Fromann Table Tops for Standing Desks

While most people buy their standing desk as a complete system, i.e. getting the lifting base and the desktop together from the same seller, you may find yourself needing to acquire a new desktop on its own. For example, you may already own a standing desk but the top has gotten damaged, or you may want to upgrade to a different size and/or color. Whatever the reason, there are a mountain of options to choose from. Read our Guide to Buying A Tabletop For Your Standing Desk to ensure you know what to watch for when purchasing a standalone top for your desk or table.

In this review we explore the desktops individually sold by Fromann, and discuss where they may excel and where they might fall short of consumer expectations.

Cheap Tabletop Option Out of Asia

If there is nothing more we could say about Fromann’s desk tops, we could at least say that they are aren’t too expensive. Currently available on Amazon for $140, they can fit almost any budget for someone replacing a damaged top or making their own DIY workstation, whether for a fixed height or standing desk. Though getting a tabletop for such a low price will come with some risks.

One small thing this table top has over some other desks is that the corners are curved, both protecting people from injuring themselves on a sharp edge and reducing the points that can loosen HPL or PVD edging to expose the core to moisture and elements that often results in warping and delamination. This curved edge is a small thing, but it does help a little.

Not Such a Durable Tabletop

While the desk tops are priced low enough that almost anyone could afford them, they are cheap, commodity-grade tops. They are able to keep those prices so low because they use the standard construction most desk manufacturers use in Asian countries. This is a pretty standard type of construction from China, making a desk that might look nice enough, which they can sell at the lowest price while staying under an acceptable number of complaints and returns. To understand the variety of desktop surfaces used in modern standing desks read our primer. 

Because of this lower quality, these desks are easily damaged, especially during shipping. Most desk manufacturers of similar quality don’t invest that much in keeping their product safe in transit with proper packaging. They accept that a certain number of desktops are gonna be ruined by the time they get to customers. Customers that pull the unlucky straw would then need to deal with the hassle of returns and replaced items, hoping the same thing doesn’t happen again. While we haven’t seen Fromann’s packaging in our labs yet, the price implies that the packaging might not always be quite sufficient, given the rough treatment of packages.

Compatibility is another issue that shoppers will want to investigate. Fromann desktops are pre-drilled for attaching to a base, but specifically to their own standing desk base, which aren’t the highest quality either. If you already have your own base, you’ll have to close those before drilling your own pilot holes.

Another note is that Fromann doesn’t have all that many options for those trying to get just the right tabletop. We could only find one for sale on Amazon, which was in a single color and size. If you want something to match your decor, you’ll probably want to go somewhere with more choices.

Fromann Desk Top – Bottom Tier for Standing Desks

Choosing a Fromann tabletop is a legitimate option for those on a tight budget. Rounded corners are nice, but if you are willing to risk an easily damaged desk, this might work. Otherwise we can’t recommend these desk tops in good conscience. As with most companies selling low-quality standing desks that are actually made in Asia, the main reason to list these tops for sale individually is to have a place to send customers to when their desk tops fail and the warranty is bounced. 

Don’t forget to learn all you need to know about finding the perfect desktop for your standing desk workstation in our primer – DIY Standing Desk: Choosing the Right Desk Top.

If you don’t already have a base and frame, make sure you know how to choose one of those as well by reading our guide to buying standing desk bases. Or skip the DIY project altogether and go for one of the better complete standing desk systems available today.