How we pick gear
Every gear guide on Hoop and Floss covers one kind of item and compares five to eight options. This page explains how those options are chosen and what the comparison is based on.
The short version
We read the listings, not the products. Picks are selected and described from what each Amazon listing states. We have not handled, measured or tested these products, and the guides do not claim otherwise.
What goes into a guide
- In stock with a price. A product is only added if Amazon reports it as available with a price at the time the guide is built. Availability is checked again every day.
- The right kind of item. It has to answer the question the guide is about, not merely be related to it.
- Facts from the listing. Sizes, materials, quantities and what is in the box are copied from the listing. If a listing leaves out a detail, the table says "not stated".
- Price per unit. For consumables the table shows the price per pound, ounce or piece, worked out from the current price and the pack size. Prices carry the date they were checked.
What the labels mean
Guides suggest a starting point under headings such as "Closest match for the job" or "Most for the money on paper". These are our reading of the listings, not test results and not customer ratings. The order of picks is an editorial judgment about how well each listing fits the job.
What this method cannot tell you
- How well a hoop grips after months of use, or how smoothly a needle's eye treats the thread.
- Whether a floss color matches your pattern, your screen or a skein from an earlier dye lot.
- How stiff or soft a fabric feels in the hand and how evenly it is woven.
For those questions, read the recent customer reviews on the listing itself before you buy. The "Limits to know" list on each pick names what the listing does not state.
When a product disappears
If Amazon reports a pick as unavailable, its button changes to a search for in-stock alternatives, and the pick is replaced with a comparable product on the next review of the guide. Page addresses never change.
Questions about a pick? Write to hello@hoopandfloss.com. See also the affiliate disclosure.