Let’s face it we’re just not evolved to sit still all day. Remaining active boosts blood flow, and productivity. And the ability to change position helps prevent back pain.
Working from home is the new normal and if you work from home, you need a good workspace setup that preserves your health and improves your productivity.
If you are looking to buy a desk in Australia then one that you can both sit and stand at is definitely worthwhile so in this article I’ve put together a list that will help you choose the best adjustable sit-stand desk to buy in Australia. I’ve evaluated each desk’s performance over a number of factors including:
- Quality
- Price
- Comfort
- Design
Towards the end of this article I will go into the full details behind my judgments, but first, let's get into the list so you can create a stylish and structured workspace that matches your taste.
1. UpDown Pro Desk.
Overall the Best stand-up desk in Australia.
The UpDown Pro Desk is their flagship product and takes first place in my list of the best Australian stand-up desks, the UpDown Pro offers the widest range of options to choose from in a reasonably priced package.
Pros
The free industry-leading 100-day trial offered on all of the UpDown Pro series electric desks is a strong reason to add them to the top of your wish list. The long trial period will help you experience and understand the desk with complete peace of mind and if you wish to return the desk, the company will pay for the shipping cost too.
The frame is the pinnacle of high quality and at 41kg it's heavy, the heaviest standing desk frame from my research...this makes it very stable, even in the highest positions.
The desktop itself is beautifully crafted and of the quality you’d expect from premium home furniture.
The desk has excellent build quality and many desktop options, these include Australian sourced Messmate, Victorian Ash, Bamboo, and a hard-wearing Melamine board. The Messmate is the most attractive option, in my opinion, and the Victorian Ash and Acacia are also very attractive options.
Messmate (also known as “Wormy” or “Stringybark”) is a native Australian eucalypt mostly found in the southeast of Australia. It is a hard-wearing and dense hardwood, with natural highlights and lovely grain.
The UpDown Pro Desk has a smooth, vibration-free movement speed of 32mm per second powered by powerful dual motors.
If you are planning to share your UpDown Desk with other people then it's a good thing you can each save your preferred table height by pressing one of its four memory buttons. The desk also has a built-in anti-collision feature to prevent damage if you leave your chair under when lowering it.
A wide range of options will help you to personalise the desk as you wish. Choose your favourite castor wheels, handy lockable drawers, monitor arms, and power rails to build an unbeatable stand-up desk tailored to your needs.
UpDown is an Australian supplier with a lot of reviews complimenting not just the quality but also their friendly staff and fast shipping.
The UpDown Pro standing desk is also backed up by a 10-year Australian warranty for the frame and electrical components and 5 years on the desktop.
Cons
Only the price, with the wide range of options available it is quite easy to end up spending more than your original budget if you choose the most stunning hardwood desktop and then go about adding many of the options such as:
It is also worth remembering that the cable management setup is optional, you do need to pay more for a set of grommets, however, UpDown are happy to drill the grommet holes for you, and as long as the holes are drilled by UpDown Desk (not by you) then they will NOT void that massive trial period.
The Verdict
If you love solid hardwood furniture then select one of the hardwood desktop choices for your UpDown Pro desk and you will not regret it. The hardwood is great to touch and beautiful and 2mm thicker than the other finishes, boosting the high-quality feel.
The UpDown Pro is my overall pick for the best standing desk in Australia. If you're looking for a standing desk that breathes sophistication, quality, and charm, and you are happy to pay for that quality then this model should be at the top of your list.
Key Specifications
- 150 Kg Load lifting capacity
- Up to 180 cm (W) x 75 cm (D) desktop options
- Height extension between 64cm and 129cm
- Built-in anti-collision and auto shut off
Cost
There are so many options and you use the UpDown 3D Desk Designer to specify and look at your perfect desk and see an instant price, but as a ballpark, the UpDown pro desks start at $879 with a Melamine desktop and can cost more than $2,000 once you choose hardwood and several optional extras. It's not cheap, but you 100% get what you pay for.
2. Desky Dual Stand Up Desk
Best premium desk with more options.
