REVIEW: ERGO DESKTOP HYBRID KANGAROO STANDING DESK

An ideal standing desk supports ergonomic posture and lets you easily change from sitting to standing. The Ergo Desktop Hybrid Kangaroo delivers on these characteristics and more. There is no question that prolonged sitting is bad for your health. But it’s important to choose the right standing desk. This is my second Ergo Desktop desk. Keywords: Quality, stability, and adjustability. It’s made in the USA and customized to your settings. At $599, the Hybrid Kangaroo is not the cheapest nor most expensive on the market, but it’s one of my favorites. Standing at my Hybrid Kangaroo: monitor left, laptop right

What is the Hybrid Kangaroo?

This is a freestanding, height adjustable desk add-on made for a monitor and laptop. The unit sits on a broad, sturdy footplate which can be slid around your desktop. A rear mounted vertical riser is fixed to the footplate. A work surface for your keyboard and mouse is attached to the riser. Easily adjust it up or down by turning the knob on the riser.

Will it Fit? Cubicle and Desk Size

My first standing desk was a Dual Hybrid Kangaroo, also by Ergo Desktop, and similar to the Hybrid Kangaroo, but it had two shelves instead of one. Then I had a private office with a large desk surface. Now I’m at a startup and I have a standard size cube. My Hybrid Kangaroo has a shelf plus a VESA mount (where my monitor is mounted). The Hybrid Kangaroo fits fine in my cube. The two models have the same footprint:

  • the main work surface is adjustable 16.5″ above your desk and measures 28″ wide x 24″ deep.

Some people complain about reduced workspace with add-on desks, but I have no problem here and frankly don’t often need a physical writing surface (or a printer for that matter) anyway. My Hybrid Kangaroo setup – ergonomic AF

Vote with Your Dollar

Ergo Desktop’s customer service is excellent. As a marketer, I’m sensitive to every aspect of the customer experience, from advertising to website to product description to transactional emails. Brad at Ergo Desktop was responsive, professional, and most important, highly knowledgeable about his products. You get the sense that this company cares. Ohio people, right?  They also have a 100% quality guarantee.

Customization

This desk is really not off the shelf. You will need to commit to your monitor setup. For example, do you want your laptop on the left or the right? I like my larger monitor on the left, as I read from left to right and use this screen the most. Brad adjusted the springs for the weight of my laptop and monitor by model number so that the desk would be easy to raise and lower. This is pretty key. Because the springs are set to my specs, it is nearly effortless to raise and lower. From the raised position, while I’m seated or standing, I just spin the knob, remove the stabilizing leg, and lower it.

Setup

Assembly was a bit of work. My handy boss and I put the desk together with the included tools plus a screwdriver in about 35 minutes. The instructions were clear, though not exactly quick. This is because this model has different apparatuses for each side (VESA mount and laptop shelf). I would recommend two people and at least a half hour for assembly.

Profile

The desk is sleek and solid, featuring stainless steel and sturdy black shelves and knobs. The finish is available in black, maple, cherry, or putty. I began receiving compliments on day one. Some coworkers fondly called it “robust.” I think they got a kick out of my desk looking so serious compared to a couple Varidesk models in the office. I hate to see you sit, I love to watch you stand The VESA mounted monitor has tilt, pan, and rotate adjustability, handy for moving your monitor to show to coworkers. Aesthetically, the only true drawback is the stability leg, which I don’t mind. For neatness, Ergo Desktop offers a cable management system for your cords. This is composed of a bracket with a zip tie that can slide in the extrusion material at any slotted location. It’s $5 for two brackets. I happen to have a lot of cords due to my docking station and keyboard wire, but four cleaned things up nicely.

Pros:

  • Great customer service
  • You don’t need to replace your existing fixed top desk
  • Solid construction, high quality
  • Clear instructions
  • Height adjustable in seconds with little effort
  • No motor (fewer parts that can break)
  • Custom weight settings
  • Solid steel base plate for stability
  • Optional Detachable Side Work Surfaces, Cable Management, and Keyboard Extension

Cons:

  • Not portable or easy to move without disassembling
  • Setup commits you to monitor on the left or right
  • Assembly required unless you pay $19.00 for pre-assembly

Price and Shipping

The desk is $599.00. Shipping to the lower 48 states is free with assembly required. You can pay $19.00 for the desk to arrive assembled. APO, FPO, Hawaii and Alaska shipping options are available as well.

Bottom line:

The Hybrid Kangaroo is a high quality adjustable standing desk and I recommend it. Read more reviews of Ergo Desktop’s other standing desks. Sitting is the new smoking. Disclaimer: I received a complimentary Hybrid Kangaroo in order to write this product review. Please note that my recommendation is not for sale: this is my honest opinion.

Click here to read the review in its entirety with images at EmilyBinder.com.