No buyer’s remorse: a guide to getting the best standing desk for your needs

There are tons of stand-up desks out there, from DIY ones to fancy thousand-dollar contraptions. This guide isn’t about randomly highlighting cool products. Rather, I’ll be pointing out the factors you need to consider when shopping around, and then recommend desks that fit your personal situation. I’ll also share where you can buy them online.

If you’re still new to this whole concept of standing at work, first check out my article on what you should look out for when transitioning to a standing desk. Otherwise, continue on:

3 types of stand-up desks

Standing desks, broadly speaking, can be grouped into three types: desktop attachments, sit-stand desks, and stand-only desks. Here’s a nifty graphic that sums up their benefits:

Stand-only desks

The stand-only desk, by virtue of being unadjustable to your height, is the most affordable option. It’s great if you’re testing out the habit for the very first time. Stand-only desks work well if you have a second desk where you can sit, or if you plan to invest in a tall stool you can lean on when you’re tired of standing upright.

If you like to spend the weekend building stuff, this is for you. By shopping for the right parts at Ikea – or using any discarded furniture – you can easily create a standing desk in a day. This webpage has 10 ideas to get you started.

But if you’d like to spend a bit less time figuring stuff out, this self-assembled, environmentally-friendly cardboard desk could be just the ticket. Just follow the instructions and assemble the pieces together. Simple.

Created by New Zealand startup Refold, its desks are available for pre-order in select countries worldwide.

Here’s the downside to stand-only desks: because their height is fixed, they may not suit your height or body profile. For instance, Refold doesn’t have an elevated second platform, so on top of spending US$250 for it, you’ll have to figure out another way to get your monitor to the right height.

Some important stuff