Looking for the best ergonomic chair that perfectly fits your body is tough.
Some options are clearly too overpriced. Others might lack some important features...
After careful consideration, the UGC team recommends the Steelcase Amia chair.
Out of all the options we’ve seen, we think the Steelcase Amia chair as probably the most optimal choice for a properly ergonomic office chair.
Obviously, we'll be talking about runner-ups such as the classic Herman Miller Aeron. We've also included a few more budget-friendly options.
Let's explore them!
Best Choice
Steelcase Amia
Sensational Comfort
Designed to aid relieve back & shoulder exhaustion.
Indoor Advantage Certified. BIFMA e3 L2 Certified. Environmental friendly.
Classic
Herman Miller Aeron
Elegant Look
The Patented Kinemat tilt allows you to move naturally with the chair in tow.
PostureFit provides premium support to your body
Budget Pick
VECELO Home Office
Soothes Fatigue
Comfortable and breathable backrest. Cool and 5-star comfort seating experience.
Has adjustable armrests.
What is an ergonomic chair?
So what is an ergonomic chair? To respond to that, we need to see two important features in this type of chair: adjustability and support.
Adjustability
Ergonomic chairs are highly adjustable ones that suit any user within very broad limits. Typically those chairs are intended for people who work at a desk for eight or more hours a day. If that sounds like you, read on!
Many ergonomic chairs come with specialized lumbar support systems and seat contours that companies design to give you tailored support and comfort that will minimize fatigue.
The best ergonomic office chair systems even provide adjustable lower lumbar supports and seat surfaces. The more premium products will provide additional adjustable functionality in your chair, many of which can be fine-tuned to deliver a unique experience to each user.
Doctors and chiropractors usually recommended these types of chairs to folks with bad or sensitive backs. The best ergonomic office chairs are also particularly good at correcting bad posture and encouraging a healthy sedentary profile as they can be slowly adjusted over time to correct faults in your posture.
Support
Most chairs provide some type of support, but a specialist seat will ensure that you’re looking after yourself properly for the long term. The very best ergonomic office chairs are usually more expensive because of the added benefits and build costs, but they are available at a range of different price points.
We’ve listed here a few on either end of the scale from $50 to $1000.
It’s advisable that people buy at least one office chair with ergonomic benefits, but everybody can benefit from the best ergonomic chair; just consider it a health investment!
If you want to learn about more of the benefits of an ergonomic chair, check out the section at the bottom of this article. For now, let’s get started with the top five best ergonomic office chairs on the market at the moment.
The 4 winners - Best ergonomic chairs
1
Pros
- Steelcase has produced a chair which is sure to fit any ergonomic requirements. The Amia will contour to fit your body, allowing for a wide range of movement in the seat. That includes left to right, and front-to-back movement.
- It’ll take up to 300lbs of weight, so it’s a trustworthy chair that lives up to its name. It might be pricey, but it does come with 10 years worth of warranty from Steelcase. In other words, they’re confident that it’s built to last.
- It’s a stocky, solid chair, with the widest range of colors on the list. If you’re looking for something special, it’s worth checking out.
Cons
- Despite the many benefits, it is a pricey chair. It’s offset somewhat by the ten-year warranty, and $70 per year isn’t bad at all in the long run.
- There’s no denying that the Steelcase is a great chair. It’ll keep your body supported during use, and it’s guaranteed to last for a long time. For heavier users, it’s a welcome relief to know that the chair will always have your back. (Supported.)
The price brings it closer to Herman Miller products, but they’re still cheap enough to be a viable alternative.
2
Pros
- On the other end of the pricing scale is the Herman Miller chair. Herman Miller is synonymous with quality seating, and you’re sure to be happy with your purchase if you go for it.
- The brand is known for their ergonomic builds and they say they’ve done over 20 years of research into the “science of sitting”. It’s held up as one of the best ergonomic chair in the industry, with adjustable pads and quality materials ensuring the most comfortable seat possible.
- You’ll be supported in a range of different positions, as it adjusts to fit your form.
- The chair is available in a number of different sizes and colors, and it’s sure to last for longer than the cheaper chairs on this list.
Cons
- The price point will inevitably scare some potential buyers away. Others were unhappy when they bought the seat with problems ranging from the chair being “too ergonomic” to some feeling that the chair was not worth the price.
