Can't decide? Remove options instead of adding them

Why more options make it harder

Every option you add has to be weighed against every other one. Two options are one comparison; four are six; six are fifteen. Each new option also brings its own strengths, and each strength makes the others look worse at that one thing. With too many choices it is easy to put the decision off altogether, or to keep second-guessing the one you made.

Three questions that remove most options

1. What would make an option impossible? Over budget, unavailable where you live, missing the one thing you need. Remove every option that fails, without looking at anything else about it.
2. Which two options are basically the same? Keep the cheaper or the simpler one and remove the other.
3. Which option would you be embarrassed to explain choosing? Remove it. That feeling is usually a reason you have not put into words yet.

Then look again at what remains. A comparison of three is a different comparison from the one you started with — and if two remain and you would be fine with either, pick one and stop. The difference is too small to be worth more of your time.

Removing options on compare⁄io

Compare up to six things at once. Across the top of the result is Decision Elimination Mode: each item has a remove button. Remove one and the verdict re-picks the winner among the rest, the table narrows to them, and the follow-up chat knows what you have ruled out. Put an option back if you change your mind. The method in detail.