What’s the Most Comfortable Office Chair in 2024?

Kyle Schurman Avatar

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Updated 11:34 pm

Sitting at a desk for long hours might not be the most exciting way to spend the work day, unless you’re sitting in the most comfortable office chair. That in mind, work may be boring and awful at times, but the day will be a lot worse if your office chair feels like it was something a caveman carved out of a block of stone, leaving your lower back aching and providing no ergonomic benefits. The best desk chairs are not hard to find around here. We’ve taken the time to find the best options online, then we purchased the cream of the crop so we could actually sit on them and move around to give you real reviews. If you’re looking for a chair that would be easy to relax in too, take a look at our Sway two person rocking chair review. Otherwise, explore other office seats in our best office chair guide.

During our times sitting in the most comfortable office chairs, we made sure they were comfortable and supportive, ensuring you are able to sit with good posture, avoiding aches and back pains at the end of the day. Sure, you might pay a little more for these office chairs to achieve the best comfort levels, but they’ll also last a lot longer than cheap chairs that you’ll be throwing in the dumpster after a short amount of time, exacerbating the sore lower back they’ve given you. With this information in mind, it was easy to pick the Steelcase Leap Chair as the most comfortable chair on the market today. With full adjustability, durable and comfortable material and tons of color options, this chair will be the best addition to your home office. Keep reading to learn more about the Leap chair and our other top picks.

Top 5 Most Comfortable Office Chairs Compared

 #1  Steelcase Leap Chair

Award: Top Pick/Best Ergonomic

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Leap is Steelcase’s top-selling chair, and it’s really easy to see why. It features a strong and sturdy design that’s extra comfortable and fully adjustable, all of which allows you to sit without pain for longer periods of time.

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  • Excellent, adjustable lumbar support
  • Strong and sturdy build quality
  • Tons of color options

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  • Most expensive option on the list
  • Arm rests aren’t as well designed
  • Fine tuning adjustments can take a few days

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At first glance, the Steelcase Leap office chair might not look like the most comfortable chair, but looks can be extremely deceiving in this case. When we first sat in the Leap, we paused for a moment just to enjoy how comfortable it feels before getting to work. This is genuinely the most comfortable office chair we’ve tested so far, and that’s saying a lot.

The Steelcase Leap can be adjusted in just about every way conceivable, which means you may need to spend more time than usual to get everything just right, but it’s well worth it in the end. You can adjust the lumbar support, arm rests, seat depth and seat height, among others. Of course, with all of these options and the highest comfort level, you can expect to pay more than you usually would for an office chair, which is the case with the Leap. It’s the most expensive option on our list, but again we think the added comfort and sheer luxury experience you get is well worth the price. Also, if this option is a bit above your price point you should check out best office chair under $100.

 #2  AmazonBasics High-Back Executive Leather Chair

Award: Honorable Mention/Best Executive

WHY WE LIKE IT: Simple and sleek, the AmazonBasics High-Back Executive office chair combines ergonomics and luxury to create a solid chair that is extra comfortable, even over long periods of use.

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  • Extra plush and comfortable cushions
  • Arm rests are padded
  • Easily adjusted tilt tension
  • Ergonomic design

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  • Doesn’t include lumbar support
  • Can’t adjust arm rests
  • Not as breathable as other options

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Amazon has just recently started to source products from a variety of other companies and put their own brand and namesake to sell them through the ever-popular website. And the AmazonBasics High-Back Executive leather chair is one of the most popular items that Amazon has started to sell. The chair itself is really well designed, almost surprisingly so when you consider its low price. One of the best things about this office chair is its super-plush design that offers quite a few unseen ergonomics features. And while it doesn’t have a traditional lumbar support, the back of this chair still offered plenty of support to keep us comfortable. Alongside seat back height, you may want to consider seat height in general if you’re looking for something that can sit higher, like an adjustable drafting chair.

You even get padded arm rests with this executive office chair, which just adds to the overall comfort and ergonomics. One area where we wish the chair would have done better is in the department of adjustability. You can’t do much to fine tune the settings on this chair other than chair height and back tilt/tension. All in all, though, we found that the AmazonBasics Executive office chair was able to fit most body types without needing a ton of adjusting. This is undoubtedly one of the most comfortable office chairs we’ve tested to date, so you definitely won’t want to miss out on it. Compare to the best office chair under $500.

 #3  Furmax Leather Gaming Chair

Award: Best Budget/Best Leather

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Furmax Leather Gaming Chair gives you durability, ergonomics and comfort for an impressively low price, making this a wonderful office chair for anyone who can’t or doesn’t want to spend too much.

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  • Longer seat depth
  • High-quality leather/mesh design
  • Built-in lumbar support

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  • Not very adjustable
  • Fixed arm rests
  • Not as high backed as others

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The Furmax Leather Gaming Chair is designed with ergonomics and comfort in mind with a unique leather/mesh material that is both comfortable and breathable. It also gives your chair a more luxurious feel. The chair includes a built-in lumbar support pad. Unfortunately, you can’t adjust the lumbar support or many of the other components of the chair, which was our biggest disappointment.

However, this Furmax chair still works for most people while provided an excellent level of comfort. The seat cushion is thicker than other chairs we’ve tested. The cushion also extends out farther than any of the other chairs on our list, which provides more support for your knees and legs. This is especially helpful for extended gaming or work sessions in the chair. The best part of all of this is that the Furmax Leather Gaming Chair is priced lowest on our list, which makes it the perfect choice for anyone looking to save some money. The best office chair for lower back pain will also be great for anyone with back issues.

 #4  BestOffice OC-2610 Chair

Award: Best Home Office

WHY WE LIKE IT: The BestOffice OC-2610 offers a stylish design and extra padded seat cushions for ultimate comfort and ergonomics. With these features and more, the BestOffice OC-2610 is the most comfortable chair for home offices.

