Vari Task Chair review: A comfortable office chair without the premium price

It’s difficult not to compare Vari’s Task Chair to its slightly more expensive sibling, the Performance Task Chair. The two seats share more than just part of their names, after all. Much of the adjustability and aesthetics are similar, but the two chairs are quite different in terms of comfort and support.

I’ve now tested both chairs and can say with confidence that they are both well-made, comfortable, and supportive. I can also say that they will suit different users, depending on what those users really prioritize in a chair.

The Task Chair is light, airy, comfortable, and adjustable. The same can be said for the Performance Task Chair. But the Performance Task Chair is best for those who need a lot of support in the seat bottom and don’t mind a slightly more reclined seat back, while the Task Chair is more suitable for users who want more adjustability in the lumbar area, and a softer seat bottom.

Our Vari Task Chair review will help you decide if this is the best office chair for your needs or if you’d be better off spending a bit more on the Vari Performance Task Chair.

Vari Task Chair: Price and availability

The Vari Task Chair is available for purchase now on Vari’s website for $375. Vari offers financing through Affirm at checkout as well. Shipping is free within the contiguous United States, and Vari says most orders ship the next business day. On top of that, Vari offers free returns within 30 days of purchase. 

The Vari Performance Task Chair is also available on a few retailer websites, most notably Amazon. 

Vari Task Chair: Specs

Vari Task Chair: Assembly

Assembling the Task Chair took about ten minutes and was super easy. There are only four major pieces to contend with: the seat back, the seat bottom, the base, and the piston. Getting the parts out of the box took more time than the actual assembly process. 

You’ll have to screw in exactly four bolts, and the tool you’ll need to complete that task is included in the box. 

Vari Task Chair: Adjustability

The Task Chair ticks off the boxes for basic adjustments: seat height, armrest height, and seat recline. There are more adjustments beyond that, too: the arm rest pads adjust fore and aft, as well as inward and outward on a pivot; the seat bottom adjusts fore and aft; and the seat back features a hinged system that automatically supports your lumbar spine. 

All of the adjustments are easy to use and help you tailor your position well. Notably, the arm rest pads click into place when you find your ideal position. I’ve been critical of arm pad adjustments, but these are executed well. They don’t wander when you’ve found a position you like.

The seat recline adjustment goes down far enough to allow comfort without losing support. I did find that the most upright position still wasn’t quite upright enough for my liking. I like a very upright position so my neck and shoulders don’t tense up. But this is personal preference and may not be an issue for you. 

All of the adjustment knobs under the seat are easy to manipulate, though they don’t stick out from the chair as far as other chairs I’ve tested. That means you’ll need to reach a bit further down to get to them. It’s a minor issue unless you have severe mobility problems. 

Vari Task Chair: Design and comfort

The Task Chair feels similar to its more expensive sibling, the Performance Task Chair, in several key ways. But the construction of the two chairs set them apart. What I ultimately decided about the two chairs is that they are equally comfortable and useful, but in different ways. People who find the Task Chair most comfortable and useful may find the Performance Task Chair less so, and vice versa. 

The seat of the Performance Task Chair, for example, is thicker and firmer than the seat on the Task Chair. At first, I thought the Performance Task Chair’s thicker and firmer seat was more comfortable, but after sitting in the Task Chair for a few weeks, now I’m not as sure.

To be clear, both seats are very comfortable, but the firmer seat of the Performance Task Chair may end up being too firm for some users — specifically, if conditions like sciatica plague you. The Task Chair’s softer and thinner seat bottom is more forgiving. 

The back of the Task Chair flexes, particularly in the lumbar area, on hinges built into the seat back frame. This allows for a more customized lumbar support position. The Performance Task Chair curiously does not have any hinged movement in the seat back, which means there’s less adjustability to tailor your position. It does, however, flex considerably due to the materials used in construction of the seat back.

Still, I preferred the Task Chair’s seat back over the Performance Task chair’s seat back in terms of position and comfort. The higher-end Performance Task Chair wins out in breathability and overall support. The Task Chair’s seat back sits up a bit straighter than the Performance Task Chair, which suits my sitting position nicely. If you like a slightly more reclined position, either chair will suit you well. 

One concern I have about the Task Chair’s seat back is the long term support that the material can offer. It’s just a single layer of mesh material, and I wonder if this will stretch and wear over time. The Performance Task Chair has a beefier construction that will undoubtedly retain its shape over the long haul. I imagine that’s where the $100 price difference between the two chairs comes into play. 

Vari Task Chair: Verdict

The Vari Task chair is an excellent chair at an excellent price. It looks great, feels comfortable, and offers active lumbar support to keep you sitting up straight and supported for long periods of time. The seat back is airy and comfortable, and the chair is just the right amount of adjustable. 

The seat bottom is thinner than the Task Chair’s pricier sibling, the Performance Task Chair. But it’s also softer; if you want more support, go with the Performance Task Chair. If you want softer, plusher comfort, stick with the Task Chair.

My only real complaint about the Task Chair is the slightly relaxed position of the seat back. I like to sit up very straight to keep my neck and shoulders neutral at my desk. The Task Chair’s seat back leans a bit too far back for my liking, even in the most vertical position. This may not be an issue for you if you like a more relaxed position. 

For the money, this chair is hard to beat, unless you want a firmer seat bottom for better support — in which case, you can opt instead for the also-excellent Performance Task Chair.