How We Research

Every recommendation on this site follows a structured process. Here’s exactly how we do it.

Step 1: Data Collection

We gather data from multiple sources:

  • Amazon product listings (specs, pricing, variations)
  • Amazon customer reviews (minimum 200+ reviews before we cover a product)
  • Manufacturer specifications and documentation
  • Supply chain databases (1688.com, factory directories)
  • Third-party testing data when available

Step 2: Review Analysis

We don’t just count stars. We use a structured analysis of customer reviews:

  • What are the top 5 praise points?
  • What are the top 5 complaints?
  • How do reviews change over time? (Quality control issues often show up after 6 months)
  • Are there suspicious review patterns? (We flag products with questionable reviews)

Step 3: Supply Chain Research

This is what makes us different. For key products, we research:

  • Where the product is actually manufactured
  • What the manufacturing cost approximately is
  • Whether multiple brands sell the same OEM product under different names
  • What the quality control reputation of the manufacturer is

Step 4: Comparative Analysis

We compare products on objective metrics:

  • Price per feature
  • Build quality indicators
  • Warranty and customer service reputation
  • Value for money score

Step 5: Recommendation

We only recommend products that pass all our criteria. We clearly label our confidence level:

  • ★★★★★ Strong Recommend — Excellent data, clear winner
  • ★★★★ Recommend — Good option with minor caveats
  • ★★★ Consider — Decent but alternatives may be better
  • ★★ Caution — Significant concerns
  • Avoid — Data shows consistent problems

What We Don’t Do

  • We don’t accept payment for positive reviews
  • We don’t copy-paste manufacturer descriptions
  • We don’t recommend products without sufficient data
  • We don’t hide the limitations of our methodology

Disclosure

This site earns affiliate commissions when you purchase through our links. This does not affect our recommendations. Read full disclosure →