The Best Ergonomic Office Chairs

The Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro gives you more ways to fit a chair to your body than anything else at this level. Branch lists 14 points of adjustment. The seat moves for height, depth and a forward tilt. The padded lumbar slides up and down, moves in and out, or comes off entirely. The armrests adjust five ways, so you can bring them close to your keyboard or turn them to match how you type.

The back uses a fine-weave mesh that stays cool through long days, and the seat has a high-density foam cushion on an aluminum base. Branch rates it for 275 lb and says it suits people from about 5'2" to 6'2", with a taller cylinder available for taller users. It's built to BIFMA standards and comes with a 7-year warranty.

The trade-offs: it costs more than Branch's standard Ergonomic Chair, and the headrest is an extra add-on. If you want the most adjustment for long workdays without paying Steelcase money, it's the chair to get. Check the current price of the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro on Amazon.

The Staples Hyken is the pick if you want real ergonomic features on a budget. It has a mesh seat and back, an adjustable headrest, adjustable lumbar support and a tilt mechanism with a 3-position lock and a tension knob.

Staples rates it for 275 lb over an 8-hour workday, and the seat height runs from 17.2 to 20.9 in. Independent reviewers say it goes together in about 20 minutes and is comfortable for typical workdays.

The armrests only adjust for height, and the seat is on the narrow side, so wider or taller people may find it limiting. As an affordable first ergonomic chair, it's hard to beat. check the current price of the Staples Hyken Mesh Chair on Amazon.

The Steelcase Leap V2 is the chair to buy if you sit all day and want one that lasts for years. Its LiveBack backrest changes shape as you move, and you can set both the height of the lumbar support and the firmness of the lower back.

The 4-way armrests adjust for height, width, depth and pivot. The seat goes as low as 15.5 in, which helps shorter people, and Steelcase rates the chair for 400 lb with a limited lifetime warranty. Independent reviewers single out its lower-back support and comfort.

The catch is cost: it costs far more than anything else in this guide. The fabric back is also less breathable than mesh. If you want a chair for the long haul, it's worth it. check the current price of the Steelcase Leap V2 on Amazon.

The SIHOO Doro C300 is built around its lumbar support. Instead of a knob or slider, the back support adjusts itself to the curve of your spine as you sit, lean and recline. If you forget to adjust your chair, that's a real plus.

You also get an adjustable headrest, padded 3D armrests and a weight-sensing recline, so there's no tension knob to fiddle with. SIHOO rates it for 300 lb with a 3-year warranty. Independent reviewers found it comfortable for long workdays.

The trade-off is control: you can't fine-tune the lumbar by hand, and reviewers say the narrow seat suits shorter users best. If that sounds like you, it's a strong choice. check the current price of the SIHOO Doro C300 on Amazon.

The Steelcase Series 1 brings Steelcase's LiveBack backrest and lifetime warranty to a lower price than the Leap. The back flexes with you, the lumbar support adjusts, and the recline responds to your weight, so there's little to set up.

Steelcase rates the chair for 400 lb and backs it with a limited lifetime warranty, the same cover as its pricier chairs.

It doesn't offer as much fine-tuning as the Leap, and it still costs more than the mesh chairs above. If you want a big-brand chair without the top-tier price, it's a smart middle ground. check the current price of the Steelcase Series 1 Office Chair on Amazon.