
Sit/Stand Desk: IKEA Skarsta Review - chrismartin
http://blog.c-mart.in/posts/sit-stand-desk-ikea-skarsta-review
======
DotSauce
I've used an Alvin minimaster drafting table ($129) for the past 4 years:
[http://www.amazon.com/Alvin-MiniMaster-Adjustable-
Drafting-T...](http://www.amazon.com/Alvin-MiniMaster-Adjustable-Drafting-
Table/dp/B001EO9UDY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1454013670&sr=8-3&keywords=alvin+drafting+table)
I like it so much that I bought a second one for more desk space.

Along with a drafting chair ($150): [http://www.amazon.com/LexMod-Office-
Drafting-Chair-Leatheret...](http://www.amazon.com/LexMod-Office-Drafting-
Chair-
Leatherette/dp/B00OD3EYUC/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1454013778&sr=8-4&keywords=modway+drafting+chair)

~~~
Avshalom
I spend entirely more time than I should being semi-baffled at the way the
internet has largely forgotten that you can just buy tall chairs and never
have to worry about motors or adjustment speed or weight limits (to say
nothing of cost).

~~~
2np
I just had a genius revelation: I, like another poster here, don't like
resting my feet on a bar all day. I like to have them planted firmly.

What if we had tall desks and tall office chairs with a flat, elevated
platform? Then you could easily plant both feet on the platform and it would
feel just like a regular chair, but then you could easily stand up and have a
standing desk?

Something like this:
[http://www.lkgoodwin.com/more_info/brio_series_chairs/brio_s...](http://www.lkgoodwin.com/more_info/brio_series_chairs/brio_series_chairs.shtml)

~~~
Terr_
That's what I did with the "shelf" my Ikea Jerker.

~~~
2np
Explain. What did you modify?

~~~
Terr_
Imagine this desk, but with the two horizontal slabs swapped so that the big
surface is at "standing height" while the other is where your feet would be
when in a tall office-chair.

[http://imgur.com/d94KObO](http://imgur.com/d94KObO)

~~~
2np
Oh, nice.

------
thorntonbf
I'm using a Jarvis Standing Desk Frame -
[http://www.ergodepot.com/Jarvis_Frame_p/jrv-
fr.htm](http://www.ergodepot.com/Jarvis_Frame_p/jrv-fr.htm)

With a 72x36 Maple butcher block top from Amazon -
[http://www.amazon.com/Relius-Solutions-Butcher-Block-
Maple/d...](http://www.amazon.com/Relius-Solutions-Butcher-Block-
Maple/dp/B002JFS93E)

The top easily weighs 200 pounds, and that's not including the 2 Thunderbolt
displays that sit on my desk.

It's been a great platform. At my standing height of 45", it needs to be up
against the wall or it would likely vibrate a bit. As it stands, it's great.

The pushbutton memory allows for fast adjustment between sitting and standing.
I probably transition a couple of times a day. If I'm going to be on the phone
a while, I might sit if I'm not pacing.

Even if you simply used it as a regular desk, one of the things that have
become most apparent to me is the difference tenths of an inch make in getting
your workspace dialed in. Maybe you're wearing different shoes - or no shoes -
you can dial in your desk appropriately.

~~~
stevesearer
I noticed after a couple weeks of using my adjustable desk that I needed to
raise the height by ~1" which I think may have been because I started using
better posture in standing position. I then had to adjust my sitting table-
height as well to compensate.

A mat of some sort is pretty important for me as well since the floor at the
office is thin carpet over cement.

~~~
thorntonbf
It's kind of weird once you start using it, that you'll notice the difference
in the shoes you're wearing. If I come back from the gym in a pair of running
shoes, there's just enough difference where I'll notice it and change the
height by a couple of tenths.

------
schappim
Conclusion:

"Overall, the SKARSTA meets expectations. I would recommend it if you want an
adjustable-height desk and only want to spend $230. I would not recommend it
if you're very tall and want to use this desk near its maximum 47-inch height,
or if you need an absolutely rock-solid desk that doesn't sway at all. If your
desired surface height is around 41 inches (or lower), you'll probably be
happy. Eventually I'll post a long-term review, but if you are reading this,
I've had no issues using this desk daily since January 2016."

