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Whether you're typing away from your bed, couch or on a chair, these portable options give you flexibility.
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We’re almost two years into hybrid office life, but not everyone has figured out how to best work from home. Lack of space, privacy or comfort have made remote work a challenge for some. But you don’t necessarily need a massive desk to function from the confines of your house or apartment. Indeed, there are plenty of handy tools (such as portable monitors, Zoom-ready screens with webcams and wireless chargers) to ensure that your home office setup still feels functional.
Related: The Best Standing Desks for Upgrading Your Home Office
One of those gadgets is a good lap desk. Compact and functional, most portable laptop desks can hold all of your essentials while also being comfy enough for all-day use. However, there are some factors to consider when selecting the right one. It’s essential to know what space you’re working in, how big of a desk you’ll need, and how much flexibility you’ll require. The good news is that there’s a lap desk for pretty much any space and size of device.
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Ahead, we’ve rounded up some of the best lap desks for working from home, ones that can conquer all of the challenges we’re far too familiar with.
LapGear’s Home Office lap desk has room for more than just a laptop. It’s carefully organized with allocated spots for your main device, as well as a phone and mouse pad, plus slots and notches to make sure everything stays in place. It’s sufficiently comfy with a lightweight cushion attached to the bottom, ensuring that you won’t get too warm. And at just two pounds, this light desk won’t put too much additional weight on your legs. It comes in a range of different colors including hot pink and an espresso wood finish for switching up the daily work grind.
LapGear Home Office $39.99 on Amazon.com Buy now
While many sleep and productivity experts suggest avoiding using your bedroom as an office for work/life balance, there are days when we all want to something done under the comfort of our own blanket. Whether you’re eating breakfast or working in bed and need more flexibility and stability, the Saiji portable desk is perfect for that challenge. Able to rotate 36 degrees and with five inches of height adjustment, it can be adapted for a wide range of seating positions so legroom isn’t a problem. The non-slip leather surface can easily fit an 18-inch screen, and features such as a book stand, tablet slot and foldable legs make it a perfect device for the confines of your bed.
Courtesy of Amazon Saiji Portable Desk $89.99 on Amazon.com Buy now
Sometimes there’s more to a lap desk than simply getting work done, and that’s the appeal of Amazon Basics’ versatile option. It’s one of the best portable laptop desks that offer flexibility, as it can be tilted into a book stand or a functional on-the-go workspace, or extended into a riser to turn your desk into a standing one. It’s available in a medium size that measures 11.8 inches long by 20.5 inches wide or a large option that’s 13 inches by 23.6 inches. The detachable mouse and notebook slip pad lets you customize your work surface, and the legs fold up for easy storage.
Amazon Basics Adjustable Laptop Tray Table $46.86 on Amazon.com Buy now
If all you need is a basic laptop stand, Mind Reader’s portable desk is an ideal pick. It has enough space to fit a device of up to 15.6 inches and can be adjusted to eight different pre-set positions. It has a padded bottom for comfort, and it’s an absolute bargain for a functional lap desk.
Mind Reader LTAdjust Portable Desk $13.99 on Amazon.com Buy now
A sense of comfort should be a prerequisite for a good lap desk. After all, they’re no good for work if they constantly need adjusting. Huanuo’s portable laptop desk is particularly notable for its comfiness, from the anti-slip wrist rest to the comfy cloth pillow. It can be used as a stand for laptops up to 15.6 inches in size and has a handy phone stand.
HUANUO Lap Laptop Desk $35.99 on Amazon.com Buy now
An admittedly relevant gripe you might have with a lap desk is a lack of space. After all, they won’t compete with the surface area of a table. However, LapGear’s portable bamboo desk measures 22 inches wide, so it fits 17-inch laptops and has room for a mouse. You can easily use it for laid-back graphic design or gaming (when you don’t necessarily need a headset or serious mouse). And when you’re not using your computer, this lap desk is great as a portable writing surface.
LapGear Bamboo Portable Lap Desk $79.88 on Amazon.com Buy now
Made out of aluminum, the WorkEZ adjustable lap desk has convenient hinges that allow you to place your laptop at the perfect angle. With the addition of an attachable ambidextrous mouse pad, this versatile surface can also be used on top of a table to make a stand-up desk.
WorkEZ Best $39.99 on Amazon.com Buy now
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