The Best Standing Desk

Buying Guide

By now, you’re probably aware that experts advise against sitting all day. Even if you hit the gym after work, sitting for extended periods may reduce your life expectancy, increasing your risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, among other health issues.

“Sitting is the new smoking,” Stephanie Mansour, a certified personal trainer and the founder of fitness brand Step It Up Steph, says. “Being sedentary has horrendous health effects. Standing up, moving, getting your blood pumping and improving your circulation while at work is a huge benefit to health.”

Standing desks have become increasingly popular in recent years. You may even see a few at work. Today’s standing desks can adjust your monitor from a sitting position to a standing position, letting you switch back and forth throughout the day.

When you start looking for a standing desk, though, there are a few things to keep in mind. One is whether you want to use your standing desk with an existing desk, or you need an all-in-one unit. Some standing desks are built to stand on top of the desk you already have, making them a modification for an existing office. Some others provide a stand or cart that you can move around your home as needed.

Then there are treadmill desks. If you want to take your health to the next level, walking at a slow pace while you’re working can make at least a small difference. Studies have shown you’ll still need to stop by the gym or go for a run as you normally do, though, as users were found not to walk fast enough to get any real calorie-burning benefits.

No matter which desk you choose, though, consider the ease of lowering and raising the desk. If you plan to move from sitting to standing and back again throughout the day, you won’t want to stop everything you’re doing to manually make the adjustment. Some desks even require two people to switch the height, making those a better choice for someone who plans to rarely change the desk’s position.

Assembly is another consideration. Some standing desks arrive preassembled, while others will require some work. Make sure you check before you order so that you’re prepared with the tools and additional manpower you might need when your new item arrives.

Price will also be a factor. All-in-one desks won’t require you to have an existing office setup, and they may be more affordable than the ones that require a desk.

Mansour, the fitness expert, points out that some employers will subsidize or cover the costs for employees to purchase standing desks — so it’s definitely worth checking with your own employer.

Treadmill desks will usually be much more expensive, as the cost of a motorized treadmill will naturally bump that price up. If you already have a desk or table you plan to use, the extra features in a desk converter may be a better deal than an all-in-one unit.

• Before you start shopping for a standing desk, take a moment to think about what exactly you want. If you have a desk already, you’ll probably get more bang for your buck with a model that is designed to rest atop the desk or table you already have. Other models give you a compact cart with a standing desk that provides the flexibility to move it around your home or office. You may, instead, choose to go for a treadmill desk, which lets you trade in standing for walking at a slow pace while you work.
• With many standing desks, you’ll have to put at least some of the parts together before you can get started, so you may want to have a couple of tools on hand in case you need to tighten something.
• If you’re concerned about your office décor, you may want to consider a desk with a polished, professional design. Another option is to go with a desk that will blend easily with any décor, taking up little space.
• If you go with a treadmill desk, you’ll get a readout that lets you see how much progress you’ve made over the course of a day. The information displayed includes distance and time walked, calories burned, step count and belt speed adjustment. You can set the treadmill at a speed between 0.4 and 4 MPH.
• If you’re buying a treadmill desk, build is very important. You’ll need to look at the treadmill itself since walking for hours a day will put wear on it. Standard builds often come with plastic safety guard rails. You may want to pay a little more for the metal-rail upgrade.
• Standing desks also need to be built for durability. Look for a company that has multiple certifications for its desk to help assure you that you’re getting the best. Some models may have a keyboard tray that shakes a little or one that arcs and sticks out more than you want
• If you’re looking for a treadmill desk, keep noise levels in mind, especially if you plan to speak on the phone while you’re on it. Some models are quiet enough at the lower speeds that the person at the other end won’t even know you’re walking on it.
• One feature to prioritize while you’re looking is adjustability. You may be fine with setting up your standing desk in one position and leaving it. But if you plan to even occasionally sit, you’ll probably want an easy way to make that change. Look for a model with an adjusting mechanism that allows you to both move it up and down and rotate the monitors as needed for the perfect fit.
• Some desks are easy to adjust, but they do make some noise while you’re moving them, including a loud clicking sound when you press the adjustment panels, as well as a squeak from the springs. Other models make the adjustment complicated, requiring you to unscrew parts to change the height. Even when you’re at the desired place, the seated position isn’t as comfortable as with other models.
• Treadmill desks aren’t generally designed with adjustment in mind. You can use them as a sitting desk, but if you do, you’ll probably find it takes a helper to move both the treadmill and the desk. If you try to do it alone, you’ll probably need to remove everything on it before you adjust it.
• Some standing desks have a PowerHub that you can use to make your desk more convenient for a small extra expense. This power strip allows you to plug all of your devices into one easy, discreet place.
• One issue you’ll find with standing desks is that it’s tough to get the monitor and keyboard at comfortable levels at the same time. Look for a desk that has a two-tier shelf that allows you to get your monitor and your keyboard at the perfect level.