right choice sample

Unbiased Expert Advice. Always.

Powered by the UK’s largest consumer organisation

June 2013, `150

Test reports Sound bars

Tablets

Budget smartphones

Food processors Child care products

Our testing cuts through the jargon to ensure that you

buy only the best

KetchupSodium and sugar levels in seven brands

Paint jobStep-by-step guide to painting your home

Online shoppingE-retailers that offer hassle-free buying

Dental check-upsWhat to look for and how much they cost

ALSO INSIDE

Big pictures

Big pictures

Contents

whichrightchoice.com02 I Right Choice I June 2013

Consumer news

04 We look at the latest

consumer news and

give you advice on using

generic medication,

credit card transactions

and getting airline

refunds

Your complaints resolved

08 Consumer issues

pertaining to products

and services and how

they have been resolved

New products

10 Gadgets

We explore

various

products that

have just hit

the shelves

14 Home appliances

A recently-launched

convection oven, a

hairdryer that conditions

your hair, a Right Choice

cof ee maker and more

home appliances

Test reports

17 Televisions

Deceptive schemes by

retailers may lead to bad

buying decisions

23 Sound bars

Pair your fl at screen TV

with these sleek Right

Choice speakers

26 Tablets

Find out which tablet

lives up to its maker’s

claims in our test report

32 Mobiles

We feature fi ve

smartphones that

are great at the

basics and well

within your reach

34 Food processors

Need to whisk, grind,

knead, chop – all within

a short time span?

These mean machines

are the answer

38 Right Choice

round-up

Keep your baby safe,

with these products

43 Ketchup test

We tested

seven dif erent

brands of

this go-to

condiment for

their salt and

sugar content

How to

46 Get your home painted

Whether you are hiring

a painting contractor or

want to tackle it yourself,

we demystify the art of

repainting your home

Test drives

50 Mid-size sedans

We investigate nine

mid-size sedans so that

you know which one is

well worth your money

Service report

56 Online shopping

Satisfaction survey of

online shopping sites,

their policies and other

issues that matter

23

46

whichrightchoice.com June 2013 I Right Choice I 03

Health report

63 Dental health

Zeroing in on a dentist,

how often you should

go for a check-up,

average cost of various

procedures and more

Money report

68 Credit cards

With multiple choices

and clauses, we read

the fi ne print for you

Features

62 10 ways to...

... shop safely on

the internet

73 Spin doctor

Does a

regular oil

massage

actually

keep

your hair

healthy?

74 Ask the experts

We answer your queries

on topics ranging from

types of suitcases to

maintaining car tyres

Published and printed by Paul Antony Smith for and on behalf of the owners M/s BGG Information Pvt Ltd. Published at BGG Information Pvt Ltd, 106, Prospect Chambers, 317/321, Dr D N Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001. Printed at Thomson Press (India) Ltd, 18-35, Mile Stone, Delhi-Mathura Road, Faridabad (Haryana) Editor: Paul Antony Smith Distributed by Living Media India Limited, branch oi ce: A-61, Sec 57, Noida 201 301. (Registered Oi ce: 9 K Connaught Circus, New Delhi 110001). Customer care contact details: Toll-free: 1-800-1800200, land line: 0120-2479800, fax: 0120-4078080.To contact us, send an email to [email protected] Design, production and editorial services: Hill Road Media Vol 2 Issue 1

We acknowledge that the trademarks shown/featured in this magazine are the property/s of the respective owners. All rights reserved. No part of this publication shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of BGG Information Private Limited. It shall not be used for any form of advertising, sales promotion or publicity.

Editor’s Letter

You can now do just about anything online, and shopping from your armchair can save time and money if you get it right. But it can be hard

to know where to buy – and what to expect when you do. Our online shopping survey (p56) looked at customer satisfaction with some of the biggest names in e-retail, including Flipkart, Snapdeal and Naaptol, to reveal which sites you rated best.

You don’t always know what you’re getting when you shop online, but there’s no guarantee you get the full picture in a shop, either. Electronics retailers can use clever tricks to show products off at their best, so you could end up disappointed if you don’t get the same experience at home (see ‘Televisions’, p17). And some manufacturers can be equally sneaky; some of the tablets we’ve tested only let you use about half of the space advertised on the box (see ‘Tablets’, p26).

Whether you’re in the market for a new TV, are considering a food processor upgrade or want to fi nd the best budget mobile, you can trust our reviews to give you the whole picture, and help you pick a Right Choice that won’t disappoint.

Paul An tony Sm ith Edito r


Our promiseWe at Right Choice test and research goods and services. Our tests are rigorous and we give you the most comprehensive reviews. Our USP is that we give ‘Unbiased expert

advice. Always’ – meaning we do not take any freebies or inducements from manufacturers either directly or indirectly. We buy all the products we test, and we put products and services through their paces so you can get independent, unbiased advice on what to buy.

Our testsOur tests are comprehensive – examining all the key aspects of a product or service. We are transparent in our approach and write about how we test in every test report. And we test a wide range of things, from cof ee to air-conditioners.

Our ratingsAdorns the ones that excel in our rigorous tests.

The ones which perform poorly get this label.

Perform well in our tests and are relatively low-cost.

Peourel

GREATVALUE

Theperthis

WRONGCHOICE

Adtharigo

RIGHTCHOICE


News

In April, the Supreme Court of India rejected the demands for patent

rights by the Swiss drug company Novartis for the anti-cancer drug

Glivec. The court felt that the newer Glivec, which is very expensive,

was just a modifi ed version of the older drug.

The ruling is a step forward for India’s ef orts to make medicines

af ordable and accessible to every strata of society and reduce

‘evergreening’ – a strategy where drug companies try to extend

their patent life by making small changes to their drugs. However,

Novartis said that ‘this decision discourages innovative drug discovery

essential to advancing medical science for patients.’

MAHARASHTA HOSPITALS FOLLOW SUITTaking a cue from the Novartis case, in April the Maharashtra State

Government declared that all public hospitals should now give

only generic drugs to patients. It also stated that the government

will formulate a module to create awareness on the benefi ts of

these drugs. Generic drugs – medicines that are usually known

by their chemical name and are not associated with any particular

company – can be just as ef ective as branded drugs – and

are much cheaper. They are especially critical for those who cannot

af ord branded medicines.

IS GENERIC MEDICATION SAFE TO USE? Generic drugs may be af ordable, but are they up to the mark? Dr

Gopal Chaturvedi, Mumbai, says, ‘Generic drugs are basically made

out of the same compounds as branded drugs. When it is a basic

drug like paracetamol or antacids, it is perfectly alright. These are

the medicines that general practitioners usually give to patients in

small pouches and their side-ef ects and mechanisms are well known

and can be safely administered orally. However, for cancer drugs,

for example, the stakes are much higher. Cancer drugs need to

undergo lots of clinical trials. Number of drug therapies and standard

treatment doses and protocols are frequently revised by cancer

societies all over the world. Since drugs produced and manufactured

by pharmaceutical companies undergo lot of trials before they are

marketed they usually recover their R&D costs through patents, which

are usually for up to 10-12yrs or as per the drug policies of the country

and then are produced as generics. Generic drugs are not extensively

Generic drugs: good or bad?Maharashtra defends most af ordable drugs – but is it wise?

tested and so it is di� cult to predict their e� cacy in case

of such diseases.’

BEWARE OF SUB-STANDARD QUALITY A B Pharm graduate working in the pharmaceutical

sector, Shekhar Rawtani, Mumbai, says, ‘The generic

pharmaceuticals industry has made drugs more

accessible, of ering economical alternatives to branded

drugs and considerably reducing the fi nancial burden

of therapy. But the rampant use of sub-standard non-

pharmaceutical grade raw materials and the high risk of

counterfeiting casts doubt on the quality and e� cacy of

these generic products. The concerned regulators must

take quality very seriously and should make and enforce

rules to assure people that every licensed generic

product has been manufactured with utmost care.’

Generic drugs are critical for those who can't aff ord costly branded medicines

BRANDED DRUG

GENERIC DRUG

USE

Crocin Paracetamol Relieves minor aches and pains, such as headaches and body ache, and reduces fever

Combifl am Paracetamol + Ibuprofen

Cures routine ailments such as fever, fl u, cold and body pain

Amoxil, Amox, Mox

Amoxicillin Treats many dif erent types of infections caused by bacteria

whichrightchoice.com

Faulty transactions on credit card

Almost three years is a long time to

wait to settle a dispute with your bank,

but that's how long it took Ashish Kothari,

senior consultant at Capgemini India Pvt.

Ltd, to resolve fraudulent transactions made

on his credit card. On June 2009, several

mysterious transactions were refl ected on

Ashish's HSBC credit card statement. When

the bank called and emailed to verify the

transactions, he refuted them and fi led a

dispute complaint with the Powai branch

of the bank, in Mumbai. 'I disputed four

transactions (made for paying mobile phone

bills, according to the statement). The bank

reversed only one and refused to reverse

the other three (a total of `5,000). They also

started charging interest on the amount due

to non-payment,' he added.

Ashish then got in touch with Right Choice

to seek help in the matter. We followed

up with HSBC as well as JM Financial, the

fi nance company to whom HSBC had handed

With our help, Right Choice subscriber fi nally gets his dues for credit card transactions he did not make

June 2013 I Right Choice I 05

the case, on his behalf. After several emails

and conversations, on April 4, 2013, JM

Financials informed Right Choice that they

had reconsidered the case and had initiated

the process to update his credit status in the

Credit Information Bureau India Limited (CIBIL)

records, which would take ef ect within 45-

60 days. On April 12, 2013, Ashish informed

Right Choice that HSBC had reversed his

transactions and all his dues were settled to

his satisfaction. It took a long time for HSBC

to resolve what seemed like a technical error.

RBI guidelines for disputed transactions The grievance cell of the bank

should be made known to every

card holder so that he/she can

approach the designated offi cer and

ensure that genuine grievances are

redressed promptly.

Banks have been asked to formulate a

system to prevent fraud.

In case of disputed transactions, the

bank is liable to provide the consumer

with all the necessary documentations

(like the ATM pin used, the additional

security authentication used and the

time and place of transactions), within a

maximum period of 60 days.

In all disputed cases, banks have to

maintain a transparent procedure

with the card holder pertaining to

call center competence and

mechanism to escalate the matter

to a higher authority.

Banks have been advised to be careful

before reporting the consumer in

the defaulter’s list of CIBIL in case of

unresolved disputes.

If a person is unsatisfi ed with the

bank’s response over credit card or

other banking-related issues, he can

fi le a complaint before the Banking

Ombudsman under the Banking

Ombudsman Scheme by the RBI (at

www.bankingombudsman.rbi.org.in),

within a period of one month.

News


On June 2, 2012, the Gujarat Electricity

Regulatory Commission (GERC) passed

a tarif order increasing tarif by 10 paise

per unit for all categories of consumers.

According to the order, the new tarif was

to be implemented with ef ect from June 1,

2012. In August 2012, the president of the

New Kandla and Kutch Salt Manufacturers

Association, Gandhidham, G P Thacker,

lodged a complaint with CERS. He stated that

Electricity company toreturn wrongful chargesPower company estimated to have wrongfully collected an extra `5-6 crore from consumers

the new tarif had been enforced on all high-

tension (HT) power consumers of the Paschim

Gujarat Vij Company Ltd (PGVCL) with ef ect

from the date of meter reading, which varied

from May 16 to 21, 2012. PGVCL had thus

collected an additional 10 paise per unit for 10

to 15 days, estimated to be over `5-6 crore,

from its HT power consumers.

CERS wrote to the GERC as well as

to PGVCL, protesting the collection was

in violation of the GERC Supply Code

Regulations and therefore wrongful, and

demanded a refund for all HT power

consumers. But the PGVCL argued that meter

readings are taken on fi xed dates and there

is no provision that new readings have to be

taken on June 1 to implement the new tarif .

Only after the intervention of GERC

Chairman, Dr P K Mishra, did PGVCL revise

the programming of the billing cycle and, in a

letter to Thacker on March 8, 2013, informed

him that the wrongly collected amount would

be credited in the next electricity bill.

Meanwhile, CERS has requested the

GERC to direct the other three state-run

power distribution companies too, and refund

similar wrongful amounts collected from all

categories of consumers in Gujarat.

HSBC held ‘defi cient in service’

T he Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum - VI,

District New Delhi, found HSBC Limited India

defi cient in service and ordered it to pay `25,000

as compensation charges to Vinay Chola in

February 2013.

According to Vinay, he had been a credit

card holder of HSBC and had defaulted on a

due payment of `25,000 to the bank. He had,

however, agreed to pay the amount in three

installments, which were scheduled to begin in

May 2007 and end on or before July 30, 2007,

with the last payment being `8,332. However, the

bank's recovery agents collected his payment

Debt recoverer responsible for taking payment late

Contributed by the Consumer Education and Research Centre (CERC)


in September 2007, instead of July 2007. The

Forum stated that since the bank’s recovery

persons had collected the last payment late, the

bank should demand charges from the recovery

agents, not the complainant.

The Forum held HSBC defi cient in service for

the following:

Not informing CIBIL of the settlement of all

outstanding dues

Not issuing a letter to CIBIL and the

complainant to this ef ect

Not issuing a 'No-dues Certifi cate'

Not reconsidering him for a fresh card


Delay in delivery of services will be fi nedThe Union Cabinet has approved The

Right of Citizens for Time-Bound Delivery

of Goods and Services Bill, 2011, which

will ensure a time-bound delivery of

services such passport, driving licence,

pensions and tax refund. In case of delay

the offi cial responsible will be fi ned on

a per day basis, ranging from `250 to

`50,000.

‘Sin tax’ on tobaccoIn a move to curb the consumption

of tobacco, the health ministry has

proposed a ‘sin tax’ on tobacco products.

It has been suggested to the Department

of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, to

incorporate this tax, the proceeds of

which can be used for tobacco control.

TRAI to deactivate inactive mobile numbersThe Telecom Regulatory Authority of India

(TRAI), in an amendment to the Telecom

Consumers Protection Regulation, 2013,

allows telecom operators to deactivate a

pre-paid mobile number that has not in

use for 90 days and has a balance of less

than `20, as of March 22. The customer

can then reactivate his number within 15

days by paying certain charges.

News in Brief

Get in touch with Right Choice

If you are experiencing a problem with

a manufacturer, retailer or service

provider, for example a malfunctioning

product, something that wasn’t

delivered as promised or a defi cient

service, write to us at

[email protected] and we’ll

do our best to resolve the issue.

Airline forced to pay `1 lakh compensationStranded passenger fi nds airline also paid of lawyer without his authority

Flying British Airways fl ight BA 142 from

New Delhi to London on June 7, 2008,

Ramesh C Bhargava, a resident of Shimla,

was informed on reaching his destination

that the airline had lost his luggage in transit.

He immediately reported the loss to the

airline o� cials, but they could not trace

the baggage.

DEFICIENCY IN SERVICERamesh had to spend fi ve days in a hotel

room in London till he could get hold of his

contact addresses and fi nish his business

in London. On returning home, Ramesh

sent a legal notice to the airline through

his advocate, V K Goel. But BA paid Goel

`20,000 hoping to be rid of the matter.

Ramesh then complained to the Consumer

Disputes Redressal Forum - VI, District New

Delhi, against the airline and others (Case no.

C.C./382/2009).

During the proceedings, British Airways

of ered him `45,000 in court. He refused

to accept the amount. With regards to the

airline’s payment to the lawyer, Ramesh said

that he had not authorised nor accepted the

amount and hence the payment did not settle

his claim.

The Forum found it justifi ed that Ramesh

had disputed the payment to his advocate

without his authority. ‘That money belonged

to Ramesh and the opposite party (British

Airways) should bear the loss as the amount

was not given to the complainant. Once the

defi ciency is admitted in the loss of baggage,

the complainant should be adequately

compensated,’ the Forum stated.

The Forum also took note of the fact that,

for the ongoing case, Ramesh had been

travelling from Shimla to New Delhi for the

past fi ve years. The Forum raised the amount

of compensation, from `65,000 (including

`20,000) of ered by British Airways, to `1

lakh and directed it to pay the amount to

Ramesh within 30 days of the receipt of the

copy of the order. ‘Otherwise, action can

be taken under Section 25 (Enforcement of

order) / Section 27 (Penalty) of the Consumer

Protection Act.’


If baggage is lost in transit, the airline is guilty of defi ciency in service


Your complaints resolved

This item has been provided by the Consumer Education & Research Centre (CERC), Ahmedabad.

Twenty-year old Bhavik Mehta was a

student of the University of Mombasa,

Kenya, when he attended a campus fair at

his college. There he was informed about

a degree course for chemical engineering

by a representative of the SRM University

in Chennai. He applied for the dual degree

course and, on May 31, 2012, obtained

admission to the programme by paying

$11,900 (approximately `6,54,500) for the

course and on-campus accommodation.

When Bhavik reported to the college

on August 5, 2013, he found that no

arrangements had been made for him at the

institute. He was allocated an inhabitable

of -campus accommodation. The next day

he learnt that the dual degree programme

did not exist. Pursuing the matter with

the authorities yielded no results. Bhavik

withdrew his application and asked for

the refund of the fees. When his repeated

reminders to the university evoked no

response, his father, Ajaykumar Mehta,

wrote to CERS, Ahmedabad on August 21,

2012. Extensive follow-ups by CERS with the

university fi nally resulted in Bhavik getting a

refund of $11,465 (approximately `6,30,575)

after deduction of processing fees.

College refunds fees to international studentSRM University admitted an international student onto a degree course that didn't exist


Samsung waives repair costs for senior citizens

Arun Kumar Hajra and his wife, an

elderly couple based in Pune, had

purchased two Samsung TV sets – 101cm

LED and 66cm LCD – from Croma Infi niti

Retail Limited in July 2011. Hajra paid a

total of `77,000. The LED TV displayed a

fl ickering screen during the warranty period,

but Arun's wife mistook it to be a voltage

fl uctuation and did not complain to the

dealer. On returning from a trip overseas,

Arun noticed the problem and complained

to the service engineer on August 6, 2012.

However, by then the LED TV had crossed

the warranty period. The service engineer

found the TV’s panel was faulty and

estimated the repair cost to be `23,200.

Arun approached the company

authorities as well as the customer care,

but all ef orts went in vain. A troubled Arun

then sought the advice and intervention

of CERS, Ahmedabad. CERS pursued

the matter with Samsung Electronics and

Croma Infi niti Retail Limited. Eventually, on

March 2, 2013, after seven months and a

payment of `5,000, Samsung repaired the

TV for the couple.

Faulty TV panel replaced outside warranty for a fraction of the cost

Precautions to take Keep all documentation and proof,

such as receipts, with you.

Ensure everything is in place legally.

If there is correspondence by post,

check for the offi cial letterhead.

Be in touch with the offi cials from the

university to get your queries cleared.

Research the university. Get in touch

with the alumni.


Car undelivered for over six monthsDealer refunds booking amount to customer


Resident of Ahmedabad,

Arun Kaul, paid `51,000

and booked a Renault Duster

(Model No. HP RxE 85 PS)

on July 20, 2012. The dealer,

Kamdar Carz Private Limited,

promised him delivery of the car in two

months. Five months elapsed but Arun

did not receive the car. In December

2012, the dealer approached Arun

for the allotment of the same model,

which had been rejected by another

customer who had booked the car from

the same dealer. He accepted the of er

and immediately applied for the loan.

Fifteen days later, on December

18, 2012, Arun was informed that the

vehicle had been allotted to someone

else. On the same day, he wrote to

the company seeking re-allotment of

the car or cancellation of the

booking. ‘I fi nd this allotment

wrong,’ he wrote ‘…kindly

make the payment of the

refund amount of `51,000…

If the payment is not received

in a week’s time, interest from the

date of registration would be due.’ He

also approached CERS Ahmedabad,

seeking its intervention.

CERS wrote to Kamdar Carz Private

Limited, regarding Arun’s complaint.

In response, the dealer informed

CERS after 10 days that it had not yet

received a cancellation request from

Arun. Arun re-sent his application for

cancellation. Follow-ups by CERS

fi nally brought Arun a refund in

February 2013 of the advance amount

of `51,000.


Passenger protests booking inei ciency by airline

On November 12,

2012, resident of

Mumbai and President

of CERC, Walter Vieira,

booked an online ticket

on an Indigo Airlines

fl ight from Mumbai

to Goa for January

27, 2013, to return on

February 7, 2013. The

ticket showed the

status as ‘pending’ but Walter presumed that this

would be confi rmed closer to the date of travel.

On his arrival at the airport on January 27,

he was informed that his ticket was invalid as it

showed the status to be ‘pending’. To his further

surprise, the airline authorities informed him that

his reservation had been rescheduled to January

23, 2013, over the phone. Walter argued that

there was no cancellation charge recorded on

his credit card statement but he was left with no

choice except to get a new ticket issued paying

that day’s rates and travel, under protest.

On January 31, 2013, Walter wrote to Customer

Relations, Indigo Airlines, explaining the matter.

He sought a refund of `4,481, the amount he was

made to pay for the ticket or a free ticket for the

same route. Walter received a response from

the customer relations team of Indigo Airlines

on February 6, 2013, stating that ‘the refund of

`1,699.00 has been processed which will refl ect

in your account within seven to ten working days.

Further, we have made the travel voucher for

the remaining amount of `2782.00…’ Walter's

complaint was hence successfully resolved.

Wrongly rescheduled without intimation


In this sectionWe bring you the newest

gadgets and recently

launched appliances.

These range from

headphones, mobiles and

cameras to tablets, TVs

and computers. You will

also fi nd reviews for

household products,

including water purifi ers,

geysers, cof ee machines

and much more. We also

preview products that may

not be available yet in India

but are likely to launch

soon. As they’re new to

the market, all the products

featured here may not have

been tested in our labs yet.

Here’s how to distinguish

them by their labels.

These new

gadgets and

appliances have

gone through our labs

and are tested. You’ll fi nd

scores and ratings along

with these reviews.

They’re not

tested yet, but

we’ve played

around with and tried these

new products to give you

our opinions.

We’ve not got

our hands on

these products

yet, but give you our

impressions according to

their specifi cations.

W

ou

th

et b t gi e

JUSTOUT

Th

te

we

aro nd ith

FIRSTLOOK

The

gad

app

gone thro gh

JUSTTESTED

10 I Right Choice I June 2013

The Yamaha PDX-11 is an iPod speaker dock, but

the standard 3.5mm headphone socket means it

can also connect to other smartphones and MP3

players. It has a nice design, with a large speaker

and a handle on the top. We put it to the test to fi nd

out if the sound matches its exceptional design.

Sound quality While acceptable, its sound quality is

nothing great. It runs on batteries and doesn’t need

to be plugged to the mains, which makes it suitable

for listening in open areas such as a garden.

How is it to use? It’s straightforward to use, with the

iPod slotting in to the top. This is very easy to do

but the back of the iPod isn’t well-supported. It has

a tiny remote control for accessing your music.

VERDICT Though it doesn’t have the best audio

quality available, it is an excellent choice if you’re

looking for a portable speaker.

Screen size 4.3 inches Screen resolution 480x800

Internal memory 4GB Camera 5Mp

This is a decent mid-range phone with a 4.3-inch

screen and runs on the new Windows Phone 8 OS.

