Home » Reviews » Best Standing Desks 2023 (Converter and Sit/stand)

Best Standing Desks 2023 (Converter and Sit/stand)

A more in-depth look at today's market to find only the best standing desks on offer

Updated: Oct 19, 2023 12:19 pm
Best Standing Desks 2023 (Converter and Sit/stand)

WePC is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Prices subject to change. Learn more

Today is finally the day we get to sit down and review a selection of the best standing desks available in today’s marketplace. Wait, what? Nevermind…

As anyone who’s ever had a desk job will know, you can very quickly turn from a lithe, active, and energetic person, to an achy and grouchy misanthrope. This is in no small part to the long hours spent sitting at a desk, usually in ergonomically unideal conditions. If your office chair isn’t designed with health in mind, it won’t encourage your spine to assume the S-shape curve it likes the most. Luckily, this is where the best standing desks in 2024 can help, as the S curve is how your spine naturally sits when stood up, meaning that you can forget the idea of getting a fancy office chair to prevent back pain, instead you could just stand up the whole time.

So, let’s have a look at the best options if purchasing a standing desk is your chosen route to being a paragon of posture.

Best standing desks: First look



Best standing desk: Reviews

The best of the best

Jarvis Standing Desk Bamboo

Jarvis Standing Desk Bamboo

Height Adjustable

Yes

Type

Sit/stand desk

Materials

bamboo, metal

Load capacity

350Lbs

Pros
  • Bamboo used for desk surface
  • Automated lift mechanism
  • Sleek design
  • Large surface area
Cons
  • On the expensive side

Meet our number one selection for best standing desk, the Jarvis bamboo standing desk. Before you ask, yes, they have used real bamboo for the surface of this desk, it looks superb. This desk comes to the table, mind the pun, with much more than just solid build materials though.

Not always the number one priority, but certainly a huge plus in this specific desk, is its ability to accommodate 350lbs of weight. we’re not sure when you’re going to utilize this strength during a workday of gaming session but it’s good to know it’s there if you do.

The design is extremely attractive and suits many home and office settings which again, is a huge plus for us. The desk’s height adjustment works at the push of a button and ranges from 23.25″ to 49.25″ meaning this desk can cater to all users young and old.  The electronic mechanism smoothly adjusts the steel frame and it’s very easy to use thanks to presets readily installed.

The desk comes in a number of iterations from standard to contoured and in a range of different surface sizes. Furthermore, it comes with two cable management grommets that are handy add-ons help make this desk look sleek from all angles as they handily hide cords and even a small power strip within the desk’s frame.

The only downside to this desk is the price tag that comes with it. It’s pretty hefty. For that, however, you do get unrivaled materials and a plethora of cool features that you don’t with lesser desks. Jarvis desks are the best of the best when it comes to build quality so you won’t have to worry about pesky warranties this time.


The runner up

Varidesk Electric Pro

Varidesk Pro electric

Height Adjustable

Yes

Type

Sit/stand desk

Materials

Heavy duty Laminate & steel

Load capacity

300lb+

Pros
  • Great stylish design
  • Feels built to last
  • Height adjustment mechanism feels well built
  • Large work surface
Cons
  • Very expensive

The Varidesk is our runner up in this guide but not by much. Build quality and materials are of the highest caliber as are its aesthetics and design features. One of the main features of this desk is its huge work surface which has the ability to house multiple monitors, laptops and pretty much anything else you would likely throw at it.

The design is similar to that of the Jarvis only this desk has a horizontal stabilizing rod between its legs, cheeky. The Varidesk has slightly less load capacity which tops out at 300lbs, again though, not sure when that amount of strength would be useful.

Also, like the Jarvis, the Varidesk comes with an electronic motor that adjusts the height of the desk. That height ranges from 25.5” to 50.5” high which is ideal for all heights and body types. At maximum height, the desk feels extremely sturdy, exactly what you want form a standing desk.

Overall, the Varidesk is a fantastic option and one that is seriously worth your consideration. It could easily be our number one spot, but today falls just short.


