I Need A Pair of Things - What Could Fit the Bill?

March 9, 2021 11:02 AM

I currently have my two monitors supported on two narrow pull-out drawers from an old IKEA table. I would like to replace these, ideally with two approx. 8"x8"x8" cubes. What relatively inexpensive item could I buy a pair of that could fit this function?
posted by my log does not judge to Grab Bag (15 answers total)

Best answer: I used to have a set of assorted Acrylic Display Risers left over from an event that made cool desk accessories.

Here’s a set of two that are exactly your dimensions in black.
posted by sol at 11:14 AM on March 9, 2021 [3 favorites]

That's a common size for cardboard shipping boxes, which should be heavy duty enough to support a monitor without issue. Paint or cover with fabric or washi tape if you're not exactly excited by having cardboard boxes on your desk.
posted by jacquilynne at 11:15 AM on March 9, 2021 [2 favorites]

This doesn't answer your question directly, but you can avoid losing 128 square inches of desk space by using a dual monitor arm instead of two 8 inch cubes. You can get a cheap one for $30 (which is what I did, and it's fine), or you can get the wirecutter recommendation for $160.
posted by caek at 11:15 AM on March 9, 2021 [8 favorites]

I'd use these acrylic risers for under $15. You can also buy acrylic cubes, which cost twice as much
posted by wryly at 11:18 AM on March 9, 2021

Panettone!
posted by seanmpuckett at 11:20 AM on March 9, 2021 [4 favorites]

This might be less inexpensive than you're looking for, but I use this monitor riser, which is a little wider and deeper than 8"x8" (but about the same height) but looks nice and is good storage.
posted by aubilenon at 11:24 AM on March 9, 2021 [1 favorite]

This set of four storage boxes are 8 x 8 x 6 and is $30. You can flip 'em over and stand the monitors on them. Stack them two at a time if you want more stability.
posted by essexjan at 11:26 AM on March 9, 2021

This modular half-cube is 16x16x8.

I use a dual monitor arm now, after doing various solutions like yours. My preferred thingy was this shoe shelf, but it's about 11" high.
posted by Lyn Never at 11:41 AM on March 9, 2021

My preferred hack for this is kids’ chairs and stepstools rather than solid boxes or stacked books, because you reclaim a little desk space underneath for wires and pens and coffee and whatever.

IKEA’S Lätt chairs are great for this—it looks like you can only buy them new with the accompanying kid’s table (dead useful and good for other hacks), $30 for 2 chairs plus the table, but in my experience & neighborhood there’s always someone giving these chairs away once their kids outgrow them. (Note: these too are 11” high, not 8”, but they're easy to cut and still stable after you do so.)
posted by miles per flower at 11:48 AM on March 9, 2021

I have my laptop on a study footstool like this one. Bonus is that post-COVID WFH it can go back to being a footstool!
posted by jabes at 12:17 PM on March 9, 2021

An etsy seller makes custom wood blocks for this specific purpose.
posted by zepheria at 1:02 PM on March 9, 2021 [1 favorite]

Yoga bricks. We use a pair to raise up the cable box on the shelf under the TV, so it is direct line for the remote to work.
posted by buildmyworld at 2:20 PM on March 9, 2021 [1 favorite]

Some good suggestions above but I'd like to second the suggestion for a dual-monitor arm. Unless you end up using that under-monitor space with a functional drawer such as suggested above, the space-saving benefits of the arm are superior (IMO). Being able to push my keyboard completely out of the way of my desk surface and not needing to balance it weirdly on my monitor bases is great. Apologies if this suggestion is inappropriate for your goals or your current configuration - such as not having an area to clamp or drill/screw the arm riser into.
posted by DeepSeaHaggis at 5:19 PM on March 9, 2021

Old bookshelf loudspeakers? My monitor stand for a long time was a plank laid across a pair of little 5-inch speakers, which I could also use for quiet music listening at my desk.
posted by offog at 7:33 AM on March 10, 2021

Response by poster: Just bought a clear pair - thanks, all!
posted by my log does not judge at 2:17 PM on March 13, 2021