What we examine
- Product documentation published by the seller
- Marketing claims, including how they differ between pages
- Pricing, promotions and how they are presented
- Return policies
- Warranty information
- Available independent reviews and their sources
- Regulatory frameworks that apply to the product category
- Published product specifications
- Questions consumers commonly ask that the seller does not answer
- Contradictions between sources
What we do not do
- We do not hands-on test. We have not physically used, measured, or worn the devices we write about. Any site claiming lab measurements should show the data.
- We do not employ audiologists, ENT specialists or physicians, and we never present our writing as clinical or medical advice.
- We do not publish star ratings for products where the available review data cannot support one.
- We do not write customer reviews, invent names, dates or experiences, or label anything "verified" that we have not verified.
- We do not rank products by commission. Read the affiliate disclosure.
The labels we apply
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer claim | A statement made by the seller or manufacturer. Attributed, not endorsed. |
| Verified on official page | Confirmed on a current official page or policy document at the date of checking. |
| Third-party source | Information from a source independent of the seller. |
| Could not verify | We looked and could not confirm it. We do not fill the gap with an estimate. |
| Conflicting seller information | The seller's own material states different things in different places. |
The questions we ask before publishing
- Who is making this claim, and what is their interest in it?
- Is the source primary or secondary?
- Is the information current, and when did we last check?
- Can the claim be independently verified?
- Is it a medical claim? If so, is there authoritative evidence behind it?
- If it is our own conclusion, have we explained the basis?
Updates and corrections
Prices, policies and specifications change. Each page shows when its information was last checked. If you find something outdated or wrong, tell us via the contact page and we will check it and correct the page.
Language rules we hold ourselves to
We do not write that a product "cures hearing loss", "restores normal hearing", is "clinically proven", "FDA approved" or "doctor recommended" unless each specific claim is substantiated and cited. We use "marketed as", "according to the seller", "may", "designed for", and "we could not independently verify". These phrasings are less exciting and considerably more accurate.