Old one was literally in pieces, needed a new one. Went to Best Buy today, and the cheapest model (Cheap model) since I figured anything would be better than my old busted thing. They didn’t have a test model out, but I (stupidly) figured, “hey, I’m not picky”
I hate this chair. I hate it so much. It’s too narrow, the back rest pushes me in the small of the back (not adjustable), I can’t lean back (also not adjustable) and the pitch of the seat is bizarrely up (again, not adjustable.)
So yeah, this was my mistake. I’ll be disassembling and returning it. And now I want a good PC chair. Any recommendations? I’m thinking $100 - $300 range, I can’t drop much more than that.
I thinkthis is what I have right now BUT it was on sale for some reason, and they only had one, so it was like 65 bucks. I didn’t want to spend even that much, but my sweetie insisted and I’m really glad he did. I love it.
I have no specific recommendations. However, there are times when you can go the cheap route, and it’s good enough. But don’t cheap out when buying a chair that you’ll use every day, or a mattress. Unless you’re getting a mattress for your freeloading brother-in-law who thinks that he’s gonna move in with you if he spends the night often enough.
I can recommend HON chairs. Here’s a sampling on overstock.com, but they’re sold all over. The one I bought at some discount online retailer is adjustable in all parameters (seat height, tilt, depth; back height, conformation, tilt; arm height and distance), almost identical to the 7800 on that page. I paid about $300 for it, and I think I got free delivery. It was worth double that price. For a long time I worked 10-hour shifts sitting at a computer and that chair was an Ogsend.
But keep in mind the distinction between function and style. I don’t dismiss style - it can be important in some cases. But if you’re just looking for a chair to sit on in your own computer room at home, function’s going to be the main thing.
The Goodwill chair I bought looks like it’s twenty years old. It’s build out of steel and leather with no plastic. The leather has a couple of small holes in it and it’s a muddy brown. But the chair looks like it would stop a bullet and it’ll probably outlast me.
Oh, I am all about function over style, in most cases. And I do shop at thrift shops. I figure that with four cats in the house, just about anything will have that distressed look in no time, whether it started off distressed or not.
I found a place that deals soley in used office furniture. They had a huge warehouse full of stuff. I wound up getting a slightly beat up, but very comfortable chair for like $20. See if there’s someplace like that in your area.
I’ve had good luck with big and tall office chairs. I’m not a small person, though, and of course YMMV. I like the wider/deeper seat pan and the improved ability to take a beating. I also move a lot, so portability is important. This chair is so great, I bought one a few years ago and bought the same chair again when it broke (due to my sister’s improper disassembly, not a defect). It breaks down into base+seat, arms, and back, which allows me to transport it easily in my sedan.
For my first one, I paid $200. It’s very comfortable, adjustable, and easy to assemble with just 2 allen wrenches (included). In the time I’ve used it, I’ve weighed between 280 and 295, and the only issue I had was the seat padding started to suffer a bit after 2 years of use. That’s easily remedied with some cotton batting, though.
If you can wait until Black Friday sales, I was able to nab one for $100 (that’s 50% off!) last time.
My precious spouse redecorated and seems immune to the concept of function. She went to great lenghts to pick fabrics and have furniture custom manufactured from a couple of sources (Ballard, Calico Corner). I’m here to tell you, they don’t make real furniture - they make stage props that look like furniture in photographs. The office chair we ended up with has no support at all in the seat. I looks like it has a fine cushion, but there is no “there” there. It’s like sitting in a bucket. I can’t convince her to pitch it and get a real office chair, 'cause it’s not pretty! grmmbbl grmmbbl…
Go to the used office equipment warehouse, even if it’s in some industrial suburb. They have hundreds of quality used chairs. I’m partial to the (now-discontinued) Steelcase Rally, but your back may be a different shape than mine.
The issue isn’t that you spent too little. It’s just that you didn’t try out the chair. I find that I like only 10% or so of the chairs I try out when I’m shopping for an office chair, regardless of the price tier.
I’d try going to a local Office Depot and sitting in as many of their 50+ display models as you can stomach to find one that fits you. I’ve found that the $80 chairs are just as competitive as the $250 ones in this game, and both categories seem to follow the 90%-of-chairs-are-not-for-me rule. Buying one without sitting in it first is just a disaster, and just because a chair is $400 does not mean that you will find it comfortable.
If you do go this route, I’d recommend the $8 or so fee to have them assemble it for you. Totally worth it.
I’d check out all the Goodwills and also any used furniture stores in your area as well as the usual suspects of Office Max etc.
Also, have you tried a giant ball out? I used to be a fan - really strengthens your core and overall ya feel better in it. Then I got a chair that tips my hips forward, which is great. Hip tightness is a thing for me.
Whatever you do, sit on a ton to figure out what you like and what you don’t like.
There is an IKEA near me, and I’m happy I went there on your suggestion.
I went on a lark, I had nothing to do Saturday afternoon, so I drove out there. I had looked online at the VOLMAR, it looked like the chair for me. My local IKEA had a few on the floor, I sat in them all and was dismayed to find that I hated this chair. Stiff, stiff everywhere - the seat to the back.
Depressed, I strolled around and dejectedly sat in a cheaper MARKUS.
…wait a minute, this chair feels quite nice. I really like the lumbar support and the headrest. And I can control the height and tilt? Hmm…wonder if it will fit in my car?
…
20 minutes later, I’m driving home with a MARKUS. The box fit nicely in the backseat of my Mustang. Assembly took about 1 hour; would have been less if I hadn’t mixed up the screws. I had the Mad Men season 5 blu-ray playing so I was distracted.
Now it’s fully assembled and I’ve been using it for about two hours. I really, really like this chair! I should have known. I’ve been using an IKEA desk for 8 years now, it’s put up with all sorts of abuse but is still clean, functional and sturdy. Bout time I paired it with a proper office chair.
I’ve never encountered an adjustable chair that could be adjusted to fit me (I’m female, short legged and have a deeper than usual lumbar curve); in my case, chairs built with someone my shape in mind are a much better bet. I once told an ergonomy specialist that the kind of ladderbacks called “Seville chairs” in Spain are much better for me than “office chairs” - he was surprised until I stood up and twirled. “Ah yes, I do guess those were built with your kind of body in mind…”
I’m glad the OP found what he needed, but my general advice is: having a chair labeled “office chair” is nowhere as important as having a chair your butt and back are comfortable in.
Exaclty, Nava. With chairs, shoes, matresses…if it fits and keeps fitting and feeling good over use, it is the right fit for you. Whatever the label or whatever some salesperson tries to force on you because it is better “quality” .
And that Markus comes with a ten year warranty, too.
