GoKugo
How We Test
Our method, in plain language: what we buy, how long we live with it, and how we score it.
Every guide on GoKugo follows the same method. It is not complicated, but it is deliberate, and it is the reason our lists are shorter than everyone else’s.
1. We start with the shelf, not the spreadsheet
Before we test anything, we list every product a normal person could plausibly buy in that category, at every price point. That usually means between twenty and forty items. We then buy the ones that are actually available, which immediately removes about a third of the list.
2. We live with it for at least six weeks
A product that works on day one can fail by week three. Toys get abandoned, beds flatten, pans lose their seasoning. Six weeks is the minimum we allow before a product is eligible for a recommendation, and categories like bedding and cookware get three months.
The test is not whether a product works. It is whether it still gets used when the novelty has worn off.
3. We test in ordinary homes
Our testers are households, not laboratories. A toy is tested by a child who is bored of it, a dog bed is tested by a dog who sheds, and a kitchen pan is tested by someone cooking dinner after work. This is less scientific and considerably more useful.
4. We score against siblings, not in isolation
A product is only “best” relative to the alternatives at the same price. Our editor score reflects how it compares with the other items in the same guide, which is why a nine out of ten in a budget guide is not the same as a nine out of ten in a premium one.
5. We re-check every season
Prices move and products get quietly revised. Guides are re-checked at least twice a year, and each one carries an updated date. When a pick slips, we replace it and note the change rather than deleting the evidence.
6. We disclose everything
If a product was supplied by a brand, we say so in the guide. If we returned or donated it afterwards, we say that too. We do not accept payment for coverage, and no brand sees a guide before it is published.
What we do not do
- We do not test every product in a category. We test the ones worth considering.
- We do not recommend products we have not used.
- We do not publish a list without a clear winner.
- We do not accept sponsored placements or paid links.
Questions about the method? Write to editorial@gokugo.com.