How to Select the Right Office Chair for You

With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020, many individuals found themselves transitioning to remote work, often without the proper home office setup. This sudden shift highlighted the importance of having comfortable and ergonomic office furniture, as I discovered through direct complaints and requests for replacements.

Whether you're working from home or in a traditional office setting, investing in a comfortable office chair is essential for both your comfort and long-term health. An ergonomic chair, specifically designed to support the body with adjustable features, is crucial. In this guide, I'll outline what to consider when selecting an office chair, where to purchase one, and the expected costs. If you are going to be sitting for long hours, it is essential to use a very comfortable office chair, which is popularly called an ergonomic chair, for both comfort and to protect your health and spinal cord ( this will be explained a lot later below).

What is an Ergonomic Chair?

Ergonomics is the process of designing or arranging workplaces, products and systems so that they fit the people who use them.

An ergonomic chair is therefore a chair that is designed to fit the body with some specific adjustable features. In this post, I'll show you what to look out for before you pick your next office chair, where to buy an ergonomic chair and the expected cost. See how to set up your home office space. This is an office chair buying guide to help you select the best and most affordable ergonomic office chair.

10 Things to look out for when Buying your Office Chair

1. Swivel Feature: Swivel chairs are versatile; they make working a lot easier. Swivel chairs are chairs that revolve. You can sit and turn to different directions without having to get up or move the chair. Swivel chairs can occasionally make you feel like you are taking a break when you have been working for long straight hours, and then you swivel around for a few seconds. There are great visitor chairs, but when shopping for an office chair go for a revolving swivel chair with durable freely moving castors. While a visitor's chair may also be comfortable, it's not the best for long seating hours. 
   
   
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2. Recliner /Adjustable Backrest: Sitting up for long hours can make your back hurt, so while shopping for a good office chair, make sure to select one that reclines even if it's as little as 10 degrees. There are different levels of recliners, which we'd still talk about below.                                                      
3. Adjustable Height: This is a very essential aspect of chair selection. I wrote in one of my articles what the ergonomics of your seating should look like concerning the height of both your table and chair. People have different heights, body sizes, shapes, and builds/structures. A chair that is perfect for one person may not be for another. A good chair should have your knees and thighs on the same level or slightly below; that way, you can avoid straining your lower back. So if you are physically shopping for yourself, please sit on the chair and check the height adjustability level, but if you are shopping online, look for the details in the description to be sure. Most times it's people who are extraordinarily tall or who have long legs that encounter issues with height, but aside from that, most office chairs come with the appropriate height. Make sure it has a control knob which is usually underneath to the left or right, as the case may be.                                       
4. Lumbar Support or Lower Back Cushion: Another reason we advise people to work with a proper office chair and not a dining chair or a random chair is because of the comfort and lumbar support it comes with. But what is lumbar support? Lumbar support is anything that provides support to your back or lumbar vertebrae.  The Lumbar vertebrae are the bones that make up the back, lower back. The spinal cord and backbone are arced in a certain way that looks like an S shape, and that's why using an ergonomic chair is important, because it supports your lower back by fitting perfectly with the natural curve of your spinal cord. Don't opt for a straight chair; we sometimes mistake seating upright with seating on a straight dining chair. If you do that for too long, you may likely injure your lower back because of the pressure you put on it. Lumbar support may or may not be so physical to the eyes; sometimes, you may need to sit on the chair to feel it. some Other times it may be obvious with a curve behind or what people call a “kidney chair” Some other chairs may have an adjustable foam that can be removed whenever.                                   SHOP NOW
5. Padded Seat: A good office chair must be adequately padded to give maximum comfort. So whether it's a fabric, mesh or leather chair, whatever material it's made of must be well cushioned. A regular dining chair is not usually padded because you are expected to get off the chair once your meal is over. Get the best office chairs for maximum comfort in your office or home office space.                                                                                     SHOP NOW
6. Seat Depth: A comfortable office chair usually has a seat depth between 20/22 inches, so that way no matter how big or small you are you would seat very comfortably. Some other office chair designs may be more than that, but it's usually the high-end executive office chairs that have special features and larger seat depth.                                                                              
7. Adjustable Armrests: Not every great office chair design has this adjustable armrest feature, but you can always look out for it; there's usually a button on the outer part of the arm that lets you raise the arm or bring it down as it suits you. However, it's expedient for every office chair to have an armrest; some may come padded or with some soft plastic to give your elbows a comfortable resting place when your hands are off the desk or laptop. Armrest offers special support for the arm and the entire upper body.        SHOP NOW
8. Adjustable Headrest. This feature may not be found on every amazing office chair, but it's a great feature to shop for. But note that getting a great office chair is dependent on your budget. An office chair that possibly has all these features I’ve listed so far would definitely be expensive. So, while you are looking at these features, look at your pocket and see the feature that is most important to you, then go for it. Executive chairs usually have a headrest; some may just have an extended backrest, while some others may be attached, especially the mesh chairs. They come with a headrest that can be adjusted upward and down as well as tilted forward and backwards.                                                                                                          
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9. 180-Degree Reclinability: Earlier, I talked about different levels of reclining. Chairs with 180-degree recline are usually expensive and are very Executive and relaxing. The essence of this is to offer maximum comfort. This kind of chair most time also has a leg rest. When it is fully reclined and the leg rest extended, it looks like a suspended bed. So you can even take a nap or take a short break to just stretch and relax. No matter how comfortable your back is in your chair, you would still need to stand up or recline to stretch for a bit before going back to work. So choose whether standing works or a 180 recliner chair.                                                             SHOP NOW
10. Reachable Adjustment Controls: Any swivel or office chair that does not have adjustable controls is not what you need. All these features listed are mostly controlled from underneath, except for a few, like the arm and headrest. The more controls you have underneath, the more features you should expect and the more expensive it's going to cost. These are a few features to look out for when shopping for your next staff office chair or executive office chair. We also have a wide range of office chairs and office furniture that you can glance through and shop as well if you are in Lagos, Nigeria or any part of Nigeria at all.                                                                       

Where to buy an Ergonomic Office Chair

No matter your location, you should be able to get an ergonomic office chair near you. If you can't see a physical furniture store around you,simply Google for online furniture stores near me and you will see a couple of reliable office furniture vendors. Luckily for you, if you are in Nigeria, Eunicon interior sells the best ergonomic office chairs with lumbar support in Lagos Nigeria and delivers Nationwide as well as provides after-sales service.

You can also shop from international online stores like Amazon, Alibaba, Jumia and even eBay. While you shop, ensure to search for ergonomic office chairs and do well to read the description so that you can be sure you are getting the best furniture deals online using the guide of office chairs features listed above.

While shopping for a comfortable office chair, also take a look at our sit-stand electric desk

How much is a Modern Ergonomic Office Chair

Note that not every swivel chair is an ergonomic chair. An average ergonomic office chair with lumbar support in Lagos, Nigeria, ranges from #44,000 and #60,000, but it can go as high as #120,000, especially for the mesh chairs and even more expensive options are available to suit your aesthetics and needs.

Enhancing your office setup with the right chair can significantly impact your productivity and well-being. Feel free to share this guide with colleagues or friends who may benefit from it.