This post updates our Karlby & Alex full review from 2020. It is still a useful post when it comes to this style of desk top, and understanding if Ikea desk tops are right for you needs.
Click to go to the Karlby & Alex Review
The LAGKAPTEN & Alex setup: the new kid on the block
Since our Karlby & Alex post was first written in 2020, IKEA have largely phased out the Linnmon top and moved most of their desk-top range over to the Lagkapten. If you’ve been Googling desk setups recently, you’ve likely seen this name come up. The Karlby is still available, but the Lagkapten / Alex combination has become the more commonly searched and discussed setup, especially for home offices.
So how does it compare to the Karlby & Alex?
What is the Lagkapten?
The Lagkapten is a purpose-built desk top from IKEA, available in four UK lengths: 120cm, 140cm, 160cm and 200cm, all at a fixed depth of 600mm. Unlike the Karlby (a kitchen worktop repurposed as a desk), the Lagkapten is designed specifically for desk use. It comes with pre-drilled holes to attach to IKEA legs (circle config) or Alex drawer units (4 bolt screws that attach from inside the unit), which makes assembly more straightforward than the Karlby ever was.
Prices start at around £25 for the 120cm top, rising to around £65 for the 200cm version. That makes the Lagkapten / Alex setup genuinely cheaper than the old Karlby & Alex combination in most configurations.
The key difference from Karlby: pre-drilled holes
The biggest practical upgrade over the Karlby is that the Lagkapten comes with pre-drilled holes as standard, making it straightforward to attach IKEA legs (ADILS, OLOV and similar circular-pattern legs) or to fix the top down to Alex drawer units using the bolts that come with the drawers. With the Karlby, you were on your own for fixings. The Lagkapten takes the guesswork out of it.
Our solid wood tops use the same hole pattern in the same positions. The screws are not included, but you’ll already have them: they come with the Alex drawers or the IKEA legs, and IKEA will give replacements free of charge if you need them.
What’s inside?
The Karlby used veneered chipboard, which gave it a little bit of structural density (hence the substantial 39kg weight). The Lagkapten uses the familiar honeycomb paper core inside a fibreboard shell, which makes it much lighter but less rigid. IKEA themselves flag that the Lagkapten is not suitable for screen stand installation, and they recommend a third central support leg for any top over 140cm.
In other words, the sagging issue that some Karlby owners reported is even more of a concern with the Lagkapten at longer lengths. If you’re planning a monitor arm or a clamp of any kind, this matters.
Note: neither the Karlby nor the Lagkapten is rated for monitor arm use by IKEA. If you want to use a monitor arm clamp, a Solid Wood Top is the right call. Read more on monitor arms and IKEA desk tops here.
Lagkapten & Alex vs Karlby & Alex: a quick comparison
| Karlby | Lagkapten | |
|---|---|---|
| Core construction | Veneered chipboard | Honeycomb paper / fibreboard |
| Depth | 60cm | 60cm |
| Available lengths | 186cm, 246cm | 120, 140, 160, 200cm |
| Thickness | ~38mm | ~30mm |
| Weight (200cm) | ~39kg | Significantly lighter |
| Pre-drilled holes | No | Yes |
| Monitor arm safe? | No | No |
| Price (200cm top only) | ~£150 | ~£65 |
The Lagkapten wins on price, colour range and assembly convenience. The Karlby had the edge on structural rigidity but neither is real wood.
The solid wood alternative to Lagkapten & Alex
If you’ve landed on the Lagkapten & Alex idea but want real wood grain, a different size, a top that handles monitor arms and clamps without concern, and something that won’t sag without a third leg, we make solid wood tops pre-drilled to fit Alex drawers or standard IKEA legs. You get to choose your wood, thickness, finish and edge profile. The Alex drawers stay; the Lagkapten top gets replaced with something that will last the life of the desk.
See the Lagkapten & Alex compatible solid wood desk top product page for sizes, options and pricing.
Why choose Solid Wood Tops?
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