Best Office Chairs Under £300 UK 2026: WFH Desk Picks That Hold Up
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The difference between a £60 chair and a £250 chair isn’t comfort on day one — both feel fine in the showroom. It’s comfort in month eight. Cheap chairs fail in predictable ways: the foam flattens, the gas lift sinks, the armrests wobble loose, and the lumbar curve that looked supportive turns out to be a fixed lump in the wrong place. For a chair you sit in 40 hours a week, that’s the spec that matters.
Below are the picks that consistently come up in UK WFH forums, Which?, and owner reviews — with the trade-offs made explicit.
TL;DR
- Best overall: Sihoo M57 — adjustable lumbar + armrests, mesh back, around £130. The default recommendation.
- Best under £100: Songmics OBG — the core ergonomic features without the markup.
- Best for all-day: Flexispot BS11 Pro — adaptive lumbar, deeper recline, headrest. For 8+ hour days.
- Best for small rooms: Sihoo M18 — mid-back, smaller footprint, flip-up arms.
- Skip: anything under ~£60 (foam and gas lift fail fast), and “gaming” bucket-seat chairs marketed as ergonomic — the wings push your shoulders forward, the opposite of what you want at a desk.
What actually matters when choosing a desk chair
- Adjustable lumbar support. This is the single most important feature for back comfort over long days. “Lumbar support” on a spec sheet can mean a fixed bump (often in the wrong spot) or a genuinely adjustable pad you move up/down and in/out. Only the adjustable kind reliably fits your spine. If the listing doesn’t say “adjustable lumbar”, assume it’s fixed.
- Seat height range vs your desk. A chair is only ergonomic if it lets your elbows sit at desk height with feet flat. Standard gas lifts cover roughly 45–55 cm seat height. If you’re very tall or short, or your desk is non-standard, check the range — this is the spec most people forget and most returns are about.
- Mesh vs cushioned back. Mesh breathes (no sweaty back in summer) and conforms; cushioned feels plusher initially but the foam compresses over time. For all-day UK use, mesh is the safer durability bet. Cushioned seats are fine; cushioned backs are where the foam-flattening happens.
- Armrest adjustability. Fixed armrests that don’t tuck under the desk force you to sit too far back. Look for height-adjustable (2D) at minimum; 3D/4D (also width and angle) is a genuine comfort upgrade for typing posture.
- Weight capacity and build. Most budget chairs rate ~120 kg. The rating is also a proxy for build quality — a higher rating usually means a sturdier base and gas lift. The gas lift (the part that sinks on cheap chairs) is the most common failure point; a BIFMA or SGS-tested lift is worth seeking in the spec.
Best overall under £300 — Sihoo M57
Search on Amazon UK →The Sihoo M57 is the chair that comes up most often when UK WFH forums are asked “what should I actually buy on a normal budget?” At around £130 it covers the features that matter: a genuinely adjustable lumbar pad, height-adjustable armrests, a breathable mesh back, and a tilt lock that holds the recline where you set it.
It’s not a Herman Miller. The materials are mid-range, the assembly is a 20-minute job, and the armrests adjust for height but not width or angle. But for the price, the core ergonomics are right — and at well under £200, “the core ergonomics are right” is exactly what most chairs at this price get wrong.
Trade-offs:
- The seat cushion is firm. Most owners adapt within a week; if you strongly prefer a soft seat, this isn’t it.
- Armrests adjust for height but not width/angle. Fine for most, a limitation if you want precise width adjustment.
- Build quality is good-for-price, not heirloom. Expect 4–6 years of daily use.
The right buy for most people working from home who want proper lumbar support without spending £400+.
Best under £100 — Songmics OBG ergonomic
Search on Amazon UK →The honest budget pick. The Songmics OBG range covers the genuine essentials — mesh back, basic lumbar support, height adjustment, and a tilt function — at a price (typically £70–£95) where most rivals are cutting corners on the gas lift.
What you give up versus the Sihoo: the lumbar is less adjustable (often height-only or fixed), the armrests are simpler, and the overall build feels lighter. But it does the core job, and it does it without the false economy of a £45 chair that sinks within three months.
Trade-offs:
- Lumbar support is present but less refined — fine for shorter days, less so for 8-hour marathons.
- Lighter build; weight capacity typically rated around 120 kg, but it feels less solid than the Sihoo.
- Fewer adjustment points overall.
The right buy if budget is the hard limit and you still want something that won’t fail by Christmas.
Best for all-day sitting — Flexispot BS11 Pro
Search on Amazon UK →If you sit 8+ hours a day, or you’re specifically choosing an office chair for back pain, the step-up to around £250 buys meaningfully better support. The Flexispot BS11 Pro (and its close siblings) adds an adaptive lumbar system that flexes with your movement rather than sitting as a fixed pad, a deeper recline for proper breaks, and a headrest for leaning back.
This is the category where spending more actually shows. The adjustment range is wider, the recline feels controlled rather than springy, and the build is a clear notch above the sub-£150 chairs.
Trade-offs:
- At £220–£290 it’s near the top of the under-£300 band; only worth it if you genuinely sit all day.
