My anecdotal data: I almost never use standing feature of my standing-desk in the office, I use it if I want to show something on my displays to a couple of people. I see the value of standing desks, but since I am a very physically active person, I find the health benefits of standing in front of a desk just tiring and useless for me. But a lot of my co-workers do use standing desks.
Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
11–20 of 81 posts
Re: Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
#12It's nice to have the option of standing up for a while instead of always sitting.
Depending on your technology setup, cable routing might be made more difficult as you may need to ensure sufficient slack for the full range of movement to be available.
Depending on the size and construction of the desk, you may need to care more about how much weight you put on the desk surface. Some designs at max height can get a little wobbly and this gets worse with more weight.
When I bought one for my home office, I decided to go with one with a mechanical crank instead of an electric motor. I've seen too many offices full of adjustable desks with dead motors and decided I didn't want to be staring at a non-moving adjustable desk 2 years later.
Re: Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
#13Everyone has one at my job and the usage varies wildly, probably due to fitness and willpower. If the price is a barrier, think twice whether you'd really stand or not. Maybe you can try one a few weeks at a coworking place or so?
Re: Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
#14YES. Look for deals. I got a really sturdy one from Costco 4 years ago for about $250 and it's the best desk I've ever owned.
I don't use a char at all anymore - I stand about 80% of the day, and use a stool to rest for the other 20%.
Make sure to get one with programmable heights, and spend some time setting up your ideals for ergonomics.
--EDIT-- This is the model I bought (but mine is black). Looks like it's gone up about $100 since my purchase, but well worth it. https://www.costco.com/tresanti-geller-47%e2%80%9d-adjustabl...
Re: Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
#15I love the idea but can't deal with how much they wiggle. They all seem to only have 2 legs, which results in them being very wobbly, particularly at standing height. Interested to hear if anyone knows of any actually stable sit-stand desks..
There are ones with more legs, but they are in a different price category altogether.
Re: Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
#16I really like having one. I just wish it didn't wobble and squeak as much as it does.
Next time though, I will select by researching stability / non-wobbly reviews, such as these:
https://www.btod.com/blog/most-stable-standing-desks/
https://www.reddit.com/r/StandingDesk/comments/gyopqq/sugges...
About 3 years ago, I bought a relatively cheap one from Amazon-- for the price, it's quite decent.
Note on Depth: I like that it's 30" deep-- My preference would be 36", just so I can sprawl out more. So, I would keep depth in mind. I think 24", which is a common depth, is too narrow.
- $210 for base: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FT9JVW7/
- $250 for tabletop: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083LLGX14/
= $460 total
I bought it thanks to an employer's WFH covid stipend. If I get such a home office stipend again, I will likely go with this sort of brand which is at least on the top 5 list of non-wobbly desks linked above.
- Price: $850 https://www.amazon.com/Vari-Electric-Standing-Desk-Adjustabl... note: it does not have a cross beam, so it might not be the best choice. I will likely keep searching
Re: Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
#17I find it tough to concentrate on serious work while standing, but I do use mine elevated when I am doing administrative tasks or research.
Re: Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
#18I have the predecessor to the Uplift4 and have owned it for 7 or 8 years now. https://www.upliftdesk.com/uplift-4-leg-standing-desk-v2-v2-...
It has been a very good purchase for me--I stand for at least 2-3 sessions during the work day and find it very helpful.
This particular unit has very little wobble and is extremely strong. Zero regrets and I highly recommend it. If you're doing any consulting/contracting this should be a tax deductible purchase.
Re: Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
#19I recently purchased a walking treadmill for my standing desk, though it hasn't come in yet. I do think that if you're interested in burning some calories on the clock, a standing desk is a prerequisite.
Re: Ask HN: Are height adjustable desks worth it?
#20I bought a fairly cheap one off of Amazon last year to see if I would actually use it before buying some of the more recommended brands and models. I find there are times where it helps to stand. Usually during those online meetings where I tend to get distracted and fidget more.
How much I stand really depends on the day.