Editorial & Review Policy
This page explains exactly how products get onto this site, how they are scored, and what would get one removed. It is here so you can judge the rankings rather than trust them.
How a Configuration Gets Considered
A configuration is eligible if it is:
- A freestanding aluminum louvered pergola — not wall-mounted, not fabric, not fixed-roof
- Available to buy in the United States without a commercial account
- Supported by a published specification sheet stating, at minimum, alloy grade and a wind rating
- Backed by a stated warranty on both frame and mechanism
A product that cannot produce a specification sheet does not get ranked, regardless of price or commission.
How the Spec Score Is Built
Four components, weighted equally:
- Build — alloy grade and temper, wall thickness where published, post-to-base connection type, louver retention method, coating specification.
- Coverage — usable covered area relative to footprint and price, and headroom below the louver bank.
- Automation — motor count relative to span, control methods, IP rating, presence of manual override, availability of rain sensing.
- Value — the three above, priced against the researched market range for that configuration class.
The overall score is the mean of the four. It is a spec score, not a satisfaction rating, and it should be read as “how well documented and specified is this configuration”, not “how happy will you be”.
What We Deliberately Exclude
- Star-rating averages. Review volume in this category is too low for an average to carry signal, and too easy to influence.
- Brand reputation. Rebadging is common enough that brand tells you less than the extrusion spec does.
- Commission rate. It plays no part in ranking. Where two configurations score within 0.2 of each other, the tie is broken on warranty length, not on what pays better.
How Prices Are Stated
Prices on this site are researched market ranges for a configuration class, not live quotes for a single SKU. They are stated as ranges precisely because the same footprint spans a wide price band depending on alloy, motor count and warranty. Always confirm current pricing with the retailer — a price on a research page is a planning figure, not an offer.
What Gets a Pick Removed
- A published specification turns out to be unsupportable when questioned
- A warranty term is quietly shortened
- The manufacturer stops supplying engineering documentation for permitting
- A pattern of unresolved failures emerges in the mechanism
- The product is discontinued or becomes unavailable in the US
Review Cadence
Every page carries a “last reviewed” date. Money pages are re-checked against current specifications and pricing at least twice a year, and immediately when a manufacturer notifies us of a change. Guides are re-checked annually or when a code requirement changes.
Conflicts of Interest
This site earns affiliate commissions on qualifying purchases. That is a conflict, and pretending otherwise would be worse than naming it. It is managed by ranking on documents rather than impressions, by publishing this method, and by declining paid placement outright. No manufacturer has been given advance sight of a ranking, and none has paid for one.
If you believe a ranking on this site is wrong, say so. Specific, checkable objections get a correction and a date stamp.