How we choose what to recommend
Most of our guides are research-led. Here is exactly where our picks come from, what we measure ourselves, and how a page gets checked.
Two kinds of page
Research-led pages. Espresso machines and grinders cost £150 to £500, so we do not buy every one. For these pages we read the manual and the spec sheet, then count what owners report after months of use. The method box on each page says it is research-led.
Measured pages. Scales, milk frothers and kettles cost less, so we can buy them and measure them. When a page uses our own measurements, it says what we measured, with what equipment, and how many times. Until those pages go live, every guide on the site is research-led.
We never write as if we used a product that nobody here has used.
Where our evidence comes from
- The manufacturer's UK manual and spec sheet
- Owner reports on UK retailers and coffee forums, counted and dated ("in 6 UK threads since March, 4 owners report…"), with links
- Independent testing that others published, credited and linked
- UK details that most guides leave out: warranty, returns, refurbished routes and hard water
How a product makes the list
A product needs a clear reason to be on a page: it is the best at something specific, for a named kind of buyer. Each pick gets at least one real downside and a "skip it if" line, because a list where nothing has a flaw is an advert.
If we cannot say who a product is for and what is wrong with it, it does not go on the list.
Roundups also say what we considered and left out, and what to avoid.
How each page is checked
Each page goes through automated checks for accuracy, tone and Amazon's rules, then a separate review against our quality list. A page that fails either one does not go live until it is corrected.
How we make money
Links to Amazon on our pages can earn us a commission if you buy. It never changes which products we recommend. See our affiliate disclosure.
When we update
We review each buying guide at least once a year, and sooner when a product changes or is discontinued. Each page lists its changes, with dates, under "Recent updates". The date at the top changes only when the content does.