15 Best Office Chairs of 2026—We Tested 70 to Pick Them
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Wired
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There Are Three things you don't skimp on if you want a happy life: a good mattress , a good pair of shoes , and the best office chair you can find.
There Are Three things you don't skimp on if you want a happy life: a good mattress , a good pair of shoes , and the best office chair you can find. Each one is key to a world free of unnecessary pain. Finding the right ergonomic chair can be the difference between a satisfying and focused home office life and a squirmy day filled with cricks and small dissatisfactions.
The best desk chair is almost always an adjustable chair—one that can be tailored to your body’s unique shape and that offers enough lumbar support to avoid back problems even after long hours at the grind. Many chairs also utilize materials that can dissipate body heat, so you’re not stuck in Zoom meetings with a sweaty back. But the chair options out there can be bewildering. Luckily, the WIRED Reviews team has spent more than seven years sorting them out. WIRED gear editor Julian Chokkattu has tested more than 60 chairs at his last tally. Reviewer Mathew Korfhage and other staffers have tried a dozen more, and most of our top picks have been tested by multiple people with different heights and body types.
WIRED’s favorite office chair for most people is the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro ($499) because of its balance between value, features, comfort, and adjustability. That chair, and its lower-budget Ergonomic Chair ($359) cousin, have been tested and attested to by multiple WIRED reviewers. But we also offer chairs for every budget, from the preternaturally comfortable Steelcase Gesture ($1,510) to a $169 chair from Staples that leaves cheap Amazon brands in the dust.
We all have differing body types and needs, which is why we’ve put together a broad collection of recommendations—and why we enlist people of all sizes to keep testing our top picks for comfort and durability. Hopefully, we have a home office chair for you here.
For more home office buying guides, check out our Best Standing Desks , Best Laptop Stands , Best Home Office Gear , Best Mechanical Keyboards , and Best Webcams guides.
Updated August 2026: We've added the LiberNovo Omni Pro to our top picks, changed the Staples Essentials task chair into an honorable mention, and updated multiple listings including WIRED’s top-pick Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro. We also updated links and pricing throughout, removed discontinued items, and added context on lumbar support.
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The price of a good office chair often inspires actual gasps, easily cresting $1,000. This is typically justified. Most cheaper chairs reveal their shortcomings quickly and uncomfortably. Branch’s Ergonomic Chair Pro is WIRED’s top pick for most people in part because it’s available at an attainable price while still offering comfort, ergonomics, and build quality. At $499, it’s not egregiously expensive and it has a decent warranty period.
One of the main markers of a good office chair is how well it can be adjusted to fit your particular shape and size. This is where Branch’s Ergonomic Chair Pro excels. The armrests can move up and down, forward and back, and angle inward or outward. But unlike most comparable chairs, the arms of the armrests can also move in and out to accommodate wider or narrower bodies, and lock into place.
The seat depth can also be pushed out if you’re tall, or pulled in if you're short. The Pro can lock into the upright position, or at a few different reclining angles. This seat tilt allows for a more active seating position when you’re grinding away—a vanishingly rare feature. The high-density foam cushion is decently soft, noted tester Julian Chokkattu, who appreciated how the mesh backrest was able to follow the curve of his back. The lumbar support can also be adjusted deeper or shallower. (I and Chokkattu both tend to like more aggressive lumbar support, but it can take getting used to for a lot of people.)
The stock Branch seat might be a bit short for those above 6-feet tall, but this is fixable with a $29 add-on Tall Cylinder . You can also add a headrest, though Chokkattu did not find it was needed. Other options include personalized picks on fabric, vegan leather, or leather-leather.
It’s sturdy and well-built, with a powder-coated aluminum base and casters that roll easily on hardwood. Drawbacks are few, though Chokkattu found that the recline tension knob didn’t do much in particular. —Matthew Korfhage
Steelcase’s Gesture is comfortable, no matter how you're sitting. It's an attractive chair, too, with several colorful upholstery options. The seat is cushy, and while some might find it thin, it feels plush compared to the even pricier Herman Miller Embody (see below). I like how you can extend the seat depth forward with a twist of a knob—super elegant, which is a good descriptor for the Gesture on the whole. The recline knob smartly offers a series of clicks to indicate the angles you can lock, and even adjusting the armrests—whether you want to move them up and down, left and right, or forward and back—is fluid without any jerky movements.
The backrest aligns nicely with my back, and you can grab the tabs to adjust the lumbar support to hit the curve of your spine. All this makes for a comfortable sitting experience, even more so with the headrest upgrade. I typically don't care for a headrest, but I used it here more than any other chair. It sticks forward quite a bit, so I don’t need to lean my head back as far to let it rest. Assembly was easy, too; it’s simply placing the seat pan on the legs because the backrest and seat were already preassembled. The only thing to note is that since this is an all-foam chair, you may run warm, especially in the summer, unless you can crank the AC to keep your home office cool.
Another downside is that the Gesture’s upholstery may not hold up well over time, at least not as long as a seat like the Herman Miller Embody. I haven’t seen this on my test model, but our original reviewer noted it, and a friend who has owned a Gesture for several years also complained about it. — Julian Chokkattu
The Branch Ergonomic Chair was WIRED’s previous top pick for most people, before getting displaced by the much-improved adjustability and lumbar support of the Pro. But the Ergonomic Chair is still a great place to start if you’re on a tight budget. The chair assembles in minutes, with the help of the—surprisingly rare—actually intuitive instructions.
While the original Ergonomic does not offer the 14-point adjustability of the armrests on the Pro, you can still push the armrests forward and back, up and down; extend or push the seat in; or lock the recline. Adjustable lumbar support is also on offer, and the chair looks sleek—with a number of colors to choose from and an optional headrest. At its price, this is an impressive offering.
Note that the Pro’s forward tilt option is absent here, and so active sitters might find that the chair doesn’t keep your back as upright as you'd like. The O.G. chair also doesn’t offer a longer cylinder for taller people. But after years of testing, 6'4" tester Chokkattu still found the chair comfortable —as did his 5'1" partner. The double-woven nylon mesh backrest feels nice to lean against. The seat is made of firm, comfortable high-density foam, and doesn’t trap heat as much as many other foam seats we've tested.
Fair warning, though: In Chokkattu’s experience, the chair’s material can be a magnet for pet hair. If you have a cat or a dog that loves you too much, you may want to invest in a nice pet vacuum . The fabric on the front end of the seat can also pill a bit. — Matthew Korfhage
It might take you a week or two (or even a month) to get used to the Herman Miller Embody, but it’s well worth your patience. I always return to the Embody after testing other chairs, and it feels like a breath of fresh air every time. Its upright positioning supports my back well and eases lingering back pain from years of sitting in a cheap gaming chair. The seat feels rigid at first, but eventually becomes surprisingly pillowy, and the armrests stay firmly in place. It does a nice job of whisking heat away from my body, though not as well as all-mesh options. It’s also one of the most adjustable models around: You can pull out the seat, change the height and angle of the armrests, and tweak the Backfit adjustment to follow your spine’s natural curve.
Did I mention it’s pretty? I’d argue this is one of the most eye-catching designs around, especially with the rib-like pattern on the back. Not to mention the surprisingly small footprint. I know, I know, it's incredibly spendy—I bought it for roughly $1,465 back in 2020, and the price has skyrocketed since. But what’s amazing is that after more than five years, it feels good as new with barely any squeaks. Herman Miller offers a 12-year warranty that covers every part of the Embody, and the chair arrives completely assembled. Pick one of the Medley upholstery choices with the graphite base finish to see the lowest price.
