Consumer Reports, publishing their well-known magazine since 1936, is an “independent, nonprofit member organization that works side by side with consumers for truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace.” Consumer Reports online includes buying guides with ratings for hundreds of health-related products in dozens of categories including hearing aids, bike helmets, sunscreens, and fitness trackers.
To access this database from your own device, sign in with your library card number and PIN, then select Consumer Reports from our list of Online Resources.
From the Consumer Reports homepage, you have the option of searching for any product you are interested in, including health products, in the large search bar at the top of the page. But to reach the Health products page, hover your mouse cursor over the label “Product Reviews” at the top of the page. From the drop-down menu, click on “Health”.
The “Health” products page includes a number of notable features. The top of the page explains that it includes “expert reviews and Ratings for health, fitness, and food products from Consumer Reports” and includes a number of popular categories to browse. Below this, the products types are lumped into the four categories of: Exercise & Fitness, Food, Home Medical Supplies, and Personal Care; each with all of the reviewed product types listed. Next there is a “Latest Health News” section that links to articles on a variety of health topics. At the bottom of the page there are links to other articles and site features, as well as the ability to sign up for the Consumer Reports “Health Newsletter”.
When you click on a product type, for example “Hearing Aid Brands/Stores,” it takes you to a “Hearing Aid” page, that includes an overview of the general product type, ratings for both brands and retailers, as well as a buying guide that includes best practices to employ when searching for a hearing aid brand or retailer. All of the ratings pages and buying guides can be saved or printed as PDF files. Just look for the printer symbol, either on the top or at the bottom of the page.
While true with all consumer research, but especially true with health products, it is crucial to seek the advice of a healthcare professional when making any decisions about your health. For the articles from Consumer Reports, there are publication dates, as well as bios at the end of each article that include information on the credentials of the authors. Their product ratings and buying guides also include when they were last updated, and the site includes their ratings methodology. It’s important to note that Consumer Reports is a non-profit, and isn’t trying to sell you these products, but inform you of their performance and usefulness.
You’ve done it! These are the basics for using the Consumer Reports about as well as your trusty community librarian to find health products!
While all Library locations are closed to the public, we will continue to provide the many digital services you have come to love:
You can find all these and more compiled on our Staying Home page. As more library services become available, we will make announcements on our website.
Please be sure to contact us through our Ask Us reference question platform with any questions you may have. Be well.
This post is part of our Staying Healthy with Your Library series featuring online consumer health resources available from The Seattle Public Library. Read our previous posts on Proquest Consumer Health database and ConsumerLab.com, and stay tuned for more posts. Databases require a library card number and PIN for remote access.
~posted by Mychal L.
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