It Might Sound Odd But the Best Feature of This Desk Isn't the Standing Function

Working from home for the last three years has done a number on my back. It turns out that sitting slouched in a hard chair at a too-small desk day in and day out was a recipe for lower back pain. And based on how popular posture correctors and mattresses for back pain have been among our readers, I'm far from alone.

Since I started working from home daily back in 2020 (and now that I continue to work mostly from home), I've gone through three different desk setups—each just a slight step up from the last, but none a great solution. Determined to make a change for the better, I finally bought a standing desk. And frankly, I wish I'd done it sooner.

Buy Now: Radlove Electric Adjustable Standing Desk, $176 (with coupon) at amazon.com

I'm no stranger to a standing desk. I've used them at various jobs over the years and loved how I could give myself a mid-day break from sitting. I got a little thrill every time I pressed the button (or even used a hand crank) to raise my desk from its lowly sitting position to a taller standing one. While I might not have been standing up for long spurts, just having the option is a nice way to stretch my legs. Even if you don't stand for a long time, studies have shown a link between a reduction in time spent sitting while working and a reduction in lower back pain.

When it came time to finally buy one for my work-from-home setup, I wanted a standing desk with a big enough workspace for my laptop and second monitor, plus room for my keyboard, mouse, and notebook. I also wanted something that would blend well with my decor and have a basket or other feature to hide the untidy mass of cords accumulated when you have this many devices in one space.

This particular standing desk from Radlove on Amazon checked all of my boxes and then some. The 55 x 24-inch desk is spacious enough to fit all my necessities—including my coffee and several different water cups throughout the day. The basket on the far underside of the desk hides the mess of cords in one place. I have everything plugged into a power strip and tuck all the wires into the basket. The desk even came with some adhesive hooks to help better organize the cords and keep them (mostly) hidden.

Buy Now: Radlove Electric Adjustable Standing Desk, $176 (with coupon) at amazon.com

Having previously worked at standing desks, I knew I'd love the standing feature. And it's nice to control how tall the desk goes when in standing mode—I'm 5'11" and don't want to crane my neck at an uncomfortable angle for my many Zoom calls, whether standing or sitting. This desk allows me to program up to four different heights so you can go from standing to sitting with the touch of a button and wind up at the exact height you want every time. But I wasn't expecting how much I would adore the adjustable height—at every level.

When you think about adjustable-height standing desks, you might be so focused on the standing height that it's easy to gloss right past the desk's height while sitting. But that's where this desk shines for me. As I mentioned, I'm fairly tall. In all of my other work-from-home setups, sitting was uncomfortable because the desks were too short to maintain ergonomic lines at my eye level, shoulders, wrists, elbows, hips, and knees. Since I can adjust the desk's height even when seated, I finally have a desk that allows me to sit comfortably and with proper posture all day long.

Buy Now: Radlove Electric Adjustable Standing Desk, $176 (with coupon) at amazon.com

Ever since I found the perfect desk height for seated work, my wrists are perfectly aligned with my keyboard and mouse so I'm not concerned about developing carpal tunnel syndrome. The top third of my laptop and monitors are at eye level when sitting. My knees make a right angle with the chair and the floor. I can even cross my legs under the desk without bumping into the underside of the desk (something I could have only dreamed of doing in any of my previous desk setups!). And that back pain I mentioned? It's almost completely vanished in a matter of weeks.

Thanks to this desk, I no longer need all of the different seat and lumbar support cushions I bought in an effort to save my back. In fact, I could have saved a lot of money if I'd just chosen to invest in this standing desk a few years ago.