When you start shopping for a new office chair, the prices of high-end models can be shocking. While they do provide an unbelievable level of comfort and will keep your back from turning into a question mark, there are chairs out there that can do almost the same, but without draining your bank account.
Standard height
AmazonBasic Mid-Back Mesh
Editor's choice
This mid-back mesh chair has a pneumatic lift for perfect height adjustment, and there's a controllable tilt function that can be set to any tension. The mesh backing has lumbar support and won't leave you sweaty on a hot day, and the thick padding on the seat won't hurt your behind.
High headrest
IKEA Markus
Staff pick
IKEA's Markus chair is tall, perfect for those of us with a height advantage, and a pneumatic lift and tilt function lets you get an ideal position. A padded headrest is comfy when leaning back, and built-in lumbar support keeps your spine at attention. A mesh backrest helps deal with airflow during hot summer days.
A different posture
DRAGONN Ergonomic Kneeling
Sitting for long periods is not great for posture, which is where the kneeling chair comes into play. You still rest your rear on a well-padded seat, but there's a second padded platform on which your knees rest. The angle keeps you from hunching over, and it's all adjustable for an ideal fit. Note that there is a maximum 250-pound weight limit.
Tall mesh back
Lorell Executive High-Back
This mesh-back chair is ideal for anyone who likes support up to their shoulders without a headrest to get in the way. Armrests can be tweaked for height and width, there are three handles on the side to adjust seat tilt and height, and built-in lumbar support ensures you keep a natural curve.
Upholstered padding
AmazonBasics Mid-Back
This mid-back chair keeps things compact while offering a more executive look thanks to a PU leather finish available in brown, black, or white colors. There's plenty of padding on the bottom, back, and armrests, plus you can control tilt and height with a handle.
Aggressive design
Furmax Office and Gaming
Furmax has here a PU-leather-covered racing chair with a high back, headrest, plenty of padding, and aggressive design. It comes with a headrest pillow and a lumbar pillow, and you have handles to adjust height and recline. Choose from a couple of different colors to match your style and battle station.
Bonded leather
Staples Westcliffe
Available in brown or black bonded leather options, this Westcliffe manager's chair from Staples will fit right in with an executive's decor. There's plenty of padding on the seat and back, and contoured lumbar support keeps your back from aching if you sit for long periods.
Truly budget
Boss Steno
It might not be the most comfortable option on the list, but this Steno chair from Boss is genuinely cheap. It has a padded bottom and back, a handle to adjust the height, and it rests on five casters with a weight limit of up to about 150 pounds. If you need a cheap chair for basic purposes, this is it.
For standing desks
Modway Attainment
If you often work at a standing or drafting desk, swapping between chairs or adjusting desk height can be a pain. Modway's Attainment is tall enough to work with high desks, and its fold-up arms make it easy to get in close to the action. It rests on five sturdy casters, a footrest ring keeps your legs from dangling, and ergonomic seat design offers lumbar support and ample padding.
If we're making some suggestions
All of the above options can be had for a price that won't come close to the upper-end office chairs, but if we're making some recommendations, have a look at the AmazonBasics Mid-Back Mesh chair. It costs far less than the budget limit, but it still brings plenty of adjustments, including height and tilt. You get lumbar support thanks to a curved mesh back, and there's relatively thick padding on the seat to stay comfortable. If you don't like the idea of always having something behind your head — the chair's backstops about halfway up — this is a great, cost-effective choice.
If you're on the other side of the debate and prefer to have full back support from your office chair, IKEA's Markus is a stellar pick. A few people here at Windows Central use the Markus every day, and it's proven to be a long-lasting, affordable chair with lumbar support, a mesh back, a headrest, and lots of padding where it counts the most. The arms are removable for a bit of versatility, and you can adjust for height and tilt to get a comfy position.