Tabla de contenidos para September 2022 en CHOICE

The inability for traditional Ni-MH batteries to reach 1.5V or even maintain their 1.2V level for the operating life of the battery is an issue for some users when dealing with devices needing four or more AA or AAA batteries to operate. Tenavolts Lithium Rechargeable AA batteries are pre-charged up to 2775mWh, and deliver 1.5V from the moment you put them in the device until they stop. They can then be recharged to full capacity in a bit less than two hours – a significant improvement on the three-plus hours needed by the traditional quick-charge Ni-MH rechargeable batteries. Our tester Carl found some small variance over the life of the battery, but no more than 0.02V, which wouldn’t be noticed in day-to-day use. AA high-capacity rechargeable lithium batteries are a…

Australia’s new minister for competition Andrew Leigh says the economy needs a “shake-up” to ensure monopolists don’t dominate the market. Speaking to The Guardian, Leigh said excessive market concentration was leading to poor outcomes for workers and consumers. “One of my favourite barbecue games is let’s go through the Australian economy and name more than a handful of industries where there is more than just a couple of dominant players,” says Leigh. “Whether it’s banking or baby food or beer, the Australian economy is characterised by a few firms dominating the market.” Leigh has proposed changes to competition law, which would see penalties for companies engaging in anti-competitive behaviour rise from $10 million to $50 million, to ensure it isn’t simply a “cost of doing business” fine and instead provides…

Dealing with a cool response When CHOICE member John bought his air conditioner, the offer included a free yearly service for seven years. But forgetting he was entitled to free servicing, John paid $199 for a service earlier this year. He told us that despite several requests to the company, it was refusing to refund his money for the service and had stopped replying to his emails. We suggested John contact the company once more with a formal complaint letter or email, and state that he believes he’s entitled to a refund. We suggested he include that he would like a resolution within a few business days, and that if they don’t respond, that he intends to lodge a complaint with Consumer Affairs Victoria. We also said he could add…

We’ve been following the reliability of products for more than 40 years. This year, instead of focusing on the results from our most recent reliability survey, we wanted to take a look at how reliability for different appliances has changed over the past 10 years. We’ve taken data we’ve collected since 2012 on 12 popular appliances in our homes, and looked at the number of breakdowns, the types of problems owners experience, and owner satisfaction with their appliance brand over a decade. Our data can give you insights into which brands have established a longer-term reputation for appliance reliability, and the common issues to watch out for. Overall, about 15% of products break down each year, but some are more likely than others to have an issue. Almost a quarter…

Aussie consumers are doing it tough. Prices are rising, on everything from common grocery items to fuel and electricity. There’s no escaping this squeeze on our budgets. But we’re not just facing a cost-of-living challenge – we’re facing an environmental one too. Whether it’s reducing our power consumption, or keeping goods out of landfill, we all need to play our part. There’s little more disheartening than seeing yet another fridge or washing machine rusting on the kerbside. True, sometimes they just conk out and we’re forced to invest in a new one. But there’s so much we can do to extend their lives and keep them going for longer. There’s so much we can do to extend the lives of our appliances Best of all, extending the lives of our…

Cashback websites offer people cash rewards simply for using a link on their site to navigate to a retailer’s website when making an online purchase. Cashrewards, ShopBack and Kickback are a few of the cashback sites operating in Australia. They partner with selected retailers, each offering either a percentage discount or a fixed sum discount on purchases. It seems an easy way to save a bit of money, so where’s the harm? As always, it’s important to start by asking, ‘what’s in it for them?’ How cashback sites work You first need to sign up as a member, which involves providing personal information such as your name, email address and phone number. Then you can browse the cashback site for retailers you’d like to shop with, and click through to…

In 2020, CHOICE gave Revitalife, an electric bed retailer, a Shonky Award for their dodgy, high-pressure sales tactics that targeted older Australians. Our investigation revealed that Revitalife’s online and telephone ‘health survey’ inflated its healthcare credentials in order to convince people to buy expensive beds. We also found the claims behind their ‘sleep systems’ were lacking in evidence. Now, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has accepted the company’s steps to provide 49 customers with refunds, totalling more than $55,000. Revitalife has also agreed to update its complaints handling system and to establish and maintain a program that ensures its compliance with the ACL. Earlier this year, Revitalife stopped conducting in-home sales and amended its policies, practices, and terms to be in line with the ACL. These changes came…

