Are you on the hunt for a great executive or standard office chair? Are you also on a budget?
If you answered yes to either of those questions, you’re going to like what you see in this in-depth review of VANBOW office chairs.
The quest to find the “right” office chair can be frustrating, especially if you’re on a budget. While quality has improved in recent years, even in the value segment of the market, there are still a dizzying array of choices, and it can be hard to cut through the clutter.
While the products offered by VANBOW suffer from some of the limitations that all budget-priced furniture suffers from, they are a cut above what most people expect from this segment of the market, and that makes them interesting and worth a second, and perhaps a third look. It is entirely possible that you’ll find the chair you’re looking for from the products we’ll talk about in this VANBOW Executive Office Chairs review.
Before we get into the individual models the company has on offer, we’ll start by taking a top-level view at all their products side-by-side to give you a general feel for them. If that sounds good to you, let’s jump right in and see what this product line is all about!
NOTE: VANBOW makes it a bit challenging to talk about their individual models because they don’t give their products model names or numbers. Given that, we’ll be using their Amazon Product names.
A Closer Look at the VANBOW Brand Chairs
The value segment of the office furniture ecosystem is a crowded place, and each company selling budget-priced furniture tries hard to find ways to distinguish their products from the competition, so there’s a lot more variety than you might expect.
In VANBOW’s case, their product line, at least in terms of their executive office chairs, is notable for their use of memory foam padding in the majority of their designs. Memory foam is far superior comfort-wise than the standard block foam found in most low-end office chairs, and it really does make the VANBOW Executive Office Chairs that utilize it notably more comfortable.
On top of that, every chair the company sells comes with a suite of ergonomic design features that further enhance comfort, while simultaneously encouraging better posture as you use them.
Granted, it’s still an off-brand, its products are still made in China, the production quality is lower than it is in more expensive furniture, and both the upholstery and the materials used in their products’ construction are lower quality and don’t stand up well to heavy daily use.
All true, but then, that’s the story with any furniture you buy at the lower end of the price spectrum. You get the features you want, but to keep the costs low, the company has no choice but to make sacrifices in other areas, and VANBOW is no different.
Note, however, that VANBOW offers a one-year warranty on their products (almost unheard of in this segment of the market). So, while everything we said above is true, it’s also true that VANBOW sits at or near the top of the low-end spectrum.
Their furniture might not be as rugged and robust as the more expensive mainstream brands, but it’s not going to fall apart the first time you touch it, either.
With that in mind, even if you opt to get some other brand of chair, we think you’ll agree that the overall quality of VANBOW office furniture is an unexpected surprise, and better than many of their competitors.
Assembly is Required
Since this is true of all VANBOW products, we wanted to say a few words about it here. It probably comes as no surprise, but when this chair arrives at your doorstep, it will be in a box, in several pieces.
Earlier, we mentioned the relatively low production quality, and this is where you’ll notice that most keenly.
While the chair is as durable as can be expected once you get it built, given the lightweight and inexpensive materials used in its construction, putting it together can be a real challenge, because as often as not the screw holes don’t line up like they should, which means you’ll have to wrestle the pieces into position.
One of our readers, Steve, made an excellent observation in the comments section. Given the somewhat lower production quality of these chairs, the assembly process can be a little challenging because things don’t always line up as they should. The process is easier if you’re willing to do a little DIY work and swap out the M6-25mm fasteners with slightly longer M6-30mm fasteners. Great suggestion, Steve, and thank you!
Expect the assembly process to take you an hour, or perhaps slightly longer if you’re doing it solo. If you can enlist the aid of a second person, you’ll shave at least twenty minutes off the build time. The good news, of course, is that once it’s put together, that’s the last time you’ll have to worry about it, aside from periodic tightening here and there.
And with that note out of the way, let’s take a closer look now, starting with their High Back office chairs!
VANBOW High Back Office Chairs
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3.8
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3.7
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3.8
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4.3
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4.3
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4.3
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4.8
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4.9
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4.8
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4.5
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4.0
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4.5
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1.5
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1.5
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1.5
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An outstanding, thoughtfully designed chair that emphasizes comfort. Well-implemented ergonomic features.
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The pillowed upholstery detracts from the look of this model slightly, but it’s delightfully comfortable, and can pull double duty as a surprisingly good recliner for napping!
