How We Test and Score Devices
Last updated: August 2026 · Version 1.0
This site is funded by affiliate commission. That makes how we reach our conclusions the only thing worth judging us on, so we set it out here in full.
How our reviews are researched
Our reviews are research-based, not hands-on. We have not physically tested the devices on this site, and we do not write about them as though we had.
Each review is compiled from manufacturer specifications and documentation, published research on the underlying technology, regulatory filings and clearance records where they exist, and aggregated user reports. Where a manufacturer’s claim cannot be checked against an independent source, we say so in the review rather than repeating it as fact.
This is worth stating plainly, because a lot of sites in this category imply otherwise. A research-based review can still do useful work: it can compare specifications side by side, test marketing claims against the published literature, and flag what a manufacturer has chosen not to disclose. What it cannot do is tell you how a device feels to use, or confirm that it performs as specified. We do not pretend otherwise.
The seven criteria
Every device is scored against the same seven criteria, each out of 5. Evidence base and value for money carry the most weight in the overall score.
| Criterion | What it measures | How it is scored |
|---|---|---|
| Evidence base weighted heaviest | The strength of published research behind the technology, and behind this device specifically. | 5 = replicated controlled trials on this device or its direct class. 3 = a research base for the underlying technology but not this device. 1 = no controlled trials, or a mechanism not established in the literature. |
| Value for money weighted heaviest | Price against specification, and against the closest comparable devices. | Judged relative to the category, not in the abstract. A $2,000 device is not automatically poor value, nor a $200 one automatically good. |
| Build quality | Materials, construction, warranty length and terms, documented failure and repair reports. | From specifications, warranty documentation and aggregated owner reports. |
| Program depth | Range of settings, presets and control available to the user. | Scored as breadth of control only — never as evidence that a given preset does what its name implies. |
| Ease of use | Setup, controls, app quality and documentation. | From documentation, interface materials and aggregated user reports. |
| Community & support | Manufacturer support, returns handling, and whether an active user base exists. | From published support terms and observable user activity. |
| Daily usability | Session length, portability, and how realistically the device fits an ordinary routine. | From specifications and reported use patterns. |
What we do not score
We do not score health outcomes, and we do not rank devices by how effective we believe them to be for any condition. We describe what a device is, what it is cleared or registered to do where that applies, and what the research on its underlying technology does and does not show.
Whether a device is appropriate for you is a clinical question. It is not one a review site is positioned to answer, and we do not try to.
How affiliate relationships work
We earn a commission when a reader buys through a link on this site. It costs the reader nothing extra, and it is how the site is funded.
The rules we hold ourselves to:
- Commission rates play no part in a score or a ranking position. Scores are settled before affiliate links are added.
- We do not accept payment for a review, for a ranking position, or for inclusion in a roundup.
- We do not give manufacturers copy approval, or sight of a review before it publishes.
- Where the best device in a category is one we earn nothing from, we still say so.
- If a category cannot be covered honestly while earning commission on it, we drop the category. We have done this once — see why we no longer cover Rife machines.
Full terms are set out on our affiliate disclosure page.
When a review is updated or retracted
We update a review when:
- the device is revised or discontinued, or its specification changes;
- its price moves enough to change the value assessment;
- new research meaningfully strengthens or weakens the evidence base;
- a regulator takes action involving the device or its manufacturer;
- a reader shows us a factual error — corrections are made promptly and noted on the page.
We retract a review — removing its recommendations and affiliate links, and leaving the page up with an explanation — when the evidence base for a category will not support recommending it, or when the regulatory record makes earning commission on it indefensible. Retracted pages stay online. We do not quietly delete them.
Corrections and contact
If you believe something here is wrong — a specification, a price, or how we have characterised the research — tell us and we will correct it. Manufacturers are welcome to respond to any review we publish. Use our contact page.
