Hinomi is a relatively young local brand that sells ergonomic furniture like chairs and table. The Hinomi H1 Pro is an ergonomic chair designed for office or home use. It is a mesh upholstery chair and retails for S$629. Hinomi is now running a promo where you to get S$100 off when you spend at least S$599, meaning you can purchase it for S$529!
Build quality and design
Hinomi H1 Pro comes in four colour options – (1) Black, or (2) Grey, (3) Coral Red, and (4) Ice Green. Also, there are two different sizes to choose from: Standard for heights 150 – 176cm, and Extra-High for heights more than 176cm. The unit I have is the Standard model in the Grey colour. I quite like the grey colour as it not as dull as black but still exudes a modern touch to it.
The design of the Hinomi H1 Pro features curvy edges that I personally like, as it reminds me of the Herman Miller Aeron. The polyamide frame for the backrest joins up with the frame for the armrest. It’s nice to see the armrest having its own frame as it allows for great adjustability than being erected from the seat base.
The build quality of the Hinomi H1 Pro is great. Despite seemingly a number of parts being joined together, there is minimal rattling heard when shaking the chair. The whole chair feels sturdy as well. Having said that, some of the plastic finishings feel a little rough (eg. the folded leg rest & wheelbase), but it is by no means a dealbreaker. As for the wheel castors, they are PU-coated and roll around smoothly on both parquet and carpet rather quietly.
Comfort and customisability
On first look, the Hinomi H1 Pro offers very similar customisations that the ErgoTune Supreme V3 can do. Even though there are slight differences between both chairs, both chairs allow you to fine tune the chair to fit your preference. The Hinomi H1 Pro excels at providing such personalised comfort through its features below:
FusionMax 3D headrest
Having the ‘3D’ moniker, the FusionMax headrest can be adjusted in three dimensions: (1) headset up/down, and (2) angle of headrest, and (3) headrest north-south swivel. There are 4 levels of height which you can set and lock in place. The angle of the headrest cannot be locked in place but the hinge tension is firm enough to keep in place. You can check out the video below to get a better understanding of the headrest adjustments:
Apart from the adjustments, another feature I really liked about the FusionMax headrest is its size. The headrest is noticeably wide and curved, allowing it to wrap nicely round my neck when leaning back. For comparison sake, the FusionMax headrest is larger in surface area than ErgoTune’s TriTune headrest.
Unlike the ErgoTune Supreme V3, where you can extend the headrest further out for a sculpted neck support, you unfortunately cannot do that with the Hinomi H1 Pro. Personally, I don’t have need for such features so it is not really a miss for me, but I thought it’d be good to point out.
Breathable mesh upholstery & waterfall seat base
The upholstery of a chair is the one of the things I look out for. Given Singapore’s hot and humid climate, I tend to go for fabric or mesh upholstery when it comes to chairs. The mesh upholstery used on the Hinomi H1 Pro feels more comfortable and softer than typical mesh. In fact, the mesh material seems really similar to the DuraWeave used on ErgoTune Supreme V3. You can expect comfort which resembles a mix of fabric and mesh, which means there is breathability together with a softer surface.
The level of tension of the seat base of the Hinomi H1 Pro is pretty well-tuned too. Not overly saggy and retaining a good enough of flex for a cushioned sitting experience. The tension at the edge of the seat base could use a little bit more firmness in my opinion. Apart from that, I especially like how the edge of the seat base employs a ‘waterfall’ taper to reduce the amount of resting pressure on my thighs. Check out the video below to get a better sense of tension of mesh used on the seat base:
3D FlexiLumbar backrest
The backrest of the Hinomi H1 Pro features a separate lumbar support dubbed the ‘FlexiLumbar’, located at the lower back area. There are two stick knobs on the chair frame which you can rotate to adjust the tension of the lumbar support.
There are 4 levels of tension you can adjust, going from light to firm. Having the ability to adjust the amount of tension is great as it allows you to personalise the amount of support you want your lower back to receive.