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Another well-built reclining Executive Office Chair. Not quite as comfortable as the B07CNJX3HP, but close, and designed for bigger, taller users, with a wider seat and a slightly higher maximum seat height.
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Anyone, especially if you can catch it on sale. It’s as close to perfect as you’ll ever find in the value segment of the market.
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Anyone on a budget who’s looking for a great multi-function Executive Office Chair.
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Bigger, taller users looking for a great multi-function Executive Office Chair.
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27.6” x 29.9” x 42.1” to 45.1”
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27.2” x 27.6” x 44.9” to 47.8”
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25.6” x 29.1” x 45.3” to 48.4”
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43 pounds
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55.2 pounds
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53.1 pounds
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250 pounds
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250 pounds
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250 pounds
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90 to 110 degrees
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90 to 175 degrees
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90 to 175 degrees
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20.5”
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20.5”
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22.1”
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18.5” to 22.2”
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19.7” to 21.8”
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19.3” to 22.4”
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20.1”
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20.5”
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20.1”
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3.6
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3.7
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4.3
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5.0
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4.5
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4.3
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4.3
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4.0
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1.5
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1.5
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A full-featured ergonomic Executive Office Chair with a modern, sporty look.
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Not the prettiest chair to look at, but an incredible value for the money.
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Anyone on a budget who’s looking for a great ergonomic Executive Office Chair but doesn’t need all the bells and whistles.
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Anyone on a budget. This is a great value option.
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27.6” x 28” X 46.1” to 48.4”
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27.6” x 23.6” x 44.8” to 47.8”
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41.9 pounds
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42.5 pounds
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250 pounds
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250 pounds
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90 to 130 degrees
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90 to 110 degrees
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21.3”
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19.7”
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20” to 22”
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19.7” to 20.8”
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19.3”
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16.9”
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VANBOW High Back Office Chairs In More Detail
VANBOW Leather Memory Foam Office Chair
Recommended For: Anyone, especially if you can catch it on sale. It’s as close to perfect as you’ll ever find in the value segment of the market.
*While aesthetics is a matter of taste, aesthetic flexibility is a measure of how easily a given design would fit into a wide range of home or office décor schemes.
**Brand Reliability is a measure of the strength and longevity of the brand, which by extension, is a measure of the level of support you can expect.
Although the company doesn’t market it this way, it’s safe to say that the VANBOW Leather Memory Foam Office Chair is the company’s flagship model. Not only is it their most expensive chair, but it’s as well-appointed as models that cost two or three times as much.
The biggest thing to talk about here, of course, is the memory foam padding, which is fantastic in its own right, but VANBOW takes things up another notch by including support springs in the seat cushion, which makes sitting in the chair feel more like you’re sitting on a nice firm, comfortable mattress.
That, combined with the full suite of ergonomic features on offer makes for a sitting experience that comes as close to perfection as you’re likely to find in the budget market.
Just about every aspect of this chair is thoughtfully designed, from the waterfall-style seat, angled to take pressure off of your legs as you’re sitting in the chair, to the lumbar support and the generously padded headrest and armrests.
In addition to that, the chair features a wide, deep seat, and it rocks/reclines slightly (to a maximum of 110 degrees).
Honestly, there are only two real weaknesses to the design.
The first is that the base is nylon, which doesn’t have the strength of steel, and as such, makes the chair less durable than it could be, especially if you’re close to the maximum recommended weight limit.
Second is that the upholstery is bonded leather with a polyurethane coat sprayed over it. This isn’t horrible, and in fact, it’s about what you’d expect in value-priced furniture.
The leather is real, but bonded leather is made from scraps that have been fused together, so it lacks the suppleness and durability of grain leather. In short, it’ll start showing its age quickly, which is disappointing.
Even so, the company has taken steps to minimize this by utilizing a combination of mesh fabric and PU Leather on the chair.
Mesh fabric is exceptionally wear-resistant and breathable, where leather is not, which further enhances the chair’s comfort.
Granted, since mesh fabric wasn’t used anywhere your body would touch the chair when sitting in it, VANBOW’s solution isn’t perfect, and the seat will still show its age quickly, but their solution undoubtedly increases the longevity of the chair, even as it provides a more comfortable sitting experience.
It’s an excellent value at full price, but the chair can frequently be found on sale, which makes it an absolute steal. In fact, when it’s on sale, we would add half a star to the final score, which gives this model a perfect five-star rating! A great product. You won’t be disappointed.
