Meissner was one of the best technical figure skaters, with good position in the air on her jumps, smooth landings, fast speed, and high energy, but her weakness was her artistry, which the Associated Press, in 2007, speculated was due to her young age. Her coach Pam Gregory compared Meissner's discipline and work ethic to skaters Tara Lipinski and Sarah Hughes, who won Olympic gold medals when they were teenagers. Also like Lipinski and Hughes, Meissner enjoyed performing in front of loud, enthusiastic crowds. Gregory also praised Meissner's courage and competitive spirit and called her "extremely tough mentally". Her performances, however, tended to be inconsistent, especially after late 2006. For example, Philip Hersh of the "Los Angeles Times" raised questions about her uneven skating and if the free skating program that won her the Worlds title in 2006, as well as the triple Axel she completed only once in competition at U.S. Nationals in 2005, was "a one-time wonder". In 2005, Meissner told Candus Thomson of the "Baltimore Sun" that she knew the day of a competition if she would be able to land her triple Axel. Reporter Rick Maese stated in 2006 that Meissner tended to do better in the free skate than in the short program, "when her myriad of jumps can compensate for artistic deficiencies".