Last updated: 02nd Jun 2025
Want an ergonomic office chair that doesn’t scream “teenage gamer”? ErgoTune claims to have you covered.
The Vesby is the more sophisticated cousin to the venerable ErgoTune Joobie – and the most recent addition to my list of top office chairs in Australia.
Is it worth the $899 sticker price – about $200 more than the Joobie? I’ve been using it in my home office for the past 5 months to find out.
Where To Buy
5 Things I Love About The ErgoTune Vesby.
Chairs that sell for $900-$1000 offer full ergonomic adjustment, premium materials and reasonably stylish design. The Vesby doesn’t disappoint.
1. Design That Turns Heads.
Above: The Vesby costs $900, but looks like a $1,500 office chair.
If you regularly read my blog, you’ll know that I consistently complain that ergonomic chairs tend to look like bulky, ugly monstrosities that belong in basements of young teenagers.
Vesby’s designers made an effort to break out of this drudgery.
The design is outstanding. In fact, I believe it’s the chair’s main selling point.
The shape is bold and sophisticated, reminding me of classic Humanscale designs by Nils Diffrient (Google Humanscale Liberty and World, if you’re curious).
Expert Tip.
I didn’t attach Vesby’s headrest because, in my view, the chair looks smarter without it (see photo below). I also rarely use headrests.
Above: My Vesby in black with the headrest removed. I prefer the squared-off shape of the backrest.
You get a choice of 5 colours – most of them very loud.
But if you do choose a coloured option, note that the colour covers both the frame and the mesh – not just the mesh.
This subtle design choice contributes to Vesby’s bold, standout look. Unlike the safe, subdued Steelcase designs, the Vesby demands attention.
It’s built to be a statement piece.
Important!
Vesby’s size contributes to the visual heft. It’s ~20% larger in all dimensions than a standard office chair (more about it below).
2. Fabulous Fabric Mesh.
Above: The lumbar pad adjusts for height and reach. It’s always strong, without being aggressive.
Do you hate the feeling of rubbery office chair mesh on your skin?
But do you find fabric seats too sweaty?
The Vesby offers the best of both worlds.
ErgoTune’s fabric-infused mesh extends across both the seat base and the backrest, and feels outstanding on the skin.
It also provides a luxurious suspended feeling.
The tension is just right. I never felt my backside getting sore from 8-10 hour workdays. Nor did I feel like I was sagging into the chair.
Important!
Will the soft mesh withstand years of daily use? 5 months in, it still looks brand new. My ErgoTune Joobie also fared well
3. Plush, Premium Armrests.
Above: Two-piece backrest, with a separate lumbar, is clearly visible here.
ErgoTune’s armrests have always sucked. I’ve criticised them on the Supreme for the past 4 years – and even more so on the Joobie.
The Vesby is the polar opposite.
It’s a masterclass in armrest design.
First, they’re attractive to look at. As with the rest of the chair, their rounded shape looks heavily inspired by Humanscale designs.
Second, their caps are on point. Soft enough to provide comfort but hard enough to be durable, they also look like they belong on a chair that costs almost $1,000.
Third, they adjust in all directions you’d expect. Full 360-degree swivel, width, pivot, height and depth are available.
Important!
My only gripe with the Vesby’s armrests? Their minimum height. At the lowest setting – 18 cm above the seat – they sit higher than most. Most chairs drop below 15 cm to keep your shoulders relaxed.
4. Built Like A Tank.
Above: Vesby’s headrest is massive. Instead of looking like an awkward afterthought, it follows the lines of the backrest.
I’ve used on chairs ranging from $120 to $3300, and the Vesby’s build quality definitely feels like it belongs at the upper end of this scale.
Armrests make satisfying metallic clicks when adjusted. Lumbar support knobs, although made from plastic, don’t feel flimsy.
Controls look and feel decidedly premium, and are laid out in a logical, legible row of levers on the right-hand side of the chair.
Important!
The warranty is shorter than I expected at this price – 4 years on the frame, 3 on the mechanisms. In contrast, a Steelcase Series 2, retailing for roughly $1,200, offers 12 years of coverage. That said, ErgoTune bumps it up to 6 and 5 years if you post a photo or video of the chair on social media. It’s a great deal – do it.
Above: Seat depth, tilt lock, and seat height controls are in the top row. Tilt tension is adjusted using the big knob below.
