Erin Porteous
We understand how much you love your job and how easy it may be for you to spend thousands of dollars on the latest PC, work desk or that 4K eye-friendly monitor. All these are important, but have you thoughts of your chair lately? The flicker-free monitor or the sparkling office desk are nothing if you insist on using that rickety old chair that would rather be in the trash bin by now.
Spending your 8 hours in a good ergonomic chair can be a rewarding endeavor as this ensures good posture and comfort like no other. Studies have shown that spending too much time on a chair increases the risk of cardiovascular ailments. With a good ergonomic office chair, however, this risk reduces drastically.
While we do understand that fancier office chairs can be a little pricier, it can be a good investment in the long run. In fact, it helps that most of these ergonomic office chairs come with a guarantee of averagely ten years. What’s more, with such office chairs, you have the liberty to do all manner of tricks and tweaks that will finally help give you that much needed comfort of posture. If you are looking for the best ergonomic office chair, then your search ends here as we have sampled some of the best options in the market based on price, features and relevance. Here are the top 10 ergonomic office chairs for 2020:
Top 10 Ergonomic Office chairs of 2020 Reviewed
1. Steelcase Leap Fabric Chair
[wt_products id=”3611″ template=”5″]2. Ergohuman High Back Swivel Chair
[wt_products id=”3613″ template=”5″]3. Gaiam Classic Balance Ball Chair
[wt_products id=”3615″ template=”5″]4. Duramont Ergonomic Adjustable Office Chair
[wt_products id=”3618″ template=”5″]5. AmazonBasics Low-Back Computer Task Office Desk Chair
[wt_products id=”3620″ template=”5″]6. SPACE Seating Professional AirGrid Eco Leather Seat
[wt_products id=”3622″ template=”5″]7. AmazonBasics High-Back Executive Swivel Office Chair
[wt_products id=”3624″ template=”5″]8. Furmax Gaming Chair High Back Office Racing Chair
[wt_products id=”3626″ template=”5″]9. Komene Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair
[wt_products id=”3628″ template=”5″]10. Flash Furniture Desk Chair with Wheels
[wt_products id=”3630″ template=”5″]How to find the best ergonomic office chair – Buying Guide
When shopping for an ergonomic office chair, it is only logical that you find one that will fully serve your needs and preference. However, it is also worth noting that not every office chair labeled ergonomic has all the qualities befitting a true ergonomic office chair. Confused on what to look out for? Worry not as we are here to help take this load off your shoulder. Before that, however, the following are some of the notable questions you need to ask when shopping for an ergonomic office chair:
How adjustable is the seat?
Nothing gives more flexibility than a filly adjustable chair. Since office work may involve too much strain, it is only fair that you get a chair that gives you the liberty to adjust it to any length, height and direction. As a rule of thumb, an office chair’s height range should adjust slightly lower and slightly higher that your ideal setting. To take you closer home, a seat with height ranging from 15” to 22” is deal for a user from 5’0” to 5’4” tall.
Notably, most ergonomic chairs offer a set height range and so you ought to be careful when choosing a chair in relation to your height. In fact, most of these chairs offer a choice in terms of height cylinders and so this gives you an easy time when choosing your correct height range. Additionally, you are better off going for a set with pneumatic height adjustment as this enables you to adjust the seat pan height much easily even while seated. With the right height adjustment on your seat, you will be reducing the risks of stress on the lumbar and knees.
Just like height adjustment, backrest height adjustment is a noble feature to look out for in an ergonomic office chair. The backrest should easily slide up and down to ensure the lumbar curve of the chair’s backrest fully fits into your lower back. Additionally, it is important that you consider back angle adjustment. This ensures that you fully fit the chair based on your body type. In most cases, you will find ergonomic chairs with locking back angle adjustment. This helps you determine the most comfortable upright or reclined position to work from.
Notable features to look out for in an ergonomic office chair include:
The right seat pan depth
The depth of your set pan will say a lot about your comfort and sitting position. When properly positioned, an office chair’s seat pan should allow for up to four finders to fit between the front of the seat and the back of your knee. With a proper seat dept setting, you can easily sit all the way back. This allows you to position the curve of your seat properly when sited back. In this position, it becomes easier to use the chair back’s lumber curve.
