Why You Can Trust CNET Save $40 on the nearly perfect FlexiSpot ergonomic office chair
The new OC10B model is very comfortable and super-adjustable. There's just one small issue.
You don't need to spend $500 or more to score a great desk chair. Note, however, that the FlexiSpot Soutien isn't ideal for taller workers.
I'm currently testing a bunch of low-price office chairs ($100 and less -- stay tuned for that roundup), and it didn't take me long to realize that this is one place where you just can't cheap out. If you have to sit at a desk for long stretches, it's worth spending a little more to get a high-quality chair.
How much more? Don't worry, I'm not talking Herman Miller money. In fact, I found an excellent chair and managed to score you an exclusive discount: For a limited time, Cheapskate readers can get the FlexiSpot Soutien OC10B ergonomic office chair for $230 with promo code CNET30. It retails for $270; this is the lowest price anywhere.
The Soutien ticks pretty much every important desk-chair box. It has a tilting mesh back, a comfy seat, a nifty-looking headrest and a lumbar cushion with three height-adjustment options.
And speaking of adjustments, the arms are amazing: You can adjust the height, depth, angle and even width. The seat can also adjust forward and back, which I find invaluable for getting the overall "fit" that works best for me.
However, I'm six feet tall, and the maximum seat height for this chair is 19.7 inches. That's about two inches below my preferred height, at least for my current desk setup. I'm a bit puzzled by this, because nearly every other chair I've tested can hit 21 inches or more.
So here's my advice: If you're six feet or taller, you might prefer a different chair. But if you're shorter than that, you should find the Soutien an excellent addition to your workspace. I genuinely love it; I just wish it would let me sit a little higher.
Update 3/23/21: At a reader's suggestion, I ordered a set of casters that should net me about 1.25 inches of added height. That would be an easy, inexpensive fix, though that extra $25 expenditure nearly wipes out the discount. The key lesson here is to check a chair's maximum height before you buy. Anyway, I'll update the post again once I've swapped in the new wheels.
Update 4/7/21: It worked! The new casters get me just to the height I need, and the Rollerblade-style wheels are just plain cool to boot.
This article was previously published.
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