Table of Contents
- 1 Before We Get Started
- 2 Office Chair Upholstery Options
- 3 Assembly Required
- 4 Our Selection Criteria
- 5 Best Office Chair for Short Adults 2021 (Leather / Fabric)
- 6 Top 5 Ergonomic Chairs for Short Persons 2021 (Leather/Fabric)
- 7 Other Notable Fabric/Leather Upholstered Alternatives
- 8 Best Office Chair for Petite Person 2021 (Mesh)
- 9 Top 5 Computer Chairs for Short Person 2021 (Mesh)
- 10 Other Notable Mesh Alternatives
- 11 Best Office Chairs for Small Adults in 2021 Conclusion
Are you shorter or smaller than the average person? Are you tired of sitting in oversized chairs that swallow you whole and make it virtually impossible to get comfortable and get any work done?
If you answered yes to either of those questions, you’re going to love this roundup review. We’ve scoured the internet on a quest to find the best office chairs for a short person on the market today, and we’ve declared two winners in that category.
In addition to that, we’ve found a variety of great chairs tailored to the specific seating needs of shorter people, and our review provides details about a few attractive alternates if you don’t agree with our top picks.
We’ve broken this roundup review into two sections: mesh chairs and upholstered chairs (leather/fabric), because not everybody is a fan of mesh. Either way, this review has you covered.
Before we dive into the specifics of each model, let’s announce our winner in each category and introduce you to the finalists in table format, to give you a high-level view of our top picks.
Before We Get Started
Our two lists are dominated by just three companies, with Herman Miller claiming three of the five spots in the mesh category, and Steelcase and Serta claiming two each in the upholstered category. The problem is that the Herman Miller and Steelcase chairs cost significantly more than the others and may be out of reach for many potential buyers.
We understand that which is why we’ve opted to list the remaining entries in our top ten in each category. The rest of the list (those that didn’t make the top five) is dominated by smaller brands that aren’t as well known, but there are some surprisingly good options out there that don’t cost a ton of money.
Not to worry, we’ll give you the complete scoop on all of them, so you’ll have everything you need to make an informed purchasing decision. We feel confident that lurking somewhere in this review, you’ll find your next office chair, and it will be a perfect fit for you!
Office Chair Upholstery Options
We’re not going to try and change any minds here. Almost everyone who has ever sat in an office chair has a preference for one type of upholstery over the others. Our goal here is to provide a quick overview of the three major upholstery options and the strengths and weaknesses they each bring to the table. With that in mind, here’s the short scoop:
- Fabric
- Mesh
Leather
Leather chairs tend to be the best looking, most elegant designs, but leather isn’t breathable. If you plan on sitting in the chair for several hours a day, the upholstery will make you sweat.
Also, note that bonded leather is real leather but fashioned from scraps that have been fused together. As such, it’s not as durable or supple as other types of leather. After about two years (or less, with heavy use) it will start peeling and cracking. Finally, if you have pets, leather tends to be a poor choice, especially if you have cats. Cat claws can make short work of even the best leather upholstery!
Assembly Required
Another thing we should point out before we dive into the details of the specific models of the best ergonomic chairs for a short person is the fact that no matter which of these chairs you decide to buy when it arrives at your doorstep, it’s going to come in pieces in a box.
The Herman Miller, Steelcase, and Ergohuman chairs all come mostly assembled and will take less than ten minutes to get ready for first use. The others come entirely disassembled. Assembly times will vary from one model to the next, but on average, expect the process to take thirty minutes or so. If you have a trusty assistant who can provide an extra pair of hands, you’ll probably shave about ten minutes off of the total build time.
Our Selection Criteria
Given that this roundup review is looking at chairs that are specifically designed for shorter people, we’re looking first and foremost for a relatively narrow seat depth (19” or less, and preferably below 18”), and we’re looking for a good height adjustment range that starts at 18” or less and goes up from there.
In addition to that, we want as many ergonomic features and extras as we can get for the money. After all, short people shouldn’t have to miss out on ergonomic design features to get a chair that fits them well!
Now let’s take a closer look at our winners in each category, and the models they beat out to earn top honors. We’ll start with the upholstered chairs:
Best Office Chair for Short Adults 2021 (Leather / Fabric)
Best Office Chair for a Short Person in the Leather/Fabric Upholstery - Top Pick |
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Steelcase Leap
RATING | |
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PRICE | $$$$$ |
PROS | Exceptional quality, and amazingly adjustable. This could almost be considered a therapeutic chair. 10-year warranty. |
CONS | Expensive. May be beyond the reach of many who need it. |
OUR VERDICT | If you can afford it, and if your preference is for upholstered chairs over mesh, this is the one you want, especially if you suffer from chronic back pain. |
More Specifications...
Best Office Chair for a Short Person in the Leather/Fabric Upholstery - 2nd Place |
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Steelcase Amia
RATING | |
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PRICE | $$$$ |
PROS | The same exceptional quality and the same impressive 10-year warranty offered on the leap, but not quite as feature-rich, with a correspondingly lower price. |
CONS | Although cheaper than the Leap, the Amia will still be out of reach for many who want or need one. |
OUR VERDICT | Highly recommended, If you can afford it. |
