How we test, score, and pick
Modima Labs exists to keep you from buying the wrong thing. That only works if you trust how we reach a verdict. So here's how we work.
How we research what we cover
Every recommendation starts with research, not a rewritten spec sheet. We read the manufacturer's numbers, dig into independent measurements and teardowns where they exist, and pull together what owners report after months of real use. Then we weigh all of it against what the product actually sells for.
What “tested” means right now
We don't run a lab bench yet. So we won't quote you a number we didn't take: no wattage we recorded, no decibel reading off our own meter. What we publish is judgement built on published specs, independent testing, teardowns, and owner reports. Lab measurement is coming; when we start posting our own numbers, we'll show the method behind them.
How we score
Every review ends in one score, 0 to 10, built from the subscores that decide whether something is worth owning. What counts shifts by category (drying speed for a hair dryer, basket size for an air fryer), but the rules hold:
- We score what matters in use, not a feature list nobody reads.
- Dealbreakers count most. A product that botches its main job can't buy its way back with features.
- Value gets its own score. A great product at a brutal price and a good one at a fair price are not the same call.
- We name the tradeoff. Every pick says who it's for and who should look elsewhere.
How we track price drops
A good pick is half the job. Timing is the rest. We track what products actually sell for over time, so we can tell you whether a sale is real or just a struck-through number.
- We log the real price at named retailers, with a timestamp.
- We compare against the recent trend, not an inflated list price.
- We flag a price only when it beats that trend, and we say so when a “deal” is nothing special.
- Prices move fast. Always check the retailer before you buy.
You can see the current changes on our price watch.
We update as things change
Firmware ships, prices move, better products launch. We go back and re-date a review when the verdict or the facts change. A guide is a living thing, not a one-and-done.
How we stay independent
No brand pays us for a score, a slot, or a kind word, and we don't run sponsored reviews. We make money on affiliate links: buy through one and the retailer pays us a small cut, at no cost to you. It never moves a pick. We earn the same whether we tell you to buy or skip, so the only thing worth chasing is being right. More in our affiliate disclosure and editorial policy.
Think we got something wrong? Email hello@modimalabs.com. Corrections make the next review better.