7 Best Corner Desks In Australia For 2024

If you’re tight on office space, the last thing you want is a desk that takes up half of your home office. Corner desks offer much more desktop real estate than standard standing desks but also take up more floor space.

Are you prepared to sacrifice a little bit of the latter to gain more of the former?

Corner desks come in two variants: fixed and electric/adjustable. Which one you choose will depend on factors I’ll discuss below.

By the way, I’ve researched over 25 desks to create this review, whittling the shortlist down to the seven best corner desks available in Australia.

You’re welcome 🙂

(Related: Best Standing Desk Converters In Australia).

1. UpDown Pro Standing Corner Desk.

Best overall corner standing desk.

UpDown Pro features unrivalled frame stability.

When you’re in the presence of this thing, you notice the sheer amount of metal that’s gone into the construction of the desk’s frame.

It passes the knock test, too.

(Related: UpDown Standing Desk: Comprehensive Review).

Pros.

Not just a pretty face, the UpDown is also capable of holding loads of up to 200kg, which is on par with the Desky Sigma.

Despite its impressive power, the UpDown corner desk‘s electric motor is as quiet as a whisper, enabling a smooth transition between heights. It’s on par with the Desky Sigma at 40 dB (think quiet library sounds).

Uniquely, the UpDown desk’s angle can be adjusted, so you’re not restricted to an L-shape setup as you are with conventional corner desks.

You can widen the angle to an obtuse angle (throwback to high school maths!) or a wider V-shape, giving you greater space to wheel about in your office chair.

UpDown is so sure you’ll love its corner desk that it offers a 100-day risk-free trial.

Let’s face it, when you’re paying close to $2,000 for a corner desk, you want peace of mind that it will be a perfect fit for your home office.

Desky, which I’ll talk about in a moment, only offers a seven-day return period, and there are many caveats, such as:

You’ll also pay for delivery and a 15% restocking fee with Desky.

Cons.

The UpDown Pro is somewhat plain-looking – because the company offers it only with melamine or Bamboo desktops.

Hardwood desktops like Jarrah or Victorian Ash would elevate the desk’s appearance, are available by special request only and will push the price to about $2,500.

What I dislike the most about UpDown Pro’s appearance is that it looks as though two desks have been unceremoniously shoved together.

I wish the area around the joint was rounded, as it is on the Desky Sigma, and the bamboo grain ran in the same direction.

For this kind of money, I want the desk to give the illusion that it’s cut from one continuous piece of timber.

The lack of storage will also be a problem for many.

If you need a filing cabinet within easy reach, remember that UpDown doesn’t have any drawers.

Either budget another $250-$600 for 1-2 wheeled filing pedestals or go with the Washington or MyDeal High Gloss corner workstations (below).

Verdict.

The UpDown Pro corner desk is not cheap, but you get what you pay for. It’s a very well-built standing corner office desk with a best-in-class risk-free trial.

While I wish its two desktop panels joined more seamlessly, this is a small issue. But if this will bug you, get the Desky Sigma instead.

How Does The UpDown Pro Stack Up?	Score
Price	4
Build Quality	5
Aesthetics	4
Cable Management	3
Ease of Assembly	5
Extra Features	4
Warranties & Returns	5
OVERALL	4.3/5.0

Specifications.

2. Desky Sigma Standing Corner Desk.

Second best corner standing desk.

Don’t let the name put you off. While Desky markets its Sigma L-Shape corner desk as suitable for gamers, it’s an excellent choice for non-gamers, too.

The matt black surface has an elegant executive look that would elevate most offices, except maybe those in creative industries who yearn for lighter-looking office furniture.

I can see the desk’s aesthetic appealing to a lot of WFH businesspeople.

Pros.

Like the UpDown Pro, the Desky Sigma can lift 200kg without showing any strain or wobbling.

Those with heavy laboratory equipment, cameras, gaming hardware, printers, and multiple monitors need not be concerned.

Incidentally, it’s the fastest electric desk in this review, covering 36mm per second.

Like the UpDown Pro, the Sigma L-shaped desk features four memory presets and user-programmable upper and lower limits, allowing for swift height adjustments with just a click of a button.

