When you get that telephone call alerting you to a loved one’s injury, illness, or other health crisis, the last thing on your mind is protecting his or her finances. But the better prepared you are to take charge of money issues at the beginning of a health crisis, the better off you and your friend or relative will be later.

Put these four financial to-do items on your health crisis checklist. And read these recent installments in this series: "How to Prepare for a Financial Emergency" and "Prevent a Health Crisis From Becoming a Financial Catastrophe."

Gather relevant documents. Before you head to the hospital, grab these three key documents: durable power of attorney for finance, power of attorney for health care (also known as a health care proxy), and the living will. If your loved one is incapacitated, a signed copy of these documents enables you to make important decisions on their behalf.

A financial power of attorney gives you the legal authority to tap assets to take care of such important money management tasks as: paying the bills and mortgage; filing taxes; collecting Social Security benefits; and handling transactions with your loved one’s bank and brokerage.

The health care proxy gives you access to health information that the HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) Privacy Rule might otherwise block you from obtaining, as well as the legal heft to make medical decisions for your loved one. However, while the health care proxy allows you to act, you need a living will, also known as a health care directive, to articulate your loved one’s wishes about end-of-life care. “If you explain your rationale about being kept alive artificially, that will enable someone to do what you want them to do and perhaps feel more comfortable about enacting your wishes,” says Jeffrey Baum, a New York-based accountant. 

Inform yourself about insurance. For many people, reading a health insurance policy is like trying to decipher ancient hieroglyphics. But knowing about hospital benefits and exclusions in advance can prevent unpleasant surprise medical bills later from procedures your loved one’s insurance didn’t cover or doctors who weren’t in-network.  A recent national survey by Consumer Reports National Research Center found that nearly one-third of privately insured Americans discovered that their health plan paid less than expected, and of the consumers hit with a medical bill shock, almost one in four says they received a bill from a doctor when they didn't expect to receive a bill at all. Avoiding these types of charges can be nearly impossible in an emergency medical situation where consumers don’t have the luxury of stopping treatment to check that every doctor involved is in the plan’s network but it’s worth knowing if treatment is prolonged.

Also find out whether your affected friend or family member has disability insurance. Most employers offer short-term disability coverage, also known as a sick leave, but coverage can vary from just a few days to as much as a year. Some employers offer a long-term disability plan, which kicks in when the short-term coverage ends and typically pays about 60 percent of your salary. It’s also possible that your loved one may have bought a supplemental or individual plan.

Assess the financial situation. Take a look at your loved one’s financial situation. Start by going through his or her checkbook or bank statement to identify important outstanding bills—a mortgage, a child’s tuition, or insurance coverage, for example. Is there enough money in the account to cover these and other routine expenses? Is any income expected?  

“It’s useful to have online access to bank and brokerage accounts because you don’t have to worry about finding the physical statements,” says Baum. “You might even be able to pay the bills remotely.” If you don’t have online access or a joint account, a durable power of attorney will enable you to take charge.

Alert your financial support network. If you’re called in to help with a friend or relative, you may not be familiar with her financial situation. Their accountant, financial advisor or attorney can provide assistance. (If you don’t have their names and contact information, seek out tax returns or brokerage statements.)

Even if you’re clued in, the main reason to alert the financial troops soon is that they may know pertinent information that you didn't know. “People will say a week later, ‘Oh, yeah, your dad changed his long-term care insurance coverage.’ Or ‘I’ll need authorization to talk about your cousin’s affairs.’ You want ‘a week later’ to be here sooner,” says Baum.

Get these to-do items taken care of and you’ll be a step ahead in a health crisis, enabling you to focus on what’s really important: helping your loved one get better. 

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

At least a few expired or unwanted medications are lurking in your medicine cabinet. But if you missed your local Take Back event—held twice a year as part of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Take-Back Initiative, there are other ways to dispose of your old meds, year round.

Take Precautions

Leftover medications can put you and others at risk for misuse and accidental overdose. Tossing most medications into your household trash will work just fine, provided you take a few precautions. First, remove the drug from its original container and mix it with a substance that makes them less recognizable such as coffee grounds, kitty litter, or sawdust. Then place the mixture in a sealable plastic bag or other container that won’t leak, and put it in the trash. Before you discard the prescription bottle, scratch away the personal information on the label—or remove the label.

Take the Drugs Back to the Pharmacy

If you don’t want to throw throw away expired medication, or your old drugs may potentially be dangerous if a small child were to obtain them, consider instead taking them back to your pharmacy. Thanks to new DEA regulations, big-box stores, pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and long-term-care centers can take these back any time of the year, no appointment needed. (Hard to imagine, but it used to be illegal for those places to accept unused narcotic drugs.) Some locations may also offer mail-back programs. Target, for instance, provides return bags for mailing unused medications directly to a location for safe disposal.

To find a pharmacy near you, try DisposeMyMeds.org. The DEA can also help you locate authorized drop off centers, including hospitals, clinics, and long-term care centers in your neighborhood. To find a collection site, call the DEA’s Registration Call Center at 800-882-9539 or visit DEAdiversion.usdoj.gov and search for "drug disposal."

Flush Very Dangerous Drugs Down the Drain

Can’t get to a pharmacy or another location to dispose of more dangerous drugs such as the narcotic painkillers codeine, fentanyl (Duragesic and generic), hydrocodone (Vicodin and generic), meperidine (Demorol and generic), morphine, and oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet, and generic)? The FDA recommends flushing these down the toilet.

No one usually likes this idea because of the risk of contaminating the water supply and potentially harming aquatic life, but the FDA recommends doing so if no other disposal option is possible so that the medications don’t get into the hands of children.

Other Exceptions

Asthma inhalers, insulin syringes or any other syringes, medications containing iodine, marijuana, and mercury thermometers are not accepted at most collection sites. In some parts of the country, you can put asthma inhalers in the trash or recycling. But in others, they are considered hazardous waste and can’t be tossed in the regular trash. For proper disposal instructions, contact your local sanitation company, recycling facility, or the health department. For syringe-disposal information, call 800-643-1643 or go to SafeNeedleDisposal.org. For other medications not accepted under DEA regulations, check with your pharmacist.

These materials were made possible by a grant from the state Attorney General Consumer and Prescriber Education Grant Program, which is funded by a 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.

To be successful at anything in life takes planning and effort, and that's especially true when it comes to your finances. The holidays are fast approaching, and it's time to think about what you can do get your finances in shape for the end of the year. To help you build on the progress you made in September, here is a checklist to help you stay on track and reach your financial goals.

#1: File Your Taxes

If you requested an extension on your 2014 tax return, your day of reckoning is October 15. For tips on preparing and filing your taxes, plus tax filing security tips, see our tax guide.

Although Oct. 15 is the last day for most people to file, some groups still have more time, including members of the military who typically have until at least 180 days after they leave a combat zone to both file returns and pay any taxes due.

#2: Get a Free Credit Report

The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the nationwide credit reporting companies—Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months.

We suggest you order one credit report from a different major credit bureau each quarter, which allows you to take a peak at your credit files several times a year for free. Besides, the bureaus don’t collect exactly the same information, so getting one from each of them every year gives you a complete picture of your credit history. To order a free report, go to annualcreditreport.com.

#3: Surf Safely

October is cyber-security awareness month. Make sure your electronic devices are adequately protected with a firewall, security software, and strong passwords.

Our guide to Internet security has tips and advice on protecting your online data and avoiding ID theft. See our security software buying guide to find out how to protect your computer. And check out our test of 15 mobile security apps.

#4: Make a Budget for Holiday Gifts

Last year people who were experiencing angst over the holidays told us their top worry was not having enough money to cover expenses. To make sure you stay on budget, set up price alerts at sites like Deal Alerter, Price Grabber, and Price Pinx so you'll know when items you're looking for go on sale.

