The best Steelcase office chairs are among some of the most popular options available in the market today, thanks to their extensive ergonomic adjustments, premium build quality, and strong customer support. Whether you opt for the Steelcase Leap chair or the Steelcase Gesture chair, you’ll be sure to get one of the best office chairs for your desk and office space.
Plus, with a long warranty and excellent customer support, you can be sure you will always be taken care of with a Steelcase office chair. The company’s dedication to producing a high-quality product is apparent, which makes the cost of these expensive chairs easier to justify in the long run.
Keep reading to learn more about the best Steelcase office chairs and the features that make them stand apart from the competition.
Top Steelcase Office Chairs
#1 Steelcase Series 1 Carpet Casters Office Chair
Award: TOP PICK
WHY WE LIKE IT: This chair has a breathable mesh back to help keep users cool on hot days. Featuring adjustable arms, adjustable lumbar, and seat depth adjustment, the chair is quite ergonomic.
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- Breathable mesh back
- Adjustable lumbar and seat depth
- Carpet casters
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- The armrests don’t lock
- Hard lumbar support
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Available in a variety of colors, the Steelcase Series 1 Carpet Casters office chair will appeal to a wide variety of people. The chair has a breathable back mesh that enhances airflow. It has a polyester seat fabric, providing a plush, durable platform for sitting. With adjustable seat depth, this chair is quite ergonomic. It also has fully adjustable arms to provide upper body support. However, the armrests don’t lock, so they occasionally move accidentally.
This chair has an adjustable lumbar support system, giving users control over their posture. Pneumatic seat adjustment facilitates increasing and decreasing the height of the seat with little effort. The chair has recline tension adjustment, enabling users to reduce or increase the stiffness of the back. It’s available in various colors, including black, blending in easily with most office design schemes. This chair has a sturdy five-star base with carpet-optimized casters for flawless mobility.
#2 Steelcase Leap Office Office Chair
Award: HONORABLE MENTION
WHY WE LIKE IT: This chair has a padded back and seat, allowing users to concentrate on tasks without discomfort. The chair has a wide selection of ergonomic features, including adjustable lumbar, seat depth adjustment, and a five-position recline lock.
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- Excellent carpet-optimized casters
- Padded back and seat
- Five-positions recline lock
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- Lacks headrest
- Armrests don’t lock
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The Steelcase Leap office chair has a stylish appearance that will raise the aesthetics of any office. This chair has high-quality polyester fabric that offers comfort. It has a padded back and seat, so it’s pleasant to use for long hours. The wheels on this model are optimized for carpet flooring, facilitating hassle-free mobility, and it has adjustable seat depth. However, this chair has a relatively short build and lacks a headrest, so it may not be suitable for very tall individuals.
Fully adjustable arms allow users to customize the height, horizontal position, and direction of the armrests. The chair also has a height-adjustable lumbar and a lower back firmness control mechanism for convenience. A pneumatic seat height adjustment mechanism simplifies moving the seat up and down. This chair features recline tension adjustment with five different positions, allowing users to lean back as needed. Featuring a five-star base, the chair offers durability.
#3 Steelcase Gesture Office Chair
Award: BEST FOR HARD FLOORING
WHY WE LIKE IT: This office chair comes with hard floor casters, so it’s a good choice for wood and tiled flooring. It has a four-position recline lock and features adjustable arms and lumbar support.
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- Splendid hard-floor casters
- Seat depth adjustment
- Four-position recline lock
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- Relatively thin seat cushion
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The Steelcase Gesture office chair features a number of ergonomic features that should please most office dwellers. It has plush polyester fabric, which is easy to clean. With a depth-adjustable seat, this chair suits both taller and smaller individuals. It also has an adjustable lumbar, contouring around the user’s back for a healthy posture. The chair has a padded seat and back for comfort. However, the cushion on the seat may be too thin for heavier individuals.
A five-star base provides sturdy support, making this chair a durable addition to the office. The chair has high-quality casters, which are especially suited to hard floors. It features recline tension adjustment with a four-position recline lock, allowing users to lean back at their own terms. It’s available in a wide variety of colors, fitting in seamlessly in classic, modern, and contemporary office schemes. This office chair features high-quality materials to provide durability, and it ships fully assembled, supporting hassle-free setup.
