How we vet products
Before recommending a product, we ask what it is made of, how you will use it, and whether it offers a worthwhile alternative. A stainless steel appliance may still have plastic tubing inside. An organic cotton cover may surround a synthetic filling. Those details shape our recommendations.
We review public product information and relevant research. We do not test products in a laboratory. Our aim is to give you a clear reason for each recommendation, with the material details and limitations you need to make your own choice.
Start with the exact product
Focus on how you use it
Food and water: we look for clearly identified cooking surfaces, containers, lids, seals, and internal water passages. We favor glass and stainless steel and exclude plastic in direct contact with food or drinking water, with specific exceptions for faucets and shower filters. Those products need documented certifications or performance evidence and clear disclosure of internal plastic. Food-contact-compliant glue in wood cutting boards and suitable silicone seals are assessed separately.
Personal care and cleaning: we read the complete formula, including fragrance and ingredients that may matter to sensitive skin. We explain the relevant ingredients and what they do. A familiar plant name or a “natural” label does not make a formula suitable for everyone.
Bedding, textiles, and furniture: we check the layers beneath the surface, including filling, backing, foam, adhesives, finishes, and flame barriers. Where a furniture item includes plastic components, we disclose them. A certification on one fabric does not automatically cover the whole item.
Babies and children: we pay particular attention to parts children may mouth and to whether the product suits its intended age and use. We exclude plastic-containing pacifiers, toys with synthetic filling, and plastic parts intended for mouth contact.
Check what a certification covers
A useful certification answers a specific question: what a filter reduces, which emissions were measured, or whether a textile meets an organic standard. We check that it applies to the listed product and describe its scope. For example, a faucet’s lead-content certification and its drinking-water certification cover different requirements.
Make the recommendation useful
Each product’s “Why we recommend it” explains the main reason it belongs here. The materials line highlights the details most relevant to that choice; for personal care, it lists selected ingredients rather than the entire formula. Read the current label for the full ingredient list, directions, and allergy information.
When essential information is missing or a product fails our requirements, we leave it out or remove it. Our criteria guide selection; they do not establish that every other product is harmful or that a listed product carries no risk.
Keep the details open to correction
Manufacturers change formulas, parts, and suppliers. We revisit listings when we find new information or receive a report of a discrepancy. If something looks wrong, send us the product link and the detail that needs checking.
How the site is funded
Amazon purchases made through our links may earn us a commission. Brands cannot pay for placement, and earning a commission does not exempt a product from our standards. Read our affiliate disclosure for details.