Steelcase Series 1 Office Chair, Graphite knit back, Seagull frame

Which Series 1 this listing actually is

This listing is the Steelcase Series 1 task chair with a knit back, sold under model and part number 435A00-5T29-5S25-6053-4ARM-LUM-CC. Steelcase's own Series 1 page publishes the colour codes inside that string: 5T29 is Graphite in the 3D Microknit back range, and 6053 is the Seagull colour scheme, one of the two schemes Steelcase lists beside Black 6205.

That decoding is how to confirm you have the right colourway, because the listing title only says Graphite, Light. The remaining segments, 5S25, 4ARM, LUM and CC, are not explained in any Steelcase document we read, so do not rely on them to confirm the seat fabric, arm type or casters. Check the chair against the photos and the listing's own fields instead.

The controls you get, and the ones the guide marks optional

Steelcase's user guide names six controls: seat height, seat depth, a back-tension dial, adjustable lumbar, arms that move in height, width, pivot and depth, and a headrest. The back dial has three settings: upright back lock, full recline with weight-activated tension plus boost, and full recline with weight-activated tension. Steelcase's page says the boost adds 20% more tension.

The guide marks the four-way arms, the adjustable lumbar and the headrest as optional features that may not be included in your chair. Steelcase's current product page lists four-dimensional arms and adjustable lumbar as standard, with the headrest and a coat hanger as field-installable options. The listing bullet also calls the arms and headrest optional, and its included-components field lists only the office chair, so do not expect a headrest in this box.

For seat depth, the guide asks you to sit back and leave two to three inches between the back of your knees and the seat edge. To raise the seat you lift your weight off it and pull the lever; to lower it you stay seated and pull the same lever.

Carpet casters in the title, hard floor in the table

The listing contradicts itself on floors. The title says Carpet Floors and the style field says Carpet Casters, but the item-details table lists the surface recommendation as Hard Floor. The user guide's rule is that soft casters suit hard floors and hard casters suit carpet.

Steelcase's product page says hard casters are standard on Series 1, with soft dual-wheel roll-control casters as the option. No Steelcase document we read says which caster ships under this exact part number, and the listing's two fields point in opposite directions. If your floor is wood or tile, ask the seller before ordering, or plan on a chair mat.

Size figures come only from the listing

Amazon's measurements give 23.75 inches deep, 27 inches wide and 41.25 inches high, an item weight of 29 pounds, a seat depth of 18.5 inches and a seat back interior height of 21.5 inches. Steelcase's product page as we read it publishes no dimension table, so these are retail figures only and are labelled that way on this page.

The same table carries fields that do not fit a task chair, including a shape of L-Shaped and a finish type of Mesh beside a back style of Solid Back. Treat the whole table with caution. The listing bullet says the chair assembles without tools in under two minutes, and Steelcase's page says Series 1 ships ready to assemble rather than fully assembled.

300 pounds or 400 pounds: the documents disagree

The printed user guide, dated May 2017, says the Series 1 chair is tested to 300 pounds and meets ANSI BIFMA requirements. Amazon's maximum weight recommendation field on this listing also says 300 pounds. Steelcase's current product page says the Series 1 chair supports users up to 400 pounds, and the Series 1 stool up to 300 pounds.

We have not found a Steelcase document that explains the change, and the newer page does not say which production run it covers. If you are near or above 300 pounds, ask Steelcase or the seller in writing which rating applies to the chair you will receive, rather than choosing between the two figures yourself.

Which Steelcase warranty covers an Amazon purchase

Steelcase's product page promises a Limited Lifetime warranty of 12 years, multi-shift, 24/7 parts and labour, and the listing's warranty field says 12 year manufacturer. The Americas Limited Lifetime Warranty PDF gives seating mechanisms, lumbar mechanisms, headrests, cylinders, arm caps, foam and casters a 12-year term, and replacement parts two years or the balance of the original term.

That same PDF carries an asterisk: it does not apply to products sold at retail to consumers, who are pointed to a separate Steelcase Limited Lifetime Consumer Warranty that we could not find or read. Steelcase's store FAQ says the consumer warranty applies only to purchases from store.steelcase.com or a Steelcase Authorized Retailer by buyers in the United States or Canada.

The Americas PDF also lets Steelcase reject claims on products bought from unauthorised sellers, including unauthorised internet sites, and the user guide says servicing must be done by an authorised Steelcase dealer. Before buying, check who the seller is on the offer you select and ask Steelcase whether that seller counts as authorised.