It’s the time of year when your 401(k) plan administrators are showering you with annual disclosure statements. It’s tempting to toss them, but before you do, check your portfolio to make sure you haven’t fallen into the over-diversification trap.

Most financial advisors will tell you that diversification—spreading your money across several asset classes and investment styles—is the best way to protect your portfolio from risk and volatility. But what if an investor overdoes the advice not to put all her eggs in one basket and has too many eggs in too many baskets? Over-diversification—buying more and more mutual funds, index funds, or exchange-traded funds (ETFs)—can actually amplify risk, stunt returns, and increase transaction costs and taxes. 

Is your portfolio properly balanced? Read "Right-sizing your asset allocation" to find out. 

Too much of a good thing

Over-diversification is a situation that sneaks up on you—especially as you collect funds in your retirement accounts without considering the overall impact on your portfolio.  

Craig Adamson, president of Adamson Financial Planning in Marion, Iowa, describes a typical case. As a result of changing jobs a few times, a client had four different 401(k)s, a Roth IRA and a regular IRA.  The client stated that he didn’t want to invest in foreign stocks, yet after analyzing the funds in the portfolio, Adamson discovered that 30 percent of the fund holdings were in international equities—a huge overweighting. “He thought he was diversified because he had money in four different 401(k)s and two IRAs, instead of looking at his underlying investments,” Adamson notes.

A bloated portfolio can negate the benefits of diversification in a variety of ways:

• Owning too many funds increases risk by concentrating your holdings in a few areas. A typical joke after the technology bubble burst was that investors thought they were diversified because they held Janus Twenty, Janus Mercury, and Janus Growth; in reality, each of those funds held almost the same technology stocks.
• Funds with completely different strategies can, in fact, hold large concentrations of the same stocks. For example, five of the top ten holdings of an index fund tracking the growth stocks in the S&P 500 (ticker: IVW) are also in the top ten picks of a well-regarded technology mutual fund (VGT).
• Returns suffer for the simple reason that if you have too many investments, the positive contribution of one won’t be big enough to make a difference. For example, if a fund only makes up 1 or 2 percent of your holdings, even a significant gain in that investment won’t sway the overall portfolio.  
• In addition, if you have too much of the same kind of asset class, such as large-cap stocks, you risk “index-hugging,” the term for when your holdings mirror one of the standard indices, such as the S&P 500. In that case, your return will revert to the mean, or average. But because the portfolio might not be balanced to match the index, it could actually lead to lower returns.
• Overall performance can also be eroded by unforeseen trading costs, tax inefficiencies, or, operating expenses. Paying for trades or sales charges in actively managed funds can add up; similarly, high turnover in a taxable portfolio can create an expensive tax bill at the end of the year.
• Last, an over-diversified portfolio can become too unwieldy to monitor, leading to what financial advisors call “analysis paralysis.” “There are too many elements to keep track of,” says Adamson. “Investors just get overwhelmed.” 

Avoiding portfolio bloat

There’s no flashing light that says, “I’m an over-diversified portfolio.” It’s up to the individual investor to take a deep dive.

• Look up each fund’s description of its investment strategy: Is it focused on U.S. large-cap growth stocks or foreign developed markets? If the description of one fund’s strategy sounds eerily familiar to that of another fund, alarm bells should starting ringing.
• Check each fund’s top ten holdings for duplication. If you see Apple or Google in too many top ten holdings, you might want to question whether you bought the same thing five or ten times.














Finding the right balance

• For novice investors, start with one low-cost fund that covers the total U.S. equity market or a target date fund that includes U.S. and international stocks and bonds.
•  It makes sense to diversify into specific asset classes when your portfolio reaches $10,000.
• Five to seven funds are sufficient. Divide them among: large-cap growth and large-cap value stocks (or both, through a large-cap blend); small-cap growth and small-cap value; international equities (including developed and emerging markets); and U.S. bonds.

— Catherine Fredman

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

The airline industry recently has come under fire for anticonsumer and competition-stifling practices. It was first revealed last month that the Department of Justice was investigating possible price collusion, and just weeks later the Department of Transportation launched an investigation into whether five airlines gouged travelers on ticket prices after an Amtrak crash in Philadelphia. Now, a Senate report, "The Unfriendly Skies: Consumer Confusion Over Airline Fees," is shedding light on the airline industry’s failure to disclose extra fees and add-on costs.

The report, prepared by the minority staff of the Senate Commerce Committee, found that ancillary airline fees, for such things as change and cancellation penalties and preferred seating, are increasingly keeping consumers in the dark about the true cost of air travel. It also outlines how this nickel-and-diming has become a $38 billion cash cow for the airline industry, which has recorded record profits this year.

None of this will likely come as a surprise to the millions of consumers who struggle with the frustration of new and ever-increasing airline fees for checked bags, seat assignments, and more. A 2013 Consumer Reports survey uncovered tremendous dissatisfaction over airline fees and confusion over bottom-line pricing.

The Senate report also recommends a series of reforms to require greater transparency from the airline industry, including better and earlier disclosure of ancillary fees to help consumers compare costs among airlines, requiring fees for checked and carry-on baggage to have a clear connection between the costs incurred by the airline and the fees charged, and limiting airline change fees to a reasonable amount tied to lead time before departure and an amount less than the original fare, among others.

Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, praised the committee report for chronicling the hassles that consumers face. For years now, we have been outspoken about airline fees and the lack of transparency when it comes to the actual price of your ticket, and have criticized attempts by industry and lawmakers to actually make it harder to determine the bottom-line cost of an airline ticket.

We think the report’s recommendations regarding airline fees are sound and sensible, and they would help strike a blow against ‘fare shock.’ Consumers Union has continually pushed for rules to ensure that you can see and compare the real costs of airline tickets before you buy.

Senator Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), the committee’s ranking member, said he intends to press his colleagues to act on the report’s recommendations, and we hope that other Senators follow suit.

It’s time that skies become friendly for everyone, not just for the airline industry’s bottom line.

This feature is part of a regular series by Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports. The nonprofit organization advocates for product safety, financial reform, safer food, health reform, and other consumer issues in Washington, D.C., the states, and in the marketplace.

Read past installments of our Policy & Action feature.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

Britax has issued a recall for Britax Marathon, Boulevard, and Advocate ClickTight convertible child seats, due to the potential for the red harness adjuster button (located above the ClickTight dial) used to loosen the harness to remain in the release position after the harness is tightened. That position may allow the harness to loosen when a child moves within it. A loose harness seriously compromises a child’s safety in a crash as they are at risk for added injury, potential ejection from the seat, and contact with the vehicle interior.

The recall includes Britax Advocate, Boulevard, and Marathon ClickTight models produced between August 1, 2014, and July 29, 2015. (The date of manufacture of the seat is located on front of the seat, to the right of the ClickTight dial just under the fabric cover.) Owners of affected seats that have been registered with Britax should receive a remedy kit that includes a food-grade lubricant. Once applied, the lubricant is intended to allow the adjuster button to move freely and remain ‘locked’ when the harness is tightened.

Britax ClickTight models are Consumer Reports’ top-rated convertible models based on our extensive tests of crash performance, ease-of-use, and most particularly, the ease of which these seats can be secured in a vehicle. We did not experience adjuster buttons that allowed harnesses to loosen during our tests, but admittedly, we aren’t using our seats in everyday scenarios and with kids like you are.
However, our tests did reveal other risks associated with the harness of ClickTight Convertibles. Early ClickTight models were subject of assembly issues where lower harness loops were not fully engaged on the seat. This issue is luckily something parents and caregivers should be able to remedy themselves by ensuring the harness is fully engaged on its lower hooks.

As always, we can’t stress enough the importance of registering any child seat with the manufacturer so that you don’t miss out on important safety information such as this. If you have not formally registered your seat or need additional information, we encourage you to contact Britax Customer Service at 888-427-4829 or e-mail Britax.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

Consumers are so infuriated with robocalls that when we called for volunteers to try out three widely used robocall blocker devices plus Nomorobo’s call-blocking technology, more than 130 people responded. We asked each person to install the call blocker that we sent them, monitor the number of robocalls that got through for four days, then disengage it and compare the results. We also asked them to describe how easy it was to set up the robocall blocker.

Some of the devices offer a blacklist, meaning that the software is already preloaded with thousands of spam numbers, which are automatically blocked from coming through. Some offer a blacklist and a "whitelist"; that is, consumers can also manually program the phone to recognize and accept a certain number of known "safe" numbers. We chose a product that represented each of these technologies to send to our testers, who were average consumers.

Separately, because we wanted to look at an example of all of the types of call-blocking technology available, we also looked at a whitelist-only device. Such devices are generally recommended for people who are at high risk of being taken advantage of, including those with Alzheimer's. The one we looked at, the CPR Call Blocker Protect ($50), is very good for people with that risk because it is very restrictive and blocks all calls, except those specifically programmed to be allowed through. We did not examine any of CPR Call Blocker's other products.

