For years, the Uplift V2 Standing Desk has been our pick for the best standing desk for most people. It accommodates a wide range of heights, and it&#;s stable even at its tallest setting. And it has a greater variety of attractive customization options than you&#;ll find on any competitor.
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Want a productivity and energy boost? Push a button to raise the desk so you can move a little while working. Feel like leaning back in your chair for some deep focus time? Push another button to lower the desk.
An electric, height-adjustable standing desk provides the best of both worlds.
No matter how great your office chair is, you&#;re not doing your body any favors by sitting in it for the whole day. But being on your feet constantly isn&#;t good for your comfort or health, either.
This desk works well for small spaces, and it has a height-adjustment range that&#;s ideal for people between 5-foot-8 and 6-foot-5. But the controls aren&#;t intuitive, and they have limited preset options.
Because you can set it around 3 inches lower than competing desks, the V2-Commercial can better fit people who are shorter than 5-foot-4.
This is the most customizable desk we&#;ve ever tested, and it works for a wide range of heights (people between 5-foot-4 and 6-foot-9).
We favored desks with 30-day refunds (at least), free return shipping, and assembly that&#;s no more challenging than for IKEA furniture.
Your workspace is highly personal, and that includes your desk. So we looked for models that offered lots of customization options.
Since good desks are a big investment, we think they should come with excellent, fast customer service and at least a five-year warranty.
We selected desks with frames that fit people under 5-foot-4 (the average height of US women), as well as those suited to taller people.
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SKIP ADVERTISEMENTOf the desks we&#;ve tested, the Uplift V2 Standing Desk offers the best mix of performance and features. It responds quickly to control-pad input (from your choice of five keypad designs), and it produces minimal wobble, even at tall heights.
It accommodates average seated and standing heights for men and women. But if you&#;re under 5-foot-4, this desk likely won&#;t work for you if you don&#;t use a footrest. In that case, we recommend the Uplift V2-Commercial Standing Desk, which has a lower minimum height.
We found the Uplift V2&#;s walnut laminate to be attractive and realistic, and panelists loved the look of the 1-inch curved bamboo desktop, as well. If you&#;d prefer a different style, Uplift has more than 30 desktop options, including several unusual but expensive wood tops, such as acacia and pheasantwood.
You can also choose from four frame colors, five grommet colors, and three keypad colors, as well as multiple add-on accessories.
We like that the Branch Duo Standing Desk comes with a compact, 36-by-24-inch desktop that works well for small spaces, like a home office or studio apartment.
Surprisingly for a small desk, it has a two-tier lifting column that&#;s ideal for people between 5-foot-8 and 6-foot-5. Most other two-tier lifting columns we&#;ve found accommodate narrower height ranges, such as between 5-foot-8 and 6 feet. While the Duo&#;s height adjustment range of 28 to 47.5 inches works best for taller people, even our 5-foot-tall panelists and a panelist in an electric wheelchair said they could adjust it to their liking. (It&#;s best to find your height preferences and consider your ergonomic setup before selecting a good standing desk.)
But the Branch Duo has only five laminate finishes, and it doesn&#;t offer nearly as many customizable features as our Uplift and Fully picks. The control paddle can also be clunky to use, and it can&#;t accommodate more than two presets, which may be an issue in multi-user households or offices.
Adjustable standing desks&#;also referred to as sit-to-stand desks&#;give you the option to raise your desktop to a height that is comfortable to use while standing to add more movement to your workday. After testing nine of the most popular standing desks over several weeks, my recommendation for the best standing desk is the Branch Duo. It had the best blend of features and functions of any desk I tested, and it&#;s aesthetically pleasing, too. Even after six months of testing, I still find this desk to be comfortable, effective and user-friendly. If you&#;re seeking a slightly larger standing desk with a bamboo top, the Fully Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk was best runner-up.
After testing nine of the most popular standing desks over several weeks, my recommendation for the ... [+] best standing desk is the Branch Duo.
