As we have recently witnessed here on Gizmag, there's a new push underway to make standing desks more affordable. Prices north of US$1,000 mean standing desks haven't been available to mainstream consumers, but prices between $100 and $500 make them a more palatable option for the general public. The latest piece of furniture to fit this mold is StandDesk, which is not only relatively affordable but also adjustable between heights suitable for sitting and standing. It offers users the best of both worlds.
StandDesk from Steven Yu is a standing desk that can easily be converted into a sitting desk and back again. A custom motor does the lifting and lowering for you, with the movement reportedly having been tested 10,000 times to ensure reliability. StandDesk can be adjusted in height between 28 inches (71 cm) and 45 inches (114 cm). The desk itself weighs 61 pounds (28 kg) and can hold (and lift) up to 225 pounds (102 kg).
The lifting and lowering is managed by a set of controls located just under the lip of the desk. The standard controls featured on base models have two buttons, one for lifting and one for lowering. The relevant button is pressed for two seconds to make the desk begin the process, while another short tap stops it. The more expensive deluxe models boast added memory controls, with four preset buttons you can press to move the desk to any of the heights you have previously programmed.
StandDesk is customizable, with the frame being available in matte black or gloss grey, the desk surface covered in bamboo, laminate, or a cover of your own choosing, and the tops coming in a range of different sizes. The only optional extra is a cable management tray – which adds an extra 8 pounds (3.6 kg) of weight – for holding a surge protector and anything else you need to keep close at hand.
The production of StandDesk is being funded by a Kickstarter campaign which hit its goal of $50,000 in just 38 minutes. At the time of writing, a pledge of $399 or more is enough to secure the base model of StandDesk, assuming manufacture and shipping happens as promised. Delivery in the US is scheduled for September 2014, with other countries being added to the roster through 2015.
StandDesk, which can be seen in action in the video embedded below, sits comfortably alongside The Cardboard Standing Desk from Chairigami and the UpStanding Desk from Sam Carmichael and Mikey Chen as affordable options for those seeking an alternative to sitting all day.
Sources: Standdesk.co, Kickstarter