Best Composite Decking of 2025

Ideally, the composite decking you choose will look good, and remain solid and safe, for many years. Consumer Reports’ performance tests evaluate these factors. We use specialized instruments to test each decking sample for resistance to flexing. That ensures that boards won’t bow or bend if you’re entertaining a crowd or if you park a…

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25 of the Worst Products of 2025—and What to Buy Instead

When it comes to purifying the air or filtering your water—you know, really insignificant tasks that don’t have an impact on your health and well-being at all—these products are spectacularly disappointing. The worst steam mop: Shark S1000Score: 5What is there to say about this model except the negative? It might have the words “steam mop”…

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Hurricane Melissa Has Meteorologists Terrified

Meteorologists who have spent the past few days monitoring the rapid development of Hurricane Melissa in the Atlantic Ocean are sounding the alarm about the storm, which is set to make landfall in Jamaica today as a Category 5 hurricane. The sustained—and growing—intensity of the storm is remarkable, experts say, and has the makings of…

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New York Is About to Feel Hotter Than Phoenix

The eastern US is the latest place to be hit with intense heat as the world plays a game of hot potato. In the coming days, New York is expected to see temperatures rise to near 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), but with humidity, it could feel more like 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees…

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Most and Least Reliable Gas Range Brands

From our surveys, we have reliability ratings for 15 major manufacturers of gas ranges: Amana, Bosch, Café (formerly GE Café), Electrolux, Frigidaire, GE, GE Profile, Hotpoint, JennAir, Kenmore, KitchenAid, LG, Maytag, Samsung, and Whirlpool. CR members can read on for some of the most crucial findings from our surveys, along with specific gas range models…

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Talking Carts 8: Buy a Car Like a Pro

Main theme: Consumer Reports has been the destination for unbiased car reviews since 1936. But did you know that we anonymously buy every vehicle we test—some 50 cars, trucks, and SUVs each year?  In this episode, hosts Tanya Christian and Brian Vines get a crash course in car buying from our senior autos reporter, Keith…

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