diff --git a/desc/random.py b/desc/random.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e40213d43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desc/random.py
@@ -0,0 +1,198 @@
+"""Utilities for creating random surfaces and profiles."""
+
+import numpy as np
+import scipy.optimize
+import scipy.stats
+from numpy.random import default_rng
+
+from desc.backend import jnp, sign
+from desc.basis import DoubleFourierSeries
+from desc.derivatives import Derivative
+from desc.geometry import FourierRZToroidalSurface
+from desc.profiles import PowerSeriesProfile
+from desc.utils import setdefault
+
+
+def random_surface(
+    M=8,
+    N=8,
+    R0=(1, 10),
+    R_scale=(0.5, 2),
+    Z_scale=(0.5, 2),
+    NFP=(1, 10),
+    sym=None,
+    alpha=(1, 4),
+    beta=(1, 4),
+    rng=None,
+):
+    """Create a "random" toroidal surface.
+
+    Uses a double Fourier series representation with random coefficients.
+    The coefficients are given by
+
+    X_mn =  X_scale * X_norm * N(1, exp(-beta))
+
+    Where N(m,s) is a normal random variable on with mean m and stdev s, and
+    X_norm = exp(-alpha*(|m| + |n|)) / exp(-alpha)
+
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    M, N : int
+        Poloidal and toroidal resolution of the double Fourier series.
+    R0 : float or tuple
+        Major radius. If a tuple, treats as min/max for random value.
+    R_scale, Z_scale : float or tuple
+        Scale factors for R and Z coordinates. If a tuple, treats as min/max for random
+        values. The aspect ratio of the surface will be approximately
+        R0/sqrt(R_scale*Z_scale)
+    NFP : int or tuple
+        Number of field periods. If a tuple, treats as min/max for random int
+    sym : bool or None
+        Whether the surface should be stellarator symmetric. If None, selects randomly.
+    alpha : int or tuple
+        Spectral decay factor. Larger values of alpha will tend to create simpler
+        surfaces. If a tuple, treats as min/max for random int.
+    beta : int or tuple
+        Relative standard deviation for spectral coefficients. Larger values of beta
+        will tend to create simpler surfaces. If a tuple, treats as min/max for
+        random int.
+    rng : numpy.random.Generator
+        Random number generator. If None, uses numpy's default_rng
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    surf : FourierRZToroidalSurface
+        Random toroidal surface.
+    """
+    rng = setdefault(rng, default_rng())
+    sym = setdefault(sym, rng.choice([True, False]))
+    if isinstance(alpha, tuple):
+        alpha = rng.integers(alpha[0], alpha[1] + 1)
+    if isinstance(beta, tuple):
+        beta = rng.integers(beta[0], beta[1] + 1)
+    if isinstance(NFP, tuple):
+        NFP = rng.integers(NFP[0], NFP[1] + 1)
+    if isinstance(R_scale, tuple):
+        R_scale = (R_scale[1] - R_scale[0]) * rng.random() + R_scale[0]
+    if isinstance(Z_scale, tuple):
+        Z_scale = (Z_scale[1] - Z_scale[0]) * rng.random() + Z_scale[0]
+    if isinstance(R0, tuple):
+        R0 = (R0[1] - R0[0]) * rng.random() + R0[0]
+
+    R_basis = DoubleFourierSeries(M=M, N=N, NFP=NFP, sym="cos" if sym else False)
+    Z_basis = DoubleFourierSeries(M=M, N=N, NFP=NFP, sym="sin" if sym else False)
+    # alpha determines how quickly amplitude decays for high M, N,
+    # normalized so that X_norm=1 for m=1
+    R_norm = np.exp(-alpha * np.sum(abs(R_basis.modes), axis=-1)) / np.exp(-alpha)
+    Z_norm = np.exp(-alpha * np.sum(abs(Z_basis.modes), axis=-1)) / np.exp(-alpha)
+
+    R_mn = R_norm * scipy.stats.truncnorm.rvs(
+        loc=1, scale=np.exp(-beta), size=R_basis.num_modes, a=-2, b=2, random_state=rng
+    )
+    Z_mn = Z_norm * scipy.stats.truncnorm.rvs(
+        loc=1, scale=np.exp(-beta), size=Z_basis.num_modes, a=-2, b=2, random_state=rng
+    )
+
+    # scale to approximate aspect ratio
