Best chair I ever sat in - $144. Serta Hensley

My review:
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Keep the allen wrench tool that came with it to tighten the arm bolts. My 5 and 8 year old kids are always spinning around in mine or hanging off the arm watching me play a game, and managed to loosen the arms over the course of time. I just tightened them back up a couple months ago - good as new, no damage done. I should put a little lock-tite on the bolts, but haven't yet.
 
Got the fat bastard chair ordered.... now if I can just win the lottery and meet the love of my life.

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My wife says the fat bastard chair and winning the lottery are ok, but meeting the love of my life is just out.
She's apparently not done with ruining my life yet.

At least I'll have the nice comfy new fat bastard chair to cry in I guess.

ETA: That is until she and her lawyer take the chair at some point.


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Likewise. I'm pretty sure I've sat in this at the local office depot and like dit but couldn't bite on the 350+ price tag for how sturdy it felt.

I've tried the top recommend Herman Miller and Steel Case chairs, hell I got a Leap v2 for 75 bucks and while they're good, they lack something.

"For how sturdy it felt." Are you saying it didn't feel sturdy enough for such an expensive chair? That's kind of the point of buying a 'fat bastard' chair.


I got a Leap v2 for 75 bucks


Where'd you get a Steelcase for $75? I know it was used, but was it a local deal? I looked around Ebay, but so many listed were "Pick-up only", and I couldn't figure out how to filter those out, or at least filter for my location.

/REALLY need a new chair.
 
The ne at my office depot felt flimsy as well, but I just think it wasn't put together well/bolts weren't torqued. Mine is solid af. It's also a very heavy and large box. Feels quality to me.
 
Got the chair an hour ago, pretty friggin' fast for a back ordered item.
It was only 36 hours from when I clicked buy to when it was sitting at my door.

Sitting in it now.

Very nice HEAVY chair. We are talking Cpt. Kirk kind of chair here.
He could probably pork that Green chick in the chair, it would take it.

Way way better than the $50 OfficeMax chair it's replacing.

I remember laughing at the $400 chairs as I was looking at the
OfficeMax selections they had on the floor. Yeah $400.... not gonna happen.

Thanks for posting the awesome deal Archaea!

ETA: You can tell the chair has proper ass support too. Much nicer than the typical
two inches of cheap foam rubber over plywood.

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They're nice, until they run out of cushion. Still on my DXRacer chair, though. I still have one of these as my not-so-much-sat-in chair.
 
They're nice, until they run out of cushion. Still on my DXRacer chair, though. I still have one of these as my not-so-much-sat-in chair.

until they run out of cushion? That's kind of the point of these - they have bed springs in them. They don't flatten out like a typical cheap chair. 10 year warranty.

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until they run out of cushion?
I sat on one for a few years, and the butt cushion pretty much got worn out. I had to put a memory foam pillow on there, but it did a number on my back. Eventually, I just got a DXRacer chair as my main chair, but I still have one of these as a co-chair. It'll take a few years for the cushions to wear out, but that could be said for any chair. I'm just wondering if my DXRacer chair will have that same problem (going on 2 years and 3 months).

The bed springs were fine, the foam part though, gets worn out. I didn't have a receipt, I think (I had bought it at Staples for a deal a long time ago).

Great chair, not saying they're not. I still have one. I'm just saying, keep your receipt handy when your butt wears out the foam padding. :)
 
I sat on one for a few years, and the butt cushion pretty much got worn out. I had to put a memory foam pillow on there, but it did a number on my back. Eventually, I just got a DXRacer chair as my main chair, but I still have one of these as a co-chair. It'll take a few years for the cushions to wear out, but that could be said for any chair. I'm just wondering if my DXRacer chair will have that same problem (going on 2 years and 3 months).

The bed springs were fine, the foam part though, gets worn out. I didn't have a receipt, I think (I had bought it at Staples for a deal a long time ago).

Great chair, not saying they're not. I still have one. I'm just saying, keep your receipt handy when your butt wears out the foam padding. :)
You sat in a Serta Hensley for a few years?
 
