The standing desk trend doesn’t seem to be dying off any time soon. With sitting at a desk all day turning into the new smoking, everyone wants to be healthier –and that means standing up while working at that computer. Standing desks can be expensive and they can also take up a lot of space. And then there’s the possibility that you might want to stand to work some of the time, but still keep your existing workspace to sit for part of the day. DeskView is an option that gives you a functional standing desk that addresses all of those potential issues. And it can also offer an inspiring view.
A Windows-Mounted Standing Desk…. Seriously
DeskView came up with an ingenious solution to the challenges involved with a typical standing desk: your window. Any glass or smooth, non-porous surface, actually.
The company started with a work surface with rounded corners, measuring 12-inches by 25-inches. Plenty of room for a laptop, mouse and a few extras. That “desk” surface is available in a clear, wood or white finish. The desk is mounted to a pair of seriously powerful-looking suction cup mechanisms that sit beneath it. DeskView says they’re industrial strength, housed in aerospace-grade aluminum brackets, with a combined holding force of over 200 pounds (although 40 pounds is the maximum recommended load). Plastic levers on each suction disc make it easy to mount the whole thing to a window.
The end product is a minimalist standing desk that mounts quickly to a window (or other compatible surface), providing work space that doesn’t require additional floor space –other than standing room.
Does It Actually Work?
Believe it or not, DeskView completely lived up to the billing.
It has an impressive heft to it, and build quality was top notch. There is no flex in the desk and the aluminum suction cup brackets feel reassuringly solid.
Actually attaching the DeskView to a window in my office was surprisingly easy. I placed it against the window at a height that felt comfortable for typing, levelled it (DeskView says a bubble level is included, but I must have accidentally tossed it with the packaging) then pushed the two levers to engage those industrial strength suction cups. It took me literally 10 seconds.
And it was on that window solidly. I set my laptop on the DeskView and started typing. Absolutely no flex or bounce and I would have quickly forgotten that the standing desk was mounted to a window except for the fact that I had a great view instead of the wall I face while sitting at my regular desk.
I tried removing it (just reverse the suction cup levers) and taking it down was even easier than the initial installation. This ease of use means you can move the DeskView around as needed without being limited to whatever location you initially installed it in. You can even use it as a decorative shelf.
There is enough of a gap between the windows and the desk to accommodate a power cable, but depending on the how large the connector is, you may have to run the cable through before securing the DeskView. If you use a large laptop, you may also find the proximity to the glass limits how far back you can tilt the display. With a 13-inch MacBook Air, I was able to adjust the display as needed.
If you like the minimalist, space-saving design of DeskView, but you’re still a little wary –this is a very unusual design, after all– the company has you covered. The rubber suction discs have a lifetime warranty. And you can order a DeskView (prices range from $235 to $265) with a 30-day return policy so you can try it out for yourself without risk.
I was a little sceptical when I first heard about the world’s first window-mounted standing desk, but after trying it out, DeskView won me over.
Disclosure: DeskView supplied a desk for evaluation but had no input into this review.
