Since office work in desk jobs usually entails long hours of sitting in the same seat, I believe we can all agree that it’s practically a fundamental human right at this point to have access to comfortable seats that can support one well. I mean, aside from all the aches, pains, and lousy posture problems it can help avoid, a nice, well-adjusted chair, in my experience, can also help to improve productivity and workplace engagement overall.

Ergonomic chairs, especially, have been seeing a rise in popularity due to their suitability for long tiring hours of work that require sitting in the same place. It’s not even surprising because if there’s anything that working desk jobs and spending months endlessly testing office chairs has taught me, it’s that being able to adjust the height and depth of the chair and having that extra support for your back makes all the difference in the world. I don’t say it lightly when I say that a bad chair will do you more harm than you give it credit for. Good office chairs save lives!

An Expensive Chair Doesn’t Always Equal a Good Chair

The next big question is, will it be in my budget to get the right office chair? I can assure you that it’s nothing more than a common misconception that only those crazy expensive chairs can give you the comfort and support you need. After all, many of us can’t afford to throw hundreds or even thousands towards buying a single office chair, but lucky for us, we don’t have to.

10 Best Office Chairs Under $300

There are plenty of affordable options in the market that do the job just fine and, in some cases, even better than more expensive chairs. A higher cost doesn’t always mean better quality.

But how do you find out which chair is good? Which chair will have you crying out in pain and which one in joy? Well, lucky for you, you do not need to worry about that; I’ve got you covered! I spent months busting my back, figuratively and quite literally, by researching, buying, and personally testing some of the best-rated office chairs the market has to offer, and I’m about to share with you all my favorites! So, here are the top best office chairs under 300$ 2021:

1. Homall Ergonomic Gaming/Office Chair

The name says it all. It would be so much easier to list the things this chair doesn’t do. I almost couldn’t believe its price when I saw it. Let’s take a peek at the pros and cons of this chair and you’ll see why.

Pros

• As far as comfort and support go, this chair knocked it out of the park for me. I will say that if you’re looking for a soft cushiony chair, this is not the one for you. The seat is firm, yes, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t comfortable. It’s meant to support you during your work hours, not put you to sleep. My favorite part was the back support. No matter how much time I spent sitting in this chair, my back wouldn’t hurt at all, and that’s really saying something. The back pillow was also a great addition, not too sure about the neck one, though.
• I was also a fan of the sturdy build despite the abundance of adjustable features. Most chairs are advertised as recliners, but that doesn’t mean they support the weight of everyone who tries to recline on them. The seat has a generous 90-180° recline. Two hinges support the base, and it really adds to its leaning capability. I felt like I could trust this chair to hold my weight at every angle and not let me down, pun intended. You can lock it easily in place too. It also has a 360° swivel
• The wheels are very well-tested and can move on carpets, too, so that’s also a plus.
• It took me under 30 minutes to assemble it, and it was fairly simple. The parts came in good packaging and proper protection. The customer support of Homall is also really good.
• This chair has a pretty generous weight capacity supporting a weight of up to 300 pounds.

Cons

• Although the armrests can easily fit under any normal-sized desk, they are not adjustable. So I understand that certain people might be in an awkward position.
• The armrests are also made of hard plastic and have no cushion on them. They might seem fine at first, but after a long while, they start to hurt sometimes.

Price

You can order this chair for under $150. This chair is perfect at this rate, as it has many great features and is sturdy.

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2. Hon Exposure

If you’re like me and also like your office chairs to be very adjustable, then you should consider the Hon Exposure. It’s cheaper than the Branch Ergonomic Chair and has pretty similar features. So if you want to save a couple more bucks, then you can get this chair. I must say, though, that the design was very basic and didn’t have anything interesting about it. But if you don’t care much for style, then you don’t have to worry much.

Pros

• For a basic office chair on a budget, this chair does pretty well. It provides a lot of adjustability for a chair at this price. The armrests can move in and out and up and down and have a width of 16.5-18.75 inches. The lumbar also slides up and down, and you can change the seat height from 17.5 to 22 inches and tilt it as well.
• The seat also provides great ventilation. It has a mesh back that makes the design very breathable.
• I found the chair to be pretty sturdy for a highly adjustable chair. Most chairs that are very adjustable but cost less come at the price of sturdiness. They’re flimsy and don’t last long, but that is not the case with Hon Exposure.
• The chair is 26.5 inches wide which is the average for most chairs.

