Standing Desks & Treadmill Desks

Call it a desktop workstation, a sit-stand workstation, or a desktop riser, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Ah, well, let’s step back from that a bit and just say that some of these products are on the rose spectrum while others may be closer to skunk cabbage. As always, caveat emptor, and that’s where we come in and lab test these units to find out what they’re really made of.

Corner standing desk converters feature curved work surfaces that fit optimally on full-sized corner desks and l-desks. Their angled edges fit snugly in the back corner of your desk so you can maximize usable desk space, leaving plenty of room for your papers, devices, and other work accessories.

Call it a desktop workstation, a sit-stand workstation, or a desktop riser, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. Ah, well, let’s step back from that a bit and just say that some of these products are on the rose spectrum while others may be closer to skunk cabbage. As always, caveat emptor, and that’s where we come in and lab test these units to find out what they’re really made of.

One thing you’ll want to consider when purchasing a Post & Base sit-stand converter is the way it handles your monitors. Can you adjust your monitors up or down on the monitor post? That’s important for finding your sweet spot while standing versus sitting. Can you adjust them back and forth for focal depth adjustment? That'll keep you from leaning in to see your monitors. And of course, can the unit handle more than one monitor? You’ll find the answers to these questions and more in our detailed reviews below.

On cheaper X-Lifts, you’ll see tiny, inexpensive air pistons that aid little in the lifting process and basically put the burden of lifting on you alone. These will likely break sooner than larger, high quality pistons, and the issue is exacerbated when you’re adding multiple monitors. That’s why it’s so important to choose a unit with strong counterbalance force if you planning to put a lot of weight on your converter. We’ll assess each unit’s counterbalance force in our detailed reviews (as it’s not usually an advertised spec).

No need to buy an extra monitor arm with a Hover. Their design holds your monitor(s) at a proper height for ergonomic viewing. Most models cost extra for a dual monitor setup; it requires a crossbar that runs along the monitor pole. But these devices are very ergonomically adjustable; some provide keyboard tray tilt for proper ergonomic typing at a declined angle, and most also allow easy adjustment for your monitor’s angles--tilting, panning, and rotating with ease.

Most of the electric stand desk converters use a Post & Base structure, which means they come with a monitor post built-in. No need to purchase a monitor arm separately, and that’s part of what accounts for their higher price--as well as the electric motors of course. (Monitor arms are used to keep your screens at an ergonomically correct position while you sit or stand.)

Varidesk has also stimulated the emergence of some sixty competitors' units, and counting. All of them attacking the market with better mouse traps—be it higher quality, better ergonomics, greater features, or just lower price than the Varidesk models.

Extremely stable - rock steady. Tremendous height range adjustability, with infinite stops. Built-in adjustable-angle keyboard tray separates it from 95% of desktop risers on the market. The built-in grommet hole makes it easy to add any monitor arm to achieve an ergonomically proper LCD height.

Extremely stable; extremely ergonomic. Height range adjustability allows for infinite stops and accommodates users up to 6'7". Comes with a built-in adjustable-angle keyboard tray unlike most desk risers on the market. Three built-in grommet holes make it easy to add any monitor arm to achieve an ergonomically proper monitor height.

Extremely stable; extremely ergonomic. Height range adjustability allows for infinite stops and accommodates users up to 6'7". Comes with a built-in adjustable-angle keyboard tray unlike most desk risers on the market. Three built-in grommet holes make it easy to add any monitor arm to achieve an ergonomically proper monitor height.

If you’re looking for an electric standing desk converter and you want the most for your money, the Eureka Sit-Stand Electric is the clear winner. Rolling in at $299, this X-Lift electric has an impressive feature set, including a quiet motor, a deep work surface for larger monitors, and an innovative ‘buffer system’ that ensures a smooth transition to sitting (unlike competitor models that collide violently with the desk surface).

