When choosing an electric standing desk there are myriad factors to look out for.
One of these factors is whether you need a dual or single motor desk.
So how do you know which one to choose? In our article, we filtered through the most important questions and have compiled a helpful guide into which standing desk would be best for you.
Dual vs Single Motor Comparisons
Before deciding between a single or dual motor electric desk you may want to review the difference between a pneumatic and electric standing desk. The electric standing desk has many advantages including ease of adjustment and load capacity. For an article on this see: pneumatic vs electric standing desk.
The Difference Between a Dual and Single Motor
So what actually is the difference? Well, when we look at different types of standing desks we need to think about many factors, such as how long the desk will last, the quality of the motor matter, and whether you need a dual or single motor.
All standing desks with motors run on the same principle: by calculating how much weight is on the desk as well as how many revolutions it takes to move, the motor/s that are attached to the legs move according to your adjustments and pre-saved settings.
A single motor is just that: single. There is only one motor that is controlling the two legs and tends to be quite bulky as it works off a hex-rod system that joins the two legs so they both lift together.
A dual motor desk, on the other hand, is much more secure and sleek due to the two motors. They tend to be placed under the desk as well, providing a more sturdy desk thanks to the extra support.
Dual or Single: Which Motor Supports More Weight
Undoubtedly the best motor for holding a higher weight capacity is the dual motor.
This is because the single motor is smaller and doesn’t have much added strength, whereas the dual motor is more robust as it adds support to two legs.
So if you’re looking for the best standing desk for multiple monitors, look no further than a dual-motor desk as it supports up to 80kg more than a single motor desk, allowing you to put more monitors and keyboards on your desk without worrying about damaging your desk.
The Best Motor for Quality Performance
In addition to dual motors being able to hold more weight, we also need to take into consideration how the motor will perform.
Although standing desks have a maximum weight capacity, sometimes the motors can fail if the desks actually hold close to the maximum weight.
Single motor desks tend to have a lower weight capacity as the motor can struggle to lift all the weight, ultimately damaging your desk if you hit the maximum capacity.
The dual-motor desks however have a higher weight capacity as they have more support to lift all the weight, ensuring that the motors won’t struggle. This means that you don’t have to worry about the motors failing if you reach the maximum weight capacity.
The Best Standing Desk for Assembly and Maintenance
Some of us like to DIY our constructions, but that can sometimes lead to misplaced screws and wobbly items.
With the single motor, you have to pay a bit more attention to the construction, ensuring that the hex rod is placed in the correct place between the two legs so that it doesn’t come loose or uneven.
This ends up costing you quite a bit more as you can either pay for an expert to put the desk together for you, you could be faced with maintenance issues in the long run, or you may end up having to rebuild the desk from scratch.
If you make a mistake while building your single-motor desk, you can also put your motor at risk in terms of the height adjustment, as the hex rods will be out of place and damage the motor and cause it to burn out.
With a dual-motor, the set-up is a lot easier as the two motors just need to be assembled to their respective desk legs, leaving you with no worries about the desk being uneven or put together incorrectly.
The Best Standing Desk For Aesthetics
For some, the aesthetics of the desk can be as important, if not more important, than the desk function itself.
If you’re one of those people that values good-looking things and wants a sleek and design-friendly desk, you should look into getting a dual motor standing desk.
Dual motor desks tend to be more classic-looking as the motors are attached to each leg right under the desk, staying hidden out of sight.
The single motor desks have the hex-rod that sits between the legs of the desk, making them fairly visible as the rod is external.
Overall, if you’re looking for an attractive and clean-looking desk design, we recommend you go with the dual-motor desk.
Which Motor is Best for Lifespan and Durability
Obviously, if you’re paying towards a desk, you want to make sure that the motor is going to last you.
In our research, we’ve found that dual-motor desks tend to last longer than single-motor desks because there is less pressure on two motors than on one.
For example, if you’re looking for the best standing desk for 3 monitors you want to ensure that the desk will last you a long time. Now because you’re going to be using 3 monitors, you know that the desk needs to have a decent weight capacity, therefore you’ll buy a dual-motor desk as you know that those are better for heavier desk loads.
Which Motor Suits Your Needs?
There are many reasons that you’d want to buy a standing desk, so in this section, we have listed a few jobs and which motor you should choose.
Office Job
In a corporate office job, we recommend the whole office to invest in dual-motor desks as they are better long-term, saving costs for the company even if the initial cost might be a bit pricier.
Home Office
For a home office, it’s going to come down to how much weight you want to put on your desk and how much it is going to be moving. If you are planning to put a number of things on your desk we recommend the dual motor desk as it has a higher load capacity and adjusts more smoothly with higher weights. If the desk height is going to be adjusted a lot - for example if a number of different height people are using the desk - the dual motor desk will be best.
Artist
If you’re an artist we think it’s safe to assume you’ll have a lot of different materials and general stuff that you use, alongside your monitor, tablet, and phone.
In this case, the dual-motor would be best suited for you as you won’t have to worry about damaging the desk motor, no matter how many materials you pile up on your desk.
Another concern is making sure your desk has the power to move up and down without displacing any of your work, thus the dual monitor is a studier and safer option as it controls the desk via two parts of the desk.
Which Desk Based on Cost
Obviously, single motor standing desks are cheaper as they only have one motor.
However, they may end up costing you even more than a dual-motor in the long run as the motor may struggle, the hex-rod may not have been installed properly, or just general wear and tear may cause it to fail a lot quicker than a dual-motor desk would.
Yes, a dual-motor desk is more expensive, but if you aren’t on a budget and have some cash to spare, it’s an investment that you won’t regret.
Boasting a longer lifespan than a single motor desk, a greater weight capacity, and an even transition between heights, the dual-motor desk is something you won’t regret buying.
So, Overall Which Motor is Better?
We have to say the dual motor is better due to a number of reasons:
- Dual motor desks have a higher weight capacity
- They are easier to assemble and maintain
- They are sturdier thanks to two motors
- They transition more securely between sitting and standing
- Although more pricey than a single motor, in the long run, they will save money as they are more durable
Ultimately, when choosing a standing desk we highly recommend going with a double-motor desk if you have the money. UpDownDesk sells a range of very high quality dual motor desks with a 10yr warranty on the desk frame and all electrical components: PRO Series electric standing desks.
This will save you money in the future as well as ensure a robust and sturdy desk that can handle more weight such as multiple monitors, have a sleeker design, and smoother adjustments.
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