Last updated: November 24th, 2025
I’ve spent years begging Australian standing desk brands to stop building desks like they belong in a crypto bro’s spare bedroom. The world doesn’t need another standing desk with blue LED lights and square jet-black legs.
9am Home answered the call with the Atom Pro.
Soft curves. Warm colours. Zero “bro energy.” Sophisticated Scandi design.
But the $1,449 price tag had me worried. It’s a lot of dough for a standing desk – especially when an entry-level UpDown Pro+ costs just under $1,000.
What does a standing desk nerd like me do in this situation?
Assemble one in my living room to see if I like it.
Why the living room? Because my home office already has three standing desks and five office chairs – but that’s a story for another day.
Quick Verdict.
Above: The American Oak desktop has a lovely straw colour that contrasts nicely with greens, whites and blacks.
Gorgeous.
Crafted with attention to detail.
Solid enough for everyday use.
These are the words that come to mind. But don’t mistake the Atom Pro for perfect.
Its assembly is fiddly. Stability is good, but isn’t class-leading. And the warranty fine print could be kinder. I’ll discuss all of these nuances below.
But despite its flaws, the Atom Pro is one of the best standing desks in Australia for design lovers.
Like its cousin, the 9am Home Dora Pro, the Atom Pro eschews an industrial aesthetic and embraces a soft, elegant look.
Above: The Atom Pro is only available with white legs and a light-coloured hardwood desktop.
And like the Dora Pro, the Atom Pro has solid mechanical chops. You get dual motors, a decidedly snazzy height controller and an impossibly stylish under-desk tray.
Which came as a massive surprise considering its $1,449 price tag. And considering the Dora Pro – and even the cheaper Robin Pro – arrive at your doorstep preassembled.
Expert Tip.
Speaking of the Robin Pro – it costs about 50% less. No, it doesn’t feel as premium as the Atom Pro – but does inherit its Scandi design aesthetic. It’s a great choice if you’re on a tight budget.
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 |
|---|---|
| Beautiful design. Curvy designer aesthetic – rare in standing desks. | Fiddly assembly. Terrible manuals – but thankfully, you only have to do this once. |
| Built-in under-desk tray. Keeps the desk looking sleek. | Could be sturdier. Slightly more wobbly than UpDown, Desky and Stand Desk. |
| Solid foundations. Hardwood desktop, check. Dual motors, check. | Warranty length. It’s not quite 10 years – if you read the fine print. |
Who Should Buy The 9am Home Atom Pro?
The Atom Pro, retailing for $1,449, is not for people on a shoestring budget.
It’s also not for young blokes chasing a hyper-masculine home-office vibe.
If you’re a tech bro who owns more protein powder than furniture, you’re probably in the market for a Secretlab Magnus Pro.
Above: The Atom Pro lowered to regular sitting height. If no one mentioned it was a standing desk, could you tell?
Similar to 9am Home’s Dora Pro, the Atom Pro is for affluent professionals who want a stylish hardwood desk.
To be honest, the differences between the Dora and Atom Pro are minimal.
They cost about the same, follow similar design cues and come with the same (outstanding) under-desk tray as standard.
While the Dora Pro has a fancy lightbar and a quick-assembly system, the Atom Pro gets a better height controller and more slender, elegant legs.
But for me, the Atom Pro is the winner because of its deeper (75 vs 70 cm) desktop sizes.
My home office is reasonably large, so I prefer a desktop that offers more real estate for all my gear.
4 Things I Love About The 9am Home Atom Pro.
Did I mention that this is a great-looking desk?
1. Beautiful Design.
Above: The bullnose edge with curved corners gives off a softness that instantly warms a room.
I’ve already emphasised the Atom Pro’s gorgeous aesthetic, so I won’t repeat myself again.
It’s a very nice-looking desk that will:
- Not ruin an already well-curated room.
- Elevate a moderately smart room.
If you’re the type of person who hires an interior designer when moving into a new home, this is definitely the standing desk for you.
I found myself glancing at it when walking past – something that has rarely happened in my 4 years of reviewing standing desks.
2. Great Build Quality.
Above: Dramatic swirls of American Ash hardwood are clearly visible here.
The Atom Pro feels exactly like a ~$1,400 desk should. The paint is satisfyingly thick. The surfaces feel expensive to the touch. The motors hum quietly.
Meanwhile, the under-desk tray glides out without harsh noise or glitches.
Important!
The American Oak hardwood desktop gets a special mention from me. It’s one of the most attractive desktops I’ve seen – and I’ve seen many.
There’s something about the combination of its pale straw colour and rounded edges that gives the desk a calming, inviting energy.
3. Built-In Tray.
Above: Make sure you always spec your standing desk with a tray. Thankfully, the Atom Pro has one as standard.
The secret to keeping your desktop tidy? An under-desk tray.
