There are dozens of standing desks out in the market. But not all of them are really worth the time and money. To help you narrow down your choices, we pulled in six of the best standing desks currently available, which range from a mobile standing desk to a standing desk that doubles as a whiteboard.
Our choices for the best standing desk
To save you the trouble of immediately and angrily jumping to the comments as soon as you saw the first product, let’s get this straight first: the Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk by Fully, widely regarded as the best of them all, isn’t currently available in its full capacity on Amazon. Only the frame is available right now – the table is not included. So you won’t see it here. However, you can purchase a simple tabletop from stores such as IKEA to use. Or you can purchase it from their website in full here. Now, let’s get on with the list.
ApexDesk Elite Series Electric Standing Desk
The ApexDesk Elite Series 71-inch motorized standing desk is the closest thing you can get to the Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk. It has a one-piece steel frame that gives it great stability, effectively eliminating any bouts with wobbliness.
It also means it is easy to setup, requiring less than an hour to put together unless you’re terrible at following instructions. In case you’re having trouble, we suggest asking someone for help. The last thing you want is to damage an expensive furniture before you even had the chance to use it.
This standing desk is equipped with two motors, controlled by a two-button (up and down) controller underneath the right side of the table. Adjusting the table is silky smooth. None of that slow, wobbling movement seen in cheap standing desks. The motor sounds are a bit noticeable, though. But not noisy enough to warrant any worries.
The “front” side of the table is curved for ergonomic purposes. It will allow you to easily reach all the items placed on it. And speaking of which, the table can handle up to 235 pounds of weight, so don’t be shy about having all your favorite books within arm’s reach.
Needless to say, though this motorized standing desk, one of the best in the business, has great weight capacity, it would be best to refrain from sitting on it. The steel frame, no matter how sturdy it is, won’t last very long when subjected to extreme punishment.
The ApexDesk Elite Series comes in different table types, which includes American walnut, red cherry, and light oak. All types have the same price tag, so feel free to choose whichever suits your taste. We especially like the clean-looking light oak tabletop and white frame combo. All types come with two grommets by default.
Overall, the ApexDesk Elite Series motorized standing desk is an excellent piece of work equipment that offers great value at a reasonable price. It has a solid build quality with zero awkwardness, a smooth tabletop finish, and an easy height adjustment mechanism. You can’t really go wrong with this standing desk. Aside from being a bit too heavy to move around, it doesn’t have any real downsides.
UpDesk UpWrite Electric Standing Desk
The UpDesk UpWrite motorized standing desk is the most unusual product in this list. And it’s not even close. Let go straight to what makes it stand out: the UpWrite has a whiteboard for its tabletop, which means you can draw stuff on it. The drawings won’t be permanent, obviously. You can easily wipe them off. If you like writing down ideas that pop into your mind, the UpWrite should be a perfect fit for you.
This 60-inch standing desk has two motors running the show inside its two legs, making adjustment as seamless as possible. You can program up to three set height levels, ranging between 24.5 inches and 50.5 inches, which you can easily switch back and forth anytime. And if you thought the ApexDesk Elite Series’ 235-pound capacity was cool, the UpWrite will impress you even more with its 300-pound capacity.
Another great thing about this motorized standing desk is that putting it together is unbelievably hassle-free. UpDesk promises a 20-minute setup out of the box. But expect to spend around 30-40 minutes on it, which is still a quick turnaround time compared to other standing desks. It also comes with a five-year warranty, which is awesome.
It doesn’t have grommets by default, though. You will need to specifically ask UpDesk to create grommets for cables. That will cost an extra, so you might want to skip that part if you will mainly use the table for drawing, book reading, and other stuff that doesn’t require a laptop or computer. The UpWrite already comes with a really hefty price tag, so adding more features to it will burn your wallet even more.
The UpWrite is a solid pickup if you’re in the market for something different than the usual. It has a great build quality, with a sturdy frame and a smooth tabletop, a pair of responsive motors, and generous maximum height and weight capacities. You’ll just have to swallow its enormous price tag if you want this motorized standing desk to work on.
Varidesk Pro Plus 36
Don’t want to say goodbye to your existing traditional desk? Why not give it an upgrade instead? The Varidesk Pro Plus 36 is a smaller standing desk that goes on top of any larger desk. It is more portable than the ApexDesk Elite Series and the UpDesk UpWrite, allowing you to move it around relatively easier.
The 36-inch Pro Plus is specifically designed to house a dual-monitor setup, though we don’t recommend it for gaming. It has two levels: the upper level is for the monitors while the lower level is for the keyboard and mouse. Don’t worry about it struggling to hold all the devices. It has a maximum capacity of 35 pounds, which should be enough for a dual-monitor setup. You can even add a pair of speakers on the sides if you want the full effects.
