Boulies EP200: 30-second review
Supremely comfortable. That was my first thought after assembling the Boulies EP200 office chair and sitting down for the first time. And after a month of constant use – for at least eight hours a day, sometimes more – this initial assessment still holds true.
This is a delightful mesh seat which feels at all times supportive, relaxed, and one of the best office chairs I’ve ever tested. I’ve long been a fan of mesh office chairs, which are a lot more breathable and far less sweaty than fabric and leather (or worse, so-called PU or faux leather) options you’ll often find on even the best gaming chairs. If you’re using your chair for long hours at a time, to my mind mesh is the way to go. On this score, the Boulies EP200 ably fits the bill.
My real concern was whether that mesh seat would suffer from a general sagging or whether it would be too firm – either can lead to discomfort and fatigue during the work day. I’m happy to report that it hits the Goldilocks spot, neither too hard nor too soft, but just right.
There are a handful of features lacking here, which you’ll find on higher-priced desk chairs. Notably, the lumbar support is fixed to one spot – although you can move it back and forth, it isn’t height-adjustable to accommodate for taller users (as a man of average height, this wasn’t an issue for me).
Nonetheless, it does boast decent lower back support, 3D armrests, a pleasant headrest, and overall, I had no real problems positioning these to make it as comfortable as possible for all-day use.
Boulies EP200: Price & availability
The Boulies EP200 Series retails for $300 via the Boulies.com website by clicking here.
In the UK, the chair is available for £280 from the Boulies.co.uk site which you can visit by clicking here.
Right now, only the black cold-cured foam version is available in the US, while the UK offers both gray and black models.
At the time of review, this chair is currently discounted to $200 / £190, which is more in-line with budget-price office chairs – and an excellent price for what’s on offer, I feel. You can also pick it up from Amazon and other online retailers.
Boulies EP200: Specs
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Mesh |
Cold-cured foam |
|
Price (RRP) |
$Unavailable / £280 |
$300 / £280 |
|
Seat height |
45 – 53cm |
45.5 – 55.5cm |
|
Seat depth |
49 – 51cm |
49 – 54cm |
|
Seat width |
45cm |
49.5cm |
|
Backrest height |
70 – 78cm |
70 – 78cm |
|
Recommended user height |
5’5” – 6’3” |
5’7” – 6’3” |
|
Max weight load |
120kg / 265lbs |
120kg / 265lbs |
|
Material |
Mesh |
Foam |
|
Warranty |
2 years |
2 years |
Boulies EP200: Design
The EP200 Series is available in black or gray, with the choice of a mesh or a cold-cured foam seat. Both models possess a tightly woven, single-piece mesh backrest. I selected the gray mesh variant for review, which I found unimposing in the home office.
Design-wise, it’s of the classic office chair look, not dissimilar to the likes of the Sihoo M57 (read our review here). Smart and professional, it won’t look out of place either in the home or in the office, and I have no complaints with its appearance. At 51cm, the backrest itself is relatively wide compared to some at this price-point, giving it more utility for those with a larger frame.
Around the back, it’s similarly unfussy, with a Y-shaped plastic support where, within the nub, you’ll find the adjustable lumbar support. The only sign of decoration comes from a silver piece of plastic stamped with the Boulies signature. This is a separate piece, fitted post-assembly, and entirely optional depending on your tastes.
Boulies EP200: Assembly
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Taking around twenty minutes from start to finish, constructing the Boulies EP200 is about as simple as any I’ve tried. Plug the wheels into the aluminum base, bolt the backrest to the seat, then affix the contoured headrest. Connect the armrests, add the gas lift to the base, and rest the chair on top. All par for the course when it comes to office chair assembly.
While the box is admittedly heavy, I had no issues hauling it upstairs into the office, and assembling the entire unit on my own. The included manual is straightforward and easy to follow, and if you have any experience piecing chairs together, you’ll have no trouble here whatsoever.
Boulies EP200: Comfort & adjustability
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I was impressed with the comfort of this office chair – in fact, I’d find reasons to sit at my desk outside of work hours just to use it. I found the suspended mesh seat firm without being too hard, and supportive in all the right places.
As a chap of average height and build, I didn’t struggle with finding the sweet spot here. Like all gas-lift office chairs, you’ll find a lever beneath the seat to adjust the overall height. Pulling this lever outward unlocks the backrest so you can recline – just push back with your body weight until you find the appropriate angle, then lock it into place again. Easy stuff.
A second lever beside this is where you can control how far back the seat can go, and I found I had to have it moderately far forward in order to get into the lumbar support in the correct position. After making this adjustment, the foam lumbar support pushing through the mesh offered consistent lower back support.
I was expecting the unpadded armrests to be a bind, akin to resting one’s elbows on a slab of warm concrete. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find the foam, while relatively thin and somewhat hardened, provided an excellent balance between comfort and support – much like the rest of the chair, to be fair. As typical 3D armrests, these can be moved up and down, backwards and forwards, and outward and inward.
However, I would’ve liked to see a few more adjustability options. Specifically, the lumbar support, which can be repositioned on the horizontal plane by turning the screw cap, but not vertically, which would be useful for taller users. The headrest, too, can be moved up and down, but won’t shift forward, back, or angled in any way. Perhaps I’m being greedy, since for the price, I don’t consider these deal-breakers.
Boulies EP200: Final verdict
If you’re looking for a decent ergonomic office chair that won’t break the bank, there’s a lot to recommend about the Boulies EP200. It might not boast all the bells and whistles you’ll find on chairs twice the price, and it would’ve been nice to have a few extra adjustability points here and there. But for a modern, uncomplicated seat, I found it supremely comfortable and ultra-breathable even when used all day.
Should I buy the Boulies EP200 Series office chair?
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For more workspace essentials, we tested the best standing desks for the home and office.
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