We’ve tested almost 50 of the best office chairs and computer desk seats – and these are the top chairs we recommend for your workspace.
The Steelcase Series 2 remains our favorite office chair – a beautiful, premium model that really means business. And the Corsair TC100 Relaxed, a smartly designed padded gaming chair, continues to top our list for best office chair on a budget.
But which is right for you? Our team of reviewers assembled and tested every top-rated office chair we recommend, comparing construction times, testing weight loads and height ranges, and exploring essentials from tilt and recline controls to checking just how comfortable dynamic lumbar support really is to find the best office chair for when you’re sitting for long periods.
Kitting out the office? We tested the best standing desks and best office desks.
The quick list
The best office chair overall
An ergonomic office chair that does it all – for a price. Well-designed and constructed, with good lumbar support that offers comfort all day long.
Read more below
The best budget office chair
A cheap, cheerful comfortable office chair for under $250 / £200. Technically a gaming chair, its smart monochrome makes it perfect for work.
Read more below
The best office chair for back pain and lumbar support
Our pick for relieving back pains while sitting for long hours – an ergonomic office chair that gave us all-day comfort and zero fatigue.
Read more below
The best office chair for posture
With its ergonomic design and firm lumbar support, this is great for keeping a better posture. A strong contender for best office chair overall.
Read more below
The best office chair for home offices
With its sleek, minimalist design, this is a chair for any home office, boasting a self-adaptive lumbar support and plenty of comfort controls.
Read more below
The best office chair for long hours & comfort
An executive-grade office chair with the TechRadar recommends seal of approval. Designed for working long hours, it’s extremely comfortable but extremely costly.
Read more below
The best office chair for big and tall
An office chair specifically designed for all body types big, tall, and small. It looks and feels premium – but has a premium price-tag to match.
Read more below
The best office chair for gamers
Not the cheapest office and gaming chair. But it features excellent lumbar support and a smart design built for a range of body types.
Read more below
Best office chair overall
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Buy it if
✅ You want comfort
The Series 2 provides plenty of comfort if you’re at your desk all day, with a breathable fabric that stays cool.
✅ You want options and lots of them
This office chair comes in a variety of models and materials to match your office furniture and seating preferences.
Don’t buy it if…
❌ You like to lean back a lot
The Steelcase Series 2 doesn’t feature a recline lock, so the back springs back once pressure is lifted.
❌ You need a budget office chair
While it’s very well-priced for a professional ergonomic office chair, the Series 2 isn’t the cheapest on the market.
Alternative: The Flexispot C7 is a well-designed, fully featured, cheaper choice – check out our pick for home offices here
The Steelcase Series 2 takes the top slot when it comes to the best office chair. With its cushioned seat. breathable mesh fabric back, and one of the best ergonomic chair designs with height-adjustable lumbar support, we found it incredibly comfortable to sit in, even for long hours. Its gentle, elegant design makes it ideal for both the office and home office, and it’s even backed by a 12-year warranty.
Beyond all-round comfort, what really makes the Steelcase Series 2 stand out is the configuration line-up. We reviewed the task chair version, a mid-back executive-style desk chair, but the seat is available with a foot-stool, a headrest, or armless, letting you tailor the chair to your preferences. Seat height rests between 16.5 and 21.5in, armrests boast 3in adjustability, and there’s a 400lbs weight load. Overall, then, a good office chair for big and tall and most body types. In our experience, operating these adjustments with the under-seat levers and dials was very intuitive. Certainly no fumbling for controls here.
Our only real issue is that the recline doesn’t lock into place, returning to the upright position each time. Not a bad choice for those looking to improve posture at their desks. Plenty of chairs offer similar specs, but we found the Steelcase Series 2 to be the complete package – and at a fraction of the cost of similar ergonomic office chairs. No wonder we awarded it an impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars.
Read our full Steelcase Series 2 Task Chair review
Best budget office chair
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Buy it if…
✅ You want a budget office chair
Smart and affordable, this understated seat will seamlessly blend in under any desk. That it’s really a gaming chair will be your own little secret.
✅ You want simple comfort
It may be a basic office chair, but it’s surprisingly comfortable, with good back, neck, and lumbar support.
Don’t buy it if…
❌ You need a mesh office chair
The Corsair TC100 Relaxed comes in either fabric and leatherette variants, which aren’t as airy as mesh.
