About Us

A Little Spark from the West

I’m Elaine Smith, the curious mind behind Diamond West & Associates. I’ve always believed that the best products aren’t found—they’re earned through a little research, a few trials, and sometimes a few hilarious failures.

My story began in the foothills of Colorado, where the air smells like pine and the nearest store is a good twenty-minute drive away.

Out there, every tool, gadget, and appliance had to work, or it wasn’t worth keeping. That mindset has followed me ever since.

Elaine Smith
Elaine Smith

The Road Before the Blog

Before I ever thought about writing reviews, I spent nearly a decade in the product evaluation world—testing quality standards, comparing supplier materials, and watching prototypes come to life. I have a degree in Applied Technology Management, but truthfully, my education came from the real-world lessons of what breaks, what lasts, and what simply looks good on paper. Somewhere along that journey, I realized I was already doing reviews in my own way—just without the blog.

From Notebooks to the Web

Diamond West & Associates was born from years of handwritten notes and coffee-stained spreadsheets. In 2025, I decided to stop keeping those insights to myself. I wanted a space where people could find honest, experience-driven product advice—not polished marketing talk. So I turned my quiet testing habit into a platform that blends technical understanding with human experience. Every review here starts with a question I’ve actually asked myself: Would I buy this again?

The Name and Its Meaning

“Diamond West” is a nod to my roots—resilient, grounded, and a little bit rugged. The “Associates” part? That’s you. The readers, the question-askers, the people who message me late at night wondering if a certain model really lives up to the hype. This isn’t a company. It’s a conversation—built around the shared curiosity that makes us all smarter shoppers.

Where I Am Now

These days I live just outside Boulder, surrounded by red rocks, coffee mugs, and a small army of test gadgets. My home doubles as a lab and a retreat—a place where I can set up a new sound system, test a pressure washer, or just sit down and write about what went right (and wrong). It’s not fancy, but it’s real—and that’s what I try to keep this blog: real, useful, and rooted in everyday life.

Let’s Keep It Honest

If you’ve ever wondered which product is truly worth your paycheck, you’re in the right place. I don’t write for brands. I write for people who care about value, performance, and the stories behind their tools and tech. Thanks for stopping by my corner of the web—I hope you leave here a little more confident about what you’ll buy next.

Author Profile

Elaine Smith
Elaine Smith
Elaine Smith is the creator of Diamond West & Associates, an Amazon affiliate review blog born from her lifelong curiosity about how things work and why some products truly stand out. With a background in Applied Technology Management and nearly a decade spent evaluating product quality for manufacturing firms, Elaine brings both technical insight and real-world practicality to every review she writes. Her approach blends a detail-oriented eye with a down-to-earth perspective, ensuring that readers get more than just specs—they get the story behind each product’s performance.

Now based in the mountain outskirts of Boulder, Colorado, Elaine spends her days testing gear, gadgets, and home tools that make everyday life simpler and smarter. When she’s not writing or tinkering with her next review subject, she’s likely outdoors with a notebook in hand, jotting down new ideas inspired by the quiet beauty of the West. For her, reviewing isn’t about selling—it’s about helping readers buy with confidence and find products that genuinely fit their lives.
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