Night Table: Width, Height and Drawer Guide

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A night table is the small table beside the bed. In a small bedroom, width and depth matter most, because the table sits in the gap between the bed and the wall. The three compared here are JOONEE (11.81 x 16.3 x 25.59 inches, one drawer and an open shelf), DUMOS (11.81 x 18 x 20 inches, two fabric drawers) and WLIVE (15.59 x 22.99 x 29.06 inches, three drawers and a charging station). WLIVE is the largest of the three. In a 36 inch side gap, they leave 19.7, 18 and 13.01 inches. Measure your side gap and check the height against your mattress.

Quick compare: the products in this guide

Sizes come from the Amazon listings as we read them; check the product page for the current details before you buy.

Product	Listed details	Link
JOONEE Nightstand, Modern Bedside Table with Storage Drawer and Open Wood…	11.81 x 16.3 x 25.59 in; 17.8 pounds	See details on Amazon Affiliate link
DUMOS Night Stand Small Dresser for Bedroom with 2 Drawers, Bedside Table	11.81 x 18 x 20 in; 10 pounds	See details on Amazon Affiliate link
WLIVE Tall Nightstand with Charging Station, Wood Night Stand with 3 Drawers…	15.59 x 22.99 x 29.06 in; 110 pounds recommendation	See details on Amazon Affiliate link

What a night table is for

You need something within reach of the bed at night. A phone, a glass of water, a lamp, a book, glasses, medicine and a charger all end up there. A night table keeps these off the floor and off the bed, and a drawer hides the clutter. In a small room a night table can also double as a side table for a chair, a desk or a sofa.

A night table is not a dresser. If you need to store clothes, a small dresser or a drawer organizer will do more. A night table with two or three drawers can take socks, a sleep mask and cables, and that is about it.

The three night tables we compare

JOONEE modern bedside table with drawer and open shelf

The JOONEE night table is listed at 11.81 x 16.3 x 25.59 inches (depth, width, height), weighing 17.8 pounds, in walnut brown with a white top. It is engineered wood with tapered wood legs, one drawer and an open shelf. The listing says it needs two people and a screwdriver to assemble. One bullet gives the size as 16.5 x 11.8 x 25.6 inches, which is the same table rounded. This is the narrowest of the three and the one with an open shelf, which is useful for a basket or a book.

DUMOS night stand small dresser with two drawers

The DUMOS table is listed at 11.81 x 18 x 20 inches, weighing 10 pounds, in white, with 2 fabric drawers and a wooden top. The structured material field says metal, and the bullets say wooden top and fabric drawers, so it is a mixed build. The listing says it has adjustable feet and takes about 20 minutes to assemble, and that a video is provided. At 20 inches, it is the lowest of the three, so it suits a low bed or a platform bed.

WLIVE tall nightstand with charging station, three drawers

The WLIVE table is listed at 15.59 x 22.99 x 29.06 inches, weighing 39.4 pounds, in espresso, with 3 drawers. It has a built-in charging hub with 2 AC outlets and 2 USB ports. The listing gives a maximum weight recommendation of 110 pounds and says the drawers run on metal glides. It is the biggest and heaviest, and the only one with power, which is a plus if your outlet is across the room.

Choosing by size

Width

Width decides whether the table fits in the gap beside the bed. The widths here are 16.3, 18 and 22.99 inches. Two tables of the same width, one per side, make a tidy symmetric bed. If your gaps differ, the narrower table goes on the tighter side.

Depth

Depth decides how much of the path beside the bed you lose. The first two tables are 11.81 inches deep, and the WLIVE is 15.59 inches. A deeper table holds more, and it also pushes into the walkway.

Height

Height decides whether you can reach the top while lying down. A common idea is to match the table top to the top of the mattress, or a little below it. We do not have a mattress height for your bed, so measure it. A 20 inch table (DUMOS) suits a low bed, and a 29.06 inch table (WLIVE) suits a tall bed with a thick mattress. The JOONEE at 25.59 inches is in between.

Features that matter

Drawers

A drawer hides the small things. The JOONEE has one drawer and an open shelf, the DUMOS has two fabric drawers and the WLIVE has three drawers on metal glides. Fabric drawers are light and quiet, and they do not hold their shape as well as wood or metal when loaded.