If it’s affordable for you, it’s hard to say no to the Aeron. Complaints are few and far between and it’s held up as one of the best ergonomic chairs that money can buy.
Some might remember the Aeron as the producer of the best ergonomic chairs that made them as popular as they are today.
Herman Miller has spent decades refining the functionality and comfort of the Aeron, making it a highly sought after model for offices all around the world and they have a track record of producing some of the best ergonomic chairs in the world.
The Aeron provides customizable functionality that’s designed to be personalized to your individual standards. And boy does it deliver. It does take a good while to set up and fine tune, unfortunately; and it can even be too complicated for some.
Herman Miller can provide designated representatives who’ll help you adjust and fine-tune your chair for you, should you need it.
There’s a reason why it’s an industry leader, and it’s well worth the expenditure.
3
Pros
- The Vecelo presented is the best ergonomic chair if you’re operating on a somewhat tight budget. As one of the cheapest on the list, it doesn’t have all the perks you’ll find in a chair that’s 3x the price, but it’s a damn sight better than buying a normal chair with no support. It’ll help with posture by slowly repositioning your back to fit the chair after extended use.
- The best ergonomic chair is designed with lumbar support in mind, so it’ll give your lower back decent support if you plan to use it regularly. The armrests are re-positionable, with eight different settings to choose from. While it isn’t the best by a long shot, it’s affordable and usable.
Cons
- The mesh design doesn’t exactly scream luxury, while it lacks many of the features found in the mid-tier range.
This chair lacks the added protection and luxury of some of the other chairs on this list, but it does the job properly. For the price, you’re getting more than your money’s worth, and it’s a great chair if you fit the seat.
The striking visual design of this best ergonomic chair catches the eye pretty easily. We’re also fans of the color choice made with these chairs.
They’ve chosen a good standard color to complement the chair with no drastic design choices. It also features lower lumbar support that is tension adjustable. While it isn’t as in-depth and complex as some of the more expensive chairs on the market, it gets the job done and it looks good while doing it.
As an entry-level chair, it’ll keep you going for the short term, although it might be better to upgrade slightly to the best ergonomic chair if you’re planning on using the chair constantly.
4
Pros
- FDW has provided a well-reviewed, cheap option, that gives nearly everybody the chance to reap the benefits of an ergonomic chair. It has tilt control and a padded headrest, and open-air mesh for added support.
- It’s by far the cheapest on this list of best ergonomic chairs, and you’ll struggle to find anything close to this price that won’t fall apart instantly. It’s easy to assemble and it works well during light use. As long as you accept that it’s a cheap chair and you take care of it, there should be no problems.
Cons
- Of course, the cheap price ironically comes at a cost. The build quality isn’t the greatest, and it’s probably not going to last as long as the others on this list.
With this chair, there are now no excuses not to go ergonomic. It’s worth it for the health benefits alone, even if it’s only an entry-level model that costs $75 it is still a lot of money if you’re living on the breadline, but your health also has to be considered.
It’s got it all: It’s cheap, it’s comfortable and it looks good. This is the ideal office chair if you’re shopping on a budget or if you want something that gets the job done without any extra bells and whistles.
This chair is designed to keep your posture in check, most importantly. The isolated lumbar support is aimed more towards keeping your fatigue and stress levels low than it is at keeping you comfortable for short periods of time. It’s pretty much a perfect balance between all good properties, even if it is on the pricier side of the low-budget range.
The Benefits of an Ergonomic Chair
It’s possible that you’ve been advised to use an ergonomic chair by a medical professional. It’s sound advice because of the links to back pain and dodgy seating, but also due to the long-term health benefits associated with better chairs.
Numerous studies have shown the problems associated with inadequate seating. This ranges from lower back pain, to lower productivity due to an inability to stay focused and seated for extended periods.
Pregnant women can stay at work for longer (if they’d like to) while disabled workers get to enjoy the benefits, too. With that being said, the best ergonomic chairs (ones designed for your size and shape) will help anyone. It’s worth trying one out to see if there’s any difference for you.
Choosing the best ergonomic chair should help to improve your posture more efficiently than stacking books on your head with the added perk of not dropping books on the floor. It’s not just a fad, or cynical marketing by chair manufacturers to increase sales of expensive products. (*Which would be pretty dastardly.) The word ergonomics might sound like it derives from Latin, but it’s actually Ancient Greek. The prefix ergo means work, so it makes sense that ergonomic chairs allow you to keep going for longer.
