The best ergonomic desks of 2023

If your home office is a hodgepodge of mismatched furniture that leaves you achy at the end of a long day, consider the ergonomic desk. These desks can go a long way toward making your work station a little less clunky and a lot more comfortable.

By definition, the term “ergonomic” refers to efficiency and comfort; ergonomic computer desks, then, are designed with those two key factors in mind. By forcing you to sit up straight, relax your shoulders, place your wrists in a neutral position, and not get too close to your screen, they should make for a much better workday. Of course, a desk can’t actually force you to adhere to these habits—but the best ergonomic desks will make it that much easier.

• Best overall: Lillipad Work Station
• Best with storage: Nost & Host Computer Desk
• Best for small spaces: GreenForest 2-Tier Folding Desk
• Best dual-monitor: FLEXISPOT Adjustable Standing Desk
• Best for gamers: Mr.IRONSTONE Gaming Desk
• Best height-adjustable: FEZIBO Adjustable Electric Standing Desk
• Best budget: EUREKA ERGONOMIC Simple Computer Desk

How we chose the best ergonomic desks

Working from home for many means a lot of time at our desks. All that sitting and typing can do a number of our bodies. Ergonomic desks provide a range of features that can help counteract some of the effects, from height adjustability that allows you to alternate between sitting and standing, to a wider workspace, where you can incorporate desk pads and other ergonomic tools. In compiling our list of ergonomic office desks, we considered a variety of factors, including space requirements, height adjustability, what type of equipment the desks could support, whether they provided storage, price, and value.

The best ergonomic desks: Reviews & Recommendations

Whether you’re looking for a durable desk that can support two monitors or a portable, lightweight option you can use for other purposes or easily stick in the closet, there’s an ergonomic desk to suit your needs.

Best overall: Lillipad Work Station

Specs

• Material: Steel and composite
• Dimensions: 42 x 46.25 x 24 inches
• Power: Corded electric
• Weight: 67 pounds

Pros

• Comes fully assembled
• Provides generous workspace
• Designed with integrated power strip
• Portable

Cons

• Heavy 
• Expensive

If you’ve got a complex workspace with a monitor or two, laptop, desktop, and power cords, but you don’t want to sit all day, consider the Lillipad Work Station. This electric desk is available in two versions that rise to either 42 inches or 48 inches (recommended for people 5’9” and taller) that allow users to stand at an ergonomic desk height. At 67 pounds and 72 pounds each and with metal legs, these desks are more substantial that many other options on the market, but are designed with wheels for portability. 

The main selling point of the Lillipad is that it comes fully assembled and ready to go out of the box. When the UPS man delivered the box to my apartment, he struggled to get it up the steps. But once I got it out of the box, it was very easy to start using the Lillipad 42. I just plugged it in, unlocked the safety lock, and used the buttons in the righthand corner of the desk to raise  and lower it. The 46-inch wide workspace provided more than enough room for my equipment, and if you have a single monitor or two monitors, you can purchase stands for either separately from Lillipad. 

The work station also features an integrated power system with three outlets, three USB ports, and one USB-C port, so you can plug everything in and charge your devices. The desk is available with a tabletop in in four colors (maple, black, white, oak). When I was done working, it was easy to lower the desk to its lowest height of 6 inches for storage. That said, while this work station is designed with portability in mind, it’s worth noting that at about 70 pounds, the Lillipads aren’t necessarily easy to just toss in the trunk of your car.

Best with storage: Nost & Host Computer Desk

Specs

• Material: Engineered wood and steel 
• Dimensions: 47.24 x 23.62 x 55.12 inches
• Weight: 46.3 pounds

Pros

• Provides overhead and lower storage
• Modern design
• Generous workspace

Cons

• Not height-adjustable
• Made from lower-quality wood

This ergonomic computer desk checks all of our style boxes (no plastic in sight!) while still offering tons of storage and adjustable shelves. The finish is also scratch-resistant and waterproof, in case you spill some coffee. But, while some of the shelves are adjustable, the desk itself is not—meaning there’s no wiggle room when it comes to height. So you may also want to accompany this desk with one of the best ergonomic chairs.