With the exception of Nomorobo, all of the robocall blocker devices could be installed on a landline or a VoIP phone ( “Internet phone”) with caller ID; Nomorobo currently is available only for VoIP phones. (We did not try out call-blocking apps for smartphones.) The prices listed are what is being charged at Amazon.com, our purchasing source—not the manufacturers’ suggested retail price. The Sentry model we tested has since been replaced by the Sentry 2, which makes that robocall blocker easier to set up and add numbers to the whitelist.

Read our special report, "Rage Against Robocalls." And tell us about your experience with a robocall blocker or sound off about robocalls by adding a comment below.

Digitone Call Blocker Plus: $110. Blacklist/whitelist.

Nine of the 24 testers found the setup instructions for this robocall blocker confusing. But consumers appreciated that the device operates in silence: “A flashing red light identifies a successful block. I could see incoming robocall attempts, but the phone did not ring,” wrote one tester. Eighteen out of 24 respondents said they would buy the device.

The buzz: Buy

Nomorobo: Free. Blacklist/whitelist.

Nomorobo intercepts all calls after the first ring, compares the number to its vast list of robocall originators, and decides whether to let the call go through. Recipients hear the first ring; if the call is legitimate, the phone rings normally. “Only blocked one call that I wanted,” raved one tester. Once he added the number to the wanted-call list, “they got through the next time. I seriously could not be happier.” Among 40 testers, 25 gave Nomorobo top marks on a scale of 1 to 5, and nine rated it 4.5 or 4.

The buzz: A winner

HQTelecom.com Landline Call Blocker: $59. Blacklist.

One tester wrote, “The device is not ‘proactive,’ i.e., it does not block robocalls until I press the block button.” (He had to answer the call.) “Then further calls from that number will be blocked.” Other testers complained that numbers they had manually blocked continued to get through. Among the 13 respondents, six said they would buy this robocall blocker; seven said they wouldn’t.

The buzz: Mixed

Sentry Dual Mode Call Blocker: $59 (Sentry 2). Blacklist/whitelist.

Respondents thought the Sentry did an excellent job of thwarting unwanted calls; receiving wanted calls was more problematic. “There is no option to manually add numbers to the accept list,” a tester said, leading him to worry about missing infrequent but important messages, such as prescription refills or occasional calls from old friends. Legitimate callers can get through the Sentry’s block by listening to a recorded message and pressing 0 to be connected. But the recording is made in a British accent, leading some callers to assume that they’d reached a wrong number unless they had been warned what to expect. Twenty-seven respondents voted yes; 28 voted no.

The buzz: Mixed

An earlier version of this article included a review of the CPR Call Blocker Protect ($50). We originally gave this device a "bummer" review after trying it with average consumers. But this device, designed for vulnerable populations, such as those with Alzheimer's, should serve its intended purpose when used with those audiences based on our analysis. We did not examine any of CPR Call Blocker's other products.

This article also appeared in the September 2015 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

You might attribute your failure to choose fruit over a doughnut or tofu over a burger to poor willpower. But relying on self-control is tough when unhealthy foods are heavily promoted. Fortunately, researchers have learned how simple changes in our environment and habits can help us to eat smarter without a great deal of extra effort.

Customize dishes and cups

The benefit: Control portion sizes. One trick to eating less is using smaller dishes. But if your goal is to eat more healthy food, go big. Research led by Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University, found that people eat more when food is served on bigger dishes—because portions appear smaller. So if you eat salad or veggies from a large plate, you're likely to serve yourself more and eat more. Use small plates for foods such as refined grains (white rice, pasta), red and processed meats, and, of course, dessert.

Color-code your meals

The benefit: Improve nutrition and tempt your palate. Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables ensures that you get a good mix of healthy nutrients, and it also helps to bring your plate to life. For example, you can perk up your grilled fish or chicken by adding tomatoes and green Swiss chard.

Make healthy foods visible

The benefit: Eat more good-for-you foods. "You're likely to reach for what­ever you see first when you open the refrigerator or your cabinets," says Maxine Siegel, R.D., manager of food testing at Consumer Reports. One study found that people increased their fruit and vegetable consumption almost threefold by moving produce from the fridge's crisper drawer to the top shelf. Storing less healthy items in opaque containers helps, too.

Make it look nice

The benefit: Healthy foods with visual appeal taste better. A study conducted at the Culinary Institute of America found that diners who were served the same chicken dish two nights in a row liked it more when it was artfully arranged. And you don’t need the skills of a "Top Chef" contestant.

A simple stack of vegetables or whole grains on the bottom, a chicken breast in the middle, and a colorful garnish on top gives a meal height and dimension.

Play around with shapes, too, recommends chef and food stylist Khalil Hymore of New York City. "In a salad, I might shred the kale, julienne an apple, and halve the cherry tomatoes," he says. "If everything were the same size, it wouldn't be as interesting."

Eat only at the table

The benefit: You'll eat less and feel satisfied. According to one study, eating as a family at the dining room or kitchen table is linked with having a lower body mass index (BMI), possibly, researchers suggest, because it's easier to focus on the meal in that environment.

Eating with the TV on, however, is linked with a higher BMI, probably because it's distracting. A separate review of research found that when people are distracted, they consume about 10 percent more calories—and they also eat more at subsequent meals.

Nonstick skillet: Sauté or pan-fry foods with less butter or oil so that you don’t add additional calories. Calphalon's Simply Nonstick 10" Omelette Pan ($40 to $60) is a Consumer Reports Best Buy.

Kitchen scale: Eyeballing portion sizes is hard and can lead to underestimating your calorie intake. Even if you don't use a scale every day, it's helpful to double-check portions every few months.

Blender: Whip up smoothies, healthy soups, vegetable purées, and dips. The Dash Chef Series Digital Blender ($230 to $260) was one of the top models in Consumer Reports' recent tests.

—Ian Landau

This article appeared in the September 2015 issue of Consumer Reports on Health.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

The new school year is upon us and children are settling into their fall routines. High on the to-do list is working out which mode of transportation the kids will use to get to and from school. Depending on where you live—city, suburb, or country—and how far away from school you live, some transportation choices can be safer or more practical than others. Find out which will work best before school starts, if possible, and always have a backup plan in mind. Here are tips to keep the kids safe no matter which you choose.

School bus

School buses are built to be better than passenger vehicles at preventing crash injuries and they are the safest mode of transportation for getting children back and forth to school. Their color and size make them easily visible, and they are specifically designed to protect children like eggs in a carton—in compartments surrounded by padding. The high seat backs help protect children from an impact. Fatality statistics show that students who ride buses are about 20 times safer than those transported by a parent or other adult and 50 times safer than if they drive themselves or get a ride with friends. (See our tips for how to safely share the road with buses.)

Walk

In an ideal world parents would walk their children to school. That not only allows for proper supervision and family exercise, but it’s better for the environment and parents can actually get some time to talk to their children. Another benefit is that adults are able to teach children about street safety and how to navigate the roads. But make sure the route is pedestrian friendly, with sidewalks and safe places to cross the street. If an adult cannot accompany children everyday, form a group to walk together or take turns with another parent. Children under 10 should not walk or cross streets by themselves. Be extra wary, as parents dropping off kids can be easily distracted, and there may be inexperienced teen drivers on the road.

Bike

If you choose to send your children to school on a bicycle, make sure they are wearing a properly fitted helmet and know how to secure it. It is best to wear bright clothing to enhance visibility. The bike should be well maintained with working brakes and properly inflated tires. Also check that there is a designated place to park the bike at school, so it doesn’t interfere with buses or cars. A chain lock can ensure the bicycle doesn’t ride home with another child. If a kid (or anyone else) has to ride home in the dark, reflective clothing and bike lights are musts.

Drive

If there is no school bus service and walking is not an option, then a parent or other adult must drive. This isn’t the ideal option as it demands a twice-daily commitment from the parent and adds to traffic congestion and pollution. If you must drive, remember that you are modeling good driving behavior for the children in the car. Follow the speed limit, never pass a vehicle in a school zone, don’t block the crosswalk, and always stop for buses. Be sure all children are appropriately secured. Young kids, typically 4 to 7 years, should be in a forward-facing car seat with a built-in harness. Older school-aged children up to 4’9” should ride in a booster seat, and all children under 13 years old should sit in the back seat. Consider parking a few blocks away to reduce congestion near the school and provide kids with at least a little exercise and fresh air.

Going back to school is exciting, and scary, enough without worrying about transportation. Following these tips and providing proper guidance can help ensure your little ones arrive safely.

For more advice on driving with kids, see our special section. Also, see our booster seat Ratings to find the right seat for driving kids to school.

–Liza Barth

Back to school shopping guide

How to pack for driving back to school

Tips for safe car pooling

Driving with kids: 5 ways to save your child’s life

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

Counterfeiters aren’t scrappy entrepreneurs. They’re criminals whose nefarious deeds—selling everything from phony airbags and brake pads to Beats headphones and Botox—bankroll illicit activities. Besides ripping off American companies for hundreds of billions of dollars in intellectual property, fakes are often made with cheap, substandard, and dangerous components.