ILLUSTRATION: FORBES / PHOTO: RETAILERSHere are all the winners from my testing process:
There are compelling reasons to make a standing desk part of your office or WFH set-up. &#;Sitting at a desk for extended periods can have various downsides; some of my colleagues have referred to sitting as the &#;silent killer,&#;&#; said physiotherapist Lalitha Bhowani-McSorley. While Bhowani-McSorley acknowledges that may be an exaggeration, she points out that sitting too much can have real consequences: &#;Individuals who sit for long periods of time will often see an increase in the risk of weight gain, cardiovascular problems and metabolic issues.&#; She adds that excessive sitting can lead to poor posture, weak core muscles and tight hip flexors.
If that has you convinced to start spending more time out of your chair, look for a standing desk that is easy to use, has accessories that are functional for your work habits and environment (like a desk drawer if you want office supplies tucked out of sight, or a cable management tray if you&#;re bothered by the sight of dangling cords) and&#;most importantly&#;that meets height and space requirements for you and your space. Read on for my review of six of the best standing desks to consider, based on my first-hand experience.
Branch
Dimensions: 36 x 24 inches, 48 x 24 inches | Height Range: 28 inches (minimum); 47.8 inches (maximum) | Memory Settings: 2 | Motor: Dual | Weight Capacity: 275 pounds | Warranty: 10 years
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For its sturdy design, attractive finish options and multi-functional paddle controller, the Branch Duo won best standing desk in my tests. Six months later, it&#;s still my go-to desk.. It&#;s compact enough to fit in small spaces but doesn&#;t feel like a compromise on features or design. One feature that impressed me is its built-in reminder to sit or stand, a thoughtful addition not found on any other desk I tested (although a few models offer this functionality as an add-on or option within an app).
During long periods of focused work, I find it tough to remember to change positions, ignoring what ergonomist Matt Jeffs calls postural fatigue. &#;Brushed aside long enough, postural fatigue advances to discomfort,&#; he notes. &#;Overlooked further, discomfort becomes pain.&#; This standing desk gave me the impetus I needed to keep up with a regular rotation of sitting versus standing to avoid postural fatigue. It has a total lift range of 19.8 inches, with a minimum height setting of 28 inches and a maximum height setting of 47.8 inches. That range should be sufficient for most people, although the desktop doesn&#;t reach quite as high as a few other desks I tested, which have an upper height limit of 50 inches or more.
Thanks to a built-in reminder to stand, the Branch Duo stood out among other desks I tested.
Erica PuisisThe height settings are controlled by a simple paddle controller that you push down or pull up to move the desk and there are two memory positions for your preferred sitting and standing heights, which I find to be a handy shortcut to reaching my Goldilocks settings. With a helpful but unobtrusive OLED display screen that dims after input, it&#;s more discreet than your average touch-button controlpad but also has a slightly steeper learning curve. An optional sit-or-stand reminder alerts you when it&#;s time to change position, either with a visual cue on the controller&#;s display screen or via a vibration that resonates across the desk (especially helpful if you&#;ve become drowsy during a mid-afternoon work session). These settings and options are controlled with two small buttons on either side of the controller.
There are enough customization options to make this desk appealing for just about any office or home workspace, including five options for the laminated desktop and three colors for the powder-coated steel legs. If you have a small space, the 36 x 24-inch standing desk is your best bet. If you have a little more room to work with, then take advantage of the slightly larger 48 x 24-inch option (which is what I used during testing). It provided more than enough room for my laptop stand, wireless keyboard, mouse, a notebook and a cup of coffee. In the last six months of testing, I also added a freestanding 24-inch monitor and still feel like there&#;s plenty of work surface available. The desk is powered by a dual-motor lift system (which is usually faster and quieter than a single motor) and is covered by a 10-year warranty. That&#;s better than the warranty coverage of the other desks I tested, some of which had only a two- to five-year warranty.
The Branch Duo has a dual-motor lift system that ran smoothly in my tests, even when the desk was ... [+] loaded by the maximum 275-pound weight capacity.
Erica PuisisIt took about 40 minutes to assemble the desk, and the components and hardware were clearly labeled so there wasn&#;t any guesswork when I installed the various screws using the included hex wrench. Compared to the other desks I assembled, the Branch Duo&#;s instructions were clear and simple. The process took a little longer than a few other desks, but it felt relatively fast and frustration-free.
