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Whether you are working from home or at the office, having a comfortable and supportive chair is crucial for making it through those long workdays. We researched and compared some of the best-selling and most sought-after office chairs available today. After an exhaustive search, we purchased the 15 most promising options for our testers to put through the wringer. After 5 years of testing and thousands of hours of sitting, our team has uncovered which chairs are worthy of joining you on your quest to perform your best. We highlight the ins and outs of each model and crown the best of the best, the option that offers the most customization, and some of best bargain options.
The Steelcase Leap earns top marks in all of our testing metrics, cinching its place as the best overall office chair. Comfort is heavily considered in our final score, and this chair is far and away the most comfortable we've tested. It offers a tremendous amount of back support, helping you to go the distance when grinding out full days at your desk. All of our testers report that this was the chair of choice when they expected to be seated for eight to ten hours. The ability to fine-tune your chair can go a long way in terms of how well a chair will perform for you, and the Leap is adjustable in almost every way we could hope for. This chair is easy to assemble and, after months of use, showed almost no signs of wear.
The most notable downside to all this luxury is a steep price. That said, the Leap is offered in several different configurations, some of which are less adjustable and thus cost slightly less. As one would expect, this tradeoff for affordability over features affects performance. Given the quality construction, you can expect this purchase to last a long, long time, so we believe it will pay for itself in the long run when you consider the benefit to your body. The Steelcase Amia is another great Steelcase chair that will save you a few hundred bucks, but it's not as adjustable as the Leap.
The Steelcase Series 2 is a great office chair overall and retails for noticeably less than some of the most premium chairs we have tested. Despite this price break, it still offers many of the same features, comfort, and adjustability, from a trusted brand with a well-earned reputation for great chairs. This model features an adjustable lumbar support and some of the best 4-way adjustable armrests in the industry.
Our test team really liked the Series 2, but we identified some minor things that could be better. Adjusting the lumbar is doable while sitting but can be a bit challenging, and the lack of a tilt limiter, in addition to the absence of a tension knob, had our tallest and heaviest user leaning back without adequate resistance for his size and weight. While the majority of users may never experience this issue, it's something for prospective buyers to consider. Overall, the Series 2 is a great option for most people, offering excellent value as a premium chair with a more approachable price. However, we understand that not everyone wants to spend so much on an office chair. If that's you, take a look at the Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh below, which offers decent comfort and adjustability for a low price.
Adjustable Lumbar Support: Yes | Adjustable Seat Pan: No
REASONS TO BUY
Inexpensive
Decently comfortable
Respectable adjustability
REASONS TO AVOID
Less durable
If you are shopping for a new seat and don't want to spend a ton of cash, then the Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh could be the chair for you. While it can't match the top products for comfort or adjustability, it does quite well, especially considering it costs substantially less than our higher-performing options. Overall, this chair was rated very favorably, with most of our testers finding it more than suitable to sit in for a full workday.
Unfortunately, the seat of the Modway isn't very adjustable, and the armrests have a more restricted range of motion than some of the competition. The armrests can't drop as low, pivot, or adjust their depth to the point you can with other models. The default position of the armrests also feels a tad on the wide side. This is quite unfortunate, as these flaws are somewhat significant, although it's hard to find a better office chair for less money.
Adjustable Lumbar Support: Available | Adjustable Seat Pan: Available
REASONS TO BUY
Stylish
Very adjustable
Incredibly breathable
REASONS TO AVOID
The design might not have a universal appeal
Mid-range comfort
The Herman Miller Sayl is a stylish-looking chair that offers premium quality at a reasonable price point. The modern design enhances the look of any office space while also being comfortable enough to sit for larger chunks of the day. The fully decked-out version of this chair is quite adjustable, but if you don't need that adjustability, you can opt for less expensive versions. With quick assembly and sturdy parts, you won't need to replace this office chair any time soon.
We found the ultra-modern aesthetic of the Sayl to be somewhat polarizing. Some of our testers absolutely loved it, while others had lukewarm feelings. The same could be said about comfort, as this chair received more mixed results from our testers than other models we tested. However, the Sayl is definitely one of our favorites at its price point, and we strongly recommend it if you are a fan of its unique, stylish appearance and Herman Miller products. We also love the Herman Miller Embody, but it's around double the price of the Sayl.