A new report from the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) shows telcos are still behaving badly and, according to the Consumer Action Law Centre (CALC), highlights the need for better consumer protections. The TIO received more than 63,000 complaints about mobile services between July 2020 and March 2022. Overall complaints declined over that period, but mobile complaints held steady and are now the dominant complaint type. The report found complaints about misleading conduct by a telco and unsuitable payment options were higher for mobile services than for internet, landline and property services combined. “Telco’s provide an essential service to the community, vital for work, health and education, and social interaction, and TIO’s report shines a light on problems that still haven’t been fixed,” says Brigette Rose, senior policy officer at CALC.…

In the last financial year, Australians lodged more than 72,000 complaints with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority against banks, insurers, super funds, investment firms and financial advisers. It was a rise of three percent on the previous financial year. One of the biggest increases came from complaints related to natural disasters, with 1500 complaints, more than the double the previous year’s figure. The big four banks together accounted for almost 20,000 complaints, a rise of some 10%, while overall the number of complaints lodged against licensed financial firms fell. Chief Ombudsman David Locke says natural disaster complaints were mostly about delays in claims handling in insurance disputes. “We acknowledge that insurers face challenges as they try to manage claims and get people back on their feet. We know there are…

I was given a Blunt Umbrella as a gift about four years ago. They are not a cheap accessory. They retail for about $130 and have a standard two-year manufacturer’s warranty. These umbrellas are designed in New Zealand to withstand strong winds and have rounded edges, so no pointy bits! I got the UV protective one so I could use it in summer also. It doesn’t rain too often in Perth so I hadn’t used it much until last winter when we experienced more rain than ever previously recorded. I noticed my umbrella was becoming difficult to close into the final position so I contacted Blunt to enquire about a repair. They said a repair should be inexpensive (under $20) so I mailed it to the Melbourne address they provided…

With the rising cost of living, value for money is a major selling point when buying a new appliance or electrical item. You also want a product you know will last (see p18 for the brands with the most reliable products). But if something does go wrong with your purchase, a retailer that offers good customer and after-sales service and a streamlined returns process can help ease a painful situation. We asked more than 5000 CHOICE supporters about their experiences buying appliances in the past 12 months. We asked participants to rate the range of products and brands, value for money, customer service, delivery and after-sales service. For online stores, we also asked about ease of using the website, payment options and the returns process. We included results for stores…

Super Consumers Australia research has found that one of the key questions people have about their retirement is ‘how much money will I need’? After extensive consultation, the CHOICE partner organisation has developed some guidelines, based on the actual spending habits of retired Australians. “Among the most important financial questions people planning their retirement face is how much they need to save and what income those savings will deliver in retirement,” says Super Consumers Australia director Xavier O’Halloran. The expert view is that the current industry standard may be misleading “These new retirement targets are designed to help people answer these questions. They provide a solid ‘rule of thumb’ for what is needed to maintain living standards when you’re retired.” Debunking the ASFA standard Representing the superannuation industry, the Association…

Detergent is the biggest ongoing cost in your laundry. But we’ve found you might be able to use half the recommended dose and still get a great wash. In the past, the top laundry detergents we’ve tested performed just as well on all stains at half the recommended dose. Others performed well at half the dose on several types of stains. Our advice is to treat the dosing scoop or cap more like a polite suggestion than firm instruction, and experiment with your detergent – you may find you can use a lot less than you think and still get a wash you’re happy with. Treat the dosing scoop or cap more like a polite suggestion than firm instruction Using less detergent is also better for the environment. Even though…

Some claim the Hills Hoist clothesline to be Australia’s greatest contribution to the modern world. They’re intertwined with our cultural heritage – the first Hills Hoists were made from decommissioned antisubmarine defences pulled from Sydney Harbour – and the National Museum of Australia in Canberra even has an entire collection devoted to them. But apartment living and the changing nature of work and lifestyles mean this Aussie icon has been replaced in many households by a clothes dryer. At CHOICE we still recommend line drying where possible, as it certainly uses fewer resources. But dryers are undeniably convenient and, for some, essential. Just keep the costs in mind. Your dryer divorces you from the need for sunshine – you can run it if it’s raining Speed and convenience Pegging out…

Our long-serving rogues’ gallery of dodgy ads, toe-curling typos and misadventures in marketing, as sent in by you – our tickled, angered and bewildered readers. And thanks to the timeless shonkiness of so much advertising, you’re always spoilt for choice – so keep’em coming. Email highquality unedited photos to hardword@choice.com.au. This month, thanks go to brylin_6 (Money to burn), John Dorrestyn (Insect resurrection), Pamela Odijk (Road tested) and Vick Papadinas (Prime location). ROAD TESTED This hemp seed oil may provide “many painful issues”, but we love that roadside reassurance. INSECT RESURRECTION Watch out for dead critters coming back to life in six months’ time. PRIME LOCATION Next up, one lame-duck British prime minister. Going, going… MONEY TO BURN Lynette, Charlotte and Scoutt Teese were bemused by this (very) hot tip.…