Herman Miller has a “Gaming” version of the Embody , and while it looks the same, there are some minor changes. It has a copper-infused foam layer designed to accommodate a more active sitting position and wick body heat away. —Julian Chokkattu
If you have to sit at a desk for a living, I strongly urge you to save up and buy a nice, high-end chair. Buy once, cry once, right? But sometimes that’s just not possible. If you need a chair now and have a tight budget, get the Staples Dexley (6/10, WIRED Review)—the office supply company hasn’t steered me wrong yet. The Dexley is the best budget chair, miles better than most cheap chairs on Amazon. Does it have flaws? Of course. But at its frequently discounted $150 price, you can’t find much better.
The all-mesh seat is great for airflow and keeping you cool, though it is a little rough on the skin. The chair is decently adjustable, includes a headrest, and I put it together in about 15 minutes. I previously recommended the Staples Hyken here, which is still available and might be better suited for shorter people. One thing to note is that the seat may sink in a little over time, something that happened on the Hyken too; I'd be surprised if the Dexley lasts a decade, but hey, it's less than $200. — Julian Chokkattu
An even more affordable Staples chair: The Staples Essentials Task Chair ($120) no longer offers a huge price break from the Dexley at its usual price, but it sometimes goes on sale for less than $80. With a fixed back and static armrests, it’s not as adjustable as the Dexley, but assembly is a cakewalk. Build quality is what you’d expect for a low-cost chair, but the bottom cushion offers ample support, and the mesh back feels solid but still flexible, noted WIRED contributing reviewer Henri Robbins. Just don’t expect it to adjust to your body’s shape. For a little more, the Dexley is a better budget seating experience.
The Herman Miller Aeron has long been a recommendation in this guide, with a few of my WIRED colleagues swearing by it. It’s durable, supportive, and airy; it’s also an iconic office chair that graces workspaces all over the world, updated this June with new dark olive Jasper and dark blue Nightfall color options. Last year I finally decided it was time for me to give the GOAT its due and try it for myself. Initially, I found the Aeron a little too bouncy—the proprietary Pellicle mesh is very firm—but after a few days, I didn’t mind this as much.
The levers on the Aeron are not where you’d expect. The seat height lever, for example, isn’t all the way on the underside of the chair, but on the right edge of the seat. The arm height lever is at the very back of the arm frame. It feels a little like I’m operating a spaceship with all these knobs and levers. I highly recommend watching the adjustment tutorial after setting up the chair to maximize comfort.
It comes in three sizes—A, B, and C, with C being the largest. That’s what I tested, with the Adjustable PostureFit SL, Tilt Limiter, Seat Angle, and Fully Adjustable Arms. The PostureFit SL is the lumbar support and is controlled via two knobs that push the support in or out, depending on your preferences. It worked well for me, but you can’t adjust it vertically. If the positioning doesn’t land on your back in the right spot, it could pose a problem. It may be safer to go with the Adjustable Lumbar Support instead, or try it in a retail store if possible. The Fully Adjustable Arms are convenient and don’t move around much, and while I like having the option of a forward tilt for a more active sitting position, I preferred to keep the chair on a gentle recline to keep my body moving ever so slightly.
I sat in the Aeron for close to a month, more than eight hours a day, and I found it supportive. It also regulates my body heat well, thanks to the mesh. The build quality is impeccable, and my only major gripe is that I don’t think it’s as attractive as chairs like the Anthros V2 or Herman Miller Embody (also featured in this guide). Oh, and it's eye-wateringly expensive. Before you buy a brand-new Aeron, there's a very good chance you can find one for significantly less at a local furniture reseller, on eBay , or Facebook Marketplace. Or you can luck out like WIRED reviewer Michael Calore, who walked away with a free Aeron after a startup in his town closed up shop. Just make sure you buy the right size for your body type—Herman Miller has a size/fit reference guide here . —Julian Chokkattu
I'm constantly reviewing office chairs, which means I get a lot of ads served my way. Anthros is one that kept cropping up in my Instagram feeds. At Herman Miller–pricing, the brand promised pain relief and an even comfier experience. Color me skeptical. But after nearly a month in the Anthros V2 (8/10 WIRED Recommends), I’m a believer.
The Anthros V2 looks nothing like most office chairs and is significantly more compact. The upper- and lower-back support are two separate pieces, and you can adjust each to accommodate your body type and achieve a natural lumbar curve. You rotate the knobs on each side to make adjustments; it initially took me a bit to get used to it, but now the chair feels natural. After you buy your seat, every customer gets a video consultation with an Anthros ergonomics therapist, who will go over the adjustments and help you get the right fit. I found this useful, as the therapist recommended a few adjustments I wouldn’t have made on my own.
Anthros’ Cloudfloat seat foam is firm but plush, much thicker than many of our other picks, and that makes it immensely comfy. Overall, I’ve felt well supported in this chair, though note that you can’t extend the seat depth. It’s shallow for my 6'4" frame, and I would’ve liked to have more support under the thighs (most people are unlikely to have this problem). The foam seat and backrest predictably don’t handle body heat well. If you’re not in a cool room, you’ll start to sweat after a long period of sitting. Then there’s the price. It costs more than a Herman Miller Embody, and Anthros has a whole page on its website explaining the price (one reason is that it’s made and assembled in the USA).
I don’t think the Anthros has quite supplanted the Embody as my favorite chair, but it's one of the rare options that has come close. It’s certainly one of the most supportive chairs I’ve sat in that’s also comfortable. If you haven’t enjoyed luxe chairs like the Embody, it’s worth giving the Anthros a try if you can stomach the price (there’s a 60-day money-back guarantee if that helps). — Julian Chokkattu
The first time I leaned back all the way and closed my eyes while sitting on the Vari Align office chair (7/10, WIRED Recommends), I nearly conked out and missed an afternoon meeting. Despite its mesh-backed office-chair minimalism, this Align is somehow as comfortable as an old BarcaLounger when you dip it back. The reasons for this comfort are twofold. The first is the suspension system that maintains lower back support and stable balance while allowing a full 45-degree recline. The second is a cleverly designed mesh headrest that’s integrated into the chair back, forming a single sinuous curve that avoids hard edges.
Like our top-pick Branch Ergonomic Pro, this Vari pairs a comfortable foam seat with the breathability and flexibility of a soft, non-abrasive mesh back. The Align is priced about as affordably, but does not offer quite the level of adjustability of the Branch. It might also be a bit too roomy or tall for those under 5'6". The depth, but not the height, of the lumbar support can be adjusted. So can the seat depth and height, and pretty much everything about the arm position. Like all things Vari, the chair is among the easiest I’ve ever assembled, a five-minute job once you’re done unpacking.
But really, what makes this chair stand out is the true deep recline, on a soft mesh chair back that offers the comfort of a tight-pulled hammock. While the Align will recline deeply for those who like to lean back and gab on their phone or daydream, there’s a nifty little lever that’ll freeze the chair in any position along the way, including upright. Which is to say that every flavor of recliner can find their level here, from paperback readers to nodder-offers. — Matthew Korfhage
A premium reclining chair: The Vari offers a great reclining office chair at a price accessible to most. But arguably the best reclining chair we've tested is the Humanscale Freedom Headrest ($1,921) , which we wrote about more than 20 years ago and which still inspired bliss in WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu when he tipped his own seat back the first time four years ago. Designed by the famed Niels Diffrient , this chair gracefully supported Julian's back “like a mother gently laying a baby down into a crib.” It’s a handsome chair with an optional but recommended headrest, and adjustable lumbar support, seat height, armrest height, and seat depth. The chair mostly fits itself to your body, with minimal fine-tuning needed. Quibbles are that the armrests and headrest can both adjust themselves accidentally. The Humanscale is ecologically net-positive—think rainwater catchment systems—and also quite durable. After more than four years of sitting, the only wear we’ve seen is some pilling at the edge of the fabric. The 15-year warranty is a nice assurance.
