Sponsored by
How to choose a desk chair that's comfortable to sit on all day
Pulling up a perch on one of the best office chairs or even one of the best gaming chairs can seriously save your back. But how do you pick the best one for you and your spine?
In our rankings, the best overall office chair is the Steelcase Series 2, while the best overall gaming chair is the Secretlab Titan Evo. However, even the best of the best might not be exactly right for you. Finding a chair that suits your desk set up and your specific needs is key - lest you find yourself in the terrible clutches of a prawn-like posture despite the ergonomic efforts of your chosen throne.
1. Start with your budget
The Steelcase Series 2 is definitely snazzy. However, at almost $500 for even the most basic version (which doesn't even come with a headrest, mind you), it has a steep price tag. The thought of spending nearly half a grand on office furniture fills me with dread, as I'm sure it does any freelance creator these days. Thankfully, you can get a comfortable desk chair for much less than that.
The best budget office chair is the Flexispot C7 ergonomic office chair. It's highly adjustable, offers self-adaptive lower back support, and even comes with a removable headrest. However, it still costs close to $300. If you ditch, say, the adjustable lumbar support system and are willing to expand the scope of your search to gaming chairs, then I personally recommend the more affordable ThunderX3 Solo 360 Gaming Chair, or the similarly priced Corsair TC100 Relaxed.
My point is that compromise is key: sketch out the boundaries of your budget, and then identify the features you really can do without. For example, as much as I enjoy them on the Solo 360, not everybody truly needs highly adjustable 3D armrests that can spin all the way around, with some likely to find it more distracting than helpful.
2. Make it work for you
In my home office, I perch upon an Ikea Markus office chair, and I have many regrets. For one, I can't adjust the arm rests at all, meaning I can't make them short enough for the seat to comfortably slide under my Ikea Micke desk. Learn from my mistakes and make sure your throne of choice is actually suitable for your work space.
Before you buy anything new, take stock of what you already have. Break out the measuring tape, and make sure the chair will not only fit under your desk, but also that you can easily roll it through your office door. Furthermore, make sure your chair of choice is actually tall enough for you. For instance, those over six feet tall might want to consider an 'XL' style seat for bigger bodies, such as the DXRacer Martian XL or the AndaSeat Kaiser 4 XL.
Once you've nailed down those key measurements, you can focus on more fun details, such as finding either a low-key desk chair that matches your office's existing aesthetic, or something that brightens up the space. If you're looking to tick both boxes, the AndaSeat X-Air Pro Mesh offers typical office chair business in the front, and plenty of stylish gamer chair flair in the back.
3. Lean back and relax
Now, I know I just said spinny arm rests won't be for everybody, but adjustability really is king. If you're able to afford it, a sturdy desk chair with plenty of adjustable features will last you years. But, which features are actually worth it?
Adjustable seat and arm rest height is fairly standard for most dedicated office and gaming chairs. As I've said already, this is key for ensuring your desk chair can actually, you know, roll under your desk. 3D or even 4D arm rests usually add another dimension of adjustability to the tops of the arm rests, allowing you to retract them or even spin them a full 360° for total positioning freedom. If you're working with a really limited amount of space, the option to twist the arm rests to the side so that they're parallel to the front of your desk could scrape back a few precious inches of floor space.
Setting swish arm rest options to one side, the adjustability options I'd really recommend keeping an eye out for are all in the back rest. A solid, fixable recline alongside lower back support features are important for anyone spending a big chunk of time working at a desk.
Lumbar support can take the form of everything from a manually adjustable pop out pillow a(s in the AndaSeat New Kaiser 4), to even a futuristic lithium ion battery powered air bag system like the one found within the back rest of the DXRacer Martian Pro. However, if your spine is already feeling the strain, the best office chair for lower back pain is the Steelcase Leap, thanks to its dynamic 'LiveBack' backrest allowing you to target relief to where your creaky bones need it most.
Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course, you can also follow TechRadar on YouTube and TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.
