Standing desks are gaining more preference over regular sitting desks. The reason is that they wipe out the risks of numerous diseases caused by prolonged sitting. You are probably at this article because you have searched enough about these desks and had made up your mind to buy one but its cost got you. An average desk would be around $150 or $200, but the one with great features would be no less than $500 or $750. There would be no wonder if the standing desk you liked the most was high-dollar and seemed a strain on your wallet. Let’s find out the reasons behind its skyrocketing price.
Reasons Why Standing Desks are Expensive
I wonder if the thought that things are pricey for a reason got you to this article. If you did think about it, that’s great. Here is the list of major reasons that add to the price of these desks. But make sure to read the complete article to know if these reasons are worth the money.
Height Adjustability Feature
Permanent standing desks are not good either as prolonged standing can cause several disorders too. The best option is the sit-stand desks. They allow you to alternate between sitting and standing as per need. To allow them to be elevated or lowered, there must be a system. Some have hand cranks and others have electric motors. One can also buy the standing desk converter. Desks having electric motors are more expensive than the other two options. The reason why this feature adds to the cost of the desk is that firstly the motor is of high quality then the manufacturers need to hire experts in this field and then there is a final check which verifies if it is working smoothly. All these things demand money.
Material of the Frame
The desk columns or the entire frame need a material that is durable, non-corrosive and has a great design as well. It will be either steel or aluminum. Aluminum is corrosion-resistant but steel is not. Steel has to be painted for this reason and still gets corroded from the inside. Steel is not malleable and sometimes gets cracked during the manufacturing process whereas aluminum is highly malleable. Moreover, aluminum can give the aesthetic look which is not possible when using steel. So, aluminum is preferred for making desk frames but is quite costly. It's three times more expensive than steel. Furthermore, processing the aluminum sheets through rollers and other types of machinery to convert them into support columns need both time and effort of the worker. The buyer has to pay for it.
Material of the Tabletop
Just like the frame, the material of the tabletop also matters. It can also be of different materials including manufactured wood, softwood, and hardwood. Among these all, the hardwood is the best choice. There are many reasons behind it. It is sustainable and remains even after many years. Its wood fibers are dense resulting in a solid wood that is resistant to decaying and rotting. It is porous allowing varnishes to settle down on it smoothly. Amazingly, the wood is fire resistant. Along with all these characteristics, there’s one more reason that makes it superior and more expensive to others. The wood has a complex structure and is obtained from slow-growing trees. They have a high demand. Furthermore, the manufacturers have to pay laborers for cutting down the wood and woodworkers for cutting the wood into fine desks.
Ergonomic Design
Normally the regular desks are not that expensive even if they are made of the finest material. But standing desks are expensive even if they are made of normal quality material. The reason is that standing desks are made to fulfill the ergonomic needs of workspaces. They are specially designed to decrease the risk of workplace injuries. No one, but an ergonomist can tell what qualities and the features the desk must have in it to maximize the productivity of the workers. For instance, a manufacturer might not give much notice to the noise produced by the hand crank but to an ergonomist, it is nothing less than a hazard. While paying for a standing desk, the manufacturer also charges you some part of the fee that he paid to the ergonomist.
Cost of Quality Check
Some manufacturers employ quality checks from the beginning of the desk manufacturing whereas some pay for them in the end. The durability, weight-bearing capability, and desk stability - all need to be double-checked before they are out in the market. If any desk turns out to be inefficient the manufacturer has to reconstruct it in a better way. In this way, quality checks also add to the high price of these desks.
Increasing Demands
There is a rule of economics that clearly states that when there is a high demand for something but the supply is low, the prices will definitely rise. These days the standing desk market is worth over the US $600 million and is supposed to cross the US $10330 million by 2028. The reason behind it is that there are only a few companies that are manufacturing these desks, but due to the fact that they help in preventing certain diseases, their demand is increasing worldwide. As per the rule of economics, the prices are increasing equivalent to their demand.
Low Competition
Though the use and demand for standing desks have been increasing continuously, still there are not enough providers out there. Due to this reason, there is quite low competition among the manufacturers. It is also one of the reasons for the high price of standing desks. But once other companies start manufacturing these desks too, the price will lower to a great extent. Of course, everyone wants his products to have the greatest sales. For this reason, many sellers lower their prices while selling the desks with the same best qualities.
Are Standing Desks Worth the Money?
This question must have crossed your mind, even before reading the reasons for their high price. The answer is Yes, standing desks are definitely worth the money. It is because they can prevent a number of disorders caused by sitting at desks. Prolonged sitting can cause diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and even cancer. On the other hand, standing desks provide much more mobility than regular desks do, eliminating both the physical inactivity and risks of these diseases. Good physical health leads to a healthy mind. You remain active and free of anxiety and depression. In this way, you can focus more on your work with a boost of energy.
Conclusion
Ever since standing desks come into the market, their prices are increasing. There are many reasons behind their prices going sky-high. These desks have height-adjustable mechanisms which need both money and expertise. The manufacturers have to choose the best material for both the frame and the tabletop and often the best one comes out to be pricey. The manufacturers have to hire experts from other fields including woodworkers and ergonomists to supply the best product. The quality needs to be double-checked which also demands money. Similarly, high demand yet low competition and low supply are also on the list adding to the price of these desks. To add in the last, these desks are worth the money.
