How we test and review at Reviews.org Australia

At Reviews Australia, we are committed to providing consumers with unbiased, thorough, and insightful reviews of the latest technology products. Whether it’s a new mobile phone or NBN internet service, a powerful laptop, or a smart home device, our testing methodology ensures that each product is evaluated under real-world conditions to give you the most accurate and helpful information.

How we test products

Testing products isn’t just about using them for a few minutes and forming an opinion. At Reviews Australia, we follow a meticulous, repeatable testing methodology tailored to each product category. Different devices require different types of assessment, but in general, our testing process includes:

Real-world usage

We believe a product’s true performance can only be assessed when used as an average consumer would. That’s why we integrate products into everyday life for an extended period, evaluating aspects such as comfort, durability, ease of use, and practicality.

Performance benchmarks

We conduct standardised performance benchmarks for devices like laptops, smartphones, and portable speakers to compare processing power, battery life, display quality, and audio performance. We then validate our findings by using products over an extended period and in several real-world scenarios.

Battery and power efficiency

Battery life is crucial for portable devices. We run standardised battery tests, including video playback, web browsing, and gaming scenarios, to determine real-world battery longevity. For devices like robot vacuum cleaners, we measure runtime per charge and efficiency in completing cleaning cycles.

Build quality and design assessment

We analyse the materials, build quality, and ergonomics of each product to determine how well it is constructed. Products that feel flimsy or poorly designed receive lower scores, while those with premium materials and solid engineering are rewarded.

Durability and stress testing

For products like smartphones, headphones and laptops we conduct endurance tests to determine long-term durability. We expose devices to varying conditions and stress test moving parts to identify potential weaknesses.

How we test services

Similar to the function of our product reviews, we want to make sure that we are recommending services that meet the needs of most people. We use a rigorous breakdown of the features available in a service and then weight the importance of each to determine the best service at each price point.

Plan pricing

The monthly cost of a service like a mobile phone or nbn plan is obviously an essential component for us to consider. But we're not just looking for the cheapest plan, we want to find the best value; the right mix of features, performance and affordability.

Features and inclusions

Mobile phone and internet plans are famous for including a bevy of extras on top of essential inclusions like mobile data and download speeds. However, not all additional features are as helpful as others. The value of discounted movie tickets doesn't match generous international calling rates, for example.

Self-reported performance

Telco service providers are encouraged by regulatory bodies to self-report real-world average performance for the services they provide; especially nbn internet services. We factor in this data if it's available.

Real-world usage

As with gadgets, we like to test services where the rubber meets the road. Services can be difficult to test in this way, given the laundry list of variables that can impact our real-world usage experience, but we factor in these hands-on tests where possible.

That’s why we dig in and unearth how particular products and services perform under a variety of situations and stress tests.

When reviewing a series of products, we develop bulletproof criteria to compare and test against. Not every product makes the cut. If a device or service doesn’t meet a bare minimum requirement in an important category, is misleading, or, at worst, poses a potential health and safety risk, you won’t see it in our recommendations.

We use first-hand experience where possible to inform our reviews, but we also rely on data provided by trusted consumer advocate sources, such as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), and our friends over at WhistleOut, to weigh up a service’s value and reliability.

When you see a star-rating on Reviews.org Australia, you can be confident that the result speaks to hours upon hours of research, hands-on experience, and data analysis.