10 Best Office Chairs for Sitting Cross Legged

Although sitting in a perfect posture is optimal for productivity and health, sitting for long hours in one position isn’t practical. That’s why most people change their seating positions throughout the day, particularly sitting in a cross-legged position. Sitting cross-legged does offer some benefits, such as opening up your hip joints, improving blood circulation, and strengthening your legs. 

Office chair manufacturers design their chairs for proper sitting posture, meaning it can be difficult for crossed-legged or pretzel-style sitters to find a chair that suits their needs. Today, we’ll cover our list of the best office chairs that are great fits for people who like to sit cross-legged. We’ll explain why we like these chairs and give you a buyer’s guide on how to choose the perfect chair for you. 

Best Office Chairs for Sitting Cross Legged

• Steelcase Gesture – Best Overall
• Secretlab Titan Evo – Best for Gaming
• Staples Hyken – Most Affordable
• Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair – Best Under $300
• Steelcase Series 1 – Best Under $500
• HON Ignition 2.0 – Best Value
• NeueChair by Secretlab – Best Mesh
• Steelcase Leap Plus – Best for Heavy People
• Herman Miller Embody – Best for Back Pain
• Serta AIR Health and Wellness – Best Executive Office Chair

Steelcase Gesture – Overall Best Office Chair for Sitting Cross Legged

After reviewing the many office chairs in the market, we’ve concluded that the Steelcase Gesture is the best option for cross-legged sitters. People who sit with their legs folded need a spacious seat, lots of padding, and an adjustable armrest. The Gesture checks all of those boxes. 

Its seat pan has large dimensions and incorporates a flexible seat edge that bends. This can relieve some of the pressure on your legs when sitting pretzel style. The seat incorporates their patented adaptive bolstering feature where the cushion has air pockets that conform to the user’s body shape and evenly disperse the weight. 

Additionally, the arms can rotate 360-degrees, meaning you can adjust it any way you want. You can move them out of the way or use them to support you while working with varying desk heights or tech interfaces. 

The Gesture offers plenty of adjustments to fine-tune your seating position, such as an adjustable seat height, seat depth, tilt-angle, tilt tension, 360-degree armrest, and lumbar support. Its 3D LiveBack technology is an innovative technology that mimics the natural shape of your spine as you change postures. This means no matter which posture or sitting style you choose, the backrest will offer sustained support. 

Pros:

• It has a 360-degree arm that is perfect for cross-legged sitters so that the armrest doesn’t get in the way of sitting
• Proprietary set cushion and flexible seat edge helps to alleviate pressure whether you sit conventional or cross-legged
• 3D LiveBack technology will flex and bend to support any micromovements 
• High-end build with a 12-year manufacturer’s warranty 
• Wide and spacious seat, giving you room to cross-legs or change positions 

Cons:

• More expensive than most office chairs 

Secretlab Titan Evo – Best Gaming Chair for Sitting Cross Legged

Read our full Secretlab Gaming Chairs Review

Secretlab is the gold standard for gaming chairs. Unlike traditional bucket-style gaming chairs, the Titan Evo is designed with a flat open seat design, making it more practical for users to sit on. That’s good news for cross-legged sitters who needs ample space to cross their legs. In addition, the Evo offers three sizes, so users can pick the size that fits their needs.

Besides the design and width, the Evo is equipped with plenty of ergonomic features to keep you comfortable and focused for long periods. Their proprietary L-ADAPT lumbar system is height and depth adjustable to support your specific posture needs. That means you can adjust the lumbar support to fit the curve in your spine and customize how much support you need. Furthermore, the support flexes to your spine as you move. 

When sitting cross-legged, you are prone to sitting forward and hunching over. That’s why having a supportive backrest and headrest can be beneficial. A headrest can serve as a visual cue to keep your head up. The Titan Evo offers a magnetic memory foam to alleviate neck pain and has infused cooling gel to keep you cool. Overall, the Secretlab Titan is a must-have for gamers looking for a comfortable and stylish seating option. 

Pros:

• Plenty of flashy designs to suit gamers 
• Open seat pan design and wide seat dimensions make it great for cross-legged sitters
• L-ADAPT lumbar system supports good posture when sitting cross-legged
• Magnetic memory foam headrest prevents neck pain and keeps you cool
• Available in NEO Hybrid Leatherette or SoftWeave Plus fabric 

Cons:

• No seat depth adjustment
• No mesh upholstery option 

Staples Hyken – Best Cheap Office Chair for Sitting Cross Legged

Not everyone can afford the fanciest office chair in the market. But luckily, there are budget options like the Staples Hyken that can still bring comfortable ergonomic seating to your work or home office space. The Hyken has a few things going for it that make it a great fit for cross-legged sitters. 