In 2008, Consumer Reports revealed the expansive nature of the problem, the sources of counterfeit goods, and why ridding the marketplace of them is such a challenge. In a recent follow-up, we found that little has changed and that counterfeits continue to cut across all industries.

“If you can make it, they’ll fake it,” says Bob Barcheisi, president of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC). The litany of fakes include cheap smart phone batteries and chargers that could overheat or catch fire; substandard appliances, extension cords, and holiday lights with phony “UL” (Underwriters Laboratories) marks, motorcycle helmets that won’t provide adequate protection in a crash, knockoff brand-name prescription drugs like Cialis and Tamiflu, and substandard auto parts.

To learn more, read our story, "Counterfeit Goods: How to Tell the Real from the Rip-Off"

The FBI says phony cosmetics often contain things such as arsenic, beryllium, and cadmium (all known carcinogens) along with high levels of aluminum and dangerous levels of bacteria. Counterfeit perfumes and colognes have been found to contain urine.

The distribution of illicit auto parts is growing at an alarming rate, too, according to Bruce Foucart, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, part of U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement. The parts are typically smuggled into the country and sold to independent stores, sometimes knowingly, sometimes not. “At best these parts will not perform as well as authentic ones. At worst, they can fail catastrophically with potentially fatal consequences.”

How to protect yourself

You’re unlikely to get burned by counterfeits if you stick with established stores, legitimate retailer websites, and authorized sellers. Otherwise, you could be playing with fire. Fakes are widely sold, especially around the holidays, at flea markets, on eBay, via marketplace merchants, at independent deep-discount and no-name stores (like some of those “electronics and luggage storefronts in New York City), purse parties, salons, swap meets, “copycat” websites that mimic those of well-known merchants, and rogue Internet pharmacies. Online pharmacies peddling inexpensive Rx drugs purportedly from Canada have been have revealed as fronts for rogue operations based in Russia, Asia, and the Middle East.

Last year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s and Homeland Security Investigations teamed with industry and 24 law-enforcement agencies to shut 29,684 domain names that were illegally selling counterfeit merchandise online to unsuspecting consumers.

Consumers have the power to bring down the fraudsters. “If shoppers don’t buy fakes, then counterfeit goods and the sellers behind them, won’t prosper, ” says Sandra Bell, deputy assistant commissioner for the Office of International Trade.

The problem, adds David Hirschmann, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Intellectual Property Center, is that too many consumers are blinded by unrealistically low prices. “We all like a deal, but when it’s too good to be true, it’s probably no bargain in the end,” Hirschmann says. 

Where counterfeits come from

Counterfeiting is a global crime. While China has long been the major source of fakes, there are other offenders. On the plus side, China, Vietnam, other exporting countries with a burgeoning economy are doing more to bring fraudsters to justice, experts say, if for no reason other than to improve their image in the international business community. But there’s still a long way to go. The list below is based on the retail value of counterfeit goods seized had they been the genuine article.

* Source: US Department of Homeland Security/Customs and Border Protection.

—Tod Marks

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

By the end of this month, you should have received your annual 401(k) fee statement, outlining how much you’re paying in expenses on all the investments in that retirement portfolio. The mandatory disclosures shows how much you paid in fees for every $1,000 invested. Those disclosures may want to make you think about swapping out some funds.

Since 2012, participants in 401(k)s have been able to see more clearly how much they are paying for the management and administration of their plans and funds. Quarterly statements detail those fees and expenses.

As a general rule of thumb, you shouldn’t pay more than 1 percent of assets in fees for any one holding in a 401(k), especially if you work for a very large company with the muscle to negotiate provider fees. And index funds should be far less expensive, no more than 0.01 percent of assets for a fund that follows a broad-based index like the S&P 500. If your disclosure shows otherwise, it might be time to push for an overhaul of the fund lineup or even a change in providers. Or, think about investing outside of your 401(k), where you may have better choices. Here are five tools that can help you decide and choose:

• BrightScope uses IRS information to rate 401(k) plans on factors including total cost and generosity of the company match. It shows how your plan stacks up against plans from similar employers and against all 401(k) plans. (It’s free, but for a more detailed report, you’ll have to pay $100 and get access permission from your plan’s fiduciary; contact BrightScope for details.)

• Morningstar has information on thousands of funds. Type in the ticker symbol of the fund you’d like to replace in the search box. Morningstar will identify what kind of fund it is, such as small-cap value or large-cap blend, and compare the fund’s performance to a benchmark. You can then plug in the names of other funds in your plan to find comparable options. (Registration is free. Morningstar Premium, a pay service, which has more comparison tools, is free for a 14-day trial; subscriptions start at $189 per year or $23 per month.)

Consumer Reports helps you make investment products such as mutual funds, ETFs, and annuities work together for you.

• Morningstar’s Instant X-Ray can give you more detail on your portfolio, including asset allocations, variety of different investment styles, geographic regions covered by the investments, and sectors. (The same subscription terms apply for using the tool.)

• Fund Analyzer, free and sponsored by Financial Industry Regulatory Au­thor­i­ty (FINRA), shows the lowest-cost option among three funds of your choosing. To get your results, you’ll need to input the funds’ ticker symbols and estimated returns, and your expected investment period.

• Personal Capital requires you to register and provide a cell phone number to use some of this site’s free tools. By typing in some basic information, you can get a free projection of what you’ll have in retirement, as well as what you’ll need. You also will get a target asset allocation. If you then want to compare that with your current allocation, you’ll need to provide the log-in and password for your 401(k). Personal Capital draws the information from your account in order to make its projections and recommendations. If all that makes you uncomfortable, check with your own 401(k); those administered by major providers like Vanguard, Fidelity and T. Rowe Price often offer similar tools for plan participants.

— Tobie Stanger (@TobieStanger on Twitter)

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

What are the top prescribed drugs for insomnia—Ambien? Lunesta? Yes, but there's another: a three-decade-old generic antidepressant called trazodone, which causes drowsiness as a potentially useful side effect. A recent U.S. study in the journal Sleep found it to be one of most commonly used medications to treat sleeplessness.

Trazodone was first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 1981 as an antidepressant. Though doctors can legally prescribe trazodone (and all drugs, for that matter), for any treatment, the drug is actually not approved to treat insomnia. Today, there's no branded form of trazodone—you can only get it as a generic—but there is a long-acting version available called Oleptro.

In a few studies, trazodone is reported to improve sleep during the first two weeks of treatment. But the drug has not been studied for longer than six weeks, so little is known about how well it works or its safety past that point. Also, an effective dose range has not been studied.

There's very little clinical trial evidence on whether it's effective as a sleep aid when a person does not have depression, and only modest evidence when there is. Treatment guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommend trazodone for chronic insomnia without depression only when drugs like Ambien and Lunesta have failed.

But numerous doctors are convinced, based mainly on their own experience, that trazodone is an appropriate sleep medication for many people, even when there's no depression. Here's why trazodone has become so popular—and what to do if your doctor suggests you try it.

Trazodone: Risks and benefits

While trazodone is rarely used to treat depression alone any more, it's widely prescribed, off-label, at lower doses for treating insomnia, for several likely reasons.

First, trazodone has one distinct advantage—and possibly a few others. It's generic, so it's considerably cheaper than many of the other widely prescribed sleep medications—about $3 for a week's supply. That's compared to other sleep drugs like generic zolpidem (Ambien), generic eszopiclone (Lunesta) or generic Sonata (zalepon) that run about $15 for a week's supply. And while some of the insomnia drugs are classified by the FDA as controlled substances that require doctors and pharmacists to take additional steps before they're prescribed or dispensed; trazodone is not a controlled substance, so doctors can prescribe it without those constraints.

In addition, many physicians apparently believe that trazodone is safer than other frequently prescribed sleep medications. But because there are not studies that actually show it is safer, whether or not that is true remains unknown.

It's true that the other drugs approved to treat insomnia can impair your ability to recall new experiences, and may even—although rarely—cause you to walk, eat, have sex, or drive a car while still essentially unconscious. We could find no evidence to date of those problems having been reported with trazodone. Moreover, many doctors seem to believe that trazodone is less likely than even the newer sleep drugs to cause dependency and, when discontinued, renewed insomnia. Yet there's little evidence to prove or disprove those ideas.

And, trazodone has certain risks of its own. In particular, it's more likely than the newer sleep drugs, particularly the short-acting ones, to leave you feeling drowsy the next day, which increases the chance of accidents. It can also cause abnormally low blood pressure and, in turn, dizziness or even fainting, particularly in seniors.

Trazodone can also cause heart-rhythm disorders. It might possibly weaken the immune system. And some evidence suggests it can cause priapism, or persistent erection, a medical emergency that may require surgery and can lead to impotence if not treated promptly. Moreover, a black-box warning in the package insert notes that trazodone, like other antidepressants, can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behavior in children and adolescents.

Trazodone: Should you take it?

