As more and more people are working from home, office chairs have become a hot item, and many of them are ergonomically designed to help prevent fatigue even after sitting for long hours. But for those who are thinking of buying one, the wide range of options available from companies like Herman Miller, Steelcase, and IKEA can make it difficult to choose.
Just which of these office chairs ended up getting the mybest seal of approval? We'll be introducing some tips for how to choose one, so be sure to read on!
After joining an office furniture manufacturer and engaging in product planning and marketing, Katsuhiro Ito began using his insight to provide advice on product development, work styles, and health management from an ergonomic perspective focused on concepts such as "reducing fatigue," "ease of use," "safety," and "productivity." He supervises the design of ergonomically optimal workstyles and products that do not burden the body. He actively publicizes information on themes such as ergonomics-based telework environments and has presented numerous seminars for companies. He is a certified ergonomist with the Ergonomics Society of Japan.
Dr. Jeanette De Witt owns and operates The Wellness Track, LLC. She is a Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in Corrective Exercise, Medical Fitness, and Nutrition Education. She is one of ten clinicians in the USA certified in the Total Motion Release technique for reducing pain, restoring symmetry, and improving alignment. Dr. De Witt is credentialed in Exercise Is Medicine with the American College of Sports Medicine. She received her Personal Training Certification, Fitness Nutrition Specialization, and Corrective Exercise Specialization with the National Academy of Sports Medicine.
Since joining mybest, she has been in charge of furniture and interior goods and has overseen over 350 product tests for goods such as office chairs and desks. With the personal mission to deliver accurate information by thoroughly testing each product, she works hard to curate the best content that will be beneficial to users.
Whether your chair lets you sit in a position that doesn't make you feel tired is vital for people who work at their desk and need to focus for long periods. For this test, we enlisted the expertise of ergonomics specialist Ito Katsuhiro. After adjusting the movable parts to their own liking, we asked each tester to rate the chairs for how well they supported their posture while sitting as far back into the seat as possible, based on the accepted standards of ergonomics.Evaluation points for posture supportDoes the backrest support your waist and keep your pelvis upright?Does the seat support your sit bones (ischium?)When sitting with your waist against the backrest and your feet on the floor, does it put pressure on your thigh bones?
A chair that you can relax in for long periods needs to offer a high level of seat comfort. So we asked 20 testers between the ages of 20 and 50 to sit in each one and grade their seat comfort based on the following points.Is the backrest tall enough to cover all the spots you expect to be supported?Does the backrest fit comfortably along the form of your body?Is the seat large enough to feel relaxed?Does the seat cushion have enough resistance to feel comfortable?
After sitting for a long time, you've probably noticed that heat builds up around your posterior. For this test, we asked five testers between the ages of 20 and 50 to sit in each office chair for three hours and rate how stuffy they felt based on the following point.Did your posterior become hot enough to be noticeably uncomfortable?
All product tests
were conducted in-house at mybest
The expert oversees the Buying Guide only, and does not determine the products and services featured.The mybest team independently conducts its own tests to rank products.
Even the best chair on the market can't prevent fatigue and damage to your body if you don't have the right posture. It's best to understand the right way to sit in order to improve comfort and productivity.
First, your posterior should touch the backrest. This offers extra support to your waist and makes it easier to keep a proper upright posture with your spine straight. Next, it's important to use the armrests to support your arms while typing on your PC. Holding your elbows up unsupported puts a strain on your shoulders and neck.
You should use a computer stand or even some books to make sure your computer screen is at eye level in order to prevent getting hunched over. It's also ideal to keep the screen at least 20-40 inches away from your face. If the screen is too close, it can cause fatigue in your eyes and neck, so try to maintain a healthy distance. Finally, try to keep your feet planted on the ground while you work. Holding your feet in the air unsupported puts additional pressure on your thighbones and can inhibit circulation, so it's vital to adjust the height of your seat to the proper level.
