My Process
Complete transparency about my review process, from purchase to publication. No secrets, no tricks.
Every product I review, I've purchased with my own money or genuinely experienced. No PR samples, no sponsored products, no freebies in exchange for reviews. If I'm reviewing a restaurant, I've eaten there and paid my own bill. If it's a gadget, I've bought it from a real retailer.
No lab conditions or controlled environments here. I use products the way you would - in my home, during my commute, at my desk. Headphones get tested on the tube. Air fryers get used for actual dinners. Skincare products become part of my routine for weeks before I write about them.
Here's where I'm completely transparent: I use AI tools to help draft my articles. I provide my notes, opinions, pros, cons, and the AI helps structure it into a readable article. This saves me hours of writing time while keeping all the opinions and insights genuinely mine.
Every article goes into a draft queue where I personally read, edit, and approve it. If something doesn't sound like me, or if the AI got something wrong about my experience, I fix it. Nothing goes live without my final approval.
Once I'm happy with an article, it goes live. But my relationship with the product doesn't end there. If something breaks after 3 months, I'll update the review. If I change my mind after more use, you'll know about it. Reviews are living documents.
If a company wants to pay me to review their product, the answer is no. Money corrupts objectivity.
No "roundups" of products I've never touched. If I'm recommending it, I've experienced it.
Every affiliate link is disclosed. You deserve to know when I might earn a commission.
I'd rather lose a commission than recommend something rubbish. My reputation matters more than a few quid.
I know "AI-assisted writing" might sound like a red flag. You might be thinking: "Is this just ChatGPT making stuff up?" Fair question. Here's the full picture.
I use AI the same way a busy professional might use a personal assistant. I provide all the raw material - my notes from testing, my opinions, the pros and cons I've identified, comparisons with similar products I've tried. The AI helps me turn those scattered notes into a coherent, well-structured article.
Think of it like this: if I dictated my thoughts to a human writer who then polished them into an article, you probably wouldn't question the authenticity. AI does the same job, just faster.
What you're getting is still my experience, my opinions, and my recommendations. The AI just helps me communicate them more clearly and saves me from spending hours wrestling with sentence structure when I'd rather be testing the next product.
Every article clearly states when AI assistance was used. No hiding, no pretending otherwise.
No. I keep everything I buy. This means I can update reviews after months of use and give you long-term insights.
Mostly things I was going to buy anyway. Sometimes I'll pick something because readers ask about it, but only if I genuinely need or want it.
Bigger sites often review hundreds of products with teams who test each item briefly. I review fewer products but with genuine, extended use. You're getting depth over breadth.
That's fine! Tastes differ. I try to explain why I like or dislike something so you can judge whether my preferences match yours.
For Amazon purchases, they're visible in my order history. For other products and experiences, I'm happy to discuss specifics. I'm a real person with a LinkedIn profile - I'm not hiding behind a fake persona.
Now you know how I work. Browse my reviews knowing exactly what went into them.