Healthy ergonomic support isn’t expensive. Cheap mid-back ergonomic office chairs aren’t as flashy or decadent as luxury models. But they’re easy to use and very good for your back and neck! Enjoy near-perfect posture support without any gimmicks or pricey frills. ChairsFX reviews the best ergonomic office chairs under $300 (as of Q2 2022).
A common complaint about cheap ergonomic chairs is the awkward headrests. Most are ill-fitting with poor adjustability that brings pain instead of support. Luckily, there’s a solution to this problem that will blow your mind!
By removing the headrest, your cheap mid-back office chair can deliver the same level of posture support as a much pricier model! Here are near-perfect postures in a $223.52 Staples Hyken vs $1600+ Herman Miller Aeron:
Both do a similar job at supporting users in healthy neutral positions. The lack of a headrest is a key part of the ergonomic concept.
Mid-Back Chairs Don’t Need Headrests
Herman Miller’s Aeron debuted in 1994 as one of the world’s first ergonomic office chairs. Today, most cheap alternatives offer stripped-down versions of Herman Miller concepts. Notably, all Herman Miller chairs provide strict mid-back support.
The company doesn’t provide headrests or recommend using third-party ones. “Leaning your head back on a headrest while in an upright position would be improper posture… Our ergonomic chairs are designed to support your spine as if you were standing.”
A major study on car seat biomechanics with and without headrests supports Herman Miller’s claim. A human spine’s 33 vertebrae are divided into cervical, thoracic, and lumbar sections.
Without a headrest, the user must balance their neck atop the shoulders. Adding one destabilizes that balance while distorting the entire spine! Specifically, a rearward head tilt curves the thoracic spine outward more than normal. That, as a result, flattens the lower back curve.
In contrast, by removing the headrest, you give your neck a chance to adopt a picture-perfect 0° neck tilt as a regular habit. In doing so, you also get the best potential wellness benefits from your chair!
PSA: Headrests on Mid-Back Chairs Alter Comfort And Posture
Review Ranking Factors
The chairs in this review are assessed primarily on ergonomic performance. The point of any ergonomic chair is to support healthy neutral sitting postures. This method involves sitting with feet firmly planted on the floor, a 25-45° lower back curve, and a 0° neck tilt.
Most chairs with adjustable lumbar support make it easy to maintain a healthy lower back curve. The best cheap mid-back chairs (without headrests) also support a 0° neck position out of the box.
If you start with poor posture, a few days of sitting is all it takes to retrain your muscles into healthy new habits.
Quality Of Ergonomic Components
To support neutral postures, there’s a clear ergonomic consensus. Any chair qualifies as ‘ergonomic’ if it has three core adjustable components:
Each piece plays a different role in the back support equation:
- Lumbar support: helps to preserve a healthy (25-45°) lower back curve.
- Reclined backrest: with lumbar support, reclines between 100-130° reduce spinal disc pressure.
- Adjustable arms: support the shoulders; provide extra bracing for the spine.
Review Ranking Criteria
To assess the best ergonomic chairs under $300, we consider ergonomics and value for money.
- Ergonomics: how well do the chair’s features support neutral sitting postures — without a headrest?
- Value for money: do the features, upholstery comfort, and warranty justify the price?
Psychological comfort is not a ranking factor. Psychological perks include headrests, flashy colors, and polished steel parts. Minus these, the best chairs deliver straight-ahead spinal support — without frivolous extras.
Psychology Vs Physiology Comfort: How To Choose The Perfect Chair
Best ergonomic office chairs under $300
Four mid-back ergonomic chairs meet our ranking criteria better than others in 2022. Here are the best ergonomic office chairs priced under $300:
- Space Seating 24 Series: basic ergonomics + lifetime parts warranty | $311.39 on Amazon
- Staples Hyken: full mesh upholstery + basic ergonomics | $223.52 on Amazon
- Ticova Ergonomic Chair: height + depth-adjustable lumbar support | $239.99 on Amazon
- Modway Articulate Ergonomic Chair: super-basic semi-ergonomic | $158.99 on Amazon
Space Seating 24 Series
$311.39 on Amazon
Rated #1
The Space Seating 24 Series does everything that you need but nothing that you might desire. It has a super-plain look that your grandpa would love. It also barely qualifies as ergonomic with the most basic features possible.
