A very good, albeit pricey, bench, would definitely recommend it over cheap x-style benches. Don't spend money on a cheap bench only to find out that you are not enjoying an instrument because you feel uncomfortable.
Obviously, it's perfect for playing piano. A good bench is vital for the learning experience: it makes the learning enjoyable, and precise height positioning is very important for the hand placement. I also use it to play guitar.
When I was getting my piano, I scanned the Internet for bench recommendations, which are much harder to find because there are so many out there. Multiple people on various online forums have recommended this unit, some even ordered it from overseas.
Pros:
* Hydraulic system lets you adjust the bench height
* Very wide, presumably helps in playing hard pieces that span a wide range of octaves (there is a shorter version for approx. the same price); I think you can even fit 2 people on this bench
* Materials look like high quality
* In my opinion, textile surface is better than the leather one; there is another model with the leather surface for approx. the same price if you like it better
* Stylish design, looks minimalistic
* Quite heavy: won't wiggle around while you are playing
Cons:
* Expensive (€252), but I suspect that it's still a good price for what you get
* Not a big deal, gut the unit arrived in a package with very bad styrofoam that crumbles when you try to get it out of the box; maybe I just got unlucky
* Quite heavy: maybe not a good idea if you are moving a lot
Summary:
Get it if you are serious about playing piano. Would rate it 4.5 stars if it was possible, the only real cons is the price.
