This article will be comparing the Kangaroo by Ergo Desktop with the QuickStand by Humanscale. These products aim to serve a similar function but are very different. The Kangaroo is offered at a mid-range price point and features its original post and base design. The QuickStand has a higher price point with a more modern design choice. They each have their advantages and disadvantages compared to each other. By the end of this comparison, I hope that you’ve been able to gather enough information to decide which converter is best for you.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
– Specs / Features / Pricing
– Warranty / Return Policy
– Delivery and Assembly
– Build Quality
– Footprint
– Desktop Mobility
– Making Adjustments
– Stability
– Ergonomics
– Task and Keyboard Space
– Wire Management
– Safety
– Bottom Line
Specs / Features Kangaroo QuickStand Manufacturer Ergo Desktop Humanscale Country or Origin USA China Sits on top of desk Yes Clamp Mount Standard Lifting Mechanism 2 Knob Gas Lift Assist No Handle Counterbalance VESA Monitor Mount Optional Yes Lifting Capacity 34 lbs. 30 lbs. Product Weight 48 lbs. 55 lbs. Height Position Options Infinite Infinite Overall at lowest height 28”W x 24”D x 20.5”H 30”W x 31.5”D x 28”H Overall at highest height 28”W x 24”D x 23”H 30”W x 31.5”D x 35”H Base Dimensions 17.5”W x 16”D 19.25”W x 13.5”D Keyboard Tray Dimensions 28”W x 24”D 28”W x 11”D Monitor Platform Dimensions 16”W x 9.25”D N/A Max Keyboard Platform Height 15.5”H 18 1/8” Max Monitor Platform Height 25.75”H 33” to Center of Mount Min Keyboard Platform Height 1”H .25” Min Monitor Platform Height 5” 10.25” to Center of Mount Distance Keyboard to Monitor 4” Infinite Price
Ergo Desktop and Humanscale have Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP) on the Kangaroo and QuickStand. Authorized dealers must abide by the prices set forth by the manufacturers. The Kangaroo’s starting price is about 30% less than the QuickStand. Both products have several different options and upgrades to choose from. The prices on the accessories are reasonable for both products.
Kangaroo QuickStand Price $499.00 $699.00 Shipping Free Free VESA Mount Free on Kangaroo Pro Included Dual Monitor Mounts $100.00 $100.00-$120.00 Warranty
The Kangaroo has a five year warranty on the frame with two years of coverage on moving parts. The QuickStand has a five year comprehensive warranty. One unique thing about the Humanscale warranty is that they will send a technician to your location for difficult repairs, if you live within reasonable proximity to a brick and mortar location.
Return Policy
Ergo Desktop accepts returns on the Kangaroo for up to 30 days for a full refund. You will be responsible for the return shipping charges. Returns may be accepted beyond 30 days but you will incur a restocking fee. The Kangaroo must arrive in “like” new condition or you may not get a full refund.
Humanscale allows returns for the first 45 days. You will be responsible for the return shipping charges and a 5% restocking fee. The item must be shipped in its original packaging and arrive back in resalable condition or further restocking fees may apply.
Color Options Finish Options Kangaroo Black, White, Putty, Maple or Cherry QuickStand Black or White Delivery & Assembly
The Kangaroo is easier to assemble than the QuickStand but you will still need to invest about a half hour into the Kangaroo. The process is fairly simple but there are several parts and screws that need to be installed. Ergo Desktop offers the option to have the Kangaroo shipped fully assembled for an additional $19.00. I think this is a very good value, especially for people that would like to avoid assembly.
The QuickStand has the most complicated installation process I have seen thus far on a standing desk converter. The QuickStand is customizable to every person that uses it. There is a lot of time spent on things like measuring and adjusting the clamp mount to your work surface and setting up the wire management. These extra steps add up so it takes an hour or more to assemble the QuickStand.
Kangaroo QuickStand Order Processing Time 1-2 Weeks 1-2 Weeks Shipping Time 1-5 Business Days 1-5 Business Days Shipping Method UPS/FedEx Ground UPS/FedEx Ground Assembly Time 30 Minutes 1 – 1.5 Hours Build Quality
The Kangaroo is made in the USA and features a post and base system. There is a heavy duty steel base with a vertical metal column. Attached to the column are a keyboard platform and separate monitor platform. The movement is done with aluminum extrusions and gas cylinders. The platforms are standard particle board and the aluminum extrusions have a lot more friction than you’d expect out of an American made product. The look of the Kangaroo is outdated with mismatching components and exposed screws, bolts and inner workings.
The QuickStand is made in China and also features a vertical column. The big difference is that the QuickStand’s column tilts away from you. There is a keyboard platform and Vesa compliant mounting bracket attached to the column. The movement on the keyboard platform and monitor are controlled by a counterbalance system that is adjustable depending on the weight of the objects on the QuickStand. The phenolic, metal and plastic are all nice quality and the parts fit together very well. The QuickStand is one of the nicest looking standing desk converters on the market. While the QuickStand is made in China, it is still a big step up in quality over the American made Kanganroo.