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Ah, looks like my chair is a different model. Even when I'm not sitting in it very often, it's still wearing out. Another problem is that the leather cracks. I should probably take better care of it, but like I said, I don't sit on it much. When did the Serta Hensley come out? If they fixed the issues I have, I might have to get another one...
 
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Ah, looks like my chair is a different model. Even when I'm not sitting in it very often, it's still wearing out. Another problem is that the leather cracks. I should probably take better care of it, but like I said, I don't sit on it much. When did the Serta Hensley come out? If they fixed the issues I have, I might have to get another one...
There's no taking care of 'bonded leather'. It's ground up leather, glued together, then a thin plastic film is put over it and a leather pattern is pressed/heated into it. Bonded leather is a complete waste, and the ONLY reason for it to exist is for the seller to be able to say it's made of 'bonded leather', and hope that no one will wonder what 'bonded' means. The buyer will be thrilled they have a leather chair until it starts cracking and flaking off in short order. I'd sooner have any other material - cloth, nylon, 'pleather', etc, - than bonded leather.
 
Have to agree the bonded leather is crap. Though nicer stuff is generally out of my price range.
You'd think as many cows as we go through to make steaks and hamburgers, there would be plenty of cheap real leather.

I wonder what a nice office chair with real leather would cost..... $800?

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Just don't buy leather period...get a mesh or fabric chair. I have this one and I love it:

https://smile.amazon.com/HON-Big-Ta...d=1507166083&sr=8-1&keywords=hon+big+and+tall

Not as cheap but I've had it for well over a year (maybe two at this point?) and it's just as solid as the day I bought it. Gas lift is still 100% solid, no drooping, no noticeable wear on the fabric or arms.

I have tried several other cheap-ish Big & Tall chairs over the years and this has been the best thus far.
 
Received chair. Put together chair. Ran a nose along its seams. Really nice cushioning, but the back sits a little too upright for my taste (I'm a lazy f that prefers sitting with the back slightly reclined).

In fairness, the upright position of the backrest is anatomically correct for sitting with perfect posture. Girlfriend got the chair because she likes sitting upright. This could explain why she has ballerina posture, while I maintain more of a crawling, sclerotic, shuffling gait with hunched back and monkeybutt - dog snarls when it sees me as well.

I hope the preceding information provided valuable insight to inform a buying decision for a sale that's already over.
 
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Received chair. Put together chair. Ran a nose along its seams. Really nice cushioning, but the back sits a little too upright for my taste (I'm a lazy f that prefers sitting with the back slightly reclined).

In fairness, the upright position of the backrest is anatomically correct for sitting with perfect posture. Girlfriend got the chair because she likes sitting upright. This could explain why she has ballerina posture, while I maintain more of a crawling, sclerotic, shuffling gait with hunched back and monkeybutt - dog snarls when it sees me as well.

I hope the preceding information provided valuable insight to inform a buying decision for a sale that's already over.
I actually ordered, but when at the store and sat in them, I bought the Serta Jenning instead. The Jenning has adjustable back tilt for a bit reclining, which I'm sure the Hensley has too.
 
yeah bonded leather is less than ideal.
I think there are different grades of bonded leather
I actually ordered, but when at the store and sat in them, I bought the Serta Jenning instead. The Jenning has adjustable back tilt for a bit reclining, which I'm sure the Hensley has too.
there is a lock/unlock for the recline function like any office chair on the Hensley.
 
yeah bonded leather is less than ideal.
I think there are different grades of bonded leather

there is a lock/unlock for the recline function like any office chair on the Hensley.

The back doesn't tilt back independent of the seat is the problem. So the seat/back are locked into permanent 90 degrees (L shape) and ends up feeling like I'm being pushed slightly forward when I'm sitting in it.
 
The back doesn't tilt back independent of the seat is the problem. So the seat/back are locked into permanent 90 degrees (L shape) and ends up feeling like I'm being pushed slightly forward when I'm sitting in it.

Oh god, that's one of the things I hate most about my Aeron. Lean back just a hair, and that damned hard plastic lip digs into the back of your thighs.
 
The back doesn't tilt back independent of the seat is the problem. So the seat/back are locked into permanent 90 degrees (L shape) and ends up feeling like I'm being pushed slightly forward when I'm sitting in it.

