Best Ergonomic Office Chairs Under and Around $100- Low Budget but High Quality

Last Updated: Nov 2nd, 2021

If you’re on a shoestring budget, finding a quality ergonomic office chair that won’t break your back nor the bank can seem next to impossible. The market in the sub $100 range for office chairs is littered with poorly constructed junk that are not only uncomfortable to sit in, but will quickly break down on you and end up hogging space in the garage in short order. In that case you’re not saving money; you’re just wasting it.

In this buyer’s guide, I took it as a challenge to find the absolute best ergonomic chairs money can buy for under or around $100. These chairs may not come with an extensive list of adjustable features, but they must all pass my 3 main criteria for an excellent budget office chair- durable, comfortable, and whenever possible a decent warranty to cover your investment if you’re not happy.

Here are the five ergonomic office chairs under $100 and around in 2021 (prices subject to change) that made the cut.

Note: Prices subject to change. Check final price before purchasing.

1. Furmax Mid Back Lumbar Office Chair

Bottom Line: Excellent Build Quality with Good Lumbar Support and Choice of 4 Colors

If you’re looking for a no frills ergonomic office chair that’s built to last and with decent lumbar support, you simply can’t go wrong with the Furmax Mid Back Office Chair. With an ultra affordable price tag that comes in well below $100 (check latest price), this is an office chair you can buy in bulk for all of the rooms in your home or office.

As a testament to the quality of the chair, the Furmax Office Chair is BIMA certified, meaning it passed various rigorous testing for function, quality, and sustainability. The manufacturer offers a 30 money back guarantee, plus 6 months damaged or missing parts replacement. This is a rarity in the under $100 category for office chairs.

Lets talk ergonomics now. The Furmax Office Chair comes with a breathable mesh backrest and two wedge shaped lumbar pieces to cradle your back. Many users love this design, saying it has helped tremendously with their back pain. Being a mid back office chair however, the Furmax lacks a headrest, something you should consider if you like to tilt your neck and heads backwards often.

With a backrest that’s 18.9″ tall and a generous seat size of 19.7” x 19.7”, the chair is large enough to accommodate even big users. It has a weight limit of 265 lbs. The chair is height-adjustable, though unfortunately the same can’t be said for the armrests. You are stuck with the preset height and straight angle of the armrests.

The Furmax Office Chair is simple, dependable, and ultra affordable. And those are all great qualities in an office chair.

2. Berlman Ergonomic High Back Mesh Office Chair

Bottom Line: Excellent high back Mesh chair with padded headrest, curved backrest, and retractable armrests.

For one of the best all-around ergonomic office chair in the $100 category, look no further than the Berlman High Back Office Chair. It comes with most of the adjustable features you’d be happy to find in a budget ergonomic chair, even at the $200 or $300 range.

The gently curved backrest on the Berlman follows the shape of your spine nicely, and the mesh material allows ventilation even after prolonged contact. A basic lumbar stripe supports your waist, though unfortunately it’s rather flimsy compared to higher end chairs.

I really like the padded headrest found on the Berlman; it is large and comfortable to rest your head on. Not everyone needs a headrest in an office chair, but it’s a good option to have if you tend to lean back often.

While the padding on the headrest is more than adequate, sadly the same can’t be said for the seat itself. It’s rather thin and firm, and if you are on the heavier side, may experience sagging overtime. The problem seem to mainly affect people over 200 lbs, though a DIY remedy is to throw another cushion on top of the seat if you find it uncomfortable.

One interesting design choice of the Berlman Office Chair are the foldable armrests. They can flip up all the way into a vertical position. This is actually more useful than you may think. Firstly, it means you can tuck the chair underneath your desk to save space when it’s not in use. With the arms out of the way, it also lets you perform tasks that require a large footprint with ease, such as playing the guitar or even having someone sit next to you in the chair temporarily.

With a 300 weight capacity and 1 year warranty, the Berlman is high up on our list for the best budget ergonomic chair with a headrest.

3. Hbada Office Task Desk Chair

Bottom Line: One of the best budget task chairs for tight office areas and home offices.

The Hbada office chair checks all the boxes for what a great task chair should be- it’s compact, lightweight, and comfortable enough to help you fly through any task without distractions.

I love the backrest on the Hbada , which apart from being supportive can also rock up to 30 degrees. This really helps relieve back tension and keeps you alert at work.

The armrests on the Hbada are also worth taking about. They can flip up when not in use, saving you space when stored or letting you get right next to the desk surface, which is useful for more detail oriented tasks.

The main caveat of the Hbada is that it’s targeted more towards people on the normal to small side. This is a budget office chair after all. There is an abundance of plastic that limits this chair’s true maximum capacity to probably 180 lbs in our estimation.

