by Rachel Smith
18 November 2022
I’ll admit it: the sit-stand desk trend kind of passed me by – much as I like the idea of something that forces me to stand up and work several times a day. I knew people who had them, and loved them – and swore they were more productive. So when the opportunity came along to road-test the EverDesk Max, I was intrigued.
It was delivered to my house in a LOT of boxes, as I got to choose every possible option you could ever want in a whiz-bang motorised sit-stand desk. (Full disclaimer: this post isn’t sponsored, but I do get to keep the desk and all its incredible accessories.)
I looked at it for a few days, wondering just how long it might take to put together… and then I realised there was someone far more qualified to do it: my handyman! Yay for outsourcing. It took him about 1-2 hours to assemble, and he said it was pretty simple once you’ve emptied the boxes and figured out what goes where. The only tricky bit was locking the legs in because they were a bit stiff.
I love a chunky, well-made desk and a bit of an industrial vibe – and the EverDesk Max ticks all those boxes. The super solid 160cm x 70cm desktop I chose was Raw Ashen Oak, a beautiful honey colour with a gorgeous woodgrain finish and smooth rounded edges.
The black steel legs I chose go well with the honey desktop and are extremely sturdy – probably because when the desk has all your gear on it and is moving up and down, they have to be heavy duty.
There are lots of nice touches like the UniGroove at the back of the desk, which enables your cables to stay nice and neat, but also acts as a holder for small devices like your smartphone or ipad.
Some sit-stand desks have a wind-up mechanism (which I think would wind me up after a while). The EverDesk Max has a motorised contraption that you can attach to either side of the desk – wherever suits you.
This mechanism, known as the Health Coach, is very smooth and elegant. Turn the Health Coach to the right and the desk rises up; turn it to the left and the desk smoothly lowers. Once you get to the desired height you want to stand at to work, you can press the EverDesk Max logo followed by 1, 2 or 3 to save that height. You can program in 3 different heights and simply press the number button to go to your desired height.
You can also set reminders to stand up at regular intervals. Pressing the home button for five seconds brings up the menu which has four options (sit-stand reminder, auto-lock, height limit and vibration patterns). It can remind you to stand with a motor vibration every 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes or once per hour.
Regular readers will know I love a clutter-free desk (so much so that I had a double set of wall filing cabinets installed in my home office). So I’m pleased to see that the EverDesk Max goes to great lengths to get all the crap out of your way to provide a really distraction-free working environment. It does this in a variety of ways, including:
There are even two unobtrusive shelves (small and large) that provide good storage, too. Here’s what one of them looks like in the ash colour.
Obviously, if you own a sit-stand desk you’re not going to be on your bum all day – you’ll be standing for some of it. And the EverDesk Max has, wait for it, an Anti-Fatigue Mat (which apparently reduces your fatigue significantly when standing up working).
It’s very squishy and soft and I’m a bit addicted to it.
I really enjoyed working on this desk and loved the way it created set’n’forget reminders for me to stand, which I know other desks in this category typically don’t have (you’d need to set reminders yourself).
I would say to be aware that you need the right space for it, and ideally around and above it so you can actually make use of the sit-stand function (so built in book-shelves above your desk might be a bit of a disaster, especially if you have your monitor installed on the monitor arm, and the peg board, etc!)
There’s obviously lots of evidence out there about the benefits of sit-stand desks, not least that standing for short periods during the day can reduce back and shoulder pain and you suffer less ‘occupational fatigue’. But I would also be aware that there’s an adjustment period to using something like this, and getting used to the sit-stand transitions (and the distractions that might come with that, if you’re in the flow of working on something).
The EverDesk Max also has a 10-year warranty and free shipping, plus a 21-day money-back guarantee with free collection, if you decide it’s not for you. It retails for $1500 AUD (once you add all the bits and pieces in). Head here for more info.
Northday are giving away an EverDesk Max worth $1500 to one lucky RL reader! It won’t fit in your stocking but it might be the best Christmas present you get this year…
The prize winner can select from:
AND, you’ll also receive the PLUS accessories bundle:
To win, leave a comment below about why you need a sit-stand desk like the EverDesk Max in your office. We’ll announce the winner on Black Friday, Nov 25 – here, on Instagram and in The Wrap-Up. Good luck!
After 12 years of freelancing, my new year’s resolution is to FINALLY set up an ergonomic work station. That, in a nutshell, is why I need an EverDesk Max: I’ve been hunched over my computer for more than a decade. I’m horrified just typing that. Please save me from myself.
I NEED this desk! I’ve been meaning to get a sit-stand desk, but I’m so fussy – is it wrong to want a functional piece of furniture to look good? Anyway, aesthetics aside, I need this for my arthritic knee. Sitting at a desk all day is not good for it, and a sit-stand desk will help manage it. Would love to bring this baby home to my office.
You had me at ‘UniGroove’. There are so many sit-stand desks on the market of varying quality, so thank you for showing me why the Everdesk is better than the rest. Why do I need one? Well, this desk will practically do my work for me. In fact, I possibly won’t want to be away from my EverDesk. My shoulders, arms and back will rejoice!
I would love to win this! My cheap and cheerful Ikea desk is covered in so many wires, papers, accessories and devices that I can’t even find a space to work anymore! I leave the room and work at the dining table instead. This might solve all my troubles!
Omg, I love this desk.
Cable management, laptop and screen holder. And it’s a sit/stand desk.
I need a new desk so much at the moment.
My current desk is dark and depressing… and about 15 years old.
It’s stood the test of time, but I need something in a lighter grain, and easier to manage (like with the monitor arms and cable management of this one!). I have been putting off purchasing something new, as I haven’t been able to find something that suits both my home office and my personality. This would have me bouncing out of bed in the morning to start my day bright and cheerful.
Yesterday I was writing about ergonomic setups for working from anywhere and, when I stood up, was hobbling around like a 95-year-old. Spent last night looking at various sit-stand setups online then gave up because there were just far too many options. Winning one would make my decision far easier 😂
The more time I sit at my desk, the more I realise that I need something more ergonomic. I have been considering investing in a sit-stand desk but haven’t found one that appeals but that changed when I read about the Everdesk. It would be perfect! It’s ergonomic and functional and would look great in my home office. I’d love to win this!
I’m dreaming of the day I can have a desk with this level of flexibility! Not just for the exercise, but to keep my middle-aged hip flexors in tip top shape. And also because a bit of movement is so great for creative flow, and as writers, we all need creative flow (even when we’re working on the boring stuff. In my view that’s when we need it the most). This desk would be a much-loved part of my home office setup and I’d LOVE to win.
I am already up and down from my desk all day like a jack-in-the-box with chronic pain…this desk could be the solution to all my problems, including the one where I’m still grief-stricken by the fact that my grandfather SOLD the antique roll-top desk I’d hoped to inherit to one of his mates for $50 (and a bottle of red, probably). Roll-top desk wouldn’t remind me to stand when I needed to, would it??? Take that, Grandpa!
Every year my work, be it freelance, contract or full time, is increasingly being completed at home. The growth in remote work options means that’s just going to increase. Finally, after years of commandeering the dining table during work hours and at night, and moving my stuff off to one corner for meals with the family, I’ve now got an office area. What I don’t have is a proper desk. This would totally suit my needs, and would also mean that, instead of getting up to go for a walk and stretch, I can do that while I continue to work. I have my fingers crossed.
Others say they need this desk, but I NEED this desk. I sit in the window of my dining room at my old totally unergonomic school/uni desk. This desk sits slightly too high, meaning I have to swivel my chair all the way up, but because I’m only 5’2″, that creates the problem of dangling legs, which we all know leads to cutting off the blood supply to the creative part of the brain, unless you find random box-like objects around the house that you can stack to *exactly* the right height as a footrest. Even if you do, they are somehow magically not the right height a week later. Of course, even though the desk is slightly too high, it is not high enough to stand at. For standing, which I like to do for at least an hour a day, I have to move to the kitchen divider, which is sort of high enough, but always has the junk of the husband and teenagers strewn across it, which has to be moved and then I have to deal with incessant questions and complaints about this moving of stuff (even though it is ALWAYS moved to the same place). So replacing my useless in-between-height desk would not only save my blood circulation and posture, it would also save my sanity.
