With so many jobs requiring us to sit at a desk all day, it’s easy to fall into a rather sedentary lifestyle. With the new popularity of standing desks, you can now work while improving your health, posture, and even mood. And a lot of us (looking at me) could stand to be in a better mood, especially with the stress work can bring.
The problem is electric standing desks could cost you upwards of a thousand dollars. But if you’re looking for something under that price point, the Apex Standing Desk Elite Series 71 comes in right around $600, making it much more affordable.
For the price, it offers a lot for the money, but just how reliable is it? We’ll dive a little deeper into that here, as well as cover the durability, electronics, cosmetics, shipping, assembly, and how it compares to others on the market.
If you have a main feature in mind, you can check out the table of contents below. Otherwise, let’s see what this ApexDesk Elite Standing Desk has to offer.
“Stand” Out Features
Easy Assembly
The ApexDesk Elite Standing Desk is easy to assemble. With electronic components and a large surface area, you may not expect that. But it takes less than 60 minutes to put together – from unboxing to assembly. You will probably need two people, so unless you want a big challenge, don’t try it alone. The 71-inch desktop and steel legs are very heavy – and large – weighing about 155 pounds.
It’s much easier to assemble where you’ll be using the desk, rather than moving it once assembled. So be sure to put this together where you need your desk to be. Once you get everything unboxed, it should only take 30 minutes or so to complete. This isn’t as fast as VariDesk’s advertised 5-minute assembly, but the parts all ship together, where VariDesk ships the legs separately, meaning you often have to wait a few days in order to get all the pieces together.
Quick Adjustment Speed
The ApexDesk Elite Standing Desk has a very quick adjustment speed, lifting 1.5 inches per second, great for a desk of this size. The desk itself raises from 29 inches to 48 inches high, so you can go from lowest to highest with the push of a button in a matter of 12 seconds. It comes with a six-button programmable controller and four customizable presets so you can set it to your ideal height.
Large Workspace
The ApexDesk Elite Standing Desk offers a huge workspace. The desk is 71 inches wide, nearly a whole foot wider than most desks of this type you’ll find. It measures 33 inches at its deepest and 29 inches at the narrow cutout section of the desk. If you need a standing desk for two monitors or even a 3 monitor standing desk, this will accommodate all of it.
Ergonomic Curved Desk
Where most desks are rectangular-shaped, the contoured “cut-out” on the ApexDesk Elite Series desktop brings you 4 inches closer to your work. Not only does it provide plenty of room for all of your things, it still allows you to stand closer to reach whatever you need with ease.
Solid Steel Construction
The legs are made of solid steel frame construction, giving you a sturdy base to support the weight of your monitors and accessories. This Apex desk can accommodate a weight capacity of up to 225 pounds (or the weight of an adult panda bear), so you can really load this thing up.
The actual desktop surface is made of a strong, durable MDF textured wood grain laminate. It has a nice, smooth finish with rounded edges, so you don’t have to worry about any sharp corners.
Cable Management Tray
With the streamlined look of this desk, it’s only natural to see cables hanging around. ApexDesk used to sell a cable management tray separately, but they now include it in the purchase. That was a big complaint before, so it’s nice that they added this feature.
Color Options
Because no room is alike, it’s great to have color variety when choosing your desk. The ApexDesk Elite standing desk comes in black, grey, white, walnut, bamboo, red apple, and light oak. You can choose from a white or black steel frame. With so many options, you’re sure to find the color that best suits your style.
Budget-Friendly
While seven to eight hundred dollars isn’t exactly pocket change, it’s certainly a good value for the money if you want a strong, wide electric standing desk.
You can pay less, but you won’t get as large of a workspace or a long-lasting motor. The bases aren’t as strong on the cheaper models, so the desks tend to wobble more, the higher it lifts. This desk has a quick lift and a very stable desktop even at its highest setting.
The Jarvis desk has a 72 inch top, but it will cost you nearly $200 more.
For the surface space you’re getting, the ergonomically curved top, and the quick adjustment speed, this is actually a very affordable standing desk.
The Downsides
Warranty and Electronics
ApexDesk offers only a two-year warranty on electronics and five years on the frame. While it’s nice to have a warranty, a desk of this type would ideally come with more. You want at least three years when you’re investing in an electric standing desk.
Since the electronic components are the most expensive thing to fix once they go bad, longer warranty matters. They don’t use the highest quality electronics either, so you’ll want to keep this in mind when purchasing.
Stability and Rise
This desk becomes a little less stable the higher you raise it. While it isn’t a problem for everyone, it’s important to know you may have a little shaking at the highest level, which is generally a problem with electric standing desks.
It’s not the most fluid rise, either, although it is quick. You may need to stabilize your monitor(s) if you do plan to raise this up and down frequently.
Surface Material
Although the textured wood laminate is nice and durable, the top is sometimes inconsistent. You may not get a seamless design, and the laminate is easily scratchable. You may need to use a desk pad if you want to keep the top looking great.
