We know you’re choosey when it comes to the chair you’re forced to sit in for eight-plus hours a day. And we also know that not everyone can afford a super-fancy name brand chair. To help you get the biggest bang for your chair-buying buck, we rounded up some of the top-rated chairs on Amazon.com and have the particulars along with what reviewers have to say about them. Who knows, maybe we found your next chair for you!
1. Mesh Task Chair:
Avg. rating: 4.5 stars out of 39 reviews
About: This no-frills desk chair won major points for its price (retails for $125), ease of assembly, and most of all color choices. If you’re looking to make a bold style statement (or are looking for a kid-friendly chair), you can choose between orange, green, pink and purple. They also feature a 360-degree seat swivel and one-touch pneumatic seat heigh adjustment.
What reviewers say:
“I love it. Was easy to put it together. Took me less than 10 minutes to assemble.”
“We bought two of these chairs one for each of our kids; one purple and one green. As promised they were easy to assemble and comfortable to use. They swivel, adjust, and move across the floor smoothly. The fabric and construction seem sturdy and are without a doubt colorful. The kids miss having an arm rest, but I hope that its absence will encourage proper sitting and positioning of the arms and hands while they are working at their desk and on the computer.”
2. Office Star Space Professional Air Grid Back Managers Chair
Avg. rating: 4.5 stars out of 87 reviews
About: This mesh-baked chair features a padded contour seat, adjustable lumbar support, one-touch pneumatic seat height adjustment and 2-to-1 synchro tilt control and adjustable tilt tension. Many reviewers say the chair is just as attractive as a Herman Miller Aeron chair, but without the hefty price tag (retail is $415, but you can find it on the web for almost 60 percent off).
What reviewers say:
“I used to install office furniture (put myself through college that way) and know a fair amount about the construction quality of office chairs. I’ve probably assembled several thousand of them, everything from Global to Herman Miller to Hon. I’ve also built the cheap off-brand chairs that big-box office retailers sell. Usually, the less expensive the chair, the lower the quality. A good office chair from a top-shelf brand that matches this chair’s design and characteristics would cost 2-3x what this chair does. Usually the difference in cost is due to poor quality plastic parts, a poor quality pneumatic lift mechanism, lower grade leather (if applicable), and junk casters that don’t roll freely. After building this chair and testing it out, I can say that it is a very well made chair with quality parts, except for the arm rests.”
“I’m in a military unit that recently ordered hundreds of these. I have heard only praise for them. They are firm in a way that promotes good posture, which is important to you if you spend 12 hours a day behind a computer. They lean back, but not so far that you feel like you are going to fall out. It’s not good for your posture to lean back that far anyway.”
“I’ve been using the chair a couple of weeks now and I am definitely happy with the purchase. It certainly isn’t as comfortable or adjustable as a $1,000 Herman Miller chair, but this is less than half the money and it is just as stylish (I think).”
3. Boss Black LeatherPlus Executive Chair
Avg. rating: 4 stars out of 434 reviews
About: This ergonomically friendly leather chair was designed to reduce leg fatigue and features lumbar support, pneumatic seat height adjustment and adjustable tilt tension control. One reviewer with severe back pain raved about the lumbar support and softness and durability of the leather. It retails for $360.
What reviewers say:
“Good chair for the money. However, if you are shorter than 5′ 6″ this chair may not be for you.”
“This chair looks great and feels even better. As a plus, unlike most other chairs that require some effort to put together, this chair was designed for quite an easy put together.”
“The chair itself is pretty comfortable. It fit my back perfectly and was firm enough to give support while being soft enough to sit for extended periods.”
4. Alera Elusion Series Mesh Mid-Back Multifunction Chair
Avg. stars: 4.5 stars out of 60 reviews
About: Like the Office Star, this chair also features a breathable mesh back and various positioning options,including back angle adjustment relative to the seat, adjustable tilt and forward tilt. The chair retails for $459.
What reviewers say:
“So if you are under 5’5″, It might be best to keep looking. This chair is a monster with levers like a space ship and it weighs about 50+ lbs (which for an awkwardly shaped item is weird). Most importantly, though, is that my feet can’t touch the ground, even at the seat post’s lowest setting… Nice looking chair. Wish it worked out for me.”
“This is the most adjustable chair I have ever owned. From the moment I first sat in it, I knew it was the best office chair I had ever sat it even though I spent 20 years in corporate America with firms that had high incidents of carpal tunnel and were always replacing chairs, desk set-ups etc. to try and reduce the incidents. Every time I sit down in it, I spontaneously utter ‘Ahhhh’.”
5. Mid-Back Fabric Task and Computer Chair
Avg. stars: 4 stars out of 46 reviews
About: Another Amazon bestseller, this basic fabric task chair has a spring tilt control mechanism, tilt lock mechanism and upright tilt lock and nylon armrests. It’s available in black, grey, navy and burgundy and retails for $279.
What reviewers say:
“For a list price of $279, this is absolutely, unbelievably ridiculous. BUT, I got it for $66 which is a phenomenal deal. So for that price, I would say this is indeed a very nice chair. It gives really good lower back support (which I did not expect) and the fabric feel is very sturdy and strong.”
“I have only owned older or cheaper chairs, but I do have friends with high-end chairs, and I’m pleased to say that this one in particular is just about right for the price-point. The overall build seems just fine; it’s not rickety by any means and if you tighten the bolts properly there shouldn’t be any give.”
“This chair is very reasonably priced. It was easy to assemble once it came. While I wouldn’t recommend it if you spend hours at a time sitting in front of your computer (the padding is a little thin and the frame of the chair will begin to dig into the backs of your legs), if you only use your computer for short periods of time ( like I do), then this chair is great!”
6. Alera Fraze High-Back Swivel/Tilt Chair
Avg. stars: 4 stars out of 224 reviews
About: If comfort is what you’re looking for in a desk chair, then you’ve met your match. Made with super-soft leather, the chair has a thick, cushioned seat; side and lumbar bolsters, and a padded headrest and armrests. The chair retails for $349.
What reviewers say:
“This chair is one of the best I’ve had. I play a lot of games at my computer and also do programming so I am sitting for long periods of time. Can’t go wrong if you need a good chair and the price is good for your budget.”
“I personally love this chair. It was a breeze to put together, it looks great, and it’s quite comfortable. I didn’t want anything too firm or too soft, and this was a perfect fit. I would recommend this chair to anyone, especially for the price.”
“This chair really looks good, but I don’t think its all that durable. There are signs already that some of the screws’ anchors may be working loose. The chair arms feel nice, but the thin pleather doesn’t seem like it would hold up to a lot of activity. Overall I still really like the look and feel of the chair, but if you are looking for durability, this may not be the chair.”
If none of these are the chair for you, then make sure to check Arnold’s selection of used chairs (including name brands you love!) all at a steep discount.