This chair has a wide spacious seat and a rounded waterfall seat edge. Cornered or sharp edges can cut-off circulation to your legs while sitting cross-legged, so it’s nice to have a rounded design. 

Sitting for long hours can cause heat build-up. Even if you’re in a cold temperature room, the body heat from sitting on a surface can lead to discomfort. Mesh chairs are a great solution to keeping you cool while still sitting and working all day comfortably. The Hyken offers a fully-mesh back and seat to allow airflow through the seat. 

Users can also recline up to 140 degrees and adjust between four tilt-lock positions. Switching positions helps to increase blood flow and keeps you energized while working. Not to mention, sitting reclined eliminates lower back pressure allowing you to relax. 

Pros:

• Wide seat measurements and rounded waterfall seat edge makes it comfortable and spacious for cross-legged sitters
• The Hyken is very affordable 
• Mesh upholstery allows maximum airflow and keeps users cool throughout the day
• Adjustable headrest keeps your head and neck properly supported
• It offers a height-adjustable lumbar 

Cons:

• Not ideal for tall people, especially 6 feet and taller
• The armrest is only height adjustable 

Check out our guide on the Best Office Chairs Under $200

Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair – Best Cross Legged Office Chair Under $300

Sitting cross-legged can be uncomfortable if you’re sitting on a hard surface. Duramont office chair offers a thick padded w-shaped cushion to distribute your weight evenly. With the added weight of your legs, you also want to find a chair that doesn’t deform easily. The Duramont chair uses high-density and high resiliency foam to maintain its shape for a long time. 

It’s common for people who sit at a desk all-day to develop lower back pain. Holding an upright posture for long periods is difficult, which is why an office chair should have adjustable lumbar support. The Duramont has a two-way adjustable lumbar system that can move up and down and in and out. This means users can customize the amount of lower back support and effortlessly maintain a healthy posture. 

Sweaty backs can be incredibly uncomfortable and leave marks on your chair. Most modern chairs are moving away from leather upholstery and choosing mesh or fabric instead. This chair features a mesh back to maximize ventilation and keep air flowing through the chair. 

Pros:

• High-density foam padded seat cushion keeps your leg comfortable and increases circulation, especially for cross-legged sitters 
• W-type cushion cradles you in and alleviates pressure points
• Lumbar support is height and depth adjustable to promote a healthy posture 
• Smooth rubber wheels can glide on any floor surface without sacrificing floor tiles 
• Mesh back keeps users cool and sweat-free

Cons:

• The chair only reclines back up to 120 degrees 

Check out our guide on the Best Office Chairs Under $300

Steelcase Series 1 – Best Cross Legged Office Chair Under $500

Steelcase is a premium office chair brand that delivers high-end build quality and intuitive ergonomic features. With their Series 1, they’ve aimed to provide a relatively affordable mid-tier option for users to experience some of their unique features. 

The Series 1 is conducive for cross-legged sitters because it has a thick padded foam cushion, and the seat pan curves slightly, which cradles the user in and keeps them balanced. Their seat cushion isn’t any normal padding. The Series 1 has a unique adaptive bolstering technology, where it’s designed with compact air pockets to adjust to the user’s unique body shape and offer dynamic support as their posture changes. 

Furthermore, this chair comes with 4-way adjustable arms meaning you can adjust the armrest in practically any direction to suit your sitting position. Users can also experience premium back support with their integrated LiveBack technology. This is a system of backrest flexors that provides responsive support to a wide range of sitting postures. 

For some chairs, reclining can feel a bit ‘herky-jerky.’ That’s because people weigh different, therefore, sometimes more pressure is applied to tilt back, and other times, less pressure is applied. Most office chairs use a tilt-tension, but that requires experimentation. Instead, Series one utilizes an advanced weight-activated mechanism that automatically applies the optimal backrest tension based on the user’s weight while sitting on the chair. As a result, you can smoothly change positions to prevent any disruptions in your work. 

Pros:

• Available in 12 colors 
• Well-padded seat cushion and wide seat pan makes cross-legged sitting more comfortable
• The armrest is 4D adjustable to support arms and prevent neck strain
• Slim profile makes it ideal for tight spaces 
• LiveBack technology supports micromovements and changing postures, especially for cross-legged sitters 

Cons:

• Armrests feel a little flimsy 

Check out our guide on the Best Office Chairs Under $500

HON Ignition 2.0 – Best Value Office Chair for Sitting Cross Legged

Whether you sit cross-legged or conventionally, you can’t go wrong with the Hon Ignition 2.0. Rather than a simple layer of cushion, this chair comes with a double-layered seat padding. As a result, users can feel comfortable sitting pretzel style. 

