Buying guide · updated August 2026 · 8 min
Best Desk Accessories & Upgrades in 2026
Monitor arms, desk mats, hubs and risers — the 5 desk accessories that measurably improve your setup, compared for build quality and price value in 2026.
Most desk upgrades are decorative. This list is different: every accessory below measurably changes how you work — freeing desk space, removing cable clutter or improving ergonomics. We compared 14 candidates across the market and kept five.
The biggest win is a monitor arm: it frees roughly 40 cm of desk depth, lets you position the screen at the exact right height and turns a cluttered desk into a clean one. If you buy one thing from this list, make it that.
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The rankings
Scroll to any product — every link goes to a live Amazon listing.
#01 · Ergotron
Ergotron LX Monitor Arm
€169
Best monitor arm — the desk-space liberator
Pros
- Holds 1–11.3 kg — nearly every monitor made
- Gas-spring lift: reposition with one finger
- 10-year warranty, spare parts available
Cons
- Premium price
- Pole clamp design takes 20 min to install
The LX is the reference monitor arm. The gas-spring mechanism is buttery smooth, it holds anything short of an ultrawide heavyweight, and it frees up the 30–40 cm of desk depth a stand steals. It's the single most impactful desk purchase in this guide.
Check price on AmazonApproximate street price — the link shows today's price
#02 · Grovemade
Grovemade Wool Felt Desk Pad
€129
Best premium desk mat — handcrafted felt
Pros
- Genuine merino felt, made in Portland
- Muffles keyboard noise noticeably
- Ages beautifully — gets softer with use
Cons
- Expensive
- No built-in mouse surface (pair with a mousepad)
The Grovemade pad is the accessory you buy when you're done upgrading everything else. The thick merino felt softens typing acoustics, protects the desk and looks better each year. It's the design-object pick of this list.
Check price on AmazonApproximate street price — the link shows today's price
#03 · Orbitkey
Orbitkey Desk Mat
€59
Best value mat — premium leather-felt hybrid
Pros
- Luxury leather trim with felt core
- Wide enough for keyboard + mouse
- Full-size mouse glide on the leather
Cons
- Slightly slippery on glass desks
- Not as plush as Grovemade
The Orbitkey mat gives you 80% of the Grovemade experience for half the price — and a proper mouse surface, which the Grovemade lacks. The leather-wrapped edge resists fraying and the neutral tones fit any desk. The rational premium buy.
Check price on AmazonApproximate street price — the link shows today's price
#04 · Anker
Anker 575 USB-C Hub
€129
Best dock/hub — unclutter a thin laptop
Pros
- 11 ports: HDMI 4K, Ethernet, 100 W passthrough
- Dual 4K HDMI output for two monitors
- Anker build quality and warranty
Cons
- Some laptop adapters are 65 W — check compatibility
- Cable is fixed at 15 cm
If your laptop has two USB-C ports, the 575 turns it into a full workstation: two 4K monitors, ethernet, SD cards and 100 W charging on one desk connection. It's the cheapest way to make a small laptop feel like a desktop rig.
Check price on AmazonApproximate street price — the link shows today's price
#05 · Twelve South
Twelve South Curve Stand
€55
Best laptop riser — elevates to eye level
Pros
- Raises a laptop display to near eye level
- Solid aluminium, elegant curve design
- Keeps desk surface fully usable underneath
Cons
- Fixed angle — no tilt adjustment
- Only suits laptops, not tablets with keyboards
The Curve solves the number-one laptop ergonomics problem: a screen 20 cm below eye level that makes you hunch. It lifts the display into your natural line of sight and clears desk space underneath for a keyboard and mouse. If you work on a laptop without an external monitor, this is the fix.
Check price on AmazonApproximate street price — the link shows today's price
Comparison at a glance
| Product | Editorial score | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01Ergotron LX Monitor Arm | 4.8 / 5 | €169 | Best monitor arm — the desk-space liberator |
| 02Grovemade Wool Felt Desk Pad | 4.6 / 5 | €129 | Best premium desk mat — handcrafted felt |
| 03Orbitkey Desk Mat | 4.5 / 5 | €59 | Best value mat — premium leather-felt hybrid |
| 04Anker 575 USB-C Hub | 4.6 / 5 | €129 | Best dock/hub — unclutter a thin laptop |
| 05Twelve South Curve Stand | 4.4 / 5 | €55 | Best laptop riser — elevates to eye level |
Scores are our editorial ratings based on research and spec comparison — not marketplace averages.
How to choose — what actually matters
01Monitor arm compatibility: check your monitor's VESA pattern (75×75 or 100×100 mm) and weight. Most 24–32" monitors work with an arm rated 2–9 kg. If your monitor has no VESA holes, buy an adapter plate.
02Desk mats: felt for noise dampening and warmth, leather/fabric for mouse glide. Get one wider than your keyboard for a clean look. Avoid plastic mats — they attract dust and look worn within months.
03A dock only helps if the port count matches your life: count your peripherals first. And check the charger wattage your laptop needs — a 65 W laptop with a 60 W dock will complain.
Frequently asked questions
Are monitor arms worth it?
Yes — the single best desk upgrade. You reclaim desk space, fix screen height and improve posture for €150 or less. Every ergonomics setup should start with one.
Felt or leather desk mat?
Felt if you value quiet and warmth (and use a separate mousepad), leather or fabric if you want to glide the mouse across the whole mat. Hybrids like the Orbitkey give both.
How many USB-C ports do I need on a dock?
At minimum: one HDMI/DP for a monitor, two USB-A for keyboard and mouse, one USB-C for charging, and a headphone jack. 4K60 output is worth checking before buying.
Can a laptop riser replace a monitor?
It fixes screen height, but your laptop display is still 13–16" with a keyboard ergonomics compromise. A riser is the cheap first step; a monitor + arm is the long-term answer.