This comparison will be between the VARIDESK ProPlus™ 36 and Ergotron WorkFit-T. These are two extremely popular products and will often be compared side by side by potential buyers. They are very similar in overall functionality and have a similar price point. In reality, these products have some major differences. In this review, I will point out the differences between the two so that you are as informed as possible when deciding which standing desk converter is best for you.
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ProPlus™ 36 vs WorkFit-T
– Specs / Features / Pricing
– Return Policy
– Color
– Delivery and Assembly
– Build Quality
– Footprint
– Mobility
– Making Adjustments
– Stability
– Ergonomics
– Task and Keyboard Space
– Wire Management
– Bottom Line
ProPlus™ 36 vs. WorkFit-T Video Summary
Specs / Features
| ProPlus™ 36 | WorkFit-T | |
| Manufacturer | Varidesk, LLC | Ergotron |
| Country or Origin | China | China |
| Sits on top of desk | Yes | Yes |
| Lifting Mechanism | 2 Handle Spring Lift Assist | 2 Handle Spring Lift Assist |
| Keyboard & Monitor Platform | Yes | Yes |
| Lifting Capacity | 35 lbs. | 35 lbs. |
| Product Weight | 52 lbs. | 49 lbs. |
| Height Position Options | 11 | 20 |
| Overall at lowest height | 36”W x 29.75”D x 4.5”H | 35”W x 25”D x 5”H |
| Overall at highest height | 36”W x 41.75”D x 17.5”H | 35”W x 25”D x 19.5”H |
| Base Dimensions | 30”W x 24”D | 31.75”W x 22.25”D |
| Keyboard Tray Dimensions | 36”W x 14.25”D | 24.75”W x 9.25”D |
| Monitor Platform Dimensions | 36”W x 20”D | 35”W x 23”D |
| Max Keyboard Platform Height | 13.75”H | 15.25” |
| Max Monitor Platform Height | 17.75”H | 19.5” |
| Min Keyboard Platform Height | .75”H | .75” |
| Min Monitor Platform Height | 4.75” | 5” |
| Distance Keyboard to Monitor | 4” | 4” |
| Warranty Period | 5 Years | 5 Years |
2022 Price
The ProPlus™ 36 has had very consistent pricing for its lifespan at $425.00 with free shipping. The WorkFit-T is sold through a wide range of sellers so the pricing can vary, but Ergotron sells the WorkFit-T directly on their website for $475.00 with free shipping. The accessories for the WorkFit-T are also a bit less expensive than the options available for the ProPlus™ 36.
| ProPlus™ 36 | WorkFit-T | |
| Price | $425.00 | $464.99 |
| Shipping | Free | Free |
| Single Monitor Arm | $175.00 | $109.00 |
| Dual Monitor Arms | $275.00 | $176.33 |
| Where To Buy | Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon |
Return Policy
The WorkFit-T and ProPlus™ 36 come with 30-day money back guarantees. You can return the WorkFit-T for a full refund but the item needs to be returned in its original packaging. Ergotron will cover your return shipping charges.
You can return the ProPlus™ 36 within the first 30 days for a full refund. VARIDESK will cover the return shipping charges and will send you a box if you disposed of the original.
Color Options
It is important to note that the black version of the WorkFit-T actually features a grey monitor platform and keyboard tray. The rest of the product is black.
| Finish Options | |
| ProPlus™ 36 | Black, White, Darkwood, Butcher Block |
| WorkFit-T | Black or White |
Delivery & Assembly
| ProPlus™ 36 | WorkFit-T | |
| Order Processing Time | Within 24 Hours | Within 24 Hours |
| Shipping Time | 1-5 Business Days | 1-5 Business Days |
| Shipping Method | UPS Ground | UPS Ground |
| Assembly Required | No, Ready out of box | No, Ready out of box |
Build Quality
The ProPlus™ 36 and WorkFit-T both come out of China. They both utilize a double z shaped base design with a spring assisted system for the height changes. From there, you will start to find some differences.
Due to the standard z shaped base design used on the ProPlus™ 36, the unit moves out as it is raised. This forces you to stand further from your desk at taller heights. The handles are easy to press but they do make a loud clicking sound. The height adjustment is also smooth and easy to perform but the springs will often times squeak loudly while moving the unit. The locking system is also inconsistent and does not always fully engage. The fiberboard used on both platforms is lower quality and the edges on the undersides of them are sharper than I would prefer.
The WorkFit-T was designed so that the tops of the arms for the base connect to brackets that can slide. Instead of moving out toward you when raising the unit, it moves straight up and down. The handles are easy to press and make no sound. Adjusting the height is smooth and easy to perform. There are also no awkward sounds when adjusting the height. The WorkFit-T locks firmly in place at all heights and this has been consistent through my testing. The keyboard tray and monitor platforms are higher quality than the ProPlus™ 36 with the monitor platform featuring a downward sloping edge.
