Best Standing Desks of 2025

At first glance, the Branch standing desk looks pretty generic, but the level of craftsmanship is apparent on closer inspection. All of the materials feel premium with a weight that only comes from good engineering. 

Putting it together was simple and only took about 30 minutes, though I think having two people would reduce that significantly. It was also extremely well packaged -- something that Branch does with all its products -- so it was in top shape once I had it all together. 

The Branch desk can remember four separate heights and has a handy cable door at the back to keep your desk clear and tidy. The desk can feel a little too business-like, but if you choose one of the warmer woods and the grey legs it will likely fit into your home office better. 

If you are furnishing an office then the Branch desk and Verve office chair from our best office chairs make a great combination.

-- James Bricknell

The Ikea Trotten is an excellent option when you need a larger standing desk but don't want to spend too much money. This simple sit-stand desk nails the basics. This standing desk option is relatively easy to install, but I did need help screwing in some stubborn hardware -- and flipping over the completed desk after finishing the setup. The Trotten measures 47.25 by 27.5 inches. It has a sturdy, easy-to-clean work surface made of particleboard and fiberboard, as well as a steel base for a stable standing desk.

This adjustable standing desk model doesn't have electric controls to raise or lower the desk height, but the manual hand crank (which can be mounted on the right or the left side), was easy to turn for adjustments. When you're done using it, you can slide it back under the desk.

I haven't had much luck finding desks that could be called executive. To be an executive desk requires a product to feel expensive and add some class to the room it is in. Most of the desks I've tested for this category have fallen behind that mark, with some of them missing parts or looking cheap despite the price tag. Not the Ark ES from Eureka, though. After the (admittedly very long) build, the desk looks amazing and is incredibly sturdy. It feels like a desk you keep for decades, rather than a few years.

The standing part of the desk works well, with sensors to stop the desk from going down too far, and it even has a nice pop-up USB hub for charging your phone and tablet. All around, the Ark ES is one of the nicest desks I've used and is a great option for those looking at getting an L-shaped standing desk. If you're looking for something to give your home office some gravitas, this is the desk for you.

I have used a lot of desks throughout my career, but I can honestly say I've never used a desk quite like the Magnus Pro XL. It is at once the most industrial-looking table, while also giving off huge gamer energy. Measuring 70 inches long and made almost exclusively of metal parts, this desk is not meant for one-person assembly. It took nearly two hours to put it together, but once it was finished, it was a work of art. It has a five-setting standing system, and the motors are some of the quietest I've heard while testing. The motion is smooth, and even though the desk weighs quite a lot, it rises quickly and without hassle.

I never thought of using a standing desk for gaming before, but it really helps to break up the hours of sitting. If you can manage the cost of getting the extras I would recommend it. The cable management is already excellent with the built-in power supply unit, as well as the large trench down the back, but the optional magnetic conduit lets you hide all of your wiring. I especially liked the PC mount that connects your gaming tower to the leg, making it rise with the table so your cables don't get stretched as the desk moves.

The cost of this desk is my only sticking point. Fully loaded, it will set you back $1,700, although you could reduce that with fewer optional extras. If gaming is your job and you need a large desk to help you, I cannot recommend the Magnus Pro XL enough.

The Branch Duo is the company's latest line of standing desks and uses a very simple control mechanism to set heights. The display is simple and clean, and all of the accessories just ooze quality. Building it was simple, taking me less than 30 minutes, and the size is perfect for smaller spaces. It's big enough for a couple of smaller monitors or one big one, with plenty of room on the top for a laptop.
I especially like the notifications that you can set to remind you to stand or sit throughout the day. Standing desks are designed to help with your health, but they only work if you remember to do it. The Branch Duo removes that problem.

Not only was this model easier to install than expected (I only needed a few tools, and Uplift includes accessories for no extra cost to organize all those pesky device cables), but it was by far the most customizable standing desk of the bunch.

It gave me the basic options, including five desk sizes, a handful of frame colors (gray, dark gray, white or black) and over two dozen desktops, ranging from laminate (most affordable) to solid wood. From there, multiple additional accessories could be added, such as grommet covers that screw into either side of the desk for additional storage, outlets and more. There are also five different keypads to choose from in a black finish, three different keypad options in gray and white and a wireless foot switch accessory if I'd like to raise and lower the desk via a pedal at my feet (in addition to the keypad).