Battery life We managed over eight hours of calls per

charge, or over fi ve hours of web browsing over 3G,

both of which are above average for a phone in this

price range. You can use the Windows Phone battery

saving mode, which turns of some power-hungry

features when your phone is almost out of juice.

Picture quality Picture quality from the 5Mp camera is

mediocre, but adequate for quick group shots.

How is it to use? The Windows 8 interface comes with

interesting features, though it takes some time to get

used to and the home screen can look busy. Calls are

generally clear in quiet conditions but – as you would

expect – a little harder to understand when there is

loud background noise.

VERDICT A decent Windows 8 phone to consider

if you are looking for a standard workhorse

smartphone with a good screen.

59% HTC WINDOWS PHONE 8S, `18,500


New products

66% YAMAHA PDX11, `9,490JUST

TESTED

JUSTTESTED


VERDICT While prices for the Google Nexus 4 had not been announced in India till the time of going to print, you can expect

it to be much cheaper and still work as a superb alternative to the Samsung Galaxy S III.

Google Nexus 4 vs Samsung Galaxy S IIIThe newly launched Google Nexus 4 has hit the US markets for just $299 (about

`16,000). We pitch it against the highest-selling smartphone to see how it matches up

Google Nexus 4 Samsung Galaxy S III Winner

SCREEN The Nexus 4 houses more pixels within its 4.7-inch screen, so images look sharper than they do on the S III.

The S III has a clear and bright 4.8-inch screen, but it doesn’t quite match up to the Nexus 4’s.

PROCESSOR The Qualcomm Snapdragon processor outruns the Galaxy S III, which means faster gaming and web-browsing speeds.

The Samsung Galaxy S III features a quad-core processor that’s also pretty slick for most tasks.

BATTERY It beats Samsung’s record, which is 12 hours on calls, by managing over 14 hours of calls or fi ve hours of web browsing.

The 12-hour call time – or over fi ve hours of web browsing – is also pretty impressive for a smartphone.

CALL QUALITY Sound quality of calls isn’t as clear as those in competition.

On the other hand, the S III provides fantastic call quality.

FEATURES Headphones aren’t supplied and there is no slot for a memory card. Also, unlike the Samsung, you cannot replace the battery later on.

Samsung, being pricier, is more generous with its features, giving you quality headphones and fl exibility to extend the storage.

CAMERA The photo camera on the Google Nexus 4 is brilliant, while the video camera is only reasonable.

The Samsung exceeds the Nexus 4 in this area, giving you a top-notch photos and videos and better camera features.

Google Nexus 4

Google Nexus 4

Google Nexus 4

Samsung Galaxy

S III

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

vs

72% 78%

`28,500`TBA

Samsung Galaxy

S III

Samsung Galaxy

S III


NewProducts


Screen size 7 inches

Resolution 1,440x900

Storage 16GB

This is a 7-inch tablet which runs on the

Barnes & Noble version of Android. While

it hasn’t been launched o� cially in India,

you can easily buy it through online

stores. It’s a step up from an ebook reader

because it has full access to the internet

and a high-resolution colour screen. It’s

available in 8GB and 16GB versions.

Screen The 1,440x900 resolution screen

is the highest resolution among most main

7-inch tablet rivals. We found the screen to

be clear and with good viewing angles.

Battery life A 30 minute charge provides

40 minutes’ battery life. It lasts for nearly

nine and a half hours when playing back-

to-back video and seven-and-a-half hours

when you’re browsing the web using Wi-Fi.

How is it to use? Battery life is good, lasting

over nine hours – three hours longer than

the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 P310. You won’t

be able to make video calls or take photos

using the Nook HD because it doesn’t have

any cameras. The Barnes & Noble app

store limits the number of apps and does

not live up to the high standards of the

Apple and Google equivalents.

VERDICT Except for the good screen,

there’s nothing remarkable about the

Nook HD to set it apart from cheaper

tablets such as the Google Nexus 7 and

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 P310.

JUSTTESTED

69% BARNES & NOBLE NOOK HD, `17,350

SAMSUNG UA55F8000, `2,30,900Screen size 55 inches

Type LED

This is Samsung’s new fl agship LED TV,

which replaces the popular ES8000 from

last year’s line-up. It looks stunning with a

sleek frame around the 55-inch screen. It

also looks great at the back: Samsung has

cleverly hidden the connections and cut

down the clutter. The TV is also the fi rst to

feature a quad-core processor.

All new Smart Hub One of the major

changes to Samsung’s 2013 line up is a

complete revamp of its smart TV interface.

The new Smart Hub is designed to be

much easier and more intuitive to get

around, with content split into dif erent

panels that you can swipe through. This

categorises dif erent applications to give a

cleaner and a better organised look.

Deeper blacks Samsung has been working

to improve picture quality and is introducing

a new feature called Cinema Black. This,

it claims, makes blacks look deeper and

turns of the LED backlight behind the black

strips at the top and bottom of the screen

when you are watching a fi lm.

TV interaction Although a bit gimmicky,

the TV lets you talk to it using ‘natural’

language, and you can use both hands for

gesture control using the built-in camera.

An update to the camera means you can

now snap it away if you don’t want it staring

at you the whole time.

FIRST IMPRESSION It will be interesting

to see the picture improvements from

last year’s models. The reinvented Smart

Hub should help users make the most

out of internet TV.

FIRSTLOOK


Google Play Movies`Free

Hot on the heels of Google Play ‘Books’,

which launched in India a month ago,

a movies section has now been added

to Google Play. It off ers both Hindi and

English fi lms, and you can rent movies

and TV shows from the store for a

minimum of `50 each. They can be

streamed within a period of 30 days from

the time that they have been rented, but

you have to watch them within 48 hours

once the streaming starts.

Wishtel’s IRA Capsule`16,000

Wishtel is all set to

introduce the IRA Capsule

in the Indian market.

Encased in a metallic shell,

it comes with a 10.1-inch

multi-touch capacitive screen and runs

on the Jelly Bean Android OS. It has a

0.3Mp front-facing camera and a 5Mp

back camera. Wishtel states that the

Capsule is designed with a built-in Sim

slot for 3G, along with a wireless LAN. It

has an internal memory of 16GB, which

can be expanded to 32GB.

Micromax Viva Style A72`6,499

This new dual-Sim phone

from Micromax has a 5-inch

capacitive screen and an

Android 2.3 OS paired with

a 1GHz processor. At 110MB

the internal memory is

low, but it can be boosted up to 32GB.

A claimed seven hours’ talktime is

provided, with a 280 hours standby time

from its 2,000mAH battery.

Just out

The Lenovo S300 is a 13.3-inch laptop

that looks like an ultrabook, but it’s slightly

chunky and lacks a sustaining battery, so

doesn’t make the Right Choice cut.

Screen and battery life The screen is

dull and the grainy images are a bit of

a let-down. The battery isn’t powerful

enough to get through a three-hour

movie without a power source – but

it will survive nearly three hours of

web browsing.

How is it to use? The dual-core Pentium

processor powers the laptop through

word-processing and web-browsing

tasks, but it struggles in more intensive

graphics or media applications. Weighing

just 1.6kg, it’s quite comfortable on the lap.

VERDICT If you want a good and very

mobile workhorse laptop, the S300 fi ts

the bill. But the screen is disappointing

and it doesn’t have the features or

battery life of a bona fi de ultrabook.

JUSTTESTED

Resolution (Mp) 16 Wide angle 24mm

Optical zoom 50x

The Fujifi lm SL1000 is the latest bridge

camera to sport an enormous 50x optical

zoom lens. The last model to impress

with its huge zoom lens was the Canon

PowerShot SX50 HS – and we can’t wait to

see to see if this Fujifi lm can match it. The

camera should be excellent for macro and

landscape photography, though it could

feel too heavy after a while.

10fps shooting speed Fujifi lm has kept the

resolution low at 16Mp, claiming that it helps

in capturing the images at a continuous

speed of 10fps – about fi ve times faster

than the Canon. The 24mm wide angle is a

great addition for taking wide shots.

Special features Fujifi lm has included

eight dif erent creative ef ects such as toy

camera – that make life-size objects look

like toys, without needing any photo editing

software. Additionally, the LCD monitor

rotates to a full 180 degrees.

FIRST IMPRESSION While large zoom

lenses are brilliant for capturing far-away

action, we hope this Fujifi lm can also

deliver the great picture performance

expected of strong DSLRs.

FUJIFILM SL1000, `29,999JUSTOUT

69% LENOVO S300, `29,790

Unlike regular hairdryers, the

Remington D 4444 Shine Therapy

sprays a fi ne mist of vitamin-rich

conditioner onto your hair as it dries.

Most of our testers thought their hair

felt softer and silkier than usual after

using the Shine Therapy conditioner,

although one said it left their locks

lank and greasy. You can also use it

as a regular dryer.

Heat settings It of ers a choice of

three heat settings, varying from

33°C to 74°C. It lacks a cool shot,

though.

Ease of use The conditioner

cartridges are fi tted underneath

the barrel, which gives the dryer a

somewhat bulky profi le. It comes

with two replacement Shine

Therapy cartridges, which should

last for around 80 drying sessions.

However, we did fi nd it quite dii cult

to fi nd replacement cartridges.

VERDICT The attachable

conditioner is a clever feature, but

the lack of a cool-shot option and

limited cartridge availability stops

us from recommending it.

NewProducts

14 I Right Choice I June 2013 whichrightchoice.com

77% MIELE S6210 POWER, `27,990

MIDEA MASTERCHEF AW925 CONVECTION OVEN, `12,900This elegant, 25-litre stainless steel

microwave oven from Midea aims to

suit dif erent cooking needs. It’s a

convection microwave oven which

means you can use it for almost any

kind of cooking styles including grilling,

baking and roasting.

There’s a locking system designed

to keep children away from the oven

when it’s hot – a useful addition if you

have children at home. This Midea uses

special back-heating technology, which

it claims will allow dishes to be heated

evenly from all sides.

FIRST IMPRESSION Reasonably-priced

and great looking, it has good safety

features if you have kids at home.

The S6210 is a silent vacuum cleaner that

scores top marks on laminate fl oors and

wooden fl oorboards, making it a convincing

Right Choice. It also deals well with carpets.

Attachments While neither a turbo brush

nor a hard-fl oor nozzle is provided with

the S6210, the standard fl oor nozzle has

a switch to allow hard or carpeted fl oor

cleaning. The tube comes in two pieces to

extend into areas that are hard to reach.

In addition, there’s a crevice nozzle,

upholstery nozzle and dusting brush that

come in the box.

Cleaning ei ciency It impressively picks

up dust on carpets and, unlike many other

vacuums, the suction doesn’t drop as the

bag fi lls up. The standard nozzle produces

excellent overall results on hard fl oors,

sucking dust out of cracks and crevices

in wooden fl oorboards and leaving them

spotless. It scores top marks for dust and

allergen retention and would be a great

choice for allergy suf erers and pet owners.

How is it to use? The S6210 is simple to

use and maintain, but it does use quite a lot

of energy for a vacuum cleaner. Cleaning

the nozzle and changing bags and fi lters

are all ef ortless processes and this cylinder

vacuum is easy to manoeuvre.

VERDICT A premium vacuum cleaner

that justifi es the price with its ef ective

cleaning and ease of handling.

51% REMINGTON D 4444 HAIR DRYER, `3,999

JUSTOUT

JUSTTESTED

RIGHTCHOICER

CHJUST

TESTED


TEFAL FRESH EXPRESS, `6,999The Tefal Fresh Express

is essentially an electric

rotary grater with fi ve

dif erent attachments

for slicing and grating.

Tefal says it helps in

preparing a range of

vegetables, from carrots

to cucumbers, as well as

bread and biscuits.

What can you use

it for? The machine

can grate cheese and

breadcrumbs easily.

However, vegetables

with skin or layers may be left unsliced on the outer layers.

When this happens the plastic pusher is dii cult to remove,

as the leftover food creates a suction.

Everyday use We found the diagrams in the manual

relatively easy to follow. However, making sure the cone

was correctly secured in the cone holder did prove a

little tricky. You then have to put it into the tube above the

cone and push down using a plastic pusher, while at the

same time holding down the motor button. The majority

of attachments were quite quick and easy to clean by just

swilling in water.

FIRST IMPRESSION If you cook a lot, especially for

large parties, the Fresh Express could be a time

saver – though it’s not comprehensive enough to

replace a standalone mixer grinder.

VGUARD VIC 400 INDUCTION HOB, `4,670The VIC 400 is a mid-range model

in V-Guard’s new range of induction

hobs. It claims to use quality materials

as seen in the more premium brands

such as Siemens, though we’re yet to

test their durability.

Pre-set cooking functions It includes

pre-set temperatures for common

preparations such as boiling water

and heating milk and rice. A panel

on the front displays the power that

it consumes for each preparation – a

useful inclusion to help you monitor

your overall power use.

Induction hobs versus gas hobs

Our tests have shown that induction

hobs are safer than traditional gas

hobs as they only heat the cookware

so you can touch the hob surface

without burning yourself. They are

also quicker and cheaper to run

than other types of hob, because

they use only the amount of

energy required.

FIRST IMPRESSION Handy,

portable hob that could serve as a

smart alternative to a gas hob.

71% DE’LONGHI EC152 COFFEE MAKER, `14,000This compact De’Longhi cof ee

machine is a Right Choice

because it can make a mean

espresso and cappuccino quickly.

It’s simple to use but doesn’t

take pre-packaged cof ee pods,

which means you’ll have to use

either ground cof ee or ESE (Easy

Serving Espresso) pods. Steam is

produced quickly, and the steam

pipe heats milk fast.

Great cappuccinos The

De’Longhi cof ee maker makes

creamy cappuccinos with rich

fl avours. While it takes a bit

of ef ort to brew the best cup,

fl avours are complemented

by the ef ective mix of froth

with espresso.

How is it to use? Priming this

machine before fi rst use is

relatively simple, but it needs

about two tanks of water fl ushed

through and takes longer than

others. The steam knob is a bit

stif and the pipe can be tricky

to unscrew for cleaning. The

portafi lter, which holds the fi lter

basket, is fairly simple to use, but

can be dii cult to fi t back into

position. It includes a clip to keep

the fi lter basket in place when

removing the used cof ee grinds.

Dii cult to clean This model loses

points for having a low-capacity

drip tray, which gets full quickly

and overfl ows when removed. This

means that the cavity below also

needs cleaning out. We like the

instructions as they contain lots of

useful information. Descaling every

200 uses is recommended.

VERDICT Makes great espresso

and is fairly simple to use,

though it’s tricky to clean.

JUSTOUT

FIRSTLOOK

RIGHTCHOICE

JUSTTESTED

All prices are guide prices as of April 19, 2013 and are subject to change

17 TelevisionsChoose from ten Right Choice

televisions to get the best

audio-visual experience

23 Sound barsOur test report on sound bars will

help you pick the perfect add-on

to your television to help boost

audio quality

26 TabletsWe’ve tested over 25 tablets and

rated them on various criteria, such

as performance and the ease of

using app stores

32 Mobile phonesWe focus on budget smartphones,

which have smart features and also

perform the basics well

34 Food processorsOur test report reveals the best food

processors to help blitz through

kitchen tasks

38 Child care productsWe help you select the safest

products for your toddler in our

round-up of the best baby carriers,

strollers and more

Test lab Independent expert advice

How we choose productsThese include, where possible, most recent bestsellers from popular brands, af ordable models from lesser-known brands or those with innovative features. We are independent and pay for what we test. For all the products we test and feature, we give widely available shop or online prices.

Get in touchIf you are experiencing a problem with a manufacturer, retailer or service provider – for example a malfunctioning product, something that wasn’t delivered as promised, or a defi cient service – write to us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to resolve the issue.

GREATVALUE

WRONGCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

Our ratingsThis label adorns those products that excel in our

rigorous tests. These products have high total test scores.

Products which perform poorly in our tests get this label.

They have low total test scores.

This award is held by those products which are

comparatively easy on your pocket and perform

well in our tests, too.


From the experts at our

Right Choice labWe test food processors

for their chopping, grating,

slicing, blending and other

abilities so you can

buy with ease.


Test report

∨ ∨


Televisions

∨ ∨

Prices of TVs launched last year are dropping fast – but watch out when buying as you could fall prey to retailer tricks

W ith new television models all set to

launch, you can bag discounts of

over ̀ 10,000 if you buy last year’s

ranges. We found the Right Choice Samsung

UA40ES6800 (MRP ̀94,900) for less than

`79,994 and 42-inch LG 42LM6200 – worth

`86,000 – for just ̀77,990. But attractive

discounts aren’t the only thing to watch out

for when you shop.

Many stores display televisions in their

best light by playing the highest quality video

on the optimum picture settings. Speakers

are often on mute which makes it hard to

detect poor quality sound before you buy.

All this means that the product you take

home might not match up to your in-store

experience and expectations.

To get the best bargains, look out for good

deals on these Right Choice TVs. Each has

great picture quality and won’t disappoint

when you get it home.

Our top-scorer, the 40-inch Samsung

UA40ES6800 (78%), combines great

standard defi nition (SD) and high defi nition

(HD) image quality with fi ve-star sound –

and is the cheapest featured here in the

high-end range. If you’re looking for

something cheaper, the 32-inch LG 32LS5700

(63%) rivals the Samsung for SD and HD

picture quality – and is less than half the

price (̀ 42,500).

We’ve grouped the best on test by price

to help you get the best performance for

your budget.

Screen grab

In this report

We’ve tested 32 LED, LCD

and plasma TVs in a range

of sizes to fi nd out which

ones give the best

picture quality and

value for money.

Ma

dh

urj

ya

Sa

ikia

Screen grab


Televisions Test report


PROS This TV sports the same features

as the UA55ES8000 (above), including a

classy chrome design that will look good

in any living room. It displays HD pictures

in their best light, revealing impressive

levels of clarity and depth. Ordinary SD

pictures also look great, with noise levels

65% SAMSUNG UA46ES8000, `1,51,000

kept nice and low. 3D pictures are

top-notch, too, and the supplied glasses

are comfortable. It has a front camera

for video chats, which doubles as a

device that detects hand movements

for scrolling across dif erent screens.

CONS Some sounds are unnatural and

lack refi nement. Viewing angles are

narrow, so you don’t get the best from

this TV if you sit too far to the side.

PROS Not only does this Samsung

deliver brilliant SD and HD pictures, it

also has an energy-ei cient Eco mode,

which adds just `42 to the average

monthly electricity bill (when used for

four hours a day). State-of-the-art

features of UA55ES8000 include being

75% SAMSUNG UA55ES8000, `2,68,000

able to control basic functions with a

wave of the hand or by saying pre-set

words and phrases. This television

supports a huge range of apps and

services, connecting through either the

ethernet port or built-in Wi-Fi.

CONS The on-screen instruction manual

is hard to read and requires too much

scrolling. Sound quality is mediocre with

a slight grain in the tones.

PROS It has a slim metallic frame that’s

fi tted on a solid metallic stand. Pictures

have great defi nition and a strong

impression of depth. It’s also a good 3D

TV. There is a strong line-up of internet

services including catch-up TV shows

and video-on-demand applications. The

65% SONY BRAVIA KDL46HX850, `1,23,900

quality of internet video is mostly good,

but some fi lms and programmes look a

little soft when blown up on such a big

screen. It comes with a generous range

of sockets, which will help you connect to

almost any kind of hi-fi system.

CONS This TV produces just average

sound. Viewing angles are poor – colours

grow paler as you move beyond 70

degrees from the TV.

High-end TVs

PROS As well as HD pictures from

Blu-ray discs, this Samsung delivers

exceptional picture quality – even in

SD and broadcast TV shows. It’s also

a fi ne 3D TV. One of the best TVs for

sound, it has plenty of high-quality bass

and clear tones. There’s a wide stereo

78% SAMSUNG UA40ES6800, `94,900

soundstage and nice dynamics – perfect

for action feature fi lms. You can stream

music, photos and movies from PCs or

other devices over a Wi-Fi connection,

and there’s a huge line-up of Smart TV

features to keep you entertained.

CONS The remote has keys cramped

around the navigation buttons, making

it awkward to select and use apps or

services, enter text or browse the web.

These are premium televisions that combine cutting-edge technology with sleek design

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE






∨ ∨


PROS The 42LS3400 lets you enjoy a

wide screen without burning a hole in

your pocket. It produces good pictures,

whether in SD or HD. For a 42-incher it’s

pretty energy-ei cient, too, adding no

more than `46 rupees to your monthly

bill. You can bring this lower still by

66% LG 42LS3400, `56,000

switching it to Eco mode. It delivers good

clarity and defi nition in tones and the

stereo output is dynamic. There’s a USB

port for playing movies and songs from

an external hard drive or memory stick.

CONS The on-screen manual can be

dii cult to access and tricky to read. It has

limited audio connections, which means

you’ll have to be careful with the sound

system you choose.

PROS SD pictures look great on this

32-incher, just as HD fi lms and

programmes do. It’s easy to use and,

despite the smaller screen, 3D pictures

are quite impressive. It doesn’t skimp on

important sockets, so there’s plenty of

fl exibility when connecting to a sound

65% SONY BRAVIA KDL32HX750, `57,900

system or a PC. Wi-Fi is built-in, which

will give you access to plenty of

musically-focused services to keep you

entertained no matter what.

CONS Sound is a bit underwhelming,

as it lacks fuller tones and the energy

desired in high musical drama and action

fl icks. Poor viewing angles mean colours

fade and the picture loses detail if you

don’t sit directly in front of the TV.

PROS This LG delivers great 3D pictures

and good HD images. Its 3D ef ects

are very convincing and it comes with

comfortable glasses. HD pictures are

above average and it upscales lower

resolution pictures to give an enhanced

SD viewing experience. There’s plenty

65% LG 32LM6200, `51,000

of clarity and detail in the sound and,

compared with the 42LS3400 (above),

it’s better equipped with sockets for

attaching a good surround sound system.

It’s also fairly cheap to run as it consumes

just over 7 watts.

CONS Its Smart TV features aren’t the

easiest to use and understand and it’s

hard to organise apps and services in a

way that suits you.

PROS It is a big screen TV without a big

price. HD picture quality is very good

and, while non-HD can’t quite match

the crisp defi nition of high-end TVs, it’s

still watchable. It’s a fantastic 3D TV that

creates a great impression of depth.

Viewing angles are wide enough to

63% LG 42LM6200, `86,000

work in a large room with many people

sitting around the TV. It’s surprisingly

energy-ei cient for its size, using just

over 10 watts when used on its

optimum settings.

CONS Smart TV features are quite

complex – as is the layout of the remote.

The instructions – both printed and

on-screen – miss some key details. The

web browser is awkward and sluggish.

Mid-range TVs These mid-priced televisions forego pricey extras while delivering good picture and sound

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

GREATVALUE






Televisions Test report


Our testers found that

you would need to

stand close to the LED

indicator on the Sharp

as this TV struggles to

respond to the remote

control. Picture quality

is very poor – HD

pictures are way too

dull (see p21) and non-

HD pictures can sometimes show a prominent blue tinge. It lacks

any remarkable features, and the savings you make may end up

feeling like false economy when you get this Sharp home.

39% SHARP 32LE341M, `23,499Picture quality is just

about satisfactory

on this Toshiba

32PT2000ZE LED

television. But the

thing to watch out

for is the sound,

which is shockingly

poor when watching

broadcast television

programmes. Despite the small, 32-inch screen, the Toshiba

32PT2000ZE’s power consumption is on the high side –

gobbling around 67 watts when running.

