Table of contents for November 2021 in CHOICE

Do you think it’s fair that you could be paying the same premiums for the disability insurance in your super as other members, but getting insurance that may be useless in your hour of need? This unfair situation can arise through ‘occupational exclusions’, which make it much harder to claim if you’re working in a particular job or type of work. One tragic example we’ve come across was truck driver Wayne, who suffered a stroke and couldn’t work again. His fund denied his claim due to an occupation exclusion for long-haul truck drivers hidden in the fine print of their policy. Super Consumers Australia has made a submission to the government’s consultation on these exclusions, arguing it’s time for this junk insurance to go. While most funds have removed these…

Q I have a Panasonic clock radio with AM/FM and battery backup which is getting past its use-by date. I have been looking around, but all I can find are small units with FM but no AM or battery back-up, and buttons too small for my ageing eyes. I suppose there is no demand for these and they have been replaced with smart speakers and wireless speakers. I like to wake up in the morning to the ABC News. Is there any place that would sell the old type of clock radios? In lieu of that, would a smart speaker fit the purpose? A CHOICE digital home products expert Denis Gallagher: I must admit I was surprised at how little choice there is for a simple clock radio with AM,…

Newsflash! Kids really like sugar. But as we know, it’s really not that good for them, especially not their teeth. And parents tend to shop accordingly, pushing like soldiers through the confectionery aisles, pulling their kids away from the endless stacks of sugary treats at the checkout and instead seeking out healthier snack options – often in the baby and toddler food section. Judging by the package, Kiddylicious Strawberry Fruit Wriggles don’t look that bad for you and many parents would think them a good option for their children. After all, they have no artificial additives and are gluten-free. They’re even suitable for kids (make that babies) as young as 12 months, according to the label. But the healthy sheen quickly fades once you take a closer look at the…

Let’s face it, all buy now, pay later (BNPL) providers are a little bit dodgy. These darlings of the fintech industry exploit a loophole in the National Credit Code to offer customers thousands of dollars of credit without having to do anything close to responsible lending checks or offering proper financial hardship policies. But when it comes to sending customers into growing levels of unaffordable debt, there’s one BNPL provider that really takes the cake. Humm proudly sells itself as the BNPL for the “big things” in life. And, boy, are their spending limits big. While other BNPL providers will cut you off when you reach a $3000 limit, Humm will let you spend up to $30,000 on big-ticket items including home renovations. Here at CHOICE, we think there are…

Chronic conditions still a minefield All insurers still exclude chronic conditions such as arthritis or diabetes, as well as degenerative conditions such as ligament deterioration. “Bilateral” conditions are also excluded – for example, if your dog had a pre-existing cruciate ligament condition in one leg, a new insurer wouldn’t cover that condition in a different leg. The cover for pre-existing conditions can be very complex. So if you suspect your pet could have a preexisting condition and want to take out pet insurance for the first time or switch insurers, ask lots of questions and get the answers in writing. If the insurer determines there is a pre-existing condition, ask if you have to apply for a waiver to get it removed, how long your pet needs to be symptom-free,…

A wireless speaker is a great way to enjoy your music exactly where you want it. But while good tunes are essential for a great party, a tinny-sounding speaker can really kill your buzz. If you love your music, these are the wireless speakers to avoid buying. This article will also help you understand how speakers find themselves at the bottom of our review tables. 1. House of Marley No Bounds (EM-JA015) CHOICE Expert Rating: 36% Pop music score: 12% This portable speaker falls at the cheaper end of the market – and unfortunately in this case, what you pay is what you get. It scored less than 20% for the classical, jazz and pop genres, and just 15% for speech (so it’s rubbish for radio and podcasts too). “Small,…

Spending more time at home over the past year means we’ve had more time to cook and experiment with different recipes. If you’ve become quite the connoisseur in the kitchen, it’s a good time to check your cookware pieces and make sure they’re up to scratch – or refresh your set. Our cookware tests prove you don’t need to spend a fortune, but you’ll need to consider different styles and materials, and whether it’s suitable for your type of cooktop and style of cooking. We’ve put together a guide to the top-performing cookware pieces from our tests. So whether you’re wondering which saucepan to buy, or you’ve got your eye on a fancy dutch oven, we’ve got you covered. Check that all the pots and pans match the size of…

