I worked from a dining chair for the first six months of remote work. By month four my lower back would ache by 2 PM every day. By month six I was stacking couch cushions on the seat trying to find a position that didn’t hurt. A friend came over, sat in my “setup,” and said “this is a medical bill waiting to happen.”

I started researching chairs. The top recommendations were all Herman Miller Aerons at $1,400+. I didn’t have $1,400. What I found: you can get ninety percent of the ergonomic benefit for a fraction of the price if you know which features matter.

The features that actually affect your back

Adjustable lumbar support is the single most important feature. It needs to move up and down and in and out. Fixed lumbar that’s in the wrong place for your height hurts more than no lumbar at all. Skip chairs with non-adjustable lumbar bumps.

Seat depth adjustment. The seat pan should slide forward and back so there’s about two to three fingers of space between the front edge of the seat and the back of your knees. Too deep and you can’t sit back against the lumbar support. Too shallow and your thighs aren’t supported.

Adjustable armrests that go up and down, at minimum. Forward-back and pivot adjustments are nice but not critical. What matters is that your elbows can rest at roughly ninety degrees while your wrists are straight above the keyboard.

Chairs worth looking at

Budget ($150-250): The Ticova ergonomic chair hits the key features — adjustable lumbar, seat depth, headrest, armrests that move in three directions. The mesh back breathes well in summer. The seat cushion is on the firm side, which is actually better for long sitting sessions than soft memory foam that bottoms out.

Mid-range ($300-500): Clatina Mellet or the Staples Hyken. The Hyken goes on sale for around $150 during Staples’ chair events but normally sits around $300. Both offer adjustments that chairs at twice the price have. The Hyken’s headrest is oddly positioned for people over about 5’10” — tall people should test it first.

Refurbished premium ($400-600): Refurbished Steelcase Leap V2 from office liquidation companies like Crandall or BTOD. These are $1,000+ chairs new, sold for half that after being reupholstered and reconditioned. The Leap is arguably more adjustable than the Aeron and fits a wider range of body types. A refurb Leap will outlast three budget chairs.