The Best
Herman Miller Embody — $1,230+
So, what is it about the Embody we hold so revered? It’s a fair question, sure, especially considering the Embody’s lofty price tag and accompanying shipping costs. Well, for starters, the chair offers a dynamic matrix of “pixels” that allow the seat and back to automatically conform to your body’s every movement, while the chair’s central spine and flexible ribs work to maintain proper posture regardless if you’re leaning forward or reclining. Said movement capabilities help promote better blood and oxygen flow, and if that wasn’t enough, the advanced tilt mechanism helps combat unwanted hip, neck, and lumbar strain. The chair is even sized to fit your body perfectly, comes in a swath of colors, and features a skin-like covering for increased airflow.
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The Rest
Steelcase Leap — $920+
The Steelcase Leap has long been the company’s flagship — and for good reason. It’s one of the more popular office chairs in existence, one that owes much of its merit to years of painstaking research and subsequent development. The final result is a chair that caters to the individual and remains reliant on the company’s LiveBack system, which lets you conveniently and independently adjust the seat and back of the chair for enhanced support. The back mimics the natural shape of your spine throughout the day, while the chair’s innovative glide system allows you to recline without have to orient yourself away from your workload (heaven forbid).
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AMAZON OFFICE DESIGNS
Humanscale Freedom — $1,170+
Niels Diffrient designed the Humanscale Freedom to automatically adapt to the user, and it does exactly that. The chair allows you to move freely from posture to posture, capitalizing on sculpted cushions that mimic your body’s contours and help decrease pressure loads in the process. The chair’s articulating headrest provides ample support to your head and neck as your recline, as do the synchronous armrests, both of which allow you to change postures without making any manual adjustments. Moreover, the Freedom touts a remarkable selection of fabrics, whether you want a supple leather or an eco-friendly weave.
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AMAZON OFFICE DESIGNS
IKEA Markus — $179+
IKEA is the undisputed king of low-cost solutions that don’t look half bad in your workspace or at home. The Markus swivel chair is a perfect example of the company’s penchant for simple and practical design, owing to a breathable mesh backing and built-in lumbar support intended for extra, ergonomic comfort. It’s available in three colors — gray, dark gray, and black — and features levers for adjusting the height and tilt of the chair to your liking.
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AMAZON IKEA
Raynor Ergohuman — $610+
The minds behind the centipede-like Raynor Ergohuman were far more concerned with value than aesthetics when they designed their latest lineup of office chairs. The chairs revel in full-mesh backing and user-friendly functionality, the latter of which grants you tilt tension control, back angle adjustment, and lumbar support in addition to a normal set of adjustments for tweaking the height and tilt angle. There’s a bevy of models to choose from, some of which drop the mesh seats for leather-padded cushions designed to give you more comfort during marathon sittings sessions. Either way, the feature set alone justifies the price.
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AMAZON ERGOHUMAN
Knoll ReGeneration — $617+
The unique ReGeneration takes inspiration from the bridges of architect Santiago Calatrava. It leverages flexible and sturdy materials that intuitively respond to your movements to provide over-arching comfort throughout the day. It builds on the success of it predecessor, providing you with a contoured frame that offers a flexible mesh backing and adjustable lumbar support. The chair also adjusts the amount of support depending on your sitting position. The fact much of the construction utilizes soy and corn-based materials suggests some eco-friendliness as well.
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KNOLL
Steelcase Think — $790+
Like the aforementioned Leap, the Steelcase Think is a chair that prides itself in a modern aesthetic and ergonomic functionality. The integrated LiveBack system conforms to your body’s every movement as you change postures, which helps it evenly distribute weight when need be alongside the chair’s weight-activated mechanism. A built-in comfort dial also allows you to recline and adjust the amount of back tension, while the ability to adjust the seat depth gives you complete control over your comfort level. The Think lets you pivot and adjust the width of the armrests, and comes in a smattering of attractive colors that range from subtle to standout.
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Herman Miller Sayl — $500+
The Sayl is Herman Millers shot at a budget-friendly chair, and while it may cut corners in terms of customization, the offering still manages to provide healthy support within a package that warrants more than just a glance. The chair’s unframed, intelligent backing lets you move freely between positions as flexible strands provide additional support with varying thickness and tension. Designer Yves Behar based the construction of the strands on the framework of suspension bridges — which, structurally, deliver a huge amount of function for the amount of material they require. The backing prevents slouching, with or without the optional lumbar support.
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AMAZON OFFICE DESIGNS
Office Star Air Grid — $160+
Not everyone wants to shell out the entirety of their paycheck on a quality office chair, but thankfully, the Air Grid is proof that you don’t have to. The breathable, mesh backing provides plenty of circulation and keeps sweat to a minimum, while a two-in-one tilt function allows you to adjust the back and seat angle as one. It’s comfortable, as well, with built-in lumbar support and height-adjustable arms that cater to your individual needs with little in the way of hassle. A heavy-duty nylon base provides increased strength and durability when sitting or moving, whether you prefer the stock casters or opt for something more appropriate for your situation.
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