Robb Recommends: This Standing Desk Is Bigger and Stronger Than You’d Expect
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I was well past-due for a standing desk and finally bit the bullet after the umpteenth orthopedic therapy session. A few years back, I purchased a posture-correcting harness for my working hours, only to find that it was damaging some nerves in my shoulders after continued use. Which is why I ditched the harness and sought to ergonomically adjust my work station once and for all.
Along with a new monitor and a laptop stand, the process started with a standing desk—one that I could raise and lower, since I had no intention of standing all day. It’s a lot easier to write these articles sitting down, but half the gig is emails and scheduling. I’d like to be on my feet for that stuff.
My online search brought me to FlexiSpot and its roster of standing desks. I loved that I could choose from a variety of different surfaces with each selection and found myself ogling one of its tallest options, the E7Q Odin desk. The brand’s supply changes as demand changes, so I purchased one with a black chipboard top (as I write this, it just listed a white colorway).
For the past couple of months, the desk has been a back- and nerve-saver. The frame, measuring two and a half feet by six feet, allows me to pile on all my stuff—I’ve got dozens of grooming product samples at my side, plus flowers, a desktop monitor, my laptop, speakers, keyboard, mouse, and my lunch bowl—and I still have room to spare. There’s no real reason I needed to buy a frame that holds as much as 660 pounds, but it’s nice to know I could park a Vespa on top of this thing and take a nap next to it at the same time. More than anything, I wanted durability, and with this E7Q, I got exactly that.
Aside from its size and strength, the E7Q’s next best feature is actually standard across all FlexiSpot desks: a pre-set for sitting and standing, which I can configure so that I never have to fine-tune the height as I transition between the two. Unfortunately, two of us use the desk in my home, so we fight over whose height gets the pre-set treatment. I’ve lost that battle, but it’s easy enough to finesse it, given I’m just a few inches taller than my partner.
FlexiSpot E7Q Odin Desk
$800 $1,000 20% off
Another favorite feature, also standard across FlexiSpot desks, is the anti-collision sensor that pumps the brakes if there are any obstructions as the desk rises or lowers. I tested it out by putting my desk chair underneath at full height (here’s where I give a shout-out to the ergonomic FlexiSpot chair I ordered, too). Sure enough, the desk refrained from lowering.
In addition, this desk also has a cable-gathering net on the underside of its tabletop, which helps keep any cords out of the way. We really only use it for the power switch (with the pre-set heights and adjustable buttons), since all of our other cords run down the backside as opposed to the front. But it’s nice to know that we can have a frontward cable if need be.
I will note that this desk is heavy. Though all that weight assures that it stays planted in place, it’s no easy task putting it together. I’m lucky to have an elevator (or rather, the delivery guy is lucky that we have an elevator). You’ll get two separate boxes for the frame alone, plus another for the desktop itself. And while it’s no harder than assembling an IKEA desk, it will take some muscle and coordination to get everything in place and upright. So just be warned. Most able-bodied folks should be fine, but don’t do it alone if you’re worried about straining yourself.
Reviews around the web suggest that there’s no going awry with any of FlexiSpot’s desks. I was torn between the E7Q and the brand’s best-selling E7 desk, but ultimately opted for the one that feels like more of a high-tech workstation as opposed to just a regular desk that moves. I feel like I could host a standing (or seated) dinner party at this thing. First topic of discussion: Remember back pain and nerve damage? What a happy afterthought those things are!
$800 $1,000 20% off
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