Online shoppers can stay on budget by taking advantage of free shipping offers, many of which are listed at FreeShipping.org. The site also sponsors Free Shipping Day, which is Dec. 18 this year, one of the last opportunities for online shoppers to get free shipping from popular retailers for delivery by Dec. 24. For more tips, check our holiday gift guide.

#5: Take Advantage of Seasonal Sales

Lots of items you can use outdoors before winter arrives are on deep discount this month, including bikes, gas grills, lawn mowers and tractors, patio furniture, and summer sporting goods. Also on sale: Computers, digital cameras, and winter clothes.

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

Even at their quietest, leaf blowers are enough of an annoyance in residential neighborhoods that you'll want to finish the job quickly. The best handheld models in Consumer Reports' leaf blower tests deliver ample power for blowing and sometimes vacuuming up leaves. And they do so without disturbing the neighbors too much.

You can’t say the same for the beefiest blowers, which are backpack and wheeled models—the contractor’s choice. Here’s a rundown on some of the best from our tests in each category, and some you’re better off passing up.

Gas Handhelds

The “LN” in the name of the Echo PB-255LN, $200, stands for low noise, but the greater attraction of this model is its stellar power for sweeping and loosening leaves. We also liked the spring-assisted starting and five-year warranty. But other models had as much power for far less. The Husqvarna 125B, $150, scored about the same and is lighter, and newly tested models such as the Hitachi RB24EAP and the Jonsered B2126, both $140, also packed plenty of blowing power.

Skip the Troy-Bilt TB320BV, $135. It was impressive at sweeping leaves and has spring-assist starting, multiple speeds, and a speed-control lock. But it fell short in loosening and vacuuming leaves, wasn't that easy to handle, and was especially noisy.

Corded-Electric Handhelds

Toro dominates our ratings of corded leaf blowers that perform nearly on a par with gas handhelds. And the newest, the $100 Toro Ultra Plus 51621, leads the pack with top-notch sweeping and impressive loosening of embedded leaves. Want to pay less? Except for a few features, the $75 Toro Ultra Blower Vac 51609 matches its newer sibling—right down to the metal impeller, which is more durable for vacuuming leaves.

Skip the Remington RM1300, which, for its $100 price, should have topped our ratings. Instead, it had lackluster power for sweeping, loosening, and vacuuming. It incorporates blowing and vacuuming with twin tubes that require no mode changes—but the design adds weight and compromises on power for either task.

Battery-Powered Handhelds

If you’re okay with limited run-time or have the cash for extra batteries, a cordless-electric model is worth a look. The Kobalt KHB400B and GreenWorks GBL80300, both $250 and 80-volt, topped the category with impressive or better sweeping and loosening. Not far behind was the 56-volt EGO LB4801, $180.

Skip the Craftsman 98021. At $150, this 40-volt unit is cheapest in the category. But sometimes you get what you pay for. In this case, it’s extremely weak sweeping and loosening, more suitable for debris on your deck or driveway than for actual leaf cleanup.

Gas Backpacks

These models are nearly all heavier than a handheld, but the weight is evenly distributed across your back, with little stress on your arms. Of these, the $480 Husqvarna 356BT and $350 Stihl BR 350 had superior sweeping and loosening. What’s more, the two were reasonably quiet from a distance. Consider also the $200 Ryobi RY08420 if you want to pay less, but note that this model was among the noisiest of backpacks in our tests.

Skip the Poulan Pro PPBP30, $160. It was as noisy as the Ryobi but had little else on the plus side, considering its mediocre power for sweeping and loosening.

Gas Wheeled Blowers

Any of the wheeled models we’ve tested would make short work of your leaves, so there’s none we’d recommend you skip. The top model remains the $800 Little Wonder LB160H, which delivered the most blowing power—but also the most noise at 50 feet away. For a less-expensive model, consider the $400 Troy-Bilt TB672 or the $350 Powermate P-WB-163150. Of these, the Troy-Bilt is the quietest wheeled blower at a distance.

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

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced today at a hearing in Denver that it is considering proposing rules that would ban consumer financial companies from using arbitration clauses to block consumers from participating in class-action lawsuits against them. The proposals would also require that companies that choose to use arbitration clauses submit to the CFPB any arbitration claims filed against them and any awards. The Bureau is considering publishing this information on its website so consumers can monitor them.

These proposals, if accepted, could impact you. If you have a bank account, credit card, or student loan, you're likely one of the millions of consumers who have signed away a key consumer right: The ability to join together with other consumers in a class-action lawsuit if a company breaks the law and harms you.

Buried in many contracts for consumer financial products are arbitration clauses that block consumers from seeking relief through group lawsuits. They're in the fine print of many contracts including credit cards, checking and deposit accounts, prepaid cards, money transfer services, certain auto loans, payday loans, private student loans, and installment loans. If you ever have a complaint against one of those companies, you will be obligated to take your dispute to a private arbitration firm instead of going to court.

Limited Rights

If you are bound by an arbitration clause, the company usually gets to pick the arbitrator (or arbitration firm). The final decision is usually kept confidential, and there’s little basis on which the decision can be appealed. Paul Bland, the executive director of the consumer-rights law firm Public Justice, noted at the hearing that a few consumers have had to declare bankruptcy after an arbitration dispute because they were forced to pay a company's attorneys fees, which can total hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As another audience member said, you don't discover you have these limitations until you have a problem with a company. According to a study on arbitration conducted by the CFPB released in March, more than 75 percent of consumers surveyed in the credit card market did not know whether they were subject to an arbitration clause in their contract. Fewer than 7 percent of those consumers realized that restricted their ability to sue in court.

The proposals being considered would not ban arbitration clauses in their entirety. However, the clauses would have to say explicitly that they do not apply to cases filed as class actions unless and until the class certification is denied by the court or the class claims are dismissed in court.

Next steps: The agency will consult with small business representatives, and seek input from the public, consumer groups, industry, and other stakeholders.  

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

With the lab coats on hangers, the instruments powered down, and the spreadsheets filled out, here's the verdict from our tests of Apple's new phones: The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are easily among the best smartphones available today.

The Peek and Pop feature of the 3D Touch interface can save you time by letting you preview appointments, e-mail contents, and other app elements without committing to opening the apps themselves. That feature also lets you perform other app operations without abandoning the app you're currently using.

The camera is great, too. The phones' 12.2-megapixel camera is among the best we've seen for taking still images—beating the 8-megapixel one in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

That's the good news. Unfortunately, battery life is noticeably shorter for both models. In our talk-time tests, for instance, the 6s Plus lasted just 13.5 hours, while the 6 Plus kept the conversation going for an impressive 17 hours. The gap was smaller for the 6s: 8.5 hours of talk time compared with 10 hours for the older model. (Talk time is just one of several tests we do to evaluate battery life.)

Camera Details

Our image-capture testing is meticulous, and it confirms that the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus record textures, patterns, and shadings in greater detail than the older iPhone 6 models do, although you'll really need to zoom in on your photos to tell the difference. We found noise in low light and color accuracy to be comparable to what we've seen with iPhone 6 models.

Video performance, however, was a little worse because of color inaccuracies. Subjects appeared slightly pinker under indoor lighting conditions and a little more yellow in outdoor light. Like the original iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the new phones had a tough time focusing while shooting video under low-light conditions.

These are the first iPhones that can shoot 4K video, and we saw a level of clarity you just don’t experience with an HD camera. (Of course, you’ll need an ultra high-definition TV to see your 4K content on a sizable screen.)

We also looked at Live Photo, which records 1.5 seconds of video before and after you snap a still photo, adding a dose of animation to the image. Live Photo looked cool, but it didn’t really add a lot of value. And there was a price to pay for Live Photo—storage space. We shot a number of test images and found that the files needed for Live Photo were three times as large as the still photo files alone. (That ratio may vary with the subject and lighting conditions.)