❌ You need extra support
The weight load here is just 264lbs – our 200lbs reviewer had no issues with support – but it is low to average.
Alternative: We’ve had great experiences with Sihoo chairs, and the Sihoo M18 available from Amazon US and Amazon UK.
The Corsair TC100 Relaxed is, technically speaking, a gaming chair – and one of the cheapest you’ll find from a genuine gaming brand. But don’t let that put you off. There’s no dazzling RGB strip lights surrounding the backrest, no racing stripes along the adjustable arms. Instead, what we have is a surprisingly professional-looking office chair, available in black or black-and-gray, with fabric and leatherette models, clocking in for under £200 / $250.
With a seat height of 17.7 to 21.6in, the chair ably supports those up to 6ft 2in. However, even with that wide, comfortable seat cushion, the lower weight load (264lbs) makes it less suitable for bigger users. If you’re within range, though, you’ll find ample support here from seat, back, and neck-rest. We certainly did. We couldn’t fault the overall comfortability here, feeling well-supported across both back and shoulders throughout our use.
It is a budget chair, so there are some trade-offs. Despite plenty of experience in this department, we didn’t find it especially easy to assemble (set aside 30 to 45 minutes, and grab someone to help). It might help if instructions were included in the box, rather than served up online. Nor is the design a stand-out. Like Corsair’s premium line, the TC100 Relaxed is muted, monochromatic. It looks as basic as they get. But it’s cheap, comfortable, and we found even the build quality is surprisingly good for the price.
Read our full Corsair TC100 Relaxed review
Best office chair for back pain and lumbar support
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Buy it if…
✅ You want an affordable ergonomic office chair
The Sihoo Doro C300 is an affordable ergonomic office that costs a lot less than rival models.
✅ You want to relieve lower back pains
With its all-over comfort and support, we experienced no pains or fatigue even when using it all day.
Don’t buy it if…
❌ You want the best armrests
We liked the Doro C300’s 3D armrests, but more than once we placed an elbow down only to find they’d shifted position.
❌ You want quick and easy assembly
You’ll need to fit together this office chair from scratch. Instructions are simple to follow, but it may take extra time.
Alternative: For a home office alternative with adjustable lumbar support, check out the Flexispot C7.
When it comes to the best office chairs for back support and relieving back pains, ergonomics are essential. And while you’ll find plenty of ergonomic office chairs out there, the Sihoo Doro C300 is a stellar example, with high-end aesthetics and a dynamic lumbar support that adjusts to your movements. For us, this chair delivered all-day comfort at a fraction of the cost of other models.
The whole unit comes disassembled – you’ll need to fit together practically everything, so expect to spend a bit of time on the set-up. In our experience, build quality is outstanding and the frame is rock-solid. The mesh backing is comfortable – firm but relaxed, providing support across the back and shoulders. Unlike many ergo-office chairs we’ve tried, even the neck-rest felt effective and snug.
During prolonged use – barely rising from the chair for eight to ten hours – we experienced no pains, no fatigue, no pressure of any kind that might affect the lower back. On the other hand, as a natural consequence of the 3D armrests moving up, down, back and forth, they did have a tendency to move about a bit more than we like.
Overall, we did feel this is a great ergonomic office chair for lumbar support – so long as you’re of average height. If you’re looking for one of the best office chairs for short people, you’ll find it here too, of course, while the weight load is an above-average 300lbs for bigger users. However, taller users may find the position of the lower back support doesn’t quite mold to the body.
Read our full Sihoo Doro C300 ergonomic office chair review
Best office chair for good posture
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Buy it if…
✅ You want to improve your posture
It may take a moment to adjust, but this chair seems determined to keep you sitting up straight.
✅ You enjoy all-day comfort
The Flexispot C8 / OC14 / BS11 Pro is intensely comfortable, even when used for long periods of time. We even found the armrests a restful delight.
Don’t buy it if…
❌ You need an ergonomic office chair for back pain
There’s no adjustable or dynamic lumbar support, so you won’t be able to modify it if the set-up isn’t comfortable.
❌ You need quick and easy set-up
It’s not difficult to put together the BS11 Pro, but it’s not the quickest assembly we’ve ever experienced.
Alternative: The Sihoo Doro C300 is a great all-rounder for posture, support, and ergonomics – check out our pick that’s best for your back.