More Specifications...
Best Office Chair for a Short Person in the Leather/Fabric Upholstery - 3rd Place |
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Serta MyFit
RATING | |
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PRICE | $$$ |
PROS | Great company with a reputation for world-class service and support. Strong ergonomic features, including one innovation. Super easy (and fast!) assembly. |
CONS | Not everyone will be a fan of the active lumbar support. Small seat makes it a bad fit for larger, and even some average sized people. |
OUR VERDICT | With careful measurements, we recommend this chair, but caution potential buyers about its relatively small size. |
More Specifications...
Best Office Chair for a Short Person in the Leather/Fabric Upholstery - 4th Place |
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AmazonBasics Mid Back
RATING | |
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PRICE | $ |
PROS | Least expensive chair on our short list. Attractive, well-padded, and featuring well-implemented basic ergonomic features. |
CONS | Not much in terms of adjustability. Low-end materials mean the chair won’t age well. |
OUR VERDICT | Provisionally recommended to anyone on a budget, who needs a chair for light to moderate use. |
More Specifications...
Best Office Chair for a Short Person in the Leather/Fabric Upholstery - Honorable Mention |
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Serta Hannah II
RATING | |
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PRICE | $$ |
PROS | Very comfortable and innovative. Offered by a strong brand with world-class post-sales service and support. Well-implemented ergonomic features. |
CONS | Somewhat narrow height adjustment range. No recline function. |
OUR VERDICT | An excellent value for the money. Beautiful, comfortable, and with strong ergonomic features. Highly recommended. |
More Specifications...
Best Leather/Fabric Office Chair for Short Adults 2021 | ![]() ![]() Steelcase Leap | ![]() Steelcase Amia | ![]() Serta MyFit | ![]() AmazonBasics Mid Back | Honorable Mention ![]() Serta Hannah II |
Price | $$$$$ | $$$$ | $$$ | $ | $$ |
Rating | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.4 |
Product Dimensions | 24.8” x 27” x 43.5 | 23” x 27” x 39” to 44” | 30.8” x 27” x 43.5” to 47.25” | 24” x 24” x 34.8” x 38.6” | 29” x 25.5” x 43” |
Chair Weight | 48 pounds | 64.2 pounds | 23.8 pounds | 29.8 pounds | 38 pounds |
Max. Supported Weight | 300 pounds | 300 pounds | 250 pounds | 275 pounds | 275 pounds |
Tilt/Recline Range | 96 to 120 degrees | 90 to 120 degrees | 90 to 120 degrees | NA but the chair does rock slightly | NA, but it does rock slightly |
Seat Width | 19.25” | 19.25” | 21” | 20” | 21” |
Seat Height | 15.5” to 20.5” | 16” to 21” | 16” to 19.25” | 16” to 21” | 18” to 20” |
Seat Depth | 15.75” to 18.75” | 15.5” to 18.5” | 17.75” | 18” | 19” |
Pros | Exceptional quality, and amazingly adjustable. This could almost be considered a therapeutic chair. 10-year warranty. | The same exceptional quality and the same impressive 10-year warranty offered on the leap, but not quite as feature-rich, with a correspondingly lower price. | Great company with a reputation for world-class service and support. Strong ergonomic features, including one innovation. Super easy (and fast!) assembly. | Least expensive chair on our short list. Attractive, well-padded, and featuring well-implemented basic ergonomic features. | Very comfortable and innovative. Offered by a strong brand with world-class post-sales service and support. Well-implemented ergonomic features. |
Cons | Expensive. May be beyond the reach of many who need it. | Although cheaper than the Leap, the Amia will still be out of reach for many who want or need one. | Not everyone will be a fan of the active lumbar support. Small seat makes it a bad fit for larger, and even some average sized people. | Not much in terms of adjustability. Low-end materials mean the chair won’t age well. | Somewhat narrow height adjustment range. No recline function. |
Our Verdict | If you can afford it, and if your preference is for upholstered chairs over mesh, this is the one you want, especially if you suffer from chronic back pain. | Highly recommended, IF you can afford it. | With careful measurements, we recommend this chair, but caution potential buyers about its relatively small size. | Provisionally recommended to anyone on a budget, who needs a chair for light to moderate use. | An excellent value for the money. Beautiful, comfortable, and with strong ergonomic features. Highly recommended. |
*While aesthetics is a matter of taste, aesthetic flexibility is a measure of how easily a given design would fit into a wide range of home or office décor schemes.
**Brand Reliability is a measure of the strength and longevity of the brand, which by extension, is a measure of the level of support you can expect.
Top 5 Ergonomic Chairs for Short Persons 2021 (Leather/Fabric)
Steelcase Leap Office Chair | |
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Value | |
Comfort | |
Aesthetic Flexibility* | |
Brand Reliability** | |
4.6 Summary The Steelcase Leap Office Chair is an amazing, versatile chair brimming with cutting edge features. Recommended for anyone, but especially people who suffer from chronic back pain. |
Aesthetic Design
The Leap Chair was built around a very specific design philosophy based on four fundamental discoveries which can be summed up as follows:
These four points serve as the basis for every feature included in the Leap Chair, and as you might suspect, the results were nothing short of amazing.
Chair Specifications
Virtually every element of the chair is adjustable, including:
LiveBack Feature
As good as all that is though, those things aren’t the best part of the Leap’s design. It would be the “LiveBack” feature which, as mentioned in the company’s design philosophy, provides different levels of support for both your lower and mid back (lumbar and sacral regions).
Every time you push back on the seatback, the chair dynamically adjusts to you, providing precisely the level of support you need.

