How we test and rank products
Every buyer's guide on this site uses the same four criteria, scored in the same order. This page explains exactly how that works — including what we can't verify, and what we refuse to do.
1. What our reviews are, and what they are not
We publish buying guides for consumer products that are sold almost entirely online — often by smaller brands whose marketing makes claims that are hard to check. Our job is to sort out which of those products are actually worth the money, and to say so plainly.
To be direct about our limits: we are not a laboratory. We do not run calibrated bench tests on every unit, and we do not buy five of each product to destruction. What we do is combine four sources of evidence — manufacturer specifications, hands-on use where we can get it, verified buyer feedback across retail platforms, and the terms of the warranty and returns policy — and then weigh them against each other.
When those sources disagree, we say so in the review. When a claim can't be checked at all, we don't repeat it as fact.
2. The four criteria we score
Every product in every guide is scored against the same four criteria, with the same weights. This is what makes ranks comparable between products in a list.
Scores are shown out of 10. A product can be the best in its category and still score below 9 if it is expensive, noisy, or awkward to live with — the score reflects the whole package, not just the headline spec.
3. How a product gets on our shortlist
- Build the candidate pool We start from what is actually available to buy in the target market, then narrow to products with a track record — enough verified reviews to judge reliability, and a seller that has been operating long enough to honour a warranty.
- Screen out the unverifiable Products whose only distinguishing claims can't be checked — vague "clinical" language, invented certifications, permanent countdown timers — are dropped before scoring. This removes more candidates than any other step.
- Score the survivors The remaining products are scored against the four criteria above. Specs that can be cross-checked against independent sources carry more weight than the brand's own marketing sheet.
- Publish five, and keep them current We publish the top five. Lists are revisited when a product goes out of stock permanently, when pricing moves enough to change the value calculation, or when we find an error. The "last updated" date on each guide reflects the most recent pass.
4. What we do not do
Editorial independence
Brands cannot pay to be included, to be ranked higher, or to have a negative finding removed. We do not accept payment for placement in a list.
We do not let a brand review a guide before it publishes, and we do not give advance notice of a rank. If a brand disputes a factual claim, we check it and correct the page if they are right — regardless of whether they are an affiliate partner.
Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means we may be paid a commission if you buy through them. That commission is the same regardless of which product you choose, so it gives us no reason to promote one over another. The full detail is on our advertising disclosure page.
5. Pricing, stock and "sales"
Prices and availability change constantly and are controlled by the retailer, not by us. Where a page mentions a discount or a price, treat it as indicative and confirm it on the retailer's page before buying — the price you see at checkout is the one that applies.
We do not operate our own countdown timers or stock counters. If a page shows urgency language, it is describing the seller's own promotion, and we would rather you verify it than take our word for it.
6. Corrections and updates
If you find something wrong — a specification that has changed, a product that is no longer sold, a price that is badly out of date — tell us and we will check it. Factual corrections are made to the page itself rather than buried in a comment, and the update date is changed to match.
Email our editorial team with the page URL and what looks incorrect. We read every message, though we can't always reply individually.
7. Who we are
Trust Consumer Review is an independent product review publication. Our guides are written and maintained by an editorial team that works only on buyer's guides — we don't run sponsored posts, and we don't publish content on behalf of brands.
If you want to know how the site is funded, that is documented in full on the advertising disclosure page. If you want to know who we are and why we started, see about us .