Work, rest and play in comfort? Boulies Master Rex chair review

First, a confession: I'm a bit of a Doctor Frankenstein with office furniture. I've owned so many gaming and office chairs that I've built my own hybrids out of various parts I've held onto over the years. That's probably more to do with my failure to properly invest in a better posture. I've rarely spent more than £350 on a seat, despite it being one of the key pieces of kit in my home office. It's the one room where I can work, rest and play games. And yet, here I am having owned at least three chairs that have wheels, gas lifts and arms taken from older chairs once they'd outlived their usefulness. Boulies, on the other hand, is well-known for its quality line-up of hand-built pews designed for a range of uses. So, when the company offered to send me one of its brand-new Boulies Master Rex chairs I really wanted it to work. Would it nudge me to stop my cross-legged slouching and some of the other bad seating habits I've developed?

Although Boulies certainly don't market the Master Rex as any kind of 'cure' for the sort of postural issues I (or anyone else) might have fallen into over the years, it certainly sets out to address all of the major pressure points. With comprehensive adjustments for armrests, rocking, reclining and fully customisable lumbar support, this is a chair that Boulies promise will provide "unparalleled sitting comfort and better body support". And it aims to do that in style too, as it has a two-tone design made from Ultraflex PU leather or water repellant fabric in a choice of black, grey and brown finishes.

So, with a large box opened and a set of components and parts all laid out, it was time to get building. I hoped I'd be on the road to the sort of elevated comfort that my back, arms and neck have been dreaming of all these years. All I needed to do was avoid triggering my lower back problem as I lifted the parts to build it. Let's see how I got on.

First impressions of the Boulies Master Rex chair

I don't often find myself talking about packaging, but here it's an integral part of the way the product is supplied. Like the vast majority of office chairs, it comes as a kit. However, unlike almost all of the other ones I've bought, the careful packaging and clear instructions make this a pleasure to unbox. Considering that the fabrics here are particularly high-end, I really didn't want to lift anything out only to find a scratch or dent from tight plastic wrapping and so on. And I didn't. The backrest and seat were nicely wrapped in a foam sheet. I soon had everything lined-up and ready to build.

Construction and setup

The joys of flatpack furniture have made me very familiar with the sort of blister-packed tools and accessories you tend to get with kits, but thankfully Boulies present you with these parts in a single pack. The only tools are two Allen keys, accompanied by an assortment of bolts and some knick-knacks like plastic covers for bolt holes. It's easy to understand which part is which from the instructions, too.

The Boulies Master Rex chair took me around 20 minutes to construct, bearing in mind that I was being extra careful not to accidentally mark or scratch that PU leather along the way. The only moment of hesitation that happened was due to slightly unclear instruction diagrams. My advice to anyone building this is: when you're attaching the gas lift controls to the base of the seat, pay careful attention to the orientation – it would be easy to mount it backwards. Not the end of the world, but I'd hate to get to the end before I realised.

Other than that note in the margin, construction was refreshingly simple. I particularly appreciate the precision of the engineering here, as I never had to force things into alignment or struggle with bolts or holes not lining up. The Allen keys are good quality, but I found I had to take special care not to scuff the leather when doing up the backrest bolts. So, time to stand back and see what I've ended up with.

Design and build: Quality through and through?

First things first, the Boulies Master Rex is a sensibly-sized chair that will fit into most home or office environments. I've owned office chairs of all sizes – from operator seats and gaming chairs with too much bling, to leather executive chairs that are a better match for the lair of a Bond villain than the average desk. Thankfully, with the Master Rex, Boulies have combined the best features of both office and gaming chairs into a seat that blends in without being dull, and catches the eye without being just another gaming chair with sport seat styling.

Looking at it, I appreciate the subtle bucket seat profile of the back and also the fairly deep and wide seat itself with a well-rounded front edge. As someone who's struggled with enough support closer to the knee joint, I have a feeling this is going to be a better experience than most.

