Best office chairs 2024: smart, stylish and comfortable seats

The importance of owning one of the best office chairs on the market cannot be over-emphasized. With so many people now working from home at least a day or two a week, making sure your body is comfortable and well-supported while working is crucial.

Because studies have shown that if you are uncomfortable at your desk then you are less productive, and you increase the chances of developing serious health issues, such as repetitive strain injuries, back pain, and joint stresses.

The best office chairs deliver great lumbar support, though, ensuring a great posture, and adjustable armrests and seat heights. It just makes sense to invest in your own health and comfort. As such, we’ve got an entire list of office chairs that offer a range of ergonomic features to ensure your seating offers the best comfort levels you need to focus and get work done with ease.

We've got office chairs at a wide variety of different price points, too, meaning that we feel there is a chair for everybody in our buying guide. Seeing as it's back to class month at T3, it's also the perfect time to buy a new one before the academic year begins. Oh, and lastly, if you're a gamer, you may want to take a look at T3's best gaming chairs buying guide, too.

WRITTEN BY

WRITTEN BY

Lizzie Wilmot

Lizzie is T3's Home Staff Writer, also covering style, living and wellness. She works closely with Bethan Girdler-Maslen, T3's Home Editor, ensuring all the latest Home news, trends and recommendations are covered. Outside of T3, Lizzie can be found mooching around Bath, attempting (or at least trying to) a new DIY project or spending time with family and friends.

The top three

Best office chairs ranking 2024

The best overall office chair

We think a lot of people are going to like this Cherry Tree Furniture Executive Office Chair – it's comfortable, it's easy to put together, it's affordable, and it's going to last. You don't get some of the premium materials or fancy features that more expensive chairs offer, but that doesn't matter a huge amount when it is this comfortable and this good for your posture.

Made from polyurethane leather, the chair is great to sink into at the start of a working session and it's going to keep you well-supported while you get on with whatever it is you're getting on with, be that work or play. There's artificial leather on the armrests as well, so you really feel like you are a chief executive.

Add in plenty of adjustment in terms of seat height and tilt, plus dedicated lumbar support, and it's not difficult to see why this particular model is one of the best office chairs and popular with a wide range of people. We gave it a maximum score of 5 stars on review, and highly recommend it to anyone looking to improve their posture and comfort in the home office.

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The best luxury office chair

Eight hundred quid may sound like a lot for a chair, but it's less than a MacBook Air, for example – and unlike the Mac, the Herman Miller Mirra 2 will still be going strong a decade or more from now.

This is the second generation Mirra. One of the T3 team bought the v1 fifteen years ago after it was recommended by a back surgeon, and they're still using it: it enabled them to return to work after back surgery much more quickly than expected, it's survived the destructive attentions of two children and two dogs, and it's kept their back problems at bay ever since. They say it's the best investment they've ever made.

Like its predecessor the Mirra 2 is tank-like in its construction and quite heavy, so you'll definitely need some floor protection if you're on laminate or wooden floors. It's almost infinitely adjustable and provides excellent lumbar support, with a lattice back for ventilation and a strong mesh that's supportive and cooling in warm weather. Its plastic back takes a bit of getting used to if you're coming from fabric or leather chairs, but it's very supportive and exceptionally durable.

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The best gaming office chair

As we note in our full SecretLab Titan Evo review, this chair is primarily aimed at gamers and is recommended in T3's best gaming chair guide as the best gaming chair for most people.

But, to just siphon this chair off as a product that's only for gamers does it a huge disservice, as its professional, modern looks mean that it can easily manage a home office or even office environment without standing out.

Indeed, during T3's testing of the Titan Evo it was used for both gaming and work, with the chair supporting our reviewer perfectly for the weeks it was on test – he even wrote the chair's review in it.

Not only does the Secretlab Titan Evo come in a variety of premium faux leather upholstery finishes, but it also comes with buckets of advanced tech that don't really see on many office chairs. These include a magnetic head pillow and swappable armrests, as well as a clever, built in to the backrest, 4-way lumbar support system.

