I talk with a lot of people about getting started with standing desks, and I usually recommend throwing a small cheap table (ikea) on top of your existing desk and getting a drafting chair (tall). This way you don't have to pay for a variable height desk, and you keep it on the cheap side to see if you actually like it. Also, be sure to start slow and stand for maybe an hour or two a day for a few weeks. Then gradually stand more and more.
When I was researching building my own standing desk, the biggest cost seemed to be getting quality actuators with a long throw at a low price.
Compare this to the a similar looking Ikea Galant workstation at $180-$200. You're getting the motor(s), electronics, actuators, and slide bearings for an additional $200 more.
I'm curious as to how they managed to do away with the horizontal stabilizing bar (this is mentioned as a feature in the video). Without something connecting the legs together, it seems like the left and right tracks could potentially get out of alignment and potentially bind as the desk top raises.
My current verdict from my home built sit stand desk is that it's great for a change a couple times a day. What I found, though, is that my hip starts to hurt after an extended period of standing in one place. I'm now trying standing on an EVA foam pad to see if this helps with that problem.
Half the price of the competition sounds nice, but they're also using a single motor that has less lifting power and aren't an established name that will necessarily be around in a decade to service your desk... This seems more of a business and marketing play than one of true cost cutting or technical innovation. It would be more impressive to be of equal capability, but less cost.
I use a standing desk. When I first started out, I spent a lot of time thinking about how I could make a standing desk that I could raise and lower. I looked at taking apart office chairs and using the hydraulics, I looked at possible crank methods, weight and pulley systems, etc.
A friend of mine listened to my brainstorming and said "why don't you just get a taller chair?". He was right.
There are cheaper ones that are more like a stool, more expensive ones, and even some weird (but expensive) saddle type chairs that are designed to mimic standing while you're sitting down. But basically, if you want a standing desk and the ability to sit, ie if you're going to be buying a chair anyways, just buy a taller chair.
It takes a week or two for your feet to get used to it, and if you slouche or lean, you'll find yourself with sore hips at the end of the day. But once you get used to it, you'll find yourself standing much more than sitting. For me, I mostly only sit if I'm eating at my desk, or maybe for a bit after lunch. I have a standing desk at work and one at home. It's a different experience just walking up to your computer and start typing. Most people have to sit down first or stand up when they walk away. This lends to a sort of reluctance to switch from one state to another. Standing, I can lock my screen and walk away at any time.
$500!? Plus shipping!? You can make a standing desk with $100 worth of Ikea parts then buy a tall stool/chair for $75 on Amazon. Bam, just beat your "most affordable" sit/stand desk by $325+. Oh, and you can have it next week instead of next year (or later).
I guess I'll start my Kickstarter campaign tonight.
P.S. 45" is not enough height for many of us tall folk, especially in dress shoes with a thick heel.
This is motorized, so you can also sit at a regular chair if you want as well. Some people don't like stools, they simply don't offer the same level of comfort and ergonomics that a regular chair would.
But then you can't use your $750 fancy office chair with it ;).
I think a good cheapo solution would be some sort of platform that you can place on top of an existing desk and will go up and down with hydraulic legs or similar. That way you don't have to remove your desk at your office, get a new chair or similar to try it out.
Is giving us a list of your advisers (read: board) supposed to make me think that this is a truly community backed project? I'm sick of people using Kickstarter for free money and advertising on ideas that could be (and probably have been) readily pitched to investors.
Kickstarter is supposed to be for projects that are interesting, but that traditional investors probably won't touch. A stand-sit desk hardly qualifies, IMO. Obviously people are free to give money to whatever they want, but I, for one, won't throw any money at such ho-hum ideas.
Oh, and a quick google search shows that their price point isn't even that much of an improvement on the existing market.
Relax, my friend. Kickstarter is an alternative to a traditional pitch. There's going to be a fuzzy overlap between conventional and otherwise-unfundable projects. No one gets to decide what qualifies. It's a market: just let it work. This project is not for you, but others like it. Why get sick?
It's not free money; it's money in return for a promise of goods once the business has started up, with the risk that the business might never get to that point.
I don't see why only certain types of businesses should use Kickstarter. The only times where it's upsetting to me are when people who already have more than enough money to take risks, instead turn to crowdfunding to convince others to.
Taking your point, if it's on Kickstarter with an appearance that it has already been pitched to investors, it's safe to say that the investors didn't touch it.
To those snarky people how say something equivalent to "just use a box", if your desk setup includes three 24" monitors, that is not a practical solution. Even if you only changed between sitting and standing once a day it would not be practical.
[Edit: Some are pointing out cheaper and alternative ways without any snark or smugness, which is great. I wasn't aiming at them and appreciate their input.]