42% TOSHIBA 32PT2000ZE, `28,999

Budget TVs to avoidHigh defi nition TVs ideally produce pictures that are full of clarity, depth, detail and natural colours. But some televisions – such as this Sharp and Toshiba – could turn out to be a disappointment

Worth considering

PROS It’s a large-screen Plasma TV that

delivers superb picture and sound quality.

It produces fi ne, clear HD pictures with

natural colours, and non-HD pictures

are better than most LEDs we’ve tested.

Viewing angles are impressively wide,

61% LG 50PA6500, `75,000

which will suit large living rooms. There

are ample connections for connecting

up a console, set-top box and DVD or

Blu-ray player.

CONS It’s not the best TV to consider

if you want to cut down on your annual

electricity bill, as it consumes over twice

the amount of electricity of an average

LED TV.


Budget TV

PROS Our testers were impressed with

the picture quality from this budget

television. With both HD and SD

programmes there’s a real sense of

depth and a nice grasp of colour. At an

af ordable price of just `42,500, you

63% LG 32LS5700, `42,500

get top-notch Smart TV features. LG has

also included a good set of connections

such as a USB port that lets you use

an external hard disk as a surprisingly

versatile PVR.

CONS The sound from this television is

not the best and defi nitely leaves room

for improvement. Its Smart TV features

are not the easiest to use.


RIGHTCHOICE


∨ ∨


What makes a poor TV?

HOW WE TEST

We put every TV through the same

tests – a mixture of panel assessments

from independent picture and sound

experts and technical lab testing – so we

can answer the important, no-nonsense

questions with confi dence and give you a

verdict you can trust.

Our independent expert viewing panel

assess picture quality in a dimmed room in

our lab. Brightness and contrast levels are

set as equally as possible, and the LED, LCD

and plasma TVs on test all receive the same

quality picture signal. The same experts

take part each time, and we conceal

brand names.

Sound is tested by listening to, and

scoring, voices, bass-fi lled audio and TV

drama under controlled conditions.

We test the energy use of each TV in a

variety of viewing modes and estimate the

annual running costs, which generates our

energy use star rating.

Finally, we test each set for ease of use

by running through everyday scenarios that

replicate how you use your TV.

Of all the televisions in our latest test, the Sharp

32LE341M, which scored just 39%, the lowest in our tests.

Below (left) is a still displayed on the Sharp during testing.

Notice how it fails to distinguish the various levels of

black in the background from the woman’s scarf. It also

ignores the details in her hair and objects around her in

this moving sequence, and her skin tone looks unnatural.

On the other hand, the Right Choice TV used for

reference (below right) is full of depth and colour –

picking out the dif erent shades of black and highlighting

the details in the background and the woman’s skin

Overall, the TV gives you pleasant, well-defi ned

images – and this is what you should expect from a

good quality TV.

There’s a vast dif erence in picture quality between a Right Choice television and a poorly-performing TV set —

though this might not be obvious in-store (see p17). To illustrate the dif erence, we compare an image from the

lowest-scorer in our latest test (the Sharp 32LE341M) with a Right Choice model (used for reference). Just looking

at the pictures you can immediately see which is better

POOR PICTURE QUALITY


TelevisionsTest report


USING THE TABLEThe more stars the better. Right

choices are highlighted in red.

SPECIFICATION Price Guide price as of

April 16, 2013 Screen size This is the

size of the screen in inches,

measured diagonally across Type

The display technology of the TV

Smart TV Whether the TV allows you

to access a selection of internet apps

3D Whether the TV is capable of

broadcasting 3D pictures Stereo

output Red and white phono sockets

for carrying a stereo sound to Hi-Fi

Surround output These let you

connect to an external surround

sound system

TEST PERFORMANCE SD picture quality

Quality of Non-HD content HD quality

Quality of HD content Sound quality

Overall sound quality of built-in

speakers Power consumption Average

power consumed under optimum

picture settings, during operation

SCORE

This ignores price and is based on:

Image quality (SD and HD) .............60%

Sound quality ........................................30%

Power consumption (while ‘on’ and

on standby) ..............................................10%

TEST SCO

RE (%)

Power consum

ption

Sound quality

HD picture quality

SD picture quality

Surround output

Stereo output 3D

Smart TV

Type

Screen size (inches)

Price (`)

SPECIFICATION TEST PERFORMANCE

TEST AND RATINGS

BRAND

1 SAMSUNG UA40ES6800 94,900 40 LED 78

2 SAMSUNG UA55ES8000 2,68,000 55 LED 75

3 LG 42LS3400 56,000 42 LED 66

4 LG 32LM6200 51,000 32 LED 65

5 SAMSUNG UA46ES8000 1,51,000 46 LED 65

6 SONY Bravia KDL-46HX850 1,23,900 46 LED 65

7 SONY Bravia KDL-32HX750 57,900 32 LED 65

8 LG 32LS5700 42,500 32 LED 63

9 LG 47LM6700 1,20,000 47 LED 63

10 LG 42LM6200 86,000 42 LED 63

11 LG 50PA6500 75,000 50 Plasma 61

12 LG 42LM7600 1,04,000 42 LED 61

13 SAMSUNG UA32EH5000 35,000 32 LED 60

14 SONY Bravia KDL-32EX650 42,900 32 LED 57


16 PANASONIC Viera TH-L39EM5D 56,900 39 LCD 56

17 SAMSUNG UA39EH5003 45,500 39 LCD 56

18 PANASONIC Viera TH-L42DT50D 1,19,900 42 LED 56

19 LG 42PM4700 54,000 42 Plasma 56

20 SAMSUNG LA32D403 24,500 32 LCD 55

21 LG 47LM6400 1,07,000 47 LCD 54

22 SAMSUNG UA40EH6030 66,900 40 LED 53


24 SAMSUNG UA32EH4000 30,500 32 LED 52

25 MICROMAX LED32K316 25,990 32 LED 50

26 PANASONIC Viera TH-L32EM5D 30,999 32 LED 49

27 SAMSUNG UA19ES400 13,500 19 LED 49

28 PANASONIC Viera TH-L42U5D 39,999 42 LCD 47

29 PHILIPS 32PFL5637/V7 AD 20,899 32 LCD 43

30 TOSHIBA 32PT2000ZE 28,999 32 LED 42

31 CROMA CREL7173 25,490 32 LED 42

32 SHARP 32LE341M 23,499 32 LED 39


Test report

∨ ∨


Sound bars

∨ ∨

Sound bars are a great step up from average fl at-panelled TV speakers

Sounds rightW

hile picture quality has advanced

in leaps and bounds from CRT

TVs of yesteryear, our testing

shows that audio has struggled to keep up.

Slimmer screens and sleeker designs look

great, but leave little space for good quality

speakers. TVs with poor sound struggle

to maintain balance between speech and

background sound. They need to be set

to high volumes to catch what people are

saying – especially with scenes high on

drama, with booming background music.

However, almost any TV’s sound can be

improved by pairing it with a Right Choice

sound bar – a slim extra speaker that sits

discreetly with your set. Most will be the

same width or less and are around the

height of a pack of cards. They do away with

annoying wires running across your room

and help create a sleek look, unlike home

theatre systems. Many sound bars, such as

the Right Choice Panasonic SC-HTB520,

come with speech enhancement functions

to further boost audio. Newer technologies

allow subwoofer speakers – which boost

low-pitched sounds – to be built into the

sound bar itself, making set-ups extremely

simple and convenient.

A Right Choice sound bar will boost

underwhelming sound quality, and

would be a worthy addition to even the

best televisions.

DO THEY WORK WITH ALL TVS?

Most sound bars work with any brand of TV.

They will also function with any size of TV,

but a sound bar that’s too long or short for

the display might look a bit odd. They are a

lot easier to set up than component-heavy

home theatre systems. Some come with a

subwoofer, which increases the overall cost

but delivers extra bass. Brackets are usually

supplied for wall-mounting, but sound bars

will sit freely under a TV, too.

A word of caution if you’re using an older

TV – it might lack a digital audio input such

as the HDMI ARC port. If this is the case,

you’ll need to look for sound bars that have

analogue audio inputs (See table, p25).


Sound barsTest report


Worth considering

Best for 40-55 inch TVs

This Panasonic comes in two parts – the

sound bar itself and an active subwoofer

wirelessly linked to the main unit.

Sound quality The HTB520 delivers warm

and bass-fi lled audio that’s full of clarity

and energy. It gives a fantastic stereo

ef ect, too.

Ease of use Installation instructions are not

the easiest to follow, but once connected,

79% PANASONIC HTB520, `26,990

it’s wonderfully simple to use and can

easily be controlled with one remote. If

you’re using an older TV, you’ll need to

check if there’s a port on the TV labelled

ARC to make sure it’s compatible.

Power consumption While it’s not the

most power-hungry sound bar on the

market, it’s not the most power-e� cient,

either. It uses almost 12 watts when

switched on (the best use a quarter of

that) and a surprisingly high 1.68 watts

on standby (we usually expect it to be

below 1 watt).

PROS Good bass, can operate with

just TV remote

CONS Installation instructions are

dii cult to follow


The Panasonic SC-HTB20 can be used as

a normal sound bar, or split it in two for a

better stereo ef ect.

Sound quality Sound is rich across

dif erent programmes and music, and a

separate subwoofer adds extra bass. On

the downside, we noticed a prominent

buzz in the subwoofer that can be

distracting. The Clear-mode Dialogue

77% PANASONIC SCHTB20, `23,891

function is useful for enhancing regular

TV programmes, making it easier to hear

speech above background noise.

Ease of use It’s easy to use. Equipment

such as Blu-ray players and PVRs, can be

connected directly to the sound bar, which

passes the video signal to the TV.

Power consumption This sound bar

doesn’t use too much power – less than

9 watts when switched on and just 0.10

watt in standby – adding about `8 to your

monthly electricity bill, assuming you’ll be

using it for four hours everyday.

PROS Can be split into two

speakers, low energy use

CONS Unsuitable for some older

TVs, buzz in the subwoofer


This LG narrowly misses out on being a

Right Choice as it’s tricky to set-up without

help from an expert. However, it is a

powerful sound bar with an impressive

bass-boosting wireless subwoofer.

Sound quality Surround sound from

the LG NB3520A is loud, detailed and

balanced, and better than most sound

bars we’ve tested. It delivers clear and

75% LG NB3520A, `19,990

immersive sound, and it’s easy to pick

out the dif erent details. The 140 watt

subwoofer can be too loud at times, so we

recommend reducing the subwoofer level

signifi cantly to achieve a better sound.

Ease of use This LG connects to your TV

via an optical digital audio (Toslink) or a

3.5mm headphone port, which makes it

suitable for older TVs that don’t come with

HDMI. There’s a second optical input if you

want to connect a DVD or Blu-ray player to

the sound bar. Connecting to the wireless

subwoofer is automatic and easy.

PROS Separate wireless subwoofer,

USB and Bluetooth connectivity

CONS Tricky to install, occasional

booming bass from the subwoofer

Right Choice sound barsRIGHT

CHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

GREATVALUE


Connections Buy a model which has

connections that match those on your TV,

plus any other devices you might want to

connect it to (set-top box or DVD). Older

TVs connect to sound bars via analogue

inputs (red and white phono sockets and

connectors), which allow you to use the

TV’s remote to control the volume of the

sound bar. But if both your TV and sound

bar have a digital connection, such as

HDMI or Toslink, they will help achieve

better sound fi delity.

Power output The higher the speakers’

power output (stated as the total ‘watts

RMS’), the louder and richer the range of

sound. However, this has little to do with

speech clarity and doesn’t always equate

to quality.

What to look for

USING THE TABLEThe more stars the better. Right Choices are

highlighted in red.

SPECIFICATION Price (`) Guide prices as on April 8,

2013 Dimensions Of the main sound bar unit Digital

audio input Connects to a TV digital audio output

(Toslink) or digital coaxial output Analogue audio

input Connects to TV’s red and white phono outputs

HDMI (ARC) audio input HDMI has ARC (audio return

channel) so audio can be transmitted when

connected to a suitable HDMI (ARC) port on the TV

TEST PERFORMANCE Sound quality Panel rating and

acoustic measurements Technical audio frequency

How deep and high frequencies go and how smooth

transition is from one to another Connections

Number and versatility of audio inputs Ease of use

Using remote and sound bar controls, controlling

volume Power use When switched on and in standby

SCORE Ignores price and is based on:

Sound quality..........................................................................80%

Ease of use...............................................................................10%

Technical (including power use)......................................10%

TEST SCO

RE (%)

Power use

Set-up

Ease of use

Connections

Technical audio frequency

Sound quality

HD

MI(A

RC) audio input

Analogue audio inputs

Digital audio inputs

Subwoofer type

Suitable TV size (inches)

Dim

ensions (wxhxd) (cm

)

Price (`)


TEST AND RATINGS

BRAND

1 PANASONIC HTB520 26,990 102x8x5 40 to 55 Wireless 79

2 PANASONIC HTB20 23,891 76x5x7 32 to 55 Wired 77

3 LG NB3520A 19,990 100x9x7 40 to 55 Wireless 75

4 YAMAHA YHT-S400 38,750 80x10x9 32 to 52 Wired 72

5 YAMAHA YAS-101 20,500 89x11x12 32 to 52 Built-in 71

6 SAMSUNG HW E350 18,799 74x9x10 32 to 50 Built-in 59

7 PHILIPS HTS5131 34,990 95x18x10 40 to 55 Wired 36

Subwoofer These add in extra bass,

which makes for a good movie-watching

experience. For single sound bars,

there’s normally a subwoofer built

into the sound bar, but some have an

external subwoofer speaker that’s

about the same size as a bookshelf

speaker. Our tests found you can

get outstanding sound quality from

both types, so don’t let this infl uence

your choice.

Supplied cables Some brands do not

supply cables, so you’ll need to purchase

them separately in order to set up the

sound bar. It’s always good to check

with your retailer for any added costs

involved in buying and running your

sound bar.

Subwoofers add in extra bass, which makes for a good movie-watching experience


TabletsTest report


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∨ ∨∨ ∨Best Windows tabletWi-Fi `49,999 (64GB)

PROS This Acer tablet runs the

Windows 8 operating system, which

allows you to use apps like Word,

PowerPoint and Excel on the go.

It’s great to use with the supplied

keyboard – a useful addition if you

need to type a lot. It has a fantastic

10-inch screen that holds up really well

in bright light. It has a solid build so it’s

good to use even as a laptop. It’s quick

to transfer fi les and the decent battery

life of ers eight and a half hours of web

browsing. Sound quality is the best

we’ve seen on a tablet.

CONS There’s no built-in 3G function,

though you can plug-in a dongle if you

need the Internet on the move.

78% ACER ICONIA W510

Best full-sized tablets Large screen tablets make good alternatives to laptops if you'll mainly be surfi ng the web and typing emails and documents

Wi-Fi+3G `34,948 (16GB)

PROS The AF201 is quick at most

operations and has a great battery

that lasts more than fi ve hours in

everyday use. The touchscreen is very

responsive and the 10 touch-points

are a plus for trying out dif erent

gaming apps. About 27.36GB of the

32GB space is available for use (86%),

making it one of the most ef ective

tablets at optimising disk space. You

also have the option of upgrading the

memory with a micro SD card. It comes

with a well-made detachable keyboard.

CONS Lacks a high speed USB port

so, for example, a 500MB fi le via USB

takes around half a minute to move.

Screen suf ers from refl ections in bright

light. Sound quality could be better.

Wi-Fi `26,590 (16GB)

PROS The P5100 is a great alternative

to the pricey iPad. It’s one of the fastest

tablets to charge – a quick 30-minute

boost will give you more than two

hours before the battery is completely

drained. Unlike most tablets, if the

battery stops working in the future

you can get it replaced by Samsung

instead of spending on a new tablet.

It’s a great option if you have a huge

collection of music and video as you

can upgrade the memory with an

external micro SD card in addition

to its 16GB memory (of which 10.6GB

is available).

CONS The plastic build gives it a

cheaper feel. Sound quality suf ers

because of its diminutive speakers.

Wi-Fi `31,900 (16GB), `37,900 (32GB)

`43,900 (64GB) Wi-Fi+Cellular `39,900

(16GB), `45,900 (32GB), `51,900 (64GB)

PROS This 9.7-inch iPad has the best

graphics for games and largest range

of high-quality tablet apps. Its battery

provides a jaw-dropping 13.5 hours of

web browsing – the highest that any

tablet has ever achieved in our tests

and over seven hours more than an

average tablet. It is slick at most tasks

and quick to transfer large fi les from

your PC. The on-screen keyboard is

easy to use and responsive.

CONS There’s no memory card slot so

you’ll have to get by with the available

internal storage or store your fi les on

the Cloud. Audio quality from the mono

speakers is on the weak side.

82% APPLE iPAD WITH RETINA DISPLAY

77% ASUS TRANSFORMER PRIME AF201

76% SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 2 P5100

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE


TabletsTest report


Best mid-size tablets Smaller tablets are great for browsing the web and reading ebooks and they also cost less. Plus they are easier to handle and carry on a commute

Wi-Fi+3G `16,499 (16GB)

PROS The P310 provides an excellent

screen, along with a 3G option, at an

af ordable price. Photos and videos

look great on the 7-inch display. It’s

one of the fastest tablets to charge –

a quick 30-minute recharge will last

more than two hours. The overall

battery life is superb, too. You can

browse the web for nearly seven hours

after a full recharge. Its slim design

makes it easy to slip inside a handbag

or hold with one hand without causing

too much strain.

CONS Processing speed is not as fast

as that of rival tablets. Audio quality is

only mediocre.

Wi-Fi `15,999 (16GB)

PROS If you are looking for optimum

storage space from a 16GB tablet, the

Google Nexus 7 is the one to go for.

After the operating system and built-in

apps are taken into account, it leaves

13.2GB of space free for storing your

own music, photos and fi les. It has an

impressive 1,280x800 pixel screen

which means sharper text, photos and

videos. It’s also faster than most 7-inch

tablets, including the iPad Mini. The

fast graphics chip and 1GB RAM make

it ideal for gaming enthusiasts.

CONS There’s no camera for capturing

photos and videos. The lack of a faster

USB 3.0 port makes fi le transfers

pretty slow.

Wi-Fi `21,900 (16GB), `27,900 (32GB),

`33,900 (64GB) Wi-Fi+Cellular `29,900

(16GB), `35,900 (32GB), `41,900 (64GB)

PROS The iPad Mini is slim and

lightweight and is extremely easy

to hold in one hand. It weighs about

the same as an average paperback

book. It has stereo speakers that

produce better-quality sound than

most tablets – and all iPads we've

tested – can manage. It has one of the

longest-lasting batteries, managing 13

hours of web browsing and 11 hours of

video playback. A 500MB fi le transfers

in just 28 seconds.

CONS It lacks the Retina Display screen

of the newer iPad models. There’s no

expandable memory card slot.

81% APPLE iPAD MINI 74% SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB 2 P310

72% GOOGLE NEXUS 7

HOW WE TEST

To save you from buying a tablet with

complex features and settings, we check

the ease of using each tablet. Our experts

assess how easy it is to perform tasks,

connect to a Wi-Fi network and set up a 3G

connection. We also test how easy it is to

perform practical tasks, such as setting up

and using an email account and the ease

of backing up and restoring the tablet after

a potential system failure.

ScreenWe perform an in-depth test of screen

quality, assessing brightness, accuracy

of colours, presence of noise or

refl ections, performance in bright light

conditions (which make poor quality

screens diffi cult to view) and viewing

angles, so that you can share your content

with those around you.

SpeakersWe test sound quality from both the

built-in speakers and headphones.

Some tablets can suff er from small,

weak speakers, so we test the depth and

richness of sound as well as its volume.

Battery lifeEach time we test a tablet, we check the

battery life for web browsing over Wi-Fi,

3G (if relevant) and for video playback. To

ensure our tests are fair, we set the screen

brightness to 200 nits (measured using a

light meter) before performing each task,

so every tablet has to perform under the

same conditions.

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE


∨ ∨

USING THE TABLEThe more stars the better. Right Choices are highlighted in red.SPECIFICATION Price Prices given are for the lowest specifi cation model, typically the lowest memory option and Wi-Fi only version. As on April 8, 2013 Internal storage Available storage options Screen size Diagonally, in inches 3G option Whether you can add a Simcard to connect to the internet via 3GTEST PERFORMANCE Screen Viewing angle, colour purity and absence of refl ection Touchscreen response Responsiveness and touch accuracy of the tablet Battery Includes how long a fully-charged battery lasts when playing HD video and browsing the web; charging time and other features Sound quality Music, speech and video quality, compatibility with dif erent fi le types Features Range and quality of features, including wireless and wired connections, memory and build quality Ease of use Assessed by running through everyday scenariosSCOREThis ignores price and is based on:Hardware (touchscreen, battery, camera, speakers) ................................... 45%Internet browsing ............................................................................................................ 20%Watching videos, looking at photos and display quality ............................. 10%File transfer ............................................................................................................................ 8%Contact/email functions ................................................................................................. 7%Making videos/photos ..................................................................................................... 5%Video calling ......................................................................................................................... 5%

TEST SCO

RE (%)

Ease of use

Features

Sound quality

Battery

Rear camera

Touchscreen

response

Screen

Operating system

Screen resolution

(pixels)

3G option

Screen size (inch)

Mem

ory available (G

B)

Price (`)


TEST AND RATINGS

BRAND

1 APPLE iPad with Retina Display 31,900 16,32,64 9.7 2048x1536 iOS 6.0.1 82

2 APPLE iPad 3 30,500 16,32,64 9.7 2048x1536 iOS 5.1 82

3 APPLE iPad Mini 21,900 16,32,64 7.9 1024x768 iOS 6.0.1 81

4 APPLE iPad 2 24,500 16 9.7 1024x768 iOS 5.0.1 79

5 ACER Iconia W510 49,999 64 10 1366x768 Windows 8 78

6 ASUS Transformer Prime AF201 34,948 32 10 1280x800 Android 4.0.3 77

7 MICROSOFT Surface RT 37,499 32 10.6 1366x768 Windows 8 RT 76

8 ASUS - Transformer Pad TF300T 42,265 32 10.0 1280x800 Android 4.0.3 76

9 SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab 2 P5100 26,590 16 10.1 1280x800 Android 4.0.3 76

10 GOOGLE Nexus 10 35,500 16 10.0 2500x1600 Android 4.2 75

11 SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab 2 P310 16,499 16 7.0 1024x600 Android 4.0.3 74

12 SAMSUNG Galaxy Note 800 35,190 16 10.1 1280x800 Android 4.0.4 73

13 SAMSUNG Ativ smart PC 75,490 128 11.6 1920x1080 Windows 8 73

14 GOOGLE Nexus 7 15,999 16,32 7.0 1280x800 Android 4.1.1 NA 72

15 SAMSUNG Galaxy Tab 680 28,500 16 7.7 1280x800 Android 3.2 72

16 ACER Iconia Tab A200 25,043 32 10.1 1280x800 Android 3.2 NA 69

17 VIDEOCON VT10 11,990 8 10.1 1280x800 Android 4.0 67

18 SONY Tablet S 17,990 16 9.4 1280x800 Android 3.2 64

19 EAFT Destiny D90T 14,990 8 9.7 1024x768 Android 4.0 60

20 VIEWSONIC ViewPAd 10e 15,990 4 9.7 1024x768 Android 2.3 59

21 MICROMAX Funbook 5,999 4 7.0 800x480 Android 4.0.3 NA 57

22 ARCHOS 101 G9 15,925 16 10.1 1024x600 Android 2.2 NA 56

23 HUAWEI Mediapad 7 Lite 13,700 8 7 1024x600 Android 4.0 56

24 SONY tablet P 19,990 4 5.5x2 1024x960 Android 3.2.1 55

25 HCL Me U1 6,145 4 7.0 800x480 Android 4.0.3 NA 54

26 RELIANCE 3G Tab 13,999 4 7.0 1024x600 Android 2.3.5 39


TabletsTest report



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SmartphonesTest report


W ith smartphone prices dropping

rapidly, you can step up from a

simple feature phone to a Right

Choice smartphone for less than `10,000.