For reference, this is akin to the sound levels of whispering nearby (30dB), a quiet library (40dB), a refrigerator (50dB), or an electric toothbrush (60dB).

You won’t wake a sleeping baby if using this in an adjacent room.

I love how the tapered joint makes two sections look like they belong together, and the fact that the wood’s grain moves in the same direction.

Also, each leg features its own motor with a triple lifting system (as does the UpDown Pro), ensuring even power distribution during height adjustments.

Cons.

Regarding the downsides, it’s hard to pick faults with the Desky Sigma L-Shape desk.

Its price is consistent with the quality on offer – especially considering it’s just a few hundred bucks more than the UpDown Pro.

What’s not to love about the look of this majestic thing? It’s like a black panther among a bunch of plain-looking tawny puma kittens.

Verdict.

The Desky Sigma L-Shape standing desk is the second-best corner desk in Australia. lt will appeal to people who enjoy its dark aesthetic and adjustable-height functionality.

Unfortunately, Desky doesn’t offer a risk-free trial. If you want the option to return the desk, you’ll need to go with the Updown Pro.

How Does The Desky Dual Stack Up?	Score
Price	3
Build Quality	5
Aesthetics	5
Cable Management	4
Ease of Assembly	5
Extra Features	4
Warranties & Returns	3
OVERALL	4.1/5.0

Specifications.

3. Mantone Corner Workstation.

Best corner workstation.

The Mantone Corner Desk has the most graceful curve and cleanest lines, which makes sliding from one side to the other a frictionless pleasure.

The desktop piece has flush edges, with grain running in the same direction.

The choice of a melamine laminate surface has kept the price point below $500, and only minimal effort is required to clean your corner office desk and keep it in pristine condition.

The contrasting tones give the desk a professional appearance without veering into an overly corporate aesthetic vibe.

Pros.

The value for money on offer with the Mantone Corner Desk positions this as the most worthy adversary of the Rapid Worker corner desk (another 180cm beast discussed below).

While it’s not quite the largest, the desktop has the sleekest L-shape, whereas the Rapid Worker relies on three separate pieces placed together.

There’s just something so satisfying about spreading your arms out across your desk as though you’re doing the breaststroke and your arms are just gliding over the surface.

If you’re hypersensitive to touch, the seams belonging to the Updown Pro and Rapid Worker will likely annoy you when they brush against your skin.

No storage gets in the way either, so you can shuffle around and work in different zones of your desk – right on the edges if you want to.

Temple & Webster got the colour contrast right here.

I find that light-coloured wood desktops like the Altex 100 look cheap (even though that makes use of one single piece of desktop).

Cons.

There’s no mention of warranty on the Temple & Webster product page. I did a little digging, and on their dedicated warranty page, it says,

I also picked up with their customer service team, who said, “If the description does not say or mention warranty, it means it’s covered for a year.”

So there you have it… a measly year! If you’re looking for peace of mind, the Washington is a corner desk below $500 that offers an 8-year warranty.

Three or four centimetres may not sound like much, but raise/lower your keyboard and tell me if you think it feels natural typing at that level…

You’re also much less likely to be able to slide your office chair beneath your desk as the arms will collide with the desk’s edge (unless they’re adjustable).

There’s no choice of colour, which is a shame, especially when the likes of the Rapid Worker come in different styles to suit different offices.

If you have a wonky floor, you’ll need to shortlist corner desks with adjustable feet like the Washington.

Verdict.

The price, style, and ergonomics all get a green light from me.

If you’re browsing traditional desks as opposed to adjustable corner desks, the Mantone should be in your top three choices.

While it’s a shame that the warranty only lasts for a year, it’s highly unlikely that a unit with such a solid construction will capitulate.

Few corner workstations (especially as big as this) use only one piece for the desktop.

It’s a feat of engineering craftsmanship that belongs on models closer to and above the $1,000 threshold.

How Does The Mantone Corner Workstation Stack Up?	Score
Price	5
Build Quality	4
Aesthetics	4
Cable Management	4
Ease of Assembly	4
Extra Features	2
Warranties & Returns	2
OVERALL	3.6/5.0

Specifications.

4. Rapid Worker Corner Workstation Desk.

Second best corner workstation.

