What's new in Consumer Reports: Home content from the March 2010 issue

Just in time for spring-cleaning season, the March 2010 issue of Consumer Reports offers ratings-based reports on carpet cleaners and stain removers, vacuums, trash and food-storage bags, and interior paints. We've also reviewed hand mixers, though those might only help you make a mess when you bake or cook.

And don't forget to check out our spring-cleaning tips for the home, covering windows and window blinds, upholstery, pillows, ceiling fans, and more.

Carpet cleaners and stain removers
Some of the larger carpet-cleaning machines we tested from Hoover and Bissell were not as effective as the Stanley Steemer professional carpet-cleaning service at removing ground-in dirt. We also tested the Rug Doctor Mighty Pro rental machine; watch the video, right, for more details.

The machines as a whole performed better than the 13 tested carpet-stain removers against tough stains like red wine and coffee. Pretreating stains also helps; check out  this video on how to handle paint, pet urine, wine, and soda. The chemical stain removers performed better with some types of stains and worse with others.

Vacuum cleaners
Many of the tested vacuums managed to clean carpets effectively, but only a few could also handle pet hair and combine that ability with easy handling. If you're in the market for a new vacuum, use our free buyer's guide and check out our ratings of canisters, uprights, and stick and handheld models and sweepers/brooms.
 
Trash bags
We stuffed 16 pounds of jagged wood and metal pieces into 30-gallon Glad ForceFlex and Hefty Ultra Flex bags, then added more weight and shook well to see which bag best resisted tearing. Read the report or watch this video to discover which bag outflexed the other.

Food-storage bags
We went a little easier on the press-to-seal and zipper-lock models we tested, filling them with 4 cups of water before turning them sideways and upside down before dropping them. We also tested which bags, including some whose makers claim can extend storage time, kept strawberries and green peppers freshest in the refrigerator.
 
Interior paints
Manufacturers have succeeded in improving one-coat coverage while reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their paints. In our tests of flat, low-luster, and semigloss finishes, Behr paints (sold at Home Depot) were rated highest for most applications, but as you'll see in this video, other brands might be better for sunny rooms, kitchens, and bathrooms. Check our ratings and the many opinions in our paints forum.

Hand mixers
Several models that cost less than $80 made short work of mixing chocolate chips into stiff cookie batter in our tests of hand mixers. A $40 multitasking model from Kalorik that also blends, chops, and juices might appeal if you are on a tight budget or have limited storage space or only a limited need for these capabilities.

—Gian Trotta