If you sit most/all of the day in some kind of office chair and are happy with your chair, please be so kind as to provide me with some details. Particularly, what you like so much about it and the make/model/etc - bonus points to anyone including links to where their favourite chair is available for sale.
Please, personal experience only - I’m asking here in addition to my own pre-purchase research, specifically looking for anecdotals.
A couple of years ago, I set out to replace the Staples office chair I’d been using at home for over a decade. As this is a chair I use for hours after work and on weekend, I was prepared to spend a decent amount on it. I considered the Aeron chair, but the pellicle surface wasn’t really appealing. I’d used a Steelcase Leap chair at a previous job, so I bought one. Not cheap, though, especially since I bought it in leather. I bought it directly from Steelcase, and it arrived within a week or so, fully assembled and in a large box. Given the price of this chair, the Aeron chair or any of the other high-end chairs, I recommend trying one first.
Edited to add, that since you wanted particulars, the Leap chair appealed because it offers so many adjustment possibilities.
I use an obusforme office chair. This one except in blue. The current one is about a year old but it is the replacement for an identical 10 yr old chair. I still use the old chair as a guest chair in my office, the only issue with it is that one of the adjustments has a slow slip, so I needed to adjust it every couple of days.
All in all, extremely comfortable, durable and supportive.
For years, I used the cheapest chairs possible (I’m a programmer). And (slightly) screwed up my hips, knees, and back from doing so. A few years ago I decided it was worth it to splurge, so I bought an Aeron (I got mine through eBay).
On reflection, I suppose I should say something about why it was worth it. I’ve never had a desk chair with a heavy, 5 prong base. No more leaning back and almost falling over. And the hinged back/arm rests are very comfortable and natural for shifting position – leaning back doesn’t feel like it changes the center of gravity of the chair at all. The wheels roll pretty easily – it’s not clear to me whether I’d like it more if they rolled easier, but they’ve got a big enough diameter to not be a hindrance on carpet.
The aeron I got has lumbar support, which I appreciate. Naturally, the seat and arm rest height adjustibility is a requirement for a decent office chair; I also appreciate the arm rest rotation. I like the pellicle seating material – it’s supportive while being elastic, and it’s thin, mesh nature makes for comfortable sitting no matter what the temperature (e.g., if I’m wearing shorts, my legs don’t stick to the seat). I suppose the width/depth/height of the seat and back are good, but I’ve got very little to compare it to – did I mention that I used to use the cheapest possible chairs?
Can’t think of anything else in particular…if anything else occurs to me, I’ll post it.
I’m also interested in this subject (I also sit in a cheap chair). I don’t have much butt so my sit-bones get aggravated from a lot of sitting in my office chair. I tried adding another cushion but after a while it is just the same.
I tested a bunch of chairs before I realized that the reason I liked my $50 jobby from Office Max was because it was short enough for me. I am 5’8" but I have a long torso and short legs. Add in the fact that my thighs are super thick, and I need a chair that’s got a seat about 16" off the ground.
When I tested chairs from the office supply company, I found that if my feet don’t sit on the ground, my legs hurt pretty bad and my feet swell up.
So, they pointed me towards a chair company called SitMatic, who have options for super-short and super-tall people. They have a little measuring brochure where you take specific measurements of yourself while sitting down, and plug in options for their fully-customizeable chairs.
I am not actually 100% happy with my chair, but AFAIK there are not too many options out there with a super-short base, so I live with it. I was very excited to configure my SitMatic, it just sucked not being able to test it out first. I’d have gotten some different options if I’d been able to sit first.
When I broke my second standard state government-issue chair, I prevailed upon the Powers That Be, and we got a high-end chair with an extended cylinder. It is rugged enough to stand up to my six foot five inches and 240 pounds, and high enough off the ground to provide appropriate support for my thighs. Heaven.
It also cost about four times the standard-issue chair.
Kneeling chairs are great for people working at drafting tables and such like. It was terrific for me after I injured my lower back.
The Aeron chair by Herman Miller is my fave for all-day computer work. Unfortunately, it is very, very expensive and when my company laid me off, they didn’t seem to want to send my the chair with me as a going-away present. (They may have eBay-ed the chair; they needed the money.)
I used to sit all day in my office job but got really tired of just sitting on my ass all day. I just felt so… lazy. So I got a standing desk and now I stand probably 7-8 hours during my 9-hour work day. I sit when I am on the phone or have to write (longhand) but the rest of the day I stand.
I love my kneeling chair as well. I have a long back (6’3" and the PT claims that if the rest of me was proportioned correctly to my back I’d be 6’7") and the kneeling chair is the only one that keeps my back straight.
It is painful on your knees at times, though, so if you run or cycle a lot I’d think twice about getting it. Going out on a long bike ride after all day kneeling in the chair has not been a fun experience.
I sit on a yoga ball. Previous to this, I was regularly having back pain, and it was when I caught myself repeatedly slouching in my Aeron chair that I decided to go with the ball for a while. My back muscles were sore for the first couple weeks, but back pain is now a thing of the past. Been doing it for 6 months.
Mine is an officemaster pt78-020, black, with arms.
You don’t mention your height or build which might be helpful in offering suggestions. FWIW, I am 5"5’ and am probably 36" around the hips and have plenty of room in my chair.
The base is 5 pronged and feels secure even when I lean it back. The lower back area is adjustable, I have it set to firm. The arms are adjustable in height, I don’t often use them but it is nice to have them. The seat height is adjustable, I prefer it up high. The rollers turn easily, I can jet around very smoothly. All in all the chair is part of a pleasant, calm environment that makes it easier to focus on work without discomfort or distraction.
A couple of people have mentioned office chairs with five casters as if that’s some sort of cool feature. I’m surprised by that as every chair I’ve ever seen had five casters.
Mine too, which is why my home office chair is something way cheaper from Office Max. It’s not as good as the Aeron but it is way better than the wooden kitchen chair I used for six months.
My company’s way too cheap to spring for Aeron chairs. We have mesh-back chairs with a more traditional seat. I spend 40 hours a week in it, except for getting up for coffee and smoke breaks now and then. I’m admittedly out of shape and have a cranky back due to a youthful incident involving machismo and a waterfall, but the thing has never made me uncomfortable in the least. I’ll try and remember to look underneath and grab a brand name tomorrow and edit this post.
My employer bought us all new chairs maybe 10 years ago. We had a choice of the Leap and another chair (can’t remember what it is, but it’s in a similar price range). Most people went with the Leap chair. It’s wonderful. I’ve had the same chair the whole time and can sit comfortably all day if I have to.
ETA: I second the recommendation of trying the chair out; also, learn how to adjust it appropriately. That makes an enormous difference.