The Pro Plus 36 comes with Varidesk’s signature spring-based lift mechanism that is both sturdy and smooth. You can easily adjust it when you’re shifting from a standing position to a seated position, and vice versa. The entire setup is never out-of-place on any traditional desk, though marketing materials portray it as a complicated piece of equipment.
That couldn’t be further from the truth. Want proof? Unlike the previous two standing desks n this list, the Pro Plus 36 is already assembled when you open it. That’s right, no need to spend an hour to put it together. Just remove it from its box, place it on your desk, and you’re good to go. For people who hate having to put things together, this is a godsend feature.
If you aren’t sold on buying a large standing desk, we recommended looking into the Pro Plus 36 instead. For less than $500, you get a product that’s easy to set up and offers premium build quality and amazing stability even at full capacity. It comes in three variants, too: Black, White, and Darkwood.
Ergo Elements Electric Standing Desk
If you’re looking for a slightly cheaper alternative to the ApexDesk Elite Series, the Ergo Elements Standing Desk is a great choice. Like the former, it is a motorized standing desk with a curved side for ergonomic purposes. The table has only one hole, though, which is located at the back end.
The steel frame is sturdy and doesn’t seem like it will break down after just a year or two. The table, which is made up of 100 percent recycled wood, has a maximum height of 45 inches when fully extended and is capable of holding up to 200 pounds of weight. The weight capacity is a bit on the short end compared to the previous two standalone standing desks. But it should be enough to handle all the basic things that you place on your workstation.
The tabletop has a very smooth finish that will make you recheck the price tag. It feels like the whole setup should have been at least a hundred bucks more expensive. Though it comes with a cheaper price tag, Ergo Elements didn’t cut on the overall quality in exchange for affordability. Working on this standing desk is enjoyable thanks to the well-designed table.
The motor controls (up and down) can be found at the bottom of the table. The controls have a rather weird built-in feature. When pressing the buttons, sometimes it takes a while for the table to adjust in response to the input. At first, you might think it’s a factory defect, but turned out it was a deliberate feature designed to save power. The controls need to be woken up first. Think power saving mode. The manual doesn’t clearly mention this, though.
Unlike the UpDesk UpWrite, this Ergo Elements model is a bit tricky to put together. Some of the parts can be accidentally exchanged for each other because of how they look. So make sure you’re closely following each and every line of instruction listed in the manual. To be safe, have someone help you out in assembling it.
Despite having a couple of minor issues, this motorized standing desk from Ergo Elements is a solid choice if you want something priced below $500. Like the Varidesk Pro Plus 36, you have a number of table options. We totally dig the look of the Lava Stone version, but the Black version isn’t too shabby, either. Just don’t go for the boring White version.
Devaise Standing Desk with Crank Handle
As evidenced by the first four products, standing desks can be really expensive, capable of easily shaving off $500 from your wallet. What if you can’t really afford to spend more than $300 on a standing desk? Well, if you’re stuck in that scenario, we recommend checking out the Devaise Standing Desk with Crank Handle.
As its name implies, this one isn’t motorized and needs to be operated manually for height adjustment. To do that, there’s a single handle just beneath the table. The handle can be placed on either side of the table, depending on which is more convenient for you. Turning the handle is surprisingly smooth and resistance-free even with weight. Just pull it out, adjust the height, and then push it back under the table. Don’t worry about it getting stuck in place with repeated use.
The table has a maximum height of 45 inches and can hold up to 100 pounds. It’s smaller than most standing desks, making dual-monitor setups on it a bit awkward. It can definitely hold two monitors or a laptop and a single-monitor PC setup. But both setups look crammed.
The tabletop is waterproof and scratchproof. It’s not the most attractive tabletop on a standing desk, though. It looks very plain, to be honest. We suggest going for the black variant if you want something that has more style, although don’t expect it to be anywhere near the ApexDesk Elite Series model. The tabletop finish is also very smooth. However, it does leave marks whenever skin touches it. It’s not a deal-breaker, though, especially considering the table is very easy to clean.
Though it comes with a significantly lower price tag, this standing desk boasts a high-quality metal frame that is both sturdy and reliable. It can last several years if you take good care of it. The whole setup wobbles slightly when extended at maximum height, though. But it’s barely noticeable. It won’t bother you while working and will only be really noticeable if you’re actively looking for it.
Another plus is the assembly. It is marketed as a less than 30 minutes setup. Amazingly, that time-frame is pretty doable if you’re good with putting things together. The package comes with an easy-to-understand instruction manual and there aren’t many parts to deal with.
