I’ve been using this all-mesh office chair for five months and I can’t believe you can get something this sleek for under $500

True to its namesake, the Branch Aire Chair is a lightweight, all-mesh office chair with a minimalist design that’s simple to assemble and easy to move between rooms. Unlike more expensive all-mesh office chairs, this one is available for under $500 and packs in all the features you’d expect from a more premium ergonomic chair.

The Branch Aire Chair comes in light or dark grey as well as olive green, and instead of being available as an optional add-on, you get a headrest included in the box, too. While I wish it had a dedicated lumbar support mechanism (even if it was available separately), Branch’s unique zoned mesh provides plenty of support by distributing your weight evenly throughout its seat and backrest.

This is especially true when combined with the chair’s weight-balanced mechanism. Likewise, this is a task chair after all, and not the kind of seat you can lean all the way back in and lounge with your feet up. Still, after using it on and off for the past five months, it’s a great option for getting work done comfortably, as its breathable mesh helps keep you cool.

My Branch Aire Chair review will help you decide if this is one of the best office chairs and well-suited for your particular needs, or if it’s worth spending extra for a more feature-packed chair with dedicated lumbar support.

Branch Aire Chair: Cheat Sheet

• What is it? An all-mesh, ergonomic task chair designed for a full day of use at work.
• Who is it for? People who want a full-mesh office chair at a more affordable price without any unnecessary extras.
• What does it cost? The Branch Aire Chair costs $499 and there aren’t any optional add-ons.
• What do we like? Its lightweight design, how its zoned mesh prevents sagging over time, the weight-balanced mechanism that responds to your body’s micro-movements, the included headrest, how quick and easy it is to build and how its 3D armrests stay in place.
• What don’t we like? That there isn’t a lumbar support mechanism or an optional one available, the limited recline angle and how its more narrow and shallow seat makes this chair less than ideal for bigger and taller users.

Branch Aire Chair: Specs

Branch Aire Chair: The ups

There’s quite a lot to like about the Branch Aire Chair, from its clean and lightweight design to its supportive mesh. However, it’s the way in which Branch’s zoned mesh works together with the chair’s adaptive tilt mechanism that impressed me the most.

A fast and easy build

The Aire Chair that Branch sent over for review arrived in one large, well-packed box. Unlike more premium chairs, such as the $1,099 Steelcase Karman, you do need to assemble it, but that’s expected at this price. What surprised me, though, was just how easy (and fast) it was to put together.

The backrest and the seat of the Branch Aire Chair are a single unit, which meant I only had to install the chair’s armrests and headrest before dropping it onto the gas cylinder in the center of the frame after inserting its casters (wheels). Connecting a backrest and seat is usually the hardest part of assembling an office chair, so I appreciated Branch doing the heavy lifting for me.

In total, it took me a little under 10 minutes to put the Aire Chair together, even as I stopped to take pictures throughout the process.

Light, airy and ergonomic

At just 34 pounds, the Branch Aire Chair is exceptionally lightweight. In fact, it’s only three pounds heavier than the high-back version of the Steelcase Karman, which is quite impressive given that high-end chair costs twice as much or more. Its lightweight design also makes it easy to move, and while testing it, I used the chair at several of the best standing desks throughout my home.

Since I live in a warmer climate, I really appreciated the all-mesh design of the Aire Chair. It kept me cool while working, and its mesh has a sturdier feel than some of the mesh chairs I’ve reviewed, like the Sihoo Doro C300. Also, in the same vein as the Karman, its zoned mesh is designed to adapt and respond to your body’s micro-movements, but more on that later.

In terms of ergonomics, if you’re looking for an affordable office chair to keep you sitting upright with good posture, the Aire Chair fits the bill. There isn’t a dedicated lumbar support mechanism like on the Branch Verve Chair, but its backrest has a curve that naturally aligns with the small of your back.

