8 Computer Cable Accessories That Just Work

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Computers are one of the greatest inventions of all time. Capable of complex calculations, large scale data management, and powerful graphics processing, they're the hearts behind countless businesses, home offices, study breaks, and kitted out game stations. But with great power, comes great responsibility. There are accessories that every multi-monitor user needs, after all. But all those wires add up. Instead of letting your computer cables intertwine into a messy web, you should wrangle them into something clean and easy to manage.

Cable management is already a frustrating process, though. What cable goes where? How do you hide the extra length? How do you keep them from simply falling back down into a tangled mess? There are tons of computer cable accessories out there, but for your own peace of mind, you need a solution that "just works." 

We couldn't agree more, which is why we've sought out the best cable management items that are simple, straightforward, and easy to use. No fussing with configuration options or getting out the power tools; everything on this list can be set up in minutes and used with ease. Prices may vary.

Think about all of the most common problems one might face when trying to organize their computer cables. Maybe that's keeping all the cables together, getting the bundle to actually go where you want it to, or having to undo everything to make adjustments or corrections. As it turns out, the solution to almost all of that is velcro.

Fansto struck gold with its Under Desk Reusable Cable Ties. These combination adhesive pads and velcro straps manage to outperform almost any alternative. The straps are long enough to support even the largest of cable bundles, and they're wide enough to provide plenty of grip strength once wrapped. The adhesive bases with velcro top layer means you can just slap the ties against it and it'll stick. Consumer reviews commonly praise it for how it handles a surprising amount of weight, making their wrap-and-stick usage all the more impressive.

What about making changes? Since everything is velcro, removing the ties, opening them up, and adjusting them, is completely possible. The only thing that can't be considered fully reusable is the adhesive pad you attach the ties to. A pack of 20 ties costs about $9 on Amazon, which should be plenty for most computer setups. And it's cheap enough that even if you need more, it won't hurt the bank.

You might recognize the design of this one. Self looping velcro cable ties have been used in the tech industry for a long time. It's a simple but very effective design, where the end of each strap goes through a hole on the other end to velcro against itself. This allows for tight, precise holds on any cable volume while laying clean and flat against itself once secure. There's no unappealing straps sticking out or hanging loose.

There is a clever secondary function of these ties. You can connect the end of one to the loop of the other, turning the two into one extra long cable tie. This can, in theory, be done with as many ties as you want. This way, there's nothing too large to secure. Nettbe even encourages this, pointing out all of the other household items you could wrap up, like umbrellas and yoga mats. Rarely will you need more than six inches of cable tie for your computer. But with a pack of 60 ties costing only $6 on Amazon, you can afford to find extra uses for them.

The only downside is that these are exclusively cable ties and don't provide a way to secure the tied bundle to a wall, desk, or other surface. But if you run the cables along the floor or have a cable tray, then these are a perfect pick for cleaning up your computer cables.

When it comes to a clean, uniform look, it's hard to beat a cable sleeve. Fully encompassing cable bundles, it can turn a multi-color mess into a single sleek, black cable. The Alex Tech cable sleeve stands out from others, thanks to it's split overlap design (as opposed to a zipper system). This system opens up a handful of options you won't find in zipper based sleeves.

Made from polyethylene, the flexible plastic material is strong enough to keep your cables together while bendy enough to be opened by hand so you can add more cables. It also means that, if needed, it can be filled past the intended cable capacity. The split opening means you can have one cable leave the bundle halfway down without unzipping the sleeve. The most important difference for keeping your cables clean, though, is that each sleeve can be cut to size with scissors, allowing for exact fits to your set up.

It's incredibly effective at improving the look and organization of computer cables while only being a split tube of plastic. The ½ inch diameter, 10-foot cable goes for $9 on Amazon, but different widths and lengths are also available. We recommend going for a bit longer than you need so you can cut it to the exact length you need.

A lot of these computer cable accessories focus on the cables, understandably so. But nowadays, we have more than just cords to worry about. Power bricks, wall warts, and surge protectors are big, bulky items that are often essential to someone's computer desk. For those, you need a tray. Under desk trays provide a larger, more stable way to hold onto everything that goes on under a desk.

The Cinati Under Desk Cable Tray is an excellent example of a tray that just works. Attach the basket to your desk, place bulky items inside, and route cables out through either the top or one of the two side ports. The mesh body provides good airflow for anything that generates heat, and its large enough to also hold excess cable and other obtrusive sights. Pair this with independent cable ties for maximum cable management.