Finally, we looked at the 5-megapixel front-facing camera, which offers selfie takers two new advantages. The camera’s wider-angle lens allows you to squeeze more people and background scenery into your shots. And the phone’s display acts as a flash by lighting up briefly when you snap the shutter. This helped the camera take better shots under low-light conditions.

For full performance results on the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, and many other smartphones, check our smartphone Ratings.

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

FINRA, the self-regulating body of the nation's brokerages, recently published an investor alert, warning individual investors of the risks of what are broadly known as smart beta funds.

The warning came for two basic reasons: these funds can be complex and costly.

First, you may wonder what smart beta funds are. The term is frustratingly elastic, but generally smart beta exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are investments that use rules or formulas other than market value to decide which stocks to own, and in what proportion.

For example, when you purchase a traditional S&P 500 index fund or ETF, you're buying more of the larger-value companies like Apple, and less of the smaller companies in the index. But smart beta ETFs will use alternative formulas. For instance, the Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF will own the same proportion of Apple as the 499 or so other members of the S&P 500.

Other smart beta ETFs can be more esoteric. The First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund, for example, skews its holdings toward utilities which demonstrated recent price appreciation and sales growth relative to others in the sector.

Costly Funds

More complicated ETFs will generally buy and sell more stocks within the funds, which in turn drive up costs. And even simpler, smart beta ETFs like the Guggenheim S&P 500 Equal Weight ETF, still require occasional rebalancing, which means buying some stocks and selling others once every three months. Compare these to ordinary market-weighted index funds and ETFs, which generally only need to buy and sell when there's a change in the index they track.

This largely explains why the equal-weighted smart beta fund sports an expense ratio of 0.40 percent annually, four times the cost of market-weighted index funds. And First Trust Utilities AlphaDEX Fund costs investors 0.70 percent annually, a figure more in line with actively-managed funds that try to beat the index.

FINRA recommends investors ask "smart" questions about smart beta funds. Some, like what are the costs and risks of these funds, are questions investors should ask themselves about any investment. And if a financial adviser manages your investments, ask him or her if you own any smart beta funds. Two out of three advisers are using a smart beta ETF, according to a recent survey by market index provider FTSE Russell.

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

Consumer Reports recently reviewed a trio of alternative motion machines, a new type of exercise equipment that combines elements of the treadmill, elliptical, and stair stepper. The potential for no-impact cardio workouts is probably the biggest selling point of these machines, though there are other reasons to give them a look. That’s true whether you choose the NordicTrack FreeStride FS7i, the Octane Fitness Zero Runner ZR7, or the Precor Adaptive Motion Trainer with Open Stride. 

New movement benefits body and mind. If you routinely use a treadmill, elliptical, or stair stepper for your cardio workouts, jumping on an alternative motion machine will take some getting used to—especially if it’s the Octane Zero Runner. And that’s a good thing, since mixing up your workout will keep you engaged and prevent you from hitting a physical plateau. What’s more, learning new movements builds neuromotor pathways, which helps maintain a healthy brain.

Interval training is easily done. These alternative motion machines let you vary the length and sometimes the height of your stride in practically endless combinations. That makes it possible to come up with your own forms of interval training, which is great for your heart and for boosting metabolism. 

For instance, you might alternate between a 2-minute high-intensity long-stride work phase and a 2-minute low-intensity short-stride recovery phase. Sandwiching a 20-minute work/recovery period between 5-minute warm-up and cool-down periods would make for a highly effective 30-minute session. Next time out, you could swap the strides, doing high-intensity short strides and low-intensity long strides. Or like playing musical scales, you could start with short strides, slowly elongate them to the maximum length, and then quickly work your way back down for the high-intensity work phase.

Additional features abound. Each alternative motion machine we tested has unique features that create the opportunity for yet more workout variety.

The NordicTrack’s incline feature changes the angle of the pedaling path, which will activate your leg muscles differently.

The Precor has an Open Stride feature that lets you change the vertical height of the elliptical path during marching or stepping movements.

Both the NordicTrack and Precor have moving handgrips and a resistance feature, which allow for upper body push/pull components.

As for the Octane Zero Runner, it has anchors on its frame for attaching elastic tubing, ideal for off-machine resistance exercises that break up aerobic sessions.

Bottom line: Although any type of exercise is better than none, it’s always best to mix up your routines. With their unique designs and dynamic stride-length features, alternative motion machines are a fresh alternative to traditional cardio equipment. Even if you’re not ready to buy one of these machines for home use, next time you spot one at the gym or fitness club, do yourself a favor and hop on board.     

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

Need to raise funds in a pinch? One tried-and-true solution: Borrowing money from family or friends. But a family loan can incite a family feud if expectations aren’t set out clearly—and subsequently met.

While a small short-term loan can be arranged with a hug or a handshake, larger loans should have a more formal structure. These tips can ensure that when you borrow money, neither the funds nor the relationship disappears. 

Have a Plan

Whether you’re borrowing money to repair a car, put a down payment on a house, start a business, or pay off the plane ticket you bought to visit your ailing grandmother, approach the loan as a business deal. Explain to the prospective lender why you need the money, why your planned use of it makes sound financial sense, and how you intend to pay it back. Be realistic about what a practical repayment plan would be, so that both you and the lender know what to expect. For example, if you want to borrow $2,000 but can pay back only $100 a month, make sure you both understand that it will take nearly two years to settle the loan. 

Put It In Writing

Even if you’re borrowing money from someone close to you, a written loan agreement can make both parties more comfortable with the whole arrangement—especially if you’re borrowing a significant amount. A formal contract shows that you respect the lender and understand that repayment is required. Furthermore, if you should die, the lender will have proof to get the money back from your estate.

You can create your own promissory note—legalese for an IOU—or buy one online; Nolo.com provides a form that covers all the bases for $34.99. Whether you choose a do-it-yourself contract or a formal promissory note, make sure to include:

• Names and addresses of the lender and borrower
• Date of the loan initiation
• Amount of the loan
• Payments schedule (weekly, biweekly, monthly)
• Minimum payment amount
• Date by which the loan is to be repaid.

Consider Paying Interest

If you are asking your dad to tap his savings to lend you money, it’s only fair that you should offer to make the interest he’s losing for the duration of the loan. Furthermore, charging interest might help the lender avoid a tax hit. That’s because if the loan amount is more than $14,000, then the lender could be subject to the IRS gift tax—unless the lender charges a minimum interest rate set by the IRS. The IRS publishes an index of Applicable Federal Rates monthly. The annual rate for a short-term loan (defined by the IRS as three to five years) is currently 0.42 percent, which translates to $4.21 a year for every $1,000 borrowed.

Build a Good Credit History

When you're borrowing money, demonstrate that you’re a good credit risk by paying on time—every time. Make sure there is an ongoing paper trail showing proof of repayment and plenty of receipts.

Shakespeare wrote that loaning money to a friend is a good way to lose both the friend and the money. But once you’ve established a solid track record, you’ll be able maintain the funds and the friendship. 

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

As we reported in January, 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray players were supposed to arrive by the end of this year. They probably won't. And if you're a fan of 3D TV, you won't see 3D movies in 4K glory, though some manufacturers might offer players that can accommodate current high-def 3D titles.

That disappointing news is among the takeaways from a recent briefing by the Blu-ray Disc Association, or BDA, which said the industry is moving into licensing and product deployment now that the specifications for Ultra Blu-ray have been completed. While the BDA can't speak for manufacturers, it did acknowledge that it expected to hear several product announcements at CES in January.

Is there any chance Ultra HD Blu-ray players will emerge before the holidays? That's looking unlikely. Earlier this week, Panasonic announced it would ship its first UHD player, the $3,000-plus UBZ1, to stores in Japan in November. There are no firm plans for a U.S. launch. Samsung previously reported that its first UHD Blu-ray player won't arrive until 2016.

