TrueNorth Tested is an independent product review site written for Canadian households. We buy the products ourselves, live with them for at least three weeks, measure what can be measured, and publish the results — including the parts that make a product look bad.
Why we started
Most reviews you find online are rewritten press releases. They describe the box, quote the spec sheet, and quietly avoid the two or three things that would actually change your decision. Worse, many are written by people who have never plugged the product in.
We started TrueNorth Tested in 2021 after one too many $1,400 purchases that arrived, disappointed, and went back in the box. Canada also gets ignored by a lot of American testing: our homes are smaller, our winters are harder on batteries and seals, our hydro rates are different, and our product availability is not the same. A review written for a Texas suburb does not tell you how a robot vacuum handles road salt tracked in from a February sidewalk.
How we stay independent
- We purchase every unit at retail. No loaners, no gifts, no “review units” that must be returned.
- We do not accept payment for coverage, and brands never see a verdict before publication.
- We earn money through affiliate commissions when you buy through our links. That is the entire business model, and it is disclosed on every review.
- If a product fails our testing, we publish that too — a bad review is more useful to you than no review.
The team
We are five editors and testers spread across four provinces. Between us we have backgrounds in electrical technology, professional cleaning, audio calibration and consumer research. You can read the full methodology on our How We Test page.
Marguerite Thibault — Editor-in-Chief
Montréal. Twelve years covering consumer technology. Responsible for final sign-off on every score we publish.
Daniel Okafor — Senior Testing Editor, Power & Outdoor
Calgary. Certified electrical technologist. Has installed more than 40 home backup systems.
Priya Raghunathan — Home & Appliances Lead
Toronto. Former owner of a residential cleaning company. 900+ hours of floor-care testing.
Liam Chen — Audio & AV Reviewer
Vancouver. Sound engineer and display calibrator. Measures everything in lux and decibels.
Sarah Whitfield — Research & Data Editor
Halifax. Verifies every specification, price and warranty claim before publication.
How to reach us
Corrections, questions and disagreements are welcome: [email protected]. We read everything, and we publish corrections when we get something wrong.