August 2009 Showerhead Report: In test results, not all flows are a go

The recession has put a pinch on bathroom remodels, but you can still get an attractive makeover on a budget with these sub-$1,000 makeovers. (Some reports below are available to subscribers.)

Our "Top Kitchen & Bath Values" special adds another trick: Switch out your old showerhead for a new, water-efficient model. (Find out whether you should take a bath or a shower to maximize water savings.)

Ten of the 18 models in our latest report on showerheads use less than the federal maximum flow rate of 2.5 gallons per minute; all meet the federal limit. But our panel of eight male and female testers, who together logged 269 showers between them, found only one model that could produce an invigorating spray. That’s an important point, as too weak a stream might result in longer, water-wasting showers.

Some tested showerheads aerate the spray to make it feel more substantial, but we found water temperatures dropped from 5° to 15°F from the time the water left the showerhead to the time it hit our bathers’ backs.

Our tested showerheads ranged from $20 to $190 in price; most are a DIY installation. We also tested three shower towers whose fixed sprays and handheld showerhead can turn a basic bath into a spa-ike retreat.

Before you buy a new showerhead, check your local ordinances for any water-use restrictions. You can also use our water-heater calculator to make sure your current heater, be it a conventional storage-tank or a tankless model, can handle the new flow requirements.

Another way to cut your water bill is to install a water-saving toilet. But as with showerheads, our latest report on toilets revealed only a few models that can save water without compromising performance.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Share your own experiences with your showerhead, shower tower, or toilet in the bathroom-fixtures topic of our newly redesigned forums. It’s worth a visit just to read these water-saving tips from a poster who claims to be an alien from a much greener planet.

By the Numbers: White House touts new lighting-efficiency standards

$1 billion to $4 billion

Annual savings U.S. consumers will reap from 2012 through 2042 as a result of new energy-efficiency rules for incandescent reflector lamps and general-service fluorescent lights introduced yesterday, according to the White House. The efficiency standards were announced just days after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act; the standards were last updated in 1992.

President Barack Obama and U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu unveiled the rules, which will cut energy use for the affected bulbs by 15 to 25 percent and, from 2012 through 2042, are also designed to eliminate the emission of up to 594 million tons of greenhouse-gas emissions, about the same as taking 166 million cars off the road for a year; save enough electricity to power every home in the U.S. for up to 10 months; and eliminate the need for up to 7.3 gigawatts of new electricity generating capacity. Read more details on the updated standards.

"The first step we're taking sets new efficiency standards on fluorescent and incandescent lighting. Now I know lightbulbs may not seem sexy, but this simple action holds enormous promise because 7 percent of all the energy consumed in America is used to light our homes and our businesses," said President Obama.

The news was well received by groups advocating for energy efficiency. "We believe this will be the biggest efficiency savings from any appliance standard ever," Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, told The New York Times.

Compact fluorescent lightbulbs are not affected by the new rules. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Look for our testing update on CFLs in the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, online and on newsstands in September.

Consumer Reports' 2009 Kitchen Special: Leaner, greener kitchen remodels are on tap

Gone are the days when cash-out refinancing fueled kitchen renovations with glitzy granite countertops and state-of-the-art appliances. (This also seems to be the era of "phasing" projects.) As covered in our brand-new "Top Kitchen and Bath Values" report, part of the August 2009 issue of Consumer Reports, two-thirds of homeowners surveyed said they'll be spending less, doing more of the work themselves, and buying more-efficient appliances.

Below you'll find a listing of the product reports and other stories in this special section. And don't forget to use our revamped Kitchen-Planning Guide, which can help you save thousands of dollars on your kitchen remodel.

Buying appliances: Learn about money-saving tactics and find the best retailers.

Refrigerators: Lower-cost top-freezer models are making a comeback. Our ratings (available to subscribers) also include top performers in other styles. As with all our appliance coverage, we show the most reliable brands and ways to decide whether your existing refrigerator can be saved.

Cooking appliances: Find the best-performing ranges, wall ovens, cooktops and microwaves. We'll also help you decide between a range and a cooktop/wall-oven combo or between an over-the range microwave and a range hood.

Dishwashers: A $400 recommended model and $550 Best Buy lead the latest ratings. The story also includes advice on the pros, cons, and costs of turbo sprayers, stainless-steel interiors, half-load options, and filters.

