Editor
The average person working a desk job spends over 40 hours a week in an office chair – that’s over 2000 hours a year. When you’re working on your startup, you won’t be putting in your hours 9-5; studies estimate you’ll be spending around 4700 hours a year chairbound. So, if you want to launch a startup to success, you’ll need an office chair that provides all the functions necessary for your health and wellbeing: adjustability, lumbar support, a sturdy wheelbase, swivel ability and breathable, durable fabric. From our own experience, we’ve found that mesh chairs are most suited to long hours, so we’ve focussed on these as the best fit for startups. We’ve compiled a list of the five best office chairs for startups available in 2022, comparing them on functionality and value.
Product Comparison Table: Best Office Chair for Startups and Small Business
| Title | Price | Rating (Amazon) | Best in class | Buy | |
 | HOMEFUN Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair | $$$ | 4.0 stars | Best flexibility | Amazon |
 | BestOffice Mesh Computer Chair | $ | 4.5 stars | Best value | Amazon |
| Kolliee Armless Office Chair | $$ | 4.5 stars | Best for small workspaces | Amazon |
 | Sytas Ergonomic Office Chair | $$$$ | 4 stars | Best lumbar support | Amazon |
 | Amazon Basics Mesh Desk Chair | $$ | 4.5 stars | Best overall | Amazon |
HOMEFUN Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair
The HOMEFUN Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair stands out among the sea of brown, black and beige with its striking ocean blue colourway. The ergonomic design combines with a breathable mesh coat fabric to ensure both solid lumbar support, and a relaxing breathable sitting experience. The entire back of the chair is hewn from one piece of sleek plastic, providing a supportive headrest that sturdily protects the neck and back, even when the angle is adjusted. The recline locking system allows a 90-135 degree adjustment on the backrest and 16-20cm adjustment of the seat, held in place by a strengthened connecting rod that won’t slip or snap. Resistance to fall screws hold armrests in place even after heavy use. The casters and chairbase have full swivel and wheel capability, plus support for up to 250lb of weight.
Pros
- Fully adjustable height and angle
- Supports up to 250 pounds
- Single piece construction adds sturdiness
Cons
- Headrest can be fiddly to adjust
- Difficult to assemble
Verdict
The bright, striking hue and adjustable features make the HOMEFUN ergonomic mesh chair a perfect fit for a creative startup that prizes flexibility and customisation above all. This is the only chair on our list that boasts a fully adjustable seat, headrest and arms. However, the adjustability means that the chair is extremely difficult to assemble, requiring a huge number of parts – definitely something to bear in mind if you’re not a technically-minded team!
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BestOffice Mesh Computer Chair
Despite its low price, the BestOffice Mesh Computer Chair doesn’t go short on features. Using a high density sponge cushion for optimal softness, this chair provides a great level of comfort, alongside an ergonomically shaped curved back for the most lumbar support available in its price bracket. The base has swivelling wheels and supports up to 250lb of weight, maximum. This chair is available in a huge range of colours too – black, white, orange, pink, blue, red and green – meaning it matches any decor. Plus, the box includes all the hardware and necessary tools for construction, meaning putting the chair together is a breeze; BestOffice even claims the job should be complete in 15 minutes flat. However, adjustability is somewhat lacking. To recline the seat, you have to release tension with a knob at the back of the seat, which is quite difficult and easily makes the chair turn wobbly.
Pros
- Huge range of colour options
- Great value price
- Ergonomic design and swivel base
- Easy to assemble
Cons
- No cushioning on back, no headrest
- Difficult to adjust
Verdict
The BestOffice mesh computer chair is the lowest price model on our list, coming in at half or even a third of the price of some of its competitors. The design, comfort and features also outperform its price to some degree. However, there are a couple elements that you’ll need to be aware of if you’re using this chair for long sittings: no neck support will likely cause pain, if the adjustment process doesn’t cause it first.
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Kolliee Armless Office Chair
The Kolliee Armless Office chair provides freedom and compactness by dispensing with the bulky arms you find on most office chairs. With a 360 degree swivel base, you’re free to work in whatever position you please. The legs are even removable to allow for easy storage, adding flexibility to your workplace. Sturdy materials and a high quality gas lift cylinder also mean this chair has the highest weight capacity on this list. This, plus the high resilience foam cushion (which deforms less easily than a conventional low cost chip foam cushion) means the chair is a perfect fit for larger workers too. The curved back provides a degree of lumbar support, and the high breathability black mesh allows air to circulate, keeping you cool over longer work periods. To adjust the height of the chair up to 12cm, simply press the button under the seat. The lack of armrests could cause some issues with posture, however.
Pros
- High density cushion and gas lift cylinder
- Removable legs and compact size
- Less restrictive design
Cons
- Only comes in black
- No headrest or arm rests
Verdict
The Kolliee Armless Office Chair is a great fit for smaller workplaces, or those that need maximum flexibility in the amount of chairs they have out at a time. Considering most startups are small by nature, this is a great chair option to have. The design is also much less restrictive, supporting a huge range of body types and working styles. However, as with the BestOffice chair, the lack of headrest could lead to neck pain – combined with having nowhere to rest your arms, this could cause some posture issues in the long run.
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Sytas Ergonomic Office Chair
The Sytas Ergonomic Office Chair has a sleek and simple design that fits the natural curve of the lower back and spine. With 5cm adjustable lumbar back support, this chair can fit any height of individual and provide the same amount of support for all. Even the angle of the back is adjustable from 90 to 120 degrees. An adjustable knob allows you to control the tilt tension for a perfect position. Plus, you won’t have to worry about the chair slipping out of position; the backrest pressure, gas cylinder lift and armrest adjustment have all been tested over 100,000 times to ensure stability. The solid base remains durable up to 250lb weight, while mute nylon wheels allow full movement, wear-resistance and flexibility without damaging the floor.
Pros
- Ergonomic lumbar support features
- Extremely adjustable
- Silent wheels
Cons
- Most expensive
Verdict
When working long hours, the thing that often causes back pain is forcing your body to stay upright. That’s where the Sytas Ergonomic Office Chair comes in; it supports your body in an upright position, taking the effort off your muscles no matter your height or size. The price is the highest on our list, though, making it a bigger investment for most startups. The lumbar support can initially feel uncomfortable too, but it does get worse before it gets better.
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Amazon Basics Mesh Desk Chair
The Amazon Basics Mesh Desk Chair is functional, simple, and comfortable – everything you need in an office chair. The supportive and breathable mesh means you won’t be hot or uncomfortable even when putting in long hours, and the curved lumbar support back provides a very intuitive-feeling fit for most bodies. It has a maximum weight of 275 pounds, higher than a lot of the other chairs on this list. The height can be adjusted pneumatically by pressing a pedal on the side of the chair – a classic mechanism in office chair design – and the seat is padded to 2 inch thickness for comfort without excess heat. Sections of the back are mesh-only, offering maximum breathability. Durable casters on a 360 swivel base allow for flexible, smooth-rolling mobility. It is also available in a range of vibrant colours: blue, green, pink and black.
Pros
- Sleek, functional design
- Great value price
- Breathable mesh
- Adjustable and flexible
Cons
- No head or arm rests
Verdict
The Amazon Basics Mesh Desk Chair may not seem like much on paper, but it fulfils all the office chair needs of most startups in style and at an excellent value price. The functional, durable, breathable construction provides a great level of body support. Although it lacks head and arm rests, we found this chair to be much more comfortable than the others on this list lacking those features. If you’re looking for the overall best office chair for startups in 2022, this is the choice for you.
