For how long many of us sit in office chairs on a given day, I’ve always been surprised how little time people spend researching their options or even testing the item that’s literally supporting them day-in and day-out. Poor ergonomics for a long period can result in health issues ranging from carpal tunnel to chronic back pain, and a little time spent investing in ergonomics pays dividends. Insignia, Best Buy’s in-house brand, now offers this high-back, Executive style ergonomic chair that is quite visually appealing and advertises a full range of adjustability to find that perfect seating position for your workday. While it hits the mark in most regards, a few concerns stop this just short of my full recommendation.
Of important note - when it comes to comfort, chairs are a very subjective item to review. My impressions will likely vary from yours, and as such I highly recommend demoing this chair at your local Best Buy prior to purchase.
- Unboxing and Assembly
At about 50 pounds, the Executive chair is quite weighty for a mesh-backed chair. Most of the weight comes from the chair base and arms, which use far more metal than I expected and feel more durable as a result. Assembly took about 20 minutes using the included tools - the design of the chair minimizes the amount of bolts needed to secure the back and arms to the base, opting to go for very heavily indented mating points with the bolts only having to secure motion in one direction, which is a fantastic design choice that should ensure long-term durability. It took a bit more effort than usual to get the pieces to seat just right and the screws to thread, but once in place they feel much sturdier than on other chairs I’ve used.
Materials quality is mixed but overall good. The mesh is high quality, the chrome looks and feels great, and the finish of the plastics & metal are up to snuff. The armrests and levers to adjust the seat feel a bit less refined for such a premium chair, with the arms especially foregoing depth of padding and having a cheap-looking texture, but are plenty acceptable. The wheels are by far the worst item here - rolling very rough and looking like they came off a $40 task chair. I would recommend budgeting the $20 or so for some aftermarket caster wheels here.
- Adjustability
The Executive chair shines in being fully adjustable. Beyond the usual height and (locking) tilt options, the base of the chair slides several inches forward or back, the lumbar support slides several inches up or down, the arms can be adjusted for height, width, depth, and rotation, and the headrest can slide up or down several inches as well. All adjustments stay put fairly well, though the armrests can rotate much more freely in their friction mounts than I’d like.
As a larger-set individual (6’2”, 38” waist) I have plenty of room to spare in all dimensions. The only area that falls short is the headrest, which at maximum height is about an inch lower than I’d like. Otherwise I haven’t set any of the adjustments to their maximum positions, so it should be easy to find the right ergonomic position for your body.
- Comfort
Once adjusted to an appropriately ergonomic position, the Executive chair becomes a nice place to sit. It’s much easier to keep your feet flat on the floor and your neck straight while working in a proper ergonomic chair, and the difference proper ergonomics made versus another “ergonomic” chair option that this replaced was noticeable after a couple hours. I wouldn’t say it’s comfortable in the sense of being cushioned and soft, but rather, supportive and focused. This is a much better work chair than it is a lounge chair - buy accordingly!
The major issue I have, and perhaps it just needs more time to break in, is that the lumbar support is far too firm. Though the padding feels reasonably soft to the touch, the support presses very hard into my back and it’s difficult to find a comfortable position for an extended period. It feels like it presses into the lower spine more than it should, resulting in discomfort after a short while that borders on painful after a full day of office work. Take great care setting the lumbar support up correctly.
- Build Quality
As mentioned in my Assembly comments, the build quality of this chair is a step up. I was quite thrilled to find the casting for the three major mating points - where the two arms each connect to the base, and the backrest to the base - are very heavily indented to the point that movement within the mating surfaces is effectively limited to one dimension of motion. Three bolts for each arm and four for the backrest ensure tightness and redundancy, and the machining of the bolt holes feels much higher quality than on more affordable chairs.
The overall quality of the chair inspires durability. Nothing in the chair seems like an immediately obvious failure point in the coming years, and the mesh material feels closer to commercial grade weave than consumer. The only failure point I have concern for is, again, the armrests - I feel like they’re going to crack or peel as they seem like painted foam rather than a properly upholstered or cast armrest.
- Bottom Line
Good quality, great design, adjustable in every possible way…there’s a whole lot to like here. But with all these good things going for the Executive chair, the lumbar support is still a contentious point that merits some testing on a display model before purchasing. I have no doubt this chair will last - a chair I felt this way about previously has gone over two years without a hint of issue - and while it might not match commercial-grade offerings all around, it gets far enough along that this elevates a home office to a professional environment, no matter how many beds or dining room tables that office may have in it.
At a $479 MSRP, the Executive chair is a pricey proposition, but one that I feel matches the high end ambition and excellent ergonomics. If you find enough comfort in this chair when checking out a demo model, then it comes recommended!