Consumer Reports – December 2018

CRInsights

01 20 03 40 50

POOR EXCELLENT

! 0

RECOMMENDED

$ 0

CR BEST BUY

1983 In our debut tests,

CR reviews the $1,

Kaypro II, which folds

up into a 25-pound box

for commuting.

1973 Xerox PARC

prototypes the

Alto—the world’s

first personal

computer (left).

CR Time Traveler COMPUTERS

1991 We report that the

IBM PS/1’s high-resolution color

display (below) is excellent and

that its Microsoft Works software

“is easy enough to use,” but

there’s still a steep learning curve

for beginners.

1985 We test this new Apple

Macintosh (above), $2,195, and

report that it “boldly simplified

the keyboard, replacing most

function and special keys with a

pointing device called a ‘mouse.’”

Cuisinart

Smart Stick

CSB-75 blender

$3 5

Excellent at puréeing

vegetables for soup, this

drawer-sized gadget

is also very good at

blending yogurt. The

Smart Stick also comes

with a three-year

warranty—better than

most we tested.

0 $Hamilton Beach

12-cup Programmable

49465R coffee maker

$ 25

A great idea for the

coffee lover in your life,

this reliable brewer is

easy to use and takes

cone-type filters. Plus,

the warming plate will

keep coffee hot for

2 hours after brewing.

0 $Bella Pro

Series KT-

(90062) toaster

$ 50

This mighty mini toaster

excelled in all of our

tests, and even offers

a “gluten-free” setting

to toast denser gluten-

free breads at a lower

temperature for longer.

Hamilton Beach

6-slice 31411

toaster oven

$ 50

Not only great for toast,

this small appliance is

also adept at reheating

lasagna and baking

muffins and cookies—all

for hundreds less than

many of the other toaster

ovens recommended by

our testers.

Product Spotlight

Kitchen Gift Ideas

for $50 & Under

90

Black+Decker 3-in-

Digital PowerCrush

BL1350DP-P blender

$ 50

Affordable, durable, and

compact, this 492-watt

blender is a great gift

for anyone who enjoys

smoothies. It also comes

with an 18-ounce personal

blender attachment,

which received an Overall

Score of 80 in our tests.

82 76 64 63

14 CR.ORG