This 46” XL standing desk converter from Eureka is built with a Z-Lift mechanism (using a patented gas strut), which means its frame takes a Z-shape during the lifting process. Z-Lifts arc out during the lifting process, and sometimes this can introduce instability into the unit. We’re happy to report this is not the case with the Eureka 46 XL. Its Z-Lift arc is less pronounced than say, the Varidesk Pro Plus 48, and as a result, the unit is more stable. There is virtually no teeter-totter effect like you’ll see on the Varidesks. When you press down on the keyboard tray, the unit stays put; its base remains securely planted on your desk surface.

While Eureka’s 36 Gen2 may come in at a price point higher than similar products such as iMovR’s ZipLift+ and Flexispot’s Classic series, it does offer top-tier build quality that is not found on many standing desk converters. Its silent gas strut lift mechanism, deep work surface, stability, unlimited height stops, and variety of finish options are impressive features.

Probably the best compact corner standing desk converter in the market. Robust build quality, top notch stability, classy finish options, and precision height adjustment. The Eureka 28” Corner Standing Desk Converter is our highest-rated desk converter for placing on small corner surfaces.

Like you’ll find on the highest end Z-Lift and X-Lift standing desk converters, the New Generation’s lift mechanism is silent during operation and can stop at literally any point within its adjustment range. There are no preset height stops (like you’ll see on the Varidesks), and there isn’t any clicking, cranking, or clunking during the lifting process. When you engage the handle to lift the unit, the bowden cable braking system (similar to a bicycle brake) releases, allowing the unit to move up and down. When you release the handle, the braking system re-engages, and the unit secures firmly into place. Because the lifting process is noiseless, you can make you switch to standing or [...]

The Eureka Ultra Slim Portable is the simplest design of all the Eureka standing desk converters we’ve reviewed. It is also the least expensive, at $149. What separates the Ultra Slim from other models is that it has a single platform work surface (with no separate keyboard tray) and doesn’t accommodate monitor arms. It is designed to simply hold a laptop on its single surface.

Like its relative, the Versadesk Power Pro, the Power Pro Corner looks good from a glance at the specs but has issues that detract from the overall impression. Particleboard construction and high-pressure laminate surfaces aren’t associated with lifetime quality guarantee, and the pinch points leave us concerned. The transit speed is quite slow. On the plus side, there are five colors available. The corner model also features a 7” deeper work surface than the Power Pro.

Impossible for us to recommend if you’re looking for a durable, high-quality desk converter. Concerns include product length of life, stability with heavy monitors, enough space for mouse work, and too many pinch points in the frame. Worth checking out higher quality, slightly more expensive alternatives.

MountIt is primarily a brand for low-cost wall mounts and monitor arms. Its latest standing desk converters are similarly inexpensive, but we urge strong caution before purchasing.

A low-cost entry into the growing field of electric standing desk converters, the VIVO Electric Corner Desk Riser combines value and ease of adjustability.

The Flexispot M7C is a X-Lift (Single Lift) standing desk converter, which means its lift mechanism makes an X-shape as it raises, and it features a single lifting arm. Flexispot’s classic series is also an X-Lift design, but they are Dual Lifts, meaning they feature two lifting arms. They also have larger work surfaces.

The Flexispot Desktop Workstation is actually a series of four standing desk converters made by Chinese office fitness manufacturer Loctek—the M1 (27"), M2 (35"), M3 (47") and M4 (41" Corner Cut). These converters offer extraordinary stability, work surface space, and value for the dollar.

Flexispot Compact Series (F3 Series) are two small-sized converters available in a wide assortment of colors, featuring a small quick release removable keyboard tray.

If you're looking for great adjustability and an aesthetically pleasing design, the Cadence Express does it all for a very competitive price. With a five year warranty and high-quality components it is built to last, unlike many of the products in this price range.

