size. (We called as a consumer, without identifying our affiliation.) The conversation went something like this: ...

Ready, world?(selling it: goofs / glitches / gotchas)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2004... Exhibit A: Bug Vacuum, described in a catalog as "the quick, safe, and clean way to eliminate bugs." Its tip traps them; its tube sucks them up. So you can pay $49.95 for the vacuum, or save about $49.90 and make varmints vanish with a wad of...