Michael Finney's Consumer Blog

The best instant coffees

I have always looked at instant coffee as being a good way to waste a fine cup of hot water. However a recent test of the stuff found there is some instants that are actually worth drinking. Coming in as the best is Starbucks Via Columbia. But what's cool is some of the names on the list I had never heard of: Jacobs Kronung? Bustelo Supreme?

Here is the test from Kitchen Daily: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/05/best-instant-coffee_n_1405887.html#s845732&title=4_Bustelo_Supreme

 

Paying more for less at the grocery store

You have no doubt noticed cereal boxes are skinnier and your candy bars are smaller, but the package isn’t. Quarts of ice cream aren’t really quarts anymore and that pound of coffee, isn’t a pound either.  If you are thinking you are paying more at the grocery store you are right, you just aren’t paying more per item… the items are getting smaller.  

>>Here’s one columnist’s take from Watsonville

New lower lead limit for kids' products to be enforced

New lower lead limits for children's products. Starting on August 14, 2011, manufacturers, importers, retailers and distributors of children’s products must comply with new federal limits for total lead content.

Controversial annual sunscreen report released

The Food and Drug Administration is dragging its feet and that is making you less safe in the sun. The agency was to release new sunscreen rules... four years ago... and still nothing. The Environmental Working Group, though, has issued its controversial annual sunscreen report. Its scientists say most sunscreens are either unsafe or not effective.

>>Here's the report: http://breakingnews.ewg.org/2011sunscreen/

Here’s why you should drink Costco Beer

There’s a lot of good reasons to shop at Costco, now add this to the list: microbrews worth buying. Consumer Reports blind taste-tested the beers and they were pronounced, “party worthy.”  Here’s what Costco isn’t telling you, but a quick search of the internet uncovers; the microbrewery making the stuff is a hometown favorite. Here on the west coast the Costco beer is brewed by Hopfen und Malz Brewing Company in San Jose. Huh? Turns out that is really Gordon Biersch. So shop Costco, get good beer prices, employ local folks.

>>Get all the details at consumerreports.org

Car booster seats make gains in insurance testing

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has tested 72 booster seats for children between the ages of 4 and 8.  There's a lot of good to pick from, but some that should be passed up.  Researchers didn’t perform crash tests – that’s done for baby seats - because in these bigger models it is the seat belt that protects the child. The Institute instead looked at how well the booster seat positioned the seat belt. Good places for the safety belt are across a child's upper thighs - not the stomach - and across the mid-shoulder - not at the neck.

Here’s the complete list:

BEST BETS:

Britax Frontier 85 (combination highback)
Chicco Keyfit Strada (dual highback)
Clek Oobr (dual highback)
Cosco Juvenile Pronto (dual highback)
Cybex Solution X-Fix (highback)
Eddie Bauer Auto Booster (dual highback)
Evenflo Big Kid Amp (backless)
Evenflo Maestro (combination highback)
Graco TurboBooster Crawford (dual highback)
Harmony Baby Armor (dual highback)
Harmony Dreamtime (dual backless)
Harmony Dreamtime (dual highback)
Harmony Secure Comfort Deluxe (backless)
Harmony Youth Booster Seat (backless)
Maxi-Cosi Rodi XR (dual highback)
Recaro ProBOOSTER (highback)
Recaro ProSPORT (combination highback)
Recaro Vivo (highback)
Recaro Young Sport (combination highback)
Safety 1st Boost Air Protect (dual highback)
The First Years Pathway B570 (highback)

GOOD BETS:

Britax Parkway SG (dual highback)
Combi Kobuk Air Thru (dual backless)
Combi Kobuk Air Thru (dual highback)
Evenflo Symphony 65 (3-in-1 highback)
Graco TurboBooster Sachi (dual highback)
Graco TurboBooster Wander (dual highback)
Maxi-Cosi Rodi (dual highback)

NOT RECOMMENDED

Eddie Bauer Deluxe (combination highback)
Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1 (highback)
Evenflo Express (combination highback)
Evenflo Generations 65 (combination highback)
Evenflo Sightseer (highback)
Harmony Baby Armor (dual backless)
Safety 1st All-in-One (3-in-1 highback)Safety 1st Alpha Omega Elite (3-in-1 highback)

>> Get more details at iihs.org

FDA gets tough on misleading food labels

WARNING: Food labels could be hazardous to your health.

Watch my report for a little background:

>> Read Full Story