I’ve spent the past four years testing the best office chairs and while the premium models do impress me, I found that there are plenty of more affordable chairs that are just as surprising, especially when you take into consideration that they can all be had for less than $500.
When it comes to the best budget office chairs, it’s all about what you can get for the price. While you might not be able to get all the features in a $1,000 chair for half price, you can still get plenty of useful ones. From a mesh backrest to keep you cool to a sturdy foam seat with a waterfall edge to relieve pressure in your legs, paying less for an office chair definitely doesn’t have to be a limiting factor.
These are the best budget office chairs you can buy right now based on my extensive testing and our in-depth reviews.
The quick list
With a breathable mesh back and a supportive foam seat, this chair offers excellent comfort and value. It also comes in a variety of vibrant colors and provides good lumbar support for maintaining ergonomic posture throughout your workday.
For those on a shoestring budget, this chair pairs a mesh backrest with a foam seat and its armrests even tilt all the way up for when you want them out of the way. At just over $100, it’s not as adjustable as the other chairs on this list but it does come in several colors.
You don’t have to break the bank if ergonomics and better posture is what you’re after with this chair. It has a breathable mesh backrest and headrest and a sturdy foam seat with a waterfall edge to reduce pressure on your thighs while providing better circulation in your legs and feet.
This simple but fully featured chair offers an easy and affordable way to give any home office a major upgrade. It has an airy mesh back, a very supportive seat and its frame follows the natural curvature of your spine. You can also get this chair in several different colorways to match your other home office decor.
If you want a mesh chair for less, this is a great option that will fit into any budget. This chair pairs a mesh backrest and headrest with a super soft seat to keep you cool and comfortable. It’s also quite wide and its backrest has a built-in lumbar support that flexes with you as you shift your weight back and forth.
This stylish chair is the most customizable one on this list and it comes in a variety of different colorways with the option to choose between white or black trim. It features a stretchy plastic back and a foam seat that you can move forward or backward to lock in the perfect fit for you.
Anthony Spadafora has been working from home exclusively for the past seven years (three full-time with Tom's Guide) during which, he's tested work from home accessories, standing desks and of course, office chairs. In fact, he has reviewed more than a dozen office chairs from full mesh chairs to task chairs to ergonomic chairs. Anthony can tell you how comfortable a particular chair is to sit in for long hours at a time, how adjustable it is, what extra features it has, whether or not it's a good choice for back pain as well as what goes into putting it together.
The best budget office chairs you can buy today
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The best budget office chair overall
The Branch Ergonomic Chair is a comfortable chair with a firm lumbar support that makes it easy to sit up right for long periods. Starting at just $359, it strikes the right balance between being affordable without cutting essential features.
Back when I reviewed this chair, I was very impressed by how well the comfort of its foam seat and the breathability of its mesh backrest worked together. I was slightly disappointed that it didn’t come with a headrest but Branch now sells one as an optional add-on for $50. There are more color and customization options now too including some limited edition ones, plus you can now get the black version with a black frame for an even sleeker look.
With this chair, you have plenty of adjustment points to lock in the perfect fit. You also get 3D armrests and a sturdy aluminum base. When our U.S.Editor-in-Chief Mike Prospero reviewed the Branch Ergonomic Chair, he found its seat to be a bit firm, though it is contoured which helps to encourage better posture and circulation. At the same time, it isn’t ideal for larger users since it has a weight limit of 275 pounds.
At $359- $389, the Branch Ergonomic Chair is an affordable investment in your health and well being. It’s my pick for the best budget office chair overall since it provides plenty of features and the right amount of comfort for the price. If you want more adjustment points and additional customization options, check out the Branch Ergonomic Chair Pro. For most people though, the original Branch Ergonomic Chair will be a big yet affordable upgrade over their current office chair.
Read our full Branch Ergonomic Chair review.
The best budget office chair under $150
The Hbada Office Task Chair is a very affordable budget office chair that can be yours for just over $100. If you’re putting together a home office on a shoe string budget and didn’t set aside the cash for a more feature-rich chair, it will get the job done in a pinch. Just keep in mind that you are getting what you pay for with this chair.
Despite its bargain price, the Hbada Office Task Chair features a foam seat and a breathable mesh backrest. There’s also a raised plastic portion in its backrest that can give you some lumbar support. In terms of adjustability, this chair is very limited and all you can really do is raise or lower its height which has a range of 17.7 inches to 21.2 inches.
