Stop staring at your power strip
A power strip dangling under your desk with six cords hanging off it is the single ugliest thing in most home offices, and it's also the easiest to fix.
Good cable boxes and trays do two things at once: they lift the strip off the floor so it’s not a tripping or dust hazard, and they physically block it from view so your desk looks finished instead of half-wired. The bad ones are either too small to fit a real surge protector, or they mount with adhesive that fails within a month. The trays and skirts below range from a $15 clamp-on tray to a desk that hides the whole power system in its leg.
- Measure your power strip first A standard 6-outlet surge protector runs 10-13 inches; a larger one with USB ports or a wide plug spacing can hit 18+ inches. Check tray length before buying, not after.
- No-drill clamps beat adhesive Clamp-mount trays like the Cinati grip the desk edge with tension and rubber pads, so they hold weight without leaving marks or failing when temperatures shift, unlike double-sided tape mounts.
- Trays organize, skirts conceal A tray keeps the power strip and cords contained but still visible from the side; a fabric skirt or desk panel hides everything from any angle, which matters more in shared or camera-facing spaces.
- Weight capacity adds up fast A power strip, a laptop charger brick, a monitor adapter, and a few USB chargers can easily clear 5-8 lbs combined, so don’t buy a tray rated right at your bare minimum.
![[Upgraded] Large Under Desk Cable Management Tray, Cinati Cable Management Under Desk No Drill, 28.4" Fabric Cord Hider for Wire Organizer, Cord Organizer for Office, Home - Supports Up to 30lbs Black](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41JcbBdDEPL._SS520_.jpg)
Best Overall: VIVO Under Desk 17 inch Cable Management Trays, 2 Pack
Two 16.5″ metal trays route AV cables and power strips into a hidden channel, with a front opening for quick access and 11 lb support per tray.
- Metal build feels far sturdier than plastic or fabric trays at this price
- Front opening lets you plug in new devices without unmounting anything
- Two trays cover a standing desk and a side table, or two separate workstations
- Screw-mount hardware included for a permanent, no-sag install
- Requires drilling, which some renters and shared spaces won’t allow
- 17″ length is tight for power strips with wide-spaced outlets
- Black finish shows dust more than lighter trays
Best Budget: Cinati Under Desk Cable Management Tray, White
A no-drill clamp mount hangs this tray under any desk in minutes, with anti-scratch pads that protect your desktop while holding 10 lbs of cords.
- Cheapest real option that still fully conceals a power strip
- Clamp installs in a couple minutes with no tools or drilling
- Anti-scratch pads protect the desktop finish during mounting
- White color matches light desks better than the usual black trays
- 10 lb capacity is the lowest in this lineup, so skip it for heavy power bricks
- Clamp needs a desk edge with open space underneath to grip
- Smaller footprint than the pricier trays, so bulkier strips may overhang
Best Value: Ergotron Cable Management Kit, Grey
A 30-inch cable wrap plus two channels bundle and hide power strip cords along your desk’s edge, with open seams for access without disassembly.
- Bundles power strip cords into a clean wrap instead of a bulky enclosure
- Open seams on the channels mean you can add or remove cables later
- Low-profile design doesn’t add visible bulk to a minimalist desk setup
- Backed by Ergotron, a brand that’s been in desk hardware for decades
- Doesn’t fully hide the power strip itself, just the cord runs
- Channels are adhesive-backed, so surface prep matters for a lasting hold
- Not deep enough to actually hold or cradle a power strip’s body
Best for Large Power Strips: Cinati Large Under Desk Cable Management Tray
This 28.4-inch fabric tray swallows bulky power strips, surge protectors, and adapters at once, holding up to 30 lbs while staying flame-resistant.
- Long enough to fit surge protectors with wide-spaced outlets and bulky chargers
- 30 lb capacity handles multiple power strips plus excess cable slack
- Flame-resistant fabric adds peace of mind for a tray full of electronics
- No-drill mount matches the standard clamp install of Cinati’s smaller tray
- Fabric sags slightly more than metal trays once fully loaded
- Its length needs a clear 28+ inch stretch of desk underside
- Fabric shows wear faster than metal if you’re constantly swapping cables
Best for Full Concealment: VIVO 60 inch Under Desk Privacy and Cable Management Sleeve
A 60-inch fabric skirt fully conceals your under-desk power strip and cords behind a privacy panel, with top slots that keep cables evenly spaced.
