AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL gaming chair review: "A decently dignified chair for work and play"

Let's be clear, I take sitting down very seriously so I feel well-placed to take a closer look at the AndaSeat Kaiser XL gaming chair. I do some of my best thinking from two feet closer to sea level. All my apartment's furniture was carefully vetted for how well it could be sat on, including the lamps. I'm a practised master of the sinking slouch, that moment where you slide down from an upright, attentive pose into a lolling, decadent L-shape. And sure, that unergonomic habit makes my spine look like Escher's favourite silly straw, but it's totally worth it. So with those esteemed credentials in mind, how does the AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL hold up to a sitting snob and the rest of the best gaming chair market?

Assembly

For me, this was the Kaiser 3 XL's main sticking point: assembly was kind of a nightmare. Knowing the unmade chair was waiting for me in the office, I made the decision to come in half an hour early to put it together, reasoning that would be more than enough time before the piercing steam whistle that kicks off a new shift at 12DOVE. Thirty minutes later, my colleagues came in and found me lying on the floor, drenched in exhausted sweat and gently weeping beneath a pile of disorganised metal and upholstery. 

Let's be clear, assembling this chair should've been easy, at least in theory. Despite the instruction manual that looked like a novelist's manuscript, the section on construction was only a couple of pages, all presented as simple, idiot-proof baby pictures. Even the only tool required was an allen key nestled in the box. What could go wrong, I reasoned?

More fool me. The screws refusing to thread was the big issue, and the main components were far too coy about hooking up, the larger bolts spinning cheerfully in place and refusing to catch the thread. Meanwhile, the cumbersome weight of each piece meant that whenever I focused adjusting on the micro elements, something macro would tumble out of place and throw the whole thing off.

I also wasn't hugely impressed by the packaging, which felt less than eco-friendly. Nearly every single piece of the chair was sealed in bubble wrap or foam - I suppose that's de rigueur for big furniture like this - but there were also added layers of insulation and even plastic containers that seemed to serve no other function than pure presentation. I don't really see why the side panels needed to come in plastic sheaths that looked like tacky jewellery boxes, to give another example. 

Design

I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the finished chair for the first time. I'm not a fan of the more garish gaming looks, the kind of thing that's all neon Matrix greens and spiky, punkish visuals. But the Kaiser 3 just looks like a chair! And a nice chair, too - though a bit big and admittedly a bit "racing car" in its aesthetics. I felt like I was driving my desk rather than sitting at it at times, but I certainly wasn't nestled in some cringeworthy try-hard recliner covered in glowing RGB logos and digital skull decals, and I didn't feel embarrassed to have it placed in a mildly professional environment. 

No, the Kaiser 3 looks like a decently dignified chair for work and play - and that's more than fine with me. Big tick on this one.

Features & Adjustability

For clarity, the sample chair sent out to us was the XL model, and this really is more throne-like than chair-like once I eventually managed to wrangle all the components together. At times I fet dwarfed by it - a rather strange feeling for somebody six foot tall with a broadish frame. 

Still, there are no shortage of levers and buttons to mitigate the issue. Beyond the standard up/down and leaning incline, there's a lumbar/curvature knob on the side, adjustable 4D armrests, tilt-tension controls, and a magnetic headrest. This meant a pretty vast range of motion and set-ups, and it was relatively easy to get at all of it, too - most of these features could be tinkered with from the sitting position, with the exception of the tilt-tension elements.

Mind you, the mechanisms could also be quite loud, if you're wary about noise. Actually sitting in the chair I never hear a creak from its well-oiled joints, but whenever I want to adjust something, the internal mechanisms produce a series of staccato clicks and pops that make me feel rather self-conscious.

Comfort

When it comes to relaxation, call this a B-grade, made a little uncertain by constantly wondering if this seat was just too large for me. I made a real effort to keep things ergonomic - resisting my impulse to slide into my usual disaffected slump - and kept myself straight-backed, fiddling with the lumbar options to best match the stack of rattling crockery I have in place of a spine. 

And it certainly isn't uncomfortable. I can sit for long periods of time without issue, but I do find myself occasionally having to readjust and recalibrate, twisting experimentally in place to find the groove again, and I have never quite worked out the precise combination of settings that would allow me to really relax - but maybe I just need to experiment more. 

Overall - Should you buy the AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL?

The Kaiser 3 XL isn't cheap at $549, but it definitely has its strong points that will appeal to those looking to invest in a good, solid seat that offers a chassis big enough for those with larger frames.

I like the look, the wide array of options and features, and it's clearly a nicely-functional bit of tech with all the basics you'd want, plus a few extras. And yes, assembly was a pain, and the packaging could've been a lot more green, but even I'll admit that a frustrating assembly is only a problem once - and once I was seated in it, I was comfortable and ready for a day's work or an evening's gaming. And arguably, what else could you want from a chair?

How we tested the AndaSeat Kaiser 3 gaming chair

The AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL was assembled in a professional environment and used there as a replacement for the standard office chairs for a full week before writing this review - though considering the reviewer is a games guides' writer, that meant work AND gaming experiences were both amply covered.

We receive many gaming chairs in our line of work from all different companies designing the latest in ergonomic / office seating. Whether it's Secretlab, AndaSeat, Razer, Brazen, or any other company, every chair that passes through our office or home setups is tested in much the same fashion, with major considerations made to the features, levels of adjustability, and comfort when using it for all purposes.

You can read more about how we test gaming chairs and desks in our explainer, and for a more holistic view, check out our full Hardware Policy.

If you're looking for a new desk to go with this chair then be sure to check out our best gaming desks. Or if you need a new rig then be sure to take a look at our best gaming PCs page.