One of the key factors for working effectively is having a comfortable workspace that suits your needs. With many people working from home nowadays, this has become even more vital. Of course, not everybody has the space to dedicate an entire room to creating their ideal at-home office. Which is why you might want to consider opting for a folding desk to give you a little more flexibility.
The difficulty lies in finding a folding desk that's right for your home and your needs. In this buying guide, we're here to help you make an informed choice, whether you're after a free-standing or wall mounted desk. That way, you should be better equipped to browse our ranking of the top 10 best in the UK available on Amazon and eBay.
Quick List - Top Folding Desks
A recommendation service that carefully researches each product and consults with experts across many disciplines. We are constantly creating new content to provide the best shopping experience from choosing ‘cosmetics’ to ‘food and drink’, ‘home appliances’ to ‘kids and baby’ products, reaching users all across the United Kingdom.
Table of Contents
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the key considerations to keep in mind when choosing a folding desk. In this guide, we’ll be mainly looking at functional characteristics, such as materials and dimensions, leaving the aesthetics for you to decide upon when comparing desks online.
When it comes to the different types of folding desks, they can generally be split into two, easy to distinguish categories - wall-mounted, or free-standing. Each of these has its own pros and cons, so let's take a look at both individually.
Even though we’re looking at a product that by its very nature is designed to save space, you can take streamlining your workspace one step further by purchasing a wall-mounted folding table. When choosing the right one for your home, you can either pick a desk that uses a leg to prop itself up, or one that is stabilised via wall brackets.
Both of these save on floor space and are easier to pack away than a free standing desk. The only issue is you're going to need to attach them to a wall, and unless you own the property, you may want to check with the landlord before proceeding. Also, these desks are generally smaller, so you’ll have a limited workspace.
This style is essentially a classic work desk that can be folded down and packed away, a bit like a giant K’nex. They’re often larger and more likely to come with storage, and can sometimes be adjusted to different heights, allowing you to personalise your desk.
The primary setback is that these will require a little more fiddling about with when it comes to putting your desk away. You’ll also need somewhere to store it when not in use, slightly negating the amount of space you'll save.
When it comes to folding desks, they'll usually be made from MDF and alloy metals. This is because both materials are lightweight, yet sturdy, which is essential when holding valuable objects like laptops. Not only this, but they’re available in a range of different finishes, making it easier to find one to match your home decor.
If you’re willing to spend a little more cash, then there are a few options that utilise natural woods. These will be similarly sturdy, but with a more solid and luxurious feel. The downside is that they’ll be a lot heavier and more difficult to fold away.
Finding the perfect dimensions will depend on how much space you have available and how tall you are. We’re pretty confident that you already know how to use a tape measure to figure out whether your chosen table will be suitable for your home. However, we can advise you on selecting the ideal desk height.
Choosing the correct desk height is important to help improve your posture and reduce the risk of ergonomic injuries. Most desks measure somewhere between 50 – 77 cm. To find one that's appropriate for you, divide your height in cm by 2.5. If you can’t find a table at that precise elevation, you could always look for an adjustable one instead.
If your home office has no room for additional storage, finding a desk that comes with built-in drawers, or a second shelf to store objects you may need while working, may be an important factor for you to cinsider.
Surprisingly, you'll be able to find additional storage in both free-standing and wall-mounted desks, although the amount is entirely dependent on the size and dimensions of the table. So it’s worth thinking about what you use in your daily working life as to whether or not this could benefit you.
Products | Image | Click to purchase | Key features | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Coavas Folding Computer Desk | ![]() | Simple, Sophisticated and Stylish | |
2 | [En.Casa] Folding Wall-Mounted Office Desk | ![]() | Solving All Your Storage and Workspace Needs | |
3 | Beliwin Folding Computer Desk | ![]() | A Modern and Minimal Fold Away Computer Desk | |
4 | Xinglei Floating Multifunctional Folding Table | ![]() | A Desk to Fit Every Space | |
5 | Argos Home Compact Folding Wooden Office Desk | ![]() | A Compact and Clean Design That's Easy to Store Away | |
6 | SoBuy Wall-Mounted Drop Leaf Table|FWT20-W | ![]() | A Wall-Mounted Chalk Board That Folds Out Into a Desk | |
7 | Simpa Height Adjustable Mobile Table | ![]() | If You Want Plenty of Height Variation, Look No Further | |
8 | Costway Wall-Mounted Drop Leaf Table | ![]() | A Versatile Desk With Multiple Folding Options | |
9 | Elekin Laptop Bed Tray Table | ![]() | Ease Yourself Into the Working Day From the Comfort of Your Bed | |
10 | Insputer Folding Laptop Table | ![]() | A Large, Solid Desk That's Assembly- Free |
This is one of Amazon's best sellers when it comes to desks, not just folding desks either, and it's easy to see why. It has a fashionable design available in several different colourways, including Scandinavian-inspired oak and white, as well as the sophisticated brown and black we have chosen.