For a finishing touch, you can outfit the desk with a cable management tray to keep cords from your computer or electronics organized and out of sight, or with a desk drawer for office essentials like pens, USB devices and sticky notes. Those accessories aren&#;t available for most of the other standing desks I tested, adding to the Branch Duo&#;s appeal for shoppers that want to customize their desk set-up. I&#;ve used the desk with both accessories and wouldn&#;t go without the cable management tray, which keeps the cords for the desk, my monitor and a charger tucked up but accessible. And while I was initially very excited to use the desk drawer and gave it high marks for build quality and a soft, felt-lined interior, I didn&#;t love the extra depth it takes up below the desk surface and ended up removing it. Opting to add it on to your desk will ultimately depend on how much you prioritize the extra storage space.
Herman Miller
Dimensions: 48 x 27 inches, 60 x 27 inches, 72 x 30 inches | Height Range: 25.5 inches (minimum); 51 inches (maximum) | Memory Settings: 4 | Motor: Dual | Weight Capacity: 350 pounds | Warranty: 5 years (desktop); 15 years (frame, mechanical parts, motors, and electrical components)
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The Fully Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk impressed me during testing with its strength and durability, and it has a classic aesthetic that will blend into most workspaces. The bamboo desktop is a sustainable, natural alternative to laminate surfaces, and you can pair it with a silver, black or white metal frame. Aside from an option for a curved desktop, there&#;s not much room for customizing the appearance of the Fully Jarvis desk. Its warranty, however, stands out: it&#;s five years for the desktop and 15 years for the other major components, which is second only to the Uplift V2 (which covers all components for 15 years).
The Fully Jarvis has a bamboo surface, a more sustainable alternative to laminate.
Erica PuisisWhen standing or sitting at this bamboo desk, I had no complaints about the form or function. The desk smoothly transitions from seated to standing and back using the up/down toggle buttons or four memory presets on the programmable keyset, which has a crisp OLED display that makes the numbers easy to read. The desk has a 350-pound weight capacity (about the same as other full-size standing desks) and had no noticeable wobble when I propped my elbows on the desk during use. It easily lifted 200 pounds during testing, without any slowdown or protest from the motor so it&#;s safe to say that it can handle even dual-monitor computer set-ups and plenty of paperwork. It also didn&#;t scratch or stain when I used the desk with a laptop stand, dropped a container full of pens on the desk&#;s surface, or spilled a cup of hot coffee.
Steelcase
Dimensions: 48 x 24 inches, 60 x 24 inches, 48 x 30 inches, 60 x 30 inches| Height Range: 22.6 inches (minimum); 48.7 inches (maximum) | Memory Settings: None | Motor: Single | Weight Capacity: 360 pounds | Warranty: 12 years
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The Steelcase Solo Sit-To-Stand Desk is a worthy upgrade because it has a sleek aesthetic, feels incredibly sturdy and offers the easiest assembly of any standing desk I tested. While there&#;s much to say about the features that justify its high price-tag, the bottom line is that this model continues to perform well after six months of testing and would make a great choice for any office or home environment.
The Solo Standing Desk made a terrific first impression with its lightning-fast assembly. While other desks required at least a handful of screws and bolts and took an hour (or more) to put together, Steelcase has streamlined assembly to two simple steps: snap the legs, which are already attached, into the frame and use a screwdriver to attach the paddle controller. The whole process was done in 10 minutes flat. Once assembled, the desk is light enough for two people to easily lift it. I&#;ve moved it around several times to accommodate my home office needs.
The Steelcase Solo Sit-To-Stand Desk was the easiest to assemble of any desk I tested.
Erica PuisisBelying its simple assembly, the desk is excellently constructed. The desktop is commercial-grade, high-pressure laminate that is more impact- and scratch-resistant than other types of laminate surfaces and shows absolutely no wear after six months&#; of use. It comes in seven different finish options, and the steel frame is available in black or white. Its biggest limitation is that it&#;s only available with a paddle controller, not a programmable handset, so there&#;s no option for saving your preferred sitting or standing height. That said, I noticed that height adjustments are smooth and quiet, even when the desk was loaded up with 200 pounds&#;an impressive feat for a single-motor standing desk.