N.B. Check similar model: REFICCER Memory Foam Office Chair.
VANBOW Reclining Office Chair with Pillow
Recommended For: Anyone on a budget who’s looking for a great multi-function Executive Office Chair.
This model offers most of the features found in the VANBOW’s flagship model, including the memory foam padding and the spring supports in the seat, but it offers a few delightful surprises as well.
The critical feature here is the fact that in addition to being an excellent executive office chair, the VANBOW Reclining Office Chair is also a delightfully comfortable recliner with a hideaway, pull out ottoman.
It can recline back farther than the company’s flagship model, laying almost flat at 175 degrees. That, combined with the pillowed upholstery, the “extra” removable pillow, and the memory foam padding makes it a better napping chair than you might expect for such a modestly priced chair.
The seat doesn’t rise quite as high as it does on the flagship model, and the pillowed upholstery isn’t quite as aesthetically pleasing, but those are small prices to pay for the comfort.
Not everyone will want or need an executive office chair that pulls double duty as a recliner, but if you’ve always wanted one, this model belongs on your short list!
Note that this model trades in the standard nylon base for a chrome-plated steel one, allowing it to stand up better than most value-priced furniture to heavy daily use. Also note that the upholstery is all PU leather, rather than leather/mesh hybrid.
VANBOW Ergonomic Reclining Chair
Recommended For: Bigger, taller users looking for a great multi-function Executive Office Chair.
This model looks similar to the company’s flagship model, minus the leather/mesh upholstery. It also features the waterfall-style seat and the support springs in the seat, but has the hideaway ottoman and the 175-degree recline angle of the VANBOW Reclining Office Chair. It also sports a chrome-plated steel base, allowing it to stand up to heavier use than most other budget-priced furniture.
The seat is marginally wider, and the maximum height is a bit higher than the other top-end VANBOW products, both of which serve to make the VANBOW Ergonomic Reclining Office Chair a better natural fit for bigger and taller users. Our one disappointment on this front is the fact that the maximum recommended weight is unchanged at 250 pounds.
It’s not only a great executive office chair, it’s a solid recliner too, although slightly less capable as a napping chair than the VANBOW Reclining Office Chair with Pillow. Still, it belongs on your short list if you’re looking for a reclining office chair.
VANBOW High Back Leather Office Chair
Recommended For: Anyone on a budget who’s looking for a great ergonomic Executive Office Chair but doesn’t need all the bells and whistles.
This chair represents a step down in price but doesn’t sacrifice anything where comfort is concerned. Like the other chairs we’ve talked about so far, it features memory foam padding in both the seat and seat back, support springs in the seat cushion, and the waterfall style seat that the company’s flagship model has.
However, it loses the hybrid mesh/leather upholstery in preference for an all leather approach like the two recliners mentioned above, which makes it slightly less breathable, and thus, not quite as comfortable for long-duration sitting.
While it can’t recline, it does offer two rocking settings at ten- and thirty-degrees range of motion, which the company describes as “toughly” and “smoothly” rocking (clearly a language barrier issue, but it might bring a smile when you read it on the sales page).
Other than that, the two features that distinguish this model are:
This is a minor feature for most people, but those who like it tend to swear by it. Musicians will find it of great practical value as it makes playing a wide range of instruments from the chair a more straightforward proposition, and it is handy when you’re ready to get out of the chair and want to push it under the desk.
Not everyone will be a fan of the almost-racing-style seat, but if you are, then you’re going to love this model. It’s well-priced, with well-implemented ergonomic support features. We only wish that it featured a chrome-plated steel base to make it better able to stand up to the rigors of heavy daily use.
VANBOW High-Back Ergonomic Office Chair
This model represents a step down in terms of both price and comfort. There’s just no way the company could sell a memory-foam padded chair at this price and turn a profit, so they swapped it out for conventional block-foam padding.
That said, the seat padding is nearly four inches thick, so where comfort is concerned, it compares favorably to similarly priced chairs offered by competitors. Also gone from this model is any kind of tilt or recline function. It’s a straight-up swiveling ergonomic executive office chair.
The ergonomic features are reasonably well-implemented, but not outstanding. The base is the standard nylon, so it’s not designed to stand up to the rigors of heavy daily use.
