Back in 2018, I reviewed the M3B Standing Desk Converter from Flexispot. It’s been two years since that review. Has it held up? Today, we’re doing something a little different and revisiting a review after long-term daily use. Is this the desk riser for you? Find out in this review.
Specifications
- MSRP: $99-239, size-dependent (M3B: $239)
- Smooth adjustment with 12 height settings
- Deeper desktop surface & wide keyboard tray
- Straight up & down movement optimizing for compact offices
- Smart desktop with built-in tablet intergration
- Quality assured by cycling test of 6,000 height adjustments
- Simple one-step assembly
- Compatible with ergonomic monitor mounts
- Available in three size options and two colors (black or white)
- Dimensions: 23.2 x 47 x 19.7 in (M3B)
- Size: 47" (M3B - size variable)
- Loading Capacity: 44 lbs (M3B)
- Height Adjustment: 5.9-19.6 inch (M3B)
- Material: Fiberboard & steel
- Weight: 54.01 lbs (M3B)
Like many of you, a good portion of my job involves working at a computer. I’m a school teacher, and in a normal year, that involves bouncing between my PC and moving throughout the room multiple times every hour. This year, I’m 100% virtual which means more computer time than ever before. I share that because things have changed: when I first reviewed the M3B, I wasn’t sure I would even use it. Now, not only do I need it (sitting too long can lead to serious health concerns), but I couldn’t imagine going through the day without it.
I won’t rehash all the basics, but before we go further, let’s refresh the basics:
Assembly, Adjustment, and Use
Assembly is as easy as can be. It ships in a large box, preassembled except for the keyboard tray which slots into place and is held with tabs. The “Flexispot” hardware covers also have to be pressed into place. No tools required and the entire setup process can be completed on your own in five minutes once it’s unboxed. The M3B also came with a nice cable sleeve to keep things looking neat out of the box.
Adjusting the riser’s height is also very easy thanks to a gas piston and large plastic lever. There are twelve levels of height adjustment, from 5.9-19.6 inches. I was a bit concerned about how fast it would raise when I first used the lever (I keep some glass objects on my desk) but it actually won’t rise at all without some upward force. It’s the same with lowering it, and the action is smooth in both cases.
The amount of height it provides is excellent. Having twelve levels of adjustability allows me to get it to the perfect height whether I’m typing or need it a little lower to write with a pen. It’s extremely versatile and feels very sturdy thanks to the steel base. There’s no wobble at all. It feels just as sturdy as a normal desk and, since it’s rated to hold 44 lbs, you can put virtually anything you’d put on a normal desktop on it and adjust with confidence. Be sure to check the weight limits on your own model, though.
Two Years Later…
After two years with the Flexispot M3B, I’m happy to say that it’s held up perfectly. Even coming up to capacity at times, the desktop hasn’t bent or cracked. The surface has stayed exactly as it was the day I bought it, despite food and drink spills. The gas lift still works exactly like the day I bought it: it’s smooth and quiet, only really making noise as the piston slides and it locks into one of its preset heights. The base doesn’t wobble, there’s little lateral movement, so stability has never been a concern. I lean on the desk, move it multiple times a day, and have made it such an important part of my day that’s rivaled only by my actual desk and the PC upon it.
Flexispot’s desk risers come in all different sizes, but I went big with the M3B. It’s a 47-inch converter. I was initially worried about the lost desk space since my actual desk surface is 55-inches. I did have to make some changes, like keeping my spare keyboard and headset underneath the riser, and my paper organizer off to the side. I’m actually glad I was forced to think more vertically, though, because it’s made the surface of the M3B that much cleaner and more usable.
Before
In fact, I like it so much that I decided to get another one as I set up my new remote teaching area. As you can tell from the picture above, my desk space is substantially less. Because the base is smaller than the top (about 30-inches), I was able to mount it on this 36-inch wide student desk and actually gain eleven inches of desk space.
What really surprised me, though, is that the price has dropped dramatically on what looks like all of Flexispot’s models. This exact riser was $349 two years ago and is $239 today. The prices go down from there with the 27-inch model costing only $99. That’s a fantastic deal.
Like all things, you notice some shortcomings over time, but, the reason why I wanted another of this exact model is that there were precisely so few. First off, the rubber feet on the bottom of the desk don’t stick on well if you try to slide the desk. They will eventually come off. At the same time, you can just lift the desk or set them back where they belong once it’s where you want it (or use a dot of super glue). Second, the mousing area of the tray isn’t that deep, so big sweeps sometimes caused me to bump the frame. Again, a minor issue, but if you are used to extending your arm, you might want to keep the mouse on the desktop rather than the keyboard tray — or simply not extend your arm so far. Finally, as I mentioned in my original review, I wish that the keyboard tray locks held better. They’re friction-fit and don’t feel all that secure. That said, the slots the tray fits into are deep enough that the keyboard tray has never once moved or felt loose in the entire two years I’ve had it.
Final Thoughts
I wanted to return to this review for two reasons. First, long-term reviews just aren’t something I’m able to do that often and they have inherent value, especially when a product drops by more than $100 and many people are working from home, looking for an item like this. Second, I carry an inherent skepticism of products that seem almost too cheap to be good. In this case, it really is just an excellent value. It’s fiberboard like most converters and uses a gas piston instead of a powered lift, but at this price, it has held up incredibly well and is just as good as the day I originally reviewed it. If you’re looking for a standing desk converter, Flexispot’s are affordable and get the job done, even in a taxing environment like an elementary school classroom.