The Rapid Worker corner station comes in a tonne of different sizes (well, 11 to be exact), giving you greater choice and allowing you to find a desk that fits snugly in your office space.

The largest, and the subject of my affection, is 210 x 180cm.

You’ll have more space than you know what to do with, and there is a real temptation to adorn all that empty space with your favourite oddments.

Pros.

This series of office corner desks is the most affordable in this review, and it’s hard to believe that a desk as large as this comes in below the $500 mark.

It has over 15% more desk space than the next biggest corner desk in this review, the Mantone.

And you know what that means?

With the generous desk space comes greater legroom. Tall dudes, breathe a sigh of relief. You can stretch out in whatever direction you see fit.

As for optional extras, you can kit out your entire office with matching furniture, such as drawers, a hutch, and bookshelves.

Trying to match the same style of wood and shades when renovating an office requires a lot of research, so this will save you a lot of time if you’re looking for other furniture.

The only other desk that offers a choice of colour is the Altex 100, but if you’re insistent on choosing this desk, it’ll cost you around $1,300 for the privilege – almost three times as much.

Cons.

The straight-edged pieces joined together are far from sleek and would have looked much more stylish if the desk had a big sweeping arc like the Mantone Corner Desk.

Some of us like to sit close when reading a tablet or poring over documents, and those who do will find the acute and straight edges uncomfortable.

Even though it’s the most common place to situate, with a longer desk, having two of these holes at the centre of each main table would be much more preferable, giving easier access to the tech on either side.

Feeding cables through and back to your tech on the other side is a pain when cables are shorter. You’ll likely need to acquire an extension cable for this desk.

I like that the desktop comes in different colours, but the base is the same colour, which represents the bulk of the furniture.

Verdict.

Just because something isn’t the best, doesn’t mean it’s not worthy of admiration.

Alan Bean was the fourth man on the moon, and it just so happens that the Rapid Worker places fourth on this list.

Where it does come first, though, is its size and the ability for you to stretch out.

Or, if you don’t have the space for the biggest desk in this review, you can also get a cute boxy version (120 x 120 x 60cm) or choose from numerous sizes in between.

I’m a sucker for the oak/ironstone model. I find that the sandy and orange-y variants of engineered would look cheap. This one looks like solid hardwood with a detailed grainy effect.

How Does The Rapid Worker Stack Up?	Score
Price	4
Build Quality	4
Aesthetics	4
Cable Management	4
Ease of Assembly	3
Extra Features	2
Warranties & Returns	2
OVERALL	3.3/5.0

Specifications.

5. Washington Corner Workstation.

Best if you want a corner desk with a black desktop.

The Washington is a traditional corner desk that enables you to hide away your work materials and loose items in the drawers to both sides.

You can assemble these drawers on either side to suit your preference.

Very few corner office desks, including those in this review, have green credentials. The UpDown Pro is made with 100% sustainably sourced bamboo.

That’s it.

You’re buying this from Officeworks, so you can be confident if anything goes wrong, you can head over to your nearest store and return it without incurring any restocking fees or having to fill in endless returns forms.

Pros.

The Washington corner desk is a beast. It weighs 80.5kg.

That’s around 50% heavier than the Mantone (150cm), which is actually a similar-sized corner desk.

While Washington’s weight represents a challenge when assembling, I like knowing it’s made from business-grade particle board rather than the airy wafer-biscuit-like sheets common in cheaper (sub $500) models.

What’s surprising is that it has adjustable feet.

Other solid L-shaped desks in this review, like the Mantone and Rapid Worker are balancing entirely on their wooden base – which is fine if your floor is perfectly even.

But figuring out if your floor is level isn’t something you need to work out with the Washington. You can leave your spirit level in the shed for now.

It comes with a great warranty; in fact, it’s the best warranty for a desk below $500.

The Washington is also the only desk with built-in lockable storage.

If you work from home and have kids, you might want to keep their wandering hands off your credit cards, cash, prescription medication, or private correspondence.

Cons.

The Washington has the weakest load capacity in this review.

It’s certainly on the lighter end of what most office desks offer, which is especially disappointing considering it’s one of the heaviest models.

So, if you’re planning on plonking heavy hardware on your desk, you’ll be better off with a Desky Sigma or UpDown Pro.

