Last updated: January 22nd, 2026
Confession time. I’ve reviewed so many office chairs that I no longer get excited about them. A couple of years ago, I’d get giddy when a new box arrived at my doorstep.
These days, ergonomic office chairs blend into an ocean of bland, plasticky sameness. They look more similar than different, and above the $800 price point, have nearly identical features.
Does this make me jaded? Or more objective?
Today’s Best Deals On Sihoo Doro S300.
You decide, but when the (awkwardly named) Sihoo Doro S300 arrived, I was expecting a YABEC (Yet Another Boring Ergonomic Chair), wrapped in a thick layer of polished marketing bulls**t, toting its “revolutionary” features.
The closer I looked, the more I realised how wrong I was.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Premium Build. Everything feels nice to the touch. Rock-solid build quality. | Chrome Detailing. You’ll either love it or hate it. |
| Exceptional Ergonomic Support. Excellent armrests and seat pan. The backrest has a superb recline motion. | Integrated Headrest. Dealbreaker for people who want a real headrest. |
| Comfort. A huge range of adjustments means you will find an ideal sitting position. | A Bit Small For Taller Users. People above 6″4 may want a deeper and taller seat pan. |
5 Reasons To Buy The Sihoo Doro S300.
It’s not perfect or cheap (see my criticisms below). But the Sihoo Doro S300 punches well above its weight in comfort and ergonomics departments.
1. Striking Design & Superb Build Quality.
Above: The chrome exoskeleton is striking but may not be to everyone’s taste.
The S300 is an attractive beast.
A sculpted backrest and an Aeron-inspired seat (more about that shortly) combine with minimalist controls to create an elegant, somewhat industrial, space-age look.
It’s also much prettier in the flesh than in the company’s stock photos.
Regardless, the Doro S300 exudes a premium aesthetic. I love design details like the exposed piston that controls lumbar pressure and the visible springs under the seat.
Build quality doesn’t disappoint, either.
Nothing rattles.
(Related: What Is The Best Standing Desk In Australia?)
Nothing feels cheap to the touch.
Everything that clicks into place does so with a satisfying, expensive sound.
The Sihoo Doro S300 is built to last – and to withstand a lot of abuse.
I dislike rubbery, cheap office chair mesh that looks like an Officeworks special and leaves sweaty imprints on bare skin.
Above: The footrest is surprisingly useful when reclining. Note the armrests’ ability to tilt up.
Elastic and soft, Doro S300’s mesh does none of those things.
It even surpasses the excellent fabric-infused mesh of my long-time favourite mid-range office chair, the Ergotune Supreme.
But a comparison with a more upmarket product – the venerable Herman Miller Aeron – is more interesting.
I’ll even go out on a limb and say that Sihoo’s designers used the Aeron as a key source of inspiration.
2. Excellent Seat Pan And Armrests.
Above: Thin side edges hold you in place while the generous waterfall front ensures your legs don’t go numb.
The Aeron’s influence is particularly evident in the S300’s seat pan and armrest design.
Both chairs have similar bucket seats with hard frames and waterfall edges.
But while the Aeron’s frame is often criticised for cutting off leg circulation, the Sihoo’s is unlikely to do so due to its thinner profile and more curvy shape.
Expert Tip.
That said, if you’re an ergonomic rebel who likes to sit cross-legged, you will struggle to be comfortable, as the bucket’s sides will dig into your thighs.
The depth of the seat pan is adjustable, and with the pan fully forward, there’s no gap between it and the backrest.
Above: No gap between the backrest and the seat pan for you to fall through.
In fact, there is so much overlap between the two that I wonder why designers didn’t allow the seat to move further forward.
The S300 will offer plenty of under-thigh support to short to medium-sized folks, but users above 6″4 may wish for more seat pan depth.
Important!
The frame is deliberately designed to stay rigid and inflexible. This is a deliberate design choice that – again – echoes that of the Aeron. While chairs like the Steelcase Leap flex and mould to your body, rigid-framed chairs like the S300 hold you in an ergonomic position.
What’s the difference? As a rough rule of thumb, one is a chair you sit on, while the other is a chair you sit in.
As someone who has used rigid and flexible chairs, I have traditionally liked the latter, but in recent years, I have developed a mild preference for the former.
Maybe I’m getting older? Either way, it’s a very subjective issue, and not one that’s easy to convey using words on a page.
Let’s move on to Doro S300’s best feature – the armrests.
Above: Pads look great and offer plenty of padding
Second only to the Steelcase Gesture, they articulate in all directions and surprise with a novel ability to tilt up, pivot in and pivot out.
Important!
The pivoting function is great for using hand-held devices as it allows you to form a little table for your forearms.
Moreover, movement in every direction feels natural and doesn’t require pressing any buttons.
The armpads also look like they were lifted straight from an Aeron, although they look more modern. Soft yet durable, they’re outstanding.
The pivoting function seemed excessive (read: over-engineered) at first, but I soon realised how handy it is for using mobile devices.
