10 Best Office Chairs Under $300

Ever wonder if you’re able to find a high-quality ergonomic office chair without breaking the bank? The luxury brands such as Steelcase or Herman Miller offer some of the best ergonomic features and designs. However, many of them cost upwards of a thousand dollars or more. 

It’s not enough to just get any cheap office chair on the market. Sitting down for long periods may cause crippling pain to your neck and spine, leading to neck stiffness, back pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Considering the long-term health benefits, it’s important to carefully select an office chair with excellent ergonomic features. 

Luckily, we’ve done the hard work for you by compiling the ten best ergonomic office chairs under $300. Many of these office chairs offer lumbar support, headrest, armrest, and plenty of adjustable features. We’ll also include a buyer’s guide that shares the common factors that any person should look for when purchasing an ergonomic office chair. 

The Best Office Chairs Under $300

• Editor’s Pick – SIHOO Ergonomics
• Budget Pick – STAPLES Hyken
• Best Mesh Office Chair Under $300 – NOUHAUS Ergo3D
• Best Value Office Chair Under $300 – Ticova
• Best Leather Office Chair Under $300 – La-Z-Boy Bellamy
• Best Executive Office Chair Under $300 – Duramont
• Best Gaming Chair Under $300 – Dowinx
• Best Breathable Office Chair Under $300 – Bilkoh
• Best Big and Tall Office Chair Under $300 – Sadie
• Best Soft Seat Office Chair Under $300 – Serta

SIHOO Ergonomics – Editor’s Pick

It’s very hard to find an ergonomic office chair with a footrest for under $300. Two aspects stand out about the Sihoo Office Chair. We love that it includes a retractable and adjustable padded footrest for users to relax and take breaks. Secondly, this chair has the perfect combination of mesh material and fabric cotton material. Most chairs only use one type of material for their chair. The Sihoo chair uses an elastic styling cotton for its seat pad for nice soft support, and it uses a mesh back to provide better spinal support and air circulation. 

We’re also impressed by the outstanding features that Sihoo has. It’s designed with a high backrest along with an adjustable padded headrest. Users can adjust the headrest about four inches up and down. In addition, the headrest can swivel up to 45-degree back. 

Sihoo has all of the adjustability features you’ve come to expect from a high-quality office chair. Users can use the rear knob to adjust the lumbar support to suit each individual’s preferences. Other adjustment capabilities include seat height, armrests, and backrest angle. 

Pros:

• Headrest is adjustable up to 45 degrees 
• Includes a Retractable footrest
• S shape design to support the spine and back
• Able to adjust the depth of lumbar support 
• Breathable mesh to keep you cool 

Cons:

• Seat cushion is a little too firm
• Headrest moves around a little 

STAPLES Hyken – Best Budget Office Chair Under $300

If you’re a fan of mesh chairs and prefer a modern design, the Staples Hyken Chair seems to fit the bill. It features a durable, breathable mesh back to keep users cool. Mesh material is ideal for enhancing breathability and ventilation to your seat. Warm seats can typically cause great discomfort. 

The Staples Hyken Chair is also designed with a high backrest with an adjustable headrest, particularly ideal for taller individuals. Tall people tend to get the short end of the stick if the backrest is short in length or the headrest isn’t adjustable. 

It also has all the standard adjustments you’d want in an office chair, such as seat height, armrest height, tilt lock, and tension. This product comes in three available colors: black, charcoal gray, and red to help match the existing home decor of your office space. The Hyken comes with silent and durable carpet casters, so you can easily move the chair around. Furthermore, it holds up to 250 pounds making it the ideal seat for most individuals. 

Pros:

• Faux leather and mesh material resists wear and stains 
• Available in three colors 
• Easy to assemble and lightweight 
• Adjusted reclining angle and includes tilt lock
• Breathable mesh to allow air to circulate 

Cons:

• Shorter individuals may not find headrest suitable 

NOUHAUS Ergo3D – Best Mesh Office Chair Under $300

Mesh office chairs typically get a bad reputation for feeling very wirey and rigid. The Nouhas chair uses their patented ElastoMesh material to provide a more smooth and softer mesh back without feeling like you’re sitting on a wire. Like all mesh materials, it provides optimal airflow to prevent stickiness and sweating. 

Another highlight of the Nouhas office chair it’s three-sectioned back design. The backrest is designed into three sections, lumbar support, mid-to-high backrest, and headrest. The lumbar support is quite dynamic and flexible because it responds to the pressure that a user places on it. This allows the support to provide equal support to your lower back to prevent slouching. The headrest is adjustable in angles and height. 

In addition, this chair has three-dimension armrests allowing users to adjust it back, forward, up, down, and rotate in and out. It also has a tilt angle of up to 135 degrees. Lastly, we’re very much impressed by their confidence in this product. They offer a full five-year warranty on their product to ensure that this chair will last a long time. 

