Features we studied and tested before buying a tabletop TV mount

With so many choices to consider when mounting comes to a small tabletop TV stand, the options first seemed a bit difficult to decide when height and stability were considered important to us. 

There are also other features we didn’t understand at first and didn’t understand the purpose of. Let’s quickly go over some common features and how a bolt-down TV stand can help your home theater.

1. A strong and sturdy base

Since most tabletop stands simply sit on top of another piece of furniture, there is the potential for the whole bracket to tip.

The base is what prevents this. If you have a large or heavy TV, you want to look for a tabletop tv stand base that is large and strong to prevent the TV from tipping and falling or having your unit hard bolted down.

2. Adjustable height

Many stands offer height adjustments. Having an adjustable tabletop TV stand serves two purposes:

1. Offers you a range of different viewing heights.
2. And two, greater height prevents larger televisions from rubbing the surface of the table they are placed on and allows larger TVs to fit into the bracket.

Keep in mind, that adjusting the height normally requires removing the TV completely, so try to have another person to help with this.

3. Swiveling and tilting function

If you’re placing the TV stand on a piece of furniture that is flat against the wall, having a tilt and swivel option opens up a lot of different seating choices for you.

You can tilt the TV down if you want to watch from your bed, or you can swivel the screen around to the left or right if you want to watch shows or movies from different chairs around a room.

A rotating tabletop TV stand or a swivel tabletop TV stand is a great choice.

You can also DIY a lazy Susan tabletop onto your table for the whole unit to spin to face any direction.

4. Cable management

Having visible cables can make your media area look unsightly.

Cables can also be hazardous in homes that have children or pets running around.

Some stands include options for cable management which may include cable clips or raceways on the back of the stand to secure power cords and audio cables. 

5. Weight capacity

This is an important consideration for all stands, regardless of the type. Some stands are rated for lighter TVs while others can handle 100 pounds or more.

Be sure your tabletop TV stand for flat-screen TVs can handle the size of your screen. If you place a TV that is too heavy on the stand, you risk breaking the stand and damaging your TV.

6. Non-slip base

Stands that simply sit on top of another piece of furniture will benefit from having a non-slip base. This can be in the form of small rubber feet on each corner or long strips of rubber on the front and back.

This is great if your TV is placed in a high traffic area as an elbow may accidentally bump it. Non-slip bases prevent the stand from moving and potentially falling off the table it’s placed on.

7. Anti-tip strap or wire

These often overlooked components are extremely important in homes with small children or curious pets.

A safety anti-tip wire is also important to consider for larger or heavier TVs.

Some stands include built-in safety straps which you secure to the wall behind the TV or the back of the piece of furniture the stand is sitting on.

This prevents the TV from tipping forward and falling to the floor even if bumped.

Reasons to mount your TV on a tabletop

You’ll never know you need this until you find out you can’t prop up a TV without a standing mount.

1. Prevents damage to walls. With wall mounting, you need to drill and anchor mounts into your wall or ceiling. Tabletop stands to eliminate this need.
2. Makes use of different furniture. If you have a family heirloom dresser or sideboard, you can use the furniture as support for an entertainment stand without damaging the surface.
3. Can be easily moved. If you enjoy remodeling your room, a wall-mounted TV will take a lot of effort to change. Tabletop stands can simply be picked up and moved.

Bolt-down base vs a tempered glass base

Bolt-down base

Advantages

• Eliminates the need for anti-tip straps or security hooks.
• Is normally hidden behind the TV making the media area look sleek.
• Makes your TV 100% secure, from earthquakes or bumps.

Disadvantages

• Must be uninstalled to move the TV to another location.
• Will require you to bolt and drill into the furniture, which could cause damage to your tabletop.

Tempered glass base

Advantages

• Makes your living room style extremely simple.
• Stronger than standard glass.
• Can relocate your TV to another spot.
• Gives your media area an elegant and stylish look.

Disadvantages

• Can be broken if you drop something onto it.
• Your stand may need to be strapped down when holding larger TVs than what is rated.

Tabletop TV mounts vs Pop-up TV mounts

Tabletop TV mounts

Advantages

• Extremely quick and easy to install, even for beginners.
• Can be found in stationary and adjustable-arm models.

Disadvantages

• Can be unsightly in some decors.
• TV is always visible even when not in use.