These mobile phones allow you to capture

photos, download applications and access

the internet without burning a hole in

your pocket.

To make things better, our

Right Choice budget smartphones

are straightforward to use and have

long-lasting batteries.

The best budget smartphones will do all the basics well – cutting back on advanced features to focus on the essentials

Smartphones below `10,000

Internal Memory 3GB

Screen size 3.5 inches

Call quality

Camera

Battery

Ease of use

PROS This dual-

Sim phone is quite

straightforward to

use. Calls made

and received by

the Galaxy Ace

Duos are of good

quality, and the

5Mp camera

takes great

snaps – though you

shouldn’t expect the

crisp defi nition you’ll

fi nd on higher end

phone models. It does come with a good range of camera

features – including ‘geotagging’ to record where the picture

was taken. The excellent battery provides over seven hours

of talktime.

CONS Runs an older version of Android. Lacks a front

camera and there’s no fl ash for illuminating objects in

dim lighting.

69% SAMSUNG GALAXY ACE DUOS, `9,990

RIGHTCHOICE

Internal Memory 4GB


Call quality

Camera

Battery

Ease of use

PROS This HTC

runs on the ICS

platform, which gives

a greater choice of

Android apps than

the older versions.

Sound quality on

calls is good and

the impressive

battery provides

over six hours’ talk

time – more than

the average used

to get through a

day of work. Most functions can be accessed from the main

screen, and the straightforward camera can be accessed

quickly from the lock-screen. There’s minimal delay between

pressing the button and taking the shot.

CONS Has a slow processor which means it may struggle to

keep everything running smoothly. Has an ordinary camera

that produces mediocre shots.

68% HTC DESIRE C, `9,899

RIGHTCHOICE


Internal Memory 0.5GB


Call quality Camera

Battery Ease of use

PROS The screen has good contrast

and is large enough for easy web

browsing. The media player is

a pleasure to use – it has a well

categorised list of tracks and you

can play and pause music using the

in-line controls built into the supplied

headphones. The camera is easy to use

and it quickly captures shots with the

dedicated camera button. A complete

charge provides an impressive seven

hours of talktime.

CONS It suf ers from usability niggles

such as a complex menu list and tiny

keys on the Qwerty keyboard. The track

pad is a bit oversensitive by default,

but this can be adjusted to suit your

preference. It takes over three hours to

charge completely.

63% BLACKBERRY CURVE 9220, `9,790



Call quality Camera

Battery Ease of use

PROS The Sony Xperia Tipo is a small

and lightweight phone that weighs just

99g and is designed to sit nicely in your

hand. The phone has a fantastic battery

life; it managed almost 10 hours of calls

and, in a separate test, over 7.5 hours’

web browsing – which is exceptional.

Like the HTC Desire C, it runs the Ice

Cream Sandwich OS. This provides a

variety of customisation options and

access to the more recent apps. At

7.2Mbps, it provides good internet

speeds for a smartphone at this price.

CONS The images taken from the

camera lacks detail and sharpness,

while the 3.2-inch screen and the low

resolution could feel inadequate for

browsing the internet and watching

videos on the phone. Taking almost

three hours, the Sony Xperia Tipo is a

tad slow to charge completely.

66% SONY XPERIA TIPO, `7,990



Call quality Camera

Battery Ease of use

PROS This phone gives great value for

money. Images look reasonably sharp

with the 480x32 pixel resolution. The

3.2 inch display may seem diminutive

next to pricier handsets, but the size

makes it easy to slip into a pocket or a

purse. Sound quality on calls is better

than on most phones in this price

range – and even beats that of pricier

models like the Nokia Lumia 610. The

music player is straightforward to

operate. The supplied headphones

have handy music controls built into

the headphone cord, though the sound

quality misses the mark.

CONS It runs an older version of the

Android OS. It has an average camera

and a mediocre battery that provides

just over three hours’ talktime.

64% HTC WILDFIRE S, `8,849

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE



Food processorsTest report


A decent food processor will perform

some of the most laborious food

preparation tasks swiftly and well.

It won’t just take the effort out of chopping,

slicing and grinding – it will also whizz

herbs, vegetables and spices into perfectly

even pieces which will look great on the

plate – no mean feat to achieve by hand.

In contrast, a poor-performing model will

take a long time to process food into uneven

chunks, and fail to blend and mix liquids

into smooth consistencies.

All our Right Choice food processors are

fi ve-star choppers, slicers and graters, and

our two highest-scorers – the Smart Chef

(97%) and the Enrico (95%) from Morphy

Richards – scored top marks for each task

they were able to perform in our lab tests.

While food processors don’t come

cheap, every Right Choice can also blend

liquids and lassis, juice fruit and crush ice,

which means you may save the space – and

money – needed for extra appliances.

While hand blenders are a space-saving

alternative to clunky blenders, a good Right

Choice model can cost as much as `5,995

(Philips HR 1372/ 90, 78%), while juicers

can cost anything up to `10,000. Bought

together, the two appliances could cost

twice the price of our cheapest Right Choice

food processor, the Morphy Richards Select

600 (̀ 7,995), without any of the chopping,

slicing and grating benefi ts.

But if you already have blending,

grinding and juicing equipment in your

kitchen and just need an appliance to

plug the gaps, the Nova FP – 551 (89%) is

defi nitely worth considering. It’s a great

chopper, grater, slicer and grinder – and

less than 25% of the average price of a

Right Choice model.

If you already have a food processor and

aren’t sure whether it’s time to upgrade,

our guide on p37 shows you how to make

the most of the one you have.

The best blitzers can save you time, money and space – and perform more tasks than you might think possible

Kitchen aid

Vin

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∨ ∨∨ ∨

The cheapest Right Choice, the Select 600

food processor puts in a solid performance. It’s

excellent at grating and chopping. It also has a

mixing function: the dosa dough mixed in our tests

was lump-free and had a good consistency.

This Morphy Richards model is operated by a

rotary switch with three speeds and an incher, and

90% MORPHY RICHARDS SELECT 600, `7,995

the settings are easy to navigate. It’s noisier

than our other Right Choice food processors,

but vibrations are low and overall it’s an easy

model to use, dismantle and clean. All parts

and fi ttings can be attached without much fuss

or ef ort.

PROS Cheap, excellent performance

CONS A bit noisy

Another all-rounder, the Enrico produced excellent

results in each of the tasks it’s set up to do. It

chops, grinds, blends, grates and juices brilliantly.

There’s no mixing facility and you won’t be able to

grind hard spices for blends like garam masala, so

while it’s great at what it does, it probably won’t be

the only food preparation appliance you’ll need.

95% MORPHY RICHARDS ENRICO, `9,995

It has a rotary switch with eight speeds and

a pulse function. The attachments are extremely

easy to attach, remove and clean. It’s a quiet

model – it doesn’t vibrate much when in use.

It’s also comfortable to handle and easy

to manoeuvre.

PROS Great all-round performance

CONS No grinding of hard spices

Neat chopping, quick and even slicing and

grating and even mixing mean the HL1659

stands tall in more than just dimensions (36cm).

It took just 10 seconds to produce perfectly

chopped coriander and is one of the only Right

Choice models that can also mix dosa dough.

However, the orange juice produced in our

90% PHILIPS HL1659, `8,995

tests wasn’t that smooth and contained fi bres

and sediment.

This Philips has a rotary switch with three

speeds and a pulse function. It’s extremely easy

to use thanks to its manoeuvrability, comfortable

grip and ease of cleaning.

PROS Excellent results, lots of functions

CONS Juicing only satisfactory

Right Choices

The priciest Right Choice, the Smart Chef is also

the highest-scoring food processor on test. You

won’t be able to use the Smart Chef to mix things

like dosa dough, but juicing and ice-crushing are

great bonuses in the heat.

It managed to grind a garam masala spice

blend extremely evenly in our tests. It’s also

97% MORPHY RICHARDS SMART CHEF, `10,995

quick, taking just 37 seconds to grind coconut.

The Smart Chef is operated by a rotary switch

with nine speeds and a pulse function, and the

design and build make this model a pleasure to

use. It’s quiet, easy to manoeuvre, comfortable to

grip and very straightforward to use and clean.

PROS Excellent all-round performance

CONS Expensive, no mixing function

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

TEST SCO

RE (%)

Ease of use

Juicing

Slicing

Grating

Blending

Mixing

Grinding

Chopping

Dim

ensions

(hxwxd) (cm

)

Wattage (W

)

Price (`)


TEST AND RATINGS

BRAND

1 MORPHY RICHARDS Smart Chef 10,995 1,000 23x21x36 NA 97

2 MORPHY RICHARDS Enrico 9,995 1,000 21x26x35 NA 95

3 MORPHY RICHARDS Select 600 7,995 600 22x20x35 90

4 PHILIPS HL1659 8,995 750 36x24x30 90

5 NOVA FP - 551 2,149 250 17x16x25 NA NA NA 89

6 PHILIPS HR 7625 4,195 500 16x20x20 NA NA 87

7 BAJAJ FX-10 6,056 600 23x20x33 79

8 KENSTAR Karishma MF 0808 7,145 600 25x20x39 79

9 BAJAJ FX-11 6,530 600 24x20x35 78

10 USHA FP 2663 6,195 600 23x20x34 77

11 JAIPAN New Food Processor 4,199 650 22x19x33 71

12 INALSA Maxie Plus 7,795 650 21x21x35 59

USING THE TABLEThe more stars, the better. Right Choices are highlighted in red.SPECIFICATION Price (`) Guide price as of April 15, 2013 Wattage The appliance’s stated power, in watts Dimensions The measured height, width and depth of the applianceTEST PERFORMANCE Chopping How evenly and quickly nuts and coriander are chopped Grinding How quickly and evenly coconut and garam masala spices are ground (where possible) Mixing The smoothness and consistency of dosa dough (where possible) Blending the smoothness and consistency of three types of

lassi: fruit, spiced and iced Grating How quickly and evenly cheese and carrots are grated Slicing How quickly and evenly cucumbers and carrots are sliced Juicing The smoothness, frothiness, fi brousness and taste of juice produced, how quickly it’s delivered and whether it contains sediment Ease of use How straightforward the food processor is to use, clean and store

SCORE This ignores price and is based onPerformance ........................................................................75%Ease of use ..........................................................................20%Build quality .............................................................................5%


Food processorsTest report


Worth considering

By far the cheapest on test, this basic but

high-scoring Nova food processor is about a

fi fth of the price of our most expensive Right

Choice – and defi nitely worth considering. It

has the lowest wattage (250W) of all the food

processors we’ve tested. It rivals the Right Choice

models with its grinding, grating and slicing

abilities, and produced perfectly evenly chopped

nuts in our test. It struggled a bit with softer herbs;

it doesn’t come with the extra features of our

Right Choice models, such as juicing, blending

89% NOVA FP 551, `2,149

and sometimes mixing and ice-crushing, so you’ll

probably need other food preparation appliances

in your kitchen. But if you already have a mixer

grinder, blender and juicer and are just looking for

an appliance to bridge the gaps, this fi ts the bill.

Operated by a simple push-button control for

power and a pulse function, it’s also extremely

easy to use. All parts are easy to attach, remove

and clean, and the FP - 551 is comfortable to grip

and manoeuvre.

PROS Cheap, excellent grinding and slicing

CONS Few functions, poor herb-chopping

HOW WE TEST

To test chopping abilities, we chopped both

nuts and fresh coriander, assessing how

quickly and evenly the processor chops

up hard and soft food. We tested grinding

powers by blitzing coconut into a chutney,

and the hard spices that go into a garam

masala spice blend. Each food processor

was assessed for the evenness of the

results and how long it took to produce

them. Grating and slicing are assessed

using cheese and carrots and cucumber and

carrots respectively, with each processor

rated for the speed and evenness of the

results. To test blending, our lab experts

used each processor to produce three

diff erent lassis: one with fruit, one with

cardamom and ginger and the third with

ice. In each case, the smoothness and

consistency of the lassi was rated. Where

available, the juicing feature was used

to produce fresh orange juice. The end

result was assessed for the smoothness,

frothiness, fi brousness and taste of the

juice produced, how quickly it’s delivered

and whether it contains sediment. 18

individual tests make up the overall ease

of use rating, covering everything from

the ease of attaching and cleaning the

accessories to the manoeuvrability of

the appliance.


Things you can do with your food processorFood processors can be complex appliances at the best of times, with multiple functions that aren’t always obvious from the markings and switches. If you only use your food processor for slicing and dicing, or got one as a gift and have never taken it out of its box, here are some ideas that might inspire you to make the most of the features available

MANGO LASSI 2 mangoes, peeled, stoned and sliced, 2 cups

plain yoghurt, ½ cup white sugar, 1 cup ice

Blend all ingredients together until smooth

HUMMUS2 cups dried chickpeas (soaked overnight), 1

tsp salt, 3 peeled garlic cloves, ¾ cup tahini/

sesame seed paste, ½ cup lemon juice, ¼

tsp cayenne pepper, ½ cup water, plus ½ cup

more as needed

Blend all ingredients together until chunky

or smooth

CHAI CONCENTRATE

1 tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp ground ginger, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ground cloves, ½ tsp

ground or grated nutmeg, 1 can condensed

milk

Blend the ingredients together on high

speed for a few seconds. Pour the mixture

into an ice cube tray and freeze. To use,

brew a cup of strong black tea and

add a cube of chai concentrate from

the freezer

ICE CREAMSimply prepare an ice cream base using any

recipe, pour it into a freezer bag and freeze.

When frozen, put the mixture into your food

processor, blend in any fruit, honey or nuts,

pour the mixture into a tray and refreeze

PAPIER-MÂCHÉ PULPYou can create more than just food and

drinks in your food processor. Tear several

sheets of newspaper into small pieces

and, using the metal blade, blend with a

little warm water. Strain the pulp through a

colander and mix in roughly a tablespoon

of glue

ROTI DOUGH2 cups wholewheat fl our (chapatti fl our), ½ tsp

salt, 350ml warm water, Add fl our, salt

and 250ml water to the food processor.

Blend using the dough blade, slowly adding

the remaining 100ml of water until a

well-shaped dough is formed. Chill in the

fridge and bring back to room temperature

when ready to cook


Child careBest on test


Best baby products

ROUND-UPEvery year we test thousands

of products across a wide range of categories, from washing machines to

digital cameras. Only the top-performing products receive the Right Choice

accolade, after making it through our rigorous, independent lab tests. Here

is a round-up of some of the best child care products that

we’ve tested.

Choosing products for your newborn needs

immense care and patience; you’ll want to know

that they’re safe and that they’ll also meet your

baby’s needs. Let our expertise take the time and stress

out of shopping for your toddler. Here are some of the

best baby care products to look out for.

Travelling with your baby

PROS Suitable for babies aged

six months and over, this is a

great basic stroller that’s light,

easy to use, simple to fold and

can be carried easily, either

with the supplied handle or the

handy detachable carry strap.

It’s a breeze to manoeuvre

round obstacles, and the small,

lightweight frame makes it

ideal for use in crowded places

like a mall or a garden.

CONS There’s just one seat

position, so you can’t recline it.

The handles aren’t adjustable.

Where to buy online

Babyoye, Flipkart, Hoopos

PROS This stroller is suitable for

newborns to toddlers, and has a

head support for smaller babies.

The backrest can be set in four

dif erent positions, which are

easy to change using the lever.

Most testers found the

fi xed-height, foam-covered

handles set at 106cm very

comfortable. The pushchair

is easy to lift and move when

folded. Other features include a

cup holder, rain cover, hood with

viewing window and footmuf .

CONS A bit long for some cars

Where to buy online

FirstCry, Junglee

80% MACLAREN VOLO STROLLER, `8,880

79% CHICCO MULTIWAY STROLLER, `8,492

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE


Feeding and safety

76% CHICCO YOU AND ME PHYSIO COMFORT CARRIER , `6,990 PROS This is a simple and hassle-free sling

carrier that provides proper support without

causing your baby discomfort. It has a

padded shoulder, waist and lumbar support

and is made from soft but supportive fabric.

It’s comfortable to wear for long hours.

CONS Getting used to making all the

shoulder straps, baby’s growth and harness

adjustment system changes takes some

time, but becomes easier with experience.

Better instructions could be provided for

fi rst-time users.

Where to buy online Hoopos, Flipkart

80% MAXI COSI CABRIOFIX WITH EASYFIX BASE , `20,799 PROS This car seat ef ectively protects

your baby from front crashes and side

crashes. Strapping the child in the seat,

adjusting the harness and buckling up

are easy. It’s well-padded and has a

removable cover for easy cleaning. Check

the Maxi-Cosi website for car compatibility.

CONS The Easyfi x base needs to be

bought separately. It uses a support leg

which rests on the car fl oor which won’t be

suitable for cars with under-fl oor storage.

Side-crash protection is poor when used without the base.

Where to buy online Shoppers Stop

80% BABYBJORN BABY CARRIER ORIGINAL, `6,999 PROS The Babybjorn Baby Carrier

Original is a two-position soft baby carrier

for babies up to 11kg. It’s intuitive and

easy to use from the fi rst time you try

it – and if you do need help, the

instructions provided are excellent. It

proved comfortable for both baby and

parent, and our testers found the good

design made it easy to use. They strongly

agreed that babies appeared happy and

and safely positioned in the carrier.

CONS It of ers no waist or lumbar support for the parent and the

shoulder straps are not padded. Larger babies may fi nd it too tight.

Where to buy online eBay.in, Shoppers Stop

70% MEDELA SWING BREAST PUMP, `14,999

78% CHICCO JAZZY HIGH CHAIR, `4,990

73% MOTOROLA MBP36 BABY MONITOR, `13,990

PROS This pump is ideal for

working mothers and was

rated highly by all those who

tried it. It’s comfortable, quick

and easy to use and clean. It

comes with a small storing bag

and works on two batteries.

CONS There’s no breast shield cover, which may

cause issues if you need to transport it. The bottle is

not leak-proof when attached to the pump.

Where to buy online Flipkart, Medela India,

BabyOye, Hoopos

PROS Well-designed and easy

to use, this durable high chair

is also simple to assemble.

The position of the tray can

be moved to suit children as

they grow.

CONS There’s not much

padding on the base of the

seat, which is also a bit shallow

for children older than two.

Where to buy online Firstcry,

BabyOye, Flipkart

PROS The sound

quality on this baby

monitor is good,

though it does gets

distorted at the highest

volume. The parent unit

is stable and has a rechargeable battery

that lasts up to six hours. The baby unit is

similarly stable.

CONS The range outside the house may not

be enough. Instructions in the manual could

be clearer.

Where to buy online Flipkart, Firstcry, BabyOye

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE

RIGHTCHOICE


NOW

IN

INDIA

For over 50 years in the UK, independence has been the cornerstone of our editorial

philosophy. While some magazines have advertising disguised as editorial, we buy and

rigorously test around 2,700 products every year to ensure that the only people who

influence our recommendations are our scientists. Make your choices without hesitation

or doubt, with Right Choice.



We examine the usability of MP3 player speaker docks, including ease of setting up and remote control operation.

In order to keep ouradvice independent,we do not carry anyads. Except our own

Save time, money and effort. Make the Right Choice.

Test reportKetchup

Does your favourite brand of ketchup score as high on the health front as it does on taste? We fi nd out with our lab test of seven brands


∨ ∨

Secret sauce


From American burgers and French fries

to Indian samosas and pakoras, ketchup

is one of the most popular, versatile, easily

available and affordable condiments. Kids love

it, so its tasty tanginess is a great mask for

healthy food when feeding fussy eaters. Being

tomato-based, most don’t think twice before

slathering their food with the red stuff. But

though ketchup is low in fat (unlike another

popular condiment, mayonnaise), it does contain

signifi cant amounts of salt and sugar – which can

be detrimental to health if consumed in excess. So

should we be going so easy with the squeezy bottle?

WHAT WE FOUND: SUGARFour of the seven brands exceeded the sugar

content listed on each of their labels. While

most – Kissan, Heinz and Reliance – went over

by 0.5-1.5%, Maggi’s Rich Tomato Ketchup had

a whopping 17.5% more sugar than stated on its

label. This is particularly misleading as the brand’s

stated sugar content was the lowest among those

we tested – a mere 12.7g per 100g, whereas other

ketchups all stated their sugar content was above

20g per 100g.

WHAT WE FOUND: SALTSurprisingly, our tests found that the sodium

content was lower than the value stated on the

label (where listed). Kissan, Smith & Jones

and Reliance ketchups were the only ones that

mentioned their sodium content. While each of

the labels declared sodium levels of above

1,000mg per 100g, our tests found all to be in the

700-800mg range.

Tellingly, the brands that did not mention their

sodium content were found to be much higher in

sodium when tested. Maggi, Heinz and Del Monte

were all found to have sodium levels above 800mg

per 100g in our tests. Tasty Treat’s content was a

little higher than Reliance’s, at 794mg per 100g.

What we didWe tested seven popular brands

of ketchup – Kissan Fresh Tomato

Ketchup, Maggi Rich Tomato

Ketchup, Heinz Tomato Ketchup,

Smith & Jones Tomato Ketchup,

Del Monte Tomato Ketchup,

Tasty Treat Tomato Ketchup and

Reliance Select Tomato Ketchup –

to fi nd out which have the highest

levels of sodium and sugar.

Ma

dh

urj

ya

Sa

ikia


Test report Ketchup


We tested widely available ketchups for sodium and sugar content, to see which is the healthiest choice for your dinner table. We also compared these tested fi gures with what is stated on each brand’s nutritional label

SUGAR

Claimed sugar

25.33g per 100g

Tested sugar

20.4g per 100g

Actual sugar per serving 3.06g

SODIUM

Claimed sodium

1,110mg per 100g

Tested sodium

717mg per 100g

Actual sodium per serving 107.55mg

`110 `125 `110 `75SUGAR

Claimed sugar

22g per 100g

Tested Sugar

22.4g per 100g


SUGAR

Claimed sugar

25g per 100g

Tested sugar

23.5g per 100g


SUGAR

Claimed sugar

27.6g per 100g

Tested sugar

26.6g per 100g


SODIUM

Claimed sodium

NA

Tested sodium

902mg per 100g


SODIUM

Claimed sodium

NA

Tested sodium

934mg per 100g


SODIUM

Claimed sodium

NA

Tested sodium

794mg per 100g


SMITH & JONES TOMATO KETCHUP

HEINZ TOMATO KETCHUP

DEL MONTE TOMATO KETCHUP

TASTY TREAT TOMATO KETCHUP

Smith & Jones ketchup contains the least sugar and

the second lowest amount of sodium (slightly higher than Kissan’s ketchup). Good for those with sugar-restricted diet; though keep a track of

your intake.