I’ve spent 20 years hunched at a desk… and have a hunch it’s probably not the best idea to spend 20 more? I’ve considered a standing desk but have always been put off by how un-pretty they are – but the EverDesk is actually something I’d be happy to leave my office door open for people to see! The combo of the flexibility to sit or stand (I might even get one of those stepper thingies to give people vertigo in Zoom meetings), its pleasingness to the eye AND the fact it may even sort out my clutter for me – pick me, please!
Covid arrived and my office became home
But I missed the office store rush for supplies
So into a spare room was thrown
An ill-fitting, temporary compromise.
Three years later here it still sits
A student sized chair sinking under my weight
And a desk that’s too narrow that my knee always hits
As the height of my chair fluctuates.
An old atlas sits under my laptop
My legs are surrounded by cords
One day I may move and my laptop will drop
Then smash on the wooden floorboards.
Sometimes I stand for a break
Bent over typing like the late Jerry Lee Lewis
After five minutes my back starts to ache
How much longer can I go through this?
I do think that I need an Everdesk
For the reasons that I’ve just explained
The site of me working is not picturesque
As I sustain the pain of the muscles I’ve strained.
I’m over 50, was diagnosed with MS and left teaching to pursue full-time freelance writing – best decision ever.
My main client is a large security organisation. Recently I had to send in photos of my office set-up; desk/ chair etc for their records.
The reply from WHS? That desk should be arrested for impersonating decent office furniture (ok, so its the one I used when working in the ANZ Bank in country SA in 1996 but still!)
This has led to clarity on two points
1/ Clearly I need some decent ergonomic, stylish furniture
2/ I should never take on a client who wants content on home styling.
I desperately need this desk! I had to leave my in-house job to care for my daughter, who can’t get to school due to a couple of diagnoses that make it hard for her, so I’ve gone back to freelancing. However, my current desk is a kitchen table in the lounge room, next to the TV (where my daughter is watching ‘Modern Family’ as we speak!) and my back and neck are very unhappy about the situation. Also, the lack of a ‘home’ for my work bits and pieces is terrible for my productivity. I need help!
Doing a lot more of my freelancing work from home thanks to a new puppy and a new hip! Yes had to have the hip replaced after too many years of bad ergonomics and too much sitting – sitting is the new smoking as we’ve probably all read somewhere. So would like to do better in the future and this desk would be the best start. I did have one at one stage, but my daughter borrowed it when she had a sore hip, and I never got it back. This looks so much easier than stocking my computer and screen on a pile of thick books – my current system!
An Ode to EverDesk
Every single day I
Vent to my husband, y desk – it’s so small! It doesn’t
Even fit my laptop properly, let alone my second screen perched
Right on the edge, millimetres from
Disaster.
EverDesk Max. You’re everything I didn’t know I needed, with the
Same name as my
Kiddo. Not EverDesk. Obviously.
Max. I
Already know I love you, even though we’ve never met.
Xoxo
Wow, there are soooo many good responses. I’ve been looking at sit-stand desks recently because it is time I upgraded to one of them. Mind you, I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of years, but this year I tried a couple used by friends and I found the standing and working action was so productive, it sold me. I’ve been looking around and what I like about the EverDesk is that the cables are putaway tidily, there are some funky spaces such as the slot for my phone, but best of all is the robustness – Rach, your description about the robustness of the EverDesk sold me. The last thing I want is to be worried about my monitor falling over while the EverDesk is travelling up or down – well, I don’t want anything falling over, actually. My current setup is tired and old and needs replacing. My funky ergonomic chair would fit nicely with the desk, and the mat to stand on will be excellent. Like just about everyone else, I have various physical and skeletal pains and dysfunctions, which is why I like the idea of moving between standing and sitting during the day. But the big thing for me was identifying how productive I can be using one. Pick me please 🙂 x
When I was an in-house employee, I used to find the HR insistence on an ergonomic workspace training session a bit annoying – I honestly couldn’t see the point of it! Now that I’m a freelancer and work almost exclusively at home, I GET IT!! It’s something I’d really like to prioritise as my current setup is probably going to cause issues long term. Not only is my desk too small for my very tall body to sit at comfortably for too long, it’s also covered in the detritus of someone doing a PhD as well as freelancing! Seriously, I’m amazed I get any work done at this thing. So, this amazing EverDesk Max sounds like the answer to all my problems. The anti-fatigue mat sounds particularly amazing. I feel so lucky to have my dream job but to have this incredible desk to do it at would be heavenly! I would love to win this 😀
At the moment I’m freelancing from the lounge, and while it’s comfy and I love it, my back hates me right now. I also need to vacate the lounge ASAP as my two cats need the room.
