Which household products rated best?

Herb Weisbaum & Consumer Reports

A low price doesn't always mean a good deal, especially if the product doesn't perform well.

The experts at Consumer Reports have tested thousands of household items over the past year - from detergents to toilets - and have put together a list of some of the best and worst home products, based on products that are Best Buys or Recommended.

The list, featured in Consumer Reports, is part of a comprehensive package that also includes the best and worst yard products including lawn mowers, tractors, and string trimmers.

"Faced with all the options on store shelves these days, even choosing something as simple as toilet paper can be a nuisance," said Celia Kuperszmid Lehrman, deputy home editor for Consumer Reports. "We are sharing the best and worst picks from our rigorous tests to help consumers save time and money when shopping."

Consumer Reports sifted through its lists of tested products to find some of the best choices for consumers. Staffers looked for products that tested at or near the top of their product category.

All picks are recommended, which means they combine performance with value. In the May issue, Consumer Reports' testers also highlighted some of duds they've discovered. Here are some of the products that made the "Best" list.

Laundry detergent:
Tide 2X Ultra with Color Clean Bleach Alternative, which costs around 32 cents per average load, was the top-scorer for washing away tough stains in Consumer Reports tests.

Liquid dishwasher detergent:
Cascade Complete with Bleach Hydroclean Action Powder at 12 cents per load, excelled at cleaning dishes, thanks in part to phosphates which can harm the environment.

Carpet stain removers:
Bissell's Oxypro Carpet Spot and Stain Remover, $4.85, was best overall and one of the best at lifting French dressing and spaghetti sauce.

Carpet-cleaning machines:
The Hoover Dual V Steam Vac All Terrain with Spin Scrub F7452-900, $270, cleaned almost as well as a professional service Consumer Reports hired. The Hoover left very little solution behind, so the carpet dried faster.

Paper towels:
Walgreens Ultra Quilted, $2.50 per 100 square feet, was one of the top-rated brands of paper towels. It was absorbent and held up well in scrub tests.

Toasters:
Cusiniart CPT-170, $180, consistently produced batch after batch of evenly toasted bread, and a digital display counts the seconds until the toast is ready.

Toaster ovens:
The Cuisinart TOB-195, $80, was very good at baking and broiling, toasts bread evenly, and is spacious enough for a four-pound chicken.

Cookware:
Earth Pan with Sand Flow (10 pieces), $190, delivered high performance at half the price of some of the other cookware sets Consumer Reports tested.

Stand mixers:
KitchenAid Classic K45SS[WH], $200, has topped Consumer Reports Ratings for years because it can whip up fluffy meringues and handle double batches of bread dough with ease.

Toilet paper:
Quilted Northern Ultra Plush, which costs 29 cents per 100 sheets, is top-rated and disintegrated easily when flushed, making it easier on plumbing and septic systems.

Toilets:
The American Standard Champion 4 2002.014, $425, provided power, quietness, and thorough bowl cleansing in one flush.

Showerheads:
Moen's top-rated Inspire 21777, $50, offered a strong flow of water at a consistent temperature and seven settings.


For more information on the best and worst home products please visit www.ConsumerReports.org.

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