Best Overall:Uplift V2 Standing Desk
Buying a desk doesn’t seem like too difficult a task. Find one that’s pretty enough to sit in your office, has enough storage and space to house all your trinkets, and hope for the best. But shopping online might make it difficult to know if it’ll be good for your body long-term. Ergonomics are tricky, and a poor setup can leave you with serious back or wrist pain.
You don’t have to commit to a standing desk to resolve those ergonomic woes–a few accessories might make your current desk perfectly usable–but it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the added option of getting on your feet for a bit during a long workday. Whether your current setup has wreaked havoc on your posture or you’re just taking the precautions necessary to prevent that, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the best computer desk to suit your needs. And since the best desk is a standing desk, it only makes sense reviewers would agree, as evidenced by the highly-rated furnishings below.
Best Overall: Uplift V2 Standing Desk
After spending my first six months of quarantine back in my childhood home, my wrists and lower back were in pretty awful shape. Holding my phone hurt after a long day of typing, and I found myself slouching a little too often in my family’s stiff dining room chairs. Once I got back home to California, I jumped on grabbing an Uplift V2 Standing Desk—and haven’t looked back since.
It’s one of the most customizable options you can get, with a slew of different finishes, sizes, frame configurations, and accessories to tack on. The base model starts at $600, and can easily reach over $1,000 depending on how you customize it. Its surface is sturdy and looks nice in my office, the adjustable-height mechanism is smooth and stable, and the setup is pretty quick even if you have to do it solo.
If you’re looking for more than just a desk, you can upgrade to have a couple of outlets right on top of your setup for easy access, get some upgraded cable management gear to keep things tidy, or even grab a slide-out keyboard tray for improved ergonomics and a little extra surface room. I’d recommend getting the C-Frame model for increased stability, even if it’s an $80 add-on. It’s also worth it to get the advanced keypad if you’re planning on switching between sitting and standing a lot, or if it’s going to be used by more than one person.
Best Cheap Desk: Monomi Electric Standing Desk
Nice as it is, the UpLift is on the more expensive end, and that’s a reasonable dealbreaker. Standing desks don’t have to raid your savings, though. The Monomi electric height-adjustable standing desk is one of the best available on Amazon right now, according to reviewers, and a 48″ model costs just $300.
Like the Uplift, the Monomi has a keypad that lets you quickly adjust the height of the desk, extendable up to 46″. Unlike the Uplift, though, its keypad and keyboard tray are included, so you won’t have to sweat the upgrade prices. It’s not as elegant-looking as pricier options, not to mention it lacks the C-frame to improve stability, but at half the price, it’s not something you’ll fret too much—the basics are more than plenty.
Best for Small Spaces: Upper Square Babin Standing Desk
For those looking for a minimalist desk, or anyone who likes to use their surface for scribbling as much as they do hunting and pecking, the Upper Square Babin is highly rated on Wayfair. Unlike the Uplift or Monomi, this desk has a groove in the front to get you a little closer to the monitor. Additional features include a glass surface that doubles as a dry erase board you can use for brainstorming, a slide-out drawer, and a built-in USB port.
As with the other options, its height is adjustable and comes with three pre-programmed heights, reaching up to 47″. It typically sells for about $530 (though it’s on sale right now for $410). While that’s not too far off from the Uplift, without any upgradeable options, you won’t have to worry about a shocking price tag at checkout. Currently sitting at 4.7 stars on Wayfair, based on over 700 reviews, customers like it for its easy setup, handy whiteboard surface, and the quality of its height adjustment mechanism.
Best Standing Desk Converter: FlexiSpot Standing Desk Converter
Maybe that’s all too much, and you’d rather spend your money elsewhere. Or perhaps there just isn’t space in your apartment for another big piece of furniture. If you’re not looking to rearrange your whole room, a standing desk converter will do the trick. While the top-reviewed ones aren’t exactly cheap, they’re notably less expensive than true standing desks, with the added benefit of mobility.
If you want the cheapest option with the most positive reception, grab the FlexiSpot standing desk converter. Only $100 on Amazon right now, it doesn’t look as elegant in your office as an elevating desk, but it gets the job done. It can reach up to 28″ high and measures about 28″ wide, so it won’t occupy a ton of room in your house or apartment, plus there’s an electric motor for easy adjustments. Oh, and it’s even got a keyboard tray, so you won’t be giving up too much of that limited surface space. It’s currently sitting at about five stars based on 127 reviews, and customers seem to have few issues with it. As long as you’re okay with a slightly clunky aesthetic, you shouldn’t be disappointed.