Methodology
How we test
This page is the contract. Every review on VanTested is produced by the process below, and if one ever isn't, that review will say so at the top. Audit us against this page: it is the entire basis on which a new site asks for your trust.
The instrument bench
Claims on a spec sheet are inputs, not conclusions. These are the tools that check them:
| Instrument | What it settles | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Watt-hour logger | DC energy consumption over time: the fridge overnight-draw number | In hand |
| DC clamp meter | Instantaneous current draw, inrush, BMS ceiling verification | In hand |
| Decibel meter | Noise at fixed distance and height, per speed setting | Ordering |
| Anemometer | Actual airflow (CFM) for vent fans vs the brochure number | Ordering |
| Thermocouple logger | Pull-down curves, ambient control, heater output mapping | Ordering |
| CO monitor (low-level) | Combustion appliance safety checks, always outdoors first | Ordering |
| IR thermometer | Hot spots on wiring, compressors, and heat exchangers | In hand |
Status is live and honest. We publish nothing that depends on an instrument we don't have yet.
The process, in order
- Buy. Unit purchased at retail with our own money, receipt archived. Manufacturer samples are accepted only with zero pre-publication rights and get a disclosure badge on the review.
- Log the baseline. Unboxing on camera, serial recorded, stock condition documented. If a dispute ever happens, the chain of custody exists.
- Write the protocol first. The test plan is written and published before results exist, so we cannot quietly move the goalposts after the data lands.
- Test. Standardized conditions, instruments listed above, raw data files archived. Every number in the review traces to a log.
- Score. Scored against the published rubric for its category. Price is scored separately from performance so a cheap unit can be honest about being slow.
- Keep running it. Tested units go into service in the shop and the van. Months-in-service counts on every review. Six-month re-tests are standard.
- Update or bury. If a unit fails, the review changes the week it happens and the product goes on the Fail Wall with the warranty outcome. Reviews carry a visible last-verified date and changelog.
Scoring
Each category gets a published rubric before its first review ships: what we measure, how it's weighted, and what a 10 requires. Scores are comparable within a category, never across categories. A 9 for a fridge says nothing about a heater.
Two things are never inputs to a score: whether a link pays us a commission, and whether the unit was a sample. The disclosure block on every review lets you check that claim against the score yourself.
Safety and standards
Electrical and combustion content on this site cites the relevant standards (ABYC E-11, NEC where applicable) and errs on the side of the more conservative practice. Combustion appliances are tested outdoors before they are ever run in an enclosed space, with low-level CO monitoring. When a topic needs a licensed professional, the article says so plainly instead of pretending a blog post is a substitute.
Corrections
Found an error, in a number or a method? Email us and we'll check it against the raw data. Corrections are published in the review changelog, not silently patched.