Luckily, it's more than just good looks. The desk is quick to assemble with no tools required, simply click the legs into the brackets. It provides a considerable amount of working space and folds down flat once you're done!
If you're looking for a foldable desk with abundant storage that requires little real estate, then we think you'll struggle to find a better option than this! The design comes with a whopping eight shelves, as well as a cupboard on top that's perfect for storing all your home office essentials.
This fold-out desk offers a relatively large amount of surface space, considering the style, which can be either a good or bad thing depending on how much room you have. While it might be a little pricy, it does pack in a lot more features than many others, and is especially worth it if you value storage space.
With a nifty additional shelf, who says that folding desks cant provide you with enough space to store everything you need? The large size gives you ample of room for multiple screens, additional speakers and any other objects that you may require.
This desk is easy to place and manoeuvre around the home. Plus it neatly folds flat for effortless storage once it's time to put it away. Moreover, the product comes in four neutral colourways, all of which maintain a classy and modern aesthetic.
Okay, it's quite expensive for what is essentially a sanded down and varnished piece of wood. That said, this desk has a stylish and contemporary feel to it, which makes it that bit more desirable if you're looking for something that offers more than just practicality.
Made from solid rubberwood, this desk is fitted via wall-mounting brackets which are supplied alongside the desk. Here, we've opted for the biggest one available, but it comes in a wide variety of sizes ranging from 40 x 25, all the way up to 80 x 35! So you'll definately be able to find something to fit your space!
With clean design, this simple folding office desk from Argos Home is ideal for those that require something both practical and pleasing on the eye. It provides a large surface area for working on, that can still be folded down small for convenient storage.
The desk is built completely from MDF and is good to go straight out of the box. If the black colour doesn't match your home decor, it's also available in white, or with an unpainted wood finish.
This convenient and space-saving fold-out desk is a great choice for pretty much anywhere in your home where an extra surface is required. It comes with a mounting kit to fix it the wall and is known for being incredibly sturdy.
The instructions aren't the easiest to follow, so you might need some DIY skills or a handy friend, or partner, available to help just in case. But it does come with a chalkboard that's perfect for memos, motivational quotes, or distracting the kids!
Made to complement your home, instead of taking over it, this mobile workstation is ideal for those that need a desk with a low profile. It comes with wheels, so it's easy to move between rooms, and weighing only 3.9 kg, it shouldn't be too cumbersome to push around.
Furthermore, the desk has an adjustable height that ranges from 68 to 88 cm to suit most people. However, it's known to be a little on the flimsy side, so you'll want to make sure that you don't overload it with many too many things!
The great thing about this drop leaf, wall-mounted table from Costway is that it has two different methods of folding. This makes the desk a bit more versatile and suitable for a wide range applications, whether that's an extra side table in the hallway, or a much-needed shelf in the laundry room.
When folded out to full size, this desk will make a decent workspace. Unfortunately, it a low weight capacity of 20kg, which is fine if you're just putting a laptop on there, but it likely won't hold much else .
It might be small, but if you're one of those that can't bear to get out of bed in the morning, then having this little bed desk could be the perfect way to ease yourself into your day of working from home! It even has a cup holder for safely storing your morning coffee.
The desk is made from MDF with a sturdy metal frame, and features a slide-out shelf that's great for storing phones, pens and other accessories you might need. It's probably not a long term solution when creating a home office, nonetheless, it is a convenient piece of furniture to have around.
With simple no-tools assembly, this folding computer desk from Insupter comes with many of the additional features that make for a wise purchase. It has a shelf underneath for storage and an adjustable height. Although this feature is strictly for ensuring the table stands straight on uneven surfaces, and not for ergonomic purposes.
Unfortunately, it's still pretty large even when folded, so it won't be that convenient for those who are short on space. Still, if you're looking to pop it in the spare room, then it shouldn't be too much trouble.
As freeing as it can be to not have to go into the office, our homes are rife with distractions. Whether you work from home full-time, or just now and then, it's important to have an appropriate set-up to help you concentrate and stay focused. Below are some more ideas to help you set up a comfortable workspace to help you smash your productivity goals!
Whether you're looking to build the perfect home office, or just doing your best and working with the space you have, we hope that you've found our buying guide and recommendations useful. Here's to having a more comfortable and productive working environment!
Author: Lewis Clark
No. 1: Coavas|Folding Computer Desk
No. 2: [En.Casa]|Folding Wall-Mounted Office Desk
No. 3: Beliwin|Folding Computer Desk
No. 4: Xinglei|Floating Multifunctional Folding Table
No. 5: Argos Home|Compact Folding Wooden Office Desk
View Full RankingThe descriptions of each product are referenced from content available on manufacturer, brand, and e-commerce sites.
Automotive
Baby Products
Beauty
Books
Business, Industry & Science
Computers & Accessories
DIY, Garden & Tools
Electronics & Photo
Fashion
Grocery
Health & Personal Care
Home & Kitchen
Large Appliances
Musical Instruments & DJ
PC & Video Games
Pet Supplies
Sports & Outdoors
Stationery & Office Products
Toys & Games