Several boutique ergonomic chair brands have achieved cult-like status in South Korea. For instance, Duoback launched in Seoul in 1987. In 2009, its flagship Duorest Alpha made its debut to a warm local reception. Since then, the company has released a series of stylish, user-friendly ergonomic office chairs. This Duorest office chair review looks at its best models now available for American buyers.
All Duorest ergonomic chairs employ the same concepts. Standard features include a sliding seat depth, reclining backrest, and adjustable armrests. As well, none come with adjustable lumbar support.
Instead, the backrest splits into two halves. Each half has an indent designed to fill your lower back curve. All models let you adjust the height of the backrest to perfectly fit your curve. A few also add depth control adjustability as well.
Duorest Ergonomic Chair Reviews
Here we look at the technical features of three noteworthy Duorest office chairs.
Duorest Alpha chair
The Duorest Alpha is the flagship of the Duorest collection. It has a clean design, ultra-breathable seat, and robust features designed to encourage dynamic sitting.
This model is one of several on the market that reimagines the Herman Miller Aeron chair. If you remove the headrest and put the two side-by-side, the resemblance is clear.
Under the hood, the Alpha offers similar ergonomics as the Aeron, at a much lower price point. Like the Aeron, it delivers a mesh seat, synchronous tilt functionality, and dynamic back support.
Duorest Alpha Specifications
Like all Duorest chairs, the Alpha promotes two healthy sitting objectives. First, to help users maintain clean neutral postures while they sit. Second, to keep the body moving with dynamic sitting practices.
Beyond movement, the Alpha chair delivers adjustable back support that lets you customize the fit to your particular size. Highlight features:
Synchronous Tilt
The Alpha chair comes with a 3:1 synchronous tilt mechanism. This angles the seat up by one degree for every three degrees of recline. With this feature active, leaning back provides flexion in the hips while maintaining healthy spinal curves.
Note that leaning back pulls you away from a desk, while the tilting seat puts the hips in motion. Use this feature in between intense work sessions as a quick and easy breather.
For more stable movement, you can also disable sync-tilt (lock the seat) and initiate the backrest recline. That tilts from 90-135 degrees, with 4 lockable positions.
Dynamic Backrest
Like all Duorest chairs, the Alpha model comes with a dynamic 3D backrest. The entire unit is height-adjustable. As well, each of the two backrest halves is also width adjustable.
Instead of an adjustable lumbar support system, each backrest half curves inward to fill the lower back curve. Use the height and width adjustments to tailor the support for your body.
Once set into the right position, each piece will provide mild pressure into your lower back curve. At the same time, each piece is 3D dynamic. As you move in the chair, the halves flex up, down, left or right.
This is a clever reimagining of the Herman Miller Aeron’s ultra-adaptive mesh upholstery. 8Z Pellicle Mesh has variable tension zones that adapt to micromovements to provide consistent support. The Alpha chair’s backrest does the same thing with a simple hinged system.
Duorest Alpha Specifications
- Recline: 90-135 degrees; 4-position tilt-lock with tilt-tension
- Sync-tilt: 3:1 back to seat tilt ratio
- Backrest adjustments: 1.7″ height-adjustment range; 1.3″ width adjustment range; 3D dynamic tilting
- Headrest: adjust the height and support angle
- Upholstery: mesh seat, fabric padded backrest
- Seat slider: 2″ depth adjustment range
- Armrests: 3D adjustable (height, depth, pivot)
- Warranty: 3 years on the frame; 1 year on parts
- Seat: 20″ (W) x 19.6″ (D)
- Backrest: 20″ (W)
- Seat height: 17.6-21.5″
- Size rating: 5’5″ to 6’0″; 300 pounds
Duorest Alpha Advice
The Duorest Alpha is one of the few office chairs priced under $650 with synchronous tilt. It’s attractive, easy to use, and easy to customize.
The downside applies to all Duorest chairs: the warranty. All models come with a 3-year warranty on the frame. However, everything else only comes with a 1-year warranty.
That’s the same warranty protection that the cheapest gaming chairs come with. When you pay over $500 for a chair, a 1-year parts warranty is a concern.
You’ll need to come to terms with this limitation if you decide to buy this chair. If you can live with it, you’ll get a well-built Aeron clone with superb dynamic support.