The converter pick

VIVO Height Adjustable Standing Desk

VIVO height adjustable standing desk

Height Adjustable

Yes

Type

Standing Desk

Materials

High-grade steel & MDF

Pros
  • Great value for money
  • Good range of adjust-ability
  • Very simple assembly process
  • Compact design
Cons
  • Limited keyboard/mouse space

The Vivo is the first standing desk converter in this list and offers something that the top 2 do not. Before we get into that though, let’s look at the design of this thing.

So, the Vivo is an ON desk standing desk, if that makes sense? I.E, you need a pre-existing desk to use this thing. It basically converts your current desk into a standing one. Glad we cleared that one up.

In fairness, you’ve probably seen these before dotted around the office place for people who like to adjust their position midway through the day. However, you’ve probably not seen one of this quality.

It gives users a decent 31″ work surface and a height adjustment of up to 19″ which pretty much covers all bases in that regard. The design is one that promotes a professional feel and looks extremely sleek. The mechanism to adjust the height is altered using a leaver on the side of the desk and is very easy to use. Additionally, it includes a keyboard tray which is a bit of a throwback. Fun f act, these used to be widespread due to how much workspace room huge CRT monitors used to take up.

You get all this for a very affordable price tag, especially if you compare it to the top 2 on this list. If you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to what’s above, this is a great option.


The workmen’s pick

Crank Adjustable Height Standing Desk

Crank adjustable height standing desk

Height Adjustable

Yes

Type

Sit/stand Desk

Materials

Heavy-duty steel & veneered MDF

Load capacity

154lbs

Pros
  • Smooth crank mechanism
  • Easy assembly
  • Sleek, subtle design
  • Shows good value for money
Cons
  • Longevity is questionable

The crank height adjustable desk is what we like to call, the workmen’s desk. This doesn’t have the luxury of a handy motor like electric standing desks to uplift the working surface, you physically have to walk around and crank that thing up. However, what this desk loses in functionality, is made up for in its price. Almost half what other desks retail at.

This being said, you can tell straight away, the materials that are used in this standing desk are of lesser quality than that of the top picks. However, the hand crank mechanism is easy to use and does feel well made and built to last.

Heavy-duty steel has been used for the frame of this desk and the mechanism that adjusts it. Great news for longevity. It also looks very sleek and would fit into most home office environments very easily. If it doesn’t though, fear not, this model comes in a huge number of variants.


Best budget standing desk

FEZIBO 30″ Black Stand Up Desk

Fezibo 30 black stand up desk

Height Adjustable

Yes

Type

Standing Desk

Materials

Unknown

Load capacity

33lbs

Pros
  • Sturdy design
  • Mechanism is very easy to use
  • Nice design which looks clean and professional
  • Budget standing desk
Cons
  • Can only accommodate 33lbs of weight

Finally, we come to the Fezibo 30″ stand-up desk, our budget option and one that displays excellent value for money. It’s the only desk on this list that comes to shelves under $100 (at the time of writing this).

The design is black and looks extremely professional within a working environment. The height mechanism, which ranges from 4″ to 20″, is extremely tactile and feels built to last. A leaver is used to adjust said height meaning you can change from sitting to standing in no time at all.

Being our budget offering, naturally, this desk comes to the table with the least amount of features. However, it keeps the core criteria that you would want from a standing desk intact which for some, is all they need.

Overall, the Fezibo is a great little desk that caters to the consumer on a budget and offers everything you need from a standing desk without being too flashy.


How we choose

A question that crops up all the time, is how we decide which product is best and why? Well, it’s a fairly simple process and one the team has had to complete hundreds of times before.

If we don’t get sent the products for testing and reviewing, we’ll physically go and buy the hardware and do our tests that way. We usually buy 8-10 of the best, most known products in that field, do our tests, and whittle that list down to a top 5. The products usually go through a couple of different testing scenarios via different people to make sure we have more of a general consensus at the end of the process.

