Do you suffer from back pain, shoulder aches, and itching in your butt? Are you sick of being stuck in your chair for hours on end, unable to stretch your feet? Do the trees swaying outside seem more mobile than you currently are? Is there disposable income in your bank account?
If you’re looking for something to really spruce up your workplace environment and benefit your health at the same time, congratulations! This list of standing desks has been curated by an expert (me, who has a PhD in talking nonsense) who has designed it to fit (almost) any budget.
Why should I get a standing desk?
Standing desks have been proven to increase your energy expenditure – but not by much. A study done by the US National Institute of Health has shown that sitting for an hour burns about 80 calories per hour, while standing for an hour burnt 88 calories.
If you do your work standing for 8 hours a day, you’d burn a total of about 64 calories, which is slightly more than 3 marshmallows. It’s progress, nevertheless, but not something you want to spend 8 hours of your life on.
If your goal is to burn calories, you’d be better off going for a walk instead. Taking an half-hour walk during your lunch break has shown to burn up to 100 calories.
What should I look out for in a standing desk?
Height
Not all people have the luxury of being tall. Some people have regular sized desks that already double up as standing desks. And you know what? It’s fine! It’s 2019, people, it’s no longer cool to shame others for being beneath you.
But when you get a standing desk, you have to consider the comfortable height for you to be working at. Most of the desks here are not strictly desks; they’re add-ons, which means that you place the standing desk on top of your own desk. If their combined height is still too short for you, you’ve just wasted your money.
Wobbliness
Yes, maybe you could stick a wedge of paper somewhere beneath your standing desk to stop it from wobbling, but wouldn’t it be better if you can just set it up and start typing?
Also, some laptops may be heavier than what the table can carry, and this would lead to more wobbliness.
Will it fit?
This is a problem that people around the globe face whenever they test a new product. Make sure that your table fits your work space, and doesn’t just out over the sides at your colleagues’. Also, if you’re using a desktop instead of a laptop, you’re going to need to account for the wires running all over the place.
Here are the things that we will be looking out for in a standing desk:
- Price
- Specifications
- Weight
- Load capacity
1) ErgoEdge AmpDesk
Price
- Lite: from $589
- Pro: from $739
View on ErgoEdge
Specifications:
- Lite
- Height range without table top: 71 – 121cm
- Table top length: 100 – 160cm
- Table top width: 50 – 80cm
- Pro
- Height range without table top: 69.5 – 119.5cm/60.5 – 125.5
- Table top length: 110 – 180cm
- Table top width: 65 – 90cm
Load capacity:
- Lite: 70kg
- Pro: 110kg
AmpDesk is the flagship standing desk product of ErgoEdge, an ergonomic furniture retailer.
With ErgoEdge, you can be assured that you’ll find something that fits your space and working style. For their standing desks, you can choose everything from the colour of the frame and table top, to the keypad and grommet. You can even get a custom sized tabletop!
Thanks to its Cross Stabiliser Mechanism™, the AmpDesk is touted to be a pretty stable standing desk. This is an important attribute to look out for — a desk that wobbles while standing can be annoying and distracting.
The built-in controller allows you to easily adjust the height, and you can even pre-set it with your height preferences. As a bonus, the controller comes with a USB charging port on its side. What’s more, the AmpDesk features a Collision Avoidance System that detects any objects that might get in the way of it moving up and down. This helps to minimise any accidents and injuries.
2) Standing computer table by Homage Digital Franchise Store
Price: $97.80
View on ezbuy
Specifications: 40 x 32 x ~60cm
Weight: 4.5kg
Load capacity: 20kg
This standing computer table can increase your desk by up to 60cm, and includes a small catch so that your laptop doesn’t just slip off the table when you rotate the stand. That’s right, the stand can rotate up to 40 degrees, allowing you to do work from any angle.
The benefit of standing desks are that you don’t have to replace your original desk, so you don’t have to notify your boss of anything. However, it can be a bit difficult for you to do your work with a mouse on the same level as your chest, so the makers of this standing desk have installed a little mouse pad, as well as a small wrist pad, on the side of the frame.
On average, the tables in Singapore are about 70-90cm tall, so you can expect considerable elevation with this standing desk. There is also no minimum elevation needed; you can adjust its height as much as you please. However, since its legs are kind of spindly, you might need to put up with a bit of wobbliness.
This product comes in two colours, both black and white, so although you might not have a lot of choice, at least you’re not stuck with just cold grey steel.
