Every guide on gearsprout.com follows the same process, so you know what an “Editor score” means before you trust it.
1. We start with the listing
Each product’s published specifications, materials and feature list are recorded in a fixed format. Where a manufacturer leaves something out, we say it is not published rather than guess.
2. We compare what differs
Products are scored on the attributes that matter for that category, weighted by how much they change day-to-day use. The score is our judgement of the published product, out of 10.
3. Three picks, not ten winners
Editor’s choice is the product most people should buy. Best value is the one that gives up the least for the lowest outlay. Premium pick is for readers who want the extra capability and will pay for it.
4. We show our sources
Star ratings on Amazon are the retailer’s, not ours, and we label them as such wherever they appear. [DESCRIBE ANY HANDS-ON TESTING YOU ACTUALLY DO, OR REMOVE THIS SENTENCE.]
5. Guides are updated
Each guide shows the date it was last updated. Products that go unavailable are marked and replaced on the next revision.