A few years ago, standing desks were a rising fad that seemed doomed to fail. Who wants to stand up while they’re working if they don’t have to? Now, this one-time fad is a way of life in many corporate workplaces and home offices around the globe. But finding the best standing desk for your needs and budget can be difficult. They can be remarkably expensive, especially if you want one with an electric motor to make adjusting it easier.
While you might think you would have to pay several hundred dollars for the best budget standing desk, the price of the one I prefer is much lower than that, and it’s a good model that comes with great reviews.
Here’s a look at why stand-up tables are such a good idea for your fitness and quality of life during working hours, plus all the details on the adjustable standing desk that’s the best value available today.
Why a standing desk is a great idea
Health experts recommend motorized standing desks, and so do productivity gurus. It turns out that many people feel better and get more done when they stand for part of their workday. When you get one, you’re not expected to stand at it the whole day. The goal is to adjust it several times during the day so that you get variety, not just a lot of sitting or standing around.
Here are some of the reasons that experts believe getting the best budget standing desk you can find will make your work life better:
You’ll have a better back. Research by the CDC has shown that many people experience less back pain when standing for part of the workday. You are also less likely to develop poor posture and a slouching habit when you stand at work more often. Just remember that your standing desk setup needs to be economically sound or you might hurt your back slumping and slouching to reach the keyboard.
You may be able to better control your blood sugar. When you take the plunge and buy the best budget standing desk available, you may be lowering your diabetes risk or symptoms by improving the stability of your blood sugar. When you stand while working rather than sitting, you’re more likely to be using sugar than allowing your body to marinate in the sugar you’ve already taken in. Blood sugar control is why standing may be especially beneficial after eating.
Your concentration and productivity could improve. When you sit for hour after hour, you may begin to feel sluggish and groggy. You may even find yourself getting sleepy when you settle down at your desk in the afternoon. But when you switch from sitting all day to doing an equal amount of sitting and standing, you’ll find that you’re able to concentrate for longer periods, and that translates into more work done.
You’ll have less stress. You might think that sitting down is less stressful than standing, but research and the experiences of many office workers have proven that’s not the case. When you stand, you probably don’t stand still. You move around a bit. And that moving can allow you to release stress. In fact, you can even build in a little deep breathing and stretching to your standing routine.
These aren’t the only ways you’ll benefit from getting a motorized standing desk. Research has shown or is working to show that a standing desk can help you prevent weight gain, cardiovascular disease, bone decay, high cholesterol, heart problems, poor circulation and more. When you stand for part of your workday, you’re offsetting some of the side effects of the sedentary way many people have been working for years.
What to look for in a standing automatic desk
Your search for the best budget standing desk just got easier. When you’re looking for anything, you need the right standards to judge your finds by. Here are six criteria you should look for when you’re deciding what motorized standing desk is right for you:
- Is it noisy? Some electric height-adjustable desks can be noisy, disrupting your work and the lives of the people around you. Remember, you’ll want to adjust it several times a day.
- What heights are possible? You need to make sure that your perfect standing and sitting heights are possible with the desk you choose.
- Is it compatible with your other stuff? The standing automatic desk you choose needs to be compatible with your monitor, CPU and other desktop equipment as well as any filing cabinets or furniture in the room.
- Can it take the weight? Check the weight capacity of the model you’re considering purchasing to make sure all the things you need to put on it can be accommodated.
- Is the motor good? It’s not all about the height of the desk or how it looks. You need a desk with motors that will stand the test of time, and reviews of past purchasers may be able to help you make the right decision.
- Is it easy to use? A motorized standing desk can sometimes be programmed for the ideal sitting and standing heights or adjusted manually. Are the adjustment controls easy to get to and use? If not, choose a different model.
The best budget standing desk
Considering everything I’ve said above as well as price and more, I believe the best budget standing desk available is the FEZIBO Height Adjustable Electric Standing Desk, available through this Amazon affiliate link. I chose the version that’s adjustable from 27.3 inches to 45.5 inches, but other options are available.
The working surface measures a generous 55 inches by 24 inches on the one I ordered, so there’s plenty of room for more than just a monitor and keyboard. You might choose a bigger or smaller size. And since the electric lift system is among the sturdiest available for the price and is attached to a strong steel frame, it can hold more than 175 pounds of equipment. That’s more than enough for the average user, especially when you consider that a desktop computer weighs only about 5 to 6 pounds.
To keep you and your equipment safe, this electric height adjustable desk also comes with technology that detects obstacles in the path of the up and down movement, which also protects the desktop from scratches.
A memory feature in the keypad stores your favorite desk heights, so you don’t have to manually adjust it with the up and down arrows on the keypad every time you change positions. That saves time and hassles.
I also like the classic, sleek design of this motorized standing desk. That means it fits into any office. A variety of work surface styles and colors mean that you can find the right look for you. Even better, the price is much better than many other popular adjustable desks.
I noticed a couple of reviews mentioning the desk getting stuck in the lowest or highest position, but this can be resolved easily but using a sequence of commands on the keypad. If you find yourself with this small problem, great support from the manufacturer is available to help you resolve it. But I haven’t had this issue, and it doesn’t look like most users have either.
Make a change for the better
If you feel your lifestyle is too sedentary or you’re gaining weight, developing health problems or not as productive as you think you could be, it might be time for a stand-up desk. The best budget standing desk is sturdy and comes in options that make it right for just about anyone. And it looks great too.
Move up to a stand sit/stand desk, and make a change for the better. They say that change will do you good, and purchasing the best budget standing desk you can get is one that’s proven to make a difference from day one.
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