RFM BT55 and BT56 Ergonomic Chair Review
Updated April 28, 2015.
If you are looking for an out-of-the-box, high-quality ergonomic task chair the RFM Big-and-Tall BT55/BT56 may be worth your consideration. It can support up to 400 pounds, and the seat width is 20.5 inches for a medium back and 21.5 inches for a manager's high back. As with many big-and-tall ergonomic chairs, the construction is extra solid.
RFM BT55 and BT56 Features
Depending on which features package you choose, the RFM Big-and-Tall BT55/BT56 comes with some very useful adjustments.For example, if you opt for the "50 control," there will be a wide range of angles into which you can tilt the chair. Once you've determined an angle that is right for you, you'll be able to lock it in place for the next time.
(Note: the less expensive "control 07" package, also available for the BT 55/56, does not allow tilt-locking. In other words, you can tilt while sitting, but you cannot lock that angle in as a preset.)
Another great feature of the RFM Big-and-Tall BT55/BT56 is the ease with which you can adjust the width of the arm rests. With many ergonomic chairs, you have to get your tool box out and go underneath the chair. I don't know about you, but for mechanically challenged people like me, this would be at least a half-day project - and one I wouldn't enjoy at all. But with the RFM Big-and-Tall BT55/BT56, all you have to do is reach under the chair while sitting, find the knob and turn it until you get the arm-rest width you like.
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Limitations of the RFM BT55 and BT56
This particular chair doesn't come with pivoting arm rests; arm rests you can turn in and out may be useful for managing neck and shoulder pain when muscle fatigue sets in. Instead - for this and some of the non-standard adjustments - if you're willing to pay a little extra for what you want in a chair, the BT55/56 can be tailored to fit.However, not all potentially desirable features can be added. For example, it is not possible to add a sliding-seat adjustment (seat depth) to the BT55/56, even if price is not an obstacle. The sliding-seat feature may be helpful if you happen to be very tall or very short.
For this reason, I suggest finding a local rep or dealer in your area and trying the chair before you actually buy it. The nice thing about RFM is that if you are seriously interested in the BT55, BT 56 or any other chair, you can contact them and they will dispatch a rep to your home or office with a sample for you to try.
About the Company
Another reason I really like RFM is that the company has a very strong commitment to environmental sustainability. From ensuring low emissions of toxic chemicals from their products (RFM chairs are MAS Green Certified for low emission), to using recycled products in their chair parts (in some cases 100% recycled), to committing to using only recycled paper from sustainable forests as certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, environmentalism is clearly a core value of this 25-year-old company. And these are just a few of the company's many measures.If you are interested in learning more about RFM's environmental efforts, visit their site.
Keep in mind that if you are serious about an RFM chair, each chair line (which generally consists of several models) has one or several "control packages" from which to choose. In other words, deciding on the exact ergonomic adjustments you want for your chair will be limited by the particular line you're reviewing.
Because the RFM website is mainly for dealers, it is admittedly awkward to use it for researching your options. So, here is a tip that may streamline your research: On their website, for each chair line, there is a list of numbers representing features you can't add to that particular line. Above that you'll see the numbers for the control packages of features you can choose for the particular chair line you're viewing. You have to navigate to a page with all the numbers and then click on each number to be taken to a PDF file that explains what that feature is or what the control package contains. It's not the most convenient way to sort through all the possibilities, but at least you now know what to do.