Consumers Digest’s 2017 Automotive Best Buys
Forty-four recommendations across 13 categories.
Auto Insurers: Hardly Progressive
Insurers are hesitant even to discuss discounts for those who drive vehicles that have the latest safety enhancements.
Visit Consumers Digest’s Ultimate Auto Showroom
Invoice Pricing · All Makes, Models & Options · Expert Reviews
Get the best price on any new car purchase.
Sept. 15, 2017—After it pulled the wraps off its newest and smallest sedan, Hyundai Motor says the sedan lineup for its Genesis luxury brand is complete.
July 12, 2017—Volkswagen is pulling the Touareg out of the U.S. market.
Eye-Openers: Coffee Makers & Espresso Machines
High-tech capabilities deliver more convenience.
High-Tech Irons
Today’s irons have even-easier cleaning capabilities.
Home-Heating Guide
Gas fireplaces are more expensive than they were before because of the now-required safety barriers that prevent injury.
Aug. 31, 2017—Nest Labs is taking aim at a wider audience with its first new smart thermostat in 6 years.
Jan. 5, 2017—Two washers, two dryers, one laundry pair. Huh?
Digital Cameras & Camcorders: Looking Good
The features that are on the latest digital cameras make them better than are smartphones at capturing fast-moving action and low-light images.
Under Siege: How to Protect Your Digital Privacy
You can take measures to minimize internet invasions.
Webcams: Still Standing—Superior Sound & Video
Webcams still transmit sound and video better than do the built-in webcams that usually come in smartphones and computers.
Sept. 12, 2017—Apple’s annual September product unveiling went as expected by technology forecasters almost to the letter. If anything, the surprise was at how many models of iPhone will be available for the holiday season.
Aug. 25, 2017—Samsung’s reboot of the Galaxy Note smartphone is as much about “increments” as it is about breakthroughs, according to one expert.
Premier Replacement Windows: Clear Winners
From smart-home integration to better soundproofing, you’ll find more hybrid models than before.
Looking Sharp: Top-Notch Cutlery
Today’s knives stand up better to chipping.
Moving Companies: How to Protect Yourself
Increasing costs, vague contracts, a lack of oversight and a never-ending web of online misinformation plague the moving industry
Jan. 5, 2017—Typically, to buy a Craftsman product, you have to go to a Sears store. Soon, you’ll be able to buy Craftsman-branded products anywhere.
Sept. 6, 2016—Department of Energy (DOE) finally proposed a new minimum-efficiency standard for gas furnaces, its first since 1992, and our prediction about the shape of the standard proved to be on the mark.
Special Report: The Opioid Epidemic
Experts say we must work together to combat the problem, but big hurdles exist.
Home-Fitness Equipment: Exercising Good Judgment
Manufacturers add connectivity options to their products.
Genetic Testing: Promises & Problems
More often than not, new genetic tests for sick children leave parents with few answers and hefty out-of-pocket expenses.
Aug. 30, 2017—Food and Drug Administration approved the first immunotherapy treatment in the United States.
June 13, 2017—Food and Drug Administration approved a generic version of a medication that has proved to be effective—and extraordinarily costly—in the prevention of HIV-1.
Uncorked—Wine Scores: Truth Behind the Numbers
Retailers and websites often tout a wine’s score to entice you, but experts disagree on the usefulness of these scores.
Home Away from Home: The Risks of Home Sharing
Stay in a stranger’s home in lieu of a hotel? Beware.
2017 Amusement Parks Guide: New Sensations
Features such as digital-projection mapping and drone entertainment are on the rise at amusement parks, but so are admission prices.
May 3, 2017—To our complete lack of surprise, airlines continue to stick it to consumers—even as Congress threatens to act if airlines don’t improve their customer service.
Nov. 17, 2016—Further evidence that no matter how bad that it gets when it comes to air travel, it always could get worse comes to us through United Airlines’ announcement of a reduced-fare class that comes with restrictions attached—the biggest being a limit on the size of carry-on luggage.
Sniff Tests: Pet Gear Goes High-Tech
Products that promote the safety and well-being of your four-legged friend have been created with high-tech capabilities.
The Mourning After: Funeral Home Rip-Offs
As business slides, funeral homes look to make up for lost revenue by increasing the costs of cremations, among other strategies.
Child-Care Websites: Providing a False Sense of Security
Parents should know that online businesses that advertise child-care services have limitations that could lead to serious consequences.
March 6, 2017—We don’t doubt that a lack of online pricing information by funeral homes hurts consumers. Now we know just how much that it does.
Aug. 4, 2016—Mars Petcare, which makes Eukanuba brand dog food, has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges of false advertising.
Task Masters:Chain Saws & Leafblowers
Battery-powered chain saws and leafblowers now perform the tasks that corded electric models and gasoline-powered models do.
Pathfinders: Next-Generation Snowthrowers
Snowthrower technology has stormed in like a lion, but snowthrower prices have reacted like a lamb.
Hot Spots! Exceptional Values in Portable Spas
Portable spas increasingly incorporate touch-screen controls and the capability to control settings through a smartphone.
