Tabla de contenidos para September 2023 en Consumer Reports

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STAIN REMOVER SPRAYS AND STICKS can be effective pretreatments. But our pros say that a little laundry detergent applied directly to a stain (see “How to Remove Tough Stains,” on facing page) works just as well (and costs less). FABRIC SOFTENERS coat laundry with electrically charged compounds that neutralize static cling and make fibers feel soft and fluffy. But they can reduce flame resistance in kids’ sleepwear, leave a waxy residue that will negate the sweat-wicking properties of workout clothes, and lead to mold growth in washing machines. WHITENERS AND BRIGHTENERS use bluewhite dyes and optical brighteners to reduce yellowing and fading. But many detergents (like Tide Ultra Oxi, 27 cents per load) already include whitening agents that may improve brightness. SCENT BOOSTERS may add a scent or eliminate odors. But these pricey…

IN MANY CASES, YES. If your parents and grandparents lived to be 100 and were in reasonably good health, you have a great shot at doing the same, says James E. Galvin, MD, a professor of neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. But even if people in your family died at a young age from heart disease or developed early onset Alzheimer’s, it won’t necessarily be the same for you. Think of your family history as a road map that can help you figure out where you are most resilient and most vulnerable, Galvin says. Some gene variations significantly raise your risk for certain conditions: Variants in the BRCA gene make the development of breast cancer more likely, for example. And for diseases where early detection…

Smoking This habit dramatically increases the likelihood of lung cancer, is a major cause of heart disease, and is associated with a 30 to 40 percent higher risk of dementia. (See cdc.gov/quit for tips on kicking the habit.) Alcohol Light drinking was once considered healthy, but data now suggest that “any alcohol increases risk for cancer and other diseases,” says Jean-Pierre Raufman, MD, chief of gastroenterology at the University of Maryland Medical System. Drinking also has a significant negative impact on memory, and some preliminary research suggests that alcohol may even speed up the aging process. (See CR.org/alcohol for advice on cutting back.) Inactivity Being sedentary hastens the loss of muscle, bone, and cardiovascular fitness, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia, and cancer. Each week, try…

When you sell something on eBay or elsewhere for less than you originally paid for it, the transaction generally doesn't need to be reported to the IRS, according to the agency. By contrast, if you sell something for more than you originally paid, according to the letter of the law it’s reportable. And if the total volume of your sales on any given platform exceeds $600 in a year, starting in 2023 the platform is required by law to issue you a 1099-K form for reporting purposes.…

LONG-TERM-CARE INSURANCE Traditional long-term-care (LTC) insurance, which pays for care at home or at an assisted living or nursing facility, has been problematic in recent years. Prices on policies have gone up dramatically, and many insurers have left the industry altogether. Recently, a newer form of LTC insurance has gained popularity. Known as “hybrids” because they combine long-term-care benefits with permanent life insurance, these policies let you tap some of the death benefit in advance to pay for care if you need it, and your beneficiaries get it if you don’t. Hybrid policies address some of the problems associated with traditional LTC insurance—they’re not use-it-or-lose-it, for one thing. But they have problems of their own, including hidden fees, high costs, and extreme complexity, says Bonnie Burns, an LTC insurance expert…

How to Use Your Owner’s Manual THOUGH IT MIGHT be as long as a novel, your car’s owner’s manual isn’t exactly a page-turner. But if you haven’t eyeballed the paper or digital version, you’re missing out on valuable information on how to keep your vehicle in peak condition and how to be prepared when something goes wrong. It could also reveal useful features you didn’t realize your car has. “An owner’s manual isn’t something you need to read cover to cover in one sitting,” says Mike Crossen, a CR mechanic. “But it puts a lot of useful and important information about your car into an indexed, easy-to-use guide.” While plenty of advice about cars and car maintenance can be found online, the owner’s manual is the most accurate source for basic…

IN 1936, WHEN CR published its first car ratings, seatbelts were rare and airbags for automobiles hadn’t been invented. We now take those features for granted, but there’s still so much we can do to make cars safer. These days, however, the question sometimes isn’t whether better safety tech exists, but whether automakers are making these new safety advances available to all customers—not just those who can pay extra. Proven lifesaving safety features should come standard on every vehicle, and CR has championed this idea for decades. We are proud of our work ensuring that all cars come with seatbelts, airbags, backup cameras, electronic stability control, and more. But we can’t stop there, because new lifesaving technologies must be accessible to all. Our consumer-driven calls for action have led to…

