Tabla de contenidos para December 2022 en Consumer Reports

I OFTEN GET ASKED how CR decides what to test, what to write about, or what corporate overreaches to investigate. Well, one way we keep our finger on the pulse of the consumer marketplace is by asking consumers. Every year we survey more than 1 million, including through our American Experiences Surveys. The insights we gain help us put consumers first in a marketplace that too often makes it challenging for them to choose wisely. They give us a window into new trends that may be emerging, some promising and some more troublesome. For example, in one of our recent nationally representative surveys, only 35 percent of Americans said they could trust that the products and services they buy will not cause physical harm. That’s alarming. And nearly two-thirds said…

Slow Cookers WE TESTED: 19 models WE TEST FOR: The tenderness of meat after slow cooking for 5 hours on high heat or 8 hours on low heat; how easy the model is to use and to clean; and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 72 Range: 59-87 MAKES EXCELLENT STEW Hamilton Beach Temp Tracker 6 Qt. 33866 $82 OVERALL SCORE BIG ENOUGH TO FEED A CROWD Elite Platinum 8.5 Qt Programmable MST-900D $70 OVERALL SCORE NICE PRICE Black + Decker Digital Programmable SCD1007 (7-Qt.) $62 OVERALL SCORE Stain Remover Sprays WE TESTED: 6 products WE TEST FOR: How well a spray removed dirt, coffee, salad dressing, and other tough stains. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 76 Range: 71-86 BEST STAIN REMOVER OxiClean MaxForce Spray 36¢ per ounce OVERALL SCORE GOOD VALUE…

McEvoy Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 100 ML $12.50 In past CR taste tests, we’ve found McEvoy Ranch EVOO to be fresh tasting with green-grassy and ripe fruit flavors. These small bottles come in a variety of flavors, like basil, and have a built-in pour spout. Marley’s Monsters Unpaper Towels $18 for a 6-pack Our staffers were impressed by just how soft these reusable kitchen towels are. In addition to mopping up spills, Marley’s Monsters’ colorful cotton flannels can be used as napkins, we suggest. Kyocera Ceramic Mandoline $25 In an at-home review of 11 mandoline slicers by CR staffers, this one stood out for its performance: It has a single sharp blade on a slim, easy-to-store paddle and slices beautifully. Bella Extra-Wide/Self-Centering-Slot 14829 Toaster $20 OVERALL SCORE The Bella…

Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max $1,100 OVERALL 84 SCORE BATTERY & CHARGING BATTERY LIFE (HOURS) 52.5 WIRELESS CHARGING YES Samsung Galaxy A42 5G $400 OVERALL SCORE BATTERY & CHARGING BATTERY LIFE (HOURS) 49 WIRELESS CHARGING YES OnePlus Nord N200 5G $240 OVERALL SCORE BATTERY & CHARGING BATTERY LIFE (HOURS) 46 WIRELESS CHARGING YES…

Remember the days when Microsoft ruled the world? You couldn’t buy a new laptop without springing for Microsoft Office software, too. Otherwise, you had no way to create text documents, spreadsheets, or presentations. These days you can replace all of that software with Google Docs, Google Sheets, and Google Slides. They’re cloud-based applications that work on any kind of computer. You get 15GB of online storage free and 100GB for just $2 per month. Microsoft offers pared-down versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint free, too. You download them from the web rather than bringing them home from a store. These applications can be helpful if you have older Word files you need to access. But the free Microsoft software is limited. You can’t track and review changes in the same…

WE LOVE … APPLIANCES WITH SOMETHING EXTRA Ranges 1 | TOP-RATED ELECTRIC MODEL GE Profile PSS93YPFS $2,000 Stellar all-around performance makes this smoothtop range from GE a winning choice. It’s also loaded with features, including convection and an air-fry setting. TOP-RATED GAS MODEL LG LSGL6335D $1,980 BEST BUDGET GAS PICK GE JGB660YPFS $1,000 Dishwashers IMPRESSIVE PERFORMANCE Bosch 100 Series SHEM3AY55N $650 This longtime CR favorite offers fantastic washing performance at a reasonable price—and the brand gets top reliability marks. 2 | GREAT CONVENIENCE FEATURES Bosch 800 Series SHXM88Z75N $1,500 ATTRACTIVE FINISH OPTIONS Café CDT845P2NS1 $1,260 Refrigerators 3 | STANDOUT FRENCH-DOOR GE GFD28GYNFS $3,400 This GE model is easy to use and excels at keeping food at the right temperature. Plus, it has a generous 20 cubic feet of usable storage…

