A desk is an important part of any home office, serving as the central hub for all your activities. Picking the right one can be challenging, as there are thousands of products to choose from — not to mention a wealth of designs, such as standing desks and L-shape desks, to consider.
When looking for the best desks for a home office, you’ll need to think about multiple factors. This includes how much desk space you need, how many customization options you’d like to have control over, and whether any additional features (such as cable management systems or storage space) are crucial to your setup. The most important thing to take into account, however, is durability. Your desk is an investment, and you probably won’t want to be running out every few years to replace it.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the six best desks for a home office in 2024. This covers the best overall, the best standing desk, the best L-shaped desk, and more. Many come from popular brands like Herman Miller, while others are from lesser-known companies that are churning out hidden gems.
The best desks for a home office in 2024
- Buy the Herman Miller Jarvis Standing Desk for the best overall desk for your home office.
- Buy the Herman Miller Airia Desk for a premium desk with superior styling.
- Buy the Flexispot E7 Pro Standing Desk for an affordable alternative.
- Buy the Branch Standing Desk if you want a reliable standing desk for your home office.
- Buy the Secretlab Magnus Pro if you want a versatile office desk that’s great for gaming.
- Buy the Pottery Barn Cayman L-Shaped Rotating Desk for its large workspace and unique design.
Herman Miller Jarvis Standing Desk
The best overall desk for a home office
| Pros | Cons |
| Highly customizable | Bland standing desk design |
| Reliable and durable construction | |
| Easy to operate |
Herman Miller knows quality. Nowhere is that more apparent than the Jarvis Standing Desk, which provides you with high-quality materials and an easy-to-operate panel that puts it ahead of most other products on the market.
With a five-year warranty for its desktop and a 15-year warranty for the frame, the Jarvis is built to last. Constructed from bamboo, a powder-coated steel frame, and a wear-resistant UV-cured topcoat, you won’t have to worry about putting too many miles on this premium desk. There are plenty of ways to customize the unit, including its shape, size, leg color, and more. There’s also the option to use either a small up/down handset for height adjustments or a larger OLED unit that lets you program in a variety of preset options.
You should have no problem putting all your electronics and office supplies on the desktop, as it supports up to 350 lbs and is available in a wide variety of sizes. Its design is fairly standard for standing desks (you’d expect a bit more for a desk this expensive), but that’s a minor knock on an otherwise well-rounded product.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Desk width | Up to 72 inches |
| Standing desk | Yes |
| Customizable | Shape, size, color, handset, grommets, cable system |
Herman Miller Airia Desk
The best premium home office desk
| Pros | Cons |
| Modern aesthetic | Not customizable |
| Hidden storage compartments | |
| Unique two-tier design |
Another entry on this list, another product from Herman Miller. This time it’s the Airia, which is an ultra-premium desk that’s designed to bring a bit of luxury to your home office. There aren’t any customizable components — but since it looks incredible as is, you wouldn’t want to meddle with any of its specs anyway.
Clocking in at 56 inches wide, the Airia is ideal for smaller offices or for setups that don’t have a bunch of bulky monitors and accessories. It offers a two-tier layout, with a larger bottom tier functioning as a work space, while the top acts as storage. Not only can you place items on the wooden top, but the panels lift to reveal deep storage pockets built into the desk. Along with the storage units up top, there’s a drawer in the front that can be used to hold pens, papers, and other small supplies.
Like the Jarvis, the Airia is built to Herman Miller’s high standards. It comes with a five-year warranty and is constructed with durable aluminum legs and boasts a striking walnut frame. Mixed with its white accents, it makes a statement as the center of your home office.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Desk width | 56 inches |
| Standing desk | No |
| Customizable | N/A |
Buy the Flexispot E7 Pro Standing Desk
The best affordable home office desk
| Pros | Cons |
| Great price, and often on sale | Customization options can be pricey |
| Tons of customization options | |
| Large, stable frame |
The Flexispot E7 Pro Standing Desk offers a lot of functionality for not a lot of money. Pricing will vary based on your customization options, but most people can build a reliable standing desk for right around $500.
Flexispot goes to extraordinary lengths to let you modify your desk. Not only can you customize your desktop material and desktop color, but you can add storage drawers, modify its width, change its frame color, and add a cable management system. Regardless of how you tweak its appearance, you’ll be treated to a reliable desk with a 15-year warranty.
Other big selling points include an ultra-sturdy frame that uses overlapping extending columns to keep things steady regardless of height or working position, and the ability to hold up to 400 lbs of gear. That makes it great for home offices with hefty monitors and desktop PCs — and its low price makes it great for your wallet.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Desk width | Up to 55 inches |
| Standing desk | Yes |
| Customizable | Desktop material, desk color, frame color, drawers, width, cable system |
Branch Standing Desk
The best standing desk for a home office
| Pros | Cons |
| Premium materials | Max capacity of 275 lbs |
| Options for large and small spaces | |
| Minimalist design |
Designed with dual motors and three-stage lift columns, the Branch Standing Desk is great for shaking up your posture throughout the workday. Along with an adjustable height that runs from 26 inches to 52 inches, it’s built with wear-resistant laminated MDF and powder-coated steel, ensuring it remains the centerpiece of your office for years.