How we test

If we’re able to get a hold of the product in question we spend as much time as we’re allowed using the desk for various purposes, including gaming, general office work, and any other things desks are used for. In addition to this, we consider the max load, overall design, and arguably most importantly, the build quality.

If we can’t get ahold of the desk, we’ll read reviews from other trusted editorial outlets and see what they say. We pay particular attention to things that come up repeatedly between different reviews as this hints toward a strong possibility that it’s a widespread issue with the product, as opposed to a singular failure in quality control.

Things to consider

We don’t just recommend the best products here at WEPC, we like to educate the reader on what to look for in a standing desk in case none of our offerings take their fancy. Whether you’re buying a new GPU or a fancy new office chair, making sure you’re up to speed on primary areas is a crucial part of the purchasing process.

The following are a few of the key areas which will make the buying process much easier:

Build quality

These days, when people buy a desk, they aren’t buying something that’s going to last a few months, they’re buying a product that’s going to last 5+ years. Making sure a product is going to last the test of time comes down to a few factors but build quality is one of the most important. Read reviews, look at the desk itself, and make sure what you’re thinking of buying is built WELL.

Weight capacity

Usually, load capacity in your average office desk isn’t of the highest importance. However, with a standing desk, a user will sometimes fall into the habit of leaning or overloading their desktops with an extensive gaming setup so they don’t have to bend down to get their items. This being said, you really want your desk to have a solid load capacity so you don’t find your new computer and corresponding accessories on the floor.

Electronic height control

This is a pretty big area to look at, especially if you frequently switch between standing and sitting. Most desks with electric height control work via a set of buttons found on the desk itself. This allows for effortless adjustment unless you go for a budget option with a manual crank. Additionally,

Features

Features in a standing desk, or a normal computer desk for that matter, can be little or many depending on its price. However, if you’re specifically buying a desk to accommodate certain needs, you need to make sure that the features are up to scratch. A low amount of features doesn’t necessarily make the desk any worse than the competition. It just stops it from catering to people with specific needs. One of the most sought-after features of desks is ample storage space. Given that we’re talking about standing desks we won’t find an integrated drawer here. However, picking a desk that’s wider than you need will allow room for shelving underneath which will help you keep your tabletop uncluttered, which, in turn, will allow you to concentrate on gaming or even working if that tertiary need arises.

These are some of the core factors that make a desk right for you. There are a bunch of other areas to consider such as weight, price, style, aesthetics, and functionality. But as a general rule, if your standing desk has these 3 boxes ticked off, you’re in good company.

Stability

This is normally a given when it comes to desks, but as standing desks have more moving parts, they are prone to instability if the tolerances between the parts aren’t tight.

Health Benefits Of A Standing Desk

A few of you might be asking yourself at this stage of the article, what’s the point in getting a standing desk, and 9 times out of 10 it comes down to ergonomics, which, when unaccounted usually comprised of the following.

  • Back pain
  • Joint pain
  • Breathing issues
  • Weight issues

These are a couple of the reasons why certain individuals either seek out or are recommended a standing desk by their physician.

It’s not just medical benefits that can be seen whilst using standing desks though, we also understand being upright and mobile can increase productivity exponentially. It can also reduce weight and put you in a better mood according to case studies done over long periods of standing desk usage.

Down for more desk content? Have a look at some of our other pages right below.

Final Word

Standing desks are an oddly trendy thing right now, not only do they make you stand proudly overlooking the office like a meerkat surveying the savannah, but they have some proven health benefits due to the spinal alignment that comes from standing. If you stand up straight, that is, otherwise you might find them to have less of a positive effect than you’d expect.

If you aren’t comfortable with your current working situation or need a change to boost productivity, We’d seriously recommend checking out one of these great products.


Trusted Source

WePC’s mission is to be the most trusted site in tech. Our editorial content is 100% independent and we put every product we review through a rigorous testing process before telling you exactly what we think. We won’t recommend anything we wouldn’t use ourselves. Read more