The Best Standing Desks
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When I dug deep into the world of active seating, the overwhelming answer I got after talking to several experts was that balancing on a seat wouldn't do you much good. The key to improving your health after sitting at a desk for several hours a day? Take a walk. That seems to be the case once again with standing desks.
The best standing desks won't magically improve your health or productivity. What they can do is offer a more varied work setup, allowing you to move from sitting to standing. Movement begets more movement. They also let you get the perfect height for your workstation, whether for typing emails, drawing up blueprints, or crafting something from scratch. I've been testing standing desks in my home over the last four years (and a few of my colleagues have helped too). There are many height-adjustable desks out there, so this isn't an exhaustive list, but these are the ones we like the most so far—we'll keep testing more and will be updating this guide periodically.
Read our home office guides for more, including the Best Office Chairs, Home Office Gear, Best Computer Monitors, Best Computer Speakers, Best Webcams, and Best Laptop Stands.
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Should You Get a Standing Desk?
New research shows that while standing desks can potentially mitigate some health risks by limiting your sitting time, standing too long isn't all that great and can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. I reached out to Anne-Kristina Arnold, a kinesiology expert and senior lecturer in the Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University. She says the results from this recent study “illustrate how challenging some of this epidemiological research is."
“To say standing workstations are good for everybody in every situation all the time is never going to flow,” Arnold tells WIRED. "There are so many variables, so many varied kinds of work we do—we're varied in our body sizes, in our fitness, in the shoes we wear. It's really hard to be able to say definitively that standing workstations are good. The research is mixed."
Switching from sitting to standing doesn't solve all problems, and standing too long can cause its own problems. If you want to work with a standing workstation, Arnold recommends to use it in the standing position for 20 minutes per hour. If you have a normal desk, get up and move every 15 to 20 minutes. However, there's no definitive guideline. “The standing workstation isn't necessarily the answer—getting up and walking is better,” Arnold concludes.
Electric vs. Manual Standing Desks
Our guide here focuses largely on electric standing desks, which have motors in the legs to smoothly move the table up and down. However, we have a few manual standing desk recommendations too. If you're planning on switching up how you work a few times every day, an electric desk will simply be more convenient. However, if you just want to be able to adjust the height of your desk and won't be changing it all that often, then maybe look at manual standing desks as they're often cheaper.
How to Properly Stand and Sit With a Standing Desk
The same ergonomic rules you follow when sitting at a workstation apply when you're standing. When your elbows are at a 90-degree position, you want the desk/keyboard to be elbow-height. Your monitor should be at eye level (a good rule of thumb is the top of your monitor should meet your eye), and if you're using a laptop, you should keep it angled with a laptop stand for a more ergonomic typing position.
Watch Your Wires!
After setting up your standing desk, make sure you keep an eye on every single wire that's connected to something on the desk when you start raising the desktop. I have unboxed and set up several desks over the years, and yet I recently made a very rookie move—as I was raising a desk, I didn't realize my Ethernet cable was taut, and it broke cleanly off the back of my PC when the desk reached a certain height. Welp. Keep an eye on the wires and any obstacles, even art on a wall.
How We Test
I and other members of WIRED's Gear team test standing desks in our own homes, and we use desks for months at a time (sometimes years!), jotting down every flaw we see over the course of that time and noting any highlights. We take a look at build materials, motor noise, motor speed, preset options, and ease of use, and we gauge the difficulty of the setup.
This also means it's not easy for our small team to test every single desk out there, as these are bulky, big pieces of furniture and the setup is fairly involved. You may see a few missing brands from this guide like Uplift, Vari, and Autonomous, but we'll be testing more desks soon in the coming months.
- Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
My Current Favorite
Branch Four Leg Standing DeskThere's something about a classic four-legged desk that looks so darn nice. It's not obvious that it's a standing desk until you see the little control panel on the desktop. Branch has several woodgrains you can choose from for its plywood top, which adds to this desk's elegance. Rounded corners eliminate sharp edges. Four motors inside the telescoping powder-coated steel and aluminum legs help this desk glide up and down relatively quickly, though they're a little louder than I expected.