- Bulkier and heavier — assembly takes longer and it dominates a small room.
- The headrest suits taller users better; shorter users sometimes find it sits too high.
Worth buying if back comfort over long days is the priority and the budget stretches. If you sit 3–4 hours a day, the Sihoo M57 is the smarter spend.
Best for small rooms — Sihoo M18
Search on Amazon UK →When floor space is the constraint — a chair that lives in a bedroom corner or a tight box room — the Sihoo M18 is the practical pick. It’s a mid-back rather than high-back design, so it takes up less visual and physical space, and the armrests flip up so the whole chair tucks under the desk when you’re done.
At around £90 it keeps the adjustable lumbar and mesh back of its bigger sibling, just in a smaller package. The mid-back means less upper-back and neck support, which is the trade for the smaller footprint.
Trade-offs:
- Mid-back = no upper-back/neck support. Fine for shorter sessions, less so for all-day.
- Flip-up arms are convenient but less adjustable than fixed-position 2D arms.
- The smaller seat suits average and smaller builds better than larger frames.
The right buy when the room dictates the chair as much as your back does.
Comparison table
| Model | Back type | Lumbar | Armrests | Weight cap | Typical price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sihoo M57 | High-back mesh | Adjustable | Height-adjustable | ~120 kg | £120–£160 |
| Songmics OBG | Mid/high mesh | Basic | Fixed/basic | ~120 kg | £70–£95 |
| Flexispot BS11 Pro | High-back mesh | Adaptive | Multi-directional | ~130 kg | £220–£290 |
| Sihoo M18 | Mid-back mesh | Adjustable | Flip-up | ~120 kg | £80–£110 |
FAQs
What's the best office chair for back pain under £300 in the UK?
For back pain specifically, prioritise adjustable lumbar support over every other feature, and a chair you can sit in for hours without the support shifting. In this list, the Flexispot BS11 Pro (around £250) is the strongest choice: its adaptive lumbar flexes with your movement rather than pressing as a fixed pad, which is what tends to aggravate existing back pain. The Sihoo M57 (around £130) is the budget option with genuinely adjustable lumbar. Avoid fixed-lumbar chairs and gaming chairs with bucket seats. If your back pain is persistent, a chair helps but isn't a substitute for medical advice.
Is a mesh or cushioned chair better for working from home?
For all-day use, mesh backs are generally the safer choice: they breathe (no sweaty back in summer), conform to your spine, and don't suffer the foam-flattening that makes cushioned backs feel worse over months. Cushioned seats are fine — the issue is specifically cushioned backs, where compressed foam loses its support. If you run cold or strongly prefer a plush feel, a cushioned seat with a mesh back is a good middle ground.
How much do I need to spend for a genuinely good WFH chair?
The floor for a usable ergonomic chair is around £70–£90 (e.g. the Songmics OBG). Below ~£60, the gas lift and foam tend to fail within months, so it's a false economy. The £120–£160 range (Sihoo M57) is the sweet spot for most people: proper adjustable lumbar and armrests without diminishing returns. Above £250 you're paying for adaptive lumbar and better build, which only pays off if you sit 8+ hours a day.
Are gaming chairs good for working from home?
Generally no, despite the marketing. The bucket-seat 'wings' on most gaming chairs push your shoulders forward and inward — the opposite of the open, upright posture you want for typing. They also tend to have fixed lumbar pillows rather than adjustable support. A gaming chair can work if it has genuinely adjustable lumbar and a flat-ish seat, but a purpose-built ergonomic office chair at the same price is almost always the better desk choice.
What seat height do I need?
You want your feet flat on the floor with thighs roughly parallel to the ground, and your elbows at desk height when typing. Most standard gas lifts cover about 45–55 cm of seat height, which suits people roughly 1.55–1.85 m at a standard ~73 cm desk. If you're outside that range or have a non-standard desk, check the chair's stated seat-height range before buying — mismatched height is the most common reason WFH chairs get returned.
How long should a sub-£300 office chair last?
A £70–£100 budget chair realistically lasts 2–4 years of daily use before the foam or gas lift degrades. A £130–£160 chair like the Sihoo M57 typically lasts 4–6 years. The first thing to fail on cheaper chairs is almost always the gas lift (the seat slowly sinks); a lift that's BIFMA or SGS tested in the spec is a good durability signal. Mesh backs generally outlast cushioned ones because there's no foam to compress.
Verdict
For most people working from home: Sihoo M57 . At around £130 it gets the core ergonomics right — adjustable lumbar, adjustable arms, breathable mesh — which is exactly what cheaper chairs get wrong.
If budget is the hard limit: Songmics OBG . The sensible floor — real ergonomic features without the £45-chair false economy.
If you sit all day and your back complains: Flexispot BS11 Pro . The adaptive lumbar and deeper recline justify the £250 only if you’re in the chair 8+ hours.
Skip anything under ~£60, and skip gaming chairs sold as ergonomic. If you’re also sorting out the rest of the desk setup, our best UK laptops under £500 guide covers the machine to go with the chair.