------
ank_the_elder
Some new results seem to indicate that merely standing might not avoid the
risks currently associated with sitting down all day. This seems to point in
the direction that "not doing anything" may be the underlying culprit. I
wonder if we can develop more dynamic working environments that could tackle
that issue, if this is proven to be the case. An article follows:

"Conclusions: Sitting time was not associated with all-cause mortality risk.
The results of this study suggest that policy makers and clinicians should be
cautious about placing emphasis on sitting behaviour as a risk factor for
mortality that is distinct from the effect of physical activity."

[http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/44/6/1909](http://ije.oxfordjournals.org/content/44/6/1909)

~~~
TulliusCicero
[http://www.theonion.com/article/health-experts-recommend-
sta...](http://www.theonion.com/article/health-experts-recommend-standing-up-
at-desk-leavi-37957)

------
lamosty
I've been using Skarsta since August 2015 at my home office. I'm pretty
satisfied with the desk.

I always wanted a standing desk. I saw pictures of many awesome home-built
desks here at HN so I thought that I could built myself one too. However, it
turned out that it's not very easy. So I started looking for one at local
shops.

Fortunately, IKEA is about 10km from my home so I went there and asked. They
told me they have some Skarsta desk. Long story short, I bought it for 200
Euro (the larger version). The assembly took max 1 hour. Initially, the desk
was a little "bendy" and unstable, but I discovered that the screws were not
tight enough. After tightening them, the desk is pretty stable, even at the
highest position.

I'm about 190cm tall and at the highest position, I can comfortably work on
the desk. What I like the most about it is that it's pretty huge and spacious.
You can put three 22" monitors on it + smaller speakers + mechanical keyboard
+ notebook for drawing without a problem. Although you have to manually get it
up and down with a handle, it usually takes something like 30 seconds and you
can look into the monitor while doing that. :) It's a good training for your
hands.

All in all, Skarsta is very nice and comfortable standing desk for a
reasonable price. Since owning it, I no longer understand all the standing-
desk startups with their smallish desks for Macbook + one monitor for 500
bucks. What is more, you can put a spin bike under the desk and exercise while
doing a light work, reading or watching videos.

------
sly010
Giraffe[1] is starting to lease good quality, motorized standing desks in
February for $1/day.

Disclamer: I know the founders and currently working on Slack integration for
the desks :)

[1] [http://standupgiraffe.com](http://standupgiraffe.com)

~~~
callmeed
Desks need Slack integration?

~~~
toephu2
This folks is when you know you are in a tech bubble.

~~~
ljk
[https://twitter.com/internetofshit?lang=en](https://twitter.com/internetofshit?lang=en)

------
d0100
Best sitting/standing desk around:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4-yOB3qFKI](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4-yOB3qFKI)

Cranks, motors and the like have nothing on this simple counterweight system.

------
tempestn
The main reason I prefer an electronic height-adjustable desk is the height
presets. Imagine if every time you sat down in your computer chair you had to
adjust it from the lowest setting to a comfortable height. How much time would
be wasted? It's not the effort of cranking it there, it's determining where
the optimal height is. With electronic, you set it once, and then whether
you're sitting or standing, your surface is at the ideal height. (Elbows
approximately 90 degrees while typing, etc.)

~~~
teleclimber
I solve this with visual references on the furniture adjacent to the desk. But
yeah, presets would be nice on my Bekant.

[http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S29022488/](http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S29022488/)

------
noja
Here is the very cheap $25 disruptive version made from a cardboard box:
[http://oristand.co/](http://oristand.co/)

~~~
douche
What do they do, ship you an Amazon box, a pair of scissors and a can of spray
paint?

------
CLGrimes
Uncaught Exception for me. Here's a mirror:
[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:w-GWDIB...](http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:w-GWDIB_P2oJ:blog.c-mart.in/posts/sit-
stand-desk-ikea-skarsta-review+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us)

------
agentultra
I bought a sit-stand frame from Ergotron[0] which I fitted my old desk surface
onto which saved me quite a bit of money.

I don't like cranks or electronic motors. My criteria for a sit/stand desk was
that it must be fast and practically effortless to switch between the two
positions. For that you cannot beat a lift-system like the one in the
Ergotron.

