The
best office chairs
can save your posture and make life more comfortable when working or playing for long periods. If, like me, you sit down for a larger part of the day and need the right chair to help your
health
, we’ve been trying and testing the top options to help you find the right one.
T
he best gaming chairs often have a specific look, and this list is home to more subtle designs that look at home in a more professional setting. I’ve chosen
the chairs in this guide for their comfort levels, support, and design. Herman Miller is a well-known name and the go-to for premium office seating, but I’ve been very impressed by newer brands too, particularly the Boulies Master Series and the FlexiSpot BS11 Pro mesh chair.
When it comes to choosing a chair, think about your budget, physical dimensions (there’s no benefit to being too small or big in an office chair), and the look you’re after in your office space. Then, take a seat and look through these tried and picks…
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Best office chairs:
Best office chair for most
FlexiSpot C8/BS11 Pro specifications:
Height range
|
118cm-126cm
|
Max weight
|
130kg
|
Materials
|
Mesh Cloth: High elasticity filament Backrest: PU soft plastic material Chassis: Italy DONATI chassis
|
Warranty
|
5 years
|
Colors
|
Black, Gray, Light Blue
|
Reasons to buy
-
Full-body support with head rest
-
Mesh design is cooling
-
Lots of customization
Reasons to avoid
-
Assembly required
-
Some may want a more padded seat
This FlexiSpot chair is available globally, as the C8 in the US and the BS11 PRO in the UK. After several weeks of testing, we found it to be the best all-rounder for comfort, features, and value. It’s not the cheapest on this list, but if you want an ergonomic design that supports you for long periods of sitting, it’s ideal.
The chair takes about 45 minutes to assemble, but making adjustments to get a comfortable position is much quicker. You can tilt the back, headrest, and arms to suit your build, and all of the movements are smooth.
The C8/BS11 Pro looks futuristic and minimalistic, and its mesh build gives a look that’s less “heavy” than a traditional solid black chair, especially in a small room. FlexiSpot’s premium ergonomic chair provides real comfort and customization for an office.
Read our FlexiSpot C8/BS11 Pro review
Best office chair for lumbar support
Boulies Master 2024 specifications:
Recommended height
|
180 – 198cm
|
Recommended weight
|
Less than 135kg (300lbs)
|
Seat height
|
48-56cm
|
Seat depth
|
50cm
|
Swivel
|
360 degrees
|
Reasons to buy
-
Confortable foam seat
-
Brilliant tilt rocking function
-
Great for larger bodies
Reasons to avoid
-
Not the cheapeast
-
Big and bulky
The Boulies Master Chair 2024 is one of my favorite products this year. It’s been designed to hug every curve of your body for the ultimate quality, comfort, and support, and while it’s not great for small spaces, in many ways, it’s the ideal hybrid office/gaming chair and looks at home in many different settings.
I tested the Master Max in Blue Slate fabric and found it ergonomic in the extreme, with smooth curves, contoured cushions, and customizable integrated lumbar support. The chair can be adjusted to suit how you sit, and I love tilting it back for a more relaxed stance when working on a laptop. The seat base is wide enough to sit cross-legged should you want to, and my 6 ft 4 partner also found it big enough for his height.
The assembly is a bit fiddly, but the build quality is solid, with a strong steel frame, aluminum base, multi-tilt mechanism, and the standard-at-this-quality class-4 gas lift. The Boulies Master (2024) is ready to roll, tilt, and recline whenever you are, wrapping your body in a bespoke chair shell of 100% comfort-ensuring cold-cure foam.
Read our Boulies Master (2024) review.
Best ergonomic office chair
Herman Miller Sayl specifications:
Height range
|
959 – 1035mm
|
Max weight
|
159kg
|
Materials
|
Glass-reinforced nylon, die-cast aluminum frame, and Polyurethane foam seat cushion
|
Warranty
|
12 years
|
Colors
|
Pastel shades of blue, green, brown
|
Reasons to buy
-
Great ergonomics
-
Comfortable
-
No assembly required
Reasons to avoid
-
Expensive
-
Tension knob doesn’t work well
If you’re someone with a lot of back problems, the Herman Millar Sayl office chair will be a dream come true. The arms, backrest, and height are all incredibly easy to use and adjust, so you should have no trouble getting it just right for your unique body shape.
