A chair is the one piece of home office equipment you are in physical contact with for more hours than anything else in the room. This guide covers five chairs across genuinely different budgets, chosen for what actually separates a good chair from an expensive one — not just price.
Quick answer: The FlexiSpot C7 is our pick for most people. Choose the Sihoo M18 if budget is the priority, the Herman Miller Aeron if you want the category benchmark, or the Herman Miller Embody specifically if back pain is your problem to solve.
Who this guide is for
Anyone choosing their first proper office chair, or replacing one that is causing genuine discomfort. It assumes you have already read our home office setup guide, which explains why the chair should be the first thing you get right.
Who this guide is not for
If you already own a chair you are happy with and are focused on the rest of the setup, see our standing desk buying guide instead.
A note on how this guide was built: WorkMode HQ has not tested any of these chairs hands-on yet. This guide is built from manufacturer specifications and a synthesis of independent published testing, clearly labelled as such. We will update this guide as our own testing catches up. See our Methodology.
How we evaluated these chairs
Before naming a single product, here is what a chair has to demonstrate to appear in this guide: independent seat height, backrest angle and lumbar adjustment — not fixed or token versions of these — a stated weight capacity that covers a genuine range of body types, and enough independent testing coverage that we are not relying on a single source.
Best overall — FlexiSpot C7
Price: £250–350. Independent sources consistently name this as a top-rated mid-range chair, with the adjustment range — seat depth, lumbar height and tilt tension — that separates a genuine ergonomic chair from one that merely looks like it has these features. This is the price band where those adjustments stop being token gestures and start actually working. Read our full FlexiSpot C7 review for the detailed breakdown.
Best value — Sihoo M18
Price: £135–170. Multiple independent UK sources name this as exceptional value, offering a mesh back with built-in headrest, adjustable lumbar support and adjustable armrests — features often missing at this price point entirely. The seat cushion is described as comfortable for full workdays, though not as refined as pricier models in the same range. Read our full Sihoo M18 review for the detailed breakdown, including a real fit constraint worth knowing before you buy.
Best premium — Herman Miller Aeron
Price: £1,300–1,800. The chair every other chair in this category gets measured against, and the reference point competitors cite even when arguing a cheaper option is good enough. Independent sources describe genuinely all-day comfort across extended sessions, in three sizes to fit a wider range of body types than most competitors offer. Read our full Herman Miller Aeron review for the detailed breakdown.
Best budget — Ticova
Price: around £130. Independent testing describes this as the floor for genuine ergonomic features — adjustable lumbar, headrest and 3D armrests — below which nothing tested offers a comparably comfortable seat. The trade-off is a foam seat that runs warmer than the mesh options above it, and materials described as good for the price rather than premium.
Best for back support — Herman Miller Embody
Price: £1,300. A different Herman Miller model from the Aeron above, and worth distinguishing clearly: where the Aeron is the category’s general-purpose benchmark, the Embody is specifically engineered around spinal support and is named directly for back pain relief in independent comparisons. If back pain specifically, rather than general comfort, is the problem you are solving, this is the more targeted choice of the two — not simply a second premium option. Read our full Herman Miller Embody review for the detailed breakdown.
Buying advice
Chair height and desk height are the same decision, not two separate ones. Use the working-height measurement from our home office setup guide before choosing a chair — a chair with a wide seat-height range accommodates more desk heights, which matters if you later move to a standing desk and need the chair to work at both a seated and a lower standing-adjacent height.
Do not buy on lumbar support marketing language alone. A chair described as having “ergonomic lumbar support” that does not actually move — no height adjustment, no depth adjustment — is not meaningfully different from a chair with no lumbar support at all.
Frequently asked questions
Is a £150 chair actually good enough?
For many people, yes — the Sihoo M18 demonstrates that genuine adjustability exists well below premium pricing. The gap narrows considerably once you are above roughly £250; above £1,000, you are mostly paying for materials, longevity and brand rather than additional ergonomic capability you do not already have.
What is the difference between the Aeron and the Embody?
The Aeron is Herman Miller’s general-purpose flagship, built for all-day comfort across a wide range of body types. The Embody is engineered specifically around spinal movement and back support. Choose the Embody if back pain is the specific problem; choose the Aeron for broader all-round comfort.
How much should I actually spend?
Enough for independent seat height, backrest angle and lumbar adjustment that genuinely moves — usually somewhere above £150. Beyond roughly £600, further spending buys materials and warranty rather than more ergonomic capability.
Final recommendation
Match the chair to your actual problem, not your budget ceiling. The FlexiSpot C7 suits most people; the Sihoo M18 proves genuine ergonomics exist under £200; the Aeron and Embody solve different, specific problems at the premium end, not the same problem twice.
See our home office setup guide for how the chair decision fits into the rest of your setup, or our standing desk buying guide if the desk is next.
Last reviewed: 22 July 2026. Next review due: October 2026.