Don't waste you money on cheap crap from Wayfair or Ikea. You definitely get what you pay for. Here are some things to consider:
Range: If you are tall or really short you want a desk that meets the BIFMA level 2 height range. (22.6" - 48.7") Typically this means getting a 3 stage base.
Controller: There are many types from a basic up/down to a 4 preset (most common) to controllers that work with apps that track your movement and adjust to your activity.
Base design: Is it a fixed length or a telescoping base. There is a trade off on these. Fixed bases tend to have a better capacity but with a telescoping base you can change the top size should you need to down the road.
Base design: T leg or C Leg: The heavier your requirements, the more likely you should go with a T leg. Especially if you have a stacked monitor set up with monitor arms.
Glides: standard glide, slide glides or wheels.
Weight capacity: This is measured with the top included. on the low side you have about 150lbs. On the high side you have over 350lbs.
Actuators: The industry standard is Linak actuators. Look for those.
Top: as was demonstrated earlier, on the cheap bases you can get hollow tops with melamine of LPL (Low pressure laminate). Look for a solid MDF top with HPL. Top should be a minimum of 1" thick.
Collision migration feature: Does the base have obstruction detection?
Speed of the base: look for a base around 1.5-1.8" per second. Anything over 2 is noticeably slow.
Electrical: look for at least 300w for a 2 leg base and over 400w for a large base with 3 legs.
Table edge: on the better desks you can either get a soft edge, knife edge or antimicrobial edges.
Integrated wire management: does the desk have wire management capabilities? i.e. cable riser, cable basket, on desk or under desk power.
Warranty: look for at least a 12 year, 3 shift warranty.
So there is food for though when you go looking for a desk. I would spend the extra money on a decent base with a local dealer that will also warranty your desk should you need it.
Some brands to consider: Herman Miller, Haworth, Steelcase, AMQ, Allsteel, Enwork, Ergocentric, ESI, Human Scale, ISE, Teknion and workrite.
All of these manufacturers have a good, better, best scenario and are represented by Office furniture dealers in town. Most of these are on their sales floors so you can check them out before you buy.
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