Looking for a Bed Table? Try These

Overbed tables may be more of a necessity than a luxury for seniors who spend much time in bed. Aging can come with various health issues that might cause an individual to be restricted to their bed. Some health issues include arthritis, knee pain, stroke, dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, or surgery. It’s easier to enjoy being in bed when there’s a stable surface nearby for mess-free eating, working, or playing games. In addition, overbed tables provide a level of independence that bedridden people might otherwise lack. 

When looking for the ideal overbed table, it’s critical to find a lightweight one that provides plenty of surface area without getting in the way. In addition, some overbed tables have smart features that make them even more helpful, such as adjustable table heights or storage drawers for extra storage. Here’s how to choose the best-overbed table for you.

What Is a Bed Table?

An overbed table is a rectangular table designed to fit over a bed. They are typically designed for hospital patients, seniors with limited mobility, and people who live at home and are restricted to their beds. It’s similar to a portable table that can be adjusted in height and is used as a supportive flat surface for people to sit up in bed for meals and other activities. Functional bedside tables are a must-have if your senior likes to have his favorite meal nearby at night.

Why Should You Buy a Bedside Table?

The overbed table is versatile because it can be moved from the bed to the sitting room or even in the garden. Sometimes the seniors become so tired that they do not want to leave their beds or comfort zones. This table can assist them in various ways, such as storing stationery or laptops if they are reading.

Did you recently endure an injury? Or perhaps you have a senior who is recovering from surgery. You are not required to continue moving around in pain. Simply request a cup of coffee and enjoy it in your bed. It’s unsettling to walk around the room with a healing wound on your body. If you have a loved one in this situation, get them a bedside table to make them feel better. Some of them include drawers where you can store stationery or other items. Have a good time relaxing. Are you going to watch a movie to pass the time? Or even set aside two hours to complete your assignments or read? You will require this table. Get one with drawers to store your stationery, phone, or even a cup of coffee while watching a movie. 

Additionally, healthcare departments use the bed tables to serve food and medication to the patients. The extra drawers are used to store patients’ medicines and personal belongings.

There has been significant growth in the types of overbed tables available, providing a great deal of flexibility and choice in selecting the right one. As a result, several factors to consider when selecting a bed table.

Factors to Consider Before Buying a Bed Table

The most important consideration in your decision should be how you intend to use your bed tray. People who want to use their bed trays to keep food and drinks should look for different features than those who want to use them as a work desk. Seniors who wish their bed trays to do both will look for the best hybrid design.

Size

The length and width of a bed tray limit the number of items comfortably placed on top. In addition, full meals require more space than toast and tea, so select a bed tray that corresponds to your eating habits. If you plan to use your bed tray as a portable desk, make sure it has enough space for your phone, files, writing pads, and pens and pencils. Those who want to use their laptops, tablets, or e-readers should look for bed trays with tilting surfaces for the best viewing angles.

Features

Handles on a bed tray are useful because they help keep your tray firm when moving it. Trays with rims around the edges keep items from falling off and onto the floor or your lap when you move them. Because you will always have something on top of your bed tray no matter how you use it. A defined rim around the edges is helpful if you use your tray for eating and working.

Material and Features

There are various types of bed trays available in the market, but most are made of wood or bamboo. However, metallic and plastic trays are also available, but they are not as good as a wooden bed tray. The most comfortable bed tray is made of wood. The bed tray made of bamboo is also of high quality.

However, plastic and metallic bed trays are not recommended. Although metallic bed trays are strong and durable, they are heavier than wooden bed trays and destructive when exposed to liquids. Plastic trays are lightweight and come in various designs, but they are not long-lasting and suitable for holding a laptop. On the other hand, the wood bed tray has attractive designs and is long-lasting.

Cup Holder

There are trays with cup holders. These trays are ideal for those who love to drink beverages while eating, working on the laptop, or reading. 

Stability

The most important consideration when purchasing a bed tray is stability. We use bed trays to store various items such as food, liquid drinks, laptops, and so on.

