Review: Edge Desk is the collapsable, work-from-home desk you're looking for

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2021
The practice of working from home is likely to continue for employers and employees for quite some time, and regardless of whether it is permanent or temporary, being comfortable and healthy is still important. The EdgeDesk is a unique option that provides considerable flexibility as a secondary work location, one that can easily be packed away and moved to a new location.

Working outside on iPad Pro with the Edge Desk
Working outside on iPad Pro with the Edge Desk

What is it?

We've recently seen many companies pledging to continue the work-from-home trend including the likes of Facebook. With the trend continuing in full force, even after the pandemic recedes, desks that offer an additional workspace to its users continue to grow in popularity, and for good reason.

The Edge Desk
The Edge Desk


Edge Desk, or the "Edge Desk System" rather, is comprised of a collapsible desk as well as a wide array of accessories to compliment it.

This desk is best suited as a secondary desk or as a temporary solution. As much as we like it, there isn't the space, organization, or sturdiness we'd expect from a desk that is being used day in and day out with no end.

That said, it is such a joy to have around. There are many perks when working from home, but being able to slide a full desk and chair out from under your couch to set up on your back deck and work in the sun during a nice day while your dogs run around certainly has to be near the top of the list.

Working outside on iPad Pro with the Edge Desk
Working outside on iPad Pro with the Edge Desk being kept company by canin coworkers


We've worked around our home before, setting up camp in the living room on the couch or sitting on the outdoor patio table is nice, but this is far better. It is more comfortable, keeps our back in a better position, and is far more versatile.

Aside from being a portable and easy-to-move desk, it also folds flat. It takes a bit of practice to get down the whole process, but after a couple of tries, it isn't difficult to figure out how the whole thing works.

Setting up Edge Desk
Setting up Edge Desk


There are a series of levers, locks, and adjustment knobs that not only unpack the desk but optimize the setup for you.

You could keep the desktop in portrait orientation and prop it up like an easel, or have it flat like a traditional desk. Even then you can very much control the angle of the desktop, and the seat.

Using Edge Desk as an easel
Using Edge Desk as an easel


Speaking of the seat, that is one area that is very unique with the Edge Desk. It isn't a normal office-style chair or even any style chair, as it is more akin to the massage chairs you'd find in a spa.

Your knees are propped up in front of you on large cushions with your feet going backward, under the seat. In practice, it is very ergonomic and ridiculously comfortable. We truly enjoy sitting at the Edge Desk.

Accessories

Phone mount on Edge Desk
Phone mount on Edge Desk


We referred to this briefly as the "Edge Desk System" rather than just the Edge Desk. That's due to all the accessories that you can outfit your desk with. For our use, added a cup holder, a phone mount, and a set of wheels.

Wheels on our Edge Desk
Wheels on our Edge Desk


The wheels easily attach to the rubberized supports at the front of the desk. Once on, it is much easier to roll the desk around your home office.

The desk isn't particularly heavy, but this does make it easier, and it can also help protect your floor. If you're rolling under a couch or bed, wheels allow it to slide without the risk of damaging your floor and without any additional effort.

Cupholder on Edge Desk
Cupholder on Edge Desk


Other accessories, like our cup holder and phone mount, clip to the edges of the desk, fitting in and locking into place.

A normal desk is parallel with the floor, but Edge Desk can be set up at so many different angles. Placing your phone or coffee cup on the desk may not be possible for mounts that are fixed in place, at least not without a broken phone screen or coffee burns on your lap.

These holders and mounts can rotate and adjust so that they are properly positioned. Think about placing your cup in the cupholder: no matter how your desk angles, your drink is always perpendicular to the floor, spill-free.

Having the ability to expand the desk with these accessories is crucial. What would a desk be if you couldn't safely place your coffee or phone?

Typing on Edge Desk
Typing away on Edge Desk


Our biggest complaint here is the universal nature of such accessories. For example, the cupholder is great, but it can be too long and narrow for certain coffee cups.

We managed to find ones that work, but it wasn't designed from the ground up for a standard coffee mug and may take some adjusting on your end.

Should you buy it?

Frankly, we are massive fans of the Edge Desk. I've never knelt while working, usually sticking with a standard office chair or even a standing desk, but kneeling was quite comfortable and was an enjoyable change of pace.

Front of Edge Desk
front of Edge Desk


Could we use the Edge Desk every day? Maybe not. It still isn't quite as solid as a normal desk and it is smaller than our day-to-day desk, but for the occasional work from home bout or the times where we want to stimulate our creative sides by working out on the desk, it is a perfect solution.

It is incredibly modular with a vast array of accessories and the number of customizable and adjustable parts makes it well-suited for almost everyone.

Our only real complaint is that the desk can squeak a bit if we lean on it and move about, but the Edge Desk team said this was simply a tradeoff to make.

It could be made more stable, but that would yield a heavier, bulkier product. This desk gets quite thin for its size and I think they made the right choice in this regard.

