Last Updated on November 24, 2024 by April
UPLIFT provided their V2 Standing Desk for this review. The links below are affiliate links, and I receive a small commission should you purchase. All opinions are my own.
I’ve been working from home for over eight years and I’m always looking for ways to improve my WFH setup (which doubles as my gaming setup). Standing desks have been on my radar for some time, but the number of choices is overwhelming, to say the least.
After spending a lot of time researching standing desks (thank you, Reddit), I noticed the UPLIFT desk being mentioned repeatedly. Many Redditors praise their desk as sturdy, even when raised to their maximum height. Having a hyper German Shepherd, this is very important, mainly for my dog’s safety.
Just as importantly, UPLIFT gets raving reviews for their customer service. A standing desk is an investment, and customers want to know that assistance is available should anything unexpected occur.
So, without further ado, here is everything you need to know about the UPLIFT standing desk.
The Ordering Process & My Desk Specs
Navigating the website is a complete breeze. The homepage features a visual overview of all the available desktops, including laminate, eco, bamboo, butcher block solid wood, and wide plank solid wood.
Scroll down, and you will find the various desk models available to configure to your heart’s content. You can choose from their standard 30″ depth desk, 24″ depth, curved corner, L-shaped, 4-leg, 120-degree, custom laminate, or custom solid wood desk.
The Desk I Chose & What I Recommend
The desk I am featuring today is the UPLIFT Standing Desk, V2. I went with what I believe to be one of the best desktop values from UPLIFT, their birch butcher block top.
It’s made from solid wood, giving you the beauty of natural wood without the price tag of the wide plank models.
Solid wood butcher block tops you can choose from:
- Bamboo
- Dark Bamboo
- Black Bamboo
- Bamboo (Curved Desk)
- Dark Rubberwood
- Rubberwood
- Acacia
- Birch
- Mango
- Reclaimed Birch
- Acacia Chevron
- Saman
- Walnut
- Reclaimed Fir
I want to note that the standard thickness for the butcher block tops is 1.5″; however, the bamboo and dark rubberwood models come in a 1″ thickness.
The bamboo wood is gorgeous, but the added half-inch factored into my decision to go with birch. I wanted my desk to have a more substantial appearance.
As for the rest of the desk, here are the specs and accessories I went with:
- Solid Wood Desktop – Birch Butcher Block – 72″ x 30″ [with grommets]
- White Grommet Cover, 2x
- V2 2-Leg Frame – Feet & Side Brackets, C27 [White]
- V2 2-Leg Standing Desk Frame, Core Components [White]
- Advanced Comfort Flush Keypad [White]
- Soft Roll Desk Casters – White
- 8-Outlet Mountable Surge Protector
- Basic Wire Management Kit
- Magnetic Cable Organizing Channel [White]
- Zipped Cable Sleeve, 60″ [Gray]
- Headphone Stand, Maple Solid Wood
- Crestview Monitor Arm Wiring Kit
The Ordering Process
Ordering from UPLIFT involves a step-by-step customization process, starting with desk specs, accessories, furniture add-ons, and optional setup services.
I recommend matching the color of key elements such as the grommets, desk frame, keypad, casters, and monitor arms for the best aesthetic. Start with what you’d like for your desk frame color and match everything to that as much as possible. The result will look nice and cohesive!
After selecting your desk options, you’ll see an overview of your cart, where you can finalize your desk specs and add everything to your cart. Next, you will see your selected options one last time before beginning the checkout process.
Once you’ve checked out, you can prepare your space to set up your new desk! You’ll want to keep a large area open, and it’s best to assemble your desk on a soft, carpeted surface to avoid damaging it.
My order arrived quickly in two separate shipments. My desktop arrived in one package, and everything else was packed in the other shipment.
Unboxing & First Impressions
I was happy to see everything arrived in perfect condition so I could assemble my desk immediately. Each desk component was perfectly (but not overly) protected in its box.
What really impressed me was how clearly everything was labeled and organized. Admittedly, I can get overwhelmed setting up furniture, but UPLIFT does a fantastic job of making the process easy.
The first thing I noticed while unboxing was how gorgeous the birch butcher block is! I really love the finish used on this desktop. It’s not shiny but has sort of a shimmery glow to it. This one is a great choice if you want a lighter desktop that brightens up your space.
I also appreciate how the white keypad and desk legs went together. It really makes a big difference!
Assembling the Desk
For those concerned about whether you will be able to set up the desk on your own, it will depend on how large of a desk you choose. The wood top was pretty heavy since I went with the 72″ desk.
My husband ended up helping me with a lot of the heavy lifting (which I am very grateful for!), and having someone to help was particularly important when it came time to flip the desk upright.
Before setting up your new UPLIFT desk, I recommend setting aside at least 1.5 hours, possibly more, if you’re doing it unassisted. Lay out every component to ensure you have everything listed in the instruction manual so you can locate it quickly when the time comes.
