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It seems that many folks think that an ergonomic seat has to cost the earth and so many end up not buying anything at all and carry on living in pain.
However, what if I told you that actually, ergonomic chairs do not have to be crazy expensive and you can find some really great ones out there!
In order to fully review them and find out which one I think is the best, I wrote this monster post so you can make a decision yourself.
I have personally reviewed what I think to be the best office stools of this year and in no particular order, with the winner at the end of the post.
You can also check out my list of some very lovely-looking ergonomic living room furniture pieces.
So sit back and get ready for a super detailed post of the 5 best office stool reviews, including a wildcard at the end just for fun!
My Criteria
Below I will list some of the best ergonomic chairs according to my own criteria:
- Functionality
- Does it do what it is supposed to do?
- What extra bells and whistles does it have?
- Is it really a comfortable computer and office desk stool, or just a fancy normal computer desk seat?
- Style
- How does it look in an office setting
- Does it look pretty or more like something you may get laughed at
- Does it fit in with the aesthetic of your office
- Durability
- How strong is it?
- What materials does it use?
- Can it survive many years of extreme office desk use!?
They are in no particular order, except that the winner is at the bottom and the wildcard just after!, but otherwise you can just jump around.
Be Aware Of The Adjustability Of Ergonomic Office Desk Chairs
This is really very important because there is a sweet spot between having too few adjustment points which will render an ergo stool to merely a seat, but too many and you risk having weak points and reducing its durability.
This idea is not that well known to most ordinary people (we have here inside information!) but it is very important to have in your arsenal when you’re going off to buy an ergonomic office desk chair for your workplace. This will ensure that you get the most quality out of the furniture that you buy.
Many affordable and cheap work stools are actually pretty good, they might not be the best but if you’re looking for quality along with the money that you put out, it’s definitely worth a try. So, if you want to view more of the most affordable products with the best quality that you can find on the internet.
There is also the fact that no one really wants to mess around for too long and let’s be honest, I suspect many of you just want to get a cheap desk stool, set to comfortable, and then sit in it. Read this to find out more about Health Form’s sit-stand stool reviews.
Any usable product (unless industrial), that comes with an instruction manual longer than a phone book is too ridiculous.
First of all, though, you should check out if you have any of these forward head posture symptoms as this might be a cause of your pain.
So without further ado, let’s jump right into it!
So, Here is our Top 5 Products:
Alera Elusion Series Mesh Mid-Back Swivel/Tilt Chair
Functionality:
The Alera Elusion Series of ergonomic armchairs is actually a very well renowned series and this one is no different.
With a nice array of features to get you going on your way to ergonomic bliss, you can be assured that you will have plenty of adjustable options to make your new ergonomic stool fit around you.
The one real stand-out feature I think, is its use of a “waterfall edge”, which is a nice added touch.
It is easy to only think about one’s neck and back when we consider comfortable desk seats. But if we remember to ask ourselves, “what is an ergonomic injury?”, then we will get lots of answers including all the different parts of the body.
The Alera Elusion Series Mesh Mid-Back chair’s “waterfall edge” is something found on other office chairs out there.
Style:
Not too dissimilar to the previous Flash Furniture BL-X-5M-BK-GG Mid-Back Mesh Chair, including a mesh back for increased airflow and comfort.
I think it looks nice.
Again it doesn’t set the design world on fire, but it does exactly what it sets out to do: be a usable computer office seat. It will go equally nicely in a modern office desk or a home office behind a computer or a drawing board, whatever your profession may be.
Durability:
Like some of the other ergo office desk seats reviewed here, the Alera Elusion Series stool uses premium materials to keep it solid and helps it to maintain its integrity; which is vitally important for ergonomic chairs.
It also has some strong padding in the seat to ensure that you will remain comfortable and not damage your back in many years.
This is actually true of all the seats in this mammoth review, but it is still worth mentioning because we are looking at different types of office seats here! If you buy an expensive set of dining room stools, you sometimes find the padding getting softer over time and end up replacing them all (in my experience anyway).
With these stools, you will not have to replace the padding very often, if at all.
And even if the padding goes after 5 years, you can always sell the actual seat to someone else and get yourself a nice new one.
Bottom Line:
Very comfortable, a decent amount of adjustability, and some nice extra added features thrown in to boot! You will be hard-pressed to find an ergonomic office stool of this quality.
Flash Furniture BL-X-5M-BK-GG Mid-Back Mesh Chair
Functionality:
Wow, what a stool!
The Flash Furniture BL-X-5M-BK-GG seems to be quite the adjustable ergo seat.
With options to adjust many different aspects including:
- Built-In Lumbar Support
- Tilt Lock Mechanism
- Tilt Tension Adjustment Knob
- Swivel Seat
- Pneumatic Seat Height Adjustment
- Flip-Up Arms
This is the stool for the tinkerer and obsessive alike, (both of those are me which is why I would put serious consideration into buying this one if I hadn’t SAYL Chair by Herman Miller – Official Retailer – Basic – Black.