Adjustability
It gets better. In addition to all of that, you can adjust the angle of recline, choosing from five different presets that range between 96 and 120 degrees.
While it’s true that this recline range isn’t best-in-class (some chairs recline 135 degrees or more), it’s sufficient for most people, and honestly, the other superbly implemented features more than make up for it.
Also, you can adjust the precise position of the lumbar support via a simple dial located on the back of the chair. You can also customize the overall firmness via two separate dials (one for the lumbar and one for the sacral region of your back).
In our view, this combination of ergonomic features puts the Leap in a class by itself. Nothing else even comes close, but Steelcase still isn’t done, if you can believe that.
Upholstery
The Leap also comes in three different upholstery configurations: Standard (breathable mesh fabric), 3D knitted fabric, or sewn fabric. Whichever option you select, you can order the material in a variety of colors, including:
And finally, the Leap can be ordered in the following finishes:
A Few Extras
Oh, and let’s not forget about the extras the company offers, like the ottoman, which works with any of the company’s models, and pulls double duty as a low work table.



By this point, if you’re like most people, you’re probably getting pretty excited about buying one. Unfortunately, there’s a catch, and it’s a pretty significant one. This is an expensive chair. True, it’s high-quality, and you get what you pay for, but the simple truth is that the Leap is going to be out of reach for many who want and need one.
Still, if you can afford it, the Steelcase Leap is a fantastic choice and will serve you well. We’d rate this as the best ergonomic chair for a short person on the market today.
Steelcase Amia Office Chair | |
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Value | |
Comfort | |
Aesthetic Flexibility* | |
Brand Reliability** | |
4.5 Summary The Steelcase Amia Office Chair is an attractive, robust design filled with well-implemented ergonomic features, and backed by Steelcase’s impressive warranty. Recommended for anyone who can afford one. |
Design & Features
The Amia is the predecessor to the Leap chair, which makes it similar to the Herman Miller Aeron. It’s an exceptional chair by any reckoning; it’s just not quite as good or as robust as the Leap.
Here are the things we think you’ll like best about this model:
As good as those features are, however, they’re not the main selling point of the chair. We’ve saved that for last.
Live Lumbar Technology
The Amia sports “Live Lumbar” technology, which is tucked away out of sight, inside the seatback.
This is a series of panels and slats that not only help support your back (including the ability to adjust the position of the lumbar support, as mentioned above) but also move independently of each other as you reposition yourself in the seat, providing dynamic support when and where you need it most.
Even better, the name is something of a misnomer, because the support extends all the way to your mid-back; it’s not limited to just your lumbar region.



