This page sets out the editorial rules every guide on Ember & Exit follows: how picks are chosen, how we label claims, how we make money, how we use AI, and how we update and correct guides. How we research products, and where our information comes from, is on How We Research.
Editorial standards
How picks are chosen
- Fit for a specific job. Each pick is chosen for the job the article names (a ladder that fits a deep third-floor sill, an alarm for a hallway outside bedrooms), and only on how well it fits that job.
- Commissions don’t set the order. Whether a link earns anything, and how much, plays no part in which products we include or how we rank them.
- The less expensive option wins a close call. When two products fit the job about equally well, the one in the lower price tier ranks higher, unless we explain why not.
- Vague safety claims don’t qualify. A product whose only evidence is marketing language is left out. A maker’s claim to meet a named standard can qualify, labeled Maker states. Listed products outrank maker claims.
Independence
- We accept no paid placements. No brand can pay to be included or ranked higher.
- No manufacturer or seller reviews our articles before they go up.
Research-based, not hands-on tested
Every guide is research-based. We do no hands-on testing and no lab work, and we don’t present our research as test results. Picks rest on official guidance (NFPA, USFA, CPSC and Ready.gov), published standards and specifications, and maker documentation such as manuals and spec sheets. The details are on How We Research.
How we label claims
When a guide reports a product claim, it says where the claim comes from, using these labels:
- Listed: a third-party listing (UL, or Intertek’s ETL mark) that we found in the lister’s own directory. We note the date we checked.
- Maker states: the manufacturer’s own claim, including a claim to meet a named standard. It hasn’t been verified independently.
- Seller claim: a claim that appears only on an Amazon or other retailer listing.
- Not published: the maker doesn’t publish this spec. We don’t guess or fill the gap.
Guides published before October 21, 2026 may use older wording for the same idea: “Maker claim” (now Maker states); “Marketing language” for wording that names no standard, edition or result; and “Checked against a published standard” for our own desk comparison of a maker’s figures with a standard’s public requirements, which is not a third-party listing.
Affiliate links and prices
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links are marked “(paid link)”: if you buy through one, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Commissions don’t affect which products we include or how we rank them. Details are on our Affiliate Disclosure page.
We don’t list prices, because they change often; the price on the retailer’s site when you buy is the one that applies. We don’t publish star ratings or numeric scores.
How we use AI
Our guides are researched and drafted with the help of AI tools, working from the public sources each guide lists. Each draft then goes through automated checks and a separate editorial pass, which is also AI-assisted. The site owner sets the editorial rules and oversees the process but does not personally fact-check every guide. The full description is on How We Use AI.
Updates
Each guide shows the date it was last updated. We revisit guides when official guidance, standards or product specifications change. When a product we feature is discontinued, we remove it from the guide.
Corrections
If you think something on this site is wrong, tell us through our Contact page: say what’s wrong and how you know (for example, a source, a manual, a recall notice or a product label). We check each report against the original sources.
- Substantive fixes (a wrong spec, listing, safety detail or recommendation) get a visible, dated correction note on the guide and an entry in our Corrections log.
- Typos and small wording slips are fixed without a note.