Some Good News

• When Ultra HD Blu-ray players do finally hit the market, Ultra Blu-ray players—paired with high-performing UHD TVs—should provide the best picture quality consumers have ever seen. The specifications include 4K (3840x2160) resolution, 10-bit color with support for color gamuts beyond the current Rec.709 standard, and rates of up to 60 frames per second.
• Ultra HD Blu-ray players that offer high dynamic range support will all conform to a baseline SMPTE specification, but manufacturers and movie studios will decide for themselves whether they want to support additional, optional HDR formats from brands such as Dolby (Dolby Vision) and Philips as well.
• The new Ultra HD Blu-ray discs will feature the more efficient HEVC video encoding adopted by almost all the streaming services that offer 4K content. They will also support both Dolby (Atmos) and DTS (DTS-X) object-based audio. Current standard high-def Blu-ray discs can be played on Ultra HD Blu-ray players, but the new UlHD Blu-ray titles won't work on regular Blu-ray players.

Some have questioned whether Blu-ray discs will have a future in a world increasingly enamored with streaming. The industry's response is simple: Ultra HD Blu-ray player and discs provide the best possible picture quality for those who own high-performing UHD TVs. The picture quality of the 4K content from services such as Amazon and Netflix is highly dependent on the viewer's broadband connection and the amount of network traffic inside and outside the viewer's home.

With a constant bitrate in excess of 100Mbps second—four times the FCC's definition of what constitutes broadband—Ultra Blu-ray promises a consistent, reliable, high level of performance currently unmatched by streaming.

At the same time, the industry has acknowledged the shifts in viewer habits with an Ultra Blu-ray feature called "copy and export." As its name suggests, copy and export lets you make a bit-for-bit copy of an Ultra HD film or program and store it on an authorized hard drive. That means you can probably expect to see Ultra HD Blu-ray players with 1TB or more hard drives.

Using the export feature, you'll be able to transfer a file—presumably a lower-quality version of the content—to authorized mobile devices. But you can't transfer it directly on your own to that device; it will have to go through a third-party service such as Vidity or UltraViolet. Both the movie studio and the player will have to implement this feature for it to work.

Just like current Blu-ray titles, Ultra Blu-ray discs can carry lower-quality content, such as 1080p programs or movies, but manufacturers must clearly state that in the tech specs box on the package. One advantage to doing this would be to include an entire series on a single disc. There will be three disc sizes: 50GB, 66GB, and 100GB, depending on the length of the program material and which extra features—wider color gamuts, HDR, etc—are included.

While some company could still surprise us and ship Ultra HD Blu-ray players in time for the holidays, it's less likely with each passing day. We'll continue to monitor new developments.

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

The tech industry usually rewards procrastinators with lower prices. Not Netflix. If you've been lingering over the decision to join the streaming service, you'll now pay $10 a month for the standard plan, the company's most popular plan. That's a buck more than the fee for current Netflix subscribers, who get to hold onto their $9 monthly payment for at least another year.

The $10 plan allows for two simultaneous high-def streams. There's still an $8 basic plan that provides a single standard-definition stream; the $12 premium plan offers four simultaneous HD streams.

This is Netflix's first increase since May 2014, when the company raised rates for new subscribers from $8 to $9 a month. The additional revenue will help Netflix acquire more content, securing exclusive deals in an increasingly competitive arena.

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

It’s not too early to start sprucing up your home for the holidays. Concentrate on the areas of the house that will be used by your company—the living, dining, and powder rooms. You can always shut the bedroom doors. Here are five easy projects that will wow your guests without hurting your budget.

Make your front door welcoming

Replacing or repainting your entry door is one of the easiest and most effective ways to spruce up your house. To improve your home’s curb appeal, you’ll also want to give overgrown trees and shrubbery a trim and to move any lawn ornaments or furniture to the garage or shed. You can add a wreath just before company arrives.

When choosing a paint, remember that flat and satin paints can hide imperfections, but semi-gloss will add shine and make your door more of a focal point. Our top exterior paint is Behr Premium Plus Ultra, $39, sold at Home Depot. Clark + Kensington Exterior, $35, sold at Ace is also a top exterior paint pick.  

Spiff up the powder room

It doesn’t cost much to upgrade a small bathroom. Start by adding a new mirror and faucet or add a pair of sconces on either side of your existing mirror or medicine cabinet. Replacing cabinet hardware is also an easy fix.

But if you want to make a quick improvement that’ll also save you money in the long run, replace your toilet with a WaterSense model, which uses 1.28 gallons or less per flush instead of the typical 1.6.

Also consider a comfort-height model, which is more than 17-inches tall. Consider two CR Best Buys from our toilet tests that have both those features. The Glacier Bay N2428E sold at Home Depot and the Aquasource AT1203-00 sold at Lowe's both cost $100. For other affordable powder room updates, read, "Bathroom Remodeling Costs and Trends."

Paint a room or a wall

If you don’t have the time or patience to paint an entire room, try painting one or two accent walls. You can finish the job after the holidays if you end up loving the color, says Debbie Zimmer of the Paint Quality Institute. 

For best results, the PQI recommends using a top-of-the-line interior latex wall paint in flat or eggshell finish, which hides irregularities better than paints with a sheen. In our interior paint tests, Behr Marquee, $43, from Home Depot, was excellent at hiding and stands up to scrubbing. Valspar Reserve, $43, from Lowe's is another good choice and our two CR Best Buys are Home Depot's Behr Premium Plus Ultra, $34, and Clark + Kensington Enamel, $32, from Ace.

Declutter and deep clean

Can’t see your dining room buffet under that pile of mail? Turn on your favorite TV show and use the time to sort through your papers. You should be able to find the top of the server after two episodes of "The Voice." (And as a bonus, you’ll be ready for tax time.)

It’s also the season to  deep clean your carpets, especially if you have pets. You can do some lighter cleaning later. In our vacuum cleaner tests, we found that upright vacuums did a better job than canisters at getting embedded dirt out of carpeting and found some that were also excellent at removing pet hair. Our top three bagged upright vacuums are the Kenmore Elite 31150, $350, the Miele Dynamic U1 Twist, $450 , and the Miele Dynamic U1 Cat & Dog, $650.  

Dust off light fixtures and replace the bulbs

With the hours of daylight waning, you may find yourself straining to read the newspaper under the dining room chandelier. You can brighten your rooms in no time with just a dust cloth and some soap and water.

And since you’ll need to dismantle the fixtures to clean them, you might as well replace the lightbulbs with some new energy-saving models that cast the right light. In our lightbulb tests, we found many general purpose replacements for 40, 60, 75 and 100-watt lightbulbs. Two of our top-rated 60-watt equivalent LEDS from Samsung and Feit Electric scored 99 out of 100 and three more from 3M, Philips, and Great Value (Walmart) were almost as good. The price of LEDs continues to drop and many homeowners prefer the light quality to that of CFLs.

More tips and tricks

For more tips on what to do before guests arrive and how to clean up after they leave, read "How to Clean Up Common Holiday Messes."  

—Mary H.J. Farrell

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

Did Volkswagen’s skirting of the EPA’s diesel emissions rules result in better fuel economy and performance for its cars? According to Consumer Reports testing, it appears so.

Volkswagen has admitted to using special software settings while its diesel cars were being tested for emissions and fuel economy—settings that vanish when the car is driven on the road, resulting in nitrogen oxide emissions up to 40 times the federal standard.

In response to the scandal, Consumer Reports conducted new testing of 2015 and 2011 Volkswagen TDI diesel vehicles in this “cheat” mode to assess fuel economy and performance. We found a noticeable decline in fuel economy for both models. Our testing also showed reduced acceleration with the 2011 model, which is equipped with a lower-tech diesel filtration system.

VW has yet to announce the specifics of the recall to fix its 482,000 diesel-engined Beetle, Golf, Jetta, and Passat models in the U.S. Consumer Reports will conduct another round of testing once the cars have been repaired or updated. Stay tuned for our continued coverage of this issue. 

