a) CR *really* doesn't like companies using their ratings for advertising purposes. I believe they've sued others in the past for misusing CR's reviews. If they didn't use CR's name they might get away with it, but this won't endear them to CR.

b) What kind of reputation does Consumer Reports have for responsiveness? It might be worth just writing them a letter for publication... Even if they edit it to shreds, reaching the CR audience thru the letter column could bypass some of the usual online gatekeepers and reach a different (and possibly more receptive) audience. And even if they don't publish it, maybe it can influence their next article on filters.

Just a thought.

Thank you, those are very constructive suggestions!