I’ve tested a ton of standing desks — and these are the Black Friday deals I’d buy

With plenty of great Black Friday deals to be had, there’s never been a better time to upgrade to one of the best standing desks. Sure, you can work from one of the best desks but with a standing desk, you can switch things up and alternate between sitting and standing. Not only is this better for your health, it may help boost your productivity as you can move around a bit more while working.

After testing a dozen standing desks, the Uplift V2, the Flexispot Kana Pro and the Vari Electric Desk are my absolute favorites. While you can find plenty of great deals on standing desks this Black Friday, it’s better to get one you actually like with all of the features you need instead of choosing one just based on its price or how heavily discounted it is.

Whether you’re really into customization, design or just want a desk you can put together in minutes without any extra tools, these are my three favorite standing desks and they are all currently on sale.

My 3 favorite Black Friday standing desks deals

Uplift V2

The Uplift V2 is the most customizable standing desk I’ve reviewed. With 29 desktop styles, 5 desktop sizes, four frame types available in four colors and five different keypads to choose from, Uplift Desk makes it really easy to customize your Uplift V2 exactly the way you want it. 

Another thing I really like about the Uplfit V2 is that it has grommet holes on either side that make it really easy to run cables. You can have your computer on the left or right side of the desk and cleanly run the calves from it under the desk and up to your monitor. If you don’t need two though, Uplift Desk also sells storage grommets and power grommets in case you want to keep accessories like USB flash drives handy or want an easy way to plug in a laptop.

Unlike the Vari Electric Desk and the Flexispot Kana Pro, the Uplift V2 isn’t technically on sale for Black Friday. However, if you pay full price for the desk, Uplift Desk is throwing in six free accessories. The company also has a clearance standing desk page (opens in new tab) where you can get a brand new desk frame and desktop at a discounted price. The catch though is that the desktops are only available until Uplift Desk sells out of them and you don’t get any free accessories but you are saving over $100.

Flexispot Kana Pro

The Flexispot Kana Pro stands out from other standing desks due to its aesthetically pleasing design and the fact that it has a bamboo desktop which is twice as durable as ordinary wood. Like my other favorite standing desks, it has dual motors which not only help it raise and lower faster but they also allow the desk to do so more quietly.

Unlike the simple keypads you find on cheaper standing desks, Flexispot’s programmable keypad has four buttons you can use to set your preferred standing and sitting heights. I really like how instead of numbers, two of them show a person instead. However, my favorite part of this keypad is the USB port on its right side. This allows you to charge your smartphone or tablet while working without having to plug in a charger.

The Kana Pro was also fairly easy to put together and it feels really sturdy once assembled. This standing desk can hold up to 275 pounds of weight and I was easily able to use it with a desktop PC and an ultrawide monitor.

Vari Electric Standing Desk

Even though the Vari Electric Standing Desk was the first standing desk I reviewed, it’s still one of my favorites. Unboxing this desk felt a lot like opening a new smartphone and it was an absolute breeze to put together with just the two included Allen wrenches. The Vari Electric Standing Desk’s laminate finish makes it easy to clean and Vari also throws in a headphone hook that slides right onto its edge.

While it isn’t included in the base price, Vari’s cable management tray is absolutely worth getting. Unlike other cable management trays that remain fixed, Vari’s can actually swivel back and forth. This allows you to plug in new devices without having to move your desk away from the wall. There are also holes on either end of Vari’s cable management tray so that you can easily run the cable from one of the best surge protectors to a wall outlet.

The Vari Electric Standing Desk may be more expensive than other standing desks but if you want a great desk you can set up on your own in minutes, it’s a great choice. However, the Vari Essential Electric Standing Desk (opens in new tab) is currently on sale for $350 if you want a cheaper option.

How to buy the right standing desk for you this Black Friday

Purchasing a standing desk for your home office or workspace is a big investment. This is why you want to get the right one the first time instead of having to put together several different models and return them until you finally get something that works for you. Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for a standing desk this Black Friday.

Size: Standing desks come in a number of different sizes and form factors but for the most part they usually range from 24-30 inches in width and from 48 all the way up to 80 inches in length. I’ve tried several different sizes with the desks I’ve reviewed and for most people, I really think the sweet spot is 48 inches in length with a width of either 24 or 30 inches. A 48 inch long desk won’t take up too much space in your home or apartment while 24-30 inches in width gives you plenty of room for a monitor and even a desktop PC on your desk.

Keypad: The keypad is one of the most important parts of a standing desk as you use it to raise or lower your desk as well as to set preset heights for sitting and standing. You can save a few bucks by going with a simple keypad with just up and down buttons but having the memory preset buttons allows you to have your desk at your preferred seated or standing height with just the push of a button. USB charging ports like in Flexispot’s keypad are an optional extra worth considering.

Motors: Manual standing desks that are either pneumatic or turned with a crank are the cheapest but an electric standing desk just makes things a whole lot easier. You can save by going with a single motor desk but in my testing, these are quite noisy. This is why you want a dual motor electric standing desk instead as they are faster and quieter in operation.

Weight limit: Standing desks can hold anywhere from 80 to 300+ pounds depending on their design. Over a hundred pounds might seem like a lot but if you use multiple monitors and a big desktop PC, you’re going to want a standing desk with a higher weight limit. It’s also better to get a standing desk that supports more weight than you actually plan on using so you won’t put too much additional strain on its motor or motors.