Seat Cushions, Backrests, and Footrests

CushionLab Seat Cushion

{Photograph}: Cushionlabs

If you cannot improve your chair simply but, a cushion or backrest would possibly assist. Listed below are just a few we like:

CushionLab Seat Cushion for $69: This reminiscence foam seat is comfy, and I had no issues sitting on it for hours on finish. It is best paired with an adjustable chair, because it provides an honest quantity of top to your seat, which could make typing on a keyboard awkward. It does an excellent job of preserving out unhealthy odors, and it’s also possible to wash the duvet. Simply know that it is virtually by no means bought for its full worth of $85, which implies it is not actually on “sale.”

LoveHome Reminiscence Foam Lumbar Assist for $30: For those who slouch in your seat, this comfy reminiscence foam pillow might help. It retains your again straight and supported, and because it’s inexpensive, it is an excellent choice to strive earlier than shelling out a whole bunch for a brand new chair. It is good to make use of in a automobile or a wheelchair, too. The quilt is washable, and it has two adjustable straps (plus an extension strap) that go round your seat to maintain it within the place you want.

Secretlab Premium Footrest for $89: Ideally, your ft are planted on the bottom as you sit, nevertheless it’s good to have the ability to prop them up on one thing tender occasionally. I’ve been utilizing Secretlab’s footrest for greater than two years and it is wonderful. Not solely is the PlushCell reminiscence foam materials it is made of soppy and soft for my ft, nevertheless it additionally stays remarkably clear. I’ve a tiny canine and his hair will get in all places besides the quilted material cowl. (You may hand wash this cowl to get filth out.) The patterned silicone base does a superb job of preserving it in place too.

Different Chairs We have Examined

Not each chair is a winner. Listed below are just a few others we like sufficient to suggest, however they’re not so good as our high picks above.

{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu

Haworth Breck for $419: I like Haworth’s latest chair, the Breck. After sitting on it for a month, I did not have issues (no again ache!), although I can safely say it is higher suited to shorter folks (roughly below 5’8″). That is as a result of the Breck’s seat is brief and the seat depth solely extends an additional 2 inches. The load-activated recline requires some push in your finish, greater than you would possibly count on—it wasn’t too onerous for me, however lighter-weight folks might discover it problematic. The seat padding is skinny however I did not this as a difficulty even after hours of sitting. The very best half is how amazingly easy it’s to arrange—no instruments required! However my most important gripe? Merely getting up from the seat causes the gasoline spring cylinder to loudly elevate. This, and the truth that it tends to make some noises after I fidget round on the chair, makes it really feel just a little low-cost.

Haworth Fern for $1,129: I feel the Haworth Fern is finest for shorter folks (aka anybody not above 6 ft like me). It is adjustable to the nth diploma—you may even tilt the seat for a extra upright sitting place!—however the seat itself was simply broad sufficient for me, although it is a lot tender and pillowy. Once I pulled out the seat depth to the max, it created a niche between the seat and the backrest, and I did not love this sense. The backrest is good and tender, however I might argue the lumbar help is kind of aggressive. My again simply felt like one thing was there on a regular basis and it felt distracting. I do not assume you’d have these points in case you are shorter and narrower than me, and it is in any other case one of many softest workplace chairs I’ve sat on.

Eureka Ergonomic

{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu

Eureka Ergonomic Royal Chair for $400: Some of us chase that government chair aesthetic—you understand, plush leather-based and a excessive again so you may swivel round and reveal a cat in your lap as you snigger maniacally. This chair from Eureka matches the invoice with out costing a fortune and it has been an OK chair for the month I’ve sat in it. The setup was fast, and the seat and again are tender and just a little bouncy. I discovered my again sweaty after just a few hours of sitting as a result of there’s simply nowhere for physique warmth to go. The lumbar help is not nice as extended sitting has left me with some sensations in my decrease again. Not ache, simply my again telling me I must stand up. There’s not a lot to regulate however the recline and headrest. Additionally, should you want a large seat, this isn’t the chair for you because the armrests will really feel like they’re boxing you in (it simply matches me and I am 6’4″). I believed this chair would look fairly poor after a month nevertheless it’s simple to scrub with a moist material and the faux leather-based has held up. Too unhealthy concerning the two-year guarantee.

