Table of contents for May 2022 in CHOICE

Privacy statement These are my thoughts after reading your article on data collection (‘How much is that discount costing you?’, CHOICE Feb 22): I am aware that my data is collected and being shared if I use so-called loyalty programs. For that reason I do not use them. I was not aware to what extent my supposedly private information was collected from different sources and shared, as well as sold, to third parties without my knowledge and permission. Nor was I aware that by combining data from different sources, companies and organisations can create digital profiles, which could potentially discriminate against me. I am very concerned that all this information is being used without my consent to make decisions about me and for me. Even political parties can pay to…

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE Of all life’s important purchases, insurance is the one we hope turns out to be wasted money. It buys peace of mind and, if life goes to plan, we hope we never have to claim against those insurance payments. But we also don’t want to spend more than we have to for the amount of cover we might need. There’s a new kind of insurance set to make some big changes to the industry in the years ahead. Dubbed ‘insurtech’, a combination of the words ‘insurance’ and ‘technology’, it uses data-capture technologies to price insurance based on the real usage patterns of the customer. But there are concerns over the extent of the data collected, its accuracy, and the algorithms used to set prices. Car insurance first to…

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE Technology is supposed to make our lives easier – although sometimes it doesn’t feel that way. But there are ways you can harness the power of technology to get back on top of life, or even just make life more pleasant. We asked CHOICE’s tech heads to share their tech habits to help make your life simpler, easier and safer. It’s an extensive not exhaustive list, but even if you only take on one or two of these habits, it’ll make your time online more of a joy and less of a burden. Online security 1. Worried about security? Go to HaveIBeenPwned.com to check if your email addresses have been compromised in a data breach. Some browsers now have this feature built in.2. Make sure the passwords…

Induction cooktops have cemented something of a reputation as the superior way to cook, thanks to their sleek and stylish looks and their many features. Fans cite the convenience of their instant heat and the speed with which they bring water to boiling point – not to mention the safety benefits of having no open flame, and the absence of residual heat on the cooktop’s surface after cooking. But, crucially, their performance is impressive too. Even models that rank at the bottom of our list still perform well across all our tests. So if you’re on a budget, the models that cost less than $1000, especially the Ikea BEJUBLAD, would be well worth considering. What to consider If you’re upgrading your cooktop to induction, you’ll need to decide on size, framed…

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE If you don’t think you really need security software, just count how many times you access the internet each day – that includes checking email, social media and web pages. And each time you do so, you potentially leave yourself open to all kinds of cyber attacks, from viruses, trojans, ransomware, scams, spyware and more. Getting more than you paid for Free programs can be tempting, as they can provide strong basic protection, but they might not have other features you need, such as a firewall, parental controls, anti-spam, or protection against ransomware, where you can be locked out of your PC after downloading a malicious file unless you pay a fee to get it unlocked. You might also want to select desktop software that has mobile protection…

Natural disasters seem to bring out an opportunistic streak in some people, and the devastating floods in Queensland earlier this year were no exception. With many people desperate to recover their losses through insurance claims, a breed of dodgy middlemen known as ‘claims farmers’ began showing up as the flood waters receded. The firms, also known as ‘claims management services’, offer to act as an intermediary between a claimant and their insurance company and do the leg work – for a fee of course. “Many of these claims farmers entice customers to use their services by offering a free inspection, promising your claim will go to the front of the queue or promising a guaranteed cash settlement,” says Queensland Attorney-General Shannon Fentiman. “Sadly, we have also heard of cases where Queenslanders…

The mayonnaise you use can make or break your coleslaw, potato salad or deviled eggs. And without mayonnaise we wouldn’t have aioli, tartare sauce or thousand island dressing. Put simply, a good quality mayo is a kitchen must-have. So which store-bought mayos cut the mustard for taste? And what’s in them? We compared 33 types of mayonnaise, from brands including Best Foods, Heinz, Kewpie, and Praise, to help you choose the best. Put simply, a good quality mayo is a kitchen must-have Best tasting mayonnaise We assessed store-bought mayonnaise for both taste and nutrition, and recommend those that get a CHOICE Expert Rating of 70% or more. Of the 33 we tested, seven made that cut, and the two below got equal top score of 79%. HELLMAN’S REAL MAYONNAISE •…

There’s nothing quite like a homemade pizza with a crisp base and perfectly cooked toppings. If you’re entertaining, it’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. And if you have the space in your outdoor dining area, you may be tempted to buy a pizza oven to make the experience even more authentic. But are pizza ovens worth the expense, and do they give better results than a standard oven? How do pizza ovens work? Pizza ovens produce extremely high heat. The ideal model will maintain this high temperature evenly throughout the oven over a long period – this cooks the pizza quickly and evenly across the base and top. Traditional woodfired pizza ovens are made from bricks and cement, but we’ve tested less expensive and more modern home versions that are…

