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How to Select the Office Chair That’s Right For You
I spent years taking office chairs for granted. But when I began working from home six years ago, I learned quickly that the right office chair is the difference between pain and no pain. I prefer “no pain.” Turns out the human body was not designed to sit in the same position for long hours at a time. An ergonomic office chair can mitigate the strain on your back from long hours of sitting and help you keep good posture.
But what’s the best office chair? The answer is not the same for everyone. (See WIRED’s guide to the Best Office Chairs to examine your options.) The highest-end chairs offer excellent adjustability for a wide range of heights and builds, but almost none will serve everyone—and some styles and builds tend to suit tall or short people better.
Here are the main questions and considerations when finding an office chair, in consultation with Kristianne Egbert, an ergonomist at workplace-injury company Briotix Health with two decades' experience in the field.
Top-end picks like the Herman Miller Aeron ($2,195)—a favorite of many WIRED reviewers over the years for its elegant design, wide-ranging adjustability, and breathable Pellicle mesh—can rival the price of a good mattress or sofa. The price buys beauty and comfort, sure, but also durability (and a 12-year warranty, in Herman Miller’s case).
Top-end ergonomic chairs are designed for people who expect to spend long hours in their chairs and at their desks. If you have the budget, WIRED’s favorite premium chair, the Steelcase Gesture ($1,510), is an investment meant to last for your entire working life—elegant and near-infinitely adjustable to your shape and frame.
The more average your build, the easier it will be to find a lower-cost chair that’s suitable. In the $200 range, you mostly just hope your body is the right size for the chair, not vice versa. The Staples Dexley (6/10, WIRED Reviewed), WIRED’s lowest-cost recommended chair, is a mesh chair with a seat depth of a little more than 18 inches—workable for people between about 5'4" and 5'10". The warranty is five years, and I wouldn’t assume it’ll last much longer than this.
Starting at around $500, you can find chairs that truly mold to your shape, with adjustable lumbar support and seat depth. My recommendation for most people and budgets is the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro ($499), because it’s highly adjustable while also remaining affordable and comfortable, with a seven-year warranty. Over two years of testing, the worst wear we've seen is a little fabric pilling on the seat.
The holy ergonomic grail for office chairs is to allow you to maintain proper posture for long work sessions. Strictly speaking, this means that your back is straight and fully supported by your chair. Your thighs are parallel to the floor. Your feet are flat on the floor. Your arms hang naturally at keyboard height, with your hands happily on the keyboard.
People are different sizes and proportions, so your chair often has to adjust a lot to accommodate this. Check below for how to make sure your chair's seat height and seat depth are right for you.
Your spine has a natural S-shaped curve. While a flat-backed chair supports your shoulders, it leaves your lower back to fend for itself and then complain loudly about it. If you're stuck sitting for more than a couple of hours, lumbar support allows the chair to mold to the snakey shape of your back.