Since working from home became the norm a few years ago, standing desks have become all the rage—virtually every Singaporean house tour now seems to include a new height-adjustable table, and for good reason too. Opting for a standing desk over a traditional one means you’re not stuck in a sedentary position for a large part of the day, and beyond helping you burn calories and improve circulation, standing desks are also touted to improve work productivity.
With prices for an adjustable standing desk going up to the thousands, though, it’s understandable why some of us might have reservations about making the switch. Whether you’re just window shopping or actually looking to buy a new desk, this guide to the best standing desks in Singapore will hopefully better inform your search.
Here’s what you should look out for in a standing desk:
Even if you’ve already decided to upgrade your WFH setup, it might be difficult to pick the right standing desk from the wide selection of brands and variations available. Here’s where you can start:
- Adjustable height range: If you’re slightly on the taller or shorter side, it’s crucial to make sure that your selected desk is able to cater to both your optimal sitting and standing heights.
- Electric or manual: Standing desks typically come in 2 options—electric and manual. The latter usually works via a hand crank which requires a little extra effort to get your desired setting, whereas an electric standing desk usually comes with a few custom height options for you to configure and operate with a simple touch of a button.
- Build quality: Standing desks can come in fibre wood and plywood or natural, solid wood options. While natural wood offers durability and aesthetics, man-made options are more affordable and moisture-resistant.
- Ergonomic accessories: Some standing desks offer add-ons such as keyboard trays, monitor stands, under-desk drawers, or cable management systems to enhance functionality and reduce clutter.
What are the best standing desks in Singapore?
Considering these features, here are 6 best standing desks in Singapore at a glance:
1. Omnidesk Ascent (from $870) – Curved ergonomic table top and premium solid wood options
Image credit: Omnidesk
Price: $870
Frame colours: Black and white
Height adjustment range: 63.7 – 127cm
Height presets: 4
Sizes: Small (122x76cm), Medium (153x76cm), Large (183x76cm)
Material options: Fibre board, bamboo, solid wood options
Weight capacity: 130kg
Additional features: Curved ergonomic top, RGB strip, cable management tray, dedicated app
While most standing desks have just one design, the Omnidesk Ascent has plenty available. For starters, you can opt for a curved tabletop that’s meant to provide better ergonomics as you’ll be able to rest your arms while typing or playing video games. An angled edge also helps prevent pinched nerves after a long Pomodoro session.
The Omnidesk Ascent also has different table tops to cater to different audiences. Those who want something minimalist can stick with their solid colour tabletop options, while those who want to add a little flair to their space can upgrade to their Wildwood Collection featuring solid wood options like pheasant wood, acacia, and walnut. Gamers can also opt for the Radiance edition which has a sleek RGB strip running all across the tabletop.
The Omnidesk Ascent Radiance.
Image credit: Omnidesk
The Ascent controller boasts a bright LED RGB controller that can hold up to 4 height presets so you can raise or lower the table with just one touch. The desk also comes with a built-in cable management system that helps you hide loose wires and stay organised. If you want more advanced control of your desk, the Ascent is compatible with their Omnidesk Life app that offers additional smart controls such as wireless control, setting sit-stand alerts, tracking your sitting and standing habits, and setting standing goals.
Once you’ve selected your desired configuration, you can select from a range of accessories to help make your setup even more organised and ergonomic with add-ons like floor mats, headphone and cup holders, light bars, and monitor mounts.
2. EverDesk+ Max (from $519) – Install wheels for portability
Image credit: Stella P./EverDesk+
Price: From $519
Frame colours: Black and white
Height adjustment range: 60-124cm
Height presets: 3
Sizes: Small (120x60cm), Medium (140x60cm), Large (160x60cm)
Material options: Hard plywood, fibre wood
Weight capacity: 130kg
Standing desks are usually stationary, but the EverDesk+ Max lets you install castor wheels ($59) on its legs so you can move it around your room for a change in scenery. And don’t worry, the wheels are lockable so your workstation won’t roll without your approval.
Speaking of legs, the EverDesk+ Max has motors on both legs, ensuring that it rises and lowers fast and quietly. It also has one of the lowest minimum heights, making it a suitable option for the vertically challenged.
Image credit: EverDesk+
The tabletop itself also has a groove for you to tuck away all the cables you might need in a neat and tidy fashion.
