- Why can't I find a user review for the item I want?
- Who writes these reviews?
- What does it mean if a review contradicts an expert CR rating/review?
- Do user reviews influence the coverage on ConsumerReports.org or in Consumer Reports magazine?
- What should I do if I suspect someone is writing false posts?
Why can't I find a user review for the item I want?
We try to keep up-to-date on all major products available in the marketplace, and we refresh our database frequently.
However, manufacturers introduce new products all the time. If yours doesn't appear in our list, please try back
again.
If you can't find an opinion for a particular product on our list, it's because no one has shared an opinion on it
yet. If you do purchase that product, please help out fellow consumers by letting them know what you think of it.
Manufacturer or retailer has submitted a review in order to promote a particular item, and that opinion
may not be as honest as you would like.
If you spot a review you find suspicious, please use the "flag this review" link to report the problem.
User reviews are written by people a lot like you. The authors have used the product and want to tell people about it. We like to think of our subscribers as America's savviest consumers, and based on our experiences, we expect that those sharing their opinions actually own the items but we can't verify that. There's a chance a manufacturer or retailer has submitted a review in order to promote a particular item, and that opinion may not be as honest as you would like. If you spot a review you find suspicious, please use the "flag this review" link to report the problem.
What does it mean if an opinion contradicts an expert Consumer Reports rating/review?
Consumer Reports ratings and recommendations are based on rigorous testing, and we rate all models on precisely the same rigorous standards. Reviewers who live with products day-to-day and have personal needs and preferences may have unique experiences and subjective views of a particular product. We believe these personal, anecdotal insights can complement and extend our science-based ratings, and will enable us to provide an even richer sense of how a particular product performs. We will monitor comments made by our users selectively and, when there is significant and continued disagreements between our test results and users' reviews, we will investigate and report back to you.
Do user reviews influence the coverage on ConsumerReports.org or in Consumer Reports magazine?
All of our procedures for testing and reporting will remain as stringent and independent as ever. But we do, anticipate that user reviews can have a long-term benefit: If we see a pattern of reviews or complaints about a particular model or feature, we can shine our testing spotlight on it and give all our readers the scientific, unbiased data they've come to expect about what's really happening with the product. In short, user reviews will never influence the outcome of our testing and editorial process, but have the potential to improve that process.
What should I do if I suspect someone is writing false posts?
If you think that someone is writing inaccurate or misleading reviews of a product, you can bring it to our attention using the "flag this review" link under the review. In addition to flagging a review, please let us know if you feel that the review was "helpful/or not" to you. By doing so you will help maintain the relevance and quality of the user review content.
