Office Chairs

Although spending $950 on an office chair may sound extravagant, reviews for less pricey chairs don't come near to matching the kudos for the Steelcase Leap or Herman Miller Aeron chairs. A case in point is the IKEA Verksam (*est. $125 for fabric, $280 for leather), which is included in the product testing done by The Wall Street Journal. Even though this chair comes in leather, testers found it to be unattractive and of poor quality with "clunky metal and plastic armrests…and tiny, hard-to-roll casters." Reviews say you're much better off spending more on a quality chair that will last and give you the ergonomic support you need, like the models mentioned in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers. Another IKEA chair, the Joakim Swivel Chair (*est. $170) gets better reviews.

With so much work done on computers and so much in-office communication conducted via e-mail, office workers are sitting for longer periods without a break. That's why investing in an ergonomically designed desk chair can play a big role in preventing back problems, carpal tunnel syndrome and an array of other musculoskeletal disorders. So it's a decision that can genuinely impact the way you work and your comfort while doing that work. The best chairs meet or exceed design and construction standards developed by The Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer's Association (BIFMA), and are approved by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) has also developed ergonomic standards.

Although the Aeron chair pioneered the industry, a couple of Steelcase chairs may be a better choice. The Steelcase Leap (*est. $820) , introduced as a competitor in 1999, has the innovative features of a gliding seat and flexible back that conform to the sitter's spine, allowing reclining without pulling away from a desk. The Leap wins Best Overall of five models tested by The Wall Street Journal and is liked by Slate editors for its smooth reclining action. An alternate version, the Leap WorkLounge (*est. $2,200) , offers the ultimate in plush luxury with a head pillow and optional flip-up ottoman. Steelcase offers a lifetime warranty, with the exception of ten years for seating mechanisms and three years for fabric. One downside is the "whoopee cushion" effect of the seat if you sit too quickly, noted by testers at Slate.

Steelcase also makes the popular Think (*est. $670) office chair, which has received some good reviews. The manufacturer has dubbed it "the chair with a brain and a conscience" because it was designed both to adjust to the seating habits of the users and make as little long-term impact on the environment as possible. According to materials on the Steelcase website, this chair is up to 99 percent recyclable by weight. It also contains up to 44 percent recycled materials and absolutely no PVC, CFCs, solvents, benzene, chrome, lead or mercury. While regular user reviews of this chair are hard to find, it did earn raves from Wired magazine, and editors at My Business magazine dubbed it the choice chair for "tree-huggers" in addition to being "good for your back."

The Humanscale Freedom (*est. $850) has fewer adjustment knobs than the Aeron and Leap chairs. Instead, the Freedom responds to the sitter's movements through an "intelligent counter-balance recline mechanism" that automatically provides support and ergonomic positioning. Testers at Popular Mechanics say "it's like having a second spine." Unlike most other models, the armrests can be positioned below thigh level for close-table work. Like the Steelcase Leap chair above, the Freedom comes in just one size. Humanscale offers a five-year warranty on fabric/cushions and a lifetime guarantee on all other parts. The Freedom is available in leather or fabric.

Rather than the Aeron or Leap office chairs, Slate's testers prefer the Humanscale Liberty (*est. $900) . This chair is similar to the Humanscale Freedom, with the same self-adjusting recline, but the Liberty has a slightly higher contoured mesh back rather than an upholstered back seat pad. The mesh back gets its shape only from seaming, rather than any plastic or metal lumbar supports. Reviews say this makes it more comfortable and flexible than other chairs. One drawback is that you can't adjust the armrest height. In fact, you can't make any adjustments at all; the point is that you shouldn't have to. Rather, the Liberty uses your body weight as a counterbalance.

Despite Slate's positive review of the Liberty, more reviews mentioned the Freedom model as having great comfort and usefulness, so we've included it in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers.

Chairs from Neutral Posture are mentioned favorably by reviewers. Neutral Posture is the only woman-owned seating company in the United States, owned by a mother-daughter team. Neutral Posture has five product lines, starting from very basic to executive-type chairs, in a variety of colors and styles. Editors at My Business say the Neutral Posture 8000 Series (*est. $760) will fit anyone, "whether you're short or tall."

If chairs like these are 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. Despite this, editors at My Business recommend the IKEA Joakim Swivel Chair (*est. $170), saying that it has just enough adjustable features to be comfortable. The seat glides forward when you lean back, an unusual feature in this price range, and the seat height is adjustable. IKEA also offers an impressive ten-year limited warranty and claims that this chair can withstand heavy office use. If you're a fan of IKEA's vibrant color schemes, this chair won't disappoint; its cold foam fabric is available in red and dark blue in addition to gray.

