After Years of Testing Office Chairs, These 6 Are the Best

As a team that spends the majority of our days working from home, our hunt for the best office chair has spanned years, as we’ve spent countless hours writing, researching, and editing—all from a seated position, of course.

Along with the chairs we own and use, we've also conducted thorough testing of 28 different office chairs to compare models beyond just our own personal tastes. To make it onto this list, a chair had to be comfortable, durable, relatively smooth to set up, and visually appealing.

Best Overall

Boulies Master Series Computer Chair

View on Boulies.com

After testing over 30 office chairs, our winner is the Boulies Master Series Computer Chair. This chair is great for those who work long hours at home, thanks to its heavy-duty construction, unmatched comfort, and adjustable features.

We loved the contoured cushions, which nicely padded the seat and alleviated our pressure points during testing. We could sit on the chair for long periods without needing to readjust frequently, which is no easy feat. It’s the most comfortable option we’ve tested, as the chair’s smooth curves contour to the body exceptionally well.

Our three top chairs on this list are all highly adjustable. This model comes with a height-adjustable seat, armrests, and a lumbar cushion. Two testers with a 5-inch height difference tested this chair, and both found it comfortable for shoulders, hips, and the back during full workdays.

In addition to comfort, this office chair is impressively heavy-duty. Its sturdy steel frame and aluminum base showcase its durable construction—it never felt wobbly or unstable.

Our only concern with this chair is more a matter of personal preference than an actual design flaw: Unlike our other two favorite office chairs (the Hon Ignition 2.0 Ergonomic Office Chair and the Branch Verve Office Chair), this is the only one without a knit or mesh backing.

That said, the padded backrest is more comfortable, and you can choose between three different upholstery materials. However, the cushion is bulky and won’t allow for much airflow, which can be a concern if you run hot.

_{Lumbar Support: Yes | Material: Steel, aluminum, cold-cure foam, choice of upholstery | Weight Capacity: 243 lbs. | Warranty: 2-year limited}

Best Big and Tall

Hon Ignition 2.0 Ergonomic Office Chair

$426 at Amazon $35 at Walmart $485 at Wayfair

Another top performer we love from our testing is the Hon Ignition 2.0 Ergonomic Office Chair. The seat is especially roomy at 20 inches wide, making it a good choice for larger bodies. Additionally, the 3.5 inches of padding felt great throughout the long workday. We also found the chair's tall backrest allowed us to maintain proper posture and prevented slouching.

This office chair is also highly adjustable, as you can change the armrests' height and width, seat height, and lumbar support to suit your preferences. We found it easy to fine-tune the chair to our liking. The armrests did feel slightly wobbly when adjusted, but they were stable once set back into place. 

The main difference between this and the Boulies Master Series Computer Chair is its design. This chair isn’t padded in the back and instead has a comfortable mesh material that's lightweight and breathable.

The frame is also less heavy-duty since it’s made from plastic rather than metal. Because of these factors, the Hon Ignition 2.0 offers a slightly less bulky construction than the Boulies model, but may not be as durable.

In terms of aesthetics, this office chair offers a very simple, straightforward design. Although it’s not as eye-catching as the Boulies Master Series Computer Chair or as stylish as the Branch Verve Office Chair, it has a basic look we think is versatile for most home offices.

_{Lumbar Support: Yes | Material: Mesh, plastic | Weight Capacity: 300 lbs. | Warranty: Full lifetime}

Best Ergonomic

Branch Verve Office Chair

$599 at Amazon $549 at The Container Store View on Branchfurniture.com

It’s difficult to find an office chair that combines ergonomics and aesthetics, but the Branch Verve Office Chair does it wonderfully. It doesn’t feel as obtrusive as many office chairs we’ve tried, with a sleek silhouette that boasts clean lines. It’s also available in seven vibrant colors, a unique feature among office chairs. 

It's also one of the most adjustable options we’ve tested: While you’ll find the usual customizable components, like seat height, armrest height, and lumbar, you can also adjust the seat depth, which isn’t a feature we find in office chairs very often. This can be especially useful to ensure your hips and legs are properly supported, no matter how tall you are.

The contoured, cushiony seats felt comfortable throughout an eight-hour workday. We never had any aches and pains despite prolonged sitting, and our 5-foot-1-inch tester said that adjusting the chair allowed it to fit her frame perfectly. The frame, constructed from polymer and aluminum, feels both sturdy and lightweight, while the back features a flexible polyester knit material.

Note that this is the most expensive chair we recommend, at around $600. The price is steep, especially compared to our other two favorite office chairs, but we have yet to find another option that’s as stylish and comfortable, so we think its quality makes it worth the investment. We don’t love that adding a headrest will cost extra, considering its already-high price point, but we didn’t find it necessary during our tests.

