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Desks
19 products
A desk is judged on two measurements that have nothing to do with how it looks: the height it puts your elbows at, and whether there is room for your knees. Most discomfort at a desk is one of those two, and both are checkable before you buy.
The range covers proper writing desks in oak veneer (Bradbury, Laxton, Grenoble), compact and folding designs for a corner or a spare room, a wall-mounted folding work table, and desks with keyboard trays, printer stands and integrated shelving. Widths run 80cm to 120cm, depths 40cm to 66cm, and prices £41 to £980.
Filters
Computer Desk with Hutch Shelf, Black | Kaiku
From £42
Computer Desk with Sliding Keyboard Tray, Grey | Kaiku
From £48
LED Computer Desk with Power Outlets, Carbon Fibre Grey | Kaiku
From £59
Modern Writing Desk with Storage Shelf, White Wood Grain | Kaiku
From £69
Multi-Storage Work Desk with Sliding Keyboard Tray, Brown | Kaiku
From £73
Folding Wall-Mounted Work Table, Natural | Kaiku
From £78
Compact Computer Desk with Keyboard Tray, Grey | Kaiku
From £79
Compact Folding Desk with Storage Shelf, Rustic Brown | Kaiku
From £89
LED Computer Desk with Power Outlets, Rustic Brown | Kaiku
From £89
Folding Convertible Desk with Blackboard, Grey | Kaiku
From £129
Laxton Light Oak Effect Desk With Shelves | Kaiku
From £139
Laxton Light Oak Effect Desk | Kaiku
From £147
Bradbury Light Oak Veneer Desk with 1 Drawer | Kaiku
From £149
Bradbury Natural Oak Veneer Desk wth 1 Drawer | Kaiku
From £149
Computer Desk with Drawers and Printer Stand, Oak | Kaiku
From £149
Computer Desk with Three Shelves and Drawers, Black | Kaiku
From £229
Grenoble Oak Veneer 2 Drawer Desk | Kaiku
From £720
Abberley White Desk | Kaiku
From £758
Charlton Ribbed Walnut Desk | Kaiku
From £980
How to choose
Height first. A desk at 72 to 75cm suits most adults in a standard chair — elbows at about 90 degrees, forearms level with the surface. If you are notably tall or short, the fix is the chair height and a footrest, not a different desk.
Then depth. 60cm or more if you use a monitor, because a screen wants to be an arm's length from your eyes and a 40cm desk puts it far too close. Under 50cm is fine for a laptop, and that is what makes the compact desks here honest rather than a compromise.
Choose storage by what actually lands on the desk. A single drawer takes the pens, chargers and paper that otherwise live on the surface; shelves above take the books. A keyboard tray buys back the whole depth of the desk on a shallow one.
For a room that is not only an office, buy something that folds or mounts. A folding or wall-mounted desk gives a full work surface at 9am and the room back at 6pm, which is worth more in a bedroom or a dining room than an extra 20cm of width.
Common questions
- What height should a desk be?
- 72 to 75cm suits most adults, putting elbows at roughly 90 degrees with forearms level with the surface. Adjust the chair and add a footrest rather than looking for an unusual desk height.
- How deep does a desk need to be for a monitor?
- At least 60cm. A screen should sit about an arm's length from your eyes, and a 40cm desk puts a monitor close enough to cause eye strain. Under 50cm is fine for a laptop.
- What is the best desk for a small room?
- A folding or wall-mounted one. Both give a full-size work surface when you need it and hand the floor back afterwards, which matters more in a bedroom than a few extra centimetres of width.
- Is a keyboard tray worth having?
- On a shallow desk, yes — it moves the keyboard off the surface and effectively gives you back the full depth for a monitor and paperwork. On a 70cm-deep desk it adds little.