Making the transition from working at the office to working from home can be hard enough as it is but without the right home office furniture, it can be a real headache.
Instead of trying to work from the couch or even at the kitchen table, it’s worth investing in a desk with an office chair to go with it so that you can have your own dedicated workspace at home. This is where the best office chairs can help and while you can pair them with one of the best desks, I highly recommend opting for a standing desk instead.
With one of the best standing desks, you have a lot more freedom when it comes to how you want to work. While an ergonomic office chair will keep you comfortable with your back supported, sometimes, you can find yourself in a rut when sitting down at your desk all day. With a standing desk though, you can lift up your desk and move around while getting things done — great for breaking up your workday while also burning off a few extra calories.
I’ve personally been working from home exclusively for the past five years and during that time, I’ve tested dozens of standing desks and put countless office chairs through their paces. If you’ve been looking to upgrade your workspace or plan on starting a new work from home job soon, Cyber Monday is the perfect time to outfit your home office with the right furniture for the job.
Below you’ll find 5 handpicked deals on office chairs and standing desks I’ve personally tested and reviewed. Whether you’re on a tight budget or are willing to splurge on an office chair and standing desk you’ll be able to use for years to come, there’s something for everyone. Looking for more great work from home upgrades? Be sure to check out our guide on the best Cyber Monday laptop deals too.
Black Friday office chairs and standing desk deals — Quick links
- SIHOO Doro C300: was $359 now $279 @ Amazon
- HON Ignition 2.0: was $499 now $349 @ Amazon
- X-Chair X1: was $789 now $631 @ Amazon
- FLEXISPOT Comhar: was $499 now $299 @ Amazon
- Vari Ergo Electric: was $795 now $556 @ Amazon
Cyber Monday Office Chair deals: Best sales right now
Cyber Monday standing desk deals: Best sales right now
How to choose the best office chair for you
When it comes to picking out the right office chair for your needs, there are several things you want to consider first.
If you live in a place where the summer’s can get really hot or maybe it’s just warm all year long, then you should definitely consider an office chair with a mesh back like the Branch Ergonomic Office Chair. For additional comfort and cooling though, some office chairs like the FlexiSpot OC14 as well as the ErgoTune Supreme V3 also have a mesh seat as well. This helps keep your entire body cool and mesh office chairs are really easy to clean too.
Another thing worth looking out for are the armrests on your office chair. While older office chairs had fixed armrests, most newer chairs have movable ones and some even come with 4D armrests that can be raised or lowered, shifted forward or back or pushed in and out. This can really help if you want them out of the way or closer to you while working.
Wheels or casters also play a factor in your office chair and you’re going to want to pick them based on your home’s floors. There are specific casters for hardwood floors or carpet but if you don’t like the ones that came with your particular office chair, don’t worry as you can always swap them out for a new set for anywhere from $10 to $30.
The last thing you want to consider is whether or not you want a headrest. While I like having a headrest for when I lean back in my chair while taking a break, with an ergonomic office chair, you don’t actually need one. In fact, the Herman Miller Aeron and the rest of Herman Miller’s chairs don’t ship with headrests but you can buy third-party ones online if you want. The reasoning behind this is that ergonomic chairs are designed to keep you sitting up straight and with good posture so your head doesn’t actually need the support of a headrest. This is really a personal preference but definitely something to consider before investing in a chair for your home office.
What to look for in a standing desk
Like office chairs, standing desks come in a variety of designs but there are certain features you want to look out for.
For instance, cheaper standing desks usually have a single motor in one of their legs while more expensive ones have two motors with one in each leg. Both move up and down in the same way but in my testing, I’ve found that dual motor standing desks tend to be quieter than single motor ones plus, you don’t have a rod going across the underside of the desk which leave more room for a cable management tray which is a standing accessory I highly recommend.
As for the control panel or keypad on the front, you have several options to choose from too. Most cheaper standing desks just have an up and a down button on their control panel, while more premium ones have both of these buttons along with several numbered preset buttons and a button that you use to program them. You’re going to want at least two preset buttons — one to store your preferred standing height and one for your sitting height. However, having a few extra preset buttons can come in handy for any additional heights you want to program into your desk as well as for those who plan on sharing a standing desk between two people.
Finally, the last important things to consider when picking out a standing desk are their weight limit and width. More expensive desks can usually handle up to 300 pounds of gear being placed on their desktop. This is ideal for those who want to use a multiple monitor setup along with a big desktop computer. When shopping for a standing desk, you also want to think about where it’s going to end up in your house. Wider desks let you use a bigger monitor and have more peripherals like a full size keyboard while narrower desks are perfect if you plan on doing most of your work from one of the best laptops. In the end though, it’s up to you but if you want to see how these two styles of desks compare to one another, check out this guide on wide vs narrow standing desks.
