white rolling armchair beside table

Best Budget Office Chair Under $200 for Home Office upgrade

Ian Mutuli
Updated on
Ian Mutuli

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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Working from home has become the norm nowadays, and therefore there is a need to set up a home office. You might not have a lot of money to buy the office furniture, but the little you have can buy the best budget office chair on the market.

It is crucial to invest in a good office chair since you will be sitting in it for hours on end. With these budget office chairs, you are assured of a comfortable chair that will serve you before you buy another high-end chair. Furthermore, it will encourage good posture making working from home easier. You can also invest in a computer armoire to help you store your computers and its peripherals. 

There are several budget-friendly office chairs on the market, and this can get you overwhelmed by which office chair is right for your home office. However, this article will help you make the right decision about the chair you prefer in your home office. Keep reading!

1. Flash Furniture Swivel Chair

Sale
Flash Furniture Desk Chair with Wheels | Swivel Chair...
  • Mid-back desk chair with wheels
  • Our chair conforms to ANSI/BIFMA standard X5.1-17; Mesh back with...
  • Swivel seat on wheels for easy maneuvering
  • Executive style perfect for office and desk
  • PRODUCT MEASUREMENTS : Overall Size: 24.5"W x 25.5"D x...

This mid-back desk chair from Flash Furniture ensures you don’t experience back pain. It makes sure that you are comfortable when absorbed in a project. Furthermore, it comes with a curved mesh back, which provides support and is breathable when your seat heats up or for long sitting sessions.

This chair is one of the best ergonomic chairs you will ever find at an reasonable price point. It is ideal for office and desk space. Besides, it features built-in lumbar support and swivel wheels for easy maneuvering.

You can choose from mid-back, high-back, and mid-back drafting chairs. The high-back seat relieves tension in the lower back, while the mid-back seat supports the mid-to-upper back region. Moreover, the special drafting seat is suitable for those who work with higher desk surfaces like architects and graphic artists.

All these chairs have a design that takes the pressure off your legs to enhance blood circulation. They also include seat height adjustment for comfortable positioning, flip-up armrests, and a tilt mechanism for reclining in the chair.

Pros:

  • Strong chair with a weight capacity of 210 pounds.
  • Very comfortable chair.
  • Economical and functional chair.
  • Easy to set up.
  • Great chair for home office.

Cons:

  • Broke after few uses.
  • Has a loud click sound.

2. Modway EEI-757-BLK Articulate Ergonomic Office Chair

Modway EEI-757-BLK Articulate Ergonomic Mesh Office...
  • ERGONOMIC OFFICE CHAIR - Featuring reliable ergonomic support,...
  • RELIABLE COMFORT - Designed with productivity in mind, Articulate...
  • ADJUSTABLE SEATING - Articulate is a computer chair that easily...
  • OFFICE UPDATE - Refresh your office space with this versatile...
  • OFFICE CHAIR MEASUREMENTS - Product Dimensions: 26.5"L x 26"W x...

The Modway articulate ergonomic chair features a breathable mesh back, passive lumbar support, padded arm, and 6 inches thick contoured mesh seat cushion. It is designed with productivity in mind in that it is ideal for everyday use. Furthermore, this strong and supportive chair comes in different colors; thus, you can choose the color that matches with other office furniture or your preference.

This ergonomic office chair has five dual-wheel casters that allow you to slide across the floor, whether it is carpet or wood. For these chairs, you have the choice between vinyl and mesh.

This seat has adjustable features, which makes it suitable to fit any of your needs. The customizable parts include one-touch chair height adjustment, lock system, a tilt, height-adjustable armrests, and 360-degree swivel.

Pros:

  • Great chair for home office.
  • Has a variety of colors to chose from.
  • Smooth wheeling on the floor.
  • A comfortable and supportive chair.

Cons:

  • Hydraulic breaks easily.
  • Poor design and quality.

3. Boss Office Products Deluxe Task Chair

Sale
Boss Office Products Black Boss Office Deluxe Posture...
  • Fabric type: 100% Polypropylene
  • Weight capacity is 250 lbs.
  • Ships ready to assemble
  • Does not tilt back

If you are looking for the best affordable task chair, count on Boss office products Deluxe chair. Although it cost less than most of its competition, it has all the features you would wish for a desk chair. Boss office task chair comes with a padded waterfall seat that provides lumbar support and allows blood circulation to reach your legs. Furthermore, it has a height lever and an adjustable back depth; thus, you can modify it for comfort.

This chair is built from fabric material. It has a weight capacity of 250 lbs. the chair also comes with smooth wheels, which allows you to easily move it from one part of the office to another. Besides, it comes in different colors, so whatever your other office furniture and the interior design looks like, you can find the right color.

Boss office products task chair comes without arms. Also, the chair has no tilt tension.

Pros:

  • Has a weight capacity of 250 pounds.
  • Comfortable chair.
  • Versatile for any body size.
  • Easy to assemble.

Cons:

  • Bad support for lower back.
  • Has a loud click sound.

4. Smugdesk High Back Ergonomic Chair

Smugdesk Ergonomic Mid Back Breathable Mesh Swivel Desk...
  • Rolling mid-back swivel chair ideal for both the home and office...
  • Modern, sleek design with steel cylinder and solid caster wheels...
  • The 120-degree adjustable backrest perfectly lines up with body...
  • Integrated lumbar cushion offers extra cushioning to help prevent...
  • Includes a breathable mesh surface, allowing air to pass through...

This ergonomic chair is built for you if you spend long hours at a desk. Smugdesk office chair has a weight capacity of 250 pounds. It is made from memory foam and breathable mesh fabric to ensure that your body stays cool and comfortable. Additionally, it has a tilt mechanism, height-adjustable headrest, and lock system to make sure you have proper posture.

