A few years ago, news stories were all over the place warning us of the dangers of sitting too long. Apple Watches encourage you to stand up and move around hourly. Standing desks have become very popular. And all for good reason.
I am not a doctor, but there are various studies out there connecting health outcomes and how much we sit in a day. But more than that, I learned the hard way that sitting too much, for too long, can cause other issues, like short hip flexors, which can cause back problems and all sorts of snowballing effects.
So, I’ve been trying to work while standing up more recently. It helps a lot with physical flexibility, and it’s really easy to move your body more when you’re standing while you work. But, I didn’t have a standing desk, which limited my options for what work I could do while standing.
FlexiSpot Comhar All-in-One Standing Desk
I had the opportunity recently to check out the FlexiSpot Comhar All-in-One Standing Desk, and I’m a big fan. With its huge height range, easy powered adjustments, and USB ports, this really is an all-in-one device. If you’re in the market to add both literal and figurative flexibility to your daily routine, this desk is a great option.
Whether you’re a child or you’re very tall, there will be a height setting that’s comfortable for you to stand while you work. Most people will also find a height that’s comfortable for sitting, as well. As someone who is less tall than the average human and finds that most furniture is just a little too big for me, being able to set this desk to a slightly lower-than-average height while sitting allows me to sit with my feet flat on the floor. (What a concept.) And then I can push back my chair and quickly switch to the proper height for standing work.
Features and Specs
The desk has four presets that you can set to whatever height you like. You can use one for each member of your family, or one for sitting, one for standing, one for quickly getting things out of reach of your toddler, and one for setting up a family information hub. The choice is yours. It’s also very easy to reset any of the presets, by pressing and holding the relevant button while the desk is at the desired height.
At its highest setting, the desk surface is quite high, and it might be possible for a strong child to pull the table over, so use caution there. The desk is generally very sturdy and stable, but if you have a small child, Know Your Kid, and also avoid putting open drinks and breakables on the surface.
The lowest height is supposed to be a good standing height for smaller kids. I don’t have a small kid on hand to try it out, but it does seem like it would work.
The desk also includes a child lock button which, when engaged, prevents you from adjusting the height of the desk surface. But it’s incredibly easy to turn off the child lock, so definitely don’t count on this as a safety feature.
It also is supposed to have collision protection functionality, so that if it runs into anything while the surface descends, it stops descending. I could not get this function to work, so also don’t count on this as a safety feature either.
- 3 ports, 2 USB-A and 1 USB-C
- 4 easy-to-program height presets
- Drawer
- Anti-collision function
- Comes in several colors, such as maple, white, black, and even bamboo and glass
- 28.3″ to 47.6″ with digital display for the height
- Desktop surface is 48″ wide by 24″ deep
- Powder-coated steel tubing
- Leveling feet
- Can hold 110 pounds
- Lifts 1″ per second
- Quiet movement
Is the Desk Any Good?
Yes and no. But mostly yes.
The Plusses:
The FlexiSpot Comhar All-in-One Standing Desk performs fabulously in all the really important ways. It’s a great size and shape, it is easy to adjust the height, the four presets are really handy and easy to use, and being able to charge your portable device right there is a bonus.
One of the things I love about this desk is that it’s a perfect size. It’s not so big that it’s hard to find a spot for, but not so small that you can’t spread your work out. It’s even big enough for a couple of people to stand together and work side by side or one computer together. It’s helpful for when I need to help my kids with something on their laptop.
The Neutral:
I’m very happy that a small drawer is included, but it will only hold so much. The length/width measurements are decent, but it’s really shallow, and it’s hard to open. I have to use two hands.
Additionally, the desk comes in a very heavy box and must be assembled; you will probably need two people to do it. The (few) parts are very heavy, so clear a spot on a carpeted floor and grab a friend or family member to help.
The Minuses:
The child lock option wasn’t a very strong deterrent, and the anti-collision functionality didn’t work for me. And, to get the most out of its functionality, the desk needs to be plugged in, and the cord is only so long. If, like me, you live in a house with inconveniently placed outlets, you may not be able to place your desk in a spot you prefer. But most people will be able to arrange their space enough to be close enough to an outlet.
So, all in all, if the minuses aren’t an issue for you or your family, I can recommend this desk without reservation.
Wrap Up
The Comhar All-in-One Standing Desk from FlexiSpot is an incredibly versatile desk for working at home, for a guest room, for a kid’s room, or for a corner in the kitchen or living room. It’s useful for sitting, standing, or anywhere in between, and it is pretty much the perfect size.
At any height, this desk is now a fixture in our household, providing an easy location for work, logistics, eating and drinking, or even as a high coffee table for drinks and games. You could even do a puzzle on it and then raise it to its highest level, remove chairs, and have it be safe from cats (for certain values of cat, since some really have a high vertical leap).
You can also optionally order four locking casters, which would make the table easy to move around on hard floors as needed (though would make it harder to keep plugged in). If you work at a standing desk on a hard floor, you may also want to consider an anti-fatigue mat for comfort.
Note: I received a sample for review purposes.
