The best office chairs 2024 tested and rated

I’ve been using one of the best office chairs for years now and it’s made a huge difference in my work life. During the day, I often sit for long periods of time and a good office chair makes it so much more comfortable plus, my back and shoulders have all the extra support they need.

Based on my extensive testing, the best office chair overall is the Branch Verve Chair. I really like how its 3D knit backrest helps it stand out (in a good way) but it also allows for better airflow. The Branch Verve Chair also has an adjustable lumbar rest, a contoured seat and backrest and its casters are perfect for my hardwood floors. If you’re on a tight budget though, I strongly recommend the Flash Furniture Mid-Back Office Chair which is frequently on sale for just over $100.

Below, I’ve put together several recommendations for all types of use cases, including my favorite ergonomic option, the best office chair for back pain, my top pick for gaming and more. These are the best office chairs you can buy right now that I personally recommend.

The quick list

Written by

Written by

Anthony Spadafora

Anthony Spadafora has been working from home exclusively for the past six years (two full-time with Tom's Guide) and during that time, he's tested work from home accessories, standing desks and of course, office chairs. In fact, he has reviewed more than a dozen office chairs from full mesh chairs to task chairs to ergonomic chairs. Anthony can tell you how comfortable a particular chair is to sit in for long hours at a time as well as what goes into putting it together.

The best office chairs you can buy today

The best office chair overall

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As the follow-up to the Branch Ergonomic Chair, the Branch Verve Chair immediately sets itself apart from the competition thanks to its unique design which won this chair an iF Design Award. Instead of a mesh back, it has a 3D-knit backrest that's extremely comfortable while also being breathable. Besides the Coral color seen here, the Branch Verve Chair is available in black and white as well as light green and light blue.

Besides being pleasing to look at when pushed in at my desk, the chair's V-shaped suspended back also houses its adjustable lumbar rest. Likewise, its inward curving arms help the Branch Verve Chair stand out (in a good way) and I love how the base of the chair is the same color as its seat and backrest.

I found the Branch Verve Chair to be quite comfortable during testing and was impressed by how my body sunk into the chair. At the same time, its nylon casters also made a big difference and were much smoother when rolling around on my hardwood floors. The Branch Verve Chair features six points of adjustment and it felt really good leaning back in the chair while taking short breaks throughout my workday.

Read our full Branch Verve Chair review.

The best budget office chair

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Unlike other budget office chairs that only come in black, what immediately stuck out to me about the Flash Furniture Mid-Back office chair is the wealth of different color options. This is almost unheard of for a chair that costs $200 but frequently goes on sale for just over $100. In addition to the blue and white version we reviewed, you can also get the Flash Furniture Mid-Back office chair in white, red, orange and even neon yellow if that’s your thing.

While you can’t customize all of the various aspects of this chair like you could with more expensive ones, it does come in several variations. YOu can opt for a mid-back, high back and even a drafting chair version depending on your needs.

Like with most budget office chairs, the Flash Furniture Mid-Back isn’t very adjustable. You can raise and lower its seat and adjust the tilt tension but that’s about it. Still, we found it to be pretty comfortable to sit in for long periods of time. Another nice touch is that its arms fold up, so that it can be easily tucked away underneath a desk. If you’re looking for a cheap office chair with a bit more flair, this is definitely one worth considering.

Read our full Flash Furniture Mid-Back office chair review. 

The best mid-range office chair

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The Autonomous ErgoChair Pro should definitely be added to your shortlist if you need a highly-adjustable mid-range office chair with the benefits of a mesh design. The headrest and back cushion of this chair are both made from extremely comfortable mesh, and there’s plenty of adjustment, including 5-stage lockable recline, adjustable lumbar support and a movable headrest. 

This chair isn’t perfect. While the back and headrest are supremely comfortable, the seat cushion features traditional foam padding, which isn’t as comfy as mesh. If you struggle with lower back pain, you may want to consider a full mesh design instead. Similarly, the armrests are quite firm, so you may need to invest in some elbow cushions or look for a different chair, if that’ll be a problem. 

