How to Choose an Adjustable Standing Desk: An Ultimate Guide

As workplaces take a significant role in our lives, the importance of having a functional and ergonomic office setup has become evident. One essential piece of furniture for a healthy and productive workspace is an adjustable standing desk (also known as a sit-stand desk). With the ability to alternate between sitting and standing positions, these desks can help improve posture, reduce sedentary behavior, and boost productivity.

In this blog, we’ll dive into the many benefits of adjustable standing desks and how they can help you break free from a sedentary life. We’ll also provide practical tips on how to choose the best one for your unique needs.

In This Guide:

Are Adjustable Standing Desks Worth it?

What are the Benefits of Using an Adjustable Standing Desk?

Tips on How to Choose the Perfect Height Adjustable Desk

How to Use an Adjustable Standing Desk Correctly?

Accessories to Complete Your Workplace

Final Thoughts

Are Adjustable Standing Desks Worth it?

You may have heard the phrase “sitting is the new smoking” indicating the prevalent sedentary lifestyle these days. Sitting at a desk 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, can hurt one’s productivity and overall work performance. Plus, sitting too much isn’t just taking a toll on productivity, it also brings a variety of health problems, including back pain, aching shoulder, and a greater chance of developing obesity and diabetes.

It’s no surprise that investing in an adjustable standing desk has become a recipe. Yet you may be uncertain whether a height adjustable desk really lives up to the hype. The answer probably depends on your personal lifestyle and preferences. One sure thing is that using a sit-stand desk to switch between sitting and standing does help alleviate those health and productivity issues linked to prolonged sitting.

What are the Benefits of Using an Adjustable Standing Desk?

Using a height adjustable standing desk is a good choice to improve overall performance and well-being during the workday. Here are 4 benefits of standing at work.

1. Improve Posture

An ergonomic height adjustable desk allows you to adjust the height to a level that promotes a neutral posture, reducing back pain, neck pain, and other discomforts. By switching to a standing position periodically, you can encourage better posture and reduce the risk of these issues.

2. Increase Comfort

Adjustable standing desks offer flexibility to alternate between sitting and standing, allowing you to find a comfortable working posture that suits your body and work style. This helps prevent discomfort and fatigue that may arise from prolonged sitting.

3. Enhance Productivity

Using an adjustable standing desk is believed to lead to increased productivity and focus. By standing for part of your workday, you can boost your circulation and metabolism, which can enhance energy levels. It also helps reduce fatigue and boost concentration, leading to more efficient work and better performance.

4. Better Health and Well-being

Adjustable standing desks can contribute to better overall health and well-being. Standing periodically throughout the day helps you combat sedentary behavior and improve circulation and metabolism. You may find that you are better able to stay engaged and energized. This can lead to a more enjoyable and fulfilling work experience overall.

Tips on How to Choose the Perfect Height Adjustable Desk

If you’re sold on the benefits of height adjustable standing desks and the harm of prolonged sitting, you may be starting to search for a suitable sit-to-stand desk. To help narrow down your choices, we list key features to look for when selecting one.

1. Consider the Height Range

A good adjustable standing desk provides a wide range of height adjustment options that can adapt to different users and needs. Look for desks that can be adjusted high enough for tall individuals and lowered to suit those who are shorter.

2. Check Weight Capacity

The weight capacity is another essential feature to consider. Make sure the desk can handle the weight of your computer and other stuff without feeling wobbly or unstable.

3. Check Stability and Durability

Look for desks that are made of quality materials and have sturdy construction to minimize wobbling or tipping when in use.

4. Consider Noise

If you work in a shared space or have sensitive ears, you’ll go for a desk featuring a quiet controller to reduce noise and distraction when adjusting the desk.

5. Ease of Adjustment

Consider how easy it is to switch the desk between sitting and standing positions. Look for desks with smooth and easy adjustment settings to effortlessly adjust positions throughout the day.

6. Choose Manual or Electric

Height adjustable standing desks come in 2 main types – manual and electric. Manual desks require more effort to adjust the height, while electric standing desks are powered by motors and allow you to change preferences with a click of a button.

7. Evaluate Space Requirements

Measure your workplace and consider the size and shape of the desk to ensure it will fit comfortably in your space and provide enough area for your needs.

8. Budget Also Matters

Consider how much you’re willing to invest in an adjustable desk. Prices can vary widely, depending on features such as size, material, and adjustability. It’s important to set a budget and look for the desk that offers the features you need while affording the price tag.