Above: You can pivot both arms to create a mini-table for your forearms and doom-scroll to your heart’s content.
3. Superb Lumbar Support.
Above: Lovers of gentle, progressive lumbar support will love the Sihoo Doro S300.
The dual pad design avoids putting pressure directly on the spine and instead spreads the pressure throughout the meaty parts of the lumbar area.
Even at its firmest setting, it doesn’t poke or prod you.
No height adjustment means you can’t target a specific area of your back, but that’s not the intended function of this lumbar system.
4. Recline Function.
I’ve seen other reviewers complain that the S300 doesn’t lock in a reclined position.
They’re missing the point.
Cheap chairs with poor-quality tilting mechanisms do indeed have locking functions, but the S300’s “Anti-Gravity Mechanism” is simply a weight-sensitive recline that mimics the function of high-end chairs like the Humascale Freedom and the Herman Miller Cosm.
Important!
The big idea is to encourage movement, and for the chair to stop at any angle without needing to be locked into place.
The friction knob controls the amount of friction that the chair will exert back at you, and this allows people of different weights to always feel “weightless”.
Does it work?
Yes, mostly.
I’m quite heavy (98kg) and wish I could dial in slightly more friction, as the chair has a slight proclivity to recline more than I want.
Lighter people won’t find this to be an issue.
Rather than fishing under the chair for controls a few times per day, I leave the recline fully open and friction knob on maximum setting, letting my body weight dial in the precise amount of tilt I need.
By the way, this type of recline also works best in boardrooms and meeting rooms.
If you’ve ever endured the pain of waiting 5 minutes at the start of each meeting while everyone fidgets and adjusts their damn chair, you’ll know exactly why.
Again, it’s very similar to the Aeron’s, with armrests that travel back and a seat pan that rocks back.
Your feet stay firmly on the ground but your arms stay supported. Magic.
5. Huge Range Of Adjustments.
Above: All controls are neatly organised on one side of the chair, adding to the minimalist, clean look.
I’ve already alluded to some of these above, but let me provide more detail.
The S300 will adjust to just about any body type. You get:
- Seat depth and height
- Seat back height.
- Recline with a 3-position tilt limiter and tension adjustment.
- 6D armrests.
- Lumbar tension.
Unfortunately, the tallest people will want more height, and die-hard fans of adjustable headrests will also find the S300s to be a sticking point (see “cons” below).
Important!
An adjustable headrest is great for gamers and people who nap in office chairs. I do neither of those things and find adjustable headrests ugly, so S300’s integrated one is perfect.
Reasons To Avoid The Sihoo Doro S300.
Time to throw some stones at the S300.
My first gripe is personal. I’m almost 2 meters tall and wish the Sihoo did more to accommodate taller people.
The S300’s maximum seat pan height of 53cm is roughly on par with industry standards and will cover 95% of users.
The Ergotune Supreme, meanwhile, offers an option to increase the height to 57cm via a gas piston upgrade at checkout.
That is an excellent feature that I wish more chair manufacturers offered.
Important!
While it’s possible to spec almost any office chair with a $70 aftermarket piston that adds ~5cm of height (search on Amazon if you need one), it’d be nice if manufacturers offered this as an OEM option at checkout.
Speaking of the seat pan, its depth adjustment mechanism requires you to unlock the lever, then throw your hips forward to push the pan into the required position.
It’s not a classy look – especially if young Sally from marketing is watching.
Doro’s integrated headrest isn’t a real headrest, and will disappoint gamers and people who nap in their chairs.
The curvy top edge of the backrest is sculpted into a very attractive shape, but is not compatible with 3rd party headrests.
Last but not least, the S300 doesn’t feature forward tilt adjustment. This isn’t a deal-breaker at all, but would have been a nice surprise.
How The Sihoo Doro S300 Stacks Up.
The Sihoo Doro S300 is the Lexus of ergonomic office chairs.
It’s refined, polite, comfortable and loaded with features. Regardless, many people may be tempted by a Mercedes (I mean, a Steelcase or a Herman Miller) just because of the badge.
| Adjustments | 5/5 |
| Comfort | 5/5 |
| Aesthetics | 4.5/5 |
| Build Quality & Warranty | 4.5/5 |
| Cost | 5/5 |
| OVERALL | 4.8/5 |
My Verdict On The Sihoo Doro S300 Chair.
What would happen if the Herman Miller Aeron, the Humanscale Freedom and the Steelcase Gesture had a love child?
It would be the Sihoo Doro S300.
It would inherit its armrests from the Gesture, its seat pan from the Aeron and the recline mechanism from the Freedom.
But far from being a Frankenstein of loosely assembled body parts, the Doro S300 surprises with outstanding build quality, striking design and excellent ergonomic features.
But whether you buy it for your office depends on how you view its price and status signalling powers.
Is it a 30% more expensive version of a mid-range direct-to-consumer chair like the Ergotune Supreme?
Or is it a luxury chair that retails for 30% of the Herman Miller Aeron?
For people who care about quality more than they do about badge snobbery, the second answer is the correct one.
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