Style:
I don’t think that there is anything that particularly stands out with the design here.
It looks good, not great. More like an above-average office recliner, rather than a complex and good-looking comfortable seat that will make your coworkers swoon, (I do not think many folks would swoon over an ergonomic seat, but there will be some!).
Bottom line, I would be more than happy to use this chair in my home office.
Durability:
With a heavy-duty nylon base and dual-wheel casters, you can be sure that it can withstand metal buttons on jeans and trousers.
To top it off, the base cushion also contains CA117 Fire Retardant Foam.
Now I will level with you, I don’t know the ins and outs of fire retardant materials, but I would think that this can only be a good thing.
Bottom Line:
Good chair, hardwearing.
Flash Furniture High Back Leather Chair
Functionality:
Wow.
OK, this is probably one of the most functional and durable ergonomic stools I have ever reviewed!
I will just give you a run-through of some of its features, as described in its marketing material as received from their website:
- Contemporary High Back Executive Swivel Office Seat
- Pressurized Lumbar Support Knob
- Triple Paddle Control Mechanism
- Back Tilt Tension
- Back Tilt Lock Paddle Control
- Locking Tilt Paddle Control
- Paddle Adjustable Pneumatic Seat Height Adjustment
- Height Adjustable Padded Nylon Arms
- Heavy Duty Nylon Base with Rigid End Caps
- Dual Wheel Casters
- Black “LeatherSoft” Upholstery. “LeatherSoft” is leather and polyurethane for added Softness and Durability
- CA117 Fire Retardant Foam
(NOTE: All information directly from Flash Furniture)
I am starting to see a pattern with Flash Furniture ergonomic office seats. One is that they are always very decent quality at incredible prices and secondly, they use very high-quality materials and CA117 Fire Retardant Foam in most of their products.
Like I said in the previous Flash Furniture stool review, I am not entirely sure what the CA117 part means, but to quote the internet it is the official US Government authorized non-toxic fire retardant material.
I don’t think you can get a better seal of safety than from good old Uncle Sam.
Style:
I like the look of this chair.
I think that it is perfectly nice looking and can fit in easily in most settings.
For example, I work from home and so it doesn’t really matter what kind of recliner I have because no one will see it apart from me and some friends, etc.
However, I still have a certain style of look to my place which I really want to keep, and putting in something like the wildcard at the end, would really disrupt the whole thing I have going, (think old school library, but Ikea!)
The Flash Furniture High Back ergonomic armchair here would actually be a very nice addition to my room.
It will also fit very nicely into a normal office setting.
I mean the kind of office that most normal people like me and you work in (well not me anymore but I have spent many years in a cubicle, believe me!), with partitions and tiny little kitchen rooms littered with novelty mugs :/
Durability:
This chair is made from some pretty tough stuff including very strong nylon, so it should last the course.
It also has dual wheels castors which basically means that it is less likely the wheels will fall off when wheeling it over uneven surfaces.
The one thing that would worry me slightly is the special “LeatherSoft” upholstery. It has been specially made for comfort and softness, but this could make it a little bit more likely to rip some time in the future.
On the other hand, Flash Furniture is a quality American brand that has been in the business for some time.
From the reviews of it, it seems that this chair is really sturdy with particular attention being given to the armrests and adjustable handles.
Bottom Line:
I think that the Flash Furniture High Back Leather Chair is more than worth it.
The fact that it looks good, is strong and sturdy, has many different options for getting it to fit you just right, and usually sits at a discount; should give you plenty of reason to get out there invest in today for delivery usually tomorrow!
VIVA OFFICE® HOT High Back Ergonomic Bonded Leather Executive and Managerial Office Chair | Orthopedic Design
Product Description:
VIVA Office, the professional office furniture supplier, now provides a great variety of excellent office chairs including ergonomic desk chairs, task chairs, executive & managerial stools, and more.
With the combination of global intelligence, high-quality material, reliable performance, and world-class ergonomic design, VIVA keeps bringing the best sitting experience to customers all over the world!
All VIVA office chairs have passed the BIFMA testing standards for all applicable features.
Functionality:
With pneumatic seat height adjustment, lumbar support, back angle adjustment, tilt-adjustable ability, position lock, adjustable armrest, waterfall edge, high weight-bearing ability + More, the Viva Office Ergonomic Bonded Leather Executive and Managerial Office Chair have enough features to keep the most ardent ergonomics expert happy!
As I said right at the beginning, making sure to have to correct the number of adjustment points, without going overboard is the key to the best ergonomic seats.
The Viva High Back has pulled off this feat well within most people’s budget and added some very nice extras such as premium leather bonded with strong PVC.
Style:
Make no mistake, this chair is all about high quality and it looks like it means business.
