Pros: Reader friendly, comprehensive, great index. Cons: You have to subscribe to access their website.
We are Consumer Reports fans. In the house from which we moved I had a lot of space and kept all of my Consumer Reports on a shelf! We no longer subscribe but did for many, many years. I believe that any large purchase we have made (even not...
Pros: Good, unbiased product research Cons: Impersonal; some reviews don't go in- depth enough
Consumer Reports is a monthly publication from Consumers Union, a non- profit organization that was founded in 1936 with the mission to “test, inform, and protect”. This organization buys all sorts of consumer products, tests them for...
Pros: Few advertisements. Cons: Magazine could use more articles, confusing ratings, unreliable advice.
Buying a used or new product, whether it be a microwave or a new car can be quite the gamble, fortunately there are sources such as Consumer Reports magazine that are supposed to help us better our decisions. I have never subscribed to ...
Everyone has heard of Consumer Reports. It is the magazine that invented the idea of reviewing products for the masses and reporting on their quality. They’ll take any number of items in the same product category and test them then they publish...
Pros: informative, easy to understand Cons: not a wide variety of individual products
A few years ago my husband and I started receiving Consumer Reports as a subscription. At first we were alarmed to why we were receiving the magazine, only to find out later that my father in law had subscribed this to us as a Christmas gift. We...
I have been reading Consumer Reports since about 1994. During that time I have flip-flopped from subscribing, not renewing my subscription, buying the magazine at the grocery store, to subscribing again. This magazine used to be my number one ...
Pros: readable, palatable information on a range of topics, provides good basic understanding and gives the consumer some idea of what to look for in a product, in essence trains the consumer to be more thoughtful and critical Cons: self-righteous, endless self-promotion, some of their special reports are scams, advice may be suspect sometimes... are they all that different from the companies they critique?
Ah, image is everything. Consumer Reports magazine has to be respected on two fundamental levels. Most noteworthy, it has an almost cultlike following that gives their decisions staggering importance. They do understand the tricks of...
Pros: various products are featured; graphs, articles and charts; reference guide Cons: articles get very wordy; have to wait for the product you're interested in
My mother in law who lives out of state subscribes to Consumer Reports magazine. When I visit her, I enjoy skimming through this magazine and reading up of the best products to buy for the money. I thought that I might get around paying the $26...
Pros: Comprehensive, objective reviews for all imaginable products Cons: Low creativity points for the writing and layout, lack of detail on complex products like cars and computers
Being a consumer is the consummate American experience - the country that invented the Wal-Mart is obsessed with acquiring material goods at an alarming rate, all the while searching for the best values. Advice abounds, some from cheapskates who tell you...
Pros: Keeps You Informed Of Recalls On Products, Shows You Their Life Expectancy, Average Cost, Which Brands Have The Least Amounts Of Repairs Cons: None
Have been subscribing to Consumer Reports now for over 7 years and have found it to be very reliable with it's in depth reports and helps you make a great buying decision with what ever product your looking for after you read more about it. Consumer...
Pros: Lots of product testing and review; Attempts to stay objective by requesting tax-deductible contributions; Reviews and test you can use Cons: Depends on individuals' contributions (Is objectivity in question?)
Way before a bunch of guys decided to come up with consumer-driven, consumer-monitored, and consumer-written reviews on epinions, I used to go to Consumer Reports for all kinds of information on products and services. I will be the first one to...
Pros: Objective testing of a wide variety of products Cons: testing doesn't take real-world variation into account
I subscribe to Consumer Reports, and will probably renew my subscription when it runs out. There is not question that the magazine tries hard to provide objective information about a wide variety of consumer products. I have found, however, that there...
Pros: wealth of information Cons: do I really need to pay for information I can find elsewhere (like here on epinions?)?
Consumer Reports Magazine is a great source of information. We have faithfully subscribed to it for almost three years. I just received a renewal form in the mail and have decided against renewing. Why, you ask? Simple-epinions.com.
Pros: Still completely ad-free, a fairly comprehensive resource... Cons: ...fairly comprehensive only if you read and save every issue
Consumer Reports faithfuls have a really religious-like quality to them, not making any moves unless they're sure it's okay vis-a-vis The Magazine. This is sort of unsurprising, since the way to get the most out of CR is to subscribe,...