After years of sitting at the dining table, hunched at a mini desk next to my bed, wedged at a dressing table and even cramping my daughter’s style by working in her room, in 2023 I will finally have my very own office. What a dream to have a beautiful Everdesk MAX to start my new office life right.
Like many of us tgrse days I work from home several days per week. I think by now it’s well documented that despite the many benefits of WFH, one of the downsides can be long hours spent sitting at the desk. Whereas at the office there are more opportunities for incidental movement throughout the day. I’ve been wanting to upgrade to a sit stand desk for a while, and now that WFH is here to stay, I need to do this as I’m currently using an old dining room table he weong shape & size with cables going everywhere. The EverDesk Max sounds perfect & would, I’m sure, help improve my posture & overall health & well-being. I would love to bring this desk home.
Freelance writer by day and marathon runner by night, I’m always looking for ways to maintain good posture and keep active while working. A sit-stand desk has been on my bucket list and the timeliness of this is amazing, as I’m currently experiencing increased pressure on my lower back (which reduces my productivity). Plus, the desk is super stylish and has so many fun and functional features to explore! Having a sit-stand desk means I can spend more time doing the important things in life, like storytelling and R&D, rather than worrying about sitting down all day!
This would be the answer to my problems. This is perfect timing. My freelance writing and editing business has taken a big hit this year. I haven’t been able to run my business for most of the year after spinal surgery and serious associated complications landed me in hospital for a long time. I can’t sit for long periods so the EverDesk Max would help immensely. I’d love to win this, and it would be the best Christmas present this year for sure.
This year has been a hell of a decade. As a single mum jumping back into freelancing with a 19mo at home full-time ANYTHING that helps me move my desk above a height that will stop him sending suspicious emails to my clients via my Bluetooth keyboard I forgot was still linked up – would make my life (and my client relationships) a million times better. He’s a climber, but I don’t think he could get that high (just yet anyway – god help me!)…
I used to be 5’7”. Then a year ago I found out I was 5’6-and-a-half” and now I’m inching down to 5’6 so I need a desk that can shrink with me. The height adjustments of the EverDesk Max will meet my needs whether I am sitting, standing or dancing today or in 6 years. It may even help me to elongate my spine.
After 6 lockdowns in Melbourne without a space at home to work in – I need THIS work desk!! It’ll give me the room I need to be able to create, write and deliver sparkling content – without the back ache!!
I already own and use a sit-stand desk, which I bought to help with lower back pain. But it’s the worst-designed sit-stand desk ever manufactured, because to raise it the user must LIFT THE ENTIRE WEIGHT of the desktop while bending over in an awkward position. Its slogan should be, “If you didn’t have a bulging disk before, just wait till you’ve used this desk.” Please save me from my desk!
Because enough us enough. I’m taking a stand!
I like to sit and stand. So, let’s do both! I need this desk in my loife so I can watch Kath and Kim while sitting and standing … I mean, do my very important freelance work in an ergonomic manner at this professional and practical desk. Look at moi, Rachel, look at moi. I have one word to say to you … winner! Pick moi, ploise. #noice
I’m going back to work this week, fresh from maternity leave with my first bub. This has coincided with him deciding he will only nap ON me (and the 4 month sleep regression has hit HARD). A standing desk will mean I can pop bub in the carrier, and get my work done while I stand up! This is my new freelancing business plan – I just need the desk 😉
Yes! to the practicality of the EverDesk, but an even bigger YES to the attractive, minimalist design. Living in an inner city studio, the EverDesk will be as much a pleasant place to lay my eyes, as it will be a brilliant place to write my stories. And, let’s face it, eat my lunch.
I’ve been looking for a good quality sit-stand desk for so long! And then your blog pops up in my feed and after reading it I know that the EverDesk is for me!! It means goodbye backaches and weight gain!
