Chairs? What are we buying nowadays

Posted by danielyelwop@reddit | buildapc | View on Reddit | 16 comments

I'm looking for a new chair for gaming/ home office use twice a week. I've had an IKEA chair for the last few years but it's starting to get uncomfortable for extended periods of time and the gas lift cylinder appears to be dropping ever so slightly when sat on. Having never bought a 'gaming chair' before I've been looking at some of the offerings from Secret Lab/ Corsair but how good are they actually for extended use especially since some of the Secret Lab chairs are £400+ (I'm based in the UK) is it worth the investment or would something like the Corsair TC100 for £150 work just fine?

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16 Comments

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plsnomoresmoke@reddit

Check Costco. They don't carry the exact office chair I have anymore, but it's been very reliable and comfortable for a pretty reasonable price $150 I think?)

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tsirko@reddit

If you don't live in USA that apparently companies there sell their furniture all the time forget about the hermans and look at IKEA and office furniture stores, you can get decent chairs for 200-300 euros (if in Europe).

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Zediton@reddit

I got a leather seat from a 2020 vw golf for like $75 and put it on a mount, haven't hooked up the seat heater yet but it is by far the most comfortable 'gaming chair' I've used for my setup.

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SquirrelTeamSix@reddit

Don't get a gaming chair, get an office chair. Look at the local used market for Herman Miller and Steelcase. There are other options but those are the popular ones

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danielyelwop@reddit (OP)

Yeah, not sure I want to spend £1,400 on a chair...

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SquirrelTeamSix@reddit

Again, check the used market. I got a steelcase think for $199 US and love it. Herman Millers usually float in the 350-500 US range. Local markets will always differ of course, but from my research pricing seems pretty standard. Could see if a city/town near you has an office liquidation store. A quality used chair will last you way longer than the gaming chairs will, and they are way better for your back.

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danielyelwop@reddit (OP)

Yeah, I don't know if that sort of thing happens in the UK

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drewts86@reddit

Check out Autonomous with their ErgoChair series, something like the ErgoChair Pro or Mesh. They’re about £5-600, but go on sale periodically for about 20% off. I’ve got the Pro and love it. I like the recline function on it better than the Aeron and the headrest is nice.

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alexia_not_alexa@reddit

Go on ebay and search for Herman Miller, quite a few aerons under £500. Embody less so due to being newer. I don't know where people go to find chairs for when offices close though, but that seems to be the best places to buy used chairs in good condition!

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SquirrelTeamSix@reddit

Maybe not, but if you have anything like Facebook marketplace or Nextdoor it's definitely worth looking

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9_of_wands@reddit

Even a knockoff is a better chair for your money than a "gaming" chair. But I just did a quick search for used office furniture in my area. A Herman Miller is going for $450 US, so maybe you could find something similar where you are.

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stowg@reddit

Black Friday coming up, and Amazon sale days. I grabbed one a few years ago, ergonomic back support. Has been amazing as most “gaming chairs” are just rubbish and cheap material.

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restingbirchface@reddit

This is just my opinion, I have friends who have wildly different opinions from mine. I have had a secret lab chair since 2020, and frankly I wouldn’t get one again and I don’t recommend it to friends. The seat of the chair is not very comfy for me, I had to buy an extra seat cushion on Amazon just to be able to sit in it for both my remote work and gaming at night. I however have used this chair daily for 8+ hours a day for 5 year so I definitely think I got my moneys worth out of it. I got the Akali model (no I don’t play her I just loved the design), and the embroidery on the back still looks good as new, same with all of the seat material. The only existing damage to my chair in 5 years is a little missing chunk at the front/bottom of the right arm rest. Which personally I think is good for daily use in a home with cats. Personally it’s a decision of weighing the price, comfort, aesthetic in your mind. I know my next chair will likely be a used Herman miller if I can find one.

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mannyman16hjd@reddit

Honestly secret lab is great, had mine for 7 years now and its still great. has great back support and is very sturdy. I have another 7 years in this easily

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cbntlg@reddit

I used a second-hand [Enjoy Elite](https://ergohuman.net/chairs/enjoy-office-chair/) for many years. It was very comfortable. Eventualy, the seat tilt broke, so I bought a [Secretlab Titan EVO](https://secretlab.co.uk/products/titan-evo-2022-series). Bad decision! The seat is so hard I have to sit on a cushion! Wish I'd stuck with Enjoy Elite.

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GrizzlyTrvp@reddit

As others have said I would avoid anything branded as a gaming chair and look at office chairs. Personally I have a Herman miller embody but I get it’s expensive. You could always go to a furniture store and try out different office chairs or see if there’s any furniture liquidators around you that sell office supplies