Tabla de contenidos para August 2023 en Consumer Reports

FRAUDSTERS HAVE always been a fixture of the American marketplace, from the infamous snake oil salesmen of the 1800s right up to the modern imposters of online marketplaces. Today’s scammers, however, have technology on their side, which is why an estimated $8.8 billion was lost to scams in 2022, more than twice the amount stolen in 2020. Robocalls, phishing texts, and emails remain some of the most common tools of deceit, but criminals are nothing if not innovative: Earlier this year, an Arizona woman reportedly got a call claiming her daughter had been kidnapped and demanding $1 million in ransom. She almost fell for the con because, according to Phoenix TV station KTVK, the caller used artificial intelligence to replicate her daughter’s voice. To make matters worse, consumer protections are…

Stainless Steel Fry Pans WE TESTED: 11 models WE TEST FOR: How evenly the pan heats up, how easy it is to clean after use, the handle’s temperature while the pan is on the stove, handle sturdiness, and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 79 Range: 72-89 STURDY & SUPERB QUALITY Oxo Mira Tri-Ply Stainless $80 89 OVERALL SCORE SET OF TWO PANS (8” & 10”) Cuisinart N9122-810 Smartnest $60 80 OVERALL SCORE OVEN-SAFE AT HIGH TEMPS Made In Cookware Stainless Steel $90 79 OVERALL SCORE Salad Dressing WE TESTED: 20 products WE TEST FOR: How good the flavor and texture are. We also evaluate nutrition, including the amount of calories, sodium, fats, and sugars per serving. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 63 Range: 39-74 DIET-FRIENDLY VINAIGRETTE Annie’s Organic Lite Raspberry Vinaigrette $6 74 OVERALL SCORE…

AIR PURIFIERS HIGHER PRICE $750 Alen BreatheSmart 75i Pure 87 OVERALL SCORE BETTER PRICE $298 Blueair Blue Pure 211+ 85 OVERALL SCORE THE LOWDOWN THE ALEN BREATHESMART is top-notch at capturing and removing dust and smoke at both high and low speed settings. But the reasonably priced Blueair also aces our tests for particle removal in large rooms at both high and low speeds. Plus, it has a machine-washable fabric prefilter for capturing larger things like pet hair, which can prolong the life of the main filter. It’s a little noisier than the Alen when used at high speeds, but for less than half the price, that may not be an issue for most. CONVERTIBLES HIGHER PRICE $52,800 - $65,300 2023 BMW Z4 $59,195* 76 OVERALL SCORE BETTER PRICE $28,050…

FOR HARD-SURFACE CLEANING Dr. Bronner’s Pure-Castile Soap $10 Utopia Towels Cotton Washcloths (60-pack) $30 “To clean counters, walls, and other hard surfaces, I dilute and dab Dr. Bronner’s on washable cloths like Utopia Towels. It works well and has a nice smell. Plus, this $10 bottle is more versatile, and lasts longer than products like Magic Eraser, which can cost $6 for just a 2-pack.” FOR SMELLY CARPETS Arm & Hammer Cat Litter Deodorizer $5 “Nothing is perfect for containing cat-pee odor, but this Arm & Hammer powder, made for litter boxes, does a better job of it than other products I’ve tried. I sprinkle it on the soiled carpet, rub it in a little, and let it sit before vacuuming. Unlike many other cat odor products, it doesn’t emit…

(from top) APPLE WATCH SERIES 8 45MM $430 87 OVERALL SCORE The latest Apple Watch can detect if you’ve been in a vehicle crash and send for help. FITBIT SENSE 2 $300 82 OVERALL SCORE The Sense 2 measures your stress levels and includes Fitbit’s robust sleep-tracking features. GOOGLE PIXEL WATCH 41MM $350 86 OVERALL SCORE Google’s first smartwatch offers fall detection plus easy interaction with other Pixel devices. SAMSUNG GALAXY WATCH5 44MM LTE $330 85 OVERALL SCORE The Watch5 has a bioelectrical sensor that can measure body-fat percentage.…