[0]
[http://www.ergotron.com/ProductsDetails/tabid/65/PRDID/757/l...](http://www.ergotron.com/ProductsDetails/tabid/65/PRDID/757/language/en-
US/Default.aspx)

~~~
edc117
How is the lowering action? Does it go down smoothly? I have to admit this
looks pretty promising, I might have to see if I can find one.

~~~
agentultra
It's smooth. It locks into position at set intervals when you release the
lever. Fortunately there is a good range of motion and the intervals are
rather small (I'd estimate around 2-3cm each?).

------
AstroJetson
I'm also too tall for it. It also seemed to be more wobbly at the fully
extended height.

OTOH it might work for you if you use it with a high stool (like a drafting
stool). I had a co-worker that would go back and forth from a regular chair to
the high stool and they said it helped their back. YMMV.

~~~
mbesto
Any idea what the maximum height of a person would be to use this?

~~~
shimon
For the Ikea Bekant desk, I'm 6'2" and usually have it near its maximum
height. I like things a bit higher (relative to my own height) than most, but
I still wouldn't expect it to work for someone over say 6'5".

All these adjustable desks start to have perceptible sway when mostly
extended. If this really bothers you, consider mounting your monitors
separately.

~~~
lorenzhs
The Bekant's EU version goes 3cm higher than the US version. I'm 6'1" and it's
nowhere near maximum. A colleague of mine is 6'4" and doesn't max it out
either. Height is between 65 and 125cm for the EU version, versus 56 to 122cm
for the US version.

~~~
Symbiote
Interesting, I thought Ikea products were the same worldwide. I guess the
American version is made to standard/typical American office furniture
dimensions.

[http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S49061191/](http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S49061191/)

[http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S49022524/](http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/S49022524/)

[http://www.ikea.com/se/sv/catalog/products/S69022537/](http://www.ikea.com/se/sv/catalog/products/S69022537/)

[http://www.ikea.com/dk/da/catalog/products/S69022523/](http://www.ikea.com/dk/da/catalog/products/S69022523/)

The Swedish and Danish versions have the same product code, but the British
one is different, yet I don't see any difference in the description. Maybe
it's just the different plug.

Americans also benefit from a warning not to be crushed by their furniture.

------
paulcole
I have the motorized version of this desk and agree that it's not built for
tall people. I'm about 5'11" and have to use it at its maximum height to be
comfortable.

Otherwise love it.

~~~
marvin
That's funny - 5'11 is just about average height for Scandinavian males, so
IKEA being Swedish this is a bit surprising.

~~~
Johnny555
It also depends on the proportions of your arms, I'm 5'10" and my desk is at
41" \- maybe Scandinavian males have short shoulder-to-elbow lenghts? :)

~~~
paulcole
Haha, anything's possible. When I bought my road bike, the guy at the shop
fitting me said, "you have the torso of a much taller man." What else to say
but, "thanks!"

------
shimon
We have 3 of the Ikea Bekant motorized standing desks in our office. They are
great and we have had zero problems. My favorite feature is the simple mesh
cable pocket underneath the desk, which is a great solution for hiding all the
cable clutter.

~~~
chrismartin
How long have you been using them for, and how often are they raised/lowered?

~~~
sbarre
Not sure if you'll get an answer from OP but I have a Bekant at home and I've
had it for 3 months now or so, and I raise/lower it probably once or twice a
week (it spends most of it's time raised).

I've had no problems with the motor and the legs, it raises and lowers quickly
and smoothly. The motor and legs do come with a 10 year warranty for what it's
worth.

If I have one complaint, it's that it has a tiny bit of wobble, but it's a
very minor complaint and not any kind of deal-breaker for me, especially when
comparing the price of other motorized sit/stand desks.

------
qzervaas
I have the Skarsta (the smaller top). It's pretty good, my only two issues
with it are:

1) The top is affixed to the leg brackets using plastic screws, and the top
tends to move around a little bit. Definitely wouldn't want to pick up / move
the desk by holding onto the top only

2) The top was bowed slightly in the middle on the one I bought. My Apple
Keyboard would wobble slightly, so I put masking tape on one of the rubber
feet.

------
jdeisenberg
The cranking and possible mechanical problems with that seem to be the
disadvantage. I have found the Varidesk
([http://varidesk.com/](http://varidesk.com/)) to be quite satisfactory. It
sits on top of your normal desk and is adjustable in seconds. (I just own one;
don't work for or have investment in the company that makes it.)