Pros:

• Wheels roll around silently 
• Comes in a beautiful Burgundy color 
• Mesh headrest able to adjust up and down 
• Reclines up to 135 degrees 
• High back seat with lumbar support to encourage a healthy posture 

Cons:

• Arms could be slightly softer 
• Could have more seat depth 

Ticova – Best Value Office Chair Under $300

Most inexpensive chairs tend to take shortcuts to quality and ergonomic features. For example, many do not offer adjustable lumbar support, use thin hard plastic armrests, have shredded foam, and do not offer a rocking feature. One of the stands out features of the Ticova office chair is its three-inch high-density memory foam. This cushion has a waterfall and w-shaped design to disperse the pressure on your buttocks, hips, and thighs. 

The Ticova has a high mesh back that matches your spine’s curvature to reduce the pain and fatigue from your back significantly. There is a knob to adjust the depth and height of the lumbar support. Most mesh chairs use a hard plastic armrest making it uncomfortable on your arms, neck, and shoulder. Luckily, the Ticova uses a soft concave PU leather padding to provide additional arm comfort. 

One of the favorite parts about this chair is it’s rocking feature. Users can rock slightly back and forth in any desired angle position. This chair can adjust its tilt angle up to 140 degrees. In addition, it has an adjustable headrest made of thickly padded foam. Similar to the armrests, a backrest made of mesh or hard plastic simply feels uncomfortable. Thicova has an excellent combination of both ergonomics and comfort. 

Pros:

• Foam headrest is soft and comfortable 
• Mesh backrest keeps you cool 
• Seat cushion has three inches of high-density foam 
• Able to tilt back up to 140 degrees 
• Frame is made of a heavy-duty alloy steel 

Cons:

• Lower back support isn’t padded 
• Armrests only adjusts up and down 

La-Z-Boy Bellamy – Best Leather Office Chair Under $300

Not everyone enjoys the mesh back office chairs. Some prefer executive chairs instead. The La-Z-Boy Bellamy office chair is an executive chair designed with faux leather and includes thick padding all over. Mesh chairs are commonly known to lack comfort since they don’t sink in as a plush seat. 

Faux leather with thick padding tends to be both soft and supportive to sit on. This chair uses a thick multi-layered memory foam on its seat cushion to provide comfort all day long. Although it’s priced relatively low, it has the aesthetic appeal of a luxurious chair that costs much more. The La-Z-Boy Bellamy chair is constructed with stylish premium wood on the arms and base, making it feel prestigious. 

However, this chair doesn’t lack in the ergonomics department. It includes a lumbar cushion that contours to your body to better support your back. Another interesting aspect is it’s ease of use to adjust the chair. It includes multiple one-touch levers allowing users to adjust the recline and height of the chair. 

Pros:

• Easy to assemble 
• Thick padded cushions all around the chair for maximum comfort 
• Stylish and durable construction, made with premium wood 
• Easy to recline, tilt and adjust height 
• Has ergonomic lumbar support that contours to your back 

Cons:

• Tall individuals may not have the same neck support 

Read our full La-Z-Boy Office Chairs Review & Buying Guide

Duramont – Best Executive Office Chair Under $300

Given a choice, most people would prefer genuine leather chairs. However, the next best option is PU leather. The Duramont leather office chair uses PU leather to give it an authentic executive chair style appeal. PU leather provides similar benefits to real leather except without the hefty price tag. It is much easier to clean and resists water damage. In addition, PU leather is very soft and comfortable to sit on. 

The manufacturers enhanced the ergonomics by designing a waterfall seat edge and thick padded seating to relieve pressure from the back of a person’s legs. The Duramont chair also has a nifty retractable footrest with up to a 150-degree tilt angle. This angle and footrest combined were created for users to take a nap or sleep if necessary. Also, it has a knob to carefully adjust the lumbar support pressure as needed to help the user feel most comfortable. 

Pros:

• Secure any angle up to 155 degrees in reclining 
• Includes a comfortable padded footrest
• Designed with a waterfall seat edge to reduce pressure on your legs 
• Adjustable lumbar support to increase or decrease pressure on your back 
• Made from bonded leather to look luxurious 

Cons:

• May take over 30 minutes to assemble 

Dowinx – Best Gaming Chair Under $300

Office chairs can be used as an all-purpose chair for any situation. But if you intend to gaming for hours, consider a racing style gaming chair such as Dowinx instead. The highlight of this chair is it’s lower back massager. It comes with a USB cable to power it’s massager lumber. This helps to relieve any type of fatigue from your lower back, hips, and legs. 

Furthermore, the Dowinx is made from high-quality retro leather designed to be more durable than most PU leather. This material surpasses the industry standard for abrasion resistance and flexing while still maintaining its signature soft touch and plush feel. The Dowinx has all the ingredients for comfort. 

