Tip of the Day: When in doubt, call a food expert

As the video at right shows, some of the meat thermometers we've tested will actually talk back to you, handy for Thanksgiving and other holiday meals. But if you find yourself in a pickle as you prepare your Thanksgiving feast, call one of the hotlines below, which are staffed by experts who can field your queries.

• Butterball Turkey: 800-288-8372
• Crisco (pies): 877-367-7438
• Empire Kosher Poultry: 717-436-7055
• Fleischmann's Yeast (baking): 800-777-4959
• Foster Farms Turkey: 800-255-7227
• General Mills (baking, vegetables): 800-248-731
• King Arthur Flour Co. (baking): 802-649-3717
• Nestlé (baking): 800-637-8537
• Ocean Spray (cranberries): 800-662-3263
• Perdue (poultry): 800-473-7383
• Reynolds (turkey tips): 800-745-4000
• U.S. Department of Agriculture Meat and Poultry Hotline: 888-674-6854 

Essential information: See our advice on preparing your holiday meal. If you’re looking to replace a major appliance, read our roundup of  Black Friday specials.

Want to enhance your love life? Do more housework

A recent study of nearly 7,000 married couples posits a promising premise for those who hate housework: Slaving over a hot stove could also turn up the heat on your love life, as might vacuuming the carpeting, doing laundry, and undertaking other chores. The study, covered in today's Wall Street Journal, was based on a nationwide survey of families and households and published on the Web site of the Journal of Family Issues.

Data from "Who Has the Time? The Relationship Between Household Labor Time and Sexual Frequency" and other studies provide some strong incentive to tackle more chores: The more housework you do, the more likely you are to have sex with your spouse.

Note to men: Balancing the inequity between the amount of work you and your wife probably couldn't hurt either. Wives spend roughly 42 hours a week cleaning, cooking, washing dishes and clothes, ironing, and the like compared with only about 24 hours for husbands. If you're a guy who's averse to doing laundry or cooking, note that the JFI study includes chores like yard work and car maintenance—yet another reason to crank up the leaf blower or change the oil on your minivan.

Another study quoted in The Wall Street Journal's article placed "sharing household chores" right behind faithfulness and a happy sexual relationship, while still another linked housework by husbands to more feelings of warmth and affection from their wives.

The Journal of Family Issues' study didn't explore whether you can do so much housework that you're too tired for sex. But a nationally representative poll of 1,000 adults conducted by the Consumer Reports National Research Center and published last Valentine's Day found that 81 percent of respondents said they had avoided or delayed sex with their partner in the past year. The two most common reasons: "Too tired" and "too sick."

The bottom line for couch potatoes: Helping out at home is likely to help your love life. Just don't overdo it.—Bob Markovich | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Our reviews of vacuum cleaners, washing machines, kitchen appliances, lawn mowers, snow blowers, and other power equipment include models that help make chores less onerous. Also read our advice for making easier work of fall cleanup.

Forum Friday: CFLs light up the discussion boards

Compact fluorescent lightbulbs have long been a popular and controversial subject on our forums. So it was no surprise that after airing an interview with one of our editors about CFLs, National Public Radio reported receiving an unusually large number of e-mails. (To find the best CFLs for your home, read our October 2009 report and check out the ratings of specific models, available to subscribers.)

Among reader concerns about CFLs are short life spans, disappointing light quality, and the potential mercury hazard. Learn how to safely dispose of CFLs.

Join in those discussions and others about on/off cycling shortening bulb life, consumers' experiences with brands, and dimmer switches.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: To learn about the latest developments in lighting, read our 10 Questions for interview with researcher Nadarajah Narendran, Ph.D., the U.S. Department of Energy's Bright Tomorrow Lighting Prizes competition, or L Prize, and the European Union's ban of incandescent lightbulbs. For more news on energy efficiency, including the cash for clunkers for appliances program, visit our Energy Saving & Green Living guide.

Tip of the Day: Drain the carburetor bowl on your lawn mower to protect the engine

As we covered in "Is Fuel With an Increased Level of Ethanol a Problem for Small Gas Engines?" there's growing concern over the effects that gasoline-ethanol blends like E10—that's 90 percent gasoline and 10 percent ethanol—might have on small, nonroad engines on lawn mowers and tractors and other outdoor power equipment.

If you're concerned about the possible effects ethanol might have on your gas-powered mower or other equipment that will sit for long periods in storage—including a string trimmer or leaf blower—remove the remaining fuel from the tank and then empty the carburetor bowl before you stow gear for the winter. The simple project will help keep your gear in good working condition.

