Ikea Lidkullen Review – The Best Standing Desk Stool for your Posture?

The Ikea Lidkullen is an awesome stool! If you work at a desk all day, you’ve probably realized that having bad posture is a constant battle. If you sit all day long, you’ll never counteract the problem of bad posture. You can’t sit for 8 hours a day and not have bad posture. There is a solution, it’s called a standing desk. I built my own “adjustable” standing desk out of wood, so I could stand all day at work.

Standing desks are the solution to bad posture and weak legs. However, when you get your first standing desk, you’ll realize that you now have another problem. You just can’t stand all day. If you try to stand all day you may end up like Dwight on the office and have to prop yourself on a false leg. So you start researching stools for your standing desk, a stool from staples just won’t do. Besides, they only have one option.

I recently purchased the Ikea Lidkullen stool from Ikea for $99. It took a while to get here because of the current situation in my home country of the USA, but it got here in a relatively lightweight box. Lighter than I expected anyway. If you order it online it comes in a FedEx truck in a week or so, but it’s also available at their stores. The closest one to my home is about 3 hrs away though, so I ordered online.

Comfort Level

I’ll be honest with you, this stool is a bit firm. However, it leans forward which gives you a lot of different ways to sit or lean. If you lean on it like I am now, it’s almost like you’re relaxed, but you’re still engaged. Your body is ready for action, but you’re leaning against something firmly soft. One of the most touted benefits of a standing desk is the fact that your legs stay in motion and it’s almost like you’re working a real job. As I lean on it I can feel my shoulders lay back naturally, and my back is in a much more natural position as I look slightly up at my computer monitor.

Even though it is a bit firm, I think that is for the best in the long run. If it was soft and absorbed your whole bottom, you would probably start to sink into the chair and get a little too comfortable. Right now I’ve switched to the position of arching my back slightly while sitting flat on it. This is a nice contrast to the opposite arch that happens to my back when I sit on the couch. When you sit on it you also have the option to lean the seat slightly forward. In other words, it can lean in any direction about 20 degrees. The lean comes in handy if you want to put your feet on the floor while you lean back on it. Also, it helps you to sit properly with your spine staying straight. This is a great benefit for me because I’m a taller person and regular chairs cause met to slouch.

A Note About Adjustability

The other benefit of this stool is the fact that it is adjustable. You could technically use this for a small “normal person” desk if you wanted to. The reason I like its adjustability is the fact that I can prop up one leg on it like a flamingo and sort of stretch while I work. Flamingo was something I was called in middle school. I think it was because of my abnormally large nose though.

The fact that this stool is round also helps you use it for a lot of different positions. If it were a square type seat with a curve to it, you wouldn’t be able to twist your body while perched on it as easily. I like the round seat. This is a lot better for your legs than sitting down constantly. I’m pretty sure if I continued to sit like I was before, my legs would waste away slowly.

The Ikea Lidkullen helps my posture

For my entire life, I’ve felt like I’m too tall for the world. I’m only 6 feet tall, but I still feel like tables, chairs, and seating, in general, are designed for shorter people. By contrast, my wife is only 5’4” and has great posture. She was also in the orchestra, which helps I guess.

With traditional seating, I feel like I have to lean forward to look at things and I’m like a hunchback. If I keep doing this, I’ll end up looking like Quasimodo when I’m 80.

This chair is part of my balanced strategy for an ergonomic toolset that allows me to work from home. I rarely have to purchase tools or materials to complete digital work, but having a proper workstation is the least I can do for myself.

Build Quality

This stool isn’t really the Rolls Royce of standing desk stools. However, it isn’t priced that way. Coming in at just under $100, this is supposed to be a budget option. I was pleasantly surprised though by the build quality. Even though it’s not a luxury style chair, it feels like it’s very high-quality materials.

The metal used is very heavy and thus adds to the stability and overall quality of everything. The seat itself feels a little rugged and I don’t think it will tear any time soon. You could probably put one of those soft cushions on it if you needed it to be softer. Adding to the stability is the fact that the legs feel like they’re glued to the floor. This makes it a little challenging to slide, but you’re not supposed to be able to slide it. That’s the whole point. The stool will not move while you’re sitting on it. Trust me.

Some Assembly Required

This brings us to the assembly process. When you get it, it comes in a surprisingly small box. It has 4 pieces that just fit together. There is one piece that has to be attached with screws, but it’s a relatively simple process to put together. The instruction manual is straightforward, but you probably don’t even need it. Although the illustrations in the manual are quite enjoyable.

The main cylinder for assembly is the heaviest piece. It connects to the bottom legs and has a small connector at the top to connect to the actual seat. Everything just slides in and stays together. There is no “click” when you put the pieces together, however it stays together quite well. I’m able to pick it up by the seat and the other pieces do not fall apart. Taking it apart… I haven’t successfully done this.

Pricing (How does this compare to other stools out there?)

While I was looking for a stool. My other two options were the “Vari” and the “Luna” standing desk chairs. I’ve heard great things about both, but the price point was something I couldn’t really justify. At double the price, I don’t think those two options are double the standing desk experience. Maybe they are, but I’m very happy with the comfort level and quality of this chair.

Getting a stool for your standing desk is a must. You just can’t stand standing all day! With a stool of any kind though, you’ll be much more productive. I find that I can work about 4 to 5 hours straight sitting and need to stand about 3 or 4 hours of the day to feel healthy. Those of you who have made the switch to a standing desk probably have enjoyed the boost in energy levels and productivity but with this “active” style seating you get a small break without destroying your posture.

Should you buy it?

If you are looking for a higher quality standing desk stool, this is the best bang for the buck. It would also be a really good stool for a normal desk too. I think you will be glad you purchased this stool as opposed to any others out there. It’s comfort level and adjustability is just great for your overall health and posture. Remember though, this is just one small part of your journey to better posture!

One part of a Balanced Strategy for Better Posture

Getting better posture isn’t as simple as just going to the gym a couple of times a week or sitting in a good stool. It requires a balanced strategy. My balanced workstation is almost complete, but here’s what I have so far.

• A great adjustable standing desk (DIY)

• A pretty basic monitor for my laptop that sits on a 6 inch platform for the optimal viewing level

• A cheap Walmart lamp that makes it bright behind my monitor so I feel like I’m in the outside world

• A keyboard under the desk that slides out so I can make music

• A new standing desk stool from IKEA, it allows me to sit and prop up my legs in different positions for stretching

• Coffee