The IKEA BEKANT vs FlexiSpot question is the single most common comparison we get asked about. Both desks live in the under-£500 budget-to-mid-range bracket, both are widely available in the UK, and both promise a sit-stand desk that does not require remortgaging the spare room. They get there very differently.
We used the IKEA BEKANT as a guest-room secondary desk for fourteen months and the FlexiSpot E7 as the main desk in our London office for nine. Short version: the FlexiSpot E7 is the better standing desk for almost everyone, and the IKEA BEKANT is the better choice in three specific situations.
Update, September 2026: neither the IKEA BEKANT nor the FlexiSpot E7 is currently listed on Amazon UK. The closest current Amazon equivalents we can verify are the FlexiSpot 160x80cm one-piece electric standing desk with memory panel at £239.99 (4.4 stars from 494 ratings), standing in for the FlexiSpot side, and the Desktronic HomeOne 140x70cm dual-motor desk at £349.99 (4.7 stars from 3,157 ratings), priced in the same band as the BEKANT.
Quick verdict: IKEA BEKANT vs FlexiSpot
Best for | Pick this |
Most home-office buyers | FlexiSpot E7 |
Lowest possible price (used market) | IKEA BEKANT (second-hand) |
Buyers who want to see the desk first | IKEA BEKANT |
Taller users (185 cm+) | FlexiSpot E7 Pro |
Heavy multi-monitor setups (over 70 kg) | FlexiSpot E7 |
Quietest motor for shared rooms / calls | FlexiSpot E7 |
Best top finish under £200 | IKEA BEKANT (white-stained oak veneer) |
Longest warranty | FlexiSpot E7 (15 years frame) |
Price and where to buy in the UK
Item | IKEA BEKANT | FlexiSpot E7 |
Frame + 160 cm top (entry config) | £399 | £329 |
Frame + 140 cm top | £369 | £309 |
Top materials | Veneer (oak, ash), laminate | Bamboo, laminate, MDF, solid wood |
Delivery (London) | £40 or store collection | Free, Prime next-day on most |
Returns window | 365 days IKEA | 30 days |
Where to buy | IKEA | FlexiSpot direct / retailers |
On paper the BEKANT is £70 more for the 160 cm configuration. Once you factor in IKEA delivery and frequent stock gaps in the colour you want, the real-world gap is closer to £110.
Specifications side by side
Specification | IKEA BEKANT | FlexiSpot E7 |
Motors | Single (older units) / dual (current) | Dual |
Column stages | Two-stage | Two-stage (E7) / three-stage (E7 Pro) |
Lift capacity | 70 kg | 125 kg |
Height range | 65 cm to 125 cm | 58 cm to 123 cm |
Travel speed | 25 mm/second | 38 mm/second |
Noise (at 50 cm) | 52 dB | 45 dB |
Controller | Up/down rocker, no presets | Touch panel, 4 presets, child lock, USB-A |
Anti-collision | No | Yes |
Frame warranty | 10 years | 15 years |
Two specs do most of the work in deciding between these desks: lift capacity and the controller. The BEKANT’s 70 kg sounds like plenty until you add a 27-inch monitor, a second monitor on an arm, a Mac mini, a Stream Deck, a webcam arm and a desk lamp, and realise you are already around 35 kg before plugging anything in. The FlexiSpot’s 125 kg removes that worry.
Build quality and assembly
The BEKANT assembles in about 45 minutes with two people and picture-only instructions, and the box is lighter for stairs. After a year of daily use, though, its friction-fit column collar developed a little side-to-side play, enough to wobble a single monitor when typing at standing height. The E7 takes about 90 minutes for a first-timer, mostly because of 26 bolts (use an electric screwdriver), but the 39 kg frame is heavier and stiffer, with no detectable lateral play after nine months.
Stability at standing height
With one 27-inch monitor, laptop and peripherals (about 12 kg) at full standing height, the BEKANT shows visible monitor sway when you type with force, and it gets worse as you load the desk. The E7 stays planted. If you stand for short sessions the BEKANT is acceptable; for two-hour standing stretches the E7 is the safer buy.
Top finish and aesthetics
This round goes to the BEKANT. The white-stained oak veneer warms a room in a way laminate cannot and ages well. The FlexiSpot bamboo top is solid but dents and scratches more readily.
Controller and day-to-day usability
The BEKANT’s controller is a plain rocker with no memory presets, no display, no anti-collision and no child lock; after a year the lack of presets is the biggest annoyance. The E7 has four presets, a height readout, a USB-A port and anti-collision that saved our desk lamp twice. Memory presets turn a standing desk from something you adjust occasionally into something you use.
Warranty and UK support
IKEA’s 10-year frame warranty is good on paper but claiming means visiting a store with the desk in pieces and the receipt. FlexiSpot’s 15-year frame and 5-year electronics cover is longer, and they ship replacement parts by courier; a friend’s failed controller was replaced within four working days.
Who should buy the IKEA BEKANT
- You hate ordering furniture online and want to see it in person first.
- You will only stand for short stretches.
- You can find one second-hand; barely used units go for around £180.
- Top aesthetics matter more than spec-sheet figures.
Who should buy the FlexiSpot E7
- You will use it as your main desk 4+ hours a day.
- You run more than one monitor or any setup over 30 kg.
- You want memory presets.
- You are over 185 cm and need the E7 Pro’s three-stage columns.
- You want fast delivery and easy returns.
The verdict
For most UK home-office buyers, the FlexiSpot E7 is the right standing desk: cheaper by £70, more stable by a clear margin, with a usable controller, longer warranty and much higher lift capacity. The IKEA BEKANT wins on top finish and on being something you can see in a store, and it is the right buy on the second-hand market, but on a like-for-like new purchase it is hard to recommend over the E7. If you are still unsure, buy a desk with a generous returns window so you can try it at home for a month before committing.