The Flexispot BS11 Pro has been dubbed the “jewel in the crown” of the chair-maker’s line-up. A strong but simple office chair that’s comfortable for long periods of time and possessing a professional, premium appearance way beyond its price-tag.
Confusingly, there are similar-looking seats called the Flexispot OC14, Flexispot C8, and the Ergonomic Pro. You can’t miss that unique design. As far as we can tell, these are more or less identical classic mesh-and-fabric office chairs renamed for different territories.
Finding the best office chair for good posture is essential if you’re at a desk all day. We found the BS11 Pro was ideal for this – although we were initially skeptical. When first taking a seat, the chair and back-rest both felt solid, resistant to our natural (poor) posture. After only a few minutes, we began molding to the chair as one..
It’s not perfect. There’s no adjustable lumbar support here, so it might not be effective at relieving lower back pains. And while the chair allows for seat height adjustments between 46.4 and 49.6in, with good back and neck support for users over six-foot, weight load is only 286lbs. We also found assembly time to be on the longer side at an average of 20 minutes. But the wait was worth it.
We used this chair for eight-hour work days and it offered all-day comfort without compromising on good posture. As a testament to the build quality, even after using it daily for a month, the frame remained solid and silent (because what’s worse than a creaky chair?).
Read our full Flexispot BS11 Pro review
Best desk chair for the home office
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Buy it if…
✅ You want a discreet home office desk chair
The Flexispot C7 has a fresh, minimalist design that won’t dominate your working space at home.
✅ You want adaptive lumbar support
With lumbar support that adjusts to your body, we found the C7 easily offered all-day comfort without aches.
Don’t buy it if…
❌ You need a budget chair
With its build quality and comfort, the C7 commands a higher price-tag than other office chairs of the same design.
❌ You need specific lumbar support
We really liked this chair’s self-adaptive lumbar support, but it may not be for everyone.
Alternative: The Flexispot BS11 Pro is a good option from the same company – it’s our choice of chair for posture.
With its unobtrusive, minimalist design, the Flexispot C7 was seemingly built for any home office. It’s a smart, svelte ergonomic office chair that can be quietly tucked away at the end of the day. With 4.5 stars, this one was comfortable, supportive, with tons of adjustability control.
The C7 comes in several variants – grays and blacks and fabric seats and mesh seats. The options are basic, welcome. But watch out, like other Flexispot models, it means chairs may be listed under other names like the C7B-Air or C7G-Foam, each with slightly different specs but fundamentally the same.
Overall build quality is, as we expect from the company, excellent – and we found operation smooth and silent. No squeaks and creaks to drive you to distraction (there’s enough of that at home). Nor did we experience any back pains or find ourselves needing to stand after extended sitting thanks to a self-adaptive lower back support that helped maintain a posture that felt natural.
It might be priced on the high-side for some – especially with its traditional office chair design, and the lumbar support may not be right for relieving every back pain. But as a professional desk chair for bringing comfort to a home office, it’s difficult not to recommend the C7.
Read our full Flexispot C7 ergonomic office chair review
Best office chair for long hours and comfort
Buy it if…
✅ You want total comfort
This office chair was made to keep you comfortable and focused on the job.
✅ You’re sitting for long hours
Freedom is the right word – built for productivity and no fatigue when sitting for extended periods of time.
Don’t buy it if…
❌ You’re working to a budget
Even the base model of this Humanscale office chair costs several times more than a budget office chair.
❌ You depend on your headrest
While we liked the headrest of the Humanscale Freedom, we did find it had a tendency to slip down at times.
Alternative: In the same premium price-bracket, the Steelcase Series 2 performs a similar role – check out our choice for best office chair overall.
With 4.5 stars and a TechRadar Recommends badge, the Humanscale Freedom is the best office chair for long hours and comfort. It’s not ultra-padded, so you won’t sink into it like an ancient leather reading chair, where work becomes a distant memory. But nor will you find yourself constantly adjusting and reclining and trying to find the perfect spot.
The basic model boasts a fabric cushioning and a sturdy graphite frame, although there is a leather chair that is about double the price. We reviewed the fabric version, and it comfortably met our needs. Especially the flexible backrest, impressive in the way it moves and molds to your shape for constant comfort even for long periods of time.
Everything about the chair, from the smooth-rolling casters and padded armrests to the detachable headrest feels well-made (although our headrest had a tendency to slip from position at times). You’d expect that, of course, from a chair with a starting price of around $500 / £500 – and the high price-tag is one of the very few downsides we found when testing the chair.
