Source: Herman Miller
Best Ergonomic Office Chairs iMore 2021
Many of us work from home at least part of the time, and now it's more common than ever. Your work will go a lot more smoothly if your home office is ergonomic, and that obviously includes a good chair. It's easy to recommend the Oak Hollow Furniture Aloria Series Office Chair for its comfortable design and flexible options. We've rounded some of the best ergonomic office chairs in a variety of styles and price points.
- Best Overall: Oak Hollow Furniture Aloria Series Office Chair
- Best Value: Modway Articulate Mesh Office Chair
- Best Elite Pick: Herman Miller Aeron Chair
- Best For Movement: Steelcase Gesture
- Best Active Sitting Chair: Gaiam Balance Ball Chair
- Best Kneeling Chair: DRAGONN Ergonomic Kneeling Chair
- Most Striking: Herman Miller Sayl Ergonomic Office Chair
- Best Gaming Chair: GT Omega PRO
Best Overall: Oak Hollow Furniture Aloria Series Office Chair
Source: Karen S. Freeman / iMore
I spend my days working in my Oak Hollow Furniture Aloria Series Office Chair, and it's so comfortable. The seat is high-density molded foam and upholstered with high-performance fabric. The mesh back is breathable so you won't get hot. You can purchase the adjustable headrest or not; it pivots to your perfect spot. A lumbar support mechanism in the back adjusts to your comfortable spot. You can also adjust the depth of the seat.
The adjustable armrests move up and down, forward and backward, and you can pivot them inward and outward, though I still find them just a bit wide for my female frame. You can lean back in your chair and even lock it in a leaning-back position. Two pneumatic cylinders are included so a wide range of sizes can be accommodated, up to 6'9" and 300 pounds.
Pros:
- Adjustable lumbar support, tilt, height, arms, and seat depth
- Optional headrest
- Comfortable and sturdy
- Breathable mesh back
Cons:
- Arms don't adjust inwards very far
- Fairly pricey
Best Overall
Oak Hollow Furniture Aloria Series Office Chair
Comfort rules
This comfortable, breathable, adjustable chair will work for just about anyone.
Best Value: Modway Articulate Mesh Office Chair
Source: Modway
This well-priced, upright ergonomic office chair has a breathable mesh back and plush fabric seat cushion. You can adjust both the back height and the seat depth to fit your body perfectly. Also, two sturdy armrests help you maintain proper alignment. Incline or recline the chair as desired, thanks to the tilt tension and lock functions. Five hooded dual-caster wheels let you glide effortlessly even over carpet. Choose from six colors.
Pros:
- Breathable mesh back
- Plush seat cushion
- Incline and recline chair
- Wheels glide over carpet
- Six color options
- Great price point
Cons:
- Some users report durability issues
Best Value
Modway Articulate Mesh Office Chair
Adjustable and affordable
With lots of ways to adjust this chair, you'll be sure to find the perfect comfortable fit.
Best Elite Pick: Herman Miller Aeron Chair
Source: Herman Miller
This chair is designed with the human body in mind and has been that way for over 20 years. In Herman Miller's Aeron Chair with PostureFit SL technology, you'll naturally sit with your chest open, your shoulders back, and your pelvis tilted slightly forward. The chair also has adjustable pads, which give you lumbar support and stabilize the base of your spine. The breathable mesh seat and back provide eight different zones of varying tension for your ideal support. Choose from three different sizes and four colors.
Pros:
- Eight different adjustable tension zones
- Encourages healthy sitting position
- Three size options
Cons:
- Pricey
Best Elite Pick
Herman Miller Aeron Chair
Splurge-worthy
This carefully designed classic ergonomic chair puts you in the right sitting position, but at a price.
Best For Movement: Steelcase Gesture
Source: Steelcase
Not everyone sits in the same position all day long. The Steelcase Gesture is specially designed to accommodate the way people really sit and move throughout the day. Steelcase studied over 2,000 people on six continents to create the most ergonomic chair. Whether you're a smaller person or a larger person, the Steelcase Gesture is designed to fit you and the way you use your technology. Choose from a wide range of colors.
