Most office chairs work well enough to keep you comfortable during a workday. Yes, even cheap, dodgy-looking ones you can get off the local discount store. Things change, though, when you use the same office chair day after day, for multiple hours at a stretch. That’s when you notice all the little inconveniences, from the lack of lumbar support and limited adjustability to the non-breathable materials and more. It won’t take long for you to notice, especially if you’re one of those people who spend six, eight, or more hours doing your work on that chair. You care a lot about how comfortable your beautiful bed and cushy mattress will keep you for the eight hours you spend in it every night. So why not put the same amount of care for your office chair?
Finding the best office chairs is not that hard. Just buy one of the expensive options from the well-known, premium brands and you’re guaranteed to have a swell time in it. Problem is, not all of us are working with a Fortune 500 company’s budget. Far from it. As such, it’s more important to be more discerning when shopping for one.
The best office chair will vary for every individual. Not all our bodies are the same, after all. A chair that works well for a tall person might not quite work the same way for someone who’s much shorter. With that said, some office chairs do have characteristics that work well with many individuals. This is particularly true for those chairs with generous adjustment options, which let you tailor multiple components exactly to your liking.
These are the best office chairs to keep you comfortable through the workday and beyond.
Alera Elusion Series
Pros
- Very comfortable
- Highly adjustable
- Thick seat cushion with supportive back rest
Cons
- Difficult to assemble
- Lumbar support not adjustable
The best office chair we’ve ever used for under $200, this model offers a refreshing break from the unreliable options you usually find at this price point. It’s impressive in a lot of ways. The seat cushion, for instance, is generously thick, while the mesh back rest feels solid while providing excellent breathability. It has way more adjustments than you’ll normally find in budget models, as it gives you the ability to customize the seat height, seat angle, back angle, back height, forward tilt, tilt tension, seat position (relative to backrest), armrest height, and armrest proximity. Yep… you can change all that in a sub-$200 chair. The back support feels really good, especially once you make the adjustments to tailor it to you liking, while the chair itself feels very robust. Will it hold up as well as more expensive chairs? We don’t know, but it definitely feels like it can go a few years with no problems.
Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair
Pros
- Excellent adjustable lumbar support
- Uses roller skate wheels for smooth gliding movement
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- Armrests aren’t width-adjustable after assembly
Our favorite part of this office chair has to be the wheels. Instead of using casters like everything else, it uses wheels similar to roller skates, allowing it to slide smoother than most other chairs out there. It has impressive lumbar support, which can be adjusted vertically and inward, really letting you dial in the most comfortable position to provide proper lower back support. We also appreciate the wider shoulder area and the adjustable headrest, which really rounds out the upper body support, along with the very breathable mesh backrest. Adjustments are easy to make, as well, although you can’t adjust the armrest width after assembly (unless you take the time to loosen a bolt or two). Speaking of assembly, it’s one of the easiest office chairs to assemble, which is surprise, considering how adjustable it is.
Branch Ergonomic Chair
Pros
- Firm seat cushion
- Very modern looks
- Mesh backrest feels really nice to lean on
Cons
- No in and out lumbar support adjustment
- No armrest width adjustment
We love the firmer seat cushion of this office chair, which provides a stable yet cushy surface to put a whole lot of your weight on. The double-woven nylon mesh backrest also feels nice to lean against, while the lumbar support offers adjustable height, so you can line up at the right position. Sadly, it doesn’t offer in and out lumbar adjustments, so won’t get the same lower back reinforcement as the Duramont above. It is quite good, though, and should suffice for most people. There are also a few other available adjustments, such as armrest depth, armrest height, seat depth, seat height, and even tilt tension. Yes, it’s not quite as generous as others as far as customizability concerned. However, it remains one of the most comfortable office chairs we’ve used, most likely because of the excellent seat cushion, which is the standout feature here. It’s very easy to assemble, too, complete with step-by-step videos available online if you need the visual assistance.
Hon Ignition 2.0
Pros
- Thick and soft seat cushion
- Very comfortable reclining positions
- Very easy to assemble, with many snap-on parts
Cons
- No headrest
- No lumbar depth adjustments
One of the best mid-priced office chairs today, this one is made with materials that feel just a tad better in quality compared to similarly-priced options. There’s no noticeable wobble or weak spot on any part whatsoever. We really love its thick and soft seat cushion, allowing for a really comfy surface to plop down on, while the mesh offers a really pleasant surface that you can sink your back into. The lumbar support is only height-adjustable, so it’s not as customizable as other options here, but it’s surprisingly good. As in, there was no need to really change the depth of the lumbar support – it felt like they found the perfect spot. Granted, this probably won’t work for everyone, so we’d still have preferred if there’s a way to slide it forwards and backwards even just a bit. Our favorite part is the way the chair reclines, as it feels more comfortable here than on other chairs we’ve used. The range of movement when reclining just feels fuller. Just make sure to adjust the tilt tension to your liking, so it can perform the reclining motion at a comfortable pace.
Herman Miller Aeron
Pros
- Mesh seat and back are springy and supportive
- Extremely comfortable for long workdays
- Feels very durable
Cons
- Limited adjustments allowed
- Not the best if you like reclining on your office chair
At this point, most people have heard of the Aeron, since it’s one of Herman Miller’s most popular office chairs. It’s popular for good reason, since it’s easily one of the most comfortable chairs we’ve ever laid our bodies on. Instead of using a seat foam cushion, it relies on a mesh material, which may not sound very comfortable. However, it uses a very springy mesh material that has a hammock-like rebound and it actually feels incredible to sit on. If you live in a warm climate or tend to sweat a fair bit, the mesh is absolutely a serious game changer. It uses the same mesh for the backrest, so it provides similar springy support. We love the lumbar support, which we found to be downright amazing for keeping any hints of back pain away. It’s fully-adjustable, too, so you can dial it in a fair amount to your exact liking. While it does recline a bit, this isn’t really meant for reclining, instead forcing you into a more traditional work posture, which we do find ideal for people who work on a desk all day.
Steelcase Gesture
Pros
- Highly adjustable
- Adjusts to support any posture
- Very comfortable for a wide variety of people
Cons
- Backrest isn’t breathable
Among all the office chairs on this list, we love the seat cushion on this one the most. It just strikes the right balance between firmness and softness. This is the only office chair in the list that doesn’t use a mesh backrest, instead using a cushioned one, so it’s not as breathable as other options. However, if that’s not an issue, you’re going to love the fact that this is, easily, the most versatile chair in the list. It allows for plenty of adjustments, allowing you to tweak the lumbar support, back tension, seat depth, the amount of recline the chair can do, and more. Our favorite adjustment, though, is the 360-degree rotating arms that we’ve never actually seen from any other chair. It’s just very convenient, especially if you like sitting in more awkward positions at various points throughout a workday. This is a very forgiving chair, by the way, so you can take on any posture and it will make the necessary adjustments to keep you comfortable, such as flexing the backrest when you recline to better accommodate the spine in that position. It’s just a thoughtfully-designed chair that’s meant to keep you comfortable at all times.
