Clamp Keyboard Drawer

This product doesn't hold well together. It is always coming loose and is all over the place. The walled edge makes it more difficult to type. When trying to push or pull, it swings all over the place. So disappointed. : (

I have an IKEA desk that is a few years old. It is 2" thick, and L-shaped (one side attaches to a bookcase/storage unit). I have tried to install normal keyboard trays on it, but they kept coming out despite the use of anchors. I discovered later that the desk is honeycombed inside (i.e., essentially hollow wood that won't accommodate screws or anchors unless you happen to locate the one small stud that runs through the desk). I came across this Ergoexpress Clamp Keyboard Drawer recently and purchased it. This thing is fantastic. I wish I had discovered it years ago, as it would have saved me lots of headaches. It merely clamps onto the desk, the tray sits underneath, and it can slide back and forth with the keyboard on it. There is enough room next to my Apple keyboard for a small mouse pad and mouse (it is a bit tight when using an Apple trackpad, but still fits), and has a groove to put a pen in. It also clicks in place when fully extended, and you merely push in on 2 claps on either side to release it. NOTE: The company that makes this also offers a version that comes with a clamp-on mouse tray as well for a little more money, but for some reason the mouse tray can only accommodate desks up to 1.5" thick; the keyboard tray accommodates desks up to 2" thick, which is what my desk is).

You will need tools to assemble this item. If you're good with tools and assembling 10 minutes as long as the tools are close by. If you're not expect to be sorting this out for a half an hour. Something they don't exactly say about it. You need a philips head screwdriver. You need some sort of wrench or a pair of little pliers will work for the nuts. A tiny socket wrench would be ideal. The instructions aren't exactly user friendly but if you put the clamps on the left and right, they are marked with L and R, as you're putting it together you should be able to sort it out from there. Line it all up the way it's supposed to go then attach the pieces. Make sure you save the washers for the screws that go to the clamps, they don't give you enough washers for all the screws. Sort of shows that in the "instructions."Other than that it's OK. Smallish but good for a tight space. It does fit an extended apple, new and old generation, keyboard but your mouse won't fit on the tray with it.

Installed within a few minutes!

The keyboard with clamps installed is actually 21" wide not 18" wide as the product description indicates. The plastic on the tray is very flimsy. Refund policy requires buyer pay for return shipping.

This is the best keyboard tray ever! I have a glass desk and the original keyboard broke off. But I really love my glass desk so I wanted to find something that would clip on but be sturdy enough for me to lean on and whatever else, The glass was not thick enough for this to clamp on so I added a piece of wood! Now it clamps on perfectly and it's so sturdy !!!!

I understand that some people popped this together with no problem. It looks easy enough. Even if you disregard the lubricant that gets all over your hands so you can't hold on to the tiny screws, it should still be easy. I've assembled it incorrectly now, in two different ways. I'm not going to bother with a third attempt until I go to the hardware store. It should have come with some washer type things that helps the nuts and screws stay together. They wiggle apart easily so the tray wobbles. I gave it three stars because it seems like it will function well. It will never be white. (It's greige or beige...1990s PC color. It feels like a leftover.) For over 50 dollars it should have come assembled and it certainly should have had hardware that functions properly. It wouldn't have affected shipping, just profit. Meh!

My only problem so far, is that some genius decided to send all the same size screws. The instructions refer to the "longer screws" which tells you there should be two sizes. The ones screwing the clamp onto the rails need to be 3/8" shorter or the rails can't slide onto one another. So, I'm looking to replace 4 of the 11/16" long screws with 1/2" long screws so I can see if this keyboard drawer works for me. While the older desks in the office have large metal keyboard drawers attached with drilled connections, I actually scored a brand new desk that they don't want to do that to. I'm hoping once I install it, it will work for me. I was a bit skeptical when screwing even the main rail to the plastic drawer, as the screws and nuts seem to be very loose and not seem to stay tight.