With one trifling exception, the universe consists entirely of other people. A box may not solve their use case just because it solves yours. For them an affordable motorised desk may be the perfect solution.
I'm not sure people are being snarky - more pointing out that there are much cheaper ways to create an alternative. Plus, it's often a whole lot easier to add a DIY platform to an existing desk than to get your company to shell out for a mechanised adjustable height desk.
My employer got me one of these: http://www.ergotron.com/Products/Workstations/StandUpDesks/t... and it's been really nice. You move it up and down by hand. I just grab on and stand or sit and it moves right up or down with me. I love being able to change position so quickly and easily. This desk looks like it takes a long time to move up or down.
The fact that you need to keep the button pressed to move other standing desks is a feature, not a bug. It's a safety feature designed to make it impossible to get yourself in a situation where a body part is trapped in the desk but you're too incapacitated to push the stop button.
I would never buy a desk that had auto-up and auto-down, just like I'll never buy a car with auto-up windows after nearly getting decapitated by this "feature" in a Volkswagen Passat.
In our office we really like the MultiTable.com tables. These were the cheapest high quality tables we could find. Ikea now sells adjustable desks, but the last time I looked they didn't show up on the US version of their site. Ikea prices were comparable to MultiTable. You can buy your table top from MultiTable, or re-use your existing Ikea table tops as we did. Our company was able to negotiate a (modest) bulk discount as well.
Speaking of Ikea. I stared with an Ikea hack as my standing desk. Building a combo coffee table with a book shelf as a keyboard tray, all for about $34. That sat on top of my existing Ikea desk/table. I used that until I was convinced I wanted to stay with the standing desk.
There are two drawback to the Ikea hack solution. 1) they are not readily adjustable. You don't want to stand 100% of the time, certainly not when starting out. 2) they can be very top heavy if you have more than one monitor and a workstation AND a laptop.
The electric motors look cool, but are totally unnecessary. It takes about 10 seconds to crank the table up or down by hand.
What goes unmentioned in most standing desk articles is the need for a really good mat to stand on. Here are the best I've found that are also a reasonable price:
It seems like it would start wiggling side-to-side after a while. Need more triangles! Maybe a strut from lower right to upper left, with an upwards arc in the strut to give legroom?
Two leg standing desks tend to wobble a lot. I'd love to see that specifically called out and demonstrated. Maybe the two legs are wide enough to avoid it.
I backed this project as an early-bird. I'm not sure why you need 4 memory buttons for the deluxe frame. All I need is one more button (maybe two)! Just let me set the height I want it to be at when I'm standing and sitting. If I'm standing pick the other one, and vice versa.
I have a feeling it will get really annoying to use the two buttons on the regular frame over and over again if you're changing the height of the desk a lot. The desk will probably never be at the same height twice if you're telling it when to stop instead of it automatically stopping at the desired height.
Edit: The main point I'm making is for the $399 price, it'd make a lot more sense to include at least one or two memory buttons if a single person uses the desk.
We have a 'quiet room'; a separated-off room with a few desks that some people (but not typically very many) use fairly often. In this case, it would be handy to have a few presets.
I backed this project as an early-bird. I'm not sure why you need 4 memory buttons for the deluxe frame.
It's not uncommon for two people to use a desk, if not interchangeably, then at least regularly.
WRT price, I have a GeekDesk with four memory presents, and it cost about $1000. Is that a lot or a little? It's hard for me to judge, but among the motorized desks it seemed to hit the optimal price / quality point.
I wouldn't go back to a conventional, seated-only desk.
> The desk can lift up to 225 lbs. Okay, okay…it can actually lift more, but let’s keep things on the safe side.
255 lbs is 102kg; in other words, if I sit on this desk, I'm getting close to the breaking point. Not good :(.
(INB4: yes, people do occasionally sit on their desks, sometimes without even thinking about it - e.g. when full of joy, or drunk. Also there's a good chance that someone at some point will want to stand on a desk to, say, change a lightbulb. Consider this especially if you're buing desks for a more public place, like e.g. your local Hackerspace.)
That might just be the weight that it can life from low to high height. It might be able to still support more than that when static. It would be good to know what it can support statically.
Not that you need to be using the motor to lift yourself up and down. I'm sure the desk will still support your weight.
Something else to note is that further down it mentions that the 225 lbs limit doesn't include the weight of the table top, so it might be closer to 200.
Simple just don't let anybody overweight/obese get on the desk. Or do it in the morning and if it collapses it will make it easier for them to choose what to have for lunch.
According to this ergonomic workspace planner[1] for my height of 1.75m (5'9") I want a keyboard height of 660mm when sitting, and 1080mm when standing. The StandDesk min/max is 711 to 1143mm, so the upper bound is fine, but a bit high for me when sitting.
