Best Desk Chairs for Your Back in 2022

Why it’s the winner…
This chair rocks. We thought it would be solid but were even more impressed when we unboxed it and put it together. That appreciation is only growing since we selected it as the winner a year ago.

This chair is extraordinary for your back health. All of the important adjustment capabilities are available in this chair and the firmness of the lumbar support as well as the height of chair surprised us. You can check out the full features chart here. By the way, the upholstery & padding are holding together well despite over a year of usage while working from home.

It’s worth noting this chair can be found in a few varieties, colors, and retailers across the internet. This means we’ve seen color variations of this model selling for different prices, sometimes quite low.

Bottom line: if your back hurts and you want a chair that your physical therapist will love, this one’s for you.

We think it’s the BEST value for your money. We also think it’s better than some of the even higher priced options.

What’s Awesome and Matters…
+ Seat can forward-tilt
+ Strong seat height at 22.5″
+ Height and width adjustable armrests
+ Non-mesh seat
+ No high-back and great backrest shape
+ Backrest height and thus lumbar support easily adjustable
+ Seat depth is adjustable

Things that Matter and Could Be Better…
– Lumbar support not independently adjustable
– More online reviews

Doesn’t Really Matter But We Loved It…
+ Available in a very aesthetic gray or black
+ Tension control
+ Great seat padding and comfortable armrests
+ Pricing varies and great deals exist

Doesn’t Really Matter but Could Be Improved…
– Pricing varies and is a bit unpredictable
– Doesn’t have the mesh back + rigid adjustable lumbar support combo
– Seat pan could be a bit larger (19.6″ wide x 18.3″ deep)
– One specific part of assembly is a little difficult

Reviews Summary:
We still don’t really understand why there aren’t a ton of online reviews regarding this office chair. As noted earlier, we’ve used this chair from a work from home capacity for over a year. So, we can vouch for it. Thus, the continued lack of reviews is more puzzling than anything. But worth noting.

Assembly:
Assembly required. Attaching the backrest to the seat is tough (and it’s the reason for at least one of the negative reviews on Amazon). But assembly is doable and otherwise very normal/easy. All required tools come with the chair. Assembly time is around 15 minutes.

Two important things to note:

1. Put the backrest and seat in a v-shape on the floor when you are attaching them together. (don’t follow the instruction manual here)
2. Part H for securing the armrests is optional. You shouldn’t attach it if you plan to take the armrests on/off a lot.

We HIGHLY recommend watching our *full* assembly video here. It’s especially helpful for understanding these previous two points. You can also review the assembly instructions yourself here.

Warranty: Limited 5yr manufacturer warranty.

Bottom Line: We rated the Alera Wrigley 5/5 as we believe it’s the best value if you’re looking for a desk chair that prioritizes your back health.

Why it’s the runner-up…
Like the winner of the low price category, this chair also has an unbelievable amount of features and adjustments for its price. You can view all of them here.

In fact, this chair is very similar to the Alera Wrigley (makes sense, same brand). But, here are the main reasons why it’s in second place.
– No independently adjustable and robust lumbar support
– Less impressive warranty

But, this chair holds three advantages over the Alera Wrigley:

1. seat is a bit deeper at 21 inches (vs. 19.5 inches)
2. mesh backrest may be a bit more breathable
3. now, more affordable than the Alera Wrigley

Ultimately, this chair is really solid. So, if a mesh backrest is important to you, then we recommend this chair for you in the low price category. If the lumbar support does prove to be a bit lacking, you can always add a lumbar pillow.

What’s Awesome and Matters…
+ Seat can forward-tilt
+ Lots of adjustment options
+ Armrests can be adjusted up/down or side-to-side
+ Non-mesh seat
+ Mesh back
+ Max seat height is fantastic (21.75″)
+ Seat Depth can be adjusted
+ No high-back
+ Placement of lumbar support can be adjusted (via adjusting backrest height)

This Matters and Should’ve Been Better…
– Lumbar support could be more robust
– Lumbar support doesn’t run horizontally

Mostly Doesn’t Matter But…
– Max weight limit is 250 lbs, not great for heavy users — but manufacturer puts limit at 275 lbs
– Chair is a little heavy (48 lbs)
– Assembly is a bit ornery

Reviews Summary:
With an average of 4 stars across 1200+ Amazon ratings (or 4.4 across 90+ ratings for leather option), the reviews are very strong. People loved all the features and customers reported better than expected durability.

Noted concerns were the lumbar support and the seat fabric that could’ve been better quality.

Assembly:
Easy. Customers reported about 10 mins but it took us about 19 mins.