When the bed tray is stable, you feel more at ease when using a laptop or eating. Furthermore, for liquid items, the bed tray’s instability causes any type of spillage on your bedding, which adds extra work and cost to wash the bedding. To ensure stability, touch and place the four legs of the bed tray on the floor and apply light pressure to them. Doing this will give you the result of its stiffness and stability to endure maximum force.

Design

Another important feature to consider when purchasing a bed tray is that the bed tray must meet your requirements. For example, some bed trays have a foldable design to keep them organized when not in use. In addition, the bed tray may include features such as a laptop tray, cooling fan locations, side handles or notched handles for carrying, a mouse stopper, a rubber pad, height adjustability, storage drawers, etc.

Adjustability

Adjustability is important in overbed tables because it gives users more control and a sense of autonomy. Seniors should look for designs with a wide range of mobility and the ability to be easily adjusted to their specific needs. For example, all models should be able to adjust their height and angle. If the seniors adjust these aspects, ensure that the specific knobs or levers are simple and do not require excessive strength.

Spill Guards

Spill guards are especially important for seniors who have stability or balance problems and want more security for their items than a flat table surface can provide.

Style

Overbed tables are available in various styles, with aesthetic options based on users’ preferences. Some are medical-grade and look like other hospitals’ overbed tables, while others are sleeker and more sophisticated.

Tilt

The angle of the table is an important consideration, particularly if you use your table for a variety of activities such as reading or using a laptop or tablet. Along with height, it will allow you to precisely position it for the best comfort and functionality. You’ll find products that only swivel up and down or those that swivel all the way around, so make sure the table has the features you require. Another critical factor to consider is storage. If it can fold, it will be easier to keep it out of the way when not in use.

Types of Overbed Tables

Depending on the intended usage of the table, a variety of alternatives are available, ranging from the base’s design to its weight capacity. However, you should know the following information.

Home Health Overbed Tables

Overbed tables for senior living and home health care facilities are lightweight and simple in design. It is important to keep in mind that these inexpensive tables are designed for normal beds, not hospital beds. The majority of these tables are height adjustable but lack extra features. For example, a bell.

Inpatient Overbed Tables

Overbed tables for inpatients are intended for usage in clinical and acute-care environments. There are a variety of base shapes available, including H-, U-, and C-shaped bases, to guarantee that the choice you pick will fit beneath and above your hospital beds. These alternatives are more robust than senior living tables and can often sustain more than 100 pounds at a time.

Many alternatives are prepared to operate with technology to conduct tasks such as elevating and lowering a hospital bed at the same time. Cup holders, spill guards, and vanity kits are possible extras. Drawers are often supplied to hold little objects that the patient wants to keep handy. Dual surface trays are also available to provide double surface area while taking up a little more space.

Pipishell Bamboo Bed Tray Table With Foldable Legs

This bamboo multipurpose serving tray is used as a breakfast tray, laptop computer desk, and hospital serving tray in various settings, including the bedroom, living room, kitchen, hospital, and outdoor. And you’ll do a lot of things on it, like eat breakfast or fruit, drink coffee or beer, work on your laptop, write or read. The natural bamboo breakfast tray’s inherent advantage is its sturdy construction. In addition, the bed trays for breakfast are made from eco-friendly organic bamboo, a renewable and sustainable material.

Foldable legs allow the tray to be laid flat without shaking and saves space when storing. The tray’s surrounding lips keep items from falling over. There’s no need to worry that any liquid will spill out of the breakfast tray and stain your clothes or sheets. Built-in carrying handles make it simple to transport food or other surface items. They are lightweight and portable, making them suitable for indoor and outdoor use. And this bamboo serving table can be quickly cleaned with warm water and wiped down with a damp cloth. Pipishell offers professional customer service both before and after the sale. You will receive a high-quality bamboo breakfast tray and friendly customer service.

Astoryou Portable Laptop Bed Tray Table Notebook

Astoryou Laptop Bed Table is made of MDF solid wood particle board, which is safe and eco-friendly. The surface is smooth, non-toxic, not easily stretched, moisture-proof, scratch-resistant, and high-temperature resistant; the legs are aluminum alloy tubes with a powder-coated finish, making them more strong and sturdy. The curved ergonomic tabletop is designed for sitting. This table will last a lifetime and will be free of corrosion.

