The quality and comfort of your office chair affects your health and productivity. With so many options, though, picking the right one for you isn't easy. This graphic from Office Chairs Unlimited can help. Most of the pointers are ones we've noted before in our guide to ergonomically optimizing your workspace: Arm rests should keep your elbows bent 90 degrees, seat height and back rest height should be adjustable, etc. The graphic lays it all out visually so you can see what you need to look for in an office chair at a glance (or even print this out and take with you when chair shopping). In addition, I found this guideline on proper seat depth helpful: A good guideline is while seated to have three- or four-fingers width distance between the back of your knees and the front edge of the seat. Seats that are too long for you could make you sit forward, straining your legs and back. Seats that are too close to your knees, on the other hand, can cause circulation problems, Lifehacker reader nacoran notes.
So be like Goldilocks and find the "just right" office chair for you (or take a look at the five most popular office chairs): Infographic: Looking for a New Office Chair | Whether working from home, at a small office, or as an executive at a large corporation, office furniture is essential for success. This includes everything from desks and file cabinets to organizers and chairs. Among these items, the desk chair is one of the most important pieces to consider. When looking for a desk chair, style and comfort are of paramount importance. However, there are several characteristics in addition to these two elements that shoppers need to consider. This guide is designed to help those looking for a stylish (and comfortable) desk chair by alerting them to the different types and features of desk chairs currently available on the market. In addition, this guide will offer readers insider's tips for buying a comfortable, stylish desk chair. This includes a discussion of the places where each type of chair can be found, such as office supply stores, but with a special emphasis on the deals and shopping experience available through eBay.
Before going too far in the desk chair search, buyers should take the time to consider the type of desk chair that they will need in the first place. Despite what many people may assume, not all desk chairs are the same and determining the type of chair needed and the type of use it will get will go a long way in simplifying the buying process. Among the major types of desk chairs to consider are moderate use chairs, heavy use chairs, and executive office desk chairs. Moderate use desk chairs are the type of chairs designed for "middle management" type positions where a worker splits time between desk work and moving around an office space. Other people who may find they only need moderate use chairs are those equipping home "offices" not meant for too much business but rather household management or those whose job involves only moderate desk work in addition to a more active role, like car salespeople. Moderate use desk chairs are generally more stylish than heavy use desk chairs since they do not need to rely as much on ergonomics.
However, for the sake of comfort, those looking for a moderate use chair should find a piece with a knee-tilt mechanism which allows the user to lean back in the chair while still keeping his or her feet on the ground. The flip side to the managers and other personnel whose use of a desk chair is limited to only part of the time, workers who are "glued" to their desks for most of the day will need to find a heavy use desk chair. The type of workers who need heavy use desk chairs are receptionists, graphic designers, computer programmers, and telecommuters who use their home office as a base, either full or part time, for their career. These chairs can still be stylish, but ergonomics and back support are far more important here. An important feature to look for in a heavy use desk chair is something known as a synchro tilt mechanism which will reduce fatigue when moving. This device, located on the bottom of the chair, will allow the user to lean back and forward while taking the chair along too.
This leads to continual back support despite the user's movement. The final option for the type of desk chair that one may choose to purchase is an executive office desk chair. These chairs are almost identical to moderate use chairs in terms of features. However, since the purpose of an executive office desk chair is to outfit the office of high ranking officials in a corporation, they are generally larger. This design goes with the larger sized office and other furniture generally associated with an executive suite. Executive chairs are generally more stylish and expensive than the others found on the market and they tend to be quite comfortable. In addition to the basic type of desk chair that one needs to consider, there are also five main features that will impact one's decision. Each desk chair on the market will combine different elements of these features to create both stylish and comfortable options. Which features are the most important will depend entirely upon the person who is sitting in the chair.
However, the purpose of evaluating these features is the need to balance function, or comfort, with other elements that create a chair's overall look, or style. Pay attention to the issues of armrests, backrests, chair height, seat pan, and base. These features will dictate a chair's overall comfort and function for different users and purposes and largely determine which chair is right for each buyer. The first consideration is whether there is a need for armrests in the first place; plenty of people don't like them, especially those who only use their desk chair moderately. If there is such a need, the armrests chosen should be cushioned and contoured. If this is not the case, the desk chair's user will likely have poor posture as a result of leaning off to one side or raising his or her shoulders to accommodate the height of the armrests. Ideally, the back of a chair should be able to be adjusted to recline at least 15 degrees. This allows for a user to adjust the chair to multiple sitting positions.
Another important point to look for in the backrest is lumbar support, particularly for high use chairs. Lumbar support is created by a cushioned, curved area in the lower part of the backrest and it is essential for comfort and back health. A chair that lacks lumbar support, however, can be enhanced through the use of a separate lumbar pillow. Another important point to look for in regards to comfort is the chair's height. In order to maintain the optimal S-shape of the spine required for comfort and back health, the user must be able to place both of his or her feet flat on the ground at all times. Therefore, a chair with adjustable height is ideal. This way, multiple users as well as multiple shoes (heels versus flat, for example) can all be worn while using the same chair. It is important to test the seat pan before purchasing a desk chair. A properly-sized seat pan will allow users to sit back on the seat and still slide their hand in between the seat's front edge and the back of the knees.
It is also important to make sure that the edges of the chair are rounded; otherwise the corners will dig into the user's legs. The base of any desk chair should swivel for optimum movability throughout the office. In addition, make sure that there are at least five legs with wheels radiating from the base of the chair. Less than five wheels will not provide the needed support and may even cause the chair to tip over if moved too quickly. Finally, the wheels or casters should move easily. This, again, adds to easy movement around an office from a seated position. Once buyers have evaluated all of the types of desk chairs available and the features that each chair may have, the buying process can finally begin. The options for desk chairs are pretty extensive and include retailers as diverse as department stores and discount merchants or as exclusive as boutique office furniture stores. In addition, buyers have the option of purchasing a desk chair online through a number of different outlets, including eBay.
eBay's website has thousands of desk chairs for buyers to choose from. New users can sign up for an eBay account in a matter of minutes and get to shopping immediately. A good way to start is through a basic search on the general eBay website for desk chairs. Users can also go directly to the office section of the Business & Industrial category and browse through the selection of chairs listed under office furniture. From there, limiting search results according to brand and price is also possible, which is especially helpful for those looking for a specific chair or who are on a budget. Users may also want to consider looking for a used chair as a way to save additional money on their purchase. The search for a stylish (and comfortable) desk chair can be complicated. However, there are specific steps that buyers can take prior to their desk chair purchase that will make the process easier. This involves figuring out which type of chair is needed, a moderate use desk chair, a heavy use desk chair, or an executive office desk chair.