As somebody who’s been utilizing a standing desk for over a decade, I’ve ended up shopping for, making an attempt, and reviewing every kind of equipment over time. A whole lot of them have improved my total standing desk expertise, however I’ve additionally run into a number of which can be enjoyable and attention-grabbing however extravagant, costly, extreme, and downright ridiculous.
When I say “ridiculous,” I don’t imply “pointless” or “terrible.” Most of them have legit makes use of… and some of them I really need! But they do make you elevate an eyebrow and surprise. Even if they appear cool, they’re sort of laborious to justify. That’s what I imply.
With that mentioned, listed here are a few of the most enjoyable, foolish, and actually ridiculous standing desk equipment I’ve encountered.
Bottle opener
Jon Martindale / Foundry
I would sit up for cracking open a chilly one on the finish of a workday, however I’m undecided I want a bottle opener constructed into my desk or added on as an adjunct. I have already got a novelty keyring that may pop open bottle caps, plus I’ve an precise one mendacity in a drawer someplace. Worst case? I can all the time pry the highest off with a spoon.
OK, certain, having a bottle opener constructed into the desk proper there is marginally helpful, however who’s opening so many bottles at their desk that one thing like that is actually wanted? Why not simply tuck an ordinary bottle opener in a drawer and name it a day? This is simply plain pointless.
Punching bag
Jon Martindale / Foundry
I get annoyed at work typically. We all do, I feel. But sufficient to lash out with a have to punch one thing? Probably not. Yeah, it’s humorous the primary few occasions you do it, however that novelty fades quick.
Honestly, this factor is extra of a pace bag than a heavy bag—and it has a pleasant whip-back motion—however I’m not precisely training head motion at my desk. And irrespective of how a lot I tighten it, I can’t assist however wince as my screens wobble round each time I strike it.
It’s a enjoyable thought and a novel dialog starter for anybody who occurs to go to my workplace, however I feel if you need a stress aid software you could safely use at your desk, I’d recommend these desk fidget toys.
Leather desk pad
@emiebel / Ergonofis
A leather-based desk pad isn’t a lot ridiculous as it’s pointless. This factor harkens again to a day the place leather-based surfaces had been a premium, however as of late I’d fairly simply have a neoprene mat that’s as snug, manner cheaper, extra washable, and fewer inclined to break.
While I like the look of the leather desk pad that Ergonofis sent me, it blocks the view of my beautiful butcher block desk beneath and leaves me paranoid about utilizing it with care. (It’s so costly, I fear an excessive amount of about scuffing it or worse.) This may be nice for somebody with deep pockets, however for over $200? It’s not for me.
All the totally different keypads
Uplift
All electrical standing desks include some type of keypad for elevating and reducing the desktop, however do you know there are every kind of keypad upgrades in the marketplace? Yeah, it’s sort of loopy.
There are flappy keypads that may alter the desk top simply by slapping at them, and light-up RGB keypads for players, and superior keypads that retailer 5+ totally different preset heights… and I’m right here to let you know that they’re all ridiculous. No, you don’t want them. Really.
Jon Martindale / Foundry
Trust me, I’ve been utilizing a standing desk for 10+ years and also you solely want two top settings: the one for whenever you’re standing and the one for whenever you’re sitting. That’s it!
If you’re sharing your desk with another person, okay, which may warrant a 3rd setting. And should you actually love RGB bling, then perhaps a gamer-style keypad can be good for you. But for everybody else, paying extra simply to alter what strikes your desk up and down is pointless.
Under-desk hammock
Jon Martindale / Foundry
This is the one which all the time used to catch my eye once I’d scan the standing desk accent pages of Uplift and different firms. I’ve seen a number of individuals use it at main LAN events earlier than, however it by no means appeared very snug. Plus, the concept of individuals simply strolling previous the place I’m sleeping meant I by no means thought to present it a attempt.
As you possibly can see from the picture above, I lately took the plunge and… I’m not impressed. My again hated me 10 minutes after I obtained in it, and sleeping in it for any prolonged time period appears inconceivable. If I had been feeling skeptical, I’d say this was a gimmick product to attract consideration to standing desks. It has actually all the time grabbed my eyes.
Digging just a little deeper, the under-desk hammock seems like an embrace of crunch tradition. I may think about it getting used as an upsell throughout an employment interview. “Everyone gets their own standing desk and it even has a hammock underneath!” Sleep at my desk, huh? Not going to occur, particularly when I’ve a mattress simply down the corridor.
Dog beds
Jon Martindale / Foundry
If I’m not going to sleep at my desk, I don’t see why my pup must both. Uplift sells a very small dog bed—as you possibly can see above, my svelte 20-pound French Bulldog combine is mainly spilling out of it—that’s designed to slot in the desktop PC “CPU holder” extension that lifts your system up and down with the desk. It’s helpful for stopping stretched cables and maintaining the PC up off dusty flooring. But for a canine? Come on.
Uplift
Firstly, small canines shouldn’t be lifted off the ground to a top they’ll battle to soundly get down from. Secondly, they don’t want any assist with their Napoleon complexes. Keep these little guys down the place they belong: on the ground in a mattress that’s appropriately sized.
Cup holders
Jon Martindale / Foundry
I’m a careless man, so I get not desirous to spill your drink on paperwork, electronics, fancy board video games, or no matter else you might need in your desk. I actually do. In reality, I’ve cup holders on my board gaming desk for this precise motive.
But a standing desk is a desk—and truthfully, standing or not, a coaster is greater than sufficient. If you’re significantly vulnerable to knocking over drinks and don’t belief your self, that’s honest sufficient… however $20 and even $30 simply to carry a drink you could simply place on the desk? I don’t assume so.
Headphone stand
Jon Martindale / Foundry
Headphones might be large, cumbersome, and take up plenty of priceless desktop house. I’m not completely towards the concept of reclaiming desk house with a very good headphone mount. But a few of the standing desk headphone stands in the marketplace are plain ridiculous.
Look at this Uplift one. It’s actually elegant and it gives a singular aesthetic when the wooden is paired to the desk, however simply take a look at the measurement of that factor. It takes up as a lot room as my SteelSeries Arctis Pro Wireless headset, so what good is it doing? And should you order it with the wooden block, you’ll be billed nearer to $50. Eesh…
A simple hook on the underside of the desk can do the identical job with a smaller bodily footprint at a fraction of the value.
Under-desk train bike
Flexispot
If you’ve seen my article on why I’m a standing desk convert, you’ll know I’m a giant fan of shifting round whereas standing. I exploit an under-desk strolling treadmill, I rock backwards and forwards on a stability board, and I’ve even tried biking at my desk. (See my experience with under-desk treadmills!)
I had a Flexispot desk bike for a number of months and it did assist me burn some critical energy as I sweated away whereas typing or gaming. But my drawback with it? Desk bikes simply aren’t sustainable. The bike seat isn’t designed for long-term use and it rapidly provides… let’s say “too much pressure” to what you’re sitting on. It merely isn’t snug, and in my case it was total deleterious to my well being.
Desk bikes are huge, unwieldy, and not likely appropriate with house workplace or work environments. They’re worse than easy treadmills. Your mileage might differ right here, however I’m squaring these away as ridiculous.
Bluetooth controller
Ergodesks
I’m all for comfort, but when I’m going to work at a standing desk, I actually don’t thoughts ready the 5 or so seconds it takes for the desk to succeed in my desired top. Most of the time, I don’t even have to the touch it as a result of it’s the place I left it the day earlier than. So paying over $100 for the flexibility to set the desk top “remotely” is peak ridiculous.
Admittedly, I haven’t really used considered one of these Bluetooth standing desk controllers—however going off my previous expertise with one million different Bluetooth equipment, I’m keen to wager it takes longer to whip out your cellphone and open the suitable app than it does to simply press the dang bodily button that’s already there on the desk itself.
Home automation nerds might need enjoyable with the novelty of an auto-adjusting desk top whenever you stroll into the room (or one thing like that), however that’s an entire different stage of pointless ridiculousness. It’s not for me and never what I’d advocate for anybody else.
If you’re to know what I would advocate, take a look at my article on standing desk accessories that are worth the money.