I sat on Steelcase's Karman for more than three months, and it's my new favorite all-mesh chair, especially since it has a smaller footprint than some of its peers. Mesh chairs are great for people who run warm or are generally working in hot spaces—maybe you don't want to run the window AC all day. The Karman's Intermix mesh fabric was comfy to sit on—I'm 6'4", but my 5'1" wife also likes it—and it didn't feel abrasive against the skin.
There's not much to adjust here, and that's by design—the company says the Karman “responds automatically to your weight.” You can raise or lower the seat and armrests, lock the recline, and adjust the armrest angle, but that's about it. It doesn't have any traditional lumbar support, though you can add it as an upgrade during checkout. I didn't need it. Even after long stretches on the chair, my back felt well-supported. Most importantly, my body never ran too hot. Steelcase has a high-back version of the Karman , which might be better suited for taller people. —Julian Chokkattu
Hinomi is a fairly recent player in the home office furniture space. The H2 Pro is the second chair I've tested from the Singaporean brand, and after close to a month of sitting, I think it's a solid mid-priced, all-mesh option for taller or wider folks. All the major adjustability points are here, but Hinomi goes a step further in almost every way.
First, you can adjust the seat depth and seat height, and I've found these two options quite accommodating for my 6'4" frame. (There's a seat tilt for an active sitting position, too.) Uniquely, you can hold up the upper portion of the backrest and lift it up or down to align it with your body. Not upright enough? There's a dial on the back that tilts the upper part of the backrest in or out, and the lower dials on either side of the backrest let you move the lumbar support up, down, in, or out. It's rare to find a chair that has so many individual parts you can personalize to your body type; you can feel really supported if you want.
The armrests are equally customizable. You can raise or lower them, move them in or out, adjust their angle, or tilt them slightly upward. You can even fold them up completely if you don't need the armrests at all. Thankfully, they don't slide around and change position too easily. The chair has a headrest that's sturdy and comfy, and there's an optional footrest, but I found it a little pointless. Even more distinct is the fact that you can fold down the backrest, allowing you to shove the chair under a desk completely.
The mesh fabric is not harsh like some cheaper mesh chairs, with a soft, brushed texture that feels nice on the skin. The caveat? Adjusting everything is a bit of a task. Some of the levers and knobs are in hard-to-reach places, which makes personalization a bit annoying. I highly recommend the tutorial video to get familiar with everything. I also found the tilt recline lever tends to unlock itself sometimes, so you need to make sure you hear the click before locking it. If not, you'll find yourself whirling backward. I don't think this chair is worth the high MSRP, but you can catch it on sale for closer to $600, and that's much more reasonable. — Julian Chokkattu
I know a lot of people have mixed feelings about the whole “race car battle station gaming chair aesthetic,” but I think the Razer Iskur V2 NewGen does a solid job of mixing the typical flashy gaming chair design with something that doesn’t scream “Discord moderator.” In my few months with the chair, I’ve grown to really appreciate its mix of comfort and aesthetics.
The Iskur V2 NewGen has adaptive lumbar support, which adjusts slightly as you move around, and which can be dialed in using the knobs on either side. The 4D armrests and wide shoulders and seat are comfortable, though the seat depth isn’t adjustable. The chair is also designed to stay cooler than its non-NewGen predecessor, the Razer Iskur V2. While the NewGen isn’t as breathable as a mesh-backed chair, I’ve successfully sat in this over the course of 36 hours in a two-day period without sliding off due to being a sweaty degenerate gamer. (Don’t judge me, judge Slay the Spire 2 for being so addictive.)
The chair is accommodating no matter how I want to sit, be it cross-legged, leaning back, or on one foot. I do wish the seat were a little deeper, and I also found that the embroidery on the back and seat can be uncomfortable if you’re wearing shorts. (My cat also absolutely loves to scratch it for some reason, so now the chair is covered with a blanket when not in use.) WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu also tested this chair and found that it ran hot, despite the new material. And though it's also his favorite gaming chair he tested, he also found it less comfortable than I did. He’s 6’4” and I’m 5’1”. If you fall somewhere in the middle, please let us know in the comments how you've fared. The foam headrest is silly—it’s a pillow that doesn’t want to stay put. And yet, if you want a chair that fits the gaming aesthetic and stays comfortable for very long play sessions, this is the best we've tested. (And yes, it comes in the iconic pink Rose Quartz colorway, though I unfortunately have yet to see it in person.) — Louryn Strampe
The Zeph from Herman Miller is either a function of compromise, or the most uncompromisingly aesthetic task chair we've tested— mixing mid-century modern stylings with the ergonomic considerations of a modern office chair. The Zeph looks nothing like the other chairs on this list, and a bit more like a classic Saarinen tulip . With two-tone seat pads, there are dozens of fetching color options. And unlike most office chairs, adjustments are nearly nil: You can raise the chair, and you can lower the chair. That's it.
Turns out that's OK, wrote tester Julian Chokkattu, whose initial skepticism was won over after a month's testing. The Zeph is meant to mold around your body, and mostly succeeds in doing so. It worked comfortably for Julian's 6'4" frame. It was also great for his wife at 5'1". It even reclines nicely. Though note this applies only if you opt for the seat pad and arms, which add a smidge more comfort but also a price premium.
The seat pad is made of 50 percent recycled polyester yarn, and its maker says it generates no fabric waste. The padding is a bit thin, and while it's hardly cushy, Julian had no issues either. The Zeph is also compact, making it a great option for smaller spaces. A fully adjustable chair will likely offer more ergonomic benefit in the long term, but there's surprisingly little compromise on comfort, and a lot gained in design aesthetics. Speaking of classic, did I mention the 12-year warranty? — Matthew Korfhage
Some sit with their feet planted firmly on the ground, as ergonomists recommend. Others sit like gremlins or house pets or a serenely meditative Buddha, every which way but straight. For these people, I humbly offer up the fully configurable Path from Humanscale—which is comfy, cool, easy to clean, and can be ordered with tiny chair arms or even no arms at all. This last option makes the Path more manageable in tight spaces, lowers the price, and lets you sit every which way.
This chair also has a tiny footprint, in every possible meaning. Measuring just 20 inches wide and 21 inches deep, the Path is one of our most compact picks (even more than the Zeph). But also, Humanscale is one of the more forward-thinking office furniture companies when it comes to sustainable design. And like Humanscale's Freedom Headrest , this Path earns high marks for its minimal ecological impact. About 10 percent of each chair's materials are recycled, mostly plastic bottles and ocean plastics. Textile options include an Eco Knit material made of 100 percent post-consumer recycled polyester.
The chair is easy to assemble, averred WIRED reviewer Michael Calore, arriving in a minimal cardboard box with all three pieces (legs, seat, and back) wrapped in compostable bags. But most importantly, Calore noted, the Path is just plain comfortable. The cylinder holding up the seat is smoothly supportive with a patented “gravity mechanism” that lifts the seat as you recline for a more ergonomic experience. — Matthew Korfhage
Another office chair good for small spaces: The Herman Miller Sayl ($1,225) is another good option for short people or anyone hunting for a chair for small spaces. I quite liked sitting on despite being 6' 4". The shorter backrest never digs into my shoulders, and the mesh net-like design is flexible, so it contours to my back. While I tested the version without lumbar support, you may as well add it since it's a small price bump. The seat padding is medium-firm, and I was able to adjust the Sayl in various ways to make it work for my body, though you'll need to follow this guide to figure out all the levers and knobs under the chair. —Julian Chokkattu
You might be wondering why a “chair” for easing back pain is a stool with no backrest. Well, that's because the Ariel targets the sitz bones in your pelvis to ensure you sit upright. The base of the stool rocks around slightly, so your body will continually shift a little throughout the day. Most important, the chair made me want to get up and move. That might sound like a bad thing, but movement is one of the best ways to counter the issues that come from sitting in a chair all day. If you want to transition from a chair to one of these, you should ease into it and follow the company's instructions. I started using it for 30 minutes a day because sitting on it for any longer just left me sore. After a week of gradually increasing the time spent sitting on it, my back pain began to disappear, and I felt my posture improve whenever I was away from my desk.