We also had a couple of QC issues in testing, too: namely an internal nut that came free from its housing which stopped us tightening a bolt, and a loose lumbar cushion that kept falling out of its set position in use. Still, for under $500, the Autonomous ErgoChair Pro offers decent value for money.

Read our full Autonomous ErgoChair Pro review. 

The best premium office chair

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In addition to being one of the most expensive chairs on this list, the Herman Miller Aeron is also the oldest. Though work began on its design during the late 1970s, the Aeron was first released in 1994. It’s still going strong all these years later and today, it’s one of the most iconic Herman Miller chairs alongside the Embody.

So what’s it like sitting in the gold standard of office chairs? Extremely comfortable to say the least. This is because you can adjust almost every aspect of the Aeron. You can raise and lower its seat, change the height and angle of its arms, raise or lower its lumbar support and even enable forward tilt for when you need to focus on a particular task.

The Aeron is available in black, gray or a combination of the two but you may not know that there are actually three different sizes. The chair comes in small, medium and large and there are also three types of arms to choose from at checkout along with the option to outfit it with leather arms if you want an even more premium look. 

With an all-mesh design, the Aeron helps keep you cool while working and its ergonomic design helps you maintain good posture. In addition to a lumbar support, there’s also a sacrum support below it and you won’t find this feature in other office chairs. With a starting price of over $1,400 (when on sale), I highly recommend trying one out in person at your local Herman Miller store before investing in an Aeron chair for your home office.

Read our full Herman Miller Aeron chair review.

The best office chair for home office

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From the moment I first saw the Haworth Fern, I knew this was an office chair I had to try for myself. This ergonomic chair features a very interesting design that’s actually inspired by a fern leaf. Haworth uses a 3-part system made up of flexible fronds that resemble the leaves of a fern to achieve this chair’s unique look.

Available with a mesh back, a digital knit one or in full leather, there are plenty of different variations on the Haworth Fern to suit your needs. In fact, you can even get an Xbox version if you want a gaming chair that looks like an office chair. I tried the mesh version of the Haworth Fern and its mesh backrest kept me cool while working while its fabric seat cushion provided excellent support for my lower body.

When it comes to adjustability, the Haworth Fern features eight adjustment points. I really like the crank on the side that lets you adjust the chair’s tilt tension. However, you can also outfit this chair with forward tilt which lets you lean forward by five degrees for when you want to focus on a particular task. The Haworth Fern is a premium office chair that starts at over $1,000 but it is backed by a 12-year warranty. It’s a great upgrade from a budget or mid-range chair but not an ideal starter chair given its higher price.

Read our full Haworth Fern review 

The best office chair for ergonomics

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The Steelcase Karman goes beyond a traditional mesh chair thanks to the company's proprietary Intermix textile. This office chair is available in a number of different colors and even color combinations since it's created using a weaving process where yarns and other filaments are injected into the weave. 

The Steelcase Karman is also exceptionally light at just 29 pounds and unlike every office chair I have reviewed so far, it comes fully assembled. Under the chair's seat, there's a weight-activated mechanism that when combined with Intermix, literally wrapped around my body and supported me, regardless of which angle I was sitting at. 

The Steelcase Karman may lack a dedicated lumbar support but in my own testing, I found I didn't need one due to how the chair responded to my body's movements throughout the day. This level of comfort and engineering doesn't come cheap though but Steelcase does back up the Karman with a 12-year warranty.

Read our full Steelcase Karman review.

The best office chair for back pain

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The SIHOO Doro S300 offers some big improvements over the SIHOO Doro C300 which we also reviewed. These include its dual dynamic lumbar support, its anti-gravity mechanism and its mesh which is made from a woven combination of Italian velvet and DuPont TPEE.

