Flexispot BS5 office chair: It looks nice and is affordable, but there are unforgivable flaws

Not all ergonomic chairs are pretty, and even fewer pretty chairs are really ergonomic. But the Flexispot BS5 chair is a good looking chair that definitely gives ergonomics a good bash. There are many reasons to consider it if you're looking for a new chair, but its main flaw may just be a deal-breaker for you (it is for me).

Below I'm going to go through the chair, from assembly to ergonomics and aesthetics, as it definitely has a lot going for it, and as with so many chairs, it's not as easy as saying: this is good, or this is not good. It's complex, especially when you consider a buyer's specific needs.

Long story short: I don't think this chair deserves a place on my list of the best office chairs for back pain, even though it is a half decent ergo chair. However, it may very well get a spot on my best budget chairs guide, as it's a really good value proposition. Let's get into it...

Design & aesthetics

This is where the BS5 shines. I love the light green, but the BS5 also comes in cream (almost pink). In both, the look is chic, with the main colour being in the mesh back and seat, echoed in the top of the arm rests. It's a great touch, and one that has also been applied to other great chairs out there, like Branch's Ergonomic Chair Pro.

The BS5's curves and lines are all very pleasing to the eye. It's back frame satisfyingly sweeps around the coloured back mesh, and this attention to detail makes looking at this chair enjoyable from any angle.

The design of the BS5 is simple in the best way. Far too often companies produce budget chairs that look incredibly busy – elaborate plastic skeletons, over-the-top lumbar support. Its a clear bid to add visual value to an affordable chair. Flexispot has the confidence to not do that with the BS5. It's a simple, pleasing design, and it knows it.

Ergonomics

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Ah, this was so nearly a really good ergonomic chair. Let's start with the positives.

I really like the set, mesh lumbar support. I know that a lot of what makes a chair ergonomic is the adjustability, but I also know that companies over complicate the lumbar support as a selling point – when all you need is a comfortable support of the lower spine. The BS5 does this, and there was a satisfying structure to the lower back support here.

Add to that a very comfortable seat, and things are looking pretty good for the BS5. The seat is lovely and soft yet springy, so it keeps its form over hours of use. The head rest is also nice and firm/springy, and the mesh back is plenty comfortable.

But then it all kind of falls apart.

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The upright back position of the chair is just a little too far back for comfort. I've never seen this with a chair, and though there is a possibility that this's a defect in the model that I reviewed (or even poor assemble on my behalf, though I followed the instructions very clearly), I have to review the chair that's in front of me. And this was a big fail.

With the BS5 you can’t sit at a comfortable upright angle. If you want your back to rest fully on the back rest, you end up leaning back. Of course, no one sits like that. So to counter that you end up leaning forward, and you soon begin to hunch. You don't need me to say that this is terrible for ergonomics and a healthy sitting position. I've taken a star from the overall score for this.

Then there are the arms. The arms are not very good. They are fixed too far away from the sitter, too wide. And, as they only adjust up and down, not side to side or forward and back, you just have to lump it. You have to spread your elbows out in an unnatural position, to sit them on the arm tops. This, again, puts you in an awkward position. The tops themselves aren’t particularly comfortable either, consisting of a soft plastic that isn’t comfy to the touch. Another star taken.

Delivery & assembly

The Assembly of the Flexispot BS5 is a no hassle affair. I like that the chair comes in only 7 main pieces, and it was defintely one of the quicker, easier chairs to put together.

The chair itself is a decent weight, so as always, I would advise that you make it in the room that you want to use it, and not on another floor level.

Price

Here's one of the BS5's big selling points. It's retail price is only $180/£199, though you can get it even cheaper with the frequent deals that Flexispot offers.

Now, that is a great price for the seat, design and material quality of the BS5. But considering the issues with the overly-wide arm rests, and the poorly positioned back rest, I still think that $200 is too much. Especially when you can get the Sihoo M18 for exactly the same price. The M18 is the best budget chair out there in my opinion, and it's often on sale for just $129 over at Amazon.

Ultimately, if you asked me to recommend an ergonomic chair that looked chic, was comfy and well made, and cheap – I would not recommend the BS5. I'd go for the Sihoo M18 every time.