Tabla de contenidos para September 2024 en Consumer Reports

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…

Bring the Heat For a perfectly cooked beef burger, make sure the inside reaches 160° F—the minimum temperature needed to kill off potentially harmful bacteria. Don’t worry about dryness—you’ll still end up with a juicy burger. ThermoPro Digital Meat Thermometer (TP19H) $25 92 OVERALL SCORE Don’t Burn the Outside Charring can cause compounds to form that might increase cancer risk. So keep the flame low, flip often, and finish over high heat. Mixing thyme, ginger, or garlic into your patty may also stop the compounds from forming. Keep It Clean When taking burgers off the grill, use a fresh plate. Don’t reuse the dish you had the raw patties on earlier because it could have dangerous bacteria from the uncooked meat on it.…

BREW IT YOURSELF These easy-to-use countertop brewers are specifically designed to make cold coffees. 74 OVERALL SCORE FOR ICED COFFEE K-Iced Single Serve Coffee Maker $85 This slim brewer is fast. All you have to do is add water to the reservoir, place a pod in the filter basket, close it, and press the “brew” button. The iced setting makes refreshing coffee that isn’t too acidic when poured over ice. 78 OVERALL SCORE FOR COLD BREW Primula Burke Cold Brew Coffee Maker $35 This method—which requires steeping coffee grounds in cold water for 12 to 24 hours—makes a smooth coffee without the bitterness. The Primula is the best cold brewer we’ve tested. BUY IT Prefer the convenience of store bought coffee? These are some of our favorite bottled cold brews. TOP PICK Chameleon Organic…

Most experts recommend that you swap out your pillow every one to two years. But if you’re having a hard time deciding if your pillow is past its prime, there are easy ways to know for sure. If your pillow has loose filling, place it on a flat surface and fold it in half. Next, press down on the pillow anywhere from 30 seconds to a minute. Then let go. If your pillow immediately springs back, it still has life left in it. If it remains folded, it’s time for a new one. Slab-style pillows can flatten over time; replace yours when the pillow no longer supports your head and keeps shoulders aligned.…

MULTIVITAMINS ARE FAR AND AWAY the most popular supplement in the U.S., but there is a dizzying array of choices. In reality, the only people who clearly need a multivitamin are those with “a problem absorbing food or on an extremely restricted diet,” says Pieter Cohen, MD, of Harvard Medical School. But it’s reasonable for some people—especially anyone with concerns about whether they’re eating enough healthy foods—to consider taking a multi as a sort of insurance policy, says JoAnn E. Manson, MD, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. You can also take a multivitamin rather than individual supplements if you have more than one special dietary need—for example, if you’re a vegetarian, your healthcare provider may recommend taking a supplement that contains iron, vitamin B12, and other…

Drinkable yogurt is yogurt—it’s simply been diluted a bit with water or produced in a way that gives it a lighter consistency than the spoonable stuff. Some have a very thin texture, while others are as thick as buttermilk or heavy cream. It depends on the style of yogurt used to make it (Greek is on the thicker side; traditional is thinner), the type of milk it contains (dairy or plant), and its fat content. Kefir, another probiotic drink, is similar to drinkable yogurt but is fermented longer, so it tends to have a tarter taste. Rather than being made with just live bacterial cultures, as yogurts are, it’s made with bacteria and yeast, and it may have a wider variety of probiotics than yogurt. As with yogurts you eat…

2021 LEXUS NX $38,850 OWNER SATISFACTION RELIABILITY $47,765 NEW-CAR PRICE* 3-TO 7-YEAR REPAIR/MAINTENANCE COSTS $2,900 ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY 4-year, 50,000-mile limited; 6-year, 70,000-mile powertrain 2021 MAZDA MX-5 MIATA $24,100 OWNER SATISFACTION RELIABILITY $32,715 NEW-CAR PRICE* 3-TO 7-YEAR REPAIR/MAINTENANCE COSTS $1,020 ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY 3-year, 36,000-mile limited; 5-year, 60,000-mile powertrain 2021 SUBARU FORESTER $26,925 OWNER SATISFACTION RELIABILITY $32,755 NEW-CAR PRICE* 3-TO 7-YEAR REPAIR/MAINTENANCE COSTS $3,320 ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY 3-year, 36,000-mile limited; 5-year, 60,000-mile powertrain 2021 TOYOTA CAMRY $28,800 OWNER SATISFACTION RELIABILITY $33,678 NEW-CAR PRICE* 3-TO 7-YEAR REPAIR/MAINTENANCE COSTS $1,950 ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY 3-year, 36,000-mile limited; 5-year, 60,000-mile powertrain…

