When it comes to office chairs, not all are created equal. Sure they all come with a base and seat, armrests and a backrest, but the similarities stop there.
You can tell you’re sitting in a great office chair when your body doesn’t ache after a full day of sitting. The ergonomics and materials used in a chair make all the difference in making that happen.
Let’s take a look at the very best office chairs money can buy when it comes to ergonomics and comfort. Be warned, none come cheap.
Herman Miller Embody
If you knew your chair could actually boost your productivity, wouldn’t you choose it? What if you knew that the very same chair could also minimize the negative effects of sitting? Well, the Herman Miller Embody chair actually induces positive effects on the body. Physicians and PhDs were consulted to make the ergonomic chair, resulting in what Ergonomic Trends proclaims as “the most comfortable chair in the world”.
The chair caters for body weights up to 300 pounds. It has a high back design, the armrests are adjustable and the seat depth adjustment caters for all-size people. The seat has 4 different layers of breathable material and the seat has a pixelated support system which distributes support to various areas of the seat. The flexible backrest aligns with your spine. In short, this is as comfortable a chair as it gets.
Vitra Pacific
Get this- when Apple was furnishing their new space-age campus, they chose to house every office with Vitra Pacific Chairs. The Swiss furniture maker is well known for adding a sleek, modern twist to high-end ergonomic chairs that include adjustable lumbar support, seat height- and depth, movable arms and more.
The levers for the chair are cleverly concealed so that the chair oozes peacefulness. Under the seat of the chair is a lever which raises and lowers the chair. There is also a hinge that automatically adjusts its resistance based on the weight of the person using the chair.
The chair is functional for short, tall, small and large people. The aluminum armrests are at 90°, attaching under the seat so you can sit sideways.
SteelCase Leap
Super comfy and highly adjustable to your back’s curves, the recyclable SteelCase Leap chair represents the pinnacle of eco-friendly, ultra ergonomic chairs. Offering superb lumbar support, you can adjust the overall height of the support and also adjust the firmness of the support according to your preferences.
The chair’s frame and finish is available in different options such as polished aluminum or platinum. There are two options for cylinder height. The standard height, which has a range of 16” to 20.5” tall will suit most people. The arms of the chair are adjustable in 4 directions and they can be removed.
For sheer comfort and support, the backrest and seat cushion are made of polyurethane foam. The material in the seat cushion keeps its shape and can support up to 300 pounds of weight.
Herman Miller Aeron
Herman Miller has been in the office furniture business since 1923, and they know what a good office chair is all about. Costly the chair may be, but for many people, the long-lasting comfort is well worth it. The famous Aeron Chair is made in the USA from high-quality steel and custom molded aluminum parts. It can accommodate weights up to 350 pounds.
The seat has 8Z Pellicle mesh and is soft to the touch. Unfortunately, the Aeron doesn’t have seat depth adjustment. The backrest is also made from 8Z Pellicle mesh, making it pleasantly breathable. The backrest comes in 3 different options, with the ‘Adjustable PostureFit SL’ being the most advanced lumbar system available.
The chair’s arms are attached to the backrest and move when you recline the back, ensuring your arms are always comfortable. The chair comes with a tilt function with tilt lock. This means you can work in a more tilted, forward position. The chair comes with a 12-year warranty.