A good standing desk can make a big difference in how you feel at work, especially if you're someone who crouches over their desk and deals with back or neck soreness. The best models let you move easily between sitting and standing, helping you build healthier habits and even feel more productive. Standing throughout the day can reduce sedentary time and ease common aches, though experts note that the real goal is balance — too much standing can strain your circulation just as too much sitting can.
A desk is just one part of an ergonomic setup. Pairing it with monitor arms or a laptop stand and a supportive desk chair will help you maintain comfortable posture.
Our team has tested dozens of standing desks and converters over the years, evaluating height range, noise and speed, stability, desktop size, and customization options. Our top pick is the Uplift V2 Standing Desk for its impressive stability and wide range of add-ons. For a more affordable option, we recommend the Flexispot E2 Essential Standing Desk. It doesn't offer as many customizations and has a lower weight capacity, but it's quiet, smooth, and includes four memory presets.
Read more about how Insider Reviews tests home products.
Our picks of the best standing desks
Best overall: Uplift V3 Standing Desk - See at Uplift
Best budget: Flexispot E2 Standing Desk - See at Amazon
Another budget option: Vivo Electric Standing Desk - See at Amazon
Best heavy duty: Flexispot E7 Pro Standing Desk - See at Flexispot
Best for cable management: Secretlab Magnus Pro - See at Secretlab
Best for small spaces: Branch Duo Standing Desk - See at Amazon
Best with drawer: Burrow Copilot Standing Desk - See at Burrow
Best for tall people: Branch Standing Desk - See at Branch
Best converter: Vivo K Series - See at Amazon
Best overall
Uplift’s new V3 standing desk is highly customizable and has a sturdier frame, 355-pound weight capacity, improved cable management, and a streamlined install.
- Customizable with lots of styles and accessories
- Stable at tall heights and can support heavy loads
- FlexMount Cable Manager included
- Collision detection
- Compliant with ANSI/BIFMA standards for stability and ergonomics to suit 95% of population
- Large list of add-ons can feel overwhelming and get expensive
- May not be tall enough for those who are over 6’4”
Uplift has been one of our go-to standing desks for years, thanks to its durability, stability, and endless customization options. The brand has long held the top spot for making the best standing desk you can buy, but we've updated our pick to focus on the new V3 model, which we prefer over the V2. Released in September 2025, it's easier to assemble, features better cable management, and has a sturdier frame for better stability.
The new V3 offers a more inclusive height range of 22.6 to 48.7 inches, meeting 2021 BIFMA (Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association) ergonomic standards and fitting about 95% of users (anyone from 5 feet to 6-foot-4). The previous V2 model ranged from 25.3 to 50 inches and was available in both standard and commercial versions. If you're on the taller side, adding the caster wheels can give you a bit of extra height.
Customization is where Uplift really shines. You can choose from tons of desktop materials — laminate, bamboo, solid wood butcher block — and mix and match frame styles, keypads, and accessories like drawers, monitor arms, power strips, and privacy panels. If that sounds overwhelming, Uplift offers a few pre-configured setups to make the process easier. Every desk now comes with the FlexMount Cable Manager, a pouch-style system along the back that can hold up to 10 pounds of cords and power bricks.
Assembly took me about an hour on my own, and it was noticeably faster than putting together the V2. Uplift reduced the number of screws and added pre-assembled crossbars, fasteners, and a control box. The instructions were straightforward, though installing the optional drawer was tricky since it didn't come with pre-drilled holes.
Once assembled, the V3 performs beautifully. It has the same 355-pound lifting capacity as the V2 and stays impressively quiet, moving from the lowest to the tallest setting in about 13 seconds. The desk feels rock-solid at any height, thanks to its reinforced steel foot, stability plates that reduce side-to-side movement, and a crossbar that evenly distributes weight.
The digital keypad allows you to view the desk's exact height and program preset positions for sitting and standing. You can even add a Bluetooth adapter to control it from your phone, track how often you sit or stand, and set reminders to move more throughout the day.
Read our full Uplift V3 Standing Desk review.
