The Branch Ergonomic Chair took far too long to assemble - but here's why I think it's still worth it

Unboxing & first impressions

Straight away, the chair’s packaging gives an idea of its quality - it is well packed, with each piece individually protected, and the parts are heavy and fit well together.

Admittedly though, this chair is difficult to assemble. Undoubtedly the chair takes two people to put together, and it isn’t an easy task. The instructions weren’t as clear as they could’ve been, and all-in-all, this took about 30 minutes for us to build. We actually managed to assemble it back-to-front at first, but we'd had a long day, so that's probably user error.

The chair is assembled in two halves, so make sure you have a fair bit of room before you start. It's a little fiddly, and there are a fair few parts that you need to keep track of - but it's worth the effort.

The quality of the seat is undeniable, the backrest is thick but breathable, and the material is cool and comfy. As you first sit down, there’s no wobbles or flimsiness, and you can definitely feel the care that has gone into the design.

Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro: Price & availability

• How much does it cost? $499
• When is it available? Available now
• Where can you get it? Available only in the US - you can find the chair here

At $499, the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro covers the middle ground between some of the most expensive chairs around, and the most premium office chairs.

It is a bit of a step up from the Ergonomic chair ($359), but comes with six more points of adjustment, and a much sturdier build - having taken on five years of customer feedback.

• Value: 4 / 5

Design & Build quality

The Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro looks simple and elegant, you wouldn’t guess it was such a hassle to assemble.

The premium quality of the parts gives the chair a durable feel and a clean appearance, with the mesh design means the chair has great airflow, and the materials give it a really cool feel - even in direct sunlight.

I'm a one of those people who can never sit still, but with all the adjustments that this chair allows, I can get comfortable however I'm sitting, even if I do then switch my position a few minutes later!

I've also got a cat who loves to sit on my lap, and I'm happy to report that the base of the chair is more than wide enough for me to comfortably cross my legs (and for anyone wondering - the material does not collect cat hair at all!).

Particularly great for me (although probably not great for my posture), is the back rest, which you can adjust to pretty much any angle - and the ergonomic support means my back hasn't hurt even after 9 hours of use - and sadly, yes, I have tested this.

The wheels are bigger than expected, but make the chair feel very stable and allow me to swivel off to the printer when I need to.

The chair also has the option for vegan leather, so is suitable for a wide range of customers.

There’s very little wobble at all in the build, except a slight shake in the arms - but the height-adjustable armrests have a nice smooth surface and padding, and are wide and secure enough to keep things like notepads, pens, or even mugs on if you're feeling risky and have your hands full.

A small piece of the back support did snap off quite soon after unboxing the chair, which looked to have been damaged in transit (see below) but overall the quality is fantastic.

In use

The chair sits quite low, I’m 5”7 on a tall day, and the highest the chair goes isn’t as high as I would expect. I can plant my feet firmly on the floor when its at its highest, which isn’t usual in my experience.

There are a lot of options to adjust the chair, with the height, the headrest, arms rests, the recline, and also the seat position. This can make the process of adjusting slightly fiddly, since there are so many different levers. However, it’s great to have such a customizable experience.

The arms rests are a little too easy to adjust for my liking - and knocking them a little means they sometimes rotate a bit by accident. That being said, the arm rests are wide and comfortable, and can even be removed if needed.

The recline on the chair is easy to navigate, but can be a little sticky. I've definitely had a few hours stuck in an ever so slightly too relaxed position so far, but eventually managed to get it sorted.

Final verdict

On the whole, I’ve had a great experience with this chair. I've been using it for a few months now and can say it has made my work from home days a lot more comfortable.

I've personally chosen to remove the top head rest, as it sat a little awkwardly against my neck, so if you're on the shorter side, bare that in mind. That being said, it was easy to remove, it is adjustable, and I don't find myself feeling like anything is missing.

As long as you can find a friend (or maybe two) willing to help with the set-up, it’s worth it. The chair is sturdy and fantastically comfortable, and stays cool even if you’ve been using it all day. I've moved house since I first got this chair, and must admit this was one of the most difficult things to transport thanks to its size and weight, but I did make sure to bring it with me since I enjoy it so much.

It's on the expensive side and it is a little bulky, but if you're looking to invest in a good quality chair that will last, then I recommend considering this chair as an option.

If you’re looking for a reliable chair for everyday use, the Ergonomic Chair Pro is certainly worth considering.