At TechRadar, we've been testing the best office chairs for quite a while now and I personally have tried a fair few of those available in Australia. Of all the models my colleagues and I have tested, I've handpicked nine to suit different budgets and needs, and they should all be fine for your home office or the workplace.
How did I pick my choices? I've looked at each ones features (including adjustment points and ergonomics), the materials used and the price point to bring you only those that passed our rigorous testing. We've tried all of these ourselves – some in our own homes, others in the TechRadar offices – so you can trust I'm recommending the good seats in the house.
The best office chairs need to provide ample support for your body while you sit at your desk and work (or play). Being comfortable will invariably lead to better productivity, so its an investment worth making.
Ideally you’ll want a chair that offers comfort in the places where it’s needed most. Think about your lower back, your arms and even your neck posture. You’ll also want a chair with the right amount of adjustments so you can tailor the experience to your needs. The chair needs to be built to last with high quality materials and needs to be made of a fabric you actually like. Living in Australia, I prefer fabrics and mesh to leathers, for example.
While the checklist of things you need to consider is stymied by your budget, please don't be afraid to invest some extra cash on a good seat. After all, you'll be using it for a while and a bad chair won't do you any favours.
September 2025: I'm currently trying out the ErgoTune Vesby in my own home, while very different Steelcase Buoy is getting a lot of attention in TechRadar's Sydney office. Until I finalise those reviews, I've added a couple of other Steelcase office chairs to this page, each appropriate for specific use cases.
Sharmishta has had back issues for years and is constantly in search of her 'perfect' office chair. She's reviewed quite a few of the chairs listed below, and has picked up a thing or two about what to look for when shopping for an office chair.
Best Office Chairs: the quick list
A well-rounded design that offers 15 points of adjustment, the Joobie gives you no reason to become a slouch. And it's one of the few office chairs to offer an optional footpad for more comfort.
A brilliant office chair that is well-designed and constructed, with top-notch adjustability that offers comfort all day long. It can take a while to get used to, but your body will thank you for it.
While technically a gaming chair, this Corsair seat doubles up really well as an everyday work chair as well. Its monochrome design is smart and it's really rather comfortable for a chair that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.
Our pick for relieving back pain while sitting for long hours – an ergonomic office chair that gave us all-day comfort and zero fatigue. It does come at a hefty price though.
This is quite the compact chair to fit into tighter spaces, but it's also an all-rounder. With good ergonomic support, we found the Steelcase Series 2 to be well designed, solidly built and comfortable for long hours at the desk.
It's expensive, but the Steelcase Karman is not only beautiful and one of the best mesh chairs we've tried, it's also perfect for hot desking as you don't really have to make adjustments (other than the height) for different users. It moves on its own to adjust to the individual, and is possibly the best mesh chair we've tried.
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This Aussie-owned office chair is for those who like simplicity and need to move a little more when sitting down. It's designed to offer micro movements that can help maintain your overall health.
Gaming is a job too and if you need to spend long hours developing and playing the next AAA title, get a seat that offers luxury features without the exorbitant price tag of other such chairs. There's plenty of support here, even for heavier gamers.
It's the most expensive chair on this list, but if you're tall and big built, this could be the best investment you make in a seat. It's available in three sizes, so you'll need to check you're getting the right one for your body.
Best office chair overall
Dethroning its older sibling – the ErgoTune Supreme – at the top spot is the more voluptuous-looking ErgoTune Joobie. Where the older model had 11 points of adjustment, the Joobie gives you 15. It can take a while to wrap your head around all the various adjustments, especially trying to figure out how the proprietary VerteSync recline works, but I quickly fell in love with the Joobie during my testing.
I'm not sure I like the armrests' limited adjustability, but it will suffice for most users although making the lumbar support adjustable is a massive tick in my book. It's not as harshly curved as in the Supreme, so it's easy to get used to on day one, but being able to not only adjust its tension but its height too means it's suitable for anyone.