I noticed that too, I'm not used to sitting up straight. lol
There's a lot of padding in the back that adds to that effect.

It's probably better for me to sit properly though and I'll get used to it.

I find my self leaning forward and don't notice it sometimes anyway.

When I tilt back, it's REALLY comfy though..... I shut my eyes and I'd be out in 30 seconds if I stayed like that.

I was thinking about a way to modify the chair.... I could bend that mounting plate on the seat back and add some
"drag links" I guess you would call them to allow the arms to bolt to the seat back further rearward.

I know what I'd do, but I don't have the shop tools to make up the parts to make it look nice.
Ah well.... sounds too much like work anyway. lol


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I grabbed one of these and built it yesterday. Actually I made the wife build most of it since I've got a broken ankle, but I've been using it for a good part of the day and it's definitely worth the $149 I paid. I went with the brown one to match my desk and got the waf nod of approval. Thanks op.
 
You should sit in more chairs....

Nice deal for a throw away though...

There is always someone who wants to thread crap and be a smart ass. There are more polite ways of bringing forth and argument then insult someone. Jeez
 
Just don't buy leather period...get a mesh or fabric chair. I have this one and I love it:

https://smile.amazon.com/HON-Big-Ta...d=1507166083&sr=8-1&keywords=hon+big+and+tall

Not as cheap but I've had it for well over a year (maybe two at this point?) and it's just as solid as the day I bought it. Gas lift is still 100% solid, no drooping, no noticeable wear on the fabric or arms.

I have tried several other cheap-ish Big & Tall chairs over the years and this has been the best thus far.

Thanks. It's on my wish list now. Hopefully I'll catch a sale in the next few months.

EDIT: Poking around, I found it cheaper at Wal-Mart's site - about $80 cheaper.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/VL705-Mesh-High-Back-Chair/19766963#read-more
 
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Where'd you get a Steelcase for $75? I know it was used, but was it a local deal? I looked around Ebay, but so many listed were "Pick-up only", and I couldn't figure out how to filter those out, or at least filter for my location.

/REALLY need a new chair.

Craigslist. Some guy in the Pittsburgh Area was selling a bunch. He was down to about 15 or so when I met up with him. Started at around 200 I guess. I actually asked him if he raided a closed office or something cuz I know used they're usually 299-350 haha. I guess his friend owns a furniture moving or office supply company where they do actually come into spaces that have been vacated. I've sat in them before at a show room and they were good for the 10-15 minutes but that's worldly different than the 5-8 hours I usually sit so I couldn't justify getting a used chair on ebay for 300+. But for 75 a piece, I bought 2.
 
Craigslist. Some guy in the Pittsburgh Area was selling a bunch. He was down to about 15 or so when I met up with him. Started at around 200 I guess. I actually asked him if he raided a closed office or something cuz I know used they're usually 299-350 haha. I guess his friend owns a furniture moving or office supply company where they do actually come into spaces that have been vacated. I've sat in them before at a show room and they were good for the 10-15 minutes but that's worldly different than the 5-8 hours I usually sit so I couldn't justify getting a used chair on ebay for 300+. But for 75 a piece, I bought 2.

Heh, I'm from Pittsburgh. Used to go to Trader Jack's flea market. I wouldn't have to wait too long before someone showed up with some old office furniture. Now I'm in a small town more than an hour from a big city. People post friggin' wasp nests on Craigslist, with not a decent chair in six months, not at any price. Thanks for the reply. I need a sturdy chair that will last awhile, and I'd like it for $250 or less. Kind of hard to make happen.
 
I'm currently using a beat up big and tall fabric covered chair. It's lost all it's padding and it's arm is glued together.

I seemed to miss this deal. Know of another?
 
I'm currently using a beat up big and tall fabric covered chair. It's lost all it's padding and it's arm is glued together.

I seemed to miss this deal. Know of another?

They go on sale ALL the time. If nothing else, go to slickdeals and set up a reminder for it. Its well worth waiting for. The bed springs in it make ALL the difference. I've had mine for 2 years now and any other chair would have been completely flat by now. This one is still supportive and as comfortable as the day I put it together.