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The Solo Standing Desk is backed by a 12-year warranty, so it should hold up to years of use in a commercial office environment. Aesthetically, it fit right into my home office without looking clunky or industrial.
Uplift
Dimensions: 42 x 30 inches, 48 x 30 inches, 60 x 30 inches, 72 x 30 inches, 80 x 30 inches | Height Range: 25.3 inches (minimum); 50.9 inches (maximum) | Memory Settings: 4 | Motor: Dual | Weight Capacity: 355 pounds | Warranty: 15 years
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All of the best standing desks offer at least a few options for customizing its size and appearance, but no standing desk offers as many finishes, features and accessories as the Uplift V2 Standing Desk. It&#;s hands-down the most customizable standing desk I tested, and it&#;s worth the effort to pick out and assemble this desk if you want one you can tailor to your needs and workspace.
You can order the V2 Standing Desk in five different sizes, four different frame colors and more than 30 different finishes, including laminate, bamboo and solid wood options. While the starting price of this desk sits in the middle compared to others I tested, the price does climb if you select one of the larger sizes or a solid wood desktop. You can also get this desk in certain colors and sizes from Amazon.
The Uplift V2's programmable controller is easy to use, with four preset heights and a digital ... [+] display.
Erica PuisisUplift&#;s wide range of add-ons makes the V2 ideal for customizing for your work or hobbies. You can pick from accessories like cable organizers, drawers, a storage cubby or a foot hammock or full-size hammock (only available for 72-inch desks or larger). Uplift adds some free accessories to your order, too, like a balance board for more comfort and movement while standing at the desk. Another standout optional accessory is the Bluetooth USB adaptor, which I found to be helpful for controlling the desk&#;s height and receiving sit or stand reminders. The programmable controller is also simple to use, with four preset heights and a digital display.
The Uplift V2 comes with the widest range of add-on accessories among the desks I tested, including ... [+] an under-desk hammock.
Erica PuisisUplift has a generous 15-year warranty for the V2 Standing Desk and a 30-day return window with free shipping, beating most other brands, which deduct the cost of return shipping from your refund. I found their customer service to be very helpful when the first rubberwood desktop I ordered arrived with a gouge. Uplift was quick to make things right by shipping a new desktop promptly, which arrived in perfect shape.
The biggest hang-up I encountered was the lengthy assembly time. It took almost two hours because of the many steps to assemble the frame and secure it to the legs and tabletop. If you don&#;t mind investing a little time upfront, this standing desk may be just right for whatever your workday routine involves (including power naps in your personal hammock).
Amazon
Dimensions: 47.5 x 24 inches | Height Range: 28 inches (minimum); 46.5 inches (maximum) | Memory Settings: 3 | Motor: Single | Weight Capacity: 176 pounds | Warranty: 2 years (electronic components); 7 years (non-electric components)
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The Seville Classics Airlift Electric Standing Desk impressed me with its slim, compact footprint, unique glass desktop and easy assembly. It&#;s one of the smaller options I tested, so I recommend this desk to anyone who has limited square footage in their home office.
This modern-looking standing desk isn&#;t the most customizable option: It&#;s only available in a 47.5 x 24-inch size in white or black. It has a total weight capacity of 176 pounds, which is the lowest manufacturer-provided weight limit of any desk I tested. But the desk functioned just fine with 150 pounds of weight loaded onto its surface in my tests, so your average home office set-up should be fine on this desk.
The Seville Classics AirLift desk is great for small spaces, and it's easy to assemble.
Erica PuisisOne thing that impressed me was its single-box packaging for ease of assembly. Most other standing desks arrive in at least two boxes (one for the desktop and frame and one for the legs), and those boxes don&#;t always arrive together. The Seville Classics Airlift Electric Standing Desk arrives in one box and is easy enough to set up in just 15 minutes.
Adding to this desk&#;s aptitude for small spaces is that its contemporary-looking glass top doubles as a whiteboard for brainstorming, note-taking or making to-do lists. A center drawer glides out to hold your small office supplies, like pens and sticky notes. While you have to buy a drawer as an add-on for some other standing desks, this feature is integrated into the Airlift&#;s desktop.
