If you work from home, you’ll likely reach the same conclusion as us soon enough - a laptop can be a brilliant work tool, but sometimes it can get old looking down at it.

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Whether it’s neck pain or just a desk that you can’t get truly ergonomic, or if your laptop sits next to an external monitor at a very different height, a laptop stand can be a great way to make your computer a better part of your working setup or home office.

Raising up that display could be great for your neck and great for your productivity, so we’ve gathered together some of the very best laptop stands on the market.

Our Top Pick: Best Laptop Stand

For

  • So gorgeous Well-made Great angle

Against

  • Non-adjustable A bit heavy

Twelve South is one of our favourite companies, making a range of useful accessories including stands, chargers and more, and the Curve is one of its very best. This is easily the most elegant laptop stand on the market, as far as we’re concerned, and more than one person in our team has been using it very happily for ages.

It’s a single piece of machined metal, curved as its name suggests and offering a platform on which to rest your laptop. It’s got anti-slip arms that end in gentle, almost invisible hooks to keep your computer in place, and is great for added ventilation, too. The only area it loses out in is adjustability. If you want extra height, you need to add something else to the mix.

  • Folds down so small Sturdy when unfolded Great for travelling

  • A bit plasticky

Nexstand has taken the minimalist approach to a stand, with superb results. Its frame-like stands fold out from a thin column when they’re stored, and the K2, in particular, is hugely useful. It holds your laptop solidly in place, and is easily adjusted to let you choose how much elevation you want to gain.

Although made of plastic, the stands are really well-constructed and solid, and being able to store them far more easily makes them great for travel and working on the go. They might not be the best-looking, but these are the most useful stands around. If you have a smaller laptop, want an even more portable option, and don’t need as much elevation, the K7 stand is a great second option, too.

  • Great materials Non-slip rubber Looks fab

  • Non-adjustable Quite a low riser

This alternative stand from Twelve South works just as well for bigger tablets as it does laptops, and is a gentler change to your viewing angles.

It’ll raise your screen up a couple of inches, and has rubbery grips to help it stay in place. Like all of Twelve South’s accessories, it’s impressively well-made and looks nice and sleek on your desk. Plus, unlike many stands, you can very much still type on your laptop without it wobbling or collapsing.

  • Folds away Always there on your laptop Nice and minimalist

  • Is on your laptop full-time Not a huge riser

An option for those who want to be able to raise up their display wherever they are without fishing something out of their bag to unfold, Moft’s little kickstand sticks to the underside of your laptop, adding almost no bulk to it. Then, when you need it, it can fold out to provide a stand.

This makes it great if you only want a little elevation and don’t want an external unit to lug around, although it comes with the obvious drawback or having limited options in terms of height, and having to have it stuck on your laptop. Even if it might not be noticeable to some, it’s not quite as clean as having an unadorned computer, we think.

  • Really affordable Sturdy Adjustable

  • Quite clangy

It does also fold down flat, although it’s not really comparable to Nexstand’s efforts as far as storage is concerned. Still, if you want to raise your laptop without breaking the bank, this is a great choice.

How to choose your laptop stand

There are a huge number of laptop stands available on the market, so picking one might seem challenging. Here are some questions to help you narrow down your search.

How much height do you need?

The big variable between different laptop stands is an obvious one - by how much do they raise up your laptop? Some will do so by a matter of a few centimetres, while others will offer a much larger lift. This doesn’t have to be good or bad, but if you have an idea of how much lift you need, then be sure to check the specifications of each stand as you consider it.

Do you want a portable option?

Some stands that we love fold down to make it easy to store them, and this makes them ideal for those who move around as they work but still want a good ergonomic experience as they do so. If you know that you travel with your laptop a lot, this could be worth bearing in mind.

Is style important?

Twelve South’s stands look gorgeous and are really well-designed, but they’re also expensive. If you care about visual design and aesthetics, you might have to spend a little more to get a stand that ticks all your boxes, so bear that in mind as you browse.