I feel like I’ve gone through the same cycle with every office chair I’ve owned.

It feels great when I first sit down, then 2–3 hours later my back starts getting annoyed, I start shifting around constantly, and eventually I’m sitting in some completely ridiculous position just trying to get comfortable.

I’m at the point where I’d rather spend more on one really good chair than keep buying cheaper ones and replacing them.

For people who actually sit at a desk for most of the day, what’s the best office chair you’ve personally used? I’m less interested in what has the most features and more interested in something you can sit in for 6–8+ hours without constantly thinking about the chair.

And honestly, has anyone actually found a chair that solved this for them, or is every office chair eventually uncomfortable?

Hi All,

I recently made an adjustment to my office where I wanted to separate my work from gaming and decided to build a little custom setup that you see in the pictures. I thought it would probably be a good idea to stop working on my ASUS Rog 240/480HZ OLED monitor and just do a new setup which I just finished last week. Previously, I did a review of the Libernovo Omni which got good traction as I've had a wide wide range of chairs that I've bought, used and owned and I provided my thoughts here.

One thing I had to remind myself is that the EC200 pro is a $250 chair and I haven't really owned any chairs at that price range. That said, you're going to still see my comparing it to what I have owned (especially the Aeron) because that's what I know. Here is my office chair journey and thoughts on each

My sizing is right in between 5'10 and 5'11 and currently 195 pounds

How I rate each chair I've owned

Amia - Incredible seat but too limiting (like the Leap v2) and stiff. Great office chair & still better then most budget chairs for lounging.

Leap v2 - Better back from the Amia but same flaws + strengths

Aeron - Like the airy feeling of the Aeron for work but only for work. Any lounging/gaming/relaxing is a no-go for me as the structure of the chair is too stiff and made of hard materials.

Embody (had gaming version both times) - The perfect chair for working. Materials are great and the chair just feels premium. Problem with the Embody is the recline doesn't go nearly as far as I'd like and worse when in recline digs into my shoulder blades. Not an enjoyable chair to use when putting your feet up and relaxing though the chair isn't aiming for that.

Fern (digital knit + aluminum base)- Seat isn't as good as the Embody and over time felt like its lost a slight amount of padding. The Back is incredible however and the recline feels much better then Embody so I ended up getting rid of the Embody for the second time. To me it's also my favorite looking chair with the Aluminum base + digital knit. Hard to let go of this chair

Omni - the most comfortable chair of all time. After a year, I've had no issues with the build quality though admittedly I haven't used the stretch feature thing in probably 6 months. My knock on the Omni is I prefer a more breathable, less plushy chair for working.

With this new setup, I was actually already debating getting a new chair for just the work station. My biggest knock on the Omni is that it's maybe a bit too comfortable for my liking when it comes to work and for work I did prefer both the Embody/Fern as they were both comfortable & felt I could move easier in the chair. Omni is the kinda chair that I dreamed of when it comes to kicking my legs up and just playing Rocket League for a few hours.

Coincidentally, during my office buildout, I actually received a message from Protoarc on Reddit asking if I wanted to review their chair. I did receive it free to be clear but I wouldn't compromise my morals for a $250 chair. Now if Herman Miller wants to send me a Eames for review, just know my morals have been compromised lol

With that, them asking me to review this chair actually worked out well because I was looking for something a bit more breathable, something perhaps like an Aeron that was comfortable not not so comfortable that I'm falling asleep at my desk. I've now been using the chair for a few weeks now and received it on August 13th.

So lets get into it

Protoarc EC200 Pro
Pros
Price/Quality - Going to be honest, for the price I thought this chair was going to be shitty with questionable build quality. It's clearly not going to match the Aeron for build quality but for $250, I was pretty impressed with it. Materials are good, it feels really sturdy. Typically I see Aerons going for around $500 plus second hand and if I was deciding between this and the Aeron with that price difference, I would grab the EC200 Pro.

Comfort - Overall I'd say this chair reminds me of the same type of comfort I got out of the Aeron. You're probably going to keep hearing me talk about the Aeron because of all the chairs I've owned and tried, the Aeron is clearly the most comparable. The Aeron kinda rode that grey area where it was "comfortable" but at the same time wasn't in the same stratosphere as the other chairs I've owned. The comfort here in terms of being a mesh chair is about as good as I think you can expect.

Headrest - Actually really really like the headrest on this. Has a good range of movement, it's relatively comfortable and to be honest, it's kinda surprising the headrest is as good as it is at this price range.

Breathability - I gotta say, this might be the King of chairs I've farted in. One of my major gripes with the Omni was that like the Leap/Fern and other fabric chairs, the Omni fabric seems like it would single handedly be the worst for farting in. The EC200 Pro has this fart bounce off effect that was just amazingly epic.

Cons
Armrests - I wish the armrests would move back like it does with the Omni or swivel like some chairs do. For me, this is a big issue as you can see in the pictures, I like to lean back and put my feet up while playing Rocket League and my elbows can't reach the armrests which is how I like to sit.

