Android Police has been the go-to resource for Android news since 2010, and gradually over our lifetime, we’ve begun using our expertise to recommend products and services to you that our team of experts believe will make your life better. We promise you, our readers, that our coverage will always remain independent with honest opinions from our team of experts all around the globe.
Whether it’s the latest Android phones or smart home products, a new Chromebook, or a new pair of earbuds, we always pick the right expert to trial the products for us. We also give every product a fair shot throughout our review process. These rules also apply to our Buyer’s Guide coverage. We use these rules to ensure we’re recommending the absolute best products that are perfect for your needs.
Our promise to our readers
- We’re never compensated for reviews, ever. While we receive product samples to review, we never accept payment for reviews and don’t allow companies to compromise our independence.
- Sponsored posts will always be clearly marked at the top of the article, so you can rest assured you're reading independent content.
- We thoroughly test every product we review. It’s important we use every product we review how our readers will in order to deliver the best recommendations. We spend at least a week using each product day-in and day-out to get a good feel for them before sharing our thoughts.
- We’re always selective in what we decide to review. It’s important that we select products that you, the reader, want to see tested. If we decide to review something, it’s because we see its value for our audience.
- We’ll always tell you exactly how we feel about a product. If something is terrible, you’ll know it. If something is amazing, you’ll know that, too. But even terrible products can have redeeming qualities, and great products can have downsides. We’ll always ensure that you get a rounded view of everything we test.
- We’re always trying to improve. If we fall short on our promises laid out here, or you just have a great idea to share for how we could do better, reach out to our Editor-in-Chief James Peckham to share your thoughts. He’s always willing to listen to your feedback.
Our review scoring system
Our scoring system runs from zero through to 10 out of 10. You’ll rarely see us award that top score, but the truth is it’s very rare you’ll find the absolute perfect tech product that deserves that almighty result. Below is an overview of our scoring system:
- 1-2: Do not buy these products. They’re not worth your time, and you’ll only feel you’ve wasted your money.
- 3-4: This product has some merits, but it largely doesn’t meet our expectations. It may be suitable for some people with specific use cases, but be sure to read our review thoroughly to know all of its faults before purchasing.
- 5-6: If a product scores around here, these are good choices that do what the manufacturer claims, and in some areas, they may impress us further. Be sure to read our coverage thoroughly to know why it didn’t score higher.
- 7-8: If you spot a review with this score, you’ll be making a sensible decision for your next purchase. There may be drawbacks that mean the product hasn’t scored higher, but these will be suitable for what you need, and they may occasionally exceed our expectations, too.
- 9-10: These products are the absolute best of the best. They may not be total perfection for everyone, but they consistently exceed our expectations. If a review scores this, you should seriously consider buying it.
Our review awards explained
Here at Android Police, we have four awards we present to the products that stand out from the competition. Here, we’ll explain the definition of each, and what each means to you. The short answer is, if you spot one of the following logos on Android Police, we heartily recommend it.
Editor’s Choice
The Android Police Editor’s Choice award is our prestigious pick that only goes to the very best products on the market. If we love a product wholeheartedly, it will get our Editor’s Choice award. That doesn’t necessarily mean it’s perfect in every way, but it stands out among the rest of the competition, and we want you to consider adding it to your tech arsenal. We don’t give our Editor’s Choice award lightly, so if you spot it on a product at Android Police, you’ll know it has our seal of approval.
Best Value
The Best Value title is Android Police’s way of pointing you in the right direction of the absolute top picks if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to the best products. We give this award to gadgets that are particularly great for the price. Expect to see this award in our reviews of the very best cheap Android phones, cheap Android tablets, and many other devices. If we want to tell you that one cheaper product stands out, we’ll put the Best Value logo on it.
Staff Pick
Sometimes we want to sing about products that aren’t necessarily the very best or the top cheap option. When that happens we give them the Staff Pick award. These are choices that may not necessarily be the best money can buy, but we love them wholeheartedly and we want you to know that. If you spot the Staff Pick logo, you know it’s something that reviewer truly loves.
Innovation Award
The Innovation Award at Android Police is a little different from the three review awards, and we will sometimes give this award outside of our normal review process. This is when we want to highlight a particular innovation that stands out in consumer technology. If a particular product, service, application, or game does something truly groundbreaking, we use the Innovation Award to let you know how important we think it is.
You'll find all of the products we've given our awards to here.
Our reviews team
Android Police is a global team of writers with many years of experience reviewing consumer tech gadgets. The Android Police team is focused on providing an easy-to-read, in-depth, and honest review or Buyer's Guide for you. Our team has varying levels of expertise, but we have experts in the world of smartphones, tablets, Chromebooks, audio, fitness, smart home, and every other topic that we cover.
For example, top-end smartphone reviews are usually handled by our Phones Editor Will Sattelberg, while reviews of the latest earbuds are often handled by our Gadgets Editor Taylor Kerns. Then we have a whole team of writers who help out with other reviews to ensure we give you a full look at all of the products available. Everyone on the Android Police team has a specialism and a core interest, so we try to ensure those people take the reviews for each category they care most about to ensure you get expertise in our criticism.
If you want to know more about the Android Police team, please visit our Meet the Team page.