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I’ve reviewed a significant amount of gear from Sihoo over the years. Sihoo is one of those companies that offer a wide range of prices, covering budget gear all the way to higher-end gear.
The Sihoo M56C-V2 favors the budget side, but it’s not as budget-friendly as the Sihoo M76A-M101. However, it does remind me of it a lot. Where the M76A-M101 was very lightweight, making it feel a bit cheaper, the M56C-V2 feels a bit heftier, without significantly increasing the price tag. Is it one of the best office chairs around? I took it for a spin to find out.
Sihoo M56C-V2: Price and availability
The Sihoo M56C-V2 can be purchased from the Sihoo website, Amazon, Best Buy, and several other retailers, and I’m sure that number will grow over time, as this is still a relatively new release chair. The chair costs just over $200, and depending on where you buy it from, you could get next-day delivery, pickup, or relatively fast shipping.
Sihoo M56C-V2: Unboxing and First Impressions
I’ve reviewed a significant amount of gear from Sihoo over the years. Sihoo is one of those companies that offer a wide range of prices, covering budget gear all the way to higher-end gear. The Sihoo M56C-V2 favors the budget side, but it’s not as budget-friendly as the Sihoo M76A-M101.
Some users or businesses want a good chair with some ergonomics, but they don’t want to spend an exorbitant amount of money. Sadly, when it comes to budget chairs, ergonomic features are often the first to be sacrificed. For this chair, however, the ergonomics are still present, providing good back support, albeit with the lumbar support a little too low for some users.
Assembly will depend on your comfort level with building chairs. If you know what you’re doing and are fairly comfortable assembling items like this, you can probably build it in around an hour. However, those with less experience may take longer to build. Another thing that could help speed up the process of assembling this chair is an electric screwdriver.
Sihoo M56C-V2: Design & Build Quality
The Sihoo M56C-V2 has a firm mesh back with a self-adjusting lumbar system. It’s designed to lean and adjust with you while you move in the seat, and for some, it will work great. For others, it may feel slightly lower than desired, although Sihoo aimed to support the true lower lumbar region, rather than the mid-to-low back, unlike many chairs.
The seat cushion, although not the best on the market, still provides a reasonably decent seat for the price. Lastly, the armrests and headrest provide enough flexibility and adjustment options to be helpful, without being ground-breaking and expensive.
Sihoo M56C-V2: In use
I’ve had the Sihoo M56C-V2 in my inventory for 100 days at the time of writing this review. So far, this chair has held up nicely to everything we have thrown at it, including long working days.
All around, I’m impressed with just how good this chair is for the price. Granted, it has its ups and downs, but for around $200, it’s pretty impressive that it offers any ergonomic features. There is a comfortable headrest, a great cushion that provides support without being uncomfortable, and it has good armrests.
While, for the most part, this chair is excellent, some users on my team have noted that the chair’s lumbar is lower than they prefer. Additionally, the armrests cannot move inward, though that’s usually a feature I only see on the more premium chairs, so no marks against the M56C in that regard.
The members of my team who felt like the lumbar was too low took matters into their own hands and added a DIY towel roll to the top of the lumbar support to help adjust the relief to the proper spot.
Other members of my team like the lowest part of the lumbar support because it feels like it properly holds their lower back.
Over the last 100 days of use, I’ve had one member use this chair far more than anyone else on my team. They have found that this chair is just about perfect for them. The armrests are great, the seat is comfortable, the lumbar support is helpful, the headrest is supportive, and the overall feel is wildly beneficial. This team member has suffered from migraines and tension headaches for quite some time, so having a chair that can give them a comfortable seat, a supported back, and a headrest makes all the difference.
Sihoo M56C-V2: Final verdict
The Sihoo M56C-V2 is not the fanciest chair, nor is it perfect, but it is a budget-friendly option that is well worth the money. If you are looking for a great budget chair for your home office or want to buy in bulk for a conference room or office bullpen, this chair is a great option to consider.
Should you buy a Sihoo M56C-V2?
|
Value |
Good level of ergonomics for the price |
4.5 / 5 |
|
Design |
Simple design, clean, aggressive lumbar support |
4 / 5 |
|
Hardware |
Basic armrests, and adjust-less lumbar are simple. They work but are not for everyone |
3.5 / 5 |
|
Performance |
Great for budget buyers, also for average height to shorter users |
4 / 5 |
|
Overall |
Not perfect, but one of the better wallet-friendly chairs you can buy today if you like lumbar support |
4 / 5 |
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
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