Even if you've run your equipment dry as part of your usual end-of-season maintenance steps, some fuel can remain in the bowl of the carburetor. If you don't drain the bowl, you might see some of the telltale white residue and related corrosion associated with ethanol blends. Four-cycle engines in particular seem prone to the buildup, although two-cycle engines can also suffer from the problem.

To empty the carburetor bowl in your mower:
• Run the engine dry, then let the machine fully cool.
• Locate the carburetor bowl. It's a cylindrically shaped device with one or two bolts on the bottom (shown). If there are two bolts, the off-center one is a drain, which you can use to get rid of any fuel without removing the bowl; place a container beneath the carburetor and remove the bolt. Any fuel present should trickle out.
• On some engines, such as the Tecumseh carburetor shown, the single bolt is for removing the carburetor bowl itself. Also while holding a container beneath, remove the bolt, pull off the bowl, and drain it. Wipe out the inside of the bowl.
• Whether or not you need to remove the bowl, it's a simple task to drain it and tighten everything back up.—Ed Perratore | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're in the market for a new snow blower, read our latest report on single- and two-stage gas and electric models and updated free buyer's guide and ratings (available to subscribers).

Retro Grade: Appliance spotting on AMC's Mad Men

In "My Old Kentucy Home," the third episode of the current season of AMC's hit show Mad Men,  a vacuum is the pivotal prop in a scene between Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks, shown), the buxom office manager at Sterling Cooper ad agency, and her fiancé, the inadequate Dr. Greg Harris (Sam Page). The two are tidying up their apartment ahead of a dinner party. In a telling (for the time anyway) role reversal, Greg is working the vacuum, although once finished he asserts his manliness by yanking the cord from the wall. "You'll break it," Joan admonishes. "No I won't," Greg fires back. "And even if I do, I'll just go grab my screwdriver and put on a new one."

Who knew a vacuum could provide so much tension and innuendo? But what about the vacuum itself? Did the props department come up with an age-appropriate model? There's not a long, clear shot of the vacuum, but it's definitely an upright model and looks to be relatively lightweight. Sure enough, the October 1963 issue of Consumer Reports includes a report titled "Lightweight Upright Vacuum Cleaners" that observed that "the cleaners tested for this report are a species that has only recently achieved considerable popularity." It went on to say that the diminutive vacuums work best as a supplement to a standard upright or canister vacuum, and should be reserved for surface cleaning of pet hair, sand, and the like.

Fast-forward to the October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports. Once again we're reporting on vacuum cleaners. Although the story looks at all types and sizes, lightweight vacuums get special mention. The Hoover Platinum Bagged, $400, and the Dirt Devil Featherlite Bagless, $60, performed very well in our cleaning tests and weigh just 13 pounds.

In the report, we also look at several innovative new features, including a retractable cord for uprights. While this convenience is standard on canister vacuums, it's just now wending its way to uprights. And had it been around in 1963, the writers of Mad Men might have looked to a different device to develop dramatic tension.—Daniel DiClerico | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: Visit our vacuum cleaners hub for buying advice. And read Can this vacuum be saved? to see whether repairs are really as easy as portrayed on Mad Men.

Q&A: When should I replace a carbon-monoxide alarm?

I've heard that carbon-monoxide alarms fail after seven years. Is that true?

Most carbon-monoxide (CO) alarms are backed by a five- to seven-year warranty, but they typically emit a chirping or signal when they're nearing the end of their useful life. This signal differs from the one that indicates a low battery. If there's a problem with the unit, a model with a digital display will show an error message, and one without a digital display might flash LEDs in a particular pattern.

Remember, the test button on a CO alarm checks only whether the alarm is working, not the sensor. To check the sensor, use a test kit that you can purchase at a local home center.

Essential information: Read our buyer's guide to CO and smoke alarms for more information on these important safety devices, and view a quick interactive to determine which alarms are best for your home. We've also got a report on an intriguing study on the effectiveness of a voice recordings versus more traditional loud tone alarms in awakening children.

Forum Friday: Consumer Reports readers debate the best paint types

Painting’s a hot project, based on projections for recession-defying sales and an ever-expanding proliferation of new colors. It’s also a hot topic, as evidenced by the many discussions in our paints and stains forum.