#4 Steelcase Series 1 Hard Floor Office Chair
Award: BEST MESH BACK CHAIR
WHY WE LIKE IT: A mesh back allows free air circulation, cooling the body on hot days. This chair has lumbar support with a flexor system that dynamically adjusts to conform to the user’s body.
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- Exceptional self-adjusting back
- Breathable mesh back
- Fully adjustable armrest
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- Arm rests don’t have a lock
- Hard back
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Equipped with hard floor casters, the Steelcase Series 1 Hard Floor office chair is the task chair of choice for offices with tiled or wooden floors. This chair has a mesh back that facilitates smooth airflow on hot days. This chair also has adjustable lumbar support with a flexor system that continuously adjusts to conform to the body as the user moves. However, the back is not cushioned, so it’s a bit uncomfortable.
A recline tension adjustment system allows office dwellers to change the resistance of the back. The chair is available in a variety of pleasant colors, so it fits into various office design schemes. A seagull five-star base on this model provides stability. The chair features adjustable seat depth, enabling users to customize it based on their preference. This chair has a well-padded seat with a slight bending edge, relieving pressure points under the thighs.
#5 Steelcase Amia Office Chair
Award: BEST LUMBAR SUPPORT
WHY WE LIKE IT: This chair is rated for users weighing up to 400 lbs, making it a good choice for heavier individuals. It has LiveLumbar technology and fully adjustable armrests for comfort.
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- Intuitive LiveLumbar technology
- Fully adjustable armrests
- 400 lb weight rating
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- Lack armrest lock
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The Steelcase Amia office chair has a contoured back that conforms to the human spine’s natural positions. It features LiveLumbar technology, so the lumbar continuously adjusts itself as the user moves. This chair has fully adjustable arms that move up and down, and pivot, so users can get the ideal position. With a maximum load rating of 400 lbs, this chair is suitable for heavier users. However, the armrests don’t have a pivoting lock, so they don’t maintain a fixed position after adjustment.
A sturdy five-star base on this chair provides stability and is equipped with 360° casters for hassle-free mobility. The chair is available in a number of colors, including blue, green, and black. It has a pneumatic system for adjusting the seat height. This chair has a generously padded seat and back for comfort. The seat has a slightly bending edge to relieve tension on the body. Featuring a back tension lever, this chair enables users to customize the back tension.
#6 Steelcase Series 2 Office Chair
Award: BEST TILT MECHANISM
WHY WE LIKE IT: This chair has a breathable mesh back and features high-quality polyester fabric for durability. A weight-activated tilt mechanism helps relieve pressure on the lower back.
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- Advanced weight-activated tilt mechanism
- Breathable mesh back
- Fully adjustable armrests
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- Seat and back are a bit hard
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Featuring a mesh back, the Steelcase Series 2 office chair is ideal for individuals who want to stay cool during the workday. This chair features polyester fabric that provides durability and supports easy cleaning. It has hard floor casters, letting users move around the office easily. Equipped with fully adjustable arms, this chair lets users change the height, position, and direction of the armrests. However, this chair’s seat and back are a bit hard.
A weight-activated tilt mechanism helps reduce pressure on the user’s lower back. This chair has a sturdy frame for durability. It’s available in a wide variety of colors to fit in with various office design schemes. The chair has adjustable seat depth, allowing users to customize it depending on their height. This hair also features Air LiveBack technology to offer responsive support for the spine. It has a small footprint suitable for compact offices.
Beginner’s Guide to Steelcase Office Chairs
In 1912, Peter M. Wege started a company called the Metal Office Furniture Company in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Before starting the company, Peter had years of experience in the sheet metal and fireproofing industries. He used this veteran experience to file a variety of different patents for various metal-based products, including fireproof metal safes and filing cabinets.
In 1914, the Metal Office Furniture Company released the Victor, which was a fireproof trash can made out of steel. In a time when smoking was common in the office, the Victor wastebasket was an incredibly popular product since it prevented fires from breaking out. After the Victor, the company began producing steel desks and it went on to sell 200 units for the Custom House Tower in Boston.
The Metal Office Furniture Company ran an advertising campaign in 1921 to promote the benefits of office furniture made from metal instead of wood. In the advertisement campaign, the company trademarked the name Steelcase. It became so iconic that the company changed its official name to Steelcase, Inc. in 1954.
In the 1960s, Steelcase quickly rose to become the leader of the office furniture industry thanks to a high volume of sales and big sales to large customers like the Sears Tower. During this time, Steelcase focused on producing a comprehensive furniture line, called Series 9000. This furniture line included desks, partitions, and cabinets, among other things.