WE LOVE … GREAT GADGETS Smartphones 1 | SMARTEST PHONE iPhone 13 $700 This phone earns stellar marks for its bright display, impressive 40-hour battery life, and crisp photos and videos. At press time, we were testing the iPhone 14, $800, and expect similar performance. 2 | BEST AT A LOWER PRICE Samsung Galaxy A53 5G $450 3 | TOP ANDROID PICK Samsung Galaxy S22 5G $800 Noise-Canceling Headphones 4 | MOST IMPRESSIVE Bose Noise Cancelling Headphones 700 $270 Great headphones don’t have to cost a fortune. This pair has excellent sound quality and sound-blocking ability—for much less than some similar models. 5 | LESS EXPENSIVE OVER-EAR MODEL Monoprice BT-300ANC $45 6 | GOOD WIRELESS OPTION Sennheiser CX Plus $130 TVs 7 | WINNING PICTURE QUALITY Samsung QN65S95B (65”) $2,000 The…

There’s been a lot of buzz lately about the environment-friendly and potentially money-saving properties of heat pumps, electricity-powered products that can serve as furnaces in the winter and air conditioning systems in the summer. In the winter, a heat pump absorbs ambient heat from the outdoors and transfers it to your home. (There’s some warmth in the air even on chilly days.) In the summer, it can shift indoor heat outside. In a June 2022 CR nationally representative survey of 2,103 adults in the U.S., 75 percent of those who had a heat pump said they’d make the same choice again. While it used to be thought that heat pumps were only for moderate climates, that’s not necessarily the case for newer models. “The latest generation of heat pumps are…

What’s the difference between a stain remover spray and laundry detergent? STAIN REMOVER SPRAYS, like the three shown above, are typically made with the same ingredients often found in your regular liquid laundry detergent bottle: surfactants, enzymes, and polymers, which are cleaning agents and compounds that help remove the soil from clothing. But stain removers are more concentrated, while regular detergents are made to be diluted with lots of water. That said, in past tests we’ve found that the very best liquid detergents (such as Tide Plus Ultra Stain Release and Persil ProClean Stain Fighter) can rival the stain-removing power of many sprays if you dab some of the detergent directly onto a stain and let it soak for 5 minutes before washing.…

1938 CR says to avoid suede gloves, which soil easily and can discolor. Better to buy leather gloves made from durable goatskin (shown). 1943 CR advises that real fur trim on coats, hats, and muffs is more decorative than practical. “A fur scarf doesn’t do much to protect from winter gales,” we say. 1951 Storm windows reduce heating bills, we report. Prioritize installing windows facing north toward prevailing winds to retain the most heat for your money. 1960 We test 39 electric heaters. None are terrific at heating whole rooms, but some, like this $40 Arvin, are very good at warming a person seated nearby. 1976 We test heaters again and note that safety has improved. Stable models, such as baseboard heaters, reduce tip-over risks. 1981 Polar fleece—a new synthetic…

WONDER HOW POPULAR faux Christmas trees are these days? Eighty-four percent of the trees that were put up in U.S. homes last year were artificial instead of live. And this year there are very good reasons to go faux: Drought conditions in many parts of the U.S. will have an impact on live Christmas tree crop yields this season, according to the American Christmas Tree Association (ACTA). Combine that with inflation, and live trees may be more expensive than last year, up from $78 on average. Artificial trees cost more than similarly sized live trees—typically a few hundred dollars for one between 5 and 8 feet—but because they can last years, they can be both an economical and sustainable choice. Plus, a manufactured fir with pre-strung lights saves you the…

