Don't you love a great accessory?

I know I do. It's a bit like those people who have a thing about stationery, except for me, rather than buzzing about the perfect stapler, I love it when I find a quality cable that's just the right length.

Or a case that converts into a keyboard and possibly a lunchbox.

The key for me is a simple idea, well executed that makes my everyday life better.

This is something Twelve South excels at.

The HoverBar Tower and the Compass Pro are two quite different products from the Twelve South range and yet they do more or less the exact same thing; hold your device in the right place, just where you want it.

Starting with the Compass Pro, once again Twelve South has come up with an accessory that not only does its job very well but looks great too.

In a nutshell, the Compass Pro is a three-legged desktop stand for your iPad or tablet, which folds down completely for ultimate portability. It folds so flat it slides easily into the soft case provided in the box. Then it can be conveniently stuffed into your bag or briefcase so you'll have a stand for your tablet wherever you go.

There's a fair heft to this stand - it feels very durable and stable when it's all set up.

It has silicone feet so it won't slide around or scratch your desktop. There are two small brackets that fold out of the feet to hold your iPad and these are wide enough to cater for most tablets, even if they're in a case. Apart from the silicone coating on the lower part of the legs, there's also a silicone pad on the upper joint which is the third point of contact, guaranteeing no risk of scuffing your device.

The rear leg offers three different height options so you can adjust the angle at which your iPad is displayed. Extended to its longest setting, the Compass Pro converts your tablet into a secondary screen - something that's very easy to do with a Mac or another iPad - obviously you can set up your iPad in portrait or landscape to suit your viewing preference.

The middle-sized or default setting tilts your tablet up a bit more - perhaps best suited to keep you in shot for video chats.

Then a much shorter leg folds out from the main one to hold your iPad up just slightly, in a wedge configuration. This is more comfortable for on-screen typing or if you're sketching or taking notes with a stylus.

In any of the three positions, I've found my iPad stays securely in place, with no wobbling around. In fact, if you close the two front legs up a bit, the Compass Pro will happily accomodate your phone instead - again, this is ideal for hands-free video streaming on the go.

The portability factor can't be overstated here; if you're a MacBook user who prefers a dual-screen setup, adding an iPad and this fold-flat stand is about the most mobile two-screen solution you'll get.

Conversely, sometimes you just want to keep that screen in one place, at just the right height and just the right angle.

That's where the Twelve South HoverBar Tower comes in.

In many ways, the HoverBar Tower resembles a mic stand or a music stand. Actually, as a professional musician, my daughter uses an iPad Pro to display her music all the time. The HoverBar Tower can keep that iPad securely in place, in exactly the right position. Much more stable than balancing the iPad on a music stand.

I was surprised at just how tall this stand is - once fully assembled it can hold your iPad or tablet at any height between three and five feet. The assembly process really isn't much of a process at all; simply screw the three main pole sections together, screw them into the base, then add the articulating arm and iPad clip.

The spring-loaded clip is well padded and will hold any tablet up to 22cm wide, even with a case on. Thanks to its ball-shaped connection to the articulated arm it can be swivelled to pretty much any angle - so if you're wanting to use your iPad as an extra screen for your desktop setup, you should be able to get it just where you want it - even above your existing monitor (or monitors).

But just think of all the other places you use your iPad and all the times you wished you weren't having to hold it with one hand.

Stationary biking is a great home fitness solution - especially in the cold, wet winter months. Cycling apps like Zwift let you compete with other athletes from all over the world on any number of virtual courses - some real, some imagined. The HoverBar Tower is the perfect way to hold your iPad in your line of sight to keep the illusion going.

Other apps like Apple Fitness feature a wide range of home exercise classes, from yoga and pilates to kickboxing, rowing and even dance. Thanks to the versatility of the HoverBar Tower, you can follow your instructor on your iPad in any room, from any exercise machine or perhaps just the floor.

Or maybe you want you use your iPad hands-free in the kitchen, while you're following a recipe?

I know I've definitely wished I had a better way to hold my screen when streaming my favourite shows in bed. What's the point in getting all comfy if you still have to hold your iPad up with one arm? The HoverBar Tower solves that particular first-world problem in an instant.

I really appreciate the minimalist design. There are no bulky knobs to loosen or tighten the articulating arm - the joints are pre-set at just the right firmness to be easily adjusted while still staying firmly in place once you've got your iPad in the optimum position.

And yes, like the Compass Pro, the HoverBar Tower can also accomodate a phone if you'd like to use it as a tripod for your selfie videos. The base is wide enough to offer excellent stability, yet not so heavy you can't easily move the stand from room to room if need be.

Neither of these two stands are revolutionary - we've all seen similar ideas before. Yet what Twelve South has done with those ideas is the epitome of elegance and refinement. Each product identifies a problem and solves it effectively with a minimum of fuss and for me, that's what great design is all about.