You’ve heard sitting at a desk all day isn’t great for your health, and maybe now you’re finally ready to do something about it by getting a standing desk. You’re not alone, as this product category has exploded in popularity recently, so there are a ton of options. But what should you look for? Aside from budgetary considerations, the most important feature to look for in a standing desk is one that is comfortable at your actual height; ergonomics are even more important when you’re standing for extended periods.
In addition to making sure the desk is tall enough, you’ll want to make sure it offers plenty of adjustments too, so you can fine-tune it to your liking. Cable management is another consideration, as is whether you’ll be using a monitor arm or not. You might want to budget a soft mat to stand on as well. Whether you’re looking to convert an existing desk into a standing desk, buying a new desk outright, or pitching your boss on an upgrade at the office, these selections will make navigating the waters a lot easier.
TL;DR – These are the Best Standing Desks:
- Varidesk Prodesk 60
- Autonomous SmartDesk 2
- Ikea Skarsta
- Jarvis L-Shaped Standing Desk
- Thermaltake Level 20 RGB Battlestation
- Uplift V2 4-Leg Standing Desk
- ApexDesk AirDesk
- Ergotron WorkFit-T Standing Desk Converter
- Xdesk Flex
- EvoDesk Pro Aviator
1. Varidesk Prodesk 60
Best Standing Desk
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Varidesk is a good option if you want a standing desk that’s easy to assemble and comes with some essential accessories. The Prodesk 60 features a spacious 60-inch wide work surface. Meanwhile, a pair of motorized legs and electric motor lets you set adjust the height of your setup between 25.5 inches high to 50.5 inches high at the press of a button.
The Prodesk 60 is also one of the few standing desks to feature a steel crossbar, which helps reduce vibrations and improve stability on two-legged tables such as this. You also get an included cable management system, however, due to the way it’s mounted to the rear of the desk you might be forced to use only monitor arms from Varidesk. Despite added complexity from the crossbar and cable management system, the Prodesk 60 is one of the easiest to assemble and it can even be done in less than 10 minutes.
2. Autonomous SmartDesk 2
Best Budget Standing Desk
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If you’re looking for something a little simpler and more affordable, look no further than the Autonomous SmartDesk 2. You get a slightly smaller 53- by 29-inch surface area to work with, but it’s nearly as versatile with an adjustable height range of 29.5- to 48-inches. For less than $400, the SmartDesk 2 is a plenty strong and sturdy platform for all your work and gaming equipment with a maximum load capacity of 300 pounds.
3. Ikea Skarsta
Ultra Cheap Standing Desk
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Buying a standing desk doesn’t have to break the bank, so if you want to save some money go with a manually adjustable desk like the Ikea Skarsta. It offers a 47- by 27.5-inch work surface and is available in beige or white. In terms of height adjustments, the unit can go from 27.5-inches to 47-inches via a manual crank.
The 110-pound weight capacity should be enough to handle most office or gaming setups, and levelers on the feet and a solid steel frame provide a stable, sturdy workspace. There aren’t a lot of frills here, but if you’re looking for a new desk that doesn’t cost a month’s rent, the Ikea Skarsta is a good choice.
4. Jarvis L-Shaped Standing Desk
Best L-Shaped Standing Desk
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L-Shaped desks are great for workstations and battlestations positioned in the corner of the room and they practically give you double the desk space. The only way you could make it even better is to put it on a trio of motorized legs like the Jarvis L-Shaped Standing Desk. While it’s not exactly cheap at $1,250, it’s still more affordable than a lot of motorized L-shaped standing desks.
The Jarvis, by Fully, is backed by a seven-year warranty and is available in three color options. This setup gives you two 60-inch wide bamboo work surfaces, and it has a pair of cable management grommets to keep things tidy. The electric motor is also rated to lift 530 pounds. Not satisfied with the available surfaces? The Jarvis also comes as a frame-only option, so you can bolt on any spare tabletop you want. The onboard controller can store up to four height presets, and the frame raises from 23- inches to 48.5-inches, with a soft start/stop.