I have now tested the newer the Ariel 2.0 , which is pricier but has a comfier seat and more stability, even with the wheels add-on. Unlike the original 1.0, I did not have to pace myself with this stool and could sit on it comfortably for nearly a whole workday before switching to a normal seat. The improved seat width makes a big difference. If you can spend a little extra, the Ariel 2.0 is easily the nicer stool, but the 1.0 remains a solid option. Just know that the original has a lower weight capacity.
I've written more in-depth about these kinds of active chairs here . The consensus, after speaking with experts, is that you're better off getting a normal chair and introducing more movement into your workday, even if you're just standing up to get some water every hour. After testing several active chairs , the Ariel felt the most effective, but there's a good chance you don't need it. — Julian Chokkattu
I went back and forth on recommending the LiberNovo Omni Pro, released in July as the upgrade to last year's LiberNovo Omni (7/10, WIRED Recommends). LiberNovo is a relatively new and mostly untested Hong Kong brand, and its chairs are quite literally humming with new ideas.
The flashiest thing about this chair is the battery-powered motor that repositions the lumbar support—avoiding cumbersome fiddling with adjustments behind the chair back. This battery also runs a nifty little fan below the seat to draw away heat from the chair's cushy foam. It even has a little spinal stretching massage function that's mostly a novelty. These features are attention-getting, but also lead to worries about longevity if the motor fails.
What won me over, however, is not the electricity. It's the comfort. The Omni Pro's foam is supportive but astoundingly pillowy, whether on the headrest or the seat—upholstered in a sleek, circular-knit polyester called Atlantic from Danish fabric company Gabriel. The headrest is near-infinitely adjustable, and softer than many neck pillows. The ribbed-back design, which looks approximately like a cyborg spine implant, is responsive in its support as you wriggle around in your chair.
The armrests are likewise pleasantly plush and 5D-adjustable without being jiggly: forward, back, up, down, rotated, and tilted inward or outward. Versus the Omni, the Pro offers more flexibility and range for adjustments on the chair height, headrest, and armrest height.
So what's the caveat? Fan and massage aside, the electric features are actually quite nice when fine-adjusting lumbar support, which adjusts kinda diagonally (i.e., up and in, or down and out). But a motor also introduces new failure points, with an unproven track record. The warranty is a middling 5 years for the chair's components, but only 2 years for the electrical. This second-generation chair has already offered fixes for a couple apparent flaws in the original, including fiddly armrests and a plastic break point above the lumbar cylinder. If you waited for a third generation, I wouldn't blame you.
The biggest remaining annoyance is that seat depth is not adjustable, meaning you'll need to select the right seat depth between 17.7 and 18.9 inches. Anyone above 6'1" is better off waiting for LiberNovo's big-and-tall Maxis line, due in August with a 20-inch seat depth.I still do appreciate the Omni Pro's many virtues, and I can recommend it based on its excellent performance over a month of testing so far. But I'll keep monitoring the chair's longevity. — Matthew Korfhage
The right chair can only go so far. Your sitting habits and posture matter too. We've rounded up several tips on how to set up your desk properly here , and how to avoid tech neck , but here are a few highlights.
Sitting for long stretches during a day is not good for your health , no matter what chair you use. It increases the risk of type 2 diabetes, stroke, and heart disease . The best thing you can do is get up and move every half hour. If you can, a 40-minute walk per day can, according to a recent study , make a big difference in countering some effects of a sedentary lifestyle. You probably don't need to bother with an active chair . Home office users should consider a standing desk that lets you swap between standing and sitting work positions during the day. A smartwatch can help too. Most have movement reminders that encourage you to stretch your legs. If you're dealing with back pain, consult your physician first.
Make sure your chair's armrests are adjustable. Your palms should be elevated over your desk, which should be at elbow level, and your wrists should be straight. If the bottom of your palm is resting on the desk or wrist rest, there's a chance you're putting too much pressure on your nerves, which could lead to issues like carpal tunnel syndrome. Talk to your physician if you're feeling any kind of pain. A gaming mouse, often more ergonomic than a standard mouse, might be helpful ; just make sure to find one that fits your palm size .
When you look forward, your eyes should align with the top of your monitor or laptop. That might mean finding a chair that can adjust up and down, elevating your laptop with a stand , or raising the height of your monitor. This puts less pressure on your neck and spine—you shouldn't be craning your neck up or down .
What Should I Look for in an Office Chair?
A good rule of thumb is that the more adjustable a chair is, the better. This gives you the possibility to mold it to your body shape, which hopefully makes it a comfier and more supportive seat. Here's what you should be able to adjust on a chair.
Armrests: Most chairs let you move the armrests side to side, up and down, forward and back. It's even nicer when you're able to lock the armrest into place so that they don't slide around as your elbows rest on them. The armrest should naturally allow your palms to slightly hover over the desk. You'll often see descriptors like “4D” and “5D" adjustable armrests, which denote how many directions you can adjust them.
Seat height: It's worth checking a chair's maximum and minimum height before you buy because they might not work for your current desk (unless you have a standing desk where you can adjust the height). This is usually controlled with a pneumatic lift lever under the chair—pull the lever and get off the seat to let the chair go up, then sit on it and pull the lever to bring it down to your preference. Your feet should be planted on the floor at a 90- or 100-degree angle. If your chair arrives and it doesn't get as high as you'd like, don't worry, there's a very simple fix. Some office chair brands offer “tall cylinders" for not a lot of money , and if not, you can usually find third-party options on retailers like Amazon (make sure you buy for your specific chair!). Simply swap your existing cylinder with the tall version, and you'll have a greater height range to work with. You may be able to choose this option before checking out, or reach out to the company to see if they can swap it for you.
Seat depth: Seat depth is important for taller folks. There is usually a mechanism that lets you pull the seat out so that your thighs get the proper support. There should be one to two inches between the front of the seat and the back of your knees. Taller people with longer legs may not get the best support if they can't adjust the seat depth.
Seat tilt: This isn't as common as the above adjustments, but tilting the seat up or down may help posture and prevent back pain, though it can take some getting used to.
Lumbar support: Most office chairs offer lumbar support , which can look like a separate piece attached to the backrest that can slide up and down or back and forth. This piece supports your lower back (the lumbar region), specifically maintaining the curve of the spine to maintain good posture as you sit and, ideally, warding off back pain. Check your chair manufacturer's assembly instructions to learn how to adjust the lumbar support, and place the support on the curve of your lower back. What I like to do is run my hand along my spine until I reach the natural dip, then I try to make sure the lumbar support sits at that exact location. Some chairs also let you adjust the depth of the lumbar support, pushing it further inward or outward. Make sure it feels natural and that it's not digging in. Play around with this until it feels comfortable. Your shoulders should align with your hips, and you shouldn't feel like you're leaning forward.
Recline: Almost every office chair lets you lock or unlock the recline, but some go a step further and let you tweak the tension of the recline. This allows you to use more or less force when you lean back, which comes down to how much resistance you want when you lean back.
