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a lot about my chair and whether I still use the Ikea Markus. And the quick answer is yes but its not
perfect. You can check out my full review of the chair
in my other video. I also have this other generic office chair
that was a freebie but it also has its issues.
Why? Well thats what I want to cover in the
video, so you know exactly what I look for in the perfect task chair for the office. So lets start with probably the most overlooked
but actually one of the more important feature, the seat pan depth. When you sit with your back flush against
the chair your legs should hang over the edge leaving roughly around 2-3 inches of space
between the seat edge and the back of your knees. If the seat pan is too short your legs dont
get the proper support and if its too deep the seat will pinch the back of your legs
cutting off circulation.
Some cheaper chairs will have limited seat
pan adjustment like this knob here to move the chair back and forth, higher end chairs
will usually have more adjustments for this but the ikea markus doesnt have any so
its not great for everybody. Next lets look at seat height and this
pretty standard on most chairs from cheap to expensive. Youll want to set your chair low enough
so that your feet are firmly supported by the floor. And also so that your arms are high enough
so your forearms are roughly parallel or slightly downward with the table, while keeping your
elbow close to your body.
This does sometimes mean you may need a footrest
if your table is too high. Or an adjustable desk like my Ikea bekant
so I can adjust it down to proper levels. Arm rests are another thing I find pretty
important especially if youre sitting for long periods of time. While not necessary for everyone, at least
for me I like to lean on something once in a while to take the weight off my back.
The arm rests on the Ikea Markus dont move
and are little too low for me too lean on sometimes. Most other office chairs like my generic one
have at least height adjustable arm rests but I still have a problem with these. I like bring my chair really far forward so
my forearms over the table and I can keep my elbows close to my body so Im not reaching
or hunching over. The issue with typical armrest is even at
the lowest setting they can get in way when I try to tuck in my chair in.
High end chairs will sometimes have more adjustments
so you can move them to the back or to the side so you can avoid this problem or if you
dont need them you can usually just remove the arm rests entirely like I did for both
my Ikea Markus and Generic chair. Everything else I look for in a chair is pretty
standard. Is the seat firm but comfortable? Check. Does the chair allow for the back to lean
and lock in place when I want a change of position? Check.
Is the lumbar support in the right position
for my comfort? Pretty good (terrible on my generic chair)
Do I need a high back and head rest? I really like the options. Will it last for years to come? Only time will tell but so far so good. So in the end what is the perfect chair? Is the Ikea Markus perfect for me? Not really but its decent for the price. If you can afford to spend $800 plus on a
chair you can look at the Steelcase or Herman Miller chairs that are super customizable
and are built to last with long warranties.
And theyre definitely worth it especially
if youre sitting for hours but if you cant afford them. Well there are some cheaper options like buying
used, or considering models like the Alera Elusion or Office Master OM5. These look interesting but you often make
some sacrifices on adjustability, build quality and warranty as you move down the price ladder. Or if youre lucky the Ikea Markus or some
other cheap generic office chair could be perfect for you right out of the box.
But in the end youre going to need test
them out in person and check for all the things that I mentioned like seat pan depth, height,
and arm adjustments to know whats best for you. Hopefully that helps you find your perfect
office chair. You know what to do. And Ill see you in the next video..