Amazon
Dimensions: 40 x 24 inches, 48 x 24 inches, 55 x 24 inches, 60 x 24 inches| Height Range: 27.5 inches (minimum); 46.9inches (maximum) | Memory Settings: 3 | Motor: Single | Weight Capacity: 176 pounds | Warranty: 2 years (motor and electronic components); 5 years (non-electric components)
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While you shouldn&#;t compromise on stability and function in a standing desk, you don&#;t have to start with the top-end model, either. The Fezibo Height Adjustable Electric Standing Desk is worth considering as an affordable, basic standing desk. It&#;s not the most robust standing desk I tested, as reflected in its 176-pound weight capacity and spliced desktop, which creates a seam in the middle of the desk. (The seam is mainly concealed by two storage drawers, but you might have to be judicious about how and where you load weight on the desk compared to a solid desktop.) The two-tier surface gives great elevation for a computer monitor and makes room for a storage cubby between the drawers. It does, however, limit the workspace directly in front of you, so keep that in mind if you frequently spread out a pile of papers or files as you work.
The Fezibo has a programmable touch controller, which is a great feature to get at the under-$300 ... [+] price point.
Erica PuisisWhile it was the cheapest standing desk I tested (outside of the SIDUCAL Small Adjustable Standing Desk with Wheels), the Fezibo Adjustable Height Standing Desk is also easy to adjust to sitting and standing heights using the programmable touch controller, which is a welcome bonus at the under-$300 price point. I also didn&#;t have any issues with the desktop&#;s durability or finish during testing; the desk lifted 150 pounds and a coffee spill didn&#;t stain the light maple surface. For average home use, this budget standing desk should do the trick. Just keep in mind that it lacks sensors or anti-collision technology, so keep chairs, filing cabinets and other objects out of the way when lowering the desk.
In addition to the six winning standing desks, I tested three other models that didn&#;t make the cut.
Flexispot E7 Pro ($599+): There are multiple Flexispot standing desk models to choose from, and I tested the brand&#;s E7 Pro with a handsome dark bamboo top, picked from a plethora of desktop options that include solid wood, chipboard and fiberboard (MDF). The desktop and frame feel solid but assembly was a real let-down. The pre-drilled holes in the desktop and included directions didn&#;t match up with the frame. When I reached out to Flexispot&#;s customer service, they advised me to use a drill to create holes that line up with the supplied frame, which I didn&#;t have to do for any other standing desk I tested. For the price, the desk should be simpler to assemble with less frustration and better directions.
Vari Electric Standing ($850): The Vari Electric Standing Desk&#;s desktop and frame have a sturdy feel, but this was one of the only desks to sustain a few light scratches during testing.
Overall, the desk felt well-built, the soft-touch keypad was easy to use, and I had no functional complaints about the desk&#;s height settings or adjustability. It just didn&#;t do enough to justify its price tag or distinguish itself from similar options.
SIDUCAL Small Adjustable Standing Desk with Wheels ($100): This is a compact, wheeled option for a standing desk. It was the smallest standing desk I tested, but its two-tier design gave me enough room to comfortably fit my laptop stand, wireless keyboard, mouse and a few office supplies. In the end, though, the manual adjustments for the height settings deterred me from changing positions, especially since both sides of the desk require individual adjustment. More than once I ended up with a slanted desktop that required fine-tuning.
To find the best standing desks for working from home and furnishing an office, I tested nine popular models in my home office. Since set-up can be cumbersome, my first evaluation was based on ease of assembly. After set-up, I used each desk for two workdays, alternating between standing and sitting positions. I paid attention to factors like how convenient it was to raise or lower the desk using the controller, and whether or not the desk includes obstruction sensors to avoid colliding with my chair. And while aesthetics are subjective, I noted the quality of materials and appearance. I also considered whether the materials made the desk feel like a good value for the price and if the desk was durable when loaded to its weight limit or in the face of office hazards, like spilled liquids or sharp objects.