Not everyone loves the look of the Sayl, but it's eye-catching if nothing else.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
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The Steelcase Leap includes shock-absorbing suspension, so your lower back will be thanking you when plopping into the chair.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Why You Should Trust Us
Our team has tested dozens of office chairs since 2018 using our rigorous side-by-side testing approach. We evaluated each model's comfort through extended use and a targeted comfort questionnaire that covers the individual components of each chair. We looked at adjustability, focusing on options, range, and user-friendliness, utilizing each adjustment to judge its efficacy. To gauge durability, we scoured the internet for reviews highlighting durability issues and identified trends with the product. We contrasted this information with our experience using each product. Lastly, to assess ease of assembly, we graded the instructions, timed ourselves during setup, and noted any difficult steps along the way.
We tested our selection of office chairs based on four weighted performance metrics:
Comfort (50% of total score weighting)
Adjustability (35% weighting)
Durability (10% weighting)
Ease of Assembly (5% weighting)
Our test team consists of folks who are no strangers to sitting for long periods at work. This gives them some strong opinions about what constitutes a good office chair as well as strong feelings towards any chair they felt didn't pass muster. Our lead tester for this review, Austin Palmer, spends copious amounts of time sitting for his work at GearLab. Furthermore, he is an avid PC gamer who spends even more time sitting in his free time. We also utilized other members of our in-house GearLab team who spend more than eight hours a day sitting at their desks. Collectively, we spent ample time in each chair, collecting updates on comfort and ergonomics along the way.
From long days at the office to working from home, we've tested these chairs to the max.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Analysis and Test Results
We've spent years testing some of these products side-by-side, dividing our testing process into key metrics and sub-metrics. To determine the best chairs, we consulted a panel of judges with varying body types and heights and had them try out each chair for an extended period. We then had them fill out a survey about each chair to get their thoughts on comfort, adjustability, and assembly. When assessing durability, we researched existing customer reviews as well as examined how well the chairs actually held up to our rigorous testing process.
Value
During your hunt for the top office chair, you likely noticed an enormous range in pricing. Budget chairs can retail for a hundred bucks or less, but your back may end up paying the price in return. Top-of-the-line models can retail in the thousands but tend to offer much more support and adjustability to improve your sitting experience. Our favorite overall chair is the Steelcase Leap, which comes at a very high price, depending on which options you select. While we can't deny the expensive price tag, the investment is well worth it to avoid any sitting-related health issues, and it's durable enough that it should last for many years. The Steelcase Think is another good value option; while it is certainly not cheap, it is less than the most expensive models in our test suite for a high-quality product.
If the substantial price tags of our top-rated models scare you, one consideration is the Steelcase Series 2. It retails for significantly less than the absolute top models, is nearly as comfortable, and features most of the same adjustments. Still, while the Series 2 is less expensive than the most premium chairs available, it still may be a little beyond the reach of those shopping on a super tight budget or those who need a handful of chairs for a conference room. For those people and use cases, the Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh is a basic, budget-friendly chair that fits the bill. Its comfort level is decent, and it offers a solid set of adjustments — though it doesn't feel as well built as the top products. For those on the tightest budget, the Furmax Office Mesh is worth mentioning. No surprise, it does not offer the higher-tiered performance of our premium options, but it is more than adequate for shorter workdays.
The Furmax provides decent performance, especially for its price.
Credit: Laura Casner
Comfort
This is our most significant testing metric. In particular, we had our panel of judges rate the comfort of each chair's seat, backrest, and armrests. We also rated overall impressions and how happy we would be to sit in each chair for a full workday. Our panel of judges comprised men and women with a wide range of heights who tried out each chair side-by-side for a few months.
Earning the highest marks out of the entire group, the Steelcase Leap is our judges' favorite regarding comfort. Most of our judges rated this chair exceptionally well- the most comfortable to date- with only one person scoring other chairs higher. This lone dissenting voice was also our tallest judge (6'3"), so you may want to consider this if you're a taller individual deciding if the Steelcase Leap is a good fit for you. Our judges unanimously agreed that this was one of the most comfortable regarding the backrest, and our tallest judge was again the only person to question the comfort of the seat and armrest. However, they all stated they would be happy to use the Leap for a full workday or longer.
The Leap is one of the most comfortable chairs we have tested.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The Herman Miller Aeron received positive comments from most of our testers, with only two judges rating it as below average, primarily due to its backrest. This chair encourages the user to sit correctly — no slouching, slumping, crossing your legs, etc. Some judges were fine with this, while others thoroughly disliked the lack of freedom. The armrests, however, received positive marks across the board, and all of our judges could sit in this chair for a full workday without too much of an issue.
The Aeron is a great chair if you like plenty of ventilation for your back.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
With similarities to the Steelcase Leap, the Steelcase Amia and Steelcase Series 2 also set themselves apart as really comfortable chairs. Both of these are close runner-ups to the Leap, with comfortable seat padding and lumbar support, as well as 4-way adjustable armrests. , The Amia especially stood out above the rest of the models we tested for its exceptionally comfortable backrest.
