How We Research

Every guide on this site is built the same way: from what manufacturers state on their product listings, and from nothing else. This page explains the method and its limits.

What goes into a guide

1. A question people actually search for. Guides start from a search, such as “best bread knife” or “undercounter ice maker”, not from a product someone wants promoted.
2. The listings. For that search, the system collects the product listings Amazon shows and reads the specifications on each: dimensions, weight, material, capacity, power, closure type and so on.
3. A cut. Colour and size variants of one product are merged. Listings that state too little to compare are set aside, and the guide names them under “Researched but cut” with the reason.
4. A comparison. The remaining products are compared on the specifications they share. A pick is named for a use only when a listed fact supports it.
5. A check. Before a guide is saved, every number in it is matched against the listing it came from. A figure that cannot be matched is removed.

What “not stated” means

When a listing leaves out a specification that the other products give, the guide says “not stated”. It does not estimate the value, and it does not copy one from another seller’s page.

What we do not do

• We do not test. Nothing is bought, handled or used. Sharpness, comfort, noise, durability and taste are things a listing cannot show, so the guides do not rate them.
• We do not quote prices or star ratings. They change daily.
• We do not reproduce customer reviews.
• We do not accept payment for placement.

Who writes the guides

The bylines (“Kitchen & Cookware Desk”, “Bar & Beverage Desk”) are sections of the site, each covering a group of product categories. They are not people. Editorial responsibility rests with the site’s operator; see About.

Where the method falls short

A listing can be wrong, and a guide built on it inherits the error. Manufacturers also change listings without notice. Each guide shows the date it was last updated; treat it as a snapshot from that date and confirm the details on the live listing before you buy. If you find an error, tell us and it will be corrected.