Steelcase Gesture Ergonomic Office Chair with Wheels, Adjustable Arms, Graphite Gray Fabric

Okay, so I’ve been using this Steelcase Gesture chair for about three months now, and honestly, I think it’s finally time to share my thoughts. After my old office chair basically gave up on me during the pandemic (the armrest literally fell off!), I decided to splurge a little on something that might actually support my work-from-home lifestyle.
First impression? This thing is seriously adjustable. Like, ridiculously so. The whole chair kind of moves with you in a way I didn’t expect. I’m someone who never sits properly – sometimes I’m hunched over typing, other times I’m leaning back on calls, and this chair somehow keeps up with all my weird positions. It’s pretty clever how they designed it after studying how people actually move, not how we’re “supposed” to sit.
The weight capacity is 350 pounds, which is more than enough for me, but nice to know it’s built solid. I’m average height, but my partner who’s quite a bit taller tried it and said it worked great for him too.
If you’re spending long hours at your desk (which, let’s be real, who isn’t these days?), the comfort level is definitely worth mentioning. The seat doesn’t dig into my legs like my old chair did, and the graphite gray fabric breathes pretty well. I was a bit worried about sweating during summer, but it hasn’t been an issue at all. The support is kind of hard to explain until you try it – it’s firm but not hard, if that makes sense?
The wheels are smooth on my carpeted office, though I did put down one of those plastic mats just to be safe. The arms are probably my favorite feature – they move literally every which way. Up, down, forward, backward, and they even pivot in and out. Super helpful when I switch between typing, using my mouse, or when I’m just leaning back watching YouTube videos (I mean, working very hard, of course).
All the adjustments are pretty intuitive. Everything’s on the right side, and after a couple days I could change settings without even looking. You can adjust the height from about 16 to 21 inches, and the seat depth goes up to 18.5 inches which is great for my longer-legged days (kidding, but you know what I mean).
The recline feature is something I didn’t know I needed until I had it. There are three settings, and the middle one is my sweet spot for most of the day. When I need to focus, I lock it upright, and when I’m on those endless Zoom calls, I can lean back a bit. The mechanism is pretty smooth too – no sudden jerking motions that make you feel like you’re about to tip over.
In terms of build quality, this thing is built like a tank compared to my previous $200 Amazon special. The aluminum frame feels really solid. At 70 pounds, it’s definitely not light, but that just makes it feel more substantial. I had to get my neighbor to help carry the box in, which was a whole situation.
Is it worth the price? That’s the million-dollar question (or well, the several-hundred-dollar question). For me, it was a bit of a splurge, but considering I sit in it for 8+ hours a day and my back pain has improved, I’d say it’s a pretty good investment. To be fair, if you’re only at your desk for an hour or two, there are probably cheaper options that would work fine.
The graphite gray color is nice too – not too corporate-looking but still professional enough for video calls. Goes with pretty much everything in my somewhat mismatched home office.
Oh, and it comes with a 12-year warranty, which definitely helped justify the cost to myself. My cheap chairs usually last about 2 years before something breaks, so this should theoretically save me money in the long run… at least that’s what I tell myself!