If your feet dangle, your toes barely brush the floor, or you find yourself crossing your legs by mid-afternoon, a footrest is the cheapest ergonomic upgrade you can make. After a height-adjustable chair and a properly set monitor, it is the accessory that quietly fixes posture problems most people do not realise they have. This guide rounds up the best footrest for desk UK buyers can get in 2026, from a £25 memory-foam wedge to adjustable tilting platforms, with a clear pick for every budget and working style.
We have spent full working days with each of these under our desk, paying attention to how they hold up, whether they slide around on hard floors, and — most importantly — whether they actually make a long day more comfortable. Here is how they ranked, followed by a short buying guide so you can choose the right type for your setup.
Why use a footrest at all?
The ideal seated posture has your thighs roughly parallel to the floor, knees at about 90 degrees, and your feet flat and supported. The trouble is that the right chair height for your desk and keyboard is often slightly too tall for your legs — especially if you are shorter than average or your desk is a fixed (non-adjustable) height. The result is dangling feet, pressure on the back of the thighs, and reduced circulation.
A footrest closes that gap. Done well, it takes pressure off your lower back and thighs, encourages small movements that keep blood flowing, and lets you sit further back in your chair so the backrest can actually do its job. The better ones also let you rock or tilt your feet, which is genuinely useful over an eight-hour day.
Best footrest for desk UK: quick comparison
| Footrest | Type | Approx. UK price | Best for |
| Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam | Foam wedge | £25–£30 | Best overall / comfort |
| HUANUO Adjustable Foot Rest | Rocking platform | £30–£35 | Best for circulation |
| Fellowes Office Suites | Adjustable platform | £35–£45 | Best adjustable platform |
| Kensington SmartFit SoleMate | Tilting platform | £50–£60 | Best premium / heavy use |
| ErgoFoam Adjustable | Foam (2 heights) | £30–£35 | Best budget all-rounder |
| Mind Reader Steel Mesh | Fixed steel | £20–£25 | Best cheap fixed rest |
1. Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam Footrest — best overall
For most people working from home, a high-density memory-foam wedge is the sweet spot of comfort, price and simplicity. The Everlasting Comfort footrest is the one we keep coming back to. It is a teardrop-shaped block of firm memory foam with a washable, breathable cover and a non-slip base. There is nothing to adjust or break: you put it under your desk and your feet thank you.
The shape props your feet at a gentle angle that takes the strain off your ankles and lower back, and the foam is dense enough that it does not bottom out after a few weeks like cheaper cushions do. At around £25–£30 it is an easy recommendation for anyone who just wants a comfortable place to rest their feet without fuss.
- Pros: genuinely comfortable, firm supportive foam, washable cover, non-slip base, no assembly.
- Cons: fixed height and angle, foam attracts dust, not ideal if you want to rock or tilt.
[Affiliate link to Everlasting Comfort Memory Foam Footrest on Amazon UK]
2. HUANUO Adjustable Foot Rest — best for circulation
If you fidget, or you know you sit too still, a rocking footrest is worth the extra few pounds. The HUANUO platform tilts on a curved base so you can gently rock your feet through the day, and the height adjusts across three settings via the side pins. That movement keeps your ankles and calves working, which helps with circulation and the heavy-legged feeling that creeps in by late afternoon.
The textured surface keeps socked or shoed feet from sliding, and the build feels reassuringly solid for the money. At roughly £30–£35 it is our pick for anyone who wants a more active, dynamic rest rather than a static cushion.
- Pros: rocking motion encourages movement, three height settings, sturdy, grippy surface.
- Cons: hard plastic surface is less plush than foam, rocking can feel odd at first.
[Affiliate link to HUANUO Adjustable Foot Rest on Amazon UK]
3. Fellowes Office Suites Footrest — best adjustable platform
Fellowes has made office footrests for decades and it shows. The Office Suites model is a wide, stable platform with both height and tilt adjustment, and on some versions you can change the angle simply by tapping the platform with your foot — no bending down required. The large surface suits bigger feet and lets you shift position freely through the day.
This is the one to choose if you want proper adjustability on a hard surface rather than foam, and it is built to survive years of daily use. Expect to pay around £35–£45 depending on the variant.
