In normal times, a standing desk converter would be easy to write off as home office overkill. When you worked mostly in an office-office, a summer Friday spent with your laptop literally on your lap, and you on your couch, why the hell would you fill your home with a Staple's-worth of work gear? But now, well—you've realized that a lap is a trash desk, a dining room table is the wrong height, your kitchen chairs make your butt hurt, and a bottle of Advil goes fast when you're popping a couple every day to deal with lower back pain. Two years ago would have been the best time to build yourself a beautiful home office setup—and right now is the second-best. 

According to Ellen Kolber, founder of ErgonomicsNYC, there are three main things any ergonomic work setup has going for it:

Your keyboard and mouse should be level with—or slightly below) your elbows.Your feet should be able to rest flatly on the ground (or on a footrest).You should be able to see all of your work without moving your neck too much.

You could maybe-kinda-sorta solve for all this with stacks of books in place of a laptop stand and pillows to prop up your aching body. But if you're truly ready to end all the cricks, aches, and awkwardness without sacrificing the cash and space on a whole standing desk, get yourself a standing desk converter, which turns your existing desk into one of those fancy sit-to-stand desks you’ve been eyeing.

You could maybe-kinda-sorta solve for all this with stacks of books in place of a laptop stand and pillows to prop up your aching body. But if you're truly ready to end all the cricks, aches, and awkwardness without sacrificing the cash and space on a whole standing desk, get yourself a standing desk converter.

"Whether at home or in an office environment, most of us do not change positions often enough," says Ron Porter, a licensed physical therapist and director of The Back School. "Any posture held for too long will create decreased blood flow and stress to some part of the body." Porter says that static postures decrease our blood flow by as much as 50%, which can lead to muscle fatigue. To combat this, "the key is to change postures frequently." A tabletop standing desk converter is a dirt simple way to make this possible, without forcing you to replace your kitchen table with a full-blown standing desk.

How to Choose a Sit-Stand Converter

A good sit-stand desk converter has two key traits: stability and adjustability. Porter prefers models that clamp or mount to your desk, which are generally more secure than those that just use their weight to stay put as you shift between heights.

You should also consider the size of a sit-stand converter. "Built-in laptop keyboards, [trackpads], and displays are too close together to allow for good posture," says Porter. "It’s much more ergonomic to use an external mouse and keyboard." Which means you'll want a converter with a platform to fit all that gear.

It's worth noting: if your desk's surface is already too high—as in, it violates rule 1 above—there's nothing a converter can do to help. But even just being able to periodically stand will help your body feel less like an origami crane at the end of a day.

The Best Overall Standing Desk Converter

Ergo Desktop Kangaroo Pro Junior adjustable height desk$399

Ergo Desktop

Kangaroo's adjustable desk converters offer all the most important features. They mount to your desk, they're highly adjustable, and their design allows you to move your monitor and your accessories shelf separately, which means that regardless of your height and torso length, you'll be able to achieve an ergonomically appropriate setup. The sturdy setup of the Kangaroo Pro Junior means you won't have to worry about any topple-over accidents, and converters can be decked out with any number of Ergo Desktop accessories like a side work surface or cable management brackets.

The Pro Junior is meant to mount monitors only, so no laptops please, though a laptop can be placed on the work station. If you are looking for a standing desk converter from Kangaroo to use with your laptop and independent keyboard, opt for the Kangaroo Junior.

The Best Looking Standing Desk Converter

Humanscale Quickstand Eco standing desk converter$524

Wayfair

The Quickstand Eco is expensive, yes, but that shouldn't distract from its excellent qualities (you do in fact get what you pay for). Easily adjust the height by sliding up or down the work surface, which has 18.6-inches of range. Unfortunately the monitor and keyboard work area are connected, so there's no way to independently adjust one from the other. The converter's self-locking mechanism further makes adjusting this thing easier because there's no need to fumble around with buttons or levers. And “Eco” in the name isn't just for show—the converter is built with sustainable and non-toxic materials, which is aligned with the brand's commitment to creating better office products for today and tomorrow.

The Best Cheap Standing Desk Converter

Vivo height adjustable stand-up desk converter$210

Amazon

Given its price, the Vivo's a real steal—it might not clamp down, but still offers plenty of adjustability. It requires a bit more assembly than the Vert Desk, though, and has a base design that is slightly little less stable. Available in five finishes, the Vivo has a height range between 6.5 and 17 inches, which is easy to control with the lift lever.

The Best Minimalist Standing Desk Converter 

Fully Cora standing desk converter$179

Fully

One problem we've had with finding standing converters is this: They often don't look very good. In the case of Fully's Cora standing desk converter, we found a minimally intrusive desk accessory that can turn basically any surface—whether it's a dining table or dresser–into a pseudo-standing desk. Cora is meant to be used only when it needs to be, so it's easy to set up and put away, and despite its small frame, it can hold up to 22 pounds. The non-skid pads keep your furniture safe, but it also makes the Cora more stable and sturdy so it won't slip and slide while you're doing your work. We just wish it had a separate keyboard tray, though Fully has the Cooper standing desk converter for that.