Top of the Edge Desk
Top of the Edge Desk


Pros
  • Folds very flat

  • Extremely comfortable to work at

  • Massive amount of adjustment

  • Helpful accessories available to improve experience

  • Great way to work from home or outside the office

  • Solid, strong, and well-built
Cons
  • Expensive compared to non-collapsable desks

  • Can squeak and wiggle slightly under pressure

  • Accessories not included

Rating: 4 out of 5

Where to buy

The Edge Desk is available from Amazon in black, white, and silver starting at $350.
dewme

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 19
    harry wildharry wild Posts: 810member
    To expense for such a small surface desk!  It looks like a giant snack tray table to me based on the size of the laptop, plus you have to buy some of the accessories too!  Get expensive with little functionality over going to Starbucks and hanging around for 2-3 hours to get your stuff done without toting this around!
  • Reply 2 of 19
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,198member
    Is it secure and stable enough to trust not just a little iPad but a $6K laptop on it? How secure is the surface from tiling, especially if one leans on it?

    edited June 2020 jeffharris
  • Reply 3 of 19
    seanismorrisseanismorris Posts: 1,624member
    I was thinking this might be useful in a student’s dorm room.
    steve_jobssvanstrom
  • Reply 4 of 19
    I was thinking this might be useful in a student’s dorm room.
     :D 
  • Reply 5 of 19
    robin huberrobin huber Posts: 3,960member
    How about a story on Zoom stands for MacBooks and iPads. Every person being interviewed on TV is using a stack of books! Even the pro journalists interviewing them. I could use one for our book club zooms. 
    edited June 2020 jeffharris
  • Reply 6 of 19
    charles1charles1 Posts: 78member
    There are a variety of traditional artist's workbenches, that picture of the guy painting really reminds me of the "art horse." I'll post a pic of one. They are sort of a bench that you straddle, facing a flat easel. We had these in the drawing classrooms back in art school, I never really liked them, I'd rather stand up at a drawing table. 

    svanstrom
  • Reply 7 of 19
    zimmermannzimmermann Posts: 326member
    Perhaps an article on small spaces innovations that have been coming around now that we are all working at home? I have been using an Upstaa for a while now.  It lets you work standing, a good change every now and then. 

    How do I post a picture... www.upstaa.com 
    edited June 2020 svanstromrundhvidrazorpitjeffharris
  • Reply 8 of 19
    mattinozmattinoz Posts: 2,322member
    An ironing board and a bit of cheap ply from the Hardware store and a mouse mat also make excellent sit-stand desks for the home.
    Plus the ply general fit were you keep the ironing board generally.
  • Reply 9 of 19
    mr lizardmr lizard Posts: 354member
    How much are the wheels..? ;) 
    fred1razorpit
  • Reply 10 of 19
    svanstromsvanstrom Posts: 702member
    To expense for such a small surface desk!  It looks like a giant snack tray table to me based on the size of the laptop, plus you have to buy some of the accessories too!  Get expensive with little functionality over going to Starbucks and hanging around for 2-3 hours to get your stuff done without toting this around!
    Yes, of course, being in a damn pandemic and having to work from home without space for a full-size office is definitely fixed by hanging around at Starbucks for 2-3 hours…?
    razorpit
  • Reply 11 of 19
    macgizmomacgizmo Posts: 102member
    The silly sh!t people spend money on is astonishing.
    razorpit
  • Reply 12 of 19
    rundhvidrundhvid Posts: 124member
    Perhaps an article on small spaces innovations that have been coming around now that we are all working at home? I have been using an Upstaa for a while now.  It lets you work standing, a good change every now and then. 

    How do I post a picture... www.upstaa.com 
    Want one. Right now. 👍🏽
  • Reply 13 of 19
    jeffharrisjeffharris Posts: 787member
    How about a story on Zoom stands for MacBooks and iPads. Every person being interviewed on TV is using a stack of books! Even the pro journalists interviewing them. I could use one for our book club zooms. 
    Exactly.

    My wife uses Zoom and Teams for work. We have a stool that I clamped on a piece of wood on the seat to get her iPhone or iPad or Surface Pro (ghastly work device) closer to her face, because we don’t want to show the interior of our apartment and use a blank wall for a background. It’s definitely a kludge. 

    I was thinking about how to use my tripod and clamp the iPad to it somehow.

    There’s got to be a better way than piles of stuff.
  • Reply 14 of 19
    jeffharrisjeffharris Posts: 787member

    cpsro said:
    Is it secure and stable enough to trust not just a little iPad but a $6K laptop on it? How secure is the surface from tiling, especially if one leans on it?
    That’s a real concern. 
    You’d probably want to stick some sort of non-slip rubber pad on the desk to hold a MacBook Pro in place and keep it from slipping.

    The top seems a bit too close to your body for comfort, too. I wonder if it can slide out a bit?
  • Reply 15 of 19
    Andrew_OSUAndrew_OSU Posts: 573member, editor
    Amazon link shows it to be $450 plus $30 shipping.
    We say starting at $350, which it does. It depends on the color you choose. Change the color, price will update.
  • Reply 16 of 19
    Andrew_OSUAndrew_OSU Posts: 573member, editor

    cpsro said:
    Is it secure and stable enough to trust not just a little iPad but a $6K laptop on it? How secure is the surface from tiling, especially if one leans on it?

    This will NOT move even if you lean on it. It is very sturdy and the most it does is give a little wiggle. This thing is extremely sturdy.
  • Reply 17 of 19
    jeffharrisjeffharris Posts: 787member

    Perhaps an article on small spaces innovations that have been coming around now that we are all working at home? I have been using an Upstaa for a while now.  It lets you work standing, a good change every now and then. 

    How do I post a picture... www.upstaa.com 
    That’s a great idea. So simple.

    It’s CNCed Baltic “Finnish” Plywood. There’s a phenolic resin finish on both sides. Very dense and heavy, unlike typical fir or birch plywood.
    The last Time I bought some for a project it was about $500 per sheet.
  • Reply 18 of 19
    The Edge Desk is awesome! One small feedback is that due to the limited notches on the rachet, it is almost impossible to adjust the desk flat. This would not be a problem if the desk surface had not been so slippery and mouse and computer will slide off the top even when the desk is at a small angle. I solved that by sticking a strip of weatherseal (those made for windows) at the lower edge of the desk to prevent items from sliding off the desk and dropping to the floor. A more tactile surface will be ideal if the desk cannot be adjusted flat.
Sign In or Register to comment.