A whiteboard for a classroom is an often overlooked tool. We’ve all been in classrooms, we’ve all seen dry erase boards. But as a teaching professional, we know that you actually have to buy and replace boards from time to time. In addition, having a collection of smaller whiteboards for students can also become incredibly helpful to meet the lesson objectives.
You have a lot of surprising options for buying a whiteboard. From wall mounts, to boards with a rolling stand, to small personal boards. Which whiteboard is best for you will come down to what you specifically need and want to do. Whiteboards can be small items that you can pack into a backpack or a tote bag, or they can be large rolling whiteboards perfect for a home office or a classroom.
What to look for in a classroom whiteboard.
Small whiteboards are ideal for teaching online, as you can use them as a prop or reward system. Small boards are also suitable for use with multiple students, so we recommend a bulk purchase. Depending on service, care, and maintenance, more giant whiteboards are typically a once-every-5-10-year purchase.
With a giant board, will you need it to be mounted on a wall, or do you think its stand is best? What about accessories like markers, stickers, magnets, and actual erasers? You need to consider these small, extra items as well.
Easy to Mount on a Wall
If you’re looking for something other than the small, hand-held type of whiteboard, consider at least getting something that can easily hang on a wall. Many small whiteboards can’t be hung on the wall as they are sometimes designed for children or a small businesses as decoration.
The larger boards typically will come with some wall mount you can use to attach the panel to a wall, and the biggest of boards require two people and about 10-20 minutes.
Accessories
Whiteboards have a wide variety of accessories you can consider using to make them more attractive, dynamic, and helpful for your students. From games to math equations to practical day-to-day use, many quality whiteboards come with additional accessories included in the price, which is a value add as a purchase decision.
Whiteboard Buying Guide – Our 6 Favorites
A whiteboard is an essential item for any teacher and classroom. Here is what we found the best from large wall mount whiteboards to small hand held ones.
- DexBoard
- Lapboards (30 pack)
- Maxtek Mobile Dry Erase Board
- Rolling Magnetic Whiteboard
- Easel White Board
- Magnetic 11 x 14 Whiteboard
- Xboard double sided
- Navy Penguin Whiteboard
DexBoard – The Overall Best Big Whiteboard
For most teachers this is our favorite large, wall mounted whiteboard. It’s huge and perfect for any classroom or a home office if you’re teaching online. It has a magnetic surface that’s perfect to attach notes, messages, pictures, memos, calendars, and other important items.
The marker tray may be attached to any of the whiteboard’s four sides, ensuring that your writing materials are close at hand as this board can be mounted vertically or horizontally with fixing kits to your liking. Last, it comes with ABS plastic corners, no worry about pointed edges on this overall sturdy aluminum frame.
If you’re in need of an oversized whiteboard for your classroom, we highly suggest you take a look at the DexBoard.
Pros:
- Huge surface are that is also magnetic.
- Easy to hang on a wall both vertically and horizontally.
- Clean, professional design with ABS corners.
Cons:
- This will require two people to mount on a wall as it is quite large.
30 pack dry erase boards – The best lapboard for students
This pack of mini whiteboards that coated with a “clear wipe” surface prevent your young learners from making a mess through smudging and smearing while also being very easy to clean off with water or any non magnetic eraser. Perfect for students to engage in an art sessions or to practice the ABC’s.
In addition, the included box is quite strong and sturdy for long term use as a storage device, however we do suggest perhaps using some type of rolling cart for storage of the boards, markers, erasers and so forth. We suggest buying a new pack of these boards each year to hand out to students.
The build quality is great and they clear wipe surface really does work well, but our students do tend to want a clean new board each year. If you’ve never used a lapboard in your lesson that are a fun and handy tool. Just make sure to have enough erasers and markers on hand.
Pros:
- Great build quality.
- Designed for young learners to use on a daily basis.
- Sturdy box for long term storage.
Cons:
- They hold up well for a year but no longer.
Maxtek Mobile – Whiteboard with flip paper
Want something like the easel whiteboard, only a step up in terms of usability and quality? This whiteboard comes with your standard dry erase whiteboard with markers and an eraser as well as flip board paper to write on with associated movable clips to hold it.
At the bottom of this whiteboard are wheels to make this thing mobile when in your home office or classroom. If also has a place to hold markers and the erase that comes with it.
Pros:
- Easy to assemble. Just a simple process of inserting the whiteboard into the base.
- Wheels to make it mobile when in your office or classroom.
- Three types of markers included – blue, red and black.
- Free standing and includes a flip board.
Cons:
- The whiteboard itself is not adjustable in terms of it’s angle.