Desky’s adjustable standing desk is a stylish stand-up desk available in various sizes and colours, most people would be fine with the medium size of 150cm x 750cm, however the large at 180cm x 70cm perfectly suits professionals in search of a very wide adjustable height desk.
Desky vs UpDown Pro
The Desky Dual is a very similar standing desk in design to the UpDown Pro Desk, it costs much the same with some key differences:
- Marginally less heavy-duty construction.
- Different and more wood choices for the desktop.
- An optional scallop at the back of the desk, with the scallop carved from the rear of the desk the cables can run freely down the back making it easy to place your desk directly against the wall.
- The Desky also offers a trial, however, it is only 7 days vs UpDown's 100-day trial and you cannot fix the desktop to the frame. The UpDown Pro can be returned even if you have screwed the desktop to the desk frame.
I love the native Australian timber desktop options that are available with the UpDown Pro Desk, however, there certainly are more desktop options with the Desky and the hardwood options are still very classy, they also offer Grey as a third leg colour option.
The Desky Dual Sit Stand Desk has 4 programmable pre-sets which allow you to save your frequently used height settings; in addition to that, the 140 kg load capacity will easily help you set up your multiple monitors, cameras, and laptops together for easy and efficient work time. Lifting heights have been designed to provide a seated and standing height range that is ergonomically suited for 95% of all users.
The 10-year warranty on all parts of the desk promises you peace of mind along with a seven-day easy return policy that also allows you to try out and return the product within a week from the date of purchase.
The Verdict
I am considering writing a more detailed individual Desky review as this product has so many options to discuss, the range of options and the quality is why I have included this product as my second favourite adjustable standing desk in Australia.
Pros
- The cable management system is included
- The (optional) scalloped design can allow placement directly against a wall or another desk without the need for grommet holes.
- Available in Small, Medium, and Large.
Cons
- Rated at 20kg less than the UpDown Pro.
- The frame weighs 36kg versus UpDown Pro’s 41kg.
- The maximum elevation of 125cm is slightly less than UpDown’s 127.5cm, for most people this will not matter.
Specifications
- Height can be extended between 60cm and 125cm
- Lifting capacity of 140kg
Cost
The prices start at $875 for a Melamine Desktop and reach nearly $2,400 for certain hardwood options, putting the Desky Dual in the same price range as the UpDown Pro.
3. Artiss Standing Desk
The Best Cheap stand-up desk.
This Artiss sit-stand desk is the best budget desk as it is a great desk at a low price.
Pros
The Desk includes all the essential features as standard like cable management holes complete with grommets and combines this with a minimalist and modern design.
There are two sizes of desk options available to choose from, one of 120cm and the other of 140 cm. The last time I checked the price difference was a whopping $12!...so I don't see why anyone would not just take the larger one unless they had a space constraint in their room or were very into Feng shui! :-)
The Artiss stand-up desk comes in four desktop colour choices, they are all at the same price point, the choices are White, Black, Natural Oak, and Walnut. My choice would be the Walnut, of course, it depends on your office space.
As the Artiss stand up desk is cheaper, you might think its controls would look and feel cheap too, however, I was able to try this model out at my friend's house in between COVID lockdowns and the control module has a sleek design while the height adjustment buttons have a nice, tactile feel.
Cons
While the overall look of the sit-stand desk doesn’t look inexpensive, it cannot be mistaken for a high-end desk like the UpDown Pro Series.
The Artiss is bang on for the price point, more of an Ikea feel with the desktop being based on particleboard, the desk is well-designed, very functional, and has some charm rather than unmistakably high-end.
The Artiss is the one for you if you wish to stick to a budget. If you are looking for a beautiful and unmistakably high-end product the UpDown pro is the best stand-up desk that will go the distance and take your home working space to a new level.
Overall
Pros
- Sturdy
- Inexpensive
- Stylish controls
Cons
- Load Capacity limit of 100 kg - vs the UpDown Pro's 150kg limit
- Not a suitable piece of furniture for a luxury home
Specifications
- 100Kg load capacity
- Height can be extended from 69cm to 118cm
- 140 cm x 70 cm or 120 cm x 60 cm workspace area
Cost
The variations of the Artiss Stand-up desk always seem to be priced higher on the manufacturer's site than they are from the reseller sites, the best deals change between sites, but I found all the best sites that sell it and you can find the best deal using the button below.
