Our process
Our Editorial Standards & Review Guidelines
How independence, fact-checking, updates and corrections work on The Coffee Locator, and how to report a mistake.
- Last reviewed October 2026
- Meet the reviewers
Our Standards at a Glance
The rules every page on this site is written under.
Independent. Ratings and recommendations are decided by editorial judgment. Brands cannot pay for placement or preview content.
Checked. Specifications are checked before publishing, and performance claims come from testing. Independent evidence outranks marketing claims.
Kept current. Pages show their last-updated date and are re-checked periodically for price, availability and new models.
Corrected. Verified errors are fixed promptly and significant corrections are noted on the page. Report one through the contact page.
How Is Editorial Independence Protected?
Editorial decisions are made independently of manufacturers, brands and business interests.
What this means
- Editorial judgment decides all ratings
- Affiliate revenue does not influence scores
- Manufacturers cannot pay for better placement
- Products are purchased with the site's own funds
What we do not do
- Accept payment for positive reviews
- Allow brands to preview content
- Remove negative reviews due to pressure
- Accept free products in exchange for coverage
How is editorial kept separate from affiliate revenue?
Editorial judgment decides what is tested, how it is rated and what is recommended. Affiliate and advertising relationships sit on the business side and do not get a say in those decisions.
Editorial judgment decides
- Product testing and ratings
- "Best" picks and awards
- Content recommendations
- Review update decisions
- Correction decisions
Business relationships cover
- Affiliate program participation
- Advertising relationships
Neither gives a brand or retailer a say in ratings or recommendations.
Revenue is not a factor. If a lower-commission product outperforms a higher-commission one, the better product gets the pick. How the site earns money is explained on How We Make Money.
How Are Claims Fact-Checked?
Claims in published content must be accurate and verifiable.
Before publishing
- Product specifications are checked for accuracy
- Performance claims are verified through testing
- Third-party claims are cited with sources
- Independent evidence takes precedence over marketing claims
Shown to the reader
- Affiliate relationships, displayed prominently
- How the product was acquired (purchased at retail)
- Testing limitations: sample size, duration, context
- Last-updated dates on reviews and roundups
How testing is done, with periods and counts for published reviews, is on How We Test Coffee Equipment. The same standards apply to every product, with no bias toward higher commissions and criticism balanced with strengths.
How Are Ratings and "Best" Picks Decided?
Scores come from testing. The scoring system itself is explained once, on the methodology page.
Category scores from 0 to 10 inform each review's 5-star rating, which also reflects editorial judgment. See how scores become star ratings, with three published examples.
How "Best Overall", "Best Value" and similar picks are chosen
- Based on testing performance and category scores
- Updated when new products outperform current picks
- Several "Best for X" picks to serve different needs, plus price-tier picks such as Best Budget and Best Premium
Revenue cannot influence awards. If a lower-commission product outperforms a higher-commission product, the better product wins. Roundups such as best espresso machines under $500 follow this rule.
What About Conflicts of Interest?
The site earns money from affiliate links, so the rules matter.
- Affiliate and advertising relationships give no brand or retailer a say in editorial content, and revenue is not considered when ratings and recommendations are set.
- Disclosure appears prominently at the top of an article and near affiliate links, in plain language, on mobile and desktop.
- Disclosures follow the FTC's guidelines on endorsements (16 CFR Part 255).
How affiliate links work is explained on How We Make Money, and the formal wording is on the Affiliate Disclosure page.
How Often Are Pages Updated?
Commercial coffee content goes stale quickly, so pages are re-checked and dated.
Periodic checks
- Reviews and roundups are re-checked for price, availability and new models
- Every page shows its last-updated date
- Pages are reviewed at least annually
Triggered updates
- A new competitor launches in the category
- Price changes of more than 10%
- Widespread quality-control issues are reported
How Are Errors Corrected?
Reporting takes three steps. Replies come within 24-48 business hours.
Identify the specific claim
Note the exact sentence or data point you believe is incorrect. "The review seems wrong" is too vague; "the article states the brew temperature is 200°F, but another source shows 196°F" can be checked.
Provide evidence
Link to a testing report or other credible source that supports the correction. Corrections cannot be verified without evidence.
Send it through the contact form
Choose "Report an Error/Correction" and include the article URL, the claim and your evidence.
Factual errors
Specs, features and prices. Verified errors are corrected promptly.
Significant corrections
Noted on the page, with an explanation if the correction affects a rating or recommendation.
Minor errors
Typos and formatting are fixed on discovery with no correction note.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers before you buy.
No. Manufacturers cannot pay for better placement or positive reviews, and brands cannot preview content.
Picks are based on testing performance and category scores. If a lower-commission product outperforms a higher-commission one, the better product gets the pick.
Reviews and roundups are re-checked periodically for price, availability and new models, and each page shows its last-updated date.
A new competitor, a significant price change or widespread quality-control reports can trigger an earlier update.
Use the contact page and choose "Report an Error/Correction".
Include the article URL, the specific claim and any evidence.
Replies come within 24-48 business hours, and verified factual errors are corrected promptly.
Factual errors are corrected.
Opinions and ratings are changed when new testing or evidence justifies it, such as a long-term test or a new competing product, not because of pressure from a brand or a reader.