TESLA VEHICLES Tesla is recalling 1,096,762 Model 3, Model S, Model X, and Model Y vehicles to ensure their power windows meet safety standards. Currently, their windows may continue to close even if there’s an obstruction in the way, which may cause injuries. The recalled vehicles include 2017-2022 Tesla Model 3 sedans manufactured between July 2, 2017, and Sept. 14, 2022; 2021-2022 Tesla Model S sedans manufactured between Jan. 19, 2021, and Sept. 16, 2022; 2021-2022 Tesla Model X SUVs manufactured between Feb. 12, 2021, and Sept. 16, 2022; and 2020-2022 Tesla Model Y SUVs manufactured between Nov. 26, 2019, and Sept. 14, 2022. What to do: Tesla is sending out an over-the-air software update to affected vehicles free of charge, and the update should occur without owners needing to…

EXTERNAL MONITOR ASUS PROART PA248QV $240 OVERALL SCORE An external monitor lets you fit more content on the screen and make what you’re viewing bigger. You won’t have to scroll through web pages and long documents as often, it will be easier to move between windows, and movies will look more immersive. You can find monitors for well under $200, but we like this slightly more expensive Asus ProArt. It has a 24.5-inch screen with very good picture quality and a handful of USB ports for plugging in other devices. ERGONOMIC MOUSE ADESSO IMOUSE E1 $40 ERGONOMICS It’s a good idea to pair your external keyboard with an external mouse. It can be much more comfortable to use than a laptop’s built-in trackpad. And if you pick an ergonomic mouse,…

WHAT’S NEW & COOL Sunrise Alarm Clock Instead of jolting you awake with a beep or a buzz, this model simulates the increasing light levels of the rising sun—gradually reaching full brightness at your chosen wake-up time. It’s also a “sleep therapy” device, complete with 15 audio options (including nature and white noise) and a guided breathing meditation with pulsing lights. iHome Zenergy Sunrise iZBT3 $60 Top-Load Washer This smart washer might actually make laundry less of a chore, playing music, forecasting weather, and accepting Alexa voice commands to adjust washer settings for specific load types. GE Profile PTW900BPTRS $1,150 Air Purifier Excellent scores for dust, pollen, and smoke removal at high speed and an energy-saving sleep mode make this air purifier an attractive choice. And it’s less than half…

WHAT’S NEW & COOL Outdoor Pizza Oven The beauty of this oven goes beyond its sleek styling: You can heat it with wood for classic smoky flavor or swap in the included gas burner for better temperature control. The round shape makes it easy to see and rotate pies as they cook. Solo Stove Pi $440 Wireless Bluetooth Speaker This rechargeable speaker lets you take your favorite tunes outside. It’s not our top-rated model, but it delivers satisfying sound, can handle a splash or even a dunk in the pool, and comes in a range of fun colors. Sony SRS-XB23 $110 Power Snow Shovel Faster than a manual shovel and (much) smaller than a snow blower, a power snow shovel clears several inches per pass, making it perfect for tending…

If you’re one of the 64 million Americans enrolled in Medicare, you know that the deluge has begun. In your mailbox and on TV, you’re being inundated with ads for Medicare Advantage plans, star-powered by the likes of William Shatner, all promising great care with low- or zero-cost premiums. This marketing tsunami is timed to Medicare open enrollment, which runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7. That’s when you can switch coverage between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, or change your prescription drug plan. The pitches work: In 2022 nearly half of those eligible for Medicare were enrolled in Advantage plans, up from about a third in 2016, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. By 2032 about 60 percent of beneficiaries are expected to sign up for these plans. It’s…