I also love that it comes with an optional footpad for just an additional AU$50. Not everyone will want it, but having it made my Joobie turn into a recline – well, not really a La-Z-Boy, more a dentist's chair but without the stress. So not only can you sit up straight while working, you can relax into too.
I found the adjustments easy to make whenever needed and the controls are all easy to reach, even for short people like me.
It comes with a 6-year warranty, available in several colours and, importantly, doesn't cost an arm and a leg. In fact, you'll find it discounted by at least AU$100 quite often.
Read my full ErgoTune Supreme V3 review for more details
Best for ergonomics
It might have been replaced as the best overall office chair available in Australia, but the ErgoTune Supreme remains our pick for being the most ergonomic chair I've tried. Sure, its lumbar support, which is its harshest part, is not adjustable like the newer Joobie listed above, but that intense curve is exactly what some of us need to make sure we get the best support possible while sitting all day.
It takes a while to fall in love with the ErgoTune Supreme, precisely because of that lumbar support, but it's built to make sure you don't become a slouch. As our tester mentions in his review, "your body will thank you for it".
It's available in three height options to suit different people, but its seat might feel narrow if you are broadly built. That said, it can handle up to 130kg in load. Reclining resistance could also be a little stronger.
With two new ErgoTune chairs now available in Australia, it's highly likely that the Supreme will get discontinued soon. It's still available in two colour options (the lovely Coral Red is no longer listed), and I think it's worth the investment – I've used it for a few years (but currently testing the ErgoTune Vesby) and vouch for it as one of the most ergonomic chairs I've tried.
Read our full ErgoTune Supreme V3 review
Best budget
If you're on a tight budget and are in need of a new work chair that can double up as your gaming seat too, then there's none better than the Corsair TC100 Relaxed. It's quite similar to its more expensive sibling, but keeps the asking price low with only a few minor concessions. Overall, it's a well-rounded gaming chair that punches far above its weight.
While our reviewer found it frustrating to put together, the Corsair TC100 Relaxed is essentially a no-frills gaming chair, but it does have some great features. From 2D armrests, a back recline of up to 160º and a wider seat than is standard makes for all-day comfort whether you're at work or play. It even comes with a headrest and lumbar pillows at no extra cost.
While the Corsair TC100 Relaxed may not turn many heads, it passes the most important test of being incredibly comfortable. Owing to its "relaxed" nature, you aren't quite as hemmed in by the angular racing-seat style shape that you would find on many of the more aggressively styled models on this list. This, combined with the pillows, and the height and weight accommodation of 188cm/6ft 2in and 120kg/264lbs make it an ideal choice for those who want a super comfortable gaming chair on a budget.
Read our in-depth Corsair TC100 Relaxed review to find out more.
Best for long hours
Ergonomics are obviously an important part of every chair and the Sihoo Doro S300 has some of the best we’ve ever seen that makes sitting on it for long hours a pleasure. The dynamic lumbar support of the Doro S300 makes it an extremely worthwhile investment if you’re looking for all-day comfort at what is honestly a pretty good price for a chair like this.
The build quality of the C300 is outstanding, but that comes with a caveat: you’ll be building it yourself, with the seat coming completely disassembled. The back support is completely mesh with support up to the shoulder level.
In our review, we found the C300 to be comfortable all day, however the 3D armrests (named so as they can move left, right, back, forward, up and down) have a tendency to wiggle about and be a distraction.
Read our full Sihoo Doro C300 ergonomic office chair review
Best task chair
With its cushioned seat, breathable mesh fabric back, and one of the best ergonomic designs with height-adjustable lumbar support, we found the Steelcase Series 2 task chair incredibly comfortable to sit in, even for long hours. Its gentle, elegant design makes it ideal for both the office and home office, and it’s even backed by a 12-year warranty.
Beyond all-round comfort, what really makes the Steelcase Series 2 stand out is the configuration line-up. We reviewed the task chair version, a mid-back executive-style desk chair, but the seat is available with or without a headrest in Australia and, importantly, in a variety of colourways to match your style.