Best budget
The no-frills Flexispot E2 Standing Desk moves quickly, smoothly, and quietly to reach your desired height. It's an affordable option for people who need a basic standing desk.
- Straightforward controls
- Spacious
- Quiet and very stable
- Difficult to assemble
- No storage
- Control panel can be a bit glitchy
There's no way around the fact that standing desks are more expensive than traditional desks, but FlexiSpot's budget-friendly offering comes in at around $200, which is about as low as you'll find for a motorized standing desk that is still spacious and sturdy. Flexispot makes a dizzying array of models, but the E2 is its least expensive option. On Flexispot's website, you can customize the desk with a range of desktop materials and accessories, but if you suffer from decision fatigue, you can just buy the whole thing pre-configured on Amazon, where it is sold as the EN1.
We tested the Pro version of the E2, which is now discontinued, but the only real difference between the Pro and the current version is that the cable management was included (for an extra $40, you can just add it to the current configuration).
The overall desk quality was comparable to some of the more expensive models we've tested. The desktop has enough space for two monitors and other deskstop accessories. With a simple two-button push system, it lifts to your desired height at a smooth and quiet rate of one inch per second. Importantly, it doesn't look cheap, which is an issue we've seen with other budget standing desks.
The biggest drawback of the desk is that the assembly instructions aren't clear, and some parts don't fit together as well as they should. Fortunately, assembly is usually a one-time task; since putting all the pieces together, the desk has run smoothly, quietly, and without issue.
Read our full Flexispot standing desk review.
Another excellent option under $200
A worthy choice for anyone looking to check out the standing desk scene while staying on a sensible budget. The selection of sizes and tabletop finishes should help you find a style that suits your room, too, while memory presets make it easy for users to adjust between sitting and standing.
- Affordable
- Great selection of sizes and worktop surfaces
- 4 programmable height presets
- Collision detection safety features don’t work
- Build instructions unclear
- Poor cable management
The Vivo standing desk is a great alternative to Flexispot, with a wide range of surface sizes and colors to choose from. Once it's set up, the desk feels sturdy, supporting up to 176 pounds, which is more than enough for a few monitors, a desktop PC, or even a gaming setup. I'm around 150 pounds, and it had no problem lifting me to its 48.5-inch limit.
Assembly was a bit frustrating, however, with vague instructions for leg width adjustments and a lack of some pre-drilled holes. It required a little extra effort with a Philips head screwdriver.
This very affordable standing desk has four programmable height settings, making it ideal for shared workspaces.
A child lock adds safety, but the collision detection, which is supposed to stop the desk mid-movement if someone bangs into it or it detects resistance, is unreliable. In testing, the desk failed to stop when met with resistance, raising concerns for households with children or for protecting furniture beneath.
Also, the motor overheats easily, as I discovered during initial setup, when a 'Hot' warning displayed well under the 15 minutes mentioned in the manual, but it was fine after leaving it for a few minutes. I haven't seen the error message since. Even so, that's a minor red flag for durability.
Compared to Flexispot's entry-level desks, the differences are slim. Vivo offers a height range of 29.3 to 48.5 inches, while Flexispot ranges from 28.1 to 45.7 inches. Flexispot edges ahead slightly on weight capacity at 187 pounds versus Vivo's 176. In practice, both far exceed the needs of most home offices. The two are very similar, and it could ultimately come down to whichever is on sale at the moment. — Brendan Griffiths, senior commerce director
Best heavy duty
Flexispot's most premium and heavy-duty offering, the E7 Pro has a powerful motor, greater adjustability, and a semi-C Leg structure for added stability and comes with a 15-year warranty.
- Customizable options
- Can lift up to 440 pounds of weight without wobbling
- Control lets you save height presets and has built-in USB charging port
- Complicated assembly
- Not as quiet as other desks
- Arrives in separate boxes over multiple days
In terms of crowning a best overall, it was a toss-up between the Uplift and Flexispot's E7 Pro.
Uplift had a slight edge in terms of total customization and ease of installation. However, Flexispot is remarkably budget-friendly, and its pro model can lift upward of 440 pounds. This makes it ideal for people with heavy gear to load up the desk and provides added peace of mind if leaning on the table with body weight.