3 Things I Hate About The ErgoTune Vesby.
The Vesby is a great chair, but it as a few flaws you must know about.
1. Mesh Is Prone To Stains.
Above: Black is the least prone to stains.
I’ve pointed this out when reviewing both the Joobie and the Supreme, and I must do it here.
That soft, fuzzy feeling against your legs comes at a cost: it’s harder to clean. Fabric doesn’t let go of stains as well as rubber.
This is not an issue if your Vesby is black in colour, or you don’t eat at your desk. But if you opted for one of the lighter/brighter hues, and/or are known for spilling your food, be careful.
Important!
I once ruined a perfectly good Coral Red Supreme while scoffing down a sandwich. Hitting it with a few rounds of dishwashing liquid reduced the stain but didn’t quite eliminate it.
2. It’s Huge!
Above: Notice the Vesby’s bulk in this side-by-side comparison with my Recess Ergo chair.
This is both a strength and a weakness. But after deliberation, I decided to mark it as the former.
Look at the photo above: the Recess Ergo is pretty typical in size. But the Vesby’s parts are clearly much wider:
- Armrests (53 vs 45 cm) yes, Vesby’s can be moved in by 5 cm each – but I wanted to show them in their default setting.
- Seat pan (52 vs 50 cm).
- Backrest (60 vs 49 cm at widest point).
The Vesby is great for tall people like me (I’m 200 cm) or those on the heavier side. But that’s less than 20% of the population.
For shorter or petite users, it will feel oversized. More like being swallowed than seated.
Vesby’s larger dimensions also impact the chair’s seating experience (see below) and its room presence.
This is not a great chair for small offices. It will overpower a small room – especially when optioned in a bright colour.
3. Not For Tasking.
Some office chairs (like the Recess Ergo I showed in the photo above) are made for tasking. They are great at keeping you bolt upright, in a perfectly ergonomic position.
Downside?
They don’t recline well.
Important!
Other chairs (e.g., Herman Miller Aeron, you guessed it, the Vesby) are made for reclining. Their autonomous or synchronous-tilt mechanisms encourage you to lean back and relax.
Chairs like this are great for people who spend 50% of their day tasking and the other 50% researching, on Zoom meetings, gaming or watching movies.
Think of tasking chairs as utility cars. You use them for shorter periods of time – and for a specific purpose. If you spend 5-6 hours per day typing – and nothing else – the Vesby isn’t for you.
Reclining chairs, meanwhile are the perfect all-rounders. SUVs of the ergonomic office chair world, they let you do anything – but feel compromised in everything.
How The ErgoTune Vesby Scored.
The Vesby scores high for its ergonomics and price.
| Ergonomics | 5/5 |
| Comfort | 4.5/5 |
| Aesthetics | 4.5/5 |
| Build Quality | 4.5/5 |
| Ease Of Assembly | 4.5/5 |
| Price | 5/5 |
| Warranty | 4/5 |
| Return Policy | 4/5 |
| OVERALL | 4.5/5 |
My Verdict About the ErgoTune Vesby.
If you’re looking for an attractive, bold chair that costs under $1,000 and offers superb ergonomics, the Vesby is for you.
It’s not for petite or short people (if you’re under 165 cm and/or 70 kg, you’re better off with the Steelcase Series 2 or Steelcase Series 1).
The Vesby is a particularly great deal if you’re over 35 years of age, and want a chair that communicates “professionalism” and “maturity” – but you don’t want to stretch to $2,000 on something like a Steelcase Leap or Gesture.
Steven
Cody says:
Hi,
Do you know 9am HOME standing desks?
I want to know how about their desk.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Cody, I’ve never seen them before but I took a quick look for you and I’m 90% certain it’s another Jiecang desk. You can tell by the design of the feet and the lowest height (60cm). Desky, Omnidesk, Stand Desk are all pretty much the same.
Cody says:
Which one do you mean? Pesk or Robin series? I am interested in their Robin series, it looks unique and beautiful. I can’t find anyone like it in Desky.
Steven McConnell says:
I was talking about the Pesk Series. Robin series does look attractive and unusual, but I’m usually not a fan of tubular legs as they tend to be more prone to wobble. I can’t say whether this is the case in this instance, as I haven’t physically tested the desk myself. The 10 year warranty is reassuring, however. I wish they offered a risk-free trial to let you test out the legs!
