In my tenure as an office chair tester, I've maintained a consistent preference against even the best office chairs with headrests. I simply find them uncomfortable, especially when I'm trying to sit upright, and I don't use my office chair for enough leisure to feel like a headrest is helpful when I'm reclining. But that staunch avoidance has softened for me now that I have Autonomous's newest chair in my office.
I recently tested the ErgoChair Ultra 2 from this brand, and I absolutely loved it. It was effortless to assemble, supremely comfortable, and made with innovative 3D-printed tech that was comfier than just about anything I've tested. The chair I'm testing now, the ErgoChair Mesh, is a similarly high-quality chair that I struggle to stop using, and I hardly care that it has a headrest. Heck, I've even started using the headrest instead of just tucking it out of the way.
Ultimately, it's not the headrest or lack thereof that's selling me so far on the quality of the ErgoChair Mesh; its updated mesh lining, sturdy build, and adjustability are what make it really shine. It's not perfect, and I'll get into my initial gripes with the chair here as well, but this is a stellar seat overall, and I'll be sad to part with it.
An agreeable headrest
The biggest issue I have with headrests normally is that they feel like they get in the way of my head instead of supporting it. I tend to shift around quite a lot above the waist, so having a fixed point where my head is supposed to sit feels counterproductive.
Not only is this headrest set far enough back that it's not poking me in the back of the head, but it's also super wide, which means my head is fully supported even when I'm not perfectly centered in this chair's rather spacious seat.
If that still ends up being too much for me (or for you, should you score this chair yourself), this headrest is also super easy to remove. All you need to do is unscrew a couple of bolts on the underside of the height adjustment shaft and it'll slide right out.
Spacious, but won't swallow you
Especially compared to the other chair I have in my office right now, which I panned for being way too small, this puppy feels like I'm hopping into a boat when I sit in it. The seat on the ErgoChair Mesh is super wide, the backrest is set several inches back from the seat cushion, and the armrests can adjust to be so wide apart that I don't even touch them when I'm sitting.
This freedom of movement is exactly what I needed and my last chair lacked, so it may be a matter of contrast, but I ultimately like this chair's size. Better yet, because this version of the ErgoChair doesn't have a foam seat cushion, its size doesn't turn it into a beanbag chair. The updated mesh lining feels sprightly and supportive, which I can appreciate during the workday. I'm not a PC gamer, so the plush cushioning and hug-like comfort of the best gaming chairs is lost on me.
Multiple recline adjustments
This extra adjustment took some getting used to, but you can actually alter the recline angle of this chair at two separate pivot points: one at the base of the chair, much like most other chairs, and another one that's about halfway up the backrest.
If you like to keep your recline pivot unlocked while you're sitting, this extra adjustment allows you to set the farthest-forward position of the backrest when you're not putting weight on it. In other words, if you don't like it when your chair hunches you over your desk when it's at full mast, you can budge it back a few inches and save yourself the headache.
Lumbar support is present but limited
Here's my first major issue with the ErgoChair Mesh. The lumbar support is stellar, and it's even adjustable, but it's somewhat tricky to do so. Unlike all the other easy-to-reach knobs and levers on this chair, the only way to move the lumbar cushion is to reach around with both hands and really yank it. This might only be an issue because this chair is still fresh out of the box, so I'll come back to it when it's more broken in, but this did make me wary.
When I tested the ErgoChair Ultra 2, I loved the way its backrest provided lumbar support without necessarily having a solid structure pushing into your lower back. It was completely hands-off out of the box, and it didn't feel like it was jutting into my back when I didn't have the chair adjusted properly. On the Mesh, unfortunately, I find the prominence of the lumbar support a bit distracting. I would love it if Autonomous found a way to bring the Ultra 2's more passive lumbar support to chairs at a lower price point in the future.
Easy but lengthy assembly
In terms of complexity, the assembly process for the Mesh was pretty easy. Everything lined up just right, no screws stripped, and the whole thing was disassembled just enough to fit in a smaller box without being a mess of parts.
This isn't necessarily a gripe, but definitely another point of comparison with the Ultra 2, which came in a much larger box but in only three pieces. I did like that the Mesh made it in my apartment's infamously narrow front door, but I spent at least half an hour putting this thing together. That's not totally out of the ordinary for office chairs that require at-home assembly, but the contrast was a bit disappointing.
Luckily, Autonomous removed a lot of headaches in the assembly process, especially when screwing bolts into the base. For example, there's a lever in the back that adjusts the angle of the seat cushion, and there's a perfectly sized channel cut into the lever to allow an allen wrench to pass through and screw in the last bolt.
Not the chair I'd pick first, but one I enjoy testing
I've had plenty of office chairs pass through my office over the past few months. Some were amazing, and some were truly detestable. The ErgoChair Mesh strikes a happy medium for me, leaning largely toward the "amazing" end of the spectrum. I love that it's spacious, I appreciate the range of adjustability, and I can see how others would benefit from the headrest on here.
On top of all of that, the mesh lining was super effective at keeping my back cool, which I couldn't help but find funny since this week is the coldest Philly has seen in years. Something about testing an office chair that excels on hot days while it's 9 degrees Fahrenheit outside is nothing short of hilarious to me.
Overall, I do think that those of you who like a supportive headrest will enjoy the ErgoChair Mesh more than me. If I hadn't gifted my ErgoChair Ultra 2 to my mom for the holidays, I would swap back to that without skipping a beat. But this is my favorite in my current rotation without question.
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