The Honorable Mention
Lazy Maison Dual Motor (120Kg)
The Lazy Maison did not make my best budget desk award as it costs a bit more than the Artiss, from one perspective it is better as it is rated at 120kg, however it cannot go as high as the Artiss and you can get the bigger 140cm wide Artiss for less money than the 120cm wide Lazy Maison.
Don't get confused by their single motor model rated only at 80Kg, for the price difference it is not worth the slower moving speed (25mm/s vs 36mm/s).
It is also worth noting that Lazy Maisons have a premium Trio model that has similar features but with fewer options compared to Desky Dual and UpDown Pro and is not the leading quality and refinement of the Updown Pro.
Specifications
- 120Kg load capacity
- Height can be extended from 69cm to 113cm
- 150 cm x 75 cm or 120 cm x 60 cm workspace area
Cost
Just like the Artiss it always seems to be priced higher on the manufacturer's site, with the best deals changing between sites, unlike the Artiss it seems to always be priced best on catch.com.au but if I will check periodically and update the button below if I find this changes.
4. Vari Standing Desk
Best standing desk for taller people
The Vari Desk may not do anything that other desks can’t and it won't win any design awards either, however it has one distinct quality - boasting the best-in-class height of 128 cm, making it fit perfectly for taller people.
Similar to my #3 desk the Artiss, if you would like a good desk and you are unusually tall then Vari is the one for you. The Vari has all the specifications and features that Artiss has, however it costs about $300 more so unless you are over 6ft 4" then you can choose one of the top options above.
The Vari does have one other boast - their patent-pending legs are much easier to attach and they claim the entire desk assembles in ten minutes or less.
Overall
Pros
- Tallest desk available on the Australian market
- Can be assembled in under ten minutes
Cons
- Not a very stylish design
Specifications
- Load capacity of 99.8 kg
- 122cm x 76cm workspace area
- Height extension between 63.5 cm and 128 cm
Another downside of the Vari is that it is not always available in Australia.
5. Movi Desk Converter
Best converter for an existing desk
Let's be clear, a converter for an existing desk is not normally the 'ideal' solution, as you can tell from the photo above you are likely to lose some of the surface area of your existing desk and they all have a lower weight limit than dedicated standing desks, the Movi desk converter has a weight limit of 15 kg and if you have multiple large monitors or other heavy peripherals in your work from home setup then any desk converter might not be the best option for you.
With that said the Movi height-adjustable desk converter is my pick of desk converters, the spacious (for a converter) 115cm x 70cm work area and smooth electric motor that moves at a quick 30mm per second are the best things about the Movi’s height adjustable desk converter.
Like UpDown Movi Workspace is another local Melbourne Company and the Movi stand-up desk converter will arrive promptly at your doorstep fully assembled with a 2-year warranty for all the parts. There are Lite and Pro models to choose from with the Pro containing features such as two USB charging points and one button memory recall.
Overall
Pros
- Comes assembled
- Low cost (compared to a full stand up desk)
- 2019 Good Design Australia award winner
Cons
- 15 kg weight rating
- 115cm x 70cm workspace area (although good for a converter)
- Price considering it is only a convertor
Other specifications
- Up to 44cm height above your existing desk
Cost
At the time of writing the Lite was $599 and the Pro$799, but check the current price on Movi's website.
6. IDASEN Sit Stand Desk
Best IKEA Standing Desk
One of two IKEA offerings the IDASEN is definitely a step up in looks and functionality over the BEKANT, the desktop is still made of particleboard like the BEKANT, and my budget pick the Artiss.
The IDASEN does have one advantage over the Artiss, that is the height it can go to, going up to 128cm, this is a fair bit more than the 118cm of the Artiss so it would be better for tall people, however I would prefer the UpDown or Vari Desk for the better build quality.
The IDASEN has a mobile phone app rather than dedicated preset buttons that all the non-Ikea offerings here have to set the height, this is not a feature it is a gimmick, I do not want to find my phone to set the desk height, I'll just end up using the manual height adjustment.
