How to Select the Office Chair That’s Right For You

But probably the best lumbar adjustment on any chair WIRED has tested is the Anthros V2 (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which offers vertical and horizontal lumbar support that can adjust to the precise architecture of your back.

You can also jury-rig a solution with a low-cost lumbar pillow like this one from LoveHome—which is also useful on trans-oceanic flights.

Armrests Matter Less Than You Think

A goodly portion of chairs advertise 4D or 5D armrest positioning—tilting this way and that, rotating, moving wider or narrower. This is important, but not because you need armrests for good ergonomics. You don’t, says ergonomics expert Egbert. Your arms can hang naturally, by virtue of being attached to your shoulders.

“Most of us don’t actually need—or use, for that matter—the armrests on our chair,” Egbert told me. “If I’m sitting correctly, my arm should be at the side of my body while I’m typing, right? I don’t need to support them with armrests.”

Armrests can be nice when you’re leaning back, and many people feel more secure when sitting in a chair with comfy armrests. But ergonomically speaking, armrests should mostly be able to be moved out of the way. They need to adjust low enough, or far enough back, that they don’t interfere with pushing your chair in or maintaining good posture.

“What happens, especially with the cheaper chairs, is that those armrests are big and in the way,” says Egbert. She often recommends armless chairs, though she acknowledges that some people take time to get comfortable with this and feel like they’re “falling out of their seat.” (Note: Most adults don’t fall sideways out of their office chair.)

My colleague Julian Chokkattu’s favorite armless chair is the Humanscale Path ($1,472), which accommodates a broad range of seating positions. Higher-end chairs like the Steelcase Karman ($1,099) are also available in armless variants that allow more freedom in how you sit.