Even with the best office chair, you should aim not to spend your whole workday sitting. Though a good chair will help reduce strain and soreness, simply sitting too much can have its own health detriments. An adjustable standing desk can help you avoid some of these issues since you’ll easily be able to raise it up into a standing position to keep your body moving. You won’t want to replace sitting with standing perfectly still all day, but it’s much easier to move around and stretch when you’re already up out of your seat.Standing desks have become increasingly popular recently for health-conscious workers, and there are a lot of options out there. Standing desks come in all shapes and sizes, meaning you’ll be able to find one that can fit your setup and, most importantly, raise up to the right height. The best standing desks offer gradual adjustments so you fine-tune the height to perfection. This will let you get a comfortable and ergonomic setup. And, many of these desks go even further, supporting significant weight or helping you manage your cables for a cleaner desktop.We’ve picked out a variety of adjustable standup desks that’ll help you keep moving throughout the day, whether you’re working or playing.
TL;DR These are the Best Standing Desks:
1. Varidesk Prodesk 60
Best Standing Desk
Dimensions: 60″ x 30″ x 50.5″ Max Load: 200 pounds Height Adjustable: 25.5″ – 50.5″
For a standing desk option that’s well balanced in what it offers, the Varidesk Prodesk 60 is at the front of the pack. Starting at $650, you’ll be getting a sizable desk surface that measures 60 inches wide and 30 inches deep and features chamfered edges for comfort. Meanwhile, the base its constructed with steel that gives the Prodesk 60 a strong foundation. The sturdy metal base and T-style legs will help keep this from being a shaky desk, and they allow the desk to support up to 200 pounds.When it comes to standing, the Prodesk 60 has an electric lift that can raise the desktop up to 50.5 inches or lower it down to 25.5 inches, giving you plenty of height flexibility. It includes a digital display to let you know what the height is, and it can store several height settings into memory if you’ll have multiple people sharing the desk. Depending on the model you choose, you can also get a crossbar for increased stability and you can add on cable management system made specifically for the desk.
2. Autonomous SmartDesk 2
Best Budget Standing Desk
Dimensions: 53″ x 29″ x 48″ Max Load: 300 pounds Height Adjustable: 29.5″ – 48″
If you’re looking for something a little simpler and more affordable, look no further than the Autonomous SmartDesk 2. You get a slightly smaller 53- by 29-inch surface area to work with, but it’s nearly as versatile with an adjustable height range of 29.5- to 48-inches. For less than $400, the SmartDesk 2 is a plenty strong and sturdy platform for all your work and gaming equipment with a maximum load capacity of 300 pounds.3. Ikea Skarsta
Ultra Cheap Standing Desk
Dimensions: 47″ x 27.5″ x 47″ Max Load: 110 pounds Height Adjustable: 27.5″ x 47″
Buying a standing desk doesnt have to break the bank, so if you want to save some money go with a manually adjustable desk like the Ikea Skarsta. It offers a 47- by 27.5-inch work surface and is available in beige or white. In terms of height adjustments, the unit can go from 27.5-inches to 47-inches via a manual crank.The 110-pound weight capacity should be enough to handle most office or gaming setups, and levelers on the feet and a solid steel frame provide a stable, sturdy workspace. There arent a lot of frills here, but if youre looking for a new desk that doesn’t cost a months rent, the Ikea Skarsta is a good choice.
4. Jarvis L-Shaped Standing Desk
Best L-Shaped Standing Desk
Dimensions: 60″ x 60″ x 48.5″ (L-Shape) Max Load: 530 pounds Height Adjustable: 23″ – 48.5″
L-Shaped desks are great for workstations and battlestations positioned in the corner of the room and they practically give you double the desk space. The only way you could make it even better is to put it on a trio of motorized legs like the Jarvis L-Shaped Standing Desk. While it’s not exactly cheap at $1,250, its still more affordable than a lot of motorized L-shaped standing desks.The Jarvis, by Fully, is backed by a seven-year warranty and is available in three color options. This setup gives you two 60-inch wide bamboo work surfaces, and it has a pair of cable management grommets to keep things tidy. The electric motor is also rated to lift 530 pounds. Not satisfied with the available surfaces? The Jarvis also comes as a frame-only option, so you can bolt on any spare tabletop you want. The onboard controller can store up to four height presets, and the frame raises from 23- inches to 48.5-inches, with a soft start/stop.
