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All locations of the Des Moines Public Library will be closed Sunday, March 31 for the Easter holiday.

The Perfect Gift: Using 'Consumer Reports' Online

The holidays are coming, and perhaps the stress has already started. You have an idea for a gift – perhaps you want to buy that budding chef in your life some new cookware, or your kid is pestering you about a new tablet. 

Your library card can help you find a gift that is of solid quality, but won’t bust your budget. Just use Consumer Reports online, through the Des Moines Public Library. If you'd like to watch a video about how to use Consumer Reports online, just scroll down to the bottom of this post.

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Let’s say I'm looking for a pair of headphones for my audiobook-loving aunt. I head to dmpl.org/consumerreports, and then click on the link that says “Click here to access ConsumerReports.org.” Punch in your library card number and pin number. A white web page will pop up, but all you have to do is click on “ConsumerReports.org” again. Then the fun begins.

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Looking for headphones, I hover over “Product Reviews,” then head down to “Headphones,” located under the “Electronics” heading. There is a plethora of information on this page, including a full list of ratings for consumers that want to do a deep dive into every headphone that’s been tested. For the purposes of my audiobook-loving aunt, I’m going to click on the “buying guide.”

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Here’s some great information. As I read about the advantages of large headphones and small headphones, I can determine which type my aunt would like. Since she’ll be using these mainly for audiobooks, portability is probably key. She listens to them everywhere – while shopping, cooking, commuting, doing chores, and relaxing at home. Small headphones that she can stuff in her pocket will be key. (My Spotify-loving brother would probably prefer the large headphones, where the sound quality makes a major difference while listening to music.)

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Let’s click on ratings features.

Along the features you can filter by are product type, category, brand, score, and price. We’re interested in portable headphones, so let’s click on stereo headphone, and then portable.

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Well, 47 different headphones! That’s a lot. I love my aunt, but let’s see if we can try to narrow this down. Let’s say I don’t want to spend more than $50 on her. I’ll scroll down to price and enter "$50" in the max price filter. For those of you using a mobile device, you can access the filters by clicking "filters" along the top of the screen.

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OK, now we’re down to 28. 9 of these headphones have a score of 60 or better, which Consumer Reports quantifies as “very good,” their second highest accolade. One of the highest ranked headphones is the Scosche SportFlex 3 – and it’s only $15. This seems like a great value – I might even be able to buy an audiobook for her as well (though, as always, I recommend she checks out the great audiobook selection at her public library). Clicking on the headphones themselves, I can see specs, user reviews, and links to purchase online. Since I know the model, I can easily do a search online for the headphones and do some comparison shopping.

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If I thought my aunt wanted wireless headphones, we can look at different options for those (she’d probably lose them though, so we’re going to skip that.) That teen that wants to sit in the back seat of the car on road trips and just zone out? Take a look at the home/studio style headphones and the noise cancelling headphones.

It doesn't stop there. Using Consumer Reports online, you can learn about lots of electronics, including TVs, tablets, and streaming devices; applicances, like coffee makers and microwaves; safety items for babies and kids; and much more. You can even check out digital back issues of Consumer Reports

Happy shopping, and happy holidays!

 

Published on December 07, 2018
Last Modified March 28, 2024