Duorest D2
$469.00 on Amazon (without the headrest)
Duorest rates its D2 Series as its best posture correction chair. It has similar features as the Alpha chair, although with a padded fabric seat, rather than a mesh one.
Like the Alpha chair, it comes with a depth-adjustable sliding seat. Unlike the Alpha, it also has a depth-adjustable backrest.
Thus, you get better depth-control than what the ALpha offers, with a different seat style. Although the Alpha’s mesh seat is more breathable, the D2’s padded fabric seat provides better long-term durability.
If the Alpha mesh tears, you need to replace the seat. In comparison, the D2’s version may flatten over time but not likely tear.
Duorest D2 Features
The D2 chair does a similar job as the Alpha chair. Its main job is to promote healthy neutral sitting positions over long periods. In support of that, its secondary job is to allow the user to move their body while sitting.
To that end, the D2 chair also has a robust 3:1 sync-tilt functionality. However, it has a smaller recline range that only locks in three positions.
Specifications Summary
- Recline: 90-108 degrees; 3-position recline tilt-lock with tilt-tension
- Sync-tilt: 3:1 ratio
- Backrest adjustments: 2.6″ height-adjustment range; 2.6″ width adjustment range; 3D dynamic tilting
- Headrest: adjust the height and angle
- Upholstery: fabric padded seat and backrest
- Seat slider: 2.2″ sliding range
- Armrests: 3D adjustable (height, depth, pivot)
- Warranty: 3 years on the frame; 1 year on parts
- Seat: 19.6″ (W) x 19.2″ (D)
- Backrest: 19.6″ (W)
- Seat height: 17.3-22″
- Size rating: 5’2″ to 6’0″; 300 pounds
Duorest D2 Advice
This chair is slightly cheaper than the Alpha, yet its functionality is almost the same. The big difference is that the D2 chair has a much smaller recline range of 90-108 degrees.
Essentially, that forces you to sit upright at all times. Even so, its dynamic 3D backrest halves and sync-tilt provide plenty of movement opportunities, despite the limited range.
As with the Alpha chair, the biggest downside is the measly 1-year warranty on parts. Even so, its fabric padded seat isn’t as likely to sag or tear as the Alpha chair’s mesh.
Duorest D2 (no headrest) on Amazon $469.00
The Duorest D2 is also available on Amazon with a height-adjustable headrest for $499.00.
Duorest Gold
The Duorest Gold is a stripped-down version of the Alpha chair. It has the same 2-pronged height and width-adjustable backrest, plus sync-tilt and armrest adjustability cutbacks.
Unlike the preceding models, the styling is basic. Chairs are available in a choice of padded fabric or PU leather that resembles cheap office chair upholstery. The plastic urethane base continues that theme with a chunky, basic look.
Given the basic styling, this model is ideal for those seeking to upgrade from a basic office chair. From that perspective, the Gold chair offers a familiar look, plus enhanced ergonomic qualities.
Duorest Gold Features
As with the other Duorest chairs, the star attraction is its synchronous-tilt functionality. However, this version is more limited, with a basic 1:1 ratio sync.
When you recline in a Gold chair with sync activated, the entire seat bucket tilts as one unit. That’s basically the same as a rocking function on a standard office chair, albeit with a fancier name.
The Gold also lacks the depth-adjustable seat slider of the Alpha chair. Instead, the backrest unit slides. If you need more or less space, you can slide the backrest forward or back to cater to your size.
Duorest Gold Specifications
- Recline: 90-105 degrees; variable recline tilt-lock with tilt-tension
- Sync-tilt: 1:1 ratio (the entire seat bucket tilts as one unit)
- Backrest adjustments: 1.7″ height-adjustment range; 1.3″ width adjustment range; adjustable depth
- Headrest: adjust the height
- Upholstery: fabric padded seat and backrest
- Seat slider: n/a
- Armrests: 2D adjustable (height, width)
- Warranty: 3 years on the frame; 1 year on parts
- Seat: 19.6″ (W) x 20″ (D)
- Backrest: 19.6″ (W)
- Seat height: 16.8-21.3″
- Size rating: 5’2″ to 6’0″; 300 pounds
Duorest Gold Advice
The Duorest Gold provides similar dynamic sitting support as the other chairs, but with less finesse. You get more basic adjustability and an old-school corporate office design. From an aesthetic standpoint, ergonomic chair connoisseurs might find it uninspiring.