Read our full Humanscale Freedom office chair review
Best big and tall office chair
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Buy it if…
✅ You want an office chair for the big and the tall
The Steelcase Gesture boasts a weight load of up to 400lbs, which is higher than the average office chair.
✅ You want an office chair that looks the business
The Gesture is stylish, elegant, with a premium look that matches its premium price-tag.
Don’t buy it if…
❌ You’re on a budget
This office chair doesn’t come cheap – and in many ways it’s hard to justify its high price-tag.
❌ You need great lumbar support
Lumbar support, while present, is distinctly lacking and undefined behind the cushioning.
Alternative: For a chair that felt great for our tall reviewer, see out our Hinomi X1 Ergonomic Chair review while Flexispot’s budget B3 is build for big and tall users in the US.
The Steelcase Gesture is seemingly tailor-made for big and tall users – not exclusively, of course. But with a 400lbs weight load and with its wide, cushioned seating area, the chair offers above-average support.
We enjoyed the level of customization and adjustability on offer. If you’re anything like us, you’ll gleefully pull and turn and twist at every level and dial to find the pinnacle set-up. It can take time, especially with the seat and backrest, although armrests adjustments are incredibly easy.
Despite how comfortable it was, there’s no denying that the lumbar support is a let-down. It is there, we’re assured, but during our tests, the curve was imperceptible and hard to define it through the chair’s cushioning. The headrest, too, may be too firm for some. The Steelcase Gesture will certainly offer more than enough support for almost any body type, and if you don’t mind the lack of breathable mesh in the cushioned design, it’s well worth consideration.
Read our full Steelcase Gesture review
Best office chair for gaming
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Buy it if…
✅ You want comfy gaming and office chair
In our opinion, this one of the most comfortable gaming chairs – ideal for putting to work as an office chair.
✅ You want excellent fixed lumbar support
“Terrific” is how we described the lumbar support on this chair, which is fixed in position and capably promotes good posture.
Don’t buy it if…
❌ You need the cheapest chair for your office
Well-built and comfortable though it is, this isn’t the cheapest gaming chair with a business-like design.
❌ You need dynamic or adjustable lumbar support
There’s only a fixed lumbar support on this chair. It feels great, but it won’t adjust to your movements.
Alternative: Our top pick for gaming office chair is the slightly pricier Secretlab Titan – read the review here
There are a number of office chairs suited to gaming after hours – we especially like the Corsair TC100 Relaxed and the Secretlab Titan. For an alternative that has all-day comfort and a solid construction, the Razer Enki is a solid pick. With 4.5 stars and a TechRadar Pro Recommends badge, it’s doing something right.
The Enki is slightly more expensive than the Titan and TC100 Relaxed, but like both it boasts a beautiful black design that looks as professional as any traditional office chair. Comfort levels, build quality, are excellent, and in our view, it has one of the best lumbar supports of any chair at this price. If it were adjustable, it might’ve been perfect. Elsewhere, extended shoulder arches and a wide seat base make it more suitable for a range of body types (weight loads tops out at 300lbs).
There’s no mesh variant here, which is preferred for breathability, but we did find the soft materials didn’t retain much body heat, so it never became too hot or uncomfortable even during longer sessions in the chair.
Read our full Razer Enki review
Honorable mentions
Our team of office furniture experts have tested nearly 50 different office chairs, task chairs, and desk seats.
And while not all can be crowned best office chair, these are some models we’ve reviewed that are worth an honorable mention.
- Secretlab Titan: Topping our list of gaming chairs for its overall comfort, cost, and support for big and tall users, its professional, near-utilitarian design gives it real office or home office potential. Seat height ranges from 18.7 to 22.4in and weight load borders on a good 287lbs, which will support a wide range of body types.
- Razer Iskur Fabric: If you do like the bucket seat look but want something a little more elegant and breathable, Razer’s Iskur Fabric has a more elevated design and luxurious feel. Better than most of the other bucket seat gaming chairs on the market, however, it offers far superior lumbar support, making it just a little more comfortable than the rest. What’s more, it’s surprisingly more affordable than it looks.
- Sihoo M90D: The Sihoo M90D is an affordable mesh-and-fabric chair with a premium feel. It boasts adaptive lumbar support and plenty of adjustability options, with a maximum load capacity of up to 330 lbs (149 kg). However, it’s somewhat basic compared to rivals, but a good way to save some money on an office chair.