For the average person who has occasional brief bouts of insomnia, making certain changes to your lifestyle may help, including: avoiding big meals, alcohol, smoking and exercising late at night or working or watching TV in bed. (See sidebar for a full list.) If those don't work, our medical advisors recommend first trying an inexpensive over-the-counter drug containing an antihistamine such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Nytol, Sominex, and generic) or doxylamine (Unisom Nighttime Sleep-Aid and generic)—but only use those for a few nights.

If your insomnia last longer than a few nights and this continues for several weeks, you should see your doctor to determine if other conditions or drug side effects could be disturbing your sleep. If those are ruled out—or if your insomnia persists despite treatment of the underlying problem—nondrug sleep treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy appear to yield better, more lasting results than medication. If possible, try that before resorting to medication, which can undermine your motivation to make the behavioral changes.

If your doctor recommends sleeping pills for more than a temporary bout of insomnia without mentioning nondrug therapy, you should mention it yourself. For more on such treatment, see our Best Buy Drug report on drugs to treat insomnia.

Of course, medication is sometimes needed for persistent insomnia—when nondrug treatment is refused, unavailable, or ineffective, or when the sleep disturbance is affecting your ability to carry out your daily activities. Here are the main considerations for using drug trazodone to treat insomnia:

• Insomnia without depression. Because there's so little supporting evidence, sleep experts generally recommend trazodone for insomnia only after the newer sleep drugs have failed. Trazodone may improve sleep initially, as found in one small study, but that effect could fade after several weeks. Researchers theorize that this could be due to residual sleepiness in the daytime, so a person is less physically active , which may contribute to the ability to sleep well at night.
  
• Insomnia with depression. Some conditions, such as depression, have a complex and intertwined relationship with insomnia, and the best treatment for these two issues together has not been determined. If you have both, discuss the options with your doctor, based on the severity of the depression, the nature of your sleep problem, your medical history and susceptibility to side effects, any possible drug interactions, and, of course, your personal preferences.  

Usually, the most important consideration is managing the depression, which should be treated separately with a more effective antidepressant medication, counseling, or both. A separate drug can then be prescribed for the insomnia—either a newer sleep medication or low-dose trazodone. Studies have suggested that trazodone plus another antidepressant can improve sleep in these cases. Alternatively, trazodone might be taken alone, at a higher, antidepressant dose, to treat both problems.

Although trazodone may improve sleep at first, the effect may not continue past several weeks. Taking trazodone may also worsen sleepiness during the daytime, and morning grogginess. Plus, the side effect of sedation may not actually improve depression or insomnia.

Precautions to take

• Because trazodone may not work well to treat insomnia after a few weeks, check in with your doctor periodically to discuss how or if it's still working.
• If you have trouble getting to sleep, take it several hours before you go to bed; if you have trouble staying asleep, take it within 30 minutes before bedtime.
  
• Avoid trazodone if you're recovering from a heart attack. Inform your doctor if you have abnormal heart rhythms, weakened immunity, active infection, or liver or kidney disease. Use it cautiously if you have heart disease.
• Watch for adverse effects. That's especially important for people over age 55 or so since they're more susceptible to falls caused by dizziness or drowsiness and to abnormal heart rhythms. Close monitoring is also crucial if you're taking trazodone with another antidepressant.
• As with any sleep medication, never mix trazodone with alcohol, and use it cautiously if you're taking other sedating medications or antihypertensive drugs. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about other possible drug interactions.
• If you develop an erection that is unusually prolonged or occurs without stimulation, discontinue the drug and contact your physician. Also call your doctor if you develop fever, sore throat, or other signs of infection while taking trazodone.

Poor sleep habits and how to correct them

This article and related materials are made possible by a grant from the state Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant Program, which is funded by the multistate settlement of consumer-fraud claims regarding the marketing of the prescription drug Neurontin (gabapentin).

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

Update 8/14/15: Verizon “simplified” its phone plans on August 13 so that customers wouldn’t have to “do a lot of math to figure out their best options.” They are simpler in that now there’s only one access fee for smartphones: $20 per phone. Under the old plan, phone access fees varied from $15 to $25 to $40, based on the amount of data you were buying and whether or not your phone was under contract. Verizon has ended contracts, which were never a good deal, and is also presenting its four cheapest buckets of sharable data in shopper-friendly terms like small, medium, large, and X-large, and suggesting who they’d be best for.

But while these plans may appear more attractive, pricing has largely stayed the same, with modest decreases or increases ($5 to $20) compared to what customizers were paying before. Customers who signed up for previous plans will have to inform Verizon if they want to switch. Our advice: Use the tables below to figure out if switching would be a wise move. 

Update 7/15/15: T-Mobile’s new, “limited time” 10GB Family Plan offers substantial savings to data-hogging households. It starts at $100 a month for two phone lines, each with a data allowance of 10GB plus unlimited texting and calling. Add a third line for just $20 and a fourth for free. You can also get a fifth line for $20 more ($140 a month). The “limited time” part is until Labor Day, though a T-Mobile official told us the offer may continue longer.

Oddly, T-Mobile, which bills itself as a no-nonsense cell provider, snubbed single-line users this time around. It also made this plan a bit hard to find for qualified users. If you search T-Mobile’s website, you’ll be steered to the carrier’s Simple Choice plans (see our rate-comparison tables below). Follow this link to the plan.

You can also ask for the deal in person at a T-Mobile store, or contact Customer Care Service at 800-866-2453.

Update 7/1/15: Sprint’s new All-In plan puts a top-notch smartphone in your hands with no money down and then charges you only $80 a month (plus taxes and a one-time $36 activation fee) for unlimited data, text, and voice minutes. That seems like a good deal considering other plans, including those from Sprint, charge about $65 to $90 per month per phone (including access fees) for about 4GB or 5GB of data—without the phone. The hitch: Phone choices for the All-In plan are limited to a 16GB iPhone 6, a 32GB Samsung Galaxy S6, or an HTC One M9. What's more, you'll never own the phone. It's just a lease—$20 of the $80 of your monthly bill is a phone-rental fee that never goes away.

Often, we steer people away from that kind of arrangement, but in this case, the pricing should work out well for a lot of consumers. Let's crunch the numbers for someone who needs just one phone line. With All-In, you can get a 16GB iPhone 6 and use it for two years for $1,920 (that doesn't include the activation fee.) The same phone and 24 months of service would cost $2,210 on the company's 4GB Family Share Pack data plan ($65 a month, plus about $27 while you paid off the phone, which costs $650).

What if you keep your iPhone for a third year? All-In will end up costing $2,880 ($80 per month for 36 months). If you have the Family Share Pack, the monthly bill will drop to $65 after two years, once the phone is paid off, but the total for three years is still higher, at $2,990.

That doesn't mean the All-In is better for everyone. You need to do some arithmetic to get the best deal. If you need multiple phones, the price-per-phone drops for most plans, but not for the All-In. You can economize on data usage to bring costs down on most plans, but not the All-In. And if you keep a phone you've paid off for a fourth year, trade it in—or just decide to sell it on E-Bay—the numbers change again.  

Update 2/5/15: Thanks to price-war incentives and greater plan flexibility, there are more opportunities now to save a few bucks on the new, no-contract plans from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless—a.k.a. the Big Four.

These plans separate the purchase of the phone from the service charges, effectively giving you an interest-free loan you can pay off in about two years. When you’ve paid off the phone, your monthly bill goes down accordingly. And there are no termination fees; if you want to leave the carrier, you just pay any remaining balance on the phone.

Although our recent report, "Small carriers outrank the big ones in Consumer Reports' latest cell phone service survey," covering 63,352 subscribers in 26 metro areas, found some very happy customers who switched to smaller cell providers, there are still good reasons for staying big.

Verizon, for example, earned decent marks across the board for voice, text, and data service, while AT&T was a standout for its 4G service. It recently slashed prices on its More Everything plans, added more data tiers to allow customers to better fine-tune plans, and monkeyed with the access fees it charges (for a limited time) to lower costs further.

T-Mobile was tops for value and customer service. And Sprint, which didn’t do particularly well in any category, has recently become very aggressive about pricing—and some people actually do like the company.

Thinking about changing your wireless company? We'll help you find the best cell phone carrier.

Unfortunately, these plans are rather complicated, and the carriers have done their best to make apples-to-apples comparisons difficult among one another’s offerings. For example, they charge different rates for additional phone lines, break data allowances into chunks that don't match the competition’s, and provide differing discounts for multiple phones. In fact, plan pricing is so bizzare and counterintuitive that customers, particularly those with multiple phone lines, can often save money by buying more data for each phone.  

The good news: We’ve already done the math for you in the tables below to help you find the best deal. And to make sure your needs are covered, we’ve presented the service-cost breakdowns for one to five family members for light, medium, and heavy data service. All you need to do is figure out how much data your family needs, which we also help you do in  "How much service do you need?"

Looking to save money on your Internet, TV, and home-phone service? Here's how you can create your own triple-play bundle and save money.

T-Mobile Simple Choice

Sprint Family Share Pack

AT&T Next on Mobile Share

"Old" Verizon Edge More Everything

New Verizon Simple Plans

Note that in comparing rates, we couldn’t always find perfect matches, but we used the most similar plans.

