CONSUMER REPORTS NOVEMBER ISSUE: HOLIDAY "BEST BUYS" PLUS CLOTHING-STORE CHOICES

Business Wire, Oct 27, 1998

YONKERS, NY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 26, 1998--The holiday season is at hand, and Consumer Reports is there to help with its annual look at Best Buy Gifts - our top picks among products as diverse as mountain bikes and TVs, with prices ranging anywhere from $20 to $2,000. The November issue's cover story, moreover, reveals the best places to buy the most common holiday gift item - clothing.

STORES AND GIFT ITEMS

Clothing Stores (Page 12): We asked our readers to share with us their clothes-shopping experiences. Their responses provided the basis for our Ratings of 60 department stores, specialty stores, off-price stores, mass merchandisers and warehouse clubs. Readers' experiences also pointed to the best predictor of a shopper's satisfaction with a store - the perceived quality of its clothing. Among our recommendations: Comparison shopping for national brands can be most fruitful at off-price stores, least at department stores. Ratings chart included.

Smile And Say "Megapixel" (Page 30): Our tests of 18 digital cameras showed that the pictures they produce don't look as sharp as those shot on regular film, although some come quite close. Instead of using film, a digital camera stores images on a memory card (or in built-in memory), for later transfer to a computer. We looked at both high-resolution megapixel cameras and at low-resolution models. Their appeal is currently limited, but digital cameras are expected to gain in popularity as the technology becomes more accessible. Ratings chart included.

Pots And Pans (Page 40): You get the best deal by starting with a cookware set, then supplementing it with individual pieces, also called "open stock." The magazine tested 15 nonstick and 10 uncoated cookware sets, ranging in price from $60 to $570. (Nonstick surfaces provide for easy cleanup; uncoated cookware generally browns foods well and makes more flavorful pan sauces.) Ratings chart included.

Something To Talk About (Page 48): Our tests of 19 cordless phones demonstrate that you can get at least good performance out of many models, and pay about half of what you would have just two years ago. Among the models using the 43-49 MHz band (which provide the shortest ranges, on the order of 100-400 feet from the base), the $30 Lucent (AT&T) 4336 scored highest and was the least expensive. For those who need to roam far from the base (more than 2,200 feet, in our tests), try digital models that operate in the 900 MHz band. Ratings chart included.

AUTOMOTIVE

Meet The New Beetle (Page 28): Volkswagen's New Beetle easily outscored other small coupes we've recently tested, including the Acura Integra, the Honda Civic, and the Beetle's stablemate, the Volkswagen Golf. The Beetle is nimble and fun to drive, although the 2.0-liter 115-hp Four we tested accelerated just adequately. And it's the only small car so far to emerge from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's 40-mph offset crash testing with a "good" rating. We liked that its $15,200 base price includes both front and front-side air bags, as well as front safety-belt pretensioners, which instantly snug up the belts in a crash. But the car has its drawbacks - among them, poor head room in the rear seat.

Winter Tires (Page 56)/Run-Flat Tires (Page 8): For mild winter conditions, an all-season tire should suffice. But for the best traction in snow and on ice, Consumer Reports recommends a winter tire (formerly known as a "snow tire"). We tested seven models, putting them through our usual battery of tire tests, (including traction in snow), plus another for braking on ice. Ratings chart included. Also in the November issue, we report on run-flat tires, which manufacturers claim may be driven up to 50 miles when deflated. If you drive a lot at night or can't change a tire, run-flats may be for you - providing you can spend $900 or more for a set of four tires and a required sensor system. However, we don't recommend them for large cars, SUVs or minivans.

PERSONAL FINANCE

When Mutual Insurers Go Public (Page 62): If you are one of 70 million Americans who have purchased life, homeowners or auto insurance from a mutual insurance company, you cannot afford to sit idly by if your insurer decides to convert to a publicly traded stock company. Estimates are that as many as two dozen mutuals could convert over the next decade, as some of the nation's largest and oldest insurers seek to raise capital from the stock market. The November issue's "Your Money" column explores the various forms these conversions can take, and whether they are ever in the policyholder's best interests.

FOOD

Chicken Soup (Page 54): Americans pluck more cans, jars and packets of chicken noodle soup off shelves than any other soup. You'd think that with all the varieties available, some would be really tasty. Yet our most recent tests of chicken noodle soup and chicken-flavored ramen turned up nothing anywhere near as good as the simple, homemade recipe we last tested a few years ago. Progresso (82 cents per serving) and Campbell's Homestyle (49 cents) came closest. Campbell's Baked Ramen (11 cents) scored lowest. Ratings chart (and recipe) included.