All things considered, the Hbada is a great buy for that second room in a tight corner. It’s reliable, compact, and comfortable, at least for shorter term sitting. Costing less than 1/3 of many office chairs is just icing on the cake.

4. Smugdesk High Back Office Chair

Bottom Line: Decent high back office chair with adjustable headrest and dedicated lumbar support.

Smugdesk is one of our favorite brands for budget office chairs, and this chair is a good example of why. At less than $100, you get a full fledged ergonomic office chair backed by 1 year of free replacements.

For those of you that are considering the Burlman office chair above but prefer more prominent neck support, the Smugdesk comes with a versatile headrest that is both height and angle adjustable. You can even remove the headrest if you don’t need this. This gives you the most versatility you’ll probably find in an office chair under $100.

The backrest on this Smugdesk chair also gets high praise from most owners. Comprising of breathable mesh, it tilts and rocks 120 degrees backwards to relieve tension build up. There’s even a clothes hanger at the back for people who never seem to have enough places to hang their jackets or coats.

The lumbar support on the Smugdesk chair is interesting. It’s essentially one large cushion that covers the entire lower back of the chair. Most people find it comfortable, though since it’s not height adjustable, if the default position isn’t to your liking, there’s not much you can do (it’s non removeable).

All in all, the Smugdesk office chair offers tremendous value as a full fledged ergonomic office chair for those on a tight budget.

5. OFM Essentials Executive Chair

Bottom Line: The best mid back leather chair you can get around $100

Amazon is demonstrating the ability to both sell and produce in house products consumers love, using the AmazonBasics brand. Coming from the e-commerce titan, one of the biggest upside of the AmazonBasics Mid Back chair is the top-notch customer service you can expect, plus industry leading 1 year limited warranty.

This Mid Back Office Chair is upholstered in bonded leather, which should give you the look and feel of a highend office chair. The padded frame provides good arm and mid-back support on a bucket seat designed for all-day comfort. Features include a tilting backrest with lock and an adjustable height, measured 18″ at its lowest to 21” from the top of the seat.when fully lengthened.

However, being a budget chair, the materials used on this chair are mostly plastic and faux leather. The build quality is decent, though don’t expect a chair that will last you for years. If the frame doesn’t give way, most likely the upholstery will wear out first.

6. BOSSIN Gaming Chair with Footrest

Bottom Line: Best reclining office chair with footrest in the extreme budget price range.

Looking for a breathable office chair that will also support your feet from time to time when you lay back?

It’s extremely hard to find a quality office chair with a footrest for cheap. The Bossin gaming chair is one of those rare finds.

One happy owner says that while the chair’s build quality is just mediocre, as far as comfort and comfort, it far exceeded his expectations.

If you’re looking for an office chair with a relaxing footrest on a budget, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything better than the Bossin on the market.

7. OFM Essentials Racing Style Gaming Chair

Bottom Line: Good hybrid office and gaming chair with flip up arms.

Last but not least, for those of you looking for some flare in your budget office chair, the OFM is a discrete gaming chair with a choice of 6 flamboyant colors to choose from.

The best way to describe the OFM Gaming chair is that it’s highly functional and comfortable. There are no crazy side bolsters or phaser canons, just a well cushioned chair with a mix of PU leather and fabric finish.

The armrests are nicely padded as well, and flip up when they are not needed.

The backrest on the OFM chair does tilt back, though unfortunately only slightly. Coming from even cheap gaming chairs that can recline to almost horizontal, that is disappointing. However, to me, this isn’t really a gaming chair, but a hybrid office chair that offers elements of that splashy racing car design. And for that the chair succeeds at doing that, for cheap.

Which $100 range Ergonomic Office Chair will you Choose?

An ergonomic office chair with all its adjustable parts and materials is a complex piece of equipment. This is why they are usually an expensive purchase. Having said that, due to cut throat competition in the space, there are still decent office chairs to be found in the lower end price range, even below $100 as I’ve reviewed here.

Which budget office chair to pick depends on your needs. Is durability your #1 concern? What about price? Do you need a headrest, tall back or adjustable armrests? Do you live in a hot climate that forgoes faux or PU leather as the primary material? Each individual is different, and in this guide, I’ve tried to review the best chairs that take into account each of these important categories.

If you’re on a tight budget, I hope you’ve found the chair reviews in this guide helpful in finding a low cost but quality ergonomic chair. And if you’re a gamer, check out our reviews of the best gaming chairs under $100. Considering the amount of time all of us spend sitting down, your budget shouldn’t determine whether you can get a comfortable, ergonomic chair that won’t leave your body with aches at the end of each day.