IKEA Is Selling the Most Useful Small-Space Gem for Just $50

I’ve lived in New York City since I was 18, so cramped living spaces are pretty much all I’ve ever known. When you don’t have a lot of room in your home, it’s more important that the furniture in your home really serves a purpose — because if not, it’s taking up valuable real estate. This doesn’t mean you’re doomed to a life of drab, utilitarian decor — if you go looking, you can find a wide range of aesthetically pleasing furniture that’s also affordable, functional, and space-efficient. This new laptop stand from IKEA, for instance, is a handy find that’ll also add some funky charm to your space.

The IKEA BJÖRKÅSEN laptop stand is a small, adjustable desk made of steel with plastic accents. It retails for $49.99 and measures approximately 18 inches wide and 13 inches deep, while the height of the desk can be adjusted between 23 and 27.5 inches tall. 

The desk component of this laptop stand is also adjustable. You can tilt it or fold it up entirely, so you can easily rest it against a wall or stash it away in a closet. It also has something the average desk doesn’t have: a clip-on cup holder, so your beverage of choice stays safely contained below your workspace.

This may be a little desk, but the curved design and C-shaped base doesn’t look too corporate or remind you of your school days — especially if you get the new blue color. Although it’s designed for laptop work, you could also use it for extra kitchen counter space or serve drinks and snacks atop it when entertaining guests (just note there’s a 22-pound weight limit). 

When it’s folded up, it almost looks like a little sign; you could even affix photo-booth strips or reminders to it when you’re not using it as a desk, or wrap some string lights around it to turn storage into a sculpture.

I’m actually writing this from an adjustable desk on wheels, so I understand the appeal of the BJÖRKÅSEN laptop stand. I especially appreciate the cup holder and that you can tilt the table depending on what angle suits you best — I don’t have an angled laptop stand, and my wrists definitely let me know at times. Plus, the ability to fold the desk up makes storage a whole lot easier.

This laptop stand has over 1,100 reviews on the IKEA website, and an average rating of 4.5. “I bought this for my oversized sofa to use as an end table and it works wonderfully,” one reviewer writes. “I can have my water, plate, remote, phone, and controller all [in] the same space.” Some people say the cup holder is a bit small for some cups, although one reviewer said they still use it “to hold [their] pens, phone, and earphones.”