Cons

• I heard a lot about this seat not being very comfortable, and so I put it to the test, and unfortunately, yes, the seat is a bit too firm for my taste. The comfort factor for this chair isn’t very high.
• This chair, like the Branch Ergonomic chair, lacks a headrest as well.
• I found the design of this chair very simple and boring. I didn’t like it much.
• This chair only supports about 250 pounds of weight which is a relatively low maximum weight capacity as compared to most chairs on here.

Price

You can place an order for this chair for $300.

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3. Modway Ergonomic Mesh Office Chair

This chair did wonders for my back pain. For a chair that’s so cheap, the Modway Articulate Ergonomic chair has a pretty decent design and is very comfortable. It’s also pretty easy to assemble for those who are not very good with the technical stuff.

Pros

• I found this seat to have a generous amount of features compared to similar office chairs in this price range. It gives really good value for the money.
• The chair has a 360° swivel, adjustable height (17 to 22 inches), back, and armrests (27.5 to 32-inch height adjustment) and allows tilt and lock functions too. It has built-in lumbar support as well.
• I specifically like how comfortable this seat was. Constantly reviewing office chairs, I got used to the stiff and rigid bottom seats that sometimes make my hips hurt. This seat, however, is very different. It has a very soft plush cushion that was a nice change of pace for me. The mesh material was also very breathable. Overall, this chair has a decent ranking in the comfort department for me.
• This chair is also the most supportive of plus-size people and can take up to 331 pounds of weight.

Cons

• Unfortunately, the low price of this chair comes at the cost of its durability. Its build isn’t the most durable one out there, and it does have a tendency to wear out if you use it for long hours daily. For users who plan to use it for 4 hours or less a day, this chair should be fine, but more than that, you might find that it doesn’t last very long. It’s best for casual workers.
• The lumbar support wasn’t up to the mark; in my opinion, it’s not adjustable. Plus, the mid-back design does not offer support to your head and upper back, so the chair is not very supportive.
• The armrests also only support your arms at a certain angle, so there’s not a lot of room for comfortable arm movement.

Price

The chair is available at the moment of writing for under $200 (discount).

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4. SPACE Managers Chair

I find this chair to be the ideal match for tall folks with a lighter build or medium heightened folks with longer legs. It does have adjustable features, and it delivered a promising performance in my experience.

Its frame is also durable and provides good support. Overall, I thought this chair was a fairly good pick for office chairs under 300$ and delivered good value for the money it costs. It’s an especially good choice for lean, tall people.

Pros

• The chair covers the basic adjustability factors well with tilt and lock function (2 in 1 synchro-tilt control), adjustable seat height, and arms.
• I liked that this chair also has the maximum height adjustment from about 19 to 25 inches compared to most chairs 4-inch height adjustment
• I liked that the armrests are padded as opposed to the usual hard plastic variants. They can also be removed. The wheels of the chair work really well, even on carpets.
• The eco-leather is a very comfortable addition, and it provided good support even if I used the chair for hours. It does, however, get hotter the longer you use it. But the breezy mesh back design makes up for it to some degree and allows for some ventilation.
• The seat has a pretty durable frame and a sturdy build. If you need a chair that is built to last, then this one is a great option.

Cons

• I noticed that this seat isn’t built to support a lot of weight. It’s a bit narrower than many of the other options in this list which is why I recommended it to lean people, but it’s also very high, so you’d have to be tall or have long legs to take full advantage of the dimensions of this chair. If you are muscular or shorter, then you will find this chair uncomfortable to use. This narrows down the target audience significantly.
• The lumbar support of this seat is also not adjustable, which put me off.
• This chair also supports only 250 pounds of weight so you’ll have to be mindful of that when buying it.

Price

You can get this chair under $200.

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5. FelixKing Adjustable Ergonomic Desk Chair

Unlike the Homall gaming chair, I had high expectations of the Felixking chair. This Amazon bestseller caught my eye because of its range of features and comfortable looking design and I’m happy to say that it did not disappoint!

I found it very easy to assemble and I think this chair will be especially suitable for people of a short height. Another positive was that it was shipped super fast! Overall, I think this chair is a reliable office chair option with good design and value for money.

