Steelcase Series 1 Review (2026)
A Steelcase task chair with height-adjustable lumbar, a seat depth slider and 4D arms, rated to 400 lb and covered for 12 years.
The Series 1 suits a first ergonomic chair or a secondary desk. Its adjustable lumbar sits on the LiveBack flexor back, its seat slides for depth, and the chair is certified to BIFMA Level 3. The lumbar adjusts in height only, with fixed firmness. Its weight-activated tilt carries a boost setting plus an upright lock. For someone sitting long days with a specific back trouble spot, the Leap V2 adds a lumbar firmness dial and Natural Glide recline.
Buy the Series 1 if…
- You want height-adjustable lumbar and a seat depth slider in a Steelcase chair
- You are outfitting a secondary workspace or guest office
- You want a step up from a basic task chair
- You need a 400 lb weight capacity
Skip it if…
- Back pain drives the purchase and you want firmness-adjustable lumbar
- You want a refurbished chair with a Crandall warranty
- You are open to a remanufactured Leap V2 from Crandall
| Spec | Steelcase Series 1 |
|---|---|
| Price (new) | ~$499 |
| Price (used) | About $440 to $555 at Crandall depending on unit (used, not remanufactured) |
| Warranty | Steelcase Limited Lifetime (12-year parts and labor) |
| Seat height range | 15.5″ to 20″ |
| Seat depth adjustment | Yes (adjustable slider) |
| Lumbar support | Height-adjustable, fixed firmness |
| Armrests | 4D (height, width, depth, pivot) |
| Back | LiveBack flexor system; 3D Microknit or Air Back mesh |
| Tilt | Weight-activated synchro-tilt with boost setting and upright lock |
| Weight capacity | 400 lb (300 lb stool variant) |
| Headrest | Optional add-on |
| Certifications | BIFMA Level 3, CarbonNeutral product certification |
What the Series 1 Is
The Series 1 is a Steelcase task chair built for buyers who want adjustable lumbar and the 12-year Steelcase warranty in a simpler chair than the Leap V2.
The back uses Steelcase’s LiveBack flexor system, the same flexor system as the Leap V2. Steelcase offers it with a 3D Microknit back or an Air Back mesh.
Options include a headrest and a stool variant rated to 300 lb.
Lumbar Support
The Series 1 includes a height-adjustable lumbar support that moves up and down to meet your lower back. You slide it to the height where it contacts the curve of your lower back, and it stays there.
Lumbar firmness is fixed. On the Steelcase Leap V2, a separate firmness dial sets how hard the lumbar pushes against your back, independent of its height. For someone with a specific trouble spot who wants stronger targeted pressure, the fixed firmness on the Series 1 is a limitation.
For a deeper comparison of lumbar systems across chairs, see the Best Office Chairs for Back Pain guide.
Seat and Adjustability
The seat height runs from 15.5 to 20 inches, which reaches lower than the Series 2’s 16.5-inch minimum. The seat pan also has a depth slider. A seat that is too deep for your thighs forces you to sit forward on the pan to keep your feet flat, which pulls your back away from the backrest. The slider lets shorter and taller sitters each set the pan so the backrest stays in contact.
The 4D armrests adjust on four axes, pivot angle among them. The Best Office Chairs for Neck and Shoulder Pain guide ranks chairs on arm adjustability.
Recline and Back Movement
The Series 1 uses a weight-activated synchro-tilt, so the seat and back recline together and the resistance follows your body weight. A boost setting is included, and an upright lock holds the back in place. A separate tension control is not listed for the Series 1.
The Leap V2 pairs its LiveBack with the Natural Glide System recline and a 5-position tilt lock with tension control.
Build and Warranty
Steelcase covers the Series 1 under its Limited Lifetime warranty, with 12 years of 24/7 parts-and-labor coverage. The chair is certified to BIFMA Level 3 and offers CarbonNeutral product certification.
