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- 5 things to consider when choosing an office chair
How to choose an office chair that is right for you - A complete buyer’s guide
A good office chair follows your movements, reduces the risk of strain injuries and helps you sit correctly. In other words, finding a chair that suits you is worth its weight in gold, both for your well-being and your performance. But which model meets your requirements in terms of comfort, design and ergonomics? We have listed five things to consider before your purchase.
1. How many hours do you sit down?
The most important question is the number of hours you usually sit down in a typical day. The more you use the chair, the better it needs to be. In order for you to easily find a chair that matches your needs, we have divided our range according to recommended sitting time: 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours. We have everything from simple chairs for those who rarely sit down, to more exclusive options that offer optimal comfort, even during those long work shifts.
4 hours: If you're often on the go and only sit down for short periods, a relatively simple chair will do.
8 hours: If you sit down throughout most of the working day, you'll need a quality chair with good adjustment options.
12 hours: Do you usually sit down for several hours straight? You should choose a desk chair with all comforts.
24 hours: Do you work in a control room or something similar and find it difficult to leave at times? If you work for long hours, you need a chair that meets extremely high demands on adjustment options and outstanding comfort!
2. Choose mechanisms according to your movements
The chair's seat and back should follow your movements as you change seating position. The relationship between the backrest and the seat is controlled by the mechanism of the chair.
Permanent contact back (PCB): The backrest moves to follow the upper body’s movements, maintaining continuous support, while the seat remains fixed in place. This mechanism allows you to easily vary your working position without losing lumbar support.
Swing: The swing function is a simple mechanism where the back and seat maintain the same angle to each other even when swinging. The resistance is set according to your body weight.
Synchronised: Seat and back interact in a 1:2 ratio, when you recline the backrest by two steps, the seat tilts forward by one step. This allows you to lean back comfortably without your legs lifting off the floor. The mechanism usually includes a lock function to fix the chair in preferred recline positions.
Multi-synchronous: Similar to the synchronised mechanism, the seat and backrest work in a 1:2 ratio, but with added flexibility. You can disengage the seat tilt, allowing the backrest to recline independently. This feature lets you stretch and move more freely, promoting better blood circulation and comfort during long sitting periods.
Asynchronous: The seat and backrest move independently of each other, giving you full control to adjust the angle of the seat tilt and the recline of the backrest separately. This allows for highly customised positioning to suit individual ergonomic needs but can be more complex to operate than synchronised or multi-synchronous mechanisms.
Permanent contact back (PCB): The backrest moves to follow the upper body’s movements, maintaining continuous support, while the seat remains fixed in place. This mechanism allows you to easily vary your working position without losing lumbar support.
Swing: The swing function is a simple mechanism where the back and seat maintain the same angle to each other even when swinging. The resistance is set according to your body weight.
Synchronised: Seat and back interact in a 1:2 ratio, when you recline the backrest by two steps, the seat tilts forward by one step. This allows you to lean back comfortably without your legs lifting off the floor. The mechanism usually includes a lock function to fix the chair in preferred recline positions.
Multi-synchronous: Similar to the synchronised mechanism, the seat and backrest work in a 1:2 ratio, but with added flexibility. You can disengage the seat tilt, allowing the backrest to recline independently. This feature lets you stretch and move more freely, promoting better blood circulation and comfort during long sitting periods.
Asynchronous: The seat and backrest move independently of each other, giving you full control to adjust the angle of the seat tilt and the recline of the backrest separately. This allows for highly customised positioning to suit individual ergonomic needs but can be more complex to operate than synchronised or multi-synchronous mechanisms.
3. Look for ergonomic features
In order for the chair to give you the right support, it must be able to be adapted to your height, weight and body shape. Since we are all different, you should look for a chair with several different adjustment options. Make sure to use all the functions of the chair and adjust it at regular intervals, and you will avoid a static sitting position.
Adjustable seat height: Controlled by your height. The correct height is to have the entire sole of the foot on the floor when the back is pressed against the backrest.
