“On five, four, three...”
Two. One.
There’s something to be said for entering your studio or office to a fully centralized workspace, all your devices readily accessible, knowing you’ll have enough elbow room to get through the day without cramping up. This rings true for everyone from coders to artists to music producers to editors to… the list goes on.
It rings especially true for podcasters. Podcasting desks run notoriously expensive and often entail buying loads of ancillary and/or supplemental components. This severely limits what newcomers think they have the means to acquire. But the truth is, you can get everything a podcasting desk gives—and more—without forking out half your savings.
Podcasters, allow me to introduce you to studio desks —who cover the gamut of functionality, space, and included amenities. A studio desk’s main attraction lies in its multipurpose capabilities, making it a work desk suitable for just about any purpose. With the right studio desk, anyone can thrive—but for a podcaster, once ambitious-seeming dreams become feasible and easy to achieve overnight.
That’s nothing to sneeze at!
A lot of novice podcasters get discouraged by all the tools and resources they’ll need to buy just to begin the process of learning how to record and edit. (And that’s not including the purchase of a podcasting desk.) This expensive reality can lead to many would-be podcasting virtuosos giving up on their goals entirely.
Let’s face it. In addition to your computer and the necessary software, your podcaster grocery list probably looks something like this:
- Microphone (XLR or USB)
- Mixer
- Microphone stand
- Headphones
- Pop filter
- External hard drive
- Camcorder or something for filming (maybe)
Any reasonable person would agree that that’s quite enough money to be spending as it stands. So, skip the podcasting desk, because the average going rate for one of those will almost assuredly double your budget.
A studio desk meets a podcaster’s needs by being perfectly capable of fulfilling any podcasting requirements. Generally speaking, podcasters have a lot of needs. Early on, you may not find you have as many specific needs as the more seasoned vets, but you nevertheless have important ones. This article is for the podcasting rookie who wants to go about their purchase smartly, making sure all bases are covered, and for the right price.
Consider the following selection of high-quality studio desks to get your podcasting journey started off on the right foot.
5. ESD101 Studio Standing Desk (FlexiSpot) ( $899.99)
Dimensions: 60.5 inches wide, 28.7 inches deep, 22-52 inches tall (height-adjustable, multitier)
Benefits:
- Geared toward audio professionals—so, built with your interests in mind
- Standing desk capabilities for setting it at whatever height you want
The ESD101 Studio Standing Desk from FlexiSpot lands on the list due, in large part, to its being geared specifically toward people who work in audio (musicians, engineers, etc.). Like many studio desks, it features more than one tier (or “shelf”). It possesses a sturdy build as well as standing desk capabilities (one of three height-adjustable studio desks on this list). Its keyboard tray stretches as wide as the desktop, which many a podcaster will find a major plus.
The shape of the ESD101 stands out as the main con. The breathing room between the shelves is not very spacious at all. In fact, it’s rather cramped, restricting what items you can store there and not providing many options for resting your hands. The blocky construction puts a limit on where you can place your microphone stands, mixer, pop filter, etc. Such desk designs have been known to frustrate podcasters, who value being able to spread their devices out and reduce the risk of knocking stuff over. For the most expensive studio desk on this list? These aspects might give you pause as you stack the ESD101 up against its competitors.
4. Eleazar Studio Desk (Acme Furniture) ( $728.06)
Dimensions: 83 inches wide, 40 inches deep, 37 inches tall
Benefits:
- U-shaped design provides logical layout, easy access to essentials
- Additional extra-large shelf along bottom to accommodate bulkier storage
Podcasters will be drawn to the U-shaped design of this studio desk, whose rounded central area brings ergonomic value and demonstrates an intent to meet the needs of workers and creatives fond of doodads. At 83 inches across, the Eleazar sits as the largest studio desk on this list. While it doesn’t feature height adjustability, it does showcase an extra shelf near its feet—a unique characteristic that allows it to grant more storage space for those bigger, harder-to-store items (computers, anybody?).
The thinness of the wood does sow some doubt, though. With all of that added emphasis on providing more storage space, you’d think the structure would be thicker, denser. But, on sight, you can tell there’s simply not as much support there as you’d like. The cumbersome metal frame might make it difficult to set the desk up against walls, too, running the risk of damaging them in addition to neighboring furniture and objects. We can’t have all that noise going while you record (okay, you’re probably not recording while setting your desk up against a wall, but still).
