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The best standing desks to revolutionise your home office
Trust us, they’re out-standing...
Tested by Masudah KhatunHousehold Product Tester
How much of your day is spent sitting down? If your answer is "all day” (us too), then you’re not alone. According to the British Heart Foundation, UK adults spend an average of nine and a half hours a day sitting down – which is hardly surprising when you factor in work, commuting and that all-important sofa time after a long day.
However, sitting for longer than we sleep can have a real impact on our health (and not in a good way). According to a recent study, prolonged periods of sitting may increase the risk of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, while research has also found that it can lead to a higher risk of dementia.
But, you don't have to take this news sitting down. Along with regular breaks during the day, whether to pop to the toilet, kitchen or water cooler, as well as being active outside of working hours, investing in a standing desk is a simple way to ensure you spend more time on your feet.
So, we put them to the test at the Good Housekeeping Institute to find out which designs are worth adding to your work-from-home set-up. Find our experts' top picks below, and read on for more about the benefits of standing desks and how we tested them in our lab.
Are standing desks good for you?
According to the NHS, sitting all day is linked to a slower metabolism, which can affect the body’s ability to regulate blood sugar, blood pressure and break down body fat.
Standing desks, or sit-stand desks as they’re also known, are adjustable workstations that let you switch between sitting and standing throughout the day. The NHS recommends that we break up long periods of sitting with time on our feet, and having one of these designs at home means you can do this without disrupting your work.
Along with ergonomic office chairs, they also support better posture, helping to relieve back pain by reducing time spent slouching or sitting in an unnatural position.
“Sitting still for extended periods when working, whether at home or in the office, is no good for your lower back and in particular, it allows a sustained stretch on the ligaments to deform them,” warns Michael Fatica, a consultant osteopath for The Back in Shape Program.
Standing up or going for a walk interrupts this process and moves the body out of one set position. Fatica says that sit-stand desks are a great tool for interrupting pressure on the spine. “They provide flexibility and variety for your posture, which can help keep stress moving around the lower back, spine and muscles, instead of focusing it in one specific area,” he explains.
If you want to add a standing desk to your workspace, Fatica suggests setting a timer that reminds you to switch between sitting and standing every 20 to 30 minutes to keep the spine moving throughout the day.
What should I consider when buying a standing desk?
Before buying a new desk for your workspace, there are a few features to think about.
Adjustable height mechanism: There are different mechanisms that adjust the height of the desk; some have a handle that you manually push or crank to move the desk. These aren’t too common, so there’s just one on this list – the Yo-Yo Desk 90 – which also happens to be a desk converter that turns a normal table into a standing one.
The rest of the standing desks in this list have electric mechanisms, so you simply press and hold a button to change the height.
Stability: A wobbly desk is a recipe for disaster – and not just because you could spill coffee over important paperwork, or even worse, your laptop! If your standing desk moves easily when knocked, it can also be dangerous for you and anyone nearby. That’s why we’ve tested each model for stability, so that's one less thing to worry about while you're working.
Dimensions and workspace size: Before buying, check the size of the desk workspace – will it fit your laptop, a second screen, keyboard, mouse, desk lamp and a water bottle (should you want all those items)? To fit two monitors side by side comfortably, your workspace should be 120cm in width.
It’s also worth noting the desk’s height range. If you’re taller or shorter than average, you’ll want one with enough extension that lets you work comfortably.
Load capacity: All your work essentials plus a mountain of paperwork can weigh a lot. If you frequently end up with lots of bits and bobs on your desk, make sure to check whether your standing desk can accommodate the extra weight.
How we test standing desks
At the Good Housekeeping Institute, we consider everything from assembly to cleaning and usage in our tests to find the best standing desks.
Our experts begin by unpacking the boxes and constructing the desks, judging overall ease of build and timing how long it takes. Then, they conduct wobble tests at the highest, middle and lowest settings to see if the desk is stable.
