Desk Gurus is an Amazon Associate and earns from qualifying purchases. Read more.
Desk Gurus' Choice: AmazonBasics Mid-Back Office Desk Chair
You don’t have to spend an arm and a leg to get an office chair that’ll support your back, legs, and productivity either at the workplace or home office.
Provided you pick and choose one of the best budget office chairs right now, you can reduce back pain and enhance your working comfort on a tight budget.
Do you sit in five-hour stretches to work or read? Getting the best ergonomic office chair can help you curb health issues that come from consistently remaining seated for hours.
But there are truckloads of best office chairs out there. They are not made equal despite what the manufacturers’ marketing scripts may scream out loud.
So, how do you ensure you get only the best-in-category office desk chair for your specific needs?
Well, we did the legwork, so you don't have to.
In this guide, you’ll find our recommended best office chairs so you can narrow down the myriad options available today.
You’ll also see why the recommended top picks made it to this guide in the sections about each chair’s pros and cons.
That way, you’ll know which one of the budget ergonomic office chairs to order right away, or immediately you are ready.
Comparison Table: Best Office Chair
The Best Office Chair | Dimensions W x D x H (Inches) | Weight (Lbs.) | Material | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
AmazonBasics Mid-Back Padded Office Desk Chair   | 27 x 25.8 x 39.2 | 27.6 | Black Leather and PVC | |
SmugDesk Ergonomic Executive Office Chair   | 22.8 x 20.5 x 10.5 | 24.4 | Mesh, Fabric, and Plastic | |
BestOffice Executive Office Chair for Women   | 26 x 24 x 24 | 41.2 | PU Leather and Plastic | |
Best Office Chair
This office chair shines for a bunch of reasons. For starters, it’ll arrive at your doorstep in a medium box—not the heavy stuff many less-ergonomic office desk chairs come in.
Take all the parts out, and assembling the AmazonBasics mid-back office chair is an 8-15 minute affair. Instructions are included, too. It has armrests that offer added support and comfort.
They are not very high, so if you have a small workspace, home office, bedroom desk, or study room, you can roll the chair right under the desk to save space.
If you’ve had an office chair make you very uncomfortable, you'll be pleased to know the AmazonBasics mid-back office chair has been designed with comfort in mind.
You’ll be comfy even if you remain seated for many hours at a time.
The chair’s smooth contours, pneumatic seat-height adjustment, and padded seat allow for all-day comfort. The black bonded leather upholstery makes the chair comfortable to sit on.
This office chair supports blood circulation in your legs even if you remain seated for hours. It comes in a regular size and fits most people very well. Its modern design and stylish look make it perfect for any office setting.
Main Features
- 1-year limited warranty
- Pneumatic seat-height adjustment
- Padded seat
- 360-degree swivel base and dual-wheel casters
Pros
- Easy to assemble
- High-quality black bonded leather upholstery
- 120-degree tilt tension for rocking back
- Silent rolling casters suitable for all floors and some carpets
- 275 pounds of maximum weight capacity
Cons
- No headrest
- The seat cushion goes completely flat after a while
Expect a clean, modern budget office chair that’ll blend in with most workplaces, living rooms, home offices, and sturdy rooms.
Also, choose your favorite color from three options; blue, pink, and grey. So you can personalize it further. Or, get it in a tone that motivates you to become more productive while on it.
Sit on it, and the mesh back and breathable seat cushion will keep you fresh for as long as you want, so you’ll remain comfortable enough to get things done.
Also, that mesh back feels medium-firm. It does also come with an extra lumbar support section. Both of these features help curb lower back pain even if you remain seated for extended periods.
The armrests feel sufficient even as they are immovable and non-removable. Translation? You can conveniently rest your arms as you type away, read a book, or report or game for hours.
Main Features
- Pneumatic height adjustable
- 360-degree swivel base and PU casters
- Breathable seat cushion and mesh back
- Lumbar support
- Mid-back office desk chair
Pros
- 120-degree recline for working and relaxing
- Supports people with medium to large frames and up to 250 pounds weight
- Easy to assemble with no extra tools needed
- Great customer service and is returnable
- Silent casters suitable for all floors and carpets
- Backpressure is adjustable
- Good quality materials for the price
Cons
- Armrests aren't flexible or cushioned
- No headrest
You wouldn't know this is a budget office chair from just looking at it. The PU leather gives it a high-end office chair look. Does it deliver feel-wise?
At 28 inches high by 20 inches wide, the backrest is suitable for most people’s height. You’ll also love that it is PU leather contoured, complete with a cushy, integrated headrest for maximum back support and comfort.
While not adjustable, both armrests come cushioned for optimal comfort during extended productivity sessions.
Like the rest of the parts, these are easy to assemble without needing pro help or extra tools.
The seat is generously padded as well. So you can work long hours and not numb your legs—to avoid issues such as varicose veins. And the backrest molds to your back to keep back pain at bay.
