Best Bed Trays

We spend some of our best moments at home in bed. Whether you are deep asleep or simply lazing underneath your cozy blankets in the morning, nothing beats the comfort of a good bed. With the addition of a bed tray, you can read comfortably, browse your laptop and have breakfast without dirtying your expensive duvets.

What is a Bed Tray?

A bed tray is a small table designed to stand on the bed and hold a laptop, book, food or anything else that keeps you busy in bed. Most bed trays are made of wood, metal or plastic and can be customized for different services.

Bed tray tables weigh between 1.5 pounds and 10 pounds to handle different kinds of products. They can also be large in size to accommodate laptops 19 inches wide. Speaking of laptops, you can tilt and lock your Mac on the device, allowing to stream movies without having to support it with your friends.

Top Sites to Buy Bed Trays

Like most things these days, your laptop or iPhone is all you need to order a bed tray. The following four companies all sell bed trays albeit with some differences.

Wayfair

Wayfair mostly sells bed trays for breakfast and laptops. Their prices are better than what most other stores have, including land-based stores. With as little as $19, you can find a small bed tray for having breakfast and holding a book.

If you don’t like the laptop bed tray delivered to you free of charge by Wayfair, the company takes it back at no extra cost to you. You probably won’t need to return anything though. Wayfair is top-rated for its timely delivery of well-packaged, quality products.

Again, the website has such a wide variety of bed trays that you are assured of getting the exact type of bed tray you need. Simply visit the site and find scroll through Wayfair’s list of bed trays.

Amazon

While Wayfair is full of elegant bed trays, Amazon’s products are more personalized. Laptop bed trays, for instance, can be tiled and have drawers to store your iPad or charger. Breakfast trays have handles while medical over-bed tables have small wheels for easy maneuvering around the bed.

Like Wayfair, Amazon is highly reputable for its timely deliveries and customer friendly return policies. If you dislike what the site delivers, you can freely return it for an exchange. Amazon’s prices are also high, starting from $16 to $18.

eBay

eBay goes the extra mile of availing products from anyone that wants to sell. That means you can find Chinese made trays and compare them with those from the US. You can filter the categories based on price, color, condition, and material used to make the breakfast in bed tray.

 If you are lucky, you can also find bed trays without fixed prices on eBay. With the products, you state a lower price than the listed cost. If the seller is willing to sell the product at your preferred bid, you get the item.

Walmart

If you are not a fan of the hectic nature of Walmart stores but love their prices, check out Walmart’s websites. The company mostly deal with lightweight, laptop and breakfast trays. Their prices are low as you would expect but protected by a return process. So, if you invest in a $23 bamboo tray and happen not to like it, Walmart will take it back.

Ikea

Ikea’s website isn’t as loaded with bed trays as its physical stores, but it is worth checking out for the prices. Their KLIPSK all-purpose bed tray costs $12.99, one of the best deals you can get anywhere. You have to pay a $9 shipping fee though.

What should you consider when buying Bed Trays?

Cheap can be expensive—don’t get carried away by the low-priced bed trays. Look at the quality and features of the products instead. Can you support both your laptop and iPad on the table? Does it have handles or any extra drawers? Here’s what you should look for.

Tray Size

Check the tray to ensure it can hold most of the items you plan to use it for. If it’s for holding your laptop, it should be at least $15 inches long and up to 22 inches to for huge laptops. A width of 14 inches is acceptable while the height should be between 20 and 40 inches.

Adjustable Height

A bed table tray is only convenient if you can adjust it for different purposes. For breakfast, you'll probably want it at short length. For holding a book, you can increase the length to near your eyes.

Portability

Many people assume bed trays should be portable. While most of them are portable, they don’t weigh the same. Find an extremely light bed tray but just don’t trade it for quality.

Material

Most bed trays are made of plastic, wood or light metal. Wood is the most preferred option because it’s elegant and durable. Again, bed trays are not used for heavy jobs. Wood can last for long. Plastics break easily while metal may be too heavy to use in bed.

Cup Holder

If breakfast is one of the things you need a bed tray for, make sure it can hold more than a bowl. A cup holder is a great feature in any good tray because it’s able to hold cups firmly and better than a flat surface.

Durability

Durability goes hand in hand with material as far as bed trays are concerned. Wood, plastic, and metal can all serve you for a while. Plastic is the least durable while metal lasts the longest. But since you probably want a light yet durable tray, wood is the best choice. However, that doesn't mean you can't pick a plastic-made tray. Simply ensure it is strong plastic that can last a few years.

Pros and Cons of Bed Trays

Pros

• Lightweight, convenient tables that work better than any other alternatives in bed
• They are versatile, usable for holding laptops and breakfast
• Some can last for five or more years
• They can be customized to help support your laptop and let its fan run without harming you

Cons

• Not as convenient as a normal table
• They can’t hold as many items as a regular table.

Summary

Bed trays used to be a fad a few decades ago. They are back with more varieties than ever. A simple tray looks like a small table, but its legs are spread out to prevent toppling on the bed. The best trays are personalized to hold laptops, cups, and other items. If you feel like you need a bed tray in your life, don’t hesitate to shop for a futuristic, customized tray.

All Related Topics

Buying Beds Online

Bed Styles & Types

Upholstered bed | Camping bed | Swing bed | Triple bunk bed | Low loft bed | Pull out bed | Sleigh bed | Cot bed | Round bed | Floating bed | Captain's bed | Floor bed | panel bed | Portable bed | Princess bed | Fold up bed | Four poster bed | Futon bunk bed | Indoor hammock bed | Wood bed frame

Bed Sizes

Twin over queen bunk bed | Twin platform bed | Twin XL bed | Queen storage bed | King platform bed | Full size platform bed | Full size loft bed | Twin XL bed frame | Queen size loft bed

Bed Accessories

Bed table | Bed desk | Bed tray | Bed rest pillow | Toddler bed rails | Bed bench | Bed slats