Steelcase Think Task

If you need an office chair or stool, this Steelcase chair review is for you. You will see why Steelcase is referred to as the one-stop center for all types of office chairs. Some of them are complex and others are simple in design. Working in the office requires an ergonomic chair so that you do not compromise your back health.

Buy Steelcase Think Task Chair: Fully Adjustable Arms - LiveBack System - Weight-Activated Mechanism - Coconut Fabric: Home Office Desk Chairs - Amazon.com FREE DELIVERY possible on eligible purchases. Think Think is an ergonomic and environmentally friendly office chair. It's intelligent enough to understand how you sit and adjust itself intuitively.

If you look at the Steelcase website, you will see that theirs is a one-stop center for the best office chairs. They do seem to have an office chair for just about anyone, irrespective of your budget, size and style needs. As you will see in this Steelcase chair review, their products are well engineered and they give good value for money.

If you work long hours in the office, you need an ergonomic office chair. You need a chair that will not only give you good value for your money, but one that will also met your ergonomic needs. Sitting down for long hours will cause you chronic back pain in future. Now, that is something that you really want to avoid. There is no need to work for decades, only to be rewarded with a bad back in your retirement.

From reviews posted online about these chairs, they say that Steelcase office chairs are made to conform to the human body. What this means is that these chairs are truly ergonomic. However, you can never know that for sure until you try them out.

Steelcase Chair Review: 8 Top Office Chairs

Steelcase Gesture Office Chair

The gesture series of office chairs from Steelcase is quite a selection for any office owner who cares about his health or the health of his employees. These chairs come with or without a headrest but either way, they are designed to accommodate different sitting postures.

Besides, these chairs are made with technology in mind. Thus, as you bend down to work on your tablet or computer, this chair is going to offer you the requisite support. Every posture that you adopt, every kind of movement that you make when seated in the chair, you will have ample back support. This chair has been designed to conform to your movements when you are sitting down.

Everything from the licorice fabrics, the hard floor casters and the frame oozes quality. You can never go wrong with the Steelcase Gesture chairs.

In any Steelcase chair review, you can find Gesture chair with headrest, without headrest, leather or licorice upholstery. Standard features across board include adjustable armrests, pneumatic height control and more.

Like many of the Steelcase office chairs, the Gesture chair is sold with a limited warranty of a lifetime but on different parts.

>> Click Here to See Steelcase Gesture Review: Best Customizable Office Chair

Steelcase Amia Chair

One of the most outstanding qualities for the Steelcase Amia office chairs is their build and design. This chair oozes a quiet confidence, and does what it is meant to do without drawing any attention to itself. It has good lumbar support and the high back design is good for even tall people.

The backrest tension can be adjusted – there is a knob for that. More weight needs more tension for ergonomic support and vice versa. Pretty much everything else about this chair is adjustable.

Another thing that sets this chair apart from many others in its price range is that it has been built with the Alive Technology that Steelcase is so popular for. This means that when you move your back, the backrest moves with you. If you lean, it leans with you. You will have ergonomic back support all the time.

The price for this chair is quite affordable. It is basically half or even less than half of what you would pay for its bigger sister the Gesture.

If you love simplicity coupled with efficiency, go for the Steelcase Amia office chair. With a lifetime limited warranty, you can be sure that your investment is protected for a long time.

Steelcase Think Chair

Any Steelcase chair review would not be complete without the Think chair. As they say on their website, this one has been made to support all types of office tasks. Whether you want to use your computer, books, have a conversation with a client or just relax, this chair makes all that possible.

The backrest of the chair can be either knit/meshed or upholstered. Either of these two is quite breathable and so you should never suffer a sweaty back even in summer. You may also buy the Think draft stool with a meshed back or a regular fabric.

The Think office chair is truly ergonomic, thanks to the adjustable features. In fact, you do not even have to rise up fully to adjust the height of your chair. The knobs and levers are positioned at a very accessible place and the height adjustment pneumatic rod is very responsive.

This is a lightweight chair as you can no doubt see from the design. The seat pad is not too thick either. However, do not let that fool you because it is quite supportive and firm. Besides, it is designed in such a way that the edge never presses into the back of your knees.

One thing that you will love about this office chair is the breathability. It is awesome! Whether you go for the one with fabric upholstery or the meshed/knit back, you will feel very comfortable working on these chairs for days on end.

When you buy this chair, you get 30 days money back guarantee, and a lifetime limited warranty.

Steelcase Series 1 Chair

Built with the famous LiveBack technology, the Steelcase Series 1 chair is a fully ergonomic office chair with a lot of customizability. It allows you to find your favorite sitting posture. That way, you can work long hours on end without compromising the health of your back.

The LiveBack technology ensures that the backrest adapts to any sitting posture. If your back moves, the backrest moves with you. If you have back pain, this chair is going to be good for you. If you would like to prevent back pain in future, this is the best chair to buy.

