With the recent rise in the habit of working from home, as well as companies around the world signaling their belief in remote workforces, having a setup for work at home has become all the more important to most people.
Apart from work, having a sturdy desk at home can also mean a lot to people who use computers and other hardware for prolonged periods of time. This covers the gamut of gamers, writers, music producers, DIY enthusiasts, and many other interests.
This is where a lot of people find important value in purchasing an electric or motorized standing desk.
The ill effects of prolonged sitting are well-known among the health conscious and having a motorized standing desk allows people to vary their postures repeatedly over a period of time. Electric or motorized standing desks can be configured to reach multiple heights, tuned to ideal heights for either sitting or standing according to personal preference.
In this guide, we will talk about the many benefits of motorized standing desks, why you should consider one, and discuss some of the top product picks in the market today.
If you are interested in electric standing desks and want to know more about the subject and eventually find one for your home, read on.
The Benefits of Standing Desks
Most of us work while sitting. While this might be the normal posture while working, sitting for long periods of time has been found to have many adverse effects on your health.
It has been found by researchers that prolonged sitting every day and a sedentary lifestyle can not only contribute to diabetes and heart disease, but it might also hasten the onset of certain types of cancer and even cause premature death.
While standing might seem to be an option, prolonged standing on a regular basis is not beneficial either. This can lead to muscle injury, circulatory issues, joint damage, and even an increased risk of strokes.
The best way is to keep changing posture throughout a typical workday by dividing your time between sitting and standing.
This is where sit-stand desks come into the picture. These can be adjusted to both sitting and standing heights and their height can be changed on the fly to accommodate the positions.
While manual sit-stand desks are available in plenty, it is a good idea to opt for electric or motorized standing desks where a fitted motor takes care of the raising or lowering of the desk surface. Desks of this type also often come with advanced granular control of the height and preset functions where you can store one or more of your favorite height settings to be recalled at the press of a button. Too bad we cannot lower gas prices with a press of a button but this is another topic!
Before purchasing an electric or motorized standing desk, consider your requirements. What is your budget? How much space do you have available? What should your ideal standing desk weigh? Are you looking for other features? These factors will all contribute to your final decision.
Our Top Picks
Steelcase Solo
If you are looking for a no-nonsense, no-frills motorized standing desk that comes at a budget price point, the Steelcase Solo fits the bill in many ways. It’s extremely sturdy and well-built, uses quality materials, and can be assembled at home or office with ease.
The desk looks simple and the operation is confined to a single button, which can be used to raise or lower the desk according to your need. You can also choose from a range of desktop sizes ranging from a modest 24X48 inches to a large and roomy 30X60 inches.
Pertaining to this, there are no extra features to be had on this desk. The desktop does not have cable grommets or cable management holders and there is no option to save preferred heights as presets for easy recall. Since there are no smart features and the aesthetic is rather plain, this one might not appeal to all.
However, excellent build quality and the stunning price can definitely help matters. Being able to customize your size, base color, and laminate color is a nice touch, also.
FlexiSpot EF
If you are looking for a budget option from a reputable brand that still bundles in certain important features, the FlexiSpot EF can be a good choice. The design employs attractive matte black legs, a base made from double-steel tubing, and a natural wood desktop measuring 48X30 inches. This comes with a large control panel for granular control.
The USP of this desk is the motor, which offers quiet, unintrusive, and seamless operation. The desk also offers a range of excellent features.
First, you can program three different custom height presets and assign specific buttons to them so that they can be recalled easily whenever you want. Furthermore, the desk also includes a programmable alarm option where you can declare the maximum time for either sitting or standing. When the time elapses, the desk sounds the alarm letting you know it is time to change position.
Apart from slight wobble issues when the desk is fully standing, there is very little to dislike about this product, especially at the attractive price point it is available at.
Allcam ED20
Especially for readers in the U.K., this is an excellent motorized standing desk that has a compact footprint and a number of smart features that can really improve your user experience.
For starters, the desk is extremely attractive with an all-white finish with either a wooden or a glass top for you to choose from. The desktop area is a compact 47.2X23.6 inches, guaranteeing a perfect fit into smaller rooms.
Integrated into the desktop are a small drawer for storing documents and odds and ends and a total of three fast-charging USB ports, which are really convenient for charging all of your devices right on the desk. The motors are quiet and powerful and a wide range of motion is available. The build quality is exceptionally reliable.
