The 12 Best Sit-to-Stand Desk Converters

Given the way that this desk works, it’s sort of surprising that it doesn’t need to be bolted to your original desktop. Actually, you’ll soon see that all of the desk risers we review here are designed to remain balanced even when supporting typical office equipment, and thus don’t need to be physically attached to your base desk.

At first glance, it looks as though it would topple over in a light breeze, but it appears that physics is on its side and it remains steady. However, it is worth noting that it could, potentially, get dragged off balance if you were to put undue pressure on its front edge. So if you’re a leaner – one of those people who just can’t help but put an elbow on every horizontal surface within reach – this may not be the right desk for you. On the other hand, if you don’t make a habit of this and prefer not ruining your original desk by drilling holes through it, you are in luck.

Needs Extra Space

Like many risers, this one swings up and out, pushing your standing zone back from where your sitting zone would be. This has two implications to consider.

First off, it means that your desk will take up more space, when in use for both sitting and standing, than it would without the riser. You’ll need to ensure that you actually have a little extra room to the rear before committing to a desk riser like this one. Secondly, this allows you to leave your chair at your desk while you’re standing. This means that, although the swing-out nature of this riser takes up extra space, this is offset by not having to kick your chair out of the way. Risers that only extend vertically don’t have this advantage.

Note, though, that this riser doesn’t go past 90 degrees when you move it to an upright position. In fact, it doesn’t even get completely vertical, which helps keep it standing sturdily. Rubber stoppers are found on the bottom of this desk riser to ensure that it doesn’t scratch the surface of your base workspace and to offer even more stability.

Converts Easily Between Sit and Stand

Users report that it is pretty easy to lift up and lower. The pneumatic tube helps things move smoothly so that you don’t accidentally lift it or lower it too quickly, possibly throwing your computer monitor to the floor. With some models, manual adjustments involving physically pushing or pulling on the desk require a significant amount of strength. It appears, though, that this system was designed to take some of that effort out of your hands and do some of the work itself. All you really have to do is start lowering it and the pneumatic tube will keep it from dropping – there’s no need for you to support it all the way down. Especially when still getting used to standing desks, most people will want to sit down frequently, so this ease of use is really quite important.

Its wide keyboard tray is actually large enough to hold your mouse and also a cellphone, a file, or a drink. Looking at similar adjustable risers, you will see that many of them have keyboard trays, but these are really only barely enough for that alone. “Well, it’s doing its job, isn’t it?”, you might ask. The truth is that the ergonomics of a system with a separate keyboard tray and monitor shelf are thrown well out of kilter when you have to reach up or lean forward to access your mouse. You could, of course, use keyboard controls or an alternative pointing device, but this is likely to reduce productivity for most people (as well as being a totally unnecessary nuisance). So, bonus points right away for this desk riser.

Space Enough for More Than Keyboard + Mouse

Not only is the keyboard shelf wide, it’s also deep. This means that you can easily push the keyboard to the back and use the front area for catching up on physical note-taking or drawing up a quick sketch. This makes it much easier to keep your arms bent at the ergonomically optimal 90 degrees while standing.

It’s also nice to see that, when the desk riser is in sitting mode, it doesn’t really lift your workspace much higher than normal – just a tiny 1/2 inch of space is needed to accommodate the keyboard tray. It does, however, bump your monitor up a little bit.

A Near Winner

We may not have chosen the Prop Plus 36 as one of the best, but that’s mainly because we really liked the spacious design of its bigger brother (the VARIDESK Pro Plus 48) and didn’t want to give awards to very similar products. However, as backed up by the experience of numerous users, this will still a very good purchase if you don’t need quite that much space.

The very first full, freestanding desk on our page (as opposed to adjustable risers that live on top of existing desks) is certainly one to be considered. You may notice that we’ve only included three freestanding options on our list – this one, the ApexDesk, and the Stand Up Desk Store Two-Tier. That’s because we found there were fewer people interested in this type of workspace. Why? We aren’t really sure, actually. Perhaps many people already have good desks which they don’t want to part with, or they really want desks with built-in shelves and drawers – things standing desks tend to lack. The advantages of a freestanding stand-up desk are numerous, though, as you will see shortly. And this piece of furniture, in particular, is one we deemed worthy of a place in this top twelve list.