I tested the 48- by 30-inch model with a white frame and rubberwood desktop, complete with one cupholder grommet and one power grommet (the power grommet brings two outlets up to the desktop so you can more easily charge your phone or other handheld devices) and a paddle keypad that can be pressed up or down to raise/lower your desk. Overall it's an excellent, sturdy desk that seems durable enough to stand up to years of use. Again, if the $569 price doesn't scare you away, consider adding the Uplift Standing Desk V2 to your shortlist.

The Branch Four Leg Standing Desk is a great, lightweight, motorized standing desk that is made with quality materials. From the moment I got it out of the box and begin putting it together, I could tell these parts are ones that will last. The touch screen is very quick to respond, making it easy to make small adjustments to the height, and it displays what height it is currently at so seeing how much adjustment may be needed is easy. The memory sets to three different heights.

Many standing desks only have two legs, as that can tend to make for a smoother transition from sitting to standing height since there are less moving parts. However, this four-leg desk has no trouble with sturdy and stable movement. An added benefit to the desk is its very sleek, customizable appearance with two leg color and four desktop options. If you're looking for a desk for a more mobile setup for working from a laptop or a writing desk this can easily camouflage as a side table while you're not working.

Putting this together was a fairly quick job, taking only an hour for me to do alone, and it did come with all the tools I needed. I would recommend having someone help as it would probably cut the time in half and prove a little easier with the weight of the legs. I will note that you want to be sure to pay close attention to the instructions as I easily got too ahead of myself and did some pieces backwards.

I love to have all my cords organized and largely out of sight, and if you are looking for good cable tray organizers on the standing desk you're looking for, the Autonomous SmartDesk 5 may be for you. The cable tray organizer on the SmartDesk 5 hides all the unsightly cords you may get from the cabling of an electric desk and general PC setup and is easy to access with hand knobs and a hinge to open it. Inside the tray you also get a built-in power supply strip with three outlet plugs.

In addition to the cable tray for organization, you also get a 3M cable organizer to stick onto the back of the desk to keep speaker, monitor, keyboard and mouse cables clean as well as a magnetized cable runner you attach to the back of the desk leg. The magnet is very strong and easy to stick on. It is big enough to hold both the desk cable and the power strip cord with room to spare. With all the cables managed and out of the way, you have a lot of desktop space to play with, and the rounded front edge is so comfortable for those who, like me, tend to lean on the front of the desk a lot.

The SmartDesk 5 is an electric motor desk that is quiet, quick and very easy to use and set the three memory options. When you're choosing your heights and free-adjusting the desk it's important to watch where the cable tray organizer is in comparison to your PC if you keep it underneath, as a full-size tower will not fit underneath with how low the tray goes. However, this is generally shorter than most people will need the desk to be. For reference, I'm 5' 1" and I don't need it on the lowest setting for sitting.

The sensitivity of the anti-collision is a little bit stronger than most when it comes to preventing damage by lowering onto desk chair arms or other objects, but this could be seen as a benefit as the desk protects the motor from damage by trying to push down through anything. But I did find myself having to figure out what item was triggering it from time to time. You also may want to release the lower and raise buttons a little earlier than you'd like as it is a little slow to stop after release.

Another item that is included is a pair of bag hooks that allow you to hang items underneath the desk, utilizing otherwise empty space. I was hoping to use these for my headphones but they weren't quite wide enough and I found myself knocking the hooks off regularly due to the short back end of the hook. When used for their intended purpose of hanging bags they are a great hook size, but could still use a little more length in the back to keep it in the desk.

Building it took me about 1.5 hours by myself (this does include cable management time) and it was a little heavy to do alone, but it is possible. You'll just need to be careful.

In the case that you don't have a way to get a full standing desk, sometimes a riser can be a great substitute. With the Branch Desk Riser, you get plenty of space and a comfortable edge to use while standing. It's lightweight but feels very sturdy and could easily be an option that is moved on and off the desk regularly. While the size of the desk riser top makes it harder to carry around, it would be a great option for something to use at home or if you have a way to keep it somewhere in your office. The body is fairly thin when folded, so storing it should be easy.

Initially, I was worried about the ease of getting the riser back down once it was up, however, after a few uses, this loosened up and was much easier to move back and forth. Adjusting the height is intuitive, and the riser is very responsive as soon as you release the handle. It can stop anywhere in between the maximum and minimum heights, so it will be just right for you. Best of all, no assembly required!