Table of contents for February 2026 in CHOICE

The “right to repair” reforms aim to give Australians the power to get the products they’ve bought fixed without having to take them back to the dealer. It’s a counter-measure against dealers having exclusive access to the software or other technologies required to make repairs, forcing customers to bring the products back and pay steep prices to get them fixed. Late last year, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) secured a commitment from the federal government to extend the right to repair to agricultural machinery. “When a machine breaks down in the middle of harvest, waiting on an authorised dealer isn’t just inconvenient, it can cost tens of thousands of dollars,” says NFF president Hamish McIntyre. “Farmers will finally have more freedom to choose who services and repairs their machinery. That…

Renting in retirement? Super Consumers Australia has found that you’ll need around double the superannuation of a homeowner in order to have a comfortable standard of living. There’s no sugar-coating this – retirees who rent face a crisis. In December last year, Super Consumers Australia updated their Retirement Savings Targets for Homeowners, and for the first time also published Retirement Savings Targets for Renters. A typical single retiree who rents would need $659,000 in super compared to $322,000 for a home owner. A couple who rents needs $786,000 combined in super compared to $432,000 for home owners. “Telling renters to simply ‘save more’ isn’t the solution to this problem” says Xavier O’Halloran, Super Consumers Australia CEO. “The 2026 Retirement Savings Targets for Renters has found that renters are at a…

If you’re in the market for an infant car seat, you’ll likely find the range of options can get quite confusing. And on top of that, there’s a raft of legal obligations when it comes to littlies in the car. One option is to start your baby in a capsule, and progress to a forward-facing seat and then a booster seat. But a convertible car seat can change modes to suit various stages and keep your child facing rearward for longer, which is generally considered safer. In this article, we explain the different types of car restraints available for the different ages and stages of growth of a baby or young child. We also share the safest models as rated by Australia’s independent tester of infant car seats. A convertible…

While a full-blown outdoor kitchen may be impractical, you can find outdoor cooking equipment suitably sized for smaller spaces. CHOICE tests portable gas pizza ovens, two- or three-burner barbecues and other smaller cooking appliances that could be used outdoors. You may need to rely on indoor preparation and storage, as most balconies don’t have the room to install things like benches and bar fridges. But even if it’s not the most elaborate set-up, you can certainly create a functional outdoor entertaining space. Just remember to check the local council and body corporate rules (where applicable) before firing up the grill. Solid fuels like woodchips, charcoal and heat beads may give your meals an appealing smoky flavour, but your neighbours probably won’t appreciate the haze. Although, if you invite them around…

If you’re concerned about climate change and the environmental impact of the decisions you make in your daily life, you might be thinking about how to do your laundry more sustainably. But while eco-friendly appliances, products and practices are no doubt improving, sometimes it feels like there’s a trade-off between sustainability and efficacy. We’ve all had the experience of trying a “green” dishwashing liquid, washing powder or dishwasher powder only to discover it not only has minimal impact on the environment, but also very little impact on the dirt and grime you’re trying to remove. “Before washing, do a quick sniff test or visual check – if it looks and smells fine, wear it again” However, when it comes to your washing routine, there are plenty of sustainable switches you…

Our most recent ceiling fans test found that DC fans are generally cheaper to run than AC fans. The results are calculated based on 40 cents a kWh for electricity, and used for eight hours a day, six months of the year (all of summer to keep cool, and part of winter to help move warm air down to the living area). Over this period, AC fans have an average running cost of $25 a year, with the cheapest starting at $20 and the most expensive maxing out at $47. DC fans have an average running cost of $17 a year, the cheapest being $11 while the most expensive is $23. CEILING FANS IN WINTER Reversing the direction of the fan, from anti-clockwise in summer to clockwise in winter, draws…

The CHOICE Expert Rating, which helps determine the pizza ovens we recommend, is made up of a performance score (50%) and an ease of use score (50%). PERFORMANCE Our kitchen experts assess the performance of each pizza oven by cooking fresh pizzas made with homemade dough. They test with a thin-crust and thick-crust pizza to assess each oven’s ability to evenly cook a fresh pizza with differing base thicknesses. The goal is to achieve a crisp, firm, golden base with evenly cooked toppings that are moist and not dried out, all within a short period of time. For the larger pizza ovens, we also conduct a roasting test to see how well the oven can roast a chicken (a non-uniform food containing bones and a centre cavity that can dry…

The Federal Court has ordered online tech giant Google to pay $55 million in penalties for engaging in anti-competitive behaviour when it made deals with Telstra and Optus to pre-install the search engine on Android mobile phones. The ACCC, who brought the case, says the deals between 2019 and 2021 required Telstra and Optus to pre-install Google Search on the phones and not allow the pre-installation of any other search engine. Telstra and Optus in return received a share of ad revenue generated from Google Search on the phones. “This penalty should send a strong message to all businesses that there are serious and costly consequences for engaging in anti-competitive conduct,” says ACCC deputy chair Mick Keogh. “Our market economy is predicated on businesses competing freely with each other, which…

