With so many people working from home these days, it can either be an awesome or fiendishly difficult experience for you especially if some of your loved ones are also learning or working from home. You may want your own space and a good desk to create a fitting workspace.
Whether you’re looking for a standing desk for health reasons or a writing desk for your laptop computer or writing assignments, there’s an ideal desk for everybody out there. To enjoy your home office workspace, you need to pair your desk with a fitting office chair. Desks are available in different sizes, shapes, designs, and prices to suit all sorts of needs.
The key to effectively work from home is to find the right home office desk that suits your space and job. In this expert home office desk buying guide, we’ll go over what you need to consider to pick the right desk, as well as offer our best home office desk recommendations from various leading online retailers.
Why is a Home Office Desk Important?
While you might get a decent amount of work done at your coffee table or kitchen table, there are several benefits to setting up your own home office space, especially if you’re running a home-based business. It may not be expensive or large, but a good home office desk offers several benefits that can ultimately help your business be more successful.
Increased Productivity
By setting up your home office area, you’ll be able to focus on your work better and increase your productivity. Perhaps you’ve heard that it’s not good to watch TV or eat in bed because that will prevent your brain from thinking it’s time to sleep, which eventually makes it more difficult to nod off.
Likewise, if your kitchen table helps you prepare and eat your meals, socialize with family and friends, you shouldn’t try to work there as your brain wouldn’t associate it with work.
Even a small office chair and desk can be psychologically beneficial since it’ll be much easier to enter a work frame of mind when you sit down. This may help you use your time wisely and avoid burnout.
Moreover, this means that once you return to that kitchen table, you’ll be better able to leave your work aside and focus on your family.
Better Organization
A home office also helps you stay organized. Many desks come with features and built-in storage that help you keep your work items easily accessible, neat, and in the same place at all times.
If you’ve recently switched from working in the office to your home, it can be irritating to drag your notebooks, computer, and other work items from one place to another around your house. But with the best home office setup, you’ll have a much easier time getting back to work and picking up from where you left off.
Injury Prevention
Another good reason to buy a home office desk is to avoid injuries, especially in the shoulders, back, and neck. You may not feel them immediately, but uncomfortable injuries can occur due to working on a surface that’s not ergonomically designed. An ergonomic home office desk is built to keep your feet and elbows in the right position to avoid injury.
Types of Home Office Desks
Here are the major types of home office desks on the market today.
Executive
This is the most common desk on the market and features considerable storage options. While it’s not the largest desk available, it’s big enough to let you work on complex assignments.
Executive desks tend to have a vast rectangular working area. There’s space to sit underneath and you’ll find many cabinets and drawers for hidden storage on either side.
Computer Desk
This is the sturdiest office desk out there and it’s designed purely for computers. It’s designed to hold a monitor, keyboard, tower CPU, and other accessories.
A computer desk is absolutely important if you have plenty of tech gadgets in your workspace. Key features of computer desks include a keyboard tray, dedicated computer storage area, and cable organizers.
L-Shaped/Corner Desk
L-Shaped desks, aka corner desks, are ideal for large office spaces or simply where you need extra work space. This heavy-duty office desk is ideal for professionals. Of course, there are also small triangular corner desks out there that are perfect for small workspaces.
Writing Desks
These desks have a large, flat working area with few storage options. Their basic, streamlined build makes them some of the most versatile desks around because they can be set up along a wall or in the center of a room. Writing desks are ideal for tasks like writing or using a laptop.
Continue reading related writing desk guides, ideas, and reviews.
Drafting Desks
Also known as architect’s tables or drafting tables, drafting desks are an excellent option if you often switch between sitting and standing while working.
Drafting desks stand out for their tilting desktop which lets you adjust the top at various angles to get the right slope to avoid damaging your health.
Drafting desks are used for sketching and drawing and are designed to hold large sketch pads or oversized architectural plans.
Standing Desk
Standing desks have become increasingly popular in recent times due to health experts reporting that it’s not healthy to sit down for extended periods of time. These desks are perfect for computer-related tasks and come in three main forms:
- Raised desks that are set up in a standing-height level
- Entire desks that are lowered or raised, letting you switch between sitting and standing
- An accessory that sits above your existing desk, letting you sit or stand without buying a new desk
Height-Adjustable Desk
These desks are becoming increasingly popular as people prefer to work while standing up or realize that their current desk is too short for them. With a height-adjustable desk, you can adjust your desk’s top to your desired height. The best part about it is that you can use it while sitting or standing.
Secretary Desk
A secretary desk is a vintage furniture item that has been redesigned for a more modern look. This desk features a foldable upper board that can act as a writing surface.
A secretary desk tends to have hidden drawers and cubicles where you can store small objects. When you no longer need the working surface, you can fold it up for storage.
Wall-mounted/Floating Desks
Wall-mounted desks, also called floating desks, are set up straight onto the wall. Since they don’t have legs, you should keep heavy items on them. Some can be folded, while others are mounted permanently so they always stick out. They save space in minimalist rooms.
