Best ergonomic office chair 2021: Lumbar support, high back, head rest

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Even though some companies are already starting to stagger their return to the office, flexible working looks set to stay. That’s why, you haven’t done so already, it might be time to think about upgrading your home-office situation and in-particular the chair you sit upon.

The number of hours we spend sitting to work means that the right chair can greatly reduce the widely reported, negative impact that sitting can have on our bodies.

According to the NHS website, in order to sit healthily at your desk, you need to have your lower back supported, with your knees slightly lower than your hips, so an adjustable chair that you can change the height, back and tilt of, is essential.

Ready to shop now? Our current best buy is the Humanscale world chair (£673, Wellworking.co.uk)

A good office chair will balance functionality and form, supporting the natural curve of your spine throughout the working day, in particular, the lumbar or lower back region and promoting good posture. Say goodbye to doing a full day’s work on a chair that you’d previously only sat on to eat your dinner.

There are plenty of price points to choose from, so you need to factor in how much time you think you’re going to be spending in your chair. Are you a nailed on WFH’er who is going to need a perch to support your 9 to 5, or are you looking for something that will offer you a step up from a kitchen stool for a few hours a day?

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How we tested

We spent a couple of weeks with a range of chairs to find out which ones have really got your back when it comes to the daily sit down.

The best ergonomic chairs for 2021 are:

  • Best overall – Humanscale world chair: £673, Wellworking.co.uk
  • Best for back support – Herman Miller mirra 2 butterfly office chair: £867, Hermanmiller.com
  • Best for quick delivery – Yaheetech office chair: £74.99, Amazon.co.uk
  • Best budget option – Habitat alma chair: £67, Argos.co.uk
  • Best for adjustable height – Orbit mesh chair: £170, Officefurnitureonline.co.uk
  • Best customisable option – Ikea langfjall chair: £90, Ikea.com
  • Best for all-day use – West Elm mid-century chair: £349.95, Westelm.co.uk
  • Best for posture – John Lewis Anyday hinton office chair: £139, Johnlewis.com
  • Best for lumbar support – Ryman leather faced executive chair: £119.99, Ryman.co.uk

Humanscale world chair

Best: Overall

  • Weight: 15.9kg 
  • Seat height: 14-30.75in
  • Swivel: Yes
  • Assembly required: No
  • Warranty: 12 years

This all mesh chair uses your body weight to automatically adapt to the most ergonomic position for working, reclining the chair and repositioning the armrests, which are attached to the back of the chair so they move with you. This means that you can just get on with the task at hand without having to fiddle around fine-tuning the chair’s position. The pivoting recline action is effortlessly fluid and leverages the chair’s frame to provide instant support through a full range of motion, while you’re at your desk. This means that the spine feels constantly supported whether you’re typing or reading and reclining.

Added to this is excellent lumbar support and we liked the soft front edge of the chair, which didn’t create any pressure points on the knees and behind the thighs. The high quality mesh provides good breathability and you can choose from a range of mesh colours to suit your working environment.

Read the full Humanscale Diffrient world chair review

Herman Miller mirra 2 butterfly office chair

Best: For back support

  • Weight: 15.9kg
  • Seat height: 16.7-22.2in
  • Swivel: Yes
  • Assembly required: No
  • Warranty:  12 yr

If you’re a dedicated home worker looking to outfit an office or space in your home then this is a great looking and wonderfully engineered chair with a butterfly shaped backrest that is made to move with you. Even micro movements, like leaning to the side or slightly bending forwards, are tracked by the backrest. This meant that our spine always felt like it was being well supported.

Offering a smooth reclining mechanism and a full range of movement in the armrests, the chair was incredibly comfortable to sit in even for prolonged periods with the chair responding to even the slightest movement. It also has excellent lumbar support, which can be adjusted according to height. The seat pad distributed weight well so we never felt pressure on our legs, and the mesh also offered excellent breathability with castors that rolled easily over hard floors and carpet.

Overall, this chair actively seems to promote better posture throughout the working day and makes finding the optimum working position incredibly easy thanks to the many micro adjustments that are available.

Read the full Herman Miller mirra 2 butterfly office chair review

Yaheetech office chair

Best: Quick delivery

  • Weight: 12 kg
  • Seat height: 35-40.6in
  • Swivel: Yes
  • Warranty: No
  • Assembly required: Yes

If you suddenly find yourself having to work from home and need a chair quickly, this one offers a nice contemporary design and is available on Amazon Prime, so if you’re signed up to that service you can get next day delivery. The faux leather upholstery is available in black, grey, pink and white and is waterproof which makes cleaning easy, and there is a nice big seating area that will accommodate no end of fidgeting and squirming. The chair came together easily, plus the swivel action is very smooth and will keep the kids entertained for hours when it’s not being used for working.

Habitat alma chair

Best: Budget option

  • Weight: 11.85 kg
  • Seat height: 18.8-22.8in
  • Swivel: Yes
  • Assembly required: Yes
  • Warranty: Manufacturer’s 1-year guarantee 

An eye-catching, modern design combines with good body positioning to make this chair an excellent addition to any home office. The back-rest is made up of four distinct pads, which offered just the right amount of support, even if you’re prone to some fidgeting when sat down. The locking tilt mechanism was easy to use and you can choose between pink or grey for the upholstery.

Orbit mesh chair

Best: For adjustable height

  • Weight: 15.5kg
  • Seat height: 26.5-36in
  • Swivel: Yes
  • Assembly required: Yes
  • Warranty: 1-year manufacturer guarantee

If you have to work at a breakfast bar, kitchen counter, or you use a drafting table for your work then this chair is designed to get you up to the right height without sacrificing ergonomics. An adjustable foot ring and comfortable meshed back, which moved well with us at our desk, is combined with a nice rounded seat pad that reduced pressure on our hamstrings and thighs. The armrests are fixed but comfortable and the chair comes flat packed but was up and ready to go in no time.

