Big & Tall Leather Office Chair Adjustable Tilt Angle Executive Computer Desk Chair, Thick Padding for Comfort and Ergonomic Design for Lumbar Support

After more than a dozen years with my previous desk chair, I decided it was time for a refresh and the reviews led me to this one. It's okay. Let me comment on what I like and dislike about it. Because of the wealth of 5-star reviews, I want to address some issues in detail that aren't necessarily big negatives for the chair's price but that put those ratings more in perspective as reflecting value-for-cost rather than absolute quality. That's a reasonable basis for ratings but it's also easy for buyers not to recognize such ratings as price-driven. If you're on a budget and are willing to accept the compromises that entails, this isn't a bad chair. If you're looking for a really good office chair, you might consider spending more and getting something better. My reasons follow.The materials are adequate at best. They get the job done but don't look particularly good (or horribly bad). The leather could easily pass for vinyl and feels quite thin. I hope it doesn't wear out too soon. PU leather is, of course polyurethane-coated (hence the name) which increases resistance to spills and stains but compromises the feel and appearance of the material. The surface you see and touch is a plastic film over leather fibers, not the grain of the leather itself. The texture may vaguely resemble leather grain but it's stamped in there, not natural. This isn't surprising or inappropriate at this price point. I guess it's a reasonable trade-off of quality versus price. But don't mistake it for the leathers you'll find in better chairs. The stitches holding the soft materials together seems a bit widely spaced. That may sound picky, but the width of the spacing can impact durability. Tighter stitches can withstand stress far better than looser ones. Time will tell. As for the frame, all of the silvery, aluminum-looking bits you'll see in the pictures are actually plastic castings. They seem sturdy enough and clearly represent a cost savings for the manufacturer. From a distance, they look pretty much as metal would. Up close, you'll be far less likely to miss the fact that it's all cast plastic, with noticeable casting seams. The casters are actually pretty good. I have low-pile carpet in my office and these double-wheels move quite well on it.The component fit is marginal -- not dreadful, but not top-notch, either. For example, even when in the locked position, the chair rocks back and forth a fair bit due to play. This could get annoying and I'm not sure why there's as much movement as there is. Yes, the locked position keeps the chair from tipping backward but it doesn't immobilize the seat and back the way similar features do on other chairs I've had.Ergonomics will either suit you or not. There are virtually no adjustments (other than seat height and tilt-back tension if you use the seat unlocked, which I don't), so it's a matter of the fit working you or not. I'm about 5'10" and 160 pounds, for reference purposes. The arms aren't adjustable and I find them to be lower than I'd like. The back angle is where it is and were it will stay. I don't mind it, but it's probably not where I would adjust it to if I had the option. Lumbar support isn't adjustable either. It feels a bit too pronounced but again, not unlivable by any means. Neither the seat angle nor its fore-aft position is adjustable. I'd prefer the seat a bit more forward (or simply longer) to offer better thigh support. Whether any of these are deal breakers will depend on the individual's personal preferences. I wouldn't expect most chairs to offer all of these adjustments. But most offer at least some, like adjustable armrests.Assembly was more tedious than other similar chairs I've had, but not by a great deal. Getting the arms on and then mounted to the back was the most difficult, as it was hard to keep everything in alignment until the bolts caught. There was no issue of determining what went where. That was pretty obvious. It was more a matter of getting things aligned stably. A helper would have gone a long way here. With two people, I think assembly would be on a par with most similar chairs. Flying solo, loosening the arm's seat bolts until the back bolts got a purchase helped. The instruction manual wasn't particularly helpful, either. It consists of six drawings and no verbal directions. The web site may have been better but it wasn't really necessary. I knew what had to be done. The instructions suggested the order in which to do them (which was somewhat helpful). I just didn't think the design made it as easy to do as has been the case with other desk chairs I've assembled over the years.On the plus side, the support seems good. I wish the seat cushion were longer to provide better thigh support (as I mentioned above) but the cushioning feels pretty good. The seat and back have a good degree of firmness. The padded arm resets are nice, too. If the cushions all hold up, I think I'll be okay with this chair, if not thrilled.As I said at the outset of this review, I think the price point (which is very reasonable) accounts for the strong reviews. I understand that. For around $150, this is a more-than-decent chair. But if you view the reviews as independent of price, you might mistake this for a chair of much higher quality than it is. It's simply not a high-end (or even mid-level) desk chair. But if you're on a budget and want a comfortable seat to work from, this is a good value.Some of us spend a lot of time sitting at our desks and how enjoyable and even productive that time is can be influenced by how happy we are with the chair we're sitting in. For many, this chair will be fine. For others, it may come up short in some important respects. I hope this review helps people sort through the trade-offs this particular chair involves.

