At a glance
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Impressive build quality
- Lots of features
- Good value
Cons
- 120cm isn’t high enough for tall people
- Assembly takes quite a while
- Fiddly cable management
Our Verdict
With an attractive design, easy height adjustment and relatively affordable price, the Maidesite S2 Pro standing is a great desk.
When it comes to standing desks, FlexiSpot has done a pretty good job of establishing itself as the market leader. But it’s by no means the only brand. Maidesite is one alternative you might not have heard of, but the company’s whole ethos is built around the benefits of stand working.
Its most popular model is the S2 Pro, which is the focus of this review. It offers plenty of space for couple of monitors, easy height adjustment and three colour options: oak effect, black and white.
After spending a few weeks using the S2 Pro as my main desk, here’s how it fared.
Features and design
- 140cm x 70cm desktop
- Height adjustment from 78-120cm
- 100kg weight limit
Maidesite makes several different standing desks, but it’s easy to see why so many people turn to the S2 Pro. Despite being relatively affordable, it has a simple yet effective design that’ll look good in almost any home office.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
I’m a particular fan of the Oak desktop, which combines a natural wooden look with white legs. Even after using it for over a month, the surface still looks as good as new, so I have no concerns over its long-term durability. However, it’s also available in all-white or all-black if you’d prefer.
The S2 Pro adopts a classic rectangular shape, although rounded corners mean it looks good anywhere in a room. Its 140x70cm size was perfect for my home office, allowing plenty of room for a laptop, monitor, keyboard, mouse and more.
However, there are a couple of things to be aware of. The section containing the control box and other cables tends to be unsteady, especially as it needs to slide when necessary. For any other cables, Maidesite includes some flimsy ties in the box that are designed to stick to the underside.
I didn’t enjoy using them, so would recommend most people buy the accessories kit sold separately. This includes a large tray for collecting cables, alongside a separate small drawer headphone hook.
Even if you have a huge desktop PC and several monitors, you’ll struggle to get close to the 100kg weight limit. But it’s nice to know you won’t overload the motors.
A control panel screws to the underside of the desk and offers a range of functions. You can lower or raise the desk manually, but storing four height presets makes things much easier, especially if different people share the desk. Even if it’s just for yourself, you can set a comfortable sitting and standing height in two of the presets.
To encourage you to move between them, the control panel also has a built-in alarm. It can be set to alert you every 30 minutes or every hour, with a desk vibrating for a few seconds when the time is up. It won’t automatically raise or lower until you press a button though.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
A discrete reminder like this (rather than the beeping alarm used by FlexiSpot) is a great way to make sure you don’t get into the habit of sitting all day.
Officially, the S2 Pro can be set to anywhere between 72cm and 120cm, but the minimum displayed on the control panel is 78.7cm. As it turns out, that 72cm figure refers to the distance between the floor and the lowest point of the panel that connects the leg to the desktop. Very odd.
It’s still a decent range, although Maidesite says it’s best for people between 5-6ft. As I’m well over 6ft, I can see why. Even at its highest point, the S2 Pro is slightly lower than I’d like a standing desk to be. It’s fine for typing, but I had to hunch over slightly to comfortably see my laptop screen.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Adjusting the height is far from silent, but Maidesite’s claim of the motors being under 50dB seems accurate. Even if you’re standing up and sitting down every half hour, this is unlikely to get annoying.
The S2 Pro’s anti-collision system is impressive too. When the sensor detects an obstacle, it’ll automatically reverse a few centimetres before any damage is done. This was particularly effective on the sloping walls in my flat, which could have otherwise damaged my monitor if the desk didn’t stop rising.
Setup and build
- Detailed instructions
- Takes 2 people around an hour
- Final product is sturdy and well-built
The S2 Pro is a flat-pack desk, which arrives in two boxes – one for the desktop and one for everything else. Both are very heavy, with a total weight 46.2kg. The delivery drivers weren’t too happy about carrying these up two flights of stairs.
You’ll want to put it together in the room where it’ll be used, as it won’t easily go through a doorway. I’d recommend two people, as someone needs to hold the desktop in place while the other puts the screws in. A Phillips head screwdriver or – better still – an impact driver plus a tape measure are required, but everything else you need is included.
A detailed instruction booklet explains each step in detail, using a combination of diagrams and written text. This makes it easy to follow, although that didn’t stop us making a mistake at one point. Once everything is out of the boxes, you’re looking at around an hour before it’s ready to use.
When it’s built, the S2 Pro is an impressive looking thing. It feels strong and durable, with the weight evenly absorbed via two large legs. This means there’s almost no wobble whatsoever, even at its maximum height.
Anyron Copeman / Foundry
Maidesite also provides a five-year warranty on the S2 Pro. That means the company will replace any defective parts during that time, provided they’re “due to improper workmanship and/or material defects”. However, you’ll need to cover shipping costs if you’re based outside of Germany.
Price & availability
Talking of costs, the Maidesite S2 Pro is £349 in the UK when paying full price. However, the company’s summer sale (running until 31 July) meant it was available for £307.12 at the time of review. To get that price, you need to enter the code ‘MT12’ at checkout.
In the US, it’s down to $379.99 from the usual $469.99. However, it’s worth noting that the dimensions are slightly different – the desktop measures 48in x 24in and can be adjusted from 62cm to 127cm. It was also out of stock at the time of writing.
When you consider everything you’re getting, that’s excellent value for money. The FlexiSpot E7 looks very similar, yet will cost you more: $619.99 / £419.98.
Verdict
The Maidesite S2 Pro is a stylish and good-quality standing desk that will serve many people well.
Its sturdy design and large surface area make it a great candidate for a home office, particularly if you want to avoid sitting all day. The motors allow you to position it at a range of different heights, although taller people may wish the UK version could go even higher.
Assembly takes a while and the cable management could be better, but there’s very little to dislike here. At a more affordable price than some rivals, the S2 Pro is easy to recommend.
