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Which adjustments are real, and which are just words
Updated
Most chairs sold as ergonomic adjust in one or two ways. A few adjust in six or seven. The listing title will not tell you which kind you are looking at. The spec table, the maker's chart and the owner summary will.
The adjustments, in order of how much they matter
- Seat height. Every chair has it. What matters is the range. See the calculator.
- Seat depth, also called seat slide. The seat moves forward and back so the gap behind your knees is right. It is rare on Amazon. Of our seven picks, only the HON Ignition 2.0 listing shows it.
- Lumbar. "Lumbar support" can mean a fixed curve in the back. "Adjustable lumbar" should mean a pad that moves up and down. Some also move in and out. If the listing does not say which way it moves, assume up and down only.
- Arms. Makers count directions. 1D is height. 2D often adds width or front to back. 3D and 4D add pivot. Flip-up arms swing out of the way but may not change height. Fixed arms do nothing, and if they are too high they keep you from pulling up to the desk.
- Tilt. A basic tilt rocks the whole chair from a point under the seat, which lifts your knees. Synchro-tilt leans the back more than the seat, so your feet stay down. Tilt lock holds an angle. Tilt tension sets how hard you have to push. Weight-activated chairs like the Steelcase Series 1 set the tension for you.
- Headrest. Helpful when you lean back. It does little while you type.
How to check a listing in two minutes
- Look for a chart from the maker. The SIHOO and HON listings we read both had one, with rows for armrest type, seat depth and seat height.
- Then read the owner summary. It can disagree with the chart. The maker's chart for the SIHOO M18 says 2D armrests. The owner summary on the same page says the armrests are not adjustable.
- Watch for one number where a range should be. Five of our seven picks list a single seat height, or a number that is clearly not the seat height.
- Check that the listing agrees with itself. One listing we read gave a 3 year warranty in the bullets and 5 years in the spec table.
Mesh or foam
- Mesh back: cooler. Most of our picks have one.
- Mesh seat: cooler still, and there is no foam to go flat. The frame edge can be firm under your thighs if the seat is too deep for you. The GABRYLLY has a mesh seat.
- Foam seat: softer at first. Owners of several foam-seat picks are split on firmness, so comfort is personal.
- Bonded leather: wipes clean and looks formal, but it runs warm. The owner summary for one bonded leather Amazon chair we read said the material was tearing and wearing away.