For me, the worst aspect of this corner desk is the practicality.

The only natural place for you to sit is facing directly into the corner – and it’s the bane of any feng shui disciple.

Also, since you have to face the corner, you can’t push your screen fully back because the sides hit the wall.

You end up with your screen closer than is ordinarily comfortable and with much less room for your keyboard – and almost hardly any space to rest your arms.

Assembly is a nightmare – the most time-consuming in this review. Be prepared to set aside three to four hours. Swallow your pride and send out a distress signal to a tradie in your family if you need help.

There are lots of fiddly components.

If you’re planning to relocate in the next few years, get a desk that’s easy to assemble. The UpDown Pro can be thrown together in less than 30 minutes.

Verdict.

There’s nothing more frustrating than a wobbly desk that moves when you apply the slightest bit of pressure, and Washington Corner Desk‘s adjustable feet mean you can avoid those unnecessary coffee spillages.

But given the lack of range of movement, anyone taller than 5 10″ is likely to feel cramped – not only for desk space but for leg room, too.

I prefer to see daylight, but facing into a corner might be good for someone who is easily distracted and needs to get their head down and block out the outside world.

How Does The Washington Stack Up?	Score
Price	4
Build Quality	3
Aesthetics	4
Cable Management	4
Ease of Assembly	4
Extra Features	3
Warranties & Returns	2
OVERALL	3.6/5.0

Specifications.

6. Altex Corner Workstation.

Good budget corner desk.

If you’re looking for an electric sit-stand desk, the Altex 100 is one of the most affordable choices, around $600–$1,200 cheaper than the Desky Sigma and UpDown Pro.

It comes in a range of different colours and two sizes, and it offers many compatible accessories, sound as soundproof barriers, screen brackets, and casters.

This is a lightweight model nestled among some heavyweights in this review.

Pros.

Make no mistake, an electric height-adjustable corner desk for around $1,300 is a bargain.

Height adjustment happens at 25mm per second. While it’s not as fast as the Desky Sigma (36mm per second), it doesn’t feel slow or laborious.

Too much emphasis can be placed on speed. It’s not a car that needs to go from 0 to 60 in three seconds.

With the Altex, you press two switches simultaneously to prevent accidental knocking and sending your desk suddenly plunging.

Believe me, with any other electric desk, from time to time, you’ll accidentally knock the controls, and it’ll give you a mini heart attack when you do.

Desk manufacturers seem to have an obsession with sticking the cable hole in the furthest corner, but these are sometimes out of reach of your power sources.

It’s nice to have the option to add in extra holes that are more accessible and prevent the underneath of your desk from looking like the realm of that cable monster probe thingy in War of the Worlds.

There are several customisable options that you can add to your purchase, such as cable trays (highly recommended) and casters.

Casters are an optional extra at $99, and they make it easier to roll your desk to one side when cleaning your office floor, or repositioning your workspace to catch afternoon sunlight.

Neither the UpDown Pro nor the Desky Sigma come with compatible casters as extras.

Cons.

The Altex 100 isn’t the prettiest corner desk. Silver legs and sandy desktop are reminiscent of early 2000s office furniture.

So for the price, it’s not something you’d brag about and show off on your social feeds.

Those taller than six feet would be better suited to a height-adjustable desk like the UpDown Pro.

As for the load capacity, the Altex 100 is a bit of a weakling. It will hold up to 60k, which is more than plenty for casual users, but I wouldn’t recommend overloading – especially if you have casters.

If you’re thinking about stacking multiple monitors on your corner desk, a screen bracket is essential with the Altex 100.

The pixelated images on the website are disappointing, too.

Like, were these pictures taken with a kid’s V-Tech underwater camera? It’s hard to inspect the grain of the wood and the quality when the images are so blurred.

Verdict.

I can’t get too excited about a corner desk that makes me feel like I’ve been catapulted back two decades. The nostalgia is strong, but not for good reason.

Being able to add optional extras like casters and extra cable holes makes this the most bespoke corner desk in this review. Your customisable options with other office desks are much more limited.

Specifications.

7. MyDeal High Gloss Storage Desk.

Great corner desk for storage.

