Last updated: 23rd Jun 2026
I became an accidental standing desk “expert” about 5 years ago, when I wrote about my experience with the UpDown Pro. To my surprise, people read it – and asked me to write more reviews.
Fast-forward to today, and this blog is the #1 resource Aussies use to help them choose their ideal standing desk.
I’ve also learned a lot on this journey.
Turns out, the standing desk industry loves using marketing hype to stretch the truth (are you surprised?), so I thought I’d dispel some of the common myths I still see people fall for – despite my best efforts to educate them.
1. Not A Panacea For Health Issues.
The standing desk industry has been guilty of overstating the health benefits your standing desk is likely to deliver.
Buy one – and it will apparently fix your bad back while curing that chronic thyroid issue you’ve had since you were a kid.
Important!
I call BS. In fact, new research from Australia suggests that prolonged standing may make you more – not less – vulnerable to certain circulatory problems.
But let’s get real – if you’re buying a standing desk to mitigate serious health issues, you’re barking up the wrong tree.
You likely have issues upstream (e.g., diet and exercise habits) that you’ve been avoiding – and need to address first.
Back pain, however, is a valid point. I’d stop far short of viewing a desk as something that will “fix” your back. But I recognise that the best way to avoid back pain is to ensure you switch between several postures throughout the day.
So, think of a standing desk as a tool that offers you an additional position to choose from – and this may relieve some of the discomfort you’re experiencing.
2. Calorie Burn Is A Myth.
Let me call this out as total BS, as well.
You won’t get skinny by using a standing desk. It’s marketing hype at its worst.
The difference in caloric burn between standing vs sitting is about 50 calories per hour. The naive conclusion is that this delta can help you lose about 1kg per month, because:
- 50 calories per hour translates to a 400-calorie deficit per 8-hour workday,
- 400 calories translates to an 8,000 calorie deficit per month.
Now, 1 gram of your stored fat contains 9 calories, so in theory, an 8,000-calorie deficit is just shy of what you need to lose that stubborn kilo.
There are several issues with this argument. First, I promise you that you won’t be standing 8 hours per day (and if you do, you’ll quickly develop plantar fasciitis).
Important!
A more realistic scenario is one where you stand for 2-3 hours per day – and this reduces your daily calorie deficit to a much more modest 100-150 calories.
This argument falls apart when you consider that a large apple has roughly the same number of calories.
So, you’re far more likely to reach your weight loss goals by making tiny adjustments to your diet, rather than buying an expensive standing desk.
3. Custom Sitting Height Is A Bigger Deal Than You Think.
People who are either taller or shorter than average often struggle to find a comfortable, ergonomic position at a standard desk, because:
- Their elbows and wrists are either too high or too low.
- The desktop makes contact with their knees.
- Their wrists angle down or up at a ~30° angle to their keyboard.
A standing desk is a game-changer here – not because it allows them to stand, but because it allows them to dial in the exact desktop sitting height they need.
This feature is priceless for many people because it allows them to sit with their forearms and thighs parallel to the floor.
Did You Know?
Many people who are either under 5 or above 6 feet don’t use these desks in standing mode that much at all, for exactly this reason. For them, the ability to fine-tune the sitting height is the real benefit.
4. Don’t Worry About Wobble.
Australians are more worried about their standing desk wobbling than they are about the Iranian uranium enrichment program.
Most of their concern is understandable – but misplaced. It’s true that most standing desks used to suffer from this issue. It’s also true that many desks in the US market still do.
We have better consumer protections, which lead to less garbage being sold. I’ve personally assembled and used more than 15 standing desks in my home office at this point, and I’m yet to come across one that has serious stability issues.
Not even the el cheapo Artiss from Amazon disappointed me.
In fact, the only desk that shocked me was the Officeworks Otto Newhaven desk.
Expert Tip.
If you’re worried about stability, remember – nothing accentuates wobble more than excessive gear on your desktop. The more stuff you add to it, the higher the desk’s centre of gravity becomes.
Add a hardwood desktop, a PC tower, two monitors on heavy-duty arms and a drawer full of junk, and even the most bulletproof desk will wobble more. Because, um, #physics.
5. Accessories Make Or Break Your Desk.
The first thing you’ll think after assembling your $1,500 desk and plonking your computer on it will be, “Is this it?”
It will look bare. Unfinished. Because it is.
The desk you just bought is a foundation. What makes it pleasant to interact with – and vastly more usable – is the collection of accessories you add to it.
I wrote extensively about the must-have accessories you need for your desk, so I won’t repeat myself here.
Except to say that your non-negotiables are:
- Standing mat (your feet will begin to hurt after 5 minutes without it).
- Under–desk drawer (to keep all the crap off your desktop).
- Desk mat (makes the desk look significantly better by creating a focal point).
Last but not least – invest in cable management. Don’t leave cables dangling below the desk – it’s unsafe for kids, pets – and it kills the aesthetic.
Also, don’t know about you, but when my workspace is messy, I feel less organised. Less productive.
6. EOFY And Black Friday Sales Are Great.
If you’re on a tight budget, wait until one of those. You’ll easily shave a few hundred dollars off your purchase price.
In conclusion, your standing desk is just one component in your broader WFH ergonomic strategy. Your objective is not to eliminate sitting.
It’s to reduce static load on your body by encouraging regular movement.
Steven