Pop-up TV mounts

Advantages

• Hides and protects the TV completely when not in use
• Can give you full access to the tabletop when the TV is hidden.

Disadvantages

• Can be difficult and time-consuming to install
• Pop up stands may require professional installation for beginners
• This will require drilling and cutting into the table that will handle the installation causing permanent change to the structure.
• The motor can be prone to breaking down over time on some models.

Tabletop TV mounts vs TV floor stand

Tabletop TV mounts

Advantages

• In most cases, installation can be done by beginners.
• Does not require any special tools for installation.
• Can work with a wide range of TV sizes and brands.

Disadvantages

• Some bracket types may cover certain TV’s rear audio ports.
• You might require straps to make a stand fully secure in some home situations.

TV floor stand

Advantages

• Gives you freedom in where you want to place your TV stand.
• Can be easily moved from one room to another if desired.

Disadvantages

• Can be hard to fix down in some cases when used directly on carpeting.
• Can be obtrusive in small rooms.

Should you mount a TV with a tabletop TV stand?

1. You don’t want to drill holes in the wall. Using a tabletop mount eliminates the need for drilling holes into your wall for the mounting brackets.

This gives you the freedom to use a TV stand even if you are renting your home temporarily.

2. You have sturdy console table furniture. Tabletop TV stands are perfect for heavy-duty furniture that may not serve any other purpose in your home.

And since the stands don’t require any drilling into furniture, they work well for antique or heirloom furniture.

3. There are no kids and pets to play around with. Curious children and pets may tip tabletop mounts, but if you don’t have children or pets in your home this is still an excellent choice to consider for your TV as it can protect your LCD from knocks or earthquakes.

4. You want a fixed and central focal point for your TV. Various tabletop stands can be elegant and stylish with tempered glass accents. Making a great way to draw an eye to the media area and not worry about the proper height of your TV.

Mount-It! Mi-854

If you just aren’t comfortable with the idea of your TV on a non-secured stand, this one might give you the peace of mind you want. 

This is different because the bracket is a bolt-down model which means the stand will be secured and tightly mounted to your furniture.

This eliminates the need for safety straps or tie-downs like you might need with other models. 

I like that the smaller stand makes for a more discreet and modern design for times when you want the style of your room to be focused on your media area, and not the stand holding your TV.

The best all-around tabletop TV stand on my list.

THE BEST PRICE

SECOND PRICE

Perlesmith PSTVS11.

If you’ve struggled to find a durable tabletop TV stand that can hold your extremely large or heavy TV, look no further. This stand is made to securely hold TVs up to 70 inches and just under 100 pounds.

The oversized tempered glass base is right at 24 inches long giving a wide area of contact to prevent slips and tips. 

With 9 different mounting height options, you’re sure to find the perfect adjustment to suit your home and viewing desires.

Additionally, adjusting the height is quick and simple and can even be done by a single person in most cases.

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Perlesmith PSTVS04.

If you’re looking for a great mix of features as well as the best value price, here she is. This mama of a stand can hold TVs up to 55 inches in size and works with a huge range of VESA configurations.

With three height adjustments, you’ll find one that works for any TV size you decide to mount on it. 

If that wasn’t enough, the entire installation process is super simple and can be done by beginners.

While the instructions can be a bit confusing to read, there are detailed images to help make the process much less daunting.

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Fitueyes TT103701GB.

You don’t have to worry about breaking the bank with the most affordable universal tabletop TV stand we could find.

The Fitueyes universal-based tabletop TV stand not only holds up to 88 pounds worth of TV, but this gatekeeper of virtual reality also offers a lifetime warranty on hardware.

The VESA configurations are made for standard LCD/Plasma TVs and include 100×100 and 400×400.

The wide tempered glass base includes four non-skid feet to prevent your stand from slipping as well as preventing damage to any surface it is sitting on.

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How thick should your tabletop support be for mounting a TV stand?

TVs have weight capacities that can go as heavy as 150 lbs.

The good thing is that most console tables have adequate support, which can take the weight of most larger TVs.

Most tabletops have thicknesses that can range from 3/4 inch to 1-3/4 inches. This is good enough to support most TVs, especially if the build material is made from hardwood or has center support.

Other than thickness, you should also check the dimensions and location of the table legs.