Affordable and Relatively Big

Priced at under $500, this entire desk is actually less expensive than some of the standing desk converter risers we found, yet it offers numerous possibilities. In addition to holding a computer, you could use it to organize piles of paper, tasks such as packing or unpacking boxes, drawing, and more. Its large swathe of working space (177 square inches in total) leaves you able to do things that a smaller riser just doesn’t allow.

Adjusting the height of this desk is fairly simple: just turn a crank and it goes up or down. The height can be varied to anything between 33.5 and 47.25 inches. You will not be limited to minimum adjustments of one or two inches each as with risers like the Lorell or the VersaDesk Power Pro.

Less Suited for Computer-Monitor Work

Similar to the ApexDesk but unlike the Stand Up Desk Store Two-Tier, this is just a simple, flat desk without separate shelves. It has no keyboard tray hanging off the front and no upper fitting for a monitor. With this design, it’s perfect for creative types who spend much of their time making crafts, drawing, sketching, working with clay, et cetera. They can use this large surface sitting or standing without any trays getting in the way.

When it comes to a typical office job, though, this aspect of what would otherwise be a very versatile piece of furniture can be a pain. To make this desk ergonomically friendly and avoid neck and wrist strain, you’ll have to attach a keyboard tray to the front and prop your monitor up with a base. Even most monitors stands are not tall enough to put them at eye level, so not offering this option seems like a lack.

A Freestanding Desk that Rolls

The specially-designed caster wheels that are built onto this desk are pretty impressive. First off, being able to move your desk at will can be a real advantage. Secondly, a quick-locking mechanism on the wheels themselves lets you step on them to lock them in place, or flip them up with your toes to make the desk mobile again. Finally, the large size of these wheels means that they will move effortlessly across most flooring – even carpet and even when there is significant weight already positioned on top of the desk.

One of the problems we see too often with these types of workstations is that they really don’t take ergonomics into account properly. Maybe they come equipped with a keyboard tray. Sometimes that deck even tilts and moves so that you can be comfortable when either sitting or standing. Ideally, you can adjust them so that your arms are at 90 degrees regardless of your own height. But when it comes to monitors, most sit-stand workstations fall short. Literally. Their top shelves sometimes just aren’t high enough to put the monitor at or slightly below eye level, which is the best position for avoiding neck strain.

Ergonomical Monitor Attachment

This workstation avoids this pitfall. It has two shelves, one for your keyboard and another for a book or whatever else you want near to hand. Above that top shelf sits something that the others we reviewed do not have – a monitor attachment. In fact, it’s a dual monitor attachment even on the standard model.

Instead of trying to bump your monitor up higher with a stand or a second riser, this attachment holds your monitor up at the perfect height. Of course, this is built for two monitors, not just one, which makes it perfect for creative workers and coders who need two screens simultaneously. It’s also great for gamers who would like to be able to stand as they play their games.

This desk doesn’t stop at just the dual monitor mount, though that by itself is a major feature. Each monitor can easily swivel to angle downward or upward as well as side to side, for whatever purposes at work or play that require such flexibility.

Optional Base

This is only one part of what could, if you want, become a larger piece of furniture. Can you set this riser directly onto your current, low-profile desk? Of course you can. What’s neat, though, is that if you ever want to make the switch to a fully adjustable desk, you can easily do so by purchasing the adjustable base that goes with this station. That would give you a keyboard and monitor portion which is adjustable in height and also in other ways, as well as a height-adjustable table. Theoretically, you can pump up this system to suit even the tallest players in the NBA.

To adjust the elevation of this station you only have to push in a paddle at the side and press slightly to make it go up or down. Essentially, it works exactly like the paddle on most desk chairs.

There aren’t very many riser-style standing desks that come in multiple colors. Within our selection, this is one of 5 out of a total of 9 risers, but this is a much higher proportion than you’d find on on the market generally. Perhaps the color options are not very important to you, but in our view, there’s no reason not to select attractive furniture.

Multiple Color and Size Options

So, what color options are there to fit into your office’s color scheme? You can choose between black, white, grey, and maple. Unfortunately, this applies only to the worktop portions. The base remains a charcoal grey regardless of which option you select.

Significantly, this desk not only comes in 4 colors, but it is also available in 4 sizes. People use their desks in different ways, so it’s nice to have options. It can be pretty disappointing to select your ideal desk riser only to find that it doesn’t fit, or can’t hold all the stuff you use regularly. These size options relate to the width of the desk, not its height (which is set by the press of a button) or its depth; those stay the same regardless of which you select. You can choose from 30, 36, 40, or 48 inches long, which should be enough variety for most people.

