Founded in 1912, Steelcase is the largest office furniture company in the world. The company earns billions every year producing furniture for the office, education, and retail industries. Recently, Steelcase set up a dedicated work-from-home division This article reviews its 2022 lineup of ergonomic office chairs.
The best Steelcase office chairs range in price from $244 to $1244. Aside from the cheapest Jack model, all come with rock-solid 12-year warranties. That helps to offset the high price of these chairs.
For example, spreading the cost of a fully-loaded $1244 Gesture chair over the warranty period works out to $103 per year. In that context, even the most expensive Steelcase chairs offer excellent value for money.
Browse Steelcase Chairs on Smart Furniture
You can also browse a wide selection of chairs in the Steelcase Amazon Store.
Best Steelcase Ergonomic Chairs
All Steelcase chairs share similar qualities. Standards include fabric padded seats, adjustable arms, tilt functions, and adaptive backrests. But there’s a clear hierarchy in the 2022 collection. As you slide lower down the pricing scale, you get more basic feature variations.
For instance, a top-of-the-line Gesture chair comes stacked. Highlights include an ultra-adaptive backrest and mega-adjustable arms. 3D Liveback System. In contrast, the cheap Jack chair has a simple padded backrest and basic 1D arms.
- Gesture: best tilt functions, backrest adaptability, and armrests. ($1218-$1244)
- Leap: has the same features as the Gesture with an older, more dated style. ($1080-$1325)
- Think: has a cheaper lumbar support and backrest than the Leap. ($778-$974)
- Amia: has the same features as the Think (except for sync-tilt). ($849)
- Jack: entry-level chair with fixed arms, sync-tilt, and a 5-year warranty. ($244-$329)
Here are our 2022 reviews of the best Steelcase chairs. The Gesture stands tall as the flagship. As you slide lower down the scale, chair functionality gets more basic.
Gesture
Price: $1218-$1244
The Steelcase Gesture provides effective posture support and opportunities to move while sitting. It has a wide range of adjustments to support long periods of PC, tablet, and smartphone work.
While developing the Gesture chair, Steelcase conducted 11 studies with 732 participants. For the Gesture chair, Steelcase went even further. Its global posture study conducted studies on 2,000 people across six continents.
The result was a chair with a slightly revised feature set than the Leap. The Gesture chair has three key differences:
- Refined synchro-tilt: reclines that backrest while tilting the seat up, instead of forward.
- Flexible seat edge: the entire outer seat rim is flexible. No matter what position you sit in, the edges will flex to support your legs.
- Articulating arms: provides a wider adjustment range than other chairs. This ensures support for both PC and mobile device users
The 4D armrests have a height range of 7.25-11.5 inches. They also come with a massive width-adjustment range of 10.25-22.5″. These dimensions let you keep the armrests low and out of the way. In contrast, you can raise them to almost mid-chest and swing them closer to your body. That provides clever elbow support when working with a tablet or smartphone for long periods.
That provides enough room to swing the arms out of the way when you prefer working without support.
Features summary
- Synchro-tilt: seat pan angle 1°; backrest recline from 98° to 116°
- Seat: height and depth adjustments.
- Armrests: 4D armrests. Height range 7.25-11.5 inches; width range 10.25-22.5 inches.
- Back support: adjustable lumbar; adaptive 3D Live Back system; 3-position seat and backrest tilt lock.
- Warranty: 12 years on parts, lifetime on the frame.
The headrest is optional, depending on your preference. If you’re used to gaming chairs, the headrest will support your neck’s curve in a similar fashion. Without the headrest, the Gesture’s back support works just fine.
Sizing
The Steelcase Gesture has a versatile one-size-fits-all design that should cater to a wide range of body types.