Pros

• This chair has really good value for the price that it comes in, it’s an Amazon bestseller for this very reason. The chair features a 360° swivel and has a recline function of about 30° as well. It’s built to be very comfortable and accommodating and I felt that it had good pressure redistributing properties so I didn’t feel like it was lopsided or that all the pressure was accumulating on one side
• The armrests of this chair can actually conveniently be removed and stored away as well for those who don’t need them or those that don’t have enough space. Aside from that, they can also be rotated up to 90°! I found this very useful for relieving muscle tension and relaxing my arms as I continued to work.
• I noticed that the back of the chair has an S-shaped design to fit the curve of the spine and it actually does provide pretty solid back comfort.
• The memory foam on the seat is dense and firm which is great for people looking for more support
• It supports up to 300 pounds of weight and is very wide so it is a safe option for people of any size or shape

Cons

• Although the seat height is adjustable, it doesn’t make a very big difference and I wouldn’t recommend it for folks that are very tall or those with long legs. They might find the chair a bit uncomfortable and small.
• The mesh material of this chair is, unfortunately, not very comfortable and has a bit of a rough texture to it. I wasn’t a big fan of it but I could make do with it because of my experience with a variety of chairs. However, I can see how many people would have problems with it.

Price

Just under $200 on Amazon at the moment of writing

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6. Matrix Ergonomic Chair

Gaming style office chairs can be pretty nice to have because they always come with a whole range of features and are mostly designed to optimize comfort over long hours of use daily.

That being said, all the good ones are usually very expensive and I, for one, wouldn’t blame you for tenting your eyebrows and doubting the quality of a chair that’s promising this much for a price this low.

It’s true, it does sound too good to be true and frankly, I, too, was fully prepared for a scam. Fortunately, though, that was not the case. The Matrix Ergonomic chair was a pleasant surprise and here’s why:

Pros

• This chair has a 180° recline feature which is easily more than most office chairs by a great margin. It also has a 360° swivel.
• The armrests are fully adjustable and can be positioned for maximum comfort.
• I like the strong foam padding, it’s firm and supportive for my back and keeps me from developing aches even after long hours of use. The cushion envelops you from all sides to keep you comfy but you don’t sink into it.
• It came with a lumber and a neck pillow which was a very nice addition in my opinion.
• The quality of the chair was really good, I like the sturdy material and the leather build
• I love that this chair is especially accommodating of plus-size needs too. It supports up to 330 pounds of weight which is definitely among the highest weight capacities in this list.

Cons

• The chair is very large and will take up space. It’s built to suit bigger people and not just anyone. The armrests are wide and may be uncomfortable for people with smaller bodies.
• There is little adjustability in the chair. Although it did fit me fine I think a little added adjustability could help make it even better for a bigger audience.

Price

Available at Amazon for under $200

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7. Comhoma Office Chair

I found the Comhoma Office Chair to be a comfortable and safe option when it came to office chairs. One feature that stood out to me was the armrests and their unique flip-up armrests. I must say, I was pretty eager to test out how well those would work in a professional environment and I’m proud to say that they did not disappoint!

Pros

• The flip-up armrests were, of course, the biggest plus for me. In addition to being padded, they are just the right position for me to rest my arms comfortably but they are a bit too high to slide under my desk. However, that’s no problem at all! I can conveniently just flip them down and continue to work.
• The chair also features a 360° swivel, a tilt and lock function, and a seat height adjustment feature.
• This chair was probably one of the easiest for me to assemble
• The wheels work really well too and I could easily glide on this chair from side to side.

Cons

• Unfortunately, this chair has a low weight capacity of only about 250 pounds
• The side of the chair might be small for some users. The dimensions might not suit a large person very well. Its dimensions are roughly 51x61x94.5 cm.

Price

You can get this chair for under $150

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8.AmazonBasics High-Back Executive Office Chair

Last but not least, let’s end with the AmazonBasics office chair. This is the most affordable option on the list. For those who are really on a very tight budget but still looking for a quality chair, I would recommend this one.

It’s not the best chair out there but it’s definitely good value for this money and you won’t find much better at this price. Yes, this chair could use some upgrades, but I also don’t think it’s a bad office chair per se.

Pros

• I like that even at this price the seat height was adjustable from 41 to 45 inches. Although the overall adjustability leaves much to be desired, for a hundred dollars this is pretty good.
• The seat is well-cushioned and very comfortable to use. I liked the softness of it.
• This chair also has a 360° swivel and a tilt function.
• The armrests were comfortable and even padded so that was nice.
• The chair is sturdy and stable and the wheels work well.

Cons

• The seat, unfortunately, only supports weight up to 250 pounds which is fairly low.
• At this price, the quality is obviously not top-notch and yes, this seat was no exception. The cushion, especially, is susceptible to tears if not dealt with care.

Price

You can find this chair for under $200.

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Conclusion

By now, you must have decided which chair is perfect for you. I hope you found these tips and suggestions useful. There are multiple options for you to choose from and I’m sure you’ll pick the right one for your long-term needs.