It includes a retractable footrest with up to 170 degrees recline feature, so gamers can essentially take a nap on the chair. Users can lock the angle at any point and can rock back and forth up to a 15-degree difference. The chair is also a wingback design to offer a multi-point body contact that better disperses your body’s weight. 

Pros:

• Comes with a padded footrest 
• Has a maximum weight capacity of 300 pounds 
• Includes a lumbar cushion and headrest pillow 
• Offers a power supply massager to help you relax and stay comfortable 
• Seat has six-inches of high-density memory foam for additional comfort 

Cons:

• Ventilation is the lumbar area would be helpful 

Bilkoh – Best Breathable Office Chair Under $300

Some people prefer sitting on a full mesh seat compared to a plush leather one. Mesh seats provide excellent ventilation and are quite easy to maintain. The Bilkoh office chair considers the human body and has created a mesh back that fully aligns with a human spine to relieve back pressure. Of course, the mesh also keeps your entire body comfortable and cool, especially when sitting for long periods. 

This chair has all of the adjustability features that you could want. Bilkoh can adjust its recline position from 90 to 120 degrees back. The lumbar support can be adjusted vertically up to five inches to meet the height of all individuals. Furthermore, headrest and armrests are also adjustable. The headrest is quite wide, measuring 17 inches across and adjusting angles of up to 45 degrees. Armrests are three dimensional, meaning they can be adjusted horizontally, vertically, and swivel rotation. 

Pros:

• Complete mesh design to allow air to circulate 
• Easy to assemble in five steps 
• Includes an adjustable three-dimensional armrest 
• Backrest and lumbar is adjustable 
• Holds up to 300 pounds and made with a durable base 

Cons:

• Doesn’t have any memory foam cushion on the seating 

Sadie – Best Big and Tall Office Chair Under $300

If you’re a big and tall person, it’s not ideal for getting any old office chair on the market. Big and tall office chairs are specifically designed for people of all shapes and sizes. The Sadie office chair has a maximum capacity of 400 pounds with a wide seat width of 30.31 inches. 

This chair features adjustable lumbar support and height-adjustable arms. The adjustable arms help to support your shoulders and upper body to ensure good posture. And it also uses a cooling mesh back to help users feel cooler, especially in warm climates. Furthermore, the Sadie chair uses a big U-shaped pool with a thick padded memory foam seat for enhanced comfort. Although this chair is missing a few features such as a headrest or footrest, it checks most of our criteria. Lastly, it has smooth-rolling casters to enable users to move the chair as needed easily. 

Pros:

• Has a weight capacity of 400 pounds 
• Breathable mesh fabric to keep you cool and relaxed 
• Includes a knob to adjust the lumbar support depth 
• Comes with all the necessary assembly rolls 
• Has a thick padded seat cushion for long hours of sitting 

Cons:

• Not ideal for short people 

Serta – Best Soft Seat Executive Office Chair Under $300

When it comes to soft seating, there’s nothing plusher than the Serta office chair. The Serta office chair uses a gray bonded leather, which adds to the prestige of this chair. We like how the Serta chair has padding everywhere, including the armrests, backrests, and backrests. This chair is about tilt both back and forth to find a position most comfortable for them. 

The Serta chair has a few features that are unique to this one. It has adjustable armrests, big dynamic rolling casters, along with traditional conventional swivel design. This chair also has a seat width of 19.75 inches and a back height of 23 inches to ensure it fits people of all sizes. 

We enjoy that the manufacturers decided to add a removable lumbar cushion. In addition, this chair also includes seat dimensions, tilt back, a rocking feature, and cable activated armrests. For those who want an affordable chair with all of the proper adjustments, the Serta is an excellent option to choose from. 

Pros:

• Easy to use the button to adjust armrests 
• Made of thick padded gray bonded leather for maximum comfort 
• Wheel casters roll smoothly and silently 
• Very spacious chair with a high back and wide seat 
• Seat has a waterfall design that keeps feet flat on the floor and relieves leg pressure 

Cons:

• Only reclines slightly 

How to Choose the Best Office Chair Under $300 – A Complete Buyer’s Guide

Ergonomics

Many people who work in an office setting spend around eight hours sitting per day. This increases the likelihood of injury. Ergonomics help to reduce pain, boost wellness, and boost productivity by ensuring a healthy posture. 

Most ergonomic chairs design their backs to have a natural S shape to support the spine’s curvature. This reduces the stress on the pelvis and the spins since it prevents slumping. Ergonomics in an office chair means that the chair has features designed to correct bad posture so that every position is aligned for a good seating position. 

Every chair should have adjustments to keep your back in an upright position and your neck in a neutral and relaxed position. In addition, a person’s arms should be parallel to the floor, and their feet should be perfectly flat on the floor to relieve some of the tension of the back of their legs and increase blood circulation. The height should be adjustable so that a person’s monitor should be around eye level, which prevents their neck from being in an uncomfortable position. 

