Editorial Standards

These are the standards every Small Engine Lab article is held to.

They cover accuracy, independence, transparency, corrections and updates.

Accuracy

Every fact must trace back to a source we can link. Specs come from manufacturers. Rules and data come from the agency or standard that publishes them.

When our general advice differs from your owner’s manual, the manual wins. We say that plainly in our articles.

If we calculate a number ourselves, we say so and show how. If the evidence is thin or sources disagree, we tell you.

Independence

We don’t accept payment for coverage, reviews or rankings. Affiliate programs never decide which products we include or how we rank them.

If we ever publish sponsored content, it will be labeled as sponsored at the top of the page. If a company sends us a product, the review will say so.

Transparency

Every article shows who wrote it and when it was last updated. Every article ends with a list of its sources.

Reviews state what evidence they’re based on. Our full process is on the How We Research page.

Do We Use AI Tools?

We may use software, including AI tools, to organize research, check math or edit for clarity.

AI is never treated as a source of facts. Every factual statement must link to a published source, and a person is responsible for everything we publish.

Corrections Policy

We fix errors quickly. If a correction changes the meaning of an article, like a wrong oil capacity or mix ratio, we add a dated note at the end explaining what changed.

Small fixes like typos and broken links are made without a note. To report an error, contact us and include your source if you have one.

How Often Are Articles Updated?

We recheck articles when manufacturers update their manuals and when rules change, such as federal rules on E15 gasoline.

The “Updated” date on each article shows its last full review.

Contact

Questions about these standards? Reach us through our contact page. Small Engine Lab is edited by Praise Sabastine.