Summary: Practical, no-fuss desk frame with very clear instructions. I was looking for a desk frame that utilized a manual crank instead of an electric motor so I could save money, get (a little bit) of exercise, and minimize complexity. Plus, having a manual crank means I can use my desk without power. I purchased just the desk frame (without a desk top) since I wanted to stain and finish my own butcher block. I ended up purchasing a Hardwood Reflections European Walnut 6 ft. piece and used Varathane oil-based stain and a stain Varathane oil polyurethane finish (4 coats, though if I hadn't messed up it would have been 2 coats). Value: The price is competitive with market leaders like Fully Jarvis, and the quality seems to be very good so far (I just finished the desktop and assembled it yesterday). Quality: 3/4 - The metal legs are plenty sturdy. The hand crank is lightweight but works well. PLEASE NOTE: This hand crank extends, so please be aware of this when you assemble this. This is an excellent design, as it allows you to mount the hand crank such that it is out of the way under the desk when not needed, yet is instantly available when needed. The fasteners provided are of surprisingly good quality and are not cheap metal. The heads are well formed and resist stripping. The only reason I am giving three stars for quality instead of four is more of a quality control issue: the main telescoping crossbar I originally received was defective. I could extend the crossbar but could not contract it. Customer Service: 4/4 - No one wants to have to contact customer service. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I contacted Customer Service as I found them prompt and professional. I explained the problem I was experiencing with the part, and they shipped me a replacement without requiring a return of the defective part via express mail. The replacement part functioned as designed. Ease of assembly: 4/4 - The instructions are some of the best I've seen from any company. They are very clear, and provide helpful information such as the size of drill bits to use when drilling pilot holes and driving the included fasteners (screws). Read more
great table, assembled nicely. extremely heavy duty so it's not as easy to move. attached to 5x3 ikea table that had threaded legs so i had to ensure the spread and distances work. In addition, with the legs in a T shape, i built up my bed with 2x4 so that the table could slide under, giving me more room. I keep this desk at one of the higher levels mainly so i can store items below; never had any issues with sturdiness. This model works just fine for something simple and i can't see this having issues supporting weight. I wouldn't stand on the table just because of two legs making it wobbly, but its fine. crank handle retracts and can be very compact; screws work very well. your attachment strength is determined on the material you fasten it to; a hardwood surface would hold this much better than Ikea particle board. See pics for all dimensions if you want to design something similar. I was a big fan of things that come apart quickly, but even disassembling this comes with 3 components: two T-legs and the table top. Read more
My wife wanted a standing/sitting desk, so we looked for a frame that could be raised and lowered. We settled on the Vivo DESK-V101M frame, which was the least expensive raise/lower desk frame at the time we bought it. In addition to the DESK-V101M frame, we also bought a Vivo PC mount that hangs under the desktop, but that's another review. The DESK-V101M frame is made from sturdy steel and painted an attractive satin black. I am impressed at the quality of the materials and construction, which looks like it will last for years. The frame has two legs that are topped with desktop mounting brackets, and these two brackets are connected with a box beam that can telescope to allow for different length table tops. One of the legs (the right leg as you sit/stand at the desk) has a crank rod extending out of it -- when fitted with a crank, you rotate the crank clockwise to raise the desk and counter-clockwise to lower the desk. The DESK-V101M frame is a frame only... it does not come with a desktop. We ended up getting a desktop that measures 55 x 25.5 inches (140 x 65 cm) from Ikea, and it works pretty well so far. I mentioned earlier that the Vivo desk frame can be adjusted for longer and shorter desks. About the smallest desktop you'd want to use would be 48 x 24 inches, and the frame can easily accommodate desk tops 65 inches long -- maybe even longer, if you don't mind the desktop overhanging the Vivo support frame. The brackets that support the underside of the desktop are 22.5-inches long. There's no reason why you can't offset the desktop so that it overhangs a bit more on one side than the other. However, there is little room for overhang on the user side of the desk because of the clearance of the crank. Look at the photos to see how the crank can be pushed in and stored, or pulled out to raise/lower the desk. We have our desktop overhanging on the user side about 1.4 inches (3 cm) and that gives about 1-inch clearance for the crank. Any closer to the crank than that, and you might hit the desktop with a finger and possibly scrape a knuckle. I mentioned that the DESK-V101M frame can be expanded to support longer desktops. Since both legs are part of the raise/lower mechanics, that means that rotation from the crank has to be conveyed to both legs. Vivo does this with a rotating rod that has a clever telescoping feature that allows it to be extended to accommodate the ultimate length of the frame. I'm handy with tools and mechanical stuff, so it was pretty easy to expand the frame, then expand the rotating rod to match. With the desktop on, the rotating rod is well hidden under the desktop. Finally, the DESK-V101M frame has adjustable feet to compensate if your floor is not completely level. There are four feet, and all four can be twisted to raise/lower -- a nice touch. Here's what I like about the Vivo DESK-V101M frame: It is sturdy and made with strong metal. The satin black finish is high quality. The clever ability to accommodate desktops of various lengths is terrific. It came with all the screws I needed to completely assemble the unit and attach the desktop. The instructions were pretty good, with clear diagrams and well-written instruction in English. There is only one thing that I don't like about the Vivo DESK-V101M frame: The crank is stiffer than I expected. If it turned any more stiffly, I would be concerned that it would break. I've checked out similar raise/lower desks at Ikea and the cranks on them were easier to turn. It would be nice if Vivo offered an optional electric motor for the raise/lower function. That would eliminate the concern about the stiff crank and it would also allow for more desktop overhang on the user side of the desk. Be sure you look at my photos to better see how the Vivo DESK-V101M frame attaches and operates. Overall, I like the Vivo DESK-V101M frame, but I wish the crank was a little easier to turn. An easier-turning crank would make this Vivo frame an excellent product. Read more
