Home Office Desks

[GoinAllTheWay]

I recently accepted a new office job that is going to be 100% remote and am looking to upgrade away from the God awful fold-able Canadian Tire desk I'm currently rocking.



I know the usual places to look like Staples and Ikea but wondering if there are better options out there? I don't need anything at all fancy, just an L-shaped desk with enough room for 2 or 3 monitors (monitor mount already ordered) and a decent writing surface. Under desk mounted keyboard tray a plus but think that's an easy add-on.



Don't want to spend a ton, hopefully under $1k.



Anyone have any hidden gems out there or a decent home office desk?

[Hack&Lube]

The biggest change in my life was a sit-stand. Build your own desk from a set of electric sit-stand legs from primecables.ca

Get any flat top from any source (I used an IKEA solid wood countertop) and bolt it on. Or get a pre-built.


https://www.primecables.ca/p-369396-...bles#sku440652

https://www.primecables.ca/p-390345-...ped-table-base

[Canadianman]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

The biggest change in my life was a sit-stand. Build your own desk from a set of electric sit-stand legs from primecables.ca

Get any flat top from any source and bolt it on.

This is what I did. Ikea top with legs from primecables.ca

[Paulie Walnuts]

Anything ready to go and not as expensive?

Amazon seems to have some cheap ones.

[wireframe]

My setup:
* standing desk legs from Fully with an ikea counter top. These are fairly expensive legs but they have been very sturdy for me when standing. I hate desk wobble.
* ikea counter on ikea legs for side desk (called desk return, I think)
* Herman miller Aeron chair
* nextstand foldable laptop stand
* merino wool desk mat from BeaverPeak
* MX mechanical keyboard from Logitech
* MX Master 3S mouse from Logitech
* ELLOVEN Monitor Riser from ikea


This picture is a little old. I've cleaned up the cables and cut the side desk to length since.

Spoiler!

I recommend that you get a sit-stand desk and a laptop riser. Both make a big difference.

[nik-]

I bought an Effydesk. Was looking at Burotic and Ergonifis too. Effydesk was the cheapest option for the wood, I also liked the integrated controls in the wood top, and the included cable management, so I cheaped out. Maybe not a good thing? It doesn't have the premium feel really, but it's ok. It works well and it looks nice. They have several options under the 1k mark if you stay with the laminate style top.

Effydesk is "Canadian", but not really. Basically just a Canadian reseller of overseas items.

Money no object, I probably would have gone with the walnut Sway from Ergonifis. But money is an object .. sooo.

[calgarygeologist]

I personally like these types of desks from Costco: https://www.costco.ca/dunmoore-152.4...100837534.html

I have two similar ones in my house and they are very sturdy and well put together. The drawers are nice for keeping electronics or office supplies in. The built in rear power is a nice feature. On my desk, I screwed a piece of wood under the drawer rails to which I attached a sliding keyboard tray. I pull the tray out and adjust the height of the keyboard and when I am done I store the keyboard tray under the desk for a clean look.

The added benefit of Costco is the generous return policy and price matching.

Keyboard tray: VIVO Adjustable Computer Keyboard & Mouse Platform Tray Ergonomic Under Table Desk Mount Drawer Underdesk Shelf (MOUNT-KB03B) https://a.co/d/3mWTg4L

[Paulie Walnuts]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I personally like these types of desks from Costco: https://www.costco.ca/dunmoore-152.4...100837534.html

I have two similar ones in my house and they are very sturdy and well put together. The drawers are nice for keeping electronics or office supplies it. The built in rear power is a nice feature. On my desk, I screwed a piece of wood under the drawer rails to which I attached a sliding keyboard tray. I pull the tray out and adjust the height of the keyboard and when I am done I store the keyboard tray under the desk for a clean look.

The added benefit of Costco is the generous return policy and price matching.

Keyboard tray: VIVO Adjustable Computer Keyboard & Mouse Platform Tray Ergonomic Under Table Desk Mount Drawer Underdesk Shelf (MOUNT-KB03B) https://a.co/d/3mWTg4L

Just searched for L shaped desk on Amazon and they are like 200 bucks not even close to the grand some people are talking here.

Maybe I need to work harder

[photon]

We got a Helsy L shaped desk from Costco for my kid and while it was interesting to put together it is pretty nice for the price IMO. It's pretty big though.

https://www.costco.ca/helsy-contempo...100716404.html

[TorqueDog]

Check Wayfair. I was going to post my desk on here but it's no longer listed for sale on the site. But it is a black glass L-shaped (reversible) desk with polished aluminum accents and a sliding keyboard tray. I paid $495 for it and it's fantastic.