- Seat width x depth: 19.25″ (W) x 15.75 to 18.75″ (D)
- Backrest height x width: 24″ (H), 16.25″ (W)
- Floor to seat range: 16-20.5″
- Chair height: 38.5-43.5″
- Size rating: people 5’4″ to 6’2″ tall; up to 400 pounds
Advice
Like the Leap, the Gesture chair stands out with a superb build quality. Its 3D Liveback works as well as other adaptive backrests like the Herman Miller Aeron and Embody. Meanwhile, its 4D armrests have a greater range than all of the other high-end chairs.
If you can afford a Gesture chair, put it at the top of your list. It can adjust to fit most users and shines in the key areas. First, it provides excellent posture support throughout all recline ranges. Second, the synchro-tilt feature allows for plenty of seated movement. Third, the controls are intuitive and very easy to use.
Buy a Black fully-loaded Gesture Chair on Amazon for $1,117.06.
Gesture from SmartFurniture $1244
The base Gesture chair costs $1218. Upgrade to a model with adjustable lumbar support for $1244.
Leap
Price: $1080-$1325
The Leap is the original Steelcase ergonomic chair. Three years after the Herman Miller Aeron debuted in 1996, Steelcase released the Leap chair. Minus a different shape and smaller armrest range, the Leap has the same features as the Gesture.
Those include sync-tilt, 3D Liveback back support, and a seat slider. But since it’s not as flashy as the newer Gesture chair, it costs slightly less. If you’re looking for value over novelty, a Leap chair may suit you better.
Key Features
The Leap made its mark with two standout features:
3D Liveback System
In regular chairs, when the user leans back, a gap appears between the lumbar curve and the chair. To compensate, most users will flatten their lumbar curve so that it continues to get support from the backrest.
To avoid that, the 3D Live Back flexes to provide consistent support throughout the recline range. With consistent support, the lumbar curve remains intact, ensuring good posture with proper hip alignment.
Synchronous Tilt
The second standout feature is an innovative synchro-tilt feature. As the user leans back, the seat tilts by one degree and also angles forward. That ensures the hips remain in a healthy alignment, with the thighs consistently parallel to the floor.
As the user leans forward, the seat contracts. That pulls the hips to the back of the chair for closer contact with the Live Back support. The result is that the user can enjoy plenty of movement while sitting.
Summary Of Features
Complementing the Live Back and synchro-tilt are several robust extras. Those include adjustable lumbar support, 4D armrests and a 5-position tilt-lock.
Summary of features:
- Synchro-tilt: seat pan angle 1°; backrest 98° to 125°; 3-inch forward seat slide.
- Seat: height and depth adjustments.
- Armrests: 4D adjustable (7-11″ height range; 12.75-20″ width range)
- Functionality: 3-position seat and backrest tilt lock; 4D armrests with a huge adjustment range.
- Back support: 3D LiveBack (changes shape to mimic the natural motion of the spine).
- Back support: height and depth-adjustable lumbar; 5-position tilt-lock recline.
- Warranty: 12 years on parts, lifetime on the frame.
Sizing
The Steelcase Leap is a one-size-fits-all chair that caters to most body types. It has a flat seat with plenty of width between the armrests. The result is a fit wide enough to accommodate extra-large users with wide hips or thick legs.
- Seat width x depth: 19.25″ (W) x 15.75-18.75″ (D)
- Backrest width x height: 18″ (W), 25″ (H)
- Seat height: 16-20.5″
- Arms: 7-11″ height range; 12.75-20″ width range.
- Size rating: 5’4″ to 6’2″ tall; up to 400 pounds
If you choose the headrest addon, it has a 4-inch height adjustment range. That provides plenty of room to adjust it to most user sizes. Toggle until it fits in the nape of your neck, then lock into place.
Upholstery options
All Steelcase chairs have four upholstery options. Buzz 2 is the default option, while others cost extra. Here is a breakdown of the Leap color and upholstery options:
- Buzz 2: tightly-knit polyester fabric with a coarse finish. Choose from 26 variations.
- Cogent Connect: softer fabric in an array of fun, bright colors. 18 variations all cost $18 extra.
- Leather: genuine leather in a few dark color options. 4 variations all cost $470 extra.
- Elmosoft leather: a softer leather in dark colors with distressed patterns. 31 variations all cost $544 extra.
Steelcase Leap advice
The Steelcase Leap looks, feels, and operates like a $1000+ chair. The build quality is superb. One of the few high-end chairs to support 400 pounds, it feels rugged and super-solid.
Features are on par with other world-leading chairs. The Leap chair comes with every adjustment imaginable. That makes it easy to fine-tune the fit to your needs.
There are two downsides. The first is the high price. The second is the fixed back. A height-adjustable back would make the Leap a better fit for users taller than 6’1″. Only those shorter will enjoy a perfect fit.
Buy a fully-loaded Leap Chair (16 styles) on Amazon for $1,299.00.
Steelcase Leap from SmartFurniture $1149
The base Leap chair costs $1080 with 1D armrests. Upgrade to 4D arms for $1149. Upgrade to 4D arms and a headrest for $1325.
Think
Price: $778-$974
The Think chair first came out in 2004 as the simplest chair in the Steelcase chair collection. In 2013, an upgraded version added a 3D Live Back and a dual-spring lumbar support system. The latest version with a reasonable price and fully-loaded ergonomic features.
Summary of features
The Think chair has most of the same features as the more expensive Steelcase chairs. The key missing feature is a variable recline tilt-lock backrest. Instead of that, the Think chair comes with a weight-activated recline. To engage, push back with your head while pushing up with your feet.
- Live Back: an upgraded dynamic backrest with linked flexors for more reactive support.
- Dual-energy lumbar: adjustable lumbar support powered by dual springs for greater structural integrity.
- Adaptive bolstering seat: the foam seat pad is cored in some areas. This allows more compression in certain areas. This improvement lets the foam better adapt to the user’s size and shape.
- Advanced synchro-tilt: the backrest reclines in sync with the seat at a 2:1 ratio. This allows the user to recline and lean forward with fluid, consistent support.
- Variable recline modes: switch between four modes. Those are: weight-activated recline; weight-activated with a 20% boost; mid-stop recline; upright back lock.
- 4D armrests: adjust height, width, pivot, and depth.
- Seat: height and depth-adjustable with flexible seat edges.
- Warranty: 12 years on parts, lifetime on the frame.
Think chair sizing
Like other Steelcase chairs, the Think is a one-size-all chair that supports most body types:
- Seat width & depth: 20.25″ (W) x 15.5 to 18″ (D)
- Backrest height & width: 24″ (H), 16.25″ (W)
- Lumbar adjustment range: 6-10.25″
- Armrests: height range 7-11″; width range 14-21.25″
- Size rating: 5’4″ to 6’2″ tall; up to 400 pounds
Think chair advice
The fully-loaded Think chair includes optional 4D armrests ($145.35), adjustable lumbar support ($34), and a headrest ($98.60 extra). Both the 4D armrests and adjustable lumbar support add-ons are essential. Without those, the Think chair loses a lot of its ergonomic potency.
The height-adjustable headrest depends on your preference. Some people prefer having their neck supported, others prefer having no headrest. Whichever option you choose, expect superb lower back support.
Stacked with 3D Live Back and Synchro-tilt, the addons help to deliver high-end results. Expect powerful ergonomic support, amazing durability, and excellent value for money.
Buy a fully-loaded Think Chair (5 styles) on Amazon for $831.07.
Think chair from SmartFurniture $850
The base Think chair costs $778 with fixed armrests. Upgrade to 4D arms for $850. Upgrade to 4D arms and a headrest for $974.
Amia
Price: $849
The Amia chair is one of the most basic in the Steelcase collection. It doesn’t have an adaptive Live Back system. Instead of a flexible, adaptive backrest, the outer back and outer seat are hard plastic.
To compensate, the Amia chair uses an integrated Live Lumbar hidden under the upholstery. That unit flexes every time the user moves, providing consistent low back support. You can adjust its height, and also its support tension. Stacked on top of that feature is an “Air Liveback Technology”. That basically flexes the plastic shells across two dimensions for (slightly) more personalized support.
Amia chair features
The Amia chair’s ergonomic features are solid but not spectacular. Besides a more basic backrest, it also has a limited recline function. You can rock the chair, but can’t lock the recline at angles.
- Seat: height and depth-adjustable.
- Synchro-tilt: backrest 100-120 recline range; -3 to 3-degree seat pan angle.
- Lumbar support: height-adjustable (6.2-10″ range).
- Recline: 2-stage tilt-limiter lets you sit with a slight or deep recline at varied tensions.
- Armrests: 4D (height, width, depth, and pivot-adjustable).
- Warranty: 10-year warranty on parts; lifetime warranty on the frame.
On the plus side, these are durable chairs that provide the ergonomic support that full-time workers need. Instead of luxury, expect a consistently comfortable experience without any stiffness or back pain.
Amia chair sizing
- Seat: 19.75″(W) x 21.75-24.75″ (D)
- Backrest: 26.5″ (W) x 25″ (H)
- Floor to seat range: 16-21″
- Armrests: 4″ height-adjustment range; 2.25″ width range.
- Chair height: 37.25″ to 42.5″
- Size rating: 5’4″ to 6’2″ tall; up to 400 pounds
Amia chair advice
In the high-end ergonomic chair world, the Amia qualifies as a cheap chair. In the gaming chair world, its price could get you the swankiest pro esports gaming chair on the market. From a corporate perspective, Amia chairs are a great option for low-level staff.
One attraction is that they don’t cost as much as higher-end models. Another is that these chairs work. They will help workers to sit with better posture and more movement. As a result, staff will be more productive.
Amia chair from SmartFurniture $849
Buy a fully-loaded Amia Chair (4 styles) on Amazon for $707.00.
Jack
Price: $244-$329
The Jack chair is a ‘Steelcase Turnstone’ product. Turnstone is a sub-brand of Steelcase that produces cheaper ergonomic chair variations. The Jack offers a build quality comparable to other Steelcase chairs, with stripped-down ergonomic features. Even so, this is a potent ergonomic chair. It has synchro-tilt, fixed armrests, a height-adjustable seat, and a hard-shell backrest with contours to support the lower back’s natural curve.
Features
The Jack chair is a streamlined ergonomic chair with adjustable features that are intuitive and easy to use. You can adjust the height of the backrest and depth of the seat to suit your size. This model even comes with a built-in synchro-tilt: when you recline, the seat tilts up.
One limit with previous Jack models was a backrest that could rock, but not lock. The latest version lets you rock with variable tilt-tension, and also lock in variable recline positions. Few ergonomic chairs in this price range offer a variable-recline tilt-lock.
The most telling feature giving this away as the budget chair is the hard shell back. It’s less breathable than mesh back chairs. Even so, the fabric covering does a decent job keeping the back cool over sitting sessions.
Summary of features:
- Synchro-tilt: built-in 2-1 ratio. When the backrest reclines with a 2-degree tilt, the seat angles up by one degree.
- Backrest: lock upright or various angles; rocking with tilt-tension; adjustable height.
- Lumbar support: integrated lumbar (adjust the height of the backrest to customize the fit)
- Seat: depth-adjustable with a 1.5″ range.
- Armrests: fixed.
- Warranty: 5-year warranty.
Sizing
The Steelcase Jack is an average-sized chair suitable for slim figures. Those with wide hips or thick legs may find the space between the armrests too narrow.
- Seat width x depth: 18.5″ (W) x 16.25″ to 17.75 (D)
- Backrest width x height: 17.5″ (W) x 19.5″ to 21.7″ (D)
- Floor to seat range: 17.25″ to 22″
- Chair height: 35″ to 43″
- Size rating: 5’5″ to 6’1″; up to 300 pounds
Buying advice
The Steelcase Jack costs around the same as a high-end pro esports gaming chair. Would you rather buy a high-end gaming chair for $400, or a low-end ergonomic chair? It depends on your needs.