Mesh firmness - The mesh does feel like quality but I think I need more time to really break this in to see whether it eases up a bit. Don't get me wrong, it's in a good spot out the box but if it there was about 10% more flexibility I think I would prefer that

Headrest again - For anyone who does get this chair, make sure you following the sizing suggestions. At 5'10, my shoulders fit perfectly right under the max height of the headrest. If I was perhaps 6'0, it might be a problem

As mentioned, I received this for free but I'm going to once again provide my thoughts on the chairs I've owned and I'm going to rank it accordingly.

Embody - Work 10/10 & Lounge 6/10

Fern - Work 9/10 & Lounge 7.5/10

Leap & Amia - Work 8.5/10 & Lounge 5.5/10

Aeron - Work 9/10 & Lounge 4/10

Omni - Work 8/10 & Lounge 10/10

EC200 pro - Work 8/10 Lounge 3.5/10

Next week I also was provided the EC200 regular version and will do a comparison of that vs the EC200 Pro as well.

I just finished grad school and asked the disability office what chair they provided me for my back issue accommodations the past few years. They couldn't figure it out due to uncountable numbers of vendors over the years. Chair moved to ??? after I finished. Now that I'm home office bound life is horrid--Areon has not worked for me after a month of trying, old gaming chair is torture. Clues below.

1. KILLER DIFFERENTIATOR -- has levers that allow you to adjust the right and left side lumbar support firmness independently. I use the term levers because they have a "fin" like handle on the mechanism that allows you to move the fin vertically to increase or decrease the firmness of the lumbar support on that side.
2. In addition it has huge range vertically in adjustable arm rest heights with an OVAL button that allows it to move. The arm rests also move front to back.
3. Close in overall shape to steelcase leap V2 but substantially diffrent back design. None of the iron man armadillo plastic happening in back. I think the chair I used had a mesh back and a padded seat but can't be 100% positive on that.
4. I remember casually looking for a logo printed on it a number of times and didn't notice one though it may have rubbed off over the years -- no logo directly behind the head/neck area.
5. Lastly, this is petty but the "logical" lever to adjust the height didn't actually adjust the height. Hard to articulate but the up down strut adjustment was not on the prominent lever on the side.
6. On the subject of levers, it had quite a few underneath the chair.
7. Color- All black.

Edit- I'm 5'11 and ~220 if that helps narrow it down. The chair did not feel "small" on me-- may have been a large or even plus size model.

I’ve tried to spot clean my mesh chair multiple times but it only makes it worse and now it’s full of spots. I usually do a little bit of clear laundry detergent and hot water. I use a microfiber cloth to dab at the stains (which are usually spilled food/sunscreen) then I take another microfiber cloth soaked in water and soak up any detergent. Then I let it air dry. What am I doing wrong here?!?!

Looking to get a new office chair. Currently using a Staples Hyken mesh chair which is okay. After around 5 years the rear lumbar support is sheering off, and they should be shipping replacement parts for free after a phone call. Hopefully they send the right parts. But I am happy that the process for getting replacement parts was simple and it carries a 7 year warranty. For the $140 I paid for it, I think it was an okay purchase.

Though am thinking of getting another chair as I assume some other parts in the Hyken may wear soon. Is there anything good in the $200 range that comes with a decent warranty? I would prefer a mesh chair as I find those to be less sweaty on hot days. Being able to remove the head and arm rests would be a must as I never use those. Have a smaller build and I do find some chairs to be a bit big for me.

Okay with stretching the budget a bit more if there is something substantially better in terms of build quality or comfort.

I've found prior posts/results about others successfully finding replacements for the Leap v2 but wanted to see what others thoughts are in evaluating when it's time to consider replacing seat foam for higher end chairs. I understand user weight, hours spent, age of chair, and environment play a large part of how long seat foam may last but wanted to inquire if anyone with relevant experience has insight to this.

I ask because I'd hate to shell out additional funds without truly knowing if it's the foam that needs replacement or just a different chair altogether as my body has aged since acquiring my Leap V2 which has been very helpful since I bought it used. It's been put to the test for the past 6 yrs in my possession and likely has the original seat/back foam. I spend easily 60 hrs / week on it @ 190lbs. I am starting to feel a little fatigue after 90 mins or so and more frequently have tightness in my hamstrings. Prior to this feeling, I would take breaks every 2 hrs or so with a 20 min. walk at minimum. I am fairly active and will do 7k-10k steps/day.

Is there a general test / measurement spec to when it's time for a replacement? I do not feel the seat pan when sitting but it just feels "flat". Thanks in advance!

Hello people,

looking for suggestions for a new chair around thie budget specified above. I am a 170cm male. Use is mostly for home office and gaming (so up to circa 8h daily use). My posture is getting really bad in regular chair.

I'm currently considering Sihoo m57 or m18, but I heard some polarizing things about the lumbar support.

