Your back will benefit from the best ergonomic chairs in 2023

We love using and reviewing the best office chairs for back pain as we think they can be a force for good in your life. That may sound like a grand claim, but I've been testing the best ergonomic office chairs for years now and I've personally felt the benefits of investing in a good ergonomic chair. And the experts agree (scroll to the bottom of the page for more from them). In short, if you work long hours at a desk, and you want to take care of your health, buying an ergonomically designed chair can be a game changer. 

When reviewing these chairs, we consider build quality, adjustability, support, price and design. And we've spent several weeks with each chair to get a proper feel for each one. A note on the star ratings: you may find a four and a half star chair below a four star – that's not a mistake. Where the Sayl (currently ranked 11) is a supreme chair for small offices (four and a half stars), I think the Sihoo M90D (four stars) will be better for far more people, and so it takes our second spot.

The bottom of this page contains information to help you know what to look for in a good ergonomic office chair. If you're looking to further aid your posture, check out our guide on the best standing desks. And if you're looking for a wider range of seating, we have a guide to the best office chairs in general.

Quick list

Here, we've summed up the most important bits about our top picks of office chairs for back pain. Simply click on 'read more below' to get even more information, including links to our reviews.

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Best overall ergonomic chair

The Herman Miller Aeron is one of the original ergonomic office chairs, and having had one material and performance update since its 1994 release, it's a design that's stood the test of time. 

It's tempting to resort to hyperbole when recommending a product to a creative audience which nails form and function as well as the Aeron. I've used it as my primary work seat for 12 weeks at the time of writing, and it's simply the most comfortable, supporting and stylish chair I've ever used. 

So much so that it crashes straight into the top spot of our list of the best chairs for back pain, knocking the brilliant X4 Executive leather chair off its perch (and down to number three, for reasons we detail below)). It couldn't be any other way. The X4 is still a great chair, but it doesn't compare in looks, and though I like the million adjustments I can make on the X4, there's something comforting (and comfortable) about the reduced adjustment options in the 'entry level' model of the Aeron I reviewed. It says something of the supreme confidence of Herman Miller: how the initial design decisions play out so effectively in the end results of comfort and support. 

If you're buying the Aeron directly from Herman Miller, the price is a little steep – though you do get a great 12-year warranty. Over $1,000 is a lot for anyone's wallet, though I have seen the price drop as low as $711 over at Amazon, so you can definitely get deals on this iconic chair.

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Best budget ergonomic chair

If you want a quality ergonomic office chair for back pain, but you're not interested in paying for the 'executive' models out there (see above and below), then the Sihoo range of office chairs is well worth investigating. We actually reviewed the Sihoo M90D chair, which is the more mid-range of their chairs, and loved its adjustable lumbar support. However, if you'd rather go for the cheaper Sihoo ergonomic chair options, you'll still get (non-adjustable) lumbar support and plenty of support for your money. 

After using it for a few weeks, we think the highlights here are the mesh back, which is breathable, and the good level of lumbar support that comes with it. It’s also super adjustable: you can tweak the back support, headrest, armrests, height and tilt of the chair. You can't adjust the seat depth, but the features that are adjustable do at least let you make most of the adjustments that health experts recommend, for example allowing you to adjust chair height so your knees are slightly lower than your hips. This adds up to excellent lower back support for office chair users and at a price point much lower than its features would suggest.

The level of finish is quite evidently not up to the standard of more expensive designer chairs, which is unavoidable at the price. But in general, it not only looks the part but provides an excellent level of comfort and protection given the reasonable price. Stock can be difficult to get find at the moment, so be sure to keep an eye on our live widgets for updates on where to buy this fantastic chair

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Best leather ergonomic chair

So, the X4 has lost its top spot – and has dropped down two spots! How come? 

Let's get one thing clear – the X4 Executive leather chair is one of the most comfortable ergonomic chairs that I've ever reviewed. But the Aeron brought with it iconic design as well as comfort, and though I thought about moving the X4 to the second spot, it made no sense, as we want to cover all price points for our readers, and when it comes to the ergonomics-value sweet spot, the Sihoo M90D is still a clear winner.

There are no surprising notes to make on the look of the X4 (though you can jazz things up with one of the eight different colours that are on offer). Most importantly, the X4 really shines when you sit in it for any length of time. Built from hard plastic, chrome aluminium, mesh and leather, the X4 gives you all the solid support you'd want from a premium ergonomic chair, while also providing supreme comfort too. 