9. Reviews will Help

Read customer reviews to gain insights into the quality and performance of different desks. You can pay more attention to stability and adjustability issues, which will affect your overall experience. Compare prices, features, and feedback to make a final decision.

Read more: 3 Best Sit to Stand Desks in 2023

How to Use an Adjustable Standing Desk Correctly?

Once you’ve chosen a height adjustable desk, it’s important to use it correctly. The following 3 tips will help you maximize the benefits and minimize the disadvantages.

1. Choose the Proper Standing Desk Height

A correct height ensures that you maintain proper posture and avoid strain on your joints and muscles. When standing, your elbows should be bent to form a 90-degree angle, and your screen should be at eye level. When seated, level your hips with your knees, and rest your feet comfortably on the floor.

2. Balancing Sitting and Standing Time

Our bodies were not designed to sit or stand around all day. We are designed to freely stand, walk, run, bend, etc. Sitting or standing for extended periods is bad for our health. So it’s critical to strike a balance between sitting and standing time. You can change positions every 30 minutes to reduce discomfort and fatigue. It is also recommended to keep your body moving throughout the day to release the tension in your body.

3. Use a Footwear and Anti-fatigue Mat

Supportive footwear or anti-fatigue mats provide cushioning and support, reducing strain, discomfort, and fatigue when standing for extended periods.

Accessories to Complete Your Workplace

1. Ergonomic Chair

Pair your height adjustable desk with an ergonomic office chair to take your workplace or office to the next level. Ergonomic office chairs are specially designed to protect your spine and relieve discomfort during long-term work. With the flexibility to adjust the seat height and backrest, you are able to work more comfortably when sitting.

2. Keyboard trays

A keyboard tray may come in handy if you need to move the keyboard and mouse off the desk to save the workplace. It also keeps your wrists and fingers comfortable when you’re typing.

3. Monitor arms

A monitor arm is an awesome piece of equipment to improve your sit-stand desk setup. It allows you to adjust the monitor to find the most comfortable posture – whether you’re sitting or standing.

4. Storage

Considering the limited area a desk can offer, filing cabinets may be needed for additional storage. Similar to monitor arms and keyboard trays, a filing cabinet with ample storage can keep your desk organized and help declutter your workplace.

Final Thoughts

Height adjustable desks are part of a growing trend of enhancing overall health and well-being in the workplace. If you’re working a sedentary lifestyle, having an adjustable standing desk can benefit your productivity, health, and well-being. With its adjustability and flexibility, it can lead to healthier working habits and a healthier lifestyle.

A standing desk won’t magically fix poor posture or help you lose weight, but it can offer health benefits.

“The primary ergonomic benefit of a standing desk (also called a sit-stand desk) is the ability to move throughout the day,” says Dana Keester, an ergonomics expert in CR’s Consumer Experience & Usability Research group, who led our evaluation. “Incorporating regular movement and postural changes throughout the day increases blood circulation and allows you to activate different muscle groups.”

You can even use a standing desk with some treadmills and exercise bikes.

While you’re sitting, a height-adjustable standing desk can also provide a more ergonomic and comfortable work surface than many fixed-height desks, which are too high for shorter users. Just like with a great office chair, adjustability is critical. 

Other than the Ikea Bekant, all the desks we evaluated included a collision-avoidance feature, which is supposed to make the desktop retract if it collides with something. Our interest in this feature was sparked when a desk with collision avoidance pressed down on one participant’s lap hard enough to be painful and make the desk tilt back on its rear legs. He had to scramble to find the right button to raise the desk back up and relieve the pressure.

We didn’t score the desks on this feature, but we did spend time in the lab investigating how it works. The desks exerted anywhere from about 40 pounds to 80 pounds of force before retracting, depending on the model and the procedure we used in each of the trials we ran. Several desks have controls that are supposed to let you adjust the sensitivity. We tested the desks using the maximum sensitivity available. 

One other note on safety: We declined to evaluate certain models we bought because they used an exposed driveshaft to raise and lower the desktop. If you’re shopping online, desks that use a driveshaft will usually say they have a single motor. But it’s often not clear whether the driveshaft is covered to prevent shoelaces, a child’s fingers, fabric from a skirt, or anything else from getting caught as it rotates. Desks with two motors, one on each side of the desk, don’t need a driveshaft. 

Ashita Kapoor, CR’s associate director for product safety says: “After installation and assembly of your standing desk, if you notice any exposed components, make sure no obstacles are in the desk’s path.” As with all electric height-adjustable desks, you want to make sure children and pets are away from it during operation.