However, this chair seems tailored for ergonomic beginners. Many people struggle with back pain in a cheap office chair for years before upgrading.
If you’re a creature of habit reluctant to go ergonomic, the Duorest Gold is for you. It has a familiar office chair look, easy-to-use features, and surprisingly robust dynamic sitting support.
About Duoback
Duorest is headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. The company also operates its own factory in nearby Incheon. The company was established in 1987 and listed on the Korean Stock Exchange in 2004. The same year, Duoback chairs entered the Korean office furniture market.
Over the years, the company has won several local design awards and big-time contracts. Duorest supplies furniture for mega-corporations like Samsung, Hanwha, Doosan, and others.
For most of the past decade, Duorest has focused on Asian markets. The company sells its wares in Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, and Mainland China.
After two years of operating at a loss, the pandemic hit. Many big chair brands broke sales records. Duorest also prospered, enjoying a 38% increase in sales over the previous year.
Duorest chairs are the flagship Duoback products. Even so, the company’s current focus leans towards new ergonomic solutions that incorporate IoT technology. Examples:
- Algorigo: body pressure analysis R&D.
- Posture Know: smart ergonomic chair with pressure sensors connected to a phone app. Get real-time posture reports and advice while you sit.
- Position Algo: a smart cushion with pressure sensors and a phone app.
Duoback Warranty
On Amazon, Duoback chairs are billed as coming with “up to 3 years warranty”. To clarify, all chairs come with a 3-year frame warranty and 1-year parts warranty.
| Warranty | Coverage | Details |
| 3 years | Frame | Backrest, armrest, and body frame |
| 1 year | Tilt mechanisms, gas cylinder, caster wheels | Any adjustment malfunction |
| 1 year | Rubber connectors, seat pan (mesh, padding, upholstery) | Any damage or discoloration |
Duorest Alternatives
Both gaming chairs and ergonomic office chairs support good posture over long periods. The big difference is that the former is more casual. You can recline, chill out, or even take a nap in a gaming chair.
In contrast, a good ergonomic office chair will force you to sit in upright positions at all times. If that’s what you’re looking for, here are three Duorest chair alternatives to compare with.
Herman Miller Aeron vs Duorest Alpha
The Duorest Alpha is basically a cheaper version of the Aeron chair. It has a similar look, functionality, and dynamic support properties. At a glance, the biggest difference is the price — the Aeron is three times as expensive.
Even so, when you factor in the price-per-year (based on the warranty, the gap narrows significantly.
| Duorest Alpha | Herman Miller Aeron | |
| Sync-tilt | Seat 0° to 15°; backrest 90° to 135° | Seat -1° to 16°; backrest 93° to 104° |
| Armrests | 3D | 3D |
| Lumbar support | Height and width-adjustable backrest | Height-adjustable unit |
| Recline | 90-135 degrees | 93-104 degrees |
| Seat depth adjustment | 19.6-21.6″ sliding range | n/a |
| Upholstery | Mesh seat, fabric padded backrest | Full mesh upholstery |
| Warranty | 1 year on parts | 12 years |
| Price | $599.00 on Amazon | $1545 from Herman Miller |
| Price-per-year | $599.00 per year (with 1-year warranty) | $128 per year (with 12-year warranty) |
Spread over 12 years, the Aeron is a lot cheaper than the Alpha chair. For a larger up-front investment, you get a higher-quality build, more advanced features, and long-term peace of mind.
The Aeron’s sync-tilting functionality is also the gold standard industry-wide. It’s one of the few models on the market that sync-tilt while reclining and leaning forward. When you lean forward, the seat slopes downward.
On the flip side, the Alpha chair does a similar (but less spectacular) job for a much lower up-front cost. If you don’t have the cash for an Aeron chair, the Alpha qualifies as a solid consolation prize.
Duorest D2 vs Sidiz T80
Sidiz is one of the main Duorest competitors in the South Korean market. Both are local operations that have achieved cult-like status in tech-savvy South Korea.