Basically, you get one heck of an awesome chair for your spend, which while is more than a fair few of the other chairs in this list, is arguably very justified if your office chair needs also extend to gaming.

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The best budget office chair

We've already mentioned how you often need to pay top dollar to get the best office chair, but that doesn't mean there aren't some very good value bargains out there as well. If you can't afford one of the top-end models, consider the SIHOO Ergonomic Office Chair.

For a start it's comfortable to sit in, which really helps, with a solid mesh backing and lumbar support. Plus, every aspect of the chair is adjustable, from the armrests to the height to the level of tilt (if you need to lean back away from the desk for a while).

The build quality and use of materials might not quite match the chairs that cost five times as much as this one, but this is a very solid entry down at the budget end of our best office chairs list.

For even more information on this chair be sure to consult our full review. 

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The best budget gaming office chair

If you like gaming in your workspace too then the BraZen Phantom Elite is a brilliant mix of the two that won't break the bank either.

With a solid steel frame and faux leather upholstery, you'd be thrown off by the BraZen's more modest price tag. While it's not as aesthetically 'loud' as other gaming chairs, that can be a blessing if you're not feeling bold enough to scream gamer to the world. 

Assembly is pretty straightforward but our tested in our BraZen Phantom Elite review did have a little trouble getting some of the parts to feel secure. 

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The best basic office chair

Yes, sure, the Amazon Basics Office Chair doesn't have the fancy features, the luxe material finish, and the best support options out of the chairs in this list, but it is a rock-solid office chair that is incredibly cheap and looks clean and professional.

Indeed, the price is so low that you could buy 10 of them for the price of our premium office chair recommendation, which really puts its value in perspective. Need to kit out an entire start up office? With the Amazon Basics Office Chair, you're covered.

A one-year warranty is included, and the chair swivels through a full 360 degrees, which is ideal for multitasking. Amazon pitch this chair as useful in more than just an office setting, too, with the garden and kitchen suggested.

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The best affordable but stylish office chair

Does IKEA have good office chairs? The answer is yes! IKEA has a better range of office chairs than you might expect, and the IKEA Markus is our current pick as the one you should check out. It's not the cheapest the Swedish firm offers, but it's got just about everything you want.

That includes a high, mesh backing with lumbar support, optional armrests, and easy height and tilt adjustment. You can lock a tilt in place if you want to sit back and avoid work for a while.

From our testing, this chair can really stand up to hours of use while keeping you comfortable, and you can't ask any more than that. An easy choice for one of the best office chairs around today.

To see how this chair compares to our number one office chair choice, be sure to take a look at T3's Cherry Tree Executive Office Chair vs IKEA Markus comparison feature.

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The best adjustable office chair

The Slouch Task One won the Best Office Chair at the T3 Awards 2024, and for good reason. One of the best office chairs we've ever tried, the Slouch Task One is completely adjustable and customisable, so you can choose the perfect chair for your home office to fit your overall aesthetic.

The Slouch Task One is a fully adjustable chair that can be customised to whatever you require, particularly for your comfort levels. It has a range of ergonomic features that offer maintained support throughout the day, particularly around the lower back and shoulders. 

Despite its wide 5-star base, the Slouch Task One is incredibly easy to set up and to move around. It got 5 stars in our Slouch Task One review and we really can't think of any complains about this brilliant office chair.

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The best dependable office chair

Simplicity, affordability, clean lines... there's lots to like in this Office Hippo model, which won't cost you much at all considering how many years of sitting down you're going to get out of it. There's plenty of padding in an artificial leather style, and plastic armrests for when you're tired of typing.

It's nothing fancy – there's no dedicated lumbar support here, for example – but the build quality is solid, and this is an office chair that won't let you down. The back is of a reasonable height as well, so it's not going to dominate a small room or overwhelm a desk in the same way that a chair with a tall back might.

You just get the one black colour here and you'll have it set up well inside an hour (which admittedly isn't great if you're trying to avoid doing some actual work). For a straightforward, affordable chair, it's difficult to beat this for value.

The best versatile office chair

One of the reasons we like the Argos Home Orion is that it looks more expensive than it actually is – it's actually relatively affordable when you look at the market as a whole, and especially considering how many years you're going to get out of it.

