Electric Standing Desks vs. The WFH Desk

Buyer's Guide

Electric Standing Desks vs. The WFH Desk

The Pros & Cons

The original WFH Desk (left). Electric Standing Desk (right - image credit).

When most people think of standing desks, they automatically think of the electric options. However, these days there are several home office desk options that allow for working while standing, including our own WFH Desk.

There are many essential factors to think about when it comes to buying a desk, and most of the time, there is no such thing as a 'perfect desk.' Instead, it's all about weighing up the pros and cons and looking for what is best for you.

So, if you're considering a standing desk, but aren't sure whether or not to go for an electric one or the WFH Desk, this article should give you some idea of the pros and cons between the two options.

Pros & cons of an electric desk

Pros:
- Easy to adjust height multiple times throughout the day
- Works well for industrial style decor

Cons:
- No cable management/visible cables
- Tools usually required for set up
- Not easy to move around once set up
- Contains materials that aren't environmentally friendly
- A high-quality electric desk is very expensive
- The need for an electricity wall socket limits where you can position your desk

Pros & cons of a WFH Desk

Pros:
- Cable management helps to reduce clutter and visible cables
- Can be customized with modules & accessories
- No tools required for set up
- Easy to move around
- Crafted from sustainable materials

Cons:
- Not as easy to quickly adjust height

Adjustability

Right off the bat, an electric desk will always be the easier option for adjustability when changing your desk's height. Being able to adjust your desk height with the press of a button is great for people looking to change their working position multiple times throughout the day. However, if you aren't continually changing between sitting and standing, there are other options for you to consider.

An electric standing desk is easy to height adjust multiple times throughout the day. Image credit.

Style

Electric desks have motors and wires running through them that need to be hidden away. Sometimes, no matter what your cable management style is, you'll still have some wires visible, including the cord that's plugged into the wall for them to operate. This can make electric desks look messy and cluttered.The advantage of a desk such as the WFH Desk, is that it doesn't have any machinery or wires that need to be hidden away. This has allowed us to design a desk that's cleaner and less bulky-looking. We also have a cable management tray that helps to keep equipment chords tidied away.Most electric desks are pretty standard-looking; industrial and similar to a table.The WFH Desk blends stylishly into a typical home environment, and its natural wood grain and sanded plywood edges give the desk a unique look. The ability to customize the WFH Desk with a range of modules and accessories also allows you to choose how big or small the desk becomes, and how functional it is.

The WFH Desk can blend stylishly into your home decor.

Move-ability

Electric desks typically use metal legs and machinery, making the desk very heavy and near impossible to move around once set up. Most electric desks are two to three times the weight of a WFH Desk. They also require tools to set up.

The WFH Desk is made entirely out of high-quality birch plywood and weighs in at a total of only 48lbs; however, that total is a sum of several parts weighing no greater than 20lbs individually.

Furthermore, the WFH Desk doesn't require any tools to set up. It's easy to handle and can be moved quickly around the house. For example, it would take one person without tools, under 10 minutes, to disassemble the WFH Desk, carry it up a flight of stairs, and reassemble the WFH Desk. No helpers required!

You can easily pack down the WFH Desk in minutes, for easy storage under a sofa or bed.

Sustainability

Cheap electric desks are notorious for breaking down due to their motors burning out or the wires breaking. The wiring of electrical desks introduced the possibility that your next coffee spill could short circuit your desk into one position for life.When it comes to sustainability, WFH desks are hard to beat. The components in electric desks leave behind 'E-waste' that's non-recyclable and therefore ends up in a landfill. E-waste represents only 2% of landfill contents in America, yet it's to blame for 70% of toxic waste overall.WFH desks, modules and accessories are made from sustainable birch plywood, certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council for sustainability, and the EPA for formaldehyde emissions. They are friendly to your home and the environment!

Cost

With all of the expensive machinery and electronics that go into making an electric desk and the metal subframe, it's no wonder that similar quality electric desks are more expensive. Sure, you will find cheap offshore-made electric desks, but you will not find an electric desk in the same ballpark as the WFH Desk when you compare on quality. WFH Desks are proudly made in America from premium materials.

WFH Desks are proudly made in America from premium birchwood ply, making it strong & eco-friendly.

Electricity

Electric desks need power to operate, limiting the available positions to locate the desk around your household.

The WFH Desk can be set up anywhere and repositioned whenever you need.

So, if your kid needs a desk for a day, it can be set up in their room in under 10 mins, and then be back in your workspace the next day.

The WFH Desk can be set up anywhere and repositioned whenever you need. (Electric Standing Desk at top right - Image credit.)

Freedom of choice

We made the WFH Desk for those that wanted a choice in the desk market. It might just be the most modular desk in the world and maybe even the most simple to assemble.

Please check out our range of desks, modules and accessories below. They allow you to customize your desk to suit your needs. Ultimately the choice is yours!