Gamers will find the Jack chair design underwhelming. However, it’s hard to argue with the build quality, comfort, and ergonomic support that this chair provides. As a work-from-home chair, this is a cheap, effective, and durable solution.
Jack chair from SmartFurniture $400
The base Jack chair costs $244 with no armrests. Upgrade to fixed arms for $304. Upgrade to fixed arms and recline functionality for $329.
About the Steelcase Brand
In 2019, Steelcase ranked as the world’s largest office furniture company, with $3.4 billion in sales. Second-ranked Herman Miller generated $2.4 billion in sales, while #3-ranked Haworth generated $2 billion.
Steelcase ergonomic philosophy
Prior to the release of the Gesture chair in 2013, Steelcase conducted a global posture study. It polled 2,000 office workers from 11 different countries at a time when smartphones were emerging.
The study found that emerging tech had an erratic influence on users. Instead of focusing on one screen and keyboard, screens and interfaces were multiplying. People were adapting by adopting a wider range of unhealthy postures.
“All day long we move between devices and tasks. We change our focus, shift our bodies, and search for comfort and support in the task of the moment.”
The study found that excessive screen-based sedentary time encouraged unhealthy sitting habits. To address these issues, Steelcase adopted these points into its design philosophy:
- Stable core: posture support stabilizes the lower back and allows a broad range of motion.
- Seated movement: chairs should encourage fluid movement and dynamic motion while the user is sitting.
- User-friendly: an intuitive user interface makes chairs easy to operate.
New Work-From-Home Focus
All top office chair companies focus on B2B sales. Large enterprises, education institutions, and government offices are the primary clients. Enterprise clients generate around 64% of all industry sales.
When the pandemic struck, office leasing space plummeted. As a result, so did enterprise demand for high-end office chairs. In response, Steelcase deployed “design thinking” to find creative solutions for changing workplace dynamics. “How might the office be improved to better include those who work from home? How can the time you spend in your workplace be the safest part of your day?”
That shift in strategy shows early promise. In 2020, despite the global lockdown, Steelcase reported $3.7 billion in revenue, its highest total since 2001.
Moving forward, Steelcase looks primed to continue its reign as the office chair industry leader. At the heart of its chair collection are $1000+ Gesture and Leap chairs. Both are full-featured ergonomic masterpieces with stunning build qualities and superb seated posture support. Under the $1000, Steelcase offers a range of cheaper models with slightly less intricate features.
Conclusion
Steelcase makes most of its money selling chairs to corporate clients. In that setting, the ranking of ‘best’ Steelcase chairs would follow a corporate hierarchy. The CEO gets a Gesture chair. His leadership team gets Leap chairs. Rookie interns get basic Jack chairs.
From a work-from-home perspective, Steelcase competes with the Herman Miller WFH Collection. It offers premium Aeron and Embody chairs, plus a stripped-down Sayle edition. The Steelcase collection provides more options.
Gesture and Leap chairs stack up well against Herman Miller’s flagship Aeron chair. However, its cheaper options cater to budget users better than Herman Miller does. If you want a high-end sitting experience for as cheap as possible, the sliding Steelcase hierarchy has a great range of options.
- Gesture: best tilt functions, backrest adaptability, and armrests. ($1218-$1244)
- Leap: has the same features as the Gesture with an older, more dated style. ($1080-$1325)
- Think: has a cheaper lumbar support and backrest than the Leap. ($778-$974)
- Amia: has the same features as the Think (except for sync-tilt). ($849)
- Jack: entry-level chair with fixed arms, sync-tilt, and a 5-year warranty. ($244-$329)
Browse Steelcase Chairs on Smart Furniture
You can also browse a wide selection of chairs in the Steelcase Amazon Store.
