While gaming chairs were once synonymous with cheap car seats stuck on office chair bases, that stereotype is becoming less the case each year. Brands such as AndaSeat now offer customized designs that are genuinely comfortable and practical for use when gaming or relaxing. More importantly, the quality and comfort of gaming chairs is continually improving, making these flashy seats worth splashing the cash on. In this review, we look at the AndaSeat 2022 Kaiser 3 to see what’s new in the world of premium gaming chairs.
The Kaiser line is one of AndaSeat’s most popular sellers, and it’s presumably now the company’s flagship product with the 2022 redesign. Competitor Secretlab revamped its Titan Evo last summer with new features like integrated lower back support, magnetically-attachable armrests and headrests, and flashier looks. AndaSeat responded with its own upgrades, and the two chairs are now on a level playing field as far as features.
AndaSeat 2022 Kaiser 3 gaming chair overview and design
The AndaSeat Kaiser 3 is advertised as a premium gaming chair suited for most body types and heights. It features a large cushion and tall backrest composed of a steel frame encased in molded foam. The chair is attached to an all metal base, making for a heavy but sturdy package.
As noted, AndaSeat revised the design for 2022, adding magnetically-attachable armrests plus a magnetic headrest pillow. There’s also adjustable lumbar support, four-direction adjustment for the arm rests, a fully reclining back, height and tilt adjustment, and the metal base. Something that makes the Kaiser additionally interesting now is the magnetic desk attachment (sold separately), which you can attach if you want to set your mouse and keyboard or even your laptop right in front of you.
Aside from the key new features, we also discovered some other nice improvements that make the 2022 design better than previous products. For instance, the 2022 Kaiser 3 features a flatter cushion that’s more ergonomic and can comfortably support larger legs. The assembly process has been simplified with the chair arms now coming preinstalled to the cushion frame. There’s also a bracket at the back of the cushion to easily line up the backrest screw slots for attachment. The branding and overall design is also much flashier now to give you more flair and to make the 2022 Kaiser 3 feel all the more premium.
(Image credit: AndaSeat).
The Kaiser 3 comes in two sizes, those being large or extra large. Large will be sufficient for most people, which supports individuals up to 6’2″ (190cm) tall and 260lbs (120kg). Extra large covers taller individuals, with a weight rating up to 395lbs (180kg). You can work/game upright in this chair, but it also reclines up to 160 degrees, and features rocking support for when you want to relax.
Seat cover material options are generally good, and the colors options are vibrant and attractive. You can choose between black or grey linen, or seven total options for the PVC leather covering. No other customization options are offered.
Build quality assessment
AndaSeat has been around for years and is now positioned as a strong competitor in the gaming chair market. The company got its start in the automotive racing seat industry and eventually branched out to gaming chairs. AndaSeat chairs do not come cheap and are oftentimes priced at or just below the prices of Secretlab chairs like the Omega. We started reviewing AndaSeat products back in spring 2021 and have been testing the durability since then with positive findings due to the little to no wear to speak of.
The AndaSeat 2022 Kaiser 3 gaming chair is no different than the other chairs we’ve reviewed when it comes to the core design and materials. The frame is sturdy, all of the metal is standardized good quality alloy, the black powder coating is tough and resists scratches and common wear, the cushions resist sag and hold form long term, and the covering materials are thick and durable.
One design weak point we discovered pertains to the armrest assemblies, which tend to wobble. This is unfortunately still the case with the 2022 Kaiser 3. The left armrest exhibits a disappointing amount of horizontal play, though it doesn’t feel like something that could develop into a point of failure. It’s just an annoyance, and something that’s disappointing for the cost of the product.
Another issue we noted is the cheap zipper on the headrest pillow, which came apart while we were inspecting the cushioning material. After some finagling, it was back together and held together alright. It may present some issues for anyone that needs to remove and wash the cover, though.
On the upside, the stitching and PVC leather tailoring is perfect on this model. We noted some uneven stitching/measurement flaws on last year’s T-Compact, but AndaSeat handled the covering part of the manufacturing process exceptionally well on the Kaiser 3 and other models we reviewed. There’s not a single thread out of place on the stitching.
