Sitting at a desk all day can get a little tiring. You could have the best office chair out there, but still not want to sit on it for 8 hours at a time. That, however, is exactly where a standing desk comes in — as a way to get some variation in your workday without having to actually move to different locations.
Standing desks may also offer some health benefits. According to some studies, those that sit all day have an increased risk for diabetes and heart disease. Not only that, but sitting all the way could be linked to weight gain and obesity. Health benefits aside, some find that being able to move during the workday can improve productivity.
There are a few things to consider when buying a standing desk. For starters, you’ll want to make sure that the range of movement supports your height wants and needs. Some standing desks have a larger range of movement, meaning they can get higher from and lower to the ground. That may be helpful for taller users. I’m around 5’11”, and I use a standing desk at 45 inches.
There are other things you’ll want to consider too. For example, you’ll want to make sure the desk is big enough for your needs, and offers the right features for you. Some desks come with built-in power outlets, cable management tools, and more.
Without further ado, here are the best standing desks in 2022.
Best standing desk overall: Vari Electric Standing Desk
Pros
- Easy setup
- Excellent build
- Good height adjustments
- Lots of options
Cons
- Light on extras
If you’re looking for a solid, high-end standing desk, then the Vari Electric Standing Desk is the way to go. There are a few reasons why we like this desk above others, with the main one being the fact that its height variation is a little better than some options — so it’s great for tall people and short people alike.
That’s not the only reason to like the Vari Electric Standing Desk though. The desk is also quite easy to build, and while we definitely recommend enlisting the help of a friend or family member to build the desk, it shouldn’t take more than 10 or 15 minutes for most.
The Vari Electric Standing desk is available in sizes ranging from 48 inches wide to 72 inches wide, and depths from 24 inches to 30 inches. In other words, there should be something for most — although those that want something a little smaller should look a little further down this list.
So what are the downsides to the Vari Electric Standing desk? Well, mainly that the desk doesn’t really offer many extra accessories and customizability options, unlike the Uplift desk. But if you’re happy with the desk out of the box, then you’ll appreciate what the Vari has to offer.
Most customizable standing desk: Uplift Standing Desk V2
Pros
- Highly customizable
- Solid range
- Good build quality
Cons
- Expensive
Maybe you’re looking for a little more customization from your standing desk, in which case the Uplift Standing Desk V2 is the way to go. This desk is available in a number of sizes, a number of colors, with tons of accessories, and with lots of cable management solutions.
When you customize the Uplift Standing Desk V2, you’ll be able to determine what kinds of options you want. You’ll start by choosing your size and color, after which you can choose grommets, power outlets, the keypad, accessories, and so on. It might take a few minutes to customize the desk that you want, but it’ll be worth it in the long run.
Of course, not everything about this desk is perfect. Easily the biggest downside to the desk is that it’s a little expensive, especially compared to some of the other options on this list. That said, for those that want a highly customized experience, it will be worth the cash.
Best budget standing desk: Flexispot EC1
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Easy to build
Cons
- Not the best range
You don’t have to pay much to get a decent standing desk. The Flexispot EC1 offers buttons to change the height of the desk, is relatively stable, and comes at only $250. That’s a pretty amazing price for what is a pretty solid desk.
Of course, the desk isn’t huge. The $250 model if the desk is 48 inches wide, which may or may not be big enough for your needs. Thankfully, Flexispot still offers other sizes, but you may have to pay a little extra to get them.
So what are the downsides considering the low price? Well, the desk may be cheap but the trade-off is that you can’t program heights into the desk — just adjust it higher or lower. That won’t be a huge deal for everyone. The desk also may take a little more work to assemble than some of the other options on this list.
Best standing desk for small spaces: Vari Essential Standing Desk
Pros
- Easy setup
- Excellent build
- Compact
Cons
- Light on extras
Looking for a great standing desk but don’t need anything big? Vari offers a great compact standing desk, called the Vari Essential Standing Desk. This desk is available in sizes as small as 48 inches wide by 24 inches deep, meaning that it should fit nicely in a smaller space.
Thankfully, the desk still offers many of the advantages on offer by the more expensive Vari Electric Desk. You’ll get the programmable keypad, which lets you pre-set heights. And, you’ll get the easy setup.
There are some disadvantages to note, though not many. The desk is a little more expensive than the Flexispot option, though not that much more. And, like the larger desk, it’s a little light on extra options. Still, if you’re looking for a great standing desk to put in a compact space, this is the way to go. Make sure to measure your space before you buy though!
Best portable standing desk: Seville Classics Workstation
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Very compact
Cons
- Extremely basic
If you’re looking for something height-adjustable that you can move around the home, or even outside the home, then this desk is worth considering. It’s relatively small, so more of a workstation than a desk, but still easily big enough to hold your laptop.
It’s important to note that this desk is a little different from the others. That’s because it’s not electric — so you’ll have to manually adjust the height when you need to. That also, however, helps ensure that the desk is relatively inexpensive.