3. Squirrey adjustable office desk (from $162) – Alerts to remind you to stand
Image credit: 131 Support
Price: $162
Frame colours: Black, white, grey
Height adjustment range: 69cm-118cm
Height presets: 3
Sizes: Small (140x70cm), Medium (160x70cm)
Material options: Engineered wood
Weight capacity: 100kg
Oftentimes we get too caught up in a certain task that we forget to take breaks. Squirrey standing desks will help as its controller has an inbuilt alarm to remind you to switch up your posture. If you have a routine you like to stick to, you can also customise when the alarms will go off so you don’t get disrupted during a crucial performance review.
Squirrey also offers multiple tabletop options across 5 colours – black, white, grey, oak, and walnut. You can also pick between a thickness of 18mm or 25mm.
Shop the Squirrey Adjustable Office Desk on Shopee
4. Secretlab Magnus Pro (from $899) – Personalised tabletop skins
Image credit: TheSmartLocal
Price: From $899
Frame colours: Black
Height adjustment range: 65-125cm
Height presets: 3
Sizes: Pro (150x70cm), Pro XL (177x80cm)
Material options: Fibre board
Weight capacity: 120kg
One thing that Secretlab does a little differently compared to other standing desks by providing gaming-related desk mats. Whether it’s to support your favourite esports team or represent your most-played video game, these desk mats add a touch of personality to an otherwise plain, black desk. They can also be switched out if your allegiances change.
Image credit: TheSmartLocal
The Magnus Pro also has gamer-centric add-ons including headphone hangers, a PC mount to keep your computer off the floor, and monitor arms to free up space on your desk.
5. Flight mobile adjustable desk (from $191) – Great for compact spaces
Image credit: Flight
Price: From $191
Frame colours: Black, White
Height adjustment range: 75-105cm
Height presets: None
Size: 70x52cm
Material options: Not specified
Weight capacity: 10kg
Not all of us have the luxury of space to build a feature-worthy workstation at home, which is where compact desks like Flight’s Mobile Adjustable Desk come into the picture. At just 70×52cm, the desk is ideal for a pared down office setup, fitting a laptop, mouse, and a few books comfortably.
Given its relatively small size, it’ll fit into any snug and cosy spot in your home whilst helping you retain some semblance of good posture with multiple programmable heights.
Shop the Flight Adjustable Desk on Shopee
6. IKEA IDÅSEN (from $819) – Mobile app to adjust height
Image credit: IKEA
Price: From $819
Frame colours: Beige
Height adjustment range: 63-127cm
Height presets: 4 on Desk Control app
Sizes: Small (120x70cm), Medium (160x80cm)
Material options: Fibre board
Weight capacity: 70kg
IKEA offers more options than the stationary Micke and Malm desks. The Idasen desk is the Swedish furniture brand’s take on the sit/stand desk, and it comes highly recommended for its stability even when raised all the way to its highest height.
And instead of using a physical touch controller like most standard convertible desks, the Idasen uses a mobile app to raise and lower the table to your desired height.
Image credit: IKEA
The table also comes in a neutral beige that is not usually associated with the typical sit/stand desks which are usually black, white, or grey.
Can you convert a regular desk to a standing desk?
Image credit: Omnidesk
Even if getting a whole new desk are not in the cards for you right now, there are standing desk converters available on the market that allow you to enjoy some of the benefits of a standing desk for a fraction of the price.
Standing desk converters are essentially height-adjustable desk risers. You can get a small, simple adjustable laptop stand (from $52.50), or a larger desktop riser (from $85.50) for a fraction of the price of a full table . For those willing to fork out a little more, Omnidesk has a more premium desk converter called the Switch Pro ($469) that comes with a keyboard surface and electric motor for easy height adjustment.
Best standing desks in Singapore
If your boss is gracious enough to let you work from home, a standing desk will ensure your posture doesn’t go kaput before your productivity does. Whether you want a simple standing desk that fits in your tiny bedroom or a fully-loaded desk with as many lights as a rainbow, there’s a standing desk there waiting for you to get to work on.
What else to get for your work-from-home setup:
- Is a Herman Miller chair worth it?
- Unique upcycled furniture stores in Singapore
- HDB and condo WFH ideas
This article contains partial partnership content. However, all opinions are ours.
Original article published by Josiah Neo on 29th May 2023. Last updated by Shannon Lee on 5th March 2024.
Cover image credit: Omnidesk, IKEA
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