Cody says:
Thank you very much, Steven; I will take your comments into consideration.
Erin says:
Do you know much about Kangadesks? There are Australian as well.
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Erin, its another Jiecang standing desk. Same as Desky, Omni, Stand Desk etc. The design of the feet and 60-125cm height range gives it away. The desk appears to currently be currently on sale for $299, which is an absolute steal and I’m wondering why they’re selling their stock at 1/3 of RRP. Regardless, even if they’re about to go bust, I’d still buy one at that price.
EDIT: Be careful. Fakespot showed these warnings while browsing their website: “Multiple eCommerce scam experiences detected, Poor customer service”
Suzy says:
Hi – given all the desks are so similar, is it possible to mix a desk from one brand with a drawer accessory from another? I don’t like the UpDown desk metal drawer (hangs very low so likely to impede leg space) but don’t mind the Desky one – can these be mixed and matched?
Thank you for the reviews! Super helpful.
Steven McConnell says:
Yes, it’s possible to play switcheroo. But you may want to consider that UpDown design is curved, so it will hurt less if you do jam your thighs into it. Desky’s meanwhile, is quite angular. Pro tip: you can also find a bunch of inexpensive slimline desk drawers on Amazon.
jason says:
I’ve spent far, far too much time agonising over which desk to get haha, definitely more than a week. Very happy that you’ve added the omni-desk to your catalogue. That was the one I was considering the most untill you came you with a review saying that it was more wobbly!
Anyways, do you have an opinion on the new updown desk KLIK Series? Its advertises to be significanlty ligher while having better (on paper) specs
Thanks!
Evelyn says:
Hi Steven, great blog post – thank you! I’m also wondering whether you have any opinion or insights on the new UpDown Desk KLIK series…they come at $100 more expensive (for the same size/table top) but seem to be ‘better’ according to the UpDown website.
Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Evelyn, thanks! I will have a full review of the KLIK up around February 2025. It’s not necessarily a better standing desk – but it is lighter, less bulky and promises easier assembly.
Ben Clements says:
Hi. I’m interested to know more about whether I actually could fit the Desky cable management system in the Omnidesk? I’ve had a look at the omnidesks in person at the showroom and it looks like their cable management trays screw on (vs the clip in at the edges of the desk with the Desky tray). The desky system also has the power plugs that snap into place in the tray.
So I’m curious to know if you have you tried it, and if so how did you do it please? Or is your thinking that you’d just buy the power boards and plugs from Desky and rest them in the Omnidesk tray?
I’m stuck, because I prefer the Omnidesks but I really love the idea of a single power lead!
Thanks
Steven McConnell says:
I just had a new Omnidesk delivered to my house. Give me about two weeks to assemble it, test it out and report back.
Sunni says:
Thanks for your very helpful (and funny) review. I used the information to to buy a Desky standing desk in record time – no consumer agonising for weeks, as is my usual practice. It has a pneumatic up/down mechanism, so lets see how that goes.
Steven McConnell says:
Ha! You’re welcome, Sunni. Glad I helped you cut down on the agonising. The pneumatic mechanism is an interest choice – let me know what you think of it?
Amber says:
Hi Steven,
Really great and insightful review. It was refreshing to see something that wasn’t filled with ChatGPT affiliate link garbage!
I’m curious about your opinion on L-shaped standing desks? I know that Desky, UpDown and a few other retailers offer these types of desks and I would assume they are more strong and stable, but I’m not an expert and I can also imagine the opposite being true due to the irregular shape. I’ve been looking at these types of desks because I think their shape suits my space the best. Do you have any knowledge on this or do you only have experience with regular rectangular shaped desks?
Steven McConnell says:
Thanks, Amber. Did you know that I have a L-shaped standing desk review? Search for “arielle best corner standing desks” and you’ll find it.
Melissa says:
Hi Steven great article thank you!
I’ve spent way to much time on this, and I’m now leaning towards the Artiss thanks to your review.
I’m wondering if you have any insight into ergonomic chairs for the home office also?
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Melissa, thanks! The Artiss is a great budget pick. I’ve written numerous ergonomic chair reviews – Google “arielle best ergonomic office chairs” to find them 🙂
tania says:
hey are there any other manual desks apart from the ikea ones you don’t recommend, that you would recommend? I prefer the idea of not needing electricity to move between stand up and sit down but maybe that doesn’t really exist?
