(Pocket-lint) – Plenty of people were enjoying the benefits of working from home either some or all of the time well before the current situation evolved, but it’s fair to say that the proportion of homeworkers has absolutely shot up in the last few months.

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That means that the proportion of people discovering that their home doesn’t contain a single chair that’s comfortable to work in for long stretches has also jumped by a huge margin – we’ve been there, people. That’s why we’ve taken a look at the very best chairs on the market to find some great buys for you. Be warned, though, on two counts.

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Firstly, stock is in short supply all over the world for office supplies like these chairs, so you can expect some long shipping times, sadly. Secondly, a good office chair is one of those things that doesn’t really come cheap. With that said, here are some of the best chairs around.

Our guide to the best home office chairs to buy today

Humanscale

Humanscale Diffrient World

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Trust us when we say that getting this Humanscale chair was life-changing – the Pocket-lint team all work from home, so getting a good chair makes all the difference, and oh boy is this a good chair. With a whole bunch of ways that you can adjust it and back support that actually adapts to your posture, it’s honestly shocking how comfortable it is. 

Also, importantly by our judgement, it looks pretty nice, too. If your home office is its own room, bully for you, but if your office chair is going to have to exist around and amongst a living room or other shared space, it’s important that it isn’t necessarily huge and overly corporate. We think that Humanscale has nailed that side of things, too. Of course, it comes with a chunky and inescapable price tag, but quality doesn’t often come cheap.

IKEA

IKEA Lngfjll

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Then again, IKEA’s been making a mockery of our concept of value for years now, and this chair is a prime example. There’s no reason it should be as affordable as it is, but Långfjäll is a brilliant little chair that is perfect for those operating on a smaller budget. It could genuinely blend in at a dinner table, and while you don’t get masses of customisation options, it’s really comfortable to sit in and use, which is the heart of the matter.

While it might be a bit tough to reel of the name of the chair to envying friends, we know multiple people who have swapped from much more expensive seats into it, which is a high recommendation in our books. If you’re looking for value, you’ll find it here. 

Herman Miller

Herman Miller Aeron

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You knew we weren’t going to get through a list of the best chairs without name-checking Herman Miller, very much the big name in the market. Of course, that brings with it a certain cachet, and if there’s one thing that in turn comes with prestige, it’s a high price. Herman Miller chairs are super, duper pricey, in short.

If you’ve got the cash, though, they’re also about as comfortable, supportive and adjustable as a chair can be. Our particular pick is the Aeron, for its mesh back that’ll have safe from dread back-sweat, its comfy armrests and modern aesthetic. It might not quite have the value to take our top spot, but if you’re looking for a chair you can trust to keep your back happy, this is a safe bet.

John Lewis

John Lewis Murray

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As we’ve said, value can be a little challenging to find in the office chair market, but John Lewis is another trusted brand that’s doing good work with its lineup of chairs. They’re not quite as affordable as IKEA’s efforts, but they’re not too far off. 

The Murray is a great swivel chair with a mesh back, as we think is best for most people, and a comfortable cushion, available with or without armrests (we generally opt for rests if at all possible, although they’re often removable). This chair has a clean, modern look and doesn’t scream out that you’ve spent a bunch on your chair, which is always welcome, too. 

Steelcase

Steelcase Gesture

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Steelcase is another in the pantheon of top chair brands – it’s got a superb reputation for high-quality products, but something else that it boasts over all of our other picks is sheer customisation options. The Gesture is a great chair, but it’s also amazing how many colour combinations you can order it in so that you can guarantee it’ll fit into your decor perfectly no matter what that looks like. 

Of course, you’ll also get superb lumbar support and great swivel movability, in an overall package that looks really clean and is, fundamentally, extraordinarily comfortable, which is what matters most.

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills.