Office Chair Buyers Guide - Top 5 Tips for Purchasing New Computer Chairs

One of the most important and usually the most expensive component of office chairs is the mechanism. This is the metal piece that is bolted underneath the chair seat. This component also connects to the gas-lift cylinder which allows height adjustment. Mechanisms can vary greatly, some with simple features and others with more advanced features.

The mechanism can control features such as tilting, tension adjustment and height adjustment. Some higher end ergonomic office chairs will have features like recline, seat and back rest angle adjustment. Certain mechanisms will also let you lock in a tilted position, i.e. you can lean back and tilt the chair then lock it into that position. You need to decide what features you require and be sure to make sure the office chairs you're keen on support these features.

The wheels or castors are an important factor. These little guys are supporting the weight of your whole chair and need to easily glide on your surface without causing damage.

Castors can usually be easily changed on a chair, ensure you are getting the correct castors for the floor type you will be using your chair on. For example certain castors will work better on thicker carpets while PU castors will be better on a hard wood floor as they won't scratch as easy.

There are many types of castors, so I will not get specific in this guide, just be sure to question your retailer on which castors are going to best suit your floor and whether or not a mat is recommended.

Cheaper, poor quality office chairs will have lower foam or cushion density in the seat. Lower density, poor quality padding will not last long, and you will soon find the comfort of the chair rapidly decline. This leads to consumers purchasing a cheap new chair on a yearly basis. By investing a little extra and ensuring you have quality cushioning you'll find your investment will last a lot longer.
Higher density foam will be a lot firmer and you will not sink straight to the bottom when sitting in it.

As above, there are many types of cushioning used and they can differ between mesh office chairs, leather office chairs and ergonomic office chairs so I won't go over them in this guide.

It is however, important to be aware of this factor and ensure the padding or cushioning on your office chairs are dense and firm so they will last. If the model you're looking at is cheap and you feel yourself sink into the chair, there is a good chance it has cheap, low density foam in the seat. Don't be fooled it may be comfy but it most definitely will not stay that way.

Measure the height of the arm rests on your chair to confirm it will fit easily underneath your desk. Many arm rests on leather office chairs cannot be removed or adjusted, so this is important to check before purchasing.

Most ergonomic office chairs will allow you to adjust the height of the arm rests and in many cases allow you to completely remove the arm rests depending on your needs.

Many cheap office chairs have poor quality, weak plastic bases. These can easily be broken if you lean back to far in the chair to reach your coffee. Flip the chair upside down and have a look at how the five star base is constructed, it is usually fairly obvious if it is strong or weak.

Obviously if your chair has a metal base, this will not be an issue.

There are many things to look out for when purchasing new office chairs. I hope with the basic knowledge you have learned from this guide you will be able to make a better purchasing decision.
Cheap isn't always better and with office chairs it is usually a case of 'you get what you pay for'.

Good luck and make your next purchase a good one!

Looking for a good quality office chair? Why not take a look at Kingpin.
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