The Dell S3225QS is a solid 4K, 32-inch LED computer monitor with a relatively affordable price tag, that can also work as a 32-inch TV replacement or second screen. Colours are accurate, edges are sharp, it has excellent contrast and brightness with HDR support and great detail in 4K. While it’s not technically a TV (as there is no digital tuner), you can easily hook up a streaming device for entertainment including live TV via the internet. There are two HDMI 2.1 ports, giving you the option to plug in a second device – such as a computer, games console or physical media player – and a DisplayPort, which is another way to connect other devices, often favoured for PC gaming. This monitor should be a good performer in most…

In the CHOICE October 2025 guide to comprehensive third party car insurance, we missed reporting on the options available in South Australia. We apologise to our South Australian readers for this oversight, and thank you for bringing it to our attention. South Australia has an at-fault scheme that you pay for when you renew a vehicle’s registration. WHAT’S COVERED? If you’re injured an accident and you’re not at fault, you’re covered for medical costs lost income and non-economic loss, such as pain and suffering. However, regardless of fault, if you suffer a catastrophic injury such as a severe brain injury, quadriplegia, paraplegia, severe burns, amputation or blindness, you’re potentially covered under the Lifetime Support Scheme. COST You can select CTP insurance from five insurers in South Australia. They provide exactly…

When Amazon arrived in Australia in December 2017, the online retail giant struggled to gain a foothold. But its strategy of undercutting all competition on price and quickly delivering goods eventually paid off. These days, around 8 million Australians shop on Amazon, which means goods bought on the site are being transported along our streets more or less constantly during working hours, and often beyond them. Many of the casual workers delivering these items face considerable stress, and many hold multiple freelance delivery jobs to make ends meet – and to hedge the ever-present threat of deactivation from the employer apps they rely on to book gigs and manage their employment. In 2021 the Transport Workers Union (TWU) surveyed around 250 Amazon Flex drivers and uncovered a range of issues.…

Tinned tomatoes are a pantry staple that most home cooks will reach for at least once a week. But with so many options at our supermarkets, it can be tricky to choose the right one. Are Australian or Italian-grown tomatoes best? Is it worth paying more for organic varieties? Are budget options just as good as more expensive products? To help make the decision a little easier, we conducted a blind taste test of 18 diced or chopped tomatoes to find out which tastes best. Top tinned tomatoes in our test Of the 18 chopped or diced tinned tomatoes included in our blind taste test, four received a CHOICE Expert Rating of 75% or more, earning them recommended status. Supermarket brands gave a good showing, with two of the recommended…

Considering dogs have a reputation as man’s (and woman’s) best friend, it’s probably no surprise that many of us are partial to small, cute, highly social dogs. Cavoodles are the most popular dog breed in Australia. Apart from their adorable appearance, they also have the benefit of being hypoallergenic. French Flat-faced dogs – also known as brachycephalic breeds – are also very popular, with many people falling head over heels for their distinctive appearance. But unfortunately, the sweet faces of pugs, Frenchies, Boston terriers and the like come with a predisposition for a swathe of health concerns. French bulldogs had the highest average vet costs of any pet breed And because of this, it’s generally more expensive to be the owner of a brachycephalic breed. French bulldogs had the highest…

Time spent doing the dishes is time you’ll never get back, so every minute you can claw back from this boring chore is gold, right? Working smarter, not harder, with your dishwasher will give you more time in your day for valuable pursuits like doom-scrolling, binge-watching and/or mindlessly eating corn chips until you realise you’ve accidentally consumed an entire family pack in one sitting. (Or is that just me?) It’ll also help you avoid the bitter disappointment of having to rewash dishes that have come out of the dishwasher dirty, and save you a bit of cash to boot (which you can spend on buying more corn chips, naturally). Here are five easy ways to turbocharge your dishwashing. You actually don’t need to drop big dollars to get squeaky-clean dishes…

Robot vacs are undoubtedly convenient and are getting a lot smarter, but are any of them good enough to replace your existing traditional stick, barrel or upright vacuum cleaner? “CHOICE has been testing robot vacuums for years and their cleaning performance, smart features and battery life has developed a lot, but at the same time, our tests regularly show they still have a number of issues and limitations,” says CHOICE vacuum expert Adrian Lini. Whether you’re keen to jump into the future or just need some extra cleaning assistance, we’ve compiled a rundown of robot vac pros and cons so you can decide whether a high-tech helper’s right for you. The pros 1. THEY CLEAN FOR YOU! This pro is so huge, it should be worth two or three pros.…

Every year, the CHOICE resident barbecue pros Chantelle Dart and Fiona Mair get out their aprons and tongs to put the latest models to the test in our kitchen lab. They’ve cooked thousands of steaks, sausages and wings over the years, which means they know how to get the best from a barbie. We asked them for their top expert tips to becoming the ultimate chargrill chef, and this is what they said. Before you get grilling 1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT FUEL The type of fuel and barbecue makes a huge difference to what you’re cooking, says Mair. Gas models heat up fast and are generally easy to control and use. But if you want to get that smoky, charred flavour, you need to use charcoal or a pellet barbecue.…

