All posts in: Report Updates

How to extend the life of your tool's rechargeable battery

By Sarah Shelton on January 15, 2013 in

extending rechargeable battery life

Cordless tools let you go wherever the job is, but they leave you at the mercy of your rechargeable battery. If you fail to charge your battery properly, your tools will be rendered useless. But with a little care, you can maximize your rechargeable battery's life.

There are three types of rechargeable batteries. Nickel-cadmium (Ni-Cd) batteries have been around the longest and are the least expensive, but they also have the shortest lifespan. The majority of new cordless tools use lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, which are more powerful, more compact and more durable than Ni-Cd batteries. Nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) batteries are the least common type; they lose their charge quickly when not in use.

The lifespan of a rechargeable battery life is measured in cycles, or the number of times you can charge it before it loses the ability to hold power. Lifespan varies between types and brands, but in general lithium-ion batteries last about three to five years, or up to three times as long as nickel-cadmium batteries, says Elisa Bernick of home-improvement magazine The Family Handyman. 

Here are a few tips to extend the life of your battery. Read more

Innovative (or wacky?) Bluetooth headsets

Electronics
By Christina Lindsay on October 19, 2012 in

Bluetooth headsets

Design and technology in Bluetooth headsets are evolving at an interesting pace. On one side are the headsets that preserve the "retro-marketer" look and on the other end of the spectrum are those that can qualify as costume jewelry. We've come across headsets with motion sensors that can respond to shakes and taps. There's a whole line of headsets with military-grade noise cancellation, and others designed to be discreet and super-comfortable, even after hours of wear. We also stumbled upon some quirky, yet somewhat practical features, from a hibernation mode to extend battery life for months to a dog-tag design for a rugged outdoors look. All the Bluetooth headsets in this slideshow offer something a little different.  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

The Cloud: a solution to the problem of having too much music?

Computers & Internet
By Christina Lindsay on July 2, 2012 in

Cloud music storage

Purchasing music online and downloading it digitally to computers, MP3 players and phones has certainly changed the way we discover and listen to music, not least of which is releasing us from the need to own physical CDs. However, this freedom has come with its own, new, set of problems. The almost overwhelming selection of music, literally tens of millions of songs, available at low prices means that some of us now own too much music: too much to organize and too much to store, maybe even too much to listen to. If you add in the further complication of making sure that the music we want to hear is on the device that we want to use at the time that we want to listen to it, owning digital music seems like a lot of work. Read more

Get creamed!

Health & Beauty
By Michelle Vongphakdy on June 23, 2012 in

Man with shaving cream on his face

Experts agree that a good shaving cream is necessary for the smoothest and most comfortable shave. Even though I know this, I'll admit: I often shave with just soap and water since it seems like it saves time. It took reading a bunch of user reviews for shaving creams to make me consider changing my ways. Read more

Build a home gym for less than $200

Fitness & Sports
By Tanya Menoni on June 19, 2012 in

Man working out with dumbbells by the ocean

With a little creativity, you can build your own home gym with just a few pieces of fitness equipment. Experts say investing in individual equipment makes more sense financially than spending thousands on a home gym. Here are the basics on setting up a home workout space without spending more than a few hundred dollars.  Read more

Keep on rockin' in the free world with these five streaming music mobile apps

Computers & Internet
By Brad Chacos on June 13, 2012 in

MOG music streaming app

Whether you're a fan of singing in the rain, hanging out somewhere under a rainbow or simply rolling down the street, sipping on Coke or juice, a new generation of mobile music apps is making it easier than ever to soothe the savage breast while on the run. While conducting research for our new Streaming Music Services report, I found five services' music apps consistently bubbling to the top of expert recommendations. Two even offer unlimited tunage for free!

Keep in mind, however, that while you're walking down the street nailing a sweet air guitar solo and listening to Jimi Hendrix, all that streaming music is eating away at your 3G/4G mobile data allotment. I will outline how much data these mobile apps actually use in an upcoming post. Now on to the tunes! Read more

Arm yourself against heart disease

Health & Beauty
By Rita Colorito on May 30, 2012 in

Arm with blood pressure cuff with blood line

Doctors recommend monitoring your blood pressure at home if you have high blood pressure. Taking daily readings yields a more accurate measure of blood pressure than a one-time reading during a doctor's exam, which could skew higher because of something called "white-coat" anxiety. Read more

"Good enough" lawn mowers that won't break the bank

Home & Garden
By Catherine Jo Morgan on May 28, 2012 in

"Good enough" lawn mowers that won't break the bank

Our just updated report on lawn mowers identifies the best mowers, according to the best reviews we could find, covering all types from manual reel mowers to self-propelled gas models. But what if your lawn isn't your pride and joy, and you just want a mower that's "good enough?" How little can you pay for a walk-behind mower and still get a reasonably good cut? Read more

Eco-friendly stain removers

Home & Garden
By Kelly Anne Fitzpatrick on April 30, 2012 in

green stain remover

In researching our recent report on the best stain removers, we came across one especially sticky situation -- green stain removers. "Green-washing," or making (often unfounded) eco claims, occurs in almost every product category these days, but household cleaners are notorious for exaggerating their environmental benefits.

The Today Show provides some excellent pointers for picking out truly eco-friendly products, like watching out for vague claims and double-checking ingredient lists or product websites. But if comparative shopping and crossing your fingers doesn't quite seem like a sure thing, we've got a solution for you. Both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and independent non-profits, Green  Seal and Eco Logo, have already done the work for you, identifying products that are safe for the environment, and you and your family. Considering only those products that were approved by at least one of these organizations, we've rounded up some of the highest-reviewed, eco-friendly stain removers on the market. Read more

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