IMPORTANT: You can watch our *FULL* assembly video here or check out the instructional manual we’ve uploaded for you here.

Warranty: Solid. 5 yrs on component parts and 2 yrs on upholstery and foam. You can review the full terms here (Spanish version here).

Bottom Line: We rated the Alera Elusion 4/5 as we believe it’s the second best value if you’re looking for a desk chair that prioritizes your back health.

Approx. Price: $900-1400

Why it’s the winner…
This sleek, luxury chair includes all the features you need for your back health.

For starters, it’s built with top-notch materials that look & feel different. These materials are backed by one of the best warranties on the market.

We also love the 5-inch range on the seat height. It’s worth noting that, while it may not be big & tall sized, the 21 inch max seat height is higher than most chairs.

We also like the adjustable waterfall edge. This is is a somewhat rare but beloved feature that allows you to take advantage of sitting on the edge of the chair — which is a foundational sitting position for back healt.

The independently adjustable lumbar support is also a great part of this chair’s healthy rating for your back. The extreme adjustability of the armrests also ensures that you can properly maneuver around a desk without sacrificing posture.

And hey – we also love all the color & material options available.

Of course, we aren’t the only ones who like this chair. Shockingly, about 86% of reviewers on Amazon gave this chair four or five stars. That is very impressive given the high price point!

So, what would we improve? If we created this chair, there are only a few things we would do differently. For one, we’d push the max seat height to 22 or 23 inches. the max seat height of 21 inches will work for most people, however. We would also change the adjustable waterfall to a full-blown forward seat pan tilt. But, the waterfall edge should suffice for what you need to sit on the edge of your seat. Overall, these critiques are a bit nitpicky when you are dealing with a class act like this.

Bottom line: this chair is luxurious in quality, look, features, and ergonomics.

PS – pay attention to the color & fabric options… there are wide price variations depending on what you select!

What’s Awesome and Matters…
+ Forward-tilt function accomplished through adjustable waterfall edge
+ Great independently adjustable lumbar support
+ Armrests can be adjusted up/down or side-to-side, backwards/forwards, or removed
+ Non-mesh seat
+ Breathable fabric or leather back
+ Seat depth can be easily adjusted
+ No high-back (if you remove the headrest)
+ Max weight limit is 400 lbs
+ Max seat height is a solid 21″
+ Super high quality materials
+ Very strong warranty
+ Armrests are extremely adjustable

Things that Matter and Could Be Better…
– Max seat height is short of 22-23″ for big & tall users
– Waterfall edge isn’t a full-blown forward seat pan tilt
– Backrest height itself isn’t adjustable

Doesn’t Really Matter But We Loved It…
+ Available in 20(!) colors & multiple fabrics
+ Looks like it is priced, very sleek
+ Payment plans / loans are directly available
+ There’s a coat-hanger add-on available

Doesn’t Really Matter but Could Be Improved:
– Chair is a bit heavy (of course, that means it also is more stable)
– Price variations across colors & materials is very large
– generally an expensive chair

Reviews Summary: 4.5 stars across 900+ ratings on Amazon & 86% of ratings are 4 stars or better. This is extremely good for a product that is so expensive.

Assembly: Not difficult but the chair is heavy. There’s an assembly in the Amazon listing here. You can order expert assembly when purchaisng on Amazon.

Warranty: Incredible Limited Lifetime warranty. One of the best on the market with lifetime warranty for most of the hard components, 12yr warranty for most of the adjustable components, and multiyear warranties on the soft components. You can review the full warranty here.

Bottom Line: We rated the Steelcase Gesture 4.5/5 as we believe it’s the best value if you’re looking for a luxury desk chair that prioritizes your back health.

Why it’s the runner-up
If you are looking for a big-and-tall chair with all of the optimal features and durability, look no further.

This chair is gritty.

It boasts a 400lb weight capacity and “Big & Tall” sizing. The chair also comes with 3-inch thick upholstery designed for “intense use” as well as a lifetime warranty on all component parts.

Even the upholstery is stain resistant and antimicrobial surfaces are available.

The manufacturer goes so far as saying that the chair is “designed to remain comfortable while in use around the clock.”

We agree and think that this is likely our most durable chair we selected across any of our price categories.

What’s Awesome and Matters…
+ Amazing durability and 400 lb weight limit
+ One of our tallest seats, adjusts up to 23″
+ Height and width adjustable armrests
+ Seat pan tilts forward
+ Lumbar support is adjustable via changing backrest height
+ Lifetime warranty
+ Armrests are fully height and width adjustable
+ Many more adjustable features

Things that Matter and Could Be Better…
– No independently adjustable lumbar support

Doesn’t Really Matter But We Loved It…
+ Available in vinyl or fabric
+ Burgundy, Navy, Charcoal, and Black colors all available

Doesn’t Really Matter but Could Be Improved:
– Chair itself is a bit heavy
– Would love to see several hundred more online reviews

Reviews Summary:
This chair has a combined average of 3.7 stars across 67 ratings for both its vinyl and fabric variations on Amazon.

