Hinomi S1 Standing Desk review: Whisper-quiet elegance
The Hinomi S1 is a dual-motor, electric standing desk that, despite its mid-range price, has a more premium look and feel thanks to the desktop’s rounded edges and its round, three-stage legs. While there isn’t an optional first-party cable management tray you can purchase separately as an add-on, the back of the desktop does have a recessed cutout that makes running cables up from underneath the desk easier.
Starting at $549 for the smallest desktop, what really surprised me the most about the S1 is how upgrading to Hinomi’s extra-large desktop only costs an additional $150. Likewise, opting for a natural wood grain desktop and a different colored frame and legs doesn’t change the price at all.
I’ve been using the Hinomi S1 for almost six months now and it’s been a fantastic standing desk that has held up over time. Besides the lack of a cable management tray, my only real gripe is that due to its rounded legs, the desk’s feet can rotate out of alignment, particularly if you move it back and forth from the wall as many times as I have. This is because I’ve used the S1 for a number of different desk setups and need to pull it out to do so.
My Hinomi S1 review will help you decide if this is the best standing desk for your home office or if it’s worth spending a bit more for a desk that you can upgrade later with optional accessories.
Hinomi S1 Standing Desk: Cheat Sheet
- What is it? A dual-motor electric standing desk available in several different color combinations and size options.
- Who is it for? Those looking for an electric standing desk at a mid-range price that doesn’t skimp on features or build quality.
- What does it cost? The Hinomi S1 starts at $549 and goes up to $699, depending on which desktop size option you choose.
- What do we like? The desktop’s rounded edges and cable management cutout at the back, the rounded three-stage legs, that it comes with four height presets, its whisper-quiet motors and how opting for a larger-sized desk or different color combinations doesn’t raise the price significantly.
- What don’t we like? That Hinomi doesn’t offer a first-party cable management tray and how the rounded legs can come out of alignment if the desk is frequently moved.
Hinomi S1 Standing Desk: Specs
|
Desktop size |
39 x 24 inches, 47 x 27.5 inches, 55 x 27.5 inches, 63 x 27.5 inches |
|
Desktop styles |
Black, gray, wood grain |
|
Leg colors |
Black, gray, white |
|
Min/max height |
25.2 to 50.4 inches |
|
Max supported weight |
264.55 pounds (120 kg) |
|
Electric |
Yes, dual-motor |
|
Noise level |
47 db |
|
Memory presets |
4 |
|
Grommets |
No |
|
Warranty |
Up to 12 years |
Hinomi S1 Standing Desk: The ups
Even though this is Hinomi’s first electric standing desk, the S1 gets quite a lot right, from how easy it is to put together to the rounded desktop and legs. However, the most impressive feature is its whisper-quiet, dual-motor design.
A simple and straightforward build
The S1 standing desk Hinomi sent over for review arrived in two boxes, with the desktop in the larger one and its frame, legs and feet in the smaller one. All of the parts were well-packaged and nothing was damaged during shipping.
Once unboxed, I was left with a 47-inch wide desktop, a metal frame, a pair of legs and feet, as well as a control box for underneath the desk and a keypad for adjusting the desk’s height and storing four height presets.
Building the S1 started with inserting the legs into the frame, and from there, I extended its inner rails to match the width of my desktop. The underside of the desktop came with pre-drilled holes, and everything was quite easy to put together using the included bolts and Allen wrench.
The whole assembly process was very quick and easy. In fact, it reminded me of putting together the Vari Electric Standing Desk, which, even after all these years, is still my top pick due to just how simple it is to build. That Hinomi was able to get this close to Vari’s assembly process is equally impressive to how quiet the S1 is in operation, but more on that later.
Curves in all the right places
Just like with a sports car or an iconic landmark like the Sydney Opera House, curves add a touch of elegance, and they really help give the Hinomi S1 a more premium look from the start. All four corners of its desktop are curved, as is the groove at the rear for either running cables or using one of the best monitor arms to have your display slightly closer to the edge of your desk.
At the same time, while my review unit features a less expensive laminate desktop, it doesn’t feel cheap at all. Instead, it has a nice texture to it, and running my hand across the desk feels more like it’s made of stone than wood with laminate on top.