In fact, according to [1] a keyboard height of 710mm is only suitable if you are at least 1.88m (6'2") so you have to be pretty tall.
The stroke of the StandDesk is 432mm, and I need 420mm so the range is okay for my height. However if I was 1.85m (6'1") or taller the range would be too small.
Back Designs[2] also have guidelines for adjustable work surfaces and again, the StandDesk ranges are just a bit short.
All in all, it looks like a product with great potential, but perhaps needs the specifications reassessed a bit more in order to be truly suitable to a wider user base.
An ironing board is a great, cheap way to test if you like a standing desk. Got the tip from a friend who travels a bunch and uses them in hotel rooms.
Doesn't seem that bad to me. I paid $200 for a similar desk (without the standing feature) from IKEA. Most desks, standing or not, that are designed for office environments, are at least that expensive.
Like the idea, pricing is interesting and wholly out of line with common desks. Still I would lean towards a glass top (black bordered glass is what I have now) instead of laminate or bamboo. L-shape would be fun, but I guess you could put two together, perhaps slave the controls?
[+] [-] reustle|12 years ago|reply
I've gone into more detail here: http://reustle.io/blog/cant-stand-sitting
[+] [-] benrhughes|12 years ago|reply
Because I have a corner desk, I can sit at the other half when I want to write, and I use a stool for the rare occasions I want to sit while typing.
[+] [-] the_cat_kittles|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] MetaCosm|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] hacknat|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] suyash|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] chromaton|12 years ago|reply
Compare this to the a similar looking Ikea Galant workstation at $180-$200. You're getting the motor(s), electronics, actuators, and slide bearings for an additional $200 more.
I'm curious as to how they managed to do away with the horizontal stabilizing bar (this is mentioned as a feature in the video). Without something connecting the legs together, it seems like the left and right tracks could potentially get out of alignment and potentially bind as the desk top raises.
My current verdict from my home built sit stand desk is that it's great for a change a couple times a day. What I found, though, is that my hip starts to hurt after an extended period of standing in one place. I'm now trying standing on an EVA foam pad to see if this helps with that problem.
Incidentally, if you're curious as to how I added sit-stand capability to my desk for less than $200, check out my blog post: http://planiverse.wordpress.com/2014/01/10/building-a-sit-st... .
[+] [-] ynniv|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rhizome|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ytjohn|12 years ago|reply
A friend of mine listened to my brainstorming and said "why don't you just get a taller chair?". He was right.
This $140 drafting chair is what I have now. It has a padded seat, back, armrests, and is just as comfy as any other office chair I've tried. http://www.amazon.com/Boss-Multi-Function-Leatherplus-Drafti...
There are cheaper ones that are more like a stool, more expensive ones, and even some weird (but expensive) saddle type chairs that are designed to mimic standing while you're sitting down. But basically, if you want a standing desk and the ability to sit, ie if you're going to be buying a chair anyways, just buy a taller chair.
It takes a week or two for your feet to get used to it, and if you slouche or lean, you'll find yourself with sore hips at the end of the day. But once you get used to it, you'll find yourself standing much more than sitting. For me, I mostly only sit if I'm eating at my desk, or maybe for a bit after lunch. I have a standing desk at work and one at home. It's a different experience just walking up to your computer and start typing. Most people have to sit down first or stand up when they walk away. This lends to a sort of reluctance to switch from one state to another. Standing, I can lock my screen and walk away at any time.
[+] [-] DontBeADick|12 years ago|reply
I guess I'll start my Kickstarter campaign tonight.
P.S. 45" is not enough height for many of us tall folk, especially in dress shoes with a thick heel.
[+] [-] donutdan4114|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] vijayr|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] mahyarm|12 years ago|reply
I think a good cheapo solution would be some sort of platform that you can place on top of an existing desk and will go up and down with hydraulic legs or similar. That way you don't have to remove your desk at your office, get a new chair or similar to try it out.
[+] [-] spacesword|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] hacknat|12 years ago|reply
Kickstarter is supposed to be for projects that are interesting, but that traditional investors probably won't touch. A stand-sit desk hardly qualifies, IMO. Obviously people are free to give money to whatever they want, but I, for one, won't throw any money at such ho-hum ideas.
Oh, and a quick google search shows that their price point isn't even that much of an improvement on the existing market.
[+] [-] robotresearcher|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] vertex-four|12 years ago|reply
I don't see why only certain types of businesses should use Kickstarter. The only times where it's upsetting to me are when people who already have more than enough money to take risks, instead turn to crowdfunding to convince others to.
[+] [-] rhizome|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] phpnode|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] doktrin|12 years ago|reply
I disagree. That desk is priced at £407, whereas this one goes for £240. All else equal, that's significant.
