iMovR Elite Standing Desk Review

Review

The iMovR Elite has been discontinued. iMovR’s newest model, the Lander Desk, features the same premium build-quality, with an easier assembly process and an app-compatible controller.

A Standing Desk for Goldilocks

It wasn’t easy to find an adjustable base we really loved. Call it the Goldilocks conundrum – some of the options we encountered were rapid adjusters but made too much noise, while some were quiet but weren’t sufficiently width-adjustable…and so on and so forth. iMovR found a “just right” solution in the Elite. Capable of lifting a hefty 265 pound load (learn why this is important), Elite bases still operate at library levels of silence. The secret? Dual German-made Bosch motors. And then there’s the telescoping frame. An iMovR Elite base can stretch out to easily accommodate a treadmill and full-sized office chair, side-by-side, in either a 72″ or 83″ table top configuration. Previously the only adjustable height standing desk on the market that could be used for true sit-stand-walk configurations was the ISE RISE. But the Elite looks much nicer, ships faster (White Glove installation offered, as well), and still manages to cost less.

Why You Want Your Standing Desk to Have a 3D-Laminated Top

But what’s a table without a top? Most manufacturers content themselves with pressing solid sheets of synthetic laminate onto particle board of various densities, and gluing color-matching strips of PVC to make the squared-off edges of the table. iMovR did one better. They turned to the very latest manufacturing technology – 3D lamination. The process completely seals the top, outer edges, and even the insides of grommet holes with an ultra-durable Surf(x) film laminate. The thermofused table tops look and feel vastly superior to anything else we’ve had come through the lab. Rather than a sharp-edged rectangle, the Elite’s precision-contoured “ergo edging” and fully-wrapped and sealed grommet holes make the table top look like it was carved from a single slab of wood. Beyond the aesthetics, the extra protection thermofusion provides against humidity, chemical cleaners, and other common causes of damage to fine table tops is far better, and will ensure a long and faithful life.

iMovR Elite tops excel even in comparison to the 3D laminated tops used on its cousins, the iMovR Electra and Ellure desks. While economy-model iMovR products are made with conventional ¾” thick tops (the most common thickness of table top used by stand up desk manufacturers), the Elite comes with a 1-1/8” extra-thick, high-density MDF board for superior durability and shape stability. The extra thickness also enables the Elite tops to be built with solidly-gripping recessed threaded nuts (see below).

If you’ve read through our site, then there’s a decent chance you’ve encountered the phrase “manufacturer DNA” before. We coined the term after observing that really great furniture manufacturers (like Steelcase) often had trouble designing a working treadmill, while really great gym equipment manufacturers (like Lifespan) made desks that a hospital would reject as too ugly. So our solution has always been to mix and match, taking the best components and combining them. We’re glad to see that shared philosophy in iMovR, as the Elite contains a blend of superior components that make it ideal not only as sit-to-stand desk but also as a great treadmill desk.

A Standing Desk Fit for Office Sharing

Not only is the Elite a top of the line desk for a one-man walkstation, it’s also our first choice for shared “hotdesk” style treadmill desks. Incredibly quiet motors ensure that frequent desk adjustments won’t bother coworkers. Some desks (lookin’ at you, Mod-E) sound a bit like a coffee grinder with pebbles in it while operating. The Elite barely even registered on our decibel meter during testing, spiking at ~46dB while lifting and 42dB during descent, right in the

range of typical ambient office noise or very low whispers. An advanced digital hand controller also helps. Instead of the standard up/down controls we see on most electric desk lines, Elites comes standard with a full-featured controller that displays the actual current height in inches, handy if you’re trying to remember your favorite desk position. Even handier is a desk that can remember that position itself. The hand controller also has four memory presets. Find and save your ideal height, and returning to it becomes a matter of pushing a button. Even solo deskers will appreciate the convenience of having presets for sitting, standing, and walking.

Easily Assemble and Reassemble this Sit-Stand Desk

Extra-wide standing desks aren’t always easy to put together. And table tops, once screwed into, degrade a bit in structural integrity every time screws are removed and re-driven into the same hole. So when the Elite was being designed, iMovR prioritized ease of assembly, and – to ensure a long service life – disassembly and reassembly. Recessed nuts (pre-inserted metal sleeves in proper installation positions) make attaching tabletop to table incredibly simple. Put the drill bits away and forget about vacuuming and dusting your office after assembly. You only need a #5 hex key and a Phillips head screwdriver for this party – or bust out the power screw driver and make like a NASCAR pit crew. Just flip the table top on its back, place the assembled base and power supply in position over the recessed nuts, and in a couple of minutes the major components of your new table are installed with perfect alignment. Precision pilot holes have also been pre-drilled, expediting installation of the hand controller (choose between left, right, and center positions) and keyboard trays.

In fact, all ThermoDesk tops come pre-drilled for retractable keyboard tray installation – a first in the industry. These ergonomic peripherals come very, very highly recommended to all users as they allow for ‘3D adjustability’ – a term iMovR has coined to describe the personalized ergonomic customization a good workstation offers deskers. Until now, keyboard trays have been a royal pain to install. Attaching one to any other desk requires positioning the tray, lining it up properly, and drilling your own pilot holes before finally screwing in the rail mount. The process is so tricky even experienced installers often have to reinstall after some alignment mishap. The Elite’s pre-drilled holes take the first three steps out of that equation, leaving you with the last and the easiest.These ease-of-assembly features are just the tip of the iceberg. To see the full details of the Elite’s color options, add-ons and our suggestions regarding them check the “Options” tab on this review.

