With the explosion in popularity of standing desk converters, there have been a handful of products to separate themselves from the pack. One of those products is the Flexispot ClassicRiser M2. This product had fantastic reviews on the Amazon, so we placed an order for one to see what all the hype was about. This is a product that did not disappoint. We liked it so much that we added it to our product offering on BTOD.com. In this review I will go over the things that the ClassicRiser does well and some potential reasons why you may want to look for a different product.
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Flexispot M2 Review Snapshot
Pros
- Easy to use
- Good stability
- Lots of Task Space
- Large keyboard platform
- Grommet mount on monitor platform
Cons
- Dual ergonomics requires monitor arm
- No infinite position lock
- Limited adjustment range
- Raises minimum keyboard height
FlexiSpot Manufacturer
The FlexiSpot brand is made in China by the company, Locktek. Locktek has been a leading manufacturer of mounting brackets for TVs and monitors. Recently they have started to produce sit to stand solutions. They have numerous certifications and patents stemming from their large research and design facility. Locktek is an OEM manufacturer so this same product is available under a few other brand names.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
– Specs / Features / Pricing
– Colors
– Return Policy and Warranty
– Shipping and Installation
– Build Quality
– Footprint
– Mobility
– Making Adjustments
– Stability
– Ergonomics
– Task and Keyboard Space
– Wire Management
– Safety
– What I Like
– What I Don’t Like
– Bottom Line
FlexiSpot ClassicRiser M2 Specifications
Weight Limit: 35 lbs.
Overall at lowest height: 35”W x 23.5”D x 5.75”H
Overall at highest height: 35”W x 23.5”D x 19.5”H
Base Dimensions: 31”W x 22.25”D
Keyboard Platform Dimensions: 35”W x 13”D
Monitor Platform Dimensions: 35”W x 23.25”D
Max Keyboard Platform Height: 15”H
Max Monitor Platform Height: 20”H
Min Keyboard Platform Height: 1”H
Min Monitor Platform Height: 6”H
Distance Keyboard to Monitor: 5”
Product Features
Gas assisted lift mechanism with 12 different positions
Sits on top of your existing desk
Straight up & down movement
Two-tier design: Upper monitor platform with lower keyboard & mouse platform
Quality assured by cycling test of 6,000 height adjustments
Curved back edge for easy wire management
Grommet mount on back of monitor platform
2021 Starting Price – $199.99
Color Options
The ClassicRiser is available in 4 different color options: black, white, mahogany or river walnut. The black, mahogany and river walnut options will come with a black base. The white color option will feature a silver base. The price remains the same for each color choice.
FlexiSpot Return Policy
You can return the FlexiSpot ClassicRiser within the first 30 days if it does not work out for you. The product needs to be returned in the original packaging and in “like new” condition. If your item is returned in “like new” condition, you will receive a full refund. If not, there may be restocking fees applied. You will be responsible for the shipping charges both ways for any return to FlexiSpot. This means that you pay the return shipping and the original outbound shipping costs when you ordered the item.
FlexiSpot Converter Warranty
When we originally reviewed the FlexiSpot M2, it came with a 5-year warranty and there were no exclusions. FlexiSpot has changed the warranty since then. The current warranty is 3 years. It is not uncommon for manufacturers to change their warranties. But, most of the time it goes in the other direction. An example would be Varidesk, who changed the warranty on their converters from 1 year to 5 years, earlier this year.
Shipping
The FlexiSpot M2 arrived at our location within 2 business day via UPS Ground. The entire converter is encased in Styrofoam. The edges are protected with thick cardboard inserts and the platforms are covered with plastic bags. One problem that I have noticed with the packaging on FlexiSpot converters is that they are susceptible to damage from rubbing. We have received two different converters that had damage to the top of the monitor platform. The most recent converter we ordered also has rub marks on the plastic base pieces.
The M2 arrives in a large box that weighs over 60 lbs. The sides of the box have built in handles. The handles made it much easier for me to slide the box into my office, but I would recommend having someone available to help you. Sliding it will not be ideal for everyone and trying to lift a box like this on your own will be a tough task.
Assembling the FlexiSpot ClassicRiser
The M2 does require a bit of assembly but FlexiSpot has made some nice changes to make assembly even easier than before. You no longer need any tools and there are also no more screws to deal with. The brackets that you previously needed to attach to the keyboard tray come pre-installed now. There is a slot underneath both sides of the monitor platform. Each slot has a lever next to it. All you need to do is slide the keyboard tray into two slots under the monitor platform. After sliding the keyboard tray in place, you snap the levers upward to lock the keyboard tray in place. The final step is to snap 2 plastic decorative caps onto the sides of the unit and you are done. The total assembly time now takes about a minute.
