Last updated: 05th Apr 2026
You’ve decided to buy a standing desk. I’m willing to bet that you’ve been trying to figure out which one is the best for at least a few months. But the more research you do, the more undecided you become.
Your first problem is that standing desk brands are bombarding you with almost identical features. Such as:
- Child locks.
- Programmable height presets.
- Anti-collision sensors.
Let me make your life easier immediately – you can remove those from your consideration set.
Not because they’re not important – but because all (except the absolute cheapest desk manufacturers) include them. They’re table-stakes (excuse the pun, ha).
The second issue is that the standing desk industry is stagnant.
Innovation is moving at a glacial pace, which is why even the best brands like Desky and UpDown are selling the same designs that they did 7 years ago.
Above: 9am Home is a new brand that offers unusually innovative designs. Note the sculpted tubular legs, built-in tray, and bevelled desktop edges.
And they look almost identical.
Square legs. A couple of crossmembers between them, housing the dual motors. A choice of hardwood or softwood desktops bolted to the top.
Did You Know?
I’ve spent the past 4 years influencing the top brands in Australia to reimagine their desks from the ground up. Let’s just say they’re not enthusiastic about the idea.
Instead of innovating the actual desk designs, brands compete by bundling in (often useless) accessories – or finding new and clever ways to pitch the positive aspects of existing designs.
Because I’ve tested over 20 standing desks in my home office since 2023, I’ve learned to see through the gimmicks. Here they are, from most useless to least.
1. Bluetooth-Enabled Mobile App.
Most of them now include built-in standing reminders, health coaches and productivity timers.
Some are voice-activated.
We live in a world of digital overwhelm, and the last thing you need in your life is a standing desk app.
2. Rising And Lowering Speed.
We, men, are obsessed with getting somewhere fast, and this habit has leaked into standing desk design.
Yes, some desks move like Speedy Gonzales at around 50-60mm/sec. But truth is, anything above 35mm/sec is perfectly adequate – and all but the cheapest single motor desks will hit that number.
For example, the el cheapo Artiss travels at 25mm/sec – but when you are paying ~$300 for a desk – delivered to your door – are you in a position to complain?
3. Weight Lifting Capacity.
Here’s what standing desk brands don’t tell you.
Most of the time, they achieve higher weight capacity at the expense of speed. Remember how I said they don’t innovate?
Well, instead of creating a new, stronger actuator, they simply push suppliers to reprogram existing motors for more torque at the expense of speed.
Expert Tip.
The final number is more of a proxy for the desk’s durability than a number you actually need to worry about exceeding.
For example, top brands like Desky and UpDown cap out at about 150kg.
But your computer and peripherals weigh 5-20kg. Monitor is 5-10kg. Other bits and pieces are another 5kg.
Your forearms, which you’ll also rest on your desk, add another 5kg.
So unless yours are like Arnie’s, you’ll rarely have more than 50kg on your desk.
4. Motor Noise Level.
I’ve never encountered a desk that is offensively loud. This isn’t something you need to think about.
5. Sustainability Credentials.
Above: A Secretlab Magnus Pro standing desk paired with a Desky wobble stool.
Most brands highlight the fact that their desktops are ethically sourced.
UpDown goes further by offering recycled timber desktops (which are gorgeous, actually – check out their Recycled Messmate).
Let me call a spade a spade.
You are not saving the planet with your standing desk choices. You’re just “buying sustainable” because of an image you like to project.
Take your ethically sourced copy of the Communist Manifesto with you.
6. Adjustment Range.
Most standing desks on the Australian market will travel between 65-125cm, which is more than enough range for 98% of the population.
But if you’re a weirdo like me who lives in the other 2% (I’m 200cm), then yes, you are an exception to this rule.
- Exceptionally short people need a desk that will lower to 60cm (e.g., Desky Dual, Omnidesk Ascent). Otherwise their forearms will tilt upwards when tasking in a sitting position.
- Super tall people have less to worry about, as even my working height is around 115-120cm. But if you’re legitimately giant (taller than 215cm), then you need a desk that tops out near 130cm (e.g., 9am Home, Stando Pulse).
7. Returns.
Don’t be fooled by this one.
You’re VERY unlikely to return your desk – even if they offer a standard “30-day return” policy, where the brand will accept the desk back in pristine condition and original packaging.
The reason?
Your standing desk will arrive in 2-3 unwieldy, heavy boxes and a desktop that weigh about 40-60kg in total.
If you try to send that from your residential address back to the distribution centre using a courier like FedEx or Couriers Please, expect to cough up $200-400.
The only exception to this rule is an instance where the brand offers a legitimate 100-Day trial (e.g., UpDown), where they explicitly mention that they’ll cover the cost of return shipping.
8. Hidden Under-Desk Wireless Charger.
Stand Desk was the first to offer this as a standard feature back in 2024, and I got excited about it back then. Now almost every brand offers one. But I changed my mind about it since.
Truth is, you can buy one on Amazon for far cheaper – and attach one to any desk. It’s not a differentiator.
9. USB Port On The Controller.
The latest generation of OLED controllers has this feature standard. It’s good in theory.
But in reality, you’ll never use it – except in rare, exceptional circumstances.
Most people love having a clean, minimalist standing desk setup with no loose cables.
The USB port on the controller puts an ugly cable right under you nose – the worst possible spot. You’re much better off running a USB back from your computer on monitor.
10. Hardwood Desktop.
Above: Check out the gorgeous glint and swirls of this desktop. This one is a 9am Home’s American Oak.
I saved the most controversial one until last.
A hardwood desktop can be a thing of beauty. If you can afford it – it can easily add $500-1,000 to the price of your desk.
I’m a big fan of nice furniture, and I always appreciated the New Messmate desktop on my UpDown Pro. It’s stunning.
A large mat, a monitor riser, a mug coaster and a few books cover 80% of my desk, so I never got to see much of the Messmate.
Last year, I swapped the hardwood for a black melamine desktop, and TBH, I am equally happy with it.
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
Goce says:
Do you have a list of best non standing desks? I never stand so I don’t see a reason to spend extra on electric motors etc.
Steven McConnell says:
Ha! That’s the best question so far. I don’t – do you think people want a guide on this?