Steelcase Series 2 Chair Review: A Chair For Everyone!

POSITIVES

✓ Configuration

Huge assortment of fabrics and colors to mix

✓ Comfortable Cushion

Wide and curvy for the tushy

✓ Versatile adjustments

Has the bells and whistles for arm rest and recline

NEGATIVES

✘ Simple Look

Has a extremely simple appearance even by office standards

✘ Not ideal for those who like more cushion

Less bouncy than other competitors

Purchase price: $700

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The Steelcase Series 2 chair offers a little bit of everything for the home office user who wants a high quality chair that’s ergonomic, customizable and comfortable to sit in. I’ve been using the Steelcase Series 2 as my daily chair working from home everyday for almost a full year now and while I do have some mixed emotions about it, there’s a lot of good to talk about. Let’s take a closer look.

High Quality You Can Feel

The most noticeable aspect about the Series 2 is the high quality you can feel through both the design and build materials. Even the plastic parts of this chair have a more premium touch to it compared to other office chairs I’ve sat in and the cushion and padding provided is not overly plush yet comfortable and clearly well made. The Series 2 is considered a moderate chair when it comes to Steelcase’s lineup and looks modern and clean to fit in virtually any office or home office setting. Weighing in at 36 pounds, it’s got enough weight behind it to stabilize without rolling everywhere and has wheel options depending on the setting you’re using it in. My home office has thick carpet so I got the carpet wheels and purchased a mat as well so that it slides more easily when I’m moving up and down and out of my chair. 

All the features you need

One of the most intriguing and beneficial features to the Series 2 is the grid-like back support that encapsulates the rear. The material is made of polypropylene, which conforms in two ways, giving excellent posture support as you move. Steelcase has officially named this the Air LiveBack technology. I’ll admit that when I first got this chair, I thought it looked really cool, yet was skeptical of its actual benefits. Now, many months later, I’m a fan. The Series 2 essentially uses your body weight to automatically adjust the seat’s tension as you lean. The support on this chair doesn’t quite curl in as much as Alex’s Herman Miller Embody chair, but for those like me who prefer a little more structure for their back, this is a great option. The lumbar support in this chair is fantastic and adjustable with clips on the back. I’ve sat on here for 8-10+ hour days and can confidently say I’ve never felt uncomfortable in my chair.

The backing isn’t the only impressive part of the Steelcase Series 2 chair though. Noticeably, this seat has been more comfortable for me than other chairs I’ve used at home so far. I’ve noticed that the bottom cushion appears to be slightly wider and more curved, with an elongated front. The foam cushion is comfortable and doesn’t leave your tush feeling bouncy or unprotected. It’s evident that the design of the cushion gives users more support and releases pressure from their lower bodies.

And just as expected of a Steelcase chair, you have all the adjustments you’d want to make in your recline and arm rests. There are other more expensive Steelcase models that may have more adjustment features, but for my usages, these have served me fine. I also use a Steelcase sit stand desk that I’ll be reviewing later and the combination has been very solid together. I don’t adjust my recline a whole ton now that I have my settings in place, but I do change my arm rests all the time. The armrests are the perfect length and depth for me, and provide great support. There’s been many times when I’ve accidentally shoved my arm rest under my desk when I scoot my chair in, especially after I’ve adjusted my desk back to a sit mode and the arm rest has not yet been scratched despite constant friction with the bottomside of my desk.

It’s not particularly competitive

It’s an extremely minimalistic looking chair even by office standards. And I think that’s ok.

All features aside that work great and live up to the Steelcase name, the Series 2 isn’t the most memorable chair. It does its job well but doesn’t necessarily have the bells and whistles that many gaming chairs have today in looks or features. It’s an extremely minimalistic looking chair even by office standards. And I think that’s ok. Lots of people use gaming chairs in the office setting nowadays, but I think it’s more than passable for this chair to meet needs other than office work as well. Steelcase has made a huge name for itself through its high quality, office-ready furniture that lasts for functional use. There’s no insanely special feature about the Series 2 that will make me remember it forever, but I think I will always remember how solidly well it performs. That being said, the best part about ordering a Series 2 is that you can customize some of the material to make it yours.

Fantastic Customization Options

The absolutely best part of getting the Series 2 was the ordering process. Thanks to Steelcase’s vast office supply library, customers can choose from over ten thousand types of fabrics and materials. For my chair, I really liked this blue colorway called Era - Blue Nickel with the contrast of a black frame as a whole on the support of a white backing. You also have the option to mix and match colors for both the back and bottom cushions separately. Heck, you can even pick the color base that you want too! And finally, you can opt for carpet-friendly wheels or hard-floor versions. There’s also add-on features for more adjustable support and accessories too. The level of customization in which you can make a chair for your settings is terrific.

Final thoughts

The Steelcase Series 2 retails in price for anywhere from about $600 to almost $1,400 depending on your build and material configurations. This gives flexibility to a lot of people looking to purchase a long lasting chair with the Steelcase quality, but at various budgets. I sit a lot during my day to day and have really enjoyed and relied on this chair. If you prefer a more fitted support system in your chair with some structure, the Series 2 may be a great option to look into. By no means is the Series 2 absolutely perfect, but it ticks a lot of boxes that a home office user like me desires and does what it’s supposed to extremely well.

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