For a while now I’ve been wanting to get myself a standing desk, but had yet to pull the trigger for various reasons, including price versus quality, and more importantly my partner’s desire that every new piece of furniture matches our apartment’s aesthetic. Recently, I was fortunate enough to receive the EverDesk Max standing desk from Northday, the company’s premium electric standing desk, and as I expected, I love the ability to choose how I do my work. But is the EverDesk Max standing desk for everyone?
The EverDesk comes in three tabletop sizes (cms): 120×60, 140×60, and 160×70, and three colours: Lily White, Raw Ashen Oak, and Aged Darkened Walnut. Made from multi-hardwood core material, each size and colour has its own pricing structure. I opted for the 140cm walnut top, which nicely fit my 32” curved monitor and two bookshelf speakers. If you are someone who likes to dual-wield monitors or use your laptop next to a monitor, the 160cm top is likely going to be for you.
Initially I was hesitant about the colour given it looked a little on the light side online, but I must say in the flesh the walnut colour looks very nice and darker than it does online, and it pairs nicely with my predominantly black furniture. The only concern I have is that while Northday claims that the EverDesk Max tabletop is heat, warp and swell resistant, the surface, which has a natural wood veneer wrap, seemed to scratch easier than I was expecting, so take care when positioning things like monitors on the desk.
The Aged Darkened Walnut looks great but treat it with care
The tabletop can handle a weight of 120kg and has a thickness of 2.5cms, which is skinnier than my previous Ikea desk, and what I love about that is that it’s easier to attach equipment like mic arms. The desk also has small holes across the back to fit cables through or hold a smartphone, and there’s a tray underneath that can be screwed into the desk for cable management, although this is an additional purchase.
The frame legs are made from cold-rolled steel and come in either black or white and have good stability that ensures the desk doesn’t wobble when in operation. If you want the ability to move the desk around you can purchase lockable wheels (approx $39) that can be attached.
Setting up the desk was pretty straightforward, with all tools and screws required provided, although I would recommend a longer screwdriver if you own one. The only part that wasn’t entirely clear in the instructions was locking the legs in place, and it didn’t help that the installation video linked was for a different version of the desk (this is the correct video). The whole process took less than 30 minutes and the only tip I’d give is that it’s worth having a second body to help you flip the desk over when required.
Once assembled you can tinker with the height of the desk, which has a maximum height of 128cms and a minimum of 60cms, giving the user a lot of room to find their optimal position, both standing and sitting. Adjusting the height of the desk is done via the Health Coach Controller dial, which can be installed on either the left or the right of the desk, and it’s where users can save three height presets for easy switching. If you’re wondering how loud the desk is when in motion, it’s certainly not quiet but it’s not the loudest desk I’ve heard, and it moves at a solid speed. Moreover, the desk has built-in collision detection, meaning that it will stop adjusting if it runs into any obstacles.
Finetune your setup with the Health Coach Controller
The Health Coach Controller takes a bit of time to get used to, but once you’ve got a grasp of how it works it is mostly simple to use. It has a small touchscreen that can be unlocked by swiping from left to right, which takes a little getting used to as it can be finicky to unlock. After unlocking the dial, you can enter the menu by holding the home button for five seconds, and here you can customise your setup by setting reminders, height range limit and vibrations. Reminders can trigger alerts to stand up and stretch your legs or sit down for a while, while the maximum height settings can be useful if you have space limitations where the desk is located. You can also disable the lock function, although if you have kids it’s probably not wise to do so.
Electric standing desks aren’t cheap, and the Northday EverDesk Max will set you back $799 for the base configuration (white top – 120cm), $919 for the 140cm top in either Ashen Oak or Aged Darkened Walnut, or $1019 for the 160cm top in the above colours. A white top in 140cm and 160cm sizing is approximately half the price.
Northday also has a ton of accessories and add-ons you can purchase to get more out of your desk space, such as a monitor arm, desktop shelves, anti-fatigue mat, pegboard and other cable management pieces. Very few of the accessories suited the feng shui of my setup but I will vouch for the cable tray and the comfort of the anti-fatigue mat. If you’re planning on using the desk while standing a lot, the mat is a must-have.
Accessorise and customise
However, one of my criticisms of the Northday shopping experience is that not all of the available accessories are available for individual purchase. Instead, some are bundled together in tiered packages you can buy, such as the cable tray, which is included in the Core bundle (priced at $187), and the Plus bundle, which contains the anti-fatigue mat (as well as the cable spine and the Core bundle items) and is priced at $275. The third option is The Works which adds a light bar and an underdesk storage compartment alongside everything else at an extra $463. So what happens if you just want the anti-fatigue mat, the cable tray and the light bar? Unfortunately, you’ll need to buy The Works, even if you may not want the other items. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher when Northday does offer some accessories individually, and it can see the desk quickly rise in price.
Final Thoughts
I’ll be honest, reviewing a desk isn’t the easiest thing I’ve done, but ultimately the end recommendation is the same as any other review – is this product good and is it worth buying? The simple answer is yes. With more people working from home and spending longer at their workstations, it’s important that you’re working ergonomically and healthily. Aside from some minor kinks, the Northday EverDesk Max offers users that flexibility and is a great option for anyone looking at an electric standing desk, whether they choose to go with the base configuration or go the whole hog, even if it does cost a pretty penny.
If you’re interested in purchasing a Northday EverDesk Max you can head to Northday’s online store.
Review unit supplied by the manufacturer
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