The best standing desk chair allows you to lean forward and to the sides while offering support to relax your spin. Unlike an office chair, a standing desk chair is rather made for learning than for typical sitting. If you’re after the best standing desk chair, you know that some of the cheaper options aren’t that great for posture or durability. You might be using a standing desk yourself but even standing all day can be detrimental. You need a stool that allows you to sit or lean from time to time to relax your back.
Ergonomic standing desk chairs are made with adjustable height. You can raise and lower them according to the height of your standing desk. A learning stool for standing desks is going to be your best bet that doesn’t compromise as you can’t use a regular desk chair on a height-adjustable desk.
The list is made by comparing and ranking standing desk chairs from different brands and in different price ranges. They cost anywhere between $80 and $500 and you might need to decide which of these is best for the type of sit-stand work you do by reading the following descriptions.
1. Varier Move Tilting Saddle Stool
The ergonomic standing desk chair made by Varier is one of the leaders for posture and durability. Made in Europe, it uses a different design to what you might be expecting in the seating area. Designed with 3 pieces, it only requires minimal assembly.
But the Move standing desk stool for standing desks is true to its name. It switches the center of gravity to your feet while sitting. This allows you to engage your core muscles better. It even works for those with back pain if you use it for a short period.
The Neat-certified ergonomic standing chair for standing desk comes in excellent colors. Red, blue, grey, and black are some of their colors. You can easily match it to your standing desk.
Pros
- Rounded wooden base encourages movement
- Height adjustable design
- Thick cushioning
Cons
- Not comfortable after an hour of sitting
2. Vari Active Seat
Vari Active Seat uses similar principles but in a different design. When you sit engaged on such a chair, you will not roll the base as it comes with a square design unlike the round design of most of its alternatives. But this is what keeps it stable as you can lean forwards, backward, and to the sides easily.
The thick cushioning of the seat makes the leaning process a bit easier. You won’t sit in it fully anyway. But it’s good to know it maintains the same cushioning principles of regular comfortable office chairs.
Since it’s quite heavy, the Active standing desk chair also features a cutout handle. You will struggle to move it anywhere if you don’t hold it by this handle.
Pros
- Made with thick cushioning
- Stable when leaning
- It looks elegant
Cons
- Not an ergonomic design
3. Songmics Standing Desk Chair
With the benefit of height adjustability from 23.6 inches to 33.3 inches, this is the first ergonomic standing desk chair you can consider when shopping on a budget. We all know standing desks aren’t cheap. But you can save on its accessories such as on the desk chair when you’re shopping on a budget. It even rebounds back to 90 degrees on its own.
With the benefit of a steel base, this standing chair also sits in place properly even when you lean forwards towards your standing desk. It features handles which interestingly makes it a lot easier to move than its rivals that are priced a few times higher.
Height adjustments are also easy here. It features a button that is hidden right underneath the seat that you need to press to move the standing chair up or down. Alternating the sit-stand position on the desk is much easier as a result.
Pros
- The easiest to use
- It can be used for drawing, typing, or teaching
- Tilts up to 8”
Cons
- Bulky base design
4. LeanRite Ergonomic Standing Desk Chair
LeanRite might be the most expensive option on the list, but it’s also the most complex. It’s a hybrid anti-fatigue mat for a standing desk and a standing desk chair. This 2-in-1 setup is one of the most interesting when it comes to both sitting and leaning. The standing chair tilts forward to support your body when you don’t want to sit on it. But you can also sit on it at times.
Since we know the sit-stand variation is the best approach when it comes to posture improvements, this seems to be the leading option for most of those who work long hours at the desk.
At 37lbs, you can imagine this is not the lightest ergonomic stool for desks. But it can be seen as the lightest standing desk chair with an anti-fatigue mat. If you’re constantly feeling fatigued, this might just be the right option for you.
Pros
- It holds up to 270lbs
- Ships with an included anti-fatigue mat
- BIMFA-certified design
Cons
- Not the cheapest ergonomic chair for standing desks
5. Learniture Adjustable Height Learning Stool
For short users, we recommend this Learniture chair. It goes as down as 18.5 inches which makes it an excellent choice if you’re not the tallest person in the office. But it can be raised to 28” which isn’t a bad range for any height-adjustable setup.
With a good pneumatic gas lift, this ergonomic chair for standing desks is reliable in the long-term. Even its non-slip base is recognized for its durability. This leaning stool for standing desks is also made for easier leaning as it’s not as bulky as others. Chairs for standing desks can also learn how to implement height adjustment buttons from this standing stool. This best standing desk chair is also worth buying given its low price.
Pros
- Made from lightweight plastic
- 12” wide seat
- Easy to move
Cons
- Not the most durable design
| Standing desk chair | Certification | Ergonomic | Colors | Materials |
| Varier Move Tilting Saddle Stool | NEAT certification | Yes | Blue, black, grey, dark grey, red | Polyester
Recycled plastics Wood |
| Vari Active Seat | None | No | Black | Polypropylene
Steel |
| Songmics Standing Desk Chair | None | Partially | Black, grey | Polyester
Foam Polypropylene Steel |
| LeanRite Ergonomic Standing Desk Chair | BIFMA | Yes | Black | Aluminium
Polyurethane |
| Learniture Adjustable Height Learning Stool | None | No | Red, grey, black | Plastic |
Considerations on the best standing desk chair
When you’re after the best standing desk chair, you need to expect a completely different seating or leaning experience to what you might expect. This also means you might need to try out a few standing stools yourself until you find the ergonomic design that is right for you. The more you work at the standing desk, the more attention you will give such a standing chair as well.