Desk Battle Royale 

Desk Battle Royale 

Posted by Mandy Spivey on Jan 5th 2017

The quest to find your perfect standing desk can seem daunting from the get-go. Pneumatic lift or electricity, standing converters, crossbars, programmable keypads - most people know their work style could improve with the introduction of an ergo-friendly desk, but don’t know where to start. There’s just so much background research that must go into finding that ideal desk for you and your work style.

Yet one Google search and you’re already lost on the journey, wandering the forest of desks on lightly-beaten paths to find the workstation of your dreams. Depending on your needs and wants, you’ll have your work cut out for you.

Can you put a price on happiness? Ergonomics is a key to working and living healthier while lessening strain on the body. The end result is better posture, circulation and productivity for users who find that ideal desk.

The showdown among stand up desks has been getting more intense in recent years as people recognize the benefits of standing instead of giving into the sedentary lifestyle brought on by office work. So ergonomic desk makers are bringing their A game, and it’s a close call when choosing the best one.

The Stand Up Desk Showdown

UPLIFT Desk has the widest range of tabletops and desk accessories on the market. From reclaimed wood to laminate tops, there’s an affordable desk out there for everyone. High weight capacities rule here at 355 pounds, making it one of the heaviest duty desks on the market. Customize the desk with a programmable keypad and have your presets ready at the touch of a button! Enjoy yours with a seven-year warranty, which can be extended to 12 if needed.

Evodesk features 20 different desktops, most with under-desk T-Frames. Unfortunately this design can lead to less space underneath, and the cross bar also cuts into much-needed legroom. A smaller collection of desks and accessories means less customization. It's a desk but is it truly your desk? In their defense, they do come with a five-year warranty.

Next on the list attempting to bring workstations to more comfortable working levels is Autonomous. Yet, with smaller desktops and lower load capacities than other stand up desks, they're really only helpful for simple setups with minimal weight up top. These desks are also limited in stock, which is problematic if you need your desk in a flash. Depending on the desk, warranties range from 1-5 years.

Updesk and Jarvis feature "bottom up" telescoping bases, which is a bit of an outdated style. From what we've found in our testing, the bottom up telescoping legs tend to be a little less stable overall. The Updesk also has a pared down selection, so users have a smaller collection from which to choose, but again, this means you're really limited in just how much you can tailor your desk to your work style. Combine that with the desk's lower than average height max and five-year warranty, and you end up with an okay option if you're just trying to check boxes.

Yet soldier on, and you’ll find the Air and Terra desks by Nextdesk. Their design is utilitarian with its under-desk crossbar and contains fewer programmable presets on the keypad. These desks are guaranteed with a five-year warranty.

Varidesk is a company with a lot of television exposure that specializes in desk converters. They do suffer from the same limitations as other standing desk converters, including lower weight capacities, limited work space, and an above-desktop keyboard platform that forces your wrists into a less than ideal position as you work. If you're going for an upgrade, you may want to save your money for a fully-loaded stand up desk instead.

So whether you’re a casual sitter looking to change work up a bit, or you want to revamp your whole office for more efficient ergonomics, now is the time to make the switch to a better (and healthier) way of working.

Interested in ergonomics?

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