Best Big and Tall Office Chairs with 500 lbs Capacity (MUST READ for Heavy People)

Note: Last Updated: March 29th, 2021

There’s big and tall, then there’s big and tall. If you weigh up to 500 lbs, shopping for an office chair is often a challenge. Besides the usual ergonomics, features, and even style, two even more important criteria you must check off are maximum weight capacity (obviously 500 pounds), plus large seat and backrest dimensions so you don’t feel squeezed. The later is often looked by heavy shoppers, as they neglect the physical dimensions of the chair and focus only on capacity.

In this detailed buyer’s guide for really big and tall users, I did all the homework and came up with a list of the 5 best heavy duty office chairs that can handle a weight capacity of 500 lbs. Each one represents the best in their class of heavy duty chairs, from executive, mesh, to gaming chairs. If you’re a large user, you can’t go wrong with any of the below. Let’s go!

Best 500 lbs Office Chairs at a Glance

• BestMassage Big and Tall – Best Overall
• Flash Furniture Hercules – Great Leather Option
• Flash Furniture Hercules Mesh – Best Option with Flip Up Arms
• BrylaneHome Big and Tall – Best 500lb Chair for Women
• AndaSeat Kaiser II – Best 450lbs Gaming Chair

1. BestMassage Big and Tall – Best Overall

The BestMassage Big and Tall is a monster of a chair with the size and fortitude to hold wide and large users. Its 500-pound weight capacity is complemented by an ultra spacious seat that only sumo wrestlers would find lacking.

The BestMassage’s heavy-duty metal base enables it to support heavyweight users. Even better, the seat itself is extra wide at a whopping 27.4″. If you still find it lacking, you can make more room for yourself by simply not attaching them during assembly. One buyer who’s 450 lbs was impressed that he can plop down and lean back without hearing a creak.

To make your sitting experience more pleasant, the BestMassage has a mesh back that can keep you feeling fresh after a long working session. It also has a synchro tilt function with tension control for when you want to ease the pressure on your back. Even better, it has a height-adjustable lumbar support. 

If there’s one thing that we can improve with the BestMassage, it’s the seat padding. Considering that heavyweights will be sitting on this chair, the foam should be thicker. If you face this issue though, your best option is to just get an external seat cushion.

Overall, the BestMassage Big and Tall doesn’t have a lot of frills, but it does have an amazingly high weight capacity and ultra spacious seat. If you’re looking for a sturdy chair that can accommodate your wide tush, this office chair is your best bet.

2. Flash Furniture HERCULES Leather Executive– Great Leather Option

The Flash Furniture HERCULES Series Brown Leather Executive Chair is a heavy duty executive-style office chair with an old school look. The bonded leather upholstery makes it a great fit for an old-fashioned office or a snug den. In addition to being able to support up to 500 pounds, this chair has a few key features that make it good for large users.

First of all, this Executive Chair has a great seat designed for big and tall people. The seat is 22” wide and 19.5” deep, and the front of the cushion curves down in the waterfall style to avoid cutting off circulation to legs as many chairs do. Owners describe the padding as soft and comfortable.

Even among other heavy duty chairs, the HERCULES Series Executive Chair stands out for having great durability. One user says that it is built like a tank and feels sturdy even when leaning back. Of course, all the metal required for this durability means that the chair is quite heavy (59 pounds), but such is the price of strength.

It should be noted that the Flash Furniture HERCULES Series Executive Chair is designed for people who are both big and tall, so many users who are big but not very tall may find it uncomfortable. The chair at its lowest setting measures 21.5″ from the floor to the seat itself. Some shorter users complain that their feet barely touch the ground when seated at higher settings, though a footrest can easily remedy the problem.

In summary, the Flash Furniture HERCULES Series Executive Chair is a solid option for the timeless style of leather-upholstered executive office chairs. It is truly large and heavy duty, so be aware of the dimensions before you buy!

3. Flash Furniture HERCULES Mesh Executive– Best Option with Retractable Arms

For big users looking for a manager style heavy duty office chair, Flash Black Mesh Executive Chair is one of the best in its class, with a mesh back that dissipates heat very well. The weight capacity is 500 pounds.

Thanks to the mesh backing, the ergonomic design of the Flash Furniture HERCULES Series Mesh Chair is clearly visible. A prominent lumbar support comes with a dial to adjust its firmness, a feature usually found on much more expensive chairs. As a mid back chair, however, the designers have opted not to make the lumbar area height adjustable.

The seat of this chair has a waterfall edge at the front for improved circulation and is 22.5” wide to accommodate large users. One owner who is 339 lbs and 5’10” remarked that he has at least 3″ of wiggle room when it sits in this Hercules Executive Chair, and the chair’s deep back keeps him nestled in without the feeling of sliding off.