Pros:
- Allows a wide range of motion
- Supports use of tablets and smartphones
- Fits a wide range of people
Cons:
- Pricey
Best For Movement
Steelcase Gesture
Range of motion
The Steelcase Gesture is designed for the way real people sit, move, and interact with technology.
Best Active Sitting Chair: Gaiam Balance Ball Chair
Source: Gaiam
The Gaiam Balance Ball Chair is an active sitting chair, meaning that you'll actually get a little bit of exercise as you sit. Merely sitting on the ball works your core as well as improving your spinal alignment and posture. Without any conscious effort, just keeping balanced on the ball results in micro-movements that keep you energized and focused. Plus, if you want to do more exercise, the chair comes with a low-impact workout and stretching routine you can do at your desk.
Pros:
- Micro-movements work your core and keep you energized
- Improves spinal alignment and posture
- Can use for low-impact workout and stretching
- Well-priced
Cons:
- Not a chair in the traditional sense
Best Active Sitting Chair
Gaiam Balance Ball Chair
Work your core
Sitting on a balance ball chair encourages micro-movements that engage your core for better posture.
Best Kneeling Chair: DRAGONN Ergonomic Kneeling Chair
Source: Amazon
A kneeling chair looks pretty weird, but it's surprisingly comfortable. Don't knock it until you try it! A kneeling chair encourages upright posture and distributes your weight evenly between your backside and your legs so it's not all in one place. This chair has wheels so you can still move around. Keep in mind that a kneeling chair uses different muscles than a regular chair, so it's best to increase usage gradually. I find that I can't really kneel all day, but I don't like to stay in any one position as I work anyway. Kneeling is a great way to change things up.
Pros:
- Encourages upright posture
- Distributes body weight between rear and legs
- Casters to move around
Cons:
- Not ideal for all-day use
Best Kneeling Chair
DRAGONN Ergonomic Kneeling Chair
Sit upright
This kneeling chair encourages you to sit upright, plus it distributes your weight between your rear and legs.
Most Striking: Herman Miller Sayl Ergonomic Office Chair
Source: Herman Miller
Inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge, this chair is the ultimate in functional art. It's more than just a pretty chair, though. The 3D Intelligent back allows you to stretch and move, finding a balance between freedom and support. This suspension bridge-style back also provides passive sacral support, which aligns your spine in its natural "S" shape to maintain a healthy posture.
Pros:
- Beautiful design inspired by Golden Gate Bridge
- 3D Intelligent back allows stretching and movement
- PostureFit sacral support aligns spine to natural "S" shape
Cons:
- Fairly pricey
Most Striking
Herman Miller Sayl Ergonomic Office Chair
Work of art
Inspired by the Golden Gate Bridge, this chair supports the spine's natural "S" shape while allowing you to move comfortably.
Best Gaming Chair: GT Omega PRO
Source: GT Omega
For many of us, our gaming chair doubles as an office chair. Gaming chairs are designed for long hours of sitting, and they recline to a number of comfortable angles. This one has a body-hugging design, 160-degree recliner adjustment, armrests that move in four directions, height-adjustable mechanism, side recliners, and removable lumbar support and headrest pillows. It's definitely not a boring, staid-looking office chair. Choose from many bold accent colors. Note that unlike many gaming chairs, this one doesn't have memory foam and it has a relatively low weight limit: just 250 pounds.
Pros:
- Made for sitting long hours comfortably
- 160-recliner adjustment
- 4D armrests
- Lumbar and head support (removable)
Cons:
- No memory foam
- Low weight limit
Best Gaming Chair
GT Omega PRO
Gamer's companion
For work or play, you'll be comfortable for hours sitting up or kicking back in the GT Omega Pro.
The best ergonomic office chairs for your needs
Working from home needn't be a pain in the neck (or back or rear). A comfortable ergonomic chair is key to creating a comfortable, workable workspace. We like the Oak Hollow Furniture Aloria Series Office Chair because it's so comfortable.
Whichever chair you pick, be sure to check the return policy and put it through its paces before the return window closes. Your size, favored sitting positions, and personal preferences may affect which kind of chair you find perfect for you.
Credits — The person that worked on this guide
Karen S. Freeman is a teacher, writer, social media person, and family woman. She loves to travel, play with tech stuff, drink coffee, discover amazing new restaurants, and experience new things.
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