Table of contents for January 2023 in Consumer Reports

AS CR LOOKS to the important consumer work ahead in 2023, I find myself reflecting on the 1936 founding of our organization. At that time, the marketplace was full of exciting new technologies—automobiles, telephones, and more. But along with those new advances came the task of ensuring that people would be safe using them and that the advertisements used to promote those advances were kept honest. To meet that moment, CR’s founders had a plan: Empower people with helpful information from research and testing, and advocate for laws and standards that put consumers first. That was our sacred promise then, and it remains so today as we focus on new challenges and opportunities to grow consumer power. This month, we are examining the risks posed by the mostly unregulated world…

Dish Detergents WE TESTED: 23 models WE TEST FOR: How well a detergent cleans dishes with baked-on food and resists mineral deposits on glassware. Prices are per load. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 75 Range: 47-92 TOP-PERFORMING PACKS Member’s Mark (Sam’s Club) Ultimate Clean Dishwasher Pacs 10 cents 92 OVERALL SCORE BARGAIN GEL Great Value Dishwasher Gel (Walmart) 5 cents 74 OVERALL SCORE EXCELLENT AT REMOVING BAKED-ON FOOD Cascade Gel with Dawn 10 cents 68 OVERALL SCORE Green Choice Dishwashers WE TESTED: 22 24-inch models WE TEST FOR: How clean they get dishes when set on the normal cycle, the machine’s environmental impact based on its water use, reliability, and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 71 Range: 59-85 MOST RELIABLE BRAND Bosch 100 Series SHXM4AY55N $900 85 OVERALL SCORE QUIETEST & WIFI-CAPABLE Cafe…

KIA VEHICLES Kia is recalling 69,038 2021-2022 Sorento and 2021-2023 K5 vehicles because the electric oil pump may experience an internal fault, which can result in a complete loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. What to do: Bring the vehicle to a dealership; technicians will inspect and replace the transmission as necessary and update the transmission control unit software, all free of charge. Owners will be notified by mail but can also call Kia customer service at 800-333-4542 for details. Kia’s number for this recall is SC250. PINE-SOL CLEANERS Clorox is recalling about 37 million Pine-Sol Scented Multi-Surface Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, and Lemon Fresh scents; CloroxPro Pine-Sol All Purpose Cleaners in Lavender Clean, Sparkling Wave, Lemon Fresh, and Orange Energy scents; and Clorox…

WHEN HER DAILY migraine medication wasn’t cutting it, Aubree Wolber’s doctor suggested a magnesium supplement. The 28-year-old from Ypsilanti, Mich., was skeptical: “I wasn’t convinced it was going to work for headaches I had been having for 15 years.” After a few months, her headaches did improve—but she’s still not sure whether it’s because of the magnesium or other changes she made, such as drinking more water. Wolber is one of the millions of people who regularly take vitamins, minerals, and other supplements. Sixty percent of us, in fact, take them daily, according to a summer 2022 nationally representative Consumer Reports survey of 3,070 U.S. adults. But do all those pills actually make us feel better? Like Wolber, many people turn to supplements when they are facing hard-to-treat issues. And…

WHILE THERE’S NO NEED to adopt every new technologydriven gadget, a growing number of products may make aging in place simpler and safer. These include robotic vacuums, video doorbells that allow you to see who is at your door without heading to it, appliances that you can switch on with voice commands, and more. In fact, a 2020 CR survey of 39,251 members found that 22 percent of those who say they’ve made home modifications have installed a smart appliance—which can connect to devices such as smartphones and smart speakers and can be operated remotely. CR.org has information (available to all) and ratings (available to members) for many of these products. You can also check Tech-enhanced Life (techenhancedlife.com). Here’s the lowdown on three popular types of items. SMART SPEAKERS These allow…

SHOPPING FOR A new car tends to be an anxiety-ridden process. It’s one of the largest single purchases many people make, and no one wants to waste money—or time—on a model that will be a regular at the repair shop. Fortunately, CR can guide you to the most reliable new cars, including sedans, SUVs, and pickup trucks. Our recommendations are based on our Auto Reliability Survey, which asked members about issues they’ve had with their vehicles in any of 17 potential problem areas during the previous 12 months. We’re talking everything from engine, transmission, and brakes to electrical systems, noises, leaks, paint, and trim. We use their responses on more than 300,000 vehicles to calculate predicted reliability ratings for almost every new auto on the market. Highlights of this year’s survey…

No Modesty Allowed, Either This gym might want to rethink its “dress code.” Submitted by Amy Hayden, Denver Cafeteria for Vampires Not into giving blood while you eat? We suggest picking a different hospital lunch spot. Submitted by Robert Ianarelli, Summerville, SC Too Tall? Get Another Parking Space! Unless you’re visiting a pediatrician’s office, this policy seems kind of discriminatory. Submitted by James Berk, Huntington Beach, CA Bring a Tissue Isn’t this exactly what a vaccine should help you avoid? Submitted by Claudia McGehee, as seen in Iowa City, IA 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,…

BUDGET POD Keurig K-Mini Plus $110 68 OVERALL SCORE BEST FOR A GREAT CUP OF JOE Cuisinart PerfecTemp 14-Cup Programmable DCC-3200 $100 87 OVERALL SCORE TOP ALL-IN-ONE OPTION Ninja Specialty CM401 $170 82 OVERALL SCORE If YOU GET YOUR a.m. fix from a coffee shop, you may have noticed that the cost of that cup has risen in the past year. In these inflationary times, it makes sense to try to save some cash by brewing your joe at home. The good news: The latest coffee makers can help you make drinks that taste just as good as—or even better than—what your favorite barista serves up. Our ratings, starting on page 22, will help you find a toptier coffee maker for as little as $25, along with those that have built-in grinders…

