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The 8 Very Best Laptop Tables

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In this article

I’ve been working from home for almost three years, and have tried many work surfaces in that time. I’ve worked from my kitchen table, from the sofa, and from standing desks (you can read more of my reporting on standing desks here). But I’ve found that a laptop table can be truly multifunctional: I can use it as a standing-desk converter, as a table for journaling in the garden, and even for the odd breakfast in bed. Laptop tables are also cheaper, and easier to store than standing desks – so if you only work from home occasionally, (or don’t have a ton of space), they might be a good option for you.

The function of a laptop table or desk is broad — to hold a laptop in a comfortable position while you work — so there’s some overlap with standing desks and standing-desk converters. The point of using one is to position your laptop in a way that lets you sit or stand more comfortably and ergonomically. One of the most important details that Strategist contributor Liz Carey noticed while searching for a laptop table is that “any desk I use should allow me to rest my elbows on it while I tap away, to help take the tension out of my neck and shoulders.” There are iterations meant for the couch or options that you can wheel around. These are some of the best laptop tables you can buy online to improve your work-from-home setup.

What we’re looking for

Portability

Laptop tables and desks vary greatly in size as well as portability. Some are meant to be more stationary, like a standing-desk converter or laptop stand, while others are compact and easy to carry, or have wheels that make it easier to roll them from room to room.

Adjustable vs. not adjustable

I’ve outlined whether each laptop table is adjustable, which will be especially important if you want to use it while standing, sitting, or a little bit of both.

Height range

Laptop tables fit in a variety of situations and use cases. Some are actually designed to hold your laptop while you’re lounging or working on a couch, so they tend to have shorter heights. Some have adjustable heights, and many are meant to be mobile so you can use them throughout your home. I’ve listed the height of each table, below, so you’ll know how it best fits your working-from-home setup.

Weight limit

It’s also important to pay attention to how much weight the table can hold. Most of these tables can support a laptop and a few accessories like a phone or keyboard.

Width

I’ve also made a note of the width of each desk, to see if there will be space for everything else you need — like notebooks or a hot drink.

Price

Laptop tables can also fit into a variety of other product categories, which is why their prices can range so wildly. Some laptop tables are smaller and have minimal designs, and therefore are less expensive, but some laptop tables are really standing-desk converters, which have more features and can hold a laptop as well as a monitor (or two), which tends to raise the price. For this guide, a price ranking of $ denotes a price tag of $50 or less, while $$ indicates a price of $51 to $200 and $$$ indicates a price of more than $201.

Best overall laptop table

Portable | Not adjustable | Height: 2.6 inches | Max weight: No max weight | Width: 21 inches | $

The LapGear laptop table is ideal for people who want to scroll on their computer while reclining in bed or lounging on the couch. It has a portable design with a side handle and a padded bottom to make it comfortable to rest on your lap throughout the day. “I’ve been using the LapGear for about three years now, and it’s especially nice to have while watching YouTube videos or working while laying around the house,” says InsideHook writer Jordan Bowman. The desktop size is 21 inches wide by 12 inches deep, which is more than enough to hold a 13-inch MacBook Air or 15-inch MacBook Pro work computer, and Bowman finds it lightweight enough to carry from room to room. “One of my favorite details is the cell phone tray. The only downside is that you can’t charge your phone while it’s in the tray because the stand doesn’t have a place to feed the cable through, which could be a drawback for anyone who constantly needs their smartphone topped up,” he says. The LapGear also has a large mouse pad, which will be on the right or left side depending on which version you buy, and comes in a choice of six colors.

Best standing-desk converter for laptops

Stationary | Adjustable | Max height: 17.5 inches | Max weight: 25 pounds | Width: 36 inches wide | $$$ 

A perfect work-from-home setup should allow for both sitting and standing, as well as offer changes of position to accommodate a variety of body types and postures, which is why a standing-desk converter is a great option as a laptop table. It’s good for ergonomic reasons, and it can easily house a laptop, monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Jan Lefkowitz, a chiropractor at New York’s Body in Balance Chiropractic, recommends this option from Varidesk because it easily switches between sitting and standing heights with a spring-lift mechanism. And according to integrative pain expert Joe Tatta, “substituting prolonged standing for prolonged sitting results in a greater feeling of discomfort,” so he likes that this desk “accommodates a variety of body types and postures.” It is meant to be used on top of a standard desk or table you already have, and has a maximum height of 17.5 inches and supports up to 25 pounds. It also has a keyboard and mouse tray, so you can keep your screen at eye level and your keyboard at elbow height for better ergonomics. It arrives fully assembled, and the company sells a 36-inch Pro model with a higher weight limit that can easily hold a dual-monitor setup, as well as a 48-inch width if you prefer an extra-large workspace.

