Why you can trust TechRadar
We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. Find out more about how we test.
What you need to know
- Engineered for users 5’10” to 6’7″
- Reinforced frame with weight load up to 399 lbs
- Motorized lumbar support and bionic FlexFit backrest
- Built-in fan and OmniStretch massager
- Controlled recline with Dynamic Support
I get it. Most people won’t need the LiberNovo Maxis. Most people will see the price, baulk, and close the website. It’s expensive, its headline features run on a rechargeable battery, and it’s more chair than your everyday hybrid or remote worker needs.
But it’s also ergonomic, stunningly designed, cleverly engineered, and built for big and tall users without the usual flabby, foamy designs that I see for half or even a quarter of the price of the Maxis. It’s also one of the best office chairs I’ve tested. If you’re over 5’10”, you’ll want to check this out.
On top of that, the model I’m reviewing here – the Maxis Airflow – includes a cooling fan in the seat, electric lumbar adjustments, and a back massager called the OmniStretch designed for relieving tension.
Latest Videos FromTechRadar
So, this is not your everyday office chair. It’s an elite seat for professionals who prize all-day comfort, a stylish ergonomic design, supportive top-end features, and don’t mind paying a fair chunk of change for that.
LiberNovo Maxis: Price & availability
The LiberNovo Maxis is available direct from the maker, and I’m also seeing it at online retailers including Amazon and Best Buy.
I’ve danced around that price tag enough. In the US, the LiberNovo Maxis has a list price of $1299; from the UK site, it’s £1099. At the time of review, both are discounted to $1119 / £1002.
And that’s for the base manual model. The Maxis Electric, which includes the electric adjustments to the lower back support sends the price to $1799 / £1579, while the Maxis Airflow reviewed here is priced at $1859 / £1699 (although again, at time of review, they are discounted by around two-hundred bucks).
On top of that, you can buy the chair in three different bundles: the standalone chair, the Standard pack which comes with a footrest, and the Premium Bundle which also adds a spare rechargeable battery. Unless you’re using the electric features constantly, I’d recommend either the Basic or Standard bundle.
All in all, the Maxis is firmly in the premium price bracket, alongside top-tier brands in the office furniture world like Herman Miller and Steelcase. I can understand why, in terms of build quality and design.
|
Seat depth |
20.47in / 52cm |
|
Backrest shoulder span |
16.93in / 43cm |
|
Backrest waist span |
20.47in / 52cm |
|
Headrest vertical range |
5.51in / 14cm |
|
Headrest horizontal range |
4.72in / 12cm |
|
Weight limit |
Up to 399 lbs |
|
User height |
5’10” – 6’7″ |
LiberNovo Maxis: Assembly
This beast of a chair came in two massive boxes (three, if you count the footrest).
As ever, I recommend building this in the room you’ll use it in because this one is heavy and unwieldy to move. The gouges and marks on my wall as I struggled to move it upstairs are evidence of that.
All told, it took me around 40 minutes from unboxing to fully built chair. That’s on the longer side, but LiberNovo makes assembly as easy as possible. Forget your little instruction manuals with walls of text. This one comes with a massive sheet of card that pictorially guides you through each and every step.
It’s also the first office chair I’ve ever tested that includes white gloves for handling it. Maybe that’s over the top, but can bet I pulled them on and wore them throughout the assembly process.
LiberNovo Maxis: Design & build
Build quality and design are superb. The pieces feel weighty, and I experienced no creaking or squeaking as I swivelled, reclined, and generally made a nuisance of myself at my desk.
This is a premium chair across the board, right down to the wide single-piece aluminum base that feels like it will capably and confidently support anyone up to the recommended weight of 399 lbs (181kg).
Being built for big and tall users, the Maxis is designed for those between 5’10” and 6’7”. Now, I’m an inch shy of the minimum recommended height and yes, it is slightly too large for me – particularly in the broad seat, which provides ample width and depth. I had to dial down the adjustability on the headrest and armrests to its minimum settings to stay comfortable and snug. Effectively, my negative experience here is a positive for larger, taller body types.