Secretlab Titan Evo for $519: This gaming chair (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is elegant sufficient for the house workplace. It units itself aside from equally priced rivals with its sturdiness and adaptability. It’s comfy for marathon gaming classes, due to the adjustability it provides (significantly the lumbar help). The headrest pillow is magnetic and stays connected to the chair, which is a pleasant contact. However the agency chilly remedy foam molds to your physique and should not go well with everybody. It additionally will make you are feeling sweaty.

Department Verve for $549: The Verve was once a high decide above, however I feel the Ergonomic Chair Professional is best worth contemplating they’re comparable in worth. It elegant (particularly within the pretty Coral and Cobalt colours), it retains my again straight, and it is fairly cozy. It may make practically the identical changes however there is not any seat tilt, and the armrests are far more restricted. I additionally would not have minded if the seat was a smidge wider—of us who want a wider seat might wish to look elsewhere. I attempt to sit on these chairs for a number of weeks if not months, however I not often can sit on one for years as I’ve so many to check. Nevertheless, I’ve a colleague who owns the Verve who mentioned that after greater than two years, the chair began to sink each time he sat on it. Fortunately, he says Department’s customer support was very responsive and promptly despatched him a brand new cylinder.

Allsteel O6 for $1,289: Whereas this chair is eye-searingly costly, each half—from the casters and the changes to the design—is extremely refined. The adjustable lumbar help supplied shockingly good help even for hours of labor. My solely grievance is that the armrest changes are a bit stiff, however in addition to that, that is an distinctive chair that’s comfy and intuitive sufficient for me to utterly overlook about as soon as I sit down and begin working. Truthful warning: This chair comes totally assembled, which is good, however the field is huge. —Henri Robbins

Hinomi X1

{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu

Hinomi X1 Chair for $699: Hinomi’s X1 mesh chair has a trick up its sleeve—a built-in footrest! Simply prolong and flip out the footrest; voilà, your ft are actually propped up. This won’t be very sensible for fellow tall folks, as my legs typically hit the wall behind my desk, nevertheless it’s fairly cozy. I additionally simply did not find yourself utilizing the footrest as a lot as I believed. The chair is in any other case well-built. I just like the lumbar help right here, and there is a good quantity of changes you may make. The seat itself is a bit agency, however I obtained used to it after a while. Hinomi provides a 12-year guarantee, however better of all you may snag it in a dusty pink from the corporate’s web site. I might purchase this over the X-Chair mesh chair listed under.

Autonomous Chair Extremely for $599: Each time I sit on this chair, I am stunned how flat and onerous the seat is. It is a jolt after I plunk my butt down. I do not prefer it, however the chair total feels supportive. It is sort of like these Plank mattresses—if a tougher seat is what you are after, then this chair will make you cheerful. The adaptive backrest feels a bit busy as a result of the ridges of the chair’s again come by way of the skinny mesh, however the all-mesh design does a superb job of dissipating my physique warmth. It’s extremely adjustable total and appears good; it simply is not for everybody.

Odinlake Ergo Max747 for $899: The Ergo Max747 is, throughout, an excellent chair to sit down in. The three-piece again supplies nice again help and luxury, and the easy-access paddles on both facet of the seat make most changes fast and easy. Even sitting on this chair for hours, I by no means felt uncomfortable, whether or not I used to be sitting up or reclining (this chair reclines extremely far, from 90 to 135 levels). The bag holder within the again (which I sometimes used to carry a hat or small backpack) was a surprisingly good contact, and the mesh backing and seat are breathable, stopping overheating throughout extended use. I nonetheless don’t know the way I really feel concerning the polished steel body, and the inclusion of gloves for meeting makes me fear about how simply this seat will decide up smudges through the years, however the polished end itself is spotless and well-executed. At 6’3″, I needed to max out the again top to comfortably sit within the chair. The secondary changes (again top, lumbar help, and headrest top) had been awkward to regulate resulting from sophisticated ratcheting mechanisms preserving them in place. Nevertheless, the consolation and breathability of this chair make it a compelling selection. —Henri Robbins

Vari Job Chair for $375: Vari’s Job Chair is surprisingly cozy given its comparatively easy building. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano examined it and requested her husband to make use of it throughout his lengthy gaming classes. They agreed that the angled again supplies ample lumbar help to make these classes comfy. It additionally takes little or no time to assemble. You may recline a bit, however even on the lowest stress, it pushes you again up, and there’s no head help. It’s extra for rocking than really leaning. Her greatest gripe is that the armrests are fairly onerous. A bit extra padding can be an enormous enchancment.

