The best Xmas gift anyone can receive is improved health and happiness. One of the most practical ways to deliver that is by giving someone a gaming chair for Xmas. Doing so will help the recipient to improve posture while they sit at a computer. That yields a domino effect of health, happiness, and productivity benefits. This holiday gift guide explores the best gaming chair packages of 2021 for the one you love – or for yourself!
The end of the year is a time to reflect on the past and look forward to the future. That’s a big reason gaming chair sales spike every December.
These chairs support good posture over long periods of sitting. As the recipient rolls into the new year with their new chair, great things can happen.
A good gaming chair makes it easy to develop good posture while you sit. With good posture, one’s health, happiness, and productivity will skyrocket. Well into the new year, it becomes a gift that keeps on giving.
This guide’s theme is improved health, happiness, and productivity for desk workers. The highlight of the gift pack is a good gaming or ergonomic office chair.
But no chair is perfect. To fill potential performance gaps, we’ve also added some important accessories.
Best Gaming Chairs For Holiday Gifts
For anyone who sits long periods at a desk, a gaming chair is a gift that keeps on giving. Chairs come in big, heavy boxes that can fit (imposingly) under a Xmas tree. When the recipient unwraps the box on Xmas morning, watch their face light up with delight!
When they crack the box open, watch them light up again! As they assemble their chair, you can bask in the glow of a very happy gift recipient.
But the fun doesn’t stop there. In fact, you can watch the recipient light up with delight several times over the coming months:
- Immediately: a mind-blowing Xmas surprise.
- Short-term: temporary confusion and discomfort as the user finds their groove.
- After a week: a life-changing shift to good sitting posture and the resulting benefits.
- Next 1-5 years: users enjoy the ability to sit longer, feel better, and be more productive.
Our recommended chair picks range in price from $1600-$100. Take note that all support good posture over long periods.
Paying more gets you luxury extras like nicer upholstery, fancier tilt functions, and better durability. Paying less cuts out some luxuries but still delivers good posture support. Learn more in our Cheap vs Expensive Gaming Chair Comparison.
Bottom line: pay what you can afford and enjoy great benefits!
Best Premium Chairs of 2021
The best gaming chairs of 2021 include office-style and racing-style models. Both do a similar job, although office-style chairs have stricter posture control. Most come with limited recline ranges that force you to sit in upright positions at all times.
In comparison, gaming chairs come with deep recline functionality. That lets you sit upright or at a deep enough angle to take a nap! As a work-from-home chair, gaming chairs are more versatile.
On the downside, it’s easier to slouch in a gaming chair. For best results, users will need (a bit) more discipline than when using an office chair. Learn more in this Gaming Chair vs Ergonomic Office Chair Comparison.
Here are our picks as the best high-end chairs for pros and power users. Gift one of these to a cherished person in your life, or to yourself!
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Series
The world’s best gaming chair comes in small, medium, and XL sizes. All have next-level lumbar and headrest support in a whopping 40+ styles. Nothing comes close to this complete package this Xmas.
To sweeten the holiday spirit, Secretlab’s annual Xmas sale has gone live globally! In the USA store, get $30 off 2022 Series chairs. As well, find $40 off 2020 Series chairs; $130 off 2020 Series NAPA leather chairs; $50 off Magnus Desk bundles; $40 off NeueChair models.
Check this Secretlab Xmas Sale Shopping Guide for a sweeping look at all deals and chair design options. Here are the live deals for Titan Evo 2022 Series chairs:
| 2022 Series | Hybrid Leatherette NEW | Softweave Plus NEW |
| Small | $469 |
$489 |
| Medium | $469 |
$489 |
| XL | $519 |
$539 |
Titan 2022 Series Review | SoftWeave Plus 2022 Series Review
Herman Miller Aeron
For most people, the Herman Miller Aeron is too expensive to buy for someone else. But as a Xmas gift for yourself, it’s a smart long-term investment.
For years, the Aeron has reigned as the best posture-correcting chair on the market. No matter how you try to sit, it will keep your spine in alignment. It comes stacked with an array of world-leading features and a 12-year warranty. It’s comfortable, easy to use, and built for the long term.
Aeron Gaming Chair From Herman Miller $1545
Learn more in this Aeron Gaming Chair Review.
Sidiz T80 Esports Chair
This darling of the South Korean esports scene is an affordable Aeron alternative. For much less money, you get similar ergonomic features. As well, you get full-back gaming support that’s perfect over long sitting sessions.
T80 Review | Buy now: $749.00
Duorest Alpha Ergonomic Chair
Here’s another South Korean masterpiece with a big cult following. The Duorest Alpha is a riff on the Aeron chair with a big difference. The backrest comes in two ultra-adaptive halves that provide next-level adaptability. Enjoy sitting with perfect spinal alignment with the Alpha doing all the work!
Duorest Alpha Review | Buy now: $649.00 on Amazon
Anda Seat Kaiser Series
The Kaiser Series is one of several racing-style luxury gaming chairs to consider. It comes in a choice of styles with complete ergonomics, support for 440 pounds, and a 6-year warranty.
Kaiser Review | Buy now: $499.99 $549
Best Cheap Chairs For Teens
When sitting full-time for 40+ hours per week, it makes sense to invest in a high-end ergonomic chair. But most healthy students should only use their home/ bedroom gaming chair part-time.
That means buying a premium chair for teens is frivolous. A good budget chair can provide a similar level of back support, minus some luxuries. Used part-time, a cheap chair with a 1-year warranty will most likely last for years.
In fact, limiting a teen’s sitting time is very important! A typical adolescent spends around four hours sitting every day at school.
At home, the average kid spends another four hours sitting. That time usually gets spent watching TV, doing homework, using the internet, or playing video games.
However, 24-hour movement guidelines for teenagers recommend no more than two hours of recreational screen time per day.
Downside: gifting a teen with a gaming chair will likely increase their time spent sitting at home. But for best results, you should limit the time they spend in their gaming chair. Less sedentary time yields great benefits in young people:
- Better performance at school.
- Improved confidence.
- Better social skills development.
- Improved fitness.
- Healthy body weight.
Upside: a good gaming chair can help young people to develop good posture habits that last a lifetime. Good sitting posture works muscles more efficiently, helping them to burn less energy. As a result, the brain gets more energy to focus on homework, video games, and other productive pursuits.
Bottom line: the following affordable gaming chairs make excellent gifts for teens. But to ensure the best results, take care to limit their time spent sitting.
GTRacing Gaming Chairs
There are many good-quality gaming chairs available for under $200. But one brand stands out. GTRacing is one of the oldest gaming chair companies.
They’re well-known for making rugged, comfortable ergonomic gaming chairs. Here are two of their best priced under $200:
GTRacing Pro Series
This all-time classic fits sizes 5’4″ and up. It has 2D armrests, deep recline, and a rugged build that’s perfect for teens.
Pro Series Review | Buy now: Price not available
GTRacing Ace S1
This upgraded version of the Pro Series comes with 4D armrests and a choice of premium upholsteries.
Ace S1 Review | Buy now: $149.99
E-Win Gaming Chairs
GTRacing makes good cheap gaming chairs for short, slim teenagers. In comparison, E-Win makes the best affordable models for short, thick users.
According to CDC data, 21.2% of American 12 to 19-year-olds are obese. Teens with weight problems suffer from lower self-esteem than their peers. Among overweight youth, depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders are also common.
Obesity is also linked with chronic fatigue and increased sleep problems. While a gaming chair can’t help a person lose weight, it can address chronic fatigue. By helping users to sit with good posture, muscle strain disappears.
I know this from experience. After sorting out my posture with a gaming chair, I enjoyed a surge of consistent energy. I put that into working out, and ended up losing my beer belly!
Bottom line: a gaming chair optimized for short, thick sizes can be a life-changing gift. Immediately, it will give young, heavy bodies a place to rest their weary muscles. Over the long term, it will help them forge good posture habits.
With good posture comes more energy, improved confidence, and increased happiness! Here are the best E-Win gaming chairs for the job (all support up to 400 pounds).
Use the code ChairsFX to get the 20% discount.
E-Win Knight Series
Prosumer gaming chair with 400-pound support, 2D armrests, and a flat, wide seat.
Knight Series Review | Buy now: $183 $229
E-Win Champion Fabric Series
A premium fabric gaming chair with 4D arms, multifunction tilt, and support for 400 pounds.
Champion Series Review | Buy now: $$295 $369
E-Win Pink Bunny
This premium pink racing chair comes fully-loaded with cute bunny accessories included!
Pink Bunny Review | Buy now: $295 $369
Best For Kids Aged 5-12
Adult gaming chairs (even small ones) are for sizes 12 and up. Children younger than that have different sitting needs. First, kids aged 5-12 should spend a lot less time sitting.
The average 4-year-old has an attention span of around eight minutes. After that, expect them to fidget. As well, the AACAP recommends one hour per weekday of non-educational screen time for 2 to 5-year olds. On weekends, that can bump up to 3 hours per day.
That includes watching TV, using a tablet, or a PC/ gaming console. By age six, they suggest maintaining a screen-time plan. As part of that, you should remove devices from a child’s bedroom an hour before sleep.
Second, ergonomic chairs for 5 to 12-year-olds are designed to teach basic posture habits as young bodies grow. Children are physically flexible and adaptive. They also respond well to ergonomic mentoring.
As a result, the best chairs for kids of this age all have a similar design. Most models let you adjust the depth and height of the seat. You can also adjust the height of the backrest. Some models also include footrests so that kids can keep their feet planted.
Best Computer Chairs For Kids Aged 5-12
For the 2021 Xmas season, Secretlab threw in a wild card. Its Titan XXS is designed for kids aged 5-12. It has a radically different design than other computer chairs for kids.
On an aesthetic level, it’s a mind-blowing Xmas gift for a kid. But from an ergonomic perspective, it’s unproven. With that in mind, here are some of the best options for kids aged 5-12:
Sidiz Ringo
For ages 4-12, this chair supports neutral postures through the formative years. Forge rock-solid sitting habits at an early age that last a lifetime!
Sidiz Ringo Review | Buy now: $229.00
Flexispot S05 Study Chair
This uses similar concepts as the Ringo chair, with a lower price tag. Rated for kids from K1-grade 7.
Flexispot S05 Review | Buy now: $169.99
Secretlab Titan XXS
This mini gaming chair will make kids aged 5-12 dance with delight. But despite its stunning aesthetics, it’s less ergonomically reliable than conventional kids chairs.
Titan XXS Review | Buy now: $299-$319
Best Gift Pack Gaming Chair Accessories
Adjustable gaming chair features are designed to accommodate various body types. Even so, problems can arise. That’s where gaming chair accessories come in.
These fill gaps in gaming chair functionality to ensure optimal comfort and support. Here are some of the most useful:
Ergonomic Footrest
A common problem that short people have is a seat too high for their legs. Feet planted firmly on the floor provides the power you need to sit up straight. So if the seat is too high for your feet to plant firmly, you’ll be unable to maintain a healthy sitting posture.
In fact, most desks are between 28-30 inches. Based on these desk size guidelines, users under 5’9″ will need to raise the seat height to align their forearms with the desk surface. That leaves feet dangling off the ground, rather than planted.
An ergonomic footrest solves this problem while adding some extra benefits:
Learn more about footrest posture and wellness benefits in our detailed ergonomic footrest feature article. Here are two footrests recommended in that article:
Mind Reader Footrest
A Mindreader Footrest brings mind-blowing enhancements to the gaming chair sitting experience. It has a pebbled surface that swivels, with a range of height settings. Immediately, it helps you to sit taller in a chair while still planting your feet.
It also influences how you sit in the chair. First, it reduces pressure on your thighs against the seat. So if your thighs get sore after long periods of sitting, this is the fix.
As well, while reducing pressure on the thighs, it increases pressure in the lumbar area. To relieve that pressure, simply lean against your backrest and let your lumbar support do the work.
- Length x width: 4.4″ (L) x 18.4″ (W)
- Height: 1 inch (lowest); 4.7″ (middle); 6″ (highest setting)
The Mind Reader footrest comes pre-assembled. Pull it out of the box, set your height, and get into it. Plant your feet into the pebbled surface to pressure-massage your soles. As you get deeper into your work, start working your ankles and calves to get the blood flowing.
Warning: once you experience the joys of this footrest, you might never be able to live without one!
Mind Reader Footrest on Amazon $26.99
Everlasting Comfort Footrest
Some people find the plastic Mind Reader unpleasant. If softness is your priority, the Everlasting Comfort footrest is a popular alternative. It’s a single slab of memory foam with a removable (machine-washable) cover.
Its soft velour cover absorbs heat. At the same time, the memory foam block adapts to the nuances of your feet. Over time, it will fit your feet like a glove! Specs:
- Length x width: 4.75″ (L) x 17″ (W)
- Height: 9.5 inches
On a technical level, the Mind Reader wins. It offers height-adjustability, a pebbled massage surface, and tilting functionality to work out your feet.
However, the Everlasting Comfort’s tactile qualities are miles ahead. The foam is squishy enough to cocoon your feet, yet dense enough to retain its shape. If you’ve never worked with while massaging your soles, this thing will blow you away!
Everlasting Comfort Footrest on Amazon $37.99
Learn more about footrest health and wellness benefits in this feature article.
Purple Seat Cushion
Gaming chair seats are steel bars covered in foam padding. In general, the cheaper the chair, the softer the padding. In contrast, most premium gaming chairs have very firm padding.
Firmer padding provides the consistent stability you need to sit with good posture. But many people are accustomed to sitting in cheap office chairs with squishy padding.
Then, premium gaming chair padding might feel like a rock! Most people get used to it, but not all. If your seat feels too stiff, a Purple Gamechanger Seat Cushion is the best solution on the market.
This is an 18 x 22 x 2.5″ (LxWxH) sitting mat made from Hyper-Elastic Polymer. It’s ultra-durable and specially designed to support long sitting periods. You can use it in your car, at the dinner table, or on your gaming chair.
When you sit, the grid cradles your tailbone and cushions the rest of your butt. The material is temperature-neutral, meaning it stays cool no matter how long you sit.
Don’t be fooled by imitations. On Amazon, there are dozens selling for under $40. The Purple Gamechanger seat cushion is the original, proven to solve gaming chair seat discomfort.
Armrest Pads
Armrests provide crucial support while sitting in a gaming chair. The average 170-pound person’s arms weigh 10 pounds each. Armrests absorb that weight while providing extra bracing to hold your spine upright.
Most gaming chairs come with synthetic plastic armrests with slightly more give than a car tire. Over time, some people find this very hard on elbows and forearms. Armrest pads are the solution. There are a few options:
Aloudy Armrest pads
These memory foam blocks come with machine-washable covers that have a velvety feel. The memory foam offers the perfect amount of resistance. That helps to relieve pressure points in your elbows and forearms.
Aloudy armrests slip over the top of existing armrests. The pad size is 9.5″ x 4.5″ x 1.5″. Measure your armrests before buying these. If they’re bigger than the pad’s dimensions, the pads won’t fit over top!
Assuming a good fit, these are easy to attach and remove. Once added, they cradle your forearms with a gentle caress that’s addictively comfortable!
Everlasting Comfort Amrrest Pads
These memory foam armrests one-up the Aloudy ones in a few ways. First, they work with all types of chair armrests. Second, each pad contains a cooling gel pad insert. These better regulate body temperature. That keeps your forearms well-cushioned and cool over long periods.
One kit comes with two pads with two machine-washable covers. Each pad is 9.5″ long x 3″ wide x 1.5″ high. They’re easy to install and remove on any type of armrest.
They also work very well. They’re cheap, easy to use, and very comfortable.
Everlasting Comfort Pads $24.90
Secretlab Technogel Armrests
Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 chairs have CloudSwap armrest technology. That lets you replace the included armrest caps with luxury ones. The first luxury release is Technogel armrest tops.
These come filled with ‘technogel’ that absorbs body heat and regulates temperature. Compared to the included PU caps, they’re squishier, cooler, and more aesthetically striking.
Even so, I find the included armrest caps are pretty good. Adding the Technogel caps will give you a bit more luxury and a slightly more colorful look. That said, they’ve excellent stocking-stuffers for Titan Evo 2022 chair owners!
Gamer-Style Yoga Mat
The point of a good gaming chair is to support good posture while sitting. But an important part of a healthy sitting regimen is movement. Luckily, taking movement breaks every 20 minutes or so yields many benefits.
For one thing, movement works muscles and boosts circulation. At the same time, it provides the brain with needed downtime to process the previous batch of work.
That makes a yoga mat a great addon-gift for gaming chair users. In keeping with gamer themes, Gaiam makes some of the most colorful yoga mats on the market for home gamers.
For around $10 more than generic mats, you get a 68″L x 24″W x 6mm thick mat in a wild range of styles.
Gaming Chair New Year Resolutions
The previous sections cover the best chairs and accessories to support healthy sitting. With those tools assembled, the next adventure is to develop a healthy sitting regimen.
At the end of the rainbow is a pot of gold brimming with improved health, happiness, and productivity. Fortunately, the path to the end of the rainbow is straightforward:
Learn How To Sit Using Neutral Postures
The human body is not designed to sit for long periods. Doing so flattens the angle of the lower back curve by half. That forces back muscles to work harder to hold the spine upright.
When the muscles tire, the lower back curve almost completely flattens. As a result, the spine curls into a c-shaped slouch. To counteract these biomechanical realities, all ergonomic chairs have the exact same objective.
Ergonomic science tells us that neutral postures exert minimal stress on the legs, spine, and back muscles while sitting. Thus the point of an ergonomic chair is to help users sit in dynamic neutral postures.
In all types of chairs, neutral postures look the same. The gist is to tuck your hips deep into the seat pan. Then plant your feet firmly into the floor. Finally, adjust your lumbar support system to place pressure into your lower back.
For many people, configuring the lumbar support is the trickier part of the equation. See this Lumbar Support Biomechanics Tutorial for help. This video explains the gist:
For a full walkthrough of healthy sitting fundamentals, see this feature:
Make It A Habit To Move While You Sit
Remember that the human body is not designed to sit for long periods. Thus, sitting in neutral positions minimizes muscle strain, but doesn’t eliminate it.
This is why all ergonomic chairs include features that support seated movement. These include:
- Reclining backrest: switch up recline angles.
- Tilt lock: lock the seat at angles o alter the position of your hips and lower back.
- Rocking function: work your legs while altering hip and spine angles.
Beyond built-in features, you can also add an ergonomic footrest to work your calves. On top of that, if your chair’s seat is wide enough, it also works to switch up leg positions.
Ergonomists refer to this as dynamic neutral sitting. Doing so engages back, leg, and abdominal muscles while you sit. That keeps muscle groups active while boosting circulation. As a result, feel more energetic and focused, without any muscle strain.
Take Movement Breaks Every 20 Minutes
The final part of the healthy sitting formula is regular movement breaks. Standing every 20 minutes or so doesn’t yield any benefits. Regular movement is important to get blood circulation through the muscles.
Esports therapist Dr. Josnua Lee concurs. He told ChairsFX that “the body craves movement. Short rest breaks with exercises are like little snacks. Your body can use these throughout a gaming session to keep you energized.”
Beyond physical benefits, taking frequent breaks gives your brain important downtime. In between bursts of work, downtime lets the brain process and store complex information.
Bottom line: get into the habit of taking a break after a burst of intense work. When you return to your desk, you’ll be primed for another intense burst. By the end of the day, you will have gotten more work done in a lot less sitting time! Learn more:
Conclusion
A gaming chair makes a perfect Xmas gift. It gives the recipient the tools they need to develop healthy sitting habits. With proper usage, these benefits will emerge over the coming months:
- Improved posture and flexibility.
- Reduced muscle strain.
- Higher energy levels.
- Improved mood and confidence.
- Sharper focus while sitting at a desk.
Six months from now, this gift will keep on giving. As benefits kick in, watch the recipient’s confidence, energy levels, and enthusiasm soar.
Along this trajectory, new opportunities for improvement will emerge. Learn more in this feature:
