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Sitting at a desk all day isn’t fun. Your back gets sore, your neck gets sore, your joints get stiff, and your mind goes a little stir-crazy. It’s not great for your circulation, either. You may have even noticed that you feel low on energy or you have trouble concentrating on the work in front of you. Believe it or not, there’s a better way.
Standing desks are a revolutionary idea. They’re game-changing. Life-changing, even. Standing desks are height-adjustable, meaning you can sit to work and stand to work without moving all of your belongings around. They come in a bunch of sizes and designs, so you can customize your workspace however you want.
Whether you’re a remote, 9-to-5 office worker or a self-employed creator, a standing desk probably sounds like a great idea. To make sure you choose the right one, we suggest that you look at all of the features—price, height range, number of surfaces, working space, automatic vs manual height adjustments… the list goes on!
This comprehensive guide will investigate the best standing desks in Canada right now and outline the criteria you should consider while making your purchase decision. Let’s dive right into our top five products.
Top Pick: SHW Large Electric Height-Adjustable Standing Desk
Upgrade Pick: Ergonofis Sway Standing Desk
Budget Pick: MotionGrey Ergonomic Stand-Up Desk
Portable Pick: Vivo K Series Desk Converter
Gaming Pick: Secretlab Magnus Pro Sit-to-Stand Metal Desk
We are big fans of the SHW Large Electric Height-Adjustable Standing Desk. The best thing about it (in our minds, at least) is how much it helps you organize. It has two hooks to hang things like backpacks and headphones, and a pull-out tray for storing pencils, sticky notes, and other small items. It even has a cord management system so you can keep the tabletop as clean as possible. Nice!
This desk is also perfectly suited for use by more than one person. It has four memory slots for saving different heights so you (and a partner!) can hop from sitting to standing and back again without any fuss. Since this desk is available in a variety of tabletop styles, matching your decor won’t be an issue, either.
There are two reasons you might find this desk to be an unsuitable companion. First, it’s a single-level desk instead of a two-level, so if you prefer to work with a keyboard tray and a monitor, you’ll need to look elsewhere! Otherwise, the lower weight capacity might be your only concern. It won’t be a good fit if you’ll be keeping heavy things on it all the time.
All in all, the SHW Large Electric Height-Adjustable Standing Desk is a fantastic choice. It’s not perfect, but it comes pretty darn close. With a highly affordable price tag and tons of top-tier features, this standing desk is a true winner. It takes first prize in our books.
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 4.5/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers have a very high opinion of the SHW Large Electric Height-Adjustable Standing Desk. The size of the tabletop means they’re able to spread their things out without worrying about things falling off, and they really appreciate all of the little extras for staying organized, like the item hooks and small pull-out drawer. The memory settings are super convenient, too.
Buy If…
Desk organization is a priority for you
Two people will be using the desk regularly
You’d appreciate a large tabletop
You’re set on having a desk that matches your style
Don’t Buy If…
A two-level desk is what you need
You need to put heavy things on your desk
Tabletop Dimensions: 55” x 28”
Height Range: 28” to 45”
Height Adjustment Type: Electric
Weight Capacity: 75 lbs
Number of Levels: 1
Colour: 7 options
The Ergonofis Sway Standing Desk is remarkable. Each desk is handcrafted, and your tabletop is a stunning slab of natural wood — you can’t beat that kind of character! With four tabletop colours and two frame colours, you can mix and match to your heart’s content for the perfect aesthetic. The sleek control panel works with a slide function instead of buttons for the ideal minimalist look, too.
We’re also really pleased with the versatility of this one. The height range is incredibly inclusive, and since four different users each get to save two heights to the desk’s memory, it’s perfect for families. With customizable sit/stand reminders, as well, you won’t ever find yourself losing hours in one position. This desk is here to help in every way possible.
One of the only things we see posing a problem is the price of this desk. It’s one of the most expensive standing desks out there, so if you’re shopping on a budget, you’ll likely have to skip this one. The natural wood tabletop is also sensitive to temperature and humidity, so you’ll need to keep a careful eye on the room’s conditions to make sure you don’t cause any cracking or curving.
All in all, the Ergonofis Sway Standing Desk is one of the most outstanding options you’ll come across this year. No matter what you’re looking for in a standing desk, we can almost guarantee that this one will offer it. There are even extras available to upgrade it even further!
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 2/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers are very impressed by the Ergonofis Sway Standing Desk. The sit/stand reminders are really helpful, and they love that it’s a good fit for the entire family — four users and a wide height range make it perfect for people of all heights/ages. The swipe controls are a big hit, and they are proud to own such a gorgeous, all-natural, handmade desk. They’d all buy it again.
Buy If…
You appreciate the value of a handmade desk
You need a desk that is convenient for the whole family
You don’t like the look of traditional control panels
Sit/stand reminders would be useful
Don’t Buy If…
You don’t want to spend a lot of money on a standing desk
Longevity is a priority
Tabletop Dimensions: 48” x 24”
Height Range: 22” to 48.3”
Height Adjustment Type: Electric
Weight Capacity: 360 lbs
Number of Levels: 1
Colour: 8 options (4 tabletop and 2 frame)
If budget-friendliness is your priority, you can’t do better than the MotionGrey Ergonomic Stand-Up Desk. But that doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on great features. With the help of the cable management holes, you can direct all of your cords to the floor without having a waterfall over the back of the desk. We love that. A lot.
