CONSUMER REPORTS' JUNE ISSUE FEATURES
SUMMER FUN WITH GRILLS, AND LAWN MOWERS
PLUS 50 WAYS TO SAVE WATER

PAGE 40

Cooking with gas
Consumer Reports fired up 21 gas grills and found that you can buy an excellent grill for $2,000 or spend $200 for one of four very good CR Best Buys. While the high-scoring Weber Summit 450 26[1]101 will set you back more than $2,000, all four CR Best Buys and several other grills perform well and cost $450 or less. Fewer features and lighter-duty materials account for most of their lower price. Consumers may also see some long-time perks missing as grill makers cut costs. Fewer grills we tested this time around have a thermometer or fuel gauge. Still other features are trickling down from pricier gas grills. More models have an electronic igniter for easier starting.

PAGE 34

Tests of 53 Lawn Mowers
Consumer Reports has put 53 lawn mowers to the test, including 20 push-type mowers and 33 self-propelled models. The best of these work-saving, self-propelled machines still cost the most. But CR's tests reveal two CR Best Buys that mow nearly as well for far less. The push-type mowers, the simplest of power mowers, cost the least and include both gasoline-powered models and plug-in electric models. Among the 20 in this report, four CR Best Buys did especially well and cost less than $200.

PAGE 10

Dealing with Drought: 50 Ways to Save Water
This year could be the driest on record in many states, prompting officials to call for water restrictions for residents and businesses alike. Of course, water conservation makes sense for environmental and economic reasons even if your area is not facing a water shortage. Consumer Reports provides 50 ways to live with less water, and making just one or two changes can make a major difference. Fixing leaky toilets, for instance, can save more than 100 gallons of water a day. Some tips include:

· Replace older toilets with new 1.6-gallon-per-flush models.
· Add compost or peat moss to soil to improve its water-holding capacity.
· Steam vegetables instead of boiling. Besides using less water, you'll retain more vitamins in the food.

PAGE 42

Home Repair: Keeping a Basement Dry
Too much moisture in a basement or below-grade crawlspace can be merely annoying, making the space below ground feel clammy, or it can be costly and dangerous. Large amounts of water can cause structural damage to the foundation and supporting columns and can promote the growth of health-threatening mold on walls. Consumer Reports' special report on home repair, "The Dry Basement," describes the most common problems, identifies what consumers can fix by themselves, and when its best to hire a professional.

PAGE 32

Something to sneeze at: Consumer Reports noses out the best tissues
Facial tissues may be throwaway items, but the differences among them are nothing to sneeze at. The 21 tissues we tested for this report - including national and store brands with and without extras such as lotion and aloe - varied greatly in cost, softness and strength. Prices ranged from 48 cents to $2.22 per 100. On the whole, cheaper tissues weren't up to snuff compared with pricier rivals. But we uncovered one excellent tissue, Puffs No Lotion, selling at less than half the price of the most expensive.

PAGE 47

Product Updates: Rating of Deck Treatments and House Paints

Consumer Reports presents a product update in its long-term testing of deck treatments and house paints. While overall appearance is by far CR's most important ratings factor, CR also judges how well the products resist the build-up of dirt and mildew, how they resist fading or color change, and how well they adhere to a chalky surface. (The last judgment tells you whether the paint will stick to a surface that hasn't been cleaned, scraped or sanded well.) The best exterior paint after five years is Pratt & Lambert Accolade Eggshell. Among deck treatments, opaque coatings have held up the best in our tests. Cabot Deck Staining 1480 is best overall, but by a very small margin.

Also in this issue:

· The truth about diets
· Computer security
· Mutual funds update
· Steps to harmonize finances in a second marriage

View Files Sorted By Office: Consumers Union OPI, New York - Washington DC Office
West Coast Regional Office - Southwest Regional Office - Consumer Policy Institute

  
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