Even so, it ranks #1 for two reasons. First, despite the basic features, they meet all ergonomic criteria for healthy sitting. Second, the 24 Series comes with the best warranty in this price class.
Components are guaranteed for life. What’s more, upholstery (including wear and tear) is covered for three years. On top of that, you can also buy replacement parts to extend your chair’s life indefinitely!
Chair features
The 24 Series does everything you need to sit with good posture — without any luxuries. The lumbar support is a pad that you slide up or down to fit your lower back. The armrests adjust up or down with a 2.5″ adjustment range.
The backrest is the most basic component. It has no tilt-lock recline – just a tilt-tension control and lock. Its fixed 100° recline keeps you in a crisp upright position at all times. The backrest also has a sharp outward curve at the top.
When you tuck your hips deep into the seat, only the bottom portion of the backrest will hit your spine. Then, the upper gap gives you space to stretch your upper back.
For more seated movement, activate the rocking + synchronous tilt function. Then, for every two degrees you lean back, the seat will tilt up by one degree.
Summary of Specifications
- Upholstery: padded fabric seat; mesh backrest
- Lumbar support: height-adjustable (4″ range)
- Armrests: 1D (2.5″ height adjustment range)
- Recline: 2-to-1 synchro tilt (100-110° recline + 5° seat tilt)
- Warranty: lifetime on components; 3 years on upholstery and foam wear and tear (details).
The 24 Series is a good fit for average sizes (5’7″ and up) of average width or less. Those a few inches shorter can also enjoy a good fit by adding an ergonomic footrest.
- Seat width x depth: 19.25″ (W) x 20″(D)
- Backrest width x height: 20.5″ x 23.75″
- Seat height range: 19.25-23.25″
- Armrest to seat height range: 7.25-9.75″
- Size rating: 5’7″ to 6’2″; 250-pound weight capacity
Space Seating 24 Series Advice
The Space Seating 24 Series stands ahead of the others on several fronts. First, without a headrest, everything works exactly as you need it to. The lumbar support has a good adjustment range — simply side it up or down until it hits your sweet spot.
Second, synchro-tilt is a prized feature usually found on only the most expensive ergonomic task chairs. The 24 Series is one of the cheapest chairs on the market with this advanced feature.
Finally, no other chair priced under $300 comes with a legit lifetime warranty!
- Complete ergonomic features
- Lifetime components warranty
- 3 year upholstery warranty
- Very easy to use
- Mega-boring design
- No tilt-lock recline
- Not a single luxury feature
- Armrests tend to split after 2 years
The biggest downsides are the boring design and lack of a tilt-lock recline feature. Luckily, both serve psychological comfort needs — not physiological ones. In other words, those are nice to have but not necessary.
Finally, if you prefer something more breathable and stylish, the Space Seating 27 Series is also available. It has the same features as the 24 Series, plus a stylish full mesh seat.
Learn more: detailed Space Seating 24 and 27 Series Reviews
It’s cheap, ergonomic, and guaranteed to last for years. That’s a winning formula well worth considering.
Staples Hyken
$223.52 on Amazon
Rated #2
The Hyken has attained a massive cult following for two key reasons. First, it offers similar ergonomic features as the best high-end chairs. It comes with an adjustable lumbar, adjustable arms, and even synchronous tilt.
The backrest can tilt and lock in 4 positions between 100-140°. As you recline, sync-tilt kicks in at a 2:1 ratio. So if you kick back at a 120° angle, the seat will tilt up by 10°. That keeps the thighs parallel to the floor through all ranges of motion.
The second reason the Hyken is so prized: it’s one of the cheapest full-mesh ergonomic chairs on the market!