[+] [-] JimmaDaRustla|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Mizza|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] anotherevan|12 years ago|reply
[Edit: Some are pointing out cheaper and alternative ways without any snark or smugness, which is great. I wasn't aiming at them and appreciate their input.]
With one trifling exception, the universe consists entirely of other people. A box may not solve their use case just because it solves yours. For them an affordable motorised desk may be the perfect solution.
So stop being a dick.
[+] [-] benrhughes|12 years ago|reply
FWIW, I have a 27" and 2 24"s.
[+] [-] krupan|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] qq66|12 years ago|reply
I would never buy a desk that had auto-up and auto-down, just like I'll never buy a car with auto-up windows after nearly getting decapitated by this "feature" in a Volkswagen Passat.
[+] [-] randomstring|12 years ago|reply
http://heightadjustableworktable.com/index.php/manual-modtab...
Speaking of Ikea. I stared with an Ikea hack as my standing desk. Building a combo coffee table with a book shelf as a keyboard tray, all for about $34. That sat on top of my existing Ikea desk/table. I used that until I was convinced I wanted to stay with the standing desk.
There are two drawback to the Ikea hack solution. 1) they are not readily adjustable. You don't want to stand 100% of the time, certainly not when starting out. 2) they can be very top heavy if you have more than one monitor and a workstation AND a laptop.
The electric motors look cool, but are totally unnecessary. It takes about 10 seconds to crank the table up or down by hand.
What goes unmentioned in most standing desk articles is the need for a really good mat to stand on. Here are the best I've found that are also a reasonable price:
http://www.thehumansolution.com/notrax-974-ergomat-grande-an... http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001BQR23K/
[+] [-] troymc|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ivankirigin|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] rafeed|12 years ago|reply
I have a feeling it will get really annoying to use the two buttons on the regular frame over and over again if you're changing the height of the desk a lot. The desk will probably never be at the same height twice if you're telling it when to stop instead of it automatically stopping at the desired height.
Edit: The main point I'm making is for the $399 price, it'd make a lot more sense to include at least one or two memory buttons if a single person uses the desk.
[+] [-] danudey|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jseliger|12 years ago|reply
It's not uncommon for two people to use a desk, if not interchangeably, then at least regularly.
WRT price, I have a GeekDesk with four memory presents, and it cost about $1000. Is that a lot or a little? It's hard for me to judge, but among the motorized desks it seemed to hit the optimal price / quality point.
I wouldn't go back to a conventional, seated-only desk.
[+] [-] donutdan4114|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] doktrin|12 years ago|reply
That said, Dave Asprey isn't a name that inspires trust. I would be uncomfortable backing a project he plays such a central role in.
[+] [-] gamblor956|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] TeMPOraL|12 years ago|reply
255 lbs is 102kg; in other words, if I sit on this desk, I'm getting close to the breaking point. Not good :(.
(INB4: yes, people do occasionally sit on their desks, sometimes without even thinking about it - e.g. when full of joy, or drunk. Also there's a good chance that someone at some point will want to stand on a desk to, say, change a lightbulb. Consider this especially if you're buing desks for a more public place, like e.g. your local Hackerspace.)
[+] [-] gtCameron|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] keerthiko|12 years ago|reply
...Or if they're someone who takes "Standing Desk" the wrong way.
Sorry I couldn't help it.
I'm guessing as long as you stand on the portion of the desk directly above a leg you're probably fine even well over 102kg.
[+] [-] Brashman|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] reustle|12 years ago|reply
Something else to note is that further down it mentions that the 225 lbs limit doesn't include the weight of the table top, so it might be closer to 200.
[+] [-] osman123|12 years ago|reply
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/obesity/bmi_tbl.pdf
[+] [-] anotherevan|12 years ago|reply
In fact, according to [1] a keyboard height of 710mm is only suitable if you are at least 1.88m (6'2") so you have to be pretty tall.
The stroke of the StandDesk is 432mm, and I need 420mm so the range is okay for my height. However if I was 1.85m (6'1") or taller the range would be too small.
Back Designs[2] also have guidelines for adjustable work surfaces and again, the StandDesk ranges are just a bit short.
All in all, it looks like a product with great potential, but perhaps needs the specifications reassessed a bit more in order to be truly suitable to a wider user base.
[1] http://www.computingcomfort.org/create2.asp or http://www.ergotron.com/tabid/305/language/en-US/default.asp....
[2] http://www.backdesigns.com/Desk-work-surface-height-W144.asp.... towards the end of the page.
[+] [-] subdane|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] alxndr|12 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] baddox|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] epochwolf|12 years ago|reply
[+] [-] Shivetya|12 years ago|reply