There is nothing I find more infuriating than desk chairs that are designed to look like race car bucket seats. Fake bolsters and fake racing harness holes will not make you game any better. It’s just tacky shit for people who don’t know any better.
They do look horrible. I found a model that at least has sofa fabric, not polyurethane fake leather but still it's a bit tacky. You don't need lateral support on a damn desk chair. But unfortunately these chairs are great value, you can't find office chairs with the same comfort features for that cheap. I paid $400 for my better than average gamer chair while an equal office chair is about $1200.
For anyone looking for a chair that doesn't want to spend >$1000 or get a gaming chair, I recommend looking for an office furniture reseller in your area.
There are a lot of shops that buy used furniture from companies either going out of business or moving.
I was able to get a new Steelcase for like half the price, still had its tags and packaging. Granted this was during covid where a lot of businesses were dumping their in-office supplies, but still worth a look.
That's exactly why I also bought a gaming chair at first. But eventually got the $1200 chair and the expensive office chair is clearly better. But at $400, I would agree some brands of gaming chair offer good solution for the same price.
This. I can't afford a proper ergonomic chair my dude. Gaming chairs are as good as it gets for me. Mine was like below 250€.
I am also a big guy. A proper ergonomic chair for my weight is expensive AF.Which model? Currently searching for one, and that sounds bearable
But unfortunately these chairs are great value, you can't find office chairs with the same comfort features for that cheap.
This is blatantly false. There are tons of options on Amazon alone with better comfort features for the same $400 you listed. I've bought multiple for just about that which are on oar with $1200 chairs. Office chairs over $1000 are almost all Herman Miller and those are just overpriced. There are plenty of options if you just search Amazon for "office chair".
I got my dx racer king on a black Friday deal for a couple hundred dollars off. It had the wider bottom so I can sit on my leg in the least ergonomic way possible and has a lumbar cushion I can move where I want. I've had it for probably 5 years now and it looks brand new having carried my ass for thousands of hours. My only complaint is the arm rests are not comfortable being done hard rubber with no padding. Full price, there are certainly better options, but it has been without a doubt a great chair and I expect another 5+ years out of it. They aren't bad chairs, they just aren't for everyone. I tend to enjoy the flairs in the sides around my shoulders and the aesthetics don't matter to me, so if someone else doesn't like it, I suppose that's on them. I'm not looking to impress anyone with the style of my chair.
They are also not designed for office use. Its bad for your back
Gamer chairs suck, do yourself a favor and just get a proper office chair. I have a Steelcase Leap V2 at home with extra big caster wheels and it's great.
ikea pre owned section👍
I love my SW ret Lab Omega 2020, but I have it at my adjustable standing desk, so if I start to get uncomfortable I just switch modes. I don't think any chair can be totally comfortable for a full work day.
I've owned one that was comfortable for all day use (Steelcase Leap V2) and have had chairs provided by work that were similarly comfortable but I also regularly get up and move around.
My favorite chairs ever were these tall stool type office chairs with a ring at the bottom you could put your feet on: They were standing desk height and we all had standing desks. You could sit in them normally or you could scoot forward a little bit and sit kind of like you would on a knee chair. No idea what they were but if I ever get to pick new office furniture, those would be a strong contender.
I might buy that setup for home one day, but I don't think my Steelcase will ever fail me so I'll probably be using that for the rest of my life haha.
What if you can't even find, or have to import it for your salary, for a chair. Europe issues
Learn to build a good office chair, then start a European chair empire!
Seriously though, maybe look for offices or institutions selling off their old chairs. IDK how it is in Europe, but in America there are auction sites you can use to buy them. If there's something equivalent to Craig's List over there, that might be a good place to look as well. Otherwise, garage sales maybe?
Plenty of good office chairs available for normal prices in Europe...
What's your budget?
Love my Herman Miller aeron (sp?) that I use for gaming. My all day gaming sessions are behind me these days but when I did them I could sit for hours and be comfortable in it. Got it used for $125. Worth every penny.
