Short version: we only review things we own and have used for long enough to have changed our mind at least once.
What we test
Everything on this site is kit that is fitted to or carried in our own van. We buy nearly all of it ourselves. Where an item has been supplied by a manufacturer, that is stated at the top of the review in plain language, every time.
We do not review products we have not used. We do not write roundups of things we have only read about. If we are summarising other people’s findings rather than our own, the post says so.
How long we run something before writing about it
Electrical and fitted kit: a minimum of one full season. A solar controller that works in June tells you nothing. The interesting behaviour happens in November.
Everyday items: at least a month of real use. Enough trips to see whether it survives being packed, unpacked and dropped.
Anything we have had for less than that goes in the “still testing” section of the kit list with the verdict explicitly marked as pending.
What we measure
Where a claim can be measured, we measure it rather than repeating the manufacturer’s figure.
- Power draw is measured at the battery with a shunt based monitor, logged over a full day, not read off a spec sheet.
- Solar yield is logged from the charge controller, reported as best day, typical shoulder season day and typical winter day, because an average hides the shape of the year.
- Battery capacity is reported as usable capacity observed, not nominal capacity claimed.
- Range and runtime are reported as what we got, with the conditions stated.
Where we cannot measure something properly, we say that it is an impression rather than a measurement.
What we publish
We publish the things that went wrong. The kit list has a section for items we regret buying, and it stays there permanently.
If a product we have recommended turns out to be worse than we thought, we update the post and note the change. We do not quietly delete recommendations.
If a product breaks, we say when, how, and what the manufacturer did about it.
Affiliate links and advertising
We earn money from display advertising and from affiliate links. This is set out in full in our affiliate disclosure.
The short version: commission does not influence what we recommend. Several items in our kit list are things we advise against buying, and some of those still carry affiliate links, because if you buy one anyway we would rather it funded the site than not.
We do not accept payment for a positive review, and we would not take a deal that required editorial approval.
Corrections
We get things wrong. When we do:
- The post is corrected rather than deleted
- The correction is noted with a date
- If the error was material, the note says what was wrong and what it is now
If you spot something, tell us. Corrections from readers are the fastest way this site gets more accurate.
Update schedule
Posts containing prices, legal requirements or country rules are reviewed at least annually, and each carries a “last checked” date near the top. If that date looks old, treat the figures with suspicion and check the official source. We would rather you did that than trusted us blindly.