For instance, AT&T, Verizon, and now Sprint sell their data in chunks that can be shared by all the phones on one account, while T-Mobile requires you to buy data plans for each phone. So we selected sharable data plans that matched (or came as close as possible to matching) the per-phone data plan of T-Mobile.

Then there's the question of what happens if you don't use your full data allotment. T-Mobile and AT&T both provide ways for you to "bank" unused data from your monthly allowance for later use. With the T-Mobile Data Stash plan, you get a “gift” bucket of 10 gigabytes of data per phone line, plus the ability to roll over unused data into the following months—it just needs to be used within a year. The AT&T Rollover Data offer is more stingy. There is no data bonus and you have to use rolled over data by the end of the following month.

Another adjustment: T-Mobile offers unlimited data plans, while AT&T's and Verizon's plans cap off at 50GB, and Sprint's at 60GB, at rates north well north of $200. We determined that 4GB to 5GB per phone would be comparable to having unlimited data, for most users.

—Mike Gikas

1. First see whether a 500MB to 1GB data plan is enough for you. It will be for many consumers, especially if you confine your cellular-data activities mostly to browsing the Web, using news and e-book apps, and sending and reciving e-mails without large attachments. Save video calls, media streaming, and big-file uploads for when you have Wi-Fi access.

2. If you stream a fair amount of music and video on the road, such as during your commute to work or on business trips, you'll probably need 2GB to 3GB per month.

3. If your eyes are permanently glued to Netflix, YouTube, and other other data-draining activities, you might want to consider a high-limit or unlimited data plan.—M.G.

If you're thinking about what your next smart phone should be, check our cell phone buying guide and Ratings.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

You can buy do-it-yourself medical tests that screen for everything from high cholesterol to vitamin D levels at drugstores or online. But if you're worried about how accurate the kits might be—and don't want to see a doctor—you might have another option: going straight to the lab your doctor probably uses for your blood test.

Two of the nation's largest lab operators, LabCorp and Quest Diagnostics, allow people in many states to order their own blood tests online. Quest's Blueprint for Wellness Direct Pay program lets consumers order tests (except in Connecticut, New York, and Pennsylvania) that include a hepatitis C check ($60) and a full screening that checks calcium, cholesterol, glucose, and more ($190). Consumers can go to one of 2,000 centers for the tests, and results are mailed in seven to 10 days.

LabCorp offers blood tests in Arizona, Indiana, and South Dakota for such screenings as cholesterol and vitamin D (the company wouldn't tell us the cost). People interpret results on their own.

Find do-it-yourself health screening tests that are worth the money.

This self-test trend is not so surprising: Almost two-thirds of us think we should make more decisions about our own health care, according to an April 2015 survey of 2,000 adults in the U.S.

"People are seeking ways to diagnose and manage their health and want the tools to do it better," says Ray Bullman, executive vice president of the nonprofit National Council on Patient Information and Education, which sponsored the survey with the drugmaker Pfizer.

Bottom line: As with over-the-counter medical tests, health insurance won't cover the expense. If you're concerned about blood test results, you'll have to see a doctor to confirm them and determine a course of treatment.

—Sue Byrne

This article appeared in the September 2015 issue of Consumer Reports on Health.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

In theory, mobile payment systems are supposed to make your life easier. Instead of fumbling with your wallet, you just bump your smartphone against a terminal and voilà! In reality, though, the experience is far less simple.

I know this because I recently spent a few weeks testing Apple Pay and Google Wallet in the tech-savvy suburbs of New York City. It's been almost a full year since Apple unveiled its app—Google's came out in 2011—and I wanted to see how well the two services work now that there's been time to fix any glitches and bring cashiers up to speed.

It's also a good time to check in because mobile payments are about to get more complicated. Google is soon going to take another crack at mobile payments with a new app called Android Pay, and phone maker Samsung is introducing its own e-wallet with Samsung Pay.

As it turned out, finding a sales staff equipped to handle the newfangled systems was a sleuthing challenge worthy of Benedict Cumberbatch in Sherlock.

You Want to Pay Using What?

The Apple and Google services have distinct logos, but spotting them in a store is a lot like searching for Waldo. Time and again, I found myself asking, “Excuse me [cashier person]. Do you accept Apple Pay or Google Wallet?” Often, they’d look back at me as if I were speaking some exotic foreigh language. Sometimes they’d cautiously nod yes, perhaps assuming I was talking about one of those gift-card apps that produce a scannable barcode. When I persisted, I could count on those befuddled looks morphing into repose with the suggestion that I speak to a manager. No thanks.  

They Don't Really Save Time

At first, the tap-and-pay aspect of mobile payments is kind of cool, and, if your phone is already in your hand, I suppose it’s a tad easier than fishing for a card in your wallet.

But neither Apple Pay nor Google Wallet (soon to be succeeded by Android Pay) spare you from some of the rituals credit-card users face at the card reader—even if you set up the phone’s fingerprint scanner for payment authentications. For instance, when I used Apple Pay on my iPhone 6 Plus at Staples, I had to type in my bank PIN, as well as punch through all the amount-approval and cash-back options we’re all too familiar with. Oh, and I still had to wait for my paper receipt.

Also, I placed multiple charge cards on the two apps and both gave me a hard time about selecting the card I wanted. No matter how much I resisted, Apple Pay kept shoving the image of my Amex card ahead of the one for my debit card. At times it felt like I was playing Monkey in the Middle. Every time I made a move for the Chase card, the Amex card kept bouncing in front of it. I eventually “caught” the Chase card and managed to pay the way I wanted to.

They're Not Very 'Portable'

McDonald’s is one of the many retailers that accepts Google Wallet, but I had an interesting experience when I tried to use the app at the drive-through. When I held up my phone and informed the cashier I intended to exercise my Google Wallet rights, he snickered and stepped away from the window. Moments later, he returned with a payment terminal, wires dangling, and said, “Go ahead” with a sarcastic tone. (I believe he might have cursed, too.) Next time, it’s cash and carry.

Watch Your Steps

These apps track your transactions and your whereabouts (via your phone’s GPS) even when you’re not using them, which can lead to some interesting experiences. When I drive past the Rite Aid on my way to work every morning, for example, I can now count on my phone chirping and the store’s Wellness loyalty card appearing in the notifications bar on my LG G3, thanks to Google Wallet. And when my wife buys a book on her Kindle, the Apple Pay app on my iPhone 6 Plus vibrates and shows me the Amex charge. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but when a family member buys a book she really enjoys, I’d rather hear about it from her first.  

Please Try Again Later

The big fantasy, of course, is that paying with a cell phone means never having to carry a wallet. But trust me, you’ll want to keep conventional cards in your pocket. Because if your phone’s battery dies, it’s going to take your wallet app with it. No juice, no money. And, as I found out at a forlorn Walgreens in Dobbs Ferry—20 miles north of New York City—a cellular dead zone will render Google Wallet useless. Verizon coverage inside the store was zilch, so the app wouldn’t accept my PIN. My waistline didn’t really need that bag of York Peppermint Patties, anyway.

It would have been a different story if I had brought my iPhone, though. Apple-Pay-compatible iPhones have a special chip called a “secure element” that allows the device to authorize a limited number of transactions when data connections to cloud-based servers aren’t available. Samsung Galaxy S 6 models, and the just-announced Samsung Note5, will have a similar setup for the new Samsung Pay system the phone maker plans to launch in September.

Bottom Line

The refinements that are bound to come as more people embrace Apple Pay and Google Wallet should make the issues I faced less common, and they might disappear one day. But if Apple and Google really want to win me over, they’ll develop an app that will help me fill my wallet instead of emptying it.

In the meantime, the awkward rituals required for using their payment systems have only bolstered my appreciation for the simplicity and certainty of swiping a real card through a card reader. 

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

Lexus used the media hoopla surrounding the Pebble Beach Concours to pull back the curtain on the 2016 versions of its GS sedan and LX SUV. Nobody should be surprised by the addition of the massive spindle grille to either of these models, as they were the last ones still sporting the milder, less-scary Lexus face.

But the bigger news was hidden beneath the hood of the GS. It will be the third Lexus to sport a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder.

First introduced on the new NX 200t, this engine will be available in both the IS and GS sedans for 2016. In the newly named GS 220t, it gets bumped up to 241 horsepower (six more than in the NX) and will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission, the standard gearbox on all rear-wheel-drive versions of the GS. The V6-powered GS 350 gets a small bump in power, from 306 hp to 311.

All versions of the GS get the blind-spot monitor with rear cross-traffic alert system as standard equipment, and the Lexus Safety System + is optional. Safety System + includes collision warning with pedestrian detection and automatic braking and lane-departure warning with steering assist. Navigation is also standard on the 350 and 450h trims.