Its squared seat pan is quite spacious in width and depth, giving you plenty of room to criss-cross your legs. Users can adjust the seat depth to achieve optimal back support as well. Furthermore, you can adjust the height and width of the arms, allowing for a wider space. 

We’re also surprised to find the Synchro-Tilt mechanism in the HON Ignition 2.0. Typically, this feature is reserved for high-end chairs. The synchro-tilt raises the seat as you recline, which allows you to keep your head up and work comfortably even in a reclined position. 

The Ignition also features a unique mesh called the Ilira-Stretch mesh. It’s a woven material with four-way stretch properties so that it won’t lose tension over time. The mesh is much more durable, soft, and flexible than standard mesh. While sitting, you’ll notice a big difference because you can easily lean on the material and move around, while still feeling supported. 

Pros:

• Open seat pan, wide seat dimensions, and padded cushion helps users sit cross-legged more comfortably 
• The seat glide mechanism can be adjusted to support people of all heights 
• Synchro-tilt keeps users balanced and maintaining good posture while reclining 
• Mesh is stretchable and breathable, which keeps users cool and comfy 
• Very affordable office chair 

Cons:

• Lumbar support isn’t depth adjustable 

NeueChair by Secretlab – Best Mesh Office Chair for Sitting Cross Legged

Although mesh has become the popular choice for most office workers, not all mesh are comfortable to sit on. Low-quality mesh materials can feel stiff and cause users to feel the chair’s frame. 

Secretlab has designed the NeueChair and incorporated their proprietary NeueMesh upholstery. This fabric type is a three-layer mesh constructed with DuPont yarn and polyester fabric. The result is a soft yet flexible mesh upholstery that feels comfortable on the skin yet durable for long hours of usage. 

Like a few of the other chairs mentioned here, the NeueChair has an open seat pan with softly contoured edges, making it ideal for cross-legged sitters. The waterfall seat edges will promote continuous blood circulation as well. In addition, the chair has a seat depth adjustment allowing users to move the seat pan forward or back to ensure proper back support. 

One convenient feature is their ControlShift adjustments. Most chairs have a lever positioned underneath the seat or behind the chair’s back. However, the NeueChair places a lever under each armrest allowing users to adjust the seat height and tilt angle of the chair with ease. 

Pros:

• Adjustable arms, wide seat pan, and waterfall seat edge gives cross-legged sitters more room 
• Secretlab offers a 12-year warranty
• NeueMesh upholstery is flexible allowing for better comfort and pressure relief
• Focus mode tucks your body into the backrest encouraging proper back support 
• The ControlShift levers positioned under the armrest for easy access 

Cons:

• The lumbar support doesn’t have a depth adjustment 

Steelcase Leap Plus – Best Cross Legged Office Chair for Heavy People

Finding a quality ergonomic office chair can be difficult for heavy people. Many manufacturers do not produce or design chairs designed specifically for larger folks. Luckily, the Steelcase Leap Plus offers a chair with larger dimensions and can support up to 500 pounds. 

We also like that the Leap Plus has a thick padded cushion to alleviate pressure and distribute weight evenly. Users can sit with their feet flat on the floor or criss-cross their legs on the seat with wider dimensions. The front of the seat pad is flexible, which allows for more natural movement in the chair. Furthermore, the seat cushion has built-in air pockets that conform to the user’s body for maximum comfort. 

With Leap Plus, users can enjoy plenty of backrest features to ensure proper posture and prevent back pain. Their signature LiveBack technology bends and flexes to match your movements. The lumbar support can be adjusted by height and firmness. This means you can set the support to your desired preferences, thus taking the strain away from your lower back. 

Pros:

• The Leap Plus supports up to 500 lbs making it ideal for heavy people 
• Big and spacious open seating makes it practical for cross-legged sitters 
• Natural glide system allows users to recline while maintaining head-fixed towards the screen 
• 4D adjustable armrests are perfect for supporting any position 
• LiveBack technology mimics your movement to provide continuous support 

Cons:

• Quite expensive d

Check out our guide on the Best Office Chairs for Heavy People

Herman Miller Embody – Best Cross Legged Office Chair for Back Pain

The Herman Miller Embody chair is one of the most advanced chairs in the market. Individuals who are new to ergonomic office chairs may be overwhelmed by its nuances. 