It doesn’t state sodium content on its label and it had

the second highest tested sodium content (after Del Monte). So though one of

the most popular brands, it doesn’t score too well on the

health front.

Del Monte doesn’t state the salt content on the label and

it has the highest sodium content here. Avoid it if you

need to limit salt in your diet – those suf ering from high blood pressure and

other heart-related diseases.

The cheapest here, it stands exactly at the mid-level for its salt and sugar content – neither on the low nor on

the high side. It doesn’t provide information on sodium content on the

bottle’s label.

Lowest Sugar

Highest Sodium


`115 `85 `115

You’re likely to use more, but a single serving size of ketchup is about one tablespoon, or around 15g. We used this as a guide to calculate how much salt and sugar you’d consume using diff erent brands.

SUGAR

Claimed sugar

26g per 100g

Tested sugar

27.5g per 100g


SUGAR

Claimed sugar

27.9g per 100g

Tested sugar

29.1g per 100g


SUGAR

Claimed sugar

12.07g per 100g

Tested sugar

30.2g per 100g


SODIUM

Claimed sodium

1,070mg per 100g

Tested sodium

708mg per 100g


SODIUM

Claimed sodium

1,100mg per 100g

Tested sodium

785mg per 100g


SODIUM

Claimed sodium

NA

Tested sodium

887mg per 100g


What’s good about ketchup?Low fat While a tablespoon of mayonnaise contains about 100 calories and 12g of fat, ketchup has no fat and far fewer calories (15 per tablespoon).

Contains lycopene The main ingredient is tomato which, once cooked, has high levels of lycopene. This is an antioxidant with many benefi ts: it’s been linked to reduced risk of many cancers, helps reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and is said to ward off liver disease.

How much lycopene does ketchup contain?While raw tomatoes contain around 3mg of lycopene per 100g, ketchup contains about 17g per 100g. But it all depends on the tomato content in the ketchup. There are also healthier alternatives of lycopene, like processed tomatoes in the form of purée.

What’s bad?Ketchup can fall under the unhealthy bracket if it contains too much salt and sugar.

Too much salt Eating too much salt can result in high blood pressure, heart problems, water retention and hypertension. According to the WHO, adults should consume less than 2,000mg of sodium or a teaspoon of salt a day.

Too much sugar Excess sugar causes a rise in blood sugar levels and suppresses your immunity. Too much sugar can result in problems like obesity, diabetes, fatigue and tooth decay.

RELIANCE SELECT 100% TOMATO KETCHUP

KISSAN FRESH TOMATO KETCHUP

MAGGI RICH TOMATO KETCHUP

What’s a serving size?

Kissan’s ketchup has the lowest level of sodium here,

making it comparatively better for those with high

blood pressure or other cardiovascular issues.

However, its sugar content is on the higher side.

While its sugar is more than the stated amount, sodium is signii cantly lower. Eating it

will not aggravate the pre-existing issues, though Smith & Jones or Kissan are

healthier alternatives when it comes to salt and sugar.

The tested sugar content was the highest here – almost a

teaspoon per serving. Sodium content isn’t stated on the

pack but proved higher than most. It’s not the best option

if you have sugar-related complications like diabetes.

Lowest Sodium

Highest Sugar


Get your house paintedTest report


How to

You know when your house needs a paint job,

but the very thought of being inconvenienced

for a week or two can make you put it off.

Before you know it, the monsoons are not too far away

and you decide to wait until October, at which time

you may try postponing again. This is not a good idea,

because the longer you wait, the more expensive your

next paint job could be.

As counter-intuitive as it may sound, you may end

up saving by painting more regularly than waiting

longer than you should. This report will tell you all

you need to know about the process, what your

options are and all the information you need to get

your house painted.

WHEN TO PAINTThe state of your current paint-job will of course

dictate where to start. Elrica D’Souza, an interior

designer with Zyk Designs, says, ‘Discolouration of

your current paint-job and dust collection, which

leads to patchiness and stains, are signs that your

walls need a fresh coat of paint.’

These factors, and not the fact that you’re fed up of

seeing the same colour on your walls, should decide

whether or not your house needs painting.

Because of the long monsoon in India, some

seasonal considerations do need to be factored into

your next painting project. It is generally advised to

wait until after the monsoon to see whether there is

any leakage. If you paint before the rains and your

walls leak during the monsoon, the work may be

seriously compromised.

Elrica adds, ‘When it rains, your walls could face

leakages. This can lead to cracking and peeling of

the paint. It’s best to be sure there’s no problem or,

Repainting? Know your options, whether hiring professionals or doing it yourself

Colour concepts


∨ ∨


∨ ∨

if you’re unsure, have your walls examined

before attempting a new paint job. If it’s not

leakages causing the cracking and peeling

of the paint, it could be a sign of poor paint

quality or improper application.’

How often you repaint your house

depends on the kind of the paint you’ve

previously applied. For example, a fungus-

and mildew-resistant paint will obviously

last longer than a normal distemper (read

‘Types of paint’, below).

Elrica says that, as a general rule of

thumb, consider whether you need to

repaint around once every fi ve years. At this

point you’ll need to assess the quality of your

current paint job before deciding whether

you need a new one.

TYPES OF PAINTS When you do decide to get your house

repainted, you’ll need to know the tools of

the trade. There are basically four types

of paint: distemper, lustre, emulsion and

enamel. Each type contains various options

with different fi nishes and properties. You

can read about those paints in detail in our

brand-wise comparison table on p49, but

here’s a brief outline of the types of paint

available and what they’re for.

Distemper This is the most economical

paint type and is often associated with

whitewash. Different shades can be

achieved by adding colouring agents to

the paint, and paint companies now even

have distempers in different colours.

About 30-35 litres of distemper – costing

around ̀2,000 – will be required to paint

a house 1,000 sq feet in area.

Lustre This is an oil-based paint that is

most commonly used for interiors. It is

washable and thus easy to maintain.

This paint provides a very good

fi nish and is long-lasting. However,

since it is oil-based, it takes longer to

dry than distempers and also has a

strong odour.

Emulsion Emulsion is a water-based

paint and, just like lustre paints, is

washable, making your walls easy to

maintain. It provides a matt fi nish

to your walls and as it is fungus- and

mildew-resistant, it lasts longer. Basic

versions of the other three types aren’t

fungus- or mildew-resistant, whereas

all emulsions are.

Enamels Enamel is a type of

oil-based paint, but it has better

adhesion capabilities than lustre paints.

This means that these paints can be used

for both interiors and exteriors. Enamel

paints can also be used on furniture

and are available in dull as well as

glossy fi nishes.

CHOOSING THE SHADE While choosing the exact shade will be a

personal decision, you can follow a few rules

to ensure that your house looks appealing.

Shehzad Khan, Director, Gold Leafi ng

Studio, gives us tips for interiors and

exteriors. She says, ‘The exterior of big

houses should be painted in warm colours

such as reds and oranges. Smaller and

medium-sized houses should be painted

in bright but cooler colours such as white,

cream and champagne.’

For your interiors, refer to the table

below, where we get Shehzad and Elrica to

give their tips on how to go about painting

your different rooms.

Touch-up jobs When you’re getting minor work on your

walls, such as electrical fi tting, it will

invariably cause the paint around the

area to get damaged. Quite obviously,

you can’t repaint the whole wall just

to repair that minor damage, so a

touch-up job is needed. However,

achieving the exact shade can be tough

without the exact same paint can. This

is why it’s good to save leftover paint

rather than let the contractor take it

back. Alternatively, note down the shade

number of the paint. If you’d like to do

this job on your own, remember to start

painting with a very light hand. You can

always apply another coat if you feel the

shade is too light, but there is no coming

back from a darker shade.

You can also check out the website

of the brand you got your paint

from – it should have detailed guides

on both preparing the paint mixture

and the actual process of painting itself.

For example, the Asian Paints website

(www.asianpaints.com) will tell you

that, if you’re using the Royale Luxury

Emulsion, you’ll need to apply three

coats and dilute the paint in a 60:40

paint-to-water ratio. Similarly, the

Dulux Paints website (www.dulux.in)

will tell you that if you’re painting with

Dulux Velvet Touch, you will need to

apply two coats and dilute the paint

with 250-400ml of water for every litre

of paint.

ROOM TIPS

Living room Mostly light colours such as white. Three white walls with one dark wall is a safe bet

Master bedroom Extremely light and soothing colours such as sky blue

Children’s bedroom

Bright and fl uorescent colours which can be washed easily to take care of hand prints and food and crayon stains

Guest room Warm and bright colours such as orange or yellow

Kitchen You can choose any colour you like, but it should be highly washable. Avoid white


Get your house paintedHow to


BRAND SERVICES VERSUS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS Generally, paint companies are more

expensive than independent contractors, but

they’re more likely to do a much better job.

However, hiring an independent contractor

may not exactly be a bad idea as he could

also do a good job. Shehzad says, ‘While

brands provide good quality at a price, it

doesn’t mean that independent contractors

provide bad quality.’ It all comes down to

your budget and the quality you want. The

best chance of getting best-possible quality

is to go in for branded services, but it isn’t

always practical.

HIRING AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR If you’ve decided to hire an independent

contractor to do the paint job, here are a few

tips to keep in mind.

Make sure that the contractor has

experience of at least fi ve years.

Ask him for references.

Visit one of his ongoing sites to evaluate

his services in action.

Ask him to paint a small sample on your

wall to check the quality.

Ask your friends and acquaintances for

recommendations rather than visiting a

neighbourhood store.

PAINTING ON YOUR OWN

Painting your house on your own will mean

saving on labour costs for sure. If you’re

willing to be adventurous and are planning a

DIY job, here’s what you need to know.

Preparation You will fi rst need to

scrape your walls with sandpaper to

ensure that your wall surface is dry, free

from loose particles, dust and grease. If

you notice any damage to the wall, use

putty to fi ll up the cracks or holes and

leave it overnight.

Pre-painting Before the actual painting

process, you will need to apply a coat

of primer to the wall. Primer basically

ensures that the paint sticks to the

surface and does not chip off. Then, you

need to apply a coating of putty on the

wall for smoothness. Once the putty is

dry, use sandpaper and ensure that the

surface of the wall is completely even.

After that you will need to apply a

second coat of the primer. Allow it to

dry for 10-12 hours.

Painting For instructions on preparing

paint mixture, refer to the can or the

bucket the paint came in. Alternatively,

check the paint manufacturer’s website

for instructions on mixing the paint.

Once you’ve prepared the mixture you’re

ready to start painting. The number of

coats you will need to apply depends on

the type of paint you’ve chosen. Usually,

two or three are recommended. Apply

the paint using a thick paint brush. An

effective strategy is to paint the fi rst

coats using a brush and paint the last

coat with a roller. Allow the paint to dry

in between coats (the time needed will be

mentioned on the leafl et that came along

with the paint).

VOC-free paintsToxic substances known as volatile organic

compounds (VOCs) are emitted as fumes

from fresh paint. When inhaled in large

amounts, these gases can lead to eye

irritation, headache, dizziness and, in

extreme cases, even cause memory loss.

Ensure that the room is well-ventilated

as it will allow for faster drying and let

the toxic gases escape. Alternatively, use

low-VOC or VOC-free paints such as Royale

Luxury Emulsion from Asian Paints, Lotus

Touch from Nerolac and Breathe Easy from

Berger Paints.

Painting your bathroomsYou should remember that you need a

paint that’s highly resistant to water. A

simple rule that you can follow is that

the dullest matt fi nish is the most water

absorbent, while the high gloss fi nish,

which you need to pick, is the most

water resistant.

Texture painting Texture painting creates a pattern-based

fi nish on your wall. In this method, special

tools are used to create patterns on the

walls. Paint brands have special paints

such as the Royale Play or the Velvet Touch

Trends along with various pattern options

that you can choose from.

Paint points


Labour cost (painting

service offered by the

brand) (in ̀)

Price of paint required

for a 1,000 sq ft

house (in ̀)

Features

Type

Paint

BRAND-WISE COMPARISON

BRAND

ASIAN PAINTS

Royale Luxury Emulsion Emulsion Anti-stain, anti-fungus, washable, satin shimmer fi nish 8,500-8,800 11,400-14,000

Royale Shyne Luxury Emulsion Emulsion Similar to Royale Luxury Emulsion but with a sheen fi nish (meaning that it will give a slightly shinier fi nish)

9,300-9,700 12,600-15,500

Premium Emulsion Emulsion Fungus- and mildew-resistant, anti-stain, matt fi nish 8,000-9,900 8,000-10,000

Tractor Emulsion Emulsion/Distemper

Low cost alternative to the above emulsions – emulsion-like fi nish for a price similar to distemper

3,600-3,800 5,000-6,000

Tractor Acrylic Distemper Distemper Water-based, matt fi nish 2,800-3,000 3,800-4,700

Tractor Synthetic Distemper Distemper Water-based, no special fi nish 2,800 3,700-4,500

Utsav Acrylic Distemper Distemper Water-based, washable 2,600 3,500-4,100

DULUX PAINTS

Velvet Touch Emulsion Gives a pearl glow fi nish 7,700-8,500 9,500-10,500

Velvet Touch Trends Emulsion Pattern-based fi nish, fungus- and stain-resistant 18,300-20,200 26,600-29,400

Velvet Touch Trends Metallics Emulsion Gives a metallic fi nish 26,000-28,700 33,200-36,700

Dulux 3 in 1 Emulsion Stain-resistant, washable, anti-fungal 7,000-7,600 7,000-7,700

Dulux Super Smooth Emulsion Washable, matt fi nish 6,900-7,600 5,200-5,800

Dulux Lustre Finish EnamelWashable, water-repellent, stain-resistant, resistant to cracking and chalking

8,200-9,000 7,600-8,400

ICI Acrylic Distemper Distemper Smooth fi nish 3,000-3,400 2,800-3,200

BERGER

Bison Emulsion Emulsion Matt fi nish, anti-fading properties, anti-fungal 9,500 11,600

Rangoli Total Care EmulsionMatt fi nish, stain guard, withstands fungal and algae growth

13,000 16,000

Easy Clean EmulsionVelvet sheen fi nish, fungicide and biocide properties, very high oil resistance, scratch and stain resistance

15,500 19,000

Silk EmulsionHigh sheen compared to other Berger paints, gives walls a smooth feel

17,600 21,500

Breathe Easy EmulsionSheen fi nish, resistance to fungus growth, leaves no smell after painting

18,300 22,400

Bison Distemper Distemper Matt fi nish 10,600 13,000

JENSON AND NICHOLSON

Special Ef ects Luxury Sheen Emulsion

Emulsion Silky sheen fi nish, washable, scrub-resistant 12,500 18,700

Robbialac Super Acrylic Plastic Emulsion

Emulsion Matt fi nish, washable, scrub-resistant 8,500 12,600

Premium Acrylic Wall Coating Distemper Matt fi nish 7,400 11,100

Rainbow Acrylic Emulsion Emulsion Matt, emulsion-like fi nish at the price of distemper 5,700 8,500

NEROLAC

Lotus Touch Emulsion Sheen fi nish, blister and moisture free, low odour 13,500 NA

Beauty Gold EmulsionMatt to slightly glossy fi nish, washable, resistant to fungus growth

8,000 NA

Beauty Silver Emulsion Matt fi nish, washable, fungus resistant 5,400 NA

Beauty Smooth Emulsion Matt fi nish, washable 5,000 NA

Little Master Emulsion Matt fi nish 3,800 NA

Eco Clean Emulsion Sheen fi nish, washable, odour-less 15,500 NA

24 Carat EmulsionVelvet sheen fi nish, washable, stain resistant, anti-fungal, low odour

13,500 NA

Picking paint Here are some of the paints on of er, their features, the cost of paint required to paint a 1,000-sq ft house as well as the cost of using the company’s services to get the job done

Prices are guide prices as on April 17, 2013 and are subject to change


Test drives

Sedans make no compromises. They

offer space, perform well and have

powerful engines. Therefore, even

the mid-size sedan segment is expensive,

starting at ̀7 lakh and going up to just over

`11 lakh. The mid-size segment currently

consists of nine players, with petrol and

diesel engine options available for all but

the Honda City (see p52). Six of the nine

cars compared here already have automatic

versions, with the Nissan Sunny all set to

join the majority soon. Given the vast `4

lakh price difference, it’s best to investigate

which cars are worth their price tag. In this

report, we give you the lowdown on each car

on offer, compare the two top-sellers in this

category and reveal what you can get for the

same price in the SUV/ MUV category.

MARKET TALKOver 15,000 mid-size sedans are sold each

month. In March, 4,489 Hyundai Verna

cars were sold, making it the highest-selling

mid-size sedan, while the lowest-selling

models were the Ford Fiesta and Fiat Linea.

If you’re buying one of these cars, it’s most

likely that you are either moving up from a

premium hatchback or an entry-level sedan,

or just looking for a second car – perhaps for

outstation trips.

In either case, features and comfort will

be high priorities. Here is a breakdown of

what’s on offer.

KEY PARAMETERSMid-size sedans aren’t manufactured

with low prices in mind; even the base

models come with extra comfort, features

and performance.

Mid-size sedans

Find out which mid-size sedan gives the best value for money

Middleground

In this report

Take a look at the

af ordable mid-size sedans

segment. Find out which of

the nine models of er the

best combination of

class and comfort.


Size Entry-level sedans – such as the Maruti

Dzire, Tata Indigo and Honda Amaze – are

typically under 4m in length, and reap tax

benefi ts as a result. Other options like the

Hyundai Accent, Mahindra Verito and

Chevrolet Sail are over 4m but still can’t

compete with mid-size sedans in terms of

width and wheelbase. The extra room in

mid-size sedans provides more space for

passengers and luggage – and also creates

better road presence.

Design Thanks to their unrestricted length,

mid-size sedans have sharper looks and a more

modern feel than entry-level models. While

entry-level sedans aren’t typically the most

noticeable, the Linea stands out for its Italian

design and the SX4 for its bulky looks.

Performance You can expect around 100

horsepower (PS) from a mid-size petrol sedan,

with the greatest power coming from the

Verna 1.6 (123PS). Most diesel mid-size

sedans have a power output of around

90PS, compared with around 70PS for the

entry-level sedans. Mid-size sedans offer great

performance without compromising on fuel

economy. The most effi cient offerings are

Hyundai Verna diesel 1.4 and the diesel variant

of the Ford Fiesta, both of which give 23.5kmpl.

Cabin space Due to their smaller size, entry-

level sedans don’t offer the ample leg, knee and

shoulder room provided by mid-size sedans,

which have a longer wheel base.

Features Keyless entry and keyless start-stop,

rear view camera and voice-assisted commands

are some of the features absent from entry-level

models. However, if you’re willing to shell out

more for these luxuries, they can most likely

be accommodated.

MARUTI ERTIGAPetrol range `6.34-7.90 lakh

Diesel range `7.8-9.21 lakh

Why look at this Loads of

space, practical, very effi cient

diesel engine

TATA SAFARIDiesel range `8.67-9.86 lakh

Why look at this Loads of

space, very comfortable

NISSAN EVALIADiesel range `8.69-10.22 lakh

Why look at this Spacious, very

effi cient diesel engine, seats

seven very comfortably

MAHINDRA XYLODiesel range `7.3-10.4 lakh

Why look at this Spacious,

comfortable, feature-packed

RENAULT DUSTERPetrol range `7.79-8.71 lakh


Why look at this Big yet easy to

drive, effi cient diesel engine

MAHINDRA SCORPIODiesel range `7.68-12.1 lakh

Why look at this Good

automatic option, powerful

diesel engine

TOYOTA INNOVAPetrol range `10-13.5 lakh


Why look at this Very reliable,

good resale value, stylish and

comfortable interiors

Boot space (litres)

Gears

ARA

I (kmpl)

Height (m

)

Width (m

)

Length (m)

Torque (NM

)

Power (PS)

Engine capacity (cc)

Price (lakh)(`)

SPECIFICATIONS

1 FIAT Linea (Petrol) 7.29-8.32 1,368 90 115 4.56 1.73 1.49 14.6 5-MT 500

2 FIAT Linea (Diesel) 8.35-9.79 1,248 98 209 4.56 1.73 1.49 20.4 5-MT 500

3 FORD Fiesta (Petrol) 7.83-10.50 1,499 109 140 4.29 1.72 1.5 17 5-MT/6-AT 430

4 FORD Fiesta (Diesel) 9.74-10.82 1,498 90 204 4.29 1.72 1.5 23.5 5-MT 430

5 HONDA City (Petrol) 7.64-11.13 1,497 118 146 4.44 1.7 1.49 16.8 5-MT/5-AT 506

6 HYUNDAI Verna (1.4 petrol) 7.58 1,396 107 136 4.37 1.7 1.48 17.43 5-MT 454

7 HYUNDAI Verna (1.6 petrol) 9.02-10.05 1,591 123 155 4.37 1.7 1.48 17.01 5-MT/4-AT 454

8 HYUNDAI Verna (1.4 diesel) 8.86-9.67 1,396 90 220 4.37 1.7 1.48 23.5 6-MT 454

9 HYUNDAI Verna (1.6 diesel) 10.41-11.94 1,582 128 260 4.37 1.7 1.48 22.32 6-MT/4-AT 454

10 MARUTI SX4 (Petrol) 7.85-9.35 1,586 104.7 145 4.5 1.74 1.56 16.5 5-MT 505

11 MARUTI SX4 (Diesel) 8.79-10.36 1,286 90 200 4.5 1.74 1.56 21.5 5-MT 505

12 NISSAN Sunny (Petrol) 6.34-8.97 1,498 99 134 4.43 1.7 1.51 16.9 5-MT 490

13 NISSAN Sunny (Diesel) 8.66-10.11 1,461 86 200 4.43 1.7 1.51 21.1 5-MT 490

14 RENAULT Scala (Petrol) 7.03-9.83 1,498 99 134 4.43 1.7 1.51 16.95 5-MT/CVT 490

15 RENAULT Scala (Diesel) 8.76-9.63 1,461 86 200 4.43 1.7 1.51 21.64 5-MT 490

16 SKODA Rapid (Petrol) 7.30-9.62 1,598 105 153 4.39 1.7 1.47 15 5-MT/6-AT 460

17 SKODA Rapid (Diesel) 8.61-10 1,598 105 250 4.39 1.7 1.47 20.5 5-MT 460

18 VOLKSWAGEN Vento (Petrol) 7.52-8.99 1,598 105 153 4.38 1.7 1.47 15.04 5-MT/6-AT 480

19 VOLKSWAGEN Vento (Diesel) 8.67-10.48 1,598 105 250 4.38 1.7 1.47 20.5 5-MT 480 ∨ ∨

For the same money

MUVs & SUVs


Test drives Mid-size sedans

On the roadFIAT LINEAThe Fiat Linea looks like one of the best here, but serves to prove

that appearances aren’t everything. Aside from its design it has

little to of er; space is limited and overall quality is no match for

the others. Even feature-wise, the Linea doesn’t impress with the

bells and whistles you’d expect in this segment. The 1.4-litre petrol

engine is the least powerful, of ers the least torque and also pales in

comparison for fuel economy. The diesel motor is better, but leaves

a lot to be desired in comparison with rivals at this price point.

