Standing desks are here to stay. Initially dismissed by some as a fad when they first gained popularity a few years ago, most people who've actually tried them are converts - being able to change your posture and spend some time working on your feet can be a real boon if you've got back pain or just fancy a change.

For our money, the very best standing desks are variable, in that they let you change their height not just to adjust for different sizes of user, but also to revert to traditional, sitting desks when you're in need of one.

Regardless, we've gathered together some of the very best standing desks on the market for you, right here.

Best standing desks: Our top picks

Secretlab Magnus Pro
Secretlab MAGNUS Pro Desk
1. Best overall standing desk

This desk seemingly has it all

This might be the fanciest standing desk that money can buy. With accessories to customise and personalise it and a build quality like no other.

Pros
  • Super build quality
  • Incredible cable management
  • Plenty of optional extras
Cons
  • Price

At the top of our list of the very best standing desks you can buy is the Secretlab Magnus Pro which is incredible for a number of reasons. This is a motorised sit/stand desk with an imposing black finish and superb build quality.

It's cleverly designed with a number of features that make it a joy to put together and use on a daily basis. Those features include a massive hidden cable management tray which lets you put a large power bank in the top of the desk with ease. It also has a power plug built into the leg, so there are no cables hanging down from the back of your desk, but instead, you plug the bottom of the left leg into the wall and then your gear into the desk itself.

Other quality highlights include large leatherette magnetic desk pads that slip onto the desk and offer a premium alternative to your classic mousemat setup. As well as a host of optional accessories like a premium monitor arm, Nanoleaf powered diffused lighting strip and a cable management bundle.

The build quality of this desk is superb and so is the thought that's clearly gone into the little details of it. The height adjustment controls are built into the desk itself and you can set three custom heights or adjust on the fly between 65cm and 125cm. Making it ideal for even tall users.

It's able to handle up to 120 kg on top of the desk and we found that even at the top height there's minimal wobble which is superb. If you want to keep your desk clear there's even a PC mount to keep your machine on the desk and out of sight but without causing cabling headaches.

All told the Magnus Pro is a solid investment as it's aesthetically pleasing and a joy to work and game on.

Flexispot E8
Flexispot E8
2. Best for building your own

Flexispot offers flexible solutions

This is a brilliantly flexible desk option which can take a lot of weight and looks great too.

Pros
  • Can manage heavy weight
  • Subtle aesthetics
  • Quiet motor
Cons
  • No cable management

If you're looking for something that you can personalise then the Flexispot E8 is a great choice. This desk allows you to choose from various different desktop options or you can just buy the frame and use your own personal desk surface.

This is what we did, buying just the motorised legs and frame. We then mounted a solid custom-cut wood countertop surface to it and personalised the finish. You can expand the frame range from 110 to 190cm meaning it can manage a wide desktop if you want (ours is two metres wide). It can also handle up to 125 kg load on top, so that's plenty of flexibility.

The Flexispot E8 uses two white motorised legs that can be adjusted from 60 to 125cm tall with ease. It has pleasantly smooth motors and is easy to quickly adjust when you need to. When loaded with a heavy top it does wobble a small amount when at the maximum height, but it's otherwise sturdy thanks to large feet and sturdy design.

The cable management isn't as good as with the SteelSeries Magnus, so you'll have to think about what you do with power cables, but it is an affordable option.

Best standing desk photo 3
Uplift V2
3. Another solid desk option

Includes wire management solutions

Uplift is a big name in standing desks, and with good reason.

Pros
  • Solid build quality
  • Easily adjustable height
  • Cable management as standard
Cons
  • Price

Uplift has grown itself a real reputation as one of the true specialists of the standing desk world, having read the room a few years back and made desks for the masses (although they're not exactly priced with mass-market appeal in mind). Nonetheless, its desks are superbly made and easy to use.

It has loads of different customisation options as you purchase to make sure that you get the combination of finishes that best suits you, and has attracted rave reviews from all corners, cementing its place at the top of the standing desk food chain.

This setup includes helpful options that make a real difference, like cable management routing solutions to help keep things a little tidier.

It also has a pleasant bamboo finish and plenty of class about it too.

