How we review products
Every review, comparison and buying guide on this site is labelled either hands-on or research-based. Research-based pages are built from documentation, specifications and prices, and never claim that we physically tested a product.
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Hands-on and research-based reviews at a glance
| Hands-on review | Research-based review | |
|---|---|---|
| Label at the top of the page | Hands-on review | Research-based review |
| Based on | A named team member using the product, plus the same documentation research | Specifications, manuals, documentation, prices, policies and user feedback |
| Physical testing | Yes, by the person named on the page | No. The page says so |
| First-person testing language ("I used", "we measured") | Only for what the named tester actually did | Never |
| Can describe feel, noise or real battery life | Yes, as the tester’s observation | Only as a labelled manufacturer claim or user report |
| Evidence shown on the page | Tester, dates of use, how we got the unit, original photos | Sources and the date prices were checked |
We haven’t published any hands-on reviews yet. Until we do, every review, comparison and buying guide on this site is research-based.
Research-based reviews
This analysis is based on specifications, manufacturer documentation, pricing and other available product information. We have not physically tested the products covered here.
Research-based review pages do not claim physical testing. They never say we tested, tried, used or measured a product, and they don’t describe how it feels, sounds or performs from our own experience. Where those things matter and nobody on our team has used the product, the page says they’re unknown, or quotes the manufacturer or buyers and labels it as such.
What a research-based review is based on
- Product specifications, as published by the manufacturer or listed by the retailer.
- Manuals, for charging, controls, cleaning and care instructions.
- Manufacturer documentation, including safety sheets, material statements and FAQs.
- Product dimensions, such as total and insertable length, diameter and weight, exactly as stated.
- Materials, what each part is said to be made of, and what that means for care, porosity and lifespan.
- Functions, modes, speeds, suction, thrusting, heating, app or remote control and the stated waterproof rating.
- Price, the current price from the retailer feed, with the date it was last updated.
- Warranty, length and conditions, where the manufacturer or retailer publishes them.
- Merchant policies, shipping, returns (including whether opened products can be returned) and support.
- Independent user feedback, where available, recurring points in buyer reviews, reported as what buyers say, never as our finding. Reviews on a retailer’s own site may be filtered, so we weigh them cautiously.
- Comparison against competing products, of the same type and price range, using the same facts for each.
When a specification isn’t published, our comparison tables say Not stated. We don’t estimate or infer it from similar products.
Hands-on reviews
A named member of our team used the product covered here. Observations from that use are stated as such; manufacturer claims are labelled separately.
What a hands-on review must show
- The name of the person who used the product, linked to their profile.
- When they used it (start and end dates).
- How we got the unit: bought it, borrowed it, or were sent it by the brand.
- Original photos taken during use, not manufacturer images.
- Their observations kept separate from manufacturer claims. Values we measured ourselves are labelled Measured by us.
A page can only be labelled hands-on when this evidence is recorded. First-person testing language appears only on those pages, and only for what the named tester did. Brands don’t see or approve a review before it’s published.
How we keep the labels honest
The label comes from the page’s own data, not from the writer’s choice of words. Our publishing system checks every page before it goes live: a page that isn’t hands-on can’t be published if it contains phrases such as “we tested”, “I tried”, “our testing” or “hands-on”, or if its title says “tested”. A hands-on page can’t be published without a named tester, dates and photos.
Editorial guides
Editorial guide How-tos and explainers, such as cleaning or materials guides, carry this label. General buying and care advice written by our editors from published guidance and product documentation. It is not a product test.
How we label claims
Product facts on our pages carry a label saying where they came from:
- Manufacturer-stated: from the brand’s own documentation or packaging.
- Retailer listing: from the retailer’s product listing or data feed.
- Third-party source: from an independent source we cite.
- Measured by us: only on hands-on reviews, for something the tester measured.
We don’t repeat health or medical claims unless reliable evidence supports them, and we link that evidence when we do. Listings that make health claims are kept off the site by default.
Why there are no scores or star ratings
A single number hides the trade-offs that decide whether a product suits you. Instead we say who a product is for, who should skip it, and whether the extra money for a pricier model buys anything you’d notice. A cheaper option that’s good enough is often our pick.
Prices and availability
Prices and stock come from the retailer’s data feed and show the date they were last updated. They can change before you buy. We keep our own record of price changes, and never describe a price as “the lowest ever”.
How we use AI tools in reviews
AI tools can help us organise research and draft text, but they don’t review products and are never presented as having used one. Every published page is checked and approved by a person.
AI tools may help with
- Research organization: sorting specifications, manuals and listings into notes we can compare.
- Drafting: first drafts of sections, which an editor rewrites and checks.
- Editing: suggestions for clarity, grammar and consistency.
- Structured comparisons: laying out stated specifications side by side so gaps are easy to see.
People on our editorial team remain responsible for
- Factual checking: specifications and claims in our writing are checked against their source; prices and stock come from the retailer feed and carry their date.
- Page selection: which topics we cover and which products a page includes.
- Affiliate recommendations: which products we recommend, and for whom.
- Product categorization: our import script suggests a category from the listing; an editor confirms it before the product can be recommended.
- Publication: no article, guide or review is published without an editor approving it.
More detail is in our editorial policy on AI.
What our reviews are not
Nothing on this site is medical advice. Our reviews are not written or reviewed by doctors, nurses or sex therapists unless a page names the person and their qualification, and none currently do. If you have pain, an injury or a health concern, talk to a medical professional.