The Best Standing Desk

Uplift V2 standing desk$848

Amazon

If you've got the room, the money, and a wicked case of laptop neck, consider making the leap to a real-deal standing desk. Where a sit-stand converter can't fix the problems of whatever it's resting on, a standing desk will deliver ergonomic bliss whether you're sitting, standing, or doing whatever the hell would leave you in-between.

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The Uplift standing desk comes in a ton of different color and wood configurations. It's easy to adjust with the remote attached to its side, and will save up to four programmed heights. But what really stands out (nailed it!) is its stable design. The Uplift's thick legs and crossbar will make sure it never tips over and falls.

The Best Standing Desk Converter for Laptops

Roost V3 laptop stand$90

Amazon

Because human bodies and WFH setups are all unique snowflakes, the best laptop stands are adjustable, allowing you to lift or lower your screen to the perfect eye level for you. The Roost Laptop stand is light and portable, which makes it a great option for anyone interested in taking their ergonomic setup to-go in the future. But it also means that the stand plays nicely with our favorite tabletop sit-stand converters. If you wanted to put one of these on top of a converter, it wouldn't add a ton of extra weight.

More Standing Desk Converters We Like

PWR+ laptop table stand$39

Amazon

The PWR+ laptop stand has a unique design with a separate tray for an external mouse. That might make it slightly better ergonomically than the Roost stand, but it's a bit dependent on your setup. You might be better off keeping your mouse on the surface of your desk next to your keyboard, while you use the stand to raise your screen.

Flexispot AlcoveRiser standing desk converter$190

Flexispot

Flexispot's AlcoveRise two-tier design can quickly become a single-tier converter thanks to the easily removable keyboard tray. Its compact design is good for those tight on space, and its 28-inch option is good for folks 6'1" and under, while the 31-inch converter is good for those who are 6'5" and under. Easily adjust the converter with one hand and pack it somewhat flat for when it's time to clock out.

Moft Z adjustable sit-stand desk$60

Amazon

Like origami? The Moft Z is sort of like the art of paper folding, except this thing can support your laptop (or tablet). This Red Dot-winning product can be adjust for different angles and then folds flat for easy storage. If you're worried the Moft Z won't hold up against your heavy laptop, rest easy knowing it can support up to 18 pounds.

The Original DeskStand sit-stand desk$119

Etsy

This rustic-looking sit-stand desk is barebones, and that's probably for the best. The top shelf has space for a laptop or small monitor, and the hole on the bottom allows for ventilation. The bottom shelf has ample space for your keyboard, mouse, and other work necessities, including your phone, which can fit in the built-in groove. We like how the shelves can be adjusted individually instead of having to be stuck a certain distance apart.

Avantree Neetto height adjustable laptop bed table$65

Amazon

The Neetto laptop stand is a bit harder to adjust than the other cheaper sit-stand solutions here—if you want to move up to standing, you have to take all your gear off of it. Otherwise, it's a cheap solution that does what it set out to but nothing more.

VariDesk Pro Plus 30 height adjustable standing desk converter$375

Amazon

This double-decker standing desk converter offers 11 height adjustments, generously sized work spaces, and durable construction. It arrives fully assembled, backed by a 30-day trial period and five-year warranty.  

VertDesk standing desk converter$404

Beyond the Office Door

The Vert Desk doesn't clamp, but because it spreads its weight cleverly, across the bottom, it won't feel like it's going to topple over as you stretch it to full height. Its extra-large top workspace can accommodate a dual-monitor setup as long as both monitors don't exceed 24 inches wide each, so it'll comfortably fit a single monitor while providing ample space for other office knickknacks. The desk also has a separate adjustable keyboard and accessory tray placed lower than your monitor or laptop, though it's significantly smaller than the top workspace. On the plus side, the keyboard tray can tilt. But the real killer app of the Vert Desk may be that the company ships the desk fully assembled.

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Daniel Varghese is an editor based in Brooklyn. In addition to covering menswear, design, and lifestyle gear for GQ, he writes Leg Day, a Substack newsletter about pursuing joy as a city cyclist. Shoot him a note at varghesedanielr@gmail.com if you'd like to chat about how to dismantle the hypebeast-to-cycling-bro... Read moreXInstagram

Tyler Chin is GQ's associate commerce editor, and has covered Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales for six years. Overseeing all things lifestyle—from fitness to tech to home goods—he's been able to identify all the worthwhile deals from the brands and products that GQ readers love and want the most.... Read moreAssociate Commerce Editor of LifestyleInstagramRelated Stories for GQGQ RecommendsHealth