I have used the Updown Pro Desk for over a year now, and I can attest it’s one of the best standing desks available in Australia for any home or office environment. It’s improved my posture and increased my productivity levels despite some drawbacks I wish UpDown would address.

In this review, I'll give you an in-depth look at my experience with the Updown Pro Standing Desk and why it's an excellent choice for anyone looking to improve their workspace. Then you decide for yourself.

I'll start with a quick overview to give you a good picture of the standing desk so don't have to read to the end if you're short on time.

UpDown Pro Desk: Quick Overview

The UpDown Pro Desk is designed to provide users with a comfortable working experience, allowing them to adjust the height of the desk easily and quickly. When buying, you decide between the manual or electric UpDown Pro Desks. The electric option, of course, is more expensive but allows you to control the height of the standing desk with a dedicated control panel. The manual is adjusted with a lever that goes clockwise or anticlockwise to increase or decrease the desk height.

Both options are available in various desktop material options including Bamboo, Melamine, and Hardwoods such as Australian Messmate (New and Recycled). These desk surfaces are not equally priced, and that's understandable. For affordable options, choose Bamboo, White Melamine, or Beach Melamine. The Messmate is in my opinion by far the most attractive hardwood option but it comes with a hefty price tag. I do have the Messmate desk option as I wanted a very high-quality desk.

I am impressed by the desk’s sleek and modern design. The build quality is solid and the black frame and natural finish looked great. The attractive and smooth finish on my Australian messmate hardwood desktop makes it very tactile, and I liked that it had adjustable feet that could be raised or lowered to provide additional stability on uneven surfaces. The height ranges from 61.5 to 127 cm, it has a weight capacity of 150 kg and includes three sizes to choose from.

The UpDown Pro Desk is awesome to work with while standing or sitting, but it's not all perfect. First, there are no integrated power boards that come with the optional cable management tray, and the power rail, which comes as an optional accessory, is expensive. In fact, besides the metal cable tray, you could argue that the optional accessories for the UpDown Pro Desk are all a tad bit expensive.

Ready to make a decision? Discover the best prices for the UpDown Pro Desk and take the first step towards a more ergonomic work experience. If you need more information before making a purchase, continue with my in-depth overview of the desk's top features and drawbacks.

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Best Bits of the UpDown Pro Desk

The UpDown Pro Desk is versatile and adjustable and offers numerous benefits to improve your workspace's ergonomics. I highlight some of the desk's best features and explain why I chose it.

#1 - Excellent build quality

With a frame that is made of robust steel and coated with a sleek, glossy finish, the build quality of the UpDown Pro Desk is superb. The Messmate desktop is very sturdy and durable, which makes it a great investment in the long run. The frame is designed to support up to 150 kg of weight and can easily hold multiple monitors and other peripherals.

For context, I have the largest, heaviest desktop option and have been using a 30-inch centre monitor and two older (heavy) 20-inch monitors on either side with additional equipment to switch the monitor and keyboard between laptop and desktop, speakers, etc, I haven't had a single problem over the last 12 months. The frame is the pinnacle of high quality and at 41 kg, it's the heaviest standing desk frame I have used so far. It is very stable, even at its highest position.

#2 - Durable desktop options

The Messmate desktop is incredibly durable and provides plenty of support. I reckon it's the same for other desktop options. I am yet to experience any wear or tear in my use so far.

I find the texture on the surface much smoother than most other standing desks I have used in the past. I can understand why some people may not choose the Messmate desktop; however, for me, it's been nothing short of excellent.

The desktop itself is beautifully crafted and of the quality that you expect from premium home furniture. If you are building an office with lots of standing desks for office work, then solid wood desktops might be an expensive route to go. I recommend any of the several hard-wearing Melamine board options, in this case.

#3 - Superb adjustability

The UpDown Pro Desk is well-known for its bulletproof electronics. It comes equipped with an electronic lifting system that is incredibly reliable and allows you to adjust your desk to a standing or sitting position with the push of a button. With the adjustable height, I go from sitting to standing in a matter of seconds and vice versa. It's impressive, especially when combined with adjustable sit-stand chairs.

The system also includes a memory setting so you can save up to four different heights and easily switch between them with just one touch on the electric height model. This is a great feature if you like to switch between standing and sitting multiple times during the day. And if you share your home office with your partner, they can have the other two memory slots.

For the manual desk options, you move a height adjustment lever to your ideal height option. I think switching between sitting and standing might be tiresome with a manual lever since you always have to calibrate it to your ideal comfort level.

The UpDown desk also has adjustable feet on the base of the desk providing further stability and support for different surfaces. So you don't have to worry about wobbling even with an uneven floor.

#4 - Useful ergonomics

Ergonomics are extremely important to your health, whether it's with a standing desk or an ergonomic office chair. The ability to adjust various parts of your workstation helps you stay productive and comfortable and improves health outcomes. I tested the adjustable parts on the UpDown Pro Desk, besides its height, and here's what I found.

The desk has a smooth, vibration-free movement speed of 32 mm per second that is powered by two motors. It also has a built-in anti-collision feature to prevent damage if you leave your chair under when lowering it. This is one of my favourite features because I've left my chair under the desk when lowering it and I have been pleasantly surprised—I'd hate to have ruined my ErgoTune Supreme desk chair.

The power-saving mode turns the desk controls off after 15 seconds of non-use and provides overload protection. UpDown Pro Desk has a wide range of options to personalise the desk as you wish. I know said they're expensive, but combining the desk with the handy lockable drawers, monitor arms, and power rails allows you to build an unbeatable stand-up desk tailored to your needs.

