A side table can be a fixed landing place or part of a serving routine. This comparison uses IKEA US’s white GLADOM tray table, article 703.378.19, and white LACK side table, article 304.499.08, checked November 9, 2026. We have not assembled, handled or measured either model in a room.

Start with what stays on the surface

Imagine one chair needing a regular home for a book and a few everyday objects. Compare that whole arrangement with a room where a removable serving tray is genuinely wanted. A table that suits one role is not automatically the better purchase for the other.

IKEA lists GLADOM as round, 17½ inches in diameter and 20⅝ inches high, with a removable tray resting on its frame. LACK’s listed square top measures 21⅝ inches in both length and width, with a height of 17¾ inches. Both pages give a maximum top load of 22 pounds. These figures describe the published models; they do not establish seat-relative comfort or fitted clearance in your room.

Compare materials as well as outlines

The GLADOM page lists powder-coated steel. LACK’s top uses several materials including particleboard, fiberboard and paper honeycomb, so describing it as an all-solid-wood table would be incorrect. These are material descriptions, not a measured ranking for scratching, wobbling, impact resistance or longevity.

For the proposed fixed book-and-object position, lay out those actual objects on a separate suitable surface and consider whether a square landing area would suit their arrangement. For the proposed tray routine, decide where objects will wait while the tray is removed. Neither exercise constitutes a product test. It helps identify the job before treating a particular material or shape as the answer.

Plan the table while the room is occupied

Check the intended position against the sofa or chair, nearby doors and the route people use through the room. Compare the actual published height and outline with that setting. This article provides no universal reach distance or claim that either model is the right height for every seat.

GLADOM’s removable top is relevant only if taking the tray away is part of the intended routine. LACK’s wider square surface is relevant only if that outline suits the chosen landing place. IKEA mentions a smaller LACK table as a separate purchase that can nest beneath; it is not an included second table in the product compared here. Account for that distinction before treating a styled pair as the package.

Include care and the exact purchase

The cited product pages direct damp wiping followed by drying and regular checks of fastenings. GLADOM is specified for indoor use. Consult each exact model’s complete assembly and care instructions before use; the shared load figure is not permission to stand or sit on either table. No manual for another color or article number is being substituted here.

I would investigate LACK for the proposed fixed square landing area, and GLADOM for a genuinely wanted removable-tray routine whose remaining frame and replacement landing place have been considered. Confirm the actual model, room fit and current seller information before buying. No price, stock, assembly result or superiority in stability has been established by this specifications-based comparison.

Sources & further reading

Published sources for the details and examples discussed in this story.