These are the best office chairs you can buy at any budget

The adage “you get what you pay for” definitely holds for certain categories of products, like shoes, mattresses, and yes, office chairs. The simple fact is, the more you have available to spend (up to a point), the better chair you can buy. The range of options for the best office chairs available is quite diverse and includes styles and features for just about any taste and preference. Our top pick is the AmazonBasics High-Back Leather Executive Chair. It’s got the looks to fit in a corporate environment or a home office, and it’s so comfortable you might not want to get out of it.

Best overall office chair: AmazonBasics High-Back Leather Executive Chair

When you think of a classy office chair, this is probably pretty close to what you have in mind. Leather? Check. Recline, swivel, roll? Check. Imposing and serious styling? Check!

While it doesn’t have great neck support, the back does rise far enough and is sufficiently padded to provide maximum comfort to your back for long hours of sitting. The armrests are not adjustable but are instead bolted securely in place, though you can easily modify the chair’s height thanks to its pneumatically controlled handle underneath. You can navigate your desk environment with ease thanks to its five smooth-rolling casters and 360-degree turning radius.

The AmazonBasic brand is relatively well-known for its line of office products, but perhaps less so for its office furniture. I’ve had the pleasure of sitting in several of its seats, and I can say from experience that these chairs provide excellent value and comfort. You can get these in a classic black, a rich brown, or a bright white leather covering, so no matter the style and tone of your office, you’re sure to create a cohesive look.

Pros:

• Handsome leather construction
• Soft seat and higher back support
• Pneumatic height adjustable
• Easy to move around

Cons:

• Not very breathable
• Armrests not adjustable
• No neck support

Best overall office chair

Amazon Basics Executive Office Desk Chair with Armrests

• $139 at Amazon

Be the boss

This excellent chair has executive style and creature comforts, all at a frugal shopper’s price.

Best premium office chair: Herman Miller Aeron Task Chair

When people make a wish list of office furniture items (what, I can’t be the only person who does this?), the Herman Miller Aeron office chair is often the item they covet most. If you’ve ever had the pleasure of parking your posterior in one of these babies, then you’ll know what I mean. These chairs really do offer a perfect balance of comfort, support, breathability, and style.

I was fortunate enough to use Herman Miller Aeron chairs in my first job out of college, and I easily took for granted that this was how a perfect office chair should be built. The back and seat are constructed out of space-age material the company calls Pellicle, which it describes as an “innovative, elastomeric” material. It does a fantastic job of allowing airflow while providing comfortable support where you need it. The chair is also adjustable on just about every axis, from the armrests to the lumbar support, to the raising and reclining options.

Of course, not everything is perfect. If you want a more plush, more cushioned chair, you may need to look elsewhere. You can always purchase an aftermarket neck support or cushion, but that requires an additional expense. Speaking of expense, this chair isn’t cheap. It’s easily the most expensive chair on our list. In fact, it’s more costly than all of the others on this list combined and then some. But you get what you pay for here. This chair will keep you in stylish comfort for years on end.

Pros:

• Excellent support
• Adjustable at every angle
• Supremely breathable materials
• Long-lasting build

Cons:

• Very expensive
• Not much cushion
• Neck support requires additional accessories

Best premium office chair

Herman Miller Aeron Task Chair

• $2,000 at Amazon
• $1,445 at Herman Miller

Lap of luxury

When the price isn’t a factor, why not go for the best office chair available? You certainly get what you pay for.

Best office chair for smaller bottoms: OSP Home Furnishings Milo Office Chair

If you have a smaller frame or don’t need to spend hours on end sitting in a chair, you might want to take a look at this little number. It has a modern, stylish look that works equally well in a boho-chic workspace or a more buttoned-down boardroom, and it comes in plain white, a gorgeous Royal Blue, and a light Blush color.

Why do we recommend this chair for people with smaller frames? The size. The back only comes up to the lower-middle section of most people’s backs, and the seat dimensions are much smaller than our top pick above. That being said, the seat and back are equipped with plush padding, and the chair’s height can be adjusted with its pneumatic handle. You can also move it quickly from room to room thanks to its five dual-wheel carpet casters. Best of all? It’s easy to put together and tucks out of the way better than most larger office chairs.

Pros:

• Modern styling
• Casters meant for carpet
• Ventilated lower back section
• Perfect for smaller sitters
• Easy to assemble

Cons:

• Minimal back and neck support
• Not very breathable

Best office chair for smaller bottoms

OSP Home Furnishings Milo Office Chair

• From $166 at Amazon
• $132 at Walmart

Dainty derrier

A modern style and thoughtful construction make this little chair perfect for smaller sitters.

Best office chair for relaxation: BestOffice Massage Office Chair

At first glance, this may look like an ordinary office chair. But upon closer inspection, you’ll see that the cushion is extra padded for longer sitting times. Combine that with a firm mesh back support that allows for greater airflow, and you’ve got the perfect place to park your rear for hours of productivity.

But the breathable mesh back that this chair sports is not even the best part! It also comes with a vibration massager that attaches to the lumbar support and can be powered from your computer or a standard USB outlet. There are also armrests that, while they aren’t adjustable in the traditional sense, can be flipped up and out of the way, making this chair perfect for sliding in and out of or tucking under a desktop. And, of course, you can adjust the chair’s height thanks to its pneumatic level on the bottom right of the seat cushion. There is also a tilt control under the front of the chair, should you want to recline and rest while enjoying your lumbar massage.

