Standing Desks: How To Choose The Right Solution
What Is A Standing Desk?
A standing desk, also known as a sit-stand or height-adjustable desk, gives you the flexibility to work at both sitting and standing heights. Rather than remaining in one position throughout the working day, you can adjust the desk to change your position and encourage more movement.
With a range of sizes, designs and adjustment options available, standing desks are suitable for a variety of environments, from home offices and small workspaces to corporate offices, hot-desking areas and shared workstations.
Types Of Standing Desks
There are two main types of standing desk: manual and electric. Both provide the flexibility of sit-stand working, but the way they are adjusted makes them suited to different users and environments.
- Manual standing desks use a crank or squeeze handle to change the height of the desk. They can be a cost-effective option where the desk height doesn't need to be changed frequently, or where access to a power supply is limited. Manual adjustment can also provide a simple and reliable solution for individual workstations where the user has a preferred sitting and standing height. Our go-to recommendations is the Freedom Gas Lift Standing Desk which includes a single lever adjustment and gas-assisted mechanism. An alternative manual solution would be the Mod-C Crank Height Adjustable Desk.
- Electric standing desks use a motor and simple controls to raise and lower the desk at the touch of a button. This makes changing between sitting and standing quick and effortless, particularly for users who regularly change position throughout the working day. Electric desks are also well suited to hot-desking and shared workstations, as different users can quickly adjust the desk to their preferred height. Some models also include programmable height settings, allowing users to save their preferred sitting and standing positions. Our go-to recommendation is the Freedom Electric Standing Desk, which offers high-quality and excellent features at an extremely affordable cost. The Freedom Mini Electric Standing Desk is also a great option for smaller spaces as well as the Freedom Electric Three-Legged Standing Desk for larger spaces.
Whether manual or electric, the best choice will depend on how frequently the desk needs to be adjusted, who will be using it, the working environment and your budget.
What are the benefits of using a standing desk?
The main purpose of a standing desk isn't to eliminate sitting, but to make it easier to alternate between sitting, standing and moving throughout the working day.
Spending long periods in the same position can contribute to discomfort and fatigue, particularly for people who work at a computer for several hours at a time. A height-adjustable desk allows you to change position without interrupting your work, helping to break up prolonged periods of sitting.
Research has found that sit-stand workstations can significantly reduce the amount of time people spend sitting during the working day. Regularly changing position can also encourage a more active working routine, although standing itself shouldn't be considered a replacement for regular movement or exercise.
How to choose the right standing desk
With so many options available, choosing the right standing desk isn't simply about finding a design you like. The desk should suit your available space, working habits, height requirements and equipment.
- How much space do you have?
Start by considering the amount of space available for your workstation. Think about both the width and depth of the desktop, as well as the space around it. A compact desk may be ideal for a smaller home office, while larger workspaces may benefit from a wider or deeper desktop. Consider your equipment too. A laptop with keyboard and mouse requires less space than a dual-monitor setup and other accessories for example.
- Do you need a manual or electric desk?
Consider both how often the desk will be adjusted and who will be using it. If you regularly alternate between sitting and standing, an electric desk provides quick and effortless adjustment at the touch of a button. This makes electric models particularly useful for busy offices, hot-desking and shared workstations. Electric adjustment can also be the better option for users who may have limited upper-body strength, mobility or dexterity, making a manual crank or squeeze-handle mechanism difficult to operate. The simple push-button operation of an electric desk allows the workstation to be adjusted with minimal physical effort. If the height only needs to be changed occasionally and the user is comfortable operating a manual mechanism, a manual desk can provide a straightforward and economical solution. They can also be useful where access to mains power is limited.
- What height range do you need?
Not everyone needs the same desk height, so check the minimum and maximum adjustment range before choosing a desk. For most users, a broad height range will provide enough flexibility for comfortable sitting and standing. However, particularly tall or short users may need to look for a desk with a more specific range. This is also important for shared workstations, where one desk needs to accommodate several users.
- How much equipment does it need to support?
Finally, consider everything that will sit on the desk. This could include monitors, computers, laptops, docking stations, keyboards, mice, paperwork and other equipment. Every height-adjustable desk has a maximum weight capacity, so make sure the model you choose can safely support the desktop and all the equipment placed on it. If you're using multiple monitors or heavier specialist equipment, a higher-capacity desk frame may be required.
No Room For A Full Standing Desk?
A standalone desk isn’t a practical solution for everybody. You may have limited space, already have a suitable desk that you don't want to replace, or work from a shared surface such as a dining or kitchen table. A standing desk converter provides a simple alternative. These platforms sit on top of an existing desk or work surface, allowing you to raise your laptop, monitor, keyboard and mouse to a suitable standing height. This gives you the flexibility to alternate between sitting and standing without replacing your existing desk.
Our go-to recommendation would be the Freelift Standing Desk Converter range, available in both manual and electric models. This product range is also available in various sizes, colours and is compatible with our EasyView Gas Monitor Arms. Other brands of standing desk converters are also available.
If you're unsure which solution is right for you, don’t hesitate to Contact Us so that we can recommend a standing desk that meets your requirements.
