Consumer Products and Reviews

Who else but the consumer, the people who use the products and services, understands which companies are best?

In announcing its first-ever Buyer’s Choice Awards, ConsumerAffairs employed an advanced sentence-by-sentence analysis of high-integrity consumer reviews – posted at ConsumerAffairs – to uncover the brands that earned the highest rates of positive feelings from purchasers.

Each review analyzed for the 2024 Buyer’s Choice Awards was conducted by phone interview or detailed questionnaire in 2023. To calculate the winners, ConsumerAffairs then conducted “emotional decoding,” or sentiment analysis, of eligible reviews, using a customized Natural Language Processing (NLP) tool. Experienced auditors confirmed the accuracy of the sentiment analysis.  

 “We decoded millions of reviews to learn what aspects of each industry’s particular buying journey made the biggest emotional difference to purchasers,” said Zac Carman, CEO of ConsumerAffairs.

Of the five awards in the home warranty category, for example, three were pinpointed by review analysis as specific preoccupations of home warranty customers: Best Technicians, Best Coverage Options, and Best Claims Handling. 

“That’s what makes these awards unique,” Carman said. “Each award recognizes one super-important need for customers in that category and the companies that best fulfill it.” 

Each quarter in 2024, ConsumerAffairs will announce Buyer’s Choice Awards in new categories and use its website to flag the winning companies with a signature badge designed to guide consumers in need to trusted companies. The initial five categories with winners are:

Home Warranties

Industry pioneer American Home Shield was the only home warranty company to win all three of those Buyer’s Choice Awards plus the industry’s awards for Best Customer Service and Best Value for Price.  

Solar

In the Solar category, reviews of solar purchasing platform SunPower earned it the Buyer’s Choice Awards for Best Customer Service and Best Value for Price. But the company also was recognized for Best for Installation, which review contents revealed as the second most critical emotional difference-maker to solar customers.  

Debt Relief

In the Debt Relief category, Accredited Debt Relief, National Debt Relief and Freedom Debt Relief each won for Best Customer Service as well as Best Experience with Staff and Best for Transparency, two awards that speak to customers’ need for a high-touch, trustworthy relationship with their debt relief company.

Personal Loans

Among personal loan lenders, Best Egg, Net Credit, and Achieve Personal Loans each won for Best Customer Service, Best Experience with Staff, and Best Loan Process, an award triggered by how important that aspect is to personal loan shoppers.

Stairlifts

Among companies providing stairlifts, Bruno Independent Living Aids and Stannah Stairlifts, were singled out for Best Customer Service, Best for Installation, and Best Experience with Staff; and Arrow Lift, for Best for Installation and Best Experience with Staff.

You can check out the full results here.

Plant-based meat now has a new competitor at the supermarket. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has approved the sale of meat produced in a lab. 

Technically, it’s known as “cell-cultivated” meat, and two companies, UPSIDE Foods and Good Meat, will be the first to produce it for sale to consumers. The product is produced by using real chicken cells. According to UPSIDE Foods, its lab-grown chicken will be 99% chicken cells.

"I'm thrilled to share that cultivated meat will now be available for consumers in the U.S.," said Dr. Uma Valeti, CEO and founder of UPSIDE Foods. "This approval will fundamentally change how meat makes it to our table.”

“It's a giant step forward towards a more sustainable future - one that preserves choice and life. We are excited to launch with our signature, whole-textured UPSIDE chicken and can't wait for consumers to taste the future."

It will appear first on restaurant menus

UPSIDE has processed the first order of its cultivated chicken, placed by Chef Dominique Crenn. The cultivated chicken will be on the menu in the U.S. in limited quantities through select restaurant partners, starting with Crenn's restaurant Bar Crenn in San Francisco.

The company said it will continue its work with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA to bring its next consumer products to market, including sausages, nuggets, and dumplings.

Good Meat says cellular agriculture technology traditionally uses Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) as the growth medium to cultivate animal cells into the muscle, fat, and connective tissues that form meat. But the company says it has found efficient and economical methods to make its product without FBS.

Whether lab-grown chicken is a hit with consumers will likely come down to two factors – taste and cost. But some in the food and agriculture industries see the development as a pivotal point, changing the entire way food gets to the table.

Your home can be a dangerous place. You could trip over a rug in the hallway or slip and fall in the shower.

But some products in your home can also be dangerous, although regulators work to identify them and issue recalls. But there may be other products in your home that have yet to be recalled but nonetheless might pose a hazard.