Overall, this hand-crank standing desk by Devaise offers excellent value for its very friendly price. The build quality isn’t cheap and the adjustment mechanism is hassle-free. We definitely suggest picking this up if you want a budget standing desk.
Stand Up Desk Store Mobile Computer Workstation
Capping off this six-item product list is the Mobile Computer Workstation from Stand Up Desk Store. It is the smallest standing desk in this list, not counting the Varidesk Pro Plus 36, which is a different type. This standing desk is specifically designed as a PC workstation, as its name explicitly states. It can only house a single-monitor PC setup, though it can easily accommodate two laptops.
It has a two-tier setup: the PC monitor goes on the top level while the keyboard and mouse go on the lower level. You can still place a number of things on the sides of each level. Like a couple of notebooks and a stack of pencils and pens. Don’t overdo it, though. As mentioned, this standing desk isn’t all that big. The more stuff you place on the desks, the more chances of you accidentally knocking over something.
This standing desk has a maximum height of 46 inches with the upper level fully extended. However, adjusting the height can’t be done on-the-fly. You will need to remove all the items placed on it before adjusting to a preferred height, which entails unscrewing and re-screwing the height adjustment mechanism. This means you can’t shift from seated to standing position and vice versa quickly. Well, unless you also use a tall chair or a bar stool.
In exchange for not being easily adjustable, this standing desk offers more mobility. It comes with 3-inch furniture casters equipped with two locking brakes. You can easily move this standing desk from room to room without breaking a sweat. But do make sure to remove all the items placed on it before moving it around. The casters aren’t really wobbly to warrant such caution. Still, it’s best to be on the safe side.
The overall setup is sturdy and reliable even when at maximum weight capacity. The frames are made of high-quality material and will definitely last for a long time with proper care. The two desks have a smooth finish and don’t feel cheaply made. And the whole thing is easy to set up, too, which can’t be said for a lot of standing desks out in the market.
If you’re looking for a budget standing desk designed specifically as a computer workstation, this product from Stand Up Desk Store is for you. It offers great value for an affordable price. It doesn’t lack quality and is very easy to move around the house if you feel like getting a different view every hour or so.
Why buy a standing desk?
The exact health benefits of using a standing desk are still up for debate. But what we do know is that sitting for a very long time poses health risks. It leads to bad posture and bad blood circulation. This is why many doctors recommend taking regular breaks to walk around for a few minutes.
The bad news is that standing up for too long also has health risks, which includes developing muscle fatigue and varicose veins. The solution? Get a standing desk that also works as a traditional seated desk. Most modern standing desks have adjustable heights, allowing you to easily shift between seated and standing positions anytime while working.
Another reason to buy a standing desk is that it allows you to quickly move when you need to pick up something from another room. Just turn around and walk. No need to stand up. Sure, it’s trivial and will only save you about half a second. But we all know how laziness can tempt us into not leaving our seats, especially when sitting on an ultra-comfortable chair.
What to consider when buying a standing desk?
The first thing that you need to look into is the build of the standing desk. The overall build needs to be solid and won’t easily break down when subjected to heavy regular use. A standing desk is an expensive piece of equipment, so you need to make sure it will last several years. It needs to be durable and able to effortlessly hold numerous items placed on it.
There are several kinds of standing desks. Aside from regular-sized standing desks, there are also smaller and more portable standing desks that need to be placed on another desk. You can think of them as a desk add-on or accessory.
Standing desks also usually fall into three subcategories: motorized, pneumatic, and hand-crank. The former two are definitely more expensive. But adjusting them is a much smoother affair, not to mention less noisy. No need to put in too much labor into shifting them from standing mode to seated mode. A hand-crank standing desk is less expensive but cruder.
Another thing to look out for is whether the standing desk wobbles a lot, especially at maximum height. Working on an unstable standing desk is totally not cool. It could mess up whatever you’re working on or cause your computer to become dangerously unbalanced on the table.
The last thing to consider is the price. Be prepared to spend at least $200 if you want a high-quality product. But don’t worry too much about the price. Buying a standing desk is a long-term investment, so don’t go for a cheaper product just for the sake of buying something. If you find something that you think is perfect but too expensive, you can always go back for it when you have the money.
Conclusion
It all comes down to preferences when it comes to choosing the best standing desk for you. Forget about prices for a moment and focus only on your specific needs. Want the best overall standing desk that isn’t named Fully Jarvis Bamboo? Go for the ApexDesk Elite Series. Want a small standing desk that “mounts” on your favorite office desk? The Varidesk Pro Plus 36 is for you. Want a smaller but more mobile standing desk? Check out the last product above.
