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If you’re looking to give your home office a refresh, or maybe redecorate the workspaces at your office, finding new office chairs is one of the essential parts of that update. If your old swivel chair would look right at home on the set of Office Space, the time has come to seek a replacement.
But an office chair is not a purchase that should be taken lightly. Whether you spend an hour or eight hours working in the office, your chair will get a significant amount of use. You should consider what you expect to get from your chair and how long you want one to last when buying furniture for your office.
At Furniture Fair, we’ve sold office chairs and other office furniture for 58 years, and we want to share some of the experience we’ve learned since our founding in 1963. Our goal as a furniture store is to provide you with a quality guide to help you find the perfect chair for your work or home office.
This article will cover the good, better, best system and how you can use it to rank chairs based on value and quality. Read on and follow our guide to buying an office chair and use our ranking system for wherever you are shopping for a new office chair.
The Good, Better, Best Ranking System (hereafter referred to as GBB to prevent monotony and carpal tunnel syndrome) is a quality-focused checklist that you can use to determine the office chair’s quality when purchasing.
Keep in mind that GBB isn't necessarily ranking worst to best. Every segment of GBB has pros and cons depending on what you will be prioritizing. Your priority should be finding the perfect chair for your needs since you will be spending hours a day in it and your office most likely doesn’t have standing desks yet.
If you are looking for the best price, then good is an excellent fit for you. If comfortable chairs with height adjustable features like adjustable seats, seat tilts, smoother rolling wheels and a variety of color options, better might be your best bet. If solid woods and attention to detail are your number one priority, then the best is your best option.
Using the GBB list will help you determine the office chair quality and determine if the price listed is comparable to the quality. Once you have applied the GBB list, you will be more knowledgeable about the product and better understand furniture quality price points.
Now let’s find out how to go about finding the GBB when looking at office chairs.
There are four primary methods that you can use to determine the GBB ranking of an office chair. We will list an overview of each one below and go into detail for each of the three GBB categories.
When ranking a desk chair, one of the most important things to look for is the type of construction. Once you learn the construction quality, you will have the best idea of the GBB ranking.
Construction methods will usually range from pieces that give the lowest cost to chairs that provide the highest value. Price points will vary based on the materials and techniques used to create the office chair.
Depth of finish applies to solid-wood office chairs, so if your office chair is another material, you can skip this. Depth of finish refers to the wood stains and varnishes used and is a good indicator of the material’s quality.
Faux woods, plastics, laminates, and wood veneers will not have a natural deep wood finish. Determining a lack of depth in the finish is a great way to determine if your office chair is constructed from natural wood and will need to be maintained.
For more information about maintaining solid wood products, check out our article on how to maintain a solid wood dining set.
Quality of materials applies to any woods, metals, composite materials, fabrics, wheels, mechanisms, and attention to detail in the construction process.
Careful inspection will reveal the GBB ranking and help you to determine which material you are comfortable having in your home office.
A warranty is a sign of confidence from the product manufacturer in the product that they make.
Warranties are an excellent way to determine how long you can expect your office furniture to last at a minimum and help you rank that piece more accurately to the GBB list.
If you are looking for the gold standard in quality and interior design, you will find it in the best category. Best quality office chairs are the type of chair that would be just as at home in an executive office as a dream home office or living room workspace.
Solid woods, high-quality mechanisms, performance fabrics, and aniline leather upholstery are all features available when you buy the best quality office chair.
Many brands at this level feature made-in-the-USA construction with many materials also sourced from within the states.
Your office chair will last for much longer than the chairs in the first two categories, and the high-quality materials will make your office look sophisticated and sturdy. Keep in mind that higher-end materials like fabric upholstery and leather will require regular care and cleaning.
The highest quality, however, demands the highest price point. The best category will cost you the most out of the three types and get you a chair that will last a long time, becoming classier with age.
While an initial investment, the best quality office chairs are made to last a lifetime, whether at home or the workplace.
Better quality office chairs are the median between the three categories. An economical blend of value and quality, the better class, is for someone looking to buy a longer-lasting chair but isn’t necessarily looking for the fanciest chair on the market.
Better office chairs have more metal parts, thicker foam padding, spring seats, better quality mechanisms, and ergonomic office chair designs are built to stand up to years of use either at home or the office while helping you maintain good posture.
You are much more likely to be happy with a better office chair investment rather than merely satisfied.
If your budget limits you, and you don’t want to try other payment options then the better category might not be for you. Likewise, if your taste and budget are toward the finer things, then this category may not be to your liking.
Better chairs are built to be functional, practical, and long-lasting, and when you purchase a better quality chair, you will get just that.
Good quality budget chairs prioritize value and are the best option for those working within a tighter budget. If you need to furnish an entire office on a limited budget, this is the category.
Good option office chairs feature materials designed to cut costs, such as polyester fabrics, thinner cushioning, greater use of plastics, and smaller sizes in general.
Chairs built to this standard are not designed to last for a long time but will do the job if you need something fast for a lower price.
Good office chairs may not be right for anyone looking to outfit an office with high-quality furniture or someone looking to buy an office chair that will last for a long time.
Do not buy good quality if you are in the market for a higher quality chair, but if you need an office chair fast and cheap, this is the category for you.
Now that you have a way to properly rank your potential new office chairs using the GBB method, you have the knowledge that you need to look for the perfect set! Using the GBB, you can quickly determine the best quality office chair and find one at a price that makes you happy.
Keep in mind that the good category is for those who need a decent chair at a budget price. The better class is for those needing a no-nonsense longer-lasting office chair. The best quality is for those who want the best possible quality and don’t mind shelling out the extra money for quality.
For more GBB ranking information, check out our articles ranking bedroom sets, mattresses, sofas, and dining sets. Using the GBB ranking system, you can find the best furniture and accessories for your needs and your budget.
If you are looking for a new office chair or any office furniture in the Louisville, Dayton, or Cincinnati area, check out Furniture Fair!
With 11 locations and a great collection of office furniture, including office chairs and desks, Furniture Fair has options for you! Visit our showroom today or visit us online for an effortless shopping experience.