_{Lumbar Support: Yes | Material: Aluminum, polymer, nylon, high-density foam, polyester knit | Weight Capacity: 275 lbs. | Warranty: 7-year parts and components}

Best Budget

Flash Furniture Kelista Mid-Back Task Chair with Flip-Up Arms

$209 $131 at Amazon $209 $157 at Walmart $147 at Wayfair

Simple, durable, and highly adjustable, the Flash Furniture Kelista Office Chair is one of our favorites. One of our editors has used this chair for over three years now, and it's still holding up great.

This ergonomic office chair strikes a good balance between functionality and aesthetics, which is difficult to achieve. We think it’s a good budget-friendly alternative to the Branch Verve Office Chair, a similarly ergonomic chair with lots of color options.

The curved design offers ample lumbar support, and the back tilt and seat height are also adjustable. We found that after adjusting it once and finding the perfect height and tilt for us, we didn't have to mess with it again for years. The armrests also flip up if you want to save space or sit with your legs up. The lumbar support, while not adjustable, helped prevent discomfort throughout the workday.

We did notice the mesh material can stain, particularly if you get a lighter color option. However, we think it’s a fair trade-off considering its performance.

 _{Lumbar Support: Yes | Material: Foam, mesh, nylon, steel | Weight Capacity: 250 lbs. | Warranty: 1-year limited}

Other Office Chairs We’ve Tried and Love

Here are two more chairs we tested and love, but might not be for everyone. For example, the Better Homes & Gardens Juliet Tall Back Office Chair was plush and comfortable, but lacked adjustability other than the seat height. (Better Homes & Gardens is owned by The Spruce's parent company, Dotdash Meredith.)

We love the stylish look and cushioned seat and back, but acknowledge this might not be the best option for years of working from home.

The Office Star ProGrid Chair has proved durable and comfortable for years now with exceptional lumbar support (even though it's not adjustable). However, it's quite heavy and requires a lengthy assembly process, so it's not the best for those moving their office chair from room to room. Still, for a budget pick, it's a great choice.

Better Homes & Gardens Juliet Office Chair

$119 at Walmart

Office Star ProGrid Managers Chair

$351 at Amazon $280 at Wayfair $301 at Office Depot

How We Tested the Office Chairs

Since 2022, our team has rigorously tested nearly 30 top-rated office chairs from leading brands in both The Lab and our homes. In our most recent round of testing, we had team members use each chair for several weeks before they evaluated the comfort, support, adjustability, durability, ease of assembly, and value of each chair.

• Comfort: Each chair was evaluated on its comfort level, taking into account the amount of padding, as well as the shape and size. We paid attention to long-term comfort, which goes hand in hand with support.
• Adjustability: We also noted how much readjusting was necessary when sitting in the office chair for an extended period. Our team members reported whether or not they felt any soreness, too.
• Ease of Cleaning: If we needed to clean the chairs, we also considered how easy it was to clean the upholstery material.
• Assembly: We didn’t run into any major issues when assembling models that arrived in pieces, so we didn’t mention this in our reviews unless the assembly was super confusing or difficult.

Overall, we preferred options with multiple adjustable components, including armrests, seat height, and lumbar support. This allowed us to customize every single aspect of the chair to fit a range of bodies and ensure proper fit, but this wasn’t always available in more budget-friendly models.

How to Choose an Office Chair

Prioritize Support and an Ergonomic Design

All of the office chairs on this list are comfortable, at least in the short term. However, cushioning isn’t the only thing that you should pay attention to; if you spend hours upon hours working on your office chair, you’ll want to make sure it’s supportive and ergonomic for long-term comfort. 

“When it comes to lumbar support (or lower back comfort), the lumbar support should sit perfectly in the low back to maintain the natural low back arch to reduce back pain," according to Karena Wu, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy.

On our list, all four of our top options, the Boulies Master Series Computer Chair, Hon Ignition 2.0 Ergonomic Office Chair, Flash Furniture Kelista Office Chair, and Branch Verve Office Chair, have adjustable lumbar that can be moved up or down to support different user heights. Other components of an office chair that contribute to overall support include its armrests, backrests, and the seat itself.

Our four favorite chairs all have very ergonomic designs as well, with curved seats that conform to the contours of your body. A construction centered around good ergonomics can help promote good posture and minimize pressure on certain areas of the body, which are other factors that contribute to long-term comfort. 

Keep an Eye Out for Adjustable Features

Adjustability is the number-one factor that came up repeatedly during our testing process. It is key for all-day comfort while you work. If your office chair can't be adapted or configured for your height, preferred sitting position, or workspace setup, it won’t be comfortable for long-term use. Adjustable features are also important for those who share their office chair with another person.

We looked for office chairs that were adjustable at three key points: armrests, seat height, and lumbar support. Certain options, like the Branch Verve Office Chair, our best ergonomic pick, also offer adjustable seat depth, which is especially important for people who are shorter or taller, allowing them to further customize their seating position.