The Amia is an incredibly comfortable chair, with an impressive backrest and lumbar support.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Our team agreed that the Herman Miller Embody has comfortable armrests, though one particular judge found the seat and backrest rather uncomfortable. Consequently, that individual could only sit in the chair for a few hours at most. The rest of our panel rated this chair very highly regarding seat and back comfort and were more than happy to use it for a full day. Comfort is highly subjective, and while we do our best to create more objective assessments across a diverse test team, nothing can fully determine what your final experience will be like. We recommend trying before you buy or ordering from a retailer with a solid return policy.
The majority of our testers are big fans of the Embody.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The Steelcase Think performed admirably in most respects, though it did not prove comfortable for all body types. Some of our shortest evaluators actively disliked it. You might want to steer clear of this chair if you are not on the taller side. The reception on the Humanscale Diffrient was a bit mixed. A pair of judges detested the chair and could only sit in it for an hour or two, while the rest of the panel rated it quite highly — though still lower than the top chairs overall.
If you're of above average height, you might appreciate the Think's high backrest.
Opinions on how long you could comfortably sit on the Humanscale differed drastically among our testers.
The X-Chair X2 K-Sport Mgmt impressed most of our judges, especially after they found their baseline adjustment settings. A problem with some mesh chairs is that the body can feel the frame underneath, but the X2 minimizes this issue. Most of the team found the seat, backrest, and headrest quite comfortable. However, our lighter-weight testers felt the lumbar support was a bit prominent for their body type and preference.
The mesh back of the X2 is breathable and manages to keep your body off the frame.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
For the most part, the performance of the Herman Miller Sayl, Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh, and Steelcase Gesture were a bit more consistent and less polarizing. None of the judges disliked these chairs, and they primarily received average to above-average evaluations across the board. The backrest and support are all similar, but the Sayl had our favorite armrests of the three. That said, for some testers, sitting the Sayl for a full 8-hour day wasn't as comfortable as either the Modway or Gesture.
Most testers really liked the armrests on the Modway.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Adjustability
For our next round of testing, we compared the different adjustment levels of each office chair and how easy they were to use. We looked at the various adjustments for each chair's seat, armrests, and backrest, including lumbar support, reclining lever, tilt limiters, and the inclusion of a headrest. We also scored each chair on the ease of use and capabilities of the reclining tension knob and if you could adjust the chair to support the body in a proper ergonomic position.
The Steelcase Leap and the Herman Miller Sayl took the top two spots out of all the chairs. When it comes to your back, the Steelcase Leap has a bit more adjustability than the Herman Miller Sayl, allowing you to adjust both the position and firmness of the lumbar support. In contrast, the Sayl only lets you adjust its position, though it is much easier to adjust.
We appreciate that the height of the lumbar support on the Leap is adjustable.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Neither of these chairs has a headrest or the ability to lock in a reclined position, but you can set how far back you recline using the tilt limiters. The Sayl gives you three stop points to choose from, while the Leap gives you five. Both have fully adjustable armrests that allow you to move them up and down, in and out, forward and back, or swivel. Additionally, you can move the seat pan forward and back on both, and it's also easy to adjust the tension knob to set the proper amount of reclining resistance.
We were quite impressed with the adjustability of the Herman Miller Sayl.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
The Amia, Embody, X-Chair X2, Gesture, Series 2 and
HON Ignition 2.0 Task follow, all featuring exceptional adjustability with only a few flaws. The main flaw we found with the Embody is the inability to adjust the lumbar support height. You can engage or disengage it and adjust its curvature, but some of our testers felt it would have been better at a different height. It does have a headrest with four stopping points that you can set as tilt limiters for reclining; however, the armrests lack forward/back or swivel capabilities. The only possibility is to move them up and down or in and out. The seat is fully adjustable, but it takes a bit more work to get into a proper ergonomic stance, depending on your desk. The Gesture, on the other hand, has some of the most adjustable armrests that we have seen so far. A unique swinging mechanism allows for full adjustability with a wider range of motion than most.
Even the version of the Gesture without adjustable lumbar support easily conforms to most spines.
It's easy to reach all of the adjustments on the Embody.
We like that the seat pan depth on the Gesture is adjustable, and you can order this chair with adjustable lumbar support. We tested a model that lacked this, relying on the integrated support for our lower back, and we still thought it was more than adequate. However, you can upgrade to the model with adjustable back support if you think it would benefit your lumbar. The Gesture also has a relatively high backrest and four different tilt limiters you can engage when you recline. Much like the Gesture, the Steelcase Amia features an adjustable seat pan and 4-way adjustable armrests. However, it lacks adequate seat-back tension options and a tilt limiter for larger, heavier users.