Buying a used Aeron during all those office liquidation sales a couple years ago is what I did too. It’s really a fantastic chair.
Damn that's a steal, what was the original price?
About 10x that price lol, herman millers are nice but you definitely pay for it.
Not exactly sure, but the person I bought it from worked at the state university and right after I bought it he listed another one. So I’m guessing he got a handful the UNI was tossing and just wanted to make some scratch off them. Can’t blame him. Mine doesn’t have the arms which I actually prefer. I’m pretty sure they still go for over $1000
I'm in the market myself. Where did you get a chair priced that low?
Check out Crandall's, they sell refurbished office chairs or just keep an eye on local postings.
The guy I bought it from worked at the state university so I think he got a few they were getting rid of or something. I just got super lucky looking them up on Craigslist
I mean the similarity is not a coincidence. Gaming chairs are modeled after racing seats which are five point harnesses designed to keep the occupant safe in a car crash... exactly like toddler car seats.
I can see a use for actual racing seats in racing games to enhance the immersion. The faux racing gaming chairs took off because some chair company sponsored streamers. Streamers like them because they're something to look at on stream rather than a bland office chair. For everyone else a bland office chair is way better.
Interesting fact, gaming chairs often have less ergonomic support and less adjustability than office chairs, making them inferior for sitting relative to office chairs.
i feel like i'm in the minority here but i much prefer office chairs that don't have a reclining back. i need something i can press my whole back into for proper support and a reclining back is often a point of failure.
Good toddler car seats have cup holders.
depending on the cup / straw placed in there, seems like an unnecessary injury risk.
POV: you're a neural network and you just figured out how to classify "seat".
I'm glad my gamer chair will help absorb that 70mph impact from drunken Ted on his way home from the bar. That being said, the two chairs probably smell similarly.
Any suggestions on decent chairs? I'm in the market for two chairs for my wife and son doing grad school and college from home.
Everyone says they get aerons or steelcase leaps cheap but in central Texas the best I've seen are 400-600 and at least an hour drive each way. That's still kind of steep for me (especially given the two household members in university right now)
Graco extend 2 fit, which is in the picture, is a good one. Super adjustable, cheap, and with good reviews. Comes with cupholders too!
We've outgrown two of these, shame they don't make them in larger sizes.
I just got the Branch Ergonomic chair on Amazon. Solid, comfortable chair for $369.
A few of my friends got the Autonomous ErgoChair and really like it. It's not at high quality as a Steelcase or Herman Miller, but it's a lot more affordable. I'd rather it than one of these gaming chairs.
Thanks for these suggestions, I will check them out. I've read both good and bad reviews about the various chairs at costco and ikea, they all seem fine to me when I sit in them but then I've had two $100~ chairs start to give out in 8-10 months and then be passively irritating for another year or so before becoming intolerable.
I'm working from home 8+ hours a day in a Lifeform chair that I can't find the model number on the internet(looks kind of like a legacy 900 but different fabric and adjustment arm placement). My mom bought it in a shop in Austin probably 15+ years ago and gave it to me when she closed her office. It's comfortable but extremely heavy and almost too adjustable, all of the moveable parts creak and don't stay where they are set reliably.
Just wrote a comment but Lemmy choked and I don't see it showing up so I'm going to rewrite.... Sorry if this becomes a dupe.
I haven't bought this particular chair, but have bought a few in this style for myself and friends, and I have the link handy because I posted it as an example elsewhere in thread:
https://www.amazon.com/PatioMage-Ergonomic-Adjustable-Armrest-Computer/dp/B0BLJLP7FM
These style of chair are very ergonomic, extremely breathable, and very comfortable for long periods of time. I can't vouch for this specific brand and it's quality, and the foot rest thing looks a bit gimmicky, but this mesh style chair is generally pretty high up in terms of function and comfort, while still being relatively cheap.
It's pretty comparable to the sihoo doro mentioned in another comment, but figured I'd point out there are a few similar options on Amazon and I've bought multiple in that style directly off Amazon and never had a problem - just check reviews etc.
I highly recommend these over anything with foam/flat bases and backs - your spine and body are curved, and you don't want to press yourself against flat boards for long periods of time. You get "one point of contact" and that gets uncomfortable. And foam wears out over time. Mesh conforms to your body and supports you evenly across the surface, and is way more comfortable. I've had mesh chairs for over 5 years that are still just as comfortable as the day I bought it. The foam armrests tend to be what gives out first.
that looks nice, we have a lower frills version of the mesh chairs at the office which are comfortable enough except that they aren't quite tall enough for me
Sihoo Doro C300 - as long as you're shorter than 178 cm you shouldn't regret it. $300 USD on their US website. The lumbar support is amazing.
Toddler car seats actually have good lumbar support though.
You hold babies because they are unable to spell. I hold babies because they refuse too. We are not the same.
Not sure if intentional...
I had that chair. It's fucking terrible. My back has never been so sore
Are you a toddler?
You know I thought it was weird it had instructions for putting it in the back seat of the car when I was just trying to see my fucking monitor
"asking for my son"
well those gaming chairs are definitely not comfort chairs, that's for sure
They are usually just terrible chairs in general.
I have a gaming chair, but I have to put a Mexican blanket over it because I sweat a lot if I just sit directly on the fake leather.
most fake leather seats are bad
These chairs are such bullshit. Anyone that has one is a toddler indeed.
The main difference between them is that far more research goes into carseats than gamer chairs.
honestly I have a secret lab titan and i'm really happy with it, even if it is a car seat
I have a Secret Labs chair at home and at work. I am so very picky with chairs too. I have the Titan at home and the Omega at work. The Omega is just a bit too small, but I really like them both. Better than the $500 crap mesh back office chairs they got for everyone.
Yeah even though I'm short af I got the Titan XL, no regrets at all, super comfy, it's a little big but honestly that makes it more comfy imo
Yeah I dont know if toddlers like their car seat though. My niece and nephew hate getting in them.
My comfort chair is a wooden chair that i also use for gaming
What is your favorite flavor of ice? Just plain water?
Noooooo, Car seats are actually comfortable.
My computer chair doesn't rotate or rock. It's fame is thick solid steel. I helped make it. The seat is nice and wide too.
does a wooden chair count
I have one, but it's not very comfortable.
Gamer chairs are a good litmus test of whether or not someone has any sense whatsoever.
Btw, is Herman Miller chairs really that good? Or is it the branding and history that makes all of us think they are good, but in reality they are just meh, average, or slightly above average?
They're good, but I wouldn't say "that good". They cost way more than they should though.
Gaming chairs are basically impersonating race car seats, which are designed to be safe and keep you inside them at high speeds. They are not designed to be comfortable or ergonomic. Companies have started adding weird pads to them to make them seem more legit, but they are still not ergonomic or good for long term sitting.
Office chairs in the other hand, are usually made to be sat in comfortably and properly for long periods of time.
I recommend finding "Herman-Miller-like" chairs, or finding cheap Herman-Millers being sold used etc. I highly recommend mesh backs and bases, as they are way more comfortable than any amount of padding, and they are often pretty ergonomic. They're also way more breathable than a foam pad.
Look at a side view of a spine/skeleton and note that it's curvy and s shaped - you don't want to press that up against flat boards for long periods of time.
Herman-Miller chairs are good, but they're not $1000+ good. You can find plenty of equivalent or better stuff in the $300-$500 range if you just poke around for decent office chairs.
As someone who has an HM chair, I second all the above
If money is no object, than an HM is the best, but it's only "the best" by a relatively thin margin compared to a $500 chair of similar build. You'll only really notice the difference in a side by side comparison
I think they are overrated. I have worked in offices with them and with other chairs and couldn't tell a difference.
No.
What is good are fully supported recliners.
They're just currently out of fashion.
There is nothing I find more infuriating than desk chairs that are designed to look like race car bucket seats. Fake bolsters and fake racing harness holes will not make you game any better. It’s just tacky shit for people who don’t know any better.