Grommet Holes for Cords and Monitors

Three different access ports for cords are located at the rear of the desk’s upper deck. One lies in the middle, whereas the other two are located at each back corner. This design allows you to place your monitor wherever you like without worrying about cable spaghetti.

With the purchase of special add-on mounts, you can also use these ports as anchor points for one or more monitors. Since this desk boasts an impressive 80-pound capacity, adding additional monitors will present no problem.

At this point, we get to the second freestanding adjustable standing desk on our list; one large enough to definitely appeal to some readers. Its huge surface area makes it ideal for people who like to spread out their work or who intend to use their rising desk for multiple tasks simultaneously.

With a heavy-duty weight capacity of 225 pounds, this desk outdoes almost all of its competitors in this respect. Part of the reason that this desk is capable of holding that much weight is its somewhat heavy frame. It isn’t just a square or three-sided metal frame beneath the tabletop – it is a square frame with a heavy-duty crossbeam for further reinforcement. Some assembly is required, taking about 30 minutes to an hour.

Convenient Control Panel

Aside from its size and rugged design, the most distinctive feature of this desk is its control panel. Yes, you read that right: control panel. There isn’t just a single button you press to move the tabletop up and down as with most other electric-powered adjustable desks. Instead, you can quickly select one of four pre-set heights by pressing the numbered buttons, or you can choose to adjust it to any height within its range by using the up and down arrows until you get it just right.

Conveniently located on the underside of the desk’s front edge, the control panel can be accessed quickly and easily. It doesn’t require extra space beside the desk the way that a crank often does. That being said, you may run into problems if you like to pull your chair in tightly – you could end up pushing buttons when you don’t mean to.

Ergonomic Design

You may have noticed that the front of this desk is shaped like a little alcove. This wasn’t done by accident or just to look cool – it actually has an ergonomic reason. When you pull your chair up or stand your body in the alcove, much more of the desk is within arm’s reach. You are able to grab things or to jot down a quick note with little effort. This is much better for your back than constantly bending or reaching across the table to lift things and also reduces fatigue – often a problem when using standing desks.

Desk Options

One thing a lot of people complain about when it comes to standing desks is finding one they like in terms of design only to discover that it won’t fit into the available space. Luckily, this desk comes in two sizes, thus satisfying a larger range of people. You can choose between one 60 inches wide or another spanning 71 inches. Remember, this is an entire, stand-alone desk. Though several of the products we list here are only about 36 inches wide, these are rising converters that sit on top of larger desks.

You can choose from an impressive five different color options, matching this desk to almost any office or home office space. Only the Stand Up Desk Store 60 (a comparable desk in many other ways, as well) comes in more colors. Both the tabletop and the frame colors are customizable. Essentially, you can choose between black and off-white frames as well as black, light oak, walnut, white, and cherry red tops.

Do you want an add-on riser-style standing desk that you can plop on top of your current desk? OK, we have a whole bunch of those here. But, what if you want one that is actually large enough to serve as a proper desktop? Relatively few risers offer space for much more than computer peripherals.

Wide and Spacious Work Area

Most of these riser-style desk converters are only about 36 inches wide (like the High Supply, the VariDesk, and the Vivo) which really doesn’t take advantage of the full length of an average desk. A lot of people find themselves straining their backs while bending over to pick things up from the base desk or to take notes, simply because they don’t have space on their elevated work area. On the other hand, they may not want a full rising desk like the ApexDesk; they might like their current desks and the drawers and shelves that come with it. Does that sound like you?

Well, you’re in luck, because this FlexiSpot desk riser is a full 47 inches long. That means you can put two monitors or a monitor and some paperwork on the top shelf, with a keyboard, mouse, and notepad on the bottom shelf. This way, you can have the best of both worlds – your original desk underneath for storage and an elevated workspace with plenty of useful room.

Tray and Lift

Not a fan of keyboard trays, or do you sometimes need to work without one? That’s not a problem with this desk converter. The tray pops off quickly and easily so that you can move closer to the top shelf for all your working needs. When you need the tray again, simply pop it back on.

The way that this desk lifts and how it’s constructed leads us to assume it is not one you would want to lean on; you also shouldn’t place too much weight on the keyboard tray. This is pretty normal, though, for many desk converters. In fact, well counter-weighted options and those which rise nearly straight up are the exceptions (such as the VersaDesk Power Pro).

