Sit-stand desks have gone from a niche request to something most employees expect at least the option of. The differences between models matter more than the price tag alone suggests, from how far the base lifts to how wide a desktop you can pair with it. Here's what actually separates the tiers, and how to size one to fit an existing workstation.
The base is what does the lifting, and the number of "stages" refers to how the legs telescope. For most offices, we generally recommend defaulting to a three-stage base. Three-stage bases extend both lower and higher than a two-stage base, manage heavier desktop loads more consistently across the full range of motion, and are the style we hear the best feedback on from customers after they've had one in daily use for a while. Our Deluxe Three-Stage Electric Height Adjustable Desk (starting at $724) is a good example, and the difference in cost over a two-stage base is modest given the extra range and stability you get.
Two-stage bases, like our Standard Two-Stage Electric Height Adjustable Desk (starting at $657), are still a reasonable choice if budget is the deciding factor or the desk will see lighter use, but if you're standardizing on one style for the whole office, the three-stage base is the safer default.
Our height-adjustable desks are available from 48" up to 72" wide, so you're not stuck choosing between a top that's too small for dual monitors and one that overwhelms a smaller workstation. Corner configurations, like our Deluxe Electric Height Adjustable Corner Desk (starting at $1,389), stretch that further into an L-shaped footprint for anyone running dual monitors or needing separate zones for a laptop and paperwork.
If the desk is going into an open floor plan, a privacy panel can be added above the desktop as a visual screen between neighboring workstations, or below the desktop as a modesty panel, depending on what the space calls for. Panels can be added or removed later, so this isn't a decision you have to lock in at the time of order. Our Height Adjustable Table with Acrylic Panel and File (starting at $1,407) ships with a panel and file storage built in if you'd rather start with one included.
A few things worth checking before you order: weight capacity versus desktop size, since a wider or deeper top needs a base rated for that load, especially with dual monitor arms or other equipment (this is another point in favor of a three-stage base, which tends to handle a loaded desktop more evenly through its full range); cable management, since a desk that changes height needs slack built into the cable run rather than cords pulled tight at the lowest setting; and minimum height, since two-stage and three-stage bases don't bottom out at the same point, which matters if the desk needs to accommodate a seated user or go low for other ergonomic reasons.
Our height-adjustable desks come in the same finish set as the rest of our casegoods line, including Aspen, Cherry, Espresso, Modern Walnut, Newport Gray, and Silver Birch, so a sit-stand desk can match existing storage and seating without a mismatched laminate color standing out.
Two-stage electric desks start at $657, and we'd generally point most buyers toward the three-stage and corner configurations instead, which start between $724 and $1,400 and are the range that tends to hold up best over time. Executive laminate and full-suite options start between $1,284 and $2,800 and beyond. If you're outfitting more than a handful of desks, a quantity quote is worth requesting before ordering piece by piece.
Browse the full range in our height-adjustable desk collection, or get help matching a base, size, and panel configuration to your space with free planning support.