+    R_scale1 = np.mean(
+        abs(R_mn)[(abs(R_basis.modes[:, 1]) == 1) & (abs(R_basis.modes[:, 2]) == 0)]
+    )
+    Z_scale1 = np.mean(
+        abs(Z_mn)[(abs(Z_basis.modes[:, 1]) == 1) & (abs(Z_basis.modes[:, 2]) == 0)]
+    )
+    R_mn *= R_scale / R_scale1
+    Z_mn *= Z_scale / Z_scale1
+    R_mn[R_basis.get_idx(0, 0, 0)] = R0
+    if not sym:
+        Z_mn[Z_basis.get_idx(0, 0, 0)] = 0  # center at Z=0
+        # flip sign and reduce magnitude of non-symmetric modes to avoid degenerate
+        # cases with no volume. kind of ad-hoc but seems to produce reasonable results
+        R_mn[sign(R_basis.modes[:, 1]) != sign(R_basis.modes[:, 2])] *= -np.exp(-beta)
+        Z_mn[sign(Z_basis.modes[:, 1]) == sign(Z_basis.modes[:, 2])] *= -np.exp(-beta)
+
+    surf = FourierRZToroidalSurface(
+        R_mn,
+        Z_mn,
+        R_basis.modes[:, 1:],
+        Z_basis.modes[:, 1:],
+        NFP=NFP,
+        sym=sym,
+        check_orientation=False,
+    )
+    # we do this manually just to avoid the warning when creating with left handed
+    # coordinates
+    if surf._compute_orientation() == -1:
+        surf._flip_orientation()
+        assert surf._compute_orientation() == 1
+    return surf
+
+
+def random_pressure(L=8, p0=(1e3, 1e4), rng=None):
+    """Create a random monotonic pressure profile.
+
+    Profile will be a PowerSeriesProfile with even symmetry,
+    enforced to be monotonically decreasing from p0 at r=0 to 0 at r=1
+
+    Could also be used for other monotonically decreasing profiles
+    such as temperature or density.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    L : int
+        Order of polynomial.
+    p0 : float or tuple
+        Pressure on axis. If a tuple, treats as min/max for random value.
+    rng : numpy.random.Generator
+        Random number generator. If None, uses numpy's default_rng
+
+    Returns
+    -------
+    pressure : PowerSeriesProfile
+        Random pressure profile.
+    """
+    assert (L // 2) == (L / 2), "L should be even"
+    rng = setdefault(rng, default_rng())
+    if isinstance(p0, tuple):
+        p0 = rng.uniform(p0[0], p0[1])
+
+    # first create random even coeffs
+    p = 1 - 2 * rng.random(L // 2 + 1)
+    # make it sum to 0 -> p=0 at r=1
+    p[0] -= p.sum()
+    # make p(0) = 1
+    p = p / p[0]
+    # this inserts zeros for all the odd modes
+    p1 = jnp.vstack([p, jnp.zeros_like(p)]).flatten(order="F")[::-1]
+    r = jnp.linspace(0, 1, 40)
+    y = jnp.polyval(p1, r)
+
+    def fun(x):
+        x = jnp.vstack([x, jnp.zeros_like(x)]).flatten(order="F")[::-1]
+        y_ = jnp.polyval(x, r)
+        return jnp.sum((y - y_) ** 2)
+
+    # constrain it so that it is monotonically decreasing, goes through (0,1) and (1,0)
+    def con(x):
+        x = jnp.vstack([x, jnp.zeros_like(x)]).flatten(order="F")[::-1]
+        dx = jnp.polyder(x, 1)
+        dy = jnp.polyval(dx, r)
+        return jnp.concatenate([dy, jnp.atleast_1d(jnp.sum(x)), jnp.atleast_1d(x[-1])])
+
+    hess = Derivative(fun, mode="hess")
+    grad = Derivative(fun, mode="grad")
+    A = Derivative(con, mode="fwd")(0 * p)
+    l = np.concatenate([-np.inf * np.ones_like(r), jnp.array([0, 1])])
+    u = np.concatenate([np.zeros_like(r), jnp.array([0, 1])])
+
+    out = scipy.optimize.minimize(
+        fun,
+        p,
+        jac=grad,
+        hess=hess,
+        constraints=scipy.optimize.LinearConstraint(A, l, u),
+        method="trust-constr",
+    )
+
+    p = np.vstack([out.x, np.zeros_like(out.x)]).flatten(order="F")
+    return PowerSeriesProfile(p[::2] * p0, modes=np.arange(L + 1)[::2], sym=True)

diff --git a/tests/test_random.py b/tests/test_random.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c2390a275
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_random.py
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+"""Tests for random surfaces, profiles etc."""
