Our Review Process

Our Mission

Our mission here at Simplemost is to help you make the most out of life, whether that’s by extensively researching products so you don’t have to, sharing the news of the day or offering advice on everything from money to parenting to cooking. We hope we can save you time and money through our independent testing and reviews process.

Who We Are And What We Do

Simplemost is an arm of The E.W. Scripps Company, which has been a trusted news organization since its founding in 1878. In today’s digital world, there are thousands of websites reviewing products, and it can be overwhelming to know who to trust. But with Simplemost, you can rest assured that you’re getting the most accurate, up-to-date and thorough product reviews thanks to our comprehensive research and testing processes.

Why Trust Us

We’re part of The E.W. Scripps Company, a news organization that believes in creating a better-informed world through journalism. Our company’s motto is: “Give light and the people will find their own way.”

At Simplemost, we aren’t here to tell you what to buy. Our goal is to provide you with information so you can make the best purchasing decision for your family, without wasting your valuable time and money.

Our team uses a combination of in-depth research, expert advice, and hands-on testing of the very best products in tech, home and garden, entertainment, health and wellness and beyond. We independently purchase and test products for insights into their quality, ease of use, value and more, incorporating advice from experts along the way. No matter your budget or your preferences, we’re digging deep to help you find exactly what you’re looking for, without all the hassle.

Our Process Overview

We start by doing in-depth research on a product category, including scouring stores and online shopping websites for the best products available in each category. We then perform an in-depth analysis on the top products identified. We purchase and independently test products using our own evaluation criteria, which includes everything from durability to value. We then create a score that combines our own research along with ratings and recommendations from other experts. The result is the Simplemost Review Score, which is a 1-10 rating.

In addition to expert reviews and our own in-depth research and hands-on testing, we pull in ratings from consumers. Those ratings get blended into the score, too.

The result is a rating for the product you want to purchase. The more experts and consumers that recommend a product, the higher its Simplemost Review Score. We review up to 15 products for a specific category and then present you with the top four options.

Our goal is to make the Review Score a valuable tool to make sure you are buying the best product to suit your needs.

Product Expert Consultants

We rely upon a group of trusted experts to help provide insight and advice for the categories we test.  These experts have decades of experience and help ensure we are providing our readers with in-depth accurate advice.

Amy Markham
Artist and art educator
Brittany Anas
Travel journalist
Calvin West
Music and video producer
Colleen Janke
Owner of Savory Kitchen, a cooking school and culinary events space
Doug Brennan
Tech writer for Digital Addicts, avid PC/console gamer
Dr. Anis Rehman
Endocrinologist and assistant professor of internal medicine
Dr. Niket Sonpal
Gastroenterologist and adjunct assistant professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine
James Both
Founder and CEO of One Hour Smart Home
Jay Soriano
Portrait photographer
Jessica Cording
Registered dietitian and health coach
Julie Chernoff
Culinary Expert
Kate Desmond
Parenting Pro and Safe-Sleep Expert
Lewis McGehee
Professional guitarist, songwriter and private guitar teacher
Molly Thornberg
Technology and parenting blogger
Natalie Setareh
Makeup artist, beauty coach and author
Patrick Ward
Editor-in-chief of High Speed Experts
Shawna Newman
Camping And Outdoor Expert
Stephanie Mansour
Certified Personal Trainer, Health and Wellness Expert
Stephanie Mantilla
Animal trainer
Thena Franssen
Camping Expert
Tim Fraticelli
Physical therapist and founder of PTProgress.com
Vicki Liston
Home Improvement Expert
Will Shaw
Golf professional

In-Depth Research

Our team spends hundreds of hours researching product categories to provide our readers with the latest information and advice to help them make the best product decision.

Product Acquisition 

We pay for each and every product we test, on our own, without discounts or freebies. You can rest assured that our testing is 100% independent and never swayed by the companies that manufacture or distribute products. Purchasing these products is an investment on our part, yes, but it also ensures the integrity of our work.

Product Donation

After we’re done testing products, we auction them off and donate 100% of the proceeds to The Scripps Howard Foundation. We help support the “If You Give a Child a Book” campaign, which provides new books for children who may not have many at home. We aim to donate $30,000 each year.

Where We Test

We primarily test products at The E.W. Scripps Company headquarters in Cincinnati, as well as in the homes and backyards of our team members.

 

Our Team

Here’s a list of our amazing team members who dedicate their working hours to researching, testing, photographing and writing.

Alicia Bodine
Amy Barnes
Anam Ahmed
Augusta Statz
Danielle Smyth
Simplemost Staff
Jennifer Nied
Kaitlin Gates
Kate Streit
Lauren Murphy
Patricia Kaowthumrong
Russell Hinkle
Sarah Kuta
Stephanie Faris
Tod Caviness
Tricia Goss