Pros:

• Breathable mesh back
• Lots of seat cushioning
• Attachable lumbar massage
• Adjustable armrests

Cons:

• No neck support
• Only available in black

Best office chair for relaxation

BestOffice Massage Office Chair

• $85 at Amazon
• $85 at Walmart

That’s the spot

This chair is comfortable, but it also sports an adjustable massager to work out the kinks of a busy workday.

Best gaming office chair: GTRacing Gaming Office Chair

We joke that this is the official chair at Android Central since so many of us use one daily (including yours truly!). I’m not a gamer, so earlier this year, when I asked my colleagues what office chair they recommended, I initially scoffed at the idea of picking up one of these chairs. I sure am glad that I heeded their advice, though!

The GTRaching chair can be adjusted to suit your comfort in several different ways. It has both height and tilt-adjustable levers, a high back for optimal neck support, and height-adjustable armrests. It also comes with adjustable support pillows for your neck and lower back, which can be removed if you wish.

Not only is this GTRacing chair supremely customizable in terms of personal comfort, but it looks professional as well! Sure, you can choose one with red, green, blue, or even pink highlights, but you can also opt for a more subtle gray or black colorway. In my opinion, this gives you the best of both worlds!

Pros:

• Ergonomic design
• Excellent neck and lumbar support
• Adjustable armrests

Cons:

• Not very breathable
• Styling may not be to everyone’s taste

Best gaming office chair

GTRacing Gaming Office Chair

• From $110 at Amazon
• From $126 at Newegg
• From $130 at Walmart

Professional and gamer

With subtle color options and fantastic comfort, no one has to know you’re working in a gaming chair.

Best guest office chair: Boss Office Products Contemporary Guest Chair

One frustrating bit about having your own office, particularly your own home office, is that seating is at a premium. So when I’m at my office chair, and a family member wants to come in and visit, they pretty much have to stand or drag a chair in from the kitchen. Not ideal.

My solution has been to purchase a couple of low-profile, yet still comfortable, office guest chairs like these. Not only do they provide a place for someone else to sit when more than one of us needs to work or study in the office, but to be honest, they make another great surface to stack all of the fun stuff I get to review.

These chairs have ample cushioning in the armrests and seat, and the padded back provides comfort to your guests while they wait to speak with you. Because the chairs are not intended for long periods of sitting or work, there are no adjustable controls to regulate the height, nor to turn or recline, and there are no wheels or casters either. No, these are chairs meant to provide temporary comfort to temporary guests, and they do that job exceptionally well.

Pros:

• Stylish looking guest chair
• Soft, plush fabric lining
• Plenty of seat cushioning

Cons:

• Not adjustable
• Only one color option

Best guest office chair

Boss Office Products Contemporary Guest Chair

• $169 at Amazon
• $185 at Newegg
• $146 at Walmart

Spare chair

You shouldn’t be the only one sitting pretty in your office — make sure that your guests are comfortable as well.

Best tall office chair: Modway Assert Drafting Chair

My dad worked at a drafting table for years, and when he wasn’t standing, he took breaks in a chair much like this one. So even if you don’t have a drafting table, you may find several uses for an elevated experience as well.

More and more folks are warming up to the idea of standing desks, or desks that can convert to a standing position, and that’s great. But there are definitely times when you want to sit down, and for those times, there’s nothing better than a drafting chair.

This drafting chair from Modway offers users a comfortably padded seat, breathable mesh back support, and 360-degree footrests. The armrests are not adjustable, and the back cannot recline (believe me, you wouldn’t want a drafting chair to recline), but you can lower this chair to a height reasonably close to a standard chair. This might come in particularly handy if you want to be more on a face-to-face level when meeting with colleagues or if you want to tuck and stow the chair somewhere more out of sight.

Pros:

• Great for high counters or standing desks
• Excellent breathability
• 360-degree foot support

Cons:

• No neck support
• Doesn’t recline
• Can’t fit under lower desks

Best tall office chair

Modway Assert Drafting Chair

• $182 at Amazon
• $151 at Walmart

Drafted for duty

Rise to the next level with a comfortable, adjustable drafting chair like this one from Modway.

Bottom line

If you’re in the market for a new chair for your office or home workspace, you may have a list of criteria for what constitutes a good chair. You may want something that looks and feels as premium as possible. For that, I’d recommend the AmazonBasics High Back Leather Executive Chair. If that doesn’t suit your seat, then chances are one of the other options on this list will work well for your office space.

If you’re looking for something that is even more affordable than some of the ones we’ve selected here, you should rest assured that there are still quite a few great office chairs available on a budget. You can always begin your journey with one of these and work your way up to some of the more premium options as your budget and space allow.

Credits — The team that worked on this guide

Jeramy Johnson is proud to help Keep Austin Weird and loves hiking in the hill country of central Texas with a breakfast taco in each hand. When he’s not writing about smart home gadgets and wearables, he’s defending his relationship with his smart voice assistants to his family. You can follow him on Twitter at @jeramyutgw.