"I couldn't believe how well it did during the weight testing process — lifting and lowering my entire body with ease," said tester Alex Temblador.
The Flexispot is another heavily customizable option available in multiple sizes and desktops, including chipboard, wood, bamboo, or as a frame-only option. Of the control panel, Temblador liked that it was easy to program the standing and sitting heights with four presets and a digital height display. It could rise and lower an inch in less than two seconds. "I liked that the control panel had a USB port, as it made charging my phone while I worked much easier."
With a maximum standing height of 50.6 inches and a minimum height of 25 inches, it's well-suited to people of varying heights. The C-Frame has a solid carbon steel base that provides stability and a three-stage lift system. It also comes with an extended cord management tray. However, it's not as quiet as some of the other models we tested, hitting about 61 decibels, but not disruptive either.
Assembly can be a little difficult with the instruction manual and tools provided, but it's hard to beat the price of this standing desk, especially when you compare it to others on the market.
Read our full Flexispot E7 Pro Standing Desk review.
Best for cable management
The Magnus Pro has incredibly thoughtful cable management and supportive add-ons that make it a great choice for gamers, streamers, and anyone who uses multiple monitors and accessories.
- Incredible cable management
- Fast and quiet height adjustment
- Customizable styles and add-ons
- Customizable height presets
- Stable at any height
- Difficult assembly
The Secretlab Magnus Pro is a desk designed for gamers, but you don't need to be one to love it. It offers several customization options to make your perfect desk setup. The metal desktop comes in two spacious sizes, with over a dozen different leather Magpad Desk Mats to choose from. These magnetic leatherwork surfaces sturdily roll out over the metal surface to provide a matte, non-skid workspace that didn't budge during hours of testing. From there, you can add accessories like cable management sheaths, monitor arms, RGB lighting, and PC mounts.
Although its smooth motor, stable desktop, and vast customization options are huge selling points for the Magnus Pro, where this desk truly shines is in its cable management. Pesky cables are the standing desk user's worst enemy, and this desk tames them with a hidden channel at the back of the tabletop for extension cords, chargers, and power cables. The desk itself acts as a power hub of sorts by plugging into your power socket from the leg's base, then rerouting power to an outlet at the top of the desk for you to plug in all of your electronics. It means that all of your cords are connected to the top of the desk, so when you raise or lower it, nothing gets tugged or tangled with the movement.
During testing, I found this to be a flawless solution in motion. After days of use, I was blown away by how freely I could move my desk without fretting about yanked cables. Really, the Magnus Pro is everything it promises to be: a stable base with unrivaled cable management and premium add-ons that just make it better.
Rather than suffering from typical standing desk fallbacks, the Magnus Pro's main setback is just how difficult it is to assemble. Like Ikea furniture on hard mode, this desk arrives in pieces, all of them flat-packed in separate boxes. Though the instructions are detailed, putting it together is a real project that involves a fair amount of crawling around and heavy lifting. It's an incredible desk that I highly recommend to everyone, but you need to be ready for some difficult assembly. — Sarah Saril, deals editor
Read our full Secretlab Magnus Pro Standing Desk review.
Best for small spaces
Branch’s standing desk is simple to set up and easy to move up and down throughout your workday. It comes in 3 different sizes and its sleek design makes it a good option for small spaces.
- Small-space friendly
- Stable, and doesn’t wobble at tall heights
- Pre-drilled holes for easy setup
- Customizable top and leg options
- Meets BIFMA standard for commercial-grade use
- Requires 2 people for setup
- Control pad is not immediately intuitive
- Not ergonomic for taller users over six-foot-one
Our search for a compact desk led us to the Branch Duo Standing Desk, an easy-to-use option that moves seamlessly and quietly to reach your desired height. It's available in three different sizes: 36 x 24 inches, 48 x 24 inches, or 58 x 27 inches, but the smallest option is sized well to fit into a tiny office or apartment.
It's customizable with four different leg options and seven tabletop colors, so there's sure to be an option that suits your decor. You can choose to make the desk monochromatic or add a wood tone to the top. This desk also comes with multiple add-ons, including a front drawer for extra storage and cable management.
