Last updated: January 28th, 2025
This is the Robin Pro, the newest standing desk on the Australian market. Featuring a gorgeous Scandinavian aesthetic and dual motors at a competitive price point, the Robin is taking on the Goliaths like the UpDown Pro and Desky Dual.
How does it compare against Australia’s best standing desks? I’ve used one for a week to find out.
Quick Verdict.
Above: The 9am Home Robin Pro is an attractive desk.
Currently on sale for $749, the 9am Home Robin Pro offers a lot of bang for your buck. It surprises with rock-solid stability and build quality that’s hard to find at this price.
I wasn’t sold on the “devil’s pitchfork” leg design when I saw it online, but it looks much better in real life than in photos.
The desk arrives at your door pre-assembled. No other standing desk brand in Australia does this, and it will benefit people who aren’t great with tools, have disabilities or have no patience.
The controller – although excellent in terms of UI – feels plasticky compared to premium desks like Desky Dual, UpDown Pro and Omnidesk Ascent.
The MFD desktop is also clearly Ikea-grade. It will not make your home office look cheap, but it’s clearly not real wood.
Cold-rolled steel means the leg tubes have concentric uniformity and are perfectly straight, with minimal gaps.
If you love the design and don’t want to spend over $1,000 on a premium standing desk, the Robin Pro is a great choice.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Surprising Stability. Minimal wobble thanks to cold-rolled tubular leg design with low gaps between sections. | Plasticky Controller. I wish the controller was less plasticky, had better screen and more tactile buttons. |
| Scandinavian Aesthetic. Unique leg design and curved edges give the desk a gentle, warm, minimalist appearance. | No Trial, Cable Management Or Drawer. Don’t expect extensive customisation options or the option to send the desk back. |
Who Should Buy The 9am Home Robin Pro?
The Robin Pro will appeal to women and anyone who prefers its gentle, stylish aesthetic to the traditional standing desk leg design.
This desk will look great in home offices of yoga teachers, writers, coaches and alternative medicine practitioners.
5 Things I Love About The 9am Home Robin Pro.
The Robin Pro is one of three standing models available from 9am Home, and is the cheapest one in the line-up.
1. Surprising Stability.
Above: The Robin Pro is stable – even at tallest heights.
I get nervous when a new standing desk company sends me a sub ~$1,000 desk.
Stability and price usually go hand-in hand, so I often have to be the “bad cop” who tells companies that their desk is too wobbly.
Thankfully, the Robin Pro had none of those issues. Stability is excellent – and is on par with more expensive desks like Desky Dual and UpDown Pro.
Side-to-side stability is a little worse than back-to-front, but this is expected in a desk with a single cross-beam.
Expert Tip.
Back-to-front stability is more important, as you’re far less likely to exert lateral forces on the desktop with your hands.
9am Home used cold-rolled steel in Robin Pro’s tubular legs.
I’m no metallurgist, but I found out that this process is superior to traditional hot-rolling because it creates more precise shapes.
This translates to closer tolerances between sections, which means less wobble.
2. Budget-Friendly Price.
Above: The Robin Pro offers a lot of value. Currenly on sale for $759, the desk is a great deal.
If your budget doesn’t stretch to a ~$1,100 entry-level Desky or UpDown with a bamboo desktop, the Robin Pro is a great option.
You miss out on real wood, but get most of the same features – double motors, an anti-collision sensor, a height controller with reminders and two height presets, plus a complimentary cable tray.
The warranty is exactly what you’d expect at this price:
- 10 years on frame and motors.
- 5 years on the desktop.
- 3 years on the sensors and height controller.
I would have felt more reassured with a 5-year warranty on electronics, but I’m glad the motors are covered for 10 years.
Expert Tip.
Motors are expensive and difficult to fix, while modern electronics are cheap to replace.
3. Ridiculously Easy Assembly.
Above: The desk will arrive at your door in 2 large pre-assembled boxes. I didn’t have to tighten any of the screws in this shot.
I rarely discuss assembly in my standing desk reviews because it’s a one-time task.
Expert Tip.
Don’t let a challenging assembly process stop you from getting an otherwise excellent desk.
But I must credit 9am Home’s unique approach to assembly. The desk arrives partially pre-assembled, with the desktop already attached to the crossbeam, and most of the electronics wired up.