~~~
traeregan
I've been using a Varidesk for about a month now, and I love it. "I just own
one", too.

------
jonathantm
I've used this desk for a month or two now. It's great. The only issue is that
shaking that happens as the desk descends. Otherwise, it's solid. I'm 6'4" and
have about 3" of wood* under each of the four contact-points.

* A 2x10 bucked up into 1' pieces = 8 pieces. Stack 2 under each of four of the desk's feet, and yer set!

------
TheBiv
Cached:
[http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:w-GWDIB...](http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:w-GWDIB_P2oJ:blog.c-mart.in/posts/sit-
stand-desk-ikea-skarsta-review+&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us)

------
TimLeland
I purchased the Jarvis desk and wrote a review. I've really enjoyed it.
[http://timleland.com/ergo-depot-jarvis-standing-desks-
review...](http://timleland.com/ergo-depot-jarvis-standing-desks-review/)

------
hartator
I still don't get standing desk, how can you can concentrate deeply while
standing? I guess not for everyone.

~~~
Someone1234
I guess I don't see the connection between standing, sitting, and
concentration?

I definitely think typing and using a mouse while standing takes some getting
used to (in particular if you rest your arm on an armrest while seated); but
concentration itself, to me at least, is not correlated.

I will say I think simply standing as a health benefit exists but is
overblown. If you really want health benefits you have to move, so now we're
talking about: treadmill desks or exercises.

~~~
csours
For many people (myself included), standing up feels like working, sitting
feels like being lazy.

------
MatthewWilkes
> It's doubtful whether IKEA provides any warranty. It's not listed on IKEA's
> warranty page. When I called IKEA, I was told that there was a 90-day return
> policy with receipt.

Wow, I wasn't aware consumer protection was quite that bad in the USA. I've
got a BEKANT (the smaller table-top version that the linked reviews say
doesn't exist) and haven't had the slightest problem with it, but I admit I
might have been more nervous if not for the 10 year guarantee it's given in
the UK.

~~~
adventured
> I wasn't aware consumer protection was quite that bad in the USA

You're of course blaming the wrong culprit. That's on IKEA for not offering a
warranty.

Companies should not be forced to offer warranties on products. Instead
companies should _mostly_ be left to compete on their offerings. A minimum
warranty time won't make sense from one product to another. Six months for
this, seven years for that, 90 days for this. Inserting bureaucrats into the
process of setting warranties on products is just another small but wonderful
way to add to the endless parade of regulation that has seen most of Western
Europe's growth plummet to almost nothing for a decade.

~~~
MatthewWilkes
Firstly, you're confusing correlation and causation. These regulations were
introduced in the late 1970's in the UK, not in the last 10 years.

Secondly, the right for redress within 2 years is subject to a legal test for
if it is reasonable. Anything that's designed to last less than 2 years should
be obvious. For example, by supplying a use-by date on the packaging, or by
being a consumable.

Thirdly, companies are left to compete on their offerings. What these
regulations do is give consumers the right to legal redress from the seller on
grounds of reliability being significantly poorer than expected, something
that consumers cannot generally know at the point of purchase. This puts
additional competitive pressure on the manufacturer, as poor quality products
will damage the seller's profit margin.

Finally, there are no bureaucrats involved. If the seller doesn't meet its
obligation the only recourse is legal action. There is no government office of
extended warranties, or similar.

------
blunte
I was ecstatic to discover this desk in Ikea a month ago, and I bought it
right away. It's so much less expensive than any alternatives I could find,
and the material and build quality is superb.

Raising and lowering takes some time, but the brief mechanical labor involved
in changing the height is probably a good mental and physical break for the
operator. I don't change my desk height often - it stays in standing position
90%+ of the time.

------
pkaler
I've had the Bekant desk for about a year now. I haven't had problems with the
motor or controller. My experience is about the same as the reviewer of the
Skarsta. The Bekant isn't super stable at higher heights, but works well. I
recommend it.

