Two condoms blow Consumer Reports test

Consumer Reports for February no doubt will catch eyes with a teaser on the cover, “CR tests condoms: 2 to avoid.”

Condoms remain the only method of contraception that also can help prevent sexually transmitted diseases, so this is not a choice to make lightly.

The magazine evaluated 23 latex condoms. The methodology involved filling at least 120 samples of each kind with air.

The top seven finishers held at least 24 liters of air before bursting, well above the minimum standard, the report stated.

“Studies show that’s a reliable predictor of how well the condom will hold up during use,” the magazine states, “though using it correctly may matter more.”

The top two finishers were from Durex: the Extra Sensitive Lubricated Latex, which had an additional feature of being “thinner,” and the Performax Lubricated, which had an additional feature of a “numbing” benzocaine lubricant, “ostensibly to delay orgasm,” the report said. Both are about 83 cents each.

The only one in the top 10 that contains spermicide is No. 7, the Trojan Ultra Pleasure with Spermicidal Lubricant (about 78 cents). The report discourages use of spermicidal condoms, partly because they “have a shorter shelf life and may cause urinary-tract infections in young women.”

For those who use Planned Parenthood condoms, Consumer Reports cautions against the scented Honeydew and Assorted Colors varieties, which finished at the bottom of the list. An alternative is the No. 14 finisher, the Planned Parenthood Lollipop, “a brightly colored condom packaged on a stick,” the report states. “We rated it excellent overall.”