Post Last Updated: July 10th, 2019
Are you looking for an affordable standing desk?
Through your research, you may have already noticed that most standing desks are incredibly expensive. This puts people in a tough position because the health benefits of standing desks are amazing. But the high prices are what put many people off.
Sitting down for too long increases your chances of cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and premature death.
If you’re on a budget, you’ll be glad to hear that you can still benefit from using standing desks – minus the hefty prices.
Consider these three awesome standing desks you can acquire for really cheap to starting making a positive impact in the ergonomics of your workspace, including a cardboard standing desk (yes you heard right) that is cheaper than the price of an ergonomic mouse to get. Lets see how the following best budget standing desks stack up against one another.
Spark Cardboard Standing Desk by ErgoDriven
- Choose your size by your height: | Under 5’4” = Small | 5’4”-5’11” = Medium | Over 5’11”...
- Feel better! Standing is a healthier position than sitting, and allows for more movement.
- Spark is the perfect way to try standing. It’s ergonomic, robust (no typing wobble) and looks great.
Ergodriven’s Spark standing desk is the cheapest option in this review. It’s made out of cardboard geometrically fitted to make it ultra sturdy and durable. There is small, medium, and large sizes available. Choosing the right size comes down to your height.
The height recommendations for each size are as follows:
- Small– Below 5’4”
- Medium – 5’4” – 5’11”
- Large – 5’11” and over
The keyboard and upper deck level (where the monitor/laptop goes) have the follow height profile, based on the size of Spark you choose:
- Small – 6.3” keyboard level & 14” upper level
- Medium – 9.4” keyboard level & 17.3” upper level
- Large – 12.6” keyboard level & 22.8” upper level
The surface dimensions on the upper level are the same across the board at 15” x 10” in size. The large size comes with a keyboard tray surface of 26 x 10.5”. Whereas the medium and small options are 26” x 9”.
You’re able to safely use monitors that are a maximum of 25 lbs on the upper level of this cardboard stand. This is more than enough to securely support most monitors/laptops. It’s also worth knowing that you can use monitors that have a maximum size of 27”.
A common complaint among cheaper standing desks is their stability, especially one made out of cardboard. Users of this Spark desk have mentioned how they haven’t encountered any wobbling or stability issues.
Pros:
- Cheap price
- Various sizes to accommodate all users
- Great for monitors or laptops
- Sturdy design
Cons:
- Prone to squeaking sounds
- Cardboard design doesn’t look great
Mount-It Table with Adjustable Legs
- ERGONOMIC STAND UP DESK: Effortlessly converts your existing desk into a standing desk. More affordable...
- HEIGHT ADJUSTABLE LEGS: Easily adjustable legs elevate the tabletop to the height that suits your needs...
- PORTABLE AND LIGHTWEIGHT: Take this compact height adjustable desk topper with you wherever you need a...
The Mount-It standing desk is a little more than double the price of the previous one by Ergodriven. However, that’s because it’s made with aluminum materials that can hold a maximum weight capacity of 44 lbs, instead of 25 lbs.
The legs of the desk are constructed with robust aluminum materials. They are also equipped with rubber feet to ensure the desk doesn’t move around while in use.
On the legs you will find snap pins that enable you to adjust the height to 6 different height levels at 1″ increments. There are various height adjustments available. They are approprixmately:
- 12.5”
- 13.5”
- 14.5”
- 15.5”
- 16.5”
- 17.5”
This height range is excellent for people between 5’4” and 6’7” tall.
The surface area of the Mount-It Table Top is 24″ x 20″, compared to 26 x 10.5” with the Spark above. This is enough to put a monitor and keyboard, or a large laptop.
Pros:
- Height adjustable
- Portable, no fuss design
- Aluminum legs for stability
- 44lb weight capacity
Cons:
- Slow height adjustment time
FITUEYES Height Adjustable Standing Desk
- Sit or Stand- Use the desk riser you must press the lever. Sitting and standing will go pretty easy. To...
- Adjustable height table-Designed to provide plenty of room for a monitor, laptop, keyboard, mouse, and...
- Home office desk-he top surface measures 30" x 20" providing plenty of space for single monitor, dual...
The Fitueyes standing desk is the most expensive option in our review. In exchange you do get a much larger working area, plus gas spring that makes raising and lowering the desk much easier.
With gas string technology, you’re able to adjust this desk from sitting to standing within seconds. The spring mechanism allows you to find the specific height that’s most comfortable for you. Many users stop using their standing desks after a while due to the hassle in adjusting its height, so the rapid adjustments is actually incredibly important in a standing desk.
The height can be adjusted from as low as 2.6” to as high as 16.1”.
You can fit two monitors and laptops (or one of each) along with a mouse and keyboard. With a surface area of 30″ x 20”, you also have more room to fit other items on the desk too.
Like the Mount-It Desk above, this one is delivered completely assembled. All you have to do is take it out of the box and place it on your desk. Once you put your laptops, monitors, keyboard, and mouse onto it, you can start working.
With legs constructed of steel and a laminated particle surface area, you can feel confident in knowing this desk is sturdy. To improve the stability, they’ve also equipped the desk with rubber padding to prevent movement and surface scratching.
Despite the sturdy structure, one thing to note is that this desk only has a maximum capacity of 22 lbs. This is due to the intracate gas spring design.
Pros:
- Large surface area for all your work equipment
- Delivered fully assembled
- Sturdy materials
- Anti-slip rubber for stability
Cons:
- Only 22lbs of weight capacity
- On the pricey side!
Which Budget Standing Desk Should You Choose?
Consider how you’re going to be using your standing desk to help drive the decision on which cheap standing desk you should purchase.
The Spark is a good choice if you’re looking for a two tier standing desk primarily for your laptop that’s dirt cheap and can to moved from place to place easily. As it’s made of out cardboard, you can flatten it when needed to stow away.
The Mount-It Desk is a good choice for a no fuss standing desk you can easily use on any surface and room.
And finally, go with the Fitueyes standing desk if you wish to maximize your health benefits from this type of set up, by quickly switching between a standing and sitting position with the desk’s fast and easy height adjustment. Experts generally agree that altering between sitting and standing throughout the day is the most healthy way to approach working.
And last but not least, if your budget allows, take a look at the very best standing desk risers that feature multiple tiers of workspace, gas powered lifts, and larger surface areas to make you more productive.
