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Standing desks for tall people: check the top of the range
Updated
If you are 6 ft or taller, you need a desk that goes to about 44.5 inches or more, plus 2 inches of spare travel. Of the desks on this site, the HUANUO 59 x 30 3-Stage goes highest at 49.2 inches, and the VIVO 60 x 30 is next at 48.4 inches. A desk that stops at 45 or 46 inches will feel low, or it will wobble because you run it at full height all day.
How high you need
The rule of thumb on this site puts standing desk height at about 62% of your body height, with shoes on. The table uses the same math as the calculator. "Room to spare" means the desk goes at least 2 inches past your standing height. "Only near the top" means it reaches your height, but with less than 2 inches left.
| Your height | Standing desk height | Reaches it with room to spare | Reaches it only near the top |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 0 in | 44.5 in | FLEXISPOT EN1-PRO, VIVO 60 x 30, HUANUO 32 x 19, HUANUO 3-Stage, VIVO Corner | ErGear 48 x 24, SHW 55 x 28 |
| 6 ft 2 in | 46 in | VIVO 60 x 30, HUANUO 3-Stage | ErGear 48 x 24, FLEXISPOT EN1-PRO, HUANUO 32 x 19, VIVO Corner |
| 6 ft 4 in | 47 in | HUANUO 3-Stage | FLEXISPOT EN1-PRO, VIVO 60 x 30 |
| 6 ft 6 in | 48.5 in | None of our picks | HUANUO 3-Stage |
| 6 ft 8 in | 49.5 in | None of our picks | None of our picks |
At 6 ft 6 in the calculator rounds your standing height to 48.5 inches, a hair over the VIVO's 48.4 inch top. That is why we say the VIVO suits people up to "about" 6 ft 6 in. If you are taller than about 6 ft 7 in, none of our picks reaches you. Look for a frame that lists 50 inches or more, and check that number in the spec table, not only the title.
Why the spare 2 inches matter
Desk legs are tubes that slide inside each other. At the top of the travel the tubes overlap the least, so the desk sways the most. Tall people use the desk right in that zone. A desk with travel left over is steadier at your height than one that is maxed out. There is more on this in the wobble guide.
Things that raise the number
- An anti-fatigue mat lifts you about half an inch or more. Add it to your standing height.
- A walking pad lifts you by the height of its deck, which is often a few inches. Add the deck height from the pad's listing to your standing height before you pick a desk. My sister site Walking Pad Fit covers the pads themselves.
- Thick-soled shoes count too. Measure in what you wear at work.
The desks we'd look at
- HUANUO 59 x 30 3-Stage. It lists 23.6 to 49.2 inches, the highest top here, good to about 6 ft 7 in. The caveat: owners are split on wobble, and several report lift failures.
- VIVO 60 x 30. It lists 29.2 to 48.4 inches with a 1.1 inch thick top and a 3 year warranty shown on the listing. The caveat: the top comes in 3 pieces, and owners are split on side-to-side wobble.
- FLEXISPOT EN1-PRO 63 x 28. It lists 28.3 to 47.6 inches and is the only pick whose listing says dual motor. The caveat: past about 6 ft 2 in you are inside its last 2 inches of travel.
Skip the SHW 55 x 28 if you are tall. It stops at 45 inches, which suits people up to about 6 ft 1 in.
Do not forget the sitting end
Tall people have an easy time here. At 6 ft 2 in your sitting desk height is about 28 inches, so a 28 to 29 inch low end fits you. Also check your monitor height. A tall person standing at a desk often needs the screen raised on an arm so the top edge sits near eye level.
All seven desks are compared on the best standing desks page. These heights are estimates from body height. Measure your own elbow height before you buy. This is general information, not medical advice.