Best of all, the tray uses a pair of clamps, allowing them to connect to almost any desk size. This non-destructive method means you can adjust and move the tray as much as needed, without the risk of fighting adhesives or the permanent damage of screws.

Cinati sells the under desk tray in multiple colors and lengths. The 13-inch white tray costs about $14 on Amazon. Cinati also offers them in pack of two or four, so there are plenty of options for any desk size.

Unvivi is striking a fascinating contrast to traditional hard frame under desk trays with its own product. The Unvivi Under Desk Cable Management Tray utilizes a long sheet of Oxford fabric instead. Attach the mounting points to your desk using either the non-destructive clamps or the provided screws, then hook each side of the fabric on. Thanks to a flat plate inside the fabric, it instantly becomes a large capacity tray. By unlatching one end, you can easily access all of the cables and items hidden inside the tray, making for easy adjustments.

It provides a wide basket for you to store pass through large cable volumes, with the ability to route them away from above or either side. The central panel also has straps for you to secure bulk items like power bricks or surge protectors. Just remember that there are some devices you should never plug into a power strip.

The Unvivi Under Desk Cable Management Tray is available on Amazon for $40, and comes in three different colors and sizes. Since the fabric becomes a complete visual block between you and the cables, we recommend picking whichever color best matches your desk frame.

The idea of freedom is almost antithetical to cable management. To have a clean, organized computer cable system means to keep them contained, restricted, and where you want them. This introduces a problem: You need that cable somewhere else temporarily. Instead of omitting those cables from the ties and trays, why not consider a magnetic cable clip? The Costop Magnetic Cable Clips are adhesive-backed cable clips that use magnets to stay closed.

Ideal for when cable freedom is important (charging stations, game controllers, extra inputs), it solves a problem that all other computer cable accessories struggle with: repeated ease of access. The clips are great for both keeping cable access out of sight, like under your desk, and for preventing cables from slipping out of reach behind the desk or computer tower. Magnets in the clip means you can open and close it repeatedly without needing to fiddle with latches, velcro, or elastic. It just works, even when in placed out of sight or in hard to reach spots.

It's also very applicable away from a desk, like in a car or on a nightstand. With a pack of nine costing $10 on Amazon, it's a great value for the quality of life improvements these clips provide.

Ease of access doesn't have to be an all or nothing endeavor. Finding a comfortable middle ground between firmly secured cables and instant access magnetic clips, the CableGenie Adjustable Elastic Adhesive Cable Clips utilize elastic silicone rings to hold down the cables. While it supports being permanently affixed using screws, each clip also comes with an adhesive pad as a non-destructive alternative.

The silicone rings are really what push this product into the "it just works" zone. The elasticity of the silicone means each clip can hold large volumes of cables just as reliably as one or two. Unlike velcro, the rings can be quickly released and adjusted, making this a particularly good choice for someone with a regularly evolving setup. There are some cables you should replace more often, after all.

A pack of 10 clips cost about $17 on Amazon, putting them on the less frugal side for anyone needing to wrangle large computer set ups or a lot of wires.

A majority of cable management clips and systems assume a bundled cord philosophy. It makes sense; you can wrangle more cords in a small space. But what's one thing all of those aesthetically pleasing cable management pictures have in common? That's right, the cables run parallel.

You don't need anything fancy or expensive to achieve that same result. You just need something like the SOULWIT Self Adhesive Cable Management Clips. These clips opt for a flattened design, where cables lay flat to each other. While this may be more limited in size and capacity, this method provides more compact management that, when done right, can be equally effective and a lot more visually appealing than a bundle of cables.

The clip can be opened and closed for repeated adjustments, making them semi-reusable. SOULWIT only offers adhesive pads for installation, though, so carefully plan out where you want each cable to run before you stick them on. Even if you make a mistake, a pack of 50 clips costs around $13 on Amazon; you'll have plenty of clips to try again as needed.

A lot of consideration went into determining what it means when a product "just works." It had to be something with minimal steps to set up and interact with. It needed to be quick and easy to use. Extra consideration was given to the degree of permanence and destructive installation (drilling/screwing holes, adhesives, etcetera). Are they reusable? If so, to what degree, and how much effort does it take to re-use it?

With this criteria in mind, we researched all of the highest rated computer cable accessories we could find. The products with the highest ratings were looked at, and reviews for each product were researched to find ones with common praise for ease of use and simplicity. One product from each item type was chosen to ensure that each one brought something different to the table.