The Best Lap Desk | Reviews by Wirecutter

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We have eliminated the LapGear eDesk for commuters because it has been discontinued. We have also added some supplementary test instructions for the following products:

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The lap desk is like a work space: not the most elegant choice, but generally comfortable and practical. After 10 hours of research and 25 hours of laptop testing, we are confident

It is the best for most people. It reigns supreme in terms of comfort and manufacturing quality, is one of the widest and strongest surfaces of any laptop we have tested, and provides additional storage options for phones and other supplies.

LapGear Designer is the overall package in terms of style, comfort, stability and manufacturing quality, which includes some additional storage options.

of

It has a clean, simple design, and has a variety of colors and patterns. It is strong, well made, and feels comfortable and cool on your legs. It has a span of 17¾ inches (enough to hold a 13-inch laptop and mouse, or a 17-inch larger laptop alone) and weighs about 2 pounds. It has a slot to support your phone, a handle to carry or hang it, and an elastic strap to store index cards or pens. In addition, it has a short and sturdy plastic laptop stand on the front edge to prevent your things from slipping to the top, and it is equally effective for left- and right-handed people.

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The Avantree multifunctional chair has adjustable legs, which can keep your knees in the coolest state of any lap desk we have tried, and you can adjust the height and angle of the desk to various positions.

*At the time of publication, the price was

$50

.

If you want a lap desk with built-in legs, it is the best choice. Since it is basically a mini table, you can lift your laptop and other consumables from your lap, making it a better choice in terms of heat management and ergonomics. Its structure is as good as LapGear Designer and has many of the same features-laptop stand, left and right hand accessibility, larger work surface-and many more other features. Its feet extend to nearly 13 inches. You can also adjust the angle of the table to make it more customizable to achieve the desired posture-just make sure you have a flat surface underneath, so that you don’t tilt the feet . In addition, if you set up the Avantree multifunction machine on the desk or table, you can also use it as a DIY

Either

As the author of this guide, I spent 10 hours researching and testing laptops for 25 hours. I also wrote articles about mousetraps, USB-C cables and adapters, portable solar chargers, etc. for Wirecutter. Before that, I worked as a science writer for more than four years.

In addition to using the past four years of working experience in homes and flexible seating offices, I also consulted with a dozen other Wirecutter employees of different heights and sizes to better understand the wide range of needs of people using lap desks .

For the previous version of this guide, we spent an additional 12 hours to test the laptop desk and interviewed ergonomics experts

, Professor of Cornell University.

Lap desks are not for everyone. Generally speaking, their ergonomic performance is not as good as an ordinary desk. According to Alan Hedge, an ergonomics expert at Cornell University, they can only be used for up to one hour a day.

. In other words, the life span is short, and sometimes you need to start working from the strictly recommended sitting position. Input: laptop desk.

The lap desk already exists

.

Even use my own laptop

It is made of sturdy mahogany, weighs 5 pounds, and has a built-in drawer for quilts and ink for drafting the Declaration of Independence. (If you don’t like our choice and think it’s expensive, you can buy

The founding father’s lap desk or just

[PDF].

Most modern lap desks have padding, ventilation, and can prevent mobile phones, tablets or laptops from slipping off, but the basic functions are roughly the same. If you want to work on a laptop or tablet computer—or crossword puzzles, writing thank-you notes, coloring, and looking up tarot cards, whether on the sofa or bed, a lap desk can help. They provide a work surface that is flatter and more stable than bare hands, and can effectively protect your skin

(For details, see

section). They let you pick up the workstation and take it with you. People with many needs use them: remote workers, retirees, commuters, college students, people with disabilities or disabilities who cannot use them to work at their desks, etc.

We choose not to test gaming laptop tables or

For this guide, we do not recommend them.

Excessive temperatures can affect the performance of the computer, which is why there are so many products designed to keep it cool. However, we talked to people who regularly play video games-Wirecutter's editor-in-chief Kimber Streams and staff writer Thorin Klosowski-they said that they prefer to play games on the table or table because it is more comfortable, improves posture and works for them Provide more use space for a mouse.

We did not test

,

, Or

, Make sure they are not within the current scope of this guide. However, we plan to keep them in mind in future tests.

First, we scanned Amazon and other retailers to find the most popular and widely used options. We also consulted external editorial sources, such as

with

See what their favorite laptop is. On this basis, we have considered the following factors and developed a rough list.

