Fake Reviews??

[skilletlicker]

There was a recent article in the NY Times titled "When Is a Star Not Always a Star? When It’s an Online Review."* The gist is that some online reviews are manipulated and regulation is ineffective.

I'm inclined to look first at Wirecutter, America's Test Kitchen YouTube Channel, and Serious Eats.

Who you trust for reliable information?

*Link included despite known paywall.

[ScottinPollock]

I like ATK. I have had good tips and not so good tips from them. Their supermarket item reviews are pretty good in general, but their recipes/techniques are hit and miss to me.

Wirecutter and I don't align well with stuff I really know (tech), so I don't pay much attention to them for anything else.

Although I am not a gadget guy, I enjoy Esther Choi's and SortedFood's YouTube channels for their tests (which pretty much confirm most are unnecessary).

As far as sites that just do reviews, most are click-baity and really don't use the products extensively enough to discover their shortcomings. So to me it is just another person's opinion at best (unless they have real world test data - and that they present it in their review).

There are a lot of good, thorough reviews out there, but it is rare I find them on sites that exist solely (or mostly) for reviews. Those sites seem to be more about subjective impressions than explaining methodology and presenting data.

As always YMMV. (c;

[Silversage]

The first place I check is Serious Eats. I nearly always trust Kenji and the rest of that crew.



If I can't find anything there, I check America's Test Kitchen, but they almost pick All-Clad and Cuisinart, no matter what the product. Not surprisingly, even though they say they have no paid advertisers, they always begin the show with "Funding provided by", and mention All-Clad and Cuisinart, along with a couple others. In my book, that's the same as paying for the ads & recommendations. I take their devotion to those 2 brands with a grain of salt.

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by skilletlicker

There was a recent article in the NY Times titled "When Is a Star Not Always a Star? When It’s an Online Review."* The gist is that some online reviews are manipulated and regulation is ineffective.

I'm inclined to look first at Wirecutter, America's Test Kitchen YouTube Channel, and Serious Eats.

Who you trust for reliable information?

*Link included despite known paywall.

I'm not totally clear on the question. Information about what? Recipes, kitchen equipment, other? I use a lot of different sources for different purposes.

[taxlady]

I thought this was going to be about the reviews on Amazon and similar. Some of those reviews are from bots. This site can help figure out if many of the reviews are from bots or if most are from real people.

Fakespot

[skilletlicker]

Originally Posted by taxlady

I thought this was going to be about the reviews on Amazon and similar. Some of those reviews are from bots. This site can help figure out if many of the reviews are from bots or if most are from real people.

Fakespot

The article does discuss that problem, mentioning Fakespot, and quoting it's COO.

[taxlady]

Originally Posted by skilletlicker

The article does discuss that problem, mentioning Fakespot, and quoting it's COO.

I must have been half asleep when I read it. I missed that part or forgot that I read it. I have been using Fakespot for a while now.

[jennyema]

Reviews are different than information