Review: EverDesk Max Height Adjustable Standing Desk & Accessories

If you ever wondered what happened to ErgoEdge, they’re not gone – they just rebranded to EverDesk. And with a new name comes new flagship – the new EverDesk Max height adjustable standing desk. The EverDesk Max starts from S$749 depending on your configuration.

Assembly

The EverDesk Max will deliver into two separate pieces – (1) table top, (2) the extended frame. Self-assembly of the desk is the default option. If you require help, you can opt for the S$60 assembly service.

I recommend you save the money and assemble the desk yourself as the assembly process is quite easy. There are very clear step-by-step instructions provided, and the screws and tools required are all neatly labelled. Furthermore, the table top comes pre-drilled so it is really as simple as aligning the frame to the holes on the table top then securing them together with an Allen key and screws. There are also pre-drilled holes on both sides of the table top for you to choose the location of installing the Health Coach (ie. control hub).

One great feature of the EverDesk Max is its extended frame. Like the name suggests, the frame can be extended from its minimum width of 108cm to widest of 180cm. This makes the desk frame future-proof, so in the event you wish to upgrade to a longer desk, you can still use the same frame.

In case you want a soft copy of the assembly guide, you can find it below:

Build quality and design

EverDesk Max just feels incredibly solid. The table is very sturdy and there is completely no rattling heard at all when I try to shake the desk. EverDesk Max still feels very stable at its highest height. The frame exhibits a clean look as there is no visible screws when looking at it from the side.

When configuring your EverDesk, you have 3 options of table top – (1) Classic, (2) Natural wood, and (3) Wildfolks. The unit I received was (2) Natural wood, with the aged darkened walnut colour. The table tops in the ‘Natural wood’ series are built from a birch wood foundation and finished with veneer, giving it a slightly polished look. Personally, I’d prefer a finish that is less polished so it feels more like wood. However, the veneer finish does help to protect the table top for increased durability.

The aged darkened walnut colour looks beautiful. There are two sizes of ‘Natural wood’ table tops to choose from – (1) 120 * 60cm, or (2) 150 * 60cm. The unit I have is the 120cm in length. The table top also feature rounded edges which is safer if you have young children around at home. Another thing to note is that the table tops are 2.5cm of thickness which is also good to have in terms of durability.

‘UniGroove’ Integration

A unique feature about EverDesk’s ‘Natural wood’ series of table top is what EverDesk calls their ‘UniGroove’ integration. UniGroove is essentially a custom designed rectangular grommet for a more aesthetically pleasing cable management. The UniGroove has 22 holes which you can use for cable passthrough and even securing other EverDesk’s accessories (such as Desk Shelves). You can even use it as a phone/tablet stand.

The ‘UniGroove’ integration offers an incredibly clean solution should you use a monitor arm from EverDesk. The typical clamp mounting of a monitor arm at the back of the desk means that you cannot push the desk flush against the wall. However, with UniGroove you are able to grommet mount the monitor arm as shown below (ie. directly through one of the holes in the UniGroove).

The design of the UniGroove comes in hand-in-hand with the cutout at the back of the table top. This cutout allows you pass all your cables through so that you can fit the desk flush against a wall.

Sit/Stand functionality

The main thing that sets the Max and Lite model apart is the sit/stand functionality. The differences between the Max and Lite can be summaries done in 3 points.

1. Motor power: The Max has dual motors so it adjusts faster and more quietly, and holds more weight than the Lite.
2. Height range: The Max goes both lower and higher than the Lite. If you’re below 160cm, the lower height range capability will definitely benefit you.
3. Control handset: The Max’s control handset, Health Coach, offers more features such as custom sit-stand reminders and custom memory settings. The Lite’s control handset only features two buttons to move the desk up and down.