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

If the only thing that's been standing between you and a new OLED TV has been the price, here's some good news: LG just aggressively cut prices on a major portion of its 2015 OLED TV lineup. The new deals mean you can now get a 55-inch 1080p model for $1,800—the same TV cost $14,000 when it launched two years ago.

Of course, you're still paying a lot more for an OLED set than for a comparably sized and featured LED LCD TV. But the 30 to 45 percent price cuts do make these  state-of-the-art TVs more affordable. The 55-inch LG 55EG9600, a 4K UHD curved set, is among the best TVs we've ever tested. (LG recently announced that some 4K OLED sets will support high dynamic range content when it becomes available.)

Here are the reduced-price models:

4K UHD OLEDs

• 55-inch 55EF9500, $3,000
  
• 65-inch 65EF9500, $5,000
• 55-inch 55EG9600, $3,000 (curved)
  
• 65-inch 65EG9600, $5,000 (curved)

1080p Curved OLEDs

• 55-inch 55EG9100, $2,000 (new model available starting the week of October 18)
• 55-inch 55EC9300, $1,800 (while supplies last)

We're excited about OLED TV technology, which we think will eventually replace plasma TVs as the top TV choice for those who really care about picture quality. Right now LG is going it alone, but we're hoping to hear at CES 2016 that additional companies will start offering OLED TVs later in the year.

We just purchased the 65-inch LG 65EF9500; we'll add it to our TV Ratings once testing is completed.

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

More than 30 million vehicles in the United States, made by 10 different automakers, have been recalled to replace frontal airbags on the driver’s side or passenger’s side, or both. The airbags, made by major parts supplier Takata, were mostly installed in cars from model year 2002 through 2008, although it has been expanded through 2014 in some cases. Some of those airbags could deploy explosively, injuring or even killing car occupants. (Look for details below on waits for replacement airbags.)

At the heart of the problem is the airbag’s inflator, a metal cartridge loaded with propellant wafers, which in some cases has ignited with explosive force. If the inflator housing ruptures in a crash, metal shards from the airbag can be sprayed throughout the passenger cabin—a potentially disastrous outcome from a supposedly life-saving device.

Nailing down the root cause and determining which of Takata’s several inflator designs is implicated has been tough for Takata, the automakers, and independent investigators to establish. It now appears there are multiple causes, as well as several contributing factors, including poor quality control in manufacture, several years of exposure in high heat and humidity regions, and even the design of the car itself. If the propellant wafers break down, due to high humidity or another cause, the result is that the propellant burns too rapidly, creating excessive pressure in the inflator body.

Visit our guide to car safety.

Recent timeline

October 9, 2015: Honda releases an update on the Takata airbag recall, stating its progress in reaching out to consumers and its recall repair completion rate.

June 19, 2015: NHTSA and Honda confirm that an 8^th fatality was attributable to a Takata airbag rupture, which took place in Los Angeles in September of 2014. The car was identified as a rented 2001 Honda Civic. Honda said the car had been under recall since 2009 but that various owners, including the small rental company in Los Angeles, had failed to have the repairs made.  

June 17, 2015: NHTSA VIN look-up tool is updated to include all affected models. Often, there can be a slight delay between announcements and when data is available. 

June 16, 2015: Toyota expands years for recall on previously announced models, adding 1,365,000 additional vehicles.

June 15, 2015: Honda expands national recall on Honda Accord.

June 15, 2015: NHTSA and Honda confirm that Takata airbag rupture was implicated in a seventh death. The driver of a 2005 Honda Civic was fatally injured following a crash on April 5, in Louisiana.

June 4, 2015: Reuters reports that at least 400,000 replaced airbag inflators will need to be recalled and replaced again. 

May 29, 2015: Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Subaru, and General Motors added the vehicle identification numbers (VIN) of the impacted vehicles to their recall websites.

May 28, 2015: NHTSA and vehicle manufacturers revealed the additional models included in previous recall announcements.

May 19, 2015: DOT released a statement saying that Takata acknowledges airbag inflators it produced for certain vehicles were faulty. It expanded certain regional recalls to national ones, and included inflators fitted in certain Daimler Trucks in the recalled vehicles. In all, the recall was expanded to a staggering 33.8 million vehicles. That number includes the roughtly 17 million vehicles previously recalled by affected automakers.

February 20, 2015: NHTSA fined Takata $14,000 per day for not cooperating fully with the agency's investigation into the airbag problems.

January 18, 2015: The driver of a 2002 Honda Accord became the fifth person in the United States thought to have been killed by an exploding airbag inflator.

December 18, 2014: Ford issued a statement adding an additional 447,310 vehicles to the recall.

December 9, 2014: Honda issued a statement saying it will comply with NHTSA and expand its recall to a national level. This brings the number of affected Honda/Acura vehicles to 5.4 million.

November 18, 2014: NHTSA called for the recalls to be expanded to a national level.

November 7, 2014: New York Times published a report claiming Takata was aware of dangerous defects with its airbags years before the company filed paperwork with federal regulators.

Putting the dangers in perspective

Eight fatalities and more than 100 injuries have been linked to the Takata airbags, and in some cases the incidents were horrific, with metal shards penetrating a driver’s face and neck. As awful as they are, such incidents are very rare. In June of 2015, Takata stated that it was aware of 88 ruptures in total: 67 on the driver’s side and 21 on the passenger’s side out of what it calculated was just over 1.2 million airbag deployments spread over 15 years. Despite these figures, airbags in general are not a danger. The Department of Transportation estimates that between 1987 and 2012, frontal airbags have saved 37,000 lives.

Based on information provided by Takata and acting under a special campaign by NHTSA, the involved automakers are responding to this safety risk by recalling all vehicles that have these specific airbags. While the automakers are prioritizing resources by focusing on high-humidity areas, they shouldn’t stop there. We encourage a national approach to the risks, as vehicles tend to travel across state borders, especially in the used-car market.

For a historical perspective, AutoSafety.org has compiled a list of airbag recalls over time.  

Takata airbag Q&A

How do I know whether my car is affected by the recall?

There are several ways to check whether your specific car is affected. You’ll need your vehicle identification number, VIN, found in the lower driver-side corner of the windshield (observable from outside the vehicle), as well as on your registration and insurance documents. Punch that number into NHTSA’s online VIN-lookup tool. If your vehicle is affected, the site will tell you so. NHTSA also has a list of vehicles available for a quick review, and the manufacturers have ownership sections on their websites for such information. Or you can call any franchised dealer for your car brand.

What is taking so long for my airbag to arrive?

Many affected owners are learning that it may take weeks or months for their replacement airbags to arrive. Takata has ramped up and added to its assembly lines, and expects to be cranking out a million replacement kits per month by September, 2015. But with the recalled airbags now numbering more than 34 million, replacing them all could take years, even as other suppliers race to support this initiative.

Can other suppliers step in to fill the gaps?

As recently as the fall of 2014 it looked unlikely that other airbag suppliers could pick up the slack. There was little spare assembly capacity anywhere, and rival systems used different designs. That picture is changing, and other major suppliers are now involved, including AutoLiv, TRW, and Daicel. Takata has said that it is now using competitors’ products in half the inflator-replacement kits it is churning out, and expects that number to reach more than 70 percent. Those rival suppliers also use a propellant that hasn’t been implicated in the problems Takata has experienced.

How important is that I respond to the recall?

All recalls, by definition, are concerned with safety and should be treated seriously. As with all recalls, we recommend having the work performed as soon as parts are available and the service can be scheduled. Since age has been established as a key factor in most of the Takata airbag ruptures to date, it’s especially important for owners of older recalled cars to get this work done.

Does it matter where I live?

According to NHTSA, yes. The Takata inflators seem to be vulnerable to persistent high humidity and high temperature conditions, such as in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, the Gulf Coast states, Hawaii, and island territories. However, since a number of confirmed deaths have occured in places outside the priority recall area, this recall should not be ignored.

How are repairs being prioritized?