Testing home office chairs is not for the minimalist. WIRED reviewer Matthew Korfhage and WIRED editor Julian Chokkattu—who's tested office chairs for seven years—might have four or five office chairs in their home at any given time. That's because office chairs take time to test. We sit in each for at least two weeks before we offer the barest opinion, because it takes time to gauge comfort. Some chairs take a moment to break in, and it can take even longer to gauge the supportiveness of each chair. Julian 6'4," and Matthew is 6'1." But we solicit feedback from people of various heights while testing, including Julian's 5'1" wife. Any chair that Matthew recommends but can't keep is used long-term by a durability tester, ideally a different height.
We try out all the adjustments throughout the testing period, both to see how the settings affect comfort, but also to check for tolerances and jiggle, which are red flags for durability: Seat adjustments, and armrest adjustments, are often the places where lesser chairs can fail first, long before the fabric starts to pill.
But it's not just about durability and lumbar support. These chairs will live in a home office for years, so aesthetics are important as well. We also research each chair company, looking into their warranties, customer service, customer feedback, reports to consumer agencies, and overall reliability. An office chair is meant to be a long-term investment. If a company can't stand behind its products, WIRED won't either.
How Does WIRED Select Chairs to Be Reviewed?
We routinely look at the market to find new office chairs that have hit the scene, whether it's from a newcomer or an established brand like Herman Miller. We check in on most chairs that someone credible has called their favorite, though we might not end up agreeing—and we're always on the lookout for chairs that fill a specific niche in the market. Julian and Matthew typically reach out to these companies to ask for the product, but do not promise any kind of editorial coverage—that goes against WIRED's editorial policies. Yes, WIRED earns affiliate revenue if you purchase an office chair using our link, but this is not factored into the decision-making process.
This said, we can't test every single chair that hits the market, in part because our testing regimen usually involves weeks of testing. And so you may indeed find some notable missing options in this guide, even after seven years of testing. Feel free to email Matthew if your favorite is missing from the list. We'll keep filling in the blanks on the top options in the market, and test new entrants.
After we've finished testing a chair, we either donate to Goodwill or keep it on hand for durability testing. Julian keeps top picks like the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro, Herman Miller Embody, and Anthros V2 on hand to test against future contenders. Matthew does the same, but also places some chairs in the hands of durability testers of different heights, in order to see how they fare with different body types and how they hold up over time.
Does My Office Chair Need Lumbar Support?
In short, probably. If you sit in a chair all day, you likely want a chair with lumbar support.
We lead unnatural lives, evolutionarily speaking: The human body was not meant to sit for eight hours at a time in the same position. Unless you, blessed creature, have perfect posture—a difficult achievement when typing at a keyboard and looking at a monitor—the lower curve of your back might need a little extra support when sitting for long spans.
A relatively flat-backed or concave chair will often grant excellent support to your shoulders and back, but leave your lower back to fend for itself. Eventually, it complains.
“Your back has this natural curve to it, and if you're sitting in a chair that doesn't help support that natural S-curve, over time, it's going to feel a little bit less comfortable,” said Kristianne Egbert, an ergonomist at Briotix Health, in an interview with WIRED about lumbar support in late 2025. “When you're sitting in a forward, hunched position, and don't have that curve in your lower back, it increases the forces on the discs in your lower back, definitely resulting in discomfort.”
Experts are pretty univocal on the benefits of lumbar support. But not all lumbar support is created equal. Look for lumbar support that's adjustable, especially vertically so that the curve of the chair can line up with the curve of your back. Horizontal adjustability can adjust support to the level that's most comfortable for you. Cheaper chairs are less likely to offer adjustable support, and can instead make you feel like you're being pushed.
This said, if you can't afford a chair with excellent adjustable lumbar support, you're not doomed to a life of pain. A low-cost lumbar pillow like this one from LoveHome offers a workable fix.
The wheels on the bottom of your chair are among the easiest parts to replace. If your current casters don't roll smoothly or are too loud, it might be worth replacing them instead of buying a whole new chair. These from Stealtho, a Ukrainian company, are a good pick tested by WIRED reviewer Julian Chokkattu. They'll work with nearly every office chair, though the company notes they don't fit Ikea products. The soft polyurethane material means these won't scratch or chip hardwood floors, as some plastic casters do, plus it'll feel like you're silently gliding as you roll from your desk to the fridge (don't judge).
Fair warning: Since these are more frictionless than normal casters, they can cause your chair to roll around sometimes, like when you stand up and walk away. Stealtho has locking casters if you're worried about your chair rolling, and they don't cost much more (these weren’t in stock last time we checked).
Do you need a mat for your chair? Probably not. However, casters can scuff up hard floors, which is why we recommend upgrading them to rollerblade wheels (see above). If you're on a carpet, it can also be hard to move around. A mat can help with both of these issues. WIRED senior gear editor Julian Chokkattu used this glass one from Vitrazza for two years and was pleasantly surprised. (You can go for much cheaper mats made from other materials, too.) The safety glass is thick, and Julian did not see any notable scratches even after that time. It holds 1,000 pounds and doesn't touch your hardwood floor, as you need to affix rubber bumpers to keep them apart. You can choose from several sizes, and Vitrazza sells various shapes too. It's just a bit difficult to clean since you have to lift it to get to all the dirt underneath.
If you can't upgrade your seat just yet, a cushion or backrest might help. Here are a few we like:
Cushion Lab Seat Cushion for $75 : This memory foam seat is comfortable, and I had no problems sitting on it for hours on end. It's best paired with an adjustable chair, as it adds a decent amount of height to your seat, which might make typing on a keyboard awkward. It does a great job of keeping out bad odors, and you can also wash the cover.
LoveHome Memory Foam Lumbar Support for $23 : If you slouch in your seat, this comfortable memory foam pillow can help. It keeps your back straight and supported, and it's an affordable fix to try before shelling out hundreds for a new chair. It's good to use in a car or wheelchair, too. The cover is washable, and it has two adjustable straps (plus an extension strap) that go around your seat to keep it in position.
Secretlab Premium Footrest for $89 : Ideally, your feet are planted on the ground as you sit, but it's nice to be able to prop them up on something soft every so often. I have tried a handful of footrests, and Secretlab's Premium Footrest is easily the best—I have been using mine for more than three years. Not only is the PlushCell memory foam material soft and cushy, but it also stays remarkably clean. I have a tiny dog, and his hair gets everywhere except the quilted fabric cover. (You can handwash this cover to get dirt out.) The patterned silicone base does a good job of keeping it in place, too.
Here are a few other chairs we like enough to recommend, but not quite enough to rank them among our top picks.
Uplift Desk Intuition Ergonomic Chair With Headrest for $649 : At a slightly higher price point, the ergonomically designed, breathable-mesh Intuition was a strong contender for favorite reclining chair. It's also a strong contender in general, and the chair back's three overlapping mesh panels make it distinctly techy-looking. Like WIRED's favorite affordable recliner, the lower-cost Vari Align , the Intuition allows you to halt the recline anywhere along the path from 90 to 45 degrees—with an added tension control knob to adjust the speed and ease of your descent. The height of the lumbar support is adjustable up and down, and otherwise tilts and flexes to meet your back. The headrest is adjustable by both height and angle, and can also be removed entirely. But note that while the curved lower section of the chair's back offers strong lumbar support, it's also pretty aggressive and takes some getting used to. So is the durable nylon mesh, which will feel scratchy in your summer clothes, especially as you're reclining. But the strong ergonomic support will be a big sell for many, especially with the chair's near-infinite adjustability. Just note that taller people might not find that the armrests or the seat go high enough. At 6'1", tester Matthew Korfhage felt he was right on the edge. Construction is solid, with mostly chrome and aluminum on the lower frame. The warranty is a lovely 15 years.
