Big, padded, and well-priced — but only if you want a recliner-style desk chair

Is the Efomao Big and Tall Office Chair worth buying? Yes, if you want a high-back, heavily padded chair with a footrest and 200kg support at £248.98; no, if you need a highly adjustable task chair for all-day precision work. With a 4.5/5 rating from 1,123 reviews, it has strong buyer approval, and the current £248.98 price is also the all-time lowest, which makes it more attractive than usual.

First impressions

This is not trying to be a slim mesh office chair. The Efomao is built around size, cushioning, and recline: a heavy-duty metal base, a tall backrest, integrated headrest, built-in lumbar support, and a footrest. The headline spec is the 200kg support rating, which immediately places it in the big-and-tall category rather than the standard home-office chair bracket. The fabric upholstery is also a practical plus for UK homes, because breathable fabric usually feels less sweaty than PU during long sessions.

What are the key features that matter most?

The most important feature is the 90°-135° recline. That range gives you a proper upright working position at one end and a more relaxed lounging angle at the other. Combined with the footrest, this makes the chair better suited to mixed use: work, reading, gaming, and breaks between meetings. The downside is that recline-focused chairs can be less ideal for users who want a firm, forward-leaning posture for typing all day.

Efomao also highlights sofa-like double padding with a segmented, double-layer soft pack design and high-density, high-resilience filling. In practical terms, that should mean more cushioned support than the flatter, firmer feel of many budget task chairs. For larger users, that extra padding matters because thin seats tend to compress quickly and create pressure points.

The high back design with integrated headrest and built-in lumbar support is another strength. It is aimed at supporting the natural curve of the spine, which is useful if you spend long periods seated and want support without adding separate cushions. The silent 360-degree swivel castors should also help with everyday movement on tile or wooden floors, and the listing suggests assembly is straightforward.

How does it perform for long workdays?

For comfort and relaxation, the Efomao looks well targeted. The combination of thick padding, recline, and footrest is likely to suit people who alternate between focused work and less formal sitting. For a 10-hour day, the chair’s biggest advantage is that it gives you multiple seating positions instead of forcing one static posture.

That said, the same design may be less suitable if your priority is strict ergonomic adjustability. The provided specs do not mention adjustable armrests, seat depth adjustment, or a sophisticated tilt mechanism, which are features that matter for fine-tuning posture. If your desk setup depends on dialling in elbow height, forearm support, or a more active sitting angle, you may find this chair less versatile than some mesh alternatives.

Is the build quality and support rating convincing?

The reinforced heavy-duty metal base and 200kg limit are the main build-quality signals here. That is a meaningful advantage over many chairs that top out well below this level. For bigger users, a higher weight rating is not just marketing — it can affect long-term stability, wobble, and how quickly the foam and frame wear.

The chair’s 4.5/5 rating from 1,123 reviews suggests the build and comfort are landing well with most buyers. The fact that it has sold 50+ units last month and sits at #16106 in its category shows it is not a niche one-off, even if it is not a top-ranked bestseller.

How does it compare with alternatives?

Against the CLOUVOU CleverSeat at £219.99 with a 4.8★ rating, the Efomao is more expensive but offers a different proposition: heavier-duty support and a recliner-style setup rather than the CLOUVOU’s more adjustability-focused design. If you want the highest user rating and a lower price, CLOUVOU looks stronger on paper.

Against the SIHOO Ergonomic Office Chair at £233.01 and the SIHOO Doro C300 at £269.97, the Efomao sits in the middle on price. SIHOO’s chairs are more obviously aimed at ergonomic adjustability, especially the C300 with dynamic lumbar support and adjustable backrest. Efomao looks better if you want softness, footrest comfort, and big-and-tall capacity; SIHOO looks better if you want a more office-first seating posture.

Is it good value for money?

At £248.98, down 17% from the £298.98 RRP, it is fairly priced for a heavy-duty fabric chair with a footrest and 200kg rating. The fact that the current price is the all-time lowest improves the value case further. The value is strongest for larger users who will genuinely benefit from the reinforced frame and extra padding.

Final assessment

The Efomao is a comfort-first big-and-tall chair that makes sense for people who want a padded, reclinable seat rather than a pure ergonomic workstation chair. If you need a chair for long hours, occasional reclining, and a higher weight capacity, it is easy to justify at this price. If you need highly adjustable armrests, a more advanced tilt system, or a mesh chair for cooler all-day typing, look elsewhere.