The desk has support for you to save up to four height profiles and attach them to presets that you can recall easily. In relation to this, the USP of this model is the integrated smart feature set, meant especially for home use. For customers with children at home, this makes for a safe and secure operation.
First, the desk comes with a convenient child-proof lock that can be enabled or disabled with a single button. More importantly, the desk has a built-in gyroscope. This detects changes in the levelness of the desktop and uses that info to detect collisions. In the event of a collision, the progress of the motor is immediately stopped so as to avoid accidents and injury. Overall, this is a great smart package for home use.
Fully Jarvis Bamboo
The Fully Jarvis Bamboo combines excellent aesthetic design with the use of eco-friendly materials, ending up as a motorized standing desk that can really become a statement piece of furniture in your home or office. Made with sustainable bamboo material, the desktop can be purchased in a wide variety of size options according to your needs.
The sturdy construction of the frame can take a lot of weight and can be fully extended for comfortable standing height even for really tall users. The motor is quiet and gradual with a single-button operation. Alternatively, you can opt for the programmable handset that lets you save preset heights and recall them immediately.
The desk is available in the standard format, a contoured format, or even in an L-shape. Moreover, you have a wide range of accessories to choose from, including desk lamps, drawer attachments, desk shelves, and even a monitor arm using gas struts.
While expensive, this desk surely is a work of art that offers plenty of functionality, features, and customizability.
Uplift V2
If you are looking for the best motorized standing desk that offers a balance of features, build quality, function, and price, look no further than the Uplift V2, a favorite with customers the world over.
You have a wide range of options to choose from when it comes to the size of the desktop, ranging from 42X30 inches all the way to 80X30 inches, which means that it will fit your setup no matter its size.
Reliability, build quality, and stability are excellent and the height can be changed easily and quickly, with minimal noise. There is also a built-in anti-collision system in the desk, helping you use it safely without the risk of accident or injury. The enhanced stability is due to the design which incorporates strategically placed stability braces.
Another strong point is the customization that is on offer with this desk. You can choose between many different color choices for the desktop, open the door for corner or curved desktops, get built-in cable management solutions, or select several accessories that even include a functional hammock that can attach to the bottom of the desk.
FAQs
What is a sit stand desk?
A sit-stand desk, as the name implies, is a desk that can be used while either sitting or standing. To accomplish this, the desk changes heights to accommodate a user whether he/she is sitting or standing. These desks are available in both manual and electric versions.
What is a motorized standing desk?
As opposed to manual standing desks, motorized (“electric”) standing desks use a built-in motor to adjust height. Motorized standing desks are considered more ergonomic than manual, since the adjustments can be made with the push of a button rather than requiring physical force.
Do standing desks need to be plugged in?
The vast majority of electric standing desks on the market require a constant power source to be operated. In other words, yes, an electric standing desk must be plugged in. There are a few electric standing desks that are battery-powered, and alternatively you can also consider a manual standing desk which requires no electricity.
Are manual standing desks better?
Manual standing desks require more effort to raise and lower, therefore electric standing desks are generally considered “better.” However, manual standing desks are often cheaper by hundreds of dollars, and some high-quality manual sit-stand desks are built to allow for very easy raising and lowering.
Is an electric standing desk worth it?
For anyone that uses a computer desk for hours each day, an electric standing desk is worth every penny. The health benefits are numerous and well-documented, and it can be unsafe to repeatedly manually adjust the height of a non-electric standing desk.
Is an electric standing desk more expensive?
On average, electric standing desks are more expensive than their manual counterparts. However, there are highly rated electric standing desks available for less than $300 (and in some cases, even less than $200!). So, every electric standing desk isn’t necessarily more expensive than a quality manual standing desk, or even a traditional desk.
Why are standing desks so expensive?
Standing desks are relatively expensive due to the requirements of a motor that can lift 100+ pounds, as well as a frame that can raise/lower smoothly and with minimal noise. Simply put, a standing desk, particularly a motorized standing desk, is a more complicated (and functional) product than almost any other piece of furniture in your home.
It’s Your Decision
Electric or motorized standing desks can provide excellent utility and value, while also making sure that you avoid the much-researched ill effects of sitting for too long.
With this guide, you should be able to pinpoint a product that meets all your needs and would be a good fit for your workspace. Use the information provided here to research your options and make a poignant choice.