Countertops: We rated quartz, granite, tile, laminate, steel, concrete, butcher block and more materials for strength and cost.

Flooring: Bamboo and plastic laminates have improved, but some brands resist wear better than others. We also found difference in performance within the same brands.

Garbage disposers: After pushing hundreds of pounds of beef bones and vegetables through 15 continuous-feed and s batch-mode models, we found a pair of sub-$165 top performers. Watch the video above to see how we test garbage disposers.

Appliances forums: We've revamped our always-busy forums with a new format that will let you quickly find info on particular types and models of large and small kitchen appliances.

Stay tuned to this blog and the Kitchen-Planning Guide over the coming weeks for a additional articles and videos with additional information from our reports and tests on all of the above products.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Esential information: Find 15 top-rated products for summer projects that will save you time and money.

Weekend Project: Install the right safety gate

If you have infants, toddlers, or young children between the ages of 6 and 24 months at home or who visit you on a regular basis—that's all you grandparents and other family members out there—it's crucial to get the right type of safety gate for the different locations in your home. For instance, at the top of stairs indoors or outside, you must use only hardware-mounted safety gates. At the bottom of stairs and between rooms, it's okay to use pressure-mounted models like the one shown.

You can hire a company to do the work for you, but putting in gates is not that difficult or time consuming. So in between your 4th of July celebrations next weekend, install the right kinds of safety gates at your home.

For more information on using safety gates, read "Safety Gates: Where You Need Them, How to Install Them" on the Consumer Reports Baby blog, which also features this expert buying advice for gates. You'll find more details, including ratings, on safety gates and tons of other essential gear in the latest edition of Consumer Reports Best Baby Products. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Tip of the Day: How to store fresh fruits and vegetables

High-quality fresh food is in right now. First Lady Michelle Obama has planted a fruit-and-vegetable garden on the South Lawn of the White House; government incentives are luring supermarkets stocked with fresh produce to low-income neighborhoods; and Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto—perhaps best summarized by its "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." rules—is on best-seller lists.

And, of course, with summer here, your kitchen is likely to see a lot more fruits and vegetables as the bounty reaches supermarkets and farm stands. (Find a farmers market in your state.) Eating abundant amounts of fresh food can be more healthful but can also lead to a kitchen full of rotting perishables if you buy more than you can prepare and eat before all those locally grown fruits and vegetables head south. In fact, produce is the most thrown-out food in U.S. households.

People who follow a "Vegan Before 6"—VB6—regimen might be among those who face fresh-food-storage issues. Food writer Mark Bittman coined the term. He says he noshes on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes during the day (before 6 p.m.) and eats meat—or anything else he craves—for dinner.

To keep spoilage to a minimum and avoid wasting money, follow the food-storage advice here. Note that temperature patterns vary in refrigerators, so get to know the colder and warmer zones in yours to maximize freshness.

In the refrigerator, keep . . .
Apples in a cool zone away from strong-smelling foods, so they won't absorb odors. If the refrigerator is jammed, you can also store apples in a cool, dark place.
Beets in the crisper; lop off greens before refrigerating and use them in a salad or cook them as you would spinach and other greens.
Berries in a warmer zone of the refrigerator, unwashed, in a dry, covered container.
Broccoli in the crisper.
Celery in the crisper.
Cherries unwashed, in a plastic bag, in a warmer zone of the refrigerator.
Corn with husks on, in a warmer zone of the refrigerator.
Grapes unwashed in a plastic bag or their plastic clamshell container, in a cool zone; pick out any spoiled grapes, since one bad one can spoil the bunch.
Green beans in an airtight container in a moderate zone; don't snap off ends until they're ready to be used.
Leafy greens in a salad spinner (if you have one and have room in the fridge) after washing or in the crisper. Otherwise, keep washed greens in a plastic bag lined with a clean cloth or paper towels; loosely tie top of bag to maintain moisture.
Melons, once they've ripened, in a warmer zone of the refrigerator. Wash the outside of a melon before cutting to avoid the spread of bacteria.
Mushrooms unwashed, in a paper bag, in a warmer zone of the refrigerator. Never store them in plastic, which traps moisture and leads to slime.
Peppers in a plastic bag in a warmer zone of the refrigerator. Leave them whole, and unwashed.
Yellow squash/zucchini in a plastic bag in a warmer zone of the refrigerator. Leave them unwashed, and use within two or three days of purchase.