Staples Hyken Features
The Hyken is a compact chair designed for small to average sizes. All adjustable components work perfectly for those within the chair’s recommended size range.
The biggest complaint you’ll find about the Hyken is its ill-fitting headrest. Google ‘Hyken headrest hack’ to learn how to perform surgery on your chair. Alternatively, remove the headrest.
Then, you’ll enjoy a similar quality of back support as a pricey Herman Miller chair!
Summary of Specifications
My only quibble with the Hyken’s features is its 3″ (4-position) lumbar support height-adjustment range. Those taller than 5’10” will find it hits too low, even at the highest setting.
- Backrest: recline and lock with a 100° to 140° range (4 lock positions); synthetic mesh upholstery.
- Lumbar support: height-adjustable (4 positions, 3″ range).
- Headrest: included but removable.
- Seat: full mesh, height-adjustable.
- Armrests: 1D adjustable (up and down).
- Warranty: 30-day return policy; 3-year warranty extension for $19.99.
The Hyken is a small chair suitable for slim figures of average height. The biggest problem for shorter sizes is that the headrest sits too high. Luckily, removing the headrest solves that issue — while enhancing the chair’s spinal support qualities!
- Seat width x depth: 19.3″ (W) x 16.5″ (D)
- Backrest width x height: 16.2″ (W) x 23.2″ (H)
- Seat height: 16.9-19.7″
- Size rating: 5’3″ to 5’10”; 250-pound weight capacity.
Buying advice
A few things stop the Hyken from being the perfect ergonomic chair. First, a larger lumbar support height range would enable a better fit for larger users.
Second, its durability is good but not great. After a year of full-time use, the mesh seat may start to sag; parts will loosen. After two years, you’ll definitely be off-balance in a chair that squeaks and rattles!
Third, Staples after-care is notoriously stingy. Even if you buy the 3-year warranty ($19.99), it will only cover objective flaws like obvious cracks or tears. Subjective ones like sagging mesh or loose parts won’t qualify.
- Complete ergonomic features
- Full mesh upholstery
- Powerful sync-tilt
- Easy to use
- The lumbar support is too low for taller sizes
- Parts get looser over time
- The mesh seat will slightly sag over time
- Ill-fitting headrest (remove it!)
On the flip side, the Hyken delivers as advertised. It’s a cool, breathable seat that’s easy to use and very comfortable. Priced at $223.52, it’s a steal!
Keep in mind that our top-rated Space Seating chair also offers a full-mesh variant. The Space Seating 27 Series has the same features as the 24 Series, plus a full mesh seat. For around $120 more than the Hyken, it delivers rock-solid durability with a (legit) lifetime parts warranty!
Learn more: Staples Hyken Ergonomic Chair Review
Ticova Ergonomic Chair
$239.99 on Amazon
Rated #3
The Ticova chair gained popularity for its solid build and 4-way lumbar support. The updated version adds 4D armrests.
Its adjustable headrest also provides a good fit for taller sizes. Even so, if you want to develop strong, healthy neck muscles, remove the headrest for best results.
Ticova Chair Features
The older version of the Ticova chair came with 4-way adjustable lumbar support and a 3-position lockable recline. The updated 2022 edition adds fully-adjustable 4D armrests. No other ergonomic chair in this price range offers the same.
The biggest bummer is the small lumbar support adjustment range. The existing range suits shorter sizes — those taller than 5’10” may find it hits too low (even at the highest setting).
Summary of Specifications
This is a solid chair with good adjustability best suited for short, thick sizes.
- Backrest: recline and lock with a 90° to 140° range (3 lock positions only); nylon mesh back.
- Lumbar support: height adjustment range 1.5″; depth adjustment range 1.2″.
- Seat: padded fabric covering.
- Armrests: 4D (2.8″ height range; 2.4″ depth range; 40° swivel).
- Warranty: 1 year.
The Ticova chair’s dimensions and seat height range are an ideal fit for shorter sizes (5’9″ and under). Smaller figures with wide hips will also enjoy the flat, wide, padded seat.
