The best standing desks can be transformative for your health and comfort, letting you move around to improve circulation, posture, and focus. All of which they can do without needing you to take a break from your work or gaming.
The best stand-up desks are height adjustable, and most use electric motors to move the desktop up and down so that you can switch from seat to feet quickly. Depending on how much you spend, some also come with built-in USB sockets, cable management features, cupholders, and even RGB lighting.
Getting up from the best gaming chairs comes with ergonomic health benefits that will make time spent at your desk more enjoyable. Whether you want a desk for your home office, the best gaming desk, or a choice that fits both, we’ve been trying and testing the best standing desks from brands like FlexiSpot, Secretlab, Herman Miller, and more to help you decide.
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FlexiSpot E7
Best standing desk overall
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| Motorized | Yes, dual motor |
| Desktop sizes | 48 x 24”, 48 x 24″, 48 x 30″, 55 x 28″, 60 x 24″ |
| Height range | 22.8 – 48.4in / 58 – 123cm |
| Lifting weight | 355lb / 161kg |
| Frame colors | Black, White, Gray |
- Wide range of desktop options
- Quiet motors
- Automatic collision detection
- Not the cheapest
- Cable management could be better
The FlexiSpot E7 is the best standing desk for most people, and perfect if you’ve got a heavy gaming load to lift thanks to its 355lb / 161kg maximum weight capacity. It’s the best choice of standing desk for most people and comes in a white, black, or gray frame, plus a range of desktop sizes and materials depending on your budget.
The desk does require some assembly. When we tested this desk, with a handy YouTube link supplied by Flexispot we were able to get the desk up and running in about an hour. You may need a drill to make a few holes for the legs, however.
The keypad that comes with the desk not only has a USB port, but is effortless to use, and allows you to set four different levels as presets between the minimum of 58cm and the maximum of 123cm – you could set one for sitting, standing, and gaming. The desk moves into position in a matter of seconds and the E7’s dual-motor lifting system is so quiet you could even use it in open office spaces.
Read our Flexispot E7 review
FlexiSpot E7 Pro
Best premium standing desk
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| Motorized | Yes, dual motor |
| Desktop sizes | 48 x 24”, 48 x 24″, 48 x 30″, 55 x 28″, 60 x 24″ |
| Height range | 22.8 – 48.4in / 58 – 123cm |
| Lifting weight | 440lb /~200 kg |
| Frame colors | Black, White |
- Smooth, precise height adjustments
- 10 year warranty
- Tabletop is solid and sturdy
- Lots of cables to manage, even with kit
- Difficult to manoeuver during assembly
The FlexiSpot E7 Pro is similar to the E7 standing desk in many ways. You get a wide choice of desktop materials and frame colors and a neat programmable keypad and dual-motor for moving the desk up and down silently. The E7 Pro is more expensive, and also an upgrade in several ways.
It can accommodate 200kg of heavy equipment, comes with improved cable management, and has an extended maximum height of 50.6 inches. Great news if you’re tall. You still have to assemble the desk, but our reviewer was impressed by how clear FlexiSpot’s instructions were, and that all of the tools required came in the box.
The desk height is also adjusted more quickly, with a speed of 1.57 inches per second, up from the E7’s 1.5 inches. That makes for a smoother, more efficient movement up and down when you get fidgety. The E7 Pro might be a more expensive desk, but it’s the right choice if you need the ultimate load capacity and build quality for heavy setups.
Read our Flexispot E7 Pro review
Corsair Platform:6
Best standing desk for stroage space
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| Motorized | Yes, dual motor |
| Desktop sizes | 180cm x 76cm (72 x 30-inch) |
| Height range | 74 – 122cm (29 – 49-inch) |
| Lifting weight | 150kg (330lbs) |
| Frame colors | Black with black or wood desktop (rubberwood or black walnut) |
- Super handy in-desk storage cubby
- Spacious desktop
- Quiet and smooth height adjustment
- Sharp edges
- Monitor arms a bit stiff
- Surface easily shows dirt
Aside from being a sturdy standing desk with quiet, smooth, dual motor rising action, one thing that we particularly love is the Corsair Platform:6’s storage cubby. Too many standing desks give you the space on the desktop, but then think nothing more of where you’re going to put your stuff, while this one takes a little more from the world of conventional desks to make itself a very appealing choice.
Of course, it’s not perfect. Our biggest gripe is the edges – they’re very sharp. You might end up stabbing yourself while getting it set up, and though it’s easy enough to avoid them, we also think it would have been easy enough to fix the problem with the design. Plus the monitor arms are a bit too stiff, and the way the surface has been made means that it’s particularly easy for it to start looking grubby, so you’ll probably have to clean it more often than you might do another desk.
But, really, we’re quibbling over the small stuff. There’s loads that you can add to this desk to make it do whatever you want, with a T-channel bar, various cable management accessories, and much else. In the words of our reviewer, Edward Chester, “Corsair Platform:6 Elevate is a very capable and versatile gaming desk.”