FIRST DRIVE Nissan Z While the Z sports car has been reincarnated with an all-new design, its 400-hp twin-turbocharged V6 is borrowed from Infiniti and its automatic transmission is truck-sourced. It competes directly with another iconic two-seater Japanese sports car, the Toyota Supra. CR’S TAKE: The rear-drive Z is a highly rewarding, enthusiast-focused machine that’s a treat on twisty roads. The engine is the star, delivering smooth, readily available power and a roar that gets noticed. BASE PRICE RANGE $39,990-$52,990 DESTINATION CHARGE $1,025 PRICE AS DRIVEN $53,210 ASK OUR EXPERTS Could the price of a car you ordered increase before you pick it up? The paperwork is key. The answer depends on whether you merely put down a deposit on a vehicle without signing an agreement or if you signed…

Good tires designed for the specific weather conditions where you live are among the most important car safety items you can buy. Although tires may all look similar, there are several types. ▝ All-season tires are the best choice for most drivers. They perform well in the widest variety of weather conditions and are suitable for light winter snow. You do not need to switch these tires seasonally. ▝ Winter/snow tires are a smart choice for people who live in places where heavy winter snowfall is common. Designed for seasonal use, they have specially designed treads and tiny grooves that aid snow traction. ▝ All-weather tires split the difference. These are essentially all-season tires with enhanced snow and ice traction. They are good for drivers in snowy areas who don’t…

IF YOU’RE NEARING the end of your lease, consider purchasing the vehicle from your leasing company. Most contracts include a provision to buy the vehicle at a price that was calculated at the start of the lease. It’s usually not such a good deal, but with new and used cars in short supply and used-car prices in particular at all-time highs, the buyout price might save you significant money over buying or leasing a replacement. You could even make money if you then sell it to a third party. “The companies that drew up leasing contracts a few years ago likely didn’t realize how much used cars would be worth today,” says Jake Fisher, senior director of Consumer Reports’ Auto Test Center. “That means they already agreed to sell you…

LUXURY ELECTRIC VEHICLES Genesis GV60 Fun-to-Drive Luxury EV OVERALL SCORE ROAD-TEST SCORE 91 HIGHS Comfortable ride, sharp handling, quiet cabin, high-quality fit and finish, no tailpipe emissions LOWS Restricted rear and side visibility POWERTRAIN 314-hp, dual electric motors; 1-speed direct-drive transmission; all-wheel drive RANGE 248 miles PRICE $58,890-$67,890 base price + $1,095 destination charge Total MSRP as tested $60,220 THE GV60 IS one of the nicest-driving EVs available. We found this SUV-like hatchback to be quick, quiet, comfortable, and agile. It also takes less time than most EVs to recharge at public DC fast-charging locations: A 20-minute session can bring the battery from near-empty to 80 percent—a big advantage on a long road trip. Acceleration is smooth and rapid, which makes it feel effortless anytime you need a prompt burst…

YOU’RE RUNNING LATE and need to text the friend you’re meeting, or you’re just about to scan your digital airplane boarding pass and suddenly you realize that you have no phone power left. But there’s good news: A few tweaks to your routine can maximize your phone’s battery life. Here’s how. Adjust your brightness. A well-lit screen helps with readability, but the brighter the screen, the more battery it uses. Rather than remembering to dim and brighten your phone (found in the Settings menu) in different scenarios, most phones let you select “auto-brightness,” which means it will sense the lighting conditions you’re in and adjust the screen’s brightness up and down automatically. On iPhones, you’ll find this setting under “Accessibility.” On Androids, you’ll typically find it under “Display.” Keep your…

HIGHLY PORTABLE MICROSOFT SURFACE GO 3 $730 OVERALL SCORE BUDGET PICK LENOVO IDEAPAD 1 15 $600 OVERALL SCORE FOR APPLE USERS MACBOOK AIR (2022) $1,200 OVERALL SCORE WITH SO MANY highly rated laptops available nowadays, you might say that we’re spoiled—consumers have more choices than ever. Too many, perhaps. Whether your budget is $700 or $1,200, popular brands like Apple, Dell, HP, and LG probably have a laptop with your name on it. With so many good options, finding the right one can feel challenging. But it doesn’t have to be. The first step is to decide what you’ll be doing with your laptop. For most of us, that list might include reading the news, watching Netflix videos, paying bills, and keeping up with friends through Facebook, email, and Zoom…