It does all of the basics you need an office chair to do, and is very comfortable to sit in, even as your working sessions drag on through the day (or the night). The armrests definitely help, and it's worth noting that these aren't removable – if you don't like armrests, don't buy this chair.

The faux leather look combines well with the chrome-and-black stand and castors, and the Argos Home Orion moves around very nippily on all surfaces. The tall back (which stretches as high as 128.5 cm) ensures good support for your back and neck, too.

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The best comfortable office chair

Winner of the T3 Award 2023 for best office chair, the NeueChair is the perfect combination of gaming comfort with office styling. It offers an impressive range of adjustments so you can customise the height and depth of the chair to get exactly how you want it.

Comfortable to sit in all day, the NeueChair company has taken its skills in the gaming chair market and applied them superbly with this award-winning office chair. Despite the controls being a little tricky to find at first, it's a great chair for support, comfort and gives a professional look, whether you're in your home office, gaming room or office building.

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The best timeless office chair

Ikea gets another chair in our best office chairs list thanks to the Renberget's affordability and timeless style. It's not the fanciest design, or the chair with loads of fancy features, but it does the basics very well.

The alloy steel frame means the Renberget is planted and very stable when in use, while the two-tone black fabric and faux leather finish means it fits into both the gaming room and the office without a sweat.

The seat is height-adjustable, too, and you can tilt it as well, but there is no movement in the armrests. The seat is also equipped with safety casters that have a pressure-sensitive brake mechanism that keeps the chair still when getting up and releases when you sit down.

For the price point, which is low, we don't think you can ask for much more. A great budget choice.

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The best office chair for lumbar support

There are many things to love about the Boulies EP400... but there are a few things to hate too. A comfortable everyday chair with built-in lumbar support that adapts to your posture, the Boulies EP400 is pain relieving and offers unrivalled support, especially for the back.

Our tester in our Boulies EP400 review who deals with back issues found that the chair eased the pain completely... once all the parts arrived in one piece! Delivery issues and creaking aside, you'll struggle to find anything better for the money.

How to choose the best office chair for you

If you spend a lot of your working day sat down, then a good chair isn't a luxury but a necessity. Unsuitable, badly designed chairs can cause some serious damage to your posture (something we know from experience) as well as your general health, and work is stressful enough without your chair adding to the problem.

At this point we should also emphasise that the best office chairs can get very expensive, and going for super-cheap isn't always a great idea. That said, the very best office chair doesn't necessarily have to cost you a lot of cash.

When you're shopping for the best office chair, back support is crucial, as is a seat that's wide enough and long enough to support you adequately. Gas suspension makes adjustments easier, with many chairs offering variable resistance (so you can make them stiffer for computer work and recline them for reading, maybe).

Office chair types explained

There are various different types of office chair types, ranging from balance ball right through to executive mesh. Here we briefly summate what each office chair type is and what they tend to be best for.

Executive office chairs – These modern and sophisticated chairs tend to be finished in either mesh or leather and are designed for use in an office or home office environment. Mesh chairs tend to be cooler than leather.

Drafting office chairs – These chairs tend to boast stool bases that can be adjusted dramatically in height, as well as compact seats and backrests. They are ideal for working on high and/or angled surface, such as a drafting board or kitchen counter.

Balance ball office chairs – Balance ball chairs are very basic and are designed to be used at table or desk height. They specialise in improving posture and building up back muscles,, which is useful for staying fit and healthy.

Ergonomic office chairs – Ergonomic office chairs don't tend to follow a set design, but will have specially contoured seats or backrests or both. They are designed to ensure correct posture for their user and can be used at various heights.

Saddle office chairs – This is a type of chair that is gaining popularity. These seats don't have backrests and are designed to reduce pressure on its user's back and spine. These chairs are straddled like a saddle, hence the name.

Kneeling office chairs – As the name implies these office chairs position their user so that they are kneeling, which transitions weight away from the lower back while also ensuring a more upright posture.

