The Best Standing Desks for Your Home or Office, According to Experts
Plus, amazing gadgets that allow you to transform your current set up into a standing desk.
And you don’t even need to be standing continuously from 9 to 5 — in fact, the best strategy for optimal results might be frequently transitioning between standing and sitting throughout your day, says Chad Henriksen, D.C, the director of WorkSiteRight at Northwestern Health Sciences University.
With the help of Rachel Rothman, Chief Technologist and Director of Engineering in the Good Housekeeping Institute, and Stefani Sassos, MS, RD, GHI’s registered dietitian and personal trainer, we’re sharing the best standing desks on the market today. We’ve tested and reviewed expert-approved standing desks that are fully customizable, including options at multiple price-points, sizes, and convenience for any space you have in mind.
How long should you stand at your desk?
“I recommend sitting for no longer than 20-30 minutes,” Dr. Henriksen says, adding that those with serious injuries or health concerns should discuss a standing desk with their doctor first. You should also be implementing “micro-break” stretching and movement while at home, he explains.
“Experts have known for some time that increasing low-level activity provides health benefits compared to sitting for a prolonged time in a fixed position,” Dr. Henriksen explains. “Alternating between [sitting and standing] balances the negative effects of either standing or sitting throughout the entire workday.” Published research is conflicted on how standing desks improve your focus and productivity throughout the day, and how often you need to stand to reap any benefits, but a 2016 case study discovered some immediate reported benefits from those at a desk during the workday. The best productivity boost was enjoyed by those who frequently alternated in sitting and standing throughout the day, with a reported 50% boost in productivity in six months.
Shop the best performing standing desks and top-selling models below:
If you’re on a tighter budget for a desk, FlexiSpot’s EN1 Model is a solid option for you. Sassos notes that unboxing and assembly was straightforward, and that the desktop’s 48″ width is substantial without overtaking an existing space in your home. Its width might also allow you to work in some freestanding storage beneath it. Equipped with three different height presets, this desk can hold up to 154 pounds of weight, and is fully extendable to 48″ in height.
Our best-tested, Uplift’s standing desk is very stable when adjusted via electronic keypads and can accommodate a wide range of user heights. Rothman notes that this may be the best fit for a couple or for shared office spaces due to its versatility in adjustment ranges. While a bamboo-finished desk is standard here, Uplift offers 19 different finishes on its website, and four different frames, plus a few add-ons you can select if need be. The desk itself won’t move even if you’re a heavy typer or are constantly switching modes during the day, as there’s a steel crossbar between the desk’s legs to reduce any sway.
Among the sleekiest desks, Branch’s model is the only one they offer — and for good reason. It has an incredible range in height settings spanning from 2′ when sitting to a full 4’4″ for those users who are nearly 7 feet tall, but its best features come from its streamlined (effective!) design. Users will cherish the electrical port, which isn’t a standard feature on standing desks, to keep cords in one place. The height panel enables four different presets, and what the brand calls “EasyGlide” promises an eerily quiet motor. There isn’t much of even a purr of the motor to be heard; and the leg’s stability means your items won’t shift while in motion. And because there’s only one model (in two finishes), Brach has made the installation process super simple — our home test had the desk out of the box and ready for use in under 45 minutes, with the tools you need already inside (no power tools necessary!).
There are not as many customizable functions on this Flexispot model compared to others on this list — for example, there are no height presets for you to program. But the tradeoff is a seamlessly compact design that is very manageable for apartment dwellers specifically. The EC9 supports up to 110 pounds of weight and can extend to just over 4′ tall, but its modest-sized desktop is the best feature when it comes to installation. Nearly all of the desks on this list come in multiple shipments or in separate pieces, heavy in weight due to finishes and motors — this desk ships in a single box. For those who live in apartment buildings where elevators aren’t an option, this will be less of a hassle for you to install. But everyone will love that installation can be completed in less than 20 minutes with no tools needed.
If you’re tighter on budget — or space, as many desktop converters can span wider than your actual desk — Ergotron’s split bi-level converter is for you. Ergotron’s model offers nearly 13″ of additional lift off of your current desk, and its 30″+ wide desktop can easily fit a laptop and a small monitor, or a desktop, simultaneously. There are design features that make it easier to store accessories on your desk; like the keyboard and mouse tray, as well as the phone or tablet slot. And since it’s designed to primarily hold laptops and lighter equipment, tests reveal that manually lifting the desk up with hydraulic-boosted handles is a breeze.
If you have more room to play with in your office space, you don’t have to stick to a traditional rectangular-sized desktop. Jarvis’ standing desk models have a bit more flexibility in height settings (between 25″ and 50.75″ in total), and the L-shaped configuration also comes in a multitude of dimensions for various office sizes. While the base model doesn’t have storage, Jarvis’ desks are fully customizable, and you can add storage solutions, power outlets, sleek cable managers, and even a mechanical arm to support mounted monitors.
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