GoKawiilI’ve never been someone who sits “correctly.” Ever since a hamstring avulsion injury as a teen, I naturally tuck one leg underneath me or sit cross-legged to take pressure off my left glute and keep my sciatica from acting up.
Traditional office chairs aren’t built for that, which sent me down a rabbit hole researching meditation chairs and kneeling chairs, and it even led me to try the TikTok-viral criss-cross chair. That one came close to what I needed, but its seat was a little too firm for my taste, and the lack of wheels was a pain to scooch in and out of my desk. We also tried the Pipersong Meditation Chair some years back, but found the stool and chair back too small to be comfortable.
When I came across this version from Amseatec, I was intrigued: It looked like a regular desk chair but with a wider, cushier seat; fold-down armrests; and perhaps most important, wheels. I figured it was worth one more try to find my unicorn desk chair. My biggest takeaway: If you ever find yourself morphing into increasingly questionable body positions by 3 pm on a day full of Zoom calls, this chair might be for you.
Room to Move
The Amseatec’s seat is about 25 inches across, compared with the 18 to 20 inches typical of a standard office chair, and those extra inches make the difference. I’m only 5'2", but I could comfortably sit cross-legged, tuck one leg underneath me, sit sideways, or even curl up with both knees bent with plenty of room. I liked that I didn’t have to fold the armrests down every time I shifted positions. The seat is wide enough that I can still sit cross-legged with the armrests locked upright, though collapsing them turns the chair into more of a lounge seat. (More on that later.)
The extra room also makes it feel less purpose-built than many other cross-legged chairs, which seem designed primarily around one position. This one works just as well when I’m sitting in a “proper” posture as it does when I’m twisted like a pretzel.
The Real Party Trick
Photograph: Nicole Kinning
The armrests click through five locking positions before laying completely flat, like folding wings, which gives you room to stretch out instead of being boxed into one stiff posture all day. I found myself changing positions constantly, like working upright while typing, sitting cross-legged during meetings, and clicking the chair arms down to lazily lean sideways while reading emails and doing my online puzzles.