If you've been holding on to a so-so credit card because you can't face slogging through dozens of offers in search of a better deal, here's a bit of good news.

Consumer Reports has done the slogging for you.

The magazine recently picked 12 of the best cards after reviewing interest rates, fees and traps disclosed in the fine print of hundreds of offers. It also identified three cards consumers should avoid because of their particularly nasty tricks.

For people who carry a monthly balance, the best cards offer the lowest interest rates, lowest fees and do not charge for balance transfers. In that category, Consumer Reports picked Capital One Platinum Prestige, Clear from American Express, Iberiabank Visa Classic and Simmons First Visa Platinum.

The annual percentage rates on those cards range from 4 percent to 14.99 percent, with the best rates going to the consumers with the best credit histories. The fees also were reasonable, according to the magazine, and the cards had no big hidden snares.

People who pay off their balance regularly have the luxury of ignoring interest rates and opting for a card offering the best giveaways. With reward cards, every dollar spent earns points redeemable for a range of freebies, such as merchandise, airline tickets, hotel rooms, gasoline or simply cash. The more cardholders spend, the more they get, although many cards carry annual caps.

Among the cash-back cards, Consumer Reports picked Blue Cash from American Express, Capital One No Hassle Cash Rewards, Chase Freedom Visa and Discover More.

Chase Freedom earns 3 percent on the three categories where cardholders spend the most in any particular month, such as at restaurants, gas stations or supermarkets, and 1 percent on other purchases. The 3 percent rebate is limited to $600 in purchases per month.

For big spenders, Blue Cash offers a hefty 5 percent cash back at supermarkets, gas stations and drugstores and 1.5 percent elsewhere after the cardholder has spent $6,500 within a year. Below that amount, cardholders earn 1 percent and 0.5 percent. (Keep in mind that American Express is not accepted at as many places as Visa or MasterCard.)

Cards that offer the best rebates on gasoline are growing in popularity with the surge in pump prices. In that category, the magazine gave the nod to Chase BP Visa, Chase PerfectCard MasterCard, Discover Open Road and Hess Platinum Visa.

Gas cards typically offer a bigger rebate on fuel purchased at the issuer's stations.

Chase BP gives a 5 percent rebate at BP stations, 2 percent on dining and travel and 1 percent on other purchases. There are no rebates on gas at non-BP stations, however. All rebates are doubled for the first 60 days.

Cardholders who carry a balance should steer clear of reward cards and focus on low-rate cards, Consumer Reports said. That's because reward cards generally have higher interest rates than cards without rebates.

The magazine said three of the worst credit cards were the First Premier Bank MasterCard, American DreamCard from HSBC and the New Millennium Visa or MasterCard.

The First Premier gold card has a low 9.9 percent fixed annual percentage rate, but cardholders are submerged in fees, including a $29 account setup fee, $95 program fee, $7 monthly servicing charge and an annual fee of $48, up to $68 for some customers.

It would be hard not to find a card better than that.