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Working at a desk can be tough on your body, and especially your back if you’re not sitting on a chair with appropriate lumbar support or taking enough breaks.
Slumping at your desk can have a severe impact on your posture over time, especially if you work all day every day sitting at a desk.
An office chair can be a game-changer to help correct your posture, whilst also being much more comfortable to sit in for longer periods of time.
However, with an array of office chairs on the market, how can you find out which one is the best under $200?
We’ve written a list of the top five best office chairs under $200 to aid your search. As well as this, we’ve written a helpful buyer’s guide alongside some frequently asked questions that might have crossed your mind.
The Amazon Basics High-Back Executive Office Desk Chair designed with polyurethane bonded leather upholstery and a pewter finish for a luxurious feel.
The chair features a butterfly seat plate, firm padding, and curved contours to help keep your back supported and your body comfortably aligned.
This chair features a pneumatic control lever for adjusting the seat’s height and angle, plus a tilt-tension knob for adjusting the chair’s rocking motion.
Pros:
This office chair features a padded seat and back to provide you with comfort and support all day long.
360-degree swivel capacity with smooth-rolling casters for your convenience in the office.
Suitable for all settings! Whether you’re working at home, in the office, or in a meeting room, this chair is the perfect addition.
Cons:
A few customers found that this chair became squeaky after frequent use.
The FlexiSpot OC3B Ergonomic Executive Office Chair is designed with a high-density mesh cushion for all-day comfort and support.
This chair features reliable ergonomic support, the breathable mesh back and passive lumbar support are designed to relieve pressure both at home and in the office.
The high-quality mesh resists abrasion and transformation, whilst the mesh back and mesh seat promote air circulation to keep you cool.
Pros:
Enjoy mobility over carpeted or hardwood floors with dual-wheel casters & chrome base.
The four-level tilt tension lockable line control mechanism provides you with a number of positions that you can sit in comfortably. 90° to 135° tilt adjustment!
Provides proper support for your back whilst contouring to the curvature of your spine!
Cons:
One customer claimed that they struggled to assemble this particular office chair.
The OFM ESS Collection Racing Style SofThread Leather High Back Office Chair is designed to provide superior luxury and comfort even during long, intense work hours.
This office chair features contoured, segmented ultra-plush padding and is covered in breathable SofThread leather for a luxurious feel, and provides all-day back support with the integrated lumbar cushion.
The center-tilt mechanism rotates the chair seat and back together into a comfortable reclining position while the tilt tension controls the rate and ease of recline.
Pros:
Plush lumbar support! Seat and back cushioning provide comfort and built-in support for your lower back.
Padded leather headrest helps reduce strain on the upper body and neck.
Ergonomic touches such as the center-tilt mechanism, tilt tension, and pneumatic height adjustment allows you to customize the seat to your needs
Cons:
One customer claimed that this chair wasn’t as breathable as they were hoping for.
The Flash Furniture Mid-Back Black Mesh Swivel Ergonomic Task Office Chair offers the perfect way to sit comfortably at your desk for long hours.
The ventilated curved back provides lumbar support and airflow, pressure-relieving waterfall seat edge
Crafted from quality materials for maximum durability and comfort, the mid-back office chair includes built-in lumbar support to help alleviate back strain on those extra-busy workdays.
Pros:
The seat includes a waterfall front edge to help remove pressure from your lower legs and improve circulation while seated.
The padded flip-up arms make for a more versatile seating option.
The pneumatic adjustment lever will allow you to easily adjust the seat to your desired height.
Cons:
A few customers claimed that this chair didn’t provide as much back support as they were hoping for.
The Hbada Office Task Desk Chair features a sleek design and simple adjustment for your convenience.
This chair is designed with an ergonomic backrest that aims to fit the natural curve of the lower back and remove pressure from your spine.
The Hbada home office task chair has a 120° tilt tension, pneumatic height adjustable from 17.7 inches to 21.2 inches.
Pros:
You can flip the arms up and put the chair under the desk for saving space. Suitable for living room, study room, conference room, and office.
This office chair features a heavy-duty base with smooth and silenced rolling casters, with a max capacity of 250lbs.
Easy and convenient to assemble!
Cons:
A few customers claimed that they found this chair more rigid than they were expecting.
Best Office Chair under $200 Buyer's Guide
There are a few factors to consider when purchasing an office chair, but it mainly comes down to the seating time, lumbar support, and adjustments you can make to the chair so that it is the perfect fit for you and your health.
An office chair is an investment in your health, especially if you spend multiple hours of the day sitting down working at a desk. That being said, you shouldn’t cut corners by buying a chair that is not designed to stand the test of time.
You want a chair that is not only comfortable to sit in all day long, but that will also help align your posture, too! Don’t be tempted into buying a cheaper, low-quality office chair.
What you may save initially, you are more likely to pay for later down the line with back pain or even a repetitive strain injury.
Check out the features below before heading to the checkout.
Seating time
Something you’ll want to consider when purchasing an office chair is the amount of time you’ll spend sitting in it.
This is because different chairs are designed for different purposes and so you should look for a chair that specifically fits the amount of time you’ll need to be using it for in the day.
Not every seller will provide you with this information, so you might need to carry out your own research if you’re worried about the seating time.
If in doubt, check the manufacturer’s website to check how long you should be sat in the particular office chair that you’re looking at.