Consumer Reports evaluates thousands of products each year—many of them with an impressive mix of performance, reliability, and value. We share those with you in the ratings and reviews we include in every issue. So what makes the selections on the following pages worth a special spotlight? These 86 products—from appliances to outdoor gear to autos—are the very best of the best. They’re the models that ace our rigorous tests or offer something extra: The smartest, most sustainable design, for example, or the latest safety features, or an irresistibly low price. Read on for our experts’ Top Picks of 2022—the products they’d personally recommend to you and, in some cases, that they love owning themselves.…

WE LOVE … GEAR THAT KEEPS YOU HEALTHIER Sunscreen 1 | TOP-RATED SPRAY Trader Joe’s Spray SPF 50+ $6 This sunscreen provides great protection against rays that cause burning, aging, and skin cancer, at a good price. It’s fragrance-free and has a barely there feel—our testers say it leaves just a light film on their skin. TOP-RATED LOTION La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Milk Lotion SPF 60 $37 2 | BEST BARGAIN LOTION Equate (Walmart) Ultra Lotion SPF 50 $5.35 Exercise Bikes 3 | BEST OVERALL CHOICE Peloton $1,450 The Peloton is the most adjustable and feature-packed bike in our ratings, offering a variety of exercise programs through its connected service ($39 per month) on the 22-inch touchscreen display. 4 | LESS PRICEY PICK Sole SB900 $1,000 EASY TO USE WITH EXERCISE APPS…

WE LOVE … SMART BUYS Under $35,000 1 | SMALL SUV Hyundai Tucson Hybrid $29,750-$43,200 The Tucson shines, with the hybrid powertrain providing quicker and quieter acceleration than the base engine, plus 35 mpg overall. Ride, handling, and cabin are all impressive. 2 | SUBCOMPACT SUV Subaru Crosstrek $23,645-$36,845 3 | SMALL SEDAN Nissan Sentra $19,950-$22,700 Over $35,000 4 | MIDSIZED SUV Toyota Highlander Hybrid $39,555-$51,460 The midsized, three-row Highlander is a sensible all-around, family-friendly SUV. The hybrid delivers stellar fuel economy, at 35 mpg overall—more than most small SUVs. 5 | LUXURY COMPACT SEDAN Audi A4 $39,900-$50,900 6 | LUXURY COMPACT SUV BMW X3 $45,400-$72,900 I OWN THIS! EV CHARGER JuiceBox 40 $624 Based on CR’s evaluation, I chose a 40-amp, WiFi-enabled JuiceBox—an easy-to-use smart charger with an app…

ABOUT 1 IN 5 car crashes each year are related to bad weather such as rain or snow, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Precipitation reduces visibility —your ability to see as well as to be seen—and makes roads slippery, reducing tire traction. On average, almost 5,000 people are killed and more than 418,000 injured a year in weather-related crashes—numbers that could grow because heavy storms are becoming much more common across the U.S., according to the Environmental Protection Agency. But with the right combination of caution, preparation, and know-how, many of these crashes are avoidable. Of course, your best bet when the weather is bad is to refrain from driving in the first place. But if driving is unavoidable, you’ll want to make sure your car is equipped with…

Gift Giving Has Reached a New Bottom Although this present is definitely something everyone needs. Submitted by Gary Woodhouse, Layton, UT Something Isn’t Kosher Here Maybe this ham would be better for Easter. Submitted by Jerry Goffe, Albuquerque, NM Smells Like … Nothing? Don’t expect any aromatherapy from this bar of soap. Submitted by Tom Pastore, Bloomfield Hills, MI Only for Those on the Naughty List Kids everywhere hope you’ll shop in a different section. Submitted by Mike H. as seen in Topeka, KS SHARE Be on the lookout for goofs and glitches like these. Share them with us—by email at SellingIt@cro.consumer.org or by mail to Selling It, Consumer Reports, 101 Truman Ave., Yonkers, NY 10703—and we might publish yours. Please include key information, such as your name and location.…