3 ms·

Wirecutter, like Consumer Reports, initially had sterling recommendations. Well-researched, well-tested, and following the reviewer through the process was half

Wirecutter, like Consumer Reports, initially had sterling recommendations. Well-researched, well-tested, and following the reviewer through the process was half the fun. Lately the reviews I've seen are selecting for what Amazon link will perform for them, rather than truly what product (available via Amazon or other retailers) is the best product or value. I've found their picks frequently have bimodal ratings, with a large chunk of users hating the product.

leetcrew 7y ago
so far I've only had good or great experiences with stuff I've actually purchased based on their articles. I find the site is great for items where you don't care too much about the category but just want a decent example. I would never buy computer hardware based on a Wirecutter review, but I'll happily buy any kitchen equipment under $50 based on their review alone. in my reading, most of the Wirecutter recommendations that turn out to be suboptimal suffer from flaws that only surface six months into ownership, far longer than you can reasonably expect a reviewer to test a cheap product. the one truly dubious article I've read is the "best small saucepan" review where their top pick is a tramontina product. tramontina's line was getting rave reviews from all the cooking sites/communities a couple years ago, but it appears to have gone downhill since they recently switched manufacturers. the article was updated this year, but makes no mention of the current quality discussion...
sk5t 7y ago
This coincides with my own impressions: WC article and recommendation quality has nosedived in service of affiliate links and margin-seeking. The "self-care" articles in particular seem a very transparent excuse to push a basket of sort-of irrelevant items that Wirecutter would very much like you to buy today.

3 ms·

Wirecutter, like Consumer Reports, initially had sterling recommendations. Well-researched, well-tested, and following the reviewer through the process was half

by mceachen 7y ago

leetcrew 7y ago
so far I've only had good or great experiences with stuff I've actually purchased based on their articles. I find the site is great for items where you don't care too much about the category but just want a decent example. I would never buy computer hardware based on a Wirecutter review, but I'll happily buy any kitchen equipment under $50 based on their review alone. in my reading, most of the Wirecutter recommendations that turn out to be suboptimal suffer from flaws that only surface six months into ownership, far longer than you can reasonably expect a reviewer to test a cheap product. the one truly dubious article I've read is the "best small saucepan" review where their top pick is a tramontina product. tramontina's line was getting rave reviews from all the cooking sites/communities a couple years ago, but it appears to have gone downhill since they recently switched manufacturers. the article was updated this year, but makes no mention of the current quality discussion...
sk5t 7y ago
This coincides with my own impressions: WC article and recommendation quality has nosedived in service of affiliate links and margin-seeking. The "self-care" articles in particular seem a very transparent excuse to push a basket of sort-of irrelevant items that Wirecutter would very much like you to buy today.