PROS Looks, discounts

CONS Low resale value, lack of space, poor engines

`7.29-9.79 lakh

FORD FIESTAThe Fiesta is the underdog here. With the Linea, it’s the lowest

selling model – probably as a result of the somewhat lacklustre

look of the sides and rear. The engine options on of er are good:

the 1.5-litre petrol model of ers good performance and also comes

with a fi rst-in-class dual-clutch automatic, which allows quicker gear

changes without any loss in performance or fuel economy. The

diesel unit is brilliant, of ering smooth operation and very low turbo

lag, along with best-in-class fuel economy.

PROS Automatic technology, features

CONS Low resale value, looks, narrow cabin

`7.83-10.82 lakh

HONDA CITYThe Honda City is the only model here without a diesel option

(but with a CNG model). The high-quality interior is spacious and

the features list is more or less the same as most of its rivals –

though Honda does of er an optional sun-roof and audio-visual

and navigation system. The City comes with a 1.5-litre petrol

engine that is smooth and responsive. It isn’t very quick, but

of ers a strong overall performance. The fi ve-speed automatic is

a brilliant transmission.

PROS Good resale value, powerful engine

CONS No diesel engine

`7.64-11.13 lakh


∨ ∨

MARUTI SX4This updated version has a better exterior design with a new grille

and headlamps. Likewise, the cabin has seen major improvements

in layout and quality. The SX4 of ers spacious interiors for fi ve

adults and the top-end versions now come with a touchscreen

entertainment system. Other features include a climate control

system, steering controls, ABS, and dual airbags. The SX4 continues

to be powered by a 1.6-litre petrol or 1.3-litre diesel engine (the CNG

option has been retained).

PROS Maruti brand, reliable, good ground clearance

CONS Diesel engine could be more powerful

`7.85-10.36 lakh

NISSAN SUNNYThe cheapest option here is the Nissan Sunny. Though it looks

sober on the outside, with dated design lines and one of the

narrowest bodies (along with the Scala and City), the Sunny

provides ample room. Along with the Scala (which is based on the

Sunny), this car provides best-in-class leg and knee room. Being

the cheapest car here the interiors aren’t modern, but you can’t

complain for the price. Everything is neatly designed, practically

arranged and the car is easy to drive due to good visibility.

PROS Value for money, roomy, easy to drive

CONS Average looks, narrow body

`6.34-10.11 lakh

HYUNDAI VERNAHyundai tends to provide the best value. It caters to all buyers with

four engine options: two petrol and two diesel versions. The entry-

level 1.4-litre petrol and diesel engines allow the Verna to be priced

competitively, while the higher-powered 1.6 variants bring along

performance as well as automatic options – the only model here to

provide automatic versions in both petrol and diesel models. The

top-end models of this car have extensive features which include

rear parking sensors and a keyless start-stop function.

PROS Great looks, comfort, feature-packed

CONS Soft suspension

`7.58-11.94 lakh


Test drives Mid-size sedans

VOLKSWAGEN VENTOThe third-highest seller here is the Vento. The new model has better

looks and more features, but the car remains a mixed bag. Its design

has started to look dated and the car itself lacks sharp design lines.

On the inside, the layout looks basic but quality is up to the mark.

The cabin is practical and even features a slide-handle, allowing a

rear passenger to slide the co-driver seat ahead easily for added

leg room. The engine options are the same as those of ered by

the Rapid, so you get a potent 1.6-litre petrol and a similar capacity

diesel engine.

PROS Good engine, quality interiors

CONS Dated looks, poor resale value

`7.52-10.48 lakh

SKODA RAPIDThe Rapid is a cheaper alternative to the Volkswagen Vento. Based

on the Vento, both share the same chassis, suspension and engine.

The Rapid looks better, with the Fabia-inspired front-end imparting

luxury to the sedan. On the inside, the Rapid of ers a good mix

of quality and space: the layout is similar to that of the Fabia and

looks dated in comparison with the Verna or the City. However, the

interiors are comfortable, even for long-distance travel. The Rapid is

powered by a 1.6-litre petrol or diesel engine. It is relatively easy to

handle: while the suspension does an average job, the light steering

adds to the ease of driving.

PROS Engine, quality

CONS Small size, after-sales service lacking

`7.30-10 lakh

RENAULT SCALAThe Scala is the upmarket version of the Sunny, on which it was

based. External improvements include new lamps and grille, and the

rear has redesigned tail lamps and added chrome. The alloy wheels

look better and are standard on all diesel versions. Inside, it has the

same layout as the Sunny – the only dif erence being the Renault

badge on the steering wheel. It of ers the same best-in-class knee

and leg room as the Sunny and is powered by the same engines.

The petrol is peppy and the diesel engine excels with low turbo

lag. The Scala also gets an advanced automatic transmission that is

actually more ei cient than the manual version.

PROS Great looks, comfortable interiors

CONS Narrow body, limited dealer network

`7.03-9.83 lakh


vs

VERDICT The Hyundai Verna is the clear winner, with more engine options, better value and unique features. The Honda

City, despite doing nothing wrong, is no match.

Honda City vs Hyundai VernaWe compare the current market leader – Verna – and the one it dethroned.

Find out which mid-size sedan rules the roost on factors that matter

Honda City Hyundai Verna Winner

EXTERIOR The current City was launched fi ve years ago,

but still looks fresh thanks to minor updates

over the years. The front grille and alloys were

changed a few months ago and the arrow-shot

front design still turns heads. We also love the

unique shape of the alloy wheels for manual and

automatic versions.

Being newer, the Verna’s current version,

launched in May 2011, has a slight edge over

the City’s exteriors. It follows Hyundai’s ‘fl uidic

design’ philosophy and really does impart a very

stylish look. Being slightly wider and lower than

the City, it also feels a tad sportier.

INTERIORS Honda has always played the ‘man maximum,

machine minimum’ game. The City of ers very

good cabin space and, most importantly, its

interiors feel well put together. There’s an

obvious use of high-quality materials.

It might not match the spacious feel of the City,

but the Verna certainly has a swankier cabin, with

a modern design and beautiful blue back-lighting

for the console. The seats are comfortable and its

feature list is more extensive.

ENGINE The 1.5-litre petrol motor is brilliant and of ers very

good performance, while also being smooth and

relatively quiet. However, it’s beaten hands-down

by the Verna’s 1.6-litre petrol engine – on power,

torque and fuel economy. Honda, though, now

of ers a CNG kit as an option.

The 1.6-litre diesel motor is the pick of the lot,

with class-leading performance and brilliant fuel

economy. In all, there are two diesel and two

petrol options and automatic transmission is

available on both petrol and diesel engines.

FEATURES The top-end models come loaded with the usual

safety aids, such as anti-lock braking system (ABS)

and airbags, in addition to the steering controls

also seen in the Verna. The City also of ers an

optional sun-roof and audio-visual system.

Hyundai wins the battle here as well, with unique

features including side and curtain airbags, a

keyless start-stop function, rear view camera

with display, rear parking sensors and Bluetooth

connectivity.

PRICE The City range starts at `7.6 lakh for the stripped

corporate version. The automatic model starts from

`9.7 lakh. As a product, the City does make good

sense but won’t spoil you with features.

The Verna petrol range starts at `7.58 lakh but

has more features than the similar-priced City.

The diesel range starts at `8.8 lakh while the

automatic range starts at `9.3 lakh.

All prices are ex-showroom, Mumbai, guide prices as of April 17, 2013 and are subject to change

Verna

Verna

Verna

Verna

Verna


Shopping online Survey report


Online shopping websites have

caught on quick, outpacing even

decades-old brick-and-mortar

chains in a matter of a few years. The

reasons are simple enough: online shopping

is much more convenient, can offer better

prices and you can pay on delivery. But,

given the difference in experience and

process, its challenges and problems are

also different.

Not many of us could claim to know

which portal is likely to stock or offer the

best deals on a certain product, which has

the best returns process and how likely it

is for delivery to be delayed. We conducted

a survey of over 1,000 people to fi nd out

which of the nine big name websites in our

survey is most capable of delivering the

goods with minimal hassle.

WHAT WE FOUNDJabong came out trumps in our survey,

with a customer score of 82%. One of the

few portals here to sell a limited range of

items, it restricts itself mainly to clothing,

accessories, shoes and furniture – items

perhaps least naturally suited to remote

purchase. But the portal still got solid

scores in major categories, including the

returns process, an area in which even more

well-established stores like Flipkart and

Homeshop18 faltered.

Yebhi, which took second spot with a

customer score of 81%, is more comparable

with the rest of the pack in that it also sells

laptops, mobile phones, digital cameras and

toys. But it still doesn’t have the product

width of Flipkart or Homeshop18, which

sell books, stationery, CDs and DVDs as

well. The results suggest that leaner online

In this report

Find out which online stores

have the highest levels

of customer satisfaction

from the hundreds of

shoppers we have

interviewed.

Flipkart and eBay trail newbies Jabong and Yebhi in our satisfaction survey

Buying easy

shopping websites are better able to

provide good service. Yebhi, like Jabong,

also received an excellent score for its

returns process.

COMMON COMPLAINTSOur survey reveals that the portals

were competent at selling and delivering

products – but problems do remain. Over

one in 10 respondents complained of delay

in delivery, one in 20 did not receive their

products at all, and one in 30 respondents

were left unsatisfi ed when they weren’t

informed of the delivery time.

A few online retailers also received

poor scores for their returns process,

an area in which a wide difference was

reported for different sites. Respondents

that had returned products to Snapdeal

felt the process was very effective – but

that wasn’t enough to leave customers

satisfi ed. Snapdeal got the lowest overall

Customer Score, as well as receiving the

lowest rating for its deliveries process.

Flipkart, Homeshop18, eBay and Indiatimes

Shopping all received scores lower than

average for their returns process.

Flipkart (77%) and eBay (78%) did make

up for their low scores in the returns process

category by faring well in categories such

as product range of offerings and smooth

ordering process, but Homeshop18 (73%)

and Indiatimes Shopping (75%) just missed

out on being in the top half of the list.


Received a used product

Wrong sized product received

Damaged items

Courier asked for extra money

Technical problems

with the website

Returns problems

Poor quality item

Poor availability

of item

Wrong item or brand delivered

Faulty item Delayed delivery

2 24

74

7

1113 13 13

39

Problems to expect

4

8

12

16

20

24

28

32

36

40

% o

f re

spo

nd

en

ts

Online shopping websites allow you to do everything from the comfort of

your home. Such conveniences come at a cost, though. If there’s going to

be a problem, here’s what it will most likely be about

What issues are you likely to experience? Delayed delivery The bulk of problems

reported (see ‘Problems to expect’,

below) in our survey related to delays

in delivery. Portals estimate a time

in which your product will arrive,

but maintain that delivery may be

longer. Deliveries from Jabong, for

example, vary from 3-4 days to 8-10

days, depending on whether your

order needs to be imported. A more

dependable estimate is the one given

by the customer service team that

confi rms your details after your order’s

been placed.

Faulty item If you had gone to a store

in person, it’s unlikely that you would

have picked a faulty item – but this

problem doesn’t arise as often as

online shopping sceptics may think. A

small percentage of our respondents

(13%) said they’d been shipped faulty

products. The real problem tends to be

the hassle companies put you through

until they agree to a replacement.

Poor quality If you’re buying a specifi c

model of smartphone or laptop, you

know what you’re getting. But this is

not so when you’re buying clothes,

perfume or jewellery from little known

brands. Flipkart, for example, has over

100 T-shirt brands listed on its website,

most of them obscure. Richa Chabbria,

an MBA student currently in Mumbai,

says, ‘Some clothes may look good

on the website, but when they arrive,

they’re often of poor quality. Sticking to

bigger brands helps.’

Wrong brand It doesn’t happen often,

but you could be shipped the wrong

product or size. Then you’re at the

mercy of the returns process of the

seller. In the worst case, the item you

had asked for would’ve been sold out.

Many retailers don’t give you a refund;

you’ll only get a credit note. Shreya

Todi, an advertising executive from

Mumbai, says, ‘I’ve twice been sent a

wrong order. The worst thing about it is

that, given how tedious the process of

returning the item is, you’ll most likely

live with the mistake.’

Delayed delivery was the number one problem faced by our respondents




PAYING IN INSTALMENTSMost portals now allow you to pay in

equated monthly instalments (EMIs)

via your credit card. If you do this,

remember to compare the processing

charges of each retailer and not just the

product price. One retailer may offer a

product at much lower price than another,

but its processing charges may make the

other’s deal cheaper.

Assuming that all retailers do stock

the product you want, keep in mind that

processing fees are charged in two ways.

Naaptol, for example, charges a percentage

of your purchase. So if you buy the Sony

Xperia E for ̀ 9,890 (as on April 17, 2013)

and wish to pay for it over six months, you’ll

be paying a fee of `618 (meaning the total

cost would be ̀10,508). The same purchase

on Flipkart would be cheaper – despite the

smartphone’s higher ticket price (`9,990).

Flipkart’s fl at processing fee of `300 on all

six-month EMI options brings the total cost

to ̀ 10,220 – a saving of just under `300.

Flat rates are usually better for high value

purchases, though not necessarily for bills

under ̀ 10,000. In either case, what’s more

important is that you pay your credit card

bill on time.

DEALS TO BEWARE OFOnline shopping encourages impulsive

purchases. You may see a generous discount

on your favourite product and may want

to buy it immediately – but check what

you’re getting as portals can be misleading.

Some portals, including Jabong, do admit

that they make mistakes. These companies

need to enter in details of the thousands

of products they sell and claim details can

be entered incorrectly. Whether or not it is

deliberate, it is ultimately you who loses out.

Here are the ‘mistakes’ to watch out for:

Exaggerate MRPs Every now and

then, you’ll fi nd a product listed with a

20% to 50% discount. If you look up the

price of the same product on an offi cial

website, you may fi nd the actual MRP

is much lower. Portals can hike up the

original price to create the illusion of a

hefty discount. Naaptol, for example, is

currently selling a Nikon D5100 (with 18-

55mm VR) for ̀ 31,499, claiming a 33%

discount on the original price of `47,290.

If you log on to the Nikon website, the

sale price should be `34,950. So the real

discount is really a little over 10%.

Charged freebies Snapdeal, in

particular, advertises paraphernalia as

freebies. For example, if you buy a mobile

phone you’d expect to receive earphones

along with it. If you buy a DSLR, you

should expect to receive an HDMI cable,

a pouch and an SD card. Yet it’s common

to fi nd standard inclusions listed as items

that are free.

Fakes at a price Many portals inform

you that they only sell original items on

their website. This is because there’s

truth to the speculation that fake goods

can also be found online. On eBay, it’s

easy to fi nd a host of items at a fraction

of the price of originals. Most often, they

are premium items such as watches from

Tag Heuer or bags from Gucci. These

fakes aren’t cheap, either. For example, at

the time of going to press there was a Tag

Heuer Grand Carrera Chronograph listed

on eBay for ̀22,500. The seller says it’s

a new item in the original box, but only

at the end of the listing, says that it is

‘exactly like (the) original’. Buying such

an item would be a costly mistake.

CU

STOM

ER SCO

RE (%)

Mode of paym

ent

Deliveries

Ordering process

Availability of products

Range of products

CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

WEBSITES

1 JABONG (108) 82

2 YEBHI (38) 81

3 EBAY (133) 79

4 FLIPKART (198) 77

5 MYNTRA (79) 77

6 NAAPTOL (82) 76

7 INDIATIMES SHOPPING (32) 75

8 HOMESHOP18 (168) 73

9 SNAPDEAL (46) 72

Some shopping websites advertise paraphernalia as freebies

Figures in brackets indicate sample size


∨ ∨∨ ∨

How they fared

Jabong sells clothing, accessories and home

furnishings. A part of its website is devoted

only to premium items, where brands such as

Hidesign and DKNY can be found, but you

can expect to fi nd just about anything in the

mentioned categories. This was true for every

82% JABONG website in our survey, but our respondents

were easily able to locate what they wanted

and found the range of products to be wide.

Jabong did well in every category, also

of ering the most liberal purchase/returns/

delivery terms. You can pay on delivery and

return your purchase if unsatisfi ed, and the

returns process is outlined clearly online.

Yebhi sells products on very friendly terms.

An example of this is its ‘try-n-buy’ policy,

which allows you to try on or briefl y check

your purchase before making payment to the

person delivering your product (in cases of

cash-on-delivery). If you aren’t satisfi ed with

81% YEBHI the product, you can refuse the purchase.

This policy isn’t available everywhere yet, but

it’s indicative of a confi dence in the quality

of products sold. Yebhi sells a wider range

of items than Jabong, including computer

accessories and mobile phones. It did well in

all categories, from the range of products on

of er to the modes of payment allowed.

eBay of ers a platform for merchants to sell

their wares, so the terms of your purchase

dif er with each seller. If you make a purchase

from here, be sure to look at the returns policy.

In our survey, eBay, which otherwise scored

reasonably well, received a lower score for

78% eBAY customers’ experience of returns. You can

only pay using PaisaPay, which releases the

money when the items are shipped, and our

respondents were satisfi ed with this payment

mechanism. But watch out for fake products,

which are in ample supply. From watches and

perfumes to shoes and jewellery, spotting the

real thing amid the fakes can be very tricky.

Flipkart has a very wide operation, competing

with even the largest of online malls. It does

this mostly through a single retailer, WS Retail

which, until very recently, it owned. The

company’s terms and conditions seem fair,

but not as friendly as they used to be. While

77% FLIPKART there was once a 30-day window for returning

products if you weren’t satisfi ed, you can now

only return products that are damaged or

defective. This is refl ected in the lower-than-

average score for its returns process. In other

categories, though, Flipkart excelled. It was

rated highly for deliveries, ordering process

and range of products.

Myntra is more akin to Jabong and Yebhi

than the other top-scorers we have featured

in this survey. This is because the website is

both smaller and friendlier than the likes of

eBay and Flipkart. Myntra only sells men’s,

women’s and kids’ clothing, shoes and

77% MYNTRA accessories. It also has a few brands that

are exclusive to its website, including

accessories brand Accessorize and sports

brand New Balance. Myntra does allow you to

return products you may be simply unsatisfi ed

with. Although it did not top any category,

our respondents found nothing to complain

about, either.




Making a purchase online is simple enough

on all websites we looked at. Websites

want to encourage purchase. They depend

on it. But problems arise only after you

make the purchase; you could have been

sent a defective product or may simply be

unsatisfi ed: in either case you’d want a

refund or replacement. Generally, retailers

put in place hurdles to ensure fastidious

customers don’t take advantage, but some

retailers have more impractical policies,

which seem to discourage any returns.

Here’s what you should know about who

you’re buying from.

FRIENDLY SOLUTIONS Of ered by Myntra, Jabong

and Yebhi Why No questions asked 30 -day

replacem ent/ re turn guaran teeThese three companies have the friendliest

returns policy of those we looked at. If you

are unsatisfi ed with what you bought or it

arrived damaged, you can arrange to have

it picked up from your house up to 30 days

after delivery. This is not even offered by

large retail chains, including Shoppers’ Stop,

which gives you a maximum of two weeks.

Jabong, for example, says it will pick

your purchase up within 72 hours, but if you

live in a remote area, you will have to pay

for shipping yourself. In this case, you will

receive a gift voucher worth `100 from the

company (Myntra and Yebhi have similar

policies). The item needs to be in saleable

condition, with the tags intact, but you don’t

need to divulge reasons for returning your

purchase. A few items, such as underwear,

books and jewellery, can only be returned

if damaged – but given their nature, that

is understandable.

ACCEPTABLE TERMS Of ered by Flipkart Why 30 -day replacem ent/ re turn

guaran tee, but on ly if product is dam aged

Most orders from Flipkart are handled by

WS Retail. WS Retail does provide a 30-day

returns guarantee, but only if the product

is damaged, defective or not as described

by the seller. So if you’re simply unsatisfi ed

with what you’ve bought, regardless of

whether or not the item is in saleable

condition, you will not be able to return it

as you could with Myntra, Yebhi or Jabong.

You may wonder why you would purchase

something you didn’t want in the fi rst place;

bear in mind the quality of clothes sold

online isn’t always as good as it may seem

on your computer screen. Flipkart has

different terms for items sold by retailers

other than WS Retail, though we couldn’t

fi nd a single product sold by any other

vendor. In case you do buy a product from

Returns policy check

Myntra, Jabong and Yebhi have the best return policies

Make sure you read the fi ne print in case the item you buy isn’t to your liking

Jabong says it will pick your purchase up within 72 hours

You can only return orders from Flipkart if the product is damaged


You may not be able to resolve your

complaint by dealing directly with the

portal. Although only a small number of our

respondents had serious complaints, you

could, for example, be one of the unlucky

few that don’t receive their order at all. In

this case, your fi rst response should always

be to follow up with the company. If the

company has no plans to resolve the matter,

you can pick one of two routes: approach an

organisation that helps consumers in such

cases or go to consumer court.

Consumer organisations Instead of going to consumer court, many

aggrieved consumers elect to approach

a consumer organisation that will assist

them in the matter. Consumer organisations

may be non-profi t, such as Mumbai Grahak

Panchayat or Consumer Education and

Research Centre, or for-profi t organisations

such as Akosha. You could also contact

us in case you have a problem (see ‘Get

in touch with Right Choice’, above). Large

organisations are usually taken more

seriously. If anything, it shows the company

that you’re serious about taking action.

Consumer court Action in consumer court is generally

slower – it could take months for your

case to be heard – but the judge’s order is

binding on the company (this obviously isn’t

the case when you approach a consumer

organization). But the main problem, when

it comes to online shopping websites, is that

you need to fi le a complaint where the seller

is located. While judges do sometimes admit

cases in the jurisdiction of the buyer, this is

far from the norm.

Resolving complaints

another vendor, though, remember that the

30-day guarantee is cut to 10 days, and only

damaged goods can be returned; if there

is a defect, you’ll need to take this up with

the manufacturer.

WORST TERMS Of ered by Hom eshop18 , Naapto l,

Snapdeal, Indiatim es Shopping Why Two days to in fo rm if product

is dam aged o r de fectiveThese websites have far more restrictive

conditions. With the exception of Indiatimes

Shopping, which gives you 72 hours, all the

above-mentioned websites will give you

just two days to inform them if the product

is damaged or defective. This is too little

time, particularly if you’re buying a gift.

Even then, you may only return an item if

it is damaged. So if you ordered a T-shirt

which turned out to be the wrong size, your

request won’t be approved. In the case of

Naaptol, you will also have to ship back your

product within 10 days for the request to be

sanctioned. What’s worse is that, whether

or not your product was actually defective,

Get in touch with Right ChoiceIf you are experiencing a problem with a

manufacturer, retailer or service provider,

for example a malfunctioning product,

something that wasn’t delivered as

promised or a defi cient service, write to

us at [email protected] and

we’ll do our best to resolve the issue.

When buying from eBay, check the return policy for each seller as there may not even be one

you will ‘bear the shipment charges for

the replaced/ reshipped product’. Even

Indiatimes Shopping requires you to ship

the product back to the company yourself,

but at least it will reimburse you with a gift

coupon of ̀250.

