Start here
Univivi 32-inch steel
- Best for
- A fixed desk you can clamp or screw
- Skip if
- The clamp mount sits on the front edge
Herbie's Picks
Cable Management Updated Sep 5, 2026
Best under-desk cable trays for a clean setup
Pick depth first so a fat laptop brick or UPS sits flat. Then decide screws or clamps. If this is a desk you own, I'd screw a steel tray. Clamps skip holes on a rental and sag sooner under a loaded strip. Glass wants a clamp rated for that thickness.
1
Start here
Univivi 32-inch steel tray
Fixed desks you rarely move
2
KEEGH 16-inch clamp trays (2-pack)
Apartments and shared studios
3
Delamu U-channel trays (2-pack)
Standing desks with fat power bricks
4
Mount-It! 23-inch steel tray
Standing desks with a steel crossbar
5
J-channel under-desk raceway
Routing thin cords, not holding bricks
Univivi 32-inch steel tray
Fixed desks you rarely move
2
KEEGH 16-inch clamp trays (2-pack)
Apartments and shared studios
3
Delamu U-channel trays (2-pack)
Standing desks with fat power bricks
4
Mount-It! 23-inch steel tray
Standing desks with a steel crossbar
5
J-channel under-desk raceway
Routing thin cords, not holding bricks
Depth, then the mount
Bricks need vertical room more than they need extra width. Screw-in steel lasts longer on a desk you own. Clamp trays skip holes and suit rentals. Leave a gap near the wall so the monitor cable can drop straight down. Side walls help when a standing desk rises.
Glass, rentals, and crossbars
Screws into glass are the usual fail. Use a clamp model rated for that thickness, or send the run to a floor box. Long screws can punch through a thin hollow-core top. Some sit-stand frames have a steel rail you can hook instead of drilling the wood. Measure that rail. Hook spacing is not universal.
What actually changes between these
Univivi is the long steel basket with clamp or screw. KEEGH is two short no-drill trays. Delamu U-channel is a screw job with sides for sit-stand travel. Mount-It! hooks a matching crossbar. J-channel is an open track for thin cords, not brick weight.
Pick by job
| Pick | Best for | Skip if |
|---|---|---|
| Univivi 32-inch steel | A fixed desk you can clamp or screw | The clamp mount sits on the front edge |
| KEEGH 16-inch clamps | Apartments you cannot drill | A UPS and a farm of fat adapters. Each tray is short |
| Delamu U-channel | Sit-stand desks with fat bricks | Glass or a rental that cannot take underside screws |
| Mount-It! 23-inch steel | A sit-stand frame with a matching crossbar | Hook spacing misses your rail |
| J-channel raceway | A long underside cord track | You need a basket for strip and brick weight |
KEEGH 16-inch clamps
- Best for
- Apartments you cannot drill
- Skip if
- A UPS and a farm of fat adapters. Each tray is short
Delamu U-channel
- Best for
- Sit-stand desks with fat bricks
- Skip if
- Glass or a rental that cannot take underside screws
Mount-It! 23-inch steel
- Best for
- A sit-stand frame with a matching crossbar
- Skip if
- Hook spacing misses your rail
J-channel raceway
- Best for
- A long underside cord track
- Skip if
- You need a basket for strip and brick weight
Product reviews
5 picks with live Amazon ratings
1
Start here Fixed desks you rarely move
Univivi 32-inch steel tray
This is the long steel basket for a desk you own and do not plan to flip. Clamp it if you want to skip holes. Screw it if you want a loaded strip to stay put.
Bricks sit in the tray instead of hanging off one plastic ear. Side slots give cords a place to exit. Univivi sells more than one length, so read the size on the listing you are about to buy.
It is still only a tray. The drop from the monitor stays visible unless you add a sleeve or spiral wrap.
Good for
- Clamp or screw on the same tray
- Long enough for a strip plus several bricks
- Steel holds weight better than clip-on plastic
Skip if
- Overkill if you only have a laptop brick and a short strip
- Clamps sit on the desktop edge if you use that mount
2
Apartments and shared studios
KEEGH 16-inch clamp trays (2-pack)
Two shorter clamp trays, no drill. That is the point. You can split them across two desks or park both under one top if the span is wide.
Each tray is about half the run of a 32-inch Univivi. A laptop brick and a short strip fit. A UPS and a farm of fat adapters will crowd it. The clamps show on the front edge, which some people hate and renters accept.
Screws are in the box if you later decide to lock one down. Under a heavy brick pile, screws still beat clamps.
Good for
- No-drill install for rentals
- Two trays in one order
- Short length is easier to place on a small desk
Skip if
- Weaker than a screwed steel run under heavy bricks
- Clamps are visible on the desktop edge
3
Standing desks with fat power bricks
Delamu U-channel trays (2-pack)
These are open metal U-channels you screw under the top. The sides keep bricks from sliding when a standing desk goes up. Cables can leave through the open ends or the slotted front, so you are not fishing everything through one hole.
Two trays in the pack. Use them as one long run or split them. Depth is the thing to measure. A fat laptop brick that stands on end may not sit as clean as a slim monitor supply.
This is a drill job. Glass and many rental desks are the wrong match. If you cannot put screws in the underside, pick a clamp tray instead.
Good for
- Side walls help when the desk rises
- Open ends make it easy to add a cable later
- Two trays cover a wide desk or two stations
Skip if
- Needs screws in the underside
- Measure depth before you assume a fat brick will sit flat
4
Standing desks with a steel crossbar
Mount-It! 23-inch steel tray
Mount-It! makes a steel basket that can screw under wood or hang from a standing-desk crossbar. The hook path is the reason it is on this list. A lot of sit-stand frames have a rail you can use instead of drilling the top.
Measure that rail first. Hook spacing is not universal. If the bar is the wrong shape, you are back to screws or a different tray.
At 23 inches it is shorter than the Univivi. Fine for a strip and a few bricks. Tight if you also stash a UPS.
Good for
- Hooks to a matching steel crossbar
- Can also screw under wood
- Steel basket for a strip and bricks
Skip if
- Hooks miss some desk frames
- Shorter than a full-width 32-inch tray
5
Routing thin cords, not holding bricks
J-channel under-desk raceway
This is an open J-channel you stick along the back underside so thin cords have a track. Push a cable in from the open top. Pull it out the same way when you swap a monitor.
Park a surge strip or a brick in it and the channel folds. Clean the underside before the adhesive goes on. Dust and old finish are why these fall off in a week.
Use it with a real tray if you still have a strip to hide. Use it alone if the only mess is a few leads along the back edge.
Good for
- Open top, so you can add a cord without unplugging
- Low profile along the back edge
- Adhesive install if the surface is clean
Skip if
- A loaded strip still needs a basket
- Adhesive fails on dusty or freshly finished undersides
FAQ
Do I still need cable sleeves if I buy a tray?
Often yes for the drop from monitor to tray. The tray hides the under-desk pile. A braided sleeve or spiral wrap tidies the visible vertical run.
Will an under-desk cable tray work on a glass desk?
Usually not with screws. Use a clamp model rated for the glass thickness, or route cables to a floor box instead.
Should the power strip sit in the tray or on the floor?
In the tray, mounted so the wall cord has slack when a standing desk rises. Floor strips catch feet and stretch the cord.
Is a J-channel the same as an under-desk tray?
No. A tray is a basket for a strip and bricks. A J-channel is an open raceway that holds cords against the underside.
Clamp tray or screws under a loaded strip?
Screws if you own the desk and the strip is heavy with bricks. Clamps for a rental. They show on the front edge and sag sooner under that weight.
