Are you ready to take a stand? Flexispot E7 motorised desk should handle whatever you dump on it – but it's not cheap
- Reference: 1621245732
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2021/05/17/review_flexispot_e7/
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Your dreary 9-to-5 IT job might as well be a 20-pack of Gauloises, for all the good it's doing you. Or you could get a standing desk.
Standing desks allow workers to use their IT kit from both standing and sitting positions, alternate their posture throughout the day, and thus potentially stave off a fearsome collection of maladies. But they ain't cheap.
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Just look at the [5]the Flexispot E7 . This motorised sit-stand desk costs £399.99 for the legs alone. Add in a desktop surface (which you'll want to do) and you're spending between £479.99 and £519.99.
Let's talk about the most essential component of a standing desk: the motor. This raises the desktop into the standing position and lowers it back down when your legs get tired. This is the biggest weakness with cheaper standing desks, which often lack the physical oomph to lift the myriad monitors and speakers found on the typical workplace battlestation.
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Flexispot E7 control panel
Other budget options force the user to physically raise the platform, either by using a hand crank, as is the case with [7]the Ikea SKARSTA , or by [8]manually pulling it up , as we saw in 2020 with the Varidesk Pro.
The motor used in the Flexispot E7 is surprisingly capable, although you'd expect as much for the price.
My cluttered workstation contains two monitors (a 28-inch ASUS ultrawide and a 32-inch Samsung curved display), a desktop PC (albeit a lightweight Intel NUC), a 2:1 speaker system, a surprisingly heavy Samson G-Track Pro condenser microphone, as well as the usual obligatory peripherals. The Flexispot raises these with ease. There's none of the telltale stuttering or sluggishness you'll find with wheezier motors.
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Disgusting cable management
And the range of heights offered is surprisingly good. At its tallest, the desk reaches 126cm. You can also lower it to 60.5cm, for the times when you want to work cross-legged. You can also set your preferred heights through the included control panel, making the transition from sitting to standing feel that bit less fiddly. And there's a child lock, which may be handy for parents of inquisitive kids.
Flexispot offers a variety of worktop sizes and shapes, from standard rectangles to those with a slight curve. I opted for a standard rectangular model measuring 140x70cm, which has a decent amount of room and allows me to fill it with all the accoutrements of work-from-home tedium without things feeling cramped.
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But when it came to setup, the Flexispot E7 was a mixed bag. On one hand, the lower chassis was really straightforward to assemble, requiring just a handful of common screwdrivers.
Installing the desktop was similarly easy, with just one screw type needed. It did, however, require the use of a drill. As mine had died, and I couldn't find the charger, I was forced to borrow a neighbour's. The desktop is made of a lightweight MDF material, and I didn't need to apply much force to get the screws in place. During the time I've used it, it's proven resilient to scratches and coffee rings.
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Finish closeup
Sadly, the instructions left a lot to be desired. Long story short, the steps you need to follow vary depending on the size of the desktop chosen. Flexispot didn't really do a good job of making this clear. Additionally, stretching the lower half to accommodate my larger work surface was a bit tedious, and required the application of generous amounts of WD-40.
Since then, it's been smooth sailing, with few issues to speak of. The company also offers a five-year warranty, which I fortunately haven't been forced to avail myself of.
I'll admit, there's something quite pleasant about working from a standing position. You'll notice that, over time, those subtle little aches in your lower back start to fade.
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But it takes a lot of getting used to. Your first few days using the standing desk won't feel comfortable. That's not an indictment of the E7 – it's just a fact.
You're using neglected muscles and holding a posture that you don't normally take. These will fade over time, and you can mitigate against the pains in your calves by investing in a decent anti-fatigue mat. These cost anywhere between £20 and £40. ®
Get our [13]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/video/james-levine-30-seconds-on-sitting/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2YKKTIOxwkMXkoHe39Wz5HQAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
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[5] https://flexispot.co.uk/electric-standing-desk-frame-3-stage-e7.html
[6] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/05/14/flexispot1.jpg
[7] https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/skarsta-desk-sit-stand-white-s59324818/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2020/03/02/varidesk_pro_plus_standing_desk/
[9] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/05/14/flexispot6-2.jpg
[10] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44YKKTIOxwkMXkoHe39Wz5HQAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[11] https://regmedia.co.uk/2021/05/14/flexispot4.jpg
[12] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_onprem/personaltech&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33YKKTIOxwkMXkoHe39Wz5HQAAAEk&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[13] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: "Disgusting cable management"
Decent cable management is a simple job.
One cable trunk with open slots fitted at the wall side underneath the work surface (two if you have sensitive audio), and one leading down to whatever power source you have (I have a UPS) and cables are out of sight because the eye overlooks straight lines.
How effective is this? Well, I have a glass, see-through desk (hence my use of Logitech Anywhere MX mice, they work on glass), and you don't see any cables. Yes, you have to spend some time lying on your back underneath the desk looping it all in and then put the lid on it, but once done it's good for a long time, and it's not that hard to add or remove things later either.
This idea works near miracles behind a stereo and TV set, and it makes it far easier to keep it clean, very helpful with an allergy sufferer in the house (until she becomes allergic to cable trays, of course).
I used to use black Betaduct 50x50mm for it which came in 2m lengths, but it appears it's no longer made now so I'll now have to find an alternative..
