This article previously rated mid-range ergo chairs priced under $600. However, inflation has pushed many of our top picks over that threshold. As a result, the 2023 version of this article summarizes the best ergonomic office chairs priced between $350 and $700.
In a nutshell, the best ergonomic office chairs under $700 share similar pros and cons. On the positive side, all come with solid ergonomic functionality. On the downside, none of these chairs (functionally or aesthetically) will blow you away.
For example, the Steelcase Series 2 is the top-ranked chair in this review. Like cheaper ergo chairs in the sub-$350 range, it supports neutral postures with adjustable lumbar support and arms, plus a tilting backrest.
Beyond the basics, it also comes with fancy synchronous tilt functionality (the seat tilts up during recline), a mega-adaptive ‘3D Liveback’ backrest, and a 12-year warranty. Other chairs in the $350 to $700 price range will get you similar features. These typically include:
- Seat slider: height and depth adjustable.
- Adjustable lumbar: most have either height or height x depth-adjustable lumbars.
- Adjustable armrests: at least 2D adjustable.
- Lockable backrest recline: tilt and lock from 90° to at least 120°
- Warranty: between 2-12 years.
However, if you can do without sync tilt and a seat slider, why pay more? Several models priced under $350 will deliver a similar quality of back support — minus fancy frills.
Best affordable ergonomic task chairs
These best chair rankings assess technical features, company credibility, durability/ warranty, and service team responsiveness. Here’s a summary, including pros and cons for each chair:
- Steelcase Series 1 Pros: rich features, 12-year warranty. | Cons: boring, grandma-style design. ($561)
- Secretlab NeueChair Pros: pretty; better recline functionality than the Series 1 | Cons: mediocre 2D arms; only has a 5-year warranty. ($609)
- Duorest Alpha Pros: attractive; super-adaptive back support system. | Cons: terrible 1-year mesh upholstery warranty. (Price not available)
- Oak Hollow Aloria Pros: great features; lifetime warranty. | Cons: boring, cubicle-style aesthetics. (Price not available)
- Space Seating 27 Series Pros: good features; full-mesh upholstery; lifetime parts warranty; cheap. | Cons: boring aesthetics. (Price not available)
- Sidiz T50 Pros: good features; attractive design, good price; decent 3-year warranty. | Cons: feels flimsier than more expensive chairs. ($419.00)
- Autonomous Ergochair Pros: decent features; attractive. | Cons: soggy plastic parts make it feel like a toy. (Price not available)
Steelcase Series 1
Price: $561
The biggest problem with the Steelcase Series 1 is its boring, boomer-era design. It looks like something your grandma might use while knitting. But under the hood, it’s a potent ergonomic chair offering excellent value for money.
It comes fully loaded with every ergonomic feature you need — plus a twelve-year warranty ($561/ 12 years = $46.75 per year). Such insane value for a high-end chair seems like a no-brainer.
But in practice, the perceived comfort of a chair includes both physiological support and psychological factors. Life is short. How does the thought of spending 12 years riding grandma-tier aesthetics make you feel?
Features
Aesthetics aside, the Series 1 has almost everything you need to support long bouts of healthy deskwork. Highlights include a foolproof height-adjustable lumbar, sync-tilt (seat tilts up during recline), 4D arms, and a seat slider.
The big omission: no lockable backrest recline. You can only rock the chair or lock it into an upright position. It’s not ideal, but does the job — while getting you a high-end chair for under $600.
- Height-adjustable lumbar: 6.5″ to 8.75″
- Recline + Sync tilt: 100-124° rocking range; 2° seat sync-tilt during recline
- Adjustable arms: 6.5″ to 11.5″ height range; 40° pivot left or right
- Seat: 15.75″ to 18″ adjustable depth
- Warranty: 12 years
- Seat width x depth: 19.2″ (W) x 15.75″ to 18″ (D)
- Backrest width x height: 21.5″ (W) x 21.5″ (H)
- Floor-to-seat range: 16.5″ to 21.5″
- Size rating: 5’4″ to 6’1″; up to 300 pounds
Buying advice
Assessing the Series 1 is a good self-test of your ergonomic priorities. Straight-edge spartans with no need for luxury frills will love it. On the flipside, thrill seekers wanting to spice up their aesthetics may find the Series 1 dull and depressing.
