The 6 Best Office Chairs of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

How We Tested the Office Chairs

We tested 22 office chairs at The Lab to determine the best office chairs. We evaluated each chair based on the following factors — setup, comfort, lumbar support, adjustability, design, durability, and overall value. While our team of testers sat on each office chair to determine how it would feel and perform under usual use conditions, we also knelt on the seats, played around with all of the different adjustment options, and put the reclining mechanisms through their paces to determine just how well-built (and how easy to use) each chair was in a real-life setting.

Throughout our testing, we found that every chair we tried was easy to set up. Some included extra equipment or perks, like the white gloves sent with the Duramont Ergonomic Adjustable Office Chair (our best overall pick); however, across the board, it took roughly 26 minutes on average to get each chair ready for use. 

To test out the chairs’ comfort and support, we used them like any other office chair, setting them up at our desks and sitting in them throughout our workdays for the testing period. We noted how the seat felt and supported us initially, and how that feeling potentially changed throughout everyday use for months. We found that mesh chairs like the Herman Miller Classic Aeron Chair (our best splurge option) and the Office Star Pro-Line II ProGrid High Back Managers Chair (our best ergonomic pick) tended to offer great durability, maintaining their initial comfort and support without any issue.

When it came to adjustability in particular, we discovered that the more adjustable components an office chair had, the more our testers were able to achieve a comfortable, ergonomic position while at work. Adjustability was critical in helping users of various sizes (particularly different heights) find a sitting position that supported their arms, back, and legs for long periods.

Ultimately, our testing process showed us that picking an office chair is a personal choice––some users might want more cushioning and comfort, while others may prize adjustability above all else. While some of the chairs we tried out were rated highly in categories like design and durability, others outdid the competition in adjustability, comfort, and price. These subtle differences helped us classify which office chairs would be best for different needs.

What to Look for in an Office Chair

Adjustability

Adjustability is a key component to consider when purchasing an office chair. According to, Ashley Rawlins, PT, DPT, Origin Physical Therapist, you want your chair to have adjustable height to suit you and your desk for proper ergonomic positioning: “It’s important to adjust your chair height so when your hands are on the keyboard, your elbows are at or just above the height of your desk.” 

Many of the chairs on our list feature multiple adjustment options, from seats that can be raised and lowered to armrests that can be height-adjusted to seat tilt changes. Our best overall choice, the Duramont Ergonomic Adjustable Office Chair, offers great adjustment to achieve more customized comfort. Similarly, the RESPAWN 110 Racing Style Gaming Chair (our best gaming pick) is easily adjustable with its lever to maneuver up and down and a reclining mechanism that can be adjusted to different angles for easy viewing. 

Additionally, you’ll want to check if the office chair has removable armrests. When “armrests are out of the way, you are able to scoot as close to your desk as you need, which prevents you from having to lean forward to reach your keyboard, or reaching your neck forward to see your monitor clearly,” says Rawlins. While we found we mostly preferred armrests in our testing, the Amazon Basics Low-Back Office Chair (our best budget pick) is a great option for anyone who wants to go armrest-free for a closer seat.

Wheel Material and Type

You might hear office chair wheels referred to as “casters––the two are interchangeable. Wheels are casters, and both words refer to the round piece that rolls, rotates, and allows your chair to move around.

Wheels are made out of different materials; you’ll find office chairs that feature ones made out of plastic, nylon, and polyurethane most commonly. Plastic wheels are the cheapest and least durable of the bunch, and they’re typically small and attached to chair bases in pairs of two. These wheels don’t roll very smoothly on all surfaces, and they can struggle to glide over thicker carpeting and rugs.

On the other hand, nylon and polyurethane tend to roll more smoothly and are gentler on hardwood flooring. Nylon and polyurethane wheels typically look like rollerblade wheels, with a single wheel that rolls soundlessly.

In addition to these materials, office chairs typically come with one of the following types of wheels for easy maneuvering and movement:

• Swivel wheels, which rotate 360 degrees and can maneuver in any direction with ease.
• Rigid wheels, which only roll forward or backward, limit a chair’s ability to roll.
• Locking wheels, which can be locked to prevent motion if you’d like. These are the least common options available.