Back in the day, you had to transfer files, photos and documents from your phone to a computer if you wanted to print them. But now you can print from your smartphone or tablet using Wi-Fi and even Bluetooth. The process is a little fiddly, but it’s not as intimidating as it may seem – and it can be a huge time saver if you often print emails, documents or web pages. Setting up First, you need to connect your printer to your home network using ethernet or Wi-Fi. But every brand of printer does this a little differently, so check the manual or website for instructions. If you can’t find your manual, search for it online using the exact product name, which should be somewhere on the printer (on…

A diverse coalition of 15 organisations, including consumer groups, professional financial advice associations, financial counsellors, professional accounting associations and community legal centres, are calling on the federal government to expand the proposed compensation scheme of last resort (CSLR). The compensation scheme is a key recommendation of the banking royal commission that will provide compensation to forgotten victims of financial misconduct. The government released draft laws in July 2021, with legislation expected to be introduced into parliament by the end of the year. The draft law is weak and will exclude vast segments of the financial industry, including managed investment schemes and the funeral expenses industry, leaving many victims of financial misconduct without redress. CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland says, “One of the reasons we had a banking royal commission was because…

Member Andrew contacted us about his rights in relation to a cancelled holiday. He’d booked an Indian Pacific rail trip for four people through RAA Travel. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the trip was cancelled twice by Great Southern Rail (GSR), with credit for future travel offered. Andrew has since decided he no longer wishes to travel by train to Western Australia. Upon contacting RAA Travel to request a refund from GSR, he was informed that GSR didn’t have to refund, and can offer future travel credit. When he asked again for a refund request to be made, the RAA Travel agent stated it would be Andrew’s responsibility to put the refund request in writing to GSR. Andrew asked CHOICE Help if he was entitled to a refund from GSR…

To put it mildly, a lot of people have had issues with airlines in the past year. Cancelled flights. No refunds. Endless phone wait times to reach customer service. Mysterious fees that seemed made up on the spot. Dealing with Australia’s flagship carrier during lockdown was “an absolute nightmare”, as one Qantas customer told us, along with “very stressful, very frustrating and unnecessarily complicated”. But who could we turn to for help? The Airline Customer Advocate of course. Never heard of it? You’re not alone. In a recent national CHOICE survey, only 32% of Australians said they were aware of the service, and only 15% had used it. It’s almost as if our fearless advocate is working for the airline instead of us! The Airline Customer Advocate says it’s a…

Our yearly Shonky Awards shine a light on dodgy products or services to warn consumers and encourage businesses to do better. But what should you do if it’s too late and you’ve already bought one of these Shonkys? Here, we explain what steps you can take, plus how to avoid them if you’re in the market for one of these products or services. Kiddylicious Strawberry Fruit Wriggles This packaged toddler snack earned its Shonky for being 68.8% sugar, yet misleading parents into thinking it’s a healthy option with images of strawberries on the packaging and “made with real fruit” claims. We hope that calling out marketing tricks like these will steer people away from buying such sugar bombs. But we also appreciate that parents are often in a rush and…

The July recall of 14 sleep and respiratory care devices by Philips Electronics Australia has left patients uncertain about when their machines will be fixed and unclear about whether they should keep using them. The product defect in question is a polyurethane foam component that can degrade into particles and be ingested or inhaled by the user. Whether or not it degrades, the foam emits potentially dangerous chemicals with no known tolerance levels. Whether or not it degrades, the foam emits potentially dangerous chemicals with no known tolerance levels Pharmacies have been directed to take the machines off the shelves, but patients have been told to keep on using them until they can get an appointment with their doctor and further advice. At the same time, the company says, “the…