Outside of the refrigerator, keep . . .
Avocados in a brown-paper bag; add an apple or banana to the bag to accelerate ripening.
Bananas in a fruit bowl on the counter.
Onions in a dark, dry, well-ventilated place. Store them away from potatoes, since they can absorb the potatoes moisture and spoilage-inducing ethylene gas.
Stone fruits, including nectarines, peaches, and plums, in a brown-paper bag at room temperature to speed ripening. Refrigerate once ripe.
Potatoes in a cool place, away from light. Don't refrigerate, since the moisture will encourage sprouting.
Tomatoes always at room temperature but not in direct sunlight.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're shopping for a new refrigerator, read our free buying advice and check the ratings (available to subscribers) to find out which models are the most energy efficient and do the best job at controlling temperatures. Also, learn about the real capacity of refrigerators.

Big Moments in Vacuum History: 30th anniversary of the Black & Decker Dustbuster debut

The recent election in Iran and the tumultuous events that have ensued inevitably remind me of 1979, a year when Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi fled the country and Ayatollah Khomeini returned to Tehran after a long exile; the hostage crisis started that November. That year holds many other memories for me, including:
• Yankees catcher Thurman Munson died in a plane crash. A diehard Yankees fan, I was also a Little League catcher and had always worn Munson's number 15, so the news of his passing was devastating for me.
• One of my favorite films, Apocalypse Now, came out.
• Eleven fans of The Who were crushed to death trying to get into a concert in Cincinnati, Ohio. I had seen the same tour several weeks earlier.
• ESPN launched. How did we sports fanatics survive before this network came on the air?

When it comes to home appliances, 1979 was also a monumental year. As my colleague Sue Perry, of ShopSmart magazine, pointed out in this recent post, Black & Decker debuted the Dustbuster handheld vacuum 30 years ago. (The illustration shows sketches of the Dustbuster by B&D's design team.) Visit Black & Decker's Dustbuster page for more details on this innovative appliance, including a timeline of the Dustbuster's history and some interesting information on innovations associated with this ubiquitous household tool. (The vacuum cleaner itself celebrated its centennial last year, as covered in "A Century of Doing America's Dirty Work.")

Our latest report on and ratings of upright, canister, stick, sweeper/broom, and handheld vacuums (available to subscribers) includes two Black & Decker handheld vacuums that did well overall in our tests: the Pivot PHV1800, $60, and the Pet Series Retriever HV9010P, $30.—Steven H. Saltzman | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Visit our vacuums product page for free expert buying advice.

House nears final vote on American Clean Energy and Security Act

UPDATED, 7:45 P.M. ET ON 6/26/09: The House has passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act, by a vote of 219-212. Read the details.

Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives on Friday afternoon won a narrow test vote to advance the American Clean Energy and Security Act to a full vote by the House. Speaker Nancy Pelosi has pledged to get the legislation passed before lawmakers leave on their July 4 recess.

Speaking yesterday from the Rose Garden, President Barack Obama predicted a close vote for the bill, saying, "I know this is going to be a close vote, in part because of the misinformation that's out there that suggests there's somehow a contradiction between investing in clean energy and our economic growth. But my call to those members of Congress who are still on the fence, as well as to the American people, is this: We cannot be afraid of the future, and we can't be prisoners of the past. We've been talking about this issue for decades, and now is the time to finally act."

The American Clean Energy and Security Act, H.R. 2454, was cosponsored by two Democratic representatives, California's Henry Waxman and Massachusetts' Edward Markey. One of its main elements is the cap-and-trade provision, which supporters say will reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 83 percent by 2050. Opponents of the bill, largely Republican, have called it a "cap and tax" bill that will cost American consumers.

The cap-and-trade provision will cost the average household $175 annually by 2020, according to a report by the Congressional Budget Office. However, because of direct rebates included in the provision, low-income households could see a net benefit of $40 per year.

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy analyzed the bill's energy-efficiency provisions, including those aimed at smart-grid appliances and a best-in-class deployment program, and found an average saving of $1,050 per household by 2020.

