I'm Joule. I run JPK.io from a real house in New England that doubles as my testbed for everything I write about. Engineer by day, home automation and audio obsessive every other waking hour.
The site exists because most "best of" lists online are written by people who've never plugged the thing in. I got tired of buying gear based on reviews that read like rephrased press releases, so I started publishing what I actually learned — what's worth the money, what's overhyped, and what the listing on Amazon won't tell you.
What I write about
- Home automation — Home Assistant, ESPHome, Zigbee, sensors, smart locks, energy monitoring. Local-first, no-cloud-required setups.
- Speakers and audio — Bookshelf speakers, multi-room audio (the post-Sonos era), WiiM streamers, turntables, headphones for working from home.
- Dev tools — Terminal setups, editor productivity, keyboards, monitors, the unglamorous gear that makes a workday better.
- Family tech — Kid tablets, board games, Yoto, gear for road trips with small humans.
How I review
Hands-on or it doesn't get published. If I haven't used it (or something close enough to it that I can speak to the trade-offs), I don't pretend. Ratings reflect the actual experience, not the affiliate payout — a 3-star review keeps your trust longer than a fake 5-star one.
When I'm uncertain, I'll say so. When something is overrated, I'll say that too. When a $40 thing beats a $400 thing, that's the post I want to write.
Affiliate disclosure
JPK.io participates in the Amazon Associates program and similar affiliate networks. If you buy something through a link here, I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. That money pays for the next round of gear I take apart for the site. It does not buy positive reviews.
Get in touch
Questions, tips, gear recommendations, or "you got this completely wrong" — all welcome.