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE The NBN is in most Australian homes, its speedy internet access a necessity for most of us. But a fast internet connection is only half the equation. You also need a wireless router that can push that signal to the far corners of your home and your growing number of wireless devices. If you have a large or multi-storey home, you might find that the signal from your wireless router has trouble getting into certain areas. It may need to penetrate multiple rooms, walls, doors, cupboards or even large appliances. If you’re experiencing poor wireless network (Wi-Fi) reception or blackspots in your home, a wireless mesh system might be the solution. Mesh networks can boost your Wi-Fi signal in areas of the house where a single router…

People looking to buy a used car from a private seller in NSW have been warned by the government about a four-fold increase in odometer tampering fines during the COVID-19 pandemic, “with hundreds of thousands of kilometres being knocked off vehicle odometers and sold to unsuspecting buyers”. Minister for Fair Trading Eleni Petinos says there’s been a “huge jump” in penalty notices and resulting fines, from 22 in 2020, to 76 in 2021 and up to March this year, during which time fair trading handed out $112,200 in fines. “In one case a seller shaved more than 400,000km off a 2012 Subaru XV, reducing the odometer from 470,000km down to 52,709km,” Petinos says. “The vehicle was then sold for $32,000, an $11,000 increase on the original sale price. In another…

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) has warned social media financial influencers they risk harsh action and even jail time of up to five years if they don’t comply with financial services laws. There’s been an enormous rise in recent years of financial influencers on Instagram, TikTok and other social media platforms. Also known as ‘finfluencers’, they offer stockmarket and other financial tips to a generally young audience. ASIC’s 2021 survey ‘Young people and their money’ found that 28% of 18–21 year olds follow at least one financial influencer on social media, and of those, almost two thirds (64%) reported having changed at least one of their financial behaviours as a result of their suggestions. Social media influencers have been caught up in multiple schemes that have attracted warnings…

If you’ve ever been in the market for a holiday rental property in the past few years, chances are you’ve visited the online accommodation marketplace Airbnb. The US-based platform has become a global behemoth in the short-term rental market, with 5.6 million properties listed on its website around the world in 2021 alone. More than 800 million people worldwide have stayed at an Airbnb property. But although the company has become synonymous with holidaying, some users in Australia are finding themselves blocked and banned from the platform, and are asking why. THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE Profiling users by algorithm In 2017, Airbnb acquired a tech startup called Trooly which specialised in background checks and had patented an algorithm that gathered publicly and privately available data on users to give them a…

THE TECHNOLOGY ISSUE The power imbalance between renters and landlords in Australia is well documented, with landlords and rental agencies holding most of the cards. For many in the rental market, the proliferation of rent payment apps and other online rental platforms has shifted the balance even further toward the powers that be. While these digital tools may reduce costs and make life easier for landlords and rental agents, they appear to leave renters vulnerable to the misuse of their personal data. In addition, renters are often forced to pay the transaction costs of using these apps, and face stiff fees if they pay late, a real estate agent tactic of questionable legality. To sign up to a real estate app or platform, renters are asked to surrender a boatload…

An air fryer is really just a benchtop oven with fan-forced mode, circulating hot, dry air. Early models were mainly marketed as a great way to cook pre-fried frozen foods, such as chips, nuggets and battered fish. But as their following has grown, manufacturers have steadily added features and preset cooking functions to boost their appeal and versatility, without changing the basic technology. Air fryer fans now boast that you can use them to make entire meals, roast meat and nuts, bake fish and vegies and even make cakes, desserts and granola. Dual air fryers Dual air fryers are the latest innovation. These models have two separate cooking baskets side by side, letting you cook two different foods at the same time, using different cooking functions and temperature settings. Air fryer…

Power banks can be a lifesaver for your phone when it’s trickling towards the red zone and there isn’t an outlet in sight. Depending on its capacity, a good-quality model can recharge your phone twice or more before it needs a boost of its own. But you can’t always go by what’s stated on the box because the usable capacity of a power bank is always lower than its claimed capacity. It isn’t a scam – many power banks have valid reasons for the lower usable capacity. But there are also those that come with claimed capacities that – surprise, surprise – are just marketing spin. It would be more practical for manufacturers to publish their power banks’ usable capacity, but they rarely do. That’s where our testing comes in.…

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 Ruth Edwards (Ballz up), Phillip Kidd (Bee immortal), Jake Mahone* (Uni-doh!) and Col Thompson (Party pooper). *Not the writer of the review itself. PARTY POOPER The Woolies app doesn’t seem to rate this cake. BALLZ UP Benji De Lorenzo, 12, nearly lost his marbles over this confusing age guidance. BEE IMMORTAL A hardy honey to pass down the generations. MAY 2022 ISSN 0009 496X. Print post approved 100000729. Wholly printed in Australia by IVE…