Department Softside

{Photograph}: Julian Chokkattu

Department Softside for $299: I examined the high-back model of the Softside and prefer it lots. It is totally different from all the opposite chairs on this information however cozy and cushiony. For those who want a wider seat, this won’t be the choice for you because the armrests do field you in. There’s not a lot to regulate, however my again did not have any points after weeks of sitting on this chair for full workdays. The construct high quality total is OK. Contemplating it begins at $299, the general seating expertise, and the beautiful design in enjoyable colours, it is a fairly good worth in case you are after a tender and cushiony expertise.

BodyBilt Midcelli Mesh Chair for $949: BodyBilt’s chair appears fairly common, however the seat pad is plushy and tender, and it is contoured to your butt and legs, which I preferred greater than I anticipated. The mesh again has some give to it, so it does not really feel inflexible, and there are all the standard factors of adjustment, together with transferring the seat ahead and again. I want the arms might lock to a place. It has a lifetime guarantee on choose components, whereas different chair areas are lined for 12, seven, 5, or three years. There are extra customization choices on BodyBilt’s web site—with the choice to get a session—however I simply assume it is overpriced.

Razer Fujin Professional for $1,049: Razer is asking Herman Miller and Steelcase costs regardless of providing a measly five-year guarantee on this $1,000-plus chair. Nonetheless, my colleague Eric Ravenscraft likes the Fujin Professional (8/10, WIRED Recommends). There are a superb quantity of changes you may make, the armrests are helpful, and the mesh is breathable. Oh, and it does not have the over-used gaming chair race-car seat aesthetic.

Tempur-Pedic Tempur-Lumbar Assist Workplace Chair for $352: I feel it is a good various to the Department Ergonomic Chair above. The Tempur seat cushion is, maybe unsurprisingly, splendidly cozy to sit down on for hours at a time. And most chairs which have a thick lumbar cushion find yourself inflicting me again ache, however not right here—I’ve had no points sitting on this chair for a month. The mesh again is good for airflow too. The arms have a tendency to maneuver round a bit although, and the mechanism to regulate them just isn’t elegant. Set up wasn’t too onerous, however the directions weren’t so simple as Department’s, and the general construct high quality feels low-cost.

Knoll Newson Job Chair for $1,251: This minimalist chair appears finest within the graphite and petal colours; it is a bit drab in black and umber. It is good that I did not must fuss with any levers or knobs a lot—it is cozy out of the field and decently adjustable if it is advisable to make some tweaks—and it feels particularly good once you recline. (The pink knob adjusts the stress of the recline, however it is advisable to twist it for 5 rotations, and I discovered it onerous to show generally.) The Newson did not give me hassle within the two months I sat in it. I am simply not an enormous fan of how the elastomer mesh backrest distorts, relying on the way you sit. It feels lumpy. This chair additionally does not let me sit as upright as I might like, however perhaps you are nice with a little bit of give. In the end, it is the worth that pulls it out of our high suggestions, however you do get a 12-year guarantee.

X-Chair X2 Okay-Sport Administration Chair for $879: This was once our high mesh chair decide nevertheless it has been supplanted by the Steelcase Karman. Sitting within the X-Chair looks like lounging in a hammock. Each a part of my physique feels effectively supported, and you’ll alter practically all the pieces on the chair. Pull the seat up and push the armrests up, down, and facet to facet, or angle them in or out. The lumbar help looks like a cushion, and it adjusts as you progress in your seat. If you wish to relaxation your head, you may pay additional for the headrest. It has held up extraordinarily effectively after three years of near-continuous sitting, however I do not like how cumbersome it’s. X-Chair has a number of fashions to select from. I examined the X-2 Okay-Sport with the broad seat, and it matches my 6’4″ body effectively, nevertheless it was too broad for my accomplice, who’s 5’1″. Most individuals must be nice with the usual X1.

