Tabla de contenidos para October 2022 en CHOICE

Once considered the poor cousins of big national brands, supermarket house brands have become a major weapon in the ongoing tug of war for your wallet. Coles and Woolworths stock multiple tiers of house brands (also known as private labels or own brands), while Aldi has famously built its entire business around them. “House brand products make up a significant and increasing proportion of supermarkets’ ranges,” says CHOICE editorial director Margaret Rafferty. “They’re big cash cows for supermarkets as they get to keep more of the profits and spend less on advertising.” House brands often score very well and sometimes even win our taste tests The good news? Not only are house brands usually cheaper, but they’ve greatly improved in quality. Our food taste tests reveal these products often score…

Since its accidental invention in 1946, the microwave has become a household hero, liberating us from laborious kitchen tasks with its super-fast cooking powers. While many of us enlist the help of the microwave for simple heating and reheating jobs, the capabilities of this kitchen appliance go far beyond. So much so that CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair calls it one of the most useful and underrated appliances in Aussie kitchens (she definitely rates it over an air fryer!). “Most people use very little of their microwave’s potential,” she says. “There are so many ways it can be a very handy kitchen helper.” So if you’re not using your microwave to help you with these kitchen tasks, you should be! 1 Defrost a whole chicken If you’ve forgotten to get the…

As climate change leads to a growing number of extreme weather events, some Australian home owners are finding it increasingly difficult to afford to properly insure their homes against weather-related threats. Industry experts say a growing number of houses aren’t covered for events such as flood, fire and cyclones, with the lack of affordable insurance having flow-on effects across the economy when disasters occur. A growing number of houses aren’t covered for events such as flood, fire and cyclones Unaffordable premiums Dr Karl Mallon, CEO of climate risk analysis company Climate Valuation, has been analysing climate change impacts for over 20 years. He says the increase in unaffordable home insurance premiums in high-risk areas has happened faster than he’d predicted in the past. “The world more than ever needs good…

Dishwasher detergents have a big task – teamed with a good dishwasher, they need to be able to tackle all the food scraps we load into our dishwashers and get the job done in one cleaning cycle without the need for us to clean them by hand afterwards. But our testing finds that not all dishwasher detergents are created equal. The top performers do a good job of tackling baked on grease and grime, while some struggle with their fundamental cleaning task. Our test includes stains made of starch, protein, tannin, coffee and fat that you, our members, have told us are troublesome. We’ve included each result in our table so you can see results for the stains that are applicable to you. You might find a detergent that doesn’t…

Ceramic cooktops may not be as energy-efficient or quick to heat up as their induction counterparts, but they still offer a sleek and stylish design that’s easy to clean. Nor will you have the expense of having to change your cookware to make it induction-compatible. Manufacturers are even packing them with features that are similar to those we’ve seen on induction cooktops. Auto switch-off, boost, auto heat-up and stop-and-go are all becoming popular features on ceramic cooktops. What to consider SIZE Ceramic cooktops are commonly available in 60cm and 90cm options. You’ll need to make sure you not only have the space on top of your bench to fit the cooktop, but also underneath to allow for ventilation. ELEMENTS Consider the layout of elements: they should be well-spaced so you can…

Waste company Bingo Industries has pleaded guilty to cartel behaviour after it was accused of price fixing for demolition waste services. It comes after the company was investigated by the ACCC and referred to prosecutors, accused of working with its competitors in 2019 to fix and increase the cost of supplying skip bins and waste processing services at building and demolition sites in Sydney. The matter will now be listed for a case management hearing in the Federal Court at a later stage. Meanwhile, the ACCC is promising to continue to investigate reports of cartels as they arise, saying such conduct is bad for the economy: “When companies arrange to fix prices, they usually do so to increase their profits, and it is consumers that pay the increased cost,” says ACCC…

South Australians on the hunt for a rental property are being urged to be on the lookout for fraudsters setting up scam real estate listings. State minister for consumer affairs Andrea Michaels says it’s a “sad reality” that scammers are taking advantage of a scarcity of rentals in the state. “Often, these people will encourage their victims to transfer money in exchange for keys while the property in question remains sight-unseen,” the minister explains. The state government has issued advice to prospective renters on how to avoid scammers in their search for a new home, urging them to make sure a listing is legitimate by searching for the property and the real estate agent online, and contacting the agent using details they’ve found themselves. It also advises prospective renters to…

Many people assume that any superannuation left over when they die automatically becomes part of their will. But as we explored in our previous article on the topic (CHOICE Jul 22), this isn’t the case. If you die with super remaining, your super fund will distribute this money. You can nominate where you want your money to go, but the process is complex. You can also tell your fund to make any remaining super part of your estate (dealt with under your will). In theory, a change to the law could scrap the death benefit nomination system and make all leftover super part of your will, making the process more straightforward, but there are pros and cons to this proposal. Death benefit nominations vs wills The table at right compares…