These are the things to keep in mind to maintain the ideal posture when working at a computer. And, of course, remember to take breaks periodically. By using a chair that makes for good posture, you're less likely to get tired after long work sessions and can also improve productivity.
Your spine is curved like the letter S, but if you slouch over while sitting, it makes it harder to stand up using your pelvic bone and adds extra stress to your body. Particularly, sitting at the edge of your seat and leaning forward to work on your PC puts a burden on your back, so you should avoid this posture. Chairs designed with ergonomics in mind help maintain the natural S shape of your back, so choosing the right chair will both prevent fatigue and help you keep a healthy posture.
Using a quality office chair helps you maintain good posture and also prevents fatigue. Working with bad posture puts stress on your back and neck, which also affects the quality of your work. In this section, we'll look at some chairs that help you maintain good posture.
Finding a chair that fits your form will help you maintain good posture and prevent you from getting tired. People who do sedentary work every day, in particular, should take the time to find a good chair to maintain a healthy workflow. When choosing a chair, you should look at how well it supports your back, posterior, and arms.
Well-made chairs should have cushioning around the back to ensure your spine remains in the S curve position, which lessens fatigue in your back. On the other hand, cheaply made chairs don't have enough cushioning on the backrest to support your back, which makes it difficult to keep the natural S curve in your spine.
Next, look at how it supports your gluteus maximus. Well-made chairs are built to support the bones around your pelvis, often referred to as sit bones, and keeping them upright disperses the pressure put on your muscles. This helps prevent your glutes from getting sore, even after sitting for long hours. But chairs that scored lower in our tests had flat seats that weren't made to support your sit bones and are more likely to put stress on your posterior.
Lastly, a good office chair should also support your arms. Ones with adjustable armrests can be set to the best position to support your arms while typing, which takes the burden off your shoulders and neck. Office chairs without adjustable armrests make it hard to rest your arms at the ideal height, which can lead to fatigue. We go into more detail in the "How to Choose" section, so be sure to keep reading.
The wheels on a chair also perform an important function. People who spend a long time at their desk working will often find themselves moving around a bit from side to side, or leaning forward and back. If your chair has wheels, it will slide around with the direction your body is moving, which takes less effort on your part and ultimately helps prevent fatigue.
During our tests, we discovered that chairs which felt good to sit in and those that help to maintain posture didn't always overlap. Office chairs that scored highest in our tests on seat comfort either had headrests that allowed the user to comfortably lie back or were large with soft cushioning like a car seat.
A headrest isn't necessary for keeping healthy posture. But, for people who work in creative industries and often spend time with their head back thinking, or those who often watch videos and relax in their office chair, having a headrest is definitely useful for staying comfortable.
Also, keep in mind that office chairs which are similar to car seats don't have the same resistance in their backrests or seat padding, which means your rear is likely to sink in and put more pressure on the rest of your body. When choosing an office chair that will help prevent getting tired after long work sessions, you should be looking not only at comfort, but also whether it's been designed ergonomically to help maintain the correct posture.
Some of the chairs in this ranking that didn't have headrests do offer them as a paid option, so be sure to check the product information if having a headrest is important to you.
Here are the points to keep in mind when choosing the best Office Chairs.
If you're sitting all day at work, you definitely want a chair that's less likely to make you tired. Maintaining a good posture will lessen the burden on your muscles, even after a full day of desk work. But the truth is that it's difficult to keep up this posture on your own for long periods, so we'll introduce some office chairs that are built to help you maintain this posture.
A good backrest is one that's built to support your back. Chairs that help you keep a good posture have a sufficiently firm backrest with a protrusion in the lower back region to support and maintain the natural S curvature of your spine. This keeps your pelvis in the correct upright position and lessens the load on your body, making it less likely you'll get tired after sitting for a long time.
Conversely, backrests without protruding cushioning don't offer as much support and allow your back to slump, putting your spine into a less ideal C shape. This also results in your pelvis tilting and puts additional stress on your body, which will make you feel tired after sitting for too long.
