Not every seat is a winner. Here are a few others that we like enough to recommend, but aren’t quite as good as our top picks above.
Knoll Newson Task Chair for $1,350. This minimalist chair looks best in graphite and petal colors; it’s a bit dark in the black and the wing. Nicely, I didn’t have to fiddle too much with any levers or handles; it’s comfortable out of the box and decently adjustable if you need to make some adjustments, and it’s especially nice when you’re lying down. (The red knob adjusts the bevel tension, but you have to turn it five turns, and I sometimes had trouble turning). “Newson hasn’t given me any trouble in the nearly two months I’ve been in it. . I’m just not a big fan of how the elastomeric mesh back seat warps depending on how you sit. Feels lumpy. This chair doesn’t let me sit the way I want either, but maybe you’re okay with a little give? After all, it’s the price that makes it one of our top recommendations. But you get a 12-year warranty.
All Alan chair for $379. Alani, from our favorite standing desk manufacturer, comes in several color combinations that blend neatly into any home office. There’s a nicely contoured cushion on the base and a mesh back to keep you cool, as well as lumbar support for good posture. You can adjust the height, seat depth, armrests and recline tension, and you can lock the recline. WIRED reviewer Simon Hill found it comfortable for long days of up to 16 hours, and it worked for both his 6’1″ self and his 5-foot-tall daughter. It’s a solid alternative to the ergonomic office chair (our top pick) and is often reduced to $303 during Sale events.
Ikea Markus chair for $289. Markus is a great office chair. It’s not the most convenient, but it’s far from the worst. The mesh design keeps you cool and the high back allows you to lean on it fully. It is quite slim and not obtrusive in a small home office or bedroom. It was a pain to put together (lol, Ikea) and you may need someone to hold the back of the chair while you attach the seat properly. Unfortunately, if you often sit with at least one leg up or with your legs crossed, the width between your arms will make you uncomfortable.
X-Chair X-Tech executive chair for $1900. Functionally, the X-Tech is similar to the X-Chair selection above. The M-Foam cooling gel seat on this version is really nice to sit on, although it’s not as warming as the full mesh X-Chairs. It is the Brisa Soft Touch material that impresses the most. it’s ridiculously soft. I recommend using standard armrests instead of FS 360 armrests, which tend to move a lot. But my biggest gripe with this model is the price. Why does it cost so much?
Mavix M7 chair for $778If it looks oddly similar to the X-Chair (see above), that’s because they’re both owned by the same company. I ran into some problems with assembly, but customer service was able to exchange the model without much effort. The M7 has similar adjustable armrests and seat angles, but you get wheels that lock. The mesh back and wide seat construction keep you cool and comfortable during a sweaty session League of Legends, and the lumbar support makes me feel like I’m in good hands. If you are short, please contact customer service when ordering. Mavix offers shorter cylinders to keep your feet on the ground.
Herman Miller Vantum gaming chair for $795. At first I really liked this chair. I loved how I could hold myself in a super upright position, which made me feel more engaged in what I was doing. The mesh back also dissipates heat quite well. However, the overall build quality feels cheap and doesn’t scream Herman Miller (nor does the asking price, which has since dropped by $200). The headrest isn’t great either. i almost broke it trying to move it up and down. As I continued to sit, I was most disappointed by the backrest. You can to feel lumbar support on your lower back, and not in a good way, almost like it’s digging in. At least it didn’t give me back pain.
Hon Ignition 2.0 Office chair for $399. This chair is easy to install and looks great, but it gave me really bad back pain, which is why I originally posted it in our Avoid section. I thought maybe it was the long hours I was working, so I went back to the Knoll Newson Task Chair and my pain quickly started to ease. After a while I fired again. A few hours later, the pain returned, and changing to a different chair relieved it. Color me confused because this chair has positive reviews online. I then gave way to a friend who is about 5’4″ and he had zero problems. This seems to be the answer. The ignition may not work for my 6’4″ person and is more comfortable. for little people.
Hon Ignition 2.0 Big and Tall for $659. I had a much better experience with this Hon chair which, as the name suggests, is suitable for big and tall people like me. It has a reinforced steel frame that can hold up to 450 pounds with a wider seat. It’s comfortable, conducts heat well, and does a good job of supporting my back. However, it looks incredibly dull in dull black. I had a great experience with the chair except for the arms which tend to slide left and right when you put pressure on them. I’m just not sure it’s worth the strangely high price.
Pipersong meditation chair for $349. Having trouble sitting in a traditional chair? If your legs need to bend and twist to get comfortable, you’ll want to check out this chair. It has a 360-degree swivel footrest that can accommodate almost any sitting position you want. I can go from knee to toe cross one leg up, one leg down. One can also sit regularly with the foot behind and the feet flat on the floor. It’s the only chair I’ve found designed for strange sitting habits. There are no armrests, which I didn’t mind since that’s what allows you to sit in most of these positions. The actual stool and chair back may be larger and higher respectively. I had to use a pillow to keep my back comfortable.