Last updated: November 24th, 2025
Ever noticed how most standing desks in Australia look the same? Square legs. Rectangle top. A controller dangling off the front.
Not the 9am Home Dora Pro. This desk breaks all the design rules with its feminine, curvy aesthetic and a built-in height controller. It looks so sleek and modern, most people won’t realise that this is a standing desk.
But is it worth $1,400? I took one for a spin to find out.
Quick Verdict.
Above: The hardwood oak desktop is excellent. Note the tapered edges all around and the dramatic wood swirls in the surface.
The Dora Pro is a premium hardwood standing desk that competes head-on with top-of-the-line offerings from UpDown, Desky and Omnidesk.
Unlike those desks, it breaks away from the industrial aesthetic and opts for a soft, gentle look. It’s a standing desk that doesn’t look like a traditional standing desk.
I can see it appealing to women and any professional seeking to create a welcoming, relaxed vibe in their home office.
But this doesn’t mean the Dora Pro shortchanges you mechanically.
You get excellent stability courtesy of a cold-rolled tubular frame, torquey dual motors that lift 125 kg at a speedy 38 mm/sec and a clever set of accessories that include an integrated under-desk tray.
Oh, and the assembly process is remarkably easy. The desk arrives at your door partially pre-assembled and prewired.
But all this goodness comes at a price.
At roughly $1,400, the Dora Pro is not cheap. It’s roughly twice as expensive as the budget-oriented 9am Home Robin Pro, and 30% more expensive than bamboo-topped models from UpDown and Desky.
However, the pricing is comparable to other hardwood models.
I love that Dora Pro’s designers achieved a sleek look by integrating the height controller, cable management tray and storage tray into the desktop. As you can see in the photos, nothing protrudes or hangs from the desk.
It’s too small for my liking, and I would prefer to interact with my desk via tactile buttons, rather than a tiny touchscreen.
Above: The telescopic legs are made from a single piece, so you won’t have to attach feet to a vertical column. You can also see the hidden under-desk tray directly in the centre.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great Build Quality. The Dora Pro is stable and feels rock-solid. It looks and feels like a desk worth $1,400. | Warranty Length. Motors are covered for 10 years, but the sensors and controllers for only 3. |
| Feminine Aesthetic. The only standing desk in Australia without hard edges. Looks soft, approachable and elegant. | Built-In Controller. Can be fiddly to use due to the small screen size. Replacement may be difficult. |
| Smart Accessories. Built-in under-desk tray and illuminated shelf are both functional and attractive. | Cost. The Dora Pro competes at the upper end of the market and will be unaffordable for most users. |
Who Should Buy The 9am Home Dora Pro.
This $1,400 desk is not for bargain-hunters. It’s for people who want a high-end desk, and are prepared to pay for it.
It’s also not for young men seeking to shout their masculinity via their “mad” workstation.
If you want to create a sophisticated, minimalist home office, and need a standing desk that looks like a designer item – not an electrical appliance – the Dora Pro is a great pick.
5 Things I Love About The 9am Home Dora Pro.
The Dora Pro is available in two colours.
I think the hardwood Oak with white legs – the desk in my photos – is the better choice. But you can also spec it with green legs and a white birchwood top.
1. Gorgeous Aesthetics.
Above: The sleek lines and curvy edges are on full display here. Notice how the under-desk tray is almost hidden from view.
Let’s call a spade a spade.
Standing desks are rarely gorgeous. Most of them have the same boxy shape.
In fact, if you read my reviews, you already know that most of them share components. I do wish there was more innovation in the space, and am impressed when a company creates a uniquely different product.
The Dora Pro is one such product.
It’s been sitting in my apartment for the past couple of weeks, and I keep glancing over at it, just to appreciate its curvy lines.
Rounded corners give the desk a softer look, while the built-in controller and under-desk tray keep it sleek.
2. Superb Build Quality.
Above: You can pair the desk with a sit/stand stool, like this example I bought from Desky.
I’m happy to report that the Dora Pro is almost as stable as she is pretty 🙂
It’s not as stable as UpDown Pros and Desky Duals of this world, but it is certainly acceptable.
The likely culprit? Dora Pro’s screw-free, fast-assembly leg system (I’ll talk about it in a moment). What you gain in speed of assembly (I’ll talk about it in a moment), you lose in stability.
I’d be far more worried if the wobble occurred in the front-to-back plane, as that movement is far easier to trigger and is more likely to throw your monitor off the desk.
Apart from this niggle, the desk is built like a tank. It’s on par with what I’d expect from a $1,400 flagship model:
- Tolerances between legs are tight.
- Paintwork looks expensive.
- Surfaces feel nice to the touch.
- Dual motors are quiet.
- Accessories (which I’ll also discuss below) give the desk a premium feel.
