Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Height-Adjustable Desk

When we talk about ergonomic office furniture, one kind of table comes to mind: a height-adjustable desk. This type of desk is exactly what it sounds like—it’s designed to have an adjustable height.

But why does this desk even exist? For one, height-adjustable desks are used by workers who prefer to switch from a sitting position to a standing position throughout the day. Since sitting all day often leads to various diseases, such as repetitive strain injuries, diabetes, and obesity, furniture design has evolved to meet these problems of the modern workforce; thus, height-adjustable desks, also known as sit-stand desks, came into existence.

Comfort is the name of the game of height-adjustable desks. And to achieve that goal, you have to get the best one out there. Here are some of the things you need to consider before you buy a sit-stand desk online.

Manual Cranking vs Pneumatic vs Electric

Two of the most common height-adjustable desks on the market are manual and electric. A manual height-adjustable desk comes with a hand crank, which you can turn to manually adjust the height of the desk. Because of its simple design, this sit-stand desk requires more muscle power and tends to be at a lower price point.

For less difficult desk height adjustments, you can opt to get a pneumatic or hydraulic sit-stand desk. It features a lever or a foot pedal, which you can use to activate the desk’s pneumatic air cylinder to adjust its height. It doesn’t require too much strength to adjust and comes at a cheaper price than electric standing desks.

While electric height-adjustable desks are the most expensive type of sit-stand desks, their effortless height adjustments and programmable features offer the best bang for the buck. Plus, they allow you to quickly switch from a sitting to a standing position, with their height-adjustment speeds ranging from less than an inch per second to roughly 2 inches per second.

Tabletop

Choosing a sit-stand desk’s tabletop doesn’t only rely on the factor of aesthetics. You have to get a desk with a tabletop made of a durable material, so you can ensure that you’re getting your money’s worth.

Sit-stand desk tabletops are typically made of medium-density fiberboard, particleboard, engineered wood, plastic, steel, bamboo, oak, laminate, and more. With a variety of sturdy tabletops out there, you can easily choose one that suits your workspace and lasts for a lifetime of use as well.

Weight Capacity

When you’re eyeing a certain sit-stand desk model, you have to make sure that it can hold all of your computer equipment without any trouble. Most height-adjustable desks out there come with spec sheets, which contain their weight capacity.

Apart from the desk frame and top materials, one thing that contributes to a sit-stand desk’s weight capacity is its motor. Electric sit-stand desks need to have high-performance motors or dual motors to be able to withstand the load of heavy equipment.

Minimum and Maximum Height Range

Most importantly, you have to buy a height-adjustable desk offering a wide adjustable height range to which your sitting and standing heights are appropriate.

For a sitting desk position, you should have spacious legroom, and you should be able to rest your arms comfortably with your elbows at a 90-degree position. For a standing desk position, you should also be able to have a comfortable typing position and height while working with a natural posture or a straight back.