The Best Standing Desks

Did you know that sitting down for extremely long periods every day can increase your risk of chronic disease and even premature death? For those with a lackluster sitting posture, it can also lead to poor blood circulation and muscle tension. Thankfully, there are many affordable standing desks on the market today that will help you be productive while also ensuring that you can avoid the disastrous effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Buying Guide for Standing Desks

Why buy a standing desk?

It comes down to health and productivity. Sitting for long periods at a time wears the body down faster than standing and moving. Thus, by standing while working, you can prevent the aches and pains that make you less comfortable and happy while working. You’ll also greatly reduce the long-term risks of a sedentary lifestyle, such as weight gain, heart disease, and diabetes. Of course, these positive impacts on your body will also have a profound impact on your productivity. When standing for a majority of your workday, you can expect to feel more refreshed, take fewer breaks, and even concentrate better on the tasks at hand.

What characteristics should you look for in a standing desk?

• Stability: You’ll want to make sure that your new standing desk scores high marks in terms of sturdiness and stability. This will keep your desk from wobbling while you work, which can be irritating when you’re trying to concentrate. Additionally, you’ll want a desk that adjusts its height in a smooth, stable manner to ensure your monitors and other devices don’t move while the height is being adjusted.
• Ease of Use: Many modern standing desks sport key features that make them incredibly easy to use. Electronic height adjustment almost comes standard now and will allow you to adjust the desk’s height without having to exert yourself. Programmable height presets are also a great feature to look for, especially for households where multiple people will use the desk. This will make it possible to share the desk with others without the need to manually find the perfect height for your needs after someone adjusts the height settings.
• Height: Finding a standing desk that you can use comfortably is one of the most important factors of all. To determine what desk height is good for you, stand naturally and hold your arms as if you’re using a keyboard while someone measures the distance between the ground and your hands. Naturally, most standings desks cater to “average-sized” people in terms of their height settings. This means that if you’re extremely tall, it’ll likely be necessary to find a specialty standing desk that is designed for tall people.

What if you’re limited on space or work in various areas of your home?

Thankfully, there is a lot of diversity in the world of standing desks, including some great ultra-mobile and space-saving designs. If you lack the space for a new standing desk, a standing desk converter is probably the best option for you. These can be placed on a desk, table, or countertop and are designed to be raised until they are situated at the perfect height so that you can use them like a standing desk. While most standing desk converters are quite small compared to an average standing desk, there are plenty of roomy models out there that sport enough desktop space to fit a laptop, dual-monitor display, a mouse and mousepad, and some knickknacks.

Mobile standing desks are another attractive option for those short on space and are easy to move around, just like standing desk converters. These typically sport a more familiar standing desk design but are light and compact enough to be moved throughout the home. They also tend to include wheels to make moving the unit a breeze. While mobile standing desks typically lack the size and durability of a normal standing desk, they’re a great budget-friendly alternative with some lovely benefits of their own.

Our Picks for the Best Standing Desks

Pros: This large standing desk is a powerful smart-technology option for those who want to make a serious upgrade in their home office. The desk features four memory present options for easy adjustments of 28 to 45 inches in height. The strong legs use telescopic adjustment to transition from sitting to standing. This desk is the perfect fit if you’re looking for something made with high-grade and industrial steel. This desk is a great ergonomic option to help you reduce back pain and stress and boost your work productivity.

Cons: It might be a little short for those who are above 6 feet tall.

Bottom Line: Additional features of this already convenient desk include grommets for cord organization, hooks for headphones, and cable management clamps.

 

Pros: This mobile standing desk is ideally sized for laptop owners and incredibly stable, given its low price. Thus, despite its lightweight design, you won’t have to worry about the desk wobbling when going about your work or typing on your keyboard. This desk also impresses due to its effortless assembly process and quality 360-degree wheels, making it a great choice for those seeking something light and portable.

Cons: Compared to modern electric standing desks, this one takes a lot more effort to adjust, especially if your laptop is resting on it. However, once most people find a comfortable position, there will be little need to readjust it while working. It should also be noted that this mobile desk provides much less workspace than an average standing desk.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a budget-friendly standing desk that will allow you to maintain a natural standing position while working on your laptop, this is a great choice. However, those who require dual-screen displays to maintain their productivity will probably need to look elsewhere for a desk that offers more desktop real estate.

 

Pros: This standing desk from VIVO features an adjustable height that’s ideal for short and tall people alike and is rugged enough to support 176 pounds. Its powerful motor also impresses, ensuring that the desk is raised or lowered smoothly and quietly without risk of damaging the devices on top of it. This desk also scores points for its roomy, scratch-resistant surface and simple memory function, making it one of the most user-friendly and durable options around.

Cons: While the desktop resists damage well, it’s pretty thin. Thankfully, the sturdiness of the desk’s base makes this less of an issue, but this isn’t exactly a desk that you would want to routinely lean on or apply a great deal of weight on. However, as far as supporting your monitors, laptop, and other work items, this desk is up to the task.

Bottom Line: Simply put, this is a best-selling standing desk for a reason. From its roomy design to its quiet and reliable motor, this is a desk that you won’t regret purchasing. Additionally, while it may seem a little expensive, it’s actually quite affordable compared to similar models that offer comparable size and durability.

 

Pros: This standing desk from FEZIBO has three preset buttons so you can customize your designed heights, ranging from 27.6 inches to 47.3 inches. The top shelves feature a double drawer design, making your desktop tidier and helping you keep your head up when you put your computer on it. The lift system is made with sturdy steel, featuring an industrial-grade steel frame that can support up to 176 pounds. Additionally, the desk comes packaged in a splice board and includes a cable management tray and two hooks.

Cons: One of the downsides of this desk is that the cable tray has to be installed dead center, which isn’t always to everyone’s liking. Some reviewers have mentioned they find the desk surface a bit flimsy if you like to lean your elbows on your desk while working.

Bottom Line: A great benefit of this desk is it will help you to improve your posture when your computer is at eye level on a tilted angle. Create a comfortable home office that allows you to focus on your work with this nicely designed desk.

 

Pros: Featuring an adjustable height of 25 to 50.5 inches, this standing desk will meet the needs of many taller people without sacrificing stability. It also sports four programmable height presets so that different family members can effortlessly set the desk to their height preference at the touch of a button. Compared to most standing desks, this one is on another level in terms of build quality, so you can rest assured that you’ll get something sturdy and made for long-term use.

Cons: Quality usually comes at a price, and this standing desk is no exception, being twice as expensive as many similar products. It can also be more difficult to assemble due to its heaviness, but this isn’t a bad trade-off when considering how sturdy and solid it is.

Bottom Line: This is a great standing desk, not to mention one of the most sturdy models on the market. However, it will primarily appeal to those who don’t mind splurging on premium products since plenty of more budget-friendly options are available with the same functionality. Regardless, if height capacity and long-term durability are more important to you than a desk’s price point, you can’t go wrong with this offering from Vari.

Final Thoughts

Given the many health benefits of standing at a desk instead of sitting, it’s clear why so many experts think standing desks are a sound investment. While many standing desk models will seem pretty similar at first glance, it’s important to go beyond the basics to get one that best suits your needs.