I've been quite happy with this desk in the month I've used it. Assembly was easy—just be prepared to handle a lot of screws. (Branch's instructions are straightforward, but I caught an error in the manual where the company switches up the names of the screws. Branch says it's rectifying this issue.) The control panel is thankfully simple too. Press the up and down arrows to your preferred height, press the M button, then press 1, 2, or 3 to save that height. No complicated settings menu here! I didn't find it wobbly, and I had no trouble mounting items to the desktop, whether it was monitor arms or a microphone arm. There's not much in the way of additional accessories at the moment—you can add a cable organizer, but that's about it.
My only issue is with the collision sensors—some desks can pause their lowering function when they detect an obstacle, but Branch's desk is inconsistent. Sometimes it would detect my office chair's arms as in the way and pause its operation, but other times it kept going and tilted the desk backward. I'm almost always checking around the desk when I raise or lower it, so I don't rely on a collision sensor, but I still wish it was more reliable here.
Specs Height range: 27.3 to 44.6 inches Desktop sizes: 48 x 27 inches, 59 x 27 inches Memory Presets: Three Load: 225-pound operational load, 450-pound static load Weight: 80 pounds Warranty: 10 years - Photograph: Amazon
A Certified Classic
Herman Miller Jarvis Bamboo Standing DeskAs a long-term sufferer of back pain who spent years hunching over keyboards, I can honestly say buying a standing desk changed my life. Obsessive research led me to the Jarvis Standing Desk (now owned by Herman Miller), which has served me well. With a contoured bamboo top, handy optional extras to tuck wires out of sight, and a responsive control panel for easy height adjustment (including presets), this is an excellent standing desk. There's also quite a bit of customization, whether you want a contoured desktop, a rectangle, or a specific height range. The only weakness is that it wobbles slightly at higher levels.
There have been some changes to the Jarvis since I tested it. The physical buttons are now a touchscreen OLED control unit that may not be as reliable as the original (you should opt for the programmable controls). On the other hand, the frame has reportedly been improved to reduce wobbling. After six years, my Jarvis still works perfectly (my daughter is using it now), though it’s disappointing that Herman Miller has reduced the warranty on the frame and mechanical parts to seven years (down from 15). —Simon Hill
Specs Height range: 30 to 49.5 (2 Stage), 23 to 43.5 (3 Stage Low), 25.75 to 51.25 inches (3 Stage) Desktop sizes: 48 x 30, 60 x 30, 72 x 30, 60 x 27, 48 x 27 inches Memory Presets: Four Load: 350-pound operational load Weight: 105 to 156.5 pounds Warranty: 7 years
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Best Cable Management (and Magnets!)
Secretlab Magnus ProI used this gaming desk for more than a year—as well as the non-motorized version—and loved it. It's an all-metal desk that's also magnetic, and Secretlab cleverly has an array of magnetic accessories like cable anchors, sheaths, and even a hook to hold your headphones—all in the quest of vanquishing those pesky wires from sight. Best of all is the trench system at the back of the desk; open this up to route all your cables through and then close it up! There's even a power supply baked into the left column so you can have one cable running from the leg to your wall outlet, and everything else can stay hidden in the trench. Your desk will look immaculate, and you'll be deemed a cable-organization wizard.
There's a little display to see your height setting, and it's easy to set up the three height presets. I also like that there's a physical lock function to prevent accidental presses from moving the desk up and down. There are so many great accessories to personalize the desk, though I haven't tried them all. That includes a dual-monitor mount designed for the trench system, a PC mount to hide your ATX-sized PC case instead of having it clutter the desk, and even a laptop attachment to keep it raised. The metal desktop can be covered with a MagPad Desk Mat (I highly recommend it, as otherwise the desk can be prone to scratches), and there are quite a few styles to choose from with tie-ins to popular video games.
