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If you're working from home for any substantial amount of time, you should set up an ergonomic workspace that you can use without hurting your arms, back, or neck. That means you need a proper chair, ideally in front of a desk or table. Office chairs are meant for long periods of productive sitting; they should enable you to keep your hands on your keyboard and mouse without stretching awkwardly. We've tested every chair on this list, from big gaming chairs to sleek (and expensive) Herman Miller models, to help you find the best office chair for your needs and budget. Our current top pick is the Herman Miller Vantum, which justifies its price with a comfortable ergonomic design and a 12-year warranty. Still, all models on this list are worth your consideration.
Our Top Tested Picks
Secretlab Titan EVO (2022 Series)
Autonomous ErgoChair Pro
Best Overall
Herman Miller Vantum
- Fantastic lumbar and upper-back support
- Strong build with high weight tolerance
- Clever reclining adjustment
- 12-year warranty
- Expensive
The Embody gaming chair offers comprehensive, adjustable full-back support and the Aeron is iconic, but the Vantum stands out as Herman Miller's best value in a gaming or office chair. At less than $1,000 it's downright cheap for a Herman Miller chair, and it's supremely comfortable. The Aeron isn't on this list because it costs far more than the Vantum and isn't as supportive with a simpler back support and no headrest.
This is simply an excellent chair, and one we can recommend to anyone willing to pay a (relatively modest, in this case) Herman Miller premium. If you're spending a lot of time at your desk it's a good long-term investment, especially with the company's 12-year warranty thrown into the deal.
Best Affordable Chair
Cooler Master Caliber X2
- Rock-solid build with dense foam
- Supple and breathable PU leather
- Comfortable sliding lumbar support
- Head cushion position is a bit awkward
Gaming chairs can make great office chairs, and Cooler Master has proven it can make great gaming chairs. The Caliber X2 is a well-built option with supple faux leather and dense foam that feels exceedingly comfortable. Although it doesn't have some of the high-tech internal tweaks of the Secretlab Titan Evo, it's just as pleasant to sit in and costs less.
This is one of your best options if you want a sturdy, high-backed chair replete with solid padding and smooth, soft upholstery.
Best Customizable Chair
Secretlab Titan EVO (2022 Series)
- Excellent build quality
- Comfortable
- Several clever design elements
- Easy assembly
- Magnetic head pillow can be nudged off
- Faux leather is vulnerable to cats
Secretlab's gaming chairs have long been among our favorites. Their build quality and materials are excellent, and the company tends to throw in some clever bits of engineering, too. The large and sturdy Titan EVO 2022 features adjustable lumbar support as well as a magnetic head pillow, making it one of the most comfortable chairs we've sat on in quite some time. While it's pricier than the Cooler Master X2, it's available in far more colors, including licensed designs from properties like Diablo, League of Legends, and Star Wars.
If you want to go beyond the typical black look for your chair, the Titan EVO 2022 is one of the best out there. It isn't cheap, but it's a substantial upgrade over the gaming chairs you typically find in stores for half the price, and there are dozens of options to choose from.
Best Ergonomics on a Budget
Autonomous ErgoChair Pro
- Comfortable design with good back support
- Plenty of customization options
- Breathable mesh fabric
- Stylish
- Reasonably priced
- Plastic construction
- Challenging assembly with poor instructions
- Free-moving armrests will bug some users
Ergonomic chairs that can be adjusted to fit your body just right tend to be really expensive, like the Anthros and Herman Miller chairs on this list. The Autonomous ErgoChair Pro is a much more budget-friendly option than those. It has six different adjustable options for your body, including a lumbar support that can be tweaked and moved. With an all-plastic frame, it doesn't feel as sturdy as the pricier chairs and its two-year warranty doesn't come close to Anthros' or Herman Miller's 12-year warranties, but it's a lot more wallet-friendly.
If you want an ergonomic mesh chair you can customize to fit you just right, but you don't want to hit four digits, this is a good choice. It might be just right for your back without breaking the bank.
Best Luxury Chair
Herman Miller Embody
- Arrives fully assembled
- Very comfortable
- Many adjustable elements to personalize the feel
- Lengthy 12-year warranty
- Extremely expensive
- Fairly low-key look for such a pricey chair
Did you think the Aeron was Herman Miller's most comfortable and expensive office chair? Think again. The Embody is even more ergonomic and pricey. Its taller seat back features dozens of "pixel" points that conform to the shape of your back, offering ideal support from your shoulders down and supreme comfort.
This is for gamers, content creators, and other well-off workers who need to seriously consider long-term ergonomics. If you spend a lot of time on the keyboard, gamepad, or microphone, this is the chair to beat. Herman Miller also notably provides a 12-year warranty, which is the longest we've seen in the category. Still, we think the cheaper Vantum above is a better deal overall.
Best Aeron Alternative
Razer Fujin Pro
- Exceptionally comfortable
- Sturdy aluminum alloy frame and breathable, dense mesh
- Good selection of adjustments
- Expensive
- Underwhelming warranty for the price
Razer takes a swing at Herman Miller with the Fujin Pro, and it mostly succeeds. It offers sophisticated, back-pleasing ergonomics, with a very sturdy build featuring dense but soft mesh and an aluminum alloy frame. It's a bit more expensive than the Vantum, though, and Razer's 1-year-for-mesh, 5-years-for-everything-else warranty lags far behind Herman Miller's 12-years-for-everything coverage.
This is a chair for anyone looking to splurge a bit on a very comfortable, breathable seat with a slightly beefier skeleton than the Vantum's (still sturdy, but light) nylon. It's supportive and stylish, with only a bit of green text hinting at its gaming origins.
