Why are Standing Desks so Expensive? Top 6 Reasons

A standing desk enables you to work comfortably while standing upright on your feet. The newer versions tend to be more flexible, allowing users to adjust the desk’s height, the most effective tool for creating an ergonomic workspace.

Although there is minimal research on standing desks since they have only recently seen a surge in popularity, they have been proven to provide many benefits to their users.

A standing desk can be pneumatic, electric, or adjusted through a manual crank— allowing the user to change the settings with the touch of a button. Moreover, the newer versions even come with memory programming for personalized height settings, meaning it remembers your default or most-used setup.

This Blog Post has covered all the reasons and justifications for why standing desks are so expensive after proper research. Moreover, we have found the Top 03 best affordable standing desks for you, so keep reading.

Reasons Why Standing Desks Are So Expensive?

why are standing desks so expensive

Standing Desks are expensive because of it is a new invention, with a high demand in market as compared to the supply owing to which, its price is high. Moreover, manufacturing cost of standing desk is also higher due to the integration and testing of automatic height adjusting feature. Manual height adjustable standing desks cost way lesser than electric height adjustable standing desk.

The average cost of a stand-up desk is shocking, but there are good reasons they are sold at such inflated prices. While the reasons are plenty, only a few crucial factors determine the average workstation cost in the standing desk market.

1. Lack of competition in the market

You can find thousands of suppliers and manufacturers for conventional desks in all shapes and sizes. However, that is not true for standing desks.

Unfortunately, the consumer will have to pay the extra price for the suppliers to cover the resourcing and manufacturing expense.

In all industries, rare items are sold at a premium price. Sometimes you are not paying for the features but for the availability of that product.

2. Expensive Shipping Cost 

Standing desks are typically not sold in physical stores but are readily available at online stores. This means that the consumer also has to pay for the product’s shipping.

We all know that shipping costs are increased with the product’s weight, and Standing desks are not only bulky but also take up a lot of room and fuel to travel. Now, you can imagine how heavy a standing desk is; hence the shipping and taxes inflate the price even more.

3. Product Analysis And Quality Control

Manufacturers put the standing desk through several quality inspections before defining a guarantee. Testing materials, motors, and the desk’s stability, strength, and durability are necessary while creating a standing desk.

This quality assurance work requires a lot of time and effort. On the plus side, this guarantees the highest quality of the final result but also adds to the price.

4. The Benefits of Ergonomics

The consistently rising popularity of standing desks can be attributed to their ergonomics. Standing desks benefit your physical health since they improve your posture, blood flow, and mood.

They allow you to move more during the day while still getting work done at your desk. The traditional office furniture doesn’t allow the same benefits.

If you want to check out all the advantages of a standing desk, then check out our detailed guide here.

5. Increase in popularity and demand.

Due to its health advantages, the demand for standing desks is gaining fuel. This causes people to purchase it out of curiosity and figure out if it is worth it or not.

Hence, it is not shocking to see the price of the workstations rise given the law of supply and demand, especially when connecting it to the fact that there aren’t many suppliers manufacturing this fascinating invention.

6. Cost of the materials.

The price of high-quality materials should be considered when discussing the inflating cost of standing desks. As you are aware, prices are rising across the board, owing to inflation.

Similarly, timber prices soared during lockdown at the outset of covid-19 as more individuals bought it for DIY projects and hobbies to keep themselves occupied while being quarantined.

The Two Most Expensive Pieces Of A Standing Desk

As discussed above, making these standing desks plays a significant role in their expensive pricing. However, the following two components of a standing desk add the most to its final cost.

The Motors

the motors

The product’s price is significantly influenced by its features, which ultimately depend on its motor’s power and quality. Hence, a manual standing desk will cost less than an electric motor standing desk.

The Tabletop

the table top

The quality of the tabletop is another essential element of a standing desk as the cost and difficulty of obtaining natural wood add to the product’s final price. For this reason, manufacturers frequently choose hardwood tabletops over composites and other wood substitutes.

A decent standing desk could easily last up to 20 years, even if the guarantee on standing workstations ranged from 7 to 10 years. This takes us back to the fact that standing desks are pricey because their makers employ premium electric motors and natural wood table tops for height adjustments.

How much should I spend on a standing desk?

The price of each standing desk might differ significantly since they all provide varying features and advantages.

If you want to design a workspace that combines a desk with workout gear like a treadmill or stationary bike, standing desks are the best option. It’s crucial for employees utilizing fixed-height standing workstations to take breaks and ensure their desks are set up correctly with the top of the computer screen at eye level as per their height.

If you want to check the best desk height as per your height, then check out detailed step-by-step guide here.

Your requirements and financial situation determine the response. Cheap standing desks are an option if you’re looking for a workstation with minimal functions. However, you will probably need to spend more money if you want a high-quality standing desk with adjustable height and built-in storage options.

