Working takes a toll on your body, no matter what your job is or what field you work in. Long hours, constant to-do’s, endless calls and looming deadlines can all cause stress, both mental and physical, which can all cause negative health effects if left unchecked. Work stress can cause all sorts of ailments and maladies, from anxiety and depression to hypertension, and when you add in sitting at a desk all day — the physical effects get magnified. Desk sitting is not the most natural position for human beings for extended periods of time. Prolonged time spent at a desk can weaken our gluteal muscles, shorten our hip muscles and put stress on our lower back. We’re built to stand up, move around and use our muscles during the day — so while the sedentary lifestyle is comfortable, it can be detrimental if we don’t take breaks to move and use the proper chair when we are sitting.
Using the right office chair can make or break your workplace setup when it comes to comfort, productivity and physical longevity. Whether you’re spending the day studying or only need a few hours to send emails and catch up on bills, using a supportive office chair that is ideal for your body type can help make even the most mundane tasks seem a little less cumbersome.
Your dining room chair or breakfast stool might be aesthetically pleasing and adequate for meals, but when it comes to getting stuff done you need a chair that can keep up. We’ve scoured the internet in search of the best office chairs money can buy. Chairs with breathable mesh backrests, adjustable armrests and ergonomic lumbar support. The world of office supplies ranges far and wide, so let us be your guide to the chairs worth sitting in.
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1. Herman Miller Aeron Ergonomic Office Chair
BEST OVERALL
While prices vary wildly amongst office chairs, if you want a chair you’re going to feel comfortable sitting in all day it’s worth it to spend a hefty sum. The Aeron Office Chair is one of the most comfortable office chairs I have ever sat in. It’s the only chair I’ve ever used where I didn’t feel the effects of desk work after five to six hours of solid sitting, and if you’re someone who’s going to spend years at a desk I truly believe it’s worth the cost. The backrest kept me cool throughout the day and the lumbar support was superb. It has three different recline positions to choose from and you can choose whether you want your seat angle “neutral” to the or set five degrees forward in “engaged” mode. The armrests are fully adjustable and the lumbar support pads can be adjusted to fit your spine just right. It honestly felt like magic to sit in, and the top-notch design is worth every penny if you can afford it.
2. SIHOO Adjustable Ergonomic Office Chair
QUALITY PICK
This is a much more affordable option that’s still high-quality and will offer the support you need. This ergonomic office chair features a ridge backrest to relieve spinal pressure and a lumbar pillow that protects the lower spine during the workday. The upper brackets support the shoulder and vertebrae, and the free rotating head pillow supports the cervical spine up top. It has 360° rotation and 125° back tilting available for those who prefer to lean while brainstorming during the workday. The back is made of strong net mesh cloth that’s breathable and the soft cushion seat won’t deform easily. It also has a high-strength alloy gas lift that makes adjusting the height easy.
3. Hbada Swivel Desk Chair
ARMRESTS CAN EASILY BE MOVED
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a supportive desk chair that’s a step up from your dining room table chair or some other unspecified sitting device. This desk chair has a simple, adjustable design that goes to your mid-back, providing support where you need it without unnecessary height. If you’re working in a compact space, this chair is a great pick. It’s smaller than other options, but has armrests that can flip up to save space and a breathable mesh back that’s flexibly supportive.
4. Steelcase Gesture Chair
BEST SPLURGE
The first chair in this round-up is definitely a splurge, and this is another option that’s worth the hefty price tag. This chair from Steelcase goes up to your shoulders and was designed with human body movement in mind. It uses an advanced synchro-tilt system to keep you aligned when leaning backward. The seat rises slightly when you lean back to keep your feet on the ground, and it has a locking option for the backrest to keep your posture upright. The armrests adjust easily to ward off shoulder and upper back fatigue, and you can adjust the width of your armrests as well to your specifications.
5. Branch Furniture Ergonomic Chair
MOST ERGONOMIC
Ergonomic design is all about intuitive features that work with and support the human body in as many ways as possible. This chair is designed with ergonomics in mind and includes things like seven points of adjustment to improve alignment while you work. The cushion and backrest are made up of double woven mesh for a cooling effect, and the contouring foam of the seat can evenly distribute up to 300 pounds. The 3D armrests keep your shoulders and neck from doing all the work, and the chair has a synchronous tilt that responds to your body’s movements seamlessly. Proper posture and stabilization become intuitive, and you get ideal alignment without spending a small fortune.
6. Hbada Ergonomic Office Desk Chair
BEST FOR TALL PEOPLE
This office chair is great for people with longer legs and torsos, as it has more touchpoints for support and a longer seat to keep knees and hips aligned. Taller people can struggle with maintaining good posture and alignment, needing to look down all the time and hunch over to look at their computer. This chair, with its tall backrest and adjustable headrest, is designed to keep your entire body comfortable. It’s adjustable from top to bottom, with levers you can pull at the lumbar position for back support, under the T-shaped armrests and under the seat. The air-right structure seat allows air to flow and circulate to keep you cool, and you can recline to various positions between 90 and 125 degrees if desired.
7. DRAGONN Ergonomic Kneeling Office Chair
BEST KNEELING
There are some schools of thought that say kneeling chairs are the ergonomic future. They’re a little whacky — but some people swear by them. The kneeling position takes the pressure off your legs, hips, and lower back and keeps your shoulders, hips, and head aligned. They can put pressure on shins and knees after long periods of time, so like any office chair, it’s important to take breaks and walk around during the workday.