The most interesting thing about the Hbada Office Task Chair besides its price is the fact that its armrests flip up. This makes it easy to get them out of your way when you need to or for when you’re pushing your chair underneath your desk. There is one other adjustment knob underneath its seat that allows you to rock back and forth in the chair but doesn’t allow you to recline like on other more full-featured budget options.
Available in black, white or grey, you do have several colors to choose from with the Hbada Office Chair but that’s about it in terms of customization. There also aren’t any upgrades or add-ons to improve this chair further. Still though, at just over $100 and sometimes even cheaper when on sale, the Hbada Office Task Chair could work as a starter chair on a very limited budget.
Read our full Hbada Office Task Chair review.
The best budget office chair for ergonomics
The Uplift Pursuit is an ergonomic office chair with a unique design and plenty of adjustment points that’s a fantastic choice for those who have a bad back or want to improve their posture. It’s on the higher end of our budget chair range at $499 but packs in some useful features you typically only see on much more expensive office chairs.
Available in black or white, the Uplift Pursuit combines a breathable mesh backrest and headrest with a foam seat. Surprisingly at this price, the seat features a waterfall edge to reduce pressure on your thighs while providing better circulation in your legs and feet. The Uplift Pursuit also has an adjustable lumbar support mechanism that can also be moved towards or away from your back in addition to up or down.
After testing it for six months, I was very impressed by how it helped me sit upright while remaining comfortable to sit in for long hours. Another surprising feature of this chair is that it has a small storage compartment underneath its seat to hold your keys, wallet or even your phone. While it does have loads of adjustment points throughout, the armrests adjust in an unconventional way and need to be pulled up or pushed down. The Uplift Pursuit also isn’t ideal for larger or taller people since it has a narrow 18.5-inch seat and a max weight limit of just 250 pounds.
If you’re looking for an ergonomic chair and don’t want to spend closer to $1,000, the Uplift Pursuit is a fantastic option. It provides you with plenty of support and adjustability with a more modern look. The Uplift Pursuit also includes a few features like its seat with a waterfall edge and lumbar support with adjustable depth that you often don’t find on even more expensive chairs.
Read our full Uplift Pursuit review.
The best budget office chair for home office
The Vari Task Chair is an easy recommendation for any home office thanks to its comfort, adjustability and overall look. It also offers plenty of support thanks to its contoured frame that follows the natural curvature of your spine. The Vari Task Chair is somewhat more expensive than some of the other chairs in this guide at $400 but it’s a well-built chair that offers plenty of useful features for the price.
Designed with ergonomics in mind, the Vari Task Chair provides a range of adjustments to help you find your ideal fit. It also has a higher 300 pound weight limit, making it suitable for a wider range of users. A standout feature is its active lumbar support which moves with you as you shift in your chair throughout the day.
Available in black or light gray, the Vari Task Chair has an airy mesh back and a comfortable foam seat. A version with a headrest is also available for slightly more, but after reviewing that one myself, I don’t think you necessarily need a headrest unless you really want one thanks to this chair’s ergonomic design.
The Vari Task Chair’s active lumbar support and its supportive build make it a top pick for upgrading your home office without going over budget. If you’re looking for a supportive and comfortable chair that will blend in well with the rest of your home office decor, the Vari Task Chair is a great option.
Read our full Vari Task Chair review.
The best budget office chair for mesh
The ProtoArc EC100 is one of the most full-featured chairs you can get on a budget and it certainly punches above its $200 price tag with an airy mesh backrest and headrest that’s paired with a super soft seat cushion. If you want the experience of a great mesh chair for even less, this is the one to get.
The ProtoArc EC100 sports a similar design to much more expensive chairs like the X-Chair X2 thanks to its lumbar support which extends out from its backrest. However, instead of being a full mesh chair, you get the added comfort and support of a foam seat cushion. One thing I really like about this chair is that in addition to being adjustable, its headrest is a lot wider than the ones you typically see on other chairs.
Available in black, gray and green, the ProtoArc EC100 looks like a much more premium chair despite its budget price. While its lumbar support will help you maintain good posture and sit up straight, it isn’t manually adjustable which makes it difficult to get it exactly where you want it. Still, few chairs at this price offer a lumbar support like this adaptive one that responds to your body’s movements.
The ProtoArc EC100 is well worth spending slightly more on over something like the Hbada Office Task Chair due to the fact that it comes with an improved lumbar support mechanism along with a taller backrest and a headrest. Its mesh is very breathable and will help keep you cool for even less. If you want the look and many of the features of a much more expensive mesh chair on a budget, the ProtoArc EC100 is easy to recommend, especially at this price.
Read our full ProtoArc EC100 review.
