In the fast-paced world of office furnishing, the super-low price of a cheap desk frame can be enticing. After all, who doesn’t love a bargain? But beneath the glossy exterior of these seemingly cost-effective solutions lies an expensive industry secret that not many seem to understand. I’m talking about the labyrinth of extra costs that come with picking the cheapest option available. In this article, we’ll explore the hidden costs of buying cheap office desk frames and how you can tell the difference between a bargain and a liability.
And while we might be specifically talking about desk frames in this article, it can easily apply to any product in any industry. So, let’s dive into the world of wobbles, woes, and the true price of cutting corners.
Cost of Replacement
Starting with the most obvious expense, the cost of replacing a poorly-made desk frame after its early demise. Cheap frames are notorious for failing well inside their warranty period, if they even come with warranties at all.
The good news is that a cheap desk frame is inexpensive to replace if things go pear-shaped. The bad news? It’s not the same story for the thousands of dollars’ worth of computer equipment that was sitting on top of the desk when it collapses.
Cost to Productivity
Picture this: You’re settling into your workday, engrossed in an important project, when suddenly your desk starts vibrating like a shift-worker on a caffeine binge. Yes, that’s the wobbly desk woes, and it’s more than just an annoyance. According to Worktech Academy, an astonishing 82% of employees in poorly equipped workspaces report a decrease in productivity due to wobbly desks.
These wobbles not only threaten your coffee’s stability but also your focus and efficiency. Constantly having to readjust your work surface is like trying to balance a unicycle while reciting the alphabet backward.
But it’s not just a wobbly workspace that can wreak havoc on your productivity. Other distractions feature heavily in cheaply-produced office desk frames. Things like noisy motors, squeaky mechanisms and uneven tabletops can also turn your 9-5 into a nightmare.
Quality office furniture, on the other hand, offers whisper-quiet stability that keeps your workspace solid and your sanity intact.
Cost to Employee Health
Another rarely-considered cost of cheap office desk frames is the toll on employee health. While quality products are ergonomically designed to complement optimum human posture, cheaper products are built to save manufacturing costs.
Imagine a standing desk where the cheaply-made motor has burned out halfway through raising into the standing position. Congratulations, you now have a hunch desk.
Poor quality desk frames are a fast-pass to lower back pain and increased staff absenteeism.
Cheap Desk Frame Red Flags: What to Look Out For
You can jump onto right now Google and find a standing desk frame for under $400. You might even be able to get free delivery depending on the retailer. But just like with all products, you get what you pay for.
If you can’t just resist the allure of a bargain, there are a few things you should look out for.
- Dual Motors
The majority of quality standing desk frames feature dual motors. This is to disperse the load and tabletop weight across the entire frame as opposed to relying on a single point of failure.
- Mechanism Volume
A noisy motor is an indicator of poor build quality and/or imminent failure. Noises can include whirring, grinding or squeaking at the end of the range.
- Frame Thickness
Steel frames can be incredibly thin, and this not only affects the maximum weight rating, but also its ability to withstand impacts. For reference, OLG’s Agile+ has a steel thickness of 2mm, with cheaper options sitting at around 1.2mm.
- Weight Rating
The downside to cheap manufacturing processes is a sub-standard maximum weight rating. You can find ultra-cheap desk frames with ratings as low as 80kg. That may sound like a lot, but once you add in a worktop, monitor arms, a PC and accessories, that buffer soon disappears. Look for desk frames with a minimum of 120kg.
- Excessive Wobbling
When assembled correctly, there should be very little tabletop wobble, even at full height extension. It’s a giant red flag if your cheap desk frame is shaky or uneven. Premium products will have feet adjustments mechanisms in the case of uneven flooring.
- Poor Manufacturing Process
Cutting corners in the manufacturing process can manifest in a million different ways. This can include poorly aligned drill holes, welding artifacts, metal burrs and unfinished joinery. We’ve even seen dead insects that have been powder coated over!
- Warranty (or lack thereof)
Cheaper frames will generally only offer a 5-year warranty, if at all. Often times, the manufacturer only exists for a few years before dissolving and moving on. This makes a warranty replacement next to impossible. Not only has OLG been around for well over a decade, but all our products also come with a 10-year warranty as standard.
Invest in Quality
While anyone can go out and find the cheapest price on the market, the money you’ll save could easily become a liability in the long run. Investing in high-quality office furniture that’s backed by a solid warranty from a manufacturer with a good reputation is always the best option.
OLG Supports You
As one of Australia’s leading office furniture wholesalers, we do everything in our power to support our resellers. For a full list of everything we can do, check out How OLG Can Win You a Deal.
Stuck for ideas? Or maybe you just want an office furniture wholesaler that you can rely on. Give us a call on 02 8188 2732 or send us an email so we can discuss some options.
Want to keep reading? Find out what’s new with OLG or head over to the OLG Learning Centre. You’ll find a curated archive full of educational articles and industry content, all completely free to use.