Our tester, Rebecca Shinners, lives in a studio and appreciates the desk's sleek design and simple control panel. Programming the sitting and standing heights took a bit of time to get right, but in general, the desk moves quickly and smoothly and feels stable at all heights, supporting up to 275 pounds of weight. There's also an option to set a reminder to stand up to add more movement to your day.
Since we tested this desk, Branch has introduced a Bluetooth adaptor that connects to the Branch app (iOS only), which lets you control your desk, schedule standing time, and monitor time spent standing.
Shinners noted that at 5 feet tall, the desk worked well for petite heights, but its 19.3-inch range of movement (from 27.8 to 47 inches) makes it a good option for users up to 6-foot-1. It ships in two boxes and was mostly straightforward to set up, but some of the wiring was tricky to secure into place and required two people.
Read our full Branch Duo Standing Desk review.
Best with drawer
Burrow’s attractive CoPilot Standing Desk features a hardwood top with a drawer compartment roomy enough to fit a 17” laptop. It easily adjusts to your desired height, up to 48”, whether sitting or standing.
- Built-in drawer is roomy and has soft-close
- Beautiful hardwood is scratch- and water-resistant
- Decent cable storage space
- Easy to adjust height and make presets
- Only available in one size
- Expensive
- Short warranty
Burrow is perhaps most notably known for its modular and easy-to-assemble sofas. The brand ventured into the home office category with the Copilot Standing Desk, which was designed following feedback from a customer survey about the ideal aesthetics, interior storage, and cord management needs for a standing desk. As a result, the Burrow Copilot Standing Desk features a stylish hardwood tabletop (available in oak or walnut), adjustable and stable steel legs, and, most notably, a built-in drawer with a luxe soft-close mechanism and enough space to hide away a 17-inch laptop, extra papers, or small office supplies.
Beyond being incredibly functional, the Copilot caters to my need for something beautiful, too. Very few standing desk brands offer any sort of built-in storage, let alone one that blends into a home office setting. Other design considerations include a hidden monitor mount and a cord organization compartment.
The desk incrementally adjusts from 28.5 to 48 inches. The control panel displays the exact height and has buttons to program three pre-set options. It is situated on the right side, which is convenient for right-handed users, but perhaps less so for left-handed folks. When I'm ready to shift between sitting and standing, the desk smoothly lifts with a low hum to my desired height. I'm comfortable leaning into the desk with my weight at taller heights, but it may wobble if you try to force it.
The Burrow Copilot desk shipped in two packages and included all the necessary tools and instructions for assembly. With the help of another person, I attached the legs, added the motor components, and flipped it right side up, which took me about 40 minutes.
Burrow also sent me a power block that tucks into the cord storage compartment, but my laptop charger prevented the lid from sitting flush. I had better luck turning a traditional surge protector on its side. — Jaclyn Turner, senior home editor
Best for tall people
The Branch Standing Desk has a wide 26 inch adjustment range and can extend up to 52 inches tall, making it a great option for tall people. It's available in four different finishes, two leg colors, and two table sizes.
- Vast 26" height range to suit many types of users
- Quiet and stable
- Meets BIFMA standard for commercial-grade use
- Limited colors and finish options
If you're under 6-foot-7, the other picks in this guide should accommodate you just fine, but if you're any taller, you may want to consider the Branch Standing Desk, which adjusts to 52 inches for people up to 7-foot-1. It's just behind the Uplift desk in terms of adjustment range, but it moves slightly slower, at about 1.5 inches a second.
The frame was sturdy and didn't sway, with a max weight capacity of 275 pounds. However, it's not as customizable as the Uplift. The Branch Standing Desk is available in two top lengths of 48 or 60 inches by 30 inches deep and four top colors with a black or white frame. The desk is also only available with laminate MDF.
The control panel allows you to store four preset heights, which is great if you share the desk, and displays the exact height. We find the keypad easier to use than the paddle design of the Duo, our pick for small spaces.
The Branch Standing Desk has a large grommet in the center of the desk to funnel cables through, something the Duo lacks. It's compatible with adds-on like a monitor arm, privacy panels, and in-desk power, which includes various plugs and USB outlets.