In terms of design, I had one thought: This is like an office chair designed by HR Geiger with its Xenomorph-like exoskeleton on the tapering backrest. Unlike so many I test, it’s a real executive statement piece.
LiberNovo Maxis: Performance & features
I always judge office chairs chiefly on two factors: comfort and support. Here, the LiberNovo Maxis is an easy win. I used this chair for eight hours a day while working and it stayed comfortable from first to last hour. After that, I spent a few extra hours in it, feet up on the footrest, while gaming. I still didn’t tire of the chair or feel fatigue or numbness that some cheap chairs can inflict on me.
And then, of course, there’s that back massager. Actually, I’m not sure ‘massager’ is the right word here. LiberNovo calls it the OmniStretch, billing it as a way to lean back and decompress. I’d liken it to having a couple of fists kneading deep into your lower back while the whole backrest quickly but gently vibrates. That may not sound comfortable, but I promise you it is. It runs for a set five minutes at the press of a button. My pregnant wife has been using it daily for relaxation and pain relief.
Now, I generally avoid foam and fabric office chairs. I run hot, and prefer breathable mesh. And while the seat can get warm when sitting down all day, I found the two-speed cooling fan – only available on the Airflow model – was a very good solution that actually helped maintain a cooler body temperature.
Adjustability is excellent on this chair, and I found it easy to fiddle around with the headrest, seat elevation, recline tension, and swivel armrests. However, the standout mechanism is the motorized lumbar support buttons located below the left armrest. So, I’m not constantly reaching under or around the chair to adjust the positioning for continued support.
What’s notable is the Dynamic Support, so when I reclined back, the seat stayed stable while the armrests dropped back with me so I could feel supported in any position. I appreciated the steady recline system in place here, too. As you lean back, it won’t suddenly fall back, but eases itself into position. The tension can be altered using the under-seat knob, while the recline can be set to lock at different angles depending on how far you want to lean back.
Where it lacks adjustments is the seat depth, which is fixed at a larger-than-average 52cm, which makes it more suitable for taller users. I would’ve also liked lockable armrests. Like a lot of office chairs, they’re directional, moving laterally and swinging in and out without much pressure. That’s fine if you’re getting up and moving around a lot, but not if you’re locking in for longer work sessions. But I appreciate this may be a me problem – I had the same complaint with the Boulies EP600 I recently reviewed.
As I say, it’s a lot of chair for the money – the only one I’ve tested that comes with a rechargeable battery. And not every professional, whether in the office or working hybrid/remote, will need a seat at this level. But I can’t fault the comfort or design at all.
- Performance & features: 5 / 5
Should I buy the LiberNovo Maxis?
✅ Buy it if…
You’re built bigger or taller. The Maxis is specifically engineered for larger body types without compromising on style, comfort, or support.
You want all the bells and whistles. This high-quality office chair does it all. If you’re going to splurge out, it might as well be one with a massager and fan.
❌ Don’t buy it if…
You don’t need the extra features. You’re paying for well-designed ergonomics and features most office chairs will never have.
You’re under 5’10”. I’d recommend the LiberNovo Omni or LiberNovo Omni Pro if you want the same design ethos.
How I tested the LiberNovo Maxis
For two weeks, the LiberNovo Maxis Airflow became my daily driver chair. Eight hours a day, minimum, I’ve been sitting on it at work. And, once the work laptop was closed, I carried on using it, both while gaming and using the OmniStretch massaging feature multiple times throughout the testing period (when I could get my wife to stop using it!). During those times, I tended to pair it with LiberNovo’s adjustable footrest for the added relaxation.
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/zkfodRHuYrJruFS7siUUEF-1920-80.png
Source link
Steve Clark