We also tested the Kaiser 3’s weight limits, recline range, cushion tilt, wheels, and ergonomic adjustments. Everything else feels sturdy and works soundly from a mechanical perspective.
The Kaiser 3 comes in two materials, cloth linen and PVC leather. The quality of each is worthy of the product cost. The linen still holds up to daily use without stretching, tearing, or loose threads. It’s thick and soft, and we prefer it to PVC leather. We’ll update our opinion on the PVC leather durability once we put it through long-term daily use.
That’s not to dismiss the PVC leather, though. It too feels thick and has a comfortable texture. The PVC leather will smell out of the box, which is normal for this type of material. We noticed this less with the Secretlab products, which suggests Secretlab lets its PVC leather naturally outgas longer before shipping. The smell isn’t a huge issue for AndaSeat chairs, though, as you’ll likely stop noticing it after the first two weeks. The smell is nearly gone after a month.
I’m still convinced that some, if not most, of the parts for these chairs come from the same factory that Secretlab sources from, but I digress. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that, though. If anything, that’s assuring from a quality perspective.
Packaging and assembly
The assembly process for the AndaSeat 2022 Kaiser 3 is simple and a big step up compared to most gaming chairs. It can’t be emphasized enough, this is a huge plus for those who hate putting things together. The packaging and presentation has also been improved for a more premium presentation and less leftover waste.
AndaSeat ships its chairs in large cardboard boxes. These can be subject to exterior damage, but it’s never been a problem for the actual product. Everything important is sufficiently protected.
AndaSeat provides an excellent assembly booklet, so you won’t run into any confusion during the assembly process. These chairs come with the arms preinstalled now, so all you have to do is screw the backrest to the seat, assemble the base, pop the magnetic bits on, and you’re done. The parts come neatly packaged, and you don’t need any additional tools to assemble it. A hex key is also included to thread the bolts, and you even get two spare bolts in case you strip the threads, which I accidentally did to one.
Everything you need is neat and orderly.
One thing that’s particularly great about the new design is a bracket at the back of the cushion that helps you lineup the backrest. This makes it easy to put this together by yourself. Admittedly, lining up the bolts still takes some patience, but if you take things slow and thread all four of the bolts before tightening everything down it won’t be too bad.
All in all, the assembly time was about half that of previous models we assembled. It took about 30 minutes at a comfortable pace. This is thanks to the preassembled arms, but also the magnetic covers and the backrest bracket on the cushion.
You’ll notice during the assembly process that all of the metal parts are strong quality alloy, so you shouldn’t strip anything along the way. That goes double for the bolt heads, which AndaSeat really deserves credit for. That’s coming from someone who’s assembled a lot of products and seen a lot of flimsy bolts and screws. Should anything ever break on you, which is highly unlikely, you can also order replacement parts directly from the company’s website.
Thoughts on comfort and features
The 2022 Kaiser 3 reflects strong effort by AndaSeat to further improve its gaming chairs and keep pushing the market forward. The days of overpriced ergonomic nightmares appear to be behind us, or at least there are enough good options on the market that gamers don’t have to settle for less.
The same good design principles that AndaSeat has been using since when we first started reviewing the company’s products are present in this model, along with some enhancements that do add overall value. This is not to say that the 2022 Kaiser 3 is the ultimate gaming chair, but the company is on the right track. While the build quality has been there for years, ergonomic support has been a point of contention for some models. The last thing any gamer needs is to spend long hours slouching or contorting their spine in unnatural ways. Fortunately, ergonomics are on the menu this year.
The one of the major changes to come with the 2022 Kaiser 3 is the addition of an adjustable lumbar support system to support the lower back. It’s built into the backrest and can be tuned via the two dials on the sides of the backrest. You can raise it or lower it depending on your height and adjust the curve to be more or less aggressive.
A demonstration of the adjustable lumbar height. (Image credit: AndaSeat).
