Overbed Tables and Over Chair Tables

Overbed or overchair table, measured first

Measure the gap under the bed or chair before you look at tables. The base has to slide into that gap, and it's the thing people get wrong.

Measure two things. The height from the floor to the lowest part of the frame, and the width of the bed base or chair legs. With those two numbers the choice gets short.

Overbed or overchair

Overbed tables have a U shaped base. The two arms slide under the bed and the top crosses over the mattress. The Care Quip Overbed Table ($399.95) is the plain, well made one, with a tilting top. The Aspire laminate table ($319) and Aspire thermoform table ($349) use a C base that tucks in close to the bedside.

They also work over an armchair on legs with open space underneath. That's the catch with a lift chair. Most lift recliners have a solid frame or motor housing close to the floor, and a U base won't go under.

Overchair tables go around the chair instead of under it. The Aspire Overchair Table ($399) widens from 910mm to 1120mm between the legs, so it straddles a recliner. The curved top gives your arms somewhere to rest.

The Care Quip Overchair Table ($199.95) is a T base on three castors that pushes in from the side. It's the cheap one, and the one most people should start with.

There's a third group that isn't a table on castors at all. The Stander Omni Tray ($498.95), Independence Tray Table ($561.95) and Assist-A-Tray ($661.95) sit beside a couch on rubber pads. A bamboo tray swings over your lap, and a fixed handle gives you something to push on when you stand. If getting up off the couch is the bigger problem, start here.

Sizes, heights and prices

Inner base width is the gap between the two arms of the base. The bed base or chair legs have to be narrower than that.

Table	Base	Top	Height	Tilt	Inner base width	Price
Care Quip Overchair	T, 3 castors	600 x 415mm	665 to 1000mm	Yes	Not published	$199.95
Max Mobility Zeta AT1	U, 80mm clearance	600 x 400mm	700 to 1170mm	Yes	Not published	$236.95
Aspire Laminate Flat Top	C, 4 castors	800 x 430mm	730 to 1095mm	No	Not published	$319
Aspire Thermoform Recessed	C, 4 castors	800 x 430mm	730 to 1095mm	No	Not published	$349
Aspire Overchair	Straddles chair	1000 x 370 to 480mm	710 to 910mm	No	910 to 1120mm	$399
Care Quip Overbed	U, 4 castors	810 x 450mm	685 to 1000mm	Yes	735mm	$399.95
Care Quip Spring Loaded	U, 4 castors	810 x 450mm	720 to 1080mm	No	725mm	$429.95
Split Table Top	Wide, fits recliners	Not published	Not published	Yes, 5 positions	Not published	$445
Spring Loaded Overbed (beige)	U, 4 castors	750 x 400mm	730 to 960mm	No	Not published	$494.95
Viva Overbed	U, 4 castors	900 x 430mm	725 to 1050mm	Not published	750mm	$799.95
Litavo Overbed	U, 4 castors	890 x 450mm	690 to 990mm	Yes	680mm	$1,299.95
Care Quip Overchair Large	U, 4 posts	1000 x 600mm	600 to 900mm	Yes	825mm	$1,795.95

Only the Zeta AT1 publishes its clearance under the base (80mm). For the rest, ask us and we'll check the frame height before you order.

Check before you buy

Does the bed sit low? A bed on legs has plenty of room. An adjustable care bed at its lowest height has almost none, so raise the bed before rolling the table in. A floorline bed at 110mm won't take a U base at all.

Does the height range reach? Measure from the floor to your elbow in your normal position, and the top should land a little under that. A thick mattress on a raised bed needs the top of the range. The Zeta AT1 reaches 1170mm, the Aspire tables 1095mm.

Do you need a tilt? A tilting top holds a book or tablet at reading angle. The Split Table Top ($445) tilts one half and keeps the other flat for a drink. Spring loaded tables trade the tilt for one-handed height changes.

How much will sit on it? The Aspire Overchair is rated to 10kg and the Stander trays to 13.6kg and 15kg. The others don't publish a limit. If someone leans on the top to stand up it will tip, so a table on castors is never a grab rail.

Laminate or moulded top? Woodgrain laminate looks like furniture and wipes clean. The Aspire thermoform top is recessed and heat resistant, so a spilt cup stays on the table. The Viva ($799.95) has a one-piece ABS top with no join for food to sit in.

Castors and brakes. Most tables lock on two castors. Lock them every time, or the table drifts as someone reaches for it. The Viva and Litavo don't list locks, so ask us if that matters.

Using it day to day

Roll the table in from the side, lock the castors, then bring the top across. Raise it to clear the knees before anyone gets out of bed. If you're walking to the toilet at 2am, the base is the thing your foot finds, so push it clear first.

If you're the carer, push the table in from the far side and leave the near side clear for the transfer. On a spring loaded table, hold the top as you release the catch so it doesn't jump. Wipe laminate dry, because standing water finds the vinyl edge.

NDIS funding for tables

Nearly every table here is under $1,500, which makes it low cost assistive technology. A participant buys it from the core budget with no quote or OT report, as long as it relates to the plan. The NDIA sets out the bands on its assistive technology page. The Overchair Table Large is the one exception at $1,795.95 and needs OT evidence.

We're NDIS registered (4050144759). Plan managed and agency managed participants order through us, and self managed participants pay and claim. A table often rides on the same order as a bed, and our bed funding guide covers that paperwork.

Questions we get asked

Will an overbed table fit my lift chair?

Usually not. Lift chairs sit on a solid frame, so there's no gap for a U base. Use an overchair table or a Stander tray. If you're still choosing the chair, our guide to dual or quad motor lift chairs helps.

Which one for a hospital bed at home?

The Care Quip Overbed Table at $399.95 does the job for most people. Pay more for the Viva if cleaning matters, or the Litavo for the furniture look.

Is the table delivered assembled?

The Aspire tables are delivered and assembled anywhere we deliver. Care Quip tables are delivered and set up in Sydney and surrounds only. The Zeta AT1 and the Stander trays ship Australia-wide, and the Zeta assembles with no tools.

What about meals away from the bed?

The Aspire Meal Trolley ($199) is a height adjustable trolley with clip-on trays for carrying food from the kitchen. It's for moving a meal, not eating off in bed.

Can I return it if the base doesn't fit?

Yes, within 14 days. Our refund policy has the conditions.

Can I see one in Picton?

Call before you drive out and we'll tell you what's set up. We won't pretend every table on this page is on the floor.