MOST UNPREDICTABLE Of ered by eBay Why Varying conditions, som e m ay

no t even have a re turn po licyWith eBay, nothing is standard. You are

connected directly with the seller and have

to deal with this individual, rather than

eBay, if you need to ship the products back

for any reason. So check the return policy

for each seller as there may not even be

one. If a return policy isn’t mentioned,

it’s up to you to fi nd out what happens if

the product is damaged. This is usually

the case with cheaper products, including

perfumes and clothes. If the dealer you are

buying from specifi es a return policy, good.

Unfortunately, this only tends to be the case

with bigger purchases, such as cameras or

smartphones – but even a D-SLR camera

with a price tag of over `50,000 may need to

be returned within a week.

Feature

1 Keep your web browser updated

An updated web browser can ensure

the latest security protection. Most of

the modern browsers have automatic

updating systems.

2 Shop on reliable web-stores

Ask friends for their experiences and visit

the store’s page on a social network site

to scan reviews and ratings.

3 Avoid using public computers

If you are on a public computer, use the

private browsing or incognito mode to

avoid any search history or personal data

from being accessed.

4 Ensure the security of the portal

Look for VeriSign Secured Seal, or a

green address bar in your web browser

(a padlock icon). Also verify the URL. The

URL of a secure website will always start

with https, not http.

5 Check the store’s shipping policies

Take due note of the shipping methods

and policies to fi nd out what carriers they

use, their shipping rates and insurance so

that, in case of any unfortunate event, you

know where to seek redressal.

6 Deal wisely with failed transactions

Make a note of the date and time at

which the transaction took place and

immediately inform both the customer

care of the web store and your bank.

7 Avoid third-party payment

Responding to emails from third-party

payment services is as good as inviting

theft. Never provide your account or

banking information over such e-mails.

It is always advisable to type the address

of the payment service directly into the

browser or use personal bookmarks.

8 Vigilance while using mobile applications

The thumb rule of shopping online

through mobile applications (apps) is to

stick to the apps you know or only choose

apps that are provided directly by the

retailer, such as, The Amazon Mobile app.

9 Avoid strangers on social media

Messages or chats regarding deals

that are sent to you on social media

may appear legitimate but remember,

fraudsters too keep a close eye on such

web stores. Only visit o� cially registered

web store pages.

10 Change your password often

Avoid passwords that are easy to guess.

Change your passwords for the web store

and the transaction password for your

credit or debit card regularly.

With online fraud becoming more common, here’s how to ensure that safety comes fi rst when e-buying

10 ways to...

...shop safely on the net




∨ ∨

Dental health Health report

Dental health check-upsU

ntil a blinding toothache arises, a

trip to the dentist is often the least

of our many priorities. It’s so easy

to postpone or ignore appointments but

a possible hairline cavity needing a minor

fi lling, if neglected, may require a major root

canal surgery within a few months. Also,

consider the money you could save – while a

fi lling could cost you as little as `600, dental

surgery is likely to cost you `4,000 or more.

In this report, we tell you how often you

should book your dental check-ups and how

to choose a dentist. We also give you an

idea of how much you should be paying for

dental treatments so that you can choose

wisely when narrowing down on a clinic.

WHY GO TO THE DENTIST?Even with a good dental hygiene routine at

home, a host of dental problems can creep

A fi lling in time can save you from major hassles, such as a root canal, or worse, tooth extraction

in. Dr Neeraj Verma, senior consultant in

dental surgery, Delhi, tells us why.

Dental cavities occur due to acids caused

by oral bacteria that feed on leftover food

particles, which may be stuck between

teeth. These acids may cause a hole in the

tooth, known as a cavity.

A thin layer of plaque forms over

your teeth which, even when cleaned

completely, recurs in 10-12 hours. Dental

plaque releases toxins that lead to gum

infl ammation or pyorrhoea and you may

experience bleeding gums and pain. They

also cause bad breath.

Some people may brush very fast or some

areas may be harder to reach. Genetics

also play a role, as do food habits: those

who consume a lot of carbohydrate-

and sugar-rich food, soft drinks and

chips instead of fi brous food have more

chances of developing these problems.

Adults are at a higher risk of gum

diseases, and children – tooth decay.

These issues can often be nipped in the bud

if caught on time.

Some studies have shown a correlation

between heart disease and oral bacteria.

Dr K K Qasba, dentist, Mumbai says,

‘Patients with heart disease must maintain

good oral hygiene, especially those with

rheumatic heart disease, as bacteria in the

mouth can travel to the heart through the

bloodstream.’ Therefore, keeping your teeth

and gums in good condition is imperative.

HOW TO CHOOSE A DENTISTAsk around for recommendations. You

can also ask your family doctor. If you’re

shifting houses, ask your current dentist to

recommend a dentist in your new area. Find

out the dentist’s offi ce timings, and visit

the clinic to check if it’s clean and orderly

and has helpful staff. Also, note whether

the dentist and staff wear gloves and other

protective gear during treatment.

Even when cleaned completely, plaque recurs in 10-12 hours

ima

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sba

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r.co

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Dental healthHealth report


Narayana

Hrudayalaya

Dental C

linic (`)

MyD

entist (`)

Dentzz (`)

Axiss D

ental (`)

Apollo

White D

ental (`)

COST COMPARISON

DENTAL PROCEDURE

Check-up 300 300 500 Free 200

Cleaning 600-1,500 700-1,500 2,400 300 2,500

Filling 600 600-1,200 2,500 500-1,000 900-2,000

Root Canal Treatment 3,000-4,500 NA NA 2,500 3,000-5,500

This chain is the result of a joint venture

between Apollo Hospitals and Trivitron

Healthcare and has clinics in Bangalore,

Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. It started

of as Apollo Dental Centers in 1993

and was rebranded as White Dental

Care in 2012.

www.apollodentalcentre.com

APOLLO WHITE DENTAL

Dental chainsA few dental clinics have a presence in more than one city. Research well before you walk in

Present in 11 cities, the services available

in these clinics range from tooth whitening

to paediatric dentistry. Axiss Dental is

the brainchild of two dentists – Dr. Amit

Sachdeva and Dr. (Capt.) Sandeep Sharma.

The dental chain claims to of er expertise

and world-class technology.

www.axissdental.com

AXISS DENTAL

‘Based in the prime areas of Mumbai and

Delhi’ as mentioned on their website,

Dentzz clinic of ers cosmetic, implant,

conventional and preventive dentistry.

It also claims to of er a ‘relaxing and

comfortable ambience’ and competitive

prices for dental services.

www.dentzz.com

DENTZZ

With 37 clinics in Mumbai and a couple

in Pune, MyDentist of ers treatments for

common dental problems like misaligned

teeth and cavities. Its slogan is ‘Smile more,

pay less’, and MyDentist markets itself as

an af ordable option. A pricelist is provided

on its website.

www.mydentist.co.in

MYDENTIST

The NHDC network was created in 2008

and now has 30 clinics in Bangalore

and Kolkata, as well as a 24/7 dental

helpline. Its various services fall under four

categories: general dentistry, speciality

dentistry, cosmetic dental care and

emergency dental care.

www.nhdental.co

NARAYANA HRUDAYALAYA DENTAL CLINIC

Common problems

Cavities Cavities, which are caused

by tooth decay, can appear at any

age – from infants to adults. A

dental check-up can help determine

if you have cavities, even before

you feel any pain or develop any

complications.

Bleeding gums There are many

causes, including poor oral hygiene

or diet and gingivitis. To determine

whether it needs more attention than

brushing after every meal, you’ll need

to knock on a dentist’s clinic door.

Sensitivity Your teeth may be

sensitive to variations in temperature,

taste or even pressure. Tooth

sensitivity has various causes – the

most common being exposed dentine

(hard, dense, bony tissue forming the

bulk of a tooth, beneath the enamel).

Only a dentist will be able to pinpoint

the exact cause and off er a proper

solution.

Dental clinics or dental hospitals?‘Dental hospitals are those associated with dental colleges,’ Dr Qasba informs us. ‘Dental clinics can be multispeciality or single clinics. All dental colleges are teaching institutions and have all the facilities required for good dental treatment.’

Dr Kuhu Majumdar, dentist, Bangalore, says, ‘You might want to consider going to a dental hospital to get your treatment done, as it’s a lot cheaper than dental clinics. As long as you do your homework well, for example, which dentist is good for which treatment, and have patience – after all it is a hospital – you should be fi ne.’

These fairly prevalent culprits can cause a lot of discomfort

Prices are as on 17 April, 2013 and are subject to change


Dental procedures and costsCOMMON MAINTENANCE PROCEDURES Check-ups This is a screening for dental

cavities, periodontal disease and other

teeth and gum problems. Dr Qasba says,

‘Dentists also scrutinise the tongue, inner

parts of the mouth, soft tissue and hard

structure.’ It should be done about once

every six months.

Expect to pay `10 0 onwards. Som e clin ics o ffe r free check-ups. Cleaning and polishing It is the

removal of dental plaque and tartar

from teeth. On average, a professional

cleaning is recommended at least every

six months. Dr Kuhu says, ‘You should

get it done once in three months if you

have teeth problems or bad oral hygiene.

Cleaning involves tooth scaling and

polishing. In tooth scaling, instruments

are used to remove deposits from teeth.

In tooth polishing, dentists smooth out

the teeth so that no accumulation of

unwanted material occurs.’

Expect to pay `30 0 onwards X-rays Dental X-rays can be used to see

teeth and gum problems that cannot be

detected by a simple examination. They

help in the early detection of problems,

which in turn can prevent you from

spending more money and undergoing

unnecessary discomfort. Dr Kuhu

informs, ‘Orthopantomogram (OPG) is a

type of dental X-ray, where you can see

all the teeth in one radiograph.’

Expect to pay `50 onwards (Dental X-ray) , `4 0 0 onwards (OPG)

CLINICAL PROCEDURES Cavity fi llings The decayed material

in the tooth is removed and the cavity is

fi lled with a fi lling. ‘Fillings are of various

materials: silver amalgam, gold inlays

and onlays, cement and composite. Gold

inlays and onlays are not very common

now,’ reports Dr Kuhu. Dr Qasba says,

‘Previously, silver was considered to be

Prevent tooth decay Brush twice a day

Floss at least once a day

Change your toothbrush

every three months

Use fl uoride-containing

toothpaste

Eat healthy meals

Avoid too much of starchy and

sweet food

Schedule regular dental

check-ups

Expect to pay `30 0 -3,0 0 0 depending on the type o f extraction Crown This tooth-shaped cap is

cemented over an existing tooth. Dr

Qasba says, ‘They are used in root canal

treatments, bridges, dental implants

and to fi x broken or misaligned teeth.’

‘Zirconium crowns are very popular. The

other types are metal crowns, porcelain

fused to metal crowns and porcelain

crowns. Crowns last for 10-20 years,’

says Dr Kuhu. Dr Qasba adds, ‘Metal

ceramic crowns are the best and can last

for a lifetime.’

Expect to pay `1,50 0 onwards (m etal) , ̀ 3 ,0 0 0 onwards (porce lain fused to m etal) , ̀ 12 ,0 0 0 onwards (zircon ium )

Root canals In a root canal, the infected

or dead nerve and pulp is removed and

the inside of the tooth is cleaned and

sealed. Dr Kuhu states, ‘This treatment

usually requires three sittings. Single-

sitting RCT (root canal treatment) gets

done in one go. Traditional RCT takes

45 minutes per session, whereas a single

sitting RCT will require one and a half to

two hours.’

the ideal fi lling for dental caries. With

newer technology, composite fi llings

have been developed. Currently, they are

considered to be the best.’

Expect to pay `30 0 onwards (cem ent) , ̀ 50 0 -8 0 0 (s ilver am algam ), ̀ 1,0 0 0 -2 ,0 0 0 (com posite ) Extractions A tooth might have to be

extracted if there is no way to save it or it

has grown in an odd way. Some types of

tooth extractions, such as wisdom tooth

extraction, might require surgery.

∨ ∨


Health report


Prices for treatments are estimates and will vary with location of the clinic and quality of material, among other factors

Expect to pay `2,50 0 onwards in to tal Bridges Consist of two crowns – one

for each tooth fl anking the missing

teeth. These two teeth anchor the

replacement teeth and bridge the gap

caused by the missing teeth. Dr Kuhu

says, ‘The duration they remain in

working condition is dependent on crown

preparation, adjacent teeth and other

factors. They can last up to 10-20 years.’

Expect to pay For one m iss ing too th – ̀ 3 ,0 0 0 onwards (ceram ic) , `9 ,0 0 0 -10 ,0 0 0 (zircon ium ) Dental implants A dental implant is

an artifi cial tooth root that is used as a

foundation for a false tooth. The roots are

usually made of titanium. Dr Kuhu says,

‘Dental implants can last forever if done

right. It depends on how well the tooth

roots are placed and the type of titanium

used.’ ‘The more expensive ones have

better integration with bone,’ explains

Dr Qasba.

Expect to pay From `15,0 0 0 -20 ,0 0 0 to `4 0 ,0 0 0 -50 ,0 0 0 per too th . Th is includes the cost o f fi tting a crown over the too th .

COSMETIC PROCEDURES Tooth colour restoration A colour

that is similar to the natural colour of

your teeth is used to fi x your teeth when

they have some damage or cavities,

which need to be fi lled. Dr Kuhu says,

Single-sitting RCT gets done in one go

‘Composite, cement and acrylic look

much better than the traditional silver

amalgam fi llings. They are also durable.’

Expect to pay `30 0 -2,0 0 0 Teeth whitening/Bleaching It is

basically done to whiten teeth. Dr Kuhu

informs, ‘There’s professional bleaching,

which is done at the dentist’s, and there

are types that can be done at home as

well. You will have to place a splint in

your mouth – instructions will be given

in the box that has the dental bleach.

However, home bleaching is not as

effective as professional bleaching.’

Expect to pay `5,0 0 0 onwards Veneers Dental veneers, porcelain

veneers or dental porcelain laminates

are very-thin moulds that are bonded

to the front surface of teeth to improve

their appearance. Dr Kuhu adds,

‘Composite veneers are synthetic versions

of porcelain veneers. Porcelain is more

durable, but composites are also good.’

Expect to pay `6 ,0 0 0 -7,0 0 0 per too th Gum contouring It is done for people

with gums that cover either too much

(low gum line) or too little (high gum

line) of their teeth. The gum line of their

front teeth is restructured. It is usually

considered to be a cosmetic surgery, but

can also be done as part of necessary

periodontal procedures.

Expect to pay `1,50 0 fo r gum s o f three tee th Braces and retainers Dental braces

are used to straighten misaligned teeth.

They apply pressure on teeth, making

them move a bit at a time in the desired

direction. ‘After treatment is done and

braces are removed, retainers are used

to keep the teeth in the new position till

the bone stabilises,’ explains Dr Qasba.

‘Retainers are made out of acrylic and are

removable, unlike braces. They prevent

bone from adapting to older incorrect

alignment,’ says Dr Kuhu. Orthodontic

treatment, which includes braces and

retainers, goes on for a year or so.

Expect to pay The en tire treatm ent costs ̀ 25,0 0 0 onwards in to tal Clear aligners Dr Kuhu says, ‘Clear

aligners have been developed relatively

recently. Teeth measurements are taken

and then these transparent, acrylic clear

aligners, which are like braces, are made.

They help align your teeth without the

baggage of braces.’

Expect to pay `1,50 ,0 0 0 fo r the en tire treatm ent

Laser dentistryDr Neeraj says, ‘Lasers

can be used in some dental

treatments such as soft

tissue surgery, bleaching and

root canal sterilization. It is

popular nowadays as there is

less pain involved and much

less bleeding because of the

coagulated bleeding area. It

is better than electrocautery.

However, it has limited use and

the results may not be as good

as conventional methods.

According to me, a knife has

better precision. The cost

shouldn’t be much more than

traditional methods – maybe a

couple hundred rupees extra.’

Age-related issuesWISDOM TEETHThese are the last permanent teeth to grow

and usually sprout between teenage to 30

years. Evolution has reduced the size of

the human jaw and, sometimes, wisdom

teeth may not have suffi cient place to grow

properly or may get infected or may grow

in such a way as to affect the teeth around

them. In such cases, surgery might be

needed to extract the tooth. Dr Kuhu says,

‘You might think it is needed but don’t

remove your wisdom teeth if they aren’t

causing you any trouble.’

Expect to pay Extracting one im pacted w isdom too th costs ̀1,50 0 -3,0 0 0

DENTURES

Dentures are false teeth that are removable

and can either be a full set or partial. Senior

citizens usually opt for dentures but they

require a lot of care. You will need to brush

them regularly, just like you do natural

teeth, to prevent plaque from accumulating.

Use a soft-bristled brush to do so. When

not worn, keep them in water or a denture

cleanser soaking solution as they need to be

kept moist. ‘Dentures should be taken out

while sleeping. You can wear them for as

many hours as needed,’ says Dr Kuhu.

Expect to pay Depends on the m aterial used fo r m aking the den tures. Partial den tures cost ̀2 ,50 0 -30 0 0 and fu ll den tures ̀ 8 ,0 0 0 plus

Start young – children as young as one

can be taken to the dentist. Ideally, kids

should be taken to paediatric dentists,

as they have the expertise to cope with

a child’s dental needs. Also, taking your

child to the dentist when he’s little will

help the dentist to establish a good

relationship with your child – setting

the foundation for good oral hygiene.

It is best to avoid references to

pain. Your child might go through

unnecessary fear when you use words

such as ‘needle’ or ‘hurt’. The dentist

will be better able to convey things in a

simple and non-threatening manner.

Come up with playful names for teeth

problems, for example, cavities can

be called ‘bug in your tooth’; instead

of fi llings, say ‘you’re getting a silver/

white star on your tooth’ depending on

if it’s a silver/ceramic fi lling.

Don’t bribe your child with rewards,

especially not with sugary treats.

Instead, lavish praise on them.

Make dental visits easy for children How often to go to a dentist On average, twice a year is a good

number for dental visits. However, it

really depends on your teeth and gums.

People who are susceptible to dental

problems (cavities and gum disease)

might have to make more frequent

visits – perhaps three to four times a

year. These include smokers, diabetics

and those who frequently get cavities

and plaque build-up.

If you have good dental health

and take care of your teeth, then

visiting the dentist even just once

a year should be fi ne. But ask your

dentist what is the best timeline for

your regular dental visits.

Tooth jewellery This is a procedure wherein

a jewel is fi xed on the tooth

surface. Dr Qasba says, ‘This

procedure starts from around

`5,000. It is not very popular.

The jewel is usually stuck with

an adhesive. There aren’t many

problems associated with it,

except, maybe abrasion of lips

due to the jewel sticking out.’



Money report Credit cards


Year after year, credit card-related

trouble is our number one grouse

with the banking sector – despite the

relatively small user base. It accounted for

25% of all complaints to the Reserve Bank

of India’s (RBI’s) Banking Ombudsman

Scheme in 2010-11 and 20% in 2011-12,

the last year for which fi gures have been

made available. The complaints ranged

from wrongful debits and erroneous billing

to charging annual fees on ‘free’ cards and

credit card skimming (see ‘Jargon Buster’

on p69). It's not known how many of these

cases were decided in the consumer’s favour,

but it is reasonable to assume that many of

these complaints could have been avoided

had the terms and conditions been read and

explained properly at the time of signing up.

It is well known that banks hide crucial

details about their products in the fi ne print,

and credit cards are no different. You may

well accuse the banks of mis-selling, but

don’t expect a ruling in your favour if you

have signed the document that makes clear

all the terms and conditions you dispute.

Simply put, the buyer must beware. If you're

not sure about the terms and conditions

Hidden charges, increasing interest rates and what to do about themCredit wise

In this report

We tell you how to manage

your credit card usage by

understanding interest charges,

the fi ne print and even opting

for balance transfers to

avoid the debt trap.

b d d l

Ma

dh

urj

ya

Sa

ikia


∨ ∨

because of the language used – or you didn’t

know what to look for in the fi rst place, read

on. This report reveals all those niggling

details buried in the fi ne print and tells you

what to do in case you’re in a credit jam.

BUYER BEWAREEven credit card companies offering the

lowest interest rates don’t advertise them;

it's unlikely you'll want a credit card if

you don't believe you'll be able to pay on

time. This is perhaps how it should be,

too, because credit cards are your most

expensive credit option. Delayed payment is

typically inadvertent.

A few reasons we use credit cards are

the reward points and discounts, so in

brochures and online, this takes precedence

over card details. No harm done by the card

company, of course. But lack of attention to

the charges could cause problems if the fi ne

print is ignored until the problem arrives. In

fact, often enough we don’t know what our

interest rates are or the charges applicable

on our cards. If you’re even considering

delaying payment or doing what you’ve not

tried before, read on.

DYNAMIC INTEREST RATESBanks are usually specifi c about your

interest rate in the brochure. It will simply

A cash advance, in fact, has no interest-free period

Your interest rate fl uctuates according to your spending patterns

say your rate of interest is 3.15% per month,

as Citibank does, or 2.75%, as ING Vysya

does. This is true, but only initially. After

using your card for the initial few months,

you card provider gains insight into your

spending patterns. If you were too close to

your card limit or were unable to pay your

bill in full on time, your rate of interest

will increase.

The range between which your interest

rate can fl uctuate is mentioned in the Most

Important Terms & Conditions (MITCs) of

your credit card. Some banks are specifi c

about it, others aren’t.

Both Citibank and ING Vysya say that

your interest rate will increase based on

usage in the fi ne print. ING Vysya’s initial

rate is 2.75% per month, but could be upped

to 3.3% per month, a sizeable difference of

6% per annum. For Citibank, the fl uctuation

range is 3.15% to 3.35% per month. One

bank that isn’t ever upfront about this is

Axis Bank, even though it allows itself to

increase the rate by nearly 8% per annum

in some cases. For example, in its MITCs

for its Titanium and Silver cards, it simply

says the rate is 3.25% per month (46.78%

per annum). We had to call the bank to fi nd

that the monthly rate was the lowest your

interest could be, whereas the annual rate

Jargon BusterCard skimmingSkimming is the theft of credit card information

used in an otherwise legitimate transaction. The

thief can procure a victim's credit card number

using photocopied receipts or by stealing credit

card numbers. Common scenarios for skimming are

restaurants or bars.

Banking OmbudsmanThe Banking Ombudsman is a senior offi cial

appointed by the RBI to redress customer

complaints against defi ciency in certain banking

services. These ombudsmen are located mostly

in state capitals. In recent months, however, there

have been reports claiming vacant offi ces of

ombudsmen in certain states.

Due dateThe date by which you must pay the full amount

on your bill. If you pay even a little less, you

will incur interest on this amount, and even on

your subsequent purchases from the day they

are made, until you are paid up 100%. If you don’t

even pay the minimum amount due, you will also

require to pay a late payment fee and risk losing

your card altogether.



(46.78/ 12=3.9%) was what it could be if

you defaulted.

Our advice If you believe you’re

overusing your card – particularly if

you’re soon to delay payment – call up

your card company to fi nd out what

your rate of interest is. If you think it’s

unmanageable, consider transferring

your balance to a low-interest-rate card

(see ‘Transferring your balance’ on p72).

CASH ADVANCE DANGERYou may not be sure why such a feature

exists until you need it. It could be very

useful at times, particularly if there’s an

emergency. If you’ve only read the charges

applicable on your card, you may even

consider advance cash a good deal. You'll

be charged a certain percentage (2-2.5%)

per transaction, subject to a minimum

amount (usually ̀300). If your credit limit

is ̀ 1.5 lakh, for example, you can withdraw

`60,000 for ̀1,500.

