How George Tests Tools

ToolShed Tested publishes two kinds of guides, and every article tells you which one you are reading.

1. Hands-on tested by George

These articles carry a green Hands-on tested by George badge under the headline. George bought the tools himself and used them in his home shop in North Carolina on ordinary projects: drilling, driving, cutting and assembly work around the house and shop.

• He uses the tool on real work, not a staged demo.
• He notes what he liked, what annoyed him and who he thinks the tool suits.
• The article reports his observations as observations. It does not publish lab-style numbers unless he actually measured them.
• Manufacturers do not pay for coverage or see articles before they are published.

2. Research-based guides

Most guides on the site have no badge. They are research-based: George compares manufacturer specifications, manuals, warranty terms, current Amazon listings and patterns in owner feedback, then picks the models that fit each kind of buyer. These guides do not claim he has used every model.

• Every product links to its exact Amazon listing, checked against the model number.
• Prices are never printed, because they change daily. Use the button to see the current price.
• Each guide shows when it was last updated and what its picks are based on.

How we keep it honest

The badge appears only when the article's record says George used the tools. If a guide mixes tools he has used with ones he has not, it stays research-based until he has used the main picks. See also the editorial policy and affiliate disclosure.