Many people have probably noticed that their rear end gets sore after sitting for a long time, and they can't concentrate anymore. How adequate the support capability of the seat cushion on your chair is will affect whether or not your backside takes damage. If you can use the sit bones in your posterior to support your body's core, it disperses the pressure on your muscles and makes it less likely for your glutes to get sore even after sitting for a long time.
We found that seat cushions which are comfortable to sit on have different levels of firmness in different spots. Specifically, they're soft around the spot that meets your ischium pelvic bones and then firmer surrounding that in order to support your hip joints and lessen the burden on your gluteus maximus.
Seats that don't have this type of protrusion and are uniform in firmness, however, don't offer as much support for your hip joints, and ultimately don't fit as well along your posterior. So, they can make your backside hurt even after a short work session.
Being able to adjust the height of the armrests can lessen the burden on your muscles. Adjusting them to a position that's natural for you adds support to your arms and takes the pressure off your neck and shoulders. But if the armrests on your chair are stuck in place, you may often find yourself holding your elbows up in the air while typing, which defeats the purpose of having armrests in the first place.
For the average person, each arm weighs 11 pounds, so without the support of armrests, you're effectively putting 22 pounds of stress on your shoulders while you work. That's quite a heavy burden on your shoulders and can inhibit concentration after long periods.
While you should maintain a good posture, keeping your feet planted firmly on the floor is also important for working comfortably. Sitting as far back on the seat as possible with your soles on the floor is the ideal position. If your feet float in the air, the weight hangs on the back of your thighs and can cause fatigue or poor circulation. Nearly all office chairs allow for adjustment of the seat height, but we still recommend making sure that the one you plan on buying can be set to your own ideal height.
Of the office chairs in our list, two that received excellent scores for posture support both had large ranges for adjusting the seat height. Each person has a different ideal height for chair seats, so you can use the data on seat heights in our ranking as a reference.
Each chair has a different range the seat height can be adjusted to, so it's best to check each one just to be safe. Generally, if the seat height can be set to one quarter of your own height, you shouldn't have any trouble.
If you're able to adjust the direction of the armrests, it's easier to find the appropriate sitting posture for the type of work you're doing or your own body type. Office chairs that allow you to adjust the direction of the armrests aren't common, so be sure to check beforehand if it's a feature you're interested in.
Adjusting the direction of the armrests on your chair is a convenient feature for matching the position you sit in with your own body type. Facing them outward gives you more space around your waist and makes work more enjoyable. But if the armrests are stuck in place, people with a larger frame may feel cramped, which of course negatively effects overall seat comfort.
We also found that the size of the armrests can create a difference in seat comfort. Small armrests are hard to place your elbows on and don't contribute to a feeling of stability in your arms. In order to create the ideal work environment, it's a good idea to look for an office chair that allows you to adjust the armrest direction and supports your arms as much as possible.
Many people may notice that their underside gets hot after sitting for long periods. In the next section, we'll discuss how seat material affects the buildup of heat, so keep reading to find out more.
The seat fabric on office chairs is usually made of either mesh, polyester, or leather. The results of our tests showed that seats made of mesh fabric were less likely to become hot and stuffy, thanks to how easily air passes through the fabric. Heat is less likely to build up even after sitting for long periods, so you can get work done without enduring stuffiness.
On the other hand, seats made of polyester or leather don't ventilate as well and are more likely to retain heat. This can make you feel hot and stuffy after sitting for a long time, and people who are prone to sweating should avoid these types of chairs.
