With more of us working from home than ever before, you might be spending more time at your desk, working longer hours or being less active than you were when you were commuting to the office, or heading to the office kitchen for a coffee and a catch-up.
There are plenty of under desk exercise machines that can help you burn a few more calories a day while improving your circulation and generally making you more active. For a more intense workout during your lunchbreak, you might want to consider an exercise bikeor turbo trainer.
Why not invest in a mini exercise bike? Check out our list of the best desk cycles that we’ve ‘worked out’ you won’t be able to resist.
Best under desk exercise machines
Description
Cubii is a big name in the under-desk elliptical game, with lots of happy customers raving about its ease of use. It has plenty of options to suit all fitness levels, is quiet and has an LCD monitor to track your workouts. It's a little heavy, so transporting it around the house might not be the easiest, but if it's going to live under your desk, it'll be great.
Tried and tested by Deputy Editor Jade Moscrop:"In a bid to keep the blood flowing and get some steps in while I'm working, I was keen to try out the Cubii and see what all the fuss was about. It was easy to assemble, but I'd recommend putting it together where it's going to stay, as it's quite heavy. It's ultra-quiet, has eight resistance levels and a screen to track your steps and distance covered, which you can then input into the corresponding app and link up to other apps like Fitbit. I found that resistance level 5 was most comfortable for the working day; higher and I'll give up, and when lower it becomes a bit too easy. I tend to use it when I'm in meetings or doing admin, as peddling while focusing doesn't seem to work for me - I get distracted. Over one week of using it a few times a day, I managed to burn 748 calories, which is pretty impressive considering the miminal effort. That's 748 calories I otherwise wouldn't have burned, so I'm impressed."
2.
DeskCycle2
Description
If you have a need for speed, the DeskCycle2 will take your working day to another level. While you're tapping away on your computer, you can vigorously or slowly pedal away with eight resistance settings. Your joints will thank you later.
Review: "I spend a lot of the day sitting down in front of a laptop and this has been great for enabling me to improve my circulation when stuck at a desk. It's also absolutely bloody awesome when you're on one of those calls where the other person is being an ass, but you can't asshatt them back. Pedalling away furiously really helps."
Description
This simple under-desk bike is budget-friendly, with a lightweight and foldable design if you're lacking on space. It has a screen to check your RPM, calories and time. Some customers have reported that it can move so make sure it is securely propped against a wall or your desk.
Review: "I have problems walking very far. I bought this so that I can build up the loss of strength in my legs at home. So useful & easy to use. I started off slowly for about 5 mins at a time, building up to 15 mins twice a day, more if I feel like & enjoying feeling as if I am riding a bike, with not a care in the world. Fantastic feeling at 70 and play music at the same time."
Description
If it's just a little more movement you're after during the workday, this lightweight remote-controlled leg exerciser will help boost your circulation. It won't give you a crazy workout, but every little helps. You can switch between three speeds and three stride lengths to find which one suits you best. It's lightweight, portable and quiet.
Review: "This is a fantastic bit of kit, I spend all day at my desk and this can only be doing me good. I was almost put off by a previous review I read which said it was bulky, heavy and noisy, but it is none of these, and is easy to use with a remote control. One of the great work accessories I have bought for years."
Description
With over 10,000 reviews and an average 4.4 stars on Amazon the Stamina elliptical has been heavily praised for being a great alternative for those days you can't make it to the gym or it's raining outside and you can't go for a walk. You can use it both standing or seated but just be wary of knocking your knees on your desk while working!
Review: "I bought this because during lockdown I could not get to the gym. I keep this little machine right beside my desk and use it every day several times a day (in standing position) to keep me active whilst working from home. It is very easy to put together (you will need some muscles and elbow grease to assemble). It is safe to use on wooden floors -- no scratches! I found it didn't work well in a sitting position, under my desk -- my knees hit the table as I cycled and it is very heavy to switch back to standing each time. So I use it standing. It is very stable and I have had no problems at all."
Which under desk exercise machine should you choose?
Realistically, this all depends on which exercise you prefer and how much desk space you have.
Users of an under desk bike tend to find that while the movement is great, they can't always keep it up if they need to concentrate, and you may need to change your position to combat your knees hitting the desk.
Under-desk elliptical users don't have this issue, but it can sometimes be a less strenuous workout than cycling.
How many calories will you burn?
As with any fitness routine, if it doesn't feel strenuous, it won't be burning that many calories, and this logic applies to under desk exercise equipment. With any of the options above, you can look to burn around 100 calories a day, which doesn't seem like a lot, but it's 500 more a week than you would've burned just by sitting still.
Other benefits include muscle tone and improved circulation, so we think it's still worth it for that alone.
Jade Moscrop is the Deputy Editor for WhatsTheBest, specialising in lifestyle topics. She also writes for Closer, Heat, and Mother&Baby.
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