Consumer Reports November/December 2024

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1936 that works side by side with consumers to create a safe, fair, and transparent marketplace. To achieve our mission, we test thousands of products and services in our labs each year and survey hundreds of thousands of consumers about their experiences with products and services. We pay for all the products we rate. We don’t accept paid advertising. In addition to our rigorous research, investigative journalism, and consumer advocacy, we work with other organizations, including media, consumer groups, research and testing consortiums, and philanthropic partners. We also license our content and data, as well as work with business partners to offer shopping and other consumer services, and may receive fees from these programs. We maintain a strict separation between our…

THE INTERNET has revolutionized our purchasing practices. Virtually every one of the Top Picks in this month’s cover story (on page 28) can be bought online. Even products we once shopped for in person—like home appliances and used cars—are now commonly purchased online. So much for “kicking the tires!” The ease of online shopping is, I confess, enjoyable. But it can also obscure serious concerns when it comes to platforms like Facebook Marketplace and OfferUp, where people sell items to one another. These services can be great for finding deals, but they can also expose us to safety risks, such as buying recalled products, or giving personal info to scammers who want to take your money. CR experts have suggestions for keeping you and your money safe when using these…

Uncovering Risky Products For years, CR has been pushing online retailers to take more responsibility for the safety of products sold on their platforms by third parties. In July, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a unanimous and precedent-setting ruling that Amazon must do just that. The case involved some 400,000 products, including faulty carbon monoxide detectors, flammable children’s pajama sets, and hazardous hair dryers, that the CPSC said “pose a risk of serious injury or death to consumers.” The agency argued that the way Amazon notified and refunded customers was not thorough enough, putting consumers at risk. Amazon didn’t dispute that the products were dangerous, but maintained that it didn’t have to handle recalls the way the CPSC prescribed because it was not legally a “distributor” of goods but…

Our September 2024 cover story, “7 Anti-Aging Supplements to Try,” examined the best choices for improving your sleep, protecting heart health, and more. CR readers shared their thoughts about that story and other September articles. Read our responses here. YOUR SEPTEMBER cover story has a section about the interactions between prescription drugs and supplements that identifies vitamin K as a blood thinner. It’s not. In fact, it’s the opposite: Vitamin K helps blood clot properly. While it’s correct to say that vitamin K should be avoided if you’re taking blood thinners, it’s because the vitamin can make warfarin and similar medications less effective. —Leslie Grabowski, Sarasota, FL EDITOR’S NOTE You are correct! You should avoid vitamin K supplements if you’re on those types of meds. But you can still eat foods…

1. Publication title: Consumer Reports. 3. Filing date: Sept. 4, 2024. 4. Issue frequency: Monthly except for double issues in May/June and Nov./Dec. 5. No. of issues published annually: 10. 6. Annual subscription price: $30. 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: Consumer Reports Inc., 101 Truman Ave., Yonkers, NY 10703-1044. 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business office of publisher: Consumer Reports Inc., 101 Truman Ave., Yonkers, NY 10703-1044. 9. Full names of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Marta Tellado, President and CEO; Ellen Kunes, Editorial Director, Print; Diane Umansky, Managing Editor of CR. 10. Owner’s full name and complete mailing address: Consumer Reports Inc., 101 Truman Ave., Yonkers, NY 10703-1044. 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or…

Dutch Ovens WE TESTED: 12 models WE TEST FOR: How quickly water in a pot comes to a boil, how evenly it simmers tomato sauce and cooks other types of food, how easy it is to clean, and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 75 Range: 44-92 BEST OVERALL Our Place Perfect Pot $110 92 OVERALL SCORE GREAT VALUE Spice by Tia Mowry Savory Saffron Enameled Cast Iron $55 87 OVERALL SCORE DISHWASHER-SAFE Lodge Essential Enamel Cast Iron $65 77 OVERALL SCORE Space Heaters WE TESTED: 100 models WE TEST FOR: How effective a model is at keeping a room and a nearby person warm; how quiet, easy to use, and safe it is; and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 58 Range: 23-82 INTUITIVE CONTROLS Lasko T22840 $50 75 OVERALL SCORE SUPER-QUIET Honeywell ThermaWave 6 HCE870W $65 71 OVERALL…