The 11 Best Office Chairs

A good chair often means one that comes with a variety of adjustments. Branch's Ergonomic Chair fits this bill. It's surprisingly easy to assemble in minutes (the instructions are great), and there are tons of little tweaks you can make.

You can push the armrest back and forward, up and down; the seat can extend out or be pushed all the way in; you can lock the recline; and there's even adjustable lumbar support.

It does all this while managing to look very sleek and without asking an outlandish price.

(There's no headrest but you can pay to add one.)

Ask WIRED reviews director Jeffrey Van Camp what the best office chair is and he'll point you to the humble Hyken. It's frequently available for just $170 during big sale events, making it one of the most affordable good options out there.

It reclines, has a breathable mesh fabric on the back and seat, and it's sturdy. You even get a headrest and lumbar support.

After three years of continuous sitting, Van Camp says the mesh has compressed a bit, but it's still comfy.

However, it may not be the best option if you need a wider seat.

No one wants a swampy butt. There, I said it. Thick foam seats often trap your body heat, especially during the summer months. That's why I like the X-Chair. It doesn't just have a mesh backrest, but the seat is mesh too, allowing for excellent airflow.

It also feels like you're sitting on a hammock. Who doesn't want that? Every part of my body feels well supported, and you can adjust nearly everything on the chair.

Pull the seat up and push the armrests up, down, and side to side, or angle them in or out. The lumbar support feels like a cushion, and it adjusts as you move in your seat.

Steelcase's Gesture is comfortable, no matter how you're sitting.

Tuck one leg under the other, cross your legs at the knee, or sling one over the armrest, and you'll be fairly well-supported.

The adjustments also have a wide range, so you can precisely tailor the whole package to your body and posture.

Designed by the famed Niels Diffrient, this chair gracefully supports my back like a mother gently laying a baby in a crib.

If you're a recliner, this is the chair for you.

By design, there aren't as many adjustments you can make compared to other spendy chairs; the idea is that the chair will adapt to your own body.

Its upright positioning supported my back and eased lingering back pain from sitting in a cheap gaming chair.

The seat feels rigid at first but eventually becomes surprisingly pillowy, and the armrests stay firmly in place.

You might be wondering why the best “chair” for your back is a stool with no backrest.

Well, that's because the QOR360 targets the sitz bones in your pelvis to ensure you're sitting upright.

The base of the stool rocks around slightly so your body will continually shift a little throughout the day, but most importantly, it made me want to get up and move.

That might sound like a bad thing, but movement is one of the best ways to counter the woes of sitting in a chair all day.

The mesh back is breathable, the casters are smooth, and the armrests don't feel too obstructive. Amazon has since updated the model slightly, so your mileage may vary. Luckily returns are free, in case your experience differs.

Where it sets itself apart from similarly priced competitors is in durability and flexibility. It’s comfortable for marathon gaming sessions, and that's thanks to the amount of adjustability it offers

If your legs need to be bent and twisted for you to be comfortable, you'll want to check out the Pipersong.

It has a 360-degree swiveling footstool that can accommodate pretty much any sitting position you want.

I can go from kneeling to cross-legged to one leg up, one leg down.

There's a reason the classic Aeron is the chair of choice in many offices: It's durable, supportive, and airy. It comes in three sizes—A, B, and C—and you're able to adjust pretty much everything on the chair to suit your body.