The Duo Standing Desk from Branch Furniture is a fantastic upgrade from the previous Branch Standing Desk, and might even be one of the best standing desk options for your money around today.
The desk has a 275lb lifting capacity, comes in two different sizes, offers one of the most unique controllers I have seen, and provides a ten-year warranty on the tabletop and frame. All of that, for under $450, is an absolute steal.
I was admittedly hesitant when I first saw this price tag, being concerned that there was no way the build quality could have stayed the same from the previous model while also cutting the price. However, I don't know how they did it, but Branch knocked it out of the park with this desk.
Unboxing and First Impressions
One of the first things that I noticed while assembling the Duo Standing Desk is that there is no crossbar, like I have come to expect with nearly every desk frame. Instead, Branch has opted for legs with mounting brackets that bolt into either end of the desk. From the top and sides of the desk, this looks no different - however, from the bottom, there is a rather large hole. It wasn't until a few steps later that I realized this hole allowed the drawer to sneak in without having a gap off the bottom of the desk. In hindsight, that gap now makes much sense, though if I ever wanted to use this set of legs on a different tabletop, (not from Branch) I would have a more challenging time aligning them perfectly. Once I added the drawer, I realized the genius of this design and how no other company could add a drawer through the middle of their desk like Branch can.
The next thing I was shocked by was how much I liked the desk drawer I chose to add to my Duo. I thought it would be a simple drawer like those I have received with other desks. However, this drawer felt nicer, and already had, pre-installed, a felt liner that reassured me that I could tuck things away in here while clearing my desk and not have worries about it getting scratched up - even an iPad or MacBook could be tidied away in this drawer.
Moving on, the final assembly step before flipping the desk right-side up was to add the controller. I am used to seeing buttons, arrows, or a simple up-and-down mechanism. But, much like the Herman Miller (Fully) Jarvis Standing Desk, I got a control paddle instead. It was when I plugged the desk in, after flipping it over, that I became fascinated with this little paddle. Once I plugged the desk in, the paddle revealed a screen in the front, showing that this was not just a place to rest your fingers to pull or push the desk up and down but rather a display reading out the heights as well as a welcome message.
Design and Build Quality
Dimensions: 36 x 24in or 48 x 24in
Lifting Capacity: 275lb
Height Range: 28 - 47.8in
Overall, the design of the Duo Standing Desk is minimalist and straightforward. The desktop itself has rounded, flat edges, and the legs are simple and easily blend in with the surroundings. There are two sizing options, 36 x 24 inches for compact spaces and 48 x 24 for larger spaces. Both sizing options have four options for the desktop and two leg colors. For the top, I had the choice of woodgrain, walnut, white, or charcoal. For the legs, I had the choice between white and charcoal. Because I love the Stormtrooper look, I chose the white top with charcoal legs, which looks stunning.
In addition to the standard base build, I picked up the Desk Drawer and Cable Organizer to round out my setup.
Each piece appeared to be crafted with care and built to last a significant amount of time. I am not concerned about cheap components or parts that may fail after some time, but this will be a tried and true staple in my workspace for some time.
In Use
Over the last couple of months, I have used the Duo Standing Desk a fair amount. So far, I love it. The look is precisely what I was hoping for, as a minimalist desk that I prefer to use with just a laptop in a quiet room. While this desk can handle a more extensive setup, it is so simplistic that it deserves something a bit more minimal.
I have taken many virtual meetings and calls from this desk, with no distractions from other work to bother me. I simply prop my MacBook up using my Moft Adhesive Laptop Stand, throw on any of the best business webcams, continuity camera, or the built-in camera, then I'll sometimes add an accent face light to brighten things up, throw on my AirPods Pro and I'm good to go. I can keep anything I need regularly tucked away in my drawer to help limit distractions by leaving it on the desk but still keeping it within reach.
The cable management solution I chose to add to this desk is good but could be better. It can easily handle some cables and a few power bricks if you decide to put a monitor or some other accessories on this desk, though it's not as great as some of the alternatives I have seen, such as my favorite cable management solution that I have on my Ergonofis Shift Standing Desk.
Final Verdict
For the money, there isn't much more you could ask for in a motorized standing desk than what you can find in the Duo Standing Desk by Branch Furniture. This desk is high quality, beautiful, and easy to use. It has built-in storage, height presets, and excellent colorways, all at a great price.
