Last Updated on December 22, 2022
Comfort and style with an ergonomic design
Christmas came early to my headquarters this year with an offer to review the Flexispot BS11-Pro chair. A week after I started using it, my osteopath commented on how my back had improved. I am a regular on his treatment table and have never heard these words spoken. I told him I was using a new chair. Keep using it, he advises. Flexispot BS11- Pro provides ‘optimal postural hygiene’ which, in layman’s terms, means being good for your back.
My seating problems started almost three years ago with the outbreak of Covid-19. I found myself alienated from my office – I had a chair bound job – and as my house was suddenly full of other homeworkers, I found myself working all day in bed. I’ve been hunched over my laptop for more months than I care to remember. I couldn’t see my osteopath to fix things because of lockdown and by the time I finally came out into the world, my back was in good shape. I decided to continue working from home and took over the small bedroom where the residents were in college. Here I inherited a small table, but the comfortable desk chair has gone with its owner. Therefore, I used a dining chair that was the wrong height for the table. Since sitting up in bed was such an improvement, I gave it no second thought and continued to pay my two week fee to my osteopath.
This all goes to explain why, after just sitting for a week on the Flexispot BS11-Pro, my back opened up with joy and I haven’t felt this comfortable in several years. The whole process of picking up the chair is easy, from shipping to making the chair itself. It comes in a very large box and the various parts are nicely packaged with clear instructions – albeit in a slightly small font for older eyes. It can be put together by one person although it is easier to do it with two. Within half an hour I had the chair disassembled and built although I am generally challenged by DIY and managed to use the wrong size screw at a crucial point. Fortunately, I did not assume that the fault lay with the wrong screws being packed – something that is quite familiar to those who assemble flatpack furniture from certain stores – and assumed that it was my fault which it was. Once I figured that out, everything installed easily. The chairs are too big and heavy for me to carry upstairs alone, so I would recommend putting them together in a room where you will use them if you are home alone.
The Flexispot BS11-Pro is an ergonomic swivel chair in a light gray color that I find more appealing than the ubiquitous black desk chair and, since my home office is bijoux, the lighter color gives the impression that the chair doesn’t take up as much space. . The breathable mesh upholstery adds to this feeling of lightness although ideally I’d like a bit more cushioning in the seat. Reading about the chair’s features, I found that the shape and material promote optimal blood circulation which is very important if you have to sit for long hours like me. The chair has many useful features. I like that this chair has armrests – my only downside is that the plastic armrests aren’t the chair’s most attractive feature, but at least they’re easy to clean and won’t wear out. These armrests can be moved up and down, back and forth, and also sideways so your forearms will be supported any way you want. The chair can be adjusted to different heights, the best feature for me because now I have the right height to sit. I’m also no longer too far from the table – I can’t get my feet under it when I sit in my dining chair – nor do I have to bend over it. I have set the chair in an upright position but I can, if taking a break, adjust it to recline slightly. I love the fact that this car has wheels because I like being able to move around a bit while working instead of sitting in a fixed position. There’s also a headrest which might be useful for someone taller than me but still attractive even though I didn’t use it. The curved headrest design ensures that the cervical spine fits naturally and relieves pressure from sitting.
For those who want to read all the tech specs, you can do that on the Flexispot website. Flexispot has developed a reputation for standing desks but since I am a devoted caretaker I stick with their chairs. The company also makes desk bikes – which Fiona reviews – a range of chairs, desk stands and accessories to transform your work environment. Who knew that a chair so comfortable could make me can’t wait to sit at my desk all day?
The Flexispot B11-Pro retails for £429.99 and there are seats for all budgets. You can read all Flexispot products on the website.