ConsumerAffairs researchers scoured the internet looking for consumer comments and complaints about products that are not only potentially hazardous but also might not work the way they are intended.

Mueller’s “onion chopper” vegetable slicer was the subject of a recall in 2020 but is still triggering consumer complaints. It was deemed a laceration risk but some consumers report they never got the promised replacement.

“I submitted all the required information & Mueller sent me an email saying I’d be sent a replacement,” a reviewer named Mishelle posted on Amazon in 2021. “That was 11/27/20. I have yet to receive my new chopper or hear from Mueller with a delivery status. Not happy!”

Exploding glass

Some consumers have complained that Hamilton Beach slow cookers have glass lids that are prone to shattering. Some consumers have reported the glass lids shatter with no apparent stimulus from the user.

In recent years ConsumerAffairs has received reports of glass cookware shattering after being heated in an oven and then being exposed to room temperature, suggesting consumers should exercise caution when heating tempered glass.

“Bought Pyrex set at Walmart 10 days ago first time I used it for a rack of ribs,” Mike, of Sierra Vista, Ariz., reported earlier this year. “Put it in a 350-degree oven and 40 minutes later it exploded into a million pieces.”

While TV sets seem to be more reliable than they were a decade ago, some consumers still report problems. Some have complained that the Sony X900H TV’s variable refresh rate (VRR) feature does not work as advertised, substantially lowering the picture quality at higher refresh rates. 

Sony’s X900H is advertised as a device that is optimized for the PS5 and next-gen gaming, equipped with a variable refresh rate feature that provides “reduced input lag, increased frame rate, and ultra smooth motion.” 

“I love that the x900h, advertised with 4k and vrr and 120hz, actually didnt mention that VRR disables local dimming and 120hz halves the horizontal or vertical resolution so it looks worse than 1080p at times, it’s incredibly frustrating,” WoodyTSE posted on Reddit earlier this year.

Overheating hair dryer

Some consumers have claimed the Conair Cord Keeper hair dryer is defectively designed and prone to overheating, causing internal components to melt. Several claimed the 1,875-watt hair dryers pose a risk of burns or fires.

“While drying my hair today I heard a pop and then a spark along with a flash of flame coming from the cord,” GMCchick posted in a review on Amazon earlier this year. “Not wanting the fire to get to the outlet I panicked and unplugged the burning cord from the outlet and dropped it on the floor where I was able to put out the fire.”

Companies often issue recalls for products after federal safety regulars get a large number of complaints. Consumers who encounter what they believe to be defective or unsafe products can report them to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) here.

It’s also helpful to share your experience with fellow consumers by posting a review on ConsumerAffairs.

In an effort to keep your family healthy, you try your best to keep a clean home. But in order to stave off symptoms such as sniffling, sneezing, and itchy eyes, you may need to do more than dust and scrub surfaces.

According to the experts at Broan, homeowners should also remember to combat airborne dangers that could pose a health threat. 

In a recent poll, the ventilation product manufacturer found that although most homeowners are aware that unhealthy indoor air can cause health problems, many do not recognize the signs of poor indoor air quality in their home.

Signs of poor indoor air quality

"We spend up to 90 percent of our time indoors; our home should be our sanctuary. Yet too often, homeowners overlook the warning signs of poor indoor air quality, attributing it instead to everything from asthma to the common cold," said Michelle Gross, senior global director of channel marketing, services, and digital.

A few signs that the air in your home may not be as clean as it could be include: mold, chemical smells, foggy windows and mirrors, and lingering cooking smells.

Contributors to poor indoor air quality include using a fireplace, running central heating and cooling systems, cooking often, or lighting a candle. Not having a bathroom fan or range hood can also negatively affect indoor air quality, says Broan.

Ways to improve indoor air

Good air flow is vital to achieving and maintaining healthy air quality, says home improvement expert Danny Lipford.

"Bath fans and range hoods are the easiest ways to drastically improve indoor air quality," he said. “The key is to use them every time you shower or cook, leave them on for 10 minutes after you've finished, and replace them every 10 years."

To help homeowners improve indoor air quality, Broan recommends the following tips:

• Install a fan or hood. For optimal ventilation, your kitchen should have a range hood and your bathroom should have an appropriately-sized fan. Be sure to use fans every time after cooking and showering.
• Follow the 10-minute rule. Run your range hood for at least 10 minutes after cooking to eliminate lingering smells and particulates. Do the same after showering to remove humidity.
• Clean it monthly. For maximum effectiveness, clean range hoods and bathroom fans once a month.
• Replace as needed. Most range hoods have a lengthy lifespan of around 10-12 years, but be sure to change bathroom fans when they no longer prevent your mirror from fogging.
• Clean regularly. Wash linens frequently in hot water, vacuum regularly (making sure not to forget doormats), and remove shoes upon entering the home.

