The Best Headphone Stands for a Clutter-Free Desk 2023

Your expensive headphones need to be showcased, not hidden away in a drawer. A great headphone stand helps you store your headphones, showcase them, and even remove clutter from your desktop. We'll look at the best headphone stands in the market right now and what to look for when buying them.

A headphone stand is one of those things you didn't really know you needed until you actually get it.

Before I got my current stand, my headphones used to be all over the place. On the desktop, in the drawer, and sometimes, even perched on top of the monitor.

The headphone stand does two things: it creates a ‘default' space to store your headphones, and it removes clutter from your desk.

An under-desk headphone mount will hide away the headphone while keeping it within reach. A desk stand will help you showcase your gear while reducing clutter.

Regardless of the path you choose, a headphone stand is really one of the best accessories you can buy for your desk. They're cheap, last forever, and can usually take any and all your headphones.

Which brings us to the topic of the best headphone stands.

After 10+ hours of research and comparing over 20 stands, I can confidently say that these are the 3 best headphone stands you can buy right now:

There is a surprising amount of competition in headphone stands business. The lack of large, established brands means that the market is flooded with no-name Chinese knockoffs. And while this really isn't a feature-heavy purchase, there is substantial difference in quality and design to make buying headphone stands difficult.

To make your decision easier, I've listed my picks for the best headphone stands on the market right now, along with my scores for all reviewed stands. I've also shared a brief buying guide and review methodology below.

Jump to the right section using the navigation below:

I. The Best Headphone Stands in 2020

Over the course of compiling this article, I reviewed 20 different headphone stands. This included both brand name stands as well as cheap Chinese imports.

Refer to this table to see the review score for each stand:

I've organized this list by price into three categories – budget ($), mid-range ($$), and premium ($$$). The budget range is ideal for anyone looking for an affordable yet functional stand just to keep their desk organized. In the mid-range, you get a good trade-off between price, utility, and design. In the premium range, you're essentially paying for design and build quality.

Here are my picks for the best headphone stands across these three categories:

• Best budget stand: 6amLifestyle Universal Headphone Clip
• Best mid-range: LUXA2 E-One
• Best premium stand: AudioQuest PERCH Headphone Stand

Why did I chose these stands? What makes them great? And what are some alternatives to them?

Let's find out in the next section.

Best Budget Headphone Stands

Let's start by looking at the bottom end of the market. Budget headphone stands might not have any of the features and superior design of the high-end gear on this list, but they all perform competitively enough where it matters: holding your headphones in place.

Here are my top three picks for the best budget headphone stands:

I have an irrational fear of most self-stick adhesive pads. Despite all the claims, I've found that few of them actually stick around on rough surfaces, especially when you're trying to hang something heavy off of them.

This is why I was immediately drawn to this clip from 6amLifestyle. Unlike other mounts, this uses a locking screw. You don't have to stick it under your table. Rather, you screw it at the table's edge. The friction between the screw and the table – helped by the anti-slip nylon head – keep the mount in place.

The result is a much more secure mount that can easily hold even the heaviest of headphones. In fact, 6amLifestyle claims it can hold 10-15lbs of weight easily. And it is so confident in its claim that it offers a lifetime warranty.

The build quality is solid. The metal used is thick with a matte black finish. The screw is large and easy to use with a non-slip nylon head.

The only negative point is that your table needs to be at least 38mm thick to use (which is more than enough for most tables).

The best part? The price is low enough that you can buy more than one set for hanging multiple items off your table's edge.

Alternative: ​​The Anchor Under-Desk Headphone Mount

This was the mount that started it all.

Before Anchor released its under-desk mount, the only way to hold a pair of headphones was to buy a full-fledged stand. Anchor changed that with its simple but innovative design.

The idea is simple: the W-shaped mount has high-quality 3M self-sticking adhesive at the top. To use it, just stick it under your table. The adhesive is strong enough to keep the mount in place even on glossy surfaces.

The first iteration of the Anchor mount was made from soft silicone. The current iteration uses a metal frame inside to increase durability without adding too much to the weight.