Footprint
The Kangaroo sits on and is supported entirely by its heavy duty steel base. The base is 17.5”W x 16”D so you only need a small amount of desk space for the Kangaroo. The front of the platform is 28”W and the back of the platform is tapered. The 28” width is small enough to fit into tight spaces and the tapered back makes it easy to fit in a cubicle without the back walls interfering with the platform.
Kangaroo Footprint
The QuickStand comes standard with a clamp mount that attaches to the back of your desk. The regular platform will require a minimum depth of 24” while the large platform requires a 30” minimum depth for installation. You will then need about 32” of width to be able to fit the platform and handles. The Freestanding base option will not change the footprint on the QuickStand.
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Desktop Mobility
The Kangaroo’s steel base has soft pads underneath it that allow you to slide and turn the Kangaroo if you’d like. Being able to slide the unit is nice for moving it out of the way if you need to use that particular desk space for a task. Being able to turn the unit allows for different working positions. It also helps in situations where you’d like to show someone your screen that is not right next to you. Moving the unit to an entirely new location is not quite as easy. The Kangaroo weighs about 45 lbs. and the monitor is not secured to the unit. Moving the Kangaroo will require a good amount of physical strength and you will need to move all of your accessories separately.
The QuickStand is not meant to be moved and is firmly attached to your desk. The standard clamp mount does not allow for sliding or turning on your desktop. The freestanding base is also not easily moved on the top of your desk, like the Kangaroo. The QuickStand weighs 55 lbs. or more so you probably want to have another person on hand if you need to move it to a new location.
Making Adjustments
Both of these products feature dual ergonomics but they adjust a bit differently. As mentioned earlier, the QuickStand features a counterbalance system that has adjustable tension. Once you get the right tension setting, you can adjust the height of the keyboard platform or monitor by grabbing the sides of it and moving it up or down. Once you have either at the right height, let go and it will hold firmly in its new position. The keyboard platform and monitor adjust smoothly and easily. The monitor(s) have front to back tilt and can rotate for a portrait or panoramic view.
Adjusting the quickstand
The Kangaroo features two platforms that feature independent height adjustment. Both platforms are controlled with a hand knob found behind the platform. The movement is assisted by gas cylinders. Turning the knob will unlock the platform, allowing it to move up or down. The gas cylinders will naturally push the platforms up. This is more pronounced on the monitor platform. When raising the unit, just stop it at your desired height and tighten the knob to lock it in place. The aluminum extrusions used on the column produce a lot of friction which makes it difficult to adjust the keyboard platform downwards. When lowering the unit, you need to press down on the back of platform, by the column, and then tighten the knob when it is low enough. Do not lower the platform by pressing down on the front of it. You may break the platform by doing this.
Reaching to adjust Kangaroo Standing DeskStability
The QuickStand received a good overall score through my stability testing. The keyboard platform lays flat on your desk and the column is mounted to the desk. This combination means there is no wobble, keyboard bounce or monitor shake at sitting height. When moving to standing height, there is a slight amount of side to side wobble on the keyboard tray and a bit of monitor shake when typing or bumping the unit. The major downside to the stability of the QuickStand is the keyboard bounce at standing height. The thin phenolic and small support plate mean there is very little to keep the platform firm. The larger keyboard platform option produces a lot of keyboard bounce. The small keyboard platform will have less bounce than the larger model but it will still be noticeable.
The Kangaroo requires a separate component for it to be stable. Included with the Kangaroo is a metal stability bar that spans from the top of the steel base to the underside of the keyboard platform. This bar is designed to reduce keyboard bounce when standing. In actuality, it is crucial for increasing stability on the unit as a whole. With the stability bar, the Kangaroo is among the most stable standing desk converters. Without it, it is closer to the worst. The stability bar not only improves keyboard bounce but also helps to improve side to side wobble, monitor shake and front to back rocking. When seated, the keyboard platform rests on your desk so there is no keyboard bounce. There is some movement on the column, so there is a small amount of wobble and monitor shake when sitting.
Product Sitting Wobble (10%) Standing Wobble (15%) Sitting Bounce (10%) Standing Bounce (15%) Sitting Shake (10%) Standing Shake (15%) General (25%) Total Score QuickStand 100/100 88/100 100/100 50/100 100/100 77/100 82/100 83/100 Kangaroo 93/100 70/100 100/100 90/100 88/100 70/100 65/100 79/100 Ergonomics
Both of these products do well in the ergonomics department. They both feature dual ergonomics. This means that the keyboard platform and monitor are able to be adjusted independently. This is important for people that wish to have the correct ergonomic monitor viewing angle and the correct ergonomic keyboard height at the same time.