Adjustable lumbar support can make a significant difference in the ergonomics of the Amia for a wide range of people.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The X-Chair X2 is almost entirely adjustable. So adjustable that the average user will greatly benefit from watching a video or two to help dial in their baseline settings. Aside from standard features like seat height and tension control, it has 4-way adjustable armrests (not a full swivel), seat pan depth, free lockout, and adjustable lumbar support. The sleek levers are conveniently placed for easy access while sitting down. This chair is also very customizable. You can purchase a wider seat, heating pads, and even a lumbar massager.
The adjustment levers on the X2 are easy to read and use while sitting down.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The armrests on the Steelcase Think are completely adjustable. The seat pan depth is also adjustable — a bit of a unique feature for a budget-friendly chair — but we were far from captivated by the lumbar support or the recline/tilt functions. The Think has a brace that you can move up and down to change the lumbar support's height, but many of our judges wished you could also alter the general aggressiveness of the support. This chair has integrated reclining resistance and tilt-limiting functions that restrict the amount of control you have to four preset settings. Despite that, most people could adjust this chair to a good position for their desk without too much fuss.
The Union has a simple but easy to use lever for lowering your seat.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The armrests on the Herman Miller Aeron can swivel and move up and down, backward and forwards, but they can't adjust in width and aren't quite as adjustable as the Steelcase brand chairs. The lumbar support is adjustable in terms of support, but you can't change its position. This isn't a huge issue since the lumbar support is quite tall, but a few judges weren't fond of this. The Aeron also doesn't have a seat depth adjustment, but overall it's fairly easy to get into an ergonomic position.
The Modway allows users to adjust armrests to their height or level of comfort.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
The Humanscale Diffrient, Union & Scale FlexFit Hyken Mesh, and Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh rank next in articulating features. That said, the Humanscale got off to a rough start in this metric and lost points from our judges because it lacks any sort of adjustable back support or tilt limiters to stop you from reclining all the way back. However, the Diffrient has far more armrest and seat adjustability than the Modway. Both can be easily used to set up a proper ergonomic sitting position, though the armrests on the Modway can make it a little funky, depending on your desk.
The low reclining resistance made it easy to feel like you are going to fall out of the Humanscale.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
You can move the backrest up or down on the Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh to match the lumbar support to your spine, but it doesn't have reclining tilt limiters in the traditional sense. You can use the reclining lever to set the angle of the backrest relative to the seat and lock it in place, as well as lock or unlock the reclining pivot in the base, which gives you free rein to recline the chair with the seat and backrest locked together.
There is a good range of reclining resistance available to you with the Modway.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Durability
We evaluated each chair's design and construction for our next round of tests. We looked at the overall structure and quality of the components and considered any damage or wear sustained during our testing period. Additionally, we dove into user testimonials to get a sense of any trends in performance that we should pay attention to or investigate while testing.
Our Steelcase and Herman Miller chairs rose to the top regarding durability and well-built construction. We didn't find any common issues with most of these products, and none exhibited any major issues during our test period. One outlier was that the height adjustment lever on the Sayl was slightly flimsier than the components on other Herman Miller chairs we've tested. User reviews also note this, as well as comments about the seat and armrest padding wearing more quickly. That said, we still feel the Sayl is a well-made chair, especially considering the slightly lower price point for the brand.
The Series 2 by Steelcase is solidly-constructed and we expect it to last for many years.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
Ease of Assembly
Our final metric focused on the effort required to go from unboxing each chair to sitting in it. We looked at both the actual assembly process and the quality of the included documentation to determine scores. Since this process is something most people will only have to go through once, we placed relatively little weight on this metric.
We found the Leap, Think, Gesture, Sayl, Aeron, and Humanscale Diffrient were all supremely easy to set up. These chairs essentially came fully assembled or took us less than five minutes of work to get them ready to go. The Amia and Series 2 are also incredibly fast to set up, just requiring sliding the gas cylinder into place. The seat also needs to be slid into place on the Series 2, but you will spend more time breaking down the packaging these chairs came in than anything else.
The Sayl was a snap to assemble. Literally.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Conclusion
An ergonomic chair can make all the difference between having a productive work environment or a day plagued with stiffness and backaches. We hope this review has been a helpful side-by-side comparison of the top office chairs currently available and has given you the tools you need to find the perfect chair that matches your sitting needs and budget.
We hope our review helps you find the perfect work companion.
Credit: Abriah Wofford
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Benjamin Hickok, Hayley Thomas, Austin Palmer, and David Wise
