Why are Standing Desks so Expensive?

Standing desks are expensive because they use costly wood table tops and dual electric motors for height adjustments. They use solid wood and quality motors which are expensive to manufacture. Low wobble tolerances make desks harder to manufacture at a low cost.

Are you tired of trying to look for that cheap standing desk you can finally order for working from home? You shouldn’t get your hopes up as almost all standing desks are expensive. But what makes them so expensive and is there any hope to see their prices fall shortly?

How expensive is a standing desk?

After analyzing the markets’ best products, we realized that none of the reliable standing desks of the moment are cheap. Some are even shockingly expensive.

  • An Uplift standing desk costs up to $1.300
  • A Jarvis standing desks cost more than $1.000
  • A Seville Classics standing desk costs around $500
  • An Autonomous standing desk costs around $400
  • An Ikea standing desk costs more than $500
  • A VariDesk standing desk converter can cost more than $500

For the average person, this means there are high chances of skipping the purchase altogether. Then some like to make a standing desk at home who try to cut prices. In reality, even DIY standing desks aren’t much cheaper.

The 2 most expensive pieces of a standing desk

Breaking down the price of a standing desk, we start to understand what truly makes them as expensive as today.

The motors

Standing desk motors are typically made in China. This, however, doesn’t mean they are cheap. You can expect to pay up to 1/4 of the standing desk price for its motor alone. Since it has to be smooth and lift large weights, this motor has to be good. Plenty of entry-level cheap standing desks are made with low-quality motors.

The tabletop

You can expect to pay up to ½ of the price of your standing desk for the tabletop alone. Most standing desks come with laminated wood tabletops, which still cost at least $200 and up to $800. If you want natural solid wood as your tabletop, you can expect to pay at least $500 for an entry-level option, similar to those sold by Ikea.

What is the difference between expensive and cheap standing desks?

The main difference between cheap and expensive standing desks is the tabletop. Hardwood tabletops are more expensive than laminated wood, MDF, and other engineered wood alternatives. All types of natural wood are harder to source and considerably more expensive.

Wobble is another key difference between these 2 standing desks. Almost all standing desks wobble to a certain extent. Cheap standing desks wobble more than expensive standing desks. The maximum wobble point can be seen when the desk is raised to its highest point.

Can standing desks become less expensive in the future?

It’s believed the standing desk industry doesn’t have enough competition. Most standing desks brands are offering expensive products clients hope will drop in price as more brands come to light.

This isn’t the case.

credits – camelcamelcamel.com

We can see the general price of a Vari Electric Standing Desk remained stagnant over the past 6 months, even if more brands started to produce similar products. It’s hard to see this product dropping in price anytime soon.

Then there are the Chinese standing desk brands.

Almost all of them try to offer cheaper products, but even these companies struggle to stay relevant in a world where your marketing budget is at least as important as the product itself.

Other smaller reasons why standing desks are so expensive

Building the desk is only part of the cost. The problem with a most standing desks is that they’re still innovative products. Companies have to convince buyers to get them instead of classic computer desks and this costs money.

  • Marketing

Marketing isn’t easy for standing desks. Most large companies sell online. Only up to 20% of these standing desk brands are actively engaged in Google advertising. Many sell on marketplaces such as Amazon while a few go down the route of physical stores such as Walmart.

  • Shipping

Shipping furniture was never affordable. You can expect to pay high prices for your shipping even if the standing desk manufacturer states it offers free shipping. This is typically included in the desk’s price.

  • Product research

How long does it take to make a standing desk? You need to test motors, materials, tolerances, wobble, and durability. Some of the leading standing desk brands offer a 7 or 10-year warranty. They need to ensure desks last as long if they want to minimize loses and repairs.

Standing desks are always going to be expensive

In conclusion, standing desks are always going to be expensive. Most of them are simply based on large expensive materials. Some brands cut corners with lighter engineered wood alternatives but even their products are highly expensive. However, most of those trying these desks rarely go back to a classic computer desk. Both for health benefits and diversity, standing desks can be worth it if you work at a computer all day long.