As for the finish, the PU leather is smooth to the touch and is clearly thick and well-stitched. I tend to go for finishes like this as they fare better against dust and crumbs than the weave-style fabrics found on most office chairs. Thankfully, the only fabric here is the black microfibre panelling up the middle of the backrest and in the inside edge of the seat – both areas that won't see spillages.

The plastics are always a worry on cheaper chairs, but I'm happy to report that the cushioned armrests and all of the knobs and levers feel very robust. Metal areas like control rods and the base itself are solid metal with a quality finish. The wheels are a step up from standard too, running smoothly and being wooden floor friendly.

Lastly, one of the main features that makes this a Master Rex instead of the previous Master or Master Max version we reviewed is the integrated leg rest which slides and folds out from underneath. I've never had a chair that I would feel happy reclining in to this degree, so I was intrigued to see how relaxing it might be.

Controls and adjustments: Just the right amount of both

The list of controls here are comprehensive, without being overly complex. Yes, there's the usual recline function and tilt mechanism – but I find the stability of both to be really quite impressive. The back reclines from 95 to 165 degrees, which is a massive range. It was so far that I actually believed the chair would tip over, which of course it didn't thanks to the wide base and engineering at play here.

But, perhaps the feature I was most excited to try out for myself is the customisable lumbar support. I really dislike the air pump variety seen in other chairs, so I was relieved to find that this has not one but two control knobs on either side of the backrest. As someone who has struggled with a niggling lower back problem for many years, I think that being able to adjust the level of support as well as its height is a Godsend.

That aside, there's also what Boulies call '4D armrests'. What this really means is that you can raise and lower them as usual – but they will also slide back and forward and swivel laterally. That means that there's another level of comfort to be had with your arm position whether sitting upright at work or reclining while gaming.

So, how would all of these controls and adjustability features add up when put into actual use?

Testing the Boulies Master Rex

Work and recreation: A chair for all seasons?

My first port of call in testing the Boulies Master Rex was, of course, work. As one of the many working from home tech essentials I need, I can easily end up spending over 10-12 hours in a chair at my desk as the day job gives way to the evening. When I'm not working, I'm usually a bit of a computer addict with a mixture of creative and technical projects – not to mention socials, browsing and shopping.

I'm pleased to say that this chair passed the true acid test: a full fortnight and more without lower back ache. Not only that, the armrest adjustability helped me to maintain a healthy posture while typing on my wireless keyboard. It actually stopped me from unconsciously raising my right shoulder, which can lead to neck ache for me.

As for that lumbar support, this is the area I really needed to work well – and it really did. In the past I've bought various lumbar support cushions made out of all kinds of foam. I've done the same with the seat itself, too. The Master Rex did two things for me. Firstly, being able to tweak the height as well as the amount of support let me customise it for my specific back problem. My issue is quite low down, so I could avoid that slightly sickening feeling that other chairs provide when the support is too high.

As I expected when I looked at the completed chair, the deep and well-cushioned seat also gave my lower thighs the support I need to stop my knees from becoming uncomfortable. Two very bad habits I've developed are folding one leg under the other on the seat and, with both feet down, resting them on the base instead. The former is very much a habit, and I still do it, but the latter was cured by this chair's overall adjustability. Having it at the right height, plus the armrest, seat and lumbar supports, seem to have stopped me from needing to place my feet on the base at all.

Gaming: A win in comfort

I'm not used to gaming in the same chair that I work in, mainly because I've never had a comfortable office chair that could double as a gaming seat. Or should that be the other way around? Despite showing it sat in front of office desks, Boulies list the Master Rex under its Gaming Chair section, but pitch it for work and play.

Reclining isn't unique, of course, but I did find that the subtle bucket seat contour provided good support when holding a controller and relining slightly. Although this seat comes with the obligatory branded neck support pad that has an elastic strap, I've never liked my head being pushed too far forward for work – but for reclined gaming it worked a treat for a spot of extra comfort. It also looked great as an accessory.