Perfect timing. I am very new to working from home, so before I clutter up my study with the cheapest and possibly nastiest option money can buy until I am up and running, this fancy option will be a sustainable treat. It never has see the inside of a landfill bin.
This brings new meaning to ‘thinking on my feet’, which I’ve been doing a lot more of since committing to my own business earlier this year.
After years of hunching over a sit-and-that’s-it desk, I look like a piece of macaroni.
Running your own business is wonderful. Having a straight back would also be nice.
I would love to stand tall at this desk with an Anti-Fatigue squish mat under my feet.
Thank you.
As a woman of tall stature – finding a desk to suit has been problematic. First there was the desk that I had to sit almost side saddle at, as the depth wasn’t quite enough to sit front on (conjure Jane Austen meets twisted spine and you’ve got yourself a winner). Then there was the desk with the strut underneath that my knees hit every. single. time. Resulting in bruised legs. I would love an upgrade, and the opportunity to stand – and not only help my health but my happiness.
I’ll be honest – there are probably a lot of much worthier reasons for wanting a sit/stand desk but the window in my home office is quite high and this year I’ve missed all the action on the street because I am not able to glance out my window from a sitting position. This means when the street WhatsApp group went crazy over ‘Trent the hot tradie’ emerging from his ute to finish the neighbours pool – I missed him every single time. I will never know if Trent was as hot as they said. What else am I missing I wonder? WHAT ELSE?
There once was a writer called Heva
Who was at the end of her tether!
While writing one day,
Her backbone gave way
So, she got a new desk called Ever.
The risk of ‘death by sitting’ is real, but I really need those automated reminders to stand!
Ergonomic: The buzz word of 2022
Vowing to transform the everyday habit of the worker from home
Eloquent by name, efficient by nature
Risk-averse is it’s antidote
Daring to challenge the status quo
Eager to play the lead
Showcasing to the world that:
Knowledge is power
Meditate on the buzz. Seek,
And you will find the
X-factor that is: EverDesk Max.
l am a return to work mom .Transitioning careers to the tech industry. l have spent the last five months in training and achieved my first tech certification from my dining table and still going. This means more hours working on the computer. l want a home office and l was looking at the standup desks recently. A standup desk will allow me the flexibility to work while standing and sitting which is a plus for my physical wellbeing.
I had an inferior sit-to-stand desk – let’s call it a Hyundai Getz. The EverDesk Max looks like the Rolls Royce of sit-to-stand desks! Sleek, stylish, sturdy, with thoughtful design details and while being A-class. The whole package of accessories makes the EverDesk Max stand in a league (make!) of its own.
I need the EverDesk Max in my office so I can stand during our daily team ‘stand up’ online meeting!
My current desk converts to a standing desk using a tower of textbooks to raise my laptop. To convert to a sitting desk, I remove the textbooks. Upgrading to an Everdesk Max would not only transport me to 2022, but I might also used the textbooks for what they were intended.
I need a little motivation. A reminder to stand up and get my body moving sounds like a great way to do it! I’m finding sitting all day, with no people around has me feeling stuck. Get me unstuck you fabulous desk
Most of us don’t think twice about our workday routines. However, if you spend the majority of your day sitting in an office chair, one particular piece of office furniture might be beneficial to your long-term health. For businesses that are more cost-conscious, manually adjustable desks are fantastic. Some are straightforward enough for an employee to change themselves, while others require someone in the workplace to be trained as the “technician.” Fast Office Furniture is aware that a productive office setting promotes good health. We strive to create a functional, energizing, and toxin-free environment for you to work in by incorporating healthy elements into it.
I placed an online order and had an unpleasant experience with customer support team, when I tried to reach out to them about size of the product ( too big for my space) I had purchased online. Unfortunately, I found that there were limited options for contacting them in Australia – and no contact number available.
As a result, my concerns were not addressed in a timely manner, and I was left with no other option but to return the product.
As a customer, I expect to have options to contact customer support, and a contact number should be readily available. However, in this case, the lack of options for contacting customer support left me feeling frustrated and dissatisfied with the company’s service.
While I cannot speak to the quality of the product itself ( trying to return the product as-is), I must say that the customer support experience was a major disappointment.