The 4D adjustable armrests are like the icing on the cake. The flexible lumbar support also ensures that your lower back is well supported all the time. You can also adjust the seat depth to make your legs as comfortable as possible. The seat has a nice waterfall edge that does not press the back of your knees.

The mechanism of the chair is very responsive and durably built to last a long time. The high quality casters on the polished aluminum 5-star base make the chair able to roll around smoothly.

The Steelcase Series 1 is indeed a series with different models. There is the coat hanger, the headrest, the stool and that task chair. All of them are designed for maximum sitting comfort to the user.

Steelcase SILQ Chair

This is by far the most simplistic office chair in the market. The backrest and the seat are combined, it has nice armrests and it is so lightweight.

The SILQ chair shows the level of innovation that Steelcase can go to just to bring its users that perfect chair. Think about a chair that is fully ergonomic, but minus the fiddling and the tweaking so common in the other chairs.

With this chair, you are not going to need to fiddle with any knobs, dials or levers. Just unpack it, assemble it and sit down. The back support is already adjusted for you. The only thing that you can adjust is the height.

The SILQ task chair is available in many colors, with pink and blue being the most common. The upholstery is fabric, but for an additional amount of money, you can get leather. The polished aluminum base is going to last a long time and the best thing is that the casters can roll perfectly on any floor.

This is an office task chair. If you are looking for a chair with a lot of customizability, this use it the one. It is made for people that just like to sit and start working, then come the following day without having to fiddle with any knobs.

The weight limit for the chair is 300lb. As you can see, it can pretty well seat just about anyone, except Mark Henry the wrestler.

Steelcase Leap Office Chair

One thing that the Leap and Amia chairs have in common is that the intelligent back support. These chairs are designed to offer good back support to you irrespective of whatever posture you adopt. The lumbar support in this chair is so good such that even people with back pain can use the chair. It is a good chair for preventing the occurrence of back pain and it is also good for people who already suffer from back pain.

When it comes to the seat of the chair, the design is quite ingenious. You can actually adjust the depth of your seat. Just the find the most ample position for the comfort of your legs. A good seat enhances the blood circulation and you will be able to work longer.

Because the seat can glide, it moves with you as you move. Thus, as you lean forward or backward, the seat glides and moves with you, to keep you in good range of your desk and your computer.

The armrests are adjustable. For example, you can increase the width depending on your frame size – just pivot them outwards. You can also raise their height, and you can slide the armrest pad forward and backward. The good thing is that once you adjust everything, it stays that way until you feel the need to change your sitting posture.

The comfort of the Leap chair is unmatched in the market. The breathability is great, and so is the general design of the chair. Whatever posture you care to adopt in the office, this chair is going to support you fully.

>> Click Here to See Steelcase Leap Review – Most Comfortable Office Chair 2019

Steelcase Amia Air chair

The Amia Air Chair is more like an update of the Amia chair. However, the features are almost the same, the biggest of them being the LiveBack technology. This chair is designed in such a way that the back rest moves with you as you change your sitting posture. If you lean forward, it follows your back. The same also happens when you lean backward.

Many people adore the simplicity of the design of this chair. The frame is not complicated at all, but it is very effective. It also has a solid base, with casters that can roll smoothly on all kinds of floors. For comfort, you will love the meshed back, which ensures enough airflow when you are working long hours in summer.

Steelcase Jack Chair

The last chair in this Steelcase chair review is the Jack task chair. This one is made for fast sitting down and rising up. It looks nimble, simplified and assured of itself. As a task chair, do not expect the chair to be too fiddly. However, that does not mean that it is not ergonomic in any way. The backrest is designed in such a way that it hugs the pressure points in your back just where you need the release.

The contoured seat and backrestare good for comfort. The breathability is awesome, ensuring regular airflow all the time. The height can be adjusted and so can the tension. This is a swivel and tilt chair and you can adjust the tension of the tilt.

With a built-in synchro-tilt feature, for every 2 degree of tilt for the backrest, the seat tilts by 1 degree. It happens in tandem such that you do not have to fiddle with the back and the seat at the same time.

There is also a Jack stool available, if you would like one.

Conclusion

As you have seen in this Steelcase chair review, there are many best office chairs under this brand name. One hindrance though is the price because all chairs cost more when compared to brands like Autonomous. Perhaps the price can only be compared to that of Herman Miller chairs. With style, wide choice, durable build and many more features, anyone can find a good Steelcase office chair.

After test-driving the Herman Miller Embody and the Steelcase Gesture, I felt a bit down. I had just tried out two top-of-the-line models from the two most renowned high-end chair manufacturers and neither was good enough. Would I ever find a suitable chair for myself? As it happened, my next candidate, the Steelcase Think, restored my faith in ergonomic chairs.