3. Rapid Assembly.
Above: Undercarriage is impressively sleek. The simple cable management tray hangs at the rear and the under-desk storage tray is at the front.
I’ve reviewed and assembled dozens of standing desks. Most of them are a pain in the butt to assemble – despite what their manufacturers claim.
Did You Know?
Even the UpDown KLIK – a desk that touts “5-minute assembly” as its main selling point – takes about 1 hour to assemble.
Instead of making the Dora Pro easier to assemble, 9am Home decided to dodge this problem altogether by shipping the desk partially assembled.
Everything you see in the image above arrives attached to the desktop.
And most of the cables are pre-wired.
All you need to do is:
- Attach the legs to the frame (takes 5 minutes – no kidding).
- Assemble and attach the accessories (takes 20 minutes)
Yes, you read that right. Ironically, it took me far longer to assemble the accessories than the desk itself.
Above: The instruction manual is clear and logical, but could be bigger.
The assembly manual, meanwhile, is good, without being excellent. It’s easy to follow, but not quite as clear or large as Desky’s and Secretlab’s.
4. Built-In Lighting.
Above: The under-desk strip light is subtle – but noticeable if you look closely.
A desk that puts on a show?
Apparently yes.
Motion sensors will activate a strip of light along the front edge of the desk and on the desk shelf, any time you get close.
It’s a nice touch that elevates the look of the desk and makes it feel alive.
In case you’re wondering, the lights never feel garish or excessive. To the contrary, they reinforce the desk’s understated luxury persona by providing a sense of gentle ambience.
Expert Tip.
The front strip light illuminates the contents of your under-desk tray when it’s open (see photo below).
5. Built-In Tray.
Above: Just deep enough to swallow your most frequently used accessories and stationery.
I believe that an under-desk tray is a must-have accessory.
It keeps your desktop tidy by giving your loose items a home. And let’s face it, you have a lot of loose items. They tend to expand exponentially.
While most under-desk trays are ugly, impractical or both, Dora Pro’s tray is both usable and attractive. Don’t expect to stash books or photography albums into it – it’s not deep.
But depth is not the purpose.
It’s deep enough to keep your frequently used notepads and accessories within reach.
Expert Tip.
The fact that the tray sits between your legs is both a pro and a con. On one hand, it’s easy to access. On the other hand, you’ll need to move your chair back to do it.
3 Things I Dislike About The 9am Home Dora Pro.
Despite its strengths, the Dora Pro has several quirks you should be aware of.
1. Built-In Controller.
Above: The height controller needs to be at least 2X larger.
The main downside of Dora Pro’s integrated controller is its size. If only it was twice the size, it’d be perfect.
It can be fiddly to use, and I often press it in the wrong spot.
It’s not the type of controller you can use on the fly, without looking. You need to stop looking at your monitor, press the screen to bring it to life, and find the correct (and very small) arrow or preset.
On most desks, replacing it takes five minutes. With the Dora Pro, you’ll need to remove the entire desktop from the frame – and this can take a couple of hours.
2. Cost.
Above: Understated elegance is the name of the game.
You were expecting this, so I won’t harp on for long.
Australia is in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, apparently – so a $1,400 standing desk is out of reach for most people.
Especially when you can buy a (cheap and cheerful) Artiss standing desk for less than $300.
Important!
The Dora Pro isn’t for people on a budget. Nor is it for people who want a functional, industrial-looking contraption. This is a desk for people who enjoy great design, and are prepared to pay for it.
3. Shorter-Than-Average Warranty.
9am Home isn’t shy about Dora Pro’s “10-year warranty”, but the devil is in the details.
Yes, I love the fact that the motors are covered for 10 years.
But the sensors and the height controller are only covered for three.
This is significantly below par for a premium flagship desk (for contrast, UpDown Pro offers flat 10-year coverage on frames, motors and electronics – and 5 years on desktops).
Above: Single-piece legs look better in real life than in the photos.
Technical Specifications.
Key engineering facts:
| Height Range | 67-132cm |
| Motor Speed | 38mm/sec |
| Max Load | 125 kg |
| Gross Weight | 59 – 67 kg (depending on desktop size) |
Is The 9am Home Dora Pro A Great Buy?
Yes.
If you have $1,400 to spend and want an attractive standing desk with few compromises, the Dora Pro is a great pick.
In a marketplace saturated by nearly identical standing desks, the Dora Pro stands out for its gorgeous feminine aesthetic.
Is it for everyone? No.
Many people will prefer the masculine “ultimate workstation” look of traditional standing desk designs offered by Desky, UpDown, and Omnidesk.
But if you prefer to impress people with understated elegance rather than ostentatious exuberance, the Dora Pro is for you.
