If you’ve been lurking on APOL’s website, you’ll know that that on the product page of their chairs, there is an add-on deal for the APOL Premium Pillows Set (+S$97) and the Premium Footrest (+S$77). If you were to buy them separately, the Premium Pillows Set will cost S$137, while the Premium Footrest will cost S$97.
The Premium Pillow Set consist of two pillows – (1) neck pillow, and (2) lumbar pillow.
Design and build quality
Let’s start with the APOL Premium Pillows.
The material used on both pillow cases is suede which really smooth to the touch. The neck pillow features an inverted ‘V’ shape with deep contours which have rounded bulb-like edge, at the base of the pillow. The contours are meant to provide support for you neck.
The lumbar pillow shares a similar shape as the neck pillow, featuring deep contours at the base of the pillow where your lower back will rest. The length of the lumbar pillow is quite substantial, so you’d expect some support at the mid-back area as well. The material used is also suede.
Build quality of the pillow cases are pretty good. The threads are well stitched together and the foam used have a soft-firm feel to it.
As for the Premium Footrest, the materials used on the footrest is also suede. And boy does it feel so smooth on my feet. The footrest features a semi-circle design, and has a pretty large surface area which I’m pretty sure will fit all feet sizes.
The premium footrest is detachable into two parts so that you can reduce the height of if it is too high on its default size. The two parts are held together by velcro at each corners. The base of both parts feature an anti-slip material so the footrest will not move easily on the floor.
Comfort and usage
As there are 3 items in this review, I’ll cover them separately in each paragraph below.
Premium neck pillow
Initially I latched the neck pillow through the gaps of my Kraken chair. As the straps of the premium neck pillow were much looser than the default neck pillow, the premium neck pillow droops down at rest.
And when lying back on the neck pillow, the contoured part of the pillow is actually against my shoulders instead of my neck. As such, I had to move the pillow up so that the rounded contoured edge rests on my traps with the resting nicely in between as shown below:
I wished the straps on the premium neck pillow was adjustable so I am able increase the tension in order to fix the pillow at the right height. Alternatively, instead of strapping the pillow around the gaps of the chair, you can loop the straps over the head of the chair. If you’re taller, this method of attaching the neck pillow to the chair would be better as the neck pillow will be higher, as shown below:
The comfort you get from the premium neck pillow is quite different from the regular neck pillow. For the regular neck pillow, it is firmer and you feel most of the contact on the back of your neck. Whereas for the premium neck pillow, it is slightly softer and you feel contact both on the back of your neck and head. The shape of the premium neck pillow also creates a little bit of a hug on your neck.
Also, if you like to recline your chair all the way back to chill out or take a quick nap, the premium neck pillow is more comfortable due to it being softer and offering cushioning and support for your head.
Premium lumbar pillow
This premium lumbar pillow is really comfortable. The shape of the pillow cocoons my lower back nicely, with the protruding contour providing the much needed support and comfort. The cushioning of the pillow is just right. It is not too soft such that it gets compressed like a marshmallow, 0r too firm such that you feel an opposite pressure. You can get a sense of the firmness in the video below:
I also like how the pillow tapers up to the upper back so that it forms a gentle incline with the backrest of the chair.
The difference in support you get with the premium lumbar pillow is quite apparent. With the regular lumbar support, it is firmer and can sometimes feel like it is “pushing” your lower back out. On the other hand, the premium lumbar pillow is softer and extends the support up to the middle of your back, creating a more gentle angle for your back to rest against.
Premium footrest
The suede material on the premium footrest is feels great to the touch. It is a comfortable soft yet firm surface for your feet to rest on. If you’re wondering what’s the use of a footrest, it helps to keep your legs at the right height while sitting. Assuming you desk is quite tall, you will adjust your chair such that your shoulders are at a comfortable height. However, if you’re not too tall, your feet may be left hanging slightly, causing discomfort to your thighs after extended periods of sitting. This is where the footrest comes in to create a platform for your feet to rest.
And because of that, I really like the large the surface area of the premium footrest as it provides ample space my feet to rest on. The adjustable height of the footrest also makes it more flexible in its usage.
Meant for Kraken or Sphinx?
One thing to consider is that the premium lumbar pillow is quite thick and will hence take up some depth on your seat base.
As the Kraken as a deeper seat base, you will still have enough space on the seat with the premium lumbar pillow against your back. As for the Sphinx, its seat base is not as deep as the Kraken. So after placing the premium lumbar pillow, you might be pushed forward on the chair, leaving you with lesser area to sit on. You can refer to the comparison below to better understanding:
As for the premium neck pillow, using it on either the Kraken or the Sphinx didn’t make much difference as you can choose different ways of latching the pillow on.
Conclusion
The APOL Premium Pillows Set really helps to improve your overall comfort and experience of an APOL chair, and for S$97 more it is a pretty worthy purchase. At S$137, it does seem a little steep. So if you’re thinking of getting it, it might be best to get it as a package with the chair. Also, I would say that the Premium Pillow Set is more suited to use with the Kraken chair. You can still use it with the Sphinx, but you may be forced to sit a little more to the front.
As for the Premium Footrest, it’ll depend on your current setup and sitting posture. Most footrests in the market now are either too small or is just an elevated flat plastic platform. If you’re looking for something larger or more comfortable to rest your feet on, the Premium Footrest serves that need for S$77, if you purchase it with the chair. If you buy it separately it is S$99, which does feel a little too much for just a footrest.
Overall, the APOL premium accessories does further elevate the comfort you get with their chairs. But if you only had the money to purchase either one, I’d recommend the APOL Premium Pillows Set.