At Consumer Lens, we test, compare, and review everyday household products using a consistent set of performance-based criteria. Our rankings are designed to be clear, transparent, and genuinely useful — whether you’re looking for the most effective product or the most sustainable alternative.
We don’t just rely on branding or buzzwords. Every product is evaluated using real-world feedback, ingredient transparency, value metrics, and consumer experience. Here’s how it works:
Core Ranking Formats
We use three types of rankings, each with slightly different scoring priorities:
1. Top 10 Rankings
These lists focus purely on performance. They show you the highest-rated products across the board — regardless of cost or eco credentials.
Scored:
- ✨ Cleaning Power
- 🫧 User Experience
- ⭐ Customer Feedback
Shown (but not scored):
- ♻️ Eco Rating (for transparency)
- 💷 Cost per Use (for value context)
Why: This gives readers a clean list of the best-performing products, without penalising strong options for being less eco-friendly or more expensive.
2. Top 5 Eco Picks
These rankings balance performance with sustainability. Products must meet a minimum cleaning standard, but we also factor in ethical sourcing, packaging, and transparency.
Scored:
- ✨ Cleaning Power
- 🫧 User Experience
- ⭐ Customer Feedback
- ♻️ Eco Rating (full weight in final score)
Shown (but not scored):
- 💷 Cost per Use
Eco Rating is scored in 0.1 increments, and includes:
- Ingredient safety + biodegradability
- Packaging (recycled/recyclable/refillable)
- Certifications (Cruelty-Free, Vegan, EU Ecolabel, etc.)
- Brand transparency + greenwashing risk
Why: These lists are for readers who want to go greener — but still expect high performance.
3. Eco vs Non-Eco Comparisons
These posts offer direct, head-to-head matchups between the best eco and non-eco options in the same format (e.g. liquid vs liquid). They don’t include full Top 10s — just one strong contender from each side.
Scored:
- ✨ Cleaning Power
- 🫧 User Experience
- ⭐ Customer Feedback
Shown (but not scored):
- ♻️ Eco Rating
- 💷 Cost per Use
Why: These are built to answer one clear question: “Can the eco version really compete with the strongest traditional option?”
What We Don’t Score
- Branding or marketing language
- Bottle shape or visuals
- Popularity in stores
- Company size or ownership (not unless it affects transparency)
We focus on results and integrity, not hype.
How Cost Is Handled
Cost per use is shown for context, but never affects the overall score. That’s because pricing varies widely by retailer, and we want to highlight the best-performing products first.
If you’re shopping on a strict budget, look for the 💷 symbol and our “Best Value” picks.
Star Ratings
So what criteria do we use in each category to gather data for our ratings?
✨ Cleaning Power
This score reflects how well a product removes:
- Grease, stains, and dirt (surface cleaners)
- Limescale and toilet build-up (toilet gels)
- Dried-on food and residue (dishwashing products)
- General grime or embedded odours (laundry detergents)
Scoring is based on:
- Editor testing
- Trusted external review sources
- Customer reviews mentioning cleaning effectiveness
🫧 User Experience
This reflects how enjoyable and practical the product is to use, including:
- Scent (pleasant vs overpowering)
- Texture and consistency (thickness, foam, etc.)
- Packaging (ease of use, bottle shape, cap, etc.)
- Any known issues like residue or staining
⭐ Customer Feedback
This score draws on real-world data:
- Verified customer reviews (volume + quality)
- Star ratings across major UK platforms (Amazon, Ethical Superstore, supermarket listings)
- Consistency of feedback over time
♻️ Eco Rating (only scored in eco lists)
Calculated using multiple data points:
- Ingredient safety + biodegradability
- Packaging: recycled content, recyclability, refill options
- Ethical certifications (Vegan Society, Cruelty-Free, EU Ecolabel)
- Transparency on sourcing and ingredients
- Greenwashing risk (vague claims, lack of third-party validation)
Scored from 1.0 to 5.0 in 0.1 increments.
💷 Cost per Use (not scored)
This is calculated based on:
- Average UK retail price (when last reviewed)
- Stated usage guidance or average use per clean (e.g. 30ml per toilet gel application)
- Product size in ml or g
We display this to help readers judge value, but it doesn’t affect the product’s ranking.
Greenwashing Watch
We include a Greenwashing Watch section in eco product lists to flag where brands may:
- Use vague eco claims without verification
- Avoid full ingredient transparency
- Lean on branding instead of substance
Brands aren’t penalised unless this affects performance or ethics — but we believe readers deserve to know when to dig deeper.
UK Focus
All products are tested and ranked based on UK availability and usage. We avoid recommending products that aren’t reliably stocked online or in major retailers.
If you’re reading from outside the UK, treat our rankings as performance guides rather than buying advice.
Still Have Questions?
Drop us a message or check the FAQ blocks in each post. We’re constantly refining our scoring to stay fair, useful, and genuinely independent.
We test it like we use it — because you shouldn’t have to waste time (or money) figuring out what actually works.
Consumers Lens 