Cable management is technically optional, but if you don't want your space to look like a spaghetti monster, it's a good idea to at least tidy up a little bit. This is a surprisingly low-tech space and people have been using the same tools for ages, including clips, Velcro, ties, sleeves, covers, and other implements. People's techniques have improved over the years, but the products have more-or-less remained the same.

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Before we start, the one thing we don't recommend is zip ties. They are both cheap and effective, as well as wasteful and frustrating to maneuver after they've been installed. If you ever need to remove something from your setup, you have to cut every single zip tie, and then redo it later. It's much more economical to get reusable Velcro-style ties or magnetic ties to make that task easier and keep your cable organization adjustable. Now, let's get into the best cable management tools that we can find.

Best cable management tools: Top organization for your tech

VELCRO Brand One-Wrap Cable Ties
VELCRO Brand ONE-WRAP Cable Ties
1. Best overall cable management

Plentiful and reusable

VELCRO Brand One-Wrap Cable Ties is a great starting choice for cable management. Not only do you get 100 of them, but it's from a reputable brand and they're reusable.

Pros
  • Made by the company that invented Velcro
  • You get 100 of them, which is plenty
  • Removable and reusable for easier upgrades
Cons
  • None, really

It's not every day that we run into a product that does exactly what it says without any drama. The VELCRO Brand One-Wrap Cable Ties is one such product. It uses its own invention to keep your cables tightly wrapped up. It also employs a tie-style design that can be pulled tight before attaching the Velcro to make your cable management look extra clean.

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There's nothing wrong with this product unless your shipment from Amazon gets damaged. They're strong, reliable, easy to use, and you can remove them and reuse them if you need to access a cable to upgrade your setup at all. It works for entertainment stands, office desks, gaming setups, and more. They're not even expensive. You can't really go wrong with these.

N Norocme 192 PCS Cable Management Kit
N NOROCME 192-Piece Cable Management Kit
2. Best all-in-one cable management

Why choose one item when you can choose all of them?

For the folks who can't decide what they want, this is a product that has it all. You get sleeves, clips, holders, ties, and more. There are 192 pieces altogether.

Pros
  • Comes with a variety of cable management items
  • Works for whatever kind of cables you need to manage
  • 192 pieces means you'll get more than enough
Cons
  • The above-desk cable holders aren't the best quality
  • We don't recommend using the included zip ties

Why buy one product when you can buy all of them at once? The N Norocme 192-piece Cable Management Kit gives you that option. It comes with four cable sleeves, 20 reusable wire ties, 35 cable clips, 11 cord holders, two self-adhesive cable tie rolls, 20 cable zip tie mounts, and 100 zip ties. Of course, we don't recommend using the included zip ties, but you'll have them for other applications if you need them.

The other benefit to buying something like this is to test out a variety of different cable management products to see what you prefer and what works best for your setup. You can then purchase more of that item later to complete your management. That said, even if you subtract the cable ties, you still get 92 cable management items, which should be more than enough for most.

Smart and Cool Reusable Silicone Magnetic Cable Ties
Smart & Cool Reusable Silicone Magnetic Cable Ties
3. Best magnetic cable ties

The power of magnets

Magnetic cable ties are so fun to use, and they're reusable like Velcro-style ties. Smart & Cool sells a 20-pack of them for $18 and that's a decent deal.

Pros
  • Magnets can attach to each other or other objects like desk frames
  • Strong enough to hold many cables and reusable
  • User friendly
Cons
  • They are more expensive than Velcro-style ties
  • The magnets are strong, but they aren't miracle workers

I built myself a new desk setup in November 2023, and I used a variety of cable management items. In fact, that's why I'm writing the list, because I know these products. One of my favorite things was magnetic cable ties. They work like zip ties, except instead of zipping closed, they use magnets to hold themselves together. You can pack a lot of cables into one of these things, and they also twist and move around for tighter fits.

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However, the best use for this is anchoring your cables to another thing. For me, it was my desk frame, which is metal. I used the magnetic ties to hold cables against the metal frame so that they weren't hanging down in an unsightly way. In any case, the Smart & Cool 20-pack is as good as any other, although they are a bit more pricey than the Velcro ones.

ZhiYo TV Cord Cover
ZhiYo TV Cord Cover
4. Best cord cover

Sometimes ties and clips aren't enough

The ZhiYo Cord Cover is an excellent choice for a cord cover. It adheres to the underside of your desk or TV stand and keeps cables from hanging down.