- FlexiSpot BS10: Combining mesh and fabric for best of both worlds comfort, the BS10 has a professional, minimalist design. We like the lumbar support, which can be adjusted about 8 cm and gives amazing back support, and the seat whose depth you can adjust as well. This office chair is available in the UK.
- Mavix M4: The mid-range Mavix M4 mesh office chair comes the features you need for long periods of sitting, including the Dynamic Variable Lumbar support and the massager add-on. You might not have that soft-to-the-touch finish that the Mavix M9 has, but the M4 is a great ergonomic office chair that won’t break the bank too much.
- ErgoTune Supreme V3: If you’re looking for a high-quality, highly-adjustable mesh office chair for posture or back problems, the mid-range Supreme V3 is a great choice. That’s especially if you prefer your seat to be stiff rather than plush. What’s more, ErgoTune believes in the build quality of its products so much, it throws in a generous 12-year warranty.
Best office chair accessories
Prefer to upgrade your office chair for a more comfortable sit? We checked out some of the best-reviewed office chair accessories and essentials on Amazon.
Best office chairs: Frequently asked questions
What are the different types of office chairs?
Ergonomic office chair
An office or home ergonomic office chair is designed for comfort and better posture while sitting, with support for your lower back and improved bodyweight distribution.
Executive office chair
A premium. padded office chair, usually boasting a high-back and leather upholstery, designed for all-day comfort and support.
Mid-back office chair
As the name suggests, this is a seat with a low backrest that reaches below the shoulders. The design is popular in smaller home offices, boardrooms, and communal areas.
Gaming chair
A plush, adjustable chair, usually covered with fabric or leatherette for soft cushioning during long gaming sessions
High-back office chair
The classic tall office chair design, offering full back support from the base of the spine to the neck. Often, high-back office chairs feature a built-in or detachable headrest.
Task chair
A functional chair that’s built for most workspaces and employee body types, they usually feature a slim profile and compact, ergonomic design, and a focus on productivity.
Can an office chair help prevent back pain?
The short answer is yes, but to expand on that, we asked David Patton, Vice President of Product Design at Vari, for his thoughts. He said:
“It’s about letting the design of the chair, desk, and workspace support you because the whole premise is that you want to stay as comfortable, as focused, as efficient, and enjoy your work as much at the end of the day as you do at the beginning.”
For the best results, it’s worth understanding what is lumbar support and why it’s important. Not all office seating can help alleviate any existing back pain or keep back discomfort at bay, so choosing the right one for you is key. However, it also isn’t as simple as that. You have to take an active role in ensuring it. When sitting, make sure you have proper support and adjust the chair to fit your unique needs, including adjustable lumbar support and armrests. Keep your computer screen at eye level to reduce strain on your neck and shoulders.
You should also take measures to reduce the risk of health concerns from sitting for long periods in an office chair. It’s important to change up your positions and posture throughout the day. Use a timer or app to remind you to change positions, if you must. Be sure to also take frequent breaks to stretch or do simple exercises.
If you want a little extra help taking care of your back, some chairs come with floating lumbar support, which not only helps keep your spine in alignment but also adjust to your body’s movement.
What is the difference between an office chair, task chair, and gaming chair?
Office chairs are a broad category, with high-back and mid-back styles, sometimes padded. Mesh designs are popular in modern offices, while padded ones are usually seen at home and in executive offices.
A task chair is a type of office chair designed for functional use across almost any workspace. This type of office chair tends to be small, ergonomic, and business-like.
A gaming chair usually has a well-padded design for long, comfortable gaming sessions. While some have RGB accents, others feature professional designs fit for home and office.
There are a few differences when it comes to office chairs vs desk chairs. Some gaming chairs work great and many traditional office seating options can be used as gaming chairs. In fact, many gamers out there opt for a good office chair over those kitschy bucket seat gaming chairs that promise comfort but don’t exactly deliver.
That said, the one thing that generally sets the best gaming chairs apart from office chairs is their design. They’re heavily inspired by race car bucket seats, oversized frames, support cushions, gaming logos, and bright or distinctive colors. Meanwhile, office and task chairs built for work and productivity are designed to blend into a business or work-from-home environment and usually feature subtle colors, flatter seat cushions, and a mesh or padded backrest.
