Export thread

I recently read a Consumer Reports article that indicated that John Deere and Bolens were rated the best among large-scale riding lawnmowers. I'm not sure I agree. I think Toro is quite good as well. What do you think ?

I have no faith in Consumer Reports. Seems like half the time they have no idea what they are talking about. Tell me, how can they be EXPERTS on everything? Cars, trucks, motorcycles, snowmobiles, atv's, televisions, computers, digital cameras, lawnmowers, DVD palyers, ect. They write reports on too many different types of items to be experts on any 1 of them. And a lot of the criteria they use is bull and does not really have significance.

Indypower makes a very good point there. personally I am more likely to be swayed by recommendations which are in publications (on or offline) which are focused on the topic. So if you want some ideas have a look here, or in a gardening magazine.

Consumer Reports has good and bad reviews - like everything else, you should research other places as well and not rely on one source for information.
C R has always disliked Subaru cars for some reason, but they are among the best and most reliable --- Go figure ?????

Others have given good advice - check out sources that are related to items you are thinking about and consider them more heavily then C R !

linda4 said:

I think Toro is quite good as well.

Click to expand...

I have never had any problems with a Toro, either. I think that money always talks. Consumer reports probably get some kind of a deal for trying out the big names. I think you have to actually talk to your neighbors and friends and get their honest opinions.

Indypower's comment reminds me of an "expert" review of a Ford model. It was in YouTube. I was amazed by the review. But something was wrong in the picture. I couldn't seem to identify what it was. I realized later that it was the person speaking himself that did not fit the picture. It was pointed out by one commenter. He was indeed young looking, almost like fresh from college. How could he possibly review a car like that as an expert?

It's great to read recommendations. But still we must verify and make our own judgement. I've been told by my father, time and again, to verify everything.

"I have no faith in Consumer Reports. Seems like half the time they have no idea what they are talking about. "

I agree.

Walt Conner

It would be interesting if there were a single source that accurately filled consumer needs...

but there are so many variables in establishing value in any purchase, that such a source would be difficult to put together.... :smile:KennyV

How do they gather their information in Consumer Reports? Since it is named "Consumer Reports" I imagine that they gather information from those that have already bought the units. That's my assumption only though. How exactly do they do it?

macky said:

How do they gather their information in Consumer Reports?

Click to expand...

CR sends out an annual survey to their subscribers. There are about 10 pages of questions about every different product in your home. They also do independent testing on most things they review.

Always look on a forum........people tell you the real Story from Personal experience.......not someone getting paid to make it look good.

Another thing that I would like to point out is the fact that there is always a bad apple in every bunch. You may be partial to a certain brand, but then you buy that one that slipped by the inspector, and you have so many issues with it that turns you against them forever!

Manny said:

Another thing that I would like to point out is the fact that there is always a bad apple in every bunch. You may be partial to a certain brand, but then you buy that one that slipped by the inspector, and you have so many issues with it that turns you against them forever!

Click to expand...

You are right...That is one very good reason, it is hard to get real subjective evaluations from people that can not keep themselves impartial.

But I am still swayed by individual experience with consumer goods. :smile:KennyV

KennyV said:

You are right...That is one very good reason, it is hard to get real subjective evaluations from people that can not keep themselves impartial.

But I am still swayed by individual experience with consumer goods. :smile:KennyV

Click to expand...

You can get a 'Lemon'.....but if there are lots of problems or complaints........steer clear.....or you will have severe Stress!:confused2:

BKBrown said:

Consumer Reports has good and bad reviews - like everything else, you should research other places as well and not rely on one source for information.
C R has always disliked Subaru cars for some reason, but they are among the best and most reliable --- Go figure ?????

Others have given good advice - check out sources that are related to items you are thinking about and consider them more heavily then C R !

Click to expand...

As a Consumer Report subscriber, I have to disagree with you. CR has always rated Subaru as very good to excellent. Matter of fact, they have even gone so far as to say it was one of the best vehicles they've ever rated. Not sure where you get your information, but it's wrong this time.

carl22 said:

As a Consumer Report subscriber, I have to disagree with you. CR has always rated Subaru as very good to excellent. Matter of fact, they have even gone so far as to say it was one of the best vehicles they've ever rated. Not sure where you get your information, but it's wrong this time.

Click to expand...

Maybe now - I stopped looking at the CR reports on Subaru because a while back they did not like them. I still have an online subscription, but only buy vehicles every 10 years or so and don't look at the reports unless I'm looking for that product. We've had 5 Subaru cars and one was a lemon, but the Subaru dealer made it right and kept us happy (traded us up for nearly nothing).

I've seen things I agreed with and things I did not -- I do like their vehicle price guide and dealers hate to see you coming with that print out.