It's one of the heaviest chairs that we feature on this list, clocking in at 31kg (that's twice the weight of some of the others). That solidity goes into providing incredible back support, and a soft-yet-solid comfort that feels great. There are loads of feature options as well, including headrest, 360 degree armrests, and massage and heating pads. For more information, check out our X-Chair X4 Executive chair review.

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A fun ergonomic chair

The ErgoChair Plus is a great chair, and I had a lot of fun using it for several weeks for my ErgoChair Plus office chair review. First off, I love the combination of that light blue and the design stylings – the curved top of the back, the chunky, blocky legs, and the cool skeletal plastic back support. Sure ergonomic chairs are serious about keeping your back in good shape, but that doesn't mean they have to look boring! 

The ErgoChair Plus is, according to its company's website, owned my 300+ Apple employees. And we can see why. It's both good looking and fun, with decent basic back support. And that would be the main reason you might go for one of the chairs above in this list – if you want the best back support around, this is not the chair for you. It definitely does have back support, and aesthetically sports a very similar skeletal plastic mesh design to the far more expensive Herman Miller Mirra 2 (below). But there is no dedicated lumbar support. So – fun, with some ergo features, at a decent price. 

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Best gaming ergonomic chair

Are you going to be using your chair primarily for gaming? Then there's the Secretlab Titan Evo 2022. We've reviewed the premium gaming chair, and quite frankly love its sturdy comfort, and attention to detail.

Most significantly, there’s a fully adjustable lumbar support system, which you control via a knob on the right side of the backrest. The seat has the same bucket-style design used on racing chairs, so it keeps your bum well supported over hours of gameplay (or normal office work). And the cold-cure foam used as padding throughout makes this chair super-comfortable. It comes in Small, Regular and XL, so has a number of body sizes covered too. 

I loved the mixture of leatherette and velvet-style finishings, and think it looks as premium as feels. The magnetic headrest is just another feature that adds to the ability to make the Titan Evo feel just so. This is a great supportive chair for gamers and non-gamers alike. 

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Best saddle-style ergonomic chair

You may have noticed that the HÅG Capisco looks a little different from the other chairs on this list. That’s because it’s a saddle chair, which allows you to sit as if you are saddling a horse. This has been found to be very beneficial for countering and preventing back pain in research such as this study from Cardiff University. In our HÅG Capisco 8106 chair review we found we had to keep adjusting how we sat, which in turn helps with posture and eases back pain.

Saddle chairs are most popular amongst medical professionals, but their use has spread to other types of workplace. They're especially good for use with standing desks. The HÅG Capisco has a wider saddle while the HÅGCapisco Puls has a firmer, narrower saddle that allows you to sit with your legs closer together.

Providing good lumbar and lower back support, it’s very comfortable and very adjustable too. The seat tilts, with a tilt lock, and you can tweak its height and depth too, from a low sitting position to a sit-stand position. Plus, from an aesthetic point of view, this radical and minimalist Scandinavian design will certainly put your home office setup on the cutting edge of cool.

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A modern icon

One of our top recommendations of the best office chairs for back pain is the Herman Miller Mirra 2, for two reasons. Firstly, and most importantly, the Mirra 2 is an ergonomic chair that will support your body properly, lessening strain on your back, and offering multiple adjustments to suit your body type. Secondly, it's a furniture design icon, oozing class and sophistication, and will add clout to any creative's work space. As you can see by our hands on Herman Miller Mirra 2 review, our writer loved using it as a the primary chair option for her home office.

Yes, it’s expensive, but we think with the build quality and said support and style, it's well worth the price. The butterfly-shaped backrest responds effortlessly to your movements, making your spine feel cradled and supported, and preventing you from slumping or slouching. We also found that this chair comfortably holds you with knees slightly lower that hips, while your feet are flat on the ground – a key requirement ot sit properly on a chair straight from the UK's National Health Service (for more on that, scroll to the bottom of this page). 

The mesh is lovely and breathable, so you can stay cool on warm days. The chair offers excellent lumbar support, which can be adjusted for height (many of the cheaper chairs in our list include lumbar support but that isn't adjustable) and the arms are fully adjustable too. The seat cushion distributes your weight beautifully, and it also takes the largest maximum load (159kg / 350lbs) of all the chairs on this list.

