That new desk feeling - the Flexispot E7 Pro drops in

Okay, so this is a new one. I was contacted by a very nice fellow anime fan at office store Flexispot, who offered to send me a new desk in return for an article. Initially I figured it was a scam - I get a few a day - but I did some research and in fact they have an excellent online reputation and all seemed well. After a quick conversation you could have knocked me down with a feather when it arrived a couple of days later!  I've been sent many things in my time, but a desk pretty much tops out as the most practical and impressive item to come our way.

As those of you who may have read my behind the scenes blog will have noticed, I have a very nice desk already - a handmade but simple wooden desk made from recycled scaffolding planks which has served me well for many years, though it lacks the modern convenience of wire storage and, this new desk's most impressive feature, the ability to rise on powerful motors allowing me to stand behind it. My wife, Bryony, has one of these adjustable style desks in her office, but I was never tempted to replace mine, until now.

I was very kindly allowed to select the colours/materials. I wanted something sympathetic to the office, so black legs and a wood effect top it was. Arriving in two packages, it took me a lazy 45 minutes to put it all together. One nice touch was that it came with a T shaped multi-tool, so you can assemble the entire package without ever having to break open a toolbag. The instructions were pretty straightforward and the only awkward area was  the weight - the motors make it very heavy, so it took two of us to lift it out to the shed where it would be taking up residence.

You can't make a desk without also making a mess. Rewiring took ages!

One of the things I hadn't realised is how nice it is to have a properly flat top - with my old desk I always used padding to keep things straight and it was, if I'm being very honest, a little wobbly when I was typing up a storm. The E7 Pro however is a tank - completely smooth for any doodling and absolutely rock solid when in use, the only thing rocking now is me when I put Amazon Music on (sorry...). In practical terms this is my new favourite spot for doodling now, as there's far less wobble on my lines using the iPad Pro - up until now I've been using the iPad Mini as it's just easier to hold and move around, but I don't feel so restricted now. 

It's nice to be able to draw at the desk instead of camping on the conference table.

It's also funny how much small things make a massive difference to the daily routine. One thing I've used far more than I expected was the USB charging port built into the height control panel. Having my laptop floating on a stand means anything I plug in for charging tends to leave a flappy wire in the way, which irritates no end - now I can just chuck whatever I need at the side of the desk, and because it's not floating around in the air, I can use a nice tidy short cable for the job. When I'm not using it for anything specific, I just plug in my PSP Go so its ready when I need it. And yes, I still have a PSP Go. Fight me.

I'm genuinely amazed at how useful that USB slot is.

Firing up the motors, the desk has a beautifully smooth movement up or down, happily keeping my coffee well contained in its porcelain prison. It's too early to say how the change will impact my posture or productivity, but I will say it's much harder to go into those blank-eyed early morning stares I've become prone to since having a daughter who wakes up at 4am. I do tend to lean over it a bit so I have it on a fairly high setting to avoid becoming a hunchback, but I'll find my level eventually. 

The raised profile gives me a break from sitting all day. Takes some getting used to but it is a nice change.

So there we are, I've written an article about a desk - a first for the UK Anime Network in its near 30-year history. In all seriousness it's been quite the revelation, providing mod-cons I didn't realise I was missing, a new way of working and an incentive to finally clear all the toy boxes from behind the desk so I could take clear photos of it! I've been sent the desk as part of Flexispot's half price sale on August 19th, so if you've been thinking of upgrading your workspace, then you can get one from the site using this direct link (for which we receive no kickback just to be clear) - Flexispot E7 Pro Standing Desk. Of course they have other models in various sizes if space is a concern, so have a browse around.

My thanks to Flexispot and Julian (a fellow self-confessed Weeb) for reaching out and allowing me to build a heavy desk on arguably the hottest day of the year!