Uplift Desk Clarksville Ergonomic Chair for $359 : The Clarksville is a mid-budget chair model from Uplift. It's a type of chair I generally quite like: breathable, soft-fabric mesh back and a comfortable foam bottom, which tends to settle in over the course of a couple weeks. The overall look is boxy, utilitarian, and respectable. Like the Intution from Uplift, the chair offers deep reclining ability that can be halted anywhere en route to 45 degrees. But the suspension doesn't offer quite the same level of lumbar support on the way down, nor is there a headrest. Which is to say the Clarksville is best at merely a slight leanback, versus a deep recline. But in the end, the Clarksville is the sort of chair you won't think about much after you buy it, which in its own way is a virtue. A 15-year warranty on a chair below $400 makes this even more virtuous.
Haworth Zody Bouclé Office Chair for $1,610 : Haworth's Zody is an attractive and elegant chair, especially in the bouclé version Julian Chokkattu tried. His test unit sadly didn't come with a lumbar adjustment, but he still felt quite comfortable sitting in it for long hours. It does run a little warm with this material, though the same will be true if you opt for leather or upholstered. (If that's an issue, you can also go with the standard mesh Zody for around $300 less .) It's very easy to lightly recline in it, and you can even tilt the chair into a more forward sitting position if you're doing a more active task. Julian didn't care much for the seat arms—they felt a little rattly—but found little else to complain about the chair. You get a 12-year warranty, and you can try it for 30 days to see if it's for you.
ProtoArc Flexer Pro for $220 : This is a surprisingly decent office chair for the money. There are several adjustable points, including seat pan depth and four-way adjustable armrests, as well as multiple recline angles. The build quality is solid considering the price, and it looks nice. After two weeks of sitting on it, it feels relatively supportive, though the seat foam is a bit too firm, noted tester Julian Chokkattu. The main issue is that the lumbar support pops off the chair way too easily when he shifted in his seat. (It has happened three times now.) He wished it were integrated with the backrest.
LiberNovo Omni for $1,099 : Julian Chokkattu quite enjoyed his time on the LiberNovo Omni (7/10, WIRED Recommends). The seat material is incredibly soft and cushiony, making it an extremely comfortable chair. The backrest is motorized—you push a button on the seat arm to have it adjust to the curve of your back—and there's also a stretch function where you can lie back and have it roll up and down your spine, like a motorized foam roller. Concerns are that LiberNovo is a new company, so there's no track record, especially with customer service. There's also no seat pan adjustment, so you have to choose it at checkout. The larger 18.9-inch model was too small for Chokkattu’s 6'4" frame but fine for Korfhage’s at 6'1". Those above 6 feet might look at the LiberNovo's new big-and-tall Maxis line, due in August. Also, the warranty is lackluster compared to other chairs at this price (five years for the chair, two years for the motorized components). And do you really want a chair with a battery, even if it is removable? This is a strong first entry from the company, but you have to take a leap of faith.
Hon Nucleus Drafting Chair for $605 : A drafting chair is designed to accommodate high work surfaces, and you'll usually see a ring underneath the seat to rest your feet on if they don't hit the floor. I'll admit I haven't tested many drafting chairs, but I found the Nucleus completely fine . It looks a bit dull, but the seat is medium firm, there's adjustable lumbar support, and the arms can move up or down and in or out. The version of the chair I tried did not have a recline function, but I was able to adjust the seat depth and seat height. I didn't find it offensive after several weeks of testing, but I also didn't fall in love. I don't think it's worth the MSRP. I also tried the standard Nucleus chair , which is available for a slightly lower price. This one did have the Synchro-Tilt mechanism, and it was easy to set the recline and lock it into place. It does the job, but I think Branch's Ergonomic Chair Pro is still the better buy.
Hon Altern Chair for $332 : It's hard to find a good office chair in this price range. Most people will be better served with the Branch Ergonomic Chair pick above, which has dipped close to $300 during sale events, but the Hon Altern is a decent alternative. The best part about it is that the seat is wide and soft, so your butt will feel fairly comfortable, and the seat depth adjustment accommodates a larger group of people. However, the back support is lackluster. I want to be more upright, but the chair forces me to lean backward. The armrests can only move up and down—I wish I could move them inward a bit more. Its design is also generic. Still, I sat on the Altern for a month, and it does the job. If your budget is tight, it's far and away better than many of the options you'll find at this price on Amazon. It includes a headrest, too, which is typically an extra add-on for many chairs.
Autonomous ErgoChair Ultra 2 for $449 : Julian Chokkattu sat on Autonomous’s 3D-printed ErgoChair Ultra 2 for over a month, and was pleasantly surprised. It’s a big improvement over the original Chair Ultra, which had a flat and hard seat. The Ultra V2’s seat is still not as cushy as some chairs, but it doesn't feel like sitting on concrete. It has all of the adjustments you’d want, from seat depth to a recline lock, and Chokkattu didn't encounter any back pain. The all-mesh design offered good airflow, and the backrest was wide enough that it didn't dig into his shoulders. The only flaw? Sometimes when he put too much pressure on the armrest (like when getting up or shifting his weight), it moved down with a loud crack despite being locked in place. Also, Autonomous has a pretty lackluster two-year warranty despite the high price, and its customer service doesn't seem to be great. A reader provided feedback of a poor experience with the company, and that seems to track with other reports around the web.
Haworth Fern for $1,330 : I think the Haworth Fern is best for shorter people (aka anyone not above 6 feet, like me). It's adjustable to the nth degree—you can even tilt the seat for a more upright sitting position—but the seat itself was just wide enough for me, though it's plenty soft and pillowy. When I pulled out the seat depth to the max, it created a gap between the seat and the backrest, and I didn't love this feeling. The backrest is nice and soft, but I'd argue the lumbar support is quite aggressive. My back just felt like something was there all the time, and it felt distracting. I don't think you'd have these issues if you were shorter and narrower, and it's otherwise one of the softest office chairs I've sat on.
Autonomous ErgoChair Pro for $499 : Our top pick, the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro, is a better buy, but if you need a headrest and want a wider seat, consider the Autonomous ErgoChair Pro. I sat on it for a month with no major problems, except that the box it came in was massive and barely fit through my front door. The levers also aren't super intuitive—I highly recommend checking out this video from the company when you first set it up to dial in your preferences. All the standard adjustments are present, from seat depth and lumbar support to fine-tuning the recline. What surprised me most was the ability to tilt the seat so it's angled down—you don't see that in many chairs. The overall build quality is solid, and I even enjoyed the headrest when kicking back to watch House reruns during lunch. The only woes? I wish the arms stayed locked, as they can slide back and forth. While the foam seat is quite comfy, it can get warm in a toasty room (though the mesh back helps keep things cool). It's a shame this company has an abysmal warranty period, and see my note above on its customer service record.
Staples Hyken for $300 : The humble Hyken is frequently available for around $150 during big sale events, making it one of the most affordable good chairs out there. It reclines, has a breathable mesh fabric on the back and seat, and it's sturdy. You even get a headrest and lumbar support. After five years of continuous sitting, WIRED reviewers say the Hyken's mesh has compressed a bit, but it's still comfy. The Staples Dexley is slightly wider, so get it if you need a wider seat.
Nouhaus Ergo3D for $330 : This is another all-mesh chair. The ElastoMesh seat isn't as comfy as the Steelcase Karman (it'll feel worse on the skin if you, uh, tend to sit at your desk without pants), but it's otherwise quite adjustable and roomy, plus it even comes with two sets of wheels (casters or rollerblades) so you can choose which works best for you and your flooring. If you're in a particularly hot environment, it won't trap heat and will keep your whole body cool for a fraction of the price of the Karman.
