Recaro gaming chairs - overview of all models + test
In 2019, the Recaro company came out with their first gaming chairs. First there were 3 models, of the Exo family, the Exo, the Exo FX and the Recaro Exo Platinum. In 2021, a model was added: The Recaro Rae.
Recaro has been producing seating for over 50 years, but so far more sports seats, aircraft seats and child seats. So experience in seating should be there, which went into the development of the first Recaro gaming chair. In my tests of the individual models, you can find out how well this has worked out.
Where are Recaro gaming chairs produced?
The chairs are produced in Germany, making it one of the few Made in Germany products on the gaming chair market. However, Recaro does not produce the chairs itself – this is done by the company Bock 1 GmbH in Postbauer-Heng. However, Recaro Gaming GmbH is headquartered in Stuttgart.
For reasons of sustainability, I very much welcome this: The environment is protected because Recaro chairs do not have to be shipped halfway around the world, and jobs are also secured in Germany. Strengthening one’s own economy is therefore fundamentally a good thing!
Models: Click here for the tests
Recaro Exo / Exo FX / Exo Platinum:
The Exo was the first model of Recaro Gaming. It is available in 3 versions, which differ a little in terms of function, but mainly in terms of design. What all 3 models have in common: They are way too expensive in my opinion. Details can be found in my Recaro Exo Platinum review including video.
- With Exo FX & Platinum cool 5D armrests
- Very high quality processing
- Special design, stands out from other brands
- Good comfort, pleasant cushion
- Very high prices, too high for my liking
- No warranty, only 24 months legal warranty despite high price
- No synchro mechanism, no features appropriate for the price
- With 55kg the seat height can not be adjusted (too light)
Workmanship and quality are on a high level, and there is nothing to complain about in terms of seating comfort. Nevertheless, the Recaro gaming chair disappointed me in the test: You don’t get enough for the extremely high price. All details about the features & my experience with it here:
▷ To the Recaro Exo Platinum test with pictures, video & more! ◁
Recaro Rae Essential / Bright:
2021 saw the release of a new Recaro gaming chair, the Recaro Rae. They took the many criticisms of the mechanics of the first model seriously and gave the Rae a synchronous mechanism. I find the design here again very beautiful and special. However, this chair is not cheap either.
▷ To the Recaro Rae test with pictures, video & more! ◁
Fittingly, my Recaro Rae unboxing video:
No warranty on Recaro Gaming Chairs
Unfortunately, this circumstance unites all Recaro gaming chairs: Despite the very high purchase prices and the manufacturing in Germany, Recaro does not grant the customers any manufacturer’s warranty. This means that you only have the legal warranty of 24 months at your disposal.
For me personally, this is a bit disappointing. Recaro is one of the absolutely most expensive manufacturers in the gaming segment, topped only by Herman Miller in terms of price. Herman Miller gives 12 years on this, while manufacturers like Interstuhl give a whopping 10 years for the Backforce One & Backforce One Plus models – and at prices far below those of the Recaro models.
I don’t quite understand what’s behind this. One reads on the net basically hardly after now 2-3 years aufgetrenenen defects, the chairs seem to be robust, they also make this impression. Was one not sure at the beginning and wanted to see how the Recaro Exo performed on the market? Would it be better not to offer a warranty before it becomes a cost trap? Pure speculation.
High quality workmanship & solid functions
Recaro’s gaming chairs are characterized by solid workmanship and material quality. In my tests, I could only find small things to criticize about the quality of the chairs.
Functionally, the chairs also make a good impression. The features such as armrests, mechanisms or lumbar support function perfectly in tests, only the casters of the Exo Platinum are a bit stiff.
Partly not enough function for the money
Still, what I find lacking in the Recaro Gaming Seats are the points that justify the models’ high prices. The Exo, for example, is very expensive for the fact that it has neither a synchro mechanism nor a seat tilt or seat depth adjustment. A variably adjustable lumbar support would also be included at prices of €800-1,200. However, such features are unfortunately not included.
Conclusion of the Recaro Gaming Chair Test
To get a detailed picture of the individual models, be sure to check out the reviews. My conclusion so far in the Recaro gaming chair test is that I cannot recommend at least the Exo family. Recaro does build comfortable chairs, but purely in terms of price they are not competitive: That’s because the competition gives customers more, at smaller prices.
Thus, Recaro’s gaming chairs are quite basic and what bothers me the most is that there is no warranty for the strong prices. My conclusion about the Recaro Rae is still pending.
RECARO Exo Platinum Test – My experiences with the flagship from Germany Today I’m testing a chair from probably the biggest company ever in the gaming chair market: RECARO. RECARO (CAPSLOCK!!1) may be completely new to the gaming market, but the company’s history goes back over 50 years. If the company is known for
Recaro Rae Test – Experience on the Bright Orange from Germany Here you can read about my Recaro Rae review. This is the second Recaro gaming chair ever, after the Recaro Exo Platinum, whose price-performance ratio I didn’t really like. The Recaro Rae, however, is cheaper and comes with a feature that is important to