Getting the best office chair for your back and posture is perhaps the most important investment you can make for your WFH space. While you likely decided against purchasing a new desk chair for home pre-pandemic, given the small amount of time we’d be working from home, hybrid working in 2023, three years on, means it’s pretty imperative we have a comfortable and quality chair in our home office set-up. Work from your sofa, bed or IKEA dining chair for longer than a couple of hours and you’ll really start to feel the effects… as I did.
Yep: I learned the hard way that owning a high-quality office chair and footrest is paramount – unless you have a standing desk, of course. When I first ditched the office in favour of my bedroom, I didn’t own a desk. So, I worked from my Wayfair sofa day-in, day-out. Enter: a ridiculously sore back and neck that just would not budge. I’d never experienced anything like it before since my proper workplace was well-equipped with reclining executive office chairs with adjustable armrests, big monitors and laptop stands. I know, I sound thirty years my senior right now… but the struggle was REAL.
If you’re yet to take the plunge, it’s high-time you invest in one of the best office chairs to level-up your at-home work space. Here’s everything you need to know and, if you don’t fancy browsing our FAQs (though, we recommend it), why not click here to skip to our buying guide.
Is a good office chair worth it?
YES. The day I invested in an office chair, my back pain improved and I once again had good posture. No exaggeration. If you’re sitting for long hours at your desk, ergonomic office chairs are good for your health, comfort and posture.
Hold up, what does ergonomic mean?
Overwhelmed by all this ergonomic office chair chat? Don’t sweat it. “Ergonomic” means something that has been designed with “efficiency and comfort in the working environment” in mind. As such, ergonomic desk chairs are often complete with lumbar support and an ability to be adjusted to suit your height and preferences. This will help you achieve an optimum sitting position at your desk: arms at a right angle to the desk, hips slightly above the knees; back straight and flat against the office chair.
What is the best office chair for sitting for long hours?
Aside from choosing an ergonomic office chair, there are a few other things to consider. If you’re constantly moving to pick up files and paper, consider an office chair with a swivel base to make your life easier. You should also consider what your chair is made from. Fabric and leather chairs do tend to be more comfortable for long hours spent sitting still, so avoiding metal and wood may be best. But you could add separate lumber back support if you find a chic office chair without one.
What company makes the best office chairs?
Herman Miller office chairs are often regarded as the best office chairs that money can buy, for good reason. The best ergonomic office chair for back pain is one of their more affordable models: the £829 Setu Multi-Purpose chair. It has won a number of awards, including the Best Sustainable Design Solution – and boasts a Kinematic Spine which bends and flexes as you do. It looks pretty sleek and stylish, it responds to your weight as you sit and it’s finished with elastomeric fabric which conforms to your contours to keep you comfortable and supported. You can save when you shop with our John Lewis discount codes.
How did we test and review the best desk chairs?
By using product reviews from IRL buyers together with statistic on what you’ve been looking for on Google, as well as checking thoroughly to see which chairs feature high-quality versus less sustainable materials, we curated what we feel is a selection of the best office and desk chairs on the market for year-round (and long-term) use. We’ve rifled through the good, the bad and the ugly comments, so you don’t need to, not to mention we – as a team of fashion, interiors and beauty experts – happen to know a thing or two about which brands have earned their respective places as the best in the desk chairs business (and which haven’t). Plus, with a team of 30+ here at GLAMOUR HQ, of course some of us have trialled a desk chair or two, so we have some dos and don’t knowhow, too (steer clear of the stools). Our aim is to find you pieces which will last in your home and, should anything about a chair let us know that that’s not the case, you’ll be the first to know – happy shopping!