Rolling Magnetic Whiteboard – The mobile standing option
This is a huge whiteboard attached to a stand with wheels. Easily maneuver this in your classroom or move it to an adjacent classroom. This large whiteboard is perfect for any after school tutoring center or classroom (if the classroom does not already have a whiteboard).
It comes with a magnetic digital clock you can attach, a flipchart and flipchart holders and of course a magic eraser. You’ll need to buy your own markers. In addition to the rolling stand, you can also adjust the height of this board. So for young learners or adults, it does not matter because this whiteboard comes with a lot of flexibility.
Pros:
- Large surface area and it comes in multiple sizes.
- Has an attached rolling stand.
- Easily adjust the height as needed.
Cons:
- Assembly required for this item.
Easel Whiteboard – The best standing whiteboard
This is another excellent option for an online classroom. If you’ve been looking for a standing whiteboard for your online class or home office this easel whiteboard is fantastic because it’s not to big and won’t dominate your background in an intrusive way.
It’s also great for teachers who don’t have a wall right up behind them or for anyone with home office or a play room for a child. This easel whiteboard is sturdy, lightweight, comes with a lot of helpful accessories and is built to last.
It’s a dry erase whiteboard that makes drawing and demonstrating concepts on it a simple process. For work or play, if you’re in need of a medium sized, flexible whiteboard this is a great choice.
Pros:
- Vertical orientation.
- Free standing.
- Light weight and easy to move.
Cons:
- Angle is fixed, so don’t expect the whiteboard to tilt.
- No wheels. This thing stands on a tripod mount.
11 x 14 Whiteboard – The small whiteboard
At 11 x 14 inches, this thing is small, handheld and portable. This my whiteboard of choice as I like to hand hold my whiteboard during my online class and use it to specifically demonstrate concepts or to use it as a reward system.
Myself and the team here like this little whiteboard so much it made our list of essential online teaching props.
This small whiteboard is slim and small enough to throw into a backpack or with your luggage. Allowing you to teach and go with ease. If you find yourself needing to teach on vacation, having a tiny whiteboard like this will be essential.
Pros:
- Small and lightweight. This thing is not a burden to carry.
- Magnetic as well so you can use magnets as a reward system or spell out your name.
- It’s portable. If you’re looking for an on the go whiteboard this is a great choice.
Cons:
- The small size while it’s selling point, may be an issue for other teachers with a home office.
- The quality could be improved on this. Cheaply made but again it’s your generic whiteboard.
- Designed to be put on a fridge, so it could be a bit annoying trying to hang on a standard wall behind you.
XBoard Double-Sided – The two sided choice
A whiteboard is a blank canvas that can be used for writing, drawing, and brainstorming. A double-sided whiteboard gives you twice the space to work with, making it an ideal choice for classrooms, offices, and other collaborative spaces. The xboard double-sided whiteboard is a versatile and durable solution that will meet your needs.
The smooth surface is perfect for writing and drawing, and the sturdy frame ensures that your whiteboard will last for years to come. With a magnetic surface that can be used with magnets, the xboard double-sided whiteboard is a versatile tool that will help you get the most out of your space.
Last, it comes with everything you need to mount it on a wall (which you can do both vertically and horizontally) and you can purchase this whiteboard in different sizes. The included marker tray detachable and the corners are rounded as well.
Pros:
- Double sided.
- Easy to hang and quite portable depending on the size you purchase.
- Markers write clean and it is scratch resistant.
Cons:
- The included push pin magnets could be a bit stronger.
Navy Penguin Whiteboard – Best Larger Hanging Whiteboard
24 inches x 18 inches. Larger than it looks.
This larger whiteboard is quite practical for almost any online class or home office for class announcements or to-do lists. It’s medium sized, a bit bigger than a hand held whiteboard (or lapboard) but nowhere near the size of the Dexboard. You can hand it on a wall through using two plastic, wall hooks.
This whiteboard is built to last to. Light weight, sturdy and build out of aluminum. It comes with your standard pack of two markers, two “happy face” magnets an eraser and a built in tray that you can flip up and down to hold the markers.
Pros:
- Come with everything you need to mount it on a wall.
- Quality built. This whiteboard is made to last.
Cons:
- Awkward size, too small to use as a primary whiteboard, too big for individual use.
The Best Whiteboards for Classrooms – Conclusion
You have many options for buying a whiteboard for your online class or home office, depending on how you will dictate the best choice. A small handheld whiteboard is great for reminders or uses in an online course. Lapboards are ideal for writing and art activities, and then you have more extensive options to attach to a wall or that come with a rolling stand.
While we love whiteboards, check out our smartboard review guide for the best feature-rich whiteboards for schools. Smartboards are perfect for your computer class, universities, or any setting where you, as the teacher, want to use your laptop to help facilitate learning.