We will tell you right now that this desk appears larger than it actually is in our photo. Perhaps that’s a good thing in your situation, but very likely not. Pictures of this standing desk converter with two monitors on its upper shelf make it seem as though it is as wide as the 47-inch FlexiSpot or the 48-inch VariDesk Pro Plus, but it certainly isn’t at only 36 inches wide. However, since it’s also just 22 inches deep, this Vivo desk is perfect for setting atop slim base desks or countertops in small office spaces.

About the Trays

Like the FlexiSpot we just checked out, this desk’s keyboard tray can be removed quickly and easily when not in use. It’s a simple matter to do old-fashioned paperwork on the top shelf, or perhaps use a touchscreen for something. You can do all of that without the keyboard tray poking into your chest, and also without needing to whip out a screwdriver.

A special tray on the top shelf holds things like pens and cell phones while you work, keeping them in easy-to-access designated spaces. This would be handy on any riser, but doubly so here since this standing desk converter doesn’t offer much room.

Adjusting Tension and Desk Height

As this desk moves upward into its standing position it swings out slightly, but not nearly as much as some of the others you can buy. This slight forward movement means that the desk isn’t quite as sturdy as those which move only vertically (like the VersaDesk Power Pro), so we wouldn’t suggest leaning on it unless you’ve found a way to secure it to your base desk.

To get the desk to rise, you have to squeeze the bars on each side and pull it up and toward yourself, assisted by the built-in pneumatic spring. Since the shelves are rather lightweight, this shouldn’t be too much of a struggle for most people. The base is rather heavy, though, so you might need help when moving or assembling it.

You can even adjust the tension of the lift mechanism to make lifting easier or more difficult, depending on the amount of weight on your desk and your own preference. Still, people with elbow or wrist problems might be better off purchasing the upgraded version, which costs slightly more money but comes with electronic controls.

This is the most basic riser stand we’ve found worth reviewing, as you can more or less tell just by looking at it. It’s not exceptionally large. It has no remarkable attachments or features. Its rising mechanism is more basic than most, lacking electric controls or even a spring. What’s the appeal, then? Well, simplicity has a virtue all its own.

Some people don’t feel the need for fancy gadgets or care much for extra functions and add-ons. This kind of person probably just wants a desk riser that they can pop upward when they stand up and lower to work comfortably while sitting down. This Lorell Sit-to-Stand riser allows you to do both of those things without bumping up the price with extras.

Simple Yet Sturdy and Adjustable

Surprisingly, despite the fact that it looks like a lesser-quality product than some of the others we’ve reviewed, it’s able to support a respectable 50 pounds. This factor places it ahead of models such as the larger FlexiSpot M3B Standing Desk, something we didn’t expect when we saw how little it weighs and how thin its shelves are.

Despite its simplistic design, it still has 5 different height settings. While the others on our list offer more (from 8 to near infinity) this is still impressive at the price and should suit the majority of users just fine.

You can choose between black or white styling to better merge it into your office space. You can also select a larger size: measuring a total of 37 inches long (instead of 32) and 24 inches deep (compared to 20.5), the “deluxe” version of this desk can accommodate up to two monitors. Additional monitor mounts are also available.

Like the FlexiSpot M3B we just reviewed, this stand-up desk converter is much wider than most others on the market. It has enough space for two monitors, or a monitor and some other things (your paperwork, file folders, abandoned sandwiches, your fish named Tommy).

Top Shelf vs. Keyboard Deck

The top shelf appears to have less space in square inches, though, than the FlexiSpot, because while the FlexiSpot is straight across its front, this one has an indent over the keyboard tray. The actual keyboard platform appears to be larger, though, so you might as well use that space instead.

There’s also a largish area available behind the keyboard, meaning that you can push it back and use the front portion to scribble notes or nibble on sandwiches.

In the end, your preference will come down to what you need more – space on the top shelf or space on the keyboard shelf. Do you need more storage or a larger work area?

Easy to Lift and Plenty of Height Settings

Its built-in spring mechanism makes it easier to lift than some of the others, but at the same time it’s more difficult to lower. Since the springs push it upward, this is understandable. While you may need to push it down, at least you can rest assured that the springs will cushion it so that the up to 45 pounds of weight on top doesn’t slam down.