Since anyone can benefit from the best ergonomic chair, it’s great that they’re available at all price ranges, and they’re definitely worth checking out, especially if you’re suffering from back pain. As long as you feel comfortable and fully supported that’s all that really matters.
Office chair comparison review
We would like to present you a thorough comparison review on chairs that we’ve previously mentioned.
Let’s divide this into four main categories to make it easier to follow: cheapest price, adjustability, upholstery, and maximum weight capacity. Keep in mind that we will overall emphasize the winners in each one of those categories followed by the second best.
Cheapest price
All of the ergonomic chairs in this review are excellent. Although not all of them offer the same features for the same price, they all have ergonomic features that make them stand out among all other standard office chairs.
The winner in this category is by far the FDW ergonomic mesh office chair. This gaming chair costs <$100 and does a great job with ergonomics. Although it’s the cheapest, it isn’t a bad office chair at all.
If your budget happens to be higher and you’d like to invest more in a premium office chair, then we would recommend that you take a good look at the Herman Miller chair or also the Steelcase Amia office chair.
Lastly, the Vecelo chair is quite similar to the first two winners when it comes to being the cheapest. You can get one of those chairs for slightly above a hundred. The only difference would be the material, which is just mesh and not fully upholstered.
Adjustability
We could find all office chairs in this review has an adjustable backrest. That’s excellent since this is a feature that anyone can appreciate. Some office chairs also happen to have a headrest. All of them has the advantage that allows the user to adjust them with ease. Every single chair can swivel 360 degrees as well. What not all the office chairs can do, and this is important to emphasize, is to let the gamer or office worker adjust the armrests.
Steelcase Amia chair takes the first position by far. People can adjust the arm upward, downward, outward, and inward; basically in any possible position! That’s a wonderful feature that just a few gamers will appreciate at the beginning, but later it just becomes the ideal standard.
Our second winner is the Herman Miller chair. It’s a fantastic office chair with adjustable armrests. Although these are the best ones, you can also check on the Vecelo chair, which is much cheaper in price.
Upholstery
I hope you like mesh on an office chair, because most of the items here are upholstered in mesh! There are just a few exceptions, and the only things that change is the seat. Mesh isn’t bad at all. Actually, there are too many gamers that prefer mesh over any other material.
The first reason is the price. Office chairs made of mesh tend to be cheaper compared to the ones made of faux leather. On the other hand, mesh is more breathable and accumulates less heat, which is good if your intention is to sit down for several hours.
Having explained this, we would like to recommend the Steelcase Amia chair. This is a very comfortable chair with a 100% polyester fabric in the seat and backrest area. We’ve sat on this chair several times and the comfort it gives is just great. Even better, there are multiple options for the color of the upholstery. You can find up to 25 different options for the color. The frames will stay black no matter what, but you can change the color for the fabric.
Now for our second best office chair option, we took our time since it was hard to make up our minds. However, after scratching our heads for a while we’ve concluded that the Herman Miller office chair deserves the prize for second place. The only drawback with the Herman Miller chair is that it doesn’t offer any other color option for the upholstery. It’s only available in full black. Thankfully, it’s a classic color. Could only be available in orange!
Maximum weight capacity
There are two winners for this position: the Steelcase Amia and the Smugdesk office chair. They can support a maximum weight capacity of up to 300 pounds. If this category is the most important to you, then perhaps we could say that the Smugdesk chair is better than the Steelcase Amia chair since it’s much cheaper. Clearly you won’t be getting the same premium features that only a Steelcase chair can give you, but you will get the same heavy-duty design that let’s larger people sit in it.
All of the other office chairs on this list are still pretty sturdy. For example, the Vecelo office chair is another solid one since it can support a maximum weight capacity of 285 pounds. This one would be the third best and it’s also very affordable.
No matter which chair you select, we hope you enjoy it and tell our readers about it in the comments below.
Conclusion
The word Ergonomics might sound like it derives from Latin, but it's actually Ancient Greek. The prefix ergo means work, so it makes sense that ergonomic chairs allow you to keep going for longer.
Since anyone can benefit from the best ergonomic chair, it's great that they're available at all price ranges, and they're definitely worth checking out, especially if you're suffering from back pain.
As long as you feel comfortable and fully supported, that’s all that really matters. That's it for this best ergonomic chair review!
You can also check other best gaming chairs under $100.