The Think is something of an overlooked model in Steelcase's lineup. In fact, I wasn't even supposed to try it out. The salesman who gave me a demonstration of Steelcase chairs didn't even consider it worthy enough to show it to me, and I had never seen it mentioned on the Internet, so I wasn't even aware of its existence. The only reason the Think ended up in my apartment was that, on a later visit to the Steelcase dealership, I noticed one of the employees sitting on it, and requested a quick test. Apart from the stylish design (which I admit was what caught my eye in the first place), I noticed it had a unique recline mechanism, a mesh backrest, and highly adjustable armrests. It definitely deserved an extended look.

The Think is – in my humble opinion – the best-looking chair made by Steelcase. Its striking lines make more conventional models like the Leap or even the Gesture look positively mundane. I think it could even give the gorgeous Herman Miller Embody a run for its money.

The backrest on the Think is unique. It has a coarse mesh supported on a flexible, plastic 'ladder' that presumably is there to prevent you from 'falling in'. There is also a built-in, non-optional lumbar support – a plastic-and-metal bar that you can slide up or down. Here's a clip showing how the backrest responds:

For complicated reasons, I actually test-drove the Think twice, with a 6-month break in between. On my first test, I found the backrest comfortable enough, as did one of my friends (who ended up buying the Think and is happy with it). However, another friend immediately rejected the Think, complaining that the plastic strings in the back dug into his upper back. On my second test – for reasons I cannot fully account for – I started feeling the same hardness that my other friend had noticed. After several hours, my shoulder blades got a bit sore from the continuous pressure. I had to place a thin layer of white foam (the type LCD displays come in) between the 3D mesh and the topmost string, which solved the problem for me (and made the chair look slightly less good). After about two weeks, I removed the foam and never looked back. I suppose my back just got used to the small discomfort.

Apart from that brief episode, the Think's backrest was pretty comfortable for me, although it is, of course, a highly subjective thing. I will say this, however: if you're looking for comfort, you would do better to pick a chair with a padded backrest or one made of a soft mesh (i.e. not like the Herman Miller Aeron or Mirra).

The backrest on my test model was the default, '3D-Knit' version. You can also order a backrest that's covered in fabric – which might temper the hardness of the plastic ladder, but doesn't look as good as the 3D-knit version (I think Steelcase knows this – in their marketing materials they only show the mesh backrest), and provides less airflow (though not dramatically so – the fabric is quite thin). I think I would recommend the mesh version (with the foam mod, if necessary).

Speaking of airflow, the chief advantage of a mesh backrest is coolness, and the Steelcase Think does not disappoint. On hot summer days, with the temperature in my room exceeding 27 °C, the Think was 25% cooler to sit on than the Steelcase Amia. Wait a second, what does '25% cooler' even mean? Glad you asked. That's a totally subjective figure which is supposed to represent how hot I felt after sitting for a period of time (between 30 and 45 minutes) on the Think versus how I felt on the Amia in the same conditions. Yes, I know it's pseudoscience, but I did many rounds of tests, and I stand by my figure. I'm comparing the Think with the Amia because I happened to have those two chairs in my apartment at the same time. For reference, the Amia's thermal performance is a bit better than that of the Steelcase Leap or Please. All of these are chairs with padded backrests.

The vital service of supporting your lumbar spine is provided by a movable plastic-and-steel bar. The problem is that the bar is almost as flexible as the plastic 'rungs', and I didn't feel much of a difference regardless of where I placed it. This lack of firmness is the reason why lumbar support is not the Think's forte. It is perhaps a little better than the Amia, but can't hold a candle to the likes of Leap, Please, Gesture or Embody. For my uses, it's acceptable, but if you intend on spending a lot of time working in the upright position, and you don't have a habit of maintaining a good lumbar curve, I would look elsewhere.

The unique backrest is attached to a unique reclining system. The Think is equipped with a weight mechanism. With most chairs, you get a knob that lets you choose how strongly the backrest pushes you forward. The optimum position of the knob depends on your body mass (heavier users need more resistance, or else they will drop all the way back) and your preferred recline angle. With a counterweight system, the backrest is connected to the seat, so that a heavier user will automatically get a more resistant backrest. The most obvious advantage is that the chair doesn't have to be adjusted for each user, making it great for environments in which the same chair is used by different people. (This review, however, won't be concerned with that scenario.)

Usually, the biggest weakness of weight-based systems is that they only take into account one of the two variables that determine the backrest's resistance (your body weight) – and not the other (your preferred recline angle). As a result, you're locked into whatever the chair's designers decided to be the 'optimum angle' (for an example, see the Humanscale Liberty review). The Steelcase Think eliminates this weakness by giving you a four-stop dial to modify the weight-based recline angle:

1. Upright (tilt limiter) – 111° hip angle
2. Mid-stop (tilt limiter) – 117° hip angle
3. Near-upright ('boosted' setting) – 115° hip angle
4. Maximum recline (standard weight-based setting) – 123° hip angle

Here are photos showing positions 1, 3 and 4:

I did not include a photo of position 2 (mid-stop) because it is almost indistinguishable from the 'boosted' setting. The only difference is that with the boosted setting, you can recline to the max if you push hard enough, while the mid-stop setting has a hard limit. I'm not sure why anyone would prefer a hard limit to a gentle, bouncy limit.

