Appliances Electronics Spruce-ups

cover story 398 top products
Appliances
Dishwashers
Blenders
spotlight
Using a dishwasher saves energy and water compared
with washing dishes by hand. Our tests have shown
there’s no need to pre-rinse dishes. New models are also
much quieter, which is crucial because cycle times have
gotten longer—2 hours or more—as efficiency has
improved. Half-load options are available for small loads.
But don’t pay extra for a steam cycle or a stainless interior,
which add little to performance.
Brand & model
Price Overall score
Kenmore 1374[2]
$720 80
Bosch SHE33M0[2]UC
600 79
Kenmore 1389[2]
500 78
Whirlpool Gold GU2300XTV[Q]
550 78
400 77
Whirlpool DU1055XTV[Q]
Upscale looks, increased power, and sturdier
construction are driving blender sales. But the
difference between an under-$100 model and one
costing up to five times more is often just a little
less consistency in your smoothie’s ice chunks. Our
tests show that alternatives, such as immersion
blenders, combo blenders, and food processors,
can sacrifice performance.
Continuous-feed garbage
disposers, like the $165
Waste King Gourmet
SS3300, are the easiest
to use because you can
push in new scraps
without pausing. But if
you have small kids,
consider a batch-feed
disposer, which grinds
only after you load it, and
cover the drain with a
stopper. The $230 Waste
King Legend 8000 (shown) ground
the fastest and the finest, but the
$250 InSinkErator Evolution Cover
Control was quieter.
Whirlpool Gold GU2300XTV[Q]
Brand & model
Price Overall score
Oster Counterforms BVLBO7-L $90 72
Oster Fusion BRLY07-Z
80 70
Oster Fusion BRLY07-Z
Kenmore 1374[2]
Spruce-ups
Sewing machines
Electronic ones eliminate much of the guesswork. They recommend
the proper presser foot, determine the right thread tension and
stitch length, size and sew a buttonhole, and automatically cut the
thread. Embroidery/sewing machines add the ability to do detailed
monogramming and embroidery. A less-expensive mechanical
model is all you need for basic repairs, hems, and crafts projects.
Kenmore 15358
spotlight
You don’t have to spend a
lot to get a decent iron. The
Black & Decker Digital
Advantage D2030 is our
top-rated model and costs
$55. It’s easy to use and has
a digital display. Check next
month for our new report.
Electronics
Brand & model
Price
Overall score
$ 800 66
Mechanical Pfaff Select 3.0
Kenmore 15358
120 65
Electronic
Bernina Activa 230PE
1,350 79
Brother Innov-is 40 Project
400 79
Runway Limited Edition
Janome Memory Craft 6600P 1,500 79
Bernina Aurora 440QE
Camcorders
Brand & model
Standard Canon DC410 (DVD)
definition
Canon ZR960 (MiniDV)
Samsung SMX-F34 (Flash)
High
Canon VIXIA HV40 (MiniDV)
definition
Canon VIXIA HF S10 (Flash)
Canon VIXIA HF S100 (Flash)
Price
Overall score
$ 275 60
250 54
300 54
800 73
1,300 69
1,000 68
Sony HDR-XR500V (Flash/HDD) 1,300 60
Sony HDR-CX100 (Flash)
Look for new Ratings in the January issue.
Janome 6260 QC
Embroidery/
Bernina Aurora 440QE
sewing
900 72
3,500 89
Brother Innov-is 40 Project
Runway Limited Edition
spotlight
Standard-definition models offering decent video are smart buys,
while high-def models get you better quality at a higher price.
Storage formats include MiniDV tape cassettes, DVDs, hard drives,
internal memory, and removable flash-memory cards. Some offer
two storage options, such as a hard drive and a DVD or memory card.
Type
Type
spotlight
Paint stinks, partly because of the
volatile organic compounds in it.
Governments have reduced allowable
levels because VOCs affect air quality
and are linked to respiratory illnesses.
We detected VOCs in every paint we
tested, even those marketed as no- or
low-VOC. Among the best low-VOC
paints overall were the low-luster
Benjamin Moore Aura, $57; the flat
Olympic Premium, $17 (Lowe’s); and
the semigloss Sears Best Easy Living
Ultra, $25. Prices are per gallon.
500 59
The Canon VIXIA HV40, $800, is a MiniDV HD camcorder
with excellent video picture quality and an excellent
image stabilizer. It’s also very good at shooting in low
light, an environment that many camcorders have
difficulty handling.
Desktop computers
Desktops are among the best bargains in computers. Some
models priced at less than $800 are loaded with features and
powerful enough for 3D gaming. There are even good values
among all-in-ones, which have generally been on the pricey side.
Type
Brand & model
Full-sized HP Pavilion Elite m9650f
HP Pavilion Elite e9120f
Gateway LX6810-01
Compaq Presario CQ5110F
Compact HP Pavilion Slimline s5160f
Gateway SX2800-01
Acer Aspire AX1700-U3700A
All-in-one Apple iMac 24-inch MB418LL/A
HP TouchSmart IQ804
Lenovo IdeaCentre A600
Dell Studio One 19
Price
Overall score
$1,150 85
740 78
650 74
1 spotlight
The Dell Studio
One 19, $870, costs
far less than most
all-in-ones and has
a multitouch
touch-screen
display.
370 59
820 72
490 68
390 64
1,460 66
1,600 64
1,100 64
870 60
Look for new Ratings in the December issue.
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