- World-class build quality
- Solid, no-frills ergonomic features
- The 12-year warranty delivers incredible value for money
- Very easy to use
- Versatile sizing
- Dull, uninspired design
- No lockable recline angles; you can only rock or lock upright.
It’s not an ugly chair — just not as flashy as modern ones. If that meets your needs, enjoy 12 years of world-class support for just $46.75 per year!
The Series 1 is available on Amazon for $518.44.
Series 1 from SmartFurniture $561
Review: Best Steelcase Chairs Of 2023
Secretlab NeueChair
$609 from Secretlab
Rated #2
The Neue is produced by Secretlab. It ranks #2 by flipping the script on the Series 1. It matches most of its functions — minus sync tilt. Instead, you get an infinite recline (lock at any angle) between 85° to 130° — infinitely more useful day-to-day than sync tilt!
On top of that, the Neue delivers a striking, luxurious design. It blends full mesh upholstery with a polished steel frame — and the attention to fine detail that Secretlab is famous for.
Features
The NeueChair comes with several standout features. Highlights:
The right flicker controls the seat height; the left controls the infinite tilt.
This plus the 4-way lumbar support ensures a good fit for everyone in the recommended 5’3″ to 6’0″ size range.
Summary of features
The Neue has a polished ADC12 aluminum frame covered in adaptive mesh upholstery. NeueMesh is a 3-layer mesh that combines top-grade polyester fiber and DuPont yarn: optimal for long hours of sitting (breathable, comfortable, durable).
- Armrests: 2D adjustable (up and down, side-to-side).
- Seat: height and depth adjustable.
- Backrest: recline from 85° to 130°; tilt tension and angle lock.
- Lumbar: height & depth adjustable
- Warranty: 12 years on the frame; 5 years on components; 3 years on armrests, casters & gas lift.
- Seat width x depth: 19.6″ (W) x 16.5″-18.5″ (D)
- Backrest width x height: 19.5″ (W) x 22.4″ (H)
- Floor to seat range: 18.5-22″
- Size rating: 5’3″ to 6’0″; up to 240 pounds
Buying advice
The NeueChair is more aesthetically-pleasing than the Series 1. It lacks that chair’s sync tilt — but exceeds its functionality with an infinite tilt backrest.
- Excellent backrest tilt functionality
- Gorgeous full mesh and polished steel design
- Height x depth adjustable lumbar support
- Excellent upright back support — when used without a headrest
- The 5-year warranty delivers less value than the Series 1’s 12-year pact.
- No synchronous seat tilt
- The cool flippy armrests are only 2D adjustable
The downsides are minor quibbles. The upsides hit all the essentials: comfortable, attractive, supportive, and a pleasure to use. But the Neue is far from the best chair on the market. You can find similar functionality (albeit with a shorter warranty) for under $350.
On the flip side, paying twice as much can get you a world-class Steelcase or Herman Miller chair with a 12-year warranty. If satisfied with a compromise between those extremes, the Neue may suit your needs perfectly.
Learn more: NeueChair Functionality Deep-Dive Review
Duorest Alpha
Price not available on Amazon
Rated #3
This iconic South Korean chair was listed on the Korean Stock Exchange back in 2004. It’s (arguably) prettier than the Series 1. It has an Aeron-style mesh seat with a 2-piece backrest that adds a techy, futuristic vibe. It also offers more potent functionality than the Neuechair.
Its resemblance to the Herman Miller Aeron becomes clear when you remove its headrest. Both come with contoured mesh seats and ultra-adaptive backrest systems.
On the downside, warranty terms sour the Alpha’s appeal. While the frame is guaranteed for one year, the mesh seat is only covered for one year! The problem is that cheap mesh tends to sag after a year or so of full-time use. With that in mind, the Alpha’s Price not available is unreasonable.
Features
The Duorest Alpha has two standout features:
Ultra-Adaptive Backrest
The Alpha’s dynamic 3D backrest delivers ultra-adaptability as the user moves. The entire unit is height-adjustable. As well, each of the two backrest halves is also width adjustable.