Dishwasher detergent formats have changed over the past few decades, moving from powder dominating the supermarket shelves to tablets. At first, we weren’t impressed by tablets, as they don’t let you adjust the quantity of detergent to suit the dishwasher load. But these days we commonly see many powders towards the bottom of the table. Powders are cheaper than tablets We maintain that powders are more versatile than tablets, but research and development into improving the stain-removing power of powder seems to have stalled. Powders are still better for the very budget conscious – cost per wash averages about 14 cents compared with 44 cents for tablets. Tablets trump powders for most stains Although there’s still a place for powder dishwasher detergent, tablets perform better across a wider range of…

Induction cooking has taken off in Australian households. It’s less polluting to the home environment than gas, which has been known to increase health risks such as childhood asthma. But for many, installing a full-sized induction cooktop can be tricky if you’re renting or not sure whether to take the plunge. Induction cooktops usually require far more power than a regular 10 amp (10A) connection and need to be hard-wired by a licensed electrician. That’s where portable induction cooktops come in. These relatively lightweight, onehob appliances run on your existing home power point, complementing your current kitchen cooktop. They’re also great for shared accommodation, RVs and caravans, or small businesses that don’t have a fully installed kitchen. We tested six models from a range of brands. Most of them scored…

It’s not too hard to record good-looking video in a well-lit environment, which is why most dash cams perform pretty well during the day. But when the sun goes down, cameras rely on artificial light – and that’s when some dash cams start to struggle. Manufacturers often advertise exceptional low-light performance, but our tests regularly find their claims to be a bit shady: more than three-quarters of the dash cams in our test are only just about OK, or worse, in our night-driving test. The main issue dash cams face at night is that light sources are inconsistent, or non-existent. They need to find a balance between stretches of dark road punctuated by street lights, advertisements, other cars and so on. The evidence you end up with may be too…

Supermarkets and lockdown priorities I’m 81 years old and started buying my groceries online nearly three years ago after my back collapsed and I could no longer manage the walking. I preferred Coles, but there were some items like the brand of coffee I like that I could only get from Woolworths, so I shopped two weeks out of three at Coles and the third week at Woolworths. During the lockdown last year both Coles and Woolworths provided priority delivery slots for the disabled/elderly. However, when the present lockdown started, all delivery slots at Coles were full. I emailed them but they never replied. Woolworths had kept details from the previous lockdown and offered me priority slots from the beginning. I just have to put in the order on Wednesdays…

Australians are more and more conscious of their environmental impact, and iconic Australian brand Breville is clearly trying to cash in on that sentiment with this unnecessary product. Marketed as a way to slash your household food waste by more than 80%, the FoodCycler dries, grinds and cools your leftovers – turning them into odourless, nutrient-rich ‘eco chips’. (And no, you shouldn’t eat them.) You can then use them in your garden or send them to landfill to decompose. So what’s wrong with that? Well, for a start, it’s expensive. The FoodCycler itself costs $499, then there are the energy costs (about $86 a year), plus the cost of replacing the filters and other parts ($223 a year). Over a five-year period, the FoodCycler would set you back about $2000.…

With summer just around the corner, people will be looking for cooling options to keep the heat at bay. Our tip? Steer clear of these knock-off bladeless fans. We found this product through online retailer Kogan, but then discovered that the same model was apparently being sold through other retailers, including catch.com.au. These retailers seem to simply slap their logos on the same dodgy product and give it a different spiffy name, including the Fenici Bladeless Tower Fan with DC Motor (from theitmart.com.au), the Zhibai (Xiaomi Eco-Chain Product) Smart APP Pedestal Bladeless Leafless Electric Floor Fan (from catch.com.au), and the Dimplex 96cm Bladeless DC Tower Fan with remote control (from harveynorman.com.au). Almost every feature either didn’t work or was pointless, and the performance was the worst we’ve ever seen This…

We Aussies love our furry friends, especially when they keep us company during lockdowns. Many new kittens and puppies joined Australian households over the past 12 months, with almost one in seven (69%) households now owning at least one pet. But owning a pet isn’t cheap. On average, pet owners spend $3200 on their dog and $2100 on their cat each year. The main costs are food, vet services and healthcare products, such as flea and worm treatments. And of course we want the very best for our pet. That’s why about one in four (24%) dog owners and one in five (19%) cat owners have insurance for their pets, according to a recent report by Animal Medicines Australia. Almost one in seven households own at least one pet Pet…