The Cadence Plus features a space-preserving “hover” design that retains virtually all of your desktop space and maximizes mobility and collaboration. Unlike the Cadence Pro, it features a MDF core for its worksurfaces, which makes the whole unit lighter and easy to adjust. With all of its ergonomic adjustability and elegant styling, the Cadence Plus gives the venerable, but aging progenitor of hovering sit stand workstations—the Ergotron Workfit-A—a run for its money. It adds a middle option to iMovR's line of hovering standing desk converters.

iMovR’s first entry into the standing desk converter category literally rises above sitting disease. The Cadence workstation’s space-preserving “hover” design retains virtually all of your desktop real estate and maximizes mobility and collaboration. It also brings more ergonomic adjustments to the table than any other standing desk converter we’ve ever reviewed—with the ability to move throughout an astounding 105”-diameter area—providing a more comfortable and productive experience for all users, sitting or standing. With all of its ergonomic improvements and elegant styling, the Cadence gives the venerable, but aging progenitor of hovering sit stand workstations—the Ergotron [...]

The Eco is a beautifully designed converter that fails in a few fundamental ways. The first is that the tray is incredibly wobbly and will shake when you type on it, even if you're not a heavy typist. The second is that the monitor mounting height is not independently adjustable on the fly, which is ergonomically insufficient for a sit-to-stand workstation. Its good looks and quality construction fail to make up for its shortcomings, making the Eco a tough product to recommend.

ReviewSpecsWarrantyShippingGallery Jarvis has a Little Brother: The Cooper Standing Desk Converter

Fully.com, known for their popular Jarvis standing desk, has entered the arena of standing desk converters with the Cooper—and it’s a handsome kid, indeed. While their design doesn't necessarily break any new ground, the Cooper exemplifies how far converters have come since the introduction of the Varidesk in 2013. There’s no one key feature, chart-topping spec, or any specific innovation that we can single out, but rather the overall package that makes the Cooper a very viable stable mate along with other popular incumbents in the X-Lift and Z-Lift standing desk converter [...]

From its $549 price tag to its freestanding, heavy-duty design, the Hover Helium clearly takes aim against industry leader Kangaroo. It has many of the Kangaroo's beloved features—simple, clamp-free installation; an expansive work surface; and a smooth, silent gas-assisted lift mechanism. But the Helium goes a step further by introducing a locking air cylinder attached to a Bowden cable to create a seamless adjustment method. Like the Kangaroo, and unlike some of the lower-quality entrants in desktop converter category, the Helium is a precision-crafted product made in America.

ReviewSpecsWarrantyShippingGallery The Future is Electric

In the same way that roll-up car windows have fallen by the wayside, we might someday live in a world where manual standing desk converters are a thing of the past. As manufacturers become more efficient and electric designs improve, prices can start to go down, and popularity will go up. It’s simply easier to push a button than it is to physically lift your monitor, laptop, keyboard, and whatever else goes on your tabletop—the heavier your work station becomes, the more an electric converter makes sense.

Of course, the big way in which manual converters are still superior is speed—it takes no time at all to lift up [...]

Our biggest concern with this product is its fully-exposed scissor lift mechanism, and consequently user safety. The scissor lift creates some pinch points that can pose a safety risk because the forces are high enough to produce serious pinch/sever injury.

ReviewSpecsWarrantyShippingGallery iMovR's First Made-in-America Standing Desk Converter

Full disclosure: iMovR and WorkWhileWalking have mutual ownership interest. Learn More

iMovR’s top-selling sit-stand converter, the ZipLift+, has long been at the top of our list of best standing desk converters for a variety of reasons. There's no assembly required, its easy to use, durable, silent, and features infinite stops plus a tilting keyboard tray so you can find the perfect ergonomic position. Like all the most popular Varidesk alternatives (and including Varidesk) the ZipLift+ is made in China to keep its pricing competitive.

Having made the switch to 100% made-in-USA for [...]

Thousands of people seek out "varidesk alternatives" in online searches every month, and for good reason. After lab testing dozens of sit-stand converters or staff reviewers make their top three recommendations for the best alternatives to Varidesk's overpriced and antiquated product line.

