The winners in appliances, electronics, and cars; Plus, brands to avoid
Yonkers, NY – Each year, the experts at ShopSmart, from Consumer Reports, test thousands of products to help shoppers navigate the crowded marketplace and decide where to spend their dollars.
ShopSmart’s April 2015 issue highlights some of the appliances, electronics, and cars from brands that performed well in tests and received high scores in owner-reliability surveys within the past three years.
ShopSmart’s cover feature “The Best Brands” also names specific models and why shoppers should consider them. Below are some of the manufacturers called out for their performance in lab and road tests and noted for their reliability; the full report also highlights the best in washers, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, ranges, and laptops:
- TVs. LG, Panasonic, Sony, and Samsung all make great TVs, with Samsung leading the pack in lab tests and LG coming close behind. TVs have become very reliable over the years, and no brand stands out as being more reliable than others.
- VACUUMS. Kenmore is king because of its high combined scores for performance and reliability. The brand’s upright and canister vacs excel at cleaning bare floors and do a very good job on carpets. And many models are reasonably priced.
- CARS. Mazda was named best family/economy brand because their cars are super-reliable, stylish, fuel-efficient, and fun to drive. Other top brands in this category include Toyota, Subaru, Buick, Honda, and Kia.
For more of the best brands, and those to avoid, in appliances, electronics, and cars, including smart pick models, pick up the April 2015 issue of ShopSmart, on newsstands now.
About Consumer Reports
Consumer Reports is the world’s largest and most trusted nonprofit, consumer organization driving marketplace change to improve the lives and amplify the voices of consumers. Founded in 1936 Consumer Reports has achieved substantial gains for consumers on food and product safety, financial reform, health and other issues. The organization has advanced important policies to cut hospital-acquired infections, prohibit predatory lending practices and combat dangerous toxins in food.
Consumer Reports independent testing and rating of thousands of products and services is made possible by its member-supported 50 plus labs, state-of-the-art auto test center and consumer research center. Consumers Union, a division of Consumer Reports, works for pro-consumer laws and regulations in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace.
With more than eight million subscribers to its flagship magazine, website and other publications Consumer Reports accepts no advertising, payment or other support from the companies whose products it evaluates.
About ShopSmart Magazine
Launched in Fall 2006 by Consumer Reports, ShopSmart draws upon the publication’s celebrated tradition of accepting no advertisements and providing unbiased product reviews. ShopSmart features product reviews, shopping tips on how to get the most out of products and “best of the best” lists. It’s ideal for busy shoppers who place a premium on time. ShopSmart has a newsstand price of $4.99 and is available nationwide at major retailers including Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Kroger, Safeway and Publix.
ShopSmart is available by subscription at www.ShopSmartmag.org.
