Customer Reviews

Consumer Reports Buying Guide 2012

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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I was curious about which brands were consistently high in ratings and which were consistently low. Home appliances that were low-medium and high-low end seemed to preform as well or better than the expensive full-featured models. I wasn't aware that the noise of dishwashers, etc was a problem but it is a rating category. American and European autos continued to be less reliable than Japanese autos. Apple ranked at the top in most electronic categories. I see the LG brand everywhere and wondered how good they were. They were highly rated for some things and lowly rated on other items. Cameras were a surprise- there wasn't much difference between all of them, so its up to the customer's taste for features and brand names.

I look forward to receiving the Consumer Reports Buying Guide each year. The products reviewed in one volume is a fine resource to assist decision making when purchasing items--from the smaller things like paint to larger purchases such as automobiles.

This volume seems a bit more slender than earlier volumes, but it still packs a lot of information. Just at random, to illustrate, we see the following:

1. Comparing retailers. For major appliances, we see Abt Electronics rating well; for small appliances, and this surprised me, Amazon.com.

2. Cordless drills. Here, we see comparisons among producers of general use drills/drivers, tougher drill jobs/drivers, and light use drill/driver. In each case, one sees a listing of products, an indication of cost, and indicators of quality. In the end, one would have a sense of the products and how they perform.

3. Refrigerators. The products are divided into categories: top freezers, Conventional Bottom-Freezer Models, French Door Bottom-Freezers, Side-by-sides, and Built-ins. Again, different models are compared by price and performance.

4. However, one of my always favorite sections is on autos. New cars are compared as are used cars. There is even a section on the best versus worst used cars. Whenever I have to purchase a car--new or used--I consult Consumer Reports.

I do understand that the Consumer Reports methods are not perfect, that there is judgment involved, that ratings from consumers may not be perfect. Nonetheless, a fine resource for informing shopping. And the 2012 guide is no exception.

I give ONE STAR for these sellers asking ~$20 for a book that has an actual retail price of $10.99! I hate to see price gouging! Just search "consumer reports bookstore" in any Internet search engine (e.g. google) and buy from the publisher directly.

I give FIVE STARS for the book itself. I find Consumer Reports reviews are incredibly useful when making major purchases. However, many products are only reviewed in the magazine. It's good to have a subscription too. This book comes free with a subscription. I'm pretty sure that the people selling this here got their copy that way.