Australians will have to wait a little longer to be rid of pesky card surcharges, after the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) delayed a final decision on its proposal to ban debit and credit card surcharges until March. Back in July when it released its draft proposal, the RBA said the move would save consumers an estimated $1.2 billion per year, while businesses would save a similar amount through steps to reduce the interchange fees they pay to card providers. Predictably, not everybody is happy with the proposal. The RBA has faced some strong criticism, as the range of stakeholders who profit from the existing payments system try to preserve their positions. Last year, a CHOICE survey found that two in three people (66%) have often experienced businesses adding on…

The authors of the Australian Digital Inclusion Index say Australians’ overall skills and confidence using digital technologies is quickly rising, with the largest gains occurring in people over the age of 75. But while digital inclusion is improving, one in five still struggle to fully access, afford and use technology. “Digital exclusion remains a big challenge, particularly for older Australians, those in remote communities and people experiencing social and economic disadvantage,” says chief investigator Anthony McCosker from Swinburne University. “It’s more than just an inconvenience; digital exclusion cuts people off from vital services and opportunities in education, work and health.” Affordability, access and digital ability scores were lower than the national average in Tasmania, South Australia and Queensland, while residents of the Northern Territory faced significant challenges to access. First…

Australia Post has deployed a new tool to detect counterfeit stamps and prepaid parcel satchels, following reports of these products being sold on online marketplaces. The postal service says its Counterfeit Detection Tool has already spotted hundreds of fake Australia Post postage products being sold online, leading to the removal of these listings. The deployment of the new tool comes after consumers posting in online forums reported seeing Australia Post stamps and parcel satchels priced well below their stated value for sale on major international retail platforms. Australia Post says it’s concerned by the number of fake stamps, stamped satchels, and prepaid satchels in circulation. General manager for group security, Kevin Zuccato, says anyone knowingly producing, selling or using fake postage products risks prosecution. He also warns users of fraudulent…

Claire’s* former husband set up a joint self-managed super fund (SMSF) in 2005, and pressured her to move all her superannuation into the fund. She had no idea that the structure would eventually be used to drain her entire retirement savings. “I had worked a lot of jobs and even made lots of voluntary contributions, so I had a very healthy super balance at the start,” says Claire. “When we eventually separated in 2019 I got $10,000 of his super, but compared used to the hundreds of thousands in my super that had disappeared it was next to nothing.” The complex structures and lack of regulation of SMSFs leaves them open to being as a tool of abuse Advocates and lawyers say the often complex structures and lack of regulation…

When the weather is right, outdoor dining is a fun, laid back way to entertain. Adding a kitchen to the mix saves you from having to ferry food and drinks from inside, so you can keep cooking and conversing with your guests. More than just a space to store your barbie, an outdoor kitchen is a functional dining and entertainment area made to be enjoyed when the days begin to get longer. It can include a barbecue, bar fridge and preparation area to start, but after that? The sky’s (almost) the limit. And, as an extension of the living space, CHOICE kitchen expert Fiona Mair says an al fresco cooking area is not only useful and a great place to entertain, but could also be a desirable asset. More than…

If you’re trying to make some positive changes to your diet, reducing the amount of unhealthy fats you cook with can be one tactic to try. An air fryer might help here, but before you splash out on a shiny new appliance, there are some things to be aware of. How they work Whoever it was that came up with the term ‘air fryer’ must surely be some sort of marketing genius. After all, an appliance that can fry with air sounds like just the ticket for people trying to reduce their use of fats for cooking. Describing it as ‘frying’ is quite a stretch. Put simply, an air fryer is just a benchtop fan-forced oven Alas, as is the case with a lot of marketing, describing what this machine…

It’s not new technology, but a rotating blade hanging from the ceiling is still a simple and effective way to make your home feel more comfortable on a hot day. Ceiling fans are designed to cool your body, rather than the room. So, while they don’t actually lower the air temperature the way reverse cycle air conditioning can, the breeze they create helps to cool your body down by moving air across your skin and accelerating perspiration. Ceiling fans are designed to cool your body, rather than the room AC or DC There are two broad categories of ceiling fan: alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC). Ceiling fans using an AC motor used to be more common, so you’ll likely find these in existing installations, but ceiling fans using…

As far as purchases go, a pizza oven rates fairly high on the romance scale. It’s easy to imagine yourself in the backyard, pizza peel in hand, with the sun streaming through the woodfired smoke as you belt out ‘That’s Amore’. It’s a delicious dream, but is a pizza oven actually worth the often-hefty price? To find out, our CHOICE kitchen experts put the most popular ovens through their paces, turning out dozens of pizzas to rate their cooking performance and ease of use. Needless to say, it was a great day to be in the CHOICE office! How do pizza ovens work? Pizza ovens produce extremely high heat, and the best models will maintain this high temperature evenly throughout the oven over a long period of time. These are…