Foldable Desks
These desks are ideal for meeting temporary needs or when desks must be moved around regularly. These desks feature a surface that easily folds down into a slim piece. They can easily fit inside a closet.
Roll-top Desks
These desks feature a hood that easily rolls down above the surface of the desk to cover and secure the desk’s contents. Apart from the roll-top hood, roll-top desks offer a work surface and storage space.
They often have a retro look that gives your office, bedroom, or living room a classic vibe. They are also perfect for writing and sorting bills.
Computer desks, standing desks, and writing desks sometimes have wheels to make mobility easier. Other types of desks, like wall-mounted and executive desks, are more stationary. As such, be sure to carefully consider their size as well as placement when shopping.
Desk Material Options
The construction of a desk largely determines its appearance and durability. Here are the most common desk material options.
- Wood desks: These desks have a traditional appearance and warm feel. However, solid wood may be pretty heavy and prone to warping.
- Metal desks: These desks give your home office an industrial look and have a solid and durable construction.
- Glass desks: These desks are an elegant, high-maintenance choice that can make your cramped home office appear a bit more spacious.
- Laminate desks: These desks are normally cheaper than natural wood and won’t suffer heat or water damage.
Desk Storage Options
Based on your needs, here are storage options to consider when choosing your home office desk.
- Drawers: Some desks feature drawers either to the sides of or beneath office desks.
- Slide-out drawer: Some desks are made specifically for computer use and their lower slide-out drawer helps store a keyboard.
- Hutch: Some desks have upper storage over the desk’s main surface level.
Of course, there are many other separate storage options available to buy if your desk needs additional storage space.
Desk Shapes
Depending on the shape of a desk, it can be harder or easier for you to place it in your room. U-shaped desks typically eat up space the most, but in exchange they offer lots of room to keep your computer, files, and books.
On the flip side, standard rectangular-shaped desks and corner desks are easier to set up in your room, but don’t always provide adequate space to store your items. If you want something that offers the best of both worlds, L-shaped desks can be a suitable compromise.
Desk Size
Finding the right sized desk for your own height can help strengthen your posture and prevent back and neck issues that can result from sitting down 8 hours daily. Most desks have an average height of 28 to 30 inches from the floor to the desktop, which is the right height for most folks who are between 5’ 10” to 6’ 3” tall.
To get your perfect desk height, divide your height in inches by 2.5. For those who are 5’ 8” tall, their perfect desk height should be around 27 inches. If you can’t find a desk that’s ideal for your height, go for an adjustable-height model.
Desk Depth
While the width of a desk is subject to personal preferences, the depth of its surface can affect comfort for those using a computer. Extremely narrow desks aren’t recommended for computer users as they may cause back strain. However, if you don’t work using a computer, you can do just fine with a narrower desk.
Desk Placement
When buying a desk, you should consider its placement and take ideal measurements for it. Take a look around your room and consider the amount of space that’s available for your desk.
Remember to set aside three feet of room in front of your desk for the chair to move easily. Avoid obstructing frequently used room areas and doors. If you’re planning to use a computer, make sure it’s near a power outlet while avoiding the glare of the sun from any adjacent windows.
Once you’ve settled on the essential features of your new home office desk, you may want to consider practical additional features. For instance, you may want a desk that features a work area for two people or one that comes with a power cable.
Your goal is to choose a desk that’s not only great to look at, but also suits your sense of style and unique needs. Take these factors into account as you look for a desk that’s comfortable to work at and is easy on the eye, too.
Our Top Picks
Here are our top office desk options that can help you work safely and comfortably from your home. Apart from a traditional desk, we’ve also selected the best corner desk, along with a standing desk, too, so there’s definitely something to suit all tastes and budgets.
Best Overall Home Office Desk: Professional Cantilever Desk
This home office desk from Office Hippo is our best overall pick. It’s sturdy and well-crafted, and offers a decent range of sizes at a reasonable price tag.
The Professional Cantilever Desk is quite easy to assemble. It’s also very sturdy, with the actual work surface being one inch thick.
Again, there are various sizes available, including the biggest 180cm wide model that allows a pair to work comfortably side by side, with lots of room for two monitors, as well as a multifunction device or printer between.
The smaller 80cm or 120cm wide models are ideal for one person, or for somebody who wants a spacious single desk to hold lots of stuff. The Professional Cantilever Desk also has more than enough depth at 80cm.
One great feature worth noting is that the desk has neat cable organization holes on both ends.
Pros
- Decent range of sizes
- Really well-built and sturdy
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- The larger desks weigh a bit much
Best Corner Home Office Desk: Casaottima L-shaped Desk
For an L-shaped desk that will perfectly fit in your corner office, then this model available on Amazon is great value for your money.
Its desktop is made of medium-density fiberboard while the frame is made from steel. In addition, the inclusion of leveling studs on the wheels adds a nice extra touch, allowing the wheels to be adjusted for additional stability on an irregular floor. The desk is not only strong, judging by customer reviews online, but also easy to put together.