Dual motors

The dual motor system in the EverDesk Max is able to adjust height at speeds of 45mm/s. It is noticeably faster than than Martiangear Apollo II’s 35mm/s. Having used a EverDesk Max, I do appreciate the faster speeds as it means less waiting time for the desk to get to a standing height for me to resume work. The motors do produce expected whirring noise when ascending/descending but it isn’t distractingly loud.

Height range and adjustment

As aforementioned, one of the key benefit of getting the EverDesk Max model over the Lite is that it can adjust from the lowest of 60cm to the highest of 124cm. Since I’m not very tall, having the ability to bring the desk down to a lower height of 65cm really allows me to create an ergonomic sitting setup with my ErgoTune Supreme chair. This means that my feet are well rested on the floor, and my elbows are positioned 90 degrees with the arm rest aligning to the table top.

The height adjustment of the EverDesk Max is very stable. I tested the ascent and descent with my ‘cup of water’ and even the ‘standing pencil’ test – both passed with flying colours, as shown videos below.

Health Coach – Unique control hub

Unlike most standing desks in the market which uses a rectangular control hub that employs physical buttons, the control hub on the EverDesk Max is a rounded one. This rounded control hub is what EverDesk calls their Health Coach.

As the Health Coach has a rounded shape, there is less chance of accidentally knocking into it. Since there are no physical up/down buttons, the adjustment of height is done by rotating the knob clockwise/anti-clockwise. The rotating of the knob actually feels quite intuitive to use and I got used to it very easily.

You can also set up to three custom height presets. Having height presets is really convenient as single tap gets the table to your desired height. During that transition, you have your hands free to check your phone do some light stretching. The Health Coach is touch enabled so there are no physical buttons. The touch controls are thankfully rather nice to use.

If having custom height presets still doesn’t motivate you to stand and work, then perhaps the Health Coach’s reminder feature will kick you into building a habit. You can choose to set a time interval at which the Health Coach will remind to stand via vibrations. The vibrations are subtle and not overly distracting. You can choose from 3 vibration patterns. Stopping the vibration reminder is as easy as tapping any button on the Health Coach. For more information on the Health Coach features you can refer to the manual here.

Warranty

EverDesk has a default warranty of 3 years, but easily extend it to 10 years by sharing a photo/video of your EverDesk on social media.

EverDesk ecosystem – Accessories to enhance your setup

EverDesk also offers a large variety of accessories so that you can customise a setup that truly fits your needs and ergonomics. Let’s go through some of the accessories that they offer.

Cable management tray

For S$39, you can purchase EverDesk’s cable tray which you can conveniently install under the pre-drilled table top. The tray provides a neat place to store excess cables and extension surge protector. The cable management tray is 45cm long, which should be long enough for storing a 6-socket surge protector. The 12.5cm width also allows you chuck any chunky power adapters in that space as well.

However, given that EverDesk sells table tops that are at least 120cm long, it would have been good to see a longer cable tray of at least 80cm. People who use more than one surge protectors will definitely benefit from a longer cable tray.

Cable spine

The cable spine would likely be more applicable for office use since corporate spaces generally have cables routings coming from the floor.

The cable spine allows you route these cables from the floor into the spine where you can magnetically attach the other end of the spine to the frame of the desk.

UniGroove cable stopper

The UniGroove cable stopper is made of a felt material and fits lightly in the UniGroove integration of EverDesk’s table tops. The cable stopper allows you to channel cables through the UniGroove integration and keep it locked in place so it doesn’t fall through the hole.

The UniGroove cable stopper retails for S$29, which contains a bundle of two sizes.

Modular desk shelves

There are two sizes of desk shelves – (1) Standard [36cm], and (2) Large [58cm]. The unit I have with me is the ‘Large’ size shelf. By using desk shelves, you can actually create more space on your desk as you have an extra layer your desk.

It also helps to keep your table top tidy since you can hide things such as USB hubs and notepads under the desk shelf. Personally, I found it to be a great space to slot my iPad Pro in. The build quality of the desk shelf is impressive. It is made from solid wood and feels sturdy with a solid heft to it. The colours of the desk shelves also match the wooden table tops from EverDesk well.