The 400 lb rating applies to the chair itself, matching the Leap V2 and the Series 2. It is higher than the 275 lb rating on the Branch Ergonomic Chair.
Strengths
- Height-adjustable lumbar
- Seat depth slider for thigh support across body sizes
- LiveBack flexor back
- 4D armrests with pivot adjustment
- 400 lb weight capacity
- Steelcase 12-year warranty
- BIFMA Level 3 certification
- 3D Microknit or Air Back mesh options
Limitations
- Lumbar adjusts in height only, with fixed firmness
- Weight-activated tilt; a separate tension control is not listed
- Not remanufactured by Crandall; Crandall lists it used only
How It Compares
Series 1 vs Steelcase Leap V2
The Leap V2 adds a lumbar firmness dial to height adjustment, the Natural Glide System recline, and a 5-position tilt lock with tension control. Both chairs adjust seat depth, both carry 4D arms, and both are rated to 400 lb. Crandall sells the Leap V2 remanufactured with its 12-year parts warranty.
Series 1 vs Steelcase Series 2
The Series 2 is the next step up in the same Steelcase line. Its seat uses high-density foam with flexible edges and adaptive bolstering, its seat height range tops out at 21.5 inches, and it offers a quilted upholstered back option. The Series 1 keeps the lower minimum seat height, and both chairs list an optional headrest. A sitter who needs the seat above 20 inches has the reason to step up. The Series 1 vs Series 2 comparison covers the full breakdown, and the Branch Pro vs Series 2 comparison weighs the Branch Pro’s 5D arms against the Series 2.
Series 1 vs Branch Ergonomic Chair
The Branch Ergonomic Chair also adjusts seat depth. The Branch has 3D arms (height, width, pivot), while the Series 1 adds depth adjustment for 4D arms. The Series 1 carries the longer warranty (12 years vs 7) and the higher weight capacity (400 lb vs 275 lb). The Branch vs Series 1 comparison goes further.
Series 1 vs Steelcase Gesture
The Gesture adds 360-degree arms, a 16 to 21 inch seat height range that reaches an inch higher, and a 15.75 to 18.5 inch seat depth range. The Gesture vs Series 1 comparison sets the two side by side.
Who Should Buy the Series 1
A second desk at home or an office chair several people share is the clearest fit: the warranty runs long and the capacity covers a wide range of users.
A first ergonomic upgrade for someone sitting in a basic task chair with no lumbar adjustment is the other. The Series 1 adds the lumbar and seat depth adjustments a basic task chair lacks.
For a primary desk chair, particularly where back pain is a concern, the remanufactured Leap V2 from Crandall brings the lumbar firmness dial and Natural Glide recline.
Alternatives
Steelcase Leap V2
Its lumbar adjusts in both height and firmness, and it lists a tension control for its recline; a separate tension control is not listed for the Series 1. Crandall’s remanufactured units carry Crandall’s 12-year parts warranty.
Branch Ergonomic Chair
It adjusts seat depth and lumbar height, and the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro steps up to 5D arms and two-way lumbar.
Steelcase Gesture
Crandall remanufactures the Gesture with its 12-year parts warranty, a route the Series 1 does not have. See the Gesture vs Series 1 comparison for the full matchup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Final Verdict
The Series 1 covers what a first ergonomic chair needs: lumbar height, seat depth and 4D arms, with Steelcase’s warranty behind them. Its one oddity is the used market, where Crandall’s top used price can sit above a new unit on Amazon, so a used unit is worth checking against the new price first.
Its lumbar firmness is fixed, and a separate tension control is not listed for its recline, which leaves it short for heavy daily users with specific back issues. For those buyers, the remanufactured Leap V2 from Crandall is the better chair.
Buy it if
You are setting up a secondary workspace or making a first ergonomic upgrade.
Skip it if
You have back pain with a specific trouble spot, or you can reach the remanufactured Leap V2.