Most people have had to switch to remote working since the outbreak of the pandemic. They have had to create a comfortable makeshift office while relying on reliable and high-quality furniture and appliances. A standing desk has become one of the more popular options. However, the challenge is that most standing desks are expensive. You’ve probably seen the seemingly outrageous prices and are wondering why they cost so much.
Standing desks are expensive because of their ergonomic features and adjustability which requires the use of expensive materials. Among the most expensive components is the dual electric motor used for height adjustments and table tops that are laminated or made from materials such as solid natural wood. Other reasons include shipping costs and research and development that goes into production and marketing.
How Expensive are Standing Desks?
- Uplift Standing desks typically cost about $1,300
- Jarvis standing desks cost up to $1,000
You can get other brands of standing desks at similar prices. Some are a bit cheaper, but you should expect to pay around $500.
The Best Affordable Alternatives
For laptop users who don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars on a standing desk, I recommend checking out laptop stands. As their name suggests, these stands are used to elevate the height of your laptop, so you can easily transform any desk into a standing desk. They are very affordable, and I’ve recommended a few of my favorite options in this article.
If you’re in a hurry, I’ll just recommend that you check out the oBvus Laptop Stand (aff link to Amazon) that costs less than $80 and the very simple ElfAnt Laptop Stand (aff link to Amazon) that costs less than 40 bucks.
The Expensive Components of a Standing Desk
The Motors: Standing desk motors are generally made from high-quality materials. They are built to run smoothly and be sturdy so that they can carry heavy weight. They themselves typically cost about ¼ of the price of the standing desk.
The Tabletops: The price of the tabletop of a standing desk can reach up to ½ of the cost of the entire standing desk. The tabletop often comes laminated, which ensures durability. That alone can cost anything from $200 to $800. If you decide to go for the natural solid wood table top, you can expect to pay $500 for that alone.
Let’s look at some other reasons behind the high cost of standing desks.
Marketing: the marketing for standing desks is not easy because many of the brands that sell standing desks sell offline. While those that sell online usually don’t have active Google advertising in place.
Shipping: generally, shipping costs of furniture pieces are expensive, but usually sellers of standing desks offer free shipping. However, the catch is they usually include the cost of shipping in the price of the standing desk. So that way you’re still paying for shipping your standing desk.
Research and Development: R&D is another factor that contributes to the heavy pricing of standing desks. Brands have to carry out in-depth research to ensure they build a reliable product. They do this to ensure the standing desk is of the best quality in order to reduce wear & tear.
Are Standing Desks Worth the Price?
The simple answer is yes; standing desks are worth the price and hype. Consider the benefits that you can enjoy from using a standing desk. Some of which include preventing chronic health conditions, promoting healthy blood circulation and maintaining a healthy weight.
Standing desks are ergonomic furniture, so they make your workspace a lot more comfortable for you. Using ergonomic furniture like a standing desk means you can reduce or avoid strains on your back, spine, neck, and other places to prevent injury.
You can easily maintain a healthy work-life and your general wellbeing when you use a standing desk at your place of work. Using a standing desk keeps you in a healthy posture and allows you to move as much as possible while at work.
Former director at NASA’s Life Science Division, Joan Vernikos, says moving from one position to another frequently gives the body gravitational stimulus. Gravitational stimulus helps to keep the body strong.
Staying seated for a long time on a traditional office desk can lead to backaches, neck aches, and so on. But, this is not the case with a standing desk.
Physical and Mental Benefits of Using a Standing Desk
Prevents Body Aches And Pains
You can avoid general body pain, whether backaches, neck pain, shoulder tension, and the likes using a standing desk. These aches and pains are often caused by strains on the body, which typically result from poor body alignment.
Standing desks allow you to move around while working. As a result, you won’t be putting too much stress on any part of your body.
Improves Productivity
Standing desks being ergonomic increases your productivity. A Texas A&M University study states that using standing desks allows workers to be 46% (average) more productive than workers that use traditional desks.
Ergonomic furniture pieces play an important role in boosting comfort at the workplace, thereby increasing productivity and improving the work environment and culture.
Improves Mood
People are generally happier when they have a healthy work-life and are at peace when they work. Since a standing desk can help reduce the frustration from physical stress, it can also help maintain a good mood while working.
Promotes Good Posture
Many workers slouch while seated at their desks all day. We all know that slouching is bad for the body, especially the spine and neck. Considering that it is not easy to break the bad habit of slouching, a standing desk is what you need to help you develop a better posture. It becomes even worse knowing that you have to be hunched over your desk for so many hours every day.
Substituting your regular desk with a standing desk is a sure and trusted way to improve bad posture.
Helps To Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Level
Sitting immediately after food can be harmful as it increases blood sugar to dangerous levels, which can, in the long run, lead to diabetes. This is a big concern in many workplaces that use traditional office desks, as workers often sit immediately after lunch.
However, studies have shown that standing after lunch can reduce the rate at which blood sugar spikes by up to 43% compared to sitting after lunch.
Reduces The Risk Of Heart Disease & Other Chronic Conditions
Using a standing desk means you can reduce the likelihood of any cardiovascular difficulties, blood clots, cancer, and more.
Replacing your regular work desk with a standing desk will give more room to move from one position to another while at work. Keeping a habit of changing position from sitting to standing when working can promote blood circulation.
Therefore, standing desks are better than regular desks that don’t foster blood circulation because you are seated all day. for too long has also been linked to cancer as well as reducing life expectancy.
How Does a Standing Desk Help Maintain a Healthy Weight?
A person can lose up to 88 calories for every hour spent standing, which is an extra eight calories compared to how much is lost when sitting.
What Position is Better For Work – Standing Or Sitting?
The best position for work is neither sitting nor is it standing, but a balance of both. It is best to alternate between sitting position and standing while you work.
This helps to improve productivity at work and create a healthy work environment. According to a study by the University of Waterloo, it is recommended that people stand for 30 minutes every hour.
Final Thoughts
All of the benefits we examined above influence the price of the standing desks. But that’s not all there is when it comes to answering why standing desks are expensive. Like we mentioned above, the standing desk market is just emerging.
As a result, there aren’t many brands in the sector, and the competition is not tough yet. When the market becomes competitive, brands will look for ways to ensure they can manufacture high-quality standing desks that are still affordable.