How I find products worth showing you

Most "viral product" videos show whatever is new or whatever pays the most. I do the opposite: I start with what people already buy and keep, and work backwards from the problems they're trying to solve.

1. Start with a real problem

Every pick starts as a problem, not a product: cabinets full of lids that don't match, a desk buried in cables, a phone sliding off the dashboard. If I can't say the problem in one sentence, the product doesn't make the cut.

2. Check that lots of people already buy it

Amazon shows how many times many products were bought in the past month. I look for products that sell steadily, month after month, rather than ones with a single spike. Steady sales usually mean the product does its job and people tell their friends.

3. Read the bad reviews first

Five-star reviews tell you what a product is supposed to do. One-, two- and three-star reviews tell you what goes wrong. I look for patterns: the same broken hinge, the same "smaller than expected," the same "stopped working after a month." One complaint is noise; ten saying the same thing is a deal-breaker.

4. Look for the measurement trap

A surprising number of returns come from size, not quality. A drawer organizer that's half an inch too wide or a monitor arm that doesn't clamp onto a thick desk is still a bad buy. That's why my guides always tell you what to measure before you order.

5. Be honest about what I know

Some products I own and use. Many I haven't. When I haven't used something, I won't pretend I have. I'll tell you what the research shows and what to check yourself. My videos use an AI voiceover, and they're labeled that way.

What I skip

• Products with fake-looking review patterns, like lots of short five-star reviews posted in the same week.
• Anything where safety depends on a cheap part, such as off-brand batteries with no listed certifications.
• Products I'd only recommend because the commission is high.

If you think I got one wrong, tell me. Corrections make the guides better for everyone.