Relaxation: Music, reading and (somehow) not taking a nap

This is where I really started to use the Boulies Master Rex as a piece of furniture rather than a home office accessory. Again, this was a little alien to me, but since my study doesn't have my record player and amp in it, I moved the chair to the living room. At maximum recline with the 4D armrests angled outwards and the leg rest extended, this chair is a bit of a revelation. Yes, it really can double as a recliner for a listening session, or reading, or watching movies on a massive TV for that matter. I didn't quite fall asleep in it, but with so much support and so few bits of plastic sticking into your extremities that would be a total possibility.

Alternatives to the Boulies Master Rex chair

Just in terms of finish and adjustability, I think the Secretlab TITAN Evo Stealth Gaming Chair would be a good like-for-like alternative. It has 4D armrests, and the same degree of recline and lumbar support adjustment. It's similar to look at but has a more pronounced bucket seat design. It does though lack the extendable leg rest and costs over £130 more than the Master Rex.

If you're on more of a budget, the Anda Seat Phantom 3 Gaming Chair would offer a similar overall design approach, with some support in the lumbar area, but you will lose a lot of the finer adjustability and build quality that the Boulies chair has. Choose this one if you're not looking to solve any specific postural weak points and just want a comfortable chair with a reclinable bucket seat design.

Who is it for?

I think that the Boulies Master Rex is best suited for anyone working from home who, like myself, find that their working day morphs into their evening routine. Extended comfort and adjustability really counts here, as longer hours and multiple use cases demand a robust, easily cleanable and well engineered chair like this. It's also for anyone who dislikes the standard design of office chairs and finds themselves stuck between buying a gaming chair with speakers (like the Brazen Stag 2.1 chair we reviewed) or one with too much bling, or executive chairs that are prohibitively expensive. This chair is also for anyone who wants a decent level of adjustability to suit a range of postural issues – without having a dozen anonymous control levers to worry about.

Verdict

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by this chair at every turn. Not that I didn't expect quality from a brand as well renowned as Boulies – but simply because I've owned chairs of all kinds and at all budgets, and none have done the job as well or as simply as the Master Rex. My seating position and the impact of this (numb thighs, neck ache and lower back pain) has been a worry for me for a while now, and while I'm sure Boulies would never claim that any of their chairs are guaranteed to solve any health issues, for me it's made a huge difference.

Nothing is perfect, of course. I still habitually cross my leg under the other and sit twisted as I use the leftmost of three PC monitors, but I'm very well supported in those key areas that used to cause me discomfort. I find the finish very cleanable, too – and I was worried that it would mark very easily given its smooth matt finish, but it's been fine so far.

On top of all of that, I feel like I've gained two chairs in one, as I can now turn away from my desk and chill out on the Xbox without feeling like I've spent the whole day in the same chair. Personally, I think the brown version I received takes a bit of getting used to, but now that I've lived with it for a while it's broken the 'black and grey' habit of a lifetime and its a good fit for my home. All in all, it's hard to criticise something that's this well made at a price that doesn't cost you the earth.

Other ergonomic chairs

How we tested the Boulies Master Rex chair

I tested the Boulies Master Rex chair for three weeks. It was used at an office desk in a small room for my daily work, after work for computer-based projects and also desktop craft projects. I also used the chair for two hour gaming sessions, both reclined and in normal seating positions. The 4D armrests were used in various configurations to suit. The height was also adjusted to match the two different desk heights between my PC setup and my gaming setup. I also used the Boulies Master Rex in fully reclined mode with the leg rest extended for listening to music in a living room.

This product was provided to me by a PR agency for the purposes of this review. Neither the agency or Boulies had any control over the content of this review.

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Chris Duffill is a Senior Tech Product Writer for What's The Best. His background includes writing, editorial, marketing, design, video production and photography.

He specialises in computing (PCs, tablets, smartphones, smartwatches), DSLR photography and all kinds of digital cameras. He is also one of our resident experts in in home entertainment and audiovisual tech, including speakers, amplifiers, turntables, streaming media players, and TVs. He also writes about retro gaming, game consoles and various electronic gadgets. If it plugs in, lights up or makes a noise, he’ll write about it.

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