You can hang two sets of headphones off this mount without any fuss. I've tried to hang as many as three pairs without the adhesive giving way.

Design is a non-issue since it will be invisible underneath your desk anyway. Nonetheless, I like the feel of the silicone over the roughness of metal.

The one downside is that the adhesive is not completely fail-proof. I expect headphone stands to last for years, but I'm not sure if the adhesive will last that long – and I haven't had enough time to test it.

Best Mid-Range Headphone Stands

The mid-range (denoted by ‘$$’) is the sweet spot for buying headphone stands. Products in this range have a nice mix of form and function. You won't find any of the cheap Chinese makes that litter the bottom end of the market. Nor will you find exorbitantly priced offerings that ruin the luxury market.

For a list of my top-rated mid-range headphone stands, see below:

This offering from Luxa2 is one of the best looking headphone stands on the market.

Everything about it feels premium. It's made from high-grade aluminium that looks good and feels sturdy. The base has soft rounded corners and brushed edges that look and feel great. The base is also heavy enough to fit nearly any pair of cans.

It also comes in four different colors/finishes – silver, gold, rose gold, and glossy black. All of these look good though I'm partial to the glossy black. I recommend picking a color that complements your desk and/or headphones.

Lastly, this Luxa2 stand comes pre-assembled, so you don't have to mess around with any screws.

What's not to like about that?

Best Wooden Headphone Stand: ​​Artinova Wooden Headset Holder

You know how to make any classic design better?

Make it in wood.

Wood is one of my favorite materials. It looks good on any surface (especially wooden desk surfaces), feels nice to touch, and is durable by itself.

This is why I've ranked this stand from Artinova so high on this list. Wood stands are generally expensive; Artinova manages to get this at a mid-range price point.

To be fair, this isn't the mahogany from your granddad's great desk. The wood used is cheap walnut, but it looks good all the same.

A downside is the lack of extra features. You don't get any cable organizers or tablet notches. You also have to assemble everything yourself. Plus, the walnut finish might not look good on every desk.

Having said that, for this price range, this is one of the cheapest, and best looking headset stands on the market.

Best Designer Headphone Stand: ​​SAMDI Wooden Stand

I remember seeing a headphone stand similar to this design featured on This Is Colossal three years ago. I thought it was the most beautiful stand I had ever seen. Except that it cost nearly three figures and no way was I going to spend that much.

Three years and Chinese reverse engineering later, you have the same design from Samdi selling for less than the price of a dinner.

This is one of the most uniquely designed headphone stands on this list. Everyone who saw this on my desk remarked how cool it looked. The bent wood shaped like the Omega sign definitely stands out and wins big on design.

But it doesn't just look good, it also works well. Wide cylinders at the base ensure that the stand doesn't slip or leave any scratches on your table. The headband is also extra wide to accommodate larger headphones.

If I have any complaints, its that this stand might not be able to fit smaller headphones. Otherwise, this is one of the best designed headphone stands on the market right now.

Best Charging Stand: ​​ZBRANDS Headphone Charging Stand

I have to admit that I was conflicted about this stand from ZBrands. On one hand, it boasts a feature list that bests almost any other headphone stand on the market. On the other hand, I feel that these features are either unnecessary, or should be replaced with full-fledged alternatives.

In the end, I decided to include it on this list because it simply offers too much to ignore.

The basics: the stand is made from heavy-duty aluminium and has a sturdy base with considerable heft. It's not the best looking stand out there, but it isn't offensively designed either. As a bonus, the design is extra tall, which makes it ideal for holding longer headphones. There is also a nifty little hook at the back to handle all your cables.

Now the features: you can connect this stand to a power outlet. Once you do that, the three USB 3.0 ports come alive. There is also a dedicated power button to switch them on and off. You can use these ports to charge your tablets and phones.

The features are obviously a welcome addition, but you shouldn't make a purchase decision based on their availability. Experience has taught me that accessories with “extra” USB ports often go kaput quickly, leaving you with a non-functional port. In general, the more features there are on a device, the more the number of failure points.

