How this site makes money.
And the editorial standards that keep every review honest.
The Short Version
TheCocktailAce.com is operated by Beachhead LLC. Some links on this site are affiliate links, which means if you click and buy, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. These commissions help keep the menu maker free for everyone.
My recommendations are based on first-hand experience with the products I cover. An affiliate relationship never changes my honest opinion of a product.
What Is an Affiliate Link?
An affiliate link is a special URL that tells a retailer where the customer came from. If you click an affiliate link on TheCocktailAce.com and buy something at the destination site, that retailer pays me a small commission. You pay the same price you would pay if you'd visited the retailer directly.
These commissions help offset the cost of running the site, including domain registration, hosting, photography, and the time it takes to test and review pods, liquors, and equipment.
Affiliate Programs on This Site
TheCocktailAce.com is preparing to participate in affiliate programs with the following retailers:
- Bartesian (pending program approval through Impact.com)
- Walmart (pending program approval through Impact.com)
- Amazon Associates (planned application once site traffic milestones are met)
This list will be updated as programs become active. Until each program is approved and active, no affiliate links from that retailer appear on the site.
How I Choose What to Recommend
I only recommend products I've personally tried. When I review a Bartesian® pod, I taste it. When I recommend a liquor for a particular pod, I've poured it through my own machine. When I suggest a piece of barware, I own it.
I will recommend products even when no commission is available, and I will not recommend products I haven't used simply because a commission exists.
If you see a product mentioned on this site, it's because I think it's worth your attention. The affiliate link, if there is one, is the easiest way for you to find it.
Free Products, Sponsorships, and Gifts
If a manufacturer or retailer sends me a free product, pays for a sponsored post, or compensates me in any way beyond standard affiliate commissions, I disclose that at the top of the post where the product appears. The disclosure is in plain language, not buried in fine print.
Compensation does not change my honest opinion. If a free or sponsored product is bad, I either say so in the review or decline to publish the review.
Your Trust Matters
The reason this page exists is simple: you deserve to know how I make money, and you deserve to know that my recommendations aren't influenced by it. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission requires affiliates to disclose these relationships. Even if it didn't, I would.
If you have questions about any specific recommendation, an affiliate relationship, or anything on this page, please contact me. I read everything.