The rounded, three-stage legs are another big plus with the Hinomi S1. With the desk lowered down, you barely see the separate parts, and the legs look just as good when it’s raised up. A lot of less expensive and even some premium standing desks feature square or rectangular legs, so the fact that Hinomi went with rounded ones really ties together well with the desktop’s rounded edges. Its legs remind me of the ones on the Branch Four Leg Standing Desk, which exudes elegance with its more table-like design.
Whisper-quiet movement
I have to admit, I was already quite impressed with the S1 after putting it together. However, it wasn’t until I plugged everything in and started testing its dual motors that I was really blown away.
One thing that can make or break using a standing desk, in my opinion, is how loud it gets while moving up and down. The whole reason you spend extra on this kind of desk in the first place is so that you have the option to sit or stand and to switch between these two positions throughout the day. A loud desk can distract others around you, and if it’s really noisy, chances are you’ll likely leave your desk at its current height. This is one of the main reasons I recommend slightly more expensive dual-motor desks over single-motor ones.
The Hinomi S1 reached a peak of 47 decibels (dB) while moving up and down during my testing. To put this in perspective, the Vari Curve Electric Desk hit 53 dB, and the Secretlab Magnus Pro was at 50 dB during these same tests. Meanwhile, the quietest standing desk I’ve tested yet was the Autonomous SmartDesk 5 Pro at just 30 dB. If noise bothers you, the S1 is a great option, especially if you plan on using this desk in a shared office or home office environment.
Hinomi S1 Standing Desk: The downs
For a first attempt, the Hinomi S1 is an excellent standing desk, but it’s not without a few minor downsides. Namely, Hinomi doesn’t include a cable management tray or sell one separately as an add-on, and its feet did rotate slightly out of alignment after being moved repeatedly over a long period of time.
Bring your own cable management
As far as the S1 itself is concerned, Hinomi does make it quite easy to keep the cables running to the desk’s control box out of sight. This is because there’s a metal cable cover in the box that you install over the desk’s frame once everything is plugged in. I did have to use a few adhesive cable ties to keep the cord from the keypad flush against the underside of the desk, though.
While most home office furniture makers besides Uplift Desk don’t include a cable management tray in the box, many offer their own first-party ones as optional add-ons. Unfortunately, Hinomi doesn’t. I’m a strong advocate for using a cable management tray with electric standing desks. That way, you can put one of the best surge protectors inside it and plug all of your devices in at the back of your desk so you don’t have to worry about cords getting snagged or unplugged as your desk moves up and down.
Since the Hinomi S1’s desktop is made of wood, it wasn’t too difficult to install a spare one I had from back when I reviewed the four-legged FlexiSpot E7 Plus. If you don’t have one already, you can pick up a good cable management tray online for around $30, and some even come in two-packs if you need extra room for bulky power adapters.
I’d love to see Hinomi include or offer its own cable management tray as an add-on for the S1, but given that it’s very easy to drill a few holes and install one yourself, this is by no means a deal breaker.
Rotating out of alignment
In all likelihood, you probably won’t even run into this issue at all, but it is something I noticed after using the Hinomi S1 for a variety of desk setups over the course of several months.
I like to set up desks on either side of the fireplace in my living room, as there’s just enough space for two 47-inch wide ones at a time. To switch out monitors, game consoles or one of the best mini PCs as I’m putting together a new desk setup, I often pull my desk out to make getting everything set up and all of my cables managed easier.
The other day, I noticed that the feet on the Hinomi S1 were no longer straight and had started to curve in either direction. I chalked this up to the desk’s rounded instead of square legs, since the feet can move slightly, given the shape of the S1’s legs. Again, by no means is this a major issue with this particular desk. Instead, it’s something I noticed that I felt worth pointing out for those who rearrange their desk setup as often as I do.
Hinomi S1 Standing Desk: Verdict
The Hinomi S1 is an impressive standing desk and an excellent debut by a company known for specializing in the best office chairs, like the Hinomi X1 I tried out alongside it. The desk is very easy to put together, and I really like how, although there are several desktop size and color options for its frame and legs, going with a larger desk doesn’t carry a premium price.
The curved desktop with its cutout at the back and its rounded, three-stage legs gives the S1 a much more premium look and feel despite its mid-range price, too. While I wish Hinomi included a cable management tray or sold an optional one, this is the kind of minor gripe that can be easily fixed. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time spent using and testing this desk and can’t wait to see how Hinomi intends to improve upon its already excellent design with its next standing desk.
link
