Instead of a Standing Desk, Buy This

Easier to set up, cheaper, and it keeps me standing most of the time

For the longest time, I was contemplating buying a standing desk for my home office. I had been working on a desk that wasn’t even a proper desk for over a year. It was uncomfortable and less than ideal for my back and neck.

Then again, I wasn't sure how long this working-from-home situation would last. It’s been over a year now. It might last another one. It’s time to upgrade.

I didn’t go the traditional electrical standing desk route though. An electrical setup was too pricy for my taste at around 300–400 bucks for a good entry-level model.

I wanted a desk to stand at. And sit only a few times during the day. Back in the office, I had been standing most of the working hours as well. So, I was already used to that.

My solution

Instead of buying a traditional standing desk, I went out and bought a bar table. This one was inexpensive at around €190 for the whole setup. It is sturdy metal construction with a wooden tabletop. From IKEA.

With that, I purchased a cheap bar stool for €14 that’s perfectly fine to sit on for a couple of hours each day.

I also bought a laptop stand for my MacBook to prop it up to the height since I don’t have an external monitor. I might get one in the future. To finish my set up, I added a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse. And it’s perfect.

The easier solution

I think this solution is much better than an expensive standing desk. For a couple of reasons:

1. I really stand up most of the time, since the bar table is primarily for standing.

2. It is cost effective

3. I don’t need power to operate the desk.

4. I don’t need a fancy chair.

5. It looks gorgeous. Many of the traditional standing desks don’t.