ICYMI: Uber and Lyft Pricing, Cheap Cars, New Sunscreen Ingredient

In March and April 2026, CR recruited 174 volunteers to price dozens of routes in 18 states to determine whether customers were charged different prices for the same rides. We defined the “same ride” as a trip from the same starting point to the same ending point priced at almost the same time. Uber said they were not the same trip. “In a real-time marketplace, a trip is defined not only by where it starts and ends, but also by when it is requested and what marketplace conditions exist at that exact moment,” Uber wrote.

The median difference between the lowest and highest price groupings was about 50 percent, and from our research, we found nearly 11 percent of all discounted rides advertised on both platforms were fake or supposed discounts on what appeared to be inflated original prices. Uber and Lyft deny that they engage in any fictitious pricing, attributing our findings to real-time marketplace conditions.

The companies also stated they don’t personalize base fares for individual consumers or engage in behavioral or surveillance pricing.

CR isn’t disputing this; rather, we’re questioning whether the price differences observed are based only on market forces.

This article is part of CR’s Make the Price Right series, which includes our investigation into pricing inaccuracies at Kroger stores and Instacart.

And we highlighted four shopping tips to secure the best car deals. Here are two:

• Broaden your search area. Some websites, like TrueCar, let you search by area. Consider expanding your search radius to find lower prices.
• Place a factory order. The cars placed on dealership lots often come with expensive option packages. Placing a factory order requires some lead time, but it can be cheaper. 

This ingredient (bemotrizinol) protects against both UVA and UVB rays. (UVB rays cause sunburn; UVA rays primarily cause skin aging, and both types contribute to skin cancer risk.)

“Few other active ingredients regularly used in sunscreens in this country provide as broad protection against UVA radiation,” says health and food reporter Catherine Roberts. Those that do come with downsides that bemotrizinol doesn’t have.

We don’t yet know when sunscreens with bemotrizinol will be available, although manufacturers are allowed to start selling products that contain it starting Aug. 9. But summer’s already here—so check out our current sunscreen recommendations, from lotions to sticks.

Concerns about harmful chemicals in baby wipes have been on the rise. (Did you hear about the Target baby wipes recall?) In particular, parents worry about whether some baby wipes might contain PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals” for their persistence in the environment and in our bodies. 

CR tested baby wipes from 18 companies, including Coterie, Huggies, Kirkland Signature, Millie Moon, and Pampers, for 30 different kinds of PFAS chemicals. The much-needed good news: We found no detectable PFAS.

Check out some wipes we recommend, and consider these tips when shopping for baby wipes:

• Look for red flag chemicals. Avoid ethoxylated chemicals, which have been linked to health concerns, by checking the label for ingredients with the suffix “-eth” or “oxynol” (examples include “laureth” and “ceteareth”) and terms like PEG or polysorbate on the label, typically next to a number, like PEG-40. 
• Choose plant-based, biodegradable wipes. CR’s recommended baby wipes are made from organic cotton or plant-derived fibers such as viscose, lyocell, modal, or Tencel.
• Go fragrance-free. Common fragrance ingredients can be allergens or irritants, and some have been linked to endocrine disruption and cancers. Avoid products that use catchall terms like “fragrance” or “parfum.”

Nearly 19,000 bikes were stolen in 2024, according to Bike Index, a nonprofit bicycle registration service—a 15 percent increase from the previous year. 

We humbly ask you to consider a U-lock to protect your bike against theft.

Not only are U-locks the most difficult bike locks to break open with a wide variety of tools (we tried brute force, hacksaws, reciprocating saws, grinders, bolt cutters, and other hand tools), they’re also simple to shove into a belt or mount onto the bike frame.

We highlighted a cheaper bike lock, too, because the best ones we found cost $100 or more.

CR’s home and kitchen writer, Althea Chang-Cook, compiled a list of the best ideas for your wedding registry. When she consulted a pro on which products to add, she was surprised to hear that expensive presents are acceptable.

“While a $2,000 grill might feel like a big ask, weddings are one of the few times in your life when people want to celebrate your milestone with a significant gift,” says Esther Lee, editorial director at The Knot Worldwide. 

Lee also says that group gifting—when several people chip in for one higher-priced gift—is both acceptable and encouraged, making the cost more manageable for friends and family.

We’re constantly testing the latest products and retesting existing stock. Here are last week’s drops:

• We tested a handful of new dishwashers. See our latest ratings.
• We added new bike helmets to our ratings. Read more about the best helmets.
• We assessed new headphones. For more, check our ratings.