The only thing I didn't like? Its weight. When it was time to move, let's just say it was painful (maybe disassemble it first).
Specs Height range: 25.6 to 49.2 inches Desktop sizes: 59.1 x 27.6 (Pro), 70 x 31.5 inches (Pro XL) Memory Presets: Three Load: 265-pound operational load Weight: 152 pounds (Pro), 172 pounds (Pro XL) Warranty: 5 years - Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
A Hand-Finished Wood Upgrade
Grovemade DeskGrovemade's pricey desk comes in several boxes, and the packaging is precise to keep everything safe from shipping hazards. That makes it a little frustrating. Everything was a little tough to unbox, and I had so much garbage when I was done. It took me over an hour to break down all the boxes. Whew. Assembly wasn't too difficult, though I wouldn't have minded if the company labeled the plastic bags that housed all the screws to make it easier to figure out which ones to use per step.
The result makes all these foibles disappear. The hand-finished wood desktop (mine was in American Black Walnut), with a mix of powder-coated steel and brushed aluminum, is a statement piece for the home office. The pull-out drawer stands out from a sea of similar-looking standing desks, too, with merino wool felt lining to keep your stuff safe. It can house a surprising number of items, from a MacBook Pro to USB flash drives. I also like that there's an integrated surge protector with six outlets in the power panel underneath—this makes it easy to connect your gadgets and have one cable running to the wall. And toward the back of the desktop, a slim gap lets you route cables through.
You can limit the height to specific ranges, and the under-desk control panel isn't too hard to operate, though I'll need to keep the instruction manual nearby to remember how to set the two height presets again. It's not loud, and the desk isn't too wobbly, even at higher levels. My only mark against it is that its collision sensor took longer than I'd have liked to kick in—it detected the arm of my office chair as I lowered it, but only after moving down on it and slightly tilting the desktop.
Specs Height range: 25.25 to 50.5 inches Desktop size: 58 x 28 inches Memory Presets: Two Load: 350-pound operational load Weight: 135 pounds Warranty: 5 years
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- Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
Compact and Reasonably Priced
Branch Duo Standing DeskThe Duo was initially billed as a compact desktop, though it's now available in larger sizes. Still, this Branch's laminated MDF comes in several snazzy designs and is hard not to like. It supports a variety of add-ons, including a desk tray to extend the reach of the desktop (I use it to hold a candle), a cable organizer, as well as a desk drawer. The dual motors are very quiet too. There's a lip at the center back of the desk to feed wires through.
I like the paddle control panel—lift it to raise the desk and push on it to lower it. A double-press moves it to your height preset, though setting up these height presets isn't all that intuitive. There's a hidden “Gear Key” icon on the right side of the control panel. Once you move the Duo to your preferred height, tap the Gear Key twice to save the position. The screen will show a heart icon with the number 2. Repeat the same process again and it will save it as number 1. It's easy to follow, but keep that manual handy if you ever want to remember how to change it again.
I have also tested and like Branch's full-size standing desk—it's larger, has a brushed grommet for pulling cables through the desk, and has a greater adjustment range, not to mention four height presets.
Specs Height range: 28 to 47.8 inches Desktop sizes: 36 x 24, 48 x 24, 58 x 27 inches Memory Presets: Two Load: 275-pound operational load Weight: 115 to 122 pounds Warranty: 10 years - Photograph: Kat Merck
Best Budget Standing Desk
Flexispot EN1 Standing Desk (48 X 30 Inches)I bought this electric adjustable-height standing desk during a Prime Day sale, hoping to stave off some of the negative effects of nine-plus hours of WFH sitting per day (regardless of recent research stating this isn't possible). I had my husband parse the surprisingly complicated directions to assemble the base and its mechanical innards, and after a few hours, it was Zoom meeting-ready. I pushed the up button on the base’s control panel and up went the desk—on only one side. Down went my notes, pens, computer, and full cup of coffee. Thankfully, FlexiSpot’s customer service was prompt and responsive, helping to diagnose an assembly issue after I provided photos and video. (However, I did have to go through the FlexiSpot website. Amazon wanted me to return the desk at my expense.)
