The short version
We do the payback math on realistic usage, read installer and owner reports, and caveat every savings claim by home and climate. Every guide gets an editorial review for clarity, sourcing, and consistency before it goes live.
What we do for every product we cover
- Read the specs and standards. What it claims, what it is certified for, and what the warranty actually covers.
- Do the payback math. Realistic usage, your utility rates, available incentives. Brochure numbers get checked, not repeated.
- Read installer and owner reports. Reliability, app quality, and support when something breaks, the stuff specs never show.
- Compare real alternatives. Including keeping your current setup, which is sometimes the right answer.
- Revisit on change. Prices, incentives, and models move fast in energy tech. We update and date every guide.
What we do not do
- We do not greenwash. If the savings do not pencil out, we say so.
- We do not take paid placements. Rankings cannot be bought.
- We do not pretend. Our work is research-based, and we are upfront about it.
Our scoring rubric
When we score products, we weight four factors:
- Value: 30%. What you get for the price, including free tiers and long-term costs.
- Features: 30%. How complete the feature set is for the job.
- Owner feedback: 25%. Patterns from long-term user reports, not single anecdotes.
- Support and warranty: 15%. Help quality, guarantees, and company track record.
Ratings are editorial judgments based on research, not lab-test measurements.