Automakers are getting the replacement parts as fast as they can, and most are sending them to the high-humidity areas first. Northern and less-humid areas might need to wait longer for parts availability, depending on the brand. Contact your dealership to learn how soon the work can be performed.

What if I spend only a certain part of the year in a humid climate?  

People who travel to the higher-risk areas in times of low humidity (such as snowbirds) are not at the same level of risk as those who live in those areas year-round, according to NHTSA.

Are the airbags in my car definitely defective?

No. Since 2002 only a very small number of some 30 million cars have been involved in these incidents. Between November, 2014 and May, 2015, Takata reported to NHTSA that the company had conducted more than 30,000 ballistic tests on airbag inflators returned pursuant to the recalls. In those tests, 265 ruptured. That is an unacceptably high number, and, at 0.8 percent, a far higher frequency than what has been seen so far in vehicles on the road. According to defect reports filed with the government, Takata said that as of May 2015 it was aware of 84 ruptures that had occurred in the field since 2002.  

I’m worried about driving, what should I do until the fix is made?

If the recall on your car involves only the front passenger-side airbag, then don’t let anyone sit in that seat. But if you use the VIN-lookup tool and it says that the problem involves the driver’s side, you should do what you can to minimize your risk. If possible, consider:

• Minimizing your driving.
• Carpooling with someone whose vehicle is not affected by the recall.
• Utilizing public transportation.
• Renting a car.

Renting a car until yours is repaired can prove expensive and ultimately might not be the ideal solution. Asking your dealer whether they will provide one, or a loaner vehicle might be worth a try if it accomplishes nothing else than putting some pressure on the manufacturer. If you do get a rental car, as with any new vehicle or rental, take some time to familiarize yourself with its operation before driving.

What about shutting off airbags until the replacement parts arrive?

Right now only Toyota is recommending this course of action. Consumer Reports has concerns about the recommendation from a safety standpoint.

Should I expect to pay any money to get the recall fix?

Repairs conducted under the recall are free, but unrelated problems discovered during the service may not be.

BMW

Affected owners in Florida, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico have been prioritized in this recall and will receive parts first. If you live in these regions, make sure to contact your local BMW dealer immediately to schedule an appointment to have your front driver and/or passenger airbag replaced. BMW recommends that no one sit in the front passenger seat until that airbag is replaced.

Recalled cars:

Driver's side airbag

2002-2005 BMW 3 Series sedan and wagon

2002-2006 BMW 3 Series coupe and convertible

2002-2003 BMW 5 Series sedan and wagon (including M5)

2003-2004 BMW X5

Driver's side only in humid states (Florida, Puerto Rico and Hawaii)

2004-2006 BMW 325Ci

2004-2006 BMW 325i

2004-2005 BMW 325Xi

2004-2006 BMW 330Ci

2004-2006 BMW 330i

2004-2005 BMW 330Xi

2004-2006 BMW M3

Passenger side front airbag, plus driver's airbag on models with the Sports Package steering wheel shown in photo.

2000-2005 3 Series Sedan

2000-2006 3 Series Coupe

2000-2005 3 Series Sports Wagon

2000-2006 3 Series Convertible

2001-2006 M3 Coupe

2001-2006 M3 Convertible

Chrysler

Chrysler is going to replace the airbag in cars based in Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is currently working on accumulating a supply of replacement parts, and is contacting customers as they become available.

Chrysler stresses that its vehicles are equipped with inflators that differ from other vehicles. The American automaker is saying that these inflators are not faulty.

Recalled cars:

Chrysler:

2005-2010 Chrysler 300 - Driver’s side airbag

2007-2008 Chrysler Aspen - Driver’s side airbag

Dodge:

2008-2010 Dodge Challenger - Driver’s side airbag

2005-2010 Dodge Charger - Driver’s side airbag

2005-2011 Dodge Dakota - Driver’s side airbag

2004-2008 Dodge Durango - Driver’s side airbag

2005-2008 Dodge Magnum - Driver’s side airbag

2004-2008 Dodge Ram 1500 - Driver’s side airbag

2005-2009 Dodge Ram 2500 - Driver’s side airbag

2006-2009 Dodge Ram 3500 - Driver’s side airbag

2005 Dodge Dakota - Passenger side airbag

2005 Dodge Magnum - Passenger side airbag

2003-2005 Ram Pickup (1500/2500/3500) - Passenger side airbag

Ford

Contact your local Ford dealer to schedule an appointment to have the airbag replaced in affected vehicles. Ford states that it has not seen any issues in its vehicles, but under advisement from NHTSA, and with information from Takata, the company is recalling specific vehicles, including the 2004 Ford Ranger and 2005-2014 Mustang.

Recalled cars:

2004-2006 Ranger - Driver’s and/or passenger side airbag

2005-2006 GT - Driver’s and/or passenger side airbag

2005-2014 Mustang - Driver’s side airbag

General Motors

Double check that your vehicle is actually involved. It was first announced that many Buicks, Cadillacs and Oldsmobiles were affected by the recall. It turns out that was an error in reporting by NHTSA. Most of those vehicles were part of an unrelated recall years ago.

Interestingly, the two remaining vehicles were actually produced by other automakers and rebranded under former GM makes: the 2003-2005 Pontiac Vibe (built alongside the Toyota Matrix) and the 2005 Saab 9-2x (a Subaru-built vehicle rebranded as a Saab). Both vehicles should be taken to a current GM dealership for repairs.

Recalled cars:

2003-2005 Pontiac Vibe - Passenger side

2005 Saab 9-2x - Passenger side

2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500/3500 - Passenger side

2007-2008 GMC Sierra 2500/3500 - Passenger side

Honda

Honda has the most affected vehicles, with more than five million cars being recalled. If you haven’t already, go to Honda’s recall site and enter your VIN. If your vehicle is included in this recall, the site will provide a description of the problem and instructions on how to proceed.

If you have a vehicle that was first sold in, or is registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands—take immediate action. If you haven’t already received notice in the mail, print out the results of your VIN search and contact your nearest Honda dealer. They have allocated the replacement parts to these high humidity areas and will replace the part once you’ve made an appointment. Honda will be sending notices to other areas on a rolling basis as the parts become available.

Honda will comply with NHTSA and expand its recall to a national level. This brings the number of affected Honda/Acura vehicles to 5.75 million.

On January 18, the driver of a 2002 Honda Accord became the fifth person in the United States thought to have been killed by an exploding airbag inflator in a minor two-car collision in Spring, Texas. Although that Accord had been recalled to replace its driver-side airbag inflator in 2011, the recall work was never done, Honda has acknowledged. The driver who was killed had bought the car used less than a year ago and may never have received the recall notice. Consumer Reports urges all car owners to respond right away to safety-defect recalls.

Recalled cars:

Acura:

2003-2006 Acura MDX - Driver’s side airbag

2002-2003 Acura TL - Driver’s side airbag

2003 Acura CL - Driver’s side airbag

2005 Acura RL - Passenger side

Honda:

2001-2007 Honda Accord - Driver’s side airbag

2003-2007 Honda Accord - Passenger side airbag

2001-2005 Honda Civic - Driver’s & passenger side airbag

2002-2006 Honda CR-V - Driver’s side airbag

2003-2011 Honda Element - Driver’s side airbag

2002-2004 Honda Odyssey - Driver’s side airbag

2003-2008 Honda Pilot - Driver’s side airbag

2006 Honda Ridgeline - Driver’s side airbag

Mazda

Mazda has focused its recall on vehicles sold or registered in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. The automaker will replace the front and/or passenger airbag inflators.

Recalled cars:

2003-2008 Mazda6 - Driver and/or passenger side airbag

2006-2007 MazdaSpeed6 - Driver and/or passenger side airbag

2004-2008 Mazda RX-8 - Driver and/or passenger side airbag

2004-2005 MPV - Driver and/or passenger side airbag

2004-2006 B-Series Truck - Driver and/or passenger side airbag

Mitsubishi

If you see that your car as part of this recall, Mitsubishi advises owners to act immediately in scheduling an appointment to replace it. If the dealer does not have the part yet, they will provide instructions on how best to proceed until the part is available.

