If you’ve read some of our articles about the dangers of sitting, you’ll know why we strongly promote active sitting.
Whether you’re sitting or standing at your desk, active sitting should be a priority.
I recently wrote an article on some of the best standing desk stools on the market.
With the Varidesk brand being such a popular option on the market, I felt an in depth review was in order.
So here you have it, my thoughts on the Varichair & Pro model.
Varidesk Adjustable Standing Desk Chair
- Low back-rest
- The seat is raised with an air-lift piston
- No need to assemble
The Varidesk is a good option for people that wish to stay active while they’re working in the office or at home.
The Dimensions
You can raise the chair up to 32.7’’ which should be enough for people up to 6’3’’ tall. The handle is situated on the right hand side.
Lift it to raise the seat or press it down to lower it to 23’’.
The width of the seat is 14’’ and the seating material is made of smooth plastic and some cushioning.
The chair is comfortable for a while, but as we mentioned if you spend long hours on it it starts getting uncomfortable.
Features To Look For
If you’re new to active sitting this chair definitely takes time to get used to since it swivels back and forth, and left to right.
You counter balance this movement with your body.
You can also choose to lean on it while standing. This way you engage your core muscles as well as your back and legs.
The low back rest is a feature that helps you keep a straight posture. Most people believe this chair should be comfy, but that is not its purpose.
It was made to keep you active, moving and healthy. So don’t expect to be able to use it for long hours as you will get tired.
As we mentioned the seat area is 14’’ wide and it will hold up to 220lbs.
What Customers Are Saying
The customers recommend this chair for the fidgety type of person. It allows you to rock side to side, backwards and forwards and spin in a circle.
The adjustment process is super easy, it only takes a press or push on the handle and you raise it or lower it in an instant.
It can be used both sitting and standing, and if your behind starts getting uncomfortable it’s time to get up.
Most people complain that the seat is not comfortable. This chair was definitely not made for comfort but for movement.
Nevertheless, if you feel it’s not right for you, feel free to return it, Varidesk has a fair return policy.
Shipping & Assembly
The shipping for the Varidesk chair is free of charge, and you get it fully assembled, so just unbox it and place it in your active office space. It is not too heavy, only 26 lbs.
Guarantee
As we mentioned Varidesk has a great return policy, 30 days money back guarantee. This allows you to give it a try and return it if not satisfied.
Make sure you keep the original box since you’ll need to ship it back. The cost of return shipping falls on you.
Varichair Pro
- Seat base – bent plywood
- Move in all directions
- Supports up to 250 lbs
One of the major complaints for the Varidesk chair was the uncomfortable seating. The Varidesk Pro model fixes that issue. The seat is 17.5 inches wide and has a bit more padding.
Another major difference is the seat base material. The initial model was made with smooth textured plastic, while this is a bit fancier model with bent plywood.
This chair supports a bit more weight. The previous model supported 220 lbs the Varidesk pro will hold up to 250 lbs.
The rest of the benefits remain the same. You get to rock in all directions or swivel and keep yourself active and healthy.
You also get 30 day money back guarantee and free shipping with the chair fully assembled and ready for your use.
Other Excellent Stools
Learniture Adjustable-Height Active Learning Stool
- Raises up to 28 inches tall
- Pneumatic gas lift adjusts the seat height
- Seat is 12.62’’ wide
- Wide range of dynamic motion
This chair has a curved base and no back rest. This means two things:
1. The curved base allows it to move in every direction – you keep the balance with your mucles
2. The lack of back rest motivates you to keep your posture straight – Can’t be used for long hours, you definitely need to take breaks and move around every now and then.
In our opinion this chair would be perfect for classrooms, since you get a break between classes, or a group activity at the office that keeps everyone engaged and focused while the activity lasts.
Aeris Muvman Sit-Stand Stool
- Can be raised up to 33’’
- Pneumatic lift
- The base is made of rubber
This chair is very similar to the Varidesk, but with a much higher price range.
The seat height is 33’’ which is a bit over 32.7’’ from Varidesk. The biggest difference we could spot is the rubber base which is absolutely floor friendly.
Also the weight capacity is much higher than the Varidesk. The Muvman will hold up to 265 lbs.
When it comes to the actual seating experience, most of the customers were satisfied with the comfort they get, but even in this case the comfort doesn’t last a long time.
Which brings us back to the point why these chairs were made in the first place, to keep you active , and keep your body moving by switching from sitting to standing position.
The Muvman chair also includes a taller model for people over 6 feet tall.
At the end of my Varidesk Varichairs Review I hope you find the right model for you, since everyone that works hard deserves to own an active sitting chair.