Buzz
I've been using a standing desk at home since 2015. Despite my belly still being a bit chubby from overeating, it's clear that my back feels much better. That's why every time the company changes offices or I change jobs, I always invest in a standing desk. After going through nearly a dozen different standing desks, my criteria for choosing a desk remains the same: it has to be stable enough, not shaky when standing, and reasonably priced. The other day, I decided to try buying a 4-legged electric standing desk because it's completely different from the desks I've been using.As usual, my reviews tend to be lengthy. If anyone feels too tired, you can find a summary at the bottom.Hey folks, remember to watch the video alongside reading the article; each offers its own gems! 😄
The tabletop is wrapped in multiple layers of protective foam padding, making it super resilient to impacts and hard to damage.
All the components come with thick foam padding for protection. As for the packaging, there's already a ton of it, so no worries about that.
Foam carved into grooves between the slots
Box and foam-wrapped components inside
All the components are here
The crossbar between the two legs is folded double inside the boxThe desk models I've used:- The first-generation electric standing desk from Autonomous, a Vietnamese-American startup. Bought it from an Uber employee, used it for a few years, then sold it to some Mytour mod, can't recall exactly.
- The height-adjustable glass desk with a drawer from Loctek, got bored and sold it to a Mytour member=)) In Vietnam, you can get a similar one from Flexispot, I shipped it from China for about 2 million VND cheaper but there's a higher risk of shipping damage.
- The small electric desk placed on another desk from Xiaomi, got tired of it and sold it to a Xiaomi enthusiast friend of mine.
- The Epione Pro electric desk ordered to support the Epione team when they first launched. This desk has 3 stages and 2 electric motors, still using it at home. Still love this desk, now Epione has upgraded some things and downgraded others in the latest model, I'll review it next time.
- The hand-cranked standing desk I shipped a long time ago, can't remember the name, just an OEM product.
- Article 1: Reviewing this smart desk to give you a quick understanding of a standing desk product.
- Article 2: Everything you need to know when buying a height-adjustable standing desk (types of desks, desk legs, motors, desk surfaces, controls, advanced features, etc.)
- Article 3: Setting up your home office corner and sharing more about the Epione desk.
- Article 4: Setting up your office workstation corner.
- Article 5: Sharing about standing desk accessories (foot mats, footrests, cable management, desk clamps, etc.) and how to use them properly, adjusting heights, etc. Some accessories are worth the investment while others may not be. I've seen many people complain about their standing desks after purchase due to improper usage.
Having used many standing desks before, I find packaging to be a crucial step, and in this aspect, the iCockpit 1880 desk excels. It only took me 10 minutes to unpack and assemble this desk. It's the simplest desk structure I've ever seen—just attach the two drum bars on both sides to the legs, screw them in, then flip the desk surface and tighten the screws again. 
The desk surface already has pre-drilled small holes, so all you have to do is insert the screws and tighten them, no need to overthink anything.
However, due to its simple and easy-to-install structure, the iCockpit desk is limited in using smaller desk surfaces. According to the seller's page, it's said to be compatible with surfaces up to 2.4m, but there's no mention of a minimum size. Upon testing, the smallest surface that can be attached is around 1.4m because the expansion frame is fixed and cannot be resized like my Epione desk. So, those who have purchased it must decide to use larger surfaces. Additionally, the default surface is 1.8m, without any smaller options. If you want to use a different surface like me, you'll have to order separately from a third party.
Compared to the custom surface I ordered, I don't think this thickness is bad at all.
If you want to replace the surface, do it like me. Since I had an extra 1.6m old surface lying around, made from higher quality MDF than the manufacturer's MFC surface, I just attached it directly. I prefer the black color over the other wood color. Comparing it to the original surface, it doesn't feel cramped at all, as I used three steel pieces in the middle to reconnect it.
There is a note regarding the folding mechanism of the two supporting beams on both sides, there will be a protruding screw. The manufacturer has pre-drilled holes for the original surface, but for the custom surface like mine, you have to drill it yourself, so if you're lazy like me and just screw it directly, you'll notice a slight protrusion in the middle. Drilling is quite simple, you can do it at home if you have the tools. But even without drilling, it still works normally. In the picture above, I was too lazy to drill. You can attach a grinding head to a screwdriver and grind a bit to fix it
The design of this bar makes the smallest replacement surface 1.4m, it can't be smaller. If there are future models, I think the manufacturer will improve this detail. If you want, you can go to a metal shop and order a similar but shorter bar, it's very easy.To buy an external surface, there are some options I found they sell ready-made, priced at about 1.8 million for a 1.6m MDF, 2.5 million for a 1.6m HDF. Or you can buy a rubber wood surface for about 800 thousand for the size above. My surface is custom-made according to my requirements, with holes and cuts made according to my request, priced at 2.1 million for 1.6m deep 60cm, usually people make it in standard sizes like 1.6x80 or 1.6x70, but I didn't like that. 😄 Those who are not familiar with the types of surfaces, please wait for my second article.Design:
Thanks to this triangular part and the design of 4 legs, the frame of the table will be sturdier than the 2-legged onesDepending on individual aesthetics, some may prefer 4-legged tables over 2-legged ones and vice versa. For me, as I use it for office purposes, I want it to be as nondescript as possible. For some people, a 2-legged table may look a bit geeky, it's obvious that it's a standing desk, while this iCockpit looks like a regular product.
