Bob, I read that article, and all I can say in response is
that your complaints mirror the reason why I don't subscribe
any longer to Consumer Reports. I find too much
subjectiveness in every review. Something that is important
in a product isn't mentioned by the reviewer and/or the
reviewer goes on and on about something I care little about.
I got tired of purchasing 55 gallon drums of salt to go
with the magazine...

There are deadlines for publishers that preclude their
getting their hands on every worthwhile product in a category.

dave

Bob Davis wrote:

Fine Woodworking did a bandsaw review in the June issue. It was
interesting and made some good points. However, it seemed a bit
unbalanced to me. First, the Minimax was unavailable for the their
review. How could one of the best bandsaws not be available?????
Secondly, they imply they are comparing equal bandsaws, yet they
tested the high end 5 hp model from Laguna at $2995. Its in a whole
different class with its 17" resaw capacity. I don't understand why
they didn't select the more equal 3 hp model at $2195 which is more
the equivalent (spec/horsepower) to the other models tested.

They also mention things like difficulty in changing blades and
adjusting guides, but didn't seem to give much weight to these factors
in the overall rating. They seemed to be weighted toward such silly
things as how fast the saw cuts. What good is a saw that cuts fast,
if you have to spend lots of time changing blades and its difficult to
adjust?

Bob