BUYING A ONE-TIME rental car might seem like a bad idea. For starters, it’s almost certainly been driven by people who may not have treated it with the same care they would for their own vehicle. But don’t rule out buying a former rental car just because of that. “Used rental cars can be priced very competitively, with a wide selection of available models under $20,000,” says Michael Crossen, a mechanic at CR’s Auto Test Center. “Depending on which company you buy from, used rental cars can also come with warranty protections that can reduce financial risk.” Major rental car companies such as Enterprise and Hertz offer limited warranties, roadside assistance, haggle-free pricing, and the option to return the car within a week if you change your mind. Some companies…

IN A MARKETPLACE riddled with misleading ads, consumers need partners they can rely on. CR is dedicated to earning that trust by looking out for you. One-third of Americans assume the supplements they find in stores have been tested by the Food and Drug Administration for safety, according to a 2022 CR nationally representative survey. But unlike prescription and over-the-counter drugs, the FDA doesn’t review, approve, or test supplements sold in the U.S. before they enter the marketplace. Federal regulations also don’t generally require supplement makers to prove their products are safe. Instead, the FDA relies on a database of reports submitted by consumers, healthcare practitioners, and manufacturers to learn about potentially dangerous supplements. But researchers estimate that only about 2 percent of “adverse events” possibly related to these products…

Laptops WE TESTED: 217 models WE TEST FOR: Performance while running a variety of tasks; battery life; the quality of the screen, including size, clarity, and color; keyboard ergonomics; and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 71 Range: 33-90 LARGE DISPLAY & LIGHTWEIGHT LG Gram 17 (2024) $1,600 88 OVERALL SCORE SMALL, WITH A TOUCHSCREEN Samsung Galaxy Book4 Pro 14” $1,450 82 OVERALL SCORE SUPERIOR BATTERY LIFE MSI Prestige 16 $1,200 80 OVERALL SCORE Black-and-White Laser Printers WE TESTED: 60 models WE TEST FOR: Speed and quality of printing graphics and text. We also estimate a printer’s ink costs per year. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 68 Range: 54-85 SPEEDY & GOOD AT GRAPHICS Canon imageClass LBP246dw $200 79 OVERALL SCORE COMPACT & A RELIABLE BRAND Brother HL-L2370DW $230 73 OVERALL SCORE CRISP TEXT QUALITY FOR LESS Canon imageClass…

Whether gas prices go up or down, a fuel-efficient vehicle will always save you money. But what’s a good number when it comes to gas mileage these days? The answer can vary widely by car type. What follows: Fourteen autos, including some surprisingly efficient SUVs, trucks, and sports cars, that get the most miles per gallon in their respective categories. And we don’t just take the window stickers’ word for it—the overall gas mileages listed here are derived from our own tests that are based on a mix of city and highway driving. Some of the most efficient models are hybrids, which conserve gas by combining an engine with an electric motor and battery pack. But some gasonly vehicles, like the midsized SUVs shown here, now offer good fuel economy…

CHRYSLER MINIVANS, SUVs, AND TRUCKS Chrysler is recalling 1,033,433 minivans, SUVs, and trucks from the 2021 to 2023 model years because of a potential safety risk when backing up. The vehicle’s media screen may not display the view behind the vehicle when in Reverse, due to radio signal issues. What to do Chrysler dealers will update the radio software to fix the problem, free of charge. Owners who already paid to have this work performed before the recall was issued may be able to seek reimbursement from Chrysler. Owners of affected vehicles will be contacted by Chrysler by mail but can also call the automaker at 800-853-1403. The NHTSA campaign number for this recall is 24V436000, and Chrysler’s own number is 66B. MGA MINIVERSE MAKE IT MINI TOY SETS MGA…

