Best budget office chairs UK in 2023: under £150
Affordable office chairs that won’t break the bank - but will help your back.
Buy a good office chair — it's one of the most common pieces of advice for people who work from home. But have you seen how much some of those chairs actually cost? Normal-looking task chairs you might see in offices can cost more than £1000.
Most of us don't have that sort of money to spend. However, you don't have to splash out that much to get a chair that will keep your posture in check and avoid low-back and neck pain.
Easy adjustment? Breathable mesh panels? Dedicated lumbar support? You can get all of these in a seat that costs less than £150 — and some of our recommendations land at well under £100.
We understand what makes a great budget office chair. In fact, as we write this, we're seated on one of our favorite budget options, the Yaheetech Office Chair, which costs less than £100 and is excellent value for money.
This chair has helped improve our posture during the pandemic and we wholeheartedly recommend it. Our guide includes this chair and more, making it easy for you to find the right office chair that fits your needs and budget.
All the chairs included in our guide are budget-friendly but still offer solid features and the essential components you need from an office chair you’ll be sitting in all day long. While they may not have the same level of style or features as a high-priced chair, they are practical and functional.
If you're in search of an office chair with no budget constraints, we also have a guide to the best office chairs in the UK, featuring options ranging from £100 to £1,000.
Best budget office chairs UK
While the brand sounds like something Matthew McConaughey would shout in one of his ultra-hip movies, COMHOMA is more at home producing well-built, comfortable office chairs. We like the curved backrest, the spongey seat and it's the sort of chair that matches pretty much any office environment. Oh, and the arms flip up, which may sound like something trivial but is great if you need to save a bit of space when you aren't using the thing, as it'll fit nicely under your desk as a result.
Our butts are sitting on this one right now. Of course we could have gone with something far more expensive - ahem - but why would we when the Yaheetech offers a decent amount of comfort and that all-important reclining option for those times when we close our eyes to 'think'. It's easy to put together, durable and has castors, which are no use in our 6x10-foot office-shed but we're sure someone somewhere will find them of benefit.
Velvet?! In an office?! Yep, we are going all Mad Men here, having cocktails at 2pm and relaxing after one too many in our Hironpal office chair. The fabric is easy clean, it has a 360-degree swivel and a gas lever to get you to the perfect height. This is definitely one to consider if your room is an office in the day and something entirely different in the night, as it should suit both needs. Note: while this one is £109, there seems to be a £30 delivery charge added. It still means it's under £150 but worth mentioning.
Habitat is known for its reliable and budget-friendly homewares and we highly recommend its Brixham office chair if you're looking for an understated design and decent comfort for well under £100. It doesn't have the features you'd get from a more premium office chair, like ultimate adjustment, but the faux leather is comfy and looks nice. Although you can't customize it to your preferences as much as pricier models, you can swivel and tilt it to find the right angle for you, and adjust the height with its smooth gas lift mechanism.
While Life Carver sounds like a fancy job title for the modern world ("What do I do? Well, I life carve dahling"), it's actually a brand that makes very affordable, very comfy office chairs. We like the rounded seat on this one and while there is a distinct lack of arms, adding them would only ruin the minimalist look. You do get castors and easy height adjustment, though.
The Penny is John Lewis's budget take on the classic task chair, made for serious work rather than just to look good. However, we think there's a certain breeziness to its lines that make it appear a little less serious than those of the classic brands. That may appeal if you don't want your home to be turned into an actual office. Its back is mesh, for breathability. And while there's no dedicated lumbar support, the shape is designed to nudge you towards better habits.
Check the Milton out if you want a serious-looking chair selling for sensible money. Two of the important features you get here not often seen in more affordable chairs include a dedicated neck/head support and a lumbar support piece. You'll be glad of its mesh back in the summer too. Sure, the adjustments on offer aren't going to match those of a £1000-plus office chair, but the Habitat Milton does have gas lift, swivel and tilt.
The Markus is the classic IKEA office chair. However, that doesn't quite fit into the budget for today, so we're looking at the Flintan instead. It's a less imposing, perhaps cuter, chair that still offers a tilting mesh back rest, handy for those moments you want to be able to relax a bit at your desk. If buying for a home office, make sure to check out the beige version, which has a much less stiff appearance. The removable seat cover waves away worries about stains too.
While whistling has no place in the modern office, this Whistler chair has melted our cold, dead hearts thanks to its beautiful look and comfort factor. This isn't an executive style office chair, but one that wouldn't look out of place in a kitchen, study or wherever your makeshift desk is. You can move the seat up and down so you don't look tiny in those Zoom calls (all while sitting on the thing) and it comes in mustard or grey. The castors are suitable for all floors, too, so no worries about scratch marks as you rumble over your faux oak flooring in search of another coffee.
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