I tested 9 standing desks to find the best by assembling them, raising and lowering their heights ... [+] and doing weight and stain tests.
Erica PuisisFor the last six months, I&#;ve continued to rotate my working time between the Branch Duo Standing Desk and the Steelcase Solo Sit-To-Stand Desk, making observations about functionality and durability and looking out for signs of controller malfunction or motor issues.
I tested for stains by spilling coffee on each desk's surface.
Erica PuisisThroughout testing, I&#;ve taken note of any interactions I&#;ve had with customer service and evaluated the company for its speed of response and ability to answer questions and resolve issues.
Buying a standing desk is an investment, and sometimes it helps to ease your way into this mode of work. Ergonomist Matt Jeffs, a doctor of physical therapy and ergonomics educator at Ability on Demand, says, &#;Starting out, you needn&#;t spend a fortune. Nor should you. There&#;s an undeniable period of conditioning that has to be accommodated.&#; Choosing a standing desk will depend on the function and form you need: size, height range, finish options and more. Here&#;s what to consider.
According to my research, the most popular sizes for a standing desk are 48 x 24 inches and 60 x 30 inches. The most compact standing desks may be as small as 36 x 24 inches, and larger workstations can be as large as 72 x 30 inches or more.
To pick the right size, identify how much space you need for your computer set-up and other work materials. You&#;ll also want to consider whether you need room for everyday items like mugs or water bottles. Design ecologist Lindsay Tan makes this suggestion: &#;Before you purchase any desk, do a full inventory of all your desktop peripherals, office supplies and workspaces needed for daily tasks. Map out the surface area of the new desk, then map out the devices, supplies and workspace to make sure the desk is wide enough and deep enough.&#;
The purpose of a sit-to-stand desk is to offer adjustable height settings, unlike a conventional desk with a fixed height. But not all standing desks have the same height range. Shorter or taller people may require a wider range of height settings.
So to find the best standing desk for you, start by identifying your ideal seated height and standing height and then pick a desk that accommodates those. Tan provides this guidance on measuring your standing and seated height: &#;Standing with arms at your sides, bend your elbow like you would while typing and have someone measure the distance from your elbow to the floor (with your work shoes on). Make sure the desk adjusts to at least that height or taller. You can repeat that measurement process while sitting in your regular work chair to find the full range you&#;ll need.&#;
Most standing desks use an electric motor to do the heavy lifting of raising and lowering the desktop, although manual options with a hand crank are available, too. Electric standing desks come with different options for the controller, with the most basic being a paddle controller that you press up or push down to raise and lower the desk.
I found a keypad controller with push buttons is the most common option. Often, the controller is programmable, which means it has a digital display that shows you the height setting and memory buttons to store your preferred standing and sitting heights.
The advantage of a programmable controller is one-touch convenience. When you adjust from sitting to standing or vice versa, you simply push your stored height setting, and the desk automatically raises or lowers&#;rather than making you manually adjust the desk and fine tune the position each time. This also comes in handy if you share the desk; two users can each save one or two height settings (depending on how many memory settings are available).
Accessories aren&#;t essential for a standing desk, but they can make it more convenient. One of the most common accessories is a cable management tray, which keeps the desk cord, computer cables and any other power cords tidy and tucked close to the underside of the desktop, rather than hanging down in a twisted jumble. Other accessories, like add-on drawers or storage cubbies, can help to organize your files or office essentials.
Power accessories, like desktop grommets with a built-in outlet or a power strip that mounts to the desk, can also help keep your laptop, speakers, and other digital devices charged up and ready for use. It can simplify the number of wall outlets you need for your work set-up, since these accessories draw from the power supply of a plugged-in standing desk.
Motorized standing desks are powered by one or two electrical motors. A dual-motor standing desk has a motor supplying power to each leg of the desk and will usually raise and lower more quickly than a single-motor model. Often, dual-motor standing desks have a higher weight capacity than single-motor options. Practically speaking, however, you&#;re unlikely to notice a dramatic difference in performance between a single-motor and a dual-motor standing desk unless you have a lot of equipment on the surface of the desk or you really need to raise and lower the desk in a hurry.