But instead of bolting an ugly metal basket underneath, 9am Home recessed the tray into the desktop itself.
It stays hidden until you need it – and finally gives your stationery and notepads a home that isn’t your actual desktop.
Important!
Just keep in mind that it’s more shallow than the trays you get with mainstream desks like Desky and UpDown.
Those will let you store larger items, like camera lenses and large books. Atom Pro’s is strictly for notepads and small items only.
Above: The under-desk tray sits flush with the edge when closed.
Expert Tip.
Having the tray right between your legs is a blessing and a curse. While it’s always within reach, you’ll have to shuffle your chair backward to use it.
4. Whimsical Controller.
Above: The pixelated retro design will age nicely.
Most standing desk brands have upgraded to controllers with funky, large OLED displays.
9am Home hasn’t – but the Atom Pro’s controller is not at all a dinosaur.
Glossy, minimalist surface ties in with the desk’s overall look. Meanwhile, the pixelated design is the most original I’ve seen to date.
The graphics have a nostalgic retro vibe that reminds me of 1990s video games and railway digital clocks.
Consumer electronics date fast (just compare a seven-year-old car dashboard with a new one).
By giving the controller a deliberately retro look, 9am Home essentially froze it in time, so it won’t age anywhere near as quickly.
Above: Details like this are a great touch. They elevate the desk’s vibe from “just another desk” to “this is something special”.
3 Things I Dislike About The 9am Home Atom Pro.
Despite its strengths, the Atom Pro has several quirks that I can’t ignore.
1. Fiddly Assembly.
Above: Clear as mud? For a brand that nails aesthetics, this feels out of character.
It’s 2025, people. User experience has been one of the top priorities for industrial designers since Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone.
In 2007.
And while your shiny new iPhone arrives without a manual and politely walks you through setup, the Atom Pro dumps three baffling booklets and a bag of screws on your lap and subjects you to an assembly process more tedious than filing your tax return.
By candlelight.
I don’t understand why 9am Home’s doesn’t ship the Atom Pro pre-assembled, as they do with the (much cheaper) Robin Pro and the equally expensive Dora Pro.
I’d happily pay an extra $50 for this luxury.
The Atom Pro doesn’t even have click-together legs. You’ll need to do everything old-school style – using the included Allen key or your power drill. I highly recommend the latter – because there are MANY screws.
Expert Tip.
The first manual tells you to flip the desk over at the end. DON’T. The second manual tells you to flip it back upside down again.
Expert Tip.
The second manual does the same.
2. High Cost.
Above: In case you’re wondering, the wool desktop mat is from Minimalist Desk Setups. Great product.
I won’t linger on this self-evident point for too long, but I must mention it.
This is not a cheap desk.
$1,449 for a 150 cm wide desktop is firmly in the “treat yourself” corner of the standing desk universe and on par with premium hardwood options from Desky, UpDown and Stand Desk.
Important!
The Atom Pro isn’t a standing desk for bargain hunters. Nor is it for anyone after a cheap, disposable contraption that will die after a couple of years. It’s for people who appreciate good design – and are willing to pay for it.
3. Warranty Could Be Longer.
For a standing desk that clearly aspires to sit in the premium tier, the Atom Pro’s warranty disappoints.
On the surface, “10-year warranty” sounds fantastic.
Exactly what I’d expect from a top-shelf product.
But once you dig past the headline, the fine print tells a different story.
Above: The hardwood desktop is reinforced with metal cross-members, designed to prevent warping. It’s clearly built to last.
Only the motors are covered for 10 years.
The hardwood desktop drops to five years, and the sensors and controller – arguably the parts most likely to misbehave – are covered for a mere three.
It’s not a catastrophic flaw, but it does feel out of sync with the Atom Pro’s luxury positioning. I didn’t love that the warranty looks generous at first glance – but shrinks the moment I looked closer.
Expert Tip.
For contrast, most premium standing desk brands offer flat 10-year coverage on frames, motors and electronics. Five years coverage on desktops is industry standard.
Above: The 3/4 front view of the Atom Pro is particularly stylish.
Technical Specifications.
Key engineering facts:
| Height Range | 65-130cm |
| Motor Speed | 38mm/sec |
| Max Load | 125 kg |
| Gross Weight | 67 – 77 kg (depending on desktop size) |
Is The 9am Home Atom Pro A Great Buy?
Yes. But it depends on your priorities.
If you value raw strength, lowest price or maximal stability, you’ll find better-value options elsewhere.
But if you care about design – and want a standing desk that feels like real furniture rather than an office appliance – the Atom Pro sits in a league of its own.
It’s a desk that elevates not just your desktop, but the entire look of your workspace.
For the right buyer, it’s an easy yes. For the wrong buyer, it’s a beautiful mismatch. And that’s exactly how a well-defined product should be.
Steven