Products | Image | mybest Score | Click to purchase | Key features | Main Score | Details | |||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seat comfort | Posture support | Stuffiness of seat | Seat material | Leg material | Backrest material | Total width | Total depth | Total height | Seat width | Seat depth | Height from floor to seat | Seat thickness | Total weight | Load capacity | Warranty period | Wheel lock | Headrest | Armrest | Lumbar support | Forward tilt | Tilt tension | ||||||
1 | Herman Miller Aeron Chair|AER1B21HWSZSG1G1G1BBBK23103 | ![]() | 4.83 | mybest's Top Choice! Ergonomically Designed for Long Sessions and Increased Work Productivity | 4.27 | 5.00 | 4.93 | 8Z Pellicle elastomeric | Aluminum | 8Z Pellicle elastomeric | 27 in. | 16.75 in. | 41 in. | unknown | unknown | 16-20.5 in. | unknown | 41 lb. | 350 lb. | 12 years | unknown | ||||||
2 | Steelcase Gesture | ![]() | 4.52 | Provides Plenty of Posture Support and the Optional Headrest Is Great for Relaxing | 4.27 | 4.65 | 4.22 | unknown | unknown | unknown | 22.38 - 34.63 in. | 21 - 23.63 in. | 39.25 - 44.25 in. | 20 in. | 18.25 in. | 16 - 21 in. | unknown | unknown | 400 lb. | unknown | |||||||
3 | Herman Miller Sayl Chair | ![]() | 4.42 | Won't Leave You Tired Even After Long Work Sessions, Plus, It's Aesthetically Pleasing | 3.93 | 4.65 | 4.07 | Polyester | unknown | Elastomer | 24.5 in. | 26 in. | 40.75 in. | 18 in. | unknown | 15.5-20 in. | unknown | 54 lb. | unknown | 12 years | |||||||
4 | HON Ignition 2.0|HONI2M2AMLC10TK | ![]() | 4.18 | Keeps Your Backside Comfy, but Tends to Let Your Waist Slant | 4.09 | 4.29 | 3.72 | Plastic | unknown | Mesh | 27 in. | 28.5 in. | 44.5 in. | unknown | unknown | unknown | unknown | 54 lb. | 300 lb. | Limited Lifetime | |||||||
5 | Steelcase Steelcase Series 2|436AIR3D3 | ![]() | 4.11 | Firm Enough to Help Keep Good Posture, but Lacks Spaciousness | 3.81 | 4.29 | 3.65 | Fabric | unknown | unknown | 27 in. | 19.25 - 22 in. | 38 - 42.5 in. | 18.9 in. | 14.2 - 17.7 in. | 16.5 - 21.7 in. | unknown | 33.5 lb. | 399 lb. | unknown | |||||||
6 | Sihoo Ergonomic Office Chair | ![]() | 4.03 | Not Meant for Long Work Sessions Due to the Pressure It Puts on Your Pelvic Bones | 4.11 | 3.93 | 4.65 | Polyester,Cotton | unknown | PP & fiber | unknown | unknown | 43.31-50.20 in. | 20.07 in. | 18.11 in. | unknown | unknown | unknown | 300 lb. | 1080 day | |||||||
7 | Furmax Mid Back Swivel Lumbar Support Desk Chair | ![]() | 3.90 | Lacks Waist Support and Leads to Sore Shoulders | 3.50 | 3.93 | 4.86 | unknown | unknown | Mesh | 19.7 in. | 19.7 in. | 41 in. | unknown | unknown | 14 - 18 in. | 3 in. | 23.92 lb. | 265 lb. | unknown | |||||||
8 | Secretlab TITAN Evo | ![]() | 3.79 | Lacks Curvature Needed to Maintain Good Posture, but Feels Good to Relax In | 4.71 | 3.57 | 4.15 | Faux Leather | Alminum alloy | Faux Leather | 29.1 in. | unknown | 51.2 in. | 22 in. | 19.3 in. | 17.7 - 20.5 in. | unknown | 76.1 lb. | 285 lb. | 5 years | |||||||
9 | GABRYLLY Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair | ![]() | 3.73 | The Backrest Doesn't Offer Sufficient Waist Support, and the Stiffness Gets Tiring | 3.91 | 3.57 | 4.86 | Mesh | unknown | Mesh | 22 in. | 25.6 in. | 43.7 - 49.6 in. | 19.3 in. | 20 in. | 18.5 - 22.4 in. | unknown | unknown | unknown | 1 year | |||||||
10 | Amazon Basics Classic Puresoft Padded Mid-Back Office Computer Desk Chair|HOC-02 | ![]() | 3.68 | Can't Be Adjusted to Match Your Preferences and Ultimately Weighs You Down | 4.01 | 3.57 | 3.93 | Polyurethane | Metal | Polyurethane | 23.75 in. | 26 in. | 38.25 in. | 19.5 in. | 17.75 in. | unknown | 3.5 in. | 25.3 lb. | 275 lb. | 1 year |
Seat material | 8Z Pellicle elastomeric |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
In the category of seat comfort, however, it only received average scores. We appreciated that the armrests are large and can be adjusted in fine increments, but the lack of a headrest means you won't be able to put your head back and relax. You would probably need to get up and find somewhere else to relax if you needed to take a break from work. Even so, with an ergonomic design that helps maintain posture and prevent fatigue even after sitting for many hours, this is one office chair we can confidently recommend to improve work performance.