5. Thermaltake Level 20 RGB Battlestation
Best Standing Desk for Gaming
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The Thermaltake Level 20 RGB Battlestation is the perfect standing desk for users who crave the gamer aesthetic (read: RGB). Jokes aside, this standing desk was made for gaming and you can see it in the mouse pad that completely covers the 65- by 30-inch tabletop. It’s also strong enough to lift up to 330 pounds of gaming gear with an adjustable height range of 27.5- to 43.3-inches.
Of course, this gaming desk is replete with RGB lighting that goes all the way around the edges of the desk and there are 20 customizable lighting zones you can fully customize to display 16.8 million colors. You can even have it sync to your Razer peripherals thanks to Chrome support or voice control the lighting with Alexa.
6. Uplift V2 4-Leg Standing Desk
Best High-Performance Standing Desk
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Two-legged standing desks are nice an all but there’s always going to be some inherent wobble even with a crossbar. If you want a standing desk that’s basically solid as a rock you’re going to need the Uplift V2 4-Leg Standing Desk. this is one of the few standing desks on the market that comes with four motorized legs.
All that extra support kills any rocking from happening either side to side or from front to back. Another bonus of having a standing desk with four motorized legs is it can lift way more, up to 535 pounds to be exact.
7. ApexDesk AirDesk
Best Pneumatic Standing Desk
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Standing desks are nice but if you’re not a fan of slow and loud electric motors, then maybe a pneumatic-assisted desk is the best option for you. Of all the pneumatic standing desks we’ve seen the ApexDesk AirDesk hits the best balance of features to price. Instead of using motors, a pneumatic system uses springs and counterweights to help you lift and lower your standing desk between 29 and 48 inches high.
You’ll have to put in a bit more effort to adjust your desk, but it’s also a lot quicker, quieter, and not to mention cheaper. At roughly $400 for a 59-inch wide tabletop, this standing desk is fairly affordable. This model also features a sturdy steel frame complete with a crossbar for added stability, and it can hold up to 180 pounds of weight.
8. Ergotron WorkFit-T Standing Desk Converter
Best Sit-Stand Desk Converter
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You’ve already made a decent investment in your office desk, so why toss it out? Ergotron has a desk add-on that lets you convert your existing desk to a standing model while simultaneously adding a ton of utility to it. With a 35-inch work surface, the WorkFit-T Standing Desk Converter can easily accommodate dual-monitor setups and it doubles as a screen riser. Meanwhile, the lower deck is more than large enough to accommodate a full-sized keyboard and mouse.
Unlike the standing desks on this, this sit-stand desk converter requires no setup at all, you just need to plop it down on top of your desktop. After you’ve placed all your gear on the Ergotron WorkFit-T, give the two side paddles a good squeeze and you’ll be able to lift up your whole setup with ease and give it an extra 15-inches in height.
9. Xdesk Flex
Best Couch-Side Standing Desk
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The Xdesk Flex brings the flexibility of a standing desk to the comfort of your couch. As wild of a combo as this might seem, there are plenty of people who like working and gaming from their couch, and so a height-adjustable table can make your life much ergonomic while in the living room or the recreational area at work.
The Xdesk Flex can go from being a low-sitting coffee table to an upright standing desk in a couple of seconds. Best of all it’s completely battery-powered, so you don’t need to have to worry about tripping over wires constantly. It also has a weight capacity of 100 pounds, it won’t collapse on you if you lean on it.
10. EvoDesk Pro Aviator
Best High-End Standing Desk
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The EvoDesk Pro Aviator is the ultimate standing desk. Between its arrow-head shaped silhouette, the four motorized legs, and its immense 500-pound load capacity, there isn’t a more premium standing desk than this. EvoDesk Pro Aviator’s unique shape also gives it 22.7 square-feet of surface area for you to work and yet everything in that space is within easy reach since you stand or sit in the center of it all.
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Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam
Source: IGN.com Sit or Stand with These Adjustable Desks