Results Also Reveal Who Does the Cooking and the Cleanup
The kitchen is a mainstay in most people’s homes and according to a recent Consumer Reports’ poll, everyone has their own kitchen habits: who does the cooking and cleanup, how often they entertain, and what causes kitchen clutter.
In conjunction with the magazine’s Annual Kitchen Remodeling report featured in the August 2008 issue, the Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a poll of 1,009 Americans to determine what consumers have and what they what they do in their kitchens. Here are some of the highlights:
Dinner, Cooking & Cleanup
- Dinner as a family is still a tradition, with over half (56%) always eating together.
- Forty percent (40%) of adults eat dinner in the kitchen as opposed to the 29% who eat dinner in their dining room.
- Eight in ten (81%) women do most of the cooking, with a little over half (54%) of the men pitching in and cleaning up afterwards.
Entertainment
- Overall, adults are doing slightly more entertaining in their kitchens today than ten years ago, 44 percent entertain at least a few times a month, with over a quarter having guests spend most of their time in the kitchen.
- Adults enjoy media entertainment in their kitchen: 35% have a music system and 24% television.
Appliances & Clutter
- Dishwashers are prevalent in American homes, with 71 percent of adults owning one. Eight out of 10 (81%) of those with a dishwasher rinse their dishwashers before loading them into the machine. This is not always a seamless process, as 12% of adults say that loading and unloading the dishwasher causes disagreements in their home.
- Among adults with cluttered kitchens, small appliances were the chief culprit. Small appliances rob counter space – microwaves, electric can openers, toaster/toaster ovens, and coffeemakers are the worst offenders. Over half of adults with these appliances keep them on their countertops.
Green Kitchens
- Almost half of adults (42%) are being eco-friendly in the kitchen by having a designated recycling area.
- The full 28-page kitchen remodeling package is available in the August 2008 issue of Consumer Reports, available July 1, wherever magazines are sold. It also features expert buying advice and 224 Ratings of countertops, flooring, cabinets, refrigerators, cooking appliances, dishwashers, and appliance stores. The full reports are available online at www.ConsumerReports.org.
Poll Methodology
The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey of a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. 1,009 interviews were completed among adults aged 18+. Interviewing took place over April 17 – April 20, 2008.
The margin of error is +/- 3.1 points at a 95% confidence level.
Consumer Reports is a nonprofit
membership organization that works side by side with consumers to
create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product
testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education,
and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or
other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives
to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto
safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to
fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always
been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.
© 2008 Consumer Reports. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may
not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is an expert, independent,
nonprofit organization whose mission is to work side by side with consumers to create a fairer,
safer, and healthier world. We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are
not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports®
magazine, ConsumerReports.org® and our other publications and information products, services, fees,
and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use
of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other
commercial purpose without our prior written permission. Consumer Reports will take all steps open
to it to prevent unauthorized commercial use of its content and trademarks.
Consumer Reports is a nonprofit
membership organization that works side by side with consumers to
create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product
testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education,
and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or
other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives
to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto
safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to
fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always
been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.
© 2008 Consumer Reports. The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may
not be used for advertising or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports® is an expert, independent,
nonprofit organization whose mission is to work side by side with consumers to create a fairer,
safer, and healthier world. We accept no advertising and pay for all the products we test. We are
not beholden to any commercial interest. Our income is derived from the sale of Consumer Reports®
magazine, ConsumerReports.org® and our other publications and information products, services, fees,
and noncommercial contributions and grants. Our Ratings and reports are intended solely for the use
of our readers. Neither the Ratings nor the reports may be used in advertising or for any other
commercial purpose without our prior written permission. Consumer Reports will take all steps open
to it to prevent unauthorized commercial use of its content and trademarks.
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