Build Quality
The FlexiSpot ClassicRiser features a fixed dual platform design with a double x base. It features a gas cylinder on the left and right side of the unit to assist with the movement. The unit has a straight up and down lifting pattern. It functions smoothly with no awkward noises. The cylinders are decent quality, but they are not capable of infinite position lock, like other similarly priced products offer. The platforms are made from medium-fiber particle board. This is not the highest quality material, but it is plenty thick and has a very nice finish. I would consider the ClassicRiser to be a middle of the road type of converter when it comes to the build quality. It is made in China, but it is one of the nicer converters with this design coming from China. It is also one of the nicest looking fixed dual platform converters I have seen.
Footprint
The base of the M2 is 31”W x 22.25”D, so that will be the minimum size desk you will need to place the unit on top of. The platforms are larger than the base though, so they will require a space of 35”W x 31.5”D. You will need to keep that in mind if you plan on having the M2 against a wall or within a small space. The M2 does move straight up and down so the footprint will remain the same at all heights.
Mobility
The FlexiSpot ClassicRiser Series is not a series that you should be considering if you need some mobility from your desktop converter. You will not be able to move the converter around your desk because it is large, heavy and has rubber stoppers under the base to keep it from sliding. It also isn’t very practical to use this product if you plan on moving it on and off your desk periodically. Again, this product is large and heavy. It not only takes a lot of effort to move it around, but it takes up a lot of space for storage.
Raising and Lowering the Unit
There is a single handle found underneath the right side of the monitor platform. To adjust the FlexiSpot M2, press and hold the handle to release the unit from its locking mechanism. Move the unit up or down freely. To lock the unit into one of the twelve different positions, release the handle. The FlexiSpot M2 is one of the easiest converters I have used. It requires very little physical effort. The straight up and down lifting pattern also makes adjustments easier because you do not need to step back awkwardly, like z shaped bases that move out and up.
It is important to note that the FlexiSpot M2 does not have infinite position lock. Infinite position lock means that the unit can be locked in any position you’d like instead of being limited to a predetermined set of positions. Make sure to pull up or press down on the unit after getting to your desired height to make sure the unit locks into place. You should be able to hear it click.
FlexiSpot m2 Stability
The FlexiSpot M2 has good overall stability. At sitting height, the keyboard tray sits a fraction of an inch off your desk. Because it does not lay perfectly flat, there is a little bit of bounce and side to side movement. I do not feel it is substantial enough to negatively impact your work though. The small amount of keyboard bounce contributes to a small amount of monitor shake but, again, I do not feel it would hurt your work performance.
At standing height, there is a little bit more wobble, keyboard bounce and monitor shake. The straight up and down movement pattern really helps to keep the M2 stable, even at the highest heights.
| Sitting Wobble (10%) | Standing Wobble (15%) | Sitting Bounce (10%) | Standing Bounce (15%) | Sitting Shake (10%) | Standing Shake (15%) | General (25%) | Total Score |
| 90/100 | 80/100 | 80/100 | 70/100 | 80/100 | 75/100 | 82/100 | 79/100 |
See The Best Standing Desk Converters For 2021After months of testing 40+ stand up desk converters, the results are in! |
Ergonomics
The keyboard tray and the monitor platform are at a fixed distance from each other which means that the M2 is not dual ergonomic. Dual ergonomics allows you to adjust the monitor and keyboard separately, so that both can be at their optimal height. To make the M2 dual ergonomic, you will need to add a monitor arm to the monitor platform. This is very easily done since FlexiSpot includes a small grommet mounting hole to attach a monitor arm.
The height adjustment range will work for a lot of people, but it is not wide enough to accommodate short and tall people that are on the end of the spectrum. The highest height for the keyboard tray on the FlexiSpot M2 is 15” above your worksurface. According to our standing desk calculator, the FlexiSpot M2 is only ergonomic for people 6’1” and under, when using a standard 30” height desk to place the unit on. This adjustment range may also be a problem on the low end. The keyboard tray sits about an inch off your desk, so your normal typing height will be higher than normal.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the FlexiSpot ClassicRiser does not have infinite position lock. Instead, there are 12 different heights to choose from. The height adjustment range is a 14”. This means that there is a little more than an inch between each height setting. This could create a situation where your most comfortable height is between two possible settings.