This kneeling chair from DRAGONN is equipped with 3-inch-thick cushions for support and four castor wheels so you have the freedom to move and adjust throughout the day. The chair distributes weight evenly across your buttocks and legs, and it’s height-adjustable between 21″ and 31″ so you can find the position that works for you.
8. Homall Gaming Office Chair
BEST GAMING CHAIR
Gaming chairs are designed to be sat in all day, as that’s what gamers tend to do. They’ve got support and ergonomics in mind, which is why they also make great desk chairs. This one from Homall has over 22,000 reviews on Amazon and a 4.5-star rating for its comfort and flexibility for sitting for long periods of time. The high-density shaping foam of the cushion has stable resilience and the support you need to work without your body feeling the effects. The leather is skin-friendly and resistant to tearing. The rubber casters on the wheels roll quietly and the chair can stably rock back and forth with an easy adjustment of a knob.
9. Steelcase Series 1 Ergonomic Mesh Task Chair
BEST COMPACT DESIGN
This office chair is comfortable, well-designed and aesthetically pleasing without taking up a ton of room. It has lumbar support, synchro-tilt, front-to-back adjustable armrests, and ergonomic spinal support for long workdays. It’s also made of sustainable materials and has a tilt lock so you can upright your posture when desired. It comes in a wide variety of cushion and frame color combinations so you can pick what complements your decor, and at 23.5″ W x 27″ D it’s one of the most compact office chairs available.
10. Health Ergonomic Adjustable Desk Chair
INCLUDES DIGITAL HEALTH MONITOR
For a comfortable desk chair that fits both tall and short users, is easy to adjust, and comes with health monitoring features, it’s tough to beat the Health Ergonomic Adjustable Desk Chair. SPY received a sample of this comfortable office chair and we’ve been using it for months with no complaints. The chair is well-ventilated, which is great for users who run hot, and our back and legs still feel good after a long day of work. The chair can be adjusted, with the arms, headrest, lumbar, and height all easy to customize. The right arm of the chair also features a small sensor that users can tap and receive their heart rate, HRV, blood oxygen, and fatigue reading through the Nexvoo app. Assembly will take a few hours and is best done with two people, but once the chair has been put together we could easily roll it and found it comfortable to use for extended periods.
11. The Edge Desk
DESK AND CHAIR COMBO
For a desk and chair in one, it doesn’t get much more comfortable than the Edge Desk. Like the Dragonn, the Edge also uses an ergonomic kneeling design to help relieve pressure off the user’s back and legs, while keeping the body in alignment. The Edge also comes with a built-in tabletop that puts notebooks and laptops at the ideal height and distance. SPY received a sample of The Edge Desk and we liked that the unit came fully assembled and could be easily adjusted to suit almost any body type. A great option for small spaces or flow work areas, the desk and chair can quickly fold down to 7” for compact storage and easy portability.
12. Flash Furniture Mid-Back White Mesh Ergonomic Drafting Chair
BEST FOR STANDING DESKS
For a chair that can work with sitting or standing desks, there’s the sleek and modern Flash Furniture Mid-Back White Mesh Ergonomic Drafting Chair. Available in several colors and in a matching office and side chair, the Drafting Chair has a high back and a footrest that make sitting for extended periods comfortable no matter the height of a workspace. The curved back is ventilated and provides ample lumbar support, while flip-up arms make it easy to rest or move the arms out of the way when you want to pull up to your workstation. A tilt lever helps users find the ideal angle or activate a rocking motion. We also like that the contoured seat has a waterfall edge finish to help reduce the pressure on the legs.
13. Adjustable Height Active Learning Stool
BEST STOOL
If a traditional office chair isn’t quite what you’re looking for, it may be time to try the Adjustable Height Active Learning Stool. Whether at a sitting or standing desk, users can access the stool’s pneumatic gas lift to go from 18 1/2″ to 28” in seconds. A good option for shared workspaces, the 12 5/8″-wide seat has a vinyl covering that can easily be wiped down between users. For those looking to keep their core engaged while working, the stool has a backless design and non-slip, curved base that allows for a wide range of motion and a gentle ab workout.
14. Style Leighton Home Office Chair by Serta
BEST DÉCOR PIECE
For an office chair that looks as good as it feels, we love the traditional design of the Style Leighton Home Office Chair by Serta. Available in several colors and fabrics, including bonded leather and fabric, the stylish chair is finished with a studded edge detail design that makes this a great option for use in offices and the home. The Serta chair features memory foam in both the seat and armrests for added comfort and can be height adjusted. Easily move the Leighton between rooms and workspaces thanks to the chrome finishes, stainless steel base with casters.
15. Office Chair Bonded Leather Black by Room Essentials
BEST BUDGET
Need a comfortable office chair that won’t break the bank? We like the Office Chair Bonded Leather Black by Room Essentials. The budget-friendly, classically designed office chair features an upscale look thanks to its bonded leather finish. The swivel chair comes with stationary armrests and an adjustable height range. Five wheels make it easy to roll between workspaces and rooms and the chair has a max weight restriction of 225 pounds. Ideal for users who want a chair with a shorter back, assembly is relatively straightforward and quick.