Best of all, you can tweak the tension, and thus the amount of support the chair provides so that it’s perfect for your needs. Granted, this takes a bit of experimentation to get right, but is well worth the time spent!
Made from Recycled Materials
Finally, if you’re looking for a “green” option, the Amia is made with up to 97% recycled materials, which means that it provides an excellent seating experience for you while being kind to the planet. That’s win-win!
Upholstery
Like the Leap Chair, you can order the Amia with three different upholstery options: Standard fabric, breathable mesh fabric, or sewn fabric. This fabric can be ordered in a variety of colors too, including:
Where finishing options are concerned, you’ve got four choices: Platinum, black, merle, or an upholstered outer back.
In other words, the Steelcase Amia not only feels great when you sit in it, but it’s also got enough color and customization options that you can truly make it your own, giving it exactly the “look” you want and making it a natural fit into most any home or office décor scheme.
All that and a ten-year warranty too? What’s not to like! It’s an expensive model but highly recommended. One of the best office chairs for petite frames available.
Serta My Fit Executive Office Chair | |
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Value | |
Comfort | |
Aesthetic Flexibility* | |
Brand Reliability** | |
4.5 Summary The Serta My Fit Executive Office Chair is a smallish, comfortable, ergonomic office chair with innovative features. Recommended for one of the best office chairs for short women. |
Design & Comfort
Serta knows a lot about comfort. Although they’re best known for making mattresses, they’ve made considerable strides in the office furniture market in recent years, producing a variety of modestly priced, high-quality office chairs. The MyFit is a great example, and a chair that placed a respectable third in our roundup review of the best leather-upholstered office chairs under $200.
The seat isn’t “racing style,” but clearly draws some of its design inspiration from computer gaming chairs, and the shape of the upper portion of the seatback provides exceptional head/neck/shoulder support, which is an important ergonomic design feature that a lot of companies don’t do well.



Ergonomic Features
That’s not the only thing the MyFit has going for it though. It also sports a waterfall-style seat and ergonomic armrests, though these are fixed-position and can’t be tweaked or adjusted in any way.
Active Lumbar Support
The most significant advantage this model brings to the table though and its most potent ergonomic feature is its active lumbar support. The seat is designed in such a way that if you’re not sitting all the way back with your back pressed against the seatback, it will move forward, almost as if seeking you out to provide lumbar support.
It’s a cool feature, but it’s one that users either love or despise. Many users have complained about it, and admittedly, it does take some getting used to. The people who love it though, absolutely swear by it and claim that they won’t get another office chair without it.
Mostly, this comes down to how you sit in your chair. If you’re not a “seat percher,” then you probably won’t even notice, but if you are, and you can get used to the somewhat unusual sensation, you’ll probably find that you like having a chair that can adapt to the way you sit in it.