The recline mechanism is of the 'smooth' type – you can tilt the backrest back and forth around some 'neutral' position, but you cannot recline too far back because the force exerted by the backrest on your back will eventually go up. In fact, the resistance on the Think increases quite steeply. Whereas most other 'smooth' chairs are pushovers that will let you easily tilt the backrest back by a large distance, the Think fights back and will quickly ramp up the opposing force. It does not feel like a rocking chair – it's a more crisp, high-energy sensation, like bouncing against something. The Think is, in fact, the most 'bouncy' chair that I've tested. Viscerally, I found it quite satisfying, and I think this kind of springy, limited rocking is a good match for an office chair, as rocking over a large distance would probably make it more difficult to type and use the mouse.

I am quite convinced that the combination of a smooth backrest and the four-stop position dial is a near-perfect system. This is for two reasons:

• You can instantly switch from a 'typing' (near-upright) position to a 'casual browsing' (reclined) position, and back again (because the two positions are pre-set, you don't have to fiddle with a continuous knob every time). This encourages frequent position changes.
• You keep the ability to rock, whether you're near-upright (position 3) or reclined (position 4). This is not the case when you use a standard tilt lock or tilt limiter. Rocking is fun and probably good for your health.

Steelcase Think Task Chair Review

You might think that the pre-set recline angles – as opposed to 'infinite', continuous resistance adjustment – limit your freedom to set the recline angle 'just right'. However, in my testing (and I had the chair for several weeks), I never once wished for an extra preset. In fact, adding intermediate stops would ruin the main advantage of the chair, as more clicks would be required to go from a near-upright to a reclined positions.

It would seem that all the chess pieces are in place for a resounding victory – finally a chair that lets you easily switch back and forth between a near-upright and reclined positions, with one click (of a knob), without sacrificing 'rockability' – a feat that is out of reach for Steelcase's 'sticky backrests' (Leap, Gesture, Amia, Please – which have very little rockability) and for the 'smooth backrests' like the Herman Miller Embody (which have no rockability when the tilt limiter is engaged).

Unfortunately, the Think squanders some of its advantage because of mechanical details. Although the resistance dial on the Think is thankfully pretty easy to access, you have to perform some gymnastics in order to switch from one mode to another. You cannot simply turn the knob – you have to lean forward before that. If you neglect that first step, the knob will (1) not turn at all, or (2) it will turn but the mode won't change (the click sound will be subtly different). The second failure type is particularly user-unfriendly because it doesn't give you sufficient feedback that you did something 'wrong' and can have you wondering why the new mode feels the same as the old mode. (In some cases, you can turn the knob and then lean forward to 'activate' the change, but this works only for some position changes and it's probably best to just use the more universal sequence in all situations.)

I also have to mention that, after a few weeks of using the chair, the mechanism degraded to the point that it became completely impossible to switch from mode 3 to mode 4, no matter what I did with the backrest. The only way I could get it to work is by turning the knob very rapidly from mode 1 to mode 4. This is a clear mechanical issue that would be covered by warranty – I'm not sure if it's a manufacuring defect with my demo unit or a manifestation of some design flaw. The issue is not shown in the video below because it cropped up after I recorded it.

All the mode-switching gymnastics are made easier by the fact that it is quite easy to lean forward on the Think due to its 'bounciness'. The optimal technique is to first lean back, compressing the spring in the recline mechanism, and then have the spring push you forward with little effort from your abdominal muscles (and without bending your lumbar spine too much).

From reviews posted online about these chairs, they say that Steelcase office chairs are made to conform to the human body. What this means is that these chairs are truly ergonomic. However, you can never know that for sure until you try them out.

Steelcase Chair Review: 8 Top Office Chairs

Steelcase Gesture Office Chair

The gesture series of office chairs from Steelcase is quite a selection for any office owner who cares about his health or the health of his employees. These chairs come with or without a headrest but either way, they are designed to accommodate different sitting postures.

Besides, these chairs are made with technology in mind. Thus, as you bend down to work on your tablet or computer, this chair is going to offer you the requisite support. Every posture that you adopt, every kind of movement that you make when seated in the chair, you will have ample back support. This chair has been designed to conform to your movements when you are sitting down.

Everything from the licorice fabrics, the hard floor casters and the frame oozes quality. You can never go wrong with the Steelcase Gesture chairs.

In any Steelcase chair review, you can find Gesture chair with headrest, without headrest, leather or licorice upholstery. Standard features across board include adjustable armrests, pneumatic height control and more.

Like many of the Steelcase office chairs, the Gesture chair is sold with a limited warranty of a lifetime but on different parts.