Steven
Cody says:
Hi,
Do you know 9am HOME standing desks?
I want to know how about their desk.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Cody, I’ve never seen them before but I took a quick look for you and I’m 90% certain it’s another Jiecang desk. You can tell by the design of the feet and the lowest height (60cm). Desky, Omnidesk, Stand Desk are all pretty much the same.
Cody says:
Which one do you mean? Pesk or Robin series? I am interested in their Robin series, it looks unique and beautiful. I can’t find anyone like it in Desky.
Steven McConnell says:
I was talking about the Pesk Series. Robin series does look attractive and unusual, but I’m usually not a fan of tubular legs as they tend to be more prone to wobble. I can’t say whether this is the case in this instance, as I haven’t physically tested the desk myself. The 10 year warranty is reassuring, however. I wish they offered a risk-free trial to let you test out the legs!
Cody says:
Thank you very much, Steven; I will take your comments into consideration.
Erin says:
Do you know much about Kangadesks? There are Australian as well.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Erin, its another Jiecang standing desk. Same as Desky, Omni, Stand Desk etc. The design of the feet and 60-125cm height range gives it away. The desk appears to currently be currently on sale for $299, which is an absolute steal and I’m wondering why they’re selling their stock at 1/3 of RRP. Regardless, even if they’re about to go bust, I’d still buy one at that price.
EDIT: Be careful. Fakespot showed these warnings while browsing their website: “Multiple eCommerce scam experiences detected, Poor customer service”
Suzy says:
Hi – given all the desks are so similar, is it possible to mix a desk from one brand with a drawer accessory from another? I don’t like the UpDown desk metal drawer (hangs very low so likely to impede leg space) but don’t mind the Desky one – can these be mixed and matched?
Thank you for the reviews! Super helpful.
Steven McConnell says:
Yes, it’s possible to play switcheroo. But you may want to consider that UpDown design is curved, so it will hurt less if you do jam your thighs into it. Desky’s meanwhile, is quite angular. Pro tip: you can also find a bunch of inexpensive slimline desk drawers on Amazon.
jason says:
I’ve spent far, far too much time agonising over which desk to get haha, definitely more than a week. Very happy that you’ve added the omni-desk to your catalogue. That was the one I was considering the most untill you came you with a review saying that it was more wobbly!
Anyways, do you have an opinion on the new updown desk KLIK Series? Its advertises to be significanlty ligher while having better (on paper) specs
Thanks!
Evelyn says:
Hi Steven, great blog post – thank you! I’m also wondering whether you have any opinion or insights on the new UpDown Desk KLIK series…they come at $100 more expensive (for the same size/table top) but seem to be ‘better’ according to the UpDown website.
Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Evelyn, thanks! I will have a full review of the KLIK up around February 2025. It’s not necessarily a better standing desk – but it is lighter, less bulky and promises easier assembly.
Ben Clements says:
Hi. I’m interested to know more about whether I actually could fit the Desky cable management system in the Omnidesk? I’ve had a look at the omnidesks in person at the showroom and it looks like their cable management trays screw on (vs the clip in at the edges of the desk with the Desky tray). The desky system also has the power plugs that snap into place in the tray.
So I’m curious to know if you have you tried it, and if so how did you do it please? Or is your thinking that you’d just buy the power boards and plugs from Desky and rest them in the Omnidesk tray?
I’m stuck, because I prefer the Omnidesks but I really love the idea of a single power lead!
Thanks
Steven McConnell says:
I just had a new Omnidesk delivered to my house. Give me about two weeks to assemble it, test it out and report back.
Sunni says:
Thanks for your very helpful (and funny) review. I used the information to to buy a Desky standing desk in record time – no consumer agonising for weeks, as is my usual practice. It has a pneumatic up/down mechanism, so lets see how that goes.
Steven McConnell says:
Ha! You’re welcome, Sunni. Glad I helped you cut down on the agonising. The pneumatic mechanism is an interest choice – let me know what you think of it?
Amber says:
Hi Steven,
Really great and insightful review. It was refreshing to see something that wasn’t filled with ChatGPT affiliate link garbage!
I’m curious about your opinion on L-shaped standing desks? I know that Desky, UpDown and a few other retailers offer these types of desks and I would assume they are more strong and stable, but I’m not an expert and I can also imagine the opposite being true due to the irregular shape. I’ve been looking at these types of desks because I think their shape suits my space the best. Do you have any knowledge on this or do you only have experience with regular rectangular shaped desks?
Steven McConnell says:
Thanks, Amber. Did you know that I have a L-shaped standing desk review? Search for “arielle best corner standing desks” and you’ll find it.
Melissa says:
Hi Steven great article thank you!
I’ve spent way to much time on this, and I’m now leaning towards the Artiss thanks to your review.