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+
+from desc.equilibrium import Equilibrium
+from desc.grid import LinearGrid
+from desc.random import random_pressure, random_surface
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_random_pressure():
+    """Test that randomly generated profile is monotonic, has correct scaling etc."""
+    rng = np.random.default_rng(0)
+    p = random_pressure(L=8, p0=(1e3, 1e4), rng=rng)
+    assert p.basis.sym == "even"
+    assert 1e3 <= p(np.array([0.0])) <= 1e4
+    assert p.basis.L == 8  # symmetric, so should be 4 params up to order 8
+    dp = p(np.linspace(0, 1, 10), dr=1)
+    assert np.all(dp <= 0)  # can't use array_less because that doesn't do <=
+
+
+@pytest.mark.unit
+def test_random_surface():
+    """Test that randomly generated surface is "sensible"."""
+    rng = np.random.default_rng(0)
+    surf = random_surface(
+        M=4,
+        N=4,
+        R0=(5, 10),
+        R_scale=(0.5, 2),
+        Z_scale=(0.5, 2),
+        NFP=(1, 3),
+        sym=True,
+        alpha=(1, 4),
+        beta=(1, 4),
+        rng=rng,
+    )
+    assert surf.sym
+    assert 1 <= surf.NFP <= 3
+    assert surf.M == 4
+    assert surf.N == 4
+    assert surf._compute_orientation() == 1
+
+    eq = Equilibrium(surface=surf)
+    R0 = eq.compute("R0")["R0"]
+    assert 5 <= R0 <= 10
+    AR = eq.compute("R0/a")["R0/a"]
+    # should be ~ R0/sqrt(R_scale*Z_scale), allowing for random variation
+    assert 2.5 <= AR <= 20
+    assert eq.is_nested()
+
+    # same stuff for non-symmetric
+    rng = np.random.default_rng(0)
+    surf = random_surface(
+        M=4,
+        N=4,
+        R0=(5, 10),
+        R_scale=(0.5, 2),
+        Z_scale=(0.5, 2),
+        NFP=(1, 3),
+        sym=False,
+        alpha=(1, 4),
+        beta=(1, 4),
+        rng=rng,
+    )
+    assert not surf.sym
+    assert 1 <= surf.NFP <= 3
+    assert surf.M == 4
+    assert surf.N == 4
+    assert surf._compute_orientation() == 1
+
+    eq = Equilibrium(surface=surf)
+    R0 = eq.compute("R0")["R0"]
+    assert 5 <= R0 <= 10
+    Z0 = eq.compute("Z", grid=LinearGrid(rho=np.array([0]), M=0, N=8, NFP=eq.NFP))["Z"]
+    # should be centered around Z=0
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(np.mean(Z0), 0, atol=1e-14)
+    AR = eq.compute("R0/a")["R0/a"]
+    # should be ~ R0/sqrt(R_scale*Z_scale), allowing for random variation
+    assert 2.5 <= AR <= 20
+    assert eq.is_nested()

Add utilites to create "random" equilibria
For database studies, testing, examples etc, it would be nice to be able to generate some "random" equilibria that satisfy certain basic criteria, such as major/minor radius, field strength, beta, etc.

- [ ] Random surface with approximate shape that ideally doesn't self intersect
- [ ] Random monotonic profiles
- [ ] Random "smooth" non-monotonic profiles
tests/test_random.py::test_random_pressure tests/test_random.py::test_random_surface