Haworth Breck for $435 : Haworth's Breck office chair is likely best-suited for shorter people (roughly under 5'8"), though 6'4" tester Julian Chokkattu experienced no back pain when sitting in it for a month. That's because the Breck's seat is short, and the seat depth only extends an extra 2 inches. The weight-activated recline also requires some push on your end, more than you might expect—it wasn't too difficult, but lighter-weight people may find it problematic. The seat padding is thin, though this caused no issues even after hours of sitting. The best part is how amazingly simple it is to set up—no tools required! But the main gripe? Simply getting up from the seat causes the gas spring cylinder to loudly lift. This, and the fact that it tends to make some noises when one fidgets around, makes it feel a little cheap.
Branch Verve for $599 : The Verve used to be a top pick, but the Ergonomic Chair Pro is likely a better value considering they're similar in price. It is elegant (especially in the lovely Coral and Cobalt colors), it keeps your back straight, and tester Julian Chokkattu found it quite comfy. It can make nearly the same adjustments as our top pick, but there's no seat tilt, and the armrests are much more limited. Taller or bigger people would probably prefer if the seat were a smidge wider. Note also that a colleague who owns the Verve has said that after more than two years, the seat started to sink whenever he sat on it. Thankfully, he says, Branch's customer service was very responsive and promptly sent him a new cylinder.
Eureka Ergonomic Royal Chair for $449 : Some folks chase that executive aesthetic—you know, plush leather and a high back so you can swivel around and reveal a cat in your lap as you laugh maniacally? This chair from Eureka fits the bill without costing a fortune, and it was an OK chair for the month Julian Chokkattu sat in it. The setup was quick, and the seat and back are soft and a little bouncy. He nonetheless found his back sweaty after a few hours of sitting because there was just nowhere for body heat to go. The lumbar support isn't great, and prolonged sitting left Julian with some sensations in his lower back. Not pain, just his back telling him he ought to get up. There's not much to adjust, but the recline and headrest. Also, if you need a wide seat, this is not the chair for you, as the armrests will feel like they're boxing you in (it just fits Julian, who is 6'4"). The chair is easy to clean with a damp cloth, and the fake leather has held up. Too bad about the two-year warranty.
Secretlab Titan Evo for $579 : The Secretlab Titan Evo is unique among gaming chairs in that it's classy enough for the home office. It sets itself apart from similarly priced competitors with its durability and flexibility. It’s comfortable for marathon gaming sessions, thanks to the adjustability it offers (particularly the lumbar support). The headrest pillow is magnetic and stays attached to the chair, which is a nice touch. But the firm, cold-cure foam molds to your body and may not suit everyone. It will also make you feel sweaty.
Hinomi X1 for $899 : Hinomi's X1 mesh chair has a trick up its sleeve—a built-in footrest! Just extend and flip out the footrest; voilà, your feet are now propped up. This might not be very practical for fellow tall people, as my legs often hit the wall behind my desk, but it's quite comfy. Tester Julian Chokkattu found the chair well-built, but said he didn't end up using the footrest as much as he thought he would. There are a good amount of adjustments, and the seat itself is a bit firm, which Julian got used to after some time. Hinomi offers a 10-year warranty.
OdinLake Ergo Max747 for $899 : The Ergo Max747 is, all around, a great seat to sit in. The three-piece back provides great support and comfort, and the easy-access paddles on either side of the seat make most adjustments quick and simple. Even sitting for hours, I never felt uncomfortable, whether I was sitting up or reclining (this chair reclines incredibly far, from 90 to 135 degrees). The bag holder in the back (which I typically used to hold a hat or small backpack) was a surprisingly nice touch, and the mesh backing and seat are breathable, preventing overheating during prolonged use. I still don’t know how I feel about the polished metal frame, and the inclusion of gloves for assembly makes me worry about how easily this seat will pick up smudges over the years, but the polished finish itself is spotless and well-executed. At 6'3", I had to max out the back height to comfortably sit in the chair. The secondary adjustments (back height, lumbar support, and headrest height) were awkward to adjust due to complicated ratcheting mechanisms keeping them in place. However, the comfort and breathability of this chair make it a compelling choice. — Henri Robbins
Vari Task Chair for $429 : Vari’s Task Chair is surprisingly comfy given its relatively simple construction. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano tested it and asked her husband to use it during his long gaming sessions. They agreed that the angled back provides ample lumbar support to make those sessions comfortable. It also takes very little time to construct. You can recline a bit, but even at the lowest tension, it pushes you back up, and there’s no head support. It’s more for rocking than actually leaning. Her biggest gripe is that the armrests are quite hard. A little more padding would be a huge improvement.
Branch Softside for $299 : Julian Chokkattu tested the high-back version of the Softside and liked it a lot. It's different from all the other chairs in this guide, a bit comfy and cushiony. If you need a wider seat, this might not be the option for you, as the armrests do box you in. There's not much to adjust, but Julian's back didn't have any issues after weeks of sitting for full workdays. The build quality overall is OK. Considering it starts at $299, the overall seating experience, and the lovely design in fun colors, this is a pretty good value if you are after a deep-cushioned experience.
BodyBilt Midcelli for $1,021 : BodyBilt’s chair looks quite average, but the seat pad is plush and soft, and it contours to your butt and legs, which tester Julian Chokkattu liked more than he expected. The mesh back has some give to it, so it doesn't feel rigid, and there are all the usual points of adjustment, including moving the seat forward and back. I wish the arms could lock in position, though. It has a lifetime warranty on select parts, while other chair areas are covered for three to 12 years. There are more customization options on BodyBilt's website —with the option to get a consultation. These are all nice sells. But it's a hefty price compared to some of our top picks.
Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Lumbar Support Office Chair for $352 : This is a nice alternative to the Branch Ergonomic Chair and the Tempur seat cushion is, perhaps unsurprisingly, wonderfully comfy to sit on for hours at a time. Most chairs that have a thick lumbar cushion end up causing me back pain, but not here—tester Julian Chokkattu had no issues sitting on it for a month. The mesh back is nice for airflow, too. The arms tend to move around a bit, though, and the mechanism to adjust them is not elegant. Installation wasn't too hard, but the instructions weren't as simple as Branch's, and the overall build quality feels cheap.
Etta Avenue Doreen Velvet Task Chair for $260 : There's absolutely nothing you can adjust on this chair except its height, but it's cute, and the seat is comfy. The velvet polyester was surprisingly durable and looked nice even after several weeks of sitting on this chair. The gold finish on the frame and legs chipped off in one area when tester Julian Chokkattu was unboxing it—it's frequently under $200, OK? But the biggest issue is that it is not compatible with tall or larger people. Julian's wide shoulders caused his arms to stick out of this chair, making it difficult to type, but it suited his 5'1" wife's narrower frame well. With a 30-day warranty, you get what you pay for, but this chair is more about aesthetics than anything else.
X-Chair X2 K-Sport Management Chair for $879 : This used to be our top mesh chair pick, but it has been supplanted by the Steelcase Karman. Sitting in the X-Chair feels like lounging in a hammock. Every part of the body feels well supported, and you can adjust nearly everything on the chair. Pull the seat up and push the armrests up, down, and side to side, or angle them in or out. The lumbar support feels like a cushion, and it adjusts as you move in your seat. If you want to rest your head, you can pay extra for the headrest. It has held up extremely well after three years of near-continuous sitting, but it's also a bit bulky. X-Chair has several models to choose from. I tested the X-2 K-Sport with the wide seat, and it fits tester Julian Chokkattu's 6'4" frame well, but it was too wide for his partner, who is 5'1". Most people should be fine with the standard X1 .
