Best Standing Desks of 2020: A Complete Guide

How to Choose the Best Standing Desk

Ergonomic standing desks are not all made equally. A number of factors go into this innovative—and surprisingly nuanced piece of equipment. In the guide, we profile a number of important features that contribute to the performance of the sit/stand desk. We will also take a look at a few specific uplift desk products to give you a primer on what is out there!

Read on to learn everything you need to know about how to find the best standing desk!

3 Best Adjustable Standing Desks of 2020

1. Stand Steady Tranzendesk 60 Standing Desk: Overall Best Standing Desk

Coming in as our best overall standing desk, the Stand Steady 60 inch desk is available at a moderate price, making it great for people with a restrictive budget. Easy to use, height adjustment can be facilitated using an ergonomic crank-style system that can be utilized in seconds. Height ranges from 47-60 inches, making it great for a wide range of different users.

It’s also great for people with limited space. The worksurfaces are tiered, with one platform for monitors, and a lower keyboard tray. All totaled, you get nine generous square feet of work surface. Perhaps best of all, it’s a low-risk purchase! Stand Steady provides its customers with a money-back guarantee. If you aren't happy with your purchase, you can send it back, no questions asked!

2. ApexDesk Elite Series W Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk, 60"

Best Electric Standing Desks

The ApexDesk Elite our best electric standing desk. It is great for people looking for more moderate to high-end products. Electrically adjusted, all you need to do is press a button and watch the work surface raiser or lower to your preferred height. The unit maxes out at 48 inches, but can go as low as 28 inches (for when you feel like sitting), and adjusts silently at a rate of about 1.5 inches per second. You can even preconfigure the desk with up to four preferred heights making it even easier to use.

The Apex features 60 inches of working surface, or five square feet, and benefits from a solid black steel frame that can support up to 225 pounds of weight.

3. TechOrbits Standing Desk Converter

Best Sit-Stand Desk Converter

Finally, our best sit-stand desk converter. If you’re only looking to dip your feet into the world of standing desks with a converter, you could certainly do worse than the TechOrbits standing desk converter. Quick to assemble, this adjustable stand can be easily mounted to almost any desk for safe, easy use.

In addition to featuring 37 inches of desk space, the unit also comes outfitted with a removable keyboard trey that provides you with additional room. The work platform raises up to 20 inches and is optimal for people ranging in height from 5-6’4 feet.

The Difference Between Standing Desks and Sit/Stand Desks

Some desks or desk conversion systems are made with the exclusive purpose of helping you to stand at work. They are great for perching all day, but when your legs start getting tired, there is regrettably little leeway.

Of course, by standing all day, you do experience the maximum benefits of the desk, but there is a flip side—known health risks that only impact people who stand all day. Indeed, the negatives are similar to those of sitting—increased risk of hypertension and heart disease.

The average user is likely to appreciate the ability to rotate between sitting and standing throughout the day.

Should You Get a Conversion Kit or New Desk?

While there are plenty of great full-blown desks out there, some might prefer a conversion kit. Conversion kits mount on top of your desk to raise your computer, and other necessary equipment directly in front of your face.

Conversion kits can range radically in complexity, with some being little more than a platform, and others benefitting from many of the same features as a full-blown desk.

Conversion kits are typically more affordable, though some can still cost hundreds of dollars depending on their features and build quality. Many are adjustable, still allowing you to sit and stand while you work.

Standing desks often have a more complex range of features, and they virtually always have a much bigger surface area for your working materials. If you’re willing to make a more sizable investment, you might appreciate the enhanced utility of the desk.

Mechanism of Adjustability

Many desks and desk converters adjust, but not all feature the same range or mechanism of adjustability. Many are manually adjusted, which can take a bit of time but is typically not terribly cumbersome.

However, if you want to save a lot of time in the long run, you might prefer the enhanced utility of an electric standing desk. The electric standing desk is able to change position with the touch of a button, saving you time and frustration. Granted, electric standing desk options tend to feature a higher price, but for many the time saving factor will be well worth it.

As for the matter of range—the majority are made to accommodate the height of the average person. Still, you will want to make sure that the riser can accommodate people with a wide range of heights, both from the standing and the sitting position.

This will be an especially important feature for people in a shared workspace, in which a number of different people may be using the same equipment. A general rule of thumb is that a range of 22-50 inches will be able to accommodate virtually anyone in a wide range of positions. However, many highly capable desks do just fine with a range that isn’t so flexible.

Weight Limitations

Naturally, all desks feature weight limitations. More often than not, these limitations will comfortably accommodate anything you could ever want to put on it. However, it may be to your benefit to do a little bit of quick math before making your buying decision.

A desktop computer can weigh 20+ pounds when you account for monitors, keyboards, etc. And, of course, you will also need to account for other factors, like the miscellaneous debris that accumulates on most desks throughout the course of a working day.

Dimensions

Of course, you will also need to consider the surface area of the desk you are considering. Standing desks and desk converters come in all shapes and sizes, but some can be skinnier than you might anticipate.

Chances are, your work stuff takes up more space than you may at first realize. For example, a monitor alone can easily be 24 inches or more.

As a rule of thumb, it’s better to have more inches or work space than you need. This gives you a little bit of flexibility in your setup.

However, there are also accessories that enhance the flexibility of your work station. Monitor arms or retractable keyboard treys help free up precious space. They can also further enhance the ergonomic factor of your new desk.
Keyboard trays can be situated to more comfortably accommodate the human hand, while a good monitor arm will reduce neck strain.

Talk to Your Boss First

While these are all good guidelines to keep in mind, you might want to first discuss the matter with your boss. Though not legally obligated, some employers are willing to field some of the price for new office equipment that is ergonomic. Find out how they are willing to contribute before you make a final buying decision.

FAQ

Are Standing Desks really good for you?
Absolutely! Standing desks can help with weight loss, and also prevent a wide range of other cardiovascular health concerns.

How Long Should You Stand at a Standing Desk?

Sitting may be the new smoking, but standing for too long can also prove problematic. Overdo it, and you risk blood clots, as well as other health problems. The best standing desks are able to be adjusted to easily allow for sitting breaks.
How often you should take these breaks may vary from person to person. Listen to your body. If you start to feel sore, it may be time to crank down the base of the desk for a nice sitting break.

Is it better to stand or sit at your desk?

It's actually good to rotate. A height adjustable desk will allow you to rotate between sitting and standing at will. A height adjustable desk might be crank, or electric adjustable. Regardless, as you look through the many options, try to get a desk stand/ sit convertor that will be comfortable to use for 8+ hours a day.
How much do standing desks cost?

Price for the best standing desk will range significantly depending on a variety of features. For example, some options are very basic, while others provide special features designed to make life easy. Cable management, a keyboard tray, or electric adjustable height, can all up the price!

Conversely, you reduce the price by looking into adjustable standing desk options that are on the simpler side. By forgoing electric operation, cable management, and other plush features, you save money, and still benefit from things like easy adjustable height.

The price of the stand up desk may be further influenced by the materials that are used. For example, reclaimed wood on a stand up desk looks great, and tends to be economical. Some desks like varidesk or uplift offer higher quality surface materials

Conclusion

Standing desks can be as simple or complicated as you want them to be. The desk uplift options features and variables listed above provide a primer on what you can expect to encounter in this diverse and frequently changing market.

The good news is that any uplift desk will facilitate the basic benefits that drew you to the product in the first place: back relief, weight loss, and better cardiovascular health. Chances are, any desk uplift you buy will be life-changing.