I’m wondering if you have any insight into ergonomic chairs for the home office also?
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Melissa, thanks! The Artiss is a great budget pick. I’ve written numerous ergonomic chair reviews – Google “arielle best ergonomic office chairs” to find them 🙂
tania says:
hey are there any other manual desks apart from the ikea ones you don’t recommend, that you would recommend? I prefer the idea of not needing electricity to move between stand up and sit down but maybe that doesn’t really exist?
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Tania, all of the premium brands (UpDown, Desky, etc) offer a manual crank model. Definitely the way to go if you want to avoid electronics. But TBH I suggest you reconsider. Electronics are very reliable these days – and hand-cranking your standing desk is more annoying than you’d expect.
Adam says:
Hi, do you know much about the UpDown Klik vs Pro system?
Steven McConnell says:
The company has shipped their new Klik standing desk to me yesterday. Stay tuned!
Scott Long says:
You mention in your review of the Up Down Pro that you would get the cable holes and grommets done, but it looks like your (very pretty) Messmate desk doesn’t have them. Is your recommendation a hindsight reflection, or did you choose not to spoil the look of the desk with the grommets? Without the grommets can you can still run the cables behind the desk and into the cable management tray? Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Scott, I said in the review that grommets and holes are a great idea, not that I have them. They’re less important if your standing desk faces a wall. But if you have an open-plan style home office like mine, they’ll make your workspace look much cleaner. PS You can still run cables into the tray without the holes and grommets – the cables will simply run behind the desk.
Isaac Jenkinson says:
Hello,
Have you had a chance to try the new UpDown Lyft model? Curious about its stability vs the pro.
Steven McConnell says:
Isaac,
Not yet. On first glance, it looks like a budget alternative to the “big brothers”. It’s probably pretty good (UpDown has a reputation to maintain), but I’m of the opinion that buying cheap means you pay more in the long term. I’d save up another few hundred bucks and get the Pro. You can often get a melamine or bamboo-topped model on sale for around $900.
David says:
This is a great site and will help me decide on which desk to buy. Have you heard any good/bad reviews about the Blacklyte Atlas Lite or Ergo-Rise II from BDO furniture?
Steven McConnell says:
David, thanks for the kind words. Never heard of the Atlas Lite until you mentioned it. Looks like a decent gaming desk that borrows heavily from Secretlab Magnus – but why not just buy a real Magnus instead?
As for the Ergo-Rise – looks like a decent desk, but its height controller is outdated. The best standing desk brands have upgraded to OLED controllers.
Ben says:
Thank you for writing this review Steven; really helpful to break through the BS.
By any chance have you used or hold an opinion on Vertilift desks?
Steven McConnell says:
You’re welcome. God, I haven’t even heard of them – but thanks for the heads-up. There are too many standing desks on the Australian market. Obviously I haven’t used these in person, but I’m almost certain they’re yet another Jiecang variant (i.e., frames are identical to Desky). You can tell by the identical max and min heights, as well as the design of the foot.
Eloise says:
Hey Steven, I was recommended the Alwyn or Octavia (Living Fusion) 140cm sit and stand desks from Temple and Webster which don’t even get a mention in your review. Would you bother with any of their brands ? (I may have dodged a bullet by finding your review!)
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Louise, I haven’t had first-hand experience with the T&W standing desk (must add one to my list!).
However, I had a look through the specs for you.
It doesn’t look too bad, actually – considering the price. If you can’t stretch your budget to ~$950 for an entry-level UpDown or Desky, this could be a good option.
Jordan says:
Hi Steven, Thanks for the review! I am starting out with a home office set up and need a new chair and sit stand desk. I’m a student but I prefer to buy things I know will last, but I don’t have too much experience with sit stand desks. I initially thought to buy the Artiss but have considered buying the Acacia UpDown Pro+ so I know it lasts and I don’t have to buy another desk in a couple of years. Is it worth the price jump for me? Thanks!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Jordan, the Artiss and the UpDown desks sell at two very different price points. If you have the budget, I suggest you stretch to the UpDown standing desk – you won’t regret it.
jason says:
I know you’ve disqualified the flexispot e7 pro so the e7 max plus would probably also be disqualified, but a quad motor 4 column desk frame at a prices competitive with UpDown desk is incredibly tempting. Plus 15 year warrenty (if the company lasts that long)
Have you had a chance to take a look? Its like half the price of the desky quad!
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Jason, great observation. I haven’t included quad standing desks here because they’ve traditionally attracted a niche consumer – someone who needs to place a tonne of gear on the desktop and doesn’t mind paying 2X the usual price. But Flexispot’s sharp pricing on their quad desk certainly changes things. I haven’t seen one in the wild yet – but the specs look promising.
Steven