How NovaLens works

What NovaLens does

NovaLens helps you research a product before you buy it. It shows verified facts about the product, where each fact came from, when it was last checked, and what is still unknown. It also estimates what the product is likely to cost you over its life, not just at checkout.

What NovaLens does not do

• It does not give products a sustainability score, grade, badge, rank or "eco" label.
• It does not call any product "green", "sustainable" or "better for the planet".
• It does not accept payment to change what you see or the order you see it in.
• It does not fill in missing information with guesses or zeros.
• It does not give financial, legal or investment advice.

You choose what matters

You pick the facts you care about, for example yearly energy use, water use per cycle, warranty length, whether spare parts are available, or a certification a product holds. NovaLens can then sort the products you're comparing by one of those facts at a time, and it tells you which fact, unit, source and date it used. Products that don't disclose that fact are shown separately as "Not disclosed". They aren't ranked last or treated as worse.

NovaLens only compares products that do the same job in the same category.

Where the information comes from

Merchant marketing copy is not treated as independent evidence. AI tools may help find and read sources, but a fact only appears in NovaLens after it is matched to an approved source and checked against our rules.

• Official product registries and labels, such as government energy-label databases
• Certification bodies, for certifications a product actually holds
• Manufacturer specifications, manuals and published product data
• Product safety and recall notices from public authorities
• Published, reviewed studies, for general context only

How each fact is labeled

If two reliable sources disagree, NovaLens shows that the information conflicts and treats it as Unknown until the conflict is resolved.

• Verified: taken from a source specific to that exact product.
• Estimated: a category average or a calculation. It's always labeled as an estimate, and the assumptions are shown.
• Unknown or Not disclosed: no reliable source yet. NovaLens says so plainly.

True cost

NovaLens can estimate what a product may cost over its life: the price, financing, the energy and water it uses at your local rates, consumables, typical repairs and possible resale value, where that information exists. Every figure is an estimate, every assumption is visible, and you can change the inputs. This is cost information, not financial advice.

Before you buy

Sometimes the best option is not a new purchase. NovaLens can show you whether a repair might be possible, whether secondhand or refurbished options exist, or whether renting or borrowing could work for something you'd rarely use. These are options for you to consider, not recommendations.

Ask the brand

When a fact is unknown, you can ask the brand to publish it. NovaLens shows whether the brand has published that information and when.

Keeping information current

Facts carry the date they were last checked. Information is reviewed again on a schedule and whenever a source changes, is corrected or is withdrawn. Out-of-date or withdrawn facts are removed or marked.

Independence

NovaMatter does not sell placement in NovaLens. If NovaLens ever links to a store where NovaMatter could earn money, that link will be clearly disclosed next to it and will not change the order of results.

Corrections

If you think a fact is wrong, tell us at ceo@joinnovamatter.com with the product and the source you have. We review every correction request.

Limits

NovaLens can only show what has been published and verified. Coverage varies by product and category and will grow over time. A missing fact means we don't know yet, not that a product is good or bad.