I'd consider the hand crank next time or if I were filling an office with
desks. Motorized isn't really that much of a bonus for me.

~~~
wbrendel
The BEKANT is definitely hit-or-miss when it comes to reliability. The motors
on mine died just over a month after purchasing it, and some searching at the
time revealed it to be a pretty common issue. Luckily IKEA has a generous
return policy and I was able to return it with no questions asked. When it did
work, however, I agree it generally worked well and was mostly stable enough.
I just couldn't risk having to disassemble my desk whenever the motors broke.

------
brb3
I bought one of these desks as well. I also use it at just about 41 inches
when standing.

I think the desk sways a bit more than the article says. That said, I would
imagine using a sturdier monitor stand (or an arm clamped to the desk) would
counteract that enough to make it more comfortable.

For less than ~$250, I couldn't find a comparable sit/stand desk.

------
st3fan
"Ikea also sells a motorized BEKANT, which costs twice as much and has bad
reviews due to problems with the motors and controller."

I have a BEKANT and I am pretty happy with it. No issues with the motor or
controller. Also, it has a 10 year warranty I think. And this being IKEA,
getting stuff replaced should be super easy.

------
MetalMASK
I bought the autonomous desk from kickstarter for $500 (basic model):
[https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/403524037/autonomous-
de...](https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/403524037/autonomous-desk-the-
smartest-office-desk-yet-power/description), so far quite happy with it.
Really stable, and the table top is of good quality. I can see the author's
point where the motor is not necessary but when it's cheap enough (at the low
end of the $500-$3000 price range), it's certainly a nice to have feature.

Wobbly desk really bugs me and I would rather have a fixed height desk rather
than a wobbly one. Testing the stability (or confirm from other's review)
before you buy.

------
cxseven
You can get a pretty good standing desk in the form of $25 plastic shelves
from Walmart. It's what I use every day, and works brilliantly.

If all you're using is a laptop, there may be no need to adjust the height of
the desk - just move the laptop to where you need it. Voila.

------
Takizawa
I have the IKEA Skarsta desk too. I am 6'3" tall. Yes, it does wobble a bit.
It wobbles less if all pieces are tightened well. For me it is a non-issue
even at full height with my laptop. Overall, it's a solid purchased depending
on your use case.

------
mraison
I didn't think a review for a piece of IKEA furniture would ever make it to
the top of HN :)

~~~
dang
Think of it as a dev tools thread. Those are perennial.

------
eps
Chris, try and get a better chair. A dining table chair is one of the worst
options imaginable.

------
dbg31415
I love my Jerker 2.

[https://www.jerkersearcher.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/06/bw...](https://www.jerkersearcher.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/06/bw_jerker_desk_with_name1.png)

~~~
thecrumb
Jerker - best. desk. ever.

------
garyrichardson
I have a relatively expensive Uplift desk. I've had it for about 4 months now
and have 0 complaints on the $1200-ish I spent. Here's my protips:

* Get one with a motor in it. Hand cranking sounds awful.

* Get one with presets. Having to hold a button and wait for a desk to go up and down sucks.

* Get one that goes up and down -- sitting or standing all the time sucks.

* Regarding the above items, you'll probably want to move it up and down every 45 minutes to 1.5 hours.

* Just because you can build one for $4 in parts or put your laptop on a box doesn't mean you should. If it looks like you made it out of $4 in parts or is an old diaper box you probably don't actually care about your workspace.

~~~
zodPod
lol

> Get one with a motor in it. "Damn I need to get a standing desk. I sit
> around too much and don't move around enough. GOD I definitely need to order
> the motorized version!"

~~~
beambot
As with many things in life, reducing activation energy can have dramatic
effects.

For example: Most of the people I know, even the health conscious, don't get
annual physicals. I pressed them on why, and it came down to this: They didn't
want to spend a half-day getting it done. There's just too much activation
energy: scheduling, commute, checking in, waiting around, finally seeing the
doc for 10 minutes, driving back to work. It's even worse when you have to
return for labs because they didn't inform you that you should fast before
drawing blood for labs. Simply reducing the activation energy goes a long,
long way!

~~~
eco
The last time I got a physical my doctor told me annual physicals are not
necessary or recommended for someone my age.