That’s unfortunate because it has a wide seat which can be raised to a maximum height of 24.8”, making it ideal for big and tall users.
If ever there was a VANBOW model that cried out for a steel base and higher maximum supported weight, this would be it. Sadly, that’s not the case here.
The chair does offer flip-up arms, but that’s about the only “extra” you’ll find on offer (aside from its stellar price).
Note that the black and white coloring and the pillowed upholstery in the seat don’t blend as well or as easily with the same range of home décor schemes that most of the company’s other models do. While many people won’t mind that a bit, it will be off-putting to some. Even so, this is a very good office chair, even if it falls a bit short of greatness.
VANBOW Tufted Bonded Leather Office Chair
Recommended For: Anyone on a budget. This is a great value option.
Of all the Executive Office Chairs VANBOW offers for sale, this one represents the best value. Sure, given its shockingly low price, they skimped on features. So, what you’re getting here is a bare-bones chair that doesn’t have a lot of extras on offer, but you’ll be impressed.
While the model doesn’t offer spring supports in the seat, memory foam padding, a hideaway ottoman, or other niceties, it does have well-implemented ergonomic support features and thick, double layer block foam padding, making it more comfortable than you’d expect from such a modestly priced chair.
This is also the only chair in the VANBOW lineup that features an S-shaped seatback.
Inspired by massage chairs, the shape of the seatback follows the natural curvature of your spine, and combined with the ergonomic support features; it makes a notable difference in the chair’s overall comfort.
We would like to note here though that the seat isn’t quite as wide or deep as some of the company’s other models, so this one may not be ideal for bigger, taller users, but should serve the majority of potential buyers well.
While the pillowed upholstery detracts a bit from the aesthetic, it’s not an ugly chair, by any means and should still blend reasonably well with most home décor schemes.
The wide, double-padded armrests flip up if you don’t want to use them, and the chair does offer a small (90-110 degree) range of motion which allows you to rock in it or recline back slightly.
The base is, of course, simple nylon and the upholstery is PU leather, so don’t expect this model to stand up well to the rigors of heavy daily use. Then again, at the price this model is offered at, if it starts wearing out in a couple of years, it’s nothing to buy a replacement.
On the whole, then, this is a much better chair than we were expecting, and easily the best value in the VANBOW product lineup.
VANBOW Office Chairs
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3.4
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3.3
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5.0
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5.0
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4.0
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4.0
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2.9
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2.8
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1.5
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1.5
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While it, like its cousin, the B07CP1JGMN won’t win any beauty contests, it’s a superb, low-cost office chair with full ergonomic supports.
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Not the prettiest chair to look at, but comes with superbly implemented ergonomic features. Reasonably comfortable and offered for a song.
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Anyone on a budget who’s looking for a solid, capable office chair with good ergonomic supports.
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Anyone on a budget and looking for a good office chair, whose primary interest is ergonomic supports.
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24.8” x 26.8” x 47.8” to 51.6”
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25.9”x 25.3” x 44.5” to 47.6”
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34.2 pounds
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36.4 pounds
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250 pounds
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250 pounds
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90 to 120 degrees
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90 to 120 degrees
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18.9”
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20.1”
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19.7” to 23.4”
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18.1” to 21.2”
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20.5”
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19.7”
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VANBOW Office Chairs In More Detail
If you don’t want or need an Executive Office Chair, the company also has two standard office chairs for sale. One of these is listed as a task chair, but in our view, that doesn’t give it enough credit.
The office chairs VANBOW sells are lighter and have smaller feature sets than their Executive counterparts, but they’re also a good deal easier to assemble.
On average, these will take you about thirty minutes to put together, and even if you’re doing it solo, you won’t break a sweat. Although if you have someone to lend a hand, the assembly will be an even easier proposition.
We’ll take a closer look at both of those models next!
VANBOW High Back Mesh Office Chair
Recommended For: Anyone on a budget. A superb, low-cost office chair with full ergonomic supports.
This is the least expensive VANBOW chair you can buy, and while it does have its limitations, it’s a solid contender, especially for people on a budget.
It’s a strange looking beast, featuring a mix of cloth, leather, and mesh upholstery, which makes it breathable and surprisingly comfortable, but also makes it a bit strange looking, which in turn, means that it doesn’t blend as well or as seamlessly with some home décor schemes.