Best standing laptop table

Portable | Adjustable | Max height: 43.3 inches | Max weight: 15 pounds | Width: 23.6 inches | $$

If you need a laptop table that you can stand at but that is compact and easily movable, this manually adjustable option on wheels is highly rated among Amazon reviewers for its simplicity, sturdy construction, and convenience. Many people purchase it to use as a standing desk, since it extends to 43 inches tall. “I was looking for a standup working desk but wouldn’t like anything big or heavy since I don’t expect myself to stand all the time,” writes one reviewer who reports that it is “light and versatile.” It’s also deceivingly roomy, according to another reviewer who notes that, though the top is on the smaller side, they are able to comfortably fit a “15-inch laptop, two big external drives, mouse and mouse pad, notepad, [and] TV remote.” Assembly is quick; it comes in two colors, espresso or white; and it has four wheels that allow you to roll it smoothly through your home, two of which are lockable to ensure it stays put when you want it to. You can also lower the desktop to use it while sitting on a couch or laying in bed, and the off-center stand will let you roll the wheels under furniture so you can better position the desktop over your lap.

Best tilted standing laptop table

Portable | Adjustable | Height: 35 inches | Max weight: 22 pounds | Width: 22.6 inches | $

Chiropractor Dr. Steven Shoshany recommends patients use a tilted laptop table or stand, “as it puts less pressure on the neck when staring at the screen all day,” he says. “With this desk, you can also rest your shoulder on a flat mouse pad, meaning your shoulder can relieve a bit of tension, too.” Your laptop would lean against the desk’s safety stop, keeping your device from slipping and sliding. And the table has wheels, so you can move it to the couch and lower it to use while seated, or position it against a wall when you feel like standing.

Best multi-shelf laptop table

$54

Portable | Not adjustable | Height: 30.5 inches | Max weight: 90 pounds | Width: 20 inches | $$

Reviewers on Amazon love that this Techni Mobili rolling desk has storage — which is atypical for a simple laptop table — in the form of a slim drawer and two shelves. One reviewer says the drawer’s opening and closing is “smooth” and the table is lightweight enough that they can carry it “up and down stairs by the top shelf, fully loaded.” However, it’s also on wheels for easy mobility when stairs are not in the picture. Another reviewer who works as a high-school counselor calls this desk their “best buy yet” and writes that “I can fit my laptop, files, and any office supplies I need … even a wireless printer or scanner. The drawer is so convenient.” A third reviewer, who also keeps a printer on this model, describes it as “very sturdy and compact, with enough space to hold my laptop and extra monitor,” and mentions that assembly was easy and took less than an hour. This laptop table is not adjustable, with a fixed height of 30.5 inches. It holds an overall maximum weight of 90 pounds. The desktop is 20 inches wide, so it can accomodate any size of laptop, but probably not an additional monitor.

Best wooden laptop table

Portable | Not adjustable | Height: 25.6 inches | Max weight: 150 pounds | Width: 23.6 inches wide | $$

This Z-shaped bamboo table is especially popular among Amazon reviewers for its design. “One of my favorite purchases in the past year or so. It is sturdy and solid and easy to assemble. It is also a very nice-looking piece — I’ve had several compliments,” writes one. Another reviewer says it’s “roomy enough for laptop and mouse,” while a third points out that “A nice feature is that with the Z design, the table slides in and out of our couch nicely.” Several reviewers mention the table’s sturdiness and ease of assembly. The table is just under two feet wide and has a fixed height of 25.6 inches. It can hold a max weight of 150 pounds and comes in three colorways.

Best compact laptop table

Portable | Adjustable | Max height: 27.5 inches | Max weight: 26 pounds | Width: 14 inches | $

Strategist writer Arielle Avila uses this compact laptop desk every day, after moving to an apartment that wouldn’t comfortably fit a standard desk. At 27 inches tall, the desk perches perfectly over Avila’s couch-based workspace and, weighing just 11 pounds, can easily be lifted into her room to take calls. When she’s not typing, Avila uses the sleek steel table as a makeshift side table, piling it “way too high with books, magazines, and water bottles.” Avila also loves the removable cup holder, keeping drinks at hand but safely far enough from your screen to avoid accidents.

Best lapdesk laptop table

Portable | Adjustable | Max height: 11 inches | Max weight: 7.09 pounds | Width: 17.2 inches | $$

This is my do-it-all desk: I use it as a standing-desk converter, as a table for journaling in the garden, and even for the odd breakfast in bed. It looks unassuming but has plenty of great basic features, like the silicone stoppers that prevent legs from wobbling and your laptop slipping, and a mouse-pad that can be tucked away for storage. It also has a small slot in the phone stand for a charger so you can keep your phone plugged in, which is great if I’m typing up something from my phone to my laptop. Each leg has a ruler carved into the side, so once you figure out the height you’d like your desk to be at, you don’t have to fiddle about the next time you use it: Just slide it to that number.

Our experts

Arielle Avila, Strategist writer
• Jordan Bowman, InsideHook writer
• Jan Lefkowitz, chiropractor at New York’s Body in Balance Chiropractic
David Perna, chiropractor at Back & Body Medical
• Dr. Steven Shoshany, chiropractor and clinic director

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The 8 Very Best Laptop Tables