1 Slow down. Scammers often press you for immediate action. Pause and think through whether what you’re being told is plausible. You can always respond later, through an organization’s official channels—not a mail, text, phone number, social media message, or link sent to you. 2 Share less of your personal info. People on Facebook, Goodreads, and online neighborhood groups don’t need to know your favorite musician, your mother’s maiden name, or your birthday. Such info helps crooks “phish” for possible answers to security questions. Online quizzes can also provide personal info to scammers. 3 Delete old accounts. The more digital accounts you have, the greater the risk of your personal info being stolen or misused. Shut accounts you rarely use and delete the apps. 4 Allow automatic software updates. These…

During the pandemic, restaurants started using QR codes to give touchless access to menus. Patrons scanned the code with their smartphone camera and a link to the menu popped up. Such codes are now used in various official settings—for instance, to provide information to visitors at certain museums, and at Walmart’s self-checkout lanes. But scammers are also creating QR codes that can lead to fake payment websites or download malware, the FBI says. The Better Business Bureau says these may show up in emails or texts offering debt consolidation, on ad flyers, on phony parking tickets placed on windshields, or on stickers put on parking meters. Think twice if you see a QR code on a sticker. “It’s very easy for bad actors to print out a sticker of their…

You can now find frozen pizzas with crusts made from cauliflower, broccoli, sweet potatoes, spinach, and chickpeas. You’d think a veggie crust would be a better choice than one using a refined white flour crust, so we looked at the nutrition information and ingredients in five popular brands to compare their nutritional chops. We found that in most cases, there’s little nutritional advantage to buying a veggie crust. Although these crusts do have vegetables, it’s not clear how much because they also contain brown or white rice flours and corn, tapioca, or potato starch, which help hold the crust together. Just like in regular pizzas, the nutrient counts in the veggie pizzas we evaluated vary. The amounts of calories, saturated fat, carbs, and fiber are pretty similar to pizzas with…

Quick Changes Just tap its surface (or use a wall-mounted remote) to switch among four spray patterns. American Standard Spectra+ eTouch $132 82 OVERALL SCORE Adaptable Choice This model detaches for use as a handheld, great for cleaning yourself and your shower. Moen Engage Magnetix $73 81 OVERALL SCORE A Steady Spray This single-setting model that our panelists found refreshing has a wireless Bluetooth speaker, too. Kohler Moxie BT $99 77 OVERALL SCORE Power Shower Love an intense stream? That’s one of the five spray options this showerhead supplies. HOPOPRO High Pressure Fixed $18 85 OVERALL SCORE…

FIRST DRIVE Subaru Crosstrek Essentially a taller Impreza hatchback, the 2024 Crosstrek brings infotainment changes, mild exterior restyling, and an enhanced EyeSight driver assistance system that has AEB with pedestrian detection. CR’S TAKE: The redesign brings subtle improvements, including a more comfortable ride, making the driving experience more pleasant. Top trims equipped with the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine are peppier. BASE PRICE RANGE $24,995-$31,995 DESTINATION CHARGE $1,295 PRICE AS DRIVEN $29,685 AHEAD OF THE CURVE An AI Assistant May Soon Be Your Co-Pilot and Tour Guide Artificial intelligence is coming to your car’s dashboard, where digital assistants promise to be helpful road trip companions. Some Ford models with Sync 3 or Sync 4 infotainment systems offer Mappo, an integrated app that uses AI to share travel recommendations and suggested routes. Mercedes-Benz…

A ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE plan can help you out when a flat tire, an empty gas tank, or a leaky radiator cuts your drive short. It can defray the high cost of towing and even provide discounts on travel-related services. Traditional roadside assistance plans include towing, jump-starting, locksmith services, fuel delivery, and help fixing or replacing a flat tire. Many also include winching, in case your car needs to be pulled out of a ditch or snowbank. Some plans include a mobile EV charging service for EV owners who run out of juice on the road. Having been around since 1902, AAA may be the most familiar provider of roadside assistance services. But there are plenty of other options, including companies like Good Sam, that offer similar services. Many credit card…

NO. WHILE PUTTING vinaigrette on your salad can be a lower-calorie choice than the creamier ranch dressing, some vinaigrettes can be high in added sugars. There were 7 grams per serving (2 Tbsp.) in one raspberry vinaigrette we tasted. That’s a lot, given that women should have no more than 25 g of added sugars a day and men no more than 36 g. Of the eight raspberry vinaigrettes we tried, only Annie’s, above, earned a CR Recommendation. It was among those with the fewest grams (4) of added sugars. None of the ranch dressings we tested had more than a gram of sugar. Many were also low in saturated fats. But several were higher in calories and sodium, so it’s best to stick to a single serving.…

