Which?

Sterlingtimes

As a little retirement saving and after many decades, I am foregoing Which? membership at £12.75 a month, £153 a year more than on value. The magazine now concentrates on eco issues. This month's cover is "How Green is your grocer?: We compare the environmental footprints of 11 supermarkets". I think that Which? probably now belongs to the Greta generation.

Topher

Hi Sterling, I homed in on your post as I was thinking of taking up  Which? subscription. My hope would be to educate myself about how to proceed with retirement plans and pensions as well as be informed in preparation for big ticket purchases - those are things I recall Which? being good for. I also used to like their follow ups on products - durability tests,  ‘which washing machines stood the test of time’ etc. Would you say they continue to be sound investigators and reporters of those kind of things I’m interested in? I’ve no objection to finding out about green credentials in order to make ethical choices, but they aren’t top of my list. (Although I think some deeper knowledge of banking companies’ ethics re:investing would be of use). 

tiddles

Ethical Consumer magazine might be of interest?

revrickyb

Topher said:

 Would you say they continue to be sound investigators and reporters of those kind of things I’m interested in?

Absolutely. Which? is still the same but with added focus on "green" issues, as was brought up by members.
It's a great magazine and if you sign up for the online site then you get the magazine sent to you as well.  The website is superb because you everything at the click of a link going back years.

blue.peter

I've only rarely used Which?, and not for years. I always used to look at it in the public library when I wanted to check something. If your local library takes it, that might be sufficient for future needs.

£12.75/month seems an awful lot to me, and poor value compared with other magazines. I hadn't realised that it was that expensive. From what I remember of it, I'd have expected a price less than half that.

Sterlingtimes

Topher said:

Hi Sterling, I homed in on your post as I was thinking of taking up  Which? subscription. My hope would be to educate myself about how to proceed with retirement plans and pensions as well as be informed in preparation for big ticket purchases - those are things I recall Which? being good for. I also used to like their follow ups on products - durability tests,  ‘which washing machines stood the test of time’ etc. Would you say they continue to be sound investigators and reporters of those kind of things I’m interested in? I’ve no objection to finding out about green credentials in order to make ethical choices, but they aren’t top of my list. (Although I think some deeper knowledge of banking companies’ ethics re:investing would be of use). 

Hello Topher. Yes, I would say that the investigations are sound. The problem for me is that their choices are leaning toward eco issues (ecology rather than economy). We learned the hard way in buying a heat pump tumble dryer which took far longer to dry than a condenser model and needed constant visits under a service contract just to keep it going. After looking at essential features, I look for value and durability. It may be that the younger generation is prepared to spend a far greater proportion of its post-tax salary on eco-adherence although they are in for a shock when mortgage interest rates increase along with energy prices. 

PennyForThem_2

I find Which? useful but some of its content can be accessed for free and it may be 'totally' free via your library - you would need to check.

It does give a lot of general guidance or 'things to think about' before making a puchase.  I have been looking at smart radiator thermostats
https://www.which.co.uk/reviews/smart-radiator-valves/article/how-smart-radiator-valves-work-a2jgq3z61RB8

I think that is 'free' content though to find out which to buy you probably need to be a member.

Which is also a bit mix and match - there is the consumer goods/general magazine then also finance, garden, computer and travel all of which you need to subscribe separately.  

Ms_Chocaholic

I can't see Which lasting much longer to be honest.  I think you can get an online only subscription now (without the magazine) for less than £12.75 pcm tho unsure of the exact cost.

Sterlingtimes

Ms_Chocaholic said:

I can't see Which lasting much longer to be honest.  I think you can get an online only subscription now (without the magazine) for less than £12.75 pcm tho unsure of the exact cost.

Thank you. I now see that there do indeed appear to be cheaper options. Perhaps Which? does apply a loyalty surcharge. Anyway, I have cancelled.

It is a bit sad really. I have a photograph taken of my father in the early sixties alongside his bound Which? magazines on his bookshelf.

I think that the Greta generation has made a grab for Which? Pages and pages are devoted to green issues. Presumably, we should all shop at Lidl because it has been crowned this month to be the "greenest supermarket". Iceland comes in the 11th position and M&S in the 10th position. In another multi-page spread, we learn that we are bad people if we dispose of our broken appliances rather than having them repaired.

blue.peter

Sterlingtimes said:

In another multi-page spread, we learn that we are bad people if we dispose of our broken appliances rather than having them repaired.

Just try getting them repaired, though. A year or so ago, the main bearing on my 10yo washing machine wore out, and it was making an 'orrible noise when spinning. OK, I'll get it repaired, I thought. Phoned the repair department of the shop from which I'd bought it. They refused point-blank to repair it. Not economically viable, they said. Cost too much, and other parts likely to wear out within a relatively short period. I ended up buying a new one, of course, even though I'd have preferred to get the old one repaired.

(No, I wouldn't have been able to repair it myself, even if I could obtain the parts. That's way outside my capabilities.)

Sterlingtimes

blue.peter said: Not economically viable, they said. Cost too much, and other parts likely to wear out within a relatively short period. I ended up buying a new one, of course, even though I'd have preferred to get the old one repaired.

Did you have to pay a call-out fee to have the machine repair declared to be not economically viable?

There are other issues. There may be a week's wait for a technician to appear and then typically a parts sourcing time of four weeks to fix. Then there is a problem of "no-fault found" which will involve multiple visits for the intermittent problems. Often the best approach is to junk and buy afresh.