Cover material
An important factor to consider when purchasing an office chair is the cover material. Common materials used to make office chairs include:
Mesh - A mesh cover is a very breathable and flexible fabric, and is often used across backrests, helping to ensure good air circulation around the body and to ensure that you don’t become too hot as you work. This is especially useful in the warmer months, particularly in a hot office.
Leather - Office chairs with leather covers bring a luxurious touch to any office. Not only is it especially durable and long-lasting, but it is also simple to clean. To clean leather, all you need to do is simply wipe it down with a damp cloth. However, the standard catch with leather is that it does tend to be much more expensive than other materials, as it is generally considered high quality and luxurious.
Standard fabric - Fabric covering is arguably one of the most popular cover materials that you will find for office chairs. It is durable and long-lasting and is also available in a large range of colors, meaning they are easily customizable to fit your house or office perfectly!
Imitation leather - For individuals on a tighter budget, there are office chairs that are made with what is known as imitation leather. These types of office chairs are still easy to clean, and unlike natural leather, do not show any irregularities. However, imitation leather is arguably less durable than the real deal, so this is something that should be taken into consideration when purchasing your office chair.
Whichever material you decide is best for you, do your research beforehand to ensure that you’re happy with the chair once it arrives.
Lumbar support
An important feature to consider when purchasing an office chair is the lumbar support that it provides.
Lumbar back support helps promote good posture by simply filling in the gap between the lumbar spine and the seat, supporting the natural inward curve of the lower back. This is incredibly important, especially if you’re sitting down all day at your desk.
When placed correctly, lumbar back support should provide multiple benefits. This includes the ears, shoulders, and pelvis (hips) are kept in alignment. Alongside this, the natural inward curvature of the lower spine is maintained.
Adjustments
Something essential to consider when purchasing an office chair is the adjustments that you can make so that it fits and fulfills your needs perfectly. Most importantly, a correctly adjusted chair will reduce the strain on your back.
A lot of office chairs come with pneumatic control levers for adjusting the seat’s height and angle, which is particularly helpful when you’re sat at a desk.
You’ll ideally want to adjust your chair height so you can use the keyboard with your wrists and forearms straight and level with the floor as this can help prevent repetitive strain injuries.
Your elbows should be by the side of your body so your arm forms an L-shape at the elbow joint. Using the control lever, you can adjust the chair so that you’re not having to lean forward to be closer to the desk and subsequently cause damage to your posture and back.
Price
Investing in a good quality chair is important for your posture, and the higher the price generally the better support. $200 is relatively inexpensive for an ergonomic office chair. For an office chair under $200, you can expect:
Better back support to your back, shoulders, and neck in comparison to a standard chair.
A chair that allows you to adjust your seat to the most comfortable position, so that your computer screen is proportionate to your line of sight.
Longer, better quality warranty.
For a chair under $150, it is likely that it won’t provide:
Proper health benefits of an actual ergonomic office chair.
Quality warranty you can rely on.
Sufficient support for long working hours.
Durability
Something important to consider is the durability of an office chair, as ideally you'll need that can withstand frequent use and that you can rely on.
If in doubt, always check the product reviews as they are usually a good indication of whether a product is durable or not.
If a customer has experienced a fault or is not happy with the quality of the chair, they are likely to write their frustrations down in the product review section. This is a great way for you to gain a better understanding of the brand and product that you’re buying, particularly when it comes to factors such as customer service.
Warranty
As an investment that you want to make last, an important factor to consider when purchasing an office chair under $200 is a good warranty.
You should always check to make sure that you’re happy with the warranty a product comes with. This will cover you should your product break sooner than expected or if you experience any kind of faults with the chair in question.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you choose a good office chair?
Choosing the right chair for you will differ between individuals, as you’ll need to take into account any back pain or health problems that you have when making your choice.
However, there are a few things you should look out for when choosing a good office chair. Namely, you’ll want to ensure that it has good lumbar support, especially if you’re going to be sitting in it all day every day.
Secondly, it should have adjustable settings so that you can alter it to be the perfect fit for you, as not everyone is going to be the same height or have the same requirements as you.
It’s important to always do your own research whilst bearing in mind your personal requirements. Ask yourself what you need to be prioritizing the most.
Whether it’s comfort, adjustability, or simply the swivel feature for convenience, make sure that you take your personal needs into consideration and prioritize them accordingly.
How should you sit in an office chair?
The answer to this question will largely depend on the chair in question. Generally speaking, a correctly adjusted chair will reduce the strain on your back.
Get a chair that is easily adjustable so you can change the height, back position, and tilt of the chair.
Your knees should be slightly lower than your hips. If you feel uncomfortable with your feet on the ground, use a footrest if it feels necessary.
The right office chair and footrests are great for aligning your posture so that you’re not slouching and causing damage to your back.
What chair is best for sitting in all day?
The answer to this question is likely to change depending on the individual in question. However, there are some things that you should look out for when choosing the perfect chair for you.
The best chair to sit in all day would be one with enough lumbar support. Whoever you are and whatever your needs, if you’re sitting down at a desk all day, lumbar support is always going to be incredibly important to take care of your back and posture.
If you’re comfortable, it’s likely that you’ll be more productive, so this is something that you’ll need to prioritize, too, as well as choosing a chair that relieves the pressure of sitting upright all day.
That being said, you should always take regular breaks and walk around. This is because if you’re sat down for too long your blood can pool in the lower half of your body, and can lead to more severe health issues down the line. Even if it’s just for a water run, make sure you’re taking enough breaks throughout the day!
We recommend that you do your own research when finding the best chair for you, as only you know the personal requirements that your office chair needs to fulfill!
