As a tech editor and gamer who spends hours sitting, I understand what makes a chair comfortable. I’ve tested all the chairs featured on this list. From fancy luxury chairs to hardworking gaming seats, I've got what your behind needs to be comfortable. You'll need a good office chair to pair with your desk if you're working from home or studying at home. It should be comfortable with the right support to get you through long shifts without causing back pain. Selecting the right office chair is a personal choice, but ergonomics and aesthetics matter to most people.
Our Picks
What is the best office chair of 2025?
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 Ergonomic Chair Pro, 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. With remote and hybrid work becoming the norm, the dedicated home office space has become more essential than ever. So, a good chair is imperative.
We've been testing office chairs at CNET for more than 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.
Best office chairs of 2025
Best overall office chair
Pros
- So many adjustable settings
- Extremely comfortable
- Materials are gorgeous
Cons
- Wheels could be better
The Ergonomic Pro chair is the latest addition to Branch's impressive lineup. Taking cues from the Verve chair and other ergonomic chairs, you can feel the quality and pedigree when you sit on it. The whole chair feels incredibly well put together, with a solid metal wheel base instead of nylon, and fixtures and fittings the ooze quality. The lumbar support is excellent and while the headrest is a little low for my large frame, it's comfortable to lean back on when taking a rest from typing.
The Ergo Pro's many adjustment points also make for a comfortable seat. The arms can move in almost any direction, up and down, of course, but also forward, back, and even twist to get the perfect angle for support when you're working. It does help to reduce wrist strain when you get the arm position right. The wheels are the only small detail I would change about the Ergo Pro. They are fine but nothing special. A chair this good deserves proper rubber wheels to make it roll easier.
Comfort rating: Super comfortable
Best value office chair
Pros
- Excellent price
- Well-cushioned
- Good looking
Cons
- No lumbar support
I liked this Amazon Basics chair right away. This swivel style was easy to assemble, the leather-like 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
Best mid-priced office chair
Pros
- Lightweight yet sturdy
- Many points of adjustability
Cons
- Lumbar doesn't sit quite high enough
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 the 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 although as that better supports my forearms as I type, reducing the strain on my wrists.
Overall, though, 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.
Comfort rating: Very comfortable
Previous best overall office chair
Pros
- Fantastic build quality
- Easy to assemble
- Great wheels
Cons
- Material gets dirty quickly
The Verve chair by Branch has been the best overall chair for a while, and it only lost the top spot because the new Ergonomic Chair Pro stole it. It has fantastic lumbar support and a wide, firm base that cushions your rear as you work long hours. The setup was simple and the instructions were easy to follow. I especially like the note to use the box as a riser to help put the back on. That's a helpful tip! I found the wheels to be of good quality, something that even expensive chairs overlook. In fact, everything about it says it's a very expensive chair except for the price. It's not cheap, but the price range is great if you spend 40 hours a week sitting on it and want to feel your legs when you stand up.
My only small pet peeve with the verve was how quickly it picked up dirt. The corner of the seat is already showing signs of staining from rubbing on my clothes, and over months or years, this is only going to get worse.
Comfort rating: Super comfortable
Best office chair for large frames
Pros
- Cushioning was comfortable even for my 270 pound frame
- Extremely easy to build
- Breathable fabric keeps my back cool
Cons
- Wheels are poorer quality than I would like
- Armrests don't twist
The Autonomous Ergo Chair is a solid entry into our best office chair category. It's well-designed to hold someone with a larger frame, with an extremely comfortable seat pad and lumbar support that you can really feel. The solid metal feel throughout, especially on the wheel hub, is welcome as it supports me well. Nylon wheel hubs can sometimes stretch, causing the pillar to slip through over time and scrape the floor. Having a metal hub negates that issue. That being said, I wish the wheels on the Ergo Chair Ultra were better. When I installed them, they were difficult to fit -- unlike every other part of the build -- and they don't glide as well as I would like. The wheels are pretty weak for a chair that can hold up to 300 pounds. I would like to see some roller-blade-style wheels on this in the future.
Overall, this office chair is comfortable, easy to set up, and looks great. I could wish the wheels were better, but if you have a larger frame and want something built to last, the Autonomous Ergo Chair is a great choice.