While sometimes the ergonomic choice isn’t all that comfortable, this chair proudly ticks both boxes. One particularly appealing feature is the mesh back – I’ve never felt too cold on it in the winter, but in the summer months, it means your back can breathe. You might think that it might not feel as nice as cushioned fabric, but actually, it’s wonderfully soft.
Nonetheless, it is a very expensive option and I’m sure there will be a lot of people for whom it has priced itself out of the market. It does have a 12-year warranty though, and when you think about how much usage you’re likely to get out of it, it’s a little easier to justify. There
are
pricier options too, like the Herman Miller Embody
x
Logitech, which we’ve got more details about below.
Read our full Herman Miller Sayl office chair review.
Sihoo Doro C300 specifications:
Height range
|
40cm – 45cm
|
Max weight
|
136kg
|
Materials
|
Fully breathable mesh
|
Warranty
|
3 years
|
Colors
|
Black and
white
|
Reasons to buy
-
It’s very comfy
-
Wonderfully breezy mesh
-
Highly adaptable
Reasons to avoid
-
A bit expensive
-
Armrests could be better
-
Assembly instructions not great
Sihoo makes a wide range of office chairs, from luxury products like their S300, to cheaper models like the M57. The Sihoo Doro C300 sits squarely in the middle of the road, offering high levels of comfort and a decent build quality. It’s not going to be affordable to everybody, but it’s a lot cheaper than the likes of Herman Miller’s ready-made premium office chairs.
One of the biggest appeals of the C300 is its mesh back. Not only is it wonderfully comfortable, but it does an excellent job of keeping you cool even if you’re going to be sitting in it for a long time on a hot day. It’s simple aesthetic (available in both black and white) will fit wonderfully in just about any office space without the risk of clashing.
When the chair comes, it is flat-packed and so requires a fair amount of assembly. This isn’t hard, by any means, but it’s worth noting that the instructions aren’t particularly impressive, so it can feel quite daunting at first. Fortunately, once that’s taken care of, it’s not something you’re likely to worry about again – especially not for the next three years (the length of its warranty).
Though it has generally been built with good ergonomics, such as a lumbar support cushion that moves with you as you use it, and easy-to-use adjustments to height and recline levels, it could do better with the armrests. They’re just very difficult to adjust and could have been a bit bigger. Still, these are a small handful of problems with an office chair that has a long list of reasons to love it.
Read our full Sihoo Doro C300 review.
Boulies NUBI Series specifications:
Height range
|
160 – 190cm
|
Max weight
|
120kg (265lbs)
|
Materials
|
100% polymer NUO fabric, steel and plastic frame
|
Warranty
|
3 years limited
|
Colors
|
Charcoal, beige
|
Reasons to buy
-
Comfortable padding
-
Understated design
-
Simple assembly
Reasons to avoid
-
Less breathable than mesh seat
-
Foam can get warm
The Boulies NUBI Series chair has many of the hallmark qualities of a good office chair; a plush foam base, smart design, and different seating adjustments to help you find the right seating position for long hours at a computer. It comes in a standard or “LITE” option (with a slightly lower backrest), but I’d suggest the full height for most people.
After testing the NUBI for several weeks, I found the chair incredibly comfortable (more so than the mesh seat of the FlexiSpot C8/BS11 Pro above), but the foam padding did get hot as we went into late Spring in the UK. The woven fabric also collected a lot of dust and hair and needed some regular hooving.
The armrests only move up and down, but they’re easy to adjust. You can also move the seat back and forward to improve the support on your lower back. For the price, the Boulies NUBI is great-looking, offers good value, and has customization for most people. It’s a great chair for smaller office spaces and looks modern enough for them too, but I’d avoid it if you’re larger in size or get hot on foam seat pads.
Read our Boulies NUBI Series review.
Most supportive office chair
FlexiSpot C7 Ergonomic specifications:
Dimensions
|
119.38 – 142.24cm
|
Weight capacity
|
136.07kg (300lbs)
|
Seat height
|
119.38 – 142.24cm
|
Seat depth
|
43.18 – 48.26cm
|
Swivel
|
360 degrees
|
Reasons to buy
-
Excellent balance between support and comfort
-
Easy to adjust
-
Lumbar support is very effective
Reasons to avoid
-
Needs two people to assemble
-
Looks are a bit corporate
-
Not the cheapest in its class
FlexiSpot is well known for making some of the best standing desks, and its office chairs are just as good at providing a comfortable experience when you’re working or gaming. During our testing of the FlexiSpot C7, we found its back support to be excellent for full days of sitting, and on par with the more expensive Herman Miller chairs.