The L-shaped Casaottima Desk also features a small shelf to house your monitor or even speakers, for instance—which can be set up on the right-hand or left-hand side of your desk.
Based on customer reviews, the main issue with this desk is perhaps the odd complaint of some feature missing, but customer service usually resolves any such issues promptly. All in all, this L-shaped corner desk is excellent value for your money.
Check out some of the best desks available on Amazon.
Pros
- Easy assembly
- Great value for money
- Impressively sturdy
Best Standing Home Office Desk: Uplift V2
If you’re looking for a great standing desk, then there couldn’t be a better option than this desk. The Uplift V2 oozes quality and is rock-solid sturdy, in contrast to other standing models which can become quite wobbly when fully stretched to their maximum level.
It boasts a smooth and quiet motorized mechanism, a wide range of different desktop sizes, and cable management features as well. The Uplift V2 offers a wide range of customization options with various accessories and comes with a confidence-inspiring 7-year guarantee.
Pros
- Has some great optional accessories
- Lengthy guarantee
- Rock-solid stability
Cons
- A fair bit expensive
Best Spacing-Saving and Budget Home Office Desk: FURINNO Econ Multipurpose Computer Desk
FURINNO makes plenty of desks, and the FURINNO 12095GYW Computer Desk is a tempting option if you don’t want to break the bank. While you can’t expect top-notch design quality at the lower end of the price range, you’ll definitely get a decent product here that’s also quite easy to assemble.
In addition, you get a very compact desk—a good space-saving option—and you can place your PC on the right-hand side shelf. Moreover, there’s a slide-out tray to store your mouse and keyboard. There’s also an extra built-in drawer.
Now, when you take the price of this desk into account, coupled with the fact that most online sellers offer it with a fairly substantial discount, this is an excellent purchase if you really don’t have much to spend on an office desk.
Pros
- Very cheap
- Neat and compact
Cons
- Build quality is nothing to write home about
Best Home Office Storage Desk: Bush Furniture Salina Desk with Hutch
The Bush Furniture Salina Desk with Hutch is the best option for those who want to stay organized. Many features in this product allow for organization and storage.
The open shelves of the hutch are an amazing area to keep your books and binders at the ready. The slide-out tray is ideal for storing your keyboard and mouse and the built-in cabinet may be used for essential paperwork away from the prying eyes of others.
The modest design makes this desk versatile, meaning that it’ll look amazing in your home office, whichever room you use.
Moreover, this desk is available in various colors that can complement the color of your space, including white, gray, shiplap gray, driftwood gray, ash brown, reclaimed pine, and black.
Pros
- Small drawer above the cabinet can help store office supplies to avoid clutter
- Various colors make the desk complement your room decor
- Wayfair provides expert assembly
Cons
- The desk can be quite small for burly people
- Installation is a challenge and requires two people
- Having it assembled after delivery can be quite costly
FAQs on How to Find the Best Home Office Desk
Question: Who Designs the Very Best Home Office Desks?
- Topsky Computer Desk
- IKEA Pahl Desk
- Coavas 40”Folding Writing Computer Desk
- Flexispot Standing desk
- Phoenix 72” Rustic Work Table
- Hillsdale L-Shaped Desk
- Walker Edison Contemporary L-Shaped Computer Desk
- Elle Décor Dani 47” Writing Desk
- Sauve Floating Desk
- HOMFA Bamboo Laptop Office Desk
- Andover Mills Daniel Corner Desk
Question: How Do I Select the Ideal Office Desk?
Answer: To find the right desk for your home office, consider the following factors:
- Desk size
- Your office decor
- Budget
- Technology needs
- Storage needs
Question: What’s the Price of a Computer Desk?
Answer: Most computer desks are available for anywhere between $200 and $2,000. The cost depends on the size, design, and quality of materials.
Question: What’s the Price of a Decent Office Desk?
Answer: Depending on the material options, finish options, and features, an office desk costs anywhere from around $78 to as much as $7,200. Most good office desks are within the $285 to $1,200 price range.
Question: Should I Buy a Standing Desk?
Answer: Well, it depends on your needs. And even if these desks don’t significantly enhance your physical health, chances are they could boost your productivity or overall mood. The problems associated with standing desks differ from those of sitting desks.
Summing Up How to Find the Best Home Office Desk
If you’re used to working from home, you’ll want to get the best possible home office desk. Whether you’re writing reports, playing PC games, or surfing the internet, having a good desk is of utmost importance..
It must be of good height, have a practical design and, if need be, offer adequate storage room. Once you pair your desk with the right office chair, you’ll be more than ready to set up the perfect office in any room of your home.
When it comes to office desks, there are of course lots of shapes and designs as well as price ranges to consider, but there’s definitely one out there that’ll suit your office. Choices include executive desks, L-shaped desks, standing desks, wall-mounted desks, and gaming desks, just to name a few.
Another important consideration to remember is the construction of your desk and its overall look. You might want a classic wooden finish or maybe even an industrial look for your office. When it comes to convenience, cord management, drawers, and shelves are all elements to think about.
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