_The __Insider Picks__ team writes about stuff we think you'll like. Business Insider has affiliate partnerships so we may get a share of the revenue from your purchase._ _[office chair 4x3]_ THE INSIDER PICK: * IF YOU SPEND THE MAJORITY OF YOUR DAY PARKED IN YOUR OFFICE CHAIR, YOU OWE IT TO YOUR BODY TO CHOOSE A CHAIR THAT GETS AN A+ FOR ERGONOMICS. OUR TOP PICK FOR THE COMFIEST OFFICE CHAIR IS THE STEELCASE LEAP. If you are like the majority of office workers, you spend as much time in your desk chair as you do in your bed. Those sedentary hours wreak havoc on your body if you sit in a chair that isn’t designed for proper ergonomics — a word that comes from the Greek “ergon,” meaning work, and “nomoi,” which means natural law. With so many people spending their workday sitting in front of a computer — a position that is not natural for the body to hold for long periods of time — cumulative stress contributes to problems like bursitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, trigger finger, osteoarthritis, back and neck pain, headache, poor posture, and eye strain, including blurriness, eye pain, dry eyes, and reduced focusing ability. Because most of these problems come on slowly, it’s often difficult to recognize them until the pain becomes severe enough to limit function. Ergonomically designed workstations and chairs help to prevent damage before it begins, leading to a more comfortable and healthy workplace. Whether you work from the corner office of a large corporation, a small cubicle, a home office, or even at your kitchen table, we want you feeling good and remain healthy for a lifetime. That’s why we did the research to bring you five hard-working office chairs that raise sitting to an art form. We've also included some tips on how to set up an ergonomic workstation and how best to sit in your new office chair. ALTHOUGH THE STEELCASE LEAP IS OUR TOP PICK, FOR VARIOUS REASONS LAID OUT IN THE SLIDES BELOW, YOU SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER THE KNOLL REGENERATION, THE HERMAN MILLER AERON, THE HERMAN MILLER SAYL, AND THE OFFICE STAR AIRGRID. THE BEST OFFICE CHAIR OVERALL Steelcase WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: SPEND JUST ONE WORK DAY IN THE STEELCASE LEAP, AND YOU'LL KNOW WHY IT'S ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR OFFICE CHAIRS IN THE WORLD. Although it’s nothing fancy to look at, the beauty of the Steelcase Leap lies in its design, which is the end result of four years of research into the perfect back support for the human spine. Called the LiveBack system, the seat and backrest of the chair adjust independently and mimic the shape of your spine for all-day ergonomic sitting comfort. You can also adjust the armrests and the height of the chair to your specifications. The chair glides easily over hard or carpeted flooring and reclines comfortably so you can vary your position throughout the day. Just about every list of the best office chairs includes the Steelcase Leap, including our own earlier buying guide. The Wirecutter recently replaced the Steelcase Leap with the newer Steelcase Gesture as its top pick, due to its slightly increased level of adjustability, but the expert reviewers still highly recommend the Leap. Gear Patrol chose the Steelcase Leap as “The Best Office Chair for Commercial Use,” praising its excellent design, and adding, “It’s 98-percent recyclable and blanket-wrapped for domestic delivery (instead of boxed) to reduce shipping costs.” PROS: Ergonomic design and excellent construction, plus 12-year warranty CONS: Expensive, the seat and back can be hot BUY THE STEELCASE LEAP ON AMAZON FOR $639.99 IN BLACK OR $942.00 FOR OTHER COLORS THE BEST CHAIR FOR YOUR HOME OFFICE Knoll WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: NOT ONLY DOES THE KNOLL REGENERATION SUPPORT YOUR BODY IN JUST ABOUT ANY SITTING POSITION, IT LOOKS GOOD, TOO. The Knoll ReGeneration is an attractive, streamlined desk chair that curves and flexes just like your spine to improve your sitting posture, provide blessed relief to your lower back, and help make those 8-hour days feel just a little better. The Knoll ReGeneration is an update of the classic Knoll Generation, and provides support through 270-degrees of rotation, meaning you can twist nearly all the way around in the chair and still have good back support (not that we recommend you do that). The flex seat and flex back net adjust in nearly limitless ways, so you can get the exact support you need, whether you’re sitting up straight at your computer, or reclining a bit to think. Wired devoted an entire review to this chair, and the reviewer loved it, stating, “This is a chair any connoisseur could appreciate.” Wired also liked the eco-friendliness of the chair — which is partially made from recycled materials — along with the supreme adjustability, even in twisted positions. Digital Trends also likes the Knoll ReGeneration in its review, saying it's flexible and sturdy enough to give you the support you need. The reviewer also liked that Knoll uses soy- and corn-based materials to produce the chair. The only downside is the high price tag. PROS: Supreme ergonomic design, streamlined good looks, superior adjustability in almost any position CONS: Might be a little hot if you sweat easily, expensive BUY THE KNOLL REGENERATION FROM HOUZZ FOR $708 THE BEST CLASSIC OFFICE CHAIR Herman Miller WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT: THERE’S MORE TO THE HERMAN MILLER AERON THAN GOOD LOOKS — IT’S ONE OF THE MOST ERGONOMIC OFFICE CHAIRS OUT THERE. You’d be hard pressed to find a review of the best desk chairs that didn’t include the Herman Miller Aeron. The chair is so iconic, it’s in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Originally released in 1994, this sleekly designed ergonomic masterpiece has no straight lines, no foam, no padding, and no leather. Instead, it’s mostly mesh, woven to provide intuitive support just where you need it. Made in large part from recycled materials, and 94% recyclable itself, the Aeron is eco-friendly as well as body-friendly. The Wirecutter recommends this chair for anyone who finds foam padding too hot. When Lifehacker asked its readers to vote for the best office chair, more than 40 percent of the nearly 5,000 votes went to the Aeron, which Lifehacker describes as, “Probably one of the most famous office chairs in the world, the Aeron chair set a new standard for ergonomics and comfort when it was released.” The Aeron has all sorts of ergonomic features: Kinemat tilt, which lets your body flex naturally; Pellicle suspension to dissipate body heat; a PostureFit mechanism to properly align your pelvis and spine; and a contoured back to reduce pressure on your spine. One complaint that does occasionally crop up, however, is that the Aeron has a plastic “lip” around the seat of the chair that can make fidgeting or shifting sideways uncomfortable. The other obvious downside to this chair is its high price tag. PROS: Classic ergonomic design, very breathable, intuitively and individually adjustable CONS: Expensive, and the plastic lip around the seat can bother some sitters BUY THE HERMAN MILLER AERON CHAIR ON AMAZON FOR $939 AND UP, DEPENDING ON COLOR SEE THE REST OF THE STORY AT BUSINESS INSIDER
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