When shopping for new office chairs you'll be met with ample products designed for a variety of different applications. When shopping, it's important to know the key ways to test chairs to ensure they meet your individual needs while providing the support and comfort you need to get through the work day. Today's article highlights the 5 best ways to test office chair functionality to help you make an informed purchasing decision and smart chair investment.
1.) Lumbar
Once thought of as a luxury option, lumbar support mechanisms are now becoming a standard option on most office chairs priced over $300. While both lesser and far more expensive solutions are available, a lumbar support is a great way to relieve back pain regardless of the chair you choose to purchase. Models with built in lumbar supports will often not require adjusting. Simply sitting in the chair will give you a relatively good idea of how much support you'll be obtaining from the feature. Higher end products will often offer users the ability to adjust the lumbar action via a knob or lever typically located on the back of the chair. When testing, you'll want to rotate between both ends of the features spectrum to determine the full range of support obtainable. Brands like Global Total Office are a great source to consider for those shopping for computer chairs with lumbar support features.
2.) Mobility
The mobility of an office chair is an important feature to test. While we aren't suggesting a full on chair race around the showroom floor, simple leg assisted chair slides are a good indicator of just how well a chair moves. Heavier chairs are often a bit bulky to move on carpet while lighter models are often very touchy on hard surfaces. As a side tip, be sure to ask you dealer of choice if the chairs you're interested in can be purchased with a choice of hard floor or carpet casters. Specifying the wheel type based on the surface you plan to be working on is a great way to improve mobility and stability.
3.) Durability
Unfortunately most chair providers won't allow full on crash test dummy experiments with their showroom chairs. Needless to say this would be quite fun but also unnecessary. A chairs durability is often a direct reflection of the manufacturer and upholstery used on the product. Searching for reviews online will be a good indicator of just how well a chair is made. Inquire with your dealer about what grade of fabric or leather the chair is upholstered in. The grade indicates just how high of quality the seating material is and how many double rubs or approximately how many times you can sit in a chair without wearing down the fabric.
4.) Seat Height
Most of the new office chairs available this year are equipped with pneumatic cylinders for adjusting chair height. This feature is easily tested via a lever typically located underneath the right side of the chair seat. Pulling the lever up should provide a smooth releasing action that lowers the chair when under weight. lifting your rear from the seat and pulling the same lever should raise the seating surface via the cylinder. A quality chair should require minimal effort to raise and lower effectively. The movement should be smooth and gradual.
5.) Arms
Chairs with fixed arms don't provide much versatility in the workplace. When shopping for a new seating solution for your home or business, models with adjustable arms are definitely preferred. Most of the top executive chairs for home use offer a wide range of arm motion capabilities such as width, height, and angle adjustments. The various movements are designed to increase circulation, take pressure off the wrists, and provide support during those long computing sessions. Testing the chair arms should be simple. Most models offer a single button or lever located under the arm rest that allow for a full range of motions. Be sure to check if the arms are wobbly before attempting to adjust. This could be a good indicator of poor craftsmanship and a sign of future problems to come. The chair arms should be sturdy and firm once a desired setting is reached.
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