We recommend heading to a walk-in store. Take a tape measure to help you find choices that fit your sleep style. Many mattress showrooms offer pillow “fittings,” where you can lie down with a pillow, much as you would while mattress shopping. Sales associates in stores like Mattress Firm, Saatva, and Sleep Number, all of which sell pillows, can help check your alignment and provide recommendations. For the most accurate pillow test, try to lie on a mattress similar in firmness to the one you have at home. Before heading to a store like HomeGoods or Target, you can do your own assessment. Get a sense of how thick your new pillow should be to offer proper support. (You can experiment with pillows or even folded towels, then measure the…

INTENTIONALLY OR ACCIDENTALLY taking doses of vitamins that are higher than the tolerable upper intake level can cause uncomfortable and even dangerous side effects. For example, high doses of magnesium can cause diarrhea and gastric cramping, and large amounts of a nutrient called choline can result in a fishy body odor. Excessive calcium can impair kidney function, and toxic amounts of vitamin D can increase the risk of heart arrhythmias. The risk of adverse effects is higher with what’s called megadosing, which involves taking much more than the recommended amount. While megadose amounts aren’t officially established, “usually it’s a dose much higher than people consume in foods,” says Fang Fang Zhang, MD, chair of the division of nutrition epidemiology and data science at Tufts University in Boston. These doses (often…

FIRST DRIVE Subaru Forester The redesigned Forester retains its core virtues—great outward visibility, roominess, and standard all-wheel drive. Aside from the chunkier styling, the most significant change to this small SUV is its quieter cabin. The 180-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine has also been retuned to offer more everyday drivability. CR’S TAKE The hushed cabin is a big improvement. While the Forester won’t impress anyone with its not-so-zippy acceleration, we appreciate its smooth and predictable power delivery. BASE PRICE RANGE $29,695-$39,995 DESTINATION CHARGE $1,395 PRICE AS DRIVEN $41,390 TIP FROM THE TEST TRACK How to Clean the Crevices in Your Car It’s easy enough to vacuum your car’s interior and wipe down smooth surfaces, but what about the gunk that gets stuck in crevices? Professional car detailers use a dry brush to…

2021 ACURA RDX $36,850 OWNER SATISFACTION RELIABILITY $ 43,995 NEW-CAR PRICE* 3-TO 7-YEAR REPAIR/MAINTENANCE COSTS $ 3,525 ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY 4-year, 50,000-mile limited; 6-year, 70,000-mile powertrain CPO WARRANTY 2-year, unlimited mileage after the original warranty expires 2021 MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS $45,025 OWNER SATISFACTION RELIABILITY $77,74 0 NEW-CAR PRICE* 3-TO 7-YEAR REPAIR/MAINTENANCE COSTS $4,700 ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY 4-year, 50,000-mile limited and powertrain CPO WARRANTY 1-year, unlimited mileage after the original warranty expires 2021 BMW X3 $33,225 OWNER SATISFACTION RELIABILITY $53,745 NEW-CAR PRICE* 3-TO 7-YEAR REPAIR/MAINTENANCE COSTS $5,100 ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY 4-year, 50,000-mile limited and powertrain CPO WARRANTY 1-year, unlimited mileage after the original warranty expires 2021 PORSCHE MACAN $42,875 OWNER SATISFACTION RELIABILITY $63,290 NEW-CAR PRICE* 3-TO 7-YEAR REPAIR/MAINTENANCE COSTS $7,750 ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY 4-year, 50,000-mile CPO WARRANTY 2-year, unlimited mileage after the original warranty expires…