When shopping for an office chair, you’ll want to look at the types of wheels included on the chairs you’re considering to see whether or not they’ll work with your current flooring. For example, some office chair wheels don’t seamlessly roll over carpets, whereas others can make the transition between hardwood and carpet without issue.

The RESPAWN 110 Racing Style Gaming Chair, in our experience, is better suited for hardwood floors with its wide wheel casters. On the other hand, we found the Duramont Ergonomic Adjustable Office Chair’s rollerblade caster wheels were more versatile, as these smooth-gliding wheels worked seamlessly on both wood and carpet, without getting stuck along the way. 

Comfort

Comfort is key when it comes to being productive while you work. “The perfect office chair should meet your personal style as well as your preference for comfort and allow your body to be ergonomically aligned,” says Lucia Gruber, design expert and author of The Ultimate Home Office Design. 

We found the Office Star Pro-Line II ProGrid High Back Managers Chair (our best ergonomic pick) to be especially comfortable thanks to its gel-like cushioned seat and soft mesh backing. However, foam-padded options like the Three Posts Mayson Drafting Chair (our best upholstered pick) can also prove comfortable, particularly when they’re well-padded in key areas like the seat and armrests.

For optimal comfort, Sandra Gail Frayna, founder of Hudson Premier Physical Therapy & Sports, recommends trying to sit up straight with your feet flat on the floor while ensuring your lower back and lumbar have proper support (the chair’s lumbar support component should fit the curve of your back). “Make sure to keep your shoulders relaxed and your elbows close to your body,” she adds.

Lumbar Support

Arguably one of the most important factors in choosing the best office chair is to look at the lumbar support. “You should feel like you are sitting perfectly upright without any effort or strain anywhere in your body,” says Rawlins. “This will help to support the natural curves of your spine without having to use your muscles to hold yourself there all day, which will fatigue your muscles and contribute to aches and pains.”

The Three Posts Mayson Drafting Chair has optimal lumbar support with plush foam filling for comfort and support in the back and bottom cushions. Another standout option is the Office Star Pro-Line chair. With so many different options when it comes to adjustments, it’s a breeze to shift and angle the lumbar support on this chair into just the right position for all-day comfort.

Material

Office chairs can be made with all different kinds of materials, and each material has its own benefits and disadvantages. In our testing, we found that mesh is the most popular––and common––material, and it’s one that suits everyday use well. Mesh is breathable, allowing for airflow when you’re sitting for long periods of time. Plus, in our tests, we found that mesh is nicely durable, holding up to long-term use with no changes at all.

There are other perks to a mesh office chair, too. “Breathable mesh is highly comfortable, supports excellent posture, and is more cost-effective,” notes Gruber. Our favorite pick for mesh is the Office Star Pro-Line, which has a high back with a ProGrid mesh panel to support good posture and provide lumbar support without being too thick.

Other office chair materials, like the faux leather of the Soho Management Chair, can also be great picks, depending on what you’re looking for. Leather, faux leather, and upholstered chairs tend to look sleeker and more stylish in your office. However, these materials aren’t as breathable as mesh, and they may not be as durable, either. Faux leather, for example, can easily show signs of wear, especially if you have pets who also like to “use” your office chair.

Customizable Components 

You’ll also want to consider the customizable components of each office chair. Many of the best office chairs offer the option to customize seat height and angle, the seat back angle, lumber support positioning, headrest height, and even the armrest positioning or height. The more features you’re able to customize to your liking, the more you can fine-tune your comfort for all-day use.

The Office Star Pro-Line II ProGrid High Back Managers Chair, for example, has numerous customizable components from the height and depth to the tilt and leverage. The same applies to the RESPAWN 110 Racing Style Gaming Chair which can be customized with headrests of different heights, a foot reclining mechanism, and a 360 degrees rotation. 

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was written by Casey Clark, a writer specializing in home products who has been contributing to The Spruce since 2023. Clark consulted with a variety of experts — physical therapists and office furniture experts — for insight into what to look for in office chairs in terms of comfort, ergonomics, and price. She also factored in testing from the testing team at the Spruce. 

Our Experts:

• Sandra Gail Frayna, founder of Hudson Premier Physical Therapy & Sports
• Ivana Vargas, D.C., chiropractor of Hudson Chiropractic + Wellness 
• Ashley Rawlins, PT, DPT, Origin Physical Therapist
• Heather Adams, senior editor at The Spruce