"This sweeping legislation represents a significant first step in our nation's ability to address global climate change. And importantly, it moves us forward on the path toward creating clean energy jobs of the future," says Ellen Bloom, director of federal policy for Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of this blog and Consumer Reports magazine. "As the bill works its way through Congress, we look forward to working to ensure that, as policymakers continue their efforts to achieve the important goals of capping greenhouse gas emissions and creating new clean energy jobs, they do so in a way that does not unfairly burden American consumers."—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Q&A: How can I deal with lawn fungus?

After all the recent heavy rain we've had, several brown spots have appeared on my lawn, and they're spreading. Neighborhood dogs aren't causing the problem. Is my grass suffering from some kind of fungus?

Based on the photograph you sent us (shown), it looks as if your yard does have a fungus problem. Even if you took good care of your lawn earlier in the growing season, excessive water can damage grass and foster fungus growth.

To identify a fungus in your yard, use our guide to common lawn problems and visit the Cornell Cooperative Extension Web site. The CCE is a nationwide network of agricultural and environmental specialists based in Ithaca, New York.

Your next step is to apply a recommended fungicide to and around the infected area to keep the fungus from spreading.The CCE advises that you use the right product for the fungus problem you have and closely follow application instructions and precautions. When mowing, cut the healthy parts of the lawn before the sick, and bag and dispose of clippings to avoid spreading the fungus with your mower.

Proactive application of a general fungicide when the temperature first starts to rise in the spring, as recommended by our lawn-care expert, Peter Sawchuk, might prevent fungus problems altogether throughout the growing seasons, although you also need to take any possible measures to keep your lawn from encouraging fungal growth in the first place. Sawchuk buys fungicides in the fall since these products tends to be scarce in stores in the spring, when they're needed the most.

If you're in the market for a new lawn mower or tractor, read our latest report on this outdoor power equipment (story and ratings available to subscribers) and visit our mower/tractor product page.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Water your lawn early in the morning, which lets the water settle in with less evaporation and protects your grass against the brightest, hottest part of the day. Watering late in the day could make your lawn susceptible to such fungi as brown patch, Pythium, and rust.

Avoid summertime burglar-alarm scams

One consumer rip-off that shows no sign of abating is the annual invasion of door-to-door salespeople who use dubious and intrusive tactics to sell burglar-alarm systems to unwary homeowners, a topic we covered in "Scam Alert: Don't Get Ripped Off by an Alarm Company."

Jane Driggs, president of the Better Business Bureau of Utah, stops short of advising you not to buy an alarm system from door-to-door salespeople, but says, "You just have to make sure that you verify everything the company says and do your comparison shopping as if somebody hadn't come to the door." Read the BBB's "Don’t Fall for the Deceptive Pitch of a Door-to-Door Alarm Salesman."

Law-enforcement and consumer-protection officials warn you to be wary of an alarm salesperson who:

• Attempts to alarm you by citing rashes of burglaries in their neighborhoods.

• Claims to represent or wear clothing with logos from major alarm manufacturers like GE and Honeywell. These firms don't sell directly to consumers and don't allow their logos to be used by door-to-door salespeople.

• Tries to gain entrance into your home. "I actually had a salesperson reach inside the door to show me where his system would go and ask if he could come in," says Driggs. "I have a big dog, so I wasn't worried about it, but I could see a lot of people might have let him gain admittance that way."

• Offers a free system. Experts say "free" systems usually come with higher monthly service fees. Also be sure that the contract clearly indicates what the monthly service fee will be. "If they say your charges are going to be $44 a month for a one-year term, verify that that's what the contract says—don't sign it if it isn't clearly stated," says Driggs.

"Alarm companies generally don't make money on the equipment, but on he monthly services. You should focus on the quality of the service and the length of the contract—many jurisdictions limit the length and number of automatic renewals," says Ron Walters, the Security Industry Alarm Coalition's director of field operations. Make sure the contract stipulates the length of the agreement and any associated early-termination fees.

• Says the company is ready to install your system right away. Experts say legitimate alarm companies don't mind taking the time to talk to consumers to get a comprehensive view of their security needs.

• Claims your current alarm company is defunct. A scam recently spotted by our colleagues at The Consumerist involves Orem, Utah-based Pinnacle Security. The company's reps have been implying to customers of CastleRock Security in Wichita, Kansas, that CastleRock has gone out of business, a claim CastleRock disputes. Another variation on this theme is a salesperson's claim that your current equipment needs updating. Read more about this story on the KWCH Web site.