Sidiz has a slight edge marketing-wise. Since 2019, top Korean esports team Gen G has been an official Sidiz T80 partner. In 2019, famed streamer Dr. Disrespect also caused waves when he adopted a T80 chair as his primary ride.
Head-to-head, the Sidiz T80 and Duorest D2 each have strong points. The D2 chair has a larger sync-tilt range and a more responsive backrest for dynamic sitting.
On the other hand, the Sidiz T80 has a sharper look, downward sloping seat functionality, and better warranty protection.
| Duorest D2 | Sidiz T80 | |
| Sync-tilt | Seat 0° to 6°; backrest 90-108° | Seat 0° to 1°; backrest 90° to 114° |
| Armrests | 3D | 3D |
| Lumbar support | Height and width-adjustable backrest | Height-adjustable unit + self-adjusting depth |
| Recline | 90-108 degrees | 93-114 degrees |
| Seat depth adjustment | 2.2″ sliding range | 2″ sliding range |
| Upholstery | Fabric padded seat and backrest | Fabric padded seat, mesh backrest |
| Downward seat slope | n/a | -1° |
| Warranty | 1 year on parts | 3 years on parts |
| Price | $469.00 on Amazon | $552.50 on Amazon |
| Price-per-year | $469.00 per year (with 1-year warranty) | $183 per year (with 3-year warranty) |
Overall, the T80 edges ahead slightly because of its better warranty protection. Featurewise, it’s too close to call.
If deciding between these models, consider the price and design appeal as your primary considerations. To learn more about the T80, check this:
Duorest Gold vs Flexispot Soutien chair
Here we compare the cheapest Duorest chair against one of the best cheap ergonomic office chairs on the market.
From an ergonomic perspective, the Flexispot Soutien chair delivers everything you need for long periods of comfortable, healthy sitting. It has 4D armrests, adjustable lumbar support, a reclining backrest, and a classic design.
Like the Duorest Gold, it comes with a 1-year warranty on parts. Here’s how the two chairs stack up:
| Duorest Gold | Flexispot Soutien | |
| Sync-tilt | Seat 0° to 15°; backrest 90-105° (1:1 ratio) | n/a |
| Armrests | 2D | 4D |
| Lumbar support | Height and width-adjustable backrest | Height-adjustable unit + self-adjusting depth |
| Recline | 90-105 degrees | 90-115 degrees |
| Seat depth adjustment | n/a | 16.1-29.1″ sliding range |
| Upholstery | Fabric padded seat and backrest | Fabric padded seat, mesh backrest |
| Warranty | 1 year on parts; 3 years on the frame | 1 year |
| Price | $399.00 on Amazon | $299.99 from Flexispot |
This battle is too close to call. The Gold chair technically has a longer warranty (but only for the frame). It also provides a more dynamic sitting experience.
In comparison, the Soutien chair has a more classic office chair design. Its full mesh backrest also provides quasi-adaptability and superior breathability. On the downside, it lacks sync-tilt: when you recline, the seat remains flat.
If I had to choose between the two, I’d go with the Duorest Gold. It does a similar job as the Soutien chair, and is more expensive. Even so, it has a more unique design, and better dynamic sitting qualities.
Conclusion
The ChairsFX website is packed with glowing reviews of racing-style gaming chairs. Even so, those designs don’t suit all tastes.
In fact, many famous streamers and PC gamers insist on using ergonomic office chairs. If you fall into this camp, Duorest office chairs are an interesting option.
These chairs stand out with a unique ‘duo-back’ design and an emphasis on dynamic sitting. If you’re after something unique for a home office setup, these models qualify.
Finally, unlike many generic chair peddlers on Amazon, Duoback has a strong pedigree. The company operates its own factories and has won several design awards in South Korea.
Browse the Duorest Collection On Amazon
Related Ergonomic Office Chair Reviews
Compare Duorest chairs against the best ergonomic office chairs in three price classes. The Alpha chair ranks #2 in the $350-$600 category.
- Review: Best High-End Sync-Tilt Chairs ($650-$1650)
- Best Mid-Range Task Chairs ($350-$600)
- Best Cheap Ergonomic Office Chairs (less than $300)