Power

The WLIVE has outlets and USB ports in the table. If you use a phone alarm, this keeps the cord short. The listing does not give the cord length, so check it before you buy. Do not run a long extension cord across the walkway.

Open shelf

An open shelf gives a place for a book or a basket without opening a drawer. The JOONEE has one. It also means the contents show, so use a basket.

Weight and tip

A table that holds a lamp, a charger and a glass of water should not wobble. The WLIVE listing gives 110 pounds as a recommendation. The others do not give a figure in the listing data, so check the page. Anchor tall furniture if you have children. The listings do not mention a wall anchor, so check what is in the box.

Worked example: a 132 inch bedroom wall

One room, one wall: the bed is against a wall that is 132 inches wide. The bed is a queen mattress, 60 x 80 inches according to the chart in our bed facts. The nightstands go on the same wall as the head of the bed, so we only look at the width direction here.

Step 1, the space on each side:

• 132 in minus 60 in equals 72 in in total beside the bed.
• The 72 in is the total for two sides, so we divide it: 72 in divided by 2 equals 36 in per side.
• Check: 2 times 36 in equals 72 in, and 60 in plus 72 in equals 132 in.

Step 2, what is left on each side after a nightstand:

• JOONEE, 16.3 in wide. 36 in minus 16.3 in equals 19.7 in left.
• DUMOS, 18 in wide. 36 in minus 18 in equals 18 in left.
• WLIVE, 22.99 in wide. 36 in minus 22.99 in equals 13.01 in left.

All three fit. What remains beside the table is space to step between the table and the wall, to reach the outlet, or to move the lamp. The WLIVE leaves the least, so it is the one to check against your real gap.

Setting up a small bedroom nightstand

• Match the lamp to the table. A tall lamp on a small table tips easily. Check the lamp base against the width of the top.
• Keep cords tidy. Run them behind the table and use a cable clip.
• Use one side for storage and one for display if the two gaps are different.
• Think about the door. A table that is too deep can block a drawer from opening fully when the bed is against the wall.
• Leave a path. The US Access Board uses 36 inches as a clear route width for public buildings, which we borrow as a yardstick for the walkway on the open side of the bed.

Who should buy a night table

• Small-bedroom owners who need a surface beside the bed.
• People who charge a phone by the bed and want a built-in outlet.
• Renters who want a piece that doubles as a side table.

Who should skip it

• Anyone with a very narrow gap. A 16 inch table is already a lot if you only have 18.
• Households who need real clothes storage.
• People with young children and no way to anchor a tall table.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Measuring the bed but not the gap. The width of the gap is what matters.
• Ignoring the height. A table that is much lower than the mattress is awkward to reach.
• Forgetting the drawer clearance. A drawer needs room to open fully.
• Buying a pair when you need one. One side may be against a wall, with no room for a table.
• Overloading the top. Check the weight recommendation.

Checklist before you buy

• Measure the wall, subtract the mattress width and divide by two.
• Compare the table width with the result.
• Measure the mattress top height.
• Choose the number of drawers you need.
• Check for power and cords.

Keep reading

These guides cover related picks and sizing checks for a small space.

• Night Table With Shelves: 3 Options by Height
• Night Stands for Bedroom: Height, Width, Drawer Check
• 3 Drawer Night Table: 3 Options by Size

Frequently asked questions

How wide should a night table be?

Subtract the mattress width from the wall width and divide by two for the gap on each side. In the example, 36 inches per side comfortably holds tables of 16.3 to 22.99 inches.

How tall should a night table be?

About the height of the top of the mattress is a common starting point. These three are listed at 20, 25.59 and 29.06 inches, so match one to your bed.

Is a night table the same as a nightstand?

In practice yes. The terms are used for the same table. This guide uses both.

Do I need a charging station in a night table?

Only if your outlet is far from the bed. The WLIVE listing has 2 AC outlets and 2 USB ports. Otherwise a plain table and a short cord will do.

Can a night table be used as a side table?

Yes. The JOONEE listing says it works as a side or end table, and the DUMOS listing says it can serve as a mini dresser.

Products worth checking

We have not tested these products. Sizes and features come from the Amazon listings as we read them; where a listing does not say, we say so.

Specifications come from the Amazon listings as we read them for this guide. Product details and availability can change, so confirm on the product page before you buy.

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