Us coffee nerds are forever searching for the best grinder / espresso machine / French press / other gadget for our passion. So asking for recommendations is for many users a logical approach.
- We don’t accept blank “what is the best X” questions and close them ans opinion-based.
- When a questioner gives a clear set of criteria (a grinder that’s quiet enough for a cubicle, bean-to cup machines that can handle two types of coffee), we will allow them, accepting that answers listing a certain model may be outdated at some point.
But:
Some of these questions attract answers that follow the pattern “Get a [product name], it’s the best on [some website that compares five models and looks pretty spammy otherwise].” - no why, no description of the critical features, not even a personal experience.
I know there are some very good blogs etc., whose authors really have a lot of knowledge and dedicate time and effort into reviewing their gadgets, so linking to them can actually support a recommendation. But some are blatantly advertising garnished with some wishy-washy text.
I therefore suggest:
Questions asking for product recommendations must list the intended use case and the critical feature(s), the more details the better.
Answers must
- Either be based on personal experience (the poster has used or at least tried out the mentioned product) and explain why the recommended product fulfills the asker’s needs, optionally, also explain any drawbacks.
- Or support the recommendation with a source that primarily focuses on the products over advertising and post reviews that are qualified, detailed and based on good criteria. The site should show general knowledge and passion for the topic (ideally for making coffee, for some products, cooking or similar can also be good) and must label affiliate links clearly.
Answers that just link to some questionable site (“The ten best XYZ of 2020 - buy here” should be considered spam and treated accordingly.