It has a similar seat pan to the HON Ignition 2.0, where you get a wide and spacious square-shaped seat pan. Its seat pan has four-layer padding that consists of two spring layers, a mat layer, a foam layer, and fabric upholstery. Furthermore, it has 4D arms meaning you can adjust the armrest by height, depth, width, and angle. If you prefer sitting cross-legged, you can simply move the armrests out of the way. 

The hallmark of the Embody is its pixelated backrest and backfit adjustment. The pixelated support is designed to act like a human rib cage. It contracts and flexes as your body moves. Even when you’re fidgeting or turning in your seat, you’ll receive continuous support. The BackFit adjustment allows users to fine-tune the backrest angle so that it conforms to the curve of your spine. 

Pros:

• The wide spacious seat gives room for cross-legged sitters 
• Its pixelated support eliminates pressure in your back and adapts to changing postures 
• BackFit adjustment aligns with your spine to keep you in a healthy posture 
• Four support fabric layers provide both comfort and breathability 
• 4D armrests can be used to support arms comfortably or moved out of the way for cross-legged sitting 

Cons:

• It costs more than most office chairs 
• The seat is a little firm but still supportive 

Serta AIR Health and Wellness – Best Executive Office Chair for Sitting Cross Legged

Read our full Serta Office Chairs Review

Having ample space and cushion to support both folding legs and buttocks is beneficial when sitting cross-legged. Sitting chairs that are too firm can lead to poor blood circulation, body aches, muscle spasms, and joint pain. That’s because your body applies to the chair and is then directed back at your body when sitting. 

The Serta office chair offers multiple layers of padding throughout the chair. This helps to disperse the weight evenly around your body to ensure no constant pressure is directed to one single area of your body. It also improves blood circulation to flow without interruption and relaxes your muscles. 

Another prominent feature is their signature AIR lumbar support, which pivots and flexes as your body moves. The idea is to offer continuous support as you shift your body and change positions. It’s common for office workers to change positions throughout the day, and having dynamic lumbar support helps to support these movements. 

Pros:

• The seat has three inches of padding for cross-legged sitters to feel comfortable 
• Relatively affordable 
• The armrests are padded to reduce elbow and forearm pressure 
• AIR lumbar technology flexes to provide support as you change positions throughout the day 
• Levers offer convenient seat height, tilt, and tilt tension adjustments 

Cons:

• The armrest isn’t adjustable 

Choosing the Best Office Chair for Sitting Cross Legged – Buyer’s Guide

Now that you know the best options in the market let’s discuss how to choose the right office chair for your needs. 

Materials and Build Quality

Any material used on the chair falls under the category of a chair’s build quality. Generally, we look at several factors to determine whether a chair has good or poor build quality, such as a chair’s base and frame, upholstery, seat padding, casters and even any testing certifications. 

Most office chairs that last for a long time use steel or aluminum in their frame and base. These materials offer strength allowing the chair to handle a greater load. Chairs that are less durable tend to have more plastic components or nylon. However, plastic doesn’t always mean low-quality. The Steelcase Gesture and Leap Plus use some plastic components to cover metal components or used to add flexibility to the chair. 

Most reliable manufacturers will send their chairs to a third-party compliance testing lab to get their products certified for safe use. For example, the ANSI/BIFMA compliance test will evaluate an office chair on many factors such as base stability, seat drop, back pull, tilt mechanism performance, swivel cycling, back and arm durability, and casters performance. 

Open Seat Design

If you like to sit cross-legged, you’ll want to find a chair with an open seat design. That means any chair with a bucket seat design should be avoided. Having a wide and spacious seat gives you room to fit your legs on the seat pan. 

Moreover, the chairs should have contoured or rounded edges if possible. Chairs like the Gesture have a flexible seat edge that bends when you apply pressure on them. A standard seat edge could end up placing too much direct pressure in one area, causing blood flow restriction. 

Another beneficial factor is a curved seat pan. Some people may prefer a square-shaped seat because it offers more space. However, a curved seat pan can cradle a person in to help keep them balanced. When you’re legs are folded, it comes to lean forward. Being on balance can distribute the weight of your buttocks and hips to encourage you to lean backward. 

Seat Comfort

Seat comfort can vary from person to person. Some people prefer an ultra-soft and well-padded cushion, while others may need something more firm and supportive. The general consensus falls somewhere in-between where the seat is soft but not too soft, where the buttocks sink in, which affects the posture. However, the seat can’t be too firm because it can cause pain and discomfort. 