Leg material | Aluminum |
---|---|
Backrest material | 8Z Pellicle elastomeric |
Total width | 27 in. |
Total depth | 16.75 in. |
Total height | 41 in. |
Seat width | unknown |
Seat depth | unknown |
Height from floor to seat | 16-20.5 in. |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | 41 lb. |
Load capacity | 350 lb. |
Warranty period | 12 years |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | unknown |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
The backrest cradles the shape of your body nicely once you sit with your waist against it, and the cushioning offers the right amount of resistance to maintain the natural S curve of your back. Not only can the seat height be adjusted and the backrest reclined, but the position of the armrests and seat can also be adjusted in precise increments. All of these adjustments are easy to make with a single hand, so you should have no trouble getting it to match your preferred work position.
Leg material | unknown |
---|---|
Backrest material | unknown |
Total width | 22.38 - 34.63 in. |
Total depth | 21 - 23.63 in. |
Total height | 39.25 - 44.25 in. |
Seat width | 20 in. |
Seat depth | 18.25 in. |
Height from floor to seat | 16 - 21 in. |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | unknown |
Load capacity | 400 lb. |
Warranty period | unknown |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | Polyester |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | unknown |
---|---|
Backrest material | Elastomer |
Total width | 24.5 in. |
Total depth | 26 in. |
Total height | 40.75 in. |
Seat width | 18 in. |
Seat depth | unknown |
Height from floor to seat | 15.5-20 in. |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | 54 lb. |
Load capacity | unknown |
Warranty period | 12 years |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | Plastic |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | unknown |
---|---|
Backrest material | Mesh |
Total width | 27 in. |
Total depth | 28.5 in. |
Total height | 44.5 in. |
Seat width | unknown |
Seat depth | unknown |
Height from floor to seat | unknown |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | 54 lb. |
Load capacity | 300 lb. |
Warranty period | Limited Lifetime |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | Fabric |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | unknown |
---|---|
Backrest material | unknown |
Total width | 27 in. |
Total depth | 19.25 - 22 in. |
Total height | 38 - 42.5 in. |
Seat width | 18.9 in. |
Seat depth | 14.2 - 17.7 in. |
Height from floor to seat | 16.5 - 21.7 in. |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | 33.5 lb. |
Load capacity | 399 lb. |
Warranty period | unknown |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | Polyester,Cotton |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | unknown |
---|---|
Backrest material | PP & fiber |
Total width | unknown |
Total depth | unknown |
Total height | 43.31-50.20 in. |
Seat width | 20.07 in. |
Seat depth | 18.11 in. |
Height from floor to seat | unknown |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | unknown |
Load capacity | 300 lb. |
Warranty period | 1080 day |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | unknown |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | unknown |
---|---|
Backrest material | Mesh |
Total width | 19.7 in. |
Total depth | 19.7 in. |
Total height | 41 in. |
Seat width | unknown |
Seat depth | unknown |
Height from floor to seat | 14 - 18 in. |
Seat thickness | 3 in. |
Total weight | 23.92 lb. |
Load capacity | 265 lb. |
Warranty period | unknown |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | Faux Leather |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
The seat doesn't move together with the backrest when it reclines, so your waist tends to dip downward, which isn't an ideal posture. The leather material allows for some build up of heat, and you'll probably feel stuffy after sitting in it for a while. However, we found that it offered a favorable experience in seat comfort. The seat is large and holds the user's body snugly, so even people with larger frames will find it easy to relax in. People who want an office chair to use for taking a break here and there or watching videos may find it helpful.
