A question often asked when buying office furniture is, “Why are standing desks so expensive?”. While we understand that high-quality furniture with a 15+ year lifespan is a worthwhile investment, that isn’t going to be how everyone views it. When faced with a £300 sit stand desk on Amazon versus a £1,100 standing desk on our site, potential customers may struggle to see how there can be such a price difference.
Well, we’re here to talk about that discrepancy and the value of investing in a premium standing desk. A desk may just look like a desk, but there is so much beyond what the eye can see. In this post, we’ll talk about everything that makes a top-quality sit stand desk worth its price tag, from materials to stability to electronics.
Inferior sit stand desks vs quality sit stand desks
While inadequate desks and premium standing desks may seem similar at a glance, the differences that make premium desks superior lie in the details. There are many elements of a premium desk that outweigh those of substandard desks, such as:
Materials
Surfaces
Stability
Weight capacity
Lubrication
Hardware
Electronics
Speed
Let’s get into each of these elements and why they’re so important.
Materials
In cheaper desks ranging in price below a few hundred pounds, you’ll find that the materials reflect the cost. Lightweight and thin woods, metals and plastics look unimpressive and hold up even worse. Low-grade materials give way to stability issues, making it risky to place any expensive equipment on the desk, which includes pretty much every PC, screen, or laptop found in an office.
More expensive desks are made using quality materials that stand the test of time. Thick metals, solid wood, and minimal plastic are involved in these high-quality standing desks. The feet are much weightier for increased stability, and the legs and surface provide reassurance of their sturdiness.
Surface
How many of you have purchased a cheap piece of furniture that you viewed as a complete steal, only to receive something that was clearly photoshopped in the images?
Low price sit stand desks are almost always finished in poor-quality laminate that will scratch or peel over time. You’ll also find that almost all lower-price desks have two-piece tops, which is good for shipping costs but terrible for support, strength and stability. The pieces are usually fixed together with shoddy brackets, which buckle and flex as soon as weight is added.
High-quality desks with larger price tags feature one solid top piece, which means no folding or wobbling. These surfaces tend to be thicker, too, which helps with the feel of the desk and its aesthetic. With more expensive desks, you’ll see solid hardwood or commercial-grade, durable laminate for a beautiful and lasting finish.
Stability
If your desk is made of poor materials, the joints and manufacturing are likely also poor. A wobbly desk that shakes at the slightest knock is the result of poorly fitting joints and fixings, substandard parts, and lightweight hardware.
Standing desks built with stability bars, wedges, and well-fitted columns (the desk’s legs) with a good amount of overlap result in a desk that can easily withstand natural movement throughout your working day.
Weight capacity
The sit stand desk’s weight capacity is incredibly important. You don’t want to place your expensive IT equipment on a desk that can’t handle the pressure. Inferior desks made of low-quality materials and poorly made motors will struggle under too much weight and may even shake with effort.
Standing desks in the mid to higher price range are made of better materials and superior electronics, giving them the stability and power to lift and lower effortlessly. Your big screen, laptop, hardware, tablet, phone, and desk trinkets won’t need to fear sudden collapse if they’re sitting on a strong standing desk with a high weight capacity.
The incredible Float desk by Humanscale features a unique counterbalance mechanism. This allows the desk to accommodate changing weight loads while adjusting the height. You won’t find that in a cheap desk.
Lubrication
Both substandard and premium desks require lubrication to work well. In cheap desks, however, you may notice immediate grease smears up the columns. This over-lubrication could be due to the desks needing more grease to function or a lack of quality control. Either way, it’s unsightly and a real problem should your work clothes come into contact with it.
You won’t have this issue with higher quality desks, as the lubrication used is of a better standard. The consistency of the grease is smoother, and it is much easier to wipe off the desk’s legs when necessary.
Hardware
Bolts, screws, brackets and other hardware need to be quality to support a standing desk. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, so even if the desk was made of top materials, if the joints let it down, its structural integrity will be poor and it won’t last long. Low-cost desks are often made using substandard hardware resulting in instability and poor durability.
In high-quality desks, you’ll experience a much smoother operation thanks to quality bespoke hardware to ensure maximum efficiency and product lifespan. Leading names like Herman Miller spend years developing innovative equipment and technology for their office furniture, which places it in the highest ranks of manufacturers.
Electronics
The electronics are what give sit stand desks their functionality. They enable it to adjust between your ideal sitting and standing height.
Low quality desks typically only give you the up and down option, with no collision avoidance technology (sensors that detect if the desk is going to lift or lower into something, such as your chair, and stop it before collision occurs). If the technology is there, then it’s usually not very sensitive, which you don’t want to risk when surrounded by expensive equipment.
Premium desks include exciting technology within their electrical systems. This almost always includes sensitive collision avoidance, but can also include Bluetooth connectivity for quick adjustments, reminders to stand, and preset custom minimum and maximum heights. The motors used in these desks are designed for the desks themselves, and feature braking systems that you won’t find in cheaper furniture.
The Ratio desk by Herman Miller features custom settings, allowing you to set your preferred seating and standing heights into the desk’s system. This means you won’t be stuck trying to find that perfect height every time; the exact numbers will already be there, ready to be adjusted to at the press of a button.
Speed
In this day and age, we are conditioned to expect things to happen quickly: we don’t like waiting around. With low-quality standing desks, you’ll discover that speed is not on your side. It takes a while for those inferior motors to move your desk up and down, and the pace gets worse the more weight that sits on the desk.
High-quality desks with years of design behind them feature motors that get them moving quickly. The speed is smooth and steady, enabling you to get back to it quicker with minimal faff.
The best standing desks from Office Furniture Scene
Premium desks come as an investment because of the innovative design, features, and materials in each one. While other desks may come with a more affordable price tag, you’ll find that they might lack the quality, longevity and innovative technology you’re looking for.
It may initially seem like a high investment, but a quality’s desks life span will far outlive that of something cheap and cheerful, saving multiple replacements over the years.
A premium standing desk will last you for many years to come, with some brands such as Herman Miller coming with a 12-year warranty. Outfitting your home office or your building’s office floor with desks such as these deliver functionality, ease and style for more than a decade, alongside supporting the health of you and your employees.
If you’re interested in upgrading your office space and routine, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with our team of experts. We can help you choose the perfect piece from our range of adjustable desks, giving you all the information you need to make a choice. Call us on 01603 722483 or send us an email at info@officefurniturescene.co.uk.
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