An office chair, task chair, or gaming chair will offer plenty of options to adjust the armrest, tilt tension and locking, seat height and depth, lumbar support, and more. However, in our experience, gaming chairs often offer more flexibility in the reclining options, having most chairs recline back and feature a headrest pillow for extra gaming support.
How can I make my work chair more comfortable?
When you need to know How to make an office chair more comfortable, it’s worth considering that many of the top choices offer lots of flexibility, customization, and adjustability. This way, you can find the most comfortable position for extended hours. If you’re struggling to find the right position for comfort, it may be your posture or the chair’s current set-up.
How much should I spend on the best office chairs?
When it comes to budget, there’s no right or wrong answer – so long as you’re not making these 5 common mistakes most people make when buying an office chair.
You can find a super-comfortable office chair for around the $200 / £200 mark, or spend thousands on a premium ergonomic seat. Generally speaking, we’d avoid suspiciously cheap chairs – anything below $50 will likely suffer from poor build quality and limited adjustability and padding. In our experience, those in the $100 bracket can be very hit and miss, so check reviews.
There are many factors at play when you’re looking at how to buy an office chair and you can find a comfortable and ergonomic chair in every budget range.
What’s the best office chair for sitting all day that isn’t expensive?
So, you’re wondering What is the best type of office chair for long hours? And without breaking the bank?
In our experience, the best office chair under $200 that offers all-day comfort, we’re big fans of the Corsair TC100 Relaxed. It’s our best budget pick, a well-cushioned padded seat with headrest and lumbar pillow for maximum comfort. It retails for around the $200 / £200 mark, but you’ll occasionally find it on sale.
For the best office chair under $500, the ergonomic Sihoo Doro C300 is one of our favorites. Our reviewer used this desk seat for eight-to-ten-hour days without any fatigue setting in. Solid, stable build quality, firm, supportive mesh backrest, and a smart, professional silhouette. Best of all, it has dynamic lumbar support that adds support even when you move around in your chair. It’s available from Amazon for $360 / £360 – with frequent discounts via coupons, vouchers, and limited-time sales.
How often should office chairs be replaced?
The answer isn’t quite straightforward here. Obviously, if you’ve got a chair that’s broken or no longer provides good support, there’s no better time than now to replace it – hopefully with a better option. But if you’ve got a working chair that has no massive issues, chair manufacturers somewhat disagree on when you should replace yours. And, that’s really due to the fact that it largely depends on their build.
Some crafted for home and office will last you seven to eight years, others will last you five. A handful, like the Humanscale Freedom, will last you 15 or more years. Of course, factors like the level and amount of usage, as well as environmental conditions, matter as well. We recommend consulting your chair’s manufacturer first before dropping another $150/£150 to $2,000/£2,000 on a new chair. And also, trust your gut. You’ll know when your trusty old chair just isn’t cutting it anymore.
How to choose the best office chair for you
Choosing the best office chair for you depends on several factors. When you’re looking at how to choose an office chair there are 5 essential features to be aware of.
Material
The importance of the material of your chair is sometimes undervalued. However, the difference between leather and mesh-backed chairs is significant. Some common choices are vinyl, leather, mesh, and synthetic leather.
Mesh office chairs are the classic choice. Light, breathable, inexpensive – allowing for more airflow and a great choice if you don’t want to get too hot. For breathability, fabric office chairs offer a middle ground between mesh and leatherette.
Vinyl is standard for workplace chairs and is incredibly easy to clean. However, mesh and fabric chairs have become increasingly popular recently, especially in the ergonomic realm. Their most significant benefit is breathability, especially if the entire backrest of a chair is an interlaced mesh, as that allows air to flow freely. These are also pretty easy to clean, and when sat in, conforms to your back, helping with comfort and ergonomics.
Leather has stood atop the list as the “premium” option for quite some time. It’s timeless, luxurious, and easy to clean as well. One downside is that it’s not always the most cooling option, and those who run hot would be wise to go for the fabrics instead.
Synthetic leather, sometimes called leatherette, is found on most padded office chairs. it looks similar to real or genuine leather, but it’s hypoallergenic and more breathable. The downside is that it does not last as long on average as a leather counterpart.
Size
There are three main sizes to consider. Petite, standard, and ample. In short, they are exactly as they sound. Petite is more minor, designed for shorter individuals and smaller office spaces if space is limited. Standard is a typical size built for someone between 5 and 6 feet tall. Lastly, there is a larger size offered. These are made for those taller than 6 feet and can fit people up to 500 pounds on average.
