The best desk chair under £200 that will protect your back

With more of us working from home than ever before, finding a quality desk chair that provides you with all the padding, support, tilts, and adjustments to make your time whittling away at work as comfortable as possible is a necessity. But add a price cap - we'll say £200 - and your options become extremely limited if you want the best support for your money. Luckily, we've done the hard work and found the best desk chair under £200 that'll not only look good in your home but keep you supported. You won't need to break the bank, or strain your back in the process!

Working from home has us sitting more than ever, and studies have suggested that prolonged periods of sitting can pose a risk to your health, adding tension and stress to the neck, spine, and back. This can have a prolonged effect on your posture and potentially lead to chronic pain and premature degeneration with the discs being compressed in your spine.

Black Friday deals on desk chairs under £200

We interrupt the regularly scheduled content to let you know that although Black Friday is over, there are still plenty of discounts to take advantage of, including a whole host of Black Friday deals on desk chairs. Want to grab a bargain? These are the retailers that still have the best deals live, or keep scrolling to continue reading our buyer’s guide.

Shop the best desk chair Black Friday deals: Amazon UK | The Range | Wayfair | Posturite | Very | Argos

Save £30 with voucher: BASETBL Executive Office Chair, WAS £119.99, NOW £84.99
Save 20%: COMHOMA Desk Chair, WAS £99.99, NOW £79.99
Save 20%: Hbada Ergonomic Desk Chair, WAS £199.99, NOW £159.99

As well as reducing your sitting time and taking the opportunity to move during the day, even if it's just for one or two minutes, choosing an ergonomic chair will help prevent poor posture and support the spine. It'll help to ease the seated suffering you may already be experiencing and make for a much more comfortable, less stressful, and healthier working day.

With the surge in home working, plenty of desk chairs have popped up across the market. However, it's hard to sift through all the options, especially when comfort isn't guaranteed! Many people assume that 'ergonomic' means a chair has to be expensive - but that doesn't need to be the case! We've found the best desk chairs under £200 that'll not only look good, but they'll also be a treat to sit in. Already got a desk chair and just need to improve your back support? Check out our pick of the best back supports for office chairs to alleviate back pain as you work.

Best desk chair under £200 at a glance

• Best small desk chair: Life Carver Mesh Middle Back Office Chair
• Best desk chair with foldable arms: Flash Furniture Ergonomic Office Chair
• Best high back desk chair: Habitat Alma High Back Ergonomic Office Chair
• Best desk chair with flip up arms: Hbada Ergonomic Desk Chair
• Best luxe office chair for under £200: Habitat Alvar Faux Leather Office Chair

Best desk chair under £200

FAQs: Best desk chair under £200

Our verdict: what is the best affordable desk chair?

The best affordable desk chair really does depend on your budget. If you're looking for a chair that's cheap but comfortable and supportive, the Life Carver Mesh Middle Back Office Chair is great value at less than £50. The backrest features a curved contour line and lumbar support to keep your back comfortable and you can adjust the height to get it in the perfect position for sitting at your desk. You may prefer to have a desk chair that has armrests though.

If you've got a little more to spend, we'd recommend the Hbada Ergonomic Desk Chair. It's the best desk chair under £200 for anyone that needs to sit at their desk for long periods of time. It has adjustable height sitting as well as a reclining function, plus the armrests can be folded up to save room when you're not using it. We also love how it has a thick seat, which will be comfortable for sitting on all day and relieve the pressure on your hips.

What to look for in a desk chair

While it might seem necessary, it is actually important to remember that padding isn’t everything when looking for comfort in an office chair. While an extravagantly padded chair might seem like the obvious choice for back and body comfort, such a design is likely to set you up for an unpleasant time. The padding will store up body heat and paired with an unbreathable material, the chair will become increasingly uncomfortable over time.

For these reasons, contemporary office chairs tend to focus on utilising meshes, breathable materials, and ergonomic shaping to provide a high standard of comfort that can accommodate extended use throughout the day. Another benefit of mesh backing is that, unlike traditional padding, its bounce and comfort don’t degrade over time.

What is the best height, width and depth for an office chair?

According to Spine-Health, seat height that ranges from about 16 to 21 inches off the floor should work for most people. This will allow you to have your feet flat on the floor, with your thighs horizontal and your arms even with the height of your desk.

The standard seat width is usually 17 to 20 inches while the depth needs to be enough so you can sit with your back against the backrest of your chair while leaving approx. two-four inches between the back of your knees and the seat.

Eleanor Weaver is the Deputy Homes & Garden Product Editor for Yours, specialising in home décor, furnishings and appliances. Having worked commercially on Yours magazine and Yours.co.uk for the past six years, she's previously hosted Yours Live events and loves looking for home inspiration online.