Working from your couch or bed sounds comfortable, but try doing it for hours at a time. It simply isn’t practical to have your computer and anything else you need right in front of you while you’re trying to sit back all nice and comfy. 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 built for sitting on while you work, and enable you to keep your hands on your keyboard and mouse without stretching awkwardly. You have plenty of options to choose from, starting at around $100 and going well over $1,000. Here’s what you should know before buying your chair, along with our top picks.
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 provide more support than cheap office chairs. They also tend to be better made, with higher weight limits and more considerations to larger users. Gaming chairs usually 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 right 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 be more expensive 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 ones that last as few as 90 days.
Because of this, we’re including a mix of office and gaming chairs here. If you like a gaming chair’s design and features, don’t worry that it isn’t called an office chair. It will work in your office just fine.
Office Chair 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. More than that, 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 curve. Also, if you’re particularly short or tall, check the seat height range. Almost all office chairs have a gas cylinder that lets you adjust the height, but some can get lower or higher than others.
In addition, office chairs can have low or high backs (we’ve even seen a couple with no backs, but at that point, they’re more like desk stools), and that 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 how the chair is built to get some idea of 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, and that springs back to the upright position when you stop leaning. This tilt uses a scissor hinge on the base of the chair where the bottom sits on the gas cylinder that adjusts seat height, and usually features a knob that lets you adjust how freely it moves. You can also usually restrict the tilt completely via a lever.
The Best Office Chair Materials
Chairs come in a variety of materials, from fabric, to leather, to mesh. The best material for you ultimately depends on your taste, but there are a few factors to consider.
Leather, even the PU leather used by most affordable “pleather” chairs, tends to look the nicest, but it also wears down the fastest. It scratches and tears easily, especially if you have cats. Fabric is usually much more sturdy, 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, but that material provides the chair’s entire support structure, unlike the foam padding in fabric and leather chairs.
With that in mind, these are our top picks for office and gaming chairs.
