REASONS TO BUY
Highly adjustable
Comfortable for long periods of time
High back
REASONS TO AVOID
Armrests aren't universally accepted
Uncomfortable if not sitting correctly
Steelcase Gesture Review
This model is top-notch if it fits you well but isn't as universally lauded as some when it comes to comfort
The Gesture is a top-tier chair but might not match everyone's personal tastes.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
RELATED: Best Office Chairs
Our Verdict
Overall, the Steelcase Gesture performed a little lower in our tests than we expected. Some of our judges absolutely loved this chair, while others found it fairly uncomfortable. This mixed response kept it from claiming one of our awards; however, it's exceptionally adjustable, did very well in our durability test, and essentially arrives completely assembled. It can be ordered with or without a headrest, and the color choices are extensive. While no chair is for everyone, the Gesture is well made with a lot to offer for those it's a good fit.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
Steelcase Gesture | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  |  |  | | |
| Price | $1,533 List $1,424 at Amazon | $1,299 List $1,299 at Amazon | $819 List $772.00 at Amazon | $1,150 List | $180 List $139.43 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | This top-tier office chair comes equipped with an innovative armrest design but didn't receive the widespread accolades that some of our award winners did | Our favorite year after year, this is one of the highest performing chairs on the market | This chair boasts both comfort and high-quality features, though there is room for improvement in terms of providing additional adjustment options | This chair earns high style points and also offers great levels of adjustability and comfort | It's not fancy, but this is our favorite budget-friendly chair for the money |
| Rating Categories | Steelcase Gesture | Steelcase Leap | Steelcase Series 2 | Herman Miller Sayl | Modway Articulate E... |
| Comfort (50%) | |||||
| Adjustability (35%) | |||||
| Durability (10%) | |||||
| Ease of Assembly (5%) | |||||
| Specs | Steelcase Gesture | Steelcase Leap | Steelcase Series 2 | Herman Miller Sayl | Modway Articulate E... |
| Adjustable Seat Pan | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Adjustable Lumbar Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Option available | Yes; the backrest moves up and down |
| Adjustable Armrest Width | Option available | Option available | Option available | Option available as a third-party upgrade | No |
| Recline Lever | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Tilt Limiter | Yes; 4 stop points | Yes; 5 stop points | Yes; only locks in the upright position | Yes; 3 stop points | Yes; locks you into a position |
| Swivel Armrests | Option available | Option available | Option available | Option available as a third-party upgrade | No |
| Armrest Depth Adjustment | Option available | Option available | Option available | Option available as a third-party upgrade | No |
| Tension Knob | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lumbar Support | Yes | Yes | Yes | Option available | Yes |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Steelcase Gesture didn't rise quite enough to the top for us to consider it for an award, but don't get us wrong: this is still a really nice chair that offers good adjustability and excellent durability.
Performance Comparison
The Gesture is a top-tier office chair but costs quite a bit.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Comfort
To rate and compare how each chair performed in this exceptionally subjective rating metric, we gathered a panel of judges of varying heights and body types. We had each person determine how long they could comfortably sit, noting their overall opinions of the backrest, seat, and armrests. On average, our judges were more than happy to sit in this chair for a full 10-hour day. They liked the amount of padding and support, with the main complaint again being that it felt like the chair sloped forward a bit, and this couldn't be adjusted. The backrest was also decently well received by our panel of judges. It has an integrated curve that provides ample support, but this might not be the chair for you if you like aggressive lumbar support. However, it is the armrests that caused our judges the most concern. They are a little more difficult to adjust to a comfortable position and don't lock into place, making it easy to inadvertently knock them out of position.
This chair has some of the most adjustable armrests we have seen to date.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Adjustability
Our second metric assesses the different adjustments each office chair offers, which allow it to conform to your body and personal preferences. We compared the amount of range and the ease of adjusting the seat, reclining function, backrest, and armrests. We also evaluated the effort required to get the chair into an ergonomic position. The Gesture offers a ton of customization, particularly with its armrests, earning it one of the higher scores of the group.
This chair can be purchased with or without adjustable lumbar support, but the built-in curvature without the additional support fits most people quite well. The backrest goes decently high, and you have four different tilt-limiting stops to choose between.
Even the version of the Gesture without adjustable lumbar support easily conforms to most spines.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
We were very impressed with the adjustability of the armrests on the Gesture — it offers some of the most adjustability that we have seen to date. The armrests can move up and down, adjust in width, swivel, and move forward and back, and they have a wide range of motion for each of these movements. This chair also lets you adjust the depth of the seat pan.
Durability
We thoroughly inspected each chair after we had tested them for any signs of damage and combed through user experiences to see if there were any commonly experienced issues with this chair. The Gesture again scored very well — it didn't undergo any wear and tear throughout our testing process. We also didn't find many user complaints about the chair breaking, just a few mentions of the chair starting to squeak after six months of use. These reports were few and far between though.
Ease of Assembly
Our last evaluation looked at the amount of work required to go from unboxing to sitting in your brand new Gesture. This office chair arrived completely assembled in an enormous box, taking just minutes to get set up.
This chair arrives fully assembled so you can start sitting in no time!
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Value
The Gesture isn't the best value, as it pairs a top-tier price with a just decent performance. That said, we don't see the majority of folks being disappointed with this chair, should you acquire it.
Conclusion
The Steelcase Gesture is a good chair with incredibly adjustable armrests, but it isn't for everyone. The seat wasn't universally loved, and a few wished for a bit more regarding lumbar support. Many of our judges noted that the Gesture forces you to sit in a very upright position — almost to the point of tilting you forward. This can be great if you are working on sitting upright or if that is your preferred sitting position, but a different chair might better suit people who like a more reclined stance.
—
Hayley Thomas, Austin Palmer, and David Wise
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