9 Best Collapsible, Folding Desks (Don’t Buy This 1)

You know you need a dedicated desk to work from home. You can’t keep clearing the coffee table or sitting at the kitchen island with your arms at that weird angle. But let’s be honest – the last thing your crowded living room needs is another piece of permanent furniture.

You’ve decided to get a folding desk. 

The only problem is, you’ve scoured the internet, and you’re a little overwhelmed with the options.

You need a desk that does everything:

• Gives you a comfortable place to work during the day
• Is lightweight enough that you can move it around 
• Collapses when guests come over
• Folds down small enough to store

Plus, you might want even more specifics, like a foldable standing desk. 

We’ve spent hours researching the best foldable desks for all sorts of scenarios, from the best for your wallet to the best for your small room. In this article, we’ll go over the top desk we’ve found (plus one you should steer clear of) to help you create a comfortable-yet-moveable work solution for your home.

Table of Contents

Winners By Category | Loser (1 To Avoid) | Winning Desk Reviews | Honorable Mentions | FAQs

 

The Best Folding Desks

If you are on a mobile device, scroll to the right to view more columns.

See Also: Best Home Office Desks | Home Office Storage Guide | Desk Organization Ideas | How To Lay Out A Small Bedroom With A Desk | The 10 Best L-Shaped Standing Desks (2023)

 

The Worst Foldable Desk (Don’t Buy This)

With so many winners out there, there are bound to be some that just don’t make the cut. This folding desk looks great from a distance, but it didn’t hold up to use.

 

If you really don’t believe us, here is why I recommend avoiding this folding desk:

• The keyboard tray combined with a folding desk introduces too many ways to break, especially if you have to fold it frequently
• It’s highly rated on Amazon… but it fell apart on me in less than a year

If you’re in a rush to buy a foldable desk, avoid this one and check out one of the great options we found below.

 

The Best Folding Desks Reviewed

We compared collapsible desks over multiple categories, from best-priced to best desks with storage options. Take a look below to find a foldable desk that works for your space.

Best Overall: Folding Computer Desk By Origami

Foldability	Design	Quality	Storage
4.7 stars	5.0 stars	5.0 stars	4.9 stars

• View today’s price, normally $190
• Star Rating: 4.5
• Color Options: Black, Natural Wood
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 47.5 inches
  • Height: 30 inches
  • Depth: 23.75 inches
  • Weight: 38 pounds
• Pros:
  • 100% pre-assembled
  • Wide enough to fit two monitors
  • Aesthetically pleasing
  • Weighs under 40 pounds
  • Folds down and can be packed away quickly
• Cons: 
  • Top is a separate piece (extra step for setup/storage)

This folding desk by Origami was a clear winner for us because at such an affordable price, it still managed to hit all of our qualifications: aesthetically pleasing, sturdy yet lightweight, great for storage (thanks to the shelf underneath), and easy to fold and put away.

Read my full review of the Origami desk | Check price & buy here

 

Highest Quality: 60 Inch Home Office Foldable Desk By Need

• View today’s price, normally $150
• Star Rating: 4.7
• Color Options: Black, Gray, Rustic Brown, Teak (With Different Frame Finishes)
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 60 inches
  • Height: 29.25 inches
  • Depth: 23.62 inches
  • Weight: 43 pounds
• Pros:
  • No assembly needed
  • Quick to setup and fold down
  • Legs are adjustable so you can make sure desk is level
  • Can fit under bed or behind furniture when folded for easy storage
  • Surface is attractive and scratch-resistant
• Cons: 
  • Some reviewers say desk is too tall to be ergonomically comfortable (make sure you measure your chair height before purchasing)
  • A few reviewers said their desk was damaged during delivery

This roomy desk by Need was built to be durable. It is waterproof, can hold over 200 pounds, and gets great ratings for sturdiness. This is a great option if you’re looking for lots of surface space without the wobbliness that usually accompanies folding desks.

Check price & buy here.

  

Best Bang For Your Buck: 31.5 Inch Folding Desk By Tangkula

• View today’s price, normally $50
• Star Rating: 4.6
• Color Options: Natural Wood, White, Coffee
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 31.5 inches
  • Height: 29.13 inches
  • Depth: 18.11 inches
  • Weight: 23 pounds
• Pros:
  • No assembly needed
  • Easy to unfold and use immediately
  • Portable and easy to store
  • Sturdy and well-made for the price
• Cons: 
  • Reviewers say the top and corners can get scratched
  • May be slightly wobbly in some cases

For such a low price, this desk is both sturdy and attractive. It’s a great choice if you want a standalone folding desk that looks good in your home, but you can’t commit to spending hundreds of dollars.

Check price & buy here.