To make sure it's suitable for everyday office use (and eating lunch on), our testers assess what it’s like to clean, staining each one with everyday spills such as tea, coffee, ketchup, mustard and biro. Then, they wipe them away immediately and judge the results. The test is then repeated, leaving the dirt to set in for 24 hours before cleaning.
Testers put mugs of tea on the surface to see whether the worktop reacts quickly to heat or water, and they look at how responsive mice are on the desk.
Then it's time to get to work. Five different members of the team spend at least half a day each using the desks to assess comfort, ease of use and design.
Finally, our expert combines test results with panel feedback to calculate an overall score for each desk. These are the ones that put in an out-standing performance...
Pros
- The edges of the worktop are rounded and smooth, so it didn’t hurt to lean on when working
- Uses sustainably sourced bamboo in the worktop
- Large workspace with a huge load capacity
Cons
- Expensive
- Has cable ties but no cable hook or box to keep the desk tidy
Score: 89/100
With rave reviews from our testers, it’s clear to see why this standing desk earned our top spot. Assembly took a little while – an hour and 30 minutes – but once up, our experts thought it was a solid, stable structure, and it aced our wobble test even when we knocked into it with force.
The desk has a large workspace that would comfortably fit two monitors as well as other basic equipment like a keyboard and mouse. There’s a good range of heights and switching between them was fuss-free thanks to the accessible and intuitive control panel. You can save up to four memory settings too, which means you can easily return to a comfortable standing position whenever you wish.
Note, testers found dried coffee stains tricky to remove so we recommend acting fast if you spill anything – immediate stains came off without too much elbow grease, so a quick wipe down should do the trick.
Key specifications
| Height range | 64-129cm |
|---|---|
| Desk dimensions | 120 x 80cm |
| Load capacity | 158kg |
| Warranty | 15 years for electronic and mechanical components, 5 years for tabletop |
Pros
- Good height range of up to 121cm
- Comfortable for both sitting and standing
Cons
- Biro was difficult to clean off the surface when compared with other models
Score: 86/100
This well-designed standing desk from FlexiSpot claimed our runner-up spot thanks to its great range of heights that should suit whether you're tall or short. Moving between each heights was easy and it stayed reasonably stable during our wobble test.
Assembly was complicated but the instructions were detailed enough to help our tester get it done eventually (set aside about an hour and 15 minutes), and they included plenty of safety, cleaning and maintenance advice.
The team all raved about the size of the workspace, which is large enough for your laptop, keyboard and a mug of tea, with room to spare. With the 100cm-wide model we tested, fitting a second screen may be tight, but you can size up to 120cm if you need more room.
Our testers also liked the cable management box and hook on the side of the desk – keeping everything neat and less distracting when you're trying to focus.
Key specifications
| Height range | 71-121cm |
|---|---|
| Desk dimensions | 100 x 60cm |
| Load capacity | 70kg |
| Warranty | Three years |
Pros
- Excellent set of instructions
- Can be relocated if needed
Cons
- Wobbled a bit when knocked at its tallest
Score: 83/100
Instead of making room for a new desk, this one sits on top of your original work surface and elevates your equipment whenever you need to stretch your legs. The 20kg worktop arrives fully assembled and has separate adjustable sections for your laptop and keyboard so you can find the best working position for you. It's not very wide, so there wouldn’t be room for two large monitors to fit side by side, but you should be able to squeeze a laptop in front of a second screen.
It was easy to raise into the standing position by pressing the levers on either side, but as it uses a gas spring (a piston that stores energy by compressing air) to help lift the desk, some of our testers found it required a fair bit of effort to lower back down again.
It’s quite a pricey option too considering it doesn’t replace your desk entirely. But it’s easy to clean, comfortable to use and comes with a three-year warranty for peace of mind.
Key specifications
| Height range | 15-50cm |
|---|---|
| Desk dimensions | 89 x 59cm |
| Load capacity | 15kg |
| Warranty | Three years |
Pros
- Good amount of desk space with room for a monitor, laptop, and other work essentials
- Easy to clean the surface
Cons
- Materials felt a little cheap and you can see a joining line down the middle
Score: 77/100
Boasting anti-collision technology that stops the desk from lowering if there’s an obstacle like your chair in its way, and the option to programme and save your favourite desk heights, it’s no surprise that our testers loved using this as their workspace.
