Less Is More: Why Our Ergonomic Office Chair Has Just One Control Lever

By ShuoErgoLab ·

9018 Series ergonomic mesh office chair in grey, angled front view

Turn most ergonomic office chairs upside down and you will find a row of levers, paddles and knobs. Each one does something useful, but together they create a problem: people don't know which one does what, so they set the chair once, or never, and put up with it.

The 9018 Series ergonomic mesh office chair takes a different approach. There is one control lever under the seat. Everything else adjusts at the part itself. Here is why we think less is more.

9018 Series ergonomic mesh office chair in grey, side view

One lever, two jobs

The lever sits under the right-hand side of the seat. It does two things, depending on which way you move it:

  • Lift it up to adjust the seat height. Lift the lever and take your weight off the seat to raise it, or stay seated to lower it. Let go when it is at the right height. The chair uses a Class 3 gas lift, with a seat height of 50–60 cm.
  • Pull it out to recline. With the lever pulled out, the backrest is free to recline from 90° to 125° as you lean back.
  • Push it back in to lock the backrest. Push the lever in and the backrest locks in position. There are 4 lock positions.

The icons printed on the lever show both functions, so nobody needs to remember which way is which.

The single control lever under the seat of the 9018 Series mesh office chair

The rest of the chair adjusts where you touch it, with no extra levers underneath:

  • 2D headrest: height and angle
  • 2D lumbar support: up/down and front/rear
  • 3D armrests: up/down, front/rear and left/right

Why fewer controls make a better office chair

1. A chair is only ergonomic if people actually adjust it

An adjustment nobody uses does nothing for posture. With one lever, lift for height and pull or push for recline, people work it out in seconds and set the chair up for themselves instead of sitting at whatever height the last person left it.

2. Faster set-up for shared desks and hot-desking

In offices where people move between desks, the chair gets re-adjusted every day. One lever for height and recline makes that a few-second job, so staff are more likely to bother.

3. Fewer mechanisms under the seat

Every extra lever is another mechanism that can be knocked, bent or jammed when chairs are moved, stacked or cleaned. A simpler underside is easier to live with in a busy office.

4. Less to explain

For office managers, a chair that needs no instruction sheet means fewer "how do I lower this?" questions and less time spent setting up chairs for new starters.

5. A cleaner look

With the controls kept to one lever, the chair reads as one clean shape in either grey or black. That suits modern offices, meeting rooms and home offices alike.

9018 Series ergonomic mesh office chair in grey, rear angled view

Set up the 9018 in about a minute

  1. Seat height. Lift the lever and adjust the seat so your feet rest flat on the floor and your thighs are roughly level.
  2. Recline. Pull the lever out and lean back to find a comfortable angle: more upright for typing, further back for calls and reading. Push the lever back in to lock it.
  3. Lumbar support. Move the lumbar pad up or down and in or out until it sits in the curve of your lower back.
  4. Armrests. Set them so your elbows rest at about desk height with your shoulders relaxed.
  5. Headrest. Adjust the height and angle so it supports the back of your head when you lean back.

For a full walkthrough with a photo of every control, see our step-by-step guide: how to use an ergonomic office chair correctly.

If you are fitting out a whole office, pair the chairs with height-adjustable desks so people can also change between sitting and standing. Our buyer's guide to ergonomic chairs and desks covers what to look for.

Grey or black

The 9018 Series mesh chair has a mesh back and a mesh seat for airflow in warm offices, and comes in grey or black. If you prefer a padded seat, there is also a foam-seat version in grey and black with the same single-lever control.

Ordering for your office

You can order from one chair. If you are buying for a team, volume discounts are applied automatically in your cart:

Stock is held in Auburn NSW. We deliver across mainland Australia, and pickup from our Auburn warehouse is free. See the full catalogue.

Frequently asked questions

How do I adjust the seat height?

Lift the lever under the seat. Take your weight off the seat to raise it, or stay seated to lower it, then let go.

How do I recline and lock the backrest?

Pull the lever out to let the backrest recline, from 90° to 125°. Push it back in to lock the backrest; there are 4 lock positions.

Is the 9018 a good chair for hot-desking?

It is designed to be quick to adjust: one lever for height and recline, with the headrest, lumbar support and armrests adjusted by hand. That makes it easy for each person to set up at a shared desk.

Can I buy just one chair?

Yes. There is no minimum order, and volume discounts start at 5 units.

Where do you deliver?

Across mainland Australia. Free pickup is available from our warehouse in Auburn NSW.