How do you choose a turntable ?

Typically I will start with The Absolute Sound and Stereophiles list of best components. If I were starting today. I would craft a prompt for an AI identifying the sonic characteristics I was after. It is really good with sonic characteristics, but not so good with exact component recommendations, so take specifics with a grain of salt. It will be better later when comparing components.

I would probably then try and listen to whatever on the list I could and compare my observations with the reviews. I would add my observations to the AI and have it help me narrow things down. 

With turntables and cartridges I want o buy from a dealer. I personally am a clutz and have little patience, so I want a dealer who loves to tinker with turntables to set mine up. So that helps me narrow things down. 

Happily with my last turntable / cartridge purchase the it just perfectly nailed the sonic characteristics I was looking for... musical / natural. So, it was a perfect conclusion. Lots of research getting there. 

if I still dabbled in vinyl, I am one note and will just go for the Technics in my price bracket, a Shure V15-VMR Cartridge, the latest Classic Audio MM Pro MKII Phono Stage 

I listened to people's opinions on this and other audiophile forums, read a few articles. Then bought Nottingham Spacedeck without auditioning it. But if I wanted to upgrade now I wouldn't be sure how to proceed, especially if I wanted to go outside Nottingham Analogue and Pear Audio. Pear Audio is very much built on later ideas of the Nottingham's designer.

I wait until someone posts an incredible deal on an awesome TT in FB or CL, check to see if I have money in my slush fund, then buy it.   If I don't like it, I put it back up for sale.  This has worked well for me way too many times.  

ghdprentice, you approach it as a scientist or/and an engineer. And I am  prehistorically low tech, I don't even know how to use microwave oven and I sharpen kitchen knives by hand on stones.

If you buy used and are prepared to buy/sell multiple times, why not ? Shipping turntables is no fun, can be risky. I bought mine used on Audiogon years ago.