3) Lifting Table Smart Desk Stand-up Desk Lifting Computer Desk Desk Lifting Table
Price: $120.90
View on ezbuy
Specifications: 120 x 60 x 73 – 117cm
Weight: Unspecified
Load capacity: Unspecified
This… item has a name that’s way too long for its own good. It’s a legitimate standing desk in that it requires you to move your own desk elsewhere. Unfortunately, this means that you’ll have to make some arrangements with your boss, unless you usually do your work at home.
This table makes use of hydraulic pressure to elevate to a height of 117cm at the touch of a button, which is a comfortable height for most people to do their work. The desk itself cannot be adjusted, but that can be worked around with the purchase of a laptop support.
It’s stable enough to carry all your stationery, a mug, and your laptop, along with anything else you might usually put on your table. You probably won’t need to worry about it being wobbly either, since the table looks like it’s too heavy to sway around.
Please take note that the product page has all its listings in Chinese, and I can’t understand a single word, so some information may be inaccurate. Also, you’ll have to take a look at the products themselves before you make a purchase; some of the tables are operated by a hand-crank.
4) Ergonomic Laptop Desk
Price: $158
View on Lazada
Specifications: 66 x 47 x 4 – 40cm
Weight: 6kg
Load capacity: 8kg
At a maximum height of 40cm, this ergonomic laptop desk is meant to fit on your table. When it’s completely flat, the table is 4cm thick, and can be held up by its wire port.
It seems to be as sturdy as the first standing desk on the list, so you might have to contend with a bit of wobbling. It has five different height levels that you can adjust to your liking, so you won’t have to stick with just a single setting.
It’s also heavier and can hold lesser weight compared to the other desk, so I’m not completely sure why you would get this over the other one. You can’t rotate it, stop your laptop from slipping off, or install a mouse pad on it.
5) Ergonomic Standing Desk (Small)
Price: $269.00
View on Lazada
Specifications: 70 x 50 x 13 – 45cm
Weight: unspecified
Load capacity: 15kg
This standing desk comes with an additional keyboard tray for you to place your laptop and mouse, and can elevate itself to a total of 45cm. A knob on the right side allows you to adjust the height of your keyboard, while the table itself can be raised or lowered to your preference. At its lowest, the table is approximately 13cm tall.
Reviews have stated that this standing desk is of excellent quality, and easy to set up. The only complaint was that the keyboard was meant for smaller keyboards without number pads. As a result, a keyboard that is too big might protrude out the side.
I’m not sure if you could detach the keyboard tray or fold it into the frame, but if I had to choose a standing desk, this is one of my key picks. It’s sturdy, sleek, and you can customise the height as you wish. My only complaint is that at 40cm, it’s a bit too short to do anything for me.
6) OMNIDESK PRO
Price: $680.00
View on Omnidesk
View on Lazada
Specifications: 122/152/183 x 76 x 60 – 125cm
Weight: 35.5kg
Load capacity: 120kg
The Omnidesk Pro is actually used by my boss, and produces a little mechanical whir every time its motor is activated. It’s not loud enough to be annoying, but you can definitely hear it even if you’re seated about ten metres away.
This desk is pretty large. You’re not likely to be able to replace your current desk with this unless you have your own office, so… keep working hard. If you do manage to get this at your workplace, revel in its ability to hold a total weight of 120kg. You can put a 20-gallon fish tank on it and it wouldn’t give way.
It also has four preset memory settings, so you don’t have to continuously toggle back and forth to get to a desired height. This function also means that the Omnidesk Pro performs well in free seating offices, where those who arrive early have a better chance of getting this amazing desk.
7) Portable Foldable Adjustable Laptop Desk Computer Table Stand Tray For Sofa Bed Black
Price: $23.63
View on Lazada
Specifications: 52.5 x 26.4 x 5cm
Weight: unspecified
Load capacity: unspecified
I’m not sure what it means by 5cm, because this definitely isn’t 5cm in length, breadth, or height. Maybe if the entire thing was folded onto itself it’s 5cm thick.
This table can be used as an addition to your work desk, or carried to another section of your office and used as a tiny desk. It’s easy to assemble and transport, and is very lightweight.
It can also be rotated to suit any angle you want. The small groove on the edge stops your laptop from falling off, and the rubber grips on the feet help to stabilise the entire desk.
If you’re looking for a chair to go with your table, you can take a look at these office chairs in Singapore that are going for under $200. Since certain chairs often trap dust, make sure that the office is clean with these air purifiers in Singapore, starting from $199.