The best budget office chair for comfort
The Haworth Breck is as stylish as it is comfortable thanks to the fact that it’s available in loads of unique colors and features a soft seat cushion. It has a lot of more premium features than most other budget chairs despite costing significantly less than Haworth’s other office chairs.
The standout feature of the Haworth Breck though would have to be its weight-activated mechanism that responds to how you sit in it. It’s an easy chair to lean back in after getting some work done while still feeling very supported due to its unique backrest. Instead of going with mesh, Haworth used plastic for its backrest but with small holes throughout to provide plenty of airflow.
Another interesting feature that I’ve yet to see on another budget office chair is the Breck’s adjustable seat depth. This is great for taller users and it really allows you to find a fit that works for you. This chair also has adjustable lumbar support and is almost as lightweight as the much more premium Steelcase Karman at just 30 pounds. My only gripe with the Breck is that its armrests can feel a bit wobbly at times but the other features Haworth has incorporated into this chair more than make up for this.
The Haworth Breck is on the more expensive side for a budget office chair but you’re getting a lot of premium features like adjustable seat depth and lumbar support that you won’t find elsewhere. At the same time, its flexible plastic backrest gives you the airflow of mesh without the worry that it might tear. If you’re after a comfortable chair on a budget in both plain or bright colors that really stand out, the Haworth Breck is an easy recommendation.
Read our full Haworth Breck review.
Also tested
The six chairs above aren't the only models we've had hands on. There are plenty of other models we have tested and are testing that, while decent, simply weren't up to snuff for our definition of "best." That said, you may have different needs than the average home office worker, so we're including a brief explanation of where each model shines — as well as the gripes we had for them.
How we test the best budget office chairs
As lovers of quality home office equipment, we test our gear the most authentic way anyone can: by incorporating it into our actual workday. After all, we’re writers, and we’re bound to a desk just as much as anyone else.
We spend multiple weeks sitting in each chair we test, rooting around for hotspots and tiny nitpicks that might make a given chair more trouble than it’s worth. We’ve spent over 5,000 hours testing office chairs alone, and we pay enough attention to our setups that we know when something is off-kilter (or, alternatively, working exceptionally well). The hallmark of a successful chair for us is its ability to remain unremarkable even as we’re sniffing around.
On top of our own testing, we regularly seek the input of our friends and family to ensure we’re representing a wide range of sizes. As much as you can trust our authority on its own, we know the value in pooling together as many experiences as possible while collecting our final thoughts on a product. All of that work is dedicated to cutting through hype and ensuring we’re recommending the best products for everyone, not just ourselves. For more information on our testing process, check out our how we test page for Tom’s Guide.
How to choose the best budget office chair for you
When you’re picking an office chair, you’re picking a piece of furniture that’s made to mold to your body and keep you supported for the bulk of your workdays. In other words, there’s a lot more to consider than looks.
Adjustability
Even the perfect chair for you will require some fine-tuning once you get it into your house. If you’re worried about back pain, arm discomfort, or poor posture, it’s best to look for a chair that accommodates those needs with purpose-built design features. For instance, dedicated lumbar support will go a long way to help keep your spine aligned while you work. You can also find plenty of chairs that can adjust their seat height, seat angle, recline angle and resistance, and armrest positioning in all directions. If any of those fit details seem extra important to you, it’s best not to avoid them in your search.
Material
Regardless of the seat you pick, it’s inevitable that you’ll encounter a hot day during which you’ll struggle with temperature regulation. As such, we recommend keeping an eye on the materials used with each chair, as they can have a huge impact on airflow. The majority of the chairs we recommend here have a mesh lining for the backrest, which should stop your back from getting sweaty while you lean back and knock out some tasks.
Lumbar Support
There’s nothing worse than a chair that twists your spine into an unnatural curve. Lumbar support, which is essentially extra support for your lower back, keeps your spine in line even when you’re slouching forward in your seat. A lack of lumbar support can keep your lower back from feeling stable, which can cause unnecessary shifting. Some chairs even offer adjustable lumbar support, which allows you to find the perfect angle for your backrest to compliment your position in the seat itself.
More home office picks
You'll need more than one of the best office chairs to fully outfit your work-from-home space. You'll also want to check out our guide to the best standing desks, as well as the best desk lamps to ensure that you can work comfortably without straining your eyes or your back.
You'll also want to invest in one of the best webcams, best microphones, and best ring lights if you want to look and sound your best on video calls with coworkers.
And, to make sure your computer setup is as productive as possible, we have recommendations for the best Wi-Fi routers, best monitors, best keyboard, and best mouse.
Budget office chair deals