The updates to the LX are similar. Beyond the freshened styling, the LX also gets the eight-speed automatic, which helps boost the EPA fuel economy by an estimated 1 mpg to 13 mpg city/18 mpg highway. Blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert and the Lexus Safety System + are both standard. Inside, the LX has been upgraded with a new 12.3-inch infotainment display and the Remote Touch interface.

Both the GS and LX are available with the Lexus Enform Remote, which is an app-based system (for iOS and Android) that gives the user the ability to start or stop the engine and climate system remotely, monitor “guest” drivers, remotely lock/unlock the doors, and find the vehicle from a remote location (such as in a mall parking lot), among other features. The system is used in conjunction with the Lexus Enform Safety Connect and Enform Remote subscriptions, both of which are complementary for one year.

Look for the new models to his showrooms this fall. Pricing will be announced closer to on-sale dates.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

Whether your kids are starting kindergarten or taking their first steps into college this fall, send them back to school with the right gear and most helpful advice. Our guide will help you get the best deals on electronics equipment, small appliances, new and uses cars, and much more.

Electronics gear & computers

5 cheap laptops for college students
Need a budget laptop to take to college? We combed our computer Ratings to find some of the best cheap laptops—those in the $375 to $650 range. It's not always easy to find a budget laptop good enough to get you through college, but the models we found should do just that.

Trick out your dorm room
Surround yourself with our high-rated tech to get the most out of your semester. Whether it’s for cramming a paper the night before it’s due or to take a study break, these electronics are affordable and could help reduce some of the stress of school.

5 best laptops and tablets for back to school
Back in the days when all kids needed for school was a pencil and a notebook, buying decisions were pretty easy. After all, a pencil is a pencil, whether you're learning simple addition or calculus. Not so with computers, where the laptop or tablet you buy for your college student will be wildly different from what a young child needs.

Small appliances & laundry

The best sheets for college dorms
College students will be off to campus in the coming weeks and are shopping in earnest to furnish the rooms where they'll be spending the next nine months. Towels? Check. Pillows? Check. Sheets? Not so fast.

Best small appliances for college students
If you are among the parents packing college students off to school for the first time, you may be tempted to equip their dorm rooms with all the creature comforts of home, including small appliances to satisfy their needs. But before you do, check the university’s website for what to bring and what not to. (Of course, students living off-campus can bring whatever they need.) Here are some affordable, top-rated small appliances from Consumer Reports tests.

Laundry tips for college students help them take a load off
With all the studying and, ahem, extracurriculars that are part of campus life, doing laundry is the last thing college students want to do. Still, unless you're going to pay to get it done or wait until an upcoming break to wash your clothes at home (who has that many pairs of underwear?), it's a necessity. But if you don't do it right, all kinds of problem can ensue.

Shopping & personal finance

How to get the lowest prices on textbooks
Many students head to college every fall distraught over how much they will have to pay for textbooks and supplies. The College Board estimates that students attending a four-year public college will have to spend an average of $1,200 annually. That's because an accounting textbook can easily cost $270. A human anatomy and physiology textbook can cost well over $200.

Back away from back-to-school stocks
It feels as if summer vacation has barely started and the back-to-school ads are already showing up in flyers and on television. As you rush to meet the needs of your kids—buying everything from pencils and paper to smartphones and laptops—plenty of stock-market pundits are touting something else: back-to-school stocks.

3 easy ways to prevent theft on campus
Back in the day—that is, in the 1970s—college students didn’t have a lot of valuable stuff in their dorm rooms. Sure, there was a bevy of stereo gear ideal for blasting the latest Grateful Dead bootleg cassette, but a would-be thief wasn't going to easily slip out of a dorm schlepping a pair of giant speakers.

Best everyday products for college students
When children are in elementary school, teachers typically send home a list of school supplies that parents should buy. When they go off to college, students need some of the same everyday items but this time you have to come up with the list. Keep in mind that students will be moving into unfurnished spaces and will want familiar things such as paper towels, tissues, batteries and laundry detergent within easy reach. The experts at Consumer Reports scoured our labs and found some extraordinary everyday products.

Save when shopping online for dorm supplies
Brace yourselves for back to school spending. According to a poll conducted by the National Retail Federation, out of 6,400 adults with college aged kids, nearly 30 percent plan to spend more on supplies for back to school season this year than they did last year. And much of that shopping will be done online, according to another poll, this one by Prosper Insight’s & Analytics which surveyed some 6,500 consumers on the matter.

Discover fails to provide sufficient student loan customer service
For the past two years, Consumers Union, the policy and advocacy arm of Consumer Reports, has been collecting stories from students and families about their personal experiences when it comes to taking out loans to pay for college. Unfortunately, most of those stories have not been pretty.

Ways to save with student discounts
With the start of school just around the corner, you may be fretting about how much you'll have to spend on clothing, electronics, and other back-to-school must-haves. Luckily, if you or your child is a college student, many stores and services offer discounts that make purchases more affordable.

3 foam mattresses that are easy to ship
When your child is heading off to college, your shopping list expands beyond the usual supplies to also include towels and toiletries. But if off-campus housing is in the plans, you may need to buy something else, a mattress. Here are a few good choices from among Consumer Reports' list of top mattress picks.

How to go to college for free
Starbucks made headlines when it partnered with Arizona State University last year to finance four-year college degrees for employees. Through a combination of ASU grants, federal grants, and Starbucks kicking in the remainder, eligible employees of the coffee giant are able to cover 100 percent of tuition and fees for the school's online degree program.

Best cars and travel safety tips

How to get to school safely
The new school year is upon us and children are settling into their fall routines. High on the to-do list is working out which mode of transportation the kids will use to get to and from school. Depending on where you live—city, suburb, or country—and how far away from school you live, some transportation choices can be safer or more practical than others. Find out which will work best before school starts, if possible, and always have a backup plan in mind. Here are tips to keep the kids safe no matter which you choose.

10 great used cars for teens under $10,000
Choosing a car for a teen driver requires making tough financial decisions just as college bills loom on the horizon. The temptation, and often the necessity, is to buy an inexpensive older model. But going too cheap has trade-offs that could jeopardize the safety of your child.

New federal safety rule for electronic stability control misses the bus
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has enacted a new rule that would require electronic stability control, or ESC, on many types of heavy trucks, including tractor trailers and intercity buses. The rule has the potential to save many lives. But much to our dismay, school buses were exempted from the requirement.

Tips for safe carpooling
As summer winds down, kids will soon return to school, complete with hectic schedules and extra-curricular activities. For many families, dealing with the logistics of an active child means sharing transportation duties in a carpool. But not every parent adheres to safe practices when it comes to strapping young children into safety or booster seats and that can put your child in danger. Likewise, many are content to buckle a child in an adult three-point belt before they are large enough.

Smart car-packing tips for heading back to school
After endless trips to stores to stock up on back-to-school supplies and dorm essentials, you’re ready to send your child off to college. Of course, it never looks like a lot of stuff until you try to fit it in a car. College necessities don’t just include clothes and toiletries, but bigger items such as computers, electronics, furniture, and small appliances. The challenge is to pack your car safely in a way that doesn’t interfere with visibility and secures all items so they don’t become dangerous projectiles. Use our tips on how to pack up your car for a back-to-school road trip.

Health advice

The HPV vaccine and three others that every college kid needs
Making sure you’re fully vaccinated is critically important for college students—especially if you’ll be living in a dorm or other shared space. That’s because large groups of people in close proximity provide the ideal conditions for spreading diseases—including those that are vaccine-preventable. "Vaccines can keep students from contracting serious illnesses and keep them from missing classes," says Sarah Van Orman, M.D., the head of university health services at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Whooping cough alert: Get a booster before school starts
The words “whooping cough” conjure up a bygone era of gravely sick babies and desperate parents hoping their feverish, hacking children make it through the night. The devastating disease, called pertussis, is characterized by several weeks, or even months, of low-grade fever and incessant bouts of rapid coughing that have a "whoop" sound (you can listen to it here) as the child tries desperately to expel thick throat mucus. At its worst, the disease can bring on pneumonia and, due to lack of oxygen during the coughing spells, even seizures and death.

Will you be able to help your college-age child in a medical emergency?
Early one October morning, Sheri E. Warsh, a mother of three from Highland Park, Ill., stepped out of the shower to a ringing phone. On the other end, her 18-year-old son’s college roommate delivered terrifying news: Her son—270 miles away at the University of Michigan—was being rushed by ambulance to a nearby emergency room with severe, unrelenting chest pain. “I was scared out of my mind, imagining the worst,” Warsh said.

6 back-to-college health tips
Staying healthy at college is no easy task between busy schedules, limited budgets, and lots of germs. Here are six ways to maintain your well-being when you head back to college.

Healthy food choices for students on the go
Raiding the refrigerator is a cinch when you want a late-night snack at home. But when you’re living in a dorm without a full kitchen, it can be slim pickings. Fortunately, there are plenty of good, healthy choices that take little or no preparation and can be easily stored in a dorm room or compact refrigerator. Here are some breakfast foods, snacks, and frozen entrees that received high marks from the food testers at Consumer Reports.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

Scion is Toyota's price-conscious, youth-targeted brand with a product line that needed updating. Two new models, the iA and iM, highlight the brand turning into something of a automotive smorgasbord, with its four products sourced from three different car companies.