MORE AMERICANS THAN EVER are using e-bikes to get around town quickly. Popular types include Class 1 e-bikes, which give you an electric power assist while you pedal, and Class 2 e-bikes, which offer that same power assist with just a squeeze of a hand-operated throttle lever (although many offer a pedal assist option as well). Both types of e-bike motors go up to 20 miles per hour. But these electric-powered bikes can be pricey: Some cost over $3,000. The good news? Our testers rode more than 35 e-bikes and found some great budget options. Consider these six easy-to-ride models, all for $1,600 or less, including some that fold or let you bring a bag along for the ride. E-bike regulations vary by locale, so make sure e-bikes are legal…

FORD RANGER TRUCKS Ford is recalling 231,942 2004-2006 Ford Ranger pickup trucks after discovering that replacements for faulty Takata front-passenger airbags may have been installed incorrectly. As a result, the new airbags may not protect occupants in a crash. Owners of Rangers in this latest recall will need to bring their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealership to have its front-passenger airbag inspected and, if necessary, replaced. This is true even if owners already had their passenger airbag replaced under a previous recall or if their trucks weren’t included in earlier recalls. What to do: Ford and Lincoln dealerships will inspect your vehicle, and, if necessary, replace the improperly installed inflators free of charge. Ford will contact owners of affected vehicles by mail, but owners may also call Ford…

APPLE OR ANDROID? For a more seamless experience, try to match your watch to your phone. If you have an iPhone, for example, you’ll want an Apple Watch. Models that operate on Google’s Wear OS work best with an Android phone. And if you have a Samsung phone, you can pair it with any Android smartwatch. But one made by Samsung will offer extra benefits, like compatibility with the company’s fitness apps and the ability to control the volume on a pair of Samsung earbuds from your wrist. CELL SERVICE Cellular capability adds a bit to a watch’s purchase price and roughly $10 a month to your phone bill. But it allows you to leave your smartphone behind when you go out for a walk or a run. With a…

THOSE TEXT MESSAGES certainly are attention-grabbing, saying there’s a problem with your Amazon, Apple, Netflix, bank, or cell phone account, or that you’ve won a great prize or gift card. Or it could have been a “wrong number” text, from someone who supposedly contacted you in error. Whatever the conceit, these texts usually urge you to click immediately on an embedded link. But doing so can take you to a web page that requests personal information, like passwords to your Netflix account or credit card numbers to “pay” for shipping and taxes on the prize you supposedly won. Instead of a prize, you could find unauthorized charges on your credit card or worse: Sixty percent of scam texts are designed to transmit “malware,” says Michael Bruemmer, head of global data…

GET GOOD TRACTION Falls are a huge concern in a bathroom, but there’s a lot you can do to mitigate that risk. If your shower or tub floor is slippery, you can use products that apply traction to tiles, says Russell Kendzior, president of the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI). Made with a mild acid, these solutions aren’t a coating but a scrub that you use on the surface to break down the buildup of soil and soap and micro-etch it, improving slip resistance. Try the SlipDoctors Stone Grip Anti-Slip Floor Treatment (Amazon, $65), which works on porcelain and ceramic as well as stone. Outside the shower or tub, choose a bath mat with a non-skid bottom. Mats with a thick pile made from long-staple cotton yarns are particularly soft and…

CHOOSE THE RIGHT TOILET Many of CR’s highest-rated models cost between $200 and $400, and some are priced even lower. They come in single- and dual-flush models (the latter let you choose between two flush rates, one lower for liquid waste and the other higher for solid waste). And they’re pretty straightforward to replace, says Chris Regan, a senior test engineer at CR, especially for a plumber or handyperson. It’s a good idea to choose one that’s easier to sit down on and stand up from. These models, like the two top-rated styles shown above, are often described as “comfort height,” and measure between 17 and 19 inches from floor to toilet seat. Elongated seats are typically more comfortable than round ones, though a round bowl takes up less space…