ONE-THIRD OF AMERICANS say they believe supplements have been tested by the Food and Drug Administration for safety, according to CR’s recent survey. But in reality, the FDA doesn’t approve or test the safety or effectiveness of any supplement sold in the U.S. before it enters the market. In fact, the FDA typically learns of problems with a product only after it’s on store shelves. That’s unlike prescription and over-the-counter drugs, which undergo multiple clinical trials as part of a lengthy FDA application process before they’re approved for sale. To learn about potential problems with supplements, the agency relies on reports of injury or misleading marketing submitted by consumers or healthcare providers. “The FDA can’t ban risky supplements until they have some evidence or early signals that there’s a safety…

CBD, WHICH CAN COME from marijuana or hemp plants, is going mainstream: Twenty-eight percent of Americans have taken CBD at least once in the past two years, according to a nationally representative CR survey of 2,125 U.S. adults in July 2022. So CR did a spot check of CBD gummies sold online from four companies: Keoni, Medterra, Royal, and Smilz. The results were reassuring. CR did not find pesticides in any product, and all had no or very little THC, the component that can get users high. (Legally, CBD products must be less than 0.3 percent THC.) Gummies from Keoni and Smilz did have lead, though at very low levels. Keoni said the amounts found “reflect safe and commonplace levels” and are “not a cause for alarm.” Smilz did not respond…

IN THE KNOW The Secret to Perfectly Cooked Meat NO MATTER HOW you like your steak, turkey, or chicken cooked, the best way to get it your way is to use a meat thermometer. While old-school kitchen thermometers (which must be inserted each time you want to get a reading) do a good job, the new “smart thermometers” are real game-changers: They’re designed to be left in your meat while it cooks, and then wirelessly transmit the temperature to an app on your smartphone. Three of the models we tested—made by Meater, Yummly, and The MeatStick—are wireless rechargeable pen-style probes, but the ThermoPro has two wired probes connected to a countertop display. It still transmits temps wirelessly to your phone, but you’ll need to close the oven door on the…

HOW WE TEST: The Overall Score for both types of brewers combines test results with survey data for predicted reliability and owner satisfaction. Predicted reliability estimates the likelihood that new models from a given brand will develop problems or break within the first four years. Owner satisfaction reflects the proportion of CR members who are extremely likely to recommend their coffee maker. If there’s insufficient data, indicated by a gray dash (–), we assume the model has average reliability and satisfaction. For drip brewers, we evaluate brew performance by measuring the brew temperature (to see if it meets industry standards) and the concentration of the finished coffee. Our testers also evaluate carafe handling (to see how easily you can hold and pour the carafe) and brew time. For pod coffee…

HERE ARE 10 RISKY SUPPLEMENTS that CR, with the help of a panel of doctors and researchers, says you should steer clear of. In general, risk increases the larger the dosage and the longer they’re taken. Also beware of illegal or unapproved drug ingredients, such as tianeptine, methylsynephrine, and phenibut. —L.L.G. Chaparral ALSO CALLED: creosote bush, greasewood, Larrea divaricata, Larrea tridentata, larreastat. CLAIMED BENEFITS: weight loss; eases inflammation; treats colds, infections, rashes, and cancers. POTENTIAL HARMS: kidney problems, liver damage. Coltsfoot ALSO CALLED: coughwort, Farfarae folium leaf, foalswort, Tussilago farfara. CLAIMED BENEFITS: relieves cough, sore throat, laryngitis, bronchitis, asthma. POTENTIAL HARMS: liver damage, possible carcinogen. Comfrey ALSO CALLED: blackwort, bruisewort, slippery root, Symphytum officinale. CLAIMED BENEFITS: relieves cough, heavy menstrual periods, stomach problems, chest pain; treats cancer. POTENTIAL HARMS: liver damage, cancer. Germander ALSO CALLED: Teucrium chamaedrys, Teucrium…

FIRST DRIVE Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk 4xe The Trailhawk 4xe is an offroad-capable Grand Cherokee that’s also a plug-in hybrid. Its 375-hp turbocharged four-cylinder powertrain delivers plenty of oomph, and you can choose when to use the electric power, allowing the possibility of a silent driving experience in the woods. CR’S TAKE: The Trailhawk 4xe is not very fuel-efficient, and it has a short electriconly range of 25 miles. When driven as a hybrid, it manages an EPA-estimated 23 mpg combined—just 1 mpg better than the conventional V6. BASE PRICE RANGE $60,260-$77,470 DESTINATION CHARGE $1,795 PRICE AS DRIVEN $65,260 ASK OUR EXPERTS How do I rid my car of foul odors? Because many odors can be traced to something obvious, like spilled food or dirty gym clothes, a simple cleanup can…

MORE FREQUENT STORMS, millions of crashes annually, and limited availability mean that used-car shoppers are more likely than ever to buy a vehicle that’s been damaged (as many as 358,000 vehicles were flooded during Hurricane Ian, estimates Carfax). Though it’s supposed to be noted on the title, damage from a flood, fire, or collision too often isn’t communicated to potential buyers. This is why you need to be cautious when considering buying any used car offered with a “lost” title or with only a bill of sale. Vehicle history reports from Carfax, the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, or the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) free VINCheck service may tip you off to a car’s checkered past but aren’t foolproof. Always have a car inspected by a reliable mechanic before…