If it does start to fall apart, your purchase is backed by a 10-year warranty, making the Branch Standing Desk a great long-term purchase. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a model that fits your needs, as there are four different desktops, two different leg colors, and two different widths to choose from. That’s a bit less than some competitors, but it’s still a good assortment of options.
Setups with heavy objects might need to look elsewhere, as the Branch Standing Desk only supports up to 275 lbs. That should be more than enough for most homes, but it’s something to be aware of being finalizing your purchase.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Desk width | Up to 60 inches |
| Standing desk | Yes |
| Customizable | Desktop material, frame color, width |
Secretlab Magnus Pro
The best gaming desk for the home office
| Pros | Cons |
| Multiple designs | Aggressive gamer aesthetics |
| Tons of cable management features | |
| Concealed power supply |
Anyone looking for a home office desk that doubles as a battlestation will find the Secretlab Magnus Pro to be the perfect fit. Available in a variety of designs (including ones inspired by Assassin’s Creed and Cyberpunk 2077), the Magnus Pro offers several cool features that you won’t find on standard desks.
For one, it uses a concealed power supply built directly into the desk, unlike other standing desks that force you to hide the unit with Velcro and adhesives. There’s also a full-length cable management tray that makes it easy to keep your unsightly cords and wires tucked away. Its overall design is a bit aggressive — with angular edges and an undeniable “gamer” vibe — but its ability to wrangle cords makes it appealing for any home office.
If you need additional space, you can step up to the Magnus Pro XL, which bumps its width from 59.1 inches to 70 inches. That should be more than enough for even the most elaborate gaming setup, and it’s certainly more than enough real estate for your standard work-from-home setup.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Desk width | Up to 70 inches |
| Standing desk | Yes |
| Customizable | Desktop color, width, optional accessories |
Pottery Barn Cayman L-Shaped Rotating Desk
The best L-shaped desk for a home office
| Pros | Cons |
| Innovative swinging design | Requires careful upkeep |
| Tons of work space | Limited customization options |
| Sophisticated appearance |
The Cayman L-Shape Rotating Desk is a unique piece of furniture. Unlike most L-shape desks, this one lets you swing one side underneath the other — giving you a way to free up floorspace and use it like a traditional desk.
When deployed as an L-shaped desk, you’ll get tons of room to spread out your work. The main side is 50 inches wide, while the adjacent rotating shelf is 45.5 inches wide. A great way to use the space is by putting your permanent computer fixtures on the main desk, then using the rotating side when you need to fill out paperwork or want a place to eat lunch.
Aside from its cool design and heaps of desktop space, the Cayman is built to high standards with solid mango wood and finished with either a biscotti or warm black color. The wood is also kiln-dried to prevent warping or other issues from arising, though it’s a bit more fragile than others on this list. For example, you’ll want to make sure you place all drinks on coasters and keep it away from direct sunlight. But if you’re seeking a desk with modern flair, the Cayman deserves a closer look.
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Desk width | 50-inches |
| Standing desk | No |
| Customizable | Desk color |
How we chose the best desks for a home office in 2024
Picking a desk for your home office is no small task. Ideally, you’ll want it to be the centerpiece of the room for years to come, meaning it has to be durable, comfortable, and easy on the eyes. Here’s a look at all the factors we considered when making this list.
Workspace
A good desk gives you plenty of workspace. This needs to be able to withstand years of use and shouldn’t be difficult to keep in mint condition. It’s also important to determine how much desk space you need — some rooms might require smaller desks, while others might want sprawling desks that can hold multiple monitors.
Adjustable height
Standing desks are all the rage, and for good reason. Sitting down for eight hours a day isn’t healthy, and standing desks make it easy to get on your feet and change your position. Standing desks should be easy to adjust, quiet while in motion, and sturdy at all heights.
Durable and reliable
A desk is intended to be a long-term investment. Products with lengthy warranties are favored over ones that only last a few years. Desks with good warranties tend to be built to high standards, but if something does go wrong, you can fall back on the generous warranty to get it repaired.
Additional features
Aside from being reliable and offering space, many of the best desks come with additional features. This could include built-in storage, cable management systems, or customization options. These won’t typically be available on lower-priced desks, and not all home offices need these features, but they offer added versatility for the right shopper.
Styling and design
Since your desk will probably be the first thing you see when you walk into your home office every day, it helps if it’s easy on the eyes. Products with sleek designs and eye-catching aesthetics can go from being simple pieces of furniture to works of art — and a few desks on this list definitely blur the line.
This article is managed and created separately from the Digital Trends Editorial team.
