Buzzword: Reliability
What it means. The word reliable typically means someone or something that's dependable, but in the scientific realm, it applies to experiments that, according to Merriam-Webster, give "the same result on successive trials." Combining those two notions, reliability implies both quality and consistency, making it a core element of the work we do at Consumer Reports.
Why the buzz? When economic times are tough, reliability becomes an even more important part of people's shopping habits. "Reliability may not be the sexiest thing, but in today's environment, people are wondering if a company is going to be around for the long term," says Darcie Meihoff, managing director of public relations at CMD Agency, a marketing firm in Portland, Oregon. "Everybody has that fear, and so knowing that a company is going to back up its products and its warranties is at the forefront of people's minds."
Of course, saving money is key as well, but it doesn't trump reliability. "A person may trade down to a lesser-price brand but not if it means sacrificing reliability or quality," says Stanley Stasch, a professor of marketing at Loyola University Chicago.
What this means is that manufacturers will have to work harder to win over consumers. "While this is a very difficult time for everyone, it's also a moment for leadership," says Raphael Bemporad, founding partner and principal at BBMG, a branding and marketing firm based in New York City. "Brands that see the multiple dimensions of reliability—which include not only price and quality but also character, relationship, and trust—will be best suited to weather the economic storm and thrive long term."
Consumer Reports' evaluations of ranges, refrigerators, and many other products include details on how they performed during our extensive in-lab testing. For many product categories, we also report on how individual brands have measured up over time in real-world conditions, using data from the hundreds of thousands of responses to our Annual Product Reliability Survey of subscribers. The experts in the Consumer Reports National Research Center analyze the results to come up with the brand repair histories that accompany many of the product reports in our magazine and on ConsumerReports.org. This potent combination of lab testing and brand analysis allows us to paint the most complete possible picture of product reliability.
Let's look at upright vacuum cleaners, most recently reviewed in the October 2008 issue of Consumer Reports. Several Hoover, including the Tempo Widepath U5140-900 (shown), scored very good overall. But Hoover is the most repair-prone brand of vacuum cleaner, according to the more than 135,000 reader responses about vacuum cleaners to our annual survey. So you might be better off buying a model from a brand with a better track record.—Daniel DiClerico
Essential information: Not sure whether your appliance should be fixed or nixed? Use our repair-or-replace information to determine the life span of more than a dozen products, including ranges, refrigerators, and washing machines. Check out our ever-expanding roster of Buzzwords.
Posted by: Ted | Feb 22, 2009 9:57:28 AM
I have a Kenmore upright, Progressive with Direct Drive/Intelliclean. I generally like this vaccum. However, there are some parts that are unreliable and cheap. The hardwood floor attachment is cheap and unreliable. it has a very small knob that hooks with the main unit. this hook arrangement works loose, allowing the attachment to fall off. you continually have to watch it and rehook it. finally, the small knob sheared off, and now I have to hold the attachment instead of the handle.
I complained to Sears but got no response. I am really dissatisfied with this. It detracts from an overall satisfactory rating.