The federal government used the first week of the new parliament to announce a support fund for some of the Indigenous Australians holding policies with the funeral company Youpla, which went into liquidation earlier this year. Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney and Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones announced up to $4 million would be available to pay for the funerals. The money will be limited to the beneficiaries of First Nations people who held active policies with Youpla as of 1 April 2020, and who have recently died or who die before 30 November 2023. The typical value of each of these policies is $8000 and the payments will be on offer until 30 November 2023. Burney says the initiative will support Sorry Business – a mourning practice of “deepest…

In late July the Minister for Small Business Julie Collins and the Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Andrew Leigh announced that the government would be introducing legislation to implement penalties for businesses that propose or rely on unfair contract terms. CHOICE supports the introduction of penalties for businesses that breach the ACL. Terms that might be considered unfair are ones that: • cause a significant imbalance in rights between the consumer and business • are not reasonably necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the business or consumer • would cause financial or other detriments to either the consumer or business. Businesses have been prohibited from using unfair terms in their standard form consumer contracts since 2010. But without penalties, businesses have continued to use unfair contract terms…

The chair of the ACCC has issued a “call to action” to government, businesses and consumer advocates to work together to make Australia “the world’s hardest scam target”. Gina Cass-Gottlieb is appealing for cooperation on a three-pronged approach to realise this hard target. “First, we need to stop scammers reaching consumers by disrupting the means by which they contact would-be victims – whether through phone calls, SMS, email or social media,” she says. This would be followed by an education campaign to help consumers and businesses recognise the “increasingly sophisticated and cunning” ways in which scams are being served up to them. “Finally,” Cass-Gottlieb concludes, “we need measures in place so that if a consumer is convinced to attempt to transfer funds to a scammer there is a safety net…

Q I recently installed a Fujitsu reverse-cycle air conditioner, as recommended to me by my electrician. I’ve found that in the Adelaide winter at about 9pm (overnight minimum temperatures around 8 or 9°C) the heating function of the unit switches over to blast cold air into the room. The manual says: “This air conditioner operates on the heat pump principle, absorbing heat from air outdoors and transferring that heat to the indoor unit. As a result, the operating performance is reduced as the outdoor temperature drops. If you feel that the heating performance is insufficient, we recommend you use this air conditioner in conjunction with other kinds of heating appliance.” A heater that stops heating when the weather is cold? In my mind, this Fujitsu unit is unfit for purpose. Can you…

Insurance can be one of those expenses that we’re tempted to do away with when the household budget is feeling the squeeze. We always recommend comparing your policy with others to see if you can get a better deal, downgrading if your current level gives more cover than you need at your life stage, or dropping extras cover if you’re not getting value out of it. But it’s possible you could also be eligible for a discount on your health insurance. Private health insurance legislation allows health funds to give a discount of up to 12% off the cost of your premium. Three ways to get a discount There are three easy ways to get a discount on your health insurance: • Corporate discounts: Provided by employers, super funds, associations,…

You may think you’ve got all the right gear to treat injuries at home, but the box of Band-Aids, tap water and expired antiseptic that are kicking around aren’t going to cut it. If you don’t have a first-aid kit, you’re not in a position to deal with common accidents that have the potential to get much worse if left untreated. A good-quality kit should contain all the supplies you need to treat common household injuries such as lacerations, fractures and burns. But finding a well-stocked kit can be tricky when there are lots of manufacturers and retailers selling “home” or “family” kits that range from $25 to $170. That’s why we’ve tested these products again for the first time in 14 years. Treatment from a first-aid kit can stop…

At the CHOICE laboratories, we’ve been testing barrel and upright vacuum cleaners for a long time. Our testing is thorough and puts each model through rigorous paces to test different aspects of its performance. But what our labs can’t test for is longevity – so, when it comes to seeing how different brands stack up over time, we conduct our reliability survey, reaching out to CHOICE members to tell us what problems they’ve had with their vacuums (and other appliances) and how satisfied they are with the brand’s customer service. Miele has rated highest for reliability and owner satisfaction since 2012. You can see how the other brands fared in our product reliability feature on page 18. When we asked members about the problems they’d experienced with their vacuums, most…