Seat height rests between 37cm and 43cm, armrests boast 7.6cm adjustability, and there’s a 181kg max weight load.
In our experience, operating adjustments with the under-seat levers and dials was very intuitive. Certainly no fumbling for controls here. Our only real issue is that the recline doesn’t lock into place, returning to the upright position each time. Not a bad choice for those looking to improve posture at their desks. Plenty of chairs offer similar specs, but we found the Steelcase Series 2 to be the complete package, although it is more expensive than ErgoTune chairs.
Read our full Steelcase Series 2 Task Chair review
Best mesh chair
This all-mesh beauty is one of a kind, and we had quite a few us in the TechRadar Sydney office fighting over the Karman. Proprietary mesh that's both strong and breathable is wrapped around a uniquely designed frame that flexes with body movements. It's essentially lightweight plastic, but strong, that moves a little bit, ensuring the chair adjusts to the user and not the other way around.
That means there's really no need for additional adjustment levers or dials and is arguably the chair a workplace should get if hot desking is the norm.
The only controls here are height adjustments and a Comfort Dial to lock or release the backrest – everything else happens on its own as your body moves through the day. And while that may not be for everyone, I found it to be surprisingly comfortable.
My biggest gripe here is the lack of integrated lumbar support, but unless you have lower back issues, you may not even miss it here. The armrests also have limited adjustability but, again, that may not be a deal breaker for many users.
What could stop you from buying it is its high price tag, but if you can grab one during a sale, it's even more breathable than ErgoTune's mesh chairs, if that's even possible. In fact, the mesh weave here is so good, you hardly feel like you're sitting on mesh.
If you have the budget for it, this could be a worthwhile investment, especially since you also get 12 years limited warranty.
Read our in-depth Steelcase Karman review for more details
Best for small spaces
Simple and more budget-friendly than every other chair on this list, the Desky Swivel 3D Tilt is no slouch at this price point. While it doesn't have any cushioning or padding on its seat and backrest, it does something no other chair can handle as well – it offers a full 360º tilt on its axis (or the gas lift mechanism) that encourages micro movements while you're working. These movements burn calories and, importantly, can help your core muscles a little, although it takes a little more effort to move the seat in some angles than it does in others.
Our reviewer didn't think this chair would suit everyone. The seat is narrow and the plastic build can get hot and uncomfortable during Aussie summer conditions if you don't have an air con going. It would best suit a small-built person and the chair itself is ideal for small spaces.
Other than the tilting feature and changing height, there are no other adjustments you can make to the chair. It lacks lumbar support but, if you don't have lower back issues, you likely won't miss it at all.
Also note that this chair is only available in a single white-grey colour scheme – while that will suit most spaces, whether at home or in an office space, you can't expect a pop of colour here.
Read our full Desky Swivel 3D Tilt office chair review
Best for gamers
The AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL is the best gaming chair for bigger people that we've tested. Sure, it's expensive, but it easily justifies its price tag by offering a variety of premium features.
All in all, this is a sleek, incredibly comfortable gaming chair, and one that has a robust and larger design perfect for bigger players of up to 395lb / 180kg in weight and 6'8" / 210cm in height. But simply being bigger and stronger with a robust steel chassis and strong castor wheels isn't the only thing that defines the Kaiser 3 XL – it also offers comfort, lumbar support, excellent finishes, an excellent range of adjustability options from the arms to the back, and a well-designed ergonomic seat.
Construction is simple with easy-to-follow instructions paving the way for a smooth build process, while particular highlights of the chair's comfort include the integrated lumbar support and impressive cushioning throughout (despite some sub-optimal stitching and logo work). A brilliant chair for those looking for more room.
Read our in-depth AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL review for more details
Best office chair for big & tall
When it comes to the best office chair for big and tall users, the Herman Miller Aeron stands above all the others we've tested. Yes, it's expensive, but it offers the company's signature comfort levels, a professional design, impeccable buiuld quality, and a high weight load and height range that puts other office chairs to shame.