>> Click Here to See Steelcase Gesture Review: Best Customizable Office Chair

Steelcase Amia Chair

One of the most outstanding qualities for the Steelcase Amia office chairs is their build and design. This chair oozes a quiet confidence, and does what it is meant to do without drawing any attention to itself. It has good lumbar support and the high back design is good for even tall people.

The backrest tension can be adjusted – there is a knob for that. More weight needs more tension for ergonomic support and vice versa. Pretty much everything else about this chair is adjustable.

Another thing that sets this chair apart from many others in its price range is that it has been built with the Alive Technology that Steelcase is so popular for. This means that when you move your back, the backrest moves with you. If you lean, it leans with you. You will have ergonomic back support all the time.

The price for this chair is quite affordable. It is basically half or even less than half of what you would pay for its bigger sister the Gesture.

If you love simplicity coupled with efficiency, go for the Steelcase Amia office chair. With a lifetime limited warranty, you can be sure that your investment is protected for a long time.

Steelcase Think Chair

Any Steelcase chair review would not be complete without the Think chair. As they say on their website, this one has been made to support all types of office tasks. Whether you want to use your computer, books, have a conversation with a client or just relax, this chair makes all that possible.

The backrest of the chair can be either knit/meshed or upholstered. Either of these two is quite breathable and so you should never suffer a sweaty back even in summer. You may also buy the Think draft stool with a meshed back or a regular fabric.

The Think office chair is truly ergonomic, thanks to the adjustable features. In fact, you do not even have to rise up fully to adjust the height of your chair. The knobs and levers are positioned at a very accessible place and the height adjustment pneumatic rod is very responsive.

This is a lightweight chair as you can no doubt see from the design. The seat pad is not too thick either. However, do not let that fool you because it is quite supportive and firm. Besides, it is designed in such a way that the edge never presses into the back of your knees.

One thing that you will love about this office chair is the breathability. It is awesome! Whether you go for the one with fabric upholstery or the meshed/knit back, you will feel very comfortable working on these chairs for days on end.

When you buy this chair, you get 30 days money back guarantee, and a lifetime limited warranty.

Steelcase Series 1 Chair

Built with the famous LiveBack technology, the Steelcase Series 1 chair is a fully ergonomic office chair with a lot of customizability. It allows you to find your favorite sitting posture. That way, you can work long hours on end without compromising the health of your back.

The LiveBack technology ensures that the backrest adapts to any sitting posture. If your back moves, the backrest moves with you. If you have back pain, this chair is going to be good for you. If you would like to prevent back pain in future, this is the best chair to buy.

The 4D adjustable armrests are like the icing on the cake. The flexible lumbar support also ensures that your lower back is well supported all the time. You can also adjust the seat depth to make your legs as comfortable as possible. The seat has a nice waterfall edge that does not press the back of your knees.

The mechanism of the chair is very responsive and durably built to last a long time. The high quality casters on the polished aluminum 5-star base make the chair able to roll around smoothly.

The Steelcase Series 1 is indeed a series with different models. There is the coat hanger, the headrest, the stool and that task chair. All of them are designed for maximum sitting comfort to the user.

Steelcase SILQ Chair

This is by far the most simplistic office chair in the market. The backrest and the seat are combined, it has nice armrests and it is so lightweight.

The SILQ chair shows the level of innovation that Steelcase can go to just to bring its users that perfect chair. Think about a chair that is fully ergonomic, but minus the fiddling and the tweaking so common in the other chairs.

With this chair, you are not going to need to fiddle with any knobs, dials or levers. Just unpack it, assemble it and sit down. The back support is already adjusted for you. The only thing that you can adjust is the height.

The SILQ task chair is available in many colors, with pink and blue being the most common. The upholstery is fabric, but for an additional amount of money, you can get leather. The polished aluminum base is going to last a long time and the best thing is that the casters can roll perfectly on any floor.

This is an office task chair. If you are looking for a chair with a lot of customizability, this use it the one. It is made for people that just like to sit and start working, then come the following day without having to fiddle with any knobs.

The weight limit for the chair is 300lb. As you can see, it can pretty well seat just about anyone, except Mark Henry the wrestler.

Steelcase Leap Office Chair

One thing that the Leap and Amia chairs have in common is that the intelligent back support. These chairs are designed to offer good back support to you irrespective of whatever posture you adopt. The lumbar support in this chair is so good such that even people with back pain can use the chair. It is a good chair for preventing the occurrence of back pain and it is also good for people who already suffer from back pain.

When it comes to the seat of the chair, the design is quite ingenious. You can actually adjust the depth of your seat. Just the find the most ample position for the comfort of your legs. A good seat enhances the blood circulation and you will be able to work longer.

Because the seat can glide, it moves with you as you move. Thus, as you lean forward or backward, the seat glides and moves with you, to keep you in good range of your desk and your computer.

The armrests are adjustable. For example, you can increase the width depending on your frame size – just pivot them outwards. You can also raise their height, and you can slide the armrest pad forward and backward. The good thing is that once you adjust everything, it stays that way until you feel the need to change your sitting posture.

