This unique ergonomic office chair made $10 million — after testing it for 3 months I can see why

How good does a chair have to be to raise over $10 million in crowdfunding on Kickstarter? The LiberNovo Omni is the answer to that question. This is a dynamic ergonomic chair that claims to address what all other chairs get wrong, and it has managed to entice a huge swathe of backing in the process.

After all the hype around the concept of a desk chair that bends with you as it reclines, how does the final product stack up? I’ve been sitting on the LiberNovo Omni for three months now, and while it’s not perfect, I don’t think I’ve ever seen an ergonomic chair try to do as many things as this one, and do so many of them really well.

Setup and design

Let’s start with the obvious, boring place: the setup. For a chair with as much going on as this, I was surprised by how quick and easy it was to construct without any assistance on my own. It took about 20 minutes in total, though I was stopping to take photos for this review, so you’d likely shave a few minutes off that total. LiberNovo added everything you need into one kit, so you don’t need any extra tools, and aside from four screws, everything else snaps into place.

If the easy-to-follow diagrams aren’t working for you, there’s also a quick link to setup videos. The company also has a bunch of tips for how to ensure you have the correct posture at your desk by correctly adjusting the arms and lumbar support (more on the latter later).

One tip: install the chair where you intend to use it. I had to lug it up my staircase after I’d put it together, and it was then that I realised it’s quite a heavy chair, weighing in at ~48lbs. That’s not dissimilar to its competitors, but it is for a chair made from this much plastic rather than metal. The weightdoes mean it’s sturdy enough to remain stable even when fully reclined, though.

The foam cushioning on the seat, back, and headrest is incredibly comfortable. There’s a soft give to the layered material cushions that took some getting used to for me at first (coming from a mesh chair), but it’s really grown on me over time. It definitely sacrifices cooling for the cushioning, but if that’s a problem for you, then LiberNovo sells a cooling seat accessory for $79.99 MSRP.

In terms of pure design, there’s not a lot I don’t like. The Bionic FlexFit Backrest (which we’ll get to the functionality of shortly) certainly gives it a unique, modern look, and while the chair is on the large side for those with extremely cramped office space, it isn’t oversized either. The recline tension knob and height/recline switches also work as intended. One issue I did come across was that the chair would very gradually drop in height, but the community on reddit found an immediate fix that worked for me.

The only real downsides are the armrests and the optional StepSync Footrest accessory. The former are perfectly comfortable to lean on and have a decent adjustment range, but they are prone to moving at the slightest touch — a real pain if after you’ve spent the time perfecting your adjustments.

The footrest, meanwhile, is made of the same plastic and is far too lightweight. I knock it all the time with my clumsy feet; something to weigh it down would really have helped. It also has a padded rest at the top, which is great when you’ve reclined, but I do worry the material won’t stand up to the wear and tear of the rubber on my slippers in the long term. At $198 MSRP, I’d skip this one and go with a third-party option.

I should also note that there’s no seat pan adjustment, so make sure you get the right seat depth (45cm or 48cm) before you place an order. This was especially important for me as I’m on the top end of the height recommendation for the Omni (LiberNovo says it’s designed for users between approximately 153-186cm and weighing up to 300lb).

Full relaxation, same supportive ergonomics

Okay, let’s get to the two big party tricks of the LiberNovo Omni.

First off is the aforementioned Bionic FlexFit Backrest. The most distinctive part of the chair’s aesthetic is also its most innovative feature, as it combines eight flexible panels with 14 connection points and a further 16 pivot points to offer dynamic back — aligned with a movable neck support — support that shifts with your body. Lean to the left, and the chair essentially leans with you while retaining the ergonomic support. There’s a slight creak of plastic whenever this happens, but no more than any desk chair, which is quite impressive given how many interlocking parts there are here compared to a typical office chair.

But what really sells it is that the dynamic support from the flexible backrest — along with the neckrest and armrests — follows you even when you recline. The whole system is fancily dubbed the SyncroLink Mechanism, and the first time you lean back in the chair and feel the panels adapt to your movement is genuinely stunning.

There are four reclining angles in total, at 105-, 120-, 135-, and 160-degree increments, all controlled with a simple locking lever. And no matter which one the chair is set to, the arms go back, the head adapts, and the back panels all bend into place. Again, there is some minor creaking when you do this, but nothing that ever sounds worrying, and it all feels like one robust and natural motion to lean back into place.

The 135-degree angle has quickly become a firm favorite for PC gaming — kicking back with a controller has helped slightly mitigate the emotional trauma of a Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 playthrough. Meanwhile, the 160-degree “Spine Flow” position is absurdly relaxing and ideal for a quick 20-minute power nap during lunch breaks. But that’s not all the 160-degree position is good for, thanks to that second-party trick…

One of the strangest steps in the construction of the chair is hooking up a fixed USB-C cable, 2,200mAh battery pack (you’ll need your own USB-C cable to recharge that, which is a curious omission), and what the company calls its ErgoPulse Motor System, which is essentially a powered motor. This is controlled by a couple of buttons on the left armrest that move the back panels and provide adjustable S-curve lumbar support.

Having electronic lumbar support that moves at the touch of a button is handy, but it doesn’t stop there, because there’s a third button that activates “Stretch Mode.” As the name suggests, this is essentially a way to stretch your back. Simply recline back to 160 degrees, click that button, and the backrest and motor will work together to gently stretch your back by 1.2 to 2.0 inches. I thought this was going to be a gimmick, but as someone who suffers from chronic spinal inflammation, I’ve actually found it really helpful at the end of a long day sitting at my desk.

I imagine some will have reservations about the battery-powered motor, but it’s not particularly loud, and so far I’ve only had to charge it once. You can also buy a spare battery for $89 if the old one fails over time, though LiberNovo offers a two-year warranty on the electronics.

Speaking of, the five-year warranty on the chair is the real downside I can see for buying the LiberNovo Omni. Not only is that shorter than many other premium manufacturers, which typically offer 7-12 years of warranty support, but there’s also the unknown factor that this is LiberNovo’s first and only chair. Based on the Omni’s success, it seems like the brand will be around for a while, but I can understand why someone would be wary of spending money on a new company, even one that’s managed to release such an accomplished product on the first swing.

Is the LiberNovo Omni worth it?

The LiberNovo Omni has an MSRP of $1,099, but often goes on sale far below that price (as low as ~$850 during holiday sales). Even at MSRP, it undercuts a lot of its direct competition from established brands like Herman Miller and Humanscale. I do think there’s a risk factor in spending anywhere close to $1,000 on a product from a startup, though the 30-day free trial (50% of return shipping is covered by the buyer, but that’s it) may help offset that worry for some.

Personally, after three months using it as my primary chair, I’m sold on the ambitious vision and have been more than happy with the quality. There are definitely improvements that could be made for a LiberNovo Omni V2, particularly with the easy-to-knock armrests and lack of a seat pan option. The footrest is also a dud, which is a real shame, and the company would be wise to consider matching the chair warranty with rivals.

However, those are all minor quibbles for me, considering how much more comfortable I’ve felt sitting at my desk during extended work or play sessions, and having the option to stretch my back when required.