Users taller than 5’10” will find that the headrest fits, but the lumbar support hits too low.
- Seat width x depth: 20.5″ (W) x 20.5″ (D)
- Backrest width x height: 20.5″ (W) x 28″ (H)
- Seat height: 16.5-20″
- Size rating: 5’5″ to 6’0″; 280-pound weight capacity.
Buying advice
Would you rather the cool, breathable comfort of a full mesh Hyken, or the 4D armrests on a Ticova chair? The latter’s padded fabric seat isn’t as breathable.
Durability is a dead heat: the Hyken’s mesh will eventually sag; the Ticova’s seat padding will flatten and get lumpy.
- Good ergonomic features
- 4D armrests
- Easy to use
- 4-way adjustable lumbar support
- The lumbar support is too low for taller sizes
- Parts get looser over time
- The seat padding will flatten after a year or so
- Ill-fitting headrest (remove it!)
Beyond the seat difference, both chairs offer similar features and prices. If you go with the Ticova chair, try it with and without the headrest. See for yourself which style promotes a more steady neck posture.
Once you’ve decided on the latter, near-perfect posture is yours for the life of this chair!
Modway Articulate Ergonomic Chair
$158.99 on Amazon
Rated #4
At a glance, the Modway Articulate Ergonomic Chair looks very basic. It has a mesh backrest, padded fabric seat, and adjustable arms — but no adjustable lumbar support.
Instead, the backrest has a built-in lumbar curve. While you can’t adjust the lumbar, you can adjust the backrest height. As a result, you can control the height of the backrest — and lumbar support — with ease.
Modway Chair Features
Beyond the height-adjustable backrest and armrests, all functionality exists as levers under the left side of the chair.
The first one lets you tilt the backrest by 10° and lock it at an angle. Use the second to tilt the seat by one degree up or down. The third controls the seat height. Finally, the tilt-tension knob toggles backrest and seat tensions.
Summary of Modway Articulate Specifications
- Functionality: 1D armrests; adjustable back height; 360 degree swivel; adjustable seat height.
- Backrest: adjustable backrest height with built-in lumbar; tilt-locking backrest and seat.
- Upholstery: mesh backrest; fabric padded seat.
- Warranty: one year.
The Modway Articulate Mesh Chair has a flat seat and super-sturdy build. Average / taller sizes of moderate thickness should enjoy a great fit. Despite the 331-pound weight capacity, extra-wide bodies may find the 17.5″ seat width too narrow.
- Seat width x depth: 17.5″ (W) x 21″ (D)
- Backrest width x height: 19″ (W) x 21″ (H)
- Seat height: 17-21″
- Size rating: 5’7″ to 6’3″; 331-pound weight capacity.
Modway Articulate Advice
Fancy ergonomic chairs have many settings. These let users customize all aspects of the neutral sitting experience. That can get very complicated:
The Modway Articulate Ergonomic Mesh Office chair simplifies the process. To sit with a healthy posture in this chair, adjust the height of the backrest. Once its lumbar curve fits your lower back, lean your body weight into it.
With your feet planted, sitting straight for long periods will then become very easy!
- Good ergonomic features
- Easy to use
- Good height-adjustable backrest/ lumbar support
- Solid, tank-like build
- The fancy tilt functions aren’t reliable
- With heavy use, the seat padding flattens
The biggest downside should be obvious: a chair this cheap uses low-quality materials. For instance, many users have reported that the backrest tilt malfunctions or jams with heavy use. As well, the cheap padded seat will get lumpy over time.
Luckily, another reason this chair is so popular is the stellar after-care. If anything goes wrong, reach out to Modway support via Amazon for a swift resolution.
Bottom line: the Modway Articulate is one of the cheapest, most basic reliable ergonomic chairs on the market. If you want good back support without fancy frills, this is a smart spartan pick.
Learn more: Modway Articulate Mesh Ergonomic Chair Review
Second-rate Picks Under $300
Several popular ergonomic chairs priced under $300 don’t make our list. That’s despite having better features than our top-4 picks. Why is that?
