Last updated: April 1, 2026
The Short Version
Heaters Tested earns affiliate commissions when readers purchase products through links on our site. This is how we keep the site free. It does not influence which products we rank highest. Our rankings are determined by our published methodology, not commission rates.
What Is an Affiliate Link?
An affiliate link is a special URL that tracks when a reader clicks through and makes a purchase. When a purchase happens, the retailer pays the referring site (us) a small commission — usually a percentage of the sale. The price you pay is identical whether you use our link or go to the retailer directly.
Programs We Participate In
Heaters Tested participates in several affiliate programs, including:
- Amazon Associates Program
- Home Depot Affiliate Program
- Lowe's Affiliate Program
- Direct affiliate partnerships with select home heating brands
- Affiliate networks including Impact, Commission Junction, and Rakuten
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
How This Affects Rankings (It Doesn't)
This is the most important section of this disclosure: affiliate commissions do not influence our rankings. Here's how we ensure this:
- Scoring criteria are defined before any product is evaluated.
- Editors do not have access to commission rates when scoring products.
- We rank products that don't pay any commission alongside products that do.
- Our senior reviewers check every ranking against the published methodology.
- If a top-ranked heater has no affiliate program, we still link to where it can be purchased — even if we earn nothing.
What Commissions Pay For
Affiliate revenue funds:
- Heater purchases for hands-on use at home (we buy most products at retail price)
- Editorial salaries for writers, fact-checkers, and editors
- Heating and energy advisory fees
- Web hosting, design, and technical infrastructure
- Ongoing long-term use across real homes and living situations
What Commissions Don't Affect
- Which heaters and thermostats we choose to review
- How products are scored
- The order of our rankings
- Whether we publish negative findings
Free Products & Review Samples
Brands sometimes provide free review samples. When this happens:
- We disclose it in the relevant article
- Receiving a sample does not guarantee inclusion in any review
- Receiving a sample does not influence the score we assign
- We do not return samples — they are used in our homes over the full review period, then donated or retained for ongoing comparison
Sponsored Content
We do not currently publish sponsored content alongside editorial reviews. If we ever do, it will be clearly labeled "Sponsored" or "Advertisement" and visually separated from our editorial content. Sponsored content will never appear in our ranking comparisons.
FTC Compliance
This disclosure is provided in accordance with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising and the FTC's "Disclosures 101 for Social Media Influencers" guidance.
Questions?
Questions about our affiliate relationships, commission structure, or how this affects a specific review? Email hello@heaterstested.com — we'll answer honestly.