These work in place of an adjustable lumbar support system. Each backrest half curves inward to fill the lower back curve. Using the height and width adjustments, you can tailor the support for your body.
On top of that, a 3D hinge system adapts as the user moves. Each backrest half flexes up, down, right, or left when the user changes positions.
Synchronous Seat Tilt
The Alpha chair comes with a 3:1 synchronous tilt. That angles the seat up by one degree for every three degrees of recline. The point is to get some fast flexion in your hips whenever you lean back to take a breather.
Sync-tilt helps to promote blood flow, stimulate core muscles, and give you a jolt of energy. It’s a luxury feature in the sense that you can achieve the same benefits by simply taking a walk. Even so, it’s a nice extra to have when you splash out on a pricey chair.
Summary Of Specifications
- Recline: 90-135 degrees; 4-position tilt-lock with tilt-tension
- Sync-tilt: 3:1 back to seat tilt ratio
- Backrest adjustments: 1.7″ height-adjustment range; 1.3″ width adjustment range; 3D dynamic tilting
- Headrest: adjust the height and support angle
- Upholstery: mesh seat, fabric padded backrest
- Seat slider: 2″ depth adjustment range
- Armrests: 3D adjustable (height, depth, pivot)
- Warranty: 3 years on the frame; 1 year on parts
- Seat: 20″ (W) x 19.6″ (D)
- Backrest: 20″ (W)
- Seat height: 17.6-21.5″
- Size rating: 5’5″ to 6’0″; 300 pounds
Buying advice
The Duorest Alpha is almost too good to be true. It’s a little less refined and complex than the Herman Miller Aeron chair. Even so, it does a similar ergonomic job, and is one-third the price! The devil is in the details.
- Unique aesthetics
- Ultra-adaptive backrest support system
- Robust sync-tilt functionality
- The style make be too unusual for some tastes
- The mesh seat is only guaranteed for one year.
- Terrible value for money compared to the Series 1.
If you look closely at the warranty terms, the 3-year warranty is only for the frame. The chair’s mesh seat is only guaranteed for one year.
If Duorest bumped up to a full 3-year warranty, this chair would be more tempting. Warranty aside, it looks great, offers superb back support, and encourages dynamic sitting.
Duorest Alpha on Amazon Price not available
Learn more about the Alpha and others in this review of the best Duorest ergonomic chairs.
Oak Hollow Aloria Series
Price not available on Amazon
Rated #4
Oak Hollow Furniture is a mid-level B2C office chair producer. In response to growing consumer demand during the pandemic, they set up a B2C operation in early 2020. Oak Hollow produces a range of chairs; the Aloria Series is its flagship.
Aesthetically, it’s a run-of-the-mill office chair with a fabric-padded seat and a mesh backrest. Under the hood, it has all the bells and whistles: 4D arms, sync-tilt, a seat slider, and tilt tension.
What’s more, the Aloria comes with a lifetime warranty on parts, plus a 5-year fabric seat warranty. It’s legit: any problems are quickly resolved @ oakhollowfurniture.com (9am-5pm USA ET).
Features
Oak Hollow’s Aloria chair size rating looks like an exaggerated marketing scam: 5’5″ to 6’9″; up to 300 pounds. In fact, the chair ships with two pneumatic seat height cylinders. Sizes under 5’9″ should use the shorter one; others can use the tall one and enjoy a great fit.
As well, the Aloria’s plain looks mask a power-packed array of ergonomic features. Highlights include height-adjustable lumbar support, a 4-position backrest tilt-lock, and a depth-adjustable seat.
- Backrest: 4-position recline tilt-lock.
- Headrest: height-adjustable.
- Lumbar support: padded, height adjustable.
- Seat: height and depth-adjustable.
- Armrests: 4-directional.
- Extra: ships with two pneumatic seat height cylinders (for tall or short users).
- Warranty: lifetime coverage on components; 5-year limited warranty on seat upholstery.