The lumbar support is not perfect, but it does help. Where previous models made the lower back sag without a lumbar cushion, this keeps the lower back moderately supported and will make a difference for you over the long term. It’s a feature that frankly everyone should be interested in. Whether you have lower back pain or not, this will alleviate or prevent it.
However, the lumbar system could use some improvement. At full curve, the support bracer feels hard and uncomfortable on the lower back and is best suited to about a 60% curve to remain comfortable and useful. That’s still enough to make a difference for many, but others may feel that to be inadequate. For those individuals, a lumbar support cushion will be worth buying. You can actually get a cushion from AndaSeat’s website if you want everything to match. Improvements to the built-in lumbar support would be ideal for AndaSeat to implement, though, because the integrated lower back support is easier than dealing with a cushion each time you sit down.
Another ergonomic and comfort improvement is the redesigned head cushion, which is less thick than before. It now offers just enough support for use while sitting upright without causing the neck to sag. Previous pillows were too thick and forced the head into an uncomfortable position, so another good improvement. The headrest cushion also features magnets on the backside to do away with unsightly, annoying straps. You can also adjust the pillow vertically in a range of about six to eight inches to fit your height.
A demonstration of the lumbar curve. (Image credit: AndaSeat).
Moving on to the armrests, these too have been redesigned to attach magnetically and feel like an improvement. Aside from the wobble mentioned in the build quality section, the armrests are excellent. A new feature is that these are removable, which provides several practical uses aside from the advertised swappable tabletop accessory (sold separately). We observed that the width of the chair can be narrowed by removing these, which lets the Kaiser 3 easily fit through standard US doorframes. By contrast, getting other models through doorframes takes extra effort due to the wide armrests.
The armrests also feel comfortable. The material is firm, but just soft enough not to feel hard on the elbows. As mentioned, these are magnetically attached. AndaSeat did a good job with this implementation, because the armrests feel firmly attached without being too difficult to remove. The armrests can lift off if you’re trying to pull yourself up from a reclined position, but this was easy enough to avoid by grabbing the metal base underside. The detachable lip for the armrests isn’t all that wide.
From a comfort perspective, the entire chair feels versatile to fit my size. It’s easy to get comfortable in this chair. The armrests can be raised more than high enough, and lowered adequately. You can slide them in or out based on your shoulder width, and angle them inward or outward. The implementation of the positioning levers and buttons also feel quality and are ergonomic to reach.
Anyone who gets this chair should find it very comfortable for long sitting sessions, and you might even fall asleep in it when reclined. It did feel a little large for me as someone that’s 5’6″, so just keep that in mind.
Lastly, since this is a gaming chair, let’s talk gaming comfort. I personally prefer a chair that puts me in an upright and alert position for shooters and the like. This chair does feel a bit more for casual gaming unless you’re tall enough to really fill it out. It’s also a large design, so you may find yourself sitting slightly further away from you monitor, so that’s something to keep in mind.
Should you buy the AndaSeat 2022 Kaiser 3 gaming chair?
All things considered, this is a great chair that’s easy to recommend. It’s not perfect yet, so AndaSeat has a little more work to do to live up to the Kaiser name (the title loosely translates to “emperor” in German). It’s a great chair that feels premium in multiple ways, though, and it puts other gaming chairs to shame. At $500 USD, it’s slightly cheaper than the Secretlab 2022 Titan Evo competitor, and it comes in all kinds of unique colors to jazz up the look of your gaming area.
There are several more color options as well. (Image credit: AndaSeat).
If you’re looking for a gaming chair that’s ergonomic, reliable, and looks good, the AndaSeat 2022 Kaiser 3 should be on your list of considerations. It could also double as an office chair thanks to the lowkey color options and quality appearance.
If you should decide to purchase the AndaSeat 2022 Kaiser 3 gaming chair, you can also attain a free 6-year extended warranty by simply posting a pic on social media with the necessary tags and sending an application to AndaSeat for approval. The 2022 Kaiser 3 is available now on AndaSeat’s website.
Published: May 27, 2022 05:00 pm