  

Best Wall-Mounted: 9 Plus Wall-Mounted Floating Folding Table By MCMACROS

• View today’s price, normally $40
• Star Rating: 4.5
• Color Options: Black, White
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 23.62 inches
  • Height: 6.5 inches (from brackets to tabletop)
  • Depth: 15.75 inches
  • Weight: 7 pounds
• Pros:
  • Rounded edges and clean design
  • Lightweight for your wall but strong enough to support almost 50 pounds
  • Simple folding mechanism
  • One of the more affordable folding tables on Amazon
• Cons: 
  • Assembly required (but it does come with instructions and parts)
  • Can be difficult to install, especially for one person

This wall-mounted folding desk is sleek, low-profile, and lightweight. Because it folds against a wall, it’s a great way to tuck a desk in a room that gets a lot of traffic without having to move the desk when you need it out of the way.

Check price & buy here.

  

Best For Small Spaces: Modern Folding Desk By SOFSYS

• View today’s price, normally $50
• Star Rating: 4.7
• Color Options: Espresso, Gray, Oak, Rustic Wood, White (With Different Frame Finishes)
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 23.7 inches
  • Height: 29.1 inches
  • Depth: 15.8 inches
  • Weight: 12 pounds
• Pros:
  • Great for small spaces – frame fits almost anywhere
  • Surprisingly sturdy for being so small and lightweight
  • No assembly required
  • Tons of color options
  • Fantastic for storing
• Cons: 
  • Some reviewers say the feet on the desk legs can break or come off

This convenient desk is small enough to fit almost anywhere, and it folds out in seconds. We love how many color choices there are for this desk. At under 24 inches, it’s one of the smallest folding desks we’ve found on Amazon.

Check price & buy here.

  

Best For Storage: Folding Computer Desk by Origami

• View today’s price, normally $190
• Star Rating: 4.5
• Color Options: Black, Natural Wood
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 47.5 inches
  • Height: 30 inches
  • Depth: 23.75 inches
  • Weight: 38 pounds
• Pros:
  • 100% pre-assembled
  • Wide enough to fit two monitors
  • Aesthetically pleasing
  • Weighs under 40 pounds
  • Folds down and can be packed away quickly
• Cons: 
  • Top is a separate piece (extra step for setup/storage)

This folding desk by Origami is our winner of the best overall folding desk, too. I’ve owned the desk for five years and it still looks and acts like new.

Keep this in mind first – you do not want a folding desk with lots of storage shelves and drawers. The more storage you have, the heavier the desk will be and the more likely things are to break. That’s why you generally don’t see any storage with folding desks.

The Origami desk provides plenty of under-desk shelf space without compromising the foldability of the desk. If you compare the Origami desk to a normal (non-folding) desk, the non-folding desk would have a lot more storage. But when you compare it to other folding desks, this is the best option for storage space.

Read my full review of the Origami desk | Check price & buy here

  

Best Sit-Stand Desk: WFH Desk By Work From Home Desks

• View today’s price, normally $590
• Star Rating: 4.8
• Color Options: Satin Birch, American Walnut, Snow Birch, Onyx Birch
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 35 inches
  • Height: 29 – 47.25 inches (adjustable by 2-inch increments)
  • Depth: 23.5 inches
  • Weight: 48 pounds
• Pros:
  • Quick assembly with no tools required (and no screws, nuts, or bolts at all)
  • Aesthetically pleasing (nice design, quality wood, and good craftsmanship)
  • Comes apart and can be packed away quickly
  • Adjusts for sitting or standing
  • 3-year warranty allows for returns if the desk breaks or warps
• Cons: 
  • Takes an investment (on the higher end of pricing for collapsible desks)
  • On the heavier side at 48 pounds (in case you choose to move the desk often)

This standing desk is beautiful and high quality, not to mention collapsible if you need to hide it away for company. There are few standing desks that can be folded down so easily and still manage to look classy, so this one was an excellent discovery.

“I like that it fits into my small space and its neutral, minimalist design. It is also super adjustable, making it more ergonomic for big guys like me.” – Brian Casey of KnifeGeeky

Check price & buy here.

 

Honorable Mention Folding Desks

If the winning desks above didn’t quite fit your needs, these two desks ranked high in our books for their great reviews and affordability.

JSB 39.4″ Small Folding Computer Desk with Storage Bag

• View today’s price, normally $80
• Star Rating: 4.6
• Color Options: Natural Wood, Rustic Brown, White
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 31.5 inches
  • Height: 29.53 inches
  • Depth: 17.7 inches
  • Weight: 19 pounds
• Pros:
  • Simple assembly – you just have to attach the desktop
  • Soft bag offers storage but still lets desk fold up
  • Great color finishes to choose from
  • Functional for working but also folds up small enough to store
  • Bag and hooks are removable if you don’t need them
• Cons: 
  • Top is a separate piece (extra step for setup/storage)

This folding desk has a soft storage bag that hangs on the side of the desk and hooks you can move to store cords and headphones.

