Best standing desk overall
The Fully Jarvis Standing Desk provides the right amount of customizations for style, height, and accessories to create an ideal desk for many people.
Pros: Customizable design, quick and easy to adjust, customizable height presets, useful add-ons, priced low to start, seven-year warranty
Cons: Slight wobble at upper heights, the additional crossbar can limit leg space
The Fully Jarvis Standing Desk is a great desk with a good height-adjustment range, a smooth and easy-to-use mechanism, and the ability to accommodate different setups. It also comes at a relatively reasonable price with a strong warranty.
The metal frame with the motorized adjustment mechanism comes in several colors and materials and is about as minimal as you'll find. The desktop is available in varying sizes and rectangular or curved options.
You can use your own monitor arms or other accessories, but Fully has its own as well. These options cost extra, and some will require you to drill holes. The only one we deem essential is the programmable memory panel, which lets you save four height presets. This is useful if you share the desk with someone else. The adjustment itself is quick, though there is a high-pitched noise as the motor goes to work. It's not terribly loud, but you won't want to adjust it when you're on a call.
Fully offers an extended range for an extra $20, which enables the desk to go from 24.5 to 50 inches, to accommodate shorter and taller heights. Even with a couple of custom options and extras, the Fully Jarvis comes in cheaper than most comparable alternatives.
The Jarvis has excellent stability. I have two 27-inch monitors on dual gas-powered monitor arms attached to my desk. It goes up and down with ease. I can also lean on the desk without fear, but when extended to higher levels, there is a perceptible wobble. My monitors sway slightly if I bump the desktop.
I've been using the Fully Jarvis for a couple of years now, and the mechanism works every bit as smoothly as it did the first day. I have the older control panel with physical buttons; the newer version is a touch-sensitive OLED, which may not be quite as responsive, according to some reviews. — Simon Hill, contributor
Best standing desk for tall people
The Autonomous SmartDesk 2 Premium can quickly and quietly adjust to accommodate heights taller than 6 feet 8 inches.
Pros: Fast height adjustment, wide height adjustment range, customizable height presets, customizable styles, meets ANSI/BIFMA and UL certification for office use
Cons: A bit unstable at higher heights, limited customization options
The Autonomous SmartDesk 2 Premium has the fastest height adjustment speed, at 2.3 inches per second, and the lowest noise at 45 decibels. In comparison, our top pick, the Fully Jarvis, moves at 1.3 inches per second, with a noise level of 50 decibels. These factors might be important if you plan on adjusting your desk often.
The frame is sturdy and the XL table length can accommodate two 32-inch monitors and two office chairs comfortably.
There aren't as many customization options as the Fully. You can choose from seven top-and-frame combinations. You can also customize your own from a selection of two top lengths, five top materials, and three frame colors.
Each Autonomous standing desk comes with one or two grommets (holes for passing cables through) for a standard or XL top. There's a programmable control panel to easily adjust preset heights for different users. You can also adjust the height by pressing the up and down arrows. The programmable control panel comes included with the base price, something other brands charge extra for. There are plenty of add-on accessories that cost more, such as monitor arms and trays.
Setup took about an hour and a half and required two people. The instructions are clear enough, but I thought watching a video was easier and more efficient.
In testing this over the course of six months and adjusting the height several times a day, I never worried my monitors would fall off the desk, though they would wobble at the highest height. That's on par with the other standing desks in our guide, though. — Jada Wong, contributor
Best budget standing desk
The no-frills Flexispot Standing Desk moves quickly, smoothly, and quietly to reach your desired height. It's an affordable option for people who need a basic standing desk.
Pros: Straightforward controls, spacious, quiet
Cons: Difficult to assemble
Flexispot 's budget-friendly offering is spacious and sturdy, and assembly shouldn't take any longer than an hour. While it lacks the customizations of the other two true standing desks in our guide, it's more than appropriate for anyone who just wants a straightforward standing desk.
It lifts to your desired height at a smooth and quiet rate of one inch per second with a simple two-button push system. The desktop has enough space for two monitors, plus other items like supplies. And the overall desk quality is great.
The biggest drawback of the desk is that the assembly instructions aren't clear and some parts don't fit together as well as they should. Our advice is to take it slow and enlist a friend to help. Once you get past the assembly process, you'll be able to enjoy the standing desk with little to no problem.
Best standing desk converter
The VertDesk Converter boasts a stable two-tier design that's easy to raise or lower, and it's suitable for use with monitors or laptops.