New CHOICE research reveals that telemarketers harassing Australians with unwanted calls and texts during lockdown are ignoring their legal obligations. In a nationally representative survey of 1047 people done in June, more than half of the respondents (56%) said they’d received calls or texts in the previous 12 months from telemarketers they didn’t share their numbers with. About two-thirds (64%) said unwanted calls and texts had increased compared with the previous 12 months. And although telemarketers are legally required to tell you their name, the name of the telemarketing company they work for, and why they’re calling at the start of the call, our research suggests this rarely, if ever, happens. About a third (32%) of the people we surveyed asked where the caller got their number. Most telemarketers either…

What do you get when you cross a global pandemic that disrupts the world’s freight and postal services with a massive rise in online shopping? The answer: a lot of lost and delayed packages. If this has happened to you, don’t panic. There are several things you may be able to do to get compensation (although your safest bet is to order what you need well, well in advance). Can I get a refund if my package is delayed? It depends. According to the ACCC, if a business has accepted payment for an item, it must supply it to you by the date you’ve indicated or within a reasonable timeframe (if no time was specified). But because of the supply chain and delivery delays caused by COVID-19, ‘a reasonable timeframe’…

If you’re a keen cook, you’ll know that measuring out the ingredients just right can make the difference between a mediocre dish and a masterpiece. But unless you’re able to fling in just the right amount of cornflour mid-simmer, or mentally convert grams to cups, guesswork only goes so far – you’ll need a good set of kitchen scales to help. Guesswork only goes so far – you’ll need a good set of kitchen scales to help Digital vs mechanical scales Digital (electronic) scales like the ones we’ve tested are generally better at measuring out small and precise amounts, which is especially useful if you’re cooking something complicated, or are on a strict diet. Mechanical scales often come with bigger bowls or trays and can be easier for weighing large…

In most parts of Australia, a reverse-cycle split system air conditioner is one of the most efficient ways to cool – and heat – your home. Most parts of Australia get cold enough in winter to need heating at least some of the time. But what if you live where the summers are hot and the winters are mild, such as Darwin, Broome or Cairns? Is it worth getting a cooling-only air conditioner? Cooling-only vs reverse-cycle Cooling-only split systems are much the same as their reverse-cycle counterparts, except of course they don’t have a heating mode. This makes cooling-only models a bit simpler and cheaper to manufacture, meaning they usually cost less. But the difference between otherwise comparable cooling-only and reverse-cycle models may be only a few hundred dollars at…

Our labs regularly put TVs through their paces. Thanks to years of testing experience, we can tell you about their video and audio performance, and ease of use. But if you’re looking for a model that we haven’t tested yet because it’s just been released, or we’ve tested the smaller or larger model in the range, look to the Best Brand results to see how TVs from that brand performed on average in our labs over the past 12 months, and how the brand performs over time for reliability and customer satisfaction. We award a Best Brand recommendation to companies with a clear lead over their competitors during the test period. We give no more than two recommendations during each period. COVID consequences Because of COVID-19 restrictions our labs have…

Our long-serving rogues’ gallery of dodgy ads, toe-curling typos and misadventures in marketing, as sent in by you – our tickled, angered and bewildered readers. And thanks to the timeless shonkiness of so much advertising, you’re always spoilt for choice – so keep ‘em coming. Email high-quality unedited photos to hardword@choice.com.au. This month, thanks go to Guy Hull (Free as a bird), Carola Marley (That won’t wash), Erich Mayer (Not very rewarding) and Alan Wilson (On the fence). NOT VERY REWARDING Dymocks should probably tone down that greeting. FREE AS A BIRD Good thing this “aviary” is actually a puppy pen. ON THE FENCE For people who like to read in bed… in their back gardens. THAT WON’T WASH Or will it?…