Best standing desk photo 10
Vari Electric Standing Desk
4. A premium standing desk option

Top quality materials

With an attractive top, electrics that reliably move the desk up and down, and style to boot, this desk from Vari is worth a look if you have the budget.

Pros
  • Various finishes available
  • Solid dual motor system
  • Includes reclaimed wood
Cons
  • Style isn't for everyone

Another option for an electric standing desk is the one by Vari. This one stands apart as a definite premium option, however. You can see this firstly with the price, but then the quality of the materials also make it worthwhile.

It uses reclaimed wood for the top, which makes it both very attractive and more eco-friendly than cutting fresh trees down. It's not actually wood planks or the like, but rather engineered wood, which still looks great, while maintaining a solid structure.

Vari offers a number of size options for its electric standing desks, and this one comes in at 30 x 60 inches for the desktop. It's plenty big enough for most uses, and will easily fit two monitors.

There are also various different finish options available, so you can choose from a wide range of styles and colours.

The standard size is nice and wide, enough to handle two monitors and more but you can also go larger if you need extra room.

Flexispot Q8
Flexispot Q8
5. Drawers included

Another superb Flexispot desk

Another premium offering from Flexispot that includes drawers and more.

Pros
  • Includes drawers
  • Cable management included
  • Built in wireless charging
Cons
  • Drawers aren't very deep

Sitting towards the higher end of the standing desk price spectrum, the Flexispot Q8 feels tangibly more premium than the rivals we’ve tested.

The bamboo used for the table top is thick and tactile, while the lifting system is provided by two powerful motors, one mated to each leg.

This does away with any flimsy wobbling that is sometimes found in cheaper variants, and the height adjustability is fantastic, ranging from a mere 60cm to a lofty 125cm.

Above all else, we loved the neat additions, such as wireless device charging and direct charging from the front of the desk, the built-in drawer (although it is quite shallow) and the almost touchscreen nature of the interface.

Despite the plethora of features, the Flexispot Q8 also proved to be one of the easiest and fastest desks to assemble.

How to choose a standing desk

There are a number of things to consider when buying a motorised standing desk. Obviously quality is important because you don't want a desk with noisy motors. You also need to think about size and features though.

Why size matters

Obviously, with any desk, you need to make sure it fits in your space, but it's also important to pay attention to the overall size of the thing and how much room it gives you. What will you be putting on it? A monitor? A laptop? A gaming rig? Two monitors maybe? These things can take up a fair amount of room but they can also add weight to it. You will need to check the dimensions of the standing desk before you buy so you know everything will fit.

Some of the desks can also account for this though, with Flexispot, for example, you can just buy the legs and frame and then use your own tabletop. Or you can buy a wider desk for maximum room. With standing desks you aren't necessarily limited to small desks.

What about weight?

The premium standing desks in this list include dual motor setups able to support a significant amount of weight. Most can manage over 100KG which is useful as when you're adding a computer, monitor and other things the weight can soon add up.

Keep the max weights specs in mind though if you're planning on using your own tabletop.

Cable management

There are some other things to think about when buying a standing desk and one of them is cable management. When you're putting a lot of hardware on your desk it naturally needs plugging in. If the power cables run from the desk to the wall for charging or power then this isn't usually a problem, until of course, you raise the desk up to its max height.

Then you might find cables become a mess or even end up being too short. You might need to think about longer powercords or desk mounting your power supply.

This is why built-in cable management is present in the higher end standing desks. Secretlab's Magnus Pro desk is great for this because the power is built into the leg and there's a large power cable storage area on top, so you can not only power your devices but also hide the cables away and out of sight.

Optional extras

When buying your standing desk it can pay to purchase other things to go along with it too.

You're going to be adjusting your desk height regularly, you might need to do the same for other things as well.

An adjustable monitor arm can make a big difference, especially if you're adjusting the desk because back pain is an issue. Being able to move your monitor into the right height can also help.

Other things to consider include anti-fatigue mats. Sitting all day is bad, but standing for hours can also hurt your feet. These mats help with that pain and help you stand for longer.

Cable management accessories like ties, loops and other things are also worth a look.