Furniture

Shopping for a mattress can be a nightmare. In fact, Consumer Reports receives more inquiries about mattresses than about any other product except cars. A mattress can last 10 years--if kids don't treat it like a trampoline. In that time, you'll have logged about 30,000 hours in bed, so keep that in mind when you try out mattresses.

If you've considered buying a rocking chair or glider but aren't sure you'll use it, think again. Babies and rocking chairs or gliders go together like macaroni and cheese. You'll get the most use out of one in your baby's first year.

Added style and features are making even basic "stock" cabinets more like midpriced, "semi custom" lines. More style for less is welcome news to any remodeler. But it's the features you may not see immediately that ultimately determine how well your next set of cabinets will hold up in a busy kitchen.