UpDown Desk Review: Why You Need An Electric Standing Desk

Shell & Katy Pretty Fluffy Editors

Katy and Shell are two style-savvy dog mums who celebrate the best in pet-friendly living. A professional pet photographer and dog lifestyle writer, together they bring dog-friendly inspiration, pet product recommendations, dog treat recipes, pet expert advice and the best in emerging and designer dog brands into the homes of discerning pet parents around the world.

At the top of our to-do list for 2023? Getting our home office organised – and finding the perfect Australian standing desk.

That’s right, we’re all about jumping on the home organising bandwagon at the start of the year! Especially if it means improving the daily running of our two dog-obsessed businesses (when we’re not writing for Pretty Fluffy, we’re photographing dogs and families at Dogfolk).

Now it’s no secret that your work environment plays a huge role in your productivity. It’s one of the key reasons why electric standing desks have long been a hot topic.

And after having our UpDown Desk Pro Series electric standing desk for over 3 months, we’re happy to report that standing desks absolutely do live up to all the hype. Especially this one!

So, if you’re looking for the best electric standing desk in Australia to upgrade your home office – here’s why we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend UpDown Desk. 

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Australian Standing Desk Review: UpDown Desk PRO Electric Standing Desk

Before we get into our standing desk review, let’s take a quick look at the top reasons why standing desks are good for you, and why they have become so popular!

The main benefits of standing desks vs sitting

Now we’re not sure about you, but Katy and I tend to get restless when sitting in the same position for too long. Which is never good, because when we’re restless, we’re easily distracted (cue the funny TikTok videos, reading cute dog lover quotes or staring at adorable puppy photos!) 

So, when we discovered that one of the main benefits of standing desks is increased productivity, this was music to our procrastinating ears.

But just how do standing desks boost productivity? It’s really quite simple! 

Being physically active, even in small amounts, boosts your energy levels. Which in turn, helps you stay alert and more focused on your work. 

And when you’re feeling energised at work, this ultimately boosts your mood and sense of productivity. All in all creating a much more positive work environment.

But the positives don’t end there.

The health benefits of standing desks

It’s no secret that as technology has evolved over the years, so to have sedentary lifestyles. Which is a serious issue, because increased physical inactivity brings a greater risk of obesity-related conditions such as heart disease and diabetes. 

But this is where standing desks can help make a difference: by avoiding the health risks linked to sedentary behaviour.

A study on bus conductors found that those who stood all day, actually halved their risk of heart disease-related deaths compared to the seated drivers.

A further study found that alternating between standing and sitting every 30 minutes reduced blood sugar spikes by over 11%.

Switching from a sitting to a standing desk has also been shown to reduce chronic back pain, improve circulation and decrease overall stress levels. 

Australian standing desks even made the list of physical activity recommendations by the Australian Government’s Department of Health.

So if you’ve been wondering whether standing desks are better for you, you now have the answer!

Ok, but does a standing desk help you lose weight?

Oh how we wish this one was true!

While it is true that a standing desk increases your physical activity levels and daily step count (in turn helping you shave off some extra calories) don’t mistake this for thinking a standing desk will actually help you lose weight.

As shown in a Harvard report on the truth behind standing desks, standing only burns a slightly higher amount of calories than sitting (around 80 calories burned per hour sitting, to 88 calories per hour standing).

So while you’re probably not going to lose weight, the many benefits of sit stand desks – including increased physical activity, energy levels and productivity – still far outweigh that of traditional sitting desks.

Standing desk checklist: Why we chose UpDown Desk

When we began our hunt for an Australian standing desk, we knew it had to be:

• An electric height adjustable standing desk
• Big enough for us both to use at the same time
• A white desk to compliment our decor and shoot product flat lays 
• A standing desk with drawers to stay tidy and organised
• A sturdy, good quality design to stand the test of time
• An Australian company as we wanted to support local business

After reading several reviews by industry experts on the best electric standing desks in Australia, it was hard to ignore that UpDown Desk kept coming out on top.

Case in point: UpDown Desk was recently chosen as the overall best standing desk in Australia by Expert Easy, Arielle Executive and Finder.com.au.

