Thursday, July 16, 2009

Mini Review: Office Depot Chair

So back in May I purchased the RS To Go Sporty Mid-Back Vinyl Chair from Office Depot for about $120. At the time I was replacing my Jake Office Chair, which was highly recommended, but broke on me after 1.5 years (one of the wheel casters broke and later on one of the steel legs snapped off). I'm glad the chair broke 'cause it was uncomfortable and rigid. I would never recommend it.

So I was pretty excited to get my RS chair. Not only was it cheaper than my Jake chair ($120 vs $169), but it had gotten some good reviews by Office Depot customers and a few good reviews on some random threads I managed to find online. Assembly was easy and my first week I thought it was pretty comfortable. I've now had it for 3 months and I'm not too wild about it. Some background information. I'm 6' 2" and weigh 250 lbs. (well within the chair's weight limit) and I use the chair when I work from home (about 9 hours a day, 2-3x a week). I also use it on weekends and whenever I'm on my computer. Essentially, it's my "everyday" chair. Here's what I hate about it:

1)It feels cheap. It has a very thin layer of vinyl that "pads" the chair, but in reality, it's not that comfortable. On parts of the chair (the arm rests) you can feel the underlying plastic beneath the vinyl. Not cool.

2)You can't adjust the arm rests. Not a horrible thing, but it'd be nice if you could.

3)Not only is the vinyl thin, but it's hot. I don't mind that so much 'cause I always have my AC on, but keep in mind that vinyl padding makes for a hot chair.

4)No back support. The RS has no back support and kinda encourages you to slump/hunch when you're sitting. The Jake chair was stiff, but at least it kept my back straight. The RS chair also wobbles a bit. (Then again, I have been wanting to drop 5 lbs.)

I do prefer the RS over my old Jake Chair, but if you're looking for an everyday home office chair, I would recommend spending a little bit of money and buying a quality chair. I've never owned a Herman Miller Aeron chair, so I can't vouch for those, but I have a feeling most of the RS / Office Depot chairs will suffer from the same traits. As for the Jake Chair, it was a huge disappointment. Room & Board immediately sent me replacement parts, BUT the chair required servicing (which was handled by a 3rd party vendor) and that cost $75 just for the visit.

So if you're looking for a home office chair, I recommend splurging a bit on a solid, sturdy one.