The down button is still slow to respond and often catches, but otherwise, the desk has been reliable, stable, and spacious, with a 60 x 24-inch top and convenient hooks on either side for cords or headphones. The steel base adjusts smoothly and quietly (38 decibels on my decibel meter) from 28 to 46 inches high, with four programmable presets for sitting or standing. I’m 5'6" and found the maximum standing height perfect for using a MacBook Air. The one-piece top is laminated particleboard available in a range of wood tones, white, or black. The maple color I chose isn’t the classiest look and reminds me of my elementary school desk, but it is perfect for cleaning up the inevitable spills from coffee and WFH desk lunches. —Kat Merck
Specs Height range: 28.1 to 45.7 inches Desktop sizes: 40 x 24, 48 x 24, 48 x 30, 55 x 28, 60 x 24 inches Memory Presets: Four Load: 154-pound operational load Weight: 81.8 pounds Warranty: 5 years
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- Photograph: Lillipad
A Standing Desk That Can be Stored Flat
Lillipad Foldable Electric Standing DeskIf you don't always work from home, a sit-stand desk like this one will probably work for you (you only need a surface). However, you could also try the Lillipad, which has a unique folding frame that can be lowered to the ground and rolled away under a bed or into a closet for storage. It means you have to clear everything off when it's time to put it away—unless you don't need to store it, but then you should probably get another standing desk. Lillipad sells an Accessory Storage Backpack you can use to tuck away your monitor and other peripherals as well. There are two size options; I've used the larger model for over a year.
It's heavy (around 78 pounds), but since the base has wheels, you can lift one end and roll it to your desired area. My legs don't interfere with the desk's crossbars because they're placed toward the back. It moves up and down fairly quickly and isn't too loud. The desk has a sticker with operating instructions, and I've had to leave it on because I routinely forget the exact steps. The Lillipad auto-locks the height, so press and hold the unlock button until the display shows the height number. When that happens you can raise and lower it. For storage, the instructions aren't intuitive. Once you lower it to the minimum operating height, you need to press the lock button three times, then press the down and lock buttons simultaneously to bring it to floor level. (There's a collision sensor to stop it from crushing objects underneath.)
Underneath are three outlets and a few USB ports to plug in accessories, and there's a hole in the desktop to insert the company's monitor arm, which was sturdy in my testing. The Lillipad has two height presets (press and hold Up and 1 to set a preset and then Down and 2 to set the second). Annoyingly, you need to press and hold the 1 or 2 buttons until the desk reaches the preset height (you can't let go). In addition to being a little hard to operate, the desk can be a little wobbly, and I don't find it aesthetically pleasing. Oh, and the 5-year warranty is lackluster.
Specs Height range: 6 to 42 inches (small), 6 to 48 inches (large) Desktop sizes: 46 x 24 inches (small), 52 x 25 inches (large) Memory Presets: Two Load: 75-pound operational load, 350-pound static load Weight: 67 pounds (small), 78 pounds (large) Warranty: 5 years - Photograph: Home Depot
A Hand-Cranked Workbench
Husky Steel Adjustable Height Work TableMy utilitarian manual standing desk setup came via the recommendations in the comments section of our sister site Ars Technica, where readers pointed out that this sturdy Husky workbench with a manual knob for adjusting height makes for a cheap, reliable standing desk. Space constraints dictated I needed a specific width, and this 46-inch tabletop fits like a glove. I also needed casters to rotate the desk, and the Husky's locking casters spin like a slot machine every time they're called upon.
