Tier 1: Hands-on
A Hands-on pick is a product we own and use at our own desk. It gets our own photographs, measurements where they matter (actual height range, actual weight, actual noise), and notes from weeks of use rather than an afternoon. Hands-on picks are marked with a badge on the comparison table and carry a "Hands-on notes" section in the guide. Owning a product does not change its score: the rubric below is applied the same way to both tiers, so a product we own can still lose to one we do not.
Tier 2: Spec-checked
Most of the market is out of reach of one desk, so most picks are spec-checked: built from the manufacturer's published specification, the standards it supports, warranty terms, known platform constraints and brand track record. We read the spec sheet, not the marketing page, and we verify the retailer link lands on the exact product we describe. A spec-checked pick is never presented as something we have handled.
How we score (the HSP Score)
Every pick carries an HSP Score out of 10. This is our own editorial score, worked out from a fixed rubric applied to the product's specifications and intended use. It is not a retailer star rating and it is not taken from or matched to customer reviews.
The rubric scores four things, each from 1 to 10, and every guide shows the per-criterion scorecard under each pick so you can see the working:
- Capability (35%): the job-critical numbers. For a desk: height range, load rating, motors, noise. For a chair: recline, lumbar adjustment, gas-lift class, weight rating. For a monitor arm: supported weight, gas spring, VESA patterns. For call gear: microphone count, noise cancelling, multipoint, battery hours.
- Versatility (25%): presets, adjustability, mounting options, app support, the features that let one product cover more situations.
- Build (20%): materials, brand track record and warranty length.
- Value for its tier (20%): how well it fills its role as the overall, budget or premium pick. A budget pick only earns a top value score when it genuinely out-performs the overall pick on capability.
Because every product here has already passed our shortlist, scores cluster towards the upper half of the scale; the weighted total (to one decimal place) and the scorecard are there to separate strong options within that shortlist, not to rate them against the whole market. We revise scores when we update a guide.
What we will not say
Ergonomic gear attracts medical-sounding marketing. We describe what a product is designed to do (an adjustable lumbar support, a sit-stand range that suits a given height) and what it was like to use. We do not claim that any desk, chair or accessory treats, fixes or prevents back pain, posture problems or any other condition, and we do not repeat such claims from manufacturers. If you have a medical question about your setup, ask a professional.
Prices
We do not quote prices in our write-ups. Where a price appears in a comparison table it comes from the retailer's own product feed and is dated; prices change, so always check the retailer page before buying.
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