Comments on: What happens when Unclutterer is invited to tour Consumer Reports

By: BJ Nemeth

BJ Nemeth — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 05:15:10 +0000

I remember when Consumer’s Union was raising funds for their testing facility many, many years ago. Just hearing them describe what they were planning back then was awesome. It’s even cooler hearing a description from someone on the outside.

Consumer’s Union (and their magazine, Consumer Reports) are near the top of my list of “Companies I Respect the Hell Out Of.”

By: Louise

Louise — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:44:27 +0000

You’re running with some real A-listers, there. Thanks for sharing your experience at CR. Did you bring cookies back for the rest of us?

By: Shalin

Shalin — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:08:26 +0000

How awesome is that?!

Oh, and regarding a no-echo (anechoic) chamber – I been in a couple and while I’ve never gotten a headache, I did feel a fit dizzy. Funny how important sound was for my balance…

–Shalin

By: C

Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:35:30 +0000

I’ve been to the UL facility in Canada. The fire test lab is wicked!

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:06:18 +0000

@Andrew — The kitchen appliance testing crew sets out cookies, cakes and all of their edible “tests” for CR staffers after they’re finished recording the sample data. The main kitchen engineer said that her daughter believes she has the coolest job in the world since she gets to constantly be surrounded by cookies. I’ll be honest, it sounds like a nice perk! The grilling testers use rib eye steaks in their tests … I think that would be a yummy sample to try, too

By: Xerxes3rd

Xerxes3rd — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:00:48 +0000

Those sound rooms are really odd- my college had one. It’s strange that there’s so much less pressure in them, and someone standing two feet away and talking sounds like they’re about 20 feet away. Interesting experience indeed!

By: Andrew Flusche

Andrew Flusche — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:36:53 +0000

That is incredibly cool! Of course the guy in me wonders if anyone gets to eat the cookies after they record the test data.

By: Erin Doland

Erin Doland — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 13:30:24 +0000

@Geralin — All of the Consumer Reports bloggers/writers were there, so I’m sure that I met the people behind Shop Smart … but I don’t remember anyone exactly. I mostly sought out conversations with the editors of the CR sites and multi-media work since they have a more specific link to the type of work that I do. But, I agree, I love Shop Smart

By: Geralin Thomas

Geralin Thomas — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:01:08 +0000

Hey Erin,

While you have covered the “geek” & “intellectual” aspects, the “Mrs. Kravitz” in me wants to know, did you meet any of the ShopSmart crowd? I love that publication!
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