Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On
design
Installation is, predictably, a breeze. Secretlab claims you’ll only need three minutes to install the Recliner Add-On and I’d say that’s not far off. There’s no actual building to be done as it all arrives in one piece, instead you tip the chair onto its back and slot it into place. OK, there’s a few other little steps in there too, but there’s no tools required and you’ll likely only need one glance at the instructions.
The Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On itself is a substantial bit of kit, built around a steel frame with a pneumatic gas spring handling the angle adjustment. It only comes in black only at present, which pairs well enough with most Titan Evo colourways given the chair’s typically black base and accents. I combined it with the Cookies and Cream SoftWeave Titan Evo and it blends in nicely, though if you were hoping to match your Plush Pink or Mint Green upholstery, you’ll be waiting for Secretlab to expand the range or offer SKINS. The cushion uses Secretlab’s PlushCell memory foam with a soft, almost velvety covering that matches the texture of the brand’s magnetic headrest pillows.
Compatibility covers the Titan Evo in all three sizes (Small, Regular, and XL), the Titan Evo Lite, and even the older Classics Series including the Omega 2020 and Titan 2020. If you’re running a Small or Omega 2020, you’ll need to widen your armrest positions first, but otherwise the process is identical across the range.
performance
What’s perhaps most impressive about the Secretlab Recliner Add-On is how seamless it integrates with the Titan Evo. Once installed it could easily pass as being part of the original chair. Pulling the leaver and leaning back to play games with a controller, watching something on your PC, or simply taking a break between productivity sessions, the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On does exactly what it promises.
The PlushCell foam supports your legs comfortably, the pneumatic mechanism locks smoothly at whatever angle you choose, and there’s something undeniably pleasant about kicking your legs up without having to relocate to the sofa. The infinite adjustability between 0° and 80° means you can dial in precisely the position that suits you, and the mechanism feels robust enough to hold up to extended use. I’m 6ft and found the recliner sat in the meat of my calves, though I’d have appreciated some length adjustability to push it a bit lower. I certainly wouldn’t have wanted it to sit any higher and anyone with particularly long legs might find it feeling a little strange.
Where things aren’t quite as good is when you just want to use your chair as a chair. Secretlab calls this Focus mode, which in reality is just the normal, upright working position you’ll be in 90% of the time. I tried to find a configuration where having my legs slightly elevated while sitting upright actually improved my comfort or posture, and I couldn’t get there. Every position I tried felt like a compromise rather than an enhancement, and I kept finding myself retracting the recliner to get back to my normal seated posture. If you’re predominantly a desk worker who occasionally leans back for controller gaming or media consumption, the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On delivers on that second use case while actively detracting from the first. Probably not the right way around.
The problem is exaggerated when you want to tuck the Secretlab Recliner Add-On away when it’s not in use. It folds in neatly, but it’s simply in the way. It essentially turns the front of your Titan Evo into a cliff face, blocking you from tucking your legs under or having any real freedom of movement. I’m sure it’s technically not a problem if you’re sitting with perfect, ergonomically-approved posture, but for real-world use day to day I found it annoying. Your mileage may vary depending on how often you shuffle around in your chair, but it’s worth considering how often you sit up and how often you lean back.
summed up
The Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On is a well-engineered accessory that does precisely what it says it will, with the build quality and attention to detail you’d expect from the brand. If you regularly lean back in your Titan Evo to game with a controller, watch content, or grab a power nap between sessions, this will almost certainly make that experience more comfortable. The installation is painless, the mechanism is smooth, and the PlushCell cushion feels premium.
The catch is that this is very much a luxury addition for a specific use case rather than a universal upgrade. If you spend most of your time at your desk in an upright position, the recliner offers little benefit and arguably makes the chair marginally worse for everyday use. At £159, you’re paying plenty to enhance only a portion of your seated time, and you’ll need to be honest with yourself about how large that portion actually is.
For the right user though, the Secretlab Ergonomic Recliner Add-On is easy to recommend. It’s less of a question of whether it’s any good, and more a question of whether it’s any good for you.
