Read. Shop. Buy smart.
Everyone knows a good night’s sleep is essential to good health. It stands to reason that your mattress has a lot to do with how well you sleep. In this issue CR is all set to help you “Find a Mattress You’ll Love.” Start by reading “5 Key Factors” which will take you through a question-and-answer process that builds a list of mattress qualities based on the way you sleep. Take that list and turn to the ratings pages to learn which mattress brands are most likely to suit your needs. Now you’re ready to go shopping, but even here CR has some great advice for you. Read “Where to Shop – and How” to ensure that your mattress shopping trip is a success. Sleep well!
Do you buy health drinks? If so, have you ever wondered what qualifies those drinks as ‘healthy?’ This month CR asks: “Are These ‘Healthy’ Drinks Good For You?” Read this for a quick look at how the prebiotics, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, stimulants and electrolytes found in these drinks can work to benefit your health. You’ll notice that throughout the article the experts interviewed caution readers not to rely on the drinks alone to provide healthy nutrients. The drinks do not replace whole foods when it comes to getting the quantity and quality of nutrients you need, but they can serve as supplements. Check out “The Truth About Energy and Sports Drinks” to learn about some products that probably aren’t giving you any real benefit.
Are you just cooking for 2 most of the time? CR shows you how a next generation toaster oven “can stand in for your full-sized oven in almost every way” and save you money. Read this month’s product update “The Best New Toaster Ovens From Our Tests” to learn more. Expect to pay more if you want your toaster oven to really do it all – the price for these more advanced models ranges from $125 to $500 depending upon how you plan to use it. Ovens are put in one of three categories: “The Basics,” “The In-Betweens,” and “The Multitaskers,” and then provides a ratings page to help select the right make and model.
Other topics in this issue include:
“Dishwashers”
“Coffee Makers”
“Luggage”
“Interior Paints”
“Chainsaws”
Consumer Reports magazine is available free in print and online to Fauquier Public Library card holders, providing access to articles, reviews and ratings on over 8,000 products and services. The library has copies of Consumer Reports dating back to 2019.