Salli Saddle Stool FAQ

A Salli saddle stool is an ergonomic saddle-shaped seat designed to promote a healthier sitting posture. Unlike conventional chairs, it encourages the pelvis to tilt forward naturally — restoring the spine's natural S-curve and reducing lower back strain. Salli is a Finnish brand and one of the world's leading ergonomic seating manufacturers, with over 30 years of clinical development behind their products.

The key differentiator is Salli's patented split seat design. Most saddle stools have a single solid seat which — while better than a flat chair — still creates perineal pressure. Salli's two-part seat eliminates this entirely. Each half supports the sitting bones independently with no central pressure point. This makes Salli significantly more comfortable for long clinical sessions than any standard saddle stool.

Every Salli stool is handcrafted in Finland to exceptionally high quality standards. Salli is an ISO-certified manufacturer and each stool is individually made to order. This is why delivery takes a little longer than buying off-the-shelf — your stool is built specifically for you.

Yes — Salli stools are used in dental practices across Europe and are specifically designed for clinical professionals who sit for long periods in fixed positions. The patented split seat, open hip angle and optional upper limb support accessories make them particularly well suited to dental work. We have sold hundreds of Salli stools to dental professionals across the UK over 15+ years.

Salli offers a 10-year warranty on the chair frame and a 2-year warranty on accessories. This reflects the quality of Finnish manufacturing and the durability of the product in demanding clinical environments.

All three share Salli's patented split seat. The differences are:

• Salli Twin — simple height adjustment only. Fixed seat width. Most accessible price point.
• Salli MultiAdjuster — adjustable seat width and angle, plus lever-based forward tilt. Best for back pain sufferers.
• Salli SwingFit — adjustable seat width plus active swing mechanism. The seat moves gently in all directions. Most popular model overall.

See our full comparison guide for more detail.

The Salli MultiAdjuster is specifically recommended for practitioners suffering from acute or chronic back pain. The combination of adjustable seat width, independent seat half angle adjustment and forward tilt gives the greatest flexibility to find a pain-free sitting position. If you have back pain, this is the model we would recommend trying first.

The Salli SwingFit has historically been the most popular model with female dental professionals, primarily because of the adjustable seat width which provides a better fit for a narrower pelvis. The Salli MultiAdjuster is also popular with female practitioners who prefer the additional tilt adjustment over the active swing mechanism.

Both have the active swing mechanism. The key difference is the seat: the Salli Swing has a fixed-width split seat, while the Salli SwingFit has an adjustable-width split seat. If you want the active swing mechanism but also want to fine-tune the seat gap to your pelvis, the SwingFit is the right choice.

The Solo models have a single-piece seat rather than Salli's patented split seat. The Solo Tilt has a lever-based forward tilt mechanism. The Solo Swing has the active swing mechanism. These are suitable for practitioners who prefer a solid seat without the split. However, for most dental professionals we recommend the split seat models for superior long-term comfort.

We'd recommend starting with a trial rather than buying outright. This gives you the chance to experience saddle sitting in your own clinical environment. If you'd like our recommendation, the Salli Twin is the simplest model and a great way to experience the core benefit of saddle sitting. If you want the most versatile model from day one, the SwingFit is our best seller. Call us and we'll help you choose.

Salli stools come in three height ranges: Small (under 5ft), Medium (under 5ft 6) and Large (over 5ft 5). The most important rule is that when correctly set up, your hips should sit slightly higher than your knees. See our What Size Am I? page for a full sizing guide, or contact us and we'll advise you directly.

The correct height is where your hips sit 5–10cm higher than your knees, with your feet flat on the floor. A practical test: stand beside the stool and adjust until the seat is level with the top of your thigh. Then sit and check the hip-knee relationship. See our full setup guide for step-by-step instructions.

Yes — the gas lift height adjustment means the stool can be quickly shared between practitioners of different heights. For practices where multiple people of significantly different statures share a stool, we'd recommend the Medium height range as it covers the widest range of users (under 5ft 6).

Most practitioners adapt within 2–4 weeks. In the first week you may notice some mild muscle fatigue in the core and hips — this is completely normal and means the stool is working. Your body is strengthening muscles that conventional chairs allow to weaken. We recommend starting with 2–3 hours per day and building up. The long-term result is stronger core muscles and significantly less back strain.

As each Salli stool is made to order in Finland, delivery typically takes 3–5 weeks from order. We'll keep you updated throughout the process and confirm your delivery date as soon as we have it from Salli.

Yes — we deliver to all parts of the UK including Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and all major islands. Delivery is direct to your practice address.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, PayPal and bank transfer. For practice orders, bank transfer is the most common method. Contact us to discuss payment terms for larger orders.

Yes — a VAT invoice is provided with every order. If you need a proforma invoice for purchase order purposes, please request this when you contact us.

Yes — if you're equipping a practice with multiple stools, please contact us to discuss pricing. We regularly supply whole practices and can offer competitive rates for orders of two or more stools.

We offer a low-cost trial on all Salli models. We deliver a stool to your practice, you use it across real clinical sessions for the trial period, and then decide whether to purchase. If you go on to purchase, the trial fee is taken into account when we discuss your price. The trial fee itself is non-refundable, and if you don't proceed you simply arrange for the stool to be collected. See our full trial page for details.

We keep the trial fee as low as possible so you can try a stool with minimal financial risk. Please contact us for current pricing. If you decide to go ahead and purchase, the trial fee is taken into account when we agree your price — but it's non-refundable if you don't proceed.

Yes — if you're unsure between two models, we can arrange a trial of each. Contact us to discuss this and we'll find the best approach for your situation.

Salli stools are available in three upholstery types: leather/vinyl (20 colours), polyurethane (6 colours) and wool fabric (6 colours). For clinical environments, leather/vinyl or polyurethane are the most practical as they can be wiped clean. See our fabrics page for the full colour range, or visit Salli's website for detailed swatches.

We recommend leather/vinyl or polyurethane for dental practices. Both are easy to wipe clean, resistant to standard clinical disinfectants and durable under daily professional use. Wool fabric, while comfortable, is harder to clean thoroughly in a clinical environment.

As stools are made to order, colour changes after ordering may not be possible depending on the stage of production. Please contact us as soon as possible if you need to change your colour choice and we will do our best to accommodate.