I have subscribed to Consumer Reports magazine for probably the past 5-10 years. Some of the articles are helpful and some I find confusing in that they will review some obscure example of an automobile tire or refrigerator and omit something more readily available, admittedly a minor complaint. Recently, however, they have been getting on my nerves. For each of the last three months or so, I have been getting notices from them, that my "membership has expired". Since I am not aware of being a "member" of anything pertaining to Consumer Reports, I take this to mean my subscription has expired. Further investigation, however, reveals that my subscription does not expire until next October. So what exactly has expired? Apparently, without my knowledge, I am a member of a group of people willing to donate money over and above the cost of the subscription. My membership in that elite group appears to be expiring. Odd, as I have never given them any money, other than the cost of the subscription itself. So it seems to me they are hoping I will give them extra money, thinking I'm renewing my subscription. Point is, it strikes as ironic that a magazine that purports to be an advocate for the consumer, is engaging in such devious tactics to raise money.

A year or so ago they had an article about window air conditioning units.

A relative who lives in the country asked me to find them the one that CR had top rated. My relative was not able to locate one to buy.

I called all the distributors for that brand name and they all laughed and said that model was not available. At all. Period.

That really pissed off my relative who has been a faithful paying subscriber for several decades so they cancelled their subscription and said never again.

They've become sloppy over the years and now are no longer what they once were.

It's all about money now.
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Consumer reports is a scam now. Like most consumer review pubs/sites.

They're just left wing trash.

I just let me subscription lapse. Two things did it. Little by little they have become more "woke". Its not about quality or value of products they review any more, but how they help the environment. The other is that they no longer discount or extend their subscriptions beyond one year. I get a one year rate of $30 and I can get a free one for someone else. I'll pass. My guess is they won't be around much longer. I'm sad they've changed so much, but everything else has too.

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Originally posted by OKCGene:
A year or so ago they had an article about window air conditioning units.

A relative who lives in the country asked me to find them the one that CR had top rated. My relative was not able to locate one to buy.

I called all the distributors for that brand name and they all laughed and said that model was not available. At all. Period.

That really pissed off my relative who has been a faithful paying subscriber for several decades so they cancelled their subscription and said never again.

They've become sloppy over the years and now are no longer what they once were.

It's all about money now.
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This sort of thing has happened since I first started reading Consumer Reports in the 70s. By the time things are tested and reported, the model that was tested is out of production.

My view has always been, use CR for input - not as if it is absolutely correct.

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The other is that they no longer discount or extend their subscriptions beyond one year. I get a one year rate of $30 and I can get a free one for someone else.

A small thread drift, so forgive me - but this really bugs me. It seems to be the trend with magazines of all sorts to no longer offer a price break on a renewal. It's full price, but you get to send a free subscription to someone else. I don't like that at all. Not that I don't have friends with similar interests, but Why do I need to go shopping around for friends or relatives and ask - would you like or appreciate a free copy of this magazine? I don't want to have a magazine show up in somebody's mail box for 12 months unless I know they want it. I know I wouldn't like that. I wish they would just stop it.

I had subscribed to Consumer Reports for probably twenty years or more. They started going significantly downhill, IMO, some twenty years ago. I began to notice their more highly-recommended products were based upon what I felt to be less consequential criteria. E.g.: Down-rating TV "A" vs. TV "B", despite the fact TV "A" had a better receiver or picture, because TV "B" had a more user-friendly remote. Say what?

They lost me when they were testing small SUVs and decided not to test all of the vehicles in the 5 MPH backing in to a pole.

Apparently somebody at Consumer Reports wanted a CRV to take home.

I have long considered them quite flawed in their opinions. If they collect data on repairs or recalls they are showing us data. In this role they can be useful. If "testers" fumble with products they are unfamiliar with they often express their ignorance as opinions.

The things I have known about audio equipment, or bicycles, or cameras, all showed me even their opinion clock is right twice a day....

Not helpful since the 1970s. They were a good source then when there were no other options.

Some years ago, Ford had the Explorer and Mercury sold the exact same vehicle but with Mercury badging. CR gave them two different ratings.

A lot of their food & drink reviews left me scratching my head. I can appreciate objective metrics, such as price/ounce or servings per package, but who really needs CR to rate beer, candy, ice cream, peanut butter, etc? Do ppl not trust their own taste buds?

Nothing new, their reviews have always been a joke.

I gave up on them when they had a lengthy chart with quality ratings for the 1985 Mazda pickup. I was a tech at a Mazda dealer back then, and I assure you there has NEVER been a 1985 Mazda pickup. They went from carryover 84s to the new 1986. I called BS on them then, and I still do.

My wife has been a subscriber for over 40 years.... we have used it to try and find the better choice in appliances...

the one issue which has been noted above is that on the rare occasion they review something I feel I have some reasonable knowledge and and experience with, I disagree with their findings...

I would enjoy the CR review of any vehicle I would buy. Often, they gave it a poor review. Equally often, the car was fine.

In my opinion, CR is just one tool to use to evaluate a purchase -- it's not the Bible.

Keep in mind that they are a data-driven organization and greatly rely on their readers' input via the annual survey. CR also emphasizes their take on how the average person will react to a product. Thus, they think an an unfriendly TV remote will grate more on the average consumer over a slightly inferior picture quality -- the TV with the simpler remote will also likely do better in the annual survey.

Also, CR Magazine is a publication from CR Foundation. The magazine's subscription renewal series is a direct mail endeavor separate from the membership drive series from the Foundation.

I enjoy browsing the magazine, but if you want to save money just go with the digital subscription. It's more accurate database on product availability and evaluations.

They have been subpar for a long time now.

The rating often don't add up, you get high marks across the board and then a low aggregate average score. Certain brands they just don't like, no matter how they perform.

I have seen them rate two cars, both of which roll off the same line made the same way with the same parts at the same time, and rate them much different.

Back in the 80s, Sears must have slid some money under the table. I swear that if they were evaluating 1911 pistols, Kenmore would have won.