It’s not quite the “30-second assembly” that 9am Home promises, but it’s the most effortless standing desk I’ve ever assembled.
Above: Robin Pro’s instruction booklet is clear and simple.
Moreover, the instruction manual is outstanding. Large, clear graphics and easy-to-follow instructions make assembly a breeze.
It’s probably the best instruction booklet I’ve seen, on par with Desky’s.
If you’re intimidated by screwdrivers and Allen keys, or hate the idea of assembling a standing desk from scratch, this is a huge plus.
4. Gorgeous Scandi Design.
Above: The Robin Pro is the epitome of elevated simplicity, with clean lines and the absence of visual clutter.
Robin Pro’s design is a quintessential Nordic fusion of minimalism, cosiness and practicality.
The tubular “pitchfork” legs and rounded desktop help create a calm office that feels like it’s giving you a warm embrace.
I didn’t expect to love the Scandinavian-inspired design as much as I did. It has a warm, feminine, inviting look that breaks away from the typical, appliance-like style of traditional standing desks.
Expert Tip.
You can fine-tune the look by customising the leg colour with optional $49 covers (which I didn’t get).
5. Smart Desktop Size Choices.
Above: Wobbling is the #1 concern of standing desk buyers. Robin Pro buyers don’t need to worry.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably converted your spare bedroom into a home office. And you’re always short of space.
The standard desktop size in Australia is 150 x 75 cm, which can feel dominating in a small space. Most manufacturers will sell you a smaller 120 cm wide desk, but the depth remains the same.
9am Home takes a smarter approach.
The Robin Pro’s desktop widths are designed to match its depths, making it easier to match your available space. Your choices are:
- 120 x 60 cm.
- 140 x 65 cm.
- 160 x 70 cm.
Important!
This is a much smarter set of options than the 120, 150, 1800 x constant 75cm you get with most other standing desk brands.
3 Things I Dislike About The 9am Home Robin Pro.
Despite its strengths, the Robin Pro has several quirks and downsides:
1. No Money-Back Guarantee Or Trial.
Above: Robin Pro’s legs are slender, attractive – and without wobbles.
Quite a few standing desk brands offer 100-day money-back guarantees or trials, and it would have been nice to see 9am offer one.
People will take advantage of an offer like this to “borrow” a desk, then return it for a full refund.
But because 9am Home is a relative newcomer to Australia, I suspect this move would help more Aussie consumers take the plunge.
Important!
The company will accept your desk within 7 days – if you return it without “signs of installation” and pay for return shipping. Expect this cost to be over $150, as you’ll be sending a courier to lift a heavy item from your residential location.
2. No Cable Management Or Drawers.
Above: The MFD desktop looks smart from a distance, but you can tell it’s not real wood once you get close.
You don’t get many frills with the Robin Pro. Yes, the under-desk cable management tray is included at no extra cost, but you must run the cables to the back of the desk.
It’s a shame, because the cables will detract from Robin Pro’s clean, minimalistic lines.
You don’t get an option to add an under-desk drawer, either (a must-have accessory, IMHO).
Expert Tip.
You can buy decent 3rd-party under-desk drawers on Amazon for about $120. They won’t be as nice as factory standard options, but enough to get you buy – without ruining the desk’s appearance.
3. Cheap-ish Controller.
Above: The controller has very clear, logical layout, but feels plasticky to the touch.
Let me circle back to the controller.
While its design is attractive and the button layout is intelligent, the material it’s made from feels plasticky and cheap.
This may seem trivial, except the controller is a key touchpoint, and your main interface with the desk.
You’ll interact with it daily, and receive a subtle reminder that this is not an expensive top-of-the-line desk.
Technical Specifications.
Key engineering facts:
| Height Range | 65-130cm |
| Motor Speed | 35mm/sec |
| Max Load | 125 kg |
| Frame Weight | ~31 kg |
Is the 9am Home Robin Pro A Good Buy?
Yes, absolutely. The 9am Home Robin Pro isn’t perfect (and no desk is), but it ticks all the right boxes.
Low price without compromising stability, check. Great design that doesn’t follow the usual boxy T-shaped frame trend, check. Easy assembly and home-office-friendly desktop sizes, check.
If I only had ~$750 to spend on a standing desk and I wanted to create a Scandinavian-looking home office, this is the one I’d buy.
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