Adjustable seat depth: Ensures blood circulation down to the lower legs and feet. Adjust so that you get a fist between the chair and the knee when the sole of the foot is on the floor.
Adjustable backrest height: Makes the backrest follow the natural curvature of the lumbar spine and pelvis.
Tiltable seat: Provides a good posture by tilting the seat slightly forward while keeping your hips slightly higher than your knees.
Adjustable armrests: Correct adjustment both vertically and laterally relieves the arms and the muscles in the neck, shoulders and shoulders.
What is ergonomics – really?
Adjustable seat height: Controlled by your height. The correct height is to have the entire sole of the foot on the floor when the back is pressed against the backrest.
Adjustable seat depth: Ensures blood circulation down to the lower legs and feet. Adjust so that you get a fist between the chair and the knee when the sole of the foot is on the floor.
Adjustable backrest height: Makes the backrest follow the natural curvature of the lumbar spine and pelvis.
Tiltable seat: Provides a good posture by tilting the seat slightly forward while keeping your hips slightly higher than your knees.
Adjustable armrests: Correct adjustment both vertically and laterally relieves the arms and the muscles in the neck, shoulders and shoulders.
What is ergonomics – really?
4. A few more choices and accessories
In addition to features related to ergonomics and movement patterns, you can also add specific accessories and features. Arm and headrests are available as options for our simpler models, otherwise they are included in the basic version of the office chairs.
High or low back: This is mainly a matter of taste, but the basic rule is low back if you are shorter, high back if you are a little taller.
Headrest: A stylish detail and practical function in one. This is often used as a head support, but the support should be in the neck to relieve the neck and shoulders.
Armrests: Should relieve the shoulders and should be adjustable in depth so that you can rest your forearms either on the table or on the armrests. On some chairs can be adjusted vertically and laterally.
Mesh back: This is not only a matter of appearance but also has a practical function. The mesh back lets air through and is a perfect choice if you easily get a little warm!
Variance: Supplement your regular office chair with an active chair to further change up your working position. Balance chairs, balance balls and pilates stools strengthen the body while you sit down and work. A saddle chair gives you a natural and ergonomic sitting position.
Why choose active seating?
High or low back: This is mainly a matter of taste, but the basic rule is low back if you are shorter, high back if you are a little taller.
Headrest: A stylish detail and practical function in one. This is often used as a head support, but the support should be in the neck to relieve the neck and shoulders.
Armrests: Should relieve the shoulders and should be adjustable in depth so that you can rest your forearms either on the table or on the armrests. On some chairs can be adjusted vertically and laterally.
Mesh back: This is not only a matter of appearance but also has a practical function. The mesh back lets air through and is a perfect choice if you easily get a little warm!
Variance: Supplement your regular office chair with an active chair to further change up your working position. Balance chairs, balance balls and pilates stools strengthen the body while you sit down and work. A saddle chair gives you a natural and ergonomic sitting position.
Why choose active seating?
Office Chair LANCASTER
£499.00
Office Chair MARLOW
£215.00
5. Colour, shape and material
Once you've found the office chairs that match your needs, it's time to consider perhaps a more fun part: choosing how they will look. You might need to think about what style suits your desk. Our computer chairs work just as well in the small home office as they would in a large company office. Many chairs are available in several colors so it's possible to furnish with either the same model in different colors or the same color but different models! In terms of material, hard wearing fabrics are the most common, but we also offer artificial/faux leather and real leather chairs. The choice is yours!
Want some tips on what to choose? We list the best office chairs of 2025!