Properly assembled, this desk will hold 300 pounds, but I modded it by leaving out the bottom stabilizer bar—the only effect I notice is auditory, as the desk can be a bit creaky when swiveling it. The manual knob hasn't been a problem for me, though I rarely ratchet it up to stand. —Martin Cizmar
Specs Height range: 26 to 42 inches Desktop sizes: 46 x 24, 52 x 24, 62 x 24, 72 x 24 inches Memory Presets: None (manual) Load: 300-pound operational load Weight: 87.3 pounds Warranty: 5 years
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- Photograph: Julian Chokkattu
A Rollable, Small Manual Standing Desk
Flexispot Adjustable Table With WheelsI've had Flexispot's rollable mini-standing desk in my home office for several years and have used it as my table for product photography. The 28 x 16-inch desktop is a nice size, and because the leg is only on one side, you can slide this desk to sit over a bed or a couch, making it super versatile. It's on wheels too, so it's easy to move around. To adjust its height, press the paddle underneath and push or lift the desk to your desired position.
Specs Height range: 26 to 41.7 Desktop sizes: 27.6 x 15.7, 31.5 x 17.7 inches Memory Presets: None (manual) Load: 15.4-pound operational load Weight: Not listed Warranty: 5 years
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Other Standing Desks to Consider
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Beflo Tenon Premium for $3,636: While incredibly expensive (and heavy!), this hardwood smart desk is both sturdy and well designed. Assembly was straightforward, and once the desk was up and running, I found all of the features (touchscreen controls, a built-in power strip, audio passthrough, and LED lighting) to work well, and placed in convenient locations. The touchscreen controls are intuitive (iOS-like), and features like a sit/stand timer and phone connectivity provide additional functionality. The desk supports over 200 pounds of stuff even when moving, and the height-adjustment motors will temporarily disable if they overheat, instead of risking damage to the desk. The table also looks fantastic, and a multitude of first-party accessories let you customize the desk to your specific needs. My largest issue with this table is the noise. While in no way loud, it was certainly more audible than the “whisper-quiet” descriptor Beflo uses in its marketing. Besides that, the lighting color adjustment had some difficulties creating specific colors using the built-in touchscreen, and the audio cable was too short to reach a desktop computer on the floor even at the lowest height. However, the Tenon is still a great if pricey option to consider. —Henri Robbins
Flexispot E7 Pro for $420+: Standing desks can get pricey, but Flexispot routinely offers similar functionality at a lower price. At first glance, the E7 Pro looks much like the Herman Miller Jarvis, but look closer, and you discover the entry-level option has a shallow 23-inch desktop, the control unit feels a bit cheap, and it emits a high-pitched whine in operation. I also had some issues fitting larger power adapters in the cable tidy, and it can get wobbly when fully extended. But, even when fully configured, the E7 Pro is cheaper than many rivals. Minor flaws aside, it is a perfectly decent standing desk. —Simon Hill
Charcoal Standing Desk for $1,199: This desk is meant to remind you when to take breaks from work, so you have the mental focus to make it through your pile during the day. It uses your health and sleep data in an app, plus lights and haptic feedback, to track and tell you when to take a little rest. At first, this feature seemed interesting, but it's functionally not much better than a timer on your phone reminding you to get up and walk around. The build quality of the Swedish-made desk frame is excellent, with a smooth, quiet operation that goes nearly to the floor, which is perfect for those of us who like to sit on the ground and work sometimes. It has dual motors with three-stage columns and piezo sensors so it won't crush children. I like the rounded edges of the white rectangular top, which never accidentally nail my hips when I walk by the desk, and the white plastic surface coating is easy to clean. At nearly double the price of a similar standing desk, I'm not sure it's worth it—definitely don't buy it for the company's “supercharging” claims—but you won't be disappointed with the desktop. —Parker Hall
Ergonofis Sway Standing Desk for $1,445: Here's another pleasant-looking solid-wood standing desk from Canadian brand Ergonofis. Like the Grovemade, there was so much packaging I was left with after I unboxed the desk that it was a little overwhelming. There were also a lot of parts, and the assembly was just plain weird. (I had to step on a part with my feet, which meant I had to put on shoes to finish the assembly.) It's a gorgeous desk, but I also found the company's control panel confusing to operate, and the desk wasn't always responsive when I touched the panel to move it up or down.
