The TV tray is an iconic household furnishing that has its origins in 1952 when they first began appearing in homes and television advertisements started airing. The original intended use of these dynamic little devices was to serve as a sort of portable dining area that a person could set up in the family living room, and enjoy their meal in front of the warm glow of the television set amidst their family. It quickly became obvious that the these trays were much more versatile than simple portable dining tables, and that is why the TV tray has persisted as a popular home furnishing item for nearly 60 years! Early designs featured a beveled tray, which was itself mounted atop four aluminum legs that were capped with rubberized tips to prevent them from scuffing up your lush hardwood flooring. Though the beveling made it handy to prevent spilled drinks from finding their way onto your flooring, it made them impossible to use for anything other than dining tables due to the awkward angle that the bevel presented.

The first innovation that was applied to their design was removing the beveled edges, some enterprising companies packaging beveled edging for their trays in the guise of ‘spill guards’. This made it possible to use the tray as a portable desk, so after dinner was finished, children could use it to work on homework out in the den, or the parents could get to work on finances and work from the office. There was still a lot of room for improvement and innovation though. The next innovation came in the form of making the legs collapsible. Previously, the trays would simply be stacked one on top of the other to form an unsightly jumble that was usually tucked away in a corner of the den that could have held an luxurious plant, or would have been the perfect space for an elegant end table. Stacked as they were, the trays provided no use, and were merely taking up space in a most unsightly manner. Collapsible legs allowed the trays to be stored in a compact manner, out of the sight of your guests, most importantly out of the precious space of your living room. The storage boons are not the only advantage of collapsible legs though! They make the trays much more versatile and portable. For the family on a budget, the trays could now serve double duty as both a dining surface and as a work surface because they had become easier than ever to transport around the house and clean. By collapsing the legs, the tray could fit under the sink for quick and easy cleaning, and could even be left to dry up on the counter. The collapsible legs mean that carrying the trays about your house will no longer result in scuff marks on your walls from unfortunate missteps or accidents.

Modern TV trays come in two designs either the classic, collapsible, long-legged designs, or the nouveau stylized and infinitely more functional short-legged models. Since you have already heard so much about the former, let us discuss the benefits and functions of the latter. Usually sporting legs up to one foot in length, these newer models make the perfect ‘laptop tables’, allowing you to enjoy a fine meal or get some work done while hunkered down in the cushioned warmth of your couch or bed. They offer the convenience of a stomach high surface wherever you might find yourself sitting. They will help you surprise your sweetheart with breakfast in bed, or simply provide you a stable, reliable surface to setup your notebook computer for either business or pleasure out in your lounge. They are noticeably sturdier than their loftier brethren due to their much lower center of gravity. This makes them much more robust and substantially more difficult to accidentally knock over, making them more reliable as use as a dining surface, and the only really dependable choice in the portable surface world to trust with your notebook computer. No matter how you look at them, portable trays have become a part of American culture, and it is no wonder why. They bring a touch of style and versatility to any room they adorn, so make sure that you have a TV tray or two handy, because you never know when you will need another dining table, and breakfast in bed could be the perfect thing to win over your paramour!