- Hides the power strip completely, not just from the front like a tray
- 60″ width covers most standard and L-shaped desk setups in one piece
- Top slots keep cords evenly spaced instead of bunching in one spot
- Doubles as leg and knee privacy, useful in shared or video-call spaces
- Doesn’t provide a rigid shelf, so heavy power strips need a separate tray underneath
- Fabric panel needs occasional dusting since it collects more than a metal tray
- Installation across a 60″ span takes longer than a single small tray
Best Premium: Secretlab Magnus Pro XL with Stealth MAGPAD Desk Mat
A single concealed cable powers the whole desk through a built-in column, while a full-length top-access tray hides every power strip and cord.
- Power supply column eliminates the visible power strip entirely, not just hides it
- Full-length top-access tray keeps every remaining cord organized and out of sight
- One concealed cable to the wall instead of a strip with six things plugged in
- Comes as a complete ergonomic standing desk, not just an accessory
- Price is in a different category entirely from every other option here
- Only makes sense if you’re also in the market for a new desk
- Overkill if hiding an existing power strip is your only goal
Side-by-side comparison
|
Best Overall
VIVO Under Desk 17 inch Cable Management Trays, Po
|
Best Budget
Under Desk Cable Management Tray White, Cinati Wir
|
Best Value
Ergotron – Cable Management Kit – Grey
|
Best for Large Power Strips
[Upgraded] Large Under Desk Cable Management Tray,
|
Best for Full Concealment
VIVO 60 inch Under Desk Privacy and Cable Manageme
|
Best Premium
Secretlab Magnus Pro XL with Stealth MAGPAD Desk M
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Length / Coverage | 16.5" (x2) | Standard tray | 30" wrap | 28.4" | 60" | Full desk width |
| Mount Type | Screw-mount | No-drill clamp | Adhesive channels | No-drill clamp | Screw/clip mount | Built into desk |
| Weight Capacity | 11 lbs/tray | 10 lbs | N/A (wrap) | 30 lbs | N/A (fabric skirt) | N/A (integrated) |
| Fully Hides Power Strip | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Price | $37.99 | $16.99 | $57.00 | $29.99 | $49.99 | $1,269.00 |
| BUY NOW | BUY NOW | BUY NOW | BUY NOW | BUY NOW | BUY NOW |
What to look for in Cable Management Boxes for Hiding Power Strips
Will a cable management tray actually fit my power strip?
Measure your power strip’s body length before buying, not just the cord. Standard 6-outlet strips run 10-13 inches and fit almost any tray here, but strips with USB ports, smart plugs, or wide outlet spacing can stretch past 15-18 inches, which is where the Cinati 28.4″ tray or VIVO trays make more sense than a compact budget option.
Do no-drill clamp trays actually hold up long-term?
Yes, as long as the desk edge is flat and the clamp has enough open space to grip. The Cinati trays use rubber-padded clamp tension rather than adhesive, so they don’t degrade with heat or humidity the way tape-mounted solutions can, and they’re easy to remove without residue if you move desks.
Is it safe to enclose a power strip in a fabric tray or skirt?
It’s fine as long as the strip isn’t under constant heavy load and the material is flame-resistant, like the fabric used in the Cinati Large tray. Avoid stuffing a fully-loaded strip with multiple chargers into a sealed, non-ventilated box, and don’t cover the strip’s own vents or reset switch.
What's the difference between a cable tray and a desk skirt?
A tray is a shelf that lifts the power strip off the floor and bundles cords, but you can still see it from the side if you look under the desk. A desk skirt, like the VIVO 60″ panel, hangs a fabric curtain across the entire underside, hiding the power strip and cords from any viewing angle, which matters more for shared offices or video calls.
The bottom line
- VIVO Under Desk Trays: the sturdiest, most complete solution, especially if you need to outfit two desks
- Cinati Budget Tray: the cheapest way to hide a power strip with zero desk damage
- Ergotron Cable Management Kit: best for bundling cords neatly when the power strip itself isn't the eyesore
- Cinati Large Tray: the one to buy when your power strip and adapters are simply too big for a standard tray
- VIVO 60" Privacy Sleeve: the only option here that hides the power strip from every angle, not just from below
- Secretlab Magnus Pro XL: for anyone replacing their desk anyway and wanting the power strip gone for good
For most people, the VIVO 2-pack trays are the best all-around fix, giving two desks a sturdy, hidden home for their power strips. If you want to spend less or skip drilling, the Cinati budget tray gets the job done for under $16.