After narrowing down the list based on these conditions, we finally got 7 models. We chose LapGear XL Executive (discontinued) and the and the previous two models.

:

We asked three or more Wirecutter employees to test each laptop, let them work on each laptop for at least 30 minutes, and then fill out a questionnaire on each laptop. In addition, as the author of this guide, I personally tested each laptop for an hour or more and paid attention to the following factors (listed in order of importance).

Of all the laptops we considered, we would get

. It feels comfortable and strong on your legs. With a width of 17¾ inches, it is comfortable enough to fit a 13-inch laptop and mouse, or only a 15-inch or 17-inch laptop, and it is equally effective for left-handed and right-handed people. It can make your work surface more than 3 inches higher than your bare knees and weigh more than 2 pounds. A few small places are very eye-catching, such as plastic laptop holders that keep your belongings in place, phone slots, handles, elastic straps for storing index cards or pens-overall, it’s cute and neat Appearance. We tested before and liked

If you want some extra surface space, its size is about 18½ inches.

Several LapGear lap desks

And finally entered our test list. This company (under the protection of Creative Manufacturing) is one of the few companies we have found. The company specializes in laptops. Laptops have a variety of options and styles, have a strong network influence, and are generally The praise. All LapGear models have one

, When we called the customer service department anonymously, they immediately picked up the machine and asked to ship the replacement product without any problems-except for more detailed information on how the company can improve the product. In all the LapGear models we tested and competitors' models, the designer shined with the brightest light and performed well in almost all aspects we tested.

The filler on the bottom side of Designer is filled with microbeads (a small amount of foam particles) and wrapped in a soft and comfortable canvas-like polyester material. It feels soft but stable because the particles inside adapt to the shape of the knee better than solid foam pads. You can even adjust the angle (roughly) to suit your position. The upper surface of the laptop desk (made of warm-colored artificial wood laminate) is equally comfortable to use. When typing, practicing calligraphy, and coloring, the smooth and frosted effect will not hurt your wrists

, Or the first draft of a handwritten novel. We like this texture rather than dented plastic, for example

Or smooth surface

We are deeply impressed by the manufacturing quality of LapGear Designer, and we hope this table can withstand years of use. Even if the top hat is not made of solid wood (it may look and feel more luxurious but also heavier), the designer will still feel strong and well-structured. These materials look very durable-and because they are petroleum-based, they are easy to wipe and clean locally. In contrast, we have eliminated many models from the test list-see

-Due to the existence of an owner review model, poor quality workmanship and cheap materials are reported.

The designer raised the laptop about 3 inches from the knee surface, which is about 1 inch higher than most other models we tested. Compared with the bare knee, it has both thermal management and ergonomics help. It weighs about 2 pounds and feels about the same as a thick woolen blanket on the knees. It is large enough to hold a 13-inch laptop and a wireless mouse, or a larger, 17-inch wide laptop without a mouse.

The small lip (a 6-inch white plastic strip with a height of only half an inch) on the near edge of the designer is wide enough to ensure that your laptop does not slip onto your abdomen while typing. But this does not prevent left-handed or right-handed people from comfortably using the wireless mouse or writing on the knee. In contrast, we tested some other models, such as

, Having the laptop clasp or other additional functions that the tester thinks is very annoying, thus hindering the basic functions of the laptop.

In addition, the designer has a small slot that can hold your phone or store pens and pencils while you work. The elastic bands at the corners (a feature not found on any other models) provide extra storage space for index cards or other small items you don’t want to slip off.

In terms of appearance, Designer is one of the most attractive models we have tested. It has a simple and stylish appearance, with a streamlined shape, and is easy to hide under the sofa or beside the bedside table. Its artificial wood top is a warm honey color that complements the white details. The handle and bottom cushion are made of vibrant fabric with a variety of colors and patterns, which can provide you with a variety of options to match your personal style.

Although price is the least of our consideration, Designer happens to be one of the cheapest models we have tested.

Although we generally like the look of LapGear Designer, we hope it provides at least a neutral, solid color. Paisley and Argyle are not suitable for everyone, and it would be shameful if your lap desk collided with the decor of your house, office or dormitory. However, since the designer has multiple styles and colors (eight at the time of writing), we think most people can find a style they like, even if it is not their first choice.