For Short Users
On top of that, the chair is ideal for shorter users, with a seat height adjustment range that starts at just 16”. Be aware, however, that while many models have a broad seat height adjustment range that makes the chair able to accommodate a wide variety of user body shapes and styles, this one is poorly suited to bigger, taller users.
Moderate Daily Usage
Our main complaint about the MyFit is this: It’s unusual to see a cutting-edge design feature, which the active lumbar support definitely is, paired with relatively low-end materials like the faux leather upholstery and the nylon base. It almost feels like overkill, given that the chair wasn’t designed to stand up to the rigors of heavy daily usage.
Still, if you’re only planning to use this chair lightly to moderately, say, no more than 4-5 hours a day, and you’re looking for something custom-made for shorter folks, this is an excellent option.
AmazonBasics Mid Back Office Chair | |
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Value | |
Comfort | |
Aesthetic Flexibility* | |
Brand Reliability** | |
4.4 Summary The AmazonBasics Mid Back Office Chair is a basic, stylish office chair, well-suited to shorter users. Recommended for anyone from about 5’1” to 6’ tall. Anyone on a budget. |
Amazon has entered the office furniture market in a big way, and their products usually wind up somewhere on our list of finalists. They offer good furniture at attractive prices. Sure, they’re a bit bare bones and don’t provide a lot in the way of extras, but they also keep the price low, which is a fair trade.
Design
This Mid Back chair is typical of what we’ve seen from the other Amazon chairs we’ve reviewed. They're reasonably attractive, comfortable, and comes equipped with a basic set of ergonomic features. In this case, the chair only has one feature: well-implemented lumbar support.



If it had been equipped with a greater number of ergonomic enhancements, it would probably have moved up a notch or two in our rankings, but don’t make the mistake of thinking this is a bad chair. It’s not. It’s just that it’s basic. Functional.
While it doesn’t sport a waterfall-style seat, it is comfortable and shaped so that it does provide some ergonomic benefit.
Things to Consider
The arms are a weak point – not only are they not ergonomically designed, but the padding is a bit sparse, and you can’t adjust them in any way, which makes the armrests the weakest point of the design.
There are two other limitations to be aware of. First, the chair doesn’t recline, but it does rock slightly, and second, it’s got the lowest maximum supported weight limit (just 225 pounds) of any chair on our list of finalists.
Still Good Value
Given all that, you might be wondering how it wound up on our list of best office chairs for small people. It’s a fair question, and ultimately, it comes down to the value proposition. At less than a hundred bucks, it’s one of the least expensive chairs on our list.



Sure, it’s made from low-end materials, and neither the bonded leather nor the nylon base will stand up well to the rigors of heavy daily use, but given its low price, none of those details matter much.
On the upside, you can order this chair in one of three colors: black, brown, or white, which gives this model some added aesthetic flexibility.
The bottom line then is that this is a basic, functional, comfortable chair that’s well-suited to shorter people. It’s certainly not best in class, but if all you need is a basic office chair for light to moderate daily use, buying this one will leave you plenty of money left over for other things, and there’s something to be said for that.
We provisionally recommend it for people on a budget and who aren’t looking for anything fancy.
Serta Hannah II Office Chair | |
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Value | |
Comfort | |
Aesthetic Flexibility* | |
Brand Reliability** | |
4.4 Summary The Serta Hannah II Office Chair is a superb ergonomic design. Modestly priced and available in a variety of colors. Recommended for anyone. Serta knows a lot about comfort and this microfiber upholstered design is exceptional. |
This is the second of two models offered by Serta to make our short list, and the Hannah II won top honors in our recent roundup review of the best fabric-upholstered office chairs under $200.
It didn’t place higher here because of the intense competition, and the fact that it’s not as well-optimized for shorter people as some of the other models. It is nonetheless, a chair well worth considering.
Design and Features

Its 19” seat width is just outside the range of what we’d consider being a chair optimized for shorter folks, but it is exceptionally well-padded, and the seat height extension falls just inside the lines.
So, while this is a marginal case that may not work well for extremely short users, it’s well worth considering for people on the upper end of the petite range.
It’s got a full suite of ergonomic features including:
Upholstery
On top of that, it’s upholstered in microfiber fabric which is a joy to sit in, and given the generous amounts of padding, sitting in the chair almost feels like a hug. Put that together with the well-implemented ergonomic features, and it’s hard not to love this chair!
Even better, you can order it in a variety of colors, including:
Note that you can also order this chair with durably woven fabric upholstery, rather than microfiber. True, you give up some of the comfort, but you get a slightly more durable chair that can better withstand the rigors of heavy daily use.



