Boulies OP180 office chair review: Surprisingly comfortable and built for the workplace

Date:
Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:55:57 +0000

Description:
The OP180 sits neatly in Boulies' Office Professional line-up ideal for
office spaces with multiple users.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Boulies OP180: 30-second review

The Boulies OP180 is, like all the OP-designated line, designed for workspaces. Its perfectly comfortable for home office use, and its compact design without headrest means it wont dominate the room. But, to my eye, it looks, feels, and performs like a chair for actual offices. One look at it
and you can picture a series of OP180s parked in cubicles or nested around a table in a conference room.

The backrest is of classic mesh that feels very breathable when used for long hours. And the plush cushioned seat surprised me. Alright, its not especially breathable, but the thick foam is incredibly comfortable and supportive. I used it for eight-hour work days for weeks, and it feels like the happy
medium between the firmness of the Boulies EP200s mesh seat and the
ultra-soft foam seat of the Boulies OP300 . If youve struggled with finding the right balance, Id recommend checking out the OP180.

Theres good adjustability here - seat height and depth, backrest height, lockable recline, and tilt are all present and correct. The chair also features 3D armrests.

And thats where I discovered one of my only real problems with this chair. Yes, they move smoothly backwards, forwards, up and down, and side to side. But theres no horizontal locking system, unlike with my favorite of the Boulies range, the EP200. Now, this didnt prove an issue when sitting down
for work, but lean on the armrest to rise from the chair and it will slide
out of place.

Its also lacking full lumbar support, instead opting for a contoured S-shaped backrest. Thanks to the tension of the mesh backrest, I cant say I missed the lumbar support - I felt supported at all times, and for the OP line, its perhaps expected. But, I appreciate some users will want that extra lower
back support.

Those issues aside, I should mention the price - its selling for $290 / 240. Its one of the best office chairs for the workplace, although I'd prefer a longer warranty length than the two years offered by Boulies. For home offices, Id still recommend a Boulies chair like the high-back EP200 , which still offers superb value for money and a firmer, more breathable experience. Boulies OP180: Price & availability

The Boulies OP180 is widely available, selling for $290 at Boulies.com and
240 at Boulies.co.uk . However, at the time of review, its discounted down to $240 / 170.

That UK price is also reflected over at Amazon.co.uk . Id suggest that cost
is about right for an office chair chiefly designed to be bought in bulk for HQ. Boulies OP180: Specs

Price (RRP)

$290 / 240

Seat height

17.3 - 20.1in / 44 - 51cm

Seat depth

17.9 - 19.7in / 45.5 - 50cm

Seat width

19.5in / 49.5cm

Backrest height

22.0 - 24.8in / 56 - 63cm

Recommended user height

51 - 63

Max weight load

352lb / 160kg

Material

Mesh and foam

Warranty

2 years Boulies OP180: Design Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Boulies // Future) Image 2 of 3 (Image credit: Boulies // Future) Image 3 of 3 (Image credit: Boulies // Future)

The OP180 is a classically designed, compact office chair. Only available in black, itll fit right into any professional workspace without looking out of place.

To the rear, theres a Y-frame support for the backrest. And I like the
armrest design, thrusting forward like an Enterprise starship. Sure, thats hardly a game-changer styling, but it does give the OP180 a more modern feel.

In truth, theres not much to like or dislike about the design of this chair. It looks exactly as youd expect - and thats precisely the point of an office chair like the Boulies OP180. Its not trying to be the Branch Verve or the Herman Miller Embody, with striking silhouettes and bold color choices. Its a traditional office chair for professionals. Boulies OP180: Assembly

Boulies claims itll take you five minutes to build the OP180. I wouldnt say its quite that quick - it took me a little under ten minutes after
misaligning the screws for the armrest first time around (pro-tip: place the three in loosely first, then tighten each).

Everything you need is in the box, including the hex key, which is the only tool needed to piece it all together. Instructions are clear, with each step illustrated with an easy-to-understand image and accompanying text.