We tend to see three types of seats in ergonomic chairs. First, you can go with a thick and high-density foam seat cushion. Serta office chair and Duramont office chair are great examples of this. They are very comfortable and help to alleviate pressure build-up. 

The second example is a chair that contains multiple fabrics, such as the Herman Miller Embody. This chair uses a foam mat and two spring layers in its seat cushion. These fabrics provide a good mix of comfort and support to give users a great seating experience. 

Lastly, you’ll find some chairs that use a mesh seat. Mesh seats can be comfortable if the mesh quality is flexible. A good example is the NeueChair, where the mesh feels looser. This means the material won’t feel stiff or hard. 

Adjustability 

Every chair should be comfortable and highly adjustable. That’s because each individual is unique in body type, height, torso length, and even sitting preferences. As a consumer, you should look for the following adjustments in a chair: seat height, seat depth, tilt angle, tilt-tension, synchro-tilt, height and depth-adjustable lumbar system, 4D armrest, and headrest height, and angle. 

Of course, it’s not necessarily a deal-breaker if an office chair is missing one or two adjustments—however, the more adjustable options, the better. Seat height allows you to maintain eye level with your monitor and have your feet planted on the ground (unless you choose to sit cross-legged). Having a seat depth ensures your legs aren’t cut off from circulation and you maintain back support. 

Armrests are essential for cross-legged sitters since they can be moved out of the way giving you more space for your legs. However, if you do use the armrest, it supports your forearms and elbows, while also keeping your wrists straight. 

The backrest adjustments help to alleviate lower back pressure and promote a healthy posture. Being able to recline takes the stress off of your back muscles to help you relax. A synchro-tilt raises the seat as you recline to keep your torso and chest open and maintain reach of your desk. 

Back Support

When sitting cross-legged, it can be a natural tendency to lean forward, causing the lower back to round forward—proper lumbar support and an adaptive backrest help keep your spine in a neutral position. 

An office chair should contain a lumbar support system that fills the natural gap between a person’s chair and the spine. Having a cushion for your lower back allows your back muscles to relax, causing less strain and pain on your backside. 

Ideally, you’ll want to look for a chair with height and depth adjustable lumbar support. Adjusting the height lets you position the support to fit your spine perfectly. In contrast, the depth adjustment allows you to customize the amount of lower back support that you need. 

Weight Capacity

Weight capacity is important, especially if you fall within the upper limit of a chair’s weight limit. Most standard office chairs can support up to 250 pounds, but some chairs like the Leap Plus are designed for heavy people and can carry up to 500 pounds! 

Also, the weight capacity typically means the chair has a better build quality and feels more sturdy. Generally, chairs that can support more weight are built with a strong frame and base, and this means the manufacturers couldn’t have used cheap materials to build the chair. 

Price

Price is a huge disqualifier for some people. By knowing your budget, you can immediately eliminate office chairs that fall out of your target price range. There are plenty of budget chairs such as the Staples Hyken, Duramont office chair, and HON Ignition that deliver great adjustability for bargain prices. 

However, with mid-tier chairs like the Secretlab Titan Evo, Steelcase Series 1, and NeueChair, you’ll notice better build-quality such as better upholstery materials and more refined adjustments. Lastly, with premium options such as the Steelcase Gesture and Herman Miller Embody, you’re getting adaptive features that can adjust based on your preferences, movements, and sitting style. 

Overall, we recommend looking for chairs that bring value rather than looking at only the price tag. For example, premium chairs offer a 12-year warranty meaning they could last you one or two decades! Investing in a high-quality chair will prevent trips to the doctor or chiropractor and will be more comfortable to sit on. 

Recap of the Best Cross Legged Office Chairs

Cross Legged Office Chair	Best For
Steelcase Gesture	Best Overall
Secretlab Titan Evo	Best for Gaming
Staples Hyken	Most Affordable
Duramont Ergonomic Office Chair	Best Under $300
Steelcase Series 1	Best Under $500
HON Ignition 2.0	Best Value
NeueChair by Secretlab	Best Mesh
Steelcase Leap Plus	Best for Heavy People
Herman Miller Embody	Best for Back Pain
Serta AIR Health and Wellness	Best Executive Office Chair

Conclusion

Although sitting cross-legged isn’t the most optimal way to sit, it is very comfortable and allows for more blood flow. 

If you are a cross-legged sitter, I’m sure you’ve found a lot of gems in this guide. These office chairs are spacious, comfortable and offer plenty of adjustments to meet your needs. The right ergonomic chair can help reduce and prevent pain, so we recommend getting the right chair. 

Best of luck on your journey to finding your next office chair!