Catherine Roberts Catherine Roberts is a health and science journalist at Consumer Reports. She has been at CR since 2016, covering infectious diseases, bugs and bug sprays, consumer medical devices like hearing aids and blood pressure monitors, health privacy, and more. As a civilian, her passions include bike rides, horror films and fiction, and research…
If you have a cat, you know how picky, perfect, and just plain weird they can be. Most of the complaints lodged against cats are people not understanding they’re not dogs; their behavior can be a bit tricker and more aloof. The next-biggest cat complaint is that litter boxes are stinky, and you don’t want…
Tonal is a high-tech slab of ambition—a gym in a mirror for those wanting to trade dumbbells for algorithm-powered gains. Tonal 2 is sleeker, sharper, and somehow even more expensive than before. At $4,295 (plus several add-on costs), it’s both a statement piece and a serious financial commitment. I wanted to know if Tonal could…
As the birthplace of prestige TV shows like The Sopranos and The Wire, HBO—and, by extension, Max (aka the streamer formerly known as HBO Max)—is best known for its impressive lineup of original series. The network has also been upping the ante with feature-length content that is the stuff of Oscar dreams. Below is a list of some…
Active (aka “powered”) speakers do not require a separate amplifier or receiver. Instead, they have built-in amplification (which powers the speakers and makes the sound loud enough to play through them). These amps are often customized for their specific drivers and cabinetry, which can deliver performance benefits. Modern powered speakers may have other perks, like…
Hoka running shoes have been popular with trail and mountain runners (or “skyrunners”, if you prefer) since the company’s inception in 2009. But it was only during the Covid-19 pandemic that we all threw fashion out the window and became obsessed with these insanely puffy, comfy shoes. The iconic, everyday Cliftons are the most popular…
This is an interesting time of year to be TV shopping. On one hand, you’ll still find a decent number of leftover 2023 models, often at their all-time lowest prices. On the other, the first wave of new 2024 TVs have now arrived, typically at their higher introductory prices. Regardless of the model year, though,…
We have data that goes back 20 years on many models, so we can also tell you which will be dependable and which could be expensive to maintain. Every model listed below came with electronic stability control (ESC) as standard or optional equipment. Some of the models were available with advanced safety systems such as…
Do you take a lot of notes? Whether you’re in school or working in a job that requires lots of jotting down ideas, you may opt for typing notes on a laptop, but physically writing something down helps you remember and learn more. Putting real pen to paper also just feels good. However, having a…
The first notable feature is Help Me Write, which works in any text box. Select text in any text box and right-click—you’ll see a box next to the standard right-click context menu. You can ask Google’s AI to rewrite the selected text, rephrase it in a specific way, or change the tone. I tried to…