Industry experts stress that you should deal only with well-established companies. Find out which local or state agency has jurisdiction over alarm companies and check the records of any company you're considering using. Also see whether your homeowner's-insurance company offers a discount for using certain alarm companies.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: These low-cost products and commonsense procedures can boost your home security. And read about Rex, a virtual watchdog.

Advertising for Oreck Halo vacuum generates challenge by competitors

In some of its ads and infomercials, vacuum maker Oreck calls its $600 Oreck Halo the "world's only UV-C germ-killing vacuum." Other spots feature families with small children lying on a carpeted floor, crawling across the kitchen, or scurrying in from the outdoors. "The MRSA is very alarming," says a concerned father in one TV ad, after the potentially deadly bacterium is discovered in his home.

Such engaging claims have likely piqued the interest of many consumers. But they've also interested the Federal Trade Commission, following a referral by the National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus. After Oreck declined to participate in the NAD process, in which national advertising claims are reviewed for truthfulness and accuracy, the organization referred the matter to the FTC.

Vacuum manufacturer Dyson initiated a challenge about the Oreck Halo with the NAD in March 2009, about six weeks after Oreck's February 3, 2009, launch of the vacuum. Dyson was concerned about two claims by Oreck that said the Halo can "Kill and reduce germs on all of your floors while you vacuum" and "Reduced up to 99.9% of bacteria in laboratory testing."

In a response to the NAD, Oreck, which had acquired the Halo trademark and certain assets from Halo Technologies, Inc. in July 2008, said it was cooperating with the FTC to address its advertising.

This isn't the first time the NAD has looked at the Halo. In early 2008, when Halo was still owned by Halo Technologies, the NAD reviewed a challenge filed by Bissell Homecare, Inc. that cited several health-related and superiority claims made by Halo Technologies in its print and Web advertising and on product packaging. The NAD released a ruling on February 13, 2008, that included two key NAD recommendations:

• Halo should discontinue claims involving traditional vacuums (for example, "Some folks might . . . try using traditional vacuum cleaners, but all that does is disperse these things that cause the symptoms of allergies") because of the absence of comparative testing.

• Halo should qualify any "germ killing" claims by explaining that ultraviolet light can kill certain bacteria and allergens on the surface of carpeting if they are exposed to the light for a sufficient period of time, without implying that the vacuum can instantly kill all germs and dust mites embedded in the carpet, reduce or eliminate the incidence of allergies, or provide any health benefit.

The manufacturer disagreed with the NAD's findings, although it agreed to take them into consideration in its future advertising.

Regarding the current NAD review, in an e-mail to Consumer Reports, Oreck stated, "In the prior NAD matter involving Halo Technologies, the NAD found the light chamber to be effective in laboratory testing. The NAD only questioned actual consumer use testing."

Specifically, the NAD ruled that Halo Technology's original testing did not "determine the impact of the UV-C light emitted from the Halo vacuum on dust mites and allergens in carpet during actual use. This is important because in addition to the germs on the carpet surface, dust mites and allergens are also commonly found within the fibers of carpeting and far below the surface."

Oreck's e-mail went on to say that the manufacturer has since "commissioned and obtained consumer use testing by a national expert. The results are on Oreck's Web site and in Oreck's infomercial." Oreck added that the FTC has not requested additional information or action. Therefore, its advertising claims are presumably allowed to stand, at least for the time being.

We haven't reviewed the Oreck Halo but did test the Halo UVX, $400, for an October 2008 report on vacuum cleaners. While the UVX was excellent at cleaning bare floors, it was merely good on carpets, and our engineers found it noisy and hard to handle. It ranked 33rd out of 36 among upright vacuums. (The Oreck Dutch Tech DTX1400 canister, $900, in our ratings is a very good canister vacuum that excelled at cleaning bare floors and picking up pet hair. The Oreck XL Deluxe U3760HH, $400, is a good upright that also excelled at bare floors and pet hair.)

Oreck says its Halo benefits from "100 design and performance enhancements" made to the original technology, but none of them relate to its germ-killing abilities. "The Oreck Halo light chamber did not require improvements to be effective," says Oreck.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Read our latest report on vacuums (available to subscribers), which includes ratings of dozens of upright and canister vacuums. And use our free buyer's guide for more expert advice.