Are you in the market for a new desk? Flexispot might just have the answer for you with their Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk. Featuring a classy, clean look, it's big enough for virtually any gamer but is the ability to stand worth $399? Read on for our full review to find out!
Specifications
- MSRP: $399.99
- Height Adjustment (without top): 28.5” - 47.4”
- Frame Width: Adjustable from 42” - 63”
- Fits tops that range from 47.25” to 70.9” long and 23.6' – 31.5” wide
- Height Adjustable Weight Limit: 220lbs
- Control Unit: 7-button digital display handset with 3 memory preset options
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Desk Top: 55” x 27.5” x 1”
- Supports up to four-monitor setups or larger workspace needs
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Earlier this year, we began our exploration of standing desks with a pair of converters from Flexispot and Versadesk. While I fell in love with my own riser, I couldn't help but remain curious about the “full” standing desk experience. When the opportunity arose for me to try one for myself, I had to take Flexispot up on the offer.
If you're not familiar with the idea of a standing desk, they offer some pretty big benefits. By giving users the option of adjusting their desk height on the fly, they help alleviate some major health concerns that, as gamers, many of us may be at risk of. Sitting for too long can cause back pain after a single day but over the course of months and years, those problems can add up. Research also tells us that sitting too long can put us at a greater risk for heart disease. And, my own personal fear, deep vein thrombosis: blood clots that can cause a fatal pulmonary embolism and strike seemingly out of nowhere – except it's not out of nowhere. Sitting for too long with stretch breaks is one of the leading causes for this condition.
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If I'm honest with myself, when I'm gaming or working from my desk at home, I'm not getting up enough. The recommendation is to get up and move, stretch your legs at least every two hours. Flexispot's E2 makes that easier than ever and adds to it a level of versatility in your desk you're probably not used to. I've gone from someone who wasn't even sure they'd like a standing desk to a full-on convert.
The E2 has a few tricks up its sleeve but the most important thing to know is that it's as sturdy and reliable as they come. The legs are a heavy duty steel, available in black or silver and don't rock or waver. The desktop is a laminated fiberboard and, like the legs is quite heavy. Right away, this is a confidence lender because it's clear that the the frame and top are made to stand the test of time.
In the box, you'll also find the electric lift motor and control unit. The motor has some power behind and is capable of lifting an impressive 220 lbs. My kids have taken to calling it the elevator desk because it can easily hold both of them for an “elevator ride” up to my shoulders.
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The legs of the frame are two piece and slide upward to a height of just under four feet. I'm 5' 8” which puts it to chest level, which is a bit too high. Thankfully, the control unit has simple 2-button up and down controls with a digital display to let you dial in the right height. After setting it up, you can easily store three separate heights to the desk's memory. For me, I have sitting, standing, and “out of kids' reach” settings and they work wonderfully for those times when I really don't want them getting at my keyboard.
The desk is also big enough to easily accommodate a tower and pair of large monitors. Flexispot quotes enough space for four monitors but that's a reach. Unless you're using tiny monitors and keeping your tower off the desk top, that's not going to happen. But realistically, how many of us do that? I found it enough for a pair of 32” monitors, a tower, and accessories which is a pretty good fit for a $399 desk.
The ability to adjust the height really is an outstanding feature. The desk raises and lowers quietly, so it never bothered anyone in the room and responds fast and easy, though not quite as quick as my Flexispot hydraulic supported riser. Still, the freedom to use my desk exactly how I want to use it in that moment is freeing. Most of the time I still sit, but other times I want to stretch my legs or only pop over to my desk for a few minutes to fire off an email and it's in these moments that the desk shines. Once you've had a desk that adapts to exactly what you want, you'll never want a static desk again.
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I know what you're thinking. Chris, I've heard about these desks. People who get them use them for a week and then they sit in them like a normal desk. That was my experience too. Here's the thing, at $399, the E2 is actual an excellent value even if you never use the lift feature (and even if you use it once in a while, you'll be glad you have the ability). Desks are expensive. For $399, you're likely looking at something from a department store. I know. I've done the same. With the steel frame and heavy duty top, the E2 is just better in almost every way.
You're getting a nice desk but that's all you're getting. If you need storage space, you'll need to look elsewhere or pick up a set of Alex drawers from IKEA. The E2 doesn't come with any drawers, hangers, trays or anything of the sort which is a bit too bad since it's certainly big enough to support them.
The other area I had some trouble was with set up. The written directions for building the desk were fine but the support for different desktop sizes made it more confusing that it needed to be – especially because Flexispot themselves only sell one size desk top. Finding the proper width for the frame took several adjustments and lining up with the proper holes on the bottom of the desk top forced me to screw and unscrew no less than three times. A few sticky labels on the hardware would have helped cut that 15 minute build time in half.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I'm quite pleased with the Flexispot E2. It's big enough to support a full dual monitor gaming setup and the mahogany top we tested has the class to fit into any environment. The installation was a bit more confusing than it needed to be but, in the end, it's the kind of thing you only need to do once. At the end of the day, the freedom and health benefits afforded by this desk far outweigh those nitpicks and the price makes it a surprisingly good value even against stationary desks. If you're in the market, it's definitely an option worth considering.
Pros
- Very sturdy with great lifting power and quiet operation
- Durable surface should stand up to wear
- Versatile – wide range of height adjustment, can easily in a home or business office
- Memory settings are quite useful
Cons
- Setup can bit a bit confusing
- No storage or accoutrements for accessories
