Standing desks are beginning to take over the office environment - both at home and in the workplace.
One of the sole benefits of the COVID-19 pandemic is that people are thinking longer and harder about what they like, and what they don’t like, about their working environment.
Thousands of people have had to work from home, and have been forced to think outside the box when it comes to enjoying the new office dynamic.
One product that has been on the rise exponentially since typical office life has been shaken up is the standing desk.
Sure, it had been around for a long time before the pandemic, but since more people are beginning to question what a good work environment looks like, more people have opted to try out one of these alternative work stations.
So, what exactly is a standing desk, and why are they so popular? Well, the clue is kind of in the name; a standing desk is a desk that is tall enough that you can use it whilst you are standing up.
Some of these desks have just one height position, but most of them are adjustable, meaning that you can vary your time in the office between sitting and standing.
The reason that these are becoming so popular is that people have realized that they don’t want to spend their whole day sitting in a chair.
Sitting for hours on end can have many downsides, including discomfort, the development of bad posture, poor circulation, decreased energy levels, and slow metabolism.
Standing up has been proven to increase your alertness and ability to focus, raise your metabolic rate (meaning that you burn more calories than you do whilst sitting), and maintain higher energy levels.
Creating a hybrid of sitting and standing really helps your body to keep a good level of circulation, and provides you with all the benefits of standing up.
Standing desks are particularly handy for those who are focused on maintaining a healthy physique, as many more calories are burned and more muscles are engaged when you stand up.
Now that we understand what a standing desk is and why it is used, let’s explore what a standing desk chair is. As you may have guessed, it is a type of chair that supports you as you stand up to work at a standing desk.
But if you are standing up to work, surely you don’t need a chair, right? Well, not necessarily.
Unlike most regular chairs, a standing desk chair is not one that you actually sit on; it is more like a post that you lean against for support (although most are adjustable and can be used in a seated position, too!).
These funny-looking adjustable chairs improve your standing-while-working experience. They support your body while it assumes a range of postures, and reduce the strain that you put on your body by standing for long periods of time.
Standing desk chairs have been designed by experts in the orthopedic, ergonomics, and physical therapy fields, so are guaranteed to support your body effectively.
As opposed to regular office chairs, which have been designed to keep you comfortable in one position for hours at a time, these chairs encourage you to move naturally throughout the day - they even automatically adjust to the different postures you adopt.
An increase in movement has been proven to lead to an increase in comfort, energy, and focus.
Now that you know exactly what standing desk chairs are, and how great they are, let’s take a look at the products on offer.
When you look to purchase any new product, you are often faced with countless options that are difficult to differentiate between.
Luckily for you, though, we have compiled a list of what we consider to be the best standing desk chairs on the market, so that you don’t have to spend hours doing the research!
Carry on reading to find out which are the best standing chairs, and why.
OUR TOP PICK
First up on our list of leaning stools is this adjustable chair from OCOMMO.
This chair has been designed to support your body whether you are sitting, standing, leaning, or perching.
This means that as you adjust the way you move and work throughout the day, this chair can adjust with you.
This OCOMMO product’s height is easily adjustable, so that it can stabilize at a range of height levels.
By simply pulling a lever and pushing or pulling the stool top, you can adjust this stool to suit every one of your positions.
The lowest it will measure is 24.2 inches, while the highest it will reach is 46.5 inches. This means no more sitting in one position for hour on end, and no more dead legs from standing for too long!
You can switch things up however often you need to with this chair. The actual chair or stool top on this seat has been designed with ergonomics in mind, so that it will provide comfort and promote good posture no matter how you are using it.
The stability base at the bottom of this product ensures that you will remain steady and supported at every one of the height levels.
It does not slip and is guaranteed not to wobble or make you feel uneasy when you lean against it - it is strong enough that you can rely on it in all the positions you adopt.
Another great thing about the stability base is that it is topped with an anti-fatigue mat.
This spongey surface absorbs a lot of the pressure from your feet, meaning that it helps to reduce the leg and muscle pain caused by standing for long periods of time.
