CoolCuration was founded in 2020 in the middle of a pandemic, with a simple idea: share what we like, skip what we don't, and be honest about everything in between. Six years later, we're still doing exactly that. Every product we recommend, we've used. Every review is our genuine opinion. And every referral link on this site is clearly disclosed.

We use what we review, we test before we write, and we're upfront about how the site is funded. CoolCuration earns from referral and affiliate links, and we take that seriously: accuracy and trust always come before conversion.

Design, technology and personal finance.

Stiv covers the design, technology, and personal finance side of CoolCuration. He writes the majority of the site's service guides, app reviews, mortgage content, and product reviews.

Before CoolCuration, Stiv spent over a decade working across technology and finance. He worked in technology at Amazon and in finance at JPMorgan, alongside roles spanning everything from helicopter design to cybersecurity applications. He holds a degree in Industrial Design from Loughborough University, with additional qualifications in Automotive Design and UX Design from Loughborough and TU Delft.

That combination of design thinking, technical understanding, and financial services experience shapes how CoolCuration approaches product reviews and money content. When Stiv writes about Sprive, mortgage overpayments, or investment apps, it's grounded in professional experience with the systems behind them, not just surface-level research.

Stiv is a homeowner who actively overpays his mortgage using several of the tools reviewed on this site, including Sprive, Chip, and Monzo. He also uses Octopus Energy, TopCashback, and the investment platforms covered across the service guides. The personal finance content on CoolCuration reflects what he does with his own money, not hypothetical advice.

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Arts, exhibitions and creative culture.

Tristan covers the arts, culture, and exhibition content on CoolCuration. He writes the site's artist spotlights, exhibition reviews, and creative product features.

Tristan is a practising artist and curator with a Master's degree in MA Fine Art from the UAL University of the arts London. He has worked at several leading galleries including White Cube in London, and has exhibited his own work internationally.

That background means the cultural content on CoolCuration comes from someone who has worked inside the art world professionally, not someone summarising press releases. When Tristan reviews an exhibition or spotlights an artist, it's informed by years of making, showing, and curating work firsthand.

Tristan is also a homeowner who actively overpays his mortgage and uses the financial tools reviewed on the site.

How we work

Everything published on CoolCuration follows a straightforward editorial process. We only review products and services we've personally used or tested. Opinions are always our own and never influenced by affiliate relationships. Referral and affiliate links are clearly disclosed on every page that contains them. Financial content is for information only and is never presented as financial advice.

CoolCuration has been running since November 2020. We're UK-based, independently run, and hosted on servers powered by 100% renewable energy. If you'd like to get in touch, suggest something for us to review, or contribute to the site, contact us here.

We are proud supporters of a safer more private internet via encouraging people to use Brave browser and are actively taking on Spammers as part of ProjectHoneypot. This site is hosted on servers that run on 100% renewable energy in the UK thanks to GreenWebHosting.

This site contains affiliate links, including to Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. We may earn a commission if you make a purchase or sign up for a service via these links, at no extra cost to you. All offers and promotions are accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change or withdrawal by the businesses featured. We cannot guarantee their continued availability. Read our full affiliate disclosure.

Reviews and opinions on CoolCuration reflect the personal experience of our writers at the time of publication. They are not professional endorsements and your experience may differ. Scores use our Cool Factor rating system and are given independently of any commercial relationship.

All content on CoolCuration is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute financial advice, investment recommendations or an endorsement of any product or service. We are not authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority and do not offer personalised financial guidance. You should always do your own research or consult a qualified financial advisor before making any financial decisions.