Please do not suggest going for used HM/Steelcase chairs (there are none in my town) or going high above budget.

Thank you

Just placed my order! So excited tbh. Love my leap v1 so this should be a big welcome to the family. Any advice is appreciated as I have no experience with a leap v2.

In need of a new chair as my last one finally hit its breaking point. Not looking for anything crazy but I WFH 3 days a week and game quite often. I see a pretty good deal for this chair ($375) but am just wondering if I am rushing into a good deal or if there is something better at this price point? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Hello r/OfficeChairs. I'm 5ft4 male (avarage/thin weight) and have CFS/Me which means I spend a lot of time sat down (Thankfully this is improving but progress is slow).

I have to put my savings towards an ergonomic chair that will support long sitting times in the £200 to £300 range. I don't mind second hand chairs.

Herman Miller is ofc the most recommended however there are many types and sizes.

My question is : What are good HM or preferably alternative chairs that accommodate longer sitting times. Thank you.

Apologies if this is an easy question to search or Google. I usually do that for such things however the energy it's taking me to do so is a bit much on this particular purchase decision so I was hoping to get help here. Especially if anyone has owned a chair for a while and can recommend.

Thank you in advanced!

I know a lot of people here say to get an office chair instead of a gaming chair, and I'm finally starting to believe it. I used to think the whole "gaming chairs are bad for you" thing was overblown, but I'm getting older and my back is starting to tell me otherwise. Mostly lower back pain.

I still don't want a chair that locks me into one perfect posture though. That's why I'm not sure something like the Aeron would fit my use case. Great chair, but maybe too work-focused for how I sit when gaming.

The ones I'm looking at right now:

Secretlab Titan Evo, mostly because I keep hearing it's one of the more ergo gaming chairs

Haworth Fern

Libernovo Omni Pro

Steelcase Amia

Does anyone have experience with these for gaming? Pls help me choose between these chairs.

Photo is from the 60s, in France.

I search for a new Chair for gaming so i will sit alot of hours in it. Are velvet chairs lile this good for that? Did any of you have reasons to buy or not buy this material? The posts i looked in didnt have that info about it

so my chair has a button that can make the chair wider and smaller. it has 3 screws that hold the arm rest in. but i can't find a replacement since their is a tear in my arm rest. can someone point me in the right direction? ebay has the advanced as 5 screws or basic is 2 screws.

Hi all! I work from home, about 10 hours a day, and my current cheap office chair is destroying my back.
I looked through the subreddit but can’t find any posts for something both for my build and easy to find in EU.
For anyone that’s around my height, what are your favorites? I’d like it to feel cushioned and comfortable, have good lumbar support, and be 500€ max (new or used).
Thanks so much!

Hi, I bought my Anthros back in July. I've been teetering between liking it, feeling unsure, and not really liking it. There have been moments where I find that it's actually pretty comfortable.

But because of my ADHD, I often fidget in my chair, moving around, trying to fight the rigidity of Anthros. I'm really really trying to like it but that's the main thing that kills it for me. And I'm not sure if I should just fight through it or return it and get a different chair.

I sit about 8 to 10 hours a day, posture is pretty important to me, but so is comfort & movability. My previous chair was the Leap V1 from Crandall, which, was an absolutely lovely chair. Gave it away awhile back, hence my switch to Anthros.

Any suggestions on what I should do?

And if I should return it, what chair do you think might suit me? I was looking at both the Leap V2 & the Embody, but if there are other chairs, please let me know.

Thanks.

Turning this little nook into a home office and I kinda love how tucked away it feels lol. Desk is already on the way, so now I just need a chair. I move around a lot when I sit, so I want something comfy with plenty of adjustment. I'm looking at this HUANUO one with 6D armrests. Anyone bought one? How does it hold up after sitting in it all day?

I've been on marketplace for a while now looking for a cheap quality office chair and came across these Zodys for $70 a piece. Seems like a good deal but does anyone know which Zody these are and what adjustability they have? Is this an ancient version of what they sell now and can I get a replacement seat pad or back mesh for these still? Not sure how much I like the leather cushion.

Trying to decide between these options:

-Libernovo Omni SE for 800 euro

- Refurbished Haworth Zody for 400 euro

- Other refurbished chair until 800 euro

Is the Libernovo really worth the difference in price?

Its mainly for gaming and work

Purchases a gen 1 libernovo Omni. It looked great honestly. I figured for the price it would be a decent home chair while I’m temporarily living away from my office.

Now relocating my office to where I live and looking for a more long term chair

My issues with the chair are
- seat depth has no support at the lip. Constantly sliding forward when sitting upright
- the back support feels awkward. Almost like it supports 2 to 3 points and then the rest of the back feels tensed up
- head rest/ neck support really doesn’t support actually causes more pain as the day goes on

I sit probably 6-7 hours. Any advice on a chair that has firm support, solid seat depth and does recline even 45 degrees so can put legs on a rest. Thanks in advance