You’ll also get a water bottle holder, headphone holder, and cable clamps as accessories. We all want our things within reach, right? A digital keypad makes it easy to change the height, and it has a memory function as well to save your favourites. The desk won’t make much noise while it moves up and down, either. Say goodbye to interruptions! If that isn’t enough yet, you’ll also love the waterproof tabletop—it’s spillproof and super easy to keep clean.
Now for the part we all hate… the downsides. We love the memory setting, but it’s only able to save two heights. If you plan on sharing this desk with another person, you won’t both be able to use this feature. The height range is also not the greatest, so it won’t fit everybody.
Since there is a seam in the middle of the desk, it isn’t a great choice for people who rely on a flat surface. The seam can get in the way of your work and even snag your clothes at the front edge if you lean on it.
Performance: 4.5/5
Usability: 4/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers are pretty happy with the MotionGrey Ergonomic Stand-Up Desk. No matter what height it’s set to, the desk feels sturdy. The height adjustment system is smooth and quiet, and people don’t feel like it interferes with their concentration at all. They would prefer more than two memory settings, though, so multiple people could use it just as easily.
Buy If...
Don't Buy If...
Tabletop Dimensions: 55” x 24”
Height Range: 28” to 46”
Height Adjustment Type: Electric
Weight Capacity: 176 lbs
Number of Levels: 1
Colour: Dark wood
Warranty: 1 year
The Vivo K Series Desk Converter is really cool. It’s one of the easiest things to set up we’ve ever seen—you just need to attach the keyboard tray and you’re ready to go. Just because this option is small and inexpensive doesn’t mean it’s cheaply made, either.
The X-frame is solid, and with the help of a lift assistance system, it’ll help you raise your work surface up in a straight line, without that pesky side-to-side or back-to-front wobbling that puts your belongings at risk.
We really like how wide the keyboard tray is on this one. There’s plenty of room for a mouse, keyboard, and essentials like your phone or a pen and small notebook.
The thing we love most about this one is how the height adjustment works. The top surface will sit between 4.5 and 20 inches above your desk surface, and with an infinite number of adjustment points, you’ll be able to find your sweet spot no matter how tall you are.
We only have a couple of minor things to point out before you fall in love with this option. First of all, you’ll need to already own a full-size desk, or this won’t be of much use to you. Also, since the tabletop is only large enough to fit a couple of monitors, you won’t always be able to bring all of your supplies with you when you raise the desk.
Performance: 4.5/5
Usability: 4/5
Price: 5/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers are incredibly happy with the Vivo K Series Desk Converter. They have found it to be incredibly easy to set up solo, large enough to fit two monitors, and very sturdy even at max capacity. The keyboard tray is large enough for a mouse and keyboard, too. Most people bought it as an alternative to a full-size standing desk, and they have no regrets.
Buy If...
Don't Buy If...
Tabletop Dimensions: 15.7” x 31.5”
Height Range: 4.5” to 20” above desk height
Height Adjustment Type: Manual
Weight Capacity: 33 lbs for desktop, 4 lbs for keyboard tray
Number of Levels: 2
Colour: Black
Warranty: 3 years
The Secretlab Magnus Pro Sit-to-Stand Metal Desk is one of our all-time favourite standing desks, and you’re about to find out why. The height adjustment is electric (you can save your energy for standing instead!), and you can set three custom heights to make it easier to move up and down without interrupting your gameplay.
One of our favourite things is the cord management setup. Not only do you plug your equipment directly into the desk (it plugs into the wall at the bottom so there are no trailing cords), but there’s a cable management area that tucks all the cords out of sight to keep your space free of clutter.
We love the magnetic desktop the most. It’s a genius system that lets you stick cool mats down, and then switch out for a new design anytime you want. You’ll have to buy them separately, but you won’t find anything like it anywhere else.
As if all that isn’t enough, you even have the option of customizing even more. They’ve got addons such as monitor mounts, headphone holders, and more. You can create your perfect gaming setup with a single desk. We don’t have any issues with this one. The price tag might be a little offputting, but we promise it’s worth it!
Performance: 5/5
Usability: 5/5
Price: 2.5/5
Quality: 5/5
Reviewers are blown away by the Secretlab Magnus Pro Sit-to-Stand Metal Desk. People have customized their desks in so many ways, and they love that they can make a change anytime. The height adjustment works flawlessly, and the custom presets make life easier. Everyone is happy with how stable and secure all of the moving parts are, too.
Buy If...
Don't Buy If...
Tabletop Dimensions: 59” x 27.6”
Height Range: 25.6” to 49.2”
Height Adjustment Type: Electric
Weight Capacity: 265 lbs
Number of Levels: 1
Colour: Black
Warranty: 5 years
Standing desks can range in price from $150 to nearly $2000. We strongly advise that you set a budget before shopping. More expensive desks will have more accessories and a more stable design.
The tabletop size of a standing desk is one of the most important features to consider. It will affect how much space it takes up in your office and how well it can manage all of your supplies.
The height range is an incredibly important factor when deciding on the right desk. The range will fluctuate by several inches on both sides of the scale depending on what desk you look at, and if you’re extra tall or extra short, you’ll need to check that it can accommodate a comfortable working height for you sitting and standing.
Most standing desks will have electric height adjustment systems, meaning they operate with the push of a button, but some require you to adjust it manually. Since most people won’t want the hassle of a manual desk, it’s something to keep an eye on while you’re browsing.
Disclaimer: The prices displayed are accurate at the time of publication. We’ll do our best to keep them as up-to-date as possible, but you may see slight changes. The products in this list are ranked by independent third parties. Rankings are based on both reviews and independent testing.