Getting the right office chair is more important than you think. If you spend long hours and late nights up working on your business, freelancing or you work from home, then having a chair that supports your back is a must.
Maintaining a poor posture when you’re working can lead to complications down the road. So, it’s undoubtedly worth investing in an ergonomic chair now – you’ll thank yourself later, trust me.
But where do you begin when looking for the best chair for your office? Well, we’ll run through some of the best options available currently, as well as looking at what features you should be looking for in a chair (what does ergonomic even really mean, anyway?).
Best Office Chair in the UK | 2020 Guide
| Product | Image | Material | Weight Capacity | Get More Info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Songmics Mesh Office Chair |  | Polyester Mesh | 150kg | Find Best Price |
| Wyatt Executive |  | Poly Leather | 154kg | Find Best Price |
| Cherry Tree Furniture Chair |  | Textile | 113kg | Find Best Price |
| Weber High Back |  | Mesh Nylon | 115kg | Find Best Price |
| Noblechairs Icon |  | Leather | 150kg | Find Best Price |
So, these are some of the possibilities you can consider if you’re looking for a great office chair. But, let’s take a look at each of them in a greater detail so you can make a decision.
Songmics Mesh Office Chair
Personally, I think mesh back chairs offer some of the best value for money if you’re looking for an office chair that’s actually going to last. Sure, they might not look the most impressive but in terms of practicality, mesh back chairs are great. They last for a long time, and importantly a good mesh chair will conform it’s shape to your back. So if you’re looking for an ergonomic office chair, then this Songmics Mesh option is a great choice.
So along with comfort and quality, what else does it have to offer? Well, the lumbar support in this chair almost forces you into an upright posture. This is great for your back, so if you suffer with any back pain, this will be a great choice. The backrest uses a tilt mechanism so you can easily lean back, which is good for your spine too. You can also flip up the armrests if you find them annoying.
The only downside of this chair is that it’s a little close to the ground, and the hydraulics don’t allow it to be raised off the floor high enough in my opinion. If you’re 6 foot plus, you’re probably better off looking at another chair in my list.
Wyatt High Back Executive
If you need an office chair with a high weight capacity, then you’ll likely want to look at an executive chair like this Wyatt model. It can hold up to 154kg, which should be more than enough for most people. Most other cheap office chairs can barely hold 100kg, so if you’re looking for a chair that can handle a little extra weight, this might be the right model for you.
Like most top office chairs, it has a high back with good support and an adjustable headrest. This is perfect if you’re tall and need a fully supportive chair. It’s available in various different colours, but I much prefer the white finish (too many office chairs are boring black!). With it’s distinctive detailing, you won’t find another chair that looks like this one within the same price range. – Currently £150 at Furniture@Work.
Cherry Tree Furniture Recliner
If you’re looking for a decent enough office chair that’s less than £100, then I think this recliner might be a good bet. It’s made from a textile material that whilst doesn’t have the quality of leather, also won’t have the stickiness during hot months.
Although generally office chairs and massage chairs are usually combined, this office chair has a 6 point multifunction massager built in. This means you can adjust the massage intensity to whatever you desire, which can be useful at the end of a long day. You can also lock the tilted position of the chair, which you can’t do in the majority of cheaper office chairs. So if relaxing is part of your daily work agenda, then it’s safe to say this would be a great choice.
The only setback of this chair is probably that it isn’t the absolute best quality, which is pretty common when considering others within it’s price range. But for those on a budget, this represents a great value office chair.
Weber High Back
Another high back option is this Weber office chair. If you want to opt for a different material than leather, then typically there aren’t too many options out there. However, this model has a specifically designed mesh back, which will mould around your back as you sit in it. So, if you’re looking for an ergonomic office chair, then this might be one of the best available.
It also has adjustable arms, so if you like to have the ability to change your positioning, then this might be an important feature to have. It comes with a 2 year warranty too, as opposed to the typical 1 that you get with most office chairs. All in all, this one isn’t going to take your breath away, but it’s definitely worth considering if you want something that will last a good while. – Currently £141.60 at Furniture@Work.
