A behind-the-scenes look at how Consumer Reports stress-tests the products you buy
This preview is based on the episode’s published show notes. Dan Pashman visits Consumer Reports to see how the nonprofit independently tests everything from appliances to food, including a close-up look at a gas range pushed to its limits.
This episode preview, based only on the published show notes, points to a fun, process-driven tour of how Consumer Reports evaluates the products people rely on every day. According to the notes, Dan goes inside Consumer Reports, the independent nonprofit known for testing and rating a huge range of items, from toaster ovens and frozen pizzas to luxury cars. The episode appears to start with an undercover shopper who uses the pseudonym Jim, suggesting a look at how products are obtained before any testing even begins. From there, Dan visits the labs at Consumer Reports headquarters to watch the testing process in action. The featured example is a gas range, which is examined closely and pushed hard to see how it performs under pressure. The show notes specifically tease testing of the oven’s self-cleaning function using a notoriously nasty mixture, hinting at the kind of rigorous and sometimes grossly memorable methods CR uses to simulate real-world messes. If you like shows that pull back the curtain on institutions, standards, and how everyday judgments get made, this sounds like a strong pick. It also seems likely to appeal to listeners who enjoy practical curiosity: not just what products are rated highly, but how those ratings are earned. One note from the metadata: this is a “Reheat,” meaning it originally aired on September 19, 2022 and is being re-released.
About this episode
<p>Dan goes inside <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Consumer Reports</a>, the independent nonprofit that tests and rates everything from toaster ovens to frozen pizzas to luxury cars. CR takes testing very seriously, and Dan gets to see their process in action. It all starts with an undercover shopper who goes by the pseudonym Jim. Then Dan visits the labs at HQ, where he sees how a <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/products/ranges-28974/gas-range-28694/ge-cafe-cgs750p4mw2-398156/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">gas range</a> is poked, prodded, and brought to its limits. This includes testing the oven’s self-cleaning feature against a mixture so foul, it’s legendary.</p> <p>This episode originally aired on September 19, 2022, and was produced by Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Tracey Samuelson, and Casey Holford. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Kameel Stanley, and Jared O'Connell. This update was produced by Gianna Palmer.</p> <p><i>Every Friday, we reach into our deep freezer and reheat an episode to serve up to you. We're calling these our Reheats. If you have a show you want reheated, send us an email or voice memo at </i><a href="mailto:hello@sporkful.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><i>hello@sporkful.com</i></a><i>, and include your name, your location, which episode, and why.</i></p> <p>Right now, Sporkful listeners can get three months free of the SiriusXM app by going to <a href="https://siriusxm.com/sporkful" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">siriusxm.com/sporkful</a>. Get all your favorite podcasts, more than 200 ad-free music channels curated by genre and era, and live sports coverage with the SiriusXM app.</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>