Pros: unacceptance of advertising Cons: inability to admit to testing errors
I have been around Consumer Reports for as long as I can remember. My father is a subscriber and a very loyal CR shopper (to this day), which in turn infected me with the same bug. As I grew older my parents purchased the subscription for my brothers...
Pros: Gives you all the information you need Cons: Cannot find fault with a magazine with so much good information
Whenever you are thinking about buying an item regardless if it is a chocolate bar to a car and you want a preview of that certain item, check the consumer report magazine. There you will find your item and how it is rated as in the chocolate bar for...
Pros: No product advertising, truly written for the consumer's benefit Cons: They do have a few too many pages of self-promotion
I work at a radio station, paying frequent visits to the news department. There, I skim through press releases because I find them amusingly biased. For example, it would not be unlikely to find some press release talking about how important their...
Pros: Easy access to unbiased reviews Cons: Can't wait for it to be readily available via wireless devices
I have been in a buying mood lately, especially since I came down sick recently due to my hectic travel and the cold weather. I looked into health products like air purifiers, humdifiers, sonic toothbrushes, and other personal care items.
Consumer Reports magazine is my favorite magazine. It does in-depth research on products and services and lets me know where I should be spending my money. Just recently when we bought a new home stereo system we brought the Consumer Reports magazine a...
Pros: rigorous, unbiased, and thorough product evaluations Cons: too focused on automobiles and related products
Consumer Reports sets the standard in the field. To make sure they remain objective, they accept no advertising and no favors--if CR wants to review something, be it a can of paint or a luxury car, they buy it through normal retail channels. Then they...
Pros: Great Place To START Getting Information Cons: Many People Stop At This Point RE: INFO
I am so tired of shoppers telling me that one particular model is superior to another, because they read it in Consumer's Reports! I buy mega appliances of nearly every major brand, monthly or more often. I sell them, and I get the complaints from the...
Pros: It is one way of getting info on a product or service Cons: It is not the ONLY way of getting info on a product or service
Some of Consumer Reports' (CR) reviews are right on the mark, others are not.
For example, in the new car buying issue, CR says it has found VW Passat to be the best mid-size car, and Mazda Protege to be the best compact car; both twice in a...
Pros: reliable, timely reviews Cons: I don't have any problems with it at all
I have been a subscriber to Consumer Reports for as long as I have been a grown-up consumer (a consumer buying grown-up stuff). I also subscribe to the online version--consumerreports.org--for handy access to the archives ($19/yr for subscribers). I find...
Pros: Nice concept, Cons: But it just can't be trusted anymore.
Back when I was younger and living with my folks, we had a subscription to Consumer Reports. It gave us good advice on what to buy, and what not to buy.
We thought.
Over the years I can't help but notice several inconsistancies and...
Pros: Variety of products Cons: Sometimes their likes don't work for us
I just started subscribing to Consumer Reports. My dad subscribed for years, but he stopped when I went to college. I missed it -- I like reading reviews of products I'm interested in and seeing what their testers thought. I like the variety of products....
Pros: information on the latest products,services Cons: none
I have been subscribing to this magazine for about 10 years. My grandfather used to get it, and one day I just picked it up and found it to be very informative on a lot of topics. I've always been sort of a bookworm and I am always looking for good...
Pros: Not biased and no advertisements Cons: Range of brands tested is not very big (approx. 5-10 per product)
Consumer Reports is one of many magazines that rate products, yet this one doesn't accept money or advertising from companies, so it's 100% not biased. It publishes reports on household products, like washing machines, electronics, and garden tools. It...
Pros: Integrity; audio/video, appliance, auto reviews Cons: A bit old-fashioned
Consumer Reports is by no means perfect, but until a better consumer information publication comes out, it's probably the best at what it does, at least in a general way.
The magazine has what must be the highest integrity of any publication...
Pros: site is well-organized and has everything Cons: the online subscription process is a bit confusing, but worth it.
My parents have referred to the latest Consumer Reports magazine or buying guide for any large purchase they were considering for as long as I can remember - and now I use the Consumer Reports as well...
Pros: Objective (product reviews), concise, detailed criteria for their ratings Cons: Premium Subscription Rates, web site charges, long gaps between product reviews
Consumer Reports has save me from making some big mistakes when it comes to major and minor purchases! I’m an impulsive consumer who has to have it yesterday. When I let impulsivity rule my head, I usually end up regretting my buying decision. When I was...
Pros: Hundreds of product reviews in each and every issue. Cons: Some issues may have nothing that you are interested in purchasing.
