Editorial policy

Accuracy and sourcing

Every product specification we cite — boiler type, pump pressure, wattage, portafilter size, capacity, heat-up time — is drawn from the manufacturer's own spec sheet or manual, which is the source of truth. Every running-cost figure shows its inputs and assumptions so a reader can reproduce it. Every market or industry statistic is attributed to a named publication with a date. We do not launder authority with vague "studies show" claims, and we do not cite a source we did not actually read.

No fabrication, ever

We never invent reviews, testimonials, customer ratings, star counts, prices, or product claims. If we haven't verified something, we say so on the page rather than filling the gap with a guess. Our scores are editorial judgments derived from the research in our methodology, presented as such — never as aggregated customer ratings, which is why they never appear as rating markup in our structured data.

Independence

Portafilter Co is funded by affiliate commissions (see the affiliate disclosure), and those commissions have no influence on our rankings. We do not accept payment for placement, and we do not accept free products in exchange for a favorable review. When the best buy is the cheapest option — or the one that earns us the least — that is still the one we put first.

What we do and don't test

We are transparent about the limits of our work. We build our picks from published specs, manuals, running-cost math, and aggregated owner reports — not from a test lab we do not have. Where hands-on time with a specific unit would change the assessment, we flag it explicitly. When we do have genuine hands-on experience with a product, we say so precisely and only for that product.

Prices and freshness

Prices are pulled live from the Amazon Product API and stamped with the date checked. Our system removes any price older than 48 hours automatically, falling back to "Check price" rather than showing a stale number. The retailer's price at checkout is always authoritative.

Update cadence

• Roundups, comparisons and reviews are reviewed at least every 90 days.
• Guides are reviewed for technique and accuracy at least twice a year.
• When a product is discontinued or a new model ships, we update the relevant page promptly. The "Last updated" date on each page reflects real edits, never a rolling placeholder.

Corrections

We get things wrong sometimes, and we fix them fast. If you spot a factual error — a spec, a price, a claim — tell us and we aim to correct it within 48 hours. Material corrections are noted on the page so the record is honest.