Noblechair Leather Icon
If you have a little extra cash and want to look at getting a truly ergonomic chair, then you might want to consider this leather icon option made by Noblechairs. Whilst it’s actually technically a gaming chair, it’s definitely one of the best options if you’re looking for the best in back support and lumbar support.
As with any high quality chair, it’s leather design is made to resist spills and liquids, so if you have messy teenagers, you won’t need to worry about them destroying it! You can adjust the 4D armrests to suit you, and if you’re worried about your posture, then this can definitely help you improve yours over time. Each part of the chair is fully adjustable, which means you can make it conform to your perfect positioning.
It can hold weights up to 150kg, and it’s real leather design sets it apart from the rest. – Currently £400 @ Currys.
Office Chair Buying Guide – FAQs
What does ergonomic mean?
By it’s definition, ergonomic just relates to something that is specifically designed for comfort and efficiency. When we’re talking about an ergonomic office chair, this means that the chair has been created with your posture and seating position in mind. Generally ergonomic chairs will have the ability to adjust the seating position quite a bit – obviously one position that you’re comfortable in will not necessarily be comfortable for someone else, so the ability to change the positions is pretty important. Ergonomic chairs will also typically be able to carry a larger weight, so they’re a good choice for larger people.
How much should I spend on an office chair?
As with most things, you should always spend within your budget. Generally, you can find a relatively good office chair at around £100. Cheaper than this, and the likelihood of it lasting you a long time is pretty slim. Office chairs can go up to the thousands of pounds, but after a few hundred pounds, you aren’t going to see much improvement in functionality.
Will an office chair hold my weight?
Well, that depends. If you’re either very tall or overweight, then cheaper office chairs probably aren;t going to be enough to support you comfortably. I’ve listed a few office chairs that can carry weights up to 154kg (around 24 stone), which should be enough for most people. If you weight more than this, then you may need a specialist office chair.
Which office chairs are best for my back?
Typically you’ll want to look for a chair which has good lumbar support and a wide backrest. This should give you the most comfort if you’re going to be working a lot and you want avoid any back pain.
Why are office chairs so expensive
Generally this is because they are actually quite expensive to manufacture. When you think about all the things that go into an office chair, it’s easy to see why they are quite costly. The frame, casters, material, armrests can all add up to quite a substantial figure.
What things should I look for in an office chair?
If you’re just about to buy an office chair, then there are a few things that you’ll want to consider before you make a purchase. These won’t necessarily be relevant for everyone, and people will place a different priority on each.
Headrest
The first thing to consider is your headrest. Do you need one that’s adjustable, or are you okay with a fixed position? How big do I need the headrest to be? These are the kinds of questions you need to be asking yourself before you purchase an office chair online.
Lumbar Support
Lumbar support is important to keep the curvature of your spine natural, as well as ensuring that you’re maintaining a good posture (lower back aligned with your head). Some office chairs will have adjustable lumbar support, whilst others won’t – typically an ergonomic office chair will have specially designed support at a good level, so you don’t need to worry about adjusting this.
Backrest
The backrest is another important part of the chair – you just need to make sure that your backrest is capable of supporting you. This is mainly for wider or taller people, as you can typically adjust the headrest and seating position, but you can’t increase the size of a backrest!
Armrests
Typically armrests aren’t as important as other features of an office chair, as many people don’t actually use their armrests at all. However, some office chairs don’t have armrests at all, so it’s undoubtedly worth considering this before making a purchase.
Seat Height
The height of your seat is another important one. Ideally, your very top of monitor or laptop screen should be just below eye level, so you’ll want to adjust your seating height to get this.
Swivel Seat
It isn’t just the height of your seat that’s important – having a seat that you can swivel can also be a must for some people.
Castors
Not all office chairs are going to have castors to have the ability to move around freely. Depending on what floor surface you’re going to be using, this may or may not be a bad thing. Typically, you’ll want a chair with castors so you can easily adjust your positioning throughout the day.
Conclusion
So, these are just a few of the best chairs currently available out there that you will want to consider. It really depends on your budget and how much use you’re going to get out of your chair – if you’re going to spend 8 or more hours a day in it, then it makes sense to spend a little more on a high quality option.
