TechRadar Verdict
The SIHOO M90D feels more like a premium office chair than a mid-range one due to the quality of materials used and the adaptive lumbar support under the backrest. The backrest’s mesh is not only breathable but it also provides a good deal of support when leaning back. The SIHOO M90D also features plenty of adjustability as its armrests, headrest and lumbar support bar can all be positioned to your liking. If you’re in the market for an affordable ergonomic chair with an interesting design, the SIHOO M90D just might be for you.
Pros
- +
Mesh back
- +
Adaptive lumbar support
- +
Firm yet soft seat cushion
- +
Good adjustability all around
- +
Supports up to 330 lbs (149 kg)
- +
Ships with a headrest included
Cons
- -
Mesh back features an odd pattern
- -
Not the easiest office chair to assemble
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Two minute review
The SIHOO M90D is one of the best office chairs for ergonomics and comfort. It comes from the Chinese office furniture maker SIHOO which was founded in 2011 but only began selling its products overseas in 2018. The company has built up a lot of momentum in the time since and it now sells a wide variety of office chairs on its website as well as on Amazon. While the model we tested has a mesh back and a padded seat cushion, SIHOO also sells a version of this chair with the same design which has a mesh seat cushion.
Ergonomics is the main focus of this chair and even the box it ships in features a diagram showing you how to correctly sit in it to avoid putting unnecessary stress on your back. The SIHOO M90D’s best feature is its adaptive lumbar support bar which adjusts on its own to ensure that your lower back is supported when using it. Elsewhere, the mesh back keeps you cool when working and its armrests can be turned inward or outward. Pulling a lever at its side out lets you recline while pushing it down lets you raise or lower the chair’s height. While you could save a few bucks on a budget model instead, for just a bit more the SIHOO M90D gives you the experience of sitting in a premium office chair without breaking the bank.
SIHOO M90D: Pricing and availability
The SIHOO M90D is available for $359 on the company’s website at the time of writing but it can also be purchased from Amazon for $369 with a $29 coupon that brings the price down to $340. However, Amazon only offers this office chair in black and gray while there is a two-tone red option (red back and headrest with a black seat) in addition to black and gray available on SIHOO’s website.
If you like the design and features of the SIHOO M90D but prefer an office chair with a mesh seat as well as a mesh back like with the X-Chair X2, The SIHOO M90C may be what you’re after instead and it’s even a few dollars cheaper at $356. It’s worth noting that the SIHOO M90C is only available in black and gray though.
SIHOO M90D: Design and build quality
The mesh backrest of the SIHOO M90D immediately draws your eye due to the fact that SIHOO decided to add a pattern to it. While some may prefer a mesh backrest without a pattern, this design decision is definitely unique to this chair as we’ve yet to see something similar from other office furniture makers.
While the SIHOO M90D’s backrest is made from mesh, the back of the chair is made of hard plastic. The center of the chair’s frame features a small SIHOO logo in red and there are also gray accents on either side from the backplate.
On the left underside of the chair you’ll find a lever that can be used to raise and lower the chair’s height by rotating it forward. However, pulling the lever out allows you to lean back in the chair while pushing it in locks the chair in place. Meanwhile, the knob in the middle can be tightened or loosened to make it easier or harder to lean back in the chair.
Although the SIHOO M90D’s armrests are black at the top and on the sides, you can see a bit of silver metal at their base. At the same time, you can see the gray of the backplate which connects the backrest to the chair’s cushion from the side.
The base of SIHOO M90D is made of metal and its silver color provides a nice contrast to its black seat cushion, armrests and backrest. This same silver extends to the five 2.5” casters and the gas cylinder that allows the chair to be raised or lowered is also silver.
SIHOO M90D: Setup and assembly
The SIHOO M90D sent to TechRadar Pro for review arrived in a single large brown box that features a diagram which shows you the correct way to sit in an ergonomic position and we thought this was a nice touch.
Once unpacked, we were left with five 2.5” casters, the silver base, a headrest, a pair of armrests, the backrests, a gas cylinder, a lever mechanism, a seat cushion, an instruction manual and all of the bolts needed to assemble the chair. We also appreciated how SIHOO included a pair of white gloves to wear while assembling the chair to avoid getting any grease from the gas cylinder on your hands.
Assembling the SIHOO M90D begins with inserting the five casters into the metal base and then putting the gas cylinder into the hole at its center.
From here, you need to use three bolts on each side to attach both of the armrests to the seat cushion. You then need to use another three bolts to connect the lever mechanism to the middle of the underside of the seat cushion.
With the armrests and lever mechanism attached to the seat cushion, you then need to connect the backrest to it using three bolts.
Next up, you need to attach the seat cushion and backrest to the base by lining up the hole at the bottom of the seat cushion with the gas cylinder.
To finish assembling the SIHOO M90D, you just have to insert the headrest into the slot at the back of the backrest and then you’re done.
SIHOO M90D: In use and comfortability
After assembling the SIHOO M90D, we sat in the chair and adjusted everything to our liking. First off, we lowered the chair so that our feet rested on the ground and then we pulled the armrest’s arm pads all the way forward. Next up we lifted the chair’s backrest up so that the adaptive lumbar support was right in the center of the small of our back. We also loosened the knob on the underside of the chair to allow us to lean back more easily.
During our time testing the SIHOO M90D, we found the chair to be quite comfortable and the adaptive lumbar support made it possible to use for long stretches at a time. The firmness of the seat cushion was another plus but we also liked that it was still somewhat soft. The casters did their job effectively and rolling the chair around was easy on our hardwood floors.
The arm pads at the top of each of the armrests can be raised or lowered and pushed forward or backward depending on your preference. However, they can also be tilted out if you prefer to have your arms wider when at rest.
Should I buy the SIHOO M90D?
Also consider
The Branch Ergonomic Chair from Branch Furniture is slightly cheaper than the SIHOO M90D and is also available in light blue in addition to black and gray. It has an eye-catching design thanks to its white frame, plenty of adjustability and pairs quite well with the Branch Standing Desk. However, it doesn’t come with a headrest and there isn’t an option to add one either.
The Vari Task Chair is another alternative to the SIHOO M90D that is slightly more expensive if you choose the configuration that comes with a headrest. However, Vari offers several different variations of this chair depending on the size of your budget. Likewise, it pairs nicely with the Vari Electric Standing Desk or even the new, cheaper Vari Essential Electric Standing Desk.
First reviewed May 2022