I&#;m a product reviewer and writer with six years&#; experience covering appliances and home goods. My work has appeared on The Spruce, MyDomaine and U.S. News and World Report. During my time as a writer, I&#;ve always worked from home. As a result, I&#;ve used everything from a kitchen table to a music stand as a desk (I don&#;t recommend the latter). In the past, I used a manual standing desk but found the process of raising and lowering the desk to be cumbersome. After testing standing desks and standing desk converters, I&#;m a definite convert to the electric standing desk set-up.
In addition to hours spent conducting research on the best standing desks, I consulted with three experts for their perspectives on ergonomics and office set-ups. Lindsay Tan, a design ecologist and the design director at West Second Street LLC, offered tips on how to identify what size desk you need and how to find the right height for your stature. Matt Jeffs, a doctor of physical therapy and an ergonomics educator at Ability on Demand, provided practical advice on how to balance your time sitting versus standing and how much to invest in a standing desk. Physiotherapist Lalitha Bhowani-McSorley of Brentwood Physiotherapy Calgary elaborated on the benefits of a standing desk for the musculoskeletal system and the risks of prolonged sitting.
I asked several experts this same question and received a similar response from each one: Listen to your body. Jeffs says the question of when to sit and when to stand can be answered with this simple advice: &#;&#;Listen to your fanny&#;and listen to your feet.&#; That is, when your fanny tells you it&#;s had enough sitting, stand up. When your feet tell you they&#;ve had enough standing, sit down.&#;
But if you really need some quantitative guidance, Jeffs cites a study conducted by Cornell University that recommended a ratio of 20:8:2. &#;For every half-hour working, 20 minutes can be spent sitting, 8 minutes should be spent standing, and 2 minutes should be spent moving,&#; explains Jeffs. &#;This was great research, with some limited application in vivo, mainly due to the awkward nature of setting a timer on a constantly revolving 20:8:2 schedule each and every half hour during a typical workday.&#; The main takeaway is to rotate your working position regularly and use this ratio as a guide more than a rule.
Standing desks vary in their minimum and maximum height settings, but I found that most models have a minimum height of around 28 inches and a maximum height of around 48 inches, for a total travel distance of about 20 inches (give or take a few inches, depending on the specific limitations of the model you choose).
Be sure to measure your ideal sitting and standing height to ensure that the desk can accommodate both positions comfortably.
Frequency of use is likely to be the biggest factor in how long a standing desk will last, especially for the motor and electronic components. Some manufacturers specify their testing protocol for the standing desk, citing how many test cycles the desk has been proven to withstand. But perhaps the largest indicator of how long a standing desk will last is the length of the manufacturer's warranty. Keep in mind that some desks have separate warranty periods for different groups of parts and components, like the desktop, frame, motor and electrical components. The warranty periods of the desks I tested ranged from as short as a year or two to as long as 15 years.
Based on my research, I found that standing desks generally cost between $250 and $1,000, with some very high-end models that cost as much as $3,000. Manual sit-to-stand desks cost the least (sometimes even less than $100), but motorized standing desks dominate the market because of their ease of use.
Among motorized standing desks that cost between $250 and $1,000, the more common attributes include: anti-collision technology (this keeps the desk from crushing objects underneath it), preprogrammed height settings and integrated cord management. Laminate tops are the norm, but more expensive models may offer real wood as an option.
Your body will need to acclimate to using a standing desk. You can make the transition more comfortable with these helpful suggestions from physiotherapist Bhowani-McSorley. &#;An anti-fatigue mat can help reduce discomfort felt with prolonged standing by providing cushioning and encouraging subtle movements of the leg muscles,&#; she says. During testing, I also found that a balance board can help to prevent a stiff, rigid standing position that increases fatigue.
And while much of the focus is on making the act of standing more comfortable, Bhowani-McSorley emphasizes the need to keep a neutral neck and spine position: &#;A monitor or laptop stand should be used to position the screen at eye level.&#; When it is time to sit, don&#;t forget to use an ergonomic chair or stool, picking an option that supports a slightly tilted pelvis can be beneficial for short periods of sitting, according to Bhowani-McSorley.
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