X-Chair X-Tech Executive Chair for $1,845 : Functionally, the X-Tech is similar to the X-Chair above. In this version, the M-Foam cooling gel seat is indeed wonderful to sit on, though it's not as heat-wicking as the all-mesh versions. It’s the Brisa Soft Touch material that's most impressive—it’s ridiculously soft. Stick with the standard armrests instead of the FS 360 armrests, which tend to move about too much. I just can't figure why on earth it costs this much.
Mavix M7 for $777 : If this looks strangely similar to the X-Chair (see above), that's because both are owned by the same company. The M7 has similarly adjustable armrests and seat angles, but you get wheels that lock. The mesh back and wide seat construction keep you cool and comfortable during sweaty League of Legends sessions, and the lumbar support does the job. WIRED gaming chair reviewer Louryn Strampe ran into some issues with assembly, but customer service was able to exchange the model without much effort. If you're short, contact customer support while ordering—Mavix offers shorter cylinders so your feet can touch the ground.
Ikea Markus for $250 : The Markus is a perfectly fine office chair. It’s not the most comfortable, but it’s far from the worst. The mesh design keeps you cool, and the tall back lets you fully lean into it. It’s rather thin and isn’t obtrusive in a small home office or bedroom. It was annoying to put together (see: Ikea), and you might need someone to hold up the back of the chair while you properly attach the seat. Unfortunately, if you often sit with at least one leg up or with your legs crossed, the width between the arms will make you uncomfortable.
Hon Ignition 2.0 for $481 : The Ignition 2.0 is easy to set up and looks great, but it's had mixed results among WIRED testers, despite positive reviews around the web. 6'4" tester Julian Chokkattu experienced some back pain, but a 5'4" friend tried it for a few weeks, and she had zero issues. This seems to be the answer. It's possible the Ignition is just better suited for smaller folks.
Pipersong Meditation Chair for $299 : Have a problem sitting in a traditional chair? If your legs need to be bent and twisted for you to be comfortable, you'll want to check this seat out. It has a 360-degree swiveling footstool that can accommodate pretty much any sitting position you want. I can go from kneeling to cross-legged to one leg up, one leg down. It’s possible to sit normally too, with the footstool behind you and your feet flat on the floor. It's the most prominent chair designed for odd sitting habits. There are no armrests, which I didn’t mind because that’s what makes it possible to sit in many of these positions. The actual stool and chair back could stand to be bigger and taller, respectively. I had to use a pillow to keep my back comfy. — Medea Giordano
If you come across these models, we recommend you save your cash and go for one of the picks above.
Eureka Ergonomic Serene Nox : This chair is easy to set up; however, after tester Julian Chokkattu sat on it for more than a week, two of the screws at the bottom of the frame came undone, and the left half of the seat suddenly dropped low. That's not something you should deal with for an $800 chair, and even after he tightened the screws, it happened again a few days later. It's a shame, because it's a fairly attractive leather office chair with a nice silhouette, and it's decently comfy. The construction just needs work.
Razer Iskur V2 X : Multiple WIRED reviewers recommend Razer's Iskur V2 Pro as the best gaming chair if you're after the racing car seat aesthetic, but the cheaper V2 X isn't as impressive. It's dramatically cheaper, but it's worth keeping in mind that the Iskur V2 has dipped to $400 during major sale events, so the V2 X isn't that much more affordable. The seat is actually OK; the built-in lumbar support helped keep back pain away even after long hours at the computer. The fabric upholstery keeps your body warm (and a little sweaty), but it's comfy to sit on. But the biggest issue for tester Julian Chokkattu? It creaked so dang much. After just a week or so of sitting on the V2 X, almost every part of the chair started creaking. You're going to have to WD-40 this thing every few weeks to keep it quiet. Or save your cash and go for the V2.
TopJob Napa : The Napa should be $200 or $250 at best, notes tester Julian Chokkattu, nowhere near its $450 to $550 asking price. It's not comfy, he notes, there's not much plush to the seat and backrest, but it's not too uncomfortable. Julian's back surprisingly didn't complain after more than a week of sitting in it for several hours a day. It doesn't have many points of adjustment—you can adjust the armrest height, lock the recline at a few degrees, and adjust tilt tension. That's it. Technically, you can adjust the headrest, but mine would not stay put at a specific height. You can pull out a footrest, but in practice this is more gimmicky than useful. It looks attractive, especially in the amber vegan leather, but he overall quality is a little cheap. You can do better at this price.
Humanscale World One : Despite hailing from the well-renowned Humanscale, this chair looks quite bland, noted tester Julian Chokkattu. The setup was fairly quick, and … interesting. You have to hammer two pegs to affix the backrest to the seat, which I've never before had to do, after testing dozens of office chairs. It just feels cheap and a little too plasticky. Like other Humanscale offerings, there are no adjustments to make as the chair will handle it all for you (you can adjust the seat and armrest height). Julian loved this on the pricier Humanscale Freedom, which felt like someone was cradling his body. But in the all-mesh World One, he found his body constantly shifting, trying to find a comfy way to recline. The mesh material also feels like it digs in a bit. This could all be because he's 6'4", as the chair feels like it's better suited for less lofty people. But at $700, it's worth demanding more.
Herman Miller Vantum : Initially, tester Julian Chokkattu liked the Vantum. He liked how it could keep him in a super upright position, which made him feel more engaged in what he was doing. The mesh backrest also disperses heat quite well. However, the overall build quality feels cheap and doesn’t scream Herman Miller (nor does the asking price, which has since dropped just below four figures). The headrest isn't great either—Julian nearly broke it trying to move it up and down. As he kept sitting, it was the back support that disappointed him the most. You can feel the lumbar support on your lower back, and not in a good way, almost like it’s digging in. At least it didn’t cause back pain.
Vilno Nobel Kneeling Chair : This kneeling chair is what's known as an active chair , meant to keep your body moving and keep your posture straight. It was easy to put all the wood pieces together, and the seat cushion was surprisingly plump. It feels effective for the first few hours, but unfortunately, rocking in the seat tends to cause it to move around on the floor, so I frequently had to fix my position. Worse yet, my shins and knees grew fatigued, and I started feeling some pain after a few days. You can't adjust its height, so it needs to be paired with a standing desk so that your palms don't rest on your desk. — Julian Chokkattu
Flexispot C7 : While this chair is simple to assemble and looks good, it feels flimsy. The entire back flexes and warps whenever you move, and the lumbar support is barely connected to the rest of the chair, meaning it audibly scratches against the main section of the back every time you adjust and hardly feels like it provides any actual support. The footrest bends whenever weight is put on it, and the foam seat cushion collects crazy amounts of pet hair. It feels like just a few extra screws and supports would have made this a good product, but in its current state, there isn’t enough material to make it feel sturdy. — Henri Robbins
Steelcase Series 1 : WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe says her biggest issue with the Series 1 is with the armrests—the tops slide back and forth and side to side, which could be a good thing, except she managed to pinch her arm every time she moved. There's no way to lock them in place, so while she felt supported, her arms weren't. The seat is also pretty curved, which can feel like you're trapped in one position as you work throughout the day.
Sihoo Doro S300 : Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano tested the Doro S300 , which, in white, looks like it came straight out of the Space Force situation room. She found it comfortable. There are several adjustments you can personalize, like seat depth and recline angle. You can recline quite far, but she says she wishes there were a footrest to enjoy the lowest recline position. She typically prefers a cushy gaming chair, but she says she had no trouble sitting on this seat all day—the dual lumbar support helps too. However, the headrest is too low for her to lean against, even at its maximum height, and the arms move too easily. Simply placing her arms down pushes them out of position. It's also squeaky and overpriced.
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