ReviewSpecsWarrantyShippingGallery Low Cost, at a Cost

The Vivo standing desk converter caught our attention with its exceptionally low price point of $180 (for the manual version). As always with popular, low-costed products, we approach with a healthy mix of skepticism and hope. What costs were cut in order to arrive at such a price, and were those cuts reasonable? Sure, the keyboard tray does not feature ergonomic tilt, and its max height of 16” will not be suitable for taller users, but these are concessions that many are willing to make to save a couple hundred dollars. While we stress the importance of ergonomics for better long term health, increased affordability means an [...]

ReviewSpecsWarrantyShipping The Simplest Solution isn’t Always Best

Stand Steady’s X-Elite Pro differs from most other standing desk converters in that it does not feature a keyboard tray—it’s a bold design decision with important implications for ergonomics. The X-Elite Pro is simply a (rather small) rectangular surface that can be raised up to 16” over your desktop. It’s lightweight, sleek, and cheaper than fancier converters like the Varidesk.

We’re always interested in exploring and testing different approaches to office ergonomics. However, part of the reason we do so is to highlight shortcomings that first-time buyers might never consider—and the X-Elite is, [...]

For range of motion, you can’t beat a Hover style desktop riser. The Helium Junior is high quality, compact, and fits snugly in smaller work spaces. It offers a decent range of height adjustability, with separate monitor height adjustability (always a nice thing). But its overall adjustment range limitations make it suitable only for average-sized users. Recommended for those under 5’10”.

Autonomous probably figured their millennial audience will be wowed by the cool factor of electric, and won’t likely research how much more assembly effort and success risk the Mini might entail. Our advice? Stick to the more ergonomic, proven models already out there, and recognize the electric gimmick for what it is in the case of the Autonomous SmartDesk Mini.

ReviewSpecsWarrantyShipping Good Concept, Poor Execution

The Halter ED-258 standing desk converter is a popular option in the sea of low-cost competitors that distinguishes itself with a wood grain HPL (high-pressure laminate) top and an extra-deep keyboard tray. It’s a hard product to ignore when you’re searching for a converter to buy—on paper, it seems like a sweet deal.

Halter ED-258

Alas, the adage that “if it seems to be too good to be true, probably it is” applies to the Halter converter all too well. We found too many fundamental problems with this converter to recommend it to anyone but a niche audience. Inexcusably shoddy quality means [...]

The Kangaroo sit stand workstation can’t be beat for convenience. A wide range of style and price options round out this product line. It's easy to set up, has precision monitor and worksurface adjustment, features a variety of optional upgrades, and is the most stable workstation we've reviewed. We’d fully recommend going down under if you’re after a sit stand workstation.

In the past few years desktop risers have stormed the market, providing sit/stand productivity benefits to users who for whatever reason have been unable to part with their fixed-height sitting desks. For most of their existence these risers have been manually-operated, relying on tensioning springs and counterbalance systems for worksurface and monitor adjustability. But recently, a new wave of risers has entered the marketplace, this time adjusted with electric motors. It seems that desktop risers have entered into an arms race of sorts, vying for technological superiority and market dominance in a rapidly-growing category. Now, ErgoDesktop has hopped into the fray with their [...]

The Wallaroo is a new sit stand workstation from Ergo Desktop, makers of the Kangaroo, which had previously been our experts' choice in the category. It's a portmanteau of "Wallaby" and "Kangaroo", and – in addition to being an actual animal – is also a sort of middle step between the fully-adjustable Kangaroo and the more feature-bare Wallaby. We are currently evaluating the Wallaroo in our testing lab. While a more comprehensive review of the Wallaroo will be out soon, here's what we can tell you now about this new workstation.

The Wallaby is Ergo Desktop's budget-class alternative to their successful Kangaroo sit stand workstation. It's based on the same design, sporting the same free-standing steel base, impressive weight capacity, and peerless stability, but without the gas-assisted monitor lift mechanism that made the Kangaroo such an ergonomic hit. Despite this, the Wallaby still features a robust set of capabilities that make it a great value for any office.

The original Winston is already a favorite among standing desk converter users. Add a swift electric lift mechanism, innovative ergonomics, and a polished aesthetic to boot, and the “Winston-E” lands itself comfortably in territory no converter has been before: the executive suite.