Methodology

How we test

We build every comparison from the listing up: verified specifications, a large enough sample of recent buyer reviews to mean something, and independent hands-on data from other testers where it exists. We do not physically test every product ourselves, and we say so — a product with no independent testing behind it cannot hold a featured pick.

01

Shortlist from the real market

We pull every plausible candidate in a category from Amazon Australia, not just the first page of results.

02

Filter for signal, not stars

We drop anything with too few reviews to trust, then read a recent sample looking for the complaints a star rating hides.

03

Cross-check outside Amazon

Where independent testing exists — other publications, hands-on video reviews — we weigh it against the specs and the reviews.

04

Say what we don't know

If nobody has independently tested a product, the page says so, and it can't win a featured pick.

What money does and does not buy

Test Bench earns a commission when you buy through our Amazon links, at no extra cost to you. Commission rates differ by category, so we record the rate against every category in our own database. If a lower-earning product is the better pick, it wins.

We accept no paid placements and no sponsored reviews.

The people at the bench

Priya Nandan

Covers home-fitness hardware. Builds every comparison from manufacturer specifications and a large sample of verified buyer reviews, and calls out where independent testing does or doesn't exist yet.

Callum Reyes

Covers pet tech. Cross-checks vendor claims against independent hands-on reviews and reported failure patterns before a product earns a featured pick.

Test Bench Team

Our in-house research desk. Every guide and review is built from manufacturer specifications, verified pricing and a large sample of real buyer reviews — never from unverified hands-on claims.