YOU MIGHT LOVE many things about your car—how comfortable it is, how it drives, that it’s reliable. But all that love can go right out the window if, like many Americans, you’re frustrated with the car’s infotainment system. Virtually every new vehicle on sale today has a center control—or infotainment—screen for phone calls, navigation, music, and climate control. But in a 2022 survey of CR members, only about half of those who own cars from model year 2020 or newer said they were “very satisfied” with the infotainment systems in their vehicles. Common complaints include freezing screens, convoluted menus, and touch-sensitive controls that are harder to use while driving than physical buttons and knobs. At the same time, the sleek, minimalist look of touchscreens is very popular with consumers, says…

JUST BECAUSE your car has an infotainment system you hate doesn’t mean you’re stuck with it. In fact, you might be carrying the solution in your pocket or purse: your smartphone. Nearly all new vehicles (and many older ones) feature Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, which lets your smartphone serve as your car’s infotainment system. When you connect your phone to a car and use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, the infotainment screen looks a lot like your phone’s screen, except with easier-to-see menus. You’ll have access to some of the same apps you probably already use on your phone, such as Spotify for music and Waze for navigation, while distracting features, such as keyboard-based texting, are disabled. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto use your phone’s own data plan…

COMPACT ELECTRIC SUVs Subaru Solterra A Mediocre First EV 75 OVERALL SCORE ROAD-TEST SCORE 77 HIGHS Quick acceleration, agile and secure handling LOWS Slow charging and limited driving range compared with other EVs, stingy EV-specific displays, no glove box POWERTRAIN 215-hp, dual electric motors; 1-speed direct-drive transmission; all-wheel drive RANGE 222 miles PRICE $44,995-$51,995 base price + $1,225 destination charge Total MSRP as tested $50,432 THE SOLTERRA, Subaru’s first EV, is essentially a twin of the Toyota bZ4X. It’s a quick, roomy, and decent-driving vehicle. But its short range, slow charging times, and limited EV-specific features make it less appealing than the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5. Front and rear electric motors give the Solterra its standard all-wheel drive. As with most EVs, it scoots off the line with…

BETWEEN 2014 AND 2021, there were 78 foodborne disease outbreaks linked to leafy greens (mainly lettuce) reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. So if you’ve noticed recalls for lettuce contaminated with E. coli and listeria, you might be wondering whether the salad in your bowl is safe to eat. CR’s experts are here to answer your biggest questions about the risks of bacteria in lettuce and how to minimize them. Q How does lettuce get contaminated in the first place? There are a few ways. Irrigation water, which is necessary to grow crops in areas that don’t get a lot of rain, creates a pathway for contamination—especially if the lettuce field is located near livestock farms. Cattle can carry deadly strains of E. coli, and their manure,…

LOOK AROUND THESE days and you’ll see lots of folks wearing smartwatches—and not just to project an air of being tech savvy. These devices have come a long way in recent years, evolving from glorified cell-phone accessories to full-fledged computers with an array of sophisticated capabilities, many of which take advantage of the fact that the watch is strapped to your body. Yes, a smartwatch can still notify you about incoming texts and calls, as well as the latest news, stock prices, and weather forecasts. With downloaded apps, it can even call an Uber for you or identify an unfamiliar song playing on the radio. But perhaps the best argument for a smartwatch in 2023 is the range of ways these tiny devices can help monitor and improve your health…

SOME SMARTWATCHES from Apple, Google, Samsung and other brands can detect if you’ve had a fall and call for assistance. For some people, this could be an alternative to the medical alert systems that use pendants or bracelets. Details vary from one watch brand to the next, but let’s look at the Apple Watch as an example. If you take a hard tumble, the device will sound an alert. Then, onscreen instructions will ask if you need help and if you want to send a message to one of your emergency contacts. If you don’t respond, the Apple Watch contacts 911. The smartwatch needs to be within Bluetooth range (roughly 30 feet) of your phone, which the watch uses to make the call, unless the watch has its own cellular…

MANY OF US are familiar with those out-of-the-blue calls, alerting us to a supposed computer virus or perhaps telling us we owe money to a company or government agency and must pay right away. These calls may sound believable, but they’re likely from scammers. Phone fraud cost some 68.4 million Americans money in 2022, says the U.S. Spam & Scam Report from Truecaller, creator of a spam-blocking app. The median loss was $1,400 per person scammed, the FTC says. These days, some scammers are taking advantage of technological advances such as artificial intelligence to trick us. With voice cloning, a fraudster snags a snippet of a person’s voice—perhaps from a video on social media or recorded during a prior phone call—and creates false statements with the “voiceprint.” Recently, a Phoenix…

