Just like a reliable internet connection and your trusty mug of coffee, a quality office Chair is integral to a productive workday. However, not all good things come cheap—desk chairs included. So, where does an affordable chair like the Sihoo M57 fit in this scenario?

From my nearly 9-month experience, the M57 by Sihoo has been an excellent budget-friendly chair. It provides a little bit of everything, and although I have some mixed emotions about it, there’s a lot of good to talk about. Let’s take a closer look!

Sihoo M57: A Quick Overview

The M57 by Sihoo is an inexpensive ergonomic office chair that promises sufficient support, comfort, and functionality. I used the chair for up to five or six days a week ever since when I tested it for three months. There was no indication of severe wear and tear, and the feeling of the chair is surprisingly premium. It boasts a variety of features, including adjustable armrests, a breathable mesh backrest, and a tilt mechanism, which makes it a suitable choice for people who sit for extended periods.

The M57 also has a sturdy metal frame supporting up to 150 kg. I can attest that the aluminium base is exceptionally steady, and the bearing quality is dependable. What about the plastic roller casters? They have good durability and seem high quality, moving freely without noise. But they weren't super friendly to my floor carpets.

Overall, the M57 comes with the essential ergonomic adjustments necessary for an ergonomic chair, with the recline feature being my favourite. The chair's base reclines with the back for a more comfortable reclining experience whenever I want to stretch or relax without ever feeling like I might fall off. Also, more importantly, unboxing and setting up the chair is very intuitive with the help of an easy-to-follow instructions manual that comes with the whole package.

Here are all the essential numbers and measurements of the chair:

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Best Bits of Sihoo M57

As a budget-friendly option, does Sihoo’s M57 have the features you are looking for in an office chair? Let’s discuss each of them one by one:

Decent Build Quality

Judging the build quality of a chair is often a straightforward task. You only need to take a squiz at the moving bits - castors, tilt functionality, armrests, etc. Beginning with the core structure, the chair's aluminium leg base and nylon castors offer a rock-solid foundation that fully supports my weight without a hitch. In much the same vein, its chrome gas lift is a ripper. It functions efficiently, allowing for height adjustments that don't require any cumbersome effort.

Furthermore, even the plastic bits and bobs on the chair, which are often associated with subpar quality, have a feel and appearance similar to high-end ergonomic chairs. The mesh upholstery of the chair deserves a nod. While it's not plush to the point of luxury, it's breathable, comfortable, and constructed to a high standard to improve comfort without compromising on the durability of the chair.

Decent Adjustability

Regarding adjustments, the Sihoo M57 has the edge over most budget office chairs. Once you've experienced this level of flexibility, there's no going back.

Take the seat height, for instance; you can adjust it up to 10 cm, other points of adjustments include:

Tilt Mechanism

The multifunction tilt mechanism is much better than a centre tilt. I can personalise the tilt to three predetermined recline angles (110, 120, and 130 degrees). The 110-degree angle allows for easy standing, the 120-degree makes stretching comfier, and the 130-degree is perfect for relaxing. You can adjust these angles by pulling and pushing the same lever for seat height adjustment.

Lumbar Support

If I were to choose between bi-directional and adaptive lumbar support, I would probably settle for the latter. Then again, the bi-directional lumbar support system in this chair surprised me. It took me some time to learn how to fine-tune the lumbar support with the adjustment knob at the back. When I finally found the sweet spot, it felt like a chiropractor was aligning the natural curvature of my back.

Adjustable Armrests and Headrest

The 3D armrests aren’t the most flexible, but they are quite resourceful, given the price of the chair. You can adjust the height with four settings, which have a range of 7 cm. Likewise, it has forward and backward adjustments with a range of 7 cm and side-to-side adjustments of 36 degrees.  

Very few budget-friendly office chairs come with a headrest, especially one with multiple adjustments. You can adjust the headrest up and down with five adjustments, which range around 10 cm. You can do this while sitting in the chair, which is a plus for me. Also, I could rotate the adjustable headrest for up to 45 degrees.

