We present up-to-date benchmarking methods for testing electrocatalysts for polymer exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), using the rotating disk electrode (RDE) method. We focus on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in the presence of CO. We have chosen our experimental methods to provide the most optimal compromise between the ease of carrying out the measurements and for ensuring comparability with PEMFC conditions. For the ORR, the effect of temperature, scan rate, Ohmic drop correction and background subtraction on the catalyst activity is investigated, both on a polycrystalline Pt disk and two different commercial Pt/C catalysts. To benchmark the CO tolerance of HOR catalysts, cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry are used, on polycrystalline Pt and commercial catalysts consisting of Pt/C and PtRu/C. We recommend the optimal conditions for obtaining a benchmark of ORR activity and CO tolerance of HOR catalysts. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.