Are Officeworks Standing Desks Worth It?
Officeworks standing desks may not be the first choice of standing desks in Australia given the large choice of products the retail offers. But some of these standing desks aren’t expensive and may be tempting for those shopping on a budget.
Key Takeaways:
- Officeworks standing desks are worth it for users on a budget but they lack features and premium finishes.
- Their maximum load capacities (50kg to 120kg) are very low compared to other standing desks.
- They are a cheap option and ideal for students and young professionals who don’t require all the bells and whistles.
Should You Buy An Officeworks Standing Desk?
Officeworks offers four entry-level manual and electric sit-stand desks that range between $329 to $739. Built for affordability, the range includes several choices of desktop materials including oak, walnut, and plain white. Despite being affordable, they do lack a lot of customisation options and accessories that premium brands offer.
Standing desks from Officeworks are best suited to those who don’t have a large budget or want a no-fuss desk. People who use heavy equipment or office supplies should look elsewhere as the maximum load capacity of Officeworks desks is poor.
Who Are Officeworks Standing Desks Best Suited To?
Students and young professionals are among those most likely to use these desks, together with other professionals working in large offices where expensive brands and other desks aren’t feasible. Since there are only 3 memory height settings on Officeworks desk controllers, these desks aren’t as practical for those who like frequent height adjustments, a reality in offices where multiple workers may be sharing the desk space at different times of the day.
Are There Alternatives To Officeworks Standing Desks?
Officeworks is situated within the affordable to mid-range section of the market where they are on par with standing desks from Ikea. If you prefer more up-market materials and accessories to choose from then you can consider these leading Australian brands.
- UpDown PRO – Arguably the best sit-stand desk in Australia due to its unique hardwood tops, unbreakable frame, 100-day trial period and 10-year warranty.
- Desky Dual – The workmanship of the Desky Dual is second to none and should be a strong consideration if you value functionality and practicality. It has the best cable management and power board system.
- Zen Space Pro Series – The Pro Series of standing desks stand out for their quality materials, industry-leading warranty and the ability to set up a financing plan made up of separate payments.
- Omnidesk Pro – If you need specific accessories for a specific purpose then the Omnidesk Pro is a great option. At an economical price point, these are great standing desks for gaming or people who need flexibility in how they work.
What Officeworks Standing Desks Are Available?
Officeworks sells several manual and electric height adjustable (plus desk risers). An adjustable standing desk bought from Officeworks comes in various lengths, mainly from 1.5 to 1.8m (there’s no 2m desktop). Price ranges are dependent on size and motors. The most expensive standing desk is an L-shaped one that is over $1.000.
Related: Rectangular or L-Shaped standing desks: Which is better?
The Matrix is the model that elevates manually using a crank-shaft design and comes in standard lengths of 1.2m and 1.5m.
The Newhaven, Stilford (L-shaped), Brighton, Matrix Executive are the electric stand-up desk choices from Officeworks. Apart from affordable pricing, Officeworks offers a market-leading 15-year frame warranty for the frames of its electric desks.
Officeworks Standing Desks Compared
The range of electric and manual standing desks on offer from Officeworks is summarised below. Of course, they also sell a number of fixed-height standing desks.
| Matrix | Matrix Executive | Newhaven | Stilford S2 | |
| Type | Manual crank | Electric dual motor | Electric dual motor | Electric dual motor |
| Pricing | $269 to $359 | $459 to $489 | $499 | $739 to $1,349 (L-shaped) |
| Max. Weight Capacity | 100kg | 100kg | 50kg | 120kg |
| Max. Height | 1.22m | 1.22m | 1.22m | 1.23m |
| Features | Foldable crank handle | USB charging port | USB charging port, in-built drawer | USB charging port |
| Height Presets | None | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Officeworks Standing Desk Considerations
A combination of large, small, manual, and electric standing desks is offered by Officeworks. Designed both for the home office environment and for modern offices, these desks offer similar build quality but differ in sizes, weight limit, design, and other features
Pricepoint
Standing desks from Officeworks will cost you between $329 to $739 excluding any accessories. The L-shaped Stilford desk is priced at around $1,299 which is fairly competitive compared to other popular corner standing desks. With these prices, these desks are ideal for first-time standing desk buyers.
For example, Ikea’s Bekant sit-stand desk which measures 1.2m x 0.8m retails for $629. Officeworks offers similar electric sit-stand desks that are slightly cheaper such as the Matrix Executive (1.2m x 0.71m) which retails for $459 and is approximately 25% cheaper. Setting Ikea aside, an Artiss standing desk that is similar in size (1.2m x 0.6m) retails for a similar price of $573.
Features
Standing desks from Officeworks come with the bare essentials including a steel frame, particleboard desktops, adjustable feet to help desk stability, anti-collision mechanisms, and a digital display (with USB charging port) capable of saving 3 or 4 height presets.
Materials and colours
For a line of budget standing desks, it comes as no surprise that hardwood tabletops are not available. Instead, their desktops are made from particleboard that is coated with a scratch-resistant melamine finish for protection. In terms of finishes, Officeworks offers a limited selection comprising contemporary white, oak, and walnut desktops.
Its limited range of desktop materials and colours also extends to its frames that only come in powder-coated black and white. Whilst this may satisfy most customers, grey is not an option for those who have an idea of how they want to style their workplace.