It is worth noting two more comparisons between the IDASEN and the Artiss now, the price and the load capacity, the Artiss wins on both of these:
- Price: $150 cheaper at the time of writing
- Load-bearing: 30kg more.
This is why the IDASEN is at the bottom of my list, note that with the price comparison I am comparing the larger 140cm wide desktop option of the Artiss.
Overall
Cons
- Low weight capacity - only 70kg
- Price vs the Artiss
- No height preset buttons.
Other Specifications
- Height can be extended from 63 cm to 127 cm
- 160cm x 80cm workspace area
Should You Buy A Standing Desk?
If there is one positive of COVID-19 it will be the long-term increased flexibility or the option to work from home more frequently if you wish to.
When you first start working from home, you may be working on your laptop on your couch or kitchen bench. This can come with a cost, bad posture will lead to spinal problems, including neck and back pain.
Research shows that sitting for long periods of time damages your health, some studies link it to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer.
Using a standing desk can have many long-term benefits, many people even set one near their treadmill and exercise while attending meetings, I have seen a number of people tweeting about walking while writing and I plan to do the same with my new desk after moving house. UPDATE: I moved house and then I did some research to choose an under desk treadmill.
Standing Desks Terms and Types
Any of "sit stand desk", "standing desk", "stand up desk", "standing table" and "stand up sit down desk" are often used to describe any of the distinct types of standing desks that are available in Australia, the three main categories are:
- Fixed Height Standing Desks
- Dedicated Adjustable Standing Desks
- Sit-Stand Desk Converters.
I have ignored Fixed Height Standing Desks for this guide as most home offices will not have the space for a dedicated stand-only desk, it's not something you would normally see in a home as someone will surely want to sit down at the desk sometimes!
As I mentioned earlier you will generally get the best result with a dedicated standing desk, however, the converters have their uses.
Dedicated Standing Desks can also be subdivided into those that are manually adjusted by a lever or electronically adjustable standing desks, I have only listed electronically adjustable ones in this article - if you have a bad back you do not want to be bending under the desk to manually adjust it and the manually adjusted ones tend to be less smooth, nobody wants expensive computers and monitors falling off when adjusting.
Accessories
While an adjustable standing up desk is the starting point, it’s useful to remember your home office upgrade may not be complete unless you consider some of the following options...
- Cable management system
- 'Power bars' with power sockets and USB ports for charging phones
- Fitted Speakers
- Draws or other storage
- Chairs or stools
A few of these accessories come as standard with some desks, but for others, they do not and are optional extras.
What I looked for in Stand-Up Desks
Some people value practicality, even when ugly while others put design first at the expense of all else. I would think the majority of people would not like to trade off too much practicality for design and I would argue that a strong fit for purpose is indicative of good overall design.
For my stand-up desk analysis, I considered the following as key criteria:
- Practicality (useful space, cable management, and build quality)
- Aesthetics
- Value for Money
These aspects are not in any order, rather I picked winners from different angles at different price points.
Notable exclusions from this list
In addition to the above, there were many factors that I considered to narrow down this list of the best stand up desks.
IKEA BEKANT Sit Stand Desk
I actually had one of these it was a bit wobbly and researching other desks inspired me to write this article (I now own the UpDown Pro).
In an early version of this article, I had the IKEA BEKANT towards the end of the list; however, it was cheaper then, now at the new price you no longer even get what you pay for with this.
The aesthetic style of the BEKANT sit-stand desk is simple and it should not be too offensive in a budget work-from-home setup. The tabletop is made up of Particleboard, Melamine foil, and plastic edging.
The BEKANT sit-stand desk also comes with an adjustable height of 65cm to 125 cm.
Cons
- Stability issues
- Low weight capacity of 69Kg.
- No height preset buttons.
IKEA TROTTEN
This is a crank-handle model rather than an electrically adjustable one and as such does not qualify for consideration.
Omnidesk vs UpDown / Desky
The Omnidesk is a premium grade standing desk that competes directly with the UpDown Pro, the Omnidesk desks themselves are very good, very comparable to the UpDown at essentially the same prices, however when you look at the review sites it has fewer great reviews due to some customer service issues and the use of unrecyclable packaging such as expanded EPE, those reasons were enough for me to not include it, although I personally also prefer the wood finish options that are available from UpDown.