The assembly process was fairly quick (around 55 minutes) and it didn’t take long to get to grips with the clear and accessibly-positioned control panel.
The desk was comfortable to work at and stable at low and mid-range heights, but noticeably wobbly at its highest setting. The motor was slow too, taking around 40 seconds to go from standing to sitting. But in our minds, that just gives time to squeeze in some quick stretches before settling back to work.
Key specifications
| Height range | 71-116cm |
|---|---|
| Desk dimensions | 120 x 60cm |
| Load capacity | 70kg |
| Warranty | Five years |
Pros
- Enough desk space for a dual monitor set-up, keyboard and mouse
- Has the highest weight-bearing capacity we tested
Cons
- Doesn’t come with written instructions, only diagrams
- Sustained scratches and scuffs quite easily for the price
Score: 77/100
If you’re taller or shorter than average, this standing desk should suit as it has the largest height range of all the models we tested. There’s even capacity to save four different heights – handy if you’re sharing an office space.
With a lack of clear, detailed instructions, assembly took longer than anticipated (about an hour and a half). But once built, the straightforward controls mean you can start work quickly.
The motor was a little unresponsive at times and it wobbled a lot when knocked at its tallest too, so we’d recommend saving your drinks for when you're sat down. Thankfully though, it wasn’t too tricky to clean, and most stains lifted without much fuss.
Of course, it’s pricey but it ticks the box for comfort and with four colourways available, it’s easy to find one that matches your home office decor.
Key specifications
| Height range | 62.5-127.5cm |
|---|---|
| Desk dimensions | 140 x 70cm |
| Load capacity | 120kg |
| Warranty | Five years |
The verdict on standing desks
Our top pick is the Herman Miller Fully Jarvis Bamboo Standing Desk, which offers a large workspace that’s easy to adjust. It’s a pricey model though, so we recommend the FlexiSpot E1 Classic Standing Desk EF1 if you’re looking for a comfortable, ergonomic workspace at a good price.
We also loved the Yo-Yo Desk 90 for its unique design that converts any desk into a standing one. Simply pop the platform on top of your normal desk or table and change between sitting and standing as needed.
Why you should trust the Good Housekeeping Institute
Here at the Good Housekeeping Institute, we’ve been testing products for over 100 years, honing our protocols and scrutinising quality, so you can buy the very best for your home.
Our homes writer, Megan Geall, has reviewed hundreds of products and always has one eye on the latest releases on the market. For these standing desk reviews, she worked with our household product tester, Masudah Khatun, who is an expert at collecting and analysing data.
Megan is the Good Housekeeping Institute’s senior homes and lifestyle writer. She loves diving into the latest product releases to find the very best buys on the market and has written hundreds of product reviews on everything from the best vacuum cleaners and coffee machines to the best ice cream makers and robot window cleaners.
When she’s not writing about the newest gadgets and gizmos for your home and garden, you’ll find her running every distance from 5km to 100km or relaxing at home with her cat – there really is no in between.
Megan has an MA in Magazine Journalism and has previously written for Stylist, Glamour, Women's Health, TimeOut, SquareMeal, and YOU magazine. You can find Megan on Instagram @meganlouisegeall.
Masudah has a master's degree in clinical drug development and combines this scientific background with a love for all things homes – from cooking appliances to smart home tech. She enjoys collecting and analysing quantitative data, ensuring that her product evaluations go beyond mere opinions. She particularly loves using the Digi Eye machine in the GHI lab to assess the colour and texture of products as part of our duvet cover and detergent tests. In her spare time, Masudah enjoys learning about new tech, baking delicious treats, and keeping her home spotless. With a passion for creativity and an eye for detail, she brings a unique perspective to every product she tests.
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