The QuickStand has 5” of independent monitor height adjustment. When combined with the platform range, the QuickStand can accommodate people that are 6’4”-6’5” in an ergonomic monitor viewing position. The Kangaroo has about 6” of independent monitor height adjustment. It can provide an ergonomic viewing angle for people up to 6’3”-6’4”, when combined with the adjustable platform range.
The Kangaroo’s keyboard platform sits about an inch off your desk when it is in the lowest position. The .25” keyboard platform on the QuickStand is the lowest profile I have seen on a unit that rests on top of your desk. The QuickStand will have little to no effect on your typing posture when seated, unless you typically type with your keyboard below your desk. The Kangaroo’s 1” raised keyboard tray will be more noticeable and will affect most people’s normal typing position.
Quickstand Features Low Profile Platform
The Kangaroo’s keyboard platform adjusts 15.5” off your desk and the QuickStand gets up to about 18” off your desk. The Kangaroo will provide an ergonomic keyboard height for people up to 6’3”-6”4 and the QuickStand will provide a proper keyboard height for people up to 6’6”.
The recommended viewing distance for proper ergonomics is 20”-40”. The Kangaroo and QuickStand with standard platform put me around 16” from my monitor. Upgrading to the large platform on the QuickStand put me on the lower end of the recommended ergonomic viewing range, which is about 21”. Adding the keyboard extension to the Kangaroo will give you 9” of additional viewing distance but the extension is only usable when standing.
Kangaroo dual ergonomicsTask and Keyboard Space
The QuickStand and Kangaroo feature a single platform that is to be used for the keyboard, mouse and any accessories needed for tasking. The Kangaroo has a platform that is 28”W x 24”D. This would normally provide a lot of space but both sides are tapered toward the back, which removes quite a bit of platform space. The front of the platform is plenty wide so you can use oversized keyboard and mouse combinations. There won’t be much space remaining after adding a keyboard and mouse for tasking or adding accessories. One thing you can do to help with this problem is to make the platform larger by adding the optional front or side extensions. This will cost $29-$137 extra but it may give you that extra space you need.
Kangaroo task area
The QuickStand comes standard with a platform that is 28”W x 11”D. Humanscale includes a nice palm support to be used on the front of the platform if you’d like. The regular platform is wide enough to accommodate larger keyboards and mice but it may not be deep enough. You also probably won’t be able to add the palm support if you want to use oversized peripherals. The regular platform is really only meant for a keyboard and mouse. There is not going to be space for tasking or accessories. You can add more task space by upgrading to the large platform. The additional 6” of depth on the platform will cost $50.00 extra.
Humanscale Quickstand Task AreaWire Management
The Kangaroo does not come standard with wire management. You can purchase wire management brackets for $5 a pair. These will help to organize cords along the column. This will keep them safe but it will not hide them from sight.
The QuickStand has the most intricate wire management system on a standing desk converter. You are able to choose between VGA, Display Port, HDMI, DVI-D or Mini Display Port when you order your QuickStand and the proper receptacles and cables will be included with your unit. The cables are all hidden within the column and run off the back of the unit through the clamp mount cover to be plugged into the wall. The monitor and USB cords come out of little openings in the front of the column so everything is very well hidden.
Front of QuickStand Wire Management
One thing to be aware of with the QuickStand’s cable management system is that it is a tedious task to change the cords if you decide to get new equipment that has a different cable setup. For instance, you might want to get a new monitor and switch from VGA to HDMI. This will require you to remove the side panel of the column to expose the wire management system. You will then need to remove electrical tape from both sides of a cloth sheath that is holding the cables. You can then take the cables out of the sheath and the column. Next, you need to re-run the new cables, encase them in the cloth sheath and re-tape the ends of the sheath.
Quickstand wire management Safety
The only safety concern I see on either unit is the quick release system on the monitor mounting bracket for the QuickStand. Taking a monitor out of the bracket requires quite a bit of force and you need to hold a tab open while pushing up on the monitor to get it to come out. There is the potential to cut or scrape your finger or thumb that is holding the tab open if you are not careful.
Bottom Line
When comparing these two popular converters head to head, there are positives and negatives for both products. The Kangaroo has its upsides compared to the QuickStand. It is made in the USA which is a plus for people who only buy American made products. It has a few wood finish options which is not something that Humanscale offers. The Kangaroo also comes in at a lower price point and is better suited for cubicles and desktop mobility.
While the Kangaroo does have some positives, the QuickStand performs better in a lot of the major categories. Even though the QuickStand is coming out of China, it has a better build quality than the Kangaroo. Its modern design provides a cleaner and sleeker look than the Kangaroo. The QuickStand’s adjustment system is much easier to use and has a wider range. It also has a better warranty and the best wire management system in the industry.
The bottom line is that the QuickStand is going to be the better quality product overall, yet there are still situations in which the Kangaroo will be better suited for some customers. I hope that this comparison has provided you with all of the information you need to choose which standing desk converter is best for you.
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