How to buy a Sit-Stand Table

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Firstly, what is a sit–stand table?  These are tables that allow you to work either while sitting in your chair or standing up and is especially useful for people with back health issues.  When you are tired of sitting, simply raise the top to the desired height and you’re done.  The heights vary according to model, but the average range of motion is from 26” to 42” high.  This range will allow most users to adjust the height for their own personal comfort level and alleviate body fatigue.  Often these types of tables are used in 911 emergency call centers.

Generally the bases for these units are made of some kind of metal, either steel or aluminum.  They need a high level of tensile strength to hold up in day to day applications.

The height adjustment for these units comes in manual or electric motion.  Electric is simple.  Press the up button to raise and the down button to lower.  That’s all you have to do.  The manual option comes in a variety of ways.  Some have a small crank on the front edge of the work surface that you turn the crank to raise or lower.  Some have pneumatic lifts where you pull a release and the top will raise but you have to push down to return to the lower position.  There are units on a spring system so that when you press the release the springs take over allowing you to select the required height and let the release go to re-lock into its new position.  Another version is with position pins that you pull out and the counter goes slack so you can reposition into its new height, then add the pins back into place on the legs.  They all work but there is no doubt that the easiest mechanism to use is the electric motor.  Easy breezy.

The work surfaces come in plastic laminate, melamine, wood veneer, Plexiglas, and countless combinations of all the materials.  Often the edges are finished in PVC and wood veneer.  The manufacturers have some standard sizes they tend to use however there is no end to the depth and width used on sit-stand tables.  Whatever you desire can be made as long as they will fit properly onto the frame work of the height adjustable table base.  If they are too wide or too narrow there could be balance or size issues.

Most of these units can only be acquired from office supply companies or office furniture dealerships.  Many of them will have a sample on the floor for you to try out and feel the difference between the manual and electric options.  The prices can vary greatly depending if the unit is made Off Shore or made in North America.  You can expect an electric unit to be an average of $1,100 while a manual version will be in the $600 range.  

The bonus of these ergonomic units is that it gives you the option to work the way you want to work.  Sitting or standing, they allow you to make the choice that works best for your comfort and well being. 

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