Exercise bike office chairs – Exercise bike office chairs tend to combine a seat with a pedal unit that allows the sitter to work on their leg muscles and keep their circulation up while working. They are naturally a more expensive office chair option.

Office chairs: leather vs mesh upholstery

The vast majority of office chairs on the market today are finished in either a mesh or leather (real or faux) upholstery, and the truth is both bring their own strengths and weaknesses.

Leather, for example, is a very warm finish and tends to boast a softer, more natural finish. Leather, when done well, also tends to have a more mature, premium aesthetic, too. Leather office chairs do tend to be more expensive than mesh chairs, though.

Mesh meanwhile tends to be cheaper than leather (especially real leather) and is more breathable as well, which is good for keeping cool and dry in hotter environments. Aesthetically mesh chairs tend to rock a more modern aesthetic, too.

Mesh vs leather office chair: Which material is better suited to your working environment?

 Best office chairs: other information

If you're looking for the best office chair for a home office, it's important to take your flooring into consideration. Some office chairs are very heavy and could quickly destroy your carpet, if you have one: you'll find that some models offer different kinds of casters depending on the kind of flooring they'll be sitting on. We'd also suggest getting a protective mat if you're going to be using a really heavy chair on wood or laminate flooring.

In this guide you'll find the best ergonomic office chairs for any office or budget. Whether you're working for home or recommending the best buy to your boss, the right chair for you is right here. 

This guide also gives you the information you need to know about posture, including details of how one of the best posture correctors can help you, as well as how the best gaming chairs differ to the best office ones.

It's just like upgrading any aspect of your home office setup, from the best computer speakers to the best laptops.

And if you're printing photos in your office, we'd like to guide you towards our best photo printer guide as well.

No matter what kind of chair you're looking for – the best office chair for back pain, the best office chair for ergonomic support or the best office chair for home working – our guide will help you find a superb seat.

Other office chair tech to consider

As well as listing the best office chairs available today, T3 has also ranked and rated plenty of other equipment that is useful when building out a home office or workstation, such as the best 4K monitors on the market.

As such, be sure to check out our guides to the best vertical mouse, which is great for avoiding RSI, the best keyboards to improve your typing and accuracy, as well as the best external hard drives to store your work and files securely.

For those who like to undertake some PC gaming every now and then, we've also got guides to the best gaming mouse, best gaming keyboards and best gaming monitors, too.

Office chair vs gaming chair: which is best?

Ten years ago there was a very firm line in the sand between gaming chairs and office chairs. There were few gaming chair makers in operation and the chairs they tended to produce were cheap models with gimmicky 'gamer' extras, such as in-built vibration, cup holders and - shudder - RGB lighting.

Today, though, there are loads of excellent gaming chair makers in business and the product has evolved to the state whereby these seats often offer better comfort, style and features than many office chairs. Just look at the chairs made by Secretlab, which are the best gaming chairs you can buy.

Indeed, today we recommend that anyone looking for an office chair for their home office also looks at gaming chairs before making a purchase. There are faux leather, leather and fabric textile upholsteries to choose from, and the vast majority come with 4D armrests, lumbar support and neck cushions.

All that said, though, there are of course plenty of great office chairs on the market, especially in terms of budget and high-end categories. 

How we test

We have a three-stage process for reviewing office chairs. Firstly we judge the office chair's build quality and design. This has a focus on the quality of the materials used, the upholstery selection on offer, stitching quality, hydraulics and framework fit and finish as well as foam filling type.

Once this is achieved we move on to actually judging how easy it is to assemble the chair. This involves judging the clarity of the chair's assembly instructions, the quality of any tools included in the package, as well as how easy it is for one person to actually put the chair together.

Once the office chair is assembled we then judge it comfort levels and, crucially, adjustability. Adjustability in terms of rotation and tilt, as well as degrees of freedom in things like armrests (4D movement is ideal), are ascertained, as well as the amount a chair's height can be elevated.

Comfort is determined over a period of days, rather than hours, as often defects in comfort only become noticeable after extended usage.

Finally, we then rate the chair in terms of value for money and uniqueness on the market. The office chair is then given a star score and, if it is high, considered for our best office chairs buying guide.