What type of chair is best for office work?

The best chair for office work is not one particular model. It is a chair that adjusts to your body and your desk, so you can sit in a comfortable, supported position and still move around through the day. If you spend hours at a computer, a few basic features matter far more than styling or a long list of extras.

This section collects our guides on office seating. Start here for the basics, then dig into the articles below for long work days and back-friendly sitting.

The features that matter most

Look for these adjustments before anything else:

• Seat height. A gas lift lets you raise or lower the seat so your feet rest flat on the floor and your thighs sit roughly level.
• Seat depth. A sliding seat pan lets you leave a small gap between the front edge of the seat and the backs of your knees. Too deep and you perch forward; too shallow and your thighs lose support.
• Lumbar support. A curve or pad that meets the small of your back helps you sit back into the chair instead of slumping. Adjustable lumbar is useful because people’s backs differ.
• Armrests. Height-adjustable arms let your shoulders relax while you type. Arms that are too high push your shoulders up; arms that are too low leave your forearms unsupported.
• Recline and tilt. A tilt mechanism with a tension control lets you lean back and shift position. A lock helps when you want to sit upright for focused work.
• Base and casters. A five-point base is the standard for stability on a rolling chair. Pick casters that suit your floor; hard floors and carpet often call for different wheels.

Mesh vs foam

Mesh backs and seats let air move through them, so many people find them cooler in a warm room. They flex with your shape but can feel firm at first. Foam seats with fabric or leather covers feel softer and more cushioned, and some people prefer them for that. Quality varies a lot within both types, so the feel in person is a better guide than the material label alone.

How to set up your chair at a desk

Once you have a chair, a few minutes of setup makes a real difference:

1. Set the seat height so your feet are flat and your knees are about level with your hips.
2. Adjust seat depth so you can sit all the way back with a little space behind your knees.
3. Move the lumbar support until it meets the inward curve of your lower back.
4. Lower or raise the armrests so your shoulders stay relaxed and your elbows sit close to your sides.
5. Place your screen roughly at arm’s length with the top near eye level, and keep the keyboard close.
6. If your desk is too high for your feet to reach the floor, add a footrest rather than sitting with dangling legs.

Keep moving

Even a well-adjusted chair is not a reason to stay still for hours. Change position, stand up, stretch and walk around regularly. Our guide to the most comfortable office chair for long hours covers features for long sitting and simple break habits, and our article on what chairs chiropractors recommend looks at features often discussed for back-friendly sitting.

If you have back pain or another health condition, talk to your doctor, physiotherapist or chiropractor about what suits you. For more on how we approach this topic, see how we pick chairs.