Plus, this mat is easily removable so that you can clean it regularly to maintain high hygiene standards.
Despite being a complex ergonomic structure, this model is super easy to put together.
Just follow the simple assembly instructions and you can build this handy stool wherever you are!
Pros:
- Adjustable height to suit a range of desk heights and body positions
- Ergonomic chair top ensures comfort and support
- Strong stability base prevents wobbliness
- Anti-fatigue mat helps you to stand comfortably for longer
Cons:
- As the anti-fatigue mat is not permanently fixed, it can occasionally slip or come off the base
EDITORS CHOICE
The next chair on our list is by Vari. Similarly to all good standing desk chairs, the height on this model is adjustable, and it has a comfortable seat.
The height of this chair can range from 25.5 inches high to 35 inches high. Thanks to its easy-to-use air-lift lever you can adjust the height of the stool as frequently as you like, very easily.
This provides enough of a range of levels that you can use it comfortably to sit or to partially stand, whilst still sharing a lot of your weight with the stool. However, its maximum weight is likely not tall enough for most people to lean their back against it.
You might be satisfied with the range of motion that it has, but some people require a taller model that enables them to lean back whilst remaining fairly upright.
The seat of this model is made with a thick cushion, which is wide enough to fit all shapes and sizes.
The cushion helps to maintain comfort throughout long periods of sitting, and thus enables you to focus more on your work without being distracted by muscle aches and poor posture.
Thanks to the chair’s tilt guard, it can vary in angle depending on how you want to use it, but is guaranteed to never move more than 20 degrees forward. This keeps you sturdy and stable, as well as supported.
Pros:
- Easily adjustable height
- Comfortable cushioned seat
- Tilt Guard ensures stability as well as flexibility
Cons:
- Although tall enough to support some people at full height, this chair is not tall enough for most people to lean against when completely upright
BEST VALUE
This standing desk chair is modern and very well engineered. It has a wide variation of height levels, and has been made to suit people of all heights - including those as short as 5’, and those as tall as 6’4”.
People outside this height range are also able - and welcomed - to use this product, but some of the stool’s positions might not fit them as well.
The height positions of this stool can range from 22.5 inches to 46.3 inches, making it perfect for supporting your body whether you are sitting, perching, leaning, or standing!
As well as the adjustable height, the angle of the seat is also easily adjustable. Choose between 15, 45, and 90 degree angles to make sure that you are being supported in every position you try.
Because of its flexibility, this chair can be used to support you from in front as well as from behind, depending on your preference!
The seat is cushioned and soft, and has been specifically designed to prevent your buttocks from getting sore or numb from sitting for extended periods of time.
In addition to the soft seat, this product comes with a heated lumbar massager which gives deep back massages to prevent and reduce back pain.
This massager is our favorite thing about this model; who wouldn’t want a back massage while they send out their emails?
As well as being easily adjustable in front of your desk, this chair model is also easily transported around the office.
The high-quality urethane performance wheels at the base of the chair enable you to move it easily and without hassle.
The sturdy base of the model allows you to place all your pressure on the seat and prevents it from wobbling or losing balance.
Part of the base comprises a built in anti-fatigue mat, which reduces the pressure on your feet and makes it easier for you to stand for throughout your working day.
Pros:
- Wide variety of height positions to suit an extensive range of postures and body positions
- Deep tissue massager included to aid back pain and discomfort
- Cushioned seat prevents numbness from sitting
- Anti-fatigue mat reduces pressure on your feet, and is built in so won’t slip off
Cons:
- As the anti-fatigue mat is fixed, it cannot be removed for separate cleaning. Cleaning the mat is still possible while it is attached, though.
RUNNER UP
This standing chair from Fully Luna has a sleek modern design, and is available in five different colors to help it fit in in any office environment.
The chair comes in the following colors: white and blue; black; white and black; white and fern green; and white and light gray.
This stool has been designed for both sitting desks and standing desks, and its height ranges from 23.6 inches high to 33.5 inches.