The lightest tension setting means that the FlexiLumbar will compress inwards as you lean back, whereas the firmest setting will lock itself in place. Check out the video below to see FlexiLumbar in its lightest setting:
FineTilt
Hinomi H1 Pro‘s FineTilt is basically the ability to adjust the recline angle and tension when you lean back. However, like most ergonomic chairs, FineTilt won’t be as flexible as multi-tilt mechanisms on gaming chairs. Gaming chairs typically allow you to freely tilt back at any angle of recline. In the case of Hinomi H1 Pro, once you lock in a recline angle, you cannot free tilt back to bop back and forth.
The left knob locks/unlocks the tension, while the right knob adjust the tension of the recline via four different settings.
Flip5D armrest
The armrests on the Hinomi H1 Pro are called Flip5D because it offers five different directions of movement. They are as follows:
- Front/Back
- Side-to-Side
- Swivel
- Height up/Down
- Flip up/down
Flip5D armrest have slightly rolled off edges for better comfort on your elbows. The surface area of the armrest are also sufficient. The cushioning used on the Flip5D armrest is cushioned but it is more on the firm side. Having said that, it is comfortable enough for my elbows to rest on without feeling that pressure.
Overall, I think Hinomi has done a really good job with the armrests. But I believe there are two things they can do to take them to the next level. First, is to offer a softer cushioning. Second, given that the armrest have their own frame, Hinomi could try to use a ball joint to allow the armrest to swivel in. This would allow the armrests to be located closer the body, providing better support when typing.
Adjustable backrest and seat depth
Like all ergonomic chairs, the Hinomi H1 Pro also offers adjustable backrest and seat depth so that you can pin-point where you want the lumbar support to be and get enough resting space for your thighs. There are five different height points you can adjust your backrest. Each height point has its own lock, so while adjusting it you won’t accidentally push it all the way up if you use too much force. It would be have nice if the starting point of the backrest was just a little bit lower.
As for the seat depth, it offers enough depth to cater to individuals with different height. Check out the video demo below:
FlashFold
We have something that is not commonly seen in ergonomic chairs, and that is FlashFold. FlashFold allows you to fold the Hinomi H1 Pro down such that it takes up less vertical space. There are levers on each side of the chair, and pressing both down at the same time will release the latches to allow the backrest to fold inwards.
Unless you need to store the Hinomi H1 Pro or move it around, I don’t see any other practical benefit with folding it. I’m more concerned with how the latch points will hold up after multiple releasing and locking.
Built-in leg rest
Hinomi H1 Pro comes with a built-in leg rest located under the seat base. You can access the leg rest simply by pulling it out and flipping it over. Check out the video below for a better understanding:
The cushioning on the leg rest is comfortably padded, and is really a nice spot to rest your legs when you are leaning back to relax. There doesn’t seem to be way to remove the leg rest even if you think you won’t use it. Overall, I feel its a bonus having the built-in leg rest as other companies will probably charge extra to have it as an add-on.
Warranty
Your purchase of Hinomi H1 Pro is insured with a standard warranty of up to 10 years. Furthermore, simply share a photo/video of your Hinomi H1 Pro on your social media platform to extend the warranty duration. Different parts of the chair have different warranty lengths, as detailed below:
| Parts covered | Standard warranty | Extended warranty |
|---|---|---|
| Skeletal Frame, Wheelbase, and Polyamide Frame | 10 years | 15 years |
| Lumbar Support, Central Mechanism Hub, Armrest Mechanism, and Castor Mechanism | 5 years | 10 years |
Please find Hinomi’s warranty policy here. By extending your warranty, this means that all above listed components of the Hinomi H1 Pro will be covered for at least 10 years!
Conclusion
Overall, the Hinomi H1 Pro is a top contender if you’re looking for an ergonomic office chair. At its retail price of S$629, it puts it firmly with big brand names such as Secretlab, which makes it quite pricey for a new brand. Having said that, it provides many customisation points that allow you to personalise a sitting experience that suits your preference and body type. I particularly like the rounded-off seat base, comfortably shaped armrest, and the large area of headrest. If you’re interested in getting the Hinomi H1 Pro, Hinomi are now running a promotion where you can get the chair at S$100 off, for S$529!