The real eye-catching feature here is the chair's availability in three sizes – so you can find the right fit for your body type (the specs listed above are for the largest Size C model). Users over 6'6" are served by the maximum height range of 58cm, while the chair's 159kg weight capacity makes it an excellent option for bigger body types. I also recommend getting the model with fully adjustable armrests.
Our reviewer used the Aeron for a straight week and absolutely loved the experience. The seat is firm, with a little bounce on the suspension for better comfort, and the chair's ergonomic curve and PostureFit back support do encourage you to sit with improved posture. Adjustment controls and mechanisms were (mostly) intuitive, feeling premium in hand
Read our full Herman Miller Aeron review
Best office chairs: FAQs
How can the best office chairs support healthy workplace routines?
TechRadar's former Senior Fitness & Wearables Writer, Stephen Warwick, explains how to support a healthy workplace routine:
“The best way to maintain a healthy lifestyle working at home or the office is to regularly move throughout the day - it’s about creating a balance when using an ergonomic office chair. Remember, sitting for too long puts you at risk of CVD like coronary heart disease, stroke, and heart failure. Standing desks and under-desk treadmills can promote a more active workplace routine, while the best fitness trackers and smartwatches will also support activity with movement reminders and step-counts.”
We've also explored the benefits in our in-depth report Sitting vs. standing for work: we take a comprehensive look at what the science says.
What are the different types of office chairs?
Ergonomic office chair
An office or home ergonomic office chair is designed for comfort and better posture while sitting, with support for your lower back and improved bodyweight distribution.
Executive office chair
A premium. padded office chair, usually boasting a high-back and leather upholstery, designed for all-day comfort and support.
Mid-back office chair
As the name suggests, this is a seat with a low backrest that reaches below the shoulders. The design is popular in smaller home offices, boardrooms, and communal areas.
Gaming chair
A plush, adjustable chair, usually covered with fabric or leatherette for soft cushioning during long gaming sessions
High-back office chair
The classic tall office chair design, offering full back support from the base of the spine to the neck. Often, high-back office chairs feature a built-in or detachable headrest.
Task chair
A functional chair that’s built for most workspaces and employee body types, they usually feature a slim profile and compact, ergonomic design, and a focus on productivity.
What is the difference between an office chair, task chair, and gaming chair?
Office chairs are a broad category, with high-back and mid-back styles, sometimes padded. Mesh designs are popular in modern offices, while padded ones are usually seen at home and in executive offices.
A task chair is a type of office chair designed for functional use across almost any workspace. This type of office chair tends to be small, ergonomic, and business-like.
A gaming chair usually has a well-padded design for long, comfortable gaming sessions. While some have RGB accents, others feature professional designs fit for home and office.
There are a few differences when it comes to office chairs vs desk chairs. Some gaming chairs work great and many traditional office seating options can be used as gaming chairs. In fact, many gamers out there opt for a good office chair over those kitschy bucket seat gaming chairs that promise comfort but don’t exactly deliver.
That said, the one thing that generally sets the best gaming chairs apart from office chairs is their design. They’re heavily inspired by race car bucket seats, oversized frames, support cushions, gaming logos, and bright or distinctive colors. Meanwhile, office and task chairs built for work and productivity are designed to blend into a business or work-from-home environment and usually feature subtle colors, flatter seat cushions, and a mesh or padded backrest.
An office chair, task chair, or gaming chair will offer plenty of options to adjust the armrest, tilt tension and locking, seat height and depth, lumbar support, and more. However, in our experience, gaming chairs often offer more flexibility in the reclining options, having most chairs recline back and feature a headrest pillow for extra gaming support.
How can I make my work chair more comfortable?
When you need to know How to make an office chair more comfortable, it's worth considering that many of the top choices offer lots of flexibility, customisation, and adjustability. This way, you can find the most comfortable position for extended hours. If you're struggling to find the right position for comfort, it may be your posture or the chair's current set-up.
How much should I spend on the best office chairs?
