How we rank

This page explains how MamaMapa’s ranking pages (Top Picks) work, what criteria we use, where our income comes from, and what we deliberately will not recommend, no matter what anyone offers us.

Our criteria

Every ranking page has a “How we rank” box near the top that sets out the scoring criteria for that specific product. For example:

Car seats: R129 (i-Size) or R44 standard, how long it can stay rear-facing, and how hard it is to install wrongly.
Baby bottles: teats babies take to easily, how many parts there are to wash, materials, and whether replacement teats are easy to find in Thailand.
Diapers: price per diaper, newborn sizing, and features we can verify, not just words on the pack.
Baby carriers: a seated position that’s good for baby’s hips, back support for mom, and breathable fabric.

Our order of priority is safe > works well in real life > suits Thai homes > price. Something very cheap that still raises safety questions will never make the top spots, however good the value.

“Compared” vs “tested”

Every page says which one it is.

Compared means we read the specs, standards, manuals and user reviews and compared them. We did not use the product.
Tested means our team actually used the product. The page will also say what we tested and for how long.

Most of our ranking pages right now are compared, and we won’t write as if we have used the products. For example, you’ll never see a line like “we tried it and baby slept for hours” on a page where we didn’t actually try it.

How we compare

Only include products actually sold in Thailand, through official shops, department stores or verifiable authorized dealers.
Use the model names the maker uses, and check specs on the maker’s website or in the manual.
Check price ranges at Thai shops, and state the date prices were checked on every page.
Read user reviews to find problems that come up again and again, not to count stars.
List sources at the bottom of the page, such as the AAP, NHS or Thai government agencies, so you can check further.

What the 1 to 5 scores mean

A score is the editor’s opinion measured against the criteria on that page, not a lab test result, and every score has to be backed by pros and cons.

Score	Rough meaning
4.5 and up	Meets every key criterion, recommended for most families
4.0 to 4.4	Very good, but with one or two clear limitations
3.5 to 3.9	Suits some families or situations, such as a tight budget
Below 3.5	Only for specific cases, or has drawbacks you should know before buying

Scores can only be compared within the same page. A 4.0 car seat and a 4.0 baby bottle aren’t equally good, and a lower-scoring product may suit your family better if it matches its “best for” line.

Affiliate links and the order

Some shop links may be affiliate links, such as Shopee Affiliate. If you buy through one, we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.

We finish the ranking first, then add links. The order doesn’t move because of links.
If a product without a link is better, it ranks higher.
Brands cannot pay to be ranked or to change a score. There are no paid placements in our rankings.

A brand connected to our team

The Skinhug brand is connected to our team. Whenever Skinhug appears in a ranking, it is scored on the same criteria as every other product on that page, good points and weak points alike.

Second-hand car seats with an unknown history The AAP warns against car seats with an unknown history, because a seat that has been in a crash may be damaged inside where you can’t see it, and a seat with no label could be fake. So we don’t link to or recommend second-hand car seats from online marketplaces. If you really need one, take it from someone you know who can confirm it has never been in a crash.

Suspiciously cheap products that may be fake For gear that carries your baby’s weight, like a carrier or car seat, a fake may have buckles or a structure that has never been tested. We won’t link to listings that use a famous model name at a price far below the official Thai price.

Claims that can’t be verified If a product claims to be “certified by” an organization, we check whether that organization really certifies it. For example, the International Hip Dysplasia Institute states that it is not a certification or product-testing body, so we write “design in line with the guidelines” rather than “certified”.

Products that are dangerous if used wrongly, with no warning If a product is only safe when used correctly, we always explain the correct way to use it on the same page, such as the TICKS rules for baby carriers or checking car seat straps.

How to spot fake reviews

The FTC, the US consumer protection agency, suggests these signs, and they work just as well for Thai shopping apps and social media:

Timing: hundreds of 5-star reviews appearing within a few days may not be natural.
Reviewer history: accounts that have reviewed only one product, or give everything 5 stars with similar wording.
Fake reviews aren’t always perfect: some deliberately give 4 stars to look believable.
Is there a label saying they got it free or were paid? If not, but it reads like an ad script, give it less weight.
Read several sources: don’t decide based on one platform.

In Thailand, the OCPB (Office of the Consumer Protection Board) has warned influencers who sell online to beware of exaggerated advertising, such as claiming something is “selling out fast” to rush people into buying. If you hear lines like that in a live-stream sale, take a breath before you tap buy.

Tip: read the 2 to 3 star reviews too. They’re often from people who really used the product and found its limits, like “good, but hard to wash”, which 5-star reviews rarely mention.

Prices and corrections

Every page states the date prices were last checked. Prices are ranges we saw at Thai shops and may change with promotions, especially around double-date sales like 9.9 or 11.11. Before you buy, compare the price per item, or the total including extras you have to buy separately.

We can get things wrong too. If something doesn’t match, tell us at [email protected] and we’ll check it, fix it, and update the date on that page.

For brand owners

If you’d like your product included in a comparison, you’re welcome to contact us at [email protected]. We’ll say upfront that contacting us or sending products doesn’t earn a better ranking.