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What We Actually Do
We are a research and comparison site, not a laboratory, and we think it is more useful to say that plainly than to imply a test bench that does not exist. Our verdicts are built from five kinds of evidence: manufacturer specifications, verified product listings, UK size availability, safety documentation and brand track record. When we state a spec on any page (the material, the size run, the connection type), it comes from the maker's own live listing, checked on the date shown at the top of that page. Where a listing does not state something, we say so and point you to the current listing rather than filling the gap with a guess.
We also restrict coverage to products actually sold to UK addresses with UK plugs and UK bed sizes, from brands with a verifiable company footprint. You can see the whole process applied in our guide to the best grounding sheets in the UK.
The Five Scoring Criteria
Each product score out of 5 is a weighted blend of five criteria. The weights are fixed across the site, so a sheet and a mat are judged by the same standard.
| Criterion | Weight | What We Look At |
|---|---|---|
| Materials and build quality | 30% | Conductive thread type (silver or stainless steel), base fabric, and how the connection point is made |
| UK size availability | 20% | Genuine UK bed sizes, from Single to Super King and beyond, with a UK 3-pin connection as standard |
| Safety features | 20% | Inline resistors in the lead (commonly around 100k ohm) and connection designs that use only the earth pin |
| Care and washing demands | 15% | How demanding the care routine is, and whether the maker gives clear guidance on bleach and fabric softener |
| Brand track record and buyer protections | 15% | Trading history, company registration, guarantees, returns policies, and selling direct rather than through marketplaces |
Scores are editorial judgements against these criteria, not measurements, and they are set before any affiliate link is added to a page.
Why Health Outcomes Are Not Scored
You will notice that "does it improve your health" is not one of the five criteria, and that is deliberate. The research base for grounding is a small collection of pilot studies: the most widely cited sleep study, published in 2004 in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, had 12 subjects, and several foundational papers share authors with links to grounding product companies. The Cleveland Clinic describes the evidence as preliminary and limited. If we scored products on health claims, we would be laundering weak evidence into product marketing, and that is exactly the habit we set this site up to avoid.
So we score what can be checked (materials, sizes, safety design, care, track record) and we cover the research separately and honestly in our review of the grounding studies. Grounding is a complementary wellness practice, not a treatment. It is not an NHS-recommended treatment for any condition, and if you have a health concern, please speak to your GP rather than shopping for bedding.
Independence and Affiliate Links
Three rules keep the scoring honest. First, there are no paid placements on this site: no brand can buy a position, a badge or a score. Second, no brand sees a verdict, a draft or a ranking before publication. Third, affiliate links never change rankings: we decide the order of a page first, then add links where programmes exist, and a product from a brand with no affiliate programme is treated identically to one with a generous commission. The full detail of how we earn is in our affiliate disclosure, and who we are is on our about page.
Updates and Corrections
Product ranges, sizes and guarantees change, so our money pages (the roundups and brand reviews) are re-checked against the current listings quarterly. The "Last updated" date on each page is real: it changes when the substance of the page changes, not as a cosmetic refresh.
If you spot an error, a dead link or a spec that no longer matches the maker's listing, email [email protected]. We check every report against the source, correct genuine errors promptly, and note material corrections on the affected page.
Sources
- Ghaly M, Teplitz D (2004). "The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep as measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain, and stress." Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 10(5):767-776. doi:10.1089/acm.2004.10.767. Pilot study, 12 subjects, 8 weeks: an example of the small samples behind grounding research.
- Cleveland Clinic, "Grounding" overview, health.clevelandclinic.org: describes grounding research as limited and preliminary, and calls for larger studies.