Consumer Reports is a comprehensive review of thousands of products put to an unbiased test by the labs of Consumer Reports magazine. The magazine does not accept outside advertising in order to remain 100% unbiased. Consumer Reports does poll...
Pros: test on many different products Cons: price, testing sometimes is not reliable
I like Consumer Reports, I think that it is a good thing to have since there are so many products out there that are not good and should not be bought.
They do reports on many things, car safety, insurance prices, electronics of all kinds,...
Pros: gives pictures for products, describes products in detail, ratings and judgments are impartial, realistic price ranges, and comes with a fully published recall list inside. Cons: The humor page in the back needs to be longer, with more entries. I would like to get more laughs from that page.
This magazine tops all other consumer magazines. They actually care about the consumer, and they give impartial ratings and judgments about the products they purchase and try out. I've never seen a magazine so dedicated to the purpose of helping...
Pros: Reviews and stories make a good read. Cons: CR may not test the products and features that are of greatest interest to you.
Update 2/2/05 Consumer Reports online web site has improved considerably since my last review. CR sent me a discount offer, and I agreed to subscribe online as well as my magazine subscription. Independent testing of consumer products is a good ...
Pros: Unbiased information about products, services Cons: None
By far the money you spend on a subscription to this magazine will, someday, save you money down the road. The people who work for this magazine are doing a great service to the American public, and you should be taking advantage of it.
Pros: Even handed product reviews Cons: Lack of expertise in every area.
Consumer Reports does provide opinions on just about everything. They are unbiased and do their best to provide objective, consumer oriented views on products and services. They are unapologetic about their pro-consumer agenda.
Pros: fun to read, reliable, well presented Cons: none
Consumer Reports is something that I look forward to every month. I first flip to the last page ("Selling It"). That page reveals poor marketing tactics, unfair advertising, etc. It's very funny.
Pros: very useful information Cons: models often obsolete
we've subscribed to consumer reports for years, and always consult back issues before we buy anything. i have no experience with other consumer magazines, but i've heard consumer reports is the only one that doesn't accept advertising. i can't imagine...
Pros: Still the only viable consumer magazine option. Cons: Copies practices it condemns and ignores much.
Consumer Reports may be helpful, but its worth comes as something to borrow from a public library rather than being worth the money it charges. The magazine is a far cry from the genuine trustworthy authority it once was. And as for information, epinions...
Pros: Their in-depth topical reports are quite good. Cons: Every issue seems to have corrections and apologies.
Consumer Reports is a magazine my parents subscribed to, then I did when I bought my first home. I recently ended my subscription because several products that were highly recommended by them didn't perform well at all for me. I took a closer look at ...
Pros: Lots of valuable information Cons: Some info outdated; socialistic bias; obsessed with child safety
Other consumer information sources have sprung up, but CR is still considered "the bible" and has a lot of credibility. And when it comes to specific product reviews, that reputation is well-earned. Whenever I'm contemplating a major purchase (car, TV, ...
Pros: Reader friendly, helpful charts, very informative. Cons: Reviews not in depth enough, some topics not covered, all ads are for their products.
Consumer Reports is a magazine which strives to inform buyers of the best brands and products as well as product reliability. Another reason why this magazine is used and respected by so many is because Consumer Reports is independently run. Since ...
Pros: Lots of good reading Cons: Needs more Consumer Advocacy articles
I have subscribed to Consumer Reports run by Consumers Union for most of the past twenty years.
The Consumer Reports magazine if used properly can provide excellent initial research on most any purchase that you may be planning. It provides...
Epinions, in written disguise. Yes I’m talking about Consumer Reports one of the must consumer friendly magazines out there. It most tell you something when a magazine gets the whole dirt on almost every product out there. From VCR’s to Mini...
Pros: Independent agency-accepts no advertising from any products Cons: Sometimes, but rarely, I am looking at purchasing an item of a brand they have not evaluated.
Of all the consumer comparison magazines, I prefer Consumer Reports. I have found this magazine to be more comprehensive than some of the others. Consumer Reports is a highly reputable product testing agency that accepts no advertising, therefore, is...
Pros: always has interesting articles Cons: not always very diversified
We have had a subscription to Consumer Reports for about 3 years now and we love it. We have bought our cordless phone because they recommended it and we always try to see how they rate products before we buy. I love the book that we get yearly on...