This premium-looking office chair is available in either white or black but there aren't any other add-ons or upgrades you need to worry about. It is more expensive than the C300 at $799 but if you're on a tighter budget, there's also the SIHOO Doro S100 to consider which features a very similar design albeit with less premium materials.

During our testing, we were very impressed with its futuristic design, how its mesh kept us cool while working and the way in which the dual dynamic lumbar support cradled our back. The armrests do leave a bit to be desired though and we found they moved a bit too easily for our liking. Also, the Doro S300's recline is limited to three positions. Still though, this office chair will be a huge help for those with back problems and it offers plenty of adjustability.

Read our full SIHOO Doro S300 review.

The office chair for gaming

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The Razer Fujin Pro is as much an office chair as it is one of the best gaming chairs. Unlike other gaming chairs with flashy designs, Razer went with a sleek, all-black look for its latest chair. The Fujin Pro also features a mesh backrest and seat pan to keep you cool while working or gaming along with a sturdy, aluminum alloy frame.

If the Razer Fujin Pro is a bit out of your price range at $1049, you can get the standard Razer Fujin for $649, though it lacks the aluminum alloy frame and mesh headrest available with the pro model. Another thing I really like about this office chair is that there aren't any add-ons or extra costs to consider at checkout.

In our testing, we found the Razer Fujin Pro to be very easy to assemble and to adjust. The adjustable lumbar support dwarfs those you'd find on other gaming chairs and the padding on its armrests is extremely comfortable too. The seat pan can be moved forward or backward as well for taller people.

The Razer Fujin Pro does double duty as a gaming and office chair and unlike other gaming chairs, you won't be embarrassed to be seen sitting in this one during video calls or even at the office.

Read our full Razer Fujin Pro review.

The best budget office chair for ergonomics

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The FlexiSpot C5 is a step up from the Flash Furniture Mid-Back Office Chair when it comes to comfort and especially ergonomics on a budget. This office chair is available in either black or gray but regardless of which option you pick, you don't have to pay extra for a headrest.

A combination of mesh and foam, the FlexiSpot C5 provides you with breathability in its backrest and headrest along with a bit more comfort in its seat cushion. This chair supports a max weight of 300 pounds and while the recommended height is from 5.3" to 6.5", our 6.3" reviewer found it to be a bit too short for his liking. Regardless, he did find it comfortable to sit in for long stretches and was impressed with its cushy armrests which have a bit of a concave dip down the center.

As for adjustability, the FlexiSpot C5 comes with a 2D lumbar support that you can tailor to your liking using a knob on the back of the chair. Likewise, you can also raise and lower the armrests and the chair can recline up to 115 degrees when you want to relax. The FlexiSpot C5 is a good choice if you're looking for a budget-friendly chair that's also comfortable and better for your posture.

Read our full FlexiSpot C5 review.

The best office chair for long hours

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The X-Chair X2 is a premium all-mesh office chair with built-in lumbar support and plenty of adjustability. It’s a more affordable option than the Herman Miller Aeron and X-Chair does offer a headrest with this chair but you will have to buy it separately.

When configuring your X-Chair X2, you have a number of choices to make besides whether or not you want to opt for a headrest. The chair is available in four different colorways (black, gray, white and red) and you can also pick between two types of armrests, a standard or extended seat pan, locking or non-locking wheels and they are also available in a number of different colors. The icing on the cake though is X-Chair’s ELEMAX cooling, heat and massage unit which slots into the X2’s Dynamic Variable Lumbar (DVL) support. Normally $150 on its own, the company often includes it as a freebie during sales events.

I reviewed the X-Chair X2 a few years ago and it was so comfortable that I held onto it longer than most of the other office chairs I’ve tested. I like how you don’t have to manually adjust its lumbar support and if you opt for the locking casters, you get rollerblade style wheels instead of the standard ones you find on most other office chairs. If the Aeron is out of your price range or you want an all-mesh, ergonomic office chair with a headrest, the X-Chair X2 certainly fits the bill.

Read our full X-Chair X2 review.

Best office chair for mesh