Facts: the cheap consumer office chair market is cutthroat. Most companies rely purely on high turnover for survival. In many cases, selling more chairs takes priority over quality engineering.
That’s why many models add enticing lures like headrests and 4-way lumbar support. But flashy luxury mechanics often don’t measure up on cheap chairs. Instead of providing genuine value, they only exist to sell more chairs to a wider range of sizes.
Here are two popular models that illustrate this point:
Cedric Office Chair
The Cedric Ergonomic Chair’s backrest provides support beyond the mid-back to the shoulders. But as with mid-back chairs, the headrest provides a less than perfect fit. Removing it will help to encourage your head to evenly balance atop the shoulders.
Still, in the cutthroat world of cheap chairs, flashy luxuries help to lure more customers. Thus, many ergonomic chairs under $300 serve up flashy looks with mediocre substance. The Cedric Office Chair is a great example.
At a glance, it’s a sleek, full-mesh chair with complete ergonomic features. In practice, three issues emerge that are typical in this price range:
- Ill-fitting design: the lumbar support fits short people 5’7″ or shorter. The headrest fits tall people 5’11” or taller. The seat height range is also designed for taller sizes.
- Poor quality build: screws loosen after a few months of use, making the chair unsteady. Some users report faulty bases that snap after a few months of use.
- Poor lumbar adjustability: it has a tiny 1.1″ height range + 1.5″ depth range.
The ill-fitting headrest problem is easy to solve by removing it. The poor lumbar support adjustability is the biggest usability issue. Most users taller than 5’7″ will find that it fits too low, even at the highest setting.
Cedric Chair Specs
The Cedric is a large chair with a wide seat and 350-pound weight capacity. However, the lumbar support sits very low on the backrest, with a tiny adjustment range that only fits short people.
The problem is that the lumbar is the only piece that fits short people. Everyone shorter than 5’8″ will need to add an ergonomic footrest to make use of this chair!
- Functionality: 1D armrests; 90°-130° backrest recline; tilt tension and rocking.
- Lumbar support: 4-way adjustable (1.1″ height range; 1.5″ depth range).
- Upholstery: mesh backrest; padded fabric seat.
- Warranty: 2years, via Cedric’s Amazon Seller’s page.
This chair’s dimensions support larger sizes, although its lumbar support will only fit sizes 5’7″ and under. However, the 19.75-23.62″ seat height range will leave short legs dangling off the floor. The solution for shorties is to add an ergonomic footrest.
- Seat width x depth: 19.5″ (W) x 19.5″ (D)
- Backrest width x height: 20″ (W) x 32″ (H)
- Floor to seat range: 19.75″ to 23.62″
- Size rating: 5’8″ to 6’2″; 350 pounds weight capacity.
Advice
The Cedric chair provides a great example of how a headrest can ruin posture in a mid-back chair. It’s also a great example of how a chair can look great on paper but perform terribly in practice.
Everyone taller than 5’7″ will find this chair unusable because of the stiff, very low (unremovable) lumbar support. Everyone shorter will need an ergonomic footrest.
Even if you find a good fit, the poor-quality build will degrade noticeably. Over time, parts will loosen and the seat will begin to sag.
Sihoo M18 Computer Desk Chair
The Sihoo M18 is one of the top-selling cheap office chairs on Amazon. It comes with a fabric seat and mesh backrest in a choice of black or orange. It has impressive specs but weak real-world performance.
Key M18 features include a height and depth-adjustable lumbar support plus three lockable recline ranges. As well, among all chairs in this review, the M18 has the best-fitting headrest.
It’s possible to achieve near-perfect support by manually adjusting it for different recline ranges. Even so, as outlined in our ranking criteria, all mid-back chairs (including the M18) work better without a headrest.
Chair features
On paper, the M18 chair’s features look like fantastic value for the money. The lumbar support is both height and depth-adjustable. As well, three lockable recline ranges look to provide plenty of movement opportunities.