If you know the size of the space you need the desk to fit in, Wayfair lets you specify ranges for the width and depth.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Check Wayfair. I was going to post my desk on here but it's no longer listed for sale on the site. But it is a black glass L-shaped (reversible) desk with polished aluminum accents and a sliding keyboard tray. I paid $495 for it and it's fantastic.

If you know the size of the space you need the desk to fit in, Wayfair lets you specify ranges for the width and depth.

It might still be there, just packaged under a different manufacturer or supplier.

[EldrickOnIce]

Also just bought two from wayfair. Large office with desks back to back in middle. Sitting and standing. Very happy with them, but definitely not a traditional desk

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Check Wayfair. I was going to post my desk on here but it's no longer listed for sale on the site. But it is a black glass L-shaped (reversible) desk with polished aluminum accents and a sliding keyboard tray. I paid $495 for it and it's fantastic.

If you know the size of the space you need the desk to fit in, Wayfair lets you specify ranges for the width and depth.

This sounds nice. I really like glass and metal desks and I had one previously but the glass also looked so dirty on my desk so I went back to traditional wood

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

I personally like these types of desks from Costco: https://www.costco.ca/dunmoore-152.4...100837534.html

I have two similar ones in my house and they are very sturdy and well put together. The drawers are nice for keeping electronics or office supplies in. The built in rear power is a nice feature. On my desk, I screwed a piece of wood under the drawer rails to which I attached a sliding keyboard tray. I pull the tray out and adjust the height of the keyboard and when I am done I store the keyboard tray under the desk for a clean look.

The added benefit of Costco is the generous return policy and price matching.

Keyboard tray: VIVO Adjustable Computer Keyboard & Mouse Platform Tray Ergonomic Under Table Desk Mount Drawer Underdesk Shelf (MOUNT-KB03B) https://a.co/d/3mWTg4L

I don't like these desks because of the drawers or sometimes a big lip that sits between my legs and the tabletop, I find I bang my knees into them all the time so I need a perfectly flat top that is as low as possible. I prefer my keyboard on top of the desk so no tray. Trays limit the flexibility of moving the keyboard and mouse around for comfort and ergonomics. You are often just stuck in one position for too long with a tray in my experience.

I was thinking about a mod where I could have a giant tray to put a piano keyboard but I think I would still dislike the extra material under the desk.

[photon]

Yeah I like my keyboard on top of the desk too. The downside of that desk too is the part without the shelves is fairly narrow.. deep enough for keyboard and monitor but might feel cramped with more than 1 monitor and I think it would really benefit from a monitor arm in that case.

I've gotten a basic desk at Wayfair before and it was decent. Well the first the top of the desk was warped/curved and they sent me a whole new desk as a replacement.

But everything else I've ordered from Wayfair has been poor to terrible. It feels like they have some decent stuff and a bunch of crap and it's nearly impossible to tell the difference.

[psyang]

I'm cheap. I buy almost all my home office furniture on kijiji. Quick search turned up this:

https://www.kijiji.ca/v-buy-sell-des...esk/1661556276

For desk/chair, I have an L-shaped Ikea Galant desk with two extensions, and Steelcase Leap chair. Pieced together over time, but total cost was $150.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by DoubleF

It might still be there, just packaged under a different manufacturer or supplier.

Hah, you were right... and at quite a substantial price increase too.

https://www.wayfair.ca/furniture/pdp...159.html?piid=

It's also out of stock right now.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by photon

I think it would really benefit from a monitor arm in that case.
.

My advice to anyone thinking about mounting a monitor arm is to ensure their table top is made of solid material. Real solid wood, plywood, or solid & dense particleboard/MDF are usually okay but solid is best.

Monitor arms often attach to the back of your desk with a C-clamp that exerts a levering pressure on a single point of attachment.

If you buy a cheap Staples/Wayfair desk made of thin wood or the common IKEA desk that is made of corrugated cardboard, you are in for a bad day.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by TorqueDog

Hah, you were right... and at quite a substantial price increase too.

https://www.wayfair.ca/furniture/pdp...159.html?piid=

It's also out of stock right now.

https://www.wayfair.ca/furniture/pdp...-ltdr3353.html

This one looks strangely similar but slightly different color and about 2-3 inches smaller/shorter in each direction. $155 vs $405 regular right now.

EDIT: Nvm, there's quite a few more differences for the legs on second glance.

[Titan2]

Check out this place: http://www.allsold.ca/

Very big warehouse with lots of variety. I got my giant L shaped desk there. About $500 I think. Very happy with it but it is HEAVY.

I also skeptically bought a Steelcase chair at a different store I cant recall the name of, for way more than I wanted to pay. I have to say, it has held up incredibly for 2 years and looks the way it did the day I bought it. Very happy with it.