The Best Mattress for Yo U Find It Inside!
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
HOW TO PLAN FOR A Instant Pot‘s 4 Superpowers SECURE RETIREMENT THE HEALTH RISKS OF ‘NATURAL’ MEDICINE REVIEWS & RATINGS Grills Door Locks Stick Vacs Drones BMW X3 MARCH 2018 The Best Mattress For Yo u Find it inside! 116 Models Tested & Rated Top Picks for Foam, Innerspring, Adjustable Air When & How to Get a Great Price Smarter choices for a better world Best Bets for a Bed-in-a-Box CR.ORG Looking for the Safest Cars or the Best Appliances? Get independent, unbiased information you trust from Consumer Reports These special publications are on sale now at newsstands nationwide or online at cr.org/books CRM83ABS Table of Contents MARCH 2018, VOL. 83 NO. 3 DEPARTMENTS IN EVERY ISSUE & COLUMNS Asleep on the Job From the President: Our testers reveal what 4 8 What We’re different mattresses Your Mattress Matters Testing in Our Labs … are made of. The mattress industry Toaster ovens, tablets, frying has experienced a pans, stick vacuums, and more. needed shake-up with the RATINGS bed-in-a-box business model. And our rigorous testing will help you rest easy. 5 Building a Better World, Together BREVILLE SMART OVEN PRO Supporting a new bill to reduce arsenic in rice, fighting for fair auto-insurance pricing, and raising 10 Ask Our Experts concerns about the AT&T and The reason you shouldn’t skip Time Warner merger. smart-TV updates, why it’s P. 22 not too late to get the flu shot, and how likely you are 6 Your Feedback to be audited. Readers’ comments about FEATURES our recent content. 11 CR Insights COVER STORY Product picks and practical 22 Find the Best Mattress for You 17 Recalls advice, including the most Does mattress shopping drive you mad? Our ratings of 62 Index pick-resistant door locks, 116 models—from foam to innerspring—are sure to help. fast-heating grills, RATINGS 63 Selling It and the Instant Pot’s four Goofs and gaffes. best functions. RATINGS 36 Could This Cell Save Your Life? Stem cell therapy works for a few choice conditions, but ROAD REPORT consumers are being offered treatments that 58 Road Test are ineffective or even dangerous. What you need to We rate four luxury SUVs: know to stay safe. the BMW X3, Buick Enclave, GMC Terrain, and Land MEDECO MAXUM Rover Range Rover Velar. 42 Planning for a Secure Retirement RATINGS Do you know when you’ll have enough money to stop PRODUCT UPDATES working? Use our savvy strategies to take control and feel 18 Taking Photos confident, no matter what your age. on the Fly Drones are now more reliable and easier to use for aerial 48 The Will See You Now photography. Our testers As we face a growing doctor shortage, we’re all likely to reveal which will make you the encounter unfamiliar medical practitioners, from P.A.s happiest palm pilot. to N.P.s. Learn what they’re qualified to do—and not—and RATINGS why seeing a naturopath may be a dicey decision. BMW X3 ABOUT CONSUMER REPORTS accept paid advertising. We TO SEND A LETTER TO THE EDITOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION We are the world’s largest don’t accept free test samples from Go to CR.org/lettertoeditor. Go to CR.org/magazine independent, nonprofit consumer- manufacturers. We do not NEWS TIPS AND STORY IDEAS or call 800-333-0663. product-testing organization, allow our name or content to be Go to CR.org/tips. See page 61 for more details. based in Yonkers, N.Y. We survey used for any promotional purposes. EMAIL SUBMISSIONS RATINGS Overall scores are based hundreds of thousands of consumers HOW TO REACH US For Selling It send items to on a scale of 0 to 100. We rate about their experiences with Write to us at Consumer Reports, [email protected] products using these symbols: products and services. We pay for 101 Truman Ave., Yonkers, NY 10703, or call 800-333-0663. 1 POOR 2 FAIR 3 GOOD all the products we rate. We don’t Attn.: Customer Service. See page 63 for more details. 4 VERY GOOD 5 EXCELLENT COVER PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY C.J. BURTON MARCH 2018 CR.ORG 3 From the President President and CEO Marta L. Tellado Senior Vice President, Brand & Strategy Leonora Wiener Vice President, Chief Content Officer Gwendolyn Bounds Yo u r Ma t tre s s Editor in Chief Diane Salvatore Executive Editor Kevin Doyle Features Editor Natalie van der Meer Design Director Matthew Lenning Creative Director, Brand Young Kim Matters Associate Design Director Mike Smith Manager, Art Operations Sheri Geller Art Directors Tammy Morton Fernandez, Ewelina Mrowiec, Lisa Slater, Tracy Stora IN RECENT YEARS it has Photo Editors Emilie Harjes, Karen Shinbaum seemed that no industry is Director, Content Development Glenn Derene safe from being upended Deputy Director, Content Development Christopher Kirkpatrick and reimagined by new Senior Director, Product Testing Mark Connelly challengers offering Director, Content Impact & Corporate Outreach Jen Shecter Director, Special Projects Sandy Keenan innovative solutions to Deputies, Special Projects Lisa Gill, Joel Keehn familiar problems. That’s Associate Director, Content Development Scott Billings precisely what has happened Cars Electronics in the mattress