This review will feature one of the most popular standing desk converters on Amazon, the Halter ED-258. It has good customer reviews and arrives pre-assembled, but I have ordered products in the past with good reviews that I felt were poor quality. Is that the case with this low priced converter on Amazon? Let’s take a closer look to find out!
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Halter ED-258 Review Snapshot
Pros
- Easy to adjust
- No assembly required
- Great stability
- Large keyboard space
Cons
- Not dual ergonomic
- Not good option for people over 5'8"
- Short warranty
- Raises minimum keyboard height
- Awkward task space
Halter ED-258 Manufacturer
The Halter ED-258 is offered by Super Deal, which appears to be a subsidiary of a company called Dakota Trading Inc. They are based in Brooklyn, New York and operate under a number of different website names.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
– Country of Origin
– Specs / Features / Pricing
– Return Policy and Warranty
– 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
Country of Origin
Made in China
Product Specifications
Weight Limit: 44 lbs.
Product Weight: 47 lbs.
Overall at lowest height: 35.75”W x 28.75”D x 6.5”H
Overall at highest height: 35.75”W x 28.75”D x 16.5”H
Base Dimensions: 28.25”W x 23.25”D
Keyboard Platform Dimensions: 35.75”W x 17”D
Monitor Platform Dimensions: 35.75”W x 20”D
Max Keyboard Platform Height: 11.25”H
Max Monitor Platform Height: 16.5”H
Min Keyboard Platform Height: 1.25”H
Min Monitor Platform Height: 6.5”H
Distance Keyboard to Monitor: 5.25”
Product Features
Gas assisted lift mechanism
Sits on top of your existing desk
Straight up & down movement
Two-tier design: Upper monitor platform with lower keyboard & mouse platform
2019 Price – $189.99
Finish Options
Cherry
Return Policy
The ED-258 can be returned within the first 30 days for a full refund. The item must be returned in its original packaging and in like new condition. You will be responsible the return shipping charges.
Warranty
The ED-258 comes with a 1-year warranty. There are no exclusions.
Shipping
The ED-258 shipped 5 business days after ordering it. It arrived a couple days later via UPS Ground. The packaging was very good with no visual damage to the product. The box was a large rectangle shape and weighed close to 60 pounds. I was fairly difficult to carry it on my own so I just slid it across the floor. You may want a second person available to help you move the package into your office.
Assembly
The Halter ED-258 arrives pre-assembled and ready to go out of the box. Simply place the unit on your desk and you are ready to start standing. The unit weighs almost 50 pounds so you may want a second person on hand to help you lift the product onto your desk.
Build Quality
After unpackaging the ED-258, placing it on my desk and looking it over for a few minutes I sat back and was trying to think of the best word to describe the product. It was on the tip of my tongue but I just couldn’t get it out. Several minutes later Greg walked in, looked at the ED-258 and said, “This is pretty crude, huh?” That’s it, the perfect word to describe the Halter ED-258, crude. I say this product is crude because there was not a lot of attention put into making a pretty product. Instead, the majority of the focus is on function. The crude design choices are what allow the ED-258 to be at such a low price point.
The ED-258 uses a double x lift design with a straight up and down movement pattern. The unit is controlled with a lever and tooth locking system. Pressing the handles moves a lever, which dis-engages the teeth so that the unit can be adjusted. The movement is assisted by two small gas cylinders found on each side of the base.
The laminate and edge banding used on the platforms are low quality with numerous imperfections throughout the entirety of the platforms. There are noticeable scoring marks on the metal base pieces that meet at a perpendicular angle. There was also no attempt made to hide screws, nuts or bolts. They are all exposed.
The functionality itself is also crude in comparison to most designs. Pressing the handles makes a crunching noise, which releases the teeth locking system. The locking system is then pushed back into place by a tiny spring that looks similar to the type springs used in my son’s toys. When adjusting the unit, it moves easily but you can hear and feel the x bases sliding on the metal.
Footprint
The base on the ED-258 requires you to have a minimum desk space of 28.25”W x 23.25”D to place the unit on top of. The platforms are larger than the base so you will need a total space of 35.75”W x 28.75”D to allow for proper clearance. The ED-258 moves straight up and down so you will need the same amount of space at all heights.
Mobility
The x base with dual platform design is not a good product for mobility of any kind. The unit very stable on your desk so it does not move around your desk if needed. It is not reasonable to use this unit in multiple locations. It is also not practical to move it on and off your desk when you are not using it.
Raising and Lowering the Unit
To move the unit up or down, you need to press both handles found on the underside of the monitor platform to unlock the unit. Keeping the handles pressed down will allow you to move it to the position you feel most comfortable. Releasing the handles will lock the unit in place. The ED-258 is easy to adjust, but may become a bit more difficult at higher heights.
Technically, the Halter ED-258 does not have infinite position lock, but the spacing between the teeth is so small that it functions very similarly to units that do have infinite position lock. There is more freedom in choosing your position as compared to other models with a set number of height options, like the VariDesk Pro Plus or Rocelco ADR.
Stability
I am very impressed with the stability on the ED-258. The unit is heavy, but more importantly, the base is heavy. This provides a strong anchor point for the product. The unit moves straight up and down, which produces a more consistently stable product than converters that move you away from the base when they are raised. The keyboard platform has metal support brackets underneath it that run almost to the front edge. This helps to almost completely remove any potential keyboard bounce.
At sitting height, the ED-258 is a rock. There are rubber stoppers on the underside of the keyboard tray. These will come into contact with the legs of the base when lowered all the way down. The keyboard cannot move since it is touching the base which means there is zero keyboard bounce or monitor shake when seated. There is also no side to side wobble or front to back rocking.
