Varidesk FAQ: ProPlus 36, Electric Standing Desks, and What Buying Actually Looks Like

If you're researching Varidesk products, you probably don't want another 3,000-word essay on ergonomics. You might need a workstation ready before Monday, a quick way to help a team that's tired of sitting, or a real answer about whether the ProPlus 36 is worth the money. I've been the person who orders, unboxes, and assembles these desks under tight deadlines. Here are the questions I actually hear, with honest answers.

1. Should I get the ProPlus 36 or a full electric standing desk?
2. Is the manual lift annoying to use?
3. How long does assembly actually take?
4. Do standing desks really make you more productive?
5. Who delivers these? Do I need to take the day off?
6. Are the "green" claims trustworthy?
7. Will the ProPlus 36 fit my 34-inch monitor?

1. Should I get the ProPlus 36 or a full electric standing desk?

The ProPlus 36 is a desk converter. It sits on your existing desk and lifts your monitor, keyboard, and whatever else is on your work surface. A full electric standing desk replaces the whole setup: legs, desktop, everything. If you already have a desk you like, the converter makes more sense for most teams. It's cheaper, faster to install, and easier to relocate when someone switches offices.

A full electric desk is the better route if you're starting from scratch, or if you need more width for dual monitors or a 49-inch ultrawide. Full desks also give you the satisfying one-touch height adjustment. That said, the ProPlus 36 is often the smarter box to check for upgrades, especially when budgets are tight and someone needs the setup by Friday.

2. Is the manual lift annoying?

Not as much as you'd think. If you're standing up and sitting down two or three times a day, the manual mechanism on the ProPlus 36 works fine and takes a few seconds. It's not a heavy workout. You might even say it's a small reminder to stretch.

This gets into personal preference, though. People who switch positions constantly, like designers or IT staff who walk between screens all day, should look at an electric model. But honestly, most desk users don't need that. My initial assumption was that manual would feel like cranking a car window, but the assist mechanism makes it smooth. If you're coordinating for a whole team, you'll probably mix both: manual converters for people with fixed desks, and a few electric models for the people who keep asking for them.

3. How long does assembly actually take?

For a ProPlus 36, plan on 30 to 45 minutes with two people and a standard Allen wrench. The instructions are better than average, and there are no terrifying steps that make you question your life choices. For a full electric desk, give yourself about an hour because you're assembling the legs and frame, not just clicking a converter onto a surface.

In March 2024, we had a client need six standing workstations in 48 hours because their office move got moved up. We made it work. The key is having a clear table and enough floor space to open the box. Not surgical precision. Just space and time.

4. Do standing desks really make you more productive?

Yes, but not because standing is magical. It's because being stuck in a chair for four straight hours makes most people sluggish. I notice it with my own work: after lunch, if I stand for the next two hours instead of slouching, I state clearer and my emails sound less like a grumpy robot.

From a coordination standpoint, standing desks are an efficiency tool. They reduce that physical slump that turns into a mental slump. But I'm not an ergonomist, and I can't promise a back-pain cure. If someone on your team has real back issues, they should talk to a specialist, not just buy a desk. That said, for standard office tasks, the positive effect on energy is real and measurable. We've had employees ask to keep them after a trial period, and that says something.

5. Who delivers these? Do I need to take the day off?

This is the one people forget. These desks ship via freight carrier, not the normal parcel service. You will likely need to be present for delivery, and the driver may drop the crate at the curb or the ground floor, not carry it up three flights of stairs. That caught me once: a large shipment arrived with no liftgate, no inside delivery, and no way to get a 200-pound box up a narrow staircase. Not fun.

To be fair, that's a standard freight experience, not a Varidesk-specific problem. But it's worth planning around. Ask the carrier if a liftgate is included. Coordinate with the driver. And don't expect USPS-style mailbox service. As of January 2025, USPS charges $0.73 for a one-ounce first-class letter (usps.com), but a standing desk is not a letter. It arrives in a big crate, and someone has to sign for it.

6. Are the "green" claims trustworthy?

It depends on what claim you're talking about. Per FTC guidelines (ftc.gov), environmental claims like "recyclable" and "eco-friendly" must be substantiated. So if a brand says their desk contains recycled steel, you should be able to find that detail in the product spec sheet.

For Varidesk, I'd say they're transparent about materials and packaging, but you should still check the current spec sheet for the exact model you're ordering. Product lines change. The frame could be steel or aluminum. The desktop could be a wood composite with laminates. The degree of "green" varies by product. I avoid making sweeping statements about any desk brand because, at the end of the day, I'm buying a tool, not a manifesto.

7. Will the ProPlus 36 fit my 34-inch monitor?

Probably yes, but it depends on your monitor base and how much work surface you need around it. The ProPlus 36 is 36 inches wide. A single 34-inch ultrawide monitor on its stock stand will fit, but it leaves less room for a laptop stand, a phone, and notes.

This is where I need to be straight with you: I'm not going to quote the exact weight limit from memory because it changes between model revisions and I don't want a typo to cost you or your team a broken monitor. If you're ordering a single 34-inch display with a laptop, you're probably fine. If you're trying to set up a 49-inch ultrawide or a heavy multi-monitor arm, buy the electric desk instead, since it's built for a bigger load and a wider surface.

Whatever you choose, measure your existing desk and the delivery path before you order. I still kick myself for a project where we skipped that step. We found the desk, but it wouldn't fit through the office door. The desk was fine. The schedule was not.