Home > Home > Sit down and relax in our favorite office chairs Anyone who works a typical 9-to-5 job knows that sitting is the bane of their existence. Our backs and overall body structure aren’t made to withstand hours sitting at a desk, but work often demands just that. Opting for the proper office chair, one designed to cradle you as you work and provide you with the ample comfort, is a practical and well-advised solution. More: Don’t just sit there, check out the best standing desks you can buy The best chairs go beyond what you’d expect. Many offer resounding ergonomic benefits, breathable mesh backing, and excellent lumbar support, while simultaneously granting you a swath of customization options spanning everything from colors to contours. None of them are going to be a cure-all for your workday woes — at least, not in the way a standing desk might be — but customized suspension and the appropriate aesthetics go far in the long haul. The Best: Herman Miller Embody
So, what is it about the Embody we hold so revered? It’s a fair question, sure, especially considering the Embody’s lofty price tag and accompanying shipping costs. Well, for starters, the chair offers a dynamic matrix of “pixels” that allow the seat and back to automatically conform to your body’s every movement, while the chair’s central spine and flexible ribs work to maintain proper posture regardless if you lean forward or recline. Said movement capabilities help promote better blood and oxygen flow, and if that wasn’t enough, the advanced tilt mechanism helps combat unwanted hip, neck, and lumbar strain. The chair even sizes to fit your body perfectly, comes in a swath of colors, and features a skin-like covering for increased airflow. Buy one now from: DXRacer Formula Series DOH/FH08/NW ItalModern Bungie High Back Office Chair Office Star Air GridEveryone knows that sitting for hours in the office is bad for the back, but we rarely do anything about it.
Backcare Awareness Week, which runs from 6 to 12 October, is a good time to change your usual office chair for one that offers better ergonomic support. But there are a lot to choose from, so to help you out, here’s our pick. 1. Humanscale Freedom Office Chair, £999, John Lewis With a backrest that automatically adapts to your body shape and headrest that moves according to how far you recline, the Humanscale Freedom Office Chair offers the latest in ergonomic technology. Plus, the snug cushions mould to the shape of your body. At nearly a thousand pounds, it’s a lot to cough up for a chair, but worthwhile if you want one of the best on the market. 2. Herman Miller Aeron Office Chair, £925, John Lewis If you are a design buff, this is the one for you. The Museum of Modern Art in New York has an Aeron in its permanent collection, so its design credentials are well established. But this chair is not just pretty to look at – its cushions are made from Pellicle, a high tech material which avoids heat build-ups, helping prevent muscular discomfort.
3. Comfort Operator Chair, £49, Office Furniture Online It’s not a thing of beauty, but the Comfort Operator Chair is good value for its specification. The three levers allow you to vary the height of the chair and tilt the back rest and seat. Also, the curved foam provides good ergonomic support. This is the reliable Volkswagen – rather than the flashy Ferrari – of the office chair world. Available with or without arms. 4. HÅG Capisco Saddle Chair, £291, Wellworking If you find yourself fidgeting in your usual seat, try the Saddle Chair. The unique design, modelled on a horse rider’s saddle, allows you to sit equally comfortably whether facing forward or turned to the side. Free movement does not have to cost the planet though – this product is made from recycled car bumpers. 5. Classic Balance Ball Chair, £80, amazon You are sure to be greeted with a few raised eyebrows when you bring this into the office, but bemusement could soon turn into envy.
Not only is the Classic Balance Ball Chair comfortable, but the act of balancing on it also gives you a powerful core-strengthening workout. 6. Herman Miller Sayl Office Chair, £383, Wellworking Effective spine and neck support needn’t result in a sweaty back. Inspired by the design principles of suspension bridges and modelled on a ship’s sail, the webbed chair back allows good air circulation, keeping you cool. Comes in four colours. 7. Markus Swivel Chair, £130, Ikea This is one of the cheapest executive style office chairs on the market. Offering easy height adjustment and a lockable tilt function – plus a headrest for good neck support – you get all the basics for a reasonable price. Also, this product comes with a 10 year guarantee, so it won’t risk your hard earned cash. 8. Back App Ergonomic Stool, £556, Back2 When you sit on the Back App your feet are placed on the footboard rather than the floor. This allows the chair to rotate around as you move, allowing a greater freedom of movement than that offered by conventional office chairs.
