Quinn NelsonFeb 18, 2023

Two years ago, we bought Wirecutter’s recommended citrus juicer. It’s widely the highest-rated one on Amazon.

It’s garbage. Utter crap.

Today, I’ve replaced it with the same model I grew up with: a West-German 1965 Braun MPZ1.

My mom got hers in the 90s from my grandma when they moved and it continues to work to this day. I got this one from eBay for $30. Unbelievable torque, excellent plastics, a single lemon tray insert (awesome), and a power cord I ought to replace 😂

Show threadMarco Arment
@snazzyq I’ve found both Wirecutter’s and Amazon’s top picks (often the same products) aren’t reliably the best, or even very good — what it often means is that they’re the cheapest ones that work acceptably, which leaves very little useful guidance when you actually want a really good one.
Feb 19, 2023 at 1:10pmIvory for iOS
Show threadMichaelFeb 19, 2023

@marcoarment @snazzyq I agree, but this is by design — or at least disclosed, to a degree.

Every Wirecutter review describes the “criteria” that guided their decision making. If you agree with their constraints, then it’s probably a good pick.

However, I often weigh criteria differently or have different criteria altogether. I read through and wonder why they didn’t include X or why they care so much about Y.

…which means the whole “evaluation” is worthless.

Show threadChris HasenpflugFeb 19, 2023
@michaelrjohnson @marcoarment @snazzyq would be nice for have the scores for the individual criteria so one can apply their own ranking. Consumer reports does this but not breadth of products.
Show threadEthan WaldmanFeb 19, 2023
@chrishas35 @michaelrjohnson @marcoarment @snazzyq There are other sites that do it way better, but they tend to stay in one category. For example, Outdoor Gear Lab does way better best picks for outdoor products, and they show you a matrix with their ratings across multiple criteria. Then you can choose based on what's important to you. Wirecutter buries it in their longform novel version of the review.
Show threadMatt FerrellFeb 19, 2023
@marcoarment @snazzyq I’ve found the same exact issue. They prioritize cost over a genuinely top tier product.
Show threadBuckFeb 19, 2023
@marcoarment @snazzyq Seems like affiliate marketing penetrating every corner of society has gotten us to this end state. It's enormously frustrating to not know what or who to trust.
Show threadQuinn NelsonFeb 19, 2023
@marcoarment Very often true. There ought to be a Wirecutter alternative for kinda-fancy things when it’s something you care about. Like John’s kitchen gadgets 😂
Show threadJosh BiggsFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment sounds like a collab 😀
Show threadPaulFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment There's always Project Farm on youtube.
Show threadBrandon ChristensonFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment
Maybe call it Top Four or something? 😉
Show threadFoadFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment I’ve completely stopped relying on Wirecutter. Rarely, if ever, has their top recommendation been a good choice. I blame Amazon and how affiliate marketing has taken over. Amazon has also become polluted with Alixpress-sourced products, that are pretty crap quality.
Show threadrusFeb 19, 2023
@foad @snazzyq @marcoarment this is one of the many reasons I've stopped looking for things on Amazon first. I'm willing to spend a little more for quality, but it's really hard to know on Amazon, especially, if you're paying more for quality, or just paying more.
Show threadRobby BarnesFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment like if there was a site that was… hyper critical or something…
Show threadBrent CaswellFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment there should just always be an “upgrade pick”.
Show threadRyan LeggFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment i would subscribe to that in a heartbeat
Show threadPaulFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment Even before NYT Wirecutter has always been really inconsistent about how they weight the importance of price. In electronics, cheap and decent generally makes something a pick. In things like bedding, towels, clothing, and luggage a high price tag is a feature that makes it rise to the top. I’ve completely written them off at this point, but 2023 SEO spamming makes it really tough to find a trust worthy site for general reviews.
Show threadJoshDBFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment Consumer Reports is actually still this for the things they cover, although their scope of products is much narrower.
Show threadDerrick MealiffeFeb 19, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment @omar Omar Shahine’s blog is basically this. (It’s good)
Show threadAaron AntcliffFeb 21, 2023
@snazzyq @marcoarment Before they were acquired by NYT, they used to show cheap, moderate, and what Merlin Mann called “The Wad Shooter option” for folks that really wanted the best quality, most features, etc.
Show threadDrewFeb 19, 2023
@marcoarment @snazzyq what do you feel about consumer reports?
Show threadKevinFeb 20, 2023

@marcoarment @snazzyq Wirecutter's business model creates incentives for 1-click consumerism (I need a juicer, what's one I can buy without regrets?) and doesn't systematically value durability, repairability, power consumption, the carbon footprint of materials or even whether you need to *buy* that thing.

Sometimes reviewers include a line about it but it gets buried below the "this is what you NEED, buy it now" affiliate links.