- Pros: height and tilt adjustment, large stable platform, foot-tap angle change, very durable.
- Cons: hard surface, takes up more under-desk room, dearer than a foam wedge.
[Affiliate link to Fellowes Office Suites Footrest on Amazon UK]
4. Kensington SmartFit SoleMate — best premium for heavy use
If you are at your desk all day, every day, the Kensington SmartFit SoleMate justifies its higher price. It uses Kensington’s colour-coded SmartFit system to help you set the correct height for your build, tilts smoothly through a wide range, and has a textured massage surface that is more pleasant underfoot than it sounds. Build quality is a clear step up — this is the footrest least likely to wear out.
At around £50–£60 it is overkill for occasional use, but for a full-time home worker who wants the most adjustable, longest-lasting option, it is the one we would buy.
- Pros: wide tilt range, height guidance system, premium build, textured comfort surface.
- Cons: most expensive here, larger footprint, more than casual users need.
[Affiliate link to Kensington SmartFit SoleMate on Amazon UK]
5. ErgoFoam Adjustable Footrest — best budget all-rounder
The ErgoFoam splits the difference between a plain wedge and a fully adjustable platform. It is a memory-foam rest with a removable top layer, so you get two effective heights, plus a washable mesh cover that breathes better than most. It is comfortable, light enough to move between rooms, and usually sits around £30–£35.
For anyone who wants foam comfort but also a bit of height flexibility, this is the value pick. It is the footrest we most often recommend to friends setting up a desk on a budget.
- Pros: two height options, breathable washable cover, comfortable foam, good value.
- Cons: no tilt or rocking, cover can shift over time.
[Affiliate link to ErgoFoam Adjustable Footrest on Amazon UK]
6. Mind Reader Steel Mesh Footrest — best cheap fixed rest
If you simply want to get your feet off the floor for as little as possible, a fixed steel-mesh footrest does the job. The Mind Reader model is a sturdy metal platform on a small frame, raising your feet to a fixed height with no moving parts to fail. It is the least comfortable option here — it is metal, after all — but at roughly £20–£25 it is hard to argue with for light or occasional use.
- Pros: cheap, indestructible, stays put, no foam to compress.
- Cons: hard metal surface, fixed height, no adjustment, basic.
[Affiliate link to Mind Reader Steel Mesh Footrest on Amazon UK]
How to choose the right footrest
Start with your floor and your chair. If you sit on a hard floor and your chair has no height issue, a simple foam wedge is plenty. If your desk is fixed-height and a touch too tall, prioritise an adjustable platform so you can dial in the exact height. And if you struggle with stiffness or swollen legs, a rocking or tilting model is worth the upgrade for the movement it encourages.
A few things to check before you buy:
- Height: aim for a rest that lets your knees sit at roughly 90 degrees with thighs level.
- Surface: foam is more comfortable for socked feet; hard platforms suit shoes and tilting.
- Grip: a non-slip base matters a lot on hard floors and laminate.
- Footprint: measure your under-desk space, especially if you use a desktop tower or cable tray.
- Adjustability: tilt and height are the features you will actually use day to day.
Getting the most from your footrest
A footrest only helps if the rest of your setup is right. Set your chair height first so your forearms are level with the desk and your wrists stay neutral while typing — then add the footrest to support whatever gap is left under your feet. If you find yourself pushing the footrest away to stretch, that is fine: the goal is to give your feet a comfortable home, not to lock them in one position. Movement throughout the day still beats any single perfect posture.
Which footrest should you buy?
For most home workers, the Everlasting Comfort memory-foam footrest is the best footrest for desk UK use: comfortable, affordable at around £25–£30, and completely fuss-free. If you want to keep your legs moving through long days, spend a little more on the HUANUO rocking platform. Need precise height on a hard surface? The Fellowes Office Suites is the durable adjustable choice, while the Kensington SmartFit SoleMate is the premium pick for all-day, every-day use. On the tightest budget, the ErgoFoam gives you foam comfort with a bit of height flexibility, and the Mind Reader steel rest covers the bare essentials for around £20.
Whichever you choose, a footrest is one of the few ergonomic buys under £50 that you will feel the benefit of on day one. Pair it with a properly adjusted chair and monitor and your lower back will notice the difference within a week.