Best Posture-Enhancing Chair
Anthros Chair
- Promotes good posture and reduces back pain from sitting
- Comfortable and supportive
- Free video consultation before you buy
- 30-day return policy and 12-year warranty
- Expensive
- Requires a learning curve
- Fabric upholstery feels a bit rough
The Anthros Chair joins the Herman Miller Embody as one of the priciest chairs on this list, but for good reason: It can potentially improve your posture and reduce back pain. Instead of a lumbar support against the small of your back, the Anthros uses a pelvic support that keeps your hips stationary and properly aligned below your upper back, encouraging you to sit up straight. It's also very well-made and quite comfortable.
If you've been struggling with lower back pain from sitting in a conventional chair for long periods of time, the Anthros Chair might be the answer. It's unique, expensive, and not for everyone, but it might be just what you need if nothing else has helped. Anthros provides a 30-day return policy, free return shipping, and a 12-year warranty, which helps make the price a bit easier to swallow.
Office Chairs vs. Gaming Chairs
What's the difference between office chairs and gaming chairs? Not much. Gaming chairs, in general, are bulky office chairs with more considerations for sitting in different positions for longer periods. They usually have tall backs with head and lumbar cushions, and often provide more support than cheap office chairs. They also tend to be better made, with higher weight limits and more considerations for larger users. Gaming chairs typically offer a wider range of colors and designs, too.
Most gaming chairs also have a recline function that office chairs lack. A lever on the side of the seat lets you tilt the back and recline while the seat stays level. You shouldn't use this feature while you're on video calls with your boss, but it's a nice option to have when you're done with work (or between meetings) and want to sit back.
Gaming chairs tend to cost more than office chairs, but the extra money is usually worth it, as the additional support and better build quality go a long way. Gaming chairs also usually have warranties of several years, while cheaper office chairs might have one that lasts just 90 days.
This is all to say that if you like a gaming chair's design and features, don't worry that it isn't called an office chair. It should work in your office just fine.
Office Chair Ergonomics: Weight Limits, Height, Support, and Tilt
A cheap chair might look good on paper, but it might not be a good fit in person—literally. If you're pushing past 200 pounds, check the weight capacity of any office chair you're considering. You should also see if the product listing shows the seat width and depth. Even if it can support you, you don't want your hips squeezed by the armrests, or to perch on an uncomfortably narrow seat. If you're particularly short or tall, verify that the seat height range works for you too. Almost all office chairs have a gas cylinder that lets you adjust the height, but some have a larger range than others.
In addition, office chairs can have low or high backs (we've even seen a couple with no backs), which can make a big difference in how they feel. Cheaper chairs tend to have low backs that end around or just under the shoulders. They might support your lower half, but they won't do much for your upper back and head. Still, if you mostly work by leaning forward rather than sitting upright or slightly back, that level of support should be sufficient.
Lumbar support is also important, but this is harder to test. Most office chairs claim to have some form of lumbar support, but it might be as simple as a slight arc against your lower back. Try to get a close look at the chair design in order to gauge how much support it can provide.
Tilt is a helpful feature that adds to your overall comfort and range of movement when you sit for long periods. Few office chairs have the reclining function of gaming chairs, but you might still be able to sit back a bit on them. Many models have an adjustable tilt that lets the entire seat move backward across a limited angle when you lean; it typically springs back to the upright position when you lean forward or stand up. This tilt mechanism often uses a scissor hinge located at the base of the chair where it attaches to the gas cylinder. It adjusts seat height and usually features a knob that lets you fine-tune how freely it moves. You can often restrict the tilt completely via a lever.
What's the Best Office Chair Material?
Chairs come in a variety of materials including fabric, leather, and mesh. The best material ultimately depends on your taste, but there are a few factors to consider.
Leather, even the PU leather that most affordable "pleather" chairs use, tends to look the nicest, but it also wears down the fastest. It scratches and tears easily, especially if you have a pet. Fabric is usually more hardy, but is the easiest to stain and can collect the most odors. Mesh chairs are the lightest, most springy, and the least likely for pets to want to sit on. The mesh material serves as the chair's entire support structure, unlike the foam padding in fabric and leather chairs, and may not provide all the support you need.
Should You Buy a Cheap Office Chairs from Amazon or Staples?
Ideally, you should go see and feel furniture before you buy it. That isn't an option with most big-name gaming and office chairs, which is why our reviews are so useful. You might be able to sit in a generic office chair before you take it home, however. Your local big-box office supply store like OfficeMax or Staples should have a bunch of desk chairs of various builds and prices available for testing. Just be aware that these house brands tend to be much more basic than the chairs we've reviewed, often using inferior materials like less supple PU leather or less generous padding.
If you want to spend even less, countless dirt-cheap office chairs are available online, with hundreds listed on sites like Amazon and Wayfair. There's nothing wrong with considering any of these models, but it's a bigger gamble than buying a chair at an office store where you can at least try it out. You might end up with a comfortable, sturdy desk chair, or you might get stuck with a hunk of junk that hurts your back.
Target and Walmart also have plenty of cheap options online, and you might be able to try the chairs out at the stores themselves. Discount stores that sell far more types of products than office stores will have fewer chairs on display to try, and you might only find two or three models out of dozens that could be listed online.
Complete Your Home Office
You can also improve your experience by purchasing a standing desk, a new webcam, a best-in-class headset, or any of our other must-have home office devices. Once your setup is in place, make sure to check out our 20 tips for working from home.