In practice, the lumbar support has a tiny adjustment range (1.9″ height + 1.3″ depth). That height range is too low for most people taller than 5’5″. What’s worse, the lumbar pad is not removable and too deep. Some Amazon review complaints:
- “The lumbar support part is not made for tall people. It doesn’t go high enough and sits in the wrong spot.”
- “The chair’s lumbar support is probably too low, and it’s a hard plastic that goes against my lower back.”
- “I’m 5’5″ and the lumbar support digs into my back. Makes it very uncomfortable to sit and gives me back pain. You cannot remove the lumbar support either.”
There are also several reports of the tilt-lock slipping backward from its default 110° position. That makes the chair basically useless.
Summary of Specifications
- Upholstery: padded fabric seat; mesh backrest
- Lumbar support: 1.9″ height + 1.3″ depth-adjustable
- Armrests: 1D (3.9″ height adjustment range)
- Recline: 3 lockable positions (110°, 116°, 126°).
- Warranty: 1-year warranty; replacement parts sold at cost for 3-years.
The M18’s lumbar support only fits sizes smaller than 5’4″. However, the chair itself is a better fit for sizes 5’6″ and up. Short sizes can make use of this chair by adding an ergonomic footrest.
- Seat: 20″ (W) x 17.3″
- Backrest: 21″ (W) x 21.2″ (H)
- Floor to seat range: 16.9″ to 20.8″
- Total height: 44.8″ to 48.4″
- Size rating: 5’4″ to 6’1″; 330 pounds weight capacity.
Advice
Like the Cedric chair, the M18 is a large-sized chair with lumbar support that only fits very short people (5’4″ or less). However, shorter sizes will only be able to make use of this chair at a desk by adding a footrest.
It’s another great example of a brand prioritizing high turnover over genuine usability. The M18 enjoyed an ‘upgrade’ in 2021 with a cool new orange color scheme.
Meanwhile, the serious problem with the lumbar support was left as is — unusable for everyone 5’5″ or taller!
Tip: All Sizes Under 5’9″ Need A Footrest
Most chairs in this review have lumbar support systems better suited to shorter sizes. However, most adult desk surfaces are 28-30″ high.
To sync the armrests with the desk work surface, shorter users must often raise the armrests too high. That forces the shoulders to bunch up, which isn’t ideal. In some cases, syncing with a desk will leave short legs dangling off the floor!
The solution is simple. All users sized 5’9″ or shorter should add an ergonomic footrest. Here at ChairsFX (I’m 5’9″), I use a Mind Reader model ($29.95 on Amazon).
Beyond helping people sit taller at a desk, ergonomic footrests also add more chances to move. Learn more:
Conclusion
On the surface, good posture support is about as exciting as a good bowel movement. In the cutthroat world of cheap ergonomic chairs, that influences marketing tactics. As a result, sizzle often sells better than steak in this price range.
This is why many sub-$300 chairs come stacked with fancy extras. Ill-fitting headrests are common, as are flashy upholsteries. Another tactic is to offer a 4-way lumbar – with a tiny adjustment range that’s basically unusable!
Luckily, four models offer solid performance and value in 2022. If you’re looking for the very best cheap mid-back desk chair, consider one of these:
- Space Seating 24 Series: basic ergonomics + lifetime parts warranty | $311.39 on Amazon
- Staples Hyken: full mesh upholstery + basic ergonomics | $223.52 on Amazon
- Ticova Ergonomic Chair: height + depth-adjustable lumbar support | $239.99 on Amazon
- Modway Articulate Ergonomic Chair: super-basic semi-ergonomic | $158.99 on Amazon
Next on the office chair pricing scale are luxury chairs that cost between $300 to $700. There, you’ll find nicer aesthetics, better adjustability, and warranty protection between 2-5 years.
For example, the top-ranked model in that class is the Secretlab NeueChair. It comes stacked with full mesh upholstery, infinite tilt functionality (recline and lock in any position), plus 4-way lumbar support that actually works!
