


I can see this desk appealing to many students and early-stage startup founders who need decent office furniture to support them during long days at work, but don’t have large budgets. Cheap and cheerful vibe is certainly there, but for about $350, can you really complain? Of course, it was nowhere near as sturdy as the premium options from UpDown and Desky, but at 20-40% of their price (depending on your choice of desktop), it’s not a fair comparison. I expected it to feel cheap, wobbly and flimsy, but it wasn’t. I took a close look at it last time I visited Ikea, and walked away feeling more impressed than I thought I’d be. The Ikea Trotten is a manual standing desk, designed for people on a tight budget. When you get close and start interacting with it, you begin to notice the budget construction.

Shown in photo: The Ikea Trotten looks quite smart from a distance.