Our ratings of interior and exterior paints and deck stains (available to subscribers) always spark discussions over the best brand of paint (Behr has its share of backers and detractors) or a debate over two specific brands (in this case, Valspar vs. Benjamin Moore).

Whichever brand you use, follow this pro painter’s surface-preparation tips (we’ve got more of our own here and in the video at right). Keep in mind this mixing trick from forums moderator Angelo Mannino, and don’t miss his warning on painting over stain.

Other posters have added valuable warnings on VOCs paints (unfortunately, one mentioned brand did badly in our tests—see our report on safer paints here) and the need to check whether paint is suitable for spraying. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Q&A: I've seen green labels on dishwasher detergents. Are they legit?

I've noticed all kinds of green claims and labels on a number of cleaners, specifically dishwasher detergents. What makes a these cleaners green?

We've seen these eco-friendly claims and labels, too. Some are meaningful, others meaningless. Terms like "natural," "environmentally friendly," and "nontoxic" lack standard definitions. Even "biodegradable" means little unless the information is specific, such as "biodegradable in three days" or "certified biodegradable."

But some of the claims you'll see aren't greenwashing and can point you in the direction of greener cleaners. A statement that a detergent is "certified biodegradable" has been independently verified, as is the Leaping Bunny symbol on Earth Friendly and Seventh Generation detergents. The presence of that logo indicates that a product wasn't tested on animals during any stage of its development. Keep this shopping tip in mind: Look for specific claims such as "contains no artificial dyes or fragrances," then look at the ingredients list if there is one, which might help confirm the claim.

In the end, you'll probably want a detergent that cleans well. In our August 2009 report on dishwasher detergents (story and ratings available to subscribers), one Cascade detergent was excellent and five other cleaners were very good, including the phosphate-free Method Smarty Dish tablets (shown).
Other tested detergents without phosphates tended to perform worst overall. Method's success might be due to the amount and type of enzymes in its formulation. Enzymes help break up food for easier removal.

Whichever dishwasher detergent you use, follow the tips below to get the cleanest dishes. And remember, don't machine-wash items made of brass, bronze, cast iron, disposable plastic, gold-leaf china, or wood.

1. Load large items at the sides and back of the dishwasher so they don't block water and detergent from other dishes.
2. Orient the dirtier side of dishes toward the center of the machine.
3. Don't let dishes or utensils nest or rest side by side. If your dishwasher has an open basket, mix spoons, forks, and knives so they won't nest together.
4. Use the top rack for plastic and more-delicate items.
5. Rest glasses on prongs so they stay upright and don't fill with water.
6. Load silverware with handles down; knives, with handles up. e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

Essential information: If you're in the market for a new dishwasher, read our latest report and check out our free buyer's guide.

Can sharing housework make for a better sex life?

The recession has seen hundreds of thousands of Americans lose their jobs. One result of this lingering economic slump is that men are apparently taking on more housework, as we reported a few months back. That shift is not only good for gender equality on the household-work front but it might also heat things up in the bedroom, according to this CNN report.

"When a man does housework, it feels to the woman like an expression of caring and concern, which then physically reduces her stress," Joshua Coleman, a San Francisco-area psychologist and the author of The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework, told CNN. "A guy can be completely stressed out and want to have sex to burn it off, but women are not wired like that."

In 1976, men did only six hours of housework per week, according to a University of Michigan study of 8,000 families that began in 1968. But by 2005, they were doing 13 hours of housework a week compared with 17 hours a week by women.  A 2008 survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center showed that while most women still did the cooking, 54 percent of men responding claimed they did the cleaning.

Guys who haven't been pulling their weight around the house can find motivational help, including Q&As like "What's the Best Way to Load a Dishwasher?" on this blog and items like "10 Easy House-Cleaning Strategies" on our Web site. If you're a grilling fanatic, give your significant other the night off and make some of these easy, delicious grilling recipes.

As much as you might envision a Jetsons-like future, the time of automated home chores has yet to fully arrive. (Take a peek inside the Microsoft Home concept space.) For instance, robotic vacuums modeled on those used in the military have proved poor performers in our tests. Nor were there any real winners among some shower cleaners; the longer you wait between cleanings, the more elbow grease you'll have to expend.

So visit this blog for more expert advice on getting things done around the house. Keep in mind that it's possible for a man to overdo it—earlier this spring, a German housewife apparently divorced her husband because he did too much around the house.—Gian Trotta | e-mail | Twitter | Forums | Facebook

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.