Best for small spaces: GreenForest 2-Tier Folding Desk

Specs

• Material: Engineered wood and metal 
• Dimensions: 32 x 32 x 32.7 inches
• Weight: 20 pounds

Pros

• Comes assembled
• Provides ample workspace
• Lightweight
• Can serve a range of purposes

Cons

• Not substantial
• Not height-adjustable

Small space living demands a certain degree of ingenuity, and this ergonomic desk from GreenForest fits the bill. Available in small and large sizes, this rectangular desk comes fully assembled right out of the box. With two tiers, this desk has plenty of room for a laptop, keyboard, and mouse in its 27-inch workspace and can support two monitors on the upper shelf. The design is sleek and it can double as a writing desk, TV table, or display table. When you’re done, it easily folds down to a super slim shape. And at just 20 pounds, it’s easy to transport.

Best dual-monitor: FLEXISPOT EM7 Adjustable Standing Desk Converter

Specs

• Material: MDF, steel, rubber
• Dimensions:‎16.3 x 16.3 x 5.7 inches
• Weight: 45.3 pounds

Pros

• Allows you to work on two monitors at once
• U-shaped design
• Mechanical lift

Cons

• Not actually a desk
• No storage space

If you’d like to adjust the height of your workspace, but don’t want to invest in a whole new desk, consider the FLEXISPOT EM7 Adjustable Standing Desk Converter. The lower tier of this converter can easily hold a standard keyboard and mouse, or 13-inch laptop, while the upper tier can support two monitors. Using the handle, users can adjust the mechanized X frame in height from  4.7 inches to 19.7 inches.

It’s the unique shape of this converter is what really makes it stand out—because it’s a U (instead of your typical rectangle), it will be so much easier to interact with all of your monitors without constantly readjusting your seat. This model is available in three sizes (36, 40, and 42 inches) and two colors (black and rustic). For further options, check out the best desks for dual monitors.

Best for gamers: Mr.IRONSTONE Gaming Desk

Specs

• Material: Polyvinyl chloride, stainless steel, engineered wood
• Dimensions: 23.6 x 45.2 x 30.4 inches
• Weight: 36 pounds

Pros

• Designed with cable storage
• Comes with cup holder
• Has headphone hook

Cons

• No shelves for storage
• Not height-adjustable

Simple yet functional, this ergonomic gaming desk makes the most of every inch of space, ensuring that nothing comes between you and your game. Cluttered desktop? Slip tangled wires into the built-in cable storage in the back of the desk, and drop your soda can into the cup holder. Sans clutter, you’ll be climbing up the leaderboards in no time. For additional support during long sessions, pair it with one of the top office chairs for back pain.

Best height-adjustable: FEZIBO Adjustable Electric Standing Desk

Specs

• Material: Steel, wood
• Dimensions: 24 x 48 x 27.1 inches 
• Weight: 73.8 pounds

Pros

• Adjusts from 27.6 inches to 47.3 inches
• Available in four different heights
• Two tiers for more computer equipment

Cons

• Limited storage

This adjustable desk is actually electric, so there’s almost no work to be had in changing its height—simply tap the buttons, et voila. This ergonomic standup desk comes in four versions, with a range of heights (40, 48, 55 and 60 inches). Industrial-grade steel makes this desk extremely sturdy, and a two-tier wooden top provides plenty of room for a laptop, keyboard, mouse, and at least one monitor. This desk comes in six colors and with casters that allow for portability but also lock to keep your work station in place.

Best budget: EUREKA ERGONOMIC Simple Computer Desk

Specs

• Material: Wood
• Dimensions: 39.4 x 29.5 x 23.6 inches 
• Weight: 23.36 pounds

Pros

• Affordable
• Generous workspace
• Lightweight
• Multi-functional

Cons

• Provides no storage
• Not adjustable

In stark contrast to some of the other desks we’ve mentioned, this ergonomic desk from Eureka is as simple as it gets. Minimalism is key here: a steel frame means you’re not compromising on materials, and a very plain design makes this desk easy to assemble. You’ll miss out on some features—like a second-tier for storage, or side shelving, for example—but if you’re a minimalist at heart, this could be the desk for you.