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Tania, all of the premium brands (UpDown, Desky, etc) offer a manual crank model. Definitely the way to go if you want to avoid electronics. But TBH I suggest you reconsider. Electronics are very reliable these days – and hand-cranking your standing desk is more annoying than you’d expect.
Adam says:
Hi, do you know much about the UpDown Klik vs Pro system?
Steven McConnell says:
The company has shipped their new Klik standing desk to me yesterday. Stay tuned!
Scott Long says:
You mention in your review of the Up Down Pro that you would get the cable holes and grommets done, but it looks like your (very pretty) Messmate desk doesn’t have them. Is your recommendation a hindsight reflection, or did you choose not to spoil the look of the desk with the grommets? Without the grommets can you can still run the cables behind the desk and into the cable management tray? Cheers!
Steven McConnell says:
Scott, I said in the review that grommets and holes are a great idea, not that I have them. They’re less important if your standing desk faces a wall. But if you have an open-plan style home office like mine, they’ll make your workspace look much cleaner. PS You can still run cables into the tray without the holes and grommets – the cables will simply run behind the desk.
Isaac Jenkinson says:
Hello,
Have you had a chance to try the new UpDown Lyft model? Curious about its stability vs the pro.
Steven McConnell says:
Isaac,
Not yet. On first glance, it looks like a budget alternative to the “big brothers”. It’s probably pretty good (UpDown has a reputation to maintain), but I’m of the opinion that buying cheap means you pay more in the long term. I’d save up another few hundred bucks and get the Pro. You can often get a melamine or bamboo-topped model on sale for around $900.
David says:
This is a great site and will help me decide on which desk to buy. Have you heard any good/bad reviews about the Blacklyte Atlas Lite or Ergo-Rise II from BDO furniture?
Steven McConnell says:
David, thanks for the kind words. Never heard of the Atlas Lite until you mentioned it. Looks like a decent gaming desk that borrows heavily from Secretlab Magnus – but why not just buy a real Magnus instead?
As for the Ergo-Rise – looks like a decent desk, but its height controller is outdated. The best standing desk brands have upgraded to OLED controllers.
Ben says:
Thank you for writing this review Steven; really helpful to break through the BS.
By any chance have you used or hold an opinion on Vertilift desks?
Steven McConnell says:
You’re welcome. God, I haven’t even heard of them – but thanks for the heads-up. There are too many standing desks on the Australian market. Obviously I haven’t used these in person, but I’m almost certain they’re yet another Jiecang variant (i.e., frames are identical to Desky). You can tell by the identical max and min heights, as well as the design of the foot.
Eloise says:
Hey Steven, I was recommended the Alwyn or Octavia (Living Fusion) 140cm sit and stand desks from Temple and Webster which don’t even get a mention in your review. Would you bother with any of their brands ? (I may have dodged a bullet by finding your review!)
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Louise, I haven’t had first-hand experience with the T&W standing desk (must add one to my list!).
However, I had a look through the specs for you.
It doesn’t look too bad, actually – considering the price. If you can’t stretch your budget to ~$950 for an entry-level UpDown or Desky, this could be a good option.
Jordan says:
Hi Steven, Thanks for the review! I am starting out with a home office set up and need a new chair and sit stand desk. I’m a student but I prefer to buy things I know will last, but I don’t have too much experience with sit stand desks. I initially thought to buy the Artiss but have considered buying the Acacia UpDown Pro+ so I know it lasts and I don’t have to buy another desk in a couple of years. Is it worth the price jump for me? Thanks!
Steven McConnell says:
Hi Jordan, the Artiss and the UpDown desks sell at two very different price points. If you have the budget, I suggest you stretch to the UpDown standing desk – you won’t regret it.
jason says:
I know you’ve disqualified the flexispot e7 pro so the e7 max plus would probably also be disqualified, but a quad motor 4 column desk frame at a prices competitive with UpDown desk is incredibly tempting. Plus 15 year warrenty (if the company lasts that long)
Have you had a chance to take a look? Its like half the price of the desky quad!
Steven McConnell says:
Hey Jason, great observation. I haven’t included quad standing desks here because they’ve traditionally attracted a niche consumer – someone who needs to place a tonne of gear on the desktop and doesn’t mind paying 2X the usual price. But Flexispot’s sharp pricing on their quad desk certainly changes things. I haven’t seen one in the wild yet – but the specs look promising.
Steven