April 12, 2017—It’s a debut that’s nearly 5 years in the making.
Jan. 5, 2017—Typically, to buy a Craftsman product, you have to go to a Sears store. Soon, you’ll be able to buy Craftsman-branded products anywhere.
Great Undervalued Stocks
Stock-analyst companies help us to provide you with insight into the top value picks for 2017.
Apartments & Condos: Affordability Crisis Hits Home
Changes in supply and pricing of apartments and condominiums could make renting or buying a challenge if you want a newer unit.
Past Due! New Rules to Rein in Nasty Debt Collectors
Unfortunately, change might be blocked by lobbyists.
Sept. 8, 2017—After it revealed that a major breach of its records took place, credit bureau Equifax is offering to help you to protect yourself from the potential of identification theft.
Aug. 29, 2017—Department of Labor’s (DOL) fiduciary rule took another hit, and one expert says the latest development leaves consumers open to risks.
Under Siege: How to Protect Your Digital Privacy
You can take measures to minimize internet invasions.
Recreational Drones: Out of Control
Sales boom as remote-controlled unmanned aircraft become less expensive and easier to operate.
For Sale: Human Hair—A Growing Concern
No standards exist, and experts say the majority of hair that’s sold for extensions is prone to fraying and tangling.
Think twice before you take your computer to the nearest repair specialist. Many people are scammed by technicians who are moved more by profit than principle.
You might face more than the grief of the loss of a loved one: grave desecration and double-sold plots.
July 14, 2017—YSN Imports recalled Flame King, Little Kamper and U-Haul refillable propane cylinders, because they might leak gas, which poses fire and explosion hazards.
July 5, 2017—Design Solutions International recalled Comotti three- and four-light vanity light fixtures that are part of the Home Decorators Collection. The fixtures, which are sold exclusively at Home Depot and homedepot.com, have light shades that might detach and fall, which poses burn and laceration hazards.
June 20, 2017—Staples recalled its Staples and Quill Hazen Mesh Task chairs, because the legs on the base might break, which poses a fall hazard.
May 25, 2017—Leggett & Platt Office Components recalled five brands of office chairs, because the seat slider bolts and push nuts might disconnect and fall off the chair and allow the seat to detach, which poses a fall hazard.
May 19, 2017—Pier 1 Imports recalled Chalk Note Mugs, because the mugs might crack when they’re filled with hot liquid, which poses a burn hazard.
May 12, 2017—Carrier recalled Carrier Greenspeed and Bryant Evolution Extreme heat pumps, because the capacitors that are in the fuse boards might stop working and cause the unit to overheat, which poses a fire hazard.
May 8, 2017—Springs Window Fashions recalled the lithium batteries that were sold with its motorized window coverings, because the batteries might overheat, leak or discharge, which poses fire and burn hazards.
May 3, 2017—Goodman Manufacturing recalled certain gas-fired furnaces, because the blower motor isn’t grounded, which poses a shock hazard to someone who is servicing the unit.
April 13, 2017—Customatic Beds recalled its adjustable beds, because the bed’s side-mounted AC outlet might be wired incorrectly, which poses a shock hazard.
April 12, 2017—Teavana recalled certain 14-ounce flip tumblers, because they might leak hot liquid, which poses a burn hazard.
March 31, 2017—BlenderBottle recalled Whiskware glass dressing-shaker bottles, because the glass bottom of the bottle might break when the metal agitator strikes it, which poses a laceration hazard.
March 28, 2017—Amphenol Industrial Solar Technologies recalled electrical connectors that are attached to SolarWorld Americas solar panels, because the connectors might develop microscopic cracks that might allow moisture to leak into the system while it’s producing electricity, which poses a shock hazard.
March 24, 2017—Wing Enterprises recalled Little Giant Liberty, Little Giant Velocity and Little Giant LT multipurpose ladders, because the ladder’s locking pins or rung fasteners might fail, which poses a fall hazard.
March 8, 2017—Rexon Industrial recalled 10-inch Craftsman portable table saws, because the saw stand can collapse unexpectedly, which poses impact and laceration hazards.
March 2, 2017—Pier 1 Imports recalled certain glass knobs, because they might break during use, which poses a laceration hazard.
Feb. 24, 2017—Carrier expanded its recall of packaged-terminal air conditioners and packaged-terminal heat pumps that were sold under the Bryant, Carrier and Fast brand names, because the power cord can overheat, which poses a fire hazard.
Feb. 22, 2017—Calphalon Corp. recalled certain Calphalon Contemporary Cutlery knives, because the blade might break during use, which poses a laceration hazard.
Feb. 9, 2017—La-Z-Boy recalled power supplies that are used with certain lift recliners.
Feb. 3, 2017—Restoration Hardware recalled certain glass mirrors, because the product’s mirror component isn’t glued properly to the backing and might fall, which poses a laceration hazard.
Feb. 1, 2017—3i Corp. recalled Allen + Roth-branded Safford bar chairs and Garden Treasures-branded Lakeview bar chairs, because the legs might detach from the center post at the weld, which poses a fall hazard.
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