- Seat width x depth: 21.5″ (W) x 20-22.5″ (D)
- Backrest width x height: 21″ (W) x 23.5″ (H)
- Floor to seat range: 16.9″ to 21.6″
- Size rating: 5’5″ to 6’9″; up to 300 pounds
NOTE: on this chair’s Amazon listing, the stated warranty is lifetime on components, plus 5 years on the seat upholstery. However, the Oak Hollow website only states a 30-day return policy. We’ve confirmed with the Oak Hollow team that the Amazon listing is correct. Oak Hollow chairs (frame and components) are covered for life.
Buying advice
The Oak Hollow Aloria is an excellent test of one’s seating priorities. If yours include rich ergonomic functionality, incredible (lifetime warranty) value for money, and real-time service support, the Aloria Series scores an easy 10/10.
- High-end ergonomic functionality
- Lifetime parts warranty + 5-year seat warranty
- Fast support via oakhollowfurniture.com/
- Boring, cubicle-style aesthetics
The big downside: it’s styling is even duller than the grandma-tier Steelcase Series 1! From that view, its lifetime warranty may seem more like a purgatory than a benefit!
Back in the old cubicle-era, this chair would be a no-brainer. But updated work-from-home multi-device computing support standards have made good back support one of four priorities.
In more flexible home computing scenarios, frequent breaks, regular exercise, and clean eating also affect one’s computing performance. Good back support helps — as a complementary tool.
From that perspective, the Aloria’s functionality will indeed delight your spine. At the same time, its aesthetics recall the confines of a corporate cubicle.
In conclusion, if you only want ergonomic features that support your spine, buy the Aloria and put on some dress shoes. Then, bask in the joy of sitting with a crisp, cubicle-style posture for eternity.
Space Seating 27 Series
Price not available on Amazon
Rated #5
The 27 Series is a Herman Miller Aeron clone for poor people. Its full-mesh upholstery has a similar (although less refined) style as the Aeron. Under the hood, it has basic ergonomic features sweetened with a lifetime warranty on parts!
Beyond the parts warranty, you also get 3-year protection on the mesh upholstery. Once the seat or backrest mesh gives out, you can replace it and continue to enjoy your investment.
Those terms plus the attractive price make the 27 Series a tempting option for people on a budget.
27 Series Functionality
- Upholstery: mesh seat and backrest
- Lumbar support: height-adjustable (4″ range)
- Armrests: 1D (2.68″ 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)
- Seat width x depth: 21.5″ (W) x 20.5″(D)
- Backrest width x height: 20.5″ x 23″
- Seat height range: 19.25-23.25″
- Armrest to seat height range: 8.5-11.18″
- Size rating: 5’7″ to 6’2″; 250-pound weight capacity
27 Series Advice
The Space Seating 27 Series is a unique beast. No other full-mesh chair priced under $500 comes with a lifetime warranty (or a 3-year mesh warranty)!
Bottom line: this is a ‘Herman Miller Aeron for poor people’. It’s comfortable, breathable, good for your back, and very easy to use.
Space Seating 27 Series on Amazon Price not available
Learn more: Space Seating 27 Series Review: Poor Person’s Aeron Chair
Sidiz T50
$419.00 on Amazon
Rated #6
For a few dollars more than the 27 Series, the Sidiz T50 delivers solid ergonomics, more refined styling, and a 3-year warranty. First-time ergonomic users wanting to test a cheap model can consider this as an alternative to the 27 Series.
Sidiz is South Korea’s leading high-end furniture producer. Based in Gyeonggi-do, the company has been in the ergonomic furniture business for 25 years. It has provided seating for companies like IBM, Toyota, and GE.
The Sidiz T50 is a cheaper version of the Sidiz T80. The T50 has the same features as the T80, minus synchro-tilt. For that omission, you save over $300.
Features
The Sidiz T50 comes in a few variations. The model listed here includes a headrest, adjustable lumbar support, and adjustable armrests. Highlights:
Play around with the settings until it comfortably supports your lower back curve. It’s intuitive and very easy to get the hang of.
In support of forward-leaning work, you can also tilt and lock the seat in a downward position. For designers, FPS gamers, and others who need to sit close to the screen, this keeps your thighs parallel to the floor even when in a deep recline.
Between the 90-115 recline range, it provides enough versatile lock angles for most requirements.
Summary of all Features
- Backrest: recline and lock in five positions between 90° and 115°.
