Public criteria
Methodology
What Fathom Layer is
An independent technology curation index. We are not a store: there is no inventory, no cart, no direct sales. Every listed item went through our own editorial evaluation before being published — carried out by a named editor, not anonymously. Who that is, and why it is stated publicly, is on the about page.
Design score
The 0–10 score shown on items is assigned manually by Fathom Layer's curation. It weighs build quality, how coherent the product is with its intended use, and the real-world setup and operating experience. The score is not influenced by affiliate programs, manufacturers or advertisers.
No one buys placement
We do not sell ranking positions, scores or badges. If sponsored content ever appears, it will be labeled as such and kept separate from the editorial index.
Quality gate
A category only enters the public index with at least 3 published, evaluated items. An item is only published with verified technical specifications and a completed editorial note. Specifications come from primary sources (manufacturer, technical documentation) — we prefer a verified number over an adjective. The glossary exists for the same reason: a term is defined once, precisely, instead of being approximated on every page that uses it.
Affiliate links
Some purchase links earn Fathom Layer a commission, at no extra cost to the buyer. These links are labeled and never affect an item's score or position. The full terms are in the affiliate disclosure.
When we get something wrong
Specifications drift and links break. Corrections reported through the contact page go into the same review queue an item passes through before publication — a correction is held to the criteria above, not waved through because it is a fix.