All posts by: Amy Livingston

How to build the perfect cookware set, one piece at a time

Kitchen & Food
By Amy Livingston on April 1, 2013 in

Best cookware set

In researching our recent report on cookware, we identified several top-rated sets. However, we kept coming across the same complaint: The cookware sets many consumers bought don't contain the pieces they need most. The editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine agree, saying manufacturers usually include cookware that isn't the right size or shape, while omitting must-have pots and pans. We set out to determine which pieces should be included in the ideal cookware collection. Read more

A tale of two customer service departments

Kitchen & Food
By Amy Livingston on March 4, 2013 in

Customer Service

The day you bring home a shiny new food processor can be the best of times--or the worst of times. 

Consider the case of two fictitious customers, Audrey and Brian. Both of them have decided to buy new food processors. After consulting our report, Audrey selects the top-rated Cuisinart Prep 11 Plus DLC-2011CHB (*Est. $200), while Brian settles on the Runner-Up KitchenAid KFP750PK (*Est. $160). At first, both of them are very happy with their new kitchen tools. There's no reason not to be; both machines get very good scores for performance in professional tests, run quietly, have dishwasher-safe parts and are generally well rated by owners for ease of use. Then unexpectedly, after about a month, both machines break down. Read more

Sizing up the SodaStream

Kitchen & Food
By Amy Livingston on November 7, 2012 in

SodaStream Revolution

We Americans love our soft drinks. Last year, national soft drink sales topped 9 billion cases despite more Americans turning to alternatives like iced tea and sports drinks. That's a lot of soda--and a lot of 20-ounce bottles (about 285 per person). It's expensive, too. A January article in Time magazine estimated that the average American household spent $850 on soft drinks each year.

Enter Daniel Birnbaum, the CEO of SodaStream International. Read more

The extended warranty breakdown

By Amy Livingston on November 5, 2012 in

Wish you had an extended warranty?

Picture this: It's Black Friday; you've just battled your way through nightmarish crowds at your local SuperMegaMart to snag a sleek, speedy new laptop at a bargain price. As you proudly present your find to the checkout clerk, you're hit with an unexpected question: "Would you like the extended warranty for this laptop?" You hesitate: do you? After all, you're about to drop a significant chunk of change on this machine, so doesn't it make sense to protect your investment? Read more

Blender vs. food processor: How do they match up?

Kitchen & Food
By Amy Livingston on October 8, 2012 in

Food guru Mark Bittman, writing for The New York Times, has declared the blender "an endangered species." A good food processor, he argues, can do everything a blender can do, and lots more besides. His own blender, in fact, has been shut unused in the closet for over a year, while his food processor has earned a permanent place on his "itsy-bitsy counter."

There's no denying that a food processor can do many jobs a blender can't. It can slice vegetables, shred cabbage, knead bread dough and make flaky piecrust. But what about the foods that both a blender and a food processor can handle, like smoothies or hummus? Which appliance does a better job with these? Based on professional test results and user feedback, here's how these machines would fare in a small-appliance boxing match: Read more

A washing machine for small spaces, if not small loads

By Amy Livingston on July 7, 2012 in

Haier HLP21N

For many people, one night a week -- or even part of the weekend -- is routinely taken up by a trek to the nearest coin laundry. This can expensive, as well as time-consuming. Portable washing machines can offer a solution to this problem. These space-saving units can be tucked into a closet until they're needed, then wheeled into the kitchen and hooked up to the kitchen sink. No more schlepping out to the laundry, no more pumping in quarter after quarter; just connect one hose to the faucet, feed another down the drain, and you're ready to wash.

Professional review sources, such as ConsumerReports.org, do not cover portable washing machines. However, while researching our report on washing machines, we did discover one washer this size that receives lots of enthusiastic reviews from users at retail sites: the Haier HLP21N (*Est. $230). This product has more than 275 reviews from buyers at Amazon.com, as well as another 100-plus at HomeDepot.com, and it earns high overall ratings on both sites -- around 4.5 stars out of a possible 5. Read more

Navigating the world of no-bag travel

By Amy Livingston on April 7, 2012 in

no-bag travel

The concept of one-bag travel is nothing new. There have always been some airline passengers who prefer to avoid the hassle of the baggage claim (and the risk of lost or damaged luggage) by taking only carry-on bags, and as airlines have steadily jacked up their fees for checked baggage, this approach has grown increasingly popular. As a result, luggage bins have grown ever more crowded, and airlines have begun placing tighter limits on carry-on baggage. Most airlines now allow only one carry-on bag (plus a small personal item, such as a purse or laptop) free of charge, and one, Spirit Airlines, now charges even for a single carry-on. Now, some ambitious travelers are striking back by taking traveling light to its logical extreme: no-bag travel. Read more

Ten unusual uses for your microwave

Kitchen & Food
By Amy Livingston on March 31, 2012 in

Unusual microwave uses

If you own a microwave, chances are you use it for a few basic tasks: defrosting meats, steaming veggies, reheating leftovers and, of course, making popcorn. But if you think that's all your microwave is good for, think again. Search any kitchen- or cooking-themed blog and you're likely find at least one article suggesting unusual uses for your microwave. Here are 10 alternative uses for the microwave that we've come across. Read more

Choosing tools for the not-so-paperless office

Computers & Internet
By Amy Livingston on January 20, 2012 in

Messy desk

It's been over 35 years since the term "paperless office" first appeared in print, yet the paperless office is still far from a reality. Sure, we now keep a variety of material--from financial records to photographs--in electronic form, but that doesn't seem to have reduced our need for hard copies. This means that for the typical home office, a printer is still a key piece of equipment. Some may also need a scanner, for converting hard copies to electronic form, and a copier, for making duplicates of all those papers. Fortunately, a multifunction printer, or MFP, can combine all those pieces of equipment in one--in some cases, with a fax machine thrown in for good measure. Read more

Photo printers with digital frames are less than the sum of their parts

Computers & Internet
By Amy Livingston on November 9, 2011 in

Epson Picturemate Charm

If you're looking to display and print your digital photos -- and who isn't, really -- there are a few products that attempt to do both. The Epson PictureMate Show (*Est. $230) and the Sony DPP-F700 Digital Photo Frame/Printer (*Est. $200) both combine a compact photo printer, which can print out snapshots directly from your camera, with a digital photo frame for showing off your photos in slideshow format. But can either one really handle both jobs?

Read more

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