Steelcase’s foray into ergonomic chairs for offices started in 1986 with the release of the Sensor Chair, which could automatically adjust to your body’s size and movements. The success of the Sensor Chair led Steelcase to produce the Leap Chair in 1999. This ergonomic office chair is the most successful chair in Steelcase’s history and it is still sold.
In today’s market, Steelcase continues to sell a wide variety of office furniture, including desk chairs, desks, and storage solutions. Steelcase ergonomic office chairs are the most popular products in the catalog, thanks to their long-lasting, premium design, broad range of adjustable features, and excellent ergonomic design.
How Steelcase Office Chairs Compare to Other Brands
(Pro 1): Incredibly Comfortable with Extensive Adjustability: One of the best things about Steelcase office chairs is the wide range of adjustments you can make to fit your seating preferences. These chairs provide the following ergonomic features:
- Adjustable seat depth
- Adjustable lumbar support
- Adjustable armrests, including arm height
- Adjustable seat height
- Adjustable seat angle and a tilt limiter for locking in the upright position
On top of these adjustments, Steelcase chairs offer a comfortable seat thanks to a thick seat cushion and soft fabric. Some options offer breathable mesh, while others are standard fabric.
(Con 1): Some Temperature Control Issues: If you go with a Steelcase, you’re sure to get a comfortable chair, but there are some specific models that struggle with temperature control issues. Most noteworthy is the Steelcase Leap chair. Since this option lacks breathable mesh fabric, you may experience some heat on your back and seat after long periods of sitting. Competitors like the best Herman Miller office chairs tend to be more breathable in this sense.
(Pro 2): Premium Materials for Long-Lasting Performance: A comfortable office chair from Steelcase also offers long-lasting durability and quality that’s hard to beat. In a world of cheap knockoffs and budget office seating, Steelcase withstands the test of time. This quality paired with a long 12-year warranty provides a level of reliability that’s rare to find anywhere else.
(Con 2): One of the Most Expensive Office Chairs Today: As you might expect with a high-end office chair like a Steelcase, you’re going to pay a pretty penny to get your hands on one. Steelcase is one of the most expensive office chairs available today, especially compared to more affordable budget chair options like the best Hon office chairs.
(Pro 3): One Size Fits All Configuration: Most Steelcase chairs offer a one size fits all configuration for more convenience in making a purchasing decision. Thanks to their extensive adjustability in nearly every aspect, you’ll be able to make it fit your body type with ease. Adjustable height allows for different body heights, while armrest adjustments allow for different body widths.
(Con 3): Armrests Are a Little Flimsy and Not as Comfortable: While most Steelcase chairs are made with high-quality materials, one area in which they struggle is the armrest. Some users report flimsiness and discomfort when using the armrests, especially when compared to other high-end competitors like Herman Miller or Humanscale.
Why You Should Buy a Steelcase Office Chair
If you’re looking for the best of the best when it comes to office chair comfort, ergonomics, and build quality, then you can’t afford to miss out on a Steelcase chair. Whether you recently started working long hours from home or you’re purchasing new office furniture for your business, then Steelcase can elevate your seating experience to a level you didn’t know existed before. If you’ve got the budget to cover the premium price tag, then you’ll want to consider Steelcase’s office chair lineup.
How Long Will a Steelcase Office Chair Last?
Steelcase office chairs are among the highest-quality options you can purchase in the office furniture industry. As such, you should expect them to last you a long time. The findings of a Baylor University study indicate that most office chairs should last upwards of 15 years if they carry at least a 10-year warranty or seven years if they carry a 5-year warranty.
Steelcase office chairs carry a 12-year warranty, meaning you should expect at least 15 years of lifespan from them. This, of course, only applies if you treat the chair with care. The better you take care of it, the longer it will last you.
Steelcase Office Chair Warranties
Steelcase offers a multi-faceted warranty for its seating solutions. Steelcase’s office chairs carry a lifetime warranty covering the frame, arm frame structure, base, and seat shell. For everything else — including all mechanisms, cylinders, fabric, and casters — Steelcase offers a 12-year warranty.
Much like the warranties found with other office chair manufacturers, Steelcase’s warranty only covers defects caused by a fault in the manufacturer’s production process. You won’t be able to get repairs or a replacement if you misuse your chair.