Ikea Markus Chair for $290: The Markus is a superbly nice workplace chair. It’s not essentially the most comfy, nevertheless it’s removed from the worst. The mesh design retains you cool, and the tall again enables you to totally lean into it. It’s fairly skinny and isn’t obtrusive in a small residence workplace or bed room. It was annoying to place collectively (lol, Ikea), and also you would possibly want somebody to carry up the again of the chair whilst you correctly connect the seat. Sadly, should you typically sit with not less than one leg up or together with your legs crossed, the width between the arms will make you uncomfortable.

X-Chair X-Tech Government Chair for $1,899: Functionally, the X-Tech is much like the X-Chair above. On this model, the M-Foam cooling gel seat is certainly great to sit down on, although it isn’t as heat-wicking because the all-mesh X-Chairs. It’s the Brisa Delicate Contact materials that impresses essentially the most—it’s ridiculously tender. I like to recommend you stick to the usual armrests as a substitute of the FS 360 armrests, which have a tendency to maneuver about an excessive amount of. However my greatest gripe with this mannequin is the worth. Why on earth does it value that a lot?

Mavix M7 Chair for $700: If it appears unusually much like the X-Chair (see above), that is as a result of each are owned by the identical firm. WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe bumped into some points with meeting, however customer support was capable of change the mannequin with out a lot effort. The M7 has equally adjustable armrests and seat angles, however you get wheels that lock. The mesh again and broad seat building retains you cool and comfy throughout sweaty League of Legends classes, and the lumbar help does the job. For those who’re quick, contact buyer help whereas ordering—Mavix provides shorter cylinders so your ft contact the bottom.

Hon Ignition 2.0 Workplace Chair for $425: This chair is simple to arrange and appears nice, nevertheless it gave me actually unhealthy again ache, which is why I initially positioned it in our “Keep away from” part. I believed it was maybe the lengthy hours I used to be working, so I switched again to the Knoll Newson Job chair and my ache shortly started to ease. Someday later, I gave it a shot once more. After just a few hours, the ache got here again, and switching to a different chair dissipated it. Colour me confused, as a result of this chair has constructive critiques across the net. I then requested a good friend who’s round 5’4″ to strive it for just a few weeks, and he or she has had zero points. This appears to be the reply. It is potential the Ignition does not work for my 6’4″ self and is best suited to smaller of us.

Hon Ignition 2.0 Massive and Tall for $780: I had a a lot better expertise with this Hon chair, which, because the title suggests, is suited to huge and tall folks like me. It has a bolstered metal body that may help as much as 450 kilos with a wider seat. It is cozy, transfers warmth away effectively, and does a pleasant job supporting my again. Nevertheless, it appears extremely boring in Boring Black. I had a nice expertise within the chair, other than the arms that have a tendency to slip left and proper everytime you put some stress on them. I am simply undecided it is well worth the weirdly excessive worth.

Pipersong Meditation Chair for $300: Have an issue sitting in a standard chair? In case your legs must be bent and twisted so that you can be comfy, you may wish to examine this chair out. It has a 360-degree swiveling footstool that may accommodate just about any sitting place you need. I can go from kneeling to cross-legged to 1 leg up, one leg down. It’s potential to sit down often too, with the footstool behind you and your ft flat on the ground. It is the one chair I’ve discovered that is designed for odd sitting habits. There are not any armrests, which I didn’t thoughts as a result of that’s what makes it potential to sit down in lots of of those positions. The precise stool and chair again might stand to be greater and taller, respectively. I had to make use of a pillow to maintain my again cozy. —Medea Giordano

Keep away from These Chairs

{Photograph}: Vilno

For those who come throughout these chairs, we suggest you save your money and go for one of many picks above.

Vilno Nobel Kneeling Chair for $250: It is a freakin’ kneeling chair! It was simple to place all of the wooden items collectively, and the seat cushion was surprisingly plump. That is what’s generally known as an lively chair, meant to maintain your physique transferring and maintain your posture straight. It feels efficient for the primary few hours, however sadly, rocking within the chair tends to trigger it to transfer round on the ground, so I often needed to repair my place. Worse but, my shins and knees grew fatigued, and I began feeling some ache after just a few days. You may’t alter its top, so it must be paired with a standing desk in order that your palms do not relaxation in your desk.

