Every test follows a fixed, publicly verifiable process.
We test products using a documented process: from market selection to anonymous purchase to independent verification. What we evaluate, how we weight it, and who does the testing — we lock that in before every test, not after.
Methodology version 1.0 · Last updated: August 6, 2026 · This page is updated and the version number increased whenever we make a material change to our testing process.
Six steps before a single score is assigned
No product is scored until criteria, weighting, and testing procedure are locked in. That order is deliberate, so later results can never influence the methodology.
Category and product selection
We review market data, sales figures, consumer questions, and common complaint patterns to decide which category and which products make it into a test round. Selection criteria are market relevance, price range, and market share — not ad budget or commission rates.
Criteria and weighting, locked before testing starts
Our editorial team and an independent advisory panel (subject-matter experts plus a consumer-advocate perspective) determine what gets tested and how heavily each criterion counts toward the final score. The panel advises — the editorial team decides on criteria, not a manufacturer or partner.
Anonymous purchase through regular retail channels
Test units are purchased anonymously through regular retailers, the same way a consumer would — never requested as a free sample from the manufacturer. That way we're testing what's actually on the shelf, including any batch-to-batch variation.
Independent lab and real-world testing
Technical measurements are performed by accredited test partners under ISO/IEC 17025, supplemented by structured real-world testing under everyday conditions by trained testers. We deliberately don't disclose which lab handled a specific test, to rule out any attempt by manufacturers to influence a particular institute.
Scoring, plausibility checks, and re-verification
Measured values are scored strictly against the criteria set before testing began. Any result that looks off or gets disputed is re-checked under a two-reviewer sign-off; if a manufacturer raises a substantiated objection, we re-measure jointly with the test institute.
Open methodology, ongoing updates
Every test report links to its own methodology section, "How We Tested This," showing criteria, weighting, and test date. If the market, regulations, or the product version change materially, the report gets updated or flagged as outdated.
Recognized testing standards, not our own say-so
We don't rely solely on our own judgment — we rely on standards and certifications that are defined and verified independently of us.
ISO/IEC 17025
The international standard for the competence, impartiality, and consistent operation of testing and calibration laboratories. For technical measurements, we prefer test partners holding this accreditation.
Accreditation body: ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)UL Listed
A voluntary safety certification for electrical and electronic products, issued after independent testing and factory inspection by an accredited certification body such as UL Solutions. Unlike a manufacturer's self-declared compliance mark, this is based on third-party verification.
Relevant for electronics and electrical appliancesCategory-specific ANSI / ASTM / UL standards
For each product category, we apply the relevant technical standards (for example, safety, load, or emissions limits). Which standard applies is disclosed in the methodology section of that specific test.
Named explicitly for each test seriesOur own scoring matrix
Beyond formal standards, we score everyday usability, handling, and value for money using our own editorially developed scoring matrix. This doesn't replace a standard — it adds the user's perspective on top of it.
Published in full with every test reportPrivacy and security review
For connected products, we also check baseline IT security and privacy practices (default passwords, update behavior, data transmission), guided by the NIST consumer-IoT security baseline (NIST IR 8425) and applicable state privacy laws such as the CCPA.
Only relevant for connected productsSustainability criteria
Where an established standard exists, we factor in recognized environmental and sustainability labels (such as repairability or energy-efficiency ratings) and disclose the data source in the test report.
Weighting varies by categoryWhat we deliberately stay away from
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No manufacturer-supplied test unitsWe buy anonymously through regular retail. Free samples offered by a manufacturer are never factored into a score.
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No paid placementA product's rank and score are based solely on its test result — never on commission, budget, or partnership.
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Editorial and commercial teams are separatedPeople who set criteria and score products are organizationally separate from the commercial side and have no visibility into individual manufacturers' revenue figures.
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Transparent fundingUnlike donation- or membership-funded organizations, we fund ourselves through affiliate links to retailers. That's clearly disclosed on every test report and, per our editorial policy, has no bearing on selection or score.
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A duty to correct, not to deleteValid objections lead to a documented correction with a date and explanation — not to inconvenient results quietly disappearing.
Advertiser Disclosure
"Consumer-Check is funded in part through affiliate links to online retailers. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a commission. This does not change the price you pay. It has no influence on which products we select, how we test them, or the score we assign — those decisions are made by our editorial team independently of any commercial partner."
This disclosure appears in the same form in the footer of every individual test report.
How measurements become a score
Every category gets a weighting in advance. Only after that are measurements and real-world impressions entered — the formula is locked in before a single result exists.
Example scale — can be supplemented per category with a 0–100 point system. Whichever scale is used is set once per test series and never changed afterward.
Example: weighting for the "Air Fryers" category
Example weighting for the air fryer category. Weighting is set per product category with input from the advisory panel and finalized by the editorial team before testing begins, then published.
Editorial team & advisory panel
Fixed roles with clearly separated responsibilities are accountable for criteria and scoring — organizationally independent from one another, so no single party controls selection, testing, and scoring alone.
Responsible for test design, scoring criteria, and final sign-off on results.
Commissions accredited test partners and reviews measurement reports for plausibility.
External, independent experts in testing methodology, consumer advocacy, and retail, in an advisory role on criteria development.
Reviews every test report against the methodology and its sources before publication (two-reviewer sign-off).
Full methodology as a document
Every scoring criterion, weighting, and testing standard by product category — to read or download.
Questions about our testing process
Are your tests paid for or influenced by manufacturers?
No. Test units are purchased anonymously through regular retail, never requested from the manufacturer. Criteria and weighting are locked in before a result exists. There's no such thing as a paid placement or a "purchased" top score.
Why don't you name the testing labs?
So manufacturers can't target influence at a specific institute. The accreditation of the labs we use (for example, under ISO/IEC 17025) is disclosed regardless.
How does the site make money without traditional advertising?
Through affiliate links to retailers, where we may earn a commission on a purchase. That's disclosed on the test report. Per our editorial policy, commission amount has no bearing on product selection, criteria, or score.
What happens if a manufacturer disputes a result?
Substantiated objections get re-checked jointly with the test institute. If that changes the result, the report is updated with a date and an explanation of the correction — not silently removed.
How often are tests updated?
Whenever there's a material product change, new safety or regulatory requirements, or a significant shift in the market. Every report shows the date of its last verification.
Is your process different from established consumer organizations?
We follow the same core principles — independent verification, anonymous purchasing, open methodology — but we're a privately funded platform, not a nonprofit. We call out that difference on purpose instead of glossing over it.
