Herman Miller Jarvis Standing Desk Review

The Herman Miller Jarvis is one of the best standing desks - a high-quality product with an impressive warranty and phenomenal overall build quality. Its range of build sizes is excellent, offering options for anyone, whether you're working in a small apartment or tiny cubicle, to those with a bit more space to stretch.

Unboxing and First Impressions

Unboxing the Herman Miller Jarvis was pretty straightforward. We opted for a smaller desk footprint to fit a narrower area in our offices, so the desktop was effortless to carry and open up. The legs came in a separate box from the desktop but were just as simple to unpack and set up. One of the first things we noticed was how well-padded the desktop and frame were in the boxes, with protection at nearly every angle.

Additionally, the box containing the frame was well utilized. Some packages from standing desks and other products we have received will often waste space in the box. However, Herman Miller used all appropriate space quite well, leaving gaps only for clear cushioning.

The assembly process took a mere 15 minutes for one person. Yes, there are many steps, but the instructions are clear, and all the pieces are clearly labeled. Right after we built the frame, we immediately chose to mount the included power strip, which showed us one minor issue. For the size desk we chose, the power strip has nowhere to go without sticking out or blocking the grommet. In response, we decided to use adhesive strips to attach the power strip to the frame rather than screwing it into the underside of the desktop, minimizing the blockage of the grommet and still allowing full access to the plugs. This should be fine for any larger desktops than we chose, as there will be enough desktop space to mount as intended.

The first glance at the Bamboo finish once we set up the desk was pretty favorable - iIts natural and warm color looks professional and quality without seeming frail or easy to damage. The desk overall is minimal and easy to fit in any setup, especially with all the different build material options.

In Use

While using the Herman Miller Jarvis, we were immediately impressed with the minimal and cheapest option for the control mechanism. At first, we were apprehensive about choosing the more affordable controller as we have grown accustomed to programmable buttons. Ultimately, we decided on the cheaper option and are glad we did. Herman Miller's basic controller is a little piece that sticks out from the desk (see picture) that looks like it's nothing special, perhaps even badging. What's impressive is that if you touch the top of this badging, the desk will immediately respond and lower. Alternatively, you can touch the underside of the desk ever so slightly, and the desk will raise. The first time we used this controller, we enjoyed the experience far more than the physical buttons that some cheap desk manufacturers use.

During the workday, as we used this standing desk, moving from sitting to standing  proved quite simple. The controller is far easier to use than a button, allowing us to touch our finger to the underside of the mechanism and almost pull the desk up to the height we want. This is much more intuitive than a button on the face of a plastic switch. While pressing a pre-programmed button is easier, this is a great way to do the cheaper, non-programmed option. While raising or lowering, the desk is quiet enough and stable enough not to disturb our co-workers or our train of thought.

Something that is near comedic to think about is that our tiny little desktop can still lift 350 pounds. While we didn't test this right up to 350 pounds, we did have one of our team members, who weighs about 210lb, sit on this with his 30lb son, and they were able to raise and lower with no issue.

Final Verdict

The Jarvis standing desk by Herman Miller is a well-designed and highly-versatile desk that can be used in many workspaces for different use cases. The desk is easy to raise and lower, with an excellent control unit, even in cheaper models. The bamboo top is elegant and beautiful while remaining lightweight and durable. 

Overall, the Herman Miller Jarvis is a quality product that offers all the benefits you'd want with a standing desk while providing versatility in sizing and features to customize to your needs and budget.

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