Lap desks. Always somewhere in the back of the closet. Never on your lap where you need them because you’re stuck in your living room working from the coffee table and your laptop is just … too … far away. You’re typing like you’re reaching for a trapeze. I know you want to root around in your closet for the lap desk you know is in there, but look, it’s got to be worn out by now. Besides, it’s out of date. Make your life easier and your lap useful by scoring one of these outstanding desks for sitting down.
The Fika Bed Tray Lap Desk
EQ3, $80
Ah, Sweden. Everything you design is so wonderful. OK, this isn’t a lap desk per se, but the likelihood of you occasionally working from your Sealy during these stay-home times is about 99%. Look at that tray. It’s so sleek, so pure, so simple. Fika is a Swedish word that we will never properly translate. The verb form means to take a short break for coffee. The noun form is the break you’re taking for coffee. Both forms add up to a well-deserved moment of chill — which is how you’ll feel every time you use it to support your laptop while you’re writing a brief about tort reform.
Bond Art Studio Lap Desk
Etsy, $74 (free shipping)
This lap desk is handmade in Ukraine from beechwood. It’s the kind of lap desk that just rests flat across your thighs and maybe that’s how you roll. Maybe you’re a thigh-resting madman or you have long arms. I’m part t-rex so I need a lap desk that comes almost up to my chin. But not you. The Bond Art stand’s stroke of genius is the perforations that allow for some air circulation for those laptops that turn into lap kilns after a few hours of furious typing.
Levenger Lap Desk
Levenger, $99
My love for Levenger is well documented and this lap desk just makes it better. Like the Bond Art desk, this one is flat. But it doesn’t rest on your knees (unless that’s your jam, see above). It lays across the arms of your chair. Sure, it’s a problem if you’re working on a couch. But why are you working on the couch? You’re the boss! Move your kids off the La-Z-Boy and get to work. It’s made with cherry veneer so it’s gorgeous and weighs next to nothing. Size matters here, as the huge workspace leaves you a lot of room to stack your legal pads and the straps will hold your favorite fountain pen. (Also available on Amazon.)