Superior Comfort

The Sihoo M57 offers excellent comfort for its price point. Not once, when I used it, did I feel the chair nudging me to take a walkabout. Let me give you a quick rundown to get the most out of the chair: your feet sit flat on the floor, and your elbows rest at a right angle to your desk. I also recommend leaning on the armrests when moving the mouse around.

Sihoo's high-density mesh seat is quite comfortable because it strikes the right balance between firm and soft. It’s strong enough to keep your legs straight and your butt tightly placed. Similarly, it’s gentle enough to prevent fatigue from long hours of sitting. The support on this model doesn’t curl in as much as high-end chairs. But this is an excellent option for those like me who prefer more structure in the back.

The seat's waterfall arc design, usually a feature of high-end office chairs, is an ergonomic delight. It moulds to your body and ensures you don't end up with that pins-and-needles feeling in your thighs and hips. The seat pan's curve also helps spread your weight evenly, preventing any numbing sensation.

Good Packaging and Easy Assembly

The Sihoo M57 comes in reasonably compact packaging, considering it’s an ergonomic chair. The packaging was well thought out to protect the parts during shipment, which is always a plus. There’s adequate padding between the different chair parts, thanks to the protective bubble wrap that prevents scratching and unnecessary pressing.  

The instructions manual in the package is easy to interpret and follow. But you can use the video tutorial on the brand’s official website if you're a visual learner like me. When putting this chair together, I suggest laying down all the parts to make the assembly more effortless. You also get a nice little toolkit to help you assemble the chair.

Just a side note, I've had my share of online chair-buying experiences. More often than not, when the chair arrives, it's either too dinky or too hulking for my workspace. But, the Sihoo M57 hit the bullseye, size-wise. It fitted snugly into my work-from-home setup, becoming integral to my desk environment.

Warranty and Return Policy

The Sihoo M57 comes with a 3-year warranty, which, to be fair, is much lesser than the 10-year warranty offered by options like the ErgoTune Supreme and Buro Tidal Chair. The company also has a 30-day return and refund policy, allowing you to request a return at most 30 days after the chair is delivered.

Sihoo maintains that to qualify for a refund, the item must be in its original condition, unassembled or unused, with tags, and in the original packaging. They will not issue a refund unless they inspect the returned chair. You must also provide the receipt or proof of purchase for the refund process.

What Could Be Improved?

There’s much to be admired about the Sihoo M57 for its price point. However, I found a few things to be less impressive about this chair. They include:

Standard Aesthetics

Given this chair's popularity as an ergonomic option, it's somewhat disappointing to see it not hit the mark aesthetically. To be frank, the slightly slimy, spider-web-like mesh pattern leaves a bit to be desired.

When it comes to colour options, you can nab the chair in grey, black, or dark grey. Unless my eyes are playing tricks on me, these all fall within the same colour spectrum. A few light grey or white finishes would undoubtedly spice things up and brighten any dull workspace.

Limited Adjustability

It’s probably because it’s a budget-friendly option, but the lack of seat depth adjustment was a deterrent for me. Luckily the seat depth worked just fine for me. However, if you are shorter, you may not get good back support, which can compromise your posture.

The 3D armrests offer good quality and functionality for the money. Though, it would have been nicer if the arms allowed for width and pivot adjustments. I can only imagine the support I could get for different arm postures I have wanted to try with the Sihoo M57.

Castors Aren’t Carpet-Friendly

While the castors are durable and will last a long while, they are not carpet-friendly. They tend to feel heavy on medium to thick pile carpets, and the thin rubberised strip doesn’t help to stop this problem. They are, however, perfect on hard floors. To prevent this, read my guide on office chair carpet prevention tips. In my case, I used a chair mat to prevent carpet damage.

Hard-to-Adjust Tilt Tension

Most of the adjustments on this chair are easy to operate but for the tilt tension. The tension adjustment knob is located underneath the chair. So, fine-tuning the recline tension while sitting in the chair is almost impossible.

Sihoo M57: Rating & Ranking Table

Here's how the Sihoo M57 performed compared to the other ergonomic chairs. For context, the ErgoTune Supreme ranked ahead of it with a 4.8-star rating. The M57, however, pulled slightly ahead of the Buro Tidal Mesh Back Chair, which has a rating of 4.2 stars.

