Standing desks are gaining more popularity with people getting conscious about working long hours. So, today we will be talking about two of the bestsellers and pitting them against each other – Flexispot vs. Varidesk.
Table of Contents
Flexispot vs. Varidesk
- Specifications
- Lifting mechanism
- Color Options
- Assembly
- Weight Limit
- Design and Usability
- Shipping and Return Policy
Flexispot vs. Varidesk
Varidesk is one of the popular companies when it comes to the best standing desk converter, while Flexispot standing desk converter is still new to the market but has been gaining positive reviews. We will be talking about the bestsellers from both brands – Flexispot M2B 35” and Varidesk Pro Plus 36”. We will be comparing them based on:
- Specifications
- Features
- Lifting mechanism
- Color Options
- Assembly
- Weight Limit
- Design and Usability
- Shipping and Return Policy
Specifications
| Flexispot M2B 35” | Varidesk Pro Plus 36” | |
| Origin | China | China |
| Stand Up Desk Top | Yes | Yes |
| Lifting Mechanism | Two Handle Gas Lift | Two Handle Spring Lift |
| Platform for Monitor and Keyboard | Yes | Yes |
| Weight Capacity | 35 lbs | 40 lbs |
| Min height Dimensions | 35”W x 23.5”D x 5.75”H | 36”W x 29.75”D x 4.5”H |
| Max height Dimensions | 35”W x 23.5”D x 19.5”H | 36”W x 41.75”D x 17.5”H |
| Base Dimensions | 31”W x 22.25”D | 30”W x 24”D |
| Keyboard Platform Dimensions | 35”W x 13”D | 36”W x 14.25” |
| Monitor Platform Dimensions | 35”W x 23.25”D | 36”W x 20”D |
| Keyboard Platform Max Height | 13.5” | 14” |
| Monitor Platform Max Height | 19.5” | 17.5” |
| Keyboard Platform Min Height | .75” | 1’’ |
| Monitor Platform Min Height | 5.75” | 4.5’’ |
| Keyboard to Monitor Distance | 4.5’’ | 3.25’’ |
Lifting Mechanism
Both Flexispot and Varidesk have different lifting mechanisms making them different in their lifting patterns. Powered by the gas-spring, the Flexispot standing desk comes straight up when raised, it moves away from the base as you increase the height.
Varidesk standing desk lifts with a spring action, which is harder to raise and lower. Also, the arcing pattern on the Pro Plus 36’’, when lifted, exhibits a noticeable monitor shake, making the unit less stable as you raise it.
Flexispot proves to be more stable.
Color Options
Both the desks come in black or white finish, with some wood finish options to choose from. The base of the desks remains black finish. If you go for white platforms, the black bases will be swapped with silver and white finish color options.
Flexispot comes in Black, White, Mahogany and River Walnut, and Varidesk Pro Plus comes in Black, White, Butcher Block, and Darkwood color options.
Assembly
The Varidesk Pro Plus comes in preassembled, so all you have to do is take it out of the box and set it up for use. It will only take 10 to 15 minutes of your time to assemble the Flexispot M2B 35’’ as it is quite easy to assemble.
Weight Limit
Flexispot standing desk has a weight limit of 35 lbs, and the Varidesk standing desk has a weight capacity of 45 lbs. The difference might not be a deal-breaker for most people, but having a three monitor setup will require that extra weight capacity Varidesk has to offer.
Design and Usability
The amount of task space either lost or gained by adding a tabletop desk can be a deal-breaker for a lot of customers. The design choices, though serving totally different purposes, can greatly impact the usability of standing desks in other areas. You would want to have enough usable space on your standing desk converters to keep most of your valuable items nearby.
The two best standing desk converters are designed differently that significantly impact their usability as follows:
- The Flexispot provides a slot for keeping your phone upright while you work on your desk. It is a convenient feature that the Varidesk doesn’t provide.
- When lifted up, the Varidesk comes toward you, unlike Flexispot, which raises straight up. Due to this design choice, the Varidesk takes up more space than Flexispot, and also loses stability when raised. This can create a problem for small workspaces.
- Flexispot’s keyboard platform is removable, providing an option for those who don’t need it and want to save on the space, unlike Varidesk.
- The optional side panel extension on Varidesk can increase your workspace that can hold up to 5 lbs of weight.
- Varidesk has a deeper keyboard platform and a cut-out in the front of the monitor platform. This makes it possible to use a laptop on the keyboard tray but is a huge loss in terms of usable space as compared to Flexispot.
- Varidesk has a cut-out on its keyboard tray as well, which was designed to make it easier to raise and lower the platform. But the lost usable space on the platform doesn’t make up for it, and also makes the use of keyboard and mouse on it awkward making the setup less ergonomic than Flexispot.
Shipping and Returns Policy
Both the companies offer a 30-day risk-free return policy for a full refund, including return shipping charges. Flexispot will accept returns even after the 30 day period but won’t cover for return shipping, and as it will be deducted from your refund.
Final Verdict
Flexispot M2B 35’’ is the winner overall. It costs a lot less than the Varidesk Pro Plus 36’’. The straight lifting design makes it more stable when raising and lowering it. It also provides greater usable space that makes it more efficient and convenient at work.
The Varidesk Pro Plus 36’’ works better on lower platforms and works great as a laptop standing desk. The side panel extension can come in handy if you want to quickly extend your work area.
Both the desks have something unique to offer, and you will find situations where Varidesk Pro Plus is the better-suited option. So it comes down to what factors are most important to you when choosing between the two.