It looks great and also that you could just sink into it. In fact, I would use this kind of stool to watch a movie at home in an ergonomic style!
I don’t know, but brushed metal and leather together just makes sense to me and looks fantastic.
Would this make a great addition to your workspace? Well only you can answer that, but I do not think that there will be many places that this doesn’t fit in and make your colleges jealous!
Durability:
In comparison to the Flash Furniture ergonomic chairs in this review which contains a special type of leather called “LeatherSoft”; the Viva has leather bonded with strong, hard-wearing PVC.
Now it may not be as soft, but it will be able to last for a long time and be could be able to knock away most things you could throw at it.
Bottom Line:
This chair is one that I would highly consider buying myself if I was looking for one, but ultimately I would go for the Alera Elusion.
In all seriousness though, this is a fantastic stool that is usually an amazing investment for your workspace.
Do yourself a good deed, treat yourself and invest in comfort and you do not regret it!
Musgrove Mid-Back Desk Chair (Changed to Amazon Basics)
Functionality:
As most of the seats on this post, the Musgrove Mid-Back Desk ergo office recliner features a decent amount of adjustability.
With the all-important lumbar support and padded armrests, this is definitely back and arm friendly.
Armrests are often overlooked when considering a comfortable seat, but it is really another important aspect you think about.
Ergonomic office chairs don’t only help to improve posture and back pain, they also help with many other things like protecting against trapped nerves, tennis elbow, and the dreaded carpal tunnel syndrome.
the Whalen Furniture Astoria alleviates some of these problems with its padded armrests.
Another great feature is that the lumbar support is actually removable. This is important for times where ergonomics can sometimes get in the way, for example, if you are slightly bigger or smaller than average.
Style:
Now then, this one is a bit of a decisive one. I think you either love it or hate it.
Me personally, I think that it is quite nice looking and kind of reminds me of my dad’s old office seat.
It also all depends on the type of office you are in, the job you have and what kind of style you have.
Would I buy this? Short answer: no I would not. This is not because I do not like it, but rather that I just don’t think that it would suit me or is my kind of look.
However, it still looks great and is a fantastic fit for someone in more of a professional setting; a lawyer or doctor perhaps?
This is on the higher end of the chairs in this list. However it is very good quality and with premium leather and wood finish, it is a very good value of features.
Durability:
With strong, heavy construction and a smooth rolling wheelbase, the quality here is apparent and indicative of some rivals.
I think that this is the seat that will last you a long time.
Bottom Line:
If you are the sort of person who likes to buy once and replace not often, this is going to be a good choice for you.
Best Ergonomic Office Computer Chair WILDCARD!
Thought I would just add this wildcard in because well, look at it! It’s an exercise ball on wheels for goodness sake.
Disclaimer: If anyone wants this or has already bought one, all comments are my own opinion and we can still be friends no matter how bonkers you may be!
Evolution Chair Exercise Ball Chair | Top Rated
Product Description:
For many years, healthcare professionals have utilized stability balls as tools to strengthen our core muscles, improve our balance, and facilitate good posture.
The Evolution Stool successfully combines these core-strengthening elements with the maneuverability and versatility of a rolling office chair.
The Evolution Seat reduces spinal compression to provide comfort for the user.
The rolling base offers increased stability, ease of movement, and height adjustability allowing you to obtain your ideal ergonomic position while seated.
Functionality:
It certainly seems that this ergonomic chair (ball chair, chair ball?) does a pretty good job of making one more comfortable at work.
With no back, it also has the added benefit of working your abs and the muscles of your lower back, which is only a good thing.
It has a base with wheels so that you can move it around the office and comes flat-packed that involves some construction.
But this is minimal and really on par with screwing in the wheels and blowing up the ball.
Style:
OK, I am going to be honest with you, I think this thing looks ridiculous!
I am really sorry if this is the stool you were looking for and this is really just my personal opinion.
The reason I say this is because just imagine having this at your office and bobbing up and down looking like a bit of an odd one!
To be entirely fair, all of the reviews of this stool point to it being a good one for lower back pain and it really forces you to sit upright.
However, there are many others out there that are just as good and are not so radical so as to make you stand out, (unless that is what you want?)
It also has to be noted here that although this is supposed to be a post about the best ergonomic chairs under a certain amount, I cannot endorse this chair in all good consciousness because although it meets the mark we set ourselves for this post, (exercise ball that you can get on its own, which has been placed onto the bottom of an average, non-ergonomic office chair!
If you really have your heart set on this stool, save yourself some money and just get the exercise ball!
It is cheaper and will do the exact same thing but be much friendlier on your pocketbook.
Durability:
Like I have already said above, it is basically an exercise ball which in themselves are actually made of very thick, strong rubber.
The bottom, the wheeled section seems to be some kind of hard plastic that looks tough enough but is cheap. Click here if you want to learn more about ergonomic furniture.
Enough said I think!
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