Who doesn’t love rice? Versatile, healthy, cheap and filling, it’s no wonder it’s a staple on plates the world over. So it’s not surprising that rice cookers, an appliance that helps you get perfectly fluffy grains every time, are becoming increasingly popular. They free up hob space (and saucepans) and take any guesswork out of cooking rice – a process that can confound even capable cooks. Plus, you can prepare your rice ahead of time and a good rice cooker will keep it warm until you’re ready to serve, some for up to 12 hours. So no trying to juggle multiple kitchen tasks while you’re stir-frying your veg or preparing a curry. A rice cooker will keep rice warm until you’re ready to serve, some for up to 12 hours Cooking…

Some say the kitchen is the heart of the home, so your choice of oven needs to complement not only your style, but also your cooking needs. Sleek, minimalist kitchen designs are all the rage at the moment, and we’re seeing oven designs to match this aesthetic. With predominantly smooth, glass surfaces and either retractable or touch controls, your oven can fit seamlessly into your kitchen. Oven technology is advancing too, promising to change the way we cook. But do we really need all these fancy features, or is it better to stick to the basics? Bells and whistles You can pay a pretty penny for high-tech features, but we still think they have a way to go before being fully embraced in the home kitchen. Here are the main…

Used car prices are a persistent anomaly of the COVID-19 ‘new normal’. Once upon a time, new cars depreciated in value by up to 58% over three years. But with the pandemic causing a supply constraint of new cars, the price of used cars has gone up 79% since early 2020. So it’s no surprise that car insurers’ valuations are, conveniently perhaps, lagging behind the rise in used car prices. CHOICE member John recently told us “my 2007 Mazda 3 was insured for maximum ‘Agreed Value’ of $5720, with ‘Market Value’ a little less, but to replace that 2007 Mazda 3 model will cost me a minimum of $10,000 for an inferior model with a lot more kilometres, and a 2007 Mazda 3 with less kilometres is $13,000.” There are…

Nootropic drinks are a niche new addition to the beverage market that claim to improve your memory, focus and motivation. Nexba, a popular kombucha brand, has jumped on the bandwagon with its own nootropic drinks range, while supermodel Bella Hadid has spruiked her own nootropic-style drink called Kin Spritz to tens of millions of Instagram followers. But are these brain-boosting beverages all they’re cracked up to be? Nootropic claims We looked at some of the active ingredients commonly found in nootropic drinks, and whether there’s enough scientific proof to support the claimed effects. Caffeine is classified as a nootropic because it increases brain activity ASHWAGANDHA Claim: Improves memory and learning.  Evidence: May help with memory and learning and reducing stress and anxiety, but more research is needed.  Nootropic drinks with…

In the latest CHOICE Consumer Pulse survey, 23% of households are finding it difficult to get by on their current income, up from 18% in June 2021. Even if you’re not feeling the pinch right now, perhaps you’re tightening the budget as a precaution. You might be reconsidering everyday luxuries you used to take for granted, including some of your favourite foods. And with the rise in grocery prices, you may be looking for new ways to cut costs to get food on the table. But budget cooking doesn’t have to mean cheese on toast for dinner every night (although we do love a cheese toastie!). CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair has put together her top tips for whipping up dinners that’ll last longer and cost less. 1. Load up…

The humble paper towel has myriad uses: mopping up spills, keeping herbs fresh, ad hoc coffee filtration or even emergency use during the great toilet paper shortage of 2020 (remember, bin it, don’t flush it). But like many kitchen staples, you probably don’t give it a much thought. You really should though, because not all paper towels are created equal. What we test We measure four characteristics that are important in a paper towel. The scores for each of those tests are weighted and make up the CHOICE Expert Rating (the overall score): Absorption (60%): How much liquid each towel can absorb. This is the most important aspect of performance, which is why it’s weighted so heavily in our CHOICE Expert Rating. Puncture force (20%): The strength of the towel,…

Agood-quality frypan is an essential in every kitchen. The best choice of frypan will depend largely on what you’ll be using it for. Sometimes it’s a good idea to have a range of different types on hand so you’re ready to tackle any cooking task. There are so many to choose from, at wildly differing prices, but if you shop around you might find some models heavily discounted. Cheap vs expensive frypans There are many reasons one frypan is more expensive than another, from different materials and styles, to features such as heat-resistant handles, non-stick linings and pans that are oven- and dishwasher-safe. More expensive frypans may use higher quality stainless steel, which can protect them for longer against rust or corrosion, or the non-stick coating may last longer than…

The hibachi grill is a traditional Japanese high-heat grill that infuses meat, seafood and vegetables with a smoky charcoal flavour. They range in price from about $60 to $800. But are they just another kitchen fad you could do without? We put Amazon’s Japanese Korean Ceramic Hibachi BBQ Table Grill ($69) to the test. How it works Taken from the Japanese translation of ‘fire bowl’, a hibachi features a stainless steel grill plate that sits on top of a ceramic (or sometimes wooden) bowl filled with burning charcoal, called binchotan. As the food is very close to the heat source, it gets infused with the smokiness of the charcoal. Binchotan charcoal brings out the natural flavour of the food you’re grilling Binchotan brings out the natural flavour of the food you’re…