8 Best Armless Office Chairs in 2021 to Consider

There are many reasons to consider adding an armless office chair to your home or office. They are much more nimble compared to chairs with arms, space saving, and usually more economical, among other benefits.

In this buyer’s guide we’ve compiled our picks for the 8 best armless chairs in 2021 for those looking to go armless this year.

1. Editor’s Choice for Armless Chair

Hon H5703 Task Chair

For the most well-rounded product in this category, the Hon H5703 gets our vote. Affordable, ergonomic, classy, and well-made, the chances are you’ll be happy if you decide to go with this chair.

The best way to sum up the H5703 chair is that it’s well rounded. Whether you’re petite or 6’2″, the chair will fit you, and comfortably. The wider than normal 18″ wide seat is a break from many armless chairs that come with a dinky seat not suitable for any reasonable adult.

Another subtle feature that adds to the sitting experience is the synchro tilting backrest. It helps tilt the backrest at a 2 to 1 ratio to seat angle while still keeping your feet flat on the floor as you lean back. In essence this reduces the feeling that you’re falling backwards as you tilt back, which a lot of other armless chairs creates due to the lack of a synchro tilt mechanism.

In other highlights, the H5703 chair comes with adjustable tilt tension and lock, a waterfall edge seat, and a 18” to 22” seat height adjustment. The general consensus of many owners is that the H5703 offers the best bang for the buck in its price range.

About the only potential drawback of the H5703 armless chair is during the assembly process. Some owners complain that the screws in the back of the seat didn’t line up properly. This could be sign of a quality control issues at the factories. The good news is, like all Hon’s products, this one comes with a 5-year limited warranty to take care of issues like this.

2. Most Ergonomic Armless Office Chair

NOUHAUS Office Chair with Flip Up Arms

So our pick for the most ergonomic armless office chair actually has arms. Ahem yes, but the armrests on the Komene are flippable, creating a truly versatile office chair that offers the best of both worlds.

Right off the bat, it’s easy to see that the NOUHAUS is a full fledged ergonomic office chair. From the pivoting headrest, curved high backrest with dedicated lumbar support, to the 19″ wide seat with a pronounced waterfall edge, everything is designed to keep you comfortable for as long as possible in an office chair, let alone armless one.

Speaking of the armrests, it is flippable, which opens the door to a host of comfortable positions. Bring it down and it will support your arms as you type. Flip it up and you can scoot closer to your desk. In fact, the Nouhaus chair is so comfortable that people call it the cost-effective version of the Herman Miller Aeron.

Of course, like any other product, it isn’t without faults. The frame of the mesh seat has a tendency to dig into the thighs, which can lead to poor circulation to the lower limbs. A memory foam cushion can fix this if that’s an issue for you.

All things considered, the NOUHAUSis should be at the top of your list if you’re looking for an “armless” office chair to double primary office chair for whole day sitting every day.

3. Best Budget Armless Chair

AmazonBasics Low-Back Office Chair

For those on a budget, the AmazonBasics brand is probably your safest bet in terms of a decent office chair that has an excellent return policy as well. And that’s certainly the case with the AmazonBasics low back and armless chair here.

“Highly utilitarian” is the most appropriate way to describe this armless chair. The chair weighs just under 17 lbs, making it a breeze to move it from place to place where it’s needed the most. You can even remove the backrest if you want.

According to one customer who enjoys making craft, this is the perfect chair for her. It’s highly mobile and lets her get really close to her desk to perform more detail oriented tasks.

Considering that it’s very affordable, it isn’t surprising that this armless chair won’t be the most comfortable to sit on for extended periods of time. The cushion on the seat is less than 2″ thick, and the backrest is fixed, with no tilting allowed.

All in all, the AmazonBasics isn’t the most ergonomic chair in this list. For that, you’ll want to get another chair on this list. However, if you don’t want to spend too much and you’ll only be doing quick tasks, then this is your best option.

Watch the below to get an idea of how easy it is to assemble the AmazonBasics:

4. Best Mid back Armless Chair

Flash Furniture Quilted Task Office Chair

The Flash Furniture armless chair can easily fit into any office or home decor, thanks to its choice of 6 bright colors and quilted upholstery. As a mid back chair, it is also highly mobile, making this an excellent alternative to the AmazonBasics chair above if you’re willing to spend a little more.

The 19-inch backrest is just the right height to cradle your entire back during sporadic periods of seating. Like the AmazonBasics, it’s also feather light, as just 20.5 lbs. In combination with the armless design, moving and getting in and out of this chair is a breeze.

As a budget chair, this Flash Furniture model comes with similar limitations to the AmazonBasics chair above. It lacks proper lumbar support, and the backrest does not tilt. This means the chair will only be comfortable for short bouts of sitting (around 1- 2 hours) before you need to get up and stretch your back and move your legs.

Having said that, it’s easy to see why this stylish chair is a crowd-favorite. Though it doesn’t offer much in terms of ergonomics, what it does is provide you with a fashionable armless chair that is comfortable for short seating spells. 

5. Best Executive Option

KERMS High Back Office Chair

With generous padding upholstered in soft PU leather, the Kerms High Back Office Chair screams opulence, making it fitting for buyers who want their authority to be known. The second chair on our list that’s technically not “armless”, these armrests flip up instead when you don’t need them.