Even though a lap desk can slightly improve ergonomics and keep a bare laptop away from your bare feet, a cushioned option like Designer can only play a big role. If you are most concerned about ergonomics and ventilation, you should get our

If you want to use a lap desk that raises the work surface above your knees to increase airflow and improve posture, you should

. It is not as stable, comfortable or attractive as LapGear Designer, but it can keep the knees cool, and its adjustable height and angle make it more suitable for various sitting positions. As an added bonus, you can set it on the table as a temporary menu

Like LapGear Designer, Avantree has a laptop stand on the bottom of the desktop, and there is enough space on both sides of the 13-inch or 15-inch laptop for you to write or slide the mouse. In addition, if you don't want to put the laptop stand on the laptop stand, you can easily remove it (the box contains two rubber parts to plug the hole at the back). The other models we tested did not choose the option to close the laptop stand like this.

Avantree seems to be made of high-quality, durable materials (metal and thick plastic), and has a strong structure. Because it does not have to be in direct contact with your knees, the legs will not be hot or restless. There is a bit of lips on the edge of the table that we cannot avoid because it will rub your wrist and scratch your skin. The legs also wobble a bit-you need to place them on a level surface to create a solid foundation-but compared to the laptop computers with legs we tested, they cause us the least trouble. And we like that they are made of brushed metal, so they don't look super shiny and can slide into place cleanly when you adjust the height.

Avantree weighs 3½ pounds, which is heavier, but still very compact and portable. It is 2 inches wider than the designer, and a few inches wider than the designer, and its legs extend to about 13 inches high (when the legs collapse, its height is less than 2 inches). It takes some practice to unfold and stretch the feet and adjust the angle of the table. However, when the leg is fixed in place, it makes a satisfying hissing and clicking sound, which is intuitive to use as a whole. For example, the 8-year-old daughter of senior staff writer Doug Mahoney ordered his Avantree to set up a "coffee shop" in their living room, and it didn't have any trouble to use it.

Compared with LapGear Designer, Avantree is simply a barebones system. It does not provide any storage options for pens, phones or other consumables. And it is by no means beautiful. One of our testers compared it with hospital equipment. But we believe that this is a trade-off between better ventilation and the ability to precisely adjust height and angle.

It was originally the only lap desk with legs we requested for testing, but it was so bad that we had to give another one (Avantree). AboveTek’s legs are difficult to adjust, and the laptop buttons (used to hold the laptop in place) and rubber bands (used to hold the mouse or phone) are bulky, uncomfortable and almost unusable.

(Our previous budget choice) was cancelled in our latest round of testing because it does not have a built-in laptop stand that prevents your things from slipping.

Some followers developed among our testers. Its appearance is cool and fashionable, full of masculinity, but not too masculine. It feels strong and stable on your knees, and its faux leather laptop stand (which doubles as your hand pad) is both firm and comfortable. But even if some people like Bamboard, some people hate it. It is much heavier than anything else we have tested (nearly 5 pounds compared to the designer only 2 pounds), and there is no padding on the bottom. Except for the honeycomb cutout in the middle, the mouse pads on both sides, the three longer tablet slots, and the padded laptop stand, it is basically a wooden board.

LapGear eDesk used to be our best choice for those who need something more compact to travel or commute, but it has been discontinued. We are looking for other small portable options to replace it.

 Almost the same as eDesk, but we found it difficult to write on its dented plastic surface. In addition, the lip around the tablet slot provides an uneven surface for the laptop or notepad.

On paper we like

a lot of. It’s one of the most extensive models we’ve tested. It’s cushioned and ventilated, and features two mouse pads, zippered storage pockets and a spacious laptop stand. But in fact, the laptop stand is made of hard plastic, and the whole thing is difficult to use.

LapGear XL Executive was our first choice, but it has been discontinued. In addition, in the latest round of testing, we believe that the lack of a laptop stand (especially its low traction surface, which makes it easy for the laptop to slip) is a breakthrough.

We also considered several options from other popular manufacturers, including Hive Modern, iSkelter, Kikkerland, Mind Reader, Nnewvante, and Sofia+Sam. However, due to low owner ratings and low Fakespot ratings and/or lack of features, we eventually removed them from the test list.

Sarah Whitman

Sarah Witman (Sarah Witman) has been a contributing writer for Wirecutter since 2017. She has been a science reporter for more than seven years, covering topics ranging from particle physics to satellite remote sensing. Since joining Wirecutter, she has researched, tested and written articles about surge protectors, mobile power supplies, laptop desks, mousetraps, etc.

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