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Best budget gaming ergonomic chair

We've got two great gaming chairs in fifth and sixth place, and there's not much to separate them – mainly the price. This Vertagear SL5800 has memory foam, and patent-pending features and is one of the most comfortable chairs I've sat in, but it's around $100 cheaper than the Secret Lab offering above.

Its pillow headrest is detachable, and you'll get the added air ways in the neck of the back with the Vertagear. You'll also have the option of buying LED lights (for $299!!), if that's your thing. If you like a more stylish, subdued aesthetic, this is on the lesser garish side of gaming chairs, especially the carbon black option. 

The main difference? The SL5800 does not have adjustable lumbar support, like the Secret Labs one does. Don't get us wrong, there is still quality lumbar support here, and after around a month of using this chair, I was happy with the support I got from it. But if you wish to be able to move the position of the lumbar support in your chair, this is not for you. 

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Best stool ergonomic chair

'Wait? I thought this was all about the best chairs for back pain – why is there a stool on the list?!' If you're one of the people asking this pertinent question, the simple reason is because if you want an effective, beautiful looking seating solution that will benefit your back and body, the Muista stool is worth your time. It's a clever design that is also a fraction of the price of some of the more high tech options on this page, and as our hands on Muista chair review attests, we really enjoyed using it for prolonged periods of time (especially when combined with one of the best standing desks). 

Unlike pretty much all the chairs on this list, the Muista chair encourages you to move while seated. You can rock back and fore or side to side, depending on how you're sitting on it, and these micro-movements will encourage blood flow and keep your muscles gently engaged, staving off the more detrimental side-effects of sitting stationary for hours on end. Of course, we get that many won't want the lack of back rest and luxury seating that you can get with other chairs, but for clever design and low price, this is hard to beat.  

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Best retro ergonomic chair

The Flexispot OC13 ergonomic chair is a bit of a unique proposal on this guide to the best office chair for back pain. That's because it is designed in GameBoy grey, beige and chrome only, has a super cool 80s retro look, and yet has put the effort in to making it a solid ergonomic office chair. That's thanks to a variety of adjustability, including a moving lumbar support, and a comfy heat rest. 

The reason we gave this chair three and a half stars when we reviewed it is because of the chair's look. Don't get us wrong – we love the look of the OC13, and yet we know that it may be divisive for many, so we couldn't give it a higher grade (though this writer would have liked to!)

But if you're reading this guide, you'll be most concerned with the chair's ergonomic features, and we're happy to say that it's solid in that respect. Sitting in the chair over six weeks, we really felt supported and comfortable at all times, and really the only thing that let it down in this respect was the slightly high arm rests that couldn't be lowered. However, if that's not a deal-breaker, and you love the look as much as we do, we can highly recommend this unique ergonomic office chair.

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Best compact ergonomic chair

Whether you’re talking about style, craftsmanship or functionality, Herman Miller chairs are pretty difficult to beat. We've already featured one at the top of our list of the best ergonomic office chairs, but if the Mirra 2 is a little too expensive, or perhaps you prefer a more compact style, then the Herman Miller Sayl could be a very attractive option. It’s a bit cheaper, but it still has a sharp design and great ergonomic features.

The first thing that we noticed when we took it out of the box was that it has fewer parts than its sibling, but the vented elastomer backrest, made with strands that vary in thickness and tension, provide an excellent balance between support and comfort, not to mention great air circulation. You can adjust the armrests, seat height and seat depth – an essential attribute according to James Crow, owner of Posture Stars, a website promoting good posture (see more on what the pros think at the bottom of this page). And the four-setting tilt limiter lets you adjust the tension to your liking. The unique design inspired by the Golden Gate bridge may divide opinion, but we love this chic, offbeat take on the classic Herman Miller chair. And in terms of spinal support, it can’t be faulted. 

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FAQs

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• Lumbar support (see below)
• Adjustable armrests
• Seat-depth adjustability
• Recline and tilt

James Crow, owner of Posture Stars, a website promoting good posture, says: "The best office chair for back pain is one that's highly adjustable, so you can get the back to support you in a meaningful way. Invest wisely: we wouldn't buy the cheapest mattress or car, but many of us are spending eight to 10 hours a day perched on a 'value' chair."

It's also important to replace an ageing chair, he says. "If your chair has been around for more than a decade it's probably time to upgrade. The materials wear down over time, with seat padding especially taking a beating."

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