We tried Burrow’s new standing desk, and it’s incredibly functional and stylish
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In the four years that I’ve been primarily working from home, I’ve gone through six different desks. I tried everything from a rolling laptop cart to a bestselling standing desk from Amazon, but I hadn’t really fallen in love with any of them. So when I found out that Burrow, the editor-loved furniture brand known for its pet-friendly couches, was launching a standing desk, I knew I had to put it to the test. After spending a month with it, I’m here to give my honest review.
Burrow Copilot Standing Desk
The Copilot is Burrow’s new-and-improved version of its Pilot standing desk, which was introduced in 2022. The brand surveyed 2,000 customers and incorporated their feedback into the Copilot. The new version has plenty of built-in storage, like a drawer that fits a laptop (and much more) and a cable management compartment that mostly prevents unsightly cords. It measures 27 by 43 by 28.5 inches and has an adjustable height of 28.5 to 48 inches.
What I liked about it
Chic but intentional design
Overall, my first impression of the Burrow Copilot Standing Desk was that it’s extremely well-designed. It looks more like a stylish yet intentional piece of furniture rather than something purely functional or purely aesthetic. This comes as no surprise considering we’re also big fans of Burrow’s couches and sleeper sofas.
Available in oak and walnut finishes (I opted for the latter), the standing desk is made of hardwood, engineered wood and powder-coated steel for the legs. My last standing desk from FlexiSpot was walnut too, but it had a very rustic-looking finish, which gave it a plasticky appearance that wasn’t my style. The Copilot looks so much nicer, which is important considering I have to look at it every single day.
And even though it gets high marks in terms of aesthetics, the electric standing desk is incredibly functional too. Besides smart features like a spacious drawer and cable management (more on those below), the desk also has a removable back panel that allows you to seamlessly attach monitor arms.
And then there’s the adjustable height, arguably the most important aspect of a standing desk. It adjusts from 28.5 to 48 inches, and you can program up to three set heights. I have mine set to a sitting height, a standing height and a storage height that allows the arms of my office chair to fit underneath. The controller also has up and down arrows that allow you to manually adjust the height. I tap on the arrows whenever I’m using my under-desk walking pad while working. (The walking pad I use has an incline, so I need my keyboard and screen a little higher to be comfortable.)
The spacious drawer that serves two purposes
The standing desk I used before the Copilot didn’t have a drawer, and let me tell you, this feature is a game changer — especially when it comes to separating work and my personal life. My “home office” is really just a corner of my small bedroom, so I’ve always had a hard time switching out of work mode on days when I don’t have other plans. But since this standing desk has a spacious drawer, I can put my 14-inch laptop, planner and work phone away at the end of the day. This has been incredibly helpful in getting me to sign off on time, particularly on Friday evenings. (I also love not having to stare at my work to-do list all weekend.)
This should come as no surprise, but the drawer also helps me eliminate clutter because it’s so roomy. Small things that used to sit on top of my desk now have a home, such as the wireless mouse I rarely use, this incredibly helpful timer that helps me stay focused, a phone charger, a pad of sticky notes and more. All of those things on the desktop would lead to a pretty distracting work environment, so I’m very grateful that I can tuck them away and pull them out as needed.
The built-in cable management
The most accessible outlet in my bedroom/home office happens to be right underneath the desk. My smart TV, router and window air conditioner are just a few of the things plugged in there — so adding in office-related appliances like a monitor, computer charger and even the standing desk itself leads to a lot of unorganized cables.
Luckily, the Copilot desk has a built-in cable management compartment. With a little rearranging, I was able to plug many of those cables into a power strip that fit inside the hidden compartment. (The lid fits in like a puzzle and is barely noticeable.) The compartment wasn’t big enough for everything, but it still significantly reduced what was plugged into the wall outlet below.
I used a power strip that I already had on hand, but the brand offers a square power block that probably fits even more for an extra $29. (If you’re considering buying the power strip, it’s worth noting that what appears to be the same one costs less than $20 on Amazon.)
If it weren’t for the built-in cable management, I’d have double the amount of cords piled on the floor. (Another option would’ve been to corral them in hanging trays, which I used on my last standing desk.)
What we didn’t like about it
The instructions could be better
Burrow says the desk should only take a few minutes to assemble, but it took me and my fiancé an hour to put it together, from unboxing to plugging it in for use. We found the instruction manual confusing and vague, so we had to go back and unscrew things a few times because the manual wasn’t clear enough.
It’s also worth noting that there’s a discrepancy between the advertised height range and what the controller says. The instructions and product page say the Copilot has a height range of 28.5 to 48 inches (which is pretty standard), but the controller on the desk itself only goes from 27.8 to 47 inches.
Burrow confirmed that the advertised height is based on the entire desk, while the controller only shows the height of the legs. In my opinion, this is unnecessarily confusing, even though it won’t make a difference in how it’s used. (At first I thought I made a mistake while putting it together that affected the desk’s height range.)
After using the desk for a month, I’ve noticed it’s not quite as sturdy as I’d like. My ultrawide monitor shakes a bit when I bump into the desk, but it doesn’t bother me enough to go back and check that everything is screwed in properly. I’m pretty sure it is, but I’d feel more confident in that if the instructions were easier to follow.
The price
At $999, there’s no denying that this standing desk is expensive. Shipping is included in the price, and all of Burrow’s furniture comes with a one-year warranty that covers manufacturer defects. Still, it’s more than three times the price of my previous standing desk, though it’s clearly more stylish and packed with additional features.
It’s also $300 more than the Branch Standing Desk, the favorite in our testing. Not everyone can (or wants to) spend this much on a piece of office furniture, especially when the additional functions are just nice to have.
Bottom line
If you’re in the market for a standing desk that doesn’t skimp on style or functionality, the Burrow Copilot is an excellent choice. It’s definitely a splurge, but it’s worth it for people who haven’t felt like other standing desks on the market fit their style. Plus, we love the roomy storage drawer, the cable management compartment and the stylish design that looks and feels high-end.
Note: The prices above reflect the retailers' listed price at the time of publication.
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