Would you trust ConsumerReports?

[gevorg]

?

 

[909]

It’s usually better than not looking at it or anything at all…

I would cross-reference as much as possible using other online resources (Amazon, epinions, consumer search, etc….).

I’ve had a few good experiences using it, but other times I've walked away with a bit of skepticism because I didn't really agree or wondered why they left this or that product out and then at least once the "highest" recommendation didn't jive with my assessment. My recent HDTV purchase.

 

[Jeff E]

I know of no more trustworthy source of information for such purchases.

They accept no advertising, anonymously purchase appliances to test and undertake annual, large scale surveys of owners. Anecdotal evidence pales in comparision.

I challenge CR bashers to name a more believable source of information about appliance reliability.

 

[will75]

Hard to say. In my experience I have disagreed with many items they recommend. I prefer scouring forums such as this one for product information.

Wish CR reviewed headphones. Would be interesting to see what they recommend.

 

[Xakepa]

Yes, but not much. If it's a substantial purchase, I'd scour boards like these first, goggle "*the item* problems/issues/ broken", check how many are on sale on ebay...things like that

 

[mbriant]

IMO they're better than most, but not perfect by any means. Definitely better than no research at all. Their recommendations and conclusions sometimes don't seem accurate to me, probably because they've chosen to add more weight to a particular feature/spec/benefit than I myself would. It's difficult to be experts at everything, which is what CR attempts to be, so sometimes they can be off the mark. But they usually do an admirable job. I use their auto ratings every time I purchase a car, primarily because of the fact they compile a huge reader study to get their reliability results. Appliances and most other items are judged only by their own test results. Still, their reviews along with others, will often give you a good indication of what to look for when comparison shopping.

 

[Ampersand]

Quote:

Originally Posted by will75 /img/forum/go_quote.gif Wish CR reviewed headphones. Would be interesting to see what they recommend.

Not really. If it resembled their stereo reviews it would look something like this:

headphones reviewed = sony, koss, apple-buds, and bose. And then they'd say Bose was the best and give it a 'Recommended' for all audiophiles.

 

[splaz]

I hate them with a passion for what they did to Suzuki. Look it up.

I personally wouldn't not trust them at all after I found out what they're capable of.

Good thing they aren't over here.

 

[cire]

Quote:

Originally Posted by splaz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I hate them with a passion for what they did to Suzuki. Look it up.

What? So you don't like CR because they rated the Samauri unacceptable 18 years ago? The ridiculous part is with fault with Suzuki: why did they bring the case back to court eight years later? You should be annoyed with Suzuki in that they can't let a decade old issue die....
Quote:

Originally Posted by splaz /img/forum/go_quote.gif I personally wouldn't not trust them at all after I found out what they're capable of.

That's just hot air and an empty claim.

CR was actually the first periodical I followed. Although I don't normally agree with their computer accessments, I have no reason to believe they have strong, if any, bias against certain products or companies. It's usually the American car fanboys who unjustly hate CR.

 

[guzziguy]

It depends on what CR is rating and if you agree with the criteria that they use in coming up with the ratings. For subjective things like audio equipment, etc, I find CR pretty worthless. They rate features on an equal level with sound quality so I find their ratings bizarre.

For things like appliances, I'm more in agreement with their judging criteria and so think that they do a decent job. However, they only rate a small subset of available products, so it's still a bit of a crap shoot with appliances.

Where CR does the best IMO, is their dealing with automobiles. They track repair rates, resale value, etc of all non-exotic models.

Back to appliances. My wife and I have tried several different washers and dryers and are most impressed by the Fisher and Paykel brand. We have an F&P washer and will get an F&P dryer when our current one dies.

 

[Max Wedge]

Their auto reviews seemed biased. And the long term reliablity reports are based on reader surveys, which to me, is somewhat flawed.

 

[Tech2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff E /img/forum/go_quote.gif I know of no more trustworthy source of information for such purchases. They accept no advertising, anonymously purchase appliances to test and undertake annual, large scale surveys of owners. Anecdotal evidence pales in comparision. I challenge CR bashers to name a more believable source of information about appliance reliability.

There is NO way on earth I would ever trust them. I'll explain:

I bought a washer/dryer set. It had gotten a RAVE review from CR. Used the thing for about 8-12 months before it started to destroy our clothes. We had bleach stains, black streaks, "wet spots" which I can only describe as spots that looks wet even when dry, as if there was some type of oil on the fabric.

Anyway, long story short, our nearly $1000 washer was a piece of crap. I looked on-line for recourse, and found scathing reviews of the product at eopinions. I also found that there was a class-action lawsuit against Whirlpool and Sears over this piece of junk. Oh, and CR later came back and changed their review. Nice.

I argued with the manufacturer and Sears for months. Had a repair man out at least 5 times in a 6-month period. Sears finally gave me a credit towards a new washer of my choice.

So, yeah, I would rather check eopinions for REAL-WORLD experiences.

 

[will75]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ampersand /img/forum/go_quote.gif Not really. If it resembled their stereo reviews it would look something like this: headphones reviewed = sony, koss, apple-buds, and bose. And then they'd say Bose was the best and give it a 'Recommended' for all audiophiles.

That was my point.

 

[ChaseD13]

my dad owns a hometheater installation business.

consumer reports rates tvs etc...

they rate MOST major brands, but not all. For instance, the rank hitachi highest, yet they are almost impossible to find a a big box store (so if my dad were to recommend one, people look at him sideways).

pioneer is on the higher end (quality, and second to panasonic in sales) right now, but CR doesnt even review them....

its not that their reviews are terrible, but in this instance, they dont give an accurate picture by leaving out important products in a class

 

[3x331m]

I would use CR as a starting point if I know nothing about a particular product. I'll do the rest of research on my own.

CR does a good job on rating, but they included to may factors which might not reflecting what each one of us wants.