The C7 backrest features a tension adjustment with 4 different settings, and you also get an adjustable headrest,
plus
a 93-114-degree tilt range. The thick foam cushion is comfortable for all-day periods, while you can upgrade to a mesh seat for a small extra cost.
Although it’s not the cheapest option, the C7 Ergonomic office chair comes with a 10-year warranty and has been tested against thousands of daily uses to ensure it lasts well. We think it’s the best balance of comfort versus price on this list. And while it won’t win any awards for most exciting design, its neutral looks should fit in most environments.
Read our FlexiSpot C7 Ergonomic office chair review.
How to choose the best office chair
The best office chair for you depends on your size and weight, how much you have to spend, how you usually sit, and what sort of design you’re looking for. While office chairs used to be black and bland, chair brands like Boulies, Branch, and Herman Miller now make gorgeous modern options in a spectrum of colors. If design is important, I’d recommend shelling out for a colorway to blend into your office space.
Another aspect of the design is comfort and adjustability. Cheaper chairs generally offer fewer ways to tweak the chair’s height and angle, while premium offerings will allow you to tailor the lumbar support, change the tilt amount, and even shift the chair’s seat back and forward.
I’d think about how you sit most while working. Is it on a laptop? On a desktop? A larger seat base means you can sit cross-legged, and a taller chair with a headrest can be comfortable if you plan to game. Once you’ve chosen your chair, dedicate some time to adjust it to your proportions. It takes a few weeks to set up a new chair, so don’t be disheartened if you don’t get it right the first time.
What’s the difference between office chairs and gaming chairs?
Typically office chairs are better for your back and neck than gaming chairs because they are made with the expectation that you will be sitting on them for a whole workday, while a lot of gaming chairs are only used for a couple of hours.
That’s only very broadly speaking, of course. Some gaming chairs will be more ergonomic than some office chairs, so make sure you do your
research
with each purchase. Aesthetically, there is a difference; office chairs tend to feature more mesh, and subtler accents, while gaming chairs are “heavier”, often big and bulky with foam seat bases.
Does a good office chair make a difference?
Absolutely. You’re likely to spend a long time sitting down in your office chair each day, and it’s no exaggeration to say that an inferior product could reduce your quality of life and comfort. Over time, badly designed office chairs can genuinely warp the shape of your spine and cause chronic back problems.
Is a hard chair better for your back?
Generally speaking, yes. If you go for a softer chair that you sink into, this will potentially do more harm to your back than a harder chair. Having said that, many different factors determine a chair’s effect on your back, so it won’t always be the case that the harder choice is the healthier choice.
What makes an office chair ergonomic?
An ergonomic chair is one that is designed to support your body as much as possible. One that has been designed with no regard for ergonomics will likely be detrimental to your health. If you have back problems or any other health concerns, you should consult a medical professional about how best to tackle the issue, however, the following points give a useful overview of what ergonomic office chair design looks like:
-
4D armrests:
four-dimensional armrests can be moved upwards, downwards, left, and right. This level of adjustment allows you to ensure that your arms rest in a natural position, rather than requiring you to contort yourself to fit the chair’s shape.
-
Lumbar support:
these features will help you to avoid putting too much pressure on your lower back. Many chairs will feature a lumbar cushion that sits where your lower back would be, and good ones will give you the option to reposition it to better suit your own height/body shape.
-
Height adjustments:
your legs should rest with your feet flat on the floor and your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Most chairs will allow you to adjust the height of your seat to ensure that your legs and feet rest comfortably, but the range of heights that they offer varies quite a lot.
-
Tilt:
leaning back can be comfortable, but it’s important to have a tilt lock on your chair so that you can sit up straight most of the time. Some will have a simple lock feature, while others will allow you to lock it in the position that is most comfortable for you.
There’s a lot more depth to the world of ergonomics, but this at least should give you a point of reference to consider when choosing a chair that’s good for your body.
Where next? If you want to reduce the time you spend sitting down, check out the best standing desks for gaming.
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