When it comes to budget, there's no right or wrong answer – so long as you're not making these 5 common mistakes most people make when buying an office chair.
You can find a super-comfortable office chair for around the AU$300 mark, or spend thousands on a premium ergonomic seat. Generally speaking, we'd avoid suspiciously cheap chairs – anything below AU$100-AU$150 will likely suffer from poor build quality, limited adjustability and padding. In our experience, those in the AU$100 bracket can be very hit and miss, so check reviews.
There are many factors at play when you're looking at how to buy an office chair and you can find a comfortable and ergonomic chair in every budget range.
How often should office chairs be replaced?
The answer isn’t quite straightforward here. Obviously, if you’ve got a chair that’s broken or no longer provides good support, there’s no better time than now to replace it – hopefully with a better option. But if you’ve got a working chair that has no massive issues, chair manufacturers somewhat disagree on when you should replace yours. And, that’s really due to the fact that it largely depends on their build.
Some crafted for home and office will last you seven to eight years, others will last you five. A handful, like the Humanscale Freedom, will last you 15 or more years. ErgoTune offers 6 years of warranty only, but the chairs are well built and could go the distance. Of course, factors like the level and amount of usage, as well as environmental conditions, matter as well. We recommend consulting your chair’s manufacturer first before dropping a chunk of change on a new chair. And also, trust your gut. You’ll know when your trusty old chair just isn’t cutting it anymore.
How to choose the best office chair
Our 5 essential features of a good office chair gives an in-depth guide of what to look out for when picking the perfect seat, but here’s a quick summary of what to look for when you’re shopping for your next piece of office furniture:
Adjustability
With a wide variety of desks, pairing the right office chair can come down to its adjustability. How high can the chair rise? Are the armrests movable? Does the backrest tilt? These options can impact how you sit at your desk, and you want to make sure you have the right chair with the adjustments you need for the most comfortable seat.
Size
You’ll want to find a chair that not only fits in your space, but also one that fits your body comfortably. While a lot of gaming chairs offer options for bigger and taller people, not every office chair has been designed to fit every body type. Each chair has weight limits and recommended heights, so it’s important to check those specifications if you’re on either end of the size spectrum.
If you’re working with a smaller space, consider looking at chairs with removable armrests and a minimalist design – though you might have to go without all the adjustability options you’d otherwise have.
Support
You’re likely going to be sitting in your office chair for hours a day, so you want to make sure it offers the right support. From lumbar support to headrests, these can be the difference between a chair that’s comfortable for the first few hours, and a chair that will keep you comfortable and sitting correctly throughout the whole day.
Ergonomic chairs can also help to keep you productive – you won’t be spending your valuable time thinking about how uncomfortable you are, and instead can focus on your task or game.
Materials
The right material can also impact the comfort of your office chair, as well as how long it'll last. High-quality materials will increase its lifespan, saving you time and money in the long run while still providing a comfortable seat.
Additionally, different materials can help keep you cool or warm, depending on your office’s climate. If you have a warmer office, consider looking into mesh chairs, or other breathable fabrics. Alternatively, if you want a premium chair and have an office with good regulated temperature, leather – or faux leather if you prefer – chairs should be your go-to, as they both look and feel the part of an executive seat.
Cost
The bigger the budget, the more options you’ll have. Though, that’s not to say there aren't high-quality affordable office chairs out there. It really will come down to what you’re looking for, but cost can be impacted by brand, material and design.
How we test
Each office chair we review is tested for over a month, with close consideration given to the comfort, material, adjustability, durability and weight limit of the seat. It’s not just a matter of sitting in the chair while we work, we carefully consider each of the above categories, and how the chair impacts our productivity.
Additionally, we also look at how easy each chair is to assemble and, more importantly, its cost. Options from both the premium and lower end of the price spectrum are put to the test, so we can assess a big variety of chairs. We also take into consideration the design and size of a chair, as each workspace will have its own spatial needs.
See more about our testing process in How we test, review and rate on TechRadar Pro: Office Chairs.
