What is CR Recommended?
The CR Recommended
program delivers the same independent research, testing and recommendations Consumer Reports has
provided for over 85 years — now available when and where you shop. When a product becomes CR
Recommended, manufacturers may display CR’s recommendation where you make buying decisions — such as
on manufacturer and retailer sites, in-stores or at dealerships. As consumers rely on many different
channels when researching and shopping for products and services, we recently expanded the CR
Recommended program for use in- advertising, including social media, digital advertising and
broadcast television.
How does CR help consumers?
With so many fake online reviews and scams today, it’s often difficult to make informed purchase
decisions. Easy and immediate access to objective, reliable recommendations can help you feel more
confident about the choices you make.
What’s more, when you make more informed decisions based on CR’s criteria including safety,
performance, value, and reliability, together we all can influence manufacturers to meet higher
standards.
How does CR Recommended work?
Consumer Reports always chooses which products to test, buys them at retail and never accepts
payment from manufacturers to rate their products. When a product meets our criteria, it achieves
“CR Recommended” status. Afterwards, manufacturers may opt to use the CR Recommended mark on their
own site, shopping sites, or in-stores, at dealerships, and in their- advertising so consumers can
quickly see if a product meets our objective criteria.
By clicking the CR Recommended mark online or scanning the QR code in a store or dealership, you can
also learn more about the product and why it’s recommended.
CR charges manufacturers a fee to display the CR Recommended mark, which helps fund our program’s
operating costs, including administering and monitoring of the mark to assure proper usage. For
products that have a significant health or safety impact, CR may waive this fee.
Consumer Reports continuously monitors for any misuses of the CR Recommended mark and will revoke a
recommendation if a product becomes unsafe or no longer qualifies to be recommended based on our
comparative evaluations. We use custom monitoring technology and dedicated personnel to ensure that
the use of CR Recommended is valid and up-to-date.
Why become a CR Member?
CR Recommended helps everyone when they shop online or in a store. Only Consumer Reports Members,
however, are able to view and compare all of our product and cars ratings, in-depth research and
reviews, and can access deals and discounts — as well as being part of a community of consumers who
are making positive changes to improve safety, fairness, and corporate accountability.
Not a member?
Join today!