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  • Extra padded seats
  • Durable and sturdy build
  • BIFMA certified

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  • Can’t adjust the arm rests
  • No dedicated lumbar support
  • PU leather may not last as long

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If you’re looking for extra padding in the seat cushions and arm rests of your home office chair, then look no further than the BestOffice OC-2610. The selling point for this chair is essentially thick padding everywhere and we are pleased to report that it works! This is an executive-style chair that includes all of the luxury without the huge price tag.

We were a little disappointed that you couldn’t adjust as many parts of this chair as you could with other options, but you at least get the standard seat height adjustment and tilt control. The PU leather material is nice, but it might wear sooner than you’d like. However, if you’re not rough on your chairs, this probably won’t be an issues. All in all, the BestOffice OC-2610 is a sturdy and super comfortable chair that works best for home offices. See our best office chairs list for more. For an ultimately comfortable experience, go for the best reclining office chair.

 #5  Smugdesk SmugChair 1951

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Award: Best Value/Best Gaming

WHY WE LIKE IT: The Smugdesk SmugChair 1951 is built with ergonomics and comfort in mind for gamers and home office users alike. It also features a unique bonded leather material which is surprisingly breathable over long periods of use.

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  • Subtle racing chair style
  • Built-in lumbar pad
  • Breathable leather/mesh material

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  • Not many adjustable components
  • Doesn’t include a headrest
  • Arm rest padding is thin

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Comfortable racing-style chairs typically cost much more than a couple hundred dollars, but the Smugdesk SmugChair 1951 breaks the mold with its extra affordable price and super comfortable design. While you may not get every single advanced ergonomic feature on this chair, it still gives you plenty of options that will keep you comfortable throughout your working day or gaming sessions. For starters, this Smugdesk office chair is upholstered with a unique bonded leather and mesh hybrid to increase breathability and overall durability. This unique approach to chair breathability is one of the best parts of this chair.

You also get a built-in lumbar support pad here which met our back support needs for the most part. You can’t adjust the support up and down for height, but we found that it was able to support most people’s backs, regardless of height. We thought it was nice to have padded arm rests on the chair, as well, but were a little disappointed that they weren’t as comfortable as we thought they would be, due to thinner padding. If you’re looking for a comfortable leather gaming chair, the Smugdesk SmugChair 1951 is an excellent choice. Also check out the best office chair under $300. For computer nerds, you will need the best chair for programmers.

What to Look for in the Most Comfortable Office Chair

Adjustable Support: A highly comfortable office chair needs to have a strong collection of adjustable features that make both the seat and backrest comfortable and supportive. The lumbar support area on the chair’s back rest needs to be adjustable to allow for the best lower back support possible, which will in turn make the chair more comfortable to use for long periods of time. The arm rests, seat height, and back rest height should be adjustable too. Taller individuals may require a desk chair with a high back to make sure they can lean properly in the back of the chair.

Ease of Movement: To remain comfortable to use, your office chair should roll across the floor easily, and it should have the ability to tilt and swivel. If the chair doesn’t move easily, remaining rigid, you’re going to have to stretch to reach items on your desk, which could lead to sore muscles and joints.

Tilt Features: If you’re the kind of person who likes to lean back while you’re thinking or talking on the phone, having an office chair that offers free tilting may expand your comfort level. Some chairs don’t allow easy tilting, and others may feel as though they’re going to tip over when you try to lean back and tilt.

Mistakes to Avoid

Ignoring the Materials: Although real leather looks great and provides durability, that doesn’t mean it’s the most comfortable material in an office chair. If you’re someone who perspires easily in your office environment, a leather type of material is going to restrict airflow between your body and the chair, making you feel overheated and certainly won’t be the best office chair for you. Plus, while an artificial leather office chair provides an affordable alternative at a lower price range than other options, the initial leather aesthetic appeal won’t last since artificial leather is less durable and tends to tear easily.  Depending on your office environment a mesh office chair will be the superior choice. Mesh back rest may not provide a perfect back rest support, but it will allow you to feel cooler while sitting in the chair for extended periods of time. In a warm and stuffy environment,  mesh chairs will be better than leather office chairs.

Seeking a Soft Seat Cushion: While it may be tempting to look for an office chair with the softest cushion to provide the most comfort, unless the seat cushion can also provide some support for your back, the chair won’t be comfortable for long periods of continuous sitting. A seat cushion must have a bit of firmness to it to provide good back support.

Which Most Comfortable Office Chair Is Right For You?

When seeking the most comfortable office chair for short people, tall people, or anyone in between, selecting an office chair with plenty of adjustable features can be the key to your comfort level. Having the ability to make adjustments to the office chair to ensure it fits your body properly will surely increase your level of comfort, especially if you have to spend a few hours sitting continuously. Just don’t adjust the office chair to the point that it’s so comfortable, you’re taking naps in it! To check out the famously expensive Herman Miller office chair, click here.

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Most Comfortable Office Chair FAQ

What’s the difference between a task chair and an office chair?

A task chair is a specialized desk chair or office chair. Although the terms best office chair, best desk chair, or best task chair are often used interchangeably, a real task chair has a few distinct features that other basic office chairs may lack. Task chairs involved from operator-style chairs which typist and early stenographers used meaning they encourage good posture. A task chair also promotes productivity opting for functionality over fancy accessories. They are highly adjustable and meant to accommodate multiple body types. The best office chairs should be task chairs in disguise, promote good posture and productivity, offer lumbar support and adjustability, and ensure that aches and pains are avoided, even if you sit for long periods. Plus, a genuinely fantastic office chair best be durable and last a long time to ensure the extra money they cost is a good investment.

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