Pros
  • Great for hiding cables over longer distances
  • Easy to install and remove
  • Comes in four colors and in multi-packs
Cons
  • If you overstuff it, the adhesive will fail
  • Adhesive isn't great on some surfaces

Cord covers are a criminally underrated cable management tool, and ZhiYo sells a pretty good one. They're essentially conduits where you can route cables underneath your TV stand or desk. Some folks even put them on the walls to hide cables there. They clip cables into place and prevent them from hanging down. I used two of these on my office desk, and you'd never know there were 20 cables hiding under there.

ZhiYo's product is a nice option here for a few reasons. The first is that all of these are basically the same anyway. ZhiYo does give you the option to buy just one or multiple at the same time. Additionally, they come in black, gray, beige, and white to help match your entertainment stand, desk, or wall. The brand also sells an extra large variant for more hardcore applications.

Uplift Wire Management Tray
Uplift Wire Management Tray
5. Best under-desk tray

Simple and effective

The Uplift Wire Management Tray is a J-channel tray that attaches to the back of your desk or entertainment to route wires without letting them hang down.

Pros
  • Relatively easy to install
  • Sturdy and reliable
  • Wide enough to hold a standard-sized power strip or extension cord
Cons
  • We would've liked to have seen more color options
  • This is a highly competitive space with tons of design options

The Uplift Wire Management Tray is a sleek, minimal under-desk tray. It's a J-channel tray, which means the cables will be hidden on three sides. It's wide enough to hold a power strip or an extension cord, so you don't have to run your power cables away from your desk. Plus, it attaches easily to your desk and holds your cables reliably.

The only downside to the Uplift Tray is that this is a highly competitive space with many products and many designs. Some folks prefer the wire-style design or something shorter and longer. We think the Uplift is a good one-size-fits-all solution, but if you find something you like better, it won't hurt our feelings.

eBoot 100 Pieces Adhesive Cable Clips
eBoot 100 Pieces Adhesive Cable Clips
6. Best cable clips

For the shopper who wants 100 of something

The eBoot Adhesive Cable Clips are a great choice for easy cable management. They adhere to surfaces with adhesive and can hold one cable each. However, there are 100 of them, so you'll have enough.

Pros
  • More than enough to properly manage your cables
  • Strong enough to hold a cable provided there isn't too much tension
  • Clips are super ergonomic, especially for things like upgrades
Cons
  • The adhesive has its limits
  • Clips can only one cable each

Cable clips are a fun solution to the cable management problem. These eBoot Adhesive Cable Clips are a good choice. They each hold a single cable, but you get 100 of them, so you can route cables all day if you need to. The adhesive is just okay, but it'll work provided that you don't put a ton of tension on the clips. Even if you have to use a ton, it's not like people are looking under your desk anyway.

We do wish the clips were a bit bigger. As it stands, they can only hold one cable per clip. There are some clips out there that can hold two or three, but it's not a big deal. The brand makes up for it by giving you 100 of them for $8 when not on sale, so you can always buy more.

Anker Cable Management Magnetic Cable Holder
Anker Cable Management Magnetic Cable Holder
7. Best on-desk cable holder

The top of your desk needs love too

The Anker Magnetic Cable Holder is a sleek, minimal, and functional way to organize cables on top of your desk. It works quite well for things like chargers or USB cables.

Pros
  • Matte black design is both functional and minimal
  • Magnets keep your cables in place until you need them
  • You don't have to remove the magnetic sleeve to use your cables
Cons
  • This is a very crowded space with a ton of options

Anker makes a pretty good cable holder for the top of your desk. Using it is easy enough. It has adhesive along the bottom, so you can stick to whichever part of the desk you prefer. From there, slip the magnetic sleeves onto your cables and then put the sleeves into the holder. The magnets keep your cables in place until you need them.

I think this one is neat because the magnetic sleeves can stay on the cable at all times, meaning you don't have to fiddle with anything like you do with normal cable holders. However, I will concede that there are at on of options in this space that come in different colors, shapes, and sizes. The Anker should work for most folks, though.

OUPENG 150PCS Reusable Cable Ties
OUPENG 150PCS Reusable Cable Ties
8. Best budget ties

For the budget conscious among us

For those on a budget, you can't go wrong with these hook-and-loop (Velcro) ties. You get 150 of them for a scant $6, which should be more than enough to get your cables in order.

