Deskhaus standing desks

Four columns with an independent motor in each, a 600 lb rating and a twenty-year frame warranty — the Apex Pro is the frame people upgrade to after a two-leg desk disappoints them, and the accounts of that switch are strikingly consistent: the front-to-back movement simply stops. It is a base only, which suits its audience, because the people who buy it are usually pairing it with a slab they picked themselves. The paddle controller shows a live height readout, which turns out to matter when you have a drawer unit underneath and need to stop short of it. Two things to know before ordering. Deskhaus sells it as a preorder item, with the shorter and longer foot sizes on a 20-business-day lead time. And the brand's visibility in enthusiast discussion has drawn scepticism about how organic that enthusiasm is, which is worth knowing when you read glowing write-ups, this one included.

Best for: Pairing with a heavy slab you chose yourself, especially if a previous two-leg desk wobbled.

The Peak Pro is the Apex Pro's three-stage sibling: same four independent motors, same 600 lb rating, same twenty-year warranty, but 25.5 inches of travel that tops out at 51.1 — high enough for someone around 6 ft 6 in to stand at properly. It spans tops up to 80 inches wide, and instead of crossbars it uses support wedges under the surface to take the flex out of a long span, which keeps the floor clear. The trade against the Apex is at the bottom: the three-stage columns start at 25.6 inches rather than 22.5. That is a real loss for shorter users and the reason the cheaper Apex remains the better desk for a lot of people. Think of the Peak as the tall person's version, not the upgraded one.

Best for: Tall users with wide tops, where the ceiling matters more than how low the desk goes.