About our reviews

Everything you need to know about how our reviews are created, our rigorous testing techniques, and the people who write them

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(Image credit: Tom Raffield)

You'll already be familiar with Livingetc, the site dedicated to the now and the next in home decor and design. And while we pride ourselves on reporting on trends as they happen, we are also known for our shopping edits and guides to where to buy the very best products right now.

We take buying guides and products reviews very seriously. And this is how we go about them.

About our reviews

It is really important to us that we give you the best information about any purchases you make. This is why we aim to test as many products as we can in person. Our reviews are written by both in-house experts and freelance reviewers. We ask that they test everything for at least two weeks, though often they do for much longer.

We do not take payment for our reviews, though on occasion the reviewer is allowed to keep the product they have tested. This gives us chance to add to the review months – or years – later, meaning we don't just look at how it performs out of the box, but after a bit of use, too.

Everything we test is tested in the home – as intended. We like to provide as much information as we can about the reviewer's home set-up so you can decide whether the product will suit your lifestyle. Some of our tests are a little bit more scientific, but on the whole we are putting products through the paces of daily life to answer the all important question: 'Is this worth my money?'

If you are a brand and would like your products reviewed, get in touch with Lindsey Davis at homesecommerce@futurenet.com

About our buying guides

Most of our buying guides are created off the back of the many product reviews we do. We aim to have first hand experience of every product we features, but where this is not possible we use our wider network (family and friends) plus third party reviews on retailer sites to gather the most relevant information about that product.

Some products are not suited to standalone reviews, so in these cases we will do a mini review within the buying guide. 

About our product badges

If we have reviewed something in person and really love it, we will let you know with the Livingetc 'Tried. Loved' badge. You can see these on our reviews and also on the corresponding items where they feature in buying guides. We award these when a product gets 4.5/5 stars from our testers.

Brands cannot pay to be granted these badges, but we do offer them the chance to buy the badge to use on their own marketing material. This is always offered after the review has been written and our writers will not be influenced or paid for a good rating.

How we test products

We are sent products (usually free of charge though we will buy them ourselves if needed) to test for a period of at least two weeks. This gives us chance to put the product to the test against all the most common uses. We test mattresses for longer as it takes more time to get used to a new sleep surface.

IOur tests will be slightly different depending on what we are testing and what it is for, but we aim measure them against the same metrics for a fair test. In the case of small appliances and grills for example, we will cook the same recipes on each product.

All reviews aim to answer the following questions:

  • What does the product look like?
  • What do you get in the box?
  • How easy is it to use?
  • Is it easy to look after and clean?
  • How does it compare to similar products and its competitors?
  • Is it worth your money

Our writers and reviewers

Meet our team of ecommerce editors, shopping editors and freelance reviewers below:

Lindsey Davis headshot
Lindsey Davis

Lindsey has worked in interiors journalism for nearly a decade, cutting her teeth on self build brand Homebuilding & Renovating. While her first love is really great architectural design, she has a passion for shopping and helping people find the best products for their homes. With her team of brilliant editors, she makes sure the products you see on Livingetc are the best of the best and well worth your time and money and has tested everything from luxury mattresses to pizza ovens.

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Caroline Preece

Caroline has been a part of the Livingetc team since 2021, offering expert advice on the best smart tech for your home. Passionate about interiors and how technology can be integrated into daily living without sacrificing aesthetics, in her spare time she can be found shopping for the latest accent pieces for her own space. 

Oonagh Turner
Oonagh Turner

Oonagh joined the Livingetc team in 2022 and is an expert on where to find the best furniture and accessories for your home. She has previously worked at various interiors magazines and is always searching for the latest designs that fit with the trends of the moment.

Contact

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Advertising and licensing enquiries

For advertising and commercial enquiries, please contact Marina Connolly, on marina.connolly@futurenet.com

For information on using our logos, quotes and review content, click here or email licensing@futurenet.com.

Find us in the real world

Future PLC, 135 W41st St, New York, NY 10036
Telephone: +1 212 378 0448

Future PLC 121-141 Westbourne Terrace, London, W2 6JR
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7042 4000

Our reviews are independent and free from commercial considerations. We never take payment for reviews. We always return products on request or at the end of our agreed loan period. 

Separate to our editorial content and process, we publish advertorial feature content which is clearly marked and tagged as 'sponsored'. We also run 'in association with' articles, which are independent editorial articles, created by writers employed by Livingetc that have been funded through the support of a commercial partner. 

We often include shopping links in articles to enable readers to buy the products we write about – these prices are automatically populated from a selection of retailers. Our parent company, Future Publishing, gets paid a small percentage of the purchase price if you click through and buy a product as a result of using one of these links. That fee, known as an affiliate fee, is not added to your purchase price so the price you pay is the same whether you click to visit the retailer from Livingetc.com or you go to the retailer's site direct. These fees help us to fund the content that you read on Livingetc.com

Livingetc is are both fiercely committed to protecting your privacy. Please have a look at our in-depth privacy policy to find out more.

Livingetc is a member of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (which regulates the UK’s magazine and newspaper industry). We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism. If you think that we have not met those standards and want to make a complaint please contact us by calling 01225 442244 or writing to us at Future Publishing, Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA, UK. If we are unable to resolve your complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or visit www.ipso.co.uk

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