This is for brands that believe their product can hold up under scrutiny. You pay a testing fee. I install it, use it, and publish exactly what I find. No editorial outcome is guaranteed. If it's great, my audience hears about it. If it's not, they hear that too.
MCD Labs is separate from my candid reviews. Candid reviews are products I find and evaluate on my own. Lab reviews are products brands submit and pay to have tested. Both get the same scoring system, the same editorial standard, and the same honesty. The only difference is who initiated the review — and that's always disclosed.
Choose the format. The editorial standard is the same across all three.
Product Lab
Product tested in real conditions for 14–21 days. Full editorial review, 800–1,500 words. Professional photography. Scored on five pillars. Published permanently.
Video Review
Everything in Product Lab, plus full video review. Unboxing, testing, and honest editorial on camera. Distributed across YouTube, Reels, and TikTok.
Head to Head
Your product tested side-by-side against the current category leader. Same conditions, same criteria. One winner. If you're the best, prove it.
Not an influencer unboxing. A scored, structured review from a designer who has specified $28M+ in product across 10,000 rooms. The same eye that evaluates products for clients earning seven figures evaluates yours.
Your review lives on the site as long as the product exists. Evergreen, search-indexed, and structured to rank. This isn't a story that disappears in 24 hours. It's a long-term asset.
Products that score 80+ earn "Mr Call Approved" and graduate to the Source List. That designation carries weight because readers know it can't be purchased. The fee covers testing. The badge is earned.
Email jon@reisdaniel.com
Send your product, category, price point, and timeline. I'll respond within 48 hours about fit and availability.
Agree on a tier
We agree on testing tier. You ship the product and pay the testing fee. The fee covers production, photography, and my time — not the editorial outcome.
Product goes to work
The product is installed and used under normal conditions. No staged photoshoots. No two-hour first impressions. I live with it, and the review reflects that.
You see it first
You see the finished review before it goes live — no surprises. But you don't have editorial approval. The verdict is mine. If it earns 80+, it graduates to the Source List.
You're paying for my time and production costs. You're not paying for a positive review. That distinction is the entire foundation of this platform. My audience trusts these recommendations because they know the verdict can't be bought — and I won't compromise that for any fee.
If your product doesn't perform, the review will say so. You'll receive the feedback privately before publication. Some brands find that feedback alone worth the investment — it's the same critique I'd give a $15M residential client, applied to your product.
If your product is genuinely excellent, it earns a permanent place on the Source List alongside my organic picks. That's where the real value lives — not in the review itself, but in the long-term recommendation from a designer whose name is attached to every word.
Can we review the content before publication?
You see it before it goes live. You don't edit it. No approval rights. The review is mine.
What if our product doesn't pass?
The review reflects that honestly. I'll explain what didn't work and why. Products below 80 don't make the Source List. But the review still publishes — readers deserve to know.
How is this different from a candid review?
Candid reviews are products I find on my own. Lab reviews are products brands submit and pay to have tested. Same scoring system. Same editorial independence. The difference is who initiated the review, and it's always disclosed to readers.
What categories do you test?
Furniture, fixtures, hardware, textiles, appliances, and home goods. Kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living room, dining, laundry, and entry. If it goes in a home and affects how someone lives, it qualifies.
Do you accept gifted products without a fee?
Rarely, and only at my discretion. Gifted products still get the same honest review and full disclosure. No free pass to a positive verdict.
Ready to submit? Send product details, category, price point, and timeline. I'll respond within 48 hours.
Submit ProductInclude: product name, category, retail price, and your preferred testing tier.