I never got a bum steer on anything I bought on a CR recommendation----never. I don't subscribe, but I do look it over in the grocery store from time to time, and buy it if there's something I'm interested in. (Do they have an annual "Lawn Mower Issue" like they do for the cars each year?? If they don't maybe they should!)

The reviews are good only because we get to hear about new models. But because reviewers are paid to do the review, I am not sure I can base my decision on them. Forums like this are more useful.

I do not think these consumer reports are anything to be used when choosing to buy any kind of mower. I think they represent what is popular and not necessarily the best there is in the market.

minkyung said:

The reviews are good only because we get to hear about new models. But because reviewers are paid to do the review, I am not sure I can base my decision on them. Forums like this are more useful.

Click to expand...

I'm not sure where you get your information, but reviewers are NOT paid to review. CR independently tests each and every item they report on, whether it be a car, a lawnmower or a box of cereal. They DO send out annual questionnaires to subscribers to report on the reliability of things they own, but this is only a small part of CR's information. And it's not only new things, but older things as well.

Harriet said:

I never got a bum steer on anything I bought on a CR recommendation----never. I don't subscribe, but I do look it over in the grocery store from time to time, and buy it if there's something I'm interested in. (Do they have an annual "Lawn Mower Issue" like they do for the cars each year?? If they don't maybe they should!)

Click to expand...

They don't have an annual "Lawn Mower Issue" but they do regularly test and report on mowers. According to the 2010 Buying Guide, John Deere and Husqvarna are the most reliable lawn tractors, while Simplicity and Troy-Bilt were least reliable.

carl22 said:

They don't have an annual "Lawn Mower Issue" but they do regularly test and report on mowers. According to the 2010 Buying Guide, John Deere and Husqvarna are the most reliable lawn tractors, while Simplicity and Troy-Bilt were least reliable.

Click to expand...

I subscribed to CR from '81 thru last year, they do a good job of reporting but I don't think the staff are very mechanically minded. I cancelled my subscription because they wanted me to pay EXTRA for their online site...after almost 30 years of subscribing, they lost a customer because they expect subscribers to pay extra for using their online site? That is so stupid it's amazing. :confused2:

cwemoy said:

I do not think these consumer reports are anything to be used when choosing to buy any kind of mower. I think they represent what is popular and not necessarily the best there is in the market.

Click to expand...

No, not true at all. CR sends surveys to their members who own mowers and ask them to rate their mowers based on even mowing, starting, reliability and more. CR also tests mowers themselves for cutting, loudness, specs, reliability and more, and then print the results. It has no bearing on whether the mower is "popular" or not.

As a former long-time CR subscriber, I always seemed to find their reviews to be diamterically opposite of my personal experience with mechanical items - from automobiles to can openers. So I dropped them and started depending on web forums with first hand experience reports like this one.

I read consumer reports from time to time; one of the key things is they strive to be unbiased. Therefore, alot of their ratings are based on measureable things, mpg, braking distance, interior volume, etc. Of course, we are all biased, we all like John Deere, or Toro, or Subaru or Ford, so our "best" doesn't always match their best. I see it as just another viewpoint or data point, along with these forums and manufacturer's web sites to form my own opinion. In the end, it's my money; I'll buy what I want, if it's happens to be a consumer reports best buy, that's a coincidence.

You pick up one of there magazines and look at the advertising in side and when you find a product that is paying for there advertising they never have anything bad to say about it ever. It could be junk and to them it's all good.

I didn't think Consumer Reports accepted any advertising. Part of their unbiased claim. I guess it's been a while since I read one.

Grass ala Mowed said:

I didn't think Consumer Reports accepted any advertising. Part of their unbiased claim. I guess it's been a while since I read one.

Click to expand...

That's still true. They don't accept advertising, free product samples, or allow use of their reviews for selling products. That's why the subscription fee is higher than a typical magazine.

I think they're a good source for info but depending on the product, their testing criteria doesn't always match mine. For example they might not like a home theater receiver because it doesn't have front inputs, but I don't want or need front inputs. Or they might not rate a mower highly because it doesn't bag well, but I never bag my grass.

Most useful to me are the long-term reliability owner surveys.

Then I guess the magazine I'm holding in my hand as I write this with the advertising for Black and Decker, Oster, Toyota, Honda are just miss prints then.

RTSB said:

Then I guess the magazine I'm holding in my hand as I write this with the advertising for Black and Decker, Oster, Toyota, Honda are just miss prints then.

Click to expand...

I only access CR online nowadays, but when I got the magazine I never saw an ad. It's against their mission statement, which has remained unchanged since day one.

Consumer Reports Overview

Consumer Reports Mission Statement

I'd like to see what you're talking about though, as it would be a pretty big deal for them to go against their own policy and lose the one thing that allowed them to call themselves an unbiased source. I've seen no mention of this elsewhere on the web. Has anyone else seen ads in their print magazine?