The best way to sit in an office chair is with both feet on the floor and your elbows at a 90 to 110 degree angle.
> If you’re under 5’3″, find a chair whose lowest seat height is below 17 inches.
> If you’re under 4’11”, the best office chair will be below 16 inches. There aren’t many chairs in this range, but we recommend the Herman Miller Embody and the Steelcase Leap.
> If you’re taller than 6’5″, select a chair with a seat height of 21 inches or above.
Lumbar and Back Support
When sitting for long periods, lumbar and back support is essential for maintaining comfort, posture, and alleviating pain. Many of the best office chair options are molded to a curve for additional support for the lower back – this is known as fixed lumbar support. A lot of ergonomic office chairs feature adjustable or dynamic lumbar support that adapts to your movements for constant back support.
Adjustability
Depending on the chair, some adjustments can be made to customize the fit to your liking. Some chairs have one or no adjustments. Others have dozens. These can range from the depth of lumbar support to the tension for how easy it is to recline. Different adjustability settings may be desired depending on the use of the chair.
Armrests on some office chairs may also be adjustable. 2D armrests move backwards and forwards, 3D armrests move backwards, forwards, up, and down. 4D armrests move backwards, forwards, up, down, in, and out for maximum customization.
Cost
The cost is still a dominant factor in choosing. Finding a balance of cost efficiency, material, and features is essentially what any chair purchase comes down to. Some manufacturers of higher-end chairs have a prominent pre-owned market, allowing the best of both worlds – high-end and cheaper.
Try it out
Sometimes, you need to try out an office chair yourself – and that’s not always easy if you’re buying online. You want to know how soft that cushion is, how the adjustments work, and whether it’s the right pick for your build or set-up. Thankfully, most top retailers offer a 30-day money back guarantee, letting you return the item if it’s not right for you.
As you’d expect, these come with Ts and Cs attached, so it’s always worth checking the company’s returns policy before committing to a desk chair you’re not sure about.
On an aesthetic level, many retailers now offer AR visualisation. In other words, you can use your phone as a screen to scan your room and view a virtual version of your chosen office chair on the screen. It’s like it’s in the room with you. And it’s a good way of seeing if the chair is the right fit for your home office, both from a design perspective and size.
Warranty and returns
All of the best office chair manufacturers offer some level of warranty – at minimum a year, although three-year warranties are the lowest we’d generally recommend going. For premium models, expect 10- and 15-year warranties for core parts of the seat. This means, should something go wrong with your seat within the specified time period, the company will repair or replace it.
If a chair doesn’t quite meet your standards, or there’s something wrong with the item, you’ll need to return it. All of our top picks are from retailers that offer some sort of returns policy – often a 30- or 90-day money back guarantee – although there will be terms and conditions associated with this. For example, you may have to disassemble the office chair, and ensure everything is repackaged, including instructions, in a ‘like new’ fashion. So, when buying your office chair, especially online, it’s always worth checking the company’s returns policy page.
How we test the best office chairs
We’ve comprehensively tested, reviewed, and rated plenty of office furniture, including the best standing desk converters and the best standing desk mats.
When it comes to chairs for the office and home, we take the same rigorous approach, assessing the chair’s overall design, adjustability, and comfort.
With expert reviewers of different heights and weights, we can test out how each chair fits with different body types. We don’t just take the manufacturer’s word for it when evaluating height range and weight load; we check real-world examples.
We painstakingly assess every single one for at least a week – in one case, we’ve continued using the chair for years. When undertaking our tests, we’re paying close attention to the materials used, the number of adjustments on hand, the ease of setup and use, and naturally, the level of comfort it offers. Naturally, as part of this review process, we use a stopwatch to accurately check assembly times, as well as ease of assembly. We consider anything that takes 45 minutes and above to be on the long side, and will note these in our reviews, to give you a good idea what to expect.
Finally, we compare prices and value-for-money before making our final recommendations. The very best office chairs cover a broad range, with premium, mid-range, and budget choices, and we make it a point to get them all into our labs for testing. So, we can give you a good idea of which models are worth your money and what brands are most reliable. This includes noting the warranty and returns policy for office chairs, for added peace of mind.
You can see more about our comprehensive testing process in How we test, review and rate on TechRadar Pro: Office Chairs
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