How we review and choose products
The short version: we verify specifications against independent sources, track prices on a schedule, check safety claims against official guidance — and we tell you plainly, on every page, when a verdict is a spec-and-evidence comparison rather than a hands-on test.
What we verify on every product
Every product in our catalogue goes through the same process before it appears in a comparison. Its specifications — capacity, output, runtime, ratings, certifications — are checked against at least two independent sources: the manufacturer's published data and one or more retailer listings, with disagreements resolved toward the more conservative figure. Its typical US price is recorded and then re-checked on a schedule, so the prices you see reflect the market, not the day we wrote the page.
Where a claim touches safety — carbon monoxide, water purification, fire ratings, gas appliances, electrical loads — we cross-check it against official guidance from bodies like FEMA, the CDC, the EPA, the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the National Fire Protection Association, and we say clearly when a product must not be used in a particular way. If a safety framing is wrong anywhere on this site, that is the thing we most want to hear about.
What our ratings mean
Ratings out of five weigh four things: whether the product does its core job well (the biggest factor), whether its specifications hold up against scrutiny and real-world reports, value for money against its category, and its fitness for the emergency-preparedness use this site exists for — which is why a product can be excellent for camping and still lose marks here for, say, a battery you can't replace in a long power cut.
Every review also carries a "don't buy if" line. If we can't think of an honest reason someone shouldn't buy a product, we haven't thought hard enough about it yet.
Researched, or used and reviewed by us: the honest bit
Some sites imply every product has been through a lab. We won't. Every review here carries one of two labels. Researched means we haven't used the product: the verdict is built from verified specifications, official guidance and the weight of credible owner evidence. Used and reviewed by us means we bought it, or the maker sent it free, and used it at home to a written method, with our own photos and dated measurements; the review says which at the top, and a free sample is labelled as an ad. We'd rather tell you that plainly than borrow credibility we haven't earned. Every review, by label →
How the site makes money — and what it can't buy
Some links on this site are affiliate links: if you buy through one, the retailer pays us a small commission. Neither costs you anything. That funds the site. It does not change a ranking, a rating, or a "don't buy if" line. Rates differ between retailers, and we don't let that decide what we recommend. That's why we'll tell you when the cheaper option is the better one, or when you shouldn't buy at all. The full detail is in our affiliate disclosure.
Spotted an error — a spec, a price, a safety detail? Email hello@preparedbritain.co.uk and we'll check it against the sources and fix it. Corrections make the site better; we're glad of them.