If your budget is meager, you can get a standing desk converter—a platform you place on your regular desk to raise the monitor to eye level while standing. However, a significant disadvantage of standing desk converters is that they don’t allow you to shift between sitting and standing positions.

What you require and how much money you have to spend ultimately determine the choice. A hand crank standing desk is the best option if your budget is low. However, if you work at your desk a lot, electric standing desks, while expensive, provide excellent value for money.

Are standing desks really worth it?

Are standing desks really worth it?

A standing desk will not always make your work experience better overall—so what makes getting an expensive standing desk worth it?

The answer is straightforward and backed by numerous studies conducted over the years: improved focus, productivity, and ability to alternate between positions.

Additionally, there is a considerable probability that standing desks might enhance your general mood or increase your energy levels even if they have little to no noticeable effect on your physical health.

Standing desk problems are separate from sitting desk problems. In other words, standing significantly reduces the adverse effects of sitting while adding some negative impact and vice versa.

Theoretically, when used correctly, a standing desk offers the best of both worlds, lowering the dangers of either design while preserving the advantages.

Although these adjustable desks are still relatively new and not fully understood, studies have shown positive results more than negative ones.

This subject was investigated in a study carried out by a group of academics in the UK, which looked at the effects of thousands of working professionals who moved to sit-stand desks. In the end, it was found that the participant’s job performance, job satisfaction, work tiredness, daily anxiety, and quality of life all exhibited significant increases, which was quite compelling.

Cheap Vs. Expensive Standing Desk — Which Is Better?

The quality, weight capacity, and features are the three factors that differ most significantly between the two pricing categories. The expensive standing desks come with a more sturdy and solid construction with premium materials. These materials help support heavier loads for more extended periods.

Customers have two points of view when purchasing because pricing and affordability are crucial points of concern for them. One is to get a standing desk that is reasonably priced, and secondly, that they can make the most out of it.

The second type of customer believes investing more money in a high-quality, adjustable desk with more features would be more worthwhile since it will last longer and offer a better experience.

Inexpensive standing desks are sometimes built of inferior materials and cannot last as long as more costly models. They could also be less functional or uncomfortable to use. On the contrary, mid-range options can be more cost-effective and are the perfect decision for more budget-conscious consumers.

How To Use A Standing Desk Correctly?

How To Use A Standing Desk Correctly?

You can’t reap the benefits of a standing desk until you learn to use it correctly. Here is how you should use a standing desk.

  1. To avoid shoulder strain, you should be able to rest your hands directly over your keyboard without leaning on the desk.
  2. Keep your wrists parallel to the desk’s surface to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome.
  3. Keep your knees from locking and maintain a slight bend to relieve strain on your hips.
  4. Do not stand for too long and take breaks from static standing by moving to sitting, stretching, or going for a little stroll.
  5. Set a timer to serve as a reminder for yourself to change positions. A static standing position shouldn’t be maintained for more than an hour and a half.

If you need more information, then check out here.

Top 03 Best Affordable Standing Desks

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):

Are standing desks overrated?

Standing desks may not necessarily be overrated, but they are overpriced. Depending on the supply and demand principle, if more people decide to manufacture these desks, the price may get slightly lower.

Are standing desks really healthier?

Standing desks are healthier than a comfortably cushioned sitting desk setup as the former encourages its users to walk around, stretch, and be more productive. For more details, check out our guide here.

How many calories does a standing desk burn?

Standing for eight hours will result in an average calorie burn of 134 per hour, based on the statistics of a 170 lb individual. The predicted number of calories burnt over eight hours is 1648. 

Is it better to work standing or sitting?

Sitting and standing balance must be achieved when working long hours. Experts suggest standing up for 15 minutes every hour as spending the whole day sitting on your desk can be detrimental to one’s health.

How long should you stand at a standing desk?

Although research on this question is still ongoing, many ergonomic experts advise standing for 5 to 15 minutes every hour when using a standing desk. According to one study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, walking around, standing up, and alternating between sitting and standing positions for at least two hours throughout an eight-hour workday is optimal.

Final Verdict: Why Are Standing Desks So Expensive?

For several reasons, standing desks are sometimes more costly than any other average, regular desk. They first require more materials to construct. Secondly, the price is typically increased by specific features like built-in storage and height-adjustability.

Another reason is the demand for these standing desks is also higher than the supply due to their growing popularity, which drives up their price.

Even though they cost more, these standing desks may be a wise purchase if you discover that you work a lot at your desk. They have been demonstrated to enhance posture and boost energy, resulting in greater productivity.

Only a small number of businesses can afford to offer high-quality standing desks reasonably priced. High-end standing desks can not meet every demand or budget. Even if a particular company charges excessive pricing, getting your hands on a moderately priced standing desk that lasts you for a long while is possible. 

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About Mike Irving

Enthusiast Computer Geek, with vast experience in Office Ergonomics. Mike Irving is known as Master of Office and Computer Desk setups including gaming workstations.

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