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Office Chairs Buying Guide UK
Office Chairs Buying Guide UK

Features to consider when choosing a new office chair

Ann Hartnett avatar
Written by Ann Hartnett
Updated over a week ago

Below are some features to consider when choosing a new office chair:

•  Adjustable Height – this is the most important feature of any office chair as you should sit in a position where your feet are rest flat on the floor without any pressure on back of your thighs. Such position allows the right blood circulation and prevents your legs from going numb. To smoothly adjust the office chair’s height, you should choose a chair with a pneumatic lever which is the most convenient system for increasing or decreasing the height in office chairs.

See a range of chairs HERE

•  Lumbar Support – it is a must for all quality office chairs to have a proper backrest which will thoroughly support all parts of the user’s back and allow easy movement of arms and shoulders at the same time. The natural spine position is an S-shape one and office chairs with contoured backrest deliver such support for both lower and middle back.

See a range of chairs with Lumbar Support HERE

If you have an existing chair and you are looking to buy additional back support you can find our full range HERE

•  Adjustable Backrest and Tilt – this function lets you choose the position that is the most comfortable for your type of work. Such mechanism should allow you to move the backrest forward or backward and have a locking mechanism to prevent unwanted movement of the backrest. Office chairs supplied with backrest height adjustability allows you to angle the back to a position which provides the most support for your lower back and gives you the most comfort when working.

•  Armrests – armrests have an important function of taking some of the strain off your back, neck and shoulders. You should choose office chairs with armrests that allow you comfortably rest your arms at angle of 90 degrees and being able to operate a keyboard, mouse, etc. Fixed armrests are usually sufficient for occasional use but for office chairs that are used for 7-8 hours a day you should consider adjustable armrests – the minimum standard should be ability to adjust the height of the armrests.

See a range of chairs with adjustable armrests HERE
See a range of chairs with fixed armrests HERE
See a range of chairs with no armrests HERE

•  Upholstery and Padding – when using an office chair for extended periods on daily basis you should be using office chairs covered with fabric that is able to breathe and provides the user with more comfort. Fabric and mesh are the best choices in terms of breathability and they are the most popular when choosing office seating for everyday general use. Padding is also very important and it should give the user a cross between being comfortable and offer the right support. If the padding is too soft it won’t deliver enough support and if it is too hard it won’t be suitable to sit on for a couple of hours.

See our range of chairs and select your material type HERE

•  Swivel and Castors – swivel is one the features which increase the usability and efficiency of office seating since it allows the user to reach for items that are on various parts of a desk or even beside it without the need to twist your back but the actual chair itself. Proper castors also add on to the functionality of office chairs – it is worth choosing the castors depending on the floor type to allow easy movement of the chair. There are castors which are suitable for hard floors, carpet floors and universal ones which can be used on both types of surfaces.

•  Sliding Seat - this feature allows setting the right depth of the chair seat which depends on the user's height. To sit at the most comfortable position you should be able to have your back against the backrest and a bit of space between back of your knees and the chair seat. If a chair doesn't have a sliding seat option you should choose deeper seat if you are taller and a shallower one if you are not too tall. 

If you require additional chair accessories like you can find them HERE

Office Chair Maintenance

You should carry out a check every 2-3 months for all office chairs that are in use.

You can see a range of our best selling Office Chairs HERE

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