Comfort rating: Very comfortable
Best office chair with full control
Pros
- Fully adjustable
- Well built
- Good wheels
Cons
- Armrests are hard
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
Best build-your-own office chair
Pros
- Customizable for your style
- Rock solid movement
Cons
- Seat wings are a little high
- Insane pricing for a chair
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 and 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
Best mesh office chair
Pros
- Great ventilation
- Comfortable for tall people
Cons
- Heavy to move around
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
Best office chair with a headrest
Pros
- Mesh back reduces sweating
- Well-cushioned armrests
- Comfortable headrest
Cons
- Lumbar doesn't move up and down
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; 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 best office chair for gaming
Pros
- Cool looking design
- Excellent adjustable parts
- Good headrest
Cons
- Could use better wheels
The harsh truth about gaming chairs is that they are uncomfortable. Even the best gaming chairs are only comfortable for short periods of time, despite how cool they look. The Axion gaming chair from Eureka improves on the feel of standard gaming chairs by bringing in office chair-style ergonomics, all while looking like it could be a part of a futuristic gaming setup. The chunky plastic, bright colors and shiny dials give it a more "gamer" look than a traditional office chair.
But make no mistake, this gaming chair can function as an office chair as well, and a good one at that. It hits all of the ergonomic points required for a good office chair, like lumbar support and adjustable arms. It's incredibly comfortable to sit in for a full eight-hour day. I especially like the large headrest, as it lets you rest your head back while still being comfortable to work and game. If your gaming room is your home office, then the Axion from Eureka is the best of both worlds.
Comfort rating: Very comfortable
Best low-price mesh back office chair
Pros
- Breathable mesh
- Comfortable armrests
- Excellent back support
Cons
- Seat doesn't move in and out
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 short, around 20 minutes, and the entire chair feels very stable, especially for a lower-price model.
Comfort rating: Very comfortable
Comfort rating: Comfortable
The most comfortable office chair I've ever used
Pros
- The most comfortable I've ever been at a desk
- Very easy to build
- Upper back support is amazing
Cons
- It's prohibitively expensive
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 more than $1,000, it's probably worth some serious thought before you take the plunge.
Comfort Rating: Super comfortable
Best budget executive office chair
Pros
- Looks more expensive than it is
- Great back support
- Easy to build
Cons
- Only one adjustment available on the arms
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 John or Jane Q. Public. 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 comfort on calls and meetings rather than extended typing, so having arms that can adjust more dynamically to my position would be great.
Comfort rating: Very comfortable
How to choose the right office chair
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 an ergonomic office chair isn't going to immediately fix your lower back pain). Allread and his team offer consultations for a variety of workplaces, including manufacturing plants. They even provide input on product design to help companies better understand how to create products "to make sure they can interact with people as well as possible," Allread says.
Chair posture
A less-than-ideal work setup might cause pain in your back, arms, hands or wrists. You might also find yourself fidgeting, making more mistakes, or taking more breaks, all because you're uncomfortable, Allread warns. Long-term, you might end up with tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome.
Allread offers two main suggestions we all can try to improve how we work:
- Sit with your back against your chair. ("You want the chair to do the work and not your back," he says.)
- Support your feet. Either plant your feet on the floor or, if they don't reach, use a box or other footrest to support your feet.
Lumbar support
If your chair lacks lumbar support, Allread recommends rolling up a towel, securing it with tape or rubber bands, and placing it at your lower back as a lumbar cushion to "keep the back in its natural curve." Allread also notes that companies are beginning to introduce different chair sizes, supporting a wider range of body sizes, which is an important consideration if you're shopping for a new ergonomic chair with the best seat height and seat depth.
"One mistake people make is they say, 'Well, if I get a great chair, then I'm not going to be sore anymore,' and that's not really looking at the big picture of what it takes to keep people comfortable and productive at their jobs," Allread says. A new chair is just one of many things that can make your work environment more comfortable -- so let's keep that in mind as we weigh our options for the best one.
How we test office chairs
Like everything we test here at CNET, these office chairs have undergone a barrage of tests. First, we assembled each chair and noted any issues with the process, including how long it should take versus how long it actually took. Then we spent two workdays, or about 16 hours, sitting in each chair, noting the level of comfort, adjustability (such as adjustable height, adjustable backrest or adjustable arm features) and any issues we had.
We also tested what I like to call the "wibble wobbles." Because office chairs are often supported by just one rod, they can wobble left and right. That movement is more stressful on the chair, which can wear it out more quickly. It can also cause discomfort and even motion sickness.
I'm heavier and taller than average, and your experience may differ. That's why we asked our professional for questions you should consider when choosing your own chair. They are:
- Was the chair designed so you can rest comfortably against the back of the chair?
- Do your feet touch the floor with your back against the back of the chair?
- Did you find yourself fidgeting or standing up a lot?
- Did you experience any pain or discomfort while using a particular chair?
We let these questions guide us, and they helped eliminate a lot of chairs. Some felt OK, but in the long run, they didn't offer the advantages of the ones we ultimately chose.