Unbeatable Warranty

Your average adjustable height stand up desk has a 5-year guarantee on its (usually) steel frame, and a 2-year guarantee on all moving parts. To say that the Elite has a better warranty than your average desk is like calling the Pacific Ocean a wee bit larger than Lake Superior. American-made, Elite desks come with a lifetime warranty for the steel frame, a 10-year warranty on moving parts, a 10 year warranty on electronics, and a 5-year warranty on the tabletop. Truly an “elite” warranty that reflects its top position in iMovR’s line-up of ThermoDesk offerings.

Options for Ergonomic Trick-out

Elite bases are adjustable, and can accommodate four standard tabletop widths: 48”, 60”, 72”, and 83”, all with 30” of depth. The two largest sizes are considered sit-to-walk range, and can accommodate a treadmill and chair side-by-side. Standard color choices include Clove Mahogany, Light Maple, Hayward Cherry, Shaker Cherry, Almond Cherry, Urban Walnut, Designer White, Warm White (Beige), Haute Gray (Putty), Black, and a handsomely corporate Shark Gray. We love the woodgrains the best, even though they cost a tad more, because of their solid-block-of-wood appearance. Grommet holes come standard on ELITE tops – one on the 48” tops, and two on all of the larger sizes. They come with a spacious 3″ diameter, and aren’t concealed by cheap plastic covers – they’re meant to be shown off. Particularly handy for multi-user workstation setups is the optional ThermoDesk dual-AC, flush-mounted power socket ($99) that sits nestled in one or both of the ELITE’s (and ELECTRA’s) grommet holes. These power sockets save you the trouble of digging around on the floor for an outlet to charge your laptop or cell phone, and add a touch of elegance with their silver finish. iMovR also offers its own ergonomic, retractable keyboard tray with fully-articulating mouse platform ($299). The ThermoDesk Stowaway comes with a best-in-class range of vertical adjustment and tilt. Its 21.75″ rail installs along the leading edge of iMovR tabletops, allowing easy side-to-side adjustment. A swiveling mechanism makes it easy to tuck a Stowaway out of sight when not in use.

Of course we always recommend monitor arms for proper ergonomics, and the contoured edging of the ThermoDesk tops presents no issue for standard edge-clamp attachments. The grommet holes and pre-drilled keyboard tray pilot holes are strategically placed on the ThermoDesk Elite, Electra, and Ellure tops as follows. On the 48″ top both are centered, we recommend instaling the monitor arm a couple of inches to the right or left of the grommet hole. On the 60″ top the two grommet holes are located 19″ from the left and right edges, keyboard tray alignment is in the center at 30″, and so we’d recommend placing the monitor arm at the 30″ mark as well. On the 72″ and 83″ tops, grommet holes are also located 19″ from the left and right edges, while monitor arms are optimally positioned around 25″ from the edges.

Speaking of grommets, check out our article on grommet holes, with everything you need to know about the different ways to use them to enhance your workstation, what to look for in your grommet holes, and where to find the desks with the best ones.

With a maximum height of 50.5″ (including the desk top), the Elite already exceeds the ANSI/BIFMA industry standard for maximum adjustable desk height by 4 inches, and is tall enough for use with an office walking treadmill. While already an ideal desk for the vertically endowed (up to 6’6”, or 6’1” with treadmill), the Elite is also available with 4″ leg extensions, which boost its max height to a tremendous 54.5″. This add-on not only extends the Elite’s height but its stability as well, by increasing the amount of overlap at the ends of the telescoping leg segments.

Another one of the Elite’s popular add-ons is a set of caster wheels. These allow you to easily move your standing desk around the office. They’re great for impromptu office remodeling, and for easily accessing the back of the desk. More importantly, these casters can be locked when not in use, so your desk never rolls away from you. If you do install casters we also highly recommend the iMovR Advanced Cable Management Kit, which will keep all your dangling cords nice and tidy as you move the desk around.

When switching to an adjustable height desk, users sometimes find themselves having to sacrifice their storage space. The optional iMovR File Cabinet makes it easy to keep important documents and supplies safely with you. The file pedestal’s compact design and four caster wheels allow users to position and reposition it wherever is most convenient . This heavy-duty file cabinet is finished in the same 3D lamination that protects the Elite table top. It’s resistant to dings and scratches and impervious to moisture damage. It even features the same 5-year warranty of all iMovR table tops. And the 3D lamination guarantees a file cabinet that will match your desk’s decor.

Delivery & Installation

iMovR ships the ELITE palletized and by freight carrier, for better protection, at a flat rate of $99 including the base, top, and any other options ordered at the same time, such as monitor arms or keyboard trays. While pricier, this freight shipping ensures that your desk will arrive safely and in a timely manner. The first in the industry, iMovR offers a pre-assembly option, where the ELITE will ship with the base and top put together, ready-to-use. An optional Room of Choice feature takes the pallet anywhere in your house or office. Finally, a White Glove service option includes all of the above, plus setup of the desk and cleanup of any packaging materials. Refer to the table below for pricing:

Pricing

Dimensions

Comparison Review

WorkWhileWalking’s Comparison Review of Electric Stand Up Desks