Choosing office furniture

Many people and companies purchase office chairs without really knowing how to recognize good ones from less good ones. Let's have a look at what field experience teaches us.

First of all, never buy a chair without testing it: online, everything looks beautiful and comfortable. Secondly, there is a difference between buying a chair for one person and buying a chair for a population. If you buy it for one employee, the chair may be less adjustable, as long as it is the right size! If you buy it for a population, it needs to fit a wider range of morphologies. Hence, the adjustment ranges may need to be larger. These technical specifications will help you choose a chair for a population. 

Bear in mind that the more adjustment possibilities, the bigger the risk that it is not adjusted properly. One may rightfully ask whether more is always better. On the video below, you will discover the usual adjustments possibilities of a good office chair. 

Next, let's see the usual flaws of many chairs on the market:

• too wide: chairs are getting wider and wider. Whilst the width of the seat is per so not very problematic, the armrests tend to be too far apart. Using them will force you to spread the elbows, creating neck strain;
• too deep: if the seat is too deep, you will not make full use of the lumbar support and you will tend to slouch. Some chairs have a backrest that moves above the seat pan, but most chairs have a sliding seat pan. Make sure that you don't feel a gap under your buttocks (i.e. between the seat pan and the backrest) when you sit at the back the chair;
• non-adjustable lumbar support: some chairs a backrest, which you cannot adjust up and down. If the backrest is made of foam, don't buy the chair. If it is made of elastic fabric, it was intended to "adjust automatically" to the shape of your back. However, the support will be less than a well adjusted traditional foam backrest, and it might be less durable. To resolve this, some manufacturers use a reinforcing bar behind the elastic fabric: make sure that it does not create pressure points in your lower back;
• basic armrests: armrests tend to be too far apart, too high and / or hard. Good armrests will be 3D or 4D armrests (i.e. they can be adjusted in width, height, depth, and for 4D rotated inwards). Make sure that they go low enough to not lift your shoulders, and that they are soft padded.

An office chair will last many years (8-10). If you have the cash (400-800€), I advise you to buy a good one: the real monthly cost is actually quite low. Some shops also offer reconditioned or used quality office chairs, which are often a better deal than a new cheap chair. 

Many brands are on the market. Here are two recommendations:

• in 2017, Dauphin has asked me to review 4 chairs: my conclusion was to recommend the Speed-o for light users, the Shape for more intensive users.
• I have been working with Kinnarps for many years because of their great quality-price ratio (incl. an excellent adjustment range). My personal chair is a +8. A cheaper alternative is the Temo.