See The Best Standing Desk Converters For 2022After months of testing 40+ sit to stand desk converters, the results are in! |
Stability
The WorkFit-T and ProPlus™ 36 are vastly different products when it comes to stability. While the WorkFit-T was recently featured on my list of the most stable standing desk converters, the ProPlus™ 36 would be in consideration for a list of the least stable standing desk converters. The WorkFit-T excels in almost all areas of my stability testing with its only real downside being some monitor shake at standing height due to a front to back rocking motion that is present.
The ProPlus™ 36 is very solid in the sitting position, even outperforming the WorkFit-T at sitting height. Unfortunately, the ProPlus™ 36 is very unstable at standing height. It has some of the worst keyboard bounce and monitor shake I have seen on a standing desk converter. The product also has some miscellaneous issues that cost the unit several points in the general stability category. The unit does not fully hold its lock all the time and when it does lock there is still a little bit of overall bounce on the unit. The unit also has the potential to tip forward and possibly off your desk if too much weight or force is placed on the keyboard tray when at standing height.
|
Product |
Sitting Wobble (10%) | Standing Wobble (15%) | Sitting Bounce (10%) | Standing Bounce (15%) | Sitting Shake (10%) | Standing Shake (15%) | General (25%) | Total Score |
| WorkFit-T | 95/100 | 85/100 | 100/100 | 90/100 | 85/100 | 70/100 | 85/100 | 86/100 |
| ProPlus™ 36 | 100/100 | 80/100 | 100/100 | 40/100 | 90/100 | 45/100 | 40/100 | 64/100 |
Ergonomics
Neither product is going to feature dual ergonomics out of the box, but they are both capable of accepting monitor arms. This will allow the units to be dual ergonomic. Both units will raise your normal typing height .75” when in the sitting position. The ProPlus™ 36 has a maximum keyboard tray height of 13.75” and the WorkFit-T has a slightly higher maximum height of 15.25”. Both units provide plenty of distance from your monitor to the front of your keyboard tray to provide the proper ergonomic viewing distance.
Task and Keyboard Space
The monitor platforms on both units are rectangular with pronounced cut-outs at the front of them. The big difference between the two is that the WorkFit-T has a deeper monitor platform so losing space to the cut-out at the front is not as noticeable. But, the cut-out on the ProPlus™ 36 is very noticeable because it really limits the amount of space you have. The WorkFit-T has more usable task space on the monitor platform than the ProPlus™ 36.
Having a larger monitor platform on the WorkFit-T came at the cost of the keyboard tray. The keyboard tray is only as large as the cut-out in the monitor platform, which is 24.75”W x 9.25”D. On the flip side, the ProPlus™ 36 has a 36” wide keyboard tray with a depth of 14.25”. This gives you an extra 11” in width and 5” in depth over the keyboard tray on the WorkFit-T. The WorkFit-T will limit you to smaller keyboards while the ProPlus™ 36 will allow for oversized keyboards and mice.
Wire Management
Neither the WorkFit-T or ProPlus™ 36 come with built-in wire management tools.
Safety
Both products will have the typical risks associated with the pinch points present on any z shaped base design. Both products do a good job of covering as many areas as possible and they also place easy-to-see warnings to avoid the pinch point areas while adjusting.
One thing that is present on the ProPlus™ 36, that we don’t see on the WorkFit-T, is the potential for the product to tip forward. I did not have a problem with tipping while working, but I can certainly see that there is the potential for the ProPlus™ 36 to tip forward which can be a safety risk to you or the objects on your desk.
Bottom Line
The VARIDESK ProPlus™ 36 has a couple advantages over the WorkFit-T. The ProPlus™ 36 also has a broader color selection and a much larger keyboard tray. But, that’s where the advantages end for the ProPlus™ 36. The WorkFit-T has a better build quality, a larger adjustment range and is the far more stable product. It also has a larger task space. The ProPlus™ 36 may be the better option for a select group of people but I think the WorkFit-T will be the better option for the large majority.
Standing Desk Converter Resources
- VertDesk Standing Desk Converter (Review / Rating / Pricing)
- Flexispot M2 35″ Sit Stand Desk Converter (Review / Rating / Pricing)
- VariDesk ProPlus™ 36 Stand Up Desk Converter (Review / Rating / Pricing)
- Top 6 Most Stable Standing Desk Converters
- Top 5 FlexiSpot Alternatives and Competitors
- The 5 Best VariDesk Alternatives and Competitors