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HURRAY is a AJ Product's exclusively designed office chair. HURRAY is stylish, sustainable and supportive:
- Lightly enveloping backrest that follows the natural curve of your spine
- Seat and backrest are ergonomically molded for extra comfort
- The upholstery is made of 100% recycled polyester and is removable and washable
- The headrest can be adjusted in both height and angle -
The STANLEY office chair is a budget-friendly model that does not compromise on comfort:
- The chair has adjustable lumbar support for extra comfort
- The mesh-covered backrest provides comfortable air flow
- The synchronous mechanism keeps movement balanced and natural -
Our classic office chair STIRLING is a really comfortable chair with a high back:
- The chair's seat, backrest and headrest are generously padded
- The backrest and headrest are adjustable in height to provide good support
- The synchronous mechanism ensures balanced, ergonomic movement between the seat and backrest.
- The armrests can be changed in both height and side direction -
LANCASTER is an office chair with a stylish design and a wide selection of color options:
- Upholstered in a durable fabric made from 100% recycled PET bottles
- The synchronous mechanism supports natural, ergonomic motion
- Sleek design with a narrow seat and back
- The chair's seat and backrest are upholstered with molded foam for extra comfort -
RAMSEY is our office chair with the highest comfort and high demands on functionality:
- Certified for 24-hour use, suitable for long work shifts
- Inflatable lumbar cushion for extra support
- The chair has a rocking mechanism that can be adjusted according to body weight
- The armrests are fully adjustable in in both height and side direction and angle can be folded up
Our wide range ensures that you will find an office chair that suits you, no matter who you are. If you have trouble choosing, you are always welcome to contact us – we will be happy to help you!
FAQ
- The best office chair is the one that fits you and your conditions. The chair should be adapted to you, not the other way around!
- The key factors to consider when choosing an office chair include the amount of time you spend sitting, the mechanism that allows the right kind of movement, ergonomic features, additional choices and accessories, and the color, design, and material of the chair.
- The PCB (Permanent Contact Back) mechanism allows the backrest to follow the movements of your upper body while the seat is fixed. The lock tilt mechanism is a simple mechanism where the back and seat retain the same angle to each other even when rocking. The synchro mechanism allows the seat and back to interact in a 1:2 ratio, which means that the seat changes one degree to every two degrees that the back moves when rocking. The multi-synchro mechanism also allows the seat and back to interact in a 1:2 ratio, but it also has the option of decoupling the seat, which makes it easy to stretch the body from time to time and increase blood circulation to the legs and feet. The asynchro mechanism allows the tilt of the seat and backrest to be adjusted independently, and either be fixed in the most comfortable position or left to follow your movements (free float). This allows you to tailor your seating position completely to your preferences.
- Ergonomic features that are important in an office chair include adjustable seat height, adjustable seat depth, adjustable backrest height, tiltable seat, adjustable armrests, high or low back, headrest, armrests, breathable mesh back, and lumbar pump.
- The benefits of using an office chair with ergonomic features include reduced back pain, improved posture, and increased productivity.
- Office chairs with a high level of adjustability are essential for people who spend a lot of time sitting at their desks. This means that the chair should have adjustable seat height, backrest height, armrests, lumbar support, and tilt. Additionally, chairs with features such as a rocking mechanism or a swivel base can help to keep you engaged and prevent you from sitting in one position for too long.
- Mesh back is a type of upholstery that is made of a mesh material. This material is breathable and allows air to flow through, which can help to keep you cool and comfortable, especially if you tend to get hot while sitting. Breathable upholstery is a more general term that can refer to any upholstery that is made of a material that allows air to flow through. This could include mesh, fabric, or leather.
- Adjustable lumbar support is a type of lumbar support that can be adjusted to fit the curvature of your lower back. This can help to provide better support and reduce back pain. Inflatable lumbar support is a type of lumbar support that can be inflated or deflated to adjust the amount of support it provides. This can be helpful for people with different levels of lumbar support needs.
- You should always be able to reach the ground with your feet, otherwise your chair is too high. Make sure your back is in contact with the backrest and that the headrest is at the height of your neck, not your head.
- Active furniture is furniture that is designed to encourage movement and reduce the risk of sitting for extended periods of time. Active furniture includes chairs with features such as rocking mechanisms, adjustable seats, and swivel bases.
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