As a negative, the design, especially with the loud ZBrands branding, can look off on some desktops. The brushed silver aluminium contrasts aren't for everyone.

Best Premium Headphone Stands

We now come to the top-end of the roundup. The sky is the limit as far as price is concerned in this category. From more reasonable $50 stands to “luxury” gear costing $200+, there is a massive variety at the high-end of the headphone stand market.

Given the lack of price constraints, the evaluation criteria is different for this category as well. Value for Money isn't nearly as important as design and build quality. You don't buy a $100 stand because it offers good value; you buy it because it looks good and complements your $300 headphones.

Keeping this in mind, let's look at two of my top-rated high-end headphone stands:

At the top-end of the market, your biggest considerations are fit, finish, and construction quality. And the AudioQuest Perch performs remarkably well on all these counts.

The base is made from heavy plastic and won't tip over regardless of the weight of the headphones. Two ‘rods' emerge from the base to mimic a bird's legs (hence the name ‘perch'). They end in a broad, leather clad top that can accommodate nearly any pair of headphones.

Everything about this stand screams “premium”. The plastic quality is great and the leather feels soft to touch. There are no cable organizing hooks or built-in USB ports. Rather, the focus is on great design and quality materials.

If you like your stands simple and classy, this should be your top choice.

Alternative. ​​eLago H-Headphone Stand

The eLago H headphone stand is another entrant in the list of “simple, but functional” designs. It eschews all fancy features and gimmicks for the most basic of designs built from superior materials. While not as classy as the AudioQuest Perch, the eLago stand will nevertheless look good on any desk.

Another plus is that this stand is available in several shades. If the default silver isn't for you, you can choose from champagne gold or silver. The stand is also extra tall to accommodate

One small downside is that the headphone tray, while being deep enough, is quite narrow. This can leave some indent marks on the headphone band where it touches the tray.

For its price, this is one of the classiest headphone stands you can buy right now.

II. A Short Guide to Buying Headphone Stands

I normally like to keep my buying guides in separate articles. But headphone stands aren't a feature-intensive category. You don't have to worry about impedance and frequency response range and compatibility.

So I figured I'd share a brief guide to buying headphone stands right on this page. In the next few sections, I'll cover the difference between stands and mounts. Later, I'll discuss what features you should look for when buying any stand.

Headphone Stands vs Mounts

If you search for “headphone stand” on Amazon, one of the first things you'll see is that the listings are filled with stands and mounts.

This represents the two broad product categories in this market.

• Headphone stands are wooden or metal stands that sit on your desktop. They usually have a wide and sturdy base and a flat edge at the top. You hang your headphones off the flat edge. Some stands have built-in features such as USB charging, cable holders, etc.
• Headphone mounts are usually metal hangers that stick to the bottom or side of a table. The headphones hang off the flat edge of the mount. Most mounts are barely visible and thus, don't place a lot of emphasis on design. Additional features (such as USB charging) are rare in this category.

Headphone stands are usually more expensive than mounts. Since they stay on your table, they also tend to have a strong design-focus.

Mounts, on the other hand, can be as cheap as a few dollars. Since you can comfortably tuck them away under your table, you don't have to worry as much about design.

Mounts can be either clips or mounts. The former “clip” to the edge of a table with the help of a screw.

Mounts, on the other hand, usually stick to the edge or bottom of a table with adhesive or (rarely) screws, such as The Anchor stand we covered above.

Clips are usually more sturdy than mounts. With the latter, everything depends on the quality of the adhesive and the weight of your headphones. The downside is that clips can leave a mark on the table – not the best option if you care about maintaining wood quality.

In the next section, I'll briefly cover what you should look for when buying headphone stands.

What to Look For in Headphone Stands

Headphone stands are fairly easy to buy. You don't have to worry about any technical details. If it looks good, is made from quality materials, and fits your headphones, you can buy it without fretting too much.