In daily life, the Astoryou Portable Lap Desk can be used as a laptop workstation, laptop table for bed, a children’s bed table, a mini writing table, a standing table for office work, a laptop couch table, or a book/tablet table, picnic table. During transportation, the table may be scratched or damaged. If this occurs, please contact us with a picture of the product as soon as possible. The folding dimensions of the Astoryou laptop desk are 60(L)x40(W)x26cm (H).

This large size accommodates 11-17″ laptop computers and a mouse. Built-in iPad stands groove to hold your iPad or Kindle. In addition, our table comes with a table cup holder to keep your favorite beverage close at hand. When idle, the legs of the Astoryou laptop desk fold flat, allowing it to be easily stored behind a door or in the corner of the house. After receiving this product, there is no need to install, open, or use it. The steel feet are covered in the black sponge for a good anti-slip effect, keeping your laptop safe while tilted and providing you with comfort and stability while using.

Jucaifu Foldable Laptop Table

The collapsible laptop stand desk can be used for notebooks and computers and as a serving tray with legs for writing, drawing, drinking coffee, dining, eating food, and eating breakfast in bed. Also great for park picnics, outdoor camping, and travel. Whether you’re a die-hard fan of your favorite bed or recovering from an injury or surgery, this table is just what you need! It perfectly fits a 16″ laptop, with enough room to use your mouse comfortably – and it has a secret inner storage area where you could store your notes, a book, and your mouse pad.

Instead of the usual and more conventional options, you can stand out from the crowd by providing the people you care about with a super practical and smart accessory that they will adore! Our bedside table is a gift that will save them time and space while also making their life more comfortable. Its total dimensions are; 24.4 x 16.6 x 10.7″, plenty of room for your mouse pad. It has foldable aluminum legs and can be folded in half to 16.6 x 12.3 x 2.0 inches. Additionally, the table is stain-resistant, water-resistant, heat-resistant, and easy to clean.

Home-It Bed Tray Table With Folding Legs

A bed tray is perfect for breakfast in bed or watching television. This bamboo bed tray is made of sleek, durable natural bamboo, which is stronger and more beautiful than regular wood and ensures durability and stability. It has handles for easy mobility and legs that fold for easy storage and cleaning. In addition, it has tray lips that prevent goods from falling over.

When folded, the tray measures approximately 18″ L x 12″ W x 3 H. When standing, it measures approximately 8″ H. Additionally, the legs can be folded to make a laptop desk. You can also use it as a serving tray. It has handles for easy mobility and legs that fold up for easy storage. It is perfect for an elegant decoration display.

SUPERJARE Foldable Laptop Table

The next on the list is SuperJare’s foldable laptop table. Thanks to its steady, sturdy, durable aluminum alloy frame with a supporting buckle and a non-slip bottom design, this bed table will become your and your family’s favorite household accessory. You can eat breakfast in bed, watch a movie with your grandkids while snacking on nachos, or drinks, or work on your latest drawing without getting out of your bed; these are just a few tasks you can do with your foldable bed table.

The non-slip bottom design keeps your table stable, and the 22.1″ distance between its legs allows you to stretch your feet under it. Furthermore, it is extremely lightweight and foldable, allowing you to take it almost anywhere. The table is super lightweight and still can withstand up to 66 lbs. (30 kg).

Final Thought

Limited mobility may often lead to depression in older adults. Getting an overbed table helps seniors to accomplish numerous activities in bed to help them recover independence, such as working, crafting, and eating. If the person spends a lot of time in bed, you’ll need an overbed that works in tandem with the bed they have. For example, users may be on a bed with a reclining feature, in which case an overbed with an adjustable height option is required. This means they’ll be able to adjust the height of the overbed table to make themselves more comfortable when laying down.

While there are many basic features, there are many additional models available that may give those nice additions that you’ll like. They are low-cost items, so you can pick the ideal one for your requirements without making a large investment. You may choose from the above-mentioned bed tables based on your preferences to make your senior’s life more enjoyable and help distract the pain.