About 30 percent of office workers experience inconvenience in the workplace. Most often, the problem lies in the insufficient number of square meters allocated to one office unit. Since each employee organizes the workspace himself, he can slightly improve the picture by creating optimal conditions and individual order on the desk. However, the choice of office supplies and furniture is usually not within the competence of an ordinary employee. Therefore, not every subordinate has a comfortable place to work and boasts the best office chair.
Which to choose: a chair or an armchair?
Conventionally, furniture for all categories of people who come to the office is divided by importance: for executives, for specialists and for visitors. Approximately in the same sequence, the cost of an office chair decreases. If the chair of the head is distinguished by expensive materials that emphasize the status of the head, then universal seats and backs upholstered in leather substitute or fabric are selected for the staff. In an office environmentpurchase chairs for employees with armrests and headrests, while for visitors they choose an economy class without any additional features and amenities.
The cheapest representatives of office furniture are chairs, which have almost become obsolete. The absence of a swivel mechanism and wheels does not allow you to quickly switch from a computer monitor to a desktop and vice versa. Therefore, choosing a chair today will save money, but will significantly reduce labor productivity and in the long run will only bring losses. However, in some organizations, the chairs have survived to the present day. They are used by visitors while waiting in line.
Variety of materials and shapes
In order to choose ergonomic and economical furniture for the company's employees, including the best office chairs, you need to study their main parameters.
The experts call the most important characteristics:
- mechanism complexity;
- material of seat, frame and cross;
- view of armrests and headrests;
- wheel material;
- gas lift length;
- additional options.
Types of mechanisms
The basis of the chair, which allows it to serve its intended purpose for a long time, is an adjustable mechanical component.
There are several types of mechanisms:
- Piastra - looks like a metal plate connecting the stem andseat. Functionally, this node allows you to adjust the desired height of the office chair with a lever. Pressing it brings the gas lift valve into working position, and the movement up and down to the required vertical size is carried out. Piastra is the simplest mechanism that significantly reduces the cost of office furniture, but regulates only the height.
- Complex of spring and screws - allows you to adjust the rolling stiffness of the backrest, its height and distance to the seat. The spring-and-screw mechanism is more complex than the piastres, but is also used in low and medium price chairs. The advantage is the ability to adjust the parameters for a particular person and select the desired rolling stiffness.
- "Top Gun" - has 3 types of regulation: the lever adjusts the height and degree of rolling, and the spring provides the necessary rigidity. Due to its large dimensions, the Top Gun system is installed on executive chairs.
- Multiblock - determines not only all the listed amenities, but also makes it possible to fix the chair in three or more positions. More often than others, this mechanism is used on reinforced office chairs. As a result of releasing the lock, the backrest slowly moves back to its original position after applying some force.
- Synchronous mechanism - is considered the best option available. As in the case of the multiblock, its device allows the chair to be fixed in several positions. A special advantage is the tilt of the back andseat that changes depending on the load.
Construction materials
The frame of the chair is produced in two versions: one-piece and collapsible. The first option is more durable and allows functional use even after dismantling the armrests. In the case of using a non-monolithic frame, all parts are connected using an additional structure or the same armrests.
The cross usually has five, rarely four branches and gives stability to the office chair. Plastic, although it does not lag behind other materials in strength, is used for the crosspiece of the most budgetary chairs. A metal cross, sometimes chrome plated, is considered the best option for mid-level workers, but adds bulk to the chair and drives up the cost. A presentable look is given by a metal base with wooden overlays painted in the color of the armrests.
The soft part of the chair can be:
- covered with practical, durable fabric;
- made of natural leather or its substitute;
- made from a special and strong fabric mesh.
In order to ensure a comfortable stay of employees at the workplace, the stuffing for the best office chairs is carried out with polyurethane foam.
Pleasant little things
Both armrests and headrests are optional, but an important attribute of the chair. Their presence significantly increases the comfortable state of the worker in it. Armrests can be removable or serve as a connecting elementbackrests and seats.
Height-adjustable armrests are considered the best option, which contribute to the correct distribution of the load on the body and make it easier to get up. There are a number of chairs with reclining armrests. This feature is useful in small spaces where every centimeter of workspace counts.
Tilt-adjustable headrests are usually found on expensive, most often leather executive office chairs. The middle price segment of the market provides a non-adjustable headrest, which also allows you to relax your neck and back muscles.
Wheels and gas lift
The casters at the base of the chair are an important part of comfortable office movement. The type of surface on which the chair will subsequently roll is decisive when choosing this category of furniture.