The disappointing aspect of Officeworks is the lack of natural wood surfaces to choose from. Even bamboo, an extremely common and sustainable material used in standing desks is not available. If you prefer the woodgrains and ambient appeal of woods such as rubberwood, oak, acacia, pine, and cedar then don’t shop at Officeworks.
Cable management
While there are no included cable management trays with these desks, some of the more expensive ones feature pre-drilled holes for easier cable management.
Matching cable trays are offered by Officeworks as a separate purchase. For a modest $79, you can purchase the largest cable management tray, compatible with the Stilford S2 series of desks to clear up office space and clutter on the adjustable desk. But whilst their length is on par with other brands, the depth isn’t that good which means that you need to get creative with how your cables are tied and looped.
Weight limit
Another limitation that needs to be taken into consideration is the poor load capacities of desks from Officeworks. To illustrate, the maximum load capacities of their four standing desk models are 100kg (Matrix and Matrix Executive), 50kg (Newhaven), and 120kg (Stilford S2).
The Stilford S2 desk has the highest weight capacity of 120kg pales in comparison to the 150kg that comes with the top desks such as the UpDown PRO.
The lower 50kg weight capacity is specific to the rather compact Newhaven model. This is the smallest desk from Officeworks. This desk could potentially only be used as a workstation for a laptop and monitor.
Available sizes
Officeworks sell their standing desks in the commonly available 1.2m, 1.5m, and 1.8m lengths. However, the width of desks ranges between 0.70m and 0.72m which makes it difficult if you want to use monitor arms or a stand. From personal experience, you need a desk that is at least 0.75m deep to ensure you have enough space for your keyboard, laptop, and monitor arms.
Advantages Of Using An Officeworks Standing Desk
Not being a top-quality standing desk doesn’t mean there are no advantages to be had from buying and using an Officeworks desk.
Ideal price points for first-time buyers
With premium stand-up desks costing upward of $800, students and young professionals may be among the key users of these desks as well as those setting up their own home office space on a limited budget. Desks from Officeworks are also cheap options for those who undertake creative and hands-on jobs like painting where spending big on a premium desk would be an ill-placed investment.
If you foresee a desk being damaged or covered in dirt then it makes sense to buy a cheaper model like those from Officeworks, particularly since standing desks are tax deductible.
The desks can be tested in local stores
Most sit-stand desks in Australia are exclusively sold online and some are even shipped from abroad. So there isn’t much opportunity to see them in person. But this is an aspect where Officeworks shines. This means there’s always a type of customer Officeworks targets. It’s a customer that likes to test out the desks in person first. There are 7 Officeworks stores in Sydney alone.
A basic setup that does the job in terms of ergonomics
The ergonomic benefits of standing and sitting while working are the same for cheaper and expensive standing desks. For some users, it’s just about getting that elevation to sometimes work while standing, without any extras. Officeworks offer these types of basic standing desks.
Class-leading frame warranty on the more expensive desks
Surprisingly, these desks have good warranty policies. The sturdier and more expensive Stilford S2 desks even offer a 15-year frame warranty and a 5-year electric components warranty.
The Downsides Of Standing Desks From Officeworks
While affordable, Officeworks standing desks have some limitations.
Cheap desktop materials
Particleboard with a melamine finish is a standard material for desktops from Officeworks but they aren’t the best quality for their durability or appearance. As a result, Officeworks also falls short in terms of the materials and aesthetics of their standing desks.
Not all desks are stocked in stores
The full range of standing desks is only available online at Officeworks.com.au. Even more, some of the better standing desks that cost more aren’t available in stores and they are available for shipping online based on online orders.
Lack of accessories
The only accessory you can purchase is the cable management tray ($79). It lacks depth in its dimensions but does come with its cable spine which is nice since this is usually a standalone purchase elsewhere. Apart from that, you are on your own when it comes to standing desk accessories. Monitor arms are a popular accessory choice but there are none so you’ll need to find a solution elsewhere.
Overall, the selection made available by Officeworks is basic and lackluster.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Silford S2 is the best Officeworks standing desk. Backed by a 15-year frame warranty, it features the highest weight capacity of 120kg. Extras such as having a built-in USB charging port also make it the top choice from the retailer.
Officeworks standing desks don’t wobble. Stilford S2 elevates to 1.23m and remains stable almost throughoutexcept, with the exception of its highest elevation but this is normal for most standing desk brands.
It’s expected for Officeworks standing desks to last at least 8 years, with some expected to last more than 15 years if they are well looked after. Based on durable steel frames, these desks are sturdy and while not made from hardwood, even their desktops are scratch-resistant.
Conclusion
Cheaper than other Australian market standing desks, Officeworks desks are simplistic but reliable. They offer impressive warranty policies for the price. These desks also lack the personality of hardwood sit-stand desks as well as the more complex digital controllers which feature at least one more height prests on its main rivals.
On the other hand, they are among the few standing desks that can be seen in stores, a major advantage to those living in Sydney, Adelaide, Brisbane, or Perth. So if you’re wondering if standing desks are worth using, the range from Officeworks is a great way to find out with its economical price point. But if you want to avoid any buyers remorse, you might want to consider a premium standing desk from UpDown or Desky.
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