There are further aspects that mean the Updown beats the Omnidesk, while they could of course be considered biased I genuinely think that Updown states the facts well with the comparison table on their site
Is Omnidesk an Australian Brand?
This had no influence on my process of reviewing standing desks, but some people want to know. Omnidesk is based in Singapore, the Omnidesk founders are Marcus and Joe Wee, the same brothers behind the Singapore customisable computer brand Aftershock.
UpDown Pro vs ZenSpace Desk Pro
The ZenSpace desks have a lower weight rating than the UpDown Pro, however, for this comparison of standing desks of course I have not looked purely from the perspective of buying some legs and putting your own piece of wood as a desktop on it, like the Omnidesk there are not any of the great native Australian timber desktop options that there are with the UpDown Pro.
Again there are more minor aspects that UpDown covers in the above comparison table. That guide is for the two legged Pro desks.
It is worth mentioning that for L-shaped corner desks ZenSpace has taken a different approach than UpDown, going for a third motor, this puts the lifting Capacity up to 200Kg. UpDown would probably argue their more powerful dual motors are sufficient for nearly every corner desk setup.
ZenSpace Zen Pro Desk vs Desky Dual Desk
This comparison gets very hard as the lifting capacity, weight rating and maximum height are all the same (comparing the Desky Dual to the Zen Pro Series).
Like UpDown, ZenSpace and Desky are both Australian companies; actually they are both based in Queensland.
There is really not much to choose between them, it would not surprise me if their lifting mechanism is manufactured by the same entity, the controls look identical apart from the logo on the bottom right.
The prices are often exactly the same when comparing the same desktop size; the Choice of the Desky Dual over the ZenSpace Pro came down only to customer feedback I found on reddit, productreview.com.au and a couple of other sites.
Why Did I Not Include Officeworks Sit and Stand desks?
Officeworks does have a couple of electric height adjustable desks (with varied options of desktop finish), but neither is very compelling for me.
- The most expensive one the 'Stilford' is still made of particle board in all options and has a maximum weight capacity of 120 kg.
- The cheaper one does not have dual motors, I consider the Artiss a much better cheap option.
Also from a buying experience:
- You cannot actually try them in-store anyway.
- You choose a particular one and it is quite likely to be out of stock - if it is in stock then you must pick it up or pay $40 more to get it delivered.
Why Did I Write This?
Around a year ago, I decided to get an adjustable standing desk to give me the option of working from a standing position.
The problem was that the Australian market had so many height adjustable standing desks available and I didn't have the time to research, so I just went to IKEA and picked up something cheap, so I ended with the BEKANT. My wife hated it and didn't want it moving with us to our new house! So recently I started researching something better.
All the existing desk reviews and guides of best standing desks in Australia I found were lacking in detail and they often even got the specs wrong, after looking at these I decided to invest a chunk of my time in research, this research took a lot more time than I first expected, more than two weeks of evenings, I got thinking that I will save others time by sharing my research.
For full disclosure many of the links in this article are affiliate ones, meaning I may get paid a small commission if you buy a desk that I recommend. The ranking is not by financial incentives and these desks really are (in my opinion) the best standing desks in Australia, the good thing for you if you do make use of the links is that all of the top five desks offer delivery so whether you are looking for a sit-stand desk for your Melbourne home or anywhere in Australia then you should be good. The commissions this site earns make spending the time writing and publishing new articles worthwhile, since this original post I have invested more time in other genuinely helpful articles such as my articles on the best home coffee machines in Australia and the best ergonomic chairs available in Australia.
The Best Standing Desks In Australia
- Up Down Pro – The Best overall standing desk in Australia.
- Desky Dual – Second Best sit stand desk in Australia with more options than the UpDown.
- Artiss – Best cheap standing desk in Australia.
- Vari Desk – Best standing desk for taller people.
- Movi Pro – Best sit-stand desk converter.
I would love to hear from you if you find this research useful, please use the comments below to let me know whether you agree with my findings or if you have further questions.
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