The chances are, no matter what you do for a living, at some point during your work day you need to sit at a desk and peer into a screen. That's basically all we do here at TTP, and long hours in a chair at a desk can take their toll. Like, shave f&^king years off your life. So we're glad to get the chance to break the regular routine of the day with a Varidesk Proplus 36 Sit/Stand Desk. You might like to as well.
You've no doubt heard of things like this; a work accessory that sits on top of your regular desk that can be lifted or lowered, allowing you to work while sitting or standing. We reviewed a similar sit/stand desk a couple of years back.
You can therefore spend part of your day sitting, with the Varidesk unit acting like a monitor stand, and another part standing, with your monitor, keyboard, and all your desk stuff 'raising to the occasion' along with you.
Varidesk kindly sent us their most popular model, the Proplus 36 Sit/Stand Desk. At 36 inches wide this thing isn't small, but it is compact enough to fit on most desks - even those cramped single person work stations. When not deployed into standing mode, the Varidesk acts like a very nice desk organiser in its own right, lifting your monitor or laptop screen to a more comfortable level, and offering a 'cut out' keyboard and mouse station.
When you're ready to do some work while standing, simply squeeze the two handles on either side of the desk, and lift. The Varidesk Proplus 36 Sit/Stand Desk uses a spring-assisted lifting mechanism, so even if your station is loaded with monitors, laptops, and that really big coffee mug you own, you'll still be able to lift it easily.
Here's where the Varidesk differs from the previous sit/stand desk we reviewed; it can be... well... varied. Instead of locking into either the up or down positions, you can select eleven different height options. Not only does that mean that one product can suit people of different heights, but an individual can vary the height based on what task is to be completed.
For example, you might find the perfect setting for typing while standing, but decide you need a different one when primarily using your mouse to create something in an editing or design suite. The option to vary the height really is the Varidesk Proplus 36 Sit/Stand Desk's USP, making it stand out from the crowd in our opinion.
The desk itself is solidly build, with a metal frame supporting a tough and laminated wooden surface. It feels scratch and dent resistant, while also being easy to clean (in case you lift too quickly and spill that huge coffee mug).
Oh, and each desk also ships with a free rubber coaster, which is actually a genius idea. This gives you a dedicated spot to keep you beverage, while ensuring it stays put and means you always know where it is when reaching around for the lifting handles. Varidesk also thoughtfully include some Velcro cable ties to keep your wires together.
There is a lot of research out there to suggest that office workers should definitely vary their work days more. Sit some, stand some, wander about some... the more your body is moving and not heaped into a desk slowly dying, the better. The Varidesk Proplus 36 Sit/Stand Desk helps with that, while also being genuinely useful and a great looking bit of kit. We recommend.
£365
Available from www.amazon.co.uk