Features to consider when shopping for the best ergonomic desk

When shopping for the best ergonomic desk, you’re going to want to consider a few factors: comfort, size, price, posture, and style. And, like most purchases, it’s rare that you can have it all—more likely, you’ll have to prioritize your needs, and shop accordingly. On that note, check out the following desks below, which were all selected with the aforementioned factors in mind.

Style

It’s no secret that ergonomic desks aren’t exactly the most stylish—in some cases, far from it. They’re designed with efficiency and productivity in mind, and, inevitably, that means that taste isn’t top priority. But that’s not to say that in order to be comfortable and maintain good posture you must forego style altogether. Find the right desk that matches your home office décor, and you can have it all. And you can pair it with one of the best office chairs.

Your space

If you don’t have a separate room for your home office, or even a designated permanent space, you’re probably looking for a desk that’s lightweight, portable, and easy to shuffle around. Maybe you want to tuck it away in a closet each evening, or simply remove your laptop and make good use of the surface area for some other task. That doesn’t mean it can’t be ergonomic. In fact, you can follow the exact same rules of sitting far enough away from your screen, for example and keeping your wrists straight, as you can with a much larger desk.

Simply put, sometimes it feels really good to completely remove any reminder of work from your space, and take back some of that work-life balance that might have otherwise been lost in our collective shift to working from home.

Number of monitors

Computer work stations vary widely depending on your job; for some, a mere laptop will do, while others need a much more, shall we say extravagant, setup. We’re talking two—or sometimes, three!—monitors, along with a host of other gear, and with that amount of screentime, only the sturdiest desk will suffice.

Beyond that, trying to squeeze everything in on top of a too-small surface area makes for a cramped, uncomfortable home office setup—thus, your ergonomic desk of choice better be quite large, too. If you prefer another option, check out these laptop stands for desks.

Work and play

We’ve already talked a lot about optimizing your workflow with the help of an ergonomic desk, but that doesn’t mean these home office beauties are exclusively for work. On the contrary, we know that so much of our social lives happen online, too, and that means we spend a lot more time at the computer than just the amount required for our jobs. Case in point: gaming, which is extremely popular, extremely fun, and extremely time-consuming, in that any hours spent behind the screen seem to simply melt away.

When you’re spending hours at a time hunched over your game of choice, it doesn’t take long before your back and neck begin to protest. That is, unless you have an ergonomic desk setup, in which case, your posture is excellent, and you’re golden.

Standing v. sitting

One telltale sign of an ergonomic desk is its adjustable height, which means you don’t have to spend all day sitting down. As the saying goes, everything in moderation, and that includes being on your feet versus being on your bottom. By cranking the desk up to a taller height, you can stretch out those legs, readjust your posture, and squeeze a little more movement into your day—without, say, running around the block.

Price

When you’re shopping for an ergonomic desk, it’s fairly easy to drop a few hundred bucks. The difference between a desk that checks all of the boxes and one that doesn’t could be some serious back, neck, or shoulder pain. And if you’re working from home, you’re going to be spending the majority of your days at this thing, so you want it to feel good and look good. We get it! That said, don’t go out of your way to break the bank. More money doesn’t always signal a superior product.

So, with that in mind, how does one find a good, cheap ergonomic desk? We’re so glad you asked. First things first: go simple. Cut out all the extra bells and whistles that you don’t really need (even if they look cool). Go for a more affordable material than say, solid wood, and be prepared to assemble it yourself. Here’s the best ergonomic desk we’ve found at an affordable price.

FAQs

A final word on shopping for the best ergonomic desk

• Best overall: Lillipad Work Station
• Best with storage: Nost & Host Computer Desk
• Best for small spaces: GreenForest 2-Tier Folding Desk
• Best dual-monitor: FLEXISPOT Adjustable Standing Desk
• Best for gamers: Mr.IRONSTONE Gaming Desk
• Best height-adjustable: FEZIBO Adjustable Electric Standing Desk
• Best budget: EUREKA ERGONOMIC Simple Computer Desk

Ergonomic desks have the potential to vastly improve your workday, so it’s worth taking the time to do some research and find out just what type of desk might be the right one for you. By taking into account factors like comfort, size, price, posture, and style, you’ll be on your way to buying the best ergonomic desks for your office in no time.

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