At first this can make your lower back feel tired, but after a week or so this should go away. For wacky style with green credentials, go for the HÅG Capisco Saddle Chair. If you are on more of a budget, the Comfort Operator or the Markus Swivel Chairs are your best bet. Office chair technophiles with money to spend should consider the Humanscale Freedom. But for sheer workmanship and iconic design, the Aeron is my top pick.You spend hours at a time at your desk, so hopefully you're sitting in a comfortable chair. If not, it might be time for an upgrade. This week, we wanted to know which office chairs you thought were the best of breed, either because they offer great value, great comfort, or great ergonomics. Here are the top five, based on your nominations. Earlier in the week, we asked you which office chairs you thought were the best of breed—the ones you'd suggest to anyone with a home office or who just spends a lot of time at their desk. We tallied up those nominations and picked out the top five in the category:
The poll is closed and the votes are counted! To see which of the top five you decided was the absolute best, head over to our weekly hive five followup post to see and discuss the winner! Probably one of the most famous office chairs in the world, the Aeron chair set a new standard for ergonomics and comfort when it was released. It also set a new bar for price: new models retail for over $1200, although they can usually be found in the $6-800 range, cheaper if you buy used from individuals or office supply stores. The Aeron's design is so popular that companies around the world order them by the hundreds, and the Aeron has a permanent installment at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Even though it looks sharp and is extremely comfortable, it was initially designed in 1994, and recent studies that point out the dangers of sitting for eight hours at a time also note that the Aeron may not be as ergonomic as we'd hoped over long sitting sessions. Still, it has a huge fan base, is comfortable, adapts to virtually anyone who sits in it, gives up foam and padding for woven mesh, and is highly customizable.
new AmazonBox( 'B003M1C7XW', 'wide' ) The Embody, Herman Miller's next generation office chair, was designed by one of the original designers of the Aeron. It takes a more modern approach, and hones in on ergonomics and full-back support. Any complaints about the Aeron's ergonomics were largely addressed in the Embody, as it's back can be independently adjusted and moved separately from the base and arms of the chair. It's still a pricey model, running retail between $1000 and $1500 depending on the finish, color, and fabric you choose, but it's easily one of the most comfortable chairs you'll ever sit in. The back conforms to your shape using what Herman Miller calls "Pixelated Mesh," with multiple points of flexibility all along the length of the chair back. Some people complain the Embody has subpar lumbar support due to its spine-like back, and its controls and settings are a bit more complicated than the Aeron, but—full disclosure—as someone who owns one, it's the best chair I've ever owned.
The Steelcase Leap earned praise from many of you for being more affordable than some other options, its sturdy, long-lasting construction, and its incredible customization options. The Leap is a bit more of a task chair than some others, but it's exceptionally comfortable, and the design makes sure your whole back is supported, even in the non-high-back models. It was designed with ergonomics in mind, and a special breathable foam padding that airs itself out through special slots on the back and bottom of the chair so it doesn't get too hot during long work sessions. Rather than conform to you, Steelcase designers gave you individual control over everything from the arm height to the seat depth, so the Leap at your desk really is just for you. They retail for close to $1100, but they can easily be found in the $7-900 range new, even cheaper used. I was lucky enough to sit in a Leap every day at my last job, and it's just as sturdy and customizable as the marketing promos say, and comfortable over long periods, too.
The Raynor Ergohuman series was designed primarily for people who sit in their chairs for long periods of time working long hours. The design may not win any artsy awards, but its customizable components, add-ons, and independent control over the seat height, arm height, headrest, and rocker tension are impressive. Many of you praised the breathable mesh and leather upholstery, high back, and comfortable headrest. The Ergohuman also features a slightly wider seat pan than most other chairs, perfect for...wider butts, as it were. The series isn't just for the wider among us though—it's ideal for taller folks who want decent back support as well. Raynor just unveiled the Ergohuman v2, which offers a number of improvements in design, ergonomics, and weight capacity. The v1 will run you between $6-700, and the v2 between $7-800 retail. The $199 IKEA Markus is a high-backed chair that comes in a variety of colors and your choice of leather or padded fabric, with a mesh back for breathability.
Compared to some of the others here, the Markus is lacking in features and customizability, but if you sit in one for a while, you'll find it remarkably comfortable (I was thinking about getting one myself before I got my Embody.) It is height adjustable and can tilt and lock, but don't expect to independently adjust the armrest width or height, or change the seat depth. The curved design and the mesh back to support your back, however, and the seat pan isn't really deep enough for you to slouch or sit improperly, so it does enforce good posture. If you're on a budget but want a quality desk chair, it's a great bang-for-your-buck office chair.Now that you've seen the top five, it's time to put them to an all-out vote to determine which one you all think is the best.This week's honorable mention goes to the simple exercise ball, which many of you praised for is comfort (once you're used to it), it's flexibility, and the fact that it pretty much enforces proper posture by nature. Plus, the fact that they're widely available for little cash (compared to the top five, anyway) makes them an attractive option for home office workers on a budget.