Did you know that sitting on the right office chair would help boost your productivity while protecting your neck, back, and shoulders? We spend most of our lives sitting – whether we are at home or in the office, working, eating, watching TV, driving, etc.
Sitting is pretty much the one thing we spend most of our lives doing. But then, is sitting for those many hours in the office or home office safe for your back and overall health?
Of course, it isn’t, which is why when you stand up after sitting for hours, your back, feet, and bum take time to readjust, and there is some pain/ discomfort in there too.
You cannot avoid working, though, and though you have the option of finding one of the best standing desks on the market, you might not be able to afford it yet. Instead of thinking too far into what you could do and what you shouldn’t, how about starting from the chair you sit on.
If your job involves long hours of sitting, you need to invest in the best office chairs for long hours. The chair you choose would work well with your home office desk.
Then there’s the current spread of coronavirus/ COVID-19, which was declared a pandemic by the WHO. With the spread of the disease, most companies have been forced to make arrangements to accommodate remote working.
Today, more than ever, the number of people working from home is at its highest. Are you ready to make the transition to working from home fully?
Is your home office or working from home environment good for productivity or your health? You need to invest in the best office chair for long hours.
Comfortable working chairs are often overlooked, and it might be the last thing you think about after buying the most expensive monitors, tablets, and PCs, etc.
That shouldn’t be the case. You shouldn’t be sitting on that old rickety chair, especially when you think about how the market for office chairs boasts the largest variety of office chairs in all price ranges.
You don’t have to break the bank for the best office chair if you sit for long hours.
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Best office chairs for long hours
To keep up your levels of productivity and protect your back, here are some chairs you might like.
1. Herman Miller Embody Chair
The Herman Miller Embody Chair is regarded as the best and the most ergonomic office chair that’s perfect for long hours of sitting. This chair is super comfortable to sit in, and it feels like you are floating in the chair.
This chair is the result of years of intensive research into the best ergonomic chairs by the designer of this chair, Bill Stumpf, along with at least 20 PhDs and physicians.
The chair is built to provide the longest mileage for its sustained comfort, as well as the best back support. As expected, this is not the cheapest chair on the market. Do not be fooled by the chair’s rather ‘regular’ and an unassuming look because this chair offers a lot more than meets the eyes.
It’s been branded the World’s first and best Health Positive chair, thanks to Embody’s constriction from some of the most advanced materials. The chair will adapt to your sitting style.
The other features that really stand out from this ergonomic chair include its exoskeleton backrest for continuous back and lumbar support. This exoskeleton lumbar is made of a central spine along with flexible ribs-like features, and it mimics the human back.
The backrest is a patented design, and it flexes to your back’s curvature, offering constant back support regardless of sitting posture. All you need to do is to adjust it, and after sitting in it, you will feel as if the chair has disappeared, your muscles relax, and the body becomes one with the chair.
It also sports an adaptive set that is designed with a dynamic surface pressure system from 4 layers of the most advanced materials. These materials and the pressure system will adapt to the shape of your body, depending on the amount of surface pressure you put on the chair.
The pressure surface system is also the reason why you can sit on this chair for hours of profound comfort and good blood circulation – you don’t have to shuffle in the seat to find the perfect spot.
It also features an adjustable seat depth that’s designed with 2 levers in the bottom sides of the chair, making it super easy for you to adjust your seat’s depth.
Thanks to this design, your thighs will not be left dangling, regardless of the length of the thighs and your body size. The chair comes with armrests too, but the unfortunate bit is that you cannot move the armrests forward or back.
Herman Miller Embody Chair also takes the spot for the best office chair for long hours thanks to its super-green design. The chair is made with materials that are up to 95% recyclable, meaning no landfills, greenhouse gasses, and overall good health.
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2. IKEA Markus
IKEA is a brand behind some of the best furniture in homes across the country and thought it’s not the perfect brand for everyone; this brand offers good quality and affordable options that will very easily match your needs.
One of their best products is this affordable office chair designed to last a long time, supporting you through the long working hours.
This office desk chair has a maximum weight capacity of 100kgs, and you might also like it because it has been around for some time now, and the people who’ve tried and tested it are happy with it.
This IKEA Markus is our favorite because it is affordable, and though it doesn’t come with the fancy adjustments seen in the fancier ergonomic chairs, it’s quite sturdy, and it provides a very comfortable seated upright position, thanks to the long back and the integrated headrest.