Cabling Tips for TVs on a tabletops

Cables and wires are always unsightly as they can mess up your interior design when left unmanaged.

What can you do about this?

• Remove unnecessary wires.
• Utilize cable ties or Velcro straps.
• Install cable channels or raceways.
• Or use your tabletop decorations to hide the wires.
• Place your console table near the electrical plug.
• Purchase cable organizers.
• And have one spot on your table as your cable station.

Here’s how you can better manage your TV wires for wall mounting.

Creative ways to decorate your tabletop with a mounted TV

Other than family pictures, there are more ways to keep your tabletop with TV stylish and neat.

1. Speakers and soundbars

Your tabletop TV will be the focal point. Modern console tables have destined places for speakers. If you’re up to hanging small speakers without drilling, you can use adhesives to hang soundbars evenly apart from the TV.

For a soundbar, this should be at the center of your TV.

You could also install speakers on a shelf above or below the stand or place each speaker just a few inches forward from your TV if there’s more space available.

Tall speakers with stands can go on the floor underneath and the bigger speakers can stand a few inches away on both ends of your console.  

2. Art

Your TV on a tabletop can also have a touch of art.

Whether you place woodcraft, glasswork, paintings, or just any piece of art. we find home decor the best if you are following a certain theme that blends in with the rest of your interior.

Whether you go for a rustic, modern, futuristic, or vintage console table, you want to have an unobstructed view from the TV. Just like speakers, you’d most likely place tall pieces on the side of your TV.

Moreover, you can use the artwork to conceal plugs and wires.

3. Plants

Plants are a great eye refresher indoors [1]. Putting a few pots beside your TV mount is a good way to manage the effect of staring for long periods at the screen.

Especially if you have a balanced combination of earthy themes on your console table, plants are healthy add-ons next to your TV.

How I compared the features

	Mount-It! MI-854	Perlesmith PSTVS11	Perlesmith PSTVS04	Fitueyes	Mounting Dream MD5109-KD	Hemudu HT02B-001	Mount-It! MI-843	Perlesmith PSTVS15	Mount-It! MI-846	Wali TVDVD-01	Fitueyes TT103701GB
	THE BEST PRICE	SECOND PRICE									CHECK CURRENT PRICE
Verdict:	#1 Top bolt-down	Best flat-based tabletop									Most affordable
Weight:	32 to 55 inches	37 to 70 inches	37 to 55 inches	32 to 65 inches	42 to 60 inches	19 to 39 inches	32 to 60 inches	32 to 55 inches	32 to 55 inches	32 to 47 inches	27 to 55 inches
TV size	110 lbs	99 lbs	88 lbs	110 lbs	99 lbs	99 lbs	88 lbs	88 lbs	88 lbs	88 lbs	88 lbs
Adjustable height	24.5 inches	20.5 to 31.5 inches	12.2 to 16.2 inches	26.3 to 31.8 inches	21.2 to 26 inches	12.9 to 18.2 inches	21.5 inches	20.9 to 26.8 inches	16.5 to 22.4 inches	12 to 16 inches	20 7 to 24.8 inches
VESA	100 x 100 mm to 400 x 400 mm	100 x 100 mm to 600 x 400 mm	100 x 100 mm to 600 x 400 mm	200 x 200 mm to 600 x 400 mm	100 x 100 mm to 600 x 400 mm	75 x 75 mm to 200 x 200 mm	200 x 200 mm to 600 x 400 mm	100 x 100 mm to 400 x 400 mm	100 x 100 mm to 600 x 400 mm	100 x 100 mm to 400 x 400 mm	100 x 100 mm to 600 x 400 mm
Base dimensions	Na (bolt-down)	23.5 x 11 inches	16.04 x 11.02 inches	14,5 x 11.8 inches	16.9 x 10.3 inches	15 x 99 inches	24 x 11 inches	15.7 x 10.2 inches	22.75 x 11 inches	17 x 10 inches	15.1 x 9.4 inches
Swivel	30°	Na	Na	80°	25°	45°	Na	Na	Na	Na	Na

Our verdict: the most reliable tabletop TV stand.

After spending quite a bit of time comparing all of the above stands and weighing their pros and cons, with our educated and detailed opinion.

We have decided that the Mount-It! MI-854 offers the absolute best mix of features with durability and affordability for a secure bolt-down solution. We will be recommending this to everyone on availability.