How We Make Money
Transparency about revenue isn't just good ethics — it's essential for trust. This page explains exactly how The Coffee Locator makes money, where that money goes, and the safeguards we've implemented to ensure revenue never compromises our editorial integrity.
The Bottom Line
We make money primarily through affiliate commissions. This funds our testing. It doesn't change what we recommend.
When you purchase a product through our links, the retailer pays us a commission (typically 3-8%). You pay the same price you would have paid going directly to the retailer.
1Revenue Sources: Complete Breakdown
Primary Revenue: Affiliate Commissions
What it is:
When you purchase a product through our links, the retailer pays us a commission (typically 3-8% of the purchase price).
How it works:
- 1.You read our review of a coffee grinder
- 2.You click a product link to Amazon (or another retailer)
- 3.You purchase the grinder (or anything else) within 24 hours
- 4.The retailer pays us a commission
- 5.You pay the same price you would have paid going directly to the retailer
Why we use this model: Aligns our success with helping you make good purchases, keeps content free for readers, funds independent product testing.
What We DON'T Do
No Sponsored Reviews
We do not accept payment from manufacturers for product reviews. No manufacturer has ever paid for a positive review, and we would decline any such offer. Our reviews are based entirely on testing results.
No Paid Placements
Brands cannot pay for "Best Overall" badges, higher rankings, or featured positions in our roundups. Product placement is determined entirely by testing scores. A product with a 3.8 rating will never be ranked above a 4.5 product because a brand paid us.
No Free Products
We purchase all products with our own funds at full retail price. This means we have skin in the game — and the same buying experience you do. We decline all product sample offers, loaner units, and discounted-purchase arrangements from manufacturers.
No Paywalls
Our reviews and recommendations are free for everyone. We believe that high-quality, independent information about expensive purchases should not be locked behind subscriptions.
No Commission-Biased Rankings
Our editorial team has no visibility into which products generate the highest affiliate commissions when making recommendations. Rankings are finalized by the editorial team before any affiliate links are added. A product earning us $0 in commissions will be recommended above a product earning $50 if it genuinely performs better.
2The Editorial Firewall
How We Protect Independence
The Problem: If business teams can influence editorial decisions, revenue pressures could corrupt recommendations.
Our Solution: The Editorial Firewall
Editorial Team
- ✓Determines all ratings and scores
- ✓Decides "Best" picks
- ✓Controls rankings
- ✓Updates when products fail
Business Team
- ✗Cannot change ratings
- ✗Cannot remove reviews
- ✗Cannot prioritize high-commission products
- ✗Cannot override decisions
Real Example: We've downgraded our "Best Overall" espresso machine from 4.5 to 3.8 stars after long-term testing revealed reliability issues — despite it being a top revenue generator.
3Where Revenue Goes
Budget Breakdown
| Category | Percentage | What This Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Product Testing | 60% | Product purchases, comparison units, long-term testing |
| Operations | 25% | Hosting, testing equipment, software tools |
| Content Team | 15% | Reviewers, photography, editing |
Why so much on testing? We buy every product we review (typically $200-$1,000 per product), often purchasing 3-5 competing products simultaneously for comparison testing, and hold them for 60-90 day long-term evaluation.
Related Transparency Pages
Last Updated: March 2026
We review and update our revenue transparency page quarterly to ensure accuracy and completeness.
Questions or Concerns?
We welcome scrutiny. Have questions about how we make money or suggestions for improving transparency?
Contact: Get in Touch
Response Time: Typical response within 24–48 business hours.