By now, we all know that sitting for prolonged periods can be quite detrimental to our health. Newer studies even say that the damage to our bodies from excessive sitting cannot be undone by daily workouts at the gym. Therefore, the solution is simple: avoid sitting for too long, and you'll be fine.
Easier said than done, though. Standing at your desk can be quite awkward, especially if you have to hunch over to get your tasks moving. Two days in, and you're experiencing more back pains than the tired muscle or two you had during your sitting days. A little research and you come across all these videos and reviews talking about standing desks.
What a great idea, you think. That's before it hits you that a good-standing desk will cost you well over $400. And that's notwithstanding the amount of space the desk will occupy–can you even swing that in your current office setup?
At this point, you need a good alternative, and somehow you land on standing desk converters, otherwise known as standing desk risers. We're here to tell you why standing desk risers might be better than standing desks for certain situations, what to look for in a desk riser, then turn you on to two of Flexispot's best desk risers.
Let's begin with the following:
What is a Standing Desk Riser?
The quick and easy answer is that this is an office accessory that you can add to your desktop surface to help you raise your work surface to an ergonomic height. They are great alternatives for people whose budget or space does not accommodate replacement with a complete standing desk.
Why Do You Need a Standing Desk Riser?
If you work in an office set up, formal or makeshift, then you need a standing desk riser. Here are our 5 reasons for getting a desk riser:
Improved Health
One of the biggest detriments to sitting at your desk all day is its effect on your body. Prolonged sitting has been highly linked to cardiovascular–related issues in the average office worker. These issues include obesity from lack of movement, which is associated with high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and increased cholesterol, all of which are risk factors for heart disease. You can avoid these issues by ensuring that you're standing from your desk every thirty minutes or so, and a desk riser for standing allows you to do that without abandoning your tasks.
Better Ergonomics
Standing desk risers can improve your work ergonomics, but they're not all built alike. You need a computer desk riser that accommodates a wider range of motion and adjustability for both the monitor and keyboard. Or a laptop/monitor desk riser that doesn't strain your wrists if you're working on a laptop.
Space Saving
A standing desk riser can save you space, especially since it allows you to use vertical real estate in your work area instead of just the desktop surface. You can also get one that uses cramps or grommets at the back of the desk to increase the usable front-to-end space, but ensure that it comes with an adjustable monitor arm to retain the working ergonomics. Getting one with a separate keyboard tray or expandable laptop surface gives you even more room.
Cost Savings
If you're after the health benefits of standing at your desk but cannot swing the price of a new desk, this is your affordable alternative. A standing desk riser only costs a fraction of what you pay for a whole new desk. So, it goes without saying that you will get the benefits of a standing desk while saving significant change. And you do not have to get the most expensive one for it to be functional–you can get a no-frills converter and retain the same benefits.
Improved Aesthetics
Getting new furniture or getting new tech is always an opportunity to elevate the aesthetics of a space. Let your creative side take over and get yourself a desk riser for monitor use that gives your space a bit of edge, a tech vibe, or one that blends with your minimalism. Whatever you're going for, there's something for everyone.
What Should You Consider Before Buying a Standing Desk Riser?
You can't just buy the first item marked 'standing desk riser.' You need to do a bit of research. Luckily, we know exactly what you need, and we'll give you the 2-minute brief to help you shop like a pro. Grab your notepad, and let's go.
Budget
You can get a basic standing desk riser for as low as $35 from Ikea or Amazon and for as much as $700 from top-tier brands–even more, based on where you're looking. Therefore, you need to have a budget in mind and work within that plan. You also need to know that price varies by many factors, e.g., weight capacity, number-of-device support, accessories, brand, quality, operating mechanism, etc. Therefore, look through the rest of the factors below, and decide your needs; then, during your research, you can find the average cost for the one that serves your purpose.
Level of Support Needed
This refers to the total weight, number of devices, and required range of motion. If you have dual monitors, look for a device that caters to that, and do not, by any means, attempt to crowd more devices than the converter specified for stability. Also, note that the closer your device is to the weight limit on a manual riser, the harder it is to crank the converter. And, a well-built adjustable desk riser gives you a great range of vertical and horizontal motion to get the most ergonomic positioning of your devices.
Quality
You need a desk riser from a reputable brand since this plays into durability and stability. Brand names tend to have a longer guarantee on their products due to better design and material. And for desk risers, both those things also affect the stability, e.g., when typing away at the keyboard. You need a solid build that can hold down the weight with no wobbles and a lift mechanism that can withstand raising and lowering as many times as needed in a day/month/year.
Accessories
These may not sound essential, but a spaghetti situation with your cables becomes a very quick annoyance. If your budget allows it, get one with cable management, USB ports, a phone holder, and maybe even a cup holder. These accessories add to the efficiency of the riser, so shop wide to see what different offerings different brands have.
Shape of the Desk
Not what immediately comes to mind, especially if you have a standard office desk. However, people with differently shaped desks, like the curved and L-design, may wonder. Rest assured, there's something for everyone. Reach out to your furniture dealer, and ask them to recommend the desk riser for computer users that best works for your desk situation without taking away the ergonomic benefits.
Ease of Operation
Most standing desk risers are easy to assemble. However, their modes and ease of operation are different. Some are fixed, and their purpose is simply to raise the monitor height to a specific permanent height. This variety is a bit limiting, especially since its ergonomics either suit a sitting position or a standing one, but not both. A classic example is the popular, 5-star rated, ELLOVEN white desk riser from IKEA that goes for about $35. The cost is a huge part of this wooden desk riser’s appeal, as is the extra storage compartment under the stand and the slip storage for your keyboard when not in use.
The alternatives are the manual desk riser and the electric desk riser. Manual desk risers mostly use spring or gas cylinder lifting mechanisms. They're as easy to operate as the lift mechanism of an office chair, but closer to the maximum weight capacity, it might take some elbow grease to lift or lower. Their weight capacity is usually limited to 30-40 lbs for the same reason. However, they are a fan favorite since they cost less than their electric counterparts and are just as effective.
Electric standing desk risers are the gold standard. One simple push of a button and the lift system does as commanded–raises or lowers. Their operating mechanism makes them very efficient and gives them a higher weight allowance, which is great for people that can't lift heavier weights. The reduced steps it takes when raising your desk also encourage you to stand more since there's no effort required. However, their steep price tag sometimes feels like a poor tradeoff for a complete standing desk.
Our two best picks are both 5-star rated manual desk converters:
AlcoveRiser Standing Desk Converters M7
The AlcoveRiser is Flexispot's budget alternative for an electric desk riser. It offers a wide range of customization. There are six variations, and you can get one from the size chart ranging from 28" to 35". The riser comes in 4 different colors based on your style. The weight capacity ranges from 33 lbs to 44 lbs, and there's even an option for L-desks.
Besides that, they all come with a removable keyboard tray, straight up and down single-lever operation, a 4.7 to 19.7-inch height adjustment, a specially X-braced lift structure for extra support, and high quality and stable design.
ClassicRiser Standing Desk Converters M3B/M3W - 47
This is the standing desk riser for you if you require multiple monitor support. It comes with a 44 lbs weight capacity and a large work surface. With 12 different height adjustment levels, it fits a diverse range of users. And despite holding a high weight, it requires minimal effort to operate. It also comes with enough adjustability to develop the best standing working posture.
Conclusion
It doesn't have to be the fanciest one to be the best desk riser for you. Simply get one that fits your needs, and you will have an excellent standing working experience.
Please browse through our catalog to see more offers on our ergonomic furniture and accessories.
