A Guide to the Best Ergonomic Chair

You will find a lot of office furniture these days being advertised as an "ergonomic desk chair" and "ergonomic desks". Yet very few manufacturers are really committed to the careful study of ergonomics. Most office chairs these days are designed for comfort and support, but not all of them have been designed to minimize pressure on the musculoskeletal system that often results from sitting at a desk all day. If you're looking for the best ergonomic chair, you need much more than just a few levers to adjust the height of the seat back rest.

There aren't any regulations restricting the use of the term "ergonomic," which means you have to be aware that there are all kinds of dubious products on the market. Genuine ergonomic chairs are lab tested and developed by skilled engineers who take human elements and work-related health concerns into consideration, plus they're manufactured from sturdier materials and feature superior warranties.

Herman Miller is likely the best known maker of ergonomic chairs and workplace products. Every year, they sell over $2.5 billion of high quality, well-designed products. The organization was launched back in 1905 with the mandate of providing a solution to common office concerns. Their best ergonomic chair is the Herman Miller Aeron, which was included in the Museum of Modern Design's permanent collection in 1995, was the 'Designs of the Decade' Gold Winner from the Industrial Designers Society of America in 1999, and received the International Plastics Consumer Product Design Award in 1998. Users are crazy for the cool mesh back rest, the many precision adjustments, the choice of three different sizes, and the 12-year warranty. Other best sellers from this company are the Mirra and the Embody.

SteelCase is another well known manufacturer of ergonomic chairs. This reputable company, based in Grand Rapids, Iowa, has been manufacturing top quality office furniture since 1912 and has expanded to include 600 dealers internationally. The SteelCase Leap is their top seller; it is easy to adjust and features sturdy construction, a gliding seat, flexible back, and a plush, traditional look. The SteelCase Think chair is another favorite brand, with its intuitive adjustments, minimalist styling, and mesh backing. These chairs feature a 10-year warranty on the seating system, a 3-year guarantee on the fabric and a lifetime guarantee on all other components.

Other trusted names in ergonomic chairs include ErgoGenesis, HumanScale, Neutral Posture and Raynor. By choosing a reputable manufacturer, you can be assured that your chair was designed with the musculoskeletal system in mind. You can expect one of these chairs to run anywhere from $500 to $1,000 owing to their top quality materials, expert design and extended warranty.

Consumer Reports has ranked the best ergonomic chairs in the following categories:

Best budget leather office chair: Office Star Deluxe Ergonomic Chair
Best budget mesh office chair: Ergo Mesh Medium Back Task Chair
Best ergonomic task chair: Herman Miller Mirra
Best plush office chair: SteelCase Leap
Most iconic office chair: Herman Miller Aeron

It is recommended that you take your time when choosing an ergonomic chair. You will want more than a few minutes in the store to find out if the chair is suitable for your needs, so it's a good idea to find a retailer with a return policy. Make sure you test any chair you are considering buying so you can be sure it's a good fit for your needs. As part of your evaluation, think about how you use your workstation. Do you usually lean forward when working at the computer? In this case, you might need a task chair. Or do you tend to lean back, talking on the phone, which entails an investment in an executive chair?

The best ergonomic chairs allow you to adjust the seat height, width and depth. Most chairs will feature a pneumatic lever which can adjust the height of the seat between 16 and 21 inches from the floor. Your feet should be flat on the floor, thighs at right angles, and your elbows level with the height of your desk. You'll require 17 to 20 inches of width for the average office chair, although oversized chairs are available in sizes up to 27 inches. For the depth, look for two to four inches between the back of the knees and the seat of the chair. Most seats will be able to angle forward or backward for optimum comfort. Check to see that that the seat has a rounded front edge to provide adequate leg circulation. The seat material can run the gamut from comfy padding to breathable mesh and is largely a matter of personal preference.

Of course, you'll want to be able to control the depth and height of the back rest, arm rests, and lumbar supports as well. A quality ergonomic chair will feature lower back support and an inwardly curving lumbar spine that hugs your back to minimize the possibility of slouching and straining the muscles in the back. Some chairs also have adjustable lumbar depth and height, which means that you can get the perfect fit for the shape of your back. The best ergonomic chairs will also have a comfortable back rest, 12 to 19 inches wide and adjustable for both angle and height. Another great feature of many chairs is forward and backward tilt, with the ability to lock the chair into position if required. Armrests should be adjustable, enabling the elbows, forearms and shoulders to rest comfortably.

When you're buying chairs for a number of workstations, you might wish to talk to an ergonomic consultant who can recommend a versatile brand that should work for various sizes and shapes of bodies.