Last updated: January 22nd, 2026
Steelcase builds insanely comfortable office chairs. Unfortunately, they share one defect – they’re f****ng dull. I’ve been trying to convince myself to buy a Leap for years, but I can’t step over its 1990’s cubicle aesthetic.
Enter the Karman.
A stylish, minimalist, attractive office chair from Steelcase. Has Steelcase finally delivered great design and ergonomic chops in one product?
| Pros: | Cons: |
| Flexible frame promotes micromovements throughout the workday to reduce fatigue. | Lack of seat depth adjustment and automated recline may be restrictive to some. |
| Aesthetically pleasing design will impress design-conscious folks. | Small seat size will be uncomfortable for taller individuals. |
Quick Verdict.
Above: Karman is available in four colours. This dual-tone brass-on-black scheme is by far the best. And hollow-centre wheels are a nice, subtle design touch.
Who Should Buy & Avoid The Steelcase Karman?
- Are between 160cm and 180cm tall with average leg length.
- Have been looking for the ergonomic chair trifecta: comfort, aesthetics and ergonomics.
- Are allergic to fuss. The Karman adjusts recline automatically, minimising the need for constant inputs.
- Don’t like heavy office chairs. Karman easy to move around the office.
- Have longer legs. The insufficient seat depth and lack of seat depth adjustment will frustrate you.
- Like an aggressive and bi-directionally adjustable lumbar support.
- Are accustomed to big, comfortable, well-padded armrests.
Specifications.
➤ Load Capacity: 159 kg
➤ Mechanism: Weight-sensitive auto recline with tension control
➤ Lumbar Support: $90 option, height-adjustable only, using tensioned mesh
➤ Warranty: 12 years on parts and labour
Where To Buy?
The Karman is an office chair you’ll want to show off.
It’s one of the few ergonomic office chairs that will elevate your home office’s aesthetic – instead of making it look like a teenage gamer’s den.
But it’s not for everyone:
- Small seat pan and the lack of seat depth adjustments are deal-breakers if you’re over 180cm tall.
- Weight-sensitive automatic recline is a deliberate design choice that minimises fuss, but will frustrate if you’re accustomed to highly customisable chairs.
Armrest comfort is also subpar. This is particularly disappointing, considering Steelcase’s reputation for building outstanding armrests.
(Related: What Is The Best Standing Desk In Australia?)
Users who love aggressive lumbar support must definitely look elsewhere (where?).
The ~$2,000 price point will raise eyebrows, but is also part of the appeal. Signalling that you can afford to drop a couple of grand on an office chair is sometimes a feature, not a bug.
Above: Thin armrests and weak lumbar support are two major downsides, which I’ll discuss below.
5 Things I Love About The Steelcase Karman.
I’ve owned over 15 office chairs over the past 5 years, so I’m pretty practised at separating marketing BS from substance. Let’s see how the Karman stacks up.
1. Cushioned Mesh Seat.
Mesh seats are almost as polarising as Bud Light’s attempt to win over the woke pronoun brigade without frustrating its redneck customer base.
(Related: ErgoTune Vesby: Best Office Chair Under $1,000?)
The Karman attempts to bridge the divide by combining the mesh seat with an underlying cushion.
Above: Your thighs will thank you for the flexible frame and fabric-infused mesh.
Theoretically, this should provide a more supportive and comfortable seating experience than traditional mesh seats like the Aeron, while retaining breathability.
Yes, mostly.
The mesh feels very friendly on the skin, and strikes just the right balance of firmness and support. But the seating experience is a classic “floaty” mesh one, which may feel foreign to people used to fabric seats.
Expert Tip.
If you’ve never sat on a mesh chair before, I recommend you test-drive a Karman extensively in a store before buying. You’ll either love the suspended feeling – or hate it.
2. Flexible Frame.
The Karman’s frame is designed to flex and move with you.
Instead of locking you into a rigid static bucket seat like the Sihoo S300, Ergotune Joobie and HM Aeron do, the Karman follows the predictable Steelcase philosophy of promoting movement.
(Related: UpDown Ergo ProFlex Review: Best $550 Chair?)
Both the backrest and the seat pan will flex with your body, allowing you to twist and stretch throughout your workday.
Expert Tip.
A flexible frame is a bonus if you sit cross-legged or with one leg tucked under you, as it will not dig into your thighs. Just remember that this is a non-ergonomic position, and may aggravate your lower back.
3. Sleek Low-Profile Design.
Above: Look closely. Zoom in. How many adjustment controls can you spot?
The Karman is pretty.
Almost enough to elicit a wolf whistle from an ergonomics nerd like me.
Attractive ergonomic chairs are rare (because decisions that elevate ergonomic chops also make the chair ugly), so the Karman exists in a very small clique of curvy, low-profile, minimalist chairs that look the part in contemporary workspaces.
