How We Score
Every product on HealthIndex carries a single number from 0 to 10. It’s a shorthand for one question: how good a buy is this, right now, for the person it’s built for? The score blends five weighted dimensions into one figure so you can compare across brands at a glance, then dig into the pros, cons, and spec sheet on each product page.
Scores are editorial. We apply the same rubric to every brand — including brands whose affiliate programs pay us nothing, or that we haven’t joined at all. No brand can pay for a higher score or better placement. See our affiliate disclosure for how that independence is maintained.
What goes into a score
Value for money
30%How the price compares to directly competing products with similar specs — and how big the gap is between the cheapest retailer we track and full MSRP. A capable device at a fair price scores higher than a marginally better one that costs twice as much.
Performance & specs
25%The measurable stuff on each product’s spec sheet: output and intensity, capacity and size, coverage, materials, and the technology that actually drives results in its category (far- vs near-infrared, pressure ratings, filtration stages, and so on).
Build quality
20%Materials, construction, and how well the unit holds up over time. We weigh documented durability, serviceability, and the kinds of failures owners report against the price tier the product is competing in.
Brand & support
15%Warranty length and terms, the manufacturer’s track record, and the quality of customer support. A long, honored warranty and a brand that stands behind its product de-risk a large purchase and lift the score.
Real-world fit
10%Who the product is genuinely right for. A travel-friendly unit that nails portability or a clinic-grade machine built for heavy daily use earns credit for excelling at its intended job rather than being judged against every other product in the category.
Weights are guidelines, not a rigid formula. Where a dimension barely applies to a category, its weight is redistributed across the others so the final number stays meaningful within that category.
What the number means
Best-in-class. Leads its category on value, performance, or both — what we’d buy ourselves.
A strong, confident recommendation with only minor trade-offs.
Solid and worth considering, usually with one or two clear compromises noted in the review.
Has a real audience — often a budget or niche pick — but read the cons before buying.
We don’t list products that score below 6 — if something isn’t worth a reader’s money in its category, we leave it off rather than pad the catalog.
The badges next to a score
Alongside the number you’ll sometimes see a short label. These are editorial designations that summarize why a product stands out, layered on top of the underlying score:
The best overall choice in its category, balancing every dimension.
The strongest price-to-performance ratio — most capability per dollar.
The lowest-cost way in, with trade-offs we spell out honestly.
A dependable option that clears our bar without leading the pack.
A situational standout — the right call for a specific use case even if it isn’t the category winner.
Keeping it honest
- The same rubric is applied to every product, partner brand or not.
- Affiliate commissions never raise a score or move a product up a list.
- Scores and prices are reviewed periodically; the seller’s checkout page is always the authoritative source for the live price.
- Found something that looks off? Tell us at hello@healthindex.app and we’ll re-check it.
Ready to put the scores to work?
Browse scored products