Coalesse Free Stand portable worksurface review

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Do you use your laptop ON your lap?  Give your thighs a break with the Coalesse Free Stand portable worksurface, an ingenious and elegant fold-flat work surface.

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  • Free Stand folds flat for easy storage and portability
  • Height adjustable from 20 1/2″ to 27″
  • Worksurface rotates 360 degrees
  • Units can nest against each other to easily store multiple units
  • Lightweight; Free Stand weighs only 11 lbs (5 kilograms)
  • No assembly required
  • Worksurface: 19-¼”w x 11″d
  • Free Stand: 22¼”d x 21¼”w x 20h”–27″h
  • Recommended maximum load of 35 lbs.
  • Shipping Box Dimensions: 24”L x 7”W x 24”H
  • Delivery Weight: 15.4 lbs

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The Coalesse Free Stand comes in the strangest box I’ve ever seen.  This is no joke.  This is how it arrived.  At least there was no wasted packaging.

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Here is the Free Stand, folded up in front of a comfy chair.

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Step one:  Unfold the vertical bit.  Snaps into place.

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Step two:  Flip the tray table up.

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Step three: Rotate table top the way you want.

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Step four:  Table top can raise to from 20-1/2″ to a maximum height of 27″.

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And here it is, with a Macbook Air (2008) atop the Free Stand.

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The work surface measures 19-¼”w x 11″d.  Plenty of size for most notebooks.

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To adjust the height, this thumb button (located atop a VERY nicely placed handle) locks and unlocks the overall height.

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Another button near the base locks the vertical riser in place.

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This oddly-placed squeeze lever under the tray table moves the tray table to it’s horizontal position.  I had a little trouble with this, but after a few tries it opened up.

Coalesse has a nice video on the whole procedure.

I love my Coalesse Free Stand.  Because it folds up flat and I can just slip it under the chair when I’m not using it.  Unfolding it is probably the most fun part.  It feels satisfying, like you’re assembling a helpful Transformer robot to hold your laptop.  I admit the price is a bit steep, but this is the first portable work surface that vanishes under the chair, and feels sturdy.

 

Product Information

Price:$399
Manufacturer:Coalesse
Pros:
  • Folds flat, sturdy
  • Holds up to 35 lbs
  • Integrated handle is a nice touch
Cons:
  • Expensive

2 thoughts on “Coalesse Free Stand portable worksurface review”




  1. Gadgeteer Comment Policy - Please read before commenting
  2. Thanks for the great review. I’m afraid the pricing IS a little much for me, especially considering the multitude of other products out there that achieve almost the same result.

  3. Wow…entirely overpriced. I have a set of 4 TV trays that does nearly the same thing and folds flat. Think I paid less than $50. These will sell though. Some people have more money than they can spend.

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