Unlike most heavy duty office chairs, the HERCULES Series Mesh Chair has armrests that can fold up when not needed. In addition to the great adjustability offered by this design, this also means even very wide users can sit comfortably in the chair with the armrests out of the way.

All in all, the Flash Furniture HERCULES Series Mesh Chair is a well-designed ergonomic office chair with heavy duty qualifications to support users up to 500 pounds. It doesn’t look as imposing as some of the executive-style chairs on this list, but the modern mesh back means that it is more breathable, which may be better than all the leather in the world on a hot day.

4. BrylaneHome Extra Wide Chair – Best 500lb Chair for Women

Channel your inner girlboss with BrylaneHome’s chic orange office chair for women. Extra comfy, ultra sturdy, and best of all, super wide, it can easily handle plus-sized tushes.

Large women looking for an oversized office chair will be satisfied with the BrylaneHome. It’s rated for up to 500 pounds of weight and has a 24.25” W and 19” D seat to match.

The seat height can go from 20.75″ to 23.75”. Even at the lowest setting, this is pretty high. This is great if you’re 5’8” tall and above but if you’re on the shorter side, you’ll need to use a footstool to avoid your legs from going numb. As one 5’8” and plus-sized woman put it, if she can perfectly put her feet flat on the floor at the lowest setting, it will be too high for anyone who has shorter legs than her.

The seat, back, and even the arms of the BrylaneHome are generously padded with memory foam and air pocket coil springs. Meanwhile, the bonded leather upholstery is soft and it gives it a classy aura. It looks and feels luxurious so it would fit right in in any office as long as you have enough space to accommodate its huge size.

That said, the BrylaneHome doesn’t come with a lot of adjustable features. Though padded, the arms are fixed and you’ll probably need to invest in an external lumbar pillow.

At the end of the day, if you’re looking for an office chair that has an extremely high weight limit and a spacious, comfy seat, you won’t go wrong with the BrylaneHome. For heavyweight guys interested in this extra wide chair, you’ll be happy to know that it also comes in brown and creamy white colors.

5. Anda Seat Kaiser Chair– Best 450 lbs Capacity Gaming Chair

When it comes to gaming chairs, there are cheap ones that you replace once a year, and real heavy duty ones that will last you 5 times as long. The Anda Seat Dark Kaiser belongs in the second camp. The weight capacity of the chair is 441 pounds, and this isn’t just an arbitrary number the company throws around.

The Kaiser Gaming Chair was designed for large users from start to finish. The chair frame is made of extra wide metal bars, while the upholstery consists of tear proof PVC and carbon fiber. Even the external pillows are extra large, creating a second flexible back that has one owner who is 6’8” and over 300 pounds exclaiming this is the most comfortable chair he’s ever purchased.

The seat of the Kaiser chair is also worth mentioning. Made of high density cold foam with a pressure of 65 kg/m³, this is higher than most competitors’, ensuring it will support even heavy users without the dreaded sagging overtime. The seat’s usable dimensions are 18″ wide by 20″ deep.

In true gaming style, the armrests of the Kaiser Series Gaming Chair are 4D are adjustable in every direction to support your limbs regardless of your posture.

Anda Seat backs this chair with a great warranty, which is a particularly good bonus in the realm of chairs for large people who often find that their chairs break prematurely. There is a lifetime warranty on most parts of the chair, a testament to the superb build quality

Again, as with other chairs on this list, people below 5’8″ may find this chair too big. The recommended height range for the Dark Knight Series Gaming Chair is 5’9″ to 6’9″, so keep that in mind before purchasing.

To sum up, the Kaiser Series Gaming Chair is one of the sturdiest gaming chairs we’ve reviewed. It may cost more upfront, but as a big and tall user, you’ll most likely end up saving a lot of money due to its longevity and comfort next to budget gaming chairs.

What to Look for in a 500 lbs Capacity Office Chair

Being bigger than average can make it difficult to find furniture that fits and is comfortable: normal chairs can pinch or feel unsteady, or even collapse under you. An office chair for a person who weighs close to 500 pounds needs to be heavy duty to provide good, long-lasting support.

There are many good options for heavy duty office chairs available if you know where to look (like this guide!). Whether you are searching for a fancy executive chair, a modern gaming chair, or just a simple and sturdy place to sit, this list has options worth considering. Be careful to look at dimensions before buying a chair, because some chairs might be too big or too small in certain areas depending on your specific size.

Another trend to be aware of in heavy duty chairs is the ‘heavy’ part; the metal frames of these 500 pound capacity chairs generally weigh a lot, so assembly may be easier with the help of a friend, family member, or other associate. On the flip side, these durable materials usually help ensure that these heavy duty chairs will stand the test of time. With all that in mind, good luck in your search for the office chair that fits you!