Imagine you have just gone out and purchased a nice new plasma or LCD television. You probably can’t wait to take it home and see how it looks, but be sure not to forget one of the most important things you’ll need (aside from a remote) – a TV riser. Unless you want to watch your TV by sitting on the floor, a TV riser is important for getting the TV to eye level and making the experience more comfortable and enjoyable.

That said, what kind of TV riser you need may vary greatly. You may be concerned about price, or the type and durability of the materials that make up the TV stand. And of course, style and size are important, after all, you are probably going to be looking at this riser every day. You’ll also want to think about whether you want your TV riser to house your speakers, media players, game consoles, and so on.

First things first, let’s discuss pricing. As with most things entertainment stands have a pretty broad pricing scale, and it’s up to you how much money you would like to put into one. A stand made of real wood is going to cost more than a stand made of fiberboard, but depending on your budget might be worth the investment. Plastic and metal stands are quite common as well. The pricing issue runs right into the durability issue, as metal and glass stands scratch easily, and any black stand will show dust. Glass TV risers look sharp, but you have to be careful of course not to break them! Wood is probably the most durable, and will blend in with a lot of furniture sets, but typically wood stands tend to the expensive side.

Style will also cause the price of your TV riser to fluctuate. You’ll probably find contemporary, clean looking TV stands to be quite common, regardless of material, but something a little more ornate may have you paying more and looking further afield. Some people find the ability of a stand to swivel important, and if you are one of those people, there are plenty of such TV stands out there, although they may be a little pricier than a normal riser.

Size is perhaps the be all and end all of the selection process. If your TV doesn’t fit on the riser, there’s no point in buying it! For the purposes of organization, you may want a larger riser that can fit your video games, DVD player, and possibly speakers. You’ll also want to be mindful of the weight your riser can bear – entertainment centers for flat screen TVs are not necessarily going to be able to hold an older television set.

Hopefully bearing in mind these issues will make you in the end a happier customer and TV viewer. As our living rooms and media rooms are often organized around the TV, you’ll want to be sure the TV stand you choose is good looking and durable. Good luck and happy hunting!