Standing Desk Accessories
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Branch Clamp-on Power for $89: This simple and elegant clamp attaches to your desktop and adds three AC outlets, a USB-C, and a USB-A, so you don't have so many wires running down to the ground.
Monster Workshop Power Strip for $40: This heavy-duty power strip and surge protector from Monster is built to protect the Working Man's expensive power tools, which means it can handle the needs of your cute yellow Mac. The reason to buy it for your standing setup is the integrated mounting handle, which can dangle off your desk with a C-clamp, keeping your connections away from the dirty floor without using valuable space. —Martin Cizmar
LumeCube EdgeLight 2.0 for $150: Why have a lamp take up valuable desk space when you can clamp the lamp to your desk? These task lights from LumeCube are great for illuminating the desktop and even your face during late-night Zoom calls. You can adjust the color temperature and the brightness.
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BenQ ScreenBar Lamp for $139: Alternatively, you can place these ScreenBar lamps over your computer monitor and it will light up your desktop, no clamping required. The ScreenBar Pro also has a motion sensor, so when you leave your desk, the lamp will turn off, and it will light up when you're back. You can adjust the brightness and color temperature, and an automatic setting makes it adjust these controls based on the room's ambient lighting.
Secretlab Premium Footrest for $79: I've been using this footrest for several years, and it's excellent. The plush memory foam is cushy and a nice respite for my feet, and it's easy to clean with a vacuum and a damp cloth. It hasn't shown much wear despite years of use.
Monoprice Single Monitor Adjustable Gas Spring Desk Mount for $66: I've had a few of these WorkStream arm mounts for years, and they've reliably done the job. You can adjust the tension with a hex key and move the monitor around to your desired position. Just make sure you don't go over the recommended weight load with a big and heavy screen.
Harber London Professional Desk Mat for $180: Keep your desktop protected with a large desk mat like this one. I've used several mats from Harber London over the years, and this latest model is my favorite. The pebbled leather is supple and soft, and the mat stays put. It's easy to clean too.
Avoid These Standing Desks
Corsair Platform:6 Desk for $1,400: Where do I start? I liked Corsair's standing desk because it's spacious, has a fun pegboard design to mount your tchotchkes, and even has an interesting rail system that lets you mount and slide things across the desktop, like your monitors. Unfortunately, several months after mounting two monitors on the included dual-monitor arms, this rail system has tilted forward due to the weight. (I'm also not the only one to experience this.) It doesn't help that I never really found this rail to be all that useful. The standing function works well, and you get two presets, but sometimes the little screen would throw me an error message “rE5.” Pressing and holding the down button resolved it, but none of these are issues anyone should deal with considering the crazy-high price. That's the real problem. It's just so expensive, and the five-year warranty feels like a slap in the face.
ErgoAV Standing Desk for $1,870: I’ve wanted a standing desk for years, so I was extremely excited to try out this one from ErgoFx. For almost two grand, it comes jam-packed with features including a wireless charging pad that automatically lifts and rotates towards you, a five-outlet power strip, and a built-in drawer to put all your office supplies in. You can also control it via the companion app. It has a super durable laminated MDF desktop and a carbon-steel frame and looks sleek. Unfortunately, only a few months into using it, I started having issues where the desk would get stuck at a specific height. This would typically happen if I didn’t adjust it for a few days or weeks. The only way to solve this was by unplugging the power cord and plugging it back in. After each reset, it would work normally again. But this issue comes back every time, so that I've stopped trying to fix it. It’s become more trouble than it’s worth—especially at this price. —Brenda Stolyar
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