For this one, we’d recommend taking careful measurements to make sure you’ll fit into the chair well, and if you’re planning to use it lightly to moderately, the microfiber option is the way to go. For people looking to buy a chair for heavy daily use, the woven fabric option would be the better choice in our view.
Finally, be aware that although this is a great model, one thing it doesn’t do is recline. It does rock slightly, but you won’t be able to lean way back and kick your feet up as you can in many other models. Even so, this is one of the most comfortable chairs for short people.
Other Notable Fabric/Leather Upholstered Alternatives
There is a certain amount of subjectivity to any “best of” list, and this one is no exception. That’s why we wanted to include the chairs we evaluated but didn’t quite rank high enough to make an appearance on our list of the best petite ergonomic chairs available today. That way, if none of the chairs in our top five are exactly what you’re looking for, you’ve got other options available! Here they are:
NBF Petite Faux Leather Office Chair | |
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Value | |
Comfort | |
Aesthetic Flexibility* | |
Brand Reliability** | |
4.2 Summary A well-designed little office chair, optimized for shorter users! NBF Petite Ergonomic Chair is recommended For: Shorter users who weigh 250 pounds or less, looking for a good chair for light to moderate daily use. |
Part of the NBF Signature Series, this chair narrowly missed making our top five. It’s an amazing, surprisingly adjustable product, but before we get into its ergonomic features, let’s start by giving you a quick overview of the basics.

Chair Specifications
Ergonomic & Adjustable
The basic stats above don’t even begin to tell the story of this chair though. It’s got a suite of ergonomic and adjustable features that rival some of the entries on our top five list. These include:
Seat Design & Seat Cushion
Although the seat isn’t a waterfall design, it is sculpted and provides decent support. We’d hesitate to call this an ergonomic feature, or if so, it’s the weakest of the bunch, but the company did make some effort on this front as well.
In addition to well-implemented ergonomic features, the padding in this chair is a significant upgrade from standard block foam. This chair utilizes memory foam, which gives you a positively luxurious seating experience.
Upholstery
All of these are features you’d expect to find in a high-end product and had NBF paired those features with better upholstery and an aluminum or steel base; this chair would have certainly made the top five.
As it stands, the upholstery is faux leather which looks decent but will begin showing its age quickly, paired with an ordinary nylon base. Neither of these are capable of standing up to heavy daily usage.
That’s unfortunate because this really is a superb model, but in our view, the low-end materials make it something of a paper tiger.
It’s okay if you only plan to use your chair for a few hours a day, tops, but if you’re looking for something capable of standing up to intensive use, this is sadly not the model you want.
We recommend this chair, but only for light/moderate daily use.

Flash Furniture Microfiber High Backed Chair | |
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Value | |
Comfort | |
Aesthetic Flexibility* | |
Brand Reliability** | |
3.9 Summary |
Although our top five lists are dominated by big, well-established brands, Flash Furniture has as many chairs featured in this roundup review as Herman Miller does, and more than both Serta or Steelcase, if you look at the top ten, and not just the final five. That’s a pretty amazing feat, given that it’s a small brand that’s not very well known.
The reason is simple: Flash Furniture is a good company, and they make surprisingly high-quality chairs. This one is no exception, and since it’s microfiber, you know that it’s going to be delightfully comfortable.

Basic Specifications
Our favorite aspect of this chair is the fact that it’s very well-padded. That, combined with the softness of microfiber makes it an absolute joy to sit in.
Colors
Even better, the company offers this model in a modest selection of colors, including:
Ergonomic Features
In terms of ergonomic features, the Flash Furniture Microfiber High Back has three excellent ones on offer, providing you with exceptional lumbar support, an ergonomic headrest, and a waterfall-edge style seat.
The stationary arms are well padded and comfortable but are not ergonomically sculpted. The chair tilts to a maximum angle of 120 degrees, which isn’t best in class but should be sufficient for most potential buyers.
Honestly, though, people who gravitate to this model will do so because they want to maximize comfort. Details like maximum recline angle will only be a deal breaker for a tiny minority.
In terms of comfort, this chair compares favorably with the highest-ranking chairs on our list. In fact, if Flash Furniture had the same brand heft as Serta and Steelcase, this model would have appeared in the top five. It’s a tremendous value for the money and highly recommended.

Work Smart FL660-U42 (Office Star) | |
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