Pros
  • Hook-and-loop ties are reusable, so you can use these for a long time
  • Easy to remove for replacements, repairs, or upgrades
  • They cost an average of four cents a piece
Cons
  • The Velcro brand ones are admittedly nicer overall

Budget conscious shoppers can still get in on the action with the OUPENG Reusable Cable Ties. The brand gives you 150 hook-and-loop (the off-brand name for Velcro-style material) ties for $6, an average of four cents per tie. With so many, you should have no problems bundling up whatever cables you want. With the extras, you can bundle up just about anything else you need.

The Velcro brand ones are nicer, thicker, and have a better design. However, once you employ these things, you'll barely ever see them again, so it's not the biggest deal that they aren't quite as nice as the bigger brand. The material does stick and the design lets you tighten the tie before you secure it, resulting in a clean cable management solution.

The bottom line: What is the best cable management tool?

Honestly, the hook-and-loop style ties, like the Velcro Brand One-Wrap and the OUPENG Reusable Cable Ties are the most popular for a reason. They're effective, reusable, easy to remove if you have to, and they get the job done. However, the Smart & Cool Magnetic Ties, Uplift Wire Management Tray, the eBoot Adhesive Clips, and the ZhiYo Cable Covers offer different tools to help effectively do the job as well. It really depends on what you need.

VELCRO Brand One-Wrap Cable Ties
VELCRO Brand ONE-WRAP Cable Ties
Editor's Choice

Of course, you have the N Norocme 192-piece kit if you're feeling indecisive and Anker's Magnetic Cable Holder offers a nice, functional addition to the top of your desk as well. The short version is, you have many choices and your situation is unique to you. However, we think the Velcro One-Wraps are the easiest overall recommendation to make here.

How did we choose these best cable management tools?

Like every consumer guide listicle, we collaborate with our editors, who look over the writer's choices to ensure the selections are quality, worthwhile, and diverse in price points. From there, it's personal experience. When I revamped my office a couple of months ago, my desk came with a variety of cable management solutions, including trays, ties, and clips. I used a mix of all of them, so I'm familiar with how most of these work and why they work best for some situations over others.

Additionally, there's conventional wisdom as well. Zip ties are cheap, but removing and replacing them can be a pain. That's why a lot of folks switch to Velcro-style straps instead, which provide the same benefits except for the part where they're reusable.

What are cable management tools, and why should you use them?

Cable management is the practice of bundling and hiding your cables to make your space look clean. Usually, if you do nothing, the cables will inevitably wind up looking sloppy and bad. By using things like clips, ties, and covers, you effectively bundle the cables together, hide them from sight, and make the space look cleaner.

It is an aesthetic choice as there is rarely a functional reason for employing cable management. However, there is nothing quite like sitting down, looking at your TV stand or office desk, and not seeing a million wires just hanging there and looking sloppy.

Is it alright to have bad cable management?

Yes. As long as all your stuff works, and you know where everything is, you don't need to cable manage. I personally didn't cable manage my desk until I revamped it two months ago. Before then, I just let everything hang. Again, it is an aesthetic choice, so you don't have to do it.

What's the best overall item to use for cable management?

Reusable Velcro-style ties. They're reusable, so you only need to buy them once, and they work in virtually all cable management solutions. If you need something to anchor cables to your desk or a wall, cable clips are the best choice since you can stick them anywhere and route them as you see fit.

Why shouldn't I use zip ties for cable management?

Zip ties do work well for cable management. They hold your cables tight. Plus, they're cheap, available, and most people know how they work. However, once they're tied, they can't be untied. Thus, let's say your monitor breaks and you need a new one. You'll have to clip every zip tie that houses your monitor cables and then re-apply a new zip tie later. That's not only unnecessarily wasteful, but it's also a pain to deal with.

The other thing is that zip ties don't grant any benefits that you don't get with other methods like Velcro-style ties or cable clips. They all hold your cables equally well, but the reusable ties and cable clips are much easier to deal with later. In short, we'd recommend twist ties before zip ties.

Are twist ties good for cable management?

They're okay. Once you get your cables in and get the tie twisted, it'll hold it there. However, it's difficult to make it look as clean as something like a Velcro tie or a cable clip. In a pinch, you can certainly use one, though. It's not like we don't recommend them. There are just better options.