For instance, the attractive metal drawer slides out easily and helps store accessories, documents, and other items that you may need when working. It is sturdy and has a contemporary look that adds a nice touch to your work area.

#5 - Easy assembling process

The UpDown Pro Desk has a straightforward assembly process and was relatively easy for me to put together. All the pieces fit together well, though some of the screws could be a bit tight to tighten at times. The instructions were clear and concise, allowing us to get the desk set up in no time. It took us about 45 minutes to complete the assembly and our desk was ready to use afterwards.

I largely set it up by myself, but because of the large heavy hardwood desktop, it was useful to have my partner nearby to help out. If you can, get an additional hand, it's a much smoother process this way.

#6 - A long trial period with a money-back guarantee

The 100-day trial cushion on the UpDown Pro Desk is one of the two most impressive offerings from the company. The second is the warranty, which I'll talk about next. The free industry-leading 100-day trial is a strong reason to add the desk to the top of your wish list. It was for me.

I got a long trial period that enabled me to experience and understand the desk with complete peace of mind, knowing I could return the desk and the company will pay for the shipping cost if I didn't like it. It's been a year now, so you can tell that I enjoy using it.

Of course, you should be familiar with the terms and conditions of the trial period which you'll find on the product page. For instance, UpDown insists that "the products cannot be damaged or modified by the customer and must be returned in the original packaging materials (protective cardboard packers and plastic bags)."

#7 - Excellent warranty

The last bit of offering I really enjoy about the desk is its warranty. The UpDown Pro standing desk is backed up by a 10-year Australian warranty for the frame and electrical components and 5 years on the desktop. This means that if something happens to your desk during its use, you can rest assured that you are covered in case of any damage or issues.

Again, familiarise yourself with the warranty terms and conditions so you do not breach any when you have not used your desk past 10 years. You'll find that the UpDown Pro Desk warranty does not cover damage caused by incorrect or inaccurate assembly/disassembly, inappropriate cleaning supplies used, misuse or abuse, using the desk frame with inappropriate products, modifications of the desk frame, etc.

What Can Improve on the UpDown Pro Desk?

The UpDown Pro Desk offers a lot more benefits than it has drawbacks. Still, a few things stood out for me that I should mention.  

#1 - Desktop Size Not suitable for very small home offices

If you have a small home office, or a corner office in your room that is not large enough, the UpDown Pro Desk may not be suitable for you. While the various desk size options offer an increase in the width of the desk, the depth remains the same at 75 cm.

#2 - Cable Trays, Powerboards and grommet holes are options

Power boards can help organize all your wires, and keep them neatly organized and away from potential harm, the UpDown Pro Desk does not have power boards that integrate with the cable tray and grommet holes are also an additional cost.

You need to pay more for a set of grommets. Having said this, the UpDown team is happy to drill the grommet holes for you and if the holes are drilled by UpDown, they will not void that massive trial period.

#3 - Expensive desktop power rail

The desktop power rail can be a bit of a budget breaker, in fact, all the accessories can be budget-breakers. But it’s a handy accessory that allows me to keep my devices close at hand and easily accessible. It also comes with two USB ports to charge your devices directly from the desk. And although this is a nice convenience, it’s a bit of a luxury.

UpDown Pro Desk: Rating & Rank

Compared to its Australian competition, here's how the UpDown Pro Desks perform.

The Competitors

If any of the drawbacks of the UpDown Pro Desk is a complete deal breaker for you, then consider the following shortlist of options. Alternatively, read my extensive guide on the best standing desks in Australia for more in-depth comparisons.

1. Everdesk Northday Standing Desk

The UpDown Pro Desk is built with a solid steel frame, making it incredibly durable and dependable while the EverDesk is made from lightweight aluminium. Both desks come with dual-motor systems but UpDown Pro is capable of lifting up to 150 kg while the Everdesk is capable of lifting up to 120 kg. The UpDown Pro Desk is a little more expensive than the Everdesk.

EverDesk has a uniquely-designed Health Coach controller to adjust the desk height and set the sit-stand timer. The desktop sizes offered by EverDesk are not as deep as then UpDown Pro, making it suitable for smaller setups and home offices.

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2. Desky Dual Stand-Up Desk

The Desky standing desk can optionally come with a desktop that has a scallop carved at the backside of the desktop to make it easy for you to run down the cables. The motorized lifting system can adjust its height up to 125 cm.

Desky's Dual Stand-Up desk also has two optional cable trays on either side to keep all of your cords organized. The lifting capacity is 10 kg less than the UpDown Pro. The price of the different desk options from both brands falls under the same range but Desky offers only a 7-day free trial while UpDown gives a 100-day trial with a money-back guarantee.

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3. Artiss Standing Desk

If you’re tight on your budget, consider buying Artiss Desk. Artiss Desks are thinner and based on particleboard but they don't look cheap. The desk can support only 100 kg of weight compared to UpDown Pro's 150 kg. Artiss also has a more limited range of height adjustment from 69 – 118 cm than most competitors.

However, unlike the UpDown Pro Desk, Artiss' Standing Desk does have grommet holes for cable management, although it doesn’t include any power outlets. Both desks are great choices for upgrading your workspace, but if you’re looking for more adjustability and convenience, then the UpDown Pro Desk is probably the better option.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some frequently asked questions about the use, maintenance, and sustainability of the UpDown Pro Desk.

Final Verdict

Following my detailed research to find the best standing desk in Australia I am really happy with my purchase. If you love solid hardwood furniture then select one of the hardwood desktop choices for your UpDown Pro desk and you will not regret it. The hardwood is great to touch and beautiful.