Best standing desks in 2023

Having one of the best standing desks could be transformative for your health and well-being, thanks to improvements in circulation, posture, and more. All of which they can do without needing you to take a break from your work or gaming. Sure, it’s hard to imagine playing games without kicking back on a seat, but getting up from the best gaming chairs comes with ergonomic health benefits that are sure to make time spent at your desk more enjoyable.

There are a few qualities to watch out for when hunting for the best stand-up desk, especially if you use your office for work and play. For starters, most options are height adjustable, and many use electric motors to make switching from seat to feet quick and intuitive. Some stand-up surfaces also come with extras like built-in USB sockets, cable management features, cupholders, and even RGB lighting.

Choosing the best gaming desk is one thing, but the unconventional nature of standing solutions may seem complicated. So, to help you grab a perfect seatless surface, we’ve picked out the best standing desks from brands like FlexiSpot, Secretlab, and more.

Here are the best standing desks today:

1. Flexispot E7 Pro – best standing desk for most
2. FlexiSpot EP4 – best affordable standing desk
3. Vivo Desk Converter – converts your table
4. Flexispot E8 – best standing desk for small spaces
5. Fezibo Dual Motor – an angular alternative
6. Eureka Ergonomic – a top gaming standing desk

1. FlexiSpot E7

The best standing desk overall is the FlexiSpot E7.

Pros

• Plenty of surface space
• Quiet motors
• Automatic collision detection

Cons

The FlexiSpot EP7 is the best standing desk for most people, and perfect if you’ve got a heavy load to lift thanks to its 355lb / 161kg maximum weight capacity. It’s the best choice of standing desk for most people and comes in a white, black, or grey frame, plus a range of desktop sizes and materials depending on your budget.

The desk does require some assembly. When we tested this desk, with a handy YouTube link supplied by Flexispot we were able to get the desk up and running in about an hour. You may need to dig out a drill to make a few holes for the legs, however.

The keypad that comes with the desk not only has a USB port, but is effortless to use, and allows you to set four different levels as presets between the minimum of 58cm and the maximum of 123cm – you could set one for sitting, standing, and gaming. The desk moves into position in a matter of seconds and the E7’s dual-motor lifting system is so quiet you could even use it in open office spaces.

Read our full Flexispot E7 review. 

2. FlexiSpot EP4

The best cheap standing desk is the FlexiSpot EP4.

Pros

• Plenty of surface space
• Quiet motors
• Automatic collision detection

Cons

The FlexiSpot EP4 encapsulates the benefits of working upright into a contemporary package. Its generous surface space leaves plenty of room for multiple monitors and its whisper-quiet three-stage lift system helps make switching up your workspace a seamless experience. We chose it as the best standing desk for affordability – it’s not the cheapest or most expensive in our guide but offers a useful range of heights and decent build quality.

The EP4 desk’s advanced control panel wields programmable pre-sets, allowing you to store four height preferences. Naturally, this will come in handy if you’re planning on sharing the desk, but it could also help you quickly convert the surface to suit specific activities.

Some of the EP4’s smaller perks, like accessory hooks and USB charging, help this desk rank among the best workstations out there. FlexiSpot has even included anti-collision tech in its design, meaning it’ll automatically reserve if there are any obstacles underneath. In other words, you won’t need to worry about curiosity crushing the cat. Admittedly the design of the Flexispot EP4 is a bit vanilla, but the brand offers more premium worktops and designs as you go up the range and spend more – as with the Flexispot EP7 above.

3. Vivo Desk Converter

The best standing desk converter is the Vivo Desk Converter.

Pros

• Easily stored away
• Space for monitor and keyboard

Cons

• Isn’t actually a fully-fledged desk
• Might cut desk space when in use

Already invested in a conventional desk but eager to change up your working style? You might want to consider the Vivo Desk Converter. While this contraption isn’t a fully-fledged desk, it transforms existing surfaces into a stand-up solution, and it could let you dabble with working on your feet before jumping in headfirst.

Despite its compact size, the Vivo Desk Converter provides enough space for the best gaming monitor, and an additional tray should help you clack away on your gaming keyboard from whatever height you occupy.

As the converter simply sits on top of your workspace, it’s also easy to pick it up and move to another area — something that’s bound to come in handy if you share your space. However, that feat is a double-edged sword, as you’ll need a surface in the first place to actually use it.

We’re not trying to say that this riser is a replacement for a proper standing desk, but it’ll give those intrigued by the idea a taste of what to expect. Dipping your toes in the upright water will save you from splashing out on furniture you may end up hating, even if it does mean playing games in your kitchen while you decide.

4. Flexispot E8

The best standing desk for small spaces.