If you're on a budget and still want a leather chair, an option is the Office Star Deluxe Ergonomic Chair (*est. $270) . 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, but it doesn't have a gliding seat like the IKEA chair above. This chair also has a shorter warranty (five years on
nonmoving metal parts, two years on moving parts, one year on fabric), but it does come in leather, which has a professional, classic look that is different than the IKEA Joakim, which is more contemporary.

Important Features: Office chairs

Here are other important considerations when chair-shopping:

• How do you use your desk? Do you lean forward a lot, working on paperwork or a computer? If so, you need what's referred to today as a task chair, which is what we've addressed in this report. Executives who lean back a lot, while talking on the phone, for example, will benefit from a different kind of chair.

• Consider the adjustability you need. If you work with both hands on a keyboard all day, you may adjust different aspects of the chair than someone whose primary motion is using a mouse. Adjustable features, which are best when you can operate them while seated, often include chair tilt, backrest height and angle, seat height and depth, armrest height and angle and lumbar support. Some chairs, like the Humanscale Freedom in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers, adjust automatically based on the sitter's body movements.

• Allow for proper blood circulation. Look for a seat with a rounded front edge, which helps blood circulation in the legs. Look for a good proportion -- your feet should be firmly planted on the floor. An improperly proportioned chair will stop just behind the knees and cut off circulation. Make sure there's at least one extra inch of chair extending beyond your hips for comfort and thigh support.

• Will the chair roll around on carpet or a hard floor? The casters can be different for each. Also, the overall seat height with casters should ensure that your feet are always flat on the floor.

• Upholstered or vinyl? With a few models, like the Aeron, this won't be a factor, but for others you may have to choose. Vinyl and leather clean easily, but they can trap heat because they don't breathe well. Cloth is usually more comfortable, but if you eat at your desk a lot, spills will eventually show.

• Take your time -- take chairs for a test drive. Experts agree that you have to "try on" a chair for more than a few minutes in the store. To know if the chair you're considering is right for you, have it delivered to your office and work in it for several days. If it turns out that you're not comfortable in it, don't be afraid to send it back. Check with the retailer on their return policy.

When equipping an entire company with chairs, it's impractical to custom-fit each employee. Rather, you'll want a chair that's adjustable enough to fit most of your workers, like the Humanscale Freedom or Steelcase Leap in ConsumerSearch Fast Answers.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model(with Retailer Links)	Details from Amazon.com
5	Herman Miller Aeron (starting at *est. $950)	details
5	Herman Miller Mirra (*est. $800)	details
4	Steelcase Leap (*est. $820)	details
3	Steelcase Think (*est. $670)	details
2	Humanscale Freedom (*est. $850)	details
2	Herman Miller Celle (*est. $630)	details
1 each	AK Designs – Octane PC Gaming and Office Chair, Allsteel #19 , Allsteel Sum , Bodybilt , Haworth's Improv H.E., Haworth Zody, HON F3 , Humanscale Liberty , IKEA Allak, IKEA Joakim Swivel Chair, Jobri Ergonomic Task Chair , Klober Cato, Klober Ciello, La-Z-Boy Sintas Managerial Series Mid-Back Chair , Maui , Neutral Posture 8000 Series , Obusforme , Office Star Screen Back Task Chair , Office Star Matrex , Office Star Deluxe Ergonomic Chair , RH Logic 400, Sguig, Schneider Chair, Staples/Sealy Posturepedic Valencia Chair, Staples Classic Leather Executive Chair, Staples Greeley Manager's Chair, Turnstone Let's B, True Seating Vinyl PC Gaming Chair, Trump Office for Staples Bedminster Chenille Fabric Executive Chair

The first-ever ergonomic chair, the Herman Miller Aeron, is still popular among reviewers, although more than a decade has passed since its debut in 1994. Reviewers say that the newer Herman Miller model, the Mirra, isn't as comfortable and has a stiff seat. However, the Steelcase Leap is very popular among reviewers. The top-of-the-line Leap WorkLounge is a plush leather recliner with pillow and optional flip-up ottoman, but reviewers say the basic model is an excellent option, too. The Humanscale Freedom moves automatically in relation to the sitter's body position, with a minimum of knobs and levers requiring adjustment. Among less expensive options, one expert reviewer likes the IKEA Joakim Swivel Chair, and we saw some good comments on Amazon.com for the Office Star Deluxe Ergonomic Black Leather Office Chair as well as several other models in the Office Star line.

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