You also get 3D armrests that are easy to adjust, and unlike the 4D armrests on some other chairs, they stay firmly in place. In another nice touch, its armrest pads have a waterfall edge that prevents extra strain on your elbows and wrists.

Everything about adjusting this chair is intuitive and straightforward. You won’t have to break out the assembly instructions or watch videos online to get the right fit.

Zoned mesh meets adaptive tilt

Given that some mesh chairs can feel stiff or sag after extended use, Branch decided to do things differently with its first all-mesh office chair. Instead of having all of the Aire’s mesh be exactly the same, it has different levels of tension depending on where it is in the chair. For instance, the seat’s mesh is firmer and more taut, while the backrest’s mesh is softer and more flexible.

This gives you a best of both worlds approach where the seat is durable and very supportive, and the backrest has more give to it so that it can conform to your body and relieve pressure points to help reduce muscle fatigue throughout your workday. In my experience, this works well and really makes the Aire Chair feel like a budget-friendly version of the Steelcase Karman.

In the same way that the Karman responds to your body’s micro-movements, so too does the Aire, but through a combination of these mesh zones and its weight-balanced mechanism. Like Steelcase’s less traditional mesh chair, this approach won’t be for everyone, and this is especially true for those who need extra support, particularly in the lumbar region of their back. Still, it’s clear that a lot of thought and testing went into creating an all-mesh chair that will work for most people.

Branch Aire Chair: The downs

Although the Branch Aire Chair has served me well after using it for five months, it’s not without its downsides, which include the lack of a traditional lumbar support mechanism and the fact that, unlike other mesh chairs, this one was designed solely for work.

Lacking lumbar

The Aire Chair lacks a dedicated lumbar support mechanism, a common feature in many ergonomic chairs. In fact, other chairs from Branch, including the original Branch Ergonomic Chair, the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro and the Branch Verve Chair, all have one. While I understand this choice was likely made to maintain the Aire’s minimalist design, Steelcase has shown with the Karman that a lumbar support add-on is possible without compromising a chair's aesthetic.

When I first reviewed the Karman, I opted against the optional adjustable lumbar support add-on and later regretted it. When I later tried the high-back version of that chair, I did install it. Even though it's just a simple plastic-backed cushion, it made a world of difference.

I'd love to see Branch implement something similar. Given that its Verve Chair launched without a headrest option that was added later, it's possible a lumbar support add-on for the Aire could be released one day. Fingers crossed.

Not a lounger

Given that they’re often priced higher than your standard office chair with a foam seat, all-mesh chairs are often perceived as being more comfortable. At the end of a long day, there’s nothing more comfortable than reclining all the way back and maybe even putting your feet up like you can with the pull-out footrest on the Hinomi X1 I recently reviewed.

Remember when I said the Branch Aire Chair was designed specifically with work in mind? Well, while you can certainly lean back in it, you won’t be doing any actual lounging as it has a recline angle of just 12 degrees.

This is more than enough to lean back and look over your work like I’ve been doing in between paragraphs while writing this review. However, the Aire isn’t the kind of chair you can take a nap in, like the X1 or even the X-Chair X3. Instead, this is a great office chair that will keep you sitting upright and focused on the task at hand. If lounging is an extra you’re interested in, you’d be better off looking elsewhere.

Branch Aire Chair: Verdict

The Branch Aire Chair is an excellent all-mesh office chair, especially at this price. Although it does lack a dedicated lumbar support mechanism, features like its zone mesh and weight-activated mechanism definitely give it a more premium feel. At the same time, its sleek design and the included headrest make it easy to recommend for any home office.

At $499 or even $449 when on sale, you’re getting quite a lot of bang for your buck with this chair. However, if you absolutely need a dedicated lumbar support mechanism but like the look and design of the Aire, I’d take a look at some of Branch’s other chairs first, specifically the Ergonomic Chair Pro or, if you have a bit more to spend, the Verve Chair.