■ For Phone Calls Wireless carriers’ free filtering apps, such as AT&T’s ActiveArmor, T-Mobile’s Scam Shield, and Verizon’s Call Filter, identify and block calls that are likely to be scams or spam. Premium options ($4 per month per line) add features like reverse number lookup. In addition, Apple and Android phones let you silence calls from people you don’t know. On an Android phone, go to the phone app, then Settings, then Blocked numbers, and turn on Unknown. On an iPhone, go to phone Settings, then Phone, then choose Silence Unknown Callers. And you can sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov). This won’t stop fraudsters, but it blocks most real sales calls (groups such as charities and political organizations are exceptions). That way, you’ll know sales…

OUR FAVORITES EDITOR’S CHOICE Red Baron Classic Crust Four Cheese Pizza Red Baron is a crowd-pleaser, with a perfect balance of flavors and textures. You get the distinct taste of crust, sauce, and cheese in each bite. This isn’t a thin-crust pizza, but the crust is still crispy. The pizza is topped with an ample amount of a mozzarella, cheddar, provolone, and Parmesan blend, which gave it a lot of flavor. The sauce tasted like it came from sweet, ripe tomatoes and had a peppery kick, which lends the pizza a more vibrant taste. SERVING SIZE: ¼ pizza CALORIES: 380 SATURATED FAT: 9 g CARBS: 40 g FIBER: 2 g PROTEIN: 16 g SODIUM: 720 mg BEST-TASTING CRUST Amy’s Cheese Pizza The crust on Amy’s Cheese Pizza was more substantial…

Buy in bulk. If you’re positive you’ll be taking the same drug at the same dose for a while, you can realize some eye-popping savings by filling prescriptions for several months at a time. At Amazon Pharmacy, we found a six-month prescription of 20-mg generic Lipitor (atorvastatin) for $32.90, compared with $9.50 for a single month’s supply—a $24 savings. Get a year’s worth at an H-E-B grocery store in Texas for $23 using a GoodRx coupon. Consider an online pharmacy subscription service if you take several generics. Two options: ScriptCo and GoodRx. At both, you pay an annual fee and get free or low-cost common generic meds—sometimes just pennies per pill. This could be an option if you take multiple generic drugs. For that same generic Lipitor, after paying a…

“Good-quality towels are made of 100 percent cotton,” says Preeti Arya, PhD, an assistant professor of textile science and marketing at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City. The high percentage of cellulose in cotton makes it super-absorbent. Egyptian, Pima, and Turkish cottons feel soft, but Egyptian and Pima have longer fibers that make them extra plush. How they’re woven affects the texture, too. Terry These cozy towels have loops in the weave that increase absorbency. But they get heavy when wet and can take longer to dry. CR likes the Frontgate Resort Collection Bath Towel (Frontgate, $44), left, and the Hydrocotton Quick-Dry Organic Towel (Pottery Barn, $35). Flat Weave Flat-woven towels like West Elm’s Turkish Tassel Organic Towel (West Elm, $30), left, are thinner and lighter but…

Let There Be Lighting Ceiling fixtures provide overall illumination, but don’t forget to place task lighting in areas where better visibility could prevent accidents: by the sink, near the toilet, and above the tub or shower. Try dimmable or even multicolored bulbs, says Paul Harris, PhD, a social psychologist at Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. The Philips Hue 100W A21 LED Smart Bulb (Best Buy, $65) lets you adjust the intensity and color of the light from bright white as you’re getting ready in the morning to a warm glow when you wind down in the evening. Position night lights by the toilet and sink to help you navigate in the dark. Choose ones that stay on rather than motion-sensor lights, so that you can see where you’re going…

Nearly every automaker’s infotainment system looks and operates differently, and most can be complicated—even overwhelming—to learn. Our experts offer step-by-step advice on how to make using these systems simpler so that you can benefit from what they offer. Here’s what to do: 1 Check for a Software Update If you’re experiencing problems with your system, first check to make sure you’re running the latest software. Automakers sometimes release new software that can improve an infotainment system’s performance, fix bugs, and add features. For example, a software update on the Ford Mustang Mach-E made Apple CarPlay displays larger and easier to read on the screen, and our reliability survey data showed that the number of complaints from BMW owners about blank and frozen infotainment screens decreased after BMW issued software updates.…