The Branch Ergonomic Chair is an affordable, feature-rich office chair designed to provide exceptional comfort and support for long workdays. With its minimalist aesthetic and range of adjustments, it aims to be an ergonomic seating solution accessible to more people.
In this comprehensive Branch ergonomic chair review, we’ll analyze its key strengths and weaknesses across critical categories:
Overview and Specifications
The Branch Ergonomic Chair is the company’s flagship task seating model, retailing for $329 direct-to-consumer. It’s positioned as a mid-range chair promising commercial-grade quality and ergonomics without the typical high costs.
Key specifications and features:
- 8 points of adjustment: seat height, seat depth, tilt tension, backrest tilt, arm width/height/depth, lumbar support
- Breathable double woven mesh backrest combined with padded foam seat
- Supports up to 300 lbs
- Sleek, minimalist aesthetic design available in various colors
- 7 year warranty covering defects
With its mesh backrest, 2″ thick padded seat cushion, and extensive adjustments, Branch intends for the Ergonomic Chair to provide exceptional comfort for 8+ hour workdays. It also aims to fit a wide range of body sizes via adjustments.
Target audience:
- Knowledge workers, remote employees, creatives spending long hours at their desk
- Those wanting better ergonomic support than basic chairs
- Shoppers seeking affordable alternatives to premium brands
Next, we’ll break down how the Branch Ergonomic Chair actually performs across key assessment criteria.
Comfort and Ergonomic Support
A chair can boast all the adjustments in the world, but comfort is subjective and personal. For long-term use, getting that formula right is critical.
The padded foam seat cushion strikes a nice balance between soft yet supportive. It provides comfortable cushioning without feeling like you’re sinking too far down into the chair. However, some may find the front edge presses into their legs which could cause discomfort over time.
The contoured backrest is moderately curved to properly support the spine’s natural S-shape when sitting upright. The adjustable lumbar support helps dial in comfort for the lower back area. Together, these design elements encourage maintaining proper posture rather than slouching into poor positions.
The breathable mesh back makes a tangible difference in keeping your back cool and sweat-free. The chair promotes air circulation so you don’t get uncomfortably warm, especially compared to cheaper chairs with foam backs.
For all-day use, the Branch Ergonomic chair provides commendable comfort, albeit with some minor caveats. It hits all the key ergonomic checkpoints for the price.
Adjustability and Customization
With 8 points of adjustment spanning the armrests, seat, backrest and lumbar support, you can extensively customize this chair to match your body and preferences.
Seat height and depth adjustment ensures you can dial in an optimal seating position for your height and proportions. The backrest tilt tension caters to different weights and postures, enabling you to find the right resistance and recline angle.
The adjustable armrests move up/down, in/out, and slide forward/back to accommodate different elbow placements and desk heights. However, their movement feels a bit stiff and cheap compared to more premium chairs.
Nonetheless, the Branch Ergonomic chair enables personalization for improved comfort, support and alignment during long computer use.
Build Quality and Durability
Constructed using double woven mesh, high-density foam, and reinforced polymers, the Branch Ergonomic chair feels sturdy and well-built for a chair in this price tier.
The heavy-duty aluminum base combined with dual wheel casters gives the chair stability and makes it smooth-rolling. All structural components feel rigid without much flex or creaking noises when making adjustments.
The chair is ANSI/BIFMA certified to support weight up to 300 pounds with no loss of performance. Materials and mechanisms are designed to be long-lasting rather than disposable.
Branch provides an industry-leading 7 year warranty covering defects and structural damage, demonstrating confidence in the chair’s durability.
While it may not match premium brands for sophistication or metal/mesh quality, the Branch Ergonomic chair delivers commercial grade stability and resilience.
Assembly and Setup
The Branch Ergonomic chair ships in a single box with assembly required. It includes all necessary hardware and an easy to follow digital guide.
With the included hex key, assembly takes under 30 minutes for most people. You only need to attach the casters, seat, backrest, armrests and base which is straightforward. All parts fit cleanly without forcing.
The chair ships from a warehouse near you for prompt delivery. Branch also offers free returns within 30 days if needed. Overall, setup is quick and painless right out of the box.
Style, Design and Color Options
Featuring a sleek silhouette and dual-tone color schemes, the Branch Ergonomic chair sports a refined, minimalist aesthetic compared to many task chairs.
It forgoes bulky cushions and intricate mesh patterns for a simpler, scaled-back design language that emphasizes ergonomics. The polished 5-star aluminum base and slender armrests keep the look light and modern.
Customers can select from various color combinations:
- Black, light grey or blue seat/backrest paired with a black or white frame
- Black on black
The chair profile suits contemporary home offices and more stylish work environments. While offered color choices are somewhat limited, the Branch Ergonomic chair looks upscale given its price bracket.
Value and Cost
At $329 retail, the Branch Ergonomic chair compares very favorably to other chairs in the mid-range category offering similar features and quality. Models from established brands easily run $100+ more without noticeable performance gains.
When you factor in the 7 year warranty, extensive adjustments, breathable backrest and 300 lb weight capacity, this chair undoubtedly provides strong value at its modest cost relative to competitors.
The Branch Ergonomic chair cuts out the middleman and bloated markups to offer customers serious ergonomics without the traditionally steep price tag.
Pros
- Exceptional comfort for long workdays
- Commercial grade stability and durability
- 8 ergonomic adjustments for personalized fit
- Refined, professional design language
- Breathable mesh back keeps you cool
- Easy assembly with superb instructions
- Industry-leading 7 year warranty
- Very affordable given the feature set
Cons
- Seat cushion comfort could be better
- Armrests feel a bit cheap and loose
- Lumbar support works best for shorter users
- Limited color customization options
The Bottom Line
The Branch Ergonomic chair nails the fundamentals of an ergonomic task chair at a price palatable for mainstream buyers.
Between its breathable mesh backrest, padded foam seat, and range of adjustments, the Branch Ergonomic chair provides stellar comfort and support for all-day computing. Build quality and stability also impress given the reasonable cost.
Minor gripes exist with the armrests and seat cushion comfort depending on your body type. But overall, the Branch Ergonomic chair punches well above its weight, offering exceptional ergonomic value and quality for anyone that works long hours at their desk.
For shoppers wanting serious task seating performance without overspending, this chair warrants strong consideration. We rate the Branch Ergonomic chair highly as a mobility, comfort and budget pick.