Last updated: 08th Nov 2026
Standing desk brands want you to believe that standing desks are the ultimate home office hack. Get one, and you’ll become the best version of yourself.
Smarter and better-looking than Andrew Huberman? Of course. Tougher than David Goggins? Hell yes.
You will crush your workdays while improving your lifespan. Peter Attia is nothing compared to you. In fact, you’re destined to become the CEO of the next unicorn AI startup.
Newsflash.
I’ve used dozens of standing desks in the last 5 years, so here’s a quick reality check.
1. You’ll Use It Less Than You Think.
The longer you own the standing desk, the less you’ll use it.
In fact, standing desk use follows a trajectory that’s similar to sex during marriage.
During the honeymoon period, you’ll become one of those annoying people who preach the benefits of standing all the time – and you’ll use it in standing mode a lot. Likely multiple times per day, for hours at a time.
But once the novelty wears off, you’ll fall back to doing it once a day. Then once a week. Then once a fortnight.
Finally, it will become an obligation, and you’ll look for reasons to avoid it.
2. You Must Get A New Chair First.
Do you work more than 6 hours per day?
You don’t need a standing desk – until you invest in a decent ergonomic chair. You’ll spend the bulk of your time sitting – even during the honeymoon period – and the best way to start experiencing aches and pains is to sit in a crappy chair.
Yes, I know you’re scrappy and frugal, which is why you’re still sitting on your kitchen chair.
Spending more than $1,000 on an office chair fills you with dread.
Did You Know?
If you put that $1,000 into the S&P500 and let it compound at 8% over 30 years, it will be worth $10,063! Well, after taxes and inflation you’d end up with $3,140, but that’s a story for another day.
The good news is, thanks to the magic of offshore labour, you don’t need to spend $1,000. Decent ergonomic chairs start at about $350, with the sweet spot currently sitting around $600.
That won’t buy you bells and whistles (you’ll need to spend above $1,300-2,000 for that), but it will save you visits to a chiropractor. Which add up quickly. IYKYK.
3. Chinese Standing Desks Are (Mostly) Excellent.
About 10 years ago, buying a Chinese-made standing desk was a stupid idea. They had terrible actuators, gears and electronics.
Chances are, you’re reading this article because you’ve narrowed your search down to a few desks and are trying to choose a winner.
I’m willing to wager that all of these desks are made in China. Even if they cost over $1,000.
Desky, for example, is 100% made in China from Chinese-sourced parts – and is one of the most stable, stylish desks on the market.
The problem isn’t Chinese manufacture itself – it’s cheap Chinese manufacture. I strongly recommend you stay away from sub-$250 standing desks like the Officeworks Chatham.
4. Standing Desk “Research” Is Mostly Rubbish.
Standing desk brands want you to believe that standing will make you feel more energised. More mentally alert. They’ll often cite “scientific studies” that support these claims.
For example, this study showed that 87% of respondents felt more comfortable, 87% felt energized, 75% felt healthier, 71% felt more focused, 66% felt more productive, 62% felt happier, and 33% felt less stressed as a result of having a standing desk installed at their workstations.
These outcomes were a result of participants standing an average of 66 minutes per day.
However, I suggest you take these promises with a heavy pinch of salt.
Important!
Studies that focus on standing desks are unlikely to attract high-calibre researchers with substantial budgets, which means they’re likely to contain methodological issues.
The study I cited above, for example, was based on a non-randomised trial, which means we can’t infer causality.
5. Standing Desk Won’t Reduce Procrastination.
Do you procrastinate? Chances are, you don’t like your job, you have a poverty mindset around work, or you don’t have enough discipline.
The “productivity” industry is worth US$110 billion – and it mostly sells band-aid solutions like timers, personal organisers, note-taking software, calendars and yes, standing desks.
Are you surprised?
I’m not. According to Gallup’s 2026 report, 80% of the global workforce is not fully engaged, with 64% not engaged and 16% actively disengaged.
If you are one of them, I’m willing to bet you waste a lot of time at work, which makes you feel unproductive.
Perhaps you spend parts of your workday researching the best standing desks, hoping one will make you feel more excited about work.
It won’t. You’re avoiding the real issue. Don’t buy a standing desk to solve it.
Steven