Best converter
The Vivo K Series balances comfort, stability and portability for an all-around great work setup.
- Good for small spaces
- Great value
- Very stable
- Some assembly required
If you already have a desk that you like, a standing desk converter gives you the option to adjust the height of your workspace without buying a whole new desk. The Vivo K Series is the best overall pick from our guide to the best standing desk converter and offers a full range of customization, both in height and width. This model is available in six different widths, from 26 to 42 inches. Our tester used the 32-inch version, which offered ample space for a laptop and an additional monitor.
Unlike other converters, the Vivo K Series has an X-shaped frame (similar to an ironing board), so the height adjustment goes straight up and down. This is ideal for small desks and workspaces. Our tester noted that the converter fit on her own desk with a width of only 16 inches and that it was easy to tuck away when she wanted a more traditional workspace.
This converter was comfortable to use and visually pleasing, with rounded edges and a curved keyboard level. You can choose from six color options to match your workspace.
The only issue we faced was with the assembly. This small converter took around 15 minutes to assemble, and though the process was intuitive, the instructions were not entirely clear.
What else we tested
Fully Jarvis Desk: Once upon a time, the Fully Jarvis bamboo desk was the best standing we had tested: it was easy to adjust, stable, had a strong warranty, and nice design configurations. However, once Herman Miller acquired Fully, the range of customizations and compatible accessories significantly dropped off.
Autonomous Smart Desk 5 Pro: We liked its now-discontinued SmartDesk as an option for taller users. With that in mind, when we tested the brand's SmartDesk 5 Pro, we found it somewhat lacking. It wasn't exactly the ultra-smooth experience the brand promises. The sensitive tabletop touchscreen controls get in the way of using the desk. The L-shaped legs result in a lot of wobble from side to side. The cable management system, though nice, only gives you three outlets to use. The SmartDesk 5 operates well as a sturdy work surface with sit-to-stand capabilities, but these flaws kept it from joining our top picks.
Ergotron Mobile Desk: The Ergotron Mobile Desk is great for laptop users seeking portability and a desk that takes up a small footprint. However, its $550 price tag is pretty expensive considering the desk is adjusted manually.
VertDesk V3: Offering solid construction, excellent stability, and lots of customization options, the VertDesk V3 came very close to making our list. It's a well-built, reliable standing desk that comes with a good warranty, but it can get expensive as you begin to add extras or jump up in size. It also has a limited range of height adjustment, and it's tricky to assemble.
Ikea Idasen: With a distinctive look and great stability, this is a solid standing desk from Ikea, and it comes with a reassuring 10-year warranty. Unfortunately, the weight capacity is very low, the tabletop is particle and fiberboard, and it's slow to adjust with no preset height option on the keypad.
NewHeights Elegante XT: Extremely stable, with top-quality internal electronics and plenty of customization options, there's no denying this is one of the best standing desks around. It offers reliable adjustment with a wide, 24-to-51-inch range and has no obvious weaknesses. It's too expensive for most people, but a great choice if you have the budget.
Xdesk Terra 2s: This is a very good-looking standing desk with lots of customization options, including dual-level desktops and beautiful build quality that combines bamboo, oak, or glass desktops with an aluminum frame. Sadly, it's far beyond most people's budget and doesn't quite justify the premium.
What to look for in a standing desk
Height range: Finding the best standing desk height for you will take some trial and error, so we prefer models with a large range between minimum and maximum heights. This is especially important if you're sharing the desk with multiple users of different heights. Desks that adhere to BIFMA standards, which ergonomically accommodate 95% of office workers, should work for people between 5 feet and 6-foot-3 and have an adjustment range of 26.1 inches. Taller users, such as those over 6-foot-5 may find that many of today's models don't extend tall enough. To remedy that, we recommend adding caster wheels, extenders, or adding a converter on top of a height-adjustable desk.
Maximum weight supported: If your desk is laden with heavy monitors and other equipment, it's important to get a sturdier desk. You'll also want to make sure the desk doesn't feel wobbly or sway when you lean on it with your body weight. The Flexispot E7 Pro has a 440-pound weight limit, but Uplift, Burrow, and Autonomous offer substantial limits of at least 300 pounds, too.