The EverDesk desk shelves are also compatible with the UniGroove integration system, where you can thread screws into the UniGroove with the base of the desk shelf. This helps to lock the desk shelf in place on your desk.

I would like to see a longer variant of the desk shelves in the future. Since there is a 150cm table top option, perhaps one that is at least 120cm long would be a right fit.

Pegboard panel & accessories

EverDesk sells both the pegboard panel and its accompanying accessories for S$49 each. It would make sense to purchase them both, so that will set you back S$98 if you’re looking to get one set.

Below is what you will get if you purchase them both:

• Metal pegboard (570mm W * 370mm H)
• Table clamps * 2
• Shelf * 1
• Hooks * 4
• Knobs * 2
• Shelf with glass vase * 1
• Stationery holder * 1
• Photo frame (80mm W * 85mm H) * 1

The pegboard panel is made from steel and it keeps its shape well. There are table clamps provided so you can clamp it to the side or the back the table top. By clamping it to a desk, it helps to create a new layer of space which you can keep off your desk for better organisation.

Being a pegboard panel, you can use the accessories to personalise exactly how you want the panel to look like. The hooks and knobs are great for hanging things such as scissors, keys and wired equipment. The stationery holder and shelves are useful for storing commonly used items that you want to keep off your desk top. As the panel is made from steel, you can use the free space to pin notes or photos with any magnet as well.

Hover Lightbar

EverDesk’s Hover Lightbar retails for S$49, and it attaches easily to the top of your monitor and can be moved around easily. The main benefit of using a lightbar is that it reduces eye strain. This is because the light from the lightbar helps to reduce the glare from the monitor. Personally, I wasn’t exactly a believer of using lightbar until I tried the Hover Lightbar myself.

Another thing I like about the Hover Lightbar is that it takes up very little space on my desk. It is powered by USB so I can plug it right into my monitor. The Hover Lightbar has 4 levels of brightness and 5 colour settings you can configure. This allows me to set the mood accordingly – white light for working and warm light for watching shows.

Leather Desk mat & Mouse pad

The leather desk mat retails for S$40 while the mouse pad costs S$25. The desk mat measures 810mm (W) * 300mm (H), while the mouse pad measures 190mm (W) * 220mm (H). I think you should only get one of the two. And personally I think the desk mat is more useful since you can also use it as a mouse pad.

If you never used a desk mat, one of the benefits of the desk mat is that it helps to maintain a nice segregation for the things on your desk. The desk mat will likely be the surface for your keyboard and mouse. The leather used is soft and supple, providing a comfortable surface to rest my wrists on.

Putting it all together – The EverDesk Max experience

The EverDesk Max is simply a wonderful desk to use. It goes low enough to support my ergonomic sitting preference, and the Health Coach is surprisingly useful at getting me to keep a habit of standing at work. The UniGroove integration on the Natural Wood table top makes cable management a breeze, and pairs so well with the suite of EverDesk accessories.

The accessories allowed me to create more space and organisation layers, and personalise a setup that I enjoyed working in. I believe that is the EverDesk experience – to have a work space that you can easily customise to work effectively for long hours without compromising on health.

Conclusion

The EverDesk Max with a 120cm natural wood table top will set you back S$869. It is costly, but I have to say that the EverDesk Max is a worthy investment if you are looking to cultivate a habit of standing while working. Furthermore, the frame of the EverDesk Max is extendable so the product has longevity if you want to get a larger table top few years down the road. Also, EverDesk Max is backed by an easily extendable 10-year warranty for a peace of mind.

If you still have budget to shell out for EverDesk accessories, the pegboard panel and modular desk shelves are my favourites to create more space for better organisation. Interested in the EverDesk experience? Be sure to use discount code 22+TECHJIO to get savings of up to S$145 off!

22+TECHJIO

Save up to S$145 on your EverDesk