Again, please ensure you set all parts on top of a soft, carpeted surface. You will want to be especially careful if you got a real wood desktop due to the scratchable nature of the material.
Lastly, I have one very important tip! Make sure you screw everything in tightly, especially the legs. This is what is going to give you an amazingly stable desk. Unless you have very uneven floors, your desk should not be wobbly.
Cable Management Accessories
The UPLIFT desk comes with essential cable management accessories that I found incredibly useful. Your desk includes one free wire management tray (which I love, by the way) and ten cable tie mounts.
I opted to take it a step further and got the 8-outlet mountable surge protector, basic wire management kit, magnetic cable organizing channel, and the zipped cable sleeve, 60″.
If I could go back in time, I’d choose to get the ‘Clamp-on Power with USB‘ in white. Although the monitor arm comes with USB ports, I found myself wanting the two 120V power outlets to charge my electronics quickly.
Here’s a ranking of the accessories I got and what I thought about them.
Basic Wire Management Kit
If you’re serious about hiding wires, the basic wire management kit will make your life much easier. I found the adhesive cable mounts incredibly useful for strategically securing groups of wires to the bottom of my desk.
Here’s what the kit comes with:
- 12 screw-in cable mounts,
- 12 reusable cable ties
- 10 adhesive cable mounts
- 3 cable management clips
- a surge-protecting power strip
- a cable organizer
- accessory hook
- hardware
8-Outlet Mountable Surge Protector
I keep a decent number of electronics on my desk like my speakers, a couple of headphones I rotate between, a microphone, chargers, and LED lights.
Having these outlets conveniently mounted under the desk goes a long way ensuring cables aren’t reaching to far or drooping under my desk.
If you have a lot of electronics, I suggest getting the clamp-on powder with a USB port for additional ways to plug your gear in.
Zippered Cable Sleeve, 60″
The zippered cable sleeve helps to maintain a clean desk aesthetic. In my case, the gray sleeve kept the look of my setup light by hiding the thick black cord that plugs into my wall outlet. If you plan to use your cable sleeve the same way, I recommend going for the long 60″ version.
Magnetic Cable Organizing Channel
The magnet on this cable organizer is pretty impressive! I love the versatility of this tool as far as location goes and that you can adjust its placement repeatedly.
Other organizing options, like the adhesive cable mounts, are more permanent and can’t be moved around. This is the way to go if you want the flexibility to test out various spots on your desk.
My Experience With The UPLIFT Desk
I’m going to be straightforward and say that I love this desk. It has been a real treat as a person who typically spends 60+ hours per week on my computer.
The desk’s appearance has elevated the overall aesthetic of my office area, and I am delighted with its stability at standing height.
I really like how the desk is strong enough to hold my PC, so I can roll it around without pulling on any wires. It also frees up a lot of floor space, so my cat and dog can sleep underneath my desk while I work.
Favorite Accessories Worth Adding
If I could only pick a single accessory add-on for my desk, it would be the Crestview Single Monitor Arm. I’ve always loved the look of monitor arms on the setups I’ve seen online, but it goes beyond that.
Being able to change the position of my monitor independently of the position of my desk has been a huge upgrade. It allows me to set both the monitor and the desk to the perfect ergonomic height.
I have longer legs and a shorter torso, so positioning the monitor on the desk a little lower makes a world of difference. It’s also really nice to be able to move the monitor forward and backward with ease.
If you have two monitors, I recommend getting two single monitor arms instead of the dual if you want the most flexibility.
My second favorite add-on is the soft caster wheels. It’s been beyond convenient being able to move my desk around and easily lock it in place.
I’ve moved this desk around quite a bit to set up my cable management, and it simplifies my cleaning routine because I can move it out of the way to vacuum.
Lastly, if you use headphones or a headset, their solid wood stand is really nice! I got the maple headphone stand, and it goes beautifully with the birch desktop.
How Often Do I Use the Standing Feature?
I used it more often than I thought I would, and it became useful in ways I didn’t anticipate. For example, cable management on a standing desk is much easier to accomplish than on a stationary desk.
Funny enough, I started the cable management process with this desk at its lowest setting. About five minutes in, my back and knees were hurting (a lovely perk of now being in my 30s).
I then realized I could raise the desk to standing height and work on cable management while standing. I cannot even convey how giddy I felt during this epiphany.
Since I opted for the soft casters, I could roll my desk away from the wall to plug my peripherals into the back of my PC. This is a very nice feature, as I used to procrastinate plugging anything into the back of my computer.
Would I Pay Money For This Desk?
As you already know, this desk was gifted for the purpose of this review. You’re probably wondering if I think it’s good enough to buy it with my own money.
The answer is an enthusiastic yes! Once I’ve finished modifying my office area, I plan to buy one for my husband (matching desktop, of course).
This desk has truly beautified my workspace, and I’m excited to experiment with decorations.