Air Fryers WE TESTED: 15 large models WE TEST FOR: How easy it is to use its controls and to clean, and how quiet it is. We also measure fryer capacity, which can differ from the size it is claimed to be. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 70 Range: 52-79 SIMPLE CONTROLS ✓ Instant Vortex Plus 140-3089-01 (5.2 qt.) $160 79 OVERALL SCORE EXTRA LARGE & EASY TO CLEAN ✓ Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 19089 (9 qt.) $140 76 OVERALL SCORE VERY QUIET ✓ T-Fal Easy Fry XXL EY705D51 (5.4 qt.) $135 76 OVERALL SCORE Laptops WE TESTED: 200 models WE TEST FOR: Performance while running a variety of tasks; battery life; the screen’s size, clarity, and color; the keyboard’s ergonomics; and more. ABOUT THE SCORES: Median: 65 Range: 33-86 LARGE DISPLAY & LONG BATTERY LIFE…

Blood pressure and cholesterol checks are standard at many checkups. And once you reach a certain age, you can expect to have new tests, including certain cancer screenings. But some supplementary tests may be available by request, or at your doctor’s discretion. Do you need them? Here’s what to know about four. Apolipoprotein B Test Some research suggests that blood tests for this substance may be a better measure of cardiovascular disease risk than standard tests. But there’s no medical consensus on that yet. Who should consider it: People who are at intermediate risk for cardiovascular illness (those with a 7.5 to 20 percent chance of having a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years). They might ask about having this in addition to cholesterol tests, says Scott…

When selling items online, there’s always the chance you’ll encounter a shady buyer or an outright scammer. So it’s important to take precautions, especially when using a platform like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist, where it’s common to exchange cash for goods in person. Even when using a platform that’s more anonymous—one that handles payments so that sellers and buyers don’t have to exchange payment or banking information, and where goods are shipped or delivered rather than picked up—you still have to be careful. ■ TIP # 1 Never take a transaction or discussion off the platform. Scammers may entice you by offering more than your asking price, for example, perhaps with the intention of ripping you off. Or they may falsely claim the goods you sold them never arrived or were…

FIRST DRIVE Chevrolet Trax The redesigned Trax is a subcompact SUV offered strictly in front-wheel drive. It’s powered by a 1.2-liter turbocharged three-cylinder engine paired with a six-speed automatic transmission. The ride is comfortable but handling is mundane. Our test car’s relatively low price includes surprisingly generous features, such as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, and heated seats and steering wheel. CR’S TAKE: The Trax packs in a lot of modern convenience and safety features for the price of a good used car. BASE PRICE RANGE $20,400-$23,900 DESTINATION CHARGE $1,095 PRICE AS DRIVEN $24,680 ASK OUR EXPERTS How Can I Protect My Car From Theft? Over a million cars were stolen in 2022, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. To deter thieves, try to park in a safe,…

YOU MAY HAVE noticed the tsunami of new products lining the shelves of your supermarket’s laundry detergent aisle. The packages promise to work wonders on every laundry challenge—and even to protect the environment. These detergents come in more forms than ever, too. In addition to liquids and pods, there are now paperlike detergent sheets (or “strips”). And you’ll find laundry “enhancers,” including prewash stain removers, whiteners, and scent boosters (see “Laundry Extras You Can Skip,” on page 20). To help you sort through the options, Consumer Reports has tested 65 liquids, pods, and sheets to see how well they handle tough stains, including grass, chocolate—even blood. What Works, What Doesn’t The winners? Liquid detergents, which consistently top our ratings. “When it comes to removing the tough stains we use in…

We’d all like to find “that magic pill where we don’t get older, don’t feel worse, and have more energy all the time,” says Anne R. Cappola, MD, a professor of medicine at the University of Pennsylvania’s Perelman School of Medicine. Could these substances have potential? Aspirin This over-the-counter pain pill has long been used to lower heart attack and stroke risks. But regular use can cause side effects like bleeding. People with cardiovascular disease (CVD), especially those who’ve already had a heart attack or stroke, should continue a daily low dose. But experts say some 40- to 59-year-olds without CVD may see only a small benefit, so they should talk with their doctors. People 60 and up with no CVD shouldn’t start aspirin, because bleeding risks probably outweigh benefits.…

eBay The superstore of internet reselling. FOUNDED: 1995 SCOPE: Global, with 1.8 billion active listings and 133 million registered users. LISTING FEE: Sellers get 250 free listings a month, then pay 35 cents per listing. COMMISSION: It varies from 3 percent or more depending on the product category and sale price, plus 30 cents per sale. TOP SELLERS: Men’s clothing and shoes, small kitchen appliances, watches, and electronics. Poshmark Built on the principle that buying and selling fashion items should be “simple, social, and sustainable.” FOUNDED: 2011 SCOPE: 80 million registered users in the U.S. and 200 million+ items for sale. LISTING FEE: None COMMISSION: $2.95 for sales under $15; 20 percent for sales over $15. TOP SELLERS: Nike shoes, Lululemon apparel, Coach bags, Free People tops, and Victoria’s Secret intimates…