The breathable mesh back enhances the comfort of the chair, and you can sit for hours comfortably.
Some of the simple adjustments you can make to this chair include adjustments for the height; you can tilt, recline it, or lock them back in place. These adjustments are pretty good if you are looking for a simple office desk that will not match your tight budget.
It offers good value for money, comes with a 10-year warranty, and though you may need an upgrade after some years, this chair is pretty good.
The other features that make this chair a good fit for your home office include the adjustable and the lockable tilt function that enhances the stability as well as the control of your sitting positions.
The safety casters are fitted with a pressure-sensitive brake mechanism, which will keep the chair in place while you stand up, releasing automatically when you sit. The adjustable height enhances the comfort of the chair.
For back support and relief, it comes with built-in lumbar support working along with the mesh back to keep you comfortable on long working periods. You could use it with IKEA’s KOLON floor protector.
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3. Steelcase Leap Chair
The Steelcase Leap Chair might be a good option for you if you are looking for a chair that looks and feels almost as good as the Herman Miller Embody Chair.
Some of the integral features of the Steelcase Leap Chair include the Live Back, an intuitive function that offers the best back support and flexes perfectly to your back’s contouring, a feature that makes this chair immensely comfortable.
The slider present on the backrest allows you to easily move the chair’s lumbar support either up or down, depending on where you need it the most.
So, if you feel that your back needs a lot more support than the rest of your body, then the lumbar support and the Live Back flexing features will allow you the comfort and support you need.
It comes with a number of levels and knobs which make it possible for you to easily control everything about the chair, from the tilt session and the tilt angle (5 settings present), to the firmness of the chair and the back areas.
Once you find the perfect settings, you might never want to leave the chair, and you would be able to get more work done. The other impressive feature of this chair is its superb design, which allows the chair/ seat to bend where your thighs meet the chair, dissipating pressure and enhancing good circulation.
But that is not all; the chair has an adjustable seat depth as well. But if you are unable to choose between the Embody chair and this Leap chair, this feature might help you make up your mind – the Steelcase Leap Chair comes with adjustable armrests.
You can adjust the armrests in 4 ways – depth, height, closer, or farther from you. You could also adjust the armrest so that it’s angled inwards into a V shape.
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4. Humanscale Freedom Ergonomic Office Chair
If you are looking for an efficient ergonomic office chair, this Humanscale Freedom chair might be a good option for you. It’s a chair designed for people who are serious about ergonomics, and it feels as good as it looks.
This chair lacks the complex levers and knobs seen in most ergonomic chairs, and it instead adjusts to your needs automatically. The backrest reclines automatically with no resistance until it reaches its optimal level, meaning that this chair offers great sitting comfort and support.
You can adjust the armrests too. The chair is also durable thanks to the high-end leather and the polished aluminum finish.
These features mean that this chair is a little pricey, but not as expensive as other models seen here. If you don’t want to spend all that money but wish to have a nice, comfortable experience, you could opt for the chair made of a graphite frame and plain fabric.
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5. Nouhaus Ergo3D Ergonomic Office Chair
If you struggle with back pain but still have to work for long hours, you can manage the pain and work for long thanks to this Nouhaus Ergo3D Ergonomic Office Chair.
It’s fitted with some of the best and the most robust features to protect your back, for example, the innovative 3-piece backrest which targets your back and the neck to relieve tension.
This feature is shaped to match your back’s and neck’s curvature, and its lowest section is the most pronounced to respond to pressure applied to your back.
It has an adjustable design, which means that you can easily readjust the chair until you find the settings that work for you perfectly. The height of the headrest is adjustable, and it’s large enough to offer full support to your entire head – the curved part fits under the neck/ behind the head.
There’s also the mesh on the headrest, which offers more relief for your neck.
Its heavily pronounced waterfall mesh seat is contoured to slope downwards towards the edge, reducing the pressure buildup around the thighs. If you suffer from Sciatica, this is an excellent feature.
Finally, you have the 135-degrees perfect backrest recline, which relieves pressure from the spine.
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6. Sihoo M57 Ergonomic Office Chair
For a budget-friendly option, this Sihoo M57 offers some of the best features that will keep you comfortable and relaxed for hours.
