What makes a great chair will be a little different for everyone. Some cost $1,000 or more, others not so much. No matter your budget and your preferences, from lumbar support and head support to a great foam cushion, we've found the best chairs for many needs.
Read more: Best Gifts for Gamers for the Holidays 2024
Despite the many chairs on the market, not all of them will support your body properly -- which is absolutely necessary if you sit in a chair for long periods. Getting the right gaming and office chair means having proper lumbar support, seat depth and comfort to avoid back and neck pain.
Are you a fan of gaming chairs? Do you want something fancier, like an ergonomic office chair from Herman Miller? Or maybe you’re looking for a budget chair? We've tested a huge range of chairs, from $50 to $3,000; and these are the best office chairs.
What is the best office chair of 2024?
Verve Chair by Branch is the overall best office chair.
If you spend time working, gaming or doing anything that involves sitting for a long time, you need a high-quality, supportive chair. Our top pick, the Branch Verve, is a great midrange option that's comfortable, durable and looks great.
Getting the right support while you're sitting can help with your posture as well as the muscle soreness that can stem from a bad chair. During the pandemic, many of us at CNET had to turn parts of our homes into offices, which gave us a chance to test a lot of office chairs. Today, remote and hybrid work is sticking around, making a good chair imperative.
We've been testing office chairs at CNET for over nine years, and I've been sitting on them for decades. That means we can help you make an informed decision about where to rest your rump.
Note: Prices vary on third-party sites, so prices quoted here may change. We'll regularly update this list of the best office chairs to reflect the most accurate prices.
Best office chairs of 2024
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The difference between a cheap and a high-end chair can be amazing. I have spent years using a $100 chair and having back pain most of that time. The Verve chair by Branch costs more, but everything about it oozes quality. The heavy metal fittings, the quality of the fabric and the movement of the wheels show the care and attention put into making this chair.
Comfort rating: Super comfortable
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The Doro C300 is an extremely comfortable and fully meshed office chair. The headrest adjusts to fit my long frame, although I do find the seat a little shorter than I'd prefer for my legs. The armrests are very well-padded and move easily across a full range of motion, which is especially important when you are typing for eight hours a day. The lumbar support automatically adjusts as you lean back, which I found helpful, and the wheelbase is solid metal, not nylon, so there is less chance of it coming loose over time.
Build time was fairly low, around 20 minutes, and the entire chair feels very stable, especially for a lower-price model.
Comfort rating: Comfortable
If you're a fan of a tall, well-ventilated back on a chair with plenty of adjustment options, Oak Hollow's Aloria Series offers an impressive option. It's simple to set up, feels incredibly sturdy, and the controls under the left and right side of the seat make it easy to set up for your body quickly.
This chair is available in Standard and Tall seat height options, and it's important to know that even the lower option sits high enough that at 6 feet tall my feet leave the ground when leaning back further than the first position in this chair. If that's not something you're worried about, this chair will keep you cooler than most and plenty comfortable.
Comfort rating: Very comfortable
I liked this Amazon Basics chair right away. This swivel chair was easy to assemble, the leather design looks nice, and the adjustable seat and back are cushioned and comfortable.
This chair is relatively affordable without sacrificing much, with one exception: lumbar support. If lumbar support is a must-have, consider one of our other favorites. Overall, this is one of the more reasonably priced ergonomic office chairs; it is easy to put together, comfortable and is easy on the eyes.
Comfort rating: Comfortable
I'm a big guy, and having a chair that can easily take my weight while remaining comfortable and adjustable is a big deal. I like that the OdinLake has adjustable everything. From the arms to the seat and lumbar positions, it can all be tweaked to fit your sitting style.
I also tested the more expensive Ergo Max 747, and while it is as good as the Upgrade 518, I found the seat to be a little less comfortable over time. It's not that the Ergo Max 747 is a bad chair; it's just not significantly better than the Upgrade 518, which is a fraction of the cost.
Comfort rating: Very comfortable
It's often hard to find an executive chair that looks great but doesn't break the bank. The cheaper ones tend to look underwhelming, while the truly expensive ones are great but out of the realm of normal people. The Galene from Eureka is an excellent balance between cost and quality. It looks good and is very comfortable to sit on for long periods. The build took about 20 minutes and it doesn't suffer from the wobbles that budget chairs often fall victim to. It feels like a much more expensive chair.
My only wish is that instead of arms that just raise and lower, they had more articulation so I could tailor them to my needs. Executive chairs are really designed for being comfortable on calls and meetings rather than extended typing, so having arms that can adjust more dynamically to my position would be great.
