How to choose the perfect desk chair

It's a fact that we spend a good portion of our days sitting at a desk — and possibly in front of a screen — for either leisure, work or study. That's why we should make sure we're spending that time as comfortable as possible and, therefore, why choosing the chair in which you are going to sit is so important.

If you’re thinking about buying a new desk chair, but don’t know which one is right for you, be sure to check out this practical guide , which will clear up any doubts you may have and help you pick your perfect office chair.

Beige FLINTAN chair in a workspace with a black trestle table

There is not just one universal desk chair

So, the main focus when choosing a good desk chair is its features and whether these meet your needs. Take note of the technical details (whether it's ergonomic, what type of seat it has, whether it has armrests and whether it's adjustable), these will really make a difference.

Discover our desk and office chairs!

Workspace with black FLINTAN chair and yellow chest of drawers

Discover our desk and office chairs!

Material and structure

Let’s start with the material that the chair is made of. You can find all sorts of textures, but our biggest recommendation is choosing one made of breathable material (especially important during the hot summer months) and — even more important — durable material. Consider that this seat will form part of your daily routine and should continuously support both your weight and your postural changes during the day. Ah! And if you want extra comfort and softness, make sure that your desk chair has a layer of padding.

Seat and backrest

If you want a comfortable desk chair, the most important thing is that it is an adjustable chair. We should pay particular attention to both the seat and the backrest of our work chairs.  For it to be ergonomic, an office chair should adapt both to your body and to your desk, in terms of, for example, the height of the table in relation to your torso. If the chair is too low or too high, we might suffer back problems, which is exactly what we're hoping to avoid when we choose to buy a chair like this.  To avoid this, make sure that you can adjust the height of the chair and that the backrest fits properly to your back and offers good support in the lumbar region. In fact, the ideal height of a chair allows us to have our hips and knees at a 95-100° angle and our feet flat on the ground. We should be able to stretch our legs under the table and turn 90° to the right and the left with ease.

Necessary armrests

Are armrests really necessary for a desk chair?This thought has surely crossed your mind more than once. Well, in our opinion, they are extremely important! Although not normally the feature that determines its purchase, the armrests on a desk chair are really helpful for (as the name suggests) resting your arms and forearms and, by doing so, reducing the feeling of fatigue in your neck. What do you think? Of course, a chair without armrests is not necessarily worse, as these also offer something positive in that they provide more freedom of movement.

Large workspace with TROTTEN table and black ergonomic chair with high backrest

How you should sit at your desk

Now that you know the basic features you need to consider when choosing a desk chair, all that's left is buying it and starting to enjoy it. But… be careful! Don’t let your guard down.Having a good work chair doesn't mean you can forget about good working practices that help prevent back problems and other aches and pains.