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 Paid Placements
Brands cannot pay for "Best Overall" badges or higher rankings.
No Free Products
We purchase all products with our own funds.
No Paywalls
Our reviews and recommendations are free for everyone.
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: January 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.