Main Features
- PU leather cushioned backrest, seat, and armrests
- Extra lumbar support
- Pneumatic height adjustability
- BIFMA-certified swivel base
- 360-degree rotating casters
Pros
- Generous PU leather cushioning makes it ideal for working both long and regular work week hours
- Sleek, executive office chair look and feel
- Robust and ergonomic task chair—supports up to 250 pounds weight
- A high-back office chair that's suitable for all sizes
- Silent rolling casters that won’t leave scratches on most floor and carpet types
Cons
- Might take a bit more time to assemble if you’ve not done so before
- Non-adjustable armrests
- The PU leather is not the most lasting it can be
Benefits of the Best Office Chairs
- Value for money: The budget office chairs reviewed here come with decent lumbar support, recline ability, and solid swivel and pneumatic height adjustability mechanisms. Not as robust as in mid-rangers, but still great to have at this price point.
- Clean, modern design: It’s great to have an affordable office chair that can blend in with your classic or contemporary workspace or study desk.
- Easy assembly: You’ll barely take more than 15 minutes to assemble one of these—even when you haven’t assembled another office desk chair before.
- Multitasking: For the price, you can affordably get one to turn into your home office, study room, or guest chair to save on office furniture costs. Pick what to do on it; typing, workstation, gaming, reading, you name it.
Key Features of the Best Office Chairs
Here are some neat features you’ll want to see in an affordable office chair so you can enjoy your purchase well beyond delivery time.
Ample Lumbar Support
Buy an office chair with an S-shape backrest. It’ll mimic the natural curvature of your spine when seated in a natural position.
Such a backrest cuddles the back for optimal support. In turn, that can help to ease, eliminate, or avoid both upper and lower back pain after long work hours.
Mesh Backrests
The design helps to not overheat your back. That way, you can remain cool for hours and get work done comfortably.
Choose a medium-firm meshwork so it’ll mold to your spine’s curvature for personalized back support and longevity. If it’s too soft, then it’ll become lose and uncomfortable sooner than you’d hope for.
Space-Saving Design
The best office chairs are built to offer optimal back, and legs support without too much padding that can take up extra storage space you might not have.
So you can get one of these for your bedroom desk or study setup, too. The best office chair comes with adjustable or removable armrests—if you want.
Mid-Back Design
If you are 5 feet 10 inches and below, like many people, you can comfortably sit in one of these for long hours.
Also, you won't have to sit with your feet off the ground to recline or to have the mesh back mold to your spine curvature for extra back support.
Easy Assembly
It helps to know you won't need to spend an extra $61 for "expert assembly" or scavenge for additional tools to get everything together. And that's fitting when you wanted a budget office chair in the first place.
Tips for Buying and Using the Best Office Chairs
- Confirm your size before buying: You'll be seated in the chair for a whole lot of time in its lifetime. So take measurements of your height, weight, and across the waist (while seated) to ensure you buy a personalized-size chair for enjoying maximum.
- Check if it is returnable: Many affordable office chairs will let you return them within a specified period. That is if they are faulty on arrival or are not what you ordered. So the key here is to check for just how long a window you have before you can’t return it anymore?
- See the warranty: The best office chairs will typically list a maximum of 12 months warranty. 6 months is a decent time. If it goes below that, you might want to look elsewhere for a more confidence-inspiring seller or manufacturer.
- Look at high-quality pictures: That way, you'll know precisely what to expect, so you can decide if what you see is what you really want. Then you can avoid the hassle of returning the package to the seller, the fuss of applying the refund policy, or waiting weeks to make a successful exchange.
- Schedule convenient daytime deliveries: You'll want to be present to inspect the dispatched chair before its return period expires.
- Check the level of customer service: Yes, you are not putting in $1,500 for the office desk chair. But it matters that you can get the timely and spot-on technical help or parts you need to enjoy your investment well into the future.
FAQs
Do most office chairs offer any options for decent support?
Yes. All the chairs in this review offer decent lumbar support and lower back pain relief.
Do budget office chairs provide recline ability?
Yes. Just pull the lever under the seat outwards to enjoy relaxation at a 120 degrees tilt.
What is the height range of budget office chairs?
Most chairs are mid-back height rangers with a few high-back options such as the BestOffice Ergonomic Office Chair reviewed above.
Are office chairs comfortable for use up to 6-7 hours?
That'll depend on the specific chairs build, design, and unique features. For example, a mid-back chair with a mesh backrest, good-size armrests, and medium-firm seat cushion can help you sit comfortably for that long.
Verdict: Our Recommended Best Office Chair
We highly recommend the AmazonBasics Mid-Back Office Desk Chair . You can expect it to be a sturdy, comfortable, and space-saving budget office chair.
Yet, you can still comfortably fit within its dimensions and adjust its height to marry your desk's height. Plus, you can roll around without hurting your knees or back upon the stable base.
It provides decent lumbar support for the price. If you are looking for an affordable office chair for back pain, look no further than this best office chair. It comes in a great-looking package and effortlessly blends with your home or office décor.
Over to you.
Working long hours can hurt your back, healthy weight maintenance, and cut years from your life. And while you have to work, those adverse consequences don’t have to become your story.
You can start where you are with a small office chair budget by investing in one of the best office chairs reviewed here.
