Uncategorized Archives - Furniture Testers

Thinking about upgrading your bum's resting place? If so, a mesh chair might be the thing for you. I recently replaced my awful looking gaming chair with one. You can see it in the above photo. But before you decide to get one for yourself or many for your office team, here are the main pros and cons that you should consider: Pros 1. The Back Support Looks New For Much Longer Of course, if you get an expensive leather chair you don't have to worry about the surface layer peeling away after a year or so. But that's exactly what happens with many basic gaming and office chairs made from chair fabric or fake leather. The surface layer starts to peel off due to friction and sweat from. This makes these chairs look old very quickly. This problem is almost non-existent with a mesh chair because there is no surface layer concealing the inner material of the chair to begin with. It's all there for everyone to see, and that doesn't take away from it's aesthetic appeal at all! 2. Breathable Fabric = Less Sweating and Sweat Marks It's a great solution for those of us who sweat a lot. Especially during spring and summer, or if your colleagues like to ramp up the heating during winter. Basically, it's always a win-win for this reason. Some chair fabrics also collect sweat and it appears as white marks on the surface, which ruins their look. This doesn't happen on mesh material, and even if it did, you could easily wipe it off with wet wipes. The same holds true for spills and stains that would be hard to clean from standard chair fabric. 3. No stench to worry about Because the mesh is thin and easy to clean, smell is a non-issue. Perhaps your office chair has never smelled bad. But some chairs soak up the sweat and other smells and they can begin to reek after a while. Professional cleaning or various DIY baking soda type cleaning methods are then used to get rid of the stench. This is a non-issue with mesh so it's definitely more practical in that sense. 4. More affordable than leather but just as comfortable Let's face it, leather is a top notch material and it's very expensive. But it's not like it serves any real purpose other than looking premium. When it comes to sitting comfort, mesh chairs are as good as any other material, and in some sense better than all of them. If we include breathability as a comfort factor, mesh is even more comfortable than leather, fabric or plastic, because all of those materials can provoke extra sweating. Mesh is definitely more comfortable than plastic because it's not as hard, but it's also not too soft like many fabric and leather chairs. Essentially, it provides a happy medium. Of course, not all mesh chairs are created equal, but the material is well suited for ergonomic chairs. Read more: Mesh Vs Leather Chairs: 7 Major Differences! 5. Design that fits most offices settings One reason why mesh office chairs are so popular nowadays is because they look good regardless of their price. The price difference is typically based on other functions like ergonomics, adjustability and durability. But because mesh always looks simple and classy, even a lower priced mesh chair barely loses anything on the aesthetic appeal. However, this can be a double-edged sword for some people. For example, it can be difficult to find one that really stands out looks wise if you want to make your office look more premium in comparison to others. This is why CEOs and other top men and women of a company might opt for an executive leather chair more often than a mesh chair. Cons 1. Sagging of lower quality mesh Elasticity plays a major role in the ergonomics of a mesh chair. Because the material is thin, the manufacturer has to strike a fine balance between comfort and support. Unfortunately, this balance can become compromised after a period of time. Elasticity may worsen and this can lead to sagging and gradual loss of support. Unfortunately it's impossible to know which mesh chair will last longer in this regard. Some will never have the issue at all. Your weight also plays a factor. As always, a more expensive product will likely be of greater quality and more durable. Checking out user reviews is also not a bad idea to see if any long-time owners are complaining about the issue or not. 2. Tight mesh can be painful to sit on This is another problem linked to elasticity. Because manufacturers are aware that sagging support can become an issue, they want to prevent it with harder and tighter mesh. Unfortunately, more support equals a harder sitting surface and less comfort. There has to be a balance between comfort and support. As you can see on that photo, my mesh chair is a hybrid - the back is mesh while the sitting surface is mesh with a decent amount of plush material underneath it. This can be a good combination for sake of durability since your bum will likely do the most damage to the material over time, not your back. But don't blame your bum, blame Newton. Weren't there easier ways to show off than inventing gravity? ;) 3. Some mesh surfaces are abrasive This can be a problem with cheap mesh chairs. The mesh they're made from is cheap and abrasive. It's irritating for the skin and it can damage clothes with friction. If you're thinking about buying a cheap mesh chair, which I consider anything under $200, pay close attention to this. Either try sitting on the chair first and wiggle a bit, or read through the customer reviews to see if there are any complaints about this or not. 4. There aren't many design variations Like I mentioned before, mesh doesn't allow for a lot of creativity. If you want a really unique chair for your office or living room, you might have to go with a leather or fabric chair. On the flip side, because all mesh chairs look modern and slick, even a cheaper one can elevate a basic office setup with its presence. 5. It's not as durable as leather Due to before mentioned issues with sagging support, a mesh chair is probably not gonna be a lifetime investment. You will eventually need to replace it. Whether it's gonna last you 2 years or 10 years is anyone's guess. But if you're looking for a chair that you'll be able to pass to your kids or grandkids due to its timeless, classy design, then leather will always be the better choice. As long as you're ready to pay the hundreds or thousands of dollars more for that privilege! Final Thoughts For most office or home computer settings, a mesh chair is the ideal choice due to it's breathability, affordability and comfort. The only real exception is if you're overweight, because that can seriously quicken the deterioration of the mesh support, leading to premature sagging. In that case a fabric, plastic or leather chair that offers more support would probably be a better choice for you. For people with normal weight or even slightly above, a mesh chair can be an excellent upgrade for their standard office chair that's started to peel, crack or make sounds, and is ready for a replacement.