Inside the manual, it also clearly lays out what each under-seat lever does and how to use them to adjust the fit once seated.

Overall, I found assembly to be ridiculously easy. Its probably the fastest Ive ever built a chair, and if youre constructing a lot of these for an
office space then yes, you probably could get it down to about five minutes. Six screws later, and after slotting in the spokes of the seat base, the casters, and the backrest, I was done. Boulies OP180: Comfort & adjustability Image 1 of 3 (Image credit: Boulies // Future) Image 2 of 3 (Image credit: Boulies // Future) Image 3 of 3 (Image credit: Boulies // Future)

I wasnt expecting the OP180 to be as comfortable as it is. That lack of true lumbar support, the high but technically mid-back design made me fear that it would be a literal pain when used for long hours.

I dont mind admitting I was wrong.

First, I found the plush cushioned seat to be exceptionally accommodating.
Its neither too firm, nor too soft, providing just the right amount of
support and softness. For anyone whos struggled to find a chair with the
right balance, this one is absolutely worth exploring.

Im not typically a fan of foam cushioning on office chairs, as they tend to retain too much heat compared to mesh seats. And while its not completely breathable, I didnt find it got uncomfortably hot when sitting down for those eight-hour days.

While adjustable lumbar support wouldve been nice, it didnt disrupt the experience when used all-day for work. The contoured, high-tension mesh backrest provided firm lower back support during prolonged use.

Adjustability controls are exceptional. Using the under-seat levers, you can alter the seat height and seat depth, and a quick pull (or push) on the backrest will adjust its height. That gives it real versatility for the workplace, where a range of users might be using these chairs.

Alongside this is the ability to tilt and recline the chair - and yes, unlike some office chairs, both can be firmly locked into place. I appreciated this, but if you prefer a model that keeps the recliner unlocked at all times,
youll want to look elsewhere.

The chair also features 3D armrests, which can move horizontally, vertically, and swivel in and out with a satisfying click of each turn. Beneath each armrest, youll find a trigger - squeeze that and youre able to raise or lower them to the right height.

My only wish here is that they also acted as a lock to prevent the armrests sliding backwards and forwards. It didnt alter my seated experience. However, more than once the armrests slipped when too much weight was applied. It
feels like an oversight that could be easily remedied in future iterations. Boulies OP180: Final verdict (Image credit: Boulies // Future)

The OP180 neatly fits into Boulies Office Professional line of chairs. Its
not a showy chair. Its a classically styled and functional model thats very well-suited to offices, or even the home office if you prefer a low-profile chair over executive high-back models.

The backrest is breathable, comfortable, and more supportive than you might imagine considering it doesnt have any true lumbar support. But the foam cushioned seat was the biggest surprise for me - it feels like its been engineered to perfectly balance out both the firmness of your standard mesh seats and the soft, almost saggy cushioned seats of other chairs Ive used.

You have some great control over comfort due to the excellent adjustability controls. Because of this, its an ideal pick if multiple people will be using the chair, which, as a fully fledged office chair, is the OP180s ultimate goal. My only real issue is the lack of lockable armrests - they have a tendency to slide forward when too much force is applied.

Overall, though, I found it a comfortable and supportive choice at a price thatll suit office managers buying in bulk. Should I buy theBoulies OP180 office chair?

Buy it if

Youre kitting out a workplace
With high adjustability, good comfort, and a reasonable price, it is - as intended - a solid pick for offices where more than one person may be using it.


You want a compact office chair
As a mid-back model, the OP180 features a low-profile design that wont dominate the office or home office.

Dont buy it if

You like armrests that lock into place
My main problem with the OP180 is that the 3D armrests have a tendency to
slip back and forth when you rise from the chair.


You suffer lower back pain
With no true lumbar support, this isnt the office chair of choice for those who need additional support for the lower back.

For more workspace essentials, we tested the best standing desks for the
home and office.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/boulies-op180-office-chair-review


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