Consumer Reports articles from November 2001

Consumer Reports archives from November 2001

Selling it.(Humor)(Column)
November 1, 2001... One potato, two potato. When a Pennsylvania reader criticized this box of Manischewitz Sweet Potato Mashed Potatoes, we wondered why. Then we squinted and looked under "Sweet Potato," where the words below are lurking. (The flavor is sweet...

Lawsuit secrets: you could be hurt.(Memo To Members)(Editorial)
November 1, 2001... In the vast consumer-safety arena, the game of hide-and-seek, or maybe seek-and-hide, is in full swing. Consumers expect, and rightfully so, that if a manufacturer knows there's something dangerous about a product--a pattern of people being...

Firestone tires: more recalls ahead?
November 1, 2001... Last year's massive Firestone tire recall was only the beginning. This year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has pushed Firestone to recall millions more tires after an initial investigation revealed high failure...

Hidden hold on your cash.(debit cards)
November 1, 2001... On her way home from shopping one day last June, Kelly Maguire stopped at an Arlington, Va., Hess station and bought $19.10 worth of gasoline using a debit card. The next day, when Steven Maguire, her husband, checked their account online,...

Kids' meal hazards.
November 1, 2001... Toy recalls have been numerous and very public during the tenure of outgoing Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Ann Brown. But probably none has been more surprising than the spate of recalls involving toys from fast-food chains. ...

Top of the laundry heap.(Kenmore Elite HE 3t front-load washer)(Evaluation)
November 1, 2001... The new Kenmore Elite HE 3t front-loading washer tops the charts in our tests, setting performance standards for other makers to match. Here are the highlights: High efficiency. The Elite (and similar Whirlpool Duet) proved thriftier with...

CR gift guide: from our labs to your list.(Gift Guide)(Buyers Guide)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2001... Let's do the math. This holiday season, the U.S. will harbor some 171 million adults, give or take a few lords a-leaping. If each person shops for 25 gifts (the per-adult average for the past few years), that's 4.275 billion presents destined...

Bread winners.(Gift Guide)(breadmakers)(Cover Story)(Evaluation)
November 1, 2001... Breadmakers allow virtually anyone to bake bread with just minutes of effort and few skills beyond the ability to measure ingredients and push buttons. What's more, they produce bread that's better than respectable in quality. And they allow...

Sound decisions.(Gift Guide)(audio)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2001... A "sound system" can now mean anything from an old-fashioned two-speaker stereo to a full home-theater setup with a TV, other video components, and up to six speakers. This special section focuses on the equipment at the heart of every audio...

Receivers.(Gift Guide)(audio)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2001... Receivers are playing an increasingly complex role as the audio/visual hub of the home-entertainment experience. Most models can provide six channels of sound to six speakers and hook up to a host of video sources (TV, DVD player, VCR, cable,...

Loudspeakers.(Gift Guide)(audio)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2001... Whether you want to create a superb home-theater setup or upgrade your stereo sound, speakers are a key determinant of overall audio quality. Many small, relatively low-priced speakers now reproduce sound about as accurately as bigger,...

Tires for cars and SUVs.(Buyers Guide)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2001... The tread separations, injuries, and deaths that triggered last year's 6.5-million Firestone tire recall confirm just how much is riding on four pieces of rubber. Ford has since announced it is replacing 13 million more Firestone tires on its...

Minisystems.(Gift Guide - Audio)(Buyers Guide)(Cover Story)
November 1, 2001... Mixing and matching audio components, then making all the right connections, may not be rocket science, but it does take time and effort. It also requires a budget that could approach $1,000 for a full complement of decent equipment. Audio...

Theater in a box.(Gift Guide - Audio)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)(Evaluation)
November 1, 2001... Home theater in a box puts the digital receiver/tuner, multiple speakers, and wiring needed to capture the movie-theater experience in one convenient package that connects to your TV and VCR. Most systems include the ability to decode the...

Home-movie options.(Gift Guide - Video)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2001... The camcorder has developed into a fits-your-palm product that's easy to use and has dropped noticeably in price. Some digital camcorders now sell for as little as $550, while analog models have dipped below $300. The digital models produce...

Megapixel matters.(Gift Guide)(snapshots)(digital cameras)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2001... Digital cameras offer the twin attractions of speed and creativity. The camera's-liquid crystal display, or LCD, screen lets you frame a shot precisely and see each image as you take it, so you can immediately reshoot if you don't like the...

Count on film: compact cameras are here to stay. They take fine photos, too.(Gift Guide)(snapshots)(Cover Story)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2001... As they said in "Casablanca," Bergman and Bogart will always have Paris. And photographers will always have film, no matter how popular digital cameras become, because film is inexpensive, makes crisp enlargements, and can be processed in an...

Recalls: vehicles and equipment; children's products.(Product Information)
November 1, 2001... Vehicles and equipment. * '00-01 Dodge and Plymouth Neon Loss of power-brake assist could cause increased stopping distances and increased engine idle speed. Models: 353,000 cars made 7/99 to 3/01. What to do: Have dealer...

Sew, what's new?(Sewing Machines)(Buyers Guide)
November 1, 2001... Think of an electronic sewing machine as a computer armed with needle and thread. Or even as a robot. On its own the machine can recommend the proper presser foot, divine the right thread tension and stitch length, size and sew a buttonhole,...

Missed shots: adult vaccines.(part 2)(Industry Overview)
November 1, 2001... One of the public-health system's least known and most deplorable failings is this: Each year, some 40,000 Americans die of diseases that could have been prevented by routine adult vaccines. That's the same number that die from traffic...

A touch of class - the BMW 530i becomes the best car we've tested.(Luxury Sedans - Road Test)(Evaluation)
November 1, 2001... This month's test of four European luxury sedans, priced in the mid-$40,000 to low-$50,000 range, is notable for two reasons. In our tests for performance, comfort, and convenience, comprising 14 major categories, all four cars--the BMW 530i,...