Budget Office Chairs

Office Star and Ergo Mesh are good options

If a $950 office chair is out of your price range, there are some less expensive options, although reviewers warn that with ergonomic office chairs, you get what you pay for.

If you're on a budget and still want a leather chair, one option is the Office Star Deluxe Ergonomic Chair (*Est. $280). Some owners posting to Amazon.com like this chair for its comfort. The Office Star has a high back and a wide, thick cushion. It has adjustable armrests and adjustable seat height and tilt tension, so you can set the amount of resistance when you recline or rock. This chair also has a shorter warranty (15 years on nonmoving metal parts, five years on component parts, three years on fabric and foam), but it does come in leather, which has a professional, classic look.

Those who prefer a mesh chair might want to consider the Ergo Mesh High Back Executive Chair (*Est. $250), which has a mesh back and a contoured molded foam seat. Seat-depth and height adjustments, and swivel, tilt and tension controls help you fit the chair to your body. About two dozen owner-reviewers on Overstock.com consistently give this office chair high ratings for its comfort and adjustability. Although most say it's easy to assemble, a few reviewers noted that instructions were not clear (only pictures; no written guide), making assembly time consuming. This chair is also available with a lower back height as the Ergo Mesh Medium Back Task Chair (*Est. $200) for a bit less. This model gets more than 30 reviews at Overstock.com, and owners are equally happy with it.

We read reviews at BestBuy.com for the True Seating Microfiber Executive Chair (*est. $170). Though not purely ergonomic, this task chair does have pneumatic height control and upholstered arm pads. About a dozen owners review it at BestBuy.com, and most of them give it high marks for its easy assembly and overall comfort, although some say the seat is a bit too firm for them, and one owner says the color is darker than shown online. Note that this office chair has a very short limited warranty, only covering parts for two years.

If you're able to invest a bit more money, there are a couple of options that receive favorable reviews. The Raynor Ergohuman High-Back Mesh Chair (*Est. $650) receives above-average reviews from approximately a dozen owners on Amazon.com, many of whom chose this in favor of the Aeron office chair, citing its lower price and many adjustable features. One owner says, "the amount of adjustments and comfort is incredible." Features include adjustable lumbar support, back angle and height adjustment and a three-position headrest. Some owners caution that the chair only lowers the seat to 17 inches, so shorter users under 5 feet 5 inches may need a footrest to ensure comfort and support. This chair is also available without the headrest as the Raynor Ergohuman Mid-Back Mesh Chair (*Est. $600) for a bit less. If you're considering a chair in this price range, you might also consider the Herman Miller Mirra Basic (*Est. $650 to $850), which is also a mesh chair but lacks the headrest.

For those who might prefer a cloth chair, another mid-priced choice is the Steelcase Amia (*Est. $600), introduced in 2007 as a lower-priced alternative to the Leap and Think. Brian M. Hull, who reviewed the chair for TheHumanSolution.com, gives the Amia high marks for its four-way adjustable arms that also pivot inward and upward for maximum flexibility. He also notes that Steelcase incorporated much of the technology used in the Leap and Think, and incorporated some design improvements, such as a one-piece adjustable lumbar support (as opposed to the two-piece design on the Leap). Hull reports that this results in a sturdier feel which helps provide level support across the back. The Amia is available in two base finishes (standard black or, for an additional $50, platinum) and twelve fabric colors. Both the Ergohuman and Amia offer lifetime frame and structural warranties.