Pros

• Premium build
• Great choice of desktop sizes and materials
• Cable management system included

Cons

• Not the cheapest
• Heavy to get upstairs

The Flexispot E8 standing desk is a premium desk for working or gaming from home, as well as in the office thanks to its quiet motor mechanism. It’s incredibly sturdy, comes in black or white, and has the option to be customized with 11 desktop materials. The smallest is 120 x 60cm, which is perfect if you need a standing desk for a small space.

The legs, feet, and frame are all made of high-quality metal, and there’s no way that you’ll mistake it for a cheap desk. The downside to this is, of course, weight. If you’re installing this desk upstairs, you’ll find yourself making numerous trips, taking only one part of the desk at a time due to the sheer weight of the metal.

FlexiSpot kits you out with everything you need to put the desk together, and we found installation to be very easy. Once the desktop is in place, you can affix the electronic control panel to either side of the desk, plug the cables from the motors in each leg into the central control box (already affixed to the frame), and flip the desk over and stand it up. We found the FlexiSpot E8 standing desk to be fairly faultless once constructed, but it’s not the cheapest in this guide.

Read our Flexispot E8 review. 

5. Fezibo Dual Motor

The best corner standing desk is the Fezibo Dual Motor.

Pros

• Natural design
• L-shape could free up space
• Accessory hooks

Cons

• Shape could hider surface space

Most standing desks feature a conventional rectangular surface, but L-shaped options do exist, like the Fezibo Dual Motor. While corner desks are commonly used when space is limited, opting for an angular design means heaps more surface space to pop down your gaming laptop, screen, and any other bits and bobs that’d normally live on your workspace.

This corner desk also comes with familiar boons like hooks for hanging your tech bag and gaming headset anti-collision detection (again, your cat will thank you), but there’s something to be said about this particular model’s “Rustic Brown” design. While it won’t be for everyone, it’s striking compared to block colors and other wood grain textures, helping it look like a piece of real wood furniture.

Just like traditional corner desks, opting for angles can come with unavoidable caveats. Spreading things across an L-shape can ultimately reduce the amount of surface space you have available to use, and your arms will likely have to take up some room on each side.

Of course, the above is somewhat subjective, and some gaming rooms are begging for this kind of setup. So, if you’re needing a stand-up desk solution that’ll fit in a free corner, you should seriously consider Fezibo’s offering. 

6. Eureka Ergonomic

The best standing desk for gaming is the Eureka Ergonomic.

Pros

• Designed with gaming setups in mind
• Supports modular extras
• RGB strips add a splash of colour

Cons

• Stereotypical gamer aesthetic
• Pretty expensive

The Eureka Ergonomic is designed with PC gaming in mind, and there’s more to this standing desk than an aesthetic that’ll match your gaming chair. For starters, its surface is covered with mouse pad material, which should protect it from any erratic movements during intense sessions. Its extra width and supported weight mean you could probably sit your rig on your desk, with plenty of room to spare in terms of mouse and keyboard room.

Of course, you can’t call give products a “gaming” label without arming them with flashy lights, and the Eureka Ergonomic comes clad with RGB strips. The desk also supports various modular extras, like a PC case bracket and a keyboard tray, both of which should help budding e-sports players craft an optimal setup.

Let’s be honest, if you’re looking for a desk that’ll fit in with your ordinary living space, the Eureka Ergonomic probably goes a bit too hard on the gamer front. These desks are clearly designed with a proper gaming room office hovel in mind, so you’ll already know whether you’d actually buy one or not.

Products with gamer vibes often come with a lofty price tag attached, and the Eureka Ergonomic is no exception. At $499 USD, this piece is undeniably an investment, even if it does offer an arsenal of flashy features.

Standing desk frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is a standing desk?

A standing desk is just that: a desk that you can stand up at do work or game. However, in most instances, what most people think of when you say a standing desk is a desk that can move up and down so you can use it when sat down or when stood up. Also called sit-stand desks or adjustable standing desks, these can generally come in three types.

First is the now most common which is the electronic/motorized standing desk that has legs which move up and down at the touch of a button. Next are desks that do the same thing but require manual operation to move up and down – generally using a handle that you wind round. Thirdly, there are the desktop standing desk attachments. These are devices that you put on a normal desk that let you add standing desk functionality without altering your old desk.

Generally, motorized standing desks are the most expensive, manually operated ones are cheaper, and on-desk units are the cheapest, though there are definitely exceptions to this rule.

How to use a standing desk for gaming

Standing desks aren’t entirely the best gaming chair replacement, of course, as the University of Waterloo says you should switch between sitting and standing – preferably one hour on your feet for every three hours on a seat. If you plan to stand longer, then you might want to pair it with an anti-fatigue mat to help keep yourself comfortable, especially if you’ve got your feet planted on a hard surface.