Build Quality

There are many types of materials used for an office chair. However, the best build quality varies from person to person depending on their priorities. Every material has its pros and cons. 

Fabric chairs usually come in a variety of patterns and colors while also being quite cost-effective. This helps people who want to find an office chair to match their existing office decor. It’s also quite durable and easy to clean. However, it does seem to restrict air circulation and make it more likely to cause odors and moistures. 

Although mesh chairs might not seem very comfortable, they are very flexible and supportive. Mesh materials are very flexible, meaning they contour to a person’s body shape and distribute the body weight across the entire back seat. This reduces the pressure the incurs on your spine, buttocks, and hips. Also, it allows for blood circulation and airflow to your back, making this material perfect for warmer climates. The downside is that it can be difficult to clean since it’s highly textured and won’t be as soft as padded or plush materials. 

Vinyl chairs are quite sturdy, durable, and soft, making them excellent material for office chairs. They offer quite a luxurious appearance while also being easy to clean. One of the biggest problems with vinyl chairs is that they do not have much temperature control. It won’t hold the heat in the winter, not will it be breathable in the summer. 

Leather chairs add prestige to your office chair and are often heavily padded with memory foam cushions for enhanced comfort. They’re quite easy to clean and a great option for people with sensitive skin. The problem is that it’s usually quite expensive to purchase leather office chairs. 

Comfort (seat comfort, back comfort, arm comfort)

There are many factors you should look for when determining whether or not an office chair is comfortable. If you’d like a comfortable seat surface, the best material is usually genuine leather or high-grade fabric. For seats with padding, look for a chair that has molded memory foam over cut foam. The high-quality foam tends to contour and shape a person’s body while relieving pressure. It’ll also feel extremely soft but still have the right amount of firmness to support your body in a healthy seated position. 

When it comes to back support, there should be a high backrest to support taller individuals and lumbar support to prevent lower back pain. Consider the upholstery of the back seat. We’ve found that mesh backs perform the best in comfort since it improves blood circulation and has an S-shaped curve for a person’s spine. 

Lastly, arm pads make a huge difference. Having soft pads is much more comfortable than resting your forearms and elbows on a hard surface. Armrests should be adjustable so that it’s perpendicular to your desk and just the right width to work on a desk without straining your arms easily. Having memory foam and paddings around the chair can be a game-changer when it comes to comfort, so it’s crucial to look for chairs that include these extras. 

Adjustability

Having the right adjustments on an office chair adds to your comfort level. Every chair should have the ability to adjust the seat height, width and depth, lumbar support, angle of the backrest, and armrests. The seat height ensures that a person sits at eye level with the monitor, their thighs horizontal even with the desk, and feet flat on the floor. 

The width should be wide enough for a person to sit with about two to four inches of space. Every person needs a different amount of lumbar support since their spine in the lumbar area has an inward curvature. Without lumbar support, this leads to slouching over time. The lumbar support adjustment helps people properly fit their spine to match the inward curve of their spine. 

Typically, most chairs include a reclining angle that ranges from 90 to 155 degrees. The reclining features allow the user to sit in any position desired. After working for hours, it’s relaxing just to take a nap. Lastly, the armrests should be adjustable to keep the person’s forearm elbow and resting comfortably. If the armrests are too wide or too high, it could cause strain on your shoulder or arm. 

Design

Always consider the purpose of your office chair. There are many different types of chairs designed for different purposes. For example, if you need a chair for gaming, it’s better to get a gaming chair instead. Gaming chairs usually come with detachable pillows, winged backrest design, a three or four dimension armrest, and a higher degree of recline than office chairs. 

For those who are big or tall, consider getting a big and tall chair. These chairs are designed to have a weight capacity that ranges from 300 to 1,000 pounds. It also comes with reinforced frames, a wider seat, thicker padding, higher and wider backrests, and higher seat height adjustments. 

If you’re a person who is in a position of power, consider the executive office chairs. Company executives typically are searching for a luxurious chair with comfortable features. It includes extra cushioning and padding on the seat, backrest, headrest, and armrest. It is made with high-quality materials like genuine leather and fine wood. 

Conclusion 

Many people believe that finding a comfortable and ergonomic chair at an affordable price is like looking for a needle in a haystack. But it doesn’t have to be that complicated! As you can see, there are plenty of best value options for under $300. 

Generally, at this price point, you’ll find chairs that have armrests, backrest tilt functions, built-in lumbar support, a headrest, and a weight capacity of at least 250 pounds. These chairs are usually made of a mesh material or faux leather with padding. We’ve hoped you found our list of office chairs under $300 and our buyer’s guide to being helpful in your search for an affordable ergonomic office chair. 

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