29 February, 2016
Here in the Dohrmann Consulting office, we’ve been trialling the VARIDESK Pro Plus 36, a work platform with adjustable height. It’s been great…here’s the details:
The Good: Overall, feedback about the VARIDESK is positive. It’s easy to use and doesn’t require new furniture / fitout to transform your standard desk/workstation into a height adjustable workstation. It has a clean and simple design, and feels solid and stable on the desk surface. The VARIDESK Pro Plus 36 is easily adjustable – the spring assisted lift feature means it does the heavy lifting for you. It’s safe, too. It requires both hands for operation, so it’s unlikely a child would accidentally operate it – and if they did, fingers won’t get stuck in the mechanics while it’s in motion. When the VARIDESK Pro Plus 36 is not in use (ie user is sitting), the platform sits low on the desk. The keyboard is not raised from the desk surface very much, an important ergonomic feature.
The Bad: The VARIDESK Pro Plus 36 is one of the smaller models available, and at times, the lack of available work surface is felt by the user. There are larger models available however, which would potentially combat this problem.
The user needs to be aware that stability of the product may be affected by leaning on it when in an elevated position. It should also be noted that placement of the desk chair while the VARIDESK is being used in a standing position could create an additional risk. The user should be aware of where they place the desk chair while they are standing, so they do not step backwards and fall over the chair.
Another issue raised by users was the need to be aware of clutter on the desk, when raising or lowering the desk. The surrounding desk needs to be relatively clear and clutter-free for easy operation of the VARIDESK Pro Plus 36 and to prevent items becoming jammed between the desk surface and the VARIDESK. In an office environment this is achievable however it may be more difficult in a workshop type setting.
The Rest: The VARIDESK has quite a wide range of movements and can be adjusted to one of 11 set points within that range. Extremely tall users may find that the VARIDESK Pro Plus 36 does not cater to their standing requirements, if they do not have a tall desk surface to begin with.
The main user of the VARIDESK Pro Plus found he needed to use the VARIDESK at standing height for approximately 10 minutes for every 2 hours to relieve the fatigue of sitting. Even at these short intervals, he felt the VARIDESK was a worthwhile addition to his workstation. While this was adequate movement for this user, other users may find they need to stand for longer periods.
Overall: Overall, the VARIDESK Pro Plus 36 is a product Dohrmann Consulting would recommend clients consider when making decisions about ergonomically sound workstations.
More information about the VARIDESK Pro Plus 36 and other VARIDESK products is available here.
NOTE: Dohrmann Consulting are not a VARIDESK supplier/distributor and do not receive commission / incentives of any sort from VARIDESK. Any time we make a recommendation about a product it’s because it’s the best product to suit our client’s needs. This review is NOT a recommendation. Individual requirements and circumstance must be assessed when purchasing any office equipment.
