One of the perks of writing for GeekDad—and, yes, there are several—is that nerdy necessities like gaming chairs are always somewhere in the proverbial slush pile. Unfortunately for me, what I’ve been in the market for recently is the polar opposite, a work chair.
At this stage in my life, I don’t really need a racecar-style headrest with onboard Bluetooth for when I’m waist-deep in Wargs in the Desolate Highlands of Sanctuary; I need reliable lumbar support for when I’m hours-deep in an editing session in Premiere Pro.
So, suffice it to say, when Chinese manufacturer Sihoo came calling about the new Doro S100 ergonomic office chair, I was more than happy to take a look. What I discovered was a sturdily constructed, wonderfully comfortable piece of furniture that will fit perfectly in practically any office environment.
Some Assembly Required
Like any higher-tier desk chair, the S100 arrived disassembled. Thankfully, everything needed for assembly was included right in the product box. The hex wrench and corresponding connectors come in a shared cardboard-backed blister pack with all components properly labeled. (There’s also an included set of white gloves, which, while not a necessity, certainly serve as a nice touch.)
Construction was quick and painless—just a nine-step process that cleverly encourages you to use the shipping box as an elevated platform when connecting the seat cushion to the chair’s back.
Basically, you attach the lift mechanism to the cushion, the cushion to the chair’s back, and then secure the armrest brackets.
After that, you assemble the leg tubes and add the wheels, top it with the gas lift, and then place the assembled seat on top.
The only minor hiccup I had was in the final step, attaching the armrests. You do this with the chair upright, which means you’re lining up the armrests, washers, and screws from underneath, so you’re either crawling around on the floor beneath your cool new chair or blindly trying to feel things into place from above.
Still, everything is nicely packaged and clearly labeled, and the written directions are very easy to follow. My total construction time was about 40 minutes, but that included lots of pauses to document the assembly and to explain what exactly I was doing to several curious office mates.
Conservatively, you can go from box to fully assembled chair in a half-hour—20 minutes if you really push it.
Comfort and Joy
With my S100 all put together, I began toying with its numerous ergonomic features. A single central handle (located beneath the right side of the seat) allows you to adjust the chair’s base height, as well as lock and unlock the reclining feature. And boy does this sucker recline!
Using a smaller secondary lever, the cushion base can also be released to slide forward or back, further helping you fine-tune the chair to your unique needs and body type. The same can be said for the armrests, which not only adjust up and down but forward/backward and can even pivot in/out. (I work between a desk and a credenza, with my Mac on the former and my office laptop on the latter, and this wide range of armrest adjustments makes it easy to store and maneuver my chair in this rather tight space.)
While it doesn’t boast the super high neck support of a gaming chair, the S100 is certainly no slouch, with the chair back featuring five levels of height adjustment. Its best feature, however, is its two-piece independent lumbar support.
With its dual-wing lumbar plates each situated on a pair of mammoth springs, the S100 looks a little strange at first, but it feels like heaven. Over the last two weeks, I’ve noticed significantly less back strain and lower back pain after marathon work sessions, and I’ve even caught a couple of coworkers trying it out when I stepped away from my desk to get some fresh air.
The Bottom Line
While I expected the best from the Sihoo Doro S100, I was still pleasantly surprised by all it ultimately offers. A breeze to assemble, easy to use, and, most importantly, amazingly comfortable, the S100 is exactly what I was looking for in a work chair. Plus, its breathable elastic mesh and solid, chromed-up wheeled base make it a pretty smart-looking piece of office furniture to boot.
With an MSRP of $549.99, it certainly positions itself as a luxury option—much like those fancy gaming chairs I’ve been borderline ridiculing throughout this post. However, currently available at less than half that—$269.99 at both the Sihoo Office website and Sihoo’s Amazon store—it’s an easy recommendation for those who work just as hard as they play.
Review materials provided by Sihoo. This post contains affiliate links. Please keep unflattering comments about my other office décor to a minimum.
