Consumer Reports July 2022

OUR WORK BEGINS by listening to you. That’s why we’ve increased our coverage of sustainability issues, so you’ll know more about products and services that don’t harm your health or the environment. Since 2009, CR has surveyed hundreds of thousands of consumers on environmental issues, and our January 2022 nationally representative survey revealed that 72 percent of you believe your actions can help protect the planet, with a majority saying you’d purchased various types of eco-friendly products, including efficient appliances. People want choices that fit their lifestyles, values, and budgets. It’s why we created CR’s Green Choice designation, so you can learn which vehicles produce the cleanest emissions and which washing machines use less water and energy. And it’s why this month’s cover story, “Save More, Waste Less” (on page 22), focuses…

Making Online Markets Fairer To be fair and effective, a marketplace must give all buyers and sellers, products and services, information and ideas an equal opportunity to thrive. But that’s not always the case in the digital world, where a few corporate behemoths increasingly dominate the exchange of goods, services, and information. In fact, consumers are deeply troubled by current market conditions: Roughly 3 out of 4 Americans worry about the power wielded by the biggest tech companies, according to a 2020 nationally representative CR survey of 3,219 U.S. adults. That’s why CR is advocating for two bills that would limit the companies’ power, introduce more competition and consumer choice, and lower prices. One is the American Innovation and Choice Online Act, which would prevent tech platforms from giving preference to their own…

MANY THANKS FOR your story “Save Big on Rx Drugs!” I have been on Medicare for three years, and none of the drug plans I’ve had have a decent price for Estradiol—helpful for women in menopause. Under my current drug plan, I paid $100 for eight doses. After I investigated all of the mail-order plans included in the story, I found the drug at CostPlusDrugs.com: 30 doses for a grand total of $34.10, which included $5 shipping. Wow. You have paid for my subscription to Consumer Reports for a few years with the savings! Thanks for your great service. —Patricia Van Zandt, Williamsburg, VA THANK YOU FOR your reporting. As a Medicare Part D subscriber, on my plan this year I pay dearly for any script that isn’t a tier 1 drug.…

PRESSURE WASHERS are great for cleaning concrete patios and driveways, but there are some surfaces to avoid. Decks made from hardwoods (like ipe) and even many pressure-treated woods (like Southern yellow pine) are usually fine to pressure-wash, but composite decks might not be, and doing so could void your warranty. Check with the brand first, and start with a low-pressure nozzle on an inconspicuous spot to ensure that the spray doesn’t leave marks. Take care with aluminum siding and wood shingles—the spray can dent aluminum and loosen shingles. (Low pressure on vinyl, fiber cement, and wood clapboard siding should be fine.) Finally, never pressure-wash roofing or a car—it could result in damage.…

Mesh Routers WE TESTED: 34 models WE TEST FOR: The internet speed (“throughput”) from 8 to 55 feet away from the router base, how easy the model is to set up, how well it protects your privacy, and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 72 Range: 31-83 EXCELLENT SPEED Netgear Orbi AC1200 (3-Pack) $200 82 OVERALL SCORE EASY TO SET UP Google Nest Wifi (3-Pack) $250 81 OVERALL SCORE BUDGET-FRIENDLY PICK T-P Link Deco W3600 AX1800 (2-Pack) $130 73 OVERALL SCORE Electric Pressure Washers WE TESTED: 24 models WE TEST FOR: Efficiency and ease in cleaning a range of surfaces, the amount of pressure offered, and noise level when in use. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 58 Range: 45-68 BEST OVERALL CLEANER Greenworks GPW2301 $250 68 OVERALL SCORE NICE PRICE & EASY TO USE Worx WG604 $170 65 OVERALL SCORE QUIET & GOOD STAIN REMOVAL Greenworks GPW2700 $350 65 OVERALL SCORE Dish Detergents WE TESTED: 23 products WE TEST FOR: How well a dish detergent removes caked-on food from dinner plates, how well it resists leaving…

How can I fix a small area of peeling paint in my bathroom? IF YOU HAVE leftover paint in the original color, check to see if it’s still usable, says Rich Handel, who oversees paint ratings at CR. You’ll know the paint is too old to use if you find a thick, rubberlike layer sitting on top of the paint, or the paint doesn’t mix well when stirred. (Paint that’s still usable should stay blended for 10 to 15 minutes after mixing.) To test it, try painting a small area on a piece of cardboard: The paint should go onto the surface smoothly, and the color should be uniform. If you determine that the paint isn’t usable, take the can to a paint or home improvement store and ask whether it…