Frankly, we were at first slightly concerned that this wasn’t better. But, after diving into the reviews, we weren’t concerned anymore.

Here’s why: most of the negative ratings centered around one or more of the three, very explainable topics.
1. Chair itself is a bit heavy –> makes sense, it’s extremely durable.
2. Not Big & Tall Enough –> this always happens with Big & Tall products; it’s always still too small or not padded enough for some people who are pushing 400 lbs. We think that it is still quite impressive in terms of its dimensions and accommodations.
3. Shipping / Missing Part Issues –> shipping issues happen, especially with newer products. And enough ratings haven’t been submitted yet to dilute these early issues.

On the positive side, customers raved about its features, durability, price-point, comfort, and fit.

Assembly:
Yes, like basically all other desk chairs, assembly is required. But, it’s an issue. It’s a bit simpler than some of the other chairs and there are good videos that will walk you through exactly how to do it.

Warranty: Amazing. Like all other OFM products, there is a lifetime warranty on the component parts when purchasing from the dealer. Seating fabric and upholstery have 2 yr manufacturer warranty, 7rs on the gas lifts.

Bottom Line: We rated the OFM Model 247 4.5/5 as we believe it’s the best value if you’re looking for a medium priced desk chair that prioritizes your back health.

Great question! As the Mayo Clinic writes, sciatica is simply “pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve.” In other words, saying you have sciatica is like saying you have a headache or shoulder pain. It’s just a type of pain. The real question is: what’s the cause?

Like headaches or shoulder pain, there are many possible causes of sciatica included but not limited to herniated discs, bone spurs, spinal stenosis, or even spondylolisthesis. In short, there is no possible way for you or us to know what’s causing your sciatica. Plus, like any other potentially serious health condition, you should see a specialist to get answers.

With that said, Medical News Today reports that an estimated 90% of sciatica cases are caused by herniated discs.

And what’s a primary cause of herniated discs? The Mayo Clinic also writes that a herniated disc is “most often the result of a gradual, aging-related wear and tear.”

In other words, sitting with poor posture for prolonged periods of time.

Bottom line: there is no “best desk chair for sciatica.”

But, there are chairs that are healthier for your back and this list is a great place to start.

As with sciatica, there are so many possible causes of back pain that asking which desk chair is best for back pain is kind of like asking if you should drink water, sleep, or take Tylenol for a headache.

Ultimately, you are responsible for evaluating your own back pain and determining if it is serious enough to see a doctor. We urge you: if you are experiencing unexplainable back pain, you should seek professional medical attention.

But, barring simple aging conditions like arthritis or other serious medical conditions like spinal stenosis, studies indicate that most people are experiencing back pain that is mechanical and non-organic in nature (e.g. poor posture).

So, for most people, the best desk chair for back pain is the one that puts you in the best position biomechanically to have healthy posture. We think the desk chairs above are winners for helping you do just that.

At Posturre, we think that this question is extremely important and the answer is not necessarily obvious.

For starters, you shouldn’t sit in one position all day. In fact, switching between a variety of positions is one of the keys to keeping your back healthy. As we always say at Posturre, we are made to move.

Beyond that, here are three great “home base” positions to use when working at your desk:

1. Sitting back against the lumbar support with your knees at the same height or just barely lower than your hips. Since your chair will be a bit lower in this position, this is where using the forward seat pan tilt feature is really helpful in facilitating optimal biomechanics.
2. Sitting on the forward edge of your seat with the seat raised so that your knees are well-below your hips.
3. Standing with your elbows at 90 degrees. You’ll also have your wrists in a neutral position and the mid-screen of your monitors are at the same plane as your eyes.

All three positions are great for back health but require different desk heights — and that’s why you need a standing desk.

The best desk chair for sitting all day is one that easily allows for you to switch your sitting position throughout the day and encourages optimal positioning.

That’s it. Period.

We created this list with these things in mind.

In short, absolutely.

Many (if not most) desk chairs are:
– not high enough for your knees to be at or below your hips
– lacking lumbar supports
– made from terrible material that lends no support
– not able to be adjusted into a forward tilt

All of the above common issues can be risk factors for hurting your back.

Of course, any chair can hurt your back if your posture is terrible. So, it’s important that your desk chair is both free from the issues above and that you learn how to sit properly.