The sleek design of this MyDeal bargain will brighten up your workspace. Its white glossy frame and desktop is neutral and inoffensive and would slot into the corner of most offices.

Its storage is perfect for housing books and office stationery.

If you’re tight on space in your home, this also doubles up as a vanity table. You could easily mount a mirror to your right and store your makeup and accessories beneath.

Pros.

In fashion, white gives off the impression of being bigger and black makes you look smaller. The same is true of office furniture.

A dark desk contrasts neutral walls and creates the illusion that you have less space, whereas white has the opposite effect.

There aren’t many white corner office desks (most are either wood veneers or black), and it’s mainly due to white showing stains and scratches.

The storage boasts two drawers and four square racks, providing convenient access to items like a small printer and files.

In comparison, the Washington, a corner desk in a similar price range, offers decent storage options, but what sets the MyDeal High Gloss apart is its open storage design.

It should have a designated place if you insist on being surrounded by clutter when working.

The desk isn’t actually fixed to the drawers, so you can choose whether to shift it around and keep this in an L-shape or straighten it horizontally and line up side by side.

Cons.

I find it a tad frustrating that one side of the desk is slightly lower by 9.2cm. It’s virtually impossible to get comfy and work on your right side, especially since you have no legroom.

It can’t be considered a corner desk in the same sense as others, given that you’re restricted to only working when facing forward.

And since the storage is disconnected from the upper desk, you might be better off finding a standard desk with matching storage, like the Rapid Worker with the pedestal and hutch.

The width of the desk is lacklustre at 145cm, the shortest in this review, and while a few centimetres may not sound like a big deal, you definitely notice when sitting here.

That’s space where your coffee mug or a trusty calculator could be sitting.

Overall, the desk feels cluttered. While the storage is easy to access, it means that it’s also much easier to knock things over.

Verdict.

The MyDeal High Gloss desk is decent with good storage, but it lacks the ergonomic features you’d want in your typical corner desk.

Use this as a more casual desk for general admin or studying. It’s not a workstation suited to long shifts in front of a screen.

That said, it would make good use as a dressing table and for storing feminine products.

Alternatively, it could be used as a gaming desk to keep a kid’s bedroom tidy since you’d have plenty of space to store your hardware and titles underneath.

Specifications.

What To Look For In A Corner Desk.

You’ll want to factor in the following features when comparing corner office desks. The cheapest L-shaped desks don’t always include these:

The Exciting Stuff.

The Boring (but essential) Stuff.

Frequently Asked Questions About Modern Corner Desks.

Here are some frequently asked questions about corner desks.

What Are The Benefits Of Using A Corner Desk?

A corner office desk utilises unused space and will generally give you an additional 50–100% more desk space.

Not only that, but you’ve got extra surface space to spread out your work materials.

For both of these reasons, a corner desk stops you from feeling contained and will enhance your gaming, studying, or working-from-home experience.

How Do You Lay Out A Corner Desk?

Reserve the front part of your corner workstation specifically for your computer hardware, such as your laptop, keyboard, monitor, and mouse.

On the other side of the desk (to your right or left), keep your notepad, papers, tablet, and phone within reach for tackling light administration.

Be disciplined.

What good is using all the extra desk space to pile up a mountain of coffee mugs?

Can You Put An L-shaped Desk In The Middle Of A Room?

If space permits (and legroom), placing your L-shaped desk in the centre of a room doubles it up as a meeting space or a “table for two”.

If you place a chair on either side, two people could work at the desk at the same time, especially with a desk like the Desky Sigma L-Shape.

Tie cables together and tape them down to prevent any accidents from occurring. You might need to run an extension cable from your power sockets on the walls, and this can look unsightly.

If you’re feeling creative, you can also arrange your L-shaped desk into a V-shape or with just one edge against the wall.

Final Words On Choosing The Best Corner Office Desk.

You’re here to save space, not find a corner desk that’s going to take up unnecessary space. So get your measurements right. Online images can be deceptive.

Basically, if you get your measurements wrong, you’ll pay the price. The same rings true when buying office furniture.

You don’t want to wind up paying 15% restocking fees and delivery fees because a corner desk is too big or small for your space. Oh, and don’t forget to weigh your hardware to ensure your preferred corner desk can take the weight.

Tommy