“Coils by nature solve a problem, which is how do you keep a space clean and tidy, that has a variable length between two things,” says Steven Harton, senior product manager at Herman Miller. He says the design choice was inspired by the coiled cables on vintage tech like telephone handsets and early mechanical keyboards. The result is fun and orderly.
Finally, there’s the rotary dial. This is the height adjustment mechanism on the Coyl desk. Rather than using traditional paddles or levers to make the desk go up or down, Herman Miller employs a dial that feels like something you’d find on an old-school stereo—or a really nice gaming mouse. It lets you fine-tune the desk’s height to a 10th of an inch. (A display shows the table’s exact height.) That level of detail is an ode to the kind of precision gamers are fond of, digging into settings to maximize performance.
“Sensorially, how it feels and the feedback you get is an elevated experience relative to a button or a toggle,” Harton says. “When you use a dial, there’s a resistance to it that’s delightful.” We’ll have to wait for Knob Feel’s verdict on exactly how delightful it is.
There are other niceties. The Coyl desk has integrated hooks on either side, which gamers can use to hang their headphones or a backpack. An optional back panel upgrade adds a classic pegboard to the desk, allowing gamers to add small shelves and hooks to hold their gaming controllers, small plants, lamps, or their favorite Funko Pop. There’s also the option to add other Herman Miller accessories like monitor mounts.
The base version of the Coyl desk starts at $1,095. Add the cable management trough, and it’ll cost $1,495, and with the back panel, it tops out at $1,635. The rounded laminate desktop comes in four colors: black, white, walnut, and ash. You can program up to four height presets for the desk.