It seems as though the VariDesks on our list reign supreme where height settings are concerned. Both have a very acceptable 11 height settings. Eleven may not seem like much more than, say, 8 (the number of height settings the FlexiSpot and the Vivo offer) but when you consider that this desk is capable of extending 13 inches, a larger number does make an important difference to your comfort. Only the VersaDesk Power Pro gives you a more customizable experience, and that is a very different kind of product.

Why is customized height so important? Ergonomics. As you type, your arms ought to be bent at 90-degree angles to avoid putting unnecessary strain on your elbows, shoulders, and neck. Since people vary greatly in their height, it just makes sense that our standing desks also need to be able to accommodate different users.

This desk seems to have it all. It is a freestanding model, which makes it much sturdier and roomy than most converter risers. It’s ergonomically designed, fairly easy to adjust considering its bulk, it’s portable, and it comes in 5 different colors and two different sizes.

When we went in search of adjustable sit-stand desks, we found that the vast majority of the top-selling models were not freestanding desks – they were add-on units that converted regular desks into standing desks. Of the few high-quality, top-selling freestanding desks we found, this is the only one that actively takes ergonomics into consideration.

Two Tier Design

If you take a look at the two other freestanding sit-stand desks we’ve discussed (the Stand Up Desk Store 60 and the ApexDesk), you’ll immediately notice that they are both just flat work surfaces, possessing neither a keyboard tray nor a monitor shelf. Unless you are an artist of some sort, chances are that you’re tied to a computer for most of your workday. To make those desks more ergonomically-friendly for digital tasks, you would have to purchase an additional riser or stand for your monitor.

This desk is divided into two parts – a top shelf for your monitor and a lower shelf for your keyboard and mouse. Even better, each of these shelves is its own tier, running the entire length of the desk. Unlike risers with small, pull-out keyboard shelves, this desk actually gives you room to put files, write things down, and keep coffee within arm’s reach. The long upper shelf offers plenty of space for knickknacks, a lamp, file holders, or even an additional monitor.

Variable Height

With this model, you can forget about pre-set heights. There’s no need to try to figure out which one is supposed to be best for you, use trial and error or tolerate one that’s just a little bit uncomfortable. With this desk, you simply turn the crank and stop whenever it seems to be in the right position. The things on your workspace will not be put at risk, as you the height is adjusted gently and without lateral movement.

Size and Style

We absolutely love the fact that this desk comes in two different sizes. People with smaller offices (or in crowded open-plan spaces) can benefit from the 48-inch version of this desk. Those who have room to spare and more things to keep on their desk may prefer the larger, 60-inch version.

The manufacturer also allows you to match your desk to your space in terms of visual style. You can choose among the following options: black frame with teak top, silver frame with black top, silver frame with dark walnut top, and white frame with birch top.

Although the Lorell Sit-to-Stand Desk is arguably the most basic model we’ve chosen to review, this product from Fancierstudio comes in at a close second on the simplicity scale. In several ways, it is quite similar to the Lorell, which explains why it’s in the bottom half of the pile in terms of price.

Like the Lorell, it doesn’t have an incredibly sturdy-looking base. Weighing 60 pounds in total, this riser does have the ability to act as its own counterweight to some degree, but not as well as some other options like the VariDesks, which have larger counterweights toward the back end of the frame.

Also like the Lorell, this riser desk isn’t exceptionally large, but it does set itself apart from the Lorell in three key ways.

Impressive Height Adjustability

The first aspect worth noting is the way it raises and lowers. It doesn’t just go up and down based on the amount of effort you put forth; it helps you. The air-filled tubes on each side of the riser absorb energy as you lower the desk so that it won’t come down too quickly and upset the items you have placed on top. Those same tubes help to push the desk up when you move it upwards, reducing strain on your back.

The other two factors that really differentiate this riser from the simplistic design of the Lorell are its height variance and its number of height settings. When we think of standing desks, it’s certainly important to consider the maximum height variance. In an ideal world, the same unit would be comfortable both for a shorter person sitting down and a tall guy standing normally. The variance figure gives us an idea of the range of individuals for whom a riser will be a good investment. The number of height settings adds to its customizability, allowing people to get their desk at just the right height for ergonomic health.

This Fancierstudio riser has a total height variance of 12.7 inches. In its fully lowered position, it’s 5 inches tall (the top shelf is 5 inches off the desk while the keyboard shelf rests on the desk surface) and can be raised by up to 17.7 inches. Only three other risers on our list have a larger variance. Its total of 8 different height settings is no great shakes when compared with the rest of the options on our list, but certainly beats out the Lorell’s 5 height settings.