The Competition

Are the Sihoo M57's limitations giving you pause? Here are alternatives to consider. For a more in-depth look, check out my comprehensive guide on Australia's best ergonomic office chairs.

ErgoTune Supreme V3

ErgoTune Supreme V3 and Sihoo M57 have sturdy aluminium alloy frames, accommodating people weighing up to 150 kilograms. But the ErgoTune Supreme V3 addresses some of the shortcomings of the Sihoo M57. It has both adjustable seat height and depth for superior adjustability.

Also, you get 5D armrests that offer all the features of M57's 3D armrests, along with width and pivot adjustments. The backrest recline tension is easier to adjust on the ErgoTune Supreme V3 since the knob is easily accessible near the front edge of the seat.

Overall, the ErgoTune Supreme V3 is slightly pricier. So, you can expect a few more adjustment cards, premium parts, and somewhat better performance compared to the Sihoo M57.

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Buro Tidal Mesh Back Chair

If you can increase your budget a little bit, you can get more adjustments and ergonomics with the Buro Tidal, which is Australian-made. The seat depth adjustment is one of the most significant issues with the Sihoo M57 that the Buro Tidal can help you address.

You can easily adjust the seat pan depth by raising the lever in the middle of the left-hand side and sliding the seat backward or forward to accommodate your leg length. However, the Buro Tidal has 2D armrests, whereas the Sihoo M57 has 3D arms. Not to mention that the Burol Tidal doesn’t come with a headrest.

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Is the Sihoo M57 Good for Sitting All Day?

Sihoo M57 offers several features designed to enhance comfort and support during extended periods of sitting. The fully breathable mesh back and seat provide ventilation, preventing overheating, stickiness, and discomfort even after hours of sitting. Adjustable lumbar support is another notable feature, enabling users to align the chair with their natural spine curvature, promoting good posture and reducing the risk of back pain. The adjustable armrests and headrests allow for customised comfort based on individual preference and body shape.

Despite these features, it's important to note that the Sihoo M57, like any office chair, encourages a static posture. Prolonged sitting without movement can lead to a range of health problems. Therefore, while the Sihoo M57 is designed to make all-day sitting more comfortable, we recommend taking regular breaks to stretch and move around throughout the day. Likewise, avoid sedentary behaviours and do not sit for more than four hours continuously.

Does the Sihoo M57 Mesh Wear Out?

The Sihoo M57 features a durable open-weave mesh design that is highly resistant to tearing and ripping, even with frequent and prolonged use. However, the mesh is not entirely immune to wear and tear like all materials. Continuous weight application and regular shifting may cause the mesh to stretch and contract over time, potentially resulting in a sagging seat or backrest.

If this occurs, the chair's ergonomic benefits may diminish, leading to discomfort during extended use. The extent of sagging, however, depends on factors such as the user's weight and frequency of chair usage. Replacing the sagging components may be necessary in such cases, or considering a new chair for optimal comfort and support.

What's the Difference Between Sihoo M57 and M18?

The Sihoo M57 and M18 are ergonomic chairs from the same brand but differ in crucial aspects. First, the M18 is much more budget-friendly, making it a popular choice among users seeking ergonomic benefits without breaking the bank.

However, with a slightly higher price tag, the Sihoo M57 offers a more robust and stable design. It is also constructed to support a broader range of users, boasting a maximum weight capacity of 150 kg, compared to the M18's limit of 105 kg. This makes the M57 suitable for users of various body types and weights.

Additionally, the M57 offers superior adjustability in terms of armrests. While M18's armrests only allow for height adjustments, the M57's are both height and depth adjustable, providing enhanced support and comfort during long hours of use. These features make the M57 the more versatile choice of the two.

The Takeaway

Coming in under $500 and backed by a three-year warranty, the Sihoo M57 offers remarkable value for money. It's rare to find a desk chair at this price point that delivers such a range of ergonomic features. Considering the often hefty price tags associated with quality ergonomic office chairs, this one is truly a steal.

However, the Sihoo M57 is not without its faults, as I have shown. And these may be unique to my personal preferences and needs. But on its own, it punches well above its weight regarding comfort and support, a worthwhile investment that could make a significant difference to your working day.