The seat bears faint traces of racing-style seat design. When you’re sitting in it, it does provide a similar feel, although it falls short of being a bucket-style seat, so if that’s what you’re looking for specifically, then this model isn’t the one you want.
Its ergonomic features aren’t quite as well implemented as they are in the Ergonomic High Back Mesh Office Chair, but are still quite good.
Combined with a generous layer of block foam padding in the seat and headrest; the chair is more comfortable than you might think, just by looking at it.
That said, this isn’t a chair you’ll want to spend all day in. Not only is the padding not quite up to that task, but the chair itself won’t stand up to the rigors of heavy, daily use.
While the mesh material is up to the task, the rest of the chair, including its nylon base, just isn’t. Still, if you’re looking for a good, low-cost light to moderate duty office chair, this is an excellent option.
VANBOW Ergonomic High Back Mesh Office Chair
Recommended For: Anyone on a budget, whose primary interest is ergonomic supports.
A good design that falls short of greatness, this chair nonetheless has a lot going for it. Far and away, the best aspect of this model is the fact that its ergonomic features are so well implemented.
Lumbar support is handled in a deceptively simple way, with the inclusion of a “support band” placed behind the mesh seat back. The best part of this is that the band’s tension can be manually adjusted, providing precisely the level of support you’re looking for, which is fantastic.
In our view, this, or something like it, should be a standard feature in every ergonomic chair.
We claim here in our VANBOW Office Chair review that it even beats out the dynamic lumbar support implementation offered by the UOBN89BK and briefly discussed in the SONGMICS brand review.
That, combined with the height adjustable padded headrest makes this much more than a task chair, which is how the company defines the model, but it gets better.
The VANBOW Ergonomic High Back Mesh Office Chair also rocks within a small range (90 to 120 degrees) and offers height-adjustable armrests.
The upholstery is a combination of mesh and fabric, with mesh on the seatback and a breathable fabric cushion stretched over standard block foam padding.
The padding here isn’t as generous as it is on the company’s other models, but it still manages to offer an above-average level of comfort, especially when combined with the well-implemented ergonomic features.
All that, and it’s one of the cheapest chairs the company sells. That’s pretty impressive, and it’s why this chair deserves a closer look, despite not being the prettiest one at the party.
Pros & Cons of VANBOW Executive Office Chair
There’s a lot to like about the entire VANBOW product line. While the particulars vary, the brand is defined by the more expensive chairs in the company’s product lineup, which feature memory foam padding, supported by springs in the seats.
In general, the company does a good job of implementing the ergonomic features, and in some models, rises to the level of excellence.
Here are the things we think you’ll like best about VANBOW’s products:
And the not-so-good:
VANBOW Executive Office Chairs Review Conclusion
Tradeoffs are inevitable when shopping for value-priced furniture. To give customers the features they want while simultaneously keeping costs low, sacrifices have to be made, and those sacrifices tend to take the form of lower overall product quality.
That’s the case here, but it’s somewhat less noticeable in VANBOW Executive Office Chairs than it is in many other value brands, and the company’s impressive 1-year warranty reflects this.
Overall, we recommend the brand but note that there are a few models that really shine. In our view, these are:
Honestly, though, any of these chairs will serve you well, provided that you keep their limitations in mind; especially the weight limit and the fact that except where noted, these chairs were designed with light to moderate use in mind.
REFERENCES & RESOURCES
- Back Pain at Work, NHS.
- Full Grain Leather vs. Genuine Leather, Jackson Wayne.
- What Are The Advantages Of Mesh Office Chairs?, Topaz Furniture.
- Buyer’s Guide: What Type of Office Chair is Best for You?, Chair Office.
The 400# capacity high back executive chair would be much easier to assemble if M6–30mm fasteners were supplied to assemble the arms to the seat and back. The M6–25mm fasteners are too short. More “flexibility” is needed when starting the 8 fasteners. With the 25mm, when you catch a couple threads on 2 or 3 of the fasteners there is not enough space to either see or adjust for the remaining fasteners to secure. The female receiver inside threaded bushings are not all straight and you need flexibility to align them.
Hey Steve, and thank you for the comment!
That’s an excellent suggestion and I’ll update our review with it.
There are lots of fairly handy folks out there who would have no problem swapping out fasteners. You’re absolutely right too about the fact that the production quality is a bit spotty so things sometimes don’t line up as precisely as they should.
Excellent suggestion! Thank you!