The Best Office Chairs

The Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro is the office chair we'd recommend to most people. It sits in the middle of the market, yet it offers the kind of adjustments you usually find on chairs that cost much more. It also comes in mesh, bouclé, vegan leather and leather finishes, so it fits a home office as well as a work one.

Branch lists 14 points of adjustment. Seat depth runs from 16.7 to 19.7 in, and a tall cylinder is offered for people over 6 ft. The lumbar pad moves up, down, in and out, or comes off entirely. The back tilts through 26 degrees with adjustable tension, the seat can tilt forward, and the 5D armrests adjust in height, width, pivot, and pad width and depth. It's rated for 275 lb, designed for 8+ hours a day, and covered by a 7-year warranty.

The headrest is sold separately, and the weight limit is lower than the Steelcase Leap V2's 400 lb. If you want one chair that does nearly everything well through long workdays, start here. Check the current price of the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro on Amazon.

The Staples Hyken is a popular budget mesh chair, and it earns our value spot by including features many low-cost chairs skip. You get an adjustable headrest, adjustable lumbar support, and a mesh seat and back that let air through on warm days.

Seat height runs from 17.2 to 20.9 in, and the seat is 19.3 in wide and 16.7 in deep. The back tilts with a tension knob and locks in three positions. Staples rates it for 275 lb over an 8-hour workday and backs it with a 5-year limited warranty, which is long for a chair at this level.

The armrests only move up and down, and the seat depth is fixed, so taller people may want more thigh support. A mesh seat can also feel firmer than foam. For a home office chair that covers the essentials, it's a smart buy. check the current price of the Staples Hyken Mesh Chair on Amazon.

The Steelcase Leap V2 is the premium pick for people who spend most of the day at a desk and want a chair that will last. Its LiveBack backrest flexes and changes shape as you move, and it's rated for up to 400 lb.

Almost everything adjusts. The lumbar support slides up and down, and a separate dial sets lower back firmness. A Steelcase retailer lists seat depth from 15.75 to 18.75 in and seat height from 15.5 to 20.5 in. The back reclines with four stop settings and an upright lock, and the seat glides forward as you lean back so you stay close to your desk. The arms adjust in height, width, depth and pivot. Steelcase covers it with a limited lifetime warranty.

It costs far more than the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro, no headrest comes with it, and the many controls take time to learn. If your chair is your main work tool, it's worth the step up. check the current price of the Steelcase Leap V2 on Amazon.

The SIHOO Doro C300 is a good choice if you run warm and want mesh everywhere: on the seat, the back and the headrest. It sits between the Hyken and the Branch chairs in cost and adds more adjustment than most mesh chairs at its level.

Its lumbar support is self-adjusting, so it moves with your back instead of being set by hand. Tom's Guide lists a seat height of about 19 to 22 in and 3D armrests that move up, down, forward, back and pivot, and the recline can lock at a few angles. The headrest adjusts in height and angle. SIHOO rates it for 300 lb and gives it a 3-year warranty.

Tom's Guide found the lumbar mostly stays put when you sit upright, and the seat pan is narrow, so wider or taller people may want something else. The armrests also slide sideways a little too easily. For an all-mesh chair with a headrest, it's a solid mid-range pick. check the current price of the SIHOO Doro C300 on Amazon.

The Flash Fundamentals armless chair is a simple, compact option for a small room, a guest room desk or short work sessions. With no arms, it tucks fully under most desks, and its base takes up about 23 by 23 in.

The seat is 17 in wide and 16.75 in deep, and seat height runs from 16 to 20.5 in. The mesh back has a gentle built-in lumbar curve and a pivot back that gives a little when you push against it. The seat is padded mesh over foam, and Flash rates the chair for 250 lb for 6 to 8 hours of use.

There's no recline, no lumbar adjustment and nowhere to rest your arms, and the warranty is 1 year. It isn't the chair for full-time workdays. For a homework spot or a few hours of work at a time, it's a sensible, space-saving pick. check the current price of the Flash Fundamentals Armless Chair on Amazon.

The Secretlab Titan Evo suits people who game after work at the same desk and want one chair for both. It has the look of a racing seat but borrows ideas from office chairs, including a built-in lumbar system you set with two side knobs, one for height and one for depth.

This pick is the Regular size, which Secretlab recommends for people from 5'7" to 6'2" and under 220 lb, with a 285 lb maximum. Small and XL sizes are also sold. The backrest reclines from 85 to 165 degrees, the 4D armrests move in several directions, and a magnetic head pillow is included. Secretlab describes its cold-cure foam as medium-firm, and you can choose SoftWeave Plus fabric or Neo Hybrid leatherette.

The seat depth doesn't adjust, and the chair weighs about 76 lb. Tom's Hardware also found the seat firm after a couple of hours and the lumbar knobs hard to reach while seated. For a gaming chair that handles the workday too, it's the one to get. check the current price of the Secretlab Titan Evo (Regular) on Amazon.