What a pick has to pass
| Rule | What we do, and what you see |
|---|---|
| Specs are confirmed | Read on the maker's page or manual; if that is unreadable, the amazon.com listing's "About this item" and product information. Each card shows the source and the date read. |
| Unconfirmed means removed | A spec we cannot confirm is not written and a product we cannot confirm is dropped. Cards say "not stated" instead of guessing. |
| Maker promises stay promises | Marketing words are quoted as "the maker says", never stated as fact. |
| Each pick has a job | A role such as a first machine or a timed dose, plus a "Not for you if" line on every card. |
| Discontinued means replaced | A product the maker no longer sells is swapped out; only current listings stay. |
| No price claims | We state no prices or price ranges. A budget band is your filter: check the current price on Amazon. |
From spec to pick
Keeping one brand from dominating
On a picks page, no brand supplies more than half of the products. Pages that answer related questions, such as a hub and a first-machine page, must differ: they may not share more than half of their picks, so each page answers its own question. We check this automatically before each release.
How the Amazon links work
When we opened the amazon.com listing and confirmed the exact model, the button opens that listing. Otherwise it opens a search for the model, so check the model before you buy. Gear strips on guides open category searches. All Amazon links carry our affiliate tag; commission is not a selection criterion. Details are on the affiliate disclosure page.
How often we check
Every pick shows the date its specs were read. We read them again when we update a page and when a reader tells us something has changed. There is no fixed schedule and we do not monitor listings live, so a listing can change after we read it.
See also: the editorial policy for sources and corrections, and About. Questions: hello@baristabetter.com.