For driving on a hard decorative surface, choose wheels made of soft materials: polyurethane or rubber, so as not to damage the laminate or parquet. Plastic wheels are purchased to slide the chair on tiles, linoleum or carpet. The second option is installed on budget office chairs, the cost and class of which do not need to be increased. The proceeds from the sale of chairs of this kind are formed in proportion to the volume of sales, and not an increase in quality and comfort indicators.
The gas lift of the chair is used as a lift and is a piston with a cylinder. The height adjustment device is distinguished by length and material. On thechairs for managers use a short gas lift, for employees - a device of medium length. As for the appearance, in expensive Bureaucrat models, the chair is regulated by a chrome-plated gas lift, which is a continuation of the same cross. For a cost-effective purchase, it is recommended to purchase a chair with a regular black gas lift placed in a plastic cover.
Design
If the quality of the chair and its main parameters are chosen based on the functional purpose, then the color and shape are determined by the design of the room.
The leaders in sales of exclusive models of armchairs is the leather version of the upholstery in black or brown with a base made of natural materials and polyurethane rollers. The second place in popularity is occupied by neutral shades of upholstery for executive chairs. The best office chair for employees is the dark-colored fabric-backed Top Gun with adjustable armrests.
Producers
The office chair market is wide and varied. You can easily choose an economical option with good technical characteristics. There is where to turn around and connoisseurs of office furniture, and picky bosses. The following trademarks have gained the greatest popularity: "Metta", "Bureaucrat" and Easy chair.
Metta
This is a Russian company that positions itself as a company with a full production cycle, from research in the field of comfortable furniture to sales from a warehousefinished products. The manufacturer produces 6 series of office chairs: Samurai, SkyLine, Business, Lux, Midi, Comfort. Each type has several options, differing in price at times.
Since the beginning of production, the Samurai office chair has undergone about 12 upgrades. Many of them remained in the product catalog and are in demand, and the Samurai brand, according to the manufacturer, has become its best product. The advantages of the chair include:
- steel chrome frame;
- ergonomic shape;
- breathable seat and back material;
- silent mechanism and shifted rocking center;
- polyurethane rollers.
Also pleases the buyer with a choice of colors from white to black and material - from reinforced mesh to genuine leather. In the office furniture market, Metta chairs are valued for their best orthopedic properties.
Bureaucrat
The brand belongs to the foreign company Merlion and produces not only armchairs, but also stationery, furniture accessories, lamps and watches. Experts note this brand for the best quality of goods in the middle price category. Armchairs "Bureaucrat" are presented in 4 categories: for managers, employees, visitors and children. To capture an impressive market segment, the company uses a variety of upholstery. For budget options, a practical fabric base, artificial leather, microfiber, nubuck are used. Executive chairs are often upholstered in natural leather, sometimes with a polyurethane coating or leatherette and high quality fabrics. Particular attention is paid to mesh upholstery,which significantly improves the ergonomics of chairs.
Easy chair
The company has been operating in the domestic market since 2011 and represents upholstered furniture, safes, armchairs for all categories of workers and entire furniture cabinets. The company advocates a variety of color solutions.
Many shades and textures allow Easy chair office chairs to harmoniously fit into any design and color scheme. Professionals call the advantage of this brand the use of durable and environmentally friendly materials, which allows the manufacturer to compete with well-known world brands.
Seat Selection Criteria
When purchasing a chair, experts recommend that you test the product before buying. Check for ease of use, ease of adjustment and smooth rolling.
Sit down in a chair, you can appreciate the comfort of being in it, the quality of the seat, backrest and armrests. When moving and lifting, squeaks or other unpleasant sounds should alert.
When choosing a seat for the head, you need to remember the design and color scheme of the office. The chair should emphasize the status of the boss and in no case be pulled out of the general context. Here it is necessary to pay special attention to the appearance and choose the right color. You can purchase a complete set of furniture in neutral shades or choose it to match the walls. To emphasize the importance of the owner of the office, you need to purchase a chair a few tones brighterthe rest of the furniture, but not going beyond the prevailing color.
The main criterion in choosing a seat for the effective work of subordinates is functionality and comfort. A strong frame, easy adjustment of the office chair, silent castors, medium-soft padding and a practical non-staining color - these are perhaps all the requirements for a furniture middle manager.
When purchasing a chair, it is important to remember the following: it must first of all provide several hours of continuous operation, and only then it is logical to fit into the interior. Therefore, the indicator of ergonomics, as well as the ratio of price and quality, are priority areas when choosing an office chair of any brand.