Autos Editor Mark Rechtin has been covering Scion since its inception, and he reviews the ins and outs of the brand on this episode. With the demise of the mediocre xD and funky xB, the practical iA and iM join Scion's two sport coupes, the tC and Subaru-collaborated FR-S. Despite modest expectations, the iM turns out to be rather enjoyable, especially at its sub-$20,000 price. The Mazda-sourced iA brings that brand's fun-to-drive DNA to Scion, although Mark and I argue about comparing it to a MX-5 Miata.

Next, we move on to questions about tiny SUVs from our last episode. Viewers asked about some cars that we failed to mention in our discussion of the Chevrolet Trax, Honda HR-V, Jeep Renegade, and Mazda CX-3, such as the bug-eyed Nissan Juke and compact Subaru XV Crosstrek. We discuss these competitors and add more perspective on this growing segment.

Finally, a viewer complains about the prices quoted in the show, while we complain back that you need to include options and destination. 

As with the other shows, this episode is also available free through the iTunes Store. Subscribe to the video or audio. You'll also find the video on YouTube.

Share your comments on this show below, and let us know if you need any advice for choosing a car.

Recent past episodes

• Do tiny SUVs make much sense?, episode 74
  
• What car engines require adding oil between changes?, episode 73
  
• All-new Volvo XC90 blazes trail to the Swedish brand’s future, episode 72
• How good is the revolutionary Ford F-150?, episode 71
  
• Mazda MX-5 Miata, CX-3 and Honda Pilot, episode 70
  
• Ford F-150 EcoBoost vs EcoBoost, episode 69

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

The race for counter space continues apace with new specialty appliances hitting the market seemingly every day. One of the latest is the Black & Decker 5-Minute Pizza Oven & Snack Maker, which promises to cook a fresh or frozen 12-inch pizza in just five minutes. Such claims may be as irresistible to a family of pizza lovers as they were to the testers in Consumer Reports labs. We bought the $150 pizza oven recently and got to work.

Black & Decker says the oven has a “thickness selector for optimal results.” The selector amounts to five settings: Bake, Snacks, Regular Pizza, Rising Pizza, and Deep Dish Pizza. Preheat and cooking time is controlled by a timer and that’s where it gets tricky. The oven heats to 375 ° F when on the Bake and Deep Dish settings. It heats to 600 ° F or higher when on the Snacks, Regular, and Rising settings. The setting you pick automatically adjusts the intensity of the infrared elements, which affects the way the food cooks.

Finding the perfect settings for the pizzas in our tests required a bit of tweaking to get the best combination of preheat time and oven setting. For example, when we cooked a take-and-bake pizza with a par-cooked crust, we found that 5 minutes of preheating and using the Rising setting produced the best results. Other settings resulted in pizzas that were overdone on top and underdone on the bottom. But the same preheat time and setting didn’t work for homemade pizza or frozen pizza with a thinner crust. Again, trial and error led to better results.

In the end, all of the pizzas cooked faster in the Black & Decker pizza oven than in a conventional oven and preheat time was speedy. In fact, the whole process from start to finish required less time than it takes to preheat a pizza stone in a regular oven. The trade-off was often a less crispy crust.

Cooking frozen foods on the Snacks setting was another adventure. We tried fish sticks, chicken nuggets, and Hot Pockets. When we put only a few pieces on the ceramic tray, we ended up with burned bottoms and undercooked interiors. The food cooked more evenly when we filled the tray with snacks.

As you might imagine, the oven gets pretty hot with surface temperatures topping 240 ° F. The owner’s manual instructs users to wear oven mitts or use potholders whenever touching the oven. The high heat can pose a safety risk to consumers who are the most likely to buy a pizza oven—families with small children.

The bottom line. Only you can decide if you want to devote almost 220 square inches of counter space to a shiny new appliance. (The oven is 18-inches wide, 12-inches deep, and 10-inches tall.) But the oven did live up to its promise of cooking pizza faster than you can in an oven so if your freezer is typically stocked with frozen pizzas then this oven may be for you.

The best ranges from our tests

Prefer to cook pizza the old-fashioned way—in the oven? Here are some electric and gas ranges that aced Consumer Reports' baking tests.

• Kenmore 95052 electric smoothtop, $1,100
• GE Cafe CS980STSS electric smoothtop, $2,800
• Samsung NX58F5700WS gas range, $1,600
• GE PGS920SEFSS gas range, $2,800
• Jenn-Air JGRP430WP pro-style range, $4,000

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

The sale of counterfeit products is far from a victimless crime, as we explained in "The True Cost of Fake Goods." Counterfeiting benefits illicit activities such as drug and human trafficking, child labor, and even terrorism, according to officials who follow the money. While many fakes are simply cheap knockoffs of designer duds, others have potentially devastating health and safety consequences. Here are some that are particularly dangerous.

Medications

Nine percent of all fakes seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection last year were prescription drugs and personal care products. The problem with drugs: They could be subpotent, superpotent, expired, or adulterated. Bogus pharmaceuticals are sold via unapproved Internet pharmacies, which sometimes try to fool consumers by posting reassuring symbols like a stolen Food & Drug Administration logo. Online pharmacies peddling inexpensive prescription drugs purportedly from Canada have been have revealed as fronts for rogue operations based in Russia, Asia, and the Middle East.

Most fake online pharmacies lack adequate safeguards to protect personal and financial information; some intentionally misuse your information. These sites may also infect your computer with viruses or sell your personal information to other rogue websites and Internet scams.

Signs of fake pharmacies: They allow you to buy drugs without a doctor’s prescription; offer unrealistically deep discounts; and send spam or unsolicited email pitches for cheap drugs; and are located outside of the United States. Check to see that an online drugstore is licensed by your state’s pharmacy board (visit the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy). Legitimate sellers always require a valid prescription, have a physical address and telephone number in the U.S., and have a licensed pharmacist on hand to answer your questions. If you believe you have received counterfeit medicin, contact the FDA's Office of Criminal Investigations at 800-551-3989.

Auto parts

The distribution of illicit aftermarket auto parts is growing at an alarming rate, according to Bruce Foucart, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center. The parts are typically smuggled into the country and sold to independent stores, sometimes knowingly, sometimes not. “At best these parts will not perform as well as authentic ones. At worst, they can fail catastrophically with potentially fatal consequences.” Foucart says virtually every vehicle component is subject to knockoff: brake pads, oil and fuel filters, spark plugs, airbags, tires, smart keys, water pumps, and so forth. Some of the most dangerous ones, like airbags, can explode in the victim’s face during an accident

According to Ford, counterfeit brakes often have poor-quality steel backing plates and weak or no shim bonding to the backplate. And the pads are often made from compressed-wood chips and sawdust. Shortcuts in paint materials and application can also lead to corrosion. General Motors says you should insist on genuine parts from authorized dealers and retailers. When buying parts on your own, the company says to inspect packaging carefully for the correct brand name, logo, and graphics. Be wary of subtle differences in colors, artwork, fonts, and spelling, for instance, “AZDelco” instead of “ACDelco.” Large price differences should send up a red flag, too.

Fake “UL” labels

Underwriters Laboratories puts its safety seal on more than 22 billion products annually. Because so many consumers rely on a UL listing as a sign of integrity, fraudsters sometimes create knockoff labels on appliances and electronics, particularly low-cost, high-volume items such as power strips, extension cords, and holiday lights sold at deep-discount stores, garage sales, flea markets, bazaars, and on shady websites. More recently, they’ve targeted popular devices like mobile phone chargers and batteries, says John Drengenburg, UL's safety director. Using products bearing counterfeit UL marks could cause fire and shock hazards, among other dangers, because of manufacturing shortcuts. For instance, extension cords with fake marks have been found with undersized of inadequate copper wiring to carry the current.

Appliances

Counterfeit small appliances such as electric hair dryers can be deadly. For years, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has warned people about substandard dryers that lack a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) to protect against electrical shock or electrocution.

Rechargeable batteries

Replacing a smartphone battery can be expensive, so instead of purchasing a costly replacement from the manufacturer, consumers might consider a no-name or off-brand substitute instead. That can be a costly blunder. Most wireless devices use lithium-ion batteries because they’re lightweight, capable of holding their charge a long time, take plenty of recharges, and don’t contain toxic metals. Trouble is, they are sensitive to physical stresses, according to CTIA The Wireless Association, a trade group. Even legitimate ones must be kept away from hot surfaces and metal objects such as coins, keys, or jewelry. Too much pressure on the battery can cause an internal short-circuit, resulting in overheating. The use of counterfeits could result in the battery expanding, exploding, or catching fire, says Samsung.

Find out why ordering prescripion arthritis drugs from Canada is a bad idea.

Fake out: The most counterfeited categories

Last year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents confiscated more than 23,000 shipments of counterfeit goods, valued at $1.2 billion had they been real. Below are the most heavily faked product categories, based on the number the number of seizures in 2014.