You can adjust the seat pan depth in two basic ways; using a seat slider and a back depth adjuster. With a seat slider, you can easily slide the seat out and back in even while seated. On the other hand, a back depth adjuster usually comes in form of a knob on the back of the chair. This moves the back in and out. As such, it may require a helper to make the adjustment.
Chair mechanism selection
When shopping for an ergonomic office chair, you want to get one that makes your seating and general movement easier. As such, a seat’s mechanism comes in handy as its helps control how the seat and your back move. These can be done by use of levers that can pull, push, adjust or twist the office chair to a preferred direction, position or height. While some models may have more than one type of mechanism, most would use one type of the same. Having said this, there are two basic mechanisms used by most ergonomic office chairs:
Multifunctional mechanism – this is a popular type of mechanism, thanks to its wide range of adjustability features. With this, you have the liberty to adjust the back and seat angles independently. This means that you can easily lock the chair in various positions as preferred.
Synchro-Tilt Mechanism – With this mechanism, your back and the seat are linked and will thus tilt simultaneously while leaning back. Considering that this mechanism does not offer much in terms of adjustability, it is not as ergonomic as the previous mechanism. Notably, an office chair using this mechanism ought to have a flexible or waterfall front to avoid cases of it pressing on the back of your thighs when reclining.
Lumbar support is paramount
A goof lumbar support should take into consideration both depth and vertical adjustment. This is especially so if you have lower back issues. Good lumbar support chair is also ideal if it will be used by more than one person. In this case, you are better off going for lumbar support that you can easily adjust vertically as you lower or raise the chair. However, in cases where the chair fits you well and easily adjusts vertically, a fixed lumbar is preferable.
Get comfortable armrests
You want to have an office chair that will offer ultimate comfort for your arms when on that relaxation mode. Good armrests should, at the bare minimum, be adjustable by height. Talking of adjustment, their lowest point should be just below thigh height to ensure that it doesn’t clash with your elbow movement when not needed.
On the other hand, you may also go for the swing back armrest. This lets you move the arm out of the way when not in need. Go for a chair that allows more personalized fits for your armrests. For instance, if your work involves too much typing, then you may need a chair with armrests that fully support your elbows while working.
Quality Casters and Stable Wheel Base
The stability of your chair’s base will determine your comfort when working and during adjustment. As such, a good ergonomic office chair should have at least a five spoke base. As much as you may find most office chairs with four spoke bases, these are usually unstable and you run the risk of tipping over when adjusting or reclining.
On the other hand, always ensure that you have quality casters as these will offer convenience when gliding over the floor. When choosing your casters, consider the type of floor your chair will be used on. Most ergonomic office chairs offer a choice between casters for use on tile, hard floor wood, carpet or laminate floors. Talking of glides, you may also opt for the flat, non-rolling feet based on your preference.
Strong fabric and comfortable padding
The materials and passing used on the fabric will determine how long it will last. The same will be sad about its comfort. Go for an office chair whose fabric and padding support prolonged sitting. The fabric used should complement the actual material used in making the chair to give you the durability you so much desire. The fabric should not only be strong but also breathable. This ensures that it remains in shape even after prolonged use.
Final Verdict
If you sit for long hours behind your desk working, then you know you need a good office chair to boot. You do not want to deal with cases of back pain and strain on your spine courtesy of poor quality office chairs. Notably, ergonomic office chairs come in various designs, shapes and prices.
While some people prefer the headrest, others do not see the need. As such, getting an office chair with a headrest boils down to personal preference based on the type of work you do. A headrest helps support the head, thus reducing the weight and pressure on your neck. This is especially ideal for users with neck issues.
In this regard, the type of chair you will go for depends on your personal preference, type of work and budget. However, note that not all ergonomic chairs with high prices mean good quality and vice versa. Take your time to look at each of the features offered by the chair to help you determine what works best for you. With this in mind, it becomes much easier to find the most appropriate ergonomic office chair.
