The 10 Best Overbed Tables
Special Honors
Medviron 39-Inch Unlike many, the Medviron 39-Inch arrives completely assembled, so there are no poorly written instructions to decipher. These robust tables boast a range of features that make them easy to clean and highly usable, from a seamless top that doesn't harbor bacteria to an optional vanity mirror. medviron.com
Stryker Tru-Fit The Stryker Tru-Fit can be purchased in a range of base and laminate colors, with or without handy storage features, making this a highly versatile choice, indeed. You can count on it to work well with beds, chairs, and recliners thanks to a U-shaped, low-profile base. patientcare.stryker.com
1-800 Wheelchair Furniture If there is such a thing as the Cadillac of overbed tables, 1-800 Wheelchair probably makes it. Their range of premium tables offers features like overhead lights, USB ports, built-in power outlets, and various storage shelves. 1800wheelchair.com
Editor's Notes
May 14, 2021:
No major changes were made to the Wiki recently. We still recommend the Vaunn Deluxe for most people because of its dual surfaces, although the Platinum Health Acrobat is just about as good. Both the Unicoo Height Adjustable and Tribesigns Queen Size are made to span the entire bed and designed with a nice enough appearance that they won't make a home bedroom feel like a hospital room.
It's worth mentioning that for a high-end overbed table, you will have to shell out a good amount of cash. We recommend checking our Special Honors section for manufacturers and retailers of commercial-grade models.
January 20, 2020:
Because the height adjustment on the Drive Medical 13067 is a bit too finicky, and the Sharper Image Adjustable has unfortunately become tough to find at this time, we have opted to replace them both. We still like the Vaunn Deluxe and the Drive Medical Silver Vein, however, for users who want a tilting or non-tilting model, respectively. They're both easy enough to clean, and they aren't prohibitively expensive like some of the ultra-high-end luxury models. If the price is still unpalatable, there's also the BarleyHome Side Table, but it's on the smaller side and won't offer enough room for those who need a big workspace. In that case, there's the Unku Laptop Cart and the Tribesigns Queen Size; note that the latter is not height adjustable, so you'll need to measure carefully to see if it can meet your needs. Finally, we've added the Platinum Health Acrobat thanks to its excellent flexibility. It's on the pricier side, but it offers great versatility and could even function as a mobile laptop desk.
How To Choose An Over Bed Table
If all you need is a basic, sturdy table to make your life a bit easier during a period convalescence, then a low cost option should suit just fine.
Over bed tables allow someone who is sitting or lying in a bed to do everything from typing on a laptop to eating to writing and more with ease. These handy, versatile tables can be adjusted in terms of height and often pitch, positioning a stable tabletop right where its user needs it, even when they can't easily move themselves about.
In short, an over bed table allows one to stay productive and comfortable at the same time, even when the user is confined to a bed. Thus their popularity in hospitals, nursing homes, and in the residences of those recuperating after illness, injury, or surgery or who have mobility issues caused by age or affliction.
Though of course the term "over bed" is overly limiting if you take it to actually define these products. An "over bed" table can be used as you sit in a chair, it can be wheeled near to a couch, and in some instances they can even be used as standing desks. Many over bed tables rise high enough and are stable enough to support a computer, paperwork, and more as a person does his or her work while standing erect.
Choose an over bed table that suits the bed with which it will be used. If you use an especially low or high bed, make sure any over bed table you consider can be lowered and/or raised enough for convenient placement where you need it. While most models can be raised higher than would be needed for almost any bed, with heights nearing four feet off of the ground, some can't go as low as might be needed.
Next you have to consider the surface area you require from your over bed table. If your work necessitates a laptop, a second monitor, and a notepad for scratching down stats and figures, then you need a table top with an ample amount of room and that can support plenty of weight. Some over bed tables are only about two feet in width, while other measure a generous three feet wide and then some. If you are going to be using your over bed table for work, then get a table that is large enough such that you will never be inconvenienced as you try to get your job done.
Many over bed tables can have the angle of the table top adjusted, allowing for more comfortable and easy positioning of papers for writing, reading, or for typing. If you plan to use your over bed table only for eating and supporting beverages, a table with adjustable pitch is not needed; if you plan to draw or write freehand in bed, then this feature is much more important.
Finally there is cost to consider. You can get something simple for just a small investment, but the nicer options can get expensive fast. The more you pay, the more adjustment range, stability, and special features you can expect. If all you need is a basic, sturdy table to make your life a bit easier during a period convalescence, then a low cost option should suit just fine.
Other Uses For An Over Bed Table
Your over bed table can do much more than simply place a table top in front of one confined to a bed. They can serve as a compact and convenient desk perfect for anyone almost anywhere, easily being positioned near any type of chair or other furniture piece thanks to the unique low profile of their wheeled frames. Having an over bed table means you can always enjoy instant work space or offer someone who is visiting a place where he or she can work. You can use these units for temporary support of a projector, a TV, or a monitor for assistance with a presentation or meeting.
You can use these units for temporary support of a projector, a TV, or a monitor for assistance with a presentation or meeting.
Over bed tables can also make handy temporary sideboards for parties, holiday dinners, or corporate events. Draped with a table cloth, an over bed table is indistinguishable from most any other narrow table save that it can be raised or lowered to your exact preferred height and easily moved about a room thanks to their castor wheels. Most over bed tables can easily support the weight the wine and liquor bottles you place on a temporary bar or the cakes, cookies, and pies of your desert table.
An over bed table is also a great piece of furniture for the mechanic or repairman to use when working on a vehicle or another piece of large machinery. The locking wheels mean your table will stay in place when you need but can easily be rolled around to another area of the workshop or garage, and the large, flat surface of these tables allows for easy arrangement of tools and components.
Over bed tables are also great for craft projects, serving as sewing tables or as staging areas for the paints, stencils, pencils and more that you use to create artwork, gifts, and more.
A Few More Helpful Items For Those Confined To Bed
If you're going to be spending a lot of time in bed -- whether during pregnancy, after illness, or due to age -- it's a good idea to make sure you will be as comfortable as possible. For even a great bed can become uncomfortable after a long time spent there.
First, make sure you have a good sit up pillow that can comfortably and supportively keep you in a semi upright position.
First, make sure you have a good sit up pillow that can comfortably and supportively keep you in a semi upright position. These pillows reduce the pressure put on your lumbar region and spine and can help you remain in the ideal position for reading, eating, watching TV, and more.
Safety rails can help the bed ridden person in two ways: they can help keep you in bed, preventing accidental rolling out, and, ironically, they can help you get out of bed, also. Securely mounted safety rails can be used to help a person pull themselves to a seated position, then to rotate their legs out of the bed to the floor. Finally, they give added stability as a person rises or later returns to the bed.