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11 Best Standing Desks To Make Your WFH Set Up Healthier
Forget sitting around all day, here are the best (and most chic) standing desks
Let's face it, we all know the drill: sitting all day is bad for our health. It can cause back and neck pain, plus long periods spent lounging helps contribute to all the poor effects that come with a sedentary lifestyle, including illnesses such as diabetes, heart disease and even cancer.
Basically, in order to be fit and healthy, we need to spend less time on our derrières and more time up and active. But what if you, like a lot of us, work an 'office' job (or used too, before WFH became the norm), where you're required to be tied to your desk for eight hours a day?
Well, one solution could be to invest in a standing desk. Choosing to stand, rather than sit, for your nine-to-five can help you stretch your legs, burn more calories, keep your muscles strong and even allow you to be more productive. A recent study involving call centre employees found that those who used a standing desk were, in fact, 45% more productive than their seated counterparts.
There are plenty of different types of standing desk available too. You'd be forgiven for not wanting an extra-tall desk placed in the corner of your living room all the time, but there are plenty of models that fold back down to a regular size once you've called time on your day's work. We've found 11 of the most stylish standing desks on the market, so you can create a healthier WFH set-up without having to compromise on your interiors.
Cosmoliving Height Adjustable Desk
Our colleagues over at Cosmopolitan have collaborated on a range with Wayfair and we're big fans (we also featured one of the company's designs in our bedside table round up, FYI). This stylish standing desk lifts up when you need it, then folds back down to a regular size when you put your laptop away. It comes in three colours and is currently reduced from just over £800 to £440. If you're tempted, now is the time to buy this desk.
If you like a clean, tidy look in your living room, you'll adore this classic wooden standing desk. The whole top lifts up for you to work, revealing a sneaky hidden drawer inside for all your bits and bobs. When it folds down, you'd never know anything was in there.
A lot of these mechanical desks can be very heavy and tough to move around, so we were massively impressed with this one: it weighed no more than you'd expect for a standard desk. It's easy to use with no complicated setup. Just plug it in and you're ready to go, with four heights to choose from depending on how you'd like to work.
The brand, Back In Action, has two sizes to choose from, but this smaller desk is more than roomy enough for your laptop and pen pot, and will save you £200 on the full-size option. It's shown here in white but we have the oak top, which we think is really lovely – be quick to snap one up in this colour combination when it's back in stock.
For true minimalists, this is a good shout. There are several size options for the desk top, so you can get the exact right option for your space and the standing legs are an extra £50 (total). While this option is chic and refined, it doesn't retract into a standard size, so make sure you're happy to have a standing desk in your room 24/7 before making your purchase.
If you've already invested in a cute desk, but still want to enjoy the health benefits of standing for a few more hours a day, a desk converter might be something to consider instead. It's a good option if you only have a small desk as its small footprint will fit neatly on top of even the most bijou of worktops and can be packed away in a cupboard afterwards.
Here's a similar version at a bargain price. It folds up neatly when you're done too, so you can slot it straight into your desk's drawer for maximum tidiness points.
Alternatively, if you're really committed to the standing lifestyle but live in a small flat, go for a folding option. This will pack away neatly against the wall when not in use, so it won't take up much precious floor space in your out of office hours.
If you're looking to improve your home's sustainability credentials you'll like this one: it's crafted from reclaimed Western cedar and birch plywood inside the brand's small factory in west London, making it a guilt-free, sustainable purchase.
Here's another versatile desk with a lift-up top. It's roomy enough for all your files, thanks to its three drawers. We like the cool grey hue, as well.
Flexispot is currently running a sale at the moment, offering 15% off its range of electric-powered standing desks. The motor makes it easy to adjust the height without having to faff about clearing everything off the top. It's the little things in life, right?
This is a cool multipurpose option. The top shelf is large enough for a laptop or monitor. Alternatively, you can use the standard desk below and the upper for storage instead
We couldn't find this on the Argos website, so we assume it's discontinued, but there are a few of these narrow standing desks available as new on eBay. Despite a small footprint, it's surprisingly roomy with two shelves and a drawer for your belongings (or a small plant) and it'll squeeze into that awkward, tight corner to make the most of the space in your little flat.
Charley is former Homes Ecommerce Editor. During her time at Hearst UK, Charley wrote over 300 buying guides and reviews, getting her hands on as many new launches as possible to help you find the best products for your home.
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