It used to be that milk was one of the most straightforward drinks out there. You could choose whole, low-fat, or skim—and that was it. But over the past 10 to 15 years, the milk aisle has gotten considerably more crowded with a mind-boggling variety of dairy milks (A2, grass-fed, ultrafiltered) and plant milks (oat, almond, sesame seed). According to a 2023 Consumer Reports nationally representative survey of 2,121 U.S. adults, 79 percent still buy cow’s milk. However, people are drinking a lot less of it. Per capita consumption has declined by 28 percent in the past 20 or so years, from 8.2 gallons per person per year in 2000 to 5.9 gallons in 2021, according to the Department of Agriculture. At the same time, sales of plant-based milks have…

MOST MILK in this country goes through the process of pasteurization. That means it has been heated to a temperature that’s high enough to kill harmful, potentially deadly, bacteria, such as campylobacter, E. coli, salmonella, and more. Milk that has not gone through this process is considered raw. Proponents of raw milk claim that pasteurization eliminates milk’s nutrients. There is no evidence, however, to prove this. And raw milk and cheese is responsible for 96 percent of dairy-related foodborne illness and hospitalizations that occur each year in the U.S., according to research published in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases—despite the fact that only 3.2 percent of Americans drink raw milk. It’s often better to choose foods that are less processed—fresh vegetables instead of veggie chips, for example. But for some…

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME you took a good look at your auto insurance? Or considered whether your homeowners policy provides enough coverage? If you have no idea, or it’s been more than a couple of years, now is an excellent time. Experts recommend that everyone do an insurance checkup once every year or two. But if you recently retired or your lifestyle is otherwise shifting—say, your kids graduated college, you’re launching a home-based business, or you plan to travel more—it’s especially important to make sure your coverage suits you. “Milestone moments in life are useful reminders that your insurance needs may be changing,” says Doug Heller, director of insurance at the Consumer Federation of America. “People who are thinking about retirement should be asking both if the suite of…

USED CARS HAVE traditionally offered significant savings compared with buying a new vehicle. Four years ago it was not uncommon to save 30 percent or more off the price of a new car by buying a 3-year-old model instead. While pandemic-related supply chain disruptions have caused those savings to plummet, experts say prices are poised to drop to pre-pandemic levels over the next year. With the average purchase price of a new car now more than $48,000, that could bring welcome relief to car buyers. But buying a used car also typically comes with repair risks. You don’t know how it was driven or maintained by its previous owner (vehicle history reports aren’t always accurate) and it may no longer be covered by a manufacturer’s warranty. CR’s long-standing advice to…

MIDSIZED SEDANS ✓ Honda Accord Hybrid Plenty to Praise, Including MPG 90 OVERALL SCORE THE REDESIGNED ACCORD Hybrid is a sensible midsized sedan that’s roomy, fuel efficient, and blessed with super-easy controls. The hybrid version scored better in our testing than the conventional Accord, aided by its superior mpg and more pleasant power delivery. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine and electric drive combine to make an ample 204 hp. We enjoy the way the hybrid system mimics the upshifts of a regular automatic, rather than allowing the engine revs to soar during acceleration as with the continuously variable transmissions many hybrids use. While the Sport Hybrid we tested got a decent 40 mpg overall, that’s 7 mpg less than both the previous version and the Toyota Camry Hybrid. The slightly more expensive EX-L…

The Price Isn’t Right Actually, $26,000 sounds like a much better deal. Submitted by R. Brown, via email They’re Offering Way More Service Than We Want The front and back seat vacuum will be plenty, thanks. Submitted by Joel Shapiro, Norton, MA … And If It’s Not in Stock, They Don’t Have It? The “ultimate” example of stating the obvious. Submitted by Lynne Frank, via email Just Park Someplace Else These rules are far too complicated to follow. Submitted by Don Pearson, Green Lake, BC 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, such as your name and…