Recalled cars:

2004-2006 Lancer (including Evolution and Sportback) - Passenger side

2006-2010 Raider - Driver's side

Nissan

Nissan has notified owners of affected vehicles to bring their vehicle in for inspection and potential parts replacement. Extra attention is being paid to “some areas” of Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands. Nissan says they have a sufficient supply of airbags to keep up with demand.

Recalled cars:

Infiniti:

2003-2005 Infiniti FX - Passenger side

2006 Infiniti M35/M45 - Passenger side 

2001-2004 Infiniti I30/I35 - Passenger side  

2002-2003 Infiniti QX4 - Passenger side  

Nissan:

2001-2003 Nissan Maxima - Passenger side 

2001-2004 Nissan Pathfinder - Passenger side 

2002-2006 Nissan Sentra - Passenger side  

Subaru

Call your local Subaru dealer and schedule an appointment to have the airbag replaced. There is no wait for parts to arrive and no special emphasis on localized climates or regions. Because second owners may not know where the previous owner of their vehicle lived/drove, Subaru does not want to focus on any particular region.

Recalled cars:

2003-2005 Baja - Passenger side

2003-2005 Legacy - Passenger side

2003-2005 Outback - Passenger side

2004-2005 Impreza (include WRX/STi) - Passenger side

Toyota

Immediate action is recommended if your vehicle registered in the coastal areas around the Gulf of Mexico, including Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Or if the car is in Florida, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Hawaii.

Toyota will replace the front passenger airbag. If the part is not available, the dealership can disable the front passenger airbag until a replacement part is available, and then recommends that the front passenger seat not be occupied.

Toyota also says that if you do not follow the instructions in the owner letter to have the work performed, then you should not drive your vehicle.

If you must use the seat after airbag deactivation, we advise that extra care should be taken to ensure passengers wear a seatbelt.

When the parts become available, owners will be notified by mail to bring their vehicle in for the proper fix.

Finally, if you are uncomfortable driving your vehicle to the dealership to have the work performed, contact your local Toyota dealer, and they will arrange to have the vehicle picked up.

Recalled cars:

Lexus:

2002-2005 Lexus SC - Passenger side  

Toyota:

2002-2007 Toyota Corolla - Passenger side

2003-2007 Toyota Matrix - Passenger side

2002-2007 Toyota Sequoia - Passenger side

2003-2006 Toyota Tundra - Passenger side

• Check for recalls on your car

• The truth about recalls

• Guide to car safety

• Guide to models offering advanced safety features

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

Redesigned from the ground up, the 2016 Honda Civic hopes to recast the automaker’s mainstay small car as premium and aspirational, rather than just a big-selling commodity. While this represents a significant shift, the Civic just may have the goods to pull it off.

There's some history here: Once upon a time, the Civic was the class act among compact sedans, a well-honed jewel in a segment known for cheap wheels. But the current Civic, introduced in 2012, turned out to be a detour, scoring so low in Consumer Reports' Ratings that we didn't recommend it. Updates improved the car some, but many competitors outscore and "out nice" the Civic.

Longer, wider, and sleeker, the 2016 Honda Civic works hard to escape its recent mundane past. The cabin is more stylish, with nicer materials and a pass-through center console. Practicalities aren't missed, with decent visibility despite the slicked-back styling, and more rear-seat leg room. A prominent touch screen in higher-trim models brings both blessings—Apple CarPlay and Android Auto—and the curse of Honda's own unintuitive interface. 

The new base engine is a 2.0-liter four cylinder; higher-trim models feature the first turbocharged Honda car engine in America, a small-displacement 1.5-liter. While a manual transmission is available on the base LX trim, most Civics will have a continuously variable automatic.

Competition in this segment is fierce, and this new Civic isn't the only compact sedan that's trying to hit above its weight class; for example, 2016 brings a promising new Chevrolet Cruze.

We’ll have more details soon on the 2016 Honda Civic in a First Drive. Further down the road, we will see how both the Civic and Cruze fare when we buy them to test at the Consumer Reports test track.

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

A great price isn't necessarily a good deal if the vehicle doesn't measure up, so we help you choose a good car at a good price with monthly list of best new car deals. The featured vehicle highlighted below has an attractive incentive that can save you extra money, and it is recommended by Consumer Reports, as are all models detailed below.

Other trims on the vehicles listed may also present good deals. Although incentives all eventually expire, they are often renewed. Research ratings, reliability, owner satisfaction, and the latest dealer pricing on our car model pages. 

See our full list of this month's best new car deals below. 

Click here to receive an RSS feed with the latest car news and deals.

2016 Chevrolet Impala

One of our top-rated sedans, the Impala is roomy, comfortable, quiet, and enjoyable to drive. It even rides like a luxury sedan, feeling cushy and controlled. Engine choices include a punchy 3.6-liter V6 and an adequate 2.5-liter four-cylinder, both paired with a six-speed automatic. The V6 accelerates and brakes capably, with secure and responsive handling. The full-featured cabin stays very quiet, with a sumptuous backseat and a huge trunk. Controls are intuitive and easy to use, but rear visibility is restricted. Advanced electronic safety features are readily available.  

Get dealer pricing information on more than 1,100 models.

Small cars

Get dealer pricing information on the vehicles listed below.

Sedans

Get dealer pricing information on the vehicles listed below.

SUVs

Get dealer pricing information on the vehicles listed below.

When buying a car, in addition to research and reviews, Consumer Reports offers subscribers access to the Build & Buy Car Buying Service at no additional cost. Through this service, a nationwide network of 10,000 participating dealers provide upfront pricing information and a certificate to receive guaranteed savings off MSRP (in most states). The pricing information and guaranteed savings includes eligible incentives. Consumer Reports subscribers have saved an average of $2,919 off MSRP with the Build & Buy Car Buying Service.

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

Each year, more than 40 billion Oreos are sold in more than 100 countries around the world­­—so many cookies that, if lined up, they’d circle the earth five times. Not bad for a confection quietly born in Manhattan a month before the Titanic sank, in 1912. The original cookie was packaged in bulk tins and sold by weight to grocers at 30 cents per pound. It has looked pretty much the same since 1953—12 flowers, 12 dots, and 12 dashes per side, and 90 ridges.

Times have changed. The Nabisco cookies are now baked in Fair Lawn, N.J.; the once-standard, 1-pound package size is now 14.3 ounces. What has grown is the number of Oreos on the market: more than 60 types and package sizes, from the classic sandwich cookie to Mini, Double Stuf, Triple Double (three cookies and two layers of crème), Mega Stuf, and the newest addition, Thins. With no “typical” Oreo or package size, it can be tough to track your snack-food spending, not to mention your cookie calories.

Read our report on package downsizing.

When we called Oreo to ask the reason behind the brand extensions, we were told that the goal was to offer something for everyone: “We know that consumers enjoy variety when it comes to snacking, so we continuously deliver surprising new tastes and twists on the classic cookie,” said Janda Lukin, senior director for Oreo North America at Mondelēz International, the global conglomerate that manages snack-food brands, including those of Nabisco, maker of Oreos. “This helps Oreo stay relevant.”

Harvard University marketing professor John T. Gourville takes another view. “The strategy of multiple offerings assures that Oreo commands more shelf space for its popular products,” he said, “and, by extension, less for the brand’s competitors.”

The variety also helps boost the bottom line. As you’ll see in the stack above, which compares the prices of key Oreos in the most common size sold at Walmart.com, the classic Oreo cookie is among the least expensive compared with some of its spin-offs. On a unit-price basis, the cheapest version is the Double Stuf; the priciest, the new Thins, which hit store shelves this past July and are marketed to adults who desire a “more sophisticated snacking experience.” Clearly, that sophistication comes at a cost.