5. Herman Miller Motia Gaming Desk
Best Standing Desk for Gaming
Dimensions: 60″ x 30″ x 46″ Max Load: 250 pounds Height Adjustable: 27″ to 46″
Gamers don’t get left out when it comes to standing desks. As long as you can get your monitor high enough, it’s actually reasonable to game while standing at a desk, as it allows to you keep your body moving a little bit more, especially between rounds of competitive games. And, of course, you can always lower it back down for more relaxed or seated play.The Motia Gaming Desk from Herman Miller is built to deliver the premium sit-stand desk experience for gamers. It has an easy-to-use lever that will raise or lower the desk surface with a powered lift, letting you dial in the height anywhere from 27 inches up to 46 inches. At 30 inches deep and 60 inches wide, that’s a lot of adjustable desk space. You don’t have to worry about how much you put on it either, as the lift can handle 250 pounds, so you can comfortably mount a couple of monitors or even a modest gaming TV on the desk. The desk even includes cable management to help you keep the space tidy.
6. Uplift V2 4-Leg Standing Desk
Best High-Performance Standing Desk
Dimensions: 60″ x 30″ x 50.9″ Max Load: 535 pounds Height Adjustable: 25.3″ – 50.9″
Two-legged standing desks are nice an all but there’s always going to be some inherent wobble even with a crossbar. If you want a standing desk that’s basically solid as a rock you’re going to need the Uplift V2 4-Leg Standing Desk. this is one of the few standing desks on the market that comes with four motorized legs.All that extra support kills any rocking from happening either side to side or from front to back. Another bonus of having a standing desk with four motorized legs is it can lift way more, up to 535 pounds to be exact.
7. ApexDesk AirDesk
Best Pneumatic Standing Desk
Dimensions: 59″ x 29″ x 48″ Max Load: 180 pounds Height Adjustable: 29″ – 48″
Standing desks are nice but if you’re not a fan of slow and loud electric motors, then maybe a pneumatic-assisted desk is the best option for you. Of all the pneumatic standing desks we’ve seen the ApexDesk AirDesk hits the best balance of features to price. Instead of using motors, a pneumatic system uses springs and counterweights to help you lift and lower your standing desk between 29 and 48 inches high.You’ll have to put in a bit more effort to adjust your desk, but it’s also a lot quicker, quieter, and not to mention cheaper. At roughly $400 for a 59-inch wide tabletop, this standing desk is fairly affordable. This model also features a sturdy steel frame complete with a crossbar for added stability, and it can hold up to 180 pounds of weight.
8. Ergotron WorkFit-T Standing Desk Converter
Best Sit-Stand Desk Converter
Dimensions: 35″ x 22.25″ x 20″ Max Load: 40 pounds Height Adjustable: 5″ – 20″
Youve already made a decent investment in your office desk, so why toss it out? Ergotron has a desk add-on that lets you convert your existing desk to a standing model while simultaneously adding a ton of utility to it. With a 35-inch work surface, the WorkFit-T Standing Desk Converter can easily accommodate dual-monitor setups and it doubles as a screen riser. Meanwhile, the lower deck is more than large enough to accommodate a full-sized keyboard and mouse.Unlike the standing desks on this, this sit-stand desk converter requires no setup at all, you just need to plop it down on top of your desktop. After you’ve placed all your gear on the Ergotron WorkFit-T, give the two side paddles a good squeeze and you’ll be able to lift up your whole setup with ease and give it an extra 15-inches in height.
9. Xdesk Flex
Best Couch-Side Standing Desk
Dimensions: 30″ x 24″ x 49″ Max Load: 100 pounds Height Adjustable: up to 49″
The Xdesk Flex brings the flexibility of a standing desk to the comfort of your couch. As wild of a combo as this might seem, there are plenty of people who like working and gaming from their couch, and so a height-adjustable table can make your life much ergonomic while in the living room or the recreational area at work.The Xdesk Flex can go from being a low-sitting coffee table to an upright standing desk in a couple of seconds. Best of all it’s completely battery-powered, so you don’t need to have to worry about tripping over wires constantly. It also has a weight capacity of 100 pounds, it won’t collapse on you if you lean on it.
10. EvoDesk Pro Aviator
Best High-End Standing Desk
Dimensions: 72″ x 72″ x 49.5″ (L-Shape) Max Load: 500 pounds Height Adjustable: 23.75″ – 49.5″
The EvoDesk Pro Aviator is the ultimate standing desk. Between its arrow-head shaped silhouette, the four motorized legs, and its immense 500-pound load capacity, there isn’t a more premium standing desk than this. EvoDesk Pro Aviator’s unique shape also gives it 22.7 square-feet of surface area for you to work and yet everything in that space is within easy reach since you stand or sit in the center of it all.Kevin Lee is IGN’s Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam