![Boulies EP200](https://static.independent.co.uk/2023/07/03/16/Boulies.png)
Are you a squirmer? A leaner? A recliner? Or maybe an edge-of-seater? A quick glance around an office will demonstrate that no one person sits working in the same way and even though we all know we should position ourselves as ergonomically as possible, that’s not always a reality when we’re distracted by work and myriad other tasks we need to perform at our desks.
Things don’t change just because you’re working from home today, either. In fact, you’re more likely to end up with back problems because your home office setup isn’t subject to the same occupational health checks you will find at work.
A good ergonomic chair should support the natural curve of your spine throughout the working day, especially at its lowest point: the sacrum. The lumbar or lower back region also needs to be well supported, while promoting good all-round posture, which is why plenty of adjustability is key. However, the chair should also balance functionality with form. After all, if this chair is going to be sitting in the corner of a living room, or even if it’s in a home office, it still needs to look good.
There are plenty of price points to choose from, so you need to factor in how much time you think you’re going to be spending in your chair. Are you a nailed on WFHer who is going to need a perch to support your nine to five? Or are you looking for something that will offer you a step up from a kitchen stool for a few hours a day?
We spent a couple of weeks with a range of chairs to find out which ones have really got your back when it comes to the daily sit down.
How we tested
As a freelance journalist (with confirmed and long-running back issues) our tester spends far too long, every day, sitting at a desk in front of a laptop, trying to minimise the negative effects of prolonged sitting to their back and overall health. To do this, they usually work at a sit-stand desk but to test the chairs they parked their usual “active working” schedule and just sat while working, to see how each chair mitigated for those static postures that are so bad for the body, while still promoting productivity throughout the working day.
The best ergonomic chairs for 2024 are:
- Best ergonomic chair overall – Boulies EP200: £199.99, Boulies.co.uk
- Best budget ergonomic chair – Hbada office chair: £129.99, Amazon.co.uk
- Best executive ergonomic chair – John Lewis radcliffe: £249, Johnlewis.com
- Best ergonomic chair for spine support – Herman Miller mirra 2 butterfly: £1,034, Hermanmiller.com