Flexispot E7/EC4 standing desk review

My Apple Watch punishes me on a regular basis for not standing up enough, and I’m willing to bet many of you reading this have a similar experience. There’s no shame in it. 

We’ve all been stuck in this pandemic for so long that sitting has become the new default, especially for those of us working from home. The process of clocking off and enjoying a night on the PS5 is as easy as shutting your laptop and rearranging yourself on a chair.

Now, you don’t need me telling you why this isn’t a healthy lifestyle; let me instead insist that a standing desk is an essential purchase for remote workers, and when it comes to the best standing desks money can buy, Flexispot takes a lot of the top spots.Does the company’s latest iteration, the Flexispot E7/EC4, continue its top form? Let’s find out.

Standing vs Sitting

I’m an average height and weight thirty-something who came from being made redundant to landing his dream job as a tech journalist. With this in mind, it’s fair to say that I’ve become accustomed to sitting down for very long stretches.

But once I got a taste of the “sit-stand-move” lifestyle with the Flexispot E7/EC4, I realized just what kind of a toll being a couch potato had on my body and mind. 

My knees and spine feel so much better from the additional movement, which keeps my body actively pumping fresh blood and oxygen to my brain and helps me feel more engaged over longer work sessions. And of course, the most important thing, my Apple Watch doesn’t tell me off anymore!

Flexispot E7/EC4 pricing and configurations

So, this is where things get a little confusing. Flexispot E7 is the unit’s name in the U.K., whereas the U.S. counterpart is named Flexispot EC4.

In the U.S., prices start from $400 for the desk frame with a 48 x 24-inch desktop. Upgrade options include increasing the size of the desktop up to an 80 x 130-inch beast for an additional $130 or a pro 3-stage frame for increased height for $40 extra. As for colorways and finishes, you’ve got black or grey for the frame and a load of wood finishes for the desktop, including a nice bamboo surface.

Over in the U.K., the E7 equivalent frame costs £400 without the desktop. To get a 48 x 24-inch top costs you an extra £80. Other upgrades include expanding the desktop size to a 56 x 28-inch curved option with grommets for £140, and going from the basic keypad to a premium LED keypad for £10.

You get an additional white finish for the frame, but fewer wood finish options for the desktop. Personally, I’d prefer a lot more consistency across pricing, as it means my fellow Britons and I are stuck with paying more for the same thing than those in the U.S.

• Buy the Flexispot EC4 for $399.99
• Buy the Flexispot E7 for £399.99

Flexispot E7/EC4 setup

Setting up this new Flexispot desk is a doddle! It took me 45 minutes to complete the build, which was as easy as building the frame, resizing the centre beam to fit the length of the desktop, securing said desktop, and plugging it in.

The instructions are easy to follow and you get the hex key tools you need in the package.

Fair warning: it is heavy. So, provided you’ve got the muscles to lug these packages or have some to help you with any lifting, you’ll be fine.

Flexispot E7/EC4 design and ease of use

I opted for a black frame and rich mahogany desktop to fit in with the darker tones of my flat and, well, it’s ruddy gorgeous!

The premium, restrained design fits into any room, the sturdy metal matte frame oozes class, and it pairs with a machined wooden top to create a desk that I’m excited to get back to sit (or stand) in front of. Moreover, the table is long enough to hold all of my gadgets and notepads with room to spare.

Speaking to the functionality of the E7/EC4, the premium keypad is an absolute cinch to use and gives you the ability to customize the height to various  levels, and you can save your preferences as presets (or memory). 

When moving up and down, the dual-motor lifting system is fast, quiet, and has a load bearing weight of up to 220lbs (100kg). Simply put, if you’re messy like me, this can handle a helluva lot of clutter, although you should really tidy up because a clean desk equals a clear mind.

I do have two gripes, though. First is the lack of grommets on all but the most expensive desktop option. I have a monitor stand that relies on a grommet, so having to revert back to a G-clamp latching rather than something tightly integrated into the structure of the desk is a let down.

Second, I would have loved to see more cable management. Sure, there is a tray on the underside of the desk that Flexispot technically calls a “cable management system,” but this is only enough space for the electronics of the desk themselves. At this price, it’s not too much to ask for something like a cable organizer tray to attach underneath the desk. But, as is, to keep plugs tidy for all your other tech on the desk, you will need to shop around for extra management options such as a cable tidy box.

Flexispot E7/EC4 special features

For your hefty investment, you’d expect many of the special features of Flexispot’s EG8B to make the jump over to the E7/EC4. Instead, you only get one — the anti-collision function, which works flawlessly in detecting any potential collision points around the rising and lowering desk and corrects itself before any damage is done.

Don’t get me wrong, this is the most important feature Flexispot could have chosen, but the inclusion of integrated USB power ports, drawers and a stabilization bar would have made this even more compelling.

Flexispot E7/EC4 warranty

Height-adjustable desk frames from Flexispot in the U.S. come with a five-year warranty “for the frame, motor and other mechanisms,” and two years for the “controller, switch and electronics.”

In the U.K., that warranty is five years for the frame and three for “the motor, controller and switch, electronics and other mechanisms.”

These terms, in the grand scheme of standing desk warranty policies, are decent. Five years is a long time — especially for the motor, and three years is good enough for the electronics. I’d just like to see more warranty consistency between the U.K. and U.S.

Bottom line

So, is the Flexispot E7/EC4 a good standing desk? The answer is a resounding “yes.”

Flexispot’s E7/EC4 has a sturdy, stylish frame that comes with a range of attractive tops, a control system that gives you granular levels of customization and the desk is a cinch to use. Combine those qualities with powerful motors that are quiet in operation, and a stellar anti-collision feature that protects your expensive gadgets, and it’s easy to see why I’d recommend this desk to remote workers.

But, there are some misses. The lack of grommets on every desktop option (except for one) makes cable management a struggle, many of the special features from Flexispot’s all-in-one options like the EG8B don’t carry over to this model, and the price is a bit steep.

But at the end of the day, this is an investment in your future. Home office health is paramount and when it comes to standing desks, just like any furniture, you need something good that is going to stand the test of time. The Flexispot E7/EC4 is a good standing desk that is on the verge of being great.