The ability to fine-tune these features to your body and comfort and trust that the adjustability will last over the chair’s lifetime is vital. You might spend close to 8 hours a day in your office chair, so we prioritized office chairs with easy-to-use and durable adjustments when choosing this list.

Check Seat Dimensions and Backrest Height

You’ll want to ensure your office chair has enough depth and width to comfortably accommodate your bottom for long periods. All of the office chairs we tested were comfortable enough to support various members of our team with different body types. Specifically, the Hon Ignition 2.0 Ergonomic Office Chair, our best big and tall chair, has a roomy, 20-inch-wide seat that’s a great option for larger bodies.

"The width and height of the chair (to include the armrests) should allow you to sit close in at your desk so that you are never craning or reaching too far forward to work at your desk,” Wu says. The Branch Verve Office Chair, our best ergonomic pick, has an adjustable seat depth, meaning you can get as close to your desk as necessary.

Additionally, we tended to prefer office chairs with taller backrests, which helped maintain our posture during long workdays. However, taller individuals should ensure the backrest is high enough for their liking.

We tested a couple of options with adjustable headrests, and we found they were a nice addition but not essential. If you do want an option with an adjustable headrest, you can purchase one with the Branch Verve Office Chair, but it costs extra.

Cross-legged chairs like this one have become really popular for remote workers because they allow you to sit cross-legged comfortably while at your desk. These chairs might not fit perfectly under your desk, but what you sacrifice in space, you make up for in comfort.

Look for Durable, High-Quality Materials

Although frame materials like steel or aluminum typically cost more than plastic, they’re also more durable and can extend the lifespan of an office chair. A metal frame will ensure that your office chair can support a sufficient amount of weight, but may also be bulkier or heavier to move around.

Out of our top picks, the Boulies Master Series Computer Chair, our best pick overall, has the most heavyweight and durable base, made from steel and aluminum. On the other hand, our best big and tall chair and our best budget pick have plastic frames.

While the Hon felt sturdy during testing, it's important to consider its potential long-term durability. The Branch Verve Office Chair, our best ergonomic pick, has a frame made of aluminum and polymer, so it's a happy medium between the Boulies and Hon models.

The cushion fill and cushion cover material are just as important as an office chair's frame. Most of the chairs on our list feature seat cushions filled with foam or a polyester fiber blend. High-density foam will feel comfortable while you sit for long periods, and it also won't compress with daily use.

In our experience, mesh back chairs, like the Branch Verve Office Chair, were the most practical and popular choice among our favorite office chairs, as they provided enough breathability for long periods. However, upholstered models like the Better Homes & Gardens Juliet Tall Back Office Chair may provide greater comfort with the padded backrest.

Quality and Price (Usually) Go Hand in Hand

The good news about the best home office chairs is that they exist all along a price spectrum, meaning there truly is something for everyone’s budget. The office chairs on our list run between $200 and $639 at the time of publication, with the most expensive design being the Branch Verve Office Chair.

However, we’ve learned you typically get what you pay for with office chair quality. You can find an ergonomic, budget-friendly office chair, but there will likely be tradeoffs. A tedious assembly, lack of bells and whistles, or inadequate support are just a few tradeoffs we experienced.

If you’re sitting on your chair for eight or more hours daily, you should invest in adjustable features, durable materials, and a comfortable design. Not all budget-friendly chairs sacrifice comfort, but many cheaper options will lack the support needed for long-term use.

However, our best budget pick, the Flash Furniture Kelista Office Chair, proves you can find comfort and style at a reasonable price.

The Most Comfortable Chairs Aren’t Very Stylish

Keep in mind that the best chairs to sit in for long periods do not have a reputation for style. (No, your back-friendly office chair probably won’t match with the rest of your farmhouse decor.) For the most part, we’ve found the best ergonomic options prioritize function over form and are often made with bulky shapes and clunky mechanisms.

Of course, style is subjective. We’ve included several ergonomic options available in fun colors, like the Branch Verve Office Chair and the Flash Furniture Kelista Office Chair. These office chairs are more minimal than other options we’ve tried, but don’t sacrifice support. 

However, folks who don’t use their office chair often may care more about aesthetics than ergonomics. If that’s the case, we recommend checking out the Better Homes & Gardens Juliet Tall Back Office Chair. This option is still cushiony and comfortable in the short term, but it may not provide the support necessary for full workdays.

Why Trust The Spruce?

Bianca Pineda has been writing and testing all kinds of home products since 2022. As someone who works from home most days, she requires an office chair that keeps her comfortable and supported all day long. That said, her tiny NYC apartment doesn’t exactly have the space for a home office—which is why she also prefers a chair that matches the rest of her bedroom decor.

Our Experts:

• Karena Wu, PT, DPT, OCS, COMT, CSCS, CKTP, CPI, FAAOMPT, a board-certified clinical specialist in orthopedic physical therapy and owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in NYC and India.