Summer evenings and backyard gatherings go hand-in-hand, and having an inviting outdoor area can help make entertaining family and friends al fresco even more enjoyable.

To help homeowners transform their backyard into a beautiful outdoor oasis, outdoor living product manufacturer Napoleon enlisted a third party research team to find out how the design of outdoor spaces can directly impact human emotions.

"The research shows the most loved areas of the home combine relaxation, socialization and functionality," said Stephen Schroeter, Napoleon's senior vice-president of sales and marketing.

"Outdoor spaces provide a great opportunity to accommodate all three, yet they are still vastly underutilized by most homeowners,” Schroeter added.

Outdoor design ideas

Outdoor living spaces can also boost your home's value. A National Association of Realtors survey shows many buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home with an outdoor living space. 

But when it comes to outdoor remodeling projects, improving your home's resale value should come secondary to enhancing the overall enjoyment your family will get from the finished results.

Homeowners can add to the natural ambiance of firefly-illuminated summer evenings by using the following design tips from Schroeter:

• Add an outdoor kitchen. Take your cook-out to the next level by adding an outdoor kitchen in which to prepare a meal for your guests. A quality grill is essential in an outdoor kitchen, says Schroeter. Other features to consider adding: an outdoor refrigerator or beer dispenser, pizza oven, and sink for easy clean-up.
• Create an area for socialization. Establishing a gathering place is key when it comes to outdoor living spaces. To do so, choose a central location and add a variety of seating options. Consider adding a built-in fireplace or fire pit to serve as a focal point and enable your outdoor space to be used later into the season.
• Create distinct zones. Give each area of your backyard a purpose by using barriers like large plants, a pergola, or privacy panels. Divided zones help create the feel of a secluded getaway, says Schroeter.
• Appeal to the senses. To enrich the auditory atmosphere, consider adding outdoor speakers or a water feature to eliminate street noise. Enhance the smell of your space by adding fragrant bushes with a sweet scent, such as honeysuckle or lilac.
• Add charming details. “Small touches can go a long way,” says Schroeter. He recommends personalizing your space with items that define your unique style. “Don’t be afraid to add bold pops of color -- an outdoor living area is a great place to explore a more adventurous design than might be considered inside the home,” he added.

Most people associate cleaning with time, effort, and an array of fancy spray solutions, but getting your home spic and span doesn’t have to take all day, or require the use of expensive products.

A few simple tricks can help take some of the hassle out of cleaning, according to the home experts at HouseLogic.com. They recently rattled off a few clever tips for taking a home from grungy to gleaming.

Many of the tips named by HouseLogic can be implemented using items you probably already have around the house.

Easy cleaning hacks

Loathe labor-intensive cleaning tasks? Then the following tips might prove to be useful additions to your mental collection of cleaning know-how.

• Freshen up naturally with plants. Skip the air freshener and opt for fragrant houseplants, such as citrus, sweet bay, orchids, or cuban oregano.
• Make a “go-cart” for mobile cleaning. Corral your cleaning supplies onto a cart with wheels for easy room-to-room transportation.
• Get rid of mattress odors with baking soda. To oust unpleasant odors emanating from mattresses, use a sifter or fine mesh strainer to sprinkle about a cup of baking soda directly onto your mattress. Let it sit for about an hour to soak up the odors, then vacuum it up.
• Give greasy stove burners an ammonia soak. Ammonia fumes can power through stubborn stove grease. Simply take ¼ cup of ammonia and seal it up with one of the burners in a large ziploc bag.
• Clear garage debris with a leaf blower. Leaf blowers can be handy tools for helping to clear away dust, cobwebs, and leaves from your garage.
• Use a drill brush on tub grunge. Retrofit your cordless drill with a scrubber to tackle tough stains in the tub.
• Spray shower doors with windshield rain repellent. Solutions like Rain-X can help to keep your shower door clean and dry by causing water to bounce right off.
• Clean dirty air vents in the dishwasher. Dirty dishes aren’t all your dishwasher can clean. Toss dirt-covered air vents in the dishwasher to get them looking as good as new.