What Do Customers Think?
Shipping
Some customers experienced shipping damage. This isn’t that hard to imagine, since the top of the desk comes in one large, heavy box, making it easier to get mishandled on the truck. Not everyone had problems with the shipping, but it could be an issue considering the size.
Although this can be frustrating, the common consensus amongst those who experienced shipping damage was that there was a quick customer service response. The new parts were shipped out in a matter of days. You can’t fully blame the manufacturer for shipping problems, but it’s nice to know they will still take care of you if there is a problem.
Durability
The majority of users have no complaints about the durability of this product, although some complained that the motor can sometimes get stuck. This is where a good warranty would be useful. One customer said his desk lasted less than two years, but even that should be covered by the two-year warranty on electronics.
Wobble Factor
One thing you’ll probably experience with a standing desk is a little bit of wobble when it’s elevated. And while some do report slight wobbling, the majority of customers find it to be quite stable, even when raised.
Make sure to use a good monitor arm to reduce any possible monitor shaking, which could cause dizziness. Really tightening all screws during assembly will reduce the wobble.
Cosmetic
There are some complaints that the desk surface scratches easily, although most people love the look of the desk and the wide working space, complete with the ergonomic curve to maximize your productivity.
Value
The overwhelming majority of people rave over the value of this desk, with one particularly satisfied customer claiming that this ApexDesk Elite Standing Desk was well worth the money and could probably be sold for more money.
Responsive Customer Service
So the warranty could be better, but one of the pros people mention is the responsive customer service. If there was a problem, whether shipping damage or broken electronics, ApexDesk was quick to address the issue and send a replacement.
Easy Assembly
Another repeated praise of this ApexDesk is how easy it is to assemble. Furniture assembly can be tedious and frustrating, especially when you’re working with electronic components. This desk, however, is easy to assemble.
The only frustration you may experience is in moving the large surface top through tight corners.
Things to Keep in Mind
Noise
Although the noise from the electronic riser isn’t too loud, it is noticeable if you’re using this desk in a shared space. Fortunately, it’s a quick rise so the noise will only last a few seconds.
Monitor Arms
You may need a monitor arm to secure your monitors to the desk, but it’s a great standing desk for two monitors. If you need at least a 3 monitor standing desk, this desk has the weight capacity and surface area to support it.
Tighten Hardware
To minimize the desk wobbling, make sure you fully tighten all hardware during assembly. The more secure the fit, the more stable the desk will be.
How High
If you’re taller than 6’3, you might find this a little low. There are other tall standing desks out there, but this one only reaches 48 inches, making it ideal for most people, but not so great for anyone on the taller side.
Initialization
The ApexDesk Elite Series desk must be initialized before you first use it, and ApexDesk claims it may even need to be re-initialized (or reset) every once in a while.
Benefits of Standing Desks
Standing Is Better For Your Health
You burn more calories while in a standing position than you do when you sit all day, which could lower your chances of gaining weight. Some studies have found that standing helps lower blood sugar better than sitting, especially right after you eat.
Sitting for prolonged periods of time could increase your risk of heart disease, which is why a standing desk could help lower your risk for heart disease and allow for better blood flow.
Standing Reduces Pain And Promotes Good Posture
Sitting for long periods of time can cause stiffness in the joints and pain in the back. By standing, you can help reduce back and neck pain by extending the spine to its natural shape, rather than slouching over in a chair.
If you’re using the desk at the correct height, standing forces you to stretch out your spine. There is no chair to slide around in. I usually end up in a curved, unnatural position after I sit for too long, no matter how ergonomic my chair is. I just naturally tend to slouch, which is why standing often keeps me from experiencing soreness.
Standing Improves Your Mood
Although it’s not a scientific fact, studies have found that people who stand at desks feel less stressed and tired than those who sit all day at work. Not only did their mood and energy levels improve, but they reported more productivity in those who stood than in those who sat all day at work.
If you’re starting to get drowsy at your desk, don’t just reach for the coffee. Try standing for a while, and see how much it actually helps.
Bottom Line
Of course, the best way to maintain good health is to get regular exercise and consistent walks, but you are more active when in a standing position, rather than a sitting position. You will naturally move around more than when you’re simply sitting all day in one spot.
Despite all the numerous benefits of a standing desk, though, standing for too long could cause back, leg, or foot pain. Make sure you walk around, take breaks, or have a quick seat if you start to feel any discomfort. There are a lot of good standing desk stools if you need to take a load off.
Final Thoughts
If you want an electric standing desk that won’t break the bank, provides a huge stable work area, and assembles easily, you won’t find a better value for your money than the ApexDesk Elite Series 71 Electric Height Adjustable Standing Desk.
The quick adjustment makes it easy to adjust your desk to any height, and ApexDesk is quick to respond to any problems or concerns.
If you want to check out some other Dual Monitor Standing Desks, click here.
If you want a good tall standing desk on wheels, check out some of the best here.