Great Adjustable Height Desk?

January 12, 2008 12:43 PM

Anybody have an adjustable-height sit/stand desk they love?

I'm looking for a sit-stand desk. I've read about the health benefits, and it makes sense to me. (I just spent 14 hours sitting at my desk today. In fact, I'm sitting here now. Gah.)

I'm not looking for just a standing desk like this, and I don't want to hear about the benefits (like this). I know I want it, and I want one that moves between sitting and standing positions, with a crank, or hydraulics, or electronics. Or lasers. I don't care how it moves (though I'd like it to be easy).

I'm in Austin, TX, USA; local's ideal, but shipping is OK.

AFC seems to have lots of options, but it's expensive - the basic model I picked out was quoted at $2300. That's a bit steep for a desk; I could consider paying that, but not sight-unseen. Lista Office appears to make a nice one: but the only US distributors I could find (1, 2) don't seem to carry the office line. Word is that Ikea used to make one, but don't anymore. Ebay led me to this one, but I can't tell if that's high enough quality.

Also, I have a two monitor setup, so I'd want something a little wider than this.

Mainly, I'm looking for an endorsement from someone who has and loves one. Anybody?

posted by ivarley to Shopping (8 answers total)

Best answer: I asked for an adjustable sit/stand desk at work and walked into my office to find this insanely great desk. It's spendy, at $1700, but I guarantee its exactly the desk you're looking for. It's adjustable (electronically) from below normal desk height (25") to tiptoe standing height (52") using a set of buttons on the front edge of the very wide surface area. My desktop holds two widescreen flat-panel displays, mouse/keyboard, and the usual variety of knick-knacks with plenty of space to spare.

The desk configuration has completely transformed my level of comfort and, thus, my level of productivity. I stand for the first 90 minutes or so of the day and trade-off sitting on the edge of a stool and standing for the rest of the day. I find that I'm more focused and alert throughout the day and just feel healthier in general, probably because I never have that "ugh, I just spent 10 hours slumped over my keyboard' feeling in the evening.

Whether you splurge for this desk or find another solution, make the change -- it'll do you some serious good, I tell ya.
posted by prinado at 3:35 PM on January 12, 2008

Um, I don't really have a sit-stand *desk,* but I have a sit/stand arrangement. I have a high desk which is actually a drafting table. I sit on a drafting chair. When I want to stand (actually, walk on a treadmill), I unplug the keyboard, pick up my iMac, and put the Mac on a sturdy plant stand at the edge of the desk, facing the treadmill. It's a 90-degree turn to the right. Then I move the keyboard over to the treadmill, plug in again, and I'm walking while I work. The transition takes about 30 seconds.

I think my total cost was about $40, not including the chair and treadmill. The drafting table is nice--solid wood--but I got it from Goodwill. I used scrap wood that I already had to make it wider and to build a removable treadmill shelf for the keyboard.

I also use a saddle chair as a change from the regular chair. That was the initial reason for the high desk and might be something to consider if you like to stand. Finally, I also use a RollerMouse, which in addition to its original benefits (happier upper back and wrist) makes it slightly easier to move the keyboard around because there's no mouse or mouse pad.
posted by PatoPata at 3:45 PM on January 12, 2008

Oops, on a second read, I see the two-monitor setup. So much for my idea.
posted by PatoPata at 3:45 PM on January 12, 2008

This desk from Anthro is really nice and accommodates multiple monitors. It is expensive, but less than some of the other options listed. They have other options as well.
posted by IronSurfer at 6:00 PM on January 12, 2008

Disclaimer: I work for Steelcase

Manual Operation - Airtouch™ Adjustable Worksurface by Steelcase

One Touch Operation - Height-AdjusTable Worksurfaces by Details

And, I want one of these really bad! Maybe when our new showroom opens, we'll have one that I can use: Walkstation by Details
posted by Corky at 8:57 PM on January 12, 2008

It's a bit more low-tech than some of the things you've indicated, but a friend of mine swears by his architectural drafting desk. I don't know where it originated--it was given to his father by an architect friend over a decade ago, and is pretty basic but quite the workhorse. The height can be adjusted, it can be tilted if necessary, and I've seen him squeeze up to 4 monitors on that thing (heavy ones, at that), though that number was something of a tight fit. There's been a couple of computers living on it ever since I've known him, though.

His model is apparently rather archaic (not too terribly surprising), but googling "drafting table" and viewing the image results should tell you if this is the sort of thing you're looking for.
posted by the luke parker fiasco at 5:34 AM on January 13, 2008

Man, I hear you on this one! Took me forever to find a reasonably-priced one. (i.e. <>
I have one of the desks sold by these guys (about $625 w/shipping):
Computer Desk Specialsts

All they sell is the frame, but for right now I'm just using an old door for the surface (they're cheap at ReStore -- Habitat for Humanity's "deconstruction" supply stores). I'll probably get fancy / artistic later, and make some cool surface for it out of plywood, but for now it's working great! : )
posted by JosephP at 11:20 PM on January 16, 2008 [1 favorite]

I went to buy another GeekDesk frame from Computer Desk Specialists last week, and found out they moved -- they're now here, and supposedly are going to build a store at www.GeekDesk.com soon (so they say). Just FYI. We're very happy w/their frames.... can't beat the value.
posted by JosephP at 1:25 PM on September 19, 2008