The highly customizable Uplift standing desk is the best addition I've made to my work-from-home setup

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As a writer, I spend hours a day working at my desk. I know it's not healthy to spend so much time sitting down, but it wasn't easy to come up with an alternative. I wanted to try a standing desk for a long time but wasn't sure I would use it enough to justify the cost. Several months ago my husband purchased a bare-bones standing desk. His desk uses a tedious hand-crank to raise and lower the desk. After the novelty wore off, my husband rarely put the effort into raising the desk again. I didn't want to waste my time or effort on a standing desk that was so hard to use I wouldn't use for its intended purpose.

I tried the Uplift V2 standing desk to see how it compares to other best standing desks. It's the brand's flagship model, customizable to your needs with a base price of $569. I liked that it is available in a size that maximizes space in my small office, has many design options, and accessories like shelves and outlets. Within just a few days, I noticed my chronic neck and shoulder pain significantly improved, and I find that I'm less distracted. Even after over a month of use, I still spend most of the day standing up. I also use a walking pad or under-desk treadmill, which helps me get over 10,000 steps daily. Without a sturdy standing desk, I wouldn't be able to reach this goal so easily.

Design

Uplift claims to have 2,000 different combinations of standing desks. It's great to have so many options, but if you don't know what you are looking for, the choices can be overwhelming. There are also pre-configured options you can browse through as well.

Almost every other aspect of the desk is customizable, from the type and color of grommets to the wheels and keypad. It's possible to build a great desk at the list price. However, some upgrades may make sense to make the desk more functional, and those may add to the cost. Some, like the finish of the desktop, are purely aesthetic. Others, like a sturdier commercial frame and clip-on shelves, might be a good investment. I found the design process fun. The Uplift website has an interactive build process that shows selections in real time. I appreciated seeing what different finishes would look like with different color frames. I also played around with different grommet covers, which included desktop outlets to a basic pencil holder so I could evaluate how different layouts might work.

Desktop options

There are 28 different desktop options, ranging from a practical whiteboard finish to a solid wood birch, and 20 options for sizes, ranging from 42 to 80 inches.

Eventually, I selected a 60-by-30-inch light reclaimed birch top with gray industrial-style legs. I had originally considered a smaller size because my office is small. However, I'm very glad I went with the larger desktop. The warm birch desktop makes my office look inviting and less sterile than a typical desk, which helps the bigger size work in my space.

Frame options

Uplift offers four frames in four different colors. The frames come in standard and commercial versions, which reach different heights, but share other core features like lifting speeds, weight capacities, and motors. All frames have 3-stage legs that allow for a greater height range and faster, precise height adjustments. The V2 has two motors, which are mounted under the desk. The commercial frame also includes a bar for added stability.

The standard frame has a height range of 25.3 to 50.9 inches and accommodates users between 5-foot-4-inches to 6-foot-9-inches tall. The commercial frame has a height range of 22.6 to 48.7 inches to suit people between 5-foot and 6-foot-3-inches to satisfy the requirements of the ANSI/BIFMA G1-2013 height standard to ergonomically accommodate 95% of office workers.

There are also two styles. The C-frame is the most popular model. Its legs and frame body are offset to the rear, which creates additional space for under-desktop-mounted accessories. The T-frame has a more symmetrical, cleaner look because the frame is centered on the desktop. This style is more practical when the desk will be used as a conference table or accessed from both sides.

However, I went with the standard C frame because it has more legroom than the commercial version, and the three-inch height difference didn't affect my needs. I often use a walking pad with my standing desk, so extra legroom is very important to me. Additionally, the commercial frame costs an extra $80, and it didn't seem worth the cost for at-home use by a single person.

Accessories

After building the basic desk, I chose accessories. Uplift includes some free accessories with many orders. My favorite free accessory is the clip-on cup holder. I drink a lot of coffee and water throughout the day. It's been a relief not to have to worry about a spill damaging my computer or the notebooks I always have scattered on my desk. I also got a free desk organizer set and a free padded standing mat, along with some other goodies. I also chose some accessories at an additional cost, including an under-mount power adapter with USB($69) two clip-on shelves ($99), and a Bluetooth adapter ($39) to control the desk with my phone. The total cost of my desk was $1,587.99. If I had wanted to bring the cost down, I could have saved $300 by going with a standard desktop option. I could also have skipped some accessories which are nice not to have but not a necessity.

Our review of the Uplift V2 Standing Desk

Setup was relatively seamless

The desk and accessories arrived in multiple boxes over a few days. I carried everything down a flight of steps to my basement office. I could easily lift all of the boxes, except the one containing the desktop, myself. The desktop is heavy and requires two people to move. However, because I ordered a solid wood desktop mine is likely heavier than some other options.

My handy teenage daughter and I put the desk together in about an hour and a half. The instructions were very easy to follow, and the set-up went smoothly. Attaching most of the accessories was also easy. Some accessories clip onto the desk and others are mounted. The desk has 48 pre-drilled mounting points under the desk so there is some flexibility when it comes to placement. With one minor exception, I could completely assemble the desk and accessories with the tools provided in the box and an ordinary screwdriver.

I only ran into an assembly issue with one accessory I ordered, a locking drawer. Installing the locking drawer requires the user to drill holes. I have to find a drill to borrow so I haven't installed this accessory yet. I think it will be useful once it's in, however, I haven't missed having a drawer and the desk is completely functional without it. Uplift has additional storage options that do not require additional drilling. If I had to place my order again, I would probably order one of those instead.

The desk works well for standing, sitting, and walking

I used the Uplift V2 nearly every day for over a month, usually for several hours a day. I shift from standing up to sitting down and walking on an under-desk treadmill. I found the desk easy to use, stable, and very functional. The functionality is in part due to how customizable the desk is. Not only was I able to choose the accessories I thought would work best for me, but I could also move them around to suit my needs. During the first week, I had my Uplift desk, I moved the clip-on shelves a couple of times until I found the configuration that worked best for me. I was surprised at how much more space the clip-on shelves created once I got them in the right place for the way I was using the desk. I've since browsed Uplift's accessory selection and may order a couple of more accessories, such as a keyboard tray, to customize the desk even more for my needs.

There are different ways to control the height

I also played around with different heights for standing and sitting. Uplift also offers a variety of keypads. The most basic model only has two buttons to move the desk up and down. This gets the job done but more advanced models display desk height and remember preferred heights. I chose the advanced keypad, which lets me save my height preferences in the keypad and also displays the height. Since finding the perfect height for standing and sitting may take some trial-and-error I think it's important to have a model that displays the height. It's even more convenient to be able to program the keypad to remember the heights that work for me. I also have a Bluetooth adapter, which allows me to use an app to adjust the height of the desk from my phone. I like the app because it also tracks my time sitting and standing, based on when I change the desk height. I can also use the app to set standing goals and send myself reminders to get up if I've been sitting too long.

The desk is smooth, stable, fast, and quiet

Uplift's website says the desk has less than 48 decibels of sound while in motion. I could not test the desk in completely silent conditions from my home office. However, I tested the difference in ambient noise while the desk was still and while in motion. The difference was about 25 decibels. The desk is silent when not in motion. I changed the height during Zoom meetings a couple of times and no one else noticed the sound.

The desk is very smooth when it moves up and down. My desk is usually cluttered with two monitors, notebooks, cups, and pens. I was a little concerned that the items on my desk would shift when I adjusted the height. I was relieved that all of my things stayed put, even though I adjusted the desk's height frequently throughout the day. Additionally, I often lean on my desk toward the end of the day, and the desk remains stable. It's also fast to move. I changed the height from my preferred standing position of 43.4" to the desk's lowest height of 25.3" in just under 10 seconds, adjusting nearly two inches a second.

Uplift says that the V2 desk can lift up to 355 pounds. I added 110 pounds of free weights to my usual set-up to see how the desk performed. Even with the considerable extra weight added, the desk didn't struggle to go up or down or wobble while in motion.

Cons to consider

Overall the Uplift V2 is a great standing desk that is highly customizable. The downside is that building the perfect desk for your needs may seem overwhelming. The price can also add up quickly if you choose a premium desktop or add many accessories beyond those that are included at no extra cost. My desk is big enough to put a filing cabinet or some other type of storage underneath. However, placing anything too close to the legs could interfere with the operation of the desk so I wouldn't recommend anything too big. The desk recognized the large object underneath because of its advanced anticollision system which probably saved both the desk and the item underneath from being damaged. I found this out the hard way when I tried to store my walking pad under my desk on its side and got an error message, requiring me to perform a reset.

Resetting the desk required pushing a button on a keypad for 30 seconds and moving it to its lowest position. It's a fast and simple process, but it can be annoying when you want to get to work. However, it does remember your settings.

Additionally, pay close attention to what is required to install accessories. As my experience with the locked drawer shows, some may be harder to install and require special tools. While this doesn't apply to most of Uplift's accessories, I wish I had paid more attention to installation instructions at the ordering stage.

What are your alternatives

If you don't have the space or budget for an Uplift standing desk, consider a convertor. When placed on a standard desktop, convertors can transform almost any desk into a standing desk. Options run from $129 to $599.

Although the Uplift V2 is one of the best standing desks we have tested, there are several alternatives, including the Flexispot E7 Pro Standing Desk. It's available in several different options but not quite as customizable as the Uplift. It has a similar starting price but is more frequently found on sale. It's smooth and stable at all heights, with a lifting capacity of up to 440 pounds is the highest I've found. However, it's not as quiet when heights.

The bottom line

The Uplift V2 is a great choice for anyone who wants to spend more time standing up while working or gaming. It's simple to use and sturdy. I feel like they anticipated my every need. Because Uplift desks are highly customizable, almost everyone should be able to find a configuration and style that works for them. There are also a variety of price points. It doesn't hurt that it also has a selection of freebies to sweeten the deal.

Even though I upgraded to a solid wood desktop at an additional cost, a basic model works just as well. I also like that I can easily move accessories, including shelves and outlets, around or add more at any time. If my needs change, I can easily shift accessories around or order additional items.