This article is the archived version of a report that appeared in the May 2009 Consumer Reports Magazine.

Stock talk

In Rebuild Your Nest Egg (February 2009) you say that it took people in the market during the Depression about 25 years to recover their investments. But you ignore one of the most important aspects of the market: dividends. Investors who stayed in the market and reinvested dividends were made whole in less time. One of the worst results of that period was a whole generation afraid to invest in the market.

Jimmie Jossey
Slidell, LA

Not cool

Fridges Lose Their Energy Star, in the February issue, mentions models using more energy than stated. My 6-month-old fridge started running almost constantly when the coils under the cabinet got blocked by dust. My coil brush only reaches those near the front of the cabinet—the rest are inaccessible. Manufacturers should design fridges to meet Energy Star specs in part by making the coils easy to clean.

Charles Clegg
High Point, NC

Toasters unplugged

In How Often Do Americans Take Risks? (February 2009) it says to unplug the toaster or toaster oven when not in use. Why?

Hedy Dalin
San Diego

Many toasters and toaster ovens have been recalled for either turning on spontaneously or not turning off at the end of a cycle. That poses a fire hazard. It's safest to unplug them after use.

You say cable, I say analog

Digital Decisions (February 2009) says that if you have cable, to keep getting programming you don't have to do a thing. That isn't true for me, with RCN cable, which requires a set-top box if you have analog TV, as they don't supply analog signals on their cable services.

Derek Gardiner
Lexington, MA

The transition affects only free, over-the-air TV broadcasts. Some cable companies will support analog cable without requiring a box and will do so for at least a few more years. Others are converting to all-digital and will discontinue analog transmissions. That is purely a business decision, and your carrier might contact you if it makes that change.

No-fee tax prep

Is That Tax Preparer Really Qualified? (March 2009) offers excellent advice, but there was no mention of the VITA/TCE (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance/Tax Counseling for the Elderly) program sponsored by the IRS and operated by AARP. VITA volunteers prepare returns at no charge for those earning $42,000 or less; TCE does so for those 60 years or older (at any income level) or those with an income of $45,000 or less. Check out the service at www.irs.gov. Click on Individuals and scroll down to "Free Tax Return Preparation."

Robert Giuffrida
Thousand Oaks, CA

Body mass index

When I saw Dieting on a Budget (February 2009) I was concerned: Body mass index calculations can be highly misleading. My BMI says I'm "obese," yet my body fat is a healthy 12 percent. Why? Because I have been a weight lifter for many years.

With more men taking up resistance training, plus all of the other individual variations that make the BMI calculation inappropriate for some people, it should be presented with proper context.

Peter Haase
San Francisco

Other measures, such as waist circumference or the ratio of waist to hip size, might better reflect body fat and health risk than weight or BMI. But those tools don't predict longevity or quality of life as effectively as do diet, exercise, and other lifestyle factors.

Payday predators

Concerning Small Loan, Big Problem (Viewpoint, February 2009), as long as lenders must publish interest rates, we don't need more laws to protect people from stupidity. We need better education so that the younger generation can make sound money decisions.

Larry Bossone
Berwyn, PA

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