This is an alert for anyone thinking of buying this chair: You'll need to buy parts to fully assemble it. The final assembly step is to secure the seat back to the underplate under the seat. The problem is that the bolts on the seat back don't secure themselves into the underplate - the holes are all too big. All the other bolts on the chair tighten into their holes without assistance. The only solution is to buy your own nuts to secure the seat back in place. Major hassle.Another assembly issue is the first set of bolts you install. They're very hard to get to with the supplied Allen wrench. I used my own Allen wrench set; otherwise, those bolts would have been a serious headache to tighten. More major hassle.Another issue is this: The chair, as pictured on the product page as of this writing, is made by Viva Office (website vivaoffice.us), item #Viva1565L. The chair that's getting all the rave reviews is item #Viva1430, so this may or may not be a comfortable chair, but it's not the one with all the great reviews.Update: It was a major hassle to complete assembly. You'll need to replace the final three bolts, since they don't match up with any nut I found. Take the bolt to the hardware store, since it has to match the hole on the chair. I bought an M8-1.25 bolt and corresponding nut. What I didn't get and what you probably should, just to be safe, is a single washer with a decent width, as one nut barely grips the metal underplate. Hopefully, mine holds without a washer. Lastly, it was a serious hassle to tighten it all up. I disassembled part of the underplate to get access to the nut to tighten it, then reassembled the seat back assembly to the rest of the underplate. Didn't take too long, but it was another major hassle.The chair seems pretty comfortable, not anything amazing, but functional. I'm sticking with one star because of the assembly issues.

NOTE: THIS REVIEW IS FOR A CHAIR I PURCHASED THAT WAS GREY AND BLACK. NOT THE ONE I CURRENTLY SEE LISTED. IT APPEARS THEY SWITCHED CHAIRS. I looked at a lot of chairs after my old one finally failed. After having a chair that was a little less expensive that lost its padding and comfort within months, I decided to spend a little more from the reviews for this chair, as many referenced its quality in the cushion. The padding in this chair is more like what you'd expect in a higher end chair. Spending most of my day at the computer, I can tell you, there is a difference! I'm average weight, 5'6". At low setting, my feet just hit the floor.I assembled it on my own within about half an hour. It would have taken about 15 minutes or less with 4 hands instead of 2. All necessary tools were included. Instructions weren't really necessary, but were clearly written with diagrams to ensure you used the correct screws for the correct holes, though I found it easier to put in the other screw for the back panel in first was easier to handle doing it on my own.

If you're looking at the arms thinking "these don't look like flip up arms" then trust your instincts like i DID NOT. These don't flip up at all. I mean if you unbolt them then maybe they'll move out of the way but who buys a chair thinking that they're going to have to constantly bolt & unbolt a part of the furniture???That being said, it's fairly comfortable & will do for now but will definitely be looking for a chair with TRUE FLIP UP ARMS!!

I wore my old office chair out. I like to lean back, but it stopped providing any support and rather than leaning back a few inches, it would go all the way back. This chair allows me to lean back just a bit without falling all the way back. I do notice that after sitting for an extended period of time, my back isn't sore like it was with my old chair. Definitely a winner for those of us who sit for a living.