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5 smart reasons to join CHOICE

In 2020, we're celebrating 60 years of CHOICE. Here are some great reasons to become a CHOICE member.

five reasons to become a choice member
Last updated: 11 February 2020
CHOICE 60 Blue Circle RGB

There's so many benefits to joining CHOICE. Not only do we help you shop smarter every day, you're also supporting an independent, non-profit organisation who's been fighting for Australian consumers for 60 years.

fiona mair testing ovens

CHOICE's in-house home economist Fiona Mair testing wall ovens in our kitchen lab.

1. Save time and money with our expert reviews

We scientifically test products in our labs and rate how they perform. You'll never waste your money on a dud again.

Our reviews help you find the best products and services faster across 200+ categories, saving you time and money.

CHOICE's rigorous testing ... makes things very easy for me; saves me a lot of time.

Steph, CHOICE member for 22 years

CHOICE member Surendran saved $3300 when he bought a coffee machine by checking CHOICE's reviews before buying:

And CHOICE staffer Pru saved herself $1800 by using our health insurance comparison tool. Learn how she did it: 'I saved $1800 by switching my private health insurance'.

Safe Pet Food

CHOICE staff Katinka, Linda, Brendan, Xavier and pup campaigning for safer pet food.

2. Make products and services better and safer

Did you know we've been fighting for change on consumer issues that affect all Australians for more than 60 years? Issues like safer products, fairer banking laws and more. Because we're not-for-profit, we can't do the work we do without your support. 

Thanks to our passionate members and supporters, we've been instrumental in many wins for consumers over the past 60 years, from the introduction of the Australian Consumer Law, unit pricing and country of origin labelling, to three-year minimum expiry dates on gift cards and the Takata airbag recall being escalated from 'voluntary' to 'mandatory'. 

Some recent campaign wins made possible by the support of our members.

Consumer advocacy makes politicians sit up and take notice, and it helps to create new laws, it helps to draw attention to problems with products, it helps to make companies act.

Marg, CHOICE chief editor
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CHOICE tester Antonio assesses cots for entrapment hazards.

3. Get help when you need it

Got an issue with a product or service? Our CHOICE Help team can help with expert advice on your rights and next steps. 

CHOICE will always be relevant because it's really on the side of the consumers. It's truly independent, it's comparing better services and helping Australian consumers.

Kate, CHOICE insurance analyst

If you need extra help, our CHOICE Help team can point you in the right direction:

  • We can help guide you if you have a complaint about consumer products or services.
  • We can direct you to information to empower you when dealing with retailers, manufacturers and service providers.
  • We can advise you on the appropriate agency to lodge a complaint.

Our Consumer Rights and Advice pages also have a wealth of information to help you find a resolution.

4. Get independent, unbiased advice

We buy the products we review and don't accept advertising. It means we can review without interference or compromise. 

We are independent and member-funded, so we don't have any allegiances to particular brands. We've built our reputation on the strength of our rigorous and scientific testing of goods and services. 

What makes CHOICE unique in my view is that it's a not-for-profit organisation that's truly independent in nature.

Karl, CHOICE member for five years

Our team of qualified fact-checkers and verifiers is dedicated to ensuring the accuracy of everything we publish. They check articles and reviews before publication, to make sure facts and quotes are accurate and data has been interpreted correctly. 

Read more about fact-checking and verification at CHOICE

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Sarah Agar, CHOICE's former head of campaigns and policy, and CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland with a CHOICE product safety petition.

5. Get better health insurance with our comparison tool

Private health insurance cover is confusing but our clear, comprehensive reviews make it easy to choose the best-value policy. 

When you use our health insurance comparison tool, you'll see all the funds on the market. We don't take commissions from health funds, so we'll only recommend the best-value policies for your unique needs. 

Your questions focus on what we should be looking for rather than the mind-blowing maze the health insurance companies present.

CHOICE supporter

Because we're not-for-profit, we're not here to make a sale – so you won't be getting any pushy phone calls or emails from us.

Even more member benefits

Get the latest reviews and news first

Our CHOICE Insider email gives you early access, delivered direct to your inbox. 

Journalism with impact

Independent investigative journalism has been core to our mission for 60 years. Your support helps us do that. 

Subscribe to CHOICE Magazine

Premium members can receive our award-winning monthly mag, packed full of reviews, news and entertaining features. 

We care about accuracy. See something that's not quite right in this article? Let us know or read more about fact-checking at CHOICE.

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.