Pros: Great stability, good range of height adjustment, separate keyboard tray, easy to use, durable, five-year warranty
Cons: Too heavy to be portable, few customizations
With a versatile and roomy design and a smooth adjustment mechanism, the VertDesk Converter is our favorite standing desk converter. You can set it up on a traditional desk or table to accommodate a laptop, one or two monitors with stands, or a monitor arm for mounting. There's a separate keyboard tray, so your arms and elbows are more ergonomically placed. It's a smart design that's easy to use, and it includes some thoughtful extras.
When adjusting the VertDesk Converter during testing, the transition was smooth, silent, and effortless. There are no fixed positions, so you can adjust to the exact height you want. It does swing toward you a little when you raise it, but not by much.
The VertDesk Converter is not attractive, but there are a few customization options, at least. You can get the standard VertDesk Converter in black or white, with or without a single monitor arm. There's also a larger, heavy-duty version , with an optional single or dual monitor arm.
The standard VertDesk Converter provides enough room and stability for two 24-inch monitors. There is also a single grommet for routing monitor cables. The keyboard tray can be adjusted by turning a knob on the right, then tilting the tray to the position you want. The keyboard tray is a little small, which could be a problem if you use a large mechanical or ergonomic keyboard .
The keyboard level sits 0.75 inches above the desktop when folded down and goes up to 14.75 inches. Depending on the table you're using with the converter, the lowest position might have the monitor sitting too high for shorter people.
This is the most stable converter I've used. It barely moves, even when it's fully extended. Rubber feet prevent it from sliding around, and the metal frame feels very solid. The maximum weight limit is comparatively low, but a dual-monitor setup is no problem. It doesn't budge at all if you lean your weight on it, though that's not recommended. — Simon Hill, contributor
Best budget standing desk converter
With a minimal design that's easy to adjust and a value-oriented price, the Fully Cora Standing Desk Converter is perfect for laptop owners looking to stand while they work.
Pros: Simple design, accessible price, easy to use, stable at different heights, durable
Cons: Too heavy and awkward to be truly portable, not suitable if you're over 6 feet 2 inches, no attachments or add-ons
If you're on a budget, the Fully Cora Standing Desk Converter could be the ideal way to try out the standing desk life without spending too much. It's designed to sit on top of a traditional desk or table and provides a workspace that's suitable for a laptop. It can also accommodate a monitor, separate keyboard, and mouse. The simple design enables it to fit in anywhere, and it can fold down when you don't need it.
The desktop is made of a durable laminate material. The frame is aluminum, with soft pads on the bottom that help it stay in place and prevent it from damaging the furniture it's sitting on.
There isn't much customization on offer here. You just have a choice of a black or white frame. It can fold flat, but I think that the weight and awkwardness of picking it up will deter many people from moving and stowing it. There's also no cable management, and you won't be able to attach a monitor arm to this standing desk converter, so it's best used with laptops.
To adjust the desk height, you simply push in the side levers and lift up or down. It's a smooth and silent mechanism, and there are no pre-set levels so you can adjust it to the exact height you want.
I tested the Fully Cora Standing Desk Converter with my laptop on my dining table, and it felt very stable even when fully extended. The rectangular aluminum frame base is solid, and the padded sections add grip so it doesn't slide easily if bumped. Once I had the height I wanted, I didn't have any qualms about putting drinks and other things on the desktop. The laminate has a durable, water-resistant finish that's easy to wipe clean.
The maximum weight limit is plenty for a laptop and accessories. It's best not to lean your weight on it unless you're trying to lower the desktop, but it held firm when I tried during testing. — Simon Hill, contributor
What else we tested
What else we recommend and why
Uplift V2 : While this is a great all-around choice, it was a much more expensive standing desk that offered few benefits to justify the price difference. To compare the specs to our top pick of the standard Fully Jarvis, the Uplift goes higher by a little over an inch and a half — enough to accommodate people as tall as 6 feet 8 inches, approximately. It holds five pounds more weight but is $100 more expensive.
Even if you pay extra for the extended height range of the Fully Jarvis, the Uplift is still $80 more expensive. Given how little that $80 gets you, the Jarvis is a better value for most people. If the Uplift V2 was less expensive, it would've been a strong contender for our best overall pick. But if you want the extra height, weight, and customizations (there are 19 finishes) and have the budget to spare, the Uplift V2 might be a good choice. Read our full review .
What we don't recommend and why
VariDesk Electric Standing Desk : This may be a good choice if you hate assembly as it's very easy to put together. It also offers a good range of height adjustment, customizable height presets, and relatively quiet operation. On the downside, customization options are scant, and it has a 200-pound weight limit, which doesn't come close to our top picks.
