REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive
Good-looking
User-friendly instructions
REASONS TO AVOID
Limited adjustability
Poor material
Seat compresses
Amazon Basics Classic Puresoft Review
This model is best for short work sessions as it prioritizes price and aesthetics over long-term comfort and durability
We have spent thousands of hours testing chairs at GearLab over the last five years.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
RELATED: Best Office Chairs of 2024
Our Verdict
The Amazon Basics Classic Puresoft chair will steal your attention for its price and good looks. The model is best suited for shorter work sessions as it offers limited adjustability and acceptable short-term comfort. The armrests are not adjustable but are comfortable next to the skin. The easy-to-use instructions help ease some of the challenges in the setup. This chair is likely not the solution to your long-term needs. It likely won't be comfortable enough for 40+ hour work weeks, and there's nothing soft about it despite its name. We recommend other options from our review if that's what you need.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product Amazon Basics Classic Puresoft | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best Overall Office Chair |  Best Bang for the Buck | Best on a Tight Budget | ||
| Price | $97 List $76.99 at Amazon | $1,299 List $1,039 at Amazon | $819 List $617.60 at Amazon | $180 List $132.00 at Amazon | $40 List $39.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | With this model, you get what you pay for, which isn't much | Our favorite year after year, this is one of the highest performing chairs on the market | This chair boasts both comfort and high-quality features, though there is room for improvement in terms of providing additional adjustment options | It's not fancy, but this is our favorite budget-friendly chair for the money | This chair provides acceptable performance, especially for its price, but if you're after all-day comfort, we would recommend purchasing a premium model |
| Rating Categories | Amazon Basics Class... | Steelcase Leap | Steelcase Series 2 | Modway Articulate E... | Furmax Office Mesh |
| Comfort (50%) | |||||
| Adjustability (35%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Ease of Assembly (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Amazon Basics Class... | Steelcase Leap | Steelcase Series 2 | Modway Articulate E... | Furmax Office Mesh |
| Adjustable Seat Pan | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Adjustable Lumbar Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes; the backrest moves up and down | Yes |
| Adjustable Armrest Width | Yes | Option available | Option available | No | Option available |
| Recline Lever | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| Tilt Limiter | Yes; 3 stop points | Yes; 5 stop points | Yes; only locks in the upright position | Yes; locks you into a position | Semi; Upright back lock, Full recline with weight activated tention + boost, Full recline with weight activated tention |
| Swivel Armrests | No | Option available | Option available | No | Option available |
| Armrest Depth Adjustment | No | Option available | Option available | No | Option available |
| Tension Knob | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lumbar Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Amazon Basics Classic PureSoft is a simple office chair that attracts consumers' attention for its low price. We'd recommend this for smaller folks, so if you have a teenager who needs to sit at their desk to do homework, this could be a great option.
Performance Comparison
A simple and classic office chair to keep your home office looking professional.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Comfort
If you work sitting down, you understand the importance of a comfortable office chair. Our test team assessed the comfort of each chair as we evaluated the backrests, seat, and armrests. This chair disappointed most of our testers compared to the rest. However, this seemed appropriate, given the modest price.
The Puresoft will not provide the all-day comfort that most office workers seek. Our testers noted back pain arising in as little as half an hour. The seat and backrest offer minimal padding. The padding compressed in about 20 minutes, resulting in unsupported posture and discomfort. Additionally, the backrest also provided little to no lumbar support. The lack of support quickly created some lower and mid back pain. The overall frame size is best suited for smaller individuals due to the seat width and armrests. The chair feels constricted for larger individuals. The armrests are short and narrow, exacerbating the constricted feeling noted above.
Our test team would struggle to get through a 40-hour work week in this chair. We find it best suited for shorter periods.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Adjustability
Adjustability in an office chair allows you to find an ergonomic and supported sitting position for the workday. The Puresoft offers some adjustments, limited to seat height and tension control. The seat height provides a 5-inch range with a standard lift allowing our shorter 5'4" testers to reach the ground. The lumbar support is a nonadjustable, discreet bump on the lumbar area of the backrest. The chair omits a lock-out feature but leverages a tension knob that modulates the resistance of the rocking function. However, this feature has two main drawbacks. The knob is very difficult to access while sitting, and each rotation produces a nominal amount of tension.
The tensioner knob is challenging to access and operate while sitting down.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Durability
Although our test team didn't experience any durability issues, we scoured through hundreds of reviews to find those that had. The majority of 1-2 star consumer reviews reported things like ripped faux leather, busted seams, defeated hydraulics, compressed foam, and broken castor wheels. For the price point and popularity of this model, we expected to see themes of durability issues. Fortunately, numerous reviews also state the chair has lasted more than a year without an issue.
The durability of the faux leather was a common issue found in user reviews.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Assembly
Amazon Basics often provides user-friendly instructions with clear text and illustrations, and those for the PureSoft were no different. The instructions are very concise, and the images are helpful. However, the assembly itself was somewhat challenging. Our most common problem was the misaligned inserts that required some finagling. The backrest and seat are attached to the armrest, making the misaligned inserts even more challenging. That said, one person set up this chair in 30 minutes with only a short period of frustration.
The setup process has a few distinct challenges, like attaching the armrest to the seat and backrest.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Should You Buy the Amazon Basics Classic PureSoft?
If you are looking for an affordable chair for short seated sessions once in a while, this model is a fine choice. However, upgrading to a more adjustable and comfortable chair will be worth it if you plan on all-day sessions multiple times a week.
What Other Office Chairs Should You Consider?
If you are looking for a comfortable and budget-friendly chair, consider the Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh. For those with more flexibility in their budget, we recommend the Steelcase Leap.
—
Isaac Laredo
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