Choosing a Stand-up Sit-down Desk or Monitor Riser

As the health benefits of not sitting at a desk all day have become more widely accepted and the popularity of sit-to-stand workstations grown, it’s not surprising that a plethora of new monitor risers and stand-up desk solutions have simultaneously hit the market.

While it’s great to have so many options, choosing among them can start your head spinning. To hone in on which one might suit you best, you need to answer a few questions. We’ve created an infographic to break down the questions, options, and relative costs. The first thing to ask is, Who’s using it?

If it’s just for one person, thttp://www.officeoxygen.com/content/StandingDeskInfographic.pdfhen you must determine, Will a stationary monitor height suffice? In our experience, the monitor height doesn’t really need to move if: 1) you plan to stand all the time; 2) you have a high stool for those times when you need to get off your feet; or 3) the same height is comfortable whether you’re sitting and standing (this is more likely for someone who “height challenged,” as I am). It makes sense to start here because it could save you a lot of money. WorkEZ and LIFT Monitor Riser are low-cost options however, both require that you take the monitor off the riser in order to adjust the height. If you plan to be up and down frequently or want the keyboard and monitor to be accessible to people of different heights, these solutions are not ideal.

Next, we ask you to think about how tall you are. Height is important to consider because several monitor risers do not let you move the keyboard below desk level. Some even sit 1/2-inch above the desk. Our shorter product testers who were not comfortable with the elevated keyboard heights favored TaskmateGo, for this reason. For those who use a wireless keyboard, another solution would be to add a keyboard tray to your desk. However, if keyboard height is not a concern, several additional options are available, including Taskmate EZ, Wallaby, CHANGEdesk, and Electric CHANGEdesk. One of the reasons why we recommend these as great single-user solutions is because the space between the keyboard and monitor is generally fixed. If you have a range of people of varying heights using the riser, they might require different spacing between the keyboard and the monitor.

If you’re looking for a sit-to-stand workstation that can accommodate lots of different people, (perhaps because you have an open office or shared computer stations), you’re likely to prefer a solution in which the keyboard and monitor move independently or allow you to change the height with the push of a button. Once you get to this category, prices start to increase. Kangaroo Pro and TaskmateGo are great, easy-to-maneuver risers in this category. If you’re still not sure which is right for you, a few other features might help narrow the options. These include:

Desk attachment – Some require that your desk have a hole to clamp down or secure the riser; others simply sit on top of the desk. If you don’t already have a cable hole and don’t want to drill a hole in your desk, consider whether clamping the stand to the back of your desk will set it too far back for comfortable use.
Accommodation of double monitors – Many of these solutions have alternate attachments for single or double-monitor configuration, so you can get the unit that meets your needs.
Platform size – A larger platform may be a plus because it would provide additional space for pens, paper, or other items; however, on the flip side, the large footprint on your desk might be a drawback.

As you consider these additional features, it would be helpful to ask, is a full desk desired? Keyboard and monitor risers allow you to convert an existing desk to a stand-up sit-down workstation at an affordable cost. But if you’re in the market for a full desk that goes up and down with the push of a button, the Rise-Up Desk and Standdesk are terrific solutions and great values. For both, you can purchase the desk frame-only and put it on your own tabletop, or choose the desk and frame combo.

Although we don’t manufacture any of these units, we’ve tried almost all of them! If you have questions, please give us a shout. We’re happy to share our experiences and help you figure out which is best for your needs.

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