Last updated: April 22nd, 2024
If you want to upgrade your home office with a standing desk, Ikea is a great place to start. They have a couple of options that are affordable and stylish. But are Ikea standing desks worth it?
Let me share the pros and cons of Ikea standing desks in the context of WFH – and help you decide whether they’re worth the hype, or whether you should buy a premium standing desk from UpDown or Desky.
In case you don’t know, Ikea sells two standing desk models in Australia:
- The Ikea Trotten is a basic, no-frills standing desk at a good price. It’s not electric, but with a starting price of $299, it’s hard to beat on price.
- The Ikea Bekant is a premium standing desk. Starting at $669, it features electric adjustability, a choice of 4 leg colours and no less than 6 desktop colours.
Let’s have a look at both in detail.
(Related: How To Set Up Your Standing Desk Correctly).
Is The Ikea Trotten Standing Desk Worth It?
Shown in photo: Designed for people on a tight budget, the Trotten allows you to stand while working from home, without breaking your budget.
If you’re unsure if standing desks are for you or don’t want to spend more than a few hundred dollars on your first one, the Trotten will probably be near the top of your list.
(Related: Best Corner Desks For Your Home Office).
7 Facts You Need To Know About The Ikea Trotten:
- It’s a manual standing desk, so you must rotate a crank to raise or lower it.
- The mechanism is smooth and steady, though you’ll have to do a lot of manual labour to move the desk significantly. The crank stows away neatly underneath the desk when not in use.
- Assembly is typical Ikea fare. Open the box, follow instructions, get a bit frustrated, and voila – you have a new desk. On the emotional level, it’s just like visiting a good dentist – not painful, but always a little bit unpleasant.
- Construction is good for a cheap standing desk. Instead of using the classic flimsy particleboard that we tend to associate Ikea with, Trotten uses a quite dense board, the quality of which can almost be mistaken for real wood. Almost.
- Lack of cable management is an issue. Because you’ll be raising and lowering the desk, you’ll need to leave plenty of cable slack, making your home office look messy.
- While the desktop is very dense, the finish looks thin and prone to staining. If you decide to buy this desk, I recommend you use coasters for coffee mugs and wipe any spills immediately.
- My last gripe is the 50 kg load rating. If your home office setup includes a couple of monitors, an external hard drive and accessories, you may find yourself hitting against that limit.
Pros:
- Very affordable
- You can find it in any Ikea store
- Relatively easy to assemble
Cons:
- Not electric, so you have to manually adjust the height
- Maximum load is only 50 kg
- The desktop is smaller than some other models on the market (120cm x 70cm)
- There are only two colour options (black or white)
- No cable management
- The desktop coating is delicate and may not last
Expert Tip.
You won’t be standing all day, so your home office is incomplete without a good standing desk AND an ergonomic office chair. Read my review of the best office chairs in Australia to see which one is right for you.
My Verdict About The Ikea Trotten:
If you’re looking for a cheap entry-level desk, the Trotten is a decent choice. I can see a lot of parents buying it for their teenage children, or university students using it to adorn their dorms.
As a work-from-home tool for professionals, I’m not convinced.
If I was on a tight budget, I’d stretch by another $200 and purchase the Artiss standing desk (read my review of the best standing desks in Australia here), which usually retails for about $500, is much better built, and is electronically adjustable.
Or I’d save up more money and eventually upgrade to look at premium options like UpDown (read my review of the UpDown Pro Standing Desk) or Desky.
(Related Article: How To Ask Your Employer For A Standing Desk At Work).
Is The Ikea Bekant Standing Desk Worth It?
Shown in photo: Do you want to make your home office the envy of your remote coworkers? Then the Bekant is marketed at you.
Ikea’s flagship standing desk, the Bekant comes in various colours and sizes that add up to 8 permutations. And at $699, it’s not too expensive, either.
Let’s see if it rises to the occasion.
Yep, I just said it.
Couldn’t resist.
(Related: How To Stand At A Standing Desk).
7 Facts You Need To Know About The Ikea Bekant:
- It’s an electric standing desk, which means you can press a button to raise or lower it.
- You can also program in four different height settings, so you don’t have to keep readjusting the desk every time you stand up or sit down.
- Aesthetics are OK without being great. The round columns look a bit dated and remind me of telescopes from the 1990s.
- The round design of the columns has structural implications, too. Because they enable movement in all directions, the Bekant never feels as steady as premium alternatives with square columns – especially at the tallest settings.
- The weight rating of 70 kilograms is still underwhelming (for context, my UpDown desk is rated at $150 kg), but it’s better than the 50 kilograms offered by the Trotten.
- The desktop is made from a nice birch veneer material and doesn’t feel cheap.
- I was hoping the coating would be thicker than the one in its cheaper cousin, the Trotten, but alas – it’s just as thin and lacks the quality of finish found in premium desks like UpDown and Desky.
Pros:
- Anti-collision stop function
- Decent cable management system
- 10–year warranty on all parts, including electronics
- Maximum load is 70 kg
Cons:
- Tubular construction is not as sturdy as it is in premium desks
- The desktop coating is delicate and may not last
- Not the best value for money
My Verdict About The Ikea Bekant:
For $699, it’s underwhelming. The main issue is that Bekant’s pricing puts it into an awkward pricing segment.
It costs almost $200 more than the better-built Artiss. Simultaneously, it costs only $200 less than much more premium alternatives from UpDown or Desky.
If the Bekant was $400-450, it would be outstanding value for money. At this price, I’m not convinced.
– 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