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Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
The search for your ideal gaming chair can be long and arduous. There are so many out there to choose from, and let’s be honest — a lot of them look exactly alike. They start around $150 and go all the way up over $400, so how do you know which are the best gaming chairs? Do you go for an affordable chair like the one from EasySMX, a more high end chair like the AndaSeat Dark Demon, or something in the middle?
That middle-ground is the place Killabee is attempting to fill with their 82576 Big and Tall Gaming Chair. They sent us this chair so that we could test it out and give you a fair and unbiased review. My hope is that after you read this Killabee gaming chair review, you’ll be able to decide if its the right chair for you and your budget.
Zoom In: Specs
- Material: PU Leather Upholstery
- Backrest: 90 – 175 Degree Adjustable
- Ergo Features: Padded Armrests, Adjustable Retractable Padded Footrest, Memory Foam Seat Cushion, Head Pillow, and Lumbar Support
- Special Feature: Vibrating lumbar support
- Recommended Height: 5’8″ – 6’2″
- Maximum Weight: 400lbs
- Price: $250
Building Experience
My experience building the Killabee 82576 Big and Tall Gaming Chair was kind of a mixed bag. On the one hand, there were only about eight steps involved from beginning to end, and most of them were fairly simple. The retractable padded footrest came preinstalled, which saved some time, and most of the parts clicked together easily.
I did encounter a little confusion in a couple areas, however. I found the instructions for attaching the steel plate that connects the seat to the back of the chair vague and unclear. It took a little trial and error to get them attached correctly. The instructions also recommend that you attach the plate to the seat before the back, but the threads in the back of the chair are finicky and require perfect alignment. I feel it would have been easier to attach it there first and then bolt the plate to the seat.
The other issue I had was attaching the arms. You need to connect a pair of plastic components to the threads in the chair in two places, line up ports in the arms, place washers on the outsides of the arm ports, then somehow thread the bolts through all three of these objects and into the chair while holding them all together in two different places. Not easy.
These were isolated complications, however. The rest of the assembly was simple and straight forward. All in all, the process took about 30–45 minutes.
Build Quality and Comfort
The build quality in this chair leaves a fair amount to be desired. The PU leather feels soft to the touch and is comfortable for long hours of sitting, but it’s sure to let you know any time you adjust your position in the seat. It is very creaky. The frame is made of steel, which is nice, but the armrests are made of plastic. This chair also comes with some of the worst casters I’ve ever used. It’s like that one shopping cart no one wants because some of the wheels just don’t want to go in the same direction as the others. That isn’t a huge deal, since you can easily replace them with a much better set for an extra $10–20 on Amazon, but it’s disappointing to have to do that when you’ve just bought a brand new $250 chair.
Somehow, even with all the build quality issues, this chair is extremely comfortable to sit in. It is a true big and tall gaming chair, so short gamers may want to look elsewhere. The seats are soft and cushy, but you never seem to sink through them. The neck and lumbar pillows are more adjustable than most gaming chairs, and the lumbar support even has a vibrate feature that, while a little gimmicky, is actually quite comfortable. The only downside it that you need to plug in a USB cable to use it. You’ll definitely want to be careful how you decide to plug it in. The last thing you want is to roll away from your desk with your chair tethered to your PC.
Adjustability
The range of adjustability on the Killabee is fairly typical. You can adjust height and recline anywhere from 90 to 155 degrees. The armrests lower and raise automatically along with the degree of recline, but they are not individually adjustable. You can’t make them taller or do any sort of four-dimensional movement.
The neck and lumbar pillows are both adjustable, however. The neck pillow design is particularly nice. It’s attached with a simple elastic band that goes around the head of the chair. This actually allows you a range of height adjustment many gaming chairs don’t offer since it can be raised and lowered to sit where you want it, though it might not look as sleek as some other designs.
Stone Cold Killabee
The Killabee 82576 Big and Tall Gaming Chair in not priced like a high-end gaming chair. It’s much more affordable and therefore deserves some leniency. It has some features — like the retractable leg rest and the vibrating lumbar support — that help set it apart from other budget chairs. The overall design is also quite stylish, with black PU leather and red stitching giving it a classic executive look in addition to some gamer flair.
Unfortunately, some of its build quality issues make it difficult to recommend. The casters are particularly disappointing. I wouldn’t even consider getting this chair unless you’re also prepared to purchase replacement wheels.
Zoom Out: Verdict
Summary
The Killabee 82576 is a comfortable, feature rich, big and tall gaming chair. It’s priced moderately and has a middling range of adjustability. Unfortunately, some poor-quality components lessen the experience.
- Comfortable memory foam cushioning
- Vibrating lower back rest
- Retractable leg rest
- Horrible casters which make it difficult to roll
- Creaky upholstery and frame
- Attaching the arms can be difficult
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