A standing desk that looks nothing like a standing desk
Plus, a handsome ... stapler?
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The Recommendation

October 23, 2025

None of these writing desks look like office furniture (and that’s a good thing)

A gif with photos of various writing desks.
Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter

Your desk doesn’t have to look like clunky office furniture to be a productive, comfortable work space. To find the best (and best-looking) writing desks out there, our home-decor expert perused almost 1,000 desks.

And after a whole lot of assembling, drawer-shutting, and chair-slamming, we walked away with seven durable standouts that would feel at home in a range of decor styles. Our favorites include a standing desk that looks nothing like a standing desk, a simple option with mid-century vibes, and a hefty table with ’80s aesthetics.

7 very pretty desks→

We independently review everything we recommend. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more ›

More for a stylish office

We love this sculptural desk lamp

Its mid-century silhouette looks more expensive than it is→

Our upgrade pick for the best pencil for writing and schoolwork, the Palomino Blackwing 602.

The Cadillac of pencils

Made of the very best wood — and writes like a dream→

A keyboard with white keys and a gray border, except for one blue key, one orange key, and a clear knob with a red center.

A fancy keyboard

Not only is it an excellent keyboard, it also comes with fun extras like backlighting→

A purple Ellepi Klizia 97 Stapler.

This stapler is a looker (yes, really)

With its clean lines and lacquered finish, it performs double duty as a powerful office tool and a handsome desk accessory→

Your daily deal: One of our favorite wireless earbuds

A pair of EarFun Free 2S earbuds with one bud laying outside of the case where the other is nestled in its place.

These earbuds provide an experience that’s on par with — and occasionally better than — that of pairs costing twice as much. We found they offer impressive sound quality and features, like a long battery life and touch controls. Use promo code EAFRE2SF to get a pair for $27.

Get the deal→

READ THE GUIDE

The best wireless Bluetooth earbuds→

Plus: “Nothing helps me focus like this delightful sage candle”

One of our favorite unique and savory scented candles from Flamingo Estate in a green tented candle jar.
Michael Murtaugh/NYT Wirecutter

When editorial director Leta Shy needs a moment of grounding, she turns to this luxe candle and waits for the delightfully herbaceous scent to slowly permeate — but never overpower — her surroundings. All the while, the thick green glass jar sits pretty on the mantel, like a beacon of serenity.

Highly gift-worthy, if you ask us→

One last thing: Put your pencils away

Ralph Nader's likeness made out of eraser shavings in between some Ticonderoga pencils and a couple erasers.
Dana Davis/NYT Wirecutter

If an eraser fails at its one job of cleanly rubbing out your mistakes without leaving any residue on the page, what’s the point? Ralph Nader, legendary consumer advocate, agrees — and came to us with one of his pet peeves: the “planned obsolescence” of pencil erasers. His issue? Erasers quickly dry out and become useless, desiccated nubs. And they’ve gotten worse over the years.

We had 100 kids test his claims→

Thanks for reading.

You can reach the Wirecutter Newsletters team at newsletters@wirecutter.com. We can’t always respond, but we do love to hear from you.

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