Ikea KNOTTEN Standing Desk Impressions: Laptop table?

In an entire office of a hundred people or so at an old job, a few people had standing desks. One of them may have been trying it out by using a Bankers Box on top of a regular desk to prop up a laptop -- I don't think he kept doing it. Having a standing desk for myself there would have been nice, actually. After years of sitting at my desk, I found myself standing up often to do work because it felt more comfortable than sitting hours straight.

Ikea came out with a standing desk in the form of the BEKANT, but I couldn't bring myself to pay that much. Then the SKARSTA came out and I didn't have the space. Now there's a much more compact KNOTTEN?

Smarties and Lifesavers. Because.

Disclaimer: I had not had any firsthand experience with any KNOTTEN products when I wrote this piece. Details were quoted from the Ikea United States website or Canada website in early April 2016. Details on this page are NOT guaranteed for accuracy.

First Impressions: The Ikea KNOTTEN Standing Desk
Straight to the dimensions from the Ikea KNOTTEN's product page: 43 cm x 48 cm x 105 cm ("Desktop depth" x depth x height). Terms that stood out to me under the "Product description" included "Solid birch" and "lacquer." It was filed under the "Laptop tables" category.

From the KNOTTEN's product photo, I saw a fairly simple table held up by four circular legs with two open lower shelves, a small shelf under the desktop, and two drawers directly below that. There were also hooks on one side of the table just below the drawer level. The entire piece of furniture appeared to be a light, wood-like color on the outside.

I had my doubts, especially about the size. The KNOTTEN's desk space appeared to be 43 cm x 48 cm which would have been big enough for my laptop (14" widescreen) and maybe a mouse or notepad. However, being pretty short at 5'4", a fixed height of 105 cm seemed like it would be on the higher side for my liking -- maybe I'd get used to it?

For some reason, I still see this working as a desk for shorter periods of use and as a side table. Getting through an eight hour day with no arm rests, not much to lean or slouch on -- probably the point -- would bug me. Alternating between sitting and standing would be my preference. I keep picturing the KNOTTEN desk being used as a lectern on a stage or at the entrance to a store/restaurant. So, side-table, lectern, greeting table, and maybe a short-term use laptop table?

Anyway, the table itself looked pretty nice and I liked the materials supposedly used. Not sure the price at CA$ 189.00 (US$ 149.00) was that great. I could get a LISABO desk for CA$ 179, a cheaper LEKSVIK for CA$ 159, and a SKARSTA for CA$ 259 -- all fairly big desks. Seems kind of expensive for 48 cm x 43 cm of desk space?

Final Thoughts
I thought the KNOTTEN looked good and could serve a few purposes in a home. However, its size seemed to be both good and bad, and the price looked a bit steep for what you got.


Related
Ikea SKARSTA Desk Impressions: Like a BEKANT or GALANT?
Ikea BEKANT Desks Impressions: Electric Height Adjustment?