Home appliances cause an estimated 150,000 fires a year, resulting in 150 deaths and more than $500 million in property damage. A new Consumer Reports investigation has turned up disturbing findings. Although many of those fires are due to human error, a troubling number are caused by defective appliances.

Americans spend more than $700 million on chocolate for Valentine’s Day, according to the National Confectioners Association. But what’s the best tasting chocolate for the money? Consumer Reports taste testers have sampled more than 30 boxes of gift chocolates to help you.

Whether you’re driving in a daylight downpour or along a street at night, you rely on your headlights to get you down the road safely.

There are lots of sales on TVs right before the Super Bowl. But how do you know if the television that’s on sale is going to be a great set in the long run? Consumer Reports’ tests can help you find a TV that really scores.

You could spend hundreds of dollars on kitchen gadgets. How about a crinkle cutter for veggies or goggles for cutting onions? When it comes to cooking, it’s a lot easier to get the job done when you have the right tools. And it can be downright disappointing when something doesn’t work.

Football action heats up this time of year. And where there's football, there's often beer. Beer makers spend millions hoping to put their brand front and center. But which ones really score on flavor?

Got a few loose screws? A cordless drill can easily take care of those. And a cordless drill not only can save on the cost of a handyman, but these days you can also save on the cost of the drill. That according to Consumer Reports, whose tests find there’s a lot of value out there right now.

Sales of portable GPS units have fallen, but plenty of people are downloading navigation apps to get where they’re going. Consumer Reports tested some of the latest GPS apps for your smart phone. It says nvigation apps are getting better than ever. Some sport features like reality view to show major intersections, or celebrity voices that you can download for some laughs.

Think you don’t eat a lot of sugar? Consider this, every day the average American consumes the equivalent of 22 teaspoons of “extra” sugar — sugar that’s been added to food and beverages. That’s about a half of a cup a day! If you’re pretty sure you don’t have a sweet tooth, Consumer Reports says you may be in for a surprise.

Walking about four miles a day is touted as an ideal fitness goal. That’s about 10,000 steps. A pedometer can be an inexpensive incentive to help get you moving. A Stanford University study reported that people who use a pedometer, walk about a mile more every day than those who don’t use one. If you’re ready to take the first step, which pedometer should you get?

Dyson put style into household appliances, first with its vacuums and then with its fans. Now it's promoting a cool-looking space heater called Dyson Hot.

Your New Years' resolution may have you weighing whether to get an exercise machine. If you’re wondering whether you’d really use is, take heed. A new Consumer Reports’ survey finds 59 percent of machines are regularly used a year after they were purchased.