Dabbsie came up with a cheaper alternative
https://www.theregister.com/2016/11/11/a_cardboard_desk_i_wont_stand_for_it_actually_i_will/
Ikea standing desks
The Ikea one I have looks to be more sturdy than the one here and seems to be more stylish than this one reviewed
The instructions for it are good and put together without any issues, though it is damn heavy and says to get it upright you should use 2 people, I done it by myself though probably shouldn't have.
Price range for the top of the range electric one is in the same price bracket as this and also has a 10 year warranty.
Ah, think how this would have struggled with CRT monitors
I think that many people forget how light modern flat panel monitors actually are.
I would not be surprised if some motorized standing desks are troubled with an original IBM model M keyboard!
Re: Ah, think how this would have struggled with CRT monitors
I have a 43" LG monster which is still a tad on the heavy side. But hey, it's also biiiig, which is why I bought it :).
Another option
After a recent house move, I decided to buy a standing desk. I'd been looking at the Tresanti model available from Costco for a while and decided it was time to make the move from a 20-odd year old John Lewis fixed desk. The Tresanti desk is glass-topped with touch controls in the top and a 3-port USB charger and a shallow drawer built-in. Available in white or black, it didn't take too long to assemble, with reasonably good instructions. Plenty of room for all the usual peripherals and no problem for the motor to raise/lower all the kit onboard. There are four memory settings to make changing heights easier and a lock button to avoid accidental activation as well as a height display by the touch area that only normally shows when movement is in progress. Solid and not too bad value. Cost can vary according to what offers Costco has on, but is currently £310 delivered for members. It would have been nice to have an under-desk shelf at the back and a cable tray, but very happy so far.
Eh?
From the article: ...and you can mitigate against the pains in your calves by investing in a decent anti-fatigue mat.
Is that what we would normally call "a bed"?
Re: Eh?
Working from bed is a slightly different career path.
better sitting
I used to have something similair to this at my work office. Very comfortable, works very well, but most often I would be too involved in what I was doing to remember to change position every so often.
My home office doesn't really have a space for anything like this, but I have found a better way in the meantime - inflatable gym ball. The great thing about it is that you are forced to maintain a correct position with straight back. Basically, if your posture isn't good, you'll fall off. It took me a couple of weeks to get used to but I wouldn't go back to an office chair again. As a bonus it can also be used for exercising as intended (really great for those boring online meetings - camera off and get a workout in while someone drones on about uninteresting stuff they invited you to unnecessarily)
The disadvantage is that the height isn't variable so it can only be reused by anyone else of the same height, and you can't move around much with it. For me that's not a problem but if you tend to want to roll around here and there while sitting, it's not the best option. It's also quite practical to store since while quite bulky, it can be rolled right under the desk and out of the way. Oh, and it costs about a tenth a high-end office chair / a twentieth of a high-end motorised standing desk.
Re: better sitting
Inflatable gym ball??? Not likely, I would prefer to use one of these instead -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_hopper
Just need to nip down to the kitchen for a cuppa.
Bouncy, bouncy!!
When the desk costs more than the PC
A friend's solution was a good deal more direct. He connected a second monitor and keyboard and had them fixed at the standing height. Then he could instantly get up or sit down at will without worrying about controls or cranks or anything over engineered.
Motor?
Considering the opening of the article is about the health risks of sedentary sitting, I would think the last thing you would want is a motor.
A crank a few times a day will add to daily cardio vascular exercise and benefit the worker.
Although frequent cranking in a busy office environment may irritate colleagues.
I built a scissor lift bench for my workshop using a scaffold jack it is easy to use even with a hundred kilo load on it.
Re: Motor?
"Although frequent cranking in a busy office environment may irritate colleagues."
Quite. Nothing worse than an office full of crankers.
Re: Motor?
Nothing worse?
A boardroom?
Am I the only one
Whose OCD is twitching because of the mismatched monitors?
Re: Am I the only one
Noop, not the only one.
I used to have mismatched monitors on my office desk until I bought a dual monitor stand.
I don't know why that should have made such a difference but it did, it was so blooming annoying I had to buy two absolutely identical monitors.
Trigger warning please
Owing to an unsavoury incident at a past place of employment, when the firing of an incompetent employee led to a significant gruntle outage, a trigger warning whenever the words "dump" and "desk" occur in the same sentence would be appreciated.
Do not use if you have kids or pets that may destroy the thing.
So the only use is for those who either work from home alone, are the Boss in their job, or whose kids are too old to mess with the thing or even better finally live in their own home. But wait... grandchildren!
Good luck explaining to your grandchildren you didn't buy them anything this time because you bought a souped out desk.
"Add in a desktop surface"
By the look of the edges of the desk top, horrible paper thin veneer (on what? MDF maybe - for over £180?). But quite apart from that ...
I have a solid desk with a massive frame dating from some time in the '60s or earlier and it works fine. OK, it doesn't rise and fall, but I get up occasionally and move around, taking a break from work. The motorised desk suggests you should keep on working, which breaches established VDU working rules.
As usual, it looks like someone has thought up trendy a way to take money without considering unintended consequences.
"Disgusting cable management"
Do you want me to send a pic of my cable management ?
Yours is positively sparse in comparison.
Don't ask my wife about it, though.