The first thing you will notice about the Kerms is its 28-inch high back which, together with the PU leather upholstery, gives it a great and somewhat imposing look. However, what made us fall in love with it is that unlike most executive chairs, it doesn’t lack ergonomic features. In fact, this is a common sentiment among its many satisfied customers – it’s both aesthetically pleasing and ergonomically superior to many other executive chairs.

So what are the features that make the Kerms so comfortable? For starters, the backrest is slightly curved so it cradles your back. The flip-up armrests are also padded, preventing musculoskeletal disorders caused by constant nerve pressure and allowing you to scoot closer to your desk to focus. Finally, it can rock and tilt with adjustments for tilt lock and tension for times when you want to lean back and relax while reading important documents.

Our only issue with the Kerms is its lack of a more pronounced lumbar support. Though they tried to solve this with a slightly curved backrest, the support may not be enough if you’re sitting for long hours. An external lumbar support pillow will round up this chair nicely.

All in all, Kerms is a great buy if you’re looking for a bold piece that can be your partner while you make important decisions for the company. As an added bonus, you have 5 power colors to choose from.

6. Best White Armless Chair

BTExpert Midback Task Chair

If you like the purity and cleanliness that white signifies, then look no further than the BTEXPERT Midback Task Chair. Sporting a shiny white PU leather ribbed design paired with chrome metal, it has a contemporary look that would look great in most office color schemes.

What we like most about the BTExpert is that it’s a true white. No more getting disappointed with off-white or ivory products that don’t match your interior design. All the PU leather components are in this crisp white color with black edging. The lift, base, and casters are a mix of silver and black. According to one happy buyer, the stylish clean lines of this task chair suits his small office well.

Of course, as an armless chair, it offers greater freedom. It can slide under your desk, saving you space. You can also play the guitar or scoot closer to your worktable. Finally, it has a pneumatic lift with an adjustment range of 18 to 23 inches so you can adjust it according to your body type..

What the BTExpert lacks are ergonomic features. Apart from the gas lift, there’s no other way to adjust it to better fit your body type. It doesn’t have a lumbar support or a tilt function either so we only recommend this for sporadic periods of seating. You’ll also have to be careful with staining.

At the end of the day, the BTExpert offers exactly what it says – a not-so-ergonomic but sturdy white chair that doesn’t take up a lot of space. If these are the things you’re looking for, then you’ll be happy to know that this highly rated white chair is very affordable too.

7. Best Designer Armless Chair

Giantex Home Office Leather Chair

Last but certainly not least, we have the Giantex leather armless chair, an extravagant looking chair that will fit right in in expensive mansions and executive offices. The best part? It’s no more expensive than any other armless chair on this list.

Many buyers are quite enamored by the beauty of this chair, with one user extolling that in terms of aesthetics and perceived value, it gives even his much more expensive antique chair a run for its money.

Another thing that will certainly catch your attention is the width of the chair. At 23″ wide, you can even sit cross legged in this chair, with room to spare.

In terms of adjustability, the Giantex is fairly limited. It has an adjustable seat height which ranges from 17.5 to 21.5 inches. The backrest reclines, but only slightly. This makes the Giantex unsuitable as your main working chair.

To keep things short, this is the armless chair for you if you’re looking for something that is affordable but expensive-looking.

8. Best Armless Stool

Office Star Adjustable Draft Chair

Last but certainly not least, we have the Office Star draft chair, the perfect armless chair to use with a standing desk or any other high work surfaces. Featuring an armless design that’s complemented by molded foam components and a supportive back and footring, it’s a simple-looking high chair that’s adjustable in the right places.

The Office Star has a high seat-height adjustment ranging from 22 to 34 inches, making it suitable for elevated workspaces like the kitchen counter and standing desks. Since it has no arms, you’re also free to move closer to your task. One buyer who loves to sew even said that this is perfect for her high cutting table, eliminating the back pain she used to have from too much standing.

What made us choose the Office Star, however, is the amount of support and adjustability that it offers.

The backrest for example is height-adjustable, allowing you to position it right where you need it for lumbar support. Then, there’s the seat itself, which is depth adjustable. That’s a rarity in drafting chairs.

And last perhaps most importantly, the chrome footring on the Office Star chair is height adjustable (finally!). This features eases the pressure on your thighs by giving your feet support since you would be seated too high to reach the floor.

Overall, we highly recommend the Office Star to buyers who are looking for a very comfortable armless chair to pair with high workspaces. 

Armless Office Chair Benefits

Some of the key benefits of armless office chairs compared to traditional ones with arms are:

• Space-saving – If you have a small office area, an armless chair can free up a lot of space, by letting you slide your chair under the desk when not in use.
• Get a little closer – Armless chairs lets you scoot closer to your desk when needed, without the arms getting in the way.
• More Spacious – It allows you to do tasks like playing the guitar since you have more space to work with.
• More Economic – Because armless chairs require less materials and resources to make, they’re often cheaper than their armed counterparts.

Now, armless chairs have their benefits but, by foregoing armrests, chances are, the rest of your body has to work harder to support the weight of your arms. This can lead to poor posture and neck, shoulder, and back pain over time. Carefully consider the benefits and drawbacks, and at the end of the day, use armless office chairs only for a couple of hours at a time.

Related Reviews:

• Best Office Chairs with Flip Up Arms