PC gaming has always been a difficult sell for me, since I’d have to sit in a generally uncomfortable chair for lengths of time, instead of being comfortable on my couch with a PlayStation controller in my hand. That all changed when I got my hands on the Anda Seat Kaiser II.
The chair that I had prior to the Kaiser II was a generic office-type chair, made of fake leather and was getting less and less comfortable as the days went by. Enter the Kaiser II from Anda Seat.
Getting this big guy out of the box was no easy feat, let me just say right off. The weight of this chair, according to Anda Seat’s website, is ~72lbs. That’s just over a third of my total body weight…for a chair! There were a fair few parts that needed to go together to bring this bad boy to life, but assembly was generally pretty simple. The instructions were clear and easy to follow, but I did have an issue with one of the bolts in one of the armrests. Since the armrests and seat base use the same bolts, it was a quick swap and things went pretty smoothly.
One thing I noticed about the Kaiser II was how tall it is. It stands at a height of 54” (4’6” if you don’t want to do the math) when raised to it’s highest. The chair is designed for taller people, with a height range of 5’9” to 6’9” being suggested by Anda Seat.
“I was extremely happy to find that when I finally sat down in the Anda Seat Kaiser II, my feet comfortably hit the floor.”
Since I fall directly in the middle of that range, standing at 6’3” tall, I was extremely happy to find that when I finally sat down in the Anda Seat Kaiser II, my feet comfortably hit the floor and I didn’t have to slouch to see my screen. One of my biggest issues with office/gaming chairs has been the sitting height, so the Kaiser II was a welcome change of pace.
After I got the chair exactly at the height I wanted, I immediately noticed how comfortable the Kaiser II is. The seat and back are padded with cold-cured and super high-density foam, which, for me, means I can sit comfortably for longer amounts of time. The Anda Seat Kaiser II was designed to be the perfect ergonomic human-oriented chair, perfect for professional gaming as well as for use as an office chair (which I also use it for).
There’s a handle on the right side that is very easily accessible and lets you recline the chair a full 160 degrees back, which is almost fully flat, meaning you can pretty much lay down in this chair; perfect for those long days when you need to take a break from the screen.
Speaking of adjustability, one of my favourite things about the Anda Seat Kaiser II is the armrests. They adjust in four different ways: up & down, forwards & backwards, in & out, and left & right. The first two ways are pretty obvious, but the last two are really exceptional. In & out adjustment means you can pull the armrests towards you or away from you as you sit in the chair.
“The frame of the Kaiser II is one of the sturdiest I’ve ever seen.”
So, if you like having them closer to the body, then you can definitely have that. Left & right adjustment means the armrests have an anchor point and swivel (with three points of attachment). I have mine pointed outwards as much as they will go, and it’s a lot more comfortable than if they were straight like every other chair I’ve ever sat on.
The frame of the Kaiser II is one of the sturdiest I’ve ever seen. The aluminum base and powder-coated steel frame give the Kaiser II amazing stability, and reliable durability. I honestly feel like I could really put this chair through the paces, and it would smile back at me.
Anda Seat includes two detachable “pillows” with the Kaiser II. One is a headrest that is probably the most comfortable headrest I’ve seen on a chair. It sat in the perfect position to cradle my neck and head, which made working and gaming even more comfortable. The other pillow is an ergonomically correct lumbar support. It is especially useful for me since I tend to slouch in these sorts of chairs. The lumbar pillow made it much easier to remain in an upright position and do it without hurting my back.
After spending as much time in this chair as I have, I can say that I would recommend this chair to everyone. It comes in different sizes, something for everyone. The only possible negative thing I could find about the Kaiser II is the price. At $749.99 CAD it’s a bit on the expensive side. It is a fantastic investment though, if you need a good quality chair that will last you for years. Best of all though, it came in red, my favourite colour.