Consumer Reports March 2022

JUNE 1, 2020 - MAY 31, 2021 $100,000+ Alfred P. Sloan Foundation • Breakthrough Energy • Craig Newmark Philanthropies • Joleen & Craig Dudek in honor of Jozef Dudek • Energy Foundation • Ford Foundation • Forsythia Foundation • Heising-Simons Foundation • Mozilla Foundation • Omidyar Network • Partnership Project • Robert C. Pozen • William and Flora Hewlett Foundation • Anonymous (2) $25,000 to $99,999 Marler Clark • David & Marian Rocker • Susan & Charles Sawyers • Anonymous (4) $10,000 to $24,999 Ms. Susan Denny & Mr. Christian Nolen • James Feit • Sheila, Dave & Sherry Gold Foundation • George & Eleanor Kambouris • Dr. Kenneth M. Koch, MD • Richard D. Lee & Vera M. Lee Foundation, Gerald A. Sherwin, Trustee • Russell G. Noles • Dr. Cherri M. Pancake • Panonica…

OVER THE PAST few months, my family, like yours, has had to take precautions to see one another, from limiting the numbers at gatherings to testing before special occasions. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues into its third year, so many people have made sacrifices for the good of their communities, and there’s no doubt it’s wearing many of us down. That’s understandable: This is the largest global health crisis in 100 years, and we’re all learning as we go. Like many of you, I look forward to the day when we can do many of the things that we once took for granted. But for now, we must stay the course, keeping up to date on all the new research on COVID-19, which is helping us to better understand, prevent, and…

Automatic Braking for All Safety should not be a luxury that only some can afford. That’s why CR has been pushing to make sure all new cars are equipped with automatic emergency braking (AEB), a technology that stops or slows a vehicle if a collision is imminent. AEB has the potential to save thousands of lives on our roads, just as seat belts, airbags, and other safety technologies do. Yet some automakers continue to offer it only as a nonstandard option on select models—sometimes as part of a premium package, along with features like heated seats and chrome trim. So CR cheered when, in 2016, 20 auto manufacturers joined a voluntary pledge brokered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to equip almost all new cars with…

Our January 2022 article “Best Ways to Renew Body & Mind” gave inspiration with 17 fresh ways to shake up your routine and get healthier and happier this year. Our readers wrote in to share their wellness secrets. To join the convo, go to CR.org/health0322. IF YOU CAN start small and commit to the goal of moving more—little by little—walking farther is achievable. Tracking your movements with a Fitbit or other tracker can motivate you. Seeing how just the steps at your grocery trips can increase your movement numbers can motivate you to stretch to meet bigger goals. It’s an ever-adapting commitment, and that’s why walking can be effective. —Melitta Rheeston, via Facebook WRITE Go to CR.org/lettertoeditor to share your comments for publication. I’M 72 YEARS old and walk six or seven miles every day…

FIRST, MAKE SURE you’re not using too much water. You should always stay under the reservoir’s maximum fill line. Don’t overdo the coffee grounds, either. Leave at least a half-inch between them and the top of the filter basket. Then check the filter itself. If the strainer is dirty, it won’t let water pass through quickly enough. If you’re using a paper filter, make sure it’s fully open and in the proper position. (If not, it can become a roadblock for water.) In our labs, we’ve also seen that some coffee makers are simply more prone to overflowing than others when brewing a full pot. On CR.org members can look at the “Highs and Lows” we note to see if a model overflowed in our tests.…

Big-Screen Smartphones WE TESTED: 49 models WE TEST FOR: Quality of the display, including color, clarity, and touch responsiveness; quality of front and rear cameras; ease of use; battery life; and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 73 Range: 47-86 DURABLE DISPLAY & LONG BATTERY LIFE (6.7" SCREEN) Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max $1,100 86 OVERALL SCORE TOP ANDROID PHONE WITH A GREAT CAMERA (6.9" SCREEN) Samsung Galaxy Note20 Ultra 5G $1,200 85 OVERALL SCORE NICE PRICE FOR AN EXCELLENT LARGE DISPLAY (6.6" SCREEN) OnePlus 8 $450 83 OVERALL SCORE Drip Coffee Makers Under $100 WE TESTED: 55 models WE TEST FOR: A coffee maker’s ability to reach optimal brewing temperatures (195° F to 205° F), ease of cleaning and changing filters, pouring (without drips), and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 69 Range: 36-88 BEST BREW PERFORMANCE Ninja 12-Cup Programmable CE201 Coffee Maker $80 84 OVERALL SCORE EXCELLENT NO-DRIP CARAFE Cuisinart Brew Central DCC-1200 $95 81 OVERALL SCORE EASY-TO-USE BARGAIN Bella 14755 $40 80 OVERALL SCORE Mattresses Under $500 WE TESTED: 13 models WE TEST…