Humanscale World One Job Chair for $499: Regardless of hailing from the well-renowned Humanscale, this chair appears fairly bland. The setup was pretty fast, and … fascinating. You need to hammer two pegs to affix the backrest to the seat, which I’ve by no means earlier than needed to do, after testing dozens of workplace chairs. It simply feels low-cost and just a little too plasticky. Like different Humanscale chairs, there are not any changes to make because the chair will deal with all of it for you (you can alter the seat and armrest top). I cherished this on the pricier Humanscale Freedom, which felt like somebody was cradling my physique. However right here, I discover my physique always shifting within the all-mesh World One, looking for a snug solution to recline. The mesh materials additionally feels prefer it digs in a bit. This might all be as a result of I am 6’4,” because the chair feels prefer it’s higher suited to shorter folks. Nevertheless, I feel you are able to do higher at this worth.

Herman Miller Vantum Gaming Chair for $895: Initially, I preferred this chair. I preferred how I might maintain myself in a brilliant upright place, which made me really feel extra engaged in what I used to be doing. The mesh backrest additionally disperses warmth fairly effectively. Nevertheless, the general construct high quality feels low-cost and doesn’t scream Herman Miller (nor does the asking worth, which has since dropped by $200). The headrest is not nice both—I’ve practically damaged it attempting to maneuver it up and down. As I stored sitting, it was the again help that upset me essentially the most. You may really feel the lumbar help in your decrease again, and never in a great way, virtually prefer it’s digging in. A minimum of it didn’t give me again ache.

Flexispot C7 Lite for $270: Whereas this chair is straightforward to assemble and appears good, it feels flimsy. All the again flexes and warps everytime you transfer, and the lumbar help is barely related to the remainder of the chair, which means it audibly scratches in opposition to the principle part of the again each time you alter and hardly feels prefer it supplies any precise help. The footrest bends each time weight is placed on it, and the froth seat cushion collects loopy quantities of pet hair. It looks like only a few additional screws and helps would have made this a superb chair, however in its present state, there isn’t sufficient materials to make it really feel sturdy. —Henri Robbins

Flexispot C7 Workplace Chair for $350: It wasn’t too troublesome to place this chair collectively, and it is available in a reasonably compact field regardless of its dimension. Nevertheless, the lumbar part juts out a lot that inside two days of sitting on it, I had again ache. You may alter the seat to mitigate it, nevertheless it did not resolve the issue. It is not simply me. My 5’1″ spouse didn’t take pleasure in sitting on the C7 both.

Steelcase Sequence 1 Workplace Chair for $498: WIRED reviewer Louryn Strampe says her greatest concern with the Sequence 1 is with the armrest—the tops slide forwards and backwards and facet to facet, which could possibly be a superb factor, besides she managed to pinch her arm each time she moved. There is no solution to lock them in place, so whereas she felt supported, her arms weren’t. The seat can also be fairly curved, which may really feel such as you’re trapped in a single place as you’re employed all through the day.

Flexispot Sit2Go 2-in-1 Health Chair for $350: This looks as if a good suggestion because it enables you to get some train whereas sitting at a desk. I felt virtuous pedaling away whereas checking my e mail. The issue is it’s simply not very comfy. (I couldn’t sit on all of it day.) It additionally looks like an affordable low-resistance train bike, so that you’re getting the worst of each worlds. You want a standing desk to accommodate it.

Sihoo Doro S300 Chair for $800: Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano examined the Doro S300, which, in white, appears prefer it got here straight out of the Area Pressure scenario room. She discovered it comfy. There are a number of changes you may personalize, like seat depth and recline angle. You may recline fairly far, however she says she wished there was a footrest to benefit from the lowest recline place. She sometimes prefers a soft gaming chair, however she says she had no hassle sitting on this chair all day—the twin lumbar help helps too. Nevertheless, the headrest is just too low for her to lean in opposition to even at its max top, and the arms transfer too simply. Merely putting her arms down pushes them out of place. It is also a squeaky chair and overpriced.