It has an ergonomic mesh design that offers comfort for extended periods spent sitting. The chair features a durable metal frame plus a sturdy design, and it can defy the hefty weight of up to 350lbs.
The mesh used is resistant to wear and tear, and the use of a high-strength metal gas-lift system and base means that this chair will last a while.
All the parts and components of this chair pass the SGSs quality testing standards.
Then there is the robust headrest and lumbar, as well as the adjustable height and depth of the lumbar support. All these ensure that you find the perfect and the most supportive spot on the chair.
Combined with the pivoting headrest, the chair will conform to your body perfectly. The breathable mesh design of the chair enhances its comfort.
It also sports pivoting armrests whose height is adjustable, and you could also angle the armrests inward and outwards to form a V shape for support when typing on a tablet or your phone.
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7. Berlman Ergonomic High Back Mesh Office Chair
The other budget-friendly ergonomic chair that you can sit comfortably in for hours is this high-back chair by Berlman. It has a sturdy build, and though it’s not the sturdiest of office chairs, it’s pretty good for the price.
It has great ergonomics, design, and comfort features, and the breathable mesh backrest ensures maximum comfort. It also comes with a large headrest, as well as a dedicated lumbar support strip that’s at the bottom area for good support to your lower back, especially if you have to sit for long hours.
Unfortunately, the fused backrest and headrest design make this chair uncomfortable for short and tall individuals under 5’4 and above 6”.
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8. X Chair X4 Leather Executive Chair
For an executive cognac leather chair that’s designed to help you deal with the back pain, you might like this X Chair, especially if you are shopping on a budget.
This chair makes use of the versatile and protective 3-piece backrest which is adjustable and can be moved up or down, depending on the area of your back that needs the most support.
The reclined backrest feels just as good too with the dynamic lumbar support giving excellent resistance without feeling too firm. Then there is the large headrest, which offers maximum neck and spinal support, as well as pain relief.
The seat’s depth is adjustable at 4 levels, and you can move it inwards or outward to relieve pressure buildup on your thighs.
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9. Zuri Furniture Gates Leather Executive Chair
For the best executive and the most comfortable office chair, consider this Zuri Furniture Gates Leather Executive Chair. This executive chair has been designed for anyone who craves softness and the opulence of leather furniture – it’s made using top-grain Italian leather, and it’s super soft and durable.
The use of 100% top-grain leather means that unlike the PU or the Faux leather executive chairs, this chair is extremely durable, looks better with time, and it is very luxurious.
Its softness comes from the voluminous high-density foam padding. This padding is found in all the areas that your body makes contact with this chair, including its armrests.
The thick and firm padding offers excellent support and resistance months and years after purchase. You might also like the lockable recline that supports the ergonomic back design.
The backrest is S-shaped, meaning that it will follow the shape of your spine, protecting your back and neck; while the sides curve inwards, hugging your sides and ribs, hence the perfect centered sitting position and an upright posture.
The support to your back is also enhanced by the fact that the chair reclines backward, and you have the option of locking it in one of the 4 recline positions. Then there is the seat’s waterfall design, which allows for excellent blood circulation to your lower limbs, eliminating thigh and leg fatigue.
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10. Duramont Reclining Office Chair
We cannot look at some of the best office chairs for long hours without taking a look at the reclining chair options. In this category, we look at this Duramont Reclining Office Chair, whose backrest reclines all the way down into a comfortable sleeping position.
This chair turns into that first-class cabin seat style, and you can relax your back and neck after a long day working. This reclining chair is also a good option if you need to read a newspaper and for power naps – just recline the backrest and pull out the footrest.
You will be happy to note that this Duramont Reclining Office Chair offers a lot more, and it would make the best investment if you want to splurge a bit on this super-comfortable chair.
The other nice features of the chair include the soft PU leather finish and the thick padding, which ensure maximum comfort from the chair. The thick padding will still feel as good as new even after use for months, and it won’t depress easily.
You can lock the backrest in the recline at any position between 90 and 155 degrees.
The pull-out footrest also stands out on this chair – it is easy to pull out, and it’s also thickly padded to keep your feet and legs comfortable. The design of the footrest could have been sturdier, though.
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Conclusion
These are only some of the best options on the market, but there are several other options you could try. Just make sure that the chair you choose supports your back and neck, and is comfortable to sit in for hours.