Plus, if like us you always check a company’s Google star rating before making a purchase, you’ll be happy to know Updown Desk is sitting on a very impressive 4.9 stars out of 5 (based on a whopping 215 reviews at the time of writing).

Enough said, really!

Review: UpDown Desk Electric Standing Desk Australia

It’s been 3 months since putting our UpDown Desk Pro Series electric standing desk to the test. 

Here’s how we went – starting with the pros!

What we loved:

Modern, high quality design: We love the sleek and sturdy design of our standing desk – there’s no question it’s beautifully made. You know how some desks have that cheap look and feel to them? Well this aint one of them. We know this will be the last electric standing desk we’ll own – it’s going to be a central feature of our home office for years to come.

Stylish and practical melamine surface: As product photography often lands on our to-do list, we opted for the white melamine desktop and we just love it. The melamine surface is so soft and elegant, yet it’s durable too. It’s also very easy to wipe over and keep clean, and is resistant to moisture and staining – a big plus for a white desk that is a little more vulnerable to the elements!

Space for two: We needed a desk that was long enough for us to work together when needed, and this desk easily accommodates both of us, our laptops, and an iMac. It’s the perfect standing desk if you need dual monitors for work, a printer, or space for files or document trays. The desk sizes in the PRO series are 120x75cm, 150x75cm and 180x75cm. We have the mid range size at 150cm.

Easily switch between sitting and standing: The uber sleek control panel has four different memory buttons to set your sit or stand height at the touch of a button. There’s also up and down buttons to adjust the height as needed.

Power saving mode: The control panel switches off automatically after 15 seconds, so there’s no need to worry about increased energy costs.

100 day risk-free trial: UpDown Desk offer an excellent 100 day risk-free trial period on all PRO Series desks and accessories. If you’re not happy for any reason, they will happily offer a full refund – and will even pay the return postage. 

Generous warranty period: Also on offer is an impressive 10 year desk frame and electrics warranty, and 5 year desktop warranty. Customer peace of mind seems to be a real priority for the team at UpDown Desk, and we love to see it.

Personally, we struggled to find any real ‘cons’ with our adjustable standing desk – but whether or not this model is the right choice for you will wholly depend on your workspace and personal circumstances.

So, here’s a few things to think about before purchasing with UpDown Desk.

Things to consider:

Be mindful this is a heavy desk: With an overall weight of 41kgs, this standing desk isn’t the best choice for you if you’re after something lightweight that’s easily portable.

It’s not the smallest desk out there: If your work area has limited floor space and you’re looking for a small home office desk, this probably isn’t the best option for you.

Desk assembly: While the desk was easy to unpack, it’s definitely a two person job to assemble all the individual desk parts, which can be quite heavy too. However, UpDown Desk have handy installation videos available, and for an additional fee, they’ll assemble the desk for you. Easy!

Price may be a sticking point: UpDown Desk Pro Series standing desks aren’t the cheapest in the market, but they are among the highest quality of electric standing desks you’ll find. Prices depend on the desk size and desktop material, but generally start at $879 for a Melamine desktop, and go up to $2399 for hardwood designs. 

Recommended standing desk accessories

These optional accessories are designed to maximise your comfort and productivity while going about your day-to-day tasks.

Here are a few of the optional accessories we are using with our electric standing desk that we can highly recommend:

• Metal desk draw: A lockable sliding draw for storing essentials (tip: the top of the draw can also be used as an extra shelf!)
• Anti-fatigue mat: Provides comfort and support while standing for long periods of time.
• Cable tray: Keeps power cables tidy and organised (no unruly power cables in sight!)

Where to buy the UpdownDesk PRO Series electric standing desk in Australia

Comparing the best standing desks in Australia

As we mentioned above, we’re certainly not alone in recommending UpDown Desk, with several industry experts rating them as having the overall best standing desk in Australia.

However, the right desk for you will depend on your specific needs such as your height, overall office space, whether you prefer electric or manual height adjustment, and of course your budget. 

We hope you’ve found our standing desk review and experience with the UpDown Desk PRO Series helpful!

For further information and product specs, visit the Updown Desk website.