Criteria and rules for choosing an office chair
Most of the working time, most employees of various companies spend sitting in an office chair at a desk. The result of work directly depends on the conditions in which he solves important tasks of the company. A welcoming atmosphere and comfortable furnishings increase productivity. But most important of all is the office chair.
Another important parameter depends on its quality and ergonomics - the health of the employee. To minimize the negative effects caused by the forced long-term sitting at the desk, the modern market offers a variety of models of these chairs.
Varieties of office chairs
There are many types of chairs. Allocate models for executives, visitors, staff, and meeting rooms. Armchairs for ordinary employees are presented on the furniture market in various modifications, a large sector of choice and cost. If it is convenient, and the employer did not save on it, then the employee will be comfortable throughout the entire working day.
Guest guests are often minimalistic. Everything here should be stable, durable, compact and light. For rooms in which meetings or negotiations are held, it is better to purchase rotating options (it will help to turn towards the screen while watching video materials or slides without additional manipulation). The head's chair is designed to emphasize the status of its owner.
Main selection criteria
When approaching the choice of office chairs, it is important to have an idea of what its criteria are based on, how to choose the right chair, what points should be paid special attention to. And what options are best suited for this or that case.
Functional
Each office chair is designed to fulfill a specific function. Someone spends a couple of hours sitting in it, and someone more than eight. But there is something that unites them, functionality:
- spring-screw mechanism for constant back support;
- gas lift for height adjustment;
- soft seat;
- armrests;
- crosspiece on rollers.
All this has a certain meaning for certain consumers. It is worthwhile to approach the choice thoroughly.
Base
A crosspiece consisting of five beams is most often used as a base. As for the diameter, the larger it is, the higher the stability of the chair. The materials from which the base is made are also varied:
- plastic (cheap, not entirely practical);
- metal (durable but heavy);
- metal frame with wooden lining.
A metal leg is definitely more reliable than a plastic one. Of the minuses, only the large weight of the structure can be distinguished. Products with plastic legs are much cheaper and lighter in weight. The choice here depends on purely personal preferences.
Gaslift
The simplest mechanism, used on almost all models, makes it possible to raise and lower the seat using a lever without much effort. Equipped with this function, the chairs are suitable for spending no more than two hours at the desk. This option is suitable for reception rooms or secretaries.
Back and seat
With different weights, people with different strengths lean on the back of the chair. This load must necessarily be compensated for by resistance, in order to avoid breakages and falls. The ideal option would be balancing, when the position of the backrest easily tilts back, but does not allow you to spread out at the workplace. This function can be either mechanical or automatic.
The seat can be of different rigidity. Solid, made of flexible flooring materials. Semi-soft have an average thickness of the flooring, soft - large, equipped with springs. As far as the surface is concerned, the smoother it is, the better. The rounded shape with waterproof and breathable upholstery made from breathable and ecological material is ideal.
Armrests and headrests
Trying to save money on armrests is a big mistake. Adjustable armrests keep your forearms and shoulders relaxed. If they are not there, the employee sits in tension all day, which will result in pain in the shoulder girdle. There are three ways to attach the armrests:
- to the seat (if necessary, it can be removed without disturbing the structure);
- to the back and seat (they are a kind of combination of these two parts).
- to the back and seat, but both are connected to each other using a metal plate (in this case, they can be removed without violating the integrity of the frame).
The presence of various adjustment options in the chair will only play a positive role, because all people are different, both in terms of physical indicators and health conditions.
As for the headrest, this is a completely useless device. It has no ergonomic role. The headrest is needed only to demonstrate the status of the seated person, to emphasize his high position.
Wheels
There is no doubt that a staff member's chair should be on wheels. Unfortunately, this is the weak point of most cheap options - the rollers break quickly. Responsible manufacturers pay a lot of attention to this point, increasing the service life to several kilometers. In practice, this depends on factors such as the weight of the wearer or the floor covering. The rollers are divided into groups depending on the hardness:
- harder nylon or propylene rollers, suitable for tiled or stone floors;
- soft polyurethane rollers are ideal for parquet or laminate flooring.
Another important nuance is the possibility of fixation. Nobody likes to "leave" the table while working when trying to slightly change the posture. Wheel locking solves this problem.
Types of mechanisms
The mechanisms that office chairs provide are many. Among the most used:
- permanent contact (allows you to adjust the depth, height and angle of the backrest);
- mechanism of the TILT type (provides swinging or fixing of the back in the required position);
- multiblock (fixed at 5 different points);
- synchro mechanism (allows free rocking, controls the level of deflection rigidity);
- "Top-gun" (allows the chair to swing in the range of 95 - 135 degrees).
The understanding of how and by whom it will be used will help to select certain mechanisms necessary for a particular chair.
Color and design
These items in the choice of furniture should be selected based on the design decisions of the office. The chairs must match the style and color of the rest of the furniture group. Dark shades are ideal. Lighter ones quickly lose their original novelty and attractiveness. It is better not to use bright chairs, because they distract from the workflow. In addition, a frivolous impression of the company is created.
What else needs to be considered
When choosing an office chair, you need to sit in it. It should not squeak and wobble. The wheels should allow easy movement of the chair. Choosing a model with certain functions and mechanisms, you need to check their performance. Also, depending on whom the furniture is selected for, certain points of additional structures may be present or excluded.
Which chair to choose for the leader
A leader's chair is capable of characterizing a person. Approaching the solution to the problem of how to choose a chair for a leader, it is important to imagine the needs of its future owner, character, taste preferences. A number of points must be taken into account.
The stylistic decision in a classic or modern style also depends on the age and preferences of the leader. Usually they choose models with armrests and a headrest.The color depends on the director's personal preferences.
Creative personalities prefer bright colors: red, white, yellow, but it is important to make sure that the colors of the model match the overall design of the office. Customizing an executive workstation would be a good but expensive option. However, if the company can afford it, and also wants to make a proper impression for partners, then why not use this option.
Rating of the best models and manufacturers
There are a large number of office furniture manufacturers, but as elsewhere, there are those who have won the hearts of consumers with high quality, functionality, ergonomics and reasonable prices. Compiling the list, these include the following firms and models.
HARA CHAIR brand with NIETZSCHE UD model. Price from 16,600 to 40,000 rubles.
New Style is a Russian manufacturer. Most popular models:
- ruler "ISO";
- TASK and SALSA;
- "PRESTIGE NEW".
The price ranges from 900 to 2000 rubles.
Alvest is a company operating in the middle price range and slightly lower. Among the models are:
- AV 220;
- AV 222;
- AV 217.
The cost varies from 5,000 to 10,000 rubles.
TRENDLINES is a young Belarusian company. Popular models:
- Everprof Ergo Black;
- Everprof Everest S;
- "Everprof EP 708 TM".
Price from 6,000 to 15,000 rubles.
TetChair is a quality mid-range office chair. Models:
- Cambridge:
- "Raner";
- Comfort LT.
Price from 6,000 to 13,000 rubles.
Bureaucrat is a Russian company with a wide selection of office furniture. Models:
- KB-9 ECO;
- Miro;
- Aura.
Price from 1,000 to 50,000 rubles.
CHAIRMAN is a Russian company with a wide production specialization. Models:
- CH 411;
- CHAIRMAN 653;
- Chairman 404.
Price from 25,000 rubles.
Careful attention to the choice of an office chair will definitely pay off with excellent well-being and productive work, both for ordinary employees and for the management team. In addition, they will help to make a proper impression on business partners, allowing you to conclude more lucrative contracts.
Video: how to choose the right office chair