Blog · Editorial articles Currently covering US, UK, Canada, Australia & New Zealand

Blog

Informational articles on home tech and gadgets, not product reviews: the engineering behind a category, and what actually decides whether it works for you.

Articles

Illustration of a percentage badge next to a magnifying glass revealing smaller, more accurate numbers underneath

Real Mechanism, Inflated Percentage: A Recurring Pattern in Purifier Marketing Claims

Electrolyzed water and passive mineral gel both have a real, plausible mechanism. Why the flat percentage on the box oversells what either one does.

Illustration of a room outline with a measuring tape and a checklist badge

How to Size a Portable Cooler for Your Room: A Buyer's Checklist

Coverage area is only one piece of the picture. A practical checklist using what each listing does (and doesn't) disclose.

Illustration of a water droplet cooling device beside a compressor-based air conditioner unit, side by side

Evaporative Cooler vs. Portable Air Conditioner: What's the Real Difference?

Both get marketed as "portable AC," but they cool a room in completely different ways. How each actually works, and which one fits your room.

Illustration of a spec sheet with a lightning bolt icon and a blank, dashed line where the wattage should be

Wattage Undisclosed: The Running Cost Most Portable Cooler Listings Leave Out

Coverage claims and review counts aren't the only numbers missing. Most listings don't disclose wattage either, so you can't estimate what running one costs.

Illustration of star ratings and a discount tag with a question mark over them

Reviews You Can't Check, Discounts That Don't Add Up: A Pattern in Portable Cooler Marketing

Why so many listings lean on customer counts, star ratings and discount banners that can't be independently verified.

Illustration of a room with a coverage-area claim being measured

Portable Cooler Coverage Claims: What "Up to X Sq Ft" Actually Means

Why so many listings either skip the coverage number entirely or print one that can't be checked.

Illustration of a portable cooling unit

Portable Air Conditioners Without Installation

The real difference between compressor-based portable ACs and evaporative coolers, and what actually decides which one works for you.