Make sure you get one with the smart layers. It makes all the difference.
 
I really like the chair, great deal and very comfortable. Without being too graphic, it doesn't lean back far or easy enough for a good fap. You will be disappointed in this chair if you intend to do same in it.
 
Oh god, that's one of the things I hate most about my Aeron. Lean back just a hair, and that damned hard plastic lip digs into the back of your thighs.

Hmm. That's odd. I don't have that problem at all. Had my Aeron for 8 years and it's still good as new...

You may actually have the wrong size. I'm 6'2, 220 and use a size B. It's absolutely perfect for me. I had a size C at work for a while and it didn't feel right...

Yours might be too big.
 
Chair I got earlier this year:
https://smile.amazon.com/Flash-Furn...7864354&sr=8-6&keywords=hercules+chair+office

Also got the set of roller-blade wheel replacements. (HOLY SHIT THESE ARE WORTH IT.)

Chair's doing pretty good after... 7-8 months now. I sit in it a lot, too. (Not my day job chair though, that's in another city.)

I'm 6'8" And ~330lbs, so I'm not small.
Haven't had to tighten the screws, and no real complaints about padding.
Just about tall enough for me, too.
 
Hmm. That's odd. I don't have that problem at all. Had my Aeron for 8 years and it's still good as new...

You may actually have the wrong size. I'm 6'2, 220 and use a size B. It's absolutely perfect for me. I had a size C at work for a while and it didn't feel right...

Yours might be too big.

I'm also 6'2" and also have a size B. I think the problem is more that I try to use it as a lounge chair instead of a task chair...
 
I really wish I had gotten in on this. My old char is falling apart and now the cylinder is failing so it wants to go down occasionally.

I've justified a top-end chair, but when I start shopping they all feel good in-store and I worry about back support and such after throwing down a lot of cash.
 
I really wish I had gotten in on this. My old char is falling apart and now the cylinder is failing so it wants to go down occasionally.

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Well, maybe this will be to your liking:

https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/944591/Serta-Smart-Layers-Jennings-Super-Task/

$169.99, and there's a 20% off code for one QUALIFYING item in your cart if you sign up with them, I think. . .let me look into it a sec. . .OK, I think if you type, "office depot alerts" into Google and click on the first link, you can sign up with them, and they'll send you out the 20% off coupon right away (check your spam folder if it doesn't show up quickly). That's what I did a few days back and I paid under $150 delivered.

The 'Jennings' chair qualifies. Not sure what other chair qualifies, but you can try the coupon code until you find something that works.

It has adjustable armrests (for height). Like most chairs under several hundred dollars, it uses 'bonded leather'. I REALLY didn't want to get bonded leather, but when I tried to eliminate it, I found it cut out a huge selection of chairs in my price range. I caved.
 
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I have this chair (edit: the Hensley), but honestly it has a lot of problems.

The arms don't attach to the seat evenly/balanced (on one side of chair back the internal metal arm mounting point is depressed into the cushion, while on the other side it is sticking out), with one arm always digging into the side. Had it exchanged for a replacement, and it had the same issue to a slightly lesser degree, yet that one didn't lean back as smoothly. With both chairs, the paint was also slightly chipped on the some of the plastic parts.

Ended up keeping it, since I originally got it on sale Nov 2015, but then after 1 year using it 8-10hrs/day only 128lbs (upholstery warranty had just expired), the extremely thin polished top leather on the main seat cushion began to entirely flake off. Now nearing 2 years of ownership, ~50% of the leather on the main seat is now gone and slowly getting worse...

The chair is very comfortable, but quality control seems pretty shit on these both in construction and longevity for heavy use. While I'd assume getting a perfect one is possible, it's a bad investment if you are the type of person who likes keeping leather chairs for 5-10 years (my last leather chair I got from Frys in 2003 lasted me 12 years before it had any quality issues). I suspect what killed this one is extremely poor resilience to sweat, so if used lightly in a cool environment where you never sweat, it may have lasted longer. Honestly though, I prefer heavy-duty chairs, not ones you need to baby like this one.
 
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I have this chair, but honestly it has a lot of problems.