- Lumbar support: height and depth adjustable.
- Headrest: height and depth-adjustable.
- Upholstery: breathable mesh backrest; fabric padded seat.
- Seat: adjust height, depth, and seat slope.
- Armrests: 3D adjustable (up/down, forward/back, angled left or right)
- Warranty: 30-day money back guarantee; 3-year warranty.
- Seat width & depth: 19.3″ (W) x 18.3″ to 21″ (D)
- Backrest width & height: 19.1″ (W) x 23″ (H)
- Seat height: 15.7″ (W) x 18.7″ (H)
- ChairsFX size rating: 5’3″ to 6’0″; up to 250 pounds
Buying advice
The Sidiz T50 is one of the cheapest full-featured ergonomic chairs in its class. It has all the ergonomic adjustments you need, a modern design, and a solid 3-year warranty.
- Pleasant work-from-home aesthetics
- Good ergonomic functionality
- Solid 3-year warranty
- Good value for money
- No sync-tilt
- The headrest only support reclined (not upright) postures
Compared with the Series 1, you can feel the difference in build quality. That chair feels rock-solid; the T50 feels flimsy and toylike in comparison.
Even so, the T50’s price makes it very appealing. If you want a solid ergonomic seating experience without much risk, this chair is ideal.
Buy the Sidiz T50 on Amazon $419.00
Learn more: Sidiz T50 chair review.
Autonomous ErgoChair
Price not available on Amazon
Rated #7
Compared with the Sidiz T50, the popular Ergochair has a higher price and similar functionality. It also has a flimsier build and a shorter 2-year warranty. It first emerged on Kickstarter back in 2016 as an office-style alternative for gaming chair haters.
From that perspective, it’s a winner. Imagine the deep recline relaxation of a full-back gaming seat, paired with the crisp features of an office chair.
That’s likely why the Ergochair is a common recommendation on many PC gaming forums. Indeed, out of the box, this chair is a marvel. On the downside, it degrades fast into a saggy, creaky, rattling mess.
Features
On the plus side, the features are solid (but not spectacular) across the board. The chair does everything you need it to do. Just like a gaming chair, you can recline, adjust the armrests, and adjust the lumbar support.
One quibble with this build is the plastic frame. Unlike aluminum frames, plastic frames flex. As JayzTwoCents reported in this review of the original ergo chair, that leads to “a noisy, creaky mess”.
Specifications
- Backrest: 90-110 recline range; rocking with tilt-tension.
- Headrest: height-adjustable with a 3-inch range.
- Lumbar support: height-adjustable.
- Seat: the 16.25″ seat can adjust forward or back with a range of 3″.
- Armrests: height and width adjustable.
- Warranty: two years.
- Seat width X depth: 20″ (W) x 20″ (D)
- Backrest width X height: 21″ (W) x 22″ (H) (without headrest)
- Floor to seat range: 18″ to 20″
- Chair height: 46″ to 50″
- Size rating: 5’6″ to 6’4″; up to 350 pounds
Buying advice
The ErgoChair2 is a good-looking office-style alternative to a gaming chair. On the downside, it’s pricey but only guaranteed for two years. If used full-time, expect the shape of the plastic frame to start degrading after 6-8 months.
Then, the entire chair will start a slow melt. The mesh will sag, screws will loosen, and you’ll begin to notice support become uneven.
- Good features
- Attractive gaming/office-style design
- Its high price delivers mediocre long-term performance
- The plastic frame feels like a toy
- Fast degradation if used full-time
As a part-time work-from-home chair, the Ergochair might serve well for 2-3 years. But under full-time use, your initial joy will deflate as the chair starts to noticeably degrade.
Affordable Office Chair Alternatives
This article covers the best mid-range task chairs costing between $350 to $700 — for people of average height and weight. In 2023, average sizes wanting similar functionality with prices under $350 have four few solid options.
Meanwhile, smaller and larger than average sizes have a few affordable alternatives to consider.
Mid-Back Ergo Office Chairs Under $350
This year, four models — when used without headrests — offer solid ergonomic support for under $350. In this price range, expect 1D armrests, sync tilt, and several surprises.
