When we first opened Urban Martial Arts, we had a small 1,500 square foot space that had just enough room for a mat, a front desk, a bathroom, and nothing else. Four years later, we were fortunate enough to be able to expand next door so that we now had 3,500 square feet.
But more importantly, I now had… an office!
Ah it was such a lifestyle upgrade to have a dedicated workspace. Especially since before, my “office” consisted of me sitting on a crate of Vitamin Water with my laptop perched on my knees. Not exactly conducive to productivity.
But the expansion had taken such a toll on our savings that we ran out of money to furnish our office. Then even after our cash flow improved, it always seemed like there were more important things to spend money on. So for the past two years, my “desk” was actually a $50 IKEA dining table, and my “office chair” was one of those cheap plastic folding chairs.
I didn’t mind it at first, but after awhile it got old. Especially since I started developing chronic pain in my right shoulder. I even started going to get acupuncture just to treat that shoulder. After awhile I realized that it was because my workspace was set up all wrong.
I started reading up on ergonomics and came across article after article extolling the virtues of sit/stand desks – desks that are adjustable heights, so you can work at them either sitting down or standing up. This was what I needed!
So I decided to look into the array of sit/stand desks available and found that they ran the gamut from $400 for a desk you had to crank up by hand (uh no thanks) to over $2,000 for high-end designer sit/stand desks that had electronic controls (too rich for my blood).
Then one day on YouTube, I came across some videos about ergonomics from a company named The Human Solution, an online retailer of ergonomic office products. I was really impressed by how informative their content was, so I took a look at their products and found the Uplift 900. It had electronic controls but unlike those chichi designer desks with the 4-figure price tags, it was just $699! And it looked great to boot.
Colors and Options
The Human Solution offers the Uplift 900 in so many different color combinations between the bases and the desktops that you’re sure to find a combo that will suit your tastes. The base comes in a choice of silver, white, or black, and the desktops come in a choice of black, white, mahogany, cherry, or maple. I went with a silver base and a maple top. That’s for the basic Uplift 900. But they also have higher-end versions of this model that offer finishes like stainless steel, mesquite, cedar, and bamboo.
Customer Service
This is a company that really understands service. One thing I love about their site is the wealth of information they offer. Not only do they have in-depth guides on how to choose the best chair/keyboard tray/monitor stand for your needs, but they even have an interactive product selector tool. Answer a few questions, and it’ll result in one of their customer service reps emailing you their recommendation for the most suitable product for your needs. When I ran into an issue with their freight and delivery company (they only delivered the base, and managed to lose the desktop), The Human Solution was extremely responsive and got the issue sorted right away.
The Verdict
So how am I liking the Uplift 900? Well, I don’t like it… I LOVE it! Being able to move from sitting to standing has helped immensely with relieving my shoulder pain, and it also makes me feel so much more energized! The desk also just looks fantastic. It’s so well-made, the finishes are of great quality, and the up/down controls just work so well.
In fact, for a demonstration of the electronic controls, I made this little video for you:
Bonus: My 5-year old daughter, who spends a lot of time in my office, thinks it’s the coolest thing ever! 🙂
If you’re looking for a quality sit-stand desk and you’re on a budget, I’d definitely recommend that you check out the Uplift 900.
And if you want some tips on how to set up your desk for maximum productivity, check out this post.
Thank you to the folks at The Human Solution for providing me with the Uplift 900 to review! All writing and opinions are my own.
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