The product remains stable while in motion and at its highest height. There is very little keyboard bounce and monitor shake. There is almost no side to side wobble or front to back rocking.
| Sitting Wobble (10%) | Standing Wobble (15%) | Sitting Bounce (10%) | Standing Bounce (15%) | Sitting Shake (10%) | Standing Shake (15%) | General (25%) | Total Score |
| 88/100 | 79/100 | 100/100 | 85/100 | 90/100 | 85/100 | 90/100 | 88/100 |
See The Best Standing Desk Converters For 2020After months of testing 40+ sit stand desk converters, the results are in! |
Ergonomics
You cannot adjust the keyboard tray independently of the monitor platform so the ED-258 will not be ergonomic for all people. In order to achieve dual ergonomics, you need to add a monitor arm. The good thing is that the ED-258 has a lifting capacity that allows for additional accessories, like a monitor arm, without approaching the weight limit.
The adjustment range on the ED-258 is a bit lacking. For starters, the unit sits a little more than an inch off your desk when in the lowest position which means your typing position, when seated, will be altered. The ED-258 also has a limited adjustment range at 10”. This can pose a problem for taller people.
The recommended ergonomic monitor viewing distance is 20”-40”. The front of the keyboard tray was about 20” from my monitor so I was well within the recommended range while using the ED-258.
Task Space
The ED-258 has an upper platform for your monitor and a lower platform for your keyboard and mouse. The upper platform features a large cut-out in the front, similar to the Varidesk Pro Plus. This cut-out is very pronounced and removes a large amount of usable task space on the upper portion of the desk. The platform is large enough to fit dual monitors with a few accessories but bigger items like notebooks or catalogues will need to be placed off the converter.
Keyboard Tray
The keyboard tray is as wide as the monitor platform. There is a curved cut-out on the front edge of the keyboard tray and an extra space at the back that is about the same size as the cut-out missing from the monitor platform. There is plenty of room for an oversized keyboard and mouse. The opposite mouse hand will have extra space that can be used for something like a phone. The additional space on the back of the keyboard tray is nice for a laptop or tablet but it is a bit awkward for writing or reading from.
Wire Management
The ED-258 does not have wire management. There is not a built-in system or adhesive backs clips included for you to attach. This is more of a cosmetic issue than anything since your cords will not be at risk to pinch points.
Safety
The ED-258 features an x-shaped base design that has inherent safety risks due to the numerous pinch points. Your hands and fingers are not in danger of these pinch points when making adjustments. You will just need to make sure there are no objects or people in danger of these pinch points prior to adjusting the unit.
What do I like?
Stability
I think the stability is the best thing going for the ED-258. This is among the most stable standing desk converters I have used thus far. The entire unit is very stable at all heights and during adjustments. I did not feel any keyboard bounce, monitor shake or side to side wobble while using the ED-258.
Easy to Use
There is only one adjustment on the ED-258, height adjustment. The whole adjustment process is done by pressing two handles and moving the platform up or down. The movement requires very little physical effort in either direction and can be done within seconds.
Arrives Fully Assembled
The ED-258 arriving ready to go out of the box is a big advantage over other units that require assembly. Being able to use the item without investing time into installation is an attractive feature for people that are less mechanically inclined. It is also an advantage for businesses buying in bulk to help avoid costly installation fees.
Large Keyboard Space
The keyboard tray on the ED-258 is large enough to allow for almost any keyboard and mouse you would like to use. Other converters will limit you to standard or even compact keyboard only. This will not be the case with the ED-258.
What don’t I like?
Small Range of Users
Unfortunately, the ED-258 suffers from the same drawback most standing desk converters in its price range suffer from, small adjustment range. The adjustment range on the ED-258 is only 10”. When using a standard desk height of 30”, the maximum keyboard height allows an ergonomic position for people up to 5’8”. I found this to be accurate. I am 5’8” with no shoes on and I was comfortable using the ED-258 at its highest height option.
The ED-258 is not a converter that does a good job of providing a low profile when in the seated position. Instead, it will increase your normal desk height over an inch. This is a problem for shorter users or people that like to have their hands lower than their normal desk height.
Lacks Ergonomics
The small adjustment range, raised seated position and lack of dual ergonomic functionality make it difficult to be in the correct ergonomic position when sitting or standing. Your typing position and monitor viewing angle will most likely be at an upward angle when sitting and your monitor viewing angle will almost certainly be at an extreme downward angle when standing.
Awkward Task Space
I understand why models like the Varidesk Pro Plus, Rocelco ADR and Halter ED-258 use the platform design with the huge cut-out in the front. It makes it easier to use a laptop or tablet on the lower platform. I just think it is a waste of space and it makes the top platform an awkward shape. After adding two monitors, there is very little space, other than the sides that stick out a short distance.
Short Warranty
The warranty on the ED-258 is among the shortest in the industry at one year. The warranty is a bit concerning to me because of the crude design choices. The low-quality adjustment system, lack of nuts on several screws and numerous edge banding imperfections are potential problems that could go wrong down the road. Having a longer period of guaranteed use would be a big improvement to the ED-258.
Bottom Line
The Halter ED-258 is certainly far from perfect. It has a very crude design, a short warranty period and will only provide an ergonomic position for people under 5’8” when standing. The unit does not go low enough to properly support everyone while seated and the task space is a bit awkward compared to other models.
With that being said, I do think there is good value in the ED-258 for people that do fit within its adjustment range. Even though the design is crude, it is highly functional, very stable and simple to use. It is a good product for shoppers that are most concerned with functionality and stability, but want a lower priced product than many of the industry leaders.
