How we Test at My Kitchen Sage
Every recommendation on this site is earned, not gifted.
Here’s exactly what goes into every review and recipe before it reaches you.
REAL
Kitchen Test
ZERO
Paid Placements
100%
Honest Opinions
EVERY
Recipe Made By Hand
If it’s on this site, it’s been through
the actual kitchen.
The internet is full of gear reviews written off a spec sheet and recipes that were never actually cooked. I’ve been on the wrong end of both – bought a pan because a blog raved about it, watched it warp in three weeks. Followed a “foolproof” recipe that nobody had apparently proofed. I started My Kitchen Sage because I wanted something different: a site where every single recommendation is backed by genuine, hands-on experience.
This page explains exactly how I test – the gear reviews, the recipes, and everything in between. No shortcuts, no sponsored opinions dressed up as honest ones, no padding. Just the process.
The Testing Process
From first use to final verdict
I buy it myself.
Unless clearly disclosed, every product reviewed on My Kitchen Sage is purchased with my own money at full retail price. No freebies in exchange for favourable coverage. No exceptions.
Extended real-world use.
I don’t write a review after one use. Gear is used across multiple cooking sessions over weeks – sometimes months – before I feel confident giving a verdict. If it holds up, I’ll say so. If it doesn’t, I’ll say that too.
Consistent criteria.
Every product in the same category is evaluated against the same set of criteria – so comparisons are fair and apples-to-apples. You’ll find those criteria below for each category.
Cross-checked against real feedback.
My experience is one data point. I also review verified customer feedback from trusted sources to check whether my experience aligns with what others are finding – and flag any patterns I notice.
Reviews are updated.
Products change. Prices change. Better alternatives come out. I revisit reviews regularly and update them when something material has changed – you’ll always see a “Last Tested” date at the top of every gear review.
Honest even when it hurts.
If something I bought disappointed me, I write that up too. A guide that only recommends things it loves isn’t a guide – it’s an ad. You’ll find honest cons in every review, not just glossed-over quibbles.
Evaluation Criteria
What I look for in Kitchen Gear
Performance
Does it do what it claims to do, consistently, over time? This is always the first and most important question. A beautiful pan that sticks is useless. A dull knife that holds an edge is worth every penny.
Build Quality & Durability
How does it feel in the hand? Does it show signs of wear after regular use? I pay attention to joints, handles, coatings, and materials – the things that give away whether something is built to last or built to look good on a shelf.
Ease of use & cleaning
Real kitchens are busy. If a piece of gear is a nightmare to clean or awkward to use daily, that matters – even if the performance is excellent. I factor in the full ownership experience, not just the cooking part.
Value for money
I review products across price ranges. Expensive doesn’t always mean better, and budget doesn’t always mean bad. I assess whether the price is justified relative to the performance and alternatives available..
Sustainability & materials
Where relevant – especially for storage, utensils, and cookware – I consider what the product is made of, whether it’s plastic-free, PFOA-free, or made from sustainably sourced materials. This increasingly matters to me.
Storage & practicality
A kitchen gadget that takes up half a bench but gets used once a month is a problem. I consider size, storage requirements, and whether something genuinely earns its space in a real working kitchen.
How Recipes Get Tested & Published
Every recipe on My Kitchen Sage is cooked in my actual Melbourne home kitchen – on a standard domestic stove, with ingredients available from a regular supermarket, by someone who isn’t a trained chef. That’s the point.
I test recipes multiple times before they go up. The first cook is exploratory. The second is refinement. By the third, I’m looking for the failure points – what could go wrong for someone making this for the first time – and fixing them so you don’t have to find out the hard way.
Where I adapt a traditional or world cuisine recipe, I research the original carefully and am transparent about what I’ve changed and why. I don’t flatten recipes into something unrecognisable. If a dish requires a specific technique or ingredient that actually matters, I’ll tell you – and explain how to get it right.
Timing is real timing. If a recipe says 25 minutes, that’s how long it took me, not a guess. Prep times include peeling, chopping, and measuring – not just the cooking.
On transparency & affiliates
You deserve to know how this works.
My Kitchen Sage participates in the Amazon Associates programme and may include affiliate links in gear reviews. This means I earn a small commission if you purchase through a link, at no extra cost to you.
This never influences my recommendations. I only link to products I have personally used and would genuinely recommend to a friend. If a product I reviewed didn’t make the cut, it doesn’t get a link – regardless of what it pays.
If a brand ever sends me a product for review, I will clearly disclose this at the top of that post. My opinions remain my own. A free product does not buy a positive review on this site.