A fair deal, you may reason. If you didn’t

have the money in savings, you’d otherwise

have to apply for a personal loan on which

there would anyway be processing charges.

With your credit card, there’d be no waiting.

If you were able to pay the amount back

without any delay, you’d also avoid paying

any interest, right? There was, after all,

nothing else mentioned in the brochure or

schedule of charges. If you thought this,

you’d be wrong.

A cash advance, in fact, has no interest-

free period. It’s the most expensive personal

loan on the market, attracting an interest

at the same rate as your credit card the

moment the cash is dispensed by the

machine. Even though it could easily be

explained to the consumer, at least when

declaring the length of the interest-free

period in the brochure, this is left out.

What’s even more interesting is that this

is generally explained last even in the fi ne

print, despite its potential to spike your

bill. If you were to withdraw ̀60,000 at

3.35% for 30 days, it would cost you an extra

`2,010, in addition to the transaction charge

of ̀ 1,500.

Our advice This is only for emergencies.

Don’t withdraw any more than 40% of

your credit limit. If you’ve already used

up 80% of your limit in that month, you

can still withdraw 40%, as this facility is

separate from your credit card facility.

Don’t wait for your statement to clear

if off. Pay it back as soon as possible

because you’re charged on a daily basis.

UNTOLD ANNUAL CHARGESRBI has received several complaints from

customers alleging that they have been

charged an annual fee on cards they were

told would be free. Whatever you’ve been

told, only a handful of credit cards are

actually free – despite advertisements to the

contrary. The fi rst or even the second year’s

charges may have been waived, but there

will be conditions. You will either have to

spend a certain amount over the year to have

these charges waived or perform a certain

number of transactions. This happens

with both private (HDFC, for example)

and public (Bank of Baroda) sector banks.

HDFC, for example, waives the fee annually

if you spend ̀30,000 over the year with

its Platinum card (̀299 a year) and if you

Only a handful of credit cards are actually free


When you convert purchases to EMI, you risk crossing your limit


∨ ∨


spend ̀1.5 lakh with its Jet Airways Privilege

Titanium card (̀599). Bank of Baroda says

its cards have no renewal fee, but on reading

the entire brochure, you’ll learn that it

applies only if you make 12 transactions in

the year.

Our advice It is unfair if the card, which

you wish to use only occasionally, has an

annual charge despite promises to the

contrary. You could protest, but, given

the writing in the MITCs, it’s unlikely

you’ll win. The RBI has time and again

advised consumers to read the fi ne

print. Under no circumstance, though,

should you delay payment of the annual

charge, even if you’ve complained to the

Ombudsman. This is because if you lose

the case, you will have to pay interest on

the charge for as many months.

CROSSING YOUR LIMITCredit card companies don’t usually tell

you what your interest rate is in your bill.

Citibank, for example, only provides you

with a link in the online version of the bill.

If you click on it, it only takes you to the

main page of its website, not to the page that

tells you the interest rate. What is always

mentioned prominently in your bill is the

option to convert your bill into equated

monthly instalments (EMIs). Even at stores,

whether online or bricks-and-mortar, the

promotions for payment in instalments

are hard to miss. The deals are slightly

expensive, but good if you need them. You

pay a processing fee of around 1.5% and

around 18% per annum. You might convert

one or several of your payments to EMI.

What you may end up doing in the bargain

is exceeding your credit limit. This is

because even though you are paying an

instalment of say, 10% of the total value

per month, your credit limit is reduced by

the total value the moment you make the

purchase. So, let’s say your credit limit is

`60,000 and you purchase a refrigerator

from a store for ̀40,000 and will be

repaying this amount in 12 instalments

of ̀ 3,800 each with interest. In the next

month, if you make purchases worth

`25,000, you’d have exceeded your credit

limit. This is because after the fi rst payment

of ̀ 3,800, your credit limit will be ̀24,400

(`60,000 – ̀40,000 – ̀3,800). This will

result in an over-limit charge of `500 to

`750, or 1.5-2% of the amount by which you

exceed your limit, whichever is higher. This

is usually not even mentioned in the MITCs.

You need to fi gure it out.

Another danger of incurring the over-

limit charge lies in exceeding internal limits.

For example, with Bank of Baroda cards,

there’s an internal limit on everything from

restaurants (20%) to online purchases

(20%). The penalty for exceeding your limit

is 1% on the amount by which you exceed

the limit.

Our advice When you do convert

your purchases into EMI, bear in mind

the difference it makes to your credit

limit. Also, credit card companies share

information with credit bureaus. Too

many EMIs would indicate a lesser ability

to manage your money and, therefore,

drop your credit score.

With mobile and internet banking it's

inexcusable, but it is very possible to forget

to pay your bill on time. You may be on

holiday or just plain busy. The solution is

setting up a direct debit facility so that the

bill is paid on time. Don’t give instructions

to make the payment too close to the due

date (see ‘Jargon Buster’, p69), though; a

system failure or delayed payment would

mean a barrage of charges, including late

payment fees (up to `700 with HDFC).

Not a rupee less A single rupee makes

all the diff erence. When card companies

say they require a 100% payment, they

mean it. The reason for this is that

even if you pay a rupee less than you

need to, you’ll end up paying interest

on it and all purchases you make in the

next month from the very day you make

a purchase.

Clear issue Payment is to be made by

the due date, so if you are issuing

a cheque, it needs to be in the drop

box at least two days before for it to

clear before the due date. There have

been instances of cheques being lost in

the drop box so it is advisable to make

the payment online. Cheques issued to

clear your own credit card are usually

credited even if the signature does

not tally.

Up to you It’s your credit card, so it’s up

to you to pay it even if you don’t receive

the bill. It seems unfair, but the bank

excuses itself from any consequence

if it doesn’t send you the bill. Axis

Bank, for example, writes, ‘Non receipt

of statement would not aff ect your

obligations and liabilities under this

agreement and you shall be liable to

settle the outstanding balance on the

card within payment due date.’

Possible silly mistakes



A credit card's convenience could turn

dangerous if misused. The interest may

not seem much if settled quickly, but the

eff ect of compounding (interest on new

purchases, interest on interest) can have

a disastrous eff ect. If you fi nd yourself in

a spot, consider the following options as

quickly as possible.

Rate increase? Don't payYour card company isn’t required to inform

you personally of changes to the MITCs.

It could just put it up on the notice board

at its branches or on the website. Usually,

the notice period will be one month.

Changes in interest rates, though, being

dynamic, are immediate. Now here’s the

interesting part: if a change in the terms

and conditions is to the disadvantage of

the consumer, you have two months from

the date of the notice to refuse to pay any

of the charges that arise out of the change.

Citibank, for example, says, ‘If the changes

are to the disadvantage of our customer,

the customer may close the account at any

time up to two months from the date of

the notice without having to pay any extra

charges or interest for doing this.’

Take your business elsewhere

Balance transfer is simply one bank trying

to poach another bank’s customer with a

What to do

Savings in three

months (`)

New

bill (`)

You pay 5% (`)

New

bill (`)

You pay 5% (`)

New

bill (`)

You pay 5%

(Minim

um due) (`)

Processing fee for

balance transfer (`)

Bill (`)

CONVERSION OPTIONS

Citibank (3.35% per month) 75,000 NA 3,750 73,636 3,681 72,298 3,615 70,984 NA

With Axis Bank (@0% for 3 months) 75,000 1,500 3,750 71,250 3,562 67,688 3,385 64,303 5,181 (includes processing fee)

With SBI (@1.7% for 6 months) 75,000 1,500 3,750 72,461 3,623 70,008 3,500 67,638 1,846 (includes processing fee)

TRANSFERRING YOUR BALANCE

Let's say you have a credit card from Citibank (interest rate of 3.35%) and, after months of not making full payment, your bill is `75,000. You could consider transferring your dues to another bank card, thereby saving yourself quite a sum of money

Take remedial measures before it’s too late

better introductory off er. This competition

between banks, though, can really sort

you out. Many banks off er balance

transfer deals (see table, above) with

an introductory rate of 0% (Citibank, for

example) to less than 1% (Bank of Baroda)

for the fi rst three to six months, which

allows you to bring your debt back under

control. With a balance transfer, your new

card provider settles your bill with your old

provider. This amount is then transferred

to your new credit card, but at lower initial

rates, if there’s any interest rate at all.

Get free help

If you have a serious problem

managing your debt, consider talking to

professionals. Many commercial banks

have set up free fi nancial counselling

centres to help those who have made

mistakes with their fi nances to reduce

their debt. Advice from such centres can

be helpful in keeping creditors or

recovery agents at bay. It shows that

you are sincerely willing to resolve the

matter. Counsellors will suggest ways

to lower the debt burden and possibly

changes in your lifestyle and spending.

You may visit a centre opened by your

own credit card provider or you can also

go to any other bank’s centre. ICICI’s

counselling centre, for example, is

called Disha, while Bank of India’s is

called Abhay.

FeatureSpin doctor

Do oil massages keep Does the most age-old method of hair care really help or is it just an archaic ritual? We fi nd out

Massaging one’s hair with oil is a

tradition that is so ingrained in

India, that most of us consider it

an integral part of hair care. It may have

been practised for generations, but we dig

deeper to see if this treatment really makes a

difference to the quality of your tresses.

‘Head oil massages are most commonly

associated with relaxation and enhancing

circulation. It’s the massage rather than

the oil that is helpful’, says Dr Pankaj

Chaturvedi, dermatologist and hair

transplant surgeon, New Delhi. A good oil

massage done in the right manner helps

reduce stress – a reason for hair loss.

GETTING TO THE ROOT OF ITDr Vinay Gopalani, dermatologist, Mumbai,

says that oiling helps in conditioning dry,

tangled or unmanageable hair. ‘It usually

gives immediate benefi ts and long term

use would help keep your hair in good

condition’, he adds.

‘The application of oil with a light

massage does soften the texture of the hair

and also stimulates blood circulation to

the follicles. Good blood circulation to the


follicles is necessary for the hair as it is fed

by the nutrients in the bloodstream. Oil

massages help to keep the scalp healthy,

nourish the hair and improve the look of

dry and damaged hair’, explains Shahnaz

Husain, beauty expert, New Delhi.

TOO MUCH OF A GOOD THING?Despite the benefi ts, oil massages aren’t

completely harmless. ‘If there are hair

loss issues and the roots are already weak,

the hair should not be massaged, as it

may aggravate the problem’, cautions

Husain.

You need to keep in mind

the texture of your hair and

surface of your scalp before

oiling. Those with already

oily scalps should avoid oil

massages. Dr Vinay says

that oiling should be

done only when hair

feels dry or requires

conditioning. Excessive

application of oil can

increase the formation of

dandruff. ‘The organism


your hair healthy?

Hair oil, if applied, should be massaged in the right

manner for maximum benefi t. The action of massage

can help in increasing the blood fl ow on the scalp. ‘The

right way of applying oil is by gently massaging it onto

your scalp in a circular motion, with the help of your

fi ngertips to improve blood circulation in your scalp,’

says Heena Duneja, hair expert, Berkowits Hair and

Skin Clinic, New Delhi. It is advisable that you oil your

hair one hour before you shampoo and wrap it with a

hot towel for better results.

Right way to apply oil

that causes dandruff is lipophilic, which

means it grows better in oily conditions.

This in turn can cause formation of dandruff

and boils and also severe itching which can

lead to hair loss.’

BOTTOM LINEOil massages have more positives than

negatives if you gauge your hair type

correctly before indulging. It may not

yield results as effective as promised by

a legacy of ancestral

practice, but balanced

application and a

good massage

should do

no harm.


Ask your questions

Send your questions or ideas to editor@

whichrightchoice.com or write to

Ask the Experts,

Right Choice,

c/o Hill Road Media, 76, Pali Village,

Pali Naka, Bandra West,

Mumbai 400 050

Follow us on Twitter

@rightchoice_in

Ask the experts

Online bankingHow do I protect myself from fraud while banking

online?

Zareen Sheikh, Mumbai

Don’t click on any

links in emails

that say they’re

from your bank.

Instead, type your

bank’s full website

address into

your browser. If you want to double check whether

a message is genuine, ring your bank. Protect your

computer with good security software such as

Bullguard Internet Security 2013, (84%, `1,652) or

Avira Free Antivirus (75%, Free). Keep it and your

browser up-to-date. Before you enter your account

details into a website, make sure there is a padlock

symbol in your browser and that the beginning of

the web address changes from ‘http’ to https’, which

means the connection is secure. Avoid accessing

your bank account from public computers and check

your bank account statements regularly for suspicious

transactions. If you spot something unfamiliar, report it

to your bank as soon as you can.

Pop-upsI get several pop-up windows when I’m surfi ng the

net on my Firefox browser. How do I block them?

Mrinalini Tyagi, Kolkata

Pop-ups are

additional browser

windows that are

opened by a website.

Often annoying, as

they’re frequently

used to push

advertisements at the

viewer, pop-ups can

also be harmful. They can contain malicious links or

unsuitable material. Most browsers these days come

with fi lters and controls that automatically block pop-

ups or only allow those from benign sites. Here’s

how you block pop-ups in your Firefox web browser.

Go to Tools and select Options. In the dialog box

that appears, click on the Content tab. Make sure

there’s a tick next to ‘Block popup windows’. If you

wish to allow pop-ups for a certain website, click

on the Exceptions button next to the Block popup

option and type the address of a website. Click

Allow > Close > OK to fi nish.

Car tyresI just bought a new car and want

to know how to maintain the car

tyres.

Rahul Arora, Delhi

Check the tyre pressure (when

cold) every fortnight and before

long journeys. Low tyre pressure

leads to lower sideways grip,

higher fuel consumption and

excessive wear and tear.

Check your tyres weekly for

stones in the tread and remove

any you fi nd.

Inspect the tyres for cuts, bulges

and wear. If they are in bad shape,

go to a tyre fi tter to fi x them.

How you drive also af ects tyre

life. Avoid harsh braking, rapid

acceleration, fast cornering and

kerb strikes.

Replace tyres when the tread

depth falls below 3mm. The

performance will deteriorate

below 2mm or thereabouts. As a

guide, a new tyre will have about

8mm depth.

If you use a pressure washer,

avoid aiming the jet directly at

the tyres. This can damage the

tyre by washing away additives

in the rubber that protect them

from the harmful ef ects of

ultraviolet light.


Piped Natural Gas (PNG) connections are a

safe, environmentally friendly and convenient

way to get a continuous supply of gas in

your home. To switch to PNG or to get a new

connection, here’s what you need to do:

Book your connectionInform the company about your interest

in getting a PNG connection and get your

application form from the company.

Submit documentsDuly fi ll the application form and submit

it along with your address, identity and

ownership proof and the registration fees.

Necessary inspectionsOnce you submit the application to the

provider, a technical team will be sent to

your home to carry out a safety survey of

the premises.

Installation procedureOn completion of the safety survey, the team

will decide on the location of the pipeline

and other such technicalities. The technician

will also convert your LPG appliance to PNG,

install a meter and pressure regulator and

make other necessary fi ttings for the PNG

connection. Check how the connection works,

under their supervision, and get your queries

answered before the start of your tenure.

Final SettlementAdditional charges, like extra pipe length,

may be incurred during the process of

installation, based on the requirements.

Focus: Getting a piped gas connection

Suitcases

Blu-ray playersI want to buy a good Blu-ray player

without shelling out too much. Can

you tell me which one to go for?

Madhav Shah, Baroda

Blu-ray players make watching movies

even more enjoyable. Right Choices LG

BP620 and Panasonic DMP BDT220,

both scoring 83% and costing `13,990

are the top-scoring players from our

tests. Less expensive at `11,490, is the

Right Choice Samsung BD E5500,

which scored 78%. Its picture quality is

good whether you’re watching HD Blu-

ray movies or standard defi nition DVDs,

but it’s not the most feature-packed. If

all these sound costly, don’t worry – the

Philips BDP 3380, costing only `7,990,

gives good results as well. But be

warned – it can be a bit frustrating to

use and so just misses out on being a

Right Choice.

Sandwich-makersI’m looking to buy a sandwich-maker for quick

breakfasts. Which one toasts bread the quickest?

Viveka Rana, Mumbai

The Right Choice Oster CKSTSM 2222 (79%), priced

at `1,295, is a slim and light sandwich-maker. Crisp,

golden brown sandwiches can be made quickly – the

appliance is ready to use in just over 2.5 minutes and

toasts bread in about the same time. You can make two

sandwiches simultaneously.

I am going on a holiday and need to buy a

trolley bag. Should I go for a hard-sided or

soft-sided one?

Aniket Pandit, Pune

Hard-sided luggage has an exterior

that is stif , while soft-sided luggage

is made of fl exible fabric. The major

advantage of hard-sided suitcases

is that they can of er greater

protection than soft-sided luggage

and are also more water-resistant.

On the other hand, the fl exible

fabric of soft-sided

suitcases makes

them relatively

easy to store and

increases the

suitcase capacity. If

you choose a hard-

sided suitcase,

we recommend

the Samsonite

Cosmolite Spinner

(88%, `26,200).

For a soft-sided

trolley bag, pick the

Samsonite X-Blade (87%, `9,100)


Feedback

Write to usBeen ripped of ... or got a good deal?

Blu-ray playersWhich one do you own? Is the

picture quality worth the extra

price? We’d like to know.

All-in-one computersDoes your PC have enough

power to run smoothly? Tell

us how you zeroed in on

your choice.

Ebook readersDo you mainly read on an

ebook reader? Write to us.

CamcordersHow much did you spend on

your camcorder? Is it a high-

defi nition model? Let us know.

Laptops What features do you look for

in a laptop? Let us know what

you couldn’t live without.

Air-conditionersDoes your AC cool well? Write

to us with your views.

PhabletsWhat size is your phone

tablet’s screen? Is carrying

it around a hassle? Give us

your inputs.

Washing machinesHow old is your washing

machine? Has it ever needed

a service? We’d like to know.

Been ripped of … or got a good deal?

Email [email protected] with your story.

Don’t forget to include your contact details so that

we can get in touch with you.

Index Looking for a Right Choice test report or survey but not sure which issue it was in? Use this handy index to fi nd out


Apr 12

• ACs

• Baby car seats

• Headphones

• Computer

accessories

• Cinema survey

Mar 12

• Camcorders

• Hand blenders

• 3D TVs

• Computer speakers

• Make-up remover

• Package tour survey

May 12

• Laptops

• Pressure cookers

• Waterproof cameras

• Qwerty phones

• Ice cream test

• Mobiles survey

Jun 12

• Tablets

• Televisions

• Washing machines

• External hard drives

• Instant coffee test

• Retail survey

Jul 12

• Microwaves

• Mobile phones

• Printers

• Photo-editing

software

• Olive-oil test

Aug 12

• Compact cameras

• HD camcorders

• Cookware

• Coffee shops test

• Department stores

survey

Sep 12

• Ultrabooks

• Refrigerators

• Televisions

• TV accessories

• Hair-removal creams

• Supermarkets survey

Oct 12

• Window ACs

• DSLR cameras

• Tablets

• MP3 players

• Tea bags taste test

• DTH survey

Nov 12

• Diwali shopping

guide

• Mixer-grinders

• Mobile phones

• Washing machines

• Garam masala test

Dec 12

• Bridge cameras

• Geysers

• Ebook readers

• Dual-Sim mobiles

• Cheese taste test

• Credit card survey

Jan 13

• Smartphones

• Camcorders

• Security software

• Steam irons

• Audio accessories

• Green tea taste test

Mar 13

• Tablets

• Televisions

• Smartphones

• Sandwich-makers

• Electric shavers

• Liquid hand wash

user trial

Feb 13

• Compact cameras

• Pushchairs &

car seats

• Refrigerators

• Phablets

• Orange juice

taste test

May 13

• Laptops

• DSLR cameras

• MP3 players

• Music phones

• Microwaves

• Gyms

• Skin care

Apr 13

• Mobile phones

• Headphones

• Blu-ray players

• Hand blenders

• Home office

equipment

• Airlines survey

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OUR RATINGS

Adorns the onesthat excel in ourrigorous tests.

The ones whichperform poorlyget this label.

Perform well inour tests and arerelatively low-cost.

In laboratories in India and seven other countries around the world we buy and test washing

machines, microwave ovens, cameras, batteries and diapers – around 100 product

categories altogether. Our consumer surveys cover a similar range of services, from banking

to airlines and from broadband providers to cinemas. Just so that when you buy something

we have recommended, you know you have made the right choice.

Save time, money and effort. Make the Right Choice.



When testing mattresses, we measure support for various parts of the body – head, shoulders, torso, hip and heels.

Our scientists put productsthrough the hardest tests.To make your decisionsreally simple

NOW

IN

INDIA

Coming soon


Mobiles Our extensive report on mobile phones

helps you choose the best Right Choice

according to your needs and budget.

We’ve tested everything from budget

mobiles to high-end mobile phones with

cutting edge technology

PrintersWe take the hard work out of choosing

a printer with our testing for print quality,

print speed, durability and ease of use.

Also read our tips on cutting running

costs to ensure your new printer doesn’t

burn a hole in your pocket

DTH servicesWith direct to home (DTH) mandatory,

you need to pick one of the fi ve

operators or your local cable operator.

You may think picking one of them is

easy enough, but have you checked

prices and considered the options?

Pest ControlFrom choosing the right method and the

precautions to take, to what companies

are of ering and what contract is

advisable, we take a good look at

the pest control options available for

your home

Portable hard drives Our tech experts have invested their

time carrying out rigorous testing to

fi nd out which external hard drives are

the best performers. Find the results

explained in plain language in our list of

Right Choices

Finance plans for kidsSold as products that will go a long way

to securing your child’s future, we tell

you why investing in these kinds of

plans is not always the best route to

ensure your of spring’s future fi nancial

wellbeing

Next month

MOBILE PHONES

Pick a Right Choice phone

to suit your budget


FINANCE

PLANS FOR

CHILDREN

What you

should know

before investing

in these plans

DIRECT TO HOME

We explore the options available

for direct to home services so

you can check your options

Our researchWe sum up the numbers involved in testing for this issue

Published in Mumbai

1,018The number of people included in

our customer satisfaction survey of

nine online shopping websites

RNI no. MAHENG/2012/42815Registered no. L/HR/FBD/281/11-13

4.5gThe amount of sugar in a tablespoon

of Maggi Rich Tomato ketchup – the

equivalent of almost a whole teaspoon

`8,000 The price diff erence

between Right Choice

Panasonic HTB520 (79%)

sound bar, which costs

`26,990, and Philips

HTS5131 (36%), priced

at `34,990

`42The cost the Right Choice Samsung

UA55ES8000 TV adds to your average

monthly electricity bill

10 hoursThe exceptional

battery life on calls

from the Right

Choice Sony Xperia

Tipo budget phone

37The time, in

seconds, taken

by the Right

Choice Morphy

Richards Smart

Chef to grind

coconut fi nely

40The distance in metres up to which

you’ll get a strong signal and clear

picture of your child from the Right

Choice Motorola MBP36 baby monitor

523 minutesThe diff erence in battery life

between the Right Choice

Asus Transformer Pad TF300

(with keyboard) and the

Micromax Funbook, when

playing HD video continuously

on a single charge

Documents

right choice sample