3. AED Studio Desk (Eureka Ergonomic) ( $379.99)
Dimensions: 72 inches wide, 24 inches deep, 30-38 inches tall (multitier)
- Angled, centralized shape provides optimal workstation layout and ergonomics
- Cold rolled steel frame will withstand anything
- Rotatable keyboard tray and RGB lighting round out additional features
Envisioned initially as a gaming desk, the AED Studio Desk’s versatility has made it a logical purchase for a variety of consumers. Its angled, centralized design is perfect for podcasters who need to have their mic stand on one side and mixer on the other, with a rotatable keyboard tray and all the space they could ask for filling the space in between. The cold rolled steel frame brands the AED as one of the stronger and sturdier studio desks on this list, signaling years of extended use without decline in quality or utility.
The aforementioned rotatable keyboard tray as well as headphone hooks, controller stand (with USB charging ports), and extra cable management perks round out a wealth of built-in features. With two monitor shelves that double as storage shelves and a vast desktop, the AED can support up to 400 pounds—more than enough to accommodate even the most comprehensive podcasting setup. And it’s the most affordable studio desk on this list! With its quality of materials and for the price it’s going at, you’d be well-advised to consider the AED as the anchor for your podcasting setup.
2. Platform Studio Desk (Output) ( $699.00 [$849.00 w/ keyboard tray] )
Dimensions: 54-60 inches wide, 16 inches deep, 30-36.5 inches tall (multitier)
Benefits:
- Three deep shelves for organizing podcast equipment
- Strong birch wood build that looks nice and suggests long-lasting durability
The first thing that leaps out at you about the Platform Studio Desk from Output is its clearly solid construction. Although it’s on the smaller side (compared to other studio desks listed here), the quality build evidences itself well enough in the high-grade finished birch wood (which is available in three colors). The shelves are tall enough to comfortably house your mixer and other podcasting devices, and thick enough to bear the heavier loads. Additional cable management helps to eliminate that seemingly inevitable slipknot of cords known to plague podcasters everywhere.
Mentioned earlier—the size. While the Platform Studio Desk establishes itself as one of the stronger podcasting desks on this list, the comparatively shorter length and the clunky shape may dissuade some from going all-in. Another significant drawback: the Platform Studio Desk does not come with a keyboard tray, and including one stacks another $150 onto your order. The producer also implores potential buyers to “complete” their setup with a sidecar and stands—not only adding even more money to the purchase but, in effect, self-incriminating for a paucity of accommodational features. Despite earning high marks, these less-than-positive aspects remain crucial to a fair evaluation of the Platform from Output.
1. AED Standing Studio Desk (Eureka Ergonomic) ( $700)
Dimensions: 72 inches wide, 24 inches deep, 29.5-48 inches tall (height-adjustable, multitier)
Benefits:
- Standard-setting design and size to resolve any podcaster’s problems
- Ultra-strong height adjustability technology to elevate your station in more ways than one
- Keyboard tray, cupholder, cable management, and additional perks to maximize convenience
The AED Studio Desk proved so popular that optimizing it even more became an apparent priority. The AED Standing Studio Desk confidently displays that signature, utilitarian design of the AED—with its ergonomic structure and wealth of surface space, storage space, and features—while casually incorporating new, cutting-edge standing desk technology that podcasters have begun to praise as revolutionary to their daily routine.
Something of note: Makers of standing desks, on an overwhelming scale, outsource their manufacturing—meaning that most standing desks on the market employ very similar technologies. Not so with the AED Standing Studio Desk —Eureka Ergonomic manufactures their own designs, so every bit of hardware and software built into one of their models was conceived by the brain of one of their leading engineers.
Seeing as how the original AED can support up to 400 pounds, engineers had to build something just as capable. A standing desk strong enough to lift and lower so much weight—on a regular basis, no less—makes for quite a sight. Such a degree of efficiency and performance, combined with its ideal design and ergonomic functionality, propels the AED Standing Studio Desk to the very top of the list of studio desks that will have podcasters everywhere salivating. If there’s anything this studio desk doesn’t have that a podcaster needs, it’s something that hasn’t been invented yet.
Looking to expand your search? Check out our bevy of gaming desks, standing desks, glass desks, L-shaped desks, chairs, gaming and office accessories, and more for an array of ergonomic level-ups!
