When you’re shorter, you might find a challenging time looking for the ideal standing desk converter that won’t give you a neck strain or a bad back. With a lot of workstations in the market, only a few can really provide comfort and convenience for shorter people. And I’m going to list the top 5.
Top 5 Best standing desk converters for short person
Ergotron Work-Fit S
The Ergotron WorkFit S has a higher level of flexibility and the unit can be adjusted to fit the needs of shorter users. Most standard desk risers will force shorter people to look up to the screen.
The ideal ergonomic position should be at eye level to the top 2 or 3” of your monitors. And with most workstations, you can’t adjust the monitor and the keyboard tray independently. You may have your monitor at your eye level, but the keyboard tray will still be high for you.
The Ergotron WorkFit S relieves this issue. This standing desk converter has individual adjustments for both the monitor and the keyboard. And both can go low enough even for a sitting position for shorter users. You can also customize the space difference between the monitor and the keyboard at standing height.
Thus, this desk riser offers a large range of distances that can be low enough for shorter users. In addition, the size of the Ergotron WorkFit S is perfect for tight spaces. Though you can’t get adjustable arms like that of the Ergotron Fit A, you’ll surely find the perfect spot for your height.
Pros
- Large keyboard tray
- Ideal or tight spaces
- Easy to assemble
- Monitors can be easily shifted
- Functional and sleek
- Monitor and keyboard tray can be adjusted independently
Cons
- Challenging to add tension
- Cable tray management could have been better
Health Postures Taskmate Go
This workstation can adjust 4” below the work desk so it’s comfortable for shorter users. And one unique feature of the Health Postures Taskmate Go is that it offers a negative keyboard. What’s a negative keyboard? This type of movement allows the keyboard tray to go lower than the desk itself.
Thus it makes it possible for the keyboard tray to go way low, so shorter users can still work comfortably on this workstation even when seated.
In addition, this workstation is also dual ergonomic. Meaning you can adjust the monitor and the keyboard tray independently. Thus, offering shorter people more options for the distance between the monitor and the tray.
So this makes the unit very convenient and useful whether you’re going to use it in a sitting position or as a sit and stand desk. You can still get the ideal ergonomic position for our neck, back, and wrist.
Pros
- Comes fully assembled
- Neutral reach zone
- Large work surface
- Negative keyboard tray
- Monitor and keyboard tray can be adjusted independently
Cons
- Does not offer limitless height adjustment. Instead, height adjustments come in increments of 2 “
S2S Sit Stand Workstation
The S2S Sit Stand workstation allows the tray to go as low as 7” below the desk. So you can also find the negative keyboard angle that’s perfect for shorter people. So they can still make use of the unit whilst in a sitting position.
It has a small footprint and doesn’t take much of your space. And one unique feature that doesn’t seem to be present in most workstations is that the unit can be tilted and rotated. This workstation offers a 45-degree tilt and 90-degree rotation ( portrait to landscape). So it gives more range of motion. It‘s like a combination of a monitor arm and a standing desk converter in one.
The monitor and the tray can also be adjusted independently. And the larger working space is also a plus. As for the keyboard tray, it has about more space above where you can write or place some of your office tools.
Pros
- Available in single and double
- Highly adjustable
- Small footprint
- Negative keyboard tray
- Neutral reach zone
- Larger desk area
Cons
- Doesn’t offer limitless height adjustment
Humanscale Quickstand
The Humanscale Quickstand is dual ergonomic. So you can adjust the monitor and the keyboard tray independently. I think this is one of the most important features that make a workstation very suitable for shorter users.
Since shorter users often need just a small distance between the monitor and the keyboard, this workstation fits them to a T. The keyboard tray won’t go below the desk but it can be lowered enough to sit close to the desk.
Apart from that, this workstation is robust, well made, and looks rather premium. The cable management system is one of the best I’ve seen in desk risers. It’s well hidden and not cluttered even a bit. That adds to the posh look of this standing desk converter. It also goes up and down smoothly.
If you’re not too keen on working on a negative keyboard tray, this can be suitable for you. Just take note that the tower tends to slope away from you as you increase the desk. Though this might not really affect shorter people as they will most likely use the lowest setting.
Pros
- Robust and solid construction
- The monitor and keyboard tray can be adjusted independently
- Excellent cable management system
- Neutral reach zone
Cons
- It kind of moves away from you as it reaches the maximum desk height
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FlexiSpot CompactRiser M5
This workstation is ideal for short users who might need a larger workstation. This FlexiSpot CompactRiser M5 has a rather large desk area measuring 47 inches. The two-tier work area is also quite deep. So it has a lot of room for two monitors. And the keyboard tray can accommodate a regular-sized keyboard plus a mouse. And you still have some more room left.
Shorter users would find this comfortable as the keyboard tray can be flushed to the desk it is situated on. Though the monitor and the keyboard tray can’t be adjusted independently as it’s not dual ergonomic. But you can have the motor quite close to the desk. So if you’re not keen on using a negative keyboard position, you might find this comfortable.
This workstation is also relatively easy to adjust. It’s fitted with a quick-release design so you can remove the keyboard tray when you don’t need to use it. It also doesn’t slope forward. Instead, it goes up/down when you adjust it, so it won’t be eating up valuable vertical space.
Pros
- Easy to adjust
- Keyboard tray flushes close to the desk
- Has a quick release design
- Neutral reach zone
Cons
- Not dual ergonomics
Workstation for shorter users: What to look for
Now that I’ve listed the best desk risers for short users, what exactly do these 5 brands have in common?
- Neutral reach
Both the keyboard tray and the monitor or desk area in the workstation should be within reach. You have to have access to these areas without bending or overextending your arms and back.
- Adjustable keyboard tray
The keyboard tray should be able to go low enough for it to be flushed closer to the desk. And it’s better if it can reach a negative keyboard position. Meaning, the keyboard is situated below the desk area. This will make it possible for shorter people to use the keyboard conveniently even when seated.
- Dual ergonomics
The best feature of a workstation for shorter people would be this. If it’s dual ergonomic, it means that you can adjust the monitor and the keyboard tray separately. This will give you a broad range of options to find the most comfortable spot for your height.
And since shorter users often require just minimal space between the monitor and the keyboard, this is a very useful feature.
- Adjustable monitor
The monitor should be adjusted low enough so that it’s within your eye level. Or at least at the level within the first 2 or 3 inches of your monitor. This will prevent neck strains. Most workstations often compel you to look up. And this can be really bad for your neck and spine.
- Easy to adjust
While this may not be on the top of your mind, it does matter. When you’re taller than the unit, you would have more leverage in adjusting it. Hence, it does not matter if you need to flex a muscle or two. But for shorter people, this can be challenging. Since they don’t have much leverage at their height, they need a standing desk converter that’s very easy to adjust.
These brands can go low enough for your height. And you can use some of these brands in a sitting position. So never settle for a workstation that’s too high for you!
