This page explains how Chillveda arrives at a recommendation, and just as importantly, what our process does not include. Read it before you trust anything else on this site.
What our process is
Our reviews are research based. For every product we consider, we work through the manufacturer specification sheet, the installation manual, the warranty document, the safety certifications, and the retailer listing. We compare those against the other products in the same category and against the published standards that apply.
Where a number can be calculated rather than looked up, we calculate it. Running cost is a good example: rated wattage multiplied by a realistic session length multiplied by the current US average residential electricity rate gives a figure a buyer can actually plan around, and we name the rate and the date we used.
What our process is not
We want to be exact about this, because a great deal of the internet is not.
We do not operate a laboratory and we do not take physical measurements of products. We do not sit in every sauna or plug in every panel with a meter. When you read that a red light panel is rated at a given irradiance, that figure comes from the manufacturer, and we label it that way every time.
We say this openly because the alternative is a claim we could not support, and because three numbers in this category are inflated often enough that a buyer should treat them with suspicion: irradiance for red light panels, which brands frequently quote at zero distance rather than at a usable one; the low EMF or zero EMF label on infrared sauna blankets, which has no agreed standard behind it; and stall force on massage guns.
The Chill Score
Every product we recommend carries a Chill Score from 0 to 100. The same five criteria apply to every product in a category, and the weights are fixed and published here rather than adjusted to suit a conclusion.
| Criterion | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | 30 | The specifications that decide whether the product does its job: heat output and temperature range, chilling capacity and pull down time, wavelengths and rated irradiance, amplitude and rated stall force. |
| Build quality | 20 | Materials, construction, insulation, serviceability, and whether replacement parts are available. |
| Value | 20 | What you get for the money, including the cost of running the unit and the consumables needed in the first year, not just the purchase price. |
| Safety and certifications | 15 | UL, ETL, CSA or equivalent listing, FCC where relevant, FDA clearance where the device is regulated, and the electrical requirements the product imposes on your home. |
| Warranty and support | 15 | Length and scope of warranty, what it excludes, who pays return freight, and how reachable the company is. |
The same five criteria apply to every product, and we do not skip one because a manufacturer stayed quiet. Where a brand does not publish a warranty term, or does not state a UL, ETL or CSA listing on a product that runs on mains power, that criterion scores zero. Non-disclosure is not neutral. It is a real disadvantage to a buyer, who cannot compare what is not published, and a score that ignored it would reward the least forthcoming brands.
This matters more than it sounds. Across the products we reviewed for our current roundups, fewer than a third publish any warranty term and fewer than one in ten state a safety listing. A product scoring well on performance and poorly overall is usually telling you that the brand will not commit to anything in writing.
Where a performance figure itself is missing, we say the information is unavailable rather than guessing at it.
How we choose which products to include
We start from what is actually available to buy in the United States in the category, then narrow it down. Products are excluded when the manufacturer publishes no meaningful specifications, when there is no safety listing on a product that carries mains electricity, or when the seller cannot be identified.
We are not trying to list every product. A roundup of eight products where we can explain each choice is more useful than a list of thirty.
Language we avoid
You will not read the words tested, lab tested, or hands-on anywhere on this site describing our own work, because that is not what we do. We review, evaluate, compare, analyze, rate, and recommend. The distinction matters both to you and to the Federal Trade Commission.
Updates and corrections
Products change. Manufacturers revise specifications, discontinue models, and quietly alter warranty terms. Every article carries its publication date and the date it was last updated, and we revisit our roundups when a product in them changes generation.
If you find something wrong, write to [email protected]. We correct errors and note what changed. Our full approach to accuracy and sourcing is in the Editorial Policy.
A note on health
Chillveda reviews equipment. We do not give medical advice and we do not claim that any product on this site treats, prevents, or cures any condition. Please read our Medical Disclaimer before acting on anything you read here.