Leg material | Alminum alloy |
---|---|
Backrest material | Faux Leather |
Total width | 29.1 in. |
Total depth | unknown |
Total height | 51.2 in. |
Seat width | 22 in. |
Seat depth | 19.3 in. |
Height from floor to seat | 17.7 - 20.5 in. |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | 76.1 lb. |
Load capacity | 285 lb. |
Warranty period | 5 years |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | Mesh |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | unknown |
---|---|
Backrest material | Mesh |
Total width | 22 in. |
Total depth | 25.6 in. |
Total height | 43.7 - 49.6 in. |
Seat width | 19.3 in. |
Seat depth | 20 in. |
Height from floor to seat | 18.5 - 22.4 in. |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | unknown |
Load capacity | unknown |
Warranty period | 1 year |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | Polyurethane |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | Metal |
---|---|
Backrest material | Polyurethane |
Total width | 23.75 in. |
Total depth | 26 in. |
Total height | 38.25 in. |
Seat width | 19.5 in. |
Seat depth | 17.75 in. |
Height from floor to seat | unknown |
Seat thickness | 3.5 in. |
Total weight | 25.3 lb. |
Load capacity | 275 lb. |
Warranty period | 1 year |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | unknown |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | Aluminum alloy |
---|---|
Backrest material | unknown |
Total width | 22.83 in. |
Total depth | unknown |
Total height | 50.78 in. |
Seat width | 19.68 in. |
Seat depth | 16.53 in. |
Height from floor to seat | 18.9 - 22.8 in. |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | 30.1 lb. |
Load capacity | 400 lb. |
Warranty period | 5 years |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | Polyester |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | unknown |
---|---|
Backrest material | Steel, Epoxy/polyester powder coating |
Total width | 24.37 in. |
Total depth | 23.6 in. |
Total height | 50.75 - 55.13 in. |
Seat width | 20.87 in. |
Seat depth | 18.5 in. |
Height from floor to seat | 18.12 - 22.5 in. |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | unknown |
Load capacity | unknown |
Warranty period | 10 years |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension |
Seat material | Cotton |
---|---|
Headrest | |
Armrest |
Leg material | Stainless |
---|---|
Backrest material | Polypropylene |
Total width | 19.7 in. |
Total depth | 18.9 in. |
Total height | 38 in. |
Seat width | unknown |
Seat depth | unknown |
Height from floor to seat | 17.7 - 20.7 in. |
Seat thickness | unknown |
Total weight | 19 lb. |
Load capacity | 250 lb. |
Warranty period | 1 year |
Wheel lock | |
Tilt tension | unknown |
Taking the above criteria in mind, we tested them based on the following three points.
Products we tested
Evaluation points for posture support
No. 1: Herman Miller|Aeron Chair|AER1B21HWSZSG1G1G1BBBK23103
No. 2: Steelcase |Gesture
No. 3: Herman Miller|Sayl Chair
No. 4: HON |Ignition 2.0|HONI2M2AMLC10TK
No. 5: Steelcase|Steelcase Series 2|436AIR3D3
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