Having said that, there are a few things you should consider when buying a headphone stand:

• Design: How the stand looks is obviously a huge purchase criteria. Since the stand is visible and up front on your desk, you want it to match the rest of your room/desk's aesthetic. Nothing kills a recording studio or gaming station faster than an ugly, cumbersome stand with a battered set of headphones hanging off it.
• Build quality: A headphone stand isn't a frequent purchase. Once you buy one stand, you want to be able to use it for years. Build quality, which includes the quality and finish of materials used, should be your next big criteria. You want something that will last for years.
• Fit & Compatibility: Is the stand sturdy enough to hold your headphones? If it is a headphone clip/mount, is the adhesive strong enough to hang your headphones? Does the stand tilt over when you place a heavy pair of headphones on it? These are crucial questions and should guide your purchase decision.
• Your Headphones: What kind of headphone stand you buy should depend on the kind of headphones you want to hang off it. If you're using $500 audiophile grade headphones, you don't want to use a cheap, ugly stand to hold it. Conversely, if you're using a $15 pair from Sony, does it really make sense to spend $50 on a stand? The weight, size, and cost of your headphones should factor into your decision.
• Desk, and Desk Space: Do you have enough room on your desk to accommodate a full-fledged headphone stand? If not, can you mount a stand underneath your desk? Is the desk made from glossy material that makes sticking things difficult? Or are you using an expensive heirloom mahogany desk that you don't want to ruin? Everything from your desk's wood-type to space availability should factor into your purchase decision.

These factors are uniformly important across all headphone stands, of course. If you're buying a desktop stand, you want a good looking design.

But if you're buying a desk mount, a much bigger consideration should be the strength of the adhesive and screws. If it can't hold the weight of your headphones, the mount is no good.

Review Methodology

Before I started researching this market, I had no idea there was so much competition in it. A quick search for “headphone stand” on Amazon, for instance, shows nearly 8,000 results:

Making things even harder is the fact that there are no standout, established brands in this category. You can't rely on a big name – Sennheiser, Sony, AKG – when you're buying headphone stands. Rather, you have to comb through hundreds of offerings from tiny brands with some dubious names.

After analyzing hundreds of headphone stands based on my product research, personal experience, and recommendations from friends, I ended up with a list of 20 headphone stands.

(You can see all the review scores for each of these stands above)

This was a mixed bag of cheap mounts and expensive stands. Most of my pickings fell in the “mid-range” category ($15-$30). I had a healthy selection of mounts, stands and clips.

Next, I started my evaluation process.

To start with, I asked myself: “What do people look for in a headphone stand?”

The answer will of course vary from person to person, but for most, I assume the following metrics are particularly important:

1. Build quality: The quality of materials, finish, and sturdiness of the stand were some of my top ranking factors.
2. Design: Given that you're going to keep the stand on your desk, design was a definite and important ranking factor. However, I reduced the importance of design when evaluating headphone mounts.
3. Value for Money: Value for money (VfM) is one of my most important factors in making any purchase decision, especially when it's something utilitarian like a headphone stand. VfM is essentially a combination of price, design, and build quality.

Although some headphone stands offer additional features (such as built-in USB connections), I did not factor it in the overall rankings. I see these features as gimmicks with better alternatives. If you want additional USB ports, you're much better off buying a standalone USB adapter (which you can replace) than buy an expensive headphone stand.

With these three rankings factors, I used the following formula to calculate my final score:

Over to You

With virtually thousands of options to choose from, picking the best headphone stands can be tough. Hopefully, this article will help you make a better decision. It's best to pick a stand that matches your headphones. A premium $200 pair of headphones sitting on a flimsy $10 stand doesn't do it justice, nor does it make sense to spend $75 on a stand to keep $20 headphones.

For more recommendations and advice, don't hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also read:

• Need headphones to match your stand? Check out our pick of the best studio headphones
• Bass heads should read our guide to buying the best bass headphones
• If you're on a budget, you'll want to read our list of the best headphones under $100

References:

• 6amLifestyle.com [Official website]
• AudioQuest.com [Official website]
• ElevationLab.com (The Anchor stand) [Official website]
• Luxa2.com [Official website]