The armchairs of this ergonomic chair are designed to lower stress on your shoulders and arms. The chair comes with five heavy-duty casters with a 360 swivel that lets you slide easily on the floor. There is also a clothes hanger on the back of the chair to hang a coat or jacket. Conversely, we can’t forget to mention that it is very easy to assemble.

Pros:

  • Has a weight capacity of 250 pounds.
  • A comfortable and supportive chair.
  • Great chair for students.
  • Comes with a clothes hanger.

Cons:

  • Made of poor quality.
  • Broke after few uses.

5. Herman Miller Classic Aeron Chair 

Herman Miller Classic Aeron Chair - Fully Adjustable,...
  • Size B (Medium)
  • Rear tilt and Forward Tilt
  • Lumbar Supprot - Size B
  • 3-Year Mechanical Warranty Provided by OfficeLogixShop

If your home office has no air conditioning, we recommend the Herman Miller office chair. This chair is comfortable, and the mesh back and seat make it the right choice than the Gesture for working in an office without air conditioning. The chair allows you to adjust everything, even more, esoteric things such as the tension of eight zones of the fabric, lumbar support.

The Herman Miller Classic Aeron chair supports working from home in two profiles: leaning back and reclining and another for when you are leaning forward. However, the armrests of this chair are not as adjustable as the Gesture’s; therefore, it is not versatile for various tasks that require arm support, like propping up a tablet to read.

The Herman Miller chair is less bulky and has a wheel for easy maneuverability around the office. It is also durable enough to last a decade or more. Moreover, the Herman Miller Aeron chair comes in three different sizes, so you should know the size you want before buying it.

Pros:

  • Comfortable chair.
  • Easy to assemble.
  • Great chair for home office.

Cons:

  • The chair arrives as used.

The Main Types of Office Chairs

1. Drafting chairs

These office chairs are likely to boast stool bases that can be adjusted in height, together with compact seats and backrests. A drafting chair is perfect for working on a high and angled surface, such as on a kitchen counter or drafting board.

2. Ergonomic chairs

This type of office chair doesn’t follow a design set; however, they have precise contoured seats or backrests, or both. An ergonomic chair is designed to make sure you correct your posture, and you can use it at different heights.

3. Executive chairs

These types of office chairs are modern and very sophisticated. The chairs are finished in either leather or mesh; however, mesh chairs happen to be cooler than leather. Executive office chairs are designed for use in an office or home office space.

4. Kneeling chairs

As the name suggests, these chairs position their users to kneel, shifting weight away from the lower back while ensuring an upright posture.

5. Saddle chairs

These office chairs don’t have backrests and are designed to lower pressure on the user’s back and spine. They have straddled like a saddle, thus the name.

6. Balance ball chairs

These office chairs are basic and designed to be used at desk chairs or tables. They are ideal for building up back muscles and improving posture, which is handy for staying fit and healthy.

Factors to Consider When Buying the Best Budget Office Chairs

1. Comfort

People have different bodies, and finding the ideal, most comfortable office chair is a personal endeavor that relies on the type of work you do, how you sit, and your body size. It would be best to look for an office chair that will be comfortable even after sitting for long hours.

Furthermore, it would be best to have an office chair that is as comfortable as possible to reduce health problems and keep motivation and productivity high. We recommend you opt for ergonomic office chairs since they are more comfortable and ensure minimal strains and proper body support.

2. Intended use 

Before buying the office chair, ask yourself the intended purpose of that chair. If you want a chair you can sit for long hours, you will then need to look for different specifications than you would for an office chair used mainly for brief meetings. If you plan to do a lot of collaborative work in your home office, a chair with wheels will restrict the hassle involved with moving from one location to the next.

The ideal chair for someone who operates multiple desktops monitor in an office will vary compared to someone who does most work on a laptop. Therefore, it is important to know how frequently you want to use the chairs and the specific needs of each chair.

3. Material and maintenance

Consider the material that the chair is made of since it affects durability in one way or another. Maintenance is also a crucial consideration. Although there is no much maintenance needed, it is important to maintain the hygiene of the office. Leather and vinyl happen to be the easiest fabric to clean, and both rip rarely; however, they also happen to trap body heat and might need a breaking-in period before they become more comfortable.

Nowadays, office chairs use mesh which is a more breathable and affordable option. However, it provides less lumbar support. Conversely, dark colors are less prone to stains, and black office chairs remain the sleekest and common color options.

4. The adjustability of the best office chair

A good office chair should be designed to accommodate various body sizes and shapes in terms of fit and preference. An adjustable chair will enhance posture, especially when sitting on the chair for long periods at a time. Bad posture brought on from a bad office chair can lead to health issues.

Look for an office chair that provides lumbar and back support, adjustable arm support, tilt tension range, and seat depth and height. Additionally, make sure the chair you choose encourages healthy postural change and comes with a backrest that can change shape to offer continuous support.

Furthermore, consider how instinctive these adjustments are and how effortlessly they can be made from a seated position. The most ergonomically sound chair can be of little use if you are unable to operate it easily.

6. The appearance of the best office chair

Some people buy a chair that matches the interior walls. Others prefer some colors over other colors. Therefore, it is important to buy office chairs that you prefer and matches other office furniture.

Conclusion 

Flash Furniture swivel chair is our best overall budget office chair. It comes with a curved mesh back, which provides support and is breathable when your seat heats up or for long sitting sessions. Flash Furniture swivel chair is ideal for office and desk space. Besides, it features built-in lumbar support and swivel wheels for easy maneuvering.

Ian Mutuli

About the author

Ian Mutuli

Founder and Managing Editor of Archute. He is also a graduate architect from The University of Nairobi, Kenya.
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