Except for the power cord and control button, it's hard to tell this is a standing deskFurthermore, the 4 legs have a major advantage in utilizing space. I've placed a custom storage cabinet exactly the height of the desk when seated, tucked neatly under the desk legs. However, if you plan to use a similar setup, you need to consider the height when lowering it, as it's related to the motor when lowering.
The kitchen island at my place, if I knew about this desk's existence and price earlier, I would've bought it and added a cabinet underneath, serving both as a dining table and a reasonable kitchen island. So annoyed 😔
Back then, unaware of this desk, I mistakenly bought a kitchen island doubling as a dining table. If I had known about it, I would've ordered it with an under-cabinet system, making it a combo dining table and kitchen cabinet, both convenient and modern. Anyway, with a maximum load capacity of 150kg, it's sturdy enough to support a stone kitchen countertop.
Sturdiness:
The desk I'm using features 4 triangular bars at each corner, fixing the leg angles and the extended frame on both sides, making the desk frame much sturdier than others in the same price range. Furthermore, due to the 4-leg mechanism, the iCockpit desk is very stable and balanced, with a maximum height just 10cm shorter than my 3-stage Epione desk, quite impressive for a 2-stage design. Even at this height, the desk is much more stable than other 2-stage desks.
Keep in mind that within this price range, meaning compared to products under 6 million dong. As for those above, I need to measure more carefully before drawing conclusions. Don't fantasize about comparing it to extremely high-end desks, it won't hold up, but within its price range, it's remarkably sturdy.
Motor:
The iCockpit utilizes 2 pre-installed motors, so you don't need to do anything extra. Honestly, when I first received the desk, I was quite critical because the motors looked simple and a bit ugly, fearing they might break quickly. But after asking the seller, they assured me of a 2-year warranty, and replacement motors cost only 500 thousand dong per pair. If they break, you can easily replace them yourself, very quickly.
At the price of 500 thousand dong for these two motors, I really have no complaints at all. The price is already cheap, so everything is forgiven.
But breaking down is one thing, what about usage? To test the motors, I conducted a series of tests:
Motor noise level during operation: The maximum noise level I measured when the desk is operating is 54dB, according to comparisons, it's equivalent to the sound of a large air conditioner running, not as quiet as desks using high-end motors but still acceptable. In an office environment, the noise level typically falls between 60-65dB, so the motor noise is lower and you'll hardly notice it. However, a small note is that its sound may be more piercing compared to the bass of high-end desks.
The desk surface weighs around 10kg or more, with two people totaling 130kg, nearing the maximum load
Operation:
Using the iCockpit 1880 is quite simple. You just press the up and down buttons to adjust the height. If held for more than 3 seconds, it will continue to increase until stopped or until it reaches the maximum height. The same goes for decreasing.
Moreover, the desk also features a memory mode for sitting or standing positions. Simply hold the sitting or standing button for 5 seconds at the desired height for the machine to save it.
If you're looking for advanced functions like touch controls or reminders to stand after a certain fixed time, you won't find them on the iCockpit 1880. It's a bit regrettable that there's no indicator light when you press the button, lacking a bit of Mytour's touch, but this isn't a major drawback because most of us only use the 2 buttons when operating the desk: standing and sitting.
Conclusion:
If you're someone who seeks the best products within its price range, then the iCockpit 1880 is a highly worthwhile purchase. In terms of fulfilling the fundamental duties of a desk—being sturdy and reliable—the iCockpit performs exceptionally well. Never have I thought that 4.5 million dong would bring me such a robust product. However, there are always pros and cons to consider, which I believe you should be aware of:- Extremely robust and superior stability within its price range, especially compared to 2-legged 2-stage standing desks
- Traditional design that is more widely accepted than 2-legged standing desks
- Services and replacement costs are extremely affordable, with motors being the most prone to damage priced at 500,000 dong for a pair, with a 2-year warranty
- High load-bearing capacity of 150kg
- Highly versatile, can be used as a dining table or kitchen island
- Excellent packaging, deserving of praise
- The lifting and lowering speed of the desk is slow, not comparable to other dual-motor desks. This is understandable due to the overly simplistic structure of the motor. It's been a while since I've used a single-motor desk, so I can't remember the speed. If it were faster, the experience would be much better. Right now, it feels a bit slow to me.
- The desk tabletop is packaged together with the box, without separate leg packaging. Since I already have a tabletop, this part is redundant. If anyone near the Thủ Thiêm area wants it, feel free to PM me.
- Replacing the tabletop is a bit difficult due to the holes in the support bars. It's possible to not drill holes, but drilling would make it look nicer and less prone to swelling.
- Lacks advanced auxiliary features: height measurement, applications, indicator lights, touch controls... I'm listing these just for fun because at 4.5 million dong, there really aren't any downsides.
