In search of a height adjustable standing desk

02 Aug 2019

I was searching for a height adjustable standing desk for my personal use. I searched online and went to some store and local vendors to see the demo.

What are the features I was looking for?

  • Electric/motor based
  • Table Top 5 feet x 2.5 feet
  • Preset memory (Good to have, not mandatory)
  • Flipper box with cable management (not mandatory)

What were the options available?

Feather lite

Feather lite is the first one I went to see the demo. They had both manual and electic. Personally, I felt it bit expensive and take 1 month to ship. Also they don’t offer any free home delivery. Different showrooms had different prices, so I recommend to take quotation from multiple showrooms.

  Features       | ❌ / ✅
---------------- |-----
 Price (Total)   | 51K-55K (Including GST)
---------------- |-----
 Electric        |  ✅
 Table Top       |  ✅
 Preset Memory   |  ❌
 Flipper box     |  ✅
 5 x 2.5 feet    |  ✅

They have only 2 options available in table top, either white or maple. On motor, Featherlite provide 1 year warrenty.

Feather lite Manual
Feather lite Manual
Feather lite Electric
Feather lite Electric

Rife

Rife sells the table without table top and you have to assemble youself with their guide. Since the vendor is from delhi, I couldn’t get any demo as they don’t have any showroom in Bangalore.

  Features       | ❌ / ✅
---------------- |-------
 Price (Total)   | 40K-46K (Including GST)
---------------- |-----
 Electric        |  ✅
 Table Top       |  ❌
 Preset Memory   |  ✅
 Flipper box     |  ❌
 5 x 2.5 feet    |  ✅

The interaction with customer care of Rife was not that pleasent. They will try to sell the programmable preset memory panel with extra charge even though there is simple control panel comes default with the frame. Rife also provide 1 year warrenty on motor.

Kufallo

Kuffallo is based in Bangalore & one of the low cost option available. I went and saw a demo in their office in JP Nagar. The major issues I saw with Kuffallo was the stability. When we adjust the height the table was trembling heavily. Also the demo I saw was 4 x 2 feet. Even we customize and put 5 x 2.5 feet table top there is high chance that it might go wrong.

  Features       | ❌ / ✅
---------------- |-----
 Electric        |  ✅
 Table Top       |  ✅
 Preset Memory   |  ❌
 Flipper box     |  ❌
 5 x 2.5 feet    |  ❌

Kuffalo desk

Pepperfry

The last one I enquired was Pepperfry. Since this was sold by third party seller pepperfry didn’t had any item for demo in their showroom. Also they don’t do any customization of table top to the desired (5 x 2.5).

  Features       | ❌ / ✅
---------------- |----
 Electric        |  ✅
 Table Top       |  ✅
 Preset Memory   |  ❌
 Flipper box     |  ❌
 5 x 2.5 feet    |  ❌

Summary

For the quick comparison of feature and price this summary will help

  Features       | Featherlite |    Rife     |     Kuffullo  |    Pepperfry
---------------- |------------ | ----------- | ------------  | ----------------
 Frame           |     -       |   34K-36K   |       ~27K    |        -
 Table Top       |     -       |   2K-3K     |   2500 (5x2.5)|        -
 Extra           |     -       |   2400      |     NA        |        -
 Shipping        |     -       |   2000      |      -        |        -
 Total (inc. GST)|   ~51K-55K  |   ~43K-46K  |     ~24K      |      ~45K
 ----------------|------------ |------------ |---------------|-----------------
 Delivery        |   1 month   |   15days    |    15days     |    15days
 Assembly        |   Seller    |     DIY     |    Seller     |    Seller
 ----------------|------------ |------------ |---------------|-----------------
 Electric        |  ✅          |     ✅      |       ✅       |       ✅
 Table Top       |  ✅          |     ❌      |       ✅       |       ✅
 Preset Memory   |  ❌          |     ✅      |       ❌       |       ❌
 Flipper box     |  ✅          |     ❌      |       ❌       |       ❌
 5 x 2.5 feet    |  ✅          |     ✅      |       ❌       |       ❌

Conclusion

After a lot of confusion and searching I went with Rife. I choose the frame model ConSet 501-33 costed us ~43K (including GST). I got the table top from the local furniture shop in the range of ~2K-3K.

rife frame

It’s almost a year I am using it and it works fine. The height adjustment is quite and smooth.

Rife in office
Rife in office
Rife in office (full view)
Rife in office (full view)

rife home

IMHO, Memory panel is not mandatory. Rife sales team will try to sell it even though the frame comes with simple panel. The memory panel is helpful if multiple people are using the standing desk and switch sit-stand position very frequently. It can save 3 different heights for 3 different people. It helps you to easily adjust the desk height always at the same number.

Memory panel
Memory panel
Simple control panel
Simple control panel
If you find my work helpful, You can buy me a coffee.