Update Policy

Regular Update Cycle

Filter Tested operates on a structured content update schedule:

• Product Reviews: Updated every 90 days (quarterly)
• Buying Guides & Comparison Articles: Updated every 120 days
• Informational/How-To Content: Updated every 180 days, or sooner if regulatory changes occur
• Policy Pages: Reviewed annually

Every article displays a "Last Updated" date at the top of the page. This date reflects the most recent time the content was substantively reviewed and updated.

Triggers for Immediate Updates

Certain events trigger an immediate update outside the normal cycle:

Price Changes

A price change of 20% or more (up or down) triggers an immediate recalculation of the Cost & Value score. Smaller price changes are accumulated and addressed during the next scheduled update.

Product Discontinuation

When a manufacturer discontinues a product we have reviewed, we update the article immediately to note the discontinuation and direct readers to currently available alternatives.

New Certifications

If a product earns a new NSF/ANSI certification or other relevant accreditation, we update the review to reflect this and recalculate the Certification Coverage score.

Safety Recalls

Safety recalls issued by manufacturers, the CPSC, or other regulatory bodies trigger an immediate update. The review is updated with recall details and the product is removed from recommendations until the recall is resolved.

User-Reported Defects

If multiple readers report the same defect or reliability issue, we investigate and update the review if the pattern is confirmed.

How We Document Updates

Every article includes a changelog section that records:

• The date of the update
• A brief description of what was changed
• Whether the change was material (affected scores or recommendations)

This allows readers to track how our assessments evolve over time.

Material vs. Minor Changes

We classify updates into two categories:

• Material Changes: Updates that affect a product's score, rating tier, or our recommendation. These include score recalculations, recommendation reversals, and safety-related updates. Material changes are prominently noted at the top of the article.
• Minor Changes: Updates that improve accuracy without changing conclusions. These include broken link fixes, typo corrections, formatting improvements, and minor specification clarifications. Minor changes are logged in the changelog only.

Last Updated Dates

Every page on Filter Tested displays a "Last Updated" date. This date reflects the most recent substantive review of the content, not the original publication date. If a page has not been updated since publication, the publication date is displayed instead.

If you believe a page is outdated, please contact us and we will prioritize it for review.