The stool supports you when you are seated, and when you are in a position halfway between sitting and standing.
However, it is not tall enough for most people to stand up fully and still be supported by it.
On the positive side, the positions that it enables you to assume are beneficial for your posture, so this stool does promote natural posture.
It does this by forcing you to activate your leg muscles and your core muscles, which in turn realigns your spine and improves your posture.
The angle of the seat is also adjustable, so that you can tailor it to suit each of your preferred working positions.
This little stool may not be what everyone is after, but it is efficient, compact and long-lasting.
Pros:
- Easily adjustable height
- Adjustable seat angles promote comfort and increased levels of focus
- Forces you to engage your leg and core muscles to improve your posture
Cons:
- The maximum height is not tall enough to support a standing position, so may not be ideal for those who want to stand erect
RUNNER UP
This FOCAL Active leaning seat is another perfect option if you want to vary your working positions from sitting down to standing up straight.
It is suitable for people of all heights, and can support up to 300lbs.
The height of this product can reach up to 41 inches tall, making it perfect for supporting you while you work at your standing desk.
The varied positions that this stool can assume gives you the option to stand with a hip-to-torso angle of anywhere from 130 to 135 degrees.
The base of this chair is made from thirteen layers of hardwood plywood, so is guaranteed to support you and to hold the chair in place steadily.
Built into this base is an anti-fatigue mat, which reduces the pressure of your weight on your feet, and enables you to stand for longer, more comfortably.
Another great thing about this platform is that it is raised at the front of the model, and flat towards the back.
This means that even when you are sitting, you can rest your feet on the platform.
No matter how many different positions you use throughout the day, you will always be supported by this chair.
This model is available to buy in either Matte Black or Black Nubuck.
Pros:
- Easily adjustable height
- Suitable for all heights
- Supportive base
- Base is raised at the front to support feet even when in sitting position
Cons:
- The angle of the seat is not adjustable, so you cannot place it flat against your back for support as you can with alternative models
Buyer’s Guide
Whenever you are thinking of investing in a new product, there are multiple decisions you need to make before clicking ‘Add to Cart’.
To help you narrow down your many options, we have included below the things that we think you should consider before spending your money on a standing desk chair.
Height Range And Possible Positions
You would have thought that all types of standing desk chairs support you when you are standing up straight, but that is not always the case.
Some standing desk chairs support you in an array of positions, ranging from sitting down to standing erect, but others can fall short in that department.
If you definitely want to spend some of your working day standing up straight, and if you want your standing desk chair to support you as you do so, make sure that you purchase a chair that extends high enough for you to do that comfortably.
Some people only use their standing chair to perch on, in a position somewhere between sitting and standing. If you are one of those people, you can afford to go for a chair that has a slightly lower maximum height.
Price
As with any product, these chairs come in a range of prices. Most of the time, their price reflects their quality, so investing more money into one will likely mean that it will be more effective, or will last longer, or both!
Before spending your hard earned money on your new chair, though, consider the reasons why you really need it.
Are you going to be using it on a daily basis?
Are you getting one to help you with pre-existing back issues or posture issues?
If the answer to either of those questions is yes, it is probably best that you invest as much as you can afford into one of these chairs.
You only get one body, and a standing desk chair could really make all the difference for you!
If you don’t work at your desk very often, or don’t think you will need to use the chair for longer than a couple of years, you can probably afford to give the super expensive models a miss.
At the end of the day, everyone has a unique budget, and it is entirely up to you how much you spend on this product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I Too Heavy To Use A Standing Desk Chair?
Most standing chairs are able to take a maximum weight of around 300lbs, but each one is different. Check the specifications of the model you are interested in before you buy it, to make sure!
Can I Use A Standing Desk Chair At Home?
Absolutely! Wherever your standing desk is located, you can easily set up a standing chair next to it.
Whether you work in-office or at home, you can definitely benefit from one of these chairs.
Plenty of the chair models have wheels, so can easily be transported between locations if you have a hybrid routine and need to work both at home and in the office!
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