And not a really enticing one, you perverts. We are talking about the SIGNUM cable management rack available from Ikea for a super cheap $9.99. It's a simple steel wire basket that's meant to be installed under your desk to hold your cables.
It's usefulness depends on how big of a nerd you are. By nerd, I mean, how big is your computer system and accessories collection? Do you still use a desktop? Are you using a laptop?
The reason I ask is because of your cable count. I have both a laptop and desktop, but being a nerd, my desktop with a receiver, bookshelf speakers, a 24" monitor, an external sound card, a mouse, and a keyboard gets used the most. Okay, it's more like I use my laptop 1 minute for every 100 minutes of desktop use. These old machines have a lot of cables -- even wireless keyboards and mice may need chargers connected to wires!
Whereas with a laptop, you have one power cable and maybe a mouse. If you have a laptop dock, then maybe you have a few more things. For tablet users, see ya later, this doesn't really help unless you want to keep your cables off the filthy filthy sexy floor.
Configuration
1 SIGNUM Rack
Current Cost = $9.99
Assembly
Being a completely separate add-on item, holes do not come pre-drilled. There are only two supporting arms with two screws each. I had a very easy time putting this onto my particleboard GALANT desk by drilling some short pilot holes and screwing it in by hand. The drill wasn't really necessary, but when else do I get to play with it?
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| Rack Close-up |
Stability
It's stable. Just don't ever hang off of it and don't put anything too heavy on it. The Ikea website says that it can handle a "10 kg" ("22 lb") load, so I would really need to work at it to overload this with cables. There are two supporting arms connected to the rack and each arm attaches to the rack using thumb screws -- they don't screw into the rack, just through it, and they hold on through compression. As long as I don't use it as a foot rest, it should be very stable.
Expandability / Customizability
The rack itself is an expanding/customizing item to a table.Everyday Use
I have been using the SIGNUM rack for around two years or however long I've had my new GALANT table. It was definitely a splurge purchase because of its price. In fact, I'm just remembering going to IKEA to check out L-shaped GALANT desks when I ran across this item -- I only left the store with this thing that day. All I had to do was loop my cables through or on top of the rack. The basket is designed with rounded indents (see close-up image above) to help loop and hold your cables.
Before I got this thing, the floor under my computer desk was a mess. With the rack, it's still a mess, but I'd say there are about six fewer cables lying on the floor. Right now, the cables for two speakers, one mouse, one keyboard, one lamp, and one monitor (USB + DVI + power) all sit in the basket. The count is eight then.
Practically, this rack makes it easier to clean the floor under my desk. And having eight fewer cables under my feet is very very nice aesthetically. There are fewer things to get my feet tangled in. Overall, it's great for organization freaks like me.
Related
IKEA GALANT Desk Review - The desk I attached this rack to.
IKEA VIKA (Table Bar) Desk Review - The desk I attached this rack to before the GALANT.
IKEA LAIVA Desk Review
IKEA TULLSTA Armchair Review
IKEA VALBY RUTA Carpet Review