Length and depth: While your desk should comfortably support your laptop and monitor, it also has to fit within your office space. Several of our picks offer customizations for tabletop dimensions.
Electric vs manual: Electric standing desks are faster and sleeker, but are much more expensive. Some manual options are laborious to adjust, so it's unlikely you'll want to do so every day.
Noise and speed: If you're working around other people, you want a desk that quickly and quietly adjusts to minimize disturbances. All the desks we recommend fall at or below 50 decibels when adjusting, comparable to the sound of an AC unit running.
Collision detection: This safety feature is essential for avoiding accidents like hitting pets or kids who are hiding underneath the table.
Control pad: The control pad can vary among models. Basic features include up and down buttons, and more advanced ones include custom pre-sets (two to four is normal), USB charging, and digital displays that show the particular height. Child locks are also useful to keep kids and pets from accidentally changing settings.
How we test standing desks
Over the past three years, we've tested over two dozen standing desks and converters. Every one of our picks was tested in real-life conditions for several months at a time. Here are the main criteria we use to determine the best standing desks:
Setup: We built each desk ourselves using only the included instructions and timed how long it took us. We considered the clarity of the instructions, whether we needed help to unbox and assemble the desk, and any other hiccups that might come with setup.
Height adjustment: We adjust the desks several times from their minimum to their maximum height, both empty and with at least 100 pounds of weights or books on top, noting how smoothly the desk adjusts and whether the desktop feels sturdy or wobbles. We dial in our own ideal desk height for both sitting and standing and then time how long it takes for the desk to make the adjustment and how loud it is in decibels. During the testing period, we adjust the desk daily in everyday use, changing from standing to sitting positions several times throughout the day.
Stability: The higher a desk, the more prone it is to swaying or wobbling. At standing height, we'll lean up against the desk and apply weight to see if it is comfortable and stable to lean on the desk or if it feels like our belongings are at risk of collapsing.
Customization: If a desk offers the ability to program presets or a schedule, we evaluate the accuracy and efficiency of those features. We also note the available customizations for the desk design, including materials, finishes, sizes, and accessories like cable management, drawers, and monitor arms.
Standing desk FAQs
Why buy a standing desk?
During the workday, you should be doing a mixture of standing, sitting, and moving, if possible, said Alan Hedge, a certified ergonomist and professor emeritus in the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis at Cornell University. "Mixing things up reduces any negative effects [of sitting or standing] in terms of musculoskeletal discomfort, your level of alertness, or productivity," Hedge said. Standing desks make it much easier to transition from sitting to standing while keeping proper posture and ergonomics in mind.
What are the benefits of using a standing desk?
According to experts, using a standing desk can reduce neck and upper back pain, help you burn more calories than sitting, and potentially lower blood sugar levels.
Of course, for a truly healthy work setup, you'll want to invest in one of the best ergonomic chairs to keep your posture in check when seated. You may also want to consider a monitor mount or laptop stand for your ideal screen height to keep your body in a truly ergonomic position.
Is standing at your desk healthier than sitting?
A standing desk alone isn't going to improve your occupational health. According to Hedge, people tend to hunch over their standing desks after just 10 minutes. Mix sitting, standing, and moving throughout the day for the biggest impact.
How long should you stand at a standing desk?
Hedge suggests a 20-8-2 pattern based on his research and real-world testing: Sit for 20 minutes, stand for 8, stretch or walk around for 2, and repeat. These numbers aren't absolute, but what's most important is not to stay in one position for too long, Hedge said. We also recommend looking at our guide to the best standing desk mat if you find you regularly fatigue while standing.
What is a good standing desk height?
In general, the right ergonomic standing desk height is when your elbows are bent at a 90-degree angle, and your shoulders feel relaxed when working at the desk. These charts from Uplift, BTOD, and Autonomous provide specific settings to try for your height if you need a starting place. For example, Uplift says its recommended standing desk height for someone who is 5-foot-5 would be 39.5 inches, and 44 inches for an individual who is 6 feet tall.
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