The arms don't attach to the seat evenly/balanced, with one arm always digging into the side. Had it exchanged for a replacement, and it had the same issue to a slightly lesser degree, yet that one didn't lean back as smoothly. With both chairs, the paint was also slightly chipped on the some of the plastic parts.

Ended up keeping it, since I originally got it on sale Nov 2015, but then after 1 years using it 8-10hrs/day only 128lbs (upholstery warranty has just expired), the extremely thin polished top leather on the main seat cushion began to entirely flake off. Now nearing 2 years of ownership, ~50% of the leather on the main seat is now gone and slowly getting worse...

The chair is very comfortable, but quality control seems pretty shit on these both in construction and longevity for heavy use. While I'd assume getting a perfect one is possible, it's a bad investment if you are the type of person who likes keeping leather chairs for 5-10 years (my last leather chair I got from Frys in 2003 lasted me 12 years before it had any quality issues). I suspect what killed this one is extremely poor resilience sweat, so if used lightly in a cool environment where you never sweat, it may have lasted longer. Honestly though, I prefer heavy-duty chairs, not ones you need to baby like this one.

The Hensley?
 
Yeah, Serta® Smart Layers™ Hensley Executive Big & Tall Chair, Roasted Chestnut/Satin Nickel (304601)

This is what the seat now looks like after ~2 years:

h2SMIiC.jpg
 
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Yeah, Serta® Smart Layers™ Hensley Executive Big & Tall Chair, Roasted Chestnut/Satin Nickel (304601)

This is what the seat now looks like after ~2 years:

h2SMIiC.jpg
Wowzers

I’m at about a year and I don’t have even a trace of the leather disintegration yet!?!? Sorry to see that! Yikes!
 
Yeah man, I'm kinda floggin' the ex-equine pretty hard at this point, but I just can't say it enough: "bonded leather" is shit. If you don't understand exactly what bonded leather is, do yourself a favor and look it up. It's only technically leather. It's the leather version of that wood they make from sawdust. It is not structurally sound, and the top of the 'leather' is actually a thin layer of polyurethane, with the impression of leathergrain pressed into it. You can't treat it well, care for it or oil it to keep it from drying out like you might normal leather products. What are you going to do, rub mink oil into the thin plastic surface? It's friggin' ground up leather glued together. You can't care for it, it's just going to come apart. Even if it doesn't crumble, that polyurethane is going to wear off fast, and then it's just rough, 'reconstituted' leather.

From Wikipedia:

Bonded leather is made by shredding leather scraps and leather fiber, then mixing it with bonding materials. The mixture is next extruded onto a fiber cloth, or paper backing, and the surface is usually embossed with a leather-like texture or grain. Color and patterning, if any, are a surface treatment that does not penetrate like a dyeing process would. The natural leather fiber content of bonded leather varies. The manufacturing process is somewhat similar to the production of paper.
I bought one made of bonded leather anyway. If you refuse to buy bonded leather, that eliminates 75% or more of low-to-mid-range chairs. Really kills your selection. I wanted to get something with a durable fabric finish, but ppl love the look of leather, and while that crap may fall apart in a year or two, it looks great on the sales floor. Shit, I'll admit it: I like the way my new chair looks. I'm just disappointed because I KNOW they didn't make it to last.

I have a cheap-ass leather coat that my ex bought me more than 20 years ago. Even though it was not high-quality leather, it was real leather, so I'd oil it now and again, and it just keeps hanging on. Bonded leather will never do that.

I WILL say that, I suppose, it's probable that some bonded leather is better than others, but there's no way to tell teh better stuff from the worst. It's a crapshoot.
 
I bought one made of bonded leather anyway. If you refuse to buy bonded leather, that eliminates 75% or more of low-to-mid-range chairs. Really kills your selection. I wanted to get something with a durable fabric finish, but ppl love the look of leather, and while that crap may fall apart in a year or two, it looks great on the sales floor. Shit, I'll admit it: I like the way my new chair looks. I'm just disappointed because I KNOW they didn't make it to last.

I bought a fake-leather chair, not because I wanted leather (I'd prefer fabric) but because... Cats. Leather won't make them want to stretch their legs/claws in your chair.
 
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