For example, the top-ranked Space Seating 24 Series ($305.00 on Amazon) comes with a lifetime parts warranty and a 3-year upholstery warranty. If you can live with the boring design, why pay more?
In fact, if straight-ahead, no-frills ergonomics is your only priority, cap your spending at $350 to enjoy the best value.
Cheap Office Chairs For Short People
The ergonomic office furniture industry earns most of its annual revenues from B2B sales. As a result, most chairs are marketed as ‘one-size-fits-all’. In reality, most are designed for average sizes 5’7′ and taller.
This explains why the field of affordable office chairs for short people is woefully thin. In fact, the $1500+ Herman Miller Aero Size A (fits sizes 4’10” to 5’9″) is the only office chair optimized for small sizes.
Because the field is so thin, the Steelcase Series 1, NeueChair, and Sidiz T50 also appear in these rankings:
Big And Tall Ergo Chairs: Under $300
Most corporate spaces do not cater to morbidly obese sizes. That’s evident in the field of ergonomic office chairs supporting 400+ pounds. None of the elite chair makers (Herman Miller, Steelcase, etc) cater to super heavyweights.
Instead, the best options come from generic chair makers. Most support 400+ pounds with basic features (1D arms, rocking, lumbar support) and plain designs. On the positive side, there are a few super-wide options supporting 500+ pounds in this genre.
On the other hand, you’ll find much better ergonomic value among the best XL gaming chairs.
Secretlab Titan Gaming Chair Alternative
For the past two years, I’ve been using a Secretlab Titan 2022 Series gaming chair. In the $350 to $700 range, none of the office chairs reviewed give me any reason to switch.
My Titan 2022 ($569) offers a similar level of back support as the office chairs. But is also adds key extras that ergo office chairs lack:
- Deep recline functionality: an 85-165° range supports upright deskwork and casual lounging — great versatility when working from home.
- Upright 0° neck support: the Titan’s integrated 4-way lumbar + magnetic memory foam headrest combine to support good lower back and neck postures while sitting upright.
- Delightful styling: available in 50+ styles designed for both tactile and visual stimulation. Life is short – why not have some fun with your neutral posture support?
Functionally, the Titan is on par with each chair listed in this review. It’s also available in small, medium, and XL sizes. Aesthetically, its 50+ styles blow away any office style design imaginable.
Priced between $549 and $674 (depending on the size and style) these deliver more for your money than plain-old cubicle-style back support. Learn more:
Titan 2022 Series Review: Ultimate WFH Chair
Browse Titan chairs in the .
Conclusion
The office chairs listed in this review are worth considering for first-time ergonomic chair buyers. Instead of spending over $1000 on a world-class Herman Miller or Steelcase beauty, cheaper models mitigate the risk.
However, if the price is your priority, why pay more than $350 for a fully-ergonomic office chair? The only things gained by doing so: non-essential frills (like sync tilt) and longer warranties.
Therefore, these chairs work best as low-risk tester models for first-time ergonomic chair users.
- Steelcase Series 1 Pros: rich features, 12-year warranty. | Cons: boring, grandma-style design. ($561)
- Secretlab NeueChair Pros: pretty; better recline functionality than the Series 1 | Cons: mediocre 2D arms; only has a 5-year warranty. ($609)
- Duorest Alpha Pros: attractive; super-adaptive back support system. | Cons: terrible 1-year mesh upholstery warranty. (Price not available)
- Oak Hollow Aloria Pros: great features; lifetime warranty. | Cons: boring, cubicle-style aesthetics. (Price not available)
- Space Seating 27 Series Pros: good features; full-mesh upholstery; lifetime parts warranty; cheap. | Cons: boring aesthetics. (Price not available)
- Sidiz T50 Pros: good features; attractive design, good price; decent 3-year warranty. | Cons: feels flimsier than more expensive chairs. ($419.00)
- Autonomous Ergochair Pros: decent features; attractive. | Cons: soggy plastic parts make it feel like a toy. (Price not available)
But if you’re not a first-time ergo chair buyer, why waffle? Save money with a sub-$350 model, or pay a premium for a world-class one.
If still undecided, check this primer on physiological vs psychological comfort factors:
