Consumer Reports – November + December 2025: Top Picks of the Yea

Just in time for the holiday shopping season CR offers their top picks on all sorts of products. “These 116 standouts are in a league of their own…They’re the products our experts would personally recommend (and in some cases, the ones they own themselves).” Their picks for best new and used cars are featured as well as kitchen appliances, vacuums, mattresses, drills and grills, workout equipment, tech gear, even car seats for the kids. The CR reps offer an “I own this!” sidebar on each page of this section to give their firsthand account of the quality and performance of these products. See “Great Gifts Under $50” for more shopping ideas and check out the back cover for “CR’s Naughty List.”.

Remember that old tongue twister that starts out: Betty Botter bought some butter…? In this issue CR considers “What’s the best butter?” to help Betty avoid that bitter butter and choose the better butter for her batter. CR reviews 10 brands and offers some helpful tips on how to “Maximize the Flavor” and reduce fat when using butter in recipes.

Get the latest on the best washers and dryers in “Your Guide to Really Clean Clothes.” You’ll find ratings for Front Load Washers and Electric Dryers, there’s even a rating list for Detergents. Here’s an interesting piece of advice, CR says: “skip the dryer sheets. They’re a waste of money.” And they can leave buildup on a dryer’s sensors over time. For more helpful tips read “6 Ways to Make Your Machines Last Longer.”

With the winter season coming up wouldn’t you like to save some money… maybe a lot of money? Read “Cut Your Bills by more than $800 a Month” to see how much you might be able to save. Learn how you can cut your energy, insurance, entertainment, phone and internet costs. CR suggests taking advantage of free trials to reduce streaming fees. But they forgot to mention that you can also cut costs on entertainment by using Hoopla through the Fauquier Public Library. It’s totally free. All you need is a library card to access thousands of movies and television shows.

Other Products List:

• New Car Buying Guide

• Luggage That Makes Travel Easier

• CR’s Holiday Tipping Cheat Sheet

• How Not to Wreck Your Appliances

Consumer Reports magazine is available free in print and online to Fauquier Public Library card holders, providing access to articles, reviews and ratings on over 8,000 products and services. The library has copies of Consumer Reports dating back to 2022.

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