Source: US Department of Homeland Security/Customs and Border Protection

—Tod Marks

• Deal with known legitimate retailers or service providers.
• Beware of prices that are well below the going rate.
• Avoid no-name products. A manufacturer’s name and address is no guarantee of safety, but at least it lets you contact the company to try to remedy problems.
• Don’t buy if the seller won’t provide a receipt or if warranty data is missing.
• Inspect labels and packaging. Missing or expired use-by dates, broken or missing safety seals, misspellings, or unfamiliar or flimsy packaging for big-name brands should send up a warning flag.
• When buying auto parts, use a mechanic who’s been reliable or a new one who comes highly recommended.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

In an over-caffeinated world, sometimes it’s nice to slow down and smell the coffee. That’s the attraction of the KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer, a throwback to simpler times when brewing coffee was both an art and a science. If you’ve ever tasted coffee from a siphon coffeemaker, you may wonder why this brewing process fell out of favor. But machines like the $250 Siphon Coffee Brewer are reviving a process that, for die hard fans, never went away. Consumer Reports tested the KitchenAid and, yes, we get the appeal.

How it works

KitchenAid calls the siphon brewing process “theatrical” and it does command your attention. The brewer has two sections connected by a siphon tube—an upper spherical chamber and a lower carafe. Ground coffee is added to the top section and evenly distributed over a washable cloth filter. Water is added to the bottom, which sits on a heating element. As for extra features, you don’t get any—and you won’t miss them.

Turn it on and the water in the carafe begins to heat. As it gets warmer, vapor builds forcing the heated water through the tube into the upper chamber where it mixes with the grounds. The circulating vapor swirls the water around in the grounds to the point where the coffee seems like it’s boiling. It's not. Meanwhile, the heat below shuts off and as the water vapor cools it creates a vacuum that draws the coffee back down into the carafe. The whole process takes about eight minutes from start to finish for the maximum eight cups.

The KitchenAid Siphon Coffee Brewer doesn’t fit neatly into any category of our tested coffeemakers—drip, pod, and electric French press. To compare its brew performance to other machines we measured the temperature range and how long the machine maintained optimal brewing temps, and it brewed close to industry standards. We weren’t impressed with the carafe, which is heavy and can be difficult to fully empty. Cleaning the machine takes a little more time and a lot more water.

Need a new coffeemaker?

If the price of the KitchenAid is too high and the brewing process too complicated, you’ll find more than a dozen drip coffeemakers in our coffeemaker Ratings that meet the industry standard for optimal brewing. And this isn’t the machine for you if you brew your coffee in a hurry. For that, opt for a single-serve pod machine or a to-go drip coffeemaker that fills a travel mug or two—see our Ratings of more than 25 single-serve pod machines and check out our coffeemaker buying guide.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

The promise of a true self-driving car on public roads is no longer the stuff of future-think sci-fi movies. We’ve all seen the streaming video of the Google self-driving car, the egg-shaped electric pod, motoring around the company's corporate campus.


But how close is the Google self-driving car to being ready for navigating the nation’s motorways?

Consumer Reports welcomed Ron Medford, the director of safety for Google’s self-driving car project, to our headquarters to chat about the vehicle's progress.

Did Google build these prototype cars?

We designed them in-house and built them with our partners from scratch. We provided the sensors and software, and worked with Roush [Enterprises, a prototype-car manufacturer], Continental, Bosch, and many others to assemble it. We also developed some of our own sensors, such as the long-range 200-meter and medium-range lasers on the roof.

Is Google Car street legal?

Yes. It’s a low-speed vehicle, and it can travel on roads with speed limits up to 35 mph under California law. Keep in mind that these are prototypes, designed for learning and rapid iteration. This is the first incarnation of something that could go in a lot of different directions; it’s our long-term intention that’s important here, not the specifics of this vehicle. (Watch the Google self-driving car in action.)

There’s some concern that a self-driving computer cannot anticipate bad or impaired drivers’ behavior on the road. How does Google address that?


In terms of anticipatory driving behavior, it detects and reacts fast. It’s not programmed to react like, “Oh that’s a drunk driver,” but rather it looks at distance and behavioral patterns. Self-driving cars never get sleepy or distracted like humans, and our car’s ability to see 360-degrees around, up to 200 meters out, and simultaneously track many objects means it can potentially respond more quickly than humans in many scenarios.

Some self-driving systems already on the road react differently to different objects in the road. In some cases, if the object is not shaped like a car or pedestrian or cyclist, it won’t react at all. How does the Google system react?

When in self-driving mode, our software interprets hundreds of objects with distinct shapes—such as cyclists and pedestrians—and detects and recognizes things like traffic signals and signs. With data collected from driving nearly two million miles on public roads, we’ve developed models for identifying objects and predicting what they are likely to do in a given situation. For instance, if a car is approaching a four-way stop at a high speed, there are various probabilities that the other car will stop normally, screech to a stop, or run the stop sign. We then respond accordingly.

Asking the car to do a necessary maneuver contrary to the rules of the road would seem to be a tricky software-coding situation. How do you approach that?


We’ve taught the car to make decisions by combining existing models of how objects in the world are expected to behave with real-time info about how they’re actually behaving. So, for example, if we came upon a construction site that required us to follow signs and cones across a double yellow line, the car is programmed to do it, given all the information it has about its situation and the applicable rules of the road.

What if the computer senses a “no win” situation? There’s going to be an accident, no matter what path is taken. Then what?


We get asked about a lot of hypothetical scenarios. But really, there are far too many variables involved to be able for us to answer hypothetical situations. Our vehicle is programmed to try to avoid hitting any objects. So as to any particular situation, the vehicle’s performance would depend entirely on a large number of facts particular to that situation.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.

When the e-book reader was introduced, I worried that the arrival of this high-tech device would be the end of print. But the opposite has happened, according to a 2014 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center. Print remains America’s preferred way of reading. 

That doesn't mean the e-book has died off or will disappear any time soon. In fact, the Pew survey had also found that the popularity of e-books is on the rise, due to an increase in device ownership. Fifty percent of Americans now own mobile device—a tablet or an e-book reader—for e-book reading. As a result, more places to shop for digital books have cropped up.

Like Netflix for Books

Oyster: Subscribe to Oyster unlimited for $9.95 a month to get access to more than 1 million books, including new releases. Oyster offers a free 14-day trial. If you don't want a subscription, you can buy a single book to read with the Oyster app (available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Nook HD, Kindle Fire, and a Web browser). Oyster's partners include Harper Collins, Simon & Schuster, Penguin Random House, and Scholastic. I searched for textbooks I needed for school and Oyster had four out of five of them.

Scribd: Subscribe to Scribd for $8.99 a month and get unlimited access to over 1 million books, audiobooks, and comics. You can try Scribd with a 14-day free trial. A few partners include Penguin Random House, Marvel, and more. The Scribd app is available for  iPhone, iPad, Android, Nook HD, Kindle Fire HD/HDX, and on a Web browser. Scribd also offers books to buy, and might have course materials available. Users can also upload documents to share with others, which can be extremely helpful in terms of study materials.

Price-Comparison Sites

Luzme: This price comparison site helps you get the lowest prices on e-books and e-textbooks for your Kindle, Nook, iPad, and more. You don't have to register to compare prices, but if you do you can use the My Watchlist feature, which lets you "watch" a specific book and name the price you're prepared to pay for it. Luzme will e-mail you if the book becomes available at your price. You can also get alerts when authors you like release a new book.

Inkmesh: The Inkmesh e-book search engine lets you find e-books and e-textbooks for Kindle, Apple, Nook, and other devices. Unique feature: You can browse books by subject and also browse free books offered by Amazon for the Kindle, Barnes & Noble for the Nook, and more.

Online Communities for Book Lovers

XOXO After Dark and Pulse It: Supported by Simon & Schuster, these sites offer select or featured e-books for free. XOXO After Dark adds a new e-book every week and lets you dip in to it for 30 days. Pulse It has at least two free featured e-books available at any given time. Registration is free for these sites, which are targeted to fans of young-adult fiction. oou can enter online contests, interact with authors, and even write a blog.

Wattpad: Available online and as an app, Wattpad allows you to read, share, and create stories. With more than 40 million members, Wattpad has more than 100 million stories to read for free. Users have the ability to message writers and interact with other users, as well as get notifications when a new piece of writing is shared from a particular author.

Goodreads and Shelfari: These online communities, both sponsored by Amazon, allow users to rate books, interact with one another, and share insights in online discussions. Users can see what books their peers recommend and keep track of books you want to you read. Both Goodreads and Shelfari are available as an app and for the Web.

Other Resources

Library: Don’t overlook your local library. Many offer e-books and e-textbooks to borrow for a limited time. I know that my local library offers e-audiobooks and e-music, for instance. Just be sure to inquire and take advantage of the offerings.

Consumer Reports has no relationship with any advertisers on this website. Copyright © 2006-2015 Consumers Union of U.S.