COMPACT ELECTRIC CARS Hyundai Kona Electric A Competent and Budget-Friendly EV 58 OVERALL SCORE THE REDESIGNED Kona Electric is a mostly enjoyable, reasonably priced little runabout that’s zippy and has short stopping distances and user-friendly controls. The version we tested managed a decent 245 miles in our 70-mph highway range test. Elevated wind and road noise make the cabin loud for an EV, though, and the abundance of hard plastic trim throughout the interior (including the armrests!) is disappointing. Acceleration from the 201-hp electric motor is swift and effortless; it’s about 2.5 seconds quicker from 0 to 60 mph than the gas-powered Kona. The 11-kilowatt onboard charger allows you to gain about 37 miles of range per hour using 240 volts, and Hyundai says the battery can be amped up from…

LUXURY MIDSIZED CARS AUDI A6 $58,100-$83,700 76 LEXUS ES $42,040-$52,330 82 THE LOWDOWN THE AUDI A6 is an impressive sedan, with a supremely comfortable interior, lively and sporty handling, and an easy-to-use infotainment system. But this kind of European luxury comes at a premium price—and, often, expensive maintenance and repair bills. Instead, consider the refined Lexus ES. Its controls are not quite as easy to use, but it offers a smoother ride, costs less up front, and has lower ownership costs, along with better reliability. CAST-IRON FRYING PANS FINEX CAST IRON $230 78 BAYOU CLASSIC CAST IRON COOKWARE $45 78 THE LOWDOWN THE PRICEY FINEX PAN excels in our steak-searing test; bakes up fluffy, golden cornbread; and has a lifetime warranty. Its octagonal shape is more than just eye-catching: It…

DOES YOUR PILLOW look as flat as a pancake? Is it lumpy? Do you find yourself fluffing it up all night? And do you wake up with a sore neck or upper back pain? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it’s probably time to find something better. But you’ll see there’s a dizzying array of pillows online and in stores. (What makes a pillow dust-mite-resistant or cooling, and what the heck is a filling called kapok, anyway?) The right pillow should keep your upper body and spine aligned. It will also help your body maintain the ideal temperature needed for restful sleep, and it won’t trigger allergies. If your pillow doesn’t check those boxes, it’s time to find one that will. Here’s what to know before you…

YOU’VE PROBABLY seen ads for Prevagen, a supplement with a protein derived from jellyfish, claiming it will improve agerelated memory loss. Fortythree percent of Americans have heard of it, according to a May 2024 CR nationally representative survey of 2,022 U.S. adults. But the Federal Trade Commission and the state of New York have taken actions against the company, saying research shows the company’s product simply does not work. “I tell my patients not to take Prevagen,” says Matthew Badgett, MD, of the Cleveland Clinic. To stay sharp, focus instead on the same things that keep your body healthy, like managing diabetes and other diseases, and prioritizing a nutritious diet, regular exercise, and sleep.…

Added Sugars For many people, added sugars can make yogurt taste less tart. “I’d rather see people eat a little more sugar and eat yogurt than say, ‘Yuck, I don’t like it, it’s too sour,’ ” says Mark Haub, PhD, at Kansas State University. Still, some flavored yogurts have a lot of added sugars. For example, Silk Almondmilk, Strawberry, has 12 grams (3 teaspoons) in a serving. La Yogurt Sabor Latino Low Fat Blended, Strawberry, has 18 grams (4.5 teaspoons)—and some of this brand’s other flavors have more than that. The American Heart Association recommends women get no more than 25 grams (6 teaspoons) of added sugars and men no more than 36 grams (9 teaspoons) in an entire day. CR suggests choosing a yogurt with no more than 8…

USED-CAR PRICES SPIKED in the supply-chain chaos that followed the pandemic, when some models actually sold for more than they cost when they were new. Now, used-car prices are down about 11 percent compared with last year, selling for just under $30,000 on average. Meanwhile, new-car prices (average cost: $48,000) have continued to hover near record highs. Want a great deal on a car? Now is the time to buy a used one. There are several ways to buy a used car. You can purchase it in a private sale from another individual. You can buy it from an independent used-car dealer or from a manufacturer-branded dealership. Or you can buy a certified pre-owned, or CPO, car, also from the manufacturer. CPO cars are thoroughly inspected before being offered for…