The Anthros chair is amazing. The lumbar support helps stabilize your pelvis, and the wide seat is comfortable for all body types, including my 270-pound frame. The Anthros comes with a posture guarantee, so if you don't feel it has helped your posture or made you feel comfortable, you can get your money back. The Anthros feels high quality, and if money were no object, it would be my No. 1 pick (and I would tell you to buy one too).
Money does matter, and the Anthros is downright expensive. A good chair for your office is an investment that should last a long time, but at $1,749, it's probably worth some serious thought before you take the plunge.
Comfort Rating: Super comfortable
Like the Branch above, the Ignition 2.0 is an extremely well-constructed chair. Once it is put together it oozes sophistication and looks fantastic in my office space. I'm a big guy so I am always concerned that chairs won't hold my weight, but the Ignition is clearly designed with people like me in mind.
Adjustments can be made to your lumbar, height and armrests, but my favorite is being able to move the seat in and out. My long legs often feel unsupported but having the seat further forward supports me far better. I do wish the armrests would turn as well as rise, as that better supports my forearms as I type, reducing the strain on my wrists.
Overall, this is an excellent chair priced in the midrange. Its comfort level is high on my charts and the quick build time and solid construction make it one of the best chairs around.
Like the OC14 before it, the C7 has an extremely comfortable headrest. You may not use it all day like your lumbar support, but it does make more relaxed moments much nicer. The mesh back is very comfortable as well. It's breathable but feels strong enough to support my weight without ripping.
I like the soft padded armrests, and they're adjustable in three ways: in/out, up/down and left/right. I wish the lumbar support was equally adjustable. It can move in and out, but it can't be raised to fit the curve of my tall back, so it never feels as supportive as I would like.
Comfort Rating: Very comfortable
The newest chair from Steelcase wins a spot on this list not because it's comfortable -- although it is, especially in the lumbar region -- but because of its customization options. You can choose the color of the chair, but you can also add additional lumbar support (you'll want that), additional movement for the armrests and wheels for hard floors or carpets.
I found the chair excellent over long periods, and I especially liked how well the locking system works. Some chairs feel like they lean back too far, even when locked, but the Karman was rock solid the whole time.
Comfort Rating: Very comfortable
I'm 6-foot-1 and 275 pounds, and finding a comfortable chair has been an issue for me for years. I've even had several chairs' wheels break while I've been using them. This gaming chair has a weight limit of 350 pounds and features adjustable armrests that go up and down and rotate. A tall back and wide base make this a comfortable pick for bigger frames. This isn't strictly for the office, but I have used the EasySMX for over a year as my primary seat, and it still works well.
Comfort Rating: Comfortable for short periods
CNET staffers spend a lot of time sitting at desks. We'd all love to own the best office chairs, but we often have to make do with what we have, or we've found something we like and have stuck with it. These picks are not tested in the same way as the ones on our best list above, but here's what we're using regularly.
The Herman Miller Mirra 2 is expensive, but I justified the cost because I spend hours sitting in front of a computer screen. Boy, am I glad I did. Its mesh seat remains comfortable and supportive after five and a half years of steady use. When I sit down, I feel an actual moment of pleasure that it's still good. This is a huge step up from foam seat chairs that compress over time. The mesh is easier to clean and keeps cool, too. I like the adjustments, which I set up once and have left alone since then.
-- Stephen Shankland
Comfort rating: Super comfy
I bought a kneeling chair initially because of a torn hamstring and realized how much it helped my posture. It also forced me to stand up more and not slouch. Now, with this ergonomic desk chair, I move around conscientiously while working, which helps with neck and ankle stiffness. This brand stands out: It can rock, it has good padding for the knees, it's adjustable and it's definitely more affordable than others. When friends come over, they always try it and are surprised at how much they like it.
-- Laura Michelle Davis
Comfort rating: Good enough
I am 6-foot-1 and this is the most durable, most comfortable office chair I've ever had. My previous one lasted eight years. I've sold enough of them that Ikea owes me some euros, and I recently bought a replacement that I expect to last almost another decade. Forget those gamer chairs that break in six months, the Markus is the real deal for those of us who can't afford a Herman Miller or a Steelcase.
-- Wesley Radcliffe
"Comfort rating: Super comfy
You can sit in the chair in multiple ways. It's great for those with lower back discomfort. It has a unique design, it's comfortable and it offers lots of customization. It's especially fantastic for standing desks because it can raise up to bar-stool height.
-- Justin Eastzer
Comfort rating: Super comfy
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the "science of work," says Gary Allread, program director for the ergonomics division at Ohio State University's Spine Research Institute. That definition doesn't apply only to our jobs; ergonomic principles can be used for pretty much any activity (and that means