Best Chair Under 200

Comfort is very subjective: one office chair may delight one person but cause another untold amounts of back pain. The broad range of body types, sitting positions, and type of work undertaken mean that the same office chair can feel drastically different from one person to another.

We’ve assessed the above office chairs based on how they felt for us, but this is unlikely to apply to all users. Finding a chair that lands high on the comfort scale greatly depends on the person and we highly suggest trying out chairs before purchasing if at all possible or seeking suggestions from someone with a similar body type to your own. Similarly, we recommend avoiding compact office chairs for taller users and checking maximum support limits for those with larger body types.

There’s no point beating around the bush here: a sub $200 office chair almost always lands in the entry-level and budget range. $200 will only take you so far, and you get what you pay for, whether that’s construction materials or lumbar adjustments. Models priced double or even as little as $100 more will offer significant comfort, ergonomics, and design improvements.

While our guide shows it’s possible to buy a decent office chair for under $200, set your expectations accordingly and don’t expect too much. Our options will serve you well but are by no means the best on the market by any stretch of the imagination. If you desperately need a premium office chair with high-quality materials, versatile fine-tuning adjustments, and innovative designs, then upping your budget is the best call.

Warranties vary significantly across the office chair market, but when honing in on the sub-$200 range, they tend to trail off, capping out at one year in most cases. If you’re looking for a long term investment and want peace of mind, we suggest eyeing up slightly more expensive options, where you’ll generally find more generous warranties, surging to upwards to 10 years for the top high-end office chairs. These often don’t just include replacement due to defects, but replacement parts and pretty forgiving policies, which cover pretty much any eventuality from accidental damage to natural wear and tear.

Everyone’s situation is different and may require different needs from an office chair. We recommend getting a chair that will both support your body and fit in seamlessly with your overall workspace. Office chairs can be a helpful tool, but can inhibit your ability to work if they’re not a match for your workspace.

When determining which office chair is best for you, you’ll want to consider your budget first and foremost, while finding one that is comfortable and encourages productivity.

As we’ve mentioned in our guides about the best office chairs for under $300 and under $100, there are several other factors to consider before you make your final decision. While comfort is a significant factor when selecting a chair, durability, features, size, and aesthetic is important to consider, as well.

We recommend looking for a chair made with quality materials. It’s unrealistic to expect an office chair to offer the same support now as it will after you’ve used it for a few months or years, but you want to look for a chair that will last through long working hours day after day. A chair in constant need of repair or new parts can be a headache, to say the least.

Any structural problems will remain with you and disturb you as you work. Be sure to check customer service policies if you find that your chair has any missing or damaged parts, and consider the warranty offered.

The chairs we reviewed have a variety of different features, including headrests, armrests, backrests, retractable footrests, and more. We suggest thinking about which of these features would make you the most comfortable, as well as the ones you can do without. Everyone has different preferences

Things like adjustable headrests, armrests, backrests, or retractable footrests are parts of chairs that make them unique. Think about which of these features would make you more comfortable and which you can do without.

Since you will be using your chair daily, you want a practical option that suits your preferences. The ideal chair is one you enjoy sitting in all the time, making working easier rather than more rigorous.

Based on your working environment and space for a small office, you may want to prioritize some features over others. For example, if you have a smaller space and remain mostly sedentary, a chair that moves easily or allows you to have greater mobility is unnecessary.

On the other hand, if your working environment is a bit more open and you find yourself moving around, we suggest getting an office chair with wheels or tilt-recline to take advantage of the added space.

All in all, it’s really essential to think about how your chair will function in the area you’re working in.

Last, but certainly not least, consider what your body needs when you purchase your office chair. Your body’s comfort and ability to do work while sitting for a long time are likely the reason why you’re looking for an office chair. You may also be looking for more back support to relieve back pain. Find a chair that accomplishes those things for you.

Choose the right size chair for your body. Particularly if you’re taller, look for a chair that we mention is better for taller people. If your chair is too small, you may find yourself sitting too low to the ground or find that the seat is too short. Either of these positions will make working difficult.

Also, make sure that the chair you buy can support your weight. Look at the chair’s weight capacity and consider if the chair will be able to hold your weight after a long time. You don’t want to push that capacity too far as it will damage your chair.

Don’t let the intimidating-sounding scientific term trip you up—it’s quite simple, actually. Ergonomic refers to anything that’s designed to remove barriers between you and your environment or application of a product. As such, an ergonomic office chair will focus less on embodying aesthetic trends (some of them *do* happen to be super cute, however!) and more on conforming to your body’s biomechanics, so you can work more efficiently and reduce your risk of muscle imbalance, strain or fatigue.

What’s its weight capacity?

If you want to ensure your chair won’t break easily, choose a chair that supports at least 250 pounds. Even if you don’t really need it to support much weight, at least you can be safe whenever you or your kids accidentally jump into it. And if you’re looking for a heavy-duty office chair under $200, we have one of those in our list too.

What is the chair’s upholstery material?

While it might be a bit challenging to find a genuine leather office chair for under $200, it’s possible to get a high-quality mesh desk chair. But if you still want that upscale leather look, you can go for faux leather. Just keep in mind that mesh is more breathable and durable when PU or bonded leather can wear down much faster.

Is the chair’s height adjustable?

In the $200 price range, this feature is a must. There’s nothing worse than not being able to adjust the chair’s height according to your body build and preferences.

Does the chair have a headrest?

If you prefer office chairs with headrests, there are plenty of models under $200 that will suit your requirements. Some of them we reviewed in this article. However, we’d still recommend checking whether the headrest is adjustable.

Are backrest tilt tension and seat depth adjustable?

This might not be the most common feature in office chairs under $200, but there are still a few ergonomic office chairs in this price range that are fully adjustable.

Does the chair have built-in lumbar support?

If you suffer from back and neck pain after spending the whole day working at the desk, you should ensure you’re buying an office chair with lumbar support. Not all office chairs under $200 have this feature, but some of them definitely do.

Does it feature flip-up armrests?

This feature is only helpful if you don’t have too much room and rather slide your chair under the desk to free up your office space. Otherwise, it’s just a matter of your preference.

Are the armrests adjustable?

Again, it’s not the prevalent feature of office chairs in the $200 price range, but there are a few models that offer adjustable armrests to help you find the best ergonomic sitting position.