The comfort of the Leap chair is unmatched in the market. The breathability is great, and so is the general design of the chair. Whatever posture you care to adopt in the office, this chair is going to support you fully.

>> Click Here to See Steelcase Leap Review – Most Comfortable Office Chair 2019

Steelcase Amia Air chair

The Amia Air Chair is more like an update of the Amia chair. However, the features are almost the same, the biggest of them being the LiveBack technology. This chair is designed in such a way that the back rest moves with you as you change your sitting posture. If you lean forward, it follows your back. The same also happens when you lean backward.

Many people adore the simplicity of the design of this chair. The frame is not complicated at all, but it is very effective. It also has a solid base, with casters that can roll smoothly on all kinds of floors. For comfort, you will love the meshed back, which ensures enough airflow when you are working long hours in summer.

Steelcase Jack Chair

The last chair in this Steelcase chair review is the Jack task chair. This one is made for fast sitting down and rising up. It looks nimble, simplified and assured of itself. As a task chair, do not expect the chair to be too fiddly. However, that does not mean that it is not ergonomic in any way. The backrest is designed in such a way that it hugs the pressure points in your back just where you need the release.

The contoured seat and backrestare good for comfort. The breathability is awesome, ensuring regular airflow all the time. The height can be adjusted and so can the tension. This is a swivel and tilt chair and you can adjust the tension of the tilt.

With a built-in synchro-tilt feature, for every 2 degree of tilt for the backrest, the seat tilts by 1 degree. It happens in tandem such that you do not have to fiddle with the back and the seat at the same time.

There is also a Jack stool available, if you would like one.

Conclusion

As you have seen in this Steelcase chair review, there are many best office chairs under this brand name. One hindrance though is the price because all chairs cost more when compared to brands like Autonomous. Perhaps the price can only be compared to that of Herman Miller chairs. With style, wide choice, durable build and many more features, anyone can find a good Steelcase office chair.

After test-driving the Herman Miller Embody and the Steelcase Gesture, I felt a bit down. I had just tried out two top-of-the-line models from the two most renowned high-end chair manufacturers and neither was good enough. Would I ever find a suitable chair for myself? As it happened, my next candidate, the Steelcase Think, restored my faith in ergonomic chairs.

The Think is something of an overlooked model in Steelcase's lineup. In fact, I wasn't even supposed to try it out. The salesman who gave me a demonstration of Steelcase chairs didn't even consider it worthy enough to show it to me, and I had never seen it mentioned on the Internet, so I wasn't even aware of its existence. The only reason the Think ended up in my apartment was that, on a later visit to the Steelcase dealership, I noticed one of the employees sitting on it, and requested a quick test. Apart from the stylish design (which I admit was what caught my eye in the first place), I noticed it had a unique recline mechanism, a mesh backrest, and highly adjustable armrests. It definitely deserved an extended look.

The Think is – in my humble opinion – the best-looking chair made by Steelcase. Its striking lines make more conventional models like the Leap or even the Gesture look positively mundane. I think it could even give the gorgeous Herman Miller Embody a run for its money.

The backrest on the Think is unique. It has a coarse mesh supported on a flexible, plastic 'ladder' that presumably is there to prevent you from 'falling in'. There is also a built-in, non-optional lumbar support – a plastic-and-metal bar that you can slide up or down. Here's a clip showing how the backrest responds:

For complicated reasons, I actually test-drove the Think twice, with a 6-month break in between. On my first test, I found the backrest comfortable enough, as did one of my friends (who ended up buying the Think and is happy with it). However, another friend immediately rejected the Think, complaining that the plastic strings in the back dug into his upper back. On my second test – for reasons I cannot fully account for – I started feeling the same hardness that my other friend had noticed. After several hours, my shoulder blades got a bit sore from the continuous pressure. I had to place a thin layer of white foam (the type LCD displays come in) between the 3D mesh and the topmost string, which solved the problem for me (and made the chair look slightly less good). After about two weeks, I removed the foam and never looked back. I suppose my back just got used to the small discomfort.

Apart from that brief episode, the Think's backrest was pretty comfortable for me, although it is, of course, a highly subjective thing. I will say this, however: if you're looking for comfort, you would do better to pick a chair with a padded backrest or one made of a soft mesh (i.e. not like the Herman Miller Aeron or Mirra).

The backrest on my test model was the default, '3D-Knit' version. You can also order a backrest that's covered in fabric – which might temper the hardness of the plastic ladder, but doesn't look as good as the 3D-knit version (I think Steelcase knows this – in their marketing materials they only show the mesh backrest), and provides less airflow (though not dramatically so – the fabric is quite thin). I think I would recommend the mesh version (with the foam mod, if necessary).

Speaking of airflow, the chief advantage of a mesh backrest is coolness, and the Steelcase Think does not disappoint. On hot summer days, with the temperature in my room exceeding 27 °C, the Think was 25% cooler to sit on than the Steelcase Amia. Wait a second, what does '25% cooler' even mean? Glad you asked. That's a totally subjective figure which is supposed to represent how hot I felt after sitting for a period of time (between 30 and 45 minutes) on the Think versus how I felt on the Amia in the same conditions. Yes, I know it's pseudoscience, but I did many rounds of tests, and I stand by my figure. I'm comparing the Think with the Amia because I happened to have those two chairs in my apartment at the same time. For reference, the Amia's thermal performance is a bit better than that of the Steelcase Leap or Please. All of these are chairs with padded backrests.

The vital service of supporting your lumbar spine is provided by a movable plastic-and-steel bar. The problem is that the bar is almost as flexible as the plastic 'rungs', and I didn't feel much of a difference regardless of where I placed it. This lack of firmness is the reason why lumbar support is not the Think's forte. It is perhaps a little better than the Amia, but can't hold a candle to the likes of Leap, Please, Gesture or Embody. For my uses, it's acceptable, but if you intend on spending a lot of time working in the upright position, and you don't have a habit of maintaining a good lumbar curve, I would look elsewhere.

The unique backrest is attached to a unique reclining system. The Think is equipped with a weight mechanism. With most chairs, you get a knob that lets you choose how strongly the backrest pushes you forward. The optimum position of the knob depends on your body mass (heavier users need more resistance, or else they will drop all the way back) and your preferred recline angle. With a counterweight system, the backrest is connected to the seat, so that a heavier user will automatically get a more resistant backrest. The most obvious advantage is that the chair doesn't have to be adjusted for each user, making it great for environments in which the same chair is used by different people. (This review, however, won't be concerned with that scenario.)

Usually, the biggest weakness of weight-based systems is that they only take into account one of the two variables that determine the backrest's resistance (your body weight) – and not the other (your preferred recline angle). As a result, you're locked into whatever the chair's designers decided to be the 'optimum angle' (for an example, see the Humanscale Liberty review). The Steelcase Think eliminates this weakness by giving you a four-stop dial to modify the weight-based recline angle:

1. Upright (tilt limiter) – 111° hip angle
2. Mid-stop (tilt limiter) – 117° hip angle
3. Near-upright ('boosted' setting) – 115° hip angle
4. Maximum recline (standard weight-based setting) – 123° hip angle

Here are photos showing positions 1, 3 and 4:

I did not include a photo of position 2 (mid-stop) because it is almost indistinguishable from the 'boosted' setting. The only difference is that with the boosted setting, you can recline to the max if you push hard enough, while the mid-stop setting has a hard limit. I'm not sure why anyone would prefer a hard limit to a gentle, bouncy limit.

The recline mechanism is of the 'smooth' type – you can tilt the backrest back and forth around some 'neutral' position, but you cannot recline too far back because the force exerted by the backrest on your back will eventually go up. In fact, the resistance on the Think increases quite steeply. Whereas most other 'smooth' chairs are pushovers that will let you easily tilt the backrest back by a large distance, the Think fights back and will quickly ramp up the opposing force. It does not feel like a rocking chair – it's a more crisp, high-energy sensation, like bouncing against something. The Think is, in fact, the most 'bouncy' chair that I've tested. Viscerally, I found it quite satisfying, and I think this kind of springy, limited rocking is a good match for an office chair, as rocking over a large distance would probably make it more difficult to type and use the mouse.

I am quite convinced that the combination of a smooth backrest and the four-stop position dial is a near-perfect system. This is for two reasons:

• You can instantly switch from a 'typing' (near-upright) position to a 'casual browsing' (reclined) position, and back again (because the two positions are pre-set, you don't have to fiddle with a continuous knob every time). This encourages frequent position changes.
• You keep the ability to rock, whether you're near-upright (position 3) or reclined (position 4). This is not the case when you use a standard tilt lock or tilt limiter. Rocking is fun and probably good for your health.

Steelcase Think Task Chair Review

You might think that the pre-set recline angles – as opposed to 'infinite', continuous resistance adjustment – limit your freedom to set the recline angle 'just right'. However, in my testing (and I had the chair for several weeks), I never once wished for an extra preset. In fact, adding intermediate stops would ruin the main advantage of the chair, as more clicks would be required to go from a near-upright to a reclined positions.

It would seem that all the chess pieces are in place for a resounding victory – finally a chair that lets you easily switch back and forth between a near-upright and reclined positions, with one click (of a knob), without sacrificing 'rockability' – a feat that is out of reach for Steelcase's 'sticky backrests' (Leap, Gesture, Amia, Please – which have very little rockability) and for the 'smooth backrests' like the Herman Miller Embody (which have no rockability when the tilt limiter is engaged).

