I’m using Perplexity to shortlist a home NAS, and I want to understand how much the recommendations depend on affiliate-funded “best NAS” lists rather than original testing.

An affiliate link alone doesn’t make a review unreliable. Still, several sites recommending the same model may not represent several independent tests, especially if their comparisons repeat manufacturer specifications.

What would you ask it to separate?

I’m considering requesting three groups of evidence: manufacturer documentation, reviews with a stated test method, and owner reports about long-term reliability. I’d also ask it to flag commercial disclosures where those are available.

Would that help assess affiliate review bias, or could it simply produce a cleaner-looking answer from the same narrow source pool? I’m interested in how others audit the sources behind a shortlist, particularly when smaller products have fewer reviews. I don’t want lack of coverage mistaken for poor quality.