industry, Patrick Olsen, Content Lead Jerry Beilinson, Content Lead Editors: Editors: as startups have emerged to Jeff S. Bartlett, Tercius Bufete, Nicholas Nick Kurczewski, Jonathan Linkov, Deleon, Bree Fowler, Christopher challenge the status quo of Mike Monticello, Jeff Plungis Raymond, Allen St. John, James Willcox the walk-in mattress outlet Auto Test Center: Jake Fisher, Product Testers: Maria Rerecich, Jennifer Stockburger, Directors Testing Lead; Elias Arias, by marketing affordable Product Testers: Mike Bloch, John Antonette Asedillo, Claudio Ciacci, bed-in-a-box options for Ibbotson, Chris Jones, Anita Lam, Charles Davidman, Richard customers who would rather Gene Petersen, Ryan Pszczolkowski, Fisco, Richard Sulin, Maurice Wynn Mike Quincy, Gabe Shenhar, Policy Lead: Justin Brookman shop online than deal with Shawn Sinclair, Emily A. Thomas, Health & Food the hassles of an in-store sales pitch. These upstarts Joe Veselak, Seung Min “Mel” Yu Ellen Kunes, Content Lead are gaining traction, too: Direct-to-consumer Policy Lead: David Friedman Editors: Orly Avitzur, M.D.; Julia Home & Appliance Calderone; Trisha Calvo; Lauren F. mattress companies have reportedly doubled their Eric Hagerman, Content Lead Friedman; Chris Hendel; Jesse Hirsch; market share since 2014, and their annual retail Editors: Mary Farrell, Paul Hope, Jeneen Interlandi; Marvin M. sales have jumped from $852 million two years ago Kimberly Janeway, Sara Morrow, Lipman, M.D.; Catherine Roberts; Haniya Rae, Daniel Wroclawski Diane Umansky Product Testers: to $1.8 billion today. Product Testers: John Galeotafiore, Maxine Siegel, Testing Lead; At CR, we always have our eyes open for new James Nanni, Testing Leads; Peter Amy Keating, Ellen Klosz business models like beds-in-a-box that spring up Anzalone, John Banta, Susan Booth, Money Tara Casaregola, Lawrence Ciufo, Margot Gilman, Content Lead to challenge sleepy industries. That’s why we’re Enrique de Paz, Bernard Deitrick, Editors: Octavio Blanco, Jeffrey Blyskal, peering under the covers to get you the information Cindy Fisher, Emilio Gonzalez, Ginny Anthony Giorgianni, you need on both new and traditional mattresses Lui, Joan Muratore, Joseph Pacella, Nikhil Hutheesing, Donna Rosato, Christopher Regan, Frank Spinelli, Tobie Stanger, Penelope Wang so that you can make the right choice and avoid a David Trezza, Michael Visconti Policy Lead: Anna Laitin shopping nightmare. Our blanket coverage includes Chief Scientific Officer James H. Dickerson ratings of 116 foam, innerspring, and adjustable Food Safety James Rogers, Director; Sana Mujahid; air mattresses, including 41 bed-in-a-box options Henry Akinleye, Charlotte Vallaeys that may help you avoid the headaches and prices Product Safety Don Huber, Director; Doris Sullivan, Associate Director Health Ratings Doris Peter, Director of past purchases. We put products through their paces because helping you rest easy, knowing you Content Systems & Operations Strategy Peter Meirs, Director Content Operations David Fox, Director; William Breglio; Anthony Terzo have the independent knowledge you need to make Production Eric W. Norlander, Manager; Letitia Hughes, Terri Kazin smart choices, is at the core of our mission at CR— Imaging Francisco Collado, Mark Linder and if you wind up literally resting more easily as a Content Coordination Nancy Crowfoot; Diane Chesler, Aileen McCluskey Copy Editing Leslie Monthan, Copy Chief; result, we sleep better at night, too. Noreen Browne, Alison France, Wendy Greenfield Fact Checking David Schipper, Manager; Kathleen Adams, Tracy Anderman, Sarah Goralski, Christine Gordon, Lee Anna Jackson, Sharon MacBride Riley Administration Decarris Bryant Consumer Engagement Testing Charu Ahuja, Director; Linda Greene, Adam Kaplan Statistics Michael Saccucci, Director; Andrew Cohen, Keith Newsom-Stewart, Martin Romm Marta L. Tellado, Survey Research Karen Jaffe, Simon Slater; Dave Gopoian, Kendra Johnson, President and CEO Debra Kalensky, Martin Lachter, Jane Manweiler, Olufemi Olu-Lafe, Adam Troy Follow me on Twitter Administration John McCowen @MLTellado Consumer Insight Monica Liriano, Associate Director; Frank Yang; Chris Holmes, Teneisha Thomas Newsstand Marketing Patricia McSorley, Associate Director Procurement Operations Steven Schiavone, Associate Director Vice President, Chief Communications Officer Matt Anchin; Vice President, Financial Planning & Analysis JoAnne Boyd; Vice President, Human Resources Lisa Cribari; Vice President, Data & Marketing Operations Brent Diamond; Vice President, Chief Digital Officer Jason Fox; Vice President, Research, Testing & Insights Liam McCormack; Vice President, Business Strategy & Planning Betsy Parker; Vice President, Consumer Policy & Mobilization Jessica Rich; Vice President, General Counsel Steven Schwartz; Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer Kim Stehle; Vice President, Development Shar Taylor; Vice President, Chief Financial Officer Eric Wayne PHOTO: MELANIE DUNEAPHOTO: 4 CR.ORG Building a Better World, Together Join with us to make a safer, fairer, healthier marketplace levels of arsenic. Go to CR.org/ New York’s Department of to do its own investigation.