Unfortunately, the Think squanders some of its advantage because of mechanical details. Although the resistance dial on the Think is thankfully pretty easy to access, you have to perform some gymnastics in order to switch from one mode to another. You cannot simply turn the knob – you have to lean forward before that. If you neglect that first step, the knob will (1) not turn at all, or (2) it will turn but the mode won't change (the click sound will be subtly different). The second failure type is particularly user-unfriendly because it doesn't give you sufficient feedback that you did something 'wrong' and can have you wondering why the new mode feels the same as the old mode. (In some cases, you can turn the knob and then lean forward to 'activate' the change, but this works only for some position changes and it's probably best to just use the more universal sequence in all situations.)

I also have to mention that, after a few weeks of using the chair, the mechanism degraded to the point that it became completely impossible to switch from mode 3 to mode 4, no matter what I did with the backrest. The only way I could get it to work is by turning the knob very rapidly from mode 1 to mode 4. This is a clear mechanical issue that would be covered by warranty – I'm not sure if it's a manufacuring defect with my demo unit or a manifestation of some design flaw. The issue is not shown in the video below because it cropped up after I recorded it.

All the mode-switching gymnastics are made easier by the fact that it is quite easy to lean forward on the Think due to its 'bounciness'. The optimal technique is to first lean back, compressing the spring in the recline mechanism, and then have the spring push you forward with little effort from your abdominal muscles (and without bending your lumbar spine too much).

At great expense, I made a video so that y'all could see exactly how the recline mechanism on the Think works:

The biggest problem with the backrest (and the chair as a whole) is that it doesn't recline far enough. The maximum hip angle is only around 123° – even less than the Steelcase Amia and Herman Miller Embody. When using the chair, I often wished that I could give my lumbar spine a bit more rest.

Another pretty serious issue is that the lumbar support keeps sliding down, especially if you use the fully reclined position a lot. During my tests, I had to readjust it a few times a day. This is a surprisingly common problem – I've experienced it, to some degree, on every Steelcase chair fitted with a height-adjustable lumbar. Fortunately, on the Think, the issue is easy to fix by sticking two appropriately sized pieces of plastic or hard cardboard into the slot in the side of the frame, below the tabs which are used to move the support. It worked perfectly for me – no more sliding down lumbar support.

The lumbar support on my Think would keep sliding down, especially if I switched positions a lot. (Actual photo before and after 2 hours of use.)

The armrests on the Steelcase Think v2 are one of the best in the industry:

Steelcase Think Task Chair

• They stay level as you recline, enabling you to keep using them in all positions.
• You can adjust them inward in order to support your forearms as you touch-type.
• You can retract them quite far, enabling you to move close to your desk – you don't have to stretch your arms out to reach the keyboard.
• You can pull them down if you want them out of the way.
• The armrest caps have the right amount of friction to allow you to slide your forearms on them as you move the mouse.

There are minor differences between the armrests on the Think and the excellent armrests on the Leap and Amia. The Think's armrests have a bit less left/right adjustability (though still enough to comfortably rest your forearms on them as you use the keyboard) and the caps are less soft (though by no means hard). If I had to criticize the armrests on the Think, it would be on that last point – though, in truth, they never caused me any discomfort when using the chair. I only noticed the difference later, after I had the chance to try out the Steelcase Leap.

The Tom Test

Steelcase Think Leather

How does the Think fare on my checklist? Let's have a look:

• Easy changing between at least two positions (near-upright and reclined): I'm not sure. The reclined position is not very reclined. You can go from the near-upright position to the reclined position with a single click of a dial, but you have to lean forward first.
• Open hip angle in the reclined position: I'm not sure. The backrest doesn't recline enough.
• Lumbar support: Pass. It's decent, but not firm enough, and keeps sliding down unless you mod the chair.
• Backrest should adapt to your back: Pass. It conforms to your back better than most chairs, but the plastic supports can dig into your shoulder blades.
• Seatpan must not be too long: Pass.
• Micromovements: Pass. The best 'rockability' among office chairs, in every position.
• Armrests (if you care about them): Pass. Exceptional adjustability, no real shortcomings.
• Annoyances: Lumbar support keeps sliding down. Mechanical glitches when switching positions.

Final words

Steelcase Think Task Sandalye

The second edition of the Steelcase Think is an interesting chair that I feel does not get the attention it deserves. After testing about 10 high-end chairs, I was seriously considering buying a Think because of its good airflow (suitable for hot summers), and the unique reclining system that enables rocking in every position and – on the whole – easy switching between positions (despite some mechanical niggles). I am also partial to good armrests, and the Think's are almost perfect. Finally, at $840 or €670 (incl. VAT), the Think is priced more reasonably than other high-end chairs.

Steelcase Think Chair Instructions

On the negative side, the Think doesn't recline far enough to give your lumbar spine a satisfactory rest break. The lumbar support is not firm enough and if you like to work sitting upright, there is a danger that you will round your lower back and the chair won't stop you. Because of these shortcomings, I would only recommend the Think to a subset of users – people who work in a (semi-)reclined position or are trained to maintain the correct lumbar curve.