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1. Embed this notice
   CoffeeGeek (coffeegeek@flipboard.social)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2024 08:39:46 JST CoffeeGeek

   Lance Hedricks shares a video on bias, companies giving machines for reviews, and the small crowd on reddit / forums who think if a machine is provided for review, there must be bias. I have some thoughts.

   cc @espresso @coffee

   /1

   https://youtu.be/Y8T5ARpvnhk?si=eGgwiXB-rAPoURU8

   • Embed this notice
     Sean Bala (seanbala@mas.to)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2024 08:39:40 JST Sean Bala

     in reply to

     @coffeegeek

     Thank you for sharing the process behind your work. I found it enlightening.

     I feel like you can usually tell when a video is biased because they go on and on about the product or service in an unnatural way. But I tend to be trusting.

     Keep up your good work. Glad I found you on Mastodon!

   • Embed this notice
     CoffeeGeek (coffeegeek@flipboard.social)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2024 08:39:43 JST CoffeeGeek

     in reply to

     Even at its peak, the entire income per month at CoffeeGeek was around $7,000 a month. Back then, expenditures were around $6,000 a month. Still not enough to buy equipment for reviews. So we came up with a contract for anyone providing equipment for review. It clearly stated the supplier had no input into the editorial content, and there are no guarantees the product reviews positively.

     Vendors got a) exclusive URL links, and b) 3 mentions in review. That was it. Manufacturers, even less.

     /6

   • Embed this notice
     CoffeeGeek (coffeegeek@flipboard.social)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2024 08:39:43 JST CoffeeGeek

     in reply to

     We still operate under those terms today.

     Some equipment I do buy; especially from the cottage industry, small scale makers who don't have a Breville or La Marzocco budget. In those cases, I ask to pay factory cost / wholesale for equipment. If the small, batch-built manufacturer cannot meet that term, I usually don't acquire that gear for review, because we can't afford to do so.

     /7

   • Embed this notice
     CoffeeGeek (coffeegeek@flipboard.social)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2024 08:39:43 JST CoffeeGeek

     in reply to

     Anyway, a bit of a ramble. Lance is obviously hearing and feeling calls against him for "bias" and posted his video today to address it.

     I've heard "bias" thrown my way for 2 decades, though to be honest, a lot more of it in the last 3 years than the previous 17 combined. People just don't seem to trust any longer. They automatically assume that if you're given a product, you are beholden to the company or there's some kind of back room cash handshake going on.

     /8

   • Embed this notice
     CoffeeGeek (coffeegeek@flipboard.social)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2024 08:39:44 JST CoffeeGeek

     in reply to

     Also a few manufacturers have done the same, after we posted some criticisms of their machines. One I will mention - La Marzocco - ended interaction and involvement with CoffeeGeek after I did the First Look on the La Marzocco Linea Mini. They didn't like that I criticised the paddle group for being just a facsimile of LM's paddle group, instead of a real one.

     That said, many manufacturers, and some vendors feel us doing unbiased reviews is a good thing, even if their products rank poorly.

     /4

   • Embed this notice
     CoffeeGeek (coffeegeek@flipboard.social)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2024 08:39:44 JST CoffeeGeek

     in reply to

     We don't have a patreon account for CoffeeGeek. for 18 of our 21 years online, we did not solicit any "tips" or fund requests from our readers. We don't have an active income source from any social media account (youtube, instagram, etc).

     About 80% of our income is from ads we sell direct to the coffee industry. It's enough to a) pay our bloggers / site admin, b) pay hosting, c) provide about $2K a month income to me.

     It's not enough to buy equipment to review, and never has been.

     /5

   • Embed this notice
     CoffeeGeek (coffeegeek@flipboard.social)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2024 08:39:45 JST CoffeeGeek

     in reply to

     I have published very critical reviews of equipment, as well as very complimentary reviews when the product warrants it.

     What's interesting is what happens after the reviews. Some equipment (usually provided by a vendor) reviews resulted in those vendors ending any advertising or other relationship with CoffeeGeek, because we very fairly criticized a bad product. These companies expected kudos for advertising + product supply, and got honesty.

     /3

   • Embed this notice
     CoffeeGeek (coffeegeek@flipboard.social)'s status on Thursday, 04-Jan-2024 08:39:46 JST CoffeeGeek

     in reply to

     So, we've been reviewing #coffee and #espresso equipment for over 20 years now on CoffeeGeek.

     In that time, about 75% of what we've reviewed has been supplied by either a) a vendor of the equipment, or b) the manufacturer for review.

     Every single time, there is a clear and written agreement between CoffeeGeek and that vendor / manufacturer that they have no say or influence in the outcome of those published reviews. I won't review without that agreement.

     /2