Steelcase achieved this by deleting or hiding most adjustment controls (seat height and recline tension are the only two visible adjustments) to leave you looking at uninterrupted clean lines.
Expert Tip.
Looking for a gorgeous office chair to elevate your home office? The HM Cosm High Back is arguably your best bet. I think it’s the best-looking chair on the market today.
By the way, the Karman is available in 4 colour schemes, and I’d choose the black-on-brass one every time.
4. Impressive Automated Recline.
The weight-activated recline is designed to automatically adapt to your body.
This can be a significant advantage for shared workspaces or users like me, who dislike fiddling with numerous levers.
Important!
However, this is also a potential drawback for those who prefer more control.
Above: Karman’s slimline design makes it easy to kart around the office.
5. Build Quality And Warranty.
If you’re used to heavy, bulky, traditional office chairs (which typically weigh over 30kg), you may initially feel that the featherweight Karman feels cheap.
Despite the lightweight construction, the Karman feels well-built. Nothing rattles or feels like it’s about to break.
And as you’d expect from a chair that costs upwards of $2,000, Steelcase covers it with its 12-year warranty.
Expert Tip.
Karman’s light weight makes it easy to move and reposition, even up multiple flights of stairs. You probably won’t appreciate this fully until you try to lift an Aeron – or drag it across a carpeted floor.
4 Things I Hate About The Steelcase Karman:
I only have a few criticisms about the Karman. All are the unfortunate and unavoidable consequences of its strengths:
1. Limited Adjustability.
I’ve already mentioned seat depth adjustment, so I won’t harp on about it too much.
This is a common limitation of aesthetic-led office chair designs. It will force you to decide – do you value aesthetics or under-thigh support more?
Automated recline is also likely to frustrate control freaks.
It works very well to place you into precisely the right spot, but will not let you lock the chair into a specific position.
Above: The only visible adjustments (recline tension and seat height) are on the right side of the base.
2. High Price.
The Karman will set you back between roughly $2,000 and $2,400, depending on options and colour choices.
I get it.
But if you plan to blow upwards of $2,000 on a home office chair, I think the Karman is overpriced – because it’s stuck at a weird crossroads:
- It’s not as pretty as the (slightly more expensive) HM Cosm.
- It’s not as comfortable as the HM Embody (although it’s admittedly closer to $3,000).
- It’s not as ergonomic as the (cheaper) Leap.
And if you want a reasonably stylish, very comfortable, minimalist ergonomic Steelcase chair, a Series 2 offers all of the above – for just over $1,000. And it has vastly better armrests (borrowed from the Leap). And it has seat pan adjustment.
3. Weak Lumbar.
Lovers of aggressive support will be disappointed. The Karman’s standard lumbar ‘support’ is nothing more than a built-in curve in the backrest.
Above: This Karman has standard lumbar, without the $90 upgrade.
I recommend opting for the $90 lumbar upgrade, which adds a pre-tensioned mesh strip to the backrest. It adjusts for height only, and offers a substantially more pronounced feel.
Even with the upgrade, the lumbar support is moderately firm at best.
- The bad news is that you’re stuck with this level of firmness, with no ability to amplify or soften the amount of resistance.
- The good news is that the lumbar strip distributes the pressure along your lower back nicely, without poking or prodding.
4. Crappy Armrests.
Oh man.
Thinly padded, small and finicky, the Karman’s armrests are a major disappointment.
But even that seems underwhelming in an era when mid-range $600 office chairs offer 6D armrests.
Unfortunately, this is one area where Steelcase didn’t nail the balance between aesthetics and comfort.
Important!
They remind me of something I’d expect to find on a $300 budget tasking chair – not a premium product designed to help you work late into the night.
How The Steelcase Karman Stacks Up.
The Karman is a beautifully designed – but flawed – office chair that will appeal to design-conscious people.
| Adjustments | 3.5/5 |
| Comfort | 4/5 |
| Aesthetics | 5/5 |
| Build Quality & Warranty | 4.5/5 |
| Cost | 3.5/5 |
| OVERALL | 4.1/5 |
My Final Verdict About The Steelcase Karman.
The Karman is a risky purchase.
Resist the temptation to buy one online without doing an in-person showroom sit test. If you’re in Sydney, I recommend you visit Steelcase’s HQ in Elizabeth St and physically compare the Karman to the brand’s other chairs.
The automated recline, padded seat and lack of seat depth adjustment are divisive and will turn off a lot of users.
Yet, for average-sized users who value a stylish, responsive chair with minimal adjustments and a >$2,000 budget to boot, the Karman is a strong contender.
Important!
It would be the perfect home office chair if Steelcase didn’t screw up the armrests and offered a deeper seat pan.
Individuals outside the 160cm -180cm height range – or those who value extensive customisations – will be better off in a Leap or its more upmarket cousin, the Steelcase 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