Sihoo M56C review: A cheap chair that's only good for short sits

Sihoo has become a dominant force at the budget end of the office chair market, making our favourite budget office chair of all time – the Sihoo M18. The Chinese company's perches are cheap, but often pack features and comfort levels that match or exceed pricier manufacturers.

The M56C treads a very fine line for Sihoo: it's one of its cheapest chairs ($180 / £140), and it trims back the extras as much as possible to keep the price low. You won't find an adjustable lumbar support or flip-up armrests here, the assembly process is convoluted, and there are times when it reminds you just how cheap it is.

While the M56C won't be gaining a place in our round-up of the best office chairs for back pain, it's an intriguing option that could find a home in certain situations.

Comfort & ergonomics

After many years of examining office chairs, I’ve found that they fall into roughly two camps: they’re either springy and energetic or plush and laid-back. Usually, cheaper chairs come in at the bouncier end, rebounding to your movements like a trampoline, but the M56C is surprisingly plush: you sink into its memory-foam cushion as you sit on it, and the supportive mesh has more give than other chairs. This is no bad thing, and it makes it feel like it’s much more expensive than its price tag and build might suggest.

Sihoo has pared back the adjustability to the bare minimum, though, adopting a universal approach that means anyone can sit on it — that is, if you’re 5’ 2” to 6’ 2”. At 6’ 4”, I’m just about out of Sihoo’s recommendations, but at its maximum extension and angle, the headrest aligned with the top of my neck (as it should), and the armrests never felt too high for my noodly limbs.

Adjustability is not a priority — the M56C keeps things cheap and universal, making it a good chair to share. The headrest is the most movable thing here, clicking into position vertically and angling through 45 degrees. The armrests only move up and down, but they do lock into place securely. The backrest reclines and locks from 110 to 125 degrees, which isn’t a huge amount, but enough to make it feel slightly more comfortable.

The chair is comfortable in places, with the seat pad being particularly cushioned and enveloping, and the non-adjustable sprung lumbar support proving just right. However, there are some areas that feel distinctly unrefined. While most armrests are made of foam, the M56C’s seem to be hollow plastic with very little give, which can be hell on bony elbows. And if you lean far back into the chair and the mesh hits the plastic support, digging into your back uncomfortably.

The initial plushness of the M56C declines as the day goes on. It’s a chair that's suited to short bursts of work or quick meetings over day-long sessions.

Design & aesthetics

Do you like your chairs to be black? Well, you’re in luck! The M56C is available in black, and black only. It is the most common colour for office chairs; it doesn’t stain and it slots in effortlessly, but I do like to see a range of at least one other colourway. I may be a little biased here because it’s hard to photograph black chairs without them looking like amorphous blobs.

Colour (or lack thereof) aside, the M56C is a conventional chair that doesn’t look too chunky or squat like some more ergonomic chairs. It lacks the structured grace of Sihoo’s M18, but the mesh fabric always has a certain airiness that doesn’t look quite as oppressive as alternatives. Even in black.

Specs

Assembly

Hoo-wee! The assembly process for Sihoo chairs is usually fairly straightforward, but the M56C proved to be surprisingly complicated. There are a lot more parts here, which presumably keeps the whole thing cheaper and more compact when boxed up, but it also adds a few more steps to the build.

It could be simple to put together if it weren’t for the dodgy manual and the bolts being supplied in plastic bags rather than a labelled blister pack. There are mislabelled steps, very similar-looking bolts, and a reference to a component that looks completely different in real life. I guessed my way through the assembly process and it felt like I arrived at the finished chair through coincidence rather than following instructions.

Price & value

The M56C is priced at around $180, though I've seen it sell for a few dollars cheaper. The closest comparison here is Sihoo’s own M18 ($159), which has become our absolute favourite budget office chair. They’re (unsurprisingly) similar chairs, but the M18 gets so much right that the M56C doesn’t quite land: straightforward assembly, a one-piece backrest without hard edges, and an adjustable lumbar support that’s actually one of the industry’s best.

Sihoo’s M59AS ($239) is also similar, with an exciting springiness and flip-up armrests for active people who frequently switch between tasks.

Moving up the scale, Boulies EP200 ($279.99) and Branch Ergonomic Chair ($339) are pricier, but add style and more adjustments, so you can feel supported for longer sessions.

Should you buy?

The M56C is a misstep from the usually reliable Sihoo, leaning too far into low-budget construction and missing the mark in terms of comfort, with hard armrests and stiff plastic supports making it uncomfortable for longer sessions.

It’s still a good-looking chair, and its one-size-fits-all approach, comfortable cushion and low price make it a good choice for kitting out a meeting room where people don’t have to sit for too long. For everywhere else, Sihoo’s M18 still rules the roost.