Is Consumer Reports reliable?

[georgevan]

I always wondered if Consumer Reports was reliable. They seem to be experts on everything which makes me wonder. Also I often edit wondered if companies might pay them off for a good report.

 

[Andy M.]

They don’t take ads in the magazine to avoid conflicts of interest. They do extensive testing. I have found them reliable.

However, you may not need the best and therefore most expensive model of an item so could settle for one lower in the ratings. They do list the faults of items so you can decide if they’re important to you.

 

[GotGarlic]

I've read from experts in the field that they're not very good at food science, but they seem to be solid on cars and appliances.

 

[buckytom]

They seem to be, but then I've learned the hard way that the BBB is pure ********, and everyone sells out nowadays, so I have no idea what to trust anymore.

 

[karadekoolaid]

Depends how you qualify "reliable". If the investigation team are qualified, do exhaustive research, compare multiple items, study fact rather than ficion, and meticulously document their findings before making an objective decision, yes, they are reliable.
If a business or some independent entity is going to commission a consumer report, then I´d expect nothing less than experts doing the investigation.
As for companies "paying them off" ; I seriously doubt that is the case. They would, after all, be opening themselves up to criminal charges of fraud. They may well pressure investigation teams to produce a favourable report ( that´s lobbying and it happens everywhere) but if the team wants a truly objective result, they will take no notice.

 

[taxlady]

Consumer Reports, according to Wikiedia

... is an American nonprofit consumer organization dedicated to independent product testing, investigative journalism, consumer-oriented research, public education, and consumer advocacy.