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Nabisco is part of Kraft Foods.

This article also appeared in the November 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.

Black Friday is about seven weeks away, but our attention is already turning to this annual shopping extravaganza. Once again we expect electronics—specifically TVs—to play a starring role in retail promotions.

While a lot of TV deals in the past were short-lived doorbuster specials on bare-bones models from lesser-known brands, recently we've seen major players step up with special deals of their own, sometimes for Black Friday "derivative" models you won't find at other times of the year. That means that on November 27 we're expecting to see some great deals on larger, better-featured televisions, too.

With that in mind, we're offering five predictions about what's to come for the 2015 holiday shopping season. We'll be ramping up our Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and holiday shopping coverage across many electronics categories, so keep checking back for buying tips and information. 

1. UHD TV Prices Will Hit New Lows

Prices for 4K UHD TVs have been dropping, but you'll still typically pay $1,500—and in some instances a lot more—for a full-featured 60- or 65-inch set from a major brand. On Black Friday 2015, we expect to see a few sets this size hovering near the $1,000 mark, and perhaps some doorbuster specials from secondary brands for as low as $800.

Prices for smaller sets will be even more aggressive. (Note that the benefits of the higher UHD TV resolution become less evident as screen sizes shrink, unless you'll be sitting very close.) We expect to see 49- and 50-inch UHD TVs from major brands for about $550, and sets from lesser-known brands for as low as $420. We expect 43-inch UHD sets from better-known brands to go for as little as $350.

2. Hottest Deals Will Be on 60- and 65-inch 1080p TVs

It wasn't so long ago that a 60-inch TV seemed gargantuan, but that's no longer the case. Last year we saw prices for 60-inch and larger 1080p sets drop significantly; Vizio's sub-$650 65-inch set was among the hottest Black Friday deals last year. This year we think you'll see prices from secondary brands fall to around $500, and some major brands will react with prices in the $600 to $700 range. But if you're looking for a smaller set, the most dramatic prices could be on 40-inch sets, which might go for as little as $100.

3. Price Matching Will Become More Common

Gone are the days when getting the best Black Friday deal meant poring over the circulars in the Sunday paper and bringing an ad into a store to see whether the retailer would match a competitor's price.

Today, more retailers are matching online and in-store pricing. Just two weeks ago Target announced that it would expand its in-store and online price-matching policy by adding 24 online competitors, including warehouse clubs. Last year, Walmart started matching the prices of about 30 online competitors, and Best Buy has been price matching with seven online retailers, including Amazon, for years. These are all part of what we believe will be a growing trend that can help you get the best deals.

Two things to consider, though. One, the item almost always has to be an exact match; one reason retailers like to get exclusive derivative models is that they can't be priced matched. Secondly, the product has to be in stock.

Oddly, price-matching policies aren't really used very much. Research we've seen shows that only 2 to 3 percent of shoppers take advantage of them. That could mean that the process is too onerous, or that shoppers should be more assertive if they want to get the best deals.

4. More Retailers Will Be Social-Media Savvy

More retailers have become social-media proficient, offering the best deals only to those who follow them on Facebook and Twitter, get their Pinterest and Instagram feeds, or sign up for text and email alerts.  Some retailers might use the geolocation feature in your cell phone to alert you to special deals when they know you're in one of their stores, nearby, or even at a competitor's location. So make sure you're following your favorite retailers on social media and have signed up to get alerts well in advance of Black Friday.

5. Pricing Will Become More Transparent

Since much of the Black Friday activity is all about prices, consumers will increasingly leverage all the options at their disposal to make sure they get the best deal. That will make the differences in pricing more transparent.

According to Chicago-based research firm Market Track, 85 percent of all shoppers this year will research prices online and then buy in stores, a marked increase from last year. Electronics will be the most heavily compared products online. But the survey revealed another statistic that might be a bit deflating to brick-and-mortar stores: 84 percent of shoppers plan to shop on Amazon.com, citing low prices as their reason.

Noting that each year the differences between in-store and online prices have narrowed, Market Track also says that retailers are shifting their messaging from one that focuses strictly on price to one that stresses convenience. That means they will be emphasizing services such as order online/pick up in store, faster delivery of online orders, and free shipping on out-of-stock merchandise.

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

Give cabinets a fresh face

Instead of replacing cabinets that are plumb, square, and sturdy, update them for a fraction of the price. You have two options: refacing, which offers more choices for more money, and refinishing, which is more work but costs less.

Refacing involves adding new “skins” to cabinets and costs $150 to $300 per door opening, including materials and installation. Or, refresh cabinets with a new coat of paint. Clean them with a degreasing agent, rinse, sand, and prime them, and then give them a top coat or two. If your house was built before 1978 and you think the cabinets are original, the finish may contain lead—in which case, you should leave the paint job to a pro.

Add a bright spot

Use color to energize your kitchen. A few well-placed accessories such as boldly hued mixing bowls, flowers, or even fruit can instantly create an eye-catching focal point. The island offers another opportunity to introduce color. Just paint this gathering spot in an attention-grabbing shade, first taking care to choose the right type of paint. You’ll want a semi- or high-gloss formula for easier cleanup on this high-use area. Check our paint Ratings for some smart choices.

And don’t forget that light fixtures can add accents of color. Look online at sites such as lightinguniverse.com or progresslighting.com for reasonably priced options or troll flea markets and thrift stores. Even if you need an electrician to rewire your find, the price may be right. When you’re ready, see the results of our lightbulb tests.

Add an island

A custom-built island combines convenience with an often-hefty price. Save by opting for an unfinished or ready-to-assemble prep table and doing part of the work yourself. You’ll find a wide variety of doors, drawers, and countertops in different configurations. A 36x24-inch unfinished island topped with a wooden counter starts at around $300 (unfinishedfurnitureexpo.com).

For a high-end look, consider an island topped with stainless. Or choose one with a granite top. As you shop, look for convenient options such as rolling casters and storage shelves.When staining or painting an unfinished piece or choosing a finished model, go for a wood tone or color to complement (or provide dramatic contrast to) your kitchen cabinets.

Before you buy, be sure you have enough room to fit the island comfortably; you want a 36- to 48-inch clearance on each side.

Add splash to the backsplash

A relatively easy and inexpensive update is to install or replace a tile backsplash. According to George W. Edwards, certified kitchen and bath remodeler, of A&C Kitchens and Baths in Chester, Pa., the average cost is about $3 to $5 per square foot, though decorative inlays and trims can cost more.

Whether you do the job yourself or hire an installer depends on the state of your existing backsplash and how much time you can commit to the job. The key, Edwards says, comes at the start of the project, during demolition of the existing backsplash and preparation for the new one.

If the existing tile was installed over drywall, he says, removal is relatively easy. The existing tile and drywall can be pulled off with common household tools, including a utility knife, pry bar, or hammer and screwdriver, and new drywall can be patched in. It’s much trickier to cut out a tile backsplash laid over plaster without damaging the wall surface above. Plus the plaster may be a different thickness from the drywall, so shimming and/or an extra layer of drywall may be necessary to bring the new surface flush to the wall above.

Mix up materials

For decades kitchen design favored uniformity—one cabinet type, one countertop material. But nowadays designers are creating excitement by combining a wide range of materials and finishes in a single space. That is good news for your own budget makeover, because it means that you don’t have to worry about everything matching perfectly.

Choose pricey glass-doored cabinets above but bargain wood or laminate-front units below. Stick your expensive slab of granite or marble on the island—where everyone will see it—but go with basic laminate around the perimeter. Instead of a built-in island or built-in storage, use freestanding furniture pieces to add prep space and storage.

And don’t buy appliances as a suite: Choose the models with the best performance and best prices, regardless of brand (odds are against anyone noticing the slight style differences).

This article was adapted from Consumer Reports Kitchen Planning & Buying Guide.

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