Read our Corsair Platform:6 review.
FlexiSpot E2
Best budget standing desk
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| Motorized | Yes, single motor |
| Desktop sizes | 48 x 24”, 48 x 24″, 48 x 30″, 55 x 28″, 60 x 24″ |
| Height range | 28 – 47.6″ |
| Lifting weight | 187 lbs (84.8kg) |
| Frame colors | White, Black, Gray |
- Excellent value
- Shake-free operation
- Easy assembly
- Maximum load is quite low
- No cable management
The FlexiSpot EP2 gives you the benefits of working upright in a very low-cost package. This essential desk supports around half the maximum lifting load of the E7, but 187 lbs is still a lot of weight to be able to keep on the desktop. Its control module doesn’t give you any height presets unless you upgrade to the E2 Pro, but its whisper-quiet three-stage lift system makes changing the height a seamless, wobble-free experience.
Admittedly the design of the Flexispot E2 is a bit vanilla, but the brand offers more premium worktops and designs as you go up the range and spend more. By opting for the gaming series desktop you also get a cable tray, but we like the chipboard with drawers option for storing away accessories neatly.
We chose the E2 as the best standing desk for affordability – if you’re on a budget, and don’t need a huge weight lifted it will offer you a useful range of heights and decent build quality. The motor also has a five-year warranty for added peace of mind on your investment.
Herman Miller Nevi
Best premium standing desk
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| Motorized | Yes |
| Desktop sizes | 24 x 48″, 30 x 60″ |
| Lifting capacity | 165 lbs (75 kg) |
| Height range | 28.5 – 47.25″ |
| Frame colors | White, Black |
- Gorgeous design
- Build is superb
- Strong motors
- More expensive than most
Herman Miller is known for its premium office chairs and desks, and the Nevi sit-to-stand desk gives you a super clean and minimal aesthetic to fit most modern offices or WFH setups. If design is important to you, and you don’t mind paying a premium, the Nevi would be our top pick.
Similarly to FlexiSpot, Herman Miller offers a choice of frame colors (black and white), five melamine worktop finishes, and the option of a standard or extended height range – both using an electronic motor that operates incredibly smoothly. It’s worth noting that the 165 lbs weight capacity is below FlexiSpot’s cheap E2 above, but the desk itself is also lighter.
Thankfully, given its high price, the Nevi comes with under-surface cable management included. You still have to assembly the desk yourself, but this is a smooth operation, and possible to do with just one person.
How to choose a standing desk
Choosing the right standing desk for you will come down to your budget, room size, design preferences, and how much you want to keep on top of the desk. There’s little point in buying a premium desk like the FlexiSpot E7 Pro if you’ve got a razor-thin laptop, but you don’t want a flimsy option if you have three monitors, a gaming PC, a console, and peripherals.
Aside from the desk’s maximum weight capacity, I recommend looking at its height range, motor power, speed, controls, and programmability. If others in your household (or office) are going to share the desk, then a wide height range is a good idea, along with a control panel that you can program for preset heights for each person. BIFMA (business and institutional furniture manufacturers) suggests a range of 22.6 – 48.7 inches, but it’s best to tailor it to the individuals using it.
As with any desk, including the best gaming desks, tailor the depth and width of the desktop to the space you have and consider how much room you need on top to house everything and still be able to work or game comfortably. Most brands allow you to configure the legs and tabletop separately.
Best standing desk FAQs
What is a standing desk?
Standing desks, also called sit-stand desks or adjustable standing desks, move up and down so you can use them when sitting down or standing up. By changing the height of your desktop, a standing desk allows you to move around more freely and avoid long periods of being sedentary.
There are three distinct types of standing desks. The most popular have legs that move up and down at the touch of a button, using an electrical motor. Next are desks that do the same thing but require manual operation to move up and down – generally using a handle that you wind around. Thirdly, there are desktop standing desk attachments or desk risers. You can put these on a normal desk to add standing desk functionality without altering your old desk.
Generally, motorized standing desks are the most expensive, manually operated ones are cheaper, and on-desk units are the cheapest, though there are exceptions to this rule. Motorized desks will give you the smoothest operation up and down, and even allow you to set preset heights, which is helpful if multiple people use the same desk.
Is standing at a desk good for you?
If you spend a large part of your day sitting down to work or play games, a standing desk will improve your posture and comfort long-term. It may also reduce the risk of having shoulder and back pain.
There’s been a lot of research into standing desks, and while scientists are still working out whether they can boost health, we already know that being too sedentary can increase the risk of heart disease, cancer, and even diabetes.
There are also mental health benefits to moving your desk position at will. Standing often provides mental clarity and focus over sitting down, and taking a new position can refresh your perspective on tasks and challenges at work.
Are there disadvantages to a standing desk?
Standing desks have many benefits, but they’re also likely to be heavier, more expensive, and more complex to assemble than standard desks that don’t have a motor system. If you’re new to standing for long periods, using a standing desk can strain your muscles and joints, but an anti-fatigue mat can help to reduce these side effects.