The final thing to think about with the ergonomic experience is the monitor viewing distance. The recommended ergonomic viewing range is 20”-40”. This is thought to be the best distance to reduce eye strain and fatigue. The distance from my monitor to the front of the keyboard tray was a little over 20”. This put my viewing distance at about 28”-30”. This put me right in the middle of the recommended range.
Task Space
My favorite thing about the FlexiSpot Classic Riser is the huge amount of space the monitor platform offers. The M2 is wide enough for dual 24” monitors. Even after adding dual 24” monitors to the platform, there is still plenty of space for tasking or other objects that you need close to you. The M2 is one of the few converters I have tested that gives you the same amount of space that you are losing on your normal desk. Most converters require you to sacrifice a good chunk of your desk, without giving you nearly the same space to work with in return.
Keyboard Space
There is a lot of usable task space on the FlexiSpot M2. The keyboard tray provides more than enough space for a keyboard and mouse. I have no problem using my Microsoft ergonomic keyboard which is a bit larger than the average keyboard. The mouse areas are large enough to use your non-mouse side for something like your phone or calculator.
Wire Management
I think that the FlexiSpot M2 does a decent job with wire management. They do not have a nice built-in wire management system but they did take some steps to help minimize the problems found with wire management.
The back edge of the monitor platform allows you to run wires behind the unit while still having the unit pressed against a wall. This is great for your monitor cords or speaker wires. Included with the M2 are wire management clips with adhesive backing from 3M that can be used on the underside of the monitor platform. This is helpful for cords coming from your mouse, keyboard and charging devices.
Safety
The only safety concern with the ClassicRiser is that there are multiple pinch points due to the double x base design. My hands were not close to the pinch points when making adjustments, so you really just need to watch for objects or other people that may be in danger. Check your surrounding before changing heights and you shouldn’t have any problems.
What do I like?
Easy to Use
The FlexiSpot M2 is very easy to operate, which is definitely an important aspect of using a standing desk converter. The only adjustment is the height of the unit which can be done within seconds and with minimal effort. This is a big upside compared to higher- end units like the Kangaroo and Winston which will require more time and physical effort to adjust.
Stability
I feel very confident about the stability of the M2. At no point during my testing was I ever concerned with the stability of the product or the objects on top of it. It is much more solid and does not have keyboard bounce like you’d expect with lower priced items.
Lots of Task Space
The task space on the M2 is among the best in the industry. I think it is great that they avoided using a cut-out on the monitor platform. I understand that those cut-outs can be useful for laptop users that want to put the laptop on the keyboard tray, but it really takes away from your task space.
Large Keyboard Space
Similarly to the monitor platform, the M2 offers one of the largest keyboard trays available on a standing desk converter. You will not be limited to compact or standard sized keyboards. Even with my oversized ergonomic keyboard, I had plenty of extra space.
What don’t I like?
Not Dual Ergonomic
Lacking dual ergonomics may cause you to have an awkward monitor viewing angle. To remedy this, you will need to utilize the grommet hole and mount a monitor arm. Unfortunately, this will increase the cost of the standing desk and may push you into a price range that is with higher quality products.
No Infinite Position Lock
The 12 position options offered by the M2 is more than a lot of competing models, but not having infinite position lock will still be a problem for some people.
Limited Adjustment range
Unfortunately, the ClassicRiser is not going to be an ideal option for people over 6’1”. People taller than 6’1” will have a downward typing and viewing angle, which is not a good ergonomic posture.
Raises Minimum Keyboard Height
The keyboard tray on the ClassicRiser only sits an inch off your desk but this can make a difference with your typing position. This may cause you to have an upward typing angle. This is also a problem for people that prefer to have their keyboard tray below their desk.
Bottom Line
The FlexiSpot M2 is not dual ergonomic and the adjustment range is lacking for people over 6’1”. It also lacks infinite positions lock and may be a problem for short people. But, overall, I am impressed with the FlexiSpot M2. The stability, task space, ease of use and warranty are all on par with high end standing desk converters but the FlexiSpot M2 only costs $279.99. This is a great alternative to products like the Varidesk Pro Plus and VersaDesk Power Pro. I think that this is one of the best standing desk converters out there until you start getting into products like the and WorkFit-S and QuickStand, which will cost $600+.
