The Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk stands out for two main reasons. Firstly, it’s one of the most customisable standing desks on the market. And secondly, it’s one of the more expensive. That last part may put you off reading any further... but should it, really? After all, it's one of the best standing desks we've tried.
It’s strange, isn’t it, how we’re willing to spend money on some things but not others. We’ll gladly push the boat out to get the best laptop or best smartphone, which may only last a couple of years. But even if you spend your working life in a home office, investing in a decent desk or one of the best office chairs or isn’t always such a priority.
As you get older, though, you’ll probably start to regret that, as back pain becomes less of an occasional issue and more of an ongoing problem. Spinal misalignment is serious stuff, and can completely ruin your life. So if you’re not at that stage yet, prevention is far better than cure.
One part of that can be a standing desk. The idea isn’t that you stand up all day (that would be exhausting). Instead, you switch between sitting and standing, which is much better for your spine. When you want to stand, the legs raise the desktop to the appropriate position; when you want to sit, they lower it.
There are plenty of standing desks to choose from, at a variety of budgets. The Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk comes in at the higher end of the price bracket, so we got our hands on one to find out whether it’s worth the investment.
- Looking for an alternative? Flexispot Adjustable Standing Desk Pro E7 review
Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk review: assembly
My Jarvis Bamboo standing desk arrived in a total of five boxes, and a couple of them were very heavy, so some people might need extra help to move them. The metal legs, in particular, have a real weight to them, and while that’s great for build quality, it means you’ll probably also need help putting everything together. Indeed, even the instructions state that the final stage requires two people.
Constructing the desk is straightforward, and all the components are clearly labelled. But it is a lengthy and time-consuming process, with 13 stages, and if like me you’re not a great DIYer you’ll find it quite complex. (This partly stems from the wide level of customisability in what people have ordered, which means the instructions are having to cover all bases).
I found both the written and video instructions difficult to follow in parts, and went wrong a couple of times. The whole process took me about two and a half hours, about an hour longer than it took to complete the Flexispot Adjustable Standing Desk Pro E7. I got there in the end, though, and given my poor DIY skills, I’d say that if I can, anyone can. (A confident DIYer would probably take about 45 minutes to an hour.) Note that although Allen keys are included, you’ll need to provide your own crosshead screwdriver, and a drill if you opt for the cable management tray.
One final thing: I had particular difficulty fully screwing in the controller at the front of the desk, and had to find a way to "bodge" it. I assumed that this was my mistake, but later I discovered that a reviewer on one of our sister sites had experienced the exact same issue. That may be a coincidence, or may not...
Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk review: design and build
While the amount of work required to construct the desk is higher than most, there’s a reason why. The component parts are very heavy, which is a pain during assembly, but something you very much appreciate once it's completed.
The word that comes to mind when you use this standing desk is SOLID. It feels strong, robust and like it would support any amount of equipment, however heavy. So the fact that Fully states its weight capacity as an impressive 350lbs (158kg) is by no means a surprise.
That compares favourably for example, with the Flexispot Adjustable Standing Desk Pro’s 275 lbs (125kg) and the Humanscale Float Height Adjustable Desk’s 130lbs (59kg). In fact, the Fully Jarvis Bamboo offers the largest weight capacity of any of the standing desks we’d recommend right now.
Personally, I don’t use a lot of heavy equipment, but what I do at times (and I’m not proud of this) is lean on my desk, especially when I’m tiring. Yet while that can cause other desks to wobble or become unstable, the Fully Jarvis Bamboo has resisted my lunges and stayed strong and stable, time after time, which is something I’ve really appreciated.
As for lifting mechanism itself, I’ve had absolutely no complaints. It’s simple to move the desk up and down using the arrows on the console, and the action is smooth, reliable and very quiet. My configuration features four memory options, which automatically moves the desk to your favoured position each time, and again this works well in practice.
Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk review: customisation
One of the biggest plusses about the Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk is your ability to customise it to the nth degree. Everyone’s home office set up is different, not to mention we all have different body heights. So it’s great that Fully allows you to fine-tune your desk to meet your needs more exactly.
Just to ram the point home, rather than a ‘Buy now’ button on Fully’s site, it reads ‘Design your own’. Click through and you’ll be able to choose the shape of your desktop (rectangular or contour), the size (120, 140, 160 or 180 x 80cm), the finish (natural or dark bamboo), and whether you want black grommets, white grommets or no grommets (you can also add power grommets).
Regarding the frame, you can choose the colour (black, white, silver or alloy), the height range (75.7-124.7cm, 129-64.2cm, or 57.6-109.2cm), whether to include a standard or programmable up/down switch, and whether or not to add casters. There are also a range of good cable management options for keeping all your wires out of the way.
Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk review: verdict
The Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk stands out from the crowd in a number of ways. Firstly, it’s admirably solid and robust, making it a great choice for anyone who wants to load their desk with heavy equipment, books, or other stuff, without worry. Secondly, it’s highly customisable, allowing you to make sure you make the best use of limited home office space. And thirdly, its attractive design and smooth and quiet operation gives it a lovely premium feel.
For anyone scared of DIY, you might need to rope in a more capable friend to help you put it together. And if you’re on a budget, you may prefer to compromise on a basic but more affordable standing desk. But otherwise, the Fully Jarvis Bamboo standing desk gets two enthusiastic thumbs up.