VertDesk V3 : Offering solid construction, excellent stability, and lots of customization options, the VertDesk V3 came very close to making our list. It's a well-built, reliable standing desk that comes with a good warranty, but it can get expensive as you begin to add extras or jump up sizes. It also has a limited range of height adjustment, and it's tricky to assemble.
Ergo Desktop Kangaroo Pro Junior : This is a smart converter that you can add to a regular desk, and it offers separate keyboard and monitor platforms that are adjusted via the built-in pneumatic spring mechanism. Unfortunately, it's not designed for laptops, the stability leg is an eyesore, and it has a limited weight capacity.
Ikea Idasen : With a distinctive look and great stability, this is a solid standing desk from Ikea, and it comes with a reassuring 10-year warranty. Unfortunately, the weight capacity is very low, the tabletop is particle and fiberboard, and it's slow to adjust with no preset height option on the keypad.
NewHeights Elegante XT : Extremely stable, with top-quality internal electronics and plenty of customization options, there's no denying this is one of the best standing desks around. It offers reliable adjustment with a wide, 24-to51-inch range and has no obvious weaknesses. The problem is simple: It's just too expensive for most people.
Xdesk Terra 2s : This is a very good-looking standing desk, with lots of customization options, including dual-level desktops and beautiful build quality that combines bamboo, oak, or glass desktops with an aluminum frame. Sadly, it's way beyond most people's budget and doesn't do quite enough to justify the premium.
Our testing methodology
There are a lot of things to consider when assessing a standing desk or a standing desk converter. Where possible, I will test out the standing desk in everyday use, changing from standing to sitting positions several times throughout the day. For standing desks I've been unable to test myself, I talked to a colleague or another trusted source with hands-on experience living with that desk to find out what the pros and cons are.
Here are the main criteria during our tests of the best standing desk:
Height adjustment: I'm interested in the full range of height adjustment for each standing desk, how well the mechanism works to raise and lower, how quickly and easily you can adjust it, and how noisy it is. A good standing desk will offer presets for different heights and an easy mechanism for adjustment.
Charts from BOTD and Autonomous helped us figure out recommended general heights for the desks' adjustment ranges, and we cross-referenced them with calculators from The Human Solution and OmniCalculator . The heights for people that we mention in this guide are approximate.
Customization: Any piece of furniture must fit in with its environment, so the materials and desktop finishes are important. It's also important to look at how big each standing desk is in terms of the overall footprint and the available desktop space. Does it offer a lot of customization options, add-ons, and accessories? And what kind of extras, like cable management, drawers, and monitor arms, can you choose from?
Stability and durability: A wobbly desk can be very distracting, and stability is often a problem when standing desks are adjusted to the limits of their height. I look at how the desk copes with bumps or being leaned upon and how being fully loaded impacts stability. The stated durability for long-term use and the warranty that's being offered is also taken into consideration. Other important factors include the weight limit and the returns policy.
Setup: Some assembly is usually required, but you don't want to spend all day building your standing desk. I look at how quickly you can have it set up out of the box, if you need help to build it, and whether there are any potential issues with setup.
Standing desk FAQs
What are the benefits of a standing desk?
Benefits of using a standing desk include reduced neck and upper back pain , reduced risk for weight gain ( standing burns more calories than sitting ), and potentially lowering blood sugar levels .
Each person is different. If you aren't sure if a standing desk is right for you, check with a doctor first to see if you'd benefit from one.
Is standing at your desk healthier than sitting?
A standing desk alone isn't going to improve your occupational health — you can't just simply substitute standing for sitting. According to Alan Hedge at Cornell University , people tend to hunch over their desks after just 10 minutes at a standing desk, even if they started with a good posture.
"You're not really getting a lot of benefit from doing that," Hedge said.
For the biggest impact, you'll want to mix sitting, standing, and moving throughout the day. "Mixing things up reduces any negative effects [of sitting or standing] in terms of musculoskeletal discomfort, your level of alertness, or productivity," Hedge said.
How long should you stand at a standing desk?
Hedge suggests a 20-8-2 pattern based on his research and real-world testing — sit for 20 minutes, stand for 8, stretch or walk around for 2, and repeat. These numbers aren't absolute, but what's most important is not to stay in one position for too long, Hedge said.
Once you're settled with your standing desk, you may want to pair it with a standing desk mat to encourage more movement and provide cushioning.
Are standing desks worth it?
Since buying a standing desk a few years ago, I feel that changing positions and moving more throughout the day boosts my productivity, but I've also experienced far fewer back problems.
We think they're worth the investment if you're not sure when you'll be returning to the office. Due to frequent policy changes in the ongoing pandemic, it's worth investing in a comfortable and productive home office set-up now.
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