What is an overbed table and who is it for?

It usually starts small. Breakfast in bed that ends with crumbs between the sheets. A laptop balancing on a wobbly pillow while your neck slowly stiffens up. Or someone at home who spends a lot of time in bed and keeps reaching for the nightstand: a drink, a book, the phone, the glasses.

For all of those moments there is a surprisingly practical solution: an overbed table. It stands on its own legs with wheels and slides its tabletop right across your mattress. No more balancing act, just a stable surface exactly where you need it. In this article you will learn what an overbed table is, what else it is called, who it is for and what to look for when choosing one.

What is an overbed table (and what else is it called)?

An overbed table is a table on wheels that rolls over your bed. The base stands on the floor and the tabletop floats above the mattress. You roll it toward you when you want to eat, read or work, and you roll it away when it is time to sleep. Your bed stays your bed. The table only joins in when you want it to.

Curiously, this piece of furniture has no single fixed name. Search for overbed table, over bed table or table over bed and you end up at the same product. Rolling bed table and adjustable bed table are common names too, and in healthcare settings people often say hospital bed table. Whatever you call it, the idea is the same: a table that slides over the bed, is height adjustable and stands on wheels.

Overbed table vs bedside table vs bed tray: what is the difference?

Search for a bed table and you will find three very different products. It helps to keep them apart before you order anything.

• The bed tray with legs. Also known as a lap desk or breakfast-in-bed set. This small tray sits on the mattress or on your lap. Fine for the occasional breakfast, but it rests on your legs or duvet and wobbles with every move. Working on it is not comfortable.
• The small bedside table on wheels. A narrow table with a base that slides under the bed, so the tabletop reaches a little way over the edge. Good enough for a cup of coffee or a tablet, but with a wide bed or a box spring bed the tabletop often does not reach far enough.
• The full overbed table. A table that spans the full width of the bed on its own legs. The tabletop sits stable above the mattress, so you can genuinely work and eat on it. This is the type this article is about.

Overbed table uses: who is it for?

For remote workers without a home office

Not everyone has a spare room to work in. An overbed table turns the bedroom into a workspace in seconds. Laptop on top, tabletop at the right height, and when the workday is done you roll everything aside again. A handy detail on some models: power sockets and USB ports built into the tabletop, so chargers are not trailing across the floor.

For anyone who loves breakfast or reading in bed

Breakfast in bed sounds more romantic than it often is: cups on the duvet, crumbs everywhere. With a tabletop above the mattress, everything stands firmly in place. The same goes for a book, the newspaper or a puzzle. You sit upright, everything is within reach and nothing tips over.

For recovery after a hospital stay

Anyone recovering at home after surgery or a hospital stay tends to spend more time in bed than usual. It helps a lot when food, drinks and the phone are within easy reach, without constantly stretching or getting up. An overbed table makes those weeks a good deal more comfortable. If you are unsure what makes sense in your situation, talk it through with your GP or occupational therapist.

For family caregivers: helping a parent stay independent at home

Many people shop for an overbed table not for themselves but for their father or mother. Someone who spends much of the day in bed, or struggles to get out of it, can do more on their own with a stable table: eat, read, video call the grandchildren. That means less asking and less lifting, and it gives back a real sense of independence. On our staying independent at home page you can read more about how such a table helps.

Choosing an over bed table on wheels: what to look for

If you are ready to pick one, pay attention to these four points.

• Width. The table has to fit over your bed, including the bed frame. So measure the outside of the bed, not just the mattress. Widths range from 140 to 213 cm. The DreamDesk overbed table, for example, comes in four widths (140, 160, 180 and 213 cm) and fits over any bed, including a double box spring bed.
• Height adjustment. A good model is height adjustable from 80 to 110 cm. That lets you set the tabletop precisely for your bed and your posture, and the table also fits over a sofa or a chair.
• Lockable wheels. Wheels make the table easy to move, but you do not want it rolling away while you lean on it or write. So choose wheels with a brake.
• Load capacity and stability. A steel frame that carries up to 50 kg stands rock solid. A laptop, breakfast and a stack of books at the same time are no problem at all.

Frequently asked questions about overbed tables

Are overbed tables only for hospitals?

No. The overbed table started out in hospitals, which is why some people know it as a hospital bed table, but modern models are made for the home. People use them as a desk for working in bed, for breakfast and reading, during recovery, and to help a parent stay independent. A home model like the DreamDesk looks like a piece of furniture, not like hospital equipment.

Does an overbed table fit over a box spring bed?

Yes, as long as you pick the right width. A box spring bed is taller and often wider than a regular bed. With height adjustment up to 110 cm and widths up to 213 cm, an overbed table fits over a double box spring bed too. To be safe, measure the outside of your bed at its widest point.

Can I use the table at the sofa as well?

Yes. Because the tabletop is height adjustable from 80 to 110 cm, the table rolls just as easily over the side of a sofa or a chair. A workspace in the living room during the day, a table at the bed in the evening.

How do delivery and assembly work?

DreamDesk offers free delivery in the Netherlands and Belgium, and the table is at your door within 1 to 3 working days. The box contains the screws and a manual, and every assembly step has its own video on the assembly page. More questions? The FAQ page covers delivery, warranty and everyday use.

Wondering whether an overbed table is right for you, or for your parents? You do not have to decide on a hunch. With DreamDesk you try the table at home during a 60-day trial period, with free returns if it is not for you and a 2 year warranty if you keep it. Look around, try it out at your own pace. There is no hurry.