How we test and choose products

What makes a product a “good thing”?

Big review sites answer one question: is it good? We answer two: is it good, and does buying it do a small good thing? Every product we review must pass our performance bar, then prove at least one of these. If it fails the filter, it is not a pick — it is a skip, even when it would earn commission.

• Durability — a lifetime warranty or a documented multi-decade track record.
• Repairability — published spare parts, repair guides, or a free repair programme.
• Certified ethics — B Corp, GOTS, Fair Trade, bluesign, or equivalent third-party audits.
• Measurable give-back — published donations, 1% for the Planet, or conservation funding.

How does the filter change by category?

• Tech: We favour repairable design, long software support, refurbished options, and energy efficiency over launch-day hype.
• Home & Kitchen: We favour lifetime warranties, spare-parts availability, and materials that outlast cheaper versions.
• Pets: We refuse shock, prong, and spray collars outright. We favour machine-washable covers, buyable spare parts, and brands that fund rescue work.
• Baby & Kid: We check current UK/EU safety standards, favour kit that outlasts one child and resells well, and say plainly when the cheap option is the right one.
• Wellness: We skip anything with unverifiable health claims and favour products with published testing or certifications.
• Outdoor: We favour brands with repair services, recycled or certified materials, and documented conservation funding.
• Style: We favour certified fair labour, traceable materials, and brands offering repair, resale, or take-back schemes.
• Eco Living: We favour B Corp or equivalent certification, plastic-free design, and products with a measurable give-back or carbon claim.

How do you score products?

Editors score each product 0–10 on performance and value for money, using published specifications, certification documents, warranty terms, and patterns across thousands of verified owner reviews — weighting long-term durability reports above unboxing impressions. Rankings are set by score. Ties go to the product with the stronger values-filter evidence. A 7.8 is not a failure; it is a specialist pick with a narrower job. We do not mark these scores up as Google reviews of the brand.

Is this a hands-on lab test?

Most of our reviews are research-based: structured analysis of specs, certifications, and mass owner experience, which often reveals long-term failures a week of hands-on testing cannot. Every review states its method in the "How we choose" box. Reviews based on physical testing are labelled hands-on. We never imply we tested something we didn't.

Does commission change the ranking?

Links marked * are affiliate links: if you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Three rules keep that money away from our rankings:

1. Score first, link later. Rankings are fixed before retail links are added.
2. Rate blindness. Editors don't see per-product commission rates when scoring.
3. No pay-to-play. Brands cannot buy placement, better scores, or review coverage.

Read the full funding policy on our About page.

When do you update a review?

Reviews are living documents. When a product is discontinued, a better alternative launches, or long-term owner evidence shifts, we re-verify and update — the date at the top of each review shows the last check. We do not stamp a new year on a URL to look fresh. Spot an error? Email [email protected] and see the public log at /corrections/.

Who should skip these reviews?

Skip us if you need a week of instrumented lab testing we have not done, a medical claim, or the cheapest unbranded listing with no spare parts. Pets pages will not recommend aversive collars. Wellness pages will not recommend supplements. Baby pages check UK/EU safety standards and will tell you when the cheap option is the right one. Full rules: editorial policy.