Ikea langfjall chair

Best: Customisable option

  • Weight: 12.27kg
  • Seat height: 17-20.8in
  • Swivel: Yes
  • Assembly required: Yes
  • Warranty: No 

This is a well designed chair that won’t look out of place if you’re working at a kitchen or dining table and is fully customisable so you can add armrests if required. Very easy to assemble, the design of the seat offered good back support and the height adjusting mechanism was well-engineered and robust enough to cope with plenty of up and down. The fabric-covered foam was comfortable and is available in eight different colour choices to suit your taste and your walls. The castors rolled easily and are fitted with a weight-activated brake mechanism that anchors the chair when you stand up, and releases when you sit down.

West Elm cooper mid-century chair

Best: For all-day use

  • Weight: 26kg 
  • Seat height: 17-19.6in
  • Swivel: Yes
  • Assembly required: Yes
  • Warranty: No

You can give your working day the Mad Men makeover with this stylish Seventies inspired seat with adjustable height and tilt. It’s one of those chairs that will only look better with age and is more comfortable to sit in as the leather softens. The detailing extends to cording around the armrests to make this a real statement chair that will enhance the look of any home office space. The large seat pad meant that we could shift position easily and there was good support from the cushioned backrest, which felt firm and encouraged a good upright position even when sitting back.

John Lewis Anyday hinton office chair

Best: For posture

  • Weight: 12 kg 
  • Seat height: 45-54cm
  • Swivel: Yes 
  • Assembly required: Yes
  • Warranty: 2-year guarantee

This upholstered seat offered good support from the seat padding and mesh backrest, with a smooth height adjustment. We really liked the vertical flip-up design of the armrests which makes the chair easy to tuck right in under your desk once you’ve finished work. We found that the ergonomics of the chair really encouraged a more upright sitting position, which could be good if you’re a sloucher. If you have teenagers in the house with lots of studying to do, this is a good option.

Read the full John Lewis Anyday hinton office chair review

Ryman leather faced executive chair

Best: For lumbar support

  • Weight: 12kg 
  • Seat height: 18-23in
  • Swivel: Yes
  • Assembly required: Yes 
  • Warranty: No

Want that Seventies boardroom vibe at home? Then this faux leather upholstered throwback is a comfortable adjustable chair that allows you to play around with the height and backrest according to your height. Lumbar support was good and the padded contours of the chair supported spine and legs effectively. The chair rolled well on the castors over hard floor or carpet and we found that the padded head support helped us avoid any pains in the neck throughout the working day.

Read the full Ryman executive chair review

Ergonomic desk chairs FAQs

What does it mean if a chair is ergonomic?

Working from home has meant that people have ended up working in less desirable conditions. Ergonomic chairs aim to create more desired conditions, and are designed with the human body in mind, considering posture, support, comfort and health.

How do I know if a chair is ergonomic?

There is quite a specific set of requirements that make a chair ergonomic. The common ones are present in most office chairs – i.e a swivel base, seat height adjustment, five-spoke wheelbase and arm support adjustment. But there are a few more to look out for that mean a chair is truly ergonomic…

A back tilt tension adjustment that lets you rock back in your chair, lumbar support, and back angle adjustment that allows you to fine-tune the back into the most comfortable position for you. You should also look for backrest adjustment, which allows you to arrange the contours of the back cushion for optimal support and more.

What is the best chair for office work?

There are some really innovative and oh-so-comfortable ergonomic chairs on the market but finding your perfect chair is kind of like a goldilocks situation. You should narrow down a few factors like your budget, how much swivel room you have under your desk and whether you need a headrest. But, ultimately, the whole idea of an ergonomic chair is that you can alter the settings so it perfectly fits and supports your own body.

How much do ergonomic chairs cost?

Especially if you are working from home, it is a worthwhile investment to purchase a good ergonomic office chair. A decent one can range anywhere from £200 all the way to £2,000.

Setting up your office chair to avoid back pain

First off, it’s pretty crucial the height of the chair harmonises with the rest of your setup – for a guide, your elbows should be in line with the desk.

In terms of the tilt on the back of the chair, it’s best to be relatively upright when you can be, but feel free to recline the backrest every now and again.

As a rule of thumb, you should be as close to your desk as possible, so if you can, push the seat forward so the armrests fit underneath your desk.

Then, if it isn’t already, ensure your computer screen is on a level with your eye-line. Preferably, you should be looking 2-3in below the casing on the top of the screen – you don’t want to be tilting your head up or down for long periods.

Finally, remember to get up and move around a least once every half hour. Long periods of sitting are a stressor for the muscles and discs in your back, so it’s good to switch up your posture up every now and again. And, by leaving the desk you’re less likely to forget about maintaining your posture throughout the day – anything to avoid the dreaded slouch.

The verdict: Ergonomic desk chairs

A high-quality task chair with minimal parts, the Humanscale World chair was built with longevity in mind and will look as good in ten years as it does today. A perfect combination of both form and function, the design of the chair allows you to stretch, reach and change posture with continued support in all the right areas, supporting the spine throughout a day in front of the computer screen.

Voucher codes

For the latest discounts on armchairs and other home furniture offers, try the below links:

For more ways to make working from home more comfortable, read our guide to re-vamping your set-up

IndyBest product reviews are unbiased, independent advice you can trust. On some occasions, we earn revenue if you click the links and buy the products, but we never allow this to bias our coverage. The reviews are compiled through a mix of expert opinion and real-world testing.

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