How to Protect Yourself After the Massive AT&T Data Breach

The data breach involved nearly all AT&T cellular phone customers during a monthslong period in 2022 By Allen St. John A major data breach in 2022 exposed the phone and text records of almost all AT&T wireless phone customers, the company has revealed. The actual content of the calls and texts wasn’t compromised in the…

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Cars That Cost the Least to Maintain in the Long Run

CR’s exclusive data can help you save Nissan Leaf By Benjamin Preston We’ve crunched the numbers to present you with the cars recommended by Consumer Reports that have the lowest routine maintenance and repair costs. (There are many that are cheaper to maintain, but they’re not recommended.) These numbers are based on 10 years of…

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Should You Wash Produce With Baking Soda?

By Pang-Chieh Ho We posted a TikTok video that talked about the best way to wash produce. Our recommendation was to wash your fruits and vegetables under running water and never use soap and bleach.  A few viewers had questions for us: What about soaking produce in distilled white vinegar? Or does dousing it in…

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Yes, You Can Buy a Car Online. But Should You?

Online car shopping can eliminate traditional hassles, but in CR’s experience, it can also create new ones—especially if you’re buying from a startup By Keith Barry When Tesla first started selling its Model S EV online in 2012, buying a new car over the internet was unheard of. Since then, a slew of new automakers,…

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Best Blackout Curtains of 2024

If light streams through your window as you’re trying to sleep—because, say, you have street lights or traffic nearby or you’re a shift worker—then blackout curtains may be worth considering. Our 2022 survey found that 88 percent of people who bought blackout shades or curtains in the previous year found them somewhat or very effective…

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Best Patio Coolers

Patio coolers are larger-capacity coolers on wheels that can be kept outside throughout the summer season. CR already reviewed small coolers and wine fridges and regularly tests full-sized refrigerators, so we decided to evaluate outdoor cooler carts, too. After setting them up in our lab to record the temperature inside each cooler for 26 hours,…

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Best Window Air Conditioners of 2024

Top choices for small, midsized, and large rooms from Frigidaire, LG, Midea, and more Window air conditioners from LG, Frigidaire, and Midea (left to right) are among the models that top CR’s ratings in various size categories. By Allen St. John When summer approaches, a window air conditioner can be your best friend, an easy…

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Most Reliable 3-Year-Old Used Midsized SUVs

These solid choices range from comfortable cruisers to rugged off-roaders Honda Pilot By Jon Linkov A 3-year-old used SUV is likely to have many of the same features as a brand-new model—and even look very similar to it—but one thing it doesn’t come with is as high a price. That’s because the fundamentals of car…

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Beware a Flood of Flooded Cars

Cars swamped in stormwater could return to market far from where the damage occurred By Consumer Reports Thousands of cars are damaged or destroyed by floods every year, such as those ravaged by hurricanes or major rainfalls. Don’t assume all those compromised vehicles end up in a junkyard. Some water-damaged cars are repaired and resold…

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