Standing Desks & Treadmill Desks

Planning to build a sit-to-stand desk or treadmill desk with your own desktop lumber? There are some great options available. We'll take you through the pluses and minuses of each model. Understandably, DIY'ers are always looking to find the lowest cost option for any components they need to buy versus make. In the case of electric height-adjustable bases spending a little more, as a rule of thumb, is going to buy you a quieter, faster, heavier-lifting, more reliable desk base, a longer warranty period, and a longer "stroke" (total distance between top end and bottom end).

The Jarvis is popular, there is no doubt about it. Sleekly marketed and with low entry-point pricing on all-Chinese componentry, Fully generates a lot of sales. But the componentry is unspectacular, marketing claims are overwrought, and the warranty doesn't include the desktops. Once components are upgraded to better than bottom-end options the pricing is not nearly as competitive as it first seems.

Ergoprise’s Uprise Standing Desk is a solid, mid-tier desk that stands at the crossroads of function and affordability. A quiet, sturdy base and a variety of table tops - including premium bamboo and hardwood - make this an attractive option for both standing-desk and treadmill-desk users.

GeekDesk - despite the nerdy moniker - was a popular choice among do-it-yourself treadmill deskers for many years, with little competition from established furniture manufacturers. All that has changed now with the wave of new electric standing desks flooding the market and creating rough seas for this bijou company. As a lifestyle business for its founder, with no dealer distribution channel, no earth-shattering new product enhancements in years and persistent production delays, GeekDesk has ceded its throne to other desk makers we review on this site that have brought innovation, choice and strong financial backing to bear. With the advent of products like iMovR's Elite and Electra [...]

Not only is the Elite a top of the line desk for a one-man walkstation, it’s also our first choice for shared “hotdesk” style treadmill desks. Incredibly quiet motors ensure that frequent desk adjustments won’t bother coworkers. Some desks (lookin’ at you, Mod-E) sound a bit like a coffee grinder with pebbles in it while operating. The Elite barely even registered on our decibel meter during testing, spiking at ~46dB while lifting and 42dB during descent, right in the range of typical ambient office noise or very low whispers. Elite Waterfall Edge & Power Console An advanced digital hand controller also helps. Instead of the standard up/down controls we see on most electric desk lines, [...]

iMovR's innovation of the SteadyType keyboard tray finally sets the ideal ergonomics for all three modalities: sitting, standing and walking, in this rock solid, top-of-the-line electric desk. With the special angles and overall stability achieved by embedded the keyboard tray into the desktop user productivity soars. The bottom line is faster and more accurate typing, and greater comfort due to the improved ergonomics as compared to conventional desks and trays. For treadmill deskers the additional ergonomic benefit of eliminating "palm anchoring" stresses means faster typing at higher walking speeds and a healthier workstation setup overall. The Everest is the ultimate desk, a [...]