What do you think of Consumer Reports?

[mshan]

I realize that this is technically not a "Hot Deal", but it seemed like the most logical sub-forum to post to.

(if wrong, mods please move to appropriate sub-forum)

 

[SerpentRoyal]

Decent guide for the average user.

 

[KDKPSJ]

Well, depends on the industry. Automobile seems like very fair, especially compare to other media like JD Powers.

 

[mabulldog]

Unfortunately, it is usually out of date. By the time they complete the tests, write the reviews, and publish the mag, most things are not even produced anymore. This is especially true of electronics. What I find that is really helpful are the used car reapir reports. For the cars that I have owned the reports are quite accurate. For example, with my Chrysler Town and Country the brakes and transmission are weak points. Which is quite true, as I have had to repair my brakes several times on this van.

 

[rocadelpunk]

Their beer rankings were laughable.

I would trust them with car repair and vacuum cleaners.

 

[ultimatebob]

Their computer reviews are lousy as well, since they're out of date before they hit the press.

They also seem to be biased towards Japanese auto makers, but I'd probably trust them for vacuum cleaner and toothpaste reviews.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Their retail electronics reviews are widely regarded as a joke in the CE industry. Models are often out of date and they exclude major players in the sectors they test.

Example: In an early HDTV review they did not include a Mitsubishi model even though at the time Mitsubishi had sold more HDTV sets than all the other brands combined. That was just one gross example. There are many others. CR is a joke for electronics.

 

[spidey07]

Pretty much a joke. Especially their auto ratings, extremely biased and downright misinformative/lieing.

 

[techs]

They have some wacky priorities when they rate things.
I find them useful for actual descriptions of hands on usage of products.

 

[compuwiz1]

The serve advertiser interests and cannot help but be biased.

 

[Whoozyerdaddy]

Originally posted by: compuwiz1
The serve advertiser interests and cannot help but be biased.

They don't take any outside advertising. Their income is based on subscription and news stand sales only.

Objectivity
Consumer Reports stands behind its objectivity and freedom from bias, although a few companies have challenged this in court [1].

Consumer Reports does not print outside advertising or permit the commercial use of its reviews for selling products, and it states that this eliminates one possible source of bias.

Consumer Reports states that all tested products are purchased at retail by its staff, that no free samples are accepted from manufacturers and that this avoids the possibility of bias from bribery or from being given "better than average" samples.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumer_Reports

But it doesn't change the fact that their reviews are generally crap.

 

[Vic]

The biggest issues I've found with CR is their reviews are not very knowledgeable and their products rankings usually don't include value. There always seems to be a lot of apples-and-oranges comparisons. It's ironic, but it seems like they cater themselves to otherwise completely uninformed consumers who have money to burn, the result being that their top picks are always the blandest and most expensive products from the biggest brand names. And that's not the way I shop.

 

[Pliablemoose]

I've been a subscriber for years, the quality of their reviews has gone to hell.

If you slapped Toyota or Honda badge on a dog turd, they'd call it the best car ever made.

Their pickup review was a joke.

This will be the last year I subscribe to them.

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: Pliablemoose
I've been a subscriber for years, the quality of their reviews has gone to hell.

If you slapped Toyota or Honda badge on a dog turd, they'd call it the best car ever made.

Their pickup review was a joke.

This will be the last year I subscribe to them.

Also their auto reliabiltiy polls are not scientific. They only include people that pay for CR and their internal staff.

CR is not what it use to be. With the internet and a lot of review sites IMO their place has come and gone.

 

[Vic]

Originally posted by: Marlin1975
CR is not what it use to be. With the internet and a lot of review sites IMO their place has come and gone.

I have to agree with this assessment. They used to be great. A must-have for reviews and ratings. Now they just don't make sense most of the time.

 

[KeithP]

II subscribed to CR several years back. The one thing I took their advice on, a vacuum cleaner, turned out to be a piece a junk. What I eventually figured out is, the more you know about a subject, the less you agree with their recommendations. Personally, I think they are near worthless.

-KeithP

 

[spaceman]

its 100% pure dee bullshit.
the consumer reports.
and then they report again
and the whole process ..well youre left feeling unfulfilled to say the least.

maybe they should review counting money in CR.
or tell me which hepa filter will get me high.