Vizio, Element, RCA, and Hisense are no longer being recommended by Consumer Reports due to new information that shows that those brands have lower reliability compared to other TV manufacturers. In addition, survey data from the testing organization also showed that smartphones by Apple, Samsung, OnePlus, and Google are among the most reliable and most satisfying.
For the first time, brand reliability and owner satisfaction are being factored into Consumer Reports’ overall scores for televisions and smartphones, along with the data gathered during the organization’s lab testing. For reliability, Consumer Reports surveys its members about the products they own, then uses that data to make projections about how new models from brands will hold up over time. Brands that rate “fair” or “poor” for predicted reliability aren’t eligible for Consumer Reports’ recommended lists of products.
“As we incorporate reliability into our overall score for more product categories, we continue to see discrepancies in how products perform in our rigorous lab tests versus how well they hold up over time,” said Liam McCormack, vice president of research, testing, and insights at Consumer Reports. “But we know that consumers want products that both perform well in their daily lives and are reliable. Products that earn our recommendation are more likely to offer consumers the performance they demand and the longevity they expect.”
