The Very Best Lap Desks

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Best lap desk overall

Dimensions:21 inches wide, 12 inches deep|Cushioned

This has been the Strategist’s go-to lap desk for over six years, thanks tothe recommendationof former Strategist tech writerJordan Bowman. He used the LapGear for years, “and it’s especially nice to have while watching YouTube videos or working while lying around the house,” he wrote. The desk’s built-in cushion nestles on your lap and keeps everything balanced. Bowman particularly likes the cell-phone tray, which props your phone up alongside your laptop. For me, the best feature is themousepad. As someone who’d often just grab an old magazine to use as a mouse pad, it feels like a luxury. It’s big enough to comfortably fit a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.

Dimensions:17 inches wide, 13.2 inches deep | Cushioned

While this lap desk is technically for children, Strategist senior writerLauren Rochose it as she was after something multipurpose that the whole family could use. “I settled on this because it’s lightweight and pretty simple,” she says. “The kids use it for reading or doing workbooks at bedtime, and I’ve used it to read in my bed, too. I don’t know if I’ve used it with a laptop yet, but it is the perfect size for one.” As well as a print that “isn’t too kiddy,” the desk’s two cushions allow it to be positioned at an angle, which means you can curl up into a few positions without it toppling over. It has no phone stand or mouse pad, but it does have a strap for carrying it between rooms — and it’s often on sale for less than $20.

Dimensions:18.5 inches wide, 14 inches deep|Cushioned

“Even if you’ve got a plush office setup at home, I recommend getting a lap desk because there are going to be those times you feel like working in bed or on the couch,” says Sarah Brown, Violet Grey’s executive director. The desk she uses from Sofia + Sam has all the bells and whistles: an LEDlamp, a memory-foam cushion, a cushioned rest for your wrist, and an extending slot that can hold a phone and a mouse. But there’s no opening to feed a phonechargerthrough, so you’ll have to make sure your device is charged before getting comfortable. It’s big enough to fit a 13- or 15-inch laptop and has a little slot for a tablet in case you’re more of an iPad worker.

Dimensions:21.8 inches wide, 13.9 inches deep|Cushioned

Architectural designer and bloggerSade Akinsanyahas been using a version of this classic lap tray for years. It’s a multitasker that she says she reaches for “when I want to work from bed, when I want to eat and watch Netflix, when I want to photograph something.” The desk’s 3-inch legs slot comfortably over your body when you’re lying down, and at 21 inches wide, the desk can fit larger laptops or smaller models along with a notepad. It has a stand for propping up a phone and a tablet, so you can stream on your phone as you snack in bed — but, again, there’s no slot through which to feed aphone charger.

Dimension:20 inches wide, 15 inches deep | Cushioned

Stevie Remsberg,New YorkMagazine’s senior art director and visuals manager,saysher laptop gets so hot when she’s working that she can’t put it on her lap directly. Instead, she perches it on this laptop support desk from Ikea. “I needed something to sort of prop it up, and it just seemed crazy to bring a whole table. It made more sense to have my laptop on my lap. This thing works great. It has abeanbag cushionon the bottom, so it’s comfortable too,” she says. And if you’re wondering how to keep it clean, the cushioned cover is conveniently machine washable.

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