There is such a thing as excessive screening and testing. PSA testing (for
prostate cancer) had so many false positives resulting in procedures that were
ultimately harmful for the patients that the recommendation to get the test
routinely was dropped entirely. Recently the American Cancer Society changed
its mammogram recommendation age from 40 to 45. The U.S. Preventive Services
Task Force Services went further and suggested 50 should be the age. Again,
the reason is false-positives causing harmful outcomes.

~~~
marak830
Here in Japan we have a mandatory once a year checkup, and have to submit the
results to our employer. Im still not sure if i agree with the once a year,
but it makes my wife worry less.

I greatly disagree with the giving it to the employer part, which is one of
the reasons im switchng to freelance work.

------
nickjj
Shameless plug,

If anyone is interested, here's a DIY step-by-step guide that will run you $50
for a custom standing desk, no cutting required.

[http://blog.nickjanetakis.com/post/137161793153/build-
home-m...](http://blog.nickjanetakis.com/post/137161793153/build-home-made-
standing-desk-for-50-dollars)

Spoiler alert:

It's not adjustable but it takes ~10 seconds to move things down a level
manually if you really want to sit down.

I recommend resting with a tall chair so you don't have to touch the desk set
up.

------
supergeek133
I ended up with one of these:
[https://www.standdesk.co/](https://www.standdesk.co/)

$400, easy to build, not super loud considering.

~~~
pimlottc
> $400

Note that's for just the adjustable base; it's at least $90 more including the
surface, depending on options. Looks like the height range is 28-45 inches.

------
unexpand
I have used this rack as my standing and sitting desk. One rack adjusted for
sitting position and one for standing. I used to stand most of the time. Not
as conveniently adjustable as standing desk but it worked for me at $100.
[http://www.staples.com/Hirsh-Heavy-Duty-Riveted-Boltless-
Ste...](http://www.staples.com/Hirsh-Heavy-Duty-Riveted-Boltless-Steel-
Shelving/product_SS1036999)

~~~
pimlottc
I have one of those in my basement! Never thought of using it as a desk.
Wouldn't it be awkwardly far from you while you're sitting, since you couldn't
slide the chair underneath the work surface?

~~~
unexpand
Not really. I used to play my piano sitting.

------
garyxlu
Ikea appears to be sold out in all of Northern California. They do provide a
predictor of future available stock, and it looks like they are intending on
restocking in Southern California stores.

[http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/availability/S29084966/](http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/availability/S29084966/)

------
wishinghand
I bought just the frame at IKEA and then purchased a different top than what
they recommend goes with it because I felt the Skarsta tops were ugly. I ended
up with a butcher block style top also from IKEA.

It's sturdy and I prefer it to the electric model because I didn't feel like I
needed one extra thing to plug in. The top I went with is much heavier and I
haven't had any issues with weight either.

~~~
frharvester
Is the tabletop you bought the Gerton by chance? Looking into pairing the
Skarsta frame with this table top, but wasn't sure how stable it would be at
standing height.

------
frankus
Uplift will also sell you the legs (~US$500) which you can mate with an
inexpensive desk-top (or maybe one that you already have):

[http://www.upliftdesk.com/uplift-height-adjustable-
standing-...](http://www.upliftdesk.com/uplift-height-adjustable-standing-
desk-frame-2-leg/)

We've used these at my work and they're pretty nice.

~~~
buerkle
I really like my Uplift I have for my home office. I have the one with 4
presets, works well especially with kids :) If you live in Austin you can take
a look at them at
[http://www.thehumansolution.com/](http://www.thehumansolution.com/). That's
where I bought mine.

------
karmelapple
The Steelcase Airtouch is, to me, the premium standing desk. No electricity
needed, fast and fluid movement, and looks gorgeous.

Definitely not cheap, but its quality is top notch.

[http://www.steelcase.com/products/height-adjustable-
desks/ai...](http://www.steelcase.com/products/height-adjustable-
desks/airtouch/)

------
riquito
(for the sake of discussion) Why sit or stand when you can lie down?

[http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/10/sit-stand-nifty-
new-w...](http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2015/10/sit-stand-nifty-new-
workstation-lets-you-lie-down-on-the-job/)

~~~
redtuesday
Yeah, always liked the idea since I saw ErgoQuests zero gravity workstations -
[http://www.ergoquest.com/zero-gravity-
workstations.html](http://www.ergoquest.com/zero-gravity-workstations.html) \-
a few year back.

But 4000-5000 is a little bit too much for me personally.

------
lgljgkjvhkv
I bought one of these and am really happy with it
[http://iwantastandingdesk.com/collections/frontpage/products...](http://iwantastandingdesk.com/collections/frontpage/products/eiger-
standing-desk-the-retro-fit-solution)

------
bitL
Wasn't there some recent study that both sitting and standing in front of a
desk is not really healthy? We knew that about sitting but standing didn't
fare much better. We probably need some treadmill-style workplace instead or
taking walking breaks for 15 minutes an hour...

~~~
msfoamy
"Some recent study" \- sounds legit.

Seriously though, I agree with you I think. As I understand it, you get the
health benefits from moving and fidgeting more, not from just standing like a
statue.

Ye olde New York Times article talks a bit about this:
[http://is.gd/3k4zJp](http://is.gd/3k4zJp)

And that article gave me a fancier way to say fidgeting: Non-Exercise Activity
Thermogenes or "NEAT"

------
biosan
I've used this desk for the past 6 months and is a really good standing desk
for the value. I use it always in standing mode so if you are like me the fact
that's not motorized it's not an issue. I confirm that if you are tall this
desk is not a good choice for you.

~~~
lsaferite
Could you define 'tall' in this case?

~~~
biosan
Over 6'2"

------
shiven
Been using this since last November. I got the longest top version they make.
Pretty satisfied with it so far. The manual cranking is bit tiring if you sit-
stand multiple times in a day (FWP, I know!) Otherwise, a practical, no-
nonsense product from Ikea, as generally expected.

------
subpixel
I was going to buy this if I won the Powerball:
[http://store.focalupright.com/locus-bundle-
pro-p/lbn-2000.ht...](http://store.focalupright.com/locus-bundle-
pro-p/lbn-2000.htm)

------
hashgowda
[http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-standing-
desk/](http://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-standing-desk/)

I'm considering to buy ergo depot Jarvis. Anybody using it?

------
kaizensoze
This thing is pretty sweet if you just use a laptop:
[http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VWJZ8S](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VWJZ8S)

------
rubidium
In case anyone's in the market: While $100-200 more (depending on retailer),
I've been using the Victor High Rise Collection Dual Monitor Sit-Stand Desk
Converter for the past 8 months and am very pleased.

------
mattiemass
Comparable price, very adjustable, wall-mounted. Not for everyone, but I love
it, excellent for taller people in particular.

[http://www.standingdesks.ca](http://www.standingdesks.ca)

------
Tsagadai
I built my own as many of the commercial standing desks have a tendency to be
too short (I am over 2 metres). Just two triangle brackets, some screws and a
large piece of wood; total cost: ~$30 and some time.

------
planetjones
I'd really like an adjustable desk for my home, but at 160x80 (cm) it's just
too big. Why can't idea do a smaller version of this, which would suit a
simple home office with an iMac on it.

~~~
Symbiote
Smaller size:
[http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S59061181/](http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S59061181/)

120×80cm.

------
jacobkranz
One thing the article doesn't mention is that for some reason it was a huge
PITA to assemble. I've used Ikea a lot but this was one of the more difficult.

Overall though, I highly recommend

~~~
reirob
Have the table, now for 4 months and for me it was a piece of cake to assemble
it - also compared to other IKEA furniture.

I like this table. Use it 95 % in standing mode, one reason is that it is not
as easy to put it down as the electric version - so the laziness makes me to
use it most of the time in standing mode :-)

------
Keyframe
How wide do they make them? I have three 27" monitors (for film and video
work) and would like to add a fourth one.

edit: Apparently there's also BEKANT which is motorised.

~~~
chrismartin
The larger SKARSTA is 63" wide.

~~~
Keyframe
160 cm! Thanks.

------
Someone1234
Unfortunately we might have hugged the site to death. Am now seeing:

> Uncaught Exception: SQLSTATE[HY000] [2003] Can't connect to MySQL server on
> '127.0.0.1' (111)

~~~
chrismartin
Sorry about that - brand new DigitalOcean instance and Anchor CMS
installation. I guess I have some optimizing to do. Won't even accept new SSH
connections.

~~~
Someone1234
Perhaps it is hitting the memory ceiling?

When a machine runs out of memory, sometimes new SSH connections can fail
because when it tries to fork the processes needed to handle the session, that
forking can fail.

You may want to look at how much memory MySQL in particular is allowed to
consume on the box. It is actually very configurable in that regard, but
pretty greedy out of the box.

Thanks for trying to bring the site back up (and for writing the review, which
I'll read when I am able). :)

~~~
chrismartin
Back up for the moment, resized the instance from 512 MB of RAM to 8 GB. Time
for a crash course in MySQL memory optimization.

~~~
tdicola
If it's just a static blog why even run a full on database engine, etc? A
static site generator + CDN would handle huge amounts of loads without
breaking a sweat.

~~~
chrismartin
Only because it's my first blog and I'm new at high-traffic web stuff. I
picked what appears to be a very lightweight and easy-to-tweak blogging engine
(Anchor). Which stack do you recommend?

~~~
lotyrin
Any static generator (e.g. Jekyll) + any HTTP object store (e.g. Amazon S3) +
any CDN (e.g. Cloudflare)

------
sliekasbekelniu
Has anyone got this? [http://tableair.com/](http://tableair.com/)

Though pricey, but seems neat idea and seems sturdy

------
mverwijs
Came across this the other day: [http://oristand.co/](http://oristand.co/)

Of course, nothing beats my TrippTrapp!

------
sundvor
Don't have a standing desk. I try to go to gym during lunch a few times a week
for squats and deadlifts though; works a treat for this programmer.

------
lziest
IKEA apparently is phasing out this product, at least in SF/Bay area. If you
want one, act now. :)

~~~
ksec
They only came out less then a year ago, it is because of a new version coming
out or they are under pressure from other competitors for selling it too low
priced?

------
zshev
Slight hijack - any recommendations on the best standing desk available to the
Australian market?

~~~
jbristowe
I'd recommend the VARIDESK: [http://au.varidesk.com/](http://au.varidesk.com/)

~~~
damncabbage
I'd be cautious: the range is too small for me (6'1" / 188cm). On a regular
desk that suits me, it doesn't go high enough, and if you prop things on the
desks up a bit, you then need to remove them when you lower it.

(It's also a bit wobbly, which isn't great, but probably expected.)

------
hellofunk
I have one of these and they are a fantastic value. Been using it for a year
with no troubles.

------
EGreg
I'd like a desk where I alternately lie down or stand, but never sit.

------
punnerud
I just used about 45min looking at different ways to use Kee Klamps.

------
sehr
It's been up 13 minutes and the DB is already toasted

------
Nano2rad
Swing is also a good option.

------
jambalaya
How low can the desk go?

~~~
brb3
26 inches (+1 inch for the thickness of the desk surface).

------
Amanjeev
How tall are you?

------
oniMaker
I bought a treadmill desk recently. It's fantastic. I'm walking 15k steps at
2.3km/h daily, and slowly increasing the speed. I've dropped 3+kg and will
soon have a healthy BMI again. After the first few days, the novelty wore off
and I stopped noticing it while I worked. If I want a standing desk, I just
turn the treadmill off.

One thing I've noticed is that I still have to sit down to maximize focus and
think through certain problems. Alternating walking for 30-60 minutes, then
sitting for a while feels natural.

~~~
msfoamy
15k steps per day is awesome! I have no idea how much 3kg is but that's
awesome too ;)

And it's cool to hear you say that last bit because I feel the same way. I
really need to sit down to work through through a complicated problems that
requires focus. Emails and phone calls are standing and furrowed brow
activities are sitting.

~~~
jmnicolas
According to Google 3kg is 6,61387 pounds.

As a rule of thumbs if you multiply kilograms by 2 you get a rough equivalent
in pounds ;-)

I can manage inches, feet and pounds quite OK but Fahrenheit are a bitch
though.

~~~
annnnd
> ... but Fahrenheit are a bitch though.

Ha, ha, couldn't agree more... :)

Anyway, I looked it up just now, looks like you substract 32 from Fahrenheit
and then divide by 1.8 to get Celcius: [http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-
Between-Fahrenheit,-Celsius,-...](http://www.wikihow.com/Convert-Between-
Fahrenheit,-Celsius,-and-Kelvin)