Check price & buy here.

Folding Desk By Coavas

• View today’s price, normally $70
• Star Rating: 4.7
• Color Options: Dark Wood
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 39.4 inches
  • Height: 28.3 inches
  • Depth: 19.7 inches
  • Weight: 21 pounds
• Pros:
  • Quick setup (about eight seconds)
  • Nice design visually
  • Lightweight and easy to carry
  • Folds down completely for storing when not in use
• Cons: 
  • Reviewers say the surface is thin and sags under weight
  • Desk can be flimsy (probably due to its focus on portability)

This small and modern folding desk stuck out to us because of the fast setup (only eight seconds) and the sheer number of buyers. With over 26,000 reviews and ratings, it’s been proven as a great folding desk for your remote work.

Check price & buy here.

  

40-Inch Folding Computer Desk By Elephance

• View today’s price, normally $90
• Star Rating: 4.7
• Color Options: Beige, Black, Black Oak
• Dimensions:
  • Width: 40.55 inches
  • Height: 29.53 inches
  • Depth: 19.69 inches
  • Weight: 27 pounds
• Pros:
  • No assembly needed
  • Attractive design
  • Desktop stays attached to frame when folded, making for easy setup and foldability
  • Good color options
  • Great for sliding under a couch or in a closet when you’re done with work
• Cons: 
  • Some reviewers said their desk arrived damaged

This fold-up desk has a great aesthetic and a modern frame. It looks more like a permanent desk than a folding one, but it still folds up in seconds.

Check price & buy here.

 

How do I choose a folding table?

If you’re having a hard time deciding what folding desk to buy, remember this. The perfect desk may change depending on where you want to set it up and how often you want to collapse and store it.

Think through these variables to figure out what kind of folding desk you need:

1. Size: Where do you need it to fit? Think through where you’ll put it when you’re working, and where you’re planning on storing it. 
2. Weight: How much can you carry? You’ll want to make sure the desk isn’t too heavy, because you’ll need to move and fold it easily. 
3. Use: What do you need to put on it? Figure out the approximate weight of your computer, monitor, etc. and make sure you get a desk that can hold that weight.
4. Quality: What could go wrong with the design? Go for simplicity over extra features like a keyboard tray. Features could break when you fold the desk frequently.

 

What are the different ways a folding desk can fold?

There are a lot of folding desk designs, but here are some of the most common combinations:

• Legs fold in vertically against the back of the desk; top folds down over the legs (like this)
• Legs fold together vertically; top comes off and is stored separately (like this)
• Legs fold horizontally into the top (like this)
• Legs fold crisscross style; top folds down over the legs (like this)
• Wall-mounted top folds against the wall, then folds out when you’re ready to use (like this)

When deciding how you want your collapsible desk to fold, think about how often you’ll be setting it up and taking it down, how much time you’re willing to commit to the process, and how much room you have to store the components. These needs will help you determine what designs will be easiest for you.

 

Are foldable desks any good?

The short answer is some folding desks are great and others stink (which is true of any product). But when you find a winner, foldable desks can be a fantastic way to save space and still have a place to get work done. My wife has had her desk for five years (it’s the best overall folding desk we listed above), and it’s still working like new.

Here are the top three we’d recommend:

• Best Overall: Origami Folding Computer Desk, $190
• Highest Quality: Need Foldable Desk, $150
• Best Sit-Stand Folding Desk: Work From Home Desks WFH Desk, $590

 

What are the different types of folding desks?

There are many styles of folding desks, including desks that fold into furniture or into the wall. Here are some options to get you thinking about what you might need:

• Folding (or collapsible) desk: This type of desk is standalone and can be folded up and stored away.
• Wall-mounted desk: This type of desk mounts to your wall and can be folded down against the wall when not in use.
• Murphy desk: This type of desk folds up into the wall when not in use, and it’s ideal for saving space in a small room (no bed attached).
• Murphy bed/desk: This bed folds up into the wall when not in use, and it has a built-in desk that can be folded down to use the same space.
